Conference play is just getting underway in the month of January. The parity in college hoops this year has been unreal with the number of upsets and shifts going on in the ranks each week. This past Monday, college basketball fans around the world to a thriller in Lawrence, Kansas between the two number ones (Oklahoma and Kansas), depending on which poll you look at of course.
While the number next to their names aren't there, the intensity of this weekend's games should just be as good. This weekend offers some high-profile superstars, such as LSU's Ben Simmons, as well as some high-profile teams as Villanova and Butler faceoff in a Big East Conference showdown.
But, we can't forget the little guys. Albany and Vermont faceoff in an early season conference showdown amongst America East favorites while Wichita State is looking to put behind their struggles in the non-conference by "shocking" the Southern Illinois Salukis who have played brilliantly so far.
VAVEL Writer's Picks
Irby | Klinger | Anderson | Splane | Alberto | |
LSU - Florida | LSU | LSU | LSU | Florida | LSU |
Albany - Vermont | Vermont | Albany | Albany | Albany | Vermont |
Vanderbilt - South Carolina | South Carolina | South Carolina | South Carolina | South Carolina | South Carolina |
Towson - James Madison | Towson | JMU | JMU | JMU | Towson |
Maryland - Wisconsin | Maryland | Maryland | Maryland | Maryland | Maryland |
Dayton - La Salle | Dayton | Dayton | Dayton | Dayton | Dayton |
Baylor - Iowa State | Iowa St | Iowa St | Iowa St | Iowa St | Iowa St |
Pittsburgh - Notre Dame | Pitt | Pitt | Pitt | Notre Dame | Notre Dame |
Wichita State - Southern Illinois | Wich St | Wich St | SIU | Wich St | Wich St |
Florida State - Miami | Miami | Miami | Miami | Miami | Miami |
North Carolina - Syracuse | UNC | UNC | UNC | UNC | Syracuse |
Rhode Island - St. Joesph's | St. Joe's | St. Joe's | Rhode Island | St. Joe's | Rhode Island |
Richmond - Fordham | Richmond | Richmond | Fordham | Fordham | Fordham |
Ohio State - Indiana | Indiana | Ohio St | Ohio St | Indiana | Indiana |
Villanova - Butler | Viilanova | Villanova | Villanova | Butler | Butler |
Stanford - Oregon | Oregon | Oregon | Stanford | Oregon | Oregon |
This Week's Record | 10-6 | 11-5 | 9-7 | 10-6 | 7-9 |
Overall Record | 47-21 | 47-21 | 44-24 | 42-26 | 38-30 |
Thomas | White | Handel | Steinmetz* | McMahon** | Evans*** | Larson** | |
LSU - Florida | LSU | LSU | LSU | LSU | LSU | LSU | Florida |
Albany - Vermont | Albany | Albany | Vermont | Albany | Vermont | Vermont | Albany |
Vanderbilt - South Carolina | Vanderbilt | Vanderbilt | South Carolina | South Carolina | Vanderbilt | Vanderbilt | Vanderbilt |
Towson - James Madison | JMU | JMU | JMU | JMU | JMU | Towson | JMU |
Maryland - Wisconsin | Maryland | Maryland | Maryland | Maryland | Maryland | Wisconsin | Maryland |
Dayton - La Salle | Dayton | Dayton | Dayton | Dayton | Dayton | Dayton | Dayton |
Baylor - Iowa State | Baylor | Iowa St | Iowa St | Iowa St | Iowa St | Iowa St | Baylor |
Pittsburgh - Notre Dame | Notre Dame | Notre Dame | Pitt | Pitt | Notre Dame | Pitt | Notre Dame |
Wichita State - Southern Illinois | Wich St | Wich St | Wich St | Wich St | Wich St | Wich St | Wich St |
Florida State - Miami | Miami | Miami | Miami | Miami | Miami | Miami | Florida St |
North Carolina - Syracuse | Syracuse | UNC | UNC | UNC | UNC | UNC | Syracuse |
Rhode Island - St. Joesph's | St. Joe's | Rhode Island | St. Joe's | St. Joe's | St. Joe's | St. Joe's | Rhode Island |
Richmond - Fordham | Richmond | Richmond | Richmond | Richmond | Richmond | Richmond | Richmond |
Ohio State - Indiana | Ohio St | Indiana | Ohio St | Indiana | Ohio St | Indiana | Ohio St |
Villanova - Butler | Villanova | Villanova | Villanova | Butler | Villanova | Butler | Villanova |
Stanford - Oregon | Stanford | Oregon | Stanford | Oregon | Oregon | Oregon | Stanford |
This Week's Record | 8-8 | 11-5 | 9-7 | 11-5 | 8-8 | 7-9 | 9-7 |
Overall Record | 37-31 | 39-29 | 37-31 | 27-17 | 17-15 | 14-14 | 15-17 |
*denotes no picks for first two weeks
**denotes no picks for first three weeks
***denotes no picks for first two weeks and week four