College Hoops Week Six Preview: North Carolina-Texas Highlights Exciting Action

Week six in college basketball brings a number of games pitting two ranked foes together, as well as many up-and-coming teams trying to prove their worth to the college basketball world.

Top Matchups

(10) North Carolina vs. (2) Texas

In the third game vs. top five opponents already this season, North Carolina looks to right the ship following a disappointing loss in Lexington to the jump-start Wildcats.

Senior Deon Thompson leads the Tar Heels in both scoring and rebounding but will be facing the most physically imposing big man he has seen up to this point when Dexter Pittman takes the court. Pittman comes in leading the nation in field-goal percentage (.778) and has averaged over two blocks per game in less than 19 minutes per game.

(15) Gonzaga vs. (7) Duke

This neutral site matchup pits two smart, efficient teams together that have made a regular appearance already on the national scene.

Duke, coming off an easy win against Gardner-Webb, enters the game with an 8-1 record and ranked No. 7 in the country. Gonzaga, having already won the famed Maui Invitational last month, enters their matchup with the Blue Devils at 8-2 on the season with impressive wins over Wisconsin—Duke's only loss—and Cincinnati.

Duke's Jon Scheyer, a serious contender for ACC Player of the Year honors, is coming off an unreal 37-point, nine-rebound, eight-assist game against Gardner-Webb and has only turned the ball over eight total times in 316 minutes this season.

Look for Duke to handle Gonzaga with their athletic bigs doing a lot of damage in the paint.

What We Must See

Wildcats Dominate

Coming off three consecutive big-time wins, we must see the University of Kentucky handle Austin Peay with ease this weekend. John Wall and Patrick Patterson have been close to unstoppable in their three straight nationally televised games, but for a young team it is crucial they come out with the same intensity against the Governors.

Tide Turn the Corner

After a heartbreaking loss in the final minutes against a top 10 Purdue team, Alabama needs to add an impressive win to its non-conference résumé. Under new coach Anthony Grant, the Tide have been playing stifling defense because of their athletic wings and need to put together 40 minutes of smart basketball in their game against No. 22 Kansas State this weekend.

Coleman Come to Play

On an individual note, Houston Cougar guard Aubrey Coleman, the nation's leading scorer (26.7), needs to have a huge game for his club if they want to pull an upset of SEC contender Mississippi State.

The Bulldogs are known for putting pressure on their opponents around the perimeter because of their shot-blocking extraordinaire underneath in Jarvis Varnado protecting the rim.

Don't Be Surprised

Portland on a Mission

Although they are coming off an upsetting loss to Georgetown, don't be surprised if Washington gets all they can handle at home from early season Cinderella Portland. With early season wins over Oregon, UCLA, and Minnesota, Portland has already been ranked once this season before a 10-day collapse.

James Leads 'Horns

Usually being ranked garners you a lot of publicity, but somehow the Texas Longhorns have flown under the proverbial radar the first month of the season. Led by senior Damion James, the Longhorns are one of the top 10 defensive teams in America, allowing an amazing 55.3 points per game.

Don't be surprised if James leads the Texas Longhorns to a double-digit win over the North Carolina Tar Heels this weekend with 25-plus points and 12-plus rebounds. It appears freshman small forward John Henson, who weighs a minuscule 190 pounds, will draw the impossible task of slowing down the most physically imposing small forward in America on Saturday.