Pregame Shootaround 12.8.12: Loaded Saturday features 21 ranked teams in action

Dec 8, 2012, 11:30 AM EDT

Each day, CollegeBasketballTalk brings you the “Pregame Shootaround,” which will be posted at 2 p.m. ET and lay out a preview for the slate of games that night. We’ll take a look at some key match-ups and important games, as well as make some predictions and point out what you need to watch for. Take a look below at today’s edition:

Note: The weekend editions of Pregame Shootaround will be published half an hour prior to tip-off of the day’s first game.

Game of the Day: No. 13 Illinois vs. No. 10 Gonzaga (10 p.m. ET)

This is Saturday’s only match-up between ranked teams and also happens to be one of only two match-ups between undefeated teams. Much of the focus will likely be on the contrast between coaches, with Mark Few leading his Gonzaga team to another strong start and continuing the program’s mid-major legacy, and John Groce in his first year at Illinois with a team he inherited from now-Kansas State coach Bruce Weber.

Statistically Gonzaga has been one of the most impressive teams in the nation. The Bulldogs are ninth in the country in scoring (83.7 ppg), first in field goal percentage (53.1 percent), 26th in rebounding (41.1 rpg), and 19th in assists (17.0 apg). Prior to their two-point win over Washington State this week, they had won their first eight contests by an average of nearly 28 points per game.

Elias Harris leads the attack, but Gonzaga has benefited greatly from the return of seven-footer Kelly Olynyk, who returned from suspension Nov. 22. He is averaging 13.8 points and 7.0 rebounds.

For Illinois, early season success goes back to the player who led the team in scoring last season, Brandon Paul. He has upped his scoring average by three points per game year-to-year, and is the centerpiece of the Illini’s high-powered scoring front. Expect a high-scoring game in this one.

Who’s getting upset?: No. 18 New Mexico against Valparaiso

There aren’t many evenly matched Top 25 games on Saturday, so it looks like Valpo is one of the few schools with a decent shot at pulling an upset. If the Crusaders are going to do it, it will be in large part due to senior Ryan Broekhoff. The 6-7 Australian is averaging 16.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, including a double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds in a win over Northern Illinois during the 24-hour Tip-off Marathon.

Valpo doesn’t score a lot of points, but typically doesn’t give up many either, meaning they’ll be keying in on New Mexico’s Kendall Williams and Tony Snell. Those two together average just over 26 points per game.

Mid-Major Matchup of the Day: Northern Iowa vs. George Mason (6:00 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network)

George Mason came within one point of beating New Mexico earlier this season and within seven points of beating Maryland this week. They match up Saturday with a Northern Iowa team that had to face a string of high-major competition in Atlantis and is likely better off for it.

The Panthers, led by sophomore Deon Mitchell, lost by just five points to Louisville in a grind-it-out game, then had to come right back to face Stanford and Memphis.

Sherrod Wright and Erik Copes will be key, as usual, for George Mason. Also keep an eye on freshman Patrick Holloway, who went off for 17 points against Maryland, but struggled in the Patriots’ latest game against UMBC.

It should be a low-scoring game Saturday evening, but is the best mid-major match-up on the slate.

Five Things to Watch For

1) Temple upset Duke last season in Philadelphia, so the No. 2 Blue Devils get another shot Saturday in New Jersey. Both teams are undefeated, adding to the depth of this one. Mason Plumlee has transformed himself into a threat on a nightly basis, aided by Seth Curry becoming a legitimate scoring threat after the departure of Austin Rivers. Scootie Randall has been Temple’s biggest asset after returning from injury, and he, along with Khalif Wyatt, should work to counter the Curry/Quinn Cook Duke backcourt.

2) Arkansas might be 4-3, but you know that they’re going to push the basketball and score a lot of points. No. 3 Michigan, with its trio of stars, needs to be ready for that. The Wolverines do a good job of holding on to the basketball for the most part, but if point guard Trey Burke has a bout with turnovers, the Razorbacks could capitalize.

3) Colorado has been a pleasant surprise in the Pac-12 so far this season, and they face their toughest test Saturday. They already beat then-No. 16 Baylor, but the Bears have been plagued by inconsistency this season. Kansas, on the other hand, has been Kansas. It will be interesting to see how the Buffs try to work their offense with center Jeff Withey in the paint for the Jayhawks.

4) No. 11 Cincinnati, as seems to be the case so often, has flown under the radar once again this season and is creeping toward the Top 10. They should win handily over an 0-8 Maryland-Eastern Shore team Saturday, but keep an eye on Mick Cronin’s Bearcats going forward.

5) Clemson will get a chance to see exactly where they are when they take on No. 8 Arizona Saturday. The high-powered Wildcats have now become the clubhouse favorite to win the Pac-12, and the Tigers will be able to see if they are NCAA tournament-worthy against top-tier opponents.

The Rest of the Top 25:

No. 1 Indiana vs. Central Connecticut State (6:00 p.m. ET)

No. 2 Duke vs. Temple (3:15 p.m. ET)

No. 3 Michigan vs. Arkansas (12:00 p.m. ET)

No. 4 Syracuse vs. Monmouth (7:00 p.m. ET)

No. 5 Louisville vs. UMKC (2:00 p.m. ET)

No. 7 Ohio State vs. Long Beach State (12:00 p.m.)

No. 8 Arizona vs. Clemson (8:00 p.m. ET)

No. 9 Kansas vs. Colorado (2:00 p.m. ET)

No. 10 Gonzaga vs. No. 13 Illinois (10:00 p.m. ET, See Above)

No. 11 Cincinnati vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore (2:00 p.m. ET)

No. 12 Missouri vs. Tennessee State (3:00 p.m. ET)