While yesterday’s Champions Classic featured three teams ranked in the top seven in the AP poll yesterday, the fact that those games were played on a neutral court takes aways some of the luster of the event. There is no such neutral court environment in tonight’s marquee matchup, as the No. 11 Texas Longhorns host the No. 2 Gonzaga Bulldogs in what should be a raucous environment. Here’s a closer look at Gonzaga vs. Texas.
Here are our best bets for Wednesday’s college basketball action. ()
Perhaps one can blame Gonzaga's 64-point output against Michigan State on the outdoor setting of an aircraft carrier, but frankly, the Bulldogs' guard play is not as strong as it has been in recent years. Furthermore, Chris Beard is one of the best defensive minds in the business and will utilize his team's length and athleticism to limit Drew Timme and build off of the No. 1 adjusted defensive efficiency rating. The Longhorns also rank seventh in the country in 2-point percentage defense (34.7% allowed), and Beard will make sure Timme does not go off for 22 points like he has in each of the first two games. Austin will be rocking, and we expect the Bulldogs to be rattled by the Longhorns' physicality in a raucous environment.