Every weekday, a panel of our college hoops experts discusses the biggest issues, trends and themes in and around college basketball.
Andy Katz: NC State over No. 22 West Virginia. Ralston Turner and Trevor Lacey are clicking. The Wolfpack had their best offensive performance in a win over Tennessee, and that came after losing to Wofford. The Wolfpack have gotten better each season under Mark Gottfried. This would be a huge road win if the Wolfpack can land it.
Myron Medcalf: Maryland. The No. 17 Terps won't have Dez Wells for another week or so. They're led by a talented true freshman in Melo Trimble. And they have to play their first true road game of the season at Oklahoma State. That's a tough venue for any opponent, and I think a solid Cowboys team and a crazy Gallagher-Iba crowd will push Oklahoma State to a win.
Eamonn Brennan: Calling Indiana over No. 23 Butler an upset possibility feels a little bit like a stretch, given the two programs' relative size, recruiting targets and financial clout. But the Bulldogs have had a strong start to the season, found themselves safely among the top 25 more often than not and are playing elite defense like the Brad Stevens teams of yore. But if Butler starts cold offensively and gives Indiana too many long rebounds and runouts, the Hoosiers could bury them under a barrage of 3s.
Katz: Marcus Paige. This is a huge game for North Carolina. Ohio State is respectable but beatable. The Tar Heels are still searching for a win against a team that is considered top-25 good and actually playing well. Ohio State fits that description. Paige could have a signature game if he can get out on the break.
Medcalf: D'Angelo Russell. Ohio State has a Big Ten player of the year candidate in that Louisville, Kentucky, native. He's averaging 18 points per game and will be the star of the Ohio State-North Carolina matchup this weekend. He's a legit NBA prospect, but he's also one of the best freshmen signed by Thad Matta. That's a big statement when you're talking about the Buckeyes.
Brennan: If all goes well, Harvard's Wesley Saunders. No player this weekend -- even Russell, in a higher profile game -- has a better chance to prove to the world just how good he is. Saunders will go to Virginia averaging 20.1 points, 7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.8 steals per game. Replicating anything close to those numbers on the road against one of the nation's best defenses is a tremendous ask, but if Saunders can pull it off, he'll finally get some of the player-of-the-year love he probably already deserves.
Katz: The Terps. The Cavs are playing so well right now. While Harvard is as well, the Cavs have been running a machine-like offense. Maryland has been a surprise, but it's still a road game in a hostile environment against a talented squad that can be hard to contain on the break.
Medcalf: Definitely Maryland. I think folks are waiting for Virginia to fall, but it's going to be a tough squad in the ACC.
Brennan: Maryland by far. At first glance, Oklahoma State doesn't look like much -- sure, the Cowboys are 9-1, but their only decent wins came over Memphis and Tulsa, and they were bludgeoned at South Carolina. Look a little closer and you'll see what appears to be another really solid defensive team thriving on inside-out work from forward Le'Bryan Nash and guard Phil Forte III. This is a chance to make those hidden strengths a little more obvious.
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Before the season, nobody would have believed that Ohio State would have fewer offensive issues than North Carolina, but the Buckeyes have the 10th-best scoring output in the nation at 84.2 points per game. Freshman D'Angelo Russell has been the catalyst at 18 points per game.
The Sooners are a force to be reckoned with because of their rebounding. (41.2 rebounds per game). Washington's undefeated start -- on the shoulders of sophomore point guard Nigel Williams-Goss and Fresno State transfer Robert Upshaw -- has been a surprise.
Virginia ranks as the No. 2 team in the country according to the basketball power index. The Cavaliers are allowing the fewest points in the nation, but Harvard hasn't lost since falling to Holy Cross more than a month ago.
#winstagram @KyrieIrving edition ... Thanks again to KI for making the trip in for this program game
— Duke Basketball (@dukeblueplanet) Dec. 18 2014Andy Katz and Seth Greenberg check in with newsmakers from around college basketball.