Monday's Pregame Beat: MLK Day will be awesome

When I sit at my computer thinking about college basketball, what I dream is a day like today. Four terrific games, none of them on at the same time, starting at 3:30 and finishing before midnight.

Yeah, this is going to be awesome.

3:30 pm: No. 7 Villanova @ No. 8 UConn: Kicking off the afternoon's hoops schedule is Villanova and UConn. The Wildcats are the more talented team. Maalik Wayns and Corey Fisher are the names that everyone talks about, but Corey Stokes could very well be the best back court player that the Wildcats have right now. Nova will need him to be good this afternoon, because the Wildcats are heading into today without Dominic Cheek available after he sprained he knee against Maryland.

Obviously, the key for Villanova will be slowing down Kemba Walker. But the rest of the Huskies have been playing much better of late. Shabazz Napier, Roscoe Smith, Jeremy Lamb, and Jamal Coombs-McDaniel have all gotten better as the season has progressed, while Alex Oriakhi has reverted back to his early season form, dominating inside.

5:30 pm: No. 24 Kansas State @ No. 14 Missouri: Both the Wildcats and the Tigers come into this one at 1-2 in Big XII play. Kansas State has been one of the most disappointing teams in the country this season, but if their 34 point win over Texas Tech is an indication, the return of Curtis Kelly and Freddy Asprilla's departure may have turned this thing around. Missouri, on the other hand, has lost at Colorado and Texas A&M, neither of who have lost a Big XII game yet.

What makes this game so interesting in the contrast in styles. Kansas State has Jacob Pullen, but the rest of their back court is a bit of a question mark. That may be a problem against the Tiger's full court pressure. But Kansas State excels attacking the offensive glass, and Missouri is not a great team on the glass. All Missouri does is play exciting games with wild momentum swings. You're a fool if you don't tune in to this one.

7:30 pm: No. 3 Syracuse @ No. 4 Pitt: Syracuse is probably the best defensive team in the conference. Pitt is arguably the best offensive team in the country. Sounds a bit backwards, right?

The third game in today's quadruple-header is arguably the most important. Pitt and Syracuse will be playing to be crowned as the new favorite in the Big East. The Orange will be playing shorthanded as Kris Joseph didn't travel with the team to Pittsburgh after getting a concussion against Cincinnati. That will hurt the Orange offensively, especially with Joseph playing really well the last few weeks.

This game will be won on the backboards. The Orange and the Panthers have the two best front courts in the conference, and two of the best in the country. The Orange may be the only team in the league that can keep them off of the offensive glass.

9:30 pm: No. 2 Kansas @ Baylor: This game was a lot more intriguing at the start of the season, but Baylor has been a disappointment. They are still without a win over a tournament team, and the Bears just got smacked by 15 by Iowa State.

Kansas hasn't looked all that impressive, either, as they struggled to knock off Iowa State and Nebraska. But the Morrii are as good as anyone in the country, Thomas Robinson is underrated off the bench, and the Jayhawks have a loaded and deep back court. The versatility of the Morrii twins should allow them to slice apart the Baylor zone.

My picks: UConn, Missouri, Pitt, Kansas