Every weekday, a panel of our college hoops experts discusses the biggest issues, trends and themes in and around college basketball.
Andy Katz: The time will be absorbed by a number of players such as Matt Jones, Tyus Jones, Grayson Allen, and maybe more minutes for wings. Duke does lose experience, but this could end up being addition by subtraction. Kentucky has survived the loss of Alex Poythress. I don't think this will be a deciding factor as to whether Duke makes a deep run.
C.L. Brown: Matt Jones will probably be called on to do more, but he can't run the point, so Tyus Jones and Quinn Cook will assume some of Sulaimon's minutes too. Coach Mike Krzyzewski could also tap Allen, a freshman, to play more. Although it may be hard for him grow this late in the season.
Myron Medcalf: This is a good time to remember that Kentucky wasn't the only team that entered the year with nine McDonald's All-Americans. Allen won't save the season, but he's certainly capable of another leap, with more minutes, down the stretch. Coach K will also need more from Matt Jones, as C.L. stated. But Cook and Tyus Jones will have to handle a much heavier load. They'll be responsible for more production and minutes. The duo has been bullied by strong backcourts this season. I'd be more concerned about what happens to Duke defensively without Sulaimon.
Katz: The Cardinals were one possession away from winning the game. They don't have to do too much. What they have to do is ensure they make perimeter shots. There will be opportunities in transition to get baskets. The Cardinals simply need to make them. It sounds obvious, but the shots will be there for the Cardinals to make.
Brown: Keep Carolina out of the paint. The Tar Heels outscored the Cardinals 40-26 in points in the paint. They also have to keep the Heels off the offensive glass. Louisville didn't press much in the first meeting, but with injuries to Carolina's Joel Berry II and Theo Pinson, it may prove to be a winning strategy this time around.
Medcalf: Well, some more pressure on Marcus Paige in another buzzer-beater situation would help. But 32 percent of the Cardinals' shots in the that first game came from beyond the arc. That's not necessary or wise for a squad that's connecting on just 30.7 percent of its 3s. It's not easy to score in the paint against that length, but the Cardinals have to penetrate and collect more buckets inside the arc this time around. They made 55 percent of their 2s in the first meeting.
Katz: Well, the Shocker faithful and staff aren't pleased with me dropping them in the Power Rankings. I shouldn't have pushed Wichita State down as much as I did (from 14 to 24) after crushing inferior Valley opponents. This team should be in the teens. But this game is at Northern Iowa, and I'll lean toward the Panthers' defense locking the Shockers down in this one.
Brown: I'll take Wichita State's offense. Shockers point guard Fred VanVleet proved difficult for Northern Iowa to contain last season, averaging 18 points in their two meetings. And he'll roll into UNI coming off a career-high 27 points against Loyola. Even if he doesn't score himself, VanVleet can put his teammates in a position to do so. His 5.5 assists per game lead the Missouri Valley.
Medcalf: I'll go with Northern Iowa's defense while noting that Wichita State's per-possession defensive numbers are comparable to UNI's (.92 vs. .91 PPP allowed). But the Panthers have managed to shake up some of the country's toughest teams. They beat Stephen F. Austin. They went to Richmond and nearly knocked off VCU in double-overtime. They held Iowa to 44 points. The Panthers will make this ugly. Wichita State has seen it all. But UNI might have too much for the Shockers at home.
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No. 13 North Carolina at No. 10 Louisville, Saturday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN
This begins a difficult stretch for North Carolina, which hosts No. 2 Virginia just two days after this Louisville contest. In the last meeting, a Tar Heels win, Marcus Paige had just 10 points on 4-for-12 shooting, but he did hit the game winner.
The matchup to watch here is in the frontcourt as these are two of the nation's best rebounding teams. Texas pulls down 42.3 rebounds per game (ranked No. 3) while Baylor grabs 41. 2 (tied for No. 6). The winner will be .500 in Big 12 play.
No. 4 Duke at No. 2 Virginia, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
While Duke has been ranked in the top five all season, the Blue Devils are in danger of losing sight of the ACC's top tier, as far as standings are concerned. With a loss, they will be 4-4 in ACC play.
Great team win to make it 3 in a row! Back on the road for 4 out of the next 5! #GoBucks
— OSU BASKETBALL (@OhioStateHoops) Jan. 29, 2015Andy Katz and Seth Greenberg check in with newsmakers from around college basketball.