Saturday’s college basketball schedule features a possible Final Four matchup between No. 1 Arizona and No. 6 Kansas.

This high-profile, non-league game in the heart of conference play — and fittingly, in Lawrence, Kan., the heart of the country — is a rare matchup of senior-led teams.

Point guard Jason Gardner and forward Luke Walton lead Arizona (14-1, 7-0 Pac-10), while Kansas (13-4, 3-1 Big 12) features point guard Kirk Hinrich and center Nick Collison.

Each player provides his team with stability that many programs lack because of early departures to the NBA.

Gardner led the Wildcats to the national championship game two years ago and originally decided to leave school after his sophomore season. But he changed his mind at the last minute.

Now he’s spearheading the nation’s No. 1 team — a squad that’s set on winning the national title that Duke snatched from them in 2001.

‘(Gardner) is more of a vocal leader now,’ Arizona coach Lute Olson said. ‘Defensively, he has stepped it up and has developed into a great leader.’

Both Collison and Hinrich came to Kansas from Iowa four years ago and made it to the Final Four last season before losing to eventual champion Maryland. They are first and second on Kansas in scoring.

Though the young Jayhawks struggled early, they won their first three conference games.

‘Nobody on our team is going to stand out as the guy,’ Kansas coach Roy Williams said. ‘I love it because the other team can’t focus on just one player.’

Olson and Williams have mixed feelings about Saturday’s game. They know the implications of scheduling high-ranked opponents when it comes time for seeding in the NCAA Tournament.

Olson said he wishes a non-league game of this magnitude would’ve been scheduled earlier in the season. But he sees value in playing a Kansas team that he calls “Final Four caliber.”

‘It is a good barometer of how you are doing,’ Olson said. ‘We’re going to know a lot more about our ball club when this game is done than if we would have played Podunk Center.’

Williams said scheduling this game in midseason is made for television, but he relishes the opportunity to play the nation’s No. 1 team at home.

With both team’s seniors expected to play well, other role players could decide the outcome of the game. Arizona State coach Rob Evans said Arizona is as deep as any team in the country.

Williams said Kansas’ third-leading scorer, sophomore Keith Langford, could be the difference in the game.

Even with injured Kansas forward Wayne Simien’s possible return, Williams knows knocking off Arizona, even in the Jayhawks’ arena, will be difficult.

‘I’d rather play Arizona when they’re not any good,’ Williams said. ‘But now they are simply unbelievable.’

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NO. 1 ARIZONA (+3) AT NO. 6 KANSAS

SATURDAY, 1 P.M., CBS

Look for Arizona’s deep bench to be the difference as the Wildcats defeat the Jayhawks at Allen Field House.

PICK: ARIZONA 80, KANSAS 75

SYRACUSE (+4.5) AT MIAMI (FLA.)

SUNDAY, 1 P.M., CBS

This could be a trap for the Orangemen. The Hurricanes are a quality team fresh off an upset of Connecticut on a last-second shot by Darius Rice, one of the Big East’s most underrated players.

Syracuse needs a big game from Carmelo Anthony who needs to improve his defense for SU to win.

PICK: SYRACUSE 67, MIAMI 63

GEORGETOWN (+12.5) AT NO. 2 PITTSBURGH

SATURDAY, NOON, WB (CH. 7)

After Syracuse failed to beat Pittsburgh last weekend, another hopeful from the Big East West division will have trouble beating the Panthers in their home arena.

Georgetown’s only hope is for Pittsburgh guards Brandin Knight and Julius Page to struggle and for Michael Sweetney to dominate Ontario Lett inside. Neither proposition is likely.

PICK: PITTSBURGH 76, GEORGETOWN 60

NO 24. AUBURN (+4.5) AT NO. 19 GEORGIA

SATURDAY, 1 P.M., NO TV

Watch out for these two relatively unheralded teams from the SEC. They’ve surprised some teams and have crept into the polls.

Georgia, coached by former UCLA boss Jim Harrick, relies on great defense and good shooting.

Auburn features senior Marquis Daniels, who averages 19 points for a team picked to finish near the bottom of the SEC West.

After defeating No. 13 Alabama, people are beginning to notice the Tigers.

PICK: GEORGIA 69, AUBURN 59

NO. 21 MISSOURI (+7.5) AT NO. 4 TEXAS

SATURDAY, 4 P.M., NO TV

A matchup for positioning in the Big 12 features two of the elite point guards in the nation. Sophomore T.J. Ford leads Texas while junior-college transfer Ricky Clemons runs the Missouri attack.

Both are quick and pass the ball extremely well, but it will be the big men who decide this one. Missouri will pull off the upset behind center Arthur Johnson.

PICK: MISSOURI 79, TEXAS 73

Published on January 22, 2003 at 12:00 pm