Well, they asked. So we'll oblige.
The weekend picks column returns for 2016-17. A quick recap for those who haven't followed this pool of solid predictions and misguided projections.
We've won some. We've lost a bunch. But we've won some. Let's focus on that.
Last season's overall record: 60-38. That's a 61 percent success rate. Not great. Not horrible. We're ready for change this season and we'll begin this weekend.
This weekend's main event: UCLA at Kentucky. We all know that.
This week's most fascinating game: Gonzaga vs. Arizona in Los Angeles. Mark Few vs. Sean Miller. The skilled big men. The talented guards. A chance for the Bulldogs to continue their hot start. A hobbled Arizona squad gets a shot at a major win.
That's not the only intriguing matchup, though.
Let's see how things go this weekend with our first set of picks for the 2016-17 season.
No. 8 Gonzaga vs. No. 16 Arizona (Los Angeles), 5:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, ESPN: The official title of this West Coast cage match is the Basketball Hall of Fame Hoophall LA. That title fails, however, to encapsulate the most captivating traits of this battle -- USC faces BYU in the same event -- between two powerhouses, one healthier than the other. A better title for this dance? The Kevin McHale-Patrick Ewing National Showcase for Skilled Bigs. Why? Because the big men in this game can do everything. They're the stars. Arizona's well-documented backcourt obstacles to date -- Ray Smith's injury and retirement, Allonzo Trier's absence -- added another subhead when point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright (5.3 APG) suffered an ankle injury in Wednesday's win over Texas Southern. He could miss significant time.
That's another reason for Arizona to challenge Gonzaga by freeing the most skilled big man in America. Let Lauri Markkanen (18.3 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 89 percent from the free throw line, 47 percent from the 3-point line) go to work. He's a 7-footer who has registered a 6.2 percent turnover rate. He's joined by offensive-board gobbling bigs Dusan Ristic and Chance Comanche.
Excited yet? Well, wait until you learn about Gonzaga. Here are the stat lines for Few's impressive post fleet, an elite group as deep as any unit in the country: 6-foot-9 Johnathan Williams (60 percent clip inside the arc), 7-1 Przemek Karnowski (second-highest assist rate on the team at 22.8 percent), 6-10 Zach Collins (18-for-28 against man, per Synergy Sports), 6-10 Killian Tillie (6-for-11 from the 3-point line).
That's a matchup problem for a full-strength Arizona squad. And the Wildcats aren't close to 100 percent.
Prediction: Gonzaga 73, Arizona 65
No. 11 UCLA at No. 1 Kentucky, 12:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, CBS: This is a gift for the masses. The battle between point guards De'Aaron Fox and Lonzo Ball. The spontaneous brilliance of Malik Monk (38 percent from beyond the arc) and Bryce Alford (42 percent). Bam Adebayo and T.J. Leaf guiding frontcourts NBA scouts can't wait to see. Per KenPom.com, UCLA and Kentucky are 12th and 24th, respectively, in adjusted tempo.
The Bruins and the Wildcats will play fast. And, at times, wild.
They're both blessed with an abundance of showstoppers who won't shrink in the spotlight. But Kentucky's defensive aggression (the Wildcats have forced turnovers on one-quarter of their opponents' possessions) and a rowdy Rupp Arena crowd will be the difference in a thriller. Look for UCLA to stay alive with their 3-point shooting, but the Bruins will come down to earth after connecting on 46 percent of their shots from beyond the arc thus far.
Prediction: Kentucky 88, UCLA 81
No. 7 Xavier at No. 9 Baylor, 3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, ESPN2: In his first five games, Xavier star Edmond Sumner committed 20 turnovers. In Xavier's two most recent outings, he finished with a combined 14 assists and only one turnover in wins over North Dakota State and Northern Iowa. He and his teammates will try to attack Baylor shot-swatter Jo Lual-Acuil and finish at the rim since the Musketeers aren't a great 3-point shooting team. The talented Baylor Bears withstood similar attacks against Oregon, Louisville and Michigan State.
Prediction: Baylor 74, Xavier 68
No. 25 West Virginia at No. 6 Virginia, 2 p.m. ET, Saturday, ESPNU West Virginia has forced turnovers on a ridiculous 35 percent of their opponents' possessions this season, per KenPom.com. In their win over Manhattan on Monday, the Mountaineers forced 40 turnovers. Both Bob Huggins and Tony Bennett boast teams rated in the top 10 of KenPom.com's offensive and defensive turnover efficiency ratings. They're not careless. But West Virginia forced 19 turnovers against Virginia last season and still lost by 16. Why? The Cavs made 69 percent of their shots inside the arc and the Mountaineers couldn't buy a free throw that day. The same dynamics exist this season: a relentless West Virginia team that won't make the necessary free throws and quality shots to separate itself from a top-10 Virginia team in Charlottesville.
Prediction: Virginia 68, West Virginia 64