Michigan-Duke, Arizona-Houston Highlight Top Draft Matchups to Watch Today

Two games will have a host of NBA Draft prospects.

Feb 17, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) defends against Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) during the first half at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Today, there will be two top-four matchups in college basketball, with No. 2 Houston facing off against No. 4 Arizona, and top-ranked Michigan matchup up against No. 3 Duke.

In addition to the rarity of two top-four matchups in one day, the games will also host leagues of NBA Draft prospects, who will face off against one another in hopes of bolstering their stock.

Here are several of the names to watch out for in today’s action:

No. 2 Houston vs. No. 4 Arizona

Both Houston and Arizona will be looking to re-gain momentum Saturday, with the Cougars having dropped a game to No. 6 Iowa State, and the Wildcats having XXXX.

There will be a number of talented freshman to watch out for as the Cougars face off against the Wildcats, notably the projected fifth overall pick in Houston’s Kingston Flemings, along with Chris Cenac Jr., as well as Arizona’s Brayden Burries and Koa Peat.

There’s also plenty of upperclassmen to look out for, including Motiejus Krivas, JoJo Tugler, Milos Uzan, among other draft hopefuls.

It’s sure to be a grindy, defensive game, and any scorers that can stand on on the big stage will likely earn favor in scouts’ eyes.

Arizona and Houston tip off at 2 p.m. CT from Fertitta Center in Houston, TX.

No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 3 Duke

Michigan against Duke isn’t just one of the most interesting matchups of the day, but one of the more interesting matchups period on the season.

The Wolverines have one of the best and most versatile trios of big men ever assembled in Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara, all of which could be taken in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft without much thought.

Duke, though, has the potential National Player of the Year in Cameron Boozer, a big man who is likely to be a top-three pick. In addition to a host of other draftable players like Patrick Ngongba II, Isaiah Evans, Dame Sarr and a few more.

At this point, it’s known how talented Boozer is, but all eyes will be on Michigan’s trio of bigs to see who can limit a soon-to-be pro. Mara possesses unique size, and both Lendeborg and Johnson are among the best defenders in the country.

The Wolverines and Blue Devils tip off at 5:30 p.m. CT.

Honorable mentions: No. 19 Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee; No. 6 Iowa State vs. No. 23 BYU