Weekend ratings predictions.

• College basketball on CBS, Xavier/UCLA. Prediction: 5.5. Final rating: 5.2. Despite featuring the big market, marquee UCLA Bruins, CBS’ first Elite Eight game of the weekend fell 10% from the 5.8 for Ohio State/Memphis last year.
• College basketball on CBS, Louisville/North Carolina. Prediction: 7.1. Final rating: 6.5. For a Saturday night, a 6.5 rating is solid. Still, even though this game featured arguably the biggest draw left in the tournament, North Carolina, the rating marks a 4% drop.
• College basketball on CBS, Texas/Memphis. Prediction: 6.1. Final rating: 5.1. Texas/Memphis was not much of a game. The 5.1 rating for Memphis’ win marks a 7% decline from Florida/Oregon in ’07.
• College basketball on CBS, Davidson/Kansas. Prediction: 6.3. Final rating: 8.7. Thank goodness for Cinderella. While the other Elite Eight games were duds compared to last year, Davidson’s close loss to Kansas saw a huge increase. The 8.7 rating marks a 19% increase from the 7.3 for UNC/Georgetown last year.
• NBA on ABC, Rockets/Spurs. Prediction: 1.5. Final rating: 1.3. Opposite the Elite Eight, this low-key blowout was the lowest rated NBA game on ABC this season. The 1.3 rating marks a 46% decline from the Mavs/Suns game on the comparable date last year. Keep in mind that last year’s Mavs/Suns game did not air opposite NCAA Tournament games. Compared to the game that aired opposite the Elite Eight last year, the 1.3 rating marks a 30% increase.
• NHL on NBC, Rangers/Penguins. Prediction: 0.9. Final rating: 0.7. Yet again, the NHL fails to draw a 1.0 rating. The 0.7 for the battle between two of the marquee teams in the league, the Rangers and Penguins, is even with comparable regional action last year.
• NASCAR on FOX, Goody’s Cool Orange 500. Prediction: 5.7. Final rating: 5.3. NASCAR puts up Elite Eight type numbers on a weekly basis. The 5.3 rating for the Goody’s Cool Orange 500 is even with last year’s race, and a 4% jump over the 5.1 for the race that aired opposite the Elite Eight last year.

Ratings for MLB on ESPN: Nationals/Braves currently unavailable.

This week’s predictions:

• College basketball on CBS, Memphis/UCLA, 6 PM Saturday — The Final Four features all #1 seeds. Does America only care about Cinderella, or does having the best teams play attract more viewers? Last year, the comparable Ohio State/Georgetown, featuring Greg Oden, drew an 8.4 rating. Prediction: 8.0.
• College basketball on CBS, Kansas/North Carolina, 8:30 PM Saturday — The marquee game on Saturday night features college basketball’s biggest remaining draw in UNC and another primetime program in Kansas. Last year, the comparable Florida/UCLA game drew an 8.9 rating..
• College basketball on ESPN, Stanford/Connecticut, 7 PM Sunday — Ratings for the Women’s NCAA Tournament have been up in every round, and that trend figures to continue for the Final Four. Last year, the comparable Rutgers/LSU game drew a 1.3 rating. Prediction: 1.6.
• College basketball on ESPN, Tennessee/LSU, 9 PM Sunday — This battle of future WNBA stars Candace Parker and Sylvia Fowles may not be able to match the 2.0 rating for Tennessee/UNC last year. Still, look for a solid number. Prediction: 1.8.
• MLB on FOX, Mets/Braves or other regional action, 3:30 PM Saturday — Baseball returns to FOX. Last year, regular season action set an all-time record low, averaging a 2.3 rating. With MLB also coming off the second-lowest rated World Series ever, will 2008 finally reverse baseball’s downward trend? Last year, the first FOX telecast of the season drew a 2.4. Prediction: 2.5.
• MLB on TBS, Red Sox/Blue Jays, 1 PM Sunday — TBS starts its national MLB package with the World Champion Red Sox. How will baseball fare on Sunday afternoons on cable, opposite NBA and golf on broadcast? Prediction: 1.4.
• NBA on ABC, Warriors/Hornets, 1 PM Sunday — Two teams that rarely get network television exposure clash on Sunday afternoon. The Warriors have not been on broadcast since the mid-1990s, while the Hornets are making only their second appearance since 2002. Does mainstream America know these teams well enough to tune in? Prediction: 1.7.
• NBA on ABC, Mavericks/Suns, 3:30 PM Sunday — When these teams met on ABC last year, they were the best in the NBA and had just come off a classic double-overtime game weeks before. Now, the Mavericks are battling to stay in the playoffs, and the Suns are the #5 seed. Still, new acquisitions Jason Kidd and Shaquille O’Neal figure to arouse interest in this game. Prediction: 2.0.
• NHL on NBC, Blackhawks/Red Wings, 12:30 PM Sunday — With the Blackhawks officially eliminated from playoff contention and the Red Wings having already clinched the best record in the NHL, there is literally nothing at stake for this game. Prediction: 0.7.
• NASCAR on FOX, Samsung 500, 1:30 PM Sunday — Except for the Final Four, look for NASCAR to run away as the highest rated sporting event of the weekend. The race on the comparable date last year (the Goody’s Cool Orange 500) drew a 5.3. Prediction: 5.8.