One of the most loaded days of the faculty basketball season to this point will come our method on Saturday with the annual SEC/Big 12 Challenge highlighting the weekend motion. The slate will tip early and run all the method into the evening culminating with a No. 9 Kansas at Kentucky matchup at 8 p.m. ET to shine off the slate.
The Big 12 has rated as the prime convention in faculty hoops this season after score No. 1 final season, however the SEC carries some bragging rights into the weekend having gained every of the final two challenges after forcing a tie in the collection in 2019-20. The Big 12 nonetheless has a 4-3 edge in profitable the occasion since its inception in 2013-14 (there have been two years during which the leagues tied) in addition to a 48-41 general report. But the SEC has been up for the problem on this occasion and has some favorable matchups to probably be the first league to three-peat since the Big 12 did so the first three years.
Our specialists have picks and predictions for the day’s greatest video games right here.
Odds by way of Caesars Sportsbook | All occasions Eastern
Featured Game | Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. TCU Horned Frogs
4 p.m. | ESPN2, fuboTV (Try for free) — This TCU crew is red-hot coming off double-digit wins over Kansas and OU so I like them to maintain it rolling on the street against a bottom-tier SEC membership. The Bulldogs have stayed aggressive whilst their 11-0 begin has slipped to a 12-8 report so I do count on this one shall be shut, however driving the scorching hand right here with the Horned Frogs. Prediction: TCU -2 — Boone
Featured Game | Baylor Bears vs. Arkansas Razorbacks
4 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) — Davonte Davis has emerged as a difference-maker for Arkansas of late with Ricky Council IV slumping a bit and No. 1 general recruit Nick Smith Jr. nonetheless sidelined with a knee harm, however this Arkansas backcourt shall be overmatched by Baylor and its three-headed backcourt trio of Keyonte George, LJ Cryer and Adam Flagler in Waco. These two groups are going reverse instructions so I’ll take the one which’s surging of late. Prediction: Baylor -6 — Boone
Featured Game | Tennessee Volunteers vs. Texas Longhorns
6 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) — Another upset choose. Think this has an opportunity to be the greatest sport of the weekend. Texas has a top-shelf offense and it goes on the street to face a Tennessee crew constructed round its No. 1-ranked protection. My concern is whether or not or not the Vols have the horses to maintain up with the Horns. Tennessee hasn’t had that drawback of late however this Texas crew is in-built such a method that it may pull off this win even in a street spot. Prediction: Texas +7.5 — Boone
Featured Game | Kansas State Wildcats vs. Florida Gators
6 p.m. | ESPN2, fuboTV (Try for free) — Kansas State has but to lose at house all season below first-year coach Jerome Tang and that streak will not finish this weekend with Florida rolling into the Octagon of Doom. The Wildcats are 8-3 ATS at house this season, too, so I like laying the quantity with them on this spot. Prediction: Kansas State -5 — Boone
No. 9 Kansas at Kentucky
Featured Game | Kentucky Wildcats vs. Kansas Jayhawks
8 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) — One of the most fascinating parts of the Kentucky-Kansas matchup is how KU’s undersized method in the entrance courtroom will fare against UK’s inside monster Oscar Tshiebwe. While UK has grown extra versatile and versatile defensively amid a job discount for undersized level guard Sahvir Wheeler, the Wildcats have not performed an offensive as dynamic as Kansas’ since getting torched by Alabama on Jan. 7. If the Jayhawks can use their undersized groupings to attract Tshiebwe away from basket and power Kentucky to protect gamers like Jalen Wilson, Gradey Dick and Kevin McCullar 1-on-1 off the dribble, it might be a protracted evening for UK. Prediction: Kansas +1 — David Cobb
Featured Game | Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Ole Miss Rebels
8 p.m. | ESPN2, fuboTV (Try for free) — This Oklahoma State crew’s received some sass to it and appears prefer it might be a sneaky second-weekend crew with the method it will possibly play inside and outside with veteran guard play and a difference-making pair of bigs in Kalib Boone and Moussa Cisse. I like the Pokes to tug this one off in a detailed one. Prediction: Ole Miss +10 — Boone
12 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) — Kicking off the predictions with an upset choose! Auburn’s a fiesty bunch that may play each inside and outside by Wendell Green and Johni Broome. West Virginia’s a tricky out, particularly in Morgantown, however expertise for expertise I believe I like the Tigers by a smidge to make this shut and probably pull off the upset in the first sport of the day. Prediction: Auburn +4 — Boone
Featured Game | Oklahoma Sooners vs. Alabama Crimson Tide
2 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) — Alabama’s blown some actually good groups in the sport out this season — amongst them Kentucky, Missouri and Michigan State — however I believe OU retains this one shut. This Crimson Tide crew hasn’t misplaced since mid-December however it has flirted with defeat a number of occasions in current outings. The Sooners and their depth at house will hold it tight and inside the quantity. Prediction: Oklahoma +6 — Boone
Featured Game | LSU Tigers vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders
2 p.m. | ESPNU, fuboTV (Try for free) — LSU has misplaced seven-straight and Texas Tech has misplaced eight-straight, so this one on paper appears to be a fairly even matchup of struggling groups. But throughout that span the Red Raiders have no less than been aggressive whereas the Tigers getting blown out by a mean of 24.8 factors per sport in its final 4. I’m fading LSU till it reveals it would not need to be light. Prediction: Texas Tech -3 — Boone
Featured Game | Missouri Tigers vs. Iowa State Cyclones
2 p.m. | ESPN2, fuboTV (Try for free) — Pretty evenly-matched sport right here between ISU and Mizzou — actually good protection from the Cyclones vs. a extremely good offense from the Tigers — so I’m simply going to lean the house crew. The solely losses Missouri has taken on its house flooring this season had been to potential No. 1 seeds in Kansas and Alabama so if I’m getting factors for the house crew I’ll take it. Prediction: Missouri +1.5 — Boone
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