The weekday action has been loaded — Iowa State kept Otz-ing along with a massive 17-point dub over Kansas, Ole Miss stunned Alabama and Auburn dominated another quality opponent while Johni Broome is on ice.
But Saturday is when the best stuff is set for. We’ve got a top-10 showdown between two SEC high-fliers, plus three other intra-conference duels between ranked programs. If the NFL Playoffs aren’t quite your speed, fear not — college basketball absolutely has you covered this weekend. Here is a collection of the best games to look forward to.
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No. 4 Alabama at No. 8 Kentucky
Venue: Rupp Arena — Lexington, Ky.
Time: Noon ET Saturday
TV: ESPN
Here’s our headliner, with no shortage of offensive intrigue. Mark Pope has already notched five top-15 wins in his first few months pacing the Kentucky sideline. Nate Oats has kept momentum surging and spirits soaring in an effort to reprise the program’s best season ever. Alabama averages 89.5 points, tied for the best mark in Division I. Kentucky is directly on its heels, third in the country at 88.7. They’re the SEC’s top two teams in pace, both sides letting it fly from 3 and touting a supreme confidence in transition. This should be an especially fun one.
Alabama’s Mark Sears and Kentucky’s Otega Oweh make for an intriguing alpha dog matchup. For Alabama, Aden Holloway can provide a shooting spark off the bench and Grant Nelson is a quality rebounder. For Kentucky, Koby Brea can go into heat-check mode and Andrew Carr can match Nelson inside. These teams reflect each other in many ways.
But the two sides come in harboring different energies, if only slightly. Alabama took a double-digit loss to Ole Miss, its first defeat since November. They had a ghastly 21 turnovers in that game, while stumbling to just 5-of-20 shooting on 3-pointers. The Rebels employ an elite defense, but still, Tuesday’s loss was disconcerting amid otherwise immaculate vibes. Bama has looked the part of a top-five team all season.
Kentucky is cooking, having dealt Florida its first loss of the season two weeks ago before pulling off hard-nosed wins against ranked conference opponents in Mississippi State and Texas A&M. The Wildcats’ loss at Georgia on Jan. 7 was a bummer, but the response was electric — 16-of-32 shooting on treys and 95 total points in a frenzied Starkville.
They opened the season at No. 23 and have been outside the top five in seven of 10 weeks thus far. A stemming of the Tide will all but glue them into one of the country’s coveted top spots. And if Jaxson Robinson is able to stay hot (an explosive 49 points in the last two wins), Kentucky can make a claim for top scoring punch in the sport.
Alabama was the preseason favorite to win the SEC. Auburn and Ole Miss are the remaining unbeatens in conference play. The winner of Saturday’s primetime tilt will break from the pack at 4-1, while the loser will find itself toward the middle at 3-2. The Tide’s turnover issues could be trouble against an efficient and fearless offense like Kentucky’s. But Bama’s defense is better, especially along the perimeter.
This is a challenging one to predict, although Rupp Arena consistently provides one of the conference’s stronger home-court advantages. With two of the best in the business on the call in Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas, Saturday’s forecast calls for fireworks.
Iowa at UCLA
Friday, 9 p.m. ET, FS1
A Friday teaser for those in need of a college ball fix. The Bruins were ranked No. 15 on New Year’s Day, but now come into this one desperate to snap a four-game losing streak. The Hawkeyes are tied with Alabama for the nation’s top-scoring offense. Iowa forward Owen Freeman has been a very efficient 64.3 percent from the floor this season.
Creighton at No. 14 UConn
Saturday, noon ET, FOX
Bluejays 7-footer Ryan Kalkbrenner leads the Big East in field goal percentage and blocks per game. He also leads the conference in all-time offensive win shares, beating out luminaries like Troy Bell and Josh Hart. The Huskies’ two-point loss to Villanova last week was their first defeat since November’s Maui Invitational.
Kansas State at No. 9 Kansas
Saturday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
It’s Sunflower Showdown season. The Jayhawks need a get-right game after the Iowa State loss Wednesday night. The Wildcats are just 7-9 and 1-4 in Big 12 play.
No. 17 Purdue at No. 13 Oregon
Saturday, 3 p.m. ET, NBC
Basketball Reference has Purdue with the second-toughest schedule in Division I and the Boilermakers have won six in a row. Trey Kaufman-Renn is up to 61 percent shooting on high usage. Braden Smith has 2.6 steals per game in January. Fletcher Loyer has hit 47 percent of his 3-point tries in seven conference games.
Six Ducks average at least 8.8 points. Oregon is fifth in the Big Ten in made 3-pointers but 12th in made 2s and 10th in pace.
No. 6 Tennessee at Vanderbilt
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network
The Vols have claimed 13 of the last 14 meetings in this in-state rivalry. Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier is currently fourth on BetMGM for Wooden Award odds at +4000.
Texas at No. 5 Florida
Saturday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN2
A week after dismantling top-ranked Tennessee by 30 in one of the biggest statements of the year, Todd Golden’s Gators had more turnovers (13) than assists (nine) in a wonky one-point loss to Missouri. They can get right against the Longhorns, especially if Walter Clayton Jr. has the juice. He has scored at least 21 points seven times this season.
No. 21 Ole Miss at No. 15 Mississippi State
Saturday, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN2
The hardwood’s Egg Bowl. The Rebels are seeking just their fourth NCAA Tournament berth since 2002. This is the third time they’ve cracked the AP poll in the last decade. In Tuesday’s inspired 10-point win over Alabama, Ole Miss won despite shooting an unsightly 38.6 percent. Malik Dia had a game-high 23 points.
Mississippi State is dusting itself off after losses to Kentucky and Auburn. Fifth-year forward Cameron Matthews leads the SEC in steals per game.
Arkansas at Missouri
Saturday, 6 p.m. ET, SEC Network
The Tigers have something interesting building here. They took a tough three-point L to formidable Illinois and were blown out by Auburn (these days, who isn’t?). But the Florida win on Tuesday could be the fulcrum for a meaningful 2025. Missouri shoots 37.5 percent on 3-pointers. The Razorbacks are still seeking their first conference win under John Calipari.
No. 19 Illinois at No. 12 Michigan State
Sunday, noon ET, CBS
Kasparas Jakučionis has become appointment television. The freshman is at 50/41.6/87 shooting splits while averaging more than five boards and five assists. He’ll have his work cut out for him against an experienced Michigan State defense. Senior Jaden Akins leads the Spartans in minutes, shots, 2s and 3s. He and fellow four-year Frankie Fidler have this group 14th in KenPom and 15th in adjusted defensive rating.
TCU at No. 25 Baylor
Sunday, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN
There’s a faithful installment of the Bluebonnet Battle to ameliorate any dreary Sunday night vibes. NBA Draft-bound V.J. Edgecombe is shooting 39 percent from 3-point range (13-for-33) in his last seven games after an icy start from beyond the arc for the Bears.
(Photo of Andrew Carr and Mark Pope: Michael Hickey / Getty Images)
