Saturday is one of the busiest standings of the college basketball season, with the annual SEC/Big 12 Challenge the main event of the weekend featuring nine of the 20 ranked teams. The action will tip early and continue into the night, culminating with a No. 9 Kansas in Kentucky matchup at 8 p.m. ET to round out the slate.
The Big 12 was ranked as the top conference in college hoops this season after ranking No. 1 last season, but the SEC carries some bragging rights into the weekend after winning each of the last two challenges, after forcing a tie in the series in 2019. 20. The Big 12 still have a 4-3 advantage in winning the event since its inception in 2013-14 (there were two years the leagues were tied) as well as an overall record of 48-41. But the SEC rose to the challenge in this event and has some favorable matchups to possibly be the first league to score three goals since the Big 12 did so in the first three years.
Our experts have tips and predictions for the biggest games of the day right here.
Odds on Caesars Sportsbook | All times Easter
Featured Game | West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Auburn Tigers
12 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (try for free) — Start the predictions with an angry choice! Auburn is a fiery bunch that can play both indoors and outdoors through Wendell Green and Johni Broome. West Virginia is a tough hit, especially at Morgantown, but talent for talent I think I like the Tigers a little bit to be that close and possibly create the upset in the first game of the day. Prediction: Auburn +4 – Boone
Featured Game | Oklahoma Sooners vs. Alabama Crimson Tide
2 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (try for free) — Alabama has knocked out some really good teams in the sport this season — including Kentucky, Missouri and Michigan State — but I think OU is sticking with this one. This Crimson Tide team hasn’t lost since mid-December, but they’ve flirted with defeat several times in recent games. The Sooners and their depth at home will keep it tight and inside the number. Prediction: Oklahoma +6 – Boone
Featured Game | LSU Tigers vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders
2 p.m. | ESPNU, fuboTV (free trial) — LSU has lost seven straight and Texas Tech has lost eight straight, so on paper this seems like a pretty even matchup of struggling teams. But during that span, the Red Raiders have at least been competitive, while the Tigers have lost an average of 24.8 points per game in their last four games. I hide LSU until it shows it doesn’t deserve to be hidden. Prediction: Texas Tech -3 – Boone
Featured Game | Missouri Tigers vs Iowa State Cyclones
2 p.m. | ESPN2, fuboTV (try for free) — Pretty even game here between ISU and Mizzou – really good defense from the Cyclones vs. really good offense from the Tigers – so I’ll just lean the home team. The only losses Missouri has suffered on its home turf this season have been potential No. 1 seeds in Kansas and Alabama. So if I get points for the home team, I’ll take them. Prediction: Missouri +1.5 – Boone
Featured Game | Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. TCU Horned Frogs
4 p.m. | ESPN2, fuboTV (try for free) — This TCU team is red hot and has double digit wins against Kansas and OU, so I want them to keep it going against a minor division SEC club on the road. The Bulldogs have remained competitive despite their 11-0 start slipping to a 12-8 record. So I’m assuming this one will be close, but I’m riding the Horned Frogs on the hot hand here. Prediction: TCU -2 – Boone
Featured Game | Baylor Bears vs. Arkansas Razorbacks
4 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (try for free) — Vomte Davis has become a deciding factor in Arkansas lately, with Ricky Council IV slumping a bit and No. 1 recruit overall Nick Smith Jr. still sidelined with a knee injury, but that backcourt will be in Arkansas surpassed by Baylor and his threesome. led the backcourt trio of Keyonte George, LJ Cryer and Adam Flagler in Waco. These two teams are going in opposite directions, so I’ll take the one that’s been going up a lot lately. Prediction: Baylor -6 — Boone
Featured Game | Tennessee Volunteers vs. Texas Longhorns
6 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (try for free) — Another angry choice. Think this has a chance to be the best game of the weekend. Texas has a top-notch offense and takes to the streets to face a Tennessee team built around their No. 1 defense. My concern is whether the Vols will have the horses to keep up with the Horns. Tennessee hasn’t had that problem lately, but this Texan team is set up in such a way that they could even get that win in a street patch. Prediction: Texas +7.5 – Boone
Featured Game | Kansas State Wildcats vs. Florida Gators
6 p.m. | ESPN2, fuboTV (try for free) — Kansas State is yet to lose at home under coach Jerome Tang in its freshman year, and that streak won’t end this weekend as Florida rolls into the Octagon of Doom. The Wildcats are also 8-3 ATS at home this season, so I’ll happily put the number on them here. Prediction: State of Kansas -5 – Boone
No. 9 Kansas in Kentucky
Featured Game | Kentucky Wildcats vs. Kansas Jayhawks
8 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (try for free) — One of the most intriguing elements of the Kentucky-Kansas clash is how KU’s undersized approach will hold up against Britain’s indoor monster Oscar Tshiebwe up front. While Britain has become more flexible and versatile defensively due to a role reduction for undersized point guard Sahvir Wheeler, the Wildcats haven’t played as dynamic an offense as Kansas’ since they were set on fire by Alabama on Jan. 7. If the Jayhawks can use their undersized groupings to pull Tshiebwe out of the basket and force Kentucky to dribble the likes of Jalen Wilson, Gradey Dick and Kevin McCullar 1-on-1, it could be a long night for Britain. 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 team has some sass and looks like they could be a sneaky team for the second weekend as they can play inside and out with experienced guard play and a pair of bigs in Kalib Boone and Moussa Cisse. I like it when the pokes pull this one off in a tight one. Prediction: Ole Miss +10 – Boone
Who will win and cover in every college basketball game? Visit SportsLine to get tips from the model that has simulated every game 10,000 times and has made more than $1,200 for $100 players on its top spread picks over the past six years.