The first college basketball weekend of 2024 features extensive programming, including a tripleheader on CBS. Mississippi State will get things started when it travels to South Carolina for both teams' SEC opener on Saturday afternoon. Following the conclusion of that game, No. 2 Kansas will face TCU before a showdown between UNLV and San Diego State in the Mountain West.
Another top matchup this weekend features Seton Hall hosting No. 7 Marquette in a Big East matchup. Seton Hall has already played spoilsport twice during conference play this season, picking up wins against defending national champion UConn and most recently against Providence.
No. 22 Ole Miss will put its undefeated record on the line when it takes on fifth-ranked Tennessee. The Rebels are off to their best start in nearly 16 years under first-year coach Chris Beard and this weekend will be their biggest test yet.
Odds via SportsLine Consensus | Always east
Mississippi State in South Carolina
12 p.m. | CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free) — Mississippi State is a completely different team again with Tolu Smith. The Bulldogs weathered the storm without their big star, and he should play a much larger role in this game after coming off the bench against Bethune-Cookman in his first appearance of the season. Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard has been one of the best freshmen in the country this season and should provide Smith with a dynamic one-two punch. Prediction: Mississippi State -1.5
No. 7 Marquette at Seton Hall
12 p.m. | CBS Sports Network, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)– It's hard to put into words how interesting Seton Hall's season has been so far. The Pirates have suffered losses to USC, Iowa, Baylor, Rutgers and a 20-point loss to Big East opponent Xavier in their return game…but they are 2-0 against ranked conference opponents this season. Marquette will be Seton Hall's third-ranked conference opponent they have faced this season, and with that game being played at home, the Golden Eagles could be on alert. Seton Hall will close out this game, but Marquette will pull away at the end. Prediction: Seton Hall +5
12 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (try for free) – After back-to-back losses to UConn and Kentucky, UNC has since won three straight – including a double-digit victory over Pitt to open ACC play. It's no big surprise that North Carolina is the underdog since it plays on the road and Clemson has stepped up its game against quality opponents. Despite all that, this seems like the perfect place for the Tar Heels to get a quality road win. The most important duel is UNC star Armando Bacot against Clemson star center PJ Hall. Prediction: North Carolina +1.5
TCU at No. 2 Kansas
2 p.m. | CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free) — There were several times this season where Kansas looked like the best team in the country. On other occasions they appeared vulnerable against inferior opponents. The start of Big 12 play is an opportunity for Kansas to extend its eight-game winning streak. Allen Fieldhouse is one of the toughest arenas to play in as a visiting team, which is why the Jayhawks should do just enough to cover the home crowd. Prediction: Kansas -8.5
UNLV at San Diego State
4 p.m. | CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free) — If you haven't heard of UNLV freshman Dedan Thomas Jr., now would be the perfect time to start. Thomas has been one of the best freshmen in the country so far and is a key reason for UNLV's turnaround after a 3-4 start. Although this is a home game for San Diego State, it would be surprising if this game didn't go all the way – which is why UNLV should report. Prediction: UNLV +11
No. 22 Ole Miss at No. 5 Tennessee
6 p.m. | SEC Network, fuboTV (try for free) – Ole Miss is one of three undefeated teams in the sport, but still finds itself as a double-digit underdog heading into its SEC opener against Tennessee. Our staff at CBS Sports predicted that James Madison or Houston would be the last undefeated team and that Ole Miss would be the first of the three teams to lose. Tennessee has shown at times why it is the top contender in the SEC, but 14 points is simply too much for a team that has passed every test put before it through the first two months of the season. Prediction: Ole Miss +12.5
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