College Basketball Viewing Guide: First Saturday of Conference Play
We have officially reached the first college basketball Saturday of conference play. This is one of the most loaded slates of the year. Be sure to tune into AFTER DARK at the end of the night. (All tipoff times ET).
TOP FIVE GAMES
11 am: No. 21 Virginia (11-2) at NC State (10-4), ESPN 2
- BetMGM Line: NC State -5.5
- BetMGM Total: 152.5
- KenPom: NC State 80, Virginia 77
Wake up! College basketball is on your television, and we have a great game to start the day. This one could have a lot of points and will feature some elite shot making, with Virginia (No. 17 offensive efficiency) and NC State (No. 34 offensive efficiency) both above 37.5% from 3-point range this season. Jacari White is out for Virginia, and NC State freshman Matt Able is a gametime decision per ACC injury report.
Noon: Kentucky (9-4) at No. 14 Alabama (10-3), ESPN
- BetMGM Line: Alabama -4.5
- BetMGM Total: 175.5
- KenPom: Alabama 88, Kentucky 83
Kentucky is finally fully healthy, and this would be an huge win on the road if the Wildcats can pull it off. Alabama has struggled this season against teams with huge front lines with its three losses coming to Purdue, Gonzaga and Arizona. Jayden Quaintance and former Alabama forward Mo Dioubate have a chance to impose their will, and Kentucky will need them to. The Tide will be without freshmen Davion Hannah and Collins Onyejiaka, and London Jemison and Taylor Bol Bowen are game-time decisions, per the SEC injury report.
1 pm: Auburn (9-4) at No. 23 Georgia (12-1), SEC Network
- BetMGM Line: Georgia -7.5
- BetMGM Total: 173.5
- KenPom: Georgia 89, Auburn 84
Georgia has been one of the early surprises of the college basketball season. Mike White’s team was picked to finish 14th in the SEC preseason poll, but the Bulldogs are currently the sixth best SEC team on Kenpom and in the AP Poll. Guards Jeremiah Wilkinson and Blue Cain have been tremendous, and Georgia boasts the third best two-point offense in the country (63.2%) while playing at one of the fastest tempos nationally. Auburn will have to slow them down, and that can be hard to do on the road. Abdul Bashir and Emeka Opurum are both out for Auburn.
3 pm: No. 19 Tennessee (10-3) at No. 18 Arkansas (10-3), ESPN2
- BetMGM Line: Arkansas -2.5
- BetMGM Total: 157.5
- KenPom: Arkansas 79, Tennessee 78
Arkansas is looking to avenge an embarrassing SEC opener loss to Tennessee in Knoxville a year ago. This go around, the Razorbacks get the Vols on their home court, and Bud Walton Arena will surely be on fire. Darius Acuff has been masterful lately, and he’ll be leading the offense against one of the toughest defenses in the country. Tennessee is the best offensive rebounding team in the nation, and Arkansas hasn’t done a great job this season defensive rebounding, ranking No. 193 in offensive rebound percentage defense. This game will likely be won or lost on the glass.
6 pm: UCLA (10-3) at No. 25 Iowa (11-2), Peacock
- BetMGM Line: Iowa -6.5
- BetMGM Total: 137.5
- KenPom: Iowa 74, UCLA 68
Bennett Stirtz vs. Donovan Dent. Ben McCollum vs. Mick Cronin. This should be a low scoring, low possession chess match. May the best coach win.
Iowa plays at one of the slowest paces in the entire country and will try to grind this game out in the half court. UCLA will need Dent, who’s shooting just 2-of-20 from 3-point range this season, to turn it around to pull of a road upset. Forward Tyler Bilodeau has been hot and will need to stay hot as well.
OTHER GAMES TO WATCH
Noon: Providence (7-6) at St. John’s (9-4), FOX
- BetMGM Line: St. John’s -12.5
- BetMGM Total: 169.5
- KenPom: St. John’s 92, Providence 80
Noon: Villanova (11-2) at Butler (10-4), TNT
- BetMGM Line: Butler -1.5
- BetMGM Total: 146.5
- KenPom: Villanova 75, Butler 74
1 pm: Oklahoma State (12-1) at No. 15 Texas Tech (10-3), ESPN2
- BetMGM Line: Texas Tech -11.5
- BetMGM Total: 167.5
- KenPom: Texas Tech 89, Oklahoma State 78
1:30 pm: No. 10 BYU (12-1) at Kansas State (9-4), CBS
- BetMGM Line: BYU -6.5
- BetMGM Total: 174.5
- KenPom: BYU 90, Kansas State 82
2 pm: No. 11 Vanderbilt (13-0) at South Carolina (9-4), ESPNU
- BetMGM Line: Vanderbilt -11.5
- BetMGM Total: 156.5
- KenPom: Vanderbilt 83, South Carolina 72
2 pm: No. 17 Kansas (10-3) at UCF (11-1), Peacock
- BetMGM Line: Kansas -5.5
- BetMGM Total: 156.5
- KenPom: Kansas 77, UCF 75
2 pm: No. 8 Houston (12-1) at Cincinnati (8-5), FOX
- BetMGM Line: Houston -6.5
- BetMGM Total: 134.5
- KenPom: Houston 70, Cincinnati 63
2:15 pm: No. 12 North Carolina (13-1) at SMU (11-2), ESPN2
- BetMGM Line: North Carolina -1.5
- BetMGM Total: 156.5
- KenPom: SMU 77, North Carolina 76
3:30 pm: Akron (10-3) at Miami OH (14-0), ESPN+
- BetMGM Line: Akron -3.5
- BetMGM Total: 174.5
- KenPom: Akron 92, Miami OH 89
3:45 pm: No. 6 Duke (12-1) at Florida State (7-7), CBS
- BetMGM Line: Duke -15.5
- BetMGM Total: 163.5
- KenPom: Duke 88, Florida State 73
4 pm: No. 1 Arizona (13-0) at Utah (8-5), Peacock
- BetMGM Line: Arizona -18.5
- BetMGM Total: 161.5
- KenPom: Arizona 89, Utah 71
4 pm: LSU (12-1) at Texas A&M (10-3), ESPNU
- BetMGM Line: Texas A&M -6.5
- BetMGM Total: 167.5
- KenPom: Texas A&M 84, LSU 83
7 pm: No. 20 Illinois (10-3) at Penn State (9-4), BTN
- BetMGM Line: Illinois -14.5
- BetMGM Total: 156.5
- KenPom: Illinois 87, Penn State 71
8 pm: No. 5 Purdue (12-1) at Wisconsin (9-4), FOX
- BetMGM Line: Purdue -5.5
- BetMGM Total: 153.5
- KenPom: Purdue 81, Wisconsin 73
8:30 pm: No. 22 Florida (9-4) at Missouri (10-3), SECN
- BetMGM Line: Florida -7.5
- BetMGM Total: 154.5
- KenPom: Florida 82, Missouri 76
10 pm: Hawaii (11-2) at UCSD (11-3), ESPN+
- BetMGM Line: UCSD -2.5
- BetMGM Total: 146.5
- KenPom: UCSD 72, Hawaii 71
10 pm: Boise State (9-4) at San Diego State (8-4), CBS Sports Network
- BetMGM Line: San Diego State -3.5
- BetMGM Total: 138.5
- KenPom: San Diego State 73, Boise State 69
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