With less than six weeks until Selection Sunday and conference races heating up across the college basketball landscape, Saturday is set to provide a platform for spectacular theater as the sport kicks into high gear near the homestretch of the regular season. On tap we have 21 ranked teams in action, three ranked vs. ranked matchups and one top-10 vs. top-10 showdown in the Big 12.
At the center of most people’s attention will be an evening epic as No. 4 Duke travels to No. 14 North Carolina in college basketball’s best rivalry. Duke is gunning for a fourth consecutive win over UNC, which it’s not accomplished in more than a decade. And it is attempting to do so behind enemy lines vs. a Tar Heels team that — don’t look now! — has won fourth straight and found a groove behind stars Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar.
Duke vs. UNC: Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson set up rivalry’s best NBA prospect matchup in last 40 years
Cameron Salerno
In the Big 12, No. 8 Houston travels to face No. 16 BYU in Provo in a game that has Big 12 title and NCAA Tournament seeding implications. Houston has won the league every year since joining — but BYU has lost just once all season at home.
In the Big Ten there is an equally large showdown as No. 5 Illinois, winners of 12 straight, travels to East Lansing to face No. 10 Michigan State. The Illini are tied for first place in the Big Ten standings with Michigan. With eight games remaining, a win in one of college basketball’s best environments would do wonders for that team’s conference title hopes.
With so much at stake and so many tremendous games on tap, our team has picks below for some of the best we’ll be watching closely. Those picks are below.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook | All times ET
No. 4 Duke at No. 14 North Carolina
6:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free): One extra layer is North Carolina’s potent, quick-strike transition attack against a Duke transition defense that has been shaky multiple times this year. Duke’s halfcourt defense can force UNC into some hiccups, but if the Tar Heels can get out in the open floor, there are buckets to be had. Ultimately, these frontcourts look close to a draw. Is Duke’s backcourt this much better than UNC’s? I can’t quite get there. Pick: North Carolina +5.5 (Trotter)
No. 5 Illinois at No. 10 Michigan State
8 p.m. on Fox, fuboTV (try for free): Illinois has won 12 straight while Michigan State, while dealing with drama surrounding Jeremy Fears, is walking into this one on a two-game skid. I know which side I lean. Perhaps it’s a trap with the Illini here — MSU is largely unshakeable at home under Tom Izzo — but the Spartans are 5-5 as home favorites against the spread this season. I’ll take the Illini. Pick: Illinois +1.5 (Boone)
No. 17 Florida at Texas A&M
8:30 p.m. on SEC Network, fuboTV (try for free): The battle between the No. 1 teams in the current SEC standings should be a good one in Aggieland. I’m laying the four with Florida here if I have to make a pick, though this one feels like a stay-away. A&M has just one loss all season at home, and this is perhaps the biggest home game in College Station since it was in the Big 12. Pick: Florida -6.5 (Boone)
No. 25 Tennessee at Kentucky
8:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free): I know I am going to get a pesky and physical Tennessee defense to show up in Lexington. I don’t know which version of Kentucky we will get Saturday; they’ve won seven of eight but haven’t been consistent despite a relatively soft schedule in that stretch. I’m taking the Vols to get revenge after falling to the Wildcats in Knoxville last month by two. Pick: Tennessee +1.5 —Boone
No. 8 Houston at No. 16 BYU
10:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free): I’ll lay the point here with Houston. BYU has lost three straight and four of five entering Saturday’s game. This is a spot Kelvin Sampson-coached teams typically pounce on, and a chance to remain in Big 12 title contention for his Cougars is more than enough ammo to get Houston up and ready for a potential shootout. Pick: Houston -1.5 (Boone)
Oregon at No. 12 Purdue
1 p.m. on CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App, Paramount+ Premium: Oregon is 0-13 against Quad 1 and 2 opponents this season. The Ducks have the longest losing streak in the conference and have gone from a preseason tournament team to a group hoping not to finish last in the Big Ten. For Oregon to pull the upset, this has to be a low-scoring game. I don’t see that happening, even if Bittle returns to the lineup. Purdue cruises to an easy win and gets back on track for good. Pick: Purdue -19 (Salerno)
Who will win and cover in every college basketball game? Visit SportsLine to get picks from the model that simulates each game 10,000 times and is up more than $1,200 for $100 players on its top-rated spread picks the past six years.
