College basketball takes center stage on Saturday as 18 of the top 25 teams participate. The weekend’s two notable matchups include No. 1 Arizona State traveling to Indianapolis to take on No. 3 Purdue and No. 9 North Carolina taking on No. 14 Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic.
No. 2 Kansas begins the loaded slate on CBS by going on the road to face Indiana. The historic Blue Bloods game will be the 16th meeting ever and only the sixth game played between the schools in the last 30 years. The Jayhawks are looking to add another key win to their resume that already includes wins over UConn, Kentucky and Tennessee.
The first leg of the CBS Sports Classic doubleheader features UCLA taking on future Big Ten foe Ohio State in Atlanta. After that game concludes, Kentucky will square off with UNC in the 43rd showdown ever between blue blood programs in the main event.
Other big games include an in-state battle between Texas A&M and No. 4 Houston and Michigan State, which will look to get back on track when it plays No. 6 Baylor in a neutral-site showdown in Detroit.
Our experts have picks and predictions for today’s biggest matches right here.
Odds via SportsLine Consensus | All times Eastern
12:30 pm | CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free) – There have been several times this season where Kansas hasn’t looked like the No. 2 team in the country against lesser competition. The Jayhawks have wins over UConn, Kentucky and Tennessee, but also struggled against Eastern Illinois following the Maui Invitational last month. This weekend represents an opportunity to add another key non-conference win to the schedule against a hostile environment. Kansas star big man Hunter Dickinson will be key, as always, to getting off to a good start. This game would be close throughout before Kansas eventually pulled away. Prediction: KS -6.5 – Cameron Salerno
No. 6 Baylor vs. Michigan State (at Detroit)
2 pm | Fox, fuboTV (try free) — he was not there Most disappointing team in college basketball compared to Michigan State this season. The Spartans opened the year as the No. 4 team in the country and now sit at 4-5 heading into one of the most important games of the season against Baylor. MSU is likely in danger of missing the entire NCAA Tournament unless the Spartans turn things around quickly. Baylor has looked like a well-oiled machine once again, and new star Jacoby Walter appears to be the latest future lottery pick to be coached by Scott Drew. This is almost a must-win game for MSU if it wants to build momentum heading into Big Ten play, but its track record calls into question its ability to accomplish that. Prediction: Baylor -3.5 – Salerno
2:30 pm | ESPN2, fuboTV (try free) — Entering the season, this seemed almost guaranteed to be a top 25 matchup. However, Texas A&M dropped a non-conference game at home last weekend against Memphis and officially dropped out of the AP Top 25 poll for the first time this season. The Aggies already have losses to FAU, Virginia and now Memphis on their resume, so this seems like an important opportunity to make a statement on the road. Houston could become the last undefeated team if it takes care of business this weekend. Prediction: Texas A&M +8.5 – Salerno
UCLA vs. Ohio State (CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta)
3 pm | CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports app (free) — UCLA is an inexperienced team with players from all over the world, and fifth-year coach Mick Cronin is still figuring out how to extract something close to his full potential. Ohio State is an older group that should know how to properly respond to the frustration of last week’s overtime loss at Penn State. Look for the Buckeyes to win on a few possessions against a group of Bruins who have yet to show they can close the deal against a quality opponent. Prediction: Ohio State -2.5 – David Cobb
No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 3 Purdue (at Indianapolis)
4:30 pm | peacock — The million dollar question is… can Arizona contain Zach Eddy? The reigning National Player of the Year has been a force around the rim and is one of the early favorites to win the award again. Arizona could face star big man Omar Ballou, but he will need to stay out of foul trouble to have a chance at stopping Eddie. With this being an actual home game for Purdue due to the geographic location of the campus, it should be a loud environment. However, Arizona actually entered one of the most hostile environments in the country (Cameron Indoor Stadium) and came away with the win. The Wildcats should be able to do the same this weekend. Arizona simply has more depth and coach Tommy Lloyd should have a game plan to slow down Eddie. Prediction: Arizona ML-Salerno
No. 9 North Carolina vs. No. 14 Kentucky (CBS Sports Classic at Atlanta)
5:30 pm | CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports app (free) — North Carolina could throw Trey Mitchell or Aaron Bradshaw at North Carolina star center Armando Bacot to prevent him from completely dominating the game. Likewise, the guards appear to be evenly matched competitors. But UNC forward Harrison Ingram could be a problem for the Wildcats. If the task of defending Ingram falls to Justin Edwards, the talented British junior will be tasked with containing a smart veteran who has reached double figures in every game this season, including 20-point performances against Villanova, Tennessee and UConn. Look for the Tar Heels to work on that game en route to a nice win. Prediction: North Carolina -1 – Cobb
Who will win and cover every college basketball game? Visit SportsLine for picks from the model that simulates every game 10,000 times and is priced at over $1,200 versus $100 players on the top-rated spread picks of the past six years.
This Saturday’s college basketball schedule features an exciting lineup of top 25 matchups, including the highly anticipated game between Arizona and Purdue. Sports enthusiasts and bettors are eagerly awaiting the predictions for this game, as the two teams are heading into the matchup with strong records and high rankings. With so much talent and potential on both sides, this game is sure to be a thrilling battle on the court. In addition to this marquee matchup, there are several other exciting games featuring top 25 teams that are sure to keep fans on the edge of their seats.