With lower than six weeks till Choice Sunday and convention races heating up throughout the school basketball panorama, Saturday is about to supply a platform for spectacular theater as the game kicks into excessive gear close to the homestretch of the common season. On faucet now we have 21 ranked groups in motion, three ranked vs. ranked matchups and one top-10 vs. top-10 showdown within the Massive 12.
On the middle of most individuals’s consideration will probably be a night epic as No. 4 Duke travels to No. 14 North Carolina in faculty basketball’s greatest rivalry. Duke is gunning for a fourth consecutive win over UNC, which it isn’t completed in additional than a decade. And it’s trying to take action behind enemy traces vs. a Tar Heels crew that — do not look now! — has received fourth straight and located a groove behind stars Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar.
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Within the Massive 12, No. 8 Houston travels to face No. 16 BYU in Provo in a sport that has Massive 12 title and NCAA Match seeding implications. Houston has received the league yearly since becoming a member of — however BYU has misplaced simply as soon as all season at dwelling.
Within the Massive Ten there may be an equally giant 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 within the Massive Ten standings with Michigan. With eight video games remaining, a win in one among faculty basketball’s greatest environments would do wonders for that crew’s convention title hopes.
With a lot at stake and so many large video games on faucet, our crew has picks beneath for a number of the greatest we’ll be watching carefully. These picks are beneath.
Odds by way of DraftKings Sportsbook | All occasions ET
No. 5 Illinois at No. 10 Michigan State
8 p.m. on Fox, fuboTV (strive without spending a dime): Illinois has received 12 straight whereas Michigan State, whereas coping with drama surrounding Jeremy Fears, is strolling into this one on a two-game skid. I do know which aspect I lean. Maybe it is a lure with the Illini right here — MSU is basically unshakeable at dwelling below Tom Izzo — however the Spartans are 5-5 as dwelling favorites in opposition to the unfold this season. I am going to take the Illini. Choose: Illinois +1.5 (Boone)
No. 17 Florida at Texas A&M
8:30 p.m. on SEC Community, fuboTV (strive without spending a dime): The battle between the No. 1 groups within the present SEC standings ought to be an excellent one in Aggieland. I am laying the 4 with Florida right here if I’ve to make a choose, although this one looks like a stay-away. A&M has only one loss all season at dwelling, and that is maybe the largest dwelling sport in School Station because it was within the Massive 12. Choose: Florida -6.5 (Boone)
No. 25 Tennessee at Kentucky
8:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (strive without spending a dime): I do know I’m going to get a pesky and bodily Tennessee protection to point out up in Lexington. I do not know which model of Kentucky we’ll get Saturday; they’ve received seven of eight however have not been constant regardless of a comparatively comfortable schedule in that stretch. I am taking the Vols to get revenge after falling to the Wildcats in Knoxville final month by two. Choose: Tennessee +1.5 —Boone
No. 8 Houston at No. 16 BYU
10:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (strive without spending a dime): I am going to lay the purpose right here with Houston. BYU has misplaced three straight and 4 of 5 getting into Saturday’s sport. It is a spot Kelvin Sampson-coached groups sometimes pounce on, and an opportunity to stay in Massive 12 title rivalry for his Cougars is greater than sufficient ammo to get Houston up and prepared for a possible shootout. Choose: Houston -1.5 (Boone)
Oregon at No. 12 Purdue
1 p.m. on CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports activities App, Paramount+ Premium: Oregon is 0-13 in opposition to Quad 1 and a pair of opponents this season. The Geese have the longest shedding streak within the convention and have gone from a preseason event crew to a bunch hoping to not end final within the Massive Ten. For Oregon to drag the upset, this needs to be a low-scoring sport. I do not see that taking place, even when Bittle returns to the lineup. Purdue cruises to a simple win and will get again on observe for good. Choose: Purdue -19 (Salerno)
No. 4 Duke at No. 14 North Carolina
6:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (strive without spending a dime): One further layer is North Carolina’s potent, quick-strike transition assault in opposition to a Duke transition protection that has been shaky a number of occasions this yr. Duke’s halfcourt protection can power UNC into some hiccups, but when the Tar Heels can get out within the open flooring, there are buckets available. In the end, these frontcourts look near a draw. Is Duke’s backcourt this significantly better than UNC’s? I am unable to fairly get there. Choose: North Carolina +5.5 (Trotter)
Who will win and canopy in each faculty basketball sport? Go to SportsLine to get picks from the mannequin that simulates every sport 10,000 occasions and is up greater than $1,200 for $100 gamers on its top-rated unfold picks the previous six years.