It may be the NFL Divisional Round weekend, but there has been little college basketball coverage and this is the perfect day to bring my Saturday Selections back. My favorite games include No. 5 UCLA at No. 11 Arizona and No. 14 TCU at No. 2 Kansas. Could we see some upsets today? Let’s find out:
#9 Tennessee (15-3) (-11) at LSU (12-6)
Am I reading this right? Tennessee is an 11-point favorite on the road. They’re a good team, but I don’t think they’ll cover that spread. LSU’s record isn’t bad by any means, but they’re not good enough to beat the Vols.
Tune in to Tennessee at LSU at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Virginia Tech (11-7) at #19 Clemson (15-4) (-1.5)
Here’s something you wouldn’t think you’d hear in January: Clemson is arguably the best team in the ACC. They’re in first place in the standings and I have confidence they’ll beat a seven-loss Virginia Tech team despite the Hokies leading the overall series, 23-18.
Tune in to Virginia Tech at Clemson at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
#10 Virginia (14-3) (-3) at Wake Forest (14-5)
Wake Forest is 10-0 at home and has a strong offense led by Tyree Appleby. The Demon Deacons are 18-7 inside Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum against the Hoos, and I think Wake pulls the upset off today.
Tune in to Virginia at Wake Forest at 2 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
#20 Marquette (15-5) (-1.5) at Seton Hall (12-8)
Seton Hall came back after being down 17 points to UConn, which shows how The Rock can be a tough place to play. However, Seton Hall isn’t as good as you may think from watching that game. They have eight losses and aren’t quite there offensively. Marquette is a strong offensive team and should pick up a road win, something that seems impossible in the Big East right now.
Tune in to Marquette at Seton Hall at 4 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
Texas Tech (10-8) at #13 Kansas State (16-2) (-3)
I think the best player in the Big 12 lives in Manhattan, Kansas, and goes by the name of Markquis Nowell. He’s one of my favorite players in college basketball, extremely fun to watch. The Octagon of Doom will continue to be one of the best atmospheres in college basketball this season, as K-State beats Mark Adams’s Red Raiders today.
Tune in to Texas Tech at Kansas State at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
#12 Iowa State (14-3) (-1) at Oklahoma State (10-8)
I thought, with how the series has gone recently and the Pokes being at home, Oklahoma State would be the favorites in this game. Instead, Vegas agrees with me. I think Iowa State wins big over Oklahoma State, a team I’m not too impressed by compared to the Cyclones.
Tune in to Iowa State at Oklahoma State at 2 p.m. ET on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
NC State (15-4) at North Carolina (13-6) (-7)
The Tar Heels have won eight of their last 10 games, and have a 29-7 record inside the Dean Dome against the Wolfpack. Armando Bacot has to stay consistent as this NC State team is better than in previous seasons. With that being said, North Carolina wins big in Chapel Hill.
Tune in to NC State at North Carolina at 5 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
#7 Texas (15-3) at West Virginia (11-7) (-1)
West Virginia has the more accomplished coach on the sideline, but that won’t matter against Marcus Carr and the Longhorns. Texas has won four of the last five games against the Mountaineers and it should be five of the last six games after today.
Tune in to Texas at West Virginia at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN.
#21 Baylor (13-5) (-2) at Oklahoma (11-7) (-2)
Oklahoma’s record isn’t impressive, as seven losses before January ends isn’t a recipe for a trip to the NCAA Tournament. However, the Sooners are 23-9 when hosting the Bears in Norman. Despite losing four of the last five games against Baylor, I think Oklahoma, led by Grant Sherfield, will pull the upset off against a questionable Baylor team.
Tune in to Baylor at Oklahoma at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
#17 Miami (FL) (15-3) at Duke (13-5) (-5.5)
I think Duke wins by closer than what they’re favored by, but the home-court advantage is a game-changer in Durham. I’ll take Kyle Filipowski with another double-double to lead the Blue Devils to victory at Cameron Indoor Stadium, where it’s sold out for the 500th consecutive game.
Tune in to Miami (FL) at Duke at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN.
#4 Alabama (16-2) (-5) at Missouri (14-4)
Any other ranked team, outside of Kansas or Purdue, give me the Tigers any day. However, I think Alabama has a strong argument to be considered the best team in college basketball. Yes, that’s not a typo. Brandon Miller and the Crimson Tide look to continue to keep their undefeated record alive in the SEC, which I think they will.
Tune in to Alabama at Missouri at 6 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
#14 TCU (14-4) at #2 Kansas (16-2) (-7.5)
As much as I would like to see an upset in Lawrence, Kansas has one of the best teams in the country and I don’t think the Horned Frogs get their first win at Allen Fieldhouse. Jalen Wilson and Gradey Dick are too much for TCU to handle.
Tune in to TCU at Kansas at 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
#5 UCLA (17-2) at #11 Arizona (16-3) (-2)
Both teams have their strengths. For UCLA it’s their backcourt, while Arizona has one of the best frontcourts in the country. Despite a 7-11 record against top-5 teams since the McKale Center opened in 1973, the Wildcats have won the last two meetings, against UCLA last year and Arizona State in 2017. I’ll take Azuolas Tubelis, Oumar Ballo, and the Wildcats in a close one.
Tune in to UCLA at Arizona at 2 p.m. ET on ABC.
Calhoun's Corner 