With only two college football games on the Saturday sports schedule, for the first time this season, college basketball will take center stage this weekend with a loaded slate and plenty of marquee nonconference matchups. The fun starts in Indianapolis on Saturday afternoon when No. 17 Texas A&M faces No. 11 Purdue in the Indy Classic on CBS.
Texas A&M’s matchup against Purdue won’t be the only neutral site game that draws eyeballs. No. 2 Auburn faces Ohio State at State Farm Center in Atlanta, and old Pac-12 foes Arizona and UCLA will renew their West Coast rivalry in Phoenix. To close out the night, No. 8 Gonzaga faces No. 8 UConn in New York.
One of the best rivalries in college basketball will write its latest chapter when No. 5 Kentucky hosts Louisville. For the first time in over 15 years, someone other than John Calipari will be roaming the sidelines for the home team after the former Kentucky coach left for the vacant job at Arkansas this past offseason. Kentucky has won five of the last six meetings against Louisville.
Odds via SportsLine consensus | All times Eastern
No. 8 Gonzaga vs. No. 18 UConn in New York
8 p.m. | Fox, fuboTV (Try for free) — Dan Hurley’s UConn squad has looked vulnerable at times this season, but this could be a chance to get back on track. Gonzaga has looked elite during parts of the season, and a win over UConn would further improve its résumé and solidify itself as a top-five team. Prediction: Gonzaga -3
No. 17 Texas A&M vs. No. 11 Purdue in Indianapolis
12 p.m. | CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App and Paramount+ with Showtime (try it free) — The magic number for Purdue is 25. The Boilermakers are 25-1 when Braden Smith and fellow guard Fletcher Loyer combine to score at least 25 points. On the other side, Texas A&M has a star guard in Wade Taylor lV. Taylor is one 3-pointer away from joining Josh Carter as the only player in program history with at least 250 shots made from beyond the arc. Purdue wins a close one. Pick: Purdue -2.5
1 p.m. | ESPN2, fuboTV (Try for free) — Auburn looked like the best team in the country before losing to Duke earlier this month at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Tigers responded with a blowout win over Richmond and could challenge for the No. 1 spot in the rankings depending on how the rest of the weekend shakes out. The Buckeyes will make this game interesting and cover the spread. Prediction: Ohio State +11.5
No. 24 UCLA vs. Arizona in Phoenix
3 p.m. | ESPN2, fuboTV (Try for free) — If you grew up a fan of Pac-12 basketball, this game is for you. Although UCLA and Arizona aren’t members of the same conference, the programs have agreed to keep this rivalry going until at least 2027. Arizona is off to a slow start, while UCLA has won its last seven games after losing to New Mexico in the opening week. UCLA covers and wins outright. Prediction: UCLA +3
3:15 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) — NC State will play its first true road game of the season in one of the most hostile environments in the country. Kansas is coming off back-to-back losses after starting 7-0 but returns to Allen Fieldhouse with an opportunity to pick up a win against a program fresh off an appearance in the Final Four. Kansas wins, but NC State covers. Prediction: NC State +14.5
5:15 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) — The classic “throw the records out the window” line whenever rivals face off couldn’t be truer in this scenario. Kentucky is a double-digit favorite at home over Louisville, but this game should be close. Kentucky has looked rejuvenated under Mark Pope, while Louisville coach Pat Kelsey has brought a glimmer of hope into a once proud program. The Wildcats should defend home court, but the Cardinals will keep it interesting down the stretch. Pick: Louisville +12
5:30 p.m. | Fox, fuboTV (Try for free) — Illinois can create some chaos in the rankings with a win over No. 1 Tennessee. The Volunteers are off to a 9-0 start, but this will mark only the second time they’ve played a true road game this season. Tennessee defeated Louisville 77-55 last month on the road, but this is its biggest test. Illinois pulls off the upset and wins outright. Side note: If you haven’t watched Illinois guard Kasparas Jakučionis play yet, this is the time to start. Prediction: Illinois
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.
