Saturday's college basketball schedule is a lighter schedule than usual on Sunday, when the Super Bowl takes center stage, so it's hard to get bored as 22 teams in the Associated Press Top 25 play to near-full capacity. Probably not. . There aren't many notable matchups on this day, with No. 4 Kansas and No. 13 Baylor being the only game between two ranked teams, but there's a good chance it could lead to an upset or result.
By 12:30 PM ET, the top four teams in the standings will face league foes on the road, with at least one surprise in store. A massive doubleheader will be played in the afternoon on CBS, with No. 10 Illinois heading to Michigan State, followed by Gonzaga heading to No. 17 Kentucky in a rare nonconference game in February.
The Spartans and Zags are second only to Kansas in back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, but both schools are living in bubbles and need to shore up their resumes. With just five weeks left until Selection Sunday, both games should feature raucous surroundings and plenty of drama.
Our experts have their picks for these and other top showdowns on Saturday.
SportsLine Consensus Odds | Always East
6pm | ESPN, fuboTV (free trial) — Kansas defeated Houston by 13 points last week after coming into the game as an underdog, reminding us why Allen Fieldhouse is considered one of the best home court advantages in history. The Jayhawks have their flaws, but we're lucky to beat them there. Baylor tends to like close games, but KU is the right team to pick in this Big 12 battle. Prediction: Kansas State -6.5
8pm | ESPN, fuboTV (Try it for free) — All of Tennessee's wins this season have come by six points or more. When volunteers win, which they often do, they tend to win big. Dalton Knecht's supporting cast has been a substantial contributor so far, which should give Tennessee some breathing room down the stretch against a Texas A&M team that has dropped three home games this season. Prediction: Tennessee -3.5
8pm | Fox, fuboTV (free trial) — Indiana showed its mettle by rallying from a late deficit to win at Ohio State on Tuesday. The Hoosiers are looking for revenge after losing at home to Purdue on Jan. 16 by 21 points. Purdue will win, but expect Indiana to struggle in its last chance to make a big splash. Prediction: Indiana +18.5
10. Michigan State University, Illinois
2pm | CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free) — This has arrived at the venue. Illinois is 1-5 in actual road games this season, with its only win coming as a two-point win over a struggling Maryland team. Michigan State is looking to avenge its 71-68 loss to the University of Illinois, and needs this game to stay in the NCAA Tournament. Additionally, the Spartans have not lost a home game since Dec. 5. Each of Michigan State's home wins during this period has been by at least nine points from him. Prediction: Michigan State -2.5
4pm | CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free) — Kentucky has dropped two consecutive games at Rupp Arena this season and three total home games. That's something to be proud of for the Wildcats, who got back on track with a win over Vanderbilt on Tuesday and scored 109 points. Gonzaga is in desperate need of a win in Quad 1, but it's a stretch to expect the Zags to travel across the country and defeat an offensive powerhouse like UK. Prediction: Kentucky -4
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