The best college basketball games of the weekend are headlined by the rematch between Kentucky and Tennessee with first in the SEC on the line.
Congratulations sports fans! You have just survived the black hole that is February, and your reward is some of the best college hoops action of the season.
A lot of the smaller conferences are wrapping up their regular seasons this week, but the big boys still have key games to play. This weekend alone features some big matchups between teams jockeying for tournament position in the ACC and Big Ten, but the unquestioned headliner is the SEC showdown between Kentucky and Tennessee.
This clash of titans in Knoxville could have massive stakes, with the SEC’s top dogs vying for a potential number one seed in the NCAA Tournament. There are plenty of other games to watch, but we have to start there.
No. 4 Kentucky at No. 7 Tennessee – Saturday at 2:00 p.m. ET on CBS
There isn’t much more to say about how important this game is for both teams. Kentucky, which has risen to the top of the SEC standings, enters the contest winners of four in a row.
The Wildcats last played on Tuesday, when they slipped by a pesky Arkansas squad 70-66, rallying from a 15 point deficit in the process. Tyler Herro was unstoppable for Kentucky, pouring in 29 points on 9-10 shooting, including five three-pointers.
Tennessee is also coming in off a narrow win, hanging on for a two-point win at Ole Miss on Tuesday. Grant Williams led the way for the Volunteers, scoring a game-high 21 points, including the go-ahead basket with just four seconds to go.
The last time these teams met, Kentucky routed the Vols 86-69 at Rupp Arena to end Tennessee’s 19 game winning streak. The venue has shifted this time, giving Rick Barnes’ squad a perfect opportunity for revenge.
Ohio State at No. 14 Purdue – Saturday at 2:00 p.m. ET on ESPN
If the battle of the SEC’s two top teams doesn’t interest you, the Big Ten has a solid alternative. Ohio State, which finds itself squarely on the bubble, heads to West Lafayette for a compelling matchup with Purdue.
The Buckeyes have traded wins and losses for their past four games, with the last outing being a 20 point rout of No. 22 Iowa in Columbus on Tuesday. Freshman Justin Ahrens led Ohio State in scoring with 29 in a game they had to have to bolster their resume.
Another opportunity presents itself to Ohio State in the form of this matchup with Purdue. The Boilermakers have been the third-best team in the Big Ten all season, but they managed to pass Michigan this week and climb into a first-place tie with Michigan State atop the conference.
Purdue did that on the strength of a 73-56 win over a feisty Illinois squad that has given the league fits all season. The Boilermakers already have a win over the Buckeyes in Columbus, so they will look to complete a series sweep and maintain their share of the Big Ten lead in the process.
Miami at No. 3 Duke – Saturday at 4:00 p.m. ET on CBS
Another good matchup lands on the eye network as Duke heads back home to take on a struggling Miami Hurricanes team. The Hurricanes haven’t been much to write home about this season, entering the game with a 12-15 record, so our focus here will be on Duke.
The Blue Devils played their second straight game without Zion Williamson on Tuesday night, and it didn’t go well as they lost to Virginia Tech 77-72 in Blacksburg. The loss knocked Duke out of first place in the ACC for the first time all season as they now trail both North Carolina and Virginia by a game in the standings.
It’s unclear if Williamson will be back for this game, but the Blue Devils probably won’t need him to get by Miami. RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish, and Tre Jones will have a tremendous opportunity to step into the spotlight ahead of the final week of regular season play.