Breaking Down the Big 12: Vols, Longhorns Brace for Top 10

College basketball fans will be the real winners thanks to the Big 12/SEC Challenge on Saturday featuring some intriguing matchups.

The top-10 showdown between Tennessee and Texas as well as the class of blue-blood programs when Kansas meets Kentucky leads the way.

Not all the games involving SEC teams on Saturday are part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge.

South Carolina heads to Georgia for a 6 p.m. game while Vanderbilt plays at Texas A&M, with both games airing on the SEC Network.

Rather than have individual roundups for the Big 12 and SEC, as has been the weekly custom, for one week only we have included the SEC and Big 12 previews in one file.

Alabama moved up two spots to No. 2 in both national polls and picked up 31 first-place votes in the two rankings.Eight of the top 15 teams in the Associated Press poll are involved in the Big 12/SEC Challenge with No. 2 Alabama joined by No. 4 Tennessee, No. 5 Kansas State, No. 9 Kansas, No. 10 Texas, No. 11 TCU, No. 12 Iowa State and No. 15 Auburn.

Four of the top 10 candidates in the national player of the year odds are set to take part in Saturday’s action. Jalen Wilson of Kansas is second to Purdue’s Zach Edey at +800, Alabama’s Brandon Miller is priced at +1400 followed by Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe (+2500) and Markquis Nowell of Kansas State (+3000).

Kansas (-145) remains the heavy favorite in the odds to win the Big 12 title while Alabama (-220) and Tennessee (+170) lead the way in the SEC.

According to the college basketball odds, Kansas, Alabama and Tennessee are among the top teams in the odds to reach the Final Four.

Here’s a look at Saturday’s games in the Big 12/SEC Challenge with some odds and betting information to consider.

Let’s check the latest college basketball news, stats, injury reports and college basketball lines. We’ve got plenty of NCAA basketball picks for you to consider.

Game of the Week

Texas Longhorns vs Tennessee Volunteers

Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 28, 6 p.m. ET (ESPN)

This should be an entertaining matchup of 17-3 teams

It’s been a quiet stretch for Tennessee top scorer Santiago Vescovi, who has just 11 total points over the last two games.

For Texas, Marcus Carr has 44 points on 15-of-25 shooting in his last two contests as the Longhorns continue to lead the Big 12 in points per game and scoring margin.

Texas came away with a 52-51 in last season’s meeting, the first matchup between the Longhorns and Volunteers since 2007.

ESPN will have its GameDay crew at this matchup after doing the same for Thursday’s women’s game between Tennessee and UConn.

not once, but twice ��@CollegeGameDay is set to be live from Knoxville for @LadyVol_Hoops AND @Vol_Hoops this week!#GBOpic.twitter.com/dROYaEJDud

— Tennessee Athletics (@Vol_Sports) January 25, 2023

Other Games to Watch

Auburn Tigers vs West Virginia Mountaineers

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 28, Noon ET (ESPN)

Auburn is 4-2 on the road. However, playing in Morgantown could be quite the challenge.

Johni Broome is 18 for 29 over his last two games for Auburn (16-4) and also has nine blocked shots during that stretch.

Tre Mitchell has just 21 points over the last three games for West Virginia (12-8) and is 7 of 21 from the field in those matchups.

These teams haven’t met since 2007 when West Virginia rolled to a 29-point road win.

Twelve of Auburn’s 20 games have gone over the college basketball betting lines total.

Alabama Crimson Tide vs Oklahoma Sooners

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 28, 2 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Alabama is going after its 10th win in a row. The 18-2 Crimson Tide are undefeated on the road and perfect so far in January.

After recording back-to-back 30-point games, Alabama freshman Brandon Miller has a total of 28 points in the last two outings. He is still the SEC’s leading scorer.

Oklahoma (11-9) has dropped three games in a row and shot just 31% in the 27-point loss to TCU the last time out.

Oklahoma pulled off the upset when the teams met in 2021 with a 66-61 win when listed by the sportsbook as a 3½-point underdog.

Alabama is 12-7-1 against the spread, and only Texas A&M has a better mark among SEC schools.

Iowa State Cyclones vs Missouri Tigers

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 28, 2 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Iowa State (15-4) looks to build on a win over No. 5 Kansas State on Tuesday behind 23 points from Jaren Holmes. The Cyclones shot 57% in that game between two of the most surprising teams in the Big 12.

Missouri (15-5) has won two of the last three games with D’Moi Hodge and Isiah Mosley combining for 10 3-pointers and 44 points in a recent win at Ole Miss. The Tigers lead the SEC with an average of 83.4 points per game.

When the teams met last season, Iowa State won 67-50 as the 11-point favorite. It was the third game in a row between the teams to go under the total.

Texas Tech Red Raiders vs LSU Tigers

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 28, 2 p.m. ET (ESPNU)

Texas Tech (10-10) has yet to win in Big 12 play so perhaps stepping out of conference is just what the Red Raiders need.

After managing just 34 points over his previous four games, Kevin Obanor has 20 in Texas Tech’s last game.

LSU (12-8) has lost seven games in a row, the longest active streak in the SEC. After six straight double-digit scoring efforts, KJ Williams finished with just nine points in Tuesday’s loss to Arkansas.

Texas Tech has won the last two meetings against LSU and that includes a five-point road win as a 3½-point favorite in 2021. Each of the last three games between the Red Raiders and Tigers finished under the college basketball odds total.

The Red Raiders are 6-13-1 against the college basketball betting lines, the worst mark among Big 12 teams.

TCU Horned Frogs vs Mississippi State Bulldogs

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 28, 4 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Mike Miles is on a roll for TCU, topping the 20-point mark in four of the last seven games for the Horned Frogs (16-4).

This is the third ranked foe for Mississippi State over the last four games, with the Bulldogs falling to Tennessee and Alabama during that stretch. Mississippi State missed 12 of its 15 3-pointers in the recent loss at Alabama.

It’s been awhile since these teams have met, with TCU taking the matchups in 2013 and 2014 by nine and 10 points.

Mississippi State (12-8) leads the SEC with 15 of its games going under the total.

Arkansas Razorbacks vs Baylor Bears

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 28, 4 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Arkansas (14-6) continues to play without highly touted freshman Nick Smith, who hasn’t played since a Dec. 17 win over Bradley. Fellow freshman Anthony Black is just 10 of 26 from the field over the last two games. Davonte Davis led the way with 16 points in the Razorbacks’ 20-point win over LSU on Tuesday.

Baylor (15-5) should be bursting with confidence after topping defending national champion Kansas behind 22 points from LJ Cryer. The Bears lead the Big 12 in 3-pointers made and attempted.

This is a rematch of the South Regional Final during the 2021 NCAA Tournament, when Baylor lost 81-72 when listed by the Las Vegas odds as the 7½-point favorite.

Florida Gators vs Kansas State Wildcats

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 28, 6 p.m. ET (ESPN)

The Wildcats (17-3) look to bounce back after a loss to Iowa State on Tuesday. Markquis Nowell had 23 points in the loss. It was his fourth 20-point effort over the last six games.

Myreon Jones flirted with a triple-double in a recent win against South Carolina before he finished with nine points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for Florida (12-8).

Kansas State leads the Big 12 with a 15-5 mark against the college basketball odds.

The programs haven’t met in more than a decade. Kansas State won 67-61 as an 11-point underdog in the most recent meeting.

Kansas Jayhawks vs Kentucky Wildcats

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 28, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)

The matchup will feature two of the top contenders for the national player of the year award. Jalen Wilson is putting up 21.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game for Kansas.

For Kentucky, Oscar Tshiebwe had a recent game with 37 points and 24 rebounds. In the last two games, he is averaging 11 points and 15 rebounds.

Kansas (16-4) has won four of the last six meetings against Kentucky. However, the 14-6 Wildcats have covered in each of the last four games in the series while each of the last four matchups finished under the total.

Ole Miss Rebels vs Oklahoma State Cowboys

• Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 28, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Ole Miss (9-11) is trying to shake off a two-game losing streak. A good place to start is ball security after committing turning the ball over 33 times in losses to Arkansas and Missouri.

Kalib Boone is averaging 15.3 points and 2.7 blocked shots in his last three games for the Cowboys (11-9).

The last time the teams met, the Cowboys rolled to a 78-39 win as the one-point underdog.