The NFL season is officially over and even though NBA All-Star Weekend takes place in the next few days, Saturday's college basketball action will draw a lot of attention. Twenty-one teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll will be in action that day.
One of the top games of the day takes place in the Lone Star State when Texas takes on rival Houston. These teams met earlier this season in Austin, Texas, and the Big 12-leading No. 3 Cougars walked away with a thrilling overtime victory.
The biggest game on the schedule features reigning national champion UConn hosting No. 4 Marquette in Storrs. The No. 1 team in the country has a comfortable lead at the top of the Big East standings and a win would all but guarantee UConn its first Big East regular-season title since 2006.
No. 13 Auburn ends the night hosting No. 22 Kentucky. The Tigers are coming off an impressive 101-61 win over South Carolina, while No. 22 Kentucky has lost three of its last five games.
Here's a look at some of the biggest games of the day.
Odds via SportsLine Consensus | Always east
1 p.m. | CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free) — Houston has been elite defensively this season, but one of the few teams that offered some resistance was Texas. Houston allowed 72 points to the Longhorns last month, which was the second-most points allowed in a game this season – including the most in a win. Texas is on the NCAA Tournament bubble heading into play and will need to pick up more wins in conference play to secure a spot. While Houston should win this game at home, don't be surprised if Texas comes close like last time. Prediction: Texas +11.5 – Salerno
2 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (try for free) – Duke has won three straight since losing on the road to North Carolina earlier this month, while Florida State has lost four of its last five. For Duke, this is quintessentially “trap game” due to the performance of both teams and the fact that it will be played in a raucous environment in Tallahassee. Duke will be counting on a big game from Kyle Filipowski. Prediction: Duke -5 – Salerno
3 p.m. | Fox, fuboTV (try for free) – Marquette was the last team to beat UConn last season, and the fact that the Golden Eagles won the season series 2-1 should motivate the Huskies. UConn is coming off a relatively easy portion of its game plan and will be fresh enough to extend the lead in the second half. The Huskies operate at a level above the rest of college basketball, and it would be difficult for anyone – even a top-tier team like Marquette – to stay on the road against this team. Prediction: UConn -7 – Cobb
4 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (try for free) – Kansas is streaky. One game they look like championship contenders, the next they look like a team headed for early elimination next month. The Jayhawks suffered a brutal 79-50 loss on the road against Texas Tech. Oklahoma is 2-4 against top-25 teams and lost its only game (No. 3 Kansas) to a top-10 team. Kansas has not lost consecutive games in 2024. It's hard to bet against Bill Self, especially when his team isn't the favorite. Prediction: Kansas +2 – Salerno
6 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (try for free) – Auburn was a double-digit favorite against South Carolina and had its most dominant performance of the season at home. Days later, they are another big home favorite against Kentucky. The Wildcats are coming off a win over Ole Miss after losing three of their last five contests. It's hard to rate this Kentucky team, but getting the points is the right decision because after a lackluster month, the Wildcats are in for a standout performance. Prediction: Kentucky +10 – Salerno
Who will win and cover in every college basketball game? Visit SportsLine for picks from the model, which simulates every game 10,000 times and has returned more than $1,200 for $100 players over its top-rated spread picks over the past six years.