Exam week always makes things a little slow in college basketball, but now the schedule starts to ramp back up.
There are a ton of SEC teams in action on Saturday, with plenty of intriguing matchups across the board.
Let’s get to the picks.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 91-23
No. 3 Tennessee at Memphis – Noon EST, ESPN 2
It’s awesome to see these two teams playing again, and next year’s return battle in Knoxville will likely be an even better matchup given the Tigers’ excellent incoming freshman class
However, this particular game favors the Vols, who should be able to carry over their momentum from the huge win over previously No. 1 Gonzaga.
Tennessee should use its toughness to hold off a feisty Memphis squad down the stretch.
Prediction: Tennessee 78, Memphis 70
Utah at No. 19 Kentucky – 5 p.m. EST, ESPN2
Larry Krystkowiak’s teams are never easy to prepare for, but this edition of the Utes has very pretty inconsistent having yet to win two games in a row.
Then again, the Wildcats haven’t been the model of consistency either, and the overtime loss to Seton Hall last week wasn’t all that unexpected given the struggles on defense.
Kentucky should continue to be aggressive on the glass (second nationally in offensive rebounding percentage at 44.3 percent), and those second-chance opportunities may be the difference.
But if John Calipari’s team gives up too many good looks from the perimeter (337th nationally in 3-point defense at 40.0 percent), the Utes could make this another frustrating experience for the Wildcats.
Prediction: Kentucky 84, Utah 70
No. 20 Arizona State at Georgia – 6 p.m. EST, SEC Network
Arizona State is having another great start to the non-conference slate, as the Sun Devils’ only loss is to undefeated Nevada.
Meanwhile, Georgia hasn’t played in 12 days and should be well-rested heading into a game where both teams will want to push the tempo.
The ability of the Sun Devils to attack the offensive glass may be the difference (20th nationally with 13.9 offensive rebounds per game), and Georgia’s high turnover rate (341st nationally with 16.9 turnovers per game could also be a factor.
Prediction: Arizona State 75, Georgia 69
No. 8 Auburn vs. UAB – 7:30 p.m. EST, CBS Sports Network (Birmingham, AL)
Auburn keeps rolling right along, with Jared Harper and company continuing to overwhelm opponents on both sides of the court.
That’s going to be a real concern for a UAB team that’s ranked 283rd nationally in committing 15.2 turnovers per game while also struggling to get anything going from 3-point range (339th nationally at 26.1 percent).
With the Tigers’ ability to turn defense into offense and score in bunches, it’s hard to see the Blazers finding enough offense to keep up.
Danjel Purifoy is also back, so that should add more momentum for this Auburn squad.
Prediction: Auburn 84, UAB 65
UTSA at Arkansas – 8 p.m. EST
After a tough loss to Western Kentucky last week, the Hogs should be refocused for what is a very favorable matchup against the Roadrunners.
UTSA has struggled big time on offense in sporting a 43.4 percent effective field-goal percentage (334th nationally) while shooting just 41.8 percent from 2-point range.
That’s problematic against an Arkansas squad that hasn’t had any trouble finding offense, so the Razorbacks should take care of business in a big way.
Prediction: Arkansas 90, UTSA 71
Cincinnati at No. 18 Mississippi State – 8:30 p.m. EST, SEC Network
Both teams are on a roll right now, and that should make for quite the matchup in Starkville.
Cincinnati’s defensive approach will undoubtedly be to force Mississippi State into taking a lot of perimeter shots, but the Bulldogs may have a lot more confidence than usual in that area after going 19 of 30 from long range in the win over Clemson.
Still, outside shooting is one of the concerns when it comes to this team’s ability to make it far in March, so settling for jump shots won’t be a recipe for success.
What should decide this game is Mississippi State’s size in the paint, which should equal enough extra looks on the offense glass to earn a high-quality win.
Prediction: Mississippi State 65, Cincinnati 61
LSU vs. Saint Mary’s – 11 p.m. EST, ESPNU (Las Vegas, NV)
LSU has the potential to be a very good team, but its youth has been on display in some of the recent losses.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, Saint Mary’s is the type of opponent that is good at exploiting weaknesses, as Randy Bennett’s squad is always efficient on offense while making defenders work deep into the shot clock.
If Tremont Waters and company want to win this game, they must have a disciplined approach on both sides of the court.
In a neutral court setting, I tend to go with the more talented team, but this is essentially a toss-up.
Prediction: LSU 74, Saint Mary’s 72
Texas A&M vs. Oregon State – 11 p.m. EST, Pac-12 Network (Portland, OR)
There’s no doubt that the Aggies are itching to get back on the floor after last week’s game against Boston College was abruptly cancelled.
But Texas A&M simply hasn’t been able to find any rhythm this season, as the roster turnover and change in style of play has left Billy Kennedy’s team in a tough spot.
The Beavers have had their own issues at times, but they’ve been way more consistent and should be able to contain Texas A&M on the offensive side of the court.
Oregon State feels like the better pick here.
Prediction: Oregon State 72, Texas A&M 68
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