With SEC play officially in full swing, teams are trying to set themselves apart from the pack as they continue to search for quality wins that will improve their NCAA Tournament resumes.
There are a ton of big games on Saturday’s schedule, with two of the league’s three unbeaten teams squaring off.
Let’s get to the picks.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 146-43
Florida at Georgia – 12 p.m. EST, CBS
With their next three SEC games being in Gainesville, this is a crucial opportunity for the Gators to turn things around after losing three of their first four league games.
Florida continues to excel on the defensive side of the court, with Mike White’s ranking seventh nationally in both defensive efficiency and turnover percentage defense (24.2 percent).
This is a big game for both teams, but for some reason, I feel like Georgia’s size may be the difference in what should be a low-scoring game where every possession matters.
I’ll go with the Bulldogs to pull off the slight upset.
Prediction: Georgia 65, Florida 63
Arkansas at No. 18 Ole Miss – 1 p.m. EST, SEC Network
Speaking of teams that really need a win, the Razorbacks have lost three straight and have allowed 94 or more points in the past two games.
Meanwhile, Ole Miss had its 10-game winning streak snapped by LSU, so the Rebels will be looking to regain their momentum.
Arkansas is struggling to find consistency right now, and with Ole Miss wanting to get back on track, this seems like a great spot for Terence Davis and company.
Prediction: Ole Miss 84, Arkansas 77
Alabama at No. 3 Tennessee – 2 p.m. EST, ESPN2
Tennessee is completely decimating its opponents, and that’s not ideal for an Alabama team that has been inconsistent at times throughout the season.
On a positive note, the Crimson Tide grabbed a huge win at Missouri earlier in the week, which was as must-win as it gets given the upcoming schedule.
The Vols now rank second nationally in offensive efficiency, and at this point, there’s no reason to believe that Alabama will be able to slow then down on that side of the court.
Prediction: Tennessee 79, Alabama 65
Missouri at Texas A&M – 3:30 p.m. EST, SEC Network
We aren’t exactly what to expect from these two teams at this point in the season, and that makes this a hard game to predict.
Missouri obviously needs this one more since its winless in conference play, and Cuonzo Martin’s team will try to control the tempo against the Aggies, who still want to play fast.
Again, this is essentially a toss-up, but I’ll take a chance ton Missouri to grab a much-needed victory on the road.
Prediction: Missouri 70, Texas A&M 69
No. 12 Kentucky at No. 14 Auburn – 4 p.m. EST, ESPN
This is certainly the most intriguing matchup on the schedule, with both teams playing very well right now overall.
Kentucky has started to make significant strides thanks to the play of Ashton Hagans, and the defense has also gotten better.
Still, this is an extremely challenging road game in what is continually one of the best atmospheres in college basketball.
The Tigers must limit Kentucky’s second-chance opportunities, and if they can do that, the home-court advantage should be enough to fuel Auburn to a big win.
Prediction: Auburn 78, Kentucky 75
South Carolina at LSU – 6 p.m. EST, SEC Network
Many people probably wouldn’t have expected this to be a battle of undefeated teams in conference play, but both have picked up huge wins to get to this point.
But as I’ve said a lot to this point, LSU has one of the most talented rosters in the SEC, and the Tigers are showing that right now.
Will Wade’s squad ranks in the top 25 nationally in several important offensive categories, and while South Carolina’s run has been surprising, the Tigers should keep rolling here.
Prediction: LSU 81, South Carolina 70
No. 24 Mississippi State at Vanderbilt 8:30 p.m. EST, SEC Network
After so much excitement entering the season, the Commodores are now 0-4 in SEC play for the first time ever.
What doesn’t help matters is that Mississippi State has struggled a little bit in recent games, so Ben Howland should have his group completely focused ahead of this one.
The Bulldogs head to Kentucky next, and that makes this a very important matchup for a Mississippi State team that is trying to stay on track when it comes to a tournament bid.
Even with the Commodores in a must-win spot, the Bulldogs have the size to make things difficult on Bryce Drew’s squad.
Prediction: Mississippi State 82, Vanderbilt 79
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