College basketball picks, schedule: Predictions for Kentucky vs. Alabama and other top games Saturday – CBS Sports

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                                                         Play Now                                                         <br>                                                                                                          <a href="/fantasy/games/baseball/??ftag=CBS-16-10aca6d" class="">Fantasy Baseball</a>                                                      <br>                                                             Play Now                                                         <br>                                                                                                          <a href="/fantasy/games/football/office-pool-manager?ftag=CBS-16-10ace2a" class="">Football Pick'em</a>                                                      <br>                                                                                                  <a href="/podcasts/fantasy-football-today-podcast/" class="">TE Reflections</a>                                              <br>                                                                                                  <a href="/podcasts/nothing-personal-with-david-samson/" class="">Covering the impact of coronavirus on the sports world</a>                                              <br>An entertaining slate of college basketball games has arrived here on the first Saturday in February as we creep toward the stretch run of the regular season and get ready for March Madness. A total of 21 ranked teams are expected to be in action starting at noon ET and extending all the way until 10 p.m., when No. 2 <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/GONZAG/gonzaga-bulldogs/">Gonzaga</a> tips off at <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/BYU/brigham-young-cougars/">BYU</a> and No. 3 <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/UCLA/ucla-bruins/">UCLA</a> plays at <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/ARIZST/arizona-state-sun-devils/">Arizona State</a>.    <br>Among the day's other highlights is the first of two scheduled Duke-North Carolina showdowns as Blue Devils' coach Mike Krzyzewski makes his <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/coach-ks-farewell-tour-mike-krzyzewski-wins-final-game-at-north-carolina-as-blue-devils-crush-tar-heels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">final trip</a></span> to the Dean Dome to <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/duke-vs-north-carolina-top-memorable-moments-from-coach-ks-games-in-rivalry-before-his-last-game-at-unc/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">face the Tar Heels</a></span>. Though unranked, UNC has won four in a row and can make a massive statement on the national stage about the status of its program under first-year coach Hubert Davis with a win.    <br>That's just one of several key conference clashes on the docket. In the SEC, <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/BAMA/alabama-crimson-tide/">Alabama</a> plays host to No. 5 <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/UK/kentucky-wildcats/">Kentucky</a>. In the Pac-12, No. 7 <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/ARIZ/arizona-wildcats/">Arizona</a> hosts No. 19 <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/USC/southern-california-trojans/">USC</a> as the Wildcats look to cement the hold on first-place in the league standings that was gained in a win over No. 3 UCLA on Thursday. Not to be overlooked, the Big 12's top two contenders will square off as No. 8 <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/BAYLOR/baylor-bears/">Baylor</a> travels to No. 10 <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/KANSAS/kansas-jayhawks/">Kansas</a> in a battle of squads with national title aspirations.    <br>It's going to be a busy day, and we've got you covered here with predictions for the biggest games.     <br><em>Odds via Caesars Sportsbook | All times Eastern</em> <br><strong>6 p.m. | ESPN,  <a href="http://www.fubo.tv/lp/collegebasketball/?bgvideo=marchm.mp4&title=Watch%20College%20Basketball%20with%20fuboTV&subinfo=Follow%20the%20Road%20to%20the%20Final&irad=454884&irmp=416484&sharedID=HTW" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">fuboTV</a> (Try for free) --</strong> This is going to be a special scene as Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/coach-ks-farewell-tour-mike-krzyzewski-wins-final-game-at-north-carolina-as-blue-devils-crush-tar-heels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">patrols the sideline</a></span> at the Dean Dome for the final time <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/duke-vs-north-carolina-top-memorable-moments-from-coach-ks-games-in-rivalry-before-his-last-game-at-unc/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in a rivalry showdown</a></span> between two teams on four-game winning streaks. The Blue Devils are fighting for first place in the ACC standings, while the Tar Heels are fighting for their <a href="/collegebasketball/ncaa-tournament" data-is-autolink="true">NCAA Tournament</a> chances. The Tar Heels are just a bit too shaky defensively to trust here. <strong><em>Prediction: Duke 79, North Carolina 75 </em></strong>   <br><strong>8 p.m. | ESPN,  <a href="http://www.fubo.tv/lp/collegebasketball/?bgvideo=marchm.mp4&title=Watch%20College%20Basketball%20with%20fuboTV&subinfo=Follow%20the%20Road%20to%20the%20Final&irad=454884&irmp=416484&sharedID=HTW" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">fuboTV</a> (Try for free) --</strong> It's another week and edition of the great mystery over which Alabama team will show up this time. The Crimson Tide knocked off Baylor last Saturday just four day after losing against a <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/UGA/georgia-bulldogs/">Georgia</a> team that is perhaps that worst high-major team in college basketball. Unlike Baylor, however, Kentucky appears to be close to fully healthy, and these Wildcats are downright lethal when firing on all cylinders. Look for UK to pull away as big man <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/players/playerpage/3142311/oscar-tshiebwe">Oscar Tshiebwe</a> asserts his will on the interior. <strong><em>Prediction: Kentucky 81, Alabama 74</em></strong>    <br><strong>10 p.m. | ESPN,  <a href="http://www.fubo.tv/lp/collegebasketball/?bgvideo=marchm.mp4&title=Watch%20College%20Basketball%20with%20fuboTV&subinfo=Follow%20the%20Road%20to%20the%20Final&irad=454884&irmp=416484&sharedID=HTW" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">fuboTV</a> (Try for free) --</strong> BYU has lost three straight since a 17-4 start, and that is not the way you want things to be trending when Gonzaga is coming to town. The Bulldogs thrashed BYU 110-84 on Jan. 13 and have continued to dominate the WCC since. With its elite front court tandem of <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/players/playerpage/3141671/drew-timme">Drew Timme</a> and <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/players/playerpage/26776724/chet-holmgren">Chet Holmgren</a>, Gonzaga is an impossible matchup for basically everyone and especially for a relatively undersized BYU team. Senior guard <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/players/playerpage/2891992/alex-barcello">Alex Barcello</a> continues to fill it up for the Cougars, but he'll need a lot of help if his team is going to keep this one close. <strong><em>Prediction: Gonzaga 99, BYU 81 </em></strong>   <br><strong><em>Who wins every college basketball game? And which teams could sink your bankroll? <a href="https://www.sportsline.com/college-basketball/picks/?ttag=SL21_lk_cbssports_cbbeditorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit SportsLine now to see how to pick every college basketball game, all from the model that simulates every game 10,000 times and has generated over $2,000 in profit the last four-plus years</a>.</em></strong>          <br><strong>12 p.m. | ESPN,  <a href="http://www.fubo.tv/lp/collegebasketball/?bgvideo=marchm.mp4&title=Watch%20College%20Basketball%20with%20fuboTV&subinfo=Follow%20the%20Road%20to%20the%20Final&irad=454884&irmp=416484&sharedID=HTW" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">fuboTV</a> (Try for free) --</strong> Indiana won seven of eight games in the series between the 2014-15 season and the end of the 2018-19 season. But the series has flipped back in Illinois' favor as the Illini have won three straight, including a 75-71 overtime thriller at Indiana last season. Illinois big man <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/players/playerpage/3141769/kofi-cockburn">Kofi Cockburn</a> has been unguardable in the Illini's last two games — victories against <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/NWEST/northwestern-wildcats/">Northwestern</a> and <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/WISC/wisconsin-badgers/">Wisconsin</a> — but the Hoosiers counter with <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/players/playerpage/2892497/race-thompson">Race Thompson</a> and <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/players/playerpage/3141642/trayce-jackson-davis">Trayce Jackson-Davis</a> in the frontcourt. If Indiana can get a quality performance from at least one guard to compliment Thompson and Jackson-Davis, then it can squeak out a big home victory. <strong><em>Prediction: Indiana 73, Illinois 70 </em></strong>    <br><strong>1 p.m. | CBS, <a href="https://cbs-sports.app.link/tBONNzU7Blb" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">CBSSports.com</a>, <a href="https://cbs-sports.app.link/tBONNzU7Blb" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">CBS Sports App</a> (Free) --</strong> There have been some positive offensive signs from both these teams recently, but they remain defensive-oriented squads, and it's hard to envision an offensive explosion here. South Carolina is 9-2 at home and will play Tennessee much closer than it did in a 66-46 road loss on Jan. 11. In the end, expect the Volunteers to narrowly win a low-scoring affair. <strong><em>Prediction: Tennessee 62, South Carolina 60</em></strong>    <br><strong>4 p.m. | ESPN,  <a href="http://www.fubo.tv/lp/collegebasketball/?bgvideo=marchm.mp4&title=Watch%20College%20Basketball%20with%20fuboTV&subinfo=Follow%20the%20Road%20to%20the%20Final&irad=454884&irmp=416484&sharedID=HTW" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">fuboTV</a> (Try for free) --</strong> Baylor has been hit with the injury bug as of late, especially in its back court. Leading scorer <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/players/playerpage/3041609/james-akinjo">James Akinjo</a> has been playing through a back injury, and fellow guards <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/players/playerpage/3042630/adam-flagler">Adam Flagler</a> and <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/players/playerpage/3177470/lj-cryer">LJ Cryer</a> are dealing with injuries as well. Because of those collective issues, Kansas should be able to handle business on its home floor and take a commanding two-game lead in the Big 12 standings. <strong><em>Prediction: Kansas 78, Baylor 67 </em></strong>   <br>© 2004-2022 CBS Interactive. All Rights Reserved.<br>CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc.<br>Images by Getty Images and US Presswire<br><br><a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/college-basketball-picks-schedule-predictions-for-kentucky-vs-alabama-and-other-top-games-saturday/">source</a>