No. 21 Mississippi State at Oklahoma
Saturday, Feb. 22 — Lloyd Noble Center — Norman, Oklahoma
12 p.m. on SEC Network
After starting the season 13-0, the wheels have fallen off for the Sooners, as they have dropped eight of their last eleven games.
The Sooners are coming off their fourth straight loss, an 82-79 defeat to LSU, where they shot a season-low 16.7% from beyond the arc. Senior forward Jalon Moore, the team’s go-to playmaker, has struggled during this skid, averaging just 11.8 points per game.
No. 21 Mississippi State is coming off a crucial 81-71 win against its in-state rivals in No. 19 Ole Miss. The Bulldogs sit at eighth place in the SEC standings with a 6-6 record and have a favorable remaining schedule with only two ranked opponents left.
The Dawgs will look to sophomore guard Josh Hubbard to continue fueling their aspirations at obtaining a better seed in March Madness. Averaging 17.1 points a game, Hubbard has been a catalyst for the SEC’s seventh-best offense.
Expect Oklahoma’s cold streak to continue and Mississippi State to keep rising in conference standings.
Prediction: Mississippi State 75, Oklahoma 70
No. 17 Kentucky at No. 7 Alabama
Saturday, Feb. 22 — Coleman Coliseum — Tuscaloosa, Alabama
5 p.m. on ESPN
Expect this to be one of the most exciting matchups of the day, as both programs boast the top two ranked offenses and the bottom two defenses in the SEC.
Alabama has the highest-scoring offense in the nation, averaging 90.3 points per game. Kentucky doesn’t trail by much, sitting at the No. 3 spot in the nation, averaging 85.9 points per game.
Kentucky’s inconsistency has been their downfall this season. In one game they beat the brakes out of a top-10 team, while in another they topple against a bottom-ranked opponent. Inconsistency is not what you want, especially when facing an explosive Alabama squad fresh off a tough loss in a top-two showdown against the Auburn Tigers.
On top of that, Alabama faces a brutal stretch of games with matchups against No. 21 Mississippi State, No. 6 Tennessee, No. 3 Florida and No. 1 Auburn in their remaining schedule. Expect fireworks as the top two offenses collide — with the Tide coming out on top.
Prediction: Alabama 100, Kentucky 94
No. 15 Missouri vs Arkansas
Saturday, Feb. 22 — Bud Walton Arena — Fayetteville, Arkansas
7 p.m. on ESPN
While this matchup may not seem as attractive as the previous one, there are still huge implications, especially for an Arkansas squad pushing for a NCAA Tournament bid.
The Razorbacks have turned their season around after a tough 1-6 start in SEC play. Following coach John Calipari’s return and a crucial win at Kentucky, the Hogs have gone 2-2 and positioned themselves in the race for one of the final at-large spots in the NCAA Tournament.
No 15. Missouri has defied all odds this season after being projected to finish No. 13 in the SEC standings. As of today, the Tigers stand firmly at fifth place in the highly-competitive SEC, hanging on to a 8-4 conference record and vying for a top-4 seed in March.
These two programs faced off earlier this season with the Tigers comfortably winning by a score of 83-65. With a veteran coaching edge and raucous home crowd supporting them, expect the Razorbacks to keep it closer this time around and pull off the upset.
Prediction: Arkansas 68, Missouri 67
No. 24 Ole Miss at Vanderbilt
Saturday, Feb. 22 — Memorial Gymnasium — Nashville, Tennessee
2:30 p.m. on SEC Network
In this year’s SEC, no game is a gimme, and this is no different for No. 24 Ole Miss as it enters the daunting Memorial Gymnasium, where Vanderbilt holds a 14-2 home record.
The Rebels have relied on their depth all season, with five players averaging double-digit points, fueling the squad to an 8-5 record and positioning them as a likely lock for the tournament.
On the other hand, Vanderbilt has endured a rollercoaster season, sitting at 5-7 in SEC play. Unlike the Rebels, the Commodores are far from a lock and must win to stay in the conversation come Selection Sunday.
Both teams have been excellent at taking care of the rock all season. Ole Miss and Vanderbilt rank second and third in the SEC in turnover margin, respectively.
With both teams excelling at limiting their mistakes, expect a tight, methodical game that could come down to the final possessions. In the end, the Rebels’ depth will be too much for Vanderbilt’s star junior G Jason Edwards to overcome on his own.
Prediction: Ole Miss 75, Vanderbilt 65
