For all the ways he could have hyped up this historic matchup, Alabama coach Nate Oats kept it simple: Saturday’s clash in Tuscaloosa marks the first No. 1 vs. No. 2 regular-season showdown in more than three years, and the first-ever between two SEC schools. The top-ranked Auburn Tigers (22-2, 10-1 SEC) and No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide (21-3, 10-1) both feature elite offenses and championship aspirations. With the SEC shaping up as the strongest conference in the nation, it’s no surprise that this epic rivalry could double as a potential Final Four preview. While Oats is experiencing his first No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown, Auburn coach Bruce Pearl has been here before. In 2008, he led No. 2

No. 10 Iowa State will try to extend its winning streak to three games when it hosts a surging Cincinnati team on Saturday in Ames, Iowa. The Cyclones (19-5, 9-4 Big 12) are coming off back-to-back dominant victories—a 30-point rout of TCU last weekend followed by a 76-64 win over UCF on Tuesday. After a three-game skid earlier this month, Iowa State looks like it has rediscovered its winning formula. However, Cincinnati (15-9, 5-8 Big 12) has also found its rhythm, entering Saturday’s matchup on a three-game win streak after double-digit wins against UCF, BYU, and Utah. Their most recent victory, an 85-75 win over Utah, showed just how dangerous this team can be when clicking on both ends of

The last time Houston and Arizona met, it was the 2022 Sweet 16, where the Cougars stunned the top-seeded Wildcats 72-60 to advance. Fast forward nearly three years, and the two powerhouses are now conference rivals, set to clash for the first time as Big 12 foes on Saturday in Tucson, Arizona. The Cougars (20-4, 12-1 Big 12) sit atop the conference standings, holding a one-game lead over Arizona. They’re coming off a 76-65 win over Baylor, their third straight victory. Houston dominated early, leading by as many as 25 points before Baylor made the score respectable late. The Cougars’ signature defense forced 15 turnovers while committing just seven. Five Cougars scored in double figures, including L.J. Cryer (14 points)

After enduring a brutal stretch of five consecutive games against Top 25 teams, Oklahoma finally gets a breather—at least on paper—when it hosts LSU on Saturday in Norman, Okla. The Sooners (16-8, 3-8 SEC) have lost three straight and four of five, including an 82-58 blowout at No. 21 Missouri on Wednesday. Meanwhile, LSU (12-12, 1-10 SEC) is in free fall, dropping seven straight and 10 of 11 in conference play. The Sooners were completely outmatched against Missouri, trailing by 20 at halftime and never holding a lead. A lack of ball movement was glaring, as Oklahoma recorded just six assists compared to 17 turnovers. Redshirt senior Duke Miles (18 points) was the lone bright spot, but leading scorer Jalon