The Providence Friars will have to rely on their “next-man-up” mentality once again when they visit the Butler Bulldogs for a Big East clash on Saturday in Indianapolis. Providence (11-12, 5-7 Big East) has been battling injuries all season, and their latest setback is the loss of fifth-year guard Jabri Abdur-Rahim, who is out for the season with a torn meniscus. He joins Bryce Hopkins (knee) on the sidelines, while Wesley Cardet Jr. (thigh) also missed the Friars’ 80-69 loss to Creighton on Wednesday. Despite the adversity, Corey Floyd Jr. (16 points) and Jayden Pierre (14 points) stepped up against Creighton, though Providence ultimately didn’t have enough firepower to keep up. Providence won the first meeting against Butler 84-65 on

The Vanderbilt Commodores return home on Saturday, looking to break out of a recent slump when they take on the Texas Longhorns in a Southeastern Conference showdown in Nashville, Tenn. Vanderbilt (16-6, 4-5 SEC) has hit a rough patch, losing three of its last four games, including back-to-back road defeats against Oklahoma and No. 6 Florida. The Commodores briefly led Florida in the second half on Tuesday before faltering down the stretch in an 86-75 loss. Jason Edwards led Vanderbilt with 20 points, while Jaylen Carey (15 points), Devin McGlockton (14 points), and MJ Collins Jr. (11 points) all contributed. However, defensive struggles in the second half proved costly. Edwards leads the Commodores with 17.6 points per game, while McGlockton

The UCLA Bruins look to continue their red-hot run and complete a perfect three-game homestand when they host the Penn State Nittany Lions in a Big Ten showdown on Saturday in Los Angeles. UCLA (17-6, 8-4 Big Ten) extended its winning streak to six games with a dramatic 63-61 victory over No. 9 Michigan State on Tuesday. Eric Dailey Jr. sealed the win with a clutch bank shot in the lane with seven seconds remaining. One key to the Bruins’ success has been taking care of the basketball. UCLA committed just three turnovers in the win over the Spartans, continuing a trend of disciplined play. The Bruins average 11.0 turnovers per game but have committed nine or fewer in six

The North Carolina Tar Heels are looking for answers as they prepare to host the Pitt Panthers on Saturday in Chapel Hill, N.C. With both teams struggling in ACC play, this matchup presents an opportunity for one of them to regain momentum. North Carolina (13-10, 6-5 ACC) has dropped four of its last five games, and head coach Hubert Davis has identified turnovers as a major issue. Over their last two games—both losses—the Tar Heels have committed 28 turnovers, leading to 41 points for their opponents. Meanwhile, UNC has managed just 11 points off 14 takeaways. UNC has a shot at redemption against Pitt (14-8, 5-6 ACC), which handed them a 73-65 loss on Jan. 28 by closing the game