Mississippi State has shown flashes of brilliance this season, but the Bulldogs will need to find consistency as they host No. 20 Missouri in a crucial SEC battle on Saturday. After suffering two heartbreaking home losses to elite conference opponents, the Bulldogs are determined to turn the tide against a Missouri team that has already proven its ability to beat top-ranked foes. Mississippi State (16-5, 4-4 SEC) has been competitive against some of the best teams in the country, but close losses have prevented them from solidifying their place among the nation’s elite. Their latest setback—a hard-fought 88-84 defeat to No. 4 Alabama on Wednesday—mirrored their earlier 95-90 loss to then-No. 6 Kentucky at home. Head coach Chris Jans didn’t

Two of the Big East’s top teams will go head-to-head on Saturday night in Milwaukee as the No. 9 Marquette Golden Eagles (18-3, 9-1 Big East) host the No. 25 UConn Huskies (15-6, 7-3 Big East) in a matchup with major conference implications. Marquette has won three straight games and sits atop the Big East standings alongside St. John’s, while UConn is trying to find consistency after splitting its last six games. Can Marquette continue its dominant home form, or will UConn snap its road struggles and get back in the title race? Marquette is 11-1 at home this season, with its only loss coming against No. 2 Purdue. The Golden Eagles have been nearly unstoppable in front of their

The Minnesota Timberwolves are red-hot, riding a five-game winning streak, and will look to keep their momentum going when they host the Washington Wizards on Saturday in Minneapolis. Meanwhile, Washington has lost 16 straight games, tying a franchise-worst losing streak and one loss away from making unwanted history. Minnesota, finally finding its groove after a sluggish start, has seen Anthony Edwards take charge, while the Wizards are still searching for answers in a season that has been nothing short of a nightmare. The Timberwolves (28-20) are starting to resemble the team that made a deep playoff run last season. After an inconsistent start following the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, the Wolves seem to have figured things out, thanks to the leadership

St. John’s has been one of the hottest teams in college basketball, and as the Red Storm prepare to host Providence on Saturday, they’ll look to extend their winning streak while continuing their dominant defensive play. The Red Storm (18-3, 9-1 Big East) are coming off a perfect January, their first unbeaten month since the 1984-85 season—a year in which they reached the Final Four behind legendary star Chris Mullin. Their current seven-game winning streak has propelled them to No. 15 in the AP Poll, and they have held opponents under 60 points in three of their last four games. Their latest victory, a 66-41 rout over Georgetown on Tuesday, was yet another defensive showcase. St. John’s held the Hoyas