Fans and those who bet online will need to wait until mid February before the SEC‘s two heavyweights meet on the basketball court when Tennessee plays host to Alabama.
In the meantime, the next month will be about seeing if any teams can challenge the two top-five ranked teams.
Eleven of the 14 SEC teams are either undefeated at home or have just one loss and that will certainly change in the coming days and weeks.
Alabama and Tennessee each jumped three spots to fourth and fifth in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. Arkansas fell two positions to No. 15, Missouri remained 20th while Auburn went from 22nd to 21st.
According to the college basketball playoff odds, Tennessee (+1200) is tied for third and Alabama (+1400) is tied for fifth in the odds to win the national championship. Arkansas (+2500) and Kentucky (+3300) aren’t far behind.
Here’s a look at Saturday’s games in the SEC with some odds and betting information to consider.
Let’s check the latest NCAAB picks, stats, injury reports, and NCAAB predictions. We’ve plenty of NCAAB expert picks for you to consider.
Game of Week
Kentucky vs Tennessee
Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 14, 12 noon ET (ESPN)
With six losses, there are those already writing off the Wildcats. That could be risky. This is the type of the game when Kentucky (10-6, 1-3 in the SEC) could rise to the occasion and send a message that the Wildcats aren’t going anywhere.
Kentucky is coming off a head-scratching three-point loss at home to lowly South Carolina. That followed a 26-point defeat at the hands of Alabama. Kentucky has too much talent to keep playing like this.
Tennessee (14-2, 4-0) has won five games in a row and is a perfect 8-0 at home. The Volunteers are averaging 83 points over the last three games.
Olivier Nkamhoua went 15 for 15 from the floor in back-to-back games against Mississippi State and South Carolina.
Three of the last four games in the series went under the college basketball lines total.
Tennessee hits the road on Tuesday to face Mississippi State.
Other Games to Watch
Georgia vs Ole Miss
Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 14, 1:00 p.m. (SEC Network)
These are special times at Georgia. Fresh off the football team winning a second straight national title, the Bulldogs (12-4, 2-1) have already doubled their win total from a season ago on the basketball court.
Bradley transfer Terry Roberts has made an immediate impact as he is averaging a team-best 15.7 points per game and is also the team leader in assists and steals.
Matthew Murrell leads Ole Miss (8-8, 0-4) with an average of 15.3 points per game.
Arkansas vs Vanderbilt
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 14, 2 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
The arrival of one of the best classes of incoming freshmen dominated the headlines. However, the biggest impact has been made by Wichita State transfer Ricky Council. He has seven straight double-digit scoring games for Arkansas (12-4, 1-3).
Vanderbilt (8-8, 1-2) is 6-3 at home this season. However, the Commodores have dropped both games against ranked teams.
The Commodores threw scares into Missouri and Tennessee in the last two games before losing by three and nine points.
Vanderbilt stunned host Arkansas when listed by the sportsbook as the 7½-point underdog in the last meeting after the Razorbacks won the previous seven matchups.
Missouri vs Florida
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 14, 3:30 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
Missouri (13-3, 2-2) has dropped two of its last three games and that includes an 18-point loss at Texas A&M as the Aggies shot 53% from the field. Two of Missouri’s starters failed to score in the game.
Florida (9-7, 2-2) is coming off wins over Georgia and LSU. Colin Castleton flirted with a triple-double against Georgia with 12 points, eight rebounds and seven blocked shots.
Florida has covered against the Las Vegas odds in each of the last four games against Missouri.
Louisiana State vs Alabama
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 14, 4:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
LSU-Alabama games aren’t just a big deal on the gridiron.
Alabama (14-2, 4-0) looks to stay undefeated in the SEC while LSU would pick the perfect time for the Tigers’ first true road win over the season.
Freshman Brandon Miller leads the Crimson Tide in scoring (18.8 points) and is second in rebounding (8.2) while Ohio transfer Mark Sears is contributing 15.4 points per contest.
Brandon Miller is living in the moment, relishing the opportunity with @AlabamaMBB. That mindset is part of his overall vision: “I want to be known as one of the all-time greats.”
My Q&A with the Crimson Tide superstar, who is wise beyond his years:https://t.co/Bbvl3Ya4Px
— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) January 12, 2023
Murray State transfer KJ Williams has scored more than 20 points three times over the last five games for LSU (12-4, 1-3).
LSU snapped a five-game losing streak to Alabama with an 80-75 win in March as a 3½-point favorite at home.
Texas A&M vs South Carolina
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 14, 6:00 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
The Aggies (11-5, 3-0) opened a few eyes with their 82-64 win over nationally ranked Missouri. Tyrece Radford’s 16 points led six Texas A&M players scoring in double figures while Henry Coleman and Dexter Dennis each had double-doubles.
South Carolina bounced back from a 43-point loss at home to Tennessee by stunning perennial SEC power Kentucky 71-68 as Meechie Johnson had 26 points, six rebounds and six assists. It was the first conference win of the season for the Gamecocks (8-8, 1-2).
South Carolina has won the last six meetings with Texas A&M and covered in each of those games.
The Aggies are 11-5 against the spread, the best mark among SEC teams.
Mississippi State vs Auburn
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 14, 8:30 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
Auburn puts its perfect home record on the line when Mississippi State comes to town after dropping four of its last five games after an 11-0 start.
The Bulldogs (12-4, 1-3) managed just 50 points in a loss to Georgia despite 14 offensive rebounds and 12 steals.
Allen Flanigan has 33 points and 13 rebounds over the last two games for Auburn (13-3, 3-1). He has as many double-digit scoring games in the last three contests as he did in the first 13.
Auburn has won the last four games against Mississippi State and six of the last seven. Each of the last five meetings went over the total.
