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SEC Basketball Preview: Ranking every game for Saturday, Feb. 8, men’s hoops slate
By Adam Spencer
Published:
SEC basketball rolls past the midway point this weekend. Some teams have already played 10 league games, while others are stuck at 9 until Saturday’s slate of games.
Can Auburn be stopped? Who will earn double-byes in the SEC Tournament? Who will pull off upsets as the SEC season wears on?
There are numerous questions we don’t have answers to just yet, but the excitement is in the journey. This Saturday slate is yet another exciting one. So let’s dive into this week’s 5-star rankings, shall we?
5-Star Games
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No. 6 Florida at No. 1 Auburn — 4 p.m. ET on ESPN2
Will Auburn lose at all in SEC play? This will be a tough test for the Tigers, who are coming off a blowout midweek win over Oklahoma. The Gators just beat Vanderbilt this week without star Walter Clayton Jr. He should be back suited up for Florida for Saturday’s showdown. Even though this game was moved from ESPN to ESPN2 because of Luka Doncic and the Lakers, it’s still easily the best matchup on the slate this week.
No. 10 Texas A&M at No. 15 Mizzou — 3:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network
This former Big 12 rivalry game takes center stage on Saturday afternoon. Mizzou just lost by 4 at Tennessee. That’s far from a bad loss, but the Tigers need to bounce back in a big way. Texas A&M, on the other hand, is on a 2-game winning streak. Whichever team shoots it better from 3-point range will likely win this big-time top-15 showdown in Columbia.
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4-Star Games
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No. 22 Mississippi State at Georgia — 6 p.m. ET on SEC Network
This is an important game for both teams. Georgia is coming off a midweek win over LSU, while Mississippi State got to take a break. Chris Jans’ squad should be well-rested heading to Athens. But Mike White’s team will be ready to put its 13-1 home record on the line in this battle of the SEC’s Bulldogs.
3-Star Games
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No. 3 Alabama at Arkansas — 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
Arkansas is on a 2-game winning streak, beating Kentucky last Saturday and winning at Texas on Wednesday. Alabama is a much tougher challenge than the Hogs have faced thus far, but this game is in Fayetteville. John Calipari has his team playing well right now. Alabama will need to be at its best on Saturday night to avoid an upset loss to keep pace with rival Auburn atop the SEC.
2-Star Games
⭐⭐
Texas at Vanderbilt — 1 p.m. ET on SEC Network
The Commodores come into this game having lost 2 in a row. However, playing at Vanderbilt hasn’t been easy for anyone this year. Kentucky and Tennessee have both lost in Nashville. Can Texas avoid a loss? The Longhorns need every win they can get to help their NCAA Tournament résumé.
No. 4 Tennessee at Oklahoma — noon ET on ESPN
This is a bad time for the Sooners to catch the Vols. Tennessee is healthy for this game, with Zakai Zeigler back and better than ever. The Oklahoma offense will struggle to score against the Vols’ suffocating defense.
1-Star Games
⭐
South Carolina at No. 14 Kentucky — noon ET on ESPN2
Kentucky is struggling lately. But playing South Carolina at home might be just what the doctor ordered for the ailing Wildcats. Lamont Butler might not be back from injury yet, but he’s nearing a return. This team needs a confidence boost, and beating the Gamecocks should accomplish that.
No. 25 Ole Miss at LSU — 8:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network
The Rebels are coming off a big-time home win over Kentucky. Now Ole Miss heads to Baton Rouge to take on an LSU squad that’s toward the bottom of the SEC standings. Winning on the road in SEC play is never easy, but this is a game Ole Miss should win comfortably.
Players to Watch
These are not the ONLY players I want to watch this week, they’re simply some guys I want to highlight for this Saturday of SEC hoops. This week’s Players to Watch are:
Igor Milicic Jr., Tennessee
The Vols held on at home on Wednesday night to beat a feisty Mizzou team by 4. It would have been a lot worse if not for the heroic efforts of Milicic, who had a historic performance:
The Tigers simply did not have an answer for Milicic. Expecting another showing like this at Oklahoma on Saturday probably isn’t smart, but he should continue to be a key piece for the Vols as they fight to get back on track.
Matthew Murrell, Ole Miss
Anyone who has watched SEC basketball over the last few years is likely familiar with Murrell. In today’s transfer portal era, it’s rare for a guy to stay at one school for his whole career, but it seems the fifth-year senior will do just that. He is coming off an incredible 24-point performance against Kentucky in which he wasn’t anywhere close to 100% healthy:
How far can the Rebels go this season? Murrell will be eager to have his final year in Oxford be his best one.
Coach of the Week
John Calipari, Arkansas
The Calipari era got off to a rough start in Fayetteville this year. It’s still not going great, but this past week was a high point. Calipari went into Lexington and scored a convincing win over his old Kentucky team. You know he savored every second of that, from the pregame boos to the fans leaving early at the end of a loss. The Hogs followed that up with a win over Texas during the week. Now they host a tough Alabama squad. Can Coach Cal keep the good times rolling?
Relevant Quote from “The Office”
“News flash: You are not special.” — Stanley Hudson
That’s basically the message ESPN gave to Florida and Auburn, moving them to ESPN2 to make way for Luka Doncic’s debut with the Lakers on ESPN (even though it has since been reported that he won’t debut until Monday). Enjoy the games, y’all!
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
