By Sam Federman
There are just five Saturday's remaining in the 2024-25 college basketball regular season. Here are the big games to keep an eye on today
Texas Tech at Arizona, 10:30 p.m., ESPN
Two of the hottest teams in the country meet in Tucson on late night. Arizona has 10-1 in the Big 12, while Texas Tech is just one game back at 9-2. The Red Raiders are coming off a big home win against Baylor, and are surging up bracket projections at 18-4. Arizona is now 16-6, and looks to pick up another statement win at home.
Texas A&M at Missouri, 3:30 p.m., SECN
Last week, Mizzou took down Mississippi State by 27 in Starkville. The Tigers held a double digit lead in the second half in Knoxville on Wednesday before Tennessee caught fire and won, but Mizzou's message has been sent. This is a team that you have to watch out for because of how good they are at outside shooting. Texas A&M is 6-3 in the SEC, and looking for another marquee win to add to the resume on the road.
Marquette at Creighton, 2:00 p.m., FOX
After St. John's win at UConn last night, neither of these teams can catch the Johnnies right now, but this Saturday showdown will have massive implications. Marquette looks to avoid three straight losses to the rest of the league's top 4, while Creighton is gunning for win number nine in a row. Marquette beat Creighton back in early January, but the Bluejays haven't lost since.
Florida at Auburn, 4 p.m., ESPN2
Coming into SEC play, Auburn was 12-1 and the clear top dog. But I don't think anybody expected that the Tigers wouldn't drop a single game in the first half of league play, with how stacked the slate was. Now, Auburn hosts a Florida team in a matchup that will have implications at the very top of the bracket.
UC San Diego at UC Irvine, 10 p.m., ESPNU
These two teams are a combined 39-7 this year, and 19-3 in the Big West. UC Irvine took down UCSD on the road last month, but the Tritons are playing excellent basketball at the moment, having just defeated UC Riverside - the only other team to beat them - by 20. Can Eric Olen's team complete the road win exchange program?