The SEC/Big 12 Challenge is perfectly timed. The other leagues should take notes — particularly the SEC/ACC Challenge, which ESPN announced is set to take its place next season. This mid-January series impacts NCAA tournament résumés. It is a chance to play meaningful matchups in the middle of conference action. It has showcased some of men’s college basketball’s most talented players. That’s a beautiful thing.
The final edition of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Saturday similarly promises to be filled with stars and storylines. Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes and Kansas State star Keyontae Johnson will both face their former teams. John Calipari tweaked his starting lineup and now has his Kentucky squad on a four-game winning streak — the same team whose fans were ready to fire him a few weeks ago. If the Wildcats beat Kansas on Saturday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN), they might give him a second lifetime contract. Kansas, meanwhile, hopes to end a three-game losing streak and maybe get a bit of revenge for last season’s loss.
Elsewhere, a home win over Iowa State would help a Missouri squad that’s clinging to a top-50 NET ranking. Alabama hasn’t lost since Dec. 17, and a matchup against Oklahoma in Norman probably won’t end that streak. Arkansas vs. Baylor will feature multiple projected first-round picks in this summer’s NBA draft.
Ahead of the weekend’s action, ESPN’s Jeff Borzello, John Gasaway, Joe Lunardi and Myron Medcalf break down the biggest games and storylines.
Two weeks ago, Kansas was a No. 1 seed, while John Calipari was in the coaching hot seat for Kentucky’s less-than-stellar start to the season. Now, the Jayhawks are off the top line with three straight losses, while the Wildcats are on the bubble with a four-game winning streak. What are you expecting from both teams when they meet on Saturday?
Borzello: When Kansas was humming offensively for the first two months of the season, it was its smaller lineup causing fits for opponents, spreading the floor, making 3s, winning the turnover battle. That hasn’t happened during this losing streak. The Jayhawks are shooting 26% from 3 during that stretch, while turning it over 32 times in the past two games. Throw in Jalen Wilson not getting enough help offensively and a defense that has fallen off dramatically in the past couple of games, and Kansas needs to right the ship at both ends of the floor. Kentucky has also gone smaller during its winning streak, getting better spacing and…
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