Big 12 SEC Challenge Primer: Matchups, times and stakes for all 10 Big 12 teams
Today is one of the premiere non-conference events in all of college basketball. Right in the middle of conference play, all 10 teams in the Big 12 take a break and face off against pre-determined opponents in a final chance to boost non-conference resumes for the NCAA Tournament.
For some teams, this is a welcome break from the insanely difficult conference slate. For others, it is merely a distraction from the task at hand. And for some, it might just be what they need to get their season back on track.
As this is an entire event across the family of ESPN networks, we have a primer for you that runs through all the games. For each one, we'll share the matchup, information on how to watch, and what is at stake for the Big 12 team in action. Feel free to use the table of contents to jump to a specific matchup, but we'll look at them in broadcast order.
All odds and lines are provided by SI Sportsbook. Each matchup can be seen on an ESPN channel, all of which are available in streaming format at fuboTV. You can start your free trial here.
#15 Auburn Tigers at West Virginia Mountaineers
11am CST on ESPN
Line: WVU -4.5
O/U: 142.5
What's at stake: Given the strength of the Big 12 and their struggles so far in-conference, West Virginia (12-8) could use another big non-conference boost to solidify their case for inclusion in the NCAA Tournament. Coming to town is a ranked Auburn Tigers (16-4) team that is coming off of a puzzling 16-point loss. A win here would go a long way to counteract more struggles in the conference slate, and this might be the perfect situation to do it.
#2 Alabama Crimson Tide at Oklahoma Sooners
1pm CST on ESPN
Line: ALA -6.0
O/U: 146.5
What's at stake: The recent string of play for the Sooners (11-9) doesn't seem to lend itself to a decent chance at an upset of the red-hot Crimson Tide (18-2), but they don't necessarily need to complete the victory in order to get something positive out of this game. A strong showing where they keep it close will be enough validation that they are still a good team that is stuck playing a ridiculously difficult slate. The hope would be that any success here would translate into some conference success, but a win WOULD be a nice marquee win for the resume.
#12 Iowa State Cyclones at Missouri Tigers
1pm CST on ESPN2
Line: ISU -1.5
O/U: 142.0
What's at stake: The Tigers (15-5) have been good recently enough that they will be considered a quality win for the Cyclones (15-4) come tournament time, and the non-conference schedule could us a little bit of a boost. But there is a question about whether the win is more important or if they should focus on health and rest before jumping back into the grind. I wouldn't blame them for either tactic.
Texas Tech Red Raiders at LSU Tigers
1pm CST on ESPNU
Line: TTU -2.5
O/U: 132.5
What's at stake: A true undercard in this event, both the Red Raiders (10-10) and Tiger (12-8) both need to build some momentum before getting back to conference play. The narrative has been that the Big 12 is significantly better than the SEC from the beginning of the year, and a big Texas Tech win here will do a lot to back that up.
Arkansas Razorbacks at #17 Baylor Bears
3pm CST on ESPN
Line: BAY -6.5
O/U: 145.5
What's at stake: The resurgence of Baylor (15-5) has put them back on a trajectory towards a potential conference title, but if the early part of the season has taught us anything, it's that any sort of slip can snowball into a full-on freefall quickly. Arkansas (14-6) has struggled recently, but appears to be on their own rebound. A win here won't affect the conference standings, but it would still be good to keep that momentum going.
#11 TCU Horned Frogs at Mississippi State Bulldogs
3pm CST on ESPN2
Line: TCU -1.5
O/U: 132.0
What's at stake: After starting the conference season with some close results, the Horned Frogs (16-4) have three wins in their last four games, all by double digits. With a win over the Jayhawks in Allen Fieldhouse one of those double-digit margins, it's hard to imagine that the Bulldogs (12-8) are going to put up much of a challenge. A loss here will raise some uncomfortable questions.
#10 Texas Longhorns at #4 Tennessee Volunteers
5pm CST on ESPN
Line: TENN -5.5
O/U: 134.5
What's at stake: This is the marquee game of the challenge, as the Longhorns (17-3) have weathered the early off-court turmoil to share the lead in the conference nearly halfway through the season. But on the other side is a Volunteers (17-3) squad that is dominating their opponents (outside of a puzzling home loss to Kentucky) with the best defense in the country. This will be must-watch television.
Florida Gators at #5 Kansas State Wildcats
5pm CST on ESPN2
Line: KSU -5.0
O/U: 143.0
What's at stake: The big storyline in this game was one that the announcers haven't been able to let us forget: Kansas State's (17-3) Keyonte Johnson playing against his former team for the first time since he collapsed on the court during a game in 2020. The Gators (12-8) have already lost games against two Big 12 teams towards the bottom of the standings in West Virginia and Oklahoma, so it's hard to see how they will be able to keep up with Kansas State, unless the Wildcats come into this game TOO hyped up.
Ole Miss Rebels at Oklahoma State Cowboys
7pm CST on ESPN2
Line: OSU -9.5
O/U: 151.0
What's at stake: The line seems to indicate that the Cowboys (11-9) should win this one quite handily, but it is hard to reconcile that with what we have seen from them. But to get back on track, a struggling Rebels (9-11) team is the perfect recipe: an offense that is struggling mightily and a defense that is ok but not great. They need a strong win here to build some momentum.
Kansas Jayhawks at Kentucky Wildcats
7pm CST on ESPN
Line: UK -2.5
O/U: 140.0
What's at stake: The Jayhawks (16-4) are looking to avoid an unprecedented four-game losing streak, while the Wildcats (14-6) used a win over Tennessee on the road to kick-start their own four-game winning streak. They are favored in this game, but the biggest question will be which team can use the mismatch down low to their advantage. Regardless of whether KJ Adams can find success against Oscar Tshiebwe or if Ernest Udeh or Zuby Ejiofor have to try to slow him down, Bill Self should get some valuable information for what to focus on improving for the rest of the season.
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