The fourth annual Big 12/SEC Challenge will again offer college basketball fans a solid lineup of action on one day: Jan. 28. So tell your friends because the event’s lineup portends an abundance of drama. No need to waste time with this. Kansas will face Kentucky in Lexington. That’s the headliner. With apologies to the Kansas-Duke meeting at the Champions Classic in Madison Square Garden, this is arguably the most intriguing nonconference matchup of the 2016-17 season. That’s not the only reason to watch. Six of the teams involved are featured in ESPN.com’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings.
Let's rank each game from the Big 12/SEC Challenge:
No. 4 Kansas at No. 3 Kentucky -- Even if Marcus Lee and Isaiah Briscoe keep their names in the NBA draft -- though they shouldn’t -- John Calipari’s 2016-17 Kentucky team will feature five five-star freshmen, a fleet that includes Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox. Josh Jackson joins a Kansas squad that features Devonte’ Graham and Frank Mason III. Two of the best backcourts in America will clash in this matchup.
No. 19 Texas A&M at No. 15 West Virginia -- We’ll sulk about Devin Williams’ decision to sign with an agent and turn pro, which ruined the Tyler Davis-Williams battle we’d love to see. But this is still a game that features talented guards on both sides and two of the most powerful defenses from 2015-16.
Florida at No. 18 Oklahoma -- Charleston transfer Canyon Barry (19.7 PPG) is eligible now, which gives a solid Florida team a great boost after losing Dorian Finney-Smith. Oklahoma won't have Buddy Hield but Jordan Woodard and Khadeem Lattin are back, and Hield-protégé Christian James could prove he’s ready to follow his mentor in a good matchup.
Texas at Georgia -- Shaka Smart’s young backcourt features top-100 recruit Andrew Jones, Eric Davis Jr., Tevin Mack and Kerwin Roach Jr. Jarrett Allen, ranked 15th in the 2016 class per RecruitingNation, could join them in time to face a Georgia team with with top scorers J.J. Frazier (16.9 PPG) and Yante Maten (16.5 PPG), along with top-100 prospect Tyree Crump.
No. 22 Iowa State at Vanderbilt -- Monte Morris and Nazareth Mitrou-Long should carry the Cyclones back to the NCAA tournament, but new Vandy coach Bryce Drew could hurt Iowa State with the inside-outside combo of big man Luke Kornet and Matthew Fisher-Davis. Don’t sleep on this game.
Arkansas at Oklahoma State -- Arkansas standouts Moses Kingsley and Dusty Hannahs battle Oklahoma State and new coach Brad Underwood, who will lean on Phil Forte III and Jawun Evans, in this intriguing matchup.
Auburn at TCU -- This is a good game for young talent (and new TCU coach Jamie Dixon). Auburn’s Mustapha Heron (No. 25 per RecruitingNation) and Jared Harper (96th) and TCU’s Jalen Fisher (34th) will be the stars in this matchup.
LSU at Texas Tech -- Yes, Tubby Smith is gone, but new Texas Tech coach Chris Beard recently added Arkansas State transfer Anthony Livingston (15.5 PPG, 9.4 RPG) and a Red Raiders crew that features five players who averaged 8.6 PPG or more. Antonio Blakeney decided against entering the NBA draft, so he’s now the anchor of a Tigers team that underperformed.
Baylor at Ole Miss -- Both teams are rebuilding. But Johnathan Motley (11.1 PPG) has legit firepower around him and Ole Miss big man Sebastian Saiz (11.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG) is surrounded by a roster with more questions than answers in the post-Stefan Moody era.
Kansas State at Tennessee -- Every game counts for Bruce Weber, who will bring back four starters from last year’s K-State squad, so his matchup against Rick Barnes and a young Tennessee squad matters.