Bold predictions in college basketball for this weekend

I hope you don’t have any plans for Valentine’s Day. Or, if you do, I hope you were strategic about when and where you’re going. Because Saturday, February 14th is an absolutely LOADED college basketball slate packed with 132 games, with 12 of them between two teams that are ranked in the top-50 on KenPom. My advice: check the schedule and find the games you want to watch, and then make your Valentine’s reservations for after! Here are this weekend’s bold predictions:

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Bennett Stirtz puts up 24 points and 8 assists as Iowa knocks off Purdue

In a battle between two of the best point guards in the Big Ten (and the entire country), I like Bennett Stirtz to get revenge on Braden Smith and the Boilermakers, and to outdo his 19 and 4 effort from earlier in the season. Purdue’s drop coverage is a type of defense that will put the ball in the playmaker’s hands early and often, and I expect him to show out in front of his home crowd.

Providence shocks the Big East by upsetting St. John’s

Feb 11, 2026; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Providence Friars head coach Kim English yells out instructions in the first half against the Seton Hall Pirates at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

This is one of the supreme “spots” this weekend. Providence has already beaten St. John’s at Madison Square Garden, and now the Red Storm are asked to travel to Providence off the emotional highs of beating UConn last Friday and Xavier in overtime this Monday. A win here would be massive for Providence and could be enough to cool off the very hot seat of head coach Kim English.

Kansas goes on the road and beats Iowa State in Ames

I was very tempted to tie this result with a massive stat line from Darryn Peterson, but I have no idea when he is ever going to play basketball. The bottom line is this: with their win over Arizona, the Kansas Jayhawks have shown us that they can beat anyone in the country on any given night. Iowa State is coming off a loss to TCU, and I believe that they may be (in the words of CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish) a “computer tricker” – a team that specializes in demolishing inferior competition to boost their advanced metrics and appear better than they actually are.

Texas A&M gets back in the SEC race with an upset over Vanderbilt in Memorial Gymnasium

Feb 11, 2026; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies forward Rashaun Agee (12) reacts after being fouled during the second half against the Missouri Tigers at Reed Arena. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

This is going to be a game played at an absolutely frantic pace, with both teams ranking inside the top-50 nationally in tempo. We have seen Vanderbilt’s achilles heel – they can not deal with oversized big men who can dominate the glass. Texas A&M has Rashaun Agee, one of the top offensive rebounders in the country, and he will be key to the Aggies pulling out the upset.

Florida showcases its SEC dominance with a double-digit win over Kentucky

I have been very high on this Florida team all season. They went and scheduled tough in the non-conference and took some losses, but have now discovered their best lineups and play style, thanks to the analytical nature of coach Todd Golden. They’ve been running roughshod over the SEC in recent weeks, and I expect that to continue at the expense of Kentucky.