Exciting College Basketball Matches Set for Christmas Weekend

ATLANTA, GA — This Christmas weekend, college basketball fans have a treat in store with an incredible lineup of games. Headlining the action is the annual CBS Sports Classic on Saturday, featuring ranked teams looking to recover from recent setbacks.

On December 22, a total of 12 ranked teams will take to the court, including No. 8 Houston facing No. 14 Arkansas in a highly anticipated matchup at 5:30 p.m. ET. Other thrilling matchups include No. 6 Purdue against No. 21 Auburn and No. 3 Duke battling No. 19 Texas Tech later in the evening.

Experts predict a competitive day. For example, at 6:30 p.m., Purdue is favored to win against Auburn, but analysts warn that the game may be closer than expected. Auburn has shown improvement under first-year coach Steven Pearl and recently achieved confidence-boosting victories.

Duke, showcasing its tough defense, is favored to beat Texas Tech, despite the latter’s potential to upset. “Duke is operating at another level right now,” said Matt Norlander, a college basketball analyst.

Adding to the excitement, St. John's will face Kentucky at 12:30 p.m., where Rick Pitino‘s team is expected to continue its dynamic performance after defeating Iona last week.

The holiday weekend also captures the essence of college basketball as fans gear up for conference play in January. From ranked teams to rivalry games, the schedule promises plenty of action to ring in the New Year.

As teams like Arizona, Gonzaga, and North Carolina gear up for upcoming games, anticipation builds around their potential performances and impact on the season. This weekend marks the turning point for many teams as they strive for success in the final stretch of 2025.