If you're a regular reader of the Top 25 And 1, or a consistent listener of the Eye on College Basketball Podcast, you likely know that I locked-in on St. John's as the preseason No. 1 back in April and never budged a bit.

College basketball’s first Saturday delivers with St. John’s vs Alabama and Michigan State vs Arkansas leading a loaded slate of must-watch games.

Alabama basketball beat St John's in Madison Square Garden as Nate Oats' Tide topped Rick Pitino's Red Storm. Here's how it happened.

Freshman Cam Ward had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Coen Carr scored 15 points and soared for seven rebounds and No. 22 Michigan State beat No. 14 Arkansas 69-66 in a matchup of Hall of Fame coaches.

EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Saturday men’s basketball game between No. 14 Arkansas and No. 22 Michigan State was, at times, ugly. The Razorbacks did not make a field goal in the final 2:43 and the Spartans did not convert a field goal in the final 6:02. “I’m not sure either team played great,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said.

Arkansas' head coach John Calipari calls out to his players during the first half against Michigan State on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The landscape of college basketball is changing rapidly with name, image and likeness deals and the transfer portal reshaping teams yearly.

On a night when the No. 14 Arkansas basketball team shot poorly and struggled on the defensive glass in a 69-66 loss at No. 22 Michigan State, legendary Spartans coach Tom Izzo remained complimentary of the Razorbacks.

St. John's coach Rick Pitino was looking to find out where his team's deficiencies were. Thanks to Nate Oats and the Alabama Crimson Tide, he did.