The CBS Sports Classic has featured the same four teams since its inception. The matchups vary from year to year, but they are always Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio State, and UCLA. This year, it is no different as the Kentucky Wildcats face off against the Ohio State Buckeyes while the UCLA Bruins take on the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Kentucky has a strange history with this event; they are 5-5, and if it wasn't for the Tar Heels, they would be in a tough position: they are 4-1 over North Carolina. They have beaten the Bruins once but have lost to them twice, yet it's the Buckeyes that have their number in the CBS Sports Classic. They have only played Ohio State twice but have lost to them both times. Here's a breakdown of the records at this event:
CBS Sports Classic - Team Records pic.twitter.com/WQHj09ONU4
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The last two times that Kentucky played Ohio State, it was in this classic: 2019 and 2015. Ohio State won in 2015 with a score of 74-67, and in 2019, it was 71-65. It's not that the Buckeyes have the Wildcats number historically. Kentucky actually leads the overall matchup 11-10. It's that when these two teams face off in the CBS Sports Classic, which Ohio State has won both times. In fact, before those two wins, Kentucky had a three-game win streak against them, with even a win in 2011 over the Buckeyes in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Kentucky head coach Mark Pope and his Wildcats are looking to change that up and get the win this Saturday against Ohio State in the historic Madison Square Garden. The tip-off is scheduled to be after the UCLA vs. North Carolina game, which will be approximately 5:30 pm EST. The game will be live on CBS or online at CBSSports.com.