Preview Roundups
December 09, 2017
Nevada at Texas Christian 1:00 AM ET
Friday's Basketball Hall of Fame Classic will finish its triple-header at the Staples Center with a top-25 matchup. Undefeated and 20th-ranked TCU will put its 14-game win streak on the line against No. 24 Nevada.
Marquette at Wisconsin 12:00 PM ET
Standout sophomore guard Markus Howard looks to keep his red-hot stretch going for a fourth straight game when Marquette visits rival Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon for their 124th meeting. Howard is averaging 32 points while draining 21-of-38 from 3-point range in the last three games to help the Golden Eagles put together four wins in the last five contests and score at least 90 in three of the four victories.
Coastal Carolina at South Carolina 12:00 PM ET
South Carolina coach Frank Martin hasn’t been pleased with the home turnout for his team, which is coming off the first Final Four appearance in program history last season. Perhaps his recent rant will cause a spike in attendance when the Gamecocks host Coastal Carolina on Saturday afternoon in the first meeting between the in-state foes in 24 years.
Monmouth-NJ at Kentucky 12:00 PM ET
One of the world's most famous coaches brings his team into the world's most famous arena when No. 7 Kentucky meets Monmouth on Saturday in the Citi Hoops Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York, but John Calipari hasn't come close to getting to the bottom of his latest one-and-done group. The Wildcats have won five straight after their 79-70 victory over Harvard on Saturday in a contest they led by 20 with seven minutes remaining.
Duke at Boston College 12:00 PM ET
Duke had more points than it needed by halftime to win its last game but didn't stop until it set a program record and challenged a few others. A few days removed from one of the most impressive offensive performances in school history, the top-ranked Blue Devils hit the road Saturday to visit Boston College in the ACC opener for both teams.
UCLA at Michigan 12:00 PM ET
No. 23 UCLA looks to pass its first true road test of the season when it faces Michigan on Saturday. The Bruins have won five straight games, but are coming off a difficult week as LiAngelo Ball abruptly left the program after he was suspended indefinitely for shoplifting on a trip to China earlier in the season and the game with Montana scheduled for Wednesday had to be cancelled due to the wildfires which continue to rage in southern California.
William & Mary at Ohio St. 12:00 PM ET
Ohio State hopes to gain some momentum from a huge comeback win over a Big Ten rival when it hosts dangerous William & Mary on Saturday afternoon in a non-conference contest. The Buckeyes recorded their first comeback of 20 or more points since the 2007 NCAA Tournament on Monday as they rallied to defeat Michigan 71-62 to start the league season with two victories.
Youngstown St. at Butler 12:00 PM ET
Butler looks to continue its impressive nonconference home winning streak when it tangles with Youngstown State on Saturday. The Bulldogs have won 40 consecutive nonconference contests at Hinkle Fieldhouse, including an 81-69 victory against Utah on Tuesday, and hope to stay on the right track under first-year head coach LaVall Jordan by posting their fifth straight win overall.
Gardner-Webb at Maryland 12:30 PM ET
Maryland continues a six-game homestand spread over nearly a month on the calendar when it hosts Gardner-Webb on Saturday. The Terrapins followed up their first Big Ten victory at Illinois with an 87-62 triumph over Ohio on Thursday to open the long stretch at the XFINITY Center, although it didn't come without an injury concern.
Bryant at Memphis 1:00 PM ET
Memphis looks to improve on the offensive end of the court and continue its winning ways when Bryant pays a visit on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers have won two straight and five of the past six games.
Southern at Central Florida 1:00 PM ET
The tenacious Central Florida defense looks to put the clamps down once again as the Knights host Southern on Saturday afternoon. UCF is hoping to build off a 65-62 upset at Alabama on Sunday.
UMKC at NC State 2:00 PM ET
North Carolina State is coming off one of its most lopsided victories of the season and earned some rest after playing nine times in 22 days, but perhaps the week-long break also gave it enough time to process the real-life scare it witnessed in its last game. The Wolfpack return to action for the first time since last weekend on Saturday when they host Missouri-Kansas City in the annual "Heritage Game" at Reynolds Coliseum - their former home venue.
Coppin St. at Connecticut 2:00 PM ET
Connecticut looks to improve from an uninspiring start to the campaign when it hosts winless Coppin State on Saturday. The Huskies, who have struggled but prevailed against a couple mid-major foes this season, lost their last game against Syracuse at Madison Square Garden in the Jimmy V Classic.
Indiana at Louisville 2:00 PM ET
Two the nation’s most successful programs, trying to find their way with new coaches, look for a resume-building victory when Indiana visits Louisville on Saturday afternoon. Indiana gained its first big win under first-year coach Archie Miller with a 77-64 triumph against Iowa on Monday and the Cardinals are seeking their first triumph against a major conference team with interim coach David Padgett at the helm.
Colgate at Syracuse 2:00 PM ET
Syracuse freshman Matthew Moyer had his best game of the season the last time out, although coach Jim Boeheim noted that Moyer hadn't set the bar very high. He aims for a second straight terrific outing Saturday when the Orange host Colgate.
Lipscomb at Tennessee 2:15 PM ET
Having bounced back nicely from a loss in its stiffest test of the young season, Tennessee has its sights set on its next major challenge - but first, it will look to dispatch visiting Lipscomb on Saturday afternoon. The Volunteers have won three straight games and will try not to look past the Bisons as they gear up for a showdown with North Carolina in a little over a week from now.
Nebraska at Creighton 2:30 PM ET
Coming off a stellar defensive performance that resulted in its most impressive victory of the season, Nebraska proved it might be ready to make some noise in the Big Ten for the first time in four years. The Cornhuskers can further prove how far they have come by reclaiming in-state supremacy, and they'll get a chance to do just that Saturday when they try to end a six-game losing streak against host Creighton.
St. Joseph's at Temple 2:30 PM ET
Temple is coming off perhaps its best defensive performance of the season and hopes that effort carries over into Saturday's home date with Saint Joseph's. This matchup is part of the Big 5 - a round-robin between five Philadelphia area schools that includes the Owls and Hawks, who are former Atlantic 10 rivals.
No.Carolina A&T at Georgetown 2:30 PM ET
Georgetown will play a team with a winning record for the first time this season when it does battle Saturday with visiting North Carolina A&T. The Hoyas and Jessie Govan have dominated lesser competition for most of the season and would like to continue the trend against the Aggies.
Samford at Clemson 3:00 PM ET
Clemson is off to its best start in four seasons because it has been able to avoid letdowns following big victories, and enters Saturday’s home contest against Samford aiming for its second four-game winning streak of the season. The Tigers did not skip a beat after an impressive 14-point victory at Ohio State in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, racing past UNC Asheville 83-52 on Sunday as junior guard Marcquise Reed scored 19 points.
Providence at Massachusetts 3:00 PM ET
Needless to say, Providence coach Ed Cooley isn't happy nine games into the season. His team has won seven times, but Cooley is hoping for a better performance Saturday against host Massachusetts.
VCU at Seton Hall 3:00 PM ET
The best three-game stretch of Desi Rodriguez's career has helped to propel No. 19 Seton Hall up the rankings ahead of Saturday's matchup with visiting VCU in the Never Forget Tribute Classic. Rodriguez has scored 80 points as the Pirates have won three straight games, including a pair of wins over ranked teams, prior to the second meeting with the Rams.
George Washington at Penn St. 4:00 PM ET
Coming back from 17 points down Monday against Wisconsin, Penn State’s best player had the ball in the final seconds with a chance to win the game, but super sophomore Tony Carr’s 3-pointer was off the mark and the Lions fell 64-63. With another month before their Big Ten conference schedule resumes, the Nittany Lions will begin to pick up the pieces when George Washington visits on Saturday.
Wichita St. at Oklahoma State 4:00 PM ET
With all five starters returning from a team that won 31 games a season ago, Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall has challenged his veteran squad in the non-conference schedule while it prepares for its first foray into the American Athletic Conference. The No. 6 Shockers continue their preparation when they visit Oklahoma State on Saturday.
DePaul at Illinois-Chicago 4:00 PM ET
DePaul looks to climb over .500 on the season and win its fourth straight when it visits Illinois-Chicago on Saturday afternoon in a non-conference crosstown-rivalry contest. The Blue Demons have followed a three-game losing skid with a trio of victories in which they've scored at least 80 points in each, while the Flames are looking for their second straight win after beating Wisconsin-Parkside on Wednesday.
Prairie View A&M at Texas A&M 4:30 PM ET
No. 9 Texas A&M will try to start a new winning streak when it hosts Prairie View A&M on Saturday. The Aggies had their 7-0 start spoiled Tuesday with a neutral-site loss to Arizona.
UAB at Auburn 4:30 PM ET
Despite being short-handed, Auburn carries a five-game winning streak into its battle with visiting UAB on Saturday. The Tigers are still awaiting word on the availability of forward Danjel Purifoy and center Austin Wiley, who are mired in a prolonged FBI investigation into the basketball program.
North Georgia at Mississippi State 5:00 PM ET
Through the typically turbulent opening weeks of the college basketball season there are nine teams entering the weekend undefeated, and Mississippi State likely is the safest bet to remain that way considering they host Division II North Georgia on Saturday. The Bulldogs have been impressive in winning their first seven games, grinding out a tough 61-59 home victory over Dayton on Sunday as Quinndary Weatherspoon scored the game winner with eight seconds left.
Colorado at Xavier 5:00 PM ET
With a pair of revenge victories already under their belts, No. 14 Xavier will look to take care of another team it lost to last season as it hosts Colorado on Saturday afternoon. The Musketeers exacted sweet vengeance in victories over Baylor and Cincinnati, and built a little more momentum heading into their encounter with the Buffaloes as they cruised past Kent State 96-70.
California at San Diego St. 5:00 PM ET
Playing its only game in a stretch of 17 days, San Diego State looks to focus on its offensive execution Saturday against visiting California, which has dropped five of its last six games. While the Aztecs are averaging 14.2 turnovers over their last five contests, Cal hit a new low with Wednesday’s 27-point loss to Central Arkansas.
Mississippi at Middle Tennessee St. 6:00 PM ET
Ole Miss has endured a pair of painful non-conference overtime losses at home in its past two games, and heads into Saturday’s road contest against Middle Tennessee looking for more consistency. The Rebels rallied from a 20-point halftime deficit only to fall to South Dakota State, then blew a 16-point second-half lead in a loss to Virginia Tech last Saturday that has left coach Andy Kennedy seeking better play late in games.
Florida at Cincinnati 6:00 PM ET
Less than two weeks ago, No. 5 Florida looked like it could hang with the best teams in the country - but things have since taken a disastrous turn for the Gators as they face Cincinnati on Saturday in the Never Forget Tribute Classic in Newark, N.J. Florida has lost three in a row since opening with five straight wins, and the most recent defeat - a 65-59 stunner to visiting Loyola-Chicago - is the most concerning of all.
Southern Utah at Michigan St 6:00 PM ET
No. 3 Michigan State returns home Saturday looking to extend its current seven-game winning streak when it hosts non-conference foe Southern Utah. The Spartans won their first true road game Tuesday against Big Ten rival Rutgers, while the Thunderbirds come in on a three-game winning streak.
Minnesota at Arkansas 6:45 PM ET
The last thing a struggling offense needs to see is pressure defense, but that's what No. 15 Minnesota will face when it visits Arkansas on Saturday. The Golden Gophers shot 32.4 percent from the field, missing their first six shots in each half, in a 78-68 loss at Nebraska on Tuesday as their second setback in three games dropped them to 1-1 in the Big Ten Conference and left some wondering if their ranking is warranted.
Notre Dame at Delaware 7:00 PM ET
Eighth-ranked Notre Dame is making a visit to Delaware on Saturday night as the Fighting Irish's Mike Brey returns to coach at the school for the first time since leaving for South Bend, Ind. following the 1999-2000 season. Brey will coach against Martin Ingelsby, a former player and assistant coach at Notre Dame under Brey.
Fairleigh Dickinson at Rutgers 7:00 PM ET
Rutgers took advantage of its reprieve from Big Ten conference play to snap a three-game losing streak by defeating in-state foe New Jersey Tech on Thursday. The Scarlet Knights look to continue their Garden State dominance on Saturday, when they host Fairleigh Dickinson.
Randall University at Baylor 7:00 PM ET
Baylor gets a breather from the rigors of major-level competition when it hosts Randall University on Saturday in its third annual appearance at Fort Hood army base in Texas. The No. 22 Bears don't figure to have to work up much of a sweat against the Saints, who rolled to a 97-75 win on Friday night at Central Christian College of the Bible (Mo.) before traveling to Fort Hood, which is located about one hour southwest of Baylor's campus in Waco.
Utah St. at Utah 7:30 PM ET
Utah is coming off a disappointing 81-69 road
loss to Butler, but now returns back to Salt Lake City where it is unbeaten this
season. The Utes actually will playing across town in Vivint Smart Home Arena,
home to the NBA’s Jazz, Saturday night when they take on Utah State in the
Beehive Classic.
Houston at Saint Louis 8:00 PM ET
Houston coach Kelvin Sampson hopes his team can find some smooth sailing in a true road game on Saturday. The Cougars travel to take on former Conference USA rival St. Louis with the hope of extending their six-game winning streak.
West Virginia at Pittsburgh 8:00 PM ET
With a win over one border rival on Tuesday, No. 16 West Virginia travels up Interstate 79 to Pittsburgh to face the Panthers on Saturday. The Mountaineers won their eighth straight game since an opening-night 88-65 loss to current No. 9 Texas A&M with a 68-61 victory over 12th-ranked Virginia on Tuesday.
Tulsa at Kansas State 8:00 PM ET
Kansas State looks to continue its winning ways when it faces Tulsa in the Wichita Wildcat Classic on Saturday. The Wildcats have won four consecutive games since dropping a 92-90 decision to Arizona State on Nov. 23, including an 86-49 victory against South Carolina Upstate on Tuesday, to extend their non-conference home winning streak to 22 in a row, and they hope to stay hot by knocking off the Golden Hurricane for the first time since 1989.
Green Bay at Missouri 9:00 PM ET
Despite possessing a talented, towering frontcourt, Missouri has shown a propensity to let it fly from 3-point range. The Tigers might have to take a different approach when they host Green Bay on Saturday.
Washington St. at Texas-El Paso 9:00 PM ET
The holiday blues have hit Washington State which
has suffered back-to-back double-digit losses after starting the season 6-0. The
Cougars will try and right themselves on the road Saturday night when they visit
west Texas for a game against UTEP.
Alabama at Arizona 10:00 PM ET
After falling out of the national rankings with three straight losses in the Bahamas, Arizona appears to be back on track. The Wildcats will likely return to the Top 25 with a win Saturday over visiting Alabama, which bounced back from a surprising loss to Central Florida with a 68-64 victory over Rhode Island on Wednesday.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Oregon St. 10:00 PM ET
Oregon State eyes its fourth straight victory while trying to exceed its win total from last season when it hosts struggling Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday. The Beavers are coming off a 74-62 victory over Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday as junior guard Stephen Thompson Jr. and sophomore forward Tres Tinkle stepped up with junior forward Drew Eubanks limited with foul trouble.
Illinois at UNLV 11:59 PM ET
Illinois snapped a three-game losing streak with a lethargic 64-57 non-conference win over Austin Peay on Wednesday night. First-year head coach Brad Underwood is looking for a much more fiery effort on Saturday night when the Fighting Illini travel to Las Vegas to face UNLV in a Coaches vs. Cancer matchup at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.