Preview Roundups
November 24, 2017
Missouri at St. John's 11:00 AM ET
St. John’s is off to a 5-0 start for the first time in eight seasons and looks to continue building confidence when it takes on Missouri in the semifinals of the AdvoCare Invitational on Friday at Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Red Storm, who went 22-43 combined the last two seasons, rallied from eight points down in the final seven-plus minutes for an 82-77 victory over Oregon State in Thursday’s first round.
Massachusetts at Minnesota 12:00 PM ET
No. 15 Minnesota will take its high-powered offense to New York City when they open play in the Barclays Center Classic against Massachusetts on Friday in the first-ever meeting between the teams. The Golden Gophers are averaging 95.4 points - 11th in the nation entering Wednesday - on 52.5 percent shooting during a 5-0 start, hitting the century mark for the second time with a 100-57 rout of Alabama A&M on Tuesday.
Arkansas St. at South Florida 12:00 PM ET
South Florida looks to put wins back-to-back for the first time this season when it hosts Arkansas State on Friday afternoon. The Bulls knocked off visiting Howard 75-52 on Wednesday and Arkansas State lost at Indiana 87-70 on the same night after splitting its first four contests of the season.
Villanova at Northern Iowa 12:00 PM ET
Villanova has shown its championship mettle in the first two rounds of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas. The third-ranked Wildcats can complete a run to the championship in this eight-team event when they face Northern Iowa in Friday's title game.
East Carolina at Rutgers 1:00 PM ET
Corey Sanders responded to his recent benching with 18 points and five assists as Rutgers blasted Bryant last time out to move to 5-0 on the season. The Scarlet Knights, who are 14-0 in non-conference games at home under coach Steve Pikiell, look to continue their winning ways when they host East Carolina on Friday afternoon.
Long Beach St. at Oregon St. 1:30 PM ET
Oregon State will attempt to knock off Long Beach State for the second time in a seven-day period when the teams meet in the consolation round of the AdvoCare Invitational on Friday in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Beavers, who held off the 49ers 89-81 on Nov. 18, coughed up an eight-point lead in the final seven-plus minutes of their 82-77 first-round loss to St. John’s on Thursday.
St. Mary's at Washington St. 1:30 PM ET
No. 21 Saint Mary's and Washington State won their Wooden Legacy tournament openers in opposite fashion on Thanksgiving. Now the two West Coast teams will meet in this afternoon's first semifinal in Fullerton, Calif., looking to keep their unbeaten records intact.
Brigham Young at Alabama 2:30 PM ET
Collin Sexton was billed as a difference-maker for Alabama and he appears intent on making that moniker ring true. The freshman guard looks for his fourth consecutive 20-point outing when the Crimson Tide face Brigham Young on Friday in the semifinals of the Barclays Center Classic - this game being played on the campus of LIU-Brooklyn.
Tennessee at NC State 2:30 PM ET
There is hardly any shame in losing to No. 3 Villanova, but Tennessee likely needs to win Friday to feel good about itself on its flight home from the Bahamas. The Volunteers square off against North Carolina State in Friday's third-place game of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament.
Texas Southern at Clemson 3:00 PM ET
Clemson plays its sixth consecutive game in the state of South Carolina to open the season when it hosts Texas Southern on Friday in a battle of Tigers. Clemson is coming off its first loss of the season, 67-60 to Temple in the Charleston Classic championship game Sunday, and will try to revert back to the team that averaged 11.3 turnovers in its first four games rather than the one that committed 18 versus the Owls.
Oral Roberts at Penn St. 3:00 PM ET
Penn State will try to bounce back from its first loss of the season and prepare for a challenging portion of the schedule when Oral Roberts pays a visit on Friday. The Nittany Lions could not keep up with No. 19 Texas A&M in the second half of Tuesday's 98-87 loss in the title game of the Progressive Legends Classic at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Seattle at Washington 3:00 PM ET
Washington is in the midst of getting comfortable under first-year coach Mike Hopkins and figures to add another victory when it hosts Seattle University on Friday. The Huskies are looking to defeat the Redhawks for the 13th consecutive time and hold a 28-4 edge in the series.
Portland St. at Butler 3:00 PM ET
Butler looks to bounce back from a loss in the quarterfinals of the PK80 Tournament when it faces Portland State in the consolation bracket on Friday. The Bulldogs were held to 33 percent shooting from the floor en route to a 61-48 setback to Texas and hope to solve their offensive woes by knocking off a Vikings squad that had top-ranked Duke on the ropes for the first 20 minutes of their quarterfinal matchup before losing 99-81.
North Carolina at Arkansas 3:30 PM ET
Arkansas gave North Carolina quite a scare early in the Tar Heels’ run to the national championship last season. The Razorbacks hope to hand the Tar Heels the first loss of their title defense Friday in the semifinals of the PK80 Invitational Victory Bracket.
North Texas at Georgia Tech 4:00 PM ET
Georgia Tech will try to win its third game in a row Friday despite suspensions and off-the-court headlines. Suspended senior guard Tadric Jackson will be eligible when the Yellow Jackets host North Texas, but two other players are still sidelined.
Eastern Michigan at Indiana 4:30 PM ET
Indiana looks to finish up a perfect run through the Hoosier Tip-Off Classic when it hosts unbeaten Eastern Michigan in a non-conference contest Friday. The Hoosiers have won two straight coming into the contest while the Eagles have won their first four, including their first two Hoosier Classic games.
Central Florida at West Virginia 5:00 PM ET
West Virginia received a wake-up call in the first round and should be focused when it takes on unbeaten Central Florida in the semifinals of the AdvoCare Invitational Friday at Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The No. 20 Mountaineers saw their 15-point lead in the second half evaporate before outlasting winless Marist 84-78 on Thursday for their fourth consecutive victory after losing to Texas A&M in the season opener.
Duke at Texas 5:30 PM ET
Neither top-ranked Duke nor Texas had an easy time of it in first-round action at the Phil Knight Invitational tournament - but Friday is a new day, as the teams face off in Round 2 action in Portland, Ore. The Blue Devils actually trailed at halftime against Portland State before coming to life in the second half, while the Longhorns nursed a slim lead until pulling away late in a victory over Butler.
Xavier at Arizona State 5:30 PM ET
Fourteenth-ranked Xavier is one win away from winning a holiday tournament for a third straight year. The Musketeers will try to accomplish that feat Friday when they play unbeaten Arizona State in the championship game of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational at the Orleans Arena.
Portland at Oklahoma 6:00 PM ET
Oklahoma looks to bounce back quickly from its first loss of the season when the Sooners face Portland in a consolation game in the PK80 Invitational Victory Bracket on Friday in Portland, Ore. The Sooners are one of the nation’s highest-scoring teams at 99.7 points per game, marking the second straight opponent who can light up the scoreboard for the Pilots.
St. Francis (PA) at Louisville 7:00 PM ET
Louisville has been trying to sidestep distractions this season and another one is out of the way with the school declaring that highly touted Brian Bowen won't be allowed to play for the school. The firing of long-time coach Rick Pitino hasn't affected the on-court look and the No. 18 Cardinals strive to win their fourth straight game when they host Saint Francis (Pa.) on Friday.
NC-Greensboro at Wake Forest 7:00 PM ET
Whatever goodwill Danny Manning accrued with last season's trip to the NCAA Tournament is already spent as he leads Wake Forest into a home showdown with UNC Greensboro on Friday night. The Demon Deacons' coach is already scrambling for answers with his team having lost four of its first five games.
Winthrop at Auburn 7:00 PM ET
Fresh off a third-place showing at the Charleston Classic, Auburn looks to heed coach Bruce Pearl's bold proclamation as it returns home for a Friday date with Winthrop. The Tigers bounced back from a 14-point loss to Temple with an 89-78 victory over Hofstra, an outcome that prompted Pearl to proclaim: "We're trying to make history."
New Mexico at Texas Christian 7:00 PM ET
Last season, Jamie Dixon laid the groundwork for TCU's first potential NCAA Tournament berth this century by leading his alma mater to a NIT Championship. With four straight victories to begin his second season in charge, Dixon will have the Horned Frogs eyeing their first 10-game winning streak since a 13-game run to open the 2014-15 campaign Friday when they square off against New Mexico in a third-round game of the Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Fla.
Southern Methodist at Western Kentucky 7:00 PM ET
SMU's trip to the Bahamas has been a two-day roller coaster. With one tough loss and one impressive win already in its pocket, SMU aims to capture fifth place at the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament when the Mustangs square off with Western Kentucky on Friday.
Georgia at San Diego St. 7:00 PM ET
Georgia star forward Yante Maten seemed to be sleepwalking through the Bulldogs' first game in the Wooden Legacy and coach Mark Fox hopes he's not in a slumber for Friday's semifinal matchup against San Diego State. Maten woke up in time to score 13 of his 15 points in the final 6 1/2 minutes as Georgia rallied for a 64-57 victory over host Cal State Fullerton on Thursday.
North Carolina Central at Illinois 7:30 PM ET
Illinois looks to continue its hot streak to start the season when it hosts North Carolina Central in a non-conference contest Friday. The Illini have won their first five contests and are looking to finish undefeated in the round-robin Global Sports Invitational, which wraps up with this contest.
Nebraska at Marist 7:30 PM ET
Nebraska will attempt to leave Florida with two victories as it starts play in the consolation round of the AdvoCare Invitational in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Friday night against winless Marist. The Cornhuskers shot 25 percent in the first half and dug too deep a hole before losing 68-59 against undefeated Central Florida on Thursday in the first round as 7-6 Tacko Fall blocked four Nebraska shots and affected others.
Virginia at Rhode Island 7:30 PM ET
No. 25 Virginia rode the combination of a strong start offensively and a suffocating defensive effort to move past Vanderbilt and into the NIT Tip-Off Championship game Friday in Brooklyn, N.Y., against Rhode Island. The Cavaliers never looked back from scoring 15 of the game’s first 16 points, downing the Commodores 68-42 in one semifinal, while the Rams captured the other semifinal on Jared Terrell’s career-best 32 points and game-winning drive, beating No. 22 Seton Hall 75-74.
The Citadel at Florida State 8:00 PM ET
Florida State looks to maintain momentum in the early stages of the season when the undefeated Seminoles host The Citadel on Friday. While the Seminoles figure to have their hands full defensively against The Citadel offense, Florida State is only concerned with its game.
Eastern Washington at Utah 8:00 PM ET
Coming off a mixed showing at the MGM Grand Main Event, Utah returns home looking for answers as it entertains Eastern Washington on Friday night. The Utes were thoroughly outclassed in an 85-58 loss to UNLV in the tournament's Heavyweight bracket championship game.
Oakland at Kansas 8:00 PM ET
Second-ranked Kansas is shooting splendidly from outside and looks to have the red-hot aim again when it hosts Oakland on Friday. The Jayhawks drained a school-record 19 3-pointers in Tuesday's 114-71 trouncing of Texas Southern and are averaging 13 per game.
George Washington at Kansas State 8:00 PM ET
Kansas State coach Bruce Weber made no secret of the fact that one of his team's goals this season was to win the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational. But the Wildcats, edged by unbeaten Arizona State in the semifinals, will have to settle for trying to win the consolation game when they face George Washington on Friday night at the Orleans Arena.
Sacred Heart at Northwestern 8:30 PM ET
Northwestern looks to bounce back from a humbling week when it hosts Sacred Heart on Saturday. The Wildcats dropped two of their three games, including a disappointing 85-49 loss to Texas Tech in the championship game of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame Tip-Off, to tumble out of the Top 25, and now they hope to get back on track by beating Sacred Heart for the second time in less than two years.
Pepperdine at Texas A&M 9:00 PM ET
Texas A&M already has a trophy from the Progressive Legends Classic but will close out the tournament when it hosts Pepperdine on Friday. The 19th-ranked Aggies beat Oklahoma State and Penn State in New York to win the championship round, but Friday's game is part of the regional action.
Wis.-Milwaukee at Wisconsin 9:00 PM ET
In the midst of a brutal scheduling stretch, Wisconsin gets a bit of breather Friday night when it hosts Milwaukee. The rebuilding Badgers have suffered three losses to three ranked teams over the last week, and following Friday’s game, have a Monday road date at Virginia before coming back home for an early Big Ten opener against Ohio State on Dec. 2.
Stanford at Ohio St. 9:00 PM ET
Two teams looking to bounce back from humbling losses meet Friday in the consolation bracket of the PK80 Invitational in Portland, Ore., as Ohio State squares off against Stanford. The Buckeyes went scoreless for nearly eight minutes late in the first half of Thursday’s 86-59 loss to No. 17 Gonzaga, while Stanford trailed by as many as 38 in a 108-87 loss to No. 7 Florida.
St. Bonaventure at Maryland 9:30 PM ET
One year after watching three freshmen do much of the heavy lifting for his third straight NCAA Tournament team, Maryland coach Mark Turgeon must feel like he is experiencing déjà vu. Behind the impressive early play of first-year players Bruno Fernando and Darryl Morsell, the Terrapins eye their fourth 6-0 start in as many seasons Friday when they face St. Bonaventure in a third-round game of the Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Fla.
Arizona at Purdue 9:30 PM ET
The seventh-place game of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament will be a surprisingly star-studded affair. No. 4 Arizona and No. 16 Purdue, two teams that were among the favorites to win the Bahamas-based event, will meet in the consolation contest Friday evening.
Oregon at DePaul 9:30 PM ET
Oregon coach Dana Altman predicted that his team wasn’t ready for prime time earlier this week and was proven right with a lackluster showing Thursday. The Ducks look to bounce back from their first loss of the season Friday against DePaul in the consolation bracket of the PK80 Invitational in Portland, Ore.
Vanderbilt at Seton Hall 9:45 PM ET
Vanderbilt must quickly put behind it a dismal offensive showing when it faces No. 22 Seton Hall in the third-place game of the NIT Season Tip-Off on Friday in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Commodores never had a chance against No. 25 Virginia in Thursday’s semifinal, falling behind 15-1 in an ugly 68-42 loss, while the Pirates rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit only to lose their first game of the season in a 75-74 defeat to Rhode Island.
Florida at Gonzaga 11:30 PM ET
Few teams have looked as impressive this season as No. 7 Florida, which will receive its first real test Friday against No. 17 Gonzaga in the semifinals of the PK80 Invitational at Portland, Ore. The Gators shot a season-high 58.5 percent from the field in Thursday’s 108-87 victory over Stanford while Gonzaga cruised to an 86-59 win over Ohio State.