Preview Roundups
December 09, 2014
New Hampshire at Rutgers 7:00 PM ET
Rutgers is among the lowest-scoring teams in the country and is coming off an embarrassing loss to in-state rival Seton Hall. The Scarlet Knights will try to pick up the pieces when they host New Hampshire on Tuesday. Rutgers ranks near the bottom of the 345 Division I teams in scoring (57.1 points) and field-goal percentage (36.9) and has less than a month to get ready for its first Big Ten campaign.
Indiana - Purdue at Xavier 7:00 PM ET
Xavier looks to remain undefeated at home when it hosts IUPUI on Tuesday. The Musketeers snapped a two-game losing streak Saturday and improved to 5-0 at home with a 97-84 victory over Alabama. IUPUI lost its third straight Saturday, 89-62 to Evansville, and shouldn't put up much resistance for the high-scoring Musketeers.
UMKC at Iowa St. 7:00 PM ET
Iowa State has regrouped after ending November with a loss to Maryland, winning its first two games in December by an average of 27.5 points. The Cyclones host UMKC on Tuesday after dominating No. 18 Arkansas 95-77 on Thursday, and forward Georges Niang and guard Bryce Dejean-Jones – both ranked in the top five in the Big 12 in scoring – are both averaging 19.5 points this month. The duo is 28-for-39 from the field in those two contests.
Mount St. Mary's at Notre Dame 7:00 PM ET
Notre Dame is less than a week away from final exams, but one area in which it has not been tested on the court has been whenever it has faced a team from the Northeast Conference. After having their way with one NEC foe over the weekend, the Fighting Irish eye their second 9-1 start in three seasons on Tuesday when they host another opponent from the same league in Mount St. Mary’s. Notre Dame rolled to a 75-57 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday, improving to 21-0 versus the NEC.
Illinois at Villanova 7:00 PM ET
Villanova continues to prove that its deep and talented roster has very few flaws - if any. The Wildcats aim to remain perfect on the season Tuesday when they take on Illinois at the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden. The Wildcats are coming off one of their most dominant performances of the season - a 74-46 victory over rival Saint Joseph's on Saturday - as they notched their sixth double-digit win in eight games.
Seton Hall at Wichita St. 7:00 PM ET
Wichita State puts its 21-game home winning streak on the line on the line when undefeated Seton Hall pays a visit for a non-conference matchup Tuesday. The 11th-ranked Shockers haven't been tested often, outscoring opponents by an average of 21.3 points. They should get a fight from the Pirates, who are one of 12 unbeaten teams in the nation and aiming for their first 8-0 start since 2009-10.
Bradley at Kansas St. 8:00 PM ET
Kansas State has been known as a defensive team under coach Bruce Weber, but the Wildcats enter Tuesday’s game against visiting Bradley last in the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense (47.4). The Wildcats’ woes can partly be attributed to a tough non-conference schedule that includes losses to Long Beach State, Arizona and Pittsburgh, but there is reason for concern. Forward Thomas Gipson averages a team-high 4.8 boards for Kansas State, which ranks last in the league in rebounding.
Furman at Texas Christian 8:00 PM ET
Among all the undefeated teams through the first month of the season, few - if any - are more surprising than TCU. The Horned Frogs have started 8-0 after going 9-22 last season, including 19 straight losses to end the campaign. They have some quality victories - a 27-point win over Washington State, a nine-point triumph against Mississippi State in the title game of the Corpus Christi Coastal Classic and, most recently, a 12-point win at Mississippi.
Eastern Michigan at Michigan 9:00 PM ET
Michigan looks to bounce back from its stunning upset loss to NJIT when it hosts Eastern Michigan on Tuesday. The Wolverines had reeled off eight straight home wins and were 50-4 in their previous 54 games at the Crisler Center before falling to the Highlanders (3-5). "There are moments in the season that make you a lot better and I hope this is one of them," Michigan coach John Beilein told reporters. "This is something that is humbling and we have to grow through that humility."
Utah Valley at Arizona 9:00 PM ET
Arizona looks to avoid a letdown on Tuesday when the third-ranked Wildcats host Utah Valley just three days after recording a thrilling 66-63 overtime win over Gonzaga. The Wildcats feature an incredibly deep roster that includes point guard T.J. McConnell, forward Brandon Ashley and freshman forward Stanley Johnson, who leads the team in scoring (13.8) and rebounds (6.4). Ashley, who missed the end of last season with a foot injury, had 15 points and five rebounds in the win over Gonzaga.
Alcorn St. at Iowa 9:00 PM ET
Iowa won’t be facing a nationally ranked opponent when Alcorn State visits Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Tuesday night, but it’s a challenge just the same. The Hawkeyes have won five straight but have hit a bit of a lull in their schedule with contests against UMBC and the Braves sandwiched between games against 18th-ranked North Carolina and No. 13 Iowa State.
Texas A&M at Baylor 9:00 PM ET
Texas A&M brings a five-game winning streak with it to Baylor on Tuesday night in the 206th "Battle of the Brazos." It's the first meeting since Feb. 1, 2012 between the two schools that are located about 90 miles apart and began playing in the 1914-15 season. Baylor has won the last five meetings, but the Aggies hold a commanding 127-78 overall edge in the series.
Indiana at Louisville 9:00 PM ET
Madison Square Garden has proven to be a home away from home lately for No. 4 Louisville, which looks to extend its winning streak at the venue to nine games Tuesday versus Indiana in the Jimmy V Classic. The Cardinals return to New York’s famous arena for the first time since they claimed the 2012 and 2013 Big East Tournaments – their last two seasons in the league. “(MSG) is the most magical arena in all of basketball, so it's exciting for me,” coach Rick Pitino told the school’s website.
South Dakota at Creighton 9:15 PM ET
Creighton looks to put together back-to-back wins for the first time since before Thanksgiving when it hosts South Dakota on Tuesday. The Bluejays haven't played at home since Nov. 25, when they won their fifth straight to start the season, but have alternated wins and losses in four games away from Omaha since. Creighton came from behind to win at Nebraska on Sunday and starts a three-game homestand when the Coyotes come to town.