Temple looks to bounce back from an ugly loss to nationally ranked Villanova when it visits winless Delaware for a non-conference affair Thursday. Coach Fran Dunphy's squad lost by 23 to the Wildcats, and face another nationally ranked squad in Kansas on Monday, but the Owls can't afford to look past a Blue Hens team that is looking to get a win before Christmas.

With eight wins in its first nine games, Seton Hall looks to keep its momentum going strong when it visits USF on Thursday. The Pirates took care of Saint Peter's last time out to rebound from their first loss of the season - a 77-68 decision in a visit to No. 11 Wichita State on Dec. 9. Coach Kevin Willard has been pleased with the defense, in particular of late but told reporters, "It's a little bit easier to play defense at home than it is on the road."

While No. 5 Virginia continues to prove it may have the best defense in the country, its efficient offensive performance in its last time out may have been the most impressive aspect of its season thus far. The Cavaliers return from an 11-day layoff on Thursday when they host Cleveland State. Virginia has posted some gaudy defensive numbers in its best start since 2001-02, leading the country in scoring defense (47.4 points) while ranking third in field-goal percentage defense (32.1).

Freshman Jahlil Okafor keeps leaping to new heights and is taking No. 2 Duke along with him. Okafor will get a test on the defensive end from another rapidly improving center in Amida Brimah, who will lead defending champion Connecticut when it takes on the Blue Devils in East Rutherford, N.J. on Thursday. Both Okafor and Brimah are coming off season-best performances against lesser competition and are ready for bigger challenges.

Ole Miss has lost two of its last three games and hopes to reverse that trend while snapping senior point guard Jarvis Summers out of his slump when it hosts Coastal Carolina on Thursday. Summers, who averages 11.7 points, scored only 17 while shooting 4-for-30 from the field in the last three contests. "He's really struggling. We've tried everything," Rebels coach Andy Kennedy told The Clarion-Ledger.

LSU could be without one or both of its point guards when the Tigers visit UAB on Thursday night. LSU starter Josh Gray sprained his right ankle early in the second half of Saturday’s win against Sam Houston and didn’t return, and backup Tim Quarterman also missed Monday’s practice after a hard collision with another player during the game. Gray, who averages 11.1 points and 4.7 assists, seems the less likely of the two to play against the Blazers.

Gary Payton II has joined his famous father in Oregon State lore, and he looks to help the Beavers win their fifth straight game when they host DePaul on Thursday. The younger Payton became the second player in school history to record a triple-double when he had 10 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in Monday’s 71-43 rout of Grambling State. Oregon State legend Gary Payton posted the first with 20 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists against Portland on Nov. 26, 1988.