Preview Roundups
December 19, 2015
Utah at Duke 12:00 PM ET
Sixth-ranked Duke lost its best post player earlier this week and that
qualifies as poor timing for Saturday's matchup against Utah at Madison
Square Garden in New York City. Senior power forward Amile Jefferson
broke his right foot during practice and the Blue Devils will look to
slow Utes sophomore center Jakob Poeltl with multiple players.
Auburn at Xavier 12:00 PM ET
Following a season in which it had problems closing out games, Xavier has pretty much been able to avoid the subject entirely in 2015. On the verge of their best start in school history, the 10th-ranked Musketeers look to avenge one of last season’s most crushing losses on Saturday when they wrap a four-game homestand against Auburn.
Georgia Tech at Georgia 12:00 PM ET
Georgia Tech travels to Georgia on Saturday looking to beat its in-state rivals for the fifth consecutive time - and the Bulldogs’ hopes of ending their losing ways against the Yellow Jackets may reside in the post play of Yante Maten. The Georgia center has blossomed in his sophomore season, setting career highs in scoring four times, but he will be challenged by Georgia Tech forward Charles Mitchell, who has established himself as one of the best players in the ACC.
Wichita St. at Seton Hall 12:00 PM ET
Seton Hall looks to add another high-profile victory to its early-season resume when it hosts improving Wichita State on Saturday afternoon. The Pirates have already knocked off Georgia and Ole Miss from the SEC and Rutgers from the Big Ten while Wichita State has won three straight since the return of All-American guard Fred VanVleet.
Villanova at Virginia 12:00 PM ET
Two of the top defensive teams in the nation square off Saturday in an intriguing matchup between No. 9 Virginia and No. 13 Villanova. The visiting Wildcats give up 57.6 points on average - ninth-best in the country entering Friday - while the Cavaliers are a hair better at 57.1 points per contest.
Cornell at Syracuse 12:00 PM ET
A once-promising season for Syracuse is beginning to spiral in the wrong direction, as the Orange attempt to avoid a fourth loss in five games Saturday when they take on visiting Cornell. Mike Hopkins took over as interim coach for the Orange three games ago after Jim Boeheim's suspension was moved up to December and the results have not been up to Hopkins' standards so far.
Western Kentucky at Louisville 12:00 PM ET
Statistics suggest this year’s Louisville team is far superior to the one Rick Pitino took to the Elite Eight last season, but the Hall-of-Fame coach isn’t on board with that notion quite yet. Pitino and his 16th-ranked Cardinals continue their preparations for next weekend’s showdown with arch-rival Kentucky on Saturday when they host Western Kentucky.
N.C. Asheville at Georgetown 12:00 PM ET
Coming off its first poor outing of the season, Georgetown will look to get back to basics Saturday when it faces visiting UNC Asheville. The basics for the Hoyas is defense, which was severely lacking in Tuesday's 15-point loss at home to Monmouth.
N.C. Asheville at Georgetown 12:00 PM ET
Coming off its first poor outing of the season, Georgetown will look to get back to basics Saturday when it faces visiting UNC Asheville. The basics for the Hoyas is defense, which was severely lacking in Tuesday's 15-point loss at home to Monmouth.
Michigan St at Northeastern 12:30 PM ET
Having defeated the likes of Kansas and Louisville and coming off a stretch in which it played seven games in 17 days, Michigan State tested itself plenty over the first month of the season. The one challenge the top-ranked Spartans have yet to embrace is a true road game – something they will do for the first time Saturday when they look to set a new standard for the best start in school history at Northeastern.
Central Florida at Detroit 1:00 PM ET
UCF will look to extend its winning streak to five Saturday when it visits Detroit, which is riding a three-game run of its own. The high-scoring Titans will be challenged by a stingy UCF defense, anchored by a huge inside trio that includes 7-6 freshman Tacko Fall.
St. Peter's at George Washington 1:00 PM ET
George Washington landed in the national rankings this week for the first time since 2006 and will try to remain there when it hosts Saint Peter's in a nonconference game on Saturday afternoon. The 22nd-ranked Colonials have defeated Big Ten teams in their last two games to improve to 9-1 - matching their best start since 1953-54, when they won their first 11 games.
North Carolina at UCLA 1:00 PM ET
North Carolina didn't need starting forward Kennedy Meeks in its most recent victory, but the No. 11 Tar Heels will likely miss his inside presence Saturday against UCLA at the CBS Sports Classic in Brooklyn, N.Y. Meeks, a 6-foot-10, 260-pound junior, is expected to miss his second straight game with a bruised bone in his left knee and that could open holes in the paint for UCLA big men Tony Parker and Thomas Welsh.
Indiana at Notre Dame 2:00 PM ET
Notre Dame and Indiana are both looking for a boost after an uneven first month of the season when they meet at the fifth Crossroads Classic Saturday in Indianapolis. Notre Dame goes after its fifth straight victory over a Big Ten foe and third this season while the Hoosiers try to continue their defensive improvement against a multi-talented offensive team.
Montana at Kansas 2:00 PM ET
No. 2 ranked Kansas has
won seven straight games since losing to Michigan State and is marching toward
its 27th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. With a rugged Big 12 schedule
that includes games against No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 5 Iowa State on the horizon,
the Jayhawks get a chance to fine tune their game when they host Montana on
Saturday.
Creighton at Oklahoma 2:00 PM ET
Oklahoma has won seven
straight games and has climbed to No. 3 in this week’s coaches poll
after clobbering then-No. 9 Villanova last week. The Sooners and their
high-octane offense on Saturday will host a Creighton squad that boasts a
balanced attack with five players who score in double figures.
Northwestern at DePaul 2:00 PM ET
Many experts have questioned Northwestern’s strength of schedule, but there’s no denying the Wildcats’ improved play this season. Coach Chris Collins’ squad aims for its first 10-1 start since the 2011-12 season on Saturday as the Wildcats take on DePaul at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill.
Charleston at Miami-Florida 2:00 PM ET
Miami (Fla.) returns from a 10-day break on Saturday as it hosts Charleston, which is riding a five-game winning streak that includes a 12-point victory over LSU and freshman phenom Ben Simmons. The 19th-ranked Hurricanes showed an improved defense in their last game, a 66-55 victory over Florida.
Oral Roberts at Louisiana State 2:00 PM ET
With key players returning to the fold, LSU freshman Ben Simmons doesn't necessarily have to be a one-man show anymore as the Tigers host Oral Roberts on Saturday. Senior guard Keith Hornsby scored 32 and 14 points in his first two games after undergoing sports hernia surgery and missing the first seven contests while sophomore forward Craig Victor II, an Arizona transfer and New Orleans native, recorded 10 points and five rebounds in 20 minutes of his LSU debut Wednesday.
Houston Baptist at Arizona State 2:30 PM ET
Arizona State could be without Savon Goodman - its top rebounder (7.9 per game) and second-leading scorer (12.4 points) - when it hosts Houston Baptist on Saturday. Goodman did not play in the Sun Devils' 66-56 come-from-behind victory at UNLV on Wednesday because of personal reasons, and a source told ESPn that the junior forward could miss the next three games.
South Dakota at Illinois 3:00 PM ET
Illinois really has started to hit its stride, winning three straight as it enters a non-conference contest with visiting South Dakota on Saturday. The Illini have some big games ahead - a rivalry game with Missouri and their Big Ten opener against Michigan - but they can't afford to look past the Coyotes, who come in off an emotional double-overtime victory over Milwaukee on Thursday.
Kentucky at Ohio St. 3:30 PM ET
Fourth-ranked Kentucky travels to Brooklyn, N.Y. to face Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic on Saturday, after a week off during which the Wildcats focused on final exams and trying to channel the confidence from the second half of last Saturday’s win over Arizona State. Kentucky played a sluggish first half – another inconsistent stretch from one of the country’s most inexperienced teams – before pulling away in the final 15 minutes.
Delaware State at Temple 4:00 PM ET
Before paying full attention to its American Athletic Conference opener, Temple has to avoid looking ahead when struggling Delaware State visits on Saturday. The Hornets are riding a 12-game losing skid dating to last season and haven't beaten a school from a major conference since upending Wake Forest 72-65 on Nov. 28, 2014.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Texas Tech 4:00 PM ET
Texas Tech will try to extend its win streak Saturday afternoon when it hosts road-weary Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The Red Raiders have won six straight games and are 5-0 at home.
Colorado St. at Kansas St. 4:00 PM ET
Technically, Kansas State is the home team in
Saturday’s matchup against Colorado State, but the game will be played at INTRUST
Bank Arena in Wichita. It’ll be the Wildcats’ third game in Wichita since 2011,
and it comes at an opportune time in the schedule, according to coach Bruce
Weber.
Eastern Illinois at Houston 4:00 PM ET
Houston coach Kelvin Sampson had a feeling newcomer Rob Gray Jr. could be the leading scorer for the Cougars after a successful summer. Gray has proven his coach right while scoring in double digits in each game this season for Houston, which hosts Eastern Illinois on Saturday as part of the Global Sports Classic.
Cincinnati at VCU 4:00 PM ET
Cincinnati visits VCU on Saturday, hoping to erase the sour taste of last season’s meeting. The matchup is a second chance for the Bearcats' Mick Cronin, who was unable to coach most of last season because of an unruptured aneurysm.
Tulane at Mississippi St. 4:00 PM ET
Tulane has not had much success against major-conference competition so far but is hoping to turn things around when it visits struggling Mississippi State on Saturday. The Bulldogs have yet to beat a major-conference opponent as well and are coming off a 90-66 loss at Florida State on Wednesday.
Drake at Iowa 4:30 PM ET
Iowa looks to rebound from a crushing 83-82 loss against rival Iowa State when it meets Drake on Saturday in the Big Four Classic - a tournament involving the four Division I basketball schools in the state that is played in Des Moines. The Hawkeyes blew a 20-point, second-half lead against the No. 2 Cyclones in their last outing.
Oakland at Washington 4:30 PM ET
Washington will have its hands full with the nation's fifth-ranked scorer when Oakland visits Hec Edmundson Pavilion on Saturday. Kahlil Felder is averaging 24.6 points for the Grizzlies and coming off a season-high 34 points in a 76-64 victory at Toledo last weekend.
Butler at Purdue 5:00 PM ET
Purdue looks for its fifth 12-0 start in school history and a bit of payback when the eighth-ranked Boilermakers renew acquaintances with in-state rival and No. 18 Butler on Saturday at the Crossroads Classic in Indianapolis. This series has been highly competitive throughout its 56-game history but it will have a different spin this season as it will be the first time both schools enter the contest ranked.
Florida Atlantic at Florida St. 5:00 PM ET
Florida State goes after its fourth win in a row Saturday as it takes on struggling Florida Atlantic at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla. The game is the first of three for the Seminoles before the ACC portion of their schedule begins.
N.C. State at Missouri 6:00 PM ET
North Carolina State takes a three-game winning streak on the road Saturday to face Missouri, which looks to remain undefeated at home. The Wolfpack have won five of their last six while the Tigers hope to rebound from a blowout loss at Arizona that snapped their own three-game winning streak.
Youngstown St. at Michigan 6:00 PM ET
Michigan looks to win its fourth straight home game when it welcomes Youngstown State to Ann Arbor on Saturday. The Wolverines are 5-1 at Crisler Center and have posted double-digit victories over Houston Baptist, Delaware State and Northern Kentucky since dropping an 86-70 decision to 10th-ranked Xavier on Nov. 20.
Grambling State at Virginia Tech 6:00 PM ET
Virginia Tech hosts Grambling State on Saturday with a chance to extend its win streak to a season-high four games. Grambling State is in the midst of a three-game slides as the two teams prepare to meet for the first time.
Penn St. at Drexel 7:00 PM ET
Penn State begins a five-game stretch away from home when it takes on Drexel at the Palestra in Philadelphia on Saturday. The Nittany Lions follow up this visit with two games in Las Vegas and then back-to-back road games to open their Big Ten slate before finally returning to campus for a Jan. 5 game against Minnesota.
Northern Iowa at Iowa St. 7:00 PM ET
Second-ranked Iowa State welcomes Deonte Burton to the lineup when it faces Northern Iowa on Saturday in the Big Four Classic - a tournament involving the four Division I basketball schools in the state that is played in Des Moines. Burton looks to fill a part of the void left by guard Naz Mitrou-Long, who decided to sit out the rest of the season because of persistent problems with his surgically repaired hips.
Delaware at Boston College 7:00 PM ET
Boston College will try to ride the wave of a rare offensive outburst when it hosts Delaware on Saturday. The Eagles averaged 59.2 points during a miserable six-game losing streak - which also included a foodborne illness that hit several members of the team - before breaking out in a big way in a 91-60 win over Maine on Sunday.
Princeton at Maryland 7:00 PM ET
No. 7 Maryland has scored at least 75 points in nine of its 10 games, so it makes sense that coach Mark Turgeon would want to focus on defense and rebounding at this point. The Terrapins seek a better effort in those departments Saturday in a neutral-court game against Princeton in Baltimore.
UAB at South Florida 7:00 PM ET
USF looks to build some confidence before American Athletic Conference play begins when they host talented UAB on Saturday night. The Bulls have suffered through a rough start overall, but scored their most points in more than two years last time out with an 88-75 victory over Jacksonville, and UAB arrives with a four-game winning streak.
Coppin St. at California 7:00 PM ET
Jabari Bird’s underwhelming California career has been marked by injury and inconsistency, but the junior wing finally appears ready for liftoff. One game after drilling a late 3-pointer to help defeat Saint Mary’s, Bird and the Golden Bears look to extend their winning streak to five games Saturday against visiting Coppin State.
Mercer at Arkansas 8:00 PM ET
After a rough end to November, Arkansas has turned things back up this month, going 3-1 heading into a home game with non-conference opponent Mercer on Saturday. The Razorbacks have averaged 93.5 points in December, with their lone loss being a three-point setback to Wake Forest on the road.
Wofford at Vanderbilt 8:00 PM ET
Luke Kornet leads the SEC in blocked shots, but Vanderbilt will be without its 7-1 center and defensive anchor for at least a month due to a knee injury. The timing could not be worse for the No. 23 Commodores, who host Wofford on Saturday before traveling to No. 8 Purdue on Tuesday and opening SEC play in two weeks.
Oklahoma St. at Florida 8:00 PM ET
Florida, which took No. 1 ranked Michigan State down to the wire before losing 58-52 in East Lansing, Mich., last time out, will try and snap a two-game losing streak when it faces Oklahoma State on Saturday in the MetroPCS Orange Bowl Classic at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla. The Gators' other loss was at No. 19 Miami 66-55 on Dec. 8 and first-year head coach Mike White has spent the past week trying to solve his team's offensive struggles.
Rider at Providence 8:00 PM ET
Standout junior guard Kris Dunn will be back in the lineup when No. 14
Providence looks for its fifth straight victory in Saturday's home tilt
against Rider. Dunn missed the Friars' 74-67 victory over Bryant on Dec.
12 due to illness and looks to build on a season in which he is
averaging 16.8 points and 6.1 rebounds.
Baylor at Texas A&M 9:00 PM ET
No. 24 Texas A&M will continue its trip down memory lane as it hosts No. 14 Baylor on Saturday. The Aggies already have wins against former Big 12 Conference rivals Texas and Kansas State and also host Iowa State next month.
Hampton at Colorado 9:00 PM ET
It was a tale of two halves for Colorado on
Friday in an 85-68 victory over Nicholls. The Buffaloes are hoping it’s the after-halftime effort that carries over into Saturday’s game
against visiting Hampton to close out their home portion of the Las Vegas
Classic.
Hampton at Colorado 9:00 PM ET
It was a tale of two halves for Colorado on
Friday in an 85-68 victory over Nicholls. The Buffaloes are hoping it’s the after-halftime effort that carries over into Saturday’s game
against visiting Hampton to close out their home portion of the Las Vegas
Classic.
UNLV at Arizona 9:30 PM ET
Moments after Arizona extended the nation's longest home winning streak to 45 games on Wednesday night with a 92-37 thrashing of Northern Arizona, the 12th-ranked Wildcats had already turned their attention to Saturday night's home game with UNLV. Arizona, which went 34-4 en route to the Elite Eight last season, were upset by the Runnin' Rebels, 71-67, last season in Las Vegas.
Tulsa at Oregon St. 11:00 PM ET
Oregon State tries for its fourth victory in the last five games when it meets Tulsa on Saturday in the Far West Classic in Portland, Oregon. The Beavers rebounded from a 82-67 loss to No. 5 Kansas on Dec. 12 with an 82-69 victory over Cal State Fullerton on Friday in their Far West opener behind another strong performance from Gary Payton II.
Tennessee at Gonzaga 11:00 PM ET
First-year Tennessee coach Rick Barnes wanted to toughen up his new
program's schedule and that led to an agreement to have the Volunteers
face No. 21 Gonzaga on Saturday in the Battle in Seattle. Barnes and
Bulldogs coach Mark Few have been close friends for nearly two decades,
paving the way for Tennessee's cross-country trip.
Texas at Stanford 11:30 PM ET
Texas visits Stanford on Saturday in a bit of a homecoming for junior point guard Isaiah Taylor, who is playing the best basketball of his career under first-year coach Shaka Smart. The third-year starter, who leads the team in scoring (13.6 points per game), assists (five) and minutes (27), was born in nearby Hayward and lived there through his sophomore year of high school.