Preview Roundups
December 29, 2016
Georgia at Auburn 7:00 PM ET
Freshman point guard Jared Harper fueled Auburn to a strong start to the season, and looks to do the same as the Tigers host Georgia in both team’s SEC opener Thursday. Harper, the reigning SEC freshman of the week, sparked the Tigers to victories over Connecticut and Oklahoma by averaging 21.5 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals, as Auburn concluded non-conference play with six victories in its final seven contests.
Tennessee at Texas A&M 7:00 PM ET
While the fanbases at both schools are primarily
focused on the college football bowl season, their basketball programs will
meet Thursday night in the SEC opener for both teams. The game is set for Reed
Arena in College Station as Texas A&M hosts Tennessee.
Butler at St. John's 7:00 PM ET
Its last time out, No. 13 Butler proved it could successfully follow up its biggest win of the season. St. John's will try to do the same thing Thursday when it hosts the Bulldogs in a nonconference affair.
Stetson at Alabama 8:00 PM ET
Alabama looks to continue some momentum it has built up by winning two of its last three when it hosts non-conference foe Stetson on Thursday. The Crimson Tide could use some success heading into the Southeastern Conference campaign, while the Hatters are looking to end a two-game losing skid.
Lipscomb at Missouri 8:00 PM ET
Missouri’s season is trending in the wrong direction, and it has just one more chance to change the momentum before beginning Southeastern Conference play. The Tigers aim to snap a three-game losing streak when they host Lipscomb in their non-conference finale on Thursday.
Kentucky at Mississippi 8:00 PM ET
Kentucky’s trio of outstanding freshmen will get its first taste of SEC basketball when the eighth-ranked Wildcats visit Ole Miss on Thursday to open the conference season. First-year guards Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox, along with 6-10 Bam Adebayo, have averaged more than 50 points combined during their maiden voyage in college but Kentucky must recover from its second loss.
UMKC at Mississippi St. 8:00 PM ET
Mississippi State coach Ben Howland knows his young roster will go through plenty of learning experiences once SEC play begins, and he would love nothing more than to send his team into that stretch on a winning note. The Bulldogs host Missouri-Kansas City on Thursday as they look to close out their non-conference schedule with their third consecutive victory.
Florida at Arkansas 9:00 PM ET
Arkansas and Florida, teams that have showed positive signs that they will be factors in the SEC title race, look to start conference play Thursday on a winning note when they face off in Fayetteville, Ark. The Razorbacks are riding the momentum of an eight-game winning streak while the Gators have won two in a row and are coming off their highest-scoring performance of the season.
Vanderbilt at Louisiana State 9:00 PM ET
Two teams coming off disappointing losses prior to the Christmas break meet Thursday when SEC play opens with LSU hosting Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt leads the all-time series 60-53, but the Tigers are 31-19 in Baton Rouge.
Pepperdine at Gonzaga 9:00 PM ET
Sixth-ranked Gonzaga is off to the best start in school history and it doesn't figure to end when lowly Pepperdine visits Thursday in the West Coast Conference opener for both schools. The Bulldogs have defeated the Waves 31 consecutive times and have also won their last 20 conference openers.
St. Mary's at Loyola Marymount 11:00 PM ET
Saint Mary's is off to a strong start and the stellar record shouldn't take too many hits with the No. 19 Gaels opening West Coast Conference play. Saint Mary's has won nine of its past 10 conference openers and aims to notch its fifth consecutive overall win on Thursday when it visits Loyola Marymount.