Wake Forest continues trying to find consistency and with five games left in its non-conference schedule, starting at home Thursday against Charlotte, the Demon Deacons need better overall performance on both ends of the floor. Saturday’s 84-74 loss at Richmond is an example, as Wake Forest easily won the rebounding battle and held a three-point lead early in the second half only to give up 28 points on 15 turnovers to lose for the second time in three games.

No. 24 Purdue looks to recover from back-to-back losses when it hosts 23rd-ranked Maryland on Thursday in Big Ten play. The Boilermakers dropped a 73-72 decision to No. 11 Florida State in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge before they were routed 76-57 by fifth-ranked Michigan on Saturday to slide down the national polls and hope to avoid their fourth straight loss to a ranked opponent in the last three weeks by knocking off the Terrapins for the fifth consecutive time.

Iowa State faces its first true road test of the season when it visits 19th-ranked Iowa on Thursday in the annual Cy-Hawk series. The Cyclones have won four consecutive games, including an 81-59 victory against North Dakota State on Monday, to move on the cusp on the national rankings after receiving the second-most votes (33) outside the Top 25, and hope to continue their upward trajectory by knocking off the Hawkeyes for the fifth time in the last six years.

The newcomers are fitting right in at Arizona, which continues non-conference play Thursday against visiting Utah Valley. Forced to replace five starters from a season ago, the Wildcats have adjusted nicely behind a solid eight-man rotation led by sophomore guard Brandon Randolph and Duke transfer Chase Jeter, who averages 12.6 points and 7.5 rebounds.