Robert Hubbs III is putting things together and the Tennessee senior guard takes aim at his fourth 20-point outing in a six-game stretch when the Volunteers host Lipscomb on Thursday in nonconference action. Hubbs only reached 20 points once in his first three seasons but is shooting 57.8 percent from the field over the last five contests while emerging as the club's go-to scorer.

Central Florida will try to bounce back from a dismal shooting performance in a 58-49 loss to Pennsylvania when it visits George Washington on Thursday night. The Knights had their four-game winning streak snapped by the Quakers and will be facing a Colonials team that has won four of its last five games.

Christmas comes early this year for North Carolina State freshman Omer Yurtseven, who makes his college debut when the Wolfpack host Appalachian State on Thursday. The 7-0 center was suspended for N.C. State's first nine games after the NCAA ruled he accepted money while playing with a professional team in his native Turkey, which included recording eight points and seven rebounds in an exhibition game against the Brooklyn Nets last October as a 17-year-old.

East Carolina will try to rebound from a lopsided road loss when it ends a lengthy layoff by hosting a streaking Charleston squad Thursday night. The Pirates had won three in a row and five of six before hitting a wall at No. 12 Virginia on Dec. 6, dropping a 76-53 decision.

Alabama coach Avery Johnson managed to find positives in the best and worst of his team's performances this season, but even he would admit that his team's offensive struggles are a problem. The Crimson Tide look to build on a solid effort against No. 22 Oregon when they host South Carolina Upstate on Thursday.

Ole Miss hopes to build momentum before SEC play opens as it begins a stretch of three nonconference home games when Murray State pays a visit on Thursday. The Rebels suffered an 80-75 loss at Virginia Tech on Sunday after an eight-day break and must continue their offensive production against a team that is also scoring more than 80 points per contest.

Freshman Danjel Purifoy is stepping right in as a key figure for Auburn and the 6-7 forward aims to follow up the best game of his young career when the Tigers host Coastal Carolina in Thursday's nonconference contest. Purifoy scored a season-best 27 points in Monday's 72-71 loss to Boston College, a contest Auburn lost on a tip-in with 0.2 seconds remaining.