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Preview Roundups
December 20, 2014
Southern Methodist at Michigan 12:00 PM ET
Michigan has dropped three consecutive games for the first time in almost four years and looks to snap out of its malaise when surging SMU visits on Saturday. The Wolverines face a veteran Mustangs’ squad on a five-game win streak after embarrassing home losses to NJIT and Eastern Michigan, followed by an 80-53 defeat at No. 3 Arizona last Saturday. “It’s a great reality check for everyone,” Michigan coach John Beilein told reporters. “We know that we have a lot of work to do.”
Louisville at Western Kentucky 12:00 PM ET
Fourth-ranked Louisville knows it needs to get its offense in order as a tougher schedule - starting with Saturday's trip to Western Kentucky - is right around the corner. The undefeated Cardinals followed two good offensive showings with a stagnant performance against UNC Wilmington on Sunday - and coach Rick Pitino was not happy. "We didn't pass the ball like we did against Indiana," Pitino said.
VCU at Cincinnati 12:00 PM ET
Cincinnati looks to build off its 71-62 overtime win over No. 17 San Diego State when it hosts VCU on Saturday. The Bearcats shook off a 56-55 double-overtime loss to Nebraska to secure its sixth consecutive home win of the season on Wednesday and earn a quality victory that should likely boost its resume in March. Cincinnati sets it sights on extending its non-conference home winning streak to 17 games as it prepares for its first meeting with the Rams since 1980.
Charlotte at Georgetown 12:00 PM ET
Georgetown has suffered three losses this season - all close defeats against quality opponents. The Hoyas have another tough matchup coming up next weekend against Indiana, but first they must deal with Charlotte when the 49ers come to town on Saturday. Georgetown's only blemishes have come by a total of 14 points against Wisconsin, Butler and Kansas - all of which are currently in the Top 25.
Syracuse at Villanova 1:00 PM ET
Seventh-ranked Villanova has had no major problems through the first month of the season, but the same cannot be said for Syracuse. The former Big East rivals meet Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, where the Wildcats will look to remain undefeated on the year while the Orange are in desperate need of a quality win. Both teams were undefeated heading into last year's matchup, which Syracuse won 78-62 behind 21 points from Trevor Cooney.
Citadel at Virginia Tech 1:00 PM ET
Virginia Tech coach Buzz Williams is trying to find the right combination of players to rely on through nine games. The Hokies host The Citadel on Saturday after snapping a two-game losing streak with Sunday’s 65-55 victory over Alabama A&M, a game in which Williams brought regular starters Devin Wilson, Malik Muller and Shane Henry off the bench. The hunch paid off as walk-on Christian Beyer scored a career-best 13 points in just his second career start.
Ohio St. at North Carolina 1:00 PM ET
Ohio State and North Carolina aim to add an impressive neutral-court victory to their resume when they square off Saturday in the CBS Sports Classic in Chicago. The 12th-ranked Buckeyes have won four straight since a 64-55 loss at Louisville — their only game against a ranked team. No. 24 North Carolina already has two wins over ranked opponents, but both came in November and the Tar Heels have split four games since.
Massachusetts at Providence 1:00 PM ET
In its final non-conference home game of the season Saturday, Providence will be gunning for a little revenge when its squares off against visiting Massachusetts. The Friars and the Minutemen have played in each of the last two seasons and in both instances, UMass came away with a victory, including an overtime triumph last season at home.
Drexel at Penn St. 2:00 PM ET
Penn State looks to continue its best start in nearly 20 years when it hosts Drexel on Saturday in the newly-opened PPL Center in Allentown, Pa. The Nittany Lions are 10-1, their best start since the 1995-96 squad started 13-0, and have won eight straight, their longest also since '95-96. Penn State has been off for exams since last Sunday's 64-51 win over George Washington, while Drexel enters after an 80-70 loss to Buffalo on Tuesday.
Illinois at Missouri 2:00 PM ET
A pair of border rivals needing a win that could jump-start their seasons square off Saturday when Missouri faces Illinois in the Bud Light Braggin' Rights game. The rivalry has been played in St. Louis every year since 1983 and has been marked by streaks — Illinois won nine straight followed by a four-game streak by Missouri before the Illini's 65-64 win a year ago. This one might be especially important for the Illini, who have lost three of their last five and could use a neutral-site win.
Vanderbilt at Georgia Tech 2:00 PM ET
Vanderbilt is the only team in the SEC shooting 50 percent from the field this season, and freshman guard Riley LaChance is doing his part to boost that number. The Commodores travel to Georgia Tech on Saturday and LaChance looks to continue his red-hot scoring streak, having posted back-to-back 26-point efforts while shooting 17-of-25 from the field. The Yellow Jackets shook off a nine-day layoff following an upset loss to USC Upstate by using strong bench play to down Appalachian State, 70-57.
St. Francis (PA) at Rutgers 2:00 PM ET
Rutgers has won three of its past four games and looks to continue the momentum when it hosts Saint Francis (Pa.) on Saturday. The Scarlet Knights posted a 63-55 win over Manhattan last Sunday when forward Kadeem Jack exploded for a season-best 24 points to go with nine rebounds. The Red Flash also have won three of their past four games after notching a 67-52 victory over Duquesne on Wednesday.
South Carolina State at Houston 2:00 PM ET
Houston won't have a lot of time to prepare for Saturday's visit from South Carolina State. It's the Cougars' third home game in a five-day stretch and the second game of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic regional round. The Cougars rallied to beat Houston Baptist on Tuesday before falling in overtime Wednesday to Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the first tournament game.
South Florida at Florida St. 2:00 PM ET
Florida State looks to establish some consistency when it meets USF in the MetroPCS Orange Bowl Classic in Sunrise, Fla. on Saturday. The Seminoles recovered nicely from last weekend's 20-point loss to Notre Dame in their first ACC contest of the season, putting forth perhaps their best effort of the campaign in a 93-77 decision over North Florida. "We're trying to identify who we are," Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton told reporters. "I thought we gave tremendous effort."
Butler at Indiana 2:30 PM ET
The state of Indiana will be transfixed on Bankers Life Fieldhouse when Indiana and No. 25 Butler meet Saturday as part of the fourth annual Crossroads Classic. The Bulldogs and the Hoosiers, who played a memorable overtime game in 2012, meet for the second time in the series, which also features Notre Dame and Purdue.
Lafayette at Kansas 3:00 PM ET
Tenth-ranked Kansas continues to show that it knows how to close out a tight game in the final minutes. The Jayhawks have won seven straight games, including each of the last four contests by six points or less heading into Saturday's home date with Lafayette. Kansas' run of four straight tight victories has come against some quality opponents - Michigan State, Florida, Georgetown and, most recently, Utah.
Western Michigan at Northwestern 3:00 PM ET
Northwestern looks to get back on track when it hosts Western Michigan on Saturday. The Wildcats had held 15 consecutive opponents to 70 points or less before Central Michigan snapped the streak by handing the Wildcats an 80-67 loss on Wednesday. Northwestern has dropped four of its last five games after opening the season with five wins in a row and it hopes to turn its fortunes around by beating the Broncos for the fourth straight time.
Delaware State at Oregon 3:00 PM ET
Oregon aims for its third straight win and its fifth in six games when it hosts Delaware State on Saturday. The Ducks look to improve on their 6-1 mark at home, where they routed Cal State Northridge 79-56 on Wednesday. The Hornets are aiming for their second win over a major-conference opponent this season, already having beaten Wake Forest 72-65.
Oral Roberts at Memphis 3:00 PM ET
Memphis has posted season scoring highs in back-to-back games and will look to extend the offensive fireworks Saturday when Oral Roberts pays a non-conference visit. The Tigers connected on a season-high 11 3-pointers in an 83-73 home victory over South Carolina Upstate on Wednesday – two nights after blitzing visiting North Carolina Central 81-47.
UCLA at Kentucky 3:30 PM ET
Top-ranked Kentucky hasn’t met traditional West Coast power UCLA in eight years, but the Wildcats and Bruins start a three-year series on Saturday when they meet in the CBS Sports Classic on a neutral court in Chicago. The schools will play a home-and-home to complete the series and Kentucky coach John Calipari brings a talented force into the first one as the Wildcats have won their first 11 games by an average of 28.2 points.
South Carolina Upstate at Mississippi St. 4:00 PM ET
Mississippi State hopes to right the ship when it hosts USC Upstate on Saturday, carrying the sting of a four-game losing streak. The Bulldogs have kept it relatively tight during their current downturn, losing by an average of less than 10 points, but that does nothing for coach Rick Ray. "This was as disappointing a loss that we have had since we have been here," Ray told reporters after Wednesday's loss to Arkansas State. "We lacked defensive intensity."
Oakland at Pittsburgh 4:00 PM ET
With a healthy Cameron Wright back and finding his groove, Pittsburgh seeks to continue a long streak when Oakland visits Saturday. The Panthers have won 27 consecutive non-conference home games in the Petersen Events Center - the sixth longest active streak in the nation – and is 114-3 all-time. Wright the most experienced player on the roster who returned recently from a foot injury, scored 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting in Pitt's 65-56 win over Manhattan on Wednesday.
Texas Southern at Michigan St 5:00 PM ET
No. 22 Michigan State expects to be without versatile senior Branden Dawson as it goes for a fourth straight victory Saturday against road-weary Texas Southern. Dawson, who averages 10.8 points and a team-high 8.5 rebounds, injured his left wrist in a fall during Wednesday’s 66-46 victory over Eastern Michigan and is doubtful. Michigan State leads the nation in 3-point shooting percentage (44.4) and must rely on others to step up inside to make up for Dawson’s absence.
Wake Forest at Florida 5:00 PM ET
Florida and Wake Forest play Saturday in the 21st annual MetroPCS Orange Bowl Classic at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla. The Gators will be competing for a 16th time, hoping to extend their current four-game win streak in the one-day event. The Demon Deacons will be making their first appearance, and coach Danny Manning will be looking to deliver the program's first victory over Florida since 1995.
Drake at Iowa St. 5:00 PM ET
At 8-1 and ranked 13th nationally, Iowa State is in strong shape as it enters its final three non-conference tune-ups. Still, the Cyclones are getting an early Christmas gift Saturday when highly touted junior college transfer (by way of Marquette) Jameel McKay becomes eligible and is expected to play against Drake. The game is part of the annual Hy-Vee Big Four Classic and will be played at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
Purdue at Notre Dame 5:15 PM ET
No. 21 Notre Dame hopes to extend its six-game winning streak when it takes on in-state rival Purdue in the Crossroads Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Saturday. The Fighting Irish have lost just once this year - a one-point setback to Providence - and coach Mike Brey's squad would like to keep its momentum going against a tough Boilermakers team.
Xavier at Auburn 6:00 PM ET
Xavier has had no issues taking care of business against SEC teams, a trend it hopes to maintain Saturday night at Auburn. The Musketeers have won three games in a row, a streak sandwiched by double-digit victories over Alabama and Missouri, which suffered a 74-58 home loss to Xavier on Saturday in the Musketeers' first true road game of the season. Dee Davis scored a season-high 17 points for Xavier, which is 13-4 against the SEC since 2008.
East Carolina at NC-Wilmington 7:00 PM ET
After experiencing little success in its first two true road games of the season, East Carolina hopes the third time is a charm on Saturday when it travels to UNC Wilmington. With the exception of the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla., from Nov. 24-26, the Pirates didn’t leave the comforts of home until a 72-63 loss at Florida Atlantic on Dec. 3. Four days later, East Carolina shot 33.3 percent and missed its first 12 3-point attempts in a 108-64 setback at North Carolina.
Texas A&M at Kansas St. 7:00 PM ET
Points could be at a premium Saturday when former Big 12 rivals Kansas State and Texas A&M square off at Kansas City’s Sprint Center. The Wildcats rank seventh in the Big 12 in scoring at 71.5 points per game, while the Aggies are eighth in the SEC with an average of 72.7. Guard Marcus Foster averages a team-high 15.3 points while shooting 47.1 percent from 3-point range for Kansas State, which has won four of the last five meetings.
Northern Iowa at Iowa 7:30 PM ET
Northern Iowa saw its brief run as a top 25 team come to an end after its first loss last week but can bounce back in strong fashion when it hosts Iowa at the Big Four Classic in Des Moines, Iowa, on Saturday. The Panthers won their first nine games to jump into the rankings before falling 93-87 in double overtime at VCU last weekend. The Hawkeyes have played a strong pre-conference schedule, with all three losses coming to teams that were ranked at the time.
Long Beach St. at Texas 8:00 PM ET
Ninth-ranked Texas hasn't played much over the past few weeks, but when it has, it's made it count, winning twice by an average margin of 38.5 points. The Longhorns would like to keep that level of play going when they host Long Beach State in Austin on Saturday. The 49ers are in the midst of a six-game road swing, having gone 0-2 thus far, though their last loss was a one-point setback to San Diego State.
Texas-San Antonio at Texas Christian 8:00 PM ET
Off to its best start in school history, TCU looks to remain unbeaten Saturday when the Horned Frogs host UTSA, which was picked to finish last in the Conference USA preseason poll. The Horned Frogs are unranked despite opening with 10 straight wins, and skeptics might be waiting until they begin Big 12 play against West Virginia on Jan. 3. Only three of TCU’s wins have come against Power 5 opponents, including a 12-point victory over Ole Miss earlier this month.
SE Missouri St. at Arkansas 8:30 PM ET
A rough two-game stretch dropped Arkansas out of the top 25, but a stretch of home games leading into SEC play is helping gain back some momentum. The Razorbacks will try to grab their second consecutive win when they host Southeast Missouri State in Little Rock, Ark., on Saturday. Arkansas got off to a fast start, averaging 90 points in six straight wins to begin the campaign, but has been limited to 70.3 in the last three contests.
Lehigh at Arizona St. 9:00 PM ET
Herb Sendek received an early holiday gift when the Arizona Board of Regents approved a contract extension for him during the week. The ninth-year Arizona State coach hopes to reward that faith starting this weekend as his Sun Devils eye their 15th consecutive home victory on Saturday against Lehigh. Sendek, who agreed to a three-year extension following the end of last season, agreed to sign on for another year with new incentive clauses built into the structure of the deal.
Oklahoma at Washington 9:00 PM ET
Washington will try to continue its best start since the 2005-06 season Saturday night when the No. 16 Huskies meet No. 15 Oklahoma at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The Huskies opened 11-0 in 2005 before losing in double overtime to Arizona on New Year’s Eve, then went on to advance to the Sweet 16. Washington is looking to get back into the NCAA Tournament after missing out the last three seasons and a win against the Sooners would definitely help its resume.
West Virginia at N.C. State 9:30 PM ET
North Carolina State just got done knocking off one major-conference opponent and will try to make it two straight when it meets West Virginia as part of the Gotham Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday. The 20th-ranked Mountaineers are coming off a battle with in-state foe Marshall and are trying to build up their resume before the start of Big 12 play. The Wolfpack average 74.7 points but will be taking on a stout defense.
Cal Poly SLO at Gonzaga 10:00 PM ET
Gonzaga boasts 10 players averaging at least 12 minutes and all should get another opportunity to contribute when the No. 8 Bulldogs host Cal Poly on Saturday in their home away from home at Key Arena in Seattle. The Bulldogs, who played three consecutive Pac-12 teams before routing Texas Southern 94-54 on Monday, begin defense of their West Coast Conference title at BYU on Dec. 27.
Ball St. at San Diego St. 10:00 PM ET
San Diego State has lost two of its last three games and the No. 17 Aztecs attempt to get back on track when they host Ball State on Saturday. San Diego State lost 71-62 in overtime to Cincinnati on Wednesday, two games after losing to Washington. The Cardinals were routed 72-52 by James Madison on Wednesday for their second straight loss and are 0-4 on the road as they head into a raucous environment.
Stanford at Brigham Young 11:00 PM ET
The last time that BYU met Stanford, the two teams combined for 215 points in a wild shootout at Stanford. Tops in the nation in scoring, the Cougars look to light up the scoreboard again when they host the Cardinal on Saturday night. Tyler Haws is second in the country in scoring, and BYU is knocking down 3-pointers at a school-record rate of 9.8 per game.
Utah at UNLV 11:30 PM ET
No. 14 Utah will take on UNLV this Saturday night at the second annual MGM Grand Showcase in Las Vegas. The doubleheader sponsored by Coaches vs. Cancer features three nationally ranked programs - No. 16 Washington vs. No. 15 Oklahoma will precede the late-night matchup between the Utes and Rebels. Utah and UNLV share a long history, having been rivals in the Mountain West Conference from 1999-2011, and this will be their first meeting since Utah left for the Pac-12.