Purdue looks to turn its fortunes around when it hosts Ohio on Thursday. The struggling Boilermakers, who have dropped four of their last five games, including an 88-80 setback to Notre Dame as part of the Crossroads Classic on Saturday, tumbled out of the Top 25 and hope to get back on track by taking down the Bobcats in the first meeting between the programs in almost 50 years.

No. 11 Texas Tech is one of nine remaining undefeated teams in the country, and if it still is among that group after Thursday, it will have earned it. The Red Raiders attempt to maintain their untarnished record when they face second-ranked Duke in a marquee matchup at Madison Square Garden. 

With the opening of ACC play just two weeks away, it was important for a young Pittsburgh team to snap its slide and get back to winning ways as it attempts to return to respectability after an 0-18 league campaign a season ago. The Panthers achieved that goal Saturday, albeit against an outmanned Maryland-Eastern Shore team, and will try to continue that momentum when a New Orleans team with just one Division I win this season visits on Thursday.

Notre Dame looks to head into its holiday break winners of three straight as it hosts Jacksonville on Thursday evening. The Fighting Irish have won two in a row, with its most recent victory coming in a home win against Binghamton on Tuesday.

Creighton will try to build some confidence, while getting a bit of a breather after a difficult stretch of the season, when it plays host to Division III Coe College on Thursday night. The Bluejays have dropped three of their last four games - all by double digits - to No. 9 Gonzaga, No. 22 Nebraska and talented Oklahoma after starting the season with six wins in seven contests.

Houston coach Kelvin Sampson knows his undefeated Cougars will have to continue to work hard to keep its perfect streak going. The No. 20 Cougars will follow two close home wins with another tough test when Utah State visits Thursday.