Preview Roundups
November 10, 2017
Savannah State at Cincinnati 12:00 PM ET
No. 13 Cincinnati will look to build on a terrific regular season as it kicks off its 2017-18 campaign Friday afternoon against visiting Savannah State as part of the Cayman Islands Classic. The Bearcats racked up 30 victories last season, but were bounced in the second round of the NCAA Tournament by UCLA.
Lamar at Tulsa 1:00 PM ET
Junior Etou, who led Tulsa in scoring and rebounding, is one of four starters back for the Golden Hurricane as they host Lamar in the season opener for both teams Friday afternoon. Etou, a transfer from Rutgers, is a 6-8 forward who can score from anywhere on the court and racked up a career-high 31 points against East Carolina last season.
Central Arkansas at Baylor 1:00 PM ET
Basketball season can't start soon enough at Baylor where the 1-8 football team finally won its first game last Saturday at Kansas. The Bears, who return three starters from a squad that advanced to the Sweet 16 and achieved the first No. 1 national ranking in school history last January, open the 2017-18 season with a Friday afternoon home game against Central Arkansas.
Campbell at Penn St. 4:00 PM ET
Patrick Chambers begins his seventh season at the helm for Penn State still searching for an NCAA Tournament berth, a pursuit that begins Friday at home against Campbell of the Big South Conference. The Nittany Lions have finished above .500 just once under Chambers and dropped their last five regular-season games in 2016-17 to thwart any postseason hopes, but there is some optimism with all five starters returning.
Detroit Mercy at Virginia Tech 6:00 PM ET
Virginia Tech returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007 last season, but a return trip will hinge on how well the Hokies – who open their season Friday at home against Detroit Mercy – can replace their top two scorers. Zach LeDay and Seth Allen combined to score 29.8 points per game a season ago, and coach Buzz Williams acknowledges replacing that duo will not be easy despite plenty of backcourt talent returning.
Texas A&M at West Virginia 6:00 PM ET
With the sting of last season's Sweet 16 loss to Gonzaga still fresh in everyone's mind, No. 10 West Virginia looks to put the defeat in the rearview mirror as it opens the 2017-18 campaign Friday against Texas A&M in the Armed Forces Classic in Ramstein, Germany. The Mountaineers come into the season full of hope as they seek to build on last year's 28-win showing.
Alabama St. at Mississippi State 6:30 PM ET
Mississippi State is looking to make strides in Ben Howland's third season as coach and the Bulldogs begin work on that task when they open the season against Alabama State on Friday. Mississippi State is 30-33 after the first two seasons of the Howland era and will again rely on junior guard Quinndary Weatherspoon.
Memphis at Alabama 6:30 PM ET
No. 25 Alabama and Memphis both are counting on strong recruiting classes to take them to the next level this season, but the biggest name in the bunch might be missing from the boxscore for the opener. Alabama’s five-star freshman point guard Collin Sexton hasn’t yet been cleared by the NCAA as the team prepares to face the Tigers on Friday in the Veterans Classic in Annapolis, Md.
Fairleigh Dickinson at Seton Hall 6:30 PM ET
Angel Delgado doesn't have much left to prove at the college level, yet he is back for his final season at No. 23 Seton Hall, which kicks off its campaign Friday against visiting Fairleigh Dickinson. Delgado, the nation's top rebounder a season ago, flirted with going to the NBA before sticking with the Pirates, who open with the Knights for the second straight season.
Cornell at Syracuse 7:00 PM ET
Syracuse has plenty of new faces, but coach Jim Boeheim remains a fixture, as has been the case for more than 40 years. The young Orange tip off their latest season under Boeheim on Friday against visiting Cornell.
Western Carolina at Clemson 7:00 PM ET
Clemson coach Brad Brownell begins the season with an awfully toasty seat, and it can only get warmer when the Tigers open the campaign against visiting Western Carolina on Friday. Clemson fans will expect their team to crush the Catamounts, who won only nine games last season.
Utah Valley at Kentucky 7:00 PM ET
Fourth-ranked Kentucky, armed with six McDonald's All-Americans, begins its 2017-18 season Friday by hosting Utah Valley as it trots out one of the youngest teams in NCAA history. The Wildcats, who had three freshman drafted among the first 14 players selected in the 2017 NBA draft, have three seasons of experience among their 11 scholarship players.
Bryant at Georgia 7:00 PM ET
When Yante Maten decided to return to Georgia for his senior season, he provided the Bulldogs with a huge boost for their chances to reach the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2015. Georgia opens its season Friday at home against Bryant and Maten, who averaged 18.2 points and 6.8 rebounds and was named one of the SEC’s preseason first team, will look to carry the Bulldogs through the ultra-tough SEC while bolstering his NBA draft chances.
Northern Iowa at North Carolina 7:00 PM ET
North Carolina will have plenty of new faces and veterans taking on bigger roles when it opens defense of a national championship Friday night as Northern Iowa pays a visit to the Dean Smith Center. The ninth-ranked Tar Heels have lost four of their top five scorers and the leading returnee, guard Joel Berry II, is out a few more weeks while he recovers from a broken hand.
VMI at NC State 7:00 PM ET
The Kevin Keatts era at North Carolina State begins as the Wolfpack kick off their 2017-18 season by hosting Virginia Military Institute on Friday. Keatts, who replaces the fired Mark Gottfried, was an assistant at Louisville under Rick Pitino from 2011-14 before guiding UNC Wilmington to a 78-28 record and two NCAA Tournament appearances in three seasons.
Elon University at Duke 7:00 PM ET
Duke is no stranger to high expectations, but this season's bunch is young and inexperienced and could require an adjustment period to reach the standards that have been set. The top-ranked Blue Devils begin their 38th season under coach Mike Krzyzewski on Friday with a home contest against Elon.
Indiana St. at Indiana 7:00 PM ET
The Archie Miller era begins at Indiana on Friday when the Hoosiers host non-conference foe Indiana State in the season opener for both squads. Miller became coach in Bloomington after a successful stint at Dayton where he was last season's Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year and led the Flyers to four NCAA Tournament appearances.
Robert Morris at Ohio St. 7:00 PM ET
Ohio State hopes to return to relevance under new head coach Chris Holtmann when it hosts Robert Morris on Friday in the season opener for both teams. The Buckeyes have missed the last two NCAA Tournaments, prompting athletic director Gene Smith to part ways with Thad Matta, who had led Ohio State to two Final Four appearances during his 13-year tenure, and Holtmann will be given the herculean task of rebuilding a depleted roster.
City College of New York at Rutgers 7:00 PM ET
Rutgers will begin what it hopes will be its first winning season in 12 years Friday against visiting City College of New York. The Scarlet Knights dominated their non-conference schedule last season and open coach Steve Pikiell's second campaign with six winnable games, beginning with the Division III Beavers.
South Carolina State at Wisconsin 7:00 PM ET
Only North Carolina has won more NCAA Tournament games over the past four years than Wisconsin. However, if the Badgers want to add on to that number they will have to replace four starters from a team that lost to Florida in the Sweet 16, and that challenge begins Friday when South Carolina State visits as part of the Hall of Fame Classic.
Maryland at Stony Brook 7:00 PM ET
Mark Turgeon relied heavily on three freshmen throughout the bulk of last season, and that investment not only helped Maryland's coach make a third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, but it may have also made for a much smoother transition in 2017-18. Led by sophomores Justin Jackson, Anthony Cowan and Kevin Huerter, the Terrapins begin their journey toward a fourth straight 20-win season Friday when they face Stony Brook at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y.
NC-Greensboro at Virginia 7:00 PM ET
After opening each of the last three seasons ranked in the top 10, Virginia begins 2017-18 as an unranked squad hoping to rediscover the program's lofty status under coach Tony Bennett. For the second season in a row, the host Cavaliers begin their schedule by taking on UNC Greensboro of the Southern Conference on Friday.
South Carolina at Wofford 7:00 PM ET
After orchestrating the best season in recent memory at South Carolina – culminating with a trip to the Final Four – Frank Martin faces a difficult reloading project as he enters his sixth season with the school. The Gamecocks and their new-look roster open the season with a short trip to face in-state foe Wofford on Friday.
Colgate at Connecticut 7:00 PM ET
Connecticut looks to turn the page from last season when the Huskies were ravaged by injuries en route to their first sub-.500 record since 1986-87. Powered by an electric backcourt featuring all-American Athletic Conference junior Jalen Adams, UConn hosts Colgate in the season opener for both teams Friday.
Cal Poly SLO at Stanford 7:00 PM ET
One of the most veteran teams in the nation, Stanford will have plenty of familiar names in the lineup for Friday’s season opener against visiting Cal Poly. The Cardinal return four starters and five of the team's top six scorers, including senior power forward Reid Travis, who led the team in nine statistical categories last season.
Kennesaw St. at Butler 7:00 PM ET
Butler begins the LaVall Jordan era at home against Kennesaw State in the season opener for both teams on Friday. Jordan, who won two conference titles as a player with the Bulldogs from 1998-2001, was hired when Chris Holtmann bolted for Ohio State in the summer, and the former Michigan assistant hopes to make a seamless transition to his dream job by extending his alma mater's streak of 20-win seasons to four in a row.
New Orleans at St. John's 7:00 PM ET
St. John's opens the third year of the Chris Mullin era at home Friday against a New Orleans team coming off its first Southland Conference title and first March Madness appearance since 1996. The Red Storm had a six-win improvement in 2016-17 and they earned their first Big East Tournament win since 2011.
Morehead St. at Xavier 7:00 PM ET
After providing some truly memorable moments en route to an Elite Eight appearance last season, what will No. 17 Xavier do for an encore? That's what college basketball fans are wondering as their team looks to build upon its incredible run in Friday's season opener against visiting Morehead State.
Houston Baptist at Providence 7:00 PM ET
Providence has established itself as a perennial NCAA Tournament team under coach Ed Cooley and expects a return trip in 2017-18. With all five starters back, the Friars begin their quest for a fifth consecutive tourney berth when they host Houston Baptist on Friday in the season opener for both teams.
Presbyterian at Tennessee 7:00 PM ET
Tennessee hasn't done much to distinguish itself in the first two seasons of the Rick Barnes era, but a bit of a recruiting coup this spring may give his program just the jolt it needs to make some noise in the Southeastern Conference. Former NCAA scoring champion James Daniel III makes his Volunteers debut Friday when Tennessee hosts Presbyterian.
Maine at Boston College 7:30 PM ET
Boston College will lean on one of the more dynamic backcourts in the country this season as it looks to climb out of the basement in the ACC. Junior Jerome Robinson and sophomore Ky Bowman lead the Eagles - who have finished last in the league two straight times and lost their final 15 games last season - into their opener at home against Maine of the America East Conference on Friday.
Georgia Southern at Wake Forest 7:30 PM ET
Wake Forest opens its season at home Friday against Georgia Southern with a quartet of guards who will look to lead the Demon Deacons back to the NCAA tournament, but a huge question mark remains on the interior. Forward John Collins left to become a first-round NBA draft pick, leaving coach Danny Manning with the challenge of finding an interior presence to go with guards Bryant Crawford, Mitchell Wilbekin and Brandon Childress.
Gardner-Webb at Miami-Florida 8:00 PM ET
Predicted to finish fourth in the ACC preseason poll, Miami opens the 2017-18 season at home Friday against Gardner-Webb. The 12th-ranked Hurricanes come off their second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and are looking for their fourth bid in six years.
UL Lafayette at Mississippi 8:00 PM ET
With seven of its top eight scorers returning, Louisiana heads to Ole Miss Friday to tip off the 2017-18 campaign. The Rebels ended last season with an NIT quarterfinal loss to Georgia Tech, but Andy Kennedy's team has its sights set on earning its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2015.
Norfolk State at Auburn 8:00 PM ET
No team in the country may be more anxious to tip off the season than Auburn, which will host Norfolk State on Friday. The Tigers, who won 18 games last season, are coming off a 100-95 overtime preseason loss to Division II Barry University on Nov. 2.
LIU Brooklyn at Tulane 8:00 PM ET
Mike Dunleavy Sr. looks to take the next step in his second year on the sidelines at Tulane, which hosts LIU Brooklyn in the season opener Friday. The Green Wave finished 6-25 last season, but Dunleavy brought in a slew of newcomers with NBA frames and eyes a quick climb out from the depths of the American Athletic Conference.
Southern at Illinois 8:00 PM ET
Illinois plays its first official game under new head coach Brad Underwood on Friday night when it hosts Southern in the season opener for both squads. The Illini are hoping Underwood can have the same kind of success he's had at his other stops as a Division I head coach, as he's taken Stephen F. Austin (three times) and Oklahoma State to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four seasons.
North Florida at Michigan St 8:00 PM ET
No. 2 Michigan State opens its quest for a national title run Friday night when it hosts North Florida in a non-confererence contest that is the season opener for both squads. Coach Tom Izzo boasts a talented and deep team, headlined by a popular pick for National Player of the Year honors, sophomore forward Miles Bridges (16.9 points, 8.3 rebounds in 2016-17).
South Carolina Upstate at Minnesota 8:00 PM ET
Minnesota returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2016-17 after suffering through two straight disappointing seasons and has high expectations as it opens the new campaign against visiting South Carolina Upstate on Friday night. The 15th-ranked Golden Gophers return their top four scorers, including preseason All-Big Ten picks Nate Mason and Amir Coffey, from a team that won 23 games and lost in the first round of the NCAAs.
SIU - Edwardsville at Purdue 8:00 PM ET
With a veteran club returning, No. 21 Purdue is looking to advance to its first Final Four since coach Matt Painter showed up on campus as a freshman guard in 1989. That journey starts Friday when SIU-Edwardsville visits the Boilermakers.
Alcorn St. at Louisiana State 8:00 PM ET
Will Wade makes his debut as LSU coach Friday night against visiting Alcorn State as the Tigers hope to begin turning the program in a positive direction after two straight underachieving campaigns. LSU missed the NCAA Tournament two years ago with Ben Simmons on the roster and won just 10 times last season, leading to the dismissal of coach Johnny Jones and the hiring of former VCU head man Wade.
Samford at Arkansas 8:00 PM ET
Arkansas had a five-point lead on eventual national champion North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season before letting it slip away, but the talent is there in 2017-18 to make amends. The Razorbacks bring back three of their top five scorers and add some talented newcomers as they open the campaign Friday night against experienced and dangerous Samford.
Mercer at Central Florida 8:00 PM ET
Following a significant turnaround in year one under coach Johnny Dawkins, Central Florida tips off a season full of expectations when the Knights host Mercer on Friday. UCF was picked third in the American Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll after surprisingly reaching the NIT semifinals in 2016-17.
McNeese St. at Houston 8:00 PM ET
Houston will look to its senior class to take the lead when it opens the season against McNeese on Friday. The Cougars return three returning seniors, including American Athletic Conference scoring champion Rob Gray.
Florida Atlantic at South Florida 8:00 PM ET
Another new era of South Florida basketball begins on Friday night when the Bulls host Florida Atlantic. Brian Gregory becomes the third head coach in five years for the program, which has spiraled downward since winning two games in the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
UMKC at Wichita St. 8:00 PM ET
Eighth-ranked Wichita State begins a season with its greatest expectations since Ronald Reagan was president when it hosts Missouri-Kansas City on Friday. The Shockers, who are playing their first campaign as a member of the American Athletic Conference, have their highest preseason ranking since the 1981-82 team led by future NBA players Cliff Levingston and Antoine Carr opened at No. 7 in the coaches poll.
MD Baltimore County at Southern Methodist 8:00 PM ET
SMU returns three players from its roster, but it's a talented group that will lead the Mustangs in their opener against Maryland-Baltimore County on Friday. Junior Shake Milton leads the guard-heavy Mustangs and was picked as the American Athletic Conference's preseason player of the year.
Northern Colorado at Colorado 8:00 PM ET
Colorado has missed the NCAA Tournament in two of
the last three seasons and not much is expected again this year with the
Buffaloes picked ninth in the preseason Pac-12 media poll. Of course, that’s
only added to the resolve of the Colorado coaches and players as they prepare
for Friday night’s season opener against Northern Colorado in Boulder.
Northern Arizona at Arizona 8:00 PM ET
No. 5 Arizona tips off one of the most highly-anticipated seasons in the program’s history Friday night by hosting Northern Arizona. And despite the ongoing national recruiting investigation by the FBI that still could affect the program, the anticipation centers not so much on November but late next March, when many national prognosticators believe coach Se
Northwestern St. at Texas 8:15 PM ET
Texas may be as excited about three returning starters as it is about two hyped additions as the Longhorns prepare to open the season against Northwestern State on Friday. McDonald's All-American pick Mohamed Bamba and transfer Dylan Osetkowski give Texas much-needed help in the frontcourt to go with three returning guards.
Loyola-Maryland at Northwestern 8:30 PM ET
No. 20 Northwestern looks to build on one of the most memorable seasons in program history when it opens the new campaign at home to Loyola-Maryland on Friday. The Wildcats set a school record for most wins in a season with 24 en route to their first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament and they begin the campaign in the Top 25 preseason poll for the first time in program history.
Pepperdine at Oklahoma State 8:30 PM ET
As Jeffrey Carroll goes, so too will Oklahoma State, which will begin the Mike Boynton era Friday against visiting Pepperdine. Carroll was one of the most improved players in the Big 12 a season ago, but will now have to deal with being the focus of opposing defenses, beginning with the Waves.
Columbia at Villanova 8:30 PM ET
Since the Big East essentially disbanded, only one team has won the league's regular-season title. Sixth-ranked Villanova looks to begin its quest for a fifth straight crown Friday, when it hosts Columbia in the season opener for both teams.
Bucknell at Monmouth-NJ 8:30 PM ET
Basically everything went right for Arkansas in its season opener on Friday. Two days later, the Razorbacks hope to mirror that performance when they host Bucknell in a quality non-league matchup.
Texas Southern at Gonzaga 9:00 PM ET
Gonzaga lost in last season's NCAA title game but the expectations are a bit lower as the No. 19 Bulldogs open the campaign against visiting Texas Southern on Friday. Gonzaga isn't even picked to win the West Coast Conference for the first time since the 2001-02 season -- Saint Mary's is predicted to win the league.
Pittsburgh at Navy 9:00 PM ET
Pittsburgh coach Kevin Stallings had a tough first season in the Atlantic Coast Conference after winning nearly 20 games per season in his prior 17 years at Vanderbilt and looks to be staring at an even tougher time ahead. Stallings will get his first look at his new squad that has just three returning players and is picked to finish last in the ACC when the Panthers open the season Friday at Navy in the fourth annual Veterans Classic.
Yale at Creighton 9:00 PM ET
Heading into his eighth season at the helm, Creighton coach Greg McDermott has become accustomed to taking a relatively inexperienced group of players and turning them into an NCAA Tournament contender. Behind All-Big East honorees Marcus Foster and Khyri Thomas, he'll get yet another chance to prove his coaching acumen beginning Friday when the Bluejays host Yale.
Mount St. Mary's at Marquette 9:00 PM ET
Marquette coach Steve Wojciechowski lost three career 1,000-point scorers from a team that knocked off No. 1 Villanova during the regular season and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013. With a slew of 3-point shooters returning, Wojciechowski will find out if he has the pieces to complement his team's perimeter game when Mount St. Mary’s visits for the season opener Friday.
Tennessee St. at Kansas 9:00 PM ET
While the loss of the No. 4 overall pick in the NBA Draft and the most decorated player in school history in one offseason would result in a rebuild for most programs, Kansas appears to be clear favorites to make history instead. Led by Big 12 Player of the Year candidate Devonte' Graham, the third-ranked Jayhawks set their sights on what they hope is a third straight 30-win season Friday when they open their campaign hosting Tennessee State.
American U. at Kansas State 9:00 PM ET
Reaching the Big Dance - and winning a NCAA Tournament game - were welcome developments for a Kansas State team that had struggled the previous two seasons. But returning to those lofty heights could prove challenging as the Wildcats kick off their 2017-18 season Friday night against visiting American.
Louisiana Monroe at Texas Christian 9:00 PM ET
TCU has not been to the NCAA Tournament since 1998, but with coach Jamie Dixon returning for year No. 2, confidence is as high as it's been in two decades. The Horned Frogs doubled their win total from 12 to 24 in Dixon's first season, which was capped by a perfect run to the NIT championship, and now take on visiting Louisiana-Monroe in Saturday's season opener.
South Alabama at Texas Tech 9:00 PM ET
Coach Chris Beard’s first season at Texas Tech
was an up-and-down campaign which ended with a winning record but no postseason
tournament appearance. The experienced Red Raiders are now looking to remedy
that, starting Friday night when they host South Alabama in the season opener
for both teams.
Iowa State at Missouri 9:00 PM ET
Missouri won’t waste any time pulling out the measuring stick to evaluate its talented new roster. First-year coach Cuonzo Martin’s team of highly-touted Tigers opens a promising campaign with a major test against visiting Iowa State on Friday in a renewal of an old Big 12 rivalry.
Chicago St. at Iowa 9:05 PM ET
Iowa looks to bounce back from a disappointing season when it begins the 2017-18 campaign at home against Chicago State on Friday. The Hawkeyes dropped five of their first eight games, including a 98-89 setback to Nebraska-Omaha that came back to haunt them in March, to miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2012-13 season, and they hope their young squad -- which was 345th nationally in KenPom's experience rating -- can hit the ground running after a summer tour of Europe.
Austin Peay at Vanderbilt 9:30 PM ET
Vanderbilt experienced a remarkable turnaround last season, reaching the NCAA tournament by winning 11 times in 16 games after a sluggish 8-10 start. The Commodores look for a better start to this season, beginning with Friday’s home contest against Austin Peay, and with a trio of experienced starters returning, there is plenty of optimism Vanderbilt has what it takes to compete in the rugged SEC in Bryce Drew’s second season as head coach.
Belmont at Washington 10:00 PM ET
Longtime Syracuse assistant Mike Hopkins has his own program to run now as he guides Washington into its season opener against visiting Belmont on Friday. Hopkins spent 22 seasons at Syracuse and was the heir apparent to Jim Boeheim before stunningly accepting the Huskies' gig after Lorenzo Romar's firing.
Southern Utah at Oregon St. 10:00 PM ET
Tres Tinkle is healthy again, and that alone could allow Oregon State to be a surprise contender in the Pac-12 this season. The redshirt sophomore missed 26 games last year with a broken right wrist but will be in the starting lineup Friday as the Beavers host Southern Utah in the season opener for both teams.
Idaho State at Arizona State 10:00 PM ET
Arizona State has made the NCAA Tournament just once in the last eight seasons and has had back-to-back losing seasons. But the Sun Devils, who begin their third season under Bobby Hurley on Friday night when they host Idaho State, are optimistic that they have what it takes to make it back into postseason play this season.
Cal St. Fullerton at Southern California 10:00 PM ET
Talk of winning a national championship is nothing new around USC where the school has accumulated 127 national titles over the years, including 11 in football. But none of those crowns have come in men's basketball, something Andy Enfield's squad will be out to change when it opens it's season Friday night against visiting Cal State Fullerton.
Prairie View A&M at Utah 10:00 PM ET
Utah is seeking its fifth-straight 20-win season
and postseason tournament appearance but will be relying on an inexperienced
cast to get there. The quest begins Friday night when the Utes tip off the 2017-18
season against Prairie View A&M.
Georgia Tech at UCLA 11:30 PM ET
UCLA’s highly touted freshman class includes two McDonald’s All-Americans, but senior center Thomas Welsh might hold the key to the Bruins’ national title aspirations. The athletic 7-footer looks to expand his game starting Friday as No. 18 UCLA faces Georgia Tech in Shanghai in the season opener for both teams.
UC Riverside at California 11:59 PM ET
Having grown accustomed to watching their team compete for Pac-12 titles in recent years, California fans may need to lower their expectations this season. The Bears will introduce a new coaching staff along with seven freshmen on Friday when they face visiting UC Riverside in the season opener for both teams.
Coppin St. at Oregon 11:59 PM ET
The 2016-17 season was one to remember for the Oregon Ducks who won 33 games and advanced to the Final Four for the first time since 1939. But with just point guard Payton Pritchard back from a squad that lost by one point to North Carolina in the semifinals, the Ducks will have a distinctively new look when they host Coppin State in their season opener Friday night.
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