Preview Roundups
November 13, 2015
Colorado at Iowa St. 5:00 PM ET
Coach Fred Hoiberg may have left Iowa State, but
he didn’t leave behind a bare cupboard in Ames. In fact, the seventh-ranked
Cyclones are well stocked as they head into the season opener Friday against
Colorado at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Northwestern St. at Mississippi 5:00 PM ET
Ole Miss is coming off its second NCAA Tournament appearance in three years, has a legitimate star in its backcourt and will open a new arena in January. The Rebels begin a season filled with promise and excitement when they host offensive juggernaut Northwestern State on Friday night.
Wagner at St. John's 6:00 PM ET
St. John’s let go of Steve Lavin following last season’s NCAA Tournament appearance and brought in former star Chris Mullin to lead the team and begin an upheaval of the roster. Mullin will make his regular-season coaching debut along with 10 new players when the Red Storm host Wagner in the opener on Friday.
Pittsburgh at Gonzaga 7:00 PM ET
Gonzaga might be without standout sophomore forward Domantas Sabonis
when it opens the season against Pittsburgh on Friday in the Armed
Forces Classic in Okinawa, Japan. Sabonis injured his back in a fall
during a recent exhibition game and the No. 11 Bulldogs won't know if
they will have his services until late in the week.
Albany at Kentucky 7:00 PM ET
Kentucky's 2014-15 campaign ended two wins shy of an undefeated season and a national championship, forcing Wildcats fans to wait more than seven months for a chance to compete for another title. That journey begins for the No. 1-ranked Wildcats when they display their newest batch of star-studded freshmen against visiting Albany on Friday in the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic.
North Carolina at Temple 7:00 PM ET
Overcoming injuries is part of the journey for any great college basketball team, but North Carolina's first test in that respect is a brutal challenge. Just over a week after losing star point guard Marcus Paige to a broken hand, the No. 1-ranked Tar Heels begin their campaign Friday against Temple at the Veterans Classic in Annapolis, Md.
Northern Kentucky at West Virginia 7:00 PM ET
West
Virginia's turnaround from also-ran in 2013-2014 to NCAA title contender last
season can be summed up in two words: "Press Virginia." Bob Huggins'
squad hopes to pick up where it left off by creating full-court havoc
when it hosts Northern Kentucky on Friday.
Siena at Duke 7:00 PM ET
Mike Krzyzewski is coming off an unforgettable year that saw him become the first men’s coach to reach 1,000 career wins in Division I history and end with his fifth national championship at Duke. The fourth-ranked Blue Devils lost their top four scorers from that team, but a new wave of talented freshmen appear poised to take their coach on another deep NCAA Tournament run – a journey that begins on Friday when they host Siena.
Western Carolina at Cincinnati 7:00 PM ET
With coach Mick Cronin back on the sidelines and a deep, versatile lineup that can keep opponents in check, Cincinnati expects nothing less than to challenge for the American Athletic Association championship and a sixth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. That quest begins Friday when the Bearcats will give visiting Western Carolina a firsthand look at their smothering defense.
Mount St. Mary's at Maryland 7:00 PM ET
Maryland coach Mark Turgeon was on the hot seat after a 17-15 season in 2013-14 followed by five player transfers, but along came freshman Melo Trimble, a school-record tying 28 wins and a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. With the addition of 6-11 freshman center Diamond Stone, like Trimble another likely future lottery pick, the expectations are even higher this season for the third-ranked team in the country as the Terrapins host Mount St. Mary's in the season opener for both teams.
Chattanooga at Georgia 7:00 PM ET
Consistent success is a foundational building block of any winning program, and Georgia coach Mark Fox looks for his Bulldogs to keep progressing when they host Chattanooga in Friday’s season opener. The Bulldogs return nine letterwinners – anchored by a stellar backcourt of seniors Kenny Gaines and Charles Mann – from a team that reached the NCAA tournament last season and aims for its third consecutive campaign of 20-plus victories.
North Carolina Central at Clemson 7:00 PM ET
Clemson's season opener Friday night against visiting North Carolina Central will be unlike any past home games as top-to-bottom renovations at Littlejohn Coliseum will force the Tigers to play host out of state this season in Greenville, S.C. Jaron Blossomgame should look familiar to Clemson fans as he returns for his junior year after leading the Tigers in scoring (13.1) and rebounding (8.2) last season.
Morgan St. at Virginia 7:00 PM ET
Two-time defending ACC regular-season champion Virginia has high expectations as it begins the 2015-16 campaign with a visit from Morgan State on Friday night. The sixth-ranked Cavaliers return senior standouts Anthony Gill and co-ACC preseason Player of the Year Malcolm Brogdon to lead the way for a team that won 30 games a season ago.
Dartmouth at Seton Hall 7:00 PM ET
Last year a young Seton Hall team climbed to as high No. 19 in the national rankings before collapsing down the stretch. More experienced now, the Pirates look to get off to a fast start when they host Dartmouth in the season opener for both teams Friday night.
Northern Michigan at Michigan 7:00 PM ET
Michigan looks to return to national prominence after a down year when it opens the new campaign at home to Division II Northern Michigan on Friday. The Wolverines were hit hard by injuries as they stumbled to a 16-16 record and missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since in five years after making trips to the National Championship and Elite Eight in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
N.C. Asheville at Tennessee 7:00 PM ET
The beginning of the Rick Barnes era brings new hope at Tennessee, where the Volunteers host UNC Asheville in their season opener. The Vols hope Barnes can lead them to the same level of success he enjoyed in previous stops at Texas, Clemson and Providence.
Lehigh at Syracuse 7:00 PM ET
With a one-year, self-imposed postseason ban in the rear-view mirror, Syracuse hopes to return to the NCAA Tournament in 2016. The Orange kick off their campaign with a home matchup against Lehigh on Friday with renewed energy and their eyes set on a deep run in March.
Eastern Illinois at Indiana 7:00 PM ET
Indiana looks to unveil an improved defense to partner with its elite offense when the 15th-ranked Hoosiers host Eastern Illinois on Friday to open the 2015-16 season. Guards Yogi Ferrell and James Blackmon Jr. along with forward Troy Williams lead a strong group of returnees for Indiana, which finished 17th in the country in scoring and 296th in points allowed last season.
Florida Atlantic at Michigan St 7:00 PM ET
Fresh off of last season's Final Four appearance, No. 13 Michigan State opens the 2015-16 campaign with high hopes when it hosts Florida Atlantic on Friday. The Spartans are returning plenty of firepower with nine of its top 11 scorers back from a year ago, including point guard Denzel Valentine, one of four unanimous selections to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team.
Samford at Louisville 7:00 PM ET
For most of the offseason, figuring out how to replace the likes of Terry Rozier and Montrezl Harrell was among Louisville coach Rick Pitino’s most pressing concerns. That all changed in October when his program became the subject of a sex scandal investigation – allegedly orchestrated by one of his former staffers – and it is amidst that cloud of controversy that will be weighing on the Cardinals’ minds when they open their season at home on Friday against Samford.
Fairleigh Dickinson at Villanova 7:00 PM ET
Villanova begins the season with a lofty ranking, but there are plenty of question marks for the ninth-ranked Wildcats. Coach Jay Wright is anxious to see how his team opens up the campaign Friday against visiting Fairleigh Dickinson.
Miami (OH) at Xavier 7:00 PM ET
Xavier looks to build on an encouraging 2014-15 season when it kicks off the new campaign at home to Miami (Ohio) on Friday. The Musketeers were the only Big East team to advance past the third round of the NCAA Tournament before eventually falling 68-60 to second-ranked Arizona in the Sweet 16.
Rutgers-Newark at Rutgers 7:00 PM ET
The weight of a 15-game losing streak still hangs over Rutgers from last season heading into Friday's home opener against Division III opponent Rutgers-Newark. The Scarlet Knights hope to wipe the slate clean with a win and avoid matching the program-record for consecutive losses but will have to do so without two of their own.
Texas Rio Grande Valley at Miami-Florida 7:00 PM ET
With four seniors and an experienced junior in its starting lineup, Miami (Fla.) opens its season at home Friday against Texas Rio Grande Valley with expectations of reaching the NCAA Tournament after a two-year absence. The Hurricanes look to build on the momentum and experience gained by their run to the NIT final last spring, which ended with an overtime loss to Stanford.
No.Carolina A&T at Purdue 7:00 PM ET
From the moment highly touted freshman Caleb Swanigan ditched a commitment to Michigan State to come to Purdue, the Boilermakers have been considered a contender for this year's Big Ten title. Now coach Matt Painter's squad gets a chance to start proving the hype is justified when it hosts North Carolina A&T on Friday in the season opener for both teams.
Maine at Connecticut 7:30 PM ET
Kevin Ollie and Connecticut look to vault back into national prominence a season after failing to reach the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies, ranked 24th in the preseason poll, host Maine to open the campaign Friday night.
Sacramento State at Arizona State 7:30 PM ET
Bobby Hurley becomes the latest coach to try and awake the sleeping giant known as Arizona State basketball when the Sun Devils host Sacramento State on Friday in their season opener. The Sun Devils have appeared in the NCAA Tournament just twice and won one game since 2003, rather head-scratching considering the school's sunny location and proximity to recruiting hot spots like Southern California and Texas.
St. Francis (PA) at Notre Dame 7:30 PM ET
Notre Dame made its deepest postseason run in 36 years last March, but the Fighting Irish spent the offseason lamenting their Elite Eight loss to Kentucky. No. 18 Notre Dame begins its path back to the NCAA Tournament when it hosts St. Francis (Pa.) on Friday.
Southern at Arkansas 8:00 PM ET
Arkansas begins its quest for a second straight NCAA Tournament appearance Friday night when it hosts non-conference foe Southern to open the 2015-16 season. Unfortunately for coach Mike Anderson, the Razorbacks will open without their top three scorers from last season, including NBA first-round pick Bobby Portis.
Northern Colorado at Kansas 8:00 PM ET
Kansas coach Bill Self is hoping for bigger and
better results this season by going small. The fifth-ranked Jayhawks, who have
failed to get past the Sweet 16 in the last three NCAA Tournaments, will debut
their new small-ball approach Friday when they tip off the season against
visiting Northern Colorado in Allen Fieldhouse.
San Diego at Southern California 8:00 PM ET
USC will try to start the season on a positive note for the first time since head coach Andy Enfield took over two years ago, and the Trojans should have a sizable advantage Friday night against visiting San Diego. USC returns its top nine scorers from last season, led by juniors Katin Reinhardt and Nikola Jovanovic and sophomore Jordan McLaughlin, while the Toreros will need to move on after the graduation of their leading scorer the last four years, Johnny Dee.
Massachusetts Lowell at Northwestern 8:00 PM ET
This one has all the makings for a Northwestern night as the rising Big Ten power returns all five starters for its season opener against visiting UMass Lowell on Friday. The Wildcats also bring back seven of their top eight scorers from 2014-15, presenting a tough challenge for a River Hawks team picked to finish eighth among nine teams in the America East Conference.
Cornell at Georgia Tech 8:00 PM ET
Georgia Tech coach Brian Gregory hopes an infusion of transfer talent coupled with maturity from his returning players will push the Yellow Jackets higher in the ACC this season, and that may be necessary for him to solidify his job security. The Yellow Jackets host Cornell on Friday in the season opener with plenty of focus on Gregory, who has failed to lead Georgia Tech to either the NCAA or NIT tournaments in his first four seasons.
MD Baltimore Cty at Wake Forest 8:00 PM ET
Wake Forest coach Danny Manning looks for better results in his second season, but the Demon Deacons will have a big hole in their lineup when they begin the 2015-16 campaign at home Friday against UMBC. Leading scorer Codi Miller-McIntyre will miss at least the first two weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a fracture in his left foot, and the senior guard is not the only key returner missing as the new season dawns.
North Florida at Illinois 8:00 PM ET
Illinois opens its season with a "home" game against Atlantic Sun preseason favorite North Florida on Friday night. Although officially listed as a home game for the Fighting Illini, the contest is being played about 85 miles away at the 7,700-seat Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield while renovations at the State Farm Center on campus are being completed in time for a Dec. 2 christening against Notre Dame.
William & Mary at N.C. State 8:00 PM ET
North Carolina State won’t have to wait for a severe test very long as they host experienced William & Mary on Friday in the season opener for both teams. Anthony “Cat” Barber is the lone returnee for N.C. State among last season’s top four point producers while the Tribe has three players back who scored in double figures for a 20-win team that reached the NIT.
Austin Peay at Vanderbilt 8:00 PM ET
Vanderbilt has endured three seasons without an NCAA Tournament appearance, a drought that figures to end if a star-studded roster can play to its potential. The 20th-ranked Commodores and all-SEC center Damian Jones open up a much-anticipated season Friday at home against in-state foe Austin Peay.
Maryland - E. Shore at Kansas St. 8:00 PM ET
Kansas State is starting nearly entirely anew after posting its first losing season in 12 years. The Wildcats, who lost two seniors and six underclassmen – including leading scorer Marcus Foster – from its 15-17 squad of a year ago, tip off the 2015-16 season Friday by hosting Maryland-Eastern Shore of the MEAC as part of the CBE Hall of Fame Classic.
Grambling State at East Carolina 8:00 PM ET
East Carolina opens its 2015-16 season Friday, right where it wants to be - at home and against Grambling State. Eleven of the Pirates’ 14 wins last season came at Williams Arena, while Grambling State has won only once in its last 51 road starts during the last three seasons.
Tenn-Martin at Oklahoma St. 8:00 PM ET
Oklahoma State isn't expected to make much noise in the rugged Big 12 this season, but an exciting dynamic in the backcourt could help the Cowboys become the surprise of the conference. Freshman point guard Jawun Evans, a McDonald's All-American, and senior Phil Forte hope their year together is a memorable one and they'll take the first step when Oklahoma State hosts UT Martin on Friday.
Charleston Southern at Wichita St. 8:00 PM ET
Wichita State endured two straight springs of early exits in the NCAA Tournament and is determined to send seniors Ron Baker, Fred VanVleet and Evan Wessel out with a better showing in 2015-16. Those three went to the Final Four as freshman and will get started on the path to a return trip to the tournament when the 12th-ranked Shockers host Charleston Southern in the season opener on Friday.
Kennesaw St. at Alabama 8:30 PM ET
Avery Johnson is set to make his college coaching debut Friday, when Alabama hosts Kennesaw State. Johnson hasn’t coached since being fired by the Brooklyn Nets in 2012, but the Crimson Tide hope his 440 games (and 254 wins) of NBA coaching experience will help return them to the NCAA Tournament.
Troy at South Florida 8:30 PM ET
With forward Chris Perry back in the fold after a health scare last season, USF is looking to make its mark in the American Athletic Conference, beginning with Friday's season-opening visit from Troy. The Bulls will look for consistent improvement in their second year under coach Orlando Antigua after a 2014-15 campaign that saw them fall in 22 of their final 26 games following a 5-1 start.
Northern Arizona at Washington St. 8:30 PM ET
Not much is expected from Washington State this season but the Cougars
hope to overachieve, beginning with Friday's season opener against
visiting Northern Arizona. Washington State was predicted to finish last
in the Pacific-12 as coach Ernie Kent hopes to make strides in his
second season as coach.
High Point at Texas Tech 9:00 PM ET
To be more competitive overall - but particularly in the Big 12 - has to be the main goal for Texas Tech in coach Tubby Smith's third season, which opens Friday against visiting High Point. Despite enjoying some success in non-conference play during Smith's first two campaigns, the Red Raiders were a dismal 9-27 in conference play and haven't enjoyed a winning record in Big 12 action since 2006-07.
Wofford at Missouri 9:00 PM ET
Returning less than half of a team’s offensive production ordinarily isn’t a recipe for success, but it might turn out to be a positive for Missouri this season. The Tigers hope a revamped roster leads to a big turnaround from last year’s dismal campaign as they begin the season by hosting Wofford on Friday.
Belmont at Marquette 9:00 PM ET
Rarely has a team coming off a 13-19 season generated as much excitement as Marquette has heading into Friday's season opener against visiting Belmont. The arrival of potential one-and-done freshman Henry Ellenson has raised expectations sky high for the Golden Eagles and Steve Wojciechowski, who enters his second season as coach.
Alabama A&M at Tulane 9:00 PM ET
Tulane had a habit in recent years of getting off to strong starts only to slow when conference play hits. The Green Wave will begin the process of building momentum to carry them through the season when they host Alabama A&M in the season opener on Friday.
Green Bay at Stanford 9:00 PM ET
When Stanford hosts Green Bay on Friday in the season opener for both teams, the box score won’t feature many familiar names. Stanford lost starters Anthony Brown, Stefan Nastic and Chasson Randle to graduation, while Green Bay first-year coach Linc Darner is looking to replace top scorers Keifer Sykes and Greg Mays.
McNeese St. at Louisiana State 9:00 PM ET
LSU freshman Ben Simmons has yet to play a collegiate game that counts, but the 6-10, 225-pound forward is already creating quite a buzz as the No. 19 Tigers prepare to host McNeese State on Friday. Simmons on Monday was named to The Associated Press preseason All-America team after averaging 28 points, 11.9 rebounds and four assists at Montverde Academy in Florida last season, and 20 points and nine rebounds during a five-game exhibition tour through his native Australia in August.
UMKC at Minnesota 9:00 PM ET
Richard Pitino begins his third season as Minnesota coach facing a steep hill to climb with an
inexperienced team. Pitino's counterpart at UMKC - Kareem Richardson - also
enters his third year after a season that saw a number of firsts for his program as the teams square off in Minneapolis on Friday.
Western Illinois at Wisconsin 9:00 PM ET
No. 17 Wisconsin begins its quest for a third straight trip to the Final Four with several new faces in prominent roles Friday night when Western Illinois pays a visit. Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig are the only two players back who averaged more than 2.1 points for the Badgers, who knocked off previously unbeaten Kentucky before losing to Duke in the NCAA title game.
Eastern Washington at Mississippi St. 9:00 PM ET
The Ben Howland era gets officially underway in Starkville as Mississippi State hosts Eastern Washington on Friday in the season opener for both teams. The ex-UCLA coach, who led the Bruins to three consecutive Final Fours, returns to coaching after a two-year absence following his termination in 2013 and inherits one of the SEC's worst teams a season ago.
UAB at Auburn 9:30 PM ET
Auburn begins its season with a tough non-conference opponent in UAB, which will visit Auburn Arena on Friday. UAB advanced to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament last season, while Auburn struggled to stay afloat in the SEC while winning 11-of-17 non-conference matchups.
South Carolina Upstate at Texas A&M 9:30 PM ET
It's NCAA tournament or bust as Billy Kennedy begins his fifth season as head coach at Texas A&M on Friday when the Aggies host USC Upstate of the Atlantic Sun Conference. The Aggies, picked third in the SEC's preseason media poll behind Kentucky and Vanderbilt, have yet to taste March Madness since Kennedy took over for Mark Turgeon after the 2011 season and pressure is mounting in College Station for Kennedy to get A&M, which lost in the second round of the NIT last season, back to the Big Dan
Florida at Navy 9:30 PM ET
For the first time in 19 years, Florida opens the season without Billy Donovan as its coach as it visits Navy on Friday. Michael White, 38, who is the son of Duke Athletic Director Kevin White and coached Louisiana Tech to 101 wins in his final four seasons at the school, inherits a Gators team that is coming off its first losing season (16-17) in 16 years.
Pacific at Arizona 9:30 PM ET
Tenth-ranked Arizona has a revamped squad intent on producing another
30-win season and the journey begins with Friday's opener when the
Wildcats host University of the Pacific. Arizona is tied with Kentucky
for most wins (67) over the past two seasons and is aiming to win 30
games in three straight seasons for the first time in school history.
Gardner-Webb at Iowa 9:30 PM ET
Iowa coach Fran McCaffery knew he might have his work cut out for him following the graduation of All-Big Ten selection Aaron White and Sixth Man of the Year Gabriel Olaseni, but he probably didn’t expect to find out for sure until after the start of the regular season. Coming off a rare exhibition loss last week, the Hawkeyes will attempt to win their fifth consecutive season opener Friday when they host Gardner-Webb.
Southeastern Louisiana at Texas Christian 9:30 PM ET
TCU will try to build on last year's success when it opens the new season against visiting Southeastern Louisiana at the University Recreation Center on Friday. The Horned Frogs have two returning starters and lots of new pieces after its most successful Big 12 Conference season.
Stephen F. Austin at Baylor 9:30 PM ET
No. 21 Baylor will be tested early and often this season, starting with a visit from Stephen F. Austin on Friday. The Bears also have three SEC teams, Oregon and New Mexico State on their nonconference schedule.
Jackson State at Oregon 10:00 PM ET
While Oregon appears to have the pieces to make a run at the Pac-12 title, the Ducks will be missing two starters for Friday’s season opener against visiting Jackson State. With forward Jordan Bell and point guard Dylan Ennis both out indefinitely due to foot injuries, the Ducks will rely on their depth during a challenging non-conference schedule.
Texas at Washington 10:00 PM ET
Texas will debut its new style of play - instituted by new coach Shaka Smart - in China against Washington on Friday. It will be the first regular-season game by any American sports league in China - at Shanghai's Mercedes-Benz Arena - and is part of the Pac-12 Conference's efforts to spread its brand overseas.
Southern Utah at Utah 10:30 PM ET
Utah hopes to ride sophomore center Jakob Poeltl to another stellar
season and the No. 16 Utes get started on that quest when they host
Southern Utah in Friday's season-opening contest. The 7-footer decided
against declaring for the NBA Draft following last season and is
projected to be a lottery pick should he apply for the draft after this
season.
Monmouth-NJ at UCLA 11:00 PM ET
Steve Alford will officially begin his third season as coach at UCLA when the Bruins host Monmouth on Friday night - and expectations will be sky high for he and his son, Bryce Alford, the team's second-leading scorer last season (15.4). Bryce Alford's ability to lead the Bruins as the team's primary point guard is the biggest question mark - followed by how long of a leash Steve Alford will afford his son, especially with talented freshman Aaron Holiday waiting in the wings.
Rice at California 11:30 PM ET
Few programs have received the preseason hype that’s been accorded to 14th-ranked California, which has all the pieces in place to make a deep NCAA Tournament run. The Golden Bears begin their highly anticipated campaign Friday against visiting Rice, which was picked to finish seventh in the Conference USA preseason poll.
For more information,
© Sports Direct Inc. All Rights Reserved