Preview Roundups
December 17, 2016
Texas A&M at Arizona 12:00 PM ET
Texas A&M and Arizona bring three-game winning streaks into their showdown Saturday in the Lone Star Shootout in Houston. The Aggies and the 19th-ranked Wildcats both could use an impressive win over a quality non-conference opponent to add to their resume before starting conference play.
Wagner at Providence 12:00 PM ET
Providence will look to stay perfect at home when it hosts Wagner on Saturday in a non-conference clash. The Friars have won four in a row - all at home - and are 7-0 at the Dunkin' Donuts Center after picking up a 75-69 win over Massachusetts last weekend.
Georgetown at Syracuse 12:00 PM ET
One of college basketball’s great rivalries resumes Saturday with a fitting tribute when Georgetown travels to face Syracuse. The Orange honor one of the players who helped make the feud an iconic clash as the game will be played on “Pearl Washington Day.”
Eastern Kentucky at Louisville 12:00 PM ET
Louisville has established itself as the best defensive team in Division I just over a month into the season, but rebounding figures to be a central focus in its last tune-up before embarking on a brutal four-game stretch next week. The 11th-ranked Cardinals eye their fifth straight victory and 53rd win over their last 54 home games Saturday when they host Eastern Kentucky.
Memphis at Oklahoma 12:30 PM ET
It's been 11 years since the last time CBS nationally televised an Oklahoma basketball game at the Lloyd Noble Center. That streak comes to an end on Saturday afternoon when the Sooners welcome Memphis for a non-conference contest.
Texas Tech at Richmond 12:30 PM ET
Texas Tech looks to keep its momentum going when it plays its first true road contest of the season, at Richmond on Saturday afternoon. The Red Raiders are 9-1 after an easy win over Nicholls State on Wednesday, while the Spiders have had a week off since snapping a two-game losing streak with a narrow victory over UMBC.
Charleston Southern at Georgia 1:00 PM ET
Georgia gets one more home tune-up on Saturday against Charleston Southern before hitting the road for a couple of tough tests before SEC play begins. The Bulldogs, who improved to 5-1 at home with Wednesday’s 73-60 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette, travel to face in-state rival Georgia Tech on Tuesday and plays Friday at Oakland before the conference opener Dec. 29 at Auburn.
South Carolina at South Florida 1:00 PM ET
No. 15 South Carolina will try to bounce back from its first loss of the season when it visits South Florida on Saturday in a non-conference affair. Playing its second game without leading scorer and rebounder Sindarius Thornwell - who has been suspended indefinitely - the Gamecocks dropped a 67-64 decision to Seton Hall on Monday at Madison Square Garden.
The Citadel at Virginia Tech 1:00 PM ET
Returning from a week off to focus on exams, Virginia Tech seeks a fifth straight win when The Citadel visits Saturday. The Hokies, whose lone loss was by three points to Texas A&M, beat Ole Miss on Sunday to add to the list of quality wins this season that already includes New Mexico, Nebraska and Michigan.
Manhattan at Florida St. 1:30 PM ET
No. 23 Florida State plays its first game since reaching the Top 25 when it takes on Manhattan in the first game of the Orange Bowl Classic on Saturday in Sunrise, Fla. The high-scoring Seminoles, coming off an 83-78 victory against then-No. 21 Florida, are 10-1 for the first time since the 2008-09 season and will be seeking their seventh consecutive victory.
New Jersey Tech at Temple 2:00 PM ET
Temple found out this week that it's not ready to hang with the big boys, but the Owls still have a couple of chances to regain their swagger prior to conference play. New Jersey Tech pays a visit to Temple on Saturday, when the Owls' No. 1 goal might be to get leading scorer Obi Enechionyia back on track.
Purdue at Notre Dame 2:00 PM ET
When Notre Dame takes on Purdue at the Crossroads Classic in Indianapolis on Saturday, both teams will be hitting the court for the first time in a week. The 21st-ranked Fighting Irish are aiming to bounce back from a loss to No. 1 Villanova, while the 16th-ranked Boilermakers have waited a week to attempt to extend their winning streak to four games.
Chicago St. at DePaul 2:00 PM ET
Two months into the season and Dave Leitao is still waiting for DePaul to put two halves of basketball together, something he hopes will finally happen Saturday against visiting Chicago State in the Las Vegas Classic. After starting poorly and playing well in the second half for most of the season, the Blue Demons did the opposite Wednesday in falling to city rival Illinois-Chicago.
UMKC at West Virginia 2:00 PM ET
Since ending No. 12 Virginia's 24-game home winning streak with a 66-57 victory Dec. 3, the toughest tests 13th-ranked West Virginia endured came in the classroom with two triumphs on the court coming by a combined 88 points. The Mountaineers look for their fifth straight victory and hope to present coach Bob Huggins with his 800th career coaching win when they host Missouri-Kansas City on Saturday, but the 63-year-old isn't about to get caught up in the milestone.
Fort Hays State at Colorado 2:00 PM ET
Coming off a 79-71 loss at BYU and a subsequent
week off for final exams, Colorado returns to the court Saturday with a home
game against Division II Fort Hays (Kan.) State. The contest is the first of
three to close out the Buffaloes’ nonconference schedule leading into the Jan.
1 Pac-12 opener at Utah.
Arkansas at Texas 2:30 PM ET
Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson challenged his team to use a five-game homestand against non-conference lightweights to build momentum and confidence entering the 154th edition of its storied rivalry with Texas. The Razorbacks achieved that - and then some - as they prepare to face the Longhorns on Saturday afternoon at the Ford Center in Houston.
Fairleigh Dickinson at Cincinnati 2:30 PM ET
Cincinnati looks for a second straight strong effort from its bench when the No. 23 Bearcats host Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday. Reserves scored 51 points as Cincinnati bounced back from a loss at No. 18 Butler with its most lopsided victory of the season Tuesday against Texas Southern.
Maryland - E. Shore at Michigan 3:00 PM ET
Michigan looks to build on its record-breaking performance when it hosts Maryland-Eastern Shore on Saturday. The Wolverines set a program record by sinking 19 3-pointers in the 97-53 win against Central Arkansas to eclipse the previous mark of 17 triples made against Bryant in 2015, and improved to 52-2 when scoring 80 or more points under John Beilein.
Ohio St. at UCLA 3:00 PM ET
UCLA will take its show on the road when the No. 2 Bruins travel to Las Vegas to take on Ohio State on Saturday afternoon in the CBS Sports Classic at the T-Mobile Arena. UCLA is second in the nation in scoring at 97.9 points a game and scored more than 100 points for the fifth time this season in a 102-62 victory Wednesday night against visiting UC Santa Barbara.
Kansas St. at Colorado St. 3:00 PM ET
Kansas State hasn’t played the toughest of schedules
so far in its 9-1 start, but the Wildcats will take a slight step up Saturday
when they head west to face 8-2 Colorado State. The contest is marked as a home
game for the Rams, but it will be played at the Pepsi Center in Denver.
Eastern Illinois at Missouri 3:30 PM ET
Missouri’s six-game homestand hasn’t gone exactly as planned, but the Tigers hope to finish it on a high note when they host Eastern Illinois on Saturday. The Tigers are 3-2 on the long stand with losses to North Carolina Central and No. 19 Arizona.
Santa Clara at Washington St. 4:00 PM ET
Washington State looks to get back on the winning track when its hosts Santa Clara in a non-conference contest on Saturday afternoon. The Cougars have had a week off since an ugly road loss to Kansas State, while the Broncos come in having won two straight, though they’ve yet to win on the road.
Charlotte at Florida 4:00 PM ET
Florida's standing in the Top 25 might have withstood a loss to No. 5 Duke on Dec. 6 - but it didn't survive a narrow defeat at rival Florida State to end the week. The Gators return to the court for just the second time in an 11-game span looking to regain their spot in the national rankings as they face Charlotte on Sunday afternoon as part of the MetroPCS Orange Bowl Classic in Sunrise, Fla.
Robert Morris at Virginia 4:30 PM ET
Virginia is well-rested and refreshed after an 11-day break for final exams and the No. 12 Cavaliers hope to display that when they host Robert Morris on Saturday. Virginia hasn't played since registering a 23-point victory over East Carolina on Dec. 6 and doesn't figure to receive much of a test from the Colonials during the nonconference matchup.
Iowa at Northern Iowa 4:30 PM ET
Iowa looks to build on its biggest win of the season when it battles Northern Iowa as part of the fifth annual Hy-Vee Classic in Des Moines on Saturday. The Hawkeyes, who had lost four of their previous five games, stunned No. 25 Iowa State 78-64 to claim the basketball version of the Cy-Hawk series and hope the victory serves as a catalyst for turning their season around.
Butler at Indiana 5:00 PM ET
Ninth-ranked Indiana is expected to be back to full strength when it takes on No. 19 Butler on Saturday in the Crossroads Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Forward OG Anunoby - averaging 12.5 points, six rebounds and 1.5 blocks - is slated to return to the lineup after missing the last three contests for the Hoosiers, who go after their sixth straight win.
North Carolina at Kentucky 5:45 PM ET
Two of the most storied college basketball programs who are also on the short list of favorites to win the 2017 NCAA Tournament meet Saturday when No. 6 North Carolina and No. 7 Kentucky tangle in Las Vegas. North Carolina junior Joel Berry II (14.8 points, 4.7 assists) could return to the lineup after missing the last two games with an ankle injury, setting up a showdown between elite point guards with Kentucky freshman De'Aaron Fox (15.1 points, 6.9 assists).
Texas Southern at Louisiana State 6:00 PM ET
Still trying to shake off some rust from a long break for finals, LSU hosts Texas Southern on Saturday in a non-conference tilt. The Tigers barely escaped with a four-point victory over North Carolina Central on Tuesday after going two weeks between games.
Prairie View A&M at Utah 6:00 PM ET
Utah returns to its typically soft non-conference schedule when it hosts Prairie View A&M on Saturday after falling to 0-2 against the only opponents on the slate that would be considered a challenge. The Utes lost at No. 17 Xavier 77-69 on Dec. 10 and with a 68-59 setback to No. 18 Butler on Nov. 28, they failed to capitalize on their limited chances to impress the NCAA Tournament committee with a quality win before launching into their Pac-12 season.
Delaware at Seton Hall 6:00 PM ET
Seton Hall has proven this season that it can win with offense and, of late, has shown that it can win with defense too. The Pirates seek their fifth straight win Saturday when they host Delaware in non-league action.
Jackson State at Baylor 6:00 PM ET
No. 5 Baylor already has several impressive wins over top-tier competition and is now barreling through the soft portion of its schedule. The Bears look to stay perfect when they host Jackson State on Saturday inside Abrams Gym at the nearby Fort Hood Army base in Killeen, Texas.
Rice at Pittsburgh 7:00 PM ET
Despite its respectable 8-2 record, Pittsburgh has had trouble putting opponents away in the second half. The Panthers will look for a more well-rounded performance after being outscored in the second half in five consecutive games when Rice pays a visit to the Petersen Events Center on Saturday.
Kansas at Davidson 7:00 PM ET
Kansas hasn't really been pushed all that much against a bevy of unranked teams since opening the season splitting a pair of close games against top-10 foes, but its next opponent may be able to change that if their short history against each other is any indication. The third-ranked Jayhawks will meet Davidson on Saturday at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo. after their first two meetings produced a pair of memorable finishes.
Drake at Iowa St. 7:00 PM ET
In the midst of a slump that has seen it drop three of four games and fall out of the top-25 rankings, Iowa State will face in-state rival Drake on Saturday night in the Hy-Vee Classic in Des Moines. It's one of two final non-conference games for the Cyclones before the Christmas break with Big 12 Conference play starting when they return on Dec. 30 against Texas Tech.
Oklahoma St. at Wichita St. 7:00 PM ET
Wichita State has been on the verge of joining the top 25 all season, and Saturday the Shockers can boost their cause if they can find a way to slow visiting Oklahoma State, one of the highest-scoring teams in the nation. The Cowboys enter this game averaging 93.5 points a game, fourth-most in Division I, and featuring one of the top sophomore guards in the nation in Jawun Evans, who has elevated his game in a big way, averaging 21.6 points after putting up 12.9 last season.
Dayton at Northwestern 7:00 PM ET
The United Center will be the setting for a matchup of two of the nation's top unranked teams when Northwestern and Dayton do battle Saturday as part of the inaugural Chicago Legends. The Wildcats matched the Flyers with a fifth straight victory Wednesday against Chicago State although the game was far closer than coach Chris Collins would have wanted.
Wake Forest at Xavier 8:00 PM ET
The battle on the boards will be center stage when Wake Forest visits 17th-ranked Xavier on Saturday night in a non-conference matchup. Wake Forest is led by 6-10 sophomore John Collins, who is averaging a double-double, and the Demon Deacons own a plus-5.1 rebounding margin while Xavier has outrebounded all 10 of its opponents and boasts a plus-9.5 margin.
Texas Rio Grande Valley at Houston 8:00 PM ET
Rob Gray Jr. poured in 30 points as Houston edged Rhode Island for its first signature win of the season last time out. The Cougars, who are averaging 83.3 points a game, look to make it two straight wins when they host Texas Rio Grande Valley on Saturday.
Cal Poly SLO at California 8:00 PM ET
California preseason All-American Ivan Rabb remains the Bears’ unquestioned star, but freshman point guard Charlie Moore is quickly drawing national attention of his own. Moore looks to continue his hot start on Saturday as the Bears face visiting Cal Poly, which opened its six-game road trip with a 73-59 loss to Fresno State last Saturday.
New Mexico St. at Arizona State 8:00 PM ET
Arizona State has zig-zagged across North America three times (Orlando, Bahamas and New York City) this season and is coming off a solid road victory at defending Mountain West regular-season champ San Diego State last Saturday. The Sun Devils look to settle in at home for three straight games starting with New Mexico State on Saturday night.
Texas State at Tulsa 8:00 PM ET
Tulsa looks to rebound from a disheartening loss at the hands of in-state rival Oklahoma State when it hosts Texas State on Saturday. Coach Frank Haith was miffed after the Golden Hurricane turned the ball over 18 times and watched the Cowboys manhandle his team on the boards in an 81-77 victory despite playing without their best player, Jawun Evans.
Oral Roberts at Creighton 8:00 PM ET
In case some thought preseason All-Big East first-teamer Maurice Watson Jr. was merely a facilitator in Creighton's high-powered offense through the first month of the season, his last two games should disprove that notion. The senior guard and his tenth-ranked Bluejays look to continue their best start since 2003-04 on Saturday when they host Oral Roberts.
Chattanooga at Vanderbilt 8:30 PM ET
Vanderbilt hopes to find consistency following a lopsided loss and a nine-day break when it hosts Chattanooga on Saturday. The Commodores have struggled under first-year coach Bryce Drew, losing two of their past three games – including a 71-48 blowout loss Dec. 8 at Middle Tennessee State during which Vanderbilt endured a scoreless streak of more than eight minutes.
Brigham Young at Illinois 9:30 PM ET
Illinois looks to stay on the winning track when it takes on BYU as part of the Chicago Legends doubleheader at the United Center on Saturday. The Fighting Illini have rattled off four consecutive victories, including an impressive 92-73 rout of Central Michigan on Dec. 10, to improve to 8-3 for the second time in the last two seasons.
Troy at Southern California 10:30 PM ET
USC will make its first appearance as a ranked team this season when the No. 25 Trojans host Troy in a nonconference game Saturday night. USC is 9-0 for the first time since winning its first 16 games to start the 1970-71 season, but the Trojans have been slow to attract the attention of voters because they've yet to face a ranked team.
UNLV at Oregon 11:00 PM ET
Oregon is ranked 22nd in the nation and has won seven games in a row. But the Ducks, projected as a potential Final Four team before the season, have hardly been the dominating team many expected, and head coach Dana Altman is threatening to shake up his starting lineup going into Saturday night's non-conference game with rebuilding UNLV in Portland.
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