Preview Roundups
December 18, 2016
Penn St. at St. John's 11:00 AM ET
Having suffered major disappointment in one major sports arena already this month, St. John's hopes to bounce back in the sports mecca of New York City as it faces Penn State on Sunday afternoon in the 50th annual MSG Holiday Festival. The Red Storm head to Madison Square Garden on the heels of last weekend's 74-73 loss to LIU Brooklyn at Barclays Center, and look to return to form with their Big East opener against No. 18 Butler looming at the end of the month.
Miami (OH) at Central Florida 12:00 PM ET
UCF will attempt to rediscover its offense when it hosts Miami (Ohio) on Sunday. The Knights, playing without starting point guard and leading scorer B.J. Taylor (broken right thumb), have shot just 36.1 percent from the field and averaged only 54 points in losing to Pennsylvania and George Washington after opening the season by winning seven of their first eight games.
Mercer at Auburn 1:00 PM ET
If Auburn shoots like it did its last time out, Sunday is going to be an awfully long day for Mercer. The Tigers look to follow up their sizzling shooting display with a win over the visiting Bears when the teams match up for a weekend matinee.
Fordham at Rutgers 1:00 PM ET
Rutgers is off to its best start in more than 40 years, but it is about to get tested on college basketball's biggest stage. The Scarlet Knights head to Madison Square Garden on Sunday for a matchup against Fordham as part of the MSG Holiday Festival.
North Florida at Connecticut 1:00 PM ET
Connecticut looks to get back to the .500 mark when it hosts North Florida on Sunday. The Huskies have been idle since losing a narrow battle at Ohio State on Dec. 10.
Sacred Heart at Boston College 1:00 PM ET
Boston College finally has the kind of win it can build upon, and the youthful Eagles will try to carry their momentum into a matchup with visiting Sacred Heart on Sunday. After suffering perhaps their worst loss since Jim Christian took over as coach in 2014 - a setback at home against Hartford - the Eagles pulled off a dramatic 72-71 win over Auburn at Madison Square Garden on Monday.
Alcorn St. at Georgia Tech 2:00 PM ET
Georgia Tech opens a five-game homestand Sunday against Alcorn State, a stretch that will include games with a bitter rival and the ACC opener against one of the nation’s best squads. The Yellow Jackets may be a bit rusty after not playing since Dec. 7, but that 76-73 overtime victory at VCU gave Josh Pastner’s squad a huge momentum lift heading into final exams.
Fairfield at N.C. State 2:00 PM ET
North Carolina State has everyone back in the fold with three more games to prepare for ACC play, starting with a visit from Fairfield on Sunday afternoon. Omer Yurtseven, a 7-0 center from Turkey, recorded 12 points in his season debut and two other players who missed several games earlier in the season scored in double figures during a 97-64 win over Appalachian State on Thursday.
Gardner-Webb at Nebraska 2:00 PM ET
Despite the fact Nebraska has played multiple top 10 teams during its non-conference schedule for the first time in school history, coach Tim Miles may have seen enough in regards to his struggling offense. The Cornhuskers attempt to climb back over .500 and avoid a sixth loss in their last seven contests Sunday when they host Gardner-Webb.
Gonzaga at Tennessee 4:00 PM ET
Gonzaga aims to extend its best start since joining the NCAA when the eighth-ranked and undefeated Bulldogs travel to Nashville on Sunday to face Tennessee in the Battle on Broadway. Gonzaga has won the past three meetings with the Volunteers, including an 86-79 win last season in Seattle.
Clemson at Alabama 4:00 PM ET
Clemson closed out a perfect homestand with flair, winning its final three games by a combined 113 points - but things are about to get a whole lot tougher beginning Sunday afternoon with a trip to Alabama as part of the Vulcan Classic in Birmingham. The Crimson Tide have one of the best defenses in the nation, and it was on full display in a 78-61 win over South Carolina Upstate on Tuesday.
John Brown at Baylor 4:30 PM ET
Off to its fourth 10-0 start in school history, No. 5 Baylor figures to remain perfect Sunday against visiting John Brown, an NAIA squad taking a giant step up in competition. The Bears have two non-conference games remaining before opening Big 12 play Dec. 30 against Oklahoma in Norman.
Portland at Oregon St. 6:00 PM ET
Tres Tinkle can’t return soon enough for struggling Oregon State, which looks to end a four-game losing streak Sunday against Portland at the Moda Center. The injury-plagued Beavers have lost their last three games by four points or less without Tinkle, who will miss his sixth straight contest with a broken right wrist but hopes to be cleared in 2-3 weeks.
Texas Southern at Texas Christian 6:00 PM ET
After an eight-day break for final exams, TCU returns to action Sunday against visiting Texas Southern aiming to build on one of the best starts in school history. The Horned Frogs were picked to finish last in the Big 12 preseason poll but are off to a promising 9-1 start under first-year coach Jamie Dixon.
Northeastern at Michigan St 7:00 PM ET
Michigan State looks to continue its current three-game winning streak when it hosts Northeastern in a non-conference contest Sunday night. The Spartans are playing their fourth straight home game after a rough first couple of weeks of the season that saw them play ranked opponents across the country.
Western Michigan at Washington 8:00 PM ET
Washington will need to improve its effort on the defensive end of the floor if the Huskies hope to end a four-game losing streak Sunday against visiting Western Michigan. Washington is allowing an average of 82.6 points a game, which ranked 331st in the nation out of 351 teams at the start of the week, and eight of nine opponents have scored at least 86 against the Huskies this season.
For more information,
© Sports Direct Inc. All Rights Reserved