Preview Roundups
November 28, 2014
Tennessee at Kansas 12:00 PM ET
With two dominant performances since its most lopsided loss in nearly 14 years, No. 12 Kansas appears to be moving on last week’s setback against top-ranked Kentucky. The Jayhawks look to make their eighth run to a regular-season title game in the last nine years on Friday when they face Tennessee in the semifinals of the Orlando Classic. Kansas shot 19.6 percent in a 72-40 setback at the State Farm Champions Classic against the Wildcats – its worst offensive output since 1982.
New Orleans at Texas A&M 1:00 PM ET
Texas A&M had a successful showing in San Juan at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off and will try to bring that momentum stateside when it opens a three-game homestand by hosting New Orleans on Friday. The Aggies dropped their opener in Puerto Rico to Dayton but knocked off College of Charleston and New Mexico over the following three days. Texas A&M got a boost in the win over New Mexico when three players made their first appearances of the season.
Butler at Georgetown 2:00 PM ET
Butler and Georgetown get an early taste of Big East play when they meet in the Battle 4 Atlantis third-place game Friday at Paradise Island, Bahamas. The two teams are scheduled for a pair of conference games later in the season, but after dropping semifinal contests they battle to leave the tournament with a winning record. Butler shot poorly in a 59-46 loss to Oklahoma while the Hoyas let a nine-point lead slip away in the 68-65 defeat against No. 3 Wisconsin on Thursday.
Texas-El Paso at Xavier 3:30 PM ET
Xavier has outscored its first five opponents by an average of 22.4 points, but the Musketeers figure to be tested Friday by UTEP in the second round of the Wooden Legacy in Fullerton, Calif. The Miners remained unbeaten Thursday as forward Vince Hunter continued his torrid start with 18 points and 12 rebounds in a 62-56 win over Princeton. Hunter, a 6-8 sophomore, became the first UTEP player to open the season with three double-doubles since Nevil Shed in 1966.
Penn St. at Bucknell 4:00 PM ET
Penn State makes a rare visit to in-state foe Bucknell on Friday, the Nittany Lions' first trip to Lewisburg since 1976. Penn State has won three straight — by a total of nine points — and is looking to start 6-1 for the second straight year. The Bison took down the Nittany Lions 90-80 last year in State College, snapping a 12-game losing streak in the series dating to Penn State's last trip to Lewisburg.
Yale at Providence 4:00 PM ET
LaDontae Henton and streaking Providence will try to avoid looking ahead when they host Yale on Friday. The 25th-ranked Friars, who rode Henton's career-high 38 points and last-second shot deflection to a 75-74 win over Notre Dame in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic on Sunday, will next visit top-ranked Kentucky. Providence, ranked in a national poll for the first time since the end of the 2004 season, has won 38 straight home games against non-conference opponents.
James Madison at Ohio St. 4:00 PM ET
Ohio State is blowing through mid-major competition with the most efficient offense in the country led by freshman D’Angelo Russell. The 17th-ranked Buckeyes try to stay undefeated when they host James Madison as part of the Buckeye Classic on Friday. Ohio State has won its last two games by an average of 42.5 points and is shooting 60.8 percent from the field as a team.
Minnesota at Georgia 4:30 PM ET
After a sloppy performance in the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-Off on Wednesday, Minnesota hopes to clean things up by Friday when it takes on Georgia in the consolation game at Madison Square Garden. The Golden Gophers scored only two points in the final 6 1/2 minutes of their 70-61 loss to St. John's on Wednesday, but their biggest issues were poor ball movement and sloppy play throughout.
Oklahoma at Wisconsin 4:30 PM ET
Third-ranked Wisconsin survived its first big challenge and things shouldn’t get any easier when the Badgers meet Oklahoma in the Battle 4 Atlantis Championship game Friday at Paradise Island, Bahamas. Wisconsin rallied from nine points down to edge Georgetown 68-65 on Thursday without a strong effort from All-American Frank Kaminsky, who went 1-of-8 from the field. Oklahoma will test the Badgers’ offense after holding its first two opponents in the tournament to 31.3 percent shooting combined.
Middle Tennessee St. at Cincinnati 6:00 PM ET
Cincinnati has proven it can win at Fifth Third Arena, posting a 4-0 mark thus far and winning each contest by at least eight points. But it’s now time for a road test – or at least one on a neutral court in Niceville, Fla. – as the Bearcats face Middle Tennessee on Friday in the Emerald Coast Classic semifinals. Unbeaten Creighton and 3-1 Mississippi square off afterward in the second semifinal.
Charleston Southern at Florida St. 6:00 PM ET
Florida State freshman Xavier Rathan-Mayes will look for his third consecutive strong performance when the Seminoles host Charleston Southern on Friday. The 6-4 guard scored a career-best 26 points in Tuesday’s 66-55 victory over The Citadel and has 48 points over the last two games. “In Xavier’s case, I think that it’s just a matter of time,” Seminoles coach Leonard Hamilton told reporters. “I don’t expect him – I would love to – but I don’t expect that to happen every night.”
Rice at Washington St. 6:00 PM ET
Washington State looks to rebound from one of the worst shooting displays in school history when it takes on Rice in the consolation bracket of the Great Alaska Shootout on Friday. The Cougars made three first-half baskets while shooting 9.1 percent from the field in a 71-43 loss to UC Santa Barbara on Thursday. The Owls rallied to send their game into overtime but came up short 77-71 to Mercer.
Rider at Georgia Tech 6:30 PM ET
Georgia Tech followed its recipe for success in its first-round game at the Orlando Classic, but one unforgettable performance made it all moot. Coming off a two-point setback and their first loss of the season, the Yellow Jackets look to rebound in Friday’s consolation game against Rider. Georgia Tech fell victim to Matt Carlino’s tournament-record 38-point performance in Thursday’s opening-round contest and a late rally fell short in a 72-70 setback against Marquette.
Monmouth-NJ at Maryland 7:00 PM ET
Maryland already has the CBE Hall of Fame Classic title, but it will host Monmouth on Friday night to finish off the tournament's schedule. The meeting — the fourth between the Terrapins and the Hawks — is the only game from the on-campus round that didn't get played before the championship round in Kansas City, Mo., earlier this week. The Terrapins gained some national attention winning there, beating Arizona State and No. 13 Iowa State to take the title.
Boise St. at N.C. State 7:00 PM ET
North Carolina State attempts to continue its perfect start when it hosts Boise State on Friday. The Wolfpack defeated Richmond 84-72 on Wednesday behind a career-high 26 points from guard Trevor Lacey to match its best start since 2009-10, while Boise State’s lone loss came at Wisconsin when it was routed 78-54. “My jump shot was just going in so I kept shooting it,” Lacey told reporters.”I was just trying to stay aggressive and take advantage of the opportunities I had.”
Holy Cross at Syracuse 7:00 PM ET
Syracuse looks to extend its non-conference home winning streak to 55 games when it welcomes Holy Cross to the Carrier Dome on Friday. The Orange have bounced back from their 73-59 loss to California in the semifinals of the 2K Classic with two straight victories, including a 70-37 win over Loyola Maryland in which they held the Greyhounds to just 19.2 percent shooting. Syracuse hasn't lost a non-conference home game since Dec. 15, 2008.
High Point at Clemson 7:00 PM ET
Playing three games in four days in the Virgin Islands taught Clemson a lot about itself and its potential. The Tigers, fresh off back-to-back victories following a difficult upset loss in the Paradise Jam, host High Point on Friday to kick off a four-game homestand that includes matchups with Rutgers, Arkansas and Auburn. Clemson lost to Gardner-Webb in the tournament opener but rebounded to knock off Nevada and LSU, getting 14.3 points per game and strong defense from Demarcus Harrison.
Delaware State at Wake Forest 7:00 PM ET
Balance is critical to the success of most NCAA basketball teams - and to that end, Wake Forest is on the right track. The Demon Deacons look for another balanced effort Friday night as they host Delaware State in the fourth of a five-game homestand. Wake Forest had 11 players score five or more points in Wednesday's 83-49 drubbing of Mount St. Mary's, and should expect a similar outcome against a Hornets team coming off a 126-76 loss to Iona.
South Alabama at Miami-Florida 7:00 PM ET
Looking to continue its early season momentum, No. 20 Miami (Fl.) kicks off a five-game homestand when it hosts South Alabama on Friday. After squeaking past Charlotte to win the Charleston Classic championship on Sunday, the Hurricanes are seeking their first 7-0 start since the 2009-10 season and coach Jim Larranaga is confident in his group. "This team is very, very skilled," he told reporters. "They showed that in this tournament."
Texas Christian at Bradley 7:00 PM ET
While a lot of focus around the TCU campus may be on the nationally-ranked football team, the Horned Frogs on the hardcourt are putting together the wins as well, going 5-0 heading into Friday's Corpus Christi Coastal Classic matchup with Bradley. Granted, TCU hasn't played on the road yet, so taking on the Braves on a neutral floor is something new for the Horned Frogs. Bradley also is leaving home for the first time this season, looking for its third straight win after starting 0-2.
Vanderbilt at Rutgers 7:00 PM ET
Vanderbilt will get its first taste of the road when it meets Rutgers on Friday at the Barclay's Center Classic in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Commodores took advantage of their home court to post four solid - if not spectacular - victories and now must brace for a new challenge, which also will include a second game at the Barclay's Center against either La Salle or No. 7 Virginia.
St. John's at Gonzaga 7:00 PM ET
Kyle Wiltjer and No. 8 Gonzaga are red hot - and they're not showing any signs of slowing down. Fresh off a career-high 32 points from Wiltjer and another convincing win by one of the nation's deepest teams, the Bulldogs take aim at St. John's on Friday in the title game of the NIT Season Tip-Off at Madison Square Garden. Gonzaga topped Georgia by 12 points Wednesday thanks to an 88-point effort that was actually the team's second-lowest scoring performance of the season.
Tenn-Martin at Nebraska 8:00 PM ET
Shavon Shields and Terran Petteway combine to give Nebraska one of the more potent scoring duos in the country, and the Cornhuskers’ juniors aim to continue their strong early-season efforts Friday when Nebraska hosts Tennessee Martin. Shields (23.5 points) and Petteway (20.8) both rank in the top 50 in the nation in scoring and have each led the Cornhuskers in scoring twice. Nebraska rebounded from an overtime loss Saturday at Rhode Island to down Omaha 80-67 on Tuesday.
Southeastern Louisiana at Tulane 8:00 PM ET
Tulane guard Louis Dabney took a big leap last season after averaging just 6.5 minutes as a freshman, and he’ll look to take it to another level when the Green Wave host Southeastern Louisiana on Friday. Dabney, who averaged a team-high 15.2 points last season, is coming off his least productive game this fall, totaling a season-low eight points with a season-high eight turnovers in a 15-point win against Southern. He combined for 12 assists, 11 steals and seven turnovers in the three previous g
North Carolina at Florida 8:00 PM ET
A North Carolina-Florida meeting in the championship game of the Battle 4 Atlantis would not have seemed far-fetched two days ago but instead, two of the country’s preeminent programs will battle it out for fifth place in Paradise Island, Bahamas, on Friday. Tar Heels coach Roy Williams decided to shake things up after losing to Butler on Wednesday by putting Joel James, Isaiah Hicks and Nate Britt in the starting lineup, and the result was an overwhelming 78-56 romp over UCLA.
Memphis at Indiana St. 8:00 PM ET
Memphis meets Indiana State on Friday in the Las Vegas Invitational consolation game and must quickly forget how it got there. The Tigers led Baylor by three at halftime in Thursday's semifinals and seemed in good shape before they shot 4-of-21 from the field and were outrebounded 29-12 in the second half. Memphis junior Shaq Goodwin, an all-American Athletic Conference preseason first team pick, scored two points on 1-of-6 shooting while coming off the bench for the second consecutive game.
Creighton at Mississippi 8:30 PM ET
Creighton no longer is the one-man band that was led by Doug McDermott last season, as it has had a different leading scorer in each of its five games. It’s a new modus operandi that’s working for the Bluejays, who are taking an unblemished record to Niceville, Fla. for Friday’s Emerald Coast Classic semifinal against Ole Miss. “Some may look at it as a weakness that we don’t have that go-to guy, but I look at it as a strength,” Creighton coach Greg McDermott said Tuesday.
North Texas at Arkansas 9:00 PM ET
Arkansas prides itself on facilitating the "fastest 40 minutes in basketball." So far, that tactic has worked to perfection as the Razorbacks look to extend their season-opening winning streak to five games Friday against visiting North Texas. Armed with one of the most athletic and deep teams in the Southeastern Conference, the Razorbacks are piling on the points - but they could face a challenge from a Mean Green team that has won four of its first five games.
NC-Greensboro at Indiana 9:00 PM ET
Indiana will try to shake off one of its toughest losses in recent years when it hosts UNC Greensboro on Friday. The Hoosiers were derailed 88-86 by Eastern Washington on Monday, ending their 43-game non-conference home winning streak - the third-longest active run in the nation. Indiana’s lack of size was exposed, as it was outscored 48-38 in the paint and 20-16 on second-chance points.
Michigan St at Marquette 9:00 PM ET
Since suffering its lone loss to Duke last week, No. 19 Michigan State has wasted little time in taking out its frustration on its next three foes. The Spartans, who face Marquette on Friday in the semifinals of the Orlando Classic, have raced out to a halftime leads of 24 points against Loyola Chicago, 26 versus Santa Clara and 21 in Thursday’s 77-45 quarterfinal victory over Rider. Michigan State has yielded no more than 14 first-half points to any opponent since allowing 40 to the Blue Devils
Virginia at La Salle 9:30 PM ET
No. 7 Virginia may be unbeaten, but the meat of its non-conference schedule is still to come, beginning Friday against La Salle in the first of two games at the Barclay's Center Classic in Brooklyn, N.Y. Though impressive, the Cavaliers have yet to play the likes of Maryland, VCU or Harvard - three opponents they will face in the month of December.
Mississippi St. at Saint Louis 9:30 PM ET
Heading into their Corpus Christi Coastal Challenge matchup Friday, both Saint Louis and Mississippi State have been playing well in the early part of the season, combining for a 7-1 mark. The Billikens have the lone loss between the two teams, to host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi last weekend. The winner of this contest will play the winner between TCU and Bradley on Saturday, with the losers of both games facing off as well.
North Dakota at Utah 10:00 PM ET
Utah can expect a bigger test on Friday when it hosts North Dakota in the second round of the Utah Thanksgiving Tournament. The Utes hammered overmatched Texas-Pan American 85-48 in the first round of the round-robin tourney. Delon Wright and Jordan Loveridge hardly broke a sweat, combining for 23 points in limited action in the opener.
UCLA at UAB 10:30 PM ET
UCLA coach Steve Alford's message for his team is patience and that will continue to be the missive as the Bruins prepare for UAB in their final game of the Battle 4 Atlantis in Paradise Island, Bahamas, on Friday. The Bruins had their chances against Oklahoma in the first round but lost 75-65 then ran into a buzz saw in North Carolina and were defeated 78-56. Ball security was a colossal problem against the Tar Heels as UCLA finished with seven assists against 23 turnovers.
Baylor at Illinois 10:30 PM ET
Illinois takes a 5-0 record into the Las Vegas Invitational championship game against Baylor on Friday, and an unselfish approach is a big reason for the perfect start. "I'm taking better shots," senior guard Rayvonte Rice told reporters after recording 21 points, seven rebounds and five steals in the Fighting Illini's 88-62 victory over Indiana State in Thursday's semifinals. "My teammates are putting me in better positions. We know each others' game. We don't care who's the leading scorer."
Long Beach St. at Washington 11:30 PM ET
Washington was hardly tested in Thursday’s 78-56 victory over San Jose State, but that could change Friday when the Huskies face Long Beach State in the semifinals of the Wooden Legacy in Fullerton, Calif. The game features two teams with outstanding backcourts in Washington’s Andrew Andrews and Nigel Williams-Goss, and Long Beach State’s Mike Caffey and Tyler Lamb. Williams-Goss averages 13.5 points for the Huskies, who have outscored their first four opponents by an average of 15.5 points.