Preview Roundups
December 10, 2016
Temple at DePaul 11:30 AM ET
Temple suffered a disappointing defeat its last time out and has a matchup with No. 1 Villanova looming, putting additional importance on the Owls earning a victory Saturday against DePaul. Both teams are flying south for this contest, which is part of the Hoophall Miami Invitational and features an 11:30 a.m. tip that both squads will have to be mentally prepared for.
Arizona at Missouri 12:00 PM ET

Arizona has been tested in its early-season schedule but has yet to face the challenge of playing on an opponent’s home court. That changes Saturday, when the 20th-ranked Wildcats travel to face Missouri. 

Boston U at Syracuse 12:00 PM ET
Syracuse is reeling with three losses in the past four games but should enjoy a respite when it hosts Boston University on Saturday. All three of the Orange’s defeats have been away from the Carrier Dome, and the Terriers are on a four-game losing streak and yet to win on the road.
St. Peter's at Maryland 12:00 PM ET
Maryland enters Saturday’s home contest with St. Peter’s missing starting center Damonte Dodd, but Michal Cekovsky impressed in his first start of the season in Wednesday’s victory over Howard. Cekovsky matched a career high with 16 points, hitting 8-of-9 shots from the field, while Dodd recovers from a sprained left knee that will sideline him for at least two more games.
Villanova at Notre Dame 12:00 PM ET
Villanova has only faced one ranked team during its 9-0 start, but it will be staring in the mirror at another ranked 9-0 opponent Saturday when it faces No. 22 Notre Dame in an afternoon affair. The former Big East rivals will convene in Newark, N.J., where the top-ranked Wildcats are looking for their 16th straight win, which would match a school record.
Massachusetts at Providence 12:00 PM ET
Providence will try to extend an impressive run at home against New England rivals when it hosts Massachusetts on Saturday. The Friars have recovered well since a hard-fought loss to then-No. 6 Virginia by recording three straight home wins against local opponents, including a three-point win over a ranked Rhode Island squad and then a 38-point rout of Brown.
Cleveland St. at Purdue 12:00 PM ET
No. 19 Purdue looks to win its third consecutive game when it hosts Cleveland State on Saturday. The Boilermakers bounced back from their 71-64 defeat to 13th-ranked Louisville in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge by trouncing Morehead State (90-56) and Arizona State (97-64), and hope to extend their winning streak to eight games against teams currently in the Horizon League.
UAB at Memphis 1:00 PM ET
Memphis will attempt to bounce back from a faltering finish that resulted in an 85-77 loss when it hosts Conference USA preseason favorite UAB on Saturday. Tied with Ole Miss 68-68 after rallying from a 14-point deficit, the Tigers were on the wrong side of a decisive 13-1 run and went on to suffer the defeat.
Rhode Island at Houston 1:30 PM ET
Both visiting Rhode Island and Houston could be without key frontline players when they meet Saturday afternoon in an intriguing non-conference clash. Rhode Island defeated Old Dominion 51-39 on Tuesday while playing without leading scorer and rebounder Hassan Martin, who is sidelined indefinitely with a quadriceps injury.
Wisconsin at Marquette 2:00 PM ET
No. 17 Wisconsin looks to win its fifth straight game when it makes the short trip to Milwaukee on Saturday to face Marquette in the 123rd edition of the I-94 rivalry. The Badgers come into the in-state showdown having won seven of their last eight games, including a comfortable 78-44 victory over Idaho State on Wednesday, and hope to continue their strong run by beating Marquette for the third time in the last four years.
Tennessee Tech at Michigan St 2:00 PM ET
Michigan State continues to get better and grow as a team, and the Spartans go for a third straight victory when they host non-conference foe Tennessee Tech on Saturday afternoon. Tom Izzo's squad plays at home for much of December after a cross-country slate of ranked opponents throughout the first month of the season, giving his young players a chance to grow into their roles a bit more.
Texas Southern at Louisville 2:00 PM ET
With Louisville continuing to ramp up its preparation for a brutal stretch beginning right before Christmas, coach Rick Pitino made sure to remind his team it has plenty of work to do in a short amount of time. The 13th-ranked Cardinals attempt to secure their 52nd victory in their last 53 home contests Saturday when they host Texas Southern in the first meeting between the schools.
La Salle at Georgetown 2:00 PM ET
It wasn't how Georgetown head coach John Thompson III would have designed it, but the Hoyas found a way to extend their winning streak to three games earlier this week. Georgetown will look to build on that momentum - while not getting caught looking ahead - as it takes on La Salle on Saturday afternoon at the Hoophall Invitational in Miami.
VMI at West Virginia 2:00 PM ET
With the most difficult portion of its non-conference schedule in the rearview mirror, No. 16 West Virginia continues to make final preparations for a rigorous Big 12 season when it hosts Virginia Military Institute on Saturday. The Mountaineers didn't let down in a 90-37 victory over Western Carolina on Wednesday as coach Bob Huggins used 15 players with 14 seeing at least nine minutes of action, one game after ending No. 12 Virginia's 24-game home winning streak 66-57 on Dec. 3.
Penn St. at Pittsburgh 2:30 PM ET
Pittsburgh coach Kevin Stallings has been searching all season for a third and fourth option to complement seniors Michael Young and Jamel Artis. He found several secondary options Wednesday against Buffalo and hopes his stars will get some support when they play a determined Penn State team Saturday in the inaugural Never Forget Tribute Classic in Newark, N.J.
Central Michigan at Illinois 3:00 PM ET
Illinois looks to stay on the winning track when it hosts Central Michigan on Saturday. The Fighting Illini have notched three consecutive victories, including an 85-77 triumph over IUPUI on Tuesday, to improve to 7-3 for the second time in three seasons, and hope to notch their sixth straight win over Mid-American Conference opponents.
Nebraska at Kansas 3:15 PM ET
In case handing coach Bill Self career win No. 600 wasn't enough, his Kansas team went ahead and delivered him a masterpiece to celebrate the occasion. Coming off their largest margin of victory of the season, the third-ranked Jayhawks eye a ninth straight triumph and Division I-best 48th consecutive home win on Saturday when they host former Big 12 rival Nebraska.
Mercer at Clemson 4:00 PM ET
Clemson hosts Mercer on Saturday in the middle contest of a three-game homestand during which it figures to pile up victories in advance of a tough back-to-back road stretch before Christmas. The Tigers, who have won five of their first seven games, host Mercer and South Carolina State before traveling to Alabama and No. 18 South Carolina.
Tennessee St. at N.C. State 4:00 PM ET
North Carolina State is running out of time to make the necessary improvements needed to challenge the ACC heavyweights - and the work in progress continues when it hosts Tennessee State on Saturday at Reynolds Coliseum. The Wolfpack responded to a discouraging 88-74 loss to Illinois in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Nov. 29 with a less-than-inspiring 77-73 victory over Boston University on Dec. 3.
Houston Baptist at Indiana 4:00 PM ET
Ninth-ranked Indiana has shown improvement on the defensive end during its four-game winning streak and looks to continue the trend when Houston Baptist pays a visit on Saturday afternoon. The Hoosiers are allowing 58.5 points per game over the last four, including a victory over No. 5 North Carolina, and opponents are shooting just 37.4 percent from the field in the first month of the season.
Wichita St. at Oklahoma 4:00 PM ET
Jordan Woodard has started every game in his four-year career with Oklahoma and Saturday can become the school's all-time leading scorer when the Sooners meet Wichita State at the All-College Classic at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. Woodard, a 6-foot point guard, needs five points to move past five-time NBA All-Star forward Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Cincinnati at Butler 4:30 PM ET
No. 15 Butler has a chance to regain confidence quickly after its first loss of the season with two straight against ranked teams, starting with a visit from No. 23 Cincinnati on Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs, who play ninth-ranked Indiana on Dec. 17, coughed up a lead in the second half and fell 72-71 at Indiana State on Wednesday after opening the season with eight wins.
Maryland - E. Shore at Central Florida 5:00 PM ET
Central Florida will look to maintain its early-season momentum when it hosts struggling Maryland-Eastern Shore on Saturday in its first game in eight days. The Knights' success has been built on a defense - anchored by the intimidating presence of the 7-6 Tacko Fall - that ranked in the top three in the nation in three key categories through Thursday - points allowed (No. 2, 54.6), field-goal defense (No. 1, 30.8 percent) and 3-point defense (No. 3, 25.2 percent).
Wofford at Texas Christian 5:00 PM ET
For the first time in the Jamie Dixon era, TCU finds itself entering a game off a loss when it hosts Wofford on Saturday afternoon. The Horned Frogs, one of the last 12 teams in Division I basketball to remain undefeated until this week's slate of games, suffered their first loss of the season on Wednesday night at cross-town rival SMU, 74-59.
Oklahoma St. at Tulsa 5:00 PM ET
First-year Oklahoma State head coach Brad Underwood says learning to win on the road will be a big key for his team's success when Big 12 Conference play rolls around. The Cowboys, who dropped their first true road contest of the season at Maryland (71-70) in heart-breaking fashion on Sunday, hit the road again Saturday when they play long-time rival Tulsa.
Duke at UNLV 5:15 PM ET

No. 4 Duke and UNLV haven’t squared off since one of the most anticipated clashes in college basketball history in 1991, but the rivalry will be renewed Saturday. The matchup is part of the MGM Grand Showcase to benefit Coaches vs. Cancer and will be the first college basketball game played at T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip. 

North Florida at Arkansas 5:30 PM ET
A balanced attack on both ends of the floor has Arkansas in familiar territory heading into Saturday evening's showdown with visiting North Florida. After rallying to beat Houston 84-72 on Tuesday, the Razorbacks look to extend their winning streak to five games in the finale of their five-game homestand.
Tulane at Southern Miss 5:30 PM ET
Tulane first-year coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. saw what he has been looking for in Wednesday’s victory over Southern. He’ll be looking for more of the same Saturday when the Green Wave seek a second consecutive victory after dropping six straight when they visit Southern Miss.
Utah at Xavier 5:30 PM ET
No. 14 Xavier could not get the job done against a Pac-12 team on the road last time out and faces another at home Saturday when Utah pays a visit. The Musketeers return to the Cintas Center after coughing up a nine-point lead in the second half before falling 68-66 at Colorado on Wednesday – four days after suffering their first loss at sixth-ranked Baylor 76-61 while being outscored by 18 in the final 20 minutes.
Connecticut at Ohio St. 6:00 PM ET
Connecticut looks to build on its upset of Syracuse last time out when it visits Ohio State on Saturday. The Huskies, ravaged by injuries and off to their worst start in decades, got 21 points from Rodney Purvis to rally from a 14-point deficit and stun the Orange at Madison Square Garden on Monday.
Long Beach St. at Texas 6:00 PM ET
Texas has dropped four of its last five games after opening with three straight wins, but the Longhorns’ early-season struggles aren’t unexpected. Coach Shaka Smart’s young squad returns home Saturday to face Long Beach State, whose challenging non-conference schedule has included losses to Wichita State, North Carolina, Kansas, Louisville and UCLA.
Rutgers at Stony Brook 7:00 PM ET
Steve Pikiell returns to his former post when sizzling Rutgers visits Stony Brook on Saturday. Pikiell, who has the Scarlet Knights off to an 8-1 start, coached the Seawolves for the past 11 seasons, leading them to the NCAA Tournament last year.
Arizona State at San Diego St. 7:00 PM ET
Arizona State will try to cap a busy week of travelling and end the stretch on a positive note when the Sun Devils visit San Diego State for a nonconference game Saturday afternoon. Arizona State beat visiting UNLV last Saturday, flew to New York, where the Sun Devils were blown out by No. 19 Purdue at the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden, and then traveled back across country to face the Aztecs.
South Carolina State at Texas A&M 8:00 PM ET
Texas A&M has another big showdown with a Pac-12 team, but first the Aggies must wrap up a three-game homestand against South Carolina State on Saturday. Texas A&M won two in a row since a 74-67 loss to No. 1 UCLA on Nov. 27, and a date in Houston with No. 20 Arizona looms Dec. 17.
Washington St. at Kansas St. 8:00 PM ET

Kansas State is off to an 8-1 start for the first time in five years, and its only loss was 69-68 to Maryland on a layup in the waning seconds of the Nov. 26 Barclays Center Classic championship game in Brooklyn. The Wildcats now look to build on that momentum in a pair of neutral-site games, beginning with Saturday’s Wildcat Classic contest against Washingt

Akron at Gonzaga 8:00 PM ET
Eighth-ranked Gonzaga aims to continue its early season dominance when it hosts Akron on Saturday in nonconference play. The Bulldogs are fresh off a 98-71 trouncing of Washington and are off to a 9-0 start for the first time since the 2013-14 season.
Michigan at UCLA 8:00 PM ET
UCLA will be back in action Saturday against visiting Michigan, its first appearance since knocking off then-No. 1 Kentucky to move from No. 9 in the coaches' poll to No. 2, its highest ranking in nine years. The Bruins did to Kentucky what they've done to most other teams this season and that's shoot the ball with extraordinary accuracy, a trend that's made them the best shooting team in the nation at 55.1 percent.
Colorado at Brigham Young 10:00 PM ET

After starting its key, four-game, nonconference stretch with a disappointing home loss to Colorado State, Colorado has bounced back strong with a 76-63 road win in Portland and a 68-66 home victory over No. 14 Xavier on Wednesday. The Buffaloes will look to close out the stretch with a winning record Saturday when they visit BYU.

UC Davis at California 10:30 PM ET
California star forward Ivan Rabb, limited in the past two games due to a hand injury, hopes to be closer to full strength Saturday as the Bears begin a five-game homestand against UC Davis. The Bears can match the school’s longest home winning streak at 26 with a victory over the Aggies, who were picked to finish fifth in the Big West preseason poll.