Preview Roundups
December 16, 2014
Oral Roberts at Oklahoma 7:00 PM ET
Oklahoma has won six of its first eight games and sits comfortably at No. 15 in the rankings, but Buddy Hield's shooting has given some Sooners fans reason for concern. Hield will attempt to snap out of his season-long funk Tuesday when the Sooners host Oral Roberts. Hield is Oklahoma's leading scorer at 16 points per game, but the junior guard is shooting 36.4 percent - down from 44.5 a season ago - and has shot below 25 percent in three of his last four games.
North Carolina at NC-Greensboro 7:00 PM ET
After being humbled by top-ranked Kentucky, No. 24 North Carolina hops on the bus for the 52-mile trek to visit UNC Greensboro on Tuesday. The Tar Heels were no match for the country’s top team in an 84-70 defeat and look to get back on the winning side of the ledger against the Spartans, who have won three straight games. North Carolina has lost two of its last three games and has a neutral-court contest against Ohio State looming on Saturday.
Lipscomb at Texas 8:00 PM ET
Texas has the defensive part of the equation solved, so it turns its attention to tackling the riddle known as offense when it hosts Lipscomb on Tuesday. The No. 9 Longhorns are coming off a 59-27 victory over Texas State on Saturday - the fewest points it has allowed since 1946, but Texas coach Rick Barnes was not pleased. "We were absolutely awful on offense," Barnes told reporters. "As a coaching staff, we emphasize in games like this that we defend really hard. We did do that."
Savannah State at Tulane 8:00 PM ET
Tulane has not lost since falling to Wake Forest in the season opener, but the Green Wave have not played for nine days due to final exams. The Green Wave host Savannah State on Tuesday looking to win their eighth game in a row and move within one of their longest winning streak since starting the 2011-12 campaign with nine consecutive victories. Senior guard Jay Hook continues moving up the school’s 3-point list, needing two to move into sixth place.
Houston Baptist at Houston 8:00 PM ET
After playing only five games over the first 32 days of the season, Houston will make up for lost time with five in the next eight days beginning on Tuesday when it hosts Houston Baptist. The Cougars, who wrap up a 10-day layoff against the Huskies, return to the court for the first time since Dec. 6. Over the next week, however, Houston will host three home games in five days before playing on back-to-back days on Dec. 22 and Dec. 23 at the Las Vegas Classic.
Oakland at Arizona 9:00 PM ET
Third-ranked Arizona looks to avoid a letdown when offensively-gifted Oakland pays a visit on Tuesday, after producing what coach Sean Miller called their “best performance of the season.” The Wildcats shot 58.2 percent from the field and held Michigan to 35.2 shooting in an 80-53 rout Saturday for their 28th consecutive win at home. Arizona attempts to match that kind of intensity and efficiency against the Golden Grizzlies, who boast four players averaging more than 10 points.
Western Carolina at Vanderbilt 9:00 PM ET
Fresh off defeating a Big Ten opponent for the first time since 2005, Vanderbilt hosts Western Carolina on Tuesday night. The Commodores snapped a four-game losing streak against Big Ten foes on Saturday with an 81-71 victory over Purdue. Vanderbilt, which was coming off a nine-day layoff for final exams, showed no signs of rust, shooting 58.3 percent from the floor, including 9-of-14 3-pointers.
Arizona St. at Marquette 9:00 PM ET
There will be new looks for Arizona State and Marquette on Tuesday when they square off in Milwaukee. Former Parade All-American and UNLV recruit Savon Goodman will be eligible for the visiting Sun Devils after sitting out the first nine games and should provide a rugged but versatile front-court presence. Goodman left UNLV after a 2013 offseason arrest on theft and trespassing charges and attended Indian Hills Community College last season, but did not play basketball.
Middle Tennessee St. at Oklahoma St. 9:00 PM ET
Oklahoma State returns home hoping to build on a road victory when it hosts Middle Tennessee in a non-conference affair Tuesday. The Cowboys are coming off a solid victory at Memphis, rebounding well from their first loss of the season. The Blue Raiders have won two straight heading into this one - both on the road and by one point - so Oklahoma State shouldn't look past them in advance of its contest with No. 18 Maryland on Sunday.
Alabama at Wichita St. 9:00 PM ET
Wichita State’s student section has often gone unfilled this season, a fact that hasn’t gone unnoticed by coach Gregg Marshall. The students have a chance to redeem themselves Tuesday when the 11th-ranked Shockers host Alabama, which is seeking its first true road victory in more than a year. Marshall, whose team has won three in a row since losing to Utah on Dec. 3, wrote an impassioned letter to students last week asking them to use their free tickets.