Preview Roundups
December 21, 2018
Central Arkansas at Oklahoma State 1:00 PM ET
Oklahoma State will look to snap its four-game losing streak Friday when the Cowboys welcome Central Arkansas to Stillwater. Oklahoma State is coming off its worst setback of the season Sunday to No. 22 Nebraska after a two-point halftime deficit turned into a 79-56 blowout loss.
Kent St. at Oregon St. 3:00 PM ET
Oregon State hopes its top offensive threats continue to distance themselves from their brief shooting slumps when the Beavers host Kent State on Friday afternoon. Junior forward Tres Tinkle and senior guard Stephen Thompson Jr. combined for 41 points and shot 13-for-24 from the field in Monday's 82-67 victory over Pepperdine, prompting Oregon State coach Wayne Tinkle to tell reporters: "Same shots. They just went in."
Towson at Tulane 5:00 PM ET
Tulane isn't exactly an offensive powerhouse, ranking 10th in the 12-team American Athletic Conference and 252nd in Division I in scoring offense at 71.1 points per game, but there are no shortage of players capable of helping the team improve those marks as the season progresses. The Green Wave seek their third win in four games Friday when they meet Towson in the first of two games each will play at the Boardwalk Battle in Atlantic City, N.J.
UC Irvine at Butler 6:30 PM ET
Butler is 6-0 at Hinkle Fieldhouse this season and has won 49 consecutive non-conference home games - the second-longest active streak in the nation - however, No. 50 could be difficult on Friday. UC Irvine has all five starters returning for a team picked to finish first in the Big West, and the Anteaters have won 10 straight road games - the second-longest such active streak in the country.
Robert Morris at Louisville 7:00 PM ET
Louisville returns to the hardwood on Friday evening as it hosts Robert Morris in its final game before the holiday break. The Cardinals will be looking to make it seven straight wins at home, with its latest coming over Kent State on Saturday.
Oakland at Michigan St 7:00 PM ET
Michigan State looks for its fifth straight victory before going on holiday break when it hosts Oakland on Friday in a non-conference matchup. The No. 8 Spartans are coming off a 104-83 home rout of Green Bay on Sunday that wasn't as close as the final score, while the Golden Grizzlies have dropped three straight after an 81-69 decision at Georgia on Tuesday.
Illinois St. at Central Florida 7:00 PM ET
Central Florida closes out its non-conference slate at home on Friday against an Illinois State team out to avenge last season's last-second 63-62 loss to the Knights in the second round of the NIT. The Knights are on a roll with three straight victories and a win would give them momentum heading into American Athletic Conference play.
Alcorn St. at South Florida 7:00 PM ET
South Florida looks to continue its strong non-conference start with a fifth straight victory Friday night when the Bulls host Alcorn State, which is winless in seven games against Division I opponents this season. Junior guard Laquincy Rideau scored a season-high 28 points and USF connected on 10-of-14 from 3-point range in Tuesday’s 82-73 at Florida International after beating Appalachian State by seven last Saturday.
Detroit Mercy at Xavier 7:00 PM ET
After earning a No. 1 seed in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, it appears that Xavier's road to any postseason berth this season is going to be a long one. The Musketeers have lost two of their last three games and are sitting at 7-5 heading into Friday's home date with Detroit Mercy.
Oregon at Baylor 7:00 PM ET
Expectations were high for Oregon to start the season, but losses to Iowa, Houston and Texas Southern have the Ducks outside the Top 25 looking in. Oregon will get another chance to beat a major-college program when it makes its second trip to the state of Texas this month to face an equally struggling Baylor squad on Friday.
Eastern Illinois at Iowa State 7:00 PM ET
Iowa State has been clicking on all cylinders lately on offense, and the Cyclones could be on the verge of getting more explosive soon. The Cyclones expect to welcome back two key players from last season in Lindell Wigginton and Solomon Young, who have been sidelined for most of 2018-19, on Friday when they close out their non-conference schedule at home against Eastern Illinois.
Mississippi at Middle Tennessee St. 8:00 PM ET
Ole Miss is off to a great start through its first 10 games under new coach Kermit Davis, but the Rebels' new boss will feel an emotional tug when his team faces his old team – Middle Tennessee State – on Friday in Nashville, Tenn. Davis led the Blue Raiders for 16 seasons, winning 63.8 percent of his games, and while his focus is on the Rebels, he admits Friday’s matchup will not be just another game.
No.Carolina A&T at Minnesota 8:00 PM ET
Minnesota looks to continue its upward trajectory when it hosts North Carolina A&T on Friday. The Golden Gophers bounced back from a 79-59 loss to No. 14 Ohio State with three consecutive wins, including a hard-fought 80-71 victory against North Florida on Dec. 11, and hope to keep chugging on the right track by improving to 6-0 at home this season.
Furman at Louisiana State 8:00 PM ET
LSU looks to cash in after a solid victory in Las Vegas and end 25th-ranked Furman’s 18-game regular-season winning streak when it hosts the talented Paladins for a non-conference matchup on Friday night. The Tigers had lost three of five games - including two against ranked opponents - before holding on to beat Saint Mary’s 78-74 last Saturday in the Neon Hoops Showcase.
Buffalo at Marquette 8:30 PM ET
Marquette is as hot as any team in the country over the last month, and will get a chance to cool down No. 15 Buffalo when it hosts the Bulls on Friday. The No. 23 Golden Eagles have ridden Markus Howard to six consecutive victories but must contend with ultra-confident and undefeated Buffalo.
Penn St. at Alabama 9:00 PM ET
Alabama and Penn State are winding down their non-conference schedules and would love to pick up one more win against a power conference opponent when they meet in Tuscaloosa, Ala. on Friday. The Crimson Tide have won two straight, first knocking off Arizona 76-73 and then recording an 84-75 victory over Liberty on Tuesday in the Rocket City Classic in nearby Huntsville, Ala.
Denver at Gonzaga 9:00 PM ET
Following back-back losses on the road to a pair of top-12 ranked teams in Tennessee and North Carolina, ninth-ranked Gonzaga got back on the winning track with a lopsided 89-55 victory over UT Arlington. The Bulldogs will try to put together a two-game winning streak before heading into the Christmas break when they host Denver on Friday night.
Providence at Texas 9:00 PM ET
Texas will try to continue its offensive resurgence when it hosts Providence on Friday night in a non-conference matchup. The Longhorns snapped a three-game losing streak by averaging 85 points on 54.5 percent shooting in back-to-back home wins.
Oklahoma at Northwestern 9:00 PM ET
Oklahoma looks to make a case for its inclusion in the Top 25 when it wraps up the non-conference portion of its schedule on the road against Northwestern on Friday. The Sooners stretched their winning streak to seven games with an 83-70 victory against Creighton on Tuesday to move on the edge of entering the national rankings and hope to get over the hump by knocking off the Wildcats for the second time in as many seasons following a 104-78 triumph on Dec. 22, 2017.
Northern Arizona at Utah 9:00 PM ET
Utah featured its sixth different starting lineup
in 10 games earlier this week as coach Larry Krystkowiak tries to find the
right combination for his struggling team. And he just may have found some answers
entering Friday night’s home game with Northern Arizona.
Sacramento State at Washington 9:00 PM ET
Washington has fallen short against heavyweight
competition this season, with three of its four losses coming against
top-15-ranked teams at the time. The Huskies, though, wrap up nonconference
play with two winnable home games, starting with Friday night’s contest against
Sacramento State of the Big Sky Conference.
San Jose St. at California 10:00 PM ET
After showing signs of progress in recent weeks, California reverted to early-season form in Wednesday’s 22-point loss to Fresno State. The Bears look to bounce back Friday against visiting San Jose State, which was picked to finish last in the Mountain West after going 4-25 last season.
Southern Utah at Southern California 11:00 PM ET
USC limps into Friday night's home game with Southern Utah with a four-game losing streak including a surprising 102-92 double overtime loss at Santa Clara on Tuesday night. The Trojans, who have the second worst preseason mark (5-6) behind Cal in a weak Pac-12 Conference, will try to get back to the .500 mark against the Thunderbirds before taking a nine-day break.