The Bum's College Hoops For December Rated Games -Trends - News !!

[StarDust Bum]

CBB ATS

CBB > (535) OREGON@ (536) UNLV | 2015-12-04 23:00:00 - 2015-12-04 23:00:00
Play ON UNLV against the spread in All games after scoring 80 points or more
The record is 13 Wins and 1 Losses for the last three seasons (+11.9 units)

CBB > (549) SAMFORD@ (550) TEXAS | 2015-12-04 21:00:00 - 2015-12-04 21:00:00
Play ON SAMFORD against the spread in All games after a non-conference game
The record is 12 Wins and 1 Losses for the last two seasons (+10.9 units)

CBB > (549) SAMFORD@ (550) TEXAS | 2015-12-04 21:00:00 - 2015-12-04 21:00:00
Play ON SAMFORD against the spread in Road games after a non-conference game
The record is 9 Wins and 0 Losses for the last two seasons (+9 units)

CBB > (541) RIDER@ (542) FAIRFIELD | 2015-12-04 19:00:00 - 2015-12-04 19:00:00
Play AGAINST FAIRFIELD against the spread in All games as a home underdog of 3 points or less or pick
The record is 1 Wins and 13 Losses for the since 1992 (-13.3 units)

CBB > (523) ELON@ (524) FLA INTERNATIONAL | 2015-12-04 19:00:00 - 2015-12-04 19:00:00
Play AGAINST ELON against the spread in All games after allowing 80 points or more
The record is 1 Wins and 12 Losses for the last three seasons (-12.2 units)

CBB > (553) ST FRANCIS-PA@ (554) MARYLAND | 2015-12-04 19:00:00 - 2015-12-04 19:00:00
Play AGAINST MARYLAND against the spread in All games as a home favorite of 12.5 or more points
The record is 1 Wins and 10 Losses for the last three seasons (-10 units)

CBB > (515) DUQUESNE@ (516) PITTSBURGH | 2015-12-04 19:00:00 - 2015-12-04 19:00:00
Play AGAINST PITTSBURGH against the spread in All games in all lined games
The record is 9 Wins and 24 Losses for the last two seasons (-17.4 units)

CBB > (515) DUQUESNE@ (516) PITTSBURGH | 2015-12-04 19:00:00 - 2015-12-04 19:00:00
Play AGAINST PITTSBURGH against the spread in all games
The record is 9 Wins and 24 Losses for the last two seasons (-17.4 units)

CBB > (533) CAL DAVIS@ (534) ST MARYS-CA | 2015-12-04 22:00:00 - 2015-12-04 22:00:00
Play AGAINST CAL DAVIS against the spread in All games on Friday nights
The record is 3 Wins and 15 Losses for the since 1992 (-13.5 units)


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CBB MONEYLINE

CBB > (527) N ILLINOIS@ (528) MISSOURI | 2015-12-04 20:00:00 - 2015-12-04 20:00:00
Play ON MISSOURI using money line in All games in a home game where the total is 130 to 134.5
The record is 19 Wins and 3 Losses for the since 1992 (+17.7 units)

CBB > (551) SAN FRANCISCO@ (552) MONTANA | 2015-12-04 21:00:00 - 2015-12-04 21:00:00
Play AGAINST MONTANA using money line in All games after a non-conference game
The record is 5 Wins and 12 Losses for the last three seasons (-20.05 units)

CBB > (525) GEORGIA ST@ (526) WRIGHT ST | 2015-12-04 19:30:00 - 2015-12-04 19:30:00
Play AGAINST WRIGHT ST using money line in All games in all lined games
The record is 8 Wins and 21 Losses for the last two seasons (-23.55 units)

CBB > (525) GEORGIA ST@ (526) WRIGHT ST | 2015-12-04 19:30:00 - 2015-12-04 19:30:00
Play AGAINST WRIGHT ST using money line in All games in all games
The record is 8 Wins and 21 Losses for the last two seasons (-23.55 units)

CBB > (533) CAL DAVIS@ (534) ST MARYS-CA | 2015-12-04 22:00:00 - 2015-12-04 22:00:00
Play ON CAL DAVIS using money line in All games in all games
The record is 24 Wins and 8 Losses for the last two seasons (+21 units)

CBB > (523) ELON@ (524) FLA INTERNATIONAL | 2015-12-04 19:00:00 - 2015-12-04 19:00:00
Play AGAINST ELON using money line in All games after allowing 80 points or more
The record is 1 Wins and 11 Losses for the last three seasons (-12.35 units)

CBB > (545) QUINNIPIAC@ (546) NIAGARA | 2015-12-04 19:00:00 - 2015-12-04 19:00:00
Play AGAINST NIAGARA using money line in All games after allowing 80 points or more
The record is 5 Wins and 19 Losses for the last three seasons (-19.25 units)

CBB > (551) SAN FRANCISCO@ (552) MONTANA | 2015-12-04 21:00:00 - 2015-12-04 21:00:00
Play AGAINST MONTANA using money line in All games in non-conference games
The record is 2 Wins and 9 Losses for the last two seasons (-12.9 units)

CBB > (513) ST JOSEPHS@ (514) COLUMBIA | 2015-12-04 19:00:00 - 2015-12-04 19:00:00
Play AGAINST COLUMBIA using money line in All games on Friday nights
The record is 1 Wins and 7 Losses for the last two seasons (-11 units)

CBB > (537) MANHATTAN@ (538) SIENA | 2015-12-04 19:00:00 - 2015-12-04 19:00:00
Play AGAINST MANHATTAN using money line in Road games after a non-conference game
The record is 1 Wins and 9 Losses for the last two seasons (-10.8 units)

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CBB FIRST HALF

CBB > (535) OREGON@ (536) UNLV | 2015-12-04 23:00:00 - 2015-12-04 23:00:00
Play ON UNLV ?>in the first halfin All games after scoring 80 points or more
The record is 13 Wins and 1 Losses for the last three seasons (+11.9 units)

CBB > (533) CAL DAVIS@ (534) ST MARYS-CA | 2015-12-04 22:00:00 - 2015-12-04 22:00:00
Play ON CAL DAVIS ?>in the first halfin All games versus the 1rst half line in road games
The record is 14 Wins and 2 Losses for the last two seasons (+11.8 units)

CBB > (523) ELON@ (524) FLA INTERNATIONAL | 2015-12-04 19:00:00 - 2015-12-04 19:00:00
Play ON ELON ?>in the first halfin All games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game
The record is 8 Wins and 0 Losses for the last three seasons (+8 units)

CBB > (537) MANHATTAN@ (538) SIENA | 2015-12-04 19:00:00 - 2015-12-04 19:00:00
Play AGAINST MANHATTAN ?>in the first halfin All games on Friday nights
The record is 0 Wins and 7 Losses for the last two seasons (-7.7 units)

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CBB TOTALS

CBB > (549) SAMFORD@ (550) TEXAS | 2015-12-04 21:00:00 - 2015-12-04 21:00:00
Play UNDER TEXAS on the totalin All games as a favorite vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 2 Overs and 16 Unders for the last two seasons (+13.8 units)

CBB > (539) IONA@ (540) MARIST | 2015-12-04 19:00:00 - 2015-12-04 19:00:00
Play OVER IONA on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 22 Overs and 5 Unders for the last three seasons (+16.5 units)

CBB > (543) MONMOUTH@ (544) CANISIUS | 2015-12-04 19:00:00 - 2015-12-04 19:00:00
Play UNDER MONMOUTH on the totalin All games on Friday nights
The record is 0 Overs and 9 Unders for the last three seasons (+9 units)

CBB > (513) ST JOSEPHS@ (514) COLUMBIA | 2015-12-04 19:00:00 - 2015-12-04 19:00:00
Play UNDER ST JOSEPHS on the totalin Road games after a non-conference game
The record is 0 Overs and 9 Unders for the last three seasons (+9 units)

CBB > (539) IONA@ (540) MARIST | 2015-12-04 19:00:00 - 2015-12-04 19:00:00
Play OVER IONA on the totalin Road games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 14 Overs and 2 Unders for the last three seasons (+11.8 units)

CBB > (531) UC-IRVINE@ (532) PACIFIC | 2015-12-04 22:00:00 - 2015-12-04 22:00:00
Play UNDER UC-IRVINE on the total in all games
The record is 14 Overs and 40 Unders for the last three seasons (+24.6 units)

CBB > (531) UC-IRVINE@ (532) PACIFIC | 2015-12-04 22:00:00 - 2015-12-04 22:00:00
Play UNDER UC-IRVINE on the totalin All games in all lined games
The record is 14 Overs and 40 Unders for the last three seasons (+24.6 units)

CBB > (541) RIDER@ (542) FAIRFIELD | 2015-12-04 19:00:00 - 2015-12-04 19:00:00
Play UNDER FAIRFIELD on the totalin Home games off a loss against a conference rival
The record is 0 Overs and 8 Unders for the last two seasons (+8 units)

CBB > (541) RIDER@ (542) FAIRFIELD | 2015-12-04 19:00:00 - 2015-12-04 19:00:00
Play UNDER FAIRFIELD on the totalin Home games after a conference game
The record is 0 Overs and 8 Unders for the last two seasons (+8 units)

[StarDust Bum]

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

MONM at CAN 07:00 PM

MONM -3.5 TRIPLE PLAY



MAN at SIE 07:00 PM

SIE -9.5 *****



QUIN at NIAG 07:00 PM

QUIN -2.5 *****



IONA at MRST 07:00 PM

IONA -9.5 DOUBLE PLAY



RID at FAIR 07:00 PM

RID +1.0



KSU at UGA 07:00 PM

KSU +2.5 SLAM DUNK



JOES at CLMB 07:00 PM

JOES +3.0 DOUBLE PLAY



PITT at DUQ 07:00 PM

DUQ +8.5 TRIPLE PLAY



AKR at MRSH 07:00 PM

AKR -7.5



ELON at FIU 07:00 PM

FIU -1.5



SFPA at MD 07:00 PM

MD -25.0



ARK at WAKE 07:00 PM

WAKE -4.5



GSU at WRST 07:30 PM

GSU -2.0



NIU at MIZZ 08:00 PM

MIZZ -6.0 SLAM DUNK



ALA at USM 08:00 PM

ALA -14.5



NDSU at ARST 08:05 PM

NDSU -5.0 SLAM DUNK



SF at MONT 09:00 PM

MONT -7.0



SAM at TEX 09:00 PM

SAM +21.0 DOUBLE PLAY



UCD at SMC 10:00 PM

SMC -10.5



UCI at PAC 10:00 PM

PAC +6.0 SLAM DUNK



ORE at UNLV 11:00 PM

UNLV +2.5 SLAM DUNK

[StarDust Bum]

SATURDAY'S CBB ATS

CBB > (785) WICHITA ST@ (786) SAINT LOUIS | 2015-12-05 21:00:00 - 2015-12-05 21:00:00
Play AGAINST SAINT LOUIS against the spread in All games on Saturday games
The record is 4 Wins and 21 Losses for the last three seasons (-19.1 units)

CBB > (803) IUPU-FT WAYNE@ (804) UTAH | 2015-12-05 14:00:00 - 2015-12-05 14:00:00
Play ON IUPU-FT WAYNE against the spread in All games on Saturday games
The record is 20 Wins and 4 Losses for the last three seasons (+15.6 units)

CBB > (771) WM & MARY@ (772) VIRGINIA | 2015-12-05 14:00:00 - 2015-12-05 14:00:00
Play ON WM & MARY against the spread in Road games on Saturday games
The record is 12 Wins and 1 Losses for the last three seasons (+10.9 units)

CBB > (805) WEBER ST@ (806) BYU | 2015-12-05 15:00:00 - 2015-12-05 15:00:00
Play AGAINST WEBER ST against the spread in All games on Saturday games
The record is 1 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (-11.1 units)

CBB > (799) COLL OF CHARLESTON@ (800) THE CITADEL | 2015-12-05 11:00:00 - 2015-12-05 11:00:00
Play ON COLL OF CHARLESTON against the spread in Road games in December games
The record is 28 Wins and 7 Losses for the since 1992 (+20.3 units)

CBB > (731) DREXEL@ (732) LASALLE | 2015-12-05 14:00:00 - 2015-12-05 14:00:00
Play AGAINST DREXEL against the spread in Road games when playing with 5 or 6 days rest
The record is 4 Wins and 20 Losses for the since 1992 (-18 units)

CBB > (765) BUFFALO@ (766) DUKE | 2015-12-05 17:15:00 - 2015-12-05 17:15:00
Play ON DUKE against the spread in All games on Saturday games
The record is 18 Wins and 4 Losses for the last three seasons (+13.6 units)

CBB > (729) SYRACUSE@ (730) GEORGETOWN | 2015-12-05 13:00:00 - 2015-12-05 13:00:00
Play AGAINST SYRACUSE against the spread in All games on Saturday games
The record is 1 Wins and 10 Losses for the last two seasons (-10 units)

CBB > (825) N DAKOTA@ (826) BRADLEY | 2015-12-05 20:00:00 - 2015-12-05 20:00:00
Play AGAINST BRADLEY against the spread in All games in December games
The record is 2 Wins and 13 Losses for the last three seasons (-12.3 units)

CBB > (801) MIAMI OHIO@ (802) IUPUI | 2015-12-05 13:00:00 - 2015-12-05 13:00:00
Play AGAINST MIAMI OHIO against the spread in All games after a non-conference game
The record is 2 Wins and 12 Losses for the last two seasons (-11.2 units)

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CBB MONEYLINE

CBB > (765) BUFFALO@ (766) DUKE | 2015-12-05 17:15:00 - 2015-12-05 17:15:00
Play AGAINST BUFFALO using money line in Road games after scoring 60 points or less
The record is 6 Wins and 32 Losses for the since 1992 (-29.4 units)

CBB > (753) CHARLOTTE@ (754) MIAMI | 2015-12-05 16:00:00 - 2015-12-05 16:00:00
Play AGAINST MIAMI using money line in Home games after a non-conference game
The record is 4 Wins and 6 Losses for the last three seasons (-21.3 units)

CBB > (791) FRESNO ST@ (792) CAL POLY-SLO | 2015-12-05 22:00:00 - 2015-12-05 22:00:00
Play AGAINST FRESNO ST using money line in Road games after a non-conference game
The record is 2 Wins and 12 Losses for the last three seasons (-15 units)

CBB > (799) COLL OF CHARLESTON@ (800) THE CITADEL | 2015-12-05 11:00:00 - 2015-12-05 11:00:00
Play ON COLL OF CHARLESTON using money line in Road games in December games
The record is 21 Wins and 9 Losses for the since 1992 (+24.45 units)

CBB > (795) SAN JOSE ST@ (796) SANTA CLARA | 2015-12-05 22:00:00 - 2015-12-05 22:00:00
Play AGAINST SANTA CLARA using money line in Home games in non-conference games
The record is 3 Wins and 7 Losses for the last three seasons (-17.05 units)

CBB > (791) FRESNO ST@ (792) CAL POLY-SLO | 2015-12-05 22:00:00 - 2015-12-05 22:00:00
Play AGAINST FRESNO ST using money line in Road games in non-conference games
The record is 1 Wins and 8 Losses for the last two seasons (-11.75 units)

CBB > (769) S FLORIDA@ (770) S CAROLINA | 2015-12-05 16:00:00 - 2015-12-05 16:00:00
Play AGAINST S FLORIDA using money line in All games in all lined games
The record is 5 Wins and 20 Losses for the last two seasons (-19.1 units)

CBB > (769) S FLORIDA@ (770) S CAROLINA | 2015-12-05 16:00:00 - 2015-12-05 16:00:00
Play AGAINST S FLORIDA using money line in All games in all games
The record is 5 Wins and 20 Losses for the last two seasons (-19.1 units)

CBB > (765) BUFFALO@ (766) DUKE | 2015-12-05 17:15:00 - 2015-12-05 17:15:00
Play ON DUKE using money line in All games after scoring 80 points or more
The record is 11 Wins and 1 Losses for the last two seasons (+10.65 units)

CBB > (727) TEMPLE@ (728) WISCONSIN | 2015-12-05 12:30:00 - 2015-12-05 12:30:00
Play ON WISCONSIN using money line in All games after a non-conference game
The record is 22 Wins and 5 Losses for the last three seasons (+17.7 units)

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CBB FIRST HALF

CBB > (749) OLE MISS@ (750) MASSACHUSETTS | 2015-12-05 16:00:00 - 2015-12-05 16:00:00
Play AGAINST OLE MISS ?>in the first halfin All games after allowing 60 points or less
The record is 0 Wins and 10 Losses for the last two seasons (-11 units)

CBB > (801) MIAMI OHIO@ (802) IUPUI | 2015-12-05 13:00:00 - 2015-12-05 13:00:00
Play AGAINST MIAMI OHIO ?>in the first halfin All games after a non-conference game
The record is 1 Wins and 13 Losses for the last two seasons (-13.3 units)

CBB > (755) OHIO U@ (756) ST BONAVENTURE | 2015-12-05 16:00:00 - 2015-12-05 16:00:00
Play ON ST BONAVENTURE ?>in the first halfin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game
The record is 10 Wins and 0 Losses for the last three seasons (+10 units)

CBB > (829) EVANSVILLE@ (830) MURRAY ST | 2015-12-05 20:30:00 - 2015-12-05 20:30:00
Play ON MURRAY ST ?>in the first halfin Home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game
The record is 15 Wins and 2 Losses for the since 1992 (+12.8 units)

CBB > (801) MIAMI OHIO@ (802) IUPUI | 2015-12-05 13:00:00 - 2015-12-05 13:00:00
Play AGAINST MIAMI OHIO ?>in the first halfin All games in non-conference games
The record is 2 Wins and 13 Losses for the last two seasons (-12.3 units)

CBB > (799) COLL OF CHARLESTON@ (800) THE CITADEL | 2015-12-05 11:00:00 - 2015-12-05 11:00:00
Play AGAINST COLL OF CHARLESTON ?>in the first halfin All games as a road favorite of 3.5 to 5 points vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 1 Wins and 12 Losses for the since 1992 (-12.2 units)

CBB > (787) TX-ARLINGTON@ (788) UTEP | 2015-12-05 21:00:00 - 2015-12-05 21:00:00
Play ON TX-ARLINGTON ?>in the first halfin All games versus the first half line in all games
The record is 7 Wins and 0 Losses for the this season (+7 units)

CBB > (821) ARK-LITTLE ROCK@ (822) IDAHO | 2015-12-05 20:00:00 - 2015-12-05 20:00:00
Play ON ARK-LITTLE ROCK ?>in the first halfin Road games in December games
The record is 8 Wins and 0 Losses for the last three seasons (+8 units)

CBB > (755) OHIO U@ (756) ST BONAVENTURE | 2015-12-05 16:00:00 - 2015-12-05 16:00:00
Play ON ST BONAVENTURE ?>in the first halfin All games when the first half total is 70.5 to 75.5
The record is 8 Wins and 0 Losses for the last three seasons (+8 units)

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CBB TOTALS

CBB > (803) IUPU-FT WAYNE@ (804) UTAH | 2015-12-05 14:00:00 - 2015-12-05 14:00:00
Play OVER UTAH on the totalin Home games after a non-conference game
The record is 10 Overs and 0 Unders for the last two seasons (+10 units)

CBB > (813) AIR FORCE@ (814) DENVER | 2015-12-05 16:00:00 - 2015-12-05 16:00:00
Play UNDER DENVER on the totalin All games on Saturday games
The record is 3 Overs and 19 Unders for the last three seasons (+15.7 units)

CBB > (813) AIR FORCE@ (814) DENVER | 2015-12-05 16:00:00 - 2015-12-05 16:00:00
Play UNDER DENVER on the totalin All games when the total is 120 to 129.5
The record is 1 Overs and 12 Unders for the last two seasons (+10.9 units)

CBB > (803) IUPU-FT WAYNE@ (804) UTAH | 2015-12-05 14:00:00 - 2015-12-05 14:00:00
Play OVER UTAH on the totalin Home games in non-conference games
The record is 9 Overs and 0 Unders for the last two seasons (+9 units)

CBB > (741) HARVARD@ (742) KANSAS | 2015-12-05 15:15:00 - 2015-12-05 15:15:00
Play OVER KANSAS on the totalin All games as a home favorite of 12.5 or more points
The record is 9 Overs and 0 Unders for the last three seasons (+9 units)

CBB > (819) SE MISSOURI ST@ (820) MEMPHIS | 2015-12-05 19:00:00 - 2015-12-05 19:00:00
Play UNDER MEMPHIS on the totalin All games in a home game where the first half total is 70.5 to 73
The record is 2 Overs and 15 Unders for the since 1992 (+12.8 units)

CBB > (819) SE MISSOURI ST@ (820) MEMPHIS | 2015-12-05 19:00:00 - 2015-12-05 19:00:00
Play UNDER MEMPHIS on the totalin All games in a home game where the total is 150 to 154.5
The record is 2 Overs and 15 Unders for the since 1992 (+12.8 units)

CBB > (769) S FLORIDA@ (770) S CAROLINA | 2015-12-05 16:00:00 - 2015-12-05 16:00:00
Play UNDER S CAROLINA on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 11 Overs and 36 Unders for the since 1992 (+23.9 units)

CBB > (745) MISSOURI ST@ (746) OKLAHOMA ST | 2015-12-05 15:30:00 - 2015-12-05 15:30:00
Play UNDER MISSOURI ST on the totalin All games in a road game where the first half total is 63 to 65.5
The record is 3 Overs and 17 Unders for the since 1992 (+13.7 units)

CBB > (785) WICHITA ST@ (786) SAINT LOUIS | 2015-12-05 21:00:00 - 2015-12-05 21:00:00
Play UNDER SAINT LOUIS on the totalin All games after a non-conference game
The record is 2 Overs and 13 Unders for the last three seasons (+10.8 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Bearcats (2-4) at Spartans (8-0)
Date: December 05, 2015 12:00 PM EDT

A seemingly insignificant nonconference game has suddenly taken on greater importance for Michigan State.

The No. 3 Spartans will likely gain the top spot in next week's AP poll with a win over heavy underdog Binghamton on Saturday at the Breslin Center.

UCLA's upset of top-ranked Kentucky on Thursday and Maryland's loss at North Carolina on Tuesday has cleared the way for Michigan State (8-0) to earn its first No. 1 distinction since a three-week stint from Nov. 18-Dec. 8, 2013. That's assuming the Spartans get past the apparently overmatched Bobcats, who are 0-10 all-time against ranked opponents and haven't come within 21 points in any of those games.

Michigan State furthered its case with Wednesday's 71-67 win over No. 24 Louisville, its third victory over a current Top 25 team. The Spartans downed No. 4 Kansas in the Nov. 17 Champions Classic in Chicago and 23rd-ranked Providence in Sunday's Wooden Legacy tournament title game.

The Spartans stayed unbeaten by surviving a stern test in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, where they trailed Louisville by 13 early on and didn't take the lead for good until Denzel Valentine's 3-pointer with 5:06 left snapped a 58-all tie.

"I feel fortunate to win," coach Tom Izzo said. "I almost feel like we stole it, and you got to do that in order to have a great season. I wouldn't say we didn't deserve to, because we fought back, but I thought they played awfully well for a long period of time in that game."

Michigan State received its usual lift from Valentine, who scored 11 of his 25 points in the final 5:06, and an unexpected one from Kenny Goins. The seldom-used freshman collected a career-high 13 rebounds in 18 minutes.

'Kenny played out of his mind,' Valentine said. 'I didn't know he had that in him. I just told him he earned my respect the way he battled.'

After earning three tough wins in a six-day span, the Spartans figure to have a less stressful time against Binghamton (2-4), which went 6-26 while having four freshmen start at least 18 games last season.

The Bobcats are beginning to see the benefits of that youth movement, having won two of three after an 0-3 start. They come in off their most impressive effort, a 69-50 win over Colgate on Tuesday.

"We're growing up in the sense that I really felt like everybody in our program felt like we needed to win," coach Tommy Dempsey said. "I felt like we were really prepared defensively and we came out an executed very well on the defensive end. That was the key to the game."

After limiting Colgate to 3 of 22 from 3-point range, Binghamton now faces two of the nation's top long-range shooters in Valentine (20.5 points per game) and guard Bryn Forbes, who went 5 of 9 from beyond the arc in a season-high 20-point performance against Louisville.

The Bearcats are led by sophomore forward Willie Rodriguez, shooting 60.6 percent while averaging 21.0 points over the 2-1 stretch.

Binghamton lost 93-65 at No. 4 Syracuse in its last Top 25 matchup in December 2013. The Bobcats dropped a 67-39 decision at then-No. 3 Michigan the previous season.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Orange (6-1) at Hoyas (3-3)
Date: December 05, 2015 1:00 PM EDT

Georgetown and Syracuse are ready to revive one of college basketball's all-time rivalries, though Saturday's clash between the storied programs bears little resemblance to games of years past.

It was known the Hoyas and 14th-ranked Orange wouldn't be facing each other as conference members. It was not expected, however, that Jim Boeheim wouldn't be coaching in the schools' first meeting since Syracuse bolted the Big East for the ACC.

The Orange head to the nation's capital two days after the NCAA upheld Boeheim's nine-game suspension as part of sanctions levied against the program for various infractions. However, he is now allowed to begin serving the penalty immediately instead of the originally scheduled start date of Dec. 30, when Syracuse opens ACC play at Pittsburgh.

Though Boeheim will now only miss Syracuse's first three league games under the new ruling, the Hall of Fame coach wasn't pleased by the short timing of the announcement.

"Needless to say, I am extremely disappointed with the NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee's decision, and in particular, the NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee giving us only two days to make this transition, when the appeal was argued weeks ago," Boeheim said in a statement.

As a result, Boeheim won't be part of a Syracuse-Georgetown game for the first time since December 1967. He was the head coach for every one of the Orange's 73 matchups with Georgetown during their 34-year membership in the Big East that ended in 2013.

Longtime assistant Mike Hopkins will run the team until Boeheim is eligible to return for the Orange's Jan. 9 game against North Carolina.

Saturday's showdown lost a little more shine after Syracuse (6-1) was knocked from the unbeaten ranks with Wednesday's 66-58 overtime defeat to Wisconsin in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The Orange, picked ninth in the ACC preseason poll, had climbed into the AP Top 25 after a surprise title at least week's Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, where they posted notable wins over Connecticut and Texas A&M.

After shooting 41.1 percent from 3-point range during its 6-0 start, Syracuse went a season-worst 7 of 24 while also struggling from the foul line against Wisconsin. The Orange made 11 of 20 free throws and missed four of their final five in regulation.

'We had great opportunities to keep the lead and when you don't, when you miss those and you give the other team a chance, they're going to make it eventually," Boeheim said.

Though Georgetown (3-3) has had a more inconsistent start, it's won two straight and owns a victory over Wisconsin after holding the Badgers to 31.7 percent shooting in a 71-61 decision Nov. 20 at Madison Square Garden.

The Hoyas have limited each of their last two opponents under 50 points and 36 percent. They forced 19 turnovers while getting a bounce-back game from D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera in Tuesday's 68-49 win over Maryland-Eastern Shore. The senior guard amassed 30 points three days after scoring just nine on 3-of-12 shooting against Bryant.

"I finally feel like the weight is off my shoulders a little bit," he said. "Coach (John Thompson III) has been telling me to keep playing, shots were going to fall eventually."

Syracuse hopes freshmen standouts Malachi Richardson and Tyler Lydon can get back on track after combining to go 1 of 10 from 3 against Wisconsin. Richardson managed just eight points after beginning his college career with six straight double-figure games, while Lydon was 10 of 17 from beyond the arc prior to an 0-for-3 effort on Wednesday.

Saturday's game begins a four-year home-and-home series between the schools and marks the first meeting since Syracuse's 58-55 overtime triumph in the 2013 Big East tournament semifinals. It will be the first nonconference matchup in the series since Dec. 27, 1974.

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Preview: Tribe (5-2) at Cavaliers (6-1)
Date: December 05, 2015 2:00 PM EDT

Even if ailing point guard London Perrantes doesn't take the court this weekend, Virginia feels it has enough quality depth to keep winning.

It's uncertain if the junior floor leader will return from a recent appendectomy when the 10th-ranked Cavaliers try for a sixth straight victory Saturday against a William & Mary squad that's already knocked off an ACC school on the road.

In its first game since Perrantes (10.0 points, 5.3 assists per game) underwent surgery Sunday, Virginia (6-1) got 12 points and six assists in 36 minutes from sophomore Tennessee transfer Darius Thompson plus four points and three rebounds from fellow guard Devon Hall in a season-high 23 minutes of Tuesday's 64-58 win at Ohio State.

'We are veteran team that has depth,' said coach Tony Bennett, who has nine players averaging at least 10.6 minutes. 'I've talked about that a lot this year so it was an opportunity to see if we had legitimate depth."

Led by Malcolm Brogdon's 17.4 points per game, three Cavaliers average in double figures and four more are scoring at least 5.4 a contest. Paced by Perrantes, five Virginia players average at least 1.9 assists.

'Of course, we'll miss (Perrantes) but we have guys who can step up for as long as he's out," said sophomore Isaiah Wilkins, who had six points, five rebounds, one steal and one block in 25 minutes off the bench against the Buckeyes.

There is no return date set for Perrantes, who has started all but four of the 75 games he's played in three seasons at Virginia. Last season, talented guard Justin Anderson sat out eight days after undergoing an appendectomy.

"I think it just depends on how you respond," Bennett told the school's official website. "It's just unfortunate that's our second one in a short amount of time."

Bennett is more than confident Thompson, Hall and even the versatile Brogdon, who averages 3.0 assists, can continue to pick up the slack if Perrantes remains out.

"We're just trying to keep it rolling, even though London's gone," said Bennett, whose team leads the nation with a 2.17 assist-to-turnover ratio. "Ballhandling guards are really important at the college level - any level - and I think that's maybe what's a little different about this year."

Virginia has not turned the ball over more than nine times in any game, and had eight while also going 8 of 16 from 3-point range Tuesday. That type of play and a defense that's again among the country's best allowing an average of 58.3 points, likely needs to be on display Saturday.

The Cavaliers have dominated William & Mary (5-2) by winning the last nine meetings, but this is the first since November 2010.

The Tribe return five of their top six scorers from a 2014-15 squad that recorded its second straight 20-win season and made the NIT. They immediately turned heads this season by shooting 51.7 percent and pulling down 42 rebounds to open with an 85-68 win at North Carolina State.

"That's a good team," N.C. State coach Mark Gottfried said. "They play like that and they're a potential NCAA Tournament team."

William & Mary also fell by three on the road to a Dayton team that suffered its first defeat last weekend against then-No. 23 Xavier and overcame a season-low 38.2-percent shooting effort to win 55-48 over Old Dominion on Tuesday.

While junior swingman Omar Prewitt averages a team-leading 17.4 points, the Tribe are holding opponents to 64.3 points per game and 38.6 percent shooting.

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Preview: Lobos (5-1) at Boilermakers (7-0)
Date: December 05, 2015 2:15 PM EDT

Given Albuquerque's remote location, New Mexico coach Craig Neal requires a national footprint while recruiting for a program seeking its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in a seven-season span.

He's had success in his native Indiana, where he returns for the third time in four seasons as the Lobos match up with an undefeated Purdue squad coming off its best win of the season Saturday.

Hailing from Washington, Indiana, Neal was a standout high school player who left the Hoosier State for Georgia Tech. He returned to the college ranks as an assistant under current UCLA coach Steve Alford - himself one of Indiana's most famous prep and college players - at Iowa in 2004 and followed him to New Mexico in 2007.

Neal was promoted by the Lobos in 2013 after Alford departed for Westwood and has made it a point to return his roots during nonconference play. New Mexico (5-1) has won both its games played in Indiana while Neal has been on the sidelines, defeating Indiana State in 2012 when he was an assistant and easing by Valparaiso 63-46 last season.

The 11th-ranked Boilermakers (7-0), however, present a significant upgrade in caliber of competition, and Neal is embracing the challenge his friend and Purdue coach Matt Painter will present his Lobos.

"They're hard-nosed, they play hard, they guard you," Neal said. "It's a tough place to play ... we might have been one of the first teams to ever offer (Caleb) Swanigan (a scholarship) when we recruited him, so we know how good he is.

"When you grow up in Indiana and you play basketball, you kind of know everybody. I've known (Painter) since he was a high school player and with my dad being a high school coach we knew a lot of people."

The trips have also proven a productive recruiting tool for Neal. Leading scorer and rebounder Tim Williams (17.5 ppg, 9.2 rpg) is from Flossmoor, Illinois, roughly a two-hour drive from Purdue, and starting sophomore forward Sam Longwood is from Indianapolis.

"We've done well recruiting there," Neal said. "There's a lot of schools there, but we've got great connections there and we've gotten a lot of good players out of there."

Williams and 7-foot-1 center Obji Aget (7.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg) will have their hands full with a Boilermakers front line that boasts NBA-like size in 7-foot supersub A.J. Hammonds, 7-2 Isaac Haas and the aforementioned 6-9 freshman standout Swanigan. Hammonds provided the spark in Tuesday's 72-59 win at Pittsburgh in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, totaling season highs of 24 points and 12 rebounds while providing space for freshman Ryan Cline to hit four second-half 3-pointers to keep the Panthers at bay.

'I thought A.J. did a great job of finishing,' Painter said. 'When A.J. came alive and was making some plays it opened things up and Ryan stepped up and made some 3s.'

Cline, who didn't score the previous three games, is 12 for 25 from 3-point range and 0 for 3 inside the arc.

Swanigan averages a team-high 9.0 rebounds for the Boilermakers, who are outrebounding opponents by 12.4 per contest and lead the nation in defensive field goal percentage (32.4). There may be a concern in the backcourt, though, with senior guard Rapheal Davis' status uncertain due to a sprained knee that has sidelined him the last two games.

"He's good at running," Painter said of Davis after the win over Pitt. "Changing directions, cutting, he doesn't have that trust yet. We'll see how it goes."

New Mexico could exploit Davis' absence with its backcourt tandem of Elijah Brown and Neal's son, Cullen, who have combined to average 34.3 points and made 29 of New Mexico's 43 3-pointers.

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Preview: Crimson (2-5) at Jayhawks (5-1)
Date: December 05, 2015 3:15 PM EDT

Cheick Diallo told coach Bill Self he was nervous before putting on an impressive performance in his Kansas debut. It's scary to think how good the Jayhawks can be once he gets comfortable.

The fourth-ranked Jayhawks look to win their 27th straight at Allen Fieldhouse when they take on Harvard for the first time Saturday.

Diallo didn't play in the first five games for Kansas (5-1) because the NCAA was looking into his academic work from a New York prep school as well as his relationship with his guardian. That investigation ended Nov. 25, with the NCAA clearing the 6-foot-9 Diallo after determining he received a limited amount of impermissible benefits.

He still had to sit out that night's Maui Invitational title game, which Kansas won by beating then-No. 19 Vanderbilt 70-63, before finally getting on the court Tuesday against Loyola.

Diallo didn't start and was given a standing ovation when he checked in. He got even more applause throughout the game with a trio of highlight-reel dunks, 13 points - all in the second half - six rebounds and three blocks in 16 minutes of a 94-61 victory.

'He told me two days ago, `I don't get nervous.' Then yesterday, `Oh, coach, I'm so nervous!'' Self said.

Wayne Selden Jr. had 18 points after being named co-Big 12 player of the week on Monday and co-Most Valuable Player in Maui. One of his four assists was a behind-the-back pass to Diallo, who slammed it home.

Diallo said he had trouble sleeping Monday night.

'I was thinking about this game; like what to do, rebound, block shots,' he said. 'In the first half I played seven or eight minutes and got zero points and I was thinking, 'Wow what am I supposed to do in the second half?' I was so scared and nervous, but now I am so excited the game is over and I played really well.'

The same can be said of Kansas, which is among the nation's leaders in points per game (93.5), scoring margin (plus-23.5), field-goal percentage (51.2), 3-point shooting (45.7) and assists (19.2).

During its current four-game win streak, Selden has averaged 19.0 points on 64.3 percent shooting and has hit 15 of 23 from 3-point range.

The Jayhawks, though, could be in for a challenge offensively against Harvard (2-5), which ranks near the top of Division I in field-goal defense (35.5) while holding opponents to 61.1 points per game.

The Crimson, however, likely won't be able to keep up with Kansas as they average 63.1 points. They're also 0-4 on the road, while the Jayhawks' 26-game run at Allen Fieldhouse is tied for the eighth-best in school history.

This is the third of four straight games away from home for Harvard, which lost 80-71 to Northeastern on Wednesday despite shooting a season-high 55.4 percent.

Leading scorer Zena Edosomwan (13.6) had 18 points and went 9 of 12 from the field after being held to six on 2-of-7 shooting in Sunday's 50-49 defeat to Holy Cross.

Harvard dropped both matchups against Top 25 teams last season but nearly upset 15th-ranked North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, falling 67-65 to the fourth-seeded Tar Heels after leading by two with 1:15 remaining.

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Preview: Wildcats (6-1) at Bulldogs (5-1)
Date: December 05, 2015 3:15 PM EDT

Though Arizona has achieved most of the success in its budding rivalry with Gonzaga, its toughest challenge of the series may lie ahead.

The No. 19 Wildcats face a difficult spot for their first true road game of the season, Saturday's showdown with a 13th-ranked Bulldogs team that's eager to avenge a frustrating loss from a year ago.

These two powerhouse programs combined for one of the more entertaining games of last season's nonconference schedule, a 66-63 Wildcats overtime win in Tucson on Dec. 6, 2014 that improved Arizona to 5-1 in six matchups with the Bulldogs.

None of those games have taken place at the McCarthey Athletic Center, where Gonzaga (5-1) has won 43 of 44 since an 85-74 loss to then-No. 13 Illinois in December 2012. The Bulldogs' lone series win was 71-60 in Seattle in December 2011.

The Wildcats (6-1) will have a far different look than last season's squad that finished 34-4 and reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, as well as the 2013-14 team that routed Gonzaga 84-61 in the third round en route to another regional final.

Arizona's current roster accounted for only 21 of its 66 points in last year's meeting and 11 of that total came from center Kaleb Tarczewski, sidelined into January by a stress reaction in his left foot.

With the 7-footer unavailable for the Wooden Legacy tournament semifinal, the Wildcats allowed now-No. 23 Providence to shoot 50.0 percent in a 69-65 loss Nov. 27. They were much better in Sunday's third-place game, limiting Boise State to 39.6 percent in a 68-59 victory.

'This was our best defensive performance of the year," coach Sean Miller said. "We had some guys really, really step up on defense.'

At full strength, Gonzaga poses a different challenge than the high-scoring but perimeter-oriented Broncos. The Bulldogs possess two quality big men that are shooting at least 59 percent from the field in 6-11 Domantas Sabonis (13.5 points per game) and 7-1 center Przemek Karnowski, though the latter missed Wednesday's 69-60 win at Washington State with back spasms.

Kyle Wiltjer helped offset Karnowski's absence by scoring 20 of his 22 points in the first half and combining with guard Josh Perkins for a 7-of-12 showing from 3-point range.

"He gets like that in practice sometimes," coach Mark Few said of Wiltjer's first-half binge. "We needed every one of them."

Wiltjer's 19.3 points per game lead Gonzaga and he had 15 in last year's meeting in Tucson, though the Kentucky transfer finished 6 of 16 from the floor and 1 of 6 on 3s. Karnowski made 5 of 7 shots in a 10-point, 11-rebound effort.

Boston College transfer Ryan Anderson (16.0 ppg, 10.2 rpg) and 3-point specialist Gabe York (13.6 ppg) have been the headliners of an overall balanced attack for Arizona. Five healthy Wildcats are averaging at least 8.0 points and all finished in double figures against Boise State.

The schools announced Wednesday they will extend their home-and-home series in 2019 and 2020. The programs are slated to play at Staples Center next season.

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Preview: 49ers (1-6) at Hurricanes (6-1)
Date: December 05, 2015 4:00 PM EDT

Sheldon McClellan's offense was a major reason why Miami beat Charlotte twice in a three-day span last season.

The leading scorer for the No. 21 Hurricanes is becoming a better overall player now, and he'll try to help his club hand the visiting 49ers a fifth straight defeat Saturday.

These teams met last year when the Hurricanes cruised to a 77-58 rout Nov. 23 in the Charleston Classic championship and followed that up with a 77-74 road victory two days later.

McClellan totaled 50 points and 19 rebounds. Miami's star is averaging a career-high 17.0 points, though his rebounding average is down to 2.9 from 4.7.

Coach Jim Larranaga believes that the swingman is much improved on defense.

"Sheldon McClellan is terrific," Larranaga said. "He's an NBA first-round draft pick. His defense, last year, was inconsistent. He's been absolutely terrific from (that) time, he's been so focused on both ends of the court."

Miami (6-1) won 77-72 in overtime at Nebraska on Tuesday in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, bouncing back from last Friday's 78-77 home defeat to Northeastern.

"I think it's great for the team, in general," guard Angel Rodriguez said. "You know, the first couple of games we really didn't face adversity and the last game we faced some and came up short. Coming into this game, we knew that it was not going to be easy for us."

Rodriguez scored 15 points, McClellan had 14 and Davon Reed made a key 3-pointer in overtime for his only basket.

One concern for the Hurricanes was that the Cornhuskers made 9 of 18 3-pointers. Miami is allowing opponents to shoot 41.4 percent on 3s - better than only Wisconsin among major-conference teams.

"We know we have a lot of work to do," Larranaga said. "At least I know we have more to do. I'm not sure the players know."

Charlotte (1-6) shoots 31.5 percent on 3-pointers and is one of the worst shooting teams in the country at 37.4. The 49ers were crushed 109-74 by crosstown rival Davidson on Tuesday.

"We're struggling, we're really struggling and we're playing a tough schedule so that kind of compounds things but we got to keep growing, keep working, and keep getting better," first-year coach Mark Price said. "That's my job as a coach, keep coaching these guys, keep working."

The 49ers did not have leading scorer Bernard Sullivan for last season's meetings with Miami since the forward was out with a concussion. He is healthy now and scored a career-high 20 against the Wildcats.

"Right now it would be real easy for us to have our heads down but we can't do that," said Sullivan, who averages 12.3 points. "We've got a lot more games to play and it's tough but we can still turn it around."

The only player left who started for Charlotte last season against Miami is Braxton Ogbueze, who has totaled eight points on 2-of-19 shooting in his last three games.

Rodriguez had 27 points, 11 assists and six steals last season versus Charlotte, which is one of the worst teams in Division I at defending the three-point line. The 49ers have let opponents shoot 43.7 percent from beyond the arc, and the Hurricanes have connected on 3s at a 41.8 percent clip, ranking in the top 20 nationally.

The 49ers have won four of their last seven against ranked teams.

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Preview: Bulls (4-3) at Blue Devils (7-1)
Date: December 05, 2015 5:15 PM EDT

Having excelled in their first significant home game, freshman Brandon Ingram and his Duke teammates will try to keep their intensity going against a lower-profile opponent.

The seventh-ranked Blue Devils will try to again add to their lengthy nonconference win streak at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday versus Buffalo.

Ingram scored 18 of his 24 points in the first half in a 94-74 rout of Indiana in Wednesday's Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The forward made 10 of 15 shots - 7 of 8 in the opening 20 minutes - after connecting at 38.8 percent in his first seven collegiate games.

"I was happy for Brandon that he came out and asserted himself at the beginning of the game. We've been looking for that Brandon Ingram to come out a little bit more," said junior Matt Jones, who had a career-high 23 points. "Indiana is a really good team and I think we can grow in confidence from this game and continue to move forward. It was definitely a good step for the team."

The 18-year-old Ingram had more than seven field-goal attempts for just the second time in the past six games. He went 4 of 6 from 3-point range after previously hitting 6 of 25.

Jones wasn't the only one pleased to see Ingram be more aggressive.

'He can have one of these games every game, I think,' senior Amile Jefferson said. 'He can shoot the ball unbelievably. With his (6-foot-9) size, his length, he can almost get his shot off on anyone.

'... He shoots freely because who can block his shot? And if there's a guy out there who could block his shot, he's too slow to stay in front of him. So it's not a lot of guys like him out there.'

Jefferson finished two points and two assists shy of his first triple-double for the Blue Devils (7-1), winners of an NCAA-best 121 consecutive nonconference home games.

It certainly wouldn't seem that Buffalo's frontcourt would be a problem for Ingram considering it has only one starter taller than 6-5.

The Bulls are 4-3 under first-year coach Nate Oats and have lost their two road games by a combined 41 points. Former Duke star Bobby Hurley led Buffalo to its first MAC title and NCAA Tournament in 2014-15 before heading to Arizona State.

Oats' team had a three-game win streak snapped Wednesday with a 60-58 home loss to St. Bonaventure, which hit the go-ahead shot with 10 seconds to go.

Senior Rodell Wigginton had a team-best 16 points - after totaling eight in his previous two games - and 10 rebounds. Leading scorer Lamonte Bearden (13.6 ppg) had 12 points after scoring a combined 38 in the prior two contests.

Buffalo lost all three of its matchups with ranked teams last season but put up a good fight in all of them. The Braves led at halftime against No. 1 Kentucky and No. 6 Wisconsin, then fell 68-62 to No. 20 West Virginia in the NCAA tournament's second round.

Duke and Buffalo are meeting for the first time.

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Preview: Friars (7-1) at Rams (5-2)
Date: December 05, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

A runner-up showing at the Wooden Legacy tournament has earned Providence some national respect. Kris Dunn has already had it for quite some time.

The preseason All-American will try to stay hot as the 23rd-ranked Friars seek their best start in five years in their first road game Saturday night against rival Rhode Island.

Providence (7-1) jumped into the poll for the first time since the week of March 2 after knocking off then-No. 11 Arizona in the semifinals and falling to No. 3 Michigan State in the championship game of the Wooden Legacy in Anaheim.

The Friars proved being ranked in consecutive seasons for the first time in 37 years was no fluke Wednesday when they bounced back with an 89-66 home win over Hartford. Ben Bentil finished with 21 points while Jalen Lindsey had 15 points and eight rebounds.

Dunn, however, stole the show with 16 points, 14 assists and 10 boards to record his second career triple-double and the 10th in school history. The reigning Big East Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year had a program-record 11 assists in the first half.

One of the top all-around performers in the country, Dunn is averaging 19.2 points, 8.6 assists, 6.4 boards and 3.0 steals while shooting 52.2 percent over his last five games.

'He's very unique, a stat stuffer,' coach Ed Cooley said. 'He really gets us going when he plays with that high motor.'

Dunn hasn't done it alone for Providence, which is trying to win eight of its first nine for the first time since opening 9-1 in 2010-11. Bentil, a sophomore forward, has put up five straight 20-point performances while hitting 7 of 15 from 3-point range.

'He's been as good as anybody in the country," Cooley said of Bentil, who ranks second behind Dunn at 17.5 points per game. "It's just that he's been overshadowed by Kris."

The Friars hope to keep it going as they go after a sixth consecutive victory in this rivalry. They've won the past two at Rhode Island, but needed a free throw with 22.1 seconds left to pull out a 50-49 win Dec. 5, 2013, in the most recent meeting there.

'I think our wonderful state makes more about this game than there is," Cooley said. "It's another game that's good for our fans. To me it's business.'

Dunn finished with 22 points and nine rebounds in a 68-60 home win over Rhode Island last December. E.C. Matthews led the Rams with 27 points, but the Atlantic-10 Player of the Year candidate suffered a season-ending knee injury in the opener.

Following a 58-55 home loss to Valparaiso in its second game, Rhode Island (5-2) has pulled together to win four of five. It's only blemish during that stretch was an 86-63 loss to No. 2 Maryland in the Cancun Challenge on Nov. 25.

Kuran Iverson led the way with 19 points and 10 rebounds in Wednesday's 74-56 home win over Holy Cross. Hassan Martin had 16 points, seven boards and four blocks.

Iverson has stepped up of late, averaging 15.3 points over his last three games.

"It's obviously a big game in the state," coach Dan Hurley said. "It's well beyond state bragging rights, for us it's about trying to find a way to beat a Top 25 team."

The Rams only have one win over their last 30 games versus ranked opponents.

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Preview: Hilltoppers (4-3) at Musketeers (7-0)
Date: December 05, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

Xavier was given some time to recover from a successful tournament run in Florida but was forced to spend time this week dealing with a widespread virus.

The 12th-ranked Musketeers didn't get as much practice time to prepare for one of the nation's best 3-point shooting teams, Western Kentucky, and their attempt to match their best start in coach Chris Mack's tenure Saturday night.

Xavier dominated Dayton 90-61 in Sunday's Advocare Invitational championship for its sixth consecutive victory by double digits, but its return has been marred by illness.

Mack said the Musketeers (7-0) couldn't practice Wednesday because they didn't have enough healthy players but got virtually everyone back on the court Thursday.

"The good thing about the virus is it's been a 24-hour thing, 48 hours at most," he said Friday. "I thought we had a pretty good practice (Thursday) for not having gone live for two to three days."

The Musketeers had their only 8-0 start in Mack's seven seasons in 2011-12 and will try to tie that in this visit from the Hilltoppers (4-3). Western Kentucky is shooting 42.2 percent from beyond the arc and needed all of its season-high 14 3-pointers for an 86-84 victory over Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday.

Justin Johnson provided the winning basket and his first career 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds left. The sophomore forward, averaging a team-best 16.9 points on 67.1 percent shooting and 8.6 rebounds, had 22 points while making 10 of 15 shots and added 11 boards.

Senior guard Aaron Cosby had a career-high 26 points while knocking down eight of 11 shots from long range. Cosby is 20 of 45 from 3-point range while senior Nigel Snipes is shooting 46.2 percent.

"They're a good team. They're going to come in here hungry and willing to get a win. We have to show why we need to defend this home court," said reserve forward James Farr, who leads Xavier with 9.0 rebounds per game and is shooting 59.3 percent in his last four.

The Hilltoppers have alternated wins and losses in each game. They've allowed 71.8 points on 38.6 percent shooting in the victories and 84.0 points on 47.8 percent shooting in the defeats.

Western Kentucky beat No. 25 Old Dominion 72-65 on Jan. 10 to end a nine-game losing streak against ranked opponents. The Hilltoppers have lost their last five visits to Top 25 teams by an average of 19.6 points and endured a 79-63 loss to No. 6 Louisville in the latest Dec. 14, 2013.

They haven't faced Xavier since a 93-60 drubbing to the nation's No. 9 team Dec. 6, 1997.

The Musketeers have won 19 straight at home against nonconference teams and are 204-30 all-time at Cintas Center since it opened for the 2000-01 season. That 87.2 winning percentage ranks 11th in the nation over that span.

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Preview: Aggies (7-1) at Sun Devils (5-2)
Date: December 05, 2015 10:30 PM EDT

Arizona State's consecutive two-point wins have come with similar levels of last-minute excitement, even if the second came in a considerably more respectable context.

The bar again rises Saturday night with No. 18 Texas A&M visiting Tempe in a rematch of last season's one-point game, and while wins over ranked foes haven't been entirely uncommon for the Sun Devils lately, the losses between have been messy.

Since the start of 2013-14, Arizona State (5-2) is 3-5 against the Top 25 with the wins all coming by three points or fewer. The losses have come by an average of 26.8 points and none by less than 17.

The Aggies (7-1) are beginning to understand those huge wins are what's expected of them against unranked opponents but are finding it doesn't always work out that way.

"Being a ranked team, the expectations are higher for you," senior guard Jalen Jones said after a 75-65 victory over Florida Gulf Coast on Wednesday. "Everybody expects you to blow out unranked teams, and dominate them. But sometimes you have to pull out tough victories."

Arizona State, meanwhile, is coming off a 79-77 win at Creighton on Wednesday following Sunday's 70-68 home win over UC Santa Barbara. In Omaha, the Sun Devils trailed by eight at half, then grabbed the lead on a goaltending call in the final seconds.

It was their first true road game and acted as a fine tune-up and confidence builder before hosting the Aggies and visiting No. 1 Kentucky on Dec. 12.

"I just love our team right now," said forward Savon Goodman, who scored a season-high 23 points and leads the team with 13.9 per game on 64.5 percent shooting. "Everybody's playing their role, everybody's finding their niche. We're on a roll."

A roll of close games - yes. A roll of success - not just yet.

The Sun Devils shot 51.7 percent against the Bluejays, but the win over UC Santa Barbara and the overtime loss to Marquette that preceded it came on a combined 35.9 percent. Arizona State was 7 of 17 from 3-point range against Creighton, but it's shooting just 29.8 percent from beyond the arc for the season.

Coach Bobby Hurley's assessment was a little more grounded.

"We haven't shot the ball great yet," said Hurley, whose team hit 18 of 28 in the second half. "We came out of our shell with that today."

A&M has been a better offensive team, but it went the other way in the win over Florida Gulf Coast, shooting 40.6 percent and hitting 3 of 17 from outside - though it remains a 40.6 percent 3-point shooting team.

"We're not where we need to be," said coach Billy Kennedy, whose team is playing its first true road game after five at home and three at neutral sites. "We can get a lot better, and that's the good thing about it."

Jones, suspended for the first four games after taking part in a non-sanctioned scrimmage, got his first start of the season and scored 22 points after notching a season-high 23 in a seven-point loss to Syracuse in the Battle 4 Atlantis title game in the Bahamas. The 6-foot-7 swingman was 4 of 18 in his first two games and is 18 of 31 since.

He had 13 points in last season's 72-71 win over the Sun Devils in College Station, while fellow guard Alex Caruso scored a season-high 23.

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Calipari: We need to get tougher
December 4, 2015

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) Kentucky coach John Calipari cautioned anyone who would listen that all the talent possessed by his latest freshman class would mean nothing if they didn't also show a little toughness.

If he was having trouble getting his team's attention, he's not anymore.

The top-ranked Wildcats showed none of that needed grit in an 87-77 loss at UCLA, a game in which Calipari's concerns about his team's resolve painfully unfolded in Kentucky's first regular-season loss in nearly 21 months.

''We got kicked, we got beat, we move on,'' Calipari said. ''We've had a pretty good run, and we'll see if we can get it going again.''

Kentucky (7-1) has until Wednesday when they face Eastern Kentucky to find some of that missing fortitude.

Against the Bruins, the Wildcats shot 38 percent, were edged 38-37 on the boards and looked lost for the most part in the school's first visit to Pauley Pavilion. Calipari's hope was that the Wildcats remember that empty feeling they had during the five-hour overnight flight home and learn from it.

''We have a couple of guys not fighting right now, but we're going to get there. It's early in the season,'' said sophomore guard Tyler Ulis, who played with a wrap on his injured right elbow.

Though three-quarters of the season remains for Kentucky, upcoming non-conference games this month against Arizona State, Ohio State and archrival Louisville adds some urgency to getting problems corrected. Not that Calipari expects neighboring EKU to be a cakewalk after his Wildcats led for just 30 seconds against the Bruins.

Then there is the questionable status of 6-foot-9 junior forward Marcus Lee, who left the game against UCLA with a head injury about 4 1/2 minutes in and did not return. Team spokesman Eric Lindsey said Friday afternoon Lee is being evaluated on a daily basis.

Without their leading rebounder, things went downhill for against UCLA, which led by as many as 15 points.

Much-heralded Kentucky freshman Skal Labissiere drew the most scrutiny after contributing just six points, one rebound and four fouls. UCLA's Thomas Welsh had 21 points and 11 rebounds in comparison.

The 6-10 Haitian's seeming reluctance to get physical against the Bruins even drew a push from the 5-9 Ulis in an effort to get him more involved.

''We've got to stay on him,'' Ulis said of Labissiere while downplaying the shove as a heat-of-the-moment reaction. ''I pushed him or whatever to get him to get the rebound, but at the same time I told it `you're good, it's OK.'''

Freshman guards Isaiah Briscoe and Jamal Murray provided some bright spots with 20 and 17 points respectively while junior forward Derek Willis added 11 points and six rebounds. But Willis and Alex Poythress also fouled out and several others had at least three fouls, which Calipari hoped would offer another lesson for his youngsters.

The coach also pointed the finger inward after Kentucky's first regular-season loss since March 8, 2014 at Florida. Calipari said he was outcoached by UCLA counterpart Steve Alford for setting a slower, physical pace that took Kentucky out of its rhythm.

But what really bothered Calipari was that the Wildcats didn't counterpunch, which needs to change.

''We have to be tougher than the people we're playing,'' he said, ''and if you don't understand that, then we've got to figure it out.''