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**StarDust Bum** · 12-10-2016, 03:22 AM

Preview: Fighting Irish (9-0) at Wildcats (9-0)
Date: December 10, 2016 12:00 PM EDT

Villanova withstood a furious rally by Big 5 rival La Salle in its last game before pulling away for an 89-79 victory at the Palestra.

The next challenge promises to be even tougher for the No. 1-ranked Wildcats -- a matchup against No. 23-ranked Notre Dame Saturday at noon ET in the inaugural Never Forget Tribute Classic at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Villanova (9-0) is off to a fast start in its quest to become the first program to repeat as national champions since Florida in 2006-07.

"La Salle came in with a good game plan against us and played with a little more energy than us," Villanova head coach Jay Wright said after the win over the Explorers on Tuesday night. "They played really well against us. We didn't have our best game because of them and we found a way to grind it out. Any game you get in like this is valuable, win or lose. It's more fun to win and learn from it."

Sophomore guard Jalen Brunson scored a career-high 26 points against La Salle. Brunson knocked down 10 of 17 shots, including a pair of clutch jumpers down the stretch.

"He's one of those guys that you know at any point that you need a bucket, he can go get one for you," Wright said of Brunson.

National Player of the Year candidate Josh Hart scored 21 points as the Wildcats won their first game as the top-ranked team in the country. Villanova spent three weeks atop the Top 25 last February on its way to the school's second national championship.

Notre Dame also enters this game at 9-0, the best start of head coach Mike Brey's era dating to the 2000-01 season. The Fighting Irish opened the 1973-74 season at 12-0.

Since Brey took over, Notre Dame has faced the defending national champion 11 times, coming away with a victory seven times.

Last season, Notre Dame defeated 2015 national champion Duke 95-91 at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Jan. 16, 2016. Notre Dame then defeated the Blue Devils 84-79 in overtime at the ACC quarterfinals on March 10.

This season, the Fighting Irish have been led by junior forward Bonzie Colson, who earned his first ACC Player of the Week Award on Dec. 5. Colson currently owns a personal six-game streak of double-doubles.

Against Iowa in the he ACC/Big Ten Challenge, Colson scored a game-high 24 points, swept a career-high 17 rebounds and shot 12 for 12 from the free throw line.

Colson had 17 points and 14 rebounds in Notre Dame's most recent victory, 87-72 over Fort Wayne.

"It's staying composed and coming to play early," Colson told the South Bend Tribune. "As a team, we try to get off to good starts. I feel like we're doing that really well. Excited what we did tonight."

Senior guard Steve Vasturia paced Notre Dame with 21 points against Fort Wayne.

Villanova will be a much more daunting opponent than Fort Wayne.

"It's just the thing you look forward to, these types of games," sophomore guard Rex Pflueger told the South Bend Tribune. "It's going to be strictly business when we get there."

Villanova leads the all-time series with Notre Dame, 18-17.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-10-2016, 03:23 AM

Preview: Vikings (3-5) at Boilermakers (7-2)
Date: December 10, 2016 12:00 PM EDT

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- No. 18 Purdue continues to reap the benefits of having two of the nation's best big men -- power forward Caleb Swanigan and 7-foot-2 center Isaac Haas -- as the Boilermakers prepare for Saturday's home game against Cleveland State.

As opponents focus their defensive efforts on containing Swanigan (16.2 points and 11.3 rebounds) and Haas (14.9 points and 5.1 rebounds), Purdue's perimeter shooters are wide open for 3-point attempts.

In their six most recent games, the Boilermakers (7-2) have made 77 of 154 attempts from 3-point range (50 percent), including 15 of 27 in Wednesday's 97-64 victory against Arizona State in the Jimmy V. Classic in Madison Square Garden. It was Purdue's second consecutive game with 15 made 3-pointers.

As many opponents opt to double-team Swanigan and Haas on the low block, junior Dakota Mathias and sophomore Ryan Cline have not been shy to shoot from beyond the arc.

"You have to be simple when people double team," Purdue coach Matt Painter said. "You just have to pass the basketball. You can't try and go through it. I thought right as we started moving the basketball and got into a rhythm against Arizona State, our guys played maybe the best half all season."

Thus far, Mathias is 24 of 43 from 3-point range (55.8 percent), and is averaging 10.7 points. Cline is 13 of 21 from beyond the arc (61.9 percent) and is averaging 7.8 points.

Overall, Purdue is averaging 84.4 points, is shooting 44.8 percent (99 of 221) from 3-point range and has the seventh most made 3s in the nation.

The Boilermakers rank second nationally in 3-point percentage and fifth in 3s made per game (11.0).

Purdue's school record for made 3-pointers is 18 vs. Vermont on Nov. 15, 2015. This season, the Boilermakers have made 17 vs. Auburn and 15 each vs. Morehead State and Arizona State.

"We move the ball really well," Mathias said of Purdue's long range success. "We're all very selfless, but it all starts with (Swanigan and Haas) down low. We always make that extra pass. We are good at getting great shots, not just good shots.

"When it's a 2-on-1 situation, we get the ball out of our hands quickly. That is a big key in what we have been able to do. There are two pretty big people down in the paint that you have to worry about, too. When we are hitting shots, our offense is tough to guard. When our big men get the ball 1-on-1 down low, they are going to score."

Cline's theory is that unselfish play is rewarded.

"It all goes back to being unselfish," Cline said. "We all are able to find the open guy. There's a level of trust that everyone is going to take a good, open shot. If the big guys get the ball inside, unless they are doubled, they are told to score.

"We have trust in them and know how easily they can score. Dakota has been shooting the ball well, and that goes on over to everyone else. We try to fuel that fire, and it becomes kind of endless."

Cleveland State (3-5) is coming off Wednesday night's 85-62 victory against Western Michigan, a game in which guard Bobby Word (11.9 points per game) scored a career-best 25. Guard Rod Edwards leads the team with a 16.0 scoring average, and forward Demonte Flannigan averages 15.3.

In Wednesday's victory, Cleveland State shot 58.6 percent from the field (34 of 58). The Vikings are averaging 70.6 points and allow 76.1.

But as coach Gary Waters said, his team comes to Purdue with some momentum.

"We were finally able to put 40 minutes together," Waters said. "The focus at halftime Wednesday was to come out in the second half and shut them down, and we held them to 36 percent."

**StarDust Bum** · 12-10-2016, 03:25 AM

Preview: Badgers (8-2) at Golden Eagles (7-2)
Date: December 10, 2016 2:00 PM EDT

MILWAUKEE -- As a native of the state, Greg Gard has no problem understanding the significance of the Wisconsin-Marquette rivalry, which continues Saturday morning when the teams meet at the Bradley Center for the 123rd installment of a series that dates to 1917.

Gard has had a front-row seat for the last 13 meetings between the two teams, serving as top assistant to Bo Ryan, but this will be his first as head coach, having taken over for Ryan just days after Marquette stunned the Badgers 57-55 a year ago in Madison.

"You appreciate the tradition you appreciate the games that have taken place in the past ... just the players that have played in that game, the coaches that have coached in it," Gard said. "Obviously you have two programs in the state who have had success. You appreciate those things."

The Badgers (8-2) come to Milwaukee ranked No. 17 in the nation and on a roll, having won four in a row and seven of their last eight, with only a loss to then-No. 4 North Carolina during that stretch.

Nigel Hayes scored a season-high 28 points against Oklahoma last weekend and is shooting 58.3 percent from the field during those four games.

Wisconsin's defense has been strong too, holding eight of the last eight opponents to season-low scoring totals and is fourth in the nation with a plus-14.5 rebounding margin.

But that defense will be tested by Marquette's talented sophomore backcourt of Traci Carter and Hannif Cheatham while senior 7-footer Luke Fischer is an imposing force in the middle and Sam Hauser has been dangerous from long distance.

During its five-game winning streak, Fischer is 31-for-36 from the field and Hauser is hitting 3-pointers at a 56 percent clip (14-of-25) for Marquette (7-2).

"It's really exciting to play them," said Hauser, a native of Stevens Point, Wis., earlier this week. "It's a big game for all of us. We really have to lock in these next two days and prepare and buy into the details of what they're going to do and how we're going to defend it. ... We're 2-0 so far this week and looking to make it 3-0."

Carter, averaging 4.3 points and 3.6 assists per game, sat out Marquette's 84-81 victory over Fresno State earlier this week with a sore left knee and is considered day-to-day, according to head coach Steve Wojciechowski.

"He had a couple knee surgeries in high school," Wojciechowski said. "It's not a surgery thing (this time), he's just got to feel better."

Wojciechowski will be facing the Badgers for third time in his head coaching career.

"What I've seen is one of the best teams in the United States," Wojciechowski said. "The very first thing you recognize with them is they have a tremendous amount of winning experience. They have guys who are in supremely key roles that are accustomed to winning. (Bronson) Koenig and Hayes have been a part of I don't know how many wins there, (Zak) Showalter's the same."

Wisconsin has won three of the last five meetings between the two teams in Milwaukee and 11 of the last 20 games overall.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-10-2016, 03:27 AM

Preview: Keydets (1-6) at Mountainers (7-1)
Date: December 10, 2016 2:00 PM EDT

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Until Big 12 Conference play opens Dec. 30, the most difficult task facing No. 15 West Virginia may be keeping its focus.

Opening a five-game stretch against outmanned mid-majors, the Mountaineers (7-1) buried Western Carolina 90-37 on Wednesday night. There's likely more carnage expected Saturday when they host another lightly regarded SoCon opponent in VMI (1-6).

While the competition doesn't look stiff, the next three weeks will be developmentally important for a roster trying to get six freshmen oriented.

"We're trying to work on team things, stuff for ourselves," forward Elijah Macon said. "Running plays right, guarding right, keeping people off the foul line."

Esa Ahmad (12.8 points, 5.3 rebounds) leads a balanced assault along with versatile forward Nathan Adrian (11.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists). The backcourt tandem of Jevon Carter (9.8 points, 3.4 steals) and Tarik Philip (8.3 points, 2.4 assists) is among the grittiest in Division I, and Daxter Miles (7.2 points, 2.0 assists) is still finding his legs after being sidelined for the first three games by a reported illness.

Reserve guard Teyvon Myers (9.5 points) has made 63 percent of his 3-point attempts, finding the stroke that made him the nation's junior college scoring champion two seasons ago. Deploying a 12-man rotation, West Virginia has topped the 100-point mark three times this season without a player scoring 20 points in a game.

"Just shows you how deep our team is," Ahmad said. "That's pretty amazing."

While West Virginia ranks No. 6 nationally at 90.5 points per game, much of that scoring occurs via transition baskets created by its full-court press. Half-court offense has looked clunky as Bob Huggins sought to gain experience for first-year players.

"We've got to score the ball," Macon said. "There was a stretch toward the end of the (Western Carolina) game where we didn't score for like five minutes. We've got to run our offense right. We can't have guys out there not knowing what's going on."

VMI, which is paced by guards QJ Peterson (20.6 points, 7 rebounds) and Julian Elby (13.0 points), got its lone win came against Division III member Southern Virginia nearly a month ago. The string of five consecutive losses that followed culminated in an 86-68 setback to Gardner-Webb.

"They dominated us in points in the paint which was a variety of things - post-ups, just driving down the lane - and unfortunately, our defense wasn't tough enough," Keydets second-year coach Dan Earl said.

"We have to look in the mirror and be a tougher team. We have to figure that out. We showed some fight, but we had something like seven turnovers the first eight minutes of the game."

VMI's sloppiness could portend huge trouble against West Virginia, which forces 26 turnovers per game, tops in the country. The Mountaineers also rank top-40 in field-goal defense, holding opponents to 38-percent shooting overall.

"It's hard for them just because we don't let people run offense," Huggins said. "And I think everybody is to the point where they see other people turn it over and you don't want to turn it over. You want to take care of the ball, so the best thing to do is to throw it backwards, and it's hard to run offense when you are constantly throwing the ball backwards."

After VMI, the Mountaineers host UMKC, Redford and Northern Kentucky. They are building toward an end-of-the-month league opener against vastly improved Oklahoma State.

"Coming up Dec. 30," Macon said, "we're going to need everybody all-in."

**StarDust Bum** · 12-10-2016, 03:28 AM

Preview: Cornhuskers (5-4) at Jayhawks (8-1)
Date: December 10, 2016 3:15 PM EDT

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- The need to work the basketball inside is a product of the offense Kansas Jayhawks coach Bill Self wants to run and his preference to attack inside-out in half-court sets.

Primary threats this season, however, dictate the Jayhawks be more proficient at running the floor and shooting from 3-point range. Often, Self employs a four-guard attack.

Still, he values the importance of working the ball inside with No. 3 Kansas off to an 8-1 start and carrying an eight-game win streak entering a home game Saturday against Nebraska (5-4).

"It's to help our team," Self said. "I mean, we're not going to score consistently shooting 50 percent from 3 all the time. You've got to be able to throw the ball inside and get fouled, or score on the block some. You have to be able to do that. So we need to feed those guys more often, get them more touches."

Those guys, the Kansas big men, have been inconsistent factoring into team scoring.

Sophomore forward Carlton Bragg is the leader among the bigs with a 7.8-point average that rank sixth among the Jayhawks' scorers. Senior forward Landen Lucas averages the most minutes (17.4), but has been slowed by an ailing foot.

Freshman center Udoka Azubuike has been the lone big to start in the lineup Self used the last four games. He averages 4.8 points and 4.7 boards.

Each of those players, Self maintains, can gain more confidence if they are simply incorporated into the offense.

"They don't need to look to score if they're getting the ball more," Self said. "They can wait and have better timing and not force the issue. The more touches you get, the less you feel inclined that you have to score."

With Kansas averaging 87.8 points and shooting 42.9 percent from 3-point range, marks that rank 12th and ninth nationally, the guards are capable of shouldering the scoring load.

In addition, they can initiate transition as rebounders, helping the Jayhawks to a 119-47 advantage in fast-break points.

"There's going to be a game where we're not making shots," said junior guard Devonte' Graham, "and we'll really find out what kind of team we are and if we can get stops and defend. We're just going to stay aggressive, keep passing how we've been passing it and keep shooting."

The meeting against Nebraska renews a series that began in 1900, but was last staged in 2011, the Huskers' final season in the Big 12. The programs were also league rivals in the Big Six, Big Seven and Big Eight. Kansas has won the last 17 meetings and was 31-3 against Nebraska as members of the Big 12.

Nebraska is coming off a 77-62 homecourt defeat against No. 10 Creighton. The Huskers trailed 18-4 after scoring on just two of their first 15 possessions, then rallied within two early in the first half before Creighton ran away.

"If this doesn't hurt you, nothing does," Nebraska coach Tim Miles said after the in-state loss dropped him to 68-71 in his fifth season.

"We've got to teach them how to win. I think it's watching tape and meeting with guys and all that fun stuff, and just continually cultivating a relationship of trust and understanding of what good basketball looks like and how we have to do it against top-level competition."

The visit to Kansas represents another top-level game. The matchup will be the sixth in 16 days for the Huskers against opponents ranked in the top 51 of the current RPI.

Senior guard Tai Webster leads the Huskers with a 17.2-point average, while sophomore guard Glynn Watson chips in 13.2. Sophomore forward Ed Morrow averages 10.1 points and a team-high 8.1 rebounds.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-10-2016, 03:31 AM

Preview:Houston Baptist (3-4) at Hoosiers (7-1)
Date: December 10, 2016 4:00 PM EDT

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A five-day game break should have No. 9 Indiana refreshed and ready for a Saturday afternoon visit from Houston Baptist at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

The Hoosiers (7-1) will be looking to extend their home winning streak to 24 games, sixth longest in program history, in a first-ever meeting with the Huskies (3-4). Indiana is 8-0 all-time against the Southland Conference while Houston Baptist is 0-4 against the Big Ten.

Indiana is the Big Ten's highest-ranked team and won four home games in eight days through last Sunday to jump into the top 10. The streak included a 76-67 victory over then-No. 3 North Carolina.

Houston Baptist has won all three home games but lost its four road games by a combined 77 points. The Huskies used a 16-point run in the second half to defeat visiting Saint Peters 62-47 on Wednesday.

Senior forward Colter Lasher leads Houston Baptist at 13.7 points per game. Junior 6-foot-11 center Josh Ibarra is averaging 10.7 points and 6.4 rebounds. Ibarra had a season-high 16 points and 12 rebounds for his first double-double of the season on Wednesday.

Huskies coach Ron Cottrell, in his 26th year, is the eighth-longest tenured active coach in NCAA Division I with a 455-344 career mark (.569). His team averages 82.6 points while allowing 80 per game.

"They score a lot of points, their average time of possession is 15 seconds so they have a fast pace of game," Indiana coach Tom Crean said on a radio show. "We don't want to be out there trading baskets, we want to get out and get our break."

Houston Baptist's ability to score will be severely tested by the Hoosiers, whose opponents have shot just 37.4 percent from the field. In the last four games, Indiana opponents have scored 58.5 points per game.

The Hoosiers have limited opponents to just 28.6 percent 3-point shooting in each of the last six games, the longest such stretch since 2008-09.

"We're getting better, no doubt about it," Crean said.

Indiana junior guard James Blackmon averages a team-high 16.7 points and is shooting 40.4 percent from 3-point range. He's also averaging 7.1 rebounds. Junior guard Robert Johnson is hitting 55.7 percent of his shots with a 12.8-point average.

Hoosiers sophomore forward Juwan Morgan has started the past two games for injured sophomore OG Anunoby (left sprained ankle) and has made all 12 of his shots, averaging 14.5 points while grabbing 6.5 rebounds in those games. Freshman reserve forward De'Ron Davis scored 14 points in back-to-back games, making 19-of-31 shots.

Since 2011-12, the Hoosiers have had the Big Ten's best offense at 78.1 points per game, a 47.9 field-goal percentage and 40.1 3-point shooting percentage. Indiana leads all major conference schools in field goal percentage and 3-point percentage during that same time frame.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-10-2016, 03:32 AM

Preview: Bearcats (7-1) at Bulldogs (8-1)
Date: December 10, 2016 4:30 PM EDT

University of Cincinnati basketball coach Mick Cronin is a big admirer of the way Butler conducts its program.

"They're really good every year because they play the game the right way," Cronin said. "They run their program the right way. They have great continuity the way they do things. They understand why they're successful, and they stick with it from their administration on down."

The No. 22 Bearcats (7-1) will face the No. 16 Bulldogs (8-1) at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

Butler nipped host Cincinnati 78-76 last season.

The approach is especially important on the court.

"On the floor, all the things that are hard for young kids to do that go into winning, they're willing to do them," Cronin said. "They're not gonna win every game, but they're really hard to beat. Obviously, they're gonna be a tough out at home especially."

Cronin said the Bulldogs have good talent.

"(Andrew) Chrabascz is a great college basketball player because he does every well, not just score," Cronin said. "He's a tough matchup. They have eight guys who I think are really good players and they don't do dumb things. The guys that dribble, dribble. The guys that pass, pass and the guys that should shoot, shoot.

"They give themselves every chance to win by playing really smart. I'm sure their coach will tell you they have to get better just like us, but they try never to make a play that's not a smart play. They play hard and physical but in a clean way."

The Bulldogs are coming off a 72-71 loss at Indiana State Wednesday night. It was a loss that didn't surprise Bulldogs coach Chris Holtmann despite the 8-0 start.

"We've got a long ways to go as far as playing together offensively," Holtmann said. "The freshmen played like freshmen (against Indiana State). I don't care what anybody says or what the rankings are. This team is a real work in progress. There are a lot of real lessons we can take from (the Indiana State loss)."

Holtmann isn't sure if playing again against a tough team will be good thing or bad thing.

"(The Bearcats) are a very good team," Holtmann said. "We'll see. The schedule was made for a reason. If we're going to tuck our tails and not get better after a tough game, that's on us. We have to be more tough-minded to know what is ahead of us. We have to get better in practice. That will be our challenge."

Butler holds a slim 1.4 rebounding advantage over its opponents after Indiana State outrebounded Butler by eight.

"They just out-toughed us," said Chrabascz, who leads the team with a 5.8 rebounding average.

The Bearcats are outrebounding opponents by six per game.

Chrabascz, a 6-foot-7 senior forward, is averaging 10.9 points, second on the Bulldogs to junior forward Kelan Martin's 17.4 scoring average.

Junior forward Kyle Washington leads the Bearcats with a 17.3 scoring average, followed by sophomore swingman Jacob Evans with 15.6 points per game.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-10-2016, 03:33 AM

Preview: Blue Devils (9-1) at Rebels (5-3)
Date: December 10, 2016 5:15 PM EDT

LAS VEGAS -- It took 25 years but Duke and UNLV will finally meet again on Saturday afternoon.

The fifth-ranked Blue Devils (9-1) and the rebuilding Runnin' Rebels (5-3) will play the first college basketball game at the new 18,000-seat T-Mobile Arena, future home of the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights. The contest is part of the fourth annual MGM Grand Showcase, which benefits Coaches vs. Cancer.

The teams took part in two iconic NCAA Final Four games back in the early 1990s.

UNLV, which was coached by controversial Hall of Famer Jerry Tarkanian and led by future NBA stars Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony, won its only national championship in 1990 with a 103-73 thrashing of the Blue Devils. The outcome was the largest margin of victory for an NCAA men's Division I basketball tournament championship game.

Mike Krzyzewski's Blue Devils, led by Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and Bobby Hurley, got even the following year in Indianapolis, stunning the 34-0 Rebels, 79-77, in the semifinals en route to the 1991 national championship.

"There will be a lot of history because two of the greatest games in history -- well, it wasn't a great game on our part -- but the largest margin in a championship, 103 points, and then '91 in the semis is classic," Krzyzewski said. "Historically, we shared a moment in time. We shared a moment where we each won."

It's fair to say UNLV basketball fans have been anxious for a rematch with Coach K and company since the gut-wrenching loss in 1991. Unfortunately, this version of the Runnin' Rebels, who ironically come in off a 97-73 blowout loss to Hurley's Arizona State Sun Devils last Saturday, is nowhere near the caliber of Tarkanian's squads that went to four Final Fours between 1977 and 1991.

UNLV has played in only eight NCAA tournaments and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen just once since 1991. The Runnin' Rebels return just three reserves from an underachieving 18-15 squad that cost head coach Dave Rice his job in midseason and featured an at-times comical coaching search that eventually led to the hiring of Marvin Menzies away from New Mexico State.

Meanwhile, Krzyzewski still roams the sidelines for the Blue Devils, who have gone to 17 Sweet Sixteens and won five NCAA titles since the last time the two teams have met. Many believe this version of Coach K's squad, led by guards Grayson Allen, Luke Kennard and Frank Jackson and featuring a trio of future freshman NBA lottery picks in Jayson Tatum, Harry Giles and Marques Bolden on the front line, could be Duke's most talented team ever.

"At the end of the day, both programs have such fantastic brands that it draws the natural attention of folks who love the game and have been following the sport for quite some time," Menzies told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "It's a great opportunity for an upset. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain."

The Blue Devils also have 6-foot-10 sophomore forward Chase Jeter, whose father Chris was a backup forward on the 1990 and 1991 UNLV teams. Jeter prepped at nearby Bishop Gorman High School but picked Duke over the hometown Rebels, Arizona, UCLA and others.

"How ironic, huh?" Krzyzewski told the Duke Chronicle. "I think (Chris Jeter) even has Duke license plates. He's very proud of what he did at Las Vegas, and he's very proud of what his son is doing at Duke."

Sophomore guard Jalen Poyser leads UNLV in scoring (17.5), which also ranks third in the Mountain West.

Senior forward Christian Jones, a transfer from St. John's who Menzies hinted could be back after missing five games with a foot injury, is second in both scoring (14.0) and rebounding (7.0).

Kennard (20.4) and Tatum (16.0 points, 8.0 rebounds) lead a balanced Duke attack that features five players averaging in double figures.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-10-2016, 03:34 AM

Preview: Utes (6-1) at Musketeers (7-2)
Date: December 10, 2016 5:30 PM EDT

CINCINNATI -- Earlier this week, Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak called 13th-ranked Xavier a "a well-oiled machine that could easily be a Final Four team."

By March, Krystkowiak might be right. But, the Musketeers that the Utes will face on Saturday (5:30 p.m. ET) at Cintas Center remain a work in progress.

After dropping a 68-66 decision at Colorado on Wednesday, Xavier (7-2) has lost two straight games for the first time since February 2015. Turnovers, poor free-throw shooting and bad decisions late in losses to the Buffaloes and at fourth-ranked Baylor have brought the Musketeers back to Earth.

"It's early in the season so we aren't going to pack our tent and quit playing," said head coach Chris Mack. "We got a reality check the last couple times. We are willing to go on the road and play in games like this but you can get penalized too. Our team has to grow up from these types of experiences because they aren't fun."

The good news for Xavier is that it can unpack the suitcases for a while. Saturday's game against Utah (6-1) begins a stretch of four straight home games.

It will be the first meeting between Utah and Xavier and is one of 15 games -- including seven non-conference -- for the Musketeers against teams that reached last season's NCAA Tournament.

The Utes have five players averaging in double figures, led by junior forward Kyle Kuzma, who's averaging 16.4 points and 11 rebounds.

Utah is outrebounding its opponents by more than 14 per game. The Utes shoot just 31 percent from 3-point range while allowing their opponents to shoot 33 percent.

Xavier presents a formidable test for the Utes, who have faced just one ranked opponent this season, losing 68-59 to 16th-ranked Butler at home.

"I think most seasons for everybody are about learning lessons and growing," Krystkowiak told the Salt Lake Tribune. "To be able to learn some pretty valuable lessons without a loss is always a positive thing, especially when you're trying to get something going."

The Musketeers are riding the hot hand of junior guard Trevon Bluiett who's scored at least 23 points in each of his past three games. At Colorado, Bluiett scored 27 points, going 6 of 13 from 3-point range with three assists, and two steals. He's averaging 19.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.6 steals.

Mack is trying different combinations at the five. Senior Rashid Gaston got the nod at Colorado and responded with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

But, for the Musketeers to get going, they badly need junior guard J.P. Macura to get on track.

In losses to Colorado and Baylor, Macura was a combined 1-for-11 from 3-point range and 5-for-25 shooting overall.

"He tends to at times play out of our system," Mack said. "You know it is tough because you want to give some freedom because he plays so hard. But at times that freedom bites him in the tail."

The Musketeers hope that returning to Cintas Center, where they are 220-31 all-time, will help get things back on the winning track. Xavier has not lost a regular-season non-conference game at home since falling to Wofford on Dec. 22, 2012.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-10-2016, 03:36 AM

Preview: Zips (7-2) at Bulldogs (9-0)
Date: December 10, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Gonzaga will attempt to start 10-0 for the first time since joining the Division I level in 1958-59 when the eighth-ranked Bulldogs host Akron in a non-conference game Saturday.

Although Gonzaga is unbeaten and ranked in the top 10, coach Mark Few believes the Bulldogs are far from where he wants them to be. Akron (7-2) is a solid mid-major program that will provide a good barometer for how Gonzaga is progressing after Wednesday's 98-71 win over visiting intrastate rival Washington.

A 27-point win should satisfy Few, but he stressed to his team the discrepancy in rebounds, with Washington grabbing 29 offensive boards and out-rebounding the Bulldogs 54-42 overall. That happened despite Gonzaga being known for its frontcourt presence with 7-foot-1 center Przemek Karnowski, 7-0 forward Zach Collins, 6-10 Killian Tillie and 6-9 Johnathan Williams.

"What I like is I think there's room for growth," Few said. "I didn't think the young bigs (freshmen Collins and Tillie) played like they normally have so there's a teaching opportunity there. We didn't quite rebound the way we expect to around here."

Collins had only five rebounds in 17 minutes while Tillie mustered one in 15 minutes against the Huskies. Gonzaga outrebounds opponents by 4.6 per game but has been outrebounded by 20 in the last two games against Arizona and Washington.

Akron has three players who average at least 5.1 rebounds, led by 6-10 senior forward Kwen Cheatham Jr., who averages 7.0 per game. Isaiah Johnson, a 6-10 senior post player, averages 5.8.

Cheatham pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds in the Zips' 87-63 win over visiting Coppin State on Wednesday. Akron won the rebounding battle 40-24 in that game while pulling down 11 on the offensive end.

Akron coach Keith Dambrot is the reigning Mid-American Conference coach of the year after guiding his alma mater to a 26-9 record. Before his team was defeated by Gonzaga 77-64 in the first round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament, he labeled his program "Gonzaga 2009" -- believing it was the next mid-major to establish itself as a power.

The Zips, who lost 82-70 at No. 10 Creighton last week, have another opportunity to prove their worth on the road against a highly ranked opponent. Dambrot is trying to not put as much hype into it as he did going into the NCAA Tournament game against the Bulldogs eight seasons ago.

"We have to play the same every night regardless of who we play," Dambrot said. "We have to play with the same emotion and care about every play every day. If we do that, we'll get better as a team.

"If we get better as a team, we can make a turn at this thing."

Adversely affecting Akron in its upset bid is the questionable status of junior point guard Noah Robotham, who has missed the last two games with an ankle sprain and is averaging 10.1 points.

Robotham played against Gonzaga junior point guard Nigel Williams-Goss when they prepped in Las Vegas -- Robotham with Bishop Gorman High School and Williams-Goss with Findlay Prep. Williams-Goss is coming off a 23-point performance against his former school, Washington, which increased his team-leading scoring average to 13.7.

Both Akron and Gonzaga are known for their ability to score. The Zips are averaging 79.8 points per game with Johnson averaging a team-best 15.2 points while shooting 70.3 percent from the field. The matchup between Johnson and Karnowski (averaging 12.2 points and a team-high 6.0 rebounds) will be one to watch.

Balance is the key for the Bulldogs, who averaging 85.9 points and feature six players averaging at least 9.7 points and four with more than five rebounds per contest.

"We're built inside-out, but yet our perimeters can really shoot it," Few said of his team's versatility, most notably senior guard Josh Perkins, who shoots 52.5 percent from 3-point range but also is a playmaker evidenced by his five assists against Washington.

"Perkins did a great job. He managed the game, just took what they gave him and spread it around, fed the bigs, found the guards for toed-up threes and did a great job of taking care of the basketball (one turnover in 30 minutes against the Huskies)."

**StarDust Bum** · 12-10-2016, 03:37 AM

Preview: Wolverines (7-2) at Bruins (9-0)
Date: December 10, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- Final exams and preparing for a foe that prefers a slower pace hasn't left UCLA much time to celebrate the victory that vaulted the Bruins into the discussion of potential Final Four teams.

Bruins coach Steve Alford said the coaches and players basked in the radiance of their 97-92 victory Dec. 3 at then-No. 1-ranked Kentucky for about 48 hours.

"I want them to enjoy it," Alford said. "It's not just business, business, business. I want the guys enjoying winning and understanding what that feels like, so that when you get punched in the mouth you don't like that very much and you understand the two different tastes."

That's about all the schedule would allow because, while the newly-minted second-ranked Bruins (9-0) haven't played a game since that win in Lexington, there were tests to prepare for and take in the classroom this week that Alford said aren't over for some until 24 hours before tip-off.

"Any time you can be ranked in the Top 10 and you're undefeated and you're getting close to the finals, that's exciting," Alford said. "We're starting to get healthy, the guys are doing a lot of good things but it's nine games in. That's all it is."

The 9-0 Bruins are now focused on ways to keep their high-octane offense moving in Saturday's 5 p.m. PST showdown at Pauley Pavilion against Michigan. UCLA is averaging 97 points while the 7-2 Wolverines are allowing opponents just 58.2 points per outing.

When asked at a Thursday press briefing how Alford plans to keep the Bruins from getting wrapped up in the hype of such a big win, he had a three-word response.

"We schedule Michigan," Alford said. "We know that if we believe all that stuff and we don't improve this week we will get beat. We've got a 7-2 Michigan team coming in here and they're an upper-echelon team in the Big Ten and we've got Ohio State in another week."

There's one element of this Bruin team that Alford believes is the biggest for the success they've enjoyed so far.

"They move the ball," Alford said. "Of all the teams I've had in 26 years, this is probably the team that understands moving the ball at the rate that they move it. It's a selfless group."

"They really don't care if they get the hockey assist, the basketball assist or the basket, the ball just moves."

Proof that the Bruins are getting those secondary and primary assists are assist numbers UCLA teams haven't posted in nearly a decade. Three times this season -- against Pacific, Portland and UC Riverside -- the Bruins recorded a season-high 29 assists.

Not since Dec. 31, 2006 did UCLA post as many as 29 assists in a single game. Not since 1995 have the Bruins cracked the 30-assist barrier in a 104-88 win at California.

When they ball isn't moving are the times Alford said the Bruins have run into trouble.

"When we've struggled -- a little bit against Nebraska, a little bit against (Texas) A&M, when we saw a big 2-3 zone thrown at us, the ball has stopped," Alford said. "The guys are seeing that. Now we're getting ready to play a very, very good defensive team that plays a little bit different tempo than what we want to play."

"That's what's going to be intriguing about the upcoming game of what tempo can be played. Regardless whether it's a slower tempo or a quick tempo, we want the ball moving."

When that's working optimally, as it was against Kentucky, is when UCLA is at its best.

"That was what was very impressive playing a team like Kentucky on their home floor," Alford said. "For 40 minutes that ball moved. When we're doing that, we do have a lot of guys that can put the ball in the basket."

**StarDust Bum** · 12-10-2016, 03:40 AM

Saturday's Tip Sheet
December 9, 2016

**Duke at UNLV**

-- For the first time in nearly a quarter-century, Duke and UNLV will meet Saturday at T-Mobile Center in Las Vegas. These storied programs haven’t faced each other since the 1991 national semifinals when Duke won a 79-77 decision over the previously-undefeated Runnin’ Rebels. Anderson Hunt’s brick at the buzzer was off the mark to give the Blue Devils the thrilling victory. Hunt had been put in a bad spot when Larry Johnson passed on an open jumper from the wing with five seconds remaining. Bobby Hurley’s pivotal 3-ball with just over a minute remaining was crucial, as it sliced UNLV’s five-point lead down to two. Jerry Tarkanian’s Rebels had run Duke out of Denver by a 103-73 count in the 1990 NCAA Tournament finals the year before.

-- As of late Friday afternoon, one offshore book had Duke (9-1 straight up, 5-4 against the spread) installed as a 20.5-point favorite.

-- Duke is playing its first true road game here, but it has played four neutral-court games outside of Durham already. The Blue Devils beat Florida 84-74 as seven-point favorites Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The 158 combined points soared ‘over’ the 146.5-point total. Luke Kennard stole the show with a sensational performance that was reminiscent of the way fellow southpaw Chris Mullin used to light up MSG when he played for St. John’s in the mid-1980s. Kennard countered every UF run with one of his silky-smooth jumpers. The sophomore shooting guard knocked down 11-of-16 shots, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range, on his way to a game-high 29 points. Amile Jefferson added 24 points, 15 rebounds and two blocked shots. The senior power forward made 11-of-14 shots. Jayson Tatum, who was playing in just his second collegiate game, scored 22 points and pulled down eight boards.

-- Kennard is scoring a team-high 20.4 points per game. The lefty is making 52.2 percent of his shots from the field, 41.0 percent from beyond the arc and 88.1 percent from the free-throw line. Kennard is also averaging a 6.2 rebounds per game and has a 31/17 assists-to-turnovers ratio.

-- Grayson Allen is one of the team’s veterans. The junior, who played a key role in Duke’s win over Wisconsin in the finals of the 2015 NCAA Tournament, is scoring at a 15.9 PPG clip. He has been dealing with an ankle injury for a few weeks, but only missed one game. Allen has dealt out a team-high 36 assists compared to 18 turnovers. His shot has suffered as he’s making only 36.0 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from long distance.

-- Jefferson is averaging 15.6 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. He’s also rejecting 2.0 shots per game. Frank Jackson is also scoring in double figures (14.0 PPG).

-- Tatum and Marques Bolden missed the first eight games, but they’ve played in the last two outings. In only 14 minutes of playing time, Bolden has contributed seven points, five rebounds and one blocked shot. Harry Giles, who is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, still hasn’t touched the court. However, Mike Krzyzewski has indicated that he’ll likely make his season debut before Christmas. The likely target date is a Dec. 19 home game vs. Tennessee State.

-- Duke owns quality wins over Rhode Island, Michigan State, Florida and Penn State. With the exception of the win over the Spartans at Cameron Indoor Stadium, all of those wins were on neutral floors. The Blue Devils took their only loss to Kansas by a 77-75 count at MSG as 2.5-point favorites. Kennard had 22 points, five boards and five assists in the losing effort vs. KU.

-- UNLV (5-3 SU, 5-2 ATS) returned only three players from last season’s roster. The new head coach is Marvin Menzies, who was previously at New Mexico State. Menzies scored the job after one of the stranger coaching searches in recent college basketball history. First, UNLV courted Cincinnati’s Mic Cronin, who visited Las Vegas and was given royal treatment. According to AD Tina Kunzer-Murphy, Cronin verbally agreed to contract terms before leaving Vegas to go back to Cincinnati, where he signed a contract extension with the Bearcats 36 hours later. The whole episode played out in the press and left UNLV looking extremely foolish. Everything appeared good, however, when Arkansas Little Rock’s Chris Beard was hired after an impressive NCAA Tournament showing. But then 17 days later, Beard bolted for Texas Tech because of his previous ties to the school, prompting UNLV to settle for Menzies.

-- With five UNLV players turning pro early, only two of which were drafted, Menzies was left with a stiff challenge in filling out the roster. He went about it by signing a pair of grad transfers, five freshmen and three juco transfers.

-- UNLV is off its worst loss of the season at Arizona State, where the Sun Devils captured a 97-73 win as seven-point home favorites. Jalen Poyser scored a team-best 20 points, while Tyrell Green added 18 points and nine rebounds in the losing effort.

-- UNLV has posted a 1-1 spread record in a pair of underdog situations. The Runnin’ Rebels lost 63-59 to TCU but took the cash as 5.5-point home ‘dogs. They took their other loss of the year in the opener, as South Alabama came to Thomas & Mack and won a 76-68 decision as a six-point road ‘dog.

-- Poyner, a sophomore guard, is averaging team-highs in scoring (17.5 PPG) and assists (3.9 APG). Christian Jones, a grad transfer from St. John’s, is averaging 14.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per contest. Green (12.8 PPG) is hitting 48.5 percent of his shots from downtown and pulling down 6.2 RPG.

-- UNLV has won four of its six home games while compiling a 5-1 spread record.

-- Totals have been an overall wash (4-4) for the Rebels, but they’ve seen the ‘under’ go 4-2 in their six home contests.

-- The ‘under’ is 7-2 overall for Duke, but the ‘over’ has hit in two of its last three outings.

-- ESPN will provide the broadcast at 5:15 p.m. Eastern.

**Michigan at UCLA**

-- UCLA (9-0 SU, 7-2 ATS) has had all week to move past a monster 97-92 upset win over Kentucky as an 11-point underdog last Saturday at Rupp Arena. Six players scored in double figures led by Isaac Hamilton’s 19 points. T.J. Leaf produced 17 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, one steal and one blocked shot, while Lonzo Ball, Bryce Alford and Thomas Welsh scored 14 points apiece. Ball, a dynamic freshman point guard, finished with seven assists and six boards. The Bruins made 35-of-66 attempts from the field (53.0%), including 10-of-23 from long distance (43.5%).

-- As of late Friday afternoon, the Bruins were favored by 9.5 points at one offshore shop.

-- UCLA leads the nation in field-goal percentage (55.1%) and 3-point shooting (45.4%). Also, the Bruins are second in the country in scoring (97.0 PPG).

-- Steve Alford’s team is unbeaten in five home games at Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins are 3-2 ATS.

-- Hamilton is leading UCLA in scoring with an 18.1 PPG average. The senior shooting guard has made 45.3 percent of his launches from 3-point land. Leaf (17.2 PPG) is pulling down 9.4 RPG and has made 67.4 percent of his shots from the field. Alford, the senior guard who is the head coach’s son, is averaging 15.3 PPG with a 25/11 assists-to-turnovers ratio. Ball, a true freshman who was a five-star recruit, is averaging 14.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocked shots per game. Ball has drained 55.4 percent of his shots from the field and 43.5 percent from downtown. He has a stellar 84/24 assists-to-turnovers ratio. Ball has dished out 10 assists or more in four games.

-- Michigan (7-2 SU, 2-4 ATS) has been an underdog just once this year, beating SMU 76-54 as a 1.5-point ‘dog at Madison Square Garden in NYC. Derrick Walton Jr. led the winners with 23 points and five assists without a turnover.

-- Michigan lost 61-46 at South Carolina as a three-point road favorite on Nov. 23. The Wolverines took their second loss at home to Va. Tech (73-70) a week later as 6.5-point ‘chalk.’ They’ve won back-to-back games since then.

-- Michigan is off a 53-50 win over Texas on Tuesday night in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines failed to cover the number for a third straight game as 9.5-point favorites. They scored the last five points of the game. Sophomore forward Moritz Wagner produced the go-ahead bucket at crunch time and then blocked a shot by Texas’s Eric Davis with five seconds left. Wagner finished with 15 points and five rebounds. Walton had more turnovers (five) than assists (two) and scored only seven points on 3-of-9 shooting from the field. D.J. Wilson and Duncan Robinson contributed 13 and 12 points, respectively.

-- John Beilein’s squad is ranked 10th in the nation in scoring defense (58.2 PPG). The Wolverines are eighth in free-throw shooting, burying 79.1 percent of their attempts from the charity stripe.

-- Michigan has a balanced scoring attack with seven players averaging at least 6.9 PPG. Zak Irvin is scoring a team-best 13.6 PPG. Walton is averaging 12.1 points and 3.8 RPG while dishing out 35 assists compared to 18 turnovers.

-- The ‘over’ is 6-3 overall for the Bruins, 4-1 in their home games.

-- The ‘under’ is 4-2 overall for the Wolverines, 1-0 in their lone road assignment.

-- These schools have met nine times since 1998 when the Bruins captured an 85-72 win over Michigan as a 6.5-point underdog in a Round of 32 matchup at the Ga. Dome in Atlanta. (Baron Davis tore his ACL in that game.) Since then, they have split eight games. In the last encounter in Ann Arbor on Nov. 23 of 2011, Michigan cruised to a 79-63 victory as a 5.5-point home ‘chalk.’

-- Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- A pair of unbeaten teams and former Big East rivals will collide at noon Eastern in Newark, N.J., at the Never Forget Tribute Classic. CBS will have the telecast with Villanova, the defending national champion, taking on Notre Dame, which has advanced to the Elite Eight in back-to-back seasons. As of late Friday afternoon, an offshore book had Villanova (9-0 SU, 5-4 ATS) favored by six points. Jay Wright’s squad has won eight of its nine games by double-digit margins. The Wildcats took the cash in their only prior single-digit ‘chalk’ spot by winning 79-76 at Purdue as 2.5-point road favorites. Josh Hart leads ‘Nova in scoring (17.6 PPG), assists (3.8 APG) and rebounds (6.7 RPG). Notre Dame (9-0 SU, 4-0 ATS) has won seven of its nine games by double-digit margins. The Fighting Irish has three quality wins over Iowa at home and over Northwestern and Colorado on a neutral floor.

-- Cincinnati will visit Hinkle Fieldhouse to take on Butler at 4:30 p.m. Eastern on Fox Sports 1. One offshore had the Bulldogs listed as five-point home favorites late Friday afternoon. Butler just took its first loss of the year a few nights ago, coughing up a late lead in a 72-71 loss at Indiana State. The Bearcats, who are ninth in the nation in scoring defense (58.1 PPG), have seen the ‘under’ go 5-2 overall. They’ve been an underdog once this year in their lone road assignment, winning 55-54 at Iowa State last Thursday as 6.5-point ‘dogs.

-- UT Arlington won its seventh straight game and handed Saint Mary’s its first loss on Thursday night. The Mavericks beat up on the Gaels 65-51 as 15-point road underdogs, hooking up money-line supporters with a 10/1 return (paid $1,000 on $100 wagers). Scott Cross’s team also has a win at Texas during its winning streak. Since Nov. 12, the Mavs haven’t had more than two days off between games, but they now have eight days off until playing at Bradley. Don’t be surprised to find Scott Cross’s team in the Round of 32 come March.

-- Wisconsin and Marquette are set to square off at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on Fox Sports 1 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee. One offshore had the Badgers favored by 2.5 points late Friday afternoon.

-- East Tennessee State brings a five-game winning streak into Saturday’s showdown at Dayton. The Buccaneers, who were 7.5-point ‘dogs late Friday afternoon, are led by T.J. Cromer, who is averaging a team-best 18.2 PPG.

Announcement

The Bum's College Basketball Previews For Saturday 12/10/16 !

The Bum's College Basketball Previews For Saturday 12/10/16 !

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