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**StarDust Bum** · 01-14-2017, 01:25 AM

Preview: Blue Devils (14-3) at Cardinals (14-3)
Date: January 14, 2017 12:00 PM EDT

No. 7 Duke visits No. 14 Louisville in the KFC Yum Center in a game that features two extremely motivated teams. Tip-off is set for noon (ESPN) in Louisville, Ky.

The Blue Devils (14-3, 2-2 ACC) are coming off a loss at Florida State and want to get back in the win column. Louisville (14-3, 2-2) is coming off a win over Pittsburgh on Wednesday night, but that game saw the Cardinals have a second-half collapse when they nearly lost a 26-point lead.

"The first half, we had a brilliant performance defensively, brilliant performance offensively, said a fired-up Louisville coach Rick Pitino after Wednesday night's game. "Second half, very poor performance from both ends of the floor."

Pitino said if the Cardinals want to have a hope of winning the ACC title, they must hold serve at home.

"We've got a big game coming up against Duke," Pitino said. "We know that. We know they can shoot the ball at a lot of different positions."

Pitino said his team is a collection of athletes right now. Despite the record, Pitino questioned his squad's basketball IQ and said they have a lot to learn.

"We don't have a whole lot of time with Duke coming in here and the type of schedule we play, but we'll keep working at it," Pitino said. "I'm very, very lucky in the fact that they may be good athletes, but they also just want to learn. They want to get better. They want to give a lot of hustle to our basketball team, but we've got to work on the fundamentals to improve. ... Once we learn the fundamentals, we won't be as offensive challenged."

Assistant coach Jeff Capel continues to guide the Blue Devils while coach Mike Krzyzewski recovers from back surgery. Capel said the Blue Devils are expecting a tough road environment Saturday.

"That is the nature of the league, we prepare for it like any other game," Capel said. "We are in a very tough league and so every game is going to be very high-level game, but this why these kids choose to play in the ACC because they want to play against that competition."

Louisville is a newcomer to the ACC, but the Blue Devils and Cardinals have already had some memorable battles.

Duke star Grayson Allen has been involved with two incidents with Louisville players in the last season. At Duke, Allen was called for a trip after he flailed and caught Louisville power forward Ray Spalding with his leg.

During the game at Louisville last season, Allen and Louisville power forward Jalen Johnson battled for a loose ball. Allen caught Johnson with his forearm and Johnson hit Allen with an elbow before referees whistled the play dead. Allen had 29 points the last time he played in the KFC Yum! Center, a 71-64 Louisville win.

Since then, Allen has been involved in two other incidents of tripping. He was suspended after the second one, and returned to Duke's lineup a game later. Allen said he learned his lesson.

"I guess it's just trying to find that balance," Allen said following Duke's win against Georgia Tech. "Like I said, I can do a much better job of (controlling my physicality) when everything is just focused on what we're doing ... not worrying about any foul calls, missed shots, physical play, anything like that."

Allen will be matched up with Louisville guards Quentin Snider and Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell leads the ACC in steals.

The Blue Devils likely won't have starting power forward Amile Jefferson, who continues to sit with a bone bruise in his right foot. That means the rest of Duke's big men must step up.

"Everybody had to play bigger. Everybody had to rebound more since we were down a big man," freshman Jayson Tatum said. "We just had to adjust."

**StarDust Bum** · 01-14-2017, 01:26 AM

Preview: Bulldogs (11-5) at Gators (13-3)
Date: January 14, 2017 12:00 PM EDT

Florida is lacking in star power but has an abundance of solid players who are always ready to step up.

The formula is working well for the No. 23 Gators (13-3, 4-0 SEC), who seek their seventh consecutive victory on Saturday when they host Georgia (11-5, 3-1) in SEC play at Gainesville, Fla.

Only two Florida starters are scoring in double digits and the team-first system has fueled the club's success. The motto that any given player can step up on any given night actually rings true for the Gators.

A prime example is Tuesday's 80-67 road win at Alabama, when ninth-leading scorer Keith Stone was the hero for Florida.

The freshman forward scored 14 points and hit all three of his 3-point attempts while playing just 16 minutes. The splurge raised his season average to 4.6 points per game.

"It's all of us," Stone said. "We all can score, we all can play defense, and we all can go off on a given night."

It was a timely effort as leading scorer KeVaughn Allen was suffering through a subpar contest with six points on 2-of-7 shooting.

Allen, a sophomore guard, averages 14.2 points and made 18 3-pointers in a four-game span before struggling against the Crimson Tide.

Yet Gators coach Mike White was impressed with Allen.

"I'd like to credit KeVaughn. He got seven looks, I'm not sure any of them were open," White said. "He kept playing. He didn't have that body language, he didn't sulk. He kept defending at a high level. He took what the defense gave him.

"I know that he was probably pressing inside, feeling uncomfortable in that he's been in a good groove recently. It's a difficult thing to deal with."

Senior reserve guard Canyon Barry (11.9) and junior forward Devin Robinson (11.8) also average in double figures for Florida.

Georgia is fresh off an impressive 69-47 road victory at Mississippi and relies on the duo of junior forward Yante Maten and senior guard J.J. Frazier.

Maten averages 19.9 points and 8.6 rebounds and recorded his fifth double-double of the campaign with 15 points and 11 rebounds against the Rebels. Frazier has posted four 20-point outings while averaging 16.1 points but Bulldogs coach Mark Fox is waiting to see more.

That's because Frazier is shooting just 39.9 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from 3-point range. But he made three 3-pointers against Ole Miss while scoring 17 points and that effort has Fox optimistic that a turnaround lies ahead.

"He hasn't shot it well this year. I knew he would shoot it well (against Ole Miss)," Fox said. "He did some things, we did some work the last couple of days. I was really confident that if he got a good look at the basket that it was going back in."

Having Frazier shooting well will be an important component for Georgia as it averaged just 58 points while losing both of last season's meetings with Florida.

The Gators have won eight of the past 10 in the series but the expectation is that they will be pushed by the Bulldogs.

"It's going to be a dogfight with the 'Dawgs, of course," White said. "We've got to protect home court."

**StarDust Bum** · 01-14-2017, 01:28 AM

Preview: Wildcats (16-1) at Red Storm (8-10)
Date: January 14, 2017 12:00 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- St. John's faces its third ranked team in the last four games when No. 3 Villanova pays a visit to Madison Square Garden on Saturday afternoon.

The Red Storm (8-10, 2-3 Big East) lost to No. 8 Creighton (85-72) on Jan. 4 and to No. 15 Xavier (97-82) on Jan. 7. St. John's opened its conference schedule with a 76-73 win over then-No. 13 Butler.

The challenge of knocking off the Wildcats (16-1, 4-1) will be a huge one. It's been close to 15 years since St. John's has defeated the defending National Champions at home.

"I don't really look at it as three game sets and what happened in the past," said Red Storm coach Chris Mullin. We had three great wins; that's part of sports, winning and losing. To me it's always more important with how you handle it and approach it. We're trying to use each game, the good wins and tough losses, as learning experiences. The key word there is experience and that's what it's always about.

"(Villanova) is one of the best teams in the country so it shouldn't be any problem motivating (our team)," "They play a beautiful team game, have experience and they're a really tough team so we're looking forward to that game on Saturday

The Red Storm feature two of the most exciting freshmen in the country. Marcus LoVett (17.6 ppg) and Shamorie Ponds (17.5 ppg) continue to develop as one of the top backcourt tandems in the Big East. LoVett and Ponds are fifth and sixth, respectively, on the conference's scoring chart. The lefty guards are the second-highest scoring pair in the league.

The Red Storm rank third in the nation in blocked shots per game, averaging 6.7.

The Wildcats own a nine-game win streak against the Red Storm. Villanova has won its past two conference games by double digits after falling for the first time this season on Jan. 4 at Butler. The Wildcats are coming off a 25-point win over Xavier on Tuesday at The Pavilion.

Villanova had five players score double-figures, including a game-high 20 points apiece from Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins. Hart, the Big East's Preseason Player of the Year, averages a league-best 19.8 points per game.

"I just think he's (Hart) as complete of a player as anybody in the country," Villanova coach Jay Wright told Foxsports.com. "He does everything for us. He defends the best player on the other team. He's one of our leading rebounders, if not our leading rebounder, and one of our top assist guys.

"He's a triple double almost every night, gets big buckets at the end of the game, (makes) big plays and is a leader on and off the court. He just does everything. He's a complete basketball player and I think he's position-less. Sometimes we play him at the point and he initiates the offense, sometimes we post him up. He does everything.

Wright's team is sixth in the country in free throw percentage (78.6) and seventh in field goal percentage (50.7). They have defeated their opponents by an average of 15.4 points.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-14-2017, 01:29 AM

Preview: Cavaliers (12-3) at Tigers (11-5)
Date: January 14, 2017 12:00 PM EDT

After Virginia's win over Wake Forest on Sunday night, head coach Tony Bennett knew his team's upcoming matchup against Clemson would be tough.

In addition to the Tigers being an up-and-coming team in the ACC, their football team was getting ready to play for a national championship the next night against Alabama.

"I'm sure if Clemson wins the national championship, they'll unveil their team at our game on Saturday," Bennett said after the Wake Forest game. "That'll be a pleasant environment."

The Tigers knocked off Alabama, setting up a championship parade on Friday night and even more momentum for the Clemson basketball team to knock off the visiting 19th-ranked Cavaliers on the hardwood.

After their 75-63 loss at Georgia Tech on Thursday, the Tigers have now lost three straight ACC games and will be desperate for a win against the Cavaliers.

Virginia is back on track after dropping two straight games in the conference, but a road win at Clemson won't be easy.

"You lose. Everybody loses. Look at the ACC -- everyone's been losing," Virginia point guard London Perrantes said. "Duke lost, everybody else has lost. My first three years, I would've held my head down and went into a shell after the loss, but now I try and encourage the team to get back on track. This was a good step forward."

Perrantes started to pick up his game as of late and dropped a season-high 24 points in Virginia's win over Wake Forest. The senior may be coming on at the right time and will need another solid performance against the Tigers.

Clemson, which has been known for its defense under head coach Brad Brownell, sputtered of late by giving up an average of 79.7 points in its last three games -- all loses. The Tigers are now allowing 67.3 points per game for the season and will try to defend a Virginia team that has been hitting the three ball.

The Cavaliers knocked down nine from beyond the arc against the Demon Deacons and have a variety of players who can spread the floor. Guard Devon Hall is another bright spot for Virginia and enters Saturday's game averaging 12 points and seven rebounds in ACC play.

Clemson has still been reliant on forward Jaron Blossomgame, who is averaging 18.2 points and six rebounds.

Virginia's key will be to consistently make shots, which they have of late, while Clemson will need to turn its defense around in front of the home crowd.

The two teams tip off at 12 p.m. on Saturday.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-14-2017, 01:31 AM

Preview: Fighting Irish (15-2) at Hokies (13-3)
Date: January 14, 2017 2:00 PM EDT

No. 20 Notre Dame is adept at winning close games. Another tight conference game appears to await the Irish.

Notre Dame (15-2, 4-0 ACC) has won six consecutive games overall, including four in conference by an average of 4.5 points. The Irish will enter Saturday's game at Virginia Tech tied for first in the ACC with Florida State.

The Hokies (13-3, 2-2) have won 15 consecutive home games at Cassell Colisuem.

Notre Dame just ended somebody else's long home winning streak, outlasting Miami 67-62 on Thursday to stop the Hurricanes' 21-game run. The Irish closed the game with a 10-1 burst over the final 2:30.

"That's four games in a row we've made plays in game situations and had been defensive plays to win a game," Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said.

"We kind of believe that when we're in those situations we're going to figure it out. It certainly is a little bit of a psychological advantage for us now."

The Irish are 4-0 in league play for the first time ever, whether that is in the ACC or their former home in the Big East. Notre Dame is getting it done with timely plays and offensive efficiency. Brey's team entered Friday night's action as the national leader in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.91) and free throw percentage (84.1).

Four Notre Dame players average more than 14 points per game -- forward Bonzie Colson (15.9), guard Steve Vasturia (14.7), forward V.J. Beachem (14.5) and guard Matt Farrell (14.1).

Virginia Tech is coming off Tuesday's 83-73 home victory against Syracuse to snap a two-game skid.

"I thought we were much more connected," Hokies coach Buzz Williams said after that game.

"Obviously, we executed the scheme of what we wanted to do. That's why we won. I think we're a good offensive team. There are ways that I think we can be better, but when our turnover rate is low, good things are going to happen."

Tech, which committed just six turnovers against Syracuse, has one of the country's best offenses when it is taking care of the ball. The Hokies had a combined 36 turnovers in the previous two games, losses to North Carolina State and Florida State.

Forward Zach LeDay comes off the bench but plays starter's minutes and leads five Hokies who average double-digit points. LeDay is at 16.6 points per game and ranks second in rebounding at 7.3. Guard Ahmed Hill (15.1) and wing Chris Clarke (12.3) are next in scoring.

Clarke, a sophomore, has emerged after an injury-plagued freshman season to become the team's best all-around performer, also averaging 7.6 boards and 3.6 assists per game.

Tech leads the ACC in 3-point shooting at 39.9 percent, with Hill hitting 45.1 percent (46 of 102). That shooting will test a zone defense that Notre Dame has mixed in to good effect in conference play.

The Hokies opened their ACC schedule with an 89-75 win over then-No. 5 Duke. They dominated from start to finish in that game.

Against Notre Dame, it might be all about the finish. The Irish have outscored their four ACC opponents 35-7 in the final 9:35 of combined game time.

"Our fan base is all on heart medication," Brey said after Thursday's win. "This is the fourth game we looked dead in the water, and we go right to the end."

**StarDust Bum** · 01-14-2017, 01:32 AM

Preview: Seminoles (16-1) at Tar Heels (15-3)
Date: January 14, 2017 2:00 PM EDT

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- North Carolina will play Saturday's game against No. 9 Florida State without reserve center Tony Bradley, who's out with a concussion suffered in the most recent game.

Bradley's absence leaves a void in the lane for the No. 11 Tar Heels because the freshman has been the team's second-best rebounder (5.7 per game) and a steady scorer (8.1 per game).

This puts the Tar Heels (15-3, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) without their tallest player against one of the country's biggest front lines.

"Their length is the same thing," North Carolina coach Roy Williams said Friday. "It's just now we don't have one of the weapons. ... They bother your shot. They bother you by getting to the passing lanes. Their length makes it hard around the basket."

Florida State (16-1, 4-0), which carries a school-record 12-game winning streak, is tied atop the ACC with Notre Dame. This marks the fourth consecutive game against a ranked opponent for the Seminoles, while the next two also are slated against teams currently in the Top 25.

"I feel I'll know a lot more about our team after we go through this stretch," Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton said.

Bradley, who's 6 feet 11, had a collision with Wake Forest's Dinos Mitoglou and then hit his head hard on the court's floor in the first half of Wednesday night's game.

The Tar Heels went to a smaller lineup for segments of the victory at Wake Forest.

"It tends to be reasonable because we have one less guy," Williams said. "It's not our plan to go (that direction) right off the bat."

While some of North Carolina's options will be reduced without Bradley, the Tar Heels are considered to have one of the deeper rosters on the conference.

North Carolina guard Kenny Williams said it will be a challenge. After all, Florida State has 7-1 Michael Ojo, 6-10 Jonathan Isaac, 6-9 Jarquez Smith and 7-4 Christ Koumadje.

"I've definitely heard how big they are," Kenny Williams said. "That's what everybody talks about with FSU. I think everyone (on our team) will be locked in and ready to go."

The Tar Heels counter with a veteran front line of 6-10 senior Kennedy Meeks and 6-9 senior Isaiah Hicks along with 6-8 sophomore reserve Luke Maye.

Hamilton doesn't expect to pull any surprises on North Carolina.

"As we move more through the ACC, obviously teams will be more prepared," he said.

Despite the front line that has garnered considerable attention for the Seminoles, sophomore guard Dwayne Bacon leads the team in scoring with 17.8 points per game. He has scored in double figures in 26 consecutive games dating to last season.

This is only the 10th time in 61 all-time meetings that both teams are ranked when they meet. North Carolina won five of the previous such matchups. However, this is the first time that the Seminoles take the court as the higher ranked team in the only regular-season clash between the teams.

With Williams as the coach, this is the 17th time when an opponent will show up at the Smith Center with a higher ranking than the Tar Heels.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-14-2017, 01:33 AM

Preview: Musketeers (13-3) at Bulldogs (14-3)
Date: January 14, 2017 2:00 PM EDT

INDIANAPOLIS -- Longtime rivals Butler and Xavier have a history dating to 1937, but lately Xavier has been in control.

"The fact of the matter is we haven't fared very well against them since we've been in the Big East," Butler coach Chris Holtmann said. "We're 1-6 against them. The reality of it is it's been somewhat one-sided since we've been in the Big East. Hopefully, we can prepare ourselves well for a really good team."

The No. 12 Bulldogs (14-3. 3-2 Big East) will host No. 15 Xavier (13-3, 3-1) at 2 p.m. Saturday at Hinkle Fieldhouse. It's only the third time in the history of Hinkle that Butler and its opponent have both been ranked in the top 15 at game time.

The teams, who have met 55 times, are playing in their third league together, previously playing in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference (now Horizon League) and one year together in Atlantic 10.

Xavier coach Chris Mack has been impressed with the job Holtmann has done with a partially new cast.

"He's done an amazing job with a different nucleus," said Mack, whose team holds 37-18 all-time edge over Butler. "He's got a lot of new players and added fifth-year seniors and freshmen. I'm really impressed with how they've played at home and on the road. The game against Creighton was anomaly."

Both teams are coming off tough losses to other conference powers. No. 3 Villanova pounded Xavier 79-54 on Tuesday night. Butler lost 75-64 at No. 8 Creighton on Wednesday night.

Mack said teams have to focus as the task at hand.

"You can't look in the rear-view mirror," Mack said. "You hope you can learn from it, but most teams focus on the next practice or who is immediately in front of them."

Holtmann agreed.

"It necessary when you are in a power league, to have a short memory," Holtmann said. "It's not an easy thing to do because the losses can stay with you longer than the wins can. The reality is you are trying to keep a long-term approach as much as possible.

"If you've been a part of a good league or power league, you know each team is going to get beat up a number of times. The question is how we'll respond. We certainly got beat up (against Creighton) and it's not going to get any easier on Saturday and hopefully our guys understand that."

The Bulldogs trailed the Bluejays 47-27 at halftime. Creighton led by as many as 25 in the second half.

"Obviously, right now we're not good enough to go and play in that environment and beat a team that good," Holtmann said. "We'll see if we can improve and grow and learn from that experience."

Butler junior forward Kelan Martin, who leads the team with a 16.8-point scoring average, has struggled shooting in the past five games (20 of 66 from the field, including 6 of 27 from 3-point range).

"He's got to take better shots and let it come to him a little more," Holtmann said. "He's got to impact the game in other ways. He's frustrated with his inability to impact the game offensively and in some ways his inefficiencies has hurt our offense at times.

It's certainly not because he's not trying hard. He would like to perform better and we're doing everything we can to help him do that."

**StarDust Bum** · 01-14-2017, 01:35 AM

Preview: Cowboys (10-6) at Jayhawks (15-1)
Date: January 14, 2017 2:00 PM EDT

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- The forgotten man in a four-guard basketball lineup can be the pivot.

Then again, it could be that Landen Lucas is as recognizable as any of the starters No. 2 Kansas (15-1, 4-0 Big 12) puts on the court.

The senior is easily the tallest at 6-foot-10, and also been around the longest since this is his fifth year in the program.

After slumping earlier in the season when he was relegated to a bench role, Lucas is averaging a double-double (10.7 points, 10.7 rebounds) over the last seven games, contributing to first-place positioning in the Big 12 entering a game Saturday against Oklahoma State (10-6, 0-4) in Allen Fieldhouse.

"He's doing what he can do," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "He's a great defensive rebounder. He's an opportunistic offensive rebounder without question. Some of the best possessions we've had all year is because Landen has kept balls alive and stolen us some extra possessions."

Lucas' role certainly has changed inside. Fewer plays are run through the post, particularly without as much high-low action involving another big.

That has led Kansas to create new plays, or re-name other sets that it began using more often with the four-guard lineup.

"We definitely have more plays for it," Lucas said. "I mean before, last year we probably had one."

Despite the attention given to the offensive changeover, Lucas has become increasingly valuable. Some of that is based on experience and some based on the depth problem created by a season-ending wrist injury freshman center Udoka Azubuike suffered in December prior to the start of Big 12 play.

"Landen is hard to take out," Self said, "because (he's) such a good defender and rebounder. He's hard to take out, and he's smart too."

In addition, no one off the bench has provided much frontline punch to warrant keeping them on the floor for extended minutes.

The top reserve among the Kansas bigs is 6-10 sophomore Carlton Bragg. He is averaging fewer than 15 minutes and just 3.8 points in conference play. Problems catching the ball in the post have led to seven turnovers against Big 12 opponents.

"I don't think his hands are bad, but I just think he loses focus," Self said.

Under first-year coach Brad Underwood, Oklahoma State lost to only North Carolina and Maryland in nonconference play, but is winless in four Big 12 games.

The skid is the worst for Underwood since he took over as a Division I coach at Stephen F. Austin in 2013-14. He never dropped more than six games in a season during a three-year run in which Underwood went 89-14 with the Lumberjacks.

Sophomore Jawun Evans (18.4 ppg.) trails only Kansas senior Frank Mason (20.4) among the Big 12 scoring leaders. Both are point guards.

Evans, however, has struggled in Big 12 play, shooting just 31.1 percent while averaging 13.5 points. He averages 6.7 assists.

"He's maybe trying too hard," Underwood said of Evans, who missed the second half of Big 12 play last year with a shoulder injury. "He's got to learn to rely on his teammates more. I'm probably expecting too much of him. ...

"But he works at it. He'll get it turned around and we'll help him in those areas. He's too good of a player to struggle like he has. More importantly, it's keeping him on the court. It's hard to play when you're not in your rhythm from the jump."

Junior wing Jeffrey Carroll ranks third in the Big 12 with a 16.4-point average, while the Cowboys' 88.6 team average ranks second in the Big 12.

Oklahoma State was the last Big 12 rival to win in Allen Fieldhouse when Marcus Smart keyed an 85-80 win in 2013. Since then, the Jayhawks have won 34 consecutive conference games at home. Their overall home win streak (52, including 49 in Allen) is the longest active streak nationally.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-14-2017, 01:36 AM

Preview: Tigers (11-5) at Wildcats (14-2)
Date: January 14, 2017 4:00 PM EDT

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- When No. 6-ranked Kentucky entertains Auburn on Satrurday, the Wildcats will be looking to avenge their most stunning loss last season.

"I had to watch that game again," Kentucky coach John Calipari said, "and wanted to throw up."

Auburn upset then-No. 13-ranked Kentucky 75-70 last year. It was only one of five SEC wins for the Tigers, which finished next to last in the conference race.

This time around, the situation is similar. Kentucky is 14-2 and atop the SEC with a 4-0 conference mark. Auburn is 11-5 but only 1-3 in the SEC.

But the memory of the upset is fresh.

"They're good," Calipari said. "They've beaten teams like Oklahoma. They lost to Georgia; had them down 16. They lost to Mississippi; had them down 15 or 16 and lost. They've been up big. They play active and they're aggressive. It's going to be a hard game.

"I think they'll do what they do on the baseline out of bounds; they switch everything. I think they'll do the press after free throws and they'll probably do a 1-2-2.

"They're going to play how they play. Any time I keep switching from game to game, it's not good on my team. It never has been."

There is one other interesting similarity. Both teams will have four freshmen in their starting lineups.

Auburn is led by freshman guard Mustapha Heron at 16.2 points per game and 6.4 rebounds. Freshman guard Jared Harper is next at 13.5. Freshman center Austin Wiley averages 7.3 points and freshman forward Anfernee McLemore checks in at 3.3 points.

One key note is that Auburn will be without Danjel Purifoy, who sprained an ankle last weekend and will not travel to Kentucky, coach Bruce Pearl announced Friday.

Purifoy, a 6-foot-7 redshirt freshman forward, is the team's second leading scorer at 13.7 points per game. Auburn defeated Missouri on Wednesday without Purifoy.

"He's really good," Calipari said. "They've won a game without him already. What it ends up doing is taking shots and giving to other guys. It could help them.

"They've got some other guys that can score the ball in bunches or they could go into the big kid more. Sometimes it's addition by subtraction.

Kentucky is paced by freshman guard Malik Monk at 21.7 points per game. The other freshmen in the starting lineup are guard De'Aaron Fox at 16.7 points, forward Bam Adebayo at 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds, and forward Wenyen Gabriel at 5.4 points. Sophomore Isaiah Briscoe checks in at 15.8 points per game.

Adebayo is one of the fastest improving players on Kentucky's roster.

"By the end of the year, he will be that guy. That is my prediction," Calipari said. "I asked the guys yesterday, in a group, because I brought him up a couple of times, I said, 'Look. I am not trying to throw him in your face, but who is the hardest worker we have in the gym?'

"And the group, they all pointed to Bam. And I said, 'There you go. My point is made.' That is why he is making strides that are just crazy."

**StarDust Bum** · 01-14-2017, 01:37 AM

Preview: Mountainers (14-2) at Longhorns (7-9)
Date: January 14, 2017 4:00 PM EDT

West Virginia has already accomplished the hard part of this week's schedule when it beat top-ranked Baylor on Tuesday night in Morgantown, W.Va.

So when the 10th-ranked Mountaineers travel to the Lone Star State to face a reeling Texas team on Saturday at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, they will be focused on keeping their momentum going.

The Mountaineers (14-2, 3-1 Big 12) has used a stifling, pressing defense to establish itself as one of the nation's top teams and capable of beating anyone.

West Virginia is one of three Big 12 team ranked in the top 10 (Baylor was No. 1 before Tuesday's loss and Kansas No. 2) and the conference's round-robin schedule is daunting.

That's why Saturday's game is so important for both teams. The Mountaineers can't afford to have a backward step against Texas (7-9, 1-3). The Longhorns have to find a way back to their winning ways and solid consistent basketball.

West Virginia is an in-your-face team from opening tip to final horn. The Mountaineers lead the nation in turnovers forced per game (24.6), turnover margin (plus-13.9) and total steals (207).

"A lot of our numbers are up from last year, but we're starting to get back to the basics," West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said. "We got away from the fundamentals for a while and we've got some improving to do."

Through 16 games, the Mountaineers have created turnovers on 32.6 percent of their opponents' possessions and five players have already amassed 20 or more steals this season. Jevon Carter is fifth in Division I play with 52 steals.

"West Virginia has a tremendous press -- a unique press," Texas coach Shaka Smart said. "They're terrific at trapping. The key is their connectivity. When they force live-ball turnovers, they do a phenomenal job of turning them into layups or open shots. You've got to have poise, understand spacing and keep the ball in the middle of the floor."

The Longhorns, who began the season in the Top 25 but have stumbled mightily, have lost four of its past five outings. Four of Texas' past five losses have been by five points or less, including a 64-61 setback to TCU on Wednesday that was the Horned Frogs' first victory in Austin in 30 years.

"Losing these close games is very frustrating because we have practiced so hard and put so much into the game," Texas sophomore guard Kerwin Roach said after the loss to TCU. "We have to stay together and not let games like this separate us."

The Longhorns' work to get back on a winning path was made much more difficult on Thursday when Smart indefinitely suspended their leading scorer, sophomore swingman Tevin Mack, for an unspecified violation of team rules.

Texas has to hope recent trends in their games against West Virginia continue on Saturday. The Longhorns have won six of the last seven meetings with the Mountaineers, including a two-game sweep last season. Texas committed a two-game total of 15 turnovers (eight in Morgantown, seven in Austin) in those two victories.

The Longhorns can rise to the occasion. Texas posted a 3-1 mark against Associated Press Top 10 opponents at home last season, with wins over No. 3 North Carolina, No. 10 West Virginia and No. 3 Oklahoma in Austin during the first season under Smart.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-14-2017, 01:38 AM

Preview: Bears (15-1) at Wildcats (13-3)
Date: January 14, 2017 4:30 PM EDT

Two teams looking to rebound from disappointing performances in their last games will match up Saturday in Manhattan, as No. 1 Baylor travels to No. 25 Kansas State. The game is set for a 4:30 ET tip.

Baylor is coming off its first loss of the season, an 89-68 drubbing on the road Tuesday at West Virginia. The Mountaineers caused 29 Baylor turnovers, the most in a Big 12 game in school history. It was two turnovers short of the school record in all games, set against Arkansas' pressing team in 1991.

"Top to bottom, we didn't do a good job handling (the press)," sophomore guard Jake Lindsey said. "You've got to punish the press. You've got to go at them. You can't let them press you relentlessly without making them pay for it, or else it wears you down."

Kansas State's loss was much closer, but no less heart-breaking. The Wildcats fell to Texas Tech, 66-65 Tuesday in Lubbock. Head coach Bruce Weber noted during this week's radio show that his team is four points away from being undefeated. "There's such a thin margin of victory in this league," he said. "You've got great balance and great depth in this league."

Tuesday night, the Wildcats held the lead for most of the game before giving it up in the final minute. The Wildcats had a chance to retake the lead with eight seconds remaining. Barry Brown drove to the basket and missed a layup. Niem Stevenson rebounded and was fouled.

Weber and the entire K-State sideline thought Brown was fouled. Weber complained so vehemently that he was assessed a technical foul. Tech's Aaron Ross hit both free throws, then Stevenson hit one of two to go up by four points. Brown's three-pointer at the buzzer left the Cats a point short.

"I don't know what the technical was called for," Weber said. "I thought that Barry Brown got fouled, and I raised up my hands. Maybe that was a little out there on the court, but it's the end of the game. It's emotional. I don't cuss. I don't cuss at the officials. I treat them right. Everyone tells me that I am professional, but I don't know if that does any good. Maybe I should try the other way."

Baylor coach Scott Drew had pretty much the same approach. After being named the No. 1 team for the first time in program history on Monday, the Bears were blown out. It was the worst loss by a No. 1-ranked team since Duke lost 90-63 at Miami in 2013.

"If you would have said before the game that you're going to have 29 turnovers, I wouldn't have believed you, even knowing how good their pressure is," Drew said. "They just took us out of everything. They make you feel uneasy, uncomfortable."

Both teams must regroup, and quickly. Baylor still sits near the top of the Big 12 Conference and a road win versus a ranked opponent will right the ship quickly. Jonathan Motley averages 15.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and more than one block per game. He is joined on the front line by Jo Lual-Acuil, who is averaging 10.6 and 7.4 boards per game. The Bears are outrebounding their opponents by more than eight boards per game.

Kansas State is looking to defeat the No. 1-ranked team in Manhattan for the fifth time in school history, and the first time since Feb. 5, 2016 (Oklahoma).

K-State must figure out a way to score against the Bears' long front line. The Wildcats will depend on their balanced offensive attack. All five starters average in double-figures, led by Wesley Iwundu at 12.3 points per game, down to Dean Wade at 10.6.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-14-2017, 01:39 AM

Preview: Bruins (17-1) at Utes (12-4)
Date: January 14, 2017 6:00 PM EDT

Slowing down UCLA's offense is a job even good defenses are failing to execute this season.

It's a major reason why the No. 4 Bruins (17-1, 4-1 Pac-12) have risen up as one of the nation's top teams a year after finishing below .500 for the first time since 2010.

UCLA leads the Pac-12 in scoring offense at 93.4 points per game. The Bruins also rank first in the conference in scoring margin (18.5), field goal percentage (.535), 3-point field-goal percentage (.441) and assists (22.4).

T.J Leaf leads the way in the frontcourt, scoring 17.1 points while shooting 65.1 percent from the field. Bryce Alford is the top backcourt threat, averaging a team-best 17.9 points on 50 percent shooting.

When UCLA finds a rhythm on offense, it's like waking an angry bear out of hibernation early. There's no way a defense can avoid getting mauled. The Bruins get out in transition, find high percentage shots and dare teams to stop them.

"It's something we've done all year," Bryce Alford said. "We wear people down. When people try to play at our pace, I don't think there's anybody in the country that can play at our pace for a full 40 minutes a game."

UCLA had no trouble finding shots and running away from Colorado in the first leg of its two-game road trip through the mountain time zone. The Bruins made a school-record 19 3-pointers and eclipsed 100 points in a game for a sixth time this season.

Alford did the most damage, exploding for a career-high 37 points after shooting 9-of-14 from outside. With 1,687 career points, he has passed Marques Johnson (1,659 points, 1974-77) for 15th on UCLA's career scoring list.

"He caught fire and he's been on fire," Bruins coach Steve Alford said. "He's been shooting the ball at a high level all year and this team moves the ball so well.

"I'm going to have to go back and watch tape because I'm shocked we only had 16 assists. We move the ball extremely well. This is probably the best passing team I've coached. They just share it."

Doing similar things against Utah could be much more difficult. The Utes will give the Bruins a stiffer test when UCLA travels to Salt Lake City on Saturday.

Utah has won their last two games against UCLA in the Huntsman Center and also beat the Bruins 75-73 at Pauley Pavilion in the only meeting between the two schools last season.

Utah (12-4, 3-1 Pac-12) allows just 66.0 points per game and is holding opponents to 39.5 percent shooting from the field. Utah has allowed 80 or more points in only four games this season and just once in Pac-12 play.

As tough as Utah is on defense, the Utes are proving to be equally formidable on the offensive end. Utah drilled no. 24 USC 86-64 on Thursday after making 32 of 58 shots from the field and 9 of 17 from 3-point range.

The Utes broke open the game after making nine consecutive baskets without a miss to take a 39-26 lead late in the first half.

Five different players scored in double figures, led by Devon Daniels with 17 points.

Such production is the norm for Utah. Six players boast season scoring averages in double figures, making the Utes a headache when it comes to defensive game planning.

"When you go into a game where you got so many guys averaging double figures, who do you guard?" said Utah forward David Collette, who leads the team with 15.4 points per game. "For us, we try to take the best two players out on the other team, but it's impossible to take the best six players out of a team."

Since Collette and Sedrick Barefield became eligible to play in mid-December, Utah has blossomed into a stronger team on offense. The Utes are averaging 76.5 points and shooting 51.5 percent from the field.

Defensively, Utah is holding league opponents to 68.0 points and 42.8 percent shooting. Duplicating those sorts of numbers against a team like UCLA, though, might be the toughest challenge that the Utes have faced all season.

"They got a lot of horsepower and we got to be ready to guard them," Utah forward Kyle Kuzma said.

UCLA is 1-2 all time against Utah as a ranked team and 2-3 against the Utes in Salt Lake City

**StarDust Bum** · 01-14-2017, 01:41 AM

Preview: Gaels (15-1) at Bulldogs (16-0)
Date: January 14, 2017 10:00 PM EDT

The West Coast Conference gets its opportunity to be in the college basketball spotlight Saturday night with No. 5 Gonzaga playing host to No. 21 Saint Mary's at the McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Wash.

The Bulldogs enter the game 16-0 overall and 4-0 in the WCC. The Gaels are 15-1 and 5-0.

Both teams did not look ahead to the showdown in their previous games Thursday night, each posting impressive victories.

Gonzaga soundly defeated visiting Loyola Marymount 93-55, shooting 53 percent from the field while limiting the Lions to 34.5 percent. Saint Mary's routed host Portland 74-33, shooting 50 percent from the field while the Pilots mustered only 25 percent.

"There's no pressure," said Gonzaga guard Nigel Williams-Goss, who had 11 points and five assists against Loyola Marymount. "We have the same motto: get better every day, each week."

Gonzaga's unbeaten start is a school record and it's the longest winning streak in the nation.

Saint Mary's enters the game also on a hot streak, winning its last nine games, all by double digits, after suffering its lone loss at home against Texas-Arlington on Dec. 8.

Last season, the Gaels won both games against Gonzaga during the regular season, including a 63-58 win in Spokane.

"That sticks with you," Gonzaga guard Silas Melson said. "It hurts when somebody comes into your house and takes your win away from you."

Saint Mary's enters the game allowing the lowest point total (33) in the win over Portland since beating Holy Names 78-33 on Nov. 24, 2002.

"Probably the best game we've played for 40 minutes," Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett said of the win over Portland.

In recent years, the top teams in the WCC are Gonzaga, Saint Mary's and BYU. A rivalry involves the Bulldogs and Gaels, although the series record tips heavily in Gonzaga's favor with a 63-29 record.

Gonzaga coach Mark Few is 37-9 against Saint Mary's.

"It makes it a lot more fun when you have a league game that's hyped up this much," Gonzaga junior guard Silas Melson said. "I mean, BYU always is and Saint Mary's always is, but this is a little something more."

Saint Mary's might have its best team under Bennett, who is in his 16th season as coach. He certainly has one of his most experienced teams with his top players in the rotation either juniors or seniors.

"I hate it when people try to rank that," Few said when asked if Saint Mary's is fielding its best team in program history. "That's his (Bennett's) call, not mine. I bristle when people say that about us when they maybe watch a highlight or two.

"But certainly, when you think about how good they were last year and return everybody -- I've never seen a team return every point, every rebound -- they're very experienced. And they play so well together, you can tell they really like each other."

Saint Mary's junior Jock Landale, a 6-foot-11, 255-pound junior center, figures to give Gonzaga senior post player Przemek Karnowski (7-1, 300 pounds) a good challenge in the paint

Landale leads the Gaels with 17.4 points and 10 rebounds per game. Karnowski is at 12.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.

Both are good passers, which allows for better scoring opportunities when they are double- and triple-teamed at the post. They each average 2.1 assists per game.

Another matchup to anticipate: Saint Mary's three-guard threat of Emmett Naar, Calvin Hermanson and Joe Rahon against Gonzaga's quartet of Williams-Goss, Melson and Josh Perkins and Jordan Mathews.

Both have good defenses, with Saint Mary's ranking No. 3 nationally in points allowed at only 56.6 points per game and Gonzaga is No. 33, giving up only 64.4 points per game.

The Bulldogs are No. 15 in scoring offense (86 points per game). The Gaels have an efficient offense ranking 11th in turnover-to-assist ratio (1.4) and they are particularly strong in rebounding margin, ranking seventh at 11.4.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-14-2017, 01:42 AM

Preview: Beavers (4-13) at Ducks (15-2)
Date: January 14, 2017 10:30 PM EDT

EUGENE, Ore. -- Oregon will look to match its longest winning streak in 70 years when it hosts its rival on Saturday night.

The 13th-ranked Ducks take a 13-game winning streak into their contest against Oregon State at Matthew Knight Arena. After splitting its first four tilts, Oregon (15-2) has not lost a game in more than seven weeks as it built the fourth-longest active streak in the nation.

"Everyone asks why this team is so good now as opposed to the start of the year," Oregon senior point guard Dylan Ennis said. "I always told them to be patient. We are going to get into a flow and we are getting it now."

Oregon has the second-longest active NCAA home winning streak at 35 straight games as it returns home for three contests in a row. If Oregon wins all three games, it would break the school record of 15 consecutive victories.

The Ducks had six days off between games after beating Washington State 85-66 Saturday night to move into a tie for first place in the Pac-12 with Arizona at 4-0.

"Time to rest and get your body right and get your mind focused again," Oregon forward Jordan Bell said.

Oregon will have Dillon Brooks back to face the Beavers after the preseason All-American was ejected from the last game when he kicked Washington State's Josh Hawkinson in the groin midway through the first half. The Pac-12 ruled that Brooks would face no additional penalties.

"His leg was caught awkardly, that was (Brooks') description of it," Oregon coach Dana Altman told The (Eugene) Register-Guard. "That's what I saw too."

Brooks was named one of 25 finalists for the Wooden Award given to the nation's top player despite missing the first three games of the season following offseason foot surgery. The 6-foot-7 junior is averaging 13.8 points and 3.0 assists per game.

Oregon senior center Chris Boucher scored a career-high 29 points against Washington State to move into the team lead for scoring with 14.1 points per game. Boucher, who has come off the bench in each of the past six contests, ranks 10th in the nation with 2.9 blocked shots per game.

The Ducks have five players scoring in double figures, including guard Tyler Dorsey at 13.0 and Ennis at 11.6. Bell is averaging a career-high 10.4 points per game to go with a team-leading 7.9 rebounds.

This season has not been as kind to Oregon State (4-13), which snapped a 26-year NCAA Tournament drought last season. The Beavers are 0-4 in conference play.

"We have played good minutes against good teams, but we are shorthanded," Oregon State coach Wayne Tinkle said.

Oregon State has been without leading scorer Tres Tinkle for the past 11 games due to a broken wrist. The 6-8 sophomore, who averages 20.2 points and 8.3 rebounds, is hopeful to return against the Ducks.

Tinkle and guard Stephen Thompson Jr. are Nos. 1-2 on the team in scoring, but have played only one game together this season. Thompson, who averages 15.7 points and a team-best 3.5 assists, missed six games with a foot injury early in the season as Oregon State has totaled 37 games missed due to injury.

Oregon State has three straight games in the state as it tries to turn its season around beginning against the Ducks.

"They are a very dangerous team, good in transition and in the half-court," Wayne Tinkle said. "They are aggressive on defense and frustrate teams. It will be a heck of a challenge."

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