The Guru’s Local/National NCAAW Roundup: Drexel Wins at Hampton And Moves a Game Out of Second in the CAA; No. 21 Tennessee Visits No. 11 Oklahoma to Start a Daunting Finish in the SEC

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsgurux

Just one game on the overall local and national schedule list tracker for writing these roundups was in play Friday night, which saw a local — Drexel — explode with a 17-9 fourth quarter on the road at Hampton in Virginia, just enough points for the visiting Dragons (16-8, 9-4) to squeeze by with a 50-47 victory to steal one from the Pirates (9-16, 3-10) in the Coastal Athletic Association.

The triumph gave the visitors a clinch of a winning season for their 12th straight time.

Laine McGurk scored 15 points to lead Drexel, while Amaris Baker had 11 points with a team-high eight rebounds.

The Dragons trailed going into the final period but a 10-3 opening run but them back in front for the first time since early in the second quarter when Julia Garcia Roig scored and Drexel managed to stay just enough in front to grab the victory and move within a half-game of the third-place duo of Campbell and Monmouth and only a game behind second place Stony Brook.

The weekend swing concludes Sunday at William & Mary at 1 p.m. on FloCollege in Williamsburg, Va.

On Saturday, locally, Saint Joseph’s has an Atlantic 10 date at Saint Louis at 3 p.m. on ESPN+ while in the Ivy League it’s an afternoon of musts involving the Ancient Eight pursuers to enter the field of four plus get the best seed for next month’s March Madness affair at Cornell in Ithaca, N.Y., leading to an automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA tournament.

The Quakers host Yale at 2 p.m. in The Palestra on ESPN+ entering the game three games out of fourth with four left. In the tight standings Princeton and Columbia are tied for first, Columbia holding a two-game sweep of the Tigers the second straight season.

Princeton, needing every win it can get to finish first, hosts Brown at 2 p.m. (ESPN+) in Jadwin Gym with the visiting Bears looking for a win to clinch a berth and send Penn off to spring break after it finishes is remaining games.

In the Big Ten, locally, part two of a Cellar Bowl meeting occurs at 4 p.m. in the league’s only game that day when the main conference network will air the second long time rivalry this season when Penn State visits Rutgers at Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, N.J.

The hosts, whose only conference win this season came last month on a visit to play the Lady Lions in State College, sit in last place, while Penn State is one win above tied with Northwestern, whose coach and Northeast Philly native Joe McKeown is retiring when the Wildcats’ season ends.

In the wake of realignment and conference growth for the second straight season the bottom teams will not make the field for next month’s Big Ten tourney.

In the Patriot League, Lehigh travels to Boston U at 2 p.m. on ESPN+, while at noon Lafayette visits American U. At Bender Arena in Washington, D.C., on the same network.

In the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Rider at 2 p.m. on ESPN+ carries a two-game win streak on the Broncs’ Western New York visit to Niagara seeking to avoid not qualifying for next month’s MAAC tourney at Atlantic City, N.J., in Boardwalk Hall.

Delaware at 2 p.m. in its debut season in Conference USA visits Missouri State in Springfield on ESPN+.

On Sunday, at 3:30 p.m. Villanova in the Big East on Peacock at home in Finneran Pavilion will look to avenge an earlier loss to visiting Marquette and move closer to finish second, the Wildcats can now do no worse than third, for next month’s tournament at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn.

La Salle at 2 p.m. on ESPN+ in the Atlantic 10 is at preseason favorite Richmond in Virginia having dealt Rhode Island Wednesday night with the Rams’ first loss in the league.

Temple, having just snapped a three-game slide in the American Conference and looking to avoid not making the league tourney next month in Birmingham, Ala., hosts Memphis at 2 p.m. on ESPN+ in the Liacouras Center.

The National Scene

On Saturday, all the action among teams ranked in the Associated Press women’s poll occurs in the Big 12 Conference in three games; all on ESPN+ as No. 20 Texas Tech visits Colorado at 9 p.m.; No. 19 West Virginia hosts Oklahoma State at 2 p.m. in Morgantown; and No. 15 Baylor in Waco, Texas at 8 p.m. hosts Arizona.

In the Patriot League at 11 a.m. on CBSSN second-place Army, under first-year coach Katie Kuester, a former Saint Joseph’s star and assistant coach, can move into a first-place tie and split the season series when the Black Knights host preseason favorite Navy.

It’s the first time the two military academies have been in a 1-2 race in the conference.

On Sunday, the game drawing much attention because of the current tailspin of No. 21 Tennessee in the Southeastern Conference is the Lady Vols, on a 2-6 slide, visiting No. 11 Oklahoma at 2 p.m. on ESPN.

It’s the first of a three-game regular season finish for the visitors, who then meet No. 7 LSU also on the road and host No. 5 Vanderbilt, which Sunday hosts No. 16 Kentucky at 4 p.m. on ESPN2 in Nashville.

Elsewhere Sunday in the SEC, Dawn Staley’s No. 3 South Carolina squad hosts No. 17 Ole Miss at noon on ESPN, No. 25 Alabama at noon visits Florida on the SEC Network; No. 4 Texas hosts Mississippi State at 2 p.m. in Austin on the SEC Network; and No. 7 LSY hosts Missouri at 4 p.m. in another SEC Network broadcast.

In the ACC, No. 22 North Carolina hosts Pitt at noon on the conference network; No. 8 Louisville hosts Virginia at noon on the CW Network; No. 9 Duke on a 17-game win streak visits Clemson at 2 p.m. on ESPN2, while Notre Dame is in Dallas visiting SMU at 6 p.m. on the ACC Network, Florida State hosts Stanford at 2 p.m., also on the ACCN; and Syracuse is at N.C. State at 2 p.m. on the CW Network.

No. 1 and unbeaten Connecticut, the defending NCAA champion, hosts Providence at Gampel Pavilion after clinching the top seed in next month’s Big East tournament Wednesday by beating Villanova.

In the Big Ten, No. 2 UCLA on Sunday can clinch the top seed in next month’s tournament by beating visiting Wisconsin at 5:30 p.m. on Peacock; No. 14 Maryland hosts Purdue at 1 p.m. on B1G+, No. 13 Iowa hosts No. 6 Michigan at noon on FOX; No. 10 Ohio State hosts Southern Cal at 2 p.m. on FS1; and No. 23 Minnesota hosts No. 18 Michigan State.

In the Big 12, No. 12 TCU hosts Iowa State at 4 p.m. on  ESPN.

  

 

 

The Guru’s National/Local NCAAW Roundup: Tennessee Drops Third Straight While Duke’s Win Streak Reaches 17; Rider Edges Canisius on 3-Pointer in Overtime

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

Potentially in a world of trouble not seen in program history since the start of the legendary Pat Summitt era, No. 21 Tennessee (16-9, 8-5) is in a three-game slide that could get much worse considering who’s left to play .

The Lady Vols, Thursday night, fell behind 10-0 at the outset and though somewhat recovered went on to lose a wire-to-wire deficit Southeastern Conference encounter 82-74 at home in Knoxville to unranked Texas A&M (11-11, 4-9).

Behind in the rear-view mirror is a 2-6 stretch that includes a pair of blowout losses at No. 1 UConn and No. 3 South Carolina.

Ahead is a three-game regular season finish with two road stops at No. 9 Oklahoma, and No 7 LSU and a grand finale hosting No. 5 Vanderbilt at Food City Center followed by the daunting SEC tourney which Tennessee is likely to open at an unusually low level unless the squad can apply the defensive breaks under second-year coach Kim Caldwell.

The home team finished against the Aggies on a 23-13 kick in the final period coming after a decimating 22-9 third quarter attack by the visitors.

“We didn’t have it tonight,” said Caldwell in her opening statement at the postgame press conference. “We got in too big a hole to start the game, we clawed our way back to start the second, didn’t really come out of the locker room at halftime, found ourselves in a hole again and once again ran out of time down the stretch fighting our way back.”

Caldwell was hired prior to the start of last season from a strong Marshall program in the Sunbelt Conference but an untraditional selection in the family alumni picks of Holly Warlick and Kellie Harper that followed Summitt stepping down in her fight against dementia that ultimately claimed her life.

At the point of Harper’s ouster, who is in her first year at Missouri, the only viable alum pick that existed was Duke’s Kara Lawson, whose Blue Devils (20-6, 15-0) started ranked No. 7 in The Associated Press women’s poll a spot above Tennessee, went on a quick slide and was banished but is now No. 10 on a 17-game win streak and unbeaten in the Atlantic Coast Conference after Thursday’s 83-65 home win in Durham, N.C., against N.C. State (17-9, 10-5) led by Toby Fournier with 26 points and 12 rebounds.

If Tennessee’s recent woes may still be short of getting the Lady Vols tossed in Monday’s next poll, a loss Sunday at Oklahoma may be the final straw needed by the nationwide media panel.

With Caldwell’s arrival came a new hockey-style system that in her first season found many opponents unable to succeed against it and an ensuing excellent recruiting class but now brings local media asking her what the answer is to fans questioning its deployment.

Texas A&M’s Ny’Ceara Pryor scored 22 points with 10 assists in the win, Fatmata Janneh had 17 points and Lemyah Hylton scored 12.

Janniah Parker, a former Aggies player, scored 29 points with 10 boards for Tennessee, Zee Spearman scored 14, and Talaysia Cooper added 11.

The fourth quarter brought the home team within a bucket 76-74 with just over two minutes left and then the opposition answered with a 6-0 finish for its first road win over a ranked team in five years since defeating then-No. 13 Arkansas.

Elsewhere in the SEC, No. 3 South Carolina (26-2, 12-1) won 76-57 at No. 25 Alabama (20-7, 6-7) in Tuscaloosa as Joyce Edwards had 23 points with 12 boards and Madina Okot delivered a pair of 16s in points and rebounds.

Ta ‘Mia Scott was the only player for the Crimson Tide in double figures, scoring 14 points.

Dawn Staley’s group next is at No. 17 Ole Miss Sunday the same day Alabama is at Florida.

Ole Miss (21-7, 8-5) fell short Thursday night at home, losing 78-70 to No. 7 Ole LSU (23-4, 9-4) as former South Carolina star MiLaysia Fulwiley scored 26 points as the Tigers in the final eight minutes rallied from an 11-point deficit.

Flau’jae Johnson added 18 points.

Ohio State transfer Cotie McMahon scored 25 points.

LSU hosts Missouri Sunday in Baton Rouge.

In another SEC game with two ranked teams, No. 11 Oklahoma (20-6, 8-5) on the road took a 71-67 win in Athens over No. 24 Georgia (20-7, 6-7), which was coming off Sunday’s upset of No. 5 Vanderbilt.

Freshman Aaliyah Chavez scored 27 points with five assists and four rebounds for the winning Sooners who host Tennessee Sunday while Georgia, led by Mia Woolfolk’s 29 points in the loss, is at Auburn on Monday.

No. 4 Texas (25-3, 10-3) won easily 93-62 at Arkansas (11-17, 0-13) in Fayetteville as Madison Booker scored 21 to lead four other teammates in double figures.

The Longhorns next host Mississippi State Sunday.

In the only other ACC game with a ranked team, No. 22 North Carolina (22-6, 12-4) edged host Virginia Tech 66-63 in overtime in Blacksburg as Nyla Harris scored 15 points with nine boards for the winning Tar Heels and Elina Aarnisalo had 13 points and five assists.

The duo with Lanie Grant scored all nine points in the extra period against the Hokies (20-8, 10-6).

UNC hosts Pitt Sunday in Chapel Hill while Virginia Tech hosts Georgia Tech.

In two other ACC games of note, Notre Dame (17-9, 9-6) got 26 points from South Jersey’s Hannah Hidalgo in a 78-54 win at Wake Forest (13-14, 3-12) in Winston-Salem while Miami (14-12, 6-9) got 19 points from Fairfield transfer Gal Raviv in a 66-51 win over visiting Stanford (16-12, 5-10).

On Sunday, Miami hosts California in the ACC, Stanford is at Florida State, Notre Dame is at SMU and No. 8 Louisville hosts Virginia.

Two ranked teams in the Big Ten played Thursday, No. 13 Iowa won 83-74 at Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind., and No. 2 UCLA at home in Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles beat former PAC-12 rival Washington 82-67.

In the win by Iowa (21-5, 12-3), Ava Heiden had 21 points and 13 rebounds against the Boilermakers (12-14, 4-11), while in the win by the Bruins (24-1, 14-0), who clinched a conference tie, Lauren Betts had 23 points and eight boards against the Huskies (19-8, 9-7), who were led by freshman reserve Brynn McGaughy with 19 points.

UCLA can claim the top seed beating visiting Wisconsin on Sunday while Iowa hosts No. 6 Michigan the same day.

The Local Scene

Just two local teams played with Rider (7-19, 5-12) winning its second straight in the Metro Atlantic Conference 55-53 in overtime at Canisius (4-22, 2-15) in Buffalo as Kaylan Deveney nailed a 3-pointer with 5.9 seconds left in the extra period.

“I’m really proud of our effort tonight,” said first-year coach Jackie Hartzell. “We didn't make it easy on ourselves.

“Credit to Canisius, they kept fighting, but I'm happy with our fight and to be able to come out of that game with a win tonight it's huge for us. We were not good at the free throw line tonight, but we'll take any win we can get at this point in the season.”

Aliya McIver scored 16 points for the Broncs while Alena Cofield scored 11 of her 13 points after the half and grabbed nine rebounds.

Rider stays in Western New York visiting Niagara (2 p.m., ESPN+) at 2 p.m.

In Thursday’s other local game, Delaware (12-14, 6-8) dropped a Conference USA game in Miami 62-36 at FIU (16-9, 9-5) with Lay Fontroy scoring 11 points with six boards and three assists besides three blocks while Trinity Vance had 10 points and matched a personal best with five boards.

The Fighting Blue Hens next visit Missouri State Saturday at 2 p.m. (ESPN+).

In just one local game as well as overall on the tracker Friday Drexel in the Colonial Athletic Association visiting Hampton in Virginia at 7 p.m. on FloCollege.

In other Saturday local action not mentioned previously, in the Atlantic 10, Saint Joseph’s is at Saint Louis at 3 p.m. (ESPN+), in the Ivy League, Penn hosts a must-win game at The Palestra at 2 p.m. (ESPN+) while Princeton can help the Quakers by beating Brown in Jadwin Gym (5:30 p.m., ESPN+), a game the Tigers need to stay locked in a first-place tie or alone pending Columbia’s outcome.

In the Big Ten, Rutgers will be seeking a series sweep hosting Penn State at 4 p.m. on the Big Ten Network at Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, N.J.

In the Patriot League, both at 2 p.m., Lehigh visits Boston U., while Lafayette visits American U. at Bender Arena in Washington, D.C., both on ESPN+.

Elsewhere in the Patriot League, Army under first-year coach Katie Kuester, a former Saint Joseph’s star and assistant, can move into a first-place tie and split the season series by beating visiting Navy, the preseason favorite in the 11 a.m. game at West Point, N.Y., on CBSSN.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Guru’s Local/National NCAAW RoundUp: No. 1 UConn Second Half Surge Spoils ‘Nova Upset Bid; La Salle Stuns A-10 Leader Rhode Island While Saint Joseph’s Handles Duquesne

 By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

VILLANOVA – When it comes to beating No. 1 and defending NCAA champion UConn, the gold standard of collegiate women’s basketball, Villanova has been involved in two of the upsets in history of the Huskies – in 2003 when the Wildcats ended a  then-Division I record 70 straight win streak at the Big East championship at Rutgers and four seasons ago 72-69 on Feb. 9, 2022 on UConn’s home court when Hall of Fame coach Geno Auriemma’s squad was dealing  with a slew of injuries causing many program streak-setting records to come to a close.

Playing UConn in Big East competition for the second time this season after getting blasted up at Gampel Pavilion last month in Storrs, the Villanova faithful wondered here Wednesday night at the half at Finneran Pavilion with the Wildcats holding a 40-37 lead whether they should dare to dream that perhaps upset No. 3 was obtainable, especially since it was the first time all season the unbeaten Huskies (28-0, 17-0) trailed at the end  of two periods.

The answer came quick enough started by a score from UConn graduate Azzi Fudd, potentially the number one pick by the WNBA Dallas Wings in April, which would pair her with reigning rookie of the year and former teammate Paige Bueckers and former Villanova all-timer Maddy Siegriest.

Ten minutes later, even with sophomore Sarah Strong on the bench with her fourth foul, the visitors outscored the Wildcats 26-12 and went on to an 83-69 victory, ending a six-game win streak by the home folks. (21-6, 14-4).

Matters didn’t help any with Villanova, traditionally one of the top ball handlers in the nation, committing 26 turnovers leading to a dominating 28-12 Huskies advantage in transition.

Seventeen of the Wildcats miscues came in the first half leading coach Denise Dillon to note to her players how much better the lead might beat if they had been able to get  more shots off.

Fudd finished with 25 points, Strong, who effected the game when she returned from the bench, had 21 points and 12 boards, while Ashlynn Shade had 13 points.

Villanova sophomore sensation Jasmine Bascoe, who played much better here than in the first game with UConn, had 26 points and nine boards with seven assists, and Denae Carter had a career-best 21 points.

“If it weren’t for our Fudd and Strong, Bascoe would be the best  player in the league,” Auriemma said, also noting it’s near the end of a grueling regular season with the  team a little banged up, and possibly the flue might be going around  his squad.

Villanova, has two games remaining, the first, a chance to avenge a loss when Marquette visits Sunday at 3:30 p.m. on Peacock, being one of them.

The other game sees the Wildcats finish up at Seton Hall in South Orange, N.J., next Thursday. They are currently up 1.5 games ahead of Seton Hall in second with the tiebreaker and at worst will finish third.

The improved play was something for Villanova to hang its hat on in fighting for a potential at-large bid to the NCAA tournament to end a three-season drought.

“We know we have to fight  for all four quarters,” Carter said. “Just try to keep the energy going, that momentum going. I think we took some plays off, but next  time we will work harder keeping that fight.”

If Villanova advances in the tournament, no matter from the second or third  seed, the Wildcats couldn’t see UConn again until the title round.

“Give them credit,” Dillon said of the opposition. “They stuck to their game plan. I think we let up on what we needed to do, the focus and  attention on the defensive end and rebound the basketball, just miss a possession here or there, they are  going to take advantage, and that’s what happened.”

The Huskies have won 44 straight games since a late season loss at Tennessee last season and 64 straight in conference competition.

Auriemma thought there was some value moving forward having used a different mix during the game with Strong in unusual foul trouble.

“The lineup we had out there wasn’t exactly the lineup we have often,” he said. “It’s nice to know that when you do need it, you’ve been in that situation. It’s a great learning experience for your team.”

Off the first half, Dillon bemoaned what might have been with a better second half.

“Overall disappointment we didn’t sustain the momentum we had and making it a possession game as we had wanted,” she said. “UConn got the best of us in that second half.”

This week is the 621st consecutive one UConn has been ranked in The AP women’s poll and on Monday Auriemma tied retired Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer for most coaching appearances in the poll with 654 on week No. 900 in the 50th anniversary season.

Chaos Strikes the A-10 Led by Huge La Salle Upset of Rhode Island

Just as the bandwagon for Rhode Island was suddenly getting crowded off the  Rams’ season success becoming the Atlantic Ten frontrunner, La Salle (15-11, 8-7) struck a potential damaging shot at home in the John E. Glaser Arena with a rally from a 14-point deficit to win 63-59 handing the opposition (23-3, 14-1) their first league loss and ending a program record 17-game win streak.

“Our players believed and executed on (defense) so well,” La Salle coach Mountain MacGillivray said afterword.

“Yeah, undefeated this late in the year is tough to top,” he said when asked if he thought it’s his best win since arriving of the coaching staff of Quinnipiac’s Trish Fabbri. “But Fordham was better,” he said of a win over another Rams contingent early in his head coaching career.

Rhode Island is coached  by Tammi Reiss, the backcourt mate of South Carolina coach and Philly native Dawn Staley on the powerhouse Virginia teams in the early 1990s.

Trailing 46-39 at the outset of the fourth  quarter, La Salle launched a 10-0 run that was part of a 17-4 run across the two final quarters to take control.

Overall, the Explorers owned the final quarter 24-13.

Joan Quinn scored 21 points, shooting 8-for-12 for the winners, while Ashleigh Connor scored 15 points, with five rebounds and three assists, and Aryss Macktoon had 13 points and five rebounds.

Defensively, Lauren Patnode held URI leading scorer Brooklyn Gray to five points on nine boards.

On Sunday La Salle heads to preseason favorite Richmond (2 p.m., ESPN+), which suffered its second straight conference loss this week, the Spiders (22-6, 12-3) falling 57-54 at George Washington (14-14, 6-9) in overtime at the Revolutionaries’  Smith Center in the nation’s capital.

Gabby Reynolds, the only GWU player in double figures, scored 22 points while Broomall’s Maggie Doogan scored 14 points for Richmond.

“It’s wide open,” said Saint Joseph’s veteran coach Cindy Griffin of the league race for seeding for next month’s tournament in suburban Richmond, Va., after her Hawks (18-8, 9-6) at home in Hagan Arena won 61-46 over Duquesne (9-17, 2-13) and still held the tiebreaker in what is now a two-way deadlock with Davidson for fourth and the last double byes into the quarterfinals.

Gabby Casey shot 7-12 from the field and 3-5 from deep to collect 19 points for the home team with nine boards, a rebounding total matched by teammate Faith Stinson, who shot 5-9 from the field for 13 points.

Saint Joseph’s next is at Saint Louis on Saturday at 3 p.m. on ESPN+

Lehigh Upsets Navy

In the Patriot League, Lehigh (14-11, 10-5) at home in the Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pa., gained at 75-64 win over first-place and preseason favorite Navy (18-7, 13-2), reducing the Midshipmen to a one-game lead over Army (21-5, 12-3), which won 61-48 over visiting Loyola, Md., and host Navy Saturday at 11 a.m. on CBSSN in West Point, N.Y.

In the Lehigh game, Lily Fandre scored 21 for the host Mountain Hawks with seven boards, while Zanai Barnett-Gay had 14 points and eight rebounds with six assists for Navy.

Lehigh next visits Boston U. at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Lafayette (9-17, 5-10) fell at home 53-44 to Holy Cross (17-9, 11-4) in the Kirby Sports Center in Easton, Pa.

Teresa Kiewiet had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the host Leopards, while Meg Calahan had 15 points for the visiting Crusaders.

Lafayette on Saturday is in Bender Arena at noon on ESPN+ visiting American U.

The National Scene

In the Big Ten, No. 23 Minnesota (21-6, 12-4) continued to surge wining over host and No. 10 Ohio State (22-5, 11-4) in Columbus, the Buckeyes continuing to slide.

Sophie Hart had 18 points for the Golden Gophers who with their ninth straight win moved into fourth in front of their hosts with Mara Braun adding 18 points with nine boards.

Its Minnesota’s longest win streak in conference competition in 22 seasons.

Jaloni Cambridge had 23 points for the Buckeyes, who host Southern Cal Sunday while Minnesota hosts No. 18 Michigan State (21-6, 10-6), which in the Big Ten’s other Wednesday game easily won at home in East Lansing 104-68 over Northwestern (8-18, 2-13).

Grace VanSlooten scored 22 points for the winning Spartans. Northwestern next on Sunday plays Illinois.

In the Big 12 on Wednesday, No. 20 Texas Tech (24-4, 11-4) at home in Lubbock, pulled an 87-56 upset of No. 15 Baylor (22-6, 11-14).

Reserve Snudda Collins scored 23 points and Bailey Maupin collected 22 for the Lady Raiders while Taliah Scott and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs each scored 13 points for the visiting Bears.

Texas Tech, which snapped a long losing streak home in Lubbock to Baylor dating to Jan., 2006, next visits Colorado Saturday while Baylor the same day hosts Arizona.

TCU (24-4, 12-3) (24-4, 12-3) got 21points from Cal transfer Marta Suarez in a 72-50 win at Houston (7-19, 1-14). Olivia Miles scored 18 points while off the bench Veronica Sheffey scored 11 points.

Kyndall Hunter scored 20 for the host Cougars.

The visiting Horn Frogs host Iowa State Sunday.

Looking Ahead

On Thursday, locally, Delaware is at FIU in Florida in a Conference USA game at 11 a.m. on ESPN+ while Rider later in the day in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is at Canisius in Buffalo at 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+).

On Friday, Drexel in the only game of the day, locally, pays a visit in the Coastal Athletic Association to Hampton at 7 p.m. on FloCollege.

On Thursday in the Top 25 in the SEC, No. 3 South Carolina is at No. 25 Alabama at 8:30 p.m. on the SEC Network, which at 6:30 p.m. will air No. 11 Oklahoma at No. 24 Georgia, while at 7:30 p.m. No. 4 Texas is at Arkansas (SECN+), and at 6:30 p.m. No. 21 Tennessee hosts Texas A&M (SECN+).

 No. 7 LSU is at No. 17 Ole Miss at 9 on ESPN.

In the ACC, No. 22 North Carolina is at Virginia Tech at 6 p.m. on the ACC Network; at 7 p.m. On ESPN, No. 9 Duke in Durham, N.C. hosts NC State, while in the Big Ten, No. 13 Iowa is at Purdue at 7 p.m. on B1G+ and at 10 p.m. on the main Big Ten Network, No. 2 UCLA hosts Washington.