No. 6 Alabama keeps guard up for encounter vs. Kent State After narrowly escaping an upset against North Dakota, the No. 6 Alabama Crimson Tide are gearing up to face another tough challenge against Kent State this Sunday in Tuscaloosa. Alabama’s Recent Challenge: Lessons from North Dakota The Crimson Tide (9-2) had a scare on Wednesday, eking out a 97-90

Resilient Rutgers Set to Face Princeton in New Jersey Showdown Fresh off a thrilling buzzer-beating win over rival Seton Hall, Rutgers aims to keep the momentum alive as they take on Princeton on Saturday afternoon in Newark, N.J. This neutral-site game offers the Scarlet Knights a chance at redemption after last year’s season-opening loss to the Tigers. Rutgers Riding High

Well-Rested Pitt Ready to Host Sam Houston The Pittsburgh Panthers, fresh off a well-timed break, will look to maintain their unbeaten home record as they wrap up non-conference play against Sam Houston on Saturday afternoon. The game will take place at the Peterson Events Center, where the Panthers are riding a 12-game home winning streak that dates back to last

No. 22 Dayton and No. 19 Cincinnati Set for Intense Ohio Showdown A classic Ohio basketball rivalry gets renewed Friday night as No. 19 Cincinnati takes on No. 22 Dayton at the Heritage Bank Center in downtown Cincinnati. Both teams are riding high after recent victories, and the stage is set for an electric battle between two of the state’s

SMU Seeks Sixth Straight Win in ACC Showdown at Boston College SMU will aim to continue its hot start and extend its winning streak to six games when the Mustangs travel to Chestnut Hill, Mass., to take on Boston College in an ACC clash on Saturday. Homecoming for Matt Cross The matchup will be a special one for SMU senior

Syracuse Aims to Reverse Power-Conference Struggles Against Maryland Syracuse will look to break its frustrating trend of near-misses against power-conference opponents when it faces Maryland on Saturday afternoon in the Gotham Classic in New York City. Syracuse’s Close Calls and Offensive Challenges The Orange (5-5) have struggled to close out games this season, particularly against stronger competition. All five losses

No. 5 Duke Visits Georgia Tech, Aims to Extend Streak No. 5 Duke takes its five-game winning streak on the road Saturday as it faces Georgia Tech in Atlanta for the Blue Devils’ second ACC game of the season. Duke Riding Momentum with Flagg Leading the Way Duke (9-2, 1-0 ACC) hasn’t lost since Nov. 26, when it narrowly fell

No. 7 Florida Eyes Consistency Against High-Scoring North Florida After a close call against North Carolina, No. 7 Florida looks to keep its perfect record intact as it hosts North Florida on Saturday in Gainesville. Florida Focuses on Growth Florida (11-0) has dominated its schedule so far, winning 10 straight games by double digits before battling to a 90-84 victory

No. 9 Marquette Aims to Sharpen Up Against Resilient Xavier No. 9 Marquette heads to Cincinnati to face Xavier on Saturday, seeking to build momentum in Big East play while the Musketeers look to rebound after back-to-back close losses to ranked opponents. Marquette’s Resilience on Display Marquette (10-2, 1-0 Big East) managed an 80-70 victory over Butler on Wednesday despite