With a new coach and a mostly-new lineup, few Big West onlookers were expecting UCSD to replicate its 30 wins of a year ago. Yet promoted HC Clint Allard effectively mined the portal for a new look, including F Leo Beath (19.1 ppg) via FAU, and the Tritons still seem the best side in their loop. Scoring better than 84 ppg and hitting better than 50% from the floor and 40% beyond the arc, UCSD can connect from all angles, and has only stumbled at Nevada in a challenging early slate. Meanwhile, LMU's recent back-to-back losses vs. Stony Brook & Saint Louis suggest the Lions might be losing some steam. Play UCSD.

BYU is again being asked to chop lots of lumber in Provo, but results in recent weeks suggest the Cougs are up to the task. Competent recent visitors to the Marriott Center like Cal Baptist and UC Riverside have been run off the court as BYU has made it back into the top ten, fueled by last week's wild comeback win vs. Clemson at the Jimmy V Classic. Super frosh 6-9 AJ Dybantsa (20.9 ppg) is more than living up to the hype, and the Cougs kept extending the lead vs. UCR on Saturday as they hit 59% from the floor. Meanwhile, though UOP might be competitive at its own level in the middle of the WCC, matchups don't look promising here. Play BYU.

As Queens plays at only one speed--fast--the Royals might as well have Lando Norris as coach. The Formula 1 style preferred by Grant Leonard puts up lots of points (85 pg) but gives them up just as fast (86 pg), and Queens is even less inclined to touch the handbrake against power conference opposition, most recently throwing caution to the wind on Sunday at Wake Forest. The result was a 111-73 loss, the fourth time in six games that someone in a Queens game hit the century mark. We suppose many Razorbacks have eyes as big as saucers at this chance to score points, which John Calipari won't discourage, as the Porkers score even more rapidly (88.1 pg) than the Royals. Play Queens-Arkansas Over.

These two missed each other at Maui a few weeks ago and the Cougs are probably wishing they could turn back the clock, as they haven't won since beating Chaminade in Lahaina. This matchup conjures memories of old Pac 8/10/12 era, and Wazzu might be longing for those days as David Riley's current edition has dropped four straight and hasn't scored more than 64 in the last three of those losses. In the most-recent setback, vs. Nevada, the Cougs hit only 39% of their shots. SC is certainly more potent, as the Trojans shook off last week's loss to Washington by scoring 94 at midweek down at San Diego, hitting 62% from the floor with ex-Auburn wing Chad Baker-Mazara exploding for 31 points. Play USC

The Mastodons continue to fire away as have most of Jon Coffman's IPFW sides, this edition scoring at a crisp 86.3 ppg pace, and once again paced by a bristling backcourt. Now it's jr. Corey Hadnot II (20.7 ppg) along with Denver transfer DeAndre Craig, Jr (15.5 ppg) and Grambling transfer Mikale Stevenson (13.7 ppg) fueling the charge for an offense also hitting nearly 50% from the floor. The names change but the style remains the same for the Mastodons. Detroit doesn't play at quite the same speed but has the capacity to go uptempo as a recent shootouts vs. DePaul (a 95-75 loss) and IU-Indy (a 92-78 win) suggest. Note both meetings cleared 153.5 last season. Play Detroit-IPFW Over

Getting a rare shot at one of the in-state ACC big boys, doubt Queens does anything different than normal...run and gun. Grant Leonard's side is once again playing at a fast pace, scoring nearly 86 ppg, and cracking the century mark in its last two vs. Gardner-Webb and SC State while crashing over with ease. Queens scores from everywhere, including beyond the arc where it hits nearly 38%, with G Nasir Mann (15.9 ppg) leading a balanced attack. The Deacs will relish this chance to pad their stats and can gladly play at uptempo as the Royals prefer. Wake scores 83 ppg as All-Name 6-7 soph wing Juke Harris is proving a revelation for Steve Forbes, scoring at a 20.7 ppg clip. Play Queens-Wake Over

Duquesne's road trip to the Mountain West didn't start off too when absorbing an 86-64 beating at Boise on Wednesday. The Dukes' defensive issues were exploited by the Broncos, who hit 57% of their 3-balls, and Duquesne doesn't have much foot speed on defense with lumbering 6-11 John Hugley (on his fourth school!) often a liability vs. more-mobile bigs. Meanwhile, Steve Alford looks like he has the Wolf Pack in gear after three straight impressive wins, with 3-poitn shooting now up to near 37%. Alford hopes to have top scorer Corey Camper (15.9 ppg) available after missing the win over Washington State, though Evansville transfer PG Tayshawn Comer is off of a 24-point showcase vs. the Cougs. Play Nevada

It doesn't get much better than this as top-ranked Arizona challenges itself again in Birmingham vs. Bama. Though Michigan might argue, the Wildcats probably deserve their No.1 ranking by virtue of the November 19 win at UConn, but doing it again away from Tucson vs. the Tide won't be easy. Bama has taken on all comers, beating ranked St John's and Illinois, and close in losses to ranked Purdue and Gonzaga, so Nate Oats' squad not likely spooked by UA. The Tide, at 95.1 ppg, has ample firepower, with five DD scorers led by emerging soph G LaBaron Philon, Jr (21.4 ppg) among seven scoring 9 ppg or better. Play Bama (at Birmingham)

The Wolverines have as much claim to the top spot in the polls as Arizona after running roughshod thru a challenging collection of foes. Villanova was the latest to fall by 28 on Tuesday; San Diego State (by 40), Auburn (by 30), Goznaga (by 40), and Rutgers (by 41) have also been bulldozed lately by Dusty May's Wolverines. Among other positives, Michigan's frontline portal haul of Yaxel Lendeborg (via UAB) and Morez Johnson, Jr (via Illinois) provides real physicality and has allowed 7-3 UCLA transfer Aday Mara to concentrate on blocking shots, which he's doing with regularity (2.8 pg). Meanwhile, Buzz Williams and his Terps are in transition and weren't close vs. quality foes at the Players Era in Las Vegas. Play Michigan

We usually don't look to lay 30+ points but make an exception with this high-powered Vandy side. Mark Byington has a wildly entertaining entry scoring over 97 ppg and hitting 53% from the floor, with well-traveled (we'll say...Troy, High Point, Oklahoma prior!) G Duke Miles the catalyst at 17.7 ppg, but the real Dores strength is balance as seven others are scoring 8 ppg or more. The athleticism quotient for 9-0 Vandy is thru the roof and something UCA is not likely to be able to cope with in Nashville, as the Bears are off of a loss to East Texas A&M (routed by McNeese last night) and earlier humiliations vs. North Carolina (lost by 40) and Arkansas (lost by 37). Play Vanderbilt

In preferred Greg Kampe style, Oakland continues to run, but not sure the Golden Grizzlies to get their transition game going tonight in Cedar Falls. After facing a succession of foes not terribly interested in slowing the pace, Oakland will have to adjust vs. the Ben Jacobson's Panthers, who have allowed over 70 points just one in nine games and as usual remain very adept at controlling tempo. UNI's offense is expertly paced by vet Gs Leon Bond III and Trey Campbell, in their second seasons starting together in the backcourt. Note that Houston is the only team that made an effort to slow the pace on Oakland and held the Golden Grizzlies to 45 points in a November 12 romp. Play Northern Iowa

The jury is still out on Will Wade's NCS, which has lost its three toughest tests of the season (Seton Hall, Texas, and Auburn). Granted, none of those games were at Raleigh as is tonight's test vs. Kansas, but defensive issues surfaced for the Wolfpack in those losses. ACC sources suggest that it might not be until after New Year's that Wade's many portal adds mesh, though ex-Texas Tech F Darrion Williams (15.9 pgp) & ex-McNeese G Quadair Copeland (14.1 ppg), have mostly lived up to the hype. Bill Self's Kansas, however, is at the level of the teams that beat the Pack, especially with super frosh Darryn Peterson back in action and off of a 17-point effort in Sunday's cruise past Mizzou. Play Kansas

Jeff Capel might not have a vintage Panthers side at his disposal, as losses in four of five suggests Pitt might have trouble matching last season's 17 wins. Touted South Alabama transfer G Barry Dunning, Jr (11.4 ppg) hasn't been lighting up the scoreboard as advertised (maybe he's just confused where he's at these days, on his fourth school in as many seasons!) and relying on 6-10 Cameron Corhen as the main go-to scorer has risks as the case when Hofstra limited him to 7 points in the Pride's win last Sunday. Meanwhile, would not hold it against Villanova to get rocked as it was by Michigan on Tuesday, as Kevin Willard's Wildcats had won their seven previous games all by double-digit margins. Play Villanova

We've been watching Tulsa closely and decided to take a lead on the Golden Hurricane after their 63-60 win over UNI in Palm Springs during Thanksgiving week. Under-pressure HC Erik Konkol (34-60 in his first three seasons with the Golden Hurricane after success previous at La Tech) has opened up the bomb bays for his Tulsa side that needed to upgrade its offense in a hurry. The result was a portal raid and now an attack ranking 17th nationally in both scoring (90.7 ppg) and triples pg (11.2). Ex-St Thomas G Miles Barnstable and ex-Rhody F David Green (both 14.2 ppg) are leading the charge. We'll also see if NMSU can carry its best form away from Las Cruces. Play Tulsa (at Frisco, Tx)

His back to the wall, HC Eric Konkol has opened up the bomb bays for his Tulsa side that previous to this season had offensive issues galore (and a main reason Konkol was 34-60 in three seasons since his move from La Tech). Using the portal to solve some of those issues, the Golden Hurricane now rank 17th nationally in both scoring (90.7 ppg) and triples pg (11.2), with ex-St Thomas G Miles Barnstable and ex-Rhody F David Green (both 14.2 ppg) leading the assault. Meanwhile, NMSU might have C-USA's top weapon in transfer G Jemel Jones (16.5 ppg). Note Tulsa has scored at least 81 points vs. every for save slowdown UNI. Play Tulsa-NMSU Under (at Frisco, Tx)