Facing Iowa looks a bad idea for Bucknell, which has sorely missed last year's Patriot MVP 7-0 Noah Williamson, now at Alabama. The 3-9 Bison have taken some real lumps , as their very-subpar 40% FG shooting has left them stranded more than once this season. A recent nine-game skid, halted only by an unsightly 51-38 win over punchless Rider, included heavy defeats by 34 (vs Pitt), 48 (vs St. John's), and 29 (vs. Cornell). Ben McCollum's Hawkeyes can be merciless vs. this category of foe, as Western Michigan found out in a 91-51 blowout loss last Sunday when McCollum cleared his bench early. A chance to showcase for the fans in Des Moines should help charge Iowa as well. Play Iowa (at Des Moines)

Having had a chance to get used to the rims and shooting background at home-neutral Santa Cruz (at the Warriors' G-League Kaiser Permanente Arena) in the midweek win over North Texas, expect a better offensive showing from the Broncos, who can shoot 3s much better than the 7 for 25 vs. the Mean Green, when top scorer G Christian Hammond also had an off-night (just 2 for 9 FGs). Slashing wing Elijah Mahi, however, is off back-to-back 17-point efforts. The other attraction here is to go against a struggling 3-9 Ramblers side that ever after welcoming 6-9 Wisconsin transfer Xavier Amos (17.5 ppg) two games ago, has continued to lose, with Loyola bowing to Chicago State and USF. Play Santa Clara (at Santa Cruz)

It's a special game for Rick Pitino vs. former employer Kentucky, as St John's looks to continue a recent rally that has seen it win three in a row after three losses vs. ranked foes in November. The pieces, however, are starting to fit for Pitino, whose balanced squad features six double-digit scorers. Portal adds F Bryce Hopkins (ex-Providence) and G Ian Jackson (ex-North Carolina) are both tallying at 14 ppg and pacing a Red Storm offense scoring at an 88 ppg clip. Meanwhile, Mark Pope still looking to gain traction with the Cats, who've suffered a couple of heavy losses vs. Michigan State and Gonzaga, and still seeking proper combinations after losing four double-digit scorers from last year. Play St John's (at Atlanta)

Belmont has been flying under the radar and hits Orange County with an 11-1 mark, though a quick look under the hood and at the schedule to date create some doubts about the Bruins. Belmont has taken advantage of a very soft pre-MVC slate, recently barely surviving upset bids vs. modest opposition, and a long trip in the week before the Christmas break would unnerve many foes. Meanwhile, though Russell Turner's UCI has been a bit more erratic than expected. The Anteaters have won four on the spin, and a crackling perimeter led by G Jurian Brown (5.3 ppg) has enough weaponry to trade points if nothing else at the Bren Center. Play UCI.

We can envision backing the Hilltoppers down the road in C-USA play this season, as WKU has displayed a sharper edge at times and put a scare into high-ranked Vanderbilt in the Bahamas last month. Three-point shooting, a bane for the Tops last season, has improved slightly from last term, and 6-5 soph wing Teagan Moore (17.6 ppg) has emerged as a go-to threat. Nonetheless, we need more evidence to buck a red-hot Tulsa that might be the team to be in the American with its 90 ppg offense. The Golden Hurricane can hit from all angles after HC Eric Konkol unearthed some gems from the portal such (ex-CBU G Tylen Riley & ex-St Thomas G Miles Barnstable, both at 15 ppg). Play Tulsa.

Neither of these sides has hinted about riding the handbrake, so this total looks very much within reach tonight at Diddle Arena. Tulsa, in particular, is playing at a much faster speed this season for HC Eric Konkol, who entered the campaign under fire but has re-booted the Golden Hurricane offense with transfers such as Gs Tylen Riley (via Cal Baptist) and Miles Barnstable (via St Thomas-Minn). Both are scoring at 15 ppg for a revved-up offense scoring 90 ppg and hitting nearly 50% from the floor. Meanwhile, Hank Plona's Hilltoppers are also playing at a fast pace and scoring nearly 85 ppg. WKU has uncovered a go-to threat from tis own ranks in holdover soph G Teagan Moore (17.6 ppg). Play Tulsa-WKU Over.

Not much glory in being one of the best 2-9 teams, but signs of progress nonetheless from the Beach. Four straight spread covers for Chris Acker's troops, who have narrowly missed road wins at UCSB and San Jose State (both in OT) and pushed a 10-1 UCSD side to the wire in the past couple of weeks. Improvement from last year is palpable with frosh G Gavin Sykes (17.1 ppg) & Syracuse transfer F Petar Majstorovic (14 ppg) likely to be popular portal targets in the offseason. Meanwhile, despite a better record, Pep hasn't impressed regional observers, missing the sharp edge that transferred G Moe Odum (now ASU) provided last term, while the Waves aren't helping themselves with subpar three-point shooting (29.1%). Play Long Beach.

MVC sources have alerted to keep an eye on action-packed Murray State. Now at 91 ppg after running away from Akron in a 115-100 shootout at Henderson, first-year HC Ryan Miller (via Greg McDermott's Creighton staff) has assembled a new team of Racers via transfers and frosh. Ex-UIC G Javon Jackson (16.5 ppg) now flourishing in a go-go offense, while hybrid 6-9 frosh point-forward Roman Domon has scored double-digits in six straight. Meanwhile, Drake is still looking to gain some traction for new HC Eric Henderson, off of a good run at South Dakota State, but on its third coach in as many years after the portal cleaned out last year's overachievers for Ben McCollum (many now at Iowa). Play Murray State.

After watching a loaded Bradley team torch his Sycamores for 118 points last January 15, Matthew Graves isn't likely to see that happen again tonight in Terre Haute. First, these aren't the same Braves, as Brian Wardle had to replace most of the key cogs from his 26-win NIT entry. Second, Graves has found a recipe that appears to be working for ISU, as the Sycs have been controlling pace, allowing just 56 ppg in their last six wins. While not explosive, ISU is rather efficient offensively, hitting a respectable 46.1% from the floor, and getting good mileage from some lower-tier transfers, D-II ex-Truman State PG Xavier Hall (5.3 apg), and NAIA ex-Grace College F Ian Scott (68% FGs). Play Bradley-ISU Under.

As the longest-running act to yet make the NCAA Tournament, we don't want to jump the gun and pencil Bill & Mary into the Big Dance next March, especially after some near-misses at the Colonial/Coastal Tourney in recent years. Still, this is looking pretty exciting for Tribe backers. Their team is scoring up a storm (86 pg) and it hits 50% from the floor. They recently ran off six straight wins before hitting a hot GW in D.C. Brian Earl's fast-paced entry has plenty of balance (seven scoring between 9-12 ppg) and will put pressure on the Highlanders, who are leaning awfully hard on NCS transfer wing Dennis Parker, Jr (19 ppg) for first-year HC Zach Chu. Play W&M.

In the Billikens' last game, an 85-75 win over USF last Saturday, we got a good idea what HC Josh Schertz preaches, as SLU racked up an impressive 20 assists compared to just 9 TOs. That's the latest example of how the Bills continue to be a smooth-running offensive machine, scoring at a 91 ppg clip with five DD scorers, all between 10-13 ppg, with BC transfer G Dion Brown leading the way. Meanwhile, Reggie Theus might have a SWAC contender at BCU, but the Wildcats aren't slowing the pace vs. top-shelf opposition, allowing 94 ppg vs. the five best foes (Auburn, Miami, Dayton, Indiana, Mizzou) faced thus far. Play BCU-SLU Over

Penny Hardaway's untouchable status in Memphis might be due for review if the Tigers can't climb above .500 (they haven't yet). The latest indicator things might be amiss in the Bluff City was a blowout loss to Louisville, while Penny's latest portal forays don't seem to have replaced explosive G PJ Haggerty, now scoring in bunches for Kansas State, as an effective "trade" with the Wildcats for G Dug McDaniel (14.1 ppg) is tilted much in K-State's direction. (McDaniel is also Penny's only DD scorer.) Mark Byington's explosive Vandy looks a bad matchup, with the Dores rocketing at better than 95 ppg, with athleticism thru the roof since the addition of G Duke Miles (recently Oklahoma, but now on fourth school; 16.6 ppg). Play Vandy

It took a couple of weeks, but Richard Pitino finally has the X on course and on the ascent into Big East play. Five straight wins look a buy signal on the Musketeers, who among other things have been shooting their 3-balls a lot better than the first two weeks, hitting another 12 last Friday vs. Mizzou State and now better than 37% for the season, while ex-FAU PF Tre Carroll looks a potential "Beast of the Big East" after a recent 30-point show vs. crosstown Cincy. Meanwhile this looks a very downgraded Creighton side as Greg McDermott hasn't effectively replaced four DD scorers from last year's latest Big Dance qualifier, and missing the defensive presence 7-1 Ryan Kalkbrenner (now NBA Hornets) provided. Play Xavier

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.