Austin Peay gave Memphis all it could handle last Thursday, taking the Tigers to overtime before losing 70-68. Tuesday presents an entirely different challenge in the form of Kenneth Faired, perhaps the nation’s most unappreciated player.
The 6-8 senior from Morehead State averages 19.0 points, 13.7 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 2 blocks a game. He makes 66 percent of his shots. And those are just the standard stats. He grabs 34 percent of Morehead’s defensive rebounds (best in D-I), 20.2 percent of its offensive rebounds, plays a chunk of minutes, scores efficiently and at an awfully high rate.
Which is to say, he’s good. Too bad Morehead, which lost to Tennessee State Sunday night, isn’t better. A victory against Peay would be a significant W.
Like defense? You’re in luck! UNLV and K-State don’t roll out imposing lineups, just a bevy of athletic, mobile players – who all focus on defense. Va Tech’s Malcolm Delaney says the Rebs are “relentless on defense.” K-State’s frontline will either block your shot or hack you doing it. All of which is to say their matchup is going to be tight – and occasionally ugly.
Something’s gotta give: Tennessee’s lost two straight. USC’s missed out on three straight road wins, including a 70-loss to Kansas. Will the Trojans’ deliberate, defensive style prevail in Knoxville, or will Bruce Pearl’s team rebounds from a pathetic offensive showing against Charlotte. It’s not a good time to solve those issues.
(all times ET)
EAST
Maine at Penn St., 5 p.m.
St. Peter’s at Binghamton, 7 p.m.
Saint Joseph’s at Boston U., 7 p.m.
Army at Brown, 7 p.m.
Sacred Heart at Providence, 7 p.m.
SOUTH
Washington, Md. at Md.-Eastern Shore, 1 p.m.
N.C. Central at Florida Gulf Coast, 5:15 p.m.
Reinhardt at Chattanooga, 7 p.m.
High Point at Georgia, 7 p.m.
William & Mary at North Carolina, 7 p.m.
Southern Cal at Tennessee, 7 p.m.
Presbyterian at Wake Forest, 7 p.m.
Bluefield at Charleston Southern, 7:30 p.m.
Jarvis Christian at Nicholls St., 7:30 p.m.
Lipscomb at Alabama, 8 p.m.
S.C.-Upstate at Auburn, 8 p.m.
Southwest at McNeese St., 8 p.m.
Murray St. at Tenn.-Martin, 8 p.m.
Auburn-Montgomery at Tulane, 8 p.m.
Va. Commonwealth at UAB, 8 p.m.
Alcorn St. at South Alabama, 8:05 p.m.
Morehead St. at Austin Peay, 8:30 p.m.
E. Kentucky at Tennessee St., 8:30 p.m.
SE Missouri at Tennessee Tech, 8:30 p.m.
E. Illinois at Jacksonville St., 8:45 p.m.
Vanderbilt at Middle Tennessee, 9 p.m.
MIDWEST
IPFW at Purdue, 6:30 p.m.
Mount St. Joseph at Ball St., 7 p.m.
Youngstown St. at Kent St., 7 p.m.
Cincinnati at Miami (Ohio), 7 p.m.
Indiana-Northwest at Toledo, 7 p.m.
Chicago St. at Iowa St., 8 p.m.
MVSU at Marquette, 8 p.m.
Grambling St. at Nebraska, 8 p.m.
Dartmouth at Drake, 8:05 p.m.
Louisiana Tech at Iowa, 8:05 p.m.
Houston Baptist at UMKC, 8:05 p.m.
Tulsa at Wichita St., 8:05 p.m.
UNC Asheville at Ohio St., 8:30 p.m
UNLV at Kansas St., 9 p.m.
SOUTHWEST
Dallas Christian at Prairie View, 7 p.m.
Lyon at Cent. Arkansas, 8 p.m.
Sam Houston St. at Houston, 8 p.m.
Sacramento St. at Oklahoma, 8 p.m.
Northwestern St. at TCU, 8 p.m.
Wagner at Texas A&M, 8 p.m.
Stanford at Oklahoma St., 9 p.m.
FAR WEST
Stetson vs. Rice at South Point Arena, Las Vegas, 3 p.m.
Oral Roberts vs. Miami at South Point Arena, Las Vegas, 5:15 p.m.
Long Beach St. at Arizona St., 7 p.m.
Ark.-Little Rock vs. Akron at South Point Arena, Las Vegas, 7:30 p.m.
Troy vs. W. Michigan at Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, Ogden, Utah, 7:30 p.m.
Ark.-Pine Bluff at Denver, 9 p.m.
Louisiana-Lafayette at New Mexico St., 9 p.m.
BYU at Weber St., 9 p.m.
Pacific at Fresno St., 10 p.m.
Idaho at Oregon, 10 p.m.
Cal Poly at Pepperdine, 10 p.m.
San Francisco vs. San Diego St. at South Point Arena, Las Vegas, 10 p.m.
S. Utah at UC Davis, 10 p.m.
Cal Baptist at UC Santa Barbara, 10 p.m.
Idaho St. at Utah St., 10:05 p.m.
Montana St. at UCLA, 10:30 p.m.
TOURNAMENTS
Lou Henson Award Tournament
At Rochester, Mich.
Third Place, TBA
Championship, TBA
MSG Holiday Festival
At New York
Third Place, 7 p.m.
Championship, 9 p.m.
Want more? I’m also on Twitter @BeyndArcMMiller.