Thursday’s college basketball games to watch

CHARLOTTE (11-11, 5-6 Conference USA) at ALA..-BIRMINGHAM (14-10, 7-4)

Bartow Arena, Birmingham, Ala., 8 p.m.

Austin Ajukwa (30 points, 11 rebounds) had his best game as a Charlotte 49er in Saturday’s win against Florida International. ...Ala.-Birmingham dropped two games on a Texas road trip last week but is 9-2 at home. The Blazers’ William Lee leads C-USA in blocked shots (2.4 per game) and is among the top rebounders.

WINTHROP (18-5, 10-2 Big South) at UNC ASHEVILLE (18-7, 10-2)

Kimmel Arena, Asheville, 7 p.m., ESPNU

This first-place showdown gets national TV coverage. Winthrop’s Keon Johnson is second in the Big South in scoring (21.5 points a game). ...UNC Asheville coach Nick McDevitt is the third coach in Big South history to log 15 or more victories in his first three seasons.

LIBERTY (15-10, 10-2 Big South) at GARDNER-WEBB (14-11, 7-5)

Paul Porter Arena, Boiling Springs, 7 p.m.

While Winthrop and UNC Asheville battle, Liberty – the other first-place team – contends with a Bulldogs team featuring the league’s most accurate shooter in Tyrell Nelson (57 percent). ...Liberty’s Ryan Kemrite is among the league leaders in 3-pointers per game (2.3).

Steve Lyttle

This story was originally published February 8, 2017 at 4:25 PM with the headline "Thursday’s college basketball games to watch."