Region Gameday Capsules
Francis Marion (7-3) at No. 24 South Carolina (11-0)
Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, 7 p.m.
South Carolina is off to its best start since the 1933-34 season, when the Gamecocks opened with 17 consecutive wins and 35 straight dating to the previous season. … After beginning its season with seven wins in its first eight games, Francis Marion has lost two straight.
Clemson (7-5) at No. 7 North Carolina (11-2)
Smith Center, Chapel Hill, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
This is the second straight season North Carolina and Clemson have met in the ACC opener. … The Tar Heels lead the all-time series 129-20, including wins in 17 of the past 18 games. … Clemson has beaten North Carolina 13 times when the Tar Heels were ranked, including its last win in the series in 2010. But the Tigers still are looking to win their first in Chapel Hill, going 0-57 over the decades.
Bill Kiser
Long Beach State (6-8) at No. 15 Duke (10-2)
Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, 4 p.m. (FSCR)
A familiar name leads Long Beach State in scoring. Nick Faust, a transfer from Maryland, tops the 49ers at 16.2 points per game. They have balance, though, with five players scoring in double figures three times this season. The Blue Devils are coming off a blowout Monday at home against Elon and they will seek a 125th consecutive nonconference home victory. Both teams shoot 3-pointers well. Long Beach State hits 39.1 percent from beyond the arc and Duke is at 40.1.
Rick Barger
This story was originally published December 29, 2015 at 6:26 PM with the headline "Region Gameday Capsules."