College Hoops: SATURDAY’S REGIONAL GAMES
CHARLOTTE (3-9) AT OLD DOMINION (7-6)
Ted Constant Convocation Center, Norfolk, Va., noon (WCCB)
The 49ers begin the new year Saturday by playing the Monarchs in both teams’ Conference USA opener. … Charlotte is coming off its highest-scoring game in 25 years, beating The Citadel 111-93 on Tuesday. … Old Dominion enters riding a three-game winning streak, all at home. The Monarchs have won 31 consecutive home games, the nation’s fifth-longest active winning streak.
FLORIDA STATE (10-2, 0-0 ACC) VS. CLEMSON (7-6, 0-1)
Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, S.C., noon
The Tigers, fresh off their ACC opener three days ago, host the Seminoles in their league opener Saturday. … Clemson has dropped its past three games, including an 80-60 loss to No. 7 North Carolina in its league opener Wednesday. … Florida State enters on a six-game winning streak, the last a 73-71 victory over in-state rival Florida on Tuesday.
GARDNER-WEBB (7-8, 2-1 BIG SOUTH) AT LONGWOOD (4-11, 0-2)
Willett Hall, Farmville, Va., 2 p.m.
The Bulldogs have a chance to move up the conference standings when they face the Lancers on Saturday. … Gardner-Webb has won two straight, including a 65-61 victory over Coastal Carolina on Thursday, and is in a three-way tie for third in the Big South standings. … Longwood has lost seven of its past eight, including a 70-61 loss to UNC Asheville on Thursday.
WINGATE (7-3) AT JOHNSON C. SMITH (6-4)
Brayboy Gymnasium, 4 p.m.
The Golden Bulls play their final nonconference game on Saturday, hosting the Bulldogs on Saturday. … Johnson C. Smith has won two straight, both CIAA games, and is one of four teams with an undefeated league record. … Wingate is coming off a 70-61 nonconference loss to Augusta on Thursday, but had won three of its past four South Atlantic Conference games.
MEMPHIS (9-3) AT SOUTH CAROLINA (12-0)
Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, 6 p.m. (ESPNU)
The 24th-ranked Gamecocks, one of four undefeated teams remaining nationwide, close out their nonconference schedule Saturday against the Tigers. … South Carolina has won 10 times this season by 10 or more points, the last a 78-56 victory over Francis Marion on Wednesday. … Memphis has won two straight and seven of its past eight games, including a 77-65 victory over Tulane in its American Athletic Conference opener Tuesday.
DAVIDSON (8-3) AT ST. BONAVENTURE (8-3)
Reilly Center, St. Bonaventure, N.Y., 8 p.m.
The Wildcats open their defense of the Atlantic 10 regular-season title on Saturday with a road game against the Bonnies. … Davidson wrapped up its 2015 schedule by losing two of its past three games, the last an 86-60 defeat by California on Monday. … St. Bonaventure has won five of its past six, capping its December schedule by beating Niagara 82-68 on Wednesday.
APPALACHIAN STATE (2-10, 0-1 SUN BELT) AT LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE (4-6, 0-1)
Cajundome, Lafayette, La., 8 p.m.
The Mountaineers wrap up their Sun Belt conference swing through Louisiana on Saturday when they take on the Ragin’ Cajuns. … Appalachian State has lost seven straight, including its conference opener against Louisiana-Monroe, 72-56, on Thursday. … La.-Lafayette lost its league opener to La.-Monroe on Dec. 3; since then, the Cajuns have gone 3-3, including two straight wins entering Saturday’s game.
Bill Kiser
N.C. STATE (10-3) AT VIRGINIA TECH (8-5)
Cassell Coliseum, Blacksburg, Va., 2 p.m.
N.C. State coach Mark Gottfried has a 5-0 record vs. Virginia Tech. ... Promising freshman wing Chris Clarke broke his right foot in practice last week and will be out for the season for the Hokies. Clarke averaged 10.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.
Joe Giglio
GEORGIA TECH (10-3) AT NO. 7 UNC (12-2, 1-0 ACC)
Smith Center, Chapel Hill, noon (WBTV)
Outside of a one-point loss against East Tennessee State, Georgia Tech has looked like one of the ACC’s most improved teams. The Yellow Jackets are averaging about 14 more points per game than they did a season ago. They’re also one of the nation’s best rebounding teams. The Tar Heels have won the past six in this series and in two victories last season beat the Yellow Jackets by an average of 30.5 points.
Andrew Carter
NO. 15 DUKE (11-2) AT BOSTON COLLEGE (7-6)
Conte Forum, Boston, 4:30 p.m. (FSCR)
This is Duke’s first true road game of the year. The Blue Devils played four neutral site games during the nonconference season, with three at New York’s Madison Square Garden (in front of pro-Duke crowds) and one at Chicago’s United Center (in front of a pro-Kentucky crowd). … All-time, Duke has won 18 of 20 games against Boston College, and the last Eagles win came on Feb. 15, 2009, 80-74 at BC.
Laura Keeley
This story was originally published January 1, 2016 at 7:26 PM with the headline "College Hoops: SATURDAY’S REGIONAL GAMES."