UCA men at Arizona State
WHEN 2 p.m. Central WHERE Wells Fargo Arena, Tempe, Ariz. RECORDS Central Arkansas 1-11; Arizona State 6-6 RADIO KUCA-FM, 91.3, in Conway
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
CENTRAL ARKANSAS POS. NAME, HT, YR PPG RPG G Jordan Howard, 5-11, Jr. 17.8 3.9 G Mathieu Kamba, 6-5, Jr. 10.7 6.6 G Jeff Lowery, 6-2, Sr. 7.6 1.3 G Derreck Brooks, 6-6, Jr. 14.5 6.1 C Tanner Schmit, 6-8, So. 5.1 3.2 COACH Russ Pennell (10-58 in third season at UCA, 121-127 in eighth season overall)
ARIZONA STATE POS. NAME, HT, YR PPG RPG G Shannon Evans II, 6-1, Jr. 15.3 3.3 G Torian Graham, 6-4, Sr. 17.1 4.2 G Tra Holder, 6-1, Jr. 16.3 3.9 G Kodi Justice, 6-5, Jr. 7.3 2.9 F Obinna Oleka, 6-7, Sr. 12.7 10.3 COACH Bobby Hurley (21-23 in second season at Arizona State, 63-43 in fourth season overall)
TEAM COMPARISON
UCA ASU 68.9 Points for 81.1 86.4 Points against 83.3 -4.3 Rebound margin -2.3 -3.6 Turnover margin +2.6 41.9 FG pct. 43.5 38.2 3-pt. pct. 35.4 69.8 FT pct. 75.2 CHALK TALK Today’s game will feature two struggling defenses. UCA gave up a season-high 111 points in a Monday loss at Morehead State and its 86.4 points allowed per game rank 342nd out of 347 Division I teams. Arizona State allows 83.3 points per game, which ranks 334th. … Today is a homecoming of sorts for some on UCA’s team. Coach Russ Pennell was an assistant for the Sun Devils in 1998-2004 and coached at two other Arizona colleges. Guards Jeff Lowery and Jordan Howard played high school basketball in the Phoenix area.
— Troy Schulte
UAPB men at Grand Canyon
WHEN 8 p.m. Central WHERE GCU Arena, Phoenix RECORDS Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1-12; Grand Canyon 7-5
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF POS. NAME, HT, YR PPG RPG G Joe’Randle Toliver, 6-4, Jr. 5.9 2.4 G Ghiavonni Robinson, 6-3, Sr. 12.1 3.1 G Jaquan Lynch, 6-3, Sr. 7.3 2.9 F Devin Berry, 6-8, Sr. 2.9 2.6 F Trent Steen, 6-8, Jr. 7.2 4.3 COACH George Ivory (68-168 in ninth season at UAPB and overall)
GRAND CANYON POS. NAME, HT, YR PPG RPG G DeWayne Russell, 5-11, Sr. 24.6 3.3 G Flifi Aldoo, 6-2, Fr. 5.6 2.5 F Keonta Vernon, 6-6, Jr. 8.6 6.6 G Gerard Martin, 6-6, Fr. 5.4 4.5 F Oscar Frayer, 6-6, Fr. 8.9 3.8 COACH Dan Majerle (66-42 in fourth season at Grand Canyon and overall)
TEAM COMPARISON
UAPB GCU 57.6 Points for 70.4 72.7 Points against 70.2 -7.2 Rebound margin -2.0 -1.8 Turnover margin +2.0 37.4 FG pct. 42.8 29.8 3-pt. pct. 32.0 63.3 FT pct. 67.8 CHALK TALK Today is UAPB’s third game in a different state in six days, but also its final nonconference game. The Golden Lions next play at home against Mississippi Valley State on Jan. 2. … Joe’Randle Tolliver has 20 steals this season and UAPB’s 120 steals as a team is tied for seventh-best in Division I. … Grand Canyon is playing its third game in a row against a SWAC team. It beat Mississippi Valley State, 72-62, and Alcorn State, 63-53. … Grand Canyon’s DeWayne Russell’s 24.6 points per game would rank third in Division I, but Grand Canyon’s statistics aren’t included because it is reclassifying to Division I.