College Hoops Viewing Guide For Friday, December 23, 2016

This list of games is not exhaustive by design. For a full schedule and more specific information about coverage—particularly for ACC RSN, ASN, CSN, and FSN games—visit Matt’s College Sports on TV Website.

If you’re only able to listen today, check out TuneIn’s college basketball lineup.

All times are Eastern, adjust accordingly.

Logos from SportsLogos.net.

Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic Semifinals

Check out the Tournament Primer.

	Semifinal No. 1 Tulsa Golden Hurricane (American) (6-4) vs. San Diego State Aztecs (MW) (6-4) 4:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
	Consolation No. 1 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (Southland) (4-6) vs. Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (C-USA) (3-7) approx. 7 p.m. (ESPN3)
	Semifinal No. 2 San Francisco Dons (WCC) (9-2) vs. Illinois State Redbirds (MVC) (8-3) 10 p.m. (ESPN2)
	Consolation No. 2 Utah Utes (Pac-12) (7-3) at Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (Big West) (4-6) approx. 12:30 a.m. (ESPNU)

While the top half of the bracket went chalk yesterday, thanks to easy wins by Tulsa (over Stephen F. Austin) and San Diego State (over Southern Miss.), there was a major shock in the evening session. Utah slipped down to a consolation semifinal against host Hawai’i, thanks to an 89-86 loss to San Francisco—a result simultaneously cheered on WCC campuses and booed on Pac-12 ones. That means the Dons will face Illinois State, easy 71-45 winners over the Rainbow Warriors in this evening’s second semifinal.

The loss means Utah’s best non-conference victim will be either KenPom No. 224 SFA (should the pair meet on Sunday) or No. 229 Utah Valley. That means Larry Krystkowiak’s team will have to pick up a ton of quality wins in Pac-12 play to return to the field for a third consecutive season.

Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic Finals

FS1 will air both games.

Check out the Tournament Primer.

	Consolation DePaul Blue Demons (Big East) (7-5) vs. Missouri State Bears (MVC) (8-4) 8:30 p.m.
	Championship Wyoming Cowboys (MW) (10-2) vs. No. 23 USC Trojans (Pac-12) (12-0) approx. 11 p.m.

Wyoming outscored DePaul by 14 in the second half of game one to advance to the final against USC, who held off Missouri State Bears in Thursday’s second semifinal. Note that the consolation game is a rematch of a November 23rd game in Rosemont—one won by the host Blue Demons by just two.

Non-Tournament Action Of Note

Auburn Tigers (9-2) at Connecticut Huskies (5-5), 2:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

On Wednesday night, the Tigers took down Oklahoma at the Mohegan Sun. Can they knock off the Huskies in Hartford to head into SEC play on a four-game winning streak?

Providence Friars (10-2) at Boston College Eagles (6-6), 4 p.m. (ESPNU)

Since the 2010-11 season, the former Big East rivals have alternated wins. This afternoon, the Friars will look to keep the Eagles from winning at home yet again.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (11-1) at Seton Hall Pirates (9-2), 6:30 p.m. (FS1)

If you thought back in mid-November that the Scarlet Knights would enter this game with a better record than the Pirates ... well, you’re lying. But the combo of a soft schedule and competent coaching has done wonders for Rutgers. The question is now whether Steve Pikiell’s team can defeat the Hall for the firs time since the 2012-13 season, when Rutgers swept the season series.

Arkansas State Red Wolves (9-3) at Minnesota Golden Gophers (11-1), 7 p.m. (BTN)

The Golden Gophers’ final non-conference test comes from the Sun Belt contenders, who won at Georgetown on November 17th, but have since lost to TCU and Alabama.

Georgia Bulldogs (8-3) at Oakland Golden Grizzlies (9-3), 7 p.m. (ESPN3)

Last season, the Bulldogs only defeated the Golden Grizzlies by four in Athens. This time around, Georgia will play Oakland off a heartbreaking loss to Northeastern and road setback at Michigan State.

Harvard Crimson (4-4) at Houston Cougars (9-2), 8p.m. (ESPN2)

A victory over the Crimson won’t do much for the Cougars’ tournament hopes. Note that even though this is Houston’s final non-conference game of the season, Harvard still has five to play.

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