**Tip-Off at 1:35pm CT**
in New Orleans,
Tulane (16-9, 4-6)...RPI: #150 (SOS: #218)
SMU (13-12, 3-7)...RPI: #190 (SOS: #214)

*This game will be televised on the Fox Sports Network. Like many other teams in C-USA this season, Tulane is one of those that gets a little momentum going and then they suffer a setback. The Green Wave had dispatched Marshall at home easily and then recovered from an 18-point second half deficit @ Houston to win in their next game. Then they went to Hattiesburg and lost to USM on Wednesday. They will try to get back in the winning column on Saturday against a team they lost to in a close one earlier in the year on the road. One would think Tulane stands a pretty good chance of doing so considering they have a 13-2 record at home, 3-2 in league play. However, SMU comes into this one having won their last two road games in pretty easy fashion (@ Marshall by 11, @ Rice by 22). Overall on the road this season, the Mustangs are 5-5, 2-3 in C-USA play. Against teams rated outside the top 100 of the RPI, Tulane is 14-6. However, they are just 3-6 vs. those rated between #101 and #200. Interestingly enough, SMU is also just 3-6 vs. those teams rated between #101 and #200 in the RPI.


**Tip-Off at 3:35pm CT**
in Tulsa,
Tulsa (13-11, 5-5)...RPI: #120 (SOS: #107)
Houston (15-8, 4-6)...RPI: #206 (SOS: #321)

*This game will be televised on the Fox Sports Network. This game features two teams coming off surprising wins over UTEP. Tulsa grabbed the season sweep over the Miners in El Paso last Saturday. Houston ripped UTEP apart in Hofheinz by 18 on Wednesday. Before the win in El Paso, TU had been struggling, having lost three straight, including two consecutive losses at home. The Golden Hurricane are 7-3 at home this year, 2-2 in league games. Houston has won three of their last five. The Coogs are a pretty solid 4-4 in true road games this year, but just 1-3 in C-USA games away from home. This is the first of three straight road games for UH. Against opponents rated outside the top 200 of the RPI, Tulsa is 7-2. Houston is 4-3 vs. teams rated between #101 and #200 in the RPI this season.


**Tip-Off at 4:05pm CT**
in Greenville,
East Carolina (14-9, 5-5)...RPI: #118 (SOS: #90)
Southern Mississippi (19-6, 8-2)...RPI: #39 (SOS: #102)

*This is probably the most interesting match-up of the day in C-USA play. East Carolina has won two of their last three. They are a pretty strong 11-3 at home this season, but just 3-2 at home in league play. Southern Miss recovered from back-to-back losses to UCF and Memphis with a hard fought victory over Tulane on Wednesday. USM has already played an impressive 13 true road games this year, going 8-5 in those. They are 4-1 in games away from home against C-USA opponents. Their only league road loss was by 2 @ UCF. ECU is 1-6 vs. RPI top 100 teams (0-4 vs. the top 50). The Golden Eagles are 16-0 vs. teams outside the top 100 of the RPI.


**Tip-Off at 7:05pm CT**
in Huntington,
Marshall (11-14, 4-6)...RPI: #213 (SOS: #132)
#22/#25 Memphis (21-3, 10-0)...RPI: #24 (SOS: #83)

*This game will be televised on the CBS Sports Network. Despite Marshall's record and RPI, this game probably won't be as easy as it appears for the visiting Tigers. The Herd are made up of talented players, although you wouldn't know it judging by their results so far this season. They are pretty strong at home. And they did play the Tigers down to the wire at Memphis earlier in the season. Looking at this match-up on paper, Memphis appears to be the big favorite, but don't be surprised if this game is quite competitive. Marshall comes into this game having lost five of seven, but they are 10-3 at home this season, including 4-1 against C-USA foes. Two of those C-USA home wins included blowouts of Tulsa and East Carolina. Memphis has won 15 straight games and 19 of 20. They have also won 17 consecutive games against C-USA opponents and 10 straight overall on the road (6-0 this season in true road games). Marshall is just 1-8 vs. teams rated inside the top 100 of the RPI (0-4 vs. the top 50). Memphis is a perfect 20-0 vs. teams outside the RPI top 50.


**Tip-Off at 7:05pm CT**
in Birmingham,
UAB (11-14, 3-7)...RPI: #162 (SOS: #84)
Rice (5-19, 1-9)...RPI: #311 (SOS: #140)

*UAB was on a bit of a roll before falling @ East Carolina on Wednesday. Who better to face when you are needing to get back on track than Rice, especially when you get them at home? UAB has won three of their last five. The Blazers are 9-3 at home this season, but just 2-3 in league play. Rice as we are all aware has had a really bad season. The Owls have lost four straight and 12 of their last 14. They do show some signs of life at times (only losing by 1 @ Marshall, beating Houston, only losing by 7 @ Tulane), but it still adds up to a bad year. It's been especially tough on the road for the Owls. Rice still does not have a win away from home, going 0-11 in road and neutral court games combined. Against teams rated outside the top 200 of the RPI, UAB is 6-2. Against those rated inside the top 200, Rice is a dreadful 0-15.


**Tip-Off at 8:05pm CT**
in El Paso,
UTEP (13-10, 6-4)...RPI: #107 (SOS: #76)
UCF (17-7, 7-3)...RPI: #82 (SOS: #122)

*On paper, this is the game of the night in the conference. UTEP is the #4 team and UCF is the #3 team in the current league standings. The Miners were doing pretty well up until two games ago. First they dropped a 74-70 decision at home to Tulsa. That was a surprise because they had been so strong at home this year up to that point. Then they followed that up with an embarrassing ass-whipping @ Houston on Wednesday. The Miners badly need a win here. Thankfully, for them, they are at home. They are 11-2 in El Paso this season with the two losses by a combined 6 points. UCF is coming off an ass-whipping as severe as what UTEP endured. The Knights played Memphis tough for a half and then were throttled in the second half. They too are looking to bounce back. UCF is 4-4 on the road this season, 2-3 in league road games. The Miners are 2-4 against the top 100 of the RPI this season. UCF is 6-2 vs. those teams rated between #101 and #200 in the RPI.