Pregame Shootaround 12.20.12: McCollum vs. Mitchell matchup one to watch

Each day, CollegeBasketballTalk brings you the “Pregame Shootaround,” which will lay out a preview for the slate of games that night. We’ll take a look at some key match-ups and important games, as well as make some predictions and point out what you need to watch for. Take a look below at today’s edition:

Note: The weekend editions of Pregame Shootaround will be published half an hour prior to tip-off of the day’s first game.

Game of the Day: Lehigh at North Texas (8 PM) 

With the pickings slim following an action-packed Wednesday slate, two players that NBA draft gurus have had their eyes on will be on the same floor in Denton, Texas. Lehigh’s C.J. McCollum is currently leading the country in scoring with an average of 24.9 points per game, and the Mountain Hawks have done little to invalidate the preseason chatter that they would be right there with Bucknell atop the Patriot League.

The same cannot be said for either Tony Mitchell or North Texas, as the Mean Green limp into tonight’s game with a 5-6 record and the “man child” has been rather inconsistent thus far. Mitchell’s averaging 13.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game but his field goal percentage has dropped ten points from last year’s mark of 56.7%, and in a 45-40 win over Southeast Louisiana the preseason Sun Belt Player of the Year shot 1-of-9 from the field (eight points). Given their start this is a big game for North Texas; can they deliver?

Who’s Getting Upset?: Arkansas (vs. Robert Morris; 8 PM) 

With this game sandwiched in between games against Alcorn State and Alabama A&M for Arkansas, there’s a chance that the Razorbacks could get caught looking ahead to Christmas with the Colonials in town. To do so would be a mistake, as Andy Toole’s squad is capable of pulling off the upset. Robert Morris averages just over 67 points per game and they aren’t the best rebounding team either, but the Colonials are forcing an average of 16.9 turnovers per game. With guards Velton Jones and Karvel Anderson leading the way RMU has the experience needed to avoid folding in such an environment.

Mid-Major Matchup of the Day: Iona at La Salle (7 PM)  

The Gaels will finally have the services of junior college transfer David Laury, who is expected to give Iona a much-needed scorer in the frontcourt. But the best action in this one will come on the perimeter, as Iona’s Sean Armand and Lamont Jones will face La Salle’s Tyreek Duren and Ramon Galloway. The Explorers will also have a mid-year addition of their own, as Virginia Tech transfer Tyrone Garland gives Dr. John Giannini another perimeter piece to rely on.

Six Things to Watch

1) In a preparation for the quick turnaround they’ll see in March, top-ranked Duke is playing its second game in as many nights as they host Elon. After a slow first half against Cornell the Blue Devils caught fire in the second half, closing the game on a 60-21 run.

2) The other ranked team in action is No. 2 Michigan, who hosts Eastern Michigan in their final game before Christmas. The Eagles are limiting opponents to 57.5 points per game thanks in large part to their zone defense, but with Michigan having shooters such as Nik Stauskas and Tim Hardaway Jr. EMU has to identify the shooters if they’re to have any chance of pulling off the upset.

3) With three key players out of the lineup Wichita State looks to move to 10-1 as they host Charleston Southern. Carl Hall (broken thumb), Ron Baker (stress fracture in foot) and Evan Wessel (broken pinky) are all sidelined for this one, and the Shockers enter hoping no one else goes down just as much as they’re hoping for the win.

4) USC takes on another Big West opponent tonight, hosting a UC Irvine squad that will give them a far stiffer challenge than UC Riverside did on Saturday (70-26). Irvine, who took UCLA to overtime earlier this season before losing by one, is limiting opponents to 35% shooting from the field.

5) Boise State is back on the floor for the first time since their 89-70 whipping of LSU, taking on Idaho. Stephen Madison and Kyle Barone have the ability to challenge the Broncos inside, but it won’t matter much if their guards aren’t capable of slowing down Anthony Drmic and Derrick Marks.

6) Decision day for Jabari Parker. Many have Duke and Michigan State leading the way for his services, with BYU, Florida and Stanford rounding out his final five. He’ll make his announcement at 4 PM EST.

The Top 25 

Elon at No. 1 Duke (7 PM)

Eastern Michigan at No. 2 Michigan (8:30 PM)

Other Notable Games

Rider at Princeton (7 PM)

Lipscomb at Memphis (8 PM)

Pepperdine at Tulane (8 PM)

Cal Poly at Washington (9 PM)

Raphielle also writes for the NBE Basketball Report and can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.