TODAY

MEN

Cal State Northridge (1-4) at Arizona State (4-1), 12:30 p.m. PST -- Northridge, which won’t play a home game until Dec. 21, can use a solid victory after a loss to lowly Montana on Tuesday. The Matadors’ problem has been defense; their opponents are averaging 80.6 points on 46.9% shooting and have attempted 33 more free throws. Centers Austin Waggener and Thomas Shewmake will have their hands full with Arizona State’s big man, All-American candidate Ike Diogu. Diogu, who decided to return for his junior year, is averaging 23.2 points and 9.8 rebounds.

Azusa Pacific (5-1) at Pepperdine (5-1), 2 p.m. -- Pepperdine, in the midst of a four-game homestand, hasn’t won six in a row in three years and a victory would mean the best start for the Waves since 1985-86. The trio of guard Alex Acker and forwards Glen McGowan and Yakhouba Diawara is averaging 47.8 points and 18.5 rebounds. Reserve forward Cody Horning has not been cleared to return after suffering a concussion in the Wisconsin game a week ago. Azusa, a longtime NAIA power, isn’t a pushover but the Cougars haven’t played a Division I team since 1999, when they lost by 29 to Utah.

San Diego State (3-1) at UC Santa Barbara (1-3), 3 p.m., KTLK (1340) -- UC Santa Barbara Coach Bob Williams is hoping that playing at home for the first time this season will provide a spark for his injury-racked club, which lost the last three games of a season-opening trip to San Diego State, Wisconsin, San Francisco and Pepperdine. Santa Barbara defeated the Aztecs, 80-72 in overtime, on Nov. 19.

Cal State Fullerton (2-1) at Denver (2-2), 6 p.m. PST -- Fullerton has played once since Nov. 20 and that was a runaway victory over NAIA Hope International. The Titans figure to get a better gauge of themselves in a road stretch that includes games at Eastern Washington and San Diego State. Denver lost at Loyola Marymount on Wednesday. The Pioneers are led by center Yemi Nicholson and guard Erik Benzel. The teams will meet again Dec. 23 at Fullerton.

Sacramento State (1-3) at UC Irvine (1-2), 7 p.m., KUCI-FM (88.9) -- The Anteaters have had a weeklong break since their loss to UCLA last weekend. Junior transfer Aaron Fitzgerald is off to a strong start, averaging 20.3 points on 53.8% shooting with a team-leading 18 assists. Sacramento is coming off an overtime loss at home Wednesday to future Big West Conference member UC Davis after letting a 12-point lead slip away in the final six minutes of regulation.

Long Beach State (1-3) at Loyola Marymount (3-1), 7 p.m., KXLU-FM (88.9) -- Loyola is thriving with its new pressure defense. The Lions have had at least 10 steals in each of their four games and are forcing an average of 20.3 turnovers. Forward Daryl Pegram, a transfer from Indiana, had his first double-figure point game as a collegian with 15 points in Wednesday’s win over Denver. Long Beach ended a 12-game home losing streak last weekend against Sacramento State but has not won on the road since Jan. 29 at Idaho. The 49ers are averaging 72.8 points, up from 62.9 last season.

Cascade College (4-2) at UC Riverside (2-2), 7 p.m., KPRO (1570) -- Junior guard Rickey Porter is flourishing in his role as a full-time starter for Riverside. Porter had a career-high 24 points in the Highlanders’ win over Loyola Marymount last Saturday and is averaging 13.8 points. Junior guard Matt Benson has sat out the first four games with a stress fracture in his left foot but may return to practice next week. Cascade, located in Portland, Ore., is a member of the NAIA and is in the midst of a 12-game road trip.

-- Eric Stephens