Florida looks to stretch its school record for consecutive SEC victories to 24 when it hosts Auburn on Thursday. The Gators were experiencing a mediocre start and then conference play began and they posted consecutive victories over South Carolina and Mississippi State. The Tigers are coming off a win over Missouri and have won six of their last seven games as they adjust to the philosophies of first-year coach Bruce Pearl.

Two of the most athletic forwards in the American Athletic Conference square off Thursday when Cincinnati pays a visit to Memphis. The Bearcats' leading scorer is junior Octavius Ellis, who averages 9.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks while shooting 60.5 percent. His Tigers counterpart is no slouch, however, as sophomore Austin Nichols contributes a team-high 13 points, six rebounds, and 3.5 blocks on average.

Oregon State is fresh off its biggest win in 15 years as it travels to play Washington on Thursday in Pac-12 play. The Beavers posted a 58-56 victory over then-No. 6 Arizona on Sunday for their first victory over a top-10 squad since posting an overtime win over No. 3 Arizona in 2000. The Huskies are trending downward with four consecutive losses – three in Pac-12 play – after an 11-0 start.

Wisconsin refused to use its injury woes as an excuse for a rare second-half collapse in its last game. After learning it will be without point guard Traevon Jackson for six weeks due to a broken foot, the sixth-ranked Badgers hope to get a lift from the return of All-American candidate Frank Kaminsky on Thursday when they host Nebraska. Wisconsin led Rutgers by 12 at halftime in Sunday’s 67-62 loss before allowing the lowest-scoring team in the Big Ten to post 44 second-half points.

Arizona allows less than 60 points per game, but that is not good enough according to coach Sean Miller as the No. 9 Wildcats prepare to host Colorado on Thursday. "I don't think anyone would walk in here and be proud of our defense and our effort level and commitment in that Oregon State game," Miller told reporters after Arizona's 58-56 loss Sunday. Miller cited selfishness among the issues facing his team and is also worried some of his players are not living in the present.

Eighth-ranked Utah puts its dominating defense to the test when it goes on the road for the first time in Pac-12 Conference play with Thursday's trip to Arizona State. The Utes held three league foes to 47.7 points in home victories and leads the league in scoring defense and rebounding margin. "Brandon (Taylor) set the tone, and it becomes a little contagious seeing him out there doing the work he's doing," Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak told the media earlier this week.

Gonzaga will look for its 27th straight victory against Pepperdine when the No. 3 Bulldogs head south for a key West Coast Conference game Thursday night. Gonzaga was last beaten by the Waves on Jan. 18, 2002 at Firestone Fieldhouse, which was also the last season Pepperdine started 4-1 in conference play. The Bulldogs have won nine straight since their only loss of the season, an overtime defeat to current-No. 9 Arizona, while Pepperdine has won three in a row.

Oregon plays its first true road game of the season Thursday against surprising Washington State, which has won two in a row under former Ducks coach Ernie Kent. Freshman Jordan Bell has emerged as a dominant shot blocker for Oregon, which has won seven of its last eight games, including last Saturday’s 59-56 victory over Arizona State. Bell, a 6-9 forward from Long Beach, Calif., matched a 30-year-old school record with eight blocked shots in the win.