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With only one of its top five scorers from a season ago returning for the 2023-24 campaign, Xavier is trying to establish a new offensive identity. Desmond Claude is quickly helping the Musketeers do just that. Claude erupted for 25 points in his season debut, and he will look to replicate that performance when Xavier hosts Jacksonville on Friday in Cincinnati. Buoyed by Claude and a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double from Gytis Nemeiksa, the Musketeers (1-0)

Rutgers left plenty of room for improvement in its 68-61 season-opening loss to Princeton on Monday. Coach Steve Pikiell said he would like to see the Scarlet Knights get off to a better start and shoot a higher percentage from the floor when they face visiting Boston University on Friday in Piscataway, N.J. Rutgers (0-1) made 25 of 62 (40.3 percent) from the field in the loss and missed 10 of its 14 3-point attempts.

Historically speaking, Florida State and Kennesaw State in Tallahassee, Fla., might like a mismatch in the Seminoles’ favor. But both teams ended last season in much different fashion. Florida State missed the postseason after suffering through an injury-plagued 9-23 season, the worst year by a significant margin during coach Leonard Hamilton’s tenure as coach. Kennesaw State won 26 games, the Atlantic Sun Conference championship, and lost a competitive game against Xavier in the first round

Michigan made a smashing first impression on Tuesday and the Wolverines are determined to be just as good in the second game of the season when they host Youngstown State on Friday. Coming off an impressive performance in its season opener on Tuesday against UNC Asheville, rolling to a 99-74 victory, Michigan loved what it saw from several new players. The most notable debut came from Olivier Nkamhoua, a transfer from Tennessee who had 25

No. 18 Texas looks to continue its impressive start to the season and get closer to determining its true player rotation when it hosts Delaware State on Friday in Austin, Texas. The Longhorns (1-0) opened the season with a resounding 88-56 win at home over Incarnate Word on Monday. Four of Texas’ top five scorers in the win transferred into the program in the offseason, led by UCF transfer Ithiel Horton’s 17 points. Kadin Shedrick

No. 24 Alabama will look to build off its impressive season-opening win over Morehead State when it hosts Indiana State in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Friday night. The Crimson Tide (1-0) jumped out a 20-point first-half lead and never looked back in cruising to a 105-73 win behind offseason acquisitions Grant Nelson, Aaron Estrada and Jarin Stevenson. Nelson, a North Dakota State transfer, led the Crimson Tide in points (24) and rebounds (seven) and was 7-of-12

The entertaining rivalry between No. 17 San Diego State and BYU continues Friday night in Provo, Utah. Though the Cougars (1-0) own a 50-27 overall record against their former Mountain West Conference foes, the Aztecs (1-0) earned bragging rights last year. Jaedon LeDee scored 23 points and made a late game-clinching layup as SDSU won 82-75 in San Diego early in its NCAA finalist season. Both teams earned season-opening blowout wins on Monday. LeDee scored

No. 16 Kentucky chases a more complete performance on Friday night when the Wildcats host Texas A&M-Commerce in Lexington, Ky. The Wildcats recorded a 40-point win in their season opener, but only after Kentucky overcame some anxious moments in the first half before running away with an 86-46 win over New Mexico State on Monday. Rob Dillingham scored 13 of his 17 points after halftime to lead five players in double figures for Kentucky (1-0).

No. 9 Tennessee travels to Wisconsin on Friday to kickstart a whirlwind month that includes a multi-day stint in Honolulu and matchups with preseason Top 25 foes North Carolina and Illinois in the next 30 days. The Volunteers early visit to Madison for a non-conference matchup Friday night is unique for multiple reasons. In the long, storied history of Wisconsin basketball, this will be the first time the Badgers have faced a top 10 opponent

No. 13 Miami has reason to worry ahead of its home game against UCF on Friday night in Coral Gables, Fla. The Hurricanes held on for a 66-64 win over the Knights last season, although the game likely would have stretched into overtime had UCF’s C.J. Walker made his two free throws with 1.4 seconds remaining in regulation. Two years ago, the Knights posted a 95-89 victory over host Miami after shooting a robust 40.7