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The Breakfast Buffet: Memphis adds Nae’Qwan Tomlin, Isaac McKneely, UNLV has a critical week

Here’s today’s installment of “The Breakfast Buffet”, a daily column that can be found here every single morning getting you caught up to date on everything that’s happened from the day/night before and everything that’s going to happen in the next 24 hours.

Mangia!

Things To Sample

Memphis adds Nae’Qwan Tomlin
Christmas came early for Penny Hardaway and the Tigers, who added the 6-10 Tomlin on Tuesday as a graduate transfer. Tomlin was dismissed from Kansas State last week after he was suspended indefinitely in October following an arrest for disorderly conduct at a bar. Issues aside, this is a talented addition for any program in the middle of the season. An integral part of the Wildcats’ run to the Elite Eight last March, Tomlin averaged 10.4 points and 5.9 rebounds a year ago and should instantly be a major contributor to Memphis. According to a source, Tomlin could play for the Tigers as early as Saturday against Clemson. Memphis is currently 7-2 and has already beaten two SEC programs — Texas A&M and Missouri — on the road this season. The Tigers are currently ranked 27th in the ROTHSTEIN 45.

Isaac McKneely is starting to emerge for Virginia
The 6-4 sophomore has scored 22 points in each of his last two games and is leading the Cavaliers in scoring (12.9 points) entering Saturday’s tilt against Northeastern. McKneely has made multiple three-point shots in seven of the eight games that he’s played this season and is shooting a whopping 58.4 percent from long distance. He and Reece Beekman are the only two players on Virginia’s roster that are averaging in double figures. Tony Bennett’s team is 8-1 and ranked 25th in the ROTHSTEIN 45.

UNLV has a critical week
Five teams from the Mountain West — Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State, Utah State, and Nevada — were ranked in the Top 52 of the NET as of Tuesday. The Runnin Rebels aren’t anywhere close. Kevin Kruger’s squad will take a 3-4 record into tonight’s game against Creighton in the Jack Jones Classic (9 PM ET, CBS Sports Network) and desperately needs to start building some momentum. UNLV already lost a buy game earlier this season against Southern and also lost by three on Saturday against Loyola Marymount. After tonight’s matchup with the 8-1 Bluejays, the Runnin Rebels will play Saint Mary’s on Saturday in Phoenix. The next 80 minutes could go a long way in determining the type of season that UNLV is capable of having in its third year under Kruger.

On The Side

  • Northwestern’s Boo Buie has 24 assists to just three turnovers in his last three games.
  • Creighton’s two power forwards — Mason Miller and Isaac Traudt — have attempted a combined 65 shots this season. 55 of those shots have been from three-point range.
  • Rutgers is 17-7 with Mawot Mag in the lineup over the past two seasons and 8-10 when he is not.
  • Will Wade will make his head coaching debut for McNeese tonight against Southern Miss after serving a 10-game suspension to start the season. It’s been 642 days since Wade — who previously coached at LSU, VCU, and Chattanooga — coached in a college game.
  • ESPN’s first broadcast featuring both Dave Pasch and Bill Walton will be on Dec. 22nd when Maryland visits UCLA, a source told College Hoops Today.

Daily Specials

  • Florida International at Florida Atlantic
  • UNC Asheville at Auburn
  • Creighton/UNLV (Jack Jones Classic)
  • Utah State at Santa Clara
  • Weber State at Nevada

Leftovers