College basketball’s preseason march keeps rolling Thursday, Oct. 29, with eight men’s exhibition games spread across the country. It’s a lighter card than Wednesday’s, but there’s still plenty for coaches to sort through before the 2026-27 regular season arrives. Missouri’s trip to UNLV stands out as the night’s biggest matchup, while Auburn gets one more tune-up at home against Samford.
The strongest spotlight falls on Las Vegas, where Missouri meets UNLV at 10 p.m. ET at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Missouri is coming off a 71-67 win at Kansas State, a game in which freshman Jason Crowe Jr. put up 21 points and three steals. Bryson Tiller also made his presence felt on the defensive end with nine rebounds and five blocked shots.
UNLV, meanwhile, has already been through two exhibitions and has yet to get over the hump. The Runnin’ Rebels fell 79-69 to Utah and then dropped an 89-77 decision to BYU, though Sebastian Mack gave them plenty to like on offense. He scored 25 against Utah and 26 against BYU, and he’ll be one of the more interesting names on the floor Thursday.
There’s an added layer to that matchup: Mack played at Missouri last season before transferring to UNLV. His return to face the Tigers gives the game a little extra juice beyond the exhibition result itself. The game will stream on MW+.
Auburn also gets a meaningful final rehearsal, hosting Samford at Neville Arena at 8 p.m. ET.
The Tigers have lost both of their exhibitions so far, falling to Florida State and Alabama, but the 87-85 loss to the Crimson Tide came with some encouraging individual signs. Kevin Overton scored 26 points and knocked down six three-pointers in that game, while Narcisse Ngoy and Bukky Oboye also contributed inside.
Samford arrives after two wins of its own, topping Alabama A&M 71-61 and Jacksonville State 80-75. Auburn’s game won’t be televised or streamed, though local radio coverage is available on 94.3 FM and through the Auburn Tigers app.
Boise State and Northern Iowa are also back on the floor. Boise State hosts Bismarck State at ExtraMile Arena at 9 p.m.
ET after already beating Idaho 82-72 and Washington 109-91 in exhibition play. The Broncos open their regular season Nov. 4 against West Coast Baptist.
Northern Iowa takes on Upper Iowa at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls at 8 p.m. ET.
The Panthers continue shaping their rotation ahead of a Nov. 3 regular-season opener against Cornell College. Live stats are available, but no video broadcast has been listed on the school’s schedule.
The rest of Thursday’s slate includes Evansville against Wabash at 7 p.m. ET, South Alabama against Mississippi Christian at 7 p.m.
ET, Radford against Ferrum at 7 p.m. ET, and Delaware State against Holy Family at 7 p.m.
ET. Evansville has already gone through exhibitions against Austin Peay and Southeast Missouri State, and Thursday’s game will be on WJPS 107.1 FM.
South Alabama, which has made significant roster changes, will use its exhibition to keep evaluating pieces before opening the regular season Nov. 2 against Ohio. Radio coverage will come via the Jags Radio Network and the Varsity Network app.
Radford and Delaware State also continue their preseason work, but neither school has confirmed a video broadcast on its published schedule.
It’s a compact night compared with Wednesday, but the purpose is the same everywhere: one more chance to clean things up before the games start counting. Missouri-UNLV and Auburn-Samford carry the most intrigue, but every one of Thursday’s exhibitions is another step toward the real thing.
In Other News...
Mizzous First Arkansas Injury Report Leaves One Road Concern Unsettled
The SECs first injury report for Missouris trip to Arkansas offered a little clarity and one notable dose of uncertainty for the Tigers. Three Missouri players were listed as out, and the biggest item on the report for the road team centered on Ahmad Hardy, whose status remains unsettled heading into Saturday. For a Mizzou roster that has already dealt with its share of moving pieces, the report at least gave a baseline for the week, even if it did not answer every question.
Arkansas has its own injury concerns to sort through, with four players out and three listed as probable, while leading receiver Chris Marshall was tagged questionable. The availability side of the matchup matters here because this is the kind of SEC game where both teams want every edge they can find, especially in the final hours before kickoff. And beyond the injury list, Missouri still has other roster-related issues in the background, including the temporary restraining order extension tied to CJ Gunns eligibility, leaving one more layer of uncertainty hanging over a week already full of it. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Just Got An Ahmad Hardy Twist Fans Have Waited On
Missouri got a small but notable lift on the availability front heading into its matchup with Arkansas, with running back Ahmad Hardy moving from out to unlisted on the SEC Student-Athlete Availability Report. The update means Hardy is technically in play for the Tigers, and it comes after head coach Eli Drinkwitz said the back has returned to practice even though the staff still has no firm timetable for when he will be back on the field.
For a Missouri offense that has been watching its injury report closely, the Hardy update stands out even with three Tigers still listed out. Arkansas has plenty to monitor on its own side, with eight players on the report and wideout Chris Marshall listed as questionable, but Missouris bigger storyline may be whether Hardys return is close enough to matter on game day. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Has A Rare Home Chance To Prove It Belongs In The SEC
Missouri gets a familiar course and an unfamiliar spotlight this week, hosting the SEC Cross Country Championship at Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia. The meet brings both the womens 6,000-meter race and the mens 8,000-meter race to a venue the Tigers know well, with live coverage set for SEC Network and a field that includes several nationally ranked conference powers.
For Missouri, the appeal goes beyond convenience. The Tigers have spent plenty of time preparing on the home course, and this is one of those rare chances to show how their setup stacks up against the SECs best when the stakes are highest. With a deep and competitive field arriving in Columbia, the home course edge will be tested almost immediately. [Read more 🡒]