4:00 PM EST
4-6 (1-0) Bryant
at 7-7 (1-0) St. Francis (NY)
Team Resumés
4-6 (1-0) Bryant
Solid Wins:
-New Hampshire 72-63 (Home)
-Army 80-73 (Road)
-Denver 48-46 (Road)
Ivy League Losses:
-Yale 67-60 (Home)
-Brown 69-62 (Road)
-Dartmouth 76-59 (Home)
Last Game:
-Win Against LIU Brooklyn 67-63 (Road)
Key Players:
---#12 Dyami Starks (SR)
-19.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG, & 1.1 SPG.
---#10 Joe O'Shea (SR)
-7.7 PPG, 5.2 RPG, & 1.0 SPG.
---#22 Dan Garvin (SO)
-7.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG, & 1.3 BPG.
7-7 (1-0) St. Francis (NY)
Solid Wins:
-Florida Atlantic 61-56 (Home)
-Monmouth 71-46 (Road)
-Columbia 72-64 (Home)
"Never Should Have Happened" Losses:
-Delaware State 72-64 (Home)
Last Game:
-Win Against Sacred Heart 73-71 (Road)
Key Players:
---#5 Jalen Cannon (SR)
-14.8 PPG, 9.9 RPG, & 1.4 BPG.
---#1 Brent Jones (SR)
-13.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 4.6 APG, & 2.4 SPG.
---#0 Tyreek Jewell (JR)
-9.1 PPG & 4.1 RPG.
Prediction:
Who says I do not give any love to the small conferences? Today in Brooklyn, New York, two 1-0 conference teams in the NEC face off as the St. Francis (NY) Terriers host the Bryant Bulldogs. Today, I feel like Bryant's lack of scorers will cost them the game. Both teams' opponents average about 66 points per game while St. Francis' offense scores about five points more than Bryant. The difference that I previously mentioned relates to St. Francis having to guard only one man, Dyami Starks who is one of the best scorers in the conference, while Bryant must deal with the Terriers' two headed monster of Jalen Cannon and Brent Jones to go along with Tyreek Jewell who is also capable of scoring the ball. I just do not see St. Francis getting beat by one man like LIU Brooklyn did Saturday.
---St. Francis (NY) 66, Bryant 61
7:00 PM EST-ESPN
14-1 (2-0) 13. Notre Dame
at 11-3 (1-0) 18. North Carolina
Team Resumés
14-1 (2-0) 13. Notre Dame
Solid Wins:
-#19 Michigan State 79-78 in Overtime of ACC/Big Ten Challenge (Home)
-Florida State 83-63 (Home)
-Purdue 94-63 (in Indianapolis)
Only Lost:
-Providence 75-74 in the Championship of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic.
Last Game:
-Win Against Georgia Tech 83-76 in Double Overtime (Home)
Key Players:
---#22 Jerian Grant (SR)
-17.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 6.2 APG, & 1.5 SPG.
---#30 Zach Auguste (JR)
-14.7 PPG & 6.5 RPG.
---#11 Demetrius Jackson (SO)
-14.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.2 APG, & 2.2 SPG.
---#24 Pat Connaughton (SR)
-13.7 PPG & 8.2 RPG.
---#32 Steve Vasturia (SO)
-9.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, & 1.9 APG.
11-3 (1-0) 18. North Carolina
Solid Wins:
-Davidson 90-72 (in Charlotte)
-#22 UCLA 78-56 in Consolation Bracket of Battle 4 Atlantis.
-#18 Florida 75-64 in Consolation Championship of Battle 4 Atlantis.
-#12 Ohio State 82-74 in CBS Sports Classic (in Chicago)
Losses to Unranked Opponents:
-Butler 74-66 in Quarterfinal of Battle 4 Atlantis.
-Iowa 60-55 in ACC/Big Ten Challenge (Home)
Last Game:
-Win Clemson 74-50 (Road)
Key Players:
---#5 Marcus Paige (JR)
-13.4 PPG, 2.1 RPG, & 3.7 APG.
---#3 Kennedy Meeks (SO)
-12.8 PPG, 9.1 RPG, & 1.5 BPG.
---#11 Brice Johnson (JR)
-11.5 PPG, 7.1 RPG, & 1.1 BPG.
---#44 Justin Jackson (FR)
-9.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, & 2.5 APG.
---#13 J.P. Tokoto (JR)
-8.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, & 1.3 SPG.
Prediction:
The sports world and the ESPN family lost a beloved member early Sunday morning with the death of sports broadcaster Stuart Scott. Scott attended the University of North Carolina and graduated the school in 1987. Why am I telling you this? Well I for one will be praying for his family at this time and the North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team will wear a patch that says "Stu" tonight in his honor. Extra motivation maybe? I would say so. With both teams ranked and on winning streaks, tonight has the making of a great game. To be honest, on a neutral court I would pick Notre Dame with all their scorers like Grant, Auguste, Jackson, and the list goes on and on but with the circumstances and the showdown being played at Chapel Hill, I believe Roy Williams' North Carolina will get a win for Stuart and why would I not pick them in honor of one of the greats that I have admired for so long. Maybe it isn't that big of a deal to pick the Tar Heels since they have so much history in the program and are considered the favorite by some but face it the Fighting Irish average five more points per game on the offensive end of the floor. The whole UNC team will need to have a solid performance this evening in addition to a huge game from Preseason All-American point guard Marcus Paige to pull off the "upset" the day after Scott's passing. Rest in peace Stuart, you will always be missed.
---North Carolina 68, Notre Dame 64
7:00 PM EST-Big Ten Network
11-3 (1-0) Indiana
at 9-5 (0-1) Michigan State
Team Resumés
11-3 (1-0) Indiana
Solid Wins:
-#22 SMU 74-68 (Home)
-Pittsburgh 81-69 in ACC/Big 10 Challenge (Home)
-#23 Butler 82-73 (in Indianapolis)
Losses to Unranked Opponents:
-Eastern Washington 88-86 (Home)
-Georgetown 91-87 in Overtime (Home)
Last Game:
-Win Against Nebraska 70-65.
Key Players:
---#1 James Blackmon Jr. (FR)
-17.2 PPG & 5.4 RPG.
---#11 Yogi Ferrell (JR)
-16.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, & 5.0 APG
---#5 Troy Williams (SO)
-13.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, & 1.2 SPG.
---#4 Robert Johnson (FR)
-9.8 PPG, 3.7 RPG, & 2.8 APG.
9-5 (0-1) Michigan State
Solid Wins:
-Loyola (IL) 87-52 (Home)
-Marquette 79-68 in Semi-Final of Orlando Classic.
Losses to Unranked Opponents:
-Notre Dame 79-78 in Overtime of ACC/Big Ten Challenge (Home)
-Texas Southern 71-64 in Overtime (Home)
Last Game:
-Maryland 68-66 in Double Overtime (Home)
Key Players:
---#20 Travis Trice (SR)
-13.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, & 5.9 APG.
---#45 Denzel Valentine (JR)
-13.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, & 4.3 APG.
---#22 Brandon Dawson (SR)
-10.6 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.0 APG, & 1.4 SPG.
---#5 Bryn Forbes (JR)
-10.1 PPG.
Prediction:
Yet another battle of youth versus experience takes place tonight in East Lansing as the sliding Michigan State Spartans try to prove they are still Big Ten contender material against the Indiana Hooisers. Indiana, led by Yogi Ferrell, has shown they are NCAA Tournament material with wins against ranked opponents as well as a nice road win to start Big Ten competition at Nebraska. While IU is trending up, Michigan State has not looked as mighty as normal around the start of conference play. The Spartans lost four non-conference games this year, which is more than they have lost all of the last two seasons (3). Will they be schooled by a bunch of Freshman and Sophomores minus Yogi Ferrell on their court? Acutually I think not. If I know Tom Izzo, his team has been through many rigorous practices and a loss tonight would mean another two days of those. With Michigan State's leadership look for the Spartans behind Travis Trice and Brandon Dawson to play hard defense causing Indiana to shoot poor percentages and play good team offense resulting in their first win of the conference season.
---Michigan State 67, Indiana 60
9:00 PM EST-ESPN
10-3 (1-0) 16. Oklahoma
at 12-2 (1-0) 10. Texas
Team Resumés
10-3 (1-0) 16. Oklahoma
Solid Wins:
-#22 UCLA 75-65 in Quarterfinal of Battle 4 Atlantis.
-Butler 59-46 in Semi-Final of Battle 4 Atlantis.
-Missouri 82-63 (Home)
-Tulsa 87-68 (Road)
-#22 Baylor 73-63
Losses to Unranked Opponents:
-Creighton 65-63 (Road)
Last Game:
-Win Against #22 Baylor 73-63
Key Players:
---#24 Buddy Hield (JR)
-16.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, & 2.0 APG.
---#11 Isaiah Cousins (JR)
-13.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG, & 2.0 APG.
---#35 TaShawn Thomas (SR)
-11.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG, & 1.5 BPG.
---#00 Ryan Spangler (JR)
-9.4 PPG & 8.3 RPG.
---#10 Jordan Woodard (SO)
-8.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.8 APG, & 1.5 SPG.
12-2 (1-0) 10. Texas
Solid Wins:
-North Dakota State 85-50 (Home)
-Iowa 71-57 in Semi-Final of 2K Classic.
-California 71-55 in Championship of 2K Classic.
-#24 Connecticut 55-54 (Road)
-Long Beach State 78-68 (Home)
Losses:
-#1 Kentucky 63-51 (Road)
-Stanford 74-71 in Overtime (Home)
Last Game:
-Win Against Texas Tech 70-61 (Home)
Key Players:
---#1 Isaiah Taylor (SO)
-13.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.8 APG, & 2.0 SPG.
---#10 Jonathan Holmes (SR)
-12.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, & 1.7 APG.
---#52 Myles Turner (FR)
-11.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG, & 2.6 BPG.
---#3 Javan Felix (JR)
-10.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG, & 1.9 APG.
---#55 Cameron Ridley (JR)
-8.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, & 1.6 BPG.
Prediction:
If this game is anything like game one of today's double header on ESPN it will come down to the very end. Both teams have won their Big 12 openers but the game is in Austin, which will give Texas the advantage of home court. In my opinion this game is going to come down to who can do more for their team: Oklahoma's Buddy Hield or Texas's Isaiah Taylor? Isaiah Taylor played his first game last Saturday against Texas Tech since an injury that caused him to miss ten games. His performance was bad for his standards as he really showed the rust with a two for ten shooting performance from the field that resulted in him having eight points. Hopefully for Longhorn fans, another day of practice and their home gym will remedy Taylor's shooting slump or it will be a "Sooner Monday" in the Frank Erwin Center. Buddy Hield has improved every season in Norman and is coming off a twenty point, ten rebound, performance in Waco againsta a ranked Baylor Bears squad. If Taylor will not be able to score tonight for the Longhorns, Hield can and if he is firing on all cylinders like he was from behind the arc and at the charity stripe Saturday, Texas better find some way to get points on the board.
---Oklahoma 64, Texas 63
PW's Prediction Record after Sunday: 50-26 (7-3 in the MVC)
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