Monday, February 2, 2015

PW's BIG Monday College Basketball Special

 By Peyton Wesner

MONDAY! MONDAY! MONDAY! I normally do not have the time to write about marque games during the week but without any Top 25 Sunday college basketball matchups I have made an exception as these two games could be games we see in the late stages of the NCAA Tournament.

7:00 PM EST-ESPN
19-1 (7-1) 3. Virginia
at 17-5 (7-2) 12. North Carolina

19-1 (7-1) 3. Virginia
Lunardi's Bracketology: 1 Seed
Solid Wins:
-George Washington 59-42 (Home)
-La Salle 64-56 in Semi-Final of Barclays Center Classic.
-Rutgers 45-26 in Championship of Barclays Center Classic.
-#21 Maryland 76-65 in ACC/Big Ten Challenge (Road)
-VCU 74-57 (Road)
-Cleveland State 70-54 (Home)
-Harvard 76-27 (Home)
-Davidson 83-72 (Home)
-Miami 89-80 in Double Overtime (Road)
-NC State 61-51 (Home)
-#13 Notre Dame 62-56 (Road)
-Clemson 65-42 (Home)
Last Game:
-Loss To #4 Duke 69-63 (Home)
Key Players:
---#1 Justin Anderson (JR)
-13.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG & 1.9 APG.
---#15 Malcolm Brogdon (JR)
-13.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, & 2.7 APG.
---#13 Anthony Gill (JR)
-10.9 PPG & 6.5 RPG.
---#10 Mike Tobey (JR)
-7.6 PPG & 5.6 RPG.
---#5 Darion Atkins (SR)
-7.2 PPG & 6.3 RPG.

17-5 (7-2) 12. North Carolina
Lunardi's Bracketology: 3 Seed
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)
-#5 Louisville 72-71 (Home)
-NC State 81-79 (Road)
-Syracuse 93-83 (Home)
Losses to Unranked Opponents:
-Butler 74-66 in Quarterfinal of Battle 4 Atlantis.
-Iowa 60-55 in ACC/Big Ten Challenge (Home)
Last Game:
-Loss To #10 Louisville 78-68 (Road) 
Key Players:
---#5 Marcus Paige (JR)
-14.2 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 4.2 APG, & 1.4 SPG.
---#3 Kennedy Meeks (SO)
-12.8 PPG, 8.1 RPG, & 1.3 BPG.
---#11 Brice Johnson (JR)
-11.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG, & 1.0 BPG.
---#44 Justin Jackson (FR)
-10.0 PPG, 3.4 RPG, & 2.5 APG.
---#13 J.P. Tokoto (JR)
-9.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.1 APG, & 1.3 SPG.

Prediction:
We are finally down to one but it is not the team playing in this game. On Saturday, one of the two last undefeated teams in the nations, the Virginia Cavaliers, fell to the Duke Blue Devils on their home court by the score of 69-63. Virginia allowed their opponent to shoot 50.9% from the floor and score 69 points, 19 points more than the average number opponents score on them. The Cavaliers leading scorer Justin Anderson had a rough outing as he shot four for eleven from the field for only eleven points. The culmination of these  deficiencies led to Virginia's first loss of the season and the North Carolina Tar Heels hope to hand the team from Charlottlesville its second straight. North Carolina's six game winning streak came to an abrupt halt on Saturday when North Carolina visited the tenth ranked Louisville Cardinals. The Tar Heels were up eleven points in the first half as the game was looking to be close to over. Then, the Cardinals came flying back behind fourteen of Montrezl Harrell's game high twenty-two points. With the score tied at 60, neither team scored in the last three minutes of the second half sending the game to overtime. But the momentum with already shifted and Louisville ran the Tar Heels back to Chapel Hill in a ten point victory. So tonight two ranked teams that lost heartbreakers play tonight in the Dean E. Smith Center. Virginia obviously has the best defense in this matchup but North Carolina has the better offense and home-court advantage. This matchup is so hard to pick as not only do I feel both teams are great but I am a supporter of both. I am not sure who will win, but I find it harder to believe a veteran Virginia team will lose two games in a row rather than a young North Carolina group.
---Virginia 64, North Carolina 60

9:00 PM EST-ESPN
16-4 (6-2) 11. Iowa State
at 18-3 (7-1) 8. Kansas

16-4 (6-2) 11. Iowa State
Lunardi's Bracketology: 3 Seed
Solid Wins:
-Georgia State 81-58 (Home)
-Alabama 84-74 in Semi-Final of CBE Classic.
-#18 Arkansas 95-77 in SEC/Big 12 Challenge (Home)
-Iowa 90-75 (Road)
-#14 West Virginia 74-72 (Road)
-#9 Kansas 86-81 (Home)
-Kansas State 77-71 (Home)
-#19 Texas 89-86 (Home)
Losses:
 -Maryland 72-63 in Championship of CBE Classic.
-South Carolina 64-60 (in Brooklyn)
-#22 Baylor 74-73 (Road)
-Texas Tech 78-73 (Road)
Last Game:
-Win Against TCU 83-66 (Home)
Key Players:
---#31 Georges Niang (JR)
-15.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG, & 3.5 APG
---#13 Bryce Dejean-Jones (SR)
-12.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.7 APG, & 1.6 SPG.
---#15 Naz Long (JR)
-11.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG, & 2.1 APG.
---#22 Dustin Hogue (SR)
-11.1 PPG & 5.1 RPG.
---#11 Monte Morris (SO)
-11.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 5.7 APG, & 1.7 SPG.
---#1 Jameel McKay (JR)
-9.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, & 2.2 BPG.

18-3 (7-1) 8. Kansas
Lunardi's Bracketology: 2 Seed
Solid Wins:
-Rhode Island 76-60 in Quarterfinal of Orlando Classic.
-Tennessee 82-67 in Semi-Final of Orlando Classic.
-#20 Michigan State 61-56 in Championship of Orlando Classic.
-Florida 71-65 in SEC/Big 12 Challenge (Home)
-Georgetown 75-70 (Road)
-#13 Utah 63-60 (in Kansas City)
-UNLV 76-61 (Home)
-#21 Baylor 56-55 (Road)
-#24 Oklahoma State 67-57 (Home)
-#19 Oklahoma 85-78 (Home)
-#17 Texas 75-62 (Road)
Losses:
-#1 Kentucky 72-40 in Championship Classic
-Temple 77-52 (Road)
-#11 Iowa State 86-81 (Road)
Last Game:
-Win Against Kansas State 68-57 (Home)
Key Players:
---#34 Perry Ellis (JR)
-12.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG, & 1.0 SPG.
---#0 Frank Mason III (SO)
-12.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.0 APG, & 1.2 SPG.
---#1 Wayne Seldon Jr. (SO)
-9.0 PPG, 2.8 RPG, & 3.1 APG.
---#2 Cliff Alexander (FR)
-8.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, & 1.3 BPG.
---#12 Kelly Oubre Jr. (FR)
-8.1 PPG, 4.8 RPG, & 1.0 SPG.

Prediction:
I understand and know so well how hard it is too win on the road after defeating the same team at home earlier in the season. With that being said, I am seriously considering Iowa State to win tonight at Kansas although the odds and betting lines have the Jayhawks as a multi-score favorite. After having a terrible let-down loss at Texas Tech, the Cyclones won at home against Texas and TCU. Iowa State's star Georges Niang led the way with an average of 22 points per game in both outings but the player who has really made a difference in conference play for the Cyclones has been Junior Jameel McKay. McKay is a JUCO transfer that originally committed to Marquette before ending up at Iowa State. Due to his initial intent to play for the Golden Eagles he had to miss the first part of this 2014-2015 season after missing the entirety of the 2013-2014 season. When the Spring Semester started, McKay was allowed to play and since, he has made an immediate impact on one of the best teams in the country. On January 11, McKay has eleven points and three blocks in a 86-81 win over Kansas. The Jayhawks hope to welcome him to "the Phog" with a worse performance than the first matchup. Since the loss at the Hilton Coliseum, Kansas has won against two nationally ranked teams (Oklahoma and Texas) and a conference rival who has picked up their game since non-conference play (Kansas State). In the span, leading scorer Perry Ellis has averaged 13.5 points per game as he has been the go-to scorer for Kansas. Ellis must have a good game tonight to get the win at home. Now I know Kansas is a big favorite but Iowa State has so much scoring power that it would not surprise me if they come into KU and steal the game by turning their young guards over (which is the best way to cause KU to struggle). My gut says Iowa State will win, but my head says Kansas. I have to make the only pick I can live with, which is Iowa State. If I pick the Jayhawks and they lose, I will be really upset with my decision since I know Kansas does not have as many scorers as the Cyclones. Iowa State has had six different leading scorers in their eight conference games. I expect Iowa State to squeak out with a really, really close victory as Kansas will not be able to get defensive stops when they matters.
---Iowa State 72, Kansas 69

PW's Prediction Record Coming into Today: 108-42 (34-11 in the MVC)


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