By Peyton Wesner
7:00 PM EST-ESPN2
19-7 (10-3) Temple
at 21-5 (12-2) 21. SMU
19-7 (10-3) Temple
Lunardi's Bracketology: 9 Seed
Solid Wins:
-Louisiana Tech 82-75 (Home)
-La Salle 58-57 (in Philadelphia)
-#10 Kansas 77-52 (Home)
-Connecticut in Overtime 57-53 (Road)
-Memphis 61-60 (Road)
-Cincinnati 75-59 (Home)
Conference Losses:
-Tulsa 63-56 (Home)
-SMU 60-55 (Home)
-Cincinnati 84-53 (Road)
Last Game:
-Win Against East Carolina 66-53 (Home)
Key Players:
---#2 Will Cummings (SR)
-13.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.1 APG, & 1.8 SPG.
---#3 Jesse Morgan (SR)
-12.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.7 APG, & 1.1 SPG.
---#25 Quenton DeCosey (JR)
-12.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, & 1.0 SPG.
---#15 Jaylen Bond (JR)
-8.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG, & 1.5 BPG.
---#1 Josh Brown (SO)
-6.3 PPG & 3.2 RPG.
21-5 (12-2) 21. SMU
Lunardi's Bracketology: 6 Seed
Solid Wins
-Eastern Washington 77-68 (Home)
-Wyoming 66-53 (Home)
-UC Santa Barbara 80-73 in Overtime (Home)
-Michigan 62-51 (Road)
-Memphis 73-59 (Home)
-Temple 60-55 (Road)
-Tulsa 68-57 (Road)
Losses to Non-Ranked Opponents:
-Indiana 74-68 (Road)
-Cincinnati 56-50 (Road)
-Cincinnati 62-54 (Home)
Last Game:
-Win Against Connecticut 73-55 (Home)
Key Players:
---#11 Nic Moore (JR)
-14.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 5.4 APG, & 1.4 SPG.
---#2 Yanick Moreira (SR)
-11.7 PPG, 6.8 RPG, & 1.2 BPG.
---#5 Markus Kennedy (JR)
-11.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG, & 1.1 SPG.
---#0 Ben Moore (SO)
-7.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, & 2.0 APG.
---#1 Ryan Manuel (SR)
-6.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG, & 2.0 APG.
---#15 Cannen Cunningham (SR)
-6.1 PPG & 3.5 RPG.
Prediction:
Defeat conference undefeated Tulsa on their home court...CHECK! Win against the defending NCAA Tournament Champions...CHECK! Defeat the Temple Owls who upset Kansas this season...check off tonight! The SMU Mustangs are currently a team to be reckoned with as they have not lost a game to a team besides Cincinnati since November 25. In their previous matchup, SMU stampeded over the Connecticut Huskies with College Gameday in attendance at Moody Coliseum last Saturday. The team from Dallas had a great overall game as their defense held UConn's leading scorer Ryan Boatright to five for thirteen shooting from the field for only nineteen points while their offense had four players with double-digit point totals (Yanick Moreira, Markus Kennedy, and Sterling Brown, and Nic Moore.) The same offensive and defensive performance will be recommended to defeat a hot Temple Owls team. The Temple Owls have basically struggled for about a week this season since that is when all three of their conference losses occurred. Since January 17, which was their last loss against Cincinnati, the Owls have won seven straight matches including a revenge win at home against the Bearcats. Star Senior Will Cummings has been great during the seven-game stretch as he leads the team in points per game with an average of 15.6 during the duration. Will the Owls be able to achieve avengment again, but this time on the road? I think not! The SMU Mustangs are clicking on all cylinders and I wouldn't take any team over them. Why? SMU is the total package as they have two good big men in Yankick Moreira and Markus Kennedy to complement the play of point guard Nic Moore. Temple does have Jaylen Bond, who averages 8.3 rebounds per game, but the success of the Owls is predicated on the play of their trio of guards (Will Cummings, Jesse Morgan, and Quenton DeCosey). Unless Cummings, Morgan, and DeCosey shoot the lights out this evening, I see the Mustangs continuing their winning streak with a win over another potential NCAA Tournament team.
---SMU 67, Temple 61
8:00 PM EST
16-9 (8-4) Tennessee-Martin
at 15-11 (8-5) Eastern Illinois
16-9 (8-4) Tennessee-Martin
Quality Conference Wins:
-Morehead State 75-72 in Overtime (Home)
-Southeast Missouri State 98-76 (Road)
-Eastern Illinois 81-51 (Home)
-SIU Edwardsville 64-59 (Home)
Conference Losses:
-Eastern Kentucky 66-58 (Home)
-Belmont 72-67 (Road)
-Murray State 65-62 (Road)
-Southeast Missouri State 98-67 (Road)
Last Game:
-Win Against Austin Peay 67-61 (Home)
Key Players:
---#24 Deville Smith (SR)
-14.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 4.4 APG & 1.9 SPG.
---#25 Marshun Newell (SR)
-13.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 2.8 APG, & 1.0 SPG.
---#30 Twymond Howard (JR)
-13.0 PPG, 6.4 RPG, & 1.8 APG.
---#3 Alex Anderson (JR)
-10.8 PPG, 2.0 RPG & 1.9 APG.
15-11 (8-5) Eastern Illinois
Solid Wins:
-Ball State 61-54 (Home)
-Northern Illinois 59-55 (Home)
-Indiana State 60-56 (Road)
-Cleveland State 67-65 (Road)
-Belmont 84-73 (Home)
-Eastern Kentucky 72-65 (Road)
Conference Losses:
-Murray State 77-62 (Home)
-Austin Peay 56-52 (Home)
-Tennessee-Martin 81-51 (Road)
-Southeast Missouri State 68-64 (Road)
Last Game:
-Loss To SIU Edwardsville 80-63 (Road)
Key Players:
---#15 Trae Anderson (JR)
-13.1 PPG & 4.8 RPG.
---#35 Chris Olivier (JR)
-11.9 PPG & 5.6 RPG.
---#2 Cornell Johnson (FR)
-8.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG, & 4.5 APG.
---#5 Reggie Smith (SR)
-7.4 PPG & 2.7 RPG.
---#3 LeTrell Viser (JR)
-6.4 PPG, 2.7 RPG, & 1.5 SPG.
Prediction:
The last time I previewed an Eastern Illinois basketball game it was January 22 when the Murray State Racers brought the Panthers down from "Cloud 9" by defeating them 77-62 behind thirty-three points from "Sophomore Stud" Cameron Payne. Since the first conference loss, EIU has looked like their mediocre selves by losing four of their next seven games excluding the Murray State loss. Despite the poor play, Junior Trae Anderson has played very well and has been carrying the team with 17 points per game in his last seven. At least seventeen points, if not more, will be needed from Anderson tonight against the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks. Tennessee-Martin flys into Lantz Arena with five wins coming in their last seven games including one victory against tonight's opponent. UT-Martin has many weapons that can put up points as in thirteen of their twenty-five games, they have scored seventy plus points. The Skyhawks have a very guard-oriented offense that is led by the quartet of Smith, Newell, Howard, and Anderson. The four players combine for 51.5 of the team's seventy points per game. This evening with both teams fighting for fourth place in the Ohio Valley Conference (fourth seed receives first round bye in conference tournament) I see the Skyhawks experience trumphing the Panthers' youth. Also, EIU has been on a slide and I foresee that continuing tonight against a good Tennessee-Martin team.
---Tennessee-Martin 67, Eastern Illinois 61
10:00 PM EST-ESPNU
14-13 (7-8) San Diego
at 20-8 (10-5) BYU
14-13 (7-8) San Diego
Solid Wins:
-Western Michigan 77-70 (Home)
-Princeton 75-65 in Consolation Semi-Final of Wooden Legacy.
-UC Santa Barbara 79-65 (Road)
-BYU 77-74 (Home)
-Santa Clara 69-64 (Road)
-Pepperdine 72-50 (Road)
Single-Digit Conference Losses:
-Portland 61-58 (Home)
-Santa Clara 59-56 (Road)
-Pacific 59-57 (Road)
-Loyola Marymount 70-61 (Road)
Last Game:
-Loss To Saint Mary's 69-62 in Double Overtime (Home)
Key Players:
---#1 Johnny Dee (SR)
-18.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, & 1.3 SPG.
---#0 Christopher Anderson (SR)
-8.2 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 6.6 APG, & 2.1 SPG.
---#15 Thomas Jacobs (SR)
-6.9 PPG & 5.1 RPG.
---#10 Duda Sanadze (JR)
-6.4 PPG & 2.4 RPG.
20-8 (10-5) BYU
Lunardi's Bracketology: "Next Four In"
Solid Wins:
-Long Beach State 95-90 (Home Opener)
-Utah State 91-81 (Road)
-Hawaii 90-70 (in Salt Lake City)
-Stanford 79-77 (Home)
-Massachusetts 77-71 in Overtime (Home)
-Portland 97-88 (Home)
-Santa Clara 81-46 (Road)
-Saint Mary's 82-60 (Home)
Losses to Unranked Opposition:
-Purdue 87-85 in Overtime in 5th Place Game of Maui Invitational.
-Pepperdine 67-61 (Home)
-Saint Mary's 82-77 (Road)
-San Diego 77-74 (Road)
-Pepperdine 80-74 (Road)
Last Game:
-Win Against Pacific 84-59 (Home)
Key Players:
---#3 Tyler Haws (SR)
-22.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, & 2.4 APG.
---#20 Anson Winder (SR)
(Winder has missed the last two games due to groin strain.)
-14.0 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 1.9 APG, & 1.3 SPG.
---#1 Chase Fischer (JR)
-13.6 PPG, 2.1 RPG, & 2.3 APG.
---#5 Kyle Collinsworth (JR)
-13.1 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 5.8 APG, & 1.9 SPG.
---#23 Skylar Halford (SR)
-8.1 PPG, 1.7 RPG, & 2.6 APG.
Prediction:
Time for a little revenge Cougars' fans! The BYU Cougars need to win every game that is not Gonzaga (and maybe even the Gonzaga game) to have any chance in making the NCAA Tournament. A week ago today, the Cougars got a huge win at home against the Saint Mary's Gaels that helped BYU get back into the "Big Dance" considerations. Statsheet stuffer Kyle Collinsworth led the way for the Cougars in a seventeen point, nine rebound, three assist performance while Skylar Halford filled in perfectly for Anson Winder, who was out with a quad strain, by scoring seventeen points as well. The nation's second leading scorer at the time, Tyler Haws only needed to score fifteen on the evening to get the big win. Really the way the Cougars are playing, I actually feel bad for the San Diego Torros. San Diego, who has had a very up and down season to say the least, is coming off a double overtime loss to Saint Mary's. The Toreros were able to come back from an eleven point halftime deficit to force a first overtime, but in the second extra period star Senior Johnny Dee could not score what was needed to drive his team to victory. Tonight we are all fortunate to be able to watch two of the best scorers West of the Mississippi River lace up their sneakers. While Dee is the third highest scorer in the West Coast Conference, BYU's Tyler Haws is the fourth leading scorer in the nation. With the Cougars getting beat in the first meeting in Southern California, I see there being no way that BYU will drop this second matchup. Be prepared for the Cougars to score close to 80 points while Tyler Haws scores twenty plus points and Kyle Collinsworth obtains a double-double. Now, I am sure San Diego's Johnny Dee will get his point average but a victory will not be in the fold tonight for the Toreros.
---BYU 80, San Diego 65
11:00 PM EST-PAC 12 Network
20-4 (10-2) 9. Utah
at 16-9 (7-6) Oregon State
20-4 (10-2) 9. Utah
Lunardi's Bracketology: 3 Seed
Solid Wins:
-#8 Wichita State 69-68 in Overtime (Home)
-BYU 65-61 (Road)
-UNLV 59-46 (in Las Vegas)
-UCLA 71-39 (Home)
-Colorado 74-49 (Home)
-Washington 77-56 (Home)
-Stanford 75-59 (Home)
Only Losses:
-#16 San Diego State 53-49 (Road)
-#10 Kansas 63-60 (in Kansas City)
-#10 Arizona 69-51 (Road)
-UCLA 69-59 (Road)
Last Game:
-Win Against California 76-61 (Home)
Key Players:
---#55 Delon Wright (SR)
-14.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 5.4 APG, & 2.3 SPG.
---#11 Brandon Taylor (JR)
-10.9 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.7 APG, & 1.3 SPG.
---#21 Jordan Loveridge (JR)
-10.3 PPG & 3.9 RPG.
---#42 Jakob Poeltl (FR)
-9.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, & 1.8 BPG.
---#14 Dakarai Tucker (JR)
-8.0 PPG & 2.2 RPG.
---#0 Brekkott Chapman (FR)
-6.8 PPG & 2.5 RPG.
16-9 (7-6) Oregon State
Solid Wins:
-Mississippi State 59-49 (Home)
-DePaul 90-59 (Home)
-UC Santa Barbara 76-64 (Home)
-Arizona State 55-47 (Home)
-#7 Arizona 58-56 (Home)
-Washington State 62-47 (Road)
-UCLA 66-55 (Home)
-Washington State 55-50 (Home)
-Washington 64-50 (Home)
Conference Losses:
-Oregon 71-59 (Road)
-Washington 56-43 (Road)
-Arizona State 73-55 (Road)
-#6 Arizona 57-34 (Road)
-UCLA 75-59 (Road)
Last Game:
-Loss To USC 68-55 (Road)
Key Players:
---#1 Gary Payton II (JR)
-13.1 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.0 BPG, & 3.0 SPG.
---#13 Langston Morris-Walker (JR)
-10.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, & 1.0 SPG.
---#11 Malcolm Duvivier (SO)
-9.6 PPG, 2.8 RPG, & 3.6 APG, & 1.1 SPG.
---#32 Jarmal Reid (JR)
-8.3 PPG & 2.8 RPG.
---#30 Olaf Schaftenaar (JR)
-8.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, & 1.8 APG.
Prediction:
---Utah 62, Oregon State 58
PW's Prediction Record Coming into Today: 166-60 (59-16 in the MVC)
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