By Peyton Wesner
12:00 PM EST-ESPNU
7-5 Tulsa
at 7-4 UCF
Resumé
7-5 Tulsa Golden Hurricanes
Solid Wins:
Auburn 53-35 in MGM Grand Main Event Semi-Final
Creighton 77-64 (Home)
Missouri State 74-70 (Home)
"Never Should Have Happened" Losses:
Southeast Oklahoma State (Non Division I) 69-66 (Home)
Key Players:
--James Woodard (JR) 14.8 PPG & 4.9 RPG. He is Tulsa's best player and is building on another great season. Woodard has averaged at least 12 PPG every season with the Golden Hurricanes and leads the storm
--Shaquille Harrison (JR) 14.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG, & 3.8 APG. He is Woodard's backcourt mate and is the team's main facilitator but can score when he wants. Harrision has improved season after season in his production for the Tulsa.
--Marquel Curtis (JR) 9.1 PPG & 3.7 RPG. He is another guard that can rebound the basketball well. Curtis' playing time has more than doubled since last season and his scoring has tripled.
--Rashad Smith (JR) 7.3 PPG & 6.3 RPG. Smith is the best rebounder on the team and does most of his work inside the arc. Weirdly, Smith's points per game has decreased significantly since his Freshman year but his rebounding has improved.
Overview:
Can any team be taken seriously when losing to Southeast Oklahoma State at home? Normally not but Tulsa should be. Last season, the Golden Hurricanes started four Sophomore now Juniors on their team that won the Conference-USA Conference Tournament, which gave them a spot in the 2014 NCAA Tournament. Their team is guard heavy and has a chance to finish in the middle of the pack of the American Athletic Conference in their first season.
7-4 UCF Knights
Solid Wins:
None Currently
"Never Should Have Happened" Losses:
Illinois-Chicago 71-60 (Road)
Florida Atlantic 54-41 (Home)
Key Players:
--B.J. Taylor (FR) 14.2 PPG, 3.1 RPG, & 2.8 APG. He and Henriquez are both from the Orlando area and lead their home town university as Freshman. Taylor is the better of the two Freshman and is one of the best Newcomers to the American Athletic Conference. He isn't all perfect though and struggles from inside the arc while shooting most effectively from beyond the three point line (47.8%).
--Adonys Henriquez (FR) 11.3 PPG, 3.6 RPG & 2.5 APG. Another Freshman that joins Taylor in the backcourt with good shooting skills from downtown (47.2%). Unlike Taylor he is a quality shooter from inside the three point line.
--Brandon Goodwin (SO) 8.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, & 4.0 APG. He is the main facilitator on UCF but can become the go-to scorer when the Freshman "disapear." More of a drive first player that struggles at shooting three pointers. In addition, Goodwin shoots poor in crunch time from the charity stripe (63.5%). The graduation of guard Isaiah Sykes has opened the door for his playing time, which has doubled since last season.
Overview:
UCF struggles significantly at times when Taylor and Henriquez are not scoring the ball. Do not expect the basketball program to be better than their football program as the Knights are likely to finish towards the bottom of the American Athletic Conference.
Prediction:
Tulsa's experienced guards will dominate UCF's Freshman duo while wrecking "The Dungeon."
---Tulsa 70, UCF 58
1:00 PM EST-Big Ten Network
12-1 Penn State
at 12-1 4. Wisconsin
Resumé
12-1 Penn State Nittany Lions
Solid Wins:
USC 63-61 in 5th Place Game at Charleston Classic.
Akron 76-72 (Home)
Virginia Tech 61-58 (ACC/Big 10 Challenge)
George Washington 64-51 (Home)
Only Loss:
Charlotte 106-97 in Double Overtime (1st Round of Charleston Classic.
Key Players:
--D.J. Newbill (SR) 21.4 PPG, 4.8 RPG, & 3.2 APG.
--Brandon Taylor (JR) 10.6 PPG & 6.6 RPG.
--Shep Garner (FR) 9.7 PPG, 2.5 RPG, & 2.3 APG.
--Geno Thorpe (SO) 8.9 PPG & 2.6 RPG.
12-1 4. Wisconsin
Solid Wins:
Georgetown 68-65 in Battle 4 Atlantis Semi-Final.
Oklahoma 69-56 in Battle 4 Atlantis Championship
Marquette 49-38 (Road)
California 68-56 (Road)
Only Loss:
#4 Duke 80-70 (Home) ACC/Big 10 Challenge
Key Players:
--Frank Kaminsky (SR) 16.5 PPG, 7.9 RPG, & 2.2 APG.
--Sam Dekker (JR) 12.1 PPG & 4.3 RPG.
--Nigel Hayes (SO) 11.9 PPG & 7.8 RPG.
--Traevon Jackson (SR) 8.8 PPG, 1.8 RPG, & 3.1 APG.
--Josh Gasser (SR) 7.9 PPG, & 2.9 RPG.
Prediction:
Wisconsin's Kaminsky dominates the paint against Penn State's Jordan Dickerson while getting a double-double. The Senior Newbill will have 20+ points for Penn State but it will not be enough as Wisconsin's team ball will prevail.
---Wisconsin 73, Penn State 67
9:00 PM EST
10-3 Boise State
13-0 24. Colorado State
Resumé
10-3 Boise State
Solid Wins:
San Diego 81-75 (Home)
Saint Mary's 82-71 (Road)
"Never Should Have Happened" Losses:
None
Key Players:
--Derrick Marks (SR) 16.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG, & 3.4 APG.
--Mikey Thompson (JR) 9.4 PPG, 2.8 RPG, & 1.9 APG.
--James Webb III (SO) 9.2 PPG & 5.9 RPG.
--Nick Duncan (SO) 8.5 PPG & 3.3 RPG.
13-0 24. Colorado State
Solid Wins
Georgia State 80-70 (Home)
UC Santa Barbara 65-63 in the Championship of the Great Alaska Shootout
UTEP 65-62 (Home)
Colorado 62-60 (Road)
New Mexico State 58-57 in Overtime (Road)
Key Players;
--J.J. Avila (SR) 14.5 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 3.2 APG.
--Stanton Kidd (SR) 12.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, & 1.5 APG.
--Daniel Bejarano (SR) 11.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, & 3.7 APG.
--Gian Clavell (JR) 10.3 PPG & 3.7 RPG.
Prediction:
Anthony Drmic's (15.0 PPG & 5.0 RPG) back and ankle injuries that will cause him to miss the rest of the season for Boise State will hurt the Broncos as he was a part of their great backcourt with Derrick Marks. Rather than injuries, Colorado State's problem is that they must shoot the ball better than they did last Saturday at New Mexico State (35.0%) or they will gain their first loss of the season. I expect Marks to get his points but I think home court advantage will help J.J. Avila and the Rams get the win and march on to a matchup, undefeated, on January 3 at "The Pit" against New Mexico.
---Colorado State 62, Boise State 61
PW's Prediction Record so far: 29-18
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