NCAAB Preview
UMass has four starters back from 21-12 team that went 9-7 in A-16 a year ago, but this is their first game; BC lost tough 82-78 OT game less than 48 hours ago at Providence- four Eagle starters played 36+ minutes in that game. UMass beat BC 82-46 in last meeting two years ago, after losing three previous series meetings. Bigger game for UMass?
NC-Wilmington was down 48-12 at half Friday, lost 82-39 at Iowa in an ugly season opener; Seahawks have four starters back from LY's 10-20 team- they were 2-23 from arc Friday, 29% inside it. This is the opener for Iowa State, which lost three starters from LY's 23-12 team, and is also without senior F Ejim, one of its two best players.
Eastern Kentucky-Youngstown are both playing third day in row; EKU runs lot of Princeton stuff, which is hard to prep for in less than a day. Colonels won first two games by 22-8 points, allowing 60.5 ppg. YSU also won its first two games, but needed OT to beat FIU Saturday, with three starters playing 38+ minutes and a fourth playing 35.
Elon pummeled a D-III team Friday, so this is its opener; they have all five starters back from 21-12 team that went 13-5 in league but wound up losing four of last six games overall. Elon is picked to win SoCon; if you're picked ahead of Davidson, you're not bad. Marist lost at Stony Brook Friday by 16, taking more 3's (6-27) than 2's (10-26).
Iowa is expected to be top 25 team despite losing Oglesby for 6 weeks; Hawkeyes were up 36 at half in opening win over UNCW. Omaha was down 13 at half in opener at Northern Illinois, rallied to win by hoop, as Omaha was 27-32 from foul line. Carter was only one of its guys to go more than 26:00 Friday, so talent will be more of issue than fatigue.
Jacksonville State lost opener Friday by 7 at Bradley; Gamecocks had three guys play 33+ minutes- they've got three starters back from LY, when they were 17-11, 8-8 in OVC. Illinois cruised in its opener by 16; 11 guys played double figures minutes, no one more than 26. Illinois beat Eastern Kentucky by 13 LY, last time they played an OVC team.
Tenn-Martin lost by 18 at Wyoming Friday, but tuened ball over only seven times; Skyhawks have four starters back from 9-21 team that was 5-11 in OVC- they're running into Colorado team here that lost 72-60 in Dallas to Baylor Friday, going 2-19 from the arc in game they never led. Three Buffaloes played 32+ minutes. One Martin kid played more than 27 minutes at Wyoming.
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