Predictions
First round (March 5): Televised on ESPN 3
Game 1:No. 9 Longwood (15-16) at No. 8 Hampton (14-15) 7.pm.
While Hampton has been on an upswing lately, Longwood has lost seven of nine. The Lancers are 5-10 away on the road while the Pirates are 9-3 at home. Hampton went 2-0 against Longwood this year, winning 86-66 and 96-83.
Marrow and Fisher have run rough shot over the Lancers in the two previous games and there is no reason not to believe that will happen once again. Those two have combined to produce 82 points, 23 rebounds and 22 assists in these two contests.
Prediction: Hampton 90 Longwood 75
Game 2: No. 10 UNC Asheville (4-26) at No. 7 Presbyterian (17-14) 7 p.m.
The four wins were Asheville’s fewest wins since 1993-94 when the Bulldogs won just three contests. Both of the Bulldogs conference wins came against USC Upstate. They finished with a minus -10.8 point differential during conference play. Meanwhile, Presbyterian set a program record (DI) for most wins in a season as well as most wins during conference play. This season the Blue Hose’s first winning season in 12 D-I seasons.
Prediction: Presbyterian 69, UNC Asheville 50
Game 3: No. 11 USC Upstate (6-25) at No. 6 Charleston Southern (15-14) 7 p.m.
This was USC Upstate’s first season in the conference, after spending the previous 11 years participating in the A-Sun, and the six wins are their fewest since the 2010-11 campaign. The one conference win set a program record as a D-I program. The Spartans have won one road game and one conference game all season.
Prediction: Charleston Southern 86, USC Upstate 63
Quarterfinals (March 7): Hosted by Campbell and televised on ESPN3
Game 4: GM2 winner (Presbyterian) vs. No. 2 Radford (20-10) 12 p.m.
This should be a very good game. Neither team is coming in good form. Presbyterian lost five of nine to close the regular season. The teams met once this season, really early in conference play, and Radford came away with a 79-77 victory as the Highlanders used a late 7-2 run to create separation from the Blue Hose. Polite led the Highlanders with 22 points.
The Polite versus Francois Lewis matchup in the post should be entertaining to watch The difference could be 3-point shooting and 3-point defense.
Prediction: Radford 75, Presbyterian 70
Game 5: G3 winner ( Charleston Southern) vs. No. 3 Winthrop 2 p.m.
Another strong quarterfinal contest. The Eagles won both close regular season matchups, 76-72 and 80-78.
Prediction: Charleston Southern 80, Winthrop 75.
Game 6: G1 winner (Hampton) at No. 1 Campbell 6 p.m.
Hampton may be the team that Campbell does not want to face the most. The teams split their regular season matchups with each team winning on their home floors. The key for the Pirates will be containing Clemons as they certainly have the firepower to go toe-to-toe with the Camels offensively. Clemons exploded for 48 points with 22 coming from the free throw line in the win over Hampton. However, the Pirates held Clemons to just 14 points on 4-for-17 shooting in their win over the Camels.
Prediction: Campbell 75, Hampton 69
Game 7: No. 5 High Point (16-14) vs. No. 4 Gardner-Webb (20-11) 8 p.m.
This should be another good matchup. Gardner-Webb has been streaking lately while High Point has been up-and-down. The teams split their first two meetings with the Panthers taking the latest 87-79 in High Point (Feb. 23) as they held Efianayi finished with just 15 points on 3-for-9 shooting.
Prediction: Gardner-Webb 74, High Point 70