City of Basketball Love

CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
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Every day during the season on which there are games featuring the 10 Division I teams that CoBL features, we’ll have a Tipping Off running bright and early, letting you know everything you need to know about the matchups.

As always, we’ll start with a wrap of the previous day’s action, followed by a look at the complete slate; as always, thanks to KenPom’s awesome site for his predictions--though keep in mind this early in the season, his predictions aren’t quite as reliable:

Last night’s results

No. 22 Butler 74, Temple 69
- Quick Report

No. 11 Villanova 86, East Tennessee State 51
- Quick Report
- Defense, 3-point shooting, Ochefu shine in win

Duquesne 78, Penn State 52
- Quick Report

Iona 92, Delaware 77
- Quick Report

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Today’s games

Drexel Dragons (0-2) vs. Monmouth Hawks (1-1)
When: 2 p.m.
Where: Daskalakis Athletic Center, Philadelphia, Pa.
Watch: N/A
KenPom Prediction: 72-71, Drexel (55%)

The Skinny: Monmouth pulled off one of the season’s first big upsets when the team beat UCLA last Friday. The MAAC team followed it up with a 101-90 loss to USC while in Los Angeles, playing with the Trojans for the first 30 minutes of the game. The Hawks proved they can play with Power 5 opponents, and may be a handful for a Drexel team still searching for its first win of the season. It remains to be seen if guard Major Canady will be available for the Dragons, who missed 14 free throws in Wednesday’s loss to High Point.

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St. Joseph’s Hawks (3-0) vs. Florida Gators (2-0)
When: 2:30 p.m.
Where: Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Conn.
Watch: ESPN3
KenPom Prediction: 75-71, Florida (67%)

The Skinny: The Hawks started their season about as best they could, winning three consecutive home games and getting a shared scoring load to take pressure off DeAndre Bembry. But none of those games were against a team close to what Florida brings to the court. The Gators have a very balanced scoring attack themselves. They’re led by Devin Robinson’s 14 ppg, and have nine players averaging 7.5 ppg or more during their first two games.

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Penn Quakers (3-0) vs. Washington Huskies (2-0)
When: 3 p.m.
Where: Alaska Airlines Arena, Seattle, Wa.
Watch: Pac 12 Networks
KenPom Prediction: 80-70, Washington (82%)

The Skinny: Penn is off to its best start since 1981, but Saturday undoubtedly poses the toughest test Steve Donahue’s Quakers have faced this year. Penn makes the cross-country trip to face a Huskies squad that beat Texas to open the season and features two players who average more than 20 points per game in Andrew Andrews and Marquese Chriss. The Quakers will need production from multiple sources, including leading scorer Sam Jones, as well as a stingy defensive effort if they want a shot at the upset.

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Lafayette Leopards (1-1) vs. NJIT Highlanders (2-1)
When: 4 p.m.
Where: Fleisher Athletic Center, Newark, N.J.
Watch: N/A
KenPom Prediction: 83-74, NJIT (80%)

The Skinny: Lafayette is playing for the first time since a dramatic overtime comeback sparked by junior guard Nick Lindner on Sunday against St. Peter’s. On the road against a tough NJIT team, Lindner and company are going to have to be very good again to get a win. The Highlanders are coming off of consecutive wins against South Florida and Boston University. In the win against BU, NJIT scored 90 points, shot 50 percent from the floor and four players scored at least 17 points.