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.

Without further ado, the first Tipping Off of the 2015-16 season, featuring three exhibition games taking place this weekend:

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La Salle Explorers (0-0) vs. Philadelphia University Rams (0-0)
Where: Tom Gola Arena; Philadelphia, Pa.
When: Sat., Nov. 7, 2 PM
Watch it: N/A (LiveStats)
KenPom Prediction: N/A

The Skinny: This is a rematch from an exhibition a year ago, a 79-61 La Salle win that came just a week after Philly U had beat James Madison. The most intriguing matchup is in the paint, where La Salle redshirt sophomore Tony Washington, who’s about to see big minutes for the first time as an Explorer, goes up against Philly U senior Peter Alexis, a 6-11 double-double machine who began his college career at Penn State. But it’ll be tough for Philly U to guard La Salle’s backcourt of Jordan Price, Amar Stukes and Cleon Roberts.

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Rider Broncs (0-0) vs. University of the Sciences Devils (0-0)
Where: Alumni Gym; Lawrenceville, N.J.
When: Sat., Nov. 7, 4 PM
Watch it: N/A (LiveStats)
KenPom Prediction: N/A

The Skinny: USciences made waves last season when they beat a Division I opponent, Drexel, during the regular season. So don’t expect that Rider will be sleeping on the Devils, despite their losing D-II Player of the Year Garret Kerr to graduation; all four other starters are back from a team that reached the NCAA Tournament. The Broncs have high expectations of their own this year, with sights on a MAAC title after finishing second in the league a year ago. Teddy Okereafor (11.2 ppg), Jimmie Taylor (10.5 ppg) and Zedric Sadler (7.6 ppg) are all back for Kevin Baggett, who led Rider to a 21-win season a year ago.

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No. 9/11 Villanova Wildcats (0-0) vs. Pace Setters (0-0)
Where: Wells Fargo Center; Philadelphia, Pa.
When: Sun., Nov. 8, Noon
Watch it: N/A (GameTracker)
KenPom Prediction: N/A

The Skinny: The Big East already suffered one embarrassing loss this week, as St. John's dropped a 90-58 decision to St. Thomas Aquinas on its home court. Don't expect that to hit two--while the Johnnies were picked in the basement of the conference and were missing multiple key players, 'Nova is a preseason top-10 squad who won its two exhibition games last year by 43 and 37 points, and don't expect the Wildcats to have much of a difficult time with a Setters squad that only won five games a year ago. All eyes will be on the debut of Jalen Brunson, though Donte Divincenzo could put on a show as well.

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