City of Basketball Love

CoBL Staff (@hooplove215)
--

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

Penn State 68, DePaul 62
  -- Quick report
  -- Taylor's 22 points help push Penn State by DePaul

La Salle 73, Rider 60
  -- Quick report
  -- La Salle sails past Rider for 2-0 start
  -- La Salle gets through first week undermanned, undersized and undefeated

Penn 60, Delaware State 54
  -- Quick report
  -- Penn 3-0 for first time since 1981 with win against DSU

Villanova 87, Nebraska 63
  -- Quick report
  --'Nova overcomes early stumble to blow past Nebraska

Arcadia 90, Gwynedd Mercy 77
   --Knights down Gwynedd Mercy to continue hot start

~~~

Tonight's games

Saint Joseph’s Hawks (2-0) vs. Buffalo Bulls (1-1)
Where: Hagan Arena, Philadelphia, Pa.
When: 7 p.m.
Watch it: N/A
KenPom Prediction: St. Joe’s, 79-71 (79%)

The Skinny: The Hawks will hope to get their third home win in six days to open the season, and they have a good chance to do so against Buffalo. DeAndre Bembry has been the offensive catalyst for St. Joe’s in the first two games, but the team has four players averaging double-figures: Bembry (17.5 ppg), Aaron Brown (14.5), Isaiah Miles (13.5) and freshman forward Pierfrancesco Oliva (12.0). The Hawks’ schedule gets much tougher starting this weekend against Florida in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic. They will also face either Purdue or Old Dominion this weekend, and then square off with Villanova on Dec. 1.

Drexel Dragons (0-1) vs. High Point Panthers (1-1)
Where: Daskalaskis Athletic Center, Philadelphia, Pa.
When: 7 p.m.
Watch it: N/A
KenPom Prediction: Drexel, 72-70 (58%)

The Skinny: Drexel gets its home schedule underway tonight against a Big South opponent in High Point. The Dragons never led, but gave St. Joe’s a game Friday night, falling 82-81. Tavon and Terrell Allen (no relation) combined for 38 points in that contest, and Wednesday marks the first time Dragons fans can see Terrell -- a freshman point guard -- on his new home floor. Tavon, meanwhile, was not fully healthy and did not start against the Hawks, but gave Bruiser Flint 24 productive minutes off the bench. In other injury news, sophomore guard Major Canady did not suit up for Drexel in the opener, and his status was in question going into Wednesday’s game. The Panthers are led by senior forward John Brown (18.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg), who averaged more than 19 ppg as a sophomore and junior.