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

Villanova 59, Stanford 45
--Quick Report

UNC Asheville 85, Drexel 66
--Quick Report

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Tonight’s games

Villanova Wildcats (5-0) vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (4-1)
When: 3:00 PM
Where: Barclays Center (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Watch: ESPN2
KenPom Prediction: Villanova, 76-65 (86%)

The Skinny: The Wildcats have won each of their first five games by double digits after grinding out a tough, 59-45 win over Stanford in the NIT Season Tip-Off semifinals yesterday. To win the tournament championship they'll have to get past the Yellow Jackets, who are still looking for a breakthrough season under fifth-year head coach Brian Gregory, who came to the ACC school after a very successful eight-year run at Dayton. Senior guard Marcus Georges-Hunt is the team's leading scorer at 16.8 ppg, while senior big man Charles Mitchell (14.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg) has a double-double in each of his team's first five games. Villanova freshman Jalen Brunson (9.8 ppg, 4.3 apg) had his best game yet on Thanksgiving with 18 points in the win over Stanford.

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Drexel Dragons (0-4) vs. Alaska-Anchorage (6-3)
When: 6:00 PM EST
Where: Alaska Airlines Center (Anchorage, Ak.)
Watch: CBS Sports Network
KenPom Prediction: N/A

The Skinny: The Dragons, in search of their first win of the season, will try to get it against a Division II opponent, the hosts of the Great Alaska Shootout. UAA put a scare into Middle Tennessee State before falling short in a 75-72 loss, and this is a group certainly capable of pulling off the upset if Drexel isn't prepared. But don't expect this program to overlook a D-II opponent--after all, it was just around this time a year ago that University of the Sciences beat Drexel, making national headlines. If freshman point guard Terrell Allen continues to play like he did in the tournament opener (19 points, six assists), the Dragons' chances look a lot better.

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