WEDNESDAY

  • 2:30 p.m.- #2 Florida Gulf Coast vs. #7 UNF
  • 8:30 p.m.- #1 Mercer vs. #8 Lipscomb

THURSDAY

  • 2:30 p.m.- #3 Stetson vs. #6 East Tennessee State
  • 8:30 p.m.-  #4 JU vs. #5 USC Upstate

All first round games can be seen on espn3.com

Starting with the 1-8, Lipscomb is in their downturn after Jordan Burgeson got kicked off the team in 2012, and some of their big scorers, like Josh Slater and Adnan Hodzic, graduated two years ago. Mercer has dominated this year, led by their PG Langston Hall. He is one of the top point guards in the league, and has helped the Bears stay at the top for most of the season.

The 2-7 matchup is an interesting one because of how it came to be. UNF was at Lipscomb on Saturday night. The winner got the 7 seed and the loser got the 8. We know the result now, but it was UNF's 51 point 2nd half that led to the comeback win. Freshman Ray Rodriguez got the game ball for his 2nd half shooting clinic (5-5 FG, 4-4 3-point shooting, 16 points). This matchup against FGCU is much better for them. They lost both games against Mercer by a combined 39 points. The game against the Eagles won't be a lot better, but a W will be easier to get. Proper management of Rodriguez's minutes, winning the battle on the boards, and at least 3 Ospreys in double digits should be enough to at least keep it close.

If there is one thing we can count on in the 3-6 game, it is that it will be heated. If Murry Bartow makes it through the game without losing his voice (from yelling at the refs about Stetson's Adam Pegg), it will be a disappointment. The key to beating Stetson is getting Pegg in foul trouble and keeping him off the floor, because otherwise, ETSU streaky shooting, coupled with the Hatters' strong 3-point shooting, will spell trouble for the Bucs.

Last but not least, it's the 4-5 game. Upstate has the height, and the defending player of the year, Torrey Craig. JU has the Glen and Rus Powell and a "never quit" mentality. Craig will decide the Spartans' fate. In a single-elimination tournament game, that is never something to lean on. The Spartans only got the 5 seed because of the sub-par play behind them. JU will move on to the semifinal.

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