Monday: McNeese Cowboys (15-5, 9-0 Southland) @ Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders (14-7, 7-2 Southland)
This is the biggest home game of the year for Corpus Christi (KenPom 170). The Islanders are 6-1 in the month of January and have an opportunity to end McNeese’s undefeated start to conference play. Garry Clark is the star of the show for the Islanders, averaging 14.7 points and 7.7 rebounds in 26.8 minutes per game. Last year’s meeting against the Cowboys in Corpus Christi required a McNeese buzzer-beater for the win. If McNeese is to lose a conference game, this might be the one.
It won’t be easy at all to take down McNeese (KP 58). The Cowboys are 26-1 in Southland regular season play under Will Wade and have a conference play point differential of +181 this year. If McNeese is to avoid a close encounter, it will look to the guard duo of Javohn Garcia (13.4/3.0/1.9) and Sincere Parker (13.0/2.8/0.6) to provide the scoring needed.
When and where: 8 p.m. Eastern on ESPN+
Tuesday: Eastern Michigan Eagles (10-9, 4-3 MAC) @ Miami (OH) Redhawks (14-5, 6-1 MAC)
Eastern Michigan (KP 297) has an iffy resume. It has some good wins to its name such as Oakland and Wright State, but a loss against Detroit Mercy and close calls against IU Indy and Northern Illinois are not good looks at all. This will be an uphill battle for the Eagles against an angry Miami team that just lost its first conference game of the season. Senior forward Da’Sean Nelson (15.9/5.3/2.3) will lead the campaign for an upset.
In a twist of fate few saw coming this year, Miami Ohio (KP 167) has a higher KenPom rating than the University of Miami (KP 198). The Redhawks have a sour taste in their mouth left over from a 27-point defeat to Akron on Saturday. They look to take their frustrations out on Eastern Michigan and will do so through the scoring touches of Kam Craft (14.9 PPG) and Peter Suder (14.3 PPG).
When and where: 7 p.m. on ESPN+
Wednesday: Saint Mary’s Gaels (18-3, 8-0 WCC) @ Santa Clara Broncos (14-8, 5-3 WCC)
Saint Mary’s (KP 24) had to earn a win in Pullman against Washington State, but a win is a win. Click on the link for a more in-depth look at the Gaels, but this is the team to beat out west. Paulius Murauskas had a monster game, posting 25 points and 12 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the year.
Santa Clara (KP 65) has been, if nothing else, inconsistent. This team’s highs include dropping 103 points on Gonzaga on the road in a win, but have lows such as losses to Loyola Marymount and North Dakota State, and a 26-point loss to Nevada. The Broncos can beat just about anybody if its offense is clicking. Five players (Adama-Alpha Bal, 14.0 PPG; Christoph Tilly, 13.0 PPG; Carlos Stewart Jr., 12.0 PPG; Elijah Mahi, 11.2 PPG; and Tyeree Bryan, 10.9 PPG) all average double digits per game.
When and where: 9 p.m. on ESPNU/ESPN+
Thursday: Cleveland State Vikings (16-6, 10-1 Horizon) @ Purdue-Fort Wayne Mastodons (15-7, 8-3 Horizon)
There is a non-zero chance Cleveland State (KP 162) completes a gentleman’s sweep of Horizon League conference play. After losing its conference play opener to Milwaukee, the Vikings have won ten straight conference games and twelve in a row overall. This will be their biggest test to this point. Who will step up for the Vikings? Will it be leading scorer Tevin Smith (14.0 PPG)? Will it be leading rebounder Dylan Arnett (10.7 PPG, 7.7 RPG)? Perhaps someone else will play the hero?
One thing that seems for sure is the Vikings will need to buckle down on defense against a strong Purdue Fort Wayne (KP 136) team. Jalen Jackson (20.4 PPG) is just one of 14 players averaging 20 points per game or more at the D-I level. If he isn’t slowed down, it will be a long night for the Vikings. Even if Jackson is limited, he has support from Rasheed Bello (14.4 PPG) and Corey Hadnot II (10.6 PPG). If there was a Mastodons team to make the NCAA Tournament, this is it.
When and where: 9 p.m. on ESPNU/ESPN+
Friday: Yale Bulldogs (11-6, 4-0 Ivy League) @ Princeton Tigers (14-5, 3-1 Ivy League)
The two dominant forces of the Ivy League meet in what may be an Ivy League championship preview. Given recent history, it’s more than likely. In the brief history of the Ivy League tournament, Yale (KP 75) has made the championship game five times and won it three times. Princeton (KP 137), though not as successful as Yale, has still made three championship games and won two of them. Both teams also have at least one NCAA Tournament game win within the last two years.
This game will be determined by whose star shines brighter: Yale’s or Princeton’s. The Tigers have Toronto native Xaivian Lee (17.2/5.7/5.4) who put up 21 points in Princeton’s win over Rutgers. The Bulldogs, however, have John Poulakidas (19.4/3.9/1.4). The senior has failed to score double digits only once all season. Princeton will play host to a spectacle of a basketball game to close out the week.
When and where: 5 p.m. on ESPN2/ESPN+
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