Pregame Beat: Previewing the College Hoops Tip-off Marathon

24 hours of basketball.

Can you handle it?

Starting at midnight tonight, we will be live-blogging (click here for the live blog) for the entirety of the College Hoops Tip-off Marathon, beginning with Cal St. Fullerton's trip to Pauley Pavilion, right on through to Memphis and Kansas wrapping up the the Hall of Fame Classic in St. Louis.

Seeing as we still have a good ten hours until the Tip-off marathon tips off, we figure what better way to waste the rest of your work day get you prepared than by putting together a comprehensive preview of the day's 13 games.


GAME 1: Midnight - Cal St. Fullerton @ UCLA

• Players to watch:
  
  UCLA - Sharpshooting forward Nikola Dragovic is the Bruins leading scorer, but the two guys to really keep an eye on are Malcolm Lee and Drew Gordon. Lee, who is battling tendinitis in his knees and suffered a concussion earlier in the fall, could end up being the star of this Bruin squad.
  
  CSF - Sophomore point guard Jacques Streeter is the team's leading returning scorer, and will be counted on to create points with Josh Akognon gone. But the guy to watch will be 6'6" senior Gerard Anderson, a high-flying slasher that is always a threat to make the Sportscenter top 10. Let's hope that he is able to on national television, so he is remembered for being more than just Jeff Teague's first victim last year.


• Why you should tune-in: This is not your typical UCLA team this year. They are young, they are inexperienced, and while their roster is loaded with potential, most of that talent is still untapped. Combine the Bruins youth with the amount of time they have spent in the trainer's office during the pre-season - a seemingly endless list of Bruins have been injured and missed, or are still missing, practice time - and Howland will no doubt be starting this season feeling under prepared. If UCLA gets off to a slow start, could Fullerton pull off the upset?
  
  And if you are a basketball junkie like myself, one of the things that is most enjoyable is to watch a kid develop over the course of a season. With sophomores Lee, Gordon, and Jerime Anderson ready to take the reins of the UCLA program, this game gives you a chance to see where they are in their development as basketball players.
  


• Breakdown: Regardless of how far along the UCLA offense is at this point, and regardless of who is on the floor at any given time, one thing you know about the Bruins is that they are going to defend. I'm not convinced that Fullerton has the pieces offensively to challenge UCLA. They aren't blessed with great shooters, and Anderson and Streeter are not exactly natural scorers. Where does the offense come from?
  


• BIAH's Prediction: I think UCLA holds the Titans to the low 50s as the Bruins pull out an ugly win.
  

GAME 2: 2 am - San Diego State @ St. Mary's

• Players to watch:
  
  SDSU - The Aztecs lost Lorrenzo Wade and Kyle Spain, but they have added 6'9" Pepperdine transfer Malcolm Thomas. Thomas, who spent last season at San Diego City College, averaged 12.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg, and 2.0 bpg as a freshman. He went for 20 and 9 in SDSU's opener. Keep an eye on this kid throughout the year.
  
  SMC - Omar Samhan is the goofy looking big guy that that everyone knows from the Gaels, but the guy you may not have heard of is Ben Allen. The seldom used Aussie who struggled to get consistent minutes behind Diamon Simpson nearly pulled off a triple-double against New Mexico State in the opener with 17 points, 10 boards, and 9 assists. But Matthew Dellavedova, another Gael from Australia, is a 6'4" scoring guard who may end up being the best player in the WCC when it is all said and done.


• Why you should tune-in: These schools were two of last left out of the NCAA Tournament last season. And while both lost quite a bit of talent during the off-season, the newcomers should be enough to keep these teams relevant come March. If you're going to pick a team to pull an upset in the dance, shouldn't you see them play at least once during the year? Now's your chance.
  


• Breakdown: This match-up isn't really a contrast of styles, it is more of a contrast of skill sets. St. Mary's has a lot of size on the roster with a number of players can that shoot the ball. SDSU doesn't have quite the same size, but they are quicker and much more athletic that SMC. The key is going to be Malcolm Thomas. Will the size of Samhan and Allen be too much for Thomas, or will his length and athleticism be too much for the slower Gaels?
  


• BIAH's Prediction: St. Mary's continues their hot shooting (12-26 from deep in opener) at home as they knock off SDSU
  

GAME 3: 4 am - Northern Colorado @ Hawaii

• Players to watch:
  
  NC - Will Figures and Devon Beitzel both averaged double digits last season, but it was the 5'9" Figures who looked dominant in the Bears' opener as he posted 19 points, 6 assists, and 3 steals. Also keep an eye on Chris Kaba, an athletic 6'7" combo forward that can rebound the ball, but also hit 19 of 40 threes last year.
  
  Hawaii - Hawaii is lucky to have Roderick Flemings back. He declared his intentions to go to the draft after last season, but failed to follow through on the paperwork and as a result will be back in the line-up for the Rainbows. Good thing too - he had 23 and 12 in their opener.


• Why you should tune-in: Dwain Williams looked like he was developing into a star at Providence after averaging 11 ppg as a sophomore, but he decided to leave school when PC brought in Keno Davis. Williams is a dynamic point guard with a sick handle. You never know when he is going to drop someone with a cross over.
  


• Breakdown: The key for UNC is going to be how they stop Roderick Flemings and Dwain Williams. Flemings is a legitimate NBA prospect, and his length and athleticism on the perimeter will tough for UNC to match-up with. Streeter is quick, but Williams has a size advantage on him. Can the Bears slow those two down?
  


• BIAH's Prediction: No, they can't. Hawaii takes advantage of the time difference and wins big.
  

GAME 4: 6 am - Monmouth @ St. Peter's

• Players to watch:
  
  Monmouth - The Hawks get senior Whitney Coleman back from a season-ending knee injury, but the best player on Monmouth is Travis Taylor, a 6'7" sophomore who averaged 12.4 ppg and 5.8 rpg in just his third season of organized basketball.
  
  St. Peter's - The Peacocks returned their top four scorers, including their own dynamic back court of Wesley Jenkins and Nick Leon. Leon (5'11") and Jenkins (6'2") are both scorers first, and St. Peter's will rely on the duo to carry them through the early start time.


• Why you should tune-in: History. Never before has a college basketball game tipped in this time slot.
  


• Breakdown: Monmouth won just eight games last season, but the Hawks return Taylor, Coleman, James Hett, and Will Campbell while adding Rutgers transfer Justin Sofman and impact freshman Ed Waite. This is a talented, deep, and balanced Monmouth team, but St. Peter's can play as well. Better defensively, the Peacocks are not as deep as Monmouth, which could be a factor given the time of the game (Monmouth is leaving their campus at 3 am to make it to the game on time).
  


• BIAH's Prediction: I like St. Peter's to win this. Playing a basketball games at 6 am is not an easy thing to do, and it will be tough for the players to get their legs under them. Defense is going to win this game, and the Peacocks are better defensively than Monmouth.
  

GAME 5: 8 am - Drexel @ Niagara

• Players to watch:
  
  Drexel - The Dragons lost quite a bit from last season's 15 win team, but one guy they did return is Jamie Harris. Harris, a 5'10" junior point guard, averaged just over 8 ppg as a sophomore, but he went for 20 as Drexel nearly upset St. Joe's in their opener.
  
  Niagara - Tyrone Lewis is Niagara's leading returning scorer, but he played just nine minutes in the Purple Eagles loss to Auburn on Friday. Keep an eye on Bilal Benn. The 6'5" senior averaged almost a double-double last season, and continued that as he posted 16 points and 13 boards against Auburn.


• Why you should tune-in: The general consensus is that Siena is the runaway favorite for the MAAC title, but Niagara won 26 games last season, including 14 in conference (one of which was over Siena), and returns four of their five starters. This is a team with the horses to not only make it to the tournament, but to win a game there as well. Ask Auburn. Niagara lost by four to the Tigers on the road with their best player sidelined for most of the game.
  


• Breakdown: Niagara's strength last season was on the perimeter, but with 6'10" Benson Egemonye on the interior, the Purple Eagles had balance. With Egemonye graduated, Niagara does not have that interior presence. 6'8" freshmen Eric Williams and Scooter Gillette have some potential, but it looks like the Purple Eagles are going to be playing with the floor spread quite a bit this season. The reason is that both Bilal Benn and Derrick Williamson are able to hold their own on the glass despite being undersized and perimeter oriented (they combined for 20 rebounds and 16 three point attempts in the first game). Bruiser Flint's Drexel team has solid guard play, but if they are going to beat Niagara it will be on the interior. Leon Spencer had a double-double against St. Joe's, and Evan Neisler is coming off of a season where he averaged 8 points and 7 boards.
  


• BIAH's Prediction: Niagara has a chance to be really good this year, and if Tyrone Lewis is healthy, the Purple Eagles win this thing.
  

GAME 6: 10 am - Clemson @ Liberty

• Players to watch:
  
  Clemson - You already know that Trevor Booker is one of the best dunkers in the country, but Booker has developed into an excellent all-around player and a potential first team all-ACC guy.
  
  Liberty - The Flames lost both Seth Curry (transfer) and Anthony Smith (graduation), but they do return senior Kyle Ohman, a 13.5 ppg scorer last season who put 23 on George Mason in the Flames' opener.


• Why you should tune-in: Gotta be a typo, no? There's no way that a top 25 school like Clemson would be playing at Liberty in November, right? Well, last year, Clemson was short a game and got Liberty to come play at Littlejohn Coliseum on late notice. In exchange, the Flames got a return game, giving them an early season home date against a potential ACC champion.
  


• Breakdown: Clemson is big, they are athletic, and they pressure the ball all over the court. If Liberty is going to stand a chance, they will need to be able to avoid turning the ball over, keep the tempo to a pace in the low 60's, and hit their threes. If they don't, this could get ugly in a hurry. Keep an eye on Tiger freshman Noel Johnson. Johnson had 14 points in the opener for the Tigers, knocking down four triples. The Tigers lost their two best shooters during the off-season, so if Johnson is as good as advertised, that fills a hope for Oliver Purnell.
  


• BIAH's Prediction: Clemson wins big.
  

GAME 7: Noon - Northeastern @ Siena

• Players to watch:
  
  NE - Northeastern has an excellent back court, and Matt Janning is the best of the group. A good defender and rebounder, Janning is at his best when he is scoring the ball. If he can improve the consistency on his perimeter jumper, he's the kind of player that could average 18 ppg.
  
  Siena - By now, you should know about Alex Franklin, Edwin Ubiles, and Ronald Moore. The guy you might not know about it Clarence Jackson. Jackson is a streaky scorer, with the ability to put up big numbers in a hurry (he had 24 in 21 minutes in the Saints' opener). CJ will be counted on to help replace what Siena lost with Kenny Hasbrouck's graduation.


• Why you should tune-in: Northeastern was arguably the best team in the CAA last season before they stumbled down the stretch, losing four of the last five and getting knocked out of the conference tournament early. As they bring back four starters and most of their key contributors from last season, the Huskies are one of the preseason favorites to win the CAA. The same could be said for Siena in the MAAC. Odds are good that you will see one of these two teams playing in March this year.
  
  Oh, and Siena has a player named Just'in-Love Smith.
  


• Breakdown: Siena is going to be in and around the top 25 all season long. They are experienced and proven in March, reaching the second round of the tournament in back-to-back seasons. The Huskies are just as talented and experienced, as Allen and Janning are in their third year sharing a backcourt. For the Huskies, issue is going to be depth. Janning played 36 mpg last season, Chaisson Allen 34.6, which is part of the reason they wore down by the end of the season. Does Northeastern limit the minutes of their stars early in the season? The key match-up in this game is going to be at the three. Edwin Ubiles is the best player in the MAAC, and with his size, athleticism, and mobility, there is no one on Northeastern that can guard him.
  


• BIAH's Prediction: I like Northeastern this year, but I think Siena's just a better team.
  

GAME 8: 2 pm - Arkansas-Little Rock @ Tulsa

• Players to watch:
  
  ALR - The Trojans lost three of their top four leading scorers from last season, but the guy they return is Matt Mouzy. Mouzy is a 6'0" guard known for his ability to shoot the ball.
  
  Tulsa - Most people with any knowledge of college basketball have heard about Jerome Jordan at some point. But Jordan may not be the best player on this Tulsa roster. That title may belong to Ben Uzoh, a 6'3" power point guard known for his ability to score, defend and rebound more than running an offense and creating for others.


• Why you should tune-in: You could tune in to see future NBA draft pick Jerome Jordan. But you could also tune in to watch Mouzy. Mouzy's a great story. He walked on UALR as a freshman, making the team and eventually playing his way into the rotation. As a sophomore, Mouzy was still a walk-on but eventually cracked the starting line-up, averaging 10.1 ppg. Over the summer, he was awarded a scholarship for his junior season.
  


• Breakdown: The Trojans were a good team last season, winning 23 games while knocking off the likes of Creighton and Oral Roberts. But they lose their top three scorers and most of their front line. Tulsa is a very good team this year. Good enough that they are actually considered the favorite in C-USA. A big front line combined with experience guard play will be tough for a young UALR team to handle.
  


• BIAH's Prediction: Tulsa wins big.
  

GAME 9: 4 pm - Temple @ Georgetown

• Players to watch:
  
  Temple - The Owls lost the talented Dionte Christmas, but Ryan Brooks and Lavoy Allen are both talented kids. Allen is a 6'9" forward that will have his hands full with Greg Monroe, but Brooks is going to be the Owls star this season. Standing 6'4", Brooks is a solid all-around offensive player, that can shoot the three, rebound the ball, and get to the rim.
  
  Georgetown - You know about Chris Wright, Austin Freeman, and Greg Monroe, but the guy you haven't heard about is Jason Clark. An athletic wing with long arms, Clark is a play maker on the defensive end of the floor. As he polishes his offensive game, he could end up being one of the better guards in the Big East.


• Why you should tune-in: There are not many talents in college basketball like Greg Monroe. At 6'11", Monroe has excellent perimeter skills. He can knock down open jumpers and he can use the dribble to get to the rim, but his best attribute is his passing ability. A well-run back door cut is one of the prettiest things to see on a basketball court, and Monroe is a pleasure to watch when orchestrating the Hoya offense out of the high post.
  


• Breakdown: Georgetown is clearly the more talented team this season. With guys like Austin Freeman, Chris Wright, and Jason Clark joining Greg Monroe, we are talking about a team whose top four players, are at least in terms of potential, are as good as just about any team in the country. But will this group live up to the hype was the question asked by most pundits during the off-season. If Temple wants to win this game, they will need to keep the Hoya's guards out of the paint, whether it is via penetration or a back door pass. If they can slow that trio down, and Allen (who had 15 boards, 7 offensive, in the Owls' opener) can play at Monroe's level, Temple could very easily leave DC with a win.
  


• BIAH's Prediction: Temple gives them a scare, but the Hoya's guard play is just too much for Temple.
  

GAME 10: 5:30 pm - Binghamton @ Pitt on ESPN2

• Players to watch:
  
  Bing - Does Binghamton even have any players left? Let's go with Moussa Camara, who led the team with 16 points in their opener.
  
  Pitt - I guess the same can be said about Pitt. Not only did they lose four starters, but Jermaine Dixon is still out with a broken foot and Gilbert Brown isn't eligible until the end of the first semester. Point guard Ashton Gibbs and freshman power forward Dante Taylor are the two kids the Panthers are going to be relying on early in the season.


• Why you should tune-in: Well, that is a good question. This match-up would have been much better last season, as the majority of the talent is gone from both of these rosters. That said, Pitt always has a chance at being a tournament team simply because they are so good defensively, and that should not change this year.
  


• Breakdown: Pitt struggled in their opener against Wofford, having to come back from 13 down in the second half to win. But Binghamton barely beat DII Bloomsburg, and now a team without any offensive firepower has to go play the Panthers at the Peterson Events Center? This could get ugly.
  


• BIAH's Prediction: Pitt wins, holding Binghamton to under 40 points.
  

GAME 11: 7:30 pm - Arkansas vs. Louisville in St. Louis on ESPN2

• Players to watch:
  
  Arkansas - Michael Washington has the potential to be a first round pick in the NBA Draft. He's 6'9" and fairly athletic, but he should have his hands full with Terrence Jennings and Samardo Samuels.
  
  Louisville - The key for Louisville this season is going to be the play of Edgar Sosa and Peyton Siva. Losing Earl Clark and Terrence Williams is going to hurt the Cardinals the most offensively, as those two were the best creators.


• Why you should tune-in: Rotnei Clarke went for 51 points, hitting 13 three pointers, his last time out. Enough said.
  


• Breakdown: Arkansas is going to be severely outmanned in this game, as they are dealing with the suspensions of as many as five players for disciplinary issues. Louisville is going to be deep, they are going to be big, and they are going to keep coming at the Hogs for 40 minutes. Louisville's pressure is designed to wear out opposing back courts as much as it is to create turnovers. With just seven scholarship players, John Pelphrey may need 51 more points from Clarke.
  


• BIAH's Prediction: Louisville wins as their bigs are just too much inside.
  

GAME 12: 8 pm - Gonzaga @ Michigan State

• Players to watch:
  
  Gonzaga - Matt Bouldin and Steven Gray form one of the best perimeter tandems in the country, but the key for the Zags is going to be Demetri Goodson. Will he be able to slow down Kalin Lucas, while still being able to run Gonzaga offensively?
  
  MSU - In their first real test this season, we will get a chance to see if Raymar Morgan and Delvon Roe are actually healthy. When they are, each is one of the best in the country at their respective forward spots.


• Why you should tune-in: Matt Bouldin. There is a reason he is one of my favorite players in the country to watch. Bouldin is as complete a player as you are going to find playing the two at this level. He can shoot, he can drive, he can post up a smaller player, he is an excellent passer, and he can defend. The question will now be can he carry a team?
  


• Breakdown: Michigan State, while being smaller than they usually are, will have a big advantage on the interior against Gonzaga, both in skill and athleticism. Gonzaga may end up having the size advantage, but that is assuming that Robert Sacre, a red shirt sophomore who has seemingly been "the next big prospect" at Gonzaga for a decade, can live up to his potential. He looked very good against Mississippi Valley State, going for 17 points, 9 boards, and 3 blocks. If he and freshman Elias Harris can hold their own on the interior, the Zags have enough guard play to match up with the Spartans.
  


• BIAH's Prediction: Michigan State is more experienced, more talented, and playing at home. Sparty wins, but Gonzaga puts up a good fight.
  

GAME 13: 10 pm - Memphis vs. Kansas at the Hall of Fame Classic in St. Louis

• Players to watch:
  
  Memphis - We all know what Elliot Williams did as a freshman at Duke, but Will Coleman is the guy that could be a difference maker for this group. Imagine Joey Dorsey, plus a couple inches and a soft touch. Yikes.
  
  Kansas - Umm, well, let's see. They have the best point guard, best center, and best freshman in the country. Take your pick.


• Why you should tune-in: Because there is a real chance that three all-americans could be on the court for Kansas. They easily dispatched of a solid Hofstra team. What will they do against a better Memphis squad?
  


• Breakdown: Memphis has two potentially fatal flaws this season - they do not have a point guard on their roster and they have very little depth, especially on the interior. Kansas is good defensively with a big and deep front line. Not a good combination of factors for Josh Pastner.
  


• BIAH's Prediction: Its going to be a long year for Tigers fans used to big time wins from Calipari. Kansas wins by 25.