College Basketball
NCAA Tournament Preview: #11 Belmont vs. #11 Temple
- Matchup: Belmont (26-5, 16-2 OVC) vs. Temple (23-9, 13-5 AAC)
- Date: March 19, 2019
- Time: 9:10 PM EST
- Network: truTV
- Location: Dayton, OH
- Venue: University of Dayton Arena
- Seating Capacity: 13,174
Popular Upset Picks Meet In First Four
Scrolling through analysts’ brackets, it’s easy to find either of these teams picked to reach the Sweet Sixteen although neither has advanced to the Round of 64. The winner of tonight’s matchup will square off against 6-seed Maryland on Thursday. Maryland has struggled as of late, exiting the Big Ten Tournament early and dropping three of their last four to end the season. If they advance, Belmont or Temple would face LSU or Yale, in the round of 32, with a trip to the Sweet Sixteen on the line.
Team Profile: Belmont
Belmont enters the game as a 3-point favorite and a popular Cinderella team, but they almost didn’t make it. After losing in the championship of the Ohio Valley Conference to Ja Morant and Murray State, Belmont was written off by analysts for their failure to secure an automatic bid. However, they were selected to the 68-team tournament as a #11 seed and enter tonight’s game with extreme pressure. The committee has shown a tendency in the past to favor mediocre power five teams for at-large bids over mid-major runner ups like Belmont. With a good performance tonight, and this weekend, the Bruins have an opportunity to pave the way for mid-majors in the future.
The unquestioned leader of Belmont is Senior Dylan Windler. He’s averaging a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds per game, Windler has the attention of NBA scouts and an ability to take over a game. His offensive efficiency is outstanding, including a 54.6% field goal percentage and 43% from beyond the arc. In fact, if Windler makes three more three-point shots tonight, he will hold the NCAA record for three pointers made. If Windler gets going tonight, look for Belmont to take over the game.
Beyond Windler, this Belmont team thrives on moving the ball and getting good shots. Averaging 87 points per game throughout the year, they can light up the scoreboard, but their lack of experience against tournament teams poses a slight concern. However, they do boast wins on the road against Murray State and UCLA this season. So Belmont certainly will not shy away from any team. With a shaky defense, Temple will have to light up the scoreboard tonight, and in further rounds, if they want to continue their fantastic season.
Team Profile: Temple
Fran Dunphy’s team can absolutely hold its own against top competition. With wins over Houston, Memphis, UCF, and more this year, the Owls use great guard play to create pressure and get to the rim. Temple plays aggressive, high-risk defense which boasts plenty of steals but can also leave them vulnerable. However, their athleticism and pace on offense makes them a tough matchup for Belmont
Temple is led by Shizz Alston Jr., a Philadelphia native and First Team All-AAC selection. The senior excels at creating his own shots as well as moving the ball, and he is lights-out from the free throw line. Averaging almost 20 points per game and five assists, look for Alston to take command of the Owls down the stretch. If he can limit turnovers, and slow down Dylan Windler, Alston will be the key in a Temple win tonight.
Prediction
Belmont will come out inspired after being spared by the committee. They’ll show that they belong and put up big points on the aggressive Temple defense. The matchup of Windler and Alston will be exciting to watch, and both seniors will put on a show with NBA scouts in the building. This will be back-and-forth for most of the game, but Belmont will pull away late. Following this game, Belmont will beat Maryland then fall in a battle against LSU, in which they won’t have the physicality to keep up with the Tigers.
Final Score: Belmont 82 Temple 75
Written by Andrew Mayor
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Photo Credit to @BelmontMBB via Twitter
