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| JMU's Tarik Hislop |
Cancun Challenge, Cancun, Mexico
Richmond (1-3) vs. Minnesota (4-0), 1 p.m.
All four of the Golden Gophers' victories have come in their own Williams Arena, a place where they went 15-4 last season. That they went just 4-13 in road/neutral games suggests some regression to the mean in their performance today. That said, the Spiders will still be up against it today and will have to avoid the tendency to play too fast that has cost them in close losses to Miami, Boston University and Hartford (by the way, those teams have a combined record of 9-3). We think the Spiders will rise to the challenge and deliver its best effort of the season. They'll need to. Richmond 67, Minnesota 62
Paradise Jam, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Hampton (4-0) vs. South Carolina (4-0)
The Gamecocks will be Hampton's third SEC opponent in its last four games and its most challenging foe to date. But the reverse is also true - the Lady Pirates represent the most daunting opponent South Carolina (wins over Elon, Louisiana Tech, Savannah State and Clemson) has seen as well. In addition, the Lady Pirates typically travel well, and we know they are very excited about this opportunity. Hampton will need to control its turnovers, hold its own on the boards and have a player or two find success from the perimeter. We like their chances. Hampton 70, South Carolina 66
Cancun Challenge, Cancun, Mexico
James Madison (1-2) vs. Green Bay (2-0), 6 p.m.
JMU is still sorting through combinations and trying to integrate new players while Green Bay is still getting used to a new coach (Kevin Borseth). In other words, neither team is quite what they are going to be. So far, though, Green Bay has played closer to its normal standard. If this game were to be played a month from now, we'd feel better about the Dukes' chances. Today, though, they'll need to perform at a level they haven't quite found yet. Green Bay 62, JMU 56
Really good to see JMU beat Green Bay. Had to be one of the better games I have seen.
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