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NCAA Tournament Championship Game Preview
Houston, TX -- When it comes down to it, very few picked either of these teams to make it this far. Experts argued that two or three other teams deserved the one seed more than the Ospreys. Those same experts said DePaul wouldn't make it past the Sweet 16. This is why we play the games, because now both of these teams are playing in the National Title game looking for their first every championship.
DePaul made it here after their best season ever. They got hot at the right time, as their only loss in the past 10 games was to Georgetown, who was a one seed, in their conference tournament. They are led by experience, with 5 seniors and 5 juniors on their roster. Mac Koshwal was their best player all year. The 6'11" senior averaged over 18 points per game, but has struggled the past 3 games of the tournament. He'll be matched up with super big Emerson Riley so he'll need to be on top of his game.
North Florida also has had their best season ever. They've seen several school firsts this year, including their first ever national ranking. Their only loss this season came at Florida State in overtime. Since then, they've won 30 in a row to make it to this point. The Ospreys are led by big 7'3" Emerson Riley. He's dominated anything and everything thrown his way. Also coming off his best game of the season is Brent Wood, who has struggled this year after leading the nation in scoring the past one.
The Blue Demons have had the easier ride to the championship game. They knocked off 15 seed F. Dickinson, 10 seed Houston, 14 seed East Carolina, 4 seed Iowa St, and 3 seed Purdue. The Ospreys had a tougher rode, including playing 3 of the top 5 scoring teams in the nation. They beat 16 seed High Point, 8 seed Texas, 12 seed La Salle, 2 seed Arizona, and 1 seed Florida.
Look for this game to be about speed. North Florida likes to light things up and get scores in the 90's, while DePaul prefers to keep it in the 70's and below.
In-Depth Look at the Line-Ups
Point Guards
UNF: Junior Rivera (JR, 6'4, 73 ovr) - 9.4 PPG, 8.3 APG, 2.1 RPG, 1.9 SPG
DEP: Damion Abbott (JR, 6'2, 82 ovr) - 7.1 PPG, 4.7 APG, 3.3 RPG, 1.4 SPG
Advantage: UNF - Junior Rivera is coming off of back-to-back 15 assist games against two of the best teams in this tournament Florida and Arizona. It's going to be hard to top that performance if he has one like it again. Abbott can score a bunch of points when he gets hot, but it doesn't happen very often. He only scored 2 points against Purdue because he fouled out in just 16 minutes played.
Shooting Guards
UNF: Brent Wood (SR, 6'5, 64 ovr) - 17.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.9 apg, 39% 3pt
DEP: Jared Jackson (FR, 6'3", 77 ovr) - 6.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.8 apg, 37% 3pt
Advantage: UNF - Jackson gets the start for DePaul once again since JR Bennett Cole (8.5ppg) is still out after getting hurt in the first round game. Wood is the lone senior on this Osprey team, and you know he wants to go out with a bang. He is currently 18th on the all time scoring list, and looks to have another big game in what will be his last.
Small Forwards
UNF: Emanuel Dancy (SO, 6'5", 72 ovr) - 15.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.1 APG
DEP: Dar Tucker (SR, 66", 83 ovr) - 16.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 0.8 APG
Advantage: Even - This match-up is tough to call. You might could give Tucker a slight advantage due to his play in the tournament, but Dancy just put up 22 points in one half against Florida so it's hard to tell. This one could be a difference maker.
Power Forwards
UNF: Jean Francois Monceaux (FR, 7'0", 81 ovr) - 9.3 PPG, 8.9 RPG
DEP: Sky Davidson (JR, 6'9", 82 ovr) - 10.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.2 BPG
Advantage: Even - This is another tough one to call. Monceaux has been a beast when he can stay out of foul trouble, but it seems like he is always in foul trouble. The size advantage could play a role here, but Davidson is a big that can high the 3-ball if he wants. He's also one of the best shot blockers in the country. He's scored 20, 19, and 20 in his last three games, so Monceaux is sure to have his hands full.
Centers
UNF: Emerson Riley (JR, 7'3", 71 ovr) - 19.6 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 0.9 BPG
DEP: Mac Koshwal (SR, 6'11", 83 ovr) - 18.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 0.9 BPG
Advantage: Even - This is the one to watch right here. After back to back 30 point games, Riley struggled with foul trouble against Arizona and Florida. He's looking to bounce back with a big game on the biggest stage. Koshwal has also struggled in the tournament after dominated Big East opponents all year. Neither one of these guys has faced one as big as the other in the tournament, and we'll see how they handle it.
Bench
Advantage: UNF - The Blue Demons' bench is very thin. Bizoukas averages the most points per game off of it, and that's only 3.2. Kenechukwu Obi will be a huge factor for them. The 7'2" senior will be called upon to stop Riley and Monceaux down low. Stula will also be key if they want to win, as he's their longball threat off the bench. Kowalczuk and Harrington have been very reliable for UNF off the bench. Either one of them can come on and score 10+ points to help the team.
X-Factor
UNF: Guards
DEP: Big Men/Bench
Wood and Dancy did exactly what they needed to against Florida. They knocked down a ton of big threes that propelled them to victory. They have the advantage in this one, so they need to take advantage of it and make DePaul pay.
Davidson and Koshwal will have their hands full, but they can't let themselves be intimidated. They both need to stick to their game plan and contribute to the offense and defense. The Blue Demons also need someone on the bench to step up, because it's likely that this game could be high scoring and they'll need help from someone putting up points.
NCAA Tournament Championship Game Preview
DePaul made it here after their best season ever. They got hot at the right time, as their only loss in the past 10 games was to Georgetown, who was a one seed, in their conference tournament. They are led by experience, with 5 seniors and 5 juniors on their roster. Mac Koshwal was their best player all year. The 6'11" senior averaged over 18 points per game, but has struggled the past 3 games of the tournament. He'll be matched up with super big Emerson Riley so he'll need to be on top of his game.
North Florida also has had their best season ever. They've seen several school firsts this year, including their first ever national ranking. Their only loss this season came at Florida State in overtime. Since then, they've won 30 in a row to make it to this point. The Ospreys are led by big 7'3" Emerson Riley. He's dominated anything and everything thrown his way. Also coming off his best game of the season is Brent Wood, who has struggled this year after leading the nation in scoring the past one.
The Blue Demons have had the easier ride to the championship game. They knocked off 15 seed F. Dickinson, 10 seed Houston, 14 seed East Carolina, 4 seed Iowa St, and 3 seed Purdue. The Ospreys had a tougher rode, including playing 3 of the top 5 scoring teams in the nation. They beat 16 seed High Point, 8 seed Texas, 12 seed La Salle, 2 seed Arizona, and 1 seed Florida.
Look for this game to be about speed. North Florida likes to light things up and get scores in the 90's, while DePaul prefers to keep it in the 70's and below.
In-Depth Look at the Line-Ups
Point Guards
UNF: Junior Rivera (JR, 6'4, 73 ovr) - 9.4 PPG, 8.3 APG, 2.1 RPG, 1.9 SPG
DEP: Damion Abbott (JR, 6'2, 82 ovr) - 7.1 PPG, 4.7 APG, 3.3 RPG, 1.4 SPG
Advantage: UNF - Junior Rivera is coming off of back-to-back 15 assist games against two of the best teams in this tournament Florida and Arizona. It's going to be hard to top that performance if he has one like it again. Abbott can score a bunch of points when he gets hot, but it doesn't happen very often. He only scored 2 points against Purdue because he fouled out in just 16 minutes played.
Shooting Guards
UNF: Brent Wood (SR, 6'5, 64 ovr) - 17.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.9 apg, 39% 3pt
DEP: Jared Jackson (FR, 6'3", 77 ovr) - 6.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.8 apg, 37% 3pt
Advantage: UNF - Jackson gets the start for DePaul once again since JR Bennett Cole (8.5ppg) is still out after getting hurt in the first round game. Wood is the lone senior on this Osprey team, and you know he wants to go out with a bang. He is currently 18th on the all time scoring list, and looks to have another big game in what will be his last.
Small Forwards
UNF: Emanuel Dancy (SO, 6'5", 72 ovr) - 15.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.1 APG
DEP: Dar Tucker (SR, 66", 83 ovr) - 16.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 0.8 APG
Advantage: Even - This match-up is tough to call. You might could give Tucker a slight advantage due to his play in the tournament, but Dancy just put up 22 points in one half against Florida so it's hard to tell. This one could be a difference maker.
Power Forwards
UNF: Jean Francois Monceaux (FR, 7'0", 81 ovr) - 9.3 PPG, 8.9 RPG
DEP: Sky Davidson (JR, 6'9", 82 ovr) - 10.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.2 BPG
Advantage: Even - This is another tough one to call. Monceaux has been a beast when he can stay out of foul trouble, but it seems like he is always in foul trouble. The size advantage could play a role here, but Davidson is a big that can high the 3-ball if he wants. He's also one of the best shot blockers in the country. He's scored 20, 19, and 20 in his last three games, so Monceaux is sure to have his hands full.
Centers
UNF: Emerson Riley (JR, 7'3", 71 ovr) - 19.6 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 0.9 BPG
DEP: Mac Koshwal (SR, 6'11", 83 ovr) - 18.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 0.9 BPG
Advantage: Even - This is the one to watch right here. After back to back 30 point games, Riley struggled with foul trouble against Arizona and Florida. He's looking to bounce back with a big game on the biggest stage. Koshwal has also struggled in the tournament after dominated Big East opponents all year. Neither one of these guys has faced one as big as the other in the tournament, and we'll see how they handle it.
Bench
Advantage: UNF - The Blue Demons' bench is very thin. Bizoukas averages the most points per game off of it, and that's only 3.2. Kenechukwu Obi will be a huge factor for them. The 7'2" senior will be called upon to stop Riley and Monceaux down low. Stula will also be key if they want to win, as he's their longball threat off the bench. Kowalczuk and Harrington have been very reliable for UNF off the bench. Either one of them can come on and score 10+ points to help the team.
X-Factor
UNF: Guards
DEP: Big Men/Bench
Wood and Dancy did exactly what they needed to against Florida. They knocked down a ton of big threes that propelled them to victory. They have the advantage in this one, so they need to take advantage of it and make DePaul pay.
Davidson and Koshwal will have their hands full, but they can't let themselves be intimidated. They both need to stick to their game plan and contribute to the offense and defense. The Blue Demons also need someone on the bench to step up, because it's likely that this game could be high scoring and they'll need help from someone putting up points.
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