Daniel Jakes

The early game slate in Indianapolis was up and down in terms of the competitiveness of the games. In our the first game of the day we saw a seesaw type of matchup. Where in the game after it was wraps after the first 10 minutes of the game. Full Recaps of round 1 matchups (Colorado State vs Michigan & Tennessee vs. Longwood) are below!

Colorado State vs. Michigan: A Tale of Two Halves

Like mentioned above, this game was back and forth. It was everything we hope for in tournament games, runs, defense, and scoring. The first half was all Rams, they came out hot forcing turnovers and scoring off of those at the other end. Though they only took a seven point lead into halftime, it felt like the Rams were leading by a significantly larger number.

The second half we were welcomed to the Caleb Houstan and Eli Brooks show. The two combined for 21 points in the second half of the game, with Houstan hitting a couple of transition 3’s to put the Rams to rest. It would also be a tragedy if I didn’t include the play of Hunter Dickinson and Frankie Collins. Their defensive efforts were key to their win.

For Michigan’s opposition though, it was an end of a terrific season for the likes of David Roddy and his teammates. The Wolverines will face off with Tennessee on Saturday.

Tennessee vs. Longwood: A Blowout

Like in the title, it was never really close. It always felt that after the first few minutes, that the Volunteers would put away the Lancers. It was a three headed snake that led the Vols in their route with Santiago Vescovi (12), Josiah-Jordan James (15), and John Fulkerson (13) all scoring in double figures in the first half.

In the end, there was just too much muscle on the court for Tennessee. The Lancers tried to put up a fight, never dropping their head’s but in the end athleticism and skill just carried the Vols into the next round. It will be interesting to see how Tennessee and Michigan matchup as they both seem to be extremely hot at the right time of the year.