Pregame Shootaround 2.8.13: Harvard, Princeton look to remain undefeated in Ivy League

Game of the Night: Harvard at Cornell (7:00 p.m.) 

This has the potential to be a big night in the Ivy League, with Harvard (4-0) and Princeton (3-0) two games up on their closest conference foe in the loss column. If both win their games and Yale beats Penn in Philadelphia the Crimson and Tigers would be up three games and essentially make the Ivy a two-team race. But that will be easier said than done for Harvard, who visits Cornell and needs to be wary of the Big Red. Wesley Saunders and Siyani Chambers have led the way for Harvard, who had four starters reach double figures in a double-overtime win over Brown last Saturday.

The key for Cornell? Defending the three-point line. Big Red opponents shoot 37.0% from beyond the arc and Harvard enters tonight’s contest hitting 41.5% of their attempts. Shonn Miller (10.1 ppg) is the lone Cornell player averaging double figures but with seven players averaging at least six points per game the Big Red will look to rely on their offensive balance.

Who’s Getting Upset? Utah State (at San Jose State. 10:00 p.m.)

The Spartans lost by just six at Utah State on January 11 and that was without the services of James Kinney (suspension) while Preston Medlin (25 points) and Kyisean Reed were both available for the Aggies. With Medlin (broken wrist) and Reed (torn ACL) out, San Jose State is capable of ending its seven-game losing streak. One thing they have to do is account for Utah State forward Jarred Shaw, who has averaged 21.3 points and 10.0 rebounds over the last three games. D.J. Brown and Chris Cunningham performed well in the Spartans’ 66-63 loss to Idaho but shooting 8-of-24 from the foul line as a team will result in a loss more times than not.

Mid-Major Matchup of the Night: UNC-Asheville at VMI (7:00 p.m.; ESPNU) 

Two Big South contenders meet in Lexington, with the Bulldogs leading the North Division and VMI a half-game out of first in the South. Forward Stan Okoye (20.7 ppg, 9.0 rpg) leads the way for VMI, who averages 74.2 possessions per 40 minutes according to statsheet.com. UNC Asheville isn’t far behind (70.3 possessions/40), with guards Jeremy Atkinson and Keith Hornsby (the son of Bruce) leading the way offensively. Keep an eye on the second-chance points in this one. VMI grabs 13.3 offensive rebounds per game but allows opponents to rack up 14.0 per contest, and this is an area that UNC Asheville may be able to take advantage of.

Five Things to Watch

1) Princeton looks to extend its 20-game Ivy League home win streak tonight when they host Brown (7:00 p.m.) at Jadwin Gym. This is the fifth time in the history of Jadwin that the Tigers have run off a streak of at least 20 straight Ivy home victories.

2) Siena will once again be shorthanded, as they take on Loyola (MD) without forward Brett Bisping (illness). And starting point guard Evan Hymes was dealing with a sinus infection in the days leading up to this contest, which will feature a front court battle between the Saints’ O.D. Anosike and the Greyhounds’ Erik Etherly.

3) Winter Storm Nemo has already resulted in one schedule change, as Harvard will visit Columbia on Sunday afternoon as opposed to the traditional Friday/Saturday night Ivy League weekend.

4) Northern Kentucky looks to move into a four-way tie for third in the Atlantic Sun tonight when they visit Lipscomb. The Norse are in their first season as a Division I member, and they’ve performed well in their new conference to date.

5) Columbia looks to rebound from an 0-2 weekend, in which they lost games at Penn and Princeton by a total of ten points. The Lions host Dartmouth, who is just 1-8 on the road this season.

Other Notable Games 

Brown at Princeton (7:00 p.m.)

Northern Kentucky at Lipscomb (7:00 p.m.; ESPN3)

Siena at Loyola (MD) (9:00 p.m.; ESPNU)

Raphielle also writes for the NBE Basketball Report and can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.