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Stephen F. Austin Basketball
Gameday Predictions: Stephen F. Austin at Incarnate Word
After three games this season, a loss to Kentucky and wins over Longwood and Northeastern State, Stephen F. Austin sat a game over .500.
A full two months later, the Lumberjacks have a chance to equal that season high with a win over Incarnate Word tonight in San Antonio. Kyle Keller's squad is coming off a physical battle in a road win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Thursday while the Cardinals of UIW should be well rested.
The Lumberjacks are looking for their fourth-straight win in conference action and a chance to move to 5-2. The Cardinals want nothing more than to put their slow start behind them and defend their home court where they're currently 7-2 on the season.
Have a prediction to add? Join the pick 'em contest right here.
THE GAME: Stephen F. Austin at Incarnate Word
THE TIME: 7:30CT
THE LOCATION: McDermott Convocation Center (San Antonio, Texas)
THE BROADCAST: ESPN3 (or WatchESPN App), Lumberjacks Sports Network radio (Q107.7 in Nacogdoches, TuneIn App)
Isaac Niedrauer: If you take SFA out of the equation, there have been three teams in the Southland Conference the past few years just a cut above the rest. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi leads that group but has been followed closely by Sam Houston State and Incarnate Word.
Like so many other teams in the league this year, the Cardinals are still trying to find out exactly who they are this time around. All we know at this point is they're probably not the UIW team of years past.
The Cardinals lost Kyle Hittle to graduation and their other two leading scorers of last season, Jontrell Walker and Derail Green, to transfer. Guys like Shawn Johnson, Jalin Hart, and Simi Socks have stepped up to fill the scoring void, but there remains a clear lack of front-court size in the 2016-17 edition of this team.
I really do believe that SFA is going to have to play better than they did on Thursday night to win this game. It seems like the Lumberjacks should be the favorite but I have a feeling in my gut that it may not quite go as planned. TJ Holyfield should have a favorable matchup against their smaller interior players. Can he rebound after the A&M-CC Islanders pitched the scoring shutout against him on Thursday? That is going to be the key to this game.
Ultimately, I think SFA gets it done. Not because I trust them on the road, but because I see a favorable defensive matchup. The question, of course, remains: can they score points tonight?
If the answer is yes, pencil in 5-2.
Final Score: 67-59 Stephen F. Austin
Austin Fenoglio: Incarnate Word started off the season relatively well, taking Shaka Smart's Texas Longhorns to the wire. Then they remembered that they're still Incarnate Word.
Over the last stretch of the season, they've struggled against a well below average schedule and now sit at 2-4 in SLC play. The wins? They beat an HBU team headed in the wrong direction and squeaked by a terrible Northwestern State.
The Lumberjacks on the other hand have been steadily finding their identity over the past few games, playing shut down defense and shooting better. Turnovers remain a big problem for the Jacks but SFA is playing every other aspect of the game at certainly a higher level than in past weeks. UIW wont be making any news with an upset.
Final Score: 55-72 Stephen F. Austin
Colton Albritton-Felts: Close games with Texas and Rice shows Incarnate Word has potential but with losses to Nicholls, New Orleans, and Lamar already in SLC play, there is no telling what version of their team is gonna show up tonight.
What intrigues me the most is the amount of points Incarnate Word surrenders to opponents. SFA's run has been build around great defense and improved offense. I can see this game going either way to be honest, but I'll take the better defensive team on the road. SFA will continue the winning streak tonight.
Final Score: 72-60 Stephen F. Austin
A full two months later, the Lumberjacks have a chance to equal that season high with a win over Incarnate Word tonight in San Antonio. Kyle Keller's squad is coming off a physical battle in a road win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Thursday while the Cardinals of UIW should be well rested.
The Lumberjacks are looking for their fourth-straight win in conference action and a chance to move to 5-2. The Cardinals want nothing more than to put their slow start behind them and defend their home court where they're currently 7-2 on the season.
Have a prediction to add? Join the pick 'em contest right here.
THE GAME: Stephen F. Austin at Incarnate Word
THE TIME: 7:30CT
THE LOCATION: McDermott Convocation Center (San Antonio, Texas)
THE BROADCAST: ESPN3 (or WatchESPN App), Lumberjacks Sports Network radio (Q107.7 in Nacogdoches, TuneIn App)
Isaac Niedrauer: If you take SFA out of the equation, there have been three teams in the Southland Conference the past few years just a cut above the rest. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi leads that group but has been followed closely by Sam Houston State and Incarnate Word.
Like so many other teams in the league this year, the Cardinals are still trying to find out exactly who they are this time around. All we know at this point is they're probably not the UIW team of years past.
The Cardinals lost Kyle Hittle to graduation and their other two leading scorers of last season, Jontrell Walker and Derail Green, to transfer. Guys like Shawn Johnson, Jalin Hart, and Simi Socks have stepped up to fill the scoring void, but there remains a clear lack of front-court size in the 2016-17 edition of this team.
I really do believe that SFA is going to have to play better than they did on Thursday night to win this game. It seems like the Lumberjacks should be the favorite but I have a feeling in my gut that it may not quite go as planned. TJ Holyfield should have a favorable matchup against their smaller interior players. Can he rebound after the A&M-CC Islanders pitched the scoring shutout against him on Thursday? That is going to be the key to this game.
Ultimately, I think SFA gets it done. Not because I trust them on the road, but because I see a favorable defensive matchup. The question, of course, remains: can they score points tonight?
If the answer is yes, pencil in 5-2.
Final Score: 67-59 Stephen F. Austin
Austin Fenoglio: Incarnate Word started off the season relatively well, taking Shaka Smart's Texas Longhorns to the wire. Then they remembered that they're still Incarnate Word.
Over the last stretch of the season, they've struggled against a well below average schedule and now sit at 2-4 in SLC play. The wins? They beat an HBU team headed in the wrong direction and squeaked by a terrible Northwestern State.
The Lumberjacks on the other hand have been steadily finding their identity over the past few games, playing shut down defense and shooting better. Turnovers remain a big problem for the Jacks but SFA is playing every other aspect of the game at certainly a higher level than in past weeks. UIW wont be making any news with an upset.
Final Score: 55-72 Stephen F. Austin
Colton Albritton-Felts: Close games with Texas and Rice shows Incarnate Word has potential but with losses to Nicholls, New Orleans, and Lamar already in SLC play, there is no telling what version of their team is gonna show up tonight.
What intrigues me the most is the amount of points Incarnate Word surrenders to opponents. SFA's run has been build around great defense and improved offense. I can see this game going either way to be honest, but I'll take the better defensive team on the road. SFA will continue the winning streak tonight.
Final Score: 72-60 Stephen F. Austin
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