ELO Ratings - Nov. 21st Game of the Day

Today's game of the day is a top 10 matchup by my rankings, if not by the rest of the world's, #10 Memphis facing off against #8 Seton Hall in Puerto Rico.

Memphis are 3-0 team but have yet to record a really quality win. They are a very strong offensive squad, but they accomplish this not necessarily by stopping shots as much as by forcing a lot of turnovers and trying to prevent offensive rebounds, which wasn't that effective against Chattanooga. Yet again, Seton Hall will have to crash the offensive boards, as they will be turning the ball over enough they cannot afford to cede further possessions on the glass. For Seton Hall's defense the key will be keeping Memphis outside, a difficult task. Memphis have shot terribly from three, and the shorthanded nature of the Pirates roster means SetonHall may pack the paint and try some zone during the game, daring the Tigers to make perimeter shots. Also, as mentioned, keeping the number of possessions as even as possible is critical, so Seton Hall must continue to force turnovers. It would also help if the Pirates shot 70% from the line as in their first two games, rather than the 48% they shot against USC.

The player to watch for Seton Hall is centre John Garcia. His shooting has been solid all year, and he takes a decent amount, but the key for him is rebounding. He picked up 18 boards and played 39 minutes against USC, and must have a similar level of performance against the Tigers to keep his team around. One of his interior opponents will be Robert Dozier, who has had an excellent offensive start to the year. If they can get him involved in the offense to a similar extent as previous games, and if he can keep hitting his free throws at at least an 80% clip, they will give the undermanned Pirates fits inside.

It's hard to see how Seton Hall can win this one, but they have been effective so far. Still, Memphis’ faster pace seems like it would tire out the Hall enough to allow Memphis to pull away.