The college basketball season officially kicked off on Tuesday afternoon as begin our journey to Selection Sunday. While there were a ton of games on Tuesday, there are some under-the-radar games on Wednesday as well. Here are the three games you should tune in to.
Detroit Mercy at Wyoming 9:00 PM
Unfortunately, this game may only be broadcast regionally but if it’s available it is going to be worth a look.
While neither program is a national draw, Detroit Mercy coach Mike Davis has put together a pretty formidable group that should compete in the Horizon League.
The Titans have been led by Davis’ son, Antoine Davis, for the last three seasons as he has compiled over 2,000 points in his first three seasons. Noah Waterman returns this season after averaging 12 points and 4.5 rebounds per game as well.
Flanking the two returning scoring leaders are a couple of former high major recruits in D.J. Harvey by way of Notre Dame and Vanderbilt and Taurean Thompson who formerly played at Syracuse and Seton Hall.
Neither have lived up to their potential at previous stops but could be big-time players at the Horizon level.
Wyoming returns a lot of players from a team that won 14 games last season but lost star freshman Marcus Williams to transfer. Graham Ike and Hunter Maldanado are both very good players that could lead the Cowboys to a nice win in their season and home opener.
This game is really all about whether or not this Detroit team can come together and realize their collective talent. You are also going to enjoy watching Antoine Davis score a boatload of points.
Of course, it could also be about a few underappreciated players in a Wyoming program that is typically an afterthought.
Buffalo at Michigan 6:30 EST on Big Ten Network
Juwan Howard has absolutely made his mark on this Michigan program after taking the reins following John Beilein’s departure.
The Wolverines were one of the more surprising teams last season but that won’t be the case in 2021-22. Big man Hunter Dickinson is back along with Eli Brooks and Brandon Johns Jr and a ton of young talent.
Sun Belt player of the year DeVante Jones has transferred in from Coastal Carolina to replace Mike Smith and could even be an upgrade. Jones averaged over 19 points per game last season and shot a career-best 36.8% from deep.
Buffalo Coach Jim Whitesell is boasting a pretty solid team this season as well. Whitesell’s roster returns four of their five top scorers this season including All-MAC selection Jeenathan Williams who averaged 17.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game last season for a team that averaged north of 80 points per game.
Pennsylvania at Florida State 9:00 EST ACC Network
Steve Donahue, the Penn Quakers, and the entire Ivy League return to action this season after opting out in 2020-21. Penn will have their hands full in their return as they visit at Florida State program that rarely loses at home.
Donahue has rebounded well after a stint at Boston College and should do well again this season with returning sophomore shooters Jordan Dingle and Max Martz.
The Seminoles will once again be the typical long, athletic, and defensive-minded squad that will shoot the ball from deep. Houston transfer Caleb Mills will provide proven scoring while Anthony Polite and Wyatt Wilkes should step into featured roles.
Freshman Matthew Cleveland’s freshman campaign could be the difference between a simple tournament selection and an ACC championship.
