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Play-in Game

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(16A) Mount St. Mary's (18-14) vs. (16B) Coppin State (14-20)
Tuesday, March 18 (Dayton, OH)
ESPN/ESPN360.com

Preview:

The play-in game... the two worst of the best go at it for the right to face North Carolina. What a reward for winning a game. Coppin State played a brutal non-conference schedule (Kent State, Xavier, Arizona State, Ohio State, Dayton, Marquette, Indiana, Missouri), and all of those games were on the road. They played a grand total of ONE D-I home game out of conference (loss against North Carolina Central). The tough schedule should prepare them for the NCAA Tournament. They are the first 20 loss team to ever make the NCAA Tournament. Mount St. Mary's won the NEC Tournament to get here. They have a 5-game winning streak going for them right now heading into the play-in game. Mount St. Mary's beat Winthrop earlier in the year, and you have to be somewhat decent to beat them.

Players to watch:

Tywain McKee (Coppin State)

This guard can do it all- score, rebound, and pass the ball. He leads the team in points per game (16.6), and assists per game (3.1). He is also second on the team in rebounds per game (4.3). He is also very good at shooting the three (44.6%). He scored double digits in every game except 3, and he scored 15 or more points in 23 games.

Jeremy Goode (Mount St. Mary's)

Goode is a point guard who is good at distributing the ball. He is in the top 35 in the nation in assists per game (5.5). He can also score- he is averaging just over 14 per game. He has gotten 6 assists or more in 15 games. If he can pass the ball effectively without turning the ball over, the Mountaineers should be in good position to win the game.

Prediction:

Mount St. Mary's 77, Coppin State 64