Future OOC Opponents

AT A GLANCE
RPI according to RealTimeRPI.com. W-L are total for the non-D1 team, and the D1 records vs. D1 teams.

Montreat 4-6
Georgia State 4-5, 266
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 2-7, 109
Austin Peay 7-6, 133
Georgia Tech 6-5, 114

IN DEPTH

Montreat is 4-6 and coached by Lincoln Walters, the former Chattanooga player. Montreat has played a heck of a schedule so far- East Carolina, UNC-Asheville, Appalachian State, Longwood, and Charleston Southern. That is five D1 schools already. They've averaged losing those five games 97.2-66.6, or 30.6 points per game. This team is 4-1 in games against non-D1 teams, so maybe they aren't bad for their level, but this team has not played close games against D1 teams like Reinhardt had previously...and the Mocs just beat Reinhardt by 59. So- say what you want there. Appalachian State beat them 101-71- a team the Mocs beat by double digits at home earlier this month.

Georgia State is a potential opponent in the Dr Pepper Classic. They already own a win over a Top 100 RPI team over James Madison. They lost at home to Samford by nine, for another SoCon opponent. They also lost at Georgia Southern by two points. Samford was their biggest blowout loss of the year, so no one has blown them out, even a Hampton team that is in the Top 100. This team is capable of pulling off an upset for sure.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is the other potential opponent in the Dr Pepper Classic. This team has only two wins- but has played the third toughest schedule in the country. Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Valparaiso, Kansas, and Memphis all rank in the Top 100 of the RPI...and all six have beaten TAMU-CC. In games against non-Top 100 teams, they are 2-2, with a losses to Marquette and Ohio, and wins over Bethune-Cookman and Houston. This team is not that bad even though their record indicates that they are. They may very well be the favorites in the Southland Conference.

Austin Peay will be a road rematch after playing them to a very tough three point loss the first time we played them. The Governors have slowly developed into one of the favorites of the OVC. They are 4-0 in conference play so far. They sit alone atop the conference, ahead of the Murray State team that was perceived to be the tougher of the two OVC opponents we played this year. Strangely, the team is without their second leading scorer, Anthony Campbell. Since Campbell they have gone 3-1, with their lone loss coming in overtime to Memphis. Not bad. This team is pretty good.

Georgia Tech is the biggest name opponent left on the schedule. The Yellow Jackets are a meandering 6-5. They lost by 17 at Kennessaw State, and beat Richmond by 13. Georgia Tech's loss to Siena tonight was also an upset. So there is really no telling with this team. Northwestern crushed them by 20, and the Georgia beat them by one. The Yellow Jackets are an ACC team, and the game will break up the conference schedule for both teams. This acts as the Mocs Bracket Buster game, as it is played the same week as the Bracket Busters. This may be an even better spotlight for the Mocs- and is a team that the Mocs could conceivably beat.

TALKING DR PEPPER CLASSIC

Again, expect full coverage of the Dr Pepper Classic in the coming days. The Mocs host tournament for this holiday season will draw a lot of attention on here, especially during this semi-quiet period of actual basketball. Who would the Mocs rather play in the second game, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi or Georgia State? Tough to say. Georgia State has played everyone close, but has losses to Samford and Georgia Southern- two teams that the Mocs expect to be at least equal to, if not better than. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi has been getting beat up, but they have played a brutal schedule. My gut instinct tells me that Texas A&M-Corpus Christi will end up with the better RPI and possibly in the NCAA Tournament. I think that the Mocs would probably prefer them in the championship game for the biggest boost to the overall profile. But it's a tough call....

GO MOCS!