Play-In Game Preview – St. Louis Region
(16) Lehigh vs. (16) Florida A&M
Patriot League champion Lehigh (20-10) takes on Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion Florida A&M (14-16) in the play-in game of the NCAA Tournament. The Rattlers have been here recently, as they went in 1999, while Lehigh is making its first appearance since 1988. The Rattlers are the only team in the 2004 NCAA Tournament with a sub-.500 record.
Both teams are capable scoring teams, with the Rattlers holding a slight edge in that category. Lehigh has the edge defensively, as well as in taking care of the ball, the latter of which is likely to be a key to the game. The Rattlers turn the ball over nearly 17 times per game, which will give the Mountain Hawks chances for easy baskets.
Both teams are also guard-oriented, with the Mountain Hawks relying on the duo of senior Austen Rowland, the Patriot League Player of the Year, and freshman Jose Olivero. Rowland runs the show and is also the team’s top scorer, while Olivero is the top outside threat and was an immediate impact player. Fellow freshman Jason Mgebroff also had a good rookie campaign and gives them good size inside next to steady junior Earl Nurse, who played more minutes than any Mountain Hawk except for Rowland.
The Rattlers rely on the streaky shooting of senior guard Terrence Woods, who led the MEAC in scoring and had 38 points in one game this season. They have a good point guard in Moses White, a one-time Georgia Bulldog, while Tony Tate came up big in the MEAC championship game. Woods and Demarcus Wilkins are the only shooters who can seriously hurt an opponent from the outside. West Virginia transfer Michael Ayodele and fellow junior Michael Harper give them an inside presence.
Lehigh should be able to take advantage of the Rattlers’ defense, as well as the reliance on the three-pointer. They should also be able to take advantage of the Rattlers’ inability to take care of the basketball and get a few fast break baskets. The Rattlers are 14-16 for a reason; they played a few very tough teams in non-conference play, but that wasn’t all, and aside from a five-game winning streak early in conference play and the three straight wins in the MEAC Tournament, they had difficulty playing consistently good basketball.
Prediction: Lehigh 73, Florida A&M 62
