College Hoops Today: Conference Tourney Time
Keeshawn Kellman must continue to roll for FGC to advance in the ASUN tourney. (FGCU Athletics)
Marquette star Tyler Kolek (oblique) is going to miss the rest of the regular season; the UConn Huskies won their first Big East regular season title since 1999; and No. 1 Houston squeaked by Oklahoma thanks to Jamal Shead‘s buzzer beater.
FGC Eagles Look to Soar in ASUN
The Atlantic Sun Conference tourney gets underway Monday, and among those teams in action in the first round is the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles.
The Eagles head into the tourney hot, having won three straight to manage a .500 record within the conference. Since winning 22 games in 2021-22, they’ve regressed and struggled through their worst record this season since 2019-20. It’s been seven years since FGC made March Madness, and it looks like it will take a miracle to end that drought this season.
Still, we’ll be keeping an eye on senior forward Keeshawn Kellman, who led FGC in rebounding and blocks this season. His offensive surge down the stretch was a big reason the Eagles were able to punch their tourney ticket as he scored 17 or more in five of the last six games while recording double-doubles in half of those outings.
Kellman, a transfer from Princeton this season, has put up some incredible shooting performances since late-February, both from the floor and the line. Of course, he lives down low, putting up the vast majority of his shots near the rim (see video below).
In a career season, Kellman got more touches than ever, and really stepped up both his scoring and rebounding work. He’s not really considered an NBA prospect, so the ASUN tourney could be his last chance to shine.
Future Duke Star?
The Duke Blue Devils have won seven of the last eight games, but a loss against UNC on February 3 is the difference between the archrivals in the race for the ACC regular season crown.
On Monday, Duke travels to NC State in a game it should win (the Blue Devils are 5.5-point faves as per odds at FanDuel.)
Freshman forward TJ Power is a player that is likely to get a lot more attention next season, but it’s nice to see him working his way into the rotation the last couple of games. His hustle is noticeable, he’s constantly working on his craft, and he’s managed to make a bit of an impact with three treys over the last two games.
As a floor spacing frontcourt player, Power will garner attention from NBA teams, assuming he can improve as a defender. It’s unlikely he’ll be drafted this year, but should be a candidate in 2025.
RotoRob Tune of the Day
The first incarnation of Big Audio Dynamite ended in 1997. Here’s another track from their second album, No. 10, Upping St., “Dial a Hitman,” featuring an outtro attributed to Matt Damon and Laurence Fishburne.
