Christmas Day is fast approaching, which means that looking basketball will take a backseat to the hustle and bustle of last-minute Christmas shopping and family gatherings.
The Christmas holidays are usually spent with family and friends, and what better way to enjoy each other's company than by sitting around the television and enjoying some exciting college basketball games in peace. Nobody has to talk, which may be a good thing in some families because that will keep that annoying uncle quiet for a couple of hours.
Whatever the case may be, Sleeper Saturday is back to bring three under-the-radar games on Saturday to the fore-front. Luckily, all of this weekend's games are at either PM or later, so they can all be enjoyed after a family dinner or a frantic day of shopping.
Below are three great games featuring mid-major programs who are either riding hot starts to their season, or are looking to use this weekend as a chance to gain some momentum heading into the Christmas break and ultimately conference play.
7:00 PM: Richmond Spiders (5-4) @ Pepperdine Waves (7-2)
The Pepperdine Waves and Richmond Spiders go head-to-head on Saturday evening as a part of the Gotham Classic. Both teams enter their Saturday match-up on two-game winning streaks, so this should be a fun one to keep an eye on.
Pepperdine has been a pleasant surprise this season, starting the year with a 7-2 record. They are 2-2 in games away from home, and their two losses have come against quality opponents. The Waves lost to Iowa by 11 and Arizona State by 7, which aren't terrible margins by any means. As a matter of fact, six of their seven wins have been by double-digit margins, which should bode well for the Waves going into Saturday.
The star of their team is undoubtedly 6'6'' forward Stacy Davis. Davis, who missed the preseason contests with an injured wrist, has averaged 16.8 points and 9.1 rebounds (both team-highs) so far this season. In 9 games, Davis has scored in double-figures in ever game, and has 3 double-doubles under his belt this season. He has fallen 1 rebound shy of a double-double in three other contests. If Davis can have a big game for the Waves, the Richmond Spiders are in trouble. Throw in 6'7'' forward Jett Raines (11.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG), and the Waves have a solid two-pronged forward attack that will be trouble for any team to match up against.
While Pepperdine's stars are in the front court, Richmond counters with a stellar guard who could very well play his way into discussions for the Bob Cousy award at the end of the season. Senior guard Kendall Anthony has helped lead the Spiders to a 5-4 record to start their season. Despite having four losses already on their resume, the Spiders have scored quality wins over High Point, William and Mary and Radford, while playing close affairs against Old Dominion and Northern Iowa.
Anthony has picked up right where he left off last season, leading the Spiders in scoring this season. He's averaged 15.2 points per contest. The Spiders don't score a lot as a team (302nd in the NCAA with 61.8 PPG), so Richmond will need Anthony to have a big game if they want to knock off the Waves and advance in the Gotham Classic.
This game may be one of the better ones all day on Saturday, so be sure to check it out.
7:00 PM: Hofstra Pride (7-2) @ Columbia Lions (5-3)
The Columbia Lions entered the season looking like a real threat to Harvard in the Ivy League. They were coming off a remarkable season that saw them play post-season basketball for the first time in what seemed like forever, and things looked like they were starting to turn around for the Lions. At the start of the 2014-15 season, however, they lost Alex Rosenburg to a season-ending injury, which hurt their season before it ever really got started.
Fast forward to December 20th, and the Lions are sitting above .500, at 5-3 on the year, and they have performed well without Rosenburg in the lineup. Their three losses have come by a combined 13 points (1 point v. Stony Brook; 2 points v. Loyola MD; 10 points v. Kentucky). In the game against Kentucky, the Lions actually led by 11 to open the game, and 2 at the break, but ultimately fell 56 - 46 in the end.
Maodo Lo has led the way for the Lions, averaging 16.1 points per contest this season. Cory Osetkowski has been just as impressive as Lo, averaging 8.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. The duo of Lo and Osetkowski have eased the pain of losing Rosenburg for the season, and they have the Lions on track for another successful campaign.
The Lions welcome the 7-2 Hofstra Pride to town on Saturday night, and the Pride are rolling on all cylinders right now. The Pride look to be one of the top contenders this season in the Colonial Athletic Association, and for good reason. They are a talented, experienced group of players who are severely underrated.
Hofstra enters Saturday night on a four-game winning streak, and all of those wins have been by at least 14 points. Outside of their 1 point win over Stony Brook, all of their wins have been by at least 12 points. Their most impressive victory was their most recent one, as they rolled over Coppin State 105-64.
The Pride are led by a four-pronged offensive attack, as Ameen Tanksley (18.3 PPG), Juan'ya Green (18.0 PPG), Brian Bernardi (14.4 PPG) and Dion Nesmith (10.6 PPG) all average double-digit points per game for the nation's 17th-highest scoring offense. If the Pride go on an early run, this game could get out of hand quickly.
10:00 PM: Texas A&M-CC Islanders (3-6) @ Cal State Northridge Matadors (3-8)
This game makes the list because of the preseason expectations behind both teams. Both the Islanders and Matadors were expected to contend in their respective conferences this season, and they very well still could. The starts of their season haven't gone quite as planned so far, as both teams sit below the .500 mark.
The Islanders enter Saturday evening on a four-game losing streak, and all four losses have been by double-figures. Despite their poor play, they do have an impressive road win over Saint Louis on their resume this season, which shows they are capable of playing top-tier basketball. John Jordan (14.0 PPG, 3.8 APG) and Rashawn Thomas (10.9 PPG, 6.9 RPG) lead the way for the Islanders, who are expected to be a top three team in the Southland Conference this season. If they can gain some momentum heading into 2015, look out for the Islanders out of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
But first, they have to get past a Matadors team who have lost 6 of their last 7 contests. Four of those losses have been within 10 points, so they have been competitive in the majority of their losses recently. They have a player named Stephen Maxwell on their roster who is arguably one of the most underrated players in the entire country. He's averaged 13.8 points and 7.9 rebounds for the Matadors this season, and gives the Matadors a shot at winning game in and game out.
The records of both teams may deter fans from looking this game, but it's an excellent way to cap off another great weekend of basketball.
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There are three perfect games for college basketball fans everywhere to check out on a Saturday night in December. Whether you are icing your bruises from a crazy day of Christmas shopping, looking it with your family, or tuning into the games because escaping the family for a few minutes sounds like a good idea, enjoy these games!
As this is the last Sleeper Saturday before Christmas, Happy Holidays/Merry Christmas to all of the college basketball fans in the United States, Canada, and around the world!