For today’s SCGD, we turn to the 12 Noon Eastern game in Kennesaw, Georgia between Warren Wilson and Florida International. This game is part of the Kennesaw State Tournament, a 5 team round-robin exempt event that has been going on for the past few days. FIU enters the game with a record of 1-2, having previously defeated Kennesaw State while losing to both Eastern Kentucky and Youngstown State.
Florida International is one of six teams that are ineligible for the NCAA tournament this season due to low APR scores. The other five are New Orleans, out of the Southland Conference, and four teams from the SWAC: Alabama State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Grambling State, and Mississippi Valley State. Despite being ineligible this year, FIU has transitioned from the Sun Belt to Conference USA. The Golden Panthers have been led so far by senior Rakeem Buckles, who has notched a double-double in each of his first three games, earning Conference USA Players of the Week honors.
Warren Wilson is a small four year school located near Asheville, North Carolina. They are not an NCAA school, instead belonging to the USCAA, competing in Division II there. Last season they entered the USCAA national championship tournament as the #9 seed out of 10 teams…and proceeded to win the entire thing, amazingly enough defeating the #10 seed host school Penn State Fayette in the finals. The Owls are 2-3 so far on the season, having been blown out by Kennesaw State yesterday afternoon, 92-48. After their game today, they have contests against both Eastern Kentucky and Youngstown State to conclude the tournament.