2014 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic: Previews, Predictions for Early-Season Matchups

The Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, makes a great setting for four respected college basketball programs playing games for a cause at the 2014 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. Duke, Temple, Stanford and UNLV will take the court on Friday and Saturday night for four games that impact each team's eventual NCAA tournament resumes but more importantly benefit the American Cancer Society.

None of the four teams has tasted defeat thus far this season, winning a combined nine games, most of which were also part of the CVC Classic's preliminary rounds. The championship rounds present the opportunity for one nationally ranked blue-blooded program to prove its place among the game's elite and three ascendant teams to make noise in the national discussion.

What can we expect from the weekend?

Game 1: Stanford (2-0) vs. UNLV (2-0)

TV: TruTV, 7:00 p.m. ET

All-Time Series: Stanford leads 2-1

Stanford has beaten a pair of low-major opponents by deceptive margins, while UNLV has barely survived a pair of similar games in nail-biting fashion.

Both Morehead State and Sam Houston State put the Runnin' Rebels in double-digit holes during the second half only to see Vegas rally behind freshmen Rashad Vaughn and Patrick McCaw. Another rookie, big man Goodluck Okonoboh, has swatted 13 shots in the two games to anchor UNLV on the defensive end.

The 6'10", 225-pound Okonoboh will have a different kind of fight on his hands, however, with the Cardinal's post duo of Stefan Nastic and Reid Travis. Nastic has 40 points, 16 rebounds, eight assists and four blocks in his first two games, shooting 73.7 percent from the floor. Travis put up 14 points in his debut against Wofford.

Nastic, Travis and guards Chasson Randle and Anthony Brown all average double figures through the first two games—a much more balanced attack than UNLV's. The Rebels have gotten 44 points from Vaughn over the first two games, but no one else has more than 19. Vaughn's output has accounted for 36.9 percent of the Rebels' overall scoring.

Stanford has done its job on the glass, ripping 44.8 percent of available offensive rebounds according to Ken Pomeroy (subscription required). By contrast, UNLV has allowed 38.8 percent offensive rebounding through two games (again, against Morehead State of the Ohio Valley Conference and Sam Houston State of the Southland Conference).

The Cardinal big men are salivating at the prospect of crashing the glass against Okonoboh and 6'11" sophomore Christian Wood. Nastic and Travis each hold a 20-pound weight advantage over their counterparts. Neither team has dipped heavily into its bench so far this year, so whichever team can get the opponent's bigs in foul trouble will hold a pronounced advantage.

Stanford holds a pronounced experience advantage over the young Rebels, as seven of UNLV's nine players who have seen action this season are freshmen or sophomores. That should be enough to see the Cardinal through to a win, but Stanford could stand to make a few shots (5-of-21 from deep).

Prediction: Stanford 70-63

Game 2: No. 4 Duke (3-0) vs. Temple (2-0)

TV: TruTV, 9:30 p.m. ET

All-Time Series: Duke leads 19-10

Duke rolls into Brooklyn on the back of two huge CVC preliminary wins over Presbyterian and Fairfield and a convincing victory over Michigan State at the Champions Classic in Indianapolis. The 113-44 thrashing of Presbyterian and the 109-59 win over Fairfield, in fact, featured the two highest point totals in Classic history.

Temple has demonstrated the ability to win in both a defensive struggle—40-37 over American—and a higher-scoring duel, beating Louisiana Tech 82-75. The Owls knocked off American despite shooting a sickly 22.9 percent from the floor.

It's unlikely that anyone's defense can contain Duke well enough to win with shooting so poor. Six Blue Devils are averaging at least eight points per game through their first three outings. Point guards Tyus Jones and Quinn Cook are each averaging at least five assists per game while shooting a combined 62 percent from the floor. Perhaps most importantly, they've committed only four turnovers between them.

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

The guards are mere setup men, however, for the closer: freshman center Jahlil Okafor. Okafor has missed only five of his 30 shots so far, even sinking eight of 10 against Michigan State. He leads the team with 17.7 points per game and ranks second with 6.7 rebounds per game.

As a team, Duke is shooting 60.2 percent from the floor this season. Temple's opponents are shooting 36.8 percent so far, but the Owls are making only 33.3 percent. Louisiana Tech helped bail Temple out by shooting only 38.9 percent (7-of-18) from the foul line in the second half, leaving several more attempts on the table by missing one-and-one front ends.

Temple guard Will Cummings has scored 18 of his 27 points from the stripe in the early going. His 75 percent foul shooting helps make up for his weak 15.4 percent work from the floor (4-of-26). Cummings and backcourt mate Quenton DeCosey (36.8 percent) must shoot efficiently if Temple stands any chance of pulling the upset over the Blue Devils.

The Owls have only four bodies 6'8" or taller to throw at Okafor—five if Texas transfer Jaylen Bond can finally make his debut after missing the first two games with an ankle injury. Okafor is only 3-of-7 from the foul line, and a deeper team would be able to push him around and make him earn his points via free throws.

In the end, Duke should have too much firepower for Temple to stay competitive. The Owls surrendered 9-of-26 shooting from long range to Louisiana Tech, which is a solid shooting team but no match for the Blue Devils' talent level. Even if Temple can slow Okafor, gunners like Cook, Jones, Justise Winslow, Grayson Allen, Matt Jones and Rasheed Sulaimon represent too much perimeter ability.

Prediction: Duke 85-67

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Consolation Game: UNLV vs. Temple

TV: TruTV, 7:00 p.m. ET Saturday

Temple willingly exploited Louisiana Tech's pressure defense, getting to the charity stripe 49 times. Cummings took 18 of those.

UNLV hasn't been quite so aggressive with its defense, surrendering only 24 foul shots through two games. Perhaps some more heat might be beneficial for the Rebels in a game like this, as Temple has coughed up 29 turnovers so far.

Of course, Cummings and DeCosey would be well-served to take the ball right at the freshman Vaughn. If he landed in foul trouble, the Rebels don't have a proven second option yet.

Neither team has shot the ball well or allowed its opponents to do the same, so this game could be one that sets basketball back 20 years or so. When in doubt, turn to the team with the best player on the floor, and that may be UNLV's Vaughn.

Prediction: UNLV 55-51

Championship Game: Duke vs. Stanford

TV: TruTV, 9:30 p.m. ET Saturday

An Okafor-vs.-Nastic center matchup could be better than the casual fan would expect. The experienced fifth-year senior should have some tricks to show the talented freshman, but Okafor's array of post moves is far beyond his years.

On the perimeter, Stanford's shooting woes could be exacerbated by the surprising defense Duke is playing so far this season. Presbyterian and Fairfield were predictably impotent, but even Michigan State shot only 5-of-20 from the arc. Noted snipers Bryn Forbes and Travis Trice were a combined 4-of-13.

Anthony Brown's defense would be a key for Stanford. At 6'6", he has a substantial advantage over Quinn Cook at the 2. The 6'5" Matt Jones or Rasheed Sulaimon would come more into play, and either one would be a handful for Brown in his own right.

The point guard matchup could be the most entertaining of all. Tyus Jones and Chasson Randle are both considered iffy defenders, but both are quick ball-handlers capable of leaving the other behind in an instant.

Where Jones is fully invested in running the offense and finding the best shot for his teammates, Randle finds his own looks first and sets up others later. The problem is, Randle hasn't gotten into much of a rhythm against Wofford or South Dakota, so his odds of finding the range against Duke don't seem that promising.

Prediction: Duke 78-65

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