Hall of Fame Tip-Off 2014: TV Schedule, Live Stream and Updated Predictions

The 2014 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off isn’t a March Madness-type of tournament, and it doesn’t pretend to be.

After all, there are two separate brackets, and only one of them follows the traditional winner-moves-on format of a tournament event. Play comes to an end in both the Naismith and Springfield brackets Sunday. 

Here is a look at the schedule and television information for every game. All four contests can be seen online courtesy of Watch ESPN, and both brackets are available at ESPN.com.

Naismith Bracket
Springfield Bracket
Matchup	Time (ET)	TV
UMass vs. Florida State	12 p.m.	ESPN U
Providence vs. Notre Dame	2:30 p.m.	ESPN 2
Matchup	Time (ET)	TV
Binghamton vs. Navy (Consolation Game)	5:30 p.m.	Watch ESPN
Northeastern vs. Manhattan (Championship Game)	8 p.m.	Watch ESPN

Predictions

Naismith Bracket: Massachusetts vs. Florida State and Notre Dame vs. Providence

JOE RAYMOND/Associated Press

There is no official winner in the Naismith Bracket, as every team gets a chance to play each other as part of a nonconference showcase before league play begins. It is a golden opportunity for all four clubs to pad their resumes in the early going against potential NCAA tournament opponents.

Both Massachusetts and Florida State are coming off of poor performances in losses, with the Seminoles falling to Providence, 80-54, and the Minutemen losing to Notre Dame, 81-68.

Defense has been optional for Florida State recently, and it allowed Providence and Northeastern to shoot a red-hot 53.7 percent from the field the last two contests, including 52.9 percent from downtown. The Seminoles countered with an abysmal 4-of-22 combined shooting from three-point range on the other end.

UMass has already beaten Boston College and will be particularly motivated against the Seminoles since Florida State knocked off the Minutemen last year. UMass player Derrick Gordon commented on that motivation, via Matt Vautour of the Daily Hampshire Gazette.

“It’s definitely personal with them because they were talking smack the whole game," Gordon said. "They came out with the win and we definitely have to return the favor.”

Jessica Hill/Associated Press

The Seminoles are 1-2 on the season, including a shocking loss to Northeastern, and are struggling on the defensive end. UMass will find a way to get that revenge against a vulnerable defense.

The other game features two 4-0 squads and arguably the best player at this event in Notre Dame’s Jerian Grant. Grant scored 24 points on a blistering 10-of-13 shooting from the field against the Minutemen. He also earned some praise from CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein:

Grant will have some help of his own in Zach Auguste. The big man has double-digit points every game this year and at least seven rebounds in three of four contests.

Providence has its own dynamic duo in point guard Kris Dunn and LaDontae Henton. Henton scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the win over Florida State, while Dunn scored 15 points and dished out nine assists.

Despite the presence of Dunn and Henton, the inside-outside combination of Grant and Auguste will ultimately prove to be too much for Providence, just like it was against Massachusetts. 

Predicted winners: UMass and Notre Dame

Springfield Bracket: Binghamton vs. Navy and Manhattan vs. Northeastern

GAIL BURTON/Associated Press

Northeastern is clearly the best team in the Springfield bracket. It already beat Florida State and is a perfect 3-0 on the season after crushing Navy on Saturday, 68-44. It should have no issue with a Manhattan team that lost to the same Florida State squad Northeastern beat.

The David Walker and Quincy Ford combination in the backcourt will be far too much for Manhattan to handle.

In the other game, Navy has gotten off to a nightmare start. It is 0-4 on the season and lost its last three by a combined 100 points. Interestingly, the only game Navy stayed close in was the season-opening loss to Michigan State.

Binghamton is only 1-3, but it will have more athletes on the floor than Navy. It will outlast the Midshipmen by getting out in transition and pushing the tempo all game, which will eventually wear them out by the second half.

Predicted winners: Northeastern and Binghamton

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