NCAA S74: UPHSD vs LPU

History Lesson:
Looking to win their first televised game in the NCAA, the Pirates survived an up and down affair that started on the downside, as Perpetual Help waxed hot early, 14-1. Lyceum was able to turn things around though, leading by as much as 85-71 in the final period. The host school wasn't through fighting though, cutting the lead down first to 88-81, and then to 91-87 with 1:13 left to play. That was as far as they would threaten, however, as Lyceum kept its cool and added two more points to seal the game at 93-87. The shooters' duel between Chris Cayabyab and Jett Vidal was a stalemate though, as both players totaled 17 markers. (Recap here)

What's at Stake:

• As the host school, the 2-10 Perpetual Help Altas are pretty much out of it at this point, but they sure wouldn't mind pulling off a few upsets and making life difficult for the teams ahead of them. 
• The Cardinals took advantage of suspensions and injuries to the Lyceum Pirates, dropping them to 5-6 and the fifth seed. That said, they immediately get an opportunity to bounce back and tie Mapua if they win this game. And they'll have their suspended players back to boot. 

UPHSD Stat to Watch : The Altas continue to rank dead last in terms of scoring, averaging just 64.17 points a game, just 60 in the second round. Lyceum surprisingly, is pretty adept at putting points on the board, norming 74.9 all tournament, 71 in the second round (including their no-show offense game versus Mapua). Unless the Pirates' dry spell extends to a second game, Perpetual will need to play defense if they want to stay in this game.
UPHSD Player to Watch : Jett Vidal had his best game from beyond the arc this season, scoring all 15 of his points from beyond the arc, on 50 percent shooting. If the Altas go for the shootout route, they'll need him to continue to wax hot, matching the production of say Chris Cayabyab or Floricel Guevarra.

LPU Stat to Watch : Despite being undermanned against a team of giants, the Pirates were able to keep in step with the Cardinals on the boards, getting 34 to the 39 of Mapua. Even better, they doubled Mapua's offensive rebound numbers, 16 to 8, and got a 10-2 advantage in second-chance points as a result. What more if they play an equally small Perpetual Help team?
LPU Player to Watch : Chris Cayabyab had his lowest scoring game of the NCAA season, finishing with just eight points on 1 of 12 shooting, as he was blanketed all game long by guys like Jumel Chien and Andretti Stevens. No doubt, he'll be looking to bounce back against the Altas, whom he dropped 17 on in the first round.

Prediction: LPU Pirates