Puerto Rico Tip-Off Preview and Predictions

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Nov 16, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Utes guard Brandon Taylor (11) interacts with fans late in the second half against the San Diego State Aztecs at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Utah won 81-76. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports

Game 4 features two unbeaten teams in another well-matched round one game. The winner of this matchup will face the winner of Miami and Mississippi State. How do they matchup? Who will win?

Game 4: University of Utah Runnin’ Utes (2-0) vs. Texas Tech University Red Raiders (1-0) 7 p.m. ET Thursday.

Utah: The Utes clenched a crucial, 81-76 win over rival San Diego State in the team’s second game of the season. Utah was lead in scoring that game by 6-foot-6-inch senior Jordan Loveridge (21pts), and four additional players scored in double digits. Jakob Poeltl, a skilled 7-foot sophomore center, logged a double-double against San Diego State with 15 points and 12 rebounds. The Utes are ranked 16^th nationally, and are also one of the tougher teams in the tournament. This is a talented, tough team with limitless potential, and that should scare every team they face.

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Texas Tech: The Red Raiders barely beat a lackluster High Point team last week by a score of 77-73. This does not bode well for Tubby Smith’s relatively young squad heading into a difficult matchup. The Red Raiders are led by Devaugntah Williams, a 6-foot-4-inch senior guard, who scored 26 points in the season opener. Williams is deadly from long range, and went 4-of-7 from deep against High Point. He’s a multi-faceted, do-everything player who gives opposing coaches headaches with his offensive abilities. But even with Williams, Texas Tech is one of the least impressive teams in the tourney.

Prediction: Texas Tech keeps it close through the final 10 or 15 minutes, but Utah pulls away late and gets the win by at least 13 points.

Next: Semi-Finals and Finals Predictions

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