You're saying that you would have Gover guard Hager. So, back to your comments earlier today about James having to guard one of their three backcourt players and how his inability to guard them would create a matchup issue for Mercer. So, as a coach, you would have Gover, giving up at least 9" and 50 pounds, guard a physical player whose game is to get in the lane, and who is also comfortable posting up? That doesn't present a matchup problem for Southwest?

 

They don't have a choice. Mercer's shortest starter is what...6'2...6'3? Who else will he guard? Dow? Mink?

 

I think every team in the 12th would love to have Hager doing all of the scoring. That means Dylan isn't hitting his 3.1 three pointers a game, Trevon won't be scoring and Dow would have to live off of offensive rebounds.

 

I'd try a box and one against Mercer County. Put the one on James and make him uncomfortable all night and never get a good look at the basket. Clog the lane and make Hager shoot jumpers and try to keep him out of the lane.

And for clarity's sake my statement of Southwestern's backcourt getting the very very slight edge over Mercer County's looks like this in my head:

 

If Southwestern's backcourt is rated as an 8.6 then Mercer County's rates as an 8.5.

 

I really feel like we're splitting hairs over the words "very very slight edge."