The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks were one of the Cinderella stories in last year's NCAA Tournament, using a four-point play with just seconds left to upset VCU in the first round, and they're trying to build on that performance this year.
Resume:
Record – 29-4 (17-1 in Southland)
RPI – 35
Strength of Schedule – 194
Starting Lineup:
G Thomas Walkup (Jr.) – 15.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg
G Trey Pinkney (Jr.) – 3.5 ppg, 3.9 apg
G Dallas Cameron (So.) – 4.8 ppg, 1.4 rpg
G Ty Charles (Fr.) – 8.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg
F Jacob Parker (Sr.) – 14.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg
Key Player:
Thomas Walkup
Walkup is one of the best all-around guards in the country, leading the Lumberjacks in points, rebounds, and assists. He doesn't shoot the ball well from the outside, but he's excellent at attacking the rim and finishing around the basket, allowing him to shoot an otherworldly 57.1 percent from the field.
Biggest Strength:
Offense
Stephen F. Austin doesn't have much size on the court with their four-guard lineup, but they are one of the best offensive teams in the country. They're ninth in the country in points per game (72.5), fifth in field goal percentage (49.1 percent from the field) and lead the nation in assists per game (17.8).
Biggest Weakness:
Rebounding
Their lack of size hurts Stephen F. Austin on the glass, where they 259th in defensive rebounding and 155th overall. This is the one area their four guard lineup can be exploited in, meaning they could lose against a big team.
Outlook:
The Lumberjacks pulled off an upset last year, and they're even better this year. They're certainly a candidate to make a Cinderella run to the Sweet 16 if they can stay away from teams with a lot of size.
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