The Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers will face the American University Eagles in the First Four Wednesday in Dayton, Ohio. The winner will face the No. 1 seed in the East Region, the Duke Blue Devils. Mount St. Mary’s last made the NCAA Tournament in 2021. They lost in the First Four against Texas Southern.
American University is returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014. In that game, they were walloped by 40 by the Wisconsin Badgers. Which team will win and keep their dancing shoes on for at least one more game?
Mount St. Mary’s Season Summary
The Mountaineers made the 2025 NCAA Tournament by defeating Iona in the MAAC Championship. Mount St. Mary’s is coming in playing their best ball of the season with four straight wins. They are 272nd in points per game, 204th in field goal percentage, and 134th in three-point percentage.
The Mountaineers were led by their defense this season. They are 112th in points allowed, 33rd in opposing field goal percentage, and 52nd in opposing three-point point percentage. The team will be led by Forward Dola Adebayo. He scored 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting in the victory against Iona.
American University Season Summary
American punched their ticket following a dominant season in the Patriot League. They led the league during the regular season and survived a few close games in the conference tournament to qualify for the tournament. The Eagles have also struggled on offense this year. They are 311th in points per game, 203rd in field goal percentage, and 139th in three-point percentage.
American has struggled at times on defense this season. They are 50th in points allowed, 268th in opposing field goal percentage, and 128th in opposing three-point percentage. Forward Matt Rogers leads the team with 17 points per game. For a poor offense, he will need to be at his best for American to win this First Four matchup.
Final Thoughts
This should be a low-scoring contest with both teams struggling on offense this year. Even though both teams had identical regular season records, 22-12, American University was dominant in their league. That should bode well for them in Ohio on Wednesday. Mount St. Mary’s and American both struggled against top-flight opponents during the regular season. They will both try to win and advance in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
