The UP Fighting Maroons take on the NU Bulldogs in their UAAP Season 87 Men's Basketball match at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on September 18, 2024. UAAP Media/FileMANILA -- The University of the Philippines will look to secure a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final 4 when it takes on National University in the UAAP Season 87 men's basketball tournament on Sunday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion Arena.

The Fighting Maroons have won their last three games, with their 9-1 win-loss record putting them in second place in the league standings behind defending champion De La Salle University (10-1).

A win against the Bulldogs in their 3:30 p.m. showdown -- as well as a win by Far Eastern University against the University of the East at 12 noon -- will assure both UP and La Salle of a twice-to-beat incentive in the semifinals.

The Fighting Maroons hold a three-game cushion over the third-running Red Warriors, who have lost two of the last three matches to drop to 6-4.

"Expect na we would work harder to improve as a team. Dahan-dahan pa, I think we have four games left kung hindi ako nagkakamali. Each game would be a stepping stone for us to get better. Importante lang, we should be healthy as a team din in a way. Slowly, we'll still improve," UP coach Goldwin Monteverde said after their 75-47 win against Ateneo last Wednesday.

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The Fighting Maroons overpowered the Bulldogs, 89-62, when they played in the first round. 

UP hopes to complete a head-to-head elimination round sweep of NU for a second straight season. The Fighting Maroons had an average winning margin of 20 points against the Bulldogs last year.

Sitting in last place with a 2-8 record, NU needs to sweep its last four games and hope that the No. 4 team won't reach seven wins to force a playoff for the last Final Four berth.

After an impressive five-game winning streak, UE has lost two of its last three assignments -- including a 45-37 setback to Adamson University last Wednesday.

They cannot afford to be complacent against the Tamaraws, who at 3-7 still has a mathematical chance of making it to the Final 4.

FEU bowed to University of Santo Tomas, 70-79, after opening the second round with a lot of promise by winning back-to-back for the first time under coach Sean Chambers.  

The Tamaraws are trailing the fourth-running Growling Tigers (5-6) by one-and-a-half games.

In the women's division, NU shoots for its 10th straight victory as it plays a UP side trying to keep its slim Final Four hopes alive at 6:30 p.m., while FEU and UE collide at 12 noon.

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