MAPUA University guns for a share of the lead when it tangles with Ly-ceum today in the 100th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan.

The game is set at 2:30 p.m. after the clash pitting Perpetual Help and San Sebastian College at 11 a.m.

The Cardinals dropped their opening-day assignment against the St. Benilde Blazers but have rolled to three straight wins since then, includ-ing an emphatic 77-62 shellacking of the Letran Knights last Friday.

Aside from reigning MVP Clint Escamis, burly rookie big man Chris Hubil-la is also expected to boost Mapua after he dropped a solid 18-point and 12-rebound effort off the bench in their last triumph.

The Cardinals know it will not be a walk in the park as it will face a Lyce-um team coming off a streak that sent the latter from the bottom to the middle of the pace with an even 2-2 slate.

Also eyeing to bolster their campaign are the Altas and Golden Stags.

The Altas hurdled the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals 73-67 last Sat-urday that catapulted the former to a three-team logjam at No. 3 with Letran and San Beda on 3-2 marks.

The Stags, in contrast, have fallen into the ravine after dropping their last three outings, including an 87-73 setback at the hands of the Arellano University Chiefs last Sunday.

San Sebastian fell from a share of the lead to joint seventh with EAC with a 2-3 slate.