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Game: Wofford at Iona (2:00 PM Eastern)
Pick: Wofford +9 (-105) at 5Dimes
The Wofford Terriers won 13 games a year ago and are off to a 1-1 start to this season. They have all three of their top three scorers back from a year ago that all posted double-digits, and this team should see some improvement rom a year ago. Iona begins a new season without Lemont Jones who averaged 22.6 points per game for the Gales a year ago. Someone must pick up not only his scoring, but his team leading 116 assists, and that may take awhile. The Gaels lost their opener in a very winnable game against Cleveland State, and did not cover and played below the line. That leaves the Gaels at 1-6 ATS in their last seven off an ATS loss. Wofford has more experience and scoring options here, so play the dog and back Wofford.
Game: Indiana at Wisconsin (Saturday 11/16 12:00 PM Eastern)
Pick: Wisconsin -26.5 (-105) at 5Dimes
The Wisconsin Badgers always seem to find themselves at or near the top of the Big-10 year after year. They have lost just twice on the season, and one loss was as a result of a bad call vs. Arizona State. And, they lost by just 7 points to Ohio State, a team that hasn't lost a game in two years. Indiana is all about offense, and they get plenty of it. But the defense simply isn't built for getting stops. Despite the gaudy numbers on offense, Indiana is still a sub-.500 team, and may not even become Bowl eligible. Indiana has given up 40+ points in five games this season, and there is a good chance that Wisconsin puts up a lot more than that here. Indiana's game simply does not travel well vs. good teams, as they are 0-5 ATS on the road vs. teams with a winning record. They are also just 8-23 ATS in their last 31 road games vs. teams like Wisconsin that average 31+ points per game. The Badgers are at their best at home vs. a losing team where they are 20-6 ATS in their last 26, and have gone 6-1 ATS in the last seven in this series. Back the Badgers.
Pepperdine lost 80-77 at home to Central Michigan LY; Waves got to foul line only four (4-4) times; Chippewas were 16-24. Waves won first road game 69-66 at Riverside Wednesday, making 9-18 on arc. Central was 6-30 from arc in 80-70 at Bradley in first D-I game Tuesday. MAC favorites are 2-3 vs spread. WCC road underdogs are 5-0 vs spread.
Penn State held Penn to 5-23 from arc in 58-47 home win vs Quakers LY (was 31-22 at half). Lions split first two games, losing 90-80 at home to Bucknell, when Bison scored 54 points in second half, made 10-15 from arc. Quakers lost to Temple by 5, then won by 6 at Monmouth- they've turned ball over 20.7% of time, not good. Ivy underdogs are 5-3.
Home team won both Akron-Middle Tennesee games last couple years; Zips won 82-77 in OT LY, after being down 5 with 4:29 left. Zips had 19 turnovers (-9) in 85-63 loss at St Mary's in middle to night Monday. Blue Raiders beat couple of stiffs by 3-7 points. MAC road underdogs are 7-4 against spread. C-USA home favorites are 2-4 this month.
Ohio State was 38-51 on foul line in a 79-69 win over Ohio U Tuesday; Bobcats were 16-21. Buckeyes have four starters back from 29-8 team that made Elite 8 LY. Marquette lost three starters from 26-9 team- they beat couple stiffs by 7-43 to start season. Big Dozen favorites are 4-5 vs spread to start season. Big East teams are 4-5 vs spread, 0-1 as dogs.
Utah State won its first two games by 13-33 points, but now they're on road, at Santa Barbara team that beat them in Bracket Buster game two years ago, in Logan. Aggies have 4 starters back from LY's 21-10 team. UCSB waxed UNLV in Vegas Tuesday, making 9-16 from arc- Gauchos were up 16 at half. Mountain West teams are 12-7 against the spread.
Creighton was up 47-20 at half, spanked St Joe's 80-51 LY, avenging a loss here the year before; Bluejays were 10-21 from arc, shot 62.5% on 2-pointers in easy win- they won first two games this year by 46-26 vs couple stiffs. St Joe's won its first two games by 10-19 points; Hawks has three starters back from 18-14 team- they're picked #6 in A-13.
Northridge ran out of gas (played 7 guys double digit minutes) losing at USC 95-79 in first D-I game; Matadors were 28-37 from foul line, good sign. Fresno State beat Cal-Irvine by point, making 14-30 from arc, then lost by 21 at Pitt, even with Panthers going 0-11 from arc. Irvine win is little more impressive after Anteaters won at Washington Thursday.
Northern Iowa won 82-77 in OT at George Mason LY, making 11-26 on arc in game they led 10-0 early; Panthers lost 75-64 at Ohio in its opener despite outscoring bobcats 20-10 on foul line. Patriots won first couple games y 3-14 points, but turned ball over 25.3% of time, making 56.8% of foul shots. Atlantic 13 home favorites are 4-6 against the spread.
Home side won last five Tulsa-Missouri State games; Hurricane lost last two visits here, by 8-12 points, but they beat State 61-42 LY, holding Bears to 1-19 outside arc. Tulsa was 17-36 from foul line in 74-68 loss to local rival Oral Roberts in its opener; State won by 12 in OT at Old Dominion in its opener, outscoring Monarchs 26-14 from the foul line.
Minnesota beat Richmond 72-57 at home LY, outscoring Spiders 30-8 in last 10:00; Gophers scored 82.5 ppg in whacking Lehigh/Montana in its first two games, by 19-26 points. Richmond beat Delaware by a hoop, Belmont by 8 to start its season, despite making only 6-40 from the arc. Atlantic 13 home teams are 4-6. First road game for Pitino's Gophers.
Wisconsin beat Green Bay by 11-28-14 points last three years; Badgers started season by beating St John's by 11, Florida by 6- they're 20-43 on arc in two games, despite playing only seven guys double digit minutes. Green Bay has four starters back from 18-16/10-6 team that is picked to finish #2 in Horizon, but their only game was 22-point win over a stiff.
Butler's best returning player blew his knee out during summer; its coach jumped to NBA, so their first year in Big East could be tough. Bulldogs waxed Lamar by 31, but it was 38-32 at half. Princeton beat stiff by 17 in its opener; Tigers have four starters back from 17-11/10-4 team- they expect to be Ivy contender. Ivy League underdogs are 5-3 vs spread.
Home side won last nine Canisius-St Bonaventurre games; Griffins beat Bonnies 72-69 LY, after trailing by 7 with 7:03 left. Canisius lost its last four visits here by 22-16-7-19 points.. Bonnies beat couple of stiffs by 22-28 points to start season; they've got two starters back from LY, are picked #12 in A-13, MAAC road underdogs are 4-2 against the spread.
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