Tweet
Robert ferringo
2-Unit Play. Take #716 Notre Dame (-5) over DePaul (Noon, Saturday, Nov. 24)
I think this Notre Dame team is undervalued. This is a home game against a DePaul program that has been one of the worst in the country over the last 15 years. The Blue Demons have improved, for sure. But they aren't as disciplined or as talented as the Irish. The only reason that this play isn't rated a lot higher is that this number is so far out of whack that it doesn't make sense, and that's kind of a red flag. But I'm still going to play it because I think the number is soft and I had this one closer to 8.5. The Irish should get it done.
2-Unit Play. Take #722 Eastern Michigan (-10.5) over Detroit (2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
Detroit is coming off its best game of the year, winning at home against Bowling Green in a blowout. That's back-to-back wins but I don't think that they are going to have too many winning streaks this year. This is still one of the weakest rosters in the country. Eastern Michigan is coming off its worst game of the season, a 63-36 blowout loss to Rutgers that was 31-4 at halftime. This is an experienced Eastern Michigan team and I think they are going to be pissed off about how bad they played their last game. They should rebound with a strong effort here and bury an overmatched opponent that won't be able to handle their zone defense.
2-Unit Play. Take #723 Western Kentucky (-4.5) over Indiana State (2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
This is a true road game for WKU. But they have already played at Washington, where they actually held a halftime lead. They have also played tough competition in West Virginia and Central Florida. They actually beat WVU and this is a talented team. Indiana State is playing its first game in 10 days and they haven't played a D-I opponent since Nov. 9. They got bombed by Ball State, a team with less talent than WKU, and I don't think that they will be able to hold up on the interior.
2-Unit Play. Take #727 St. Joseph's (-4) over William & Mary (4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
The Hawks have lost back-to-back games and I don't imagine that they are too thrilled out it. I think they can handle a sagging William & Mary team here. The Tribe have never been to the NCAA Tournament. They know their only path is to win their conference tournament. So they have a severe lack of motivation for anything prior to that. They've dumped four straight games and have lost to a bunch of teams that are less talented than St. Joseph's.
1-Unit Play. Take #729 Colorado (-4.5) over Air Force (6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
3-Unit Play. Take #732 Central Florida (-10.5) over Northern Kentucky (6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
I know Northern Kentucky is 6-0 and seems to be playing pretty well. But they have played one of the weakest schedules in the country and two of those wins have come against D-II schools. They have only played one road game and haven't played anyone the caliber of Central Florida. UCF dominated good opponents last week in blowout wins over Fullerton. St. Joseph's and Western Kentucky, winning all three games by at least 16 points. They also beat a solid Rider team by 14 in the opener. Basically. NKU is one of the weakest teams that Central Florida has faced and I think that they can win this one by 20+ at home.
7-Unit Play. Take #740 BYU (-1.5) over Houston (6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
The Cougars have been known to go nuts on people in their own gym. And that's exactly what I think they are going to do to Houston here. The Cougars have only played three games against super-weak competition. They haven't been exposed yet. But this is not the same group that went 27-8 last year. They lost their two best players, including stud scorer Rob Gray, who was as important to his team as anyone in the country last year. Houston is banged up, with three of their scholarship players likely out for this game. BYU is still playing without Nick Emery. But they have been OK without him and they have a lot of guys that can make shots. BYU gets up for games like this against teams from power conferences. I think they will give a strong effort here and will be too much to handle in their own gym.
3-Unit Play. Take #794 Providence (-10.5) over Iona (4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
Providence is coming off a weak effort against Michigan and I think that they will bounce back here against Iona. This Iona team isn't very good at all. They have made the NCAA Tournament three straight years. But this Gaels team isn't even close to as good as those last few. They lost five of their top seven players from last year's team and nothing they have done to this point has impressed me this season. Iona doesn't play any defense and Providence should get a lot of easy baskets. The Friars haven't had a home blowout yet. They should get one here.
4-Unit Play. Take #807 Cal-Fullerton (-3) over Sacramento State (10 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
This Titans team is a lot better than its record suggests. Their losses have come against quality opponents and they have played well in those games. They had a disappointing showing at their tournament, but, again, losses to Central Florida and Wake Forest are nothing to be upset about. Sacramento State is only the second team rated 200 or worse that Fullerton has played. The first one was Monmouth and the Titans won by 24. Sacramento State has only played two games this year. This is just their third game in three weeks and I think that they are going to be a little rusty and certainly further behind Fullerton, which has already played six times (including three games in four days at that tournament). The Titans should get this win.yh
2-Unit Play. Take #716 Notre Dame (-5) over DePaul (Noon, Saturday, Nov. 24)
I think this Notre Dame team is undervalued. This is a home game against a DePaul program that has been one of the worst in the country over the last 15 years. The Blue Demons have improved, for sure. But they aren't as disciplined or as talented as the Irish. The only reason that this play isn't rated a lot higher is that this number is so far out of whack that it doesn't make sense, and that's kind of a red flag. But I'm still going to play it because I think the number is soft and I had this one closer to 8.5. The Irish should get it done.
2-Unit Play. Take #722 Eastern Michigan (-10.5) over Detroit (2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
Detroit is coming off its best game of the year, winning at home against Bowling Green in a blowout. That's back-to-back wins but I don't think that they are going to have too many winning streaks this year. This is still one of the weakest rosters in the country. Eastern Michigan is coming off its worst game of the season, a 63-36 blowout loss to Rutgers that was 31-4 at halftime. This is an experienced Eastern Michigan team and I think they are going to be pissed off about how bad they played their last game. They should rebound with a strong effort here and bury an overmatched opponent that won't be able to handle their zone defense.
2-Unit Play. Take #723 Western Kentucky (-4.5) over Indiana State (2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
This is a true road game for WKU. But they have already played at Washington, where they actually held a halftime lead. They have also played tough competition in West Virginia and Central Florida. They actually beat WVU and this is a talented team. Indiana State is playing its first game in 10 days and they haven't played a D-I opponent since Nov. 9. They got bombed by Ball State, a team with less talent than WKU, and I don't think that they will be able to hold up on the interior.
2-Unit Play. Take #727 St. Joseph's (-4) over William & Mary (4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
The Hawks have lost back-to-back games and I don't imagine that they are too thrilled out it. I think they can handle a sagging William & Mary team here. The Tribe have never been to the NCAA Tournament. They know their only path is to win their conference tournament. So they have a severe lack of motivation for anything prior to that. They've dumped four straight games and have lost to a bunch of teams that are less talented than St. Joseph's.
1-Unit Play. Take #729 Colorado (-4.5) over Air Force (6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
3-Unit Play. Take #732 Central Florida (-10.5) over Northern Kentucky (6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
I know Northern Kentucky is 6-0 and seems to be playing pretty well. But they have played one of the weakest schedules in the country and two of those wins have come against D-II schools. They have only played one road game and haven't played anyone the caliber of Central Florida. UCF dominated good opponents last week in blowout wins over Fullerton. St. Joseph's and Western Kentucky, winning all three games by at least 16 points. They also beat a solid Rider team by 14 in the opener. Basically. NKU is one of the weakest teams that Central Florida has faced and I think that they can win this one by 20+ at home.
7-Unit Play. Take #740 BYU (-1.5) over Houston (6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
The Cougars have been known to go nuts on people in their own gym. And that's exactly what I think they are going to do to Houston here. The Cougars have only played three games against super-weak competition. They haven't been exposed yet. But this is not the same group that went 27-8 last year. They lost their two best players, including stud scorer Rob Gray, who was as important to his team as anyone in the country last year. Houston is banged up, with three of their scholarship players likely out for this game. BYU is still playing without Nick Emery. But they have been OK without him and they have a lot of guys that can make shots. BYU gets up for games like this against teams from power conferences. I think they will give a strong effort here and will be too much to handle in their own gym.
3-Unit Play. Take #794 Providence (-10.5) over Iona (4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
Providence is coming off a weak effort against Michigan and I think that they will bounce back here against Iona. This Iona team isn't very good at all. They have made the NCAA Tournament three straight years. But this Gaels team isn't even close to as good as those last few. They lost five of their top seven players from last year's team and nothing they have done to this point has impressed me this season. Iona doesn't play any defense and Providence should get a lot of easy baskets. The Friars haven't had a home blowout yet. They should get one here.
4-Unit Play. Take #807 Cal-Fullerton (-3) over Sacramento State (10 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24)
This Titans team is a lot better than its record suggests. Their losses have come against quality opponents and they have played well in those games. They had a disappointing showing at their tournament, but, again, losses to Central Florida and Wake Forest are nothing to be upset about. Sacramento State is only the second team rated 200 or worse that Fullerton has played. The first one was Monmouth and the Titans won by 24. Sacramento State has only played two games this year. This is just their third game in three weeks and I think that they are going to be a little rusty and certainly further behind Fullerton, which has already played six times (including three games in four days at that tournament). The Titans should get this win.yh
Comment