Tweet
Robert Ferringo
3-Unit Play. Take #653 Richmond (-5.5) over Vanderbilt (1 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 16)
Richmond got body slammed by a bigger, stronger, more physical West Virginia team on Sunday. I think they will be ready to bounce back here. Vanderbilt isn't pathetic. But they aren't very good either. And they've only played on game since Nov. 28 so I'm not sure how sharp they are going to be. These two teams played a 93-92 barn burner last year. But the two guys that led Vandy, Aaron Nesmith (34 points) and Saben Lee (24), are both gone. Richmond has everyone back. I just don't think that Vanderbilt is in condition to take on a Top 25-caliber team here. And an angry Spiders squad should be ready to rebound from a poor effort with a blowout win here.
1-Unit Play. Take #655 Massachusetts (-3.5) over LaSalle (Noon, Wednesday, Dec. 16)
6-Unit Play. Take #670 Purdue (-4.5) over Ohio State (7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 16)
I don't like this Ohio State team and I think that they are one of the most overrated squads in the country. They have played a bunch of nobodies and haven't been all that impressive while doing so, barely holding off Cleveland State and Mass-Lowell. I don't love Purdue. But I will admit that they have been better than I thought they would be. They are young but they play hard and Matt Painter has everyone on this team rowing in the same direction. They are a second half collapse away from a four-game winning streak and the Boilermakers are always ferocious at home. The Buckeyes might be without E.J. Liddell in this one and I think they are going to have trouble finding answers on the offensive end.
2-Unit Play. Take #678 Villanova (-12.5) over Butler (7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 16)
Butler hasn't played in three weeks. This is a team that is going to take a major step back this season after losing stud Kamar Baldwin and several other key contributors form last year's 22-win squad. It is a clear rebuilding season and I don't think they are prepared for this game at all. Villanova was able to hit the jets and erase a 13-point deficit - turning it into a 13-point win - against a tough Georgetown team last time out. Villanova has been playing well and is in form. I don't see any reason why they can't hammer a rusty Butler squad here.
1-Unit Play. Take #698 Arizona State (-13.5) over UTEP (9 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 16)
At some point things will click for Arizona State. They are coming off two poor efforts, getting rolled by San Diego State and then barely squeaking by Grand Canyon. UTEP isn't terrible. But they have some issues on offense. And if they go through any prolonged scoring droughts in this game they are going to get rolled.
1-Unit Play. Take #7105 UNC-Asheville (+5.5) over Tennessee-Chattanooga (7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 16)
UT-C's best player, David Jean-Baptiste, decided that he was going to transfer. It was pretty sudden and he decided it after their last game. This team is No. 312 in bench minutes so losing their top starter is a blow. The Mocs are 6-0, but two of those wins have come against D-II teams. Their other wins have come by 8, 7, 10 and 9 points, so it's not like they have been blowing people out. UNC-Ashville needs to get Devon Baker back from injury. When they do they will have all five starters and their top two bench players back from last year's team. They are coming off three straight wins and I think that they will be competitive in this one.
2-Unit Play. Take #7109 Florida International (-1.5) over Florida-Gulf Coast (7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 16)
Florida-Gulf Coast is in a killer letdown spot here after their big win over Miami. There are several caveats about that win, though. Miami was without its best player, Chris Lykes, and five minutes into the game the Hurricanes lost their second best player, Kameron McGusty. They also played without key big man Rodney Miller, so Miami was down three of its top eight guys. Miami also went on to shoot 3-for-19 (16%) from 3-point range. I don't think Gulf Coast will be that lucky today. FIU beat them by 18 points when they met last year. This FIU team is not as strong. However, they still play the same up-tempo, full court pressure defense. And they are facing a Gulf Coast team that's been horrific about turning the ball over the last two years. The only reason this isn't a much bigger play is that FIU is a little banged up. But if they get some of their guys back they should roll through UF-GC here.
2-Unit Play. 5-POINT TEASER: Take #695 TCU (+10) over Oklahoma State (9 p.m.) AND Take #7105 UNC-Asheville (+10.5) over Tennessee-Chattanooga (7 p.m.)
Carpe diem. Good luck.
3-Unit Play. Take #653 Richmond (-5.5) over Vanderbilt (1 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 16)
Richmond got body slammed by a bigger, stronger, more physical West Virginia team on Sunday. I think they will be ready to bounce back here. Vanderbilt isn't pathetic. But they aren't very good either. And they've only played on game since Nov. 28 so I'm not sure how sharp they are going to be. These two teams played a 93-92 barn burner last year. But the two guys that led Vandy, Aaron Nesmith (34 points) and Saben Lee (24), are both gone. Richmond has everyone back. I just don't think that Vanderbilt is in condition to take on a Top 25-caliber team here. And an angry Spiders squad should be ready to rebound from a poor effort with a blowout win here.
1-Unit Play. Take #655 Massachusetts (-3.5) over LaSalle (Noon, Wednesday, Dec. 16)
6-Unit Play. Take #670 Purdue (-4.5) over Ohio State (7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 16)
I don't like this Ohio State team and I think that they are one of the most overrated squads in the country. They have played a bunch of nobodies and haven't been all that impressive while doing so, barely holding off Cleveland State and Mass-Lowell. I don't love Purdue. But I will admit that they have been better than I thought they would be. They are young but they play hard and Matt Painter has everyone on this team rowing in the same direction. They are a second half collapse away from a four-game winning streak and the Boilermakers are always ferocious at home. The Buckeyes might be without E.J. Liddell in this one and I think they are going to have trouble finding answers on the offensive end.
2-Unit Play. Take #678 Villanova (-12.5) over Butler (7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 16)
Butler hasn't played in three weeks. This is a team that is going to take a major step back this season after losing stud Kamar Baldwin and several other key contributors form last year's 22-win squad. It is a clear rebuilding season and I don't think they are prepared for this game at all. Villanova was able to hit the jets and erase a 13-point deficit - turning it into a 13-point win - against a tough Georgetown team last time out. Villanova has been playing well and is in form. I don't see any reason why they can't hammer a rusty Butler squad here.
1-Unit Play. Take #698 Arizona State (-13.5) over UTEP (9 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 16)
At some point things will click for Arizona State. They are coming off two poor efforts, getting rolled by San Diego State and then barely squeaking by Grand Canyon. UTEP isn't terrible. But they have some issues on offense. And if they go through any prolonged scoring droughts in this game they are going to get rolled.
1-Unit Play. Take #7105 UNC-Asheville (+5.5) over Tennessee-Chattanooga (7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 16)
UT-C's best player, David Jean-Baptiste, decided that he was going to transfer. It was pretty sudden and he decided it after their last game. This team is No. 312 in bench minutes so losing their top starter is a blow. The Mocs are 6-0, but two of those wins have come against D-II teams. Their other wins have come by 8, 7, 10 and 9 points, so it's not like they have been blowing people out. UNC-Ashville needs to get Devon Baker back from injury. When they do they will have all five starters and their top two bench players back from last year's team. They are coming off three straight wins and I think that they will be competitive in this one.
2-Unit Play. Take #7109 Florida International (-1.5) over Florida-Gulf Coast (7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 16)
Florida-Gulf Coast is in a killer letdown spot here after their big win over Miami. There are several caveats about that win, though. Miami was without its best player, Chris Lykes, and five minutes into the game the Hurricanes lost their second best player, Kameron McGusty. They also played without key big man Rodney Miller, so Miami was down three of its top eight guys. Miami also went on to shoot 3-for-19 (16%) from 3-point range. I don't think Gulf Coast will be that lucky today. FIU beat them by 18 points when they met last year. This FIU team is not as strong. However, they still play the same up-tempo, full court pressure defense. And they are facing a Gulf Coast team that's been horrific about turning the ball over the last two years. The only reason this isn't a much bigger play is that FIU is a little banged up. But if they get some of their guys back they should roll through UF-GC here.
2-Unit Play. 5-POINT TEASER: Take #695 TCU (+10) over Oklahoma State (9 p.m.) AND Take #7105 UNC-Asheville (+10.5) over Tennessee-Chattanooga (7 p.m.)
Carpe diem. Good luck.
Comment