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Robert Ferringo
1-Unit Play. Take #766 Michigan (-1) over Iowa (9 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
Iowa has been playing some of its best basketball. They've even started to show up on the road. But Michigan is playing with a bit of an edge right now and they are coming off an impressive blowout win over rival Michigan State. This is Michigan's final home game of the season and I see them going all out.
2-Unit Play. Take #778 Grand Canyon (-6) over Utah Valley (9 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
Grand Canyon closes out the season with three straight home games. I don't see them losing any of them. This team can be a beast at home, as indicated by their 26-point shellacking of a solid Sam Houston team last Saturday. Utah Valley isn't a great road team and four OT wins on the season make their record a little misleading. I think Grand Canyon stays hot.
1-Unit Play. Take #789 Oregon (-4) over Washington (10 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
Oregon screwed me by playing like trash against USC last Saturday. Even though they played horribly, they still had a two-point lead in the final minute of that game. They need wins. And I don't see them giving one away here to a Washington team that can barely walk and chew gum at the same time.
1-Unit Play. Take #813 Robert Morris (+11) over Cleveland State (8 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
4-Unit Play. Take #306189 Central Arkansas (+12) over Jacksonville (7 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
I think that this is going to be too many points for Jacksonville to cover in this one. They are a Top 4 seed in the Atlantic Sun tournament and they get this one at home. However, Central Arkansas already has a tournament win under its belt and is playing with house money right now. Jacksonville plays at one of the five slowest tempos in the country. If they get off to a slow start shooting the ball then the pressure could mount on them here as a big favorite. Jacksonville has four wins against D-II teams. They have only been favored - not double-digit favored but favored period - in half of their 24 games against D-I teams. So they aren't some overwhelming force. Central Arkansas played the No. 15 nonconference schedule in the country so their numbers are a little screwy. They were just 7-9 in league play so they aren't a doormat. I think you add all this up and you're going to get a competitive game in the Sunshine State.
2-Unit Play. Take #306193 Florida-Gulf Coast (+3) over Bellarmine (7 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
I think that Gulf Coast is the better team here. They have more talent thanks to an influx of transfers and these guys look like a team that is peaking at the right time. Bellarmine is favored almost solely because they are at home. Really their only big gun is Dylan Penn, where UF-GC has a lot more options and a more balanced attack. I think this one will be close down the stretch and I'd rather have the points than be laying them out.
4-Unit Play. Take #306195 Lipscomb (+12) over Liberty (7 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
Liberty is the defending A-Sun champions and the clear big dog in this league again this season. However, this is a big number for a team that isn't playing its best basketball. Liberty is off back-to-back OT games and they only beat Lipscomb by nine in their regular season meeting. Liberty is just 3-3 in its last six games. Also, if you go back over the last two years the Flames haven't blown anyone out in their tournament opener. And those were better teams than this one. Lipscomb is not a good team. But they have hung around in a lot of games and they have a bunch of guys that can put the ball in the basket. Only one of their losses since Christmas has come by more than 12 points, and that was just a 14-point loss. They also already have their tournament jitters worked out after beating North Florida and I think they will be competitive.
2-Unit Play. Take #306203 Bucknell (+15.5) over Colgate (7 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
At one point this year Colgate was 4-10. They were 8-11 before their current 12-game winning streak. All the pressure is on their side. I think they will answer the bell and win this game easily. However, this is a thick number. Bucknell has won three of four and is 6-6 in its last 12 games. They are playing better. And during these last 12 games only one of their losses was by more than 13 points.
3-Unit Play. Take #306201 American (+12) over Navy (7 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
1-Unit Play. Take 'Under' 118.5 American at Navy (7 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
American plays at one of the slowest paces in college basketball. They are a clutch-and-grab team and they will want to slow this one down to a crawl. The first game between these two teams was a 47-45 Navy win and the second was a 55-46 Navy victory. I don't see a ton of points in this one either. American has the advantage of already playing one tournament game. Navy is off a tough loss to Colgate and all the pressure is on them. The Middies are just 3-2 SU in their last five games and two of the wins were by three points or less. In fact, since Jan. 17 they are just 7-5 SU and four of those seven wins have come by three points or less. I don't see a blowout here.
1-Unit Play. 5-POINT TEASER: Take #781 Rice (+11.5) over UTEP (9 p.m.) AND Take #796 San Diego State (-3) over Fresno State (10 p.m.)
Carpe diem. Good luck.
1-Unit Play. Take #766 Michigan (-1) over Iowa (9 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
Iowa has been playing some of its best basketball. They've even started to show up on the road. But Michigan is playing with a bit of an edge right now and they are coming off an impressive blowout win over rival Michigan State. This is Michigan's final home game of the season and I see them going all out.
2-Unit Play. Take #778 Grand Canyon (-6) over Utah Valley (9 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
Grand Canyon closes out the season with three straight home games. I don't see them losing any of them. This team can be a beast at home, as indicated by their 26-point shellacking of a solid Sam Houston team last Saturday. Utah Valley isn't a great road team and four OT wins on the season make their record a little misleading. I think Grand Canyon stays hot.
1-Unit Play. Take #789 Oregon (-4) over Washington (10 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
Oregon screwed me by playing like trash against USC last Saturday. Even though they played horribly, they still had a two-point lead in the final minute of that game. They need wins. And I don't see them giving one away here to a Washington team that can barely walk and chew gum at the same time.
1-Unit Play. Take #813 Robert Morris (+11) over Cleveland State (8 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
4-Unit Play. Take #306189 Central Arkansas (+12) over Jacksonville (7 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
I think that this is going to be too many points for Jacksonville to cover in this one. They are a Top 4 seed in the Atlantic Sun tournament and they get this one at home. However, Central Arkansas already has a tournament win under its belt and is playing with house money right now. Jacksonville plays at one of the five slowest tempos in the country. If they get off to a slow start shooting the ball then the pressure could mount on them here as a big favorite. Jacksonville has four wins against D-II teams. They have only been favored - not double-digit favored but favored period - in half of their 24 games against D-I teams. So they aren't some overwhelming force. Central Arkansas played the No. 15 nonconference schedule in the country so their numbers are a little screwy. They were just 7-9 in league play so they aren't a doormat. I think you add all this up and you're going to get a competitive game in the Sunshine State.
2-Unit Play. Take #306193 Florida-Gulf Coast (+3) over Bellarmine (7 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
I think that Gulf Coast is the better team here. They have more talent thanks to an influx of transfers and these guys look like a team that is peaking at the right time. Bellarmine is favored almost solely because they are at home. Really their only big gun is Dylan Penn, where UF-GC has a lot more options and a more balanced attack. I think this one will be close down the stretch and I'd rather have the points than be laying them out.
4-Unit Play. Take #306195 Lipscomb (+12) over Liberty (7 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
Liberty is the defending A-Sun champions and the clear big dog in this league again this season. However, this is a big number for a team that isn't playing its best basketball. Liberty is off back-to-back OT games and they only beat Lipscomb by nine in their regular season meeting. Liberty is just 3-3 in its last six games. Also, if you go back over the last two years the Flames haven't blown anyone out in their tournament opener. And those were better teams than this one. Lipscomb is not a good team. But they have hung around in a lot of games and they have a bunch of guys that can put the ball in the basket. Only one of their losses since Christmas has come by more than 12 points, and that was just a 14-point loss. They also already have their tournament jitters worked out after beating North Florida and I think they will be competitive.
2-Unit Play. Take #306203 Bucknell (+15.5) over Colgate (7 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
At one point this year Colgate was 4-10. They were 8-11 before their current 12-game winning streak. All the pressure is on their side. I think they will answer the bell and win this game easily. However, this is a thick number. Bucknell has won three of four and is 6-6 in its last 12 games. They are playing better. And during these last 12 games only one of their losses was by more than 13 points.
3-Unit Play. Take #306201 American (+12) over Navy (7 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
1-Unit Play. Take 'Under' 118.5 American at Navy (7 p.m., Thursday, March 3)
American plays at one of the slowest paces in college basketball. They are a clutch-and-grab team and they will want to slow this one down to a crawl. The first game between these two teams was a 47-45 Navy win and the second was a 55-46 Navy victory. I don't see a ton of points in this one either. American has the advantage of already playing one tournament game. Navy is off a tough loss to Colgate and all the pressure is on them. The Middies are just 3-2 SU in their last five games and two of the wins were by three points or less. In fact, since Jan. 17 they are just 7-5 SU and four of those seven wins have come by three points or less. I don't see a blowout here.
1-Unit Play. 5-POINT TEASER: Take #781 Rice (+11.5) over UTEP (9 p.m.) AND Take #796 San Diego State (-3) over Fresno State (10 p.m.)
Carpe diem. Good luck.
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