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NSA's Selection
CBB Notre Dame vs West Virginia 7:00 PM EST 20* West Virginia -4.5
CBB Depaul vs Providence 12:00 PM EST 20* OVER 143
CBB St John's vs Marquette 2:20 PM EST 10* St John's +7.5
CBB Seton Hall vs Syracuse 9:20 PM EST 10* OER 152.5
CBB Stanford vs Oregon St 9:00 PM EST 10* Oregon St +6.5
NBA Boston @ Miami 7:35 PM EST 10* Boston +3.5
?A Victory in Big East Tournament Would Make DePaul?s Season?.
That was a headline in the Chicago Tribute Sports section on Monday,
and we believe that is absolutely the case. After that 0-18 collar
during the regular season Jerry Wainwright and his team put a special
focus into yesterday?s game against Cincinnati, one that enabled them
to erase some of the ignominy of the dismal campaign. But that is
what they came to New York to do - get a win. This is a bad
team with no pretense of going any further, and we would not be
surprised if they brought far less than their best effort today.
Considering how bad their best is, that could mean something very
ugly.
Consider the physical issues here. This now becomes the 4th game away
from home in eight days for the Demons, and they really did pull out
all of the stops yesterday ? Mac Koshwal, Will Walker and Jeremiah
Kelly all played the full 40 minutes, as they got just one solitary
point from the bench. That means a real problem against a fresh
Providence team that has not played since last Thursday, and brings
one of the deepest rotations in the Big East (eight different players
have tallied at least 16 minutes per game in league action). And the
matchups and focus points bring those physical issues fully into play.
While DePaul may show up a bit flat, with the mission already
accomplished, at 18-12 the Friars know that they have work ahead of
them to make the Big Dance (a winning Big East record that includes a
victory over Pittsburgh has them in the hunt). That means a high
level of energy, and when a Keno Davis team brings energy it means
hitting the boards with a deep and experienced front line, and
extending the defense to generate pressure. The Blue Demons can not
handle either of those issues. They finished the regular season at
-9.8 rebounds per game in Big East action, and no player reached 40
assists through those 18 defeats (even in beating Cincinnati
yesterday it was 15 turnovers vs. only 10 assists).
In the 0-18 Big East run by DePaul prior to yesterday, only two of
the losses came by less than eight points. This is a team that is
accustomed to being blown out, and as a consequence has developed a
mentality of not fighting hard from behind. We see the Blue Demons as
vulnerable to suffering a completely knockout blow here, and
Providence brings the punch to make it happen.
2-Unit Play. Take #632 LaSalle (-3) over St. Louis (Noon, Wednesday, March 11)
1-Unit Play. Take #623 DePaul (+10) over Providence (Noon, Wednesday, March 11)
2-Unit Play. Take #639 Baylor (Pk) over Nebraska (12:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 11)
For good or ill, this could be the last time that we get to wager on Baylor this year. This team has gone down in flames and are a complete disaster. Coach Drew has done one of the worst jobs in the country this year after being one of the best in the business just last year. All that said, I still like Baylor's talent over Nebraska's will. The Huskers aren't a great road team. And without that extra boost from the crowd I think they fall flat. Over the past two years Baylor has played in and won some impressive neutral site games. I think they earn a win today to get some bubble talk going and then fall on their faces tomorrow.
2.5-Unit Play. Take ‘Under’ 134.0 Rice vs. Marshall (1 p.m., Wednesday, March 11)
1-Unit Play. Take #647 Rice (+6) over Marshall (1 p.m., Wednesday, March 11)
This game will likely be played in the 50's and I think that's a situation that really suits the Owls. These two teams met just one week ago and combined for 138 points. But Marshall shot nearly 60 percent in that game. And for a mediocre shooting team that's really an accomplishment. Neither of these two teams really fill it up. And considering the just played (familiarity), they are on a neutral court (unfamiliarity), they are playing at noon local time, and both sides know that the loser's season is over I think this one will be played a little closer to the vest.
2-Unit Play. Take #634 St. Joseph’s (-3) over Charlotte (2 p.m., Wednesday, March 11)
The Hawks really are a better team than they've displayed over the last few weeks and I think that they really could be a sleeper in this tournament. With Ahmad Nivins they have one of the better big men in the country. He and guard Tasheed Carr are both seniors and are both not going to be messing around this weekend. I think Charlotte is still getting credit for their sweet run in last year's A-10 Tournament. But they have proved time and time again this year that they are not that team and that they are having a down year. Charlotte has failed to cover four straight and I think St. Joe's executes well enough to get us the cash here.
2-Unit Play. TEASER: Take #625 St. John’s (+12.5) over Marquette (2 p.m.) AND Take #627 Notre Dame (+10.5) over West Virginia (6:30 p.m.)
I think that underdogs are going to have a decent day today in the Big East. The only one I'm unsure of is Seton Hall, even though I liked them the best entering the day. I just think they have a tough number to cover against a Syracuse team that is playing very well. But in this instance, I think that St. John's has proven that it can find a way to sneak inside the back door of numbers just like this. Just ask Duke. Marquette badly needs a win and will play well today. But St. John's is really on an upswing and they are fighting hard in front of their home crowd. I can see them losing by eight or nine, but not really by 14 or 15. Same goes with Notre Dame. They are playing for their lives and this is a game I could see them winning outright. So let's double the spread and have confidence that Luke Harangody isn't going to get blown out tonight.
1.5-Unit Play. Take #656 Colorado State (-1.5) over Air Force (5 p.m., Wednesday, March 11)
This Colorado State play is a bit like my Baylor play: two teams that I played, rather unsuccessfully, early in the year and had next to no luck with. So why bother with them now? Because the reason I played them early is because I see potential in them. And March is the time of year when team's play like exactly whom they are. Colorado State has had injuries, they have had ineffectiveness (their coach is AWFUL), and they have had controversy. But they also have some talent. And as badly as Air Force wants that first conference win I think it's going to allude them here.
1-Unit Play. TEASER: Take #638 Richmond (-0.5) over St. Bonaventure (8:40 p.m.) AND Take #653 SMU (+16) over Houston (9:45 p.m.)
I played SMU in a teaser over the weekend against Houston and it come through easily. I think this is exactly the same situation and I think that the Mustangs have proven themselves as a strong underdog. Richmond is a team in a potential letdown situation. But they are simply so much better than St. Bonaventures that I think they can overcome it. If Richmond gets a shot I really think they can knock off some of the A-10 big boys.
1000 Units Top Play Stanford minus the points over Oregon St.
1000 Units Top Play UC Irvine minus the points over UC Davis
1000 Units Top Play Dallas/Portland UNDER the total
50 Units New Orleans minus the points over Washington
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