IONA vs. ST. PETER's: Yes, it's another cap of an IONA game in the MAAC but this is not Monmouth.

2017 Record: 4-10

Small play to test the waters as I seek out a .500 record.

The pick:

IONA +3 over St. Peter's

Here's how much fear IONA has of the #2 team in the conference:

None.

Why? They beat them twice this year:

79-65 at home Win

69-66 in OT away Win

1. Line value

This game will be at a neutral location. And the line is St. Peter's -3. And I'm wondering why given Iona is going for the sweep here. Because -3 at a neutral site translates to Iona +6/+6.5 at St. Peter's. Which to me is ridiculous given how Iona dominated them by 14 one game and St. Peter's couldn't close them out in another.

So there is line value here and I'll take every point.

2. Defending champs and/or 'defending' runner ups

Something has to be said about IONA and the MAAC tournament. The rosters have turnover year after year but under Tim Cluess, their HC, Iona has appeared in the finals in the following:

2013 Won the MAAC Tournament over Manhattan

2014 Runner up in the MAAC Tournament to Manhattan

2015 Runner up in the MAAC Tournament to Manhattan

2016 Won the MAAC Tournament over Monmouth

For all the talk about Monmouth and the way they've steamrolled this conference the past two years in the regular season, they've never won the conference tournament. Iona has. Twice. Under Cluess, who has a 68% winning percentage at IONA, he and the Gaels have been a guarantee in the finals of this tournament.

St. Peter's won 6 years ago in the finals....against Iona. They've won twice in their history but haven't been significant factors in the past half decade like IONA has.

Translation: The Gaels come to play in this tournament under Cluess regardless of the roster permutation.

3. The win over Rider

This was a confidence building win. Rider, having beaten them by 18 just 4 games ago, got beaten here by 18 themselves. What really impressed me was the play of Schadrac Cashmir, who had 22 in the win and he averages 7P and 1assist. If he can give you 10-12-14, you are going to win because IONA has too many scorers in other places.

4. St. Peter's adjustments

They've seen ONE team since February 26th: Canisius a somewhat respectable team in the MAAC but one that is not on IONA's level in the top 3 of Monmouth St. Peter's and Iona. They won two squeakers, 72-65 and 61-58.

It's very hard to adjust to Iona's run up-tempo offense after seeing only Canisius in since they played bottom-feeder Niagra 10 days ago.

Iona is the ONE team St. Peter's has not beaten this year so if I'm gauging confidence, this is the one team they didn't want to see after Monmouth. They even beat Monmouth 71-61 on 1/2/17.

All in all, this is Iona's tournament to hand over the reigns to given Manhattan is not longer a threat.

And hand it over meekly is not something I see happening, particularly against a team they have confidence against. If this line is -3 AT St. Peter's with a raucous home crowd, perhaps I cap this game differently but on a neutral court Iona feels comfortable on? The heat is on St. Peter's here.

Even with 3, St. Peter's must win by 4 so we can cover in a squeaker in necessary. I'll take the points and Iona here hoping they have laser like focus to get one more shot at Monmouth in the finals.

Game is at 7PM tonight EST

Tell everyone WHY and you may have an argument.

Appreciate it Stee

There certainly is. And there also comes a time where you have to say the revenge, double-revenge spots are simply not effective as the other team just has your number. Teams get swept in the NBA all the time. The Nets did it to the Knicks with Jason Kidd for YEARS where they went 20-2 over 22 against the NYK. You could have the twelve-ipple revenge spot in that series and still lost if you took the Knicks.