1* 33-27
2* 9-8
3* 1-2
4* 1-1
5* 0-0
The officiating in the Houston game was...not great. But the game still should have never been that close. Tip of the cap to Coach Pearl and his guys.
2* Saint Josephs Red Hawks -5.5
Usually in a Big 5 game, I love a home dog, but Penn doesn't do anything well, so I can't back them here. The Hawks haven't been all that impressive in their bye wins, and they got their doors blown off last time out @ Va Tech, so I'm assuming that left a bad taste in that locker room and we get a much more focused St Joe team. They've been really bad from beyond the arc, but will have a massive advantage in the painted area tonight, so I expect Coach Donahue to exploit that. They also shoot free throws very well, so if it is a close game late, they can go close it out at the line.
1* N.C. State Wolfpack -12.5
Will Wade is a hell of a basketball coach. He reminds of Coach Cignetti of Indiana football. They know they are great coaches. And they don't mind telling anyone that. Then they go beat the breaks off of people. This is VCUs first true road game, and Coach Martelli starts a sophomore and freshman at guard, and I don't like that one bit. They are 298th in turnover% on offense, and NC St. is 50th in defensive turnover%. I think this one potentially gets really ugly.
1* Bucknell/Pittsburgh Under 141.5
Pittsburgh just got their ass kicked in the Backyard Brawl, so I'd imagine practice wasn't very fun over the weekend, and you get a very focused, energetic effort from the Panthers tonight, especially on the defensive end. They play at the 313th pace, and 331st longest offensive possessions. Bucknell doesn't run by any means either, coming in at 213th in pace. Pitt has another quad 1 game on deck, so this is a get right spot, and it all starts on defense for Capel and company.
1* Southern Illinois/North Dakota St Under 154.5
NDSU has some inflated offensive numbers due to a 90 pt performance vs CSUN and 111 vs a school for the blind or something like that. They don't play fast (228th tempo), they aren't effective at all (360th eff. FG%), and shoot under 20% as a team from 3. SIU isn't a defense that is gonna strike much fear into anyone, but Coach Nagy is quietly getting the Salukis to buy in on the defensive end. 39th in defensive eff. FG%, but thats only two DI games in so we shall see. This number seems about 10 too high.
1* Rice Owls +26.5
Rob Lanier is the head coach of the Owls, but he worked for Rick Barnes for a decade at both Texas and Tennessee. Robs nephew Chaz, played at Tennessee until this year. So if anyone knows how to beat this Tenn. defense, it's gonna be Coach Lanier. He starts 5 seniors, and they went to Oregon and lost by 4 just ten days ago. Barnes won't go out of his way to blow Lanier out, and Lanier wants nothing more than to beat his old mentor.
1* Oregon St Beavers +13.5
No shock to anyone, a Dana Altman coach team is coming out of the gate slow. They usually do, and don't really figure it out until after Xmas. Being a rivalry game, one that the Ducks have won 8 straight in, but the Beavers have covered the number 5 straight times. Could the Ducks blow them out? Absolutely. But history tells us, this is gonna be closer than the number suggests.
GL everyone
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