NCAA Saturday Chatter

As always, light Friday card and I likely will have something tonight, but will start a separate thread for that.  Started looking over tomorrow's games and wanted to get some banter going..

Very early leans, teams I like in italics

Connecticut @ Syracuse

Baylor @ Missouri

St. Louis @ LaSalle

Virginia Commonwealth @ Old Dominion

Davidson @ Charleston

Wyoming @ New Mexico

San Diego State @ UNLV

California @ UCLA

Wichita State @ Creighton

Michigan State @ Ohio State

Georgia Southern @ The Citadel

Loyola Marymount @ Gonzaga

Xavier @ Temple

Good starting list for now, happy to share my view on each.  Feel free to drop your thoughts in here as well on these as well as any games. 

Looking forward to getting some good discussion going..

I think UNLV blows out SDSU. Sold out game, hopefully the line will not be to high.

VCU @ ODU

Hoping to see a home ML here, but likely get a Pick or a +1.  I am very excited for the CAA conference tournament this year and this game has huge implications for both regular season title and seeding in the conf tourney.  VCU has a gauntlet of a schedule over their next three - @ ODU, @ Mason and vs. Northern Iowa in the BracketBuster. In VCU's conference road games vs. teams with home conference losing records, they have a 17pt win (@ Hofstra), a 25pt win (@ Towson) and a 9pt win (@ Bill & Mary).  However, on the road in conference vs. solid home teams, VCU beat Delaware by 13, Georgia State by 1 and lost to Drexel by 6. ODU defends home court well and I think that holds true tomorrow.

just realized I left one of my lean list..

Kentucky @ Vanderbilt

FWIW I am a Vandy homer. Historically VU is 4-4 outright at home when UK is ranked no. 1 (1-1 when VU was also ranked; thus 3-3 when UK is no. 1 and VU unranked).  I think if the line is  5 or 6, then there is value in VU.  Matchups are good both ways to keep this a tight game.   

theone - thought about Texas, still looking that one over

rjwelho - thanks for the post.  Vandy is a sleeper of mine come March as I think they are built to make a deep run.  They had some misfortune earlier in the year, but certainly capabale of knocking of the Cats at home.

bullmoose - I could see it settling in just under 10, possibly an 8.5 or 9.  The Huskies are in a tailspin, but three of their recent losses were by a combined 8 points.  In the last two they got pounded, but talent is still there.