No more dissing a CBI invitee with a losing record. North Texas, now a game over .500, has stormed to tourney wins by (13 (on the road), 29 and 22 after an injury-filled regular season. The safe margins by which the Mean Green covered were 24.5, 31 and 21. They did it mainly with a torrid offense, scoring 90-plus in all three. San Francisco, by contrast, has squeaked by with wins of four, five and three points -- all at home. The difference between how these teams are playing is stark.

The Dons' run through the College Basketball Invitational hasn't been easy. Their three tournament wins have been by a combined 12 points, but they play a Mean Green squad that's making a long flight from Denton, Texas, and that will likely be fatigued. Game 2 of the best-of-three final is in Denton, as would be a potential Game 3. My simulations project San Francisco running away with this one by double digits 67 percent of the time. Back the Dons.