NIT quarterfinals and arguably the biggest home game in Utah Valley history -- Star Wars finally finished its run in the lone Orem movie theater, so the social options are limited. It will be a sellout with hundreds of tickets given away to students. In order for UVU students to enter for free they will need to attend The Den pregame tailgate near the campus Taco Bell and Jamba Juice. I love everything about that sentence from the school website and now want a beefy melt burrito and orange smoothie. "It will be a historic night for our program with ESPN and a national audience focused on Orem and UVU," said school AD Dr. Jared Sumsion. That's really all this is: Picking the home team.

Utah Valley is coming off two impressive wins away from home as an underdog. It now gets to come home and face a familiar opponent in Cincinnati, which opened as a 1-point favorite. While the Bearcats have been impressive and certainly are the more recognizable team, the Wolverines are playing great basketball, and I think the home-court advantage will be a big factor. Utah Valley grades out just fine against Cincinnati, and I'll give the edge to a home team that may be more desperate for a signature win.

Cincinnati is the higher seed in this game, however, this game will be played in Orem, UT, giving Utah Valley a home game. The Wolverines are 13-1 SU at home this season where they shoot 58 percent from the floor. The Bearcats are 5-6 SU on the road where they shoot less than 50 percent from the floor. Cincinnati won’t get many easy shots tonight as the Wolverines hold their opponents to 43.1 percent from the floor, 4th best in the country, 33.1 percent from three, 33rd best, and they lead the nation in blocked shots. Even though this isn’t the Big Dance, this game means a lot more for Utah Valley and I’m willing to back the team with the better defense this time of year. I'm on Utah Valley.

Conventional wisdom somewhat goes out the window in the NIT. A team from the WAC beating a team from the AAC? Not a chance usually...but it's going to be different on Wednesday night. Utah Valley is 23-9 against the spread including 8-3 at home. Their only home loss this season was in January as a six-point favorite against Seattle U. Cincinnati has also been impressive ATS this season, 23-11 including 9-7 on the road. If this game was being played in Ohio, I would absolutely take the home team. But after two impressive road wins in this tournament against New Mexico and Colorado, this Wolverines team won't be afraid of anyone. In what should be a raucous environment in Orem, I think Utah Valley wins a fun, moderately high-scoring, close game.