2 Expert Picks
How deceiving is Belmont's 11-1 record?...
Can Washington cover three straight games? ...
The HBCU Classic continues Friday with a pair of matchups. The second game will feature two teams that have just one win each against division one opponents in Norfolk State and Jackson State. The Tigers had great individual play from Daeshun Ruffin in yesterday’s loss to Hampton with 36 points. Expect a down shooting night for Ruffin in consecutive games, and for Norfolk State to get their second win over a division one school. Lay the number.
We can envision backing the Hilltoppers down the road in C-USA play this season, as WKU has displayed a sharper edge at times and put a scare into high-ranked Vanderbilt in the Bahamas last month. Three-point shooting, a bane for the Tops last season, has improved slightly from last term, and 6-5 soph wing Teagan Moore (17.6 ppg) has emerged as a go-to threat. Nonetheless, we need more evidence to buck a red-hot Tulsa that might be the team to be in the American with its 90 ppg offense. The Golden Hurricane can hit from all angles after HC Eric Konkol unearthed some gems from the portal such (ex-CBU G Tylen Riley & ex-St Thomas G Miles Barnstable, both at 15 ppg). Play Tulsa.
Neither of these sides has hinted about riding the handbrake, so this total looks very much within reach tonight at Diddle Arena. Tulsa, in particular, is playing at a much faster speed this season for HC Eric Konkol, who entered the campaign under fire but has re-booted the Golden Hurricane offense with transfers such as Gs Tylen Riley (via Cal Baptist) and Miles Barnstable (via St Thomas-Minn). Both are scoring at 15 ppg for a revved-up offense scoring 90 ppg and hitting nearly 50% from the floor. Meanwhile, Hank Plona's Hilltoppers are also playing at a fast pace and scoring nearly 85 ppg. WKU has uncovered a go-to threat from tis own ranks in holdover soph G Teagan Moore (17.6 ppg). Play Tulsa-WKU Over.
Not much glory in being one of the best 2-9 teams, but signs of progress nonetheless from the Beach. Four straight spread covers for Chris Acker's troops, who have narrowly missed road wins at UCSB and San Jose State (both in OT) and pushed a 10-1 UCSD side to the wire in the past couple of weeks. Improvement from last year is palpable with frosh G Gavin Sykes (17.1 ppg) & Syracuse transfer F Petar Majstorovic (14 ppg) likely to be popular portal targets in the offseason. Meanwhile, despite a better record, Pep hasn't impressed regional observers, missing the sharp edge that transferred G Moe Odum (now ASU) provided last term, while the Waves aren't helping themselves with subpar three-point shooting (29.1%). Play Long Beach.
Opening game of OVC conference play for both teams. Neither of these teams play much defense and want an uptempo game. Tennessee Tech is 3-1 SU at home and will dictate the pace, as they’re technically the faster paced team. The Redhawks is 1-4 SU on the road this season where their defense is allowing 82.8 points per game. Tennessee Tech has scored 80 points in four straight games and are the more battle tested team, playing Georgia, Kentucky and pulled two nice upsets over West Georgia and US Upstate, better teams than the Redhawks.
One of the yearly small school matchups I tend to gravitate towards is Tennessee Martin against Tennessee State. The Tigers won both matchups last season, including a one point win in overtime. Remarkably tonight will mark their first home game against a division one opponent all season. Look for UT Martin to get off to the faster start, and seek revenge for last year’s sweep.
MVC sources have alerted to keep an eye on action-packed Murray State. Now at 91 ppg after running away from Akron in a 115-100 shootout at Henderson, first-year HC Ryan Miller (via Greg McDermott's Creighton staff) has assembled a new team of Racers via transfers and frosh. Ex-UIC G Javon Jackson (16.5 ppg) now flourishing in a go-go offense, while hybrid 6-9 frosh point-forward Roman Domon has scored double-digits in six straight. Meanwhile, Drake is still looking to gain some traction for new HC Eric Henderson, off of a good run at South Dakota State, but on its third coach in as many years after the portal cleaned out last year's overachievers for Ben McCollum (many now at Iowa). Play Murray State.
A team that has started to show life after early season struggles are the Bradley Braves. They began the season just 1-3 overall, and now have won each of their last four games. The difference tonight is a conference game against Indiana State, as well as just their second true road game of the season. The Braves won both matchups a season ago including a season high 118 points in the second meeting. Lay the number here with Bradley.
Big number, yes, but I think it should be -250 if the right CCSU team shows up -- so I'll go ahead and bet to win on this. The Blue Devils already own wins at power schools Boston College and Rutgers. Not saying those are Final Four teams, but pretty impressive for an NEC school. And CCSU is 3-0 at home, scoring triple digits in each. Granted, against teams like Godolkin U (actually they might be invincible), Charmin College (the Softies) and Beefaroni State (want one of those T-shirts). When scoring 70+ points under coach Patrick Sellers, who has built a nice program, CCSU is 26-1 in its past 27. Fairfield allows 75.5 and has surrendered at least 70 in all but one road game.
Tip at 7:05 and this just became I think a good play as Temple is down three regulars in Gavin Griffiths, Swish Gilyard and AJ Smith. Now I'm hammering this. Short and sweet.
After watching a loaded Bradley team torch his Sycamores for 118 points last January 15, Matthew Graves isn't likely to see that happen again tonight in Terre Haute. First, these aren't the same Braves, as Brian Wardle had to replace most of the key cogs from his 26-win NIT entry. Second, Graves has found a recipe that appears to be working for ISU, as the Sycs have been controlling pace, allowing just 56 ppg in their last six wins. While not explosive, ISU is rather efficient offensively, hitting a respectable 46.1% from the floor, and getting good mileage from some lower-tier transfers, D-II ex-Truman State PG Xavier Hall (5.3 apg), and NAIA ex-Grace College F Ian Scott (68% FGs). Play Bradley-ISU Under.
As the longest-running act to yet make the NCAA Tournament, we don't want to jump the gun and pencil Bill & Mary into the Big Dance next March, especially after some near-misses at the Colonial/Coastal Tourney in recent years. Still, this is looking pretty exciting for Tribe backers. Their team is scoring up a storm (86 pg) and it hits 50% from the floor. They recently ran off six straight wins before hitting a hot GW in D.C. Brian Earl's fast-paced entry has plenty of balance (seven scoring between 9-12 ppg) and will put pressure on the Highlanders, who are leaning awfully hard on NCS transfer wing Dennis Parker, Jr (19 ppg) for first-year HC Zach Chu. Play W&M.
In the Billikens' last game, an 85-75 win over USF last Saturday, we got a good idea what HC Josh Schertz preaches, as SLU racked up an impressive 20 assists compared to just 9 TOs. That's the latest example of how the Bills continue to be a smooth-running offensive machine, scoring at a 91 ppg clip with five DD scorers, all between 10-13 ppg, with BC transfer G Dion Brown leading the way. Meanwhile, Reggie Theus might have a SWAC contender at BCU, but the Wildcats aren't slowing the pace vs. top-shelf opposition, allowing 94 ppg vs. the five best foes (Auburn, Miami, Dayton, Indiana, Mizzou) faced thus far. Play BCU-SLU Over