KenPom ranks Georgia Southern eight spots higher for this Sun Belt matchup. The hosts are 6-5 in the league and Texas State 6-6. The Eagles' best player? That would be graduate transfer guard Spudd Webb (16.2 PPG), apparently not related to the former dunk king. At home this season, Georgia Southern is 8-3 while averaging 85.6 PPG and outscoring foes by more than 14. TSU has won back-to-back games but those were at home. It has a single road win, coming at truly dreadful UL Monroe and even that was close. When playing Georgia Southern on the road, the Bobcats are 1-7 all-time.
The best college hoops matchup Monday around the nation isn't from the ACC or Big 12 on ESPN Big Monday but instead this one between the top two teams in the Southland who have combined to go 23-3 against league foes this season. They played at McNeese State on Jan. 5 and the hosts won 66-64, the only conference loss for SFA. It is unbeaten at home -- winning 11 in a row in Nacogdoches, coming by an average of 19 points -- so a bit surprised this isn't maybe a pick'em or even Lumberjacks slight favorites; they are a stellar 16-4 ATS. Opponents have averaged just six made three-pointers against SFA over the last nine games.
Rhody is without leading scorer Jonah Hinton (14.1 PPG, terrific free-throw shooter) with two rotational reserves in question. No players listed even iffy for Duquesne. The Dukes are fourth in the Atlantic 10 in scoring offense (83.2 ppg), field goal percentage (.478) and three-point field goals made per game (9.43). They have won five straight at home in the series.
Playing more than usual today as the weather is truly icky, and I hear Twilight (again) from the living room so I sure as heck ain’t going out there. Guess I’m stuck in the man atrium. Can’t afford a cave. Kinda running in place so far today, win one, lose one, rinse and repeat. Could be worse, but I expect better. This feels like a very fair number to me even at nearly -180 as I think it could or even should be closer to -280 unless someone major is out on the Privateers that I don't know about. NW State has lost three in a row and has a single away win (coming against a bottom-feeder). KenPom ranks UNO 70 spots better.
This is on the move down with GW star Rafael Castro, easily one of the best players in the Atlantic 10, sitting out. Fordham is down a few reserves. The Rams are a terrible offensive club averaging only 71.3 PPG but good defensively (65.0 PPG).
Disappointing college hoops Friday. I didn't expect Sparty to win and it didn't, but Iona definitely should have -- I watched almost all of that, but the Gaels simply couldn't put away an inferior team and it bit them late. Kinda saw that coming sadly enough. Gotta finish. Texas Tech is a Final Four threat but UCF is just a different animal at home, having already beaten Kansas there this season and hanging with No. 1 Arizona. A win like this almost assures an at-large NCAA Tournament berth. Ideally, TTU wins by 4 so both me and Larry Hartstein win as he's on the Red Raiders -3.5. All four of their losses are away from home.
Quite a number in Virginia Tech's home game of the year. VT is pretty decent, 4-1 at home in ACC play and 12-1 overall in its own gym. Bit of a letdown game maybe for the Blue Devils off a win over ranked Louisville on Monday to essentially already win the ACC regular-season title. Obviously long ways to go but sure seems that's gonna happen. But the Dukies often struggle in Blacksburg. I'd struggle too in a place where all the fans are wearing Davy Crockett coonskin hats and carrying muskets.
Not in the habit of playing things I doubt win, but when Michigan plays Michigan State, I'm in no matter what. Wish I was at the Breslin Center tonight. Shark Bowl (think Long Island Ice Tea times 10) and chili-cheese fries after in East Lansing. I don't think Sparty is nearly as talented and should be a home dog, but MSU is almost never as talented as the top teams yet keeps winning thanks to Tom Izzo, who is as nice of a human being as he is a great coach. I truly fear his retirement as the hoops program might go the way of the football team. Half-unit simply as I will be watching. If I win? Good pizza night. If not? Hello Dominos.
KenPom ranks Iona 39 spots higher for this MAAC matchup. The Gaels are 2-0 on this three-game homestand. They have won 17 in a row in this series at the Hynes Center. I have to say that Iona's game notes are pretty impressively detailed whereas some schools this size don't even put out any. An example: Defensively when holding teams to less than 1.0 PPG, Iona is 9-1 and 6-0 in 72 possessions or fewer. With a 1.0 opponent PPP or greater, Iona is 5-7 overall and 1-4 with > 72 possessions. Am I going to do anything with that? No, but as a journalist I respect the work put in by whomever did it. I was definitely there back in the day.
Pair of teams sitting 10-11 overall and 4-4 in CAA play, but Drexel is trending up having won four of five while Hampton has dropped four of six. The Pirates also have lost four in a row away. Could be a rock right as the Dragons limit opponents to a conference-best 66.7 points while the Pirates yield 67.8 points. Hampton and Drexel have allowed the fewest field goals in the CAA and the fewest 3-pointers. Hampton has averaged just 63.3 ppg in the past four matchups with Drexel and scored 52 there in a loss last season. One of the Pirates' best players, Michael Eley, is slumping while playing through a toe injury with just 11 combined points in the past two.
Not much more than it's always tough to sweep a conference foe that is about even and that's the case here -- DePaul beat visiting Georgetown by five on Jan. 6 but the Hoyas led by 3 at the half. They shot just 29% from the floor but are 10-3 when shooting a higher percentage than opponents. The Blue Demons are 1-4 SU away and have dropped the past four. Our model has GU winning comfortably.
Will throw a quick half down as Oakland reportedly is without second-leading scorer Isaac Garrett (14.7 PPG, team-best 7.1 RPG) and leading scorer Brady Robinson (16.6 PPG) is dealing with some food poisoning. Purdue-Fort Wayne has won five straight and well-rested as its last game Sunday was postponed.
Late play due to some injury news as Grand Canyon is down two regulars in the backcourt in Brian Moore Jr. (9.0 PPG, team-best 2.5 APG) and Caleb Shaw (8.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG). Nevada leads the Mountain West in free throws made per game (19.6), is second in the conference for free-throw attempts per game (25.5) and is third in in blocks per game (4.2). The Pack rank in the country and second in the conference in three-point percentage (39.4).
Purdue scalded me Saturday when for some reason Coach Matt Painter didn't adjust defensively at all when an Illinois freshman was just destroying the Boilers. Not Painter's finest hour and Purdue has now dropped two straight. Indiana is on the wrong side of the NCAA bubble currently via oddsmakers so it could use a resume-boosting win like this. Especially with the LA Swing and potentially two losses up next. The Hoosiers pulled off this upset in Bloomington last season and have won three of the past four at home in the series.
KenPom ranks Texas A&M-CC 12 spots higher for this Southland matchup. The hosts sit 7-4 in league play and the visitors 5-6. The Islanders won the first meeting, 63-59, back on Jan. 3. UTRGV shot just 2-for-19 from deep on its own floor. Texas A&M-CC is No. 2 in the Southland in scoring defense (66.9 PPG) and 3-point defense (29.5%).