Tuesday, March 13, 2007

We Made It- NCAA Day 2 and NIT Day 1

B. Anthony has his work cut out for him. My suggestion is that you print out these posts for posterity! I will use the same format to breakdown the 16 games for Friday, along with the play in game today and a few NIT gems. The Kansas-Niagara game (you can see I have chosen a winner) does not have a line yet, but I will call it 22 points and post that as well. Not sure on the time of this game.

NIT Locks Tonight:

NC State +5.5 vs Drexel. This team is still too disappointed. They might show up late in this game. But NC State is playing great and will be happy to keep their season rolling.

Michigan -7 vs Utah State: Michigan has been NIT university the last few years. They are used to winning in this tournament, and it will continue tonight.

The beginning:

4:30PM Niagara -8 vs Florida A&M. This early game is a mismatch. I know it will be a battle for the first half because it is the tournament game and nerves exist. However, Niagara is a good team, tournament tested, and really got a slight slap in the face being placed in this game. They will win handily by double digits.

Kansas -22 vs Niagara. Friday, Time unclear: Kansas is just too deep and talented. They will get a good scout on Niagara, and they will dismantle them early and often. The problem for Niagara is that the 2nd five, and half of the 3rd five for Kansas can beat them badly. This means a 20 point game turns into 35 before it finally slows down. At least they got one win.

Morning Madness:

9:15 Virginia -8 vs Albany. It would be a nice story to cheer for Albany, and for 20 minutes it will look ok. But, Virginia has too many guards, too many athletes, and they will lock it down defensively while Singletary puts up 28. His last few three's will push it into double digits and they will win by 15.

9:25AM UNLV +1.5 vs Georgia Tech. This Rebel team is for real, and I give them the nod because coach Lon Kruger has tournament experience. He also is familiar with the ACC and his team will be prepared. This will not be as close as people think. He will lock down Tech's post threat and in a surprise Rebels wins by 7 to advance.

9:30AM Memphis - 18 vs North Texas. With out James Duncan running the point, North Texas is in trouble. If you read this site regularly you know of my love affair with Memphis. Can you say dunk fest? This game will go up and down and there will be some serious chest thumping going on. The 3 point barrage at the 12 minute mark of the second half will get this game to a 30 point spread before they let the dogs off. Tigers roll!

Lunch time Specials:

11:35AM Winthrop +4.5 vs Notre Dame: This will be as good a game as everyone says. Winthrop has big guards and a lot of experience. The problem is, Notre Dame's new point guard, Jackson, has a lot of David Rivers in him. This game will come down to the wire, so take the points when betting, but Notre Dame advances on the last minute heroics of Tory Jackson, who came of age in the close loss to Georgetown!

11:45AM Long Beach State +7 vs Tennessee: There is a long history in my hatred of Bruce Pearl, so bare with me as I explain. As an eleven-year-old baller at Stanford basketball camp, B. Anthony was unstoppable by other players. However, Coach Pearl, then an assistant of the legendary Tom Davis, didn't like the cocky kid from Menlo Park. In the championship game, he hit B. Anthony with back to back technicals for cussing at his shoulder, mind you, not at anyone else, but at himself. With B. Anthony out of the game, his team had little chance in this all important camp final. Thus the hatred began! This Tennessee team will not have their normal home cooking, and we know their record away from home. Take the points in a high scoring affair. Long Beach State will not only cover, they will advance!

11:50AM Wisconsin -13 vs Texas A&M Corpus Christie: It is hard to take a big favorite who cannot score, however, this team can defend. In a very low scoring affair, I see the Badgers holding Texas A&M CC under 50 points. Not pretty, but effective. 66-49 cover!

11:50AM Creighton +1 vs Nevada: We got the Funk, bring out the Funk! Guard play, guard play, guard play. This was a very tough seed for Fazekas and the Wolfpack. His career comes to an end, and his only contract, a 3 year rookie deal won't be enough to retire. He will be selling insurance in 5 years. Creighton advances on some slick ball handling and running floaters by Nate Funk!

Lone Soldier:

1:55PM Miami (Ohio) +9 vs Oregon: Just having parenthesis in your name gives any team an extra 3 points in B. Anthony math! Oregon is very good, fast and shoots the 3 well. But they are cocky and think they can get away with anything. When your coach consistently sleeps around and figures he can get away with it, it sets a bad precedent. The Ducks were great in the Pac-10 tourney, but they have done this before. They are ripe for a let-down and a slow start. They will win this game, but not by double digits. Ducks advance, but just barely in a Quacker!

Afternoon Delight:

4:10PM Virginia Tech -2.5 vs Illinois: The Hokies, also known as the Dunkies, will do some rim-ripping against the Fighting Illini. The Big Ten has 2 good basketball teams and a bunch of pretenders living off of their past history. Look for a mismatch the entire game, Illinois will try to make it ugly and keep it close, but this game will be close to double digits all game and the Hokies will cover handily. The only reason this line is so low is that there are many gamblers in Chicago who move the line!

4:20PM Arizona -2 vs Purdue: As Bobby Knight would say, "I am sick of losing to Fucking Purdue." Lute Olsen agrees. He will be able to convince his spoiled brats, and very talented team, that they won't get paid in the NBA if they lose in the first round. Marcus Williams will show up and clean the offensive boards and get several put backs as this enigma of a team advances. But be weary, after a good first round game, they will be ripe for a let-down on Sunday when they get smoked by Florida!

4:25PM New Mexico State +9.5 vs Texas. Don't get me wrong, my man crush on Kevin Durant is as just as unhealthy as the next guy's. However, they are only good enough to win these days, and generally play even with teams like New Mexico State. Reggie Theus, a great scorer in his own time, before all the sit-com shit he did, will have a box and one ready to slow down Kevin ( we are on a first name basis). Rick Barnes, on the other hand, can't coach his way out of a cardboard box. It will take at least 25 minutes of game time for him to figure out what to do. When he finally figures it out, his team will pull off a close win. Take the points, but Texas advances.

Night time Specials:

6:30PM Holy Cross +7.5 vs Southern Illinois: This will be a defensive battle by two very well coached and prepared teams. This is simply too many points to lay in a low scoring game. Ralph Willard, once a golf partner of B. Anthony, can break a press by diagramming a few diagonal passes and Holy Cross will make this a nail-biter for the Salukis, who will advanced by the hair on their chinny chin chin!

6:30PM Villanova -1 vs Kentucky: Nova has played tough in tournament situations, and they have the best guard on the court and the best coach. Plain and simple, they win. Kentucky made the tournament on name bias and history alone. Recruit some better player Tubby or your time in Kentucky is over.

6:40PM Florida -28 vs Jackson State: The steam roller is out, and Jackson State is not the team to take the air out of the ball to keep it close. Florida could score 110 points on Friday night. It is hard to lay this many points to anyone, but if OClub Red can beat OClub White by 30, Florida can do it as well! Gators in a big way!

6:45PM USC -1.5 vs Arkansas: Arkansas was a nice little story and they saved the job of Stan Heath. But the shellacking they took on Sunday against Florida has destroyed their confidence. Tim Floyd can coach almost as good as he recruits. USC has great guard play, and Gabe Pruit is playing for a first round guaranteed contract. USC wins by 7-10 points and moves on.

Best Four:
Favorites:
Kansas -22
Va Tech -2.5
Dogs:
Miami (Ohio) +9
Long Beach State +7

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

b anthony-

great commentary..the story about bruce pearl was great as well, seems so out of character for you, I was suprised... the under the breath, looking at your shoulder technical for any readers that dont know was mastered by b anthony by high school..what was even better was watching him complain to the ref after he got the technical that he was talking to himself when everyone could hear him say "bullshit" to his shoulder about the call..
money..what is up with you?

2:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great Bruce Pearl story. Now it all makes sense. Did you also invent the "baseball glove over the mouth" technique while dominating and talking smack in Alpine Little League?

4:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Don't you think a shirtless Bruce Pearl with an orange painted chest is hot?!?!? And did you see those muscles?!?! How Cuuuuuute! He could give me a Pearl necklace any day of thwe week!

4:36 PM  

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