Final Tune Up

This week represents the last opportunity for all these teams to prepare for their league season. Another angle that will reveal itself this week is the difference between a good team and a great team. With the holiday break already beginning, and many of these kids thinking about a few days off or travelling home, only the truly focused teams and players will show their best today. There is not a team out there this year like Florida who can just turn it on during the last 4 weeks of the year. So in order to find our March winners, it will be good to focus on how they handle the adversity of the holiday season. Additionally, as mentioned before, the teams that have a few players who will be done with college after 1-2 years, will get strong in the next few weeks. These players will have more time to shoot, lift, eat and rest than the players who are still trying to live up to the misnomer of "student-athlete". Look for the Lopez Twinkies to play well, as they skate through the second semester, and USC's awesome freshman Devon Jefferson to move himself into the lottery ahead of OJ Mayo"naise".

As far as the winners, I am going back to the well with my Pre-season favorite to win it all.

Memphis -14 vs Cincinnati. The Bearcats had a good performance against a lackluster Xavier team last time out. That will be a bad omen for them tonight, as they may believe they can go up and down with Memphis. Big mistake! This will be a highlight reel for Memphis as Rose and Dorsey will dunk Cinci with authority!. 2*

Santa Clara +14 vs Stanford. The Broncos have some experienced guard play, and Stanford's guards should be playing in a smaller conference. The Cardinal Bigs can only take them so far, and tonight it will be a highly contested battle. Not likely the Broncos ever get down 15 in this game. Take the points. 2*

Butler -10 vs Bradley. Butler is very good at home and likes to continue to prove it. Smart money is moving this line from its opening at 8.5. Get on it early.

Good Luck,
B.Anthony
59-50-2 ytd