Saturday 12/8 Discussion Thread

[Nigel Tufnel]

Big card tomorrow. I really enjoy the discussion threads in NFL and NCAA Foots...so I thought we could get a discussion going on what everyone is looking at tomorrow. Here are the lines per Pinnacle...I realize Pinnacle lines don't do us Americans any good, but its as good a place to start as any...

Sat 12/8 715 Arizona +3 -112
09:00 AM 716 Illinois -3 +102

Sat 12/8 717 Michigan +22 -105
11:00 AM 718 Duke -22 -105

Sat 12/8 719 Northwestern +11 -105
11:00 AM 720 Western Michigan -11 -105

Sat 12/8 721 Depaul +20 -105
11:00 AM 722 Kansas -20 -105

Sat 12/8 723 Iowa pk -101
11:00 AM 724 Iowa State pk -109

Sat 12/8 725 Wake Forest +5 -105
11:00 AM 726 Georgia -5 -105

Sat 12/8 727 George Mason +3.5 +102
11:00 AM 728 Kent State -3.5 -112

Sat 12/8 729 Dayton +12 +102
11:00 AM 730 Louisville -12 -112

Sat 12/8 731 Delaware +14.5 -105
11:00 AM 732 Ohio -14.5 -105

Sat 12/8 733 Saint Marys CA -2.5 -104
12:00 PM 734 San Diego State +2.5 -106

Sat 12/8 735 Pittsburgh -3.5 +102
12:00 PM 736 Washington U +3.5 -112

Sat 12/8 737 San Diego +11 -105
12:00 PM 738 New Mexico -11 -105

Sat 12/8 739 Purdue +8 -118
01:00 PM 740 Missouri -8 +108

Sat 12/8 741 Kentucky +8.5 -112
01:00 PM 742 Indiana U -8.5 +102

Sat 12/8 743 Valparaiso -1.5 -112
01:00 PM 744 Detroit U +1.5 +102

Sat 12/8 745 Wisc Green Bay +3 -109
01:00 PM 746 Illinois Chicago -3 -101

Sat 12/8 747 Michigan State +2 -101
01:00 PM 748 B.Y.U. -2 -109

Sat 12/8 749 Marquette +2.5 -105
03:00 PM 750 Wisconsin -2.5 -105

Sat 12/8 751 CS Fullerton +2.5 +102
03:30 PM 752 Central Michigan -2.5 -112

Sat 12/8 753 Drexel +3 -105
04:00 PM 754 Toledo -3 -105

Sat 12/8 755 UAB +2 +109
04:00 PM 756 South Florida -2 -119

Sat 12/8 757 Youngstown State +8 -109
02:00 PM 758 Cleveland State -8 -101

Sat 12/8 759 Butler -8 -105
04:00 PM 760 Wright State +8 -105

Sat 12/8 761 Duquesne +11.5 -105
04:00 PM 762 West Virginia -11.5 -105

Sat 12/8 763 Miami Florida -12 -105
04:00 PM 764 Florida Intl +12 -105

Sat 12/8 765 Ball State +9 -112
04:00 PM 766 Indiana State -9 +102

Sat 12/8 767 Northern Illinois +24 -114
04:00 PM 768 Notre Dame -24 +104

Sat 12/8 769 So Illinois -3.5 -105
04:00 PM 770 NC Charlotte +3.5 -105

Sat 12/8 771 Mississippi -3 -105
04:00 PM 772 Central Florida +3 -105

Sat 12/8 773 Rhode Island +6 -112
04:00 PM 774 Syracuse -6 +102

Sat 12/8 775 NC State -10 -119
04:00 PM 776 East Carolina +10 +109

Sat 12/8 777 Richmond +14.5 +102
04:30 PM 778 Va Commonwealth -14.5 -112

Sat 12/8 779 Colorado State +15.5 -105
05:00 PM 780 Minnesota U -15.5 -105

Sat 12/8 781 Utah U +12.5 +102
03:00 PM 782 Oregon -12.5 -112

Sat 12/8 783 Colorado +4 -105
01:00 PM 784 Wyoming -4 -105

Sat 12/8 785 Texas -23 -105
05:00 PM 786 Rice +23 -105

Sat 12/8 787 Seton Hall +1.5 -112
05:00 PM 788 Penn State -1.5 +102

Sat 12/8 789 Wisc Milwaukee +6 -112
05:00 PM 790 Loyola Chicago -6 +102

Sat 12/8 791 Cincinnati +10 -105
05:00 PM 792 Illinois State -10 -105

Sat 12/8 793 CS Northridge +18.5 -105
05:00 PM 794 Gonzaga -18.5 -105

Sat 12/8 795 Loyola Marymount +20 -105
06:00 PM 796 Boise State -20 -105

Sat 12/8 797 UTEP +4 -105
05:00 PM 798 New Mexico State -4 -105

Sat 12/8 799 Santa Clara -5 -105
07:00 PM 800 San Jose State +5 -105

Sat 12/8 801 Fresno State +14 -118
07:00 PM 802 UNLV -14 +108

Sat 12/8 803 Pepperdine +14 -105
07:30 PM 804 Pacific -14 -105

Sat 12/8 805 Davidson +13 +102
02:30 PM 806 UCLA -13 -112

Sat 12/8 807 Northern Colorado -1 -105
03:00 PM 808 Denver U +1 -105

Sat 12/8 809 NC Greensboro +1 -105
04:00 PM 810 Wofford -1 -105

Sat 12/8 811 Western Kentucky -6.5 +120
04:00 PM 812 Eastern Kentucky +6.5 -132

Sat 12/8 813 Marist +9.5 -105
04:30 PM 814 Massachusetts -9.5 -105

Sat 12/8 815 Jacksonville State +9 -109
04:00 PM 816 Tennessee Martin -9 -101

Sat 12/8 817 Rider -6.5 -105
04:30 PM 818 Canisius +6.5 -105

Sat 12/8 819 Austin Peay +1 +102
05:00 PM 820 Evansville -1 -112

Sat 12/8 821 Tennessee State -3 -105
05:15 PM 822 Eastern Illinois +3 -105

Sat 12/8 823 Morehead State +10 -105
05:30 PM 824 Murray State -10 -105

Sat 12/8 825 Tennessee Tech +1.5 +106
05:30 PM 826 SE Missouri State -1.5 -116

Sat 12/8 827 Weber State +6 -105
02:00 PM 828 San Francisco -6 -105

Sat 12/8 829 Montana State +15 -105
07:30 PM 830 Nevada -15 -105

Thoughts?

[HoosierDaddy]

It's a helluva card....3 stick out to me right away:

Washington (that's a LONG way to travel for Pitt)

Kentucky (think 8 is too many points in this rivalry)

Penn State (fade on Seton Hall and I think PSU guards can control SHU guards)

[Nigel Tufnel]

There are some really great matchups tomorrow, IMHO. Not sure it will be great for wagering...but some games I'd really like to watch. Here are some thoughts/comments on some of the games that stick out to me.

Kent State -3.5 v. Geo Mason -- I've been riding Kent State like Seattle Slew since I watched them play Xavier in the Chicago Invitational. They are deep, athletic, long and FAST. They have covered all their games since the loss to X with the exception of missing a -9.5 spread @ Youngstown State on Wednesday, where they won by 7. I would LOVE to watch this game tomorrow. These are two very solid teams. I lean to Kent @ home giving a low number.

Illinois State -10 v. Cincinnati -- I'll be interested to see what the public does with this number. I'm wondering if this isn't one of those CuseFan "traps" (XU/Creighton) with the home team seemingly giving too many points. Only problems is....Cincinnati is dreadful. UC is so bad they shouldn't be a team that looks ahead against anyone....but I have to believe they will be thinking about a little game called the Crosstown Shootout that will take place Wednesday night at the Cintas Center....Cronin has called the guys out and according to the media, the players are reacting....but I'm seriously looking at Ill State in this one.

Dayton +12 @ Louisville -- Again, is this one of those CuseFan trap games? Dayton has a pretty decent team this year. They have been one of the worst road teams in D1 in year's past....but it looks like they may have exercised those demons this year with solid back to back road wins (albeit close ones) @ Miami, OH and @ Holy Cross. Miami went down to the Ville and lost to the Cardinals by 3 last Saturday. My initial reaction would be to take the points...but I don't want to get caught up in the line of logic, "Dayton beat Miami @ Millet, Miami only lost by 3 @ Lousville." Mainly because Miami does an absolutely amazing job of making other teams play Miami's style and tempo....Dayton...not so much. May be a no play...will have to see what the line movement does on this one.

Indiana -8.5 v. Kentucky -- I'm sure the public will be pounding IU...not sure I really care. I get more UK news than I care to hear about here in the Nati...UK has got some major issues right now...rumors of Gillespie being drunk off his ass around Lexington...Legion leaving and then possibly coming back...rumors of other players wanting to transfer. IU is better than UK and will get the homer treatment @ Assembly Hall. This game will be on CBS and I think Gordon will put on a show. I'm taking IU unless someone can talk me out of it.

UMass -9.5 v. Marist -- Just think UMass has the major talent edge here and playing at home, I would expect a 15-20 UMass win.

Butler -8 @ Wright State -- This looks like a trap...but Butler is playing so well right now. Butler has its issues playing @ Wright State last year....but last year was last year and Butler is playing as well as anyone right now. Trap?

Duquesne +11.5 @ WVU -- Is WVU for real? They looked great at Auburn Wednesday evening...will the Dukes have a letdown after losing by 5 to Pitt Wednesday? Again, is this the CuseFan "trap" game where WVU looks to giving too many? Not sure I'll mess with this one...just one that popped out as looking interesting.

URI +6 @ Cuse -- I'll defer to CuseFan on this one....this should be a really good game though. Cuse is tough @ home....but this year's Rams team is tough and I fully expect it to be between URI and XU for the A10 this year. CuseFan?

Michigan State +2.5 @ BYU -- I think the public will be hammering MSU tomorrow....I've seen MSU play this year and could really see them having difficulty with BYU's disciplined play in Provo....leaning to BYU in this one.

Well, that's what I've got. Would love some feedback and info on some of the other games tomorrow.

[pitch21]

Here's who I like early going into tomorrow:

Wake, Iowa, Arizona, BYU, Marquette, Minnesota, Colorado, Evansville

I think Minnesota should win in a blowout

Nigel I tihnk your exactly right on BYU and MSU

I also like your Kent State play...I think the public will pound George Mason

[Daws1089]

one that caught my eye was vcu/rich

richmond really like to play a slow tempo and vcu is pretty much the opposite. If vcu comes out ready to go and gets a lead, i dont know that richmond has any hope. i would lean to vcu here, but the big number may keep me off.

[wsox08]

I would take AZ +3 because I'm not sure the Illini can hang around with the Wildcats, but I have trouble betting against the Illini. It's not fun to watch the game when I'm against them.

[redsfann]

I'm playing Iowa +1.

Neither of these two teams are very good, but Iowa got its best player back on Wed against the Panthers of Northern Iowa. Tony Freeman is the starting point guard who has returned from a broken foot suffered before the season started. Iowa is thin, with only 11 players on the roster, and will be a man short today as G Dan Brohall did not travel to Ames with the team. He pleaded guilty to a public intox charge last week and was suspended for the UNI game. Still must be in coach's dog house to not even travel with the Hawkeyes to this game.
And as banged up and short handed Iowa is this season, its even worse for the Cyclones as their top 3 players have yet to see any extended time on the court. The 'clones got rolled by their in-state rival the Drake Bulldogs last time out, so they may play with a better focus vs another of their in-state brethren. If Tony Freeman was still out, I'd be playing the Cyclones or passing. But he will be the best player on the floor this afternoon and the Hawkeyes, while not a good team, are certainly much better with him handling the ball and setting up his teammates. Iowa wins a close one today.

[Daws1089]

redsfann, i was looking at under 113 in that one. those teams are so slow paced.

[redsfann]

Originally Posted by Daws1089

redsfann, i was looking at under 113 in that one. those teams are so slow paced.

Me, too, Daws. Only thing that scares me is that Iowa with Freeman is a totally different team than they were for the 1st 9 games of the season. Really can't see Iowa shooting as well as they did at UNI on Wed. and Iowa State's only chance is to slow it down as they don't have the horses to run and that is not McDermott's M.O.

The total in the Iowa/UNI game was 110.5 and Iowa shot lights out to send that game over the total, but not by much.

No way I'd bet the over in this game and still may grab a bit of the under--just wish it would climb a point or two. Iowa State is now -2. Going to hit it for another unit or two....