Wednesday Discussion

[FlyersFan]

try this one more time. i just find it hard to believe that we can't get some real discussion going on games. everybody is more than happy to waste 30 seconds BS'ing some guy on a GL on his plays, but people won't take a couple minutes to toss out some thoughts.

Anyone like SLU 1H tomorrow versus Temple. Im hesitant to play them for the game but i think grabbing 2 1/2 1H is a solid look. TEM is a really good road team and needs this win to keep pace for the A-10 title, but SLU is more than capable of hanging.

TXAM -6.......14-1 at home and the only loss to KU when they couldn't finish the deal. Last home game and OKST off of the huge KU win that probably solidified a tourney bid. I'm lookin TXAM 1H here possibly as they should be ready to roll in this one and OKST may be in a bit of a let down mode.

UKY/UGA....interesting one. I have made a mint betting UGA in conference play. They have been an ATS machine for me. But this game im not sure about. First off they almost won at UKY earlier in the year (hung tough at least) and so they will have UKY eye. UKY can wrap up the SEC East with this win and is still playing for a #1 seed. Also, they are off of that loss to Tennessee and you know will be focused here. I have been playing UGA in some 1H's but i am almost ready to actually go against them here. Anyone have a thought on this one? UGA with home wins and covers over SCarolina, Tennessee, Vandy, Florida and Alabama in the past month.

TCU@UNM....can't figure out whether UNM comes out a bit flat or if they come out and completely take apart TCU as they try and wrap up the outright MWC title. TCU sucks and i think eventually UNM covers this game.

CSU@SDSU...........SDSU can't afford to dick around in this game. They need all the solid wins they can muster as they probably define bubble right now. SDSU beat CSU @ CSU by 12 and CSU has been absolutely **** CANNED by every good MWC team on the road. Losses by 31 @UNLV, 20@ UNM and 44 @BYU. I see no reason why the same doesn't hold here. They have lost 4 in a row as well.


any other thoughts?

[Franchise]

A couple that I am looking at

Bama/USC - Two teams that aren't playing well and I don't see how either has much motivation. But with Green getting suspended Bama will be very small inside and USC should be able to get some offensive scores in the paint to help their woeful shooting over the past few games.

UConn/ND - Looking at the under as ND has really slowed their offensive pace without Harrangoody. The question is can ND slow UConn's penetration and size inside? If ND can contain UConn it should be a closely contested battle. UConn is very Jekyl and Hyde though and doesn't always show up with a good effort. The key as I see it is can ND contain Walker and are Walker and Dyson hitting their outside shots? If they force ND to extend their D then UConn should be able to expose ND with their size inside. I may stay away as UConn's performance has been all over the map.

Miss St/Auburn - Can an Auburn team who has played well at home stop a hot Miss St team who is driving for a NCAA berth? If Auburn can knock down shots I like their chances. There should be a lot of 3 pt shots so the team that shoots it better should get the W. I like Auburn's chance in the comforts of their own gym.

WF/FSU - Line seems a bit high although WF has been less than great on the road. FSU has struggled to score lately though and when I have seen them they just seem downright out of sync on offense. They don't seem to develop a rhythm but I haven't seen them in their wins.

UK/UGA - Georgia has been great at home in conference. If UK doesn't bring their A game and knock down a bunch of 3's I don't see them covering this near DD number. I think But UK will be looking to bounce back after their poor effort at Knoxville.

KSU/KU - A top 10 team with the size to matchup adequately with KU inside. KSU also has the speed to exploit Reed and Morningstar when they are in the game. I think it's either a one possession game or KU pounds it inside enough to shoot 60% and run away with it. But Pullen or Clemente can single handedly keep KSU in it and I think the difference in 3 pt shooting keeps it close. KSU just has to withstand the first 8 minutes and not get down DD early. I like their chances.

Temple/SLU - I expect a low scoring slugfest. Temple hasn't played one of their better games in a few weeks and SLU has the ability to make open shots if they are available. Both teams will slow the pace and I am going with the under. After watching SLU I still don't understand how they keep every game close but their performance shows me they can be locked down for long stretches by an athletic, defensive, fundamentally strong team. I will be surprised if SLU gets the W but after taking enough L's fading them I think the safer play is the under as I could see both teams staying under 50 in a game that sets basketball back 50 years like the UD/Temple game.

Duke/Maryland - Duke has had success in recent games against Maryland both home and away and Duke has been playing great D all over the floor of late. Maryland would have been able to keep the last game close if they had made a few shots early and will probably be able to do that at home where they have played much better. Duke is more experienced in big games and in the situation of taking another team's best shot. I'm leaning toward the under in a game where Duke will probably try to control tempo and make Maryland work on defense to keep the crowd out of the game.

Memphis/UAB - Revenge game and Memphis is very thin inside. Witherspoon and Williams destroyed UAB last time and the defensive focus should be on those two. If they can contain them UAB should be able to exploit a less than disciplined Memphis defense.

[Nicky Santoro]

Franchise, I agree with your UCONN/ND write up, the Huskies are all over the place and I can't figure them out. I do know this, the Irish has lost 6 of 7 to UCONN. However, they have been shooting the ball well in Harangody's absence going over 50% from the field and 48% form the arc. The defense is what worries me, they are giving up almost the same. Playing @home on senior night coming off 2 wins in a row off ranked teams (Pitt, GTown) and the guy holding this team together right now, Tory Jackson was quoted saying, “I want to make this the best game of my career.”

Connecticut beat Notre Dame by 12 in the teams' first meeting in Hartford in early January, but that Irish team is far different than the one that will take the floor Wednesday. This group moves more methodically on offense and is content to play a halfcourt game. They'll cut and move and pass until the shot clock slips under 10 seconds, then make their move. They're a bit better defensively and have embraced the concept that they need all seven or eight guys working as one to win.

Nobody has looked over their shoulders at the bench waiting for Harangody to return. Instead, it's been adapt, execute and excel.

I like ND -1 tonight.

[TheBeholdah]

sorry flyers, ive been real busy lately and just havent been as into it since i went on that ugly run. i want to end with a strong postseason tho.

i agree with nicky and my favorite play tonight is notre dame. theyve been playing great ball lately. i think they'll turn it over less and outshoot the huskies. should be close but luck of the irish continues