NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up
Tuesday, March 12
ACC tournament, Charlotte
Miami went 4-5 in its last nine games after starting out 1-8 in ACC; Hurricanes? defense eFG% is 2nd-worst in ACC. Wake Forest lost its last three games, was 4-14 in ACC; they?re shooting 28.1% on arc in ACC games, only 40.7% inside arc- they?re experience team #324. Miami beat Wake Forest by 11 at home, then lost by point at Wake two weeks ago, when they led by 14 with 8:32 left; teams split last eight meetings. Last 11 years, Deacons are 2-11 in ACC tournaments, with last win in ?17; Miami won its first ACC tourney game eight of the last nine years.
Last four years, Notre Dame is 8-3 in ACC tourney, winning it in ?15, but they?ve been ravaged by injuries, are experience team #318. Irish lost their last seven games, the last two by 2-3 points; their last win was 69-59 over Georgia Tech on Feb 10, a loss that avenged an earlier 63-61 loss in Atlanta. Teams split their last eight meetings. Tech is 2-7 in ACC tourney last seven years, 0-2 under Pastner, losing by 2-10 points. GT is 3-2 in its last five games after starting 3-10 in ACC; they turn ball over 21.9% of time in ACC games- they?re also young, experience team #305.
Pittsburgh shot 29% from floor, 10-37 on arc and lost 66-57 at Boston College Feb 12; Eagles won last two series games, after losing previous five. Panthers lost 13 of their last 14 games, finished 3-15 in ACC, shooting only 43.1% inside arc in ACC games. Pitt is experience team #301 team that starts three freshmen and a sophomore. BC lost five of its last six games, finished 5-13 in ACC- they?re #53 team in minutes continuity- they start three juniors, one sophomore. Last 10 years, Pitt is 5-10 in conference tourneys; BC is 4-7 in its last seven ACC tourneys.
Sun Belt tournament, campus sites
Home side won both Arkansas State-South Alabama games this season; Red Wolves won first meeting 66-65 at home, then lost rematch by 8 in Mobile. USA won three of last four series games, winning last three series games played here, by 3-20-8 points. Last four years, ASU is 0-2 in Sun Belt tourney- their last tourney win was in 4 OT?s in 2014. Last six years, Jaguars are 2-5 in Sun Belt tourney. ASU was 7-11 in Sun Belt, losing its last four road games. USA went 6-5 in its last 11 games after starting out 2-5; they won three of last five home games.
Home side won both Appalachian State-ULM games this year. Mountaineers won by a point, then lost rematch by 6 in Monroe Feb 28. ULM is 5-3 in series games; ASU lost three of four visits here, with losses by 11-16-6 points. ASU split its last dozen games after starting 0-6 in Sun Belt; they went 2-7 on road, are 4-15 this season vs teams ranked in top 200. UL-Monroe is 3-4 in its last seven games, but won three of last four at home. Last five years, ASU is 1-3 in Sun Belt tourney games; Warhawks won their first Sun Belt tourney game the last four years.
CAA tournament, Charleston, SC
Wright-Foreman scored 42 of Hofstra?s 78 points Monday; he played 44:00, hope he gets lot of rest. Hofstra/Northeastern split two games this year; Pride won first meeting by 3, then lost rematch by 14 in Boston. Hofstra won six of last eight series games; they haven?t met in CAA tourney in nine years. Hofstra won its last four games, is 17-3 in CAA games; three of their last six games went to OT- they played four starters 37:00+ last nite. Hofstra has never won this event; Huskies won it four years ago. Northeastern won six in row, 15 of its last 17 games.
Horizon League tournament, Detroit
Wright State/Northern Kentucky split pair of 4-point decisions this year; Norse is 5-4 in series games- they beat Wright by 5 in this event two years ago. Raiders won nine of last ten games, are 15-5 in Horizon games; they had stress-free win Monday. Norse played four starters 33:00+ in its last-second 64-63 win last night; their 6-8 center hit game-winning trey, after having been 1-9 on arc prior to that. NKU won seven of its last nine games; they?re shooting 57.4% inside arc in Horizon games. Raiders won this tournament last year, NKU won its the year before.
Summit League tournament, Sioux Falls, SD
Omaha beat North Dakota State twice this year, by 13-8 points; Mavericks are 5-3 in last eight series games, won 18 of last 21 games overall after starting season 3-7- they?re #88 experience team that is making 40.8% of its 3?s in Summit games, best in league. Omaha played three starters 35:00+ last night in its 61-60 win- they start two seniors, two juniors. North Dakota State was 14-26 on arc in its 76-73 win last night; Bison won this tournament in both ?14-?15. NDSU is experience team #277 that doesn?t play any seniors- they start three juniors.
WCC tournament, Las Vegas (Orleans Arena)
This is 9th time in last 11 years Gonzaga-Saint Mary?s have met in WCC tourney, with Zags 6-2 in previous eight, winning last four, by 14-16-10-18 points. Gonzaga is 19-0 in WCC this season; they?re won last 18 games in this event, last losing in 2012. Bulldogs won their last 21 points, none by less than 12 points- their last loss was at Dec 15 at North Carolina. Zags won this tourney last six years, winning final by 14-11-16-10-18-20 points. Gaels won six of last seven games overall; they lost to Gonzaga by 48-14 points this year- they start two sophs, two juniors.
NEC tournament, Loretto, PA
Fairleigh Dickinson won seven in row, 13 of its last 16 games after starting season 4-11; Knights split pair with St Francis this season, beating Red Flash here by 18 in January, then losing by 25 at home in the rematch- they?re 7-0 since then, winning last three road games. FDU is #153 experience team (#41 in MC). St Francis won 11 of its last 13 games; they?re experience team #58 that won seven of its last eight home games. FDU won this tournament four years ago; Red Flash made the NCAA?s once, way back in 1991. These teams tied for regular season title.
MEAC tournament, Norfolk, VA
South Carolina State/Md-Eastern Shore both finished 5-11 in MEAC this year; State lost its last four games, three by 3 or fewer points? they lost 63-61 at UMES Feb 2, shooting 39.4% inside arc. Bulldogs are 5-25 vs D-I teams this year; they?re forcing turnovers 23.5% of time in MAC games, #2 in league. UMES lost its first 17 D-I games this season, but won last three; they went 5-11 in MEAC, turning ball over 21.5% of time, shooting 30.3% on arc. Hawks are #97 in experience but #320 in MC; State is #97 in experience, #320 in MC.
Morgan State lost twice to Coppin State this year, by 2-14 points; Eagles were 12-26 on arc in an 83-69 win at MSU five days ago. Morgan lost eight of its last nine games; they were 4-12 in MEAC, are #207 experience team that forces turnovers 24.7% of time, best in league. Coppin lost five of its last seven games; they were 7-9 in MEAC, turning ball over 22.8% of time. For season, Eagles are shooting 27.9% on arc, 3rd-worst %age in country. Coppin is experience team #127 that played the 9th-hardest non-conference schedule in country.
SWAC tournament, campus sites
Home side won both Ark-Pine Bluff/Grambling games this season; Tigers won first meeting by 24 Feb 2, then lost rematch 70-66 ten days ago. Pine Bluff lost three of last five games but was 10-8 in SWAC- they won three of last five road games. Golden Lions are experience team #50 but then turn ball over 22.8% of time. Grambling makes 40.2% of its 3?s, #5 in country; they won last three games, went 10-8 in SWAC. Tigers are experience team #61 whose subs play #34 minutes in country- they start three juniors, two seniors.
