MAAC and a few more

[Box and one]

Clemson -5 over NC St *** Clemson won by 5 1st time they played . NC St lost to FSU by 13 the other day.

DePaul +5 over Johnnies ** Since -Liberty has come back from injury DeP is a different team. Johnnies are 3 games below .500 in conf. Teams have put smaller and quicker people on Johnnies one star Chamagnie and kinda neutralize him some. Johnnies defense is very avg and think DEP can keep this close despite playing at MSG

MAAC tourney

Playing in Atlantic City on the boardwalk.

Marist -2 over Quinn **

Quinn are 1-9 in last 10 and Foxes are 6-4 Quinn gives up almost 70 pts on defense and although Foxes have an avg offense think they can score enough today. Foxes won by1 last time they met.

Fairfield --2.5 over Canisius **

Griffs are 11-20 and and 10th in the conf They can't score or play defense Both are bad but Griffs did win 3 in a row Stags are one of the better MAAC D's and have Bennings who can score / Also have Supreme Cook who can rebound and score. Stags won both match ups this year 74-68 and 80-76 in Ot Although its a neutral site its still in an away gym where Griffs are 1-15 ..



Manhattan +1.5 over Rider **

tough game ,either can win. Jaspers upset Iona the other day so are there heads big or can that win help them. Jasper did beat Rider 84-78 pre Vaghan waking up. But although he had a stretch think he is back to napping. Last games 8,11,13,9,16. a couple of weeks ago he had back to back 20 and 24 pts games. But he does rebound well getting 10 or 11 in those games. But Manhttan has Perez who is tearing the MAAC scoring. A lean towards the Jaspers although they play no defense. In last 7 games Japsers are 4-3 and Bronco's are 2-5.

Iona is going to win the MAAC. they have won the last 5 They have the guards that can score and Joseph in the middle. Pitino will pressure the ball on defense. St Peter is the dark horse I think..



UTSA _3 over So Miss ****

So miss is 6-25 and UTSA 10-21 .thats a combined 16-46..Roadrunners won both matchups 98-79 in OT and 74-73. So Miss has now lost 14 in a row, and last win was way back in January over power house Southern Baptist College UTSA is also bad and has never recovered after losing its 2 super star gds from last year. I would take the under but neither team plays defense .

NKU pk over Wright St ***

Still riding the Norsemen train . It keeps winning and covering . This train at some point has to make a stop but I ain't getting off . If they keep winning have to back them all the way to the sweet 16. Then I might consider getting off the train ... or maybe not

Cal Bapist -7 over UT Rio *'

Its real sad that I actually saw both these teams play this year in Person Do I have a life. Has anyone in the northern Hemisphere seen both these team live. omg Texas beat Cal B 68-44 and Tex beat UT rio 88-58. Looked at my notes I liked Johnson for UT rio and Cal Bap had about 4 or 5 players that avg almost in double figures. Thought Cal was a little better but that is the seeing eye test Have not followed either one Cal did beat them in last match up 80-72 so I will lean with my 20-30 eyes and past match ups for a small lean to the baptist school

 

[Box and one]

The MAAC tourney has moved out of Albany Think Pepsi arena giving Siena a home court advantage every year got tiresome. The A-10 played its tourney on the Boardwalk up until 2 years ago. in AC but the past 2 years MAAC took over. Atlantic City is really pretty far from the MAAC teams. Maybe because the MAAC has 3 teams from Jersey ,St Peters,Rider and Monmouth and Manhattan Marist,Fairfield and Iona are 90 minutes to 2 hours away.away. But Niagara Canisius are almost in a different time zone. Albany was kind of in the middle of all these conference teams. But Monmouth is leaving the MAAC this year. Not sure if anyone replaced them . and not sure where they are going.

Iona has dominated the tourney but Hallaway at St Peters has done an outstanding coaching job I would love to see Peter win this tourney. Niagara is dangerous because Hammond is the best player in the conference. Think one of these 3 teams wins the dance ticket with Iona as the favorite . Pitino won it last year and again they have the " bulls eye on their back". Iona lost Gist and Ross yet Pitino just reloaded with transfers Joiner who played at Tulsa and at 6'3 could play great D and was a playmaker and somehow get Jolly from Smoo . wow Then they have Joseph the Nigerian in the middle who rebounds,blocks shots and inside can score and never misses 2-3 feet from the basket. The MAAC opponents don't have big post men to combat him and Pitino knows that. Then you get Slasinski at power forward another transfer . Pitino has told Maryland he is not interested in coaching there. " I am totally committed to my players and it won't be me" They are 25-4 16-2 in the MAAC and were just upset by Manhattan . I like the loss and Pitino will have his kids refocused. And lets not forget way back this year they did beat Alabama . Iona has offered him a lifetime contract but I think after the season is over he is gone. Pitino always preaches " his offense has to catch up with his defense " And his defense is outstanding Just ask the 24 coaches who lost to Iona this year it was probably the best defense they saw all year.