I like this play for a few reasons:
1) OR State appears to be an undervalued, improved team this year, with single digit losses to St. John's and AZ, a 10-pt loss to Texas in a game I believe was closer than the final indicates, and a not-that-terrible loss at Cal Poly (lost by 4, and CP isn't all that bad)
2) AZ State does have immediate revenge here, but I am not sold totally on AZ St -- off of some games against lesser competition in their home tourney (Canisius and Northwestern), I see this step up as a struggle -- there may be a lookahead here to Sat vs Oregon, as well, who really kicked their butt recently
3) OR State's style is Princeton-esque, kind of grinding, with backdoor cuts, working shot clock, etc. (their coach has a background from there or a style like theirs), making points here more valuable
4) AZ State strikes me as kind of schizophrenic -- up and down, and off of 2 easy home wins, I see a downer coming here
Similar RPIs here (AZ State 96, OR State 99) and a tougher schedule for OR State thus far put me on OR State.
In a tight one, AZ State 65, OR State 62.
1) OR State appears to be an undervalued, improved team this year, with single digit losses to St. John's and AZ, a 10-pt loss to Texas in a game I believe was closer than the final indicates, and a not-that-terrible loss at Cal Poly (lost by 4, and CP isn't all that bad)
2) AZ State does have immediate revenge here, but I am not sold totally on AZ St -- off of some games against lesser competition in their home tourney (Canisius and Northwestern), I see this step up as a struggle -- there may be a lookahead here to Sat vs Oregon, as well, who really kicked their butt recently
3) OR State's style is Princeton-esque, kind of grinding, with backdoor cuts, working shot clock, etc. (their coach has a background from there or a style like theirs), making points here more valuable
4) AZ State strikes me as kind of schizophrenic -- up and down, and off of 2 easy home wins, I see a downer coming here
Similar RPIs here (AZ State 96, OR State 99) and a tougher schedule for OR State thus far put me on OR State.
In a tight one, AZ State 65, OR State 62.
