Drew Gordon
Drew Gordon
Drew Gordon
1. 200,000♦ Drake
2. 50,000♦ Ohio State
3. 50,000♦ Kings
1. Drake- So, Drake loses Josh Young, and all of a sudden everyone is jumping ship on this Bulldogs team? Not so fast, since the talented guard went down Drake is 3-0 SU & 2-1 ATS, winning games with rock-solid defense and a chemistry you don't see everyday in college hoops.
First of all, oddsmakers have clearly adjusted to the absence of Young, but the public hasn't. Most believe this Drake team is doomed without him, but what makes this Bulldogs team so dangerous in the first place is their depth. Players like G Adam Emmenecker have stepped up bigtime in his absence (scoring a team-high 19 points in their win over Illinois State Saturday). In other words, underestimate this Bulldogs team at your own risk!
Second, while there's no question both teams are playing well, its hard to argue against the Bulldogs 15-game winning streak! Only Kansas and Memphis have longer active streaks, which should tell you a lot about this Drake team. In fact, the last home game Creighton lost, was against Illinois State, the very same team the Bulldogs beat (without Josh Young) Saturday.
Finally, don't get stuck on the fact Drake hasn't won at Creighton in almost 6 years. That's what they said about Bulldogs' losing streaks to Southern Illinois (16-game losing streak) and Missouri State (10-game losing streak), both of which fell to Drake this season. Bulldogs win games with defense, and that doesn't change because of one player's injury. In the end, look for another focused effort from this Drake team tonight, as they might not win outright, but you better believe they keep this game within the number.
Take Drake plus the points over Creighton as your top-rated play of the day.
2. Ohio State- Tough spot for the struggling Illini, who are coming off an ugly collapse at Purdue, where they led early, but a 20-3 second half run sealed their fate, losing 74-67 Saturday. Won't get any easier in Columbus, as the Buckeyes are coming off 3 straight road losses, and will be looking to get back on track tonight at home.
The biggest mismatch in this contest is the sputtering Illinois offense against a rock-solid Buckeyes home defense. Ohio State plays their best defense by far in Columbus, surrendering just 55 ppg on an outstanding 34% shooting! That's real bad news for an Illini offense that's average at best, and with some tough match ups inside, the Illini are in for big trouble tonight.
Speaking of match ups, its clear that C Pruitt and F Randle make up the bulk of this Illinois offense, but that could be a real issue tonight. Ohio State's frontcourt of 7-footer Koufos and Othella Hunter are both big and talented. Both Buckeyes players are better on the defensive end (combined 60 blocks) and have the benefit of a solid experienced backcourt to get them the ball. Another factor to consider, is the Illini frontcourt's problems staying on the floor, especially Randle, who's constantly on the bench in foul trouble.
Finally, expect the Buckeyes to come out firing in this one, as their frusration from losing 3 straight road games boils over into outright rage in this contest. Losing can sometimes be the best motivator, and I firmly believe, now back at home, we'll see a much more efficient and focused Ohio State team tonight. Buckeyes roll!
Take Ohio State BIG over Illinois in this Big Ten match up.
3. Kings- Talk about two teams going in opposite directions, as the Kings are finally getting healthy and starting to put some wins together, while the Nets look like a ship without a rudder, as all Jason Kidd can think about is getting the hell out of New Jersey (not good when he's your supposed floor general)!
Losers of 5 straight games SUATS, the Nets offense has fallen apart, averaging just 90 ppg on 40% shooting over that span. Not only do they clearly miss Krstic, but Vince Carter is in another one of his "funks," scoring 16 ppg over the Nets last 7 games... No surprise New Jersey is 1-6 SUATS over that span!
The Kings on the other hand, have benefited greatly from the return of Kevin Martin, who since coming back is averaging 26 ppg, and led the Kings to outright wins over Dallas, at Detroit, and at Indiana! In others words, this Kings team is starting to put the pieces in place, and its showed with impressive wins. In fact, Sacramento is averaging 105 ppg on nearly 49% shooting since Martin's return... So you tell me how the Nets keep pace with this resurgent Kings offense?!
Bottom line, the Nets woes continue, as they stand little chance of running with this Kings team in their current state. Sacramento on the other hand, is playing rock-solid basketball, and will not allow a sputtering Nets team any breathing room on their home floor in this one. Like I said: two teams going in opposite directions, and tonight you see just far apart they are!
Take the Kings at home comfortably over the Nets in late NBA action.