Larry Ness' 20* Revenge Game of the Month (73-53 TY in CBB!)
Larry Ness
League: College Basketball
Event: Va Commonwealth vs George Mason on 01/29/2008 at 4:00PM
Condition: George Mason
Grade: Ungraded
Promotion: George Mason made its "miracle run" to the Final 4 back in the 2005-06 season. The Patriots struggled for most of last year but then caught 'fire' down the stretch, and almost got back to the "Big Dance" by winning the Colonial tourney. George Mason's run was stopped by VCU in the final (won 65-59) and the Rams went on the upset Duke in the first round of the NCAAs, before losing to Pitt by just five points in the second round. VCU started just 3-3 this year and the losses of guards Walker (14.8) and Pellot-Rosa (13.3) from LY's team seemed huge. However, the Rams have since gone 12-1 (8-1 in league play), losing only at James Madison, 62-61. After guards Maynor (18.3-3.8-5.2) and Shuler (16.1-4.6), there's a huge drop-off of talent. Freshman guard Rodriquez (4.9) usually joins the starting lineup along with the 6-7 Anderson (7.7-5.2) and fellow freshman, the 6-9 Sanders (4.9-4.1). The 6-7 Fameni (6.1-4.4) is a veteran who provides excellent play off the bench. GMU is a guard-oriented team, led by Vaughan (14.5-4.7), swingman Campbell (13.2-4.6-3.4) and Smith (10.4). The 6-7 Thomas (15.8-10.0) is a 'load' inside with the 6-6 Birdsong (6.3-3.9) joining him in the starting lineup. Two freshman, guard Long (4.1) and the 6-10 Moldoveanu (3.2-2.4), add depth. The Patriots are 14-6 overall, a major improvement over LY's 18-15 mark and have gone 9-0 at home, outscoring opponents by an average of 71-53 PPG. After losing three times to VCU last season, including in the Colonial's title game, Jim Larranaga will have his team poised to win this one. Revenge works. Revenge Game of the Month 20* George Mason.
Larry Ness' Las Vegas Insider-CBB (16-7 with BKB Insiders in Jan!)
Cost: $20 Ungraded
Handicapper: Larry Ness
League: College Basketball
Event: Florida State vs Virginia Tech on 01/29/2008 at 6:00PM
Condition: Virginia Tech
Grade: Ungraded
Promotion: FSU has been a "bubble" team in each of the last two years and each time, the school's "bubble has been burst," getting left out of the "Big Dance." This year, the Seminoles have nothing to worry about. They have NO chance of getting an at-large invitation and the school's only 'ticket' to the NCAA tourney is by winning the ACC tourney (fat chance!). FSU is a perimeter-based team with just one quality player inside. That's the 6-9 Echefu (11.6-7.3), who gets some help from the 6-9 Reed (4.8-4.7). FSU's been robbed of its inside depth with the season-ending injury to 7-1 freshman center Alabi and the suspension for disciplinary reasons of the 6-8 Breeden, who has since left school. Guards Douglas (14.1-2.7-3.0), Swann (12.2-3.4-3.0), Rich (12.0-4.7) and Mims (10.7-4.4) are quite a quartet but the results are just not there. FSU is 2-4 SU and ATS on the road this year and 2-4 (1-5 ATS) in ACC play. The team has played 11 "lined games" since Dec 1, going 1-10 ATS! Va Tech has been far from perfect (12-8 and 3-3 in ACC play) but HC Greenberg has just been given a contract extension and the Hokies have been formidable at home, going 7-1 (lone loss to No. 3 Duke). While the Seminoles are a perimeter team, Va Tech's strengths come from its forwards. The 6-6 Vassallo (15.7-5.2), 6-7 freshman Allen (12.8-8.1) and the 6-7 Washington (12.8-6.4) lead the way. The 6-9 Diakite (2.6-3.6) and 6-6 freshman Thompson (4.2-3.0) add depth inside. Va Tech can't match FSU's backcourt depth but Delaney (8.2-3.3 APG) and Thorns (5.2-3.1 APG) are a solid duo. Allen missed the last two games serving a suspension for bumping a referee but he's been cleared to play in this one. Va Tech won without him Saturday at Boston College and the Hokies figure to have little trouble tonight with the slumping Seminoles. Las Vegas Insider on Va Tech.
Larry Ness' Weekly Wipeout Winner-NBA (won THREE of L4 NBA weeks!)
Cost: $20 Ungraded
Handicapper: Larry Ness
League: NBA
Event: Atlanta Hawks vs Phoenix Suns on 01/29/2008 at 6:05PM
Condition: Phoenix Suns
Grade: Ungraded
Promotion: Joe Johnson (21.6-4.3-5.4) spent three and a half seasons with Phoenix between 2002-05, helping the Suns from a lottery team to a perennial contender in the Western Conference. He asked to be traded after the 2005 playoffs and Phoenix accommodated him by sending him to the Hawks. Johnson and his Hawks lost his first trip back to Phoenix but last February, with Steve Nash sidelined for the Suns, Johnson's 32 points led Atlanta to 120-111 win. It was one of just eight home losses last season for the Suns. Winning this time around won't be easy, as the Hawks enter having dropped 10 of their last 14 games (6-8 ATS), while the Suns come in having won and covered SIX of their last seven, losing only at Minnesota (can't make that up!). The Hawks have no "true" PG with Claxton and Stoudamire out, leaving them with only journeyman Lue. Rookie Al Horford 99.0-10.) has played well at center as Pachulia has had many problems (he's just back after a team suspension). Both PF Smith (18.2-8.1) and SF Williams (16.6-5.8) have shown plenty of promise but the Hawks just do not have the overall talent-level or depth to play with a team the caliber of Phoenix. The fact that the Hawks 'clipped' the Suns earlier this year in Atlanta and won LY in Phoenix (remember, no Nash!), will only serve to give the Suns more motivation. The West is extremely competitive and now the Hornets have joined the Suns, Mavs and Spurs in the fray "at the top." Stoudemire (22.7-9.0) leads the Suns in scoring, Nash (17.6-11.9 APG) leads in assists and Marion (15.7-10.1) leads in rebounds. Barbosa (16.7), Hill (15.2-4.4-3.4) and Bell (12.5-3.6-2,2) give the Suns six players averaging 12.5 PPG or more. Hill's bothered by a bad back but if he can't go, that just means more playing time for the multi-talented Daiw (7.6-4.2-3.9). Phoenix is the highest-scoring team in the league at 109.5 PPG, but lately, head coach Mike D'Antoni has been talking about his team's defensive improvements. The Suns allowed a season-low point total in their 88-77 win over Chicago on Sunday and in winning SIX of their last seven games, are holding opponents to 98.9 PPG and 43.1 percent shooting from the field. Weekly Wipeout Winner on the Pho Suns.
