Ferringo
5-Unit Play. Take #527 Rhode Island (+3) over Boston College (4 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 21)Note: This is our Game of the Week.
Here we have two teams that are headed in opposite directions. Boston College is squarely in rebuilding mode while URI is ready to make a statement as an A-10 sleeper. The Eagles romped in the past two meetings, and B.C. is a place URI generally doesn't play well, but now I think the Rams are ready for a little revenge. Rhode Island has a ton of experience and have yet to have a great shooting game. I think one is coming and I think they will abuse a very young Eagles squad. Using a common opponent ? Florida Atlantic ? as a baseline, URI beat FAU by 27 while BC squeaked by them by six points. Rhode Island is going to win this game outright but we?ll take the points just in case.
4-Unit Play. Take #554 Butler (-6) over Michigan (11:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 21)
Michigan just got beaten by 1,000 points by Georgetown and now must go up against another Sweet 16 club from last year in Butler. The Bulldogs proved in last year?s NIT that they can ring up the big boys in preseason tournaments and A.J. Graves, the best point guard in the country, will make sure that this line gets covered with his free throw shooting. The Wolverines are still working on getting the ins and outs of John Beilein?s system and I don?t think they are there just yet.
3-Unit Play. Take Texas A&M (-4.5) over Washington (7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 21)
I?m not thrilled about the prospects of either of these teams but I know that the Huskies aren?t any good. Washington struggled to put away two pretty bad teams ? EWU and Utah ? and they haven?t faced anything near the pressure that A&M will put on them defensively.
3-Unit Play. Take #533 St. Louis (+6.5) over Missouri State (8 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 21)
I?m not impressed with this SMS team this year. Not at all. St. Louis has been building and doing good work up to this point in the season. The Billikens are guard-heavy, but I think that their backcourt will completely outplay and overwhelm the Bears and not allow SMS to take advantage of their size. This is another dog that I think will win outright so there is a lot of value on these points.
2.5-Unit Play. Take #547 Marquette (+5) over Duke (8 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 21)
The Golden Eagles beat Duke by 11 points when the two teams met last year in Kansas City in the championship of the CBE Classic. Both teams remain essentially intact, except that Duke lost its best player to the NBA. The Blue Devils played a physical, grinding game against Illinois last night in which they got a ton of calls (as Duke always does). I don?t think they are as fortunate tonight and I think that the perimeter pressure of the Eagles is going to be too much for them to handle.
2-Unit Play. Take #552 Syracuse (-2.5) over Ohio State (9:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 21)
The Orange are 11-4 ATS in Madison Square Garden over the past three years and have played exceptionally well there in preconference tournaments. Ohio State will be ready for the zone, in theory, but will they be ready for the athleticism with which SU plays it? Teams that usually handle Syracuse beat them with size. I don?t think that Ohio State will get enough production out of their bigs to win this one. Syracuse beat two much better teams than the Buckeyes to advance to MSG and I think they advance here behind their exciting freshmen.
2-Unit Play. Take #531 Georgetown (-21) over Ball State (7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 21)
You will very rarely ever see me lay this much chalk in a college game but this is also as big a mismatch as we?ll see this season. Georgetown is a national title contender with all kinds of experience and skill. Ball State is a mess. BSU lost by 16 to Butler and Georgetown may beat them by 40. The Cardinals lost their last game in overtime and four guys played over 40 minutes. That?s how much depth they have. I?m telling you, this line is still 10 points light and that equals value. Oh, and don?t forget that John Thompson III may want to stick it to the school that forced his brother to resign last summer.
1.5-Unit Play. Take #535 Louisville (-3.5) over UNLV (9 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 21)
This line is an overreaction to the loss of David Padgett for the season. Louisville still has a host of McDonald?s All-Americans and seasoned veterans while the Runnin? Rebels are not the same class of team they were last year. I don?t think that the Cardinals will cruise, but I do see them winning this game by around eight points.
Giacomo
