FERRINGO
5-Unit Play. Take #525 LaSalle (-4) over Penn (7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 15)
The Explorers are not an awful team and they have been playing much better as of late. Oh, and Penn is awful. LaSalle?s last five losses have all come against teams in the top half of Div. I, with three coming as close defeats to Top 75 clubs. I think they have a score to settle with the Quakers, who have beaten them in five straight but don?t have nearly the talent that they?ve boasted the last few years. Penn hasn?t laced them up in 10 days and three of their five wins have come against teams ranked #316 to #339 (out of a possible #340). Their average margin of defeat ? excluding a 36-point loss at UNC ? is 21.9 points, and that includes a 15-point beat down at home against #336 Howard and a 30-point blowout at Florida Gulf Coast. I?m looking for LaSalle in a walk in this Big 5 rivalry game. LaSalle is 6-1 ATS in their last seven and 5-0 ATS on the road, while Penn is 6-20-2 ATS in its last 28 nonconference games and 0-7-1 ATS in its last eight against the A-10.
1-Unit Play. Take #528 Baylor (-6) over Oklahoma State (8 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 15)
Oklahoma State is a pathetic 2-12 ATS in its last 14 road games and 6-13-1 ATS in its last 20 conference games. They haven?t left Stillwater in a month and have played on the road just that once since before Thanksgiving. They are 0-4 on the road this season, losing by an average of 19 points per game. They aren?t going to get beat by 19 tonight but Baylor should be able to lay double digits on them.
1.5-Unit Play. Take #535 Nebraska (-2.5) over Colorado (9 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 15)
This won?t exactly be a letdown spot for the Huskers since they were never in that game against Kansas. I think they?re going to want to cleanse themselves of that beating and will take it out on a weak Buffaloes squad. Colorado has not beaten a single decent team this year, with their best win coming over a young Air Force squad. Colorado?s margin of defeat is 14 points and they are 7-19 ATS at home. Nebraska has been a poor road team but they are 9-4 ATS after a double-digit home loss. They have also gone 5-2 ATS in this series.
1.5-Unit Play. Take #539 Kentucky (+9.5) over Mississippi State (9 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 15)
Don't know if I trust any SEC team to be laying this much to another SEC team.
1-Unit Play. Take #533 Miami (+2) over Boston College (9 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 15)
We?re catching a youthful Eagles team off a game in which they shot 66.1 percent from the field and rung up 112 points. I think they?re going to find the sledding a little tougher against the Hurricanes and their strong perimeter defense. All four of B.C.?s losses have come at home this year and I think this streaky team can be had.
