BEN BURNS GOY
Pickinnacle @ 4.5 -106 Syracuse
I'm playing on SYRACUSE. The Orange are getting very little respect and I believe they're seriously under-valued. True, Gonzaga has a far better overall record. That doesn't tell the whole story though. This is a battle-tested Syracuse team, one which has squared off against many of the top teams in the country. Indeed, the Orange have played eight games against teams in the Sweet 16. Gonzaga, on the other hand, has played only one game against a team in the Sweet 16, a loss against Texas A&M, a team which Syracuse beat the very next day. So, comparing the overall records isn't exactly relevant. Gonzaga is indeed a very good team, worthy of much respect. The Orange have arugably been as dominant as any team in the tournament though. Don't believe it? Check this out. The Orange have allowed 50 and 51 points. That average of 50.5 allowed, is the fewest ppg of any Sweet 16 team. They've won their two games by a combined 44 points and that 22-point average margin of victory is tied for second. As Syracuse's Frank Howard pointed out: "Sometimes our games aren’t the most fun to watch maybe. But ... Winning’s fun." The Orange are 10-2 ATS over the years as a neutral court underdog in the 3.5 to 6 range. I really like the way they're playing right now and expect all their "big game experience" to serve them well on Friday night. 10* Sweet 16 B.O.B.
thx
