Motivation my good friend on the other side of the planet. Not a damn team that's playing Thursday and Friday that doesn't want it. This NIT and CIT and what, CBI bullshit, no one cares. Hell, look at what LSU did. Granted, the FD/FGCU game is the "dance," hence, I made an exception. I'd put my Glock to my head before I bet the Dores/Shockers game later after this debacle, LOL. GL this tourney season.
~T~
So....in looking at this 1st Game Holy Moly vs. Southern Belle......every statistical team measurement W/L, Offense, Defense, Best Player on the Court, etc. points towards Southern....period. So all day I'm trying to figure out why only -2? You have to study the conferences.
Southern finished 4th in their Conference. The teams above them went 8-28 non conference in Noverember/December. Southern themselves actually went 8-5, but they only beat 1 team with a winning record, and it was a decent one, Miss St.
When you go 7 deep with Southern, only 1 player is taller than 6-4. Holy Cross has 4 players in the regular rotation 6-6 or better so they will have a distinct height advantage.
The SWAC finished 31 out of 32 Conferences SOS wise. Patriot League was 24th.
Holy Cross.....nothing to say other than a bizarre team from a bizarre Conference and a bizarre Tournament. The middle of the pack finishers, Boston U, Navy, and Army were probably the best teams and definitely had the best Out of Conference Results, and Holy Cross beat all of them at least once. Truly strange team.
Southern finished 4th in their Conference. The teams above them went 8-28 non conference in Noverember/December. Southern themselves actually went 8-5, but they only beat 1 team with a winning record, and it was a decent one, Miss St.
When you go 7 deep with Southern, only 1 player is taller than 6-4. Holy Cross has 4 players in the regular rotation 6-6 or better so they will have a distinct height advantage.
The SWAC finished 31 out of 32 Conferences SOS wise. Patriot League was 24th.
Holy Cross.....nothing to say other than a bizarre team from a bizarre Conference and a bizarre Tournament. The middle of the pack finishers, Boston U, Navy, and Army were probably the best teams and definitely had the best Out of Conference Results, and Holy Cross beat all of them at least once. Truly strange team.
Holy Cross, a school and a program with a lot history and tradition, winners of the 1947 NCAA basketball tournament led by all-time great (Hall of Famer and Celtic star) Bob Cousy who arguably pioneered the modern-day "point guard" style of play. I remember seeing him play. (Yeah, I'm an old guy...ha). Fast forward to 2016 and all this means nothing today but it certainly is an interesting re-connect for us "sentimental old fools". Keep in mind that this kind of sentimentality can prove to be dangerous to one's financial health if you make a wager every now an then
Here's a sentimental fact. Eric Green, Senior blew his knee out last season and was a huge part of this team. He didn't play until January 17th this season and prior to the Conference Tournament had only logged more than 17 minutes twice. Getting back to speed was slow. He played 20+ minutes in every tournament game, and was the Defensive Cog in the 1-3-1 Defense that turned this team around. Even in the Bucknell game, it was 53-53 in regulation. Eric Green turned this team into a Defensive nightmare in the Conference Tourney. That's how they won.......
Definitely NOT. Everything on paper said there is no way Southern should be a 2 point line. So I've investigated to find out why it is......I think I've found that. But that doesn't mean Holy Shit wins this games. I definitely feel more comfortable with where the line is because it looked "sucker" to me.
All of that being said.....I've justified a 2 point line. Doesn't make me feel like a sucker for playing Southern. They have a winning record and conference record. They had a winning non conference record. They will have the best player on the court, better offense, better defense, better 3 point shooting team. They should win this game. Holy Cross was 9th out of 10 teams in conference, they won 5 games all season in conference. They made a good run playing Defense. The run is over.....
Southern -2 for 3 units.
Southern -2 for 3 units.
