OffshoreInsiders Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has a pick Thursday is on St. John’s (-2) at Seton Hall.
At some point Steve Lavin’s boys have got to come back down to Earth a bit but until that happens I’ll ride them here. The Red Storm have quite possibly been the story of the season in all of college hoops. This team has gone from extremely mediocre which included losses to Fordham and St. Bonaventure to looking like the best team in the best conference in the nation and I really do mean that literally.
St. John’s went on the road and won at West Virginia and Providence a while back to start the run and at Madison Square Garden have dismantled Duke, Georgetown, Connecticut and nipped Pittsburgh. They also won at Marquette, Cincinnati and Villanova as part of this current six game winning streak and the Johnnies have now won eight of their last 9 games.
At 19-9 overall and 11-5 in the Big East it’s just not a fluke, it can’t be. St. John’s is an experienced squad that is as veteran as they come and is a four or five seed at worst. Dwight Hardy is blowing up and Justin Brownleee, Paris Horne, DJ Kennedy and a few others are as confident as confidant could ever be. Lavin may have not been the greatest coach in his UCLA days but everything has been clicking lately and if it comes to a screeching halt today then so be it.
Seton Hall is not bad and has a solid upside. I have even played the Pirates a few times recently and don’t really have a problem with Jeremy Hazell, Eniel Polynice, Jordan Theodore and Herb Pope. I readily admit that the Hall is a far better team than the 11-17 record indicates and believe that the home squad should be able to hang around today.
In the end though St. John’s is at such a level right now and have won so many games late that there is just a semi heir of invincibility and that should be enough against a Seton Hall team that has yet to really learn how to close out a game.
This should be a solid and fairly tight game but after 40 minutes the Storm should continue this phenomenal run.
The pick: St. John’s from Matt Rivers
For more information: Southern Mississippi last night led for 36 of the 40 minutes, literally, and could not cash that ticket in the end. Think about that, leading for basically 90% of the time and not able to take care of business, yuck. When it rains it pours I guess but no sweat as I am as confident as ever and ready to smack that Crookie with conviction.
A pair of winners from the west coast and in the Pac-10. 400,000* USC-Washington State plus a 200,000* on Oregon-Arizona State at OffshoreInsiders
Now OffshoreInsiders Senior Writer Vegas Matty previews one of the biggies:
The NBA’s battle of Florida will take place in South Beach on Thursday night when the Orlando Magic (39-22) visit the Miami Heat (43-17) in a nationally televised Southeast Division matchup. The Magic hosted the first two meetings between the teams, splitting the pair with the Heat (-5).
Orlando was able to accomplish something Miami could not in beating New York 116-110 on Tuesday. The Magic allowed Chauncey Billups, Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire to score 85 points for the Knicks, but limited everybody else and took advantage of the team defensively. Magic point guard Jameer Nelson was able to burn Billups in the second half, scoring 23 of his 26 points after the intermission while Dwight Howard scored a team-high 30 points and grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds.
New York had led 58-47 at halftime after outscoring Orlando 37-15 in the second quarter. The Knicks used a similar run in the second quarter on Sunday at Miami, outscoring the Heat 29-17 in an eventual 91-86 victory. Miami lost for the second time in three games in similar fashion and has struggled in low-scoring games. The Heat are 1-3 straight-up and 0-4 against the spread in their last four games that have gone UNDER the total and 1-7 ATS in their past eight under that scenario.
Miami has simply struggled in close-game situations, going 5-11 in those decided by five points or less. The Heat figured to have a number of high-profile closers who can make big shots down the stretch in LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Mike Miller and Eddie House, but they have often looked lost when the game is on the line in the final minutes. They have also added another strong game finisher in point guard Mike Bibby, who signed with the team on Wednesday.
Bibby was averaging just 9.1 points and 3.6 assists with Atlanta before he was dealt to Washington for Kirk Hinrich, but he has averaged 15.4 points and 5.7 assists in 940 career regular-season games. He played two games for the Wizards and was so unhappy with the situation that he agreed to a contract buyout with Washington that made him a free agent. Signing with Miami seemed like a no-brainer for the 13-year veteran, who chose another shot at a championship over the $6.2 million he would have made with the Wizards.
If nothing else, Bibby should help the team’s offense by providing yet another scoring option. That would certainly be welcome here, as both earlier meetings between the Heat and Magic went OVER the total, and Miami would like to see that trend continue. The Heat have won 10 straight games when the OVER cashes, going 8-2 ATS.
At some point Steve Lavin’s boys have got to come back down to Earth a bit but until that happens I’ll ride them here. The Red Storm have quite possibly been the story of the season in all of college hoops. This team has gone from extremely mediocre which included losses to Fordham and St. Bonaventure to looking like the best team in the best conference in the nation and I really do mean that literally.
St. John’s went on the road and won at West Virginia and Providence a while back to start the run and at Madison Square Garden have dismantled Duke, Georgetown, Connecticut and nipped Pittsburgh. They also won at Marquette, Cincinnati and Villanova as part of this current six game winning streak and the Johnnies have now won eight of their last 9 games.
At 19-9 overall and 11-5 in the Big East it’s just not a fluke, it can’t be. St. John’s is an experienced squad that is as veteran as they come and is a four or five seed at worst. Dwight Hardy is blowing up and Justin Brownleee, Paris Horne, DJ Kennedy and a few others are as confident as confidant could ever be. Lavin may have not been the greatest coach in his UCLA days but everything has been clicking lately and if it comes to a screeching halt today then so be it.
Seton Hall is not bad and has a solid upside. I have even played the Pirates a few times recently and don’t really have a problem with Jeremy Hazell, Eniel Polynice, Jordan Theodore and Herb Pope. I readily admit that the Hall is a far better team than the 11-17 record indicates and believe that the home squad should be able to hang around today.
In the end though St. John’s is at such a level right now and have won so many games late that there is just a semi heir of invincibility and that should be enough against a Seton Hall team that has yet to really learn how to close out a game.
This should be a solid and fairly tight game but after 40 minutes the Storm should continue this phenomenal run.
The pick: St. John’s from Matt Rivers
For more information: Southern Mississippi last night led for 36 of the 40 minutes, literally, and could not cash that ticket in the end. Think about that, leading for basically 90% of the time and not able to take care of business, yuck. When it rains it pours I guess but no sweat as I am as confident as ever and ready to smack that Crookie with conviction.
A pair of winners from the west coast and in the Pac-10. 400,000* USC-Washington State plus a 200,000* on Oregon-Arizona State at OffshoreInsiders
Now OffshoreInsiders Senior Writer Vegas Matty previews one of the biggies:
The NBA’s battle of Florida will take place in South Beach on Thursday night when the Orlando Magic (39-22) visit the Miami Heat (43-17) in a nationally televised Southeast Division matchup. The Magic hosted the first two meetings between the teams, splitting the pair with the Heat (-5).
Orlando was able to accomplish something Miami could not in beating New York 116-110 on Tuesday. The Magic allowed Chauncey Billups, Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire to score 85 points for the Knicks, but limited everybody else and took advantage of the team defensively. Magic point guard Jameer Nelson was able to burn Billups in the second half, scoring 23 of his 26 points after the intermission while Dwight Howard scored a team-high 30 points and grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds.
New York had led 58-47 at halftime after outscoring Orlando 37-15 in the second quarter. The Knicks used a similar run in the second quarter on Sunday at Miami, outscoring the Heat 29-17 in an eventual 91-86 victory. Miami lost for the second time in three games in similar fashion and has struggled in low-scoring games. The Heat are 1-3 straight-up and 0-4 against the spread in their last four games that have gone UNDER the total and 1-7 ATS in their past eight under that scenario.
Miami has simply struggled in close-game situations, going 5-11 in those decided by five points or less. The Heat figured to have a number of high-profile closers who can make big shots down the stretch in LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Mike Miller and Eddie House, but they have often looked lost when the game is on the line in the final minutes. They have also added another strong game finisher in point guard Mike Bibby, who signed with the team on Wednesday.
Bibby was averaging just 9.1 points and 3.6 assists with Atlanta before he was dealt to Washington for Kirk Hinrich, but he has averaged 15.4 points and 5.7 assists in 940 career regular-season games. He played two games for the Wizards and was so unhappy with the situation that he agreed to a contract buyout with Washington that made him a free agent. Signing with Miami seemed like a no-brainer for the 13-year veteran, who chose another shot at a championship over the $6.2 million he would have made with the Wizards.
If nothing else, Bibby should help the team’s offense by providing yet another scoring option. That would certainly be welcome here, as both earlier meetings between the Heat and Magic went OVER the total, and Miami would like to see that trend continue. The Heat have won 10 straight games when the OVER cashes, going 8-2 ATS.
jeff benton
3-1 for the week..Winners 40,30,25 dime....LOSERS 40 dime...
he's got to lose tonight..
Jeff Benton Thursday's Action
30 Dime college basketball seleation on Georgia Tech as a road favorite at Wake Forest. As of 11:20 a.m. Easetern time, the Yellow Jackets are a 6-point favorite both here in Vegas and offshore, with the pointspread jumping up from the an opening number of 5½.
Georgia Tech is 0-10 in true road games, losing by an average of 14 points per game (80-66) and getting outshot 51.7 percent to 40.3 percent, including 49.1 percent to 28.3 percent on three-pointers.
Georgia Tech has lost eight consecutive ACC games, going 1-7-1 ATS.
Georgia Tech has dropped back-to-back games at Wake Forest by 11 and 18 points.
Georgia Tech has just one spread-cover in its last seven games overall, one in its last nine road games and one in its last five as a favorite.
And yet Georgia Tech is favored esaentially by a pair of three-pointers at Wake Forest tonight … and I’m laying that chalk with gusto!
If that doesn’t tell you how awful the Demon Deacons are, I don’t know what would. Wake is 1-13 in conference play, losing the last five by scores of 80-55 to N.C. State (at home), 78-64 to North Carolina (road), 84-66 to Florida State (home), 76-62 to Virginia Tech (home) and 63-49 to Clemson (road).
Going back to an 83-75 loss at Xavier on Dec. 18, Wake Forest is 2-17, with 14 of its last 15 losses coming by double digits. Take away their only conference victory – a 76-71 home win over Virginia on Jan. 29 – and the Demon Deacons have been beaten by an average of 19.9 ppg against ACC opponents. And if you eliminate a one-point home loss to Miami, Fla., that average margin of defeat jumps to 21.6 ppg!
Now for the kicker: Wake Forest’s worst loss of the entire season? 74-39 at – yep, you guessed it! – Georgia Tech. In that Jan. 19 contest, the Yellow Jackets shot just 41.3 percent from the field (though they went 8 of 16 three-pointers) and just 61 percent from the free-throw line (14-for-23) … and yet the still won by 35 points, as the Deacons made just 14 of 54 shots overall (26 percent), 2-for-15 from three-point land (13.3 percent), 9-for-26 from the charity stripe (34.6 percent), committed 18 turnovers and got out-rebounded 46-34!
Now, you would think being at home the Demon Deacons would improve on all of those staetistics – certainly, they can’t be any worse. But can they improve to the point that they’re 30 points better than they were on Jan. 19 at Georgia Tech (they’ll need to shave 30 points off that loss to cover this pointspread)? Highly, highly doubtful.
Wake Forest is 4-9-2 ATS in its last 15 games overall (all as an underdog, and mostly as a big underdog), 2-5-2 ATS in its last nine home games, 4-10-1 ATS in its last 15 ACC contests and 5-17 ATS in its last 22 Thursday contests. Conversely, Georgia Tech has covered in seven of its last 10 Thursday contests and eight of its last 10 against losing teams.
Bottom line: Even though this has been a very disaphointing season for the Yellow Jackets, they still own some impressive wins over Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Richmond. More importantly, they’ve still got a boatload more talent than Wake Forest. They proved as much 10 weeks ago with a 35-point win over the Demon Deacons, and they’ll prove it again tonight with a double-digit win.
3-1 for the week..Winners 40,30,25 dime....LOSERS 40 dime...
he's got to lose tonight..
Jeff Benton Thursday's Action
30 Dime college basketball seleation on Georgia Tech as a road favorite at Wake Forest. As of 11:20 a.m. Easetern time, the Yellow Jackets are a 6-point favorite both here in Vegas and offshore, with the pointspread jumping up from the an opening number of 5½.
ANALYSIS
Georgia Tech is 0-10 in true road games, losing by an average of 14 points per game (80-66) and getting outshot 51.7 percent to 40.3 percent, including 49.1 percent to 28.3 percent on three-pointers.
Georgia Tech has lost eight consecutive ACC games, going 1-7-1 ATS.
Georgia Tech has dropped back-to-back games at Wake Forest by 11 and 18 points.
Georgia Tech has just one spread-cover in its last seven games overall, one in its last nine road games and one in its last five as a favorite.
And yet Georgia Tech is favored esaentially by a pair of three-pointers at Wake Forest tonight … and I’m laying that chalk with gusto!
If that doesn’t tell you how awful the Demon Deacons are, I don’t know what would. Wake is 1-13 in conference play, losing the last five by scores of 80-55 to N.C. State (at home), 78-64 to North Carolina (road), 84-66 to Florida State (home), 76-62 to Virginia Tech (home) and 63-49 to Clemson (road).
Going back to an 83-75 loss at Xavier on Dec. 18, Wake Forest is 2-17, with 14 of its last 15 losses coming by double digits. Take away their only conference victory – a 76-71 home win over Virginia on Jan. 29 – and the Demon Deacons have been beaten by an average of 19.9 ppg against ACC opponents. And if you eliminate a one-point home loss to Miami, Fla., that average margin of defeat jumps to 21.6 ppg!
Now for the kicker: Wake Forest’s worst loss of the entire season? 74-39 at – yep, you guessed it! – Georgia Tech. In that Jan. 19 contest, the Yellow Jackets shot just 41.3 percent from the field (though they went 8 of 16 three-pointers) and just 61 percent from the free-throw line (14-for-23) … and yet the still won by 35 points, as the Deacons made just 14 of 54 shots overall (26 percent), 2-for-15 from three-point land (13.3 percent), 9-for-26 from the charity stripe (34.6 percent), committed 18 turnovers and got out-rebounded 46-34!
Now, you would think being at home the Demon Deacons would improve on all of those staetistics – certainly, they can’t be any worse. But can they improve to the point that they’re 30 points better than they were on Jan. 19 at Georgia Tech (they’ll need to shave 30 points off that loss to cover this pointspread)? Highly, highly doubtful.
Wake Forest is 4-9-2 ATS in its last 15 games overall (all as an underdog, and mostly as a big underdog), 2-5-2 ATS in its last nine home games, 4-10-1 ATS in its last 15 ACC contests and 5-17 ATS in its last 22 Thursday contests. Conversely, Georgia Tech has covered in seven of its last 10 Thursday contests and eight of its last 10 against losing teams.
Bottom line: Even though this has been a very disaphointing season for the Yellow Jackets, they still own some impressive wins over Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Richmond. More importantly, they’ve still got a boatload more talent than Wake Forest. They proved as much 10 weeks ago with a 35-point win over the Demon Deacons, and they’ll prove it again tonight with a double-digit win.
