NCAAB
Write-Up
Tuesday's play-in games
Arkansas-Little Rock is 2nd-shortest team in America; they're first team from Sun Belt to be in a play-in game. Since 2003, Sun Belt teams lost nine of 12 NCAA games, are 0-8 when less than a 12 seed, play-in game is lesser competition than that. NC-Asheville is in tournament for first time since '03; Big South teams are 1-19 in NCAAs (Winthrop won 1st round game in '97). Asheville forces turnovers on 24.5% on possessions, very high percentage, but Little Rock is a guard-heavy team.
UAB was ripped far-and-wide Sunday wide for not deserving to be here, so easy motivation for Coach Davis, who is in NCAAs or first time in five years. UAB is 2-7 in last nine first-round games, with last win back in '05. Clemson was 0-4 in first-round games under Purnell; Brownell is new coach- he coached at Wright State here in Dayton LY. Tigers' last win in NCAAs was in '97. Clemson beat East Carolina by 12, the team that knocked UAB out of Conference USA tournament. Sun Belt road dogs of 7 or less points are 7-17 vs spread. ACC road favorites of less than 7 points are 9-8 vs spread.
Wednesday's play-in games
SWAC teams are 1-16 in NCAAs, with Ark-Pine Bluff winning LY in a play-in game vs Winthrop; Alabama State is 0-4 in NCAAs the last ten years- they won 11 of last 12 games, are team that uses its bench more than anyone in country. Texas-San Antonio won its last five games, with three of last four wins by 5 or less points. Southland teams are 1-8 last eight years in NCAA's; this is their first play-in game since '01. ASU is an aggressive defensive team that allowed 58.3 ppg in SWAC tourney.
USC has long trip east to play VCU squad that is 3-5 in last eight games, but a team that beat UCLA 89-85 on a neutral court last fall. O'Neill has been reinstated as coach after off-court incident; Trojans are 3-3 in this event since '07- they improved a lot when transfer PG Fontan became eligible in December. VCU is 319th in country in defensive rebounding, bad sign vs USC squad that won six of last eight games and has quality size up front. CAA road dogs of 8 or less points are 20-13 vs spread. Pac-10 road favorites of less than 7 points are just 2-7.
Other tournaments
I'm focusing on the NCAA tournament, but since there are 19 freaking games tonight in other events, I'll give you one snippet of info on every game on the card. Don't bet a lot on these games; no one knows who is motivated to play here and who isn't, and that probably includes most of the coaches involved...........good luck. Please be cautious.
Ohio @ Marshall-- Marshall (+5) won 65-57 at Ohio in December 4th.
Dayton @ Charleston-- Flyers won three games to get to A-14 final, but final was Sunday/Atlantic City. Quick turnaround for road game here.
Vermont @ Cleveland State-- Horizon League double digit home faves are 2-9 vs spread in non-conference games this season.
Coastal Carolina @ Alabama-- Former Auburn coach Ellis beat LSU in December when Chanticleers were at full strength, but they've lost three guys either to eligibility or injury issues.
Harvard @ Oklahoma State-- Ivy League road underdogs of 12 points or less are 10-2 vs spread; this is Harvard's first-ever game on ESPN.
Murray State @ Missouri State-- Single digit road underdogs from OVC are 9-13 vs spread in non-conference games.
Boston College @ McNeese State-- Big night for McNeese, getting ACC team to visit, but they're 0-4 vs top 100 teams, losing by 54-15-20-9.
Fairfield @ Colorado State-- Rams lost five of last six games; Fairfield lost at home in conference tournament. Long road trip from Connecticut to Fort Collins. MAAC single digit road underdogs are 8-10 vs spread.
UTEP @ New Mexico-- Lobos' 4-year starting PG Gary screwed up a knee Friday night; his college career is over. UTEP lost its conference tournament by a point at home Saturday.
Kent State @ St Mary's-- WCC home favorites are 17-12 vs spread in non-conference games this season.
James Madison @ Davidson-- Host Wildcats won nine of last 11 games after starting season 8-12; Southern Conference home favorites of less than 7 points are 1-4 vs spread in non-league games.
Hofstra @ Evansville-- MVC non-conference home favorites of less than 5 points are 6-3 against the spread this season.
San Jose State @ Creighton-- WAC double digit road underdogs are 4-11 vs spread in non-conference games this season.
Austin Peay @ Boise State-- Broncos played late Saturday in Vegas, been over a week since Austin Peay played. WAC home favorites of less than 11 points are 16-6 vs spread this season.
Furman @ East Tennessee State-- Former Southern Conference rivals; SoCon single digit road underdogs are 12-5 vs spread in non-league tilts.
Jacksonville @ East Carolina-- Dolphins won postseason game LY at Arizona State. ECU's leading assist man is done for year (leg injury).
Rider @ Northern Iowa-- Broncs won six of their last seven games, UNI lost seven of its last eight games.
North Dakota @ Air Force-- Fighting Sioux are 11-4 since losing a 4OT game to Utah Valley Jan 20; they won their conference tourney final in double OT against South Dakota.
Northern Arizona @ Santa Clara-- Lumberjacks lead country, hitting on 42.4% of 3-pointers; they beat Pepperdine of WCC by 14 last fall. Santa Clara beat Big Sky champ Northern Colorado by 3.
Portland @ Hawai'i-- Pilots are 3-0 vs WAC teams this year, beating Idaho by 13, Boise State by 9 and Nevada by 4.
Write-Up
Tuesday's play-in games
Arkansas-Little Rock is 2nd-shortest team in America; they're first team from Sun Belt to be in a play-in game. Since 2003, Sun Belt teams lost nine of 12 NCAA games, are 0-8 when less than a 12 seed, play-in game is lesser competition than that. NC-Asheville is in tournament for first time since '03; Big South teams are 1-19 in NCAAs (Winthrop won 1st round game in '97). Asheville forces turnovers on 24.5% on possessions, very high percentage, but Little Rock is a guard-heavy team.
UAB was ripped far-and-wide Sunday wide for not deserving to be here, so easy motivation for Coach Davis, who is in NCAAs or first time in five years. UAB is 2-7 in last nine first-round games, with last win back in '05. Clemson was 0-4 in first-round games under Purnell; Brownell is new coach- he coached at Wright State here in Dayton LY. Tigers' last win in NCAAs was in '97. Clemson beat East Carolina by 12, the team that knocked UAB out of Conference USA tournament. Sun Belt road dogs of 7 or less points are 7-17 vs spread. ACC road favorites of less than 7 points are 9-8 vs spread.
Wednesday's play-in games
SWAC teams are 1-16 in NCAAs, with Ark-Pine Bluff winning LY in a play-in game vs Winthrop; Alabama State is 0-4 in NCAAs the last ten years- they won 11 of last 12 games, are team that uses its bench more than anyone in country. Texas-San Antonio won its last five games, with three of last four wins by 5 or less points. Southland teams are 1-8 last eight years in NCAA's; this is their first play-in game since '01. ASU is an aggressive defensive team that allowed 58.3 ppg in SWAC tourney.
USC has long trip east to play VCU squad that is 3-5 in last eight games, but a team that beat UCLA 89-85 on a neutral court last fall. O'Neill has been reinstated as coach after off-court incident; Trojans are 3-3 in this event since '07- they improved a lot when transfer PG Fontan became eligible in December. VCU is 319th in country in defensive rebounding, bad sign vs USC squad that won six of last eight games and has quality size up front. CAA road dogs of 8 or less points are 20-13 vs spread. Pac-10 road favorites of less than 7 points are just 2-7.
Other tournaments
I'm focusing on the NCAA tournament, but since there are 19 freaking games tonight in other events, I'll give you one snippet of info on every game on the card. Don't bet a lot on these games; no one knows who is motivated to play here and who isn't, and that probably includes most of the coaches involved...........good luck. Please be cautious.
Ohio @ Marshall-- Marshall (+5) won 65-57 at Ohio in December 4th.
Dayton @ Charleston-- Flyers won three games to get to A-14 final, but final was Sunday/Atlantic City. Quick turnaround for road game here.
Vermont @ Cleveland State-- Horizon League double digit home faves are 2-9 vs spread in non-conference games this season.
Coastal Carolina @ Alabama-- Former Auburn coach Ellis beat LSU in December when Chanticleers were at full strength, but they've lost three guys either to eligibility or injury issues.
Harvard @ Oklahoma State-- Ivy League road underdogs of 12 points or less are 10-2 vs spread; this is Harvard's first-ever game on ESPN.
Murray State @ Missouri State-- Single digit road underdogs from OVC are 9-13 vs spread in non-conference games.
Boston College @ McNeese State-- Big night for McNeese, getting ACC team to visit, but they're 0-4 vs top 100 teams, losing by 54-15-20-9.
Fairfield @ Colorado State-- Rams lost five of last six games; Fairfield lost at home in conference tournament. Long road trip from Connecticut to Fort Collins. MAAC single digit road underdogs are 8-10 vs spread.
UTEP @ New Mexico-- Lobos' 4-year starting PG Gary screwed up a knee Friday night; his college career is over. UTEP lost its conference tournament by a point at home Saturday.
Kent State @ St Mary's-- WCC home favorites are 17-12 vs spread in non-conference games this season.
James Madison @ Davidson-- Host Wildcats won nine of last 11 games after starting season 8-12; Southern Conference home favorites of less than 7 points are 1-4 vs spread in non-league games.
Hofstra @ Evansville-- MVC non-conference home favorites of less than 5 points are 6-3 against the spread this season.
San Jose State @ Creighton-- WAC double digit road underdogs are 4-11 vs spread in non-conference games this season.
Austin Peay @ Boise State-- Broncos played late Saturday in Vegas, been over a week since Austin Peay played. WAC home favorites of less than 11 points are 16-6 vs spread this season.
Furman @ East Tennessee State-- Former Southern Conference rivals; SoCon single digit road underdogs are 12-5 vs spread in non-league tilts.
Jacksonville @ East Carolina-- Dolphins won postseason game LY at Arizona State. ECU's leading assist man is done for year (leg injury).
Rider @ Northern Iowa-- Broncs won six of their last seven games, UNI lost seven of its last eight games.
North Dakota @ Air Force-- Fighting Sioux are 11-4 since losing a 4OT game to Utah Valley Jan 20; they won their conference tourney final in double OT against South Dakota.
Northern Arizona @ Santa Clara-- Lumberjacks lead country, hitting on 42.4% of 3-pointers; they beat Pepperdine of WCC by 14 last fall. Santa Clara beat Big Sky champ Northern Colorado by 3.
Portland @ Hawai'i-- Pilots are 3-0 vs WAC teams this year, beating Idaho by 13, Boise State by 9 and Nevada by 4.
