SJ is locked
and loaded for Saturday NCAA and NBA hoops.
Season Record:
2011 NFL: 48-33-7 (+34.75 units)
NCAA:
8-9 (-16.1 units)
NBA: 0-1
(-2.2 units)
All bets are weighted between 1 and 5
units.
Last Week:
You would think after a 3-2 day last Saturday I would have a
little bounce in my step after stumbling out of the gate with my NCAA
basketball picks. But my dear old Dad summed
me up best by explaining to me a long time ago, “You sir, are a jackass.” Dad was always very formal and to the
point.
Yes, it was a 3-2 day but my biggest play flamed when Drake
+17 couldn’t hang with Wichita State.
That cost us 4.4 units and of course my 3 unit bankroll buster came in
the form of UNLV laying 17 but grounding the Air Force by only a ten point
margin which simply wasn’t dominating enough for our liking. The bad news cost us 7.7 units but then we
won some too…
Oklahoma +13 over Baylor put 2 units back in the coffers
while Virginia +4 over UNC netted us 3 units and a badly needed cover, thank
you very much. Finally, our boys from
Mizzou just manhandled the Jayhawks throughout the game as 8 point underdogs
but faded down the stretch by dropping a heartbreaking 87-86 decision in
overtime but getting us an easy cover for 2 units.
All in all, we went 3-2 but actually lost 7/10th’s
of a unit. That’s what happens when you
pin your hopes on a team that was named after a snack food. That’s right I’m talkin’ to you Drake’s
Cakes. Lousy basketball team but surprisingly
delicious after a meal or when you just need something to tide you over.
4:00 PM ET Louisville at Syracuse
I know the Orange have been all that and a bag o’ chips this
season but Louisville is too good to get this many. Syracuse has the number one seed locked up
going into the Big East tournament and although they are undefeated at home
(18-0) they are under .500 against the all important number in lined games
(8-9).
These teams played only a few weeks back when Syracuse
squeaked by with a 52-51 victory on Louisville’s home court. But the public has a short memory which is
what the college basketball odds makers rely on and the public realizes that Louisville has failed
to cover in their last four games and was stunned by South Florida 58-51 as
eight point favorites the last time out.
Good for us because all this bad news inflates the line. We
will back the Louisville Cardinals +9 for 3 units.
7:00 PM ET UNC at Duke
I’m staying in to watch this one. It’s a good thing too because I have no
invitations to go anywhere else. Anyone
who follows college baskets watched UNC implode with two minutes left in the
game against Duke nearly a month ago.
The Tar Heels were up by ten and Duke had no chance. Until of course they closed the gap and hit a
buzzer beating three pointer at the horn
to stun the Chapel Hill crowd and cap a furious rally, 83-82.
Now the venue has changed but emotions will be sky
high. Cameron Indoor Stadium is the
scene of tonight’s showdown between the ACC powerhouses and the Heels will be
looking for revenge. OK, enough with the
hype, who is the right side in this one?
Don’t over think it, just play it. And that team would be the North Carolina Tar
Heels. They score more, play better
defense (yes they do, check the stats) and outrebound by a wide margin. They had a letdown, big deal but now it’s
time for them to get even. The Heels
have rebounded nicely since that loss on February 8th winning six
consecutive games and covering 5 of those 6.
Boys, it’s an all-in moment and I don’t care that they are
playing in Duke’s gymnasium. UNC is the
better team and the oddsmakers are making this a virtual pick so we need not
concern ourselves with points. I am
backing the North Carolina Tar Heels in a big way. Play
UNC –0.5 (-120 buying a half point) for 5 units.
8:30 PM ET Hartford at Boston University
In the interest of full disclosure this is not my pick. I got this from a guy who knows a guy kind of
thing. Hey, I’m not proud, I’m looking
for winners not glory. The “guy” in
question says BU is due for a huge night and the line is being ignored by the
oddsmakers who are focused on the big games which get all the action. Let’s fly under the radar and see if this
information is any good. Play BU -4.5 for 2 units.
10:00 PM ET Idaho at San Jose State
You know I have to be sharp as a razor blade to pick my spot
in a WAC game that the average bettor will ignore because it’s just not sexy
enough and both teams are under the radar.
Well until I start making some money in college hoops I’m no better than
Joe Q. Public who loses his shirt week in and week out. However, I do know a spot when I see one and
this looks interesting to say the least.
The bottom line here is that San Jose has struggled mightily
in conference play going 1-12 straight up within their division. Now before you get too excited, they are 6-7
against the spread in those games so the oddsmakers are not ignorant. If given enough of a head start they can
compete. Idaho has covered 5 of their
last 6 lined games and defeated this same Spartan club 74-66 back on January 26th
but failed to get the cover as 10.5 point home chalk.
This is about two teams going in two different directions
with the conference tourney looming. I
say side with the better team and watch the Vandals
steal this one (see what I did there?) without any problems. Play
Idaho -3 for 3 units.