| Range | W | L | P | +/- (Units) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yesterday | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | +2.00 |
| Last 30 Days | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | +2.00 |
| Season to Date | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | +2.00 |
2.12 units to win 2
Rutgers +6½ -106 over ST. JOHNS
We’re always looking for undervalued teams early in the season when market perception might be off. The Scarlett Knights of Rutgers could very well be one of those teams. Rutgers lost its final 15 games last season. They ended up with a conference record of 2-16. This is a squad that not many want to back right now and what that usually means is inflated points. When Eddie Jordan took over the Rutgers basketball program, it was on the heels of one of the most notorious college basketball controversies in recent years so Jordan faced a massive overhaul to a roster that was already lacking depth and talent. Jordan is now in year three so he now has a roster full of players he recruited. The Scarlett Knights only return two starters from a year ago but that’s not a bad thing at all. Rutgers has the pieces in place for a more talented and exciting team that figures to be competitive. We’re not suggesting for a second that Rutgers can realistically contend in the top 25 or for an NCAA Tournament berth, but it is one that has talented newcomers, an adequate returning base, and should be set for a more exciting, up-tempo style. Keep your eye on newcomer Corey Saunders at the PG positon. Sanders is incredibly athletic, has an exciting style of play, and is going to be a major part of the offense almost immediately. That all said, this one is more about fading St. Johns than it is about backing Rutgers.
You may remember that the Red Storm jumped out to a sizzling 11-1 start a year and they are off to another 2-0 start this year. That’s nice but the Johnnies are a team in trouble. St. Johns’ two victories this season were against Wagner and UMBC (Maryland Baltimore City). There was no line in the UMBC game. Against Wagner at home, the Johnnies were just a 6½-point choice and now they are the same price against the Scarlett Knights as they were against Wagner. That can’t be but it is. The oddsmakers didn’t like the Johnnies in their opener and while they won that game by nine, it was close throughout. Now we get some inflated points against the Red Storm and we’re not about to pass that up. St. Johns hired Chris Mullen and he’s never coached a basketball game prior to this year. We get the edge there with Eddie Jordan. Furthermore, seven players from last year’s Red Storm transferred and that’s a sure sign of “where there is smoke, there is fire”. The market is not aware of it yet but there is a real stench on this St. Johns program and we’re going to fade them every chance we can until the market adjusts. Sell high on these Johnnies because the opportunities to do so are going to dry up real fast. Pick: Rutgers +6½ -106
