| Range | W | L | P | +/- (Units) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yesterday | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | +3.10 |
| Last 30 Days | 11 | 9 | 0.00 | +4.60 |
| Season to Date | 13 | 11 | 0.00 | +5.32 |
PRINCETON -8 over St. Joseph’s
Note the 5:00 PM EST start. St. Joe’s has been a relevant Division I team for years and a serious factor in the A-10 as well. The Hawks got by Cincinnati in the first round of last year’s main event and almost knocked off #1 seed Oregon in the second round in an eventual five-point loss. St. Joe’s won 28 games last year and it is now being offered some serious lumber against an Ivy League school. That may look appealing, especially when you consider that both teams are 4-4 thus far. However, things aren’t always exactly as they appear and this is a prime example of that, as the Hawks are in big trouble while the Tigers are not. The Hawks lost three key players from last year’s squad in DeAndre’ Bembry (NBA Draft), Isaiah Miles (graduation), and Aaron Brown (graduation). All three averaged well over 10 points per game and combined to average over half of the team’s points per game. DeAndre’ Bembry and Isaiah Miles combined to form one of the best frontcourts in the A-10 and in the country. Both shot right around 50% from the field and they each averaged eight rebounds per contest. The list of credentials for each player goes on and on. That’s 60% of the most minutes on the floor completely gone and the Hawks do not have adequate replacements. The Hawks’ four wins have come against Toledo, Columbia, Loyola (Chi) and Drexel. Their only road win was in Drexel by one point. They have lost by double digits at home to both Ole Miss and N.C. State and will play their third straight on the road here. This is a rebuilding year for the Hawks and while we like their coach, some blowouts are forthcoming and they are not going to be on the right side of them. Incidentally, St. Joe’s also lost at home to Villanova but it was by 29 points, 88-57.
The lone loss for Princeton this year is Mike Washington. He averaged just 3.6 minutes in 17 games during his senior season. That leaves a whole slew of talent returning to a team that won 22 games and reached the NIT last year. The Tigers are big, they’re deep and they can shoot lights out against almost anyone. The Tigers are not off to a great start but their losses were against BYU, Lehigh, Cal and VCU, all very decent teams. Most recently, however, the Tigers have stepped it up with a nice 13-point win over Hawaii at the Pearl Harbor Invitational and a three-point victory on the road at Liberty. Let us remind you that the 3-point win over Liberty came after returning from Honolulu. The Tigers hit 17-three pointers in their last game. The total here (139) suggests one of these teams is going to have trouble scoring and we doubt it’ll be the host. Princeton is a group that has grown up together and they keep getting better with every season. With some moderate wins and a moderate 4-4 record, the Tigers are an undervalued squad that has a big edge in every area against this visitor. This game is actually a mismatch but it’s not priced as such, which is our prompt to move in hard. Play: Princeton -8 (Risking 2.2 units to win 2).
