other play
Not to be confused with the Blue Devils, who host the Davidson Currys tonight on ESPN, Duquesne is one of the better mid-major teams in the country in the very competitive Atlantic-10. Xavier, Dayton, Rhode Island and St. Joseph's also call this conference home, so you know that Duquesne gets tested year in and year out. Speaking of being tested, the Dukes have played Duke, Pittsburgh and West Virginia this season and while the first two were downright ugly, Duquesne played West Virginia all the way down to the wire before losing by only five points. In fact, since losing to Old Dominion three weeks ago, the Dukes have won their last four games by an impressive average of 15 points. Ron Everhart has definitely shifted gears and his guys are playing with a newfound vengeance. It all starts with senior guard Aaron Johnson (17 points, 6 rebounds per game), who has been on an absolute tear on said winning streak. Johnson's superb play has caused double teams by the defense, which has opened up doors for Damian Saunders and Bill Clark down low. The Dukes are very versatile offensively and their inside-out style of offense suits them incredibly well against smaller ballclubs like Charlotte. After a few lumps last month, Duquesne has found its niche and I like their chances against a bad road team (2-5 SU and ATS) tonight. Lay the small chalk and roll with the Dukes.
PICK: Duquesne (-3.5) - 10 dimes