I don't know if Duke is a great play or not, but i do think they are getting quite a bit of pointspread value in this game. Duke was just -7 vs. Texas the other night. Way back in the beginning of the year, Texas was a 2-point favorite over Nova and covered in Madison Square Garden. Now, Nova is just +2 to Duke. That is a big shift in spread value in Duke's favor. Now, is that justified? Maybe, but I certainly don't see much line value on the Nova side. It's Duke or nothing for me.
ND, I don't think your argument is justified. Beginning of the year and Sweet 16 tourney time are pretty much night and day. I think we need to look at who is hot and who is starting to fade. Nova looks like it's peaking while Duke had a very difficult time with Texas. I don't think the point spread issue is justifiable. If so....then way back in the beginning of the season...Texas lost to Notre Dame who Nova beat.
I just think to cap the NCAA, the stats part may not be as big an issue as momentum and heart in these tourneys. Nova had a slow start against American, who has always done well in the tourney, but they sure did crank it up against UCLA. I just think Nova has the momentum against Duke.
I just think to cap the NCAA, the stats part may not be as big an issue as momentum and heart in these tourneys. Nova had a slow start against American, who has always done well in the tourney, but they sure did crank it up against UCLA. I just think Nova has the momentum against Duke.
The Syracuse/OU game is a tough one. The Sooners have the best player. But overall i think the talent level is about even with these teams. At this stage of the tournament I also start looking at the coaches who are seasoned veterans that are better at making sideline adjustments. And that belongs to Syracuse. I also think the Orange played much better than OU in the last month of the season. They had a 7 game winning streak going until all of those overtime games caught up with them in the tournament and they lost to Louisville. You've got to give them some respect. They've beaten Memphis and Marquette on the road. The only good road win that OU has had was Purdue very early in the year. I just don't have a whole lot of confidence in OU right now. I think they might have peaked too early, and may be be on the downtick....Maybe. At any rate, I know that Syracuse is a much better team than the Michigan team that OU played the other night.
Syracuse seems to be on a mission. May have the best point guard in the nation "Johnny Flynn" great shooters in Rautins & Devindorf" and a great coach. I don't see any reason why Syracuse doesn't advance. Gotta take Nova over Duke. Taking one of the top Big East teams over one of the top ACC teams in this game.
I agree...I've got Cuse penciled in as a Final 4 team. Not only because they were winning a lot of games at the end of the season, but because they were winning many of those games easy. And I know if they can take UCONN to 6 OT's and win, they can probably beat my Sooners, who don't have a particually good bench. If they get in foul trouble their probably cooked.
Im on Nova for a very big play, but i disagree with 1 thing said.
Duke is as hot as anyone right now, winning the ACC tournment and winning their first 2 games here. I just dont think momentum really matters in the tourney now. Everyone still alive is playing pretty well and I think Nova is an absolute matchup nightmare for duke.
Duke is as hot as anyone right now, winning the ACC tournment and winning their first 2 games here. I just dont think momentum really matters in the tourney now. Everyone still alive is playing pretty well and I think Nova is an absolute matchup nightmare for duke.
I totally agree. Nova will be my largest CB play of the season. I'm a die-hard Duke fan and let me tell you guys right now, this team does NOT match up well with Nova. Not only will Cunningham pose problems, but guys like Pena and Clark are a better 1-2 punch up front than Zoubek and Thomas on Duke.
Everyone talks about Duke shooting 3s well...last I checked, Villanova has 2 dangerous 3 point shooters (reynolds and clark), while guys like anderson and fisher can also drain it from deep.
Everyone talks about Duke's harrassing perimeter D. Well call me crazy but Villanova has a stronger defensive guard core with 5 guys averaging well over 1 steal a game. They will get in the mug of guys like Scheyer and Paulus....Smith can't shoot....Kyle Singler will be tired guarding Cunningham....only Gerald Henderson poses a serious threat in that he can score at will against almost anybody if he's taking it hard to the hole (which is often a BIG IF). Everybody else is totally guardable.
Villanova will be playing closer to home than Duke, maybe that will play a role in home court-type support for the Wildcats?
Villanova has a toughness about them, something that completely eludes Duke.
And let's not forget, Texas could easily have won against Duke last weekend were it not for some bad fouls that kept their rotation in limbo (namely guys like Pittman and Johnson).
Have I broken it down enough? As sad as it is for me to go against my all-time favourite team, business is business!
GL guys!
Oh dear. Lots of Nova Games of the year on here. Lots of Nova biggest bets of the year. I am running the other way and taking Duke. Sure, Nova looked great against UCLA, but this is still the same team that was manhandled in the 2nd half vs. Louisville in Madison Square Garden. How quickly people forget that ass kicking.
