2 Units
Wright St -4 -110
Central Michigan is a team i will be fading early in the season, or at least until they show me a reason not to. They will still be without starter Marcus Van, Jordan Blitzer, and Marko Spica. The team has been in a real funk after narrowly escaping with a win against horrendous Princeton, a home loss to a rebuilding Missouri St, and then an embarrassing loss against Chicago St. The Chipps haven't been able to get any kind of consistency on offense. They severely lack any significant firepower, and seem to have lost confidence. A team struggling offensively do not want to see Wright St. The Raiders have been strong on defense the past few seasons. They held opponents under 40% shooting from the floor last season. They were tested in their first game losing a close one to a very good Illinois St team. I am looking for them to bounce back big time. This is a solid team, who is used to winning, and expected to compete once again for a Horizon league title. They have one of the leagues best playesr in Vaughn Duggins, and Todd Brown. Brown gives them consistent outside shooting, while Duggins gives them balance around the basket. Brownell expects a lot of his team, and they usually deliver. Tough spot for the Chips catching Wright St off a home loss. I expect Wright St defense to smother Cent Mich, and get an easy victory.
Wright St -4 -110
Central Michigan is a team i will be fading early in the season, or at least until they show me a reason not to. They will still be without starter Marcus Van, Jordan Blitzer, and Marko Spica. The team has been in a real funk after narrowly escaping with a win against horrendous Princeton, a home loss to a rebuilding Missouri St, and then an embarrassing loss against Chicago St. The Chipps haven't been able to get any kind of consistency on offense. They severely lack any significant firepower, and seem to have lost confidence. A team struggling offensively do not want to see Wright St. The Raiders have been strong on defense the past few seasons. They held opponents under 40% shooting from the floor last season. They were tested in their first game losing a close one to a very good Illinois St team. I am looking for them to bounce back big time. This is a solid team, who is used to winning, and expected to compete once again for a Horizon league title. They have one of the leagues best playesr in Vaughn Duggins, and Todd Brown. Brown gives them consistent outside shooting, while Duggins gives them balance around the basket. Brownell expects a lot of his team, and they usually deliver. Tough spot for the Chips catching Wright St off a home loss. I expect Wright St defense to smother Cent Mich, and get an easy victory.
Evansville -5
The Aces are a team I will be looking to play on at home. They have a very good home court advantage mainly b/c the fact that they have some deadly shooters on their team, and anybody who played ball at a high level there is nothing like shooting on your home rims. The Aces have consistently shot better at home the past few yrs. They have an exceptional backcourt in Jason Holsinger, and Shy Ely. Ely looks to really have come into his own averaging 17.7 ppg. He is the type of player the Aces can rely on to give them a basket when they need one. Having a player such as that will keep them out of those prolonged scoring droughts. Ely lives on the foul line, so he can get his points in numerous ways. The ability to get to the line is a huge factor, and they have proved how important it is by going 28 times vs Austin Peay, and 25 times vs Oakland City. They shot 71%, and 68% respectively. Holsinger has struggled out of the gates going 4 for 19 from 3 point range. However he is a pure shooter, and has made shots his whole career, so I expect him to break out in a big way against a team who struggles on defense, and struggles to guard the 3 point line. Last season Buffalo was last in rebounding, last in scoring defense, and last in fg% def. However the most important factor going into tommorrow's game will be the absence of arguably their best player Adrian Robinson, who is serving the 3rd game of his 3 game suspension. Buffalo is weak in the front court, so not having a key guard, against a guard oriented team such as the Aces will have a negative effect. Last season, at home, with Robinson Buffalo was able to beat this same Evansvile team by 20. However, the importance of home court was seen as the year before that when the same teams met in Evansville, the Aces won 74-44. That just shows how important home court has been in this series. I think this Evansville team is on the way up, and getting a short handed Buffalo team, at home, they should have no problem taking care of the Bulls
The Aces are a team I will be looking to play on at home. They have a very good home court advantage mainly b/c the fact that they have some deadly shooters on their team, and anybody who played ball at a high level there is nothing like shooting on your home rims. The Aces have consistently shot better at home the past few yrs. They have an exceptional backcourt in Jason Holsinger, and Shy Ely. Ely looks to really have come into his own averaging 17.7 ppg. He is the type of player the Aces can rely on to give them a basket when they need one. Having a player such as that will keep them out of those prolonged scoring droughts. Ely lives on the foul line, so he can get his points in numerous ways. The ability to get to the line is a huge factor, and they have proved how important it is by going 28 times vs Austin Peay, and 25 times vs Oakland City. They shot 71%, and 68% respectively. Holsinger has struggled out of the gates going 4 for 19 from 3 point range. However he is a pure shooter, and has made shots his whole career, so I expect him to break out in a big way against a team who struggles on defense, and struggles to guard the 3 point line. Last season Buffalo was last in rebounding, last in scoring defense, and last in fg% def. However the most important factor going into tommorrow's game will be the absence of arguably their best player Adrian Robinson, who is serving the 3rd game of his 3 game suspension. Buffalo is weak in the front court, so not having a key guard, against a guard oriented team such as the Aces will have a negative effect. Last season, at home, with Robinson Buffalo was able to beat this same Evansvile team by 20. However, the importance of home court was seen as the year before that when the same teams met in Evansville, the Aces won 74-44. That just shows how important home court has been in this series. I think this Evansville team is on the way up, and getting a short handed Buffalo team, at home, they should have no problem taking care of the Bulls
Arkansas +3
Missouri St is another team on my fade list. No way in hell they should be giving an SEC team 3 points, NO WAY. I know Missouri St is opening up their brand new arena, but this is a dangerously thin team, with not much talent to begin with. Shane Laurie, and Justin Fehrmeyer, are once again expected to miss the game with injuries. That means other than Chris Cooks there is basically no firepower. Arkansas on the other hand is coming in off a good home win over an improved UC Davis team. Stefan Welsch has been running a very good point guard, and Michael Washington has been an absolute beat down low. Mizz St will have no answer what so ever for the 6-10 Washington. He is big, athletic, and should have a field day. Arkansas brought in a strong recruiting class. The Razorbacks have the ability to out talent the Bears. I expect this will be the case, and gladly laugh and grab the points
Missouri St is another team on my fade list. No way in hell they should be giving an SEC team 3 points, NO WAY. I know Missouri St is opening up their brand new arena, but this is a dangerously thin team, with not much talent to begin with. Shane Laurie, and Justin Fehrmeyer, are once again expected to miss the game with injuries. That means other than Chris Cooks there is basically no firepower. Arkansas on the other hand is coming in off a good home win over an improved UC Davis team. Stefan Welsch has been running a very good point guard, and Michael Washington has been an absolute beat down low. Mizz St will have no answer what so ever for the 6-10 Washington. He is big, athletic, and should have a field day. Arkansas brought in a strong recruiting class. The Razorbacks have the ability to out talent the Bears. I expect this will be the case, and gladly laugh and grab the points
Nice sweep Friday.
I'm just an hour away from Evansville. Coach Simmons(x IU and then transferred to the Aces) is a competitor. Don't take to much stock in Oakland City as they are just a very, very small little college , almost like playing an exhibition game. Aces will be competitive at home this season and as you already know have all 5 starters back.
Good luck and great stuff in hoops:toast:
I'm just an hour away from Evansville. Coach Simmons(x IU and then transferred to the Aces) is a competitor. Don't take to much stock in Oakland City as they are just a very, very small little college , almost like playing an exhibition game. Aces will be competitive at home this season and as you already know have all 5 starters back.
Good luck and great stuff in hoops:toast:
Great job, I find it almost amazing how we seem to consistantly land on the same plays. I always play some overnights based on my basic knowledge of the teams with some gut instinct tossed in. I do not 'cap the matchups until game day. Anyways, here are the initial plays that I got in last night.
Wright
E'ville
Cleve St
A Peay
Good luck today
Wright
E'ville
Cleve St
A Peay
Good luck today
2 Units
Arkansas Little Rock -8 -110
Another team that I am extremely high on are the Trojans. They return 5 starters from a very good team last year. All their strengths are things I look for when playing on teams. They are tenacious rebounds, play excellent fg% def, and cover the 3 point line. They got off to a good start to the season sweeping both games out west vs. Cal Poly, and Pepperdine. It was more of the same as they were +8 on the boards vs. Pepperdine, and +14 vs. Cal Poly. They also have some extra motivation going into their home opener, and arguably their best player Steven Moore was reinstated, after being suspended for the 1st 2 games of the season. The addition of Moore will give the Trojans even more experience, and deadly 3 point shooting. This same team destroyed La Tech last season winning 63-49. La Tech does not shoot at a high percentage, that's not a good sign, since the as I said the Trojans get after it defensively. I fully expect UALR to ride the wave of their home opener, and the return on Moore and handle La Tech rather easily
Arkansas Little Rock -8 -110
Another team that I am extremely high on are the Trojans. They return 5 starters from a very good team last year. All their strengths are things I look for when playing on teams. They are tenacious rebounds, play excellent fg% def, and cover the 3 point line. They got off to a good start to the season sweeping both games out west vs. Cal Poly, and Pepperdine. It was more of the same as they were +8 on the boards vs. Pepperdine, and +14 vs. Cal Poly. They also have some extra motivation going into their home opener, and arguably their best player Steven Moore was reinstated, after being suspended for the 1st 2 games of the season. The addition of Moore will give the Trojans even more experience, and deadly 3 point shooting. This same team destroyed La Tech last season winning 63-49. La Tech does not shoot at a high percentage, that's not a good sign, since the as I said the Trojans get after it defensively. I fully expect UALR to ride the wave of their home opener, and the return on Moore and handle La Tech rather easily
2 Units
Austin Peay -1 -110
Kind of in a hurry so have to be quick. Basically the Govenors have an outstanding home court advantage. They return the league's best player in Drake Reed. They have strong frontcourt play led by Reed. They are an experienced team that knows how to, and expects to win. They play an Ohio team who is in it's first year with a new coach, and new philosophy's. They have depth issues, and will be outmatched in the front court. In the end I think home court wins out.
Austin Peay -1 -110
Kind of in a hurry so have to be quick. Basically the Govenors have an outstanding home court advantage. They return the league's best player in Drake Reed. They have strong frontcourt play led by Reed. They are an experienced team that knows how to, and expects to win. They play an Ohio team who is in it's first year with a new coach, and new philosophy's. They have depth issues, and will be outmatched in the front court. In the end I think home court wins out.
