Big West tourney will play out over three days from March 12-14 in Anaheim. Championship game is March 14 @ 8:30 pm EST on ESPN2. UC Davis won the regular season title, but now it's time to mix it up in the cage.
This second game of the tourney is being played 25 miles from LBS campus....Hawaii is 8-8 SU in conference, and LBS is 10-6. LBS has not lost in the first round of the Big West tourney in 5 straight years. This year they are the #4 seed and Hawaii is the #5 seed. Hawaii is 4-4 ATS on the road in conference, while LBS is 1-7 ATS on the road in conference. In last year's tourney, Hawaii lost in the first round to a lower seed, while LBS lost in the second round after knocking off Cal State Fullerton.
LBS guard Mike Caffey is an all-Big West first teamer with 15.9 ppg and 60 steals. LBS also features David Samuels (10.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 7 double-doubles in conference play). Hawaii's best players are Aaron Valdes (13.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg), 6'11 monster Stefan Jankovic (10.5 ppg, 30 blocks), and Big West defensive player of the year Roderick Bobbitt with 95 steals.
The last time these teams played each other in California was on Jan 31, when UH lost by 15 points (50-65) and failed to cover at +8.5. Four LBS players scored double digits in that game. LBS hasn't lost to Hawaii in California in the last two years. LBS played a murderous non-conference schedule this year against several top-50 teams and went 8-5 ATS in those games. Both of these teams played BYU this year, with Hawaii losing by 20 on a neutral court, and LBS losing by 5 at BYU.
Both of these teams went 2-4 ATS against the top 3 teams in the conf. However, LBS was only outscored by and average of 1 point in those games while Hawaii was outscored by an average of 4. Given where this game is being played, I will take Long Beach. I just think that when you're dealing with flaky college kids, having to travel 25 miles from your dorm is better than traveling 1200.
LONG BEACH STATE -1.5
$160 to win $145
This second game of the tourney is being played 25 miles from LBS campus....Hawaii is 8-8 SU in conference, and LBS is 10-6. LBS has not lost in the first round of the Big West tourney in 5 straight years. This year they are the #4 seed and Hawaii is the #5 seed. Hawaii is 4-4 ATS on the road in conference, while LBS is 1-7 ATS on the road in conference. In last year's tourney, Hawaii lost in the first round to a lower seed, while LBS lost in the second round after knocking off Cal State Fullerton.
LBS guard Mike Caffey is an all-Big West first teamer with 15.9 ppg and 60 steals. LBS also features David Samuels (10.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 7 double-doubles in conference play). Hawaii's best players are Aaron Valdes (13.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg), 6'11 monster Stefan Jankovic (10.5 ppg, 30 blocks), and Big West defensive player of the year Roderick Bobbitt with 95 steals.
The last time these teams played each other in California was on Jan 31, when UH lost by 15 points (50-65) and failed to cover at +8.5. Four LBS players scored double digits in that game. LBS hasn't lost to Hawaii in California in the last two years. LBS played a murderous non-conference schedule this year against several top-50 teams and went 8-5 ATS in those games. Both of these teams played BYU this year, with Hawaii losing by 20 on a neutral court, and LBS losing by 5 at BYU.
Both of these teams went 2-4 ATS against the top 3 teams in the conf. However, LBS was only outscored by and average of 1 point in those games while Hawaii was outscored by an average of 4. Given where this game is being played, I will take Long Beach. I just think that when you're dealing with flaky college kids, having to travel 25 miles from your dorm is better than traveling 1200.
LONG BEACH STATE -1.5
$160 to win $145
