Looking to continue the solid start to the week after going 4-1 yesterday. Here is what I'll be playing for today......
Vanderbilt -4
Vanderbilt is a solid team that will give their SEC opponents fits this year. They beat a good Austin Peay team in their opener. Shan Foster is one of the better players in the SEC that you probably don't know much about. Meanwhile, Toledo still has a lot of work to do. Although they did squeak out a 4 point home win against Missouri St, they only managed 57 points and 1 player scored 27 of them. They were outrebounded by 12 including 11 on the offensive glass. Also another disturbing stat, they turned the ball over 18 times while registering only 8 assists. I'll take the much more balanced Vandy team even if it is on the road. Vandy wins by 12 points.
Wyoming -8
Another road favorite that I'll be playing. Wyoming has a real solid team led by the dynamic guard duo of Brandon Ewing and Brad Jones. The two combined to score 38 PPG last year and didn't disappoint in the opener as they combined to score 35 points. They are a solid, veteran team that will surprise people in the MWC this year. Meanwhile, Denver is picked last to finish in the Sun Belt this year and after their 2 games this year that they have played, I can see why. They struggled mightily to beat a D2 school on a neutral court by 1 and then got hammered by 30 to a decent but not great Oklahoma team on the road. Denver is bad, real bad and Wyoming should cruise in this one. Wyoming by 17 points.
Missouri -9
Missouri is much more talented than Fordham and playing on their homecourt, they'll prevail behind solid play from Carroll, Lyons, Hannah and Lawrence. Fordham is a 2 man show and if you shut either one down, they'll struggle to score. Missu wins by 15 points.
Weber St -4
This is a perfect situational play for me as a much better Weber St team was embarrassed yesterday in their loss to D2 CS San Bernardino. This was a perfect let down game as Weber St defeated their rivals Utah St in the opener and came out and went through the motions expecting to defeat a much weaker team. After watching Youngstown St against UCLA, they are a work in progress with few proven playmakers on the team. Losing the top 2 players from last year will hurt them for awhile until they can get some more time under their belt. If Weber St had won yesterday, they would have been favored by 8 or 9 points today. Weber St will rebound and defeat Youngstown St by 10 points.
Eastern Illinois +3.5
I'll take the home dog in this one as E Illinois is actually a better team this year than Loyola. Last year I couldn't make this statement but Loyola lost some really good players and are in a rebuilding mode this year. Eastern Illinois is one of my surprise teams in the OVC this year and look for them to start 2-0 by beating Loyola on their home floor. Eastern Illinois by 6.
Vanderbilt -4
Vanderbilt is a solid team that will give their SEC opponents fits this year. They beat a good Austin Peay team in their opener. Shan Foster is one of the better players in the SEC that you probably don't know much about. Meanwhile, Toledo still has a lot of work to do. Although they did squeak out a 4 point home win against Missouri St, they only managed 57 points and 1 player scored 27 of them. They were outrebounded by 12 including 11 on the offensive glass. Also another disturbing stat, they turned the ball over 18 times while registering only 8 assists. I'll take the much more balanced Vandy team even if it is on the road. Vandy wins by 12 points.
Wyoming -8
Another road favorite that I'll be playing. Wyoming has a real solid team led by the dynamic guard duo of Brandon Ewing and Brad Jones. The two combined to score 38 PPG last year and didn't disappoint in the opener as they combined to score 35 points. They are a solid, veteran team that will surprise people in the MWC this year. Meanwhile, Denver is picked last to finish in the Sun Belt this year and after their 2 games this year that they have played, I can see why. They struggled mightily to beat a D2 school on a neutral court by 1 and then got hammered by 30 to a decent but not great Oklahoma team on the road. Denver is bad, real bad and Wyoming should cruise in this one. Wyoming by 17 points.
Missouri -9
Missouri is much more talented than Fordham and playing on their homecourt, they'll prevail behind solid play from Carroll, Lyons, Hannah and Lawrence. Fordham is a 2 man show and if you shut either one down, they'll struggle to score. Missu wins by 15 points.
Weber St -4
This is a perfect situational play for me as a much better Weber St team was embarrassed yesterday in their loss to D2 CS San Bernardino. This was a perfect let down game as Weber St defeated their rivals Utah St in the opener and came out and went through the motions expecting to defeat a much weaker team. After watching Youngstown St against UCLA, they are a work in progress with few proven playmakers on the team. Losing the top 2 players from last year will hurt them for awhile until they can get some more time under their belt. If Weber St had won yesterday, they would have been favored by 8 or 9 points today. Weber St will rebound and defeat Youngstown St by 10 points.
Eastern Illinois +3.5
I'll take the home dog in this one as E Illinois is actually a better team this year than Loyola. Last year I couldn't make this statement but Loyola lost some really good players and are in a rebuilding mode this year. Eastern Illinois is one of my surprise teams in the OVC this year and look for them to start 2-0 by beating Loyola on their home floor. Eastern Illinois by 6.
