Big play for me Tuesday: Illinois State -2.5
I’m not one for the Game of the Year-type tout nonsense that’s become so common, but this is a game I feel very strongly about and it will be my largest college hoops play this season.
This is a game I’ve had my eye on for several weeks. A 19-game win streak, top-15 national ranking and undefeated mark in the conference have severely overvalued this Drake team, yet it doesn’t indicate how many close calls they’ve already had this season. Drake’s trailed at the half in 6/11 conference games, and sooner or later it’s bound to catch up with them. I think it happens tomorrow night at Illinois State. ISU’s 10-0 on their home court this season, and it’s going to be extremely difficult for anyone in the MVC to get a W on the Redbirds’ court. Despite Drake’s record, ISU (and even a fully healthy Bradley squad) is every bit the team as the Bulldogs, maybe even superior. Josh Young gets a lot of pub. and will likely be the player of the year in the Valley, but ISU’s Osiris Eldridge is of equal talent and just as explosive offensively. This is a significantly bigger game for ISU, who’s looking to avenge an earlier loss on the road, while Drake doesn’t have much incentive to win this game, as a loss still leaves them with a comfortable 2-game cushion for the regular season conference title. I feel this is a very strong situational play, and I’m getting, in my opinion, the better team laying only a short number in a revenge spot on their home floor.
10* Illinois State -2.5
This is a game I’ve had my eye on for several weeks. A 19-game win streak, top-15 national ranking and undefeated mark in the conference have severely overvalued this Drake team, yet it doesn’t indicate how many close calls they’ve already had this season. Drake’s trailed at the half in 6/11 conference games, and sooner or later it’s bound to catch up with them. I think it happens tomorrow night at Illinois State. ISU’s 10-0 on their home court this season, and it’s going to be extremely difficult for anyone in the MVC to get a W on the Redbirds’ court. Despite Drake’s record, ISU (and even a fully healthy Bradley squad) is every bit the team as the Bulldogs, maybe even superior. Josh Young gets a lot of pub. and will likely be the player of the year in the Valley, but ISU’s Osiris Eldridge is of equal talent and just as explosive offensively. This is a significantly bigger game for ISU, who’s looking to avenge an earlier loss on the road, while Drake doesn’t have much incentive to win this game, as a loss still leaves them with a comfortable 2-game cushion for the regular season conference title. I feel this is a very strong situational play, and I’m getting, in my opinion, the better team laying only a short number in a revenge spot on their home floor.
10* Illinois State -2.5
