IOWA State has Niang out with a broken foot... yet they are still favored!!!! WTF???

[Big Bear]

How is this possible?

What am i missing here?

Is Napier hurt? i know he did something to his leg last game
but he came back in.... is he not going to be 100%?

UCONN is a much better team than UNC i just don't get this line...

[jjgold]

Usually the opposite

Take Iowa st... Better and tougher all around team

[Darkside Magick]

Line could easily be 4 or more....value for Iowa state here

[Big Bear]

Usually the opposite

Take Iowa st... Better and tougher all around team

based on what? they play zero defense

UCONN gonna be knocking down 3's all game.

my boy Napier gonna show out at MSG

[leetreaper]

oh boy...

[t-wizzle]

Not surprising at all Bear.

[Big Bear]

Not surprising at all Bear.

you dont think Niang matters?

Daniels, Boatright, and Napier have really impressed me. And that bench ain't bad neither.

Who do you think is a better defensive team UNC or UCONN?

UNC must be terrible defensively to give up 85 points

[t-wizzle]

you dont think Niang matters?

Daniels, Boatright, and Napier have really impressed me. And that bench ain't bad neither.

Who do you think is a better defensive team UNC or UCONN?

UNC must be terrible defensively to give up 85 points

I think the line is dead on. Iowa State is still a very good team even without Niang.

UConn is ok but they are on the small side.

[jtoler]

What should the line be if Niang were playing.

[Skin24]

How is this possible?

What am i missing here?

Is Napier hurt? i know he did something to his leg last game
but he came back in.... is he not going to be 100%?

UCONN is a much better team than UNC i just don't get this line...

Bear a lot of question marks on this game. Is Napier hurt or will he be in full strength? I really don't know and not doing anything until I find out. Niang was the third leading scorer on this team but he also was big on boards and a good assist man. UCONN would be my pick if Napier is healthy.

[robbeduagain]

UConn is to inconsistent offensively and Kane might be a better player than Napier. What I like most about Iowa State is that they never get rattled. Saw it in the Big 12 championship game vs Baylor, saw it yesterday against UNC. They a good shooting team who isn't fazed by pressure situations, and they have the better coach as well. They would be a 4-5 point favorite had Niang not gotten hurt, and they were my pick to win the East region. Without Niang that will be tough now, but I like them to advance to the final 8.

[Big Bear]

What should the line be if Niang were playing.

good question

IMO the line should be UCONN -4.5 without Niang

maybe a pick'em if he was playing. I think if they can come up a game plan for Kane and stay out of foul trouble UCONN wins by 10 or more.

[Big Bear]

Bear a lot of question marks on this game. Is Napier hurt or will he be in full strength? I really don't know and not doing anything until I find out. Niang was the third leading scorer on this team but he also was big on boards and a good assist man. UCONN would be my pick if Napier is healthy.

what i read sounds like its just a banged up shin. Napier said the trainer
sprayed some bio-freeze on it and he was good to go.

[Darkside Magick]

If UConn is to win...Napier will have to play one of the greatest game in his career...with game at MSG we may see some magic!

[t-wizzle]

IMO the line should be UCONN -4.5 without Niang

maybe a pick'em if he was playing. I think if they can come up a game plan for Kane and stay out of foul trouble UCONN wins by 10 or more.

Lol what????

[No coincidences]

i just don't get

That's all you needed to post.

[stevenash]

I think the line is dead on. Iowa State is still a very good team even without Niang.

UConn is ok but they are on the small side.

Yeah, and not very beefy. Spot on post.

[No coincidences]

Lol what????

Someone needs to tranquilize this fool.

[stevenash]

ISU is speedy too, line should be -2, razor sharp line.

[Big Bear]

correct me if i'm wrong but UCONN usually plays well at MSG.

UCONN is a confident bunch. Not that iowa state isnt but i just dont think Iowa State is good defensively.


i hope the public is on Iowa State so the refs will call ticky tack fouls on Iowa State and get UCONN in the double bonus early.

[No coincidences]

correct me if i'm wrong but UCONN usually plays well at MSG.

UCONN is a confident bunch. Not that iowa state isnt but i just dont think Iowa State is good defensively.


i hope the public is on Iowa State so the refs will call ticky tack fouls on Iowa State and get UCONN in the double bonus early.

WTF are you talking about?

The refs will call fouls on ISU if the public is on ISU? I've heard it all now.

[t-wizzle]

WTF are you talking about?

The refs will call fouls on ISU if the public is on ISU? I've heard it all now.

Lol just let him go.

[stevenash]

correct me if i'm wrong but UCONN usually plays well at MSG.

UCONN is a confident bunch. Not that iowa state isnt but i just dont think Iowa State is good defensively.


i hope the public is on Iowa State so the refs will call ticky tack fouls on Iowa State and get UCONN in the double bonus early.

We (UConn) has played some epic, and I mean iconic games at MSG.

Cardiac Kemba's ankle breaker over Pitt at the buzzer was one of the greatest Big East game ever.
Sweetest step back jumper you'll ever see, now consider the situation......
Watch the arc to of the ball, talk about a floater, and absolutely nothing but twine.
What an ankle breaker. I can watch this 1000 more times.

6 overtime game.... http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=290710041
So many great UConn games.

[jtoler]

If Niang were playing they would not be a 4-5 pt favorite thats laughable, the spread would be the same more than likely.

[InTheDrink]

is this the first time the tourney has been at msg?

i dont ever remember it being there before

for some reason i dont like it....i love that msg is all about the big east even if the current conf is a shell of its former self....big east tourney has had almost as many classic battles over the years as the big dance

and yeah bearial is a fukkin moron

[robbeduagain]

I'll respectfully disagree with you jtoler. Niang would increase the Cyclones inside advantage by a lot, and would make them a lot harder to defend. If you watched how he was able work inside against Baylor, I think you would have to admit that. If it didn't increase the spread, it would only make it a very playable game in my opinion.

[stevenash]

is this the first time the tourney has been at msg?

Huh?
Big East tourney has been in MSG since Mark Jackson was running the point for St. John's

[jtoler]

I'll respectfully disagree with you jtoler. Niang would increase the Cyclones inside advantage by a lot, and would make them a lot harder to defend. If you watched how he was able work inside against Baylor, I think you would have to admit that. If it didn't increase the spread, it would only make it a very playable game in my opinion.

No book would make the line anywhere near that and Id gladly and confidently bet big on UCONN if that were the case. He's not enough to change a rating.

[InTheDrink]

Huh?
Big East tourney has been in MSG since Mark Jackson was running the point for St. John's

ncaa tourney ya nitz

[Big Bear]

If Niang were playing they would not be a 4-5 pt favorite thats laughable, the spread would be the same more than likely.

Georges Niang is 6 foot 7 and averages 16.7 pts per game

him being out is a detrimental blow.

[robbeduagain]

I guess we'll never know, but with or without Niang, unless the spread was over 6, I don't think I could confidently bet on UConn. Offensively they just aren't good, and defensively they are only average. At any time they can throw out a game like they did against Louisville in the regular season. They had the perfect match up with Nova, but they struggled to beat a little better than average St. Joe's team, luckily in OT. Again, not being critical, just giving my opinion. I guess I'm just not on the UConn band wagon.

[jtoler]

I guess we'll never know, but with or without Niang, unless the spread was over 6, I don't think I could confidently bet on UConn. Offensively they just aren't good, and defensively they are only average. At any time they can throw out a game like they did against Louisville in the regular season. They had the perfect match up with Nova, but they struggled to beat a little better than average St. Joe's team, luckily in OT. Again, not being critical, just giving my opinion. I guess I'm just not on the UConn band wagon.

I cant think of one college player who would move a line 3 or 4 pts, no LeBrons walking around any campuses.

[jtoler]

Georges Niang is 6 foot 7 and averages 16.7 pts per game

him being out is a detrimental blow.

What does 6'7 have to do with anything. He looks a little taller to me even though he's listed as that, but it takes more than that to cause such a drastic move. We are talking betting lines not results, which we dont know beforehand.

[robbeduagain]

Didn't look at it that way. I guess I looked at it as a domino effect. Lose a very important player and replace him with an inexperienced post player or change your entire lineup dynamic by playing small, all on the biggest stage these guys play on all year. No offense, but I think that could change a line more than a point. But you are right, he's not LeBron

[Big Bear]

I guess we'll never know, but with or without Niang, unless the spread was over 6, I don't think I could confidently bet on UConn. Offensively they just aren't good, and defensively they are only average. At any time they can throw out a game like they did against Louisville in the regular season. They had the perfect match up with Nova, but they struggled to beat a little better than average St. Joe's team, luckily in OT. Again, not being critical, just giving my opinion. I guess I'm just not on the UConn band wagon.

See i would think Baylor or Wisconsin or Florida would be a bad match up for UCONN
b/c of UCONN's lack of size and inability to run a half court offense and get the ball down low for post ups.

But given how UCONN has speed and loves to run and play at a fast tempo i would think Iowa State would be a dream matchup.