Tuesday BigEast ball and MAC ball Discussion Thread

**DukiesBaby** · 03-09-2009, 09:19 PM

I think kent state punches a tourney bid this year.
i think -11.5 is a big number to be giving out to a team that took them to overtime this year, but business will get done and i am leaning toward the play...

Notredamn is a no play for me since they are hot then they are cold they are in then they are out, they are up then they are down, so i am wrong when its right, off when they are on.... lol im drunk and the song came to radio in background..

seriously i think -6 georgetown is a gift and i expect this line to move to 8 or higher by tip off...

cinci should handle business against the 0-18 blue demons -8 looks like a good play
i expect cinci to play really good in this one and especially in first half i am waiting for a first half line to show i think that might be the best play. seeing the line at 8 i am hoping for -4.5 first half or lower which i will snag as a solid play..

first meeting between the 2 teams was close because of some bad officiating late and dumb possesions by cinci, i expect this to be a solid performance throughout:thumbs:

**Details-Details** · 03-09-2009, 10:36 PM

Kent St. i think is going to be a play for me as well. Northern Illinois is a bad team, only one conference win against a formidable conference opponent, that being a 4 point win at home against Akron. The team has no real scoring threat. Unlikely to top 55 points as I see it.

Kent on the other hand has finished the season playing well...beating Akron and Byuffalo the last two, losing tight road games to Miami and Bowling. furthermore they had a nice win in the game before against Morehead St, a team that just got an auto - bid to the dance.

I think Kent is playing with a lot of confidence against a lowly NIU team knowing they have to win this tourney to go to the show. I think they come out blazing and cover.

I'll play kent -11.5

Also I like Depaul +8 to keep it close vs an inconsistent, sloppy cincy...should be an ugly game. maybe get their 1st conference win in the big east tourney!! go blue demons!

maybe some more thoughts later

**NIU Murph** · 03-09-2009, 11:28 PM

LAY THE POINTS!

It hurts me to report the obvious, but NIU blows. Lay the points and take Kent St.

That lone win versus a formidable conference opponent happened to be 1 year and 1 day after the campus shootings at NIU in 2008. If they had ANY emotional pickup from the tributes happening all around campus that weekend, it helped them squeak out a 4 point win.

Maybe that played no part in the victory that day, but nonetheless, this team has lost by DD to equally poor teams this year: @EMU, @CMU, vs CMU, @WMU, and MAINE???

If anything, you might want to buy the hook and play KSU -11.

Good luck either way you go.

Murph

**Daws1089** · 03-10-2009, 08:11 AM

does anyone else remember how last year every single game in the first and also the second round i think went under in the big east tournament? Apparently the backdrop is different at the garden and its hard to pick up the depth perception. Maybe it was just a weird thing last year, but I'll be watchign for it again.

**joepa66** · 03-10-2009, 08:53 AM

Originally posted by FlyersFan

Also leaning to playing AKR tomorrow -12. TOL is just abysmal away from home.

The puzzling MAC line is OHIO -4 over WMU. WMU drummed them earlier this year and neither team has been playing well of late at all lately. Thought that line might come closer to -2 or so.

Worst game of the day hands down has to be CMU vs. EMU. That game should be shot and put out of its misery before it starts. Kind of like EMU in that one honestly.

Akron will be the team to beat in the bottom bracket in my opinion.....unless they have a crappy shooting night! The Zips can't allow 17 offensive rebounds which = second chance points like they did at Kent! But they have a great bench, and Toledo is horrible away from home and going nowhere. Look for the Zips to have a statement game after their loss at Kent on Sunday. Akron is 1st in the MAC in 3pt field goals made, 2nd in scoring defense, and 1st in scoring margin at +7ppg. Toledo is 11th in scoring defense allowing 67ppg, last in scoring margin at -9ppg.

Western has not been a good team all year, and Ohio may be even worse compared to their preseason expectations. The Bobcats have under performed all season and after a five-game winning streak in mid-season which included wins over Kent and at Miami,OH, they finished the year going 5-10 and lost three straight to end the regular season. Their last two regular season games were roadies at Akron and a blowout loss at Bowling Green where they lost 75-41 shooting 27% from the field and 46% from the free throw line. Do they even care about the MAC tournament? OU is 10th in field goal % defense at 44%, last in rebounding offense at 9 per game, 10 in rebounding defense at 21 per game but second in the league in 3pt. field goals with 6.5 per game. If they can't hit the three ball they won't score much even though their leading scorer is Jerome Tillman who averages 17ppg, but he plays with his back to the bucket. WMU's David Kool leads the league at 18ppg and has been atop the league each year during his Bronco career. Despite OU winning at WMU earlier in the season, I can't see them giving points with their recent form!

Eastern beat CMU twice this season which includes a win in Mt. Pleasant. They have a nice team and it wouldn't surprise me to see them hit the trifecta sweep against the Chipps.....The Eagles have the leagues longest current winning streak at 4! EMU does it by smoke and mirrors because they are not in the elite in any statistical category in the MAC. They have been a dangerous team all season although their record does not indicate the closeness of alot of their games. Simply going with the hotter team and one that has swept their opponent in head to head matchups this year.

**FlyersFan** · 03-10-2009, 04:43 PM

Originally posted by joepa66

Despite OU winning at WMU earlier in the season, I can't see them giving points with their recent form!

.

:dunno: they lost by 14...:dunno:

Tuesday BigEast ball and MAC ball Discussion Thread