cleveland state vikings (+11.5)
garland had to wonder what the hell he got himself into after leaving izzo and co. for cleveland last season. saying the vikings took their lumps last year would be putting it kindly. from injuries to academic suspensions, it was a complete nightmare. nothing even remotely pretty about 4-25. things got so bad that walk-ons who didnt even have names on the backs of their jerseys were getting some time. but believe it or not, the vikings are better because of it, and having thrown freshman into the fire last year will only help them this season. csu will have the best player on the floor wednesday (omari westley). bowling green transfer raheem moss has been getting rave reviews from everyone i talk to. he gives csu a perimter threat to take pressure of westley.
obviously you look at csu's early schedule and its easy to ask "who the hell have they played"?. the answer is absolutely nobody. but this is one of those times where i think its really not that important. in the past, massimino scheduled brutally. after going through so much last year, this group didnt need to be beaten down out of the gate. the 3 freebie wins gave them some confidence that should help immensely -- something they never had last year.
im just not sure if the young zips will take csu seriously enough to run away with the game. i am a little concerned that if akron gets hot from 3pt land (like theyve done a few times early this yr) that csu might allow themselves to panic a little. after all, vikings did get their asses handed to them away from the convocation center more than a few times last season. but ill take my chances, especially since csu could barely field a team healthy and eligible enough to play after christmas last year. and even with as bad as csu was in 2003, they still should have beaten akron outright. they were up by 6 with 3 minutes left and let akron win it in the waning seconds.
history also on the side of csu, even if personnel has changed on both sides.
2003...akron 61 csu 59
2002...csu 68 akron 65
2001...csu 79 akron 66
2000...akron 82 csu 80
zips had no answer for westley last year (19 pts 14 boards). hopefully moss and niakate (neither of whom played in this game last year) can help him out.
garland had to wonder what the hell he got himself into after leaving izzo and co. for cleveland last season. saying the vikings took their lumps last year would be putting it kindly. from injuries to academic suspensions, it was a complete nightmare. nothing even remotely pretty about 4-25. things got so bad that walk-ons who didnt even have names on the backs of their jerseys were getting some time. but believe it or not, the vikings are better because of it, and having thrown freshman into the fire last year will only help them this season. csu will have the best player on the floor wednesday (omari westley). bowling green transfer raheem moss has been getting rave reviews from everyone i talk to. he gives csu a perimter threat to take pressure of westley.
obviously you look at csu's early schedule and its easy to ask "who the hell have they played"?. the answer is absolutely nobody. but this is one of those times where i think its really not that important. in the past, massimino scheduled brutally. after going through so much last year, this group didnt need to be beaten down out of the gate. the 3 freebie wins gave them some confidence that should help immensely -- something they never had last year.
im just not sure if the young zips will take csu seriously enough to run away with the game. i am a little concerned that if akron gets hot from 3pt land (like theyve done a few times early this yr) that csu might allow themselves to panic a little. after all, vikings did get their asses handed to them away from the convocation center more than a few times last season. but ill take my chances, especially since csu could barely field a team healthy and eligible enough to play after christmas last year. and even with as bad as csu was in 2003, they still should have beaten akron outright. they were up by 6 with 3 minutes left and let akron win it in the waning seconds.
history also on the side of csu, even if personnel has changed on both sides.
2003...akron 61 csu 59
2002...csu 68 akron 65
2001...csu 79 akron 66
2000...akron 82 csu 80
zips had no answer for westley last year (19 pts 14 boards). hopefully moss and niakate (neither of whom played in this game last year) can help him out.
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