strong:
kent state flashes (+5.5)
kent state flashes moneyline (+190)
no secret that toledo has been a profitable team for me but im taking a strong stand against them on saturday afternoon. theres very little that favors the rockets here.
here's what does favor toledo:
* theyre 7-0 at home and have won 16 of their last 17 at savage hall.
* kent state has dropped 4 straight on the road
here's what doesn't favor toledo:
* pretty much everything else.
toledo has lost five in a row against kent.
toledo has lost eight of the last ten against kent.
flashes havent lost in toledo in half a decade.
kent is well-rested.
triplett is hurting for toledo.
triplett has struggled against kent in his career.
kent's defense has suffocated toledo the last few years, especially early in the game.
conversely, toledo has played matador defense (and thats being kind) against kent the last few yrs.
some might say thats making too much of past history. normally, i would agree because each year is exclusive from the rest. but every year, the kent/toledo matchup is decided in one specific area of the game: defensive intensity from the opening tip.
(2004) halftime score -- kent state 51 toledo 25.
kent shot 55% in the first 20:00. toledo was held to 22%
(2003) halftime score -- kent state 39 toledo 27
kent shot 59% in the first 20:00. toledo was held to 41%
(2002) halftime score -- kent state 39 toledo 16
kent shot 50% in the first 20:00. toledo was held to 26%
toledo will have the best player on the floor saturday afternoon. when triplett gets it going, hes as good as anyone in the conference. and with other guys for toledo not having particularly good seasons (see: ingram. see also: villegas) triplett has had to really shoulder the load and carry this team. and he's done yeoman's work, averaging 16+ a game.
....theres two problems though.
#1..triplett has struggled against kent in his career.
(2004) 2-12 from the floor. 5 points. 4 turnovers.
(2003) 6-13 from the floor. 15 points. 0 turnovers.
(2002) 0-5 from the floor. 0 points. 3 turnovers.
#2...triplett is banged up and the blade article leads me to believe triplett is trying to tough it out and play through more pain than originally thought. he left the ohio game the other night because of his hip.
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050127/SPORTS11/501270493/-1/SPORTS
ive got more respect for triplett than almost anyone in the league. im sure he is gonna tough it out and try to carry toledo in this one. but the nagging injury along with his struggles against kent mean the odds are that much more stacked against toledo.
is toledo capable of winning and covering? absolutely. when ive played on them, theyve been very good for me this year. but theyre still not playing anywhere near preseason expectations. the talent is certainly there. the rockets are incredibly athletic and if triplett is healthy down the stretch, theyre gonna be a real wild-card in the mac tournament.
i think this line reflects toledo's undefeated home mark this season as well as kent dropping 4 in a row on the road. toledo's 16-1 streak at savage is impressive, but kent is one team that has never had trouble playing there. kent's recent road woes are a little puzzling because theyve always been a program that has traveled well and isnt easily rattled in hostile environments. its kinda tough to figure out. their L4 road games have been really lame, but then you look at the fact that they played well for a half in cameron, built a 17 point 2nd half lead on the road at boston college before losing at the buzzer, played well at marquette, and won at creighton. so its not like this is a team that fears the road.
im expecting a good effort from toledo. theyre nowhere near as bad as 3-4/7-9 record would indicate. theyre gonna defend their home court. with that said, i DONT think theyre gonna win this game. kent's defense, again, will be the difference. i also think that we're gonna see some solid play from kent down the stretch this season. normally ksu has a lot of seniors that have been through the program and know the ropes. but this year 2 of their top 4 scorers are in their first year at kent (warzynski is a transfer and youngblood is was a JUCO). it wouldnt surprise me to see kent make yet another run as the season winds down now that this group is starting to get used to playing with each other. lots of value here and i expect kent to win.
still working over the rest of the mac and horizon games.
kent state flashes (+5.5)
kent state flashes moneyline (+190)
no secret that toledo has been a profitable team for me but im taking a strong stand against them on saturday afternoon. theres very little that favors the rockets here.
here's what does favor toledo:
* theyre 7-0 at home and have won 16 of their last 17 at savage hall.
* kent state has dropped 4 straight on the road
here's what doesn't favor toledo:
* pretty much everything else.
toledo has lost five in a row against kent.
toledo has lost eight of the last ten against kent.
flashes havent lost in toledo in half a decade.
kent is well-rested.
triplett is hurting for toledo.
triplett has struggled against kent in his career.
kent's defense has suffocated toledo the last few years, especially early in the game.
conversely, toledo has played matador defense (and thats being kind) against kent the last few yrs.
some might say thats making too much of past history. normally, i would agree because each year is exclusive from the rest. but every year, the kent/toledo matchup is decided in one specific area of the game: defensive intensity from the opening tip.
(2004) halftime score -- kent state 51 toledo 25.
kent shot 55% in the first 20:00. toledo was held to 22%
(2003) halftime score -- kent state 39 toledo 27
kent shot 59% in the first 20:00. toledo was held to 41%
(2002) halftime score -- kent state 39 toledo 16
kent shot 50% in the first 20:00. toledo was held to 26%
toledo will have the best player on the floor saturday afternoon. when triplett gets it going, hes as good as anyone in the conference. and with other guys for toledo not having particularly good seasons (see: ingram. see also: villegas) triplett has had to really shoulder the load and carry this team. and he's done yeoman's work, averaging 16+ a game.
....theres two problems though.
#1..triplett has struggled against kent in his career.
(2004) 2-12 from the floor. 5 points. 4 turnovers.
(2003) 6-13 from the floor. 15 points. 0 turnovers.
(2002) 0-5 from the floor. 0 points. 3 turnovers.
#2...triplett is banged up and the blade article leads me to believe triplett is trying to tough it out and play through more pain than originally thought. he left the ohio game the other night because of his hip.
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050127/SPORTS11/501270493/-1/SPORTS
ive got more respect for triplett than almost anyone in the league. im sure he is gonna tough it out and try to carry toledo in this one. but the nagging injury along with his struggles against kent mean the odds are that much more stacked against toledo.
is toledo capable of winning and covering? absolutely. when ive played on them, theyve been very good for me this year. but theyre still not playing anywhere near preseason expectations. the talent is certainly there. the rockets are incredibly athletic and if triplett is healthy down the stretch, theyre gonna be a real wild-card in the mac tournament.
i think this line reflects toledo's undefeated home mark this season as well as kent dropping 4 in a row on the road. toledo's 16-1 streak at savage is impressive, but kent is one team that has never had trouble playing there. kent's recent road woes are a little puzzling because theyve always been a program that has traveled well and isnt easily rattled in hostile environments. its kinda tough to figure out. their L4 road games have been really lame, but then you look at the fact that they played well for a half in cameron, built a 17 point 2nd half lead on the road at boston college before losing at the buzzer, played well at marquette, and won at creighton. so its not like this is a team that fears the road.
im expecting a good effort from toledo. theyre nowhere near as bad as 3-4/7-9 record would indicate. theyre gonna defend their home court. with that said, i DONT think theyre gonna win this game. kent's defense, again, will be the difference. i also think that we're gonna see some solid play from kent down the stretch this season. normally ksu has a lot of seniors that have been through the program and know the ropes. but this year 2 of their top 4 scorers are in their first year at kent (warzynski is a transfer and youngblood is was a JUCO). it wouldnt surprise me to see kent make yet another run as the season winds down now that this group is starting to get used to playing with each other. lots of value here and i expect kent to win.
still working over the rest of the mac and horizon games.
anyways very nice job
