1-23

[RAYMOND]

Georgia State-4.5 very big
It has been confirmed that Towson's 27 ppg kid Gary Neal is out, and
will not resume practicing until Monday. They would like to win their
first-round tournament match-up and then pull an upset against
whichever bye team they draw. This game represents nothing toward
that end because the CAA seeds above them are totally up in the air
and there is no home floor to gain by winning these late-season
games. Without Neal in there to score, Towson's group is a limited
bunch of non- go-to guys who are light on rebounding and ball-
handling. GSU should just take it to the hole here with Billingsley
and 6-11 Pitt transfer Dickerson. Meanwhile, their guards --
overmatched in most other match-ups -- are on equal footing
here.

 

[RAYMOND]

UL-Lafayette-7.5

Just keep choppin? wood. Nothing was dropping for the Lafalots earlier in the season, but they continued to play decent D and have begun to reap some of the rewards of keepin? at it. The recent Sun Belt run is 4-1 SU and ATS, and this particular visitor can help ULL extend it because Arkansas State is playing only six ?real? guys after head coach Dickey Nutt suspended senior guard Lorenzo Hampton for the season recently after Hampton put up his two highest shot totals in succession (guess he had a ?don?t shoot? order?). Depth-shy ASU has also already played its final home game and their current conference road run is 0-3 ATS.

 

[RAYMOND]

Troy State-4 very big

The home side is Top 10 material when it comes to care of the rock, but after they get it across the line, they want to take the first-available shot. When they?re dropping, they can roll. UNT likes to play fast, too.

 

[RAYMOND]

Louisiana Tech vs New Mexico St 09:00 pm New Mexico St -1.5





Fresno St vs San Jose St 10:00 pm San Jose St +125
SJS was off a targeted home win vs. Idaho and had only one day between games when they traveled to Fresno for a 79-66 loss earlier this month. But it was a 38-38 game at the half. Fresno?s 6?9? Hector Hernandez went wild for 25 and 8, including five three-pointers! SJS head coach George Nessman can use a numbers game on his home court in an attempt to get Hernandez the heck out off the floor, swing tempo his way, and have fresh defenders playing against some tired, pretty-weak shooting Fresno boys out there. SJS plays 10 for at least 10 minutes. Fresno, now facing four road games in the last five to close a season in which they are banned from post-season play, uses a 7-man rotation and they?ve got to be feelin? it both emotionally and physically at this point.

 

[murphman]

Ray....Just started posting but have been a long time fan of your picks...Great work and good luck

 

[RAYMOND]

Louisiana Tech vs New Mexico St 09:00 pm New Mexico St -1.5

The minutes not played by NMS? then-absent best rebounder David Fisher helped create a 43-29 rebounding edge for Louisiana Tech in Tech?s 65-61 January home win. Fisher is back, boarding like a demon, and his presence can also help the NMS defenders collapse around Paul Millsap, Tech?s double-double big kid. Millsap?s teammates ? with a team Effective Field Goal percentage ranking #284 out of 334 -- have shooting eyes like Ronnie. NMS ranks #90 in that category. Despite Millsap?s inside play, Tech is also poor at percentage of free throws per field goal attempts, another category where NMS (#30) towers over them. Regarding Tech?s win at Southern Illinois on Saturday?

 

[RAYMOND]

Ray....Just started posting but have been a long time fan of your picks...Great work and good luck

gl