Here are my plays for Saturday in the Big West and WAC. This year has been such a great year for the WAC, so much talent and so many quality teams. Should be a great tourney. Today is huge for placing. 3-2 this week so far, with both my losses coming on Hawaii not covering.
My Picks:
Cal Poly (+16.5) @ Pacific
Louisiana Tech @ Hawaii (-3.5)
Long Beach @ Irvine (-5.5)
Reasons:
Cal Poly (+16.5) @ Pacific
This is going to be a much better game than people are giving it credit for. The Mustangs have been so resilient this year and should find enough room to keep this game close and respectable. So many times you see Poly down 15 or 16 and then scrap their way back to 4 or 5 down. They are well coached and had a great scheme in their last meeting in containing Maraker. They showed last time in the second half against Pacific when they were down 15 with 8 minutes to play and came back to tie before eventually losing by 2. This is too many points to give against a team that never quits.
Louisiana Tech @ Hawaii (-3.5)
"WHITE OUT" Saturday. Hawaii has been hyping this game up, which everyone is going to wear white shirts for the game. These are two great teams that are in many ways mirror images of each other. Millsap might be one of the top 10 players I have seen come through the WAC in quite some time for Tech. But Hawaii has been dominant at home, going into today undefeated at home in conference and can solidify the third spot in the tourney with a win today. Sensley and Gueye seem to be a tough one-two punch the past month. Tech will have their hands full with the both of them. I think the physical element will be the difference in this game and with the distinct advantage on height I see the Warriors having their way with the Bulldogs today. Tech (Millsap, Wilds, Dean) 6'8, 6'7, 6'4 and Hawaii Big 3 (Sensley, Gueye, Botez) 6'9, 6'8, 7'0. This will be a problem. I also really like the matchup of Lojeski against Dean. Lojeski did a great job containing Dean and caused him to have lots of problems and never got into any groove. On the island, it will be all Warriors.
Long Beach State @ UC Irvine (-5.5)
I like Irvine a lot here. UC Irvine plays some of the most fundamentally sound defense the Big West has had in the part 5 or 6 years. The Anteaters are overwhelmingly the best defense in the Big West and Long Beach has the most explosive offense. Irvine completely frustrates you with their tenacity. The have not played since last week and the campus has been so ecstatic with a chance of a share of the regular season title. Long Beach cannot get any better or worse than the third seed. Not too much of an incentive to play for. Long Beach has a lot of athleticism, but they take way too many plays off, lack hustle, and play NO defense. I mean NO defense. They have given up 90 points or more 8 times this year. Not a good recipe against a team like Irvine and that defense along with the slim chance of being co-champs. I really like the Anteaters today.
GL Guys.
Grayden
My Picks:
Cal Poly (+16.5) @ Pacific
Louisiana Tech @ Hawaii (-3.5)
Long Beach @ Irvine (-5.5)
Reasons:
Cal Poly (+16.5) @ Pacific
This is going to be a much better game than people are giving it credit for. The Mustangs have been so resilient this year and should find enough room to keep this game close and respectable. So many times you see Poly down 15 or 16 and then scrap their way back to 4 or 5 down. They are well coached and had a great scheme in their last meeting in containing Maraker. They showed last time in the second half against Pacific when they were down 15 with 8 minutes to play and came back to tie before eventually losing by 2. This is too many points to give against a team that never quits.
Louisiana Tech @ Hawaii (-3.5)
"WHITE OUT" Saturday. Hawaii has been hyping this game up, which everyone is going to wear white shirts for the game. These are two great teams that are in many ways mirror images of each other. Millsap might be one of the top 10 players I have seen come through the WAC in quite some time for Tech. But Hawaii has been dominant at home, going into today undefeated at home in conference and can solidify the third spot in the tourney with a win today. Sensley and Gueye seem to be a tough one-two punch the past month. Tech will have their hands full with the both of them. I think the physical element will be the difference in this game and with the distinct advantage on height I see the Warriors having their way with the Bulldogs today. Tech (Millsap, Wilds, Dean) 6'8, 6'7, 6'4 and Hawaii Big 3 (Sensley, Gueye, Botez) 6'9, 6'8, 7'0. This will be a problem. I also really like the matchup of Lojeski against Dean. Lojeski did a great job containing Dean and caused him to have lots of problems and never got into any groove. On the island, it will be all Warriors.
Long Beach State @ UC Irvine (-5.5)
I like Irvine a lot here. UC Irvine plays some of the most fundamentally sound defense the Big West has had in the part 5 or 6 years. The Anteaters are overwhelmingly the best defense in the Big West and Long Beach has the most explosive offense. Irvine completely frustrates you with their tenacity. The have not played since last week and the campus has been so ecstatic with a chance of a share of the regular season title. Long Beach cannot get any better or worse than the third seed. Not too much of an incentive to play for. Long Beach has a lot of athleticism, but they take way too many plays off, lack hustle, and play NO defense. I mean NO defense. They have given up 90 points or more 8 times this year. Not a good recipe against a team like Irvine and that defense along with the slim chance of being co-champs. I really like the Anteaters today.
GL Guys.
Grayden
