Friday: Ivy and MAAC plays

[superbook]

Still looking at these games, will post my final plays tomorrow morning.

My initial read is:


Princeton -12.5

Columbia has two problems: they can't score more than 50 and they can't play D. Princeton should win this one by 20.


Brown -5.5

Home team has won 9 of L10 in this match-up. Brown playing at the top of their game right now; Harvard is playing well to but I don't see the Crimson stopping Hunt/Forte on the road.


Niagara +6

Niagara is playing well, they match up well vs Iona. They should keep it within this number.


gl


- Jon

 

[Master Capper]

Jon, any information on the status of Smith for Iona?

 

[superbook]

Nothing new, which is one of the reasons I'm holding off until tomorrow for my final picks.

Smith, Iona's #2 scorer and rebounder, dislocated his pinky in the game at Canisius and didn't even dress for last Sunday's game at Niagara.

Smith is listed as questionable for tomorrow night's game.

He had been playing great prior to the injury, hitting 28 of his last 35 from the field and ranks #7 in the nation in FG% at 63%.

Obviously this will hurt Iona if he can't go. One of the reasons I like Niagara to keep it close or maybe win SU.

- Jon

 

[superbook]

Also in terms of line movement, I look for Princeton to go up to 14-15 by tomorrow at noon. I can't see anyone in their right mind who would take Columbia here.

 

[RAYMOND]

look for your plays on friday, how have you been jon

 

[superbook]

Been good Ray thanks. Think we went 6-1 last Fri/Sat, not as good as you and Ace but okay. Going to Vegas for a couple of days the week after next for a little biz.

Smith is key for Iona.

Without Smith, Iona's big men, 6-9 forward Courtney Fields, and 6-7 starting forward Kiril Wachsmann got into early foul trouble in the game at Niagara.

The game was close until they went out and then Niagara pulled away.

"Without them, Iona was no match for Niagara inside. The Purple Eagles shot 46.9 percent for the game, and 12 of their 16 second-half field goals were layups or short jumpers. Their 42-29 rebounding advantage included 17 offensive boards."

Niagara's big men, Reaves and Mendez, aren't that tall but they're tough under the boards.

 

[superbook]

Just to let you guys know I'm now leaning to Iona.

That's going to be one tough team next year with Jenkins back and 'Cuse transfer DeShaun Williams. And they just got another 'Cuse transfer who played like 2 games and will be eligible next December.

 

[tony steams]

jon

jon

Columbia has now lost 8 straight. Do you think they'll turn things around tomorrow? Or at least play hard to get the cover?
thanks in advance

 

[Box and one]

superbook,I liked all 3 of your games.I thought maybe your Kreskin in my mind.But you went the other way with Iona.W/O Smith I'll take Niagara.If Smith plays then I'll go with the Gaels.
Iona is going to have problems next yr with all their gds.Where do they play everyone.With headcase DeShuan of the Cuse coming whats that going to do for this freshman class.
Iona needs a power foward or a 5.Courtney is not that.He is a 6'8 swingman playing inside.Mendez and Rhodes eat him up in the paint.So Fields steps out for a 10 ft baseline jumper.Wachmann is just avg inside.
Niagara's problem is depth.Iona can throw 9 people at you.Problem is 6 are gds.Three of them went to the same HS.The others all played for cathlolic NYC HS's.Not that I'm against NYC public schools but the catholic coaches teach better fundamentals so incoming freshman have a quicker impact playing in D-1.Iona has that now.Eventually all the kids catch up.I'm speaking from experience coaching a public school for 25 yrs.Rulands kids get better every game.Esp. on defense.A few weeks ago vs Fairfield his puppy corp McCullough,Soliver and Burtt shot 2-16 and played the whole 2nd half.They were just coming down and shooting bombs.Think they lost by 3 or 4 pts.But thats part of growing up and learning to be patient.

Like Brown and Princeton
Columbia is bad .Armond is out.Everyone wants his head including every player.His offense is terrible.No one wants to come there because of that.Your already limited to certain players because you need 1250-1300 on your SAT's.DeShaun Williams maybe should of transferred there instead on Iona.But you need to attend classes.Something DeShaun didn't do for 2 yrs .But maybe he could hire a kid to sit in his seat in class like he did.But lets not go there.Thats inside info.
Just be careful in that game.Hill and Thompson are buddies.I'll play it but carefully.

Brown I like a lot.Will explain later.
Steams..Lions have covered the past 4 or 5 times on 125th street.But after watching them vs Cornell 2 weeks ago I couldn't believe it.And it wasn't like they played bad.They are bad.

Will post later.School cancelled because of snow.Kids still sleeping so Dad doesn't have to fight for the computer.

 

[ndlarryj]

jon,

how do you like dartmouth over yale... happens to be Ace's POD so it can't be wrong, right?

 

[THUNDER]

iona is a deeper team but niagra is very well conditioned not to mention the reserves 7-9 for iona are not that good. niagra is playing some very good ball- and these forwards are alot more athletic- i really like your niagra play. gl sb

 

[superbook]

Please note that my final picks are in my thread: BEST BET Iona -5.5

Sorry for any confusion.

- Jon