Nova Report
Nova Nation was expecting a heavyweight bout vs. Virginia at Madison Square Garden today...BUT...the Covid gods said: no. Instead, the Cats rescheduled a previously canceled game vs. it?s Philly rival the St. Joseph?s Hawks.
The game tips at 9:00 pm eastern on Nova?s campus. The line is Cats-22/150.5
The sample size on the Hawks is small. They lost to Auburn in OT, got beat by Kansas and after a 3 week Covid hiatus lost to Drexel two nights ago. They are led by Ryan Daly at guard who torched Nova for 32 last year and Taylor Funk who at 6?8? likes to shoot from deep and averages 16ppg. Last year, the St. Joe?s D was terrible allowing over 80 ppg; this year, so far, it?s worse but they DID play KANSAS and Auburn.
On the Nova side, not sure if they will be lethargic as they were looking forward to playing UVA or Gillespie/Samuels will stir them up because, after all, this IS the Holy War! Under any circumstance, Nova is taller, more talented and has more game experience than St.Joe?s. I have to believe that like the Butler game, the Hawks will tire and the Cats will blow them away at the end...but by 22?
My pick: This is another game where the Cats should cover easily, but I have seen too many strange things happen in these Big Five games. So, just going Over 150.5 believing that St. Joe?s will expend too much energy in the first half defensively, get sloppy in the second half and we?ll see Nova live on the foul line. The game will be extended and the Cat bench, eager to play and score, will take the game over the total.
NOVA OVER 150.5 is the play.
My Nova Picks to Date: 5-2