Road to Indy and San Antonio...

[Box and one]

Butler -1.5 over Mich St **
These two games today are so tough to capp.They could go either way....But I'd like to start out by saying all this Cinderella stuff is so over hyped...Butler was in Lindy's ranked 7th preseason...they did the best in preseason predictions.Sporting News had them at 14th..and Blue Ribbon, the bible of College basketball had them 11th.It's true they are a mid-major but the fact remains everyone knew these guys were good...just listening to ESPN,CBS,etc you think they came from out in the woods...not taking away from anything they have accomplished and coming from a school that hasn't been to the last weekend of the "prom".
Mich St scares me because Izzo will rebound and play defense..I see him pounding the ball inside all day.Amazing how he gets his kids prepared..they have that tough Big 10 aura...physical,rebound,etc..but I think Butler's defense is just as good and maybe better.Their 1/2 court defense is outstanding,there transition defense is also excellent.They have low post players and have 2 solid gds that can score...edge goes to Butler.

Duke -2.5 over West Virginia *
My heart is on WV...I am one of those Dookie haters...not really..I respect them but just get tired of all the media hoopla,etc..maybe its jealousy,etc..they are like the Yankee's and I'm a Phillies fan...
Huggie bear is an amazing coach on the court...he has a lot to be desired off the court...Butler and Ebanks are amazing and he has so many inter- changeable players...what they did to kentucky was text book....." Wall will not penetrate,no drives to the hoop,collapse the 1-3-1 zone..make them beat us from the outside...UK shoots 4-34 from the outside...Huggie attacks your strength and takes it away....Dookies have some solid outside shooters and has some size....I love the 1-3-1 zone..I used that when we didn't play man.It's hard for teams to practice against it and attack it...but it also is the worst zone for defensive rebounds...I can see Coach K attacking those bds on missed shots...look what they did to Baylor on the off. bds...
Think Duke wins this but it's small play for me..maybe I might pass,so I can cheer and be a fan for a change...

UConn -23.5 over Baylor ****
Huskies can shoot better then anybody...play defense better then anybody,are quicker then anybody,and play with such an intensity that you can't describe....I know the line is so high and maybe a backdoor covers for the dog...but Gino beat his best friend at Temple by 50 and beat a solid Florida St team the other day 90-50....this is not a freight train mowing people down..its the Amtrak doing 200 MPH from Storrs to San Antonio..back tomr with some more...
GL today...

 

[Jinxbreaker]

Box....what's your take on he field going to 96?? I believe the reg season is going to be MUCH harder to cap because the games wont mean anything and teams will take nights off more times than not....even championship week wont be the same w/it not being do or die(last few years I have done great in that week betting mid to low majors w/alot of your help)...Good Luck Im just taking UCONN Sunday night

 

[Bucknut1]

GL Box!!

:toast:

 

[Morris]

Like the Duke play! How about this weather!!

 

[Box and one]

Morris..wow...no snow...60's...this was one tough winter...wife complained the whole winter...wants to go back to her native Texas in Dec. when she retires....I'll get mine when its gets to the end of august and Austin has had 35 days in a row over 100. It will be in the high 60's and low 70's at night..in the Hudson Valley...

Jinx...I'm not sure if I like the 96..think your right about the last few weeks of the season...I guess the NIT's are gone..Dayton can't claim being the best 66th team in the country...I always feel bad about some teams getting shafted....but adding 32 teams...have to wait and see....do the girls get added teams...Think you have too...Title 9...

 

[Jinxbreaker]

Do the girls Have 96 teams?? Only kidding....you are right though about title 9....also I think this hurts more coaches then it helps.....teams 97-120 are gonna look for new coaches

 

[bjfinste]

Title IX will have zero effect on this.

If the NCAA does push the field to 96, I hope they give the byes to the conference champs so the first round isn't just a "weeding out" of the small-conference schools.

 

[Box and one]

UConn -23.5 over Baylor ****
If you watched Baylor just beat Duke it wasn't pretty....Bears made a lot of mistakes,missed a lot of shots and FT's. It took Baylor the 1st 7 minutes of the 2nd half before they hit their 1st 3 vs Duke.This team has its aircraft carrier in Griner who avg 16 pts ,8bds and 8 blocked shots...she has pretty good footwork and hits the open player when teams double down on her.. but BU doesn't have the players to hit the open shots esp. from beyond the arc..[they shot 17% in duke game]but think Gino will deny the pass inside with intense guard pressure...forcing them away from the post...Charles is 6'4 and one of the 5 best players in the country...her partner Moore is the best player in the country.Think the Huskies defense will slow down Griner and make her teammates try to score...gino will use a hi-low attack and pull Griner away.
Transition game is also the key..no one runs it better..Huskies are so much faster they will beat the Bears down the floor..think they will fast break on a defensive rebound and beat Griner down the floor...Gino's Amtrak's express rolls over another team..Huskies win by 30...

Stanford -13 over OU *
small play....OU is fast and Stanford is big...Stanford got their scare and are lucky to be playing....think they come out smoking..

Dukie -6.5 over Butler
back tomr...