NCAAB Preview
Pepperdine lost 80-77 at home to Central Michigan LY; Waves got to foul line only four (4-4) times; Chippewas were 16-24. Waves won first road game 69-66 at Riverside Wednesday, making 9-18 on arc. Central was 6-30 from arc in 80-70 at Bradley in first D-I game Tuesday. MAC favorites are 2-3 vs spread. WCC road underdogs are 5-0 vs spread.
Penn State held Penn to 5-23 from arc in 58-47 home win vs Quakers LY (was 31-22 at half). Lions split first two games, losing 90-80 at home to Bucknell, when Bison scored 54 points in second half, made 10-15 from arc. Quakers lost to Temple by 5, then won by 6 at Monmouth- they've turned ball over 20.7% of time, not good. Ivy underdogs are 5-3.
Home team won both Akron-Middle Tennesee games last couple years; Zips won 82-77 in OT LY, after being down 5 with 4:29 left. Zips had 19 turnovers (-9) in 85-63 loss at St Mary's in middle to night Monday. Blue Raiders beat couple of stiffs by 3-7 points. MAC road underdogs are 7-4 against spread. C-USA home favorites are 2-4 this month.
Ohio State was 38-51 on foul line in a 79-69 win over Ohio U Tuesday; Bobcats were 16-21. Buckeyes have four starters back from 29-8 team that made Elite 8 LY. Marquette lost three starters from 26-9 team- they beat couple stiffs by 7-43 to start season. Big Dozen favorites are 4-5 vs spread to start season. Big East teams are 4-5 vs spread, 0-1 as dogs.
Utah State won its first two games by 13-33 points, but now they're on road, at Santa Barbara team that beat them in Bracket Buster game two years ago, in Logan. Aggies have 4 starters back from LY's 21-10 team. UCSB waxed UNLV in Vegas Tuesday, making 9-16 from arc- Gauchos were up 16 at half. Mountain West teams are 12-7 against the spread.
Creighton was up 47-20 at half, spanked St Joe's 80-51 LY, avenging a loss here the year before; Bluejays were 10-21 from arc, shot 62.5% on 2-pointers in easy win- they won first two games this year by 46-26 vs couple stiffs. St Joe's won its first two games by 10-19 points; Hawks has three starters back from 18-14 team- they're picked #6 in A-13.
Northridge ran out of gas (played 7 guys double digit minutes) losing at USC 95-79 in first D-I game; Matadors were 28-37 from foul line, good sign. Fresno State beat Cal-Irvine by point, making 14-30 from arc, then lost by 21 at Pitt, even with Panthers going 0-11 from arc. Irvine win is little more impressive after Anteaters won at Washington Thursday.
Northern Iowa won 82-77 in OT at George Mason LY, making 11-26 on arc in game they led 10-0 early; Panthers lost 75-64 at Ohio in its opener despite outscoring bobcats 20-10 on foul line. Patriots won first couple games y 3-14 points, but turned ball over 25.3% of time, making 56.8% of foul shots. Atlantic 13 home favorites are 4-6 against the spread.
Home side won last five Tulsa-Missouri State games; Hurricane lost last two visits here, by 8-12 points, but they beat State 61-42 LY, holding Bears to 1-19 outside arc. Tulsa was 17-36 from foul line in 74-68 loss to local rival Oral Roberts in its opener; State won by 12 in OT at Old Dominion in its opener, outscoring Monarchs 26-14 from the foul line.
Minnesota beat Richmond 72-57 at home LY, outscoring Spiders 30-8 in last 10:00; Gophers scored 82.5 ppg in whacking Lehigh/Montana in its first two games, by 19-26 points. Richmond beat Delaware by a hoop, Belmont by 8 to start its season, despite making only 6-40 from the arc. Atlantic 13 home teams are 4-6. First road game for Pitino's Gophers.
Wisconsin beat Green Bay by 11-28-14 points last three years; Badgers started season by beating St John's by 11, Florida by 6- they're 20-43 on arc in two games, despite playing only seven guys double digit minutes. Green Bay has four starters back from 18-16/10-6 team that is picked to finish #2 in Horizon, but their only game was 22-point win over a stiff.
Butler's best returning player blew his knee out during summer; its coach jumped to NBA, so their first year in Big East could be tough. Bulldogs waxed Lamar by 31, but it was 38-32 at half. Princeton beat stiff by 17 in its opener; Tigers have four starters back from 17-11/10-4 team- they expect to be Ivy contender. Ivy League underdogs are 5-3 vs spread.
Home side won last nine Canisius-St Bonaventurre games; Griffins beat Bonnies 72-69 LY, after trailing by 7 with 7:03 left. Canisius lost its last four visits here by 22-16-7-19 points.. Bonnies beat couple of stiffs by 22-28 points to start season; they've got two starters back from LY, are picked #12 in A-13, MAAC road underdogs are 4-2 against the spread.
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