Tom Barton
Canisius vs Niagara
Canisius -4
The Griffins are still in position to win this conference but after two straight losses now sit 2 1/2 games back of the leader and their hopes are getting slimmer. They have dropped the last two games to the first and second place teams and now want a team to take their frustrations out on and Niagara is the perfect victim. Canisius beat them last month by 13 at home and scored 87 and that was the Griffins do ... score. They average 78 per game and have scored into the 80's in 8 of their last 10 games, hitting 91 last game in a loss. Their D is the problem but tonight it will be all about the Purple's inability to keep pace. Niagara has lost 4 in a row, 6 of 7, and have just 2 wins in all of 2014. When we talk of the Purple we look at bad defense as well as they have let their last 3 opponents score 78 twice and 90 once. The Purple have also allowed 7 of the last 10 teams to score 78+ and that will be the same tonight for this Griffins team that no one can seem to slow down. I fully expect the Griffins to get into the 80's here and Niagara has gone over 77 just twice in the last 10 games. Niagara keeps pace for some of this game but their offense just can't keep up.
OC Dooley
Niagra +4.5
Admittedly Niagra has struggled in conference play (3-11 record) and are currently in the tenth-spot of league standings, however in the last pair of HOME games they have taken a pair of powers (Iona and Manhattan) right down to the wire as both tilts were decided by just a ONE point margin. There is also major INJURY news involving visiting Canisius who will be WITHOUT their leading rebounder Chris Manhertz who has a possible broken nose. Long term Canisius is an awful 2-10 ATS/ROAD versus terrible defensive opponents who allow on average at least 48% shooting from the floor. In the past two years after a game where they were cast as an underdog Niagra has gone an incredible 11-2 ATS/HOME