KELSO
50 Units Cincinnati +6
5 Units Rhode Island +11.5
3 Units Memphis -4.5
Hot Shot Sports
4* Boston Celtics Over 188
Larry Ness
8* Weekly Wipeout Winner Pittsburgh -12
Pitt came within an 'eyelash' of reaching the school's first Final 4 since 1941 in 2009 (lost to Villanova in the Regional Final) but entered last year with low expectations (picked to finish ninth in the Big East). However, the Panthers were a HUGE surprise, going 25-9. Maybe we shouldn't have been surprised, as Pitt is the winningest program in the Big East over the past nine seasons. However, Pitt fell victim to Xavier in the NCAA's second round, continuing a habit of losing to lower seeded teams in the Big Dance. Pitt is one of just seven schools to have qualified for the NCAA Tournament in each of the last nine years, including these last seven years led by head coach Jamie Dixon. He has been among the nation's most successful coaches in his stint at Pitt, and these last five years, only Duke, Memphis, Kansas and North Carolina have won more games than Pitt. However, while all five of the previously mentioned programs have at least played in a national title game in that span, Pitt (as mentioned earlier), is still seeking a Final 4 trip (in 1941, there were just eight teams in the tourney!). Expectations are high this year, as the Panthers were picked to finish first in the league in the Big East coaches' preseason poll, plus open the season ranked 5th in the nation. Four starters return from last year, including the excellent backcourt duo of Gibbs (15.7) and Wannamaker (12.3-5.7-4.7). The 6-6 Brown (10.7) and 6-10 center McGhee (6.9-6.8) bring senior leadership and strong frontcourt play to the mix while junior PF Robinson (6.6-5.6) is expected back by mid-December after knee surgery. Watch out for 6-9 sophomore Taylor (4.1-3.7) plus 6-9 freshman Talib Zanna, who is expected to start at power forward. A February 'funk' cost Rhode Island another NCAA bid (NIT-bound the last three years) and gone from LY's team are leading-scorer Cothran (14.3) plus PF Ulmer (12.1-7.4). Three starters return from last season's 26-10 team that advanced to the semifinals of the NIT, 6-8 forward Delroy James (13.2-5.3), the 7-0 Martell (7.5-4.8) and PG Jones (5.7-4.1 APG). History is all on Pitt's side in this game and I expect any easy win. The Panthers have won 13 straight season openers and are 75-1 at the Petersen Events Center against non-conference opponents. Rhode Island head coach Jim Baron has had some success vs teams from "big-name" conferences but Dixon's Pitt team is a "defense-first" squad, even in the early season. Rhode Island has lost 22 straight games to ranked opponents since 1998 and have lost five straight to Pitt since capturing its only victory in the series way back in 1981. These teams last met in Rhode Island in 2002 with Pitt winning handily in Providence, 87-71. It WON'T be that close, here!
Sean Higgs
5* Pitt Panthers
Gregg Price
5* Bengals
Lenny Del Genio
Dallas -3.5
Ben Burns
Best Bet - Cincinnati
ASA
3* Charlotte Bobcats
Sports Unlimited
7* Bengals Over
SPORTS BANK
300 Cincinnati
The Boss
1000% Godfather Illinois
700% Round Table Cincy and Over, Phoenix Suns
Wayne Root
Millionaire Cincinnati Bengals
Billionaire Memphis Grizzlies