BILLY COLEMAN
4* Detroit (NBA)
3* Lakers OVER
4* Baylor
3* New Mexico St.
4* New England (NFL)
RAS
Charlotte over 144.5
Louisville over 133.5
Wizard of Odds Guaranteed Selections
LATE BREAKING COLLEGE HOOPS STEAM WINNER
Long Beach St -2
Chip Chirimbes
Denver
Jeffersonsports
UTEP/Ariz St. Over 140
Ben Burns
Dallas Stars
Raptors/Lakers Under
Baylor
Larry Ness
7* Tourney Triumph-CBB (10-0 run)
I wrote this on Thanksgiving, while taking the Baylor Bears (minus-four) over Providence in the opening round of the 76 Classic in Anaheim. "The best story in CBB over the last half-dozen years has been the job done by Scott Drew in Baylor. I'm assuming most remember what happened down there under the 'watchful eye' of Dave Bliss (how does someone get to just "walk away" from that?). Anyway, Drew led the Bears to 21 wins last year (his fifth at the school), matching his total amount of wins at the troubled program in his first three seasons. It's says quite a lot about a man who would leave the comfort of Valparaiso, where he had succeeded his legendary father, to come to Baylor in the midst of all that school was dealing with. I guess good things do happen to good people, at least sometimes. Putting aside his 'sainthood' for a minute, Drew has a terrific team. He loses just one player (Bruce at 8.4 PPG) from LY, returning guards Dunn (17.3-4.3), Jerrells (17.0-2.8-6.8) and Carter (6.0). Staring inside are the 6-9 Rogers (13.0-5.5) and the 7-1 Diene (3.0-2.8). Drew also has two excellent freshman this year, the 6-7 Acy (11.8-6.3) and the 6-10 Jones (4.7-3.7). Baylor is off to a 4-0 start (all at home), averaging 89.8 PPG on 54.9 shooting. Last November, when no one knew how good this team would be, the Bears won the Paradise Jam (in Puerto Rico), beating Notre Dame and then Winthrop (the NCAA 'darlings') in the finals. This Thanksgiving, they are in Anaheim and no one will surprised if they win another November tourney." The Bears beat the Friars that night, 72-56 and then won Friday, 87-78 over No. 14 Arizona St. Baylor held Providence to 27.4 percent from the floor, while shooting 49.0 percent, themselves. Rogers had 16 points and seven rebounds, Dunn 12 points off the bench and Carter had 11 points. Jerrells struggled, making just 3-of-10 shots with 11 points. Against ASU, Baylor shot 51.0 percent in the nine-point win as Jerrells bounced back with 22 points and Dunn came off the bench with 27 points. The Bears are now 6-0 on the season, averaging 86.2 PPG on 53.8 percent shooting. While no school can 'top' the Baylor turnaround, Wake dealt with some serious tragedy of its own a year ago, when head coach Skip Prosser died of a heart attack the previous summer, after returning from a jog. New head coach Dino Gaudio did a great job with this young and 'fragile' team and after a February 17 win over No.9 Duke (86-73), the Demon Deacons were 16-8. However, the 'magic' didn't last, as Wake crumbled down the stretch, losing FIVE of its final six games, including a first-round 70-60 loss to FSU in the ACC tourney, which ended its season. Wake is 5-0 to open this year, after beating CS-Fullerton and UTEP here in Anaheim. The team's two-best players are sophomore guard Teague (22.4-3.2-4.4) and fellow sophomore, the 6-9 Johnson (15.2-8.2). Johnson is joined up front by 6-9 freshman Aminu (13.4-9.0) and the 7-0 McFarland (10.8-6.2), who is backed up by a 6-11 freshman, Woods (7.2-3.2). Teague's backcourt partner is Williams (4.6) plus Wake has depth in the backcourt with Clark, Hale and Smith, although only Clark (6.4) has made much of an impact in the early going. Wake hasn't been tested yet, opening with three home wins and has had a very easy draw in this tourney, as Fullerton is 2-4 and the Demon Deacons caught UTEP a day after its upset of St Mary's. Wake has superior size but I'm sticking with my pre-tourney prediction of a Baylor title. Tourney Triumph on Baylor (7*).
NSA
20* Minnesota -3.5
10* Bears/Vikings Over 41
Ron Raymond
5* Ducks / Hurricanes Under 5.5