[fondybadger]

These breakdowns are from friends of mine...

Bjorks

ASU +3.5 Vs. MN

(In your best Lee Corso voice)...Not so fast my friends! This game has DANGER written all over it. Let's look at the facts I know.

MN
1) MN players HATED Dan Monson...(I know 4 players on a pretty personal level)
2) They LOVE interim coach Molinari
3) Molinari is a great motivator and is the sole reason Brandon Smith, Bryce Webster, and Lawrence McKenzie are at MN.
4) Molinari is a defensive minded coach and will get a lot out of these guys.

ASU
1) This is a true hodgepodge of players with some fitting Sendek's system and others not at all (I see ASU practice everyday and know most of these guys pretty well).
2) The barn is still a tough place to play and with 3 true freshman starting for ASU, road jitters could be in effect.
3) Sendek is also extremely defensive minded and the winner of this game probably won't need more than 60 points.

So what do you have?
1) Coaching - Sendek is a better coach, but I'm giving the edge to Molinari and MN because Molinari has implemented most of the defensive and some of the offensive systems at MN. The players are more familiar with it and there's probably 4 players at ASU who do not fit Sendek's system AT ALL! EDGE - MN (slightly)

2) Starters - McKenzie and Dan Coleman should play to their averages. Pendergraph has an edge over Tollackson and Shipp does as well. EDGE - ASU

MN/ASU
PG - McKenzie vs. Atuahene EDGE - McKenzie (slightly)
SG - Smith vs. Polk EDGE - Polk (Smith despite being a SO did not play his SR year of HS and only played like 10 games as a FR) Polk can light it up
SF - Payton vs. Shipp EDGE Shipp (Jarren can fill it up as well and has much more athleticism than Payton
PF - Coleman vs. Seay EDGE Coleman, big Dan should play well against Seay, I've never been a Seay fan however
C - Tollackson vs. Pendergraph EDGE Pendergraph. Jeff was runner up PAC 10 FOY and has an offensive game that should really hurt Spencer. He's too quick for Spencer. If Tollackson tries to body up and play rough with Jeff, Pendergraph should have a field day of dunks and 3 footers.

3) Bench - ASU bench is probably deeper with as Webster for MN has not been playing lately (I don't know if he's been sick or what). ASU has a bunch of random players they can throw at with size and speed. EDGE - ASU

4) Intangibles - The Barn is a scary place for teams that are not familiar with the raised floor. EDGE - MN

So my feeling is MN will be ready to play and will have some extra incentive with Molinari at the helm. ASU is hit or miss on offense, but MN only has 2 legit scores in Coleman and McKenzie. The bench is much deeper for ASU with Morill, Jones, Claudino and Angounou. MN counters with Abu-Shamala, Johnson, Westbrook, Wilson, Williams. All of MN bench players are EXTREMELY limited in what they can do. ASU has a little more flexibiltiy. The Barn will play a factor in the game, but MN +3.5 is a little too much. It actually should be a pickem IMO. The total should not be over 123, if it is, hammer the under. Both teams struggle to score and will run the shot clock down. In reality it's a scary game, but I'd favor the under if it's in the 120's and a lean towards ASU. ASU is just to unpredictable right now to bet heavy on them. Definately a great spot for a teaser with ASU and the under.

Prediction - ASU 58 MN 55

(Absolutely do not see ASU or MN winning by DD)

KingKrunked

i've been waiting all week for this!

onto your thoughts and ill add mine...

North Carolina -10.5 vs. Kentucky
After what UNC did to Ohio State I think there confidence is at an all time high. Although, Kentucky may have an advantage with Robert Morris inside to help neutralize Hansborough.

----this line will end at -11.5 tomorrow w/ 78% of the public on unc. now you have to ask yourself some questions and go over the osu game. remember the tempo of the osu/unc game (it was a lot of perimeter and extremely fast paced.) the tempo and matchups wont be as easy for unc (you pointed this out w/ morris.) furthermore, the game will be much slower and that SHOULD favor uk. i ALWAYS give the edge to the underdog (ESPECIALLY if they are ranked--or top 35 rpi.) i havent seen much out of uk this year so if they are gonna do something this is it. im leaning strong toward UK and heres why. imo, the 1h of the osu/unc game was the real tarheel team (they stepped it up in the 2h b/c roy is an amazing coach and said some shit during the HT.) i dont think UK will go down w/out a fight and the line seems a bit inflated to be (even if UK hasnt proven me anything.)

Arizona State +3.5 at Minny
Monson resigning could be the fresh breathe that MInny needs to step up, but I highly doubt it. Both teams are a bit down this season, but Minny is really really bad. I'll be fading them until they can show me they can win. Especially when they're the favorite.

----i'm going to have to wait to see what the public does and how the lines move. i dont see how ASU doesnt win by dd. minn is fucking aweful and either vegas knows something i dont (always the case) or htey have the WRONG team favored.

Kansas -9.5 at Depaul
Lines a bit high for me to really like Kansas right now but if it drops down into the 8.5 or 9 range I'll pull the trigger. Depaul has a sold team this year, but I think Kansas should be getting some of their young guys in a groove. Their center Butler has been reinstated and they should be good to go in this one.

----this will be KU's first non-tournament game away from their court this year. depaul is no laughing matter and will play up to their opponent while KU is just the opposite (the dartmouth game was sick and i wont mention that cuz it was pathetic to watch.) bill self REALLY needs to get Khan some more time if he wants to make a run this year (i fully expected him to last game but he didnt start him and played him very little.) i havent been keeping as close an eye on our new guys as i should, but why have i never heard of butler? i feel like a 'tard, but he doesnt ring a bell (if he plays for ku, i'm clueless.) i would lean toward depaul in this match but i learned my lesson to never bet against my team when favored.

Texas +2 vs Zags
Should be an awesome game. Texas is more talented but Zags have the experience. What wins out?

----fuck this gonzaga team, its time they lose another game ats. its ml texas or no play for me. this game will be EXTREMELY fast paced and the scoreboard will be seeing a lot of action. the game is in texas which gives a huge edge to these crazy fucking fans. the zags are proving to the whole country that they are legit, but now its texas' turn to "hook 'em." i simply dont understand how gonzaga keeps doing what they're doing (they lost 59% of their offense from last year...jesus.) texas DOES have a new team and we will see how they shine tomorrow. i really like texas here considering the low line (it will be up to 3.5 by game.)

KState +3.5 at Col. State
KState has been playing well and I'm a bit surprised to see them being a dog. Don't know Colorado State well enough this year to make an honest opinion on this gmae yet. .

----how the fuck are you gonna say kstate has being playing well?!?! they are flat fucking aweful!!!!!! they beat rutgers as +2 dogs (rutgers is AWEFUL) there last game kstate lost by 40 to cal when dogs by 6!!! i will fade kstate till im dead!!! colorado st, on the other hand, aint so bad! i dont see why they arent favored by 10!!!!

Illinois +7 vs Arizona
Line seems a bit high to me. Illinois can play with about anyone and keep it close because of their defense.

----i might have to lay off this game cuz i hate playing big favorites. we all saw the maryland/illi game on illi's home court. this game is being played away (huge loss of spread imo) and arizona should route the fuck of them.

Nebraskas -5 vs Rutgers
Fading Rutgers

----nebraska aint the worst team in the big xii either, and a team that loses to kstate (rutgers) isnt worhy of my money, like nebraska here.

Boston College +3 against UMass
---something aint right here!! you sure bc is a dog to umass?!?!? if thats the case, im taking umass!!! no idea why, but its a T.R.A.P.


Wichita State +4 against Syracuse

what bothers me about wsu this year is how they have been playing down to their opponents. i realize on paper it looks like they blow teams out but thats all late in the game cuz they were fucking with the other team. wsu was up by around 2 points to my school (umkc) last game going into HT which is fucking sorry. syracuse aint bad and playing at syracuse i would be tempted to take them.


Duke -7.5 over Georgetown

GU is pretty pathetic this year, but having the HQ adavantage could give them just enough to cover the spread