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Three plays for Saturday:
South Florida at Nebraska (-8) - 12:00pm Pacific
Nothing but positives coming vibes coming from Nebraska basketball followers this season. This could easily be the most improved team in the Big 12. No other team in the conference returns a higher percentage of scoring from last season. Fans have been patient with well respected fourth year head coach Barry Collier and with four returning starters back, seven of top eight scorers, and some nice newcomers, this could be the year Nebraska starts to move up the ultra tough Big 12 standings.
Not only does Nebraska look improved on paper, but they have already shown improvement on the court. They are a perfect 3-0 and coming off a solid 6 point win over a good Arizona State team and consensus all-American Ike Diogu. Last year the Sun Devils beat Nebraska handily by 12 (led by 22 in second half) in Tempe. The Cornhuskers can easily go nine deep and had four players score in double figures vs Arizona State. Top newcomer freshman point guard Charles Richardson has added some much needed quickness to the lineup. Through three games Nebraska has a 18 more rebounds and 10 more assists than their opponents, with 5 less turnovers. They are holding opponents under 38% shooting. This is a very good defensive team, particularly on the perimeter which is where USF gets the majority of its points. All three of the Bulls top scorers are guards.
USF first year head coach Robert McCullum comes over from Western Michigan. He is attempting to turn an undisciplined team who has preferred a fast pace in the past into a strong half court man to man defensive team that is both mentally and physically tough. Knowing USF's talent on hand, this is going to be no easy task. The Bulls only have 10 scholarship players available and two of them have missed the last two games. G/F Sam Barber (15.5 minutes per game) is expected to make the trip but his playing time is uncertain. He has missed the last two games due to a suspension for missing practice. Center Brandon Brigman (18.0 minutes per game) remains doubtful with a hernia. Meanwhile, Junior guard Marlyn Bryant, who the Bulls rely heavily on, is still not fully recovered from an ACL injury suffered last year. He is playing, but is not himself. The Bulls shot 47% in last game at Providence and still lost by 24. I doubt they will shoot nearly that well today. USF is averaging 20 turnovers per game and finished just 1-11 on the road last season. That was with a senior point guard, Reggie Kohn (6.2 assists per game), who has since graduated.
Nebraska is going to be a very tough out at home this season. They only lost six games at home last season, five vs ranked teams, and the other by only one point. This years team is much improved and is going to surprise some people. They already avenged a loss to Arizona State and now will look to avenge a 5 point loss at South Florida last season that they came very close to winning.
Nebraska 1 UNIT
Providence at Rhode Island (+3.5) - 1:00pm Pacific
Despite a local snowstorm, the atmosphere should be electric inside the one year old Ryan Center. Providence and Rhode Island have played 32 times in a row at the Providence Civic Center, but this will be the Friars first visit to Kingston (Rhode Island campus) since 1972 (31+ years) making this a highly anticipated matchup. Students are privileged to the first 8 rows on three sides of the Ryan Center court. Last year, the Rams beat USC, St Joseph's, and Seton Hall here outright, all as a home dog.
In Jim Baron's first season as head coach Rhode Island ended up winning 20 games last season and advanced to the second round of the NIT. This year they should be even better. The Rams return 78% of their scoring from last season, including seven of their top eight scorers. They also return 78% of their rebounding. Leading scorer Brian Woodward has had an injury plagued career but is as healthy as ever as a fifth year senior season and is one of three players averaging double figures on the season. The Rams are a deep team with nine players averaging double figures in minutes. URI owns a quality neutral court victory over Miami, Fla in Las Vegas. They went on to win the championship of the Las Vegas Invitational tournament beating Lousiana Monroe in the final. Since then they played very well at Syracuse leading at half-time and losing by just 4 in the Carrier Dome and followed that up with a road win at Ivy League instate rival Brown.
Providence heads in with a perfect 3-0 record but they have yet to leave the friendly confines of the Dunkin' Donuts Center. The Friars also return almost everyone from last years second round NIT team. They were expecting to get a big scoring lift from the return of Abdul Mills who redshirted last year after leading the team in scoring two seasons ago, but he has not been a factor (1 point in 2 games) thus far. The Friars lost six of their first seven road games last year and still do not get solid point guard play. Sophomore Donnie McGrath tries to run the team but it is easy to tell he prefers to shoot first.
Rhode Island has clearly played the tougher schedule and should benefit from six regular season games of seasoning and some tight games compared to Providence's three fairly easy wins. The Rams come into the game with a +14.0 rebounding margin, compared to the Friars who are only +0.7. With help from a very active home crowd, Rhode Island is both good enough and just as importantly scrappy enough to win this outright.
Rhode Island 1 UNIT
TCU at Washington State (-5.5) - 5:00pm Pacific
Cougars fans are excited about hoops again which is quite a statement. Former Wisconsin head coach Dick Bennett has to be one of the best hires the Pac-10 has seen in some time. Fans are calling him the "Wisconsin Wizard." So far the Cougars are 3-2 after starting the season with a trip to Alaska for the Top of the World Classic. They lost in the final to a good Rice team and then lost badly on the road at Southern Utah in their first game back to the mainland but I am willing to excuse it. They bounced back with a blowout win over IPFW in their home opener five days ago.
Bennett has a decent team to work with. Four starters are back from last season including a healthy senior G/F Marcus Moore who returned to school after testing NBA waters. Moore was named a Wooden preseason All-American and is on the Naismith watch list after he averaged 18.2ppg last season. When Moore was injured last season, guards Randy Green and Thomas Kelati were forced to step up and both proved to be steady performers. Junior forward Shami Gill (7.8 rebounds), junior forward Chris Schlatter, and senior center Ezena Ukeagu (returning starter) lead an experienced frontline. Through five games, eight players are averaging double figures in minutes.
TCU finished a poor 9-19 last season and three of their top four players graduated. This program is in a rebuilding mode. The Frogs have not left Fort Worth yet this season but still enter the game at just 1-3 and are losers of three straight games. Most recently they lost at home to Murray State. The Frogs have not had much chance to improve with practice time as this will be their fourth game in seven days. TCU takes to the road for the first time this season after finishing 2-12 on the road last year with a much more experienced group.
This will be a good measuring stick game for the Cougars and I believe they will do well. Last year, the Cougars lost by just 3 points in Fort Worth in a game that featured 21 lead changes. With a positive coaching change and four returning starters, Washington State clearly appears to be the more improved team from last season. A change of home court plus revenge motivation should lead to a win and cover.
Washington State 1 UNIT
If you need additional or alternate e-mail addresses added to the mailing list, just let me know.
Do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or comments.
Good luck,
Edward
Handicapper.net
(866) 321-WINS
Three plays for Saturday:
South Florida at Nebraska (-8) - 12:00pm Pacific
Nothing but positives coming vibes coming from Nebraska basketball followers this season. This could easily be the most improved team in the Big 12. No other team in the conference returns a higher percentage of scoring from last season. Fans have been patient with well respected fourth year head coach Barry Collier and with four returning starters back, seven of top eight scorers, and some nice newcomers, this could be the year Nebraska starts to move up the ultra tough Big 12 standings.
Not only does Nebraska look improved on paper, but they have already shown improvement on the court. They are a perfect 3-0 and coming off a solid 6 point win over a good Arizona State team and consensus all-American Ike Diogu. Last year the Sun Devils beat Nebraska handily by 12 (led by 22 in second half) in Tempe. The Cornhuskers can easily go nine deep and had four players score in double figures vs Arizona State. Top newcomer freshman point guard Charles Richardson has added some much needed quickness to the lineup. Through three games Nebraska has a 18 more rebounds and 10 more assists than their opponents, with 5 less turnovers. They are holding opponents under 38% shooting. This is a very good defensive team, particularly on the perimeter which is where USF gets the majority of its points. All three of the Bulls top scorers are guards.
USF first year head coach Robert McCullum comes over from Western Michigan. He is attempting to turn an undisciplined team who has preferred a fast pace in the past into a strong half court man to man defensive team that is both mentally and physically tough. Knowing USF's talent on hand, this is going to be no easy task. The Bulls only have 10 scholarship players available and two of them have missed the last two games. G/F Sam Barber (15.5 minutes per game) is expected to make the trip but his playing time is uncertain. He has missed the last two games due to a suspension for missing practice. Center Brandon Brigman (18.0 minutes per game) remains doubtful with a hernia. Meanwhile, Junior guard Marlyn Bryant, who the Bulls rely heavily on, is still not fully recovered from an ACL injury suffered last year. He is playing, but is not himself. The Bulls shot 47% in last game at Providence and still lost by 24. I doubt they will shoot nearly that well today. USF is averaging 20 turnovers per game and finished just 1-11 on the road last season. That was with a senior point guard, Reggie Kohn (6.2 assists per game), who has since graduated.
Nebraska is going to be a very tough out at home this season. They only lost six games at home last season, five vs ranked teams, and the other by only one point. This years team is much improved and is going to surprise some people. They already avenged a loss to Arizona State and now will look to avenge a 5 point loss at South Florida last season that they came very close to winning.
Nebraska 1 UNIT
Providence at Rhode Island (+3.5) - 1:00pm Pacific
Despite a local snowstorm, the atmosphere should be electric inside the one year old Ryan Center. Providence and Rhode Island have played 32 times in a row at the Providence Civic Center, but this will be the Friars first visit to Kingston (Rhode Island campus) since 1972 (31+ years) making this a highly anticipated matchup. Students are privileged to the first 8 rows on three sides of the Ryan Center court. Last year, the Rams beat USC, St Joseph's, and Seton Hall here outright, all as a home dog.
In Jim Baron's first season as head coach Rhode Island ended up winning 20 games last season and advanced to the second round of the NIT. This year they should be even better. The Rams return 78% of their scoring from last season, including seven of their top eight scorers. They also return 78% of their rebounding. Leading scorer Brian Woodward has had an injury plagued career but is as healthy as ever as a fifth year senior season and is one of three players averaging double figures on the season. The Rams are a deep team with nine players averaging double figures in minutes. URI owns a quality neutral court victory over Miami, Fla in Las Vegas. They went on to win the championship of the Las Vegas Invitational tournament beating Lousiana Monroe in the final. Since then they played very well at Syracuse leading at half-time and losing by just 4 in the Carrier Dome and followed that up with a road win at Ivy League instate rival Brown.
Providence heads in with a perfect 3-0 record but they have yet to leave the friendly confines of the Dunkin' Donuts Center. The Friars also return almost everyone from last years second round NIT team. They were expecting to get a big scoring lift from the return of Abdul Mills who redshirted last year after leading the team in scoring two seasons ago, but he has not been a factor (1 point in 2 games) thus far. The Friars lost six of their first seven road games last year and still do not get solid point guard play. Sophomore Donnie McGrath tries to run the team but it is easy to tell he prefers to shoot first.
Rhode Island has clearly played the tougher schedule and should benefit from six regular season games of seasoning and some tight games compared to Providence's three fairly easy wins. The Rams come into the game with a +14.0 rebounding margin, compared to the Friars who are only +0.7. With help from a very active home crowd, Rhode Island is both good enough and just as importantly scrappy enough to win this outright.
Rhode Island 1 UNIT
TCU at Washington State (-5.5) - 5:00pm Pacific
Cougars fans are excited about hoops again which is quite a statement. Former Wisconsin head coach Dick Bennett has to be one of the best hires the Pac-10 has seen in some time. Fans are calling him the "Wisconsin Wizard." So far the Cougars are 3-2 after starting the season with a trip to Alaska for the Top of the World Classic. They lost in the final to a good Rice team and then lost badly on the road at Southern Utah in their first game back to the mainland but I am willing to excuse it. They bounced back with a blowout win over IPFW in their home opener five days ago.
Bennett has a decent team to work with. Four starters are back from last season including a healthy senior G/F Marcus Moore who returned to school after testing NBA waters. Moore was named a Wooden preseason All-American and is on the Naismith watch list after he averaged 18.2ppg last season. When Moore was injured last season, guards Randy Green and Thomas Kelati were forced to step up and both proved to be steady performers. Junior forward Shami Gill (7.8 rebounds), junior forward Chris Schlatter, and senior center Ezena Ukeagu (returning starter) lead an experienced frontline. Through five games, eight players are averaging double figures in minutes.
TCU finished a poor 9-19 last season and three of their top four players graduated. This program is in a rebuilding mode. The Frogs have not left Fort Worth yet this season but still enter the game at just 1-3 and are losers of three straight games. Most recently they lost at home to Murray State. The Frogs have not had much chance to improve with practice time as this will be their fourth game in seven days. TCU takes to the road for the first time this season after finishing 2-12 on the road last year with a much more experienced group.
This will be a good measuring stick game for the Cougars and I believe they will do well. Last year, the Cougars lost by just 3 points in Fort Worth in a game that featured 21 lead changes. With a positive coaching change and four returning starters, Washington State clearly appears to be the more improved team from last season. A change of home court plus revenge motivation should lead to a win and cover.
Washington State 1 UNIT
If you need additional or alternate e-mail addresses added to the mailing list, just let me know.
Do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or comments.
Good luck,
Edward
Handicapper.net
(866) 321-WINS
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