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NCAA write ups
N.C. Ashville vs. Texas Southern
Why is N.C.-Ashville the field's only team with a losing record at 14-16? Look no further than the nation's #14 non-conference schedule which featured losses by 14 at Michigan State, six at Minnnesota, 50 at U.Conn, 31 at Holy Cross, 36 at Oklahoma, 52 at Kansas, and 18 at East Tennessee State. With the exception of Minnesota, every one of those foes made the Big Dance field!
N.C.-Ashville earned it automatic invite by taking the Big South Tournament, upsetting league favorite Winthrop, in revenge, on the road, in the semifinals, and knocking off Radford in the title game. The Bulldogs are 4-14 SU on the road this year, but remember, seven of those losses came against the opponents listed above.
Texas Southern beat Alcorn State in the title game of the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament to close the season at 18-12 SU, including 7-9 SU on the road.
But, the Tigers took the long route to Dayton for tonight's play-in game. Following Saturday's night title game victory in Birmingham, Alabama, they boarded a bus at 6:00 A.M. Sunday morning for a 12-hour road trip back to their home base in Houston. They left home again the following morning at 5:00 A.M., only to arrive in Dayton at 3:00 Monday afternoon. By comparison, N.C.-Ashville has been idle since March 9.
Interesting sidebar: Texas Southern's top player, Allen Lovett, averaging 16.5 points per game, played as a freshman at N.C.-Ashville in the 2000-01 season before transferring.
Villanova at Siena
Seven Villanova players remain suspended for this contest because of unauthorized phone card use, including key contributors Ricky Wright, Gary Buchanan and Andrew Sullivan. Playing essentially seven players - including three freshmen - the Wildcats covered their last two games against Pittsburgh and Georgetown. Villanova went 6-13 SU on the road this year, and has lost five straight heading into this contest.
Siena, 20-9 ATS on the year, had won six in a row before falling to Fairfield in the Metro Atlantic Conference Semifinals. The Saints are 7-1 ATS in non-conference play.
Drexel at Temple
These schools are less than 30 minutes away from each other, yet they last met in 1994.
Temple closed on a 12-4 SU run, but the Owls are only 4-8 ATS at home this year, and 2-9 ATS versus non-conference foes. They're also 0-5 ATS the past three years as a home favorite of 6 1/2 to 9 points, including 0-3 this season.
Drexel, idle since losing to N.C. Wilmington in the Colonial Conference title game, is 12-6 SU and 10-5 ATS on the road this year. The Dragons had won eight of 10 prior to losing to the Seahawks.
Boston College at Fairfield
The Stags have been idle since a March 10 loss to Manhattan by 15 points in the Metro Atlantic Conference title tilt. They're 8-6 SU and 5-8 ATS at home this year. Boston College is 9-6 SU and 10-3 ATS on the road this year.
Georgetown at Tennessee
The Hoyas are 4-8 SU and 5-7 ATS on the road this year. They're 6-11 ATS versus teams with winning records, and they carry a five-game losing streak versus the oddsmakers into Knoxville. Tennessee is 12-4 SU and 8-5 ATS at home this year. A 2-5 finish spoiled its chances of an NCAA berth.
FYI: Tennessee coach Buzz Peterson guided Tulsa to the 2001 NIT title.
Depaul at North Carolina
The Blue Demons are 3-9 SU and 5-6 ATS on the road this season. They've been idle since losing in the opening round of the Conference USA Tournament to South Florida last Wednesday. Depaul is 6-0 ATS playing with five or six days of rest this season.
North Carolina is 11-4 SU and 5-8 ATS home. It's 5-8 ATS as a favorite, including 0-2 as a home chalk of 6 1/2 to 9 points.
The Tar Heels greeted starting center Sean May back for their loss against Duke this weekend. He had been idle since early in the season with a broken foot. May is expected to see only 15 minutes of action this evening.
Why is N.C.-Ashville the field's only team with a losing record at 14-16? Look no further than the nation's #14 non-conference schedule which featured losses by 14 at Michigan State, six at Minnnesota, 50 at U.Conn, 31 at Holy Cross, 36 at Oklahoma, 52 at Kansas, and 18 at East Tennessee State. With the exception of Minnesota, every one of those foes made the Big Dance field!
N.C.-Ashville earned it automatic invite by taking the Big South Tournament, upsetting league favorite Winthrop, in revenge, on the road, in the semifinals, and knocking off Radford in the title game. The Bulldogs are 4-14 SU on the road this year, but remember, seven of those losses came against the opponents listed above.
Texas Southern beat Alcorn State in the title game of the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament to close the season at 18-12 SU, including 7-9 SU on the road.
But, the Tigers took the long route to Dayton for tonight's play-in game. Following Saturday's night title game victory in Birmingham, Alabama, they boarded a bus at 6:00 A.M. Sunday morning for a 12-hour road trip back to their home base in Houston. They left home again the following morning at 5:00 A.M., only to arrive in Dayton at 3:00 Monday afternoon. By comparison, N.C.-Ashville has been idle since March 9.
Interesting sidebar: Texas Southern's top player, Allen Lovett, averaging 16.5 points per game, played as a freshman at N.C.-Ashville in the 2000-01 season before transferring.
Villanova at Siena
Seven Villanova players remain suspended for this contest because of unauthorized phone card use, including key contributors Ricky Wright, Gary Buchanan and Andrew Sullivan. Playing essentially seven players - including three freshmen - the Wildcats covered their last two games against Pittsburgh and Georgetown. Villanova went 6-13 SU on the road this year, and has lost five straight heading into this contest.
Siena, 20-9 ATS on the year, had won six in a row before falling to Fairfield in the Metro Atlantic Conference Semifinals. The Saints are 7-1 ATS in non-conference play.
Drexel at Temple
These schools are less than 30 minutes away from each other, yet they last met in 1994.
Temple closed on a 12-4 SU run, but the Owls are only 4-8 ATS at home this year, and 2-9 ATS versus non-conference foes. They're also 0-5 ATS the past three years as a home favorite of 6 1/2 to 9 points, including 0-3 this season.
Drexel, idle since losing to N.C. Wilmington in the Colonial Conference title game, is 12-6 SU and 10-5 ATS on the road this year. The Dragons had won eight of 10 prior to losing to the Seahawks.
Boston College at Fairfield
The Stags have been idle since a March 10 loss to Manhattan by 15 points in the Metro Atlantic Conference title tilt. They're 8-6 SU and 5-8 ATS at home this year. Boston College is 9-6 SU and 10-3 ATS on the road this year.
Georgetown at Tennessee
The Hoyas are 4-8 SU and 5-7 ATS on the road this year. They're 6-11 ATS versus teams with winning records, and they carry a five-game losing streak versus the oddsmakers into Knoxville. Tennessee is 12-4 SU and 8-5 ATS at home this year. A 2-5 finish spoiled its chances of an NCAA berth.
FYI: Tennessee coach Buzz Peterson guided Tulsa to the 2001 NIT title.
Depaul at North Carolina
The Blue Demons are 3-9 SU and 5-6 ATS on the road this season. They've been idle since losing in the opening round of the Conference USA Tournament to South Florida last Wednesday. Depaul is 6-0 ATS playing with five or six days of rest this season.
North Carolina is 11-4 SU and 5-8 ATS home. It's 5-8 ATS as a favorite, including 0-2 as a home chalk of 6 1/2 to 9 points.
The Tar Heels greeted starting center Sean May back for their loss against Duke this weekend. He had been idle since early in the season with a broken foot. May is expected to see only 15 minutes of action this evening.