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Three Titles Games, Three Auto Bids, Three Picks
Posted on March 6th, 2010 by jamiemac 4 CommentsWho wants to join Cornell in the Field of 65? Three teams will clinch spots in the bracket by virtue of winning their conference tournaments today. The games are part of an ESPN 2 tripleheader beginning at 4:00. You know I celebrate the bubble a lot at this blog, but when it comes down to it, the three most intruiging games of the day are these three taking place in Big South, Atlantic Sun and Ohio Valley country. Moments in the sun are on the line. Not to mention trophies. And a chance to climb a ladder and cut down a net. In their honor, with nothing but good intetions intended, here are my picks.
BIG SOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP
Winthrop at Coastal Carolina, 4:00 ESPN 2. Lines, Coastal -9, O/U 118.5
I wryly compared Winthrop’s game the other night to an old school shortstop that was all glove and no stick. It was meant to be a back handed compliment at best. I admit I was wrong and, in the process, forgot one key thing about those shortstops. How clutch they were in big moments. And that really better defines Winthrop. Never bet against them in a coin flip game in the Big South Tournament. Lesson learned. Their defense flat shut down Radford on Thursday night to advance to this game. Radford had taken a 31-30 four minutes into the second half. But, they couldnt score any more points. Over the next 12 minutes of clock, they remained stuck in the 30s. All Winthrop needed was one offensive spurt, which they got, and it was lights out. They’re going to need to pull of a similar trick if they’re to get by Coastal and make the Final 65. The Chants had it rolling the other night against Asheville. And their home crowd was a major factor. Still with all the pressure of an NCAA bid on the line, can you expect another blowout? I dont. It’s the historic leader vs the current frontrunner, and I think the old guard keeps this one closer than the experts think.
The Pick: Winthrop +9, 1 Unit…..Winthrop is too experienced to be rattled by the home crowd. They lost by 10 on this court two months ago, but beat Coastal by three at home five weeks ago. I think they know how to play the Chants and wont be outclassed. I think they push them and even though the Chants may pull away, I dont think this margin exceeds single digits at the final buzzer. Besides, Winthrop is 20-4 since 200o in the conference tournament and never has lost by more than 8 points. I think the Chants will have to take a major punch in the mouth before breaking their 17-year NCAA Tournament drought.
ALTANTIC SUN
East Tennessee State at Mercer, 6:00 ESPN 2. Lines, ETSU -2, O/U 144
Welcome to the goofiest sectional so far of the tournament. The Atlantic Sun ended in a four-way tie for first place. But none of those teams advanced into the championshiop game of the postseason tournament. Keenesaw State took out Lipscomb Wednesday night in a quarterfinal game. ETSU took out Campbell Thursday night in the quarters. Mercer meanwhile has used home court advantage to upend two of the co-champs Belmont and Jacksonville in the quarters and semis. This is the fifth and sixth place teams in the Atlantic Sun, and they’re both still alive for the Field of 65. They’re a win a way. Something tells me this system may work out just yet. Anyway, on one hand, ETSU was the only other team other than thoes fateful four at the top to register a winning record in league. These teams split this year, with each winning by five points. The difference maker might be Mercer guard EJ Kusnyer. He was on fire in the Mercer win, but when they lost to the Bucs he missed twice as many shots as he made. He’s one of four Bears who score in double figures, but he’s been quiet during this sectional averging just 7.5 points. If Mercer is going to continue the trend of lower seeds winning in this field, then he needs to have a bigger scoring impact.
The Pick: Mercer +2, 1 Unit….Did we mention they’re playing at home. Somehow a tournament that’s seen the lower seed go 4-2 has evolved to where the sixth seed Mercer Bears have home court advantage with a spot in the Field of 65 on the line. I know good March karma when I see it. I’ll take the home team in a coin flip here. The Bears have already won a high scoring game and a low scoring game in this field. I think they’re ready for ETSU’s game. They get enough offense and home court to sneak this one out with my pick to click Kusnyer going for 15 points. Book It.
OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE
Morehead State vs Murrary State, 8:00 ESPN 2. Lines, Murray State -4, O/U 131
The only game of the three championship tilts played on a nuetral court. This one is in Nashville. And its the only one between the two top seeds of the sectional. It’s the defending champ Morehead against the regular season champ Murray State. These teams went 32-4 in the Ohio Valley this season. They’re 82-30 in the last three years. Ohio Valley powers are clashing in this one. I think its kind of a bizarre spot for Murray to be in the last couple of days. They went 17-1 in the OVC, the clear first place team. Yet, in the semifinals they played a team that was hotter than they were with Eastern Illinois’ 8-game winning streak. And today they play a tean that beat them less than 10 days ago. They sure did break more of sweat to get out of the semifinals than Morehead did. The Racers gutted out a low scoring, four-point win over EIU in a game they spent on the losing end for much of the time.It was an ugly win. All year the Racers have seemingly rotated stepping up and being the man. Last night it was Donte Poole’s turn. Morehead woodshedded Tennessee Tech by 29 in a game that was over midway through the first half.
The Pick: Murray -4, 1 Unit…..gut feeling Murray closes Morehead out and wins by more than four points. They may have to hit a fair share of free throws to push past the cover, but I’ll take my chances there with a club that makes 70-percent of its freebies. I just think the Racers survived last night. Tonight, they play more loose. I think they’ll have too much offensive versatility for Morehead State to keep up with in the second half.
Filed under: Book It, College Basketball | 4 Comments »
[...] Three Titles Games, Three Auto Bids, Three PicksThree teams will clinch spots in the bracket by virtue of winning their conference tournaments today. The games are part of an ESPN 2 tripleheader beginning at 4:00. You know I cel… [...]
[...] Three Titles Games, Three Auto Bids, Three PicksThree teams will clinch spots in the bracket by virtue of winning their conference tournaments today. The games are part of an ESPN 2 tripleheader beginning at 4:00. You know I cel… [...]
[...] as far as final scores go. Three games about midway through, plus these night games and the the A Sun and OVC title games from an earlier post all still out there. Grab a drink and buckle in. Comments [0]Digg [...]
[...] as far as final scores go. Three games about midway through, plus these night games and the the A Sun and OVC title games from an earlier post all still out there. Grab a drink and buckle in. Comments [0]Digg [...]