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EVEN THOUGH I’M NOT SOLD ON ARIZONA BEING A SUPERB TEAM, THEY’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE BELIEVERS OF THAT NOTION TONIGHT. FACING A TEAM IN COLORADO IS FAVORABLE TO THEM FOR MANY REASONS. LAST YEAR ARIZONA AND COLORADO SPLIT THE SERIES, WITH COLORADO DEFEATING ARIZONA ON THEIR HOME FLOOR A YEAR AGO. IF IT WERE NOT FOR A BLOWN LEAD LATE IN THE FIRST GAME COLORADO COULD OF VERY WELL WON BOTH GAMES.

THAT WAS LAST YEARS COLORADO TEAM WHICH HAD BUDDING GUARD SPENCER DINWIDDIE TO DISPERSE THE BASKETBALL AND SCORE. DINWIDDIE WAS AN ALL AROUND TYPE OF GUARD BUT AT 6’6 POSED A CHALLENGE FOR NICK JOHNSON OF ARIZONA. WITH DINWIDDIE OUT OF THE LINEUP THAT MEANS FRESHMAN JARON HOPKINS HAS STEPPED INTO A STARTING ROLE.

THIS IS WHERE ONE KEY FACT WILL EMERGE TO HELP OFFSET THIS BLOATED LINE THAT MAY HAVE YOU THINKING TO PLAY COLORADO. HOPKINS IS FROM MESA, ARIZONA. JUST THINK OF THE PRESSURE IN JUST HIS THIRD START IN HIS HOME STATE AGAINST THE NUMBER ONE TEAM IN THE COUNTRY? IN HIS FIRST OFFICIAL START AGAINST UCLA HE HAD FIVE TURNOVERS.

THE OTHER AREA IS COLORADO’S MAIN SCORER IS NOW ASKIA BOOKER. HE CAN SCORE THE BASKETBALL BUT IT COMES IN A DETRIMENTAL WAY AS HE IS SHOOTING JUST 39% FROM THE FIELD. WITH DINWIDDIE OUT AND HOPKINS A NON-FACTOR, THIS MAY BE BOOKER’S WORST SHOOTING NIGHT OF THE SEASON.

LASTLY THE INSIDE PRESENCE OF COLORADO HURT THE WILDCATS LAST YEAR. JOSH SCOTT AND XAVIER JOHNSON HAD THEIR WAY WITH FRESHMAN BRANDON ASHLEY AND Kaleb Tarczewski. BUT OVER THE COURSE OF THE 2013-2014 SEASON YOU CAN SEE THAT ASHLEY AND TARCZWESKI ARE MUCH IMPROVED. THE SAME CAN’T BE SAID FOR JOHNSON AND SCOTT, WHO HAVE BEEN INCONSISTENT AND SEEM TO HAVE REGRESSED.

NOT TO MENTION THE WILDCATS HAVE BIG MAN AARON GORDON THIS YEAR TO GO ALONG WITH AN UNDERRATED WILDCAT RONDAE HOLLIS-JEFFERSON.

EVERY ARIZONA WILDCAT THAT GETS SIGNIFICANT MINUTES (18 OR BETTER A GAME) IS SHOOTING ABOVE 47% FROM THE FIELD. AN INCREDIBLE STAT. THE ONLY CHANCE COLORADO HAS TO STAY IN THIS GAME IS TO FORCE FEED JOSH SCOTT AND XAVIER JOHNSON AND HOPE ONE GETS HOT. WITH THE WAY BOOKER RUNS THE COLORADO OFFENSE THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

LAY THE BIG POINTS ON ARIZONA.

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TODAY I WILL VENTURE INTO A CONFERENCE THAT IS LOW ON MY BOARD IN TERMS OF DAILY AND WEEKLY PLAY—-THE BIG 12. AS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL THE SAME APPLIES TO THE HARDWOOD COURT. THE BIG 12 IS A BIT UNPREDICTABLE SO YOU NEED TO WAIT ON THE RIGHT PLAY. TODAY IT’S AVAILABLE BETWEEN KANSAS AND BAYLOR. WITH KANSAS SUDDENLY LIVING UP TO THEIR TALENT ODDMAKERS HAVE POSITIONED THEM AS SIZEABLE FAVORITES TODAY AGAINST THE BAYLOR BEARS.

I’D THINK IF THIS HAD BEEN A GAME SCHEDULED EVEN EIGHT TO TEN DAYS AGO THAT KANSAS WOULD ONLY BE 6-7 POINT FAVORITES. QUICK REACTION TO BAYLOR’S POOR LOSS AT HOME AGAINST A GOOD OKLAHOMA TEAM, AND KANSAS GREAT PERFORMANCE AGAINST OKLAHOMA STATE (NEARLY WITHERED AWAY) HAS THE LINE INFLATED AT 10.5. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THE KANSAS IS STILL TOO YOUNG OF A TEAM TO GARNER MY MONEY AS A TEN POINT FAVORITE EVEN ON THEIR HOME FLOOR. THEIR PRONE TO LULLS OFFENSIVELY AND ARE NOT A HALF COURT OFFENSE.

FACING A TEAM SUCH AS OKLAHOMA STATE ALLOWED KANSAS TO DO WHAT THEIR BEST AT, AND THAT’S GET OUT AND RUN THE FLOOR. BAYLOR USE TO BE THAT TYPE OF TEAM BUT THEY’VE SCALED BACK THEIR FAST PACE APPROACH WITH THE PERSONNEL THEY HAVE THIS SEASON. SLOWING THE GAME DOWN AND FORCING KANSAS TO WORK FOR THEIR POINTS IS BAYLOR’S BEST SHOT AT HANGING IN THIS ONE.

IT’S ALWAYS INTERESTING SEEING HOW A TEAM PLANS TO GUARD BAYLOR’S BIG MAN ISIAH AUSTIN WHO LOVES TO GET OUT ON THE PERIMETER. THIS MAY POSE A SERIOUS CHALLENGE TO JOEL EMBLID WHO IS A FIERCE SHOT BLOCKER. KANSAS MAY TRY TO SHIFT PERRY ELLIS TO GUARD HIM. EITHER WAY I THINK THE MATCHUP HURTS KANSAS IN HALF COURT DEFENSE.

THIS ISN’T A MONEYLINE PLAY BY NO MEANS BUT A 10.5 POINT SPREAD THAT MAY PUSH TO 11 BY GAME TIME IS AN ADVANTAGEOUS LINE FOR A HANDICAPPER.

GET MY PREMIUM PLAYS TODAY BY CLICKING ON TODAY’S PICKS

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IT’S CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY AND WITH THAT COMES THE NEED FOR FOLKS TO WAGER ON ANY OTHER BASKETBALL GAMES TO TRY TO MAKE A BIG PROFIT IN ONE DAY. OH DO THE BOOKS LOVE THESE TYPE OF DAYS. CHANCES ARE THE MAJORITY ARE GOING TO GET SUCKED IN ON TAKING TEAMS THEY HAVEN’T TRACKED AND JUMPING ON FAVORITES. HERE IS MY WARNING AND I’LL OFFER A FREE PLAY UNDERDOG TO HELP ALLEVIATE THAT URGE.

TODAY’S FREE PLAY COMES IN COLLEGE HOOPS ON A LINE THAT I BELIEVE IS A TAD TOO HIGH. NOTRE DAME IS A TEAM THAT IS MOLDED TO HANG AROUND TEAMS. THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY STANDOUT PLAYERS WHICH TOOK AN EVEN BIGGER DOWNGRADE WHEN JERIAN GRANT LEFT THE TEAM FOR ACADEMIC REASONS. LIKE I SAID THEY CAN STILL HANG AROUND WITH TEAMS(UPSET DUKE), BUT DON’T LET THAT DUKE WIN FOOL YOU. THEY’VE HAD THEIR STRUGGLES EVEN WITH GRANT IN THE LINEUP. LOSSES TO NORTH DAKOTA STATE AND A CLOSE WIN AGAINST BRYANT AND CANISIUS IN OVERTIME ATTEST TO THIS.

IN ACC CONFERENCE PLAY THEY HAVE LOST THREE STRAIGHT GAMES INCLUDING ONE TO A TEAM CONSIDERED TO BE THE ACC DOORMAT IN NC STATE AT HOME.

GOING UP AGAINST VIRGINIA TECH WOULD SEEM TO BE THE TYPE OF HOME GAME TO GET A TEAM OF NOTRE DAME’S EXPECTED CALIBER BACK TO FORM. I BEG TO DIFFER AS THE HOKIES SHOULD BE A VALUE PLAY HERE GETTING 10.5 POINTS. IT’S GOING TO BE A BATTLE FOR TECH BUT THERE ARE TWO REASONS WHY I LIKE THE POINTS HERE. ONE IS THAT NOTRE DAME TRIES TO BEAT TEAMS ON THE INSIDE WITH A PRESENCE THAT IS NOT LIKE WHAT IT USE TO BE. IN PRIOR YEARS THEY HAD LUKE HARANGODY AND JAKE COOLEY ON THE INSIDE. PAT CONNAUGHTON AND GARRICK SHERMAN ARE SERVICEABLE BIG MEN BUT NOT STRONG SUITS INSIDE LIKE NOTRE DAME HAS HAD THE PAST FEW SEASONS. INSIDE WILL BE A BIG MISMATCH BUT LOOK FOR THE HOKIES TO HAVE THE ADVANTAGE IN SPEED, QUICKNESS, AND IN THE BACKCOURT.

THE MAIN REASON THE HOKIES LOOK LIKE A GOOD SPOT IS THE FACT NOTRE DAME LETS TEAMS STAY IN GAMES. THEIR IS A HUGE SIZE DISADVANTAGE FAVORING NOTRE DAME, BUT IN MATCHUPS AS SUCH NOTRE DAME HAS NOT LOOKED GREAT. AS IN GAMES AGAINST NC STATE, BRYANT, CANISIUS, AND INDIANA STATE.

TAKE THE POINTS AND TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY’S PREMIUM PLAYS BEING OFFERED

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YESTERDAY WAS A NICE PROFITABLE DAY FOR PREMIUM PLAYS ON A FOUR GAME PACKAGE. THE TWO FREE PLAYS OFFERED SPLIT. TODAY I WILL ONCE AGAIN FOCUS ON THE NBA FOR A FREE PLAY. DETROIT IS ONE OF THE TEAMS SUFFERING TREMENDOUSLY. RIGHT NOW THEY CAN’T FIND ANY BALANCE AND IT’S EASY TO SEE WHY. INSIDE THEY HAVE TWO EMERGING YOUNG STARS WITH GREG MONROE AND ANDRE DRUMMOND. BOTH HAVE A LIMITED SKILLSET THOUGH. AT THE GUARD POSITION THEY’RE EITHER TOO OLD OR YOUNG. WILL BYNUM, CHAUNCEY BILLUPS, AND RODNEY STUCKEY ARE AGING FAST AND HAVE BATTLED NAGGING INJURIES. AT THE SMALL FORWARD/SHOOTING GUARD POSITIONS WHAT CAN YOU TRULY GET OUT OF A COACH’S NIGHTMARE IN JOSH SMITH AND KYLE SINGLER.

DETROIT MAY WANT TO DECLARE ANOTHER STATE OF EMERGENCY. THE FREE PLAY IS NOT ON WASHINGTON AS I WILL NOT BANDWAGON CONSECUTIVE BLOWOUT PLAYS. WHERE I WILL GO WITH THIS FREE PLAY IS THE OVER. DETROIT’S FREE FALLING ON COURT PLAY HAS LOST THEIR DEFENSIVE PRESENCE. TEAMS ARE RUNNING UP AND DOWN THE COURT AND SCORING AT WILL AGAINST THEM. I THINK THIS HAS MORE TO DO WITH THEIR GUARDS NOT BEING FULLY HEALTHY AND LACK OF COMMITMENT FROM JOSH SMITH.

WASHINGTON EXCELS AT GETTING OUT IN THE OPEN COURT AND DOESN’T PLAY STELLAR DEFENSE ITSELF. GO AHEAD AND CASH THIS FREE PLAY AT THE TICKET WINDOW TODAY.

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The college basketball schedule is a whirlwind from here on until March Madness. That’s what has been the continual year after year synopsis of college basketball. Following Syracuse’s sixteenth win of the season their head coach Jim Boeheim aptly stated, “there is no dominant team in college basketball this season”. It’s a phrase stated often but holds true.

This week alone eight new teams cracked the top 25. All that a team can typically play within the seven day period of a new poll being released is two games. Is a one or two game win streak this early in conference play enough to push a team from garnering a top 25 position? Probably so. But it does not necessarily mean a new team replacing a top 25 team is better than the one exiting. That’s the beauty of college basketball.

Arizona and Syracuse are quality teams but are still vulnerable. For Syracuse they’re relying heavily on a freshman point guard that has had to be called upon twice to save the Orangemen from disastrous offensive shooting. Once against St. Francis NY and the other time against Miami last week. Arizona lacks fire power in the backcourt offensively. Nick Johnson is an athletic guard that teams will live with him shooting from the perimeter. While point guard McConnell is a set shooter that wants to setup teammates more than shoot. I foresee a loss coming Arizona’s way in the near future.

On to Monday’s top 25 matchups. Here is a quick breakdown with point spread selections.

Virginia vs Duke
I firmly believe in the adage what you see is what you get. How the Blue Devils are 6.5 point favorites blows my mind. They’ve been torched in conference play by the likes of Clemson and Notre Dame, and were not as impressive as the score indicated against Georgia Tech. Their offense has no rhyme or reason which is a deadly combination considering their poor team defense. Virginia on the other hand is a comfortable veteran team that doesn’t need twelve to fourteen games in conference play to identify themselves. Play Virginia plus the points.

Syracuse vs Boston College
The only thing hindering the Orangemen on a given night is their lack of offensive execution. When that occurs is the invariable aspect that makes their great run agains the spread a tough choice to keep rolling with tonight. This is the type of game that Syracuse wants to use their size advantage to control the game. They should be able to pound the ball inside to Rakeem Christmas for easy buckets, and use the off the dribble skillsets of forwards Jerami Grant and CJ Fair. A shooter that is off needs to realize that and that’s the unfortunate status of slumping shooter Trevor Cooney. The win over North Carolina in their new conference of the ACC surely had the Cuse pumped. They’ll need to be ready and level headed against a BC team that can shoot the ball. The play here is still the Cuse but I think itll take halfway through the second half before they get on a typical clamp down zone defense to offense run.

Contact Zack Cimini

East Coast Road Warriors

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Underdogs have been thriving as of late in all sports. Not only as underdog covers but money line victors. To do so as consistently as teams have done it takes a tough mentality to win on the road. While the weather has been at a peak of discomfort on the East coast, it has spurred a riveting ascent for the Golden State Warriors.

Golden State came onto the NBA scene a year ago via the Splash Brothers. Mark Jackson the former player turned NBA head coach figured to be in a growing period with a great group of young talent. Injuries to big men Andrew Bogut and David Lee at times hampered the core talent on a day to day basis. Yet the improvement of Harrison Barnes month to month and sharpshooting of Curry/Thompson kept things in gear for the Warriors.

Their playoff performances as a team put them on serious stock watch for the 2013-2014 season. Who has provided an extra dimension to the Warriors has been free agent signee Andre Iguodala. Mark Jackson has wanted to bring more toughness on the defensive end, and that has been provided with Iguodala and a an aggressive defensive mentality from everyone.

There comes a point in a season where a team knows that they’re capable of defeating anyone. Golden State has that mantra now and it has been from a torch session through the Eastern Conference.

Tonight they wrap up a seven game East coast road trip as they play against the Brooklyn Nets. And they’re coming in having won the previous six road games on top of their current win streak of ten wins. There is no sugar coating that the Eastern conference is depleted and in a serious transition phase. Still, teams on a heavy road trip such as the Warriors are, aren’t supposed to be able to win this many games in a row.

They’ve had some great finishes on the trip with an Andre Iguodala three pointer to defeat the Hawks at the buzzer, and a game against the Miami Heat in which they shot the lights out. Those are games that every fan pays attention to. What has drawn my attention is the defense they’ve displayed in stretches.

They’re not a team that is going to command a dominating defensive presence for four quarters. But they’re the type of team that can irritate teams on the offensive end by their ferocious hot shooting. Even in grade school or high school competition seeing the opponents shot reign in through the net time and time again has a psychological affect. Teams begin to rush their shot and not run their offense correctly.

Case in point the Washington Wizards were held to just fifteen third quarter points. They were held to just five points through the first ten minutes of the quarter. Guess how many points the Warriors ended up scoring in the third quarter? 34

Tonight the Warriors look to cruise to another victory on the road capping off their seven game East Coast road trip. You can count on it, and don’t be surprised to see their win streak surge past fifteen games.