1/9 Results: 14-11 on the week...
Sides: 42-27, +22.60
Totals: 32-16, +14.30
DNP: 54-45
1/10 Notes: Only three games tonight. All five of Marquette’s losses have one thing in common, they have all come to top 50 offenses in the country (Duke, Gonzaga, Wisconsin, Vanderbilt, and Pitt). The only other top 50 offense they have played this year would have been West Virginia, and they won that game by 5 (attempted 14 more free throws). Against those top 50 offenses, here is the total shot attempts in those games: WVU (117), Pitt (115), Vandy (120), Wisky (103), Zaga (114), Duke (134). Outside of the slow pace Wisconsin plays, there has been a great # of shots attempted (one team got 60 every game) and tonight features another game where many shots could be put up. The two lowest scoring games out of this bunch were Wisconsin (slow pace and rivalry) and Gonzaga (on a back-to-back day after running with Duke). As for Notre Dame, and this is where coaching and defense comes in to play, the results could not be any more opposite. They have slowed the game down against great offenses this year and they very well could tonight. Check out what they’ve done against top 50 offenses:
St. John’s (104 Shots), 137 Points
Uconn (112 Shots), 143 Points
Syracuse (111 Shots), 128 Points
Georgetown (106 Shots), 124 Points
Gonzaga (103 Shots), 162 Points (both teams shoot 55% from long distance, and 48 FT attempted)
Kentucky (112 Shots), 130 Points
Wisconsin (105 Shots), 109 Points
With the exception of one game, Brey’s done his best to slow down opposing top 50 offenses and depended on his defense to come out ahead. On the opposite side, Marquette hasn’t. They’re young and it shows with their willingness to run and put up shots. I would have to believe that Notre Dame, yet again, limits the shots and tries to make this a grind it out style of game against a top offense as they have done (not a single team attempted 60+ against them). And, on the flip side, these are two top 100 defenses as well. These two teams played to a 102 regulation total (123 overtime) total last year and both teams are coming off physical battles played just two days ago (Pitt & St. John’s). Marquette's also coming off that loss at Pitt which saw a few players with career #'s put up, could be a good spot for back to reality. I want no part of Elon or UNC Greensboro as I have them both tabbed with Georgia Southern in the bottom of the Southern Conference, and could possibly be three of the worst teams in the country. UNC Greensboro hasn’t won a game yet, and that’s due in large part to moving home games to the Greensboro Coliseum. Move your home games there, and of course you are going to attract home and home scheduling situations with just about every ACC team b/c that’s where the conference tournament is played and all teams want some experience playing there. They haven’t played all the ACC teams at home this year, but over the course of the next three years they will (they played Duke, Clemson, Wake Forest, Maryland, Virginia Tech, and Florida State this year, not all at home, but they are home/home agreements). It’s pretty smart of these ACC teams to take advantage. Normally, I’d take a look at Peay and Tenny Martin going over the total as the shot totals in this matchup have been off the charts in recent years and Peay doesn’t mind getting up and down. Neither one of these defenses are all that impressive, in fact, Tenny Martin’s defense is flat out awful and has been for a few years now. It’s just not a good spot with Austin Peay coming off a big win and physical contest with Murray State and Tenny Martin doing the same with Tenny State (not physical, but grind it out type of game). I’d still point over, but there important factors keeping me off of it.
Bets: None
DNP: None
GL