00:00College basketball and the spread lines,
00:01they will absolutely be taking center stage here.
00:04And let's talk about it.
00:05Houston invading some Hilton magic at Iowa State.
00:08This line opened up overnight, Joe, a minus one and a half.
00:11We now sit today at most outlets showing a minus two and a half for Iowa State
00:15in a total that's listed at 134 and a half.
00:18Houston comes into this game with the number one most efficient offense
00:21in conference play and also turns it over the least of everybody else
00:25and shoots free throws better than everybody else in conference play.
00:29Houston on the road to take on Iowa State.
00:31What's that spread line here for you, Joe?
00:33Well, I mean, have you noticed there, Donnie, what that graphic said,
00:37that Houston is getting points, Donnie.
00:41They're actually getting points in this matchup here.
00:45And it's been a hot minute since we learned the last time that Houston
00:49was actually getting any points here.
00:51But listen, Iowa State, nice win over the weekend.
00:54But listen, over the last month, they have not been a wealth of consistency here.
01:00Now, Hilton magic is a real thing.
01:02That stadium is no joke where they play there.
01:05I mean, that's in Ames, Iowa.
01:06They are going to sell out.
01:08They are going to be standing room only.
01:10It is going to be a crazy place.
01:11But since when has that ever bothered Houston?
01:15It's interesting here.
01:16I do think you're going to see Houston money and the Houston backers come in late here, Donnie.
01:20It would not shock me at all here if Houston wins this game.
01:25But Iowa State, the early love for sure in the market.
01:28I saw one, one and a half yesterday.
01:30We're now two and a half this morning.
01:32But I know that Houston money is coming back in at some point.
01:36How about money coming back in on Syracuse tonight?
01:39I don't know how much it's going to happen here.
01:41Unless you just say, like my dad would say, Joe, that's way too many points that you can give.
01:46How about this?
01:46Syracuse is going to take on Duke down in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
01:49Overnight, Joe, we were seeing 20 and a halves in the marketplace.
01:52Down slightly now, yeah, to 19 and a half.
01:55Roughly a three touchdown spread for Duke as the home team.
01:58A total of 142 and a half live.
02:00If we look at Duke and ACC play, the number one most efficient defense.
02:04And also the number one most efficient offense.
02:07One thing we know about Syracuse, not great on offense.
02:09Not great on defense.
02:10Not great at too much, Joe.
02:12But 19 and a half.
02:13What's your spread line here?
02:15And they've actually been kind of competitive here, Donnie,
02:18over the last couple of games.
02:19Listen, it's never been a shortage of talent when it comes to Syracuse.
02:23There's some questions about, you know, maybe a lame duck head coach here,
02:28that the Orange are going to move in a different direction.
02:30But they've actually been pretty competitive here.
02:33The Blue Devils, well, you know, since their last loss, they just go scorched earth here.
02:39They've won back-to-back games so far here since that loss.
02:43And it feels like, yeah, call me crazy.
02:46I mean, they embarrassed Clemson over the weekend here.
02:49And it feels like this has got embarrassing written all over it here for Syracuse.
02:54But don't be shocked if Cuse gives them a run for the money at least early, Donnie, here.
03:00But we could get this thing to 20, maybe even 21 points by the time it tips off later tonight
03:06at 7 o'clock.
03:07Let's go to the Southland here.
03:09I can't tell you how many times around, like, 2015, Joe, I was betting the Southland here,
03:13a little Stephen F. Austin action, Abilene Christian.
03:15And tonight, we have Stephen F. Austin on the road to take on Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
03:21Stephen F. Austin comes into this game as a 5.5-point favorite at some outlets,
03:24even as high as 6.5, and a total of 136.5 coming in here.
03:29You take a look at Stephen F. Austin, the number one defense in conference play,
03:32and also boasts the number two offense in conference play down in the Southland, Joe.
03:37Stephen F. Austin versus Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
03:39What's that actual spread line for you?
03:43The Lumberjacks versus the Islanders, right, here tonight.
03:47But Stephen F. Austin, the class of the Southland, I mean, 16-1 in conference play here,
03:54undefeated at home, Donnie, 14-0, as a matter of fact.
03:58But it should be noted that these two teams met earlier this year.
04:02And guess what?
04:03Two months ago, back in January, Texas A&M Corpus Christi beat Stephen F. Austin 69-60 here,
04:12which explains why this number isn't much higher.
04:15You're talking about the Lumberjacks, usually a double-digit favorite over just about everyone else
04:19in the Southland.
04:21But they've already tasted defeat here with Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
04:25However, I doubt very much they are going to get swept by them here.
04:30Feels like you're getting a little bit of a discounted price.
04:33Kind of like what we're getting with Stephen F. Austin here tonight.
04:36Let's get the binoculars out.
04:37Why are we not talking about a game tonight, Joe?
04:39How about a game tomorrow on the 17th on a Tuesday night?
04:42That's Miami of Ohio on the road to take on UMass here.
04:46What's not to love about Miami of Ohio's offense?
04:49It's absolutely fantastic, Joe.
04:51They get to the free throw line.
04:52They shoot the three-point shot.
04:53They shoot the free throws very well with a high percentage here.
04:56Let's get the binoculars out, as I said.
04:58What's going to happen tomorrow with Miami, Ohio on the road?
05:01That's your squad here.
05:03Well, exactly it.
05:04And Miami of Ohio is one of those teams, yes, undefeated here.
05:09And they are going to have to keep winning games, Donnie, unfortunately.
05:13And they're going to have to do it right through the MAAC championships
05:16because if they don't, the at-large bid probably going to escape them.
05:22So every game from this point on for them is, yes, must win,
05:26not just to keep the unbeaten streak going, but you can ill afford to lose a game,
05:31especially coming up in the MAAC tournament, and expect to make it to March Madness.
05:37I'm rooting for them, Donnie.
05:38You know that.
05:38It would be great to see them, but they've got to take it one game at a time here,
05:42especially tomorrow against UMass.
05:44By the way, I love the matchup for Miami of Ohio.
05:46You get to the free throw line for Miami here.
05:48You get a lot of fouls from UMass' defense and also three-point shooting.
05:52It should be unlimited for Miami tomorrow.
05:55Coach, I want to talk a little college basketball now,
05:57and you as well as I and Joe.
05:59Like, we enjoyed in the 1980s and early 1990s.
06:01Big East was the basketball conference you had to enjoy.
06:05We got a little bit of that flavor.
06:06Here's Rick Pitino talking about Providence and St. John's, the Rumble.
06:10I think you saw it as well as me,
06:13but I didn't have the film in front of me to look at everybody.
06:16But, you know, you can't let, you're not supposed to come off the bench,
06:19but you can't let your players get beat up.
06:21You know, so.
06:25I didn't see it.
06:28You know, look, it was a tough game to officiate.
06:30Certainly, the crowd, I think, lost,
06:35the crowd lost objectivity of what they're here for.
06:40If they're just here to poke fun at Bryce Hopkins
06:43and not get a win for the Friars,
06:45that's not the Friars I remember in 87.
06:48So, I think you got to try to win.
06:52And we're really excited to get a W
06:54because we were without a lot of players
06:56and we still came away with a victory.
06:58So, I'm proud of our guys.
07:01Look at that, Coach.
07:02Big East basketball feels like it's back.
07:05Listen, in the 80s,
07:06that was just a day that ended.
07:08Why in the Big East when you had Fisticuffs?
07:11But, listen, Rick is right.
07:12They have not been relevant
07:14since either the short time with Ed Cooley
07:17or in 87 when, obviously, you know,
07:20he took his team to the Final Four with Billy Donovan.
07:23But, for Providence, it was just a bad of all accounts.
07:27You know, I talked to some officials
07:29and it was a tough game to officially.
07:31They did the right thing throwing the guy out,
07:33throwing Powell out.
07:34Obviously, he got two extra games by the Big East.
07:36Kudos to the Big East for adding on to his suspension.
07:39But, at the end of the day,
07:41I mean, he only got three games.
07:42I mean, he's got my hair,
07:44whatever, that thing in the back,
07:45that chimpat, he got grow back hair.
07:47He should have got five more games for that haircut.
07:49Lord have mercy.
07:52Unbelievable.
07:53So, what do you think of these Johnnies, though, here, Coach?
07:55They got a shot at making some noise come March Madness.
07:59Could they take down the Big East?
08:01Style make fights.
08:03Obviously, the favorites are still UConn
08:05because, obviously, Shane Johns has got to go up to, you know,
08:09Connecticut to play them.
08:10But, listen, the way that they're playing,
08:12the way Zuby's playing,
08:13Dylan Mitchell's been fantastic.
08:15And Rick Pitino's starting to trust that bench a little bit,
08:18play a little bit more, guys,
08:20and start to get to that up-tempo style of basketball
08:23that we've seen out of Rick Pitino.
08:25They're going to be dangerous in March.
08:26But, guys, you know how it is.
08:28Styles make fights.
08:29It'll be very interesting.
08:30It's going to be a lot of fun watching college basketball
08:32the next six or so weeks.
08:34Coach, how about Styles make fights?
08:36Jerome Tang is out at Kansas State,
08:38and they're telling him,
08:39you did it to yourself.
08:40You don't get $19 million.
08:42Who's going to win that fight for the $19 million, Coach?
08:45He'd get all $19 million.
08:47But, here's the problem.
08:49I need fresh.
08:49You picked the guys.
08:51This is your fault.
08:52But, give me the money.
08:54Pay the man, Coach.
08:56Take us to Frank.
08:57Give us something.
08:57Please, rotate this.
08:59Wow.
09:02Fire away, Joe.
09:04What do you got?
09:05Don't overthink it.
09:06I don't care where they're playing this game.
09:08You're going to give me two and a half points
09:10for Houston on the road,
09:12even at Hilton.
09:13Houston is the better team.
09:15They've always been the better team.
09:17It might be a rock fight,
09:18but I'll take the two and a half points
09:20and sprinkle a little on the money line
09:22with Houston tonight.
09:24I hit a team total to the under on Friday.
09:26I'm going to do it again on a Monday
09:27here in college basketball.
09:28Drexel's defense,
09:29number two overall in conference play,
09:31going up against Stony Brook.
09:33Stony Brook loves to shoot the three-point shot.
09:34You know who's great at chasing you off
09:36the three-point line?
09:36It's Stony Brook.
09:37How about this?
09:38Number two in conference play
09:39for offense for Stony Brook
09:40at making the three-point shot.
09:41Who's number two at defending
09:43that three-point line?
09:44Oh yeah, once again,
09:44that's Drexel here.
09:45A slower game,
09:46a slower tempo.
09:47Stony Brook,
09:48team total under 68 and a half for me, Joe.
09:51They ain't getting to 70.
09:52They won't do it.
09:53The Seawolves.
09:54Yeah, not going to get it.
09:56Not going to happen.
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