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00:00Top spread lines for you today, right here on a Friday on the Sports Grid Network.
00:04It's the early line. It's Donnie. It's Joe here.
00:06And Friday means business year. Bangers on Friday night.
00:10Let's start in the college game, Joe. Let's head over to the Big Ten.
00:13Michigan taking on Illinois.
00:14Look at this line. Overnight, Joe, minus one and a half or so as a favorite towards Michigan,
00:18depending on where you're shopping at.
00:19Today, sitting at two and a half, and I'm even seeing a three in the marketplace as a favorite for
00:24Michigan.
00:25The total of this game, listed at 157 and a half.
00:28If you're looking at offense, you got it in efficiency with Illinois.
00:30Number one in Big Ten play. How about Michigan's defense?
00:33Number two in efficiency in Big Ten play.
00:35Two very good offenses. Two very good defenses.
00:37And away we go, Joe.
00:39Give us that spread line for a Friday night in the Big Ten between Michigan and Illinois.
00:43You got to love it, right?
00:45I mean, Michigan chasing the outright Big Ten title at number 10, Illinois.
00:51I mean, they're basically one way away from, I think, completing.
00:55It's basically what has been an amazing two-year journey, right?
00:58From the basement of the Big Ten now, Donnie, to the top of the mountain.
01:03Unbelievable.
01:03But you're right.
01:04The money.
01:06Oh, Michigan here so far overnight.
01:09Total interesting, too, as well.
01:11Because we know, listen, Illinois at home can flat out shoot you out of the gym, Donnie.
01:17It's going to be interesting to see where that total goes.
01:20But you know what this is going to be.
01:21This is just going to be a precursor to what is soon to come, not only in the Big Ten
01:27championship, but, of course, in March Madness.
01:31This should be absolutely a heavyweight of all heavyweight fights here tonight.
01:36Don't be shocked, though, if Michigan ends up pulling out the outright road win here.
01:41And we started the show by telling you today is February 27th.
01:45By Monday, we're in the month of March.
01:46Every game means more.
01:47And also, Joe, looking at the schedules, down to two and three games for most of these teams here.
01:52We're just on the brink of conference tournament action here.
01:55Let's get over to the MAC.
01:56Akron's going to take on Kent State tonight, Joe.
01:58Akron, the road team, but favored at minus 4.5 at most outlets here, but a total of 164.5,
02:03which means we want to get points.
02:04That's why Akron is fast.
02:06Akron loves to shoot the three-point shot.
02:07But, Joe, Akron is also the most efficient defense in conference play in the MAC.
02:11What's that spread line tonight?
02:12Akron on the road taking on Kent State.
02:15And Akron is right behind, of course, Miami of Ohio in the MAC, right?
02:20They're the second-best team in that conference.
02:22But the thing about this game, Donnie, for those that don't follow the MAC, don't understand what's going on,
02:29this is, without a doubt, one of the, if not the best regional rivalries in the sport.
02:36These two schools hate one another.
02:39In fact, they played three weeks ago, Donnie, and guess what?
02:43They couldn't even get to the tip-off before guys started pushing and shoving each other,
02:47and guys in the stands were going at it.
02:49This is absolutely one of the best rivalries in all of sports.
02:55But Akron has the upper hand in the last couple of meetings.
02:58They've won seven of nine, I believe.
03:02But, my goodness, they haven't allowed Kent State to score more than 72 points since March of 2023.
03:09So, do not be shocked.
03:11They have hard fouls and some great defenses played in this one.
03:14But Akron, boy, they're going to be a tough cookie to break here for Kent State.
03:20Oh, we got a mismatch we're going to talk about in the MAC.
03:23Undefeated, the only undefeated team in NCAA Division I action.
03:27Miami of Ohio on the road to take on Western Michigan.
03:29This line overnight, Joe, set at 12.5, still sits at 12.5 this morning, and a total of 161
03:35.5.
03:35The best offense in MAC play, which is Miami of Ohio, taking on the worst defense, which is Western Michigan.
03:41The one thing we do know is they love to shoot the three-point shot.
03:44They can shoot inside the arc.
03:45They get to the free throw, and also, the best team in conference play, not turning the basketball over, which
03:49is Miami of Ohio, going up against Western Michigan.
03:51The team that forces the least amount of turnovers in conference play.
03:55Miami by 12.5.
03:57That's the spread line, Joe.
03:58What do we see here?
03:59Yeah, you know, here's the catchy part here, though, folks.
04:02As much as we love Miami of Ohio, we want it to go.
04:06We also know here, six times over four seasons, Miami of Ohio has actually lost as a favorite to Western
04:16Michigan here.
04:18And they're only one and two on the road against them.
04:21But, you know, this is a different Western Michigan team as well, as you mentioned, Donnie.
04:26They're only 3-11 in MAAC play.
04:28But, listen, we've had stranger upsets.
04:31I don't think this is a Miami of Ohio team that's going to sleep knowing the history of Western Michigan
04:36and how they've had and found a way to beat them over the last three to four years.
04:40So, I would expect Miami of Ohio not just to win, but to win convincingly in this one.
04:47College basketball news here, starting with Oregon State.
04:50Yes, that Oregon State.
04:51It's amazing where it's like, hey, man, we're having a lot of fun in the Pac-12 out here.
04:54A major Division I conference here, power conference.
04:56We shared all those media rights.
04:58And when the music stopped, there were no chairs left for Washington State or Oregon State.
05:02You knew changes were going to be on the horizon here and expectations were going to plummet.
05:06Oregon State has now decided to part ways with Wayne Tinkle, athletic director Scott Barnes told the field of 68.
05:12Barnes said that Tinkle has been given the opportunity to finish the season if he chooses.
05:16And, by the way, for a college coach at a major Division I program, which, again, they're not major Division
05:20I anymore, 176 in 204 in 12 seasons.
05:23He had some really bad runs there, but at the one Elite Eight in 2021, it's amazing how the guy
05:28lasted that long for having some season show with three and five wins.
05:32Yeah, I mean, listen, Tinkle is a very well-respected college basketball coach out there.
05:38He was always middle of the Pac in the Pac-12, Donnie, when it was there.
05:44I mean, you were losing guys out to USC, to UCLA.
05:48I mean, it was, you know, he was never going to be at the top of the edge line.
05:52And then Oregon and Dana Altman.
05:54So, he was always middle of the road.
05:56But he did have some good teams and not an easy place to play.
06:00But, unfortunately, it looks like now that they're relaunching the Pac-12 next year, it looks like they're going to
06:06want a fresh voice there for Oregon State.
06:09So, out with the old, in with the new, they say.
06:12Like, can you imagine?
06:13Like, let's just take it from Oregon State's perspective.
06:15Like, you were in the Pac-12 with some of the biggest football teams in the United States in a
06:20wealthy and powerful conference that, for some reason, your leadership absolutely blew it up, which is hilarious to begin with.
06:25But at the same time, like, we have a big football state.
06:27We expanded.
06:27We spent a lot of money.
06:28We have nobody to play now.
06:29Oh, we have a college bet.
06:31You can't even fill up the arena because you can't sell kids on even what the future of this conference
06:34is going to be.
06:35For the Pac-12 to go down to two teams was quite hilarious here.
06:38We'll see if they can rebound.
06:39But, as you said, rebranding with some other schools, decent schools that are going to come into the Pac-12.
06:43But nothing like the Pac-12 of what we saw in the past year.
06:46Other scores from last night in college basketball.
06:48Joe, you nailed this one.
06:50Michigan State getting points?
06:51Nah, didn't need them.
06:52Outright over Purdue at Purdue, 76-74.
06:56I did not understand the money, and I mean a ton of money, coming in on Purdue with that kind
07:04of history this year.
07:07Listen, they have not done well at Mackey Arena against the elite defenses of the Big Ten, right?
07:14And guess what?
07:15They didn't do well again last night against one of the top three defenses in the Big Ten.
07:21Michigan State owned the boards.
07:23Michigan State was just all over them, and voila.
07:27Just didn't need the eight, eight and a half points, Donnie, because the outright win for Izzo,
07:31who, by the way, had not won at Mackey Arena, I think his last seven tries.
07:36So, kudos to Michigan State to get it done.
07:40Staying undefeated, that's the challenge for Miami, Ohio here.
07:43Undefeated so far on the season.
07:45They're going to take on Western Michigan tonight as double-digit favorites, Joe.
07:48Then, on the 3rd of March, they're going to play at home against Toledo.
07:51Then, their final game on the 6th of March at Ohio.
07:55Win those three games, stay unbeaten tonight.
07:57Looks like it might be the easiest of those, but as we like to say, sometimes it's buyer beware, Joe.
08:03Yeah, I mean, listen, at this point, we've already seen them, Donnie, right?
08:07You would have thought people have been betting against them now for the better part of a month because they're
08:12like,
08:12yeah, no, it's going to get there and the pressure is going to be too.
08:15No, all they have done is single-handedly.
08:18Ever since those two overtime games that they got away with against, what, Buffalo and Kent State, in fact,
08:24they have just been demolishing everybody else in the conference.
08:28They don't look rattled in any way, shape, or form.
08:31You're talking about a team averaging almost 92 points a game.
08:34I don't think it's going to be a problem here tonight, nor do I think it's going to be a
08:38problem the rest of the way.
08:40Yeah, and also understand this.
08:42You take a look at the predictive markets.
08:43You're undefeated in the men's college basketball regular season, now trading at 58%.
08:47That is Miami of Ohio.
08:49The reason I bring this up, Joe, is when you look at a conference, because there are those thoughts out
08:52there.
08:53If Miami of Ohio gets stripped up in the regular season and doesn't win the regular season tournament,
08:57they're going to be left out.
08:58You know, here's that as well.
08:59That's the conference.
09:00I'm not saying there's going to be a marketing strategy behind the scenes to tell the refs that
09:05make sure you call thousand advantage of Miami of Ohio.
09:08But in the best interest of this conference, it's great for this conference.
09:11If Miami can run through this undefeated.
09:13I'm just saying, Joe.
09:16It's great for everyone.
09:17I mean, currently, they're in the top 25, right?
09:19Number 21 here, if they run the table.
09:22And they need to run the table, Donnie, because if something goes awry in the MAAC championship there
09:28and they don't end up winning the conference tournament,
09:31they still have a really good shot as a mid-major at being able to get an at-large bid.
09:36Exactly.
09:37Again, if they go undefeated and lose in a round number two of the MAAC and don't make it in,
09:41just burn the whole thing down.
09:42Because it's not the BCS where the top two teams go or top 12 teams go in the country.
09:46You've got to be kidding me.
09:47I don't care what their strength of schedule is at this point here.
09:49They scheduled who they scheduled.
09:50They went undefeated in the conference play.
09:52That should be enough to get it in.
09:53And also, it is kind of interesting where you take a look at these smaller conferences.
09:56Hey, I went undefeated, I don't know, 20-0 in conference play.
09:59Then I lost in my conference tournament, but I'm not the regular season champion
10:02that should be able to go to the playoff.
10:04Stop the answers here.
10:06More Hot Topics on the way on a Friday.
10:14Come on, Joe.
10:15Show us the way.
10:16Where are we going?
10:16You won last night.
10:17Expect a win tonight.
10:18Who is it?
10:20Well, back-to-back nights, right?
10:21We talked about styles make fights, right?
10:24Well, last night, Michigan State, not a great style for Purdue.
10:29Tonight, Michigan, not a great style for Illinois.
10:32They defend the three better than anybody, and Illinois struggles against those types
10:38of defenses.
10:39Michigan, too much offense, too good a defense.
10:42They win this game, Donnie.
10:44There you go.
10:45Michigan, minus one and a half.
10:46Just need a bucket victory by them.
10:48For me, Joe, I'm going to climb onto your team, Miami of Ohio.
10:51Why?
10:51Because I do like them to win this basketball game.
10:53This graphic, by the way, is wrong.
10:55It's probably going to win anyway.
10:56First half, minus six and a half.
10:58Miami up double digits at the break, cruising to a victory a year.
11:02Do I think they're going to win full game?
11:03Yes, I do.
11:04Do I recommend it 12 and a half?
11:05Yeah, why not?
11:06We'll throw that on.
11:07Maybe it's a double shot here, Joe.
11:08Miami, Ohio, first half, minus six and a half.
11:11Miami, full game, minus 12 and a half.
11:12Joe, I think that's what they call correlation in the business right now.
11:16Let's get after it, people.
11:17Joe Vanieri, Donnie Wright, Pat.
11:18Thanks for tuning in this week.
11:20See you in March on Monday.
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