Just one more day until the tournament really begins. This should get you by:
LIU Brooklyn (-1 1/2) over James Madison: Somehow, this line barely moved after the Dukes suspended leading scorer and rebounder Rayshawn Goins for the first half after his arrest last weekend. Goins, who averages 7.4 rebounds, could have exploited LIU’s small frontcourt, but now the Blackbirds likely will be playing from ahead throughout. Facing an early deficit, James Madison will be forced to try to run with LIU, the fifth-highest scoring team in the nation, and will fail miserably. The Blackbirds never get too comfortable, having run away with their conference semifinal and championship games after taking big leads, and after two straight years going up against Goliaths, the Blackbirds have fully embraced the idea of playing in the First Four and getting a chance to win their first NCAA Tournament game. LIU’s core has been here before. The stage isn’t too big. It never is.
Boise State (-1 1/2) over La Salle: Another small favorite, another key player missing. These two teams are very evenly matched, but the absence of La Salle sophomore center Steve Zack, out with a sprained foot, kills a team already ranked 292nd in the nation in rebounding. Boise State should be able to spread the floor, with the team’s top five scorers all shooting at least 38.7 percent on 3-pointers. The Broncos finally step out of football’s shadow — if just for one night.
Record: 11-6
2011-12 Record: 48-26-1
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