Uncategorized

NCAAB Play of the day: Ohio Bobcats at Central Michigan Chippewas

/ italksportsandthatsit / Leave a comment

The Ohio Bobcats are on a 3 game winning streak, that has been led by the return of their star guard Jason Preston.  With Preston on the court the Bobcats are a lethal offensive team ranking 27th nationally in effective field goal percentage at 55.1% on the season.  Preston is a stat stuffer that leads the offense in multiple categories, his ability to penetrate the defense opens up multiple passing lanes that create easy shots for his teammates.  The matchup with the dreadful Central Michigan Chippewas defense should turn into a showcase of the Junior point guard’s skills.  He is currently leading the Bobcats in points (16.4) and assists (7.5), second in rebounds (6.9), while shooting over 50% from the field.  With Preston on the court the Bobcats are a force in the offensive minded MAC. 

Central Michigan has allowed 78 ppg this season ranking near the bottom of all division 1 basketball.  They have given up 81, 89 and 83 over their past three games, all losses.  Overall Central Michigan has lost 7 of 9 in conference.  On the season they are just 4-7-2 against the spread, losing three straight numbers.  The Chippewas defense has had issues defending the interior, defensively they give up 52.6% on 2-pt field goals.  Ohio averages 55.8% from inside the 3-pt arc, ranking them top 20 in the nation.  

The Chippewa’s defensive issues will be on full display on Tuesday night.  They haven’t stopped anyone the entire season and the Ohio Bobcats with Jason Preston have been a juggernaut, running through everyone in front of them.  Central Michigan will not be able to stop Preston’s penetration.  Bobcats will win by double digits with ease.  

Play of the day: Ohio Bobcats -8

NCAAB Play of the Day: Illinois State Redbirds at Drake Bulldogs

/ italksportsandthatsit / Leave a comment

The Drake Bulldogs streak of covers was finally ended yesterday in an overtime victory against the Illinois State Redbirds, winning 78-76.  The Bulldogs struggled from the field the entire game, notably they struggled from behind the arc, shooting just 4-30 from three.  Star forward Shaquan Hemphill was also held in check, scoring just 6 points total in the game. Drake’s offense was not clicking; it was notable that their defense was not able to get stops down the stretch of the game.  Drake had only given up 61 ppg and allowed just 39% shooting on the season ranking them in the top 20 in the entire nation.  

Illinois State was able to strike fear into the Bulldogs and their fans making a solid second half comeback and forcing overtime.  They had a perfect game plan on Sunday afternoon forcing Drake into tough shots, while hitting three’s at nearly 50%.  Drake has been great at defending the three all season. They will not allow Illinois State to hit nine threes in their second contest.

Everything had to go right for Illinois State to pull off the upset on Sunday and it nearly did.  The Drake Bulldogs will be able to fix the problems they had in game one and will feed the ball to Shaquan Hemphill early to establish the inside game and open up the outside shooting.  Despite their solid play Illinois State still turned the ball over 18 times yesterday and that will be a big problem in the rematch.  Drake will clean up their mistakes and shoot more effectively.  I would look at the first half spread and see if it is manageable, but really like this to be a dominant effort from Drake to wash away the taste of near defeat heading into some bigger upcoming matchups in the Mo Valley.  

Play of the day: Drake Bulldogs -17.5

NCAAB Play of Day: Bellarmine Knights at Kennesaw State Owls

/ italksportsandthatsit / Leave a comment


In their first year of division 1 basketball the Bellarmine Knights have turned heads with their efficiency on the offensive end.  They are currently tied for second in the conference one game behind North Alabama. The Knights win by moving the ball and making the most of every trip, they have an effective field goal percentage of 54% which ranks them in the top 50 in the entire nation.  They have a team field goal percentage that ranks 18th in the nation. They are the top three-point shooting team in the Atlantic Sun shooting 39% from behind the arc.  They are led by Pedro Bradshaw in points and boards averaging 13 ppg and 7 rpg.  

Kennesaw State is a trainwreck on offense, averaging just 63 ppg and shooting just 30% from behind the arc.  They lean  on the duo of Spencer Rodgers and Chris Youngblood who are the only double digit scorers on the roster, averagina a combined 28 ppg.   As a team they don’t put the ball in the basket enough to be successful. They shoot just 42% from two and 27% from three on the season.  

Bellarmine has been disruptive on the defensive end causing turnovers 21% of the time.  Kennesaw State has turned the ball over 21% of the time on offense.  The Owls combination of poor shooting along with a high turnover rate will be a detriment to an efficient Bellermine Knights offensive attack.  Bellarmine has won and covered in four straight games while Kennesaw State has lost 11 straight games while only going 3-3 ATS at home on the season.  Bellarmine is 5-0 ATS on the road this season and that should continue in this matchup.  

Play of the day: Bellarmine Knights -7.5

NCAAB Play of the Day: Bradley Braves at Valparaiso Crusaders

/ italksportsandthatsit / Leave a comment

Two middle tier Missouri Valley teams face off in what looks to be a defensive minded affair between the Bradley Braves and the Valparaiso Crusaders.

The Bradley Braves enter this contest on a 3-game conference losing streak, falling short of taking down conference favorite Loyola-Chicago in a two game set and dropping a shocking game to Illinois State in a spot where they were clearly looking ahead.  They have had time to process the loss and now get a matchup with a low scoring Valpo team. Bradley ranks 81st in defensive efficiency in the country and  will stifle a Valpo offense that has scored under 69 points in 4 of 5 games.  

On the offensive side of the ball Bradley will have the best player on the court in Senior forward Elijah Childs averagin 14 points and 7 rebounds per game.  He is a do it all player on the offensive end and should be able to carry the load for the Braves.  The emergence of Junior guard Terry Nolan Jr. has been a big part of establishing the Braves offense along with Childs, Nolan has been shooting a respectable 35% from three for the season.  Bradley hopes to have Ja’Shon Henry backin the lineup, his 11 ppg and 60% shooting have been missed over the last three games.  If he is not able to go they should still be able to muster enough offense to grab an early lead and utilize their defense to hold down a Valpo team that has no one outside of Sophmore forward Ben Krikke that has been reliable on offense. 

Bradley’s defense will be too much for the struggling Crusader offense.  Bradley doesn’t allow you to score inside and their perimeter athletes are just better than what Valpo can bring to the table.  If you like a low scoring affair this one will be for you, I would think this game is going to stay under the 130 point mark but I feel more confident in a dominant effort from a Bradley squad looking to reestablish themselves in the Missouri Valley. 

Play of the day: Bradley Braves -5.5

NCAAB Play of the Day: Ole Miss Rebels vs. Arkansas Razorbacks

/ italksportsandthatsit / Leave a comment

A clash of styles is going to take place Wednesday night when the Ole Miss Rebels visit the Arkanas Razorbacks.

The slow pace, defensive minded Rebels are coming off of two straight victories over Texas A&M and Mississippi State.  Both victories were played out in the same style, a slow grind it out affair where the Rebels were easily able to dictate the pace.  That pace is very slow, ranking 278th in the nation.  To win they just have to slow everything down and not allow the potent Arkansas offense to get rolling.  On offense the Rebels feature Senior guard Devontae Shuler, averagin 14 ppg and 4.1 apg, his ability to manage the slow pace on offense and find the best shot is literally the only offense they bring to the table. 

Arkansas rebounded from two straight losses with two straight victories over Vanderbilt and Auburn.  Their offense has been the story of the program all season, led by Freshman guard Moses Moody who is averagin 17 ppg this season and running the fast paced and efficient Razorbacks offense.  Arkansas is averaging 85 ppg this season ranking #9 overall. 

This game will be a clash of styles but the Arkansas offense is much more explosive. Ole Miss has had problems with efficient offensive teams, being dominated in their matchups with LSU, Alabama and Georgia.  The Rebels inability to shoot the ball from three or from the free throw line will be impossible to overcome a powerful offense.  Ole Miss shoots just 29% from behind the three,  that will limit any chance they have to overcome an Arkansas offense that will keep attacking.  The defense of Arkanas is underrated and their offense is going to be very tough to stop.  Razorbacks will be to efficient to overcome.  

Play of the day: Arkansas Razorbacks -4.5

NCAAB Play of the Day: Toledo at Miami-OH

/ italksportsandthatsit / Leave a comment

The top team in the MAC the Toledo Rockets are in action on Tuesday night against a surprise competitor in the MAC East the Miami-OH Redhawks.  

The Toledo Rockets are 8-1 in the conference averaging 79 ppg in 2021.  The Rockets are putting the ball in the hope consistently and quickly.  Their 79 ppg rank them 25th in the nation and have an effective FG% of 53.5%. They have multiple scorers that make life tough for opposing defenses. Their leading scorer is Marron Jackson who is averaging 17 ppg and is coming off of a 31 point game against Akron.  

Toledo will have to deal with the red hot Miami-OH Redhawks who have won three straight games and put up 85, 96 and 81 over that span.  Much like their counterparts the Redhawks have been lighting it up from three.  They are second in the MAC in 3-pt % at 38% (31st in the nation).  The Redhawks are led by guard Dae Dae Grant, averaging 13.4 per game and coming off of a career high 27 points in their latest victory over Eastern Michigan.  

These two teams are both on fire offensively.  Toledo has especially been an over machine on the road with a 6-1 record to the over away from home.  Miami-OH has been 4-2 to the over at home on the season and have hit the over in 3 straight games.  While neither team is highly touted for their pace they are both offensive efficient and shoot the three at a high level.  This game should be set around 150, it currently sits at 146 which gives some great value for Tuesday’ action.  I am rolling with the over in a game that should stay competitive.  

Play of the day: Over 146 

Christmas Bets, 2 NBA/1 CFB

/ italksportsandthatsit / Leave a comment

Camellia Bowl: Marshall Thundering Herd vs. Buffalo Bulls 

The Buffalo Bulls perfect season is gone after a disappointing effort against Ball State in the MAC Championship game.  They will look to rebound against Marshall who faced similar disappointment in their last two games of the season losing to Rice and UAB ruining their 7-0 start.  

The Bulls dominant run game has been the staple of their season.  They are the only college football team other than North Carolina to feature two RB’s with over 1000 yards rushing on the season.  Jaret Patterson and Kevin Marks have set the tone for the offense all season long.  They will look to bounce back from the first game of the season where neither halfback reached the century mark.  The Marshall defense is definitely their strength but they were run over in the Conference USA Championship game.  UAB’s Spencer Brown went for 149 yards, if they can’t contain the powerful run attack of Buffalo this one will get away from them quickly.  

The Marshall offense has been non-existent over their last two games scoring just 13 total points.  Red shirt freshman QB Grant Wells has lost his way after starting the year making big plays for the Thundering Herd offense he has been unable to complete passes.  In the Conference USA Championship game Wells was just 8/23,  which was preceded by a 15/37 effort with five interceptions against RIce the week before.  The offense will have additional problems as RB Brenden Knox has opted out of the Bowl game in order to prepare for the NFL draft.  

The Bulls have an advantage in the trenches and a stronger offensive unit.  They will lean on the run while their playmakers on defense will continue to stifel Grant Wells.  Buffalo is going to play with an edge after their performance against Ball State.  Bulls by a million. 

Pick: Buffalo Bulls -4.5

Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers got off to a slow start opening night against the Clippers.  They were unable to rebound from their slow start, never taking the lead.  The Lakers will face off against a beat up Mavericks team that is still trying to work a few new pieces into the fold.  

The Mavericks lost on opening night as well to the Phoenix Suns in a much more competitive affair.  Luka Doncic got off to a slow start eventually getting to his season averages.  The length of Mikal Bridges was able to keep Doncic in check and without Kristaps Porzingis the new Mavericks were not able to provide the lift that was needed.  Dallas will need more from Josh Richardson and Tim Hardaway on the offensive end to keep up with AD, Lebron and their new running mates Dennis Schroder and Montrez Harrell.   

It’s too early in the season to go over many stats that matter.  I am looking strictly at the machup of Lebron James and AD versus Luka Doncic.  LeBron and AD in primetime versus Doncic without his top secondary option will lead to some tough times for the Mavericks.  I’m rolling with the Lake show to win by doubel digits. Dallas will be a contender before years end but they are still trying to figure themselves out with the new pieces. 

Pick: Lakers -6

New Orleans Pelicans at Miami Heat 

The Pelicans are one of my favorite teams entering the season.  They have great offensive players that needed guidance on the defensive end.  Stan Van Gundy has immediately brought that along with the additions of veteran tough defenders Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams.  The Pelicans new approach led to an opening night victory over the Toronto Raptors and they will look to add anothe victory over an Eastern Conference contender on Christmas day.  

The Pels got a boost off the bench from veteran JJ Reddick.  They also shot 52% as a team.  That should be a lot tougher versus the Miami Heat.  The Heat have proven to be a grind it out defense first team over the last year.  Their opening night loss to the Orlando Magic was more due to their inefficiencies on the offensive end.  The Heat turned the ball over 22 times leading to points for Orlando. Miami will slow it down in order to rectify the turnover issues which should slow the overall pace of the game down.  

This game is continuing to trend downwards for a total, opening at 229 it can be found now at 224.5.  I still think the public is looking at the Pelicans of 2019 and assuming they are a run and gun first team.  That is no longer their style and they actually care about defenese this season.  I grabbed it at 225 and see this as a game where one team goes into triple digits.  Take the under.  

Pick: Under 224.5

Ranking top three offensive free agents for the St. Louis Caridnals

/ italksportsandthatsit / Leave a comment

The Cardinals offense sucked in 2020.  There were a lot of factors that played into that, including the long layoff from positive Covid tests but, to be honest they were not much better in 2019.  Heading into the 2021 the rotation and bullpen is loaded with options that are above league average.  The biggest need will be on the offensive side of the ball.  The upcoming offseason doesn’ feature the Manny Machado, Bryce Harper or Mike Trout’s that the fanbase would crave over but there are some options that can bring some much needed production to the lineup. 

This list is focusing on just the offensive free agents.  Guys like Liam Hendricks, and Trevor Bauer (whom both should be on the Cardinals radar) will be completely excluded from this list  

3. DJ LeMahieu, 32, INF

Who wouldn’t want a two-time batting champion with position versatility?  No one is the answer.  The reason LeMahieu isn’t number one on this list is that he has already verbally stated that he wants to resign with the Yankees. 

LeMahieu has the ability to play every infield spot including SS if in a bind and he can do it at a high level. His batting statistics jump at you but quietly he has amassed a nice collection of gold gloves (3) in his career. After two terrific seasons in New York amassing a WRC+ of 135 and 177 respectively.

The experiment of Paul DeJong at shortstop has been unsuccessful.  DeJong’s power has shown through his career hitting 35,19, and 30 homers over the last three seasons before 2020.  Moving DeJong to the bench, would be the best option for the team.  Resigning Kolten Wong, moving Tommy Edman to shortstop and having LeMahieu at third would be the best option for the team.  

2. Nelson Cruz, 40, DH

The DH in the national league is here to stay. The Cardinals have a chance to add a monster bat and not hurt themselves on the defense.  The ageless wonder Nelson Cruz is the answer to all the problems that you have in the ISO department. Since 2014 Nelson Cruz’s ISO has not gone below .250.  In comparison the highest Cardinals outfielder ISO was Harrison Bader at just .217.  St. Louis needs power and they need it badly.  With a team slugging percentage of .373 they rank 27th in the entire league.  

The protection of Nelson Cruz can open up a lot of possibilities in the Cardinals lineup.  Their lone star Paul Goldschmidt has had literally no protection behind him, with the Cardinals cleanup hitters in the bottom five in every offensive category. Cruz is the perfect fit for the Cardinals because he brings one thing to the table and that is power.  It is exactly what the Cardinals need; he can be gotten at an affordable price for a likely one-year deal. 

1. Marcell Ozuna, 30, OF/DH

Marcell Ozuna’s first go round with the Cardinals wasn’t ideal.  His two seasons with the redbirds Ozuna saw just a grand total of just .777.  Ozuna played his Cardinals tenure with a serious shoulder injury that held back his offensive abilities.  

Ozuna took a shot on himself signing a one-year deal with the Atlanta Braves. Through sixty games Ozuna not only put himself in the conversation for the MVP, but his protection for Freddie Freeman took his ability to the next level. Ozuna led the National League in homers, RBI, and total bases.  A motivated Marcell Ozuna can be a game changer the Cardinals thought they had traded for. 

A second go around in St. Louis doesn’t seem likely but on the list of things that Cardinals need he fits the bill.  A contract of four years and $125 million would be the likely number that would bring him in, at just 30 years old he is still young enough that the Cardinals can have him for the prime years of his career. He can be the staple of the offense along with Paul Goldschmidt and the newly emerging Dylan Carlson.  A core lineup featuring those three can immediately make them a contender.  

How to fix the St. Louis Cardinals offense.

/ italksportsandthatsit / Leave a comment

The Cardinals have featured some of the best pitching in all of baseball. Despite a lot of injuries to the bullpen the birds have gotten terrific performances from Kwang Hyun Kim, Dakota Hudson, Austin Gomber and pretty much everyone they have called on to replace the injured mainstays.  The Cardinals offense on the other hand has been the epitome of frustrating.  Yesterday’s double header highlighted  the struggles of this team as they were not able to pull out game one despite an amazing performance from KK.  With the trade deadline passed and their super prospect Dylan Carlson being given up on until 2021, there are really only internal options to consider.  What can they do? Here are a few suggestions. 

Move Tommy Edman down and Brad Miller up versus righties. 

Brad Miller’s power is legit.  A former 30 homer player always has had the ability to send the ball over the fence but he is not a guy that can be the protection for Paul Goldschmidt by batting behind him.  Miller has the second highest OBP (.390) on the team and the highest slugging percentage on the team (.490).  He has shown the ability to get on base by doing more than just hitting homers.  Edman has been hitting the ball well lately but he has an inability to get on base at a consistent rate.  Miller has a 12% walk percentage versus righties compared to 4% for Edman.  

Miller being put in a spot where he is protected by Goldschmidt will force him to get more pitches to hit.  This can help the entire lineup because more men on base is like have a powerful bat behind you.  The more runners on the more they are forced to piutch to him.  Inserting Miller in front and DeJong behind is worth the effort to try and get more at-bats for your hitters that are actually producing.  (Hopefully DeJong can produce)

Carpenter leads off versus lefties.

Matt Carpenter has sucked for a while.  It seems like his 2018 near MVP season was actually a decade ago and he is just hanging on to finish out his contract.  Carpenter still has the ability to get on base, while St. Louis needs power; but they have to take advantage of the positives that each player brings to the table.  Despite his issues hitting lefties his consistency at getting on base does not go away.. In a small sample size of 2020 he has a OBP of .389.  His numbers in 2019 are what grab my attention, Carpenter was able to keep his OBP at .343. Carpenter is not producing at the level the team needs but if you are going to continue to give him at bats then he needs to be put in a situation that suits him best. 

Play Rangel Ravello or Tyler O’Neil 

The Cardinals need more power.  They are last in the league in homeruns and ISO.  Baseball in this era has been built on on-base percentage and power.  The Cardinals have had problems driving in runs in scoring position, the addition of two power bats in the middle of the lineup would help them get those runs across the plate. 

Ravello’s position is a problem,  he is a negative defensive player in the outfield.  If you place him beside Harrison Bader you should be able to hide his defensive issues somewhat.  His .478 sluggin percentage in the minors would be a welcomed asset in the lineup.  He has to be given the chance while Carlson continues to find consistency and Lane Thomas figures out what he is. 

Tyler O’Neil has his issues but what do the Cardinals have to lose at this point.  Put O’Neil in the lineup and let him find his swing.  Give this dude at bats and he will drive the ball over the fence.

Eastern Conference Championship Preview and Prediction

/ italksportsandthatsit / Leave a comment

The Miami Heat have had the luxury of sitting by the pool watching as the Boston Celtics grinded out a seven game series against the defending champion Toronto Raptors.  Boston’s bench is already much shorter than the Miami Heat and they will truly be tested in this matchup.  Heat Coach Eric Spoelstra has no problem running a 10 man rotation that allows them to keep up the pressure on the defensive end, while still having dynamic players that can put the ball in the basket.  

Boston will be in their second conference title game in the last three seasons.  They have the experience of being there but are still led by young stars on the offensive end and will have constant pressure put on them by a couple of different defenders that bring length and tenacity.  Jae Crowder, Duncan Robinson, Andre Iguadola and Tyler Herro are all guys that can defend the perimeter, driving shooters toward Bam Adebayo in the middle.  

Key Players-

Goran Dragic, Miami Heat

Dragic has been an underappreciated player during his entire career.  After spending most of the pre-bubble season in a bench role he was inserted as the starter and has not looked back.  Dragic was a dominant force in the first round, slicing up the Pacers averaging 22.8PPG, 5 APG and shooting 40% from three.  He continued his offensive onslaught in the semifinals, dissecting the best defensive team in the NBA the Milwaukee Bucks.  Dragic shot 44%, averaging 19.8 per game.  

Boston had issues with Kyle Lowry throughout the last round and Dragic has multiple weapons that Lowry doesn’t have.  If Boston chooses to put Marcus Smart on Dragic that will leave Jimmy Butler to be guarded by either Jaylen Brown or potentially Jayson Tatum. That is not where you want your two biggest scorers on the defensive end.  

Kemba Walker, Boston Celtics

Kemba has not been in this situation since his time at UCONN.  His performance during the Eastern Conference semi-finals was not great.  Averaging 17 ppg, shooting just 27% from three, Walker was not at the top of his game and it won’t get any easier against the stout defense of the Miami Heat.   

The Heat will have Jimmy Butler working against Jayson Tatum which means the offens will have to come through Walker.  If Walker can perform as the dynamic scorer we know he can be it will open up shoots for the young stars Boston will have to lean on for offense. 

Conclusion

The Miami Heat have a lot of momentum coming into this matchup.  Boston’s lack of depth is my biggest concern in this series.  The lack of rest that you get while in the bubble will be a problem for a Celtics team that just doesn’t have the guys on the bench that can give their stars the chance to take a breath and not find themselves in a bad spot.

Boston will have a huge problem matching up with Bam Adebayo in the middle.  He has been a force versus Boston in every matchup averaging a double double in the three games this year.  His ability to put Daniel Theis in foul trouble early means that they will be forced to either go small or utilize the still developing Robert Williams.  Adebayo will have his run of the middle, especially if Goran Dragic and Jimmy Butler drive the middle the way I believe they will be able to do.  

The Celtics feel like this is their time to win the East but they face a team that is just deeper and havs more scorers then they have faced in the last two rounds.  While the Celtics may think this is their time the Heat are on a mission led by the most tenacious player in the league.  The depth will win out and Jimmy Butler and his squad will find themselves in the bubble finals. 

Prediction- Heat in 7