PREMIUM
Rogers' College Hoops BEATDOWN >> SEVEN STRAIGHT WINNING CARDS!
(NCAAB) Texas Southern vs. Arizona,
Point Spread: -17.00 | -106.00 Arizona (Home)
Result: Win
Point Spread: -17.00 | -106.00 Arizona (Home)
Result: Win
The set-up: Teas Southern opened the season with a loss, then won four in a row before losing last time out. The Tigers take their 4-2 record (Texas Southern has yet to play a home game) to Tucson to take on the 5-1 Arizona Wildcats at the McKale Center. The 5-1 Wildcats are ranked 16th in the latest AP poll (down from 8th), after coming off their first loss of the season, 69-65 against Butler in the championship game of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational this past Friday.
Texas Southern: Head coach Mike Davis, the former head man at Indiana and UAB, led the Tigers to back-to-back SWAC championships and NCAA appearances in 2014 and 2015, before his team lost in the SWAC championship game last year, preventing a third straight NCAA trip. The team's 2015 NCAA appearance resulted in a 93-72 opening-round loss to Arizona in Portland, which is the only previous matchup between the programs. Four starters are gone from last year's team, including a pair of tough 6-5 forwards in Riley (15.6 & 5.7) and Thomas (15.1 & 5.1). Former football star, the 6-7 Griffin (12.2 & 8.5), is now surrounded by a pair of backcourt transfers, Zach Lofton (20.5 points) from Illinois State and Dulani Robinson (14.5-3.6-5.2) from Pacific.
Arizona: Head coach Sean Miller has lost seven non-seniors to the NBA fron 2013-15 and those things eventually catch up to most programs (obviously, not at Kentucky). Arizona won 25 games last season but that was down from 34 and 33 wins the previous two. Three starters are gone from last year, the 6-9 Anderson (15.3 & 10.1), veteran guard York (15.0) and the 7-0 Tarczewski (9.4 & 9.3). Arizona is starting a pair of 7-0 freshman in Lauri Markkanen (18.2 & 7.8) and Dusan Ristic (7.8 & 5.8) plus brings the 6-11 Chance Comanche (6.8 & 4.2) off the bench. Junior Jackson-Cartwright (9.0 & 6.0 APG) starts at PG but joining Markkanen in double digits are two more freshman, swingman Rawle Alkins (10.3) and reserve guard Kobi Simmons (12.7).
The pick: Texas Southern opened 1-11 against a brutal non-conference slate last season and this contest marks the seventh of 16 straight road games to open the 2016-17 season for the Tigers. They are catching Arizona off its first loss of the young season, returning home, where it has won 58 of its last 59 games, including 36 straight against non-conference opponents. Playing in tough road gyms is nothing new for Texas Southern, which hasn't had a non-conference home game since 2014, but just because it's nothing new, doesn't mean it's good news. Lay the points and make Arizona an 8* play.
Texas Southern: Head coach Mike Davis, the former head man at Indiana and UAB, led the Tigers to back-to-back SWAC championships and NCAA appearances in 2014 and 2015, before his team lost in the SWAC championship game last year, preventing a third straight NCAA trip. The team's 2015 NCAA appearance resulted in a 93-72 opening-round loss to Arizona in Portland, which is the only previous matchup between the programs. Four starters are gone from last year's team, including a pair of tough 6-5 forwards in Riley (15.6 & 5.7) and Thomas (15.1 & 5.1). Former football star, the 6-7 Griffin (12.2 & 8.5), is now surrounded by a pair of backcourt transfers, Zach Lofton (20.5 points) from Illinois State and Dulani Robinson (14.5-3.6-5.2) from Pacific.
Arizona: Head coach Sean Miller has lost seven non-seniors to the NBA fron 2013-15 and those things eventually catch up to most programs (obviously, not at Kentucky). Arizona won 25 games last season but that was down from 34 and 33 wins the previous two. Three starters are gone from last year, the 6-9 Anderson (15.3 & 10.1), veteran guard York (15.0) and the 7-0 Tarczewski (9.4 & 9.3). Arizona is starting a pair of 7-0 freshman in Lauri Markkanen (18.2 & 7.8) and Dusan Ristic (7.8 & 5.8) plus brings the 6-11 Chance Comanche (6.8 & 4.2) off the bench. Junior Jackson-Cartwright (9.0 & 6.0 APG) starts at PG but joining Markkanen in double digits are two more freshman, swingman Rawle Alkins (10.3) and reserve guard Kobi Simmons (12.7).
The pick: Texas Southern opened 1-11 against a brutal non-conference slate last season and this contest marks the seventh of 16 straight road games to open the 2016-17 season for the Tigers. They are catching Arizona off its first loss of the young season, returning home, where it has won 58 of its last 59 games, including 36 straight against non-conference opponents. Playing in tough road gyms is nothing new for Texas Southern, which hasn't had a non-conference home game since 2014, but just because it's nothing new, doesn't mean it's good news. Lay the points and make Arizona an 8* play.
