PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* Coach's Clinic >> 5-2 in NCAAB since Sunday!
(NCAAB) South Dakota vs. Portland,
Point Spread: -4.00 | -110.00 Portland (Home)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: -4.00 | -110.00 Portland (Home)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The Moda Center, home of the Portland Trail Blazers, plays host to the Dam City Classic on Friday. The 5-3 Portland Pilots welcome the 8-4 South Dakota Coyotes in the first of two games. South Dakota is coming off a 72-56 win over Sacramento State in which they used a 35-4 run to seal the victory. Portland is coming off a win as well, having earned a 90-89 double overtime victory over Texas-Rio-Grande Valley.
South Dakota:The Coyotes joined Division-I for the 2008-09 season and they've made just one post season appearance and that was the CIT. However, this year's team is looking a little more legit so far, with wins over the likes of Drake, Bowling Green, Kent State, and Montana (no big names but these are D-I programs. The four losses have come against Houston, Hofstra, Missouri-Kansas City, and Nebraska. The team owns four double digit scorers, forwards Flack (13.9 & 7.7) and Burch-Manning (10.5 & 6.2) plus guards Mooney (13.6) and Dickerson (120.2 & 3.5 APG).
Portland: The Pilots have not been as busy as the Coyotes, having played eight games to South Dakota's 12. Portland is playing some solid ball, jumping out to a 3-0 start. The Pilots jumped out to a 3-0 start before losing to UCLA and Dayton (no shame there). The Pilots' only other loss this year is to Colorado.. The only other defeat on the year came against Colorado. Portland owns an outstanding guard duo in Wintering (22.2-5.4-6.3) and Johnson (18.5), while the 6-8 Taylor (13.0 & 6.8) is the team's top frontcourt player. Portland is averaging 81.0 PPG.
The pick: There can be little doubt that Portland is the better team, led by the backcourt duo of Wintering and Johnson, who averaged 26.7 & 22.7, respectively, during the Wooden Legacy Classic during Thanksgiving weekend. Portland's level of competition is significantly higher than that of South Dakota St. and all of Portland's losses have come against teams that they were certainly expected to lose to. Simply put, the Pilots play in the better conference, and are the better team. They are co-hosting this tournament with Oregon State at the Moda Center and this has the makings of an easy win for Portland, which I will make a 10* play at this modest price.
South Dakota:The Coyotes joined Division-I for the 2008-09 season and they've made just one post season appearance and that was the CIT. However, this year's team is looking a little more legit so far, with wins over the likes of Drake, Bowling Green, Kent State, and Montana (no big names but these are D-I programs. The four losses have come against Houston, Hofstra, Missouri-Kansas City, and Nebraska. The team owns four double digit scorers, forwards Flack (13.9 & 7.7) and Burch-Manning (10.5 & 6.2) plus guards Mooney (13.6) and Dickerson (120.2 & 3.5 APG).
Portland: The Pilots have not been as busy as the Coyotes, having played eight games to South Dakota's 12. Portland is playing some solid ball, jumping out to a 3-0 start. The Pilots jumped out to a 3-0 start before losing to UCLA and Dayton (no shame there). The Pilots' only other loss this year is to Colorado.. The only other defeat on the year came against Colorado. Portland owns an outstanding guard duo in Wintering (22.2-5.4-6.3) and Johnson (18.5), while the 6-8 Taylor (13.0 & 6.8) is the team's top frontcourt player. Portland is averaging 81.0 PPG.
The pick: There can be little doubt that Portland is the better team, led by the backcourt duo of Wintering and Johnson, who averaged 26.7 & 22.7, respectively, during the Wooden Legacy Classic during Thanksgiving weekend. Portland's level of competition is significantly higher than that of South Dakota St. and all of Portland's losses have come against teams that they were certainly expected to lose to. Simply put, the Pilots play in the better conference, and are the better team. They are co-hosting this tournament with Oregon State at the Moda Center and this has the makings of an easy win for Portland, which I will make a 10* play at this modest price.
