Cashing In

Your "Bad Beat" for Thursday is on:

Kansas State (total of 150 1/2) vs. Xavier.

I hope you stayed up late last night for this one because it was incredible, an instant classic for sure.

Kansas State led most of the way but the Musketeers just kept hitting big shots to stay in it. The Wildcats' superstar guard Jacob Pullen made a pair of free throws to give K State a 72-69 lead with 9 seconds remaining. Coach Frank Martin obviously told his team to foul and not allow a three. Denis Clemente tried to foul but it wasn't called and then Chris Merriwether did the unthinkable fouling Terrell Holloway in the act of shooting a three with five seconds remaning.

Holloway is an 85% free throw shooter and made all three tying the game at 72. The under players needed a make here at the buzzer to avoid a bitter fate of overtime. Pullen though could not hit the long jumper and we were headed into an extra session tied at 72.

With these two offenses that easily meant an over and after two overtimes the Wildcats prevailed 101-96.

All under players were rather perturbed after this one I would say!



Your winners for Friday are on:

4* Tennessee (plus 4 1/2) vs. Ohio State.

2* Nets (pk) vs. Detroit.

Yuck and yuck is about the only way I can sum up the two losses on Washington and Cornell on Thursday.



Playing the University of Tennessee is always a risk because you just never fully know what you are going to get with Bruce Pearl's Volunteers. At times Wayne Chism, Scotty Hopson, Brian Williams and the orange look like a team that can contend for the National Championship and at other times they just look flat out awful.

Ohio State is really really good if not great as Evan Turner is the best player in the country but I don't fully trust the Buckeyes either. I don't consider Thad Matta's squad a true elite team. They are beyond capable but they are also lacking in depth and at times have issues on the boards.

Don't get me wrong Turner, Lighty, Lauderdale and Diebler are very very good. But Ohio State can easily lose this game as they almost and should have against both Michigan and Illinois in the Big 10 Tournament.

The Vols have had two very solid efforts in the Big Dance so far and to get a handful back has a big enough upside for me.



The Nets are not going the entire season without winning back-to-back games and this is by far the best spot for that to happen. Of course the season is a disaster as 8-73 is beyond pathetic but as I have been saying for awhile this team is just not that bad. Harris and Lopez are borderline All-Stars and after just pounding Sacramento at home New Jersey should take care of business here against an awful Pistons' squad.

Detroit still has pieces with Hamilton, Prince, Stuckey and a few others but collectively they have turned into a joke and complete mush. This is the perfect opportunity for New Jersey to get a second straight win and avoid having the worst record ever as a victory here and at worst they would tie the 76ers from way back having that dubious distinction. With 10 more games after this one my money is on them getting at least one more win after this to avoid any claim to that fame.

Look for Harris and Lopez to do their thing and Lee and a few others to defend their home court and win this game.