Author Archives: College Basketball Eye Test

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About College Basketball Eye Test

There is no replacement for actually watching the games. My name is Matty D. I am a college basketball junkie. And, although I respect big data stat gurus like kenpom.com, this website is the antithesis of that. Talk hoops with me and tell me what you've actually seen. What players step up in clutch situations? Which coaches make the right adjustments? Who disappears when the lights get bright? The "college basketball eye test" is a chat dedicated to storylines bubbling below the surface before they become national trends. Check the first-ever article I wrote on this website. I listed UCONN as one of 5 underdogs I could see winning the NCAA title. They did. Last season Darren Rovell tweeted visual proof of how I predicted upset victories for UAB and Georgia State together. Watch the games and join the conversation. Tweet @CBBEyeTest and have your observations added to the mix!

Memphis @ Oklahoma St. Preview

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Great games are great bets, if the line is above a possession, which it is here.  Oklahoma State is giving Memphis four points.  I am looking forward to a great game featuring two of the best point guards in the country.  Joe Jackson is on my preseason top 5, because Marcus Smart was already taken on the AP’s preseason picks (and my list doubles as a “best of the rest”).  Enjoy those two speedsters battle it out.  This is one of the best match-ups nationwide between two ranked teams before conference play.

Tonight’s Memphis pick will also break the tiebreaker of how I’ve done against the spread: Matts ATS

Fine Matchups Follow First Four

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I was wrong about KU, right about Michigan State. If you didn’t see VCU’s triumphant comeback at UVA, they play November 21st on TV.

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NBA Jam Jayhawks

Do you start your Tuesday by watching Quinnipiac vs. LaSalle?  Are you planning your daily workout around LSU vs. UMass?  Today’s tip off marathon features a grand finale.  Kentucky plays Michigan St. followed by Kansas and Duke.  What’s even better is that these schools have committed a few years to rotate facing one another.  The new tradition is called the “First Four.”  Here are my picks for tonight’s featured games.  I am taking Duke giving 3 1/2, Michigan State  giving 2 1/2, and Florida getting 11 points from Wisconsin (I thought that was a misprint on http://www.vegasinsider.com).

You know how the Tournament Selection Committee picks bubble teams based on how they play against one another?  Well, a lot of those matchup actually happen in November.  Tis the season for out-of-conference tournaments.  Teams that excel can really boost their resume before the punishment of conference play come January and February.  Here…

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Fine Matchups Follow First Four

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NBA Jam Jayhawks

Do you start your Tuesday by watching Quinnipiac vs. LaSalle?  Are you planning your daily workout around LSU vs. UMass?  Today’s tip off marathon features a grand finale.  Kentucky plays Michigan St. followed by Kansas and Duke.  What’s even better is that these schools have committed a few years to rotate facing one another.  The new tradition is called the “First Four.”  Here are my picks for tonight’s featured games.  I am taking Duke giving 3 1/2, Michigan State  giving 2 1/2, and Florida getting 11 points from Wisconsin (I thought that was a misprint on http://www.vegasinsider.com).

You know how the Tournament Selection Committee picks bubble teams based on how they play against one another?  Well, a lot of those matchup actually happen in November.  Tis the season for out-of-conference tournaments.  Teams that excel can really boost their resume before the punishment of conference play come January and February.  Here are some great games on TV in November to keep an eye on.  They could double as bubble-busters before you fill out your bracket this March.

Tuesday, November 12th

*Florida at Wisconsin

Kansas @ DUKE
Kentucky @ Michigan St.

 

 

Thursday, November 21st – Florida St. @ VCU on ESPN U

 

 

  

*Don’t sleep on this Wisconsin Florida matchup.  Wisconsin debuted a convincing win against an athletic St. John’s team.  Florida welcomes one of the best high school recruits at a much-needed position.  Check out new point guard Kasey Hill.

 

 

This game features two of the most intimidating defenses in recent years.   Florida State’s fearsome defense led by coach Leonard Hamilton has taken a hiatus from the NCAA tourney.  I am looking for a bounce-back year after Hamilton has reshuffled the deck with some younger players.  I’m looking forward to seeing how VCU’s full court havoc defense stacks up to Florida State’s more traditional half-court ball pressure.  I predict VCU is too tough and covers the spread.

 

Monday, November 25th – Marquette at Arizona State

 

 

 

Monday, November 25th – Minnesota vs. Syracuse on ESPN2

 Marquette loses Vander Blue while Arizona State gets a year of maturity with speedster point guard Jahii Carson.  I think Marquette will cover this spread, but this would be a huge resume boost for the Sun Devils if they can beat an Elite 8 team from last year.

 

I’m curious to see what Syracuse’s backcourt will look like this year after losing both Carter Williams and Triche.  Enter Andre Hollins.  The Minnesota Gophers shed a lot of baggage from last year’s team.  It will be interesting to see if both Hollins players declare this as their team with a statement win against the Orange.  My prediction is that they won’t, not this early at least.  Take Cuse against the spread.

 

 

 

Matt’s A.T.S. Forecast – First Friday

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It’s the first Friday of college hoops.  This blog will show a log of how I do against the spread (A.T.S.).  Hence, Matt’s ATS is born.

Georgetown is giving three points, even though Oregon just suspended starting point guard Dominic Artis for selling apparel.  That would be my first Matty D Guarantee of the season, but I spend those very frugally.  Take Georgetown to the bank.

Wisconsin can go an entire half not scoring 15 points, so laying 5 1/2 is a difficult concept. However, I see their defense giving St. John’s difficulty.  Steve Lavin normally has a raw athletic bunch, so I’ll predict it takes them some weeks before figuring out how to play offense together.  The Wisconsin Badgers understanding defense will outweigh that athleticism.  Give that 5 1/2 and enjoy Jimmy Jackson’s kid play ball.

If you’ve read my blog, the next prediction is not a shocker.  I’m taking Colorado with the six points.  However, I think Baylor will be very good this season with the big man in his sophomore campaign.

Matts ATS – I will update this document throughout the season with my progress.

Teams My pick Final Score 1 if I won 1 if I lost
Colorado                           6
Baylor
Oregon
Georgetown -3
St. John’s
Wisconsin -5.5

Respecttheline.com Preseason All-American Teams

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Did your DVR look like this Friday?

Did your DVR look like this Friday?

Preaseson Top 5

Respect the Line First Annual All-American Preseason Teams

1ST TEAM 2ND TEAM
PG – Semaj Christon – Xavier PG – Joe Jackson – Memphis
SG- Gary Harris – Michigan St. SF- Spencer Dinwiddie – Colorado
SF – T.J. Warren – North Carolina St. SF – Cleanthony Early – Wichita St.
PF – Patrick Young – Florida PF – Dwayne Evans – St. Louis
C – Isiah Austin – Baylor C- Jarnell Stokes – Tennessee

Honorable mention: Kyle Anderson, Sean Kilpatrick, Glen Robinson III

The Associated Press Preseason Top 5

PG – Marcus Smart – Oklahoma St.

SG – Russ Smith – Louisville

SF – Andrew Wiggins – Kansas

PF – Doug McDermott – Creighton

C – Mitch McGary – Michigan

*Editor’s Note:  I’m not sure how Mitch McGary gets more love than fellow-Wolverine Glen Robinson III.  I also don’t understand how Andrew Wiggins makes the list before ever playing a collegiate game.  Smart, Smith and McDermott have earned their spots on the AP list.  I found guys who earned their spot on the first annual respecttheline.com Preseason Top 5.

Matt’s A.T.S. Forecast – First Friday

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It’s the first Friday of college hoops.  This blog will show a log of how I do against the spread (A.T.S.).  Hence, Matt’s ATS is born.

Georgetown is giving three points, even though Oregon just suspended starting point guard Dominic Artis for selling apparel.  That would be my first Matty D Guarantee of the season, but I spend those very frugally.  Take Georgetown to the bank.

Wisconsin can go an entire half not scoring 15 points, so laying 5 1/2 is a difficult concept. However, I see their defense giving St. John’s difficulty.  Steve Lavin normally has a raw athletic bunch, so I’ll predict it takes them some weeks before figuring out how to play offense together.  The Wisconsin Badgers understanding defense will outweigh that athleticism.  Give that 5 1/2 and enjoy Jimmy Jackson’s kid play ball.

If you’ve read my blog, the next prediction is not a shocker.  I’m taking Colorado with the six points.  However, I think Baylor will be very good this season with the big man in his sophomore campaign.

Matts ATS – I will update this document throughout the season with my progress.

Teams My pick Final Score 1 if I won 1 if I lost
Colorado
Baylor 6
Oregon
Georgetown -3
St. John’s
Wisconsin -5.5

Sorry Sequel Squads

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Do you remember Speed 2?  Neither do I.  Some sequels should never be made.  Maybe there’s just one actor remaining from the original, but Hollywood forces it on you anyways.  Enter Yogi Farrell on this year’s Indiana team.  The Hoosiers top my flab five of teams destined for a flat showing compared to the 2012-13 campaign:
1.     Indiana
2.     Oregon
3.     New Mexico
4.     Gonzaga
5.     Wichita St.
Oregon was one of the coolest stories last March.  They ran the table in the Pac 12 Championships, were insulted with a 12-seed, then corralled the Oklahoma State Cowboys.  They beat a great St. Louis squad before meeting their match in eventual champion Louisville.  They deserve all the credit in the world, which is what they’re getting with a AP Top 25 ranking pre-season.  However, again, they’ve lost the actors.  Emery, Kazemi and Singler are gone.  They added Mosier from UNLV, but have you checked what success he’s had tournament time with the “Running Rebels?”
I feel the same way about Wichita State.  I was totally drinking the kool-aid last season with the Shockers.  However, they’ve lost a starting point guard in Amstead, the most winningest Shocker in program history with Williams, and a grown man in Hall.  Players matter.

Witness to Saint Louis

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Witness to Saint Louis  My first glance at the Gateway to the West was the type of moment when you ask yourself “why haven’t I ever seen this before?”  The city was so welcoming.  My big city experience is predominantly based in Manhattan.  Comparatively, the streets of Saint Louis felt like that scene from Inception.  The streets were oddly quiet and it seemed the infrastructure was solely designed for our enjoyment.  I ate the best burger of my life at Baileys’ Range.  We were elevated above the Mississippi in the hallmark Gateway Arch.  Looking down at the gorgeous city below, I could see the big picture so clearly, with one glaring exception.  How did Saint Louis suffer that disappointing loss to Oregon in the Big Dance?  After absolutely dominating the A-10 Tournament in Brooklyn, the Billikens didn’t book a flight to Indianapolis.  The good news is they still have a Jett onboard.

Jordair Jett headlines a senior class consisting of 42.9 points worth of returning offense.   Dwayne Evans is one of my favorite players in the nation.  He rocks out number 21 like Wilson Chandler.  Like Chandler, he scores in a variety of ways and appears like a raw talent while doing so.  Last season he sprinkle a jump-hook into his late-game production.  I will be watching his post-production carefully as he and New Zealander Rob Loe do work (although 6-11 Loe loves to step out from the basket).  Jordair Jett is the closest replica of Andre Miller’s game since he left Utah in the late 90s for the NBA.  He plays basketball like a fullback.  The sudden death of their former coach Rick Majerus is still fresh in players’ minds.  I am rooting for the 2013 storyline I envisioned to play out this March for the city of the Arch.

From Catskills to Kansas – finding Hoops Heartland

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The story behind my moving from New York to Lawrence, Kansas is part of the inspiration behind this blog.  I can hear my wife Betsaida’s voice in the back of my head saying “this isn’t a blog about your life, it’s a blog about college basketball.”  And that’s exactly why I followed her here.

My then-girlfriend Betsaida and I toast to our new lives in Lawrence, KS.

My then-girlfriend Betsaida and I toast to our new lives in Lawrence, KS

 

I met Betsaida in September 2012.  She quickly learned my passion for basketball.  I think that “moment when I knew” happened when she treated me to a Knicks game for my January birthday.  When Betsaida got the career opportunity of her lifetime at the University of Kansas, I had only one question;  “If I go, will you get me season tickets for Jayhawks basketball?”

Us newly weds are settling into married life in the Midwest.  Betsaida quickly learned that those KU bball tickets were “a little out of our league.”  However, it’s awesome just being surrounded by so many passionate basketball fans.  I dedicate this blog to my loving wife, Betsaida.  She not only encourages me to do what I love, but to follow my passions completely.  Betsaida, thank you for respecting the line 🙂