Is Saint Louis the easiest play of the tourney so far?

**Grits n' Gravy** · 03-18-12, 12:24 PM

St.Louis has been good to me this season but the style they play is similar to teams in Big 10 that Spartans handled all season. Haven't touched it yet but I'd likely take Spartans if I play it at all.

**Bcatswin** · 03-18-12, 12:28 PM

I may drink the juice.

**2daBank** · 03-18-12, 12:29 PM

certainly my fav play of the day..obviously i will say a play that already cashed was better than one that is yet to take place but stylistically think this sets up nicely to be a rather low scoring tight gm where cathing 7.5 feel really good..

**Ian** · 03-18-12, 12:31 PM

Originally posted by Grits n' Gravy

St.Louis has been good to me this season but the style they play is similar to teams in Big 10 that Spartans handled all season. Haven't touched it yet but I'd likely take Spartans if I play it at all.

I totally agree with this. Two fantastic coaches, two fundamentally sound, similar teams but there's a massive talent gap here. Michigan St. is St. Louis but with much better athletes. Basketball capping isn't my forte, but this matchup imo heavily favors Michigan St.

**Bullet Kays** · 03-18-12, 12:32 PM

Over is the easiest

**2daBank** · 03-18-12, 12:33 PM

i wrote a bunch about this in another thread, here it is....

SLU+7.5...i know a case could be made that msu is playing some of the best ball in the country (have them in the final 4 myself in most brackets) but imo there some value going against them with the points here..slu is one of the most methodical teams in the country, seriously limiting possessions in a gm which instantly makes this amount of points appealing to me (slu has lost a grand total of 1 gm all season by more than 7 points)..

while Izzo and sparty will get all the pub as a very good tourney coach and team (rightfully so) , Majerus is no slouch in tourney time himself, as it turns out limiting possessions, being efficient on offense, playing solid D, and cleaning up the defensive glass (all things slu does very well) translates to victories this time of the year...Of coarse i will hear "Billikens have no answer for Draymond Green", which is absolutely true, they do not. they do have a solid team that will play a kind of gm that lends itself to being low scoring and tight..the kind of gm i might add sparty is not going to shy away from, with msu determination for hitting the offensive boards and slu's (even though undersized) ability to keep teams off the glass this should be somewhat of a slugfest as i dont expect either team to be lighting it up as both play very good perimeter d...ultimately i believe slu will have the adv in the turnover battle and hold their own on the glass in what should be a low scoring gm where a score in the low 60's will win it, in a gm like that give me the 7 (or more) points all day every day.....

**t-wizzle** · 03-18-12, 12:53 PM

Originally posted by 2daBank

i wrote a bunch about this in another thread, here it is....

SLU+7.5...i know a case could be made that msu is playing some of the best ball in the country (have them in the final 4 myself in most brackets) but imo there some value going against them with the points here..slu is one of the most methodical teams in the country, seriously limiting possessions in a gm which instantly makes this amount of points appealing to me (slu has lost a grand total of 1 gm all season by more than 7 points)..

while Izzo and sparty will get all the pub as a very good tourney coach and team (rightfully so) , Majerus is no slouch in tourney time himself, as it turns out limiting possessions, being efficient on offense, playing solid D, and cleaning up the defensive glass (all things slu does very well) translates to victories this time of the year...Of coarse i will hear "Billikens have no answer for Draymond Green", which is absolutely true, they do not. they do have a solid team that will play a kind of gm that lends itself to being low scoring and tight..the kind of gm i might add sparty is not going to shy away from, with msu determination for hitting the offensive boards and slu's (even though undersized) ability to keep teams off the glass this should be somewhat of a slugfest as i dont expect either team to be lighting it up as both play very good perimeter d...ultimately i believe slu will have the adv in the turnover battle and hold their own on the glass in what should be a low scoring gm where a score in the low 60's will win it, in a gm like that give me the 7 (or more) points all day every day.....

Lot of good points here bank.

At the end of the day, getting 7.5 in this matchup is a steal.

**t-wizzle** · 03-18-12, 01:47 PM

Line got hit down to 7 and the ML has dropped as well. Got a great number in 7.5.

**2daBank** · 03-18-12, 01:49 PM

yea looks like we not the only 1s seeing this...should be tight..

**jameellionaire** · 03-18-12, 01:49 PM

SIA offering +8 right now.

**paco** · 03-18-12, 01:56 PM

Good luck, I'm on em +8 (locals juice up the home town here) and under 125 parlay

**EaglesPhan36** · 03-18-12, 01:57 PM

Easiest play of the tournament?

There have been "better" plays before this and will be better ones after. As mentioned before, Michigan State plays teams like this in conference night in, night out. I don't lean one way or the other, but I would not be surprised if Stats won by double digits. Izzo > Pastner who had his team trying to do things it was not built to do.

**gregm** · 03-18-12, 01:57 PM

St louis really hasnt beat anyone all year but Xavier and Memphis. The spartans have wins over Ohio State, Wisconsin, Florida State,Gonzaga,Indiana, and Purdue and they are playing great ball. I would probably be happier with the 8 points and that great St Louis defense but I like teasing the spartans, unc, and cincy alot more than betting against the spartans and coach izzo right now. Spartans could just dominate here

**Grits n' Gravy** · 03-18-12, 01:59 PM

Took Spartans small. Easiest play of tourney was Cuse yesterday.

**t-wizzle** · 03-18-12, 01:59 PM

Originally posted by paco

Good luck, I'm on em +8 (locals juice up the home town here) and under 125 parlay

Let's get it... Nice hit on NC State, I wanted to play them but ended up passing.

**k13** · 03-18-12, 02:04 PM

Easiest play would be Michigan State ML.

**HOT WINGS** · 03-18-12, 02:09 PM

It will be interesting to see who sets the tempo for this game. SLU obviously wants to play slow as hell but MSU will work to push the pace and make them unconfortable. If SLU gets behind early it could be problems for them. There not built for comebacks

**dogthebountyman** · 03-18-12, 02:19 PM

Wisconsin and Purdue first two games each were joke lines.
The two teams from Big Ten that were improving last few weeks.

Mich State is a monster team. rooting for St Louis but gonna be hard.
Mstate does it all Defense is silly offense is A++ and Izzo is a bball legend.

**jayc88** · 03-18-12, 02:25 PM

they have more air balls than made shots almost 10 mins in lol

**EaglesPhan36** · 03-18-12, 02:28 PM

As expected, except for having a wager on it, this game is unwatchable. This isn't "classic old school basketball" as CBS tried to term it. This is terrible shooting.

**gregm** · 03-18-12, 02:31 PM

Originally posted by EaglesPhan36

As expected, except for having a wager on it, this game is unwatchable. This isn't "classic old school basketball" as CBS tried to term it. This is terrible shooting.

Agree. "Old school basketball" " "a real streetfight" No, its just terrible basketball on both ends. Michigan state should be up by 10 right now

**t-wizzle** · 03-18-12, 02:34 PM

Seems like Saint Louis is getting a lot of support from the crowd.

**Frisco** · 03-18-12, 02:35 PM

Originally posted by t-wizzle

Seems like Saint Louis is getting a lot of support from the crowd.

The dogs always do.

**t-wizzle** · 03-18-12, 02:36 PM

Originally posted by Frisco

The dogs always do.

Not always especially when 1 seeds get to play close to home in the first two rounds.

**jjgold** · 03-18-12, 02:44 PM

Mich St probably is best team in Nation

Only a miracle will make St Louis win

**EaglesPhan36** · 03-18-12, 02:44 PM

STL 22% from the floor. Not great defense either, just a bunch of bricks and missed chippies.

**HOT WINGS** · 03-18-12, 02:47 PM

Originally posted by EaglesPhan36

STL 22% from the floor. Not great defense either, just a bunch of bricks and missed chippies.

Taking alot of outside jump shots. 2-10 from 3

**EaglesPhan36** · 03-18-12, 02:50 PM

There's been about two 2-3 minute stretches where both teams made a few shots and there was a little flow to the game. The rest of the half has been garbage.

**Pride** · 03-18-12, 02:55 PM

anyone on the pathetic st louis team is an idiot

literally impossible for them to stay within 7 , let alone win the game

**2daBank** · 03-18-12, 02:57 PM

Originally posted by Pride

anyone on the pathetic st louis team is an idiot

literally impossible for them to stay within 7 , let alone win the game

says one of the most garbage posters on the site..run on home little boy...

**EaglesPhan36** · 03-18-12, 03:07 PM

Only reason they are in this game is FTs and silly State turnovers. STL's defense is not really bothering State from making shots @ 48%. They've just made some real dumb passes into double teams, etc. If STL doesn't start knocking down shots, State will roll.

**2daBank** · 03-18-12, 03:09 PM

oh they played poorly no doubt..the fact it a 5 point gm doesnt bode well for sparty as slu will make some shots and will continue going to the line in the 2nd..

**PR9** · 03-18-12, 03:10 PM

I think Mich State blows them out in the 2nd half. Mich will get to the line more in the 2nd half so that will even out.

The books think so too thats why the 2H line is -3.5 with a 5 pt lead

the opening line for this game was -6

**EaglesPhan36** · 03-18-12, 03:10 PM

Kenny Smith with the quote of the tournament:

People would call this text book basketball ... this is a class I would like to miss.