NCAAB Tournament Friday [B]828 Washington -5[/B]
The Huskies always seem to play well in tournaments. Last year they won their first two round games and then lost to West Virginia in the Sweet 16, and this year they won the Pac-10 Conference Championship. Consistent performance by another solid group of returning starters this year is by far superior to Georgia who feel they are fortunate to be in the NCAAs and not at the NITs and this can sometimes be a significant handicapping factor. Georgia simply doesn't have the talent nor speed of Washington and no one to guard or make the shots down the stretch like the Huskie's Isiah Thomas. Sure, the Pac-10 is not in the Top 5 Conferences this year but I have them rated higher than the SEC.
[B]843 Florida State +1.5[/B]
We are assuming that FSU's Chris Singleton will play here. He was ready to play in the ACC Conference, but did not at the advisory of the head coach Leonard Hamilton. Perhaps he was saving him for the big dance or he knew something. Singleton mentioned to the media last week that he was ready to play. He is perhaps the best player on FSU, their best defender and should give the Seminoles the confidence and spark to get past the first round at least. A&M has not impressed me. They lost to Baylor 2x, Kansas and their arch rival Texas 3x, which is really a bad sign. We expect A&M to try and run and force the tempo here, but FSU is one of the best defensive teams in the tournament at zone defense, and shot percentage.
