70-62-2 on NCAAB last season up 8.95 units
3-5-1 this season up 0.64 units
Will Wade was Shaka Smart’s first hire for VCU in 2009. Wade was an assistant on VCU’s Final Four team in 2011. Wade left the VCU program 4 days after losing to St. Mary’s in the NCAA tournament. Samir Doughty, Malik Crowfield, and De’Riante Jenkins were Wade’s big recruits for VCU. Doughty helped lead Auburn to a final four last year after transferring from VCU once Wade left. Jenkins and Crowfield are seniors and still play for VCU. They will want their revenge tonight.
Wade’s LSU was 25-5 last season, when the FBI came down on him hard for a phone conversation between Wade and former Adidas consultant Christian Dawkins. Wade cusses and says things like “I went to him with a [expletive] strong-ass offer about a month ago. [Expletive] strong.” The phone call was supposedly about Ja’Vonte Smart, who is averaging 11.1 points a game. How Will Wade is still coaching I don’t know. If the FBI can’t stop a coach from cheating, why are they even involved in college basketball?
Both LSU and VCU are loaded with experience. At the start of the season, I would have said VCU will win, but I went to the North Texas game at VCU.. The Rams didn’t play their best game, but they did go on a 20-0 run at one point and won the game. The close win knocked the Rams out of the top 25. LSU are #23. The Siegel Center will be loud and I expect it to be a close game. The teaser below is an emotional hedge of sorts because I want Will Wade to lose and VCU to win.
LSU +8½ / Northern Iowa -4½ / Villanova +6½ Teaser risking 4 units to win 5.45 units. I think the VCU/LSU game will be close. When Shaka Smart and the Longhorns came back to Richmond, Texas won by 4 in 2017. Then VCU won by 1 in Austin last season. These “former coach vs VCU” games are usually close. Villanova looked great against Army and I expect them to put up enough points to keep it close and prolly win against Ohio State. Northern Iowa will beat Cal State at home.
Syracuse -10.5 at -105 for 4 units. The Orange will like playing Colgate after losing to Virginia. UVA allowed Syracuse to score 34 points. Colgate will have a harder time on defense. Clemson beat Colgate by 13. I expect an even bigger win here for Cuse.