Pittsburgh vs East Tennessee State: NCAA Tournament Predictions & Odds
Written March 17, 2009 by Jason Lowry
The NCAA Tournament is finally here and the field looks as strong as ever, as almost every region has 2 to 3 teams that could win it all. To get you going on the action I am going to focus in on the East region and look at the first round action between the No.1 Pittsburgh Panthers and the No.16 East Tennessee State Buccaneers. With the game set to hit the hardwood this Friday, here is a quick look at how each team got to the tourney and how we see this game playing out.
No.1 Pittsburgh Panthers -20 ATS at Bookmaker.com. The Panthers are going to be a very tough out for any team, as they have one the best teams in college basketball, but this is a school that has really struggled in the tournament in the past. After finishing the season strong with a win over then No.1 UCONN, the Panthers dropped their first round game in the Big East Tournament to West Virginia, but still had a good enough resume to earn a No.1 seed. The Panthers finished 2nd in the Big East this season, just 1 game behind Louisville. If the Panthers are going to have a lot of success in this tournament, they are going to need big time performances from their star players Sam Young and DeJuan Blair. Young averages a team best 18.8 points per game, while Blair comes in averaging 15.6 points and 12.4 rebounds per game. The Panthers will be a team many have locked into the final four, but it’s not going to be easy for any team coming out of the East.
No.16 ETSU Buccaneers +20 ATS at Bookmaker.com. A No.16 seed has never beat a No.1 seed, and with the talent at the top this year, I don’t see anyway a No.1 seed loses in the first round in this year’s tournament. The Buccaneers got into the tournament by winning the Atlantic Sun Tournament, and are likely going to be satisfied to just be a part of the madness. One guy that could catch a lot of peoples attention is senior guard Kevin Tiggs, who comes in averaging 21.5 points per game, but thats not the only guy who has been scoring for the Bucs this season, as Courtney Pigram is averaging 17.6 points per game, and Mike Smith is right behind him with 15.5 points per contest. The Buccaneers will likely not have such an easy time putting the ball in the hoop against a tough defense like the Panthers, but if they can shoot a high percentage, they just might be able to stick around in this one till the end.
My Prediction: Pittsburgh Panthers -20. I don’t think anyone is picking the Panthers to lose this game, and rightfully so, as the Panthers are easily the superior team in this one. The 20 point spread makes this a tough call against the spread, but i think the Panthers wind up winning this one by just over 20 points to cover.
For those of you looking to do a little NCAA Tournament Betting this weekend, be sure to check out our expert NCAA basketball picks and make sure you have the best college basketball odds at Betfirms.
If you liked this article, you may also be interested in:
- Oklahoma State vs Pittsburgh: NCAA Tournament Odds & Picks
- Odds to Win the NCAA Tournament: Pittsburgh
- NCAA Tournament Predictions: Oklahoma State vs. Tennessee
- 2009 Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament Predictions
- 2009 NCAA Tournament Odds: East Region
Got something to say?
No comments yet, but your thoughts are welcome!