TOM STRYKER’S FREE BASKETBALL SELECTION THURSDAY, MARCH 20TH
#746 CLEMSON (-7′) over McNeese St at 3:15 PM EST
In a bad mood off that 76-73 loss to Louisville in the ACC Semifinal, Clemson will check into the Big Dance focused on the task at hand. McNeese State arrives on a blistering 22-1 SU run (11 consecutive straight up victories) and head coach Will Wade and the Cowboys will have their hands full against one of the ACC’s best. Let’s take a look inside the numbers.
Since the start of last season, the Tigers have been firing on all cylinders inking a powerful 51-18 SU and 39-28 ATS in their last 69 games. In this run busting in off a straight up loss, Clemson improves to a reliable 10-2 SU and 9-3 ATS. Also, as a single digit favorite, head coach Brad Brownell and his boys own a phenomenal 10-1 SU and 9-2 ATS record in their last 13 tries. Finally, when stepping up in class and fighting a foe that holds a team won/loss percentage of .701 or higher, the Tiger Paw sports a sensational 32-12 SU and 30-14 ATS mark including an outstanding 26-4 SU and 25-5 ATS provided they are not rolling with revenge of any kind.
Kudos to McNeese for being one of 16 teams in the nation with 27 or more straight up wins on the season. However, the Cowboys own a woeful 0-3 SU record in the NCAA Tournament and they will have problems when they step up in class and battle one of the ACC’s elite. In games against Big Dance participants Alabama, Mississippi State, and Liberty, Coach Wade and his squad inked a dismal 0-3 SU mark this season and lost those three battles by an average of 5.0 points per game. The ‘Boys did face two teams in the NIT against North Texas and Santa Clara and picked up a win over the Mean Green (68-61) and got clobbered by the Broncos (74-67). Finally, in its last 34 games against ranked foes, McNeese holds a shocking 0-34 SU record.
The Tigers made it all the way to the Elite Eight last season before falling to the Crimson Tide and they will get out of the gate this season with a solid performance over the Cowboys. Take Clemson. Thanks and best of luck, Tom.
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