College Basketball Early Season Barn Burners

College basketball is officially back! As with every CBB season, the first couple weeks feature some of the biggest match ups we will see until March. Right off the bat we get to see perennial powerhouses Kentucky and Duke go head to head. Immediately following that Michigan State and Kansas will play on the same court. There’s a full slate of games to put some action on. Here’s the lines we like the most:


#2 Kentucky vs #5 Duke
Pick: Duke +2.5

Georgetown @ #3 Maryland
Pick: Maryland -7.5

#4 Kansas vs #13 Michigan State
Pick: Michigan State +6

#8 Oklahoma @ Memphis
Pick: Oklahoma -4.5

Nebraska @ #11 Villanova
Pick: Villanova -17

Wisconsin-Milwaukee @ #18 Notre Dame
Pick: Notre Dame -13

Stephen F. Austin @ Northern Iowa
Pick: Stephen F. Austin +3

Valparaiso @ Rhode Island
Pick: Valparaiso +1

North Dakota @ Wisconsin
Pick: North Dakota +24.5

2015 NBA DRAFT WATCH

Making the Case for the Harrison Twins

I’m sure you probably had the same reaction that I did when you first saw the news that the Harrison twins were declaring for the NBA draft in June. WHAT??? Why the hell would they do that?? Those dudes suck!! Initially I was on the exact same page, I didn’t get it either. They were both highly ranked recruits that never lived up to the hype. So after two average seasons (for them, not the team) they decided to strike while the iron was hot and throw their names in the proverbial NBA hat. But was this a good decision? Well your boy Bobby Catz is here to tell you that; yes, yes it is. First off their stock is never going to get any higher. Sure they could come back for another season and maybe move up to being selected late first round,  but far more likely is they hurt their stock even further or worst case scenario get hurt and don’t get drafted altogether. So they should absolutely capitalize on what little momentum they have after such an impressive season for Kentucky, and two consecutive final four appearances.

Now, here is the other question that people always find themselves asking, are they any good?? Well…that’s a little more complicated.

The Suck Meter: How do we judge the Harrisons?

The first strike against them is that they play for Kentucky and have such a spotlight on them at all times. If they were to play at some random big ten school or even a different school in the SEC, their stock would probably be a lot higher. But when you are part of a team that every media outlet covers on a daily basis, you better be fuckin fantastic night in and night out. Instead for the most part of the first season they played like they were freshmen, not freshmen at Kentucky who are notorious for one and dones.

The second strike against them is that they are twins and carried themselves like they were about to be selected number one and two whenever they decided to grace the NBA with their presence. I suppose that is what happens when you are the top two players coming out of the state of Texas and you choose to play college basketball at Kentucky.  But throw all of that nonsense aside for a second. What do they really have going for them?

Do the Harrisons suck as much as we've all been saying? Maybe not.

A Tale of Two Harrisons

First off, let’s start with Andrew Harrison, otherwise known as the Harrison twin who plays point guard. The reason it was so hard to tell these two apart when they first got to Lexington was mainly due to Andrew trying to jack up a bunch of shots and play much more like his brother Aaron.  Then Calipari had a revelation during a practice one time. He pulled Andrew aside and told him to stop shooting and start passing!! It only took him five months to realize that his point guard should be passing the ball primarily instead of shooting it (are we sure Calipari is a good coach??). From that moment on the team took off and the offense actually looked competent as they shocked their way to a title game run before reeling off 38 straight wins as an encore. Now why couldn’t that translate to the NBA level? I am here to tell you that I actually think it can. I think NBA GM’s see this too, because we have this one little thing in common when it comes to our point guards….we love tall ones!! Seriously when has a tall point guard ever failed?? Some GM is sitting in an office right now watching tape on Drew, just muttering to himself “but he’s 6’5….” again and again as he watches him turn the ball over three times in a row against a guard from South Carolina that wouldn’t crack Kentucky’s top 12. I think he goes late first round, and the real shocker, he actually becomes a competent NBA point guard. Now I’m not talking first team all-pro, or even third team, but he could be a solid backup getting 15-20 min a game on a contending team! That’s pretty good considering how far his stock has fallen since coming out of high-school.

Now for Aaron Harrison aka the Harrison who plays shooting guard. He is legitimately the reason why they get so much hate outside of every city in the country besides Lexington and Jasper TX (hometown). Something about the way he carries himself before games, and then his reactions when he throws up a terrible floater and screams at the ref that the light contact was the reason the ball went fifteen feet over the basket.  So there’s absolutely no saving grace for him right?? He’s the Harrison destined to fail correct? Well, slow your roll on that one too. First off he’s got the same attractive trait of his twin brother (funny how that happens right?) of being 6’4 or 6’5. That’s the size of an average NBA 2 guard, and he definitely fits the image of what a shooting guard is supposed to look like. But there are hundreds of 2 guards who are 6’5 right? Correct, but how many of them have played crunch time minutes on a big stage, and have not only come away without shitting their pants, but have actually thrived in that situation?? Well Aaron fits that bill too. He took some of the most ill-advised shots that I have ever seen, especially in last year’s tournament, and you know what? He hit almost every one of them. Now we aren’t talking about off balance toss ups that hit the backboard and luckily bounced in, he was legitimately standing three feet behind the line squared up a three and drilled it. Not just once, but no less than five times! He won the final four game against Wisconsin with one of those shots, and the amount of ballz that it takes to not only take a shot like that, but to hit it?? HUGE!! That cannot be taken lightly. Shit, Robert Horry made an entire career off standing in the right spot and taking big ass shotz when they were most needed by his team. With all that being said I don’t think that will actually improve his draft stock much as he will still go second round, but it should improve his potential NBA role player stock.

 The Verdict

In the end, are the Harrison twins going to be all stars in the NBA? Probably not, no, but are they going to be NBA players who will get a decent second contract and contribute to an NBA team? Yeah they actually should be, especially Andrew aka the point guard Harrison. Hopefully once they get drafted and stashed away on an NBA bench, they will finally get a chance to develop away from the spotlight for the first time since I am assuming middle school. Now I don’t want people going out and saying “Catz said the Harrison twins are going to make it in the NBA”, but the Harrison twins are going to make it in the NBA and that’s a direct quote (thanks Mike Vick).

Final Four Futures & Bets to make before the weekend

2015 Final Four: Bets to make before the weekend.

Saturday sits 2 days away.  Before you start making bets on the games let’s take a look at some futures and some props for this upcoming weekend.  I picked what I think are the best lines for making some money.  Of course the odds are that Kentucky rolls through and wins it all.  That outcome won’t give you much return on a bet though.  So here are some highly possible alternatives to the common narrative. 

Exact Finals Matchup 

Wisconsin vs Duke 

The more time I think about it, the more confident I am that Wisconsin is destined to erase the zero in Kentucky’s loss column.  This Badgers team lost in a heartbreaking manner last year in the final four to Kentucky.  The teams core group of players stayed at school another year with one mission: Win the championship they felt they deserved.  A championship for Wisconsin wouldn’t feel right if they didn’t have to go through Kentucky to get there.  Saturday night’s game has been a year in the making for the Badgers.  This veteran loaded squad, with memories of a year ago fresh in their minds, will be the ones to take down Kentucky.  This line offers a big payout for the better looking to take a risk but not get too crazy.  Duke wins over the Spartans and the cinderella run comes to an end for Tom Izzo’s team.

Line: +300

Wisconsin vs Michigan State

If you feel like going big or going home look no further.  An all B1G final?  Could it actually happen?  Well, for Michigan State it’s probably the only shot they have at winning this thing.  As for the chances of these 2 B1G teams defeating the 2 most storied and successful college basketball programs in the country on the same day.. well it’s lofty I’ll just say that.  But with a line like this it’s hard to ignore.  If you’re feeling lucky you might as well put it to the test.

Line: +700

Odds to Win Tournament MOP

Karl Anthony Towns (Kentucky)

The most talked about player on the most talked about team.  This is either a sure thing or just low hanging fruit tempting you with seemingly free money.  If you think Kentucky is going to win it all then I this is who you should be putting your money on.  Also a line to throw something on just so you don’t miss out if Kentucky dominates all the way through.

Line: 3/1

Jahlil Okafor & Justice Winslow (Duke)

I threw these two together because their odds are the same and it could really go either way.  Personally, if Duke wins I think it will be largely credited to Winslow stepping up huge in the tournament.  He’s opened a door for himself over the past 2 games to make a case for MOP.  The attention is on after he averaged 18.5 pts/gm over Duke’s last 2 games.  The case for Okafor is easy to make though.  If they get through Michigan State it will most likely come as a result of Okafor shutting down Michigan State’s X-factor Branden Dawson.  Both teams they could face in the finals would be great tests for Okafor.

Line: 5/1 

Sam Dekker (Wisconsin)

All season long Frank Kaminsky and Wisconsin have been synonymous with each other in the media.  Kaminsky’s player of the year quality campaign stole most of the spot light from his Badger teammates.  Dekker has emerged as a lethal scorer in this tournament.  Just ask Arizona.  Dekker put up a career high 27 points against Arizona and went 5/5 from 3 in the 2nd half.  He’s clutch and he’s confident.  If Wisconsin wins this don’t be surprised if this guy gets MOP.

Line: 8/1

Travis Trice (Michigan State)

The senior guard on the Spartans has been nothing short of incredible through 4 games in the tournament.  Averaging just under 20 points a game and shooting lights out from behind the arc, particularly late in games.  If you think Michigan State is going to win it all then you know the only way that happens is if Trice continues to play out of his mind.  

Line: 10/1

NCAA March Madness

Dirty Picks March Madness Preview

THREE BOLD ASS TAKEZ ON THE TOURNEY!!!

Bobby Catz

1. Multiple high seeds will fall in the first round.

  Eastern Washington will absolutely beat Georgetown in Portland! GTown is notoriously overrated year after year and its going to take a loss to a team like this to finally get that across to the selection committee. Throw in the fact that the Hoyas have to travel across the US and Eastern is a mere 5 hour drive down to Rip City. Georgia State will absolutely beat Baylor!! 

  G-State is a solid ass squad going against a very overrated (based on seeding) Baylor team. Plus State has Kevin Ware who is known for having the grossest injury ever on live TV which means he has to be due for some good luck right?? Give the man a bone already!! Oh....shit that was gross. State's gonna win though. 

  BUT THE GRANDDADDY UPSET OF THEM ALL!! Arizona will lose in the first round to Texas Southern!! Southern has already played a brutal schedule (and got rocked a bunch) that prepared them for the crucible that is the NCAA tournament. Throw in huge road wins against Michigan State (I know, its not much) and Kansas State and you have a team that is primed for the upset!! Throw some serious money on this one and show off to your friends because this one is gonna be a shocker!!

2. Gonzaga will make the championship game!!!

Sure this pick is biased as shit because I happen to be an alum of this prestigious institution (I have the credit score to prove it). But this is easily Few's best team ever and first legitimate team that could actually contend for a national championship. Sure other teams might have had higher potential draft picks and what not, but this one is tall, deep and very talented. Now all bets are off once they get in to the final, especially because most likely they will play Kentucky, but its a huge step for this program even making one. Zags are going to open up a few eyes this tourney, don't be surprised if they get a couple of lucky bounces along the way, this is a team of destiny. 

3. NOT A single 12 seed will beat a 5!

This has become an annual tradition where as soon as the brackets are released people are picking what 12 seed (or seeds) will upset a 5 because it always happens right?? Well not this year. Sure people will try and sell you on Stephen F Austin beating Utah or maybe Buffalo over WVU gets your solider to half-salute? Well put it back in your pants because they ain't happening. This class of five seeds is appropriately rated, whereas all of the 12's would have trouble against 14's. Don't fall for the classic 5/12 trap this year because you will be bustin' a lot of brackets. For what feels like the first time in history, a 5 seed will not lose to a 12. 

Kentucky Will Not Win the Tournament

Mr. Nutz

By now most of you have filled out 10-100 brackets for the Men's NCAA Tournament and 0 for the women's tournament (you feel bad now don't you?). The biggest theme in college basketball this year has been Kentucky dominating the shit out of everyone. The Wildcats have technically dominated this season, but I think when you take a deep dive into this Kentucky team you can find some key weaknesses. Will Kentucky win this tournament? Probably, but that's not as fun and would never get on such scripted shows as First Take or WWE. So here are three reasons to bet against Kentucky in this year's tournament. 

1. They don't have a tournament "star"

The beginning of each tournament is always carried by star players. Whether it be Jimmer Fredette, Kemba Walker, Steph Curry, Kawhi Leonard, Derrick Williams, Adreian Payne, or whatever future NBA player; the Cats don't have it! Do they have NBA players? Oh fuck yeah, absolutely. Towns is and Cauley-Stein will be top 10 picks,  but they are not dominant stars! Can they block shots and rebound? Yeah! They're damn near 7 feet tall playing against a bunch of 19 year olds! What the fuck would you expect? Don't get me started on the Harrisons. They came alive last tournament to the surprise of yours truly, but they are not the typical bad ass Calipari-caliber guards we have grown to see. They are NBA role players AT BEST, and not the type of "take over the game " guards you need in a tournament. Kentucky may be unselfish and talented across the board, but they don't have an ultra talented player that will own a tournament moment and that's a big problem.

2. Too much pressure from all angles

They went all out during the season and kept their streak intact. This is a phenomenal feat in itself and should be applauded. The problem is, the pressure has been mounting for a while. They have shown weakness throughout the season and, to their credit, they were able to overcome it. The problem is, the tournament is a different animal! Teams are literally fighting for their basketball lives! Some of these dudes are going to graduate and start working at T-Mobile the next week! Everyone wants to be the team to beat Kentucky and they will throw every trick in the book at the Wildcats until they crack. By the Sweet 16 and Elite 8, the 'Tucky will be mentally and physically drained and vulnerable. 

3. Their offense isn't good enough

So this one is probably the most offensive to Coach Cal and the 'Cats. They finished 29th in ppg at 74.9 this year which is not bad at all. The problem is, they don't have one thing they do at an elite level, nor do they have an elite scorer. Well, I guess they do have one thing going for them: Elite Size. Not sure if that is a thing or not, but it is really what they are best at. They are also 42nd in assists per game, probably due to the Harrison's lack of talent. They will probably put 120 on their first opponent, but when they get deeper in the tourney, shit's not going to be so easy. ESPECIALLY if teams pack the paint and hope for a bad shooting day.

NCAAB Controversy

Louisville (+6.5) vs Kentucky
Never has a line caused so much heated discussion amongst the dirty picks crew. One half of the team swears up and down that Kentucky is the best college basketball squad that the nCAa has ever seen and betting against them no matter what the spread is the equivalent of a death wish. Meanwhile, Catz is over here on solo cup island because the fourth ranked team in the nation led by coach Pitino (playing at home!!) is getting 6.5 points!!! You have to take Louisville here, I get all of the reasons Kentucky is the sexy pick, but Louisville getting that many points at home is just too reasonable not to go with. Of course now that I've made the bet, I'll watch in horror as Kentucky, who could probably snag the 8th seed in the East (NBA), decimates pitino 65-2. Oh well, I always take points, and it's worked out pretty well, I see no need to change that strategy today.

March Madness Teaser

College Threeway Tease Suprise!
Now that we are really in what we would call the "meat and potatoes" portion of the tournament, it's time to start tossing some money around. Unfortunately for you, our erratic picks record has probably left you with little money to gamble with. So grab that solo cup full of coins, Chuck E. Cheese tokens and paper clips, head to Coin Star and check these bitches out:

(LOSS)
(+180) Michigan (-3, teased to +1) vs Tennessee (WINNER!)
Louisville (-4.5 teased to P) vs Kentucky (L)
Michigan St. vs Virginia (UNDER 129, teased to 133) (WINNER!)

First, let me point out that there are two teams from Michigan still in the tournament. Hopefully this points to signs of recovery for a State that has had no financial stability since the Dragon "Smaug" made his home somewhere in Detroit. Now, the Wolverines have some solid tourney experience, a smart coach, the classic white guy that is good in college, a pedigree player in Glen Robinson Jr and cool Unis. Take a look at Tennessee: They are not very good. That's it! We've watched Tennessee a few times this year. Yeah they have a couple pieces and have won a few games, but are they going to have a shot at the title? No way. We're rollin' with the team that named their University mascot after a Marvel character (fact).

Louisville and Kentucky will be a fun game to watch! For the first 5 minutes...If you are trying to convince me that the Harrison's are going to beat the best full court press, man to man defense in the country, then I've got a safe neighborhood in Detroit to take you to. The Harrisons will lose this game by themselves and Coach Calipari will force them to go to the NBA (Europe) so he never has to deal with them again.

As far as the Spartan's and Virginia go, I would rather not pick. Tony Bennett is a great coach, Tom Izzo is a great coach. They both play great team ball, they both scheme well defensively and they have both played in big games. All I can say is, this should be low scoring. Probably 65-61.

Bob's Barely Legal Picks Pt. 2

FLORIDA at KENTUCKY (-2.5) (L)

In part two of our picks we turn to another barely legal freshman that has been leaving his mark on college basketball. Julius Randle, fresh out of Plano, TX has been controlling the interior for UK and a stabilizing force while his freshmen teammates got things figured out. He looks like a young Zach Randolph with a more developed perimeter game waiting to be unleashed. Combine that with Kentucky being 11-0 at home against ranked opponents under Calipari and we have an upset alert folks. Look for Kentucky to dominate from the opening tip on, and for "Orange" Julius Randle to post another double double for the Cats.
Kentucky  (-2.5)

TCU (+23) at Kansas

Bob's Big Balls, XRated Pick of the Day!

I know what you are thinking, "is this guy fuckin retarded?" Maybe, but there's no way that Kansas covers this big of a spread. Without starting center and future NBA All-Star Joel Embiid, look for Kansas to cruise to an easy victory, but not cover this massive spread. Plus, here at DirtyPicks we are still mad at Wiggins for sucking so much after coming in with so much hype. Seriously, the Canadian men's luge team led by Wolfgang Staudinger could keep this game within 23 points. So go ahead and bet big and enjoy your Saturday night with your TCU winningz.

Pick: TCU (+23) at Kansas (L)

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