Merry Christmas to all, and some NCAA Hoops in Hawai’i all night!
Four games take place on the Christmas docket, and all four of them will be part of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic. So after you wake up and celebrate with your families, you can spend about 12 hours locked in to some college hoops.
It all gets started at 12:30 in the afternoon on the east coast, which amazingly is 7:30 in the morning in Hawaii.
I’ve enjoyed breakfast at Wimbledon many times in my life, but I cannot imagine who is getting up at 7:30 a.m. in Hawai’i to go catch themselves some Christmas NCAA Hoops. Hawai’i is playing in the second game of the day at 9:30 a.m. local time as well, so this will take some adjusting for them, and us.
Let me hand out the slate and the times etc, and reveal the early lines. It is only 3 p.m. ET as I start this thread, so no one can argue that these are not the early lines. They just came out, so I know they are right.
12:30 p.m. ET
Stephen F. Austin vs Utah Utes
Utah -12.5
O/U 141.5
2:30 p.m. ET
Southern Miss vs Hawai’i
Hawai’i -11
O/U 126.5
6 p.m. ET
Illinois State vs Tulsa
Illinois State -4.5
O/U 136
8 p.m. ET
San Diego State vs San Francisco
San Diego State -5.5
O/U 139
Well it must be nice to be STUCK in Hawai’i for Christmas right? Imagine hearing the discouraging words of coaches saying, “We have to play a conference tournament over the holidays”, just to have him sweeten the pot by adding that the event is being held in Hawai’i!!!
Poor kids. Don’t you feel bad for them? Yeah I know you do, because I do too. You can just feel them all thinking “Dumb Hawai’i tournament for Christmas!” Yes, that is 100% sarcasm, leaving me 110% pissed off that I can’t be there to watch all four games in person!
Since I will assume the people reading this might not be in Hawai’i themselves, and/or are like me in New York with snow on the ground, you know the sarcasm then. Hmm, let’s see. Would you rather be sitting in 22 degrees F with snow on the ground, or enjoying 84 degrees F with a pineapple anything!? I get the skiing and love for winter for some, but after so many years and seasons of living and driving in it? I got your winter right here! We’re not even through December and I’m already sick of it!
I was planning on posting early in the morning as I said socially, but these are early tips and I want to get action out.
Lines could, and almost have to, move, because let’s also keep in mind that three of these games are just to play games. Only the Championship game with San Diego State and the Dons has any significance, since hardware will be on the floor.
The first game features Utah and SF Austin, and holy shit when this total hit the board at 141 I almost got coffee all over my Christmas sweater!
Who set that line? Utah is going to put up 96 points against SFA, so invest in the total.
Play:
SF Austin vs Utah Over 141
Southern Miss and Hawai’i in game two.
I would love to bet the low total at 126 or so, but my god, these two teams don’t even know what they can or can’t do. S Miss and the 7-game losing streak is ugly, and coming to Hawai’i has certainly not made scoring any easier.
I wouldn’t bet this game, so I won’t suggest you bet it either! Too ugly to touch!
Game three will put Illinois State and Tulsa on the court, and I get that these two defenses can come out and make a showing, but 136? With two teams who actually do need a win here? 6 – 5 Tulsa really doesn’t want to start conference play at only 6 – 6. The Red Birds at 7 – 4, need to get back on pace after the loss to the Dons in the Semifinals. Defense has certainly been the objective for Illinois State, but I see this game creeping over the 136, expecting a 74 – 68 type of game. That line at -5 is tricky obviously for me, seeing a game within a point of that, so I will leave that alone and suggest the…..
Play:
Illinois State / Tulsa Over 136
The Title game should be a good one, and the 4.5 line on the Aztecs is to be expected. San Francisco is still trying to get the national respect I feel they deserve, and this could obviously be that showcase win to earn it.
I think these two will also put out a fun product with points, because these two can play either type of game. They can both slow it down and keep it a possession by possession game, or they can both run and transition for long spells as well.
I see 139 as too low, and expect a tight game that ends 81 – 79 Aztecs. The Dons still have my respect even if they don’t take the hardware, so let’s see if we are talking about them again soon here at Get More Sports!
2 Plays:
San Francisco +4.5 vs San Diego State
& The Over 139
Why would you not bet on the action?
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Merry Christmas, and enjoy the day of football and basketball, the food and your families! If you are alone for the holidays, or missing loved ones, I feel you and am going through it too! Make the most of it, and I wish all a happy holiday! No matter what it is you are celebrating this time of year!
