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This year a third post-season college basketball tournament added. Clearly there was a need to have another event after the field of 65 was chosen for the NCAA Tournament. This is like when college football added the International Bowl and the Armed Forces Bowl, you can’t get enough ordinary college games. For those wagering, at least it’s another diversion away from the NBA, which is good from a stability standpoint. Rumors have persisted this tourney is called the College Betting Invite, but truth be told, CBI stands for College Basketball Invitational. Virginia has not scared anyone in the CBI, with a pair of win in Charlottesville by two and four points. Neither victory covered the spread against Richmond or Old Dominion, leaving coach Dave Leitao to half-apologize and half-praise his team. “On the one hand, this is the time of year where you just win and move on," Leitao said. "You can scratch, claw, fight your way to victory by a few points and just try to do that.
"On the other hand, what I saw for the better part of the (Richmond) game was listlessness more than anything else. We were getting exposed and carved up on the defensive end. That's obviously not too pleasing and something that we have to find a way through."
The Cavaliers have failed to cover the spread in last three games and is 7-21 ATS after playing two consecutive games as a home favorite. Virginia will face a Bradley squad hoping to be healthy enough to give a full effort. The Braves had a big comeback in 79-73 home win over Ohio U., propelling them to this semi-final. Guard Andrew Warren has comeback from broken hand and Daniel Ruffin has had a rough senior season with injuries and suspension. When Ruffin is playing to capabilities, Bradley is difficult to defeat. The Braves are 10-2 ATS when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
Sportsbook.com has Virginia listed as 5.5-point favorite with total of 153. Bradley is a good three point shooting team, making 37.8 percent, on nine conversions a game. Virginia will have to defend the perimeter and take advantage of the Braves being a poor rebounding team. Two angles point towards Bradley covering the spread. One, they are 9-0 ATS after a win by six points or less and second, the Cavaliers are 1-8 ATS when playing with one or less days rest.
The other semi-final contest is a Conference USA rematch, with Houston visiting Tulsa. The Cougars ended a stretch four straight games without a cover, in winning and covering both CBI affairs. They will take on Tulsa, who will give them a tussle. The Golden Hurricane has won 12 of last 15 (12-2 ATS) with only losses coming to UAB and Memphis.
Houston can get on a roll with their 3-point shooting and bomb a team out of the game, but they're at their best when they're creating tempo and turnovers with their defense and holding their own on the boards. Robert McKiver was a first team C-USA selection and was the leading scorer in conference play at 25.4 PPG. The Cougars need to protect the ball and are 50-31 ATS when they commit 10 to 13 turnovers in a game.
Tulsa is flat out playing excellent basketball. Jerome Jordan and Brett McDade have formed a nice inside-outside combination for coach Doug Wojcik. The Golden Hurricane have won and covered last eight home games, winning by average of 19.5 PPG. "I don't care if it's the NIT or the CBI, I'm really happy that we have a chance to play in the postseason," Wojcik said after Utah victory. "This gives us a great opportunity. This whole setting was fantastic." Tulsa is 8-2 ATS off a home win this season.
Houston is a 3.5-point underdog and will face a revenge-minded Tulsa squad, whom they beat 92-81 back on Feb.6, on there home court. The Cougars are just 4-13 ATS after scoring 80 points or more over the last two seasons, with Tulsa 13-4 ATS as a favorite in 2007-08.
The winners advance to play in a unique best of three series.
StatFox Power Line – Virginia by 5, Tulsa by 5
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