Aztecs, Colonials set for battle in Big Apple
Having said goodbye to the friendly confines of Viejas Arena for the year, can San Diego State stay hot in the Big Apple?
Steve Fisher’s squad will meet George Washington in tonight’s NIT semifinals, with a 9 p.m. ET tip at Madison Square Garden. The winner advances to take on either No. 1 seed Valparaiso or Brigham Young in Thursday’s title tilt.
According to online sports book Bovada.lv, the Aztecs are 3.5-point favorites to continue their postseason roll. The over/under total sits at 133.
SDSU (28-9) ambushed IPFW, Washington and Georgia Tech by a combined 55 points earlier in the festivities. Fisher, though, would likely focus on a different number: 33.3, the Yellow Jackets’ putrid shooting percentage in the second half of last Wednesday’s 72-56 result on the West Coast.
The Aztecs need that same stout defense to travel to MSG. George Washington (26-10, 11-7 A-10) boasts three double-digit scorers – Tyler Cavanaugh, Patricio Garino and Kevin Larsen – and withstood furious efforts from Hofstra and Florida to get here. Back on Nov. 16, the Colonials also registered a signature triumph over Virginia.
NCAA BB Quick Links: Free Matchup Reports | Injuries | Odds Comparison | Scoreboard | Betting Trends
Nonetheless, San Diego State long ago stopped being viewed as merely one of the Mountain West’s premier programs. This is another NCAA tournament-caliber group, and George Washington simply can’t maintain the Aztecs’ (26-1 when scoring at least 67 points) phenomenal offensive pace.
TUESDAY NCAA FREE PICK: SAN DIEGO STATE -3.5
Want More From TheSpread.com? Follow on Twitter and Facebook or Subscribe to Our News Feeds!