We’re taking our 47-25 record into the final weekend of the Ivy back-to-back round robin and a number of teams still have a chance at capturing the fourth spot in the Ivy Tournament next weekend. Tonight’s games are especially difficult to pick ahead of time because what happens in the 4 pm Brown-Princeton game could affect what happens in two of the later games. Remember, you can’t tease the spread and the score in the same game.
Brown +4.5 @ PRINCETON (136.5), 4 pm. If Brown wins, they secure fourth place if Penn loses to Yale. If Brown loses, they can still secure 4th place tomorrow even if Penn upsets Yale tonight. Princeton is locked into a spot in the Ivy Tourney and could still win the League although it’s highly unlikely. So both teams have something to play for, Brown a little moreso, because it an make tomorrow night’s game at the Palestra meaningless with a W (again, if Penn loses to Yale). Then again, Princeton lost to Brown in Providence and may want a little revenge. Brown’s got two close road losses and two close road wins so we expect them to fight the whole way. The question is, if they’re down double-digits with 6 minutes to go, does Coach Mike Martin fight to the end, or give his stars a break for Saturday?
Pick: Brown +9.5 Over PRINCETON and Under 141.5.
Harvard -6 @ CORNELL (136.5), 7 pm. Harvard is playing to win the League, Cornell was playing for a playoff spot last weekend and got shellacked. If Cornell can get an upset tonight and beat Dartmouth tomorrow they can still sneak into that 4th playoff spot depending on what Brown and Penn do -- I believe they need Brown to get swept and Penn to split -- but Harvard has won five of six and wants to pay Cornell back for a home loss.
Pick: Harvard -1 Over CORNELL and Under 141.5.
Dartmouth +3.5 @ COLUMBIA (140), 7 pm. Both of these teams are out of playoff contention, but Columbia is coming off road wins at Brown and Yale and should want to finish strong at home. They should beat Dartmouth tonight -- although the Big Green have played everyone tough -- but the interesting game will be tomorrow night when Harvard ends its season at Levien Gym probably needing a win to secure the title. When these two teams played in Cambridge it took Harvard three OTs and a miracle shot to beat the Lions.
Pick: COLUMBIA +1.5 Over Dartmouth and Over 135.
Yale +1 @ PENN (148), 7 pm. Oh, who knows. By the time this game starts, Penn will know the Brown score. If Brown won, Penn has to beat Yale. If Brown lost, Penn only has to beat Brown on Saturday and oddly it doesn’t matter what happens in the Yale game unless Cornell beats Harvard. And even then it may not matter. So if Brown loses, Penn Coach Steve Donahue can play for Saturday. It would be nice to beat Yale, but he can’t wear out his team in a bulldog fight only to have nothing left for Brown. Picking these games is complicated enough. And also keep in mind I get the Penn game wrong virtually every week.
Pick: Yale +6 Over PENN and Under 153.