[Az-Cardinals]

Chris Jordan Tuesday's winner ...
200♦ SANTA BARBARA GAUCHOS - Coach Bob Williams is going to enjoy the most depth and best balance he's seen in the dozen years he's been at the helm. Not only does he get plenty of experience back, but starting point guard Justin Joyner will be back on the floor after spending much of last season sidelined with a dinged-up wrist. He'll be joined by Loyola-Marymount-transfer Orlando Johnson, a 6-foot-5 scorer who is rumored to become the team's go-to guy. The kid can also hit the boards and will be an all-around threat who could end up becoming an all-conference stud.

The Gauchose are a serious threat to Long Beach State in the Big West Conference with this roster, and will outclass scrappy Weber State tonight.

The Wildcats are supposed to be the pride of the Big Sky Conference this season, but they come in off a loss to WAC-favorite Utah State, 66-60. That game was at home, so I don't see how Weber State plans on going on the road to challenge a fired-up Gauchos team that opened its season with an 85-57 blowout win over Cal State-Los Angeles. Not exactly a powerhouse foe, but neither will Weber State be ... lay it.

100♦ CANISIUS GOLDEN GRIFFINS - Five starters are back, there is some experienced depth and there are some heralded recruits to make note of. Sounds like there's plenty of reason the oddsmakers have made the Griffins a road favorite in this non-conference clash. Remember the name Frank Turner - he's an electrifying senior guard who just might end up being the MAAC's most exciting player by the end of the season. Loyola does bring back a slew of players, but it'll be without its top two scorers from last year. And even though the core is back, this is a team that ranked near the bottom half of pretty much every offensive category there is. It didn't fare too well defensively either, so the cohesiveness of Canisius will get me the money here.

[tooeasy]

Thanks for the picks.