Wednesday, March 8th, 2023 With the odds-feed not updated, here's my Wednesday Conference Tournament Earlybird that zeroes in on the championship of the Southland Conference. Both of these teams are highly competitive. However, HC Corey Gipson & his 22-10 Northwestern State Demons struggled mightily in the 2nd half before putting away the New Orleans Privateers last night 74-70. Now the Purple, Orange & White have to reload & get ready to play a well-rounded 22-10 Islanders squad that hammered the McNeese State Cowboys 80-63 @ this venue. HC Steve Lutz (a san Antonio native) is just in his 2nd season (45-22 record overall) but has assembled a Top 20 offense (rank 19th @ 80.6 PPG). They'll take on a spent Demons' "D" that ranks a very distant 240th. My bottom line says we can't ignore Lutz' crew who retuned all 5 starters from last season. Like I said earlier, his crew looks pretty eager to punch another March Madness ticket to earn their 1st win after losing in the First 4 last season. They'll stay in it to win it so here's where we'll go. Let's go to the Lake Charles Legacy Center to play the TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI ISLANDERS (buying up to + 7 1/2) as my 9 Star Wednesday Conference Tournament Earlybird! (WIN) Another Official Play # 2 not offered in the odds-feed pits the Lafayette Leopards & the Colgate Raiders up against each other in the Patriot League Championship. The Leopards currently wear the cinderella slipper after beating league-rival Lehigh 71-64 then shocking American U. in OT 84-76 on the heels of the sharp shooting of Leo O'Boyle, a Scranton Prep grad who pitched in 23 points. Lafayette lost the 1st tussle with Colgate 69-57 @ Cotterell Court in Hamilton, NY but gave the raiders all they can handle in meeting 2 @ the Alan P. Kirby Health Center in Easton, Pa. where they got edged 73-69. HC Matt Langel will have his seasoned-veteran Raiders' squad motivated to get back to March Madness after a disappointing loss in the 1st round last season. We're off to their home court to play the COLGATE RAIDERS laying the juice on the ML & in parlays as my 9 Star Patriot League Ticket Puncher! (WIN) Play# 3 Mount St Marys vs. Iona (NCAAB) 9:05 PM EST Iona Premium Pick YouWager Play Title: Metro Atlantic Conference Advancer Play Selected: Point Spread: -14/-110 Rating: 9* (WIN) Analysis: HC Dan Engelstad is in his 5th season (59-89 overall) with the Mount Saint Mary's Mountaineers (13-19 this season) & are just happy to be here. They take on the class of the Metro in the Iona Gaels (24-7) under one of the master NCAA HC's in Rick Pitino (61-21 here in 3 years but is 831-292 in 35 years overall). The first meeting between these 2 was a blowout with the Gaels on top 81-51 @ Hynes Athletic Center in New Rochelle. The most recent contest @ Knott Arena in Emmitsburg, MD saw a closer contest but the Maroon & Gold got the sweep winning 80-68. I believe the backcourt power of Walter Clayton, Jr. (16.5 PPG) & Daniss Jenkins (15.4 PPG) along with 6'9" power forward Nelly Junior Joseph (15.4 PPG) will overwhelm the Mounts down the stretch. Let's confidently go to Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ to play the IONA GAELS laying it on the ML as my 9 Star Metro Atlantic Conference Advancer! Mike Handzelek's 2022-23 CBB Overall Record: 17-0 for a surreal 100%