Getting Started
First thing I did.ta kool was just sit down and clear my head. No point going in with preconceived notions, right? I pulled up the basic info for both teams. You know, just the usual stuff you look at.
Looking at the Teams
So, I started d.dap aigging into Fairfield's recent performance. How have they been playing lately? You gotta look at their last few games, maybe five or six. Wins? Losses? Were the games close, or blowouts? I made some mental notes, maybe jotted a few things down on a pad.
Then, I did the same thing for Iona. Same process. Checked their recent run of games. Are they hot? Are they cold? Sometimes a team's on a roll, or maybe they're in a slump. It matters.
Key things I considered for both:- Recent win/loss record.
- Score margins in those games.
- Who they played against (tough opponents or easier ones?).
Head-to-Head and Location
After looking at them individually, I tried to find how they usually do when they play each other. Sometimes, one team just seems to have the other's number, regardless of their overall record. So, I looked back at their past matchups, if I could find them easily.
Location is always a factor too, isn't it? Big difference playing at home versus on the road. I checked where this particular game was being held. Home court advantage can be a real thing, especially in college basketball with the crowds and familiarity.
Other Little Things
Sometimes you hear stuff, like if a star player is injured or maybe someone's unexpectedly playing out of their mind. I didn't go super deep into specific player stats this time, kept it more about the team's rhythm and recent history. But I did keep an ear out, just in case there was any big news floating around that could swing things.
Putting it Together
Finally, I just sort of mashed all that info together in my head. Weighed the recent form, the head-to-head feel, the location advantage. It’s not an exact science, more like trying to get a feel for the flow of things. You look at all the pieces and see which way the scale seems to tip.
Based on that process, looking at their recent momentum and considering the matchup factors, I leaned towards one team. It felt like the slightly more logical pick given what I'd seen. It's just a prediction, of course, could always go the other way, but that was my practice for this game.
