Vegas Play of the Day: Iona at Rhode Island in the NIT

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Tuesday, March 17, 2015 | 1:12 p.m.

Here’s the latest installment of the Play of the Day, which uses odds from the South Point. Our three sports writers started with a $10,000 bankroll — fictional, of course.

Iona at Rhode Island Total Over 143: $550 to win $500 I love playing National Invitational games over the points total. Often, you find teams who simply don’t want to be playing in the second-tier tournament and give little effort defensively. The pace resembles the NBA All-Star game.

Iona averages 79.6 points per game to rank eighth nationally in scoring out of more than 300 teams. They were upset last week in the Metro Atlantic Athletic championship game by rival Manhattan to miss the NCAA Tournament. Iona will either come out scoring at a high-rate with hopes of winning the NIT to validate its season or go through the motions and allow Rhode Island to light up the scoreboard.

Either way, I expect points — early and often. Get out your calculators.

Standings: Keefer (70-69-2, $10,607), Bern (69-62-1, $10,146), Brewer (60-74-3, $2,415)

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21