CBB Games to Watch
By David Schwab
VegasInsider.com
NCAA Men’s Basketball Betting Guide- January 9 The 2011-2012 men’s college basketball season presses on this week with a full slate of quality conference matchups. There have already been a few major upsets and some thrilling finishes as every team in Division I continues their drive to March Madness.
Each game on the schedule from now until the individual conference tournaments at the end of the season becomes another opportunity for the top teams in the country to build a resume that automatically punches their ticket to the big dance.
The following is a brief look at the top matchups for each day this week along with a few facts and figures to help handicap the games.
Monday, Jan. 9 - West Virginia Mountaineers vs. No. 8 Connecticut Huskies
West Virginia comes into this game riding high after a 74-62 victory over No. 9 Georgetown as a two-point home favorite this past Saturday. The win raised its overall record to 12-4 straight up and a healthy 9-4 against the spread. The total has gone ‘over’ in nine of the 13 games with a posted line.
Connecticut has lost its last two games as a road favorite including a stunning 67-60 loss to Rutgers on Saturday as a six-point favorite. It is 12-3 SU on the year but a costly 4-7 ATS. The Huskies will be glad to be back home for this one where they are 9-0 SU (3-2 ATS) this year. They have been opened as 4½-point favorites for this game.
Tuesday, Jan. 10 - No. 4 Baylor Bears vs. No. 23 Kansas State Wildcats
Baylor moved to a perfect 15-0 SU with Saturday’s 73-60 victory over Texas Tech as a 14-point road favorite, but it has failed to cover in its last four games to fall to 4-4 ATS. The Bears are shooting 48.4 percent from the field and averaging 76.2 points a game.
Kansas State bounced back from last week’s 67-49 loss to then-No. 15 Kansas as a 10-point road underdog with a solid 75-59 pasting of No. 6 Missouri this past Saturday as a one-point home underdog. The Wildcats should once again open as slight underdogs but they have beaten the Bears three straight times both SU and ATS.
Wednesday, Jan. 11 - No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats vs. Auburn Tigers
Kentucky improved its overall record to 15-1 SU with a 79-64 win over South Carolina on Saturday, but failed to cover as a 21-point home favorite. The Wildcats have now failed to cover the spread in their last 12 games and are a woeful 3-11-1 ATS on the year. The total has stayed ‘under’ in nine of the 15 games.
Auburn was crushed by Vanderbilt 65-35 this past Saturday as a 16-point road underdog. The loss dropped the Tigers to 10-5 SU and 2-6 ATS. They are 2-4 SU in their last six games overall, but a perfect 9-0 SU at home this season. Auburn is averaging 66.2 points a game while the Wildcats are averaging 80.9.
Thursday, Jan. 12- No. 21 Virginia Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Duke Blue Devils
Virginia has been one of the early surprises in the ACC with 14 wins in its first 15 games. The Cavaliers failed to cover as 7 ½-point home favorites on Saturday in a 52-51 squeaker over Miami (FLA) but is still a profitable 7-3 ATS. The win over the Hurricanes extended their current SU winning streak to 12 games.
Duke quickly erased the memory of a shocking 78-73 road loss to Temple last Wednesday as a 7 ½-point favorite with an 81-74 victory over Georgia Tech this past Saturday as an 11½-point home favorite. The Blue Devils are 13-2 SU overall and 7-0 SU at home. They are 6-9 ATS overall and 4-3 ATS at home.
Friday, January 13- Creighton Bluejays vs. Illinois State Redbirds
Creighton’s 92-83 win over Bradley on Saturday as an 11-point road favorite boosted its overall record this season to 13-2 SU. It is 8-3 ATS overall and 4-2 ATS on the road. The Bluejays are ranked seventh in the nation in scoring with 83.2 points a game and first in shooting with a field goal percentage of 51.3.
Illinois State is 3-1 SU in the Missouri Valley Conference and 11-4 SU overall. They Redbirds face Wichita State this Tuesday and are coming off a 75-73 victory over Evansville this past Saturday, but failed to cover as 7 ½-point home favorites to fall to 6-5 ATS overall and 2-3 ATS at home. They are averaging 69.3 points a game and shooting 44.7 percent from the floor.
Saturday, Jan. 14- Providence Friars vs. No. 1 Syracuse Orange
Providence is 11-6 SU overall (5-6 ATS) but has lost its first four games in the Big East including an 87-73 loss to Syracuse last Wednesday as a 13½-point home underdog. The Friars tackle No. 11 Louisville this Tuesday and Saturday’s rematch against the Orange will be their fourth game in their last five against a ranked opponent.
Syracuse continues to hold the top spot in the polls behind a perfect 17-0 SU start. This past Saturday, it knocked-off No. 20 Marquette 73-66 as an 11½-point home favorite to run its record in the conference to 4-0 SU. The Orange are 11-5 ATS overall and 7-4 ATS at home. They are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games.