College Basketball Knowledge
Virginia won its last three games with Miami by 25-9-8 points, beating Hurricanes 66-58 at home Jan 12, in brickfest where teams shot 8-29 on arc combined. Cavaliers won 89-80 in OT here LY, their first win in last six visits to Miami. Virginia won eight of last nine games, with one loss the buzzer-beater at Duke. Miami won its last 11 home games since a November loss to Northeastern. ACC home faves of 3 or less are 8-5.
Home side won seven of last nine Texas-KState games; Longhorns lost four of last five visits to Little Apple- they won here 61-57 LY, after losing by 9-4-26-17 points. Texas lost three of last four games, losing at Oklahoma/Iowa State in last two road games. Wildcats are 3-4 at home in Big X, losing rivalry game with Kansas two nights ago. Big X home dogs of 5 or less points are 5-10 against the spread.
Green Bay made 11-21 on arc, routed Cleveland State 87-67 Jan 7 on the road, their sixth win in last eight series games. Vikings lost three of last four visits here, losing by 4-27-11 points- they won LY's visit here in OT, 66-61. Phoenix won three of last four games; they're 5-1 at home in Horizon. CSU lost seven of its last eight games, losing last two by 23-34 points, Horizon League double digit home favorites are 13-7 vs spread.
Milwaukee won its last five games with Youngstown State, winning on road 81-65 in first meeting Jan 7- Panthers made 12-27 on arc, scored 1.27 ppp that night. Penguins lost last two visits here by 6-15 points; they're lost four of last five games, with win in double OT vs UIC. YSU is 3-5 on Horizon road, losing last two away games by 29-17 points. Horizon League double digit home favorites are 13-7 vs spread.
West Virginia won 81-76 at Iowa State Feb 2, rallying back from down 15 in first half, just WV's second series win in last seven games. Iowa St lost despite shooting 11-22 on arc- they won two of last three visits to Morgantown. Mountaineers lost three of last four games; they're 5-2 at home in conference, losing to Texas/Oklahoma. Big X home favorites of 6 or less points are 11-9 against the spread.
Siena rallied from 12 down with 11:13 left to upset Iona 81-78 on road nine days ago, its first win in last eight games with Iona, which won last three regular season visits here, by 4-9-14 points- it was Gaels' one loss in last seven games- they had big win at Monmouth Friday, avenging an earlier loss. Siena is 7-1 at home, losing to Monmouth; they're 8-2 in last 10 games overall. MAAC home favorites of 3 or less points are 4-8.
Norfolk State won eight of last 11 games after starting season 5-11; they crushed Coppin State 88-56 on road Dec 7, scoring 1.29 ppp, shooting 56.1% inside arc, 7-13 outside it. Norfolk is 9-3 in MEAC, winning last three home games, by 13-19-6 points. Coppin State is 5-5 in its last ten games after starting season 0-14 vs D-I teams (they have two non-D-I wins); Eagles lost last three road games, by 40-5-9 points.
Armadillosports.com
Big Monday Tip Sheet
By David Schwab
VegasInsider.com
This Monday night’s college hoops action on ESPN really is big with a pair of crucial showdowns in both the ACC and the Big 12.
First up in a 7:00 p.m. ET tip at the BankUnited Center, the Virginia Cavaliers go on the road to face the Miami Hurricanes with both teams 10-4 in conference play and looking to stay on North Carolina’s heels for the lead in the ACC.
At 9:00 p.m. ET from the WVU Coliseum, the Iowa State Cyclones will look to make up some ground in the Big 12 standings when they square-off against the West Virginia Mountaineers.
No. 7 Virginia Cavaliers at No. 11 Miami Hurricanes
Opening Odds: Pick 'em, 128
Betting Matchup
The 21-5 Cavaliers are currently a half-game behind North Carolina with last Monday’s 73-53 victory against NC State as 11½-point home favorites. They have now covered against the spread in five of their last six games. The total stayed UNDER 129½ points in that win and it has now stayed UNDER in their last six games.
Senior guard Malcolm Brogdon and junior guard London Perrantes combined for 41 points against the Wolfpack and the team as a whole shot a blazing 53.7 percent from the field. Brogdon continues to lead Virginia in scoring with 17.8 points per game while hitting 46.5 percent of his shots. The Cavaliers are scoring 71.1 PPG and they are ranked second in the nation in points allowed (59.5).
The Hurricanes blew a chance to take the lead in the ACC by getting their doors blown off by North Carolina this past Saturday in a 96-71 loss as 7½-point road underdogs. The loss snapped a straight-up five-game winning streak and Miami is now 4-2 ATS during this same stretch. The total went OVER 147 against the Tar Heels after staying UNDER in the previous four games.
Miami had no answer for stopping North Carolina this past Saturday and a nine-point deficit at the half turned into an ugly 25-point loss. The Hurricanes shot just 42.4 percent from the field as opposed to a season average of 47.4 percent. Senior guard Sheldon McClellan (15.8 PPG) was held to 10 points and he has now scored 11 or fewer points in three of his last four games. It was the first time the Hurricanes allowed more than 70 points in their last six outings.
Betting Trends
The Cavaliers are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 Monday games and they have covered in four of their last five games following a SU win. The total has stayed UNDER in five of their last six road games.
The Hurricanes are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games at home, but they fall to 1-4 ATS in their last five games following a SU loss. The total has stayed UNDER in seven of their last eight home games.
Head-to-head in this ACC tilt, the favorite is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings and the total has gone OVER in four of the last five games played at Miami. Virginia struck first blood in this season’s series with a 66-58 victory on Jan. 12 as a 4½-point home favorite. The total stayed UNDER the closing 131½-point line.
Iowa State Cyclones at West Virginia Mountaineers
Opening Odds: West Virginia -4½, 158
Betting Matchup
Iowa State is 8-6 SU in conference play this season and a game behind the 9-4 Mountaineers in the standings following a 92-83 victory against TCU this past Saturday. It failed to cover as a heavy 17½-point home favorite to fall to a costly 2-5 ATS in its last seven games and the total has now gone OVER in the last four contests. Overall, the Cyclones are 19-8 SU with a 12-11-1 record ATS.
Senior forward Georges Niang has been a force all season long with a team-high 19.7 PPG to go along with 6.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He lit-up TCU for 27 points and he has now scored at least 24 points in his last three games. All told, the Cyclones are one of the deepest scoring teams in the country with six players averaging at least 10 PPG. Iowa State is averaging 83 points a game and shooting an effective 50.4 percent from the floor.
The Mountaineers will look to pick up the pieces following Saturday’s 76-62 spanking at the hands of Oklahoma as four-point home favorites. This followed an 85-78 road loss to Texas as two-point underdogs and they are now just 1-3 (SU and ATS) in their last four games. The total stayed UNDER 153½ points in the loss to the Sooners and it has stayed UNDER in three of their last four outings
West Virginia has averaged 79.3 points this season and at the other end of the court it is holding teams to 66 PPG. Over the course of its last four games, its scoring average has dropped to 69.5 points and it has given-up 75 points or more in all three losses. Senior guard Jaysean Paige and junior forward Devin Williams are each averaging 13 PPG as the team’s top two scorers and they combined for 23 points in Saturday’s loss. One injury note for Monday has Daxter Miles Jr. (10.1 PPG) listed as questionable after sitting out the last two games with a bad hamstring.
Betting Trends
The Cyclones are 1-4 ATS in their last five games against a team with a SU winning record, but they have covered in four of their last five Monday games. The total has stayed UNDER in their last five games played on Monday.
The Mountaineers are 13-4 ATS in their last 17 home games and they are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a SU loss. The total has stayed UNDER in eight of their last nine games at home.
Iowa State’s three-game winning streak both SU and ATS in this series came to an end on Feb. 2 with West Virginia’s 81-76 victory as a five-point road underdog. The total ended as a PUSH in that game after staying UNDER in the previous three meetings.
Game of the Day: Virginia at Miami
By Covers.com
Virgina Cavaliers at Miami Hurricanes (-1)
No. 10 Miami (Fla.) doesn't have time to dwell on an embarrassing 96-71 loss at North Carolina on Saturday as it hosts No. 8 Virginia on Monday night. The Hurricanes trailed by as many as 38 points against the Tar Heels and now face another tough test against the well-rested Cavaliers, who haven't played in seven days and have won eight of their past nine games.
Miami's usually solid defense allowed 50 points in the paint, nine 3-pointers and 52.2 percent shooting to the Tar Heels, who looked determined from the tip to make up for its one-point loss to Duke and take over sole possession of first place in the ACC. "Well, that's what happens when one team plays really well and the other doesn't play well at all," Miami coach Jim Larranaga told reporters after the loss. "They had our number from start to finish. We didn't do anything we planned on doing." The defensive-minded Cavaliers beat North Carolina State 73-53 in their most recent game as they continued to play suffocating defense - opponents have averaged only 49.2 points in Virginia's last five wins. Led by senior guard Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia's offense isn't bad either - coach Tony Bennett's team is seventh in the nation in field-goal percentage (49.6), 10th in 3-point percentage (40.6) and 17th in free-throw percentage (75.4).
LINE HISTORY: Miami opened as slight 1-point home favorites, while the total is currently off the board.
INJURY REPORT:
Virginia - No injuries to report.
Miami - G J. Newton (questionable Monday, shin).
ABOUT VIRGINIA (21-5, 12-12 ATS, 10-14 O/U): Brogdon is the offensive go-to man for the Cavaliers, averaging a team-best 17,8 points on 46.5 percent shooting. His backcourt mate, junior point guard London Perrantes (11.3 points, 3.9 assists) is a solid 3-point shooter (54.2 percent) and the pair combined for 27 second-half points in Virginia's earlier 66-58 win over Miami. Senior forward Anthony Gill is the Cavaliers' top inside threat (13.8 points, 5.8 rebounds) and combined with senior 7-footer Mike Tobey (7.1 points) for 27 points in that same game.
ABOUT MIAMI (21-5, 15-9-1 ATS, 12-13 O/U): The Hurricanes are led by senior shooting guard Sheldon McClellan (team-leading 15.8 points on 52 percent shooting) and senior point guard Angel Rodriguez (11.5 points, 4.4 assists). Senior 7-foot center Tonye Jekiri (8.1 points, 9.4 rebounds) is usually the team's defensive stopper inside but had no answer for Brice Johnson and Co. on Saturday. Sophomore guard Ja'Quan Newton, the team's second-leading scorer (11.1), left the North Carolina loss with what Larranaga called a left knee bruise and his status is uncertain for the game.
TRENDS:
* Virginia is 4-0 ATS in its last four meetings with Miami.
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Miami.
* Under is 6-0 in Virginia's last six games overall.
* Virginia is 4-0 ATS in its last four games overall.
CONSENSUS: Early on in the wagering bettors are backing Virginia with 56 percent of wagers on the Cavaliers.
Monday's Top Action
By Sportsbook.ag
IOWA STATE CYCLONES (19-8, 8-6 Big 12) at WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS (20-7, 9-5 Big 12)
Sportsbook.ag Line: West Virginia -6.5, Total: 157
Slumping West Virginia tries to get back in the win column Monday night when it hosts an up-and-down Iowa State team.
The Cyclones (12-11 ATS overall) have shot at least 52% FG in four straight games, but are only 2-2 SU (1-3 ATS) in these contests. Both defeats came on the road (at Texas Tech and at Baylor), but they did bounce back after losing in Waco with a 92-83 win over TCU on Saturday.
The Mountaineers (14-10 ATS overall) are 1-3 (SU and ATS) in their past four contests including back-to-back losses at Texas and versus Oklahoma last week. The setback versus the Sooners was just their second home loss all season (11-2 SU, 7-3 ATS).
These schools are meeting for only the eighth time as conference rivals, with Iowa State holding a 5-2 SU advantage (4-3 ATS), including 2-1 (SU and ATS) on the road. But one of those series defeats came earlier this month on Feb. 2 when 5-point underdog West Virginia left Ames with an 81-76 upset victory.
There are plenty of betting trends that favor each side on Monday, as the Cyclones are 84-53 ATS versus very good teams (8+ PPG margin) since 1997, and are 46-25 ATS when revenging a same-season loss in this same timeframe. However, West Virginia's pressure defense thrives against up-tempo offenses, going 13-2 ATS versus teams averaging 62+ FGA per game after 15+ games under head coach Bob Huggins. The team is also 16-6 ATS at home versus excellent ball-handling teams (12 or less TOPG) after 15+ games since 1997.
Each team has one injury concern, and the Cyclones should have F Jameel McKay (undisclosed) back on the floor, while Mountaineers G Daxter Miles Jr. is questionable with an injured hamstring.
Iowa State knows how to put up points with 83.0 PPG (14th in D-I) on an outstanding 50.4% FG (2nd in nation) and strong 38% threes (42nd in D-I). This is an average foul-shooting team at 69.8% FT (172nd in nation) that rarely gets to the line with a mere 430 free-throw attempts (336th in nation). However, the Cyclones hold an impressive 1.49 Ast/TO ratio (17th in D-I) because they usually makes the extra pass (16.7 APG, 24th in nation) and rarely turn the ball over (11.2 TOPG, 42nd in D-I).
Iowa State does not have a very tough defense, allowing 75.1 PPG (257th in nation) on 43.6% FG (188th in D-I) and 34.9% threes (210th in nation), but it plays clean with the second-fewest amount of personal fouls in D-I (15.3 per game). Although the team is efficient on the defensive glass (27.1 Def. RPG, 67th in nation), it grabs only 9.2 offensive RPG (291st in D-I).
The two stars of this team are senior F Georges Niang (17.2 PPG, 2nd in Big 12) and junior PG Monte Morris (14.8 PPG, 1.9 SPG), who ranks among the nation's top-five players in minutes (37:55 per game), assists (7.3 APG) and Ast/TO ratio (4.8). Niang shoots high percentages from all areas the court at 54% FG, 39% threes and 82% FT, but is much more than just a scorer with 6.3 RPG and 3.1 APG. Niang has poured in 24+ points in three straight contests and dropped 20 points -- along with eight turnovers -- in the Feb. 2 loss to West Virginia.
Morris has 11 assists in each of his past two games and posted a remarkable 10 assists and zero turnovers against the Mountaineers, who are the second-best team in the nation in forcing turnovers.
Senior F Abdel Nader (13.3 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.1 SPG) had an offensive explosion last week with 26 points at Baylor followed by 24 versus TCU. He made 17-of-27 FG and 10-of-17 threes, which increased his season percentages to 49% FG and 36% threes.
Senior F/C Jameel McKay (11.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG) has played only 42 minutes over the past five contests, and he hopes to be able to contribute more than he did in the loss to WVU on Groundhog's Day when he had seven points, four rebounds and four turnovers in 30 minutes.
Junior G Matt Thomas (10.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG) is the school's best long-range shooter, as he is making 43% of his threes, while junior G Deonte Burton (10.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG) also knocks down 43% threes and gets his double-digit scoring average in only 19.8 MPG.
West Virginia has been able to put up major points this season with 79.3 PPG (40th in D-I), but it shoots only 45.0% FG (122nd in nation) and 31.5% threes (300th in D-I), and it doesn't cash in from the foul line either (66.1% FT, 289th in nation).
However, the Mountaineers are always attacking the glass with a +8.6 RPG margin (10th in nation) and 16.2 offensive RPG (2nd in D-I), and generate a big chunk of their offense from a heavy pressing defense nicknamed "Press Virginia," that ranks second in the nation in both steals (10.0 SPG) and forced turnovers (18.3 TOPG). This pressure helps the team allow only 66.0 PPG (44th in D-I) on 42.0% FG (106th in nation), and limit opponents to a mere 31.0% threes (31st in D-I).
The offense is very balanced with six players averaging at least nine points per game, but nobody scoring even 14 per contest. F Devin Williams (13.3 PPG, 8.9 RPG) is the go-to scorer shooting 48% FG, and has tallied at least 10 points in seven straight games. This includes a monster 17-point, 18-rebound effort in the Feb. 2 win at Iowa State, which was one of his conference-high 12 double-doubles this season.
Senior G Jaysean Paige (13.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.4 SPG) leads the team in scoring and shoots strong rates of 46% FG and 35% threes this season. But Paige has been ice-cold over his past four games where he has made only 12-of-44 shots (27%) and 3-of-14 threes. But he had no trouble making baskets against the Cyclones three weeks ago when he dropped 23 points on 10-of-17 FG with six rebounds in 23 minutes off the bench.
Lightning-quick guards Daxter Miles Jr. (10.1 PPG, 1.5 SPG) and Jevon Carter (9.6 PPG, 3.2 APG, 3.0 RPG, 1.7 SPG) are both outstanding at taking the ball away, but both Carter (29% threes) and Miles (28% threes) struggle with long-range shooting. Miles had a great effort in Ames with 11 points, five rebounds and two steals in 19 minutes, but Carter was held scoreless in 23 minutes and committed four turnovers which took away from his six assists and two steals.
F Jonathan Holton (9.8 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.1 SPG) provides more muscle down low, with at least eight boards on 13 separate occasions this year. He scored nine points and grabbed 11 rebounds in Saturday's loss to Oklahoma, but did not play in the win over Iowa State earlier this month. WVU's final big scorer is junior G Tarik Phillip (9.0 PPG, 2.9 APG, 1.6 SPG), who has been outstanding over the past two games with a hefty 18.0 PPG on 11-of-21 FG and 6-of-11 threes.
Steve's Screenshot
By Steve Merril
Virginia at Miami Florida (-1, 127.5)
Virginia will be well-rested for this game; the Cavaliers last played a week ago. Virginia is 8-1 SU during their past nine games with their only loss coming by one point at the buzzer at Duke. The Cavaliers beat the Hurricanes 66-58 last month as a 4.5-point home favorite in Charlottesville.
Miami will not be as fresh as they are now playing their third game in the past six days. The Hurricanes were on an 8-1 SU run until their 71-96 blowout loss at North Carolina on Saturday. Miami is just 5-4 SU in true road games this season, but they are a strong 13-1 SU at home where their only loss this season came by just a single point back in November.
Miami guard Ja'Quan Newton is listed as questionable tonight with a shin injury. He missed the Virginia Tech game last Wednesday and then scored just 3 points on Saturday in 23 minutes played at North Carolina. Overall this season, Newton is third on the team in scoring (11.1 ppg) and second in assists (2.5 apg).