College Knowledge
-- Somehow Pitt is highly ranked despite a 5-4 league record, 2-4 vs top 50 teams. Last three Syracuse games were all decided by 4 or less points; they miss Southerland, who will miss next 2+ games (eligibility issue). Big East home favorites of 5 or less points are 0-13 vs spread. Pitt is 5-1 in last six games vs Syracuse, winning last four played here, by 7-13-18-8 points; Orange are 3-1 on Big East road, winning by 11-6-2 points.
-- Ohio/Akron are both unbeaten in MAC; Bobcats won five of last six games vs Akron- home teams are 14-4 in last 18 series games. Ohio lost eight of last nine visits here, losing by five LY after winning here in '11. MAC single digit home favorites are 6-10 vs spread. Zips won all three MAC home games, by 22-7-4 points. Ohio won last seven games after an 8-5 start; they've had last week off.
-- LaSalle won six of last nine games vs George Washington, winning two of last three visits here; Explorers won at VCU but lost other two A-16 road games, at Charlotte by 9, at Xavier by 7. GW won last three games, scoring 74.7 ppg; Colonials are 2-1 at home in A-16, with only loss by hoop to Temple- they haven't played in week. A-16 home underdogs are 8-6 vs spread. LaSalle lost 61-60 to UMass after VCU/Butler wins.
-- Florida State won four of last five games vs Duke, with all five games decided by 8 or less points; Seminoles are 4-3 in ACC, with all five wins by 5 or less points- their last two losses are by 20-24. Duke lost 2 of 3 true road games, with only win by 5 at Wake Forest- they've lost two of last three visits here, with both losses by 5. FSU is 0-5 vs teams ranked in top 50. ACC home underdogs are 8-3 vs spread.
-- Air Force won last four games, allowing 48-48-50 points in last three; San Diego State won eight of last nine games vs Falcons, but lost by two here LY, its first loss in last four visits (wins by 17-19-12). MWC home teams are 7-3 vs spread if number was 4 or less points. Aztecs are 2-1 on MW road- they won last two games, by 21 points each. Air Force is 3-0 at home in MW, winning by 13-11-12 points.
-- St John's won last five games, but other than Notre Dame, other four victims are all outside top 100; Red Storm block 19.7% of opponents' shots, #3 in country- they're 3-1 on Big East road, with only loss in OT at Villanova. Georgetown is 9-3 in last 12 games vs St John's, winning seven in row here, by 2-9-23-12-7-25-10 points. Big East home favorites of 8+ points are 9-11 against the spread.
-- Miami is 7-0 in ACC, allowing 55.4 ppg, with four of seven wins on road; home side is 8-3 in last 11 Miami-NC State games, but State is 4-0 in last four series games, with all four wins by 5 or less points. 'canes are 7-2 vs top 100 teams. ACC home teams are 5-9 vs spread if number was 4 or less points. Wolfpack is 4-0 at home in ACC (1-3 on road) winning home games by 13-8-4-8 points.
-- Kansas won its last 18 games; they're 7-0 at home in Big X, winning at home by 8-17-13 points. Jayhawks have 40.6 eFG%, #3 in nation; they block 19.9% of shots, #2 in country. Oklahoma State lost last five visits to Lawrence by 2-30-11-27-15 points; Big X double digit home favorites are 5-3 vs spread. Home side won all seven of OSU's league games; they are 0-3 on Big X road, losing by 6-9-10 points.
-- Oklahoma had nice win at Baylor during week; they're 3-0 at home in Big X, winning by 9-18-6 points. Road team is 4-3 in last seven KState-Sooner games; Wildcats are 2-1 in last three visits here, losing by 9 here LY. K-State is 5-2 in league, losing by 4 to Kansas, 6 at Iowa State. Big X home favorites of 8 or less points are 4-6 vs spread. K-State was +8 in turnovers, hit 10-24 from arc in 69-60 home win vs Sooners Jan 19.
-- Florida is 7-0 in SEC, with all seven wins by 17+ points; their wins at home are all by 30+. Ole Miss lost first SEC game Tuesday, despite its 16-0 run in 2nd half- their only road loss is by 3 points. Florida is 8-1 in last nine games vs Ole Miss, winning last three by 10-3-6 points; Rebels lost last four visits to Swamp, losing by 37-9-10-6 points. SEC double digit home favorites are 8-5 against the spread.
-- Washington played its heart out Thursday but lost by 4 to Arizona, its 4th straight loss; Huskies won last five games vs ASU by an average score of 77-63. ASU lost last four visits here, by 3-23-13-8 points, but Sun Devils won last three games by 5-18-4 points, coming from behind to win in Pullman Thursday. Pac-12 home favorites of 8 or less points are 3-8 vs spread. ASU is 2-1 on Pac-12 road, losing by 3 at Oregon.
-- UNLV won last three games vs Boise State by 3-5-17 points; they've split two visits here, winning in OT LY. Rebels are 1-2 on MWC road, winning by 7 in San Diego, losing at New Mexico/Colorado State. MWC home teams are 7-3 vs spread if number was 4 or less points. Boise lost four of last five games; their best 3-point shooter has been hurt. Broncos split two MVC home games, losing to New Mexico in OT.
-- Michigan-Indiana are both 7-1 in league; Wolverines' loss was at Ohio St by 3, in game they trailed 29-8. Wolverines have wins at Minnesota, Illinois since then. Four of Hoosiers' seven league wins are by 8 points or less- their loss was at home to Wisconsin. Home side won last six Michigan-Indiana games; Wolverines lost last three visits here, by 6-19-2 points. Big Dozen single digit home favorites are 5-8 vs spread.
Armadillosports.com
CBB: Streaks, Trends, Notes
Sportspic.com
Miami-Florida at NC State
Miami-Florida Hurricanes (16-3, 12-4 ATS) undefeated in conference play thus far thanks to it's lock-down defense allowing opponents 58.4 PPG on 37.1% shooting put their lofty perch atop the ACC standings on the line when they travel to Raleigh to take on NC State (16-5, 11-7-1 ATS). Wolfpack with five double digit scorers paced by C.J. Leslie (15.6) are one of the nation’s most potent offenses netting impressive 78.6 PPG on a whopping 50.3% shooting. NC State recently dumped by Virginia will be tough foes as Wolfpack are 4-0 SU off a loss this season and have a smart 6-1 SU/ATS streak going against Hurricanes.
Michigan at Indiana
The Indiana Hoosiers (19-2, 10-9 ATS) try to jump Michigan (20-1, 12-6-1 ATS) in the Big Ten standings when the two collide at Assembly Hall Saturday. Indiana led by Cody Zeller (16.1 PPG), Victor Oladipo (14.0 PPG) sporting the most potent scoring offense in the nation averaging 84.0 PPG will be challenged by Michigan with four double digit scorers lead by Trey Burke (17.9), Tim Hardaway Jr. (15.5) having little trouble putting the ball in the net averaging 78.0 points/game on a smart 51.0% shooting from the field. Still, plenty of reason to back Indiana. It's tough for any team to win at Assembly Hall as Hoosiers are on a 13-1 (7-5 ATS) stretch in front of the home crowd this season and have run the mark to an impressive 31-2 (17-7 ATS) dating back to last season. Hoosiers split a pair vs Wolverines last season dropping the cash both times but remain a solid 15-5 (14-5-1 ATS) last twenty encounters including a near perfect 9-1 (8-1-1 ATS) last ten meetings in Indiana. Look for Wolverines to join the likes of Duke, Louisville in getting trounced after being handed #1 ranking in the AP poll.
College Basketball Game of the Year - Michigan vs. Indiana
By: The Linemakers
Sportingnews.com
LAS VEGAS -- It seems like we throw the term “Game of Year” around loosely when discussing a high-profile matchups, but Saturday’s game between No. 1 Michigan (20-1) and No. 3 Indiana (19-2) will be hard to top.
College basketball just seems better when the Hoosiers and Wolverines are relevant at the same time. There's just more buzz when these two storied programs that have been battling it out for decades are in the conversation, especially when the winner of the game will be ranked No. 1 in next week's poll and also take control of the Big Ten.
This isn’t just a hype game. The winner will gain confidence, while the loser will be questioning all the reasons they lost. Following Saturday’s game, both teams hit the meat of their schedule, and a loss could easily have the domino effect of stringing a few more together.
Up next for Michigan is Ohio State on Tuesday, as the Wolverines look to avenge their only loss of the season. Michigan also gets Michigan State twice, Wisconsin on the road, and Indiana at home in its regular-season season finale. The Hoosiers have Ohio State twice, with tough road games in Minnesota, Michigan State, and of course, at Michigan.
Indiana's been winning, but not covering, so Michigan deserves a look on Saturday. The Wolverines have covered the spread in their last four games and eight of their last 11, while the Hoosiers just out of a five-game non-cover streak on Wednesday by hammering Purdue by 37 points, the Boilermakers' worst home loss ever.
We make Indiana a 5-point favorite in this game, most of that coming from the home-court advantage, but the value is with the Wolverines plus the points. This will be only the third time this season Michigan has been an underdog (they are 1-1 in the role).
Indiana’s big advantage all season long has been getting to the free-throw line. They lead the nation with 27 attempts per game and have hit 73 percent of those attempts. But doesn’t foul much, which helps negate some of Indiana’s edge. Michigan is sending its opponents to the free-throw line only 11 times per game.
Each team's efficiency has been a thing of beauty. Michigan is third in the nation in field-goal percentage (51 percent), and Indiana is sixth at 50 percent.
Michigan has the edge on the fast break with Trey Burke (17.9 ppg), and Indiana has the edge inside with Cody Zeller. Zeller, however, has been struggling, which is part of the reason Indiana has had so much trouble covering the lofty numbers placed on them during conference play. Zeller scored 19 points against Purdue, but shot only 6-of-14 from the field.
With all things being pretty equal outside of the home-court edge, we’re siding with the team playing better right now. Michigan’s a marked team with the No. 1 ranking bulls' eye on its back, but the Wolverines have covered 14 of 20 lined games this season.
While the loser will have some regrouping to do, we still believe both teams will be on the fast track to the Final Four. For Saturday's game, we like Michigan in a low-scoring game.
Enjoy the game!
Saturday's Top 25 NCAAB Betting Notes
By Covers.com
The entire sports betting world is waiting for Sunday. But while you count the hours until Super Bowl XLVII, why not wager on Saturday's NCAAB Top 25 action. We have betting notes on all the games involving ranked teams:
Cincinnati Bearcats at Seton Hall Pirates (-4.5, 126.5)
Cincinnati has righted itself after a slow start in the Big East. The Bearcats have won four of their last five as they prepare for a two-game road trip, starting at struggling Seton Hall on Saturday. Cincinnati has not been as good on the offensive end during conference play, but has played solid defense when needed and is among the nation’s leaders in rebounding and blocked shots. The Bearcats have been comfortable on the road, winning seven of eight games away from their home court. Seton Hall looks to put it together with four of its next six contests at home. The Pirates have lost six of the last seven games after winning their Big East opener at DePaul. Seton Hall is averaging 17 turnovers in league play, most in the Big East, and seven more than its opponents.
Syracuse Orange at Pittsburgh Panthers (-4, 124)
No. 6 Syracuse looks to rebound from its first loss in more than a month when it travels to Pittsburgh on Saturday. The Orange had won eight in a row, including their first six in Big East play, before losing to Villanova 75-71 in overtime last Saturday. The Orange were already without senior swingman James Southerland (13.6 ppg) for the last four games after he was suspended indefinitely for academic issues on Jan. 12. Now the Syracuse front line has grown even thinner as freshman DaJaun Coleman underwent left knee surgery and will be sidelined four weeks. The Panthers had a four-game win streak snapped on Monday when No. 13 Louisville edged them 64-61 to avoid a fourth straight conference defeat. Pittsburgh is 0-5 when allowing opponents to score at least 65 points, and will have its hands full with Syracuse, which ranks 23rd in the nation at 77.1 points per game.
Auburn Tigers at Missouri Tigers (-16, 139)
Few teams have been better at home and worse on the road this season than No. 18 Missouri. Fortunately for one of the Southeastern Conference’s newest members, it will square off against Auburn for the first time ever in familiar surroundings. Missouri fell to 0-4 in true road games with Wednesday’s 73-70 setback against LSU, but has been a much different animal at home, going 12-0 and winning by an average of 19.8 points. Auburn hasn’t been doing a lot of winning regardless of the venue recently, dropping five straight after beginning league play with a 2-0 record. The offense has been particularly bad over the last four games and matched a season low in points during Wednesday’s 57-49 loss at Georgia.
Duke Blue Devils at Florida State Seminoles (+7, 140)
Fifth-ranked Duke is the highest rated team among ACC programs but is two games off the conference lead heading into Saturday’s game at Florida State. The Blue Devils are two games behind first-place Miami, with one of Duke’s two defeats coming when the Hurricanes posted a 90-63 victory on Jan. 23. The Blue Devils have little margin for error as they meet a Florida State squad that has won three of the last four meetings and defeated Duke in the semifinals of the ACC tournament last March. The Seminoles are 2-3 in their last five games, with both victories coming on last-second baskets by sharpshooter Michael Snaer. The latest dramatic ending came in Wednesday’s 73-71 victory over Maryland. Duke notched its first road victory of the season in three chances by beating Wake Forest 75-70 on Wednesday.
San Diego State Aztecs at Air Force Falcons (+3, 131)
Air Force is a surprise contender in the Mountain West and can take another pivotal step with an upset of No. 20 San Diego State on Saturday. The host Falcons and Aztecs are part of a four-team tie for second place. Air Force has been surprisingly good in coach Dave Pilipovich’s first full season at the helm. “Who knows if we’ll win another game, but we’re going to fight like heck,” Pilipovich said after the Falcons defeated Fresno State on Wednesday for their fourth straight win. “These guys have done a really good job.” San Diego State has won back-to-back games over Nevada and first-place New Mexico, both by 21 points. Coach Steve Fisher is mighty worried about the rising Falcons. “That will be an extremely difficult game and we need to come out with the same preparation, toughness and togetherness we did (against New Mexico),” Fisher said after the win over the Lobos. Air Force is 9-1 at home, all the victories coming by double digits.
Bradley Braves at Creighton Bluejays (-18, 143)
No. 17 Creighton hosts Bradley in search of its third straight Missouri Valley Conference victory. After consecutive losses to Wichita State and Drake, the Bluejays responded by beating Southern Illinois and Missouri State by a combined 44 points. Led by National Player of the Year candidate Doug McDermott (23.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg), Creighton is the most efficient shooting team in the nation at 52.1 percent. Bradley has bounced back from a 7-25 record last season, winning 10 of 12 games at home this year. On the road, however, the Braves are just 3-7 and winless in their last four tries. Bradley snapped a two-game losing streak Tuesday, beating Illinois State 83-77. Creighton has defeated the Braves 14 straight times at home and in 21 of the last 26 overall meetings. The Bluejays have also won all 25 of the head-to-head contests in which they’ve have tallied at least 70 points.
Oklahoma State Cowboys at Kansas Jayhawks (-11, 126)
No. 1 Kansas puts its 18-game winning streak, which is the nation's longest, on the line against an Oklahoma State squad that has won three of its last four games. The 18-game win streak is the third longest in the 10-year Bill Self era. The Jayhawks, who held on for a sloppy 61-56 win at West Virginia on Monday, also have won 33 straight games at Allen Fieldhouse which ranks second nationally and is tied for fourth best in school history. Oklahoma State is 0-4 on the road this season including Big 12 losses at Baylor (64-54), Oklahoma (77-68) and Kansas State (73-67). The Cowboys have lost five of the last six meetings with the Jayhawks and have lost 16 straight times to Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse dating back to 1990. Oklahoma State was picked to finish third behind Kansas and Baylor in the 2013 Big 12 Coaches Preseason Poll.
Miami Hurricanes at North Carolina State Wolfpack (-1.5, 134)
The Hurricanes, playing their second straight road game, will have their hands full with North Carolina State's high-scoring offense. Miami's tough defense, though, has helped it jump into the national rankings. A pair of freshmen will likely split time at point guard while North Carolina State junior Lorenzo Brown is sidelined with an injury. Miami will try to continue its run through the ACC with a trip to North Carolina State. The No. 15 Hurricanes have the league's best start since Duke went 10-0 in 2007-08. Both teams have wins against then-No. 1 Duke but the No. 19 Wolfpack has dropped three of five since their win.
Rhode Island Rams at Butler Bulldogs (-14, 123)
Butler figures to be one angry team when it hosts Rhode Island in Atlantic 10 play on Saturday. The No. 10 Bulldogs were routed 75-58 by Saint Louis on Thursday in an extremely one-sided contest. “We pretty much got punked,” senior guard Rotnei Clarke said afterwards. “End of story. There’s not really much to say about it. We got outclassed and we got punked.” Butler is in its first season in the A-10 and still learning the terrain. “We’ve got to bounce back from this,” Bulldogs coach Brad Stevens said afterward. The Bulldogs should have an easy time with the beleaguered Rams, who are in 15th-place in the 16-team conference. Rhode Island lost to Virginia Commonwealth 70-64 on Wednesday for its third straight loss. The Rams are just 2-5 on the road.
Wichita State Shockers at Northern Iowa Panthers (Pick, 119)
It's been since November of 2011 that No. 14 Wichita State lost consecutive regular-season games, and that's what the Shockers will try to avoid doing when they travel to Cedar Falls to take on Northern Iowa on Saturday. Wichita State climbed to its season high in the polls this week, but a loss to Indiana State on Tuesday will likely prevent the Shockers from moving higher next week. Northern Iowa, picked to finish third in the Missouri Valley this season, has been one of the conference's biggest disappointments. Playing away from the McLeod Center has been an absolute disaster for the Panthers with their 2-9 record in games outside Cedar Falls. Close games, like the most recent two Northern Iowa played, have been trouble as well. The Panthers lost to the Indiana State and Evansville by a combined four points.
Oregon Ducks at California Golden Bears (Pick, 137)
Oregon looks to bounce back from its stunning loss at Stanford when the Ducks complete their Bay Area swing against California, which is aiming to win back-to-back games for the first time in over a month. Oregon had its nine-game winning streak snapped Wednesday when the Ducks were crushed by Stanford 76-52 in a game that was never close. The Ducks entered the game as the last unbeaten team in conference play, but they came out flat and were dominated inside the paint. They’ve lost nine straight games to California, which leads the all-time series 80-55. The Bears are 48-13 against the Ducks at home and 10-1 in the last 11 meetings at Haas Pavilion.
Kansas State Wildcats at Oklahoma Sooners (-3.5, 130)
Kansas State looks for a season sweep of Oklahoma when the 21st-ranked Wildcats travel to Norman for a key Big 12 matchup. Kansas State and Oklahoma entered the weekend tied with Baylor for second place in the conference, with Kansas the last remaining unbeaten team at 7-0. The Wildcats forced 16 turnovers and hit 10 3-pointers to beat the Sooners 69-60 when the teams met in Manhattan on Jan. 19. Oklahoma senior forward Romero Osby and Kansas State senior guard Rodney McGruder are averaging 17 points apiece in conference play, and Osby continues to lead the Sooners in scoring and rebounding. McGruder had a game-high 20 points when the teams met two weeks ago.
Mississippi Rebels at Florida Gators (-14.5, 134)
It will be strength against strength when the SEC leaders meet at Florida on Saturday. No. 16 Mississippi is one of the country's top scoring teams, powered by junior guard Marshall Henderson. The league's best defense has led the No. 4 Gators to nine straight double-digit wins. The Gators haven't allowed a league opponent to score more than 52 points. Florida junior gaurd Scottie Wilbekin, who has already shut down some of the SEC's top guards, will likely get the tough task of guarding Henderson. The Rebels could be without two key backups - forward Aaron Jones (ACL) and guard Nick Williams (foot) - on Saturday.
Ohio State Buckeyes at Nebraska Cornhuskers (+12, 118)
No. 11 Ohio State has looked impressive in three straight victories, and star Deshaun Thomas is coming off one of his best games of the season. The Buckeyes will be looking to secure their fourth straight victory when they visit Nebraska on Saturday. The Cornhuskers suffered a 26-point loss at Ohio State in their Big Ten opener and have struggled mightily against the top tier of the conference. Thomas broke out of a one-game slump with 25 points in an impressive win over Wisconsin on Tuesday as the Buckeyes kept the pressure on Michigan, Indiana and Michigan State ahead of them in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes will need to be careful not to overlook Nebraska with dates against the top-ranked Wolverines and No. 3 Hoosiers coming up next week. The Cornhuskers are trying to stay above .500 overall but have yet to reach 70 points in conference play.
Nevada Wolf Pack at New Mexico Lobos (-14,127)
No. 22 New Mexico, which holds a one-game lead in the highly competitive Mountain West Conference, returns home to The Pit to host league newcomer Nevada in the first meeting between the two schools. The Lobos are 10-1 at home this season with the lone loss coming to South Dakota State, 70-65, on Dec. 22. Since then Steve Alford's defending Mountain West champs have won three in a row at The Pit, including impressive wins over league heavyweights UNLV (65-60) and Colorado State (66-61). Nevada, picked fifth in the Mountain West preseason poll, have dropped five of their last seven games, including a 66-54 loss at UNLV on Tuesday. The Wolf Pack are just 2-6 on the road but did score an impressive non-conference win at Washington, 76-73, on Dec. 8 and trailed by just seven points with four minutes to go at UNLV. Nevada is competing in the Mountain West for the first time this season after spending 12 years in the WAC where the Wolf Pack finished 13-1 last season while winning their sixth league title.
Michigan Wolverines at Indiana Hoosiers (-4.5, 138)
After weeks of hype, it’s finally here. Sure, the Super Bowl is nice, but college basketball's marquee matchup of Michigan and Indiana should be one of the games of the year. The 2nd-ranked Wolverines feature the nation’s top offense and a player of the year candidate in point guard Trey Burke, who averages 17 points and seven assists. No. 3 Indiana, which held the top ranking for the first six weeks of the season, might be one of the few teams capable of keeping pace with the Wolverines. Sophomore big man Cody Zeller was shaky early, but he leads the Hoosiers in scoring and rebounding and is coming off a strong performance against Purdue. Michigan has struggled to win in Bloomington, having lost 14 of the last 15 meetings at Indiana.
Arizona Wildcats at Washington State Cougars (+7.5, 125)
Arizona will try to stay in the Pac-12 race when the No. 8 Wildcats travel to Washington State on Saturday night. Arizona moved within a game of first-place Oregon with its narrow win Thursday night at Washington, a day after the Ducks were blown out at Stanford for their first conference loss. Washington State hasn’t put up much resistance lately, losing six of eight in conference play. Brock Motum could be a tough guard for Arizona. The 6-10 senior center is averaging a team-leading 18.5 points and 6.8 rebounds, and the Wildcats rely on a trio of freshman big men, Brandon Ashley, Grant Jerrett and Kaleb Tarczewski, who are still finding their way. The good news for the Wildcats is Motum isn’t shooting the nearly ball as well as earlier in the season. He shot 50 percent from the field or better in nine of the first 11 games, but has reached that mark once in the last 10.
Gonzaga Bulldogs at San Diego Toreros (+14, 132)
No. 7 Gonzaga looks to wrap up a perfect first half of the West Coast Conference campaign when it visits San Diego on Saturday. The Bulldogs have won three straight games including a blowout at Loyola-Marymount last time out. Gonzaga, which has won the last eight meetings against San Diego, is already making a strong case for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Zags are ninth in the nation in scoring averaging nearly 80 points a game. After an impressive five-game winning streak, San Diego enters Saturday's game having lost three straight. The Toreros are 8-3 at home on the season but saw their 6-game winning streak on their homecourt snapped last Saturday by Santa Clara (64-50). Gonzaga will pose a difficult challenge. The Bulldogs are the highest ranked team to play at San Diego but the Toreros have beaten them twice while they were ranked, the last time coming in 2008.
Michigan at Indiana
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com
I constantly talk about how AP rankings during college basketball’s regular season are 1,000-percent meaningless, but there is always an exception or two to every rule, right?
Case in point: Never in the historic annals of Assembly Hall in Bloomington have two of the nation’s top three teams squared off. Until Saturday night at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN, that is.
BetOnline.com opened Indiana (19-2 straight up, 10-9 against the spread) as a four-point home favorite. Within a half-hour, the number was moved to 4.5. As of early Friday night, the total was 143.
Tom Crean’s team has won four consecutive games but is mired in an abysmal 2-7 ATS slump. IU dealt out woodshed treatment in the form of a 97-60 win Wednesday night at Purdue. The Hoosiers easily took the cash as 7½-point road favorites. The 157 combined points sailed ‘over’ the 135½-point total.
All five Indiana starters scored in double figures against the Boilermakers with Cody Zeller leading the way with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Christian Watford and Victor Oladipo added 17 points apiece.
Zeller leads the Hoosiers in scoring (16.1 points per game), rebounding (8.2 RPG) and blocked shots with 28 for the year. Oladipo is averaging 14.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while burying 53 percent of his attempts from 3-point land.
Watford (12.9 PPG) and Jordan Hulls (11.1 PPG) can also stroke it from beyond the arc, shooting 3’s at 47.9 and 48.1 clips, respectively. Hulls has unlimited range along with several of the country’s top perimeter shooters like Marshall Henderson (Ole Miss), Travis Bader (Oakland), Rotnei Clarke (Butler), Brady Haslip (Baylor), Scott Wood (North Carolina St.) and Kevin Pangos (Gonzaga).
IU has won 13 of its 14 home games while compiling a 7-5 spread record. The Hoosiers failed to cover the number in a pair of single-digit home ‘chalk’ spots this season against Michigan St. and Minnesota.
Michigan (20-1 SU, 12-6-1 ATS) has been an underdog twice this year, going 1-1 both SU and ATS. The Wolverines lost 56-53 at Ohio St. as two-point ‘dogs and won 83-75 at Minnesota as 2½-point puppies.
Since the loss in Columbus, John Beilein’s team has won four in a row while going 3-1 ATS. Michigan is coming off Wednesday’s 68-46 win over Northwestern as a 15-point home favorite. Trey Burke was the catalyst for the Wolverines, producing 18 points and eight assists compared to only one turnover.
Michigan is led by Burke, the sophomore point guard, and junior slasher Tim Hardaway Jr. Burke is averaging a team-high 17.9 PPG and has a stellar 150/39 assists-to-turnovers ratio. Hardaway (15.5 PPG) has a beautiful mid-range jumper, can also shoot it from deep (41.1%) and can put it on the floor and get to the rim.
Michigan doesn’t have many flaws. In addition to Burke and Hardaway, Nik Stauskas (12.7 PPG) and Glenn Robinson III (12.0 PPG) are outstanding freshmen who can score and have good size. Stauskas is knocking down 49.5 of his shots from 3-point range.
Junior center Jordan Morgan plays his role perfectly, setting vicious screens with his wide frame to get Stauskas and Hardaway open for perimeter looks. The Detroit product is also an excellent finisher and is one of the Big Ten’s premier post defenders.
The ‘over’ is 11-8-1 overall for Michigan, but the ‘under’ is on a 5-1 run in its last six games. The ‘over’ is 3-2 in the Wolverines’ five true road assignments.
IU has watched the ‘over’ go 9-8 overall, 6-4 in its home games with a total.
The ‘over’ is 6-2 in the last eight head-to-head meetings between Michigan and IU.
These Big Ten adversaries split a pair of regular-season encounters last year with both teams holding serve at home. However, we should note that Michigan took the cash both times, including a 73-71 loss as a 7 ½-point road underdog.
ESPN will provide television coverage at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets
Michigan has won four of its five road games, posting a 3-2 spread record.
Gamblers will need to get their action in early for a Big East clash between Seton Hall and Cincinnati. That’s because this game will come off the board at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. The Bearcats are five-point road favorites. ESPNU will have the telecast.
Duke is a 6½-point road favorite at Florida St. The Seminoles have beaten the Blue Devils both SU and ATS in three of the last four head-to-head meetings. ESPN will have television coverage at 2:00 p.m. Eastern.
Although Ole Miss has only tasted defeat once in SEC play, it is still a 16 ½-point underdog (as of early Friday night) for Saturday’s game at Florida. The Gators have been dealing out pimpslaps galore and have hooked up their backers in eight straight games.
I’m not sure I’ve seen worse shot selection than what we saw out of the Rebels’ Henderson against Kentucky the other night since Kobe was a rookie.
Pitt will host Syracuse as a three-point home ‘chalk’ on ESPN at noon Eastern. Jamie Dixon’s team has won eight of its last 10 games against the ‘Cuse, going 9-1 versus the number. The ‘over’ is 9-2 overall for the Panthers this season.
Alabama is a 2½-point road favorite at Vanderbilt even though it hasn’t tasted victory at Memorial Gymnasium since 1990 (hat tip to Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News for that factoid).
Outside of the Gators, the SEC is as bad as it has ever been in my lifetime. Unless Kentucky’s young guys really improve and come of age in the next five weeks, only Florida will be playing beyond the first weekend of March Madness. Yes, Missouri is better than decent when Laurence Bowers is healthy, but I’m just not seeing it from this squad right now (see loss at LSU a few nights ago).
Speaking of Mizzou, how about that complete no-show by Alex Oriakhi in Baton Rouge? Foul trouble was an issue but 1 point and three rebounds? That’s unacceptable from the UConn transfer.
Saturday's College Basketball Game of the Day: Syracuse vs. Pittsburgh
Atssportsline.com
Syracuse (18-2 SU, 10-6 ATS) is coming off a 75-71 loss at Villanova last Saturday in overtime, giving 7. The Orange have a week to prepare for Pittsburgh (17-5 SU, 7-8 ATS), who is coming off a 64-61 road loss at Louisville, but covered the 6. Syracuse travels to the Peterson Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pa. to take on the Panthers at 12pmET.
Matchup: Last game: (1/16/12). SYRACUSE (-13) over Pittsburgh, 71-63. Pittsburgh has won five of the last six in this series.
Latest Odds: Pittsburgh is a 3-point favorite.
Key Betting Trends:
Syracuse is:
Road team is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
1-4 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. Big East.
Pittsburgh is:
7-2 ATS in their last 9 games following a S.U. loss.
2-6 ATS in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
1-6 ATS in their last 7 Saturday games.
4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings at home in series.
14-3 ATS last 17 in series.
Key Injuries:
Syracuse:
F James Southerland (eligibility) is out indefinitely.
F Dajuan Coleman (knee) is out a month.
Pittsburgh:
None.
Preview:
Brandon Triche never flinched when asked how No. 6 Syracuse would cope with its depleted lineup.
After all, that's the Orange way. No complaints here.
With senior forward James Southerland still benched because of an eligibility matter -- he's missed four games -- and freshman forward Dajuan Coleman on crutches after knee surgery this week that will keep him out at least one month, Syracuse (6-1 Big East) is down to seven scholarship players as it gets ready to play at Pittsburgh (5-4 BE) Saturday.
Coach Jim Boeheim, Syracuse's most famous walk-on, has forewarned everybody to be prepared. Not that they wouldn't be anyway.
Reserves Matt Lyde-Cajuste and Griffin Hoffmann, both seniors, and juniors Nolan Hart and Russ DeRemer have played in nine games each, logging a total of 45 minutes between them. Together, they have combined for five whole points, and their action has come in the waning moments of games that had already been decided. None played in the 75-71 overtime loss at Villanova last Saturday.
Lyde-Cajuste walked on to the team as a freshman and was awarded a scholarship this year. At 6-foot-4 and a muscular 210 pounds, he's practiced against the Orange centers and this year has dueled with the forwards, a position he'll likely man if needed.
If nothing else, the team is well rested, not having played since Saturday's loss in Philadelphia.
But opposing coaches have been doing all they can to make that happen. Triche has been in trouble three times this season, fouling out against Detroit and reaching four fouls at Arkansas and vs. Villanova at home. Southerland saved the day in two of those wins, scoring a career-high 35 against the Razorbacks and contributing 22 to hold Detroit at bay for Boeheim's 900th victory. Southerland did not play against the Wildcats in the Carrier Dome Jan. 12, his eligibility issue surfacing just before the opening tipoff.
Starting forward Rakeem Christmas, tops on the team with 40 blocks, has also heard his share of whistles. He's been called for four fouls in four of the past six games and has 43 on the season. Backup center Baye Moussa Keita (47) and starting point guard Michael Carter-Williams (45) lead the way.
Although Boeheim has nine players averaging 13 or more minutes this season (eight without Southerland), he's been a master juggler when it comes to his lineup.
For his part, Southerland is still practicing with the team and still flashing that infectious smile, hopeful of a resolution to his problem sooner than later.
In the meantime, Lyde-Cajuste is preparing for some more time in the limelight. His biggest foe will most likely be his nerves.
Pitt should be excited to get another crack at a ranked opponent after blowing a chance to beat one Monday. The Panthers went 3 for 12 at the free-throw line in a 64-61 loss at No. 12 Louisville.
That snapped a four-game winning streak and was their ninth loss in the last 11 meetings with Top 25 foes. However, Pitt is 12-1 against top 10 teams at the Petersen Events Center since it opened a decade ago.
Talib Zanna averages a team-leading 11.2 points but was held to four Monday, failing to reach double figures for the sixth straight game. The junior forward has shot 27.9 percent from the field in that span.
Pitt had won five straight and eight of nine in this series -- including five victories with Syracuse ranked among the top 10 -- before a 71-63 road loss to a top-ranked Orange squad last season.
Saturday's NCAABK Action
By CarbonSports
#14 Miami vs. # 19 NC State
These two ranked ACC foes meet for the only time this year as the higher ranked Hurricanes hope to go on the road and spoil the party. Miami is 15-3 SU on the year and have won eight straight leading up to this game. They are 6-2 ATS in those eight wins, but both ATS losses came as road favorites, including earlier this week @ Virginia Tech. The Hurricanes are 8-0 ATS in their last eight Saturday games, but they haven’t won SU in NC State in their last four tries and are 4-6 SU in the last 10 overall with N.C. State.
On the other side, N.C. State has lost two of their last three and three of their last five. All three of those losses came away from home though as they are a perfect 12-0 on their own court. But they will likely be without start PG Lorenzo Brown which is a huge loss as they generally only go 6 or 7 deep to begin with. The home crowd will definitely be on their side but even that may not be enough to help the Wolfpack in this one; especially if they are laying a point or two.
#1 Michigan vs. #3 Indiana
This is the biggest game on the college card this weekend as the top two teams in the Big 10 meet in the Hoosier state. Michigan and Indiana have yet to meet this year and with their eventual rematch coming in the regular season finale (in Michigan), this game means quite a bit for both going forward.
This is also the start of a daunting stretch for Michigan as they have to play @ Indiana, vs. Ohio State, @ Wisconsin and @ Michigan State in their next four. Three out of four on the road will be a great test for this one-loss team but they will likely need every one of their 78 points per game average to knock off Indiana here.
The Hoosiers average 84 points per contest themselves and are coming off a 97-60 romping in Purdue. That was the first ATS win for Indiana in six tries and with home-court advantage here they will likely be favored by a few points. The home team has won outright in the last six between these two teams and eight of the past ten. Seeing a #1 lose has become more of a routine on Saturday’s in college basketball this year and Michigan is likely to be the next victim here.
College Basketball Point Spreads and Picks
By: Larry Hartstein
Sportingnews.com
Michigan vs. Indiana deserves its moniker as the “Game of the Year.” They’re the best teams in the best conference and enter ranked Nos. 1 and No. 3, respectively. Both teams play beautiful offensive basketball: Michigan leads the nation in offensive efficiency, Indiana is second.
But that primetime showdown shouldn’t overshadow the season’s best Saturday so far, with 21 ranked teams in action and compelling matchups in every big-time conference.
No. 14 Miami (16-3 SU, 12-4 ATS) at No. 19 N.C. State (16-5 SU, 11-8 ATS), 4 p.m. ET, CBS
Line: Miami -1 Total: 134
The Hurricanes failed to reward their backers Wednesday in Blacksburg, Va., missing the cover by half a point in a 73-64 win. They’re still on an 8-0 SU and 6-2 ATS run. The Wolfpack likely will be without point guard Lorenzo Brown, who averaged 14.7 points and 8.7 assists in the first seven ACC games before spraining his ankle Tuesday.
"The probability, in my mind, for him to be recovered enough to cut and move and sprint and jump is pretty slim," coach Mark Gottfried told reporters. "We have to prepare as if he’s not going to play and then we’ll go from there."
Freshman Rodney Purvis will move over from shooting guard and Tyler Lewis will get more minutes. N.C. State has lost its last three road games by a total of six points, but the Wolfpack are 12-0 at home, including wins over Duke and Stanford.
Trends:
Miami is 8-3-1 ATS in its last 12 ACC games.
Miami is 12-4 ATS in its last 16 games against winning teams.
N.C. State is 10-3-1 ATS in its last 14 ACC games.
N.C. State is 5-1 ATS in its last six games against teams with .600-plus winning percentages.
Under is 6-1 in Miami’s last seven road games.
Over is 10-3 in N.C. State’s last 13 home games.
Over is 8-3 in the last 11 meetings.
Underdog is 5-0-1 ATS in the last six meetings.
No. 16 Ole Miss (17-3 SU, 9-6 ATS) at No. 4 Florida (17-2 SU, 12-4 ATS), 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Line: Florida -17 Total: 136
Flamboyant junior Marshall Henderson, the SEC’s leading scorer at 19.3 points, is in for a difficult night against a Gators team allowing 50.4 points, second-fewest nationally. Look for junior point guard Scottie Wilbekin, who held Elston Turner to four points two weeks ago, to frustrate Henderson and prevent him from taunting Florida’s student section. The Gators as a whole will be ready for Henderson and the screens Ole Miss use to free him.
“Our guys understand through scouting, preparation, those things, there is an advantage that can be gained,” coach Billy Donovan told The Gainesville Sun. “If you're focused in, if you're locked in, if you pay attention and you understand things that are going to happen on the floor and you can almost read when they're going to happen and kind of sniff them out and be ahead of the play a little bit. I think our guys have done a pretty good job of that.”
The Gators just humiliated South Carolina and have won their seven SEC games by an average of 28 points. The Rebels limp in off a costly loss to Kentucky in which they lost two of their top eight scorers: big man Aaron Jones (torn ACL) and senior guard Nick Williams (foot). That will only put a bigger burden on Henderson.
Trends:
Ole Miss is 7-0 ATS in its last seven games following a double-digit home loss.
Ole Miss is 9-4 ATS in its last 13 SEC games.
Florida is 8-0 ATS in its last eight SEC games.
Florida is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 home games.
Over is 12-4-1 in Ole Miss’ last 17 road games.
Over is 22-10 in Florida’s last 32 home games.
Underdog is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings.
No. 1 Michigan (20-1 SU, 12-6-1 ATS) at No. 3 Indiana (19-2 SU, 10-9 ATS), 9 p.m. ET, ESPN
Line: Indiana -4.5 Total: 143
With tickets going for as much as $1,000, this is the one regular-season game you don’t want to miss. The No. 1 vs. No. 3 matchup is the highest-ranked game in Assembly Hall history. Twenty years ago, top-ranked Indiana beat fourth-ranked Michigan 93-92 at Assembly Hall.
This game has that kind of offensive potential. Michigan averages 1.25 points per adjusted offensive possession, just ahead of Indiana’s 1.23.
Michigan forward Jordan Morgan (ankle) has not been ruled out and would help the Wolverines defend Cody Zeller (16.1 ppg, 8.2 rpg). Jon Horford started for Morgan against Northwestern and had 10 points and seven rebounds.
Want an X-factor? Look at Indiana senior Christian Watford. He has a knack for big moments, shoots 48 percent from beyond the arc, and erupted for 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting in last season's home win over Michigan.
Trends:
Michigan is 19-7-1 ATS in its last 27 road games.
Michigan is 4-1 ATS in its last five road games vs. teams with .600-plus home winning percentages.
Indiana is 1-5 ATS in its last six games.
Indiana is 0-5 ATS in its last five home games.
Under is 5-1 in Michigan’s last six games.
Under is 6-1 in Indiana’s last seven games after scoring 90-plus points in their previous game.
Over is 5-0 in the last five meetings at Indiana.
Indiana is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 home meetings.
Saturday's Linemaker Leans:
Syracuse at Pittsburgh (-2.5), Noon, ESPN: Syracuse is coming off a 75-71 loss at Villanova. The Orange have had some issues lately losing James Southerland and having DaJuan Coleman banged up. The Peterson Events Center is one of the toughest home floors in the country, although Pitt did lose here to Marquette and Cincy this year. The Panthers go 10 deep and are led by point guard Tray Woodall. We are expecting a huge effort from Pitt in this spot vs. a somewhat shorthanded Syracuse team.
Temple at St. Joseph's (-3), 6 p.m., CBS Sports Network: This crosstown rivalry is always a battle. The Owls have wins over Syracuse and Saint Louis. That win looks a lot better after the way Saint Louis handled Butler on Thursday. Khalif Wyatt is solid and Jake O'Brien can really shoot the three. St Joe's has been a disappointment coming in at 12-7. Its marquee win is over Notre Dame back in November. The Hawks are still very talented though. Rivalry games can be wake-up calls and we are looking for Carl Jones and the Hawks to step up in this one.
Kansas State at Oklahoma (-3), 6 p.m., ESPN2: Kansas State is led by Rodney McGruder who is the only guy in double figures but it is still a deep team. The Wildcats did win the first meeting 69-60 at home earlier in the year but are just 1-4-1 ATS on the road. Oklahoma has been impressive. The Sooners are coming off a 74-71 win at Baylor and they are playing well behind Romero Osby (14.2 ppg). The Sooners are a good shooting team and they are 7-1 ATS at home. We like Oklahoma in a revenge spot.