Saturday's Top 25 NCAAB Cheat Sheet: Early Games
By Covers.com
Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Memphis Tigers
The Bearcats have bounced back nicely from losses to New Mexico and Xavier to win five straight, including a 65-57 triumph over Southern Methodist in their American Athletic Conference opener. They find themselves on the fringe of the Top 25, and beating Memphis would prove they are for real. For that to happen, they'll need a better performance from leading scorer Sean Kilpatrick, who shot 5-for-25 in consecutive victories over Nebraska and SMU. They'll also need a solid defensive effort against a Memphis team averaging 82.8 points and 16.9 assists.
Tigers head coach Josh Pastner was pleased with his team's 8-for-20 performance from beyond the arc in the win over South Florida. "We made 3s," he told reporters after the game. "That was a big thing. When you make 3s, coach looks good. Making 3-point shots are important." Memphis is led by guard Joe Jackson, who averages 15.2 points and has hit double figures in 10 straight games.
Nebraska Cornhuskers at Ohio State Buckeyes
The Cornhuskers outrebounded Iowa and limited the Hawkeyes to a season-low 67 points before dropping a 10-point decision. Texas Tech transfer Terran Petteway recorded his first double-double and has scored at least 20 points six times to lead the team in scoring at 17.5 per contest.
Ohio State continues to roll along, winning 13 of its first 14 games by at least nine points, as it prepares to play Nebraska in its Big Ten home opener Saturday. LaQuinton Ross looks to extend his streak of double-double efforts to four after the third-ranked Buckeyes showed their experience to beat back a challenge at Purdue on Wednesday in a 78-69 victory.
TRENDS:
* Favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Cornhuskers are 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games.
* Buckeyes are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
* Under is 5-1-1 in Buckeyes last seven home games.
Iowa State Cyclones at Texas Tech Red Raiders
The Cyclones have reeled off 12 consecutive wins to start the season and are coming off a 99-63 victory over Northern Illinois just hours after learning about the death of former coach Johnny Orr. The Cyclones are ranked in the top 10 nationally in scoring and assists and hope to record a win in their Big 12 opener without peeking ahead to the showdown with No. 11 Baylor on Jan. 7.
Texas Tech has lost three out of its last five games and is still looking for consistency under first-year coach Tubby Smith. The Red Raiders haven't won more than two games in a row this season and will have their hands full against an Iowa State team firing on all cylinders.
TRENDS:
* Cyclones are 2-7 ATS in the last nine meetings in Texas Tech.
* Red Raiders are 7-0 ATS in their last seven home games.
* Under is 4-0 in Cyclones last four road games.
* Over is 6-1-1 in Red Raiders last eight home games.
Michigan State Spartans at Indiana Hoosiers
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo lashed into his team at halftime of the 79-63 victory over Penn State, a contest in which the Spartans outscored the Nittany Lions 39-16 in the second half. Guard Gary Harris leads a balanced scoring team with a 17.8 average while floor leader Keith Appling is averaging 15.8 points and a team-leading 4.8 assists.
The Hoosiers are 5-4 after winning their first five games. They received a career-best 30 points from guard Yogi Farrell against Illinois before succumbing 83-80. Ferrell has emerged as a big-time scorer as a sophomore and has five games of 20 or more points after the career-high tally against the Fighting Illini - when he made five 3-pointers for the second time this season.
TRENDS:
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Spartans are 3-9 ATS in the last 12 meetings in Indiana.
* Spartans are 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.
* Over is 4-1 in Hoosiers last five vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
Miami Hurricanes at Syracuse Orange
The Hurricanes have shot 52.3 percent from the field and made 18-of-45 from behind the 3-point line combined the last three games after consecutive disappointing losses to Nebraska and Virginia Tech. Swingman Rion Brown is the go-to player for Miami, averaging 13.8 points and 6.5 rebounds, and Garrius Adams is the only other player scoring in double figures (10.7).
After an impressive first 13 games, Syracuse begins its maiden voyage in the ACC when Miami (Fla.) visits Saturday. The second-ranked Orange boast wins over California, Villanova, Baylor and Indiana as they join one of the toughest conferences in the country with a well-balanced offense led by senior forward C.J. Fair.
TRENDS:
* Road team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
* Hurricanes are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Orange are 5-0 ATS in their last five home games.
* Under is 6-1 in Hurricanes last seven overall.
Washington Huskies at Arizona Wildcats
Washington, which opened Pac-12 Conference play with a surprisingly lopsided 76-65 victory at Arizona State, tries to complete a sweep of the Arizona schools when it takes on top-ranked Arizona on Saturday afternoon. The Huskies are 1-1 when facing a No. 1 ranked team under 12th-year head coach Lorenzo Romar.
Nick Johnson leads the Wildcats in scoring (15.4) and is an explosive leaper and dunker. Freshman forward Aaron Gordon, considered a future NBA lottery pick, is third in scoring (12.0) but leads the team in rebounding (7.8) and also has 15 blocks. Point guard T.J. McConnell, a transfer from Duquesne, has 86 assists to just 27 turnovers.
TRENDS:
* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Huskies are 2-6 ATS in the last eight meetings in Arizona.
* Wildcats are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 home games.
* Under is 8-1 in Wildcats last nine overall.
Connecticut Huskies at Southern Methodist Mustangs
After appearing to break out of a long slump with 12 points against Eastern Washington on Dec. 28, Omar Calhoun was held scoreless for the second time in his career while playing a career-low seven minutes versus Houston. The sophomore guard was benched following the Huskies’ loss to Stanford on Dec. 18 after shooting 25.5 percent from the floor over his previous seven starts. Connecticut has converted 65-of-74 free throws over its last three games and ranks tied for 10th in the country in free-throw percentage (76.4).
The Mustangs have shown a knack for winning the battle inside, finishing with the rebounding edge in all but one contest while outscoring the opposition in the paint 460-246. While SMU’s reliance on getting inside scoring has led to some good looks beyond the arc (41.3 percent, 17th-best in the country), the team ranks 339th in the country in 3-point attempts (155). The Mustangs have held 11 of their foes under 40 percent shooting and rank third overall in the country in field-goal percentage defense (35.7).
TRENDS:
* Huskies are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games overall.
* Mustangs are 2-5 ATS in their last seven home games.
* Under is 7-2 in Huskies last nine overall.
* Over is 4-1 in Mustangs last five Saturday games.
Saturday's Top 25 NCAAB Cheat Sheet: Late Games
By Covers.com
Richmond Spiders at Florida Gators
The Spiders, who blew an 11-point lead with six minutes left in the loss at Wake Forest, lost a double-digit lead late before beating Northeastern 70-66 on Tuesday. Cedrick Lindsay has paced the offense since returning from a knee sprain, averaging 20 points in his first three games back. The Spiders shot a season-best 55.1 percent against Northeastern and hit 9-of-16 from 3-point range.
The Gators likely will face a stronger challenge from Richmond than Savannah State offered up Sunday, a game in which Florida led 34-11 at halftime en route to a 76-34 rout. Casey Prather leads the SEC in field goal percentage at 62.4, and paces the Gators in scoring at 17.8 points. Florida is third in the conference in 3-point shooting at 37.5 percent.
TRENDS:
* Under is 6-0 in Gators last six Saturday games.
* Spiders are 4-1 ATS in their last five road games.
* Under is 3-0-1 in Spiders last four vs. Southeastern.
* Under is 4-1 in Gators last five home games.
Duke Blue Devils at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Blue Devils ended December with five straight wins - all by double digits - including a 38-point rout of Elon on New Year's Eve. While freshman sensation Jabari Parker (21.4 points) gets most of the attention for Duke, several of his teammates have had notable performances of late. Senior guard Andre Dawkins made five 3-pointers against Elon and is now 11-of-17 from behind the arc over his last two games, and sophomore forward Amile Jefferson notched a career-high 14 rebounds against Eastern Michigan on Dec. 28.
The Fighting Irish, meanwhile, blew an eight-point lead in the final minute of a crushing loss to Ohio State on Dec. 21 before sneaking past Canisius in overtime eight days later. Even worse, Notre Dame's leading scorer, senior guard Jerian Grant, withdrew from school due to academics and redshirting forward Cam Biedscheid announced that he was transferring from the program.
TRENDS:
* Blue Devils are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Fighting Irish are 0-4 ATS in their last four home games.
* Blue Devils are 4-1 ATS in their last five games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
* Fighting Irish are 0-4 ATS in their last four vs. Atlantic Coast.
Oklahoma State Cowboys at Kansas State Wildcats
Oklahoma State has faced a series of difficult developments this week but will try to continue its impressive play when the sixth-ranked Cowboys travel to Kansas State to open Big 12 play Saturday. The Cowboys are in the midst of a five-game winning streak, but they've had a rough week nonetheless. Starting center Michael Cobbins (4.5 points, 4.3 rebounds) was lost for the season to a torn Achilles on Tuesday and backup point guard Stevie Clark (7 points, 3.7 assists) reportedly was arrested for possession of marijuana Wednesday morning and the freshman could be facing his second suspension of the season.
The Wildcats stumbled out of the gate but have won eight straight including a victory over then-No. 15 Gonzaga and a 72-55 rout of a solid George Washington team on Tuesday. "We had given the guys a goal when we left Puerto Rico to go unbeaten in December," Kansas State coach Bruce Weber told the school's website. "It was our opportunity to play ourselves back in the conversation for postseason play, so it was great to get it done."
TRENDS:
* Favorite is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Home team is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Cowboys are 0-4 ATS in their last four road games.
* Wildcats are 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.
Long Beach State 49ers at Missouri Tigers
The Tigers return home after a pair of close contests - a 65-64 loss to Illinois in St. Louis and a 68-64 win at North Carolina State last Saturday - and look to continue their dominance at Mizzou Arena. Tulsa transfer Jordan Clarkson (20 points, 4.3 assists) continues to carry the Tigers and picked up his third SEC Player of the Week honor this season after putting up 20 points at N.C. State.
Long Beach State is wrapping up a brutal non-conference schedule that included losses to Arizona, Kansas State, Michigan, Virginia Commonwealth, Washington, Creighton and N.C. State. The 49ers have one win against a major-conference opponent - a 72-71 home victory over Southern California to start their three-game winning streak.
TRENDS:
* 49ers are 4-0 ATS in their last four road games.
* Tigers are 2-5-1 ATS in their last eight Saturday games.
* 49ers are 0-6 ATS in their last six games following a ATS win.
* Tigers are 5-2 ATS in their last seven non-conference games.
Louisville Cardinals at Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Louisville will try to avoid looking ahead when it continues its early American Athletic Association slate at Rutgers on Saturday. The 10th-ranked Cardinals, who throttled Central Florida 90-65 in their AAC opener New Year's Eve, have a home matchup with No. 18 Memphis - one of the few teams given a chance to contend with Louisville in the league - on the horizon.
While they can hang on the offensive end with most teams due to the play of Kadeem Jack and fellow standout Myles Mack, the Scarlet Knights have given up points in bunches at times, much of it when teams exploit them on the perimeter. Rutgers has allowed opponents to hit 116 3-pointers at a 38.2 percent clip, easily the highest numbers in those categories among AAC teams and a troubling trend against a Louisville squad that ranks among the nation's leaders in 3-point tries.
TRENDS:
* Cardinals are 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings in Rutgers.
* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Rutgers.
* Cardinals are 1-5 ATS in their last six games following a ATS win.
* Scarlet Knights are 0-4 ATS in their last four home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Miami (OH) Red Hawks at Massachusetts Minutemen
The Red Hawks received some bad news prior to their most recent game against Southern Illinois when second-leading scorer Reggie Johnson decided to transfer. Johnson, a sophomore, was averaging 11.8 points and 2.1 assists while playing 28.1 minutes per game. The loss leaves coach John Cooper with nine players, including leading-scorer Will Moore (14 per game) and Will Felder, who averages 13.2 points and a team-high 7.3 rebounds.
The fickle Western Massachusetts fans appear to be firmly behind No.22 Massachusetts, but the task now will be to keep them there, beginning with Saturday's game. Coming off their first sellout crowd at home in seven years, the Minutemen seem to have momentum on their side heading into one of their final non-conference games and the Atlantic 10 Conference schedule that follows.
TRENDS:
* Minutemen are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 non-conference games.
* Red Hawks are 1-4-1 ATS in their last six games following a S.U. win.
* Under is 7-1 in Red Hawks last eight road games.
* Over is 5-2 in Red Hawks last seven vs. Atlantic 10.
Pacific Tigers at Gonzaga Bulldogs
The Tigers boast six players averaging at least 7.8 points and nine at 11 minutes or more. Senior guard Sama Taku leads the way with 12.4 points per game and is second to senior forward Tony Gill (10.4 points, 5.8 rebounds) on the boards at 4.5. The Tigers, ranked 10th in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 but selected to finish seventh in the WCC preseason poll, lost to Saint Mary's 88-80 at home Dec. 30 in its first WCC game.
Gonzaga again proved it was capable of hanging with the boys by going 3-1 against major-conference teams during its non-conference season and its No. 21 ranking in the USA Today Coaches' Poll validates that belief. The Bulldogs have plenty of offensive weapons (23rd in the nation at 82.7 points per game) and are led by Pangos (17.5 points), but it was the defense that pleased coach Mark Few Thursday. “We took a really good basketball team and guarded them great,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few told reporters. “It was probably our best all-around effort of the whole year.”
TRENDS:
* Tigers are 0-4 ATS in their last four vs. West Coast.
* Bulldogs are 0-6 ATS in their last six Saturday games.
* Bulldogs are 6-2-1 ATS in their last nine vs. West Coast.
* Under is 13-5 in Tigers last 18 Saturday games.
Saturday's Tip Sheet
By David Schwab
VegasInsider.com
The first Saturday of the New Year is jam packed with a number of great matchups in men’s college basketball as 14 of the top 25 teams in the nation will be in action that day. Most of these teams will be facing a conference foe which makes things even better if you love to wager on the games. We have honed-in on three afternoon showdowns in particular for this Saturday’s betting tip sheet involving a ranked team from the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC that is each facing an early test on the road.
No. 5 Michigan State Spartans at Indiana Hoosiers
The Spartans lone straight up loss of the season against 12 previous victories was a 79-65 setback to North Carolina on Dec. 4 as 10-point home favorites. They have covered in their last four games to improve to 6-4-2 against the spread on the year. The total has been evenly split 6-6, but it has stayed UNDER in five of their last six outings.
Michigan State has four players scoring in double figures with both Gary Harris and Adreian Payne averaging 17 points a game. It is averaging 83.3 PPG as a team while shooting an effective 48.7 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from three point range. The Spartans are ranked 15th in the nation in rebounds with 41.5 a game.
Indiana is coming off an 83-80 loss to Illinois this past Tuesday in its Big Ten opener to fall to 10-4 SU on the year. The game ended as a PUSH with the Hoosiers closing as three-point road underdogs. They are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games and 6-6-1 ATS on the year. The total has gone OVER in four of their last six games.
To avoid a 0-2 start in conference play, Indiana will need a big day from Yogi Ferrell and Noah Vonieh. Ferrell leads the team in points (17.7) and assists (4.1) and he is the team’s biggest scoring threat from outside with a 44.4 shooting percentage from beyond the arc. Vonieh is chipping in another 12.3 points while pulling down 9.5 rebounds a game as part of a team average of 45.4 rebounds, which is the fourth best total in the country.
The Spartans opened as slight 1 ½-point road favorites for this Big Ten clash.
The home team in this series is 16-5 ATS in the last 21 meetings and the underdog has covered in four of the last five games. The total has gone OVER in four of those five games.
No. 6 Oklahoma State Cowboys at Kansas State Wildcats
Oklahoma State comes into its Big 12 opener with a 12-1 SU mark in non-conference play. It is 5-4 ATS after covering in three of its last four games and the total has gone OVER in its last two games after staying UNDER in the previous four outings.
The Cowboys have been one of the highest-scoring teams in the nation so far with an average of 86.8 points while shooting an impressive 50.3 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three-point range. Marcus Smart leads a foursome of players scoring in double figures with an average of 17.2 points followed by Markel Brown’s 16.5 points a game.
Kansas State lost three of its first five games SU but it has been perfect ever since with a 10-3 SU mark heading into conference play. The Wildcats have covered in six of their last seven games to run their record ATS to 6-4-1. They have been a profitable team to wager on when it comes to the total line. It has stayed UNDER in nine of 10 games with a posted line.
The Wildcats will be at a major disadvantage when it comes to scoring with just 67.4 PPG, so it will be up to a defensive effort that is holding opposing teams to 57.8 PPG to keep the Cowboys in check. Marcus Foster is the team’s leading scorer with 13.8 points and Shane Southwell is adding 11.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists a game.
Oklahoma State opened as a seven-point road favorite over the Wildcats for Saturday afternoon’s contest.
The Cowboys have failed to cover in four of the last five meetings overall and they are 0-4 ATS in their last four trips to Kansas State. The total has gone OVER in five of the last seven meetings between the two.
No. 7 Duke Blue Devils at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Duke rolled over Elon 86-48 this past Tuesday as a 16½-point favorite in its final tune-up heading into ACC play. It went 11-2 SU in non-conference play while posting an 8-5 record ATS. The Blue Devils have covered in four of their last five contests and the total has stayed UNDER six of their last seven games.
Freshman phenom Jabari Parker has lived up to all the hype with a team-high 21.4 PPG and 8.0 RPG. The Blue Devils are averaging 85.2 PPG while shooting a rock solid 50.2 percent from the field and 41.1 percent from beyond the arc. One area of weakness has been under the boards with just 35.3 rebounds a game.
The Fighting Irish will make their ACC debut with an overall SU record of 9-4 after dropping two of their last four games with losses to North Dakota State and No. 3 Ohio State. They are 4-6-1 ATS after failing to cover in four of their last six games and the total has stayed UNDER in four of those outings.
Notre Dame should have been able to keep pace on the scoreboard in this matchup with an average of 80.1 PPG but suddenly there is a huge void in its lineup. Jerian Grant had been a force with 19 points a game while shooting 51.8 percent from the floor and 40.8 percent from three-point range but he is no longer with the team due to an academic violation. Garrick Sherman and Pat Connaughton have been two other go-to players for the Irish with a combined for 27.7 PPG and 14.8 RPG, but Eric Atkins will also have to step up his game after averaging 13.2 PPG so far this year.
Duke will head on the road as a four-point favorite for their first ever conference clash against the Fighting Irish.
The last time these two teams met was in the first round of the 2002 NCAA Tournament with the Blue Devils coming out on top 84-77 as 16-point favorites.
College Basketball Information
January 4th is first true road game for Pitt, which is 3-1 in neutral court games, losing brutal 44-43 game to #32 Cincinnati. This is also the first ACC game for Panthers, who are #15 in defensive efficiency against the #306 schedule. NC State won eight of last nine games, losing last home game to #41 Missouri; they're 1-2 vs top 100 teams, also losing 68-57 at Cincinnati back in November.
Cincinnati-Memphis are league rivals again for first time since '09; last four meetings were won by Memphis, all by 10+ points. Tigers are 2-2 vs top 40 teams, splitting pair with Oklahoma State, losing at Florida, beating LSU- they force turnovers 23.8% of time. Bearcats are 4-2 vs top 100 teams, but lost by 9 at New Mexico in only true road game.
Georgetown won its last five games with St John's, all by 10+ points; Red Storm lost their last eight visits here, last three by 15-10-12 points. Red Storm is 9-4 with no good wins; best team they've beaten is #100 Ga Tech- this is also their first true road game. Hoyas are 2-2 vs top 100 teams, beating K-State/VCU- they're shooting 56.4% inside arc (#7).
UConn got upset 75-71 in AAC opener at Houston, giving up last seven points of game they led with 1:42 left; Huskies trailed by 21 late in first half, led by second TV timeout in second, but they made just 7-22 from arc in just their second true road game (1-1, won at Washington). SMU leads countrey, holding teams to 38.4% inside arc, but they're 0-3 vs teams in top 50, losing by 11-3-8 points.
Indiana won its last three games with Michigan State by 15-5-4 points, after losing previous six; Spartans lost last two visits here, won both true road games this year, by 14-16 at Texas/Penn State. Spartans are #9 in defensive efficiency- their only loss was to North Carolina. Indiana is 0-4 vs top 100 teams- best team they've beaten is #111 Stony Brook.
Xavier won its last six games, last four of which were all against top 100 tewams; Musketeers are 5-3 overall vs top 100 teams, with all three of its losses on trip to Atlantis Thanksgiving weekend. Butler lost its Big East opener by 3 at home to Villanova, they took 28 3's, 30 2's in that game, as Villanova shot 58% inside arc. Butler needs to get little bit more athletic to be a force in this tougher league.
Florida has its SEC opener Wednesday; they've won four in row, nine of last ten games, forcing turnovers 22.5% of time.. Gators are 3-2 vs teams in top 100, with none of wins by more than six points. Richmond is 3-1 in true road games, all vs weaker teams- they lost at Wake Forest in Ot; Spiders aren't shooting it well (29.8% on arc) but are forcing turnovers 22.9% of time, a higher rate than Florida.
Home teams won three of four Oregon State-Utah games since Utes got into Pac-12; teams split pair here, with Utes winning by 11 LY, losing by 18 year before. Beavers lost last three road games by 12-6-6 points; they were -10 in turnovers in Thursday's loss at Colorado, making 8-15 3's. Utah lost tough OT game to Oregon (led by 10 with 13:45 left).
San Francisco won five of last six games with Pepperdine, winning last four played here by 30-1-15-6 points, but Waves are off to 3-0 start in WCC this year, scorign 75 ppg with win at Santa Clara. Pepperdine has made 40% (#22) of its 3's, is 4-1 in true road games, with only loss at Washington State. USF is 6-3 at home, allowing 90+ in all three losses.
Notre Dame's first ACC game is at home vs Duke; Irish are 2-4 vs top 100 teams, beating Indiana on neutral floor, but losing to North Dakota State at home- they needed OT to beat Cansiuis last game, with leading Grant (grades) done for year. Duke's first true road games comes today; they're 3-2 on neutral courts, 2-2 vs top 100 teams, not a great team on interior defense- Vermont was 31-41 inside arc against them.
Kansas State won four of last five games with Oklahoma State, which is having bad week; big guy Cobbins tore his Achilles, backup point guard got busted for weed. Wildcats won last eight games after 2-3 start, with win over Gonzaga- they're holding teams to 26.3% on arc. Oklahoma St is 12-1, winning by 26 at South Forida in its only true away game, and that was before Thanksgiving.
Dayton is 11-3 but this is its first road game since loss at inexperienced Illinois State four weeks ago; Flyers have road win at Ga Tech, are 2-2 vs top 100 teams, beating Gonzaga/Cal (Solomon was hurt). Ole Miss is 9-3 but lost last three games vs top 100 teams; this is Henderson's last game for 11 days; he is suspended for Rebels' first two SEC contests.
Texas is 11-2 despite being 6th-least experienced team in country; they won seven of last eight games with Oklahoma, winning last eight in this gym, winning last two years by 8-6 points. Oklahoma won in Brooklyn vs Seton Hall, not a true road game but close- they haven't played a true road game and lost last game at home in OT to good Louisana Tech club.
Armadillosports.com
College Hoops Preview
By Joe Gavazzi
Nebraska at Ohio St.
Ohio St. held Nebraska to an average of 50 PPG in a trio of trouncings last year. Veteran Buckeye defense, allowing 56/38/25 forces 15+ TOs per game. HC Matta rarely shows mercy on this court as indicated by his record of 84-56 ATS home favorite, including 58-37 ATS as double digit chalk (6-4 ATS this year). Nebraska trailed Iowa by 20 before McCaffrey showed mercy. No such luck from Matta.
Iowa St. at Texas Tech
Each time TTRR has stepped up for 1st year HC Tubby Smith, they have gotten smacked down. Lose 12 at Alabama, 23 vs. Pitt, 21 at Arizona, and 14 at AZ State. Only quality cover was on this court vs. LSU when HC Jones typically frittered away a late game lead. NO such good fortune against the offense of Iowa St., who has dual performers on the interior in Niang and Ejim, a perimeter well-manned by Hogue and Pittsburgh product Kane (by way of Marshall). Five players who can knock down the triple lead to offensive numbers that are 87/48/37 with a 19/11 assist/TO ratio. With a defense allowing just 39/29 from the field, is it any wonder this team is still undefeated.
Connecticut at SMU
A very good SMU team at 10-3 SU quickly learned the difference between CUSA and the AAC when they got ground down in a 65-57 loss to Cincinnati whose Bearcats were in beast mode as usual. Now, the Ponies return home to face an angry UConn team who was virtually somnambulant in trailing Houston by 20 at the half of an eventual 75-71 Cougar victory. Ponies pay the price for the Huskies indiscretion on opening night of AAC play.
Pepperdine at San Francisco
Per usual, 6th year San Fran HC Walters was playing possum in the non-con season. Wins at Portland by 6 and Marymount by 14, sandwiched the usual 28 point loss at Gonzaga once WCC play began. That 2-1 SU ATS con start pushes Walter’s mark in league play to 52-31 ATS. Loyal followers noted our victory with Pepperdine in their 70-61 upset at Santa Clara Thursday night. This is clearly the best contingent for 3rd year HC Wilson. The Waves offense averages 73 PPG on 49% from the field and 37% from the arc. The 10-5 SU, 9-3 ATS beginning (3-0 SU ATS in league play) far belies the average of 10 wins per season for the Waves in the previous 3 years. Let’s continue to ride the surf one more time with a double revenge motive for 6 and 8 point losses last year.