College Knowledge
-- Rutgers coach Rice was suspended by school for bullying players in practice; he comes back Jan 2. Scarlet Knights won six of their last seven games, but this is odd situation. UAB lost four of last six games; they're 1-3 on road, with only win at #303 Troy; Blazers turn ball over 22.6% of time, are 0-4 vs top 100 teams, with all four losses by 12+ points.
-- Villanova beat Delaware last three years by 10-19-34 points; Wildcats are just 6-4, but beat city rivals Penn-St Joe's in last two games- they're 2-2 at home, losing to Columbia/Temple. Hens won at Virginia Nov 13, but lost six of seven games since; they're 1-4 on road, with three losses by 7 or less points. Delaware is overscheduled (#12 schedule so far).
-- DePaul beat Northern Illinois last two years by 2-23 points; Demons upset Arizona State in Tempe Wednesday, their fifth win in a row. NIU is horrible, with only win in seven games vs D-I opponents over #310 SIU-Edwardsville- they turn ball over 24.8% of time, make just 27.1% behind arc. DePaul won by 32-31-10-34 vs teams not in top 200.
-- Central Michigan is 0-3 on road, losing by 12 at Iowa, 16 at Utah, 12 at Charlotte; Chippewas beat Pepperdine 67-57 at home LY. Waves are 6-1 in last seven games, but only one of six wins was vs a team ranked higher than #170, and three of seven games went to OT. Central turns ball over 23% of time, makes just 42% of shots inside arc.
-- Appalachian State is 0-7 vs D-I teams, who shot 57.1% inside arc vs ASU; five of Mountaineers' last six games were on road- they lost by 6-12-19 points vs teams not ranked in top 200. UMKC is 4-5, but they're 3-0 vs teams not in top 200, winning by 6-14-3 points; Kangaroos turn ball over 24% of time, shoot just 42.7% inside the arc.
-- Fifth straight home game for 3-6 James Madison squad that has been off for 8 days; Dukes have four seniors in their rotation, which isn't so good considering slow start. NC-Greensboro hasn't played in 15 days, a very long layoff; they're #3 in country at fouling too much. Spartans are 0-2 on road, losing by 8 at High Point, 3 at East Carolina.
-- Home side won four of last five Western Kentucky-Murray St, tilts; Hilltoppers lost last two visits here, 69-60/89-61, and also lost by 11 at home to Murray LY. WKU won its last six games; its losses are by 3 at Southern Miss, 8 at DePaul. First game in 8 days for Murray, which got down 16 early in last game at Evansville, but rallied to win 82-70.
-- Austin Peay is turning ball over 26.8% of time; they are 0-3 on road, losing by 20-31-18 points, but all three of those teams are ranked #131 or better; Peay beat Arkansas State 86-82 in OT LY at home. ASU is 4-3 vs D-I teams, but only one of four wins was vs team in top 300- they also have two losses vs teams not in the top 200.
-- 3-6 Drexel was supposed to be #1 team in CAA, but they're 0-6 when they allow 66+ points- they gave up 59 or less points in three wins. LY, Dragons beat Fairfield 77-69 at home. Stags are 6-5 but haven't beaten anyone higher than #170 Central Connecticut; Fairfield won three of last four games overall; they split their two home games so far.
-- #173 Eastern Kentucky is 9-0; they run lot of Princeton offense; am guessing Illinois scheduled them to prep for playing Northwestern, team that also runs Princeton stuff. EKU has played #345 (out of 347) sked in America. #195 Western Carolina is only team they've played ranked higher than #230. Illinois is 4-0 vs top 200 teams; all wins were by 11+.
Armadillosports.com
College Basketball Point Spreads, Picks and Trends
By: The Linemakers
Sportingnews.com
College teams are closing in on conference play. Before we get into the thick of the season though, teams will finish off their non-conference schedule with another tune-up or two. Tonight's action includes two Top-25 teams in action.
The lines below are from the LVH SuperBook as of about 10:15 a.m. PT.
E Kentucky vs No. 10 Illinois – 6:00 p.m. ET
Line: Illinois -16, Total: 134.5
Trends:
· Colonels are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 road games.
· Colonels are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS win.
· Colonels are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 non-conference games.
· Fighting Illini are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
· Fighting Illini are 8-21 ATS in their last 29 Sunday games.
· Under is 5-1 in Colonels last 6 Sunday games.
· Over is 4-1 in Colonels last 5 overall.
· Over is 4-1 in Colonels last 5 road games.
· Under is 4-1 in Colonels last 5 non-conference games.
· Over is 5-1 in Fighting Illini last 6 non-conference games.
· Over is 4-1 in Fighting Illini last 5 home games.
Cent Arkansas vs No. 24 Oklahoma St – 4:00 p.m. ET
Line: N/A, Total: N/A
Trends:
· Cowboys are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 non-conference games.
· Cowboys are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
· Cowboys are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 Sunday games.
· Cowboys are 38-15-3 ATS in their last 56 home games.
· Under is 5-1 in Bears last 6 overall.
· Under is 5-1 in Bears last 6 non-conference games.
· Under is 4-1 in Bears last 5 road games.
· Under is 16-5 in Cowboys last 21 home games.
· Under is 22-8-1 in Cowboys last 31 non-conference games.
· Under is 4-0 in Cowboys last 4 overall.