College Knowledge
-- VCU won eight of last nine games, with only loss by 14 at St Louis; Rams are 5-2 on A-16 road (other loss was in OT at Richmond), 1-5 as road favorites. Temple won last six games; they're 3-1 as A-16 dog, with last three such games all decided by a point. A-16 home underdogs of 4 or less points are 8-12 vs spread. Owls are 5-2 SU in A-16 home games, losing as double digit favorites to St Bonaventure and Duquesne.
-- Illinois (+3) shot 65% inside arc, beat Ohio State 74-55 at home Jan 5, game they led by 25 at one point. Illini are 3-5 on Big Dozen road, 2-3 as road underdog, losing away games by 7-23-5-13-8 points. Buckeyes are off big win at Indiana, their fourth win in row; OSU is 5-3 as home fave in league play. Six of last eight Illinois games, last four OSU games went under total. Big Dozen home favorites of 8+ points are 17-19.
-- Michigan won four of last five games, with last three all decided by 6 or less points; Wolverines (+5.5) lost 81-73 at Indiana Feb 2, as Indiana shot 59% inside arc, outscored Michigan 22-6 from foul line. Six of last nine Michigan games went over total. Big Dozen home teams are 17-12 when spread is 4 or less points. Hoosiers lost two of last three, are 2-2 in last four road games- they're 2-0 as a Big Dozen underdog this year.
-- Virginia (+2) made 11-19 from arc, won 80-69 at Maryland Feb 10, as Harris scored 22 points while taking only eight shots; Cavaliers just lost at BC/Florida State, after beating Duke, so they're on bubble, are 8-0 vs spread in ACC home games (6-0 as home favorite)- six of seven wins are by 9+ points. Maryland is 2-4 as road underdog, losing away games by 7-10-20-2-11-10. ACC home favorites of 8 or less points are 14-21.
-- Wichita State/Creighton split two games this year; Bluejays had an eFG% of 81.9% last Saturday in 91-79 win, making 22-26 inside arc, 11 of 21 outside it, unheard of numbers- they lost by 3 at Wichita in first meeting. Shockers haven't won MVC tourney since 1987, so this would be bigger for them; think both teams are in NCAAs. Creighton won this event LY, 4th time in 10 years; they've won six of last seven games.
-- Northeastern had bye yesterday, George Mason struggled with 60-54 win over Drexel, making them 4-4 in last eight games; Mason had three guys play 31+ minutes, only two subs play more than six. Huskies beat Mason twice this year, by 10-20 points, but they're 2-3 last five games after starting out 12-1 in CAA- they shot 51%+ inside arc both games vs George Mason. Four of Northeastern's last six CAA tourney games were decided by 4 or less points.
-- James Madison is 4-2 in last six games, with all six decided by five or less points. Last six times Delaware won CAA tourney game, they lost next game, all by 9+ points; Hens are 11-2 in last 13 games after starting year 8-11- they've won five in row since 72-71 home loss to JMU Feb 17, game Hens led by 11 in second half. Dukes beat Delaware by 14 Jan 23. JMU played 7 guys yesterday, two 39 minutes each. Hens also had 7-man rotation, with three guys playing 34+ minutes.
-- Richard Pitino has FIU 17-13 after being 8-21 for Isiah Thomas LY; Panthers lost twice to top-seed Middle Tennessee this year, with 66-64 home loss (+8.5) after FIU led by 20 in first half. Immense pressure on Middle to win this event; they're 20-1 in league, won last 17 games, are 58-29 in league last five years, but haven't gone to NCAAs. FIU played four guys 30+ minutes Saturday, used two subs for 22+ minutes.
-- Arkansas State survived OT game with Troy last nite, with 22-8 edge on foul line; State beat Western Kentucky twice this year, by 18-14, so they've got to be expecting to beat WKU squad that is playing for third night in row, while State is playing second. ASU had four guys play 30+ minutes last nite, two play 40+- they won last seven games they held foe under 70 points. WKU had only two guys play 29+ min. last nite.
-- Iona won MAAC tourney in '06, Niagara in '07; neither team won it since, but winner here will be favored in final Monday. Iona won its last three games, scoring 86.3 ppg; eight of their last ten games were decided by 4 or less points, or in OT. Gaels beat Niagara by 11 at home, lost by 3 in OT in rematch; they outscored Canisius 34-12 on foul line in 89-85 win last nite, playing four guys 31+ minutes. Niagara forced 20 miscues in win over Siena last night- three kids played 34+ minutes.
-- Manhattan beat Fairfield twice this year, 62-40/34-31, second game being worst D-I game I've seen, ever. Stags survived Rider 43-42, using three kids 32+ minutes in brickfest where Broncs were 0-6 from arc for whole game. Jaspers sent Loyola out of MAAC for good with upset last nite, playing seven guys, but only one more than 28 minutes. Fairfield is playing third night in row, Manhattan only second night in row.
-- Davidson is 14-3 in SoCon tourney last 7+ years, winning four times; Wildcats pounded Appalachian State twice this year, by 23-35 points in games played two weeks apart. ASU played three guys 31+ minutes last night but used three subs 12+ minutes. Davidson made 13-28 from arc in easy win last night. ASU is 1-3 in second conference tourney game last four years, with losses by 16-13-10 points.
-- Elon is 1-7 in its second SoCon tourney game last nine years (are 8-1 in first game); they lost 56-54 at home to Charleston in December, when Elon was just 5-3 (they're on 13-3 run now). Cougars are 10-6 in SoCon tourney last six years but haven't won it during that time- they had 29-9 edge in foul line last night, their 11th win in last 13 games. Elon played four guys 29+ minutes last nite, but used three subs 10+.
-- Oakland won eight of its last ten games, but both losses were against Fort Wayne, by 6-2 points; sharpshooter Bader (38.9% from arc for the year) is just 3-21 from arc in two games vs Mastadons, who've won five games in row, scoring 79.7 ppg last three, after 8-16 start vs D-1 teams. Fort Wayne lost first game in Summit tourney last two years; Six of last seven Oakland games were decided by six or less points.
-- North Dakota State's Braun scored 22 points in 29 minutes last game, after missing 10 of previous 11 games; Bison pounded on UMKC twice this season by 65-44/71-34 scores- they're just 6-5 in last eleven games, after starting season 16-3. Kangaroos shot 16-49 (32.7%) inside arc in two losses to Bison this year. Not big fan of laying double digit spreads in conference tournaments, but hard to back UMKC here.
Amarillosports.com
Indiana at Michigan: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com
Indiana Hoosiers at Michigan Wolverines (Pick, 145.5)
No. 2 Indiana has already secured the top seed in next week’s Big Ten Tournament, but one more win on Sunday at No. 8 Michigan could wrap up its first outright conference title since 1993. However, a loss to the Wolverines could open the door for as many as four teams – including Michigan – to share the regular-season crown. The Hoosiers hold a one-game lead over Michigan State, Ohio State and Michigan and have already guaranteed themselves a piece of the Big Ten crown for the first time since 2002.
Indiana also owns a league-best 6-2 road record and an 81-73 victory over the Wolverines in Bloomington on Feb. 2, but has lost two of its last three. Michigan has won four of five, with three of the victories coming at the Crisler Center. The Wolverines, who shared the regular-season title with the Buckeyes and Spartans last season, are 17-0 at home this season.
ABOUT INDIANA (25-5, 13-4 Big Ten): Three starters – Victor Oladipo (49.1 percent), Jordan Hulls (48.3) and Christian Watford (48.1) – are shooting over 48 percent beyond the arc, contributing to the nation’s fourth-best 3-point field goal percentage (41.8). Along with Cody Zeller and Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell, the Hoosiers boast the highest-scoring starting lineup in college basketball. The Hoosiers also convert more free throws per game than any other team (19.7), rank second in scoring margin (plus-19.1) and third in scoring (81.1 points). The Hoosiers enjoyed a 22-6 advantage from the foul line over Michigan in February and have made 111 more free throws than their opponents have attempted (590-479).
ABOUT MICHIGAN (25-5, 12-5): Trey Burke (19.1 points, 6.9 assists) is averaging 24 points and shooting 52.1 percent from the floor over his last five games. He became only the fourth Wolverine to post more than 200 assists in a season in last Sunday’s win over the Spartans and is 28 assists shy of setting the school record for the most in a single season. Michigan leads the country in fewest turnovers (9.4 per game) and is shooting 49 percent from the floor – the seventh-best mark in the nation. The Wolverines are 22-0 when converting at least 33 percent of their 3-pointers this season, but 3-5 when they do not.
TRENDS:
* Wolverines are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games overall.
* Over is 4-1 in Hoosiers’ last five road games.
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
TIP-INS:
1. Indiana has won the last four meetings when both teams are ranked in the top 10, but lost each of its last three in Ann Arbor.
2. Michigan – seeking its fifth undefeated home season since 1976-77 – has won seven straight home games against nationally-ranked opponents.
3. Six starters in this game (Oladipo, Hulls, Watford, Zeller, Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr.) have scored at least 1,000 career points.
Sunday's Top 25 NCBB Betting Notes
By Covers.com
Check out our quick-hitting betting notes on all of Sunday’s ranked college basketball games:
(19) VCU at Temple (+2)
Virginia Commonwealth needs to land a tough road win at Temple to clinch at least a share of the Atlantic 10 regular-season title. The Rams have won three straight to keep the pressure on Saint Louis on top of the tightly-wound standings. The running Rams are 12th in the nation in scoring averaging 78 points and they've rang up at least 90 points eight times on the season. Temple is suddenly the hottest team in the conference. The Owls are 13-3 at home and bring a six-game winning streak into Sunday afternoon's contest. The Owls have an RPI of 41 and would relish another signature win to add to their NCAA Tournament resume. VCU is 0-5 ATS in its last five road games.
(21) Wisconsin at Penn State (+8.5)
Two consecutive losses in the past week knocked the Wisconsin Badgers out of the Big Ten title race. On Sunday, the Badgers will try to avoid finishing their regular season on a season-high three-game losing skid. Penn State, guaranteed to finish at the bottom of the conference, has won two of three after snapping a 14-game losing skid with a shocking home win over No.4 Michigan. The Nittany Lions were blown out by Minnesota on the road after that, but recovered to defeat Northwestern by seven points. Wisconsin defeated Penn State 60-51 at home on Jan. 3 to open conference play for both teams. The Nittany Lions are 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall.
Illinois at (13) Ohio State (-9.5)
When Ohio State met a ranked Illinois team on Jan. 5, the Illini enjoyed their largest margin of victory against a ranked opponent since 1964. But when the Buckeyes host Illinois on Sunday, they will have a chance to avenge that loss and earn a share of their fourth consecutive Big Ten title. Ohio State began the season 11-2, but endured one of its worst shooting performances against the Illini in a 74-55 road loss. The Buckeyes have since recovered and won four straight – including Tuesday’s 67-58 victory at Indiana – after a 1-3 stretch in February. Ohio State is one game behind Indiana in the Big Ten standings, but can grab a share of regular-season crown with a loss by the Hoosiers at Michigan on Sunday and a win against Illinois. The Fighting Illini are 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall.
(2) Indiana at (8) Michigan (Pick)
Indiana has already secured the top seed in next week’s Big Ten Tournament, but one more win on Sunday at Michigan could wrap up its first outright conference title since 1993. Indiana also owns a league-best 6-2 road record and an 81-73 victory over the Wolverines in Bloomington on Feb. 2, but has lost two of its last three. Michigan has won four of five, with three of the victories coming at the Crisler Center. The Wolverines, who shared the regular-season title with the Buckeyes and Spartans last season, are 17-0 at home this season. Michigan is 1-8 ATS in its last nine games overall.
Northwestern at (12) Michigan State (-19.5)
Michigan State can possibly claim a piece of the Big Ten title when it hosts Northwestern in the regular-season finale Sunday. The Spartans will need Indiana to lose earlier in the day at No. 8 Michigan to put itself in position to share the championship with a win against the Wildcats. Michigan State is coming off four straight games against ranked opponents. The Spartans ended a three-game losing streak with a win Thursday against Wisconsin. Northwestern enters the game on a seven-game slide, their longest losing streak since 2007-08. The Wildcats have lost five players for the season due to injury or disciplinary reasons. The road team is 9-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
Sunday's Tip Sheet
By David Schwab
VegasInsider.com
While the majority of the men’s college basketball mid-major conference tournaments are already underway, this Sunday marks the final day of the regular season for all the majors including the Big Ten. The biggest matchup on the slate pits No. 2 Indiana against No. 7 Michigan in what could very well be a preview of next Sunday’s Big Ten Tournament’s championship game. The following is a handicapping guide for that game as well as a brief look at few other Big Ten matchups on Sunday’s schedule.
Big Ten Game of the Day
No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers vs. No. 7 Michigan Wolverines
Indiana had already earned at least a share of the Big Ten regular season title, but its chances for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament took a slight hit this past Tuesday with a 67-58 loss to Ohio State as a 7½-point home favorite. The Hoosiers are now 1-2 straight up in their last three games and 0-3 against the spread. They are 25-5 SU overall and 13-4 in conference play, but the cracks have been apparent with a 5-3 SU (4-4 ATS) record in their last eight games. The total stayed UNDER the 141½-point line against the Buckeyes and it has now stayed UNDER in four of their last six games.
Behind Cody Zeller and Victor Oladipo, Indiana remains one of the favorites to win a national title, but both will need to be at the top of their game on the road against the Wolverines. Zeller leads the Hoosiers in both scoring (16.5 points) and rebounds (8.0) while shooting 57.3 percent from the floor. Oladipo is chipping-in another 13.7 points and hitting an incredible 63.1 percent of his shots from the field. Overall, Indiana is ranked third in the nation in scoring (81.1 points) and shooting 49.1 percent from the field.
Michigan has also had its share of problems over the past month or so with a 5-4 SU record in its last nine games that started with an 81-73 loss to Indiana on Feb.2 as a 5½-point road underdog. It has gone a costly 1-8 ATS during this stretch and the total has gone OVER in six of the nine games. Despite these struggles, the Wolverines are still in position to claim a share of the Big Ten regular season title with a win on Sunday as a result of a 12-5 record in the conference. They are 25-5 SU on the year but just 13-14-1 ATS.
Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. have been the driving force behind Michigan’s success this year with Nik Stauskas and Glenn Robinson III coming up big in a supporting role. Burke leads the team in scoring with 19.1 points a game and is shooting a rock-solid 49.2 percent from the field and all four players are averaging at least 11 points a game. The Wolverines have been almost as potent as Indiana on offense with 75.6 points a game and they are holding their opponents to 62.3 points on the other end of the court which all but equals the Hoosiers average of 61.9 points allowed.
The home team in this matchup is 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings and the total has gone OVER in four of the last five games. The Hoosiers have covered in 14 of the last 19 games.
Big Ten Best of the Rest
Illinois Fighting Illini vs. No. 14 Ohio State Buckeyes
Illinois will probably need to go pretty deep in next week’s Big Ten Tournament to secure a spot in the Big Dance, but a win on Sunday would also help its cause. The Fighting Illini are currently 8-9 in conference play and 21-10 SU (11-16 ATS) overall after losing two of their last three games. They are 0-4 ATS in their last four outings and the total has stayed UNDER in six of their last eight games.
Ohio State has continued to enhance its position for the postseason with quality wins over teams such as Michigan State and Indiana down the stretch. The Buckeyes are holding down fourth-place in the Big Ten standings, but could still claim a share of the regular season title with a win on Sunday and some help. They are 22-7 SU (15-11-1 ATS) this year and 15-2 SU (9-6 ATS) on their home court. The total has stayed UNDER in their last four games.
Illinois stunned the Buckeyes 74-55 in early January as three-point home underdogs with the total staying UNDER the 143½-point line.
Northwestern Wildcats vs. No. 10 Michigan State Spartans
The Wildcats are going to need a miracle run to an unlikely Big Ten Tournament title to make an appearance in the NCAA Tournament considering they have an overall record of 13-17 and just four SU victories in conference play. They are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games and 13-14 ATS overall and the total has stayed UNDER in six of those 10 games. This past Thursday’s 66-59 loss to Penn State as a five-point home favorite extended Northwestern’s current losing streak to seven games.
Michigan State is another team that remains in contention for a share of the regular season title with a 12-5 SU record in Big Ten play. It is coming off a huge 58-43 victory over Wisconsin as a five-point home favorite. The Spartans are now 16-1 SU (6-7-1 ATS) at home this season and 23-7 SU (12-13-2 ATS) overall. They have gone 5-2-1 ATS in their last seven games and the total has stayed UNDER in four of their last six games.
This will be the first meeting this season, but the Wildcats actually beat Michigan State 81-74 as five-point home underdogs the last time they played.
College Basketball: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
Indiana at Michigan
Both Indiana and Michigan still have a lot to play for Sunday. Hoosiers (25-5, 15-13 ATS) are playing for the outright title, Wolverines (25-5, 13-14-1 ATS) are playing for a share. Indiana led by Cody Zeller (16.5 PPG) have one of the most potent scoring offense in the nation averaging 81.1 PPG on 49.1% shooting including a wicked 41.8% from long range. Defensively, Hoosiers allow 61.9 PPG holding opponents to just 38.7% from the floor. The Wolverines with four double digit scorers lead by Trey Burke (19.1) average 75.6 points game on a smart 49.0% shooting from the field while giving up 62.3 points/game. Hoosiers won the earlier matchup 81-73 cashing as 5.5 point home favorite but this one is in Ann Arbor where Wolverines are 16-0 (7-7-1 ATS) and sport an 3-0 (2-1 ATS) streak exacting same season series revenge vs Hoosiers.