College Basketball Knowledge
Syracuse won six of its last seven games, winning last four at home; they won 70-57/74-58 in first two ACC games with Florida State. Seminoles scored 79 ppg in winning last four games with wins at BC/Wake Forest, two worst teams in ACC. ACC home favorites of less than 5 points are 8-5 vs spread. Both teams are 6-5 in ACC, Orange are 4-4 vs teams in top 50, which helps- their ACC foes are shooting 27.4% from arc.
With SMU on probation, this game is for first place in AAC. UConn is 6-1 in its last seven games, losing by point to Cincy. Temple won 55-53 at UConn Jan 5, despite going 6-14 on foul line; they've won last three series games, by 4-12-2 points. Owls won six of last seven games, losing by 3 at ECU; they're 4-2 on road, in AAC, winning last two on foreign soil. AAC home underdogs of less than 5 points are 5-4 vs spread.
Wm & Mary got waxed 91-63 at Hofstra Jan 24, game they led by 9 late in first half; Pride was 15-37 on arc, scored 1.34 ppp. Hofstra lost four in row here, by 4-13-5-21 points. Pride lost two road games LW after it led by 20-14 points in first half; three of their last seven games went to OT. Tribe won its last four games, scoring 84.5 ppg. CAA home faves of 5 or less points are 5-10 against the spread.
Oakland made 11-17 on arc, won 82-79 at Milwaukee Jan 25, Grizzlies' second win in five series games- teams split two games here. Oakland is 3-3 at home in Horizon, 6-0 on road; they won last six games overall, but five of six were on road. Horizon home favorites of 7 or less points are 4-7 vs spread. Milwaukee lost three of last four games, with all three of losses by 4 or less points- they lost three of last four on road.
Ark-Little Rock nipped La-Monroe 58-57 at home Jan 9, after trailing 25-11 early on; it was Trojans' first series win in last five tries- they've lost last two visits here, by 16-12 points. UALR won its last six games; this is their first road games in 19 days- they're 4-1 on road, losing by 3 at Arkansas State. Sun Belt home underdogs of less than 5 points are 6-2 vs spread. ULM is 6-0 at home in Sun Belt, with all six wins by 11+.
Evansville outscored Illinois State 17-3 on foul line in Normal in a 66-55 road win Jan 15; Redbirds were just 6-31 on arc. State beat Purple Aces three times LY; they've lost four of last five visits here. Evansville is 2-3 in last five games overall, but 5-1 at home in Valley, losing to Wichita St by 13. State won five of its last six games; they split six conference road games. MVC single digit home favorites are 7-13 vs spread.
Cal went 0-12 on arc in 68-65 loss at Oregon Jan 6- they shot 63.4% on 2-pointers. Ducks won last two series games, after losing its previous 12 games with Cal- they're 1-5 in last six visits here. Golden Bears are still without PG Wallace; they're 3-5 in last eight games, with hosts winning all eight games- Cal is 5-0 at home in PAc-12. Pac-12 home underdogs of 3 or less points are 9-3 vs spread. Ducks won their last six games.
Iowa leads Indiana by game in Big 14; their ownly loss in last 13 games was by 6 at Maryland. Hoosiers split last four games, getting upset last game at Penn State- they're 5-0 at home in Big 14. Indiana won three of last four games with Iowa; Hawkeyes won 77-63 here in LY's matchup. Big 14 home teams are 4-8 vs spread in games with spread of 3 or less points. Indiana is shooting 42.2% on arc, #5 in country.
Pepperdine won its last two games with St Mary's after losing 18 in row to the Gaels; Waves won 67-64 at home Jan 9, after trailing by 7 at half. St Mary's is 1-6 vs spread in last seven games, 0-3 in last three at home- five of its six home wins are by 11+ points. Pepperdine lost three in row overall, by 11-3-3; they're 2-4 on WCC road, 0-2 as road dogs. WCC double digit home favorites are 7-7 against the spread.
Stanford crushed Oregon State 46-29 on boards in 78-72 win January 6 in Corvallis, Cardinal's 7th stright series win. OSU lost last five visits to Farm, with four of five by 8+ points. Beavers are 1-3 as road underdog; three of their four road losses are by 17+ points. Pac-12 home teams are 13-8 vs spread in games where spread was 3 or less points. Stanford lost four of last five games; they're 3-2 at home, with wins by 2-6-2.
Mercer beat Wofford 70-69 in OT at home Jan 16; they shot 61% inside arc, Wofford made 11-29 on arc. All three series agmes were decided by 4 or less points- Wofford won both meetings LY, winning 49-46 here. Bears had a teammate murdered last week; they've won four of last five games. are 2-3 on SoCon road. SoCon home favorites of 4 or less points are 4-3 vs spread. Wofford made 17-21 on arc in its last game Monday.
Eastern Washington lost 79-71 at North Dakota Jan 2, its 5th loss in six Big Sky meetings with UND, which lost here 102-80 LY. EWU is 4-1 as home favorite this year- they won last four games overall, scoring 87.8 ppg. UND won six of its last eight games, with losses by 1-4; they are 3-2 on Big Sky road, losing at Weber State/Northern Colorado. Big Sky home favorites of 6 or less points are 7-10 vs spread.
Cal-Irvine/Hawai'i are tied atop Big West at 7-1; Anteaters won last four games with Hawai'i, winning 75-64/75-74 in last two visits to paradise. Anteaters are 4-0 on Big West road, 8-1 in last nine games overall; they start three seniors, tw juniors. Hawai'i won 10 of last 11 games; their one conference loss was at home to Long Beach. Big West single digit home favorites are 5-14 vs spread. Rainbows start three juniors, two seniors.
Armadillosports.com
Thursday's Tip Sheet
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com
Florida State at Syracuse
Both of these teams are 6-5 in ACC action and on the proverbial NCAA bubble, so this is a crucial ACC clash at the Carrier Dome on Thursday night. ESPN will provide the telecast at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
Syracuse (16-8 straight up, 11-12 against the spread) is No. 46 in the RPI Rankings, compiling a 5-4 record against the Top 50 and a 7-7 ledger versus the Top 100. The Orange have one bad loss outside of the RPI 100, dropping an 84-72 decision at St. John’s (RPI: 203). They own quality wins over St. Bonaventure, Notre Dame and Georgia Tech at home, in addition to road wins at Duke and at Wake Forest. Jim Boeheim’s squad also has a pair of neutral-court triumphs over UConn and Texas A&M.
Syracuse is 11-3 SU and 6-7 ATS at home.
Syracuse has won three in a row and six of its last seven, going 5-2 ATS during this surge. The Orange beat Va. Tech 68-60 in overtime last Tuesday, but it failed to cover the number as a nine-point home favorite. Boeheim’s bunch has had eight days to rest and prep for FSU since then. In the win over the Hokies, Michael Gbinije scored a team-high 16 points. Tyler Roberson added 12 points and 15 rebounds.
Gbinije is enjoying a stellar senior campaign, averaging a team-best 17.2 PPG. He also averages team-highs in assists (4.4 APG) and steals (2.3 SPG). Fellow senior Trevor Cooney is scoring at a 13.5 PPG clip. Roberson (9.8 PPG) averages team-bests in rebounding (9.1 RPG) and field-goal percentage (51.3%).
FSU (16-7 SU, 9-9-1 ATS) is No. 39 in the RPI, going 3-5 against the Top 50 and 6-7 versus the Top 100. The Seminoles have a home win over Virginia, a victory at Florida and a neutral-court scalp of VCU. Other victories of note include vs. Clemson, at Wake Forest and vs. Ohio on a neutral court. They don’t have any shameful defeats outside the Top 100.
Since losing back-to-back game at Louisville and vs. Pitt, Leonard Hamilton’s team has won four in a row while going 2-1-1 ATS. FSU smashed Wake Forest this past Saturday by a 91-71 count as a 2.5-point road favorite. Five Seminoles scored in double figures and seven different players had at least nine points. Malik Beasley had a team-best 16 points, while Montay Brandon and Xavier Rathan-Mayes added 13 points apiece.
FSU has been an underdog seven times this year, posting a 4-3 spread with three outright victories. The spread cover as a ‘dog sans the outright win came in a 78-75 loss at Iowa in overtime while catching 5.5 points.
Beasley averages team-highs in scoring (17.3 points per game) and field-goal percentage (51.5%). The freshman guard averages 5.5 RPG and is draining 41.7 percent of his launches from downtown. Beasley is making 84.2 percent of his free throws. Another FSU freshman, 6’7” swingman Dwayne Bacon, is scoring at a 16.2 PPG clip. Bacon averages 5.8 RPG. Rathan-Mayes (11.7 PPG) has dished out a team-high 108 assists.
FSU is 4-4 SU and 4-3 ATS on the road this year.
Since joining the ACC, Syracuse has won both head-to-head meetings against FSU both SU and ATS, including a 70-57 win last year as a 9.5-point home ‘chalk.’ Cooney scored a game-high 28 points for the Orange.
The ‘under’ is 12-11 overall for the ‘Cuse, 8-5 in its home games.
The ‘over’ is 10-9-1 overall for FSU, 5-3 in its road assignments. The Seminoles have seen the ‘over’ cash in three consecutive contests.
Iowa at Indiana
Iowa (19-4 SU, 13-7 ATS) is atop the Big Ten standings with a 10-1 record, leaving it one-half game ahead of Maryland and one game in front of Indiana.
Fran McCaffrey’s squad has won five of its seven road contests both SU and ATS.
Iowa is No. 7 in the RPI Rankings, posting a 4-4 record against the Top 25, a 6-4 mark versus the Top 50 and a 7-4 ledger against the Top 100. The Hawkeyes already own season sweeps over Purdue and Michigan St., in addition to a neutral-court win over Wichita St. They have home scalps of FSU and Michigan.
Since losing at Maryland on Jan. 28, Iowa has won three in a row both SU and ATS, including Sunday’s 77-65 win at Illinois as an 8.5-point favorite. Peter Jok scored a game-high 23 points, while Jarrod Uthoff went for 18 points, 12 rebounds and two blocked shots. Adam Woodbury contributed 10 points, 14 boards and four assists.
Uthoff is averaging 18.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.8 blocked shots per game. The senior forward is burying 46.7 percent of his attempts from 3-point range and 84.1 percent of his shots from the charity stripe.
Indiana (19-5 SU, 12-12 ATS) is unbeaten in 13 home games with a 9-4 spread record.
IU won its first seven Big Ten games, but it has dropped two of its last four. The Hoosiers lost 68-63 Saturday at Penn St. as 8.5-point road ‘chalk.’ Ferrell scored 13 points but made only 3-of-12 from the field and 1-of-6 from long distance. He also had as many turnovers (five) as assists (five). Nick Zeisloft drained 4-of-7 from behind the 3-point line and finished with a team-best 14 points in just 20 minutes of playing time from off the bench. Thomas Bryant had 10 points and eight rebounds.
Tom Crean’s hot-seat status has been removed with the way his team has been playing recently. His club is led by senior point guard Yogi Ferrell, who averages team-highs in scoring (17.2 PPG), assists (5.8 APG) and steals (1.2 SPG).
Indiana is No. 53 in the RPI due to playing just a pair of games against the Top 50. The Hoosiers beat Notre Dame on a neutral court and lost at Duke. They are 6-3 versus the Top 100. Another reason IU’s RPI isn’t as high as you’d expect is because of defeats to UNLV and Penn St., both of whom are outside of the Top 100.
The ‘under’ is 13-11 overall for IU, 7-6 in its home games.
The ‘over’ is 11-9 overall for the Hawkeyes, but the ‘under’ is 4-3 in their road assignments.
Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.
B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets
Temple will play host to UConn on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2. The Owls are 8-3 in AAC play, leaving them one game back of conference-leading SMU. The Huskies are 7-3 in AAC action. Temple owns a 5-2 spread record at home. The Owls covered in six straight games until dropping three of their last four versus the number.
ESPNU will have the broadcast of VCU at UMass on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. The Rams, who are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games, have compiled a 6-1 record both SU and ATS in their seven road assignments this year.
VCU saw its 12-game winning streak snapped in Saturday’s 72-69 home loss to George Washington. The Rams hadn’t tasted defeat since a home loss to Cincinnati on Dec. 19.
Oregon will put its Pac-12 lead on the line Thursday at California. The Ducks are 9-2 in league play, 1.5 games in front of 7-3 USC. Dana Altman’s club has won six in a row both SU and ATS, winning all of those games by eight points or more and five of them by double-digit margins. Tip-off in Berkeley is slated for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2.
Cal is undefeated in 14 home games with a 9-5 spread record.
Gamblers have a pair of late-night games that’ll be televised Thursday. Fox Sports 1 will carry Oregon State at Stanford at 11:00 p.m. Eastern, while ESPNU will have Gonzaga at Portland in the same time slot.
NCAAB: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
Iowa at Indiana
Hawkeyes look to pad their Big-Ten lead (10-1, 8-3 ATS) when they visit Hoosiers on Thursday. A tough road ahead, Hoosiers no slouches at putting the ball through the hoop drop 84.1 per/game behind four players in double digits. Hoosiers are also flawless at Assembly Hall at 13-0 (9-4 ATS) and have won 6-of-9 (4-5 ATS) hosting Hawkeyes. Additionally, backing Hoosiers at home vs. a team with a winning road record has paid dividends. In the last eleven such instances they're 8-3 against the betting line.
Thursday's Top Action
By Sportsbook.ag
CONNECTICUT HUSKIES (17-6) at TEMPLE OWLS (14-8)
Sportsbook.ag Line: UConn -4, Total: 129
Temple and Connecticut square off in a battle for AAC supremacy, with Connecticut looking for some payback after losing on its home floor to Temple earlier this year.
With 9-2 SMU ineligible for postseason play, Temple (8-3) and Connecticut (7-3) will have a lot on the line when they battle it out on Thursday night. By virtue of their 55-53 win on Jan. 8 in Hartford, a Temple win would give them a huge edge in the race for the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament with a season sweep over the Huskies.
Connecticut, meanwhile, obviously needs this road win over the Owls badly to keep pace and even out potential tiebreakers for a top seed. Both squads went 2-0 SU (1-1 ATS) last week, with the Owls defeating Tulsa 83-79 (PK) while escaping at UCF on Saturday with a 62-60 (Temple -3.5) win. The win on Saturday was Temple coach Fran Dunphy’s 517th of his career, putting him tops amongst all-time “Big Five” coaches amongst the Division 1 Philadelphia-based schools.
Connecticut, meanwhile, delivered a knockout blow in Memphis, 77-57 (UConn -2) while returning home to defeat East Carolina, 85-67 (UConn -19). Temple is 3-2 SU (3-2 ATS) since Connecticut joined them as conference foes. The Owls have taken the last three matchups against the Huskies. Temple is 7-2 SU (5-2 ATS) at home this season, while Connecticut is an impressive 5-1 SU (4-2 ATS) on the road. Temple has fared well against the spread in conference play (7-4 ATS) while Connecticut has struggled (4-7 ATS) in AAC play. That said, the Huskies are 4-2 ATS in their last six contests.
It may or may not be a coincidence for Connecticut coach Kevin Ollie that even getting token minutes from previously injured C Amida Brimah (7 PPG, 2.6 BPG) would jump-start Ollie’s struggling star player, but F Daniel Hamilton (11.8 PPG, 9 RPG, 5.0 APG) has come alive in his past two games.
Hamilton had struggled mightily since the start of conference play, losing his aggressiveness and his touch from the field and often failing to score in double-figures. This ended in wins over Memphis and East Carolina last week, as Hamilton shot 12-25 (4-11 3PT) en route to averages of 14 PPG, 14.5 RPG, and 6.5 APG. Oddly enough, Hamilton hasn’t shot a free throw in four games, and Temple’s solid defense will mean that Connecticut needs Hamilton to keep making plays and not settle for wayward jump shots. Hamilton went only 2-13 FG in the loss to Temple in January.
Like Hamilton, Connecticut doesn’t have the personnel that gets to the line often (18 FTA/game, 303rd NCAA) and that hurts the Huskies mediocre offense (74.4 PPG). If the last matchup between the Huskies and the Owls is any indication, we could be in for another defensive struggle, as Connecticut’s elite defense holds teams to 61.4 PPG (6th NCAA) and 36.8% FG (2nd NCAA).
The Huskies stumbled their way to 31.6% FG in the 55-53 home loss to Temple (4-20 3PT) with only F Shonn Miller (13.5 PPG, 59% FG) scoring over 11 points. Miller had 18 points on 7-13 FG.
Guards Rodney Purvis (13.4 PPG) and Sterling Gibbs (12.7) also struggled against Temple (18 points, 5 turnovers, 2 assists) and have proven themselves to be low-efficiency perimeter options who can score in bunches, but lack consistency to be relied upon.
Temple escaped with a win on January 8th over Connecticut in the XL Center thanks to heroics from G Josh Brown (8.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.5 APG), who hit the game winning FG with 2.5 seconds left. Brown, a physical defender who isn’t afraid to mix it up in the paint, leads the Owls in minutes played and is to Temple what Hamilton is to UConn; the do-it-all guy where any additional offense is a bonus. Unfortunately, Brown really has been a non-factor with the ball lately, having failed to hit double-figures in each of his last five games.
When there’s scoring to be done, Temple’s offense goes through senior G Quenton DeCosey (16.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 40% 3PT) and rightfully so. DeCosey has upped his scoring to 17.8 PPG in conference play, including 19.8 PPG over his last five games. Talented sophomore F Obi Enechionyia (9.8 PPG) has upped his play of late, averaging 15.5 PPG over his last four games, all in double figures (43.5% 3PT, 2.5 3PM).
Conversely, 6th man extraordinaire, G Devin Coleman (9.6 PPG) has struggled lately, going 11-39 FG over his last four games. Temple’s 69.4 PPG against D1 opponents (244th NCAA) leaves much to be desired, but thanks to Brown, DeCosey, and company, they’re very hard to turnover (9.2 TO/G vs D1 opponents, 2nd NCAA).
F Jaylen Bond (9.6 PPG, 7.9 RPG) provides the interior muscle for the Owls, but has to stay out of foul trouble (4 fouls in each of his last three games). Bond was only on the floor for 12 minutes in the tight win over UCF on Saturday, which forces DeCosey to have to play out of position at forward. This explains Temple’s mediocre rebound margin of -2.