Tuesday's Tip Sheet
By David Schwab
VegasInsider.com
It will be a relatively quiet week in college basketball but there is a trio of intriguing matchups on Tuesday night’s schedule of games including No. 13 Kansas on the road against No. 19 Florida as part of the ongoing Big 12- SEC Challenge.
This 10-game series started in mid-November with Alabama’s 76-64 victory over Texas Tech to give the SEC an early edge, but since then the Big 12 has dominated this Challenge with six straight-up victories in the first eight games. The finale will be on Saturday, Dec. 21 with Oklahoma taking on Texas A&M.
No. 13 Kansas Jayhawks at No. 19 Florida Gators
Kansas took a tumble in the rankings after climbing all the way to No. 2 in the AP’s Week 4 Poll with losses to Villanova on Nov. 29 and Colorado this past Saturday. It fell to the Wildcats 63-59 as a 4½ -point favorite and then dropped a 75-72 decision to the Buffaloes as a one-point road underdog. The Jayhawks are now 6-2 SU on the year but just 3-5 against the spread. The total has stayed UNDER in three of their last five games.
This team is still playing at a high level with 79.1 points a game while shooting 50.5 percent from the field. Freshman sensation Andrew Wiggins leads Kansas in scoring with 15.3 points a game while hitting 51.2 percent of his shots from the floor. Perry Ellis is a close second with 14.5 points and he leads the team in rebounds with 6.8 a game.
The Gators dropped a few spots in the rankings after last Monday’s 65-64 loss to No. 9 Connecticut as four-point road underdogs. This was their second SU loss against six previous victories after falling to then-No. 20 Wisconsin 59-53 in mid-November as six-point underdogs on the road. Florida is 3-1-1 ATS and the total has stayed UNDER in four of the five games.
Florida has six different players scoring in double figures as part of a 72-point team average. Casey Prather has led the way with 19.1 points while converting on 63.6 percent of his shots. Michael Frazier is the team’s best outside scoring threat with a 52.3 shooting percentage from three-point range. The Gators are shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 36 percent from beyond the arc with a 68.9 percentage from the free throw line.
Florida has been opened as a slight two-point home favorite over the Jayhawks for this Big 12-SEC Challenge showdown.
These two last met in 2006 with Kansas coming away with a tight 82-80 victory as a six-point road underdog. The Jayhawks are 3-6 ATS in their last nine road games and the total has gone OVER in four of their last five games on the road.
Boise State Broncos at No. 11 Kentucky Wildcats
The Broncos have yet to lose SU this season in eight previous contests and they are poised to make their debut in the rankings with an upset on Tuesday night. They are just 1-2 ATS in games with a posted line so you still have to question the level of talent they have faced so far. Boise State did fail to cover as 10-point home favorites in last Tuesday’s 69-67 squeaker over Utah.
The one thing we do know about this team is that it can score. The Broncos are currently ranked first in the nation in points per game with 91.9 and they are hitting 50.1 percent of their shots from the field. They have five players scoring in double figures led by Anthony Drmic’s 20.4 points a game.
It has been a roller coaster ride for Kentucky so far. It started the season at No. 1 but dropped down a few spots with an early season 78-74 loss to then-No.2 Michigan State as a four-point underdog. The climb back to the top was interrupted again in last Friday’s 67-62 loss to No. 14 Baylor as a five-point favorite. The Wildcats are 7-2 SU with a 3-3-1 record ATS.
Julius Randle has lived up to the reputation of being one of the top freshmen players in the country with a team-high 17.9 points and 12.1 rebounds a game. The team is scoring 82 points a game while shooting 47.7 percent from the floor and it is ranked seventh in the nation in rebounds with 44.4 a game.
The Wildcats are favored by 12½-points at home against Boise State.
This will be the first meeting between these two teams. The Broncos are 2-5 ATS in their last seven road game against a team with a SU winning record at home and the Wildcats are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games following a SU loss.
No. 20 Gonzaga Bulldogs at West Virginia Mountaineers
The Bulldogs are 8-1 SU this season with a 3-3-1 record ATS. They are coming off an 80-68 victory over New Mexico State this past Saturday, but they could not cover as 13 ½-point home favorites. The total stayed UNDER the 154-point closing line after going OVER in five of their previous six games.
This is another team that knows how to put the ball in the hoop with an average of 90.4 points a game while shooting an incredible 54.9 percent from the field. This is the best shooting percentage in the nation. Kevin Pangos leads the team in scoring with 19.8 points, but the best pure shooter on the team is Gary Bell Jr. He is averaging 13.8 points a game while hitting 56.4 percent of his shots from the floor and 54.2 percent from three-point range.
West Virginia is 6-3 SU on the year with a 2-4 record ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in three of five games with a posted line. The Mountaineers have lost two of their last three outings with a 70-63 setback to No. 4 Wisconsin on Nov. 27 and an 80-71 loss to Missouri last Thursday. They closed as 6½-point underdogs in both games.
This team can light it up as well with an average of 83.6 points a game while shooting a respectable 48.3 percent from the field and 44 percent from three-point range. Eron Harris and Juwan Staten have combined to score 35.2 points a game with Harris shooting 51 percent from beyond the arc and Staten leading the team in assists with 7.2 a game.
In what could be the closest matchup on Tuesday’s slate, this game has been opened as a PICK.
These two have met twice in the last two seasons. Gonzaga came away with a 77-54 victory as a one-point favorite to eliminate the Mountaineers in the opening round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament. In the regular season last year, the Bulldogs hammered them again 84-50 as 10.5-point home favorites. The total stayed under in both contests.
College Basketball Information
First game in eight days for Florida squad that gets Wilbekin/Hill back to handle ball; they've lost two of three vs top 100 teams, winning by point over Florida State at home- their losses are by total of 7 points, Kansas lost two of last three games, with all three decided by 4 or less points- they lost by 3 at Colorado Saturday, in first true road game of season.
First true road game for Green Bay team that beat Virginia at home after winning two of three in Alaska, losing to Harvard by 12- their other loss was to Wisconsin by 3. Eastern Michigan lost last three games, by 18-12-5 points, all to top 100 teams; best team Eagles beat was Cleveland State (#139). MAC home underdogs are 5-5 against the spread.
Xavier snapped 3-game skid with OT home win over Bowling Green on Saturday; Musketeers are turning ball over 20.1% of time, making 60.1% on foul line- they're 1-3 vs teams in top 160, beating #34 Tennessee by 4 at home. Evansville is 3rd-least experienced team in US; they lost three in row on road, by 31-22-2 points. Big East home favorites are 16-10.
Indiana is 7-0 vs teams outside top 100, with six wins by 16+; they're turningball over 20.6% of time, making just 28.8% from arc; Hoosiers have game with Notre Dame on deck this weekend. Oakland is 0-5 vs top 100 teams, with three losses by 16+ points- they pounded Ohio U by 17 at home in last game- they've got transfers from bigger schools, shouldn't be awed by surroundings, having already played UNC/UCLA.
Quick turnaround for 8-1 Illini squad that waxed Auburn in Atlanta on Sunday; Illinois have trip to play Oregon over weekend, figure to be bit flat here, vs Dartmouth that lost by 7-16 to No Illinois/Fort Wayne on first two games of midwest swing. Big Green lost by 10-16 in only two top 200 games- this is big step up in class. Ivy road underdogs: 7-8.
Gonzaga beat West Virginia last two years by 23-34 points; Zags were up 45-18 at half in LY's game in Spokane- this is their first true game on road-- they split pair of neutral games on Maui. WVU is 0-3 vs top 100 teams, losing by 5-7-9 points- they're making 44% from arc, protecting ball better than LY. Zags make 46.4% from arc, have #2 eFG% in US.
8-0 Boise State won by 13 at Creighton, lost by 4 at Michigan State LY, they're an experienced team thats played easy schedule so far, beating Utah by hoop at home in toughest game so far. Kentucky is grabbing 46% of its missed shots- they're 1-2 vs top 100 teams, with only win by 14 vs Providence in NYC. Wildcats' next game is at UNC on Saturday.
Cal lost three of last four games, losing by 7 at UCSB last game; Bears are 2-0 vs teams outside top 200, winning by 19-28 points. Nevada lost by 21-13 points in two Vegas games vs top 100 teams; Wolf Pack aren't playing good defense, allowing 56.3% shooting inside arc. Nevada is 3-1 on road, but #146 was best of four foes. MW road underdogs are 9-7.
Fort Wayne is 5-4 vs D-I teams, with 57-55 loss at Illinois impressive score for Summit team; Mastadons turn ball over 21.1% of time- they are 2-4 on road, losing by 1-1-2-7 points. Bradley lost four of last five games; they're 0-4 vs teams ranked higher than #279. Braves are making 26.8% from arc, turning ball over 19.9% of time. Summit AUs: 10-13.
South Dakota State misses departed star Wolters (in NBA); they're 2-6 vs D-I teams, losing by 19-32 points to UCSB/Stanfoird last week- they lost 88-64 here LY (48-24 at half). Minnesota is 4-0 vs teams outside top 200, winning by 15-22-10-19 points; they're forcing turnovers 21% of time. Summit League road underdogs are 10-13 against the spread.
South Dakota was outscored 5-0 over last 1:42 of 67-66 OT home loss in last game, to #106 Wyoming, best team they've played so far. USD is 2-5 vs D-I teams, beating #259 Utah Valley in only home game, so this is big step up. Kansas State beat Coyotes 70-50 here LY but was -4 in turnovers. Wildcats are 3-0 vs teams outside top 200 (Ws by 14-13-33).
Utah beat Idaho State by 11-12 points last two years, holding Bengals to 17 second half points LY after trailing by 7 at half; Utes have played 3rd easiest schedule in US so far, losing by hoop at Boise State, only good team they've played. Utah is making 63.2% inside arc, best % in nation- they've got rivalry game with BYU coming up in next game Saturday.
Ark-Little Rock is playing first D-I game in 11 days after this game was postponed Saturday; Trojans were 24-40 from line LY in 72-65 win at home vs Tulsa (16-24 on line) LY. UALR is 1-4 vs tough schedule thus far, but they lost to 3251 North Florida, a red flag. Tulsa is 2-5 vs D-I teams with a win over #63 Indiana State in Alaska, but they're 1-3 vs teams ranked outside top 100.
Armadillosports.com
Kansas at Florida: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com
Kansas Jayhawks at Florida Gators (-2.5)
Non-conference setbacks for No. 13 Kansas and No. 19 Florida are about as rare as either program being on the wrong side of last-second losses. Both programs hope to rebound from excruciating defeats Tuesday when the Gators host the Jayhawks in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. Florida saw its five-game winning streak snapped on the road last Monday when Connecticut guard Shabazz Napier retrieved a loose ball after a wild shot and hit the game-winner with less than a second remaining.
Making matter worse, the Gators had lost defensive stalwart Scottie Wilbekin – the player that would have likely been guarding Napier on the final play – to a sprained ankle in the final minutes. After rallying from a six-point deficit with 1:44 left, the Jayhawks fell at Colorado on Askia Booker’s long 3-pointer as time expired Saturday for their second painful loss in three games. “We’re not playing good at all and we’re trying to find (ourselves),” coach Bill Self told the Kansas City Star following the game.
ABOUT KANSAS (6-2): With the wealth of youth and athleticism on the roster, opponents have used zone defenses with great success against the Jayhawks, who have connected on 15 of their last 65 tries from 3-point range over the previous four games. “Everybody’s (going to) play us zone right now until we start making some shots...we’re not a real good shooting team yet (and) we’re not a real good passing team,” Self told Star following the loss. Star freshman Andrew Wiggins did enjoy one of his finest games for Kansas, tying a career high with 22 points against Colorado.
ABOUT FLORIDA (6-2): Wilbekin is expected to return against Kansas as is reserve point guard Kasey Hill, who has missed the last four contests with a high ankle sprain. If Wilbekin and Hill take the court against Kansas Tuesday, it will mark the first time all season the team will have both players available after Wilbekin missed the first five games for a violation of team rules. Casey Prather, who averaged 3.1 points over his first three seasons, is averaging 19.1 this year and only the third Florida player under coach Billy Donovan to post three 27-point games in a season.
TRENDS:
* Jayhawks are 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall.
* Under is 4-1 in Gators last five overall.
* Under is 9-3 in Jayhawks last 12 vs. Southeastern.
* Gators are 5-11 ATS in their last 16 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
TIP-INS:
1. This will be the first meeting between the schools since Kansas handed eventual national champion Florida its first loss of the 2006-07 season; the Jayhawks won the national championship the following year.
2. The Gators are 2-7 in their last nine games decided by three points or fewer.
3. Kansas, which has dropped two of three, has endured only one 1-3 stretch over its previous seven seasons.
College Basketball: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
Kansas Jayhawks at Florida Gators
Both Jayhawks and Gators off buzzer-beating losses try to bounce back when the two square off Tuesday night. Jayhawks (6-2, 4-4 ATS) losing 75-72 to Colorado were dealt a second setback in its last three games. Meanwhile, Gators nipped 65-64 by undefeated UConn but cashing as 4 point underdog are also 6-2 SU but unlike Jayhawks have been a bettors dream posting a 6-1-1 mark at the betting window. Kansas faces another tough road test here, Gators are on a sparkling 20-0 (9-6 ATS) run on home court. From a betting perspective, Jayhawks are in dangerous territory as they're 4-8 ATS L12 away from home, 0-4 ATS in their last 4 non-conference games, 0-4-1 ATS L5 regular season games vs the SEC.