Champions Classic Preview
Sportspic.com
College basketball fans and bettors alike will be in for a treat Tuesday night when the much-anticipated Champions Classic double-header takes place at the United Center in Chicago. This season's Champions Classic has No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 2 Michigan State followed by No. 4. Duke vs. No. 5 Kansas.
Kentucky and Michigan State faced each other back in 2002 a game Spartans won 71-67 as 7.5 point underdogs then Wildcats exacted revenge the following year defeating Spartans 79-74 cashing as 1.5 point favorites. Dating back to 2001 Kentucky has a 10-5 (9-5-1 ATS) mark vs the Big Ten, Michigan State has a 3-3 (2-4 ATS) mark vs the SEC.
In the second matchup Duke attempts to make it two in-a-row vs Kansas as Blue Devils defeated Jayhawks 68-61 as 4.5 point favorite when they last met in 2011. Well to note, previous to that meeting was the 2002-03 NCAA Tournament when Jayhawks as 3.5 point favorites handed Blue Devils a 69-65 loss in the Sweet Sixteen. Dating back to 2001 Duke is a near perfect 6-1 SU/ATS vs Big-12, Kansas 6-3 (4-5 ATS) vs the ACC.
The first Classic was held on November 15, 2011 at Madison Square Gardens with Duke topping Michigan State 74-69 but failling at the cash window as 7 point favorite. That game was followed by Kentucky outlasting Kansas 75-65 as 6 point favorite. The second installment took place at the Georgia Dome on November 13, 2012 featuring Michigan State nipping Kansas 67-64 as 3.5 point underdogs and Duke taking care of Kentucky 75-68 cashing as 4 point favorites.
Michigan State vs. Kentucky: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com
Michigan State Spartans vs. Kentucky Wildcats (-3)
Julius Randle and the latest dream team at Kentucky got off to a strong start over the first weekend. Things get much tougher on Tuesday, when the top-ranked Wildcats host No. 2 Michigan State in the State Farm Champions Classic at Chicago. Randle posted a double-double in each of his first two games but will be going up against a tough, experienced front line in Adreian Payne and the Spartans.
Michigan State sophomore guard Gary Harris is one of the few non-freshmen in the country getting attention as a lottery pick in the 2014 NBA draft and did nothing to hurt that stock with 20 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the Spartans’ season-opening win over McNeese State. Michigan State blew past that smaller team and will take on a Wildcats squad much bigger and just as fast. Even the starting backcourt for Kentucky - James Young and Aaron and Andrew Harrison - all stand 6-6 and run the floor.
ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE (1-0): Harris and Payne expect to get more help this season from swingman Branden Dawson, who is fully healthy after battling back from knee surgery last season. The junior joined Payne (10 and 10) and Harris with a double-double against McNeese State, marking the first time the Spartans had three players record double-doubles in the same game since 1988. Head coach Tom Izzo came away from the opening win with positive thoughts on his team but an eye toward improving. “One thing this team does do for you, is it’s been a fun team to be around so far,” Izzo said. “Let’s face it, it’s going to get a lot, lot, lot, lot, lot tougher, and I don’t just mean Tuesday, but from here on out.”
ABOUT KENTUCKY (2-0): The biggest question for John Calipari and the Wildcats coaching staff was how fast they could get all of their talented freshmen on the same page and working the offense. A pair of easy wins over the weekend showed that Randle, at least, had made a smooth transition to the college game with 22.5 points and 14.5 rebounds against Northern Kentucky and UNC-Asheville, and he made a habit of getting to the free throw line with a total of 27 attempts. Calipari is looking forward to the test from Michigan State. “For us, it’s just a bar of where we are right now,” he said. “We’ve got a long way to go.”
TRENDS:
* Wildcats are 6-1 ATS in their last seven vs. Big Ten.
* Spartans are 5-2 ATS in their last seven vs. Southeastern.
* Spartans are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games following a S.U. win.
TIP-INS:
1. Kentucky leads the all-time series 12-10 but the schools have not met since Michigan State took a 94-88 double-overtime thriller in the 2005 Elite Eight.
2. Harris, Payne and Randle are three of the 15 players named to the preseason watch list for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, given annually to the most outstanding player in the country.
3. The Spartans handed out 32 assists on 42 made field goals in their opener, led by Travis Trice’s eight.
Duke vs. Kansas: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com
Duke Blue Devils vs. Kansas Jayhawks (+5)
Freshmen phenoms Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins square off Tuesday when No. 4 Duke meets sixth-ranked Kansas at the United Center in Chicago in the Champions Classic. Duke has won four of the last five meetings in the series, and Parker made an immediate impact with 22 points in the Blue Devils’ 111-77 rout of Davidson in Friday’s season opener. “First game in college -- are you kidding me?” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said of Parker. “That was a terrific performance.”
Wiggins was equally impressive with a team-high 16 points in Friday’s 80-63 victory over Louisiana-Monroe, helping the young Jayhawks win their 41st straight home opener. Kansas lost all five starters from last season, but the Jayhawks are favored to make another title run behind Wiggins and fellow freshmen Wayne Selden Jr. and Joel Embiid. The key player in Tuesday’s matchup could be Kansas 6-foot-8 sophomore forward Perry Ellis, who could have plenty of opportunities against the smaller Blue Devils.
ABOUT DUKE (1-0): Parker’s debut overshadowed the first game in a Blue Devils uniform for Mississippi State transfer Rodney Hood, who had 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting along with a game-high nine rebounds. The Blue Devils averaged 92 points in two exhibition wins and maintained its up-tempo pace against Davidson, when they shot 70.4 percent from the field and made 13 3-pointers. Duke had four players score 20 or more in the opener, including guards Rasheed Sulaimon and Quinn Cook, who ranked second in the ACC in assists last season.
ABOUT KANSAS (1-0): The Jayhawks started three freshmen in Wiggins, Selden and Frank Mason in the opener, but junior Naadir Tharpe will replace Mason at point guard after serving a one-game suspension for playing in an unauthorized summer league game. “We’re ridiculously young, and everything’s a new experience for us,” said Self, whose team boasts eight newcomers. Memphis transfer Tarik Black, the Jayhawks’ only senior starter, had eight points and seven rebounds in the opener.
TRENDS:
* Blue Devils are 4-0 ATS in their last four vs. Big 12.
* Jayhawks are 1-4 ATS in their last five non-conference games.
* Jayhawks are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games overall.
TIP-INS:
1. Duke has made at least one 3-pointer in 838 consecutive games, the fourth-longest streak in the nation.
2. Kansas is seeking its first win in the Champions Classic after losing to Kentucky in 2011 and Michigan State last year.
3. Duke holds a 7-2 edge in the all-time series against the Jayhawks.
Florida at Wisconsin: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com
Florida Gators at Wisconsin Badgers (-6)
Florida coach Billy Donovan is not feeling nearly as positive about his team as the pollsters, who have the Gators ranked No. 10. Donovan’s team will get a chance to prove its coach wrong on Tuesday, when Florida visits No. 19 Wisconsin. The Gators struggled against Northern Florida over the weekend, drawing criticism from their coach for their play on both ends of the floor.
The Badgers didn’t exactly blow out their first opponent, either, but knocked down 11 3-pointers in an 86-75 triumph over St. John’s while putting five players in double figures. That sort of balance would be a welcome development for Florida, which got 28 points from Casey Prather but just two from senior center Patric Young in the 77-69 win. “Sometimes we’re just lost out there. We are light years away from even being a remotely good defensive team right now and light years away from even being a ranked team,” Donovan told reporters.
ABOUT FLORIDA (1-0): The Gators got 15 points from freshman point guard Kasey Hill and 19 from Michael Frazier but did not have anyone else record more than four points against Northern Florida. Most shockingly for a Donovan-coached team, Florida struggled to 2-of-10 from 3-point range, had trouble defending the 3-pointer and was outrebounded. “My expectations are based on what our team looks like, what they’re capable of and whether they’re playing at the level you expect them to,” Donovan said. “I thought there were times we had guys not playing up to their standards.”
ABOUT WISCONSIN (1-0): The Badgers are known for their lock-down defense and slow pace under coach Bo Ryan but looked like a more open squad on both ends in their opener. Josh Gasser, who missed last season with a torn ACL, went 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and finished with 19 points, drawing praise from his coach. “He brings a lot to the arena,” Ryan said. “His nature and basketball IQ affects other people around him.”
TRENDS:
* Gators are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games.
* Badgers are 5-2 ATS in their last seven home games.
* Gators are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games overall.
TIP-INS:
1. Florida will again be without G Scottie Wilbekin, who is suspended for the first five games, and G Dorian Finney-Smith, who was suspended two games.
2. Wisconsin G Ben Brust matched Gasser with three 3-pointers and led the team with 203 last season.
3. The Gators saved themselves by going 27-for-32 from the free throw line in the opener.
NCAAB Preview
UMass has four starters back from 21-12/9-7 team; they're picked #4 in Atlantic 13 this season. LSU has four starters back from 19-12/9-9 team that was 13th-worst foul shooting team in country (62.5%), but this is their season opener, while Minutemen scored 54 points in second half of 86-73 win over BC Sunday- they made 6-11 behind the arc.
West Virginia won its opener by 15 over Mt St Mary's; they've got lot of new players after LY's 13-19/6-12 debacle, very un-Huggins-like. You think about new rules against physical play, WV had only 16 fouls in its opener- they beat Virginia Tech 68-67 at home LY. Hokies lost opener by point to SC-Upstate, an awful loss- they were just 9-18 from line.
NC State lost four starters from 24-11/11-7 team that lost in first round of NCAAs to Temple; Wolfpack beat UConn by 4 LY, its only game vs an AAC team. Wolfpack shot 65% inside arc in 98-77 win in its opener vs Appalachian State. Cincinnati has three starters back from 22-12 team that went 4-8 in last 12 games- they won opener by 13 vs NC Central.
Charlotte was 28-35 from line, 2-17 behind arc in 80-75 win over East Tennessee in its opener; 49ers were 4th-worst 3-point shooting team in country LY- three starters are back from LY's 21-12/8-8 team. Niners are picked #4 in 16-team C-USA. Charleston lost opener at Louisville by 22, but it was only 29-27 at half. Cougars were -18 in turnovers (21-3).
VCU has to be very excited about playing Virginia for first time in this century ('99 last meeting); Rams have three starters back from LY's 27-9 team that went 12-4 in A-16. VCU crushed Illinois State by 38 Friday, with a eFG% of 62.3. Cavaliers waxed JMU 61-41 in their opener (was 32-14 at half)- UVa has three starters back from LY's 23-12/11-7 team.
Kentucky beat couple stiff teams by 32-30 to open season; they started four frosh and soph last game- LY's 21-12/12-6 NIT team didn't quite cut it by Big Blue standards. Michigan State has four starters back from 27-9 team- they start junior/two seniors, are more mature. Spartans won opener by 42 over McNeese- they only took five foul shots in easy win.
Tennessee has four starters back from 20-13/11-7 team that beat Xavier 51-47 LY after trailing by 10 with 15:08 left; this is Vols' opener, while Xavier clocked Gardner-Webb 83-59 (41-22 at half)- would've been lot worse if they weren't 22-40 from foul line. Musketeers lost two starters from 17-14/9-7 team, but brought in pair of explosive freshman guards.
Florida has two starters suspended; Gators beat North Florida 77-69 in opener, but were up 19 with 9:28 left. Florida beat Wisconsin 74-56 LY, turning ball over 20 times but shooting 67% inside arc. Badgers won by 11 over St John's in opener, making 11-23 on arc- they used two subs. Wisconsin PG Gasser played 35:00 in his return from LY's injury- they have only one scholarship seniors, but also three 4th-year juniors.
Kansas lost all five starters from LY's 31-6 team, but they've got the #1 frosh in America in Wiggins, who had 16 in Jayhawks' 80-63 win over ULM in opener. Kansas was 27-43 from line, shot 64% inside arc, 7-18 outside it. Duke beat Kansas by 7 on neutral court in last meeting two years ago; Blue Devils beat Davidson by 34 in opener (13-21 on arc).
UNLV got boost from transfer Olekaide (14 pts) in 67-48 win opening win over Portland State, but other than Birch (7-8), Rebels were 6-20 on foul line. UNLV won in double OT at UCSB in last meeting two years ago, after Gauchos won on Strip year before. UCSB returns four starters from LY- new PG Harmon has seven assists in 79-50 opening win.
USC lost Enfield's debut by 13 at Utah State, forcing only 7 turnovers, making 4-24 from arc; Trojans have three starters back from LY, but are learning totally new style. Reggie Theus is Northridge's new coach- they have four starters back from 13-17/5-13 team- he played seven guys in Matadors' opening win, less than CSUN used while pressing in the past. Theus has transfers coming in from the east, but not until next year.
Minnesota lost three starters from LY's 21-13/8-10 team and also got a new coach; Richard Pitino replaces Tubby Smith. Gophers beat Lehigh 81-62 in opener (37-18 at half)- King had 20 points off bench. Montana graduated star G Cherry but is still picked #2 in Big Sky; this is opener for Griz team that won 93 games the last four years.
Denver runs Princeton offense, is hard to prep for; Cal beat them 72-61 LY, outscoring Pioneers 20-8 on foul line while holding Denver to 37% inside arc. Bears beat Coppin State by 19 in opener; Coppin then went and won at Oregon State Sunday. Denver has two starters back from a 22-10 team; this is its opener, as they prep to play in third league in last three seasons (Sun Belt/WAC/Summit).
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