College Hoops Betting News and Notes
By Steve Merril
Covers.Com
ACC:
North Carolina is the No. 1 team in the country and a +200 favorite to win the national title. The Tar Heels are 3-0, but they’ve played nothing in the way of competition and that includes Michigan State, a team that is not ready for big-time college basketball right now.
The 3-point shot is a big weapon in college hoops, but the long-range shots have not been falling for the Tar Heels this season. North Carolina is shooting just 28.9 percent (11-38) from beyond the arc so far. This team only shot 32.8 percent from 3-point land last season while allowing their opponents to shoot 33.1 percent. This lack of an outside game might make the Tar Heels vulnerable against a quality opponent.
BIG 10:
Purdue’s Robbie Hummel is back. The Boilermakers’ best player missed all of last season with a torn ACL, but Hummel has returned to his pre-injury form so far this season as he is logging over 31 minutes per game, while averaging 20 points per contest.
He is also shooting a 45.5 percent from 3-point land, but Hummel needs help, which was evident in Purdue’s 65-56 loss to Alabama. The Big 10 has some pretty good defensive teams, and with Purdue relying too much on Hummel, the Boilermakers will struggle unless another consistent scoring option emerges.
BIG 12:
Missouri is loaded this season as the Tigers were the only team in the Big 12 to return all five starters this year. They did lose Laurence Bowers to a season-ending knee injury, but Ricardo Ratliffe has played terrific in his absence.
When head coach Mike Anderson left for Arkansas, not many approved of the Frank Haith hire as he went just 43-69 in seven seasons at Miami (Fla). However, the Tigers are off to a strong start this season and fans are quickly becoming believers in Haith and the Tigers.
BIG EAST:
Cincinnati came into this season ranked for the first time since the Bob Huggins era. The Bearcats were No. 20, but after a terrible 56-54 loss to the Presbyterian Blue Hose, don’t expect Cincinnati in any future polls. The ugliest part of that loss was the fact that Cincinnati led by 15 points with less than eight minutes left to play.
Duke beat that same Presbyterian team by 41 points earlier this year. The Bearcats face a tough schedule over the next two weeks with tough mid-majors Marshall and Miami (OH) at home, followed by three straight road games at Georgia, Xavier, and Wright State.
PAC 12:
Oregon’s star freshman guard, Jabari Brown, has decided to leave the school. Brown was a top recruit for Oregon and head coach Dana Altman. He led the Ducks in scoring during their summer trip through Italy. In a wide open Pac 12, Brown made Oregon a contender this season, but his departure now leaves the Ducks in a state of flux. Altman isn’t cutting all ties with Brown just yet saying: "I will say it up front, I don't want him to leave. The door is still open."
SEC:
South Carolina looks to be in a world of trouble this season. The Gamecocks were picked to finish dead last in the SEC and that prediction should come true. South Carolina has already lost two games to Elon and Tennessee State.
Looking ahead, this team has to play North Carolina, Providence, Clemson, and Ohio State before Christmas. The Gamecock's first conference game comes against the most talented team in the country, at Kentucky in early January. South Carolina head coach Darrin Horn is definitely on the hot seat this season.