College Hoops Betting News and Notes
By Steve Merril
Covers.com
ACC
Virginia Tech got some good news this week as their leading scorer, point guard Erick Green, is expected to return to the lineup. Green is averaging 16.1 points, 3.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game this season but he has missed time with a sprained left knee he suffered in practice.
The Hokies have really missed Green’s presence on the court. They turned the ball over 17 times in their latest loss as a true freshman was playing in Green’s place. Virginia Tech head coach Seth Greenberg said Green “would fight me if I told him he wasn’t going to play.” Greenberg then added that it would take “a major setback” for Green not to be in the lineup in the Hokies’ next game.
Virginia Tech hosts No. 8 North Carolina Thursday night.
Big Ten
Purdue has been playing with nagging injuries to their point guard Lewis Jackson. He is playing through a bad back and plantar fasciitis.
Jackson is Purdue’s most important player on the court, and when his injuries limit his effectiveness, the Boilermakers do not play well. According to Jackson, he’s been feeling a little better recently. Purdue head coach Matt Painter knows just how important Jackson is to Purdue’s success.
“When he plays well, we play well. As he goes, we go,” Painter told reporters.
The Boilermakers hosts Iowa Tuesday and play at Michigan State this weekend.
Big 12
Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy was harsh when talking about his team after their 1-4 start in conference play.
“We expected a little bit more from everybody from a talent standpoint,” Kennedy told the media. “We lack firepower. We're not as athletic as I would like. Our shot selection has been poor. We're settling for jump shots we don't make. We go side to side too much. We don't attack the basket. We haven't had a consistent work ethic.”
Kennedy has a legitimate beef with his players considering the Aggies rank last in the Big 12 in scoring, 3-point shooting and free-throw percentage. When asked what he can do about his team's shortcomings, Kennedy said, “Go get better shooters. But it's too late for that this year.”
The Aggies have most of the week off, taking on Oklahoma at home Saturday.
Big East
Marquette is without starter center Chris Otule for the season due to a left knee injury. But the Golden Eagles have gotten tremendous play from his backup DaVante Gardner, who is averaging 9.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5 blocks per game.
Gardner has actually scored more than 11 points in six of the 10 games he’s started and he has also recorded two double-doubles.
“He's a horse down there in the paint,” guard Darius Johnson-Odom told the press. “He's very crafty around the basket. When we get him the ball, a lot of good things can happen.”
The Golden Eagles take on Providence this Saturday.
Pac-12
UCLA is a shell of the team they should be. Malcolm Lee and Tyler Honeycutt mistakenly went into the NBA early last year. Reeves Nelson was dismissed from the team, and Josh Smith is noticeably out of shape.
But the Bruins aren’t the only team without an identity in the Pac-12 this season. Members of the Pac-12 have lost to the likes of Loyola Marymount, Fairfield, Northern Arizona, Montana State, Idaho, California-Riverside, Cal Poly, and MTSU.
The Pac-12 is so bad that one scout said, “They ought to play all games at 5:45 because it is, in fact, the JV league. I've been around since the Pac-8 and I've never remembered it this bad.”
SEC
Florida is dealing with an injury to its most important player, center Patric Young. He has an ankle injury and is scheduled for both an MRI and X-ray this week to see what the injury is. Young has been hobbled with ankle problems for the past two weeks and he was limited to a bench role in the Gators’ most recent game.
“My main concern with him is conditioning because he has been limited in practice,” Florida head coach Billy Donovan told reporters.
The Gators need a healthy Young on the court, so the results of his exams will be a key factor in the future of this season.
Florida faces LSU at home this weekend.