Monday's Best NCAAB Bets
Elon University Phoenix at Duke Blue Devils
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is a win away from tying Dean Smith for No. 2 on the all-time win list but he has more on his mind than his 879th victory.
Freshman point guard Kyrie Irving will be out for a while after a freak to injury and the club is still figuring out what life is like without him.
"Certainly, with Kyrie going down, it changes our team," associate head coach Chris Collins told reporters. "He was such a dynamic player when he had the ball, and we opened the floor and we kind of played off him doing his thing. Now, we have to change the way we do things, especially offensively, and a lot of that is predicated on those two guys (Smith and Kyle Singler) being really aggressive."
Without Irving, Nolan Smith is the guy who is taking care of the ball. He put up a team-high 22 points and five assists in downing Saint Louis while covering as 24.5-point favorites. The Blue Devils are averaging 88 points a game and shouldn’t have much trouble handling Elon in this spot.
Pick: Duke
Coppin State Eagles at Connecticut Huskies
Kemba Walker’s 28.1 points per game average ties him Xavier Silas for the best scoring average in the nation and now he’s getting a little help from the club’s youngsters.
Walker scored 21 points the last time the Huskies took the floor in a 78-54 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Dec. 8. While Walker continues to roll along, UConn also got 22 combined points from freshmen Jeremy Lamb and Roscoe Smith.
"It's just good to see that those guys' confidence is getting higher, and that's what we need," Walker said. "When those tough games come around, if I'm not on, I think some of those guys, especially the young guys, will come along."
One of the those tough games will be next week against No. 8 Pitt and the Huskies will need to improve their shooting before then. UConn ranks last in the Big East shooting 45.2 percent from the floor, but the club has been even worse lately, hitting less than 38 percent of its shots in two of the last three games.
Pick: Eagles
College Basketball Knowledge
NC-Wilmington is 5-4, making more 3's than foul shots; they're 3-0 at home, also have wins at GW, Wake Forest. Illinois State hasn't played in nine days; they're 7-3 playing the #326 schedule, losing only road game 63-54 at Ark-Little Rock (+2.5). CAA teams are 6-8 vs spread if the number is 3 or less. MVC road teams are 6-3 if spread is 3 or less.
Valparaiso is 5-4 vs D-I teams, 2-3 on road, but both wins were Horizon games; Crusaders are 1-3 as favorites this year. Eastern Michigan is 0-8 vs D-I teams (1-8 overall) and they were favored in three of eight losses. Eagles are 2-3 as an underdog. Horizon single digit road faves are 4-6-1 vs spread; MAC single digit home dogs are 2-6-1.
St John's has ten seniors but hasn't played like it, losing last two games to St Bonaventure/Fordham; Red Storm is 2-4 vs spread when favored. Davidson is very well-coached; they're 5-4 with seven of nine on road; they're 2-3 vs spread as an underdog. Big East single digit home faves are 8-9 vs spread. Southern Conference single digit road dogs are 9-3.
Duke is playing for first time in nine days, and they don't play again for nine more days; they're 6-3 vs spread as favorite. Elon lost five of six vs D-I teams (three non-D-I wins); they're 3-2 vs spread as dogs. SoCon road underdogs of 17+ points are 2-6 vs spread (20-6 if underdog of less than 17). ACC home favorites of 20+ points are 5-3 vs spread.
Home side won five of last six Northern Colorado-Colorado State games, with Bears losing last three visits to Fort Collins by 9-9-8 points. State hasn't played in nine days; they're 4-3, 0-1-1 as favorite. Northern is 2-5 vs D-I teams, 2-1 as underdog, losing games on road by 23-3-10-3 pts. MWC single digit home favorites are 13-4 against the spread.
5-4 Portland State just lost its rivalry game to Portland for first time in few years; Vikings are 1-3 as an underdog, losing away games by 16 at SMU, 19 at Oregon, 15 at Bakersfield. Nevada lost its last eight games vs D-I teams- they've lost four games already by 3 or less points. WAC single digit home favorites are 10-3 vs spread. Big Sky road underdogs of 8+ points are 11-9 vs spread.