NCAAB News and Notes Saturday 1/22

Villanova, Syracuse tip NCAA betting slate
By: Joe Freda

The No. 7 Villanova Wildcats have a 6-0 spread record in their last six games, with the ‘total’ splitting at 3-3. Jay Wright’s troops head north for Saturday afternoon’s clash against the No. 3 Syracuse Orange, who are 3-2 ATS in their last five contests.

Villanova saw an 11-game win streak end in Monday’s 61-59 defeat as a 2½-point road dog against the No. 8 Connecticut Huskies. The Wildcats began the matchup trailing, 10-0, but rallied to as much as a seven-point lead in the second half. Huskies guard Kemba Walker hit a clutch jump shot with three seconds remaining, giving UConn the victory.

Villanova’s Corey Fisher notched team-highs of 28 points and six assists. The senior guard drained 3-of-7 beyond the arc, while sinking 5-of-6 at the foul line.

Fisher’s mate Mouphtaou Yarou logged a team-high 10 boards, extending his streak of rebounding in double-digits to three. The Natitingou native connected on 3-of-8 field buckets, while failing to log a block for the first time in six contests.

The tight battle’s combined 120 points plunged below the ‘total’ of 141½, bringing the ‘under’ to 3-1 in Villanova’s last four games. Both squads united for 34 fouls, while the Wildcats were outrebounded, 37-31.

Villanova improved to 3-3 ATS in its six ‘board’ games away from home, with the ‘over’ dropping to 4-2. Yarou and Co. have allowed 69 PPG in that stretch.

Syracuse suffered its first loss in Monday’s 74-66 setback as a 6½-point road dog against the No. 4 Pittsburgh Panthers. The Orange were held to 39.1 percent field shooting, while being outrebounded by Pittsburgh, 41-27.

Orange forward C.J. Fair put up a season-high 16 points, playing 36 minutes off the bench. The freshman added nine boards and two of his squad’s seven blocks.

Syracuse’s Rick Jackson notched 10 points and a team-high 11 boards, finishing with his third straight double-double. The Philadelphia native hit 5-of-11 from the field, while logging three steals and two assists.

The contest’s combined 140 points jumped above the ‘total’ of 138, making the ‘over’ 2-1 in Syracuse’s last three games. Both squads united to drain 14-of-35 three-point shots, while the Orange meagerly hit 8-of-15 free throws.

Orange leading-scorer Kris Joseph (14.6 PPG) missed Monday’s game with a concussion. The junior forward is listed by DonBest.com as “probable” to return against Villanova.

Syracuse is 5-6 ATS in its first 11 ‘board’ home dates, with the ‘under’ going 7-3 in the 10 matchups containing a ‘total.’ Jim Boeheim’s crew has scored 77.8 PPG in its last four games at Carrier Dome.

Villanova is 3-1 ATS in its last four meetings against the Orange, with the ‘over’ also going 3-1.

Syracuse won last February’s duel between the Big East Conference rivals, 95-77, as a 4½-point home favorite. Jackson finished with a team-high 19 points for Syracuse, who edged out the Wildcats in rebounds, 48-36. Fisher struggled for Villanova, shooting 3-for-12 from the field, including an 0-for-5 blitz beyond the arc.

Saturday’s tip is scheduled for 9 a.m. (PT), with ESPN providing the national television coverage.

Villanova will be off for three days, traveling to meet the Providence Friars as part of Wednesday’s college hoops card. Syracuse will be idle for two days, remaining at home for Tuesday’s matchup against the Seton Hall Pirates.

NCAA Betting Preview: Texas at Kansas Jayhawks
By: David Schwab

The Texas Longhorns invade Phog Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence this Saturday afternoon to take on the Kansas Jayhawks in a showdown of Big 12 powers. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. (PT) and the game will be broadcast nationally on CBS.

Texas comes into this game riding high after knocking off No. 10 Texas A&M in convincing fashion with an 81-60 victory this past Wednesday night as a 6 ½-point home favorite. The total went ‘over’ the 131 ½ point line. This win followed a 66-46 win over Oklahoma as a 19-point home favorite last Saturday. The Longhorns are currently 15-3 straight-up on the year and an impressive 10-3 against the spread. The two conference wins raised their record to 3-0 SU in the Big 12.

Sophomore guard-forward Jordan Hamilton continues to be an unstoppable force for Texas with an average of 19.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Freshman forward Tristan Thompson heads up a trio of other starters scoring in double-figures with 13.1 points and leads the team in rebounds with 7.7 a game. Freshman guard Cory Joseph rounds things out for the youthful Longhorns with 11.2 points and a team-high 3.2 assists per game.

Texas is averaging 78 points a game and shooting 46 percent from the field. It is hitting 37.6 percent of its shots from three-point range, but just 65.2 percent of its free-throws. The one area that the Longhorns have been really dominant is on the boards. Texas ranks sixth in the nation with an average of 42 rebounds per game.

Kansas continues to roll through the season with a perfect 18-0 record SU, but is just 8-8 ATS. The Jayhawks remained undefeated with a 63-60 victory over Nebraska last Saturday as a 15½-point home favorite followed by an 85-65 win over Baylor as a 3½-point road favorite this past Monday to raise their conference record to 3-0 SU.

The Morris twins have established themselves as two of the best sharp-shooters in men’s basketball. Marcus leads the team with an average of 17.2 points per game and is shooting 61.2 percent from the field, while his brother Markieff is shooting 57.3 percent and averaging 13.2 points per game. These two are also averaging a combined 15.6 rebounds per game.

Freshman guard Josh Selby is the team’s third leading scorer with 12.1 points per game and junior guard Tyshawn Taylor leads in assists with an average of five.

It is no wonder that the Jayhawks are ranked first in the nation in shooting percentage. They are ranked eighth in scoring with an average of 83.2 points per game and fourth in assists with an average of 18.5. Kansas is at a slight disadvantage to the Longhorns when it comes to rebounds with 39.7 per game.

Texas is 5-1 ATS in its last six games on the road and 6-1 ATS in its last seven games overall. The total has stayed ‘under’ in four of its last six games.

Kansas is 2-4 ATS in its last six home games and 1-3 ATS in its last four games overall. The total has gone ‘over’ in four of its last six games.

Head-to-head, the Jayhawks have won seven of the last nine games SU and are 3-0 both SU and ATS in the last three meetings. The total has gone ‘over’ in five of the last seven meetings.

This will be a stern test for Kansas with the Longhorns coming into this game playing at such a high level. The Jayhawks at home should be able to grind out the win SU, but stick with Texas to get the win ATS if the line opens at four or more points.

Memphis and UAB in C-USA odds battle
By: Adam Markowitz

Once upon a time, the Memphis Tigers were the class of Conference USA basketball, and they just never lost a game. In fact, they went 64 straight conference games without a loss, a streak that ended one year and just two days ago.

One of the teams that was never able to beat them on this stretch was Alabama-Birmingham, though the Blazers came close a number of times.

Now, with both teams fighting for supremacy in C-USA and a bid in the NCAA Tournament, the two will duke it out in NCAA basketball betting action on Saturday at Bartow Arena. This clash will be televised nationally on ESPN2, with the tip coming at 4 p.m. (PT).

Memphis is in the midst of a really tough stretch of games that feature a number of teams that might be of a high enough quality to make the NCAA Tournament this year. The first two tests were passed with wins over the Marshall Thundering Herd and Southern Miss Golden Eagles to improve to 3-1 in conference on the eve of this clash at UAB.

The Tigers didn't have Wesley Witherspoon for their trip to Hattiesburg, as he was suspended for what was classified as an "internal matter." He is expected to be back in the fold on Saturday, and my, is that a good thing.

Witherspoon is putting up 11.5 PPG this year, and though he has dealt with injuries and now this suspension, he is clearly the most talented player on the squad.

Charles Carmouche hit the game-winning shot against the Golden Eagles earlier this week, but he is only good for 8.0 PPG and can't be counted upon for that type of offense often. Still, Memphis will let any combination of nine different players on the court at any time, something that has propelled it to having the No. 27 ranked offense in the nation at 78.2 PPG.

It's been awhile since the Blazers have been in the NCAA Tournament, but this year with the extended field, they have to think that they are probably somewhere around 10 or 11 wins away from getting the job done. They've got a great chance to impress both this weekend and next week with victories against Marshall and the UCF Knights being noteworthy like this one would be against Memphis.

If you're looking for scoring on UAB, you really only have the starting five to look at. Jamarr Sanders and Cameron Moore are both good for a ton of points on a regular basis, as the two are combining for 35.3 PPG this year. Aaron Johnson makes for a perfect role player, but we wish that he would shoot better than 38.5 percent from the field to get to his 10.7 PPG. Ovie Soko rounds out the big-time scorers on this team at 9.4 PPG. These four men are combining for over three quarters of the team's scoring, as the Blazers are averaging 71.3 PPG this year.

If you look up "domination" in the dictionary, you're going to find a picture of a Tiger slaying the green dragon from the UAB logo. Memphis has won nine straight in this series and has gone 7-1-1 ATS in that stretch. The good news that UAB can fall back upon is that it does have four victories here at Bartow Arena over the Tigers since 2000, but they came in 2000, 2002, 2005, and 2006.

Saturday's Top 25 Showdowns
By Matt Fargo

Villanova Wildcats (7) at Syracuse Orange (3)

Syracuse returns home following that crazy game in Pittsburgh. The Orange fell behind 19-0 before coming back and actually tying the game at one point but the Panthers proved to be too much on their home floor. The absence of Kris Joseph was definitely felt as numerous freshmen were put into play in his place but the good thing is that the Orange players got some needed experience. Syracuse is 13-0 at home this season and this one could be a sellout as over 33,000 tickets have already been sold.

Villanova is also coming off its first Big East Conference loss of the season on Monday as earlier in the day, the Wildcats and Connecticut played a gem. Villanova lost on a runner by Kemba Walker with a few seconds remaining and now it must regroup from that heartbreaker and head onto the road into another tough environment. Villanova lost here last season by 18 points which snapped a three-game winning streak for the Wildcats in this series.

Ohio St. Buckeyes (1) at Illinois Fighting Illini (23)

Ohio St. takes to the road for the first time since becoming the number one team in the country and it certainly is not going to be easy. The Buckeyes remained undefeated on the season with a 22-point win at home over Iowa on Wednesday to improve to 6-0 in the Big Ten. Surprisingly, that was only the second double-digit win in conference action as the others came by five, three, four and three points. Three of the five Buckeyes road wins have been by 10 points or more.

Illinois rebounded from back-to-back losses at Penn St. and Wisconsin to defeat Michigan St. at home on Tuesday by nine points. That moved the Illini to 4-2 in the Big Ten and kept them undefeated at home at 10-0. Illinois is trying to win consecutive home games against ranked opponents for the first time in 10 years. If the last meeting is any indication, we could be in store for a classic. Ohio St. defeated Illinois by seven points in the Big Ten Tournament Semis last season but it took double overtime to do so.

Texas Longhorns (10) at Kansas Jayhawks (2)

The Longhorns did not let that overtime loss at home against Connecticut two weeks ago get to them as they have rattled off three straight wins by 31, 20 and 21 points. Most impressive was the victory last time out against Texas A&M as Texas shot 58 percent from the floor and 86.4 percent from the free throw line. The Longhorns are 2-1 in true road games with the only defeat being a shocking one at USC by 17 points. One concern could be the depth Kansas enjoys with a lineup that goes 10-deep.

Kansas has won 69 straight games at Allen Fieldhouse as the last time the Jayhawks were defeated at home was way back in February of 2007, when Texas A&M escaped Lawrence with a 69-66 victory. This does not mean Kansas is unbeatable though as it was challenged by UCLA and Nebraska, winning those games by one and three points respectively. Do you think the home team has an advantage in this conference? The Big XII teams are a combined 126-10 at home on the season.

Michigan St. Spartans (17) at Purdue Boilermakers (14)

The Spartans lost yet again, making it six defeats on the season and their spot in the top 25 is in serious jeopardy. A win here could keep Michigan St. ranked but a loss definitely knocks it out of the polls where it started second in the nation in the preseason poll. Michigan St.’s last three wins have been by three, three and four points with the last two coming in overtime so things could be even worse. The Spartans have played a very tough schedule with four losses against teams currently ranked in the top ten.

Purdue bounced back from consecutive road losses to defeat Penn St. at home although it wasn’t easy as it came by just a single point. Purdue enters the game on an 11-game home winning streak, including a 10-0 record this season and the Boilermakers surely remember the last visit from the Spartans. Michigan St. defeated third ranked Purdue in West Lafayette last season and that was the highest-ranked Big Ten opponent the Spartans have ever beaten on the road. It is safe to say Purdue will be out for payback.

College Hoops Betting TV Guide

Ohio State Buckeyes at Illinois Fighting Illini, 12 p.m. ET, CBS (1.5, 137)

The Buckeyes have had one point of emphasis in the New Year: defense. It has finally paid off in a win this week against Iowa, limiting the Hawkeyes to 48 points and just 40 percent shooting as the team turned the ball over a season-high 23 times.

"The beginning of the year, we were playing great defense, team defense,” senior David Lighty said. “We have kind of been slacking the last couple weeks. This week in practice, it was pretty much preparing to play the real Ohio State defense, and I think we came out and did it."

Villanova Wildcats at Syracuse Orange, 12 p.m., ESPN (-5, 139)

The Orange could get a huge boost with the return of guard Kris Joseph. The team’s leading scorer at 14.6 points per game, Joseph hurt his head in the first half of a win over Cincinnati last Saturday. He missed that game and then a loss this week to Pittsburgh. Joseph has yet to be cleared but hopes to play.

Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans at Florida Atlantic Owls, 1 p.m. ESPN2 (-7, 130)

The Trojans could be without forward Eric Kibi, who is averaging 5.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, the second-highest total on the team. The junior was ruled academically ineligible in early January and has missed the team’s past five games. His status against the Owls will be something to watch closely.

Kansas State Wildcats at Texas A&M Aggies, 2 p.m., ESPN (-5, 134)

Look for the Wildcats to really struggle against the Texas A&M defense. The Aggies are known for their tough-nosed protection of the rim and the Wildcats will be putting an emphasis on ball movement and passing this week. In three Big 12 loses this season, Kansas State has 28 assists compared to a whopping 60 turnovers.

Stanford Cardinal at UCLA Bruins, 2 p.m., CBS (-6.5, 127)

Malcolm Lee is the new defensive stopper for the Bruins. He flustered BYU’s Jimmer Fredette into seven turnovers, WSU’s Klay Thompson into 6-for-17 shooting and OSU’s Jared Cunningham to a 1 for 9 night. And he doesn’t look to slow down.

"Every day, he goes into practice and works hard and when it's time to guard the best player, he goes out there and gives it all he's got," UCLA guard Lazeric Jones said. "You can't ask more of anyone."

Tennessee Volunteers at UConn Huskies, 2 p.m., CBS (-7, 142)

Volunteers junior Scotty Hopson has switched from chasing guards to forwards on defense the past few games and the Vols have no plans to change him back. The results of the move have Hopson committing more fouls, but being fresher on offense and attacking the rim instead of settling for jumpers. Hopson is still scoring around 16 points per game, but is averaging around three boards more than his 3.4 rebounds per game mark this season.

Temple Owls at Xavier Musketeers, 3 p.m., ESPN2 (-1, 129)

Injuries have given the Owls an elite weapon. Guard Khalif Wyatt, who started three games this year due to injuries to starters, exploded for 27 points in 30 minutes in a win over Penn. Wyatt finished 9 for 13 from the floor and 4 for 6 from beyond the arc. That’s 10 points more than his previous career best. And with starter Juan Fernandez still wearing a knee brace, expect Wyatt to see plenty of minutes.

Duke Blue Devils at Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 4 p.m., ESPN (22.5, 154)

Wake Forest has lost all four of its Atlantic Coast Conference games and those defeats are coming by an average of 26 points. With the team losing Tony Woods, Tony Chennault and Melvin Tabb to injury or transfer, it has a huge talent gap, as evidenced in a 74-39 loss to Georgia Tech. Just three players made more than one basket for the Demon Deacons.

Texas Longhorns at Kansas Jayhawks, 4 p.m., CBS (-7, 143)

The Longhorns have been an absurd force in the Big 12, winning games in league play by an average of 24 points. The emergence of freshman forward Tristan Thompson has a lot to do with that. He notched 18 points on a wide array of inside moves on offense and collected four blocks on defense. If he keeps soaring, the Longhorns will keep cruising.

Louisville Cardinals at Providence Friars, 5 p.m., ESPNU (6, 157)

Cardinals guard Peyton Siva needs to bring his A-game for his team to succeed. In a one-point win over Marquette, he was just 5 for 10 from the free-throw line with no field goals, four assists and four turnovers. The game before that he posted 10 points, 10 assists and seven steals. As Siva goes, so do the Cardinals.

Creighton Bluejays at Missouri State Bears, 5 p.m., ESPN2 (-11, 129)

The Bears have no chance to dwell on a 70-69 loss that ended on a questionable, buzzer-beating 3-point play at Indiana State. Now they have a scrappy Creighton squad coming to town and must not focus on the past. Missouri State coach Cuonzo Martin said it won’t be a concern for his team – probably.

"I think they're upset and will be down about it, but tomorrow morning we're back to business," Martin said. "I think the best thing for our guys will be to play at home and get one off our chest."

Kentucky Wildcats at South Carolina Gamecocks, 6 p.m., ESPN (7.5, 143)

Look for some roster shifting for the Wildcats. The team already is 0-2 on the road in SEC play and head coach John Calipari is calling his team soft. In fact, he was so disappointed with the play of senior forward Josh Harrellson, he didn’t see the court at all in the second half of a loss at Alabama – and Harrellson still finished with a team-high nine rebounds.

“I was going to give them (Wednesday) off, but we’re practicing,” Calipari said. “Tomorrow will be a brutal day. Bru-tal.”

Memphis Tigers at UAB Blazers, 7 p.m., ESPN2 (-5.5, 140.5)

Sophomore forward Ovie Soko appears to finally be back from a toe injury. The 6-foot-8 forward missed just one game with the injury but it has hobbled him and on Wednesday, his 12-point and two-steal performance was just his second double-digit output in nine games. For a guy who can play north of 25 minutes, his contributions and development are huge.

Boston College Eagles at Florida State Seminoles, 7 p.m., ESPNU (-7.5, 136)

The Eagles aren’t taking any chances with the snow that has been nagging at the East Coast. The team flew down to Jacksonville Thursday evening and then took a 2 ½ hour bus ride the rest of the way to Tallahassee Friday. This should leave the team fresh and rested for a game that figures to be very physical and close down the stretch.

Michigan State Spartans at Purdue Boilermakers, 8 p.m., ESPN (-6, 131)

What has happened to Michigan State’s outside shooting? In the team’s past six games (dating back to a 67-55 loss at home to Texas) the Spartans have made just 35 of their past 112 triples. That’s just 31 percent, a drop of nearly 10 percent from where the team was shooting the first 11 games.

"I think it is mental," Michigan State junior guard Korie Lucious said."I know we're getting great shots. We’ve just got to know they're going in."

Iowa State Cyclones at Missouri Tigers, 9 p.m., ESPNU (-8.5, 149)

Cyclones coach Fred Hoiberg has been putting in extra time after practice. Following each session, he takes time to work with players on their shooting stroke, fixing problems from footwork to follow through to confidence. He lets his team play freely on offense and that mentality should follow through in a wide-open game against the Tigers.

New Mexico State Aggies at Utah Utes, 11 p.m., ESPNU (-14, 135.5)

Utah forward J.J. O’Brien missed nine games this year with a stress fracture in his foot, but appears to finally be rounding into shape. In an 82-72 win over New Mexico, he had an 18-point, 10-rebound performance on 7-of-13 shooting, including a 3-pointer. He should keep getting the green light.

Saturday's Slate
By Brian Edwards

Saturday's slate in college hoops is stacked with telvised games, starting with George Mason at James Madison on ESPNU at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. An hour later, Syracuse and Villanova will tangle in front of a record crowd at the Carrier Dome. The next time slot is highlighted by Tennessee playing at UConn.

Later in the day, Kansas will take on Texas in a huge Big 12 clash. Finally, Michigan State and Purde will collide at Breslin Center in a battle between Big 10 heavyweights. Other key matchups include Clemson at Maryland (-6.5), Marquette at Notre Dame (-3), BC at FSU (-7.5) and Minnesota at Michigan (-2).

Texas at Kansas

Most betting shops opened Kansas (18-0 SU, 8-8 ATS) as a seven-point favorite with a total of 143. As of early this morning, most books were using those same numbers. Gamblers can take the Longhorns to win outrght for a plus-260 return (risk $100 to win $260).

Texas (15-3 SU, 10-3 ATS) has been a lucrative team to support this year, especially in recent weeks. The Longhorns have taken the cash in six of their last seven games, including Wednesday’s 81-60 blowout win over Texas A&M. Rick Barnes’ team cruised to victory and halted the Aggies’ 13-game winning streak in the process.

KU will be gunning for its 70th consecutive home win Saturday afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks haven’t tasted defeat at home since February of 2007 when Acie Law led Texas A&M to a win at Kansas.

Texas has been a live underdog this season, posting a 3-1 SU record and a 4-0 ATS mark. The ‘Horns have won outright as ‘dogs against Illinois, North Carolina and Michigan St. They lost 68-66 to Pitt as five-point underdogs.

Bill Self’s team is coming off a strong performance, dealing out woodshed treatment in the form of an 85-65 beatdown at Baylor. The Jayhawks easily covered the number as 3½-point road favorites. The Morris Brothers, Marcus and Markieff, were the catalysts, combining for 44 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, five steals and two blocked shots.

Kansas has won three in a row over Texas both SU and ATS. The ‘over’ is 5-2 in the last seven head-to-head meetings.

The ‘over’ is 9-7 overall for KU, but the ‘under’ is 5-4 in its home assignments.

The ‘under’ is 7-5 overall for Texas, 4-2 in its last six outings.

CBS will have the telecast at 4:00 p.m. Eastern.

Michigan State at Purdue

The Wynn opened Purdue (16-3 SU, 10-6 ATS) as a 5 1/2-point favorite, but most books had the Boilermakers favored by six early this morning. The total started at 131 and the Spartans are plus-240 on the money line (risk $100 to win $240).

Purdue was on the verge of losing its third straight game Wednesday night until JaJuan Johnson buried an 18-foot jumper from the right wing with two ticks remaining to lift the Boilermakers to a 63-62 win over Penn State. However, the Nittany Lions easily took the cash as 13-point road underdogs. Johnson finished with a game-high 25 points.

Michigan State (12-6 SU, 6-11 ATS) has failed to cover the spread in four consecutive games, including Wednesday’s 71-62 loss at Illinois as a four-point underdog. Kalin Lucas had a team-high 15 points in the losing effort.

Matt Painter’s squad is unbeaten in 10 home games with a 5-2 spread record. Before edging PSU the other night, the Boilers had lost back-to-back games at Minnesota and at West Virginia. The Mountaineers won a 68-64 decision over Purdue as three-point home favorites last Sunday afternoon.

Tom Izzo’s team has been an underdog three times, posting a 1-2 SU record and a 2-1 ATS mark. The Spartans beat Washington 76-71 as one-point ‘dogs at the Maui Classic back in late November. They lost at Duke but covered the number and the other spot as ‘dogs was the aforementioned defeat at Illinois several nights ago.

Purdue owns a 3-2 spread record in five games as a single-digit ‘chalk.’

These Big 10 rivals have split the last eight head-to-head meetings, but Purdue has taken the cash at a 6-2 ATS clip. The road team won both meetings last year with the Spartans capturing a 53-44 win at Purdue as four-point road underdogs on Feb. 28.

The ‘under’ is 13-3 in the last 16 head-to-head meetings between MSU and Purdue.

The ‘under’ is 11-6 overall for MSU, 6-1 in its last seven games.

The ‘over’ is 8-7-1 overall for Purdue, 3-3-1 in its home outings.

Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets

I don’t see how Tennessee can get left out of the Big Dance if it wins at UConn on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on CBS. The Vols have already won at Pitt and beat Villanova at MSG in NYC. They also have a win at Georgia on Brian Williams’ putback at the buzzer earlier this week. Between those wins in the Steel City and in Athens, however, UT has lost at home to Oakland, USC, College of Charleston and Florida, not to mention road losses at Charlotte and at Arkansas. So the Vols’ resume is a mixed bag, but a win over UConn basically makes it a given that they’ll be in the NCAA Tournament. Also, we should note that Bruce Pearl will be back on the sidelines in Storrs since it’s not an SEC game. He has four more SEC games to sit out to complete his eight-game suspension by Commissioner Mike Slive. The Huskies were favored by seven late Friday afternoon.

Penn State plays five of its next seven games at home, including back-to-back contests vs. Iowa and Wisconsin starting with the Hawkeyes on Wednesday. After facing Iowa, PSU will finish the regular season with 10 straight games against teams with an RPI of 84 or better. In fact, seven of those games will come against squads with an RPI of 32 or better. My point is that the Nittany Lions, with an RPI of 61, are still in contention for an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. Although they are just 10-8 overall, PSU has played as well as any team in America the last two weeks, beating Illinois and Michigan St. at home while losing by three at top-ranked Ohio St. and by one at Purdue. Most importantly for our purposes, the Lions own a 4-0 spread record in their last four outings.

UCLA’s Reeves Nelson took a bagel and fouled out in Saturday’s win at Oregon. On Thursday night, however, Nelson made amends for the Bruins, who beat Cal on his tip-in with 2.2 seconds remaining. The Bears produced a backdoor cover for their backers in the 86-84 loss as

The last televised game Saturday night is New Mexico State at Utah St. on ESPNU at 11:00 p.m. Eastern.

The Wynn opened Kentucky as a 7 1/2-point favorite for Saturday's game at South Carolina. The Wildcats, who lost at Alabama earlier this week, will face the Gamecocks at 6:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

vegasinsider.com

Texas at Kansas: What Bettors Need to Know

Texas Longhorns at Kansas Jayhawks (-7, 143)

THE STORY: The Kansas-Texas game usually has a big say in who wins the Big 12, and this season doesn’t appear to be any different. After Saturday’s game, No. 2 KU or No. 11 UT will be the only team still perfect in Big 12 play.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, CBS

ABOUT KANSAS (18-0, 3-0 Big 12, 8-8 ATS): The Jayhawks played their best game of the season against Baylor Monday, shooting 79 percent in the first half en route to a 20-point road win. Kansas has been accused of playing to the level of its competition – not an uncommon accusation in Lawrence – but seemed to play with an edge Monday. Players said they were motivated by being labeled the “worst 17-0 team in the country”.

ABOUT TEXAS (15-3, 3-0 Big 12, 10-3 ATS): The addition of freshman point guard Cory Joseph has made a world of difference for the Longhorns, who for the last few years have relied on offensively-challenged point guards like Dogus Balbay and Justin Mason or ball-dominators like Avery Bradley. Joseph is averaging 11.2 points and 3.2 assists for a team that now uses Balbay in a role for which he’s more suited – defensive stopper. It hasn’t hurt that freshman big man Tristan Thompson is averaging 13.1 points and 7.7 rebounds. Texas now has a roster that simply fits better than it did during a disappointing 2009-10.

WHO'S HOT/WHO’s NOT: Texas sophomore forward Jordan Hamilton lit up Texas A&M for 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting in the Longhorns’ last game, though he’s been hot all year (19.7 points per game). Tristan Thompson hasn’t been held under 13 points in a month…Kansas’ Marcus Morris has been the Big 12’s best player since conference play began, averaging 24.7 points and 9.7 rebounds in three games. After a hot start, freshman guard Josh Selby has been up and down, scoring five, 14, three and 12 points.

KEY STATISTIC: Texas ranks second in the Big 12 in field-goal percentage defense (37 percent), while Kansas leads the nation in shooting (52.4 percent).

SERIES HISTORY: The Jayhawks lead the wildly entertaining series 17-6, and haven’t lost since a 2008 meeting in Austin. Kansas avenged that defeat in the Big 12 Tournament championship game that season on its way to the national championship.

LOOKING AHEAD: Kansas visits Colorado Tuesday. Texas visits Oklahoma State Wednesday.

LAST WORD: “I feel like nobody gives us any credit. I feel like those games we had close, people really thought we were supposed to lose those games. There was a lot of talk about how we were gonna come down here and lose.” – Kansas forward Marcus Morris after Monday’s big win at Baylor.

TRENDS:

- Over is 5-0 in the last five meetings in Kansas.
- Over is 5-2 in the last seven meetings.
- Road team is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.

College Basketball Knowledge

Illinois lost eight of last ten games vs Ohio State, losing by 19-16-7 to the Buckeyes LY, losing in double OT in Big 11 tourney. Illini is 3-0 at home in Big 11 games- favorites covered five of their six Big 11 games. Four of OSU's last five wins are by 5 or less points- they're 1-2 as road favorite in Big 11. Single digit home underdogs are 4-3 in Big 11 play.

Villanova won five of last seven games vs Syracuse, but lost to Orange by 18 LY; Wildcats are 3-2 in last five visits here. Syracuse lost by 8 at Pitt Monay, its first loss of year, falling behind 19-0 in game leading scorer Joseph (concussion) didn't play-- he's expected to play here. Big East home favorites of 5 or less points are 10-3 vs spread.

Tennessee went 2-2 with Pearl (suspension) not coaching; he can coach this game, because its non-SEC tilt. UConn won its last four games- they are 11-0 in non-league games, with wins over Michigan St-Kentucky and Texas. Big East non-conference home faves of from 6.5-9 points are 4-9 vs spread; SEC road underdogs of more than 5 points are 3-10-1.

Vanderbilt won 72-70 at St Mary's LY, tough gym to win in; Vandy is 2-2 in SEC, winning home games by 7-10 points- they're 1-4 vs spread in last five games as favorite. Gaels are 3-1 in true road games, losing by 14 at San Diego State. SEC non-conference home faves of less than 9 nine points are 8-11. WCC road underdogs of 5 or less points are 9-5.

Kansas State is 1-3 in Big 12, losing by 14-8-16 points; Wildcats are 5-2 in last seven games vs Texas A&M, losing two of last three visits here, with losses by 14-4 points. Home teams won six of last seven in series. Aggies are 3-1 in Big 12, losing by 21 at Texas last game- they're 1-1 as home fave. Big 12 home favorites of 7 or less points are 8-2-1 vs spread.

Maryland lost three of last four games, losing at home by 17 to Va Tech Thursday; Terps are 3-7 in last ten games vs Clemson, 2-2 in last four at home. Tigers are 0-2 on ACC road, losing by 6 at Florida State, at North Carolina by 10- they're 0-1-1 as road dog. ACC home favorites of 8 or less points are 7-5-1 vs spread. Maryland is 1-2 as an ACC favorite.

Home team won last five Temple-Xavier games; Owls lost last two trips to Xavier by 8-9 points. Temple is 4-2 in true road games, losing by 12 at Duquesne in last away game. Xavier is 4-0 in A-14, with three wins by 14+ points- they beat UMass/Dayton at home. Home teams are just 4-12 vs spread in Atlantic 14 games where spread is 6 or less points.

Cincinnati won three of last four games vs St John's, losing here by hoop LY; Bearcats 0-3 as Big East road dog, losing by 11-15-8 points- they scored 61 or less points in league losses, 70+ in wins. St John's allowed 76+ points in three of last four games, losing by 25 at Louisville in last game. Big East home favorites of less than 4 points are 7-2 vs spread.

Kansas won three in row, six of last seven vs Texas, winning last three at home by 25-4-10 points; Jayhawks are 3-0 in Big 12, winning by 5-3-20 points. Longhorns are also 3-0, winning by 31 at Texas Tech in its only Big 12 road game. Texas won by 12 at Michigan State, beat Tar Heels in Greensboro. Big 12 home favorites of 7+ points are 3-5 vs spread.

Notre Dame (+3.5) lost 79-57 at Marquette 12 days ago; Eagles made 12 of 17 behind arc, while Irish shot 39.6% from floor. Notre Dame is 3-7 in last 10 series games, but won two of last three played here- home side is 6-1 vs spread in its league games. Irish are 3-1 as home fave, winning by 14-3-15-8 pts. Big East home favorites of less than 4 points are 7-2.

Indiana State won its last six games, with last four wins by 6 points or less; Sycamores are 3-1 as MVC dog- they've lost four in row, nine of last 11 vs Wichita State, losing last seven in Wichita by 4-10-16-4-5-6-6 points. Shockers lost last two home games, by three points each. MVC double digit home favorites are 4-4-1 against the spread.

Purdue is 4-3 in last seven games vs Michigan State, with road teams 2-0 in LY's games; Spartans lost three of last four visits here, losing by 24-6-18 points. Big 11 home favorites of 7 or less points are 6-2-1 vs spread. State is 1-3 in true road games, with only win at Northwestern by three. Purdue is 5-1 in Big 11, with last two games decided by 1-3 points.

/Home side won last seven Cal-USC games; Bears lost last four games at USC by 18-4-11-3 points. Cal covered four of last five games they're 3-1 as Pac-10 road dog, with only one loss by more than a hoop. USC won its last three home games, by 4-11-23 points, allowing an average of just 50 ppg. Pac-10 single digit home favorites are 5-4 vs spread.

Tips and Trends

Villanova Wildcats at Syracuse Orange

WILDCATS: Villanova is coming off a rare loss in their own right, as they fell to UCONN to snap their 10 game SU winnings streak. The Wildcats are one of the elite programs in the nation, as they recruit as well as anyone. Villanova is 16-2 SU and 9-5-1 ATS overall this season. The Wildcats are currently ranked 7th in the national polls. Villanova is 4-1 SU and 2-2 ATS in true road settings this season. Today will represent the 2nd consecutive game the Wildcats will be the listed underdog. These two occasions are the only times this season they have been the listed underdog. Villanova averages 76.6 PPG this season, thanks to their unbelievable guard play. G Corey Fisher leads the Wildcats with 16.1 PPG and 4.9 APG this season. Teammate G Corey Stokes is averaging 15.8 PPG this season for the Wildcats. Villanova has had success against the Orange of late, winning 3 of the past 4 meetings SU. The Wildcats are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following an ATS win. Villanova is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games overall. The Wildcats are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games against the Big East. Villanova is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 Saturday games.

Wildcats are 5-0 ATS last 5 games against a team with a winning percentage above .600%.
Over is 13-5 last 18 road games.

Key Injuries - G Dominic Cheek (knee) is questionable.

Projected Score: 62

ORANGE: (-5, O/U 140) Syracuse is coming off their first loss of the season. The Orange lost to Pittsburgh on the road, a result nearly every team in the country would have experienced. Losses can be good for a team, and that's what everyone involved with the Orange is hoping for in this instance. Syracuse is 18-1 SU and 7-10 ATS overall this season, as they are ranked 3rd in the nation in the national polls. Syracuse is a perfect 13-0 SU and 5-6 ATS at home this year. Despite being ranked 3rd in the nation, the Orange have yet to win more than 2 consecutive games in a row from an ATS standpoint. The Orange play great defense, as only 4 teams have scored70 PTS or more against them. Syracuse is shooting better than 48% from the field, 26th best in the country. F Kris Joseph is averaging a team high 14.6 PPG this season. PG Scoop Jardine is averaging 13.6 PPG and a team high 5.9 APG this year. The Orange are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following an ATS loss. Syracuse is 10-1 ATS in their last 11 home games against a team with a road winning percentage greater than .600%. The Orange are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 home games against a team with a winning road record. Syracuse is 4-10 ATS in their last 14 Saturday games.

Orange are 6-1 ATS last 7 games following a SU loss.
Under is 9-3 last 12 home games.

Key Injuries - F Kris Joseph (head) is probable.

Projected Score: 71 (UNDER-Total of the Day)

Texas Longhorns at Kansas Jayhawks

LONGHORNS: Texas is coming off arguably their most impressive win of the season, a dominating 81-60 SU win over Texas AM. The Longhorns weren't expected to be quite so good this year, so they are a bit of a surprise. Revenge is front and center on their minds tonight, as they've lost their past 3 meetings SU with Kansas. Texas is 15-3 SU this season and ranked 11th in the nation. Most importantly, the Longhorns are 10-3 ATS this year, one of the best marks in the country. Texas is 2-1 both SU and ATS in true road settings this year. The Longhorns are a perfect 4-0 ATS as the listed underdog this season. F Jordan Hamilton leads the Longhorns in scoring, averaging 19.7 PPG this year. F Tristan Thompson is averaging 13.1 PPG and 7.7 RPG for Texas this season. The Longhorns are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS win. Texas is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games against a team with a winning percentage above .600%. The Longhorns are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a SU win. Texas is 7-20-1 ATS in their last 28 games against the Big 12. The Longhorns are 3-10 ATS in their last 13 Saturday games.

Longhorns are 4-1 ATS last 5 road games against a team with a winning home record.
Under is 7-3 last 10 games overall.

Key Injuries - None Reported.

Projected Score: 73 (SIDE of the Day)

JAYHAWKS: (-7, O/U 143) Kansas is one of only 3 unbeaten teams left in the country heading into today. The Jayhawks will be getting arguably their stiffest test of the season to date. Kansas is 18-0 SU and ranked 2nd in the national polls. Despite being undefeated, the Jayhawks are only 8-8 ATS this year. Kansas is 11-0 SU and 4-5 ATS in home games this season. The Jayhawks have been a double digit favorite in every home game they've played this season. The Jayhawks are averaging 83.2 PPG this season, 8th best in the nation. F Marcus Morris is averaging a team high 17.2 PPG this year, along with 6.9 RPG. F Markieff Morris is averaging 13.2 PPG and a team high 8.7 RPG this year. Highly recruited PG Josh Selby is averaging 12.1 PPG and 3 APG in his 9 games played with Kansas thus far. The Jayhawks are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games against a team with a winning percentage above .600%. Kansas is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following an ATS win.

Jayhawks are 0-5 ATS last 5 Saturday games.
Under is 16-7 last 23 games following an ATS win.

Key Injuries - G Travis Releford (leg) is questionable.

Projected Score: 72