Saturday's Slate
By Brian Edwards
Gambers have games galore on the college hoops menu for Saturday. Let’s delve into a few of the televised matchups before getting into some Bonus Nuggets.
**Georgetown vs. Washington**
--This matchup between the Pac-10 and the Big East will be played in Anaheim at the John Wooden Classic. Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Georgetown (7-0 straight up, 2-1 against the spread) as a two-point favorite.
--Georgetown heads to the west-coast area after capturing a 72-65 win Tuesday over Butler at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Hoyas took the cash as 2 ½-point favorites, while the 137 combined points jumped ‘over’ the 126 ½-point total. Greg Monroe was dominant with 24 points, 15 rebounds and a pair of blocked shots.
--Washington (6-1 SU, 1-5 ATS) lost a 99-92 decision at Texas Tech in a pick ‘em affair last Thursday night. The Red Raiders handed the Huskies their lone loss of the year in overtime after hitting a buzzer beater to force the extra session.
--Lorenzo Romar’s team bounced back for an 88-76 win over Cal-State Northridge this past Sunday. The Huskies failed to cover the number as 19 ½-point home favorites. Isaiah Thomas had 21 points and four steals, while Quincy Pondexter finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and a pair of blocked shots.
--To demonstrate how soft Washington’s schedule has been to date, consider that it has been a double-digit favorite of 15 points or more in every lined game except for the loss at Texas Tech. Georgetown has faced a slew of cupcake squads as well, with Butler and Temple serving as the lone exceptions. The Hoyas rallied to knock off the Owls 46-45, but they failed to cash tickets as 10-point home ‘chalk.’
--The ‘over’ has hit in all three Washington games with a total. The ‘over’ is 2-1 for the Hoyas, but their totals have all been in the 120s.
--FSN will have the telecast at 2:00 p.m. Eastern.
**Virginia Tech at Penn State**
--LVSC opened Penn State (6-3 SU, 3-4-1 ATS) as a 1 ½-point favorite.
--Virginia Tech (7-1 SU, 2-4 ATS) has won four consecutive games since suffering its lone loss of the year to Temple at The Palestra in Philadelphia. The Hokies are 2-1 ATS over that span, including a 70-64 win at Iowa as 2 ½-point road favorites in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
--Va. Tech beat up on Georgia by a 74-62 count this past Sunday as a 10 ½-point home favorite. The win avenged a one-point loss in Athens last year. Malcolm Delaney enjoyed a monster performance with 31 points, five rebounds and five assists.
--PSU also lost to Temple with that defeat coming on the road last Saturday. The Owls dropped the Nittany Lions 45-42 as 7 ½-point favorites, but the road team hooked up its backers.
--PSU’s other losses came against Tulane and UNC-Wilmington at a tournament in Charleston, SC.
--Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2.
**Purdue at Alabama**
--LVSC opened Purdue (8-0 SU, 4-3-1 ATS) as a 3 ½-point favorite for its trip to Tuscaloosa to face the Crimson Tide at Coleman Coliseum.
--Alabama (6-2 SU, 3-2 ATS) has won three in a row since losing to FSU in the semifinals of the Old Spice Classic in Orlando. The Tide is 2-0 ATS in those three outings, including last Saturday’s 74-46 win over ULM as a 16-point favorite. Senario Hillman and JaMychal Green scored 12 points apiece for the winners.
--Purdue backers were bitten by the hook in its last outing, an 86-62 win over Valpo as a 24 ½-point home favorite. JaJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore scored 19 points apiece for the Boilermakers.
--Anthony Grant is back in the SEC after taking the ‘Bama job following a successful three-year tenure at Virginia Commonwealth. Grant led VCU to a pair of NCAA Tournament berths and one NIT bid. The Rams beat Duke in the first round of the 2007 tournament before losing to Pitt in overtime in a second-round showdown. They lost by one to UCLA in last year’s Big Dance, although their backers cashed tickets as underdogs against the Bruins.
--Grant, who spent 10 seasons on Billy Donovan’s staff at Florida, likes to press defensively. According to GoldandBlack.com, Purdue senior guard Chris Kramer explained that the Boilers want to make Alabama pay for its aggressive full-court approach. "When somebody presses, you have to turn it into easy buckets,” Kramer said. “You have to turn it on them. You have to try to get layups and easy jump shots. As long as we can take care of the basketball, I think everything should work out."
--This is Purdue’s first true road game of the season. The Boilermakers have only left home once for a three-game stretch in the Virgin Islands. They won the Paradise Jam Tournament by beating Tennessee 73-72 in the finals. Matt Painter’s team also knocked off South Dakota St. and St. Joseph’s at the event, going 1-1-1 versus the number.
--Alabama has won four of its five home games since losing its opener to Cornell. The Tide owns a 4-1 SU record and a 2-1 ATS mark at home.
--Grant’s team hasn’t been a home underdog under yet, but it did go 2-1 both SU and ATS as a dog at the Old Spice Classic. ‘Bama beat Baylor and Michigan outright as a dog but lost to FSU.
--The ‘under’ is 4-1 overall for the Tide, 2-0 in its home games. The ‘over’ is 3-2 overall for the Boilers.
--Purdue guard Lewis Jackson remains “out” with a foot injury.
--ESPN2 will have the telecast at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
--Going into Saturday’s home game vs. Ohio State, Butler’s Matt Howard has fouled out in five of nine games, including Tuesday’s loss to Georgetown. Howard made just 1-of-9 shots against the Hoyas. If the Bulldogs are to avoid their fourth loss of the season against the Buckeyes, they need Howard to stay out of foul trouble and produce like he did last year when he garnered Horizon Player of the Year honors. LVSC opened Butler as a five-point ‘chalk.’ Remember, the Bucks are without Evan Turner until at least late February, possibly the rest of the season. Tip-off is scheduled for noon Eastern on ESPN.
--In the second game of the Wooden Classic in Anaheim at about 4:30 ET. on FSN, Mississippi St. will face UCLA. The Bulldogs cruised to a blowout win over Depaul on Thursday in Tampa. They were six-point favorites Friday night at The Mirage in Las Vegas. LVSC had MSU at 4 1/2 on the send-out.
--New Mexico is one of 15 undefeated teams left in college basketball. The Lobos will put that unblemished record on the line Saturday vs. Texas A&M in Houston. LVSC opened the Aggies as two-point favorites.
--On ESPN2 at 5:00 p.m. ET., in-state rivals Marquette and Wisconsin will collide in Madison. LVSC opened the Badgers as six-point home favorites. They are coming off an 88-84 loss at Wisconsin-Green Bay in overtime as five-point road ‘chalk.’
--The ‘under’ is 6-1 in the last seven head-to-head meetings between Wisconsin and Marquette.
vegasinsider.com
College Basketball Bettors' TV Guide
By RYAN COLAIANNI
No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats at Indiana Hoosiers (12 p.m. ET, CBS)
Kentucky freshman John Wall received all of the praise following Wednesday night’s win over Connecticut, however, it was Wall’s seven turnovers that helped Connecticut stay in the game.
Wall has had trouble when he is matched up against players who have the length and quickness to clog passing lanes. While his 56 assists are impressive, Wall has 38 turnovers in just eight games this season.
No. 13 Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 22 Butler Bulldogs (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Coming into the season, Butler appeared poised to become the Midwest’s version of Gonzaga. Now with losses to Georgetown, Minnesota and Clemson, if Butler is unable to get non-conference wins over both Ohio State and Xavier, Butler may have to win the Horizon League Conference Tournament just to get into the Big Dance.
No. 15 Georgetown Hoyas vs. No. 17 Washington Huskies (2 p.m. ET, FSN)
Greg Monroe has been criticized throughout his time at Georgetown for being too unselfish and not asserting himself in the paint. After Tuesday night’s 24 point and 15 rebound effort against Butler, in which coach John Thompson III said “He did OK,” it will be interesting to see if Monroe’s output was a onetime thing, or the beginning of more dominant performances from this future lottery pick.
La Salle Explorers vs. No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor led the USA U-19 national team in scoring and assists this past summer, en route to a gold medal, yet he lost his starting job at KU to freshman Elijah Johnson Wednesday.
“I predict Ty will get the job back, but right now there’s no reason not to play Elijah,” Kansas coach Bill Self told the Lawrence Journal-World after Johnson’s 11 point outing over Radford on Wednesday.
Kent State Golden Flashes at Pittsburgh Panthers (2 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
Pittsburgh guard Jermaine Dixon played for the first time on Tuesday after being sidelined for the last six months with a broken bone in his right foot. According to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Dixon has been texting with former teammate Levance Fields for advice since Fields broke the same bone in his foot two years ago.
“You just have to put him out there,” Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon told the Post-Gazette. “We've just got to play through it and let him find a way.”
Oklahoma Sooners at Utah Utes (4 p.m. ET, Versus)
After a 29-point, 10-rebound effort in the first half against Centenary, Oklahoma’s Tony Crocker followed that up with a 1-for-6 effort in the second half to finish with 33 points.
"He’s a streaky shooter,” Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel told the Daily Oklahoman. Crocker went 7 of 10 from beyond the arc in the first half.
Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. UCLA Bruins (4:30 p.m., FSN)
During UCLA’s loss to Kansas last week, starting center Reeves Nelson was poked in the right eye causing his eye to swell shut and Nelson to miss the majority of the remainder of the game. According to the Los Angeles Times, Nelson returned to practice on Wednesday and is expected to play against Mississippi State.
Marquette Golden Eagles at No. 20 Wisconsin Badgers (5:00 p.m., ESPN2)
After an impressive win over Duke last week, Wisconsin entered the Top 25 for the first time this season, only to fall in its first game as a ranked team to Wisconsin-Green Bay in overtime on Wednesday. Wisconsin guard Trevon Hughes scored 15 straight Badger points in the loss.
"It is a frustrating loss. They came ready to play from the jump and we came like halfway,” Hughes told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Virginia Tech Hokies at Penn State Nittany Lions (7:00 p.m., ESPN2)
Struggling with foul trouble, Hokies forward Jeff Allen did not start for the third straight game in Wednesday’s win over VMI. Allen stayed out of foul trouble and was rewarded by starting the second half. Allen scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the second half.
"I had to change my game around as far as playing harder and playing through everything, like the refs," Allen told the Roanoke Times.
No. 5 Purdue Boilermakers at Alabama Crimson Tide (9:00 p.m., ESPN2)
Purdue has impressive wins over Tennessee and Wake Forest, leading to an 8-0 start, yet it is doing it without sharp shooting. On the season, the Boilermakers have shot just 45 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from beyond the arc.
“We are gauged as coaches and as programs by what we do in March. You have to get into that tournament and be productive,” Purdue coach Matt Painter told the Journal and Courier.
Arizona Wildcats at San Diego State Aztecs (10:00 p.m., MTN)
After scoring 11 points in his first start against Louisiana Tech Wednesday, Arizona guard Kyle Fogg will continue to start at the shooting guard position.
“I thought he played hard on defense, and to me, he’s hands-down our starter at this point from the 2 spot,” coach Sean Miller told the Tucson Citizen.
Fogg has made 11-of-19 shots from three point range this season.
(13) Ohio State (7-1, 6-2 ATS) at (22) Butler (6-3, 3-6 ATS)
The Buckeyes shoot for their sixth straight win and try to avenge last year’s loss to Butler when these non-conference foes clash at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Ohio State has been idle since last Saturday, when it destroyed Eastern Michigan 111-60, easily cashing despite being a hefty 22-point home favorite. Since suffering their only loss of the season to North Carolina (77-73 as a two-point underdog in the NIT Season Tip-Off), the Buckeyes have won five in a row, averaging 91.6 points per game (56.1 percent shooting) and allowing just 61 ppg (39.2 percent). Six of the team’s seven wins this year have been by 13 points or more, including five by 20 or more.
The Bulldogs suffered yet another loss to a quality opponent Tuesday, falling 72-65 to Georgetown as a 2½-point underdog at Madison Square Garden. All three of Butler’s losses this year have come against teams from power conferences (Minnesota, Clemson and Georgetown). However, in their two true home games, the Bulldogs posted victories by point margins of 11 (73-62 over Davidson) and 17 (84-67 over Valparaiso), but they failed to cover in both games.
These regional rivals have faced off each of the last two years and three times since 2005, with Ohio State winning two of the clashes and Butler going 3-0 ATS. The home team has won all three meetings, including the Buckeyes’ 54-51 exactly one year ago, but OSU came up short as a seven-point home chalk.
It’s all positive ATS trends for Ohio State, including 4-1 overall, 4-0 on the highway, 18-6 in non-league action, 7-1 on Saturday, 7-2 after a SU victory and 4-1 when coming off a blowout win of 20 points or more. The Bulldogs are 38-18-1 ATS in their last 57 non-conference contests, including 4-1-1 ATS in their last six against the Big Ten, but they’re otherwise in pointspread ruts of 3-10 overall, 1-7 at home, 0-5 on Saturday, 2-7 against winning teams and 2-6 both after a SU loss and an ATS setback.
Ohio State carries “over” trends of 4-1 overall (all non-conference games) and 4-0 after both a SU and ATS win, but the under is 4-1 in its last five on the road and 35-16-1 in its last 52 on Saturday. Butler has stayed low in four of five against Big Ten opponents, but is otherwise on “over” stretches of 13-6 overall, 7-3 at home, 7-3 in non-conference contests, 4-1 on Saturday and 12-4 after a SU defeat. Finally, these teams stayed under the total in their head-to-head clashes the last two years.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OHIO STATE
(4) Kentucky (9-0, 3-4 ATS) at Indiana (4-4, 3-4-1 ATS)
Freshman phenom John Wall will try to keep the Wildcats perfect on the season when he invades Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind., for an annual non-league battle with Indiana.
Trailing by a point with less than a minute to play against UConn on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden, Wall scored on a driving layup, was fouled and made the ensuing free throw to give Kentucky the winning points in a 64-61 victory over the 14th-ranked Huskies, cashing as a one-point underdog. Including last Saturday’s 68-66 win over No. 10 North Carolina as a 3½-point home favorite, Kentucky won its last two games over Top 25 teams by a total of just three points.
Wall scored a game-high 25 points and overcame seven turnovers against UConn, and he’s averaging 19.4 ppg, scoring in double figures in all nine contests. On the downside, the 6-foot-4 point guard has 14 turnovers in his last two games and 38 giveaways on the season against just 24 assists.
Indiana is also coming off a non-conference victory at Madison Square Garden, stunning Pitt 74-64 as a nine-point underdog Tuesday, the biggest win for the program since Tom Crean took over as coach prior to last season. The Hoosiers have alternated wins and losses in their last four contests, but they dropped their most recent home game to ACC foe Maryland, losing 80-68 as a five-point pup on Dec. 1. Indiana, which was dreadful offensively in its first season under Crean, has scored at least 66 points in every game and is averaging 73.5 ppg.
The host has dominated this rivalry, winning five in a row and nine of the last 11 meetings – all SU and ATS -- going back to 1998. Last year, the Wildcats rolled 72-54 and barely covered as a 17½-point home chalk. Kentucky is 7-2 SU and ATS in the nine battles with the Hoosiers this decade, and the SU winner has covered the spread in each of the last 11 clashes.
Additionally, this rivalry has rarely been competitive recently, with the nine contests this decade decided by 18, 19, 5, 26, 15, 39, 6, 14 and 14 points.
Kentucky ended a two-game ATS slide with Wednesday’s spread-cover against UConn but it is 2-7 ATS in its last nine after an ATS triumph. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers are in pointspread funks of 2-8 against the SEC, 1-10 after a SU win and 1-7 after a non-cover.
The last four meetings and seven of the last eight in this series have stayed under the total, with the under hitting in each of the last four matchups at Indiana. Also, the Wildcats are on “under” runs of 4-0 overall, 6-1 on the road and 5-0 versus Big Ten foes, and the under is 10-3 in Indiana’s last 13 games against SEC foes and 4-0 in its last four against winning teams. On the flip side, the Hoosiers have topped the total in four straight games overall and four of five at home.
ATS ADVANTAGE: KENTUCKY and UNDER
(15) Georgetown (7-0, 2-1 ATS) vs. (17) Washington (6-1, 1-5 ATS)
(at Anaheim, Calif.)
The day’s only other matchup between Top 25 teams comes from the Honda Center in Anaheim, where the unbeaten Hoyas match up against Washington.
Georgetown feasted on cupcakes through their first six games, including facing four non-lined opponents, but proved worthy of its ranking Tuesday with a 72-65 win over 20th-ranked Butler as a 2½-point favorite. The Hoyas allowed a season high in points, but outshot Butler 44.9 percent to 31.1 percent and had a 40-26 rebounding edge. Greg Monroe led the way with a double-double of 24 points and 11 rebounds.
The Huskies bounced back from their first defeat of the season – a 99-92 overtime setback at Texas Tech in a pick-em contest – with Sunday’s 88-76 home win over Cal State Northridge. However, Washington came up just shy as a 19½-point home favorite, its fourth consecutive non-cover. Going back to last season, Lorenzo Romar’s squad is in a 1-6 ATS nosedive.
This is the first-ever meeting between these schools and Georgetown’s first contest in the state of California since 2001.
Washington is averaging 86.3 ppg on 44.2 percent shooting but giving up 72.3 ppg (44.7 percent). The Hoyas put up 72.7 ppg but shoot 49.9 percent from the field and hold opponents to just 54.9 ppg (34.6 percent).
Georgetown is now 6-1-1 ATS in its past eight lined non-conference games, but from there, the pointspread trends fall off, including 6-16-1 overall, 1-3-1 against the Pac-10, 7-19-1 on Saturday, 4-11-1 against winning teams, 1-5-1 after a SU victory and 6-19-2 after a spread-cover. Aside from an 8-3-1 ATS roll on Saturday, the Huskies are also stuck in several ATS slumps, including 0-4 overall, 1-5 after a SU win, 1-4 after a non-cover and 0-5 versus opponents with a winning record.
The Hoyas are riding “over” trends of 4-1 overall (all in non-conference) and 11-5 on Saturday. Likewise, the Huskies are on “over streaks of 21-6 overall (including 4-0 in the last four, all in non-conference), 15-4 on Saturday, 19-7 after a SU win and 8-2 after an ATS loss.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
Marquette (7-2, 3-2 ATS) at (20) Wisconsin (6-2, 3-3 ATS)
The Badgers try to avoid a second straight loss to an instate rival when they welcome Marquette to the Kohl Center in Madison.
The Golden Eagles ripped off five straight wins to start the season, then dropped their next two to ACC opponents Florida State (57-56 as a one-point neutral-site favorite) and North Carolina State (77-73 as a 10-point home chalk). However, they rebounded with Tuesday’s 71-51 rout of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, cashing as a 14-point home favorite.
Wisconsin followed up consecutive upset victories over ACC powerhouses Maryland (78-69 in Maui as a two-point ‘dog) and undefeated Duke (73-69 as a 4½-point home pup) with a 79-46 blowout of Grambling last Saturday. However, the three-game win streak came to a screeching halt with Wednesday’s 88-84 overtime loss at Wisconsin-Green Bay as a five-point road favorite, the first time in 16 all-time meetings the Badgers lost to Wisconsin-Green Bay.
The SU winner has covered in all five of Marquette’s lined outings this season. Likewise, the winner is 5-0 ATS in Wisconsin’s last five games, and the underdog covered the number each time (4-1 SU).
These non-conference rivals meet every year, and Marquette has taken the last two meetings, including last year’s 61-58 home win, but the Eagles fell short as a 5½-point favorite. The underdog has covered in three straight, five of the last six and eight of the last 10 in this series. Also, the last three meetings were nail-biters decided by 4, 5 and 3 points. The Eagles haven’t won three straight against Wisconsin since taking four in a row from 1981-84.
The Golden Eagles have failed to cover in five of their last seven after an ATS triumph, while Wisconsin is in ATS droughts of 0-3-1 on Saturday and 3-9 against winning teams, but the Badgers are 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 after a non-cover and 4-1 ATS in their last five after a SU defeat.
The over is on runs of 27-13 for Marquette on the road, 20-7 for Marquette on Saturday and 4-0 for the Badgers overall. However, the under is 7-2 in the Eagles’ last nine battles with Big Ten schools and 18-6 in Wisconsin’s last 24 lined Saturday games. Finally, six of the last seven in this series have stayed below the total, with the one “over” coming two years ago at the Kohl Center.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
(16) Texas A&M (8-1, 4-2 ATS) vs. New Mexico (9-0, 7-1-1 ATS)
(at Houston)
New Mexico looks to remain unbeaten and possibly crack the Top 25 when it hosts the 16th-ranked Aggies in a non-conference clash on a neutral floor at the Toyota Center in Houston.
Since tumbling to West Virginia 73-66 – but covering as an 8½-point underdog – in a preseason tournament in Anaheim, Calif., on Nov. 27 – Texas A&M has ripped off four consecutive victories (1-2 ATS in lined contests). Most recently, the Aggies topped Akron (74-62) and North Texas (75-65), but failed to cover as a 13- and 13½-point favorite in each game. The two non-covers followed a 4-0 ATS start to the season.
New Mexico remained perfect with an 82-78 victory at San Diego on Wednesday, holding off a furious Toreros rally in the final minute. The Lobos just missed as a 4½-point road favorite in that one, this after pushing as a 17-point home chalk in last Saturday’s 75-58 home win over New Mexico State. Prior to those two contests, New Mexico had been on a 9-0 ATS tear dating to last season. The Lobos are off to their best start since going 10-0 to start the 1995-96 campaign.
These schools last met in 1992, with New Mexico winning 71-69. The Lobos lead the series, 4-1.
Both these squads can fill the bucket. Texas A&M has scored 66 points or more in every game, including tallying 74 or more five times, and it is averaging 72.8 ppg overall (77.7 ppg last three contest) on 45.4 percent shooting. The Lobos have cracked the 80-point barrier in seven of their last eight contests and are putting up 82.1 ppg (46.2 percent shooting).
Despite failing to cover in its last two games, Texas A&M is still on positive ATS runs of 15-6 overall in lined action, 7-3 in non-conference play, 21-6 at neutral sites, 12-4 against winning teams, 4-1 on Saturday and 11-2 following a non-cover.
New Mexico is 23-7 SU and 20-9-1 ATS in its last 30 contests, including 9-1-1 ATS in its last 11, and the Lobos are on additional pointspread upticks of 27-11-2 out of conference, 4-1 against the Big 12, 8-3-1 on Saturday, 4-0 against winning teams and 34-16-2 after a SU win. The only negative: A 1-6 ATS mark in their last seven neutral-site affairs.
The over is on streaks of 4-0 for the Aggies on Saturday, 7-3 for the Aggies after a SU win and 31-15-1 for New Mexico after a victory, but the under is 4-1 in A&M’s last five overall, 4-1 in the Lobos’ last five on Saturday and 5-1-1 in the Lobos’ last seven on neutral courts.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE
Kansas State (8-1, 4-2 ATS) at (18) UNLV (7-0, 4-1 ATS)
Kansas State attempts to extend a five-game winning streak and hand the Runnin’ Rebels their first defeat of the season in a non-conference matchup at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
The Wildcats have rebounded nicely from their first loss of the season – an 86-74 setback to Ole Miss in a preseason tournament in Puerto Rico on Nov. 20 – by ripping off five straight wins (3-0 ATS in lined contests). On Tuesday, Kansas State hosted Xavier and rolled 71-56 as a 6½-point chalk, as the Wildcats shot 44 percent from the field, held the Musketeers to 29.4 percent shooting (just 15 field goals) and had a 39-30 rebounding edge. However, K-State missed 13 of 17 three-point tries and misfired on 17 free throws in the win.
UNLV has been dodging bullets in its last three games, barely escaping with victories over then-No. 16 Louisville (76-71 at home), Arizona (74-72 in double-overtime on the road) and Santa Clara (66-63 on the road). In last Saturday’s victory at Santa Clara, the Runnin’ Rebels trailed 39-31 at the half, but outscored the Broncos 35-24 over the final 20 minutes. They won despite making just 41.4 percent of their shots and despite getting outrebounded 40-25.
These teams last met in the second round of the 1987 NCAA Tournament, with the Rebels prevailing 80-78, improving to 3-1 SU all-time against Kansas State. UNLV will serve as the home team in this contest despite the fact it is being played a few miles from their actual arena, the Thomas & Mack Center, which is being occupied by an annual rodeo.
Kansas State has scored at least 70 points in every game, including 80 or more six times, and it is averaging 79.8 ppg on 46 percent shooting. Meanwhile, prior to struggling at Santa Clara a week ago, UNLV had scored at least 74 points in its first six games, and Lon Kruger’s club is averaging 77 ppg (45.9 percent). Both teams play solid defense, with the Wildcats giving up 64.6 ppg (37.5 percent overall, 35.5 percent on three-pointers) and the Rebels yielding 68.2 ppg (37.7 percent overall; 29.9 percent on three-pointers).
The Wildcats are 35-16-1 ATS in their last 52 Saturday contests and 5-1 ATS in their last six after a spread-cover. On the downside, K-State is in ATS funks of 4-9-2 overall, 7-18-1 on the road, 2-6-2 after a SU win and 3-7-1 versus winning teams. UNLV is on pointspread rolls of 4-1 overall and 7-3 on Saturday, but it has failed to cash in six straight after a non-cover.
The “over” is on streaks of 4-1 for Kansas State overall, 4-1 for Kansas State on Saturday and 5-1 for the Runnin’ Rebels at home.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
(5) Purdue (8-0, 4-3-1 ATS) at Alabama (6-2, 4-2 ATS)
The undefeated Boilermakers play their first true road game of the season when they travel to the Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa for a non-league showdown with Alabama.
Purdue is coming off Wednesday’s 86-62 rout of Valparaiso, falling whisker short of covering as a 24½-point home chalk. Seven of its eight wins this season have been double-digit routs, with the only competitive contest being a 73-72 victory over then-No. 10 Tennessee in the Paradise Jam championship game in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. The Boilermakers have scored 73 points or more in six of their eight wins – topping 80 points four times – and have held every opponent but Tennessee under 66 points.
The Crimson Tide have rattled off three straight wins (2-0 ATS in lined action), most recently dumping Louisiana-Monroe 74-46 as a 16-point favorite last Saturday. Alabama dropped its season opener at home to Cornell (71-67 as a 6½-point favorite) but has since won four straight at Coleman Coliseum (2-0 ATS in lined play). The Tide have averaged 77.3 ppg in their six wins, but only 59 ppg in their two defeats.
These schools last met in the 2001 NCAA Tournament, with Alabama scoring an 85-77 overtime win as a 4½-point underdog.
Purdue has failed to cover in six of its last eight true road games, but is otherwise on positive ATS runs of 4-1-1 against SEC opponents, 4-1 on Saturday, 3-0-1 versus teams with a winning record and 4-1 after a non-cover. Alabama carries positive pointspread trends of 9-4-1 overall, 5-2 in non-conference play, 3-1-1 on Saturday and 8-3-1 against winning teams.
The under is on stretches of 7-3 for Purdue after a non-cover, 4-1 for ‘Bama overall, 5-1 for ‘Bama in non-league action and 6-0 for ‘Bama against the Big Ten.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
Saturday's Hoop Action
By Brobury Sports
The Saturday attention turns to college basketball with the football bowls still a week away. Here are the previews from BroburySports.
Kentucky at Indiana
Kentucky and Indiana used to be one of the best rivalries in the sport, and it may be again very shortly. Indiana (4-4 SU, 3-4-1 ATS) is rebuilding quickly under coach Tom Crean, and they’re coming off a big 74-64 win over Pittsburgh at MSG.
No. 4 Kentucky is 9-0 (3-4 ATS) and making believers across the country with their fabulous young team. Freshman John Wall will be playing in the NBA next year, but right now he’s leading the Wildcats to wins over teams like North Carolina and Connecticut.
Ohio State at Butler
No. 13 Ohio State (7-1 SU, 6-2 ATS) starts the post Evan Turner era (18.5 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 5.9 APG), as he will be out a couple of months with a back injury. P.J. Hill will get the bulk of the point guard minutes, but William Buford, Jon Diebler and David Lighty have to start filling up the stat sheet.
No. 22 Butler (6-3 SU, 3-6 ATS) has three losses on the year to Minnesota, Clemson and Georgetown. The Hoyas’ loss was just this week as center Greg Monroe had a huge game. Butler’s ‘Big 3’ players of Gordon Hayward, Shelvin Mack and Matt Howard need to start leading this team. This is a must-win at home for Butler.
Georgetown vs. Washington
This is another top-25 matchup and is also part of the John Wooden Classic being played in Southern California. That is certainly a geographic advantage for the Huskies.
No. 15 Georgetown (7-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) is coming off the big win over Butler as mentioned above. This is a very solid team under coach John Thompson III, but the schedule has been very easy outside of Butler and this game. This is a good opportunity to make another national statement.
No. 17 Washington (6-1 SU, 1-5 ATS) has had an easy schedule as well, with every game played at home with the exception of Texas Tech (99-92 loss). There is not a lot of scoring balance with guard Isaiah Thomas and forward Quincy Pondexter each averaging over 20 PPG. No one else even averages 9 PPG.
College Basketball Top Televised Tilts
By Doug Upstone
With only one contest on the collegiate gridiron Saturday, sports bettors interest start to wander more specifically over to the hardwood. This is the first full weekend of televised college basketball and a number of stirring contests are on tap for watching and wagering enjoyment. If you happen to Christmas shopping or lucky enough to get to stay home while somebody else fights the crowds, take the time to get in the mood for college hoops and enjoy.
Kentucky at Indiana 12:00ET CBS
Coach John Caliparis club finishes a challenging non-conference slate the last eight days taking on Indiana. Kentucky (9-0, 3-4 ATS) has defeated North Carolina and Connecticut this past week, as his young players get ready for SEC play. Coach Cal has also shown his stern side as head coach, recently reprimanding his most prized pupil John Wall. As you might expect, Wall has only heard people praising his basketball abilities since his youth and seemed genuinely shocked when Calipari expressed his opinion about his play. That sends a very positive message to vets like Patrick Patterson and Perry Stevenson and lets the other talented first year players know who is in charge. Big Blue will have to play defense against Indiana, since they are 2-7 ATS off a spread cover.
The Indiana Hoosiers (4-4 SU & ATS) are more talented than a season ago, however they are far from a finished product for coach Tom Crean. With a squad filled with young players, Indiana fans will have to take the good with the bad. Guard Maurice Creek and Christian Watford have made the steadiest contributions and the coach is thrilled about the effort Verdell Jonnes III is giving, working hard on the glass and transfer Jeremiah Rivers is adding stability in the backcourt. The Hoosiers are 3-9 SU and 4-8 ATS vs. Kentucky.
Ohio State at Butler 12:00E ESPN
The Buckeyes (7-1, 6-2 ATS) got the clinching victory over Florida State 77-64 for the Big Ten in their first ever win against the ACC and moves on to face another rugged opponent, this time on the road. Ohio States forward Evan Turner has been a force (now injured) and Jon Diebler is emerging from early season shooting slump and burying threes again. Coach Thad Mattas club lacks size and 6'8 Dallas Lauderdale is doing his best to be a factor in the post. Despite tremendous start, sophomore William Buford has been lost and he could be important against balanced Butler squad. The Buckeyes are 14-4 ATS after two or more consecutive wins over the last two seasons.
Its not that the Bulldogs (6-3, 3-6 ATS) are playing poorly; they just werent playing Butler basketball. Coach Brad Stevens team may have played in the top early season tourney in Anaheim, but were sloppy in ball-handling and took far too many poor shoots in finishing with 1-2 record. In the loss against Georgetown, they shot 31.4 percent and had no answers for Hoyas center Greg Monroe. What Butler has to do is get back to basics, making the extra pass for the layup or the wide open three-ball shot. This is another big opportunity for the Bulldogs to regain stature, especially at home, if the knock off Ohio State. Butler is 20-11 ATS in non-conference games under coach Stevens.
LaSalle vs Kansas 2:00E ESPNU
Top ranked Kansas (8-0, 3-2 ATS) has not entered any tournaments the last couple of years, preferring to played selected opponents at home, on the road or at neutral sites. Everyone understood the Jayhawks talent deserved a top ranking; however teams that were supposed to push them dont give the appearance they will. UCLA offered little resistance and upcoming games against Michigan and California might not provide the competition needed for Kansas before Big 12 play. Swingman Xavier Henry is proving to be the perfect compliment as freshman that could keep Kansas at or near the top of the ranking all season. With its high octane offense (90.4 points per game), the Jayhawks are 13-2 ATS when they score 81 or more points.
Though the crowd will be pro-Kansas in Kansas City, at least its not a true home game for the Jayhawks, which has to make LaSalle (6-2,2-3 ATS) feel a bit better. The Explorers do have talented individuals like guard Rodney Green, its top scorer. Kimmani Barrett and Jerrell Williams both have the ability to fill up the basket and freshman big man Aaric Murray will find out how much progress hes made going up against Cole Aldrich. LaSalle has to maintain poise and if they do, the Explorers could improve on 19-9 ATS record as underdogs of 10 or more.
Georgetown vs Washington 2:00E FSN
This is a solid opening matchup for the John Wooden Classic in Anaheim. Georgetown (7-0, 2-1 ATS) has a trio of players that can matchup with any in the country. With Greg Monroe patrolling the paint, Austin Freeman making things happen from the wing and Chris Wright handling the rock, the Hoyas can ball. Where the view turns to 20-50 vision is when one of the trio has an off-night. Julian Vaughn has the ability to be reliable scorer and rebounder and sophomore Jason Clark has the length and quickness to be lock-down defender. The bench, what bench? G-Town is 11-19 ATS in all lined games over the last two seasons.
Coach Lorenzo Romars U-Dub squad is acquiring some good battle scars. Washington (6-1, 1-6 ATS) has been pushed by Wright State, Montana and lost to Texas Tech in OT, while the starters have learned to play together and a feisty bench has added a spark. Leading scorer Quincy Pondexter and Isaiah Thomas are going to be at the forefront, nonetheless junior Venoy Overton and long-range shooting reserve Elston Turner add greater flexibility for team that is 37-20 ATS away from home vs. foe outscoring opponent by eight points or more a game.
Marquette at Wisconsin 5:00E ESPN2
Shhh, quiet, if you listen intently, you can still here a couple dozen Badgers fans partying from the upset win over Duke. As per usual, nothing much was expected from Wisconsin (6-2, 3-3 ATS), however few work the chalkboard better than coach Bo Ryan. Guard Trevon Hughes is the leader of Badger attack and he is complimented by a group of players that dont make mistakes and play defense that always leads opposing player into anther defender. This conflict is HUGE deal in the Badger State and Wisky is 25-12 ATS as a home favorite of six points or less or pick.
Marquette (7-2, 3-2 ATS) was supposed to disappear, after losing triplets from last season, whom all finished in the Top 10 in scoring in Golden Eagles history. But senior forward Lazar Hayward is having none of that talk. Marquette will have size issues all year, but the amount of quickness will catch more than one unassuming competitor off-guard. Darius Johnson-Odom has a nice upside and swingman Jimmy Butler finds ways to score. Coach Buzz Williams team isnt going to win the Big East, nevertheless, they will have say. The Golden Eagles are 2-4 SU in Madison, yet have four covers. The UNDER is 6-1 in last seven encounters.
Virginia Tech at Penn State 7:00E ESPN2
No its not another Big Ten/ACC Challenge contest, this was just part of the regular scheduling between these universities. Virginia Tech (7-1, 2-4 ATS) has already claimed one Big Ten victim, Iowa, and seeks another on the road. The Hokies tend to be erratic offensively, as there are few answers beyond guard Malcolm Delaney and forward Jeff Allen. It is tantamount neither gets in foul trouble, which occurred in loss to Temple. Watch the line closely on this matchup, with Virginia Tech 3-16 ATS on the road when the line is +3 to -3 since 1997.
The Basketball Prospectus website has come with something called the Degree of DeChellis. Named after the Penn State coach, it factors an element that the Nittany Lions continually out-play --per possession performance. The basic principle of this exercise is Penn State (6-3, 4-4 ATS), under DeChellis, continually outperforms year after year expectations and common game situations. He has them playing competitively, despite being out-gunned most nights. Hes not on anybodys top coaches list, but he works with what he has as good or better than any coach. DeChellis teams are 6-0 ATS playing a team with a winnng record.
Purdue at Alabama 9:00E ESPN2
Purdue (8-0, 5-3 ATS) is enjoying its highest ranking in 13 years in the Top 25 and they are starting to look like are going to be the team to beat in the Big Ten. In winning the Paradise Jam and handling Wake Forest, they have shown diversity in style of play. The offense has a vast array of ways to score inside or outside and the defense can play lockdown opposing teams offensive sets. One difference over the last couple years that has manifested itself, the Boilermakers have another gear, a Usain Bolt if you will, with ETwaun Moore at the controls. Purdue is 6-1 ATS on the road after three or more home games.
By most accounts of those that follow SEC basketball, Alabama (6-2, 4-2 ATS) has underachieved the last several seasons, held hostage by the health of point guard Ronald Steele and former coach Mark Gottfrieds apparent inability to get the most out of team. New coach Anthony Grant is already turning a few heads with the Crimson Tides smarter play. Hes leaning on veteran guards like Mikhail Torrance and Charvez Davis, especially with Andrew Steele out with stress fracture. This could be early signature win Grant is looking for and the Tide is 18-7 ATS as a home underdog or pick since 1997.
NCAAB News and Notes
Saturday, December 12
Information on the best of Saturday's college hoop games.
Kentucky beat North Carolina, UConn in last week, now has trap game against rebuilding Indiana, a team Wildcats beat by 18 LY- was 36-13 at half. Hoosiers are 4-4 after upsetting Pitt Tuesday; their losses are by 4-18-2-12 points. SEC road faves are 6-8 vs the spread. Big 11 home dogs are 1-4 against the number. This is Kentucky's first true road game.
Matta brings his 7-1 Ohio State team to Butler for first true road game of season; star Turner is out (back) but Buckeyes are still loaded. Butler is struggling, 2-3 in last five games after 4-0 start; Horizon dogs are 12-15 vs spread, but 4-1 at home. Big 11 road favorites are 6-8 against spread. Matta is doing old employer a favor by bringing OSU to Hinkle.
Georgetown is 7-0, beating Temple by 1, Butler by 7, with two wins on road against stiffs (Tulane/Savannah); young Hoyas have just one senior Big East road teams are 33-15 vs spread in non-league games, 16-8 vs the spread. Washington is 6-1 after losing 99-92 in OT at Texas Tech. Pac-10 underdogs are 8-10 vs spread, 0-1 at home.
Portland lost last three games since upsetting UCLA/Minnesota down in Anaheim; being ranked, having expectations has hurt Pilots. WCC home favorites are 4-9 vs spread. Denver won six of last seven games; they're 1-1 on road, losing by 5 at Colorado State after winning at So Dakota St by 3. Sun Belt road underdogs are 20-18 vs spread.
Utah is 5-4 with wins over Michigan, Illinois (was down 16 at half); LY, Utes lost 70-52 at Oklahoma (+14)- they've got three starters back from 24-10 team. MWC home teams are 20-9 vs spread. Sooners won four in a row since 2-3 start; they lost 82-69 in only road game, at VCU. Big 12 road teams are 21-14 against the spread.
UCLA is 2-5, losing last four games by 2-27-11-12 points; they lost all but one starter from LY- Bakersfield/Pepperdine are their only wins this year. Tough scheduling spot for Mississippi State, which waxed DePaul in Tampa Thursday, its sixth win in last seven games (won last two by 52-31 points). SEC road teams are 13-21 against the spread.
Wisconsin got upset in OT at Green Bay Wednesday, their second loss in eight games; Badgers are 0-3 vs spread as favorites- they lost by 3 at Marquette LY, after leading by six at half. Big 11 home faves are 15-8 vs spread. Marquette is 7-2, with four new starters, but this is first true road game for them- they went 2-1 on neutral courts in Orlando.
New Mexico is 9-0, with wins at New Mexico State/San Diego/Hawai'i; 4-point at USD last game was their closest call so far. Texas A&M won last four games since only loss, 73-66 to West Virginia on neutral court in Anaheim- this game is in Houston, so Aggies should have home edge as far as fans go. Result of this game could matter Selection Sunday.
Virginia Tech is 7-1, winning at Campbell/Iowa, losing at Temple by 11; they've won last four games. Hokies have three starters back from 19-15 team (7-9 in ACC). Penn State is 6-3, 4-0 at home; four of its last seven games were decided by three or less points. Big 11 home teams are 17-10 vs spread. ACC road teams are 22-18.
St Mary's (-3) won 78-73 at Oregon LY; Gaels are 6-1 after ending Utah State's 37-game home win streak last week- their only loss is by hoop at home to Vandy. WCC road teams are 11-18 vs spread. Oregon is 1-3 in last four games after 106-69 debacle at Missouri- they've got couple of starters banged up. Pac-10 home teams are 9-19 vs spread.