Michigan (5-4, 1-5 ATS) at (1) Kansas (9-0, 4-2 ATS)
The top-ranked Jayhawks shoot for their 10th straight win to open the season when they host slumping Michigan at Phog Allen Fieldhouse.
The Wolverines are coming off Sunday’s 75-64 victory over Detroit, but came up short as a 12-point home underdog, their fifth consecutive non-cover in lined games. Since opening the season with three straight victories, Michigan has lost four of its last six, including a 68-52 setback at Utah in its only true road game so far.
Kansas has annihilated eight of its first nine opponents, the only close contest being a 57-55 victory over Memphis as a 10½-point favorite in on a neutral court in St. Louis, Mo. The Jayhawks’ other eight victories were by margins of 36, 50, 30, 37, 67, 12, 35 and 25 points. Most recently, Bill Self’s squad has routed Radford 99-64 as a 33-point home favorite on Dec. 9 and La Salle 90-65 as a 22½-point chalk in Kansas City last Saturday.
Michigan is 5-0 all-time against the Jayhawks, but the last meeting was in 1992, when the Wolverines cruised to an 86-74 victory.
For the season, Michigan is barely outscoring its opponents (67.9-65.6) and it has been outshot 46.3 percent (33.1 percent on three-pointers) to 40.3 percent (29.1 percent on three-pointers). Conversely, Kansas is averaging 90.3 ppg on 51.2 percent shooting (44 percent on three-pointers) while holding opponents to 57.7 ppg on 34.3 percent shooting (28.7 percent on three-pointers).
In addition to failing to cover in their last five lined outings, the Wolverines are in ATS funks of 4-10-1 on the highway, 1-4 against the Big 12, 0-4 against winning teams and 1-4 after a SU victory. Kansas is on pointspread tears of 19-6-1 overall, 35-15-1 at home, 13-3 on Saturday, 19-9 in non-conference play and 14-6-1 after a SU win, but the Jayhawks have failed to cash in eight consecutive games against Big Ten opponents.
The under is on runs of 16-5-1 for Michigan on the road, 6-1 for Kansas against the Big Ten, 16-5 for Kansas after a SU victory and 5-1 for Kansas following a spread-cover.
ATS ADVANTAGE: KANSAS and UNDER
Stanford (5-4, 3-3-1 ATS) at Northwestern (8-1, 5-2 ATS)
Northwestern tries for a rare eighth straight victory as Stanford visits Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill., for in a Big Ten/Pac-10 clash.
The Cardinal’s two-game winning streak ended with Wednesday’s 71-70 home loss to Oklahoma State as a 2½-point favorite, their second straight non-cover following a 3-0 ATS run. On the bright side, Stanford has scored at least 70 points in six of its last eight games – averaging 79.3 ppg over the past three – and it has not lost consecutive contests all year.
The Wildcats have ripped off eight straight victories since losing 67-54 to No. 11 Butler as a 4½-point home underdog back on Nov. 18. Northwestern has posted three straight double-digit wins this month, including Wednesday’s 84-54 rout of Northern Florida as a 19½-point home chalk. The Wildcats have averaged 74.1 ppg in their eight victories, and they’ve held all eight of those opponents to 65 points or less, with four of the last six foes scoring 58 or less.
This is the fourth season in a row that these teams have squared off. Stanford has won the last three (2-1 ATS), including a 65-59 home victory as a 4½-point chalk exactly one year ago.
Stanford is 1-5 ATS in its last six Saturday outings, but from there the pointspread trends are all positive, including 12-4-1 in non-conference action, 5-2 versus the Big Ten, 4-1 against winning teams, 4-0-2 after a SU defeat and 7-3-2 after a non-cover. Like Stanford, the Wildcats have struggled on Saturday (2-5 ATS last seven), but they’ve cashed in four straight lined games overall.
The over is on runs of 17-8 for the Cardinal on the road, 5-1 for Stanford on Saturday, 20-8-1 for Northwestern at home and 11-2 for Northwestern at home against teams with a losing road mark. Conversely, the under is on stretches of 5-2 for Stanford overall, 4 -1 for Stanford against the Big Ten and 7-3 for the Wildcats after a SU victory.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE
(10) North Carolina (8-2, 4-4 ATS) vs. (2) Texas (9-0, 5-2 ATS)
(at Arlington, Texas)
The day’s only battle between Top 10 squads comes from Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where the 10th-ranked Tar Heels attempt to hand No. 2 Texas its first loss of the season.
After being held to a season-low in points in a 68-66 loss at Kentucky two Saturdays ago, North Carolina rebounded in a big way last Saturday, routing Presbyterian 103-64 in a non-lined home game. The Tar Heels have played just three games away from Chapel Hill, N.C., going 1-2 SU and 2-1 ATS. Also, their two losses this season came against teams currently ranked No. 3 (Kentucky) and No. 5 (Syracuse).
The Longhorns have prevailed by double digits in every game this season, with the closest contest being a 78-62 rout of Pittsburgh as a 7½-point chalk at Madison Square garden on Nov. 24. Texas has won its last four games – all at home against USC, Long Beach State, Texas State and Texas Pan-American – by respective margins of 19, 33, 33 and 62 points.
These teams met in the second round of the 2004 NCAA Tournament, with the Longhorns scoring a 78-75 victory as a one-point underdog.
North Carolina has scored at least 80 points in seven of its 10 games, averaging 84.4 ppg on 51.2 percent shooting. The Longhorns have bettered the Tar Heels’ offensive output, though, scoring 85.4 ppg (51.9 percent shooting), including averaging 99.3 ppg in the last three contests. Also, Texas rates a big edge on defense, allowing 53.8 ppg (31.6 percent shooting) while North Carolina has yielded 71 ppg (41.6 percent shooting). Only one opponent has tallied more than 62 points against Texas, with five scoring 54 points or less; the Tar Heels have surrendered more than 70 points seven times.
The Heels are on pointspread surges of 10-4 overall, 42-14 in non-conference play, 6-2 versus the Big 12, 7-1 at neutral sites, 4-1 on Saturday, 9-3 after a SU win, 9-1 against winning teams and 4-1 on Saturday. Texas is also riding a series of positive pointspread streaks, including 7-2 overall (all in non-conference), 5-2 against the ACC, 4-0 at neutral venues, 6-1 against winning teams and 5-2 after a SU victory, but the ‘Horns have failed to cover in six of their last eight on Saturday.
The under is 4-0 in UNC’s last four on Saturday, but the over is 4-0 in Texas’ last four at neutral venues and 6-1 in its last seven against the ACC. Also, the 2004 meeting between these schools barely skipped over the total.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE
Xavier (6-3, 5-3 ATS) at (21) Butler (7-3, 4-6 ATS)
Butler returns to the court for the first time since outlasting Ohio State last Saturday, as it welcomes the Musketeers to Hinkle Fieldhouse for a non-conference clash.
Xavier has alternated SU wins and losses in its last seven contests and ATS wins and losses in its last seven lined games. On Sunday, the Musketeers outlasted then-No. 19 Cincinnati 83-79 in double-overtime and covered as a 3½-point home favorite. Terrell Holloway had 26 points while big man Jason Love contributed 19 rebounds in helping Xavier knockoff its crosstown rivals. The victory followed a 71-56 loss at Kansas State as a 6 ½-point road underdog, the Musketeers’ lone game as a visitor this season.
The Bulldogs rallied past No. 13 Ohio State 74-66, holding on to cover as a five-point home favorite. Butler is 3-0 at Hinkle Fieldhouse (1-2 ATS), averaging 77 ppg (46.1 percent shooting) while allowing 65 ppg (49.7 percent). The Bulldogs three losses this year came against Top 25 competition: 82-73 to No. 22 Minnesota; 70-69 to No. 19 Clemson; 72-65 to No. 15 Georgetown.
Butler upended Xavier 74-65 as an eight-point road underdog last year. Prior to that, these teams hadn’t met since 1997 and 1998, and Xavier won both those contests (1-1 ATS).
The Musketeers are on ATS upticks of 8-3 overall, 10-3 in non-league contests and 15-7-1 versus opponents with a winning record, but they’re 2-5 ATS in their last seven on the highway. Meanwhile, with last Saturday’s spread-cover against Ohio State, Butler is now 39-18-1 ATS in its last 58 non-conference games, but the Bulldogs are otherwise in ATS funks of 4-10 overall, 2-7 at home, 3-7 against winning teams and 1-5 on Saturday.
Xavier is riding “under” streaks of 13-6-1 overall, 6-1 on the road, 6-0 after a SU win and 5-0 after a non-cover. However, the Musketeers are 5-1-1 “over” in their last seven on Saturday, while Butler is on “over” streaks of 5-2 overall, 4-1 at home, 5-1 on Saturday and 8-3 in non-league action. Finally, last year’s meeting between these schools at Xavier hurdled the posted total.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
(15) Gonzaga (8-2, 3-3-1 ATS) vs. (7) Duke (8-1, 5-3 ATS)
(at New York)
Duke returns to its home away from home – Madison Square Garden – for the third time this season as it battles the Bulldogs in the day’s only other matchup between Top 25 squads.
Gonzaga had a five-game winning streak snapped two weeks ago, losing 77-75 to Wake Forest as a 6½-point home favorite, but then rebounded with a pair of double-digit wins over Augustana, Ill. (79-40 in a non-lined home game) and Davidson (103-91, pushing as a 12-point chalk in Seattle last Saturday). The Zags have scored more than 70 points in nine of 10 games this year, the only exception being a 61-59 overtime win over Cincinnati in the Maui Invitational championship game on Nov. 25.
The Blue Devils bounced back from their only loss of the season – 73-69 at Wisconsin – with a pair of non-league home wins over St. John’s on Dec. 5 (80-71, failing as a 17-point favorite) and Gardner-Webb on Tuesday (113-68, cashing as a 34½-point chalk). Duke has scored at least 68 points in seven of its first eight games – including topping triple digits three times in the last seven contests – but after allowing just 58.2 ppg in their first six games, the Blue Devils have surrendered 70.7 ppg in their last three.
Duke won its first two games at Madison Square Garden, topping Arizona State 64-53 as a 10-point favorite and pounding No. 13 UConn 68-59 as a 3½-point chalk to win the NIT Season Tip-Off. The Blue Devils are 12-1 in their last 13 visits to the Garden, including an ongoing five-game winning streak. One of Duke’s victories at MSG came against Gonzaga exactly three years ago, a 61-54 triumph as a three-point chalk.
Both teams can fill the bucket – Gonzaga shoots 49.4 percent from the field; Duke shoots 47.8 percent – and both can play defense, with Gonzaga holding opponents to 41.3 percent on field goals and the Blue Devils a smidge better at 39 percent.
The Bulldogs are in ATS slumps of 2-5-1 on Saturday, 4-11-1 in non-conference play and 7-15 against winning teams. Duke is 1-4 ATS in its last five on Saturday, 2-5 ATS in its last seven after a non-cover and 2-5 ATS in its last seven after a victory of more than 20 points.
Gonzaga carries “over” runs of 19-7 overall in lined play, 9-1 in non-league contests, 4-1 against the ACC, 6-1 at neutral sites and 14-3 following a victory. Also, Duke has topped the total in nine of its last 13 non-conference games, but the Blue Devils carry “under” trends of 13-4 at neutral sites, 9-2 after a victory of more than 20 points and 17-6 after a spread-cover.
ATS ADVANTAGE: DUKE
(17) Kansas State (9-1, 5-2 ATS) vs. Alabama (7-3, 4-3 ATS)
(at Mobile, Ala.)
For the second straight Saturday, the Crimson Tide play a Top 20 opponent in their home state as they match up against newly ranked Kansas State at the Mitchell Center in Mobile, Ala.
The Wildcats ran their winning streak to six in a row when they went to Las Vegas last Saturday and destroyed 18th-ranked UNLV 95-80 as a 2½-point road underdog. Kansas State shot a season-best 57.1 percent from the field (28-for-49), including 60.9 percent from three-point land (14-for-23), and the 95 points were a season high. The Wildcats’ last three victories have been by 15 points or more against UNLV, Xavier (71-56) and Washington State (85-69), and they have their highest national ranking since February 1988.
Alabama fell 73-65 to fifth-ranked Purdue as a six-point home underdog last Saturday, ending a three-game winning streak (2-0 ATS). The Crimson Tide blew a 48-32 second-half lead to the Boilermakers, making just three baskets in the final 14 minutes, including none in the final 8:45. However, Alabama rebounded with a 60-45 rout of Samford on Wednesday, barely cashing as a 14-point home favorite.
The only previous battle between these squads came in 1994, with Alabama rolling to a 79-48 victory.
The Wildcats have cashed in four straight games overall, and they’re 35-15-1 ATS in their last 51 Saturday contests and 6-1 ATS in their last seven after a spread-cover. However, they’ve failed to cover in four straight games against SEC opponents, going 0-2-2 ATS. Alabama is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 at neutral sites, but has come up short in four of its last five after an ATS win.
The over is on runs of 5-1 for Kansas State overall, 4-0 for Kansas State on Saturday, 9-4 for Alabama on neutral courts, 8-2 for Alabama after a SU victory and 7-1 for Alabama after a spread-cover.
ATS ADVANTAGE: KANSAS STATE and OVER
Doubleheader in Dallas
By Brian Edwards
“When my time on earth has come to pass, I hope they bury me upside down so my critics can kiss my ass.” -- Bobby Knight
The General had college basketball in the news Friday, calling out Kentucky head coach John Calipari as the snake that he is. And I love it, absolutely love it.
Anyway, the action, as in wagering, for college hoops gets started at noon Eastern today when Kansas faces Michigan in the opener of a twin bill at Cowboys Stadium. Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened the Jayhawks as 18½-point favorites. As of early this morning, most betting shops had top-ranked Kansas (9-0 straight up, 4-2 against the spread) listed as a 19-point ‘chalk.’
Bill Self’s team is led by the dynamite inside-outside combination of Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich, a double-double machine who is currently listed as the No. 11 player in the first round of a 2010 mock draft.
Even higher in that same mock draft at No. 6, you will find the name of freshman sensation Xavier Henry. The former Memphis commitment was set to join John Wall before John Calipari bolted for Kentucky. With Calipari going to UK, Henry decided to go to KU instead.
And the Rock Chalk Nation is loving every minute of it. Henry is averaging a team-high 18.0 points per game. He dropped a career-high 31 points on La Salle in last Saturday’s 90-65 home win as a 22 ½-point favorite.
Collins, who is currently No. 39 in the second round of the aforementioned mock draft, is KU’s second-leading scorer with a 13.3 PPG average. The senior point guard is dishing out a team-high 4.4 assists per contest. Collins is coming off his worst performance of the season, however. He scored a season-low five points and was an atrocious 1-for-12 from the field against the Explorers.
Michigan (5-4 SU, 1-5 ATS) is one of the nation’s biggest disappointments to date. The Wolverines have lost four of their last six games, going 0-5 ATS during that stretch. They are coming off a 75-64 home win over Detroit as 12-point home favorites.
John Beilein’s squad will be playing its fourth game on a neutral court. The Wolverines lost two of three games and went 0-3 ATS at the Old Spice Classic in Orlando. They beat Creighton (83-76) but lost to Marquette (69-55) and Alabama (68-66).
Michigan’s struggles can’t be penned on junior Manny Harris, who is averaging a team-high 22.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. DeShawn Sims is also enjoying a stellar campaign, as the senior is averaging 15.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.
According to the Detroit News, Beilein is so concerned about Harris carrying too much of the load that he rested him at both practices leading into the KU game.
The ‘over’ is 3-2 overall for KU, 3-3 overall for Michigan. ESPN will have the telecast at noon.
Thirty minutes after the KU-Michigan game goes final, Texas and North Carolina will square off at the same venue. LVSC opened the Longhorns as six-point favorites, but most books were at 6 ½ early this morning.
Texas (9-0 SU, 5-2 ATS) has dominated its foes, winning every game by 16 points or more this year. But the Longhorns haven’t beaten anyone of note other than Pitt, which is in a transition year after losing LeVance Fields, Sam Young and DeJuan Blair. Wins over USC and Iowa mean next to nothing this year with both schools in transition.
So we’ll find out what Rick Barnes’ team is made of today. Certainly, North Carolina (8-2 SU, 4-4) isn’t what it was in winning the national championship last season, but the Tar Heels bring plenty of talent to the Longhorn State.
UNC’s only defeats have come to unbeaten teams Syracuse (87-71 at MSG) and Kentucky (68-66 at Rupp). The Tar Heels have quality wins over Michigan State and Ohio St. They beat the Spartans in Chapel Hill and knocked off the Buckeyes in New York when Evan Turner was healthy.
Roy Williams has an outstanding frontcourt with Deon Thompson and Ed Davis manning the paint. Thompson is averaging 17.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, while Davis is scoring at a 14.0 PPG clip and pulling down 9.5 boards per contest.
Tip-off will probably be around 2:30 p.m. Eastern with ESPN also providing this telecast.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
Kansas is the plus-200 favorite to win the national title at Sportsbook.com (risk $100 to won $200).Texas has plus-800 odds (risk $100 to win $800) to win it all, while UNC’s future number is currently 17/1.
KU has been favored by 10 ½ or more in every game. When favored by 22 ½ or more, the Jayhawks are 4-0 versus the number.
Other early-afternoon televised games include Xavier at Butler on ESPN2 at 2:00 p.m. ET. This is a critical game for both teams’ seeding for the NCAA Tournament.
UCLA will bring its absymal 3-6 record to South Bend today to face Notre Dame. LVSC had the Irish as 12-point 'chalk' on the send-out, but the number was as low as 9 1/2 (Hilton) and as high as 11 (Stratosphere) early this morning. CBS will have television coverage at 2:00 p.m. Eastern.
When Kansas State and Alabama meet today, two old friends will be coaching against each other. Frank Martin and Anthony Grant were high school teammates at Miami Senior and were on the same staff at the school under head coach Shakey Rodriguez. Miami Sr. produced top-line college players in the 1990s like Gimel Martinez (Kentucky), Allen Edwards (Kentucky), Doug Edwards (FSU), Steve Edwards (Miami) and Udonis Haslem (Florida).
vegasinsider.com
College Hoops Tripleheader
December 18, 2009
An incredible college basketball Saturday tripleheader could make you forget all about the bowls (at least for a day).
Michigan at Kansas
Michigan (5-4 SU, 1-5 ATS) is the only unranked team of the six featured in this article. This Big Ten squad does have Manny Harris, who leads the team in scoring (22.2), rebounding (8.4) and assists (5.0). However, they're just 2-4 straight-up (SU) and 0-5 ATS in their last six games.
No. 1 Kansas (9-0 SU, 4-2 ATS) is the top-ranked team in the country. They had two of the nation's top players return in center Cole Aldrich and guard Sherron Collins, but freshman phenom Xavier Henry is the leading scorer (18 PPG). This team is deep, talented, and hungry for a championship.
North Carolina vs. Texas
This game is being held at the NFL's Cowboys Stadium.
No. 10 North Carolina (8-2 SU, 4-4 ATS) has had a week off since a 103-64 tune-up with Presbyterian. The last time they had a real game was at Kentucky two weeks ago, losing 68-66 after a big comeback. The Heels will be looking to make a statement this time around.
No. 2 Texas (9-0 SU, 5-2 ATS) is extremely deep and talented, including three great freshmen in their top-8 players. However, the Longhorns' schedule has been much easier than UNC, and they need to justify their ranking. Having this game in their backyard puts the pressure on Texas.
Gonzaga vs. Duke
This game is being held at New York's Madison Square Garden.
No. 15 Gonzaga (8-2 SU, 3-3-1 ATS) won the Maui Invitational back in November with wins over Colorado, Wisconsin and Cincinnati. They've since lost to Wake Forest at home, but forward Elias Harris (13.3 PPG) did get ejected in the first half. This is a tough cross country game for the Zags.
No. 7 Duke (8-1 SU, 5-3 ATS) is making its second trip to MSG already this year. They beat Arizona State and Connecticut for the NIT Preseason title. This is a potent offense with a lot of very good perimeter players. They put up 113 points on Gardner Webb last game, shooting over 65 percent from the field.
Game Of The Day: North Carolina at Texas
By RICKY DIMON
December madness
March Madness is still three months away, but Saturday’s showdown should have the feel of an NCAA Tournament game.
It will feature two of the strongest programs in the nation in undefeated Texas (9-0, 5-2 ATS), ranked No. 2 in both the AP and ESPN/USA polls, and defending champion North Carolina (8-2, 4-4 ATS). Additionally, it will be the first basketball game played in the new Cowboys Stadium, which will have the capacity for an attendance of 46,753 Saturday.
“We're looking forward to it,” noted UNC center Deon Thompson: “That is why we come to North Carolina: to play games like this.”
“I always think of Michael Jordan because he's the greatest,” UT freshman guard Avery Bradley said of Carolina. “They've always been an elite program and it's exciting to play them.”
Longhorns head coach Rick Barnes is taking a more cautionary approach. “It will be a concern,” Barnes said of the atmosphere. “It will be a learning experience for (our players) for sure. You don't want to see them get overly amped up. I hope they concentrate and try not to get caught up in the emotion.”
Books and ball
In terms of competition, North Carolina’s preparation for its tilt with Texas has been stellar. The Tar Heels succumbed to Syracuse (87-71) and Kentucky (68-66), but they already boast victories over Ohio State (77-74) and Michigan State (89-82).
Although their non-conference schedule has been far less imposing, the Longhorns have disposed of all nine opponents, all by at least 16 points. Among their wins are an 85-60 demolition of Iowa and a 78-62 decision over Pittsburgh.
A potential dent in the two teams’ respective momentum, however, has come in the form of schoolwork. When they take the court Saturday, both North Carolina and Texas will have had a full week off from competition in order to take exams. UNC head coach Roy Williams pointed out that seven of his players had an exam Wednesday and seven more Friday afternoon.
A tale of two halves
A new-look Carolina squad that lost five integral members from last year’s National Championship team has been struggling with inconsistency this season.
The Tar Heels led Syracuse by two points at halftime before getting outscored 50-32 over the last 20 minutes. They made up 13 points on Kentucky in the second half, but it was not enough to overcome a daunting 43-28 deficit at the intermission.
“In the Kentucky game, you saw two different Carolina teams,” Thompson explained. “In the first half you saw one, and in the second half you saw another. We have to play a complete game for a full 40 minutes.”
Something’s gotta give
Through nine games, Texas is giving up just 53.8 points per contest and allowing opponents to shoot a mere 31.6 percent from the floor. Opposing teams are connecting on only 22 percent of their three-point attempts (37-for-168).
North Carolina, however, is pouring in 84.4 points per game, good for 11th in the nation. Furthermore, the Tar Heels are most effective down low, where they thrive on high-percentage shots and are being led by big men Thompson (17.1 ppg, 8.1 rpg) and Davis (14.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg).
The Longhorns, meanwhile, are scoring at an even more impressive clip. Five Longhorns are averaging double-figures and the team is tied for seventh in the nation at 85.4 points per game.
Forward Damion James (15.4 ppg, 10.1 ppg) is the undisputed star, but he is receiving strong support from Bradley (11.0 ppg), senior center Dexter Pittman (13.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and freshman guard J’Covan Brown (12.1 ppg).
Trends and injuries
Brown, who injured his left ankle last Saturday and missed Texas’ Tuesday game, practiced Thursday and has been upgraded from questionable to probable.
North Carolina senior Marcus Ginyard (10.4 ppg, 4.2 apg) aggravated a foot injury earlier this month and missed his first game of the season last Saturday, when the Tar Heels hammered Presbyterian 103-64.
“There are a lot of people worried about the fact that I did not play, but we're just trying to rest it,” Ginyard assured afterward. “We wanted to make sure it's ready to go for Saturday.”
The Longhorns are 7-2 ATS in their last nine non-conference games and 7-2 ATS in their last nine overall. They are 4-0 ATS in their last four neutral-site games.
UNC is 9-1 in its last 10 games against a team with a winning SU record and 7-1 in its last eight neutral-site games.
Neither Texas (3-3 O/U) nor North Carolina (3-2 O/U) have been strong over/under plays this season.
What to Watch: College Basketball Bettors' TV Guide
By RYAN COLAIANNI
Michigan Wolverines at No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks (12 p.m., ET, ESPN)
As if it wasn’t possible for the top ranked Jayhawks to get any deeper, Kansas guard Brady Morningstar will return from suspension Saturday. Kansas coach Bill Self told the Lawrence Journal World, that when Morningstar is in the lineup, the Kansas offense flows better.
“He knows how to get the ball to guys in certain areas and he only takes wide-open shots and the ball doesn’t stick,” Self said.
IPFW Mastodons at No. 12 Michigan St. Spartans (12 p.m., ET, Big Ten Network)
Despite scoring 19 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in a starting role against Oakland earlier in the week, sophomore forward Draymond Green may be headed for the bench according to the Lansing State Journal.
Coach Tom Izzo believes that Green can be the best sixth man in the country and is leaning towards having Green come off the bench.
UCLA Bruins at Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2 p.m., ET, CBS)
After playing sparingly his freshman year and sitting out last season, little was expected of the Irish’s Tim Abromaitis. After scoring 18, 31 and 23 points in his last three games, Abromaitis is second on the team in scoring at nearly 16 points per game and is doing it while shooting better than 56 percent from the field.
No. 10 North Carolina Tar Heels vs. No. 2 Texas Longhorns (2 p.m., ET, ESPN)
Entering the rotation against North Carolina Saturday is point guard Jai Lucas, who became eligible this week after sitting out a season because of transfer rules. Coach Rick Barnes has been waiting for Lucas, a transfer from Florida, all season.
“During games, I've had to catch myself from calling his name,” Barnes told the Austin American Statesman.
Xavier Musketeers at No. 21 Butler Bulldogs (2 p.m., ET, ESPN2)
Reigning Horizon League Player of the Year, Matt Howard has looked anything but the player of the year thus far for Butler, fouling out in six of his nine games this season. Howard has decided to take a different approach for the remainder of the season, opting to play more like he did when he was in fifth and sixth grade, he told the Indianapolis Star Tribune.
Stanford Cardinal at Northwestern Wildcats (2 p.m., ET, Big Ten Network)
Northwestern has never been in the NCAA tournament and will need to accumulate plenty of quality non-conference wins before beginning Big Ten play if it plans on ending the streak this season. Northwestern is off to its best start in school history and has wins over NC State and Notre Dame.
“Winning builds confidence, and it's nice to have seven in a row going into the game against Stanford,” Michael Thomspson told the Chicago Sun Times.
Mississippi State Bulldogs at Houston Cougars (2 p.m., ET, CSS)
Houston’s Kelvin Lewis knocked down his first seven of eight 3-point attempts en route to a win over Troy Monday night.
“In the drive-and-kick situations, I knocked ’em down,” Lewis told the Houston Chronicle. “I wasn’t really worried about offense. They told me to keep shooting. So I kept shooting.”
No 15. Gonzaga Bulldogs vs No. 7 Duke Blue Devils (4 p.m., ET, CBS)
Leading up to Tuesday night’s win over Gardner-Webb, Duke guard Jon Scheyer had struggled, making only 18 of his previous 52 shots. Scheyer returned to form on Tuesday, hitting his first seven 3-point attempts in a 36-point outing.
“The last 10 days, since we haven't had a game, it's given us a lot of time just to work on our individual games, some shooting, get in better shape,” Scheyer told the Associated Press.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Louisville Cardinals (4 p.m., ET, ESPN2)
In the locker room before Wednesday night’s win over Oral Roberts, coach Rick Pitino called his team “fakes in uniform” in his pre-game speech that was broadcast to the Freedom Hall crowd according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.
“I felt we needed motivation for our fans — we needed motivation for our team,” Pitino said.
Louisville is off to a disappointing 6-3 start and will need more inspired performances like that against Oral Roberts to compete in the Big East this season.
Delaware State Hornets at No. 18 Ohio State Buckeyes (4 p.m., ET, ESPNU)
Ohio State’s 30 point win over Presbyterian may not have looked like a cause for concern, but according to coach Thad Matta, the team’s performance in the second half, where they were outscored 27-25, was.
“They have to understand that we need to be doing what we do for 40 minutes,” Matta told the Columbus Dispatch.
No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers at USC Trojans (4:30 p.m., ET, FSN)
USC coach Kevin O’Neal laughed after his team’s 51-36 win over Sacramento State that his team was joking around in committing 25 turnovers in the win.
“I just wanted to let you guys know we were filming a bloopers reel of turnovers for a ‘Ripley's Believe It Or Not’ show coming up on the first of January,” O’Neal told the Los Angeles Times.
All jokes aside, if USC wants to beat Tennessee it will have to take care of the basketball and play a near-flawless game.
Memphis Tigers vs. Massachusetts Minutemen (6:00 p.m., ET, ESPN2)
Other than a two-point loss to Kansas in the second game of the season, the Tigers have blown out opponents winning by an average margin of nearly 26 points. Those wins have come against teams with a combined 18-37 against Division-I competition. Memphis will face UMass, Tennessee and Syracuse in the next three weeks, giving the Tigers opportunities to gain quality wins.
Illinois State Red Birds at Utah Utes (6:00 p.m, ET, MTN)
In last week’s loss to Oklahoma, Utah center David Foster picked up his fourth foul less than two minutes into the second half with Utah leading by four. When Foster returned with just over six minutes remaining in the game, Oklahoma had a six-point lead.
“You have to be smarter sometimes,” Utah coach Jim Boylen told the Salt Lake Tribune. “You have to let a guy go when you have three fouls, but it was only his 10th game in this system.”
UAB Blazers at South Alabama Jaguars (6:30 p.m., ET, CSS)
Following a dominating 64-47 victory over No. 25 Cincinnati last week, UAB is 9-1 and looking every bit like the top team in Conference USA this season. UAB will have opportunities against Butler and Virginia in the next two weeks to continue to gauge where it stands.
Illinois Fighting Illini at Georgia Bulldogs (7:00 p.m., ET, ESPNU)
In the past four games, Illinois has shot better than 48 percent and is on the verge of being ranked in the Top 25.
"We could have thrown it up backwards and it was going in," Illinois coach Bruce Weber told IlliniHQ.com after his team’s win over Western Michigan.
Old Dominion Monarchs at No. 11 Georgetown Hoyas (7:00 p.m., ET, SNY/MASN)
Much has been made of the increased assertiveness of sophomore Greg Monroe this season for Georgetown. However, the play of Julian Vaughn might be the biggest surprise for the Hoyas.
Vaughn scored a career high 18 points against Washington last weekend and his play on the defensive end has given John Thompson III the luxury of not sacrificing an above-the-rim defender when sitting Monroe.
NC Central Eagles at Indiana Hoosiers (8:30 p.m., ET, Big Ten Network)
Glimpses of things to come have been evident this season from Indiana. The Hoosiers defeated Pittsburgh easily and even led against Kentucky early the second half last week. However, it is clear that Tom Crean’s rebuilding project is going to take a couple of years. Maurice Cheek is a star in the making, but they need more players like him to compete this season.
Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs at Penn State Nittany Lions (9:00 p.m., ET, ESPNU)
Talor Battle kept Penn State in last weekend’s game against Virginia Tech, scoring 32 points. His shooting from the free-throw line, however, cost his team the game. Battle went just 3-of-10 from the charity stripe and Penn State lost by two.
"We're all smarter than that to know that was the ball game," Battle told the Associated Press.
No. 17 Kansas State Wildcats vs Alabama Crimson Tide (9:00 p.m., ET, CSS)
When Kansas State players make mistakes in practice, it sometimes isn’t coach Frank Martin who is the first to point it out to the player. Often, it is guard Jacob Pullen. Martin sees Pullen as an extension of himself on the court and because of that, Kansas State off to a 9-1 record.
“I’m trying to be a coach on the floor. You can’t always hear Frank,” Pullen told the Kansas City Star.
Creighton Bluejays at New Mexico Lobos (9:00 p.m., ET, MTN)
Defensive struggles and late turnovers have led to Creighton’s 3-5 start, its worst since the 1994-95 season. The Bluejays will be on the road for the sixth time this season and thus far are 0-5.
“All of our losses have come down to getting stops at the end of the games,’’ Antoine Young told the Omaha World Herald. “When certain things don’t go our way, we have to make extra plays to get it done, especially when you’re on the road.”
NCAAB News and Notes
Saturday, December 19
Information on the best of Saturday's college basketball games.
Kansas is 9-0, 3-2 vs spread as favorite; Memphis is best team they've played so far though (296th-ranked schedule). Michigan is the 2nd-best opponent. Wolverines are disappointing 4-4, losing only road game by 16 at Utah- they lost by 14-2 on neutral floor at Disney. Big 12 home favorites are 16-9 vs spread; Big 11 road dogs are 8-9.
Butler (-8) won 74-65 at Xavier LY; Bulldogs are 6-3, 2-0 at home, with wins over Davidson by 11, Ohio St. by 8. Horizon favorites are 7-12 vs spread, 3-5 at home. Xavier is 6-3, 1-3 away from home, losing by 15 at K-State in only true road game (other losses by 10-5). A-14 road dogs are just 10-24 against the spread.
Notre Dame is 8-2, but lost as 21-point home fave to LMU in last game; they've played 324th-ranked schedule. Irish are 3-3 as home faves, have yet to play true road game. UCLA lost five of last six games; this is first true road game for them. Bruins are 2-1 as underdog- they won 89-63 vs Notre Dame LY in Westwood (-12).
First basketball game in huge JerryWorld football stadium; what will the shooting background be like? Texas is 9-0 (6-1 vs spread) playing 242nd ranked schedule. 16 points (Pitt) is their closest win. North Carolina has 7-2 record, losing by 16 to Syracuse in NYC (-1), by 2 at Kentucky (+4) in their only true road game so far this season.
Northwestern (+6) lost 65-59 at Stanford LY, after being down 16 at the half; Wildcats are 7-1 despite injury woes, with wins over Notre Dame, NC State and Iowa State. Cardinal is 5-4, losing 77-64 at San Diego in only true road game. Three of their four losses are by 1-2 points or in OT. Pac-10 road underdogs are 8-12 against the spread.
Mississippi State is 8-2; they beat UCLA in Anaheim, but this is their first true road game (went 1-1 at neutral So. Padre event). SEC favorites are 30-24 vs spread, 8-8 on road. Houston is 4-2, scoring 83+ points in five of six games. Cougars (+2.5) lost 82-65 in Starkville LY. C-USA underdogs are 11-17 vs spread, 1-6 at home.
Western Kentucky (+17) upset Louisville 68-54 LY (was tied at half); Hilltoppers are 5-3, losing by 11 at LSU, 18 at South Carolina in their true road games. Sun Belt road dogs are 20-21 vs spread. Louisville lost three of last five games; they have no good wins right now. Home faves from Big East are 20-29 against the spread.
Gonzaga is 7-2, losing by 4 at Michigan State, 2 to Wake Forest; they're 2-0 as underdog and went 3-0 on neutral floor in Maui (beat Wisconsin and Cincinnati). WCC underdogs are 18-17, 13-13 on road. Duke is 8-1, with wins on this floor by 11 over Arizona State, 9 over UConn. ACC favorites are 16-13 against the spread away from home.
USC got much-travelled PG Gerrity eligible Friday, will help vs press of Tennessee; Trojan coach O'Neill was once Vols' HC. USC is 4-4, scoring average of 52.5 ppg in losses by average of 11 points. Tennessee is 8-1, winning only road game by 21 at Middle Tennessee; they're 3-3 as fave. SEC favorites are 30-24 vs spread, 8-8 on road.
Young Memphis team is 7-1, winning its only road game 83-71 at Little Rock (-17); Tigers are 2-2 vs spread as favorite. UMass is 5-4, losing by 17 at UCF, 8 at Rutgers, 18 at Seton Hall, 13 to Cornell (0-4 vs spread as underdog). A-14 underdogs are 14-27 vs spread, 4-3 at home. CUSA favorites are 21-15 vs spread, 4-4 on road.
UAB is 9-1, winning last eight games (won by 25 at Jacksonville State in only road game); little bit of trap game for Blazers, who have home game with Butler Tuesday, after they just beat Cincinnati on ESPN2. South Alabama is 6-3 after winning Sun Belt opener Thursday. Sun Belt dogs are 22-28 vs spread, 2-7 at home. C-USA road favorites are 4-4.
First game in nine days for 8-1 Florida (3-1 vs spread as fave) team that lost last game by 12 to Syracuse in Tampa. Gators are 3-1 vs spread as a favorite. Richmond is 7-3, losing last two games by 8-18 (led by 8 at half at South Carolina last game, lost by 18); they beat SEC's Miss State by point on neutral floor. SEC home favorites are 22-16 vs spread.
Arizona State (-3) won 59-52 LY at San Diego State, after trailing by a point at half; Sun Devils are 7-3, 2-2 vs spread as favorite- they lost two of last three games, losing 64-61 at home to Baylor. San Diego State won its last seven games (6-1 vs spread), with road wins at Fresno, San Diegi and UCSB. MWC road underdogs are 10-6 vs spread.
Temple is 8-2, with wins over Va Tech, Siena, Penn State, Villanova; so far, they've played 76th-ranked schedule, while Seton Hall played 341st ranked slate. Pirates are 8-0- best win was 89-79 at Cornell- they're 1-0 as favorite (86-68 vs UMass, -16). A-14 road dogs are 10-24 vs spread. Big East home favorites are 20-29.
Old Dominion lost four of last six games, scoring 59.2 ppg; they're 0-2 vs spread as underdog, 1-2 on road, losing by 7 at Richmond, at Dayton by 8. CAA road underdogs are 20-13 vs spread. Georgetown is 8-0 with wins over Butler (72-65), Washington (74-66) in last two games. Hoyas are 3-1 against spread when favored.
9-0 Texas Tech won by 10 at TCU last game, their first road game; now they're underdog at Wichita State squad they beat 72-69 LY in Lubbock (-10), after being up 17 at half. Tech has been off 11 days. Wichita State is 8-1 with seven wins in row (they also beat TCU in their last game, by 12). Shockers allowed average of 53 ppg in their last seven games.
Kansas State is 8-1 after impressive 95-80 win in Vegas last week over UNLV, but this is their first game on foes' home court (last week was at Orleans Arema). Wildcats went 2-1 on neutral court, losing to Ole Miss by 3. Alabama had Purdue by 16 in first half last week, lost by 8; they are 5-3, also losing to Florida State by 9, to Cornell by 4.
Portland tailed off after winning couple games in Anaheim; they're 1-3 in last four games after 5-0 start, 2-2 vs spread as underdog. Pilots (+10.5) upset Washington 80-74 LY. Huskies lost two of last three after starting 5-0; they're 6-0 at home, 1-3 vs spread as home favorite. WCC dogs on road are 13-13 vs spread. Pac-10 home favorites are 10-21.
Washington State coach Bone came to Pullman from Portland State, so he is coaching today against his own players; Coogs are 8-2, 1-3 vs the spread as favorite. Vikings are 4-4, winning last three games; they're 1-3 vs spread as a dog. Big Sky road dogs are 17-15 vs spread. Pac-10 home favorites are 10-21 against the number.
South Carolina is 6-2, losing only road game by 11 at Clemson; they are 4-2 vs spread as favorite; they beat Wofford 78-61 LY (-18), leading by 15 at half. Wofford is 4-6, with six games decided by five or less points; they've lost by 3 at Pitt, 2 at Bradley, 14 at Illinois, 14 at Michigan St and won at Georgia. Getting Gamecocks at home is big for them.