Saturday's Best NCAAB Bet
Syracuse Orange at Louisville Cardinals (-3, 137.5)
Louisville still isn’t health as forward Rakeem Buckles (broken finger) and center Gorgui Dieng (concussion) both practiced late this week but their status is still unknown for Saturday. Even worse, outside shooting big man Mike Marra has been battling a back injury and sat out of practice on Thursday.
That could be a crucial blow to a team still learning a brand new offense that the team was forced install in mid-season due to a slew of injuries. In the second half of a recent overtime loss to Notre Dame, the new attack stalled and forced the team into an uncomfortable position.
“We put it in a new offense, we've been working on it the last two weeks,” Louisville coach Rick Pitino said. “It's a pure motion offense. In the second half we broke it because it's a new offense and we went too much one-on-one. That was our demise, along with certain things defensively that we didn't do correctly.”
And now that new attack must try to crack the Syracuse 2-3 zone. Despite recent struggles offensively, the Orange are still playing solid on the defensive end. Over the past three games, teams have shot an average of just 42.3 percent from the floor as the team has forced at least 11 turnovers in each of those contests.
Pick: Syracuse
Game of the day: Ohio State at Wisconsin
By Sean Murphy
Ohio State Buckeyes at Wisconsin Badgers (-1, 122.5)
History lesson
The Buckeyes and Badgers have split four meetings over the last two seasons, with the home side prevailing in three of those and the other being decided on a neutral court in the Big Ten Tournament.
Ohio State owns a 3-1 ATS edge over that span and has cashed in three of its last four opportunities as an underdog in this series.
Each of the last seven matchups between these conference rivals has played under the closing total.
Toughest test?
Is this the spot where the Buckeyes finally get tripped up?
Most have this game circled as Ohio State’s biggest challenge of the season.
Of course, it’s not as if the Buckeyes haven’t been tested. They won 93-75 as 2.5-point underdogs at Florida in the middle of November and, just three weeks ago, outlasted the Illini on the road as 3.5-point favorites.
Last Sunday’s supposed showdown in Minnesota turned out to be a dud as Ohio State rolled to an easy 82-69 victory.
No place like home
Wisconsin remains perfect at home this season, turning away all 13 opponents they’ve faced. The Badgers have also fared well against the number, going 7-2 ATS in lined games at Kohl Center.
Remember, Wisconsin only lost one home game all of last season - that coming almost a year ago to the day against Illinois.
The numbers don’t lie; the Badgers have been simply dominant on their home floor.
Even a team as talented as Ohio State should be challenged by a defense that has held the opposition to just over 55 points per game on 39.7 percent shooting.
Wisconsin’s energy level at home has been sky-high, a big reason why it has outrebounded opponents by an average of eight boards per contest.
Charity case
If this game goes down to the wire, as most are expecting, free throw shooting could be the difference.
Wisconsin ranks as one of the best free throw shooting teams in the nation, connecting on just under 83 percent of its attempts. The Badgers have been even sharper lately, hitting 87.7 percent of their freebies over their last five games.
Ohio State shoots just 68.5 percent from the charity stripe, but that doesn’t tell the entire story. In the Buckeyes’ aforementioned win at Illinois three weeks ago, they made good on 24 of 27 (88.9 percent) free-throw attempts.
Key trends
Ohio State is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 lined road contests and owns a stellar 17-8 ATS mark in its last 25 games against opposition that owns a winning percentage north of .600.
Wisconsin is coming off an ATS loss against Iowa and that’s key as the Badgers are a perfect 5-0 ATS in their last five games following a pointspread defeat.
It’s also worth noting that the under is a perfect 7-0 in the Badgers last seven games against a winning opponent.
NCAA Betting Preview: Badgers host Buckeyes
By: David Schwab
One of the biggest matchups in the Big Ten this season takes place this Saturday afternoon when the Ohio State Buckeyes make the trip to the Kohl Center in Madison to take on the Wisconsin Badgers. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m. (PT) and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.
Ohio State has clearly established itself as the top men’s basketball team in the nation by winning its first 24 games, including an 87-64 romp over No.12 Purdue on Jan.25 as a 7 ½-point home favorite and an 82-69 win over No.25 Minnesota as a 4 ½-point road favorite this past Sunday. The Buckeyes have survived a few close calls along the way and are actually only 11-10 against the spread this season, but remain a perfect 24-0 straight up and 11-0 SU in conference play.
Much of this team’s success this season can be attributed to the phenomenal play of freshman forward Jared Sullinger. He is averaging a team-high 18 points and 10.3 rebounds while shooting 56.8 percent from the field. Junior guard William Buford and senior guard-forward David Lighty have also been a huge part of the Buckeyes’ impressive winning streak. Buford is averaging 13.6 points a game and Lighty is averaging 12.5.
Ohio State is shooting 49.6 percent from the floor and 40.4 percent from three-point range. It is averaging 78 points a game, but is actually ranked 161st in the nation in rebounds with 35 a game. The Buckeyes have also been less than spectacular from the foul line, converting on just 68.5 percent of their attempts. Nonetheless, this team continues to make up for these weaknesses with a wealth of talent and solid all-around play.
Wisconsin has won six of its last seven games to run its record on the season to 18-5 SU overall (12-7 ATS) and 8-3 SU in the Big Ten. It is coming off a 62-59 OT victory over Iowa this past Wednesday night as a seven-point road favorite. This followed an 82-56 romp over Michigan State as a nine-point home favorite last Sunday.
The Badgers are led by senior forward Jon Leuer and junior guard Jordan Taylor. Leuer tops the team with 19.4 points and 7.4 rebounds a game, while Taylor is averaging 17.7 points and a team-high 4.7 assists a game. Another senior forward, Keaton Nankivil has been a solid contributor all season long with an average of 9.6 points and 4.7 assists.
Wisconsin is averaging 70 points a game but is ranked even lower than Ohio State in rebounding with an average of 33 a game. It is shooting 44.6 percent from the field and 37.7 percent from three-point range, but has been especially good from the free-throw line with a completion percentage of 82.9 percent.
Ohio State is 2-3 ATS in its last five games on the road but 4-2 ATS in its last six games overall. The total has gone ‘over’ in three of its last five games.
Wisconsin is 4-1 ATS in its last five home games and 3-2 ATS in its last five games overall. The total has stayed ‘under’ in four of its last five games.
Head-to-head, the Badgers have won three of the last five games SU but the Buckeyes are 3-1 ATS in the last four. The total has stayed ‘under’ in the last seven meetings.
Ohio State should open as mild underdog in this game given its past struggles at the Kohl Center. The Buckeyes will keep this game close enough to cover, but Wisconsin does everything right to put an end to Ohio State’s hopes of a perfect season in a one- or two-point thriller.
Texas in revenge mode vs Baylor
By: SBG Global
The Texas Longhorns will try and remain unbeaten in the Big 12 when they host the Baylor Bears on Saturday in a college basketball betting game that can be seen on ESPN.
Texas has been so dominant in the Big 12 this season that no game has even been close. Texas has won all nine conference games to date by 10 points or more, including the upset at Kansas. The Longhorns have been one of the best teams in the country both straight up and against the spread.
Check out the current line for this game at SBG Global.com
The 'Horns may have a bit of revenge on their minds on Saturday. Last season the Bears and Longhorns met three times and Baylor won all three games. This Texas team is nothing like last year’s though, and Baylor is probably in for a long afternoon.
Baylor head coach Scott Drew recently said that this Texas team is as good as any Big 12 team has ever been.
Baylor has been up and down this season and in their last eight games the Bears are 4-4. They are still in position to make the NCAA Tournament, but a big road win would sure help. Baylor is just 5-11 ATS this campaign but they have been better on the road than at home when it comes to the point spread.
Baylor has won the past four games against Texas, but not many people believe they are going to stretch that streak to five on Saturday.
Here are more basketball betting stats for Saturday’s game:
* The Bears are 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games.
* Baylor is 1-4 ATS in its last five games overall.
* Texas has sizzled against the point spread this season going 15-4.
* The Longhorns are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games overall.
* Texas is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 home games but 5-11 ATS in the last 16 Saturday games.
For college basketball totals bettors, the 'over' is 11-5 in the Bears' last 16 road games. The 'under' is 6-0 in the Longhorns' last six versus Big 12 opponents. The 'under' is 13-3 in the Longhorns' last 16 overall and 5-2 in the Longhorns' last seven home games.
In this series, the 'over' is 5-2 in the last seven meetings in Austin.
NCAA Betting Preview: San Diego St at UNLV
By: Brad Young
Sixth-ranked San Diego State (24-1 straight up, 14-9 against the spread) travels to Sin City Saturday to face UNLV (18-6 SU, 9-14 ATS) in a key Mountain West Conference contest.
The Aztecs are currently tied atop the conference standings with eighth-ranked Brigham Young, while the Runnin’ Rebels are in fourth place three games off the pace.
San Diego State enters this matchup riding a four-game SU winning streak after routing Utah Tuesday as a 17-point home ‘chalk,’ 85-53. The combined 138 points went ‘over’ the 133 ½-point closing total, ending a string of back-to-back ‘under’ outings.
The Aztecs never looked back after jumping out to a sizeable 27-point halftime advantage, 48-21. San Diego State finished the game with more rebounds (47-32) and assists (17-9), while shooting a solid 45 percent (32-of-71) from the field and 46 percent (5-of-11) from behind the arc.
The Aztecs prevailed behind a balanced scoring attack, led by guard D.J. Gay’s 15 points and six assists. Forward Billy White had 15, while forward Kawhi Leonard added 12 and 14 rebounds. Guard Jamaal Franklin accounted for 13 and 10, while center Brian Carlwell had 10.
UNLV got back on the winning track by throttling Texas Christian Wednesday as a nine-point road favorite, 94-79. The combined 173 points soared ‘over’ the 134 ½-point closing total, ending consecutive ‘under’ outings.
The Runnin’ Rebels enjoyed advantages in rebounding (27-24) and assists (22-18). UNLV shot a stellar 61 percent (35-of-57) from the field, and 65 percent (11-of-17) from 3-point land.
Forward Chace Stanback led the offensive charge with 24 points and 10 rebounds, while guard Tre’Von Willis added 23. Forward Quintrell Thomas accounted for 14 and 10, while guard Oscar Bellfield provided 13 and six assists.
San Diego State is 6-1 SU and ATS the previous seven meetings with UNLV after winning the lone encounter this season Jan. 12 as a 4 ½-point home ‘chalk,’ 55-49. The combined 104 points never seriously threatened the 134 ½-point closing total. The ‘under’ has cashed the previous three meetings between these teams.
San Diego State forward Tim Shelton (foot) and guard Chase Tapley (ankle) are ‘doubtful’ versus the Runnin’ Rebels. The Aztecs follow this contest with a Feb. 16 home game against New Mexico. San Diego State maintains a 14-4-1 ATS record its last 19 road games, and 11-4 ATS its past 15 Saturday outings.
UNLV hosts Air Force after this contest before embarking on a two-game road trip against Colorado State and New Mexico. The Runnin’ Rebels are just 2-8 ATS their last 10 Saturday games. The ‘under’ is 6-2 their past eight home endeavors, and the ‘under’ is also 10-4 the last 14 outings overall.
Saturday’s contest is slated to start at 5:00 p.m. PT from UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center.
Pittsburgh, Villanova in Big East betting battle
By: Willie Bee
Six Big East teams hog most of the space from No. 4 to No. 16 in the latest AP rankings. Two from that 13-slot span collide in Philadelphia on Saturday when the fourth-ranked Pittsburgh Panthers visit the No. 9 Villanova Wildcats for a 6 p.m. (PT) tip at The Pavilion and on ESPN.
It's the first of two meetings between Pitt and 'Nova this season, maybe first of three if they meet in the Big East Tournament eventually. It's the collision oddsmakers envisioned when making both squads the co-favorites in the conference before the season started. Current standings show it's a shot for Jamie Dixon's crew to keep a two-game cushion in the loss column over Notre Dame, presently second in the conference race.
Pittsburgh (22-2 straight up, 10-9 against the spread) hits the hardwood in Philly riding a three-game win streak since their upset defeat to Notre Dame on Jan. 24. The latest victory was Monday's 71-66 contest at West Virginia which closed as a pick 'em at some NCAA betting windows. The Panthers rallied from a two-point halftime deficit behind forward Nasir Robinson's 15 points that led the Pitt ledger.
Neither team shot well from outside in that game, with Pitt 1-for-6 from three-point range and the Mountaineers 4-for-17. Glass work was key in the Panthers win, a 39-25 overall rebounding edge and huge 18-6 advantage on the offensive end. Pittsburgh ranks fifth in the nation in rebounding, 41.9 per game.
Panthers leading scorer Ashton Gibbs did not play against West Virginia due to a knee injury that could sideline him at least two weeks. He's officially listed as doubtful for Saturday's game.
The triumph was the second straight against the odds for Pitt backers, as well as second consecutive 'over' with the last two games sporting identical 128½-point totals. Pittsburgh is 11-7 to the high side on the season, but 3-2 'under' in Big East road tilts.
Villanova (19-5 SU, 12-9 ATS) is off an upset road loss at Rutgers on Wednesday, dropping a 77-76 decision to the Scarlet Knights as 5½-point chalk. Jonathan Mitchell completed a four-point play in the final second to stun the Wildcats who dropped their third Big East contest in the last five tries, and fourth game in five that they failed to beat the spread.
Jay Wright's club won the game in just about every statistical column, hitting nearly 56 percent from the floor, 50 percent from long range (8-for-16) and holding slight edges in rebounding and assists. Corey Fisher led 'Nova with 23 points, making it a double-double evening with 10 assists.
The final score went 'over' the 135-point line, snapping a four-game 'under' run by Villanova. The Wildcats are 10-9 'under' overall this season, 6-5 in conference play.
Senior Corey Stokes, Villanova's second-leading scorer, is listed as questionable for Saturday's contest. Stokes has dealt with a hamstring injury much of this season and now is dealing with what has been diagnosed as turf toe.
Last season's only meeting saw Pittsburgh come away a 70-65 winner at home as a two-point underdog to then-No. 3 'Nova. The Wildcats won both meetings in 2009, a 67-57 victory at home in the regular season as three-points underdogs and 78-76 in the East Region Finals as two-point pups to send Villanova to the Final Four.
The Wildcats have a 32-28 all-time lead in this series, winning the last six at The Pavilion.
Villanova next hits the Big East highway with games at Seton Hall (Feb. 15) and DePaul (Feb. 19). The Wildcats better enjoy that little soft spot in their schedule since they close the regular season following that with battles against Syracuse, St. John's, Notre Dame and these Panthers once more.
Pittsburgh will be home on Wednesday (Feb. 16) to face South Florida before ending the week in New York against the Red Storm.
Early Saturday Action
By Judd Hall
The action we’ve had during rivalry week has been nothing short of exciting. And that certainly looks to continue on Saturday with a card loaded with big action. We open up in the Bluegrass State for a Big East showdown, and then we make the trip North to head to the land of cheese. Let’s get to it.
It all starts for us on the banks of the Ohio River at 12:00 p.m. EST on ESPN as the Orange take on Louisville (18-6 straight up, 11-9-1 against the spread).
The Cardinals come into this game looking to gain some sort of consistency on the court right now. Rick Pitino’s club has lost two of its last three games in conference play, the most recent setback coming in a 89-79 decision as a 4 ½-point road pup to the Fighting Irish on Wednesday.
Bruce Marshall currently has Louisville listed as a sixth-seed in his latest bracketology. While that is a fairly safe spot for a team looking to make the big dance, we must remember that not much was expected out of the Redbirds when Big East play began.
Syracuse (20-5 SU, 9-14 ATS) is happy as can be to be back out on the road. The Orange have dropped their last three matchups in the Carrier Dome. That includes a 64-56 loss to Georgetown on Wednesday as 4 ½-point home favorites.
The Orange come into this game having won and covered their last two league road matches. Plus, they’re on a good ‘under’ run as it has hit in their last four contests.
Louisville has gone 7-0 SU and 6-0-1 ATS in its last seven head-to-head meetings with Jim Boeheim’s club.
Once we’re done with the action at the KFC Yum! Center, we’ll head up to Madison for the tilt between the Badgers and top-ranked Ohio State (24-0 SU, 10-9 ATS).
The Buckeyes are flirting with history right now as they still have a chance to be the first unbeaten team since Indiana did it in 1976. And there is reason to be confident in Columbus after seeing OSU roll over the Golden Gophers for an 82-69 win as a 4 ½-point road favorite on Super Sunday. Ohio State holds pretty strong footing for the No. 1 seed overall in the NCAA tournament.
Next to Duke, OSU has been a consistent favorite at the sportsbooks as they’ve not been an underdog since playing at Florida on Nov. 16 (+3). And now they’re beginning to be a more profitable “chalk” by going 4-2 ATS in its last six games in the Big Ten.
Wisconsin (18-5 SU, 12-7 ATS) is arguably the only team that has a chance to take down the top-ranked team in the nation in conference play. The Badgers come into this contest riding a three-game win streak that they’ve covered the number twice. However, Wisky had its work cut out for itself on Wednesday night in a 62-59 win over the Hawkeyes as a seven-point road favorite.
Bo Ryan’s Badgers have a built-in advantage for teams not to foul them because they lead the nation in free throws, hitting 82.8 percent of their shots from the charity stripe. And they’re the second only to Stephen F. Austin in terms of scoring defense by giving up just 56.1 points per game.
The Kohl Center has been a house of horrors for the Scarlet and Gray over the past few seasons. Wisky has gone 4-0 SU and 2-2 ATS in its last four home dates against the Buckeyes. The ‘under’ is on a seven-game streak for totals players right now.
The Badgers have gone 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS at home in Big Ten games. Meanwhile, the Bucks are 6-0 SU but just 3-3 ATS.
vegasinsider.com
Saturday's Top 25 Games
By Matt Fargo
Matt will be taking a look at the weekend top 25 matchups in college hoops every Saturday. After last Saturday featuring just one, this week has four games featuring a matchup of teams from the Top 25.
Syracuse Orange (13) at Louisville Cardinals (15)
Syracuse heads into this game coming off a brutal loss against Georgetown on Wednesday. The Orange had a 53-49 lead with just over six minutes remaining but the Hoyas closed the game on a 15-3 run to hand Syracuse its fifth loss in seven games. It has lost three straight at home but it has won two in a row on the road including a big win at Connecticut two games back. The Orange are now 1-3 in their last four games against ranked teams and the Hoyas loss dropped them to 9-14 ATS on the season.
The Cardinals had a great chance for another road upset but they allowed the first 14 points in overtime and lost by 10. It was the second close call as they lost by three points at Georgetown which followed an overtime win at Connecticut. Louisville is 15-2 at home this season including a perfect 5-0 record in the Big East but three of the last four wins have come by four, one and one point. The Cardinals won both meetings with Syracuse last year and they are 4-0-1 ATS in the last five home meetings.
Kentucky Wildcats (18) at Vanderbilt Commodores (24)
Kentucky was able to withstand a couple of runs from Tennessee as it spoiled the SEC debut of Bruce Pearl to improve to 5-4 in the SEC. The Wildcats still trail first place Florida by two games but they still have a game left against the Gators and four of their next five games after this one are at home. The win over Tennessee snapped a two-game slide for Kentucky with both of those losses coming by a bucket. The Wildcats are just 1-4 both straight up and against the number on the road in the SEC.
Vanderbilt has won two in a row after snapping its own two-game losing streak which included a surprising 11-point home loss against Arkansas, its first home loss of the season. Winning at Memorial Gym has been tough on the opposition as the Commodores are 74-10 at home since the 2006-07 season. They have won 11 of 13 games as a favorite this season including nine of 10 at home but that includes a 4-6 ATS mark and Vanderbilt is only 1-3 ATS as a chalk of seven or fewer points.
Ohio St. Buckeyes (1) at Wisconsin Badgers (14)
This is a game that many have had circled as Ohio St.’s first loss this season and it will be no easy feat for the Buckeyes to remain undefeated. This is déjà vu all over again as it was less than four month ago that the Buckeyes came in with the number one football ranking and fell to Wisconsin. Ohio St. is 24-0 overall including 8-0 on the road and it had won four straight away from home by five points or fewer prior to its win on Sunday at Minnesota by 13 points. The Buckeyes are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 road games.
Wisconsin is coming off an overtime win at Iowa on Wednesday and it is certainly possible the Badgers were looking ahead to this one. Returning home definitely helps as they are 13-0 this season and Wisconsin has won 34 of its last 35 games at the Kohl Center, with Illinois being the only winner. This is the first time in six years that a number one team has come to Madison so the Kohl Center will be rocking. The Badgers are 6-2 ATS in their last eight home games against teams with a winning road record.
Pittsburgh Panthers (4) at Villanova Wildcats (10)
After a home loss to Notre Dame, Pittsburgh has won three straight games including a five-point victory at West Virginia in the ‘Backyard Brawl’ on Monday. That improved the Panthers to 5-0 in true road games, all of which have been conference games. They will be playing its second straight game without leading scorer Ashton Gibbs and his absence was felt despite the win over the Mountaineers as the Panthers were just 1-6 from long range. Pittsburgh is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games following a win.
The Wildcats are coming off a very controversial loss against Rutgers as they lost on a four-point play with seconds remaining but the fact of the matter is that Villanova never should have been in that position in the first place as it blew a 10-point lead with 2:52 remaining. That was the fourth loss in seven games for the Wildcats including their second against an unranked foe. Villanova has lost only once at home this season but it is 1-5 ATS in its last six games following a loss.
Pittsburgh at Villanova
By Brian Edwards
ESPN will take its Saturday night act to Philadelphia this week for a crucial Big East showdown between a pair of league powerhouses. The Wynn opened Villanova (19-5 straight up, 11-9-1 against the spread) as a 2½ point favorite.
Jay Wright’s team is struggling somewhat in recent weeks, losing four of its last seven games. Most importantly, the Wildcats are mired in a 1-4 ATS slump. They went down Wednesday at Rutgers as 5½-point road favorites, blowing a 13-point lead with 4:28 remaining.
Trailing by three, RU’s Jonathan Mitchell hit a 3-pointer with one tick remaining and was also fouled on the play by Corey Fisher. Mitchell’s free throw gave the Scarlet Knights the upset victory at the RAC.
Fisher’s silly foul spoiled an excellent performance by the senior point guard, who had 23 points, 10 assists and five steals. Antonio Pena added 15 points and eight rebounds in the losing effort.
Pittsburgh (22-2 SU, 10-9 ATS) is coming off Monday’s gut-check win at West Virginia without one of its best players, junior guard Ashton Gibbs. The Panthers went into Morgantown and emerged with a 71-66 win in a pick ‘em affair.
Pitt had four players score in double figures led by Nasir Robinson, who had 15 points and eight rebounds. Brad Wanamaker finished with 11 points and nine boards.
Gibbs, who is Pitt’s leading scorer with a 16.1 points-per-game average, remains ‘out’ and will probably miss 2-3 more games with an MCL sprain.
Jamie Dixon’s hard-nosed squad is 10-1 in Big East play, leaving it 1 ½ games ahead of second-place Notre Dame in the conference standings. The Panthers have won three straight games since suffering its only Big East loss to Notre Dame at home on Jan. 24. Their only other defeat came to Tennessee in non-conference play.
Villanova has won 13 of its 14 home games, going 7-4-1 ATS. The Wildcats’ only home loss came against Georgetown on Jan. 29. They are in a fourth-place tie with Louisville in the league standings with both teams owning a 7-4 ledger.
’Nova might be without senior guard Corey Stokes, who is listed as “questionable” with turf toe. Stokes averages 14.6 points per game.
Totals have been an overall wash for ‘Nova (10-10-1), but it has seen the ‘under’ go 7-4-1 in its home games. The ‘under’ is on a 6-2 run in the Wildcats’ last eight games (regardless of venue).
As for Pitt, it has watched the ‘over’ go 12-7 overall, but the ‘under’ is 5-3 in its last eight outings. The ‘under’ is 7-1 in the last eight head-to-head meetings between these programs.
When these teams met last year, Pitt captured an 70-65 win as a two-point home underdog. Gibbs scored a game-high 21 points and Gilbert Brown chipped in with 16.
Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets
Alabama came into Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville on Thursday night looking for its 11th victory in 12 games. The Crimson Tide didn’t get the win after official Tim Higgins blew a crucial call at crunch time. With Anthony Grant’s team trailing 79-77 in the waning moments, JaMychal Green drove the baseline and appeared to get bumped as he went to the rim. The non-whistle on the contact wasn’t a big deal because you can’t expect to get that call on the road at that point in the game, but that wasn’t the issue. Higgins blew the play dead and claimed that Green stepped on the line as he drove to the hole. Replays clearly showed that Green did not step on the baseline. ‘Bama fouled on the ensuing inbounds pass and Vandy’s John Jenkins iced the game with a pair of free throws. Fortunately for gamblers, the bad call didn’t impact the bottom line with the Tide taking the cash as a 6½-point underdog. ‘Bama has now covered the number at a 9-2 ATS clip in its last 11 lined contests.
Butler’s Matt Howard missed Thursday’s win over Wright St. after sustaining a concussion last week, but he’s been upgraded to ‘probable’ for Saturday’s game against Detroit. Howard averages 17.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.
Vandy has a quick turnaround following its win over Alabama, hosting Kentucky at 1:00 p.m. Eastern on CBS. CRIS opened the game as a pick ‘em with a total of 143 ½. The Commodores are in a second-place tie with UK, UGA and UT in the SEC East. They are each 2 ½ games back of the division-leading Gators, who have an 8-2 record in SEC play.
vegasinsider.com.
Saturday College Action
By Sportsbook.com
OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (24-0, 11-0 in Big Ten) at WISCONSIN BADGERS (18-5, 8-3 in Big Ten)
Undefeated No. 1 Ohio State looks to win its 14th straight true road game when it visits No. 13 Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon.
The Buckeyes rank third in the nation in field goal percentage (49.6%), 24th in points scored (77.8 PPG) and sixth in scoring defense (57.8 PPG). Their 20-point scoring margin is the second-best in the nation. Ohio State hasn't played since an 82-69 victory at Minnesota on Sunday when Jared Sullinger (18.0 PPG, 10.3 RPG) finished with his second straight and 11th double-double of the season with 18 points and 13 rebounds. And after a couple of subpar games against Northwestern and Michigan (combined 4-for-11 shooting, 15 points), David Lighty (12.5 PPG, 40.7% three-pointers) bounced back versus the Golden Gophers with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Second-leading scorer William Buford (13.6 PPG, 44.3% three-pointers) chipped in with 15 points, four boards, four assists and two steals. Buford is the team's top scorer against Wisconsin, averaging 9.3 PPG over four career matchups.
Wisconsin has won three straight contests and six of its past seven and is coming off a 62-59 overtime victory at Iowa on Wednesday. Jon Leuer (19.4 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 43.8% three-pointers) had 19 points and 15 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season, while Jordan Taylor (17.7 PPG, 4.7 APG, 4.4 RPG, 40.9% three-pointers) added 16 points, eight assists and four boards, despite shooting 6-of-18 from the field. In Big Ten games, Taylor (20.3 PPG) and Leuer (18.9 PPG) have combined to average a conference-best 39.2 PPG. Leuer is averaging 22.5 PPG in his past four home games, while Jordan Taylor is averaging 22.8 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 4.8 APG in six Big Ten home contests. The Badgers shot just 35.3% (24-of-68), including 18% in the first half versus the Hawkeyes. But Wisconsin, which allows a Big Ten-best 56.1 PPG (second in the nation), held Iowa to 41.7% shooting (25-of-60) for the game. It has limited 15 of 23 opponents to 60 points or less this season, including each of the last six foes.
The Badgers have won 34 of its past 35 games at the Kohl Center, including 16 straight contests. They've won their 13 home games this season by an average of 20.4 PPG and are scoring 75.8 PPG at home, while holding opponents to 55.4 PPG. Ohio State leads the all-time series with Wisconsin, 81-64, but the Badgers hold a 42-27 advantage in games played in Madison. Wisconsin has won eight straight home games versus OSU, including a 65-43 rout last season, but the Buckeyes have won two of the past three overall meetings.
PITTSBURGH PANTHERS (22-2, 10-1 in Big East) at VILLANOVA WILDCATS (19-5, 7-4 in Big East)
Home Sweet Home. After Wednesday night's unbelievable, unthinkable, unconscionable 77-76 defeat that Villanova suffered on the road at Rutgers, losing on a four-point play with eight-tenths of a second left, in a game they were leading by five with under 12 seconds to play, any place the Wildcats would be willing to ball in the 215 area code (neighborhood Y, Fairmount Park) would qualify as Home Sweet Home. Fortunately, they will be using their on-campus home court of The Pavilion for the next game. 'Nova is undefeated in The Pavilion this year, and have won 46 consecutive games there. After the gut-wrenching fashion that Jay Wright's team lost to the Scarlet Knights, it was probably ready to take the court first thing Thursday morning to wipe the stench of defeat out of their mouths as soon as possible. The 'Cats will have to wait until Saturday night at 9:00 p.m. EDT to seek redemption, and a chance to pick up a game in the standings on Jamie Dixon's conference-leading Pittsburgh Panthers.
Wednesday night's defeat dropped No. 9 Villanova (19-5, 7-4) into a two-way tie for fourth place with Louisville, and ruined an otherwise brilliant game for senior captain Corey Fisher, who was dazzling against Rutgers, totaling 23 points and 10 assists, before a missed free throw with 0:09 left and a personal foul on Rutgers' Jonathan Mitchell's back-breaking four-point play. Villanova coach Jay Wright didn't blame Fisher. "They caught him right in the split second he was denying the pass and it went through his hands and he fouled him," Wright said. "It was perfect execution by them. It happens. He was making the right play." The loss also wasted one of the better shooting nights Villanova has experienced in league play, as it hit nearly 56% of its shots from the floor, and 50% from beyond the arc. As fate would have it, Fisher has been the Wildcats' most consistent player of late, averaging 17.8 PPG over his past four games, while shooting 23-of-42 (54.7%) from the field. 'Nova is 3-4 over its past seven games, with three of the losses coming by a combined six points, and two of them coming on made shots in the last 2.5 seconds of play. This is emblematic of how difficult it can be playing against the top and the bottom of Big East competition. Saturday, the 'Cats get a taste of the top when the Panthers come to town.
No. 4 Pittsburgh (22-2, 10-1) is coming off of a hard-fought, lunch-bucket-style 71-66 victory over the West Virginia Mountaineers in Morgantown on Monday. The Panthers overcame a halftime deficit and the absence of leading scorer Ashton Gibbs to overwhelm West Virginia late, shooting 61% in the second half. Pittsburgh showed the physical resolve and style that has symbolized the Jamie Dixon era, outrebounding their hosts 40-28, with much of the difference coming on the offensive glass, where the Panthers pulled down an amazing 18 offensive boards on the night. Nasir Robinson tallied 15 points and eight boards, while Gary McGhee added 13 and six boards, and guard Brad Wanamaker led the team with nine rebounds. "We really focused on rebounding," Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon said. "We cut down their offensive rebounds. We won with our rebounding and defense, and that's what we set out to do." Gibbs is out for up to two weeks with a left knee injury. He scored 21 points to lead Pitt to a home win over then-No. 3 Villanova last February. Pittsburgh's formula for success without him will likely resemble the paint-pounding style that worked for them against the Mountaineers, as the Panthers scored 42 of their 71 points in the paint. Villanova big men Antonio Pena (7.4 RPG) and Mouphtaou Yarou (7.1 RPG) will need to be up to the challenge, and are quietly hoping that that challenge will not have to be decided in the last 2.5 seconds of play.
Pittsburgh hasn't won at The Pavilion since 1995, a run of six straight wins for Villanova. The Wildcats are 5-2 (SU and ATS) in the past seven games when hosting the Panthers. Both teams have been good bets in conference games this season, with each posting a 7-4 ATS mark. The Wildcats are 8-4 ATS at home, while the Panthers are 3-2 ATS on the road.
Weekend NCAAB Betting Preview
College basketball betting lines will be buzzing all day Saturday with all the top dogs set to take to the hardwood on a busy NCAAB wagering weekend.
Syracuse Orange at Louisville Cardinals
Both Syracuse (20-5 SU, 7-14 ATS) and Louisville (18-6 SU, 10-8 ATS) are top-ranked teams and both will be hungry to avenge losses from earlier in the week. The Orange fell to red-hot Georgetown, while the Cardinals were beaten by Notre Dame.
College basketball betting lines will weigh heavily toward the home-favorite Cardinals, who have won five straight against Syracuse including both meetings last season. Louisville also covered the pointspread in all five of those victories.
Louisville has gone 15-2 at home this season, and against the road underdog Orange, who are 4-2 on the road, it’s not hard to figure out where the smart money will be getting wagered. The Cardinals are the lower-ranked team, but all the evidence points to a cover and victory for the home favorites.
Syracuse totals bettors have seen the UNDER pay out nearly 2/1 versus the OVER this season.
Ohio State Buckeyes at Wisconsin Badgers
Ohio State (24-0 SU, 11-10 ATS) is undefeated after 24 games and they meet a Wisconsin Badgers team that is 13-0 at home. Even with the Badgers' (18-5 SU, 12-7 ATS) perfect home record they will be considered a home underdog against the high-scoring Buckeyes.
The Buckeyes score an average of eight points more per game than their opponents; combine this with a defense that allows just 57.8 points per game and you have a recipe for a near-perfect wager.
Ohio State has won two of three head-to-head and covered the pointspread in three of the last four matchups between the teams. Expect a close contest when the teams meet Saturday afternoon, but rest assured the Buckeyes won’t be getting much resistance on the NCAAB betting lines with its undefeated season still intact.
Totals bettors should note that Ohio State and Wisconsin have rewarded UNDER bettors in seven straight between the schools.
Baylor Bears at Texas Longhorns
Baylor (16-7 SU, 5-11 ATS) is coming off a pair of hard-fought victories and should be ready for the third-ranked and home favorite Texas Longhorns in a late afternoon college basketball betting matchup.
Texas (21-3 SU, 15-3 ATS) has given a lot of mileage to betting faithful, but this weekend could be one of their toughest matchups yet this season. Texas has dropped four straight to Baylor, including all three meetings last season. The Bears also covered the spread in those four matchups.
Baylor might be considered a longshot on the NCAAB betting lines, but they could provide the best underdog value of the weekend. Both teams have extremely good offenses and OVER bettors should take a look here, as Baylor and Texas have made winners of the OVER bet in four straight contests.
Duke Blue Devils at Miami Hurricanes
After a hiccup against St. John’s, the fifth-ranked Duke Blue Devils have reeled off three straight victories and will be a road favorite when they tangle with worthy Miami on Sunday in NCAAB betting action.
The Hurricanes are winners of three straight, but a loss to Duke earlier this year and four straight head-to-head will make NCAAB bettors wager heavily in favor of the Blue Devils straight up.
Pointspread betting will be a different game altogether since Miami has been able to cover the pointspread in four of the last five between the two teams. Totals bettors could get another good betting scenario with the two sending OVER bettors to the payout window in four of the last five.
College Basketball Knowledge
Syracuse lost its last six games vs Louisville, losing last three here by 5-11-10 points; Orangemen are 2-5 in last seven games overall- they gave up less than 60 points in last six wins, 64+ in last five losses. Louisville is 5-0 SU at home in Big East, 2-3 as home fave. Big East home teams are 12-7 vs spread if number is 3 or less points; home favorites are 8-5.
Kentucky won its last four games vs Vanderbilt, winning last two here by 13-2 points; Wildcats are just 1-4 on SEC road, with last three losses on road by two points- their only road win was 67-58 at South Carolina. Vanderbilt is 1-4 as SEC home favorite (4-1 SU) with wins by 7-10-18-4 points. Kentucky had two more days to prepare for this than Vandy.
North Carolina (-6.5) held Clemson to 35% from floor in 75-65 win Jan 18, its 11th win in last 12 series games; UNC won three of last four at Littlejohn, with wins by 19-2-22 points. Clemson is 5-0 at home, with home wins by 7-25-10-18-8 points, allowing 59.4 ppg. Home teams are 3-7-1 vs spread in ACC games where spread is 3 or less points.
Old Dominion lost six of last seven visits to VCU, losing last two here by 17-12 points; home side won four of last five series games. VCU won 11 of last 12 games, winning last game in double OT- they won 59-50 at ODU in first meeting Jan 22 (+6.5). CAA home favorites of less than 4 points are 4-9-1. Monarchs won five of their last six games.
Ohio State is 0-5 at Wisconsin since Bo Ryan has been coach, as host is 9-2 in last 11 series games, but OSU is 11-0 in Big 11, with four of last five road wins by 5 or less points. Favorites are 7-3-1 vs spread in Big 11 games where spread is 3 or less points. Badgers won five of last six games; they're 6-0 at home in Big 11, 5-1 as a home favorite.
Texas is 9-0 in Big 12, covering six of last seven games; they're 2-2 as a home favorite, winning by 20-21-13-16 points- they've lost last four vs Baylor, losing in last two Big 12 tourneys. Baylor won three of last four games, with all three wins by 4 or less points- they're 1-2 as road dog in Big 12. Double digit home favorites are 3-5 vs spread in Big 12 games.
Southern Miss (-6) led by 18 in first half, lost 76-75 at home Jan 19 to Memphis, its 14th straight series loss; Eagles lost last seven visits here, by 17-14-3-39-46-16-7 points. Memphis won its last two games, both on road, by total of 5 points. USM won/covered its last four games.
C-USA home favorites of less than 5 points are 7-4-1 vs spread.
Florida won six of last seven games, winning last three at home by 32-4-2 points; Gators (+3.5) won 81-75 at Tennessee Jan 11, its second win in row vs Vols, after six straight losses- Vols won four of last six visits here. Tennessee lost its last two games, scoring 60-61 points; they're 2-1 as a dog. SEC home favorites of less than 7 points are 5-9 vs spread.
UNLV was 1-18 from arc in 55-49 loss at San Diego State (-4.5) Jan 12, its sixth loss in last seven series games; home team won seven of nine in series. Aztecs won last four games overall, allowing 54.3 ppg. UNLV is 4-1 in last five games- they're 3-2 at home in MWC. Home teams are 3-7 vs spread in MWC games when spread is less than 5 points.
New Mexico (-8.5) was +16 on boards, held Colorado State to 38% on night in 68-61 home win over Rams Jan 12, its eighth consecutive series win. Lobos won last four games, all by 9+ points; they've lost three of four on MVC road. MWC home favorites of less than 5 points are 1-5 vs spread. Last four State games were decided by 6 or less points.
Home side won last four Pitt-Villanova games; Panthers lost last couple visits here, by 1-10 points. Villanova is 3-4 in last seven games, blowing 10-point lead in last 2:52 at Rutgers Wednesday; they're 5-1 at home in Big East, losing to Georgetown. Big East home teams are 12-7 vs spread if number is 3 or less points. Panthers are 5-0 on Big East road.
Northern Iowa (+8) shot 57% in 77-74 win at Wichita Jan 19, third win in row over Shockers, who've lost their last four visits here, by 12-2-24-3 points. UNI won last six home games but lost last two overall, scoring 69-62 points. Wichita State is 6-0 on MVC road, winning five of last six overall. MVC home teams are 4-8 in games where spread of 2 or less.
Northern Colorado (+2) held Montana to 33% from floor in 63-45 win Jan 6, Bears' third win in last five series games- they lost three of four in this building, losing by 21-15-9 points. Big Sky home favorites of less than 6 points are 7-2-1 vs spread. Montana is 6-0 at home (4-2 against spread) in Big Sky. Northern covered two of three as Big Sky dog.