NCAAB News and Notes Saturday 2/19

Bracket Buster Weekend
By Bruce Marshall

We have to admit that we thoroughly enjoy the "BracketBuster weekend" that ESPN introduced into the college hoop schedule a few years ago, the 2010-11 edition of which takes place this weekend. Although we have wondered at times if these matchups don’t do more harm than good to the teams involved, as the higher-profile "Buster" matchups will inevitably deal a defeat to a side that could hardly use another "L" as it builds in NCAA at-large case.

Still, it is good fun to see so many of these "mid-majors" on network TV after a steady diet of Big East, Big Ten and Big XII action. And we find it ironic that a couple of flagship mid-major sides that begged out of "Buster" action this season, Gonzaga and Butler (which each believed they had outgrown the event), could have probably used a chance at another high-profile non-conference scalp this season. Neither the Zags nor the Bulldogs are involved in this season’s BracketBusters. But the whole "Busters" concept seems to be working just fine for the mid and lower-level D-I leagues that participate; the entire BracketBusters slate mostly involves games that will be having no impact on Selection Sunday, but nonetheless provide the "feel" of a special event for the participating teams. The "Buster" games also often give us a chance to take a sneak peak at contenders in conferences such as the SoCon and Ohio Valley that are usually involved in the festivities and will be involved in upcoming tourney action.

By this time, every weekend until Selection Sunday on March 13 is packed with crucial games involving teams on the proverbial NCAA "bubble," and the BracketBusters event allows more of those matchups to come into focus. Following are some of the more-important "Buster" games to watch this weekend.

Miami-Ohio at James Madison... Neither of these two figure to be in the NCAA at-large queue (they’ll need to win their respective conference tourneys to get to the Big Dance), although both are likely to surface somewhere in the postseason. We’re most intrigued by the recent uptick of Charlie Coles’ Miami-Ohio, especially since the RedHawks amazingly began to ascend at the same time key swingman Antonio Ballard went out with a wrist injury. Miami has won five in a row since to move atop the MAC East, and if nothing else the RedHawks will not intimidated by a trip to Harrisonburg after facing the likes of Duke, Ohio State, San Diego State, and Kansas (all potential number one NCAA seeds) in pre-league action.

Morehead State at Indiana State, and Evansville at Murray State... Not that there is anything particularly special about Ohio Valley vs. Missouri Valley matchups, but we find these two rather intriguing as they feature the top contenders (Morehead State and Murray State) in the OVC. Morehead, which put up a pretty decent fight in pre-league games vs. Florida and Ohio State, has won eight games in a row and could be entering the fast-approaching OVC Tourney (which we’ll preview, along with other early D-I tourneys, beginning next week) as the favorite. Watch bullish 6’8 frontliner Kenneth Faried, who does almost all of his work on the blocks, who's scoring 17.5 ppg, and had his number 35 retired by the Golden Eagles prior to last weekend’s win over SE Missouri State. As for the Racers from Murray, remember how they beat Vanderbilt in the NCAA first round last season and almost did the same to Butler in the second round. Like last year, Murray’s terrier-like 3-G lineup led by srs. B.J. Jenkins and Isacc Miles could cause some real matchup problems for many potential March foes.

Vermont at College of Charleston (ESPNU)... This could be a sneak peak at a pair of sides that could easily be participating in the Big Dance, with each leading their respective leagues (Vermont in the America East, Charleston in the SoCon South). The Catamounts, who have already clinched the A-East regular-season crown, are assured of home-court edge throughout their conference tournament. We need a bit more evidence, however, that Vermont (a possible Big Dance play-in game candidate) can deal with upgraded opposition after losses vs. BYU (not close), UConn (closer) and Metro-Atlantic leader Fairfield (even closer) in pre-league play. The Catamounts, if you recall, made the Dance last year under HC Mike Lonergan, and have a nice inside-outside combo with 6-8 PF Evan Fjeld providing the power on the blocks, and one of our favorite-named players in the country, 6’4 G Brendan Bald (this guy has to be dear to our hearts), proving a tough matchup on the perimeter. Bobby Cremins’ Cougars, however, are a bit more accomplished, having won at Tennessee and playing ACC reps Maryland (losing by only 1) and Clemson (losing by only 7) to the hilt on the road. Cremins’ star G Andrew Goudelock (23.7 ppg) will be one of the featured Buster performers on display this weekend; we would have loved to see a matchup vs. Hofstra (instead playing Wright State in another Saturday BracketBuster) and a battle vs. the Pride’s Charles Jenkins in what would likely have been a showdown of the best two mid-major guards in the country.

George Mason at Northern Iowa (ESPN-2)... When these matchups were announced in late January, Mason was in the early stages of what has become a 12-game win streak (and 13-game cover streak); we suspect if the matchups were made last week, we might have seen the Patriots facing Wichita (which would have been a rematch of a memorable 2006 Buster at the Roundhouse). And Northern Iowa might not have been granted such a featured matchup, either, as the Panthers have since lost their "garbage man deluxe" PF Lucas O’Rear to injury and dropped 3 of their last 4, effectively removing them from Big Dance at-large consideration. Another win for GMU likely wraps up an NCAA at-large spot and takes a bit of pressure off of Jim Larranaga’s troops for the fast-approaching Colonial Tourney in Richmond.

Utah State at Saint Mary’s (ESPN-2)... Neither of these two are taking anything for granted with the Selection Committee after both having been among the last cuts from Big Dance fields in recent memory. And there is heightened urgency on the Saint Mary’s side after a shock loss to WCC cellar-dweller San Diego (huh?) on Wednesday night. For Utah State, this a chance to avenge a 5-point loss to a bigger Gaels side last season that featured mammoth C Omar Samhan. SMC is a smaller but quicker this season, with USD transfer Rob Jones replacing Samhan’s post presence with an athletic, slashing element, although everything on the attack end for the Gaels is designed to set up long-range bombers Mickey McConnell (47.3% triples) and Aussie Matthew Dellavedova beyond the arc. The veteran Aggies, however, feature an experienced lineup that made the Dance last season while adding a more-athletic element at PG in Houston transfer Brockeith Pane, who can attack the bucket with more abandon than some of Stew Morrill’s recent floor leaders. The winner of this one will all but punch their at-large ticket to the Dance.

Montana at Long Beach State (ESPN-2)... Another matchup similar to the Charleston-Vermont showdown featuring a pair of teams currently leading their respective loops, although both Montana (Big Sky) and Long Beach (Big West) are going to have to win their conferences tournaments to get a call from the Selection Committee. There is another angle to consider with this matchup in that the winner of this one, should it advance to the Big Dance in three weeks, likely avoids one of the 16 vs. 16 play-in games. Montana, if you recall, made the Dance last season after upsetting Weber State in the Big Sky finale thanks to a memorable effort from now-graduated Grizzlies G Anthony Johnson, who pumped home 42 in Ogden. Remember, too, that Montana won at UCLA in December and has a legit post presence in 6-11, 260-lb. C Brian Qvale (15.0 ppg & 8.8 rpg). Watch the injury report for this one, however, because Montana HC Wayne Tinkle might decide to rest star soph G Will Cherry (ankle; 14.5 ppg) to make sure he is ready for the upcoming Big Sky Tourney. Cherry’s presence would be important vs. Dan Monsen’s go-go Long Beach side that has won five in a row and boasts of five DD scorers, led by whippet-like PG Casper Ware (16.4 ppg) and big 6-5 G Larry Anderson, a local product from LB Jordan High who causes matchup problems on the perimeter and is scoring 14.6 ppg. How the smaller Beach frontline handles the 6’11 Qvale will be an important factor, as well as the 49ers’ desire to speed up the tempo. Very interesting style clash.

Cleveland State at Old Doninion (Sunday, ESPN)... Recent uptick by ODU and developments elsewhere on the "bubble" have put the Monarchs in position to move up in Big Dance at-large queue, especially with fellow CAA rep Virginia Commmonwealth slipping in the last week. Meanwhile, most observers believe Gary Waters' Cleveland State (which made some noise in the Big Dance two years ago) will have probably done enough to at least make the at-large field if it wins the Horizon League regular-season crown. Interesting style clash, with the lengthy ODU backcourt paced by 6'5 stopper deluxe Kent Bazemore given the assignment of controlling the Vikings' 3-guard attack led by explosive sr. Norris Cole (20.9 ppg). Winner here goes a long way to securing itself an NCAA bid.

Saturday's Early Hoops
By Judd Hall

Some people don’t think there is anything to do this weekend in gambling with the NBA on its All-Star break. Of course, these are the people that can’t see the forest for all of the trees…or some other nonsense of that sort. But they’ll have plenty to bet on for Saturday on the college hardwood. Add in the fact that bubble teams are playing for their tournament lives and you have some compelling bets to make.

We’ll initially turn our attention on Madison Square Garden at 12:00 p.m. EST on ESPN as the Red Storm play host to Big East power Pittsburgh (24-2 straight up, 11-10 against the spread).

St. John’s (16-9 SU, 11-13 ATS) isn’t really a team in danger of missing out on the big dance. Steve Lavin’s first team in Queens has picked up wins against Notre Dame, Duke, Connecticut and West Virginia. And they’re 4-5 against ranked teams this season. It doesn’t hurt that Lavin has nine seniors to lean on in his first year running the team.

The Johnnies have been playing some of their best ball right now. They’re riding a three-game SU and ATS win streak, highlighted by wins over the Huskies and Golden Eagles. These weren’t just wins over UConn and Marquette, they were dominations. It also doesn’t hurt that your hitting 80 percent of your free throws during this win streak…especially since the team is at 71 percent from the charity stripe on the year.

The Panthers aren’t exactly playing for peanuts in this game either as they have a strong shot at a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Pitt has reeled off five straight wins, covering in three of them, since a 56-51 loss at home to the Fighting Irish. Not a bad run considering that they’ve been without Ashton Gibbs for the last three games of that streak.

Pittsburgh does have the benefit of winning five straight games versus the Red Storm. And it doesn’t hurt that the Cats have covered the number in all of those past five meetings. The ‘over’ is 3-2 in that stretch as well.

St. John’s is 4-2 SU and 3-3 in its last six Big East games at MSG this season. The ‘under’ has gone 4-2 during that time.

After we get finished up in the Big Apple, we’ll focus on the happening in Tempe as the Sun Devils play host to the Cougars.

If I were to say that Washington State (17-9 SU, 13-10-1 ATS) still had a shot at making the field of 68, you’d say I was swimming in absinthe. But the Cougs are benefitting from a very soft bubble to play their way back into the race.

One look at how Wazzu has performed recently and you have to wonder how they’re still in the mix. This is a team that has lost four of its last seven games, failing to cover the number in five of those contests. The most recent setback coming in a 79-70 decision for the Cougars as 8 ½-point road pups on Thursday night. Klay Thompson did his level best to get his team from Pullman the win by scoring a game-high 30 points. It’s just his luck that only Reggie Moore (10) and DeAngelo Casto (14) were the only other Cougars to score double-digits.

Washington State is still in the pool of teams to make the NCAA tournament because they have some quality wins. They beat Baylor when they were ranked 15th in the AP Poll and beat hated rival Washington, who was ranked No. 18 at the time. The loss on Thursday to Arizona is not a bad one as they’re the best team in the Pac-10, which goes well with the 63-58 loss to K-State in December. But the main selling point for the Cougs is that they won a head-to-head battle against Gonzaga, who is in serious danger of missing out on the big dance.

The Cougars do have the benefit of taking on a hapless Arizona State (9-16 SU, 7-15-1 ATS) side that is just plain ugly to watch. The Sun Devils have dropped nine straight games SU and covered the spread four times in that stretch.

There is not much going for ASU at this point. They have lost the rebounding battle in every game they’ve played in the Pac-10. Herb Sendek’s is allowing the opposition to hit 45.6 percent from the field, which is good enough to rank 8th in the league through Thursday’s games. And the Sun Devils are 314th nationally from the free throw line, draining just 62.4 percent of their shots.

The head-to-head history is seriously tilted towards the Cougs, going 7-2 SU and 5-4 ATS in this stretch. The ‘under’ is 5-4 during this set as well. This info includes Wazzu’s 78-61 win as a 10-point home “chalk” on Jan. 20. The Cougars hit 52 percent from the field in that game, while the Sun Devils shot 33 percent.

Arizona State is a great fade team when it comes to hosting Pac-10 foes. The Sun Devils have gone 0-6 SU and 1-4-1 ATS during six league foes coming to Tempe this season. The ‘under’ is 3-2-1 in that timeframe.

As bad as the Sun Devils are at home in conference games, Washington State has no room to talk this season. The Cougars are currently posting a 2-5 SU and 2-4-1 ATS record away from home in league tests. The ‘under’ has gone 4-3 in that stretch.

vegasinsider.com

Illinois at Michigan St.
By Brian Edwards

There will be plenty of tension in the air Saturday night at Breslin Center, where Michigan State will take on Illinois in a crucial Big Ten contest for a pair of bubble teams.

Michigan St. (14-11 straight up, 8-16 against the spread) has been the nation’s most disappointing team this year. The Spartans began the season as a top-five squad, yet they find themselves at 6-7 in Big Ten play and needing to make a strong push over the next three weeks in order to just get invited to the NCAA Tournament.

Tom Izzo’s team had lost nine in a row ATS until taking the cash in its last two outings. MSU stroked Penn St. to snap the nine-game slide two Thursdays ago, capturing a 75-57 win over the Nittany Lions as 6½-point home favorites.

The Spartans couldn’t pull a big upset Tuesday at Ohio St., but they did cover the number as 12-point underdogs in a 71-61 loss that was closer than the final score indicated. In the losing effort, Kalin Lucas had 14 points and five assists.

Illinois (17-9 SU, 13-13 ATS) had lost six of its last nine games to fall to .500 in Big Ten play before collecting a 54-52 win Wednesday against Michigan. The Wolverines, who comfortably took the cash as 9½-point road underdogs, had a pair of 3-point attempts for the win on the final possession. But those shots, including one at the buzzer, were off the mark.

The win improved Bruce Weber’s team to 7-6 in league play. Demetri McCamey scored 18 points to pace the winners.

The Wynn opened Michigan St. as a two-point home favorite. A few offshores started the total at 136½ late Friday afternoon.

MSU has won 10 of its 12 home games in East Lansing, but it is just 4-7 ATS at Breslin Center. Meanwhile, Illinois is 2-1 ATS in three road games as an underdog.

When these rivals met in Champaign-Urbana on Jan. 18, Illinois won a 71-62 decision as a four-point home favorite. Brandon Paul scored a game-high 20 points for the Illini, while McCamey finished with 15 points and 11 assists. Lucas had a team-high 15 points in defeat.

Illinois has covered the spread in three straight head-to-head meetings against Michigan St., winning outright in the last two encounters. The ‘under’ is 8-2 in the last 10 games between these Big Ten rivals.

The ‘under’ is 14-10 overall for the Spartans, 6-5 in their home outings. The ‘over’ is 13-12 overall for Illinois.

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

B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets

The best BracketBuster matchup will be on ESPN2 at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, featuring Utah State going on the road to face Saint Mary’s. The Gaels, who opened as 3 ½-point home favorites at one offshore shop, are coming off their worst performance of the season in a loss at San Diego as 17-point favorites. Both squads would most likely sew up an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament with a victory.

Pitt will take its 24-2 record and five-game winning streak into New York City to battle St. John’s at Madison Square Garden on ESPN at noon Eastern. The Wynn opened the Panthers as 3 ½-point road favorites. The Red Storm has won five of its last six games with four of those victories coming in underdog spots.

Georgia might need a win more than any team in the country Saturday. The Dawgs lost at the buzzer when they played a nail-biter with Tennessee in Athens earlier this year. UGA had Vandy on the ropes for 35 minutes Wednesday night at Stegeman Coliseum, only to go the last 10 minutes without a single basket from the floor in a 64-56 loss. The Wynn opened the Vols as 4½-point home favorites. CBS will have regional television coverage at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.

The other one o’clock game on CBS is Notre Dame at West Virginia. The Wynn opened the Mountaineers as 3 ½-point home favorites.

Like Georgia, Boston College sure could use a win Saturday afternoon at North Carolina. The Wynn opened UNC as a 12-point home favorite. ESPN will provide television coverage at 4:00 p.m. Eastern.

vegasinsider.com.

Red Storm brewing versus Pitt
By: Michael Robinson

The St. John’s Red Storm are a Big East pushover no more as they host the Pittsburgh Panthers on Saturday afternoon. Pitt will see the return of junior guard Ashton Gibbs.

The Red Storm (16-9 straight-up, 11-13 against the spread) are looking for their first 20-win season since 2002-2003 when Mike Jarvis was head man. Former UCLA coach Steve Lavin took over this season after a six-year stint from Norm Roberts.

St. John’s is also 8-5 SU in the conference, after going 32-70 SU during Roberts’ reign. Lavin inherited a team that was short on victories, but deep in experience. There are six seniors in the top-7 of the rotation, with the other (Dwayne Polee Jr.) a freshman.

The experience didn’t mean much early on with an 11-8 SU start (7-11 ATS). That included going 4-5 SU and ATS in the Big East.

However, Lavin wasn’t hired purely on his coaching ability. He’s been sitting behind an ESPN microphone since leaving UCLA in 2003 and is a charismatic guy who can recruit and motivate. That was evident when defending champ Duke came to Madison Square Garden on Jan. 30 and got buried (93-78 loss as eight-point favorites).

The Red Storm have used that game as a springboard and are 5-1 SU (4-2 ATS) in their last six games overall. They have wins and ‘covers’ in their last three vs. Connecticut (89-72) and at Cincinnati (59-57) and Marquette (80-68). All three were as ‘dogs.

Guard Dwight Hardy (17.1 PPG) has been on fire the last six games at 25.5 PPG. He’s almost single-handily willing this team to victories.

The Panthers (24-2 SU, 11-10 ATS) are ranked No. 4 in the Coaches Poll, the same as the preseason ranking. They have a great shot to make their first Final Four since 1941, but there’s still not a lot of national buzz as they lack a true superstar.

The only losses this year came at home against Notre Dame on January 24, 56-51 as 10½-point favorites. There was also an early December defeat to Tennessee (83-76 as eight-point favorites) at the off-campus Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh is cruising in first place in the Big East at 12-1 SU (8-5 ATS) and currently has a five-game-winning streak. The last three were without its best player Gibbs (16.3 PPG), a guard who’s in range when he steps off the bus (46.3 percent in three’s).

Gibbs (knee) will give it a go against St. John’s, although his minutes are unknown. Sophomore Travon Woodall started in his absence, wins at West Virginia (71-66) and Villanova (57-54), and home against South Florida (67-55). Only the South Florida contest was a failure to ‘cover’ as 16 ½-point favorites.

This is a very mature team with three senior starters in guard Brad Wanamaker (12.6 PPG, 5.0 APG), forward Gilbert Brown (11.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG) and center Gary McGhee (7.3 PPG. 8.0 RPG).

Coach Jamie Dixon’s squad is allowing 61.3 PPG, second in the Big East and tied for 26th in the country. It’s solid, but not explosive offensively (76.2 PPG, 35th nationally).

The ‘under’ has gone 7-3 in Pittsburgh’s last 10 games after the ‘over’ started 9-2 in games with totals.

This looks like a tough matchup inside for St. John’s. Pittsburgh is first in the conference in net rebounds (plus 12.1), while St. John’s is 14th (minus 1.1). Even in its last five wins, St. John’s has been outrebounded four times.

Pittsburgh is 5-0 SU and ATS in the last five meetings between the teams. It swept both games last year, including 71-64 as two-point ‘chalk’ in New York.

There are no significant injuries to report with the exception of Gibbs.

ESPN will have the early 9 a.m. (PT) tip-off from Madison Square Garden.

Missouri State at Valparaiso Crusaders
By: Willie Bee

If it was an interconference matchup of the No. 4 and No. 17 teams in the AP or coaches rankings, the hype would be huge. Instead it's the fourth- and 17th-ranked schools among the mid-majors, and a bit sad that it's not getting the pregame publicity despite what should be a wonderful contest.

ESPN2 will give the casual fan and bettor a rare look at the Missouri State Bears and Valparaiso Crusaders this Saturday afternoon when the teams tip-off in Valpo's Athletics-Recreation Center at 2 p.m. (PT). A win won't guarantee either team an at-large invite to the NCAA Tournament; a loss guarantees the only way in will be as an automatic conference winner.

This road trip could be a good break for Cuonzo Martin and Missouri State (21-6 straight up, 12-12-2 against the spread), allowing the Bears some action to keep them from thinking ahead to their big conference game at home a week from now against Wichita State. Martin's club is tied with the Shockers at the top of the Missouri Valley Conference with 13-3 records going into this weekend. Wichita State had its own BracketBuster this week Friday night at home versus Virginia Commonwealth.

Missouri State is looking for its first March Madness appearance since the Bears made their improbable run into the Sweet 16 of the '99 tournament as a 12-seed. Mo State has won its last four, and six of eight, but has failed against the NCAA odds with one winner in the last nine. The Bears opened the year a 11-4-2 at the window.

It's not that uncommon to see a team like the Bears have fail against the spread. They're in the top 50 of all college teams in defensive scoring allowing just 62.4 per game. Missouri State also shoots well overall, again ranking in the top 50 of the country (46.7 percent). A drop in the offense is responsible for the failure to cover but one in nine, all as favorites as in the Bears last game against Drake.

Missouri State was off its season mark from the field and from long range as well in the 60-51 triumph as 14-point chalk. Strangely enough, though that game went well 'under' the 134 total and the Bears have been playing pretty good defense, they've been cashing 'overs' during their ATS skid very well, 13-9 on the season and 8-2 in the last month or so.

Valparaiso (19-8 SU, 13-11-1 ATS) hits their home floor just a half-game south of Cleveland State in the Horizon League, and a half-game ahead of Butler and Milwaukee. Wednesday's 79-76 loss at Milwaukee was number three in the Crusaders' last seven, with two of the four wins of the overtime variety.

Like the Bears, Homer Drew's club enters this one in poor shape against the line, just 2-4-1 in their recent stretch. Another trend Valpo shares with Missouri State is shooting well (47.9 percent), in the top 20 in that category most of the season, save for a few very far-off games like early in the season at Kansas and earlier this month at Cleveland State.

One more similarity is making 'over' bettors happy in the last month, 7-3 since mid-January. And yet a final is a school trying to get to March Madness for the first time in a while, Valparaiso's last trip to the NCAA's in March 2004 that ended quickly in a 76-49 loss to Gonzaga.

The Crusaders will head to Green Bay shortly after this one for Monday's Horizon League game with the Phoenix. Mo State remains on the road as it heads back into MVC play with a Wednesday contest at Southern Illinois, to be followed by that big regular season finale at home versus the Shockers next Saturday (Feb. 26).

Aggies and Gaels in NCAA betting battle
By: Adam Markowitz

The St. Mary's Gaels are considered the top mid-major team in the country while Utah State is running away with the WAC with a 12-1 conference record atop the standings. The one problem that both have is a very recent, very glaring loss on their resumes to overcome if they are going to be in the NCAA Tournament as at-large candidates.

The two will meet in one of the most important BracketBuster NCAA basketball betting battles of the year on Saturday night. This clash from McKeon Pavilion will be televised nationally on the ESPN family of networks, and tip-off is at 6:00 p.m. (PT).

For Utah State, this game has particularly strong meaning because it will be the final chance to snare a victory against an RPI Top 100, something that hasn't happened yet amongst its 24 wins this year. The best victory is probably a win over the Utah Utes at home on November 24, and that isn't exactly anything to be overly proud of.

The only two teams that Utah ran up against RPI Top 100 teams were the BYU Cougars and Georgetown Hoyas, and though both games were on the road, thus giving some level of respect, both ended in defeat.

The Aggies are still trying to survive that bad loss at the Idaho Vandals on February 9. It was one of the few times this year this team was really held down offensively, as USU only scored 56 points, the second fewest for the season. Normally, this is an efficient team, averaging 72.5 PPG. The Aggies are also shooting 47.1 percent from the field as a team this season, ranking No. 35 overall in the land.

For St. Mary's, the real blow came against the San Diego Toreros, arguably one of the worst teams in the West Coast Conference. Yes, the Gaels, like the Aggies, were beaten on the road in that one, but it was an unsightly loss that came against a team that won't be ranked in the Top 200, let alone in the Top 100.

The good news for St. Mary's is that it does have a few quality wins under its belt. Wins against the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Gonzaga Bulldogs are respectable for sure, but it definitely has that big 'W' against the St. John's Red Storm that looks better and better by the day.

However, the Gaels already have two losses in the West Coast Conference, something that is definitely nothing to be proud of, and that second loss on Wednesday night to the Toreros as 17-point chalk on the college basketball odds was definitely deplorable.

Still, Mickey McConnell and company can fly up and down the court with ease. He's the leading scorer on the team at 16.9 PPG this year, shooting a blistering 52.4 percent from the floor. The Gaels rank No. 12 in the country, averaging 80.3 PPG.

These two mid-majors have clashed before in BracketBusters, meeting two seasons ago in this very venue. The Gaels won both meetings, winning 75-64 at home, and winning the return trip in Logan the next December, 68-63. Both results were more than good enough to pick up big time victories both SU and against the NCAA basketball betting lines.

Game of the day: Washington at Arizona
By Sean Murphy

Washington Huskies at Arizona Wildcats (-2.5, 156.5)

To say that the home team has owned this series in recent years would be an understatement. The host has won the last eight meetings SU, going 6-2 ATS over that stretch. The Huskies have the most recent home victory, taking down the Wildcats 85-68 as 10-point home faves in Seattle on January 20.

Arizona is 7-2 ATS in its last nine matchups with Washington. The Wildcats have been particularly tough on the Huskies at the McKale Center, winning four straight meetings with each victory coming by at least nine points.
Arizona is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games.
Their most recent matchup ended a streak of four consecutive over results in the series. Keep in mind, that January meeting fell just one point short of the total, finishing up at 153 points.

Weekend warriors

Both teams got an early jump on the weekend, posting convincing victories Thursday night.

The Huskies rolled to a 17-point victory at Arizona State, their third consecutive win. Prior to their current streak, they had dropped three games in a row – all on the road.

The Wildcats built a big early lead and cruised to a 79-70 win over Washington State. It was their seventh straight victory (6-0-1 ATS), stretching their Pac-10 record to an impressive 11-2.

Pro-style offense

On some nights, the Huskies look like men among boys. This is a team that is averaging an incredible 85.6 points per game on 48 percent shooting this season.

Even after losing guard Abdul Gaddy to a season-ending injury in early January, Washington hasn’t missed a beat offensively. In 14 Pac-10 games, the Huskies have failed to score more than 70 points only twice.

The problem is, when they’re off, they’re really off. Washington has been held to exactly 56 points in a pair of road tilts at Stanford and Oregon State.

Don’t be fooled by the Huskies’ 85-point effort at home against Arizona earlier this season. The Wildcats are a different animal at home and you can bet their number one focus will be on slowing the Washington offense.
Thomas leads a up-tempo Washington offense.
Pace is the trick

If Arizona is able to control the tempo in this game, it will have an excellent shot at walking away with a victory.

The Wildcats prefer to play the halfcourt game, that’s no secret. During their current seven-game winning streak, they’ve attempted 57 shots or fewer on six different occasions.

Compare that to a Washington squad that has hoisted up 60 or more shots in six of its last nine contests.

It’s worth noting that the Huskies have been listed as underdogs only once this season. That came at Texas A&M back on December 11. The Aggies were able to effectively contain the Huskies on that day, limiting them to 53 field-goal attempts in a narrow 63-62 victory.

Notable victories

Washington is short on signature wins this season. Only two stand out, those coming at the onset of Pac-10 play – road victories at USC and UCLA.

When favored by 3.5 points or less (or listed as underdogs), the Huskies are just 1-4 SU and 1-3-1 ATS.

Arizona may be 22-4 on the season, but the Wildcats are also lacking in the quality win department. Their three most impressive wins have all come inside their own conference, on the road against Washington State, Stanford, and Cal.

Key trends

Washington absolutely loves playing Saturday. The Huskies are 11-3-1 ATS in their last 15 opportunities.

The Huskies have actually played better defensive basketball on the road than at home this season. That’s an ongoing trend, as the under is 10-3 in Washington’s last 13 lined road games.

While it is an even 5-5 ATS as a double-digit favorite this season, Arizona is 8-1-1 ATS when listed as a single-digit favorite.

The over is 18-7-1 in the Wildcats’ last 26 games following an ATS victory.

College Hoops Betting TV Guide
By Dave Carey

Hofstra Pride at Wright State Raiders, 11 a.m. ET, ESPNU

The Raiders haven’t seen anyone like Charles Jenkins. The NBA Draft prospect has scouts taking notice after dropping 28 points in an overtime win over William & Mary. Jenkins was 10 of 21 from the floor and nailed a game-tying 3-pointer with less than a second left before drilling a 40-foot shot at the horn in overtime to give his team the win.

"The guy who was defending me put his hands down," said Jenkins. "Me and Mike's (Moore) motto is hand down man down and once he put his hand down I had a good look at the basket and I hit it."

Pittsburgh Panthers at St. John’s Red Storm, 12 p.m., ESPN

The Panthers are getting a big boost. The Final Four contender will welcome back junior guard and leading scorer Ashton Gibbs, who missed the past five games with a partial MCL tear in his left knee. Pitt coach Jamie Dixon did not say whether Gibbs (16.3 ppg, 3.1 apg) would return to the starting lineup or come off the bench in New York.

"It's close to 100 percent," Gibbs said. "I can feel it a little bit, but it's nothing major at all. It's definitely close to 100 percent. I'll just keep taking it day by day, rest it, ice it and keep playing on it."

Georgia Bulldogs at Tennessee Volunteers, 1 p.m., CBS

Volunteers point guard Melvin Goins is making it hard for head coach Bruce Pearl to take him off the floor. Pearl admitted he wanted to get more time for bench players, but was forced to leave the senior in the game for 31 minutes as he finished with five points, five rebounds and six assists in a six-point win over South Carolina. And Pearl is going to keep the leash long on his lead guard.

"I just wanted to distribute the ball and get my teammates involved early and often,'' said Goins. “It's whatever Coach wants me to do to help this team to win. Just to see us play well and make shots felt good.”

Notre Dame Fighting Irish at West Virginia Mountaineers, 1 p.m., CBS

If the Mountaineers have any hope against Notre Dame, they must find a way to score inside. In a recent loss to Syracuse, the team was a meager 6 for 25 inside the arc and was outscored in the paint by a stunning margin of 34-4. Don’t think the team hasn’t been working on contested layup drills in practice all week.

"I think we'd all take the shots Deniz (Kilicli) got. He's made those all year,'' WVU head coach Bob Huggins said. "And we're still waiting for Kevin [Jones] to make the shots he made last year.''

Colorado Buffaloes at Kansas Jayhawks, 2 pm., ESPN

The Buffaloes finally have a chance to recharge their batteries. The team is coming off its lone in-week bye during Big 12 play and it couldn’t come at a better time as the team suffered an overtime loss to a physical Texas A&M team before outlasting Kansas State by two. To help his team recharge, coach Tad Boyle game his team off Sunday and Monday – the player’s first consecutive days off since Christmas.

“I think it’s a great time for us,” Boyle said. “Obviously, coming off an emotional week with two close games, we’re a little physically tired right now, and a little mentally tired as well.”

Boston College Eagles at North Carolina Tar Heels, 4 p.m., ESPN

Eagles star guard Reggie Jackson may be lighting up the scoreboard again, but it’s walk-on John Cahill who is doing the little things to help make the team even more dangerous. The little-used guard, who had not cracked double digits in minutes in any other game this year, played 25 against Maryland, posting nine points, two rebounds and drawing a pair of charges in the narrow victory.

“He’s a good college basketball player,’’ said Eagles coach Steve Donahue. “He moves the ball, he makes the game simple. He’s a very good shooter, he knows how to play the game, and he plays defense.’’

Washington Huskies at Arizona Wildcats, 6 p.m., ESPN

So how hard is it to win at Arizona? It’s getting back to being tough. The Wildcats have won 15 straight home games and are averaging just shy of 14,400 fans for Pac-10 games at the McKale Center this season. And head coach Sean Miller has made it his mission to rebuild the team’s home-court edge since losing five games in his own gym last year.

"Coach has really stressed home-court dominance, that we got to protect our home court. The team has really worked hard in the off-season, and a lot of the contribution comes from the fans. The student section is the best I've seen in three years,” Kyle Fogg told reporters.

George Mason Colonials at Northern Iowa Panthers, 7 p.m., ESPN2

Remember that George Mason team that made the Final Four? Yeah, this one might be better. With a 71-51 beat down of a good VCU team, the Patriots have won a school-record 12 straight games, the longest streak in the nation, and have claimed six consecutive road games. During the streak, the team has won all but one of the games by 14 or more points.

"It's a great feeling, but you've got to understand, it just goes by how we play," senior guard Cam Long said. "If we continue to do that, the streak will continue.”

Cincinnati Bearcats at Providence Friars, 7 p.m., ESPNU

Bearcats junior Yancy Gates is finally out of the dog house. The forward is one of the most talented players in the Big East, but the head case has been relegated to the bench for the past few games. However, he played 30 minutes in an upset of Louisville, scoring eight points and grabbing six boards. If his head is on straight, this team is dangerous.

"It feels like I haven't played in so long," Gates said. "I have great teammates. I talk to my teammates about everything. As long as my teammates aren't upset with me or down on me, nothing else really matters."

Houston Cougars at UTEP Miners, 9 p.m., CBS College Sports

The Cougars have been hammering home practicing their defensive switches and keys in practice for weeks. But the results just aren’t there. The team has dropped six of seven because of poor defense and it only got worse in a 65-51 loss to SMU that saw the Mustangs bury nearly 63 percent of their shots in the first half.

“A lot of people can score if you don’t guard,” UH coach James Dickey said. “You let people have the ball deep on the block, let them have wide open shots when they’re facing the basket. We just weren’t as active (on defense).”

Illinois Fighting Illini at Michigan State Spartans, 9 p.m., ESPN

Spartans guard Durrell Summers couldn’t sink much lower. Called out on national television for not hustling after a loose ball late in a close game against Ohio State, Summers (12.6 ppg) lashed out at his critics following a recent practice. However, his play speaks louder – a meager 21 points combined in his past four games, including a bagel against the Buckeyes.

“We are going to get him out of it,” Spartans coach Tom Izzo said of Summers’ slump. “We need him.”

Utah State Aggies at St. Mary’s Gaels, 9 p.m., ESPN2

The Aggies actually benefitted by routing an NAIA school this week. A 34-point win over Montana Western allowed Utah State to practice defending a team that relies heavily on the three and attempts 22 shots from outside per night. The team’s defense looked good in preparation for St. Mary’s. But it has looked good all year. The Aggies rank fifth in the nation in scoring defense (58.3), eighth in rebounding margin (+8.6) and 11th in opponents field-goal percentage (.388).

Texas A&M Aggies at Oklahoma State Sooners, 9 p.m., ESPNU

The Aggies bench is coming alive and you can thank Dash Harris. The junior guard averages just 4.1 points per game but had his best scoring effort in nearly three months when he dropped 11 points on 4-for-6 shooting in a five-point win over Iowa State. He also canned two threes.

"I knew before the game that I was going to have to score at some point, to shoot the ball on the kick-out," Harris said. "I knew I had to have confidence."

Weekend NCAAB Betting Preview

Pittsburgh at St. John’s

Fourth-ranked Pittsburgh (24-2 SU, 11-9 ATS) will be favorites on the road as they attempt to earn a sixth straight win over the St. John’s Red Storm in an early Saturday college hoops betting matchup.

The Panthers are having a dream season and will no doubt be the overwhelming favorite with bettors on the NCAAB betting lines. St. John’s (16-9 SU, 11-13 ATS) has built up some confidence with wins over Marquette, Cincinnati, and Connecticut – and will no doubt be feeling the energy from the home crowd when they host the contending Panthers.

These teams have a history of defensive-minded games and have rewarded the UNDER bet in six of nine head-to-head.

Notre Dame at West Virginia

The eighth-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish (21-4 SU, 12-8 ATS) have lost three of the last four head-to-head with West Virginia (16-9 SU, 8-13 ATS) and will most likely enter this game as a slight road underdog.

The Mountaineers have struggled of late – losing three of their previous four overall. The Fighting Irish have reeled off seven straight wins and will get most of the attention on the NCAAB betting lines.

Notre Dame has lost three of its four games on the road, while West Virginia is 10-2 overall at home and could be an outside threat to hand the Fighting Irish a loss. The only sure wager may lay with totals betting, where the past 10 meetings between the teams have sent UNDER bettors to the payout window.

Colorado at Kansas

Kansas (24-2 SU, 12-11 ATS) took over the number one spot in the college basketball rankings released this week, and they will host the Colorado Buffaloes (16-10 SU, 10-9 ATS) in a college betting matchup Saturday afternoon.

Kansas will be a big favorite at home, and with 10 straight victories over Colorado it’s not hard to figure out the smart money will be with the Jayhawks. Pointspread betting is another matter though, as the Buffaloes have covered the pointspread in four straight head-to-head.

Totals bettors should have a field day with some of the lopsided totals betting stats this weekend, and Kansas and Colorado are no different. UNDER bettors have been winners in seven of 10 matchups between the pair.

Ohio State at Purdue

Ohio State had to get used to looking up in the rankings as they fell to number two this week. Ohio State will be a slight road favorite when they tangle in a Sunday matinee NCAAB betting matchup with Purdue.

The Buckeyes are 25-1 and should be a smart wager for anyone against Purdue, right? Dig deep and you will see the Boilermakers are a team Ohio State has had its troubles with.

Purdue has won three of the last five head-to-head, but did fall to the Buckeyes in late January. Ohio State rebounded nicely to defeat Michigan after suffering its first setback just a few days earlier against Wisconsin.

Ohio State will garner the majority of betting wagers on the NCAAB lines, but they have only covered the pointspread once in the past five overall.

College Basketball Knowledge

Pitt won last five games, are 6-0 on road in Big East, with last three wins on road by 3-5-3 points; Panthers won last five games vs St John's, with wins in last two visits here by 24-7 points. Big East home underdogs of 5 or less points are 6-3-1 vs spread. St John's won last four conference games, covered four of their last five games as an underdog.

Tennessee lost three of last four games, beating South Carolina by 6 in last game. Georgia is 5-6 in its last 11 games, but won last two road games. Vols (+5) won 59-57 in Athens Jan 18, its 12th win in last 13 games vs Dawgs, who lost last seven visits here, by 24-10-13-11-16-31-9 points. SEC home favorites of 6 or less points are 6-10 vs spread.

Home team won last five Notre Dame-West Virginia games; Irish lost to WVa in last two Big East tourneys, and lost last two visits here by 1-11 points. Big East home favorites of 4 or less points are 15-11 vs spread. Irish won their last seven games- they're 2-3 as a Big East dog. WVa lost three of last four games- they're 2-4 as a favorite in Big East games.

Texas won six of last seven games vs Nebraska, beating Huskers LY by 40 in Austin- their last two visits here were decided by total of 4 points. Huskers are 4-1 at home in Big 12, with only loss by 20 to Kansas; they are 3-2 as Big 12 dog. Texas is 11-0 in Big 12, winning road games by 31-11-15-20-16 points. Big 12 home dogs of less than 7 points are 9-6.

Iowa State (+10) lost 87-54 at Missouri Jan 22, its sixth loss in row vs Tigers, who won three of their last four visits here, with wins by 22-14-2 points. Big 12 home underdogs of 5 or less points are 9-5 vs spread. Mizzou is 0-5 on Big 11 road, allowing 86 ppg. Cyclones lost last eight games (2-6 vs spread), losing at home by 5-9-1-6 points.

Home side won last eight Washington-Arizona games; Huskies lost last last four visits here by 30-20-9-17 points, but won 85-68 (-10) at home in first meeting this year. Arizona is 7-0 since that game (6-1 vs spread), covering last three as home favorite. Pac-10 home favorites of 5 or less points are 4-6 vs spread. U-Dub won last three games, by 32-11-17, but they're just 4-4 on road in Pac-10- they're Pac-10 dog for first time.

Colorado State (+12) shot 56% from floor, upset UNLV 78-63 on Strip Jan 19; Rams are 2-14 in last 16 vs Rebels, who are 5-1 in last six visits here, with wins by 2-8-17-3-2-8 points. State won five of last six, is 4-2 at home in MWC. MWC home teams are 4-9 vs spread in games where spread is 4 or less points. UNLV covered once in last eight games.

San Francisco (+10) upset Gonzaga 96-91 at home Jan 22, with a 27-15 edge at foul line; Dons lost last seven visits here, by 42-2-3-16-8-34-6 points. USF's Blackwell (flu) didn't play in Thursday's win at Portland. WCC home favorites of 9+ points are 6-11 vs spread. Zags won last five WCC games, are 3-3 as WCC home fave. Dons are 4-1 as a road dog.

Illinois (-4.5) beat Michigan State 71-62 Jan 18; Spartans were 7-26 on arc. Illini lost last four visits here, by 6-10-6-10 points. State lost six of last eight games- three of their last four wins came in OT. Illinois is 1-4 in last five road games, 4-6 in last 10 games overall. Big 11 home faves of 5 or less points are 12-5-1. Home side is 7-2 in last nine series games.

Charleston won its last five games (4-0-1 vs spread), winning game two nights ago. Vermont is 22-5, a solid defensive team (foes shoot 31.6% on arc); they've won last 10 games. Catamounts are 1-2 vs top 100 teams, winning at Iona, losing by 16 to UConn, 28 to BYU. SoCon favorites are 4-10 against the spread in non-conference games, 2-4 at home.

Missouri State won its last four games; they're 3-1 as an underdog so far this year, are dog here for first time since Jam 9. Horizon League home favorites of 8 or less points are 8-4 vs spread out of conference; MVC road dogs of 3 or less points are 6-4. Valparaiso won nine of last ten at home, but is 1-3-1 vs spread in last five games as a favorite.

George Mason won/covered its last 12 games, with last eight wins all by 14+ points, but Patriots lost last five Bracket Buster games. CAA road teams are 27-12 out of conference in games where spread is less than 8 points; MVC non-league home underdogs are 1-5. Northern Iowa is 1-3 in last four games, but they've won six of their last seven at home.

Utah State/St Mary's both had ugly road losses recently; Aggies won 18 of last 19 games; they're 1-1 as dog this season. St Mary's is 1-5-1 in its last seven games as favorite- they beat WAC's New Mexico State by 20 Dec 22. WCC home faves of less than 6 points are 8-3 vs spread; WAC single digit road underdogs are 7-5. Loser here slides closer to bubble.