Sunday's Best NCAAB Bets
Liberty Flames at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Life after Luke began Friday for the Fighting Irish, who are playing without graduated star center Luke Harangody for the first time in four seasons.
Notre Dame looked good in its opening game of the schedule, thumping Georgia Southern 91-68 and getting a solid effort from new go-to guy, Ben Hansbrough. The 6-foot-3 guard scored 20 points including going 4 for 7 from beyond the arc.
“Luke Harangody’s got his number hanging up there (in Notre Dame’s ring of honor in Purcell Pavilion), but you know, they are gone now,” Hansbrough said about the Irish’s departed players before Friday’s game. “We have to learn how to win without those guys. We will see what happens come our first game.”
Notre Dame used the opening game of the season to juggle lineup and get a solid feel for their reserves, who chipped in with 48 points off the bench. Sophomore forward Jack Cooley led all reserves with 11 points and six rebounds including a nasty two-hand flush in the first half.
“That play has run through my mind so many times before that,” Cooley, who struggled in the preseason, told the South Bend Tribune. “I was just so pumped. All that energy just came out of me at one time.
“Last game, I couldn't sleep that well. Tonight I'll go home, take a nice little nap.”
Pick: Notre Dame
Princeton Tigers at Duke Blue Devils
The Tigers won’t have much time to celebrate their season-opening win over Rutgers Friday night. Princeton was up and on a plane to Durham Saturday, with the defending national champion Duke Blue Devils on the calendar Sunday.
”I think we’ll definitely be able to tell if we’re ready to compete or not,” junior captain Patrick Saunders told the Princeton Packet about the team’s daunting non-conference slate. “Whether we win or lose, I think we’ll be able to tell whether we brought our effort and we’re ready to compete, which is the most important thing.”
Princeton, which is favored to win the Ivy League brought back its top five scorers from last season’s 22-9 team. The Tigers are a perimeter-orientated squad that can break games open with their outside shooting.
They went 9 for 22 from the 3-point line Friday and finished second in 3-point shooting in the conference last season, behind Cornell – the top 3-point team in the country. That touch from beyond the arc should allow them to at least keep pace with oddsmakers, who will pile the points on the Tigers in Cameron Indoor Stadium Sunday night.
Pick: Princeton
College Basketball Weekend Betting Preview
By: Willie Bee
Princeton at No. 1 Duke
Don't laugh, but there's a lot more to watch here than the Blue Devils. Pete Carril won't be on the Princeton bench in his lucky sweater to help spur the team on, but the truth is this is a pretty solid group of Tigers that enters the season as the top threat to take the Ivy League title.
Sydney Johnson and the Tigers will have a quick turnaround to travel for this one from their season opener on Friday as seven-point favorites at home against Rutgers. That certainly could work against Princeton along with the fact it will be facing the top team in the land with its rabid fans all amped up for the first game since Duke won it all last April. The Tigers will feature their proverbial scrappy defense and a pretty good backcourt in senior Dan Mavraides and junior Doug Davis, plus another senior on the inside in 6-foot-8 Kareem Maddox.
Mike Krzyzewski also has some solid upperclassmen of his own in seniors Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith. The Blue Devils lost a lot in Jon Scheyer plus Brian Zoubek's big body. But don't worry, Duke has two new faces that will be the difference in this team repeating or not. Freshman Kyrie Irving was among the top 5-6 recruits from the 2010 high school class and he's counted on to make several second- and third-team All-America lists at season's end.
Seth Curry is officially a sophomore but will be making his Duke debut on Sunday. He sat out a year ago after transferring from Liberty where he led all of the country's freshmen in the 2008-09 with a 20.2 average.
ESPNU will have this game and it should be must-see on every college basketball handicapper's slate. Duke remains at home next week with a Tuesday tilt versus Miami-OH and a Friday matchup with Colgate. Princeton's next trip to the hardwood is Nov. 22 at James Madison.
NCAAB Preview
Cornell lost eight seniors from their great team LY; their only returning starter is hurt (ankle), didn't play Friday, when Big Red won 65-61 at Albany. Seton Hall lost 62-56 at Temple, going 9:00 without hoop; they won 89-79 at Cornell LY, as part of their 8-0 start. Pirates have four starters back from LY, but have a new coach.
St Bonaventure lost couple returning players after off-campus fight in summer; they lost 80-70 (-4) at Canisius Friday night. Arkansas State (+15.5) lost 68-60 at Ole Miss Friday, after leading by 8 at half. Look at a map; find Mississippi, then find Olean, NY. No easy way to get from one to the other. Tough trip for ASU.
Princeton is picked to win Ivy League; they beat Rutgers 78-73 in OT Friday night (-7); they got total of only 29 minutes off the bench in that game, quick turnaround vs defending champ Duke that is more athletic than LY's national title team. Duke lost three starters from LY's team.
Wright State won 20+ games last four years, but lost three starters and its coach, losing 27.2 ppg in scoring; Raiders open season at an Indiana team that won its opener 88-60 vs Florida Gulf Coast Friday. Hoosiers have four starters back from LY as they rebuild from ground up.
Kent/Cleveland State are both playing for third day in row; Vikings won last meeting 67-41 two years ago. Kent beat Iona by a point Friday, then crushed Bryant 90-49 last night. Cleveland State won first two games, beating Bryant by 14, Iona by 10. Golden Flashes were 24-10 LY but lost three starters from that team.
Eastern Kentucky/Indiana State are also both playing for third day in a row; EKU lost first two games, to Loyola by 16, Pan American by 14, despite having three starters back from 20-13 team. Sycamores lost by 12 to Loyola last night, after hammering Pan Am by 23 Friday night.
North Dakota State lost in OT to Oregon Friday, then beat pretty good UCSB team last night, good omen for Summit League team. Denver lost its first two games, losing by 16 to UCSB Friday night then losing to the Ducks by 12 last night, after leading by 4 at the half. Denver runs lot of the Princeton stuff, hard to prepare for in 18 hours or so.
Wisc-Milwaukee lost by 20 at Portland Friday night, then got upset by Florida Atlantic by 9 last night. Cal-Davis lost by 7 to FAU on Friday, then lost by 15 at Portland last night, game they trailed by 21 at half, so pair of 0-2 teams are hungry to leave Oregon with a win.
Creighton won its opener for new coach McDermott (former Iowa State and Northern Iowa coach) 71-57 vs Alabama State; Bluejays have three starters back from 18-16/10-8 team from LY. Northern Arizona lost by 14 to Iowa State (team McDermott coached LY) Friday night; NAU has three starters back from a 25-8 team, but a 25-8 Big Sky team.
Arizona missed NCAA's for first time in 25 years LY, but they've got four starters back from LY, figure to get back this year. Wildcats won by 17 vs a Big Sky team (No Arizona) in LY's opener. Idaho State lost by 8 at Colorado Friday; Gilchrest had 39 points, was 6-8 from arc, but rest of team was 0-4 from arc for game.
Syracuse (-10.5) beat Northern Iowa 69-46 Friday, after leading by 3 at the half; they held UNI to 6-33 from arc, but starting guards for Orange made just 2-12 from floor for night. Looks like Syracuse is seven-deep. Canisius beat St Bonaventure by 10 Friday, good win for them, fourth time in a row they beat the Bonnies at home.
Eastern Illinois lost by 12 at home to South Dakota State Friday; they've got three starters back from 19-12 team that won its last seven regular season games LY, but got beat in first conference tourney game. Ball St. is playing season opener here; they've got four starters back from 15-15 team that went 8-8 in MAC last year