Super Sunday Hoops
By Brian Edwards
Super Sunday is always Christmas come early for gamblers, but the wagering isn’t restricted to the Super Bowl. Bettors also have college hoops to whet the appetite before kick-off. Let’s look at several televised games before reviewing some of Saturday’s action in Bonus Nuggets.
**South Florida at Notre Dame**
Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Notre Dame (16-7 straight up, 8-8-1 against the spread) as an eight-point favorite.
South Florida (15-7 SU, 14-6-1 ATS) has won four consecutive Big East games for the first time in school history. The Bulls went into Washington D.C. on Wednesday night and emerged with a 72-64 win at Georgetown as 12 ½-point underdogs.
USF’s Dominique Jones was the catalyst against the Hoyas, producing 29 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals. For the season, Jones is averaging 22.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.
Stan Heath’s team has won five of its last six games, covering the spread in each of those six contests. The Bulls and Irish are in a four-way tie for seventh place in the Big East with identical 5-5 records.
USF’s Augustus Gilchrist has missed 14 straight games with a severely sprained ankle, but he might return to the court in Sunday’s game at the Joyce Center. Gilchrist would be a huge boost for the Bulls, as evidenced by his 18.8 PPG average to go with 7.4 rebounds per contest.
Notre Dame blasted Cincinnati 83-65 Thursday night as a three-point home ‘chalk.’ Luke Harangody had another monster performance, scoring 37 points and pulling down 14 rebounds. For the year, Harangody is averaging 24.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per game.
Mike Brey’s team is 14-2 SU and 6-4 ATS at home.
The ‘over’ is 9-7 overall for the Irish, 7-2 in their home games.
The ‘over’ is 10-6 overall for USF, 5-1 in its last six games (regardless of the venue).
This is a noon Eastern tip with the game televised on ESPN’s Full-Court Package.
**Syracuse at Cincinnati**
LVSC opened Syracuse (22-1 SU, 14-5 ATS) as a 3 ½-point favorite.
Jim Boeheim’s squad has won nine in a row, going 7-2 ATS in the process. The Orange are coming off an 85-68 home win over Providence as a 14 ½-point favorite. Arinze Onuaku paced the winners with 20 points, seven rebounds, four blocked shots and two steals.
Cincinnati (14-8 SU, 5-12 ATS) is mired in a 1-7 ATS slide in its last eight lined games. The Bearcats return home after getting throttled 83-65 Thursday at Notre Dame as three-point underdogs. Deonta Vaughn had 11 points and six assists in defeat.
Syracuse junior forward Wesley Johnson is “probable” after sustaining a knee injury that limited him to 22 minutes against the Friars. Johnson, a transfer from Iowa St., is averaging a team-high 16.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.
Mick Cronin’s team has been a big-time money burner at home, limping to an abysmal 1-6 spread record. However, the Bearcats have won 11 of their 12 home games outright. This is their first home underdog situation this season.
The ‘under’ is 9-7 overall for the Bearcats, but the ‘over’ is 4-2 in their home games.
The ‘under’ is on a 6-1 roll in the ‘Cuse’s last seven games. For the season, the Orange have watched the ‘under’ go 9-6 overall.
When these teams met at the Carrier Dome last year on March 1, the ‘Cuse cruised to an 87-63 win as an eight-point home favorite.
This game will come off the board at 2:00 p.m. Eastern as a part of ESPN’s Full-Court Package.
**Indiana at Northwestern**
LVSC opened Northwestern (15-7 SU, 13-5 ATS) as an 8 ½-point favorite, which is its biggest ‘chalk’ spot in Big Ten play this season. The Wildcats haven’t been this heavily favored in a Big Ten game since hosting IU last year as double-digit favorites.
Indiana (9-12 SU, 10-10-1 ATS) has lost three in a row and six of its last eight, but the Hoosiers have been hooking up their backers at a 7-3 ATS clip in their last 10 outings. They took the cash as 12 ½-point home underdogs in Thursday’s 78-75 loss to Purdue. Verdell Jones III had 22 points, six rebounds and four assists in the losing effort.
Bill Carmody’s team improved to 4-6 in Big Ten play with Tuesday’s 67-52 win over Michigan as a one-point home favorite. Drew Crawford had a team-high 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field. John Shurna added 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Northwestern is 11-3 SU and 6-4 ATS at home this year. Meanwhile, IU is 1-3 SU and 2-2 ATS in its four true road games this season.
Northwestern is in excellent position to attain its first NCAA Tournament invite in school history. The Wildcats have to finish strong but the schedule sets up nicely. They should be favored in at least six, and possibly seven or eight, of their last nine games. The only given underdog spot is a road game at Wisconsin.
Totals have been a wash for Northwestern both overall (8-8-1) and at home (4-4-1).
The ‘over’ is 9-8 overall for IU.
The ‘over’ has hit in eight straight head-to-head meetings between these long-time rivals. Northwestern has a 10-2 spread record in its last 12 games against the Hoosiers.
Tip-off is slated for 2:30 p.m. Eastern on the Big Ten Network.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
San Diego senior guard De’Jon Jackson (12.0 PPG) is out for the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury in Thursday’s loss at San Francisco. Jackson will always be a part of NCAA Tournament lore because he hit the game-winning bucket with 1.2 seconds left to lift the 13th-seeded Toreros to a first-round win over UConn two years ago.
Villanova went down for just the second time this year Saturday, losing 103-90 at Georgetown as a two-point road underdog. However, the Wildcats did cover the spread for halftime bettors who took Jay Wright’s squad as a four-point favorite when trailing by 19 at intermission (equating to ‘Nova +15 for the game).
Not only did Ole Miss rally from a 20-point deficit at halftime to beat Alabama on Saturday, but it also garnered a miracle push in the 74-67 home victory as a seven-point favorite.
Behind the best performance that Vernon Macklin has turned in as a Gator, Florida picked up a crucial SEC win Saturday over Mississippi St. UF improved to 6-3 in league play with the win over the Bulldogs.
Arkansas is in a first-place tie in the SEC West with a 5-3 record following Saturday's 82-79 home win over Auburn.
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(3) Syracuse (22-1, 14-5 ATS) at Cincinnati (14-8, 5-12 ATS)
Syracuse takes aim at a 10th straight win when it visits Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati to take on the Bearcats in a Big East Conference matchup.
The Orange blew out Providence on Tuesday 85-68, cashing as a 14½-point favorite and improving to 7-2 ATS during their nine-game winning streak. Syracuse is a perfect 8-0 (7-1 ATS) in games played away from home, where they allow just 67.4 points per game and hold the opposition to 38.2 percent shooting.
Cincinnati has alternated wins and losses in its last four contests and it is just 1-7 ATS in its last eight lined games. On Thursday, the Bearcats went to South Bend, Ind., and lost 83-65 at Notre Dame as a three-point underdog, and in their last home game, they edged Providence 92-88, failing to cover as 8½-point favorites. Cincinnati has struggled defensively lately, allowing 73.4 ppg and 44.7 percent shooting over its last five outings.
Last year, Syracuse destroyed Cincinnati 87-63, cashing as an eight-point home chalk. These teams have split their last six meetings with the Bearcats holding the slight 3-2-1 ATS edge, and the underdog at 4-1-1 ATS in those six.
The Orange are on several ATS runs, including 23-7 overall, 14-4 in Big East action, 19-7 after a straight-up win, 6-1 on the road and 20-7 against teams with winning records. Cincinnati has struggled at the wagering window, currently on ATS slides of 5-16 overall, 4-22 on Sunday, 3-14 in conference play and 0-7 after a straight-up loss.
Syracuse has topped the total in four straight Sunday games, but it is otherwise on “under” runs of 5-0 on the road, 6-1 in the Big East and 6-1 after a straight-up win. The Bearcats have gone “over” the total in four of their last five at home and seven of 10 at home against teams with a winning road record, but they have stayed low in five of six after a straight-up loss and five of seven after a non-cover.
In this series, the “over” has been the play in four of the last five meetings.
ATS ADVANTAGE: SYRACUSE
Tips and Trends
North Carolina Tar Heels at Maryland Terrapins
Tar Heels: When was the last time you could say that North Carolina was only 13-9 SU through 22 games? This is clearly a down year for the Tar Heels, as they've lost 5 of their past 6 games SU. North Carolina is 2-6 SU and 3-5 ATS in both true road games and neutral court games. The Tar Heels are 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS as the listed underdog this season. Since Christmas, North Carolina is a paltry 2-8 ATS. Defensively, the Tar Heels have allowed opponents to score at least 73 PTS in 5 of their past 6 contests. On offense, the Tar Heels have really struggled shooting the ball, as they've shot worse than 40% in 6 of their 9 overall losses. Forwards Deon Thompson and Ed Davis are the only Tar Heels averaging double digits in PTS this season. Thompson and Davis combine for 28.5 PPG and 16 RPG this season. The Tar Heels are currently in their worst SU slide since the 2002 season.
Tar Heels are 11-3 ATS last 14 games as an underdog.
Under is 7-0 last 7 overall.
Key Injuries - F Tyler Zeller (foot) is out.
PROJECTED SCORE: 72
Terrapins (-7, O/U 157.5): Maryland has won 3 of the past 4 matchups against North Carolina over the past 3 years. Maryland has won 5 of their past 6 games SU to stand at 15-6 SU on the season. The Terrapins are 10-1 SU and 4-3 ATS at home this season. The Terrapins are a perfect 3-0 ATS as a single digit favorite at home this season. Maryland has only lost 1 game ATS since the new year. Maryland is having success this season primarily because of their defense. The Terrapins have held 6 straight opponents to 67 PTS or fewer, and are currently 6th in the nation allowing teams to only 37% shooting from the field. G Greivis Vasquez is easily one of the best players in the country, as he leads Maryland in scoring with nearly 18 PPG. Vasquez also leads the team with 6 APG, and is a stat stuffer in several other categories for the Terrapins.
Terrapins are 9-1 ATS last 10 vs. Atlantic Coast.
Over is 4-0 last 4 vs. a team with a winning SU record.
Key Injuries - C Steve Goins (knee) is out.
PROJECTED SCORE: 77 (UNDER - Total of the Day)
NCAAB News and Notes
Information on Sunday's college basketball games........
South Florida won last four games, covered last six; they lost 74-73 at home to Notre Dame (+1.5) Jan 5, despite shooting 53% from floor and blocking eight shots. Bulls are 3-1-1 vs spread as road underdog, losing away games by 21 at Louisville, 17 at Syracuse, 8 at Cincinnati, winning at Providence/Georgetown. Notre Dame is 2-3 as a Big East favorite.
Ohio State (-10.5) won 65-57 at Iowa Jan 27, holding Hawkeyes to 37% from floor, 10-31 from arc; Buckeyes won last six games, are 4-1 as Big 11 home favorite, winning home games by 25-9-20-22-13 points. Iowa is 2-8 in Big 11, 2-2 against spread as road underdog, losing away games by 17 at Illinois, 7 at Michigan State, 14 at Michigan (won at Indiana).
Underdog covered five of last six Syracuse-Cincinnati games; Orangemen split last two visits here, but beat Bearcats by 24 at home LY. Syracuse won last eight games; they're 3-1 as Big East road favorite, winning road games by 7 at Seton Hall, 16 at Rutgers, 1 at West Virginia, 13 at Notre Dame, 2 at DePaul. Cincinnati covered one of its last eight games.
North Carolina lost five of its last six games; they're 0-2 as ACC dog on road, losing by 19 at Clemson, 4 at Virginia Tech. Tar Heels allowed an average of 75 ppg in last six games. Maryland won four of its last five games; they're 3-0 as ACC home favorite, winning home games by 9 vs Florida State, 24 over NC State, 22 over Miami.
Indiana covered four of its last five games; they're 6-2 as Big 11 dog, 2-2 on road, losing by 25 at Ohio State, 24 at Michigan, 2 at Illinois, with a win at Penn State- only once in their last five games have they lost by more than three points. Northwestern covered its last four games, taking last three at home, by 8-5-15 points. Wildcats are 2-0 as a favorite.
St Peter's (+5.5) won 68-55 at Canisius Jan 24, holding Griffs to 30.4% from floor, 5-20 from arc; Peacocks won five of last seven games; they're 2-2 as MAAC home favorite, winning home games by 12 over Marist, 4 over Niagara, 5 over Loyola, 28 over Manhattan, losing to Fairfield and Siena. Canisius lost three of last four games, losing by 13-19-12 points.
Iona (-20) beat Marist 61-42 Jan 28, holding Red Foxes to 33% from the floor while forcing 22 turnovers; Iona was just 2-16 from arc- they were 4-16 from arc in Friday's loss at Siena that snapped 8-game win streak. Gaels are 6-3 vs spread as MAAC favorite, 2-1 on road. Marist is 1-22, covering just two of its last 10 games- they're 1-6 as a home dog.
Loyola MD is weird team; they're 4-9 in MAAC, but they covered last last five road games- road team is 11-2 against spread in their conference games. Greyhounds are 4-2 as MAAC road dog, losing away games by 5 at Canisius, 20 at Niagara, 5 at Fairfield, 5 at St Peter's, 6 at Siena, with a win at Marist. Manhattan lost four of its last five games.
Northern Colorado (-2.5) won 75-66 at Northern Arizona Jan 2, holding Lumberjacks to 37% from floor. Bears are 7-3 in Big Sky, but are 0-6 vs spread in last six games- they're 1-4 vs spread as home favorite, winning home games by 9-12-14-6 points, with a loss to Montana. Lumberjacks won four of last five games; they're 2-2 as a Big Sky road underdog.
Eastern Washington (-6.5) beat Sacramento State 79-75 Dec 31, making 11-25 from arc; Eagles lost last five games, are 3-2 as Big Sky road dog, losign away games by 23 at Portland State, 13 at Montana, 6 at Idaho State and 22 at Weber State (won at Montana State). Hornets are 2-9 in Big Sky, 1-4 at home; they're favored for first time in league play.
St Bonaventure lost its last three games; four of their last five were won by three or less points, as underdogs covered six of their seven games in conference play. Bonnies are 4-0 as road dog, losing by 3 at Charlotte, 1 at Duquesne, 2 at Saint Louis (won by 1 at UMass). St Joe's lost three in a row, by 7-3-10 points; they're 0-1-1 as an A-14 favorite.