USC (2-2, 0-2-1 ATS) at (2) Texas (5-0, 4-1 ATS)
The unbeaten and second-ranked Longhorns welcome USC into the Frank Erwin Special Events Center in Austin for a non-conference matchup.
The Trojans have alternated wins and losses this season with all four of their games coming on their home court, including Sunday’s 51-48 loss to Nebraska as a 3½-point favorite. In their two wins this season, the Trojans averaged 75.5 points, but just 53.5 in their two losses.
Texas has scored at least 73 points in all five of its games, and the Longhorns went on the road Sunday and crushed Rice 77-59, but came a half-point short as an 18½-point road favorite, their first non-cover of the year. Texas is averaging 80.4 ppg this season and shooting a whopping 52 percent from the floor while holding the opposition to 32.8 percent shooting.
These teams squared off in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, with USC delivering an 87-68 beat-down as a 2½-point underdog.
The Trojans come in on ATS slides of 0-3-1 in non-conference action and 1-4 against Big 12 opponents, but they are on ATS upticks of 35-16 after a non-cover, 4-0 on Thursdays and 23-10 after a straight-up loss. Texas is on positive pointspread streaks of 4-0 at home, 6-1 overall, 6-1 in non-conference action and 5-1 as a chalk.
For USC, the over is on runs of 5-2 as a road ‘dog, 5-2 after a non-cover and 6-1 on Thursdays. Texas has stayed “under” the total in five of six games after a non-cover, but the over is 5-2 in the Longhorns’ last seven overall and 4-1 in their last five after a straight-up win.
ATS ADVANTAGE: TEXAS
NCAAB News and Notes
Thursday, December 3
Information on the best of Thursday's college hoop games........
Texas Tech has four starters back from 14-19 team (3-13 in Big 12); so far this year, Tech is 7-0 against mostly stiffs- Oregon State is the best team they've beaten. Washington has three starters back from 26-9 club that went 14-4 in Pac-10. 5-0 Huskies barely beat Montana last game.
Detroit is 4-2 after being 7-23 LY; Titans lost in OT to DePaul in last game. Youngstown State is 1-3 vs D-I teams, losing by 26-9-16 points; road team won both their games with Detroit LY. Penguins have four starters back from 11-19 team. Detroit won only home game 86-80 vs Western Michigan (-4).
Ill-Chicago lost last three games by 19-4-10 points, scoring 59 ppg; LY, they lost twice to Milwaukee by combined total of six points. UIC has three starters back from 16-15 team. Panthers have four starters back off 17-14 team; they're 5-2 so far, 2-1-1 vs spread as a favorite. They lost to Indiana State and at Western Kentucky.
Green Bay is 4-2 vs D-I teams, but are 0-2 vs spread as favorite; they've got three starters back 22-11 team (13-5 in Horizon). LY, they lost by a hoop at Loyola, then waxed Ramblers by 19 here. Loyola is 3-1 vs D-I teams, losing by 38 at Kansas State- they've got two starters back from 14-18 team that went 6-12 in Horizon.
Cleveland State is 3-4, losing last three games by 11-24-15 points; they split pair of games vs Wright State LY, with home two winning by nine both games. Wright State is 4-0-1 vs spread this year, 2-0-1 as favorite, winning only home game 69-53 vs C. Michigan. Raiders have 4 starters back from LY's 20-13 team. Both teams finished 12-6 in Horizon LY.
Eastern Kentucky lost to Murray State twice LY, by 5 in OT here, and by 8 at Murray; Colonels won last four games, three by 10+ pts. EKU has four starters back from 18-13 team (10-8 in OVC). Racers are 3-1 vs D-I teams, winning last three by 28-23-13 points- they've got three starters back from 19-12 team (13-5 in OVC).
Furman is 4-1 after being 6-24 LY but hasn't played anyone, losing by 12 to Rice, best team they've played. Paladins have all five starters back from LY- is that good? Appalachian State also has all five starters back but has new coach; they beat Furman twice LY by total of seven points.
Davidson is 0-5 vs D-I teams; they're overscheduled with two starters back from LY's 27-8 team. Citadel is 3-3 vs D-I teams, but E.Michigan is best team they've beaten; they have four starters back from 20-13 team (15-5 in SoCon). Citadel won 14 more games LY than year before, the biggest single jump in country, but they lost their top scorer.
Charleston has three starters back from 27-9 team that beat Ga Southern twice LY, both by 13 points; Cougars are 1-3 this year, losing by 11-6-17 points, beating Winthrop by 12. Southern is 1-4 vs D-I teams; they are 2-2 vs spread as dog- they have three starters back from 8-22 team.
Home side won both Marist-Fairfield games LY; Foxes lost by 5 points here, won by 9 at home. Marist is 0-4, with losses by 7-37-14-12 pts. Fairfield is 4-2, winning home games by 9-8 points over Central Conn/ Fordham. Stags have three starters back from 17-15 team. Marist lost three starters from LY's 10-23 team (4-14 in MAAC).
Home side won both Martin-Morehead games LY, then Morehead won 63-55 over Martin in OVC semis (+4.5), but Eagles are 0-3 vs D-I foes this year, losing by 16-1-6 points. Martin has three starters back from LY's 22-10 team (14-4 in OVC) but one of departed starters is Hudson, best player in school history.
Dickie Nutt is starting over with SE Missouri team that went 0-18 in the OVC LY; Redhawks are 2-5 with upset as a 17-point dog at N. Illinois. Austin Peay is 2-4 vs D-I teams, beating Akron/Niagara by a combined five points. Governors have three starters back from a 19-14 team that went 13-5 in OVC.
Eastern Illinois has four starters back from 12-18 team (8-10 in OVC); EIU is 2-0 on road this year, winning by 10 at Toledo, 14 at Chicago St. Tennessee State has four new starters, new coach after 12-18 year LY. Tigers are 1-6 this year, splitting pair of home games. Their only win is 73-67 over Kennesaw State.
Samford is 1-5 after offseason where one of their veteran subs died; they have four starters back from LY, but so far, Bulldogs are 1-5, with three losses by three or less points. Elon lost its last five games, four by 14+ points; they've got three starters back from 11-20 team (7-13 SoCon).