NCAAB News and Notes Thursday 3/10

Penn State battles Indiana Hoosiers
By: Brad Young

The Big Ten begins its conference tournament Thursday in Indianapolis, and is expecting six teams to advance to the NCAA Tournament. That is unless some teams play themselves into or out of the Big Dance the next couple of days.

Penn State (16-13 straight up, 13-10-2 against the spread) is one of those teams that can improve its positioning with a strong conference tournament. The Nittany Lions haven’t advanced to the NCAA Tournament since 2001, or the National Invitational Tournament since winning it in 2009.

Sixth-seed Penn State’s quest to improve its standing begins with a first-round matchup against 11th-seed Indiana (12-19 SU, 10-15 ATS). The winner of this contest advances to Friday’s quarterfinals against third-seed and 13th-ranked Wisconsin.

The Nittany Lions concluded their regular season by alternating SU wins and losses their last five games. Penn State upended Minnesota Sunday as a five-point road underdog, 66-63, while the combined 129 points slithered ‘over’ the 128-point closing total. The ‘over’ is 4-1 the previous five outings.

The Nittany Lions outrebounded the Golden Gophers, 27-25, but delivered less assists, 14-11. Penn State finished the contest by shooting 45 percent (23-of-51) from the field, and 40 percent (8-of-20) from behind the arc.

Senior guard Talor Battle paced the offense with 22 points, including a pair of free throws with 10.5 seconds remaining to provide the final margin. Forward Jeff Brooks was the only other player to reach double digits in the victory with 20 along with seven rebounds.

Indiana is searching for its first victory since Feb. 2 when the team slipped past Minnesota. The Hoosiers enter the Big Ten Tournament having gone a dismal 0-8 SU and 1-7 ATS the past eight outings.

Coach Tom Crean’s squad continued its downward spiral by getting routed by Illinois Saturday as a 10-point road underdog, 72-48. The combined 120 points never seriously threatened the 139-point closing total, ending a string of back-to-back ‘over’ outings.

Indiana quickly found itself in a 19-point deficit at halftime, 46-27, and finished the contest getting dominated in rebounding (40-25) and assists (16-6). The Hoosiers shot a dismal 32 percent (18-of-57) from the field, and 18 percent (3-of-17) from behind the arc.

Guard Verdell Jones III was the only player to reach double digits in scoring with 12 points, while also grabbing seven rebounds. Fourteen players saw action in the setback, and the next highest scorers were guard Jeremiah Rivers and forward Christian Watford who each had seven.

Penn State won the lone encounter with Indiana this season Dec. 27 as a 6½-point road underdog, 69-60. The combined 129 points went ‘under’ the 133-point closing total.

The Nittany Lions are 6-5 ATS on the road, with the ‘over’ going 7-4. The Hoosiers are 4-7 ATS away from home, with the ‘over’ going 8-3.

Don Best's Real-Time Odds installed Penn State as a 3 ½-point ‘chalk’ over Indiana. Thursday’s tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT from Conseco Fieldhouse.

Maryland collides with NC State
By: Michael Robinson

Greensboro Coliseum is the site of this year’s ACC Tournament with the Maryland Terrapins versus the North Carolina State Wolfpack one of Thursday’s opening games.

Maryland is an early 5½-point favorite at Bookmaker.com, with the total still to be released.

Duke (plus 110) is the tourney favorite, followed by North Carolina (plus 140), Maryland (plus 700) and Clemson (plus 1000). NC State is one of the long shots at plus 3600.

The underachieving Terrapins (18-13 straight-up, 10-15 against the spread) are getting a lot of respect with the third-best tournament odds. After all, Maryland is only a seventh seed after a 7-9 SU conference mark.

Coach Gary Williams saw his team make the NCAA tournament the last two years, but will have to win this tourney and get the automatic bid to make it three straight. Athletic Director Kevin Anderson says Williams’ job is not in jeopardy, but he wasn’t afraid to pull the trigger on football coach Ralph Friedgen.

Maryland is on a three-game losing streak (0-3 ATS). Losses at North Carolina (87-76) and Miami (80-66) were somewhat acceptable, but a 74-60 home loss to Virginia as 12-point favorites last Saturday was not.

The Virginia game was Senior Day for the trio of Dino Gregory (9.0 PPG), Adrian Bowie (9.0 PPG) and Cliff Tucker (9.5 PPG). They all got the start and combined for 25 points.

Sophomore ‘big’ Jordan Williams (16.9 PPG, 11.6 RPG) has been the main man all year and made first team all-ACC. Freshman point guard Terrell Stoglin (11.6 PPG) has turned up his scoring the last six games at 20.7 PPG.

The 134 combined points scored against Virginia went ‘over’ the 133 ½-point total. The ‘over’ is 7-1 in Maryland’s last eight games with totals, surrendering 77.5 PPG compared to 67 PPG on the season.

Maryland hasn’t won away from home since Jan. 30 at Georgia Tech (74-63). It is 0-4 SU and ATS on the road since then.

North Carolina State (15-15 SU, 10-15-1 ATS) is seeded 10th after another disappointing year under coach Sidney Lowe. He’s 86-77 SU in his five years, never making an NCAA tournament. The former point guard from the 1983 national championship team will likely be coaching his last game.

NC State went 5-11 SU and 4-11-1 ATS in the ACC. That includes ending the season at 1-3 SU and 0-3-1 ATS.

Senior forward Tracy Smith (14.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG) is the leading scorer and it will be his job to contain Jordan Williams, with help from backup Richard Howell.

Despite the Lowe situation, there is optimism surrounding the program with three freshmen starters in small forward C.J. Leslie (11.2 PPG, 7.1 RPG) and guards Lorenzo Brown (9.4 PPG) and Ryan Harrow (9.3 PPG). Sophomore forward Scott Wood (9.9 PPG) is the final member of the starting five.

The teams met Feb. 20 in College Park with Maryland getting an 87-80 home win. Williams dominated inside with 26 points and Stoglin and Gregory had 25 and 18 respetively. Howell got hurt in that game and played just two minutes.

The Wolfpack did ‘cover’ against Maryland as 10-point ‘dogs. Maryland was 8-0 ATS in the previous eight encounters.

There are no significant injuries to report for either team.

ESPN2 will have the broadcast at 4 p.m. (PT). The winner gets the unenviable task of facing the second-seed Duke Blue Devils.

Big Ten Notes - First Round
By Judd Hall

The college hoops marathon shows no signs of slowing down as we near closer to Selection Sunday. Thursday afternoon will mark the beginning of this year’s Big Ten tournament at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.

First round action kicks off with some underachieving with the Wildcats facing the Golden Gophers. Then we’ll see the Spartans take on the Hawkeyes, with the night closing out between the Nittany Lions and Hoosiers.

It’s going to take a miracle for any of these teams to cut down the nets. Anyone can figure that out since these programs are in the “field” bet at plus-700 (risk $100 to win $700). But we should also remember that there have been five teams that made the championship game coming out of the opening round. And Iowa won the whole shebang back in 2001 as the sixth seed versus Indiana (remember when they were good?).

Northwestern vs. Minnesota

Maybe it’s just me, but I expected more out of both of these teams. The sportsbooks don’t even put much stock in either side by making this game a pick ‘em on Tuesday afternoon.

Northwestern (17-12 straight up, 11-12 against the spread) looked like they would finally make the big dance this year for the first time with an expanded field. The Wildcats opened up the year 9-1 SU and 4-1 ATS before making it to Big Ten play. Conference games were their own personal hell, going 7-11 SU and ATS this season.

Minnesota (17-13 SU, 10-18 ATS) was looking to build upon its NCAA bid from a year ago. They looked a lot like Northwestern in the respect that the Golden Gophers started the season 11-1 SU and 5-5 ATS. The moment Tubby Smith took his team into the Big Ten season, they stumbled to a 6-12 SU and 5-11ATS. And that includes Devoe Joseph running away to his mommy after two games into conference play.

Neither of these teams are going to give you a boost at the betting shop if you back them right now. The Gophers come into this first round matchup having failed to cover the spread in five consecutive games and nine of their last 10. The Wildcats are on a 2-6 ATS slide coming into this test.

The season series was a split between both teams on their respective home courts. But Northwestern should hold the slight edge having beating the Golden Gophers 78-63 as a 3 ½-point home favorite on March 2. Minny held the field goal (44%-37%) and rebounding (32-27) advantage in that game. Yet they shot just 18 percent from beyond the arc. Northwestern hit 33 percent of its three-point shots, which was the real difference maker. John Shurna put in 15 points, while Alex Marcotullio paced the ‘Cats with 18 points.

As far as bettors should care, Minnesota has been the right wager when they face off in recent history on the money line. The Golden Gophers are 7-3 SU, but just 5-5 ATS in the last 10 matchups with Northwestern. The Wildcats have been the team to play on the cover though, going 3-1 ATS in the last four contests with Smith’s crew.

Northwestern has seen the ‘under’ go 4-2 in its last six Big Ten games. The Gophers have seen the ‘under’ go 6-4 in their last 10 conference battles.

The winner of this game gets to take on No. 1 Ohio State in the quarterfinals on Friday at 12:00 p.m. EST on ESPN. That could be a good spot to wager on either of these teams since the Buckeyes played down to both of them during the year.

Michigan State vs. Iowa

The betting shops have opened the Spartans as seven-point favorites in this first round affair.

It’s hard to think that this Michigan State (17-13 SU, 10-18-1 ATS) team was ranked No. 2 in the nation before the season got underway. Now the Spartans are just trying to play their way off of the proverbial bubble for the NCAA tournament.

Tom Izzo’s club enters this game having dropped two of its last three games, going 1-2 ATS in that stretch. The Spartans fell 70-63 to the hated Wolverines as one-point road faves last Saturday. Kalin Lucas gave his all to MSU’s cause in the losing effort with 25 points, three boards and a pair of assists. Yet they couldn’t answer Tim Hardaway Jr. scoring his 20 points in the second half as Michigan completed a very surprising season sweep.

Iowa (11-19 SU, 13-15 ATS) feels a bit better about its chances in this game now than they did about a week ago. The Hawkeyes closed out the regular season with a 67-65 win over Purdue as 9½-point home favorites last Saturday afternoon. Iowa was a team effort in this game with four players scoring in the double-digits. Jarryd Cole came up large for the Hawkeyes in the win with 16 points and 10 boards in the win.

These two split the season series with the home squad winning and covering the number. But Michigan State holds a distinctive edge with a 7-2 SU record against the Hawks over the last nine head-to-head meetings. Iowa, however, has cashed for our purposes more often by going 5-4 ATS. The ‘under’ is holding a slight edge with a 3-2 mark in the last five clashes.

We saw this matchup just last week as MSU drilled the Hawks 85-66 as an 11-point home “chalk” on March 2.

The Spartans have been horrid as single-digit favorites this year, evidenced by a 6-7 SU and 3-9-1 ATS record. Iowa is 4-7 SU and 6-5 ATS as a single-digit underdog in Fran McCaffery’s first year as head coach.

The Hawkeyes have seen the totals go 14-14-1 for them this season, but are currently on a 4-1 ‘over’ run. MSU, on the other hand, has watched the ‘under’ go 17-12. Yet Sparty has cashed the ‘over’ in their last two games.

Purdue awaits the winner of this game at 6:30 p.m. EST on ESPN on Friday.

Penn State vs. Indiana

You have to really love college hoops or at least went to one of these schools to be interested in this game. Well, unless you have a dollar or two on the outcome.

Penn State (16-13 SU, 14-11 ATS) has been tabbed as a 4½-point favorite for the final first round game of the day in Indy.

The Nittany Lions had the look of a team that had a chance of being in the big dance this season, but couldn’t get out of their own way on many occasions. But they still closed out the year with a 4-2 SU and 5-1 ATS to allow for hope to remain.

PSU enters this contest having trumped the Golden Gophers 66-63 as a five-point road pup last Sunday afternoon. Talor Battle and Jeff Brooks led the charge by themselves for the Nittany Lions, scoring 22 and 20 points respectively. Plus, Brooks grabbed seven rebounds in the win.

Indiana (12-19 SU, 9-15 ATS) is looking for the sweet release that the death of this season will bring for Tom Crean’s crew. The Hoosiers finished off their regular season with a 72-48 setback against Illinois, failing to cover as 10-point road underdogs. They hit just 31 percent from the field against the Illini. Verdell Jones III was the only Hoosier to show up (if you can say that) with 12 points and seven boards.

Penn State won the lone meeting between these schools 69-60 as a 6½-point road pup on Dec. 27. The Nittany Lions shot 54 percent from the field in that contest. Indiana, on the other hand, shot just 43 percent from the floor. Brooks came through with 23 points and eight rebounds in that matchup. Battle poured in 19 points and six boards of his own.

Nobody should be surprised by the Nittany Lions winning that game early in the season. PSU has posted a 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS record against the Hoosiers in the last six head-to-head meetings. Play hard on the ‘under’ as it has cashed tickets in all six of those games.

PSU has gone 5-2 SU and 4-3 ATS when listed as a single-digit favorite this season. The ‘under’ is 4-3 during those tests.

Crean’s kids have not been great as a single-digit pup, evidenced by a 2-7 SU mark. But they did at least go 4-5 ATS in that same span.

No matter which team wins this game, they’re visit to Indianapolis will no doubt be short lived. That’s because Wisconsin will be their next opponent at 9:00 p.m. EST on Big Ten Network on Friday.

vegasinsider.com

Big 12 Notes - Second Round
By Kevin Rogers

The second day of the Big 12 championship continues on Thursday with four games involving the top-four seeds in conference play taking the court. Top-seeded Kansas is playing a virtual home game just 45 minutes away from Lawrence when the Jayhawks take on Oklahoma State, followed by streaking Kansas State trying to get over the hump against Colorado.

(1) Kansas vs. (9) Oklahoma State

Bill Self's Jayhawks battle his alma mater to kick off the second round at the Sprint Center as KU tries to solidify a top seed in the Big Dance. Kansas looks for a sixth straight win, while finishing the Big 12 slate at 14-2 SU and 8-7-1 ATS. Oklahoma State advanced to this round after staving off Nebraska, 53-52 as four-point underdogs. The Cowboys managed the win despite 40% shooting from the floor and scoring 28 points in the final 25 minutes of the game.

The Jayhawks destroyed the Cowboys at Allen Fieldhouse, 92-65 as 17-point 'chalk' on February 21. KU jumped out to a 52-28 halftime lead and never looked back as Big 12 player of the year Marcus Morris led the Jayhawks with 27 points. Kansas has consistently been an 'over' team by cashing in nine of the last 12 games, while going 7-1 to the 'over' in eight away conference contests.

The Cowboys played to a fourth straight 'under' in Wednesday's close-shave victory over Nebraska, while ending a 1-7 ATS cold streak with the underdog cover. OSU is just 1-5 ATS the last six games off an ATS win, as Travis Ford's team is 0-3 ATS as a 'dog of eight points or less.

(4) Kansas State vs. (5) Colorado

The Buffaloes needed a late rally to stave off Iowa State, 77-75, as Colorado looks for a third victory this season over Kansas State. Alec Burks led Colorado with 29 points and 15 rebounds in Wednesday's comeback win, while the Buffs failed to cover, ending a 4-1 ATS streak as a favorite.

The Wildcats are playing with double-revenge in this spot after a 74-66 home loss on January 12 and a 58-56 setback in Boulder on February 12. The defeat in Manhattan stung for K-State, who was laying 10 points, was allowing 50% shooting from the floor. Colorado held off K-State the second time around after Rodney McGruder's game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer was wiped out following reviews that the ball was still in his hands. The Buffs cashed as one-point favorites, but that was the last time the Wildcats have lost a game.

Frank Martin's club is riding a six-game winning streak, highlighted by a resounding thumping of Kansas as six-point home 'dogs on February 14. Bettors have benefited from K-State's recent run with a 5-1 ATS mark, while the Wildcats are 5-2 ATS the previous seven games as a favorite.

(2) Texas vs. (10) Oklahoma

It's not exactly the Red River Shootout, but the Longhorns and Sooners meet for the third time this season. Oklahoma advanced with a convincing 84-67 rout of Baylor on Wednesday night, easily cashing as seven-point underdogs. The Sooners will attempt to avenge a pair of ugly losses to the 'Horns, as Texas is staring at second seed in the NCAA Tournament with a strong showing the next few days.

Texas destroyed Oklahoma, 66-46 in Austin on January 15, barely covering as 19-point favorites. Four Longhorns' starters finished in double-figures, while the Sooners hit just one of 15 shots from three-point range. Rick Barnes' squad took care of business in Norman three weeks later with a 68-52 blowout as 10-point 'chalk.' The 'Horns shot lights out from the floor (53%), while limiting OU to only 32% shooting from the field.

Oklahoma has been up-and-down from an ATS perspective in conference play. The Sooners began at 6-2 ATS against the Big 12, but failed to cover four of the next five games. Jeff Capel's club cashed three of the last four contests, including consecutive SU wins over Oklahoma State and Baylor. Meanwhile, Texas started Big 12 play at 7-0 ATS, but the Longhorns own a 4-5 ATS ledger the last nine games.

(3) Texas A&M vs. (6) Missouri

The night wraps up with two clubs hooking up that portray contrasting styles with the Aggies taking on the Tigers. Mizzou escaped past 12th-seeded Texas Tech, 88-84 to move onto tonight's action against a Texas A&M that is headed to the Big Dance for the sixth straight season.

Mike Anderson's team fell short in the only meeting this season against Texas A&M with a 91-89 overtime loss at College Station in mid-January. The Tigers managed a cover as five-point 'dogs, but the Aggies held the advantage from the foul line, 29-9. Mizzou finally busted out offensively against Texas Tech after getting held to 70 points or less in three previous games, all losses.

The Aggies' defense has been terrific lately by limiting the last four opponents to 64 points or less, even though only one of those teams finished the season in the top six of the Big 12 (Kansas). Following a 4-7 ATS start in conference action, Mark Turgeon's squad has covered four of the last five games, including cashing four straight 'unders.'

vegasinsider.com

SEC Tournament Preview
By Brian Edwards

The SEC Tournament returns to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta this year with a quartet of first-round games set for Thursday. The action will start at 1:00 p.m. Eastern when Auburn and Georgia collide for the second time this season.

Georgia (20-10 straight up, 12-14 against the spread) is the No. 4 seed in the East, thus facing the fifth seed from the SEC West. When these teams met at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens on Feb. 5, the Tigers gave the Bulldogs fits before UGA captured an 81-72 win in overtime.

As it has been prone to do in recent weeks, Auburn (11-19 SU, 13-8-2 ATS) took the cash as a 16-point underdog. Earnest Ross kept Auburn in the game with a career-high 30 points to go with seven rebounds and three steals.

UGA senior center Jeremy Price had 22 points, 14 rebounds and four blocked shots, while Travis Leslie finished with 20 points and eight boards.

Mark Fox’s team is on the proverbial bubble and certainly can’t afford a loss in this spot. The Dawgs might even need a pair of wins to avoid anxiety galore on Selection Sunday. They are looking for their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2008.

Georgia is looking to bounce back from Saturday’s 65-57 loss at Alabama as a 4½-point underdog. The Dawgs’ best player, junior power forward Trey Thompkins, had 15 points and 10 rebounds even though he was limited to just 27 minutes of playing time.

Thompkins had a toenail removed last Tuesday and his minutes were limited to just 22 in last Wednesday’s 77-55 home win over LSU. He could miss some practice time this week.

Tony Barbee’s team got off to a horrific start, losing home games to low-major schools like Samford, Presbyterian, Jacksonville, Campbell and UNC-Asheville. AU needed overtime to beat Ga. Southern at its brand-new Auburn Arena.

But the Tigers have been spread-covering juggernauts since Jan. 3 when they beat FSU 65-60 as 13-point home underdogs. Since then, they have covered the number at a 12-4 ATS clip in 16 games as underdogs.

Auburn finished the regular season with back-to-back wins and four straight covers, including a 60-51 win at LSU as a 4½-point ‘dog in Saturday’s finale. Kenny Gabriel and Ross both had double-doubles with 16 points apiece.

Most betting shops have installed UGA as an 11½-point favorite. If the Dawgs advance, they will face Alabama in what could essentially be a play-in game for an at-large invite to the NCAA Tournament.

In the second game of Thursday’s afternoon session at around 3:30 p.m. Eastern, the No. 3 seed in the West, Ole Miss, will take on the sixth seed from the East, South Carolina. Most books are listing the Rebels as four-point ‘chalk.’

Ole Miss (19-12 SU, 14-13 ATS) is coming off last Saturday’s 84-74 home win over Arkansas as a seven-point home favorite at The Tad Pad. Chris Warren celebrated his Senior Night by scoring 24 points and dishing out nine assists.

South Carolina (14-15 SU, 12-13 ATS) has lost eight of its last nine games with the lone win coming against Ole Miss in Columbia. The Gamecocks dropped the Rebels by a 79-73 count as two-point home ‘dogs. Sam Muldrow had 23 points and 10 rebounds for the winners, while Warren had a game-high 33 points in the losing effort.

Andy Kennedy’s team has been a single digit-favorite 14 times this season, going 8-6 ATS. Meanwhile, the Gamecocks are 8-8 ATS in 16 games as underdogs.

Tennessee (18-13 SU, 13-17 ATS) limped down the stretch to settle for the East’s No. 5 slot, resulting in a Thursday night showdown against Arkansas, the fourth seed from the West. Most spots have made the Volunteers 5½-point favorites.

Bruce Pearl’s squad has lost six of its last nine games, compiling a 2-7 spread record. The Vols lost a 64-58 decision to Kentucky as 1 ½-point underdogs Sunday in Knoxville. Tobias Harris scored a team-high 18 points in defeat.

UT senior center Brian Williams missed the loss to UK with a back injury. As of early Wednesday, he was listed as ‘questionable’ vs. the Razorbacks. Williams is one of the nation’s best interior bangers who averages 7.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

Arkansas (18-12 SU, 8-15 ATS) has lost back-to-back games and is mired in a 2-6 ATS slide. The Hogs got a game-high 26 points from Rotnei Clarke in their aforementioned loss at Ole Miss this past weekend.

UA and UT met in Fayetteville way back on Jan. 8 with the Razorbacks prevailing 68-65 as one-point underdogs. Delvon Johnson scored 17 points for the winners, while Clarke and Marshawn Powell added 16 and 15, respectively. Harris had 21 points and 11 boards for the Vols.

Tennessee has been a single-digit ‘chalk’ in 11 games with a 4-7 spread record, while Arkansas has a 5-7 ATS mark in 12 underdog situations.

This game will come off the board at 7:30 p.m. Eastern. The winner will advance to face top-seeded Florida on Friday night.

Vanderbilt (21-9 SU, 15-10-1 ATS) has been made a 13 ½-point favorite for Thursday’s late-night game against LSU. The Commodores saw a five-game winning streak snapped at home against UT on Feb. 22 and they ended up losing three of their last four contests.

Florida went into Music City and dominated Vandy this past Saturday, 86-76. When Kevin Stallings’ team faced LSU in the regular season, it won 90-69 at LSU as an 8½-point road favorite. The 159 points flew ‘over’ the 133½-point total.

LSU led 43-41 at halftime thanks to a huge first half from Storm Warren, who hit 9-of-11 shots for 18 points by intermission. Warren, who finished with 24 points, couldn’t prevent Vandy from pulling away in the second half.

Jeffery Taylor had a team-high 20 points for the ‘Dores, who also got 17 points out of John Jenkins. Lance Goulbourne finished with 16 points and 17 rebounds.

LSU (11-20 SU, 11-14-1 ATS) is just 2-4 ATS in six games as a double-digit underdog this year.

All of the games will be televised on The SEC Network.

B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets

Florida is the No. 1 overall seed and the SEC’s regular-season champion, but Kentucky is the plus-125 favorite to win the SEC Tournament at Sportsbook.com (risk $100 to win $125 on UK). The Gators are plus-250 to cut the nets down in Atlanta (risk $100 to win $250). These teams have the following odds: Vandy (+450), Tennessee (+800), Alabama (+1200) and Mississippi State (+2000). The 'field bet' is available to bettors for a plus-400 payout.

My pick to win this event is Florida, which I also believe has an excellent shot at making the Final Four.

My sleeper team is Mississippi St., which won the tournament two years ago and nearly beat Kentucky in last year’s finals before losing in overtime. The Bulldogs have showed signs of life in recent weeks, winning three in a row including road scalps at Tennessee and at Arkansas. They also beat Ole Miss by double digits at The Hump and knocked off UF in Starkville earlier this year. The Bulldogs will take the court Friday night to play the Vandy-LSU winner.

Kentucky gets the Ole Miss-South Carolina winner on Friday afternoon.

My All-SEC Squad (12 players)

Point Guard: Chris Warren (Ole Miss)
Shooting Guard: John Jenkins (Vandy)
Small Forward: Chandler Parsons (Florida)
Power Forward: Trey Thompkins (Georgia)
Center: JaMychal Green (Alabama)
Sixth Man: Terrence Jones (Kentucky)
Backup PG: Brandon Knight (Kentucky)
Backup Big: Tobias Harris (Tennessee)
Backup Forward: Jeffery Taylor (Vandy)
Backup Guard: Kenny Boynton (Florida)
Backup Big: Vernon Macklin (Florida)
Zone-Busting 3-point Specialist: Rotnei Clarke (Arkansas)

SEC Player of the Year: Chandler Parsons (Florida)

vegasinsider.com.

ACC Tourney - 1st Round
By Brian Edwards

The ACC Tournament begins Thursday at noon Eastern when Miami and Virginia collide at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC. Most betting shops are listing the Hurricanes as 3 1/2-point favorites with a total of 122.

Miami (18-13 straight up, 12-13-1 against the spread) is looking to bounce back from Sunday’s 66-57 loss at Ga. Tech as a 2½-point underdog. In the losing effort, Adrian Thomas had a team-high 14 points.

Virginia (16-14 SU, 17-8 ATS) has won four of its last five games both SU and ATS, including a 74-60 win at Maryland as a 12-point underdog to close the regular season last Saturday. Sammy Ledzinski poured in 25 points, draining 6-of-7 attempts from 3-point range.

When these ACC adversaries squared off back on Feb. 5, UM won a 70-68 decision in overtime. However, the ‘Canes failed to cover the spread as 8½-point home favorites. Thomas paced the winners with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Reggie Johnson tallied 16 points and eight boards. UVA’s Mustapha Farrakhan finished with a team-high 20 points.

The ‘under’ has cashed in five of UM’s last six games and is 14-12 for the season. UVA has watched the ‘under’ go 14-10 overall, 5-2 in its last seven outings (despite back-to-back ‘overs’).

Following UM-UVA to close the afternoon session, Boston College (19-11 SU, 15-11 ATS) will most likely bring Wake Forest’s season to a merciful end. Most books have tabbed the Eagles as 13-point favorites with a total of 143 1/2.

Steve Donahue’s squad enters this event on a three-game winning streak to bolster its resume. With that said, a horrible loss to the Demon Deacons would probably send the Eagles ‘out’ of the field of 68.

BC knocked off Wake 84-68 this past Sunday, but the Deacs took the cash as 16 ½-point road underdogs. Corey Raji had 21 points for the Eagles and Biko Paris added 19 points and four assists.

Both teams have seen the ‘over’ produce a profits in their games. WF has watched the ‘over’ hit at a 15-11-1 clip, while BC has seen the ‘over’ go 15-11 overall.

BC has been a double-digit ‘chalk’ just twice, failing to cover both times. Wake has a 5-8-2 spread record in 15 games as a double-digit underdog.

The early game to start the night session will feature Maryland (18-13 SU, 10-15 ATS) against North Carolina State. Both of these teams have endured extremely disappointing seasons, one that might send Sidney Lowe packing from his alma mater that he led to the 1983 national championship.

Gary Williams’ team is on the wrong side of the bubble right now and probably has to get to the finals of the ACC Tournament to change that notion. That fate was sealed with a three-game losing streak to conclude the regular season.

Quick Thought: When you desperately need a win, don’t lose outright at home as a 12-point favorite. That’s what the Terps did last Saturday.

N.C. St. (15-15 SU, 10-15-1 ATS) has lost 11 of its last 15 games, going 3-11-1 ATS. The Wolfpack is off a pair of double-digit defeats vs. FSU and at UVA.

As of early this morning, most books were listing Maryland as a 5½-point favorite with a total of 146½.

The nightcap game is perhaps the most important for the league, as Virginia Tech (19-10 SU, 11-12-2 ATS) looks to impress the selection committee when it takes on Ga. Tech (13-17 SU, 10-14-1 ATS) as a five-point favorite. The total was in the 133-134 range as of early this morning.

After beating previously top-ranked Duke two Saturdays ago, the Hokies promptly re-emerged on the bubble – yet again – by losing by double digits at home to BC and then getting beat at Clemson.

Ga. Tech sent Alexander Memorial Coliseum out on a good note (the arena is going to underdog re-construction and be closed until the 2012-2013 campaign) by dropping Miami last weekend. But that was one of the few bright spots for the year and Paul Hewitt is most likely headed toward a pink slip. If Hewitt does keep his job, it will only be thanks to the class in which he carries himself and – oh yeah – that $7 million buyout.

vegasinsider.com.

West Coast Update
By Bruce Marshall

With Wednesday in the books, conference tourney action really heats up in the West on Thursday as the Big West kicks off proceedings at the Anaheim Honda Center, home of the NHL Ducks. Action has already commenced in the WAC, Mountain West, and Pac-10 affairs.

Following is a brief overview of the Big West party in Anaheim, plus updates and previews from the other leagues...

BIG WEST CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

All teams compete. First round March 10 with #1 vs. #8, #4 vs. #5, #2 vs. #7, and #3 vs. #6. Quarterfinals March 11. Semifinals March 12 with #1 vs. lowest remaining seed and #2 vs. highest remaining seed. Final March 12. All games played at the Honda Center, Anaheim, California. LY's WINNER: UC Santa Barbara -1 beat Long Beach State 69-64.

TEAM TO BEAT: Long Beach State...Few might realize that the Big West (then known as the PCAA) was the first league since the old Southern Conference to join ACC with the conference tournament idea in 1976, when Pacific hosted the event in the old Stockton Civic Auditorium (capacity 2,901). The move of this year’s tourney to the Anaheim Honda Center recalls to the days when the loop conducted this event at the Inglewood Forum, home of the L.A. Lakers and Kings, in the league’s glory days during the early and mid ‘80s. The problem is that the league has downsized considerably in stature since those days when UNLV and Fresno State (then in their own glory days) used to bring thousands of red-clad fans to pack the Forum. After spending the last decade at the cozy, 7200-seat Anaheim Convention Center, the league has decided to try the big venue in 2011, although many worry that the big arena will be an echo chamber for this event. The league switched its recent format (5 vs. 8 and 6 vs. 7 the first day, 3 and 4 seeds involved in Day 2, and the top 2 seeds getting byes to the semifinals) to the old, traditional 1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7 (and so on) format ostensibly because it did not want to risk an extra day in the Honda Center with the risk of so few fans showing up. Packing the men’s brackets into three days rather than four made more economical sense, so that’s why the format has been altered.

The clear team to beat is Long Beach, which ran away with the regular-season crown. All five starters score in double-digits, led by jet-quick 5'10 G Casper Ware (16.9 ppg), complemented in the backcourt by 6'5 matchup nightmare Larry Anderson (14.2 ppg), a local product from LB Jordan High, and G Greg Plater, who hit a Big West-best 85 triples. The 49ers have found a bit more success by running only when the opportunities present themselves this season, focusing more on pressure defense across the court to create tempo for HC Dan Monsen, the former Gonzaga and Minnesota coach who is rumored to be on the radar screens of potential openings (perhaps Utah or Arizona State?) in the region. The Beach, despite owning a 9-game win streak, does not enter Anaheim with an NCAA bid in hand; it will have to win this event to make sure of its Big Dance invitation.

TOP CONTENDER: UC Santa Barbara...Although there might be other more-likely candidates for this role, many Big West observers still fear the Gauchos, with much of the same lineup that won this event a year ago and made Ohio State sweat for a while in the first round of the NCAA Tourney. UCSB was a curious underachiever this season, bu veteran HC Bob Williams thinks he might have tweaked the defense enough in recent weeks to forge a turnaround, as the Gauchos blocked a school-record 14 shots in their season-ending win over rival Cal Poly by an unlikely 49-43 score. The Gauchos are going to need their 1-2 punch of G Orlando Johnson (Big West-best 20.3 ppg) and F James Nunnally (16.6 ppg) to be on song, but they’ll have a puncher’s chance in Anaheim. And if UCSB can ever get the lead, it might be hard to catch in the late going with the Big West’s best FT shooting (76%).

DARKHORSE: Cal State Fullerton...The Titans are one of only two Big West entries (UC Irvine the other) to have beaten Long Beach this season. And while the 11-19 campaign was mostly a disappointment for HC Bob Burton, CSF enters this event hot after sweeping Pacific and UC Davis on the road last week with a barrage of 3-point shots (54% from beyond the arc in those two games in the Central Valley last week). The hottest Big West shooter at the moment is Titan G Devin Peltier, scoring 25 ppg his last four outings.

Thursday's quarterfinal matchups:

Long Beach St. vs. UC Irvine...Tourney favorite Long Beach doesn’t have the luxury of approaching this event with an NCAA at-large invitation sewn up; the 49ers either win in Anaheim or head to the NIT. And local rival UCI has provided some real resistance the past two seasons when splitting four SU meetings vs. 49ers and covering all of those games in the process. The Anteaters are capable of causing The Beach some more discomfort now that jr. PF deluxe Eric Wise (has scored 20 or more in last six outings) has returned to action from lingering hamstring woes.

Trend-wise, The Beach has not only been winning games outright lately (9 in a row), it has covered six of its last eight. The 49ers are also "under" in 5 of their last 6. But note the recent UCI point-spread success (four covers in a row) vs. The Beach.

UC Santa Barbara vs. Pacific...Frankly, neither of these teams gets our pulses to quicken these days. The Tigers and vet HC Bob Thomason are never sure what they are going to get most nights from starters such as G Demetrece Young & C Nyika Williams (both held scoreless in recent outings), although 6'9 C Sam Willard (25.0 ppg & 10.6 rpg) usually comes to play most nights. Meanwhile, UCSB never seemed to find a reliable third scoring option beyond G Orlando Johnson (20.3 ppg) & F James Nunnally (16.6 ppg). Speaking of Johnson, expect him to bounce back from his first non-DD scoring effort of season last Saturday (only 6 points) vs. Cal Poly.

Trend-wise, not a lot to recommend lately, with UOP dropping its last 5 and 7 of its last 8 vs. the number, and UCSB (2-10-1 vs. line last 13) on its own extended point-spread downturn. Are the Tigers up to record the hat-trick over the Gauchos this season?

Cal Poly SLO vs. UC Riverside...UCR covering some games lately (4 in a row) and displayed admirable spunk down stretch when rallying to secure conference tourney slot. He Highlanders have been getting prime performances out of different sources (G Phil Martin and F Kevin Bradshaw both over 20 points in recent UCR wins) in recent uptick. Cal Poly mostly succeeding lately vs. number (8-1-1 last 10), too, and combo of F David Hanson & G Shawn Lewis (15.1 ppg) should get Mustangs into semifinals. Can UCR keep this one interesting in a likely slower-paced affair?

Trend-wise, we might be compelled to shade the "under" with both trending that way lately (Mustangs "under" 7 of last 9, Highlanders "under" 6 of last 8).

CS Fullerton vs. CS Northridge...Northridge had Fullerton’s number this season, winning and covering both vs. Titans. But CSF displayed some real signs of life in last weekend’s road sweep of UOP and UC Davis, hitting 54% of its triple attempts with on-fire G Devon Peltier (25 ppg last 4) nailing 11 of them himself. Can similar long-range marksmanship help the Titans avoid the hat-trick against Matadors?

Trend-wise, note the conflicting "totals" trends (Northridge "under" 7 in a row, Fullerton "over" its last five). The Matadors have also covered 8 of their last 12 outings, and note that the Titans had dropped five in a row SU and vs. the line prior to last week’s road sweep at UOP and Davis.

MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

All teams compete. First round March 9 with #8 vs. #9. Quarterfinals March 10 with #1 seed vs. #8_#9 winner, #4 vs. #5, #2 vs. #7, and #3 vs. #6. Semifinals March 11. Final March 12. All games at Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada (home court of UNLV). LY's WINNER: San Diego State +4' beat UNLV 55-45.

WEDNESDAY REVIEW: The expected fireworks never materialized at the Thomas & Mack Center between TCU and Wyoming, with the Frogs controlling pace and tempo and flustering a Wyo side that wanted to play go-go ball and eventually winning, 70-61. Instead, TCU ends a 13-game losing streak that was the program’s longest since dropping 21 in a row way back in the 1976-77 campaign. The Frogs did manage to hit 14 of 29 triples vs. the Cowboys, their most in a MWC games since 2008 in the tourney vs. UNLV. The reward for TCU is a date vs. top seed BYU in the early Thursday matinee. Meanwhile, a new name has surfaced in the likely Wyoming coaching search, that of recently-deposed Texas Tech coach Pat Knight, although there is concern in Laramie that star soph G Desmar Jackson is ready to transfer. Stay tuned.

Thursday’s quarterfinal matchups:

TCU vs. BYU...Maybe it was only a booby prize that TCU won vs. Wyoming, given that tourney top seed BYU now awaits. But all eyes are going to be on the Cougars to see how they continue to deal with the absence of suspended frontliner Brandon Davies, now in dry-dock for the third straight game. Interestingly, the Frogs held Jimmer Fredette below his season scoring average of 27.9 in both meetings (Jimmer only 21 & 23, respectively, in those two games), and TCU sr. G Greg Hill appears to be closing his Fort Worth career with a bang, scoring 23 and 18 points in each of the last two games, both bettering his previous season high of 15 points. BYU, which will have strong support in Vegas, is looking to solidify a protected seed for the upcoming Big Dance.

Trend-wise, the Frogs have shown a little jump in the past two weeks, covering 3 of their last 4 games after dropping 7 of their previous 8 and 11 of their prior 14 vs. the number as the team dealt with myriad distractions, including the suspension of tops scorer G Ronnie Moss. The Cougs have been going back-and-forth (even when Davies was still on the squad), splitting their last 12 vs. the number.

New Mexico vs. Colorado State...This matchup suddenly takes on some real significance, with a depleted BYU (minus suspended key frontliner Brandon Davies) likely on deck, an assignment New Mexico would surely welcome after beating the Cougs twice this season. But first, Lobos must get past CSU, and a key will be which Philip McDonald shows up for UNM; he scored 27 in Lobos’ Jan. 12 win over Rams at The Pit, then was held to six in 68-62 loss at Moby on Feb. 12. CSU Gs have been struggling in recent weeks, however, and good news for UNM with explosive 6-7 frosh swingman Tony Snell expected to be ready to go after sitting out the Air Force finale with sore ankle.

Trend-wise, CSU lost some traction down the stretch when dropping 4 of its last 5 SU, just when the Rams were being penciled in as a likely at-large invitee to the Big Dance. Both teams trending "under" lately (Rams 7 of last 10, Lobos 5 of last 7).

Utah vs. San Diego State...Rumors are making the rounds in the Mountain West that are not promising for Utah HC Jim Boylen, whom many believe might be forced to walk the plank if the Utes can’t make a miracle run through this event. Which looks extremely unlikely after Utah hardly circled the wagons in its home finale last Saturday vs. UNLV, falling behind by 25 at half in eventual lopsided defeat. Greater challenges lie ahead for SDSU, but Aztecs not likely to take things to easy on Utes, either, considering Utah’s upcoming departure from conference. Note SDSU led by 27 at half in most-recent meeting Feb. 8 at Viejas Arena. Utes’ MWC bon voyage not likely to be very memorable.

Trend-wise, Utah, which has been prone top streaks all season, is now heading in the wrong direction once more, dropping 2 in a row SU and 3 straight vs. the line. The Utes had earlier posted 7 and 5-game SU losing streaks this season. Utah is also "under" its last three outings. A s for the Aztecs, they’ve been picking up the pace after some indifferent point-spread form at midseason, and enter Las Vegas having covered five of their last seven.

Air Force vs. UNLV...Memories of UNLV’s torturous 49-42 home win over Air Force on Feb. 15 might be enough to keep Rebels fans away from the Thomas & Mack until tomorrow night’s semifinal round. Lon Kruger’s bunch was in the throes of a debilitating shooting slump at that time (UNLV only 2 of 14 from 3-point land that night), although Rebs’ 3-point shooting improved markedly in the last four outings that have sealed UNLV’s at-large bid to the Big Dance regardless what happens in this event. The Falcons’ precision and tempo-controlling tactics have often been always uncomfortable for UNLV.

Trend-wise, there are a couple of stark numbers which actually comprise a very solid case for underdog Air Force; the Falcons are 7-0-1 vs. the spread away from home in Mountain West play this season, while the Rebels have failed to cover seven straight at the Thomas & Mack.

WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

Top 8 teams compete. First round March 9 with #5 vs. #8 and #6 vs. #7. Quarterfinals March 10 with #4 vs. #5-#8 winner and #3 vs. #6-#7 winner. Semifinals March 11. Final March 12. All games at Orleans Hotel Arena, Las Vegas, NV. LY's WINNER: New Mexico State +9' beat Utah State 69-63.

WEDNESDAY REVIEW: We saw some good, some bad, and some ugly in person on Wednesday at the Orleans Arena. The good was obviously Nevada G Malik Story, who nailed all of his six three-point attempts in a 34-point explosion for the Wolf Pack, which cruised past Fresno State in the second game of the afternoon session, which prompted a new round of rumors about the future of Bulldog HC Steve Cleveland. The bad was Fresno’s performance for the first 25 minutes of the game when the Bulldogs dug themselves a 28-point hole before some ill-advised early substituting by Pack HC David Carter allowed Fresno to make a futile yet inspired run in the last 15 minutes that even the re-insertion of Nevada’s starting lineup couldn’t slow. Carter was likely trying to rest his troops that will have to win four games in as many days to get back to the postseason for the ninth straight campaign, but ended up having to use them more than he wanted in the last minutes of the game. Nevada still remains an intriguing X-factor in this event. And we’re still trying to figure out how Hawaii allowed itself to get beaten by San Jose State, 75-74, in a wild finish that wasn’t determined until well after the final horn, when the referees had to check with a replay to see if Warrior F Bill Amis’ last-second tip-in had beaten the buzzer; it didn’t. Hawaii hurt itself all afternoon by missing 12 free throws and several chances to extend the lead. The dogged Spartans capitalized on Hawaii foul trouble that limited how much Warrior HC Gib Arnold could utilize defensive ace Zane Johnson on SJSU high scorer Adrian Oliver, who had 29 points, including the game-winning jumper with 6 seconds to play in a wild 75-74 Spartans win.

Thursday’s quarterfinal matchups:

San Jose State vs. Idaho...Interestingly, these two split a pair of regular-season decisions; that’s not interesting in itself, but the fact that the road team won each indicates how closely matched these two seem to be. Almost all of San Jose’s firepower comes from its backcourt and the marvelous Oliver (24.3 ppg), who was somewhat muffled by Don Verlin’s Idaho defense in the regular-season meetings when he hit on only 16 of 44 from the floor (36%) and a mere 4 of 17 beyond the arc (24%). Both teams have a veteran look about them, especially the Vandals and sr. starters G Jeff Ledbetter, wing Shawn Henderson, and F Brandon Wiley.

Spread-wise, Idaho offered pretty good value all season, standing 5-2 vs. the line its last seven and 15–6-2 its last 23 on the board.

Nevada vs. New Mexico State...A quick rematch from NMSU’s 77-68 win last Saturday at Las Cruces, a scoreline that flatters the Aggies after Nevada held a 61-60 lead late in the game. The Wolf Pack dominated an earlier meeting, however, winning by 19 at Reno back on January 20. The "story" (no pun intended) for the Pack is 6'5 soph G Malik Story, who followed up three wretched performance to close the regular season when he missed 29 of 37 shots, by hitting all 6 of his triples and 11 of 14 from the floor overall in a season-best 34-point effort on Wednesday vs. Fresno in the pack’s 90-80 first-round win. Note that the Aggies had lost four in a row prior to the win last week over Nevada, as they continue to be hampered by injuries (C Hamadu Rahman doubtful with calf problems). Don’t forget that NMSU knocked favored Nevada out of the WAC Tourney a year ago in Reno.

Trend-wise, note that the Aggies have covered just 1 of their last 6 games away from Las Cruces.

PACIFIC 10 CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

All teams compete. Opening round March 9 with #8 vs. #9 and #7 vs. #10. Quarterfinals March 10 with #1 vs. #8_#9 winner, #2 vs. #7-#10 winner, #3 vs. #6, and #4 vs. #5. Semifinals March 11. Final March 12. All games at Staples Center, Los Angeles. LY's WINNER: Washington +2 beat California 79-75.

WEDNESDAY REVIEW: Good if you were from the state of Oregon, as both the Beavers and Ducks advance. Of the two wins, we’re not going to read much into Oregon State’s 69-67 win over Stanford, as the Beavers are likely due a quick exit on Thursday vs. tourney top seed Arizona, save some federal aid from the White House for OSU HC Craig Robinson. More intriguing was Oregon playing 32 or so minutes of exceptional basketball vs. Arizona State, the type we saw from the Ducks for a stretch in early February when many Pac-10 observers believed Dana Altman’s team could be a darkhorse in this event. Oregon’s 76-69 win over the Sun Devils was easier than the scoreline suggests, with the Ducks up by as much as 20 in the second half before getting a bit sloppy in the last few minutes. By the way, is Sun Devil HC Herb Sendek really in some trouble in Tempe?

Thursday’s quarterfinal matchups:

California vs. Southern Cal...Many Bracketologists have SC (with numerous marquee wins) clinging to the periphery of the Big Dance bubble despite 13 regular-season defeats. But the Trojans have been an unreliable proposition due to recurring blackouts on the offensive end, where 6-10 F Nicola Vucevic (17.7 ppg) has been the only truly consistent scoring element. Kevin O’Neill’s myriad defensive tricks will not confound a Mike Montgomery-coached team, and "Monty’s" Cal side has run off four impressive wins and covers since bitter home loss to SC at Berkeley back on Feb. 17. Golden Bears’ L.A.-area frosh product G Allen Crabbe (23 ppg last 3; 11 of 18 triples in those games!) has emerged as a legit go-to threat, and Monty will find ways to get him some looks after Crabbe made only 3 of 11 from floor (in return game from a concussion, it must be noted)in last meeting.

Trend-wise, both are on an uptick, with SC winning and Cal winning and covering its last four. Conflicting "totals" trends, with the Trojans "under" 7 of their last 9 and 15 of 22, while the Bears are "over" in 7 of their last 8.

Oregon State vs. Arizona...This is a quick rematch from Arizona’s 80-66 win over the Beavers last Saturday at Tucson when OSU HC Craig Robinson benched five players. But all were available for Robinson in Wednesday’s somewhat surprising win over Stanford, the Beavers’ first win over a Pac-10 foe away from Corvallis this season. Soph G Jared Cunningham scored a career-high 24 for OSU on Wednesday vs. the Tree. These teams split two regular-season meetings, although both were covered by the Beavers, who had also surprisingly beaten the Cats in three straight before last week’s loss at Tucson. Note that OSU managed to hold UA star F Derrick Williams below his 18.8 ppg scoring in both meetings this season. Pac-10 sources are at a loss why these matchups (which don’t look good on paper for OSU) have allowed the Beavers to stay competitive in this series.

Trend-wise, as noted above, the Beavers have covered all four meetings vs. Arizona since last season, winning three of those outright as a substantial dog.

Oregon vs. UCLA...Was that the real Oregon we saw on Wednesday night vs. ASU, or were the Ducks that lost four straight coming into this event at Staples Center, the side we’ll see tonight? Note that Oregon had staked itself to an early lead in the most-recent meeting vs. UCLA last month, although the Ducks went cold down the stretch in an eventual 10-point loss at Pauley Pavilion. A potential concern for Bruin HC Ben Howland is the possible absence of PG Malcolm Lee, who hurt a knee last weekend at Washington State and would figure to be an important component for the Bruins to deal with Dana Altman’s noted pressuring, three-quarter court defense.

Trend-wise, UCLA has been extremely consistent for the past two months, winning 13 of its last 16 outright, covering 4 straight and 8 of its last 10, plus a pair of wins and covers vs. the Ducks. The Bruins are also "under" their last 4 and 8 of their last 10 games.

Washington State vs. Washington...Must acknowledge the status of Wazzu’s high-scoring 2-G Klay Thompson (21.4 ppg), suspended after last week’s win over SC due to marijuana possession, although he is expected to be reinstated for this matchup vs. state rival U-Dub. Also, PG Reggie Moore, who missed last Saturday’s OT loss vs. UCLA with a sprained ankle, is now listed as probable for this clash. The Huskies would rather not fall into some bubble trouble with the NCAA Selection Committee by losing for a third time this season vs. desperate Cougs (who probably need a very deep run in L.A. to get back on NCAA radar). It won’t come easily, however, as Lorenzo Romar’s Husky transition game didn’t detonate in either reg.-season meeting vs. WSU, which held UW to 37% & 34% from floor, respectively, in a pair of Cougar upset wins. Wazzu was able to mix things up when shorthanded vs. the Bruins, as HC Ken Bone, minus his top two Gs, employed a high-post offense featuring frequent back-cuts to the basket, with the defense employing a George Mason-like "scramble" with frequent double teams. Wazzu’s flickering NCAA hopes will be extinguished with a loss.

Trend-wise, note the pair of wins and covers by the Cougs, as an underdog both times, vs. the cross-state Huskies this season. Although neither has been offering much value lately (WSU 2-5 vs. line last 7, UW no covers last 3 or 8 of last 11).

College Basketball Knowledge

Big East Tournament (NYC)

UConn breezed last two days, now faces rested Pitt squad that beat the Huskies 78-63 (-7.5) Dec 27, shooting 52% from floor. Pitt covered five of last seven games as favorite- they allowed 56 ppg in last five games. UConn had double digit halftime leads last two days, so fatigue should not factor in here. Huskies are 7-2 vs spread as an underdog this season.

St John's won eight of last nine games (7-2 vs spread); they played four starters 31+ minutes yesterday, while Syracuse was off. Orange (-3) got 76-59 win here Jan 12, shooting 57% from floor, 9-20 from arc (they did turn ball over 20 times). Syracuse won last five games (4-1 vs spread), after 2-6 midseason slump- they lost first tournament game two of last three finals. This is Johnnies' home court, but crowd will be split.

Cincinnati won/covered six of their last seven games; they lost 66-58 at Notre Dame Jan 19 (+4) , getting outscored 19-5 on foul line, shooting just 38%. Irish won four in row, 11 of last 12 games; they're 8-2 in last 10 games as a favorite. Lower-seeded team is 8-4 SU last three years in Big East quarterfinals. Cincinnati covered three of last four as underdog; they beat USF handily last night, while Notre Dame had night off.

Louisville covered its last five games as favorite; Marquette played last two nights, Cardinals had double-bye-- they came from way behind to nip Marquette 71-70 (-5) at home Jan 15, holding Eagles to 34% from floor, but Marquette outscored them 28-12 on foul line. Eagles are 8-4 in this event last 4+ years, 6-2 vs spread as an underdog this year. In their five seasons in the Big East, Cardinals are 2-3 in first tourney game.

Big 12 Tournament (KC)

Colorado beat Kansas State twice this season, 74-66 (+10) on road Jan 12, then 58-56 (-1.5) at home Feb 12, when McGruder's game-winning trey was ruled too late via replay. Buffs played three starters 35+ min in tough win over Iowa State yesterday- they're 1-3 in last four games as an underdog. K-State won its last six games since the loss in Boulder, with wins at Nebraska/Texas, so they've recovered from midseason skid.

Missouri (+5) lost 91-89 in OT at Texas A&M Jan 15, outscored 29-9 on foul line (Tigers were 9-19 on charity stripe). Mizzou won last night for first time in last four games- didn't like their body language holding a lead late in game- didn't look confident vs pressure. Aggies are 3-4 last seven road games, losing last two, with wins by 3-1-3 points. Missouri was outscored 31-19 on foul line by Texas Tech in 88-84 win last nite.

SEC Tournament (Atlanta)

Tennessee (-1) lost 68-65 at Arkansas Jan 8, turning ball over 18 times which offset +17 rebounding margin; Vols stumbled to 3-6 finish down stretch, playing better on road (5-2 in last seven on road). Vols won their first tourney game last three years, by 2-24-10 points. Arkansas is 2-6 on SEC road, going 2-5-1 vs spread in last eight games as dog. Hogs lost first tourney game last two seasons, by 13-15 points.

C-USA Tournament (El Paso)

Memphis beat Southern Miss twice this season, by 1-6 points, despite trailing by 11-6 points at half; Tigers are 2-3 in last five games (0-4-1 vs spread)- they lost four of last five road games, with only win by a point at UCF. USM lost three of last four games; three of their seven losses in league were by single point. Talented Memphis has five freshmen in its rotation and this is their first taste of conference tournament action.

Marshall (+6) lost 82-74 on this floor 8 days ago, shooting 39% for the night, 7-28 from arc, but thats Herd's only loss in last eight games- they scored 64 points in second half of last nite's foul-marred win (Marshall was 32-48 from foul line, Houston 21-32). Miners won seven of eight at home in C-USA, covering three of last four here- they're 8-4 as favorite in league games. Marshall is 7-4 vs spread as underdog this season.

Big 11 Tournament (Indianapolis)

Minnesota lost five in row, nine of last 10 games, as loss of Nolan took severe toll; home team won both Gopher-Northwestern games this year. Minnesota (+3) just lost 68-57 in Evanston 8 days ago. Wildcats shot under 38% in both series games, and were 22-69 behind arc in those two games (Gophers were 5-28). Minnesota scored just 57.8 ppg in its last four games- it would be impossible for me to back them right now.

Pac-10 Tournament (Staples Center)

USC-Cal split two games this year, with games decided by total of five points; Trojans were 19-39 from arc in those games, unusually good for them. Defensively-stout USC won five of last six games, streak that got started with 78-75 (+2) win at Cal Feb 17. Cal is 4-0 since losing to SC; they've scored 74+ points in each of last five games. Trojans won this event in 2009, then didn't play LY because of their probation issues.

Wazzu beat Washington twice this season, 87-80 (+3.5) at home Jan 30, then 80-69 (+12) in Seattle Feb 27, game that was 24-17 at half. Huskies shot under 38% in both games. State is expected to get star Thompson back from suspension here, while Huskies' Overton is suspended for this entire tournament. Washington lost three of last four games- they're 0-4 in conference games decided by 5 or less points. Wazzu is 2-4.

Mountain West Tournament (@ UNLV)

Home side won both New Mexico-Colorado State games this year, with winning side leading by double figures at half both games. Rams lost four of last five games to drop off bubble- they're 4-3 as MWC underdog this season. Lobos probably get BYU if they win here, and they've already beaten them twice, but they better not be looking past veteran bunch of Rams. New Mexico covered once in last five games as a favorite.

Pac-10 Tournament: Day 2 Preview and Picks

California Golden Bears vs. USC Trojans (-3, 133)

THE STORY: Two teams that exceeded expectations this season meet Thursday when Southern Cal faces California in the second round of the Pac-10 Tournament. Both teams received a first-round bye after finishing the regular season on a high note. Southern Cal won five of its last six games to secure the fourth seed, while fifth-seeded California ended the regular season with four straight wins.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: The teams split the season series this year with the road team winning each time. California won 68-66 on Jan. 22, with Kamp scoring 19 points to lead the Bears. On Feb. 17, USC won 78-75 after Jones came off the bench for the first time all season and scored a team-high 22 points. California played without Crabbe, who missed two and a half games with a concussion.

PREDICTION: Cal 81, USC 79

Oregon State Beavers vs. Arizona Wildcats

THE STORY: After clinching its first Pac-10 regular-season title since 2005, top seed Arizona begins Pac-10 tournament play against ninth-seeded Oregon State on Thursday in Los Angeles. Conference Player of the Year Derrick Williams leads No. 15 Arizona, which last season failed to make the NCAA Tournament after 25 straight appearances. Oregon State advanced to the quarterfinals with a 69-67 victory over Stanford on Wednesday.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Arizona and Oregon State split the season series. The Beavers won the first matchup 76-75 in Corvallis on Jan. 3 after Arizona shot 13 of 24 from the free-throw line. Arizona returned the favor when it forced 22 Oregon State turnovers to prevail 70-59 in Tucson on March 3. The Wildcats have won 19 of the last 24 meetings.

PREDICTION: Arizona 67, Oregon State 54

Oregon Ducks vs. UCLA Bruins

THE STORY: UCLA looks to continue its hot play when it takes on Oregon in the quarterfinals of the Pac-10 Tournament on Thursday. The Bruins have locked in at least an at-large bid and face an Oregon team they have already defeated twice this season. Oregon knocked off Arizona State in the first round Wednesday, snapping a four-game losing streak.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: UCLA swept the regular season series with the Ducks, winning 67-59 on Jan. 15 in Eugene and 64-54 on Feb. 10 in Los Angeles. UCLA controlled the paint in both games, holding significant rebounding advantages over the Ducks. Lee averaged 21.5 points against Oregon in the two victories.

PREDICTION: UCLA 63, Oregon 54

Washington State Cougars vs. Washington Huskies (-5.5, 150)

THE STORY: Rivals Washington and Washington State meet in the quarterfinals of the Pac-10 Tournament on Thursday with each facing big question marks. Third-seeded Washington needs a win to put itself in better position to lock up an NCAA Tournament at-large bid, but will be without suspended guard Venoy Overton, who was charged this week with providing alcohol to a minor. Washington may also be without forward Justin Holiday, who suffered a concussion in Saturday's 62-60 loss to Southern Cal and hasn’t been cleared to play. The sixth-seeded Cougars have dominated the Huskies in both meetings this season, and can build a case for an at-large NCAA Tournament bid with a string of wins in Los Angeles. Washington State will get a boost with the return of Pac-10 leading scorer Klay Thompson, who was suspended for the season finale against UCLA after being cited for marijuana possession. The Cougars may also be without injured point guard Reggie Moore, who missed the UCLA game with an ankle injury.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Washington State won 87-80 on Jan. 30 in Pullman and waxed the Huskies 80-69 in Seattle on Feb. 27. Thompson was stellar in both matchups, averaging 25.5 points, while his teammates' speed slowed down Washington's high-flying offense.

PREDICTION: Washington State 72, Washington 70

Big 12 Tournament: Day 2 Preview and Picks

Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Kansas Jayhawks (-14.5)

THE STORY: Having already torpedoed Nebraska's hopes of an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, Oklahoma State now sets its sights on Kansas. No, the Jayhawks' spot in the tournament isn't in doubt, but the Cowboys potentially could spoil their ideas of a No. 1 seed by pulling off an upset when the teams meet Thursday in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals at Sprint Center.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: The Jayhawks crushed the Cowboys 92-65 on Feb. 21 at Allen Fieldhouse, as Marcus Morris scored 27 points and Markieff Morris and Johnson added 15 apiece to offset 27 from Oklahoma State's Marshall Moses.

PREDICTION: Kansas 76, Oklahoma State 61

Colorado Buffaloes vs. Kansas State Wildcats

THE STORY: The theory that it's difficult to beat a good team three times in the same season will be put to the test during the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament, as fifth-seeded Colorado tries to make it three wins in as many tries against No. 4 seed Kansas State on Thursday at Sprint Center. It's a matchup of teams who presumably are playing to improve their seeds for the NCAA Tournament.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: The Buffaloes swept the season series, winning 74-66 at Kansas State on Jan. 12 and holding on for a 58-56 win in Boulder, Colo., on Feb. 12. Surprisingly, Burks was relatively quiet in both games, averaging 10 points, but Levi Knutson averaged 18 points against the Wildcats.

PREDICTION: Kansas State 65, Colorado 60

Oklahoma Sooners vs. Texas Longhorns

THE STORY: Only three weeks ago, Texas was in prime position to win the Big 12 regular-season title and quite possibly lock up a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Now the Longhorns have more concerns than one would expect for a top 10 team as they have lost three of their last five games, albeit by a combined 10 points. But that No. 1 seed is still within their reach, especially if they can win the Big 12 Tournament, a quest that begins Thursday with a quarterfinal game against Oklahoma in Kansas City, Mo.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: The Longhorns swept the season series, 66-46 in Austin, Texas, on Jan. 15 and 68-52 at Oklahoma on Feb. 9. Hamilton averaged 18.5 points while the Longhorns held Davis, Oklahoma's leading scorer, to 5.5 points per game.

PREDICTION: Texas 66, Oklahoma 57

Missouri Tigers vs. Texas A&M Aggies

THE STORY: For those teams who are safely clear of the dreaded bubble, the conference tournament is all about improving seeds and building momentum. A pair of teams who need to do a bit of both after late-season stumbles will meet Thursday as No. 3 seed Texas A&M takes on No. 6 seed Missouri in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City, Mo.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: The Aggies won a wild one 91-89 in overtime at home on Jan. 15 when they got 28 points from Middleton. Denmon and Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Ricardo Ratliffe scored 19 apiece to lead Missouri. Both teams were ranked in the top 15 at the time, but the Aggies have slipped to No. 21, and the Tigers have fallen out of the Top 25.

PREDICTION: Missouri 74, Texas A&M 73

ACC Tournament: Day 1 Preview and Picks

Miami Hurricane vs. Virginia Cavaliers (+3, 121.5)

THE STORY: The 58th ACC Tournament kicks off with two teams that live and die with 3-point shooting. Picked to finish in 11th place, the Cavaliers enter the postseason having won four of their last five games, including Sunday’s 74-60 win at Maryland, to finish tied with the Terps for seventh in the ACC. Miami is coming off a 66-57 loss at Georgia Tech on Sunday and has dropped three of its last five games entering the tournament. Both teams could be poised for an NIT appearance.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Virginia and Miami met once earlier this season, with the Hurricanes needing overtime before winning 70-68 in Coral Gables. Guard Adrian Thomas accounted for six of his team’s nine 3-pointers, and the Cavs misfired on 13 of their 22 free throw attempts as Miami rallied from a five-point deficit in the final 38 seconds of regulation to force the extra period. The ‘Canes hold an 8-4 all-time advantage in the series and have won five of the last six meetings. The two teams have met just once in the ACC Tournament with the ‘Hoos claiming a 66-65 decision in 2005.

PREDICTION: Virginia 67, Miami 63

Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Boston College Eagles (-13, 143.5)

THE STORY: Game planning shouldn’t be a problem for either team as Boston College and Wake Forest meet for the second time in five days. Boston College easily won Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Demon Deacons in Chestnut Hill, Mass. The Eagles won their last three regular season games to finish in a three-way tie for fourth place in the ACC with Clemson and Virginia Tech.

Coach Jeff Bzdelik’s first year at the helm at Wake Forest has been an unmitigated disaster, with the Demon Deacons beating just visiting Virginia in ACC play.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Sunday’s meeting was the teams’ only one this season. Seniors Trapani, Biko Paris and Corey Raji accounted for 57 points to easily pace the Eagles to the Senior Day victory. The Eagles recorded their most assists (23) in more than 10 years in shooting a season-high 58 percent from the field. The Eagles and the Demon Deacons have never previously met in the ACC Tournament. BC leads the all-time series, 8-3, but had dropped its prior three meetings against Wake Forest before winning on Sunday.

PREDICTION: Boston College 61, Wake Forest 52

North Carolina State Wolfpack vs. Maryland Terrapins (-5.5, 146.5)

THE STORY: Two stumbling teams, No. 7 seed Maryland and No. 10 North Carolina State, meet in the first round of the ACC Tournament Thursday in Greensboro, N.C. Both the Terrapins and Wolfpack know they must win the tournament to reach the NCAA Tournament. Maryland has dropped three straight to plunge from NCAA consideration, while N.C. State has lost four of five. The game features two of the ACC’s top big men in Maryland’s Jordan Williams (16.9 points, 11.6 rebounds) and N.C. State’s Tracy Smith ( 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds).

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Maryland has beaten N.C. State eight straight times, including 87-80 in College Park, Md., on Feb. 20 in their only regular-season meeting. The game was tied at 71 when Maryland guard Sean Mosley scored six quick points and Stoglin added two free throws to make it 79-71 with three minutes left. Williams scored 26 points, and Stoglin had 25 points and nine assists. For N.C. State, sophomore forward Scott Wood nailed five 3-pointers, Smith scored 19 points and Leslie had 18 points and eight rebounds. N.C. State shot a healthy 49.2 percent, while Maryland hit a torrid 58.2 percent. N.C. State owns a 17-7 all-time edge on neutral courts.

PREDICTION: Maryland 76, North Carolina State 65

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Virginia Tech Hokies (-5, 133.5)

THE STORY: Trying to avoid going to the NIT for a fourth straight season, No. 6-seeded Virginia Tech opens ACC Tournament play against No. 11 Georgia Tech on Thursday in Greensboro, N.C. The Hokies have dropped two straight since their rousing upset of top-ranked Duke on Feb. 26. The Yellow Jackets have won two straight following eight straight ACC losses. These teams split their regular-season meetings, each winning convincingly at home. The game pits Virginia Tech senior Malcolm Delaney, an All-ACC first team guard, against Georgia Tech’s All-ACC second team guard, junior Iman Shumpert.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: In Georgia Tech’s 72-57 home win on Jan. 25, Shumpert nearly had a quadruple-double (22 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, seven steals) and frustrated Delaney into 3-of-11 shooting with eight turnovers. Delaney returned the favor in Blacksburg, Va., on Feb. 13 with 33 points in a 102-77 rout. One big difference was Delaney’s ability to get to the foul line. He shot two free throws in the first matchup, 14 in the rematch.

PREDICTION: Georgia Tech 59, Virginia Tech 55

SEC Tournament: Day 1 Preview and Picks

Georgia Bulldogs vs. Auburn Tigers (-11.5, 125.5)

THE STORY: Georgia won 20 games for the first time since 2002, but the Bulldogs probably need to win a couple of tournament games to ensure themselves a place in the NCAA playoffs. Georgia won six of its last 10 games, but an out-of-conference loss to Xavier and a season-ending defeat at Alabama have the Bulldogs on the bubble. There are teams the Dogs would probably rather be playing than Auburn, which ended the season by winning its last two games via tremendous comebacks. The Tigers almost added Georgia to its list of victims in early February, fighting back from a four-point deficit with only 13.7 seconds left to send the game into overtime.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Georgia won the only meeting between the two clubs this year, beating the Tigers 81-72 in overtime in Athens. Georgia has beaten Auburn the last three times they've met in the SEC Tournament, most recently 80-65 in 2007. Perhaps the most famous game was the four-overtime contest in 1979, which remains the longest game in the history of the SEC Tournament.

PREDICTION: Georgia 69, Auburn 67

Mississippi Rebels vs. South Carolina Gamecocks (+4, 139)

THE STORY: Mississippi may go just as far as all-SEC guard Chris Warren can carry them. And he’ll have to carry the Rebels to four wins in four nights - starting Thursday against South Carolina in the first round of the SEC tournament - if they intend to make the NCAA field. Other than Warren, the Rebels have been plagued by inconsistency this season, particularly from its post players. Ole Miss enters the tournament with confidence with two wins in its last three games, but continues to look for more reliability on defense. South Carolina has lost 12 of its last 14 games.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: South Carolina beat Ole Miss 79-73 in Columbia on Feb. 22 as Ole Miss blew a 14-point lead with six minutes left. A key was South Carolina's bench, which led by Ramon Galloway's 15 points outscored the Ole Miss reserves 23-6. South Carolina also made 20 of 22 free throws.

PREDICTION: Ole Miss 74, South Carolina 71

Tennessee Volunteers vs. Arkansas Razorbacks (+6, 132.5)

THE STORY: Tennessee, the fourth seed out of the rugged SEC East, has played the nation’s second-toughest schedule and has an RPI in the 30s. But the Volunteers could place themselves on the bubble by losing Thursday’s SEC Tournament opener against Arkansas in Atlanta. The Razorbacks, the SEC West’s fifth seed, defeated Tennessee by three in Fayetteville in their only regular-season matchup.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Arkansas won 68-65 at home in the SEC opener for both teams on Jan. 8. Senior forward Delvon Johnson scored 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, and the Razorbacks overcame a 37-20 rebounding deficit by hitting 6 of 13 from beyond the arc. Clarke drained four of those 3-pointers. Harris had a game-high 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Vols. The rebounding disparity was not an anomaly. Arkansas ranks last in the SEC in rebounding margin (-2.8). Tennessee has won eight of the last 12 in the series, but the Hogs hold a 4-3 edge on neutral courts.

PREDICTION: Tennessee 71, Arkansas 68

LSU Tigers vs. Vanderbilt Commordores (-13.5, 133)

THE STORY: No. 24 Vanderbilt, the No. 3 seed out of the SEC East, goes for its sixth straight win over LSU when the teams meet Thursday in the first round of the conference tournament. The Tigers, the SEC West’s No. 6 seed, have lost 13 of 14. Vanderbilt ranks second in the SEC in scoring (76.7) while LSU ranks last (62.6). With a relatively easy road to the tournament semifinals, the Commodores have a good chance to improve their NCAA seeding.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: In their only regular-season meeting, Vanderbilt won 90-69 in Baton Rouge on Feb. 26 as junior forward Jeffery Taylor scored 20 on 6-of-8 shooting. He was one of five Commodores in double figures. Vanderbilt shot 54.4 percent overall and 45.5 percent (10 of 22) from 3-point range. LSU got 24 points from junior forward Storm Warren and 18 from Turner, but hit only 5 of 22 3-pointers.

PREDICTION: Vanderbilt 79, LSU 64

Big Ten Tournament: Day 1 Preview and Picks

Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Northwestern Wildcats (-1, 132.5)

THE STORY: A pair of teams who started the season in promising fashion before going cold will do battle when Minnesota and Northwestern meet in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday afternoon. Barring a championship run over the weekend by the winner, both the ninth-seeded Golden Gophers and eighth-seeded Wildcats will likely be heading for the NIT.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: The teams split their two regular-season meetings, with the home club winning each time. Minnesota earned an 81-70 win over the Wildcats back on Jan. 26, their final win before the current tailspin began. This marks the fifth meeting between the two schools in the Big Ten Tournament, with Northwestern's lone victory coming in 2003.

PREDICTION: Minnesota 65, Northwestern 61

Michigan State Spartans vs. Iowa Hawkeyes (+7, 130)

THE STORY: Michigan State will be working toward securing an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament when it faces Iowa in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday. The Spartans, ranked No. 2 nationally in the preseason after two straight Final Four runs, have stumbled to the finish, dropping eight of their final 13 games. Iowa, meanwhile, is looking to play spoiler again after finishing the regular season with a 67-65 upset of then-No. 6 Purdue on Saturday.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Iowa and Michigan State split their two meetings in the regular season, with both teams winning handily on their home court. The Hawkeyes rolled to a 72-52 victory on Feb. 2, while the Spartans pulled away for an 85-66 win a month later. Iowa has won the last two tournament meetings, toppling Michigan State in 2005 and 2006.

PREDICTION: Michigan State 88, Iowa 75

Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Indiana Hoosiers (+4.5, 128.5)

THE STORY: Penn State begins a last-ditch effort to get into the NCAA Tournament at-large discussion when it faces last-place Indiana in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday. The Nittany Lions finished in the middle of the conference standings at 9-9, but they have been slotted for an NIT bid by most prognosticators since opening February with a three-game losing streak. Indiana will be looking to avoid finishing its season with a ninth consecutive defeat.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Penn State won the lone meeting 69-60 at Bloomington, Ind., in the Big Ten opener on Dec. 27. Jeff Brooks scored a career-high 23 points and Battle added 19.

PREDICTION: Penn State 58, Indiana 53

Big East Tournament: Day 3 Preview and Picks

Connecticut Huskies vs. Pittsburgh Panthers

THE STORY: Connecticut has looked impressive so far in the Big East tournament, but it hasn't seen anything like what top-seeded Pittsburgh will bring. The ninth-seeded Huskies played in each of the first two rounds and have used that time to recover some of the momentum they lost coming down the stretch in the regular season. The Panthers earned a double-bye all the way to the quarterfinals, where they will look to kick off a title run against Connecticut at Madison Square Garden in New York on Thursday.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: The Panthers got the better of Connecticut 78-63 at Pittsburgh in the Big East opener for both teams on Dec. 27. Walker scored 31 points on 10-of-27 shooting while Gibbs led a move balanced attack for the Panthers with 21 points and seven assists.

PREDICTION: Pitt 73, UConn 69

St. John's Red Storm vs. Syracuse Orange

THE STORY: Suddenly back on the map and fighting for strong seeding in the NCAA Tournament, fourth-seeded Syracuse is hoping to carry a sizzling finish to regular season into success at the Big East Championship when it kicks off its run in the quarterfinals against fifth-seeded St. John’s on Thursday. The Red Storm had a pretty nice finish to their regular season as well but barely escaped in the second round on Wednesday to advance.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: The Orange took the lone meeting between the schools, 76-59, on Jan. 12, becoming the only team to beat the Red Storm at Madison Square Garden this season. Kris Joseph scored 18 points and Jackson added 12 and 10 rebounds for Syracuse while Justin Brownlee led St. John’s with 13 points.

PREDICTION: Syracuse 78, St. John's 68

Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

THE STORY: Another March, another Cincinnati team right on the cusp. Not on the cusp of making the NCAA tournament - its spot figures to be already secured after a 87-61 victory over South Florida on Wednesday - but on the verge of breaking into the Big East’s elite. The Bearcats turned in their best Big East finish - seventh - in the regular season although they were 0-3 against the top three teams. They’ll get a chance to avenge one of those losses in the Big East quarterfinals Thursday against Notre Dame, which has only one blemish on its schedule since Jan. 16. The Irish could themselves be on the verge of a No. 1 seed in the NCAAs.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Notre Dame shot 50 percent from 3-point range in its 66-58 victory Jan. 19 in South Bend. Cincinnati held HanXXXough to 1 of 8 from the field, but he was 11 for 12 from the free throw line as the starting lineup reached double figures. Gates’ lack of hustle put him in Mick Cronin’s doghouse at that point in the season, as he and Dixon were a combined 10 of 26 from the field against the Irish.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 70, Cincinnati 64

Marquette Golden Eagles vs. Louisville Cardinals

THE STORY: Marquette coach Buzz Williams said he didn’t want to leave any doubt in the minds of the NCAA Tournament selection committee. After two wins in two days at Madison Square Garden, including Wednesday’s 67-61 upset of defending champion West Virginia, it’s fair to say the Golden Eagles are squarely off the bubble and in contention for their first Big East tournament title. But they’ll have to knock off third-seeded Louisville on Thursday to keep that dream alive.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Knowles hit Kyle Kuric for a game-winning layup in the final seconds to close a 24-5 run and a 71-70 comeback victory over Marquette on Jan. 15. It marked the first of a long stretch in which the Golden Eagles blew large second-half leads. The emergence of their bench, which scored 24 straight points one point Wednesday, has put a stop to the letdowns.

PREDICTION: Louisville 77, Marquette 69