Tuesday's Best NCAAB Bets
No. 14 Memphis Tigers at No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks (-12, 150)
The Kansas Jayhawks have one of the most explosive offenses in the nation and have four players scoring in double-digits just about every night, but they’re coming off a major scare against UCLA last week.
With the game tied and no time left on the clock, Mario Little was awarded a pair of free-throws to push Kansas to a 77-76 with the Jayhawks favored by 17.5 points. Kansas couldn’t cover the number in the clubs game before that either, winning 87-79 over Arizona as a 9-point favorite.
The Big Apple hasn’t been kind to the Jayhawks either. They have lost their last two trips to Madison Square Garden as they get ready to take part in the Jimmy V Classic.
"We don't trick it up much and Memphis doesn't either," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "But in the NCAA tournament you are always worried about a style you won't see till the NCAA tournament and Memphis is that way with its incredibly athletic team."
The Tigers are one team that go bucket-for-bucket with the Jayhawks and the Tigers’ energy should keep this one close as Kansas continues to work the kinks out.
Pick: Memphis
No. 8 Michigan State Spartans at No. 7 Syracuse Orange (1.5, 137)
The Michigan State Spartans know one thing about Tuesday’s big test against the Syracuse Orange – they’d better get ready to face a nasty zone defense.
“You pretty much know you’re going to face a 2-3 zone, with a 7-footer, a 6-10 and a 6-7,” Spartans junior forward Draymond Green told mlive.com. “So you always know that about Syracuse. But their zone will be longer and it’s not going to have any gaps.”
Not like the zone that the Spartans just saw from Bowling Green in a 74-39 blowout on Saturday. Even still, Michigan State had problems with that defense in the first half when they shot just 8-of-27 from the floor. The Spartans figured it out in the second half, but Tuesday’s game in New York will be a huge test for Tom Izzo’s bunch.
The Orange are giving up only 58.9 points per game and their defense will be on display Tuesday at MSG.
Pick: Under
Kansas, Memphis tip Tuesday's Jimmy V Classic
By: Adam Markowitz
Two Aprils ago, the Kansas Jayhawks and Memphis Tigers squared off in an epic NCAA Tournament Final which the Jayhawks won by eight in OT. Last year, they met at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, where Rock Chalk tamed the Tigers by a deuce.
Now, the two squads will meet on another big stage under the bright lights at Madison Square Garden in a Tuesday night college basketball betting fight. The game opens the Jimmy V Classic and tips the ESPN doubleheader at 4 p.m. PT with Michigan State and Syracuse the second contest.
The Tigers haven't been the greatest team this season for beating the odds, as they are just 2-4 ATS in spite of the fact that they have a perfect 7-0 SU record. They are coming off of a real beat down of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers though, in the best defensive effort against a legitimate team this season, winning 77-61 at FedEx Forum.
Offense certainly hasn't been the problem with all seven Memphis foes seeing at least 70 points dropped on them. A scoring average of 85.3 PPG is good enough to rank No. 9 in the country.
There's no doubt that there are going to be plenty of bodies coming off of the bench on a regular basis for Memphis in this one. No one is averaging more than 27 minutes per game, and 10 are averaging at least 13 minutes per game. Nine of the 10 are averaging at least 5.6 PPG.
Wesley Witherspoon leads the team with 13.7 PPG, and is shooting a blistering 60.5 percent from the field to lead in that category as well. Joe Jackson (12.1 PPG) and Will Barton (11.9 PPG) are the only other two men that are averaging double digits in scoring per game.
If Memphis has a flaw that can be exploited, it is on the glass. This is a team that doesn't have a single man averaging more than 5.0 RPG, and the team is averaging 38.3 RPG. Though that is still almost six boards per night more than the opposition is averaging, the Tigers haven't played against competition like this in the past.
Kansas is still a few games away from getting freshman sensation Josh Selby in the lineup, but head coach Bill Self really might not need him in the rotation.
It's hard to argue with a team that is averaging 89.9 PPG and is shooting 56.9 percent from the floor as a team. Those marks are No. 3 and No. 1 in the NCAA respectively. Think that defense is a problem? Think again. Teams are scoring just 59.4 PPG and are connecting on just 23.4 percent of their three point attempts.
KU has shown some deficiencies of late that it would like to correct. Giving up 79 points on a neutral court to the Arizona Wildcats and needing a foul in the dying seconds to keep its home court winning streak alive against the UCLA Bruins definitely doesn't give the Jayhawks the look of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. However, the talent level is clearly unmatched by most teams in the country.
There are probably at least four legitimate NBA prospects on this team, not including when Selby enters the fold. Marcus and Markieff Morris are surefire draft choices when they come out. They are combining to average 30.5 points and 15.4 boards per game. Tyshawn Taylor is phenomenal as well at 10.4 PPG and 6.8 APG. Don't forget about Tyrel Reed either, as he is a sparkplug that is averaging 10.1 PPG.
The Jayhawks are a whopping 38-17-1 ATS in their last 56 games against teams with a winning percentage of at least .600, and they are 6-2 ATS in their last eight against Conference USA foes. Memphis meanwhile, is 5-2 ATS in its last seven against the Big XII, but is just 3-13 ATS in its last 16 games played outside of Conference USA.
Spartans, Orange accent NCAA betting slate
By: Brad Young
Powerhouse programs Michigan State and Syracuse collide under the bright lights at Madison Square Garden Tuesday night for the 2010 Jimmy V Classic.
The sixth-ranked Spartans (6-2 straight up, 4-4 against the college basketball spread) continue to play a tough non-conference schedule in preparation for Big Ten play. Michigan State has already traveled to top-ranked Duke, while playing UConn and Washington at a neutral site.
Seventh-ranked Syracuse (8-0 SU, 2-6 ATS) hasn’t scheduled the quality of teams the Spartans have so far this season. The Orange have had a pair of neutral-site games against Michigan and Georgia Tech, but most of their schedule has been against mid-major programs.
Don Best's Real-Time Odds lists this matchup as a ‘pick,’ with no total posted. ESPN will provide coverage of this contest beginning at 6 p.m. PT from New York’s Madison Square Garden. Memphis and Kansas meet in the first game that tips at 4 p.m.
Michigan State rebounded from its loss to Duke to throttle an overmatched Bowling Green team Saturday as a 26 ½-point home ‘chalk,’ 74-39. The combined 113 points never seriously threatened the 133 ½-point closing total, helping the ‘under’ improve to 4-1 the previous five outings. The Spartans are now 3-1 ATS their last four games.
Michigan State took control of the contest by outscoring the Falcons in the second half, 49-20. The Spartans finished the contest by shooting 46 percent (26-of-57) from the field, and 43 percent (12-of-28) from 3-point land. Coach Tom Izzo’s squad also enjoyed sizeable advantages in rebounding, 48-24, and assists, 48-24.
Guard Durrell Summers led all scorers with 14 points, while forward Delvon Roe contributed 10 and seven rebounds. Forward Draymond Green provided 10 and 12 in 23 minutes, with guard Korie Lucious adding eight points and six assists.
Syracuse continued its winning ways by holding off North Carolina State Saturday as a 12-point home favorite, 65-59. The combined 124 points failed to eclipse the 141-point closing total, helping the ‘under’ improve to 5-1 the last six outings.
The Orange actually trailed by six points midway through the second half before holding the Wolfpack without a field goal the final 7:20. Syracuse prevailed despite shooting a dismal 38 percent (23-of-60) from the field, and 13 percent (2-of-16) from behind the arc.
Guard Scoop Jardine paced the offense with 23 points, six rebounds and six assists, while forward Rick Jackson added 16 and eight. The team recorded the victory by producing 28 points off of NC State’s 19 turnovers.
Michigan State and Syracuse have not met on the basketball court since 2004 when the Orange prevailed as four-point home ‘chalk,’ 96-83. The ‘over’ is 3-1 the previous four meetings between these schools.
Michigan State follows this matchup with non-conference home games against Oakland and Prairie View. The Spartans are 16-33-2 ATS their last 51 Tuesday games, while the ‘under’ is 19-7 the previous 26 Tuesday matchups.
Syracuse returns to its easy early-season slate after this contest with home games against Colgate, Iona, Morgan State and Drexel. The Orange are 10-1 ATS their past 11 Tuesday games. Syracuse has seen the ‘over’ go 14-5 the last 19 neutral-site games.
Tips and Trends
Memphis Tigers vs. Kansas Jayhawks
TIGERS: Memphis is off to a great start to their season, as they are 7-0 SU and ranked 14th in the nation. Memphis lost to the Jayhawks in the NCAA Championship game in 2008, as well as losing last year in Coach Pastner's 2nd game as the coach of the Tigers. Memphis is 2-4 ATS this year, with tonight marking the first time they've been the listed underdog this season. Three different Tigers players are averaging double digits in PTS, led by F Wesley Witherspoon. Witherspoon is averaging 13.7 PPG and 5 RPG this season. G Joe Jackson is averaging 12.1 PPG and a team high 4.3 APG this year. The Tigers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games against the Big 12. Memphis is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS win. The Tigers are 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 Tuesday games. The Tigers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games. Memphis is 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games following a SU win.
Tigers are 3-13 ATS last 16 non-conference games.
Under is 4-1 last 5 games against a team with a winning percentage above .600%.
Key Injuries - G Preston Laird (knee) is questionable.
Projected Score: 74 (SIDE of the Day)
JAYHAWKS: (-11.5, O/U 150) Kansas has been dominant offensively this year, averaging 89.8 PPG thanks to a D1 leading 56.9% from the field. The Jayhawks are 7-0 SU and 3-2 ATS overall this season. Kansas has struggled when playing at Madison Square Garden, as they've lost their past 3 games SU there. Kansas has played 2 nailbiters in their past 2 games, losing ATS to both Arizona and UCLA. F Marcus Morris is averaging a team high 18.6 PPG this year for Kansas. F Markieff Morris is averaging 11.9 PPG and a team high 9.1 RPG for the Jayhawks. All but 1 of the Jayhawks that is playing more than 10 minutes per contest are shooting better than 50% from the field. The Jayhawks are 38-17-1 ATS in their last 56 games against a team with a winning percentage above .600%. Kansas is 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games following an ATS loss. The Jayhawks are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 Tuesday games.
Jayhawks are 6-2 ATS last 8 games against the Conference USA.
Over is 5-2 last 7 non-conference games.
Key Injuries - G Josh Selby (eligibility) is out.
Projected Score: 78
College Basketball Knowledge
St Bonaventure is 4-2, 1-2 as underdog, losing at Canisius by 10, by 18 at Cleveland State; Bonnies lost 69-68 to St John's LY. Red Storm won last five games after losing opener at St Mary's, but only one of the wins is by more than 13 points. A-14 double digit road underdogs are 4-3 vs spread. Big East double digit home favorites are 15-13.
Kansas needed friendly last-second whistle at home to nip UCLA last week; Jayhawks are 7-0, winning last couple games by 1 over UCLA, 8 over Arizona- they're 3-2 as a favorite. Memphis is 7-0, is underdog for first time this season; they're 1-4 vs spread as favorite. Big 12 favorites are 5-10 vs spread on road. C-USA double digit road dogs are 3-1.
Underdog is 4-0 vs spread in Marshall's lined games this year, as Herd is 0-2 as favorite, though they did win last two games by 9-8 points. James Madison is 6-2, but got upset in CAA opener at Georgia State over the weekend. CAA road dogs of 8 or less points are 8-5 vs spread. C-USA single digit home favorites are 2-7-1 against the spread.
Old Dominion is 5-2 after getting upset at Delaware in CAA opener last Saturday; Monarchs have wins over Clemson/Xavier/Richmond. CAA road favorites are 5-2 vs spread. East Carolina is 5-2 vs D-I teams under new coach Lebo, but they're 0-2 as underdog, losing at NC State by 20, vs Charlotte by 11. C-USA home underdogs are 3-1 vs spread.
Home team won last eight Georgia-Georgia Tech games; Dawgs lost last four visits here by 5-9-36-6 points. Georgia is 5-2; they've already been in five games decided by 3 or less points, or in OT. Dawgs are 0-2 as a dog, losing by 6 in double OT to Notre Dame, by 7 to Temple. Single digit SEC road dogs are 7-4-1; ACC single digit home favorites are 5-4.
Home side is 6-2 in last eight Northern Iowa-Iowa games; Panthers lost three of last four visits here, losing by 19-3-9 points. Iowa is just 4-4 so far this year, 1-4 vs spread as favorite. UNI is 2-2 vs D-I teams, losing by 22 at Syracuse (+11), 2 at Milwaukee (-2.5), winning by 4 at TCU (+3.5). MVC road dogs of less than 8 points are 9-6 vs spread.
Pepperdine is just 3-5, but they're 5-0 vs spread as underdog, with three SU wins. Utah is 4-2 vs D-I teams, covering three of four as favorite; Utes lost at Pepperdine 76-64 LY, even though Waves wound up ranked 289th in country. MVC double digit home favorites are 2-6 vs spread; WCC double digit road dogs are also 2-6.
Long Beach State is 5-4, but just handed Boise State first loss of season Sunday; 49ers are 2-3 as an underdog, losing at Washington by 27 (+18) before win at Boise (+8). Big West double digit road dogs are 6-8 against spread this year. Utah State is 5-2, covering one of three as a home fave. WAC double digit home favorites are 3-4 against the spread.
Purdue is 7-1 despite being banged-up, winning only road game by 3 at Virginia Tech; they lost by 11 to Richmond on neutral floor. Valparaiso is 4-2 vs D-I teams are winning pair of Horizon League games, by 2 at UIC, by 10 at Loyola. Crusaders are 2-1 as a dog. Big 11 road favorites of 8 or less points are 5-7. Horizon League home underdogs are 6-0.
Michigan State is 6-2, losing to UConn by 3 on Maui (-6), at Duke by 5 (+10) last week; Spartans'only road win so far is by 5 over Wichita out in Maui Classic. Big 11 road teams are 6-14 vs spread if number is 7 or less; Big East single digit road underdogs are 7-3 vs spread. Syracuse is 8-0 (2-6 as favorite), but they have four wins by 6 or less points.
Fresno State is 0-5 vs D-I teams, but they're favored here for first time this season; they've already lost four road games. San Diego is 0-6 vs D-I teams, losing last three games by 29-8-14 points. WAC favorites of 7 or less points are 10-3 vs spread, 3-1 on road. WCC underdogs of 7 or less points are 9-12 vs spread, 2-4 at home.
Third game in five nights for 2-6 Marist squad that won pair of league games as home dogs over weekend; Red Foxes are 0-3 on the road, losing at Villanova by 37 (+27), Boston U by 21, Wake Forest by 22 (+14.5). 4-2 Rutgers has only one win by more than 15 points. MAAC double digit road dogs are 8-9. Big East double digit home favorites are 16-13.
Sacramento State is 1-5 vs D-I teams, losing last two games by 48-25 points; WCC home favorites are 9-6, 3-0 if it is double digit spread. Big Sky road underdogs are 10-12 vs spread, 5-7 if spread is double digits. LMU is 2-5 vs D-I teams, upsetting Long Beach 80-77 (+6.5), beating Cal Poly 67-48 (-7.5). Lions are supposed to be better than this.