NCAAB News and Notes Tuesday 2/17

7:00 PM MICHIGAN STATE vs. PURDUE
Michigan State is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Michigan State is 16-2 SU in its last 18 games
Purdue is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Michigan State
Purdue is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Michigan State

7:00 PM OHIO vs. KENT STATE
Ohio is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Kent State
Ohio is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Kent State
Kent State is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Kent State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

7:00 PM PENNSYLVANIA vs. PRINCETON
Pennsylvania is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Princeton
Pennsylvania is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Princeton
Princeton is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Pennsylvania
Princeton is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Pennsylvania

7:30 PM MARYLAND vs. CLEMSON
Maryland is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Clemson
Maryland is 15-5 SU in its last 20 games when playing Clemson
Clemson is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games at home
Clemson is 22-3 SU in its last 25 games at home

8:00 PM AUSTIN PEAY vs. JACKSONVILLE STATE
Austin Peay is 4-1-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Austin Peay is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Jacksonville State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Austin Peay
Jacksonville State is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Austin Peay

8:00 PM EAST CAROLINA vs. SOUTHERN MISS
East Carolina is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
East Carolina is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games
Southern Miss is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing East Carolina
Southern Miss is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing East Carolina

8:00 PM MURRAY STATE vs. SE MISSOURI STATE
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Murray State's last 6 games on the road
Murray State is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
SE Missouri State is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Murray State
SE Missouri State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Murray State

8:00 PM NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL vs. KANSAS STATE
No trends available
Kansas State is 13-4 SU in its last 17 games at home
Kansas State is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games

8:00 PM SETON HALL vs. MARQUETTE
Seton Hall is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Marquette
Seton Hall is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Marquette
Marquette is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Marquette's last 6 games

8:05 PM EVANSVILLE vs. CREIGHTON
Evansville is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Creighton
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Evansville's last 5 games when playing Creighton
Creighton is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Creighton is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

8:05 PM MISSOURI STATE vs. BRADLEY
Missouri State is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Missouri State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Bradley is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games at home
Bradley is 19-5 SU in its last 24 games at home

9:00 PM KENTUCKY vs. VANDERBILT
Kentucky is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Kentucky is 18-5 SU in its last 23 games
Vanderbilt is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Kentucky
Vanderbilt is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Kentucky

10:00 PM NEW MEXICO vs. BYU
New Mexico is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing BYU
New Mexico is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing BYU
BYU is 22-3 SU in its last 25 games at home
BYU is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games

10:00 PM UTAH VALLEY STATE vs. SAN JOSE STATE
No trends available
San Jose State is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
San Jose State is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home

Tips and Trends

#6 Michigan State at #19 Purdue

Michigan State: The Spartans are a perfect 7-0 in true road games this season and have not played since last Tuesday's 54-42 win at Michigan. “Believe me, we have a lot of games left and some tough ones, but this was a big step,” Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said after beating the Wolverines. Izzo's team went 5-14 on the road the previous two seasons and is now within one victory of matching the school record set back in 1978, which was Magic Johnson's freshman season.

Michigan State is 5-1 SU & ATS in its last 6 games overall.
The UNDER is 12-2 in Michigan State's last 14 Tuesday games.

Key Injuries - F Raymar Morgan (mononucleosis) is probable.

PROJECTED SCORE: 61 (UNDER - Total Play of the Day)

Purdue (-3, O/U 128): The Boilermakers have won the last two home meetings with Michigan State and own a 12-2 record at Mackey Arena this season. The two losses have come to Illinois and Duke, and Purdue is 19-0 when allowing 64 points or less this year. “You have to hang your hat on defense because you’re going to have nights like this where the ball doesn’t go in,” Purdue head coach Matt Painter said following a 49-45 win at Iowa. “If you can consistently get stops late in the game you’re going to give yourself a chance and we did that.”

Favorite is 9-3 ATS in the last 12 meetings.
The UNDER is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings.

Key Injuries - F Robbie Hummel (back) is probable.

PROJECTED SCORE: 63

Kentucky at Vanderbilt

Kentucky (-1, O/U 135): The Wildcats were able to rely on leading scorer Jodie Meeks in a 79-63 victory at Arkansas on Saturday, as he enjoyed his second-highest scoring game of the season. Meeks totaled 45 points against the Razorbacks to help overcome the loss of Patrick Patterson, who sat out with a sprained ankle. “Jodie Meeks was fantastic,” Kentucky head coach Billy Gillispie said. “I didn’t know he had that many points." He scored a career-high 54 points at Tennessee back on January 13th.

Kentucky is 10-4 ATS in the last 14 meetings.
The UNDER is 15-7 in Kentucky's last 22 games vs. SEC.

Key Injuries - C Patrick Patterson (ankle) is questionable.

PROJECTED SCORE: 70 (Side Play of the Day)

Vanderbilt: The Commodores saw their three-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday with a 69-50 loss at Tennessee. They shot just 39 percent from the field and trailed 26-18 at halftime after shooting nearly 52 percent in their previous four. “I did not think we competed at the level we normally are used to our guys competing,” Vandy head coach Kevin Stalling said. “I thought we, for the first time, did not really fight like we normally fight, and that was disappointing.”

Vandy is 2-7-1 ATS in its last 10 games overall.
The UNDER is 8-3-1 in Vandy's last 12 home games..

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 65

NCAAB Today

Notes on today's games.

Michigan State won five of last six games; they're 2-4 as home favorite in Big 11, losing to Northwestern, Penn State, but winning last two home games by 29-28 points. Spartans allowed 47-47-42 points in last three games, holding all three foes under 35% from floor. Purdue scored 49-48 points in last two road games, but they did get Hummel back Saturday.

Kent (+2.5) lost 71-65 at Ohio Jan 11, getting outscored 16-6 on at foul line in game they led 30-26 at half; Golden Flashes won last six games, are 3-2 as MAC home favorite, winning home games by 24-22-28-4 pts. Ohio lost last four road games by 4-7-7-14 points; they're 2-1 as a road dog this season. MAC home favorites are 27-18 against the spread.

Princeton was leading Ivy until losing by 12-18 points on road at Brown Yale over weekend, scoring just 45.5 ppg- they've won their two home games in Ivy by 20-28 points. Road team is 5-1 in Penn's (3-3) league games; Quakers won three of four on road, winning by 6-21-5 pts. Ivy League home favorites are 7-11 against spread so far this season.

Quick turnaround for Clemson, which botched end of game at Virginia on Sunday, losing in OT as 8.5-point favorite; Tigers are 2-2 as home fave in ACC games, winning at home by 12-14-27, but losing to Wake Forest, Florida State. Maryland won three of last four games (3-1 vs spread) are 3-1-1 as road underdog, losing away games by 2-3-41-17 points.

Marquette ended two-game skid with 14-point win over St John's in last game; they're 4-2 as Big East home favorite, winning at home by 7-34-9- 22-12-14 points. Seton Hall had five-game win streak snapped Saturday by UConn (62-54); Pirates covered eight of last ten games, are 3-1 as a Big East road underdog, losing away games by 24-9-15 points.

Southern Mississippi (-2.5) lost 82-79 at East Carolina 13 days ago, as Pirates committed just five turnovers, made 12-29 from arc. USM lost last five games; they're 2-4 as C-USA favorite, 1-2 at home- they've won home games by 7-5 points (2-3 SU). ECU is 1-3 as C-USA dog on road, losing away games by 8-18-6-9 points. C-USA home favorites: 20-18.

Creighton (-1.5) won 79-57 at Evansville Jan 20, shooting 56.6% from floor, making 10-18 from arc (Aces were 1-12). Bluejays won six games in row, covering last five; they're 3-4 as MVC home favorite, winning at home by 12-1-11-24-14 points (lost to Drake, No Iowa). Evansville lost three of last four games; they're 2-3-1 as a Missouri Valley road dog.

Bradley (+3) won 63-57 at Missouri State Jan 3, holding Bears to 29.7% from floor; Braves lost four of last five games, are 4-1 as home favorite in MVC, winning in Peoria by 16-4-12-15-7 points, losing to Creighton, No Iowa. State lost three in row, six of last seven games; they're 3-4 as a MVC road dog, losing away games by 18-5-14-12-11-1-24 points.

Vanderbilt (+8) lost 70-60 at Kentucky in SEC opener Jan 10, shooting 31.6% from floor; Commodores won three of last four games, are 3-2 at home in SEC, losing by 13-25 to Tennessee/Florida, but winning its last two at home. Kentucky won by 16 at Arkansas without Patterson; they are 4-1 on SEC road, losing only at Ole Miss (85-80).

BYU (even) got smoked 81-62 at New Mexico Jan 17, but Cougars won last four games overall, all by 16+ points- they're 2-3 as MWC favorite at home, winning in Provo by 12-6-24-34 points, losing only to UNLV. New Mexico won three in row, seven of last nine games; they're 3-1 as MWC dog, 2-1 on road, losing away games by 2-1-5 points.

SE Missouri State is 0-15 in Ohio Valley- they lost 80-55 at Murray St. Jan 24 (+18.5); SEMo is 2-5 as OVC home underdog, losing home games by 24-11-20-14-6-3-10-16 points. Racers won three in row, six of last seven games; they're 4-4 on OVC road, with wins by 8-7-30-6 points. OVC home underdogs are just 5-10 against the spread.

Jacksonville State (+9.5) lost 86-80 at Austin Peay Jan 24, in game that saw both teams make 53%+ from floor and take 32 FTs. Gamecocks lost last three games by 10-25-3 points; they're 2-4 as OVC home fave, 3-4 SU at home- they covered seven of last nine games. Peay lost four of its last six games, bit they've won six of eight Ohio Valley road games.

(6) Michigan State (20-4, 12-8-1 ATS) at (19) Purdue (19-6, 10-11 ATS)

Two of the top three teams in the Big Ten get together for the first time this season, as Michigan State takes a three-game SU and ATS winning streak to Mackay Arena for a showdown with Purdue.

The Spartans have destroyed their last three opponents (Minnesota, Indiana and Michigan) by an average of 23 points per game while giving up 47, 47 and 42 points in the three victories – their three lowest point totals allowed this season. Most recently, Michigan State pounded Michigan 54-42 a week ago tonight, cashing as a four-point road chalk. Tom Izzo’s squad is on a 5-1 SU and ATS roll, with all five victories coming by 15 points or more. Additionally, it has won all six of its Big Ten roadies (5-0-1 ATS).

Purdue survived a grind-it-out tussle at Iowa on Saturday, winning 49-45 but coming up just short as a five-point road chalk. Although the Boilermakers were held to their second lowest point total of the season, they shot 46.5 percent from the field and held the Hawkeyes to just 36.2 percent, and they had a 29-23 rebounding edge. Purdue has followed up consecutive losses with two straight wins (1-1 ATS) and is 8-2 SU in its last 10 (6-4 ATS), allowing an average of just 57.8 ppg during this 10-game stretch.

Michigan State has a 1½-game lead over Illinois and a two-game edge on Purdue in the Big Ten standings with a 10-2 record (7-4-1 ATS), and its six conference road wins have been by an average of 11 ppg. Purdue is 8-4 in conference (6-6 ATS), and since opening league play with a four-point overtime home loss to Illinois, the Boilermakers are on a 4-0 SU and ATS run at Mackay Arena.

The home team has won four straight meetings in this rivalry (3-1 ATS) and is 7-1 SU in the last eight (5-3 ATS). However, Purdue has cashed in each of the last four series clashes, including both meetings last year – a 60-54 home win as a 1½-point home chalk and a 78-75 road setback as a 13-point underdog. Finally, the favorite has gotten the money in nine of the last 12 battles.

The Spartans are on ATS runs of 5-1 overall, 6-0-1 on the road, 4-1 against winning teams and 11-4 after holding their previous opponent to less than 50 points, but they’ve failed to cash in four of their last five on Tuesday. In addition to its 4-0 ATS run at home, Purdue is 28-12-1 ATS in its last 41 against Big Ten rivals, but the Boilermakers are 0-for-5 this season as a favorite of less than five points.

The under is 7-1 in the last eight meetings in this rivalry and 6-1 in the last seven clashes at Mackay Arena. Additionally, the under is on streaks of 12-2 for Michigan State on Tuesday, 6-2 for Michigan State versus winning teams, 4-1 for the Boilermakers overall and 5-2 for the Boilermakers at home.

ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER

Maryland (16-8, 9-7-2 ATS) at (13) Clemson (20-4, 9-9-1 ATS)

Two days after suffering an embarrassing loss at last-place Virginia, Clemson goes back to work when it hosts ACC rival Maryland, which is looking for a marquee win to enhance its NCAA Tournament resume.

The Tigers took the court as an eight-point road favorite Sunday in Charlottesville, Va., but departed with an 85-81 overtime loss. Since starting the season with 16 consecutive wins, Clemson has split its last eight contests both SU and ATS, with the winner covering the spread in each game. Much of the blame for the Tigers’ struggles has been defense, as they’ve surrendered 80.5 ppg in their four losses, compared with 63.2 ppg in their 20 victories.

Maryland has won two in row and three of its last four (3-1 ATS), including Saturday’s 83-73 rout of Virginia Tech, cashing as a 3½-point home favorite. The Terps’ recent surge comes on the heels of a 1-4 slump (2-3 ATS), all in conference play.

Clemson is in a four-way tie for third place in the ACC at 6-4 (5-4-1 ATS), including 3-2 at home (2-2-1 ATS). Maryland is one game back at 5-5 SU and ATS, including 1-4 SU and 3-2 ATS on the highway.

The Tigers are on a 5-2 SU and ATS run in this rivalry, including a 73-70 road win as a one-point favorite in last year’s lone meeting. The winner has covered the spread in each of the last 10 series battles, and the road team and the underdog have both cashed in four of the last six.

The Terps are on pointspread surges of 4-2 on the road, 5-1-1 after a SU victory and 5-2 against winning teams, but they’re 2-5-1 ATS in their last eight after a non-cover. Clemson is 4-2 ATS in its last six overall and 9-4-1 ATS in its last 14 at home versus teams with a losing road record.

The over is 6-1 in the last seven head-to-head matchups between these schools and is on further runs of 5-2-1 for Maryland overall (all in the ACC), 4-1 for Maryland after a spread-cover, 4-1 for Maryland against winning teams and 6-1 for Clemson against winning teams. On the flip side, the under is 10-5 in the Terps’ last 15 roadies and 8-0 in the Tigers’ last eight at home.

ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE

GAMETIMEPICKS.COM

Super Tuesday
By B Edwards

Gamblers have 12 games on tonight's college hoops card. Let’s take a look at three televised contests from the Big Ten, ACC and SEC. In addition, we'll offer a few thoughts on last night's heavyweight battle between UConn and Pitt.

**Michigan State at Purdue**

--Due to the uncertain status of Purdue’s Robbie Hummel and Michigan State’s Raymar Morgan, Las Vegas Sports Consultants did not release an overnight line. However, VegasInsider.com was able to find out what the oddsmakers were initially thinking for this contest. Kenny White, LVSC’s Chief Executive Officer, personally make the game a pick ‘em, while the rest of the oddsmakers had Purdue favored by anywhere between 1 ½ and 2 ½. The total was in the 125-130 range among LVSC’s five college basketball oddsmakers.

--Most betting shops had Purdue (19-6 straight up, 10-11 against the spread) as a 2 1/2-point 'chalk' early this morning.

--Purdue has won back-to-back games in response to a two-game losing slide. However, Matt Painter’s squad was unable to hook up its backers in Saturday’s 49-45 win at Iowa as a five-point road favorite. E’twaun Moore led the way against the Hawkeyes with 16 points, 10 rebounds and three assists.

--Hummel had missed three straight games before coming off the bench at Iowa and giving his club some minutes. Hummel has a hairline fracture in his lower back and has been playing in pain for most of the season. He was the Big Ten’s pre-season Player of the Year, but Hummel hasn’t been able to participate in a full practice since Dec. 20. In 24 minutes at Iowa, he was clearly rusty, making just 1-of-7 shots from the field and missing all five attempts from 3-point range. He finished with two points, four rebounds and two blocked shots.

--Michigan State (20-4 SU, 12-8-1 ATS) is hot at the right time, winning three straight games and five of its last six both SU and ATS. The Spartans are well rested coming into this spot, as they are off Tuesday’s 54-42 win at Michigan as four-point road ‘chalk.’ Delvon Roe had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the winners.

--While the Spartans have been off for a week, Purdue has played twice since then (on Wednesday and Saturday).

--Morgan has not dressed out the last three games and has missed all but 11 minutes of MSU’s last five outings. Even though he played limited minutes in four games due to walking pneumonia, Morgan still averages 12.3 points per game and 6.0 rebounds per contest. There is growing optimism that Morgan can return to the lineup against the Boilers, but bettors shouldn’t expect him to play major minutes if he can go.

--In ESPN.com’s latest “Bracketology” report released Monday by Joe Lunardi, Michigan St. is a No. 2 seed in the West region. Purdue is a fifth seed in the East region.

--The ‘under’ is 11-10 overall for Purdue, 7-4 in its home games. The Boilermakers have watched the ‘under’ go 4-1 in their last five assignments (regardless of venue).

--The ‘under’ is 12-9 overall for Michigan St. and has cashed in its last three outings.

--The ‘under’ has grinded out a profit at a 7-1 clip in the last eight head-to-head meetings between these Big Ten rivals. These schools have split the last four encounters, but the Boilers have taken the money in each of those meetings.

--ESPN will provide television coverage at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

**Maryland at Clemson**

--LVSC opened Clemson (20-4 SU, 9-9-1 ATS) as an 11-point favorite with a total of 144. As of early this morning, most sports books are listing the Tigers as 10 1/2-point favorites.

--In different ways, this is a crucial contest for both ACC schools. For Clemson, it can’t afford to drop a third game as a favorite in its last four contests. That would be costly in terms of the Tigers’ seeding come Selection Sunday. As for Maryland, it needs to make a strong late-season push in order to even be in the bubble conversation. A win on the road against a top-tier foe like Clemson is exactly what the Terps’ resume needs.

--Clemson bounced back nicely from a home loss to FSU two Saturdays ago by capturing an 87-77 victory at Boston College last week. However, Oliver Purnell’s team went down 85-81 Sunday at Virginia. The Tigers lost in overtime as eight-point road favorites. Terrence Oglesby scored a team-high 17 points in the losing effort.

--Clemson is 12-2 SU and 4-4-1 ATS at home this year. The Tigers are currently listed as a fourth seed in the West region by ESPN.com's Lunardi.

--Maryland (16-8 SU, 10-6-2 ATS) has won three of its last four games. Even better, the Terrapins have covered the spread in four consecutive outings, including Saturday’s dominant 83-73 triumph over Va. Tech as 3 ½-point home ‘chalk.’ Landon Milbourne was the catalyst with 23 points and six rebounds, as he connected on 8-of-11 attempts from the field.

--Gary Williams’ squad owns a 5-3 spread record as an underdog.

--The ‘under’ is just 10-9 overall for Clemson, but the Tigers have seen it cash at a lucrative 8-1 clip in their home games at Littlejohn Coliseum.

--The ‘under’ is 10-7-1 overall for Maryland.

--Clemson has had the better of this rivalry recently, winning five of the last seven encounters both SU and ATS. The ‘over’ is 6-1 in the last seven head-to-head meetings between these ACC adversaries.

--Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2.

**Kentucky at Vanderbilt**

--Just like the Purdue-MSU game, there was no overnight line from LVSC for this matchup because Kentucky’s Patrick Patterson is “questionable” with a sprained ankle. Patterson (17.8 PPG, 9.1 RPG) sprained his ankle in the second half of last Tuesday’s win over Florida and did not play Saturday at Arkansas.

--As of early this morning, most spots were listing Kentucky (18-7 SU, 11-8-1 ATS) as a 1 1/2-point favorite.

--UK was just fine without Patterson against the Razorbacks. Jodie Meeks erupted for a game-high 45 points on 17-of-24 shooting to lead the Wildcats to a 79-63 win as four-point road favorites. Meeks also had seven rebounds, three steals and two assists. He leads the SEC and is fourth in the nation in scoring with a 25.8 PPG average.

--Billy Gillispie’s team has won back-to-back games since going through a three-game losing streak. However, the ‘Cats are still in the midst of a 2-5 ATS slump. They are listed as a No. 10 seed in the West region in Lunardi's latest Bracketology report.

--Vanderbilt (15-9 SU, 8-12-1 ATS) saw its three-game winning streak snapped in Saturday’s 69-50 blowout loss at Tennessee as a 10 ½-point underdog. The Commodores committed 22 turnovers and made just 2-of-16 shots from 3-point land (12.5%).

--Vandy is 11-4 SU but just 4-7-1 ATS at home in Memorial Gymnasium this season. The ‘Dores are winless both SU and ATS in a pair of games as home underdogs.

--Kentucky is 6-2-1 ATS in its nine games played away from Rupp Arena, including a pair of neutral-site games played in Las Vegas.

--When these schools met at Rupp Arena on Jan. 10, Kentucky collected a 70-60 victory as a nine-point home favorite. Meeks had a game-high 21 points for the ‘Cats. Bettors should keep in mind that Vandy center A.J. Ogilvy (14.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG) did not play in Lexington.

--When UK came to Music City last season, Vandy handed it the worst SEC loss in school history. The Commodores cruised to a 93-52 victory as four-point home favorites.

--Vandy has watched the ‘under’ compile a 13-7-1 overall record to go with an 8-4 record in its home games.

--Totals have been a wash overall for UK (10-10), but the ‘under’ has been a winner in five of its last eight outings.

--Gamblers should expect to see UK listed as a short favorite in the 2-3 point range.

--ESPN will have the telecast at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--Pittsburgh went into UConn last night and beat the nation’s top-ranked team for the first time in school history. The Panthers captured a 76-68 win as three-point road underdogs. They hooked up money-line backers with a plus-135 payout. Sam Young scored a game-high 25 points, while DeJuan Blair finished with 22 points and 23 rebounds.

--You think NBA scouts were impressed with Blair? Hello! He completely dominated UConn’s Hasheem Thabeet, who had just five points (on 1-of-5 shooting), four rebounds and two blocked shots before fouling out. The most telling moment of this specific matchup came midway through the first half when Thabeet rejected one of Blair’s shots. However, Blair regained possession after the block and went right back at Thabeet to score on a short jump hook.

--How about the audacity of Pitt senior point guard Levance Fields? Even after missing his first eight shots, Fields knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers on consecutive possessions at crunch time to untie the game and put the Panthers ahead 67-61. He scored all 10 of his points in the last 3:09 of the second half.

--If I had to compare Pitt’s Young to one player in the NBA, I’d say he reminds me of Golden State’s Stephen Jackson the most. And that’s a huge compliment.

--Although UConn lost its first game without the services of Jerome Dyson (13.2 PPG), the Huskies still have the look of a Final Four team in my opinion.

--Seton Hall owns an 8-2 spread record in its last 10 games. The Pirates are 12 ½-point underdogs tonight at Marquette. They have taken the cash in each of their last five games as underdogs of six points or more. Meanwhile, Marquette is 2-3-1 ATS in six games as a double-digit favorite this year.

vegasinsider.com.

This week's can’t-miss college games
By MATT SEVERANCE

Put away that TV guide, here are the best games to watch this week as we come down the home stretch of the regular season. Check back on Friday for a look at the weekend action.

Michigan State at Purdue (Tuesday, 7 p.m., ESPN)

MSU coach Tom Izzo gave his players a few days off after MSU had played five games in 13 days. It’s not yet clear if starting forward Raymar Morgan will play against Purdue. He has been ill since mid-January and hasn’t played in the past three games. Morgan did say after the Michigan game last Tuesday that he was prepared to play if needed, and he did dress.

Purdue also has an ailing star in Robbie Hummel, but the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year did play in Saturday’s win over Iowa. The sophomore forward had just two points in his first game since Jan. 31 because of a stress fracture in his back. Purdue is 7-1 in Big Ten games in which Hummel plays and 1-3 when he does not. Hummel said after the game he was pain-free and was 100 percent sure he would play against the Spartans.

Davidson's Curry recovering fast from ankle injury
By ASSOCIATED PRESS

DAVIDSON, N.C. (AP) -Turns out Stephen Curry doesn't just have a lightning-quick release. He's a fast healer, too.

Davidson's star guard was walking with a just a slight limp Monday, two days after what appeared to be a gruesome injury to his left ankle.

Curry was held out of practice but was confident he could return this week - even if he couldn't bear to watch the replay of him turning his foot so badly his ankle scraped the floor.

''I saw it once and I turned it off,'' Curry said. ''A few of my friends who saw it on TV were asking me if I had broke something because it looked pretty bad. I keep telling them that it looks worse on TV than it really was.''

Curry was dressed in practice gear and wearing an ankle brace under a sock. He said he still feels pain.

''It's just going to be that way,'' he said. ''But I'm walking, so that's good news. I'm putting all my weight on it. It's progressing very well. From crashing off the court to being on my two feet now in 48 hours, it's pretty good.''

That news led to a light atmosphere at practice. Coach Bob McKillop walked on the court faking a limp as television cameras whirred and the star of last season's NCAA tournament joked about how many ''remedies'' he's received via e-mail, phone and text messages.

''I've got a lot of advice from a lot of people really worried about my ankle,'' Curry said with a smile. ''From putting a paper bag with vinegar on it to using no ice at all. A lot of different stuff, but I think we're taking the right steps to get back on the court.''

Curry, averaging 29 points, already had scored 25 midway through the second half Saturday when he stepped on the foot of a Furman player on a drive. Curry immediately hopped off the baseline and crashed to the floor.

''I had some bad thoughts going through my head because it hurt more than any ankle sprain I had before,'' he said.

As his teammates pulled away for a 75-60 win, there was concern Curry may have broken his ankle. X-rays Sunday confirmed a sprain.

Curry wouldn't rule out playing Wednesday when Davidson (22-4, 15-1 Southern Conference) faces The Citadel in a league game. The Wildcats host No. 21 Butler on Saturday in an important matchup for Davidson's NCAA tournament resume.

Michigan State @ Purdue Game Breakdown
By: Craig Trapp

The big ten title could all but be salted away if Michigan State pulls off another road win. Purdue is trying to spoil the parade and show why they were the preseason favorite to win the BIG TEN. Both teams are coming into this game with a key player questionable for the big game. Michigan State are the odds makers road underdog with a spread of +3.

This years Michigan State is a very high powered offensive team which is a little different for Coach Izzo. But Izzo's team still hangs there hat on defense and rebounding dominance. Currently the #6 ranked Spartans are riding a undefeated road streak with a record of 7-0 and 20-4 overall.

PG leader Raymon Morgan is questionable for game after missing the last three games due to illness. Morgan leads them in scoring but they are 3-0 without him and are still scoring very well. The key to the Spartans game plan is going to get this game up tempo because they are much more athletic and deeper bench.

The Purdue Boilermakers 19-6 overall and 13-2 at home. They currently are two games back from the Spartans but with still two games left against MSU Purdue still holds out hope for a BIG TEN Championship. Purdue has been winning with its defense, as it's held each of its last two opponents to less than 50 points.

Purdue's Robbie Hummel returned to the lineup last game after missing the previous three games with a hairline fracture in his lower back. If the Boilermakers are going to beat the Spartans they need all there athletes including Hummell. The one key to this game for Purdue is shutting down the fastbreak points of Michigan State. Purdue needs this game to be in the 50's to 60's to win this match up.

The Big Ten crown could be given out if Michigan State takes care of business but with a loss Purdue could put themselves right back into the race. This is going to be a physical game and should be a well coached and played game. Don't miss this one will be a classic big ten match up!

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Michigan State Spartans at Purdue Boilermakers

It's the 5th ranked Spartans and 21st ranked Boilermakers in a Big Ten showdown in West Lafayette Tuesday. First-place Spartans are 20-4 (12-8-1 ATS) overall, 10-2 (7-4-1 ATS) in league play including a perfect 6-0 (5-0-1 ATS) on the highway running the hardwood vs. Big Ten foes. Boilermakers off back-2-back victories over Penn State and most recently Iowa bring to the contest a 19-6 (10-11 ATS) record that includes an 8-4 (5-6-1 ATS) mark in the Big Ten. Michigan State has had overall success vs Boilermakers the past ten winning 6-of-10 (4-6 ATS) but the Spartans have struggled in West Lafayette over the span going 1-4 both SU & ATS. It is well to note that Spartans are money-burners on the road in February managing a single cover in ten attempts with the one ticket cashed being last Saturday at Michigan.