Week 12 NCAA Basketball Betting Preview
By: Willie Bee
Expect to see the top 10 of the next AP rankings to be filled out by the same 10 schools as last week, just don't expect them to be in the same order.
The Ohio State Buckeyes will still be on top of both polls following wins over Iowa and Illinois. Thad Matta's troops remain one of two unbeaten teams on the campaign, with OSU and San Diego State each sporting 20-0 straight-up marks.
Writers and coaches will now have to come up with a pair of new schools directly behind the Buckeyes after both No. 2 Kansas and No. 3 Syracuse fell from the unbeaten ranks.
The Jayhawks saw their 69-game win streak at Allen Fieldhouse come crashing down in Saturday's setback to No. 10 Texas.
The Orange dropped their first two games of the season, falling at Pitt on Monday and then back home in the Carrier Dome to Villanova on Saturday.
Villanova, ranked seventh last week, preceded its win at 'Cuse with a defeat at Connecticut last Monday.
Duke and Pittsburgh, 4-5 last week according to the AP, figure to move up to the 2-3 holes left by Kansas and Syracuse.
Rick Barnes' Longhorns should inch up a rung or two following wins over the Jayhawks and Texas A&M Aggies. Ranked 10th last week by the writers, Texas now controls the Big 12 with a 4-0 conference mark. Two of the three losses on the Longhorns' ledger were to Pitt and UConn by a combined three points.
Here's a quick rundown of where the top 10 will be for the coming seven days.
1. Ohio State (20-0 SU, 9-8 ATS)
The Buckeyes can stretch their Big Ten lead to two games when they host Purdue on Tuesday (Jan. 25), a game that we will preview here at Don Best Sports. It's the only scheduled meeting between the conference's top pair of teams who swapped underdog road wins against one another last season. Ohio State closes the week Saturday (Jan. 29) at Northwestern.
2. Kansas (18-1, 8-9)
Bill Self looks to get his squad back on track after its first loss with a Tuesday trip to Colorado followed by Saturday's home game against rival Kansas State. The Jayhawks swept all three from the Wildcats last season, including a 72-64 win as six-point favorites in the Big 12 Championship tilt.
3. Syracuse (18-2, 7-11)
Coming off back-to-back losses, the Orange host Seton Hall on Tuesday before starting a three-game Big East road trip at Marquette on Saturday.
4. Duke (18-1, 10-8)
The Blue Devils start the week with an ACC matchup on Thursday against Boston College. Duke then steps outside the conference with next Sunday's trek to New York City to take on St. John's at Madison Square Garden. The two schools met in Durham last season with Coach K's group prevailing 80-71 as 17-point chalk.
5. Pittsburgh (19-1, 8-7)
Jamie Dixon's Panthers try to move to 8-0 in the Big East and win their 10th-straight when Notre Dame visits Pitt on Monday (Jan. 24). The Panthers end the week on Saturday at Rutgers.
6. San Diego State (20-0, 12-6)
Provo's Marriot Center is the site for one of the week's biggest contests between Mountain West co-leaders SDSU and BYU on Wednesday (Jan. 26). The Aztecs will be seeking double-revenge after being topped twice last season by the Cougars with the games splitting at the window. San Diego State returns home for Saturday's matchup with the Wyoming Cowboys.
7. Villanova (17-2, 11-5)
The Wildcats visit Providence on Wednesday before coming back to Philly for Saturday's only regular-season matchup with Georgetown. 'Nova and the Hoyas split their battles last season, each winning at home and both games going 'over' the NCAA odds.
8. Connecticut (16-2, 9-3)
A trip to Marquette on Tuesday is followed by the first of two regular season games against Louisville on Saturday in Storrs. UConn fell twice to the Cardinals last season, including a tough 78-76 loss at home as four-point chalk.
9. Brigham Young (19-1, 7-9)
The Cougars follow up Wednesday's marquee matchup with San Diego State at home by traveling to New Mexico on Saturday. BYU has been defeated on its last two trips to Albuquerque.
10. Texas (16-3, 11-3)
Atop the Big 12 standings after a pair of big wins, the Longhorns will trek to Stillwater for Wednesday's battle against the Oklahoma State Cowboys before coming home to face Missouri on Saturday. Texas dropped an 82-77 decision in Columbia last February with the Tigers favored by three.