Big 10 (11) Title Game Preview

The Minnesota Golden Gophers know how to add simple numbers. If they can count 3, 2 and 1, Minnesota will be the Big Ten postseason champions for 2010. The Golden Gophers dropped third-seeded Michigan State 72-67 in overtime on Friday night and humiliated second seeded Purdue 69-42 yesterday and have their sights set on No. 1 Ohio State in the final game before the NCAA Tournament begins.

This is the first time the Golden Gophers have playing for the Big Ten championship and they believe in themselves. “I feel we can compete with any team in the country and I feel we can compete with any team in the Big Ten,” said forward Ralph Sampson III, who had a team-high 13 points Saturday. “We’ve proven it in this tournament right now.”

Minnesota is coached expertly by Tubby Smith and has won seven of nine and is adding up spread wins faster than the 10,000 lakes are melting with 8-1 ATS run. The Gophers were actually presumed to be better most of the season but again struggled away from home (4-9 and 3-10 ATS before hitting Indianapolis this weekend) until now.

Minnesota has place a guillotine on opposing offenses in this tournament, holding them to 35.6 percent shooting and is 9-2 ATS after a win by 15 points or more this season.

Ohio State is definitely living by the March basketball motto of “survive and advance”. The Buckeyes have won on a combination of luck, skill and opponents breakdowns to reach the championship, seeking a third title.

Evan Turner sank a 37-footer at the buzzer to shock Michigan in the quarter-finals and needed 50 minutes to eliminate Illinois yesterday afternoon. The Wolverines used poor judgment in allowing Turner to have such a good look at the basket for winning shot (though he deserves credit for making it) and the Fighting Illini had two chances at the end of regulation and the first overtime to oust Ohio State and never managed a shot.

The Buckeyes are 14-5 ATS after scoring 80 points or more (though it took awhile) over the last three seasons and are surviving on guile as much as skill. “Sometimes you just have to will your way and make things happen and that’s it,” said Turner.

Ohio State is favored by four-points, with total of 129.5 at DiamondSportsbook.com and is 7-3 ATS vs. teams with a winning record, but only 1-4 ATS against foes on neutral floors. Minnesota is 5-0 ATS the last five times they’ve been made an underdog (4-1 SU) and is 6-0 OVER after allowing 55 points or less this season.

This is the last conference championship, which will begin at 3:30 Eastern on CBS and the favorite in the matchup is perfect 8-0 SU and ATS.

Army vs Navy

This will be the 110th renewal of this historic rivalry on Saturday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field. In Philadelphia, the game is neutral in the truest sense, being roughly equidistant from the two academies. Navy is currently working on a seven-game winning streak in the series, the longest ever in the rich history. Overall, the Midshipmen own a 53-49-7 edge all time.

This battle takes on greater emotional significance with country’s involvement in the world and when the two schools march in to take their place in the stadium, it is one of the coolest moments you will ever see before a game starts.

This contest has more than usual riding on it, especially for Army (5-6, 3-7 ATS). First year coach Rick Ellerson was brought in to change the football aspect of the Black Knights, who had won as many as four games once in the last dozen seasons before this year. With an upset win over Navy, Army would secure first bowl bid since 1996 and take on Temple in the EagleBank Bowl.

Besides attempting to end that drought, the pain of not defeating the Midshipmen since 2001 (1-6 ATS) hangs over West Point like an omnipresent cloud. The biggest problem for Army of late has been scoring points, as they’ve produced just 10.1 points per game during the losing skid. Ordinarily, you would think rest and preparation would benefit any football squad, however if you are outmanned, it doesn’t matter. The Black Knights of the Hudson are unthinkable 3-24 ATS with rest.

For Navy (8-4, 5-5-1 ATS), it is business as usual. They have already locked up Texas Bowl bid against Missouri and for the third consecutive year and fifth in the last six, are double digit favorites vs. their biggest rival. (Bookmaker.com has the Middies at -15.5, with total of 41.5).

The Midshipmen have one very distinct advantage in this matchup, they can score. Navy averages 28.3 points per game, behind the nation’s third best rushing attack, averaging 279.6 yards per game. Navy is off a 24-17 upset loss at Hawaii as nine-point favorites and is 35-13 ATS in road games after one or more consecutive losses against the spread.

Army on the other hand struggles to score points, totaling just 16.5 per game, ranking 116th in total offense at 283.4 yards per game against opponents that allowed 91 more yards a contest. This means Army will need to force turnovers and win the special teams battle to setup better field position, since they are unlikely to put together many long drives, no matter how fired up they are. They are just 4-13 ATS when the total is 42 or less.

Over the years, this contest has lost significance in the public eye for a variety of reasons and the two institutions worked out a deal with CBS to rekindle the spirit and give it its own special date, the second Saturday in December, away from conference championships and BCS chatter.

No matter the outcome, the effort will not be question. If anyone saw the Navy beat Notre Dame or the Army knock off Vanderbilt from the SEC this season, these players go hard for all 60 minutes. To the winners go the spoils and bragging rights that last an entire year. Should Navy win, the Commander in Chief Trophy stays with them yet again.

3DWLine – Navy by 16

Steve Makinen of the Platinum Sheet contributed to this article.