A Nice Pair of College Hoops Matchups

Two games really stand out in college basketball this Wednesday, one a conference matchup between Top 25 teams and the other a sharp non-conference clash which is a measuring stick for both combatants. Wisconsin has emerged as a possible surprise player in the Big Ten and travels to Michigan State. It seems to happen every year, if Syracuse gets off to a fast start, sometime in January they hit a slump of not playing well. Off their first loss of the season at home against Pittsburgh 82-72, The Orangemen will look to keep this to an isolated incident, getting ready for Memphis.

Wisconsin at Michigan State 6:30E BTN

It’s not that Tom Izzo has given up preaching defense; he just has more skilled offensive players and has built his team around their strengths. Michigan State (11-3, 4-9 ATS) is averaging 82.4 points per game, powered by guard Kalin Lucas. The Spartans have the athletes to quickly cash in on turnovers, jetting down the floor for easy scores. Michigan State blasted a good Northwestern squad 91-70 on the road as five-point favorites and is giving 5.5-points to Wisconsin according to DiamondSportsbook.com. Sparty is 11-1 ATS roll as a home favorite by 6.5 or less.

At this point it should come as no surprise; Bo Ryan is a great coach for the Badgers. Wisconsin (8-4 ATS) is never given enough credit, since it lacks the type of big time recruits normally associated with Top 25 programs. Instead, Ryan gets the type of players he feels that have the right work ethic and in his view can get better with hard work through their careers in Madison. Trevon Hughes and Jon Leuer are perfect examples of Ryan’s way of thinking, as each has been a big part of Wisconsin’s 12-2 start and lofty ranking this season. The Badgers are well-suited by physical basketball and are 31-14 ATS versus teams who average 40 or more rebounds a game.
Michigan State has won seven straight conference home openers and is 8-2 and 5-5 ATS against Wisky at home.

Memphis at Syracuse 7:00E ESPN2

Coming into the season, Memphis (10-3, 3-5 ATS) didn’t look like they had the size to be a good rebounding team and it was going to be more dependent on guards to fight for a rebounds that were below the rim. This has largely proven to be true, but the 73-72 loss to Massachusetts brought it home, being outrebounded 44-24. In a one-point defeat, losing 21-4 in second chance points was immense. “I had trouble sleeping, because we gave this game away. -said Roburt Sallie. We’ll see what Memphis learned against Syracuse and see if they improve on 41-23 ATS record as a road underdog or pick.

Syracuse (13-1, 7-3 ATS) lost a large amount of talent, played its toughest non-conference schedule in years and has everyone rethinking how good the Orangemen can really be. Iowa State transfer Wes Johnson has been a cyclone for coach Jim Boehiem leading the Orange in just about everything, including unselfishness. Syracuse observers have marveled how willing this team is to share the ball, with guards Scoop Jardine and Andy Rautins each averaging more than five assists per game. With Rick Jackson and Arinze Onuaku fighting for every rebound, the Orange has a definite advantage in this contest. Boehiem’s bunch is at their best when score 75-80 points. (43-23 ATS)

Even with the loss to Pittsburgh, Syracuse is still 12-4 ATS as a home favorite in last 16 tries and is favored by nine-points with total of 146.5. Memphis hasn’t covered the spread since Dec. 9 and they might have difficulty doing so again as their outside shooting in fair at best, which is a big challenge against the Orangemen’s zone defense.

College Basketball Marathon

Starting at midnight Eastern, ESPN will have 24 hours of continuous college basketball coverage with enough games to take care of the insomniac and the early and late morning-risers. It is a feast for the basketball bettor, a great way to kick-start another season. Without further ado, here is the complete menu on ESPN, with ESPN2 and ESPNU to also have contests to consider.

11:59E Cal-State Fullerton vs. UCLA (-16.5)

The Titans have the unenviable task of replacing Big West Player of the Year Josh Akognon, however the roster is loaded with nine newcomers many of which are designed to improve rebounding margin which was -4.2 per game a season ago. UCLA will have a completely different look about them with nine freshmen and sophomores. As the season commences, the only familiar name to most people is holdover Michael Roll. Cal-State is 1-4 ATS in last five underdog roles. Cal-State Full wins 68-65 2OT

2:00E San Diego State vs St. Mary’s (-5.5)

San Diego State lost four starters, yet most experts figure the Aztecs will be as good if not better with solid transfers and junior college players meshing with holdovers like power forward Billy White, forward Tim Shelton and guard D.J. Gay. St. Mary’s maybe without outstanding guard Paddy Mills, but Wayne Hunter and Omar Samhan are expected to step up and be the leaders. Matthew Dellavedova could be the next great player from Australia for the Gaels, who are 9-3-1 ATS in non-conference action. St. Mary's wins 80-58

4:00E Northern Colorado vs Hawaii (-5.5)

Northern Colorado lost nine games by five points or less a season ago and they hope starting guards Will Figures and Devon Beitzel can help turn those defeats into wins with more experience. New players will be in the backcourt for Hawaii, looking to increase scoring and be help to forward Roderick Flemings, who has all-WAC talent. The Bears are 14-4-1 ATS in non-Big Sky action, while the Warriors are 10-27-1 ATS in non-conference contests. Northern Colorado wins 81-75

6:00E Monmouth vs St. Peter’s (TBD)

Talk about your early risers! Monmouth welcomes back four starters, including All-NEC guard Jeremy Goode, but lost their big people from a year ago and is 7-3 ATS on the road. St. Peter’s was 6-24 two seasons ago and believes they can finish .500 with a veteran cast back. The Peacocks believe juco forward Jeron Belin could be the reason they have success. St. Pete’s has covered 16 of last 21 games. St.Peter's wins 58-34

8:00E Drexel vs Niagara (-9.5)

Besides St. Peter’s from the MAAC, Niagara is another team from the conference looking to get an early start to the day. The Purple Eagles are perennial contender in their conference and have a veteran backcourt to go along with all-MAAC performer Bilal Benn. Drexel was a surprise team in the CAA last season and will look to build on that foundation with leading returning scorer Gerald Colds and senior Leon Spencer. The Dragons hope to be breathing fire off OT loss to St. Joe’s, yet are 6-17-3 ATS off spread loss. Niagara wins 76-69

10:00E Clemson vs Liberty (+10.5)

Clemson lost a lot of ability from last year’s squad, however coach Oliver Purnell brought in his best recruiting class to play along with holdovers Trevor Booker and point guard Demontez Stitt. The Tigers are 9-3 ATS against teams with winning home record. Liberty was 23-12 last season, but lost talented freshmen Brolin Floyd and Seth Curry, who decided to transfer to bigger schools. Kyle Ohman and Jesse Sanders are main returning starters. Clemson wins 79-39

Noon E Northeastern vs Siena (-8.5)

Siena is the overwhelming choice to make a third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, something that hasn’t happened in this conference in 20 years. Four starters and Sixth Man of the Year in the conference gives the Saints a formidable group. During lunch it would be smart idea to check this contest out and catch a glimpse of Matt Janning, a versatile all-around shooter for Northeastern. He’ll face a Saints team that is 7-1 ATS in non-conference action.

2:00E UALR vs Tulsa (-16.5)

Arkansas-Little Rock bade farewell to four seniors who helped them to back-to-back Sun Belt divisional titles. This means more than ever they will be dependent on coach Steve Shields stifling defensive principles and they are 8-2 ATS in last 10 road games. With Memphis no longer a sure thing in C-USA, Tulsa is ready to move up and claim the league crown. The return of senior center Jerome Jordan and fellow senior guard Ben Uzoh makes this a real possibility. The Golden Hurricane is 24-9-2 ATS following a SU win of more than 20 points.

4:00E Temple vs Georgetown (-8.5)

Senior guard Ryan Brooks and junior forward Lavoy Allen are Temple’s only returning starters and they will try to improve upon the Owls recent 1-4 ATS mark against the Big East. Georgetown appears poised to rebound from last year’s disappointing season, with Chris Wright and Austin Freeman giving them explosive backcourt. Center Greg Monroe showed enough to almost enter NBA Draft after freshman campaign but wisely came back for second season. The Hoyas have a ways to go to gain the trust of basketball bettors with 5-15-1 ATS record in last 21 tilts.

6:00E Charlotte vs. Duke (TBD )

Duke has handily won its first two games without its full complement of players; however will welcome back guard Nolan Smith who was suspended two games for playing in an unsanctioned summer league. Veteran players like Kyle Singler and Jon Scheyer more than made up for the difference. Charlotte won last night 75-61 over Elon, behind Shamari Spears 23 points. Duke is 9-3 ATS after allowing 50 or less points in last game. This is contest is part of the pre-season NIT and he winner will advance to the semifinals at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 25.

8:00E Gonzaga vs Michigan State (-11)

For the first time in years, Gonzaga doesn’t look like a Top 15 team with frontcourt wiped out. Versatile guard Matt Bouldin is the one remaining stud, with Steven Gray and Demetri Goodson solid backcourt companions. The Bulldogs are 4-12 ATS against teams with winning record, though seldom as underdog. What does second-ranked Michigan State do for encore after being national runner-up? Find ways to improve with deep and talent-laden roster under coach Tom Izzo. The Spartans are 11-3-1 ATS off a by 20 or more.

10:00E Memphis vs Kansas (-11)

How quickly the mighty reload. Less than two years removed from national championship, Kansas is a nearly unanimous preseason No.1. The talent is deep and the addition of guard Xavier Henry, gives coach Bill Self a wing player that can go inside or out, something missing a season ago. Kansas is on 27-9-1 ATS run. Senior G Doneal Mack is the only player back for Memphis with more than 10 starts, as they start a new era with Josh Pastner now as coach. A falloff is expected but how much is to be determined. The Tigers are 6-2 ATS in last eight non-conference clashes.

Pirates at Tigers Game Matchup

It hasn’t been quite the season East Carolina envisioned; however a victory at Memphis keeps them on track to defend their title as Conference USA champions. The Pirates (4-3, 2-4 ATS) are tied for first place in the East Division with Marshall and Southern Miss at 3-1 and take control, at least for the time being with a win.

East Carolina hopes their 49 points against Rice has them going in the right direction offensively, since they rank fifth in points scored (25.1) and are eighth in total offense (329.9) in the league. Quarterback Patrick Pinkney has been uneven performer all season in terms of passing. Despite a veteran offensive line, East Carolina has averaged just 3.7 yards per carry against opponents allowing 4.1. The Pirates are only 1-3 SU as visitors this season and 2-9 ATS in road games over the last two seasons.

Memphis (2-5, SU&ATS) has moved the ball better than the number of points they’ve scored on the season and will need to improve that situation promptly with daunting slate the rest of the year. The Tigers rank sixth in total offense in C-USA play, however are merely ninth in scoring at 21.4 points per game.

Quarterback injuries and ineffectiveness have again limited what coach Tommy West would like to do at Memphis. A great example of moving the ball without scoring was last contest against Southern Miss. In spite of 425-360 edge in total yards, Memphis lost 36-16 as 14.5-point underdogs. The Tigers are 1-4-1 ATS in non-Saturday games.

Bookmaker.com has East Carolina as four-point road favorites, despite 0-6 ATS mark in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last three seasons. The Pirates will look to force miscues and are in the Top 20 in turnovers forced with 17. They will need to be consistent on offense and keep tallying scores since Memphis red zone defense is laughable, with opposing teams have scored 25 of 27 trips.

For the Tigers, it’s about scoring touchdowns and ringing up 30 or more points. If Memphis can reach 30-point plateau, they are 8-3 ATS. That means passing and running the ball effectively. They are 0-6 ATS when they rush for 100 to 150 yards over the last two seasons. Memphis has struggled mightily with East Carolina, with 4-8 SU record and 1-11 ATS, failing to cover last seven in a row.

Coach Skip Holtz has his father Lou in town, along with Rece Davis and Mark May to do the game on ESPN2 at 8 Eastern. With Memphis still having road games at Tennessee, at Houston and at Tulsa, this might be a conference game to give sharp effort and they are 8-1 ATS after Southern Miss and 8-4 ATS as home underdogs under coach West.

Sunday Football Double Dip

Unless you live in the area, most people wouldn’t make the connection that both Sunday college football games are intense local meetings. Ole Miss and Memphis are separated by just 85 miles, while fans from Boulder and Fort Collins get their dander up when these Colorado universities collide. There is a clear morganatic relationship in these heated get-togethers, with the non-BCS schools always feeling they have something to prove. This should be good entertaining football action on Sunday of a long holiday weekend.

Ole Miss at Memphis

This will be the sixth straight time these teams will start a new campaign matched against one another. Ole Miss is sexy SEC West pick, led by QB Jevan Snead, who is legit Heisman candidate, with large groups of NFL scouts hanging around the Oxford campus.

Going from trendy underdog to flashy front-runner has sidetracked more than one team in the past and the Rebels know it according coach Houston Nutt, who is trying to downplay public expectations. “It’s the same attitude we had last year when nobody had us ranked,” Nutt said of his approach to Mississippi being ranked No.8.

Bookmaker.com has Ole Miss as 17.5-point favorites with total of 55. The Rebels are 46-10-2 SU against Memphis but just 3-8-1 ATS as road chalk since 2000. Mississippi is 29-11 ATS in non-SEC action.

Coach Tommy West has found success in Memphis, but wants to play in C-USA title game this season. That might be easier said than done with only 12 returning starters. Quarterback Arkelon Hall has targets to throw to in Carlos Singleton and Duke Calhoun, who matchup well with Rebels secondary. Memphis doesn’t have the strength or power to go toe-to-toe with the offensive or defensive lines with their neighbor to the South, however the underdog is 4-2 ATS and the home team is 6-2-1 ATS.

Pulling a massive upset would get people talking about a Memphis team that is 17-9 ATS as a home dog and 18-12-1 ATS vs. the SEC. ESPN will telecast this contest at 3:30 Eastern.

Colorado State at Colorado

Even if you include last year’s 38-17 drubbing by Colorado, the last seven meetings in this in-state rivalry have been decided by 6.5 points per game. It just turns out to be fun to watch these teams get after one another.

Colorado coach Dan Hawkins believes his team could compete for Big 12 North, if injured players return and offense gels. This is meaningful year for coach Hawkins, who is 13-24 (14-21 ATS) at Boulder and has talked about his team achieving 10 wins this campaign. The coach knows this is swing season for him and his club is 10.5-point favorite, with his son Cody needing big season to ease the pressure. If big time sophomore running Darrell Scott hits his stride, the Buffalos move to 15-7 ATS as double digit favorites.

Colorado State had surprising 7-6 campaign with a bowl victory and looks to build on solid season. That could be easier said than done without established quarterback and only five starters back on defense. If senior QB Grant Stucker can gain early confidence, he’ll be able to throw to some of the best wide receivers in the Mountain West Conference. Dating back to 1986, The Rams are 5-14 SU in this Rocky Mountain confrontation with a 12-7 ATS mark

This rivalry returns back to campus just for a year with Buffs 17-4 in home openers (0-7 ATS run). FSN will broadcast starting at 7 Eastern.

Handicapping for 2009-10 College Basketball

With North Carolina cutting down the nets in Detroit, the 2008-09 college hoops season is history and what can happen next season keeps alumni contributing to their school’s athletic fund and dreaming of sitting behind the team bench in next year’s Final Four. The cry comes out “if we only would have had better facilities” we would have landed that five-star recruit from Montrose Oak Prep Academy.

For the sports bettor, it is never too early to start looking at next year in college hoops. With so many teams and players and coaches moving to a new program, college hoops requires the most preseason handicapping preparation of all sports. Actually, this is the best time to start taking notes while this current season is still fresh on your mind. Hours invested today in study and research are reminiscent of what retirement accounts and mutual funds used to be like: things that grow in value as time goes by.

It is time to start checking schools recruiting classes and incoming, as well as outgoing, transfers. When you actually check the number of transfers that even actually play for their new school, it is alarmingly less than you would expect. Or they fail to live up to lofty expectations, such as the case of originally highly touted 6-10 Eric Boateng who went to Arizona State from Duke. Boateng averaged less than 8 minutes and two points a game this past season.

We’ve already had some major coaching changes, the most notable being the hiring of Memphis’s John Calipari to fill the departure of Billy Gillespie at Kentucky. Mark Gottfried at Alabama finally used up his nine lives while Tony Bennett departs Washington State bringing his Princeton-style offense to Virginia. Mark Fox travels from the University of Nevada to replace Dennis Felton at Georgia. If any other larger schools have job openings, expect to see Creighton’s Dana Altman or New Mexico’s Steve Alford names tossed around.

The pressure for getting the top recruits increased the day the NBA said they required draftees to be one year removed from high school and must have their 19th birthday, or later, in the year of the draft. This rule, in theory, was going to help prevent any more Korleone Youngs, the 1998 poster child of the ill fate that can happen to a high-schooler who shouldn’t go pro early.

However, except for Brandon Jennings who opted for playing overseas in his first year out of high school, we still are seeing a number of “one-and-done” college freshmen. With the continued improvement in early development of players, these one-year players can be program-changers. They can also have a negative effect on a program that can’t reload quickly with capable replacements.

Underclassmen have until April 26 to declare themselves eligible for the draft. Provided they don't sign with an agent, they then have until June 15 to withdraw their names. Some on this year’s list who have already declared are no surprise. Naturally, there will be some “Korleone Youngs” who jump ship too early.

Wake Forest could be the hardest hit school for early professional departures with So. 6-8 James Johnson and Fr. Al-Farouq Aminu most likely leaving and So. PG Jeff Teague also a candidate. Georgetown’s disappointing season could continue into the off-season with 6-8 DaJuan Summers already signing with an agent and 6-10 Fr. Greg Monroe likely to leave.

Both Arizona schools will take a step backwards next year with the Wildcats watching Jordan Hill and Chase Budinger go pro early and possibly even point guard Nic Wise. The Sun Devils will say goodbye to So. James Harden.

Rebuilding next year will be Utah and UAB who both lose four seniors. Both teams had very little depth so the cupboard is fairly bare for returning players. Utah has a very good recruiting class lined up but UAB recently lost a top 5 recruit to Memphis, DeMarcus Cousins. Teams rebuilding with young players should be watched for potential play-on status once conference action gets started and the newbies are learning to play as a team. Early failures can give value later in the season.

With Calipari packing up the U-Haul, recruit Cousins might venture back to the Mike Davis UAB fold or very well could follow Calipari to UK. Currently, this is one of college hoops biggest unsolved mysteries. Who can Calipari bring to UK and who will go elsewhere. Outgoing Kentucky coach Gillespie had signed a fine Wildcat recruiting class including top-flight center Daniel Orton. As of the writing of this article, most everything was up in the air on what would happen.

As judged by one recruiting service, the #1 prospect John Wall, was tempted with Memphis but looks like he is headed to Duke. Lance Stephenson, a top ten recruit, appeared to be signing with Kansas on March 31 but with the Calipari news, he has delayed his announcement. While Stephenson liked Memphis originally, he appeared to be going elsewhere because another top ten shooting guard recruit, Xavier Henry, had already inked with Calipari at MU. With Calipari leaving Elvis’ hometown, it appears so is Henry as he is possibly signing with Kansas, the alma mater of his father, former Jayhawk standout Carl Henry. Another part of the story is he would like to bring his older brother with him, C.J., who was a walk-on at Memphis last year.
This is becoming better than a soap opera. It appears some recruit’s decisions will be predicated upon who is named the new coach at Memphis. Former NBA coaches Reggie Theus and Avery Johnson are at the top of the list.

Currently, Kansas has the #7 rated incoming class and would get a huge boost if either top 10 recruit, Henry or Stephenson, commits to Kansas. If Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins don’t leave early for the NBA, Kansas should be ranked in the top 3 in preseason polls.

Definitely battling for Big 12 supremacy next year will be Texas. The Longhorns lose undersized shooting guard A.J. Abrams but he will be quickly forgotten when 6-3 Avery Bradley arrives in Austin. Bradley was the MVP for the USA Today’s #1 ranked Findlay Prep team of Henderson, NV, who won the inaugural National High School Invitational Sunday. The Horns have the #3 rated recruiting class and will be a top ten team next season. They could move closer to #1 if big man Dexter Pittman continues his improvement in skills and conditioning and Damion James progresses as much next year as he did this year.

Marquette loses three senior starters but has a strong five-man recruiting class. North Carolina has snagged four McDonald’s All-Americans for their upcoming season, Villanova, Oklahoma, and Duke have two each. Nova also has inked 6-9 Mouphtaou Yarou, a surprise non-participant in the Mickey D Classic. The Wildcats’ two McDonald’s participants, both guards, were very impressive and will keep the flame burning in Philly. Duke’s players will bring some needed size to the Blue Devils.

The MVP of the McDonald’s Classic, 6-9 Derrick Favors, will remind Georgia Tech fans of Amare Stoudemire. The Yellow Jackets have a top five class with 5 quality recruits signed that should breath life into what was a stagnant offense this past season.

Tom Crean will have Indiana pointed in the right direction next year with a top ten class. UConn might be facing some stiff NCAA penalties as well as losing 3 seniors and in all probability, 7-3 Hasheem Thabeet. With the comments that Connecticut Coach Jim Calhoun is making, you won’t see him on the sidelines next year but in the ESPN studio giving commentary. (after all, he doesn’t live far from their studios)

Cross-town rivals UCLA and USC both have top ten incoming classes. The Bruins lose much more through graduation, though. Pitt loses three senior starters including Sam Young and Levance Fields and probably will see DeJuan Blair opt for the NBA. Not inking an overly strong recruiting class does not bode well for the Panthers next year.

How about a team on the rise that is totally unexpected: Oregon State. Coach Craig Robinson, the President’s brother-in-law, landed two four-star guards and has two Australian frontcourt studs coming in. The surprise of post-season play is also the surprise of the recruiting season.
Do your research now and start uncovering the surprises for the 2009-10 season.

Jim Kruger of Vegas Sports Authority knows everything basketball and much more.

Sweet 16 Starts Soon

A pedestrian 2-2 day, with New Jersey ending up closer to Cleveland than expected. Today’s Top Trend has two facets to the same game in the NBA this evening. With about 90 percent of the LCC plays in, I shared with you how they bet tonight’s Sweet 16 contests. Though I searched, I just didn’t find any systems in any sports that were very good. One hockey system was as good as yesterday’s, however is just 5-5 this season, thus I passed. Good Luck.

If you noticed the CBB system I posted on Tuesday that was incorrect, was 2-0 yesterday.

Free System-1) No Systems today worth mentioning.

Free Basketball Trend -2) Portland is 11-2 ATS in home games after two consecutive games as favorite this season and Phoenix is 0-8 ATS playing on Thursday’s.

Free Basketball Selections -3) Here is the breakdown from the Left Coast Connection on tonight’s Sweet 16 action. Memphis 9-1 (bets placed on what teams) Pittsburgh 5-0, UConn 11-4, Villanova 9-3.

Note- If you prefer to have this sent to you daily instead of having to visit the site, sign up for our FREE mailing list on the right. You will also receive all my personal plays for Free and your name will NEVER be given to anyone.

Underdogs Bring Right Stuff for West Regional

Connecticut and Memphis were devastating in three of the four of their games in the opening two rounds. The Huskies toyed with Chattanooga and Texas A&M, which led many to wonder how good would UConn be right today if Jerome Dyson was available. Memphis lolly-gagged with CS-Northridge in the opener, but came with a purpose and mauled Maryland 89-70 in a game that wasn’t that close. If these two top seeds are really on a collision course, they will have to match wits with teams that have many of the right aspects to take down the higher seeds.

Connecticut (29-4, 15-14 ATS) was believed to be the second best team in the country back in early November and they have done very little to change that opinion. Jim Calhoun’s bunch isn’t always the best team to wager on, however have a steady 8-2 ATS away from home record off two games as a favorite. In their losses to Georgetown, Pittsburgh (2) and Syracuse, the theme is consistent. You have to attack Hasheem Thabeet, trying to get him in foul trouble, score in the paint and make outside shots.

This isn’t designing a new way to play basketball, however it is how you beat the Huskies. Center JaJaun Johnson of Purdue (27-9, 16-17 ATS) has the size to go at Thabeet and runs the floor as well as any big man in college basketball. Johnson has been a threat in running the secondary break, scoring on a number of thunderous dunks. He’ll try to make the Connecticut center pick up quick fouls, which opens up the lane. The Boilermakers fought injuries most of the year, but the return of Robbie Hummel placed everyone back in normal spots. Hummel can shoot deep or drive to the cup, creating more options for guards E'Twaun Moore and Chris Kramer.

Connecticut has very few fouls called on them and Purdue has not been bothered by teams like this in the past with 26-14 ATS record versus clubs who are called for 17 or less fouls a game. The Boilers are receiving 6.5-points as underdogs, with a total of 134.5. The Huskies are 3-13 ATS in road games after two straight blowout wins by 20 points or more, while Matt Painter’s troops are 17-5 ATS after being an underdog.

In the round of 16, favorites of six points or more are 28-2 SU covering 60 percent of the time.
A question was raised by Digger Phelps the night the brackets were announced and he made mention of Missouri (30-6, 19-10 ATS) being a threat to Memphis (33-3, 22-12-1 ATS), since pressing teams don’t like to face pressing teams. The first thought was wouldn’t the same be true of Missouri taking on the Memphis press?

In this battle of Tigers, Missouri has to overcome the moment. This is Memphis’ fourth straight Sweet 16, which includes three Elite 8’s and a national championship appearance. Missouri’s task is to keep poise and not be fearful of 8-0 run, since they are equally as capable of returning the favor. Misso’s job on defense is to limit Tyreke Evans dribble penetration on offense. The Northridge zone stifled him, look for change-up defenses from coach Mike Anderson. Missouri has won and covered five in a row and showed gumption in holding on to defeat Marquette.

On offense, DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons might have more opportunities than they thought after watching film. The two Memphis tourney opponents shot 44.4 and 43.5 percent; hardly intimidating figures and both opponents took it right to the rim when they had numbers, which is Missouri’s style.

Memphis coach John Calipari likes to sell himself off as the Al Bundy of college basketball, falling into situations as much as making them happen. To his credit, he spreads the praise around and seniors Antonio Anderson and Robert Dozier have 13 NCAA tournament wins in their four years. What this Tigers team has shown is the ability to do is go for the throat. If they are mentally ready, Memphis will start fast and once they see the opening to finish, they close better than a top-notch Lexus salesperson.

The Tigers from Tennessee are 4.5-point favorites according to Bookmaker.com and teams favored by less than six points in the Sweet 16 only cover about a third of the time.

Sitting at the Big Boys Table Saturday Afternoon

The five matchups for the Round of 32 afternoon session has a distinct flavor of brand names. Several conference champions, be it regular season or postseason tournaments, plus a few others that are playing their best basketball at just the right time. With the field having been cut in half, this is where skill matters most in assessing the chances of each team and coaching is extremely important, having just one day to completely prepare for new opponent in one and done scenario. Here is a wagering look at the contests.

Maryland vs Memphis 3:20E

Memphis looked anything but imposing as second seed, surviving against Cal-State Northridge 81-70, thanks to unlikely source. Roburt Sallie came off the bench steaming hot, making 10 three-pointers on the way to career high 35-point game. Having allowed just one team to shoot 40 percent or higher since early February, the Tigers were repeatedly late in transition defense and the Matadors scored a number of easy buckets, in converting 44.4 percent. Memphis is a nine-point favorite at Bookmaker.com over Maryland and will have to play much better to improve to 12-3 ATS against teams with winning records. Behind 27 points from Grievis Vasquez, the Terrapins pulled away from California with 50-point second half. Maryland used a press to disrupt the Bears and they may trot it out against Memphis also, in seeking the big upset. The Terps are 5-0 ATS in neutral situations. Watch this closely, since No.10 seeds are 10-5 and 12-3 ATS against No.2’s off an upset.

Texas A&M vs Connecticut 3:35E

Coach Jim Calhoun was hospitalized for Connecticut’s opening contest and he might want to stay away if his Huskies can continue to play the same way. UConn shot 52.1 percent and limited Chattanooga to 25.8 percent in registering the third biggest tournament margin differential in 103-47 massacre. The Huskies will have to quickly refocus after rout and are 0-7 ATS after leading in their previous game by 15 or more points at the half. Texas A&M quickly buried any beliefs of hangover from Big 12 tourney meltdown against Texas Tech, blitzing BYU by making its first 10 shots and built a 22-7 lead less than eight minutes in. That gives the Aggies seven wins in last eight games and they are 9-2 against the number since late January. Texas A&M can’t expect to shoot 57.7 percent versus Connecticut defense, however this young squad has nothing to fear being a 10-point underdog. The Aggies are 10-3 ATS in that position this season, however double digit dogs are 2-28 and 12-18 ATS in second round.

Purdue vs Washington 5:40E

Based on Thursday’s results, this sets up as one heck a matchup. Purdue let up a little early and Northern Iowa covered the 8.5-point spread against the Boilermakers. Nonetheless, the Panthers were limited to 37 percent shooting by persistent Purdue defense. The Boilers are listed as single point underdog and are 11-5-1 ATS catching points, however they will have to do better than 3 for 15 from behind the three-point line to take down Washington. The Huskies defense was also impressive in holding what appeared to be a tired Mississippi State club to 34.5 percent. Quincy Pondexter had a breakout game, with a season-high 23 points to lead Washington. The Huskies guards Justin Dentmon and freshman Isaiah Thomas played well below average and will have to improve for Washington to advance Sweet 16 and raise record to 5-2-1 ATS as favorites. The Huskies are the fourth seed and 4’s are 6-16 ATS since 2002 in this round.

LSU vs North Carolina 5:45E

North Carolina didn’t need Ty Lawson and probably didn’t need Tyler Hansbrough to polish off Radford. Wayne Ellington spearheaded the Tar Heels attack and he will be called on again and an equally veteran LSU club. North Carolina is an 11.5-point favorite and 22-11 ATS versus good three-point shooting teams like LSU, who make 37 percent or of their attempts (37.1 percent). For the Tigers to pull off the gigantic upset, center Chris Johnson must hold his own with Hansbrough and stay out of foul trouble. Tasmin Mitchell and Garrett Temple are tenacious defenders and if Marcus Thornton gets hot like a Louisiana summer day, suddenly this becomes interesting for squad that is 9-1 ATS versus up-tempo teams averaging 62 or more shots a game. ACC double digit favorites are 25-1 and 12-14 ATS the last seven years in the tournament.

Michigan vs Oklahoma 5:50E

Michigan was one of four lower seeds to come away with a victory the first day, with upset of Clemson and will go for bigger fish against No. 2 Oklahoma. The Tigers had no answers for Wolverines zone defense and Manny Harris led the charge with 23 points for Michigan. You can’t look at Michigan’s numbers and expect to find answers, since they don’t do a lot of things well studying a statsheet, what they do well is hang around and they are 8-0 ATS after playing two consecutive games as an underdog this season. The Sooners played with renewed energy and shot over 60 percent in mauling Morgan State. Blake Griffin looked more like the player that had been dominating college basketball all season. Griffin’s brother Blake, was factor and will be needed to control the boards against Michigan. Oklahoma is 9-2 ATS in road games versus teams like Michigan, who hoist 21 or more three-point shots a game on the season.

For more on the other three games Saturday, click here.

Betting Day 1 NCAA Tournament

The first day of tournament yields unbelievable excitement and that is before the games even start. Lines at sportsbooks in Las Vegas and the state of Nevada are long with players giddy and anxious, certain they are going to make a killing. Those that use online services find certain sites so slow it feels like back when it was pre-Pentium days. It’s also quite a day for bookmakers, thrilled to take all the action, but a little nervous too many favorites will come in.

The opening day has everybody pumped, as even some companies will let employees watch games or have extended lunch (in many cases not much to do these days) and if you’re an AIG employee, probably snacking on filet and jumbo shrimp on the company. (Wink Wink) Let’s start taking a look at all the early contests that set the table for the first day of action. Lines courtesy of BetJamaica.com.

LSU vs Butler 12:20 E Line –LSU -2.5, 127.5

CBS trots out the A-Team to start the tournament for this 8 vs 9 matchup with Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg. LSU surprised a lot of people in winning 26 games, but lost focus after winning SEC, losing three of last four and not shooting over 40 percent. This group has experience with Marcus Thornton, Tasmin Mitchell and Garrett Temple, part of team that went to Final Foul. The Tigers have had issues with teams that control tempo and are 1-8 ATS versus teams averaging 53 or less shots a game. Remember how important veteran experience is in tournament in backcourt, Butler starts two freshman as guards and three altogether. What is intriguing about the Bulldogs is no seniors in top nine players, how will they hold up against vets like Thornton? Butler is 13-1 ATS as an underdog over the last three seasons.

Memphis vs. Cal-State Northridge 12:25E Line – Memphis -19.5, 130.5

CS-Northridge has scored under 60 points just five times this season in averaging 73.7 points per game. The Matadors are likely to feel like they have had a cape thrown over them, probably struggling to reach the 60 barrier against Memphis defense. The Tigers aren’t as talented as last year’s group that was about a second from national championship, however they are every bit as good as the prior two John Calipari squads and convert almost 70 percent from the charity stripe. Memphis leads the nation in field goal percentage defense at 36.2 percent. What has been amazing for backers is the Tigers haven’t been overvalued all season and are 17-6 ATS as a favorite of 10 or more points. The Matadors could have expected to make a better showing, but their leading scorer was suspended and top point guard was in auto accident last month, meaning backups are facing Memphis pressure, yikes.

BYU vs Texas A&M 12:30E Line – BYU -2, 139

This is a rare rematch from last year’s tournament, which was essentially unavoidable, with BYU not available for Friday/Sunday contests because of religious beliefs. The Cougars are favored this time around and are 10-3-1 ATS off a loss. BYU has excellent shooters, both deep and around the lane. Despite lacking height, the Cougars have a gang mentality for rebounding and are +4. What hurts BYU is lack of athleticism, which is a strength of Texas A&M. The Aggies were flying towards the end of the regular season, until second half collapse against Texas Tech in Big 12 tourney. The Aggies had won six in a row and looked like a threat to the top teams. Texas A&M has to play to their strengths and let point guard Donald Sloan run the show. The Aggies are 9-2 ATS in all neutral court games recently and are 8-1 ATS when the line is +3 to -3 this season.

Purdue vs No. Iowa 2:30E Line – Purdue -8, 125

Just like using the Clapper, the light went on for Purdue, winning the Big Ten tournament. Like most teams, coach Matt Painter’s squad needed continuity and Robbie Hummel returning to health made everything blossom. The Boilermakers hold teams to 38.9 percent shooting, playing fundamental defense, yet would not be characterized as being a physical team. Purdue is 7-2 ATS this season when favored by 7 to 12.5-point range. Northern Iowa was seeing a successful season floating away, losing four of five in the middle of February; however they regained their swagger and doubled as Missouri Valley regular and postseason champions. Lead announcer Kevin Harlan has been practicing since Sunday night how to say Kwadzo Ahelegbe and Ali Farokhmanesh, two-thirds of UNI’s guard tandem. What made the Panthers so tough is 7’0 Jordan Eglseder and rugged Adam Koch. Northern Iowa’s playing as well as Purdue and is 12-6 and 11-7 on the road, catching this many points.

North Carolina vs Radford 2:50E Line – North Carolina -25.5, 163

Even if Ty Lawson is a no-go, North Carolina should have enough firepower, before what will be a very partisan crowd in Greensboro. The Tar Heels average 90.2 points per game and Tyler Hansbrough, Danny Green, Wayne Ellington and Lawson didn’t come back to Chapel Hill to make the NCAA Tournament, they came back to win it. North Carolina was shabby 11-19 ATS this season, however is 28-10 ATS off an upset loss as a favorite. Radford won 17 of last 19 games in being Big South champs. They play good defense in giving up just 39.7 percent, yet are vulnerable to three point shooting, surrendering eight a game.

California vs Maryland 2:55E Line – Cal -1, 140

California being in the tournament was a surprise, having a new coach and losing Ryan Anderson from last year. Coach Mike Montgomery is a proven commodity and he molded this group into a good unit that values possessions and takes good shots. The Bears led the nation in three-point accuracy at 43.4 percent and are 12-3 ATS when the total is 140 to 149.5 this season. Maryland often plays like a gang of one with guard Greivis Vasquez, as do-everything performer. It’s funny how coach Gary Williams is receiving so much credit for maximizing the talent on hand with not much there, didn’t he recruit them? The Terps are 13-4 ATS in road games when playing against a team with a winning record past the midpoint of the season the last two years and are benefiting from the play Adrian Bowie and Dave Neal late in the season.

Connecticut vs Chattanooga 3:00E Line –UConn -20.5, 145

Connecticut doesn’t figure to have any problems with Chattanooga, but might down the line. If guard A.J. Price isn’t hitting three’s, not many options to prevent teams from packing it in around the lane against the Huskies. Connecticut will want to be able to go to its potent frontcourt players; however are 3-12 ATS as a neutral court favorite of 12.5 or more points. Chattanooga benefited from playing conference tournament at home and the three wins put them over .500 (18-16) for the season. The Mocs too often were sloppy in ball-handling, which helped contribute to opposing teams to scoring 76 points against them. Chattanooga has failed to cover 15 of last 22 times they were underdogs.

Washington vs Mississippi State 5:00E Line – Washington -6, 148.5

Washington won Pac-10 title for the first time in 56 years and prefers to play fast, with diminutive guards Justin Dentmon and Isaiah Thomas. Both can really scoot and help Huskies score easy transition points. Jon Brockman is a double-double waiting to happen and Quincy Pondexter is now the player most expected out of high school. Washington is 7-0 ATS after one or more consecutive losses this season and got to the free throw line more than any other conference team. How far can Mississippi State go on three days rest, having to travel to Portland, after winning four games in four days in SEC tourney? We’re about to find out and the ball will be in the hands of freshman Dee Bost. The Bulldogs aren’t bashful about jacking up long range shots, averaging 23 per game beyond the arc, making eight per outing. Mississippi State is 5-1 ATS as neutral site underdogs, with the human eraser Jarvis Varnado guarding the rim.

Wagering on NCAA Tournament Champion

The field of 65 is set; you like many people have filled out numerous brackets in a variety of pools and now it is time to start breaking down the various first round matchups, looking for edges and spotting those potential early round exits by favorites. Having the benefit of using the point spread helps in many cases and mustering up the courage on money line dogs is another way to make hard currency when betting college basketball. But what about home run wager, picking the winner of the entire NCAA Tournament, which can offer a decent payout depending on the winner.

Even with the large field, most years, around 10 teams have legitimate chance of winning six games in a row. Long shots are great; however they don’t bring home the cash, betting futures. In the last 11 years, only teams seeded 1, 2 or 3 have emerged as champions. Lute Olson’s 1997 Arizona Wildcats were the last team that was not among the top tier of teams as a four-seed. In the 1980’s, we had Danny Manning and the Miracles in 1988 as a sixth-seed and Jim Valvano’s incredible stretch in 1983 with North Carolina State.

Each year, the litany of ways to select a champion is trotted out. Among the various aspects that are all noteworthy are veteran players, point guard play and defensive shooting percentages. Each in their own right holds value and opens the window to opportunity.

Last year I wrote about Jimmy Dykes, an analyst for ESPN, having a process to help pick the national champion of college basketball. Dykes played for the Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team and graduated in 1985. Dykes is teamed with Brad Nessler and has worked in the NBA as a scout and been an assistant coach for several teams on the college level. He went back researched what characteristics make up a national champ and I worked his method last season for the first time and two of the three teams were Kansas and Memphis, who played for the national championship last season.

Here is his list and what has occurred.

• 8 of 8 past champions had a 10 or more games winning streak
• 19 of 21 past champions had NBA player 6’8 or taller
• 20 of 21 past champions had NBA guard
• 8 of 11 past champions won conference tournament

It is important to understand what each of these points mean. First, if a team has a long winning streak of 10 or more, to whatever degree, they must be a good team. This season, 23 teams that made the field of 65, have won this many games in a row. Some teams could schedule their way into this many wins consecutively; however in reviewing this list, you see this consists primarily of college basketballs hierarchy.

Number of consecutive wins:

23 – Memphis

19- Utah State

16 – Wake Forest, Clemson, Pittsburgh

13- North Carolina, Oklahoma, Connecticut, American

12- Marquette, Minnesota, Butler

11- Michigan State, Northern Iowa, Tenn.-Martin, Xavier, North Dakota State, Binghamton

10- Duke, Louisville, LSU, BYU, Texas A&M

Absent from this list are such notable teams like Gonzaga (two nine-game streaks), Washington and Missouri, all teams that would be in the discussion as many as the teams on this list for strong consideration as top quality clubs.

The next two points have to do with one of the key ingredients and really why the higher seeds have dominated this tournament, talent. Dykes had the revisionist ability to look back and see if different players had the skill and ability to play at the next level. For our purposes, we can only surmise what looks to be accurate, without having full knowledge.

Having a taller player with NBA ability allows teams to score points in the paint and likely grab more offensive and defensive rebounds. Having a guard with professional basketball ability, means any or all of three things can happen. The guard can create dribble penetration to either score or set-up teammates to score. He has the ability to take over games at this level, by individual play and can win a game or two literally by himself, when the team is struggling.

In reviewing above list, Memphis has frontcourt players Shawn Taggert and Robert Dozier, who are both tall long athletes, who will be on somebody’s NBA roster when they leave. Guards Antonio Anderson and Tyreke Evans have shown to be special players and will be paid as professionals before long.

Utah State has an exceptional player in Gary Wilkenson, who was the Western Athletic Conference play of the year; however he is 26 years old and has limited options at the next level.
Wake Forest might have as much next level talent as any team in the country, but it is awfully young. Sophomore Jeff Teague is top scoring threat and is good facilitator of the ball. Freshman Al-Farouq Amino has unreal ability and just needs more seasoning and to work on outside game. Second year player James Johnson is inside-outside threat and 7’0 junior Chas McFarland has improved each year in school and could catch on with NBA team when he graduates.

Clemson has high motor guy in Raymond Sykes, who has the size and strength for NBA, however has shooting limitations. K.C. Rivers and Trevor Booker don’t have the right amount quickness that converts to the NBA.

Pittsburgh has DuJuan Blair and Sam Young, who should both be drafted for the NBA, but no guards on the Panthers squad are ready to make a move. Though Tyler Hansbrough supposedly doesn’t meet the criteria to play in the NBA, he has the look of a high energy seventh or eighth man, who will do whatever it takes to improve. The rest of the North Carolina contingent is questionable with Wayne Ellington and Danny Green and if Ty Lawson wasn’t 5’11. he would be big time prospect.

Connecticut has a boatload of talented players. A.J. Price should stick with some team and Jeff Adrien already has NBA-body. Stanley Robinson would make a nice project for a team with patience to let him grow and Hasheem Thabeet is already on his way, once he decides to go. Oklahoma of course has Blake Griffin and guard Willie Warren, both top level talents that would make any team an instant contender.

Michigan State has Kalin Lucas and Durrell Summers, who have potential as sophomores, but Raymar Morgan is more unknown as a 6’8 forward. Marquette’s Jerel McNeal has improved each season, but nothing even close in the frontcourt. BYU has guard Lee Cummard, who may lack the quickness, but is very good shooter. LSU has the right combination in principle anyways, with Marcus Thornton at guard and Tazmin Mitchell at forward. I’ll cut Mitchell a little slack since his body type is bigger than listed 6’7 height.

Louisville’s Earl Clark and Terrance Williams will very likely be better pros than they were in college, with coach Rick Pitino demanding more team effort. Duke has Gerald Henderson who should stick, however Kyle Singler doesn’t count as 6’8 player, since he is more of two guard or swingman when he is drafted.

The rest of the teams have primarily very good college players, but most are undersized or lack a particular quality that would prevent them from being able to earn a NBA paycheck.

Moving on, 72.7 percent of the teams that have a national championship the last 11 years won their conference tournament. Last year, the teams with the five longest winning streaks in the country during the regular season all won their post-season tournaments. This season only nine of the 21 teams with long winning streaks won their conferences tournaments and just three from the bigger conferences, if you include Conference-USA.

A few years ago, a belief was floating around; losing in postseason tourneys was a good thing, allowing teams to rest more. Yet as we see, the power of momentum carries far greater importance, especially when it coming to cutting down the nets and be given the trophy by Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg.

The ground rules are in place, the field is set, what teams meet all the criteria to be solid wagers to be crowned champions? There are only two teams that stand above the rest. They are Louisville and Memphis. Each has the long winning streak, each has the proper talent both inside and outside and each won conference tournament.

Hope this helps you make a greater evaluation as to what teams could be the NCAA national basketball champions. Good Luck.

NCAA Tourney Preview and Sweet 16 Predictions

With the field of 65 teams set, the real fun begins, who are the locks to win and advance and where will the upsets come from. In many cases, filling out a bracket is challenging enough, however trying to beat the oddsmakers over the first four days of the NCAA Tournament might be the reason Rogaine was invented, as fans see double digit leads dissipate faster than our dollars being handed out for bailouts.

Here is a look at each region and who could be in the Sweet 16.

Midwest Region

Louisville (28-5) is the top seeded of the entire tournament, winning the Big East regular season and postseason tournament. The Cardinals have won 10 games in a row and have to draw a great deal of attention. Louisville plays tremendous pressing defense, has at least three NBA potential players and is 12-3 and 9-4 ATS away from home. They will easily dispatch of first round opponent Alabama State or Morehead State, who are in the play-in game and face the winner of Ohio State and Siena. The Buckeyes (22-10) are playing much better than they were in mid-February, as Evan Turner has turned into one of the best players in the Big Ten. The Saints (26-7) by no means are simple club to beat, scoring 77.7 points per game, with four starters averaging double digits. The respect they have earned shows up in advancing four spots to No.9 seed from last year when they upset Vanderbilt and are a three-point underdog at Bookmaker.com.

Arizona (19-13) getting into the tournament is a mystery, losing five of last six and having 2-9 (5-6 ATS) true road record. Nevertheless, they have three quality players in Chase Budinger, Jordan Hill and Nic Wise, who could give Mountain West champion Utah (24-9) fits. The Utes don’t overwhelm opponents, winning by 7.2 points per game, but they know how to win and were 19-13 against the spread and should take down the Wildcats as a one point underdog. If that happens, a young a talented Wake Forest (24-6) team should be waiting. The Demon Deacons next year should really be something, but they are not too shabby this season with guard Jeff Teague as leader. If Cleveland State (25-10) can play at their tempo, they should be able to give Wake Forest quite a game, on the receiving end of eight points.

Michigan State (26-6) handily won the Big Ten regular season, but failed for the ninth straight year to make tourney final. The concern about the Spartans is what happens when Chris Allen and Durrell Summers don’t play well. Both are potential 20-point scorers any given night, unfortunately have had their share of four and five point games. Tom Izzo’s club should handle Robert Morris (24-10) as 17-point favorites, who finished 9-2 after losing at Pittsburgh by 20 points. The Boston College (21-11) and USC (21-12) matchup is almost impossible to predict with how the teams play from game to game, however the Trojans get the nod from oddsmakers as two-point favorites.

If Kansas (25-7) puts the loss of Baylor in Big 12 tournament behind them quickly, they should be fine. If they let it linger and play like coach Bill Self teams had played prior to last year, the Jayhawks could have real tussle with North Dakota State (26-6) as 10-point favorites. Five years ago coach Saul Phillips made the decision to redshirt the entire talented freshmen class, with the hopes of entering Division 1 basketball and earning NCAA bid in first year. It worked and you know they will be excited to face the defending champions.

Dayton (26-7) comes in limping to the tournament with 3-4 record, really missing point guard Chris Lowery, who is out for the season. Two other players have seen limited action reducing the effective edge the Flyers had with 12-man roster. West Virginia (23-11) seldom losses to teams it should beat and Dayton is one of them.

Midwest Region Sweet 16 Teams

Louisville – Utah – Michigan State – Kansas

West Region

Connecticut (27-4) coach Jim Calhoun could hardly be more pleased, since he has won two national championships coming out of the West Region. The top seeded Huskies have deep and talented frontcourt that can dominate and you have to like the fact they were 13-2 and 9-6 ATS away from Storrs and are a rock solid 21-point favorite. They drew Tenn-Chattanooga (18-16), who won the Southern Conference, by avoiding Davidson and playing a tired College of Charleston on there own home court. The 8 vs. 9 matchups are always intriguing and BYU against Texas A&M fits the mold. The Cougars (25-7) have outstanding players like guards Lee Cummard and Jimmer Fredette, leading a team that was 9-3 and 10-2 ATS on the road. Texas A&M (23-9) had the unimaginable loss to Texas Tech, blowing 19-point half time lead, but had won six in a row prior to that and is a two-point dog.

Purdue (25-9) finally met expectations, winning the Big Ten tourney, as Robbie Hummel and E’Twaun Moore turned it on. Because of how the Boilermakers can play defense, they should be able to control Missouri Valley champion Northern Iowa (23-10). The Panthers had a three-game losing streak in the middle of February, including a loss to Siena in Bracket Buster contest, but bounced back to win last five contests. They would love to get into a real grinder with Purdue, with the score in the low 60’s, catching eight points. Washington (25-8) was awarded the fourth seed and easily has the toughest foe among their peers. The Huskies are the most physical team in the Pac-10, but they will face a Mississippi State (23-12) who made improbable run to win SEC with four wins in four days and has won and covered the spread six straight times. The Bulldogs shoot the three-ball well and have shot-blocker extraordinaire Jarvis Varnardo, to swat away attempts in the lane. You always have to beware of teams playing that many games in that many days and Mississippi State also drew the earlier Thursday game, having to travel all the way to Portland, Or.

Coach John Calipari of Memphis (31-3) will tell the media that he could care less about what seed they are, however you can bet tomorrow’s lunch money he’s selling the lack of respect card to his players. This is a deep and veteran club with loads of NBA ability, who will shake Cal-State Northridge (17-13) and storm to Sweet 16. California (22-10) and Maryland (20-13) both do things well, nonetheless, the Bears have lost four of last six and have just one cover and seem soft by comparison trying to slow down guard Greivis Vasquez who can take over a game for the Terrapins. Cal is favored by a single point at the moment.

Missouri (28-6) will look to turn the heat up defensively on Cornell (21-9), who won the Ivy League as pretty good squad, but was 0-3 against the three tournament teams they faced and is a 13.5-point underdog. It is sad we won’t get to see Marquette (24-9) at full strength without Dominic James, and they better make sure they don’t get into slow down affair with Utah State (30-4), who is 13-4 and 10-5 ATS on the road. The wagering public hit the Aggies hard, taking them from seven-point underdog to 4.5 by morning.

West Region Sweet 16 Teams

Connecticut – Purdue – Memphis – Missouri

East Region

More than one expert likes the Pittsburgh Panthers (28-4) in the national championship game on April 6 and their coach Jamie Dixon, though not happy about Big East tournament effort, is pleased about the extra rest to have everybody healthy and ready to end recent tournament disappointments. For Pitt to advance beyond the Sweet 16, they must avoid what has curtailed them in their losses or struggles, which is two early fouls on DeJuan Blair in the first half. Blair’s brawn and skill opens up the playbook for forward Sam Young and others. After dispatching of East Tennessee State (23-10) as 20-point pick, Pittsburgh can look ahead to up and down conflict with either Oklahoma State (22-11) or Tennessee. The Cowboys have no size, but shoot the ball effectively and their only two defeats in last 10 tries have been to Missouri and in-state rival Oklahoma, who they later clipped in Big 12 tourney. The Volunteers (21-12) played like the more tired team in SEC title game and remain a mystery even today and are favored by two points.

Florida State (25-9) has a star in guard Toney Douglas who averaged 25 points per game in ACC tournament. The Seminoles have NBA size and should be too skilled for Wisconsin (19-12), as they are making first March Madness appearance in 11 years. You have to wonder if Xavier (25-7) peaked, as they are only 6-5 since February with more than one indifferent performance. Portland State (23-9) was the Big Sky champ and is not a super squad, but if taken too lightly, could surprise behind Jeremiah Dominguez, who was the Big Sky tournament MVP This is the Vikings second straight trip to tourney and could be dangerous dog on the receiving end of 11-points.

Duke (28-6) grabbed the second seed as presumed and is in much better shape this time around heading into NCAA event than a year ago. They are more mature, fresher and have more scoring options. Defensively, they are solid, but somewhat vulnerable to dribble penetration, which shouldn’t be a problem for the first couple of rounds. Binghamton (23-8) is making first ever showing in the tournament and graduate Tony Kornheiser can wear the jersey proudly for a few more days as 22-point pooch. Texas (22-11) just never clicked this season, lacking point guard play to start and later consistent outside shooting. The Longhorns should have enough as 3.5-point faves to hold off Minnesota (22-10), who was 5-8 ATS away from the Land of 10,000 lakes.

UCLA (25-8) better come East ready to play, otherwise they will be one and done against a Virginia Commonwealth (24-9) club that has star player in Eric Maynor. The Rams were the regular season and conference tournament champs and can play defense, holding foes to 39.7 percent shooting. VCU caught the attention of bettors immediately, going from 10-point underdog to seven. Villanova (26-7) has seven strong players that regularly make considerable contributions. Scottie Reynolds has to play well, as the Wildcats are 11-0 when he scores 18 or more points. American (24-7) was supposed to win the Patriot Conference and did behind senior guards Garrison Carr and Derrick Mercer, but don’t matchup well as 17-point underdogs.

East Region Sweet 16 teams

Pittsburgh – Florida State – Duke – Villanova

South Region

If Ty Lawson is back to 100 percent, no reason why North Carolina should not be headed to the Motor City for the Final Four. In the past, when Lawson wasn’t healthy or playing up to usual standards, the Tar Heels (28-4) went from great to very good team. When he is out of the lineup, the other North Carolina players besides Tyler Hansbrough are out of rhythm and miss more shots than they normally would. Radford (21-11) will be a good warmup, though they have averaged 89.1 points per game in last six as Big South champs. If ever there was a contrast in styles, it is LSU and Butler tilt. The Tigers (26-7) were the class of the SEC by a wide margin; however after beating Kentucky in Lexington, they seemed to have let up and haven’t shot over 40 percent in losing three of last four contests. Butler (26-5) is deliberate and plays more cerebral and though they can’t match LSU ability-wise, they play solid defense and could frustrate Tigers as two-point (Bull)dogs.

Illinois (24-9) might be in the classic 5 vs 12 matchup, since they have shown since January, they can miss a large volume of shots in a row and take ugly losses. Western Kentucky (24-8) has peaked at the right time, winning 11 of last 12 (9-3 ATS), as senior Orlando Mendez-Valdez and junior A.J. Slaughter have stepped into the backcourt and played at a high level. This was on many people radar immediately, as the Hilltoppers went from 6.5-point dog to four.

If you prefer strong fundamentals in picking winners, Gonzaga (26-5) would be a wise selection. The Bulldogs have won 18 of 19 (only loss to Memphis) and are second in the nation in field goal defense at 36.8 percent. Coach Mark Few today has the team that many believed he would and they should move past Akron (23-12), since MAC teams have shown very little in recent years in this tournament.

If likely player of the year Blake Griffin and his older brother Taylor want to leave Oklahoma (27-5) in a blaze of glory, now would be the time to raise level of play. The Sooners have been off, with 2-4 and 1-5 ATS mark in last six. You wouldn’t believe Morgan State (23-11) would present a tremendous challenge, however Oklahoma might not cover the 16.5-points if bored. Clemson (23-8) could go either way in their contest against Michigan. The Tigers have superior athletes, nevertheless, their press is beatable with patience and they allow too many layups and dunks out of it. The Wolverines (20-13) are capable of putting together explosive output, but lack the consistency to be counted on positively to do so even as receiving five points. Michigan is only 6-10 ATS when not playing at Ann Arbor.

Syracuse (26-9) showed what they are capable of and has a multitude of weapons, which is why they finished 7-1 SU and ATS. With a natural letdown expected, look for Stephen F. Austin (24-7) to be tougher than expected with 12.5-points. For Arizona State’s sake, they better forget about nightmare second half in blowing Pac-10 title, since the Sun Devils (24-9) face Temple (22-11) who is 10-2 and 9-3 ATS since Feb.8. Two future NBA players, James Harden and Dionte Christmas will be on display and Arizona State is favored by five.

South Region Sweet 16 teams

North Carolina – Gonzaga – Oklahoma - Temple

Memphis and Pac-10 in Focus for Bettor's Tonight

The thought of Arizona State and Washington playing for first place in the Pac-10 with less than two weeks to go in the regular season is as preposterous as Rush Limbaugh liking something the Democrats do. While that will never happen, the Sun Devils and Huskies have a key contest in Seattle that will weigh heavily on the outcome of Pac-10 title. Memphis’ string of C-USA wins only seems like the Harlem Globetrotters winning streak, and they hope not to have water thrown on them by Alabama-Birmingham, who will be trying to end the streak.

Memphis at UAB

Over the last several seasons, Memphis basketball has been known for ultra-talented athletes that can run and score points in bunches. This year’s team may lack the primordial skills of coach John Calipari’s previous teams, yet this squad is proving to be every bit a challenge to beat as his other clubs. The Tigers (24-3, 16-9-1 ATS) are holding opponents to under 38 percent shooting and have held nine different teams to 52 or fewer points this season, in spite of uptempo style. Memphis is 20-10 ATS after nine or more consecutive wins over the last two seasons (7-2 this year). The Tigers stupefying 54-game C-USA winning streak could again be tested at a place where they almost succumbed last year.

UAB (19-8, 12-13-1 ATS) is a dangerous team; they don’t make many mistakes and have known quantities that make winning plays. Robert Vaden has an all-round game, Paul Delaney III is among the conference leaders in shooting percentage from the guard spot and Lawrence Kinnard has been in the top three in C-USA all season in rebounding. The Blazers are 12-0 at home (6-5 ATS) and will want to finish what they started last year, blowing a late lead to lose to Memphis 79-78.

Bookmaker.com has Memphis as 4.5-point favorites and they are 7-1 ATS versus teams with winning records. UAB has lost six straight (1-4-1 ATS) to Memphis, however the home team 6-1 ATS in last seven meetings.

ESPN will have this C-USA conflict at 9 Eastern.

Arizona State at Washington

If the Sun Devils are in an important contest late in the season, most fans and alumni would assume it is baseball game. But coach Herb Sendik grew tired of being unappreciated in the ACC by his former employer and instead has taken over a sleepy basketball program that couldn’t draw many more than 200 students to come watch a game unless their rival Arizona was on the other bench. That has all changed with Arizona State (21-5, 14-8 ATS) nationally ranked and bidding for a Pac-10 title.

Since joining the conference 30 years ago, the Sun Devils have seldom contended for league honors, let alone win a Pac-10 basketball title. Yet seldom have they had a player of sophomore James Harden’s ability. The team is a classic Sendik assembly job, not appearing to work cohesively until they hit the floor. ASU is 7-2-1 ATS facing teams with winning home records.

Washington (20-7, 16-8-1 ATS) is just as unlikely to be in first place this late in the season with a chance to be outright Pac-10 champs. The Huskies were co-champs a couple of times in the mid-1980’s, otherwise the only basketball regular season championship was during the Eisenhower administration (1953), when the league was known as the Pacific Coast Conference.

Senior leadership or experienced upperclassmen is often why ordinary teams exceed expectations and Washington has a pair of hard to beat in bruising Jon Brockman and guard Justin Dentmon. These two warriors have been through it all in Seattle and are relishing their senior seasons with the help of a youngster, freshman Isaiah Thomas who added the extra dimension. The Huskies are 14-1 and 9-4 at home and will have raucous crowd at the venerable B.O.A. Arena, the old Hec Edmonson Pavilion.

Washington is 11-4 in the Pac-10 and is two-point favorite over Arizona State, who is 10-4 in conference and 6-2 SU and ATS in true road games. The Huskies won the earlier meeting in Tempe 84-71 as six point road dogs.

FSN has the tip at 8 Pacific, with the road team 6-1 against the spread.

Betting Lessons Learned from the Hardwood

How could you not come away impressed with how Memphis completely bottled up Gonzaga’s offense. The Bulldogs had no good looks, never got close to an offensive rhythm. The difference in quickness resembled college vs high school teams. Not putting the Tigers back in the Final Four, however this is a team on the come and oddsmakers are going to be adding points the rest of the season.

The SEC has caught a lot of grief and deservedly so. One team that has quietly emerged is the LSU Tigers. They have the conferences best record at 7-1 (6-1-1 ATS) and have bountiful experience with upperclassmen like Marcus Thornton, Tasmin Mitchell and Garrett Temple who were all on the team that went to the Final Four. With the SEC down and the Tigers losing by 30 at Utah and recently by 10 at home to Xavier, this is hardly an elite team, but they still have time to come together and be a force in March and should keep covering conference spreads.

While talking SEC, with Alabama’s loss at LSU, this makes it 17 consecutive road defeats for the Crimson Tide in conference play. (6-11 ATS)

Notre Dame’s performance (or lack there of) looked like the Irish football team when it flew West the last several years to face USC. No determination, no desire. Losing seven games in a row with do that after you have been in the Top 10. Luke Harangody is a great college player, yet obviously, not a locker room lawyer who shake up his teammates. No fight left in the Irish, being strictly play against.

Arizona State has won four Pac-10 road games in a row (4-0 ATS) for the first time in 28 years. True.

Two of the best teams in the Atlantic 10 were upset this past weekend. Xavier and Dayton both could have been looking ahead to this Wednesday’s matchup and got clipped in unusual fashion. The Musketeers were beaten because DuQuesne shot a blistering 81 percent in the first half and lost by four as five-point favorites. The next day, Dayton was in position to be tied for first place in the A-10 and they never came out of the locker room at halftime, outscored by Charlotte 46-29, who won for just the second time in league play.

Florida State is 18-5 (11-5-1 ATS) and four of their losses have come against North Carolina, Duke, Miami-Fl. and Pittsburgh. The Seminoles are the tallest team in the country and wore down Clemson at there place, closing the contest on 23-4 run to pull the upset. This is a dangerous underdog.

If anyone finds the Texas, Syracuse and Georgetown teams from early January, please make sure to call respective coaches, each is wondering where they disappeared to.

In the NBA, arguably the most impressive performance all season was the Los Angeles Lakers sweeping Boston and Cleveland on the road. They did so without Andrew Bynum and pedestrian to sub-par efforts from a somewhat ill Kobe Bryant. The Lakers demonstrated mental toughness not normally associated with this club.

You can’t help but feel for the Minnesota losing Al Harrington, back to being a doormat after 10-4 and 9-4-1 ATS January.

Did the Clippers really win back-to-back road games by a total of 45 points or was I just punch drunk from going a few a rounds with Chris Brown? That is the first time the Clips have won two road games consecutively since Nov. 6-7, 2007.

Memphis visits the Northwest

The Memphis Tigers are stepping out of Conference USA action one last time for a matchup against 18th-ranked Gonzaga. The 15th-ranked Tigers (19-3, 12-8-1 ATS) have been improving and coach John Calipari wants his team to be pushed in a hostile setting one last time before the NCAA tourney.

Antonio Anderson has gotten more comfortable in his role as shooting guard and his accuracy has improved since freshman Tyreke Evans has taken over the point. The Tigers' defense has been great so far, holding teams to 61.5 points a game on 37.7 percent shooting. The team seems to finally have bought into coach Cal’s preaching about toughness and they are 16-6 ATS versus defensive teams allowing 39 percent or less shooting after 15 or games on the season.

Gonzaga (17-4, 10-9 ATS) is very similar to Memphis in the respect they have been the dominant team in their conference and go after a demanding non-league schedule to improve resume and hopefully seeding. Since losing four of five games to finish December, the Bulldogs have regained their confidence and have a balanced attack.

Four players average in double digits; with Josh Heytvelt the leading scoring and West Coast Conference assist leader and reigning player of the year Jeremy Pargo, nearly at 10 points per game. Mark Few squads are 11-3 ATS vs. teams that average nine or more steals a game past the midpoint of the season.

The official line has the Tigers catching five points. Memphis has won 13 in a row (8-3-1 ATS) and is 11-3 and 8-5 ATS in non-conference action. The Tigers have covered last four outings against teams with winning records.

Gonzaga has offensive firepower, however their defense is overlooked; surrendering just 61.9 points per game and leads the country in defensive field goal percentage at 36.4 percent. The Bulldogs have had problems with teams with records above .500 with 2-7 ATS mark.

ESPN will have the telecast at 9 Eastern in what should be a very compelling matchup.

College Basketball Bettor’s Weekend Preview

How good is Florida, really? That question should start to be answered in their prime time matchup with Tennessee. Having won 18 of first 21 games, the talent is evident and a convincing win in hostile environment might be what bettors need to see, to back the Gators down the stretch. Notre Dame will play their fifth straight ranked team and Pitt is sure to be angry off a loss. Memphis is home trying to extend long C-USA winning streak and UCLA will try to change their luck at home against Stanford, who has had success at Pauley Pavilion. North Carolina and N.C. State used to be the game in the ACC, until Duke came along. The Wolfpack have a huge challenge ahead of them, even at home. On Super Bowl Sunday, a couple of physical Big Ten teams will go at it. Check Bookmaker.com for the last numbers on these contests.


Saturday – January 31

Notre Dame at Pittsburgh 12:00ET, ESPN

Points in the paint - this will be the term that will describe the winner of this Big East matchup. Pittsburgh (18-2, 9-6 ATS) has two space-eaters in Tyrell Biggs and DeJuan Blair, who can fill up a lane all by themselves and they will face Notre Dame’s Luke Harangody and his vast array to shots, heaves and tosses. Last season, the Fighting Irish handled the Panthers 82-70, holding Pittsburgh to 40 percent shooting. The Irish did a great job on the boards outrebounding Pitt by eight and the Panthers didn’t help themselves with 11 for 18 from the free throw line.

Jamie Dixon’s club is steadier this season with Levance Fields back running the point and Sam Young is more than just a jump shooter for team that is 17-7 ATS in January the last two years. The loss to Villanova hurt, however Dixon’s teams have through the years not dwelled on losses.

Notre Dame (12-7, 5-9 ATS) looked like Top 10 material back in Maui in November, however have become stagnant since league play opened and have lost four in a row. The lack of bench means heavy minutes for starters and the defensive prowess of last year has evaporated with teams shooting 43 percent. Coach Mike Brey’s club is 14-5 ATS in road games versus defensive teams with shooting percentage defense of 39 or less percent after 15 or more games on the year.

Houston at Memphis 1:00ET, CBSC

Conference-USA has reclined back into being a nice, lower level league among the heavyweights with Memphis (17-3, 11-7-1 ATS) no longer considered a national championship threat this season. Still it does leave some intriguing confrontations to consider like Houston (12-6, 9-6 ATS) visiting one of the barbeque hubs. The Cougars have found a combination of players that are 10-4 as starters, with ample firepower, averaging over 78 points a game. Scoring is no issue, but coach Tom Penders has to lean on his squad to play more defense as the shoot-outs against the better teams has led to defeats. Houston is 16-6 ATS on the road versus teams outscoring opponents by eight or points a game after 15 or more played.

Memphis has now won 48 straight C-USA contests and it might be getting harder for this year’s opponents to stop the streak. Freshman Tyreke Evans has moved to point guard and the offense is running smoother. Antonio Anderson is more comfortable in his role in the offense and his defense is as asphyxiating as ever. If there is one area the Tigers have fallen visibly, it is in rebounding, not having a big guy like Joey Dorsey to clean out the lane. The oddsmakers’ numbers this season have been more realistic and Memphis is 7-1 ATS as a home favorite of 10 or more points this season.

Memphis is 15-2 and 10-6-1 ATS as a favorite, winning by 16.9 points per game.


North Carolina at N.C. State 3:30, ABC

North Carolina State (11-7, 8-5-1 ATS) has a problem preparing for in-state rival North Carolina and it is not something easily cured. The Wolfpack has been getting killed on the boards. They have been out-rebounded in four of their last five ACC games and really crushed in last two, by 15 boards in overtime escape against Miami and by 19 in loss at Boston College. In the loss to the Eagles, they gave up 15 offensive rebounds. The Tar Heels have plenty of athletes to climb on the boards, making it imperative the N.C. State to at least create a stalemate on the glass. The Wolfpack is 10-2 and 5-3 ATS at home.

North Carolina (18-2, 9-10 ATS) almost was administered the five finger death punch by Florida State, but survived 80-77 in Tallahassee. The Tar Heels had problems finding open shots in the second half, scoring just nine field goals after the intermission. The drop in intensity allowed the Seminoles to score 33 points off North Carolina turnovers. Expect Tyler Hansbrough to come to play after scoring only eight points, breaking his streak of 55 consecutive games in double digits. The Tar Heels are 9-1 and 6-4 ATS away from Chapel Hill this season.

North Carolina is 8-3 SU and ATS in Raleigh since 1997.


Stanford at UCLA 3:30ET, ABC

Former Duke assistant Johnny Dawkins was patient and waited for the right opportunity to leave the nest and gravitated towards a university that had similar values. The move has paid off thus far with Stanford (13-5, 13-4 ATS) playing good basketball despite the loss of the Lopez twins. Forward Lawrence Hill and guard Anthony Goods have been the bell-cows which Dawkins has leaned on. The win against rival Cal was imperative after losing twice in the State of Washington; however losing to Oregon State at home again raises questions. The Cardinal is 9-1 ATS on the January road this last two years, after losing to USC by a single point as six point underdogs.

It isn’t that UCLA (16-4, 9-10 ATS) is a bad team, their not, they just can be befuddling at times and give uneven efforts. Josh Shipp is a good shooter, but will let poor fundamentals undermine his effectiveness and be streakier than necessary. Darren Collison works hard to set-up teammates and doesn’t look for his shot often enough. One real positive has been Michael Roll settling nicely into his sixth-man role and has scored 10 or more points often since Pac-10 play resumed. The impressive 81-66 win over Cal, showed what UCLA is capable of. The Bruins are 11-1 and 5-6 ATS at Pauley Pavilion this year.

Amazingly, Stanford is 8-3 SU and ATS at UCLA recently.


Florida at Tennessee 9:00ET, ESPN

This is the third of three very demanding tilts for Tennessee (12-7, 7-8-2 ATS) still trying to find defensive identity. The Vols floundered most of the early part of January and the players were recalcitrant to coach Bruce Pearl’s heedings, but changes were made in schemes and the players did some soul-searching among themselves. If there is a quality about Pearl’s teams, they need to resemble him, full of swagger. Tennessee is built around the talents of Tyler Smith and Wayne Chism. They are the starters and finishers for Orange and White, nevertheless the rest of the players have to contribute in the other parts of the game for the Volunteers to be at their best. They are 21-11 ATS as a home favorite or pick, however that record is quickly falling with four home losses in Knoxville this season.

Can a team with a solid a record as Florida at 18-3 (7-7 ATS) still be a mystery? The answer is yes. Much like the polling process in Florida, receiving the tabulations on the Gators has been slow to come by. Results are being formulated by SEC play and contests like this at Knoxville create a greater understanding. Nobody is wondering about Nick Calathes and his abilities and answers the critics. "We don't mind the doubters,” the sophomore point guard said. “We’re just looking to get better every day in practice." Even with last Sunday’s convincing thumping at Vanderbilt; the Gators are 5-3 and 3-4 ATS away from home.

Florida is 3-8 and 4-7 ATS at Tennessee.

Sunday – February 1

Penn State at Michigan State 12:00ET, Big Ten Network

For Super Bowl Sunday, the college basketball action is expectedly light; nonetheless, this should be a Big 10 bruiser. Michigan State (17-3, 9-8 ATS) is well-known for its aggressive nature and dishing out a little mayhem on the hardwood. Goran Suton and Raymar Morgan can play rough under the boards and the Spartans like to bump and grind on the defensive end. What makes them the best club in the Big Ten is shooting ability on the perimeter and exceptional speed, for a team in this conference, with Kalin Lucas running the point. Sparty is 26-9 ATS at home playing good teams (Win Pct. 60% to 80%), after 15 or more games.

Penn State (16-5, 10-4 ATS) is no longer the pushover they have been for the better part of there stay in the Big Ten, with several victories of merit. The Nittany Lions are showing progress on the road also at 3-2 and 4-1 ATS. The team revolves around senior forward Jamelle Cornley, who is there only reliable inside threat and can step out also and knock down jumpers. When other Penn State players make shots, the Lions are dangerous and they will need to be with 0-8 (3-5 ATS) mark at East Lansing.

Covering the Wagering Scene for All 94 Feet

With basketball taking over the landscape the rest of winter and a large portion of spring once that game with all the roman numerals is completed, thought we would try something new. Here is what I saw, heard or read this past weekend in basketball.

The Memphis Tigers win against Tennessee in Knoxville was important for John Calipari’s team but doesn’t need to be oversold. The Tigers shot 33.9 percent (15-56) against a defense that has allowed all opponents to convert 43.3 percent on the season. While coach Bruce Pearl has altered some defensive concepts, the win over Vanderbilt on the road earlier this week, looks a whole lot less impressive with what Florida did to the Commodores on Sunday, beating them by 25. Memphis is a good team that can play exceptional defense, yet is a squad with no player who is noteworthy on the offensive end and everyone other than guard Tyreke Evans needs to be set up to have a chance to score. Not really certain if Memphis is anything other than a game to game wager at about .500.

The Big Ten is generally better than most believed back in October, yet it might not translate into March. Michigan State engineered an impressive comeback at Ohio State, outscoring the Buckeyes 52-36, to win by 11 and cover the three point road favorite number. At the same time it was also visible to see why the Spartans are only 3-4 ATS this month. Raymar Morgan is imperative to their success and his illness is inhibiting Tom Izzo’s club from reaching its potential. Morgan just can't seem to fully shake the viral infection that has now affected him for three games, though players like Durrell Summers and Kalin Lucas are coming on. If Morgan gets healthy, watch out.

Illinois proved they are the second best team in the conference, ahead of Purdue at this juncture. Though nowhere near as talented as the team the played for national championship a few years back, the Fighting Illini pass the ball as well as any team in the country and doubts of Bruce Webber being able to recruit with the development of the sophomore class are being forgotten like Savage Garden song.

Ohio State doesn’t have enough offense and players that look ready to meet the challenge when adversity strikes. Almost hard to comprehend how soft Wisconsin is on defense with Bo Ryan still coaching.

Connecticut without a doubt has the look of a team capable of winning six games in late March and early April. What stood out in their win against Notre Dame was the versatility and desire displayed. Jerome Dyson and A. J. Price played well in the backcourt and Kemba Walker looked good coming of the bench. Forward Jeff Adrein looks like he’s been working out with LeBron and a team of Russian weightlifters and fought for every rebound. Hasheem Thabeet has skills as defensive player, with virtually nobody like him in college basketball, however he looks like a real project at the next level to be a contributor scoring.

Notre Dame is fast turning into a major disappointment and all Mike Brey can try and do is restore his player’s confidence. Ryan Ayers, Zach Hillesland and Tory Jackson shot the ball so poorly; it looked like they couldn’t throw the ball in the nearby St. Joes’s river, let alone into the cylinder. The Irish are not quick and if they can’t score, they will really struggle. I’m not sure how you bet on the Irish right now.

How cool is it being Craig Robinson this past week? Who is Mr. Robinson you ask? This past week his sister officially became the First Lady and his brother-in-law picked up a cool gig for at least four years in Washington. He returned back to Corvallis as the Oregon State basketball coach and all his team does is travel northern Cali, where they upset California and Stanford as 17.5-point and 16-point road dogs. This raised their record to 8-10 and 7-7 ATS and the Beavers are 3-5 SU in the Pac-10 after a 0-18 campaign a season ago. Maybe the whole change thing hangin’ around President Obama has something to it. Not sure if Oregon State deserves our attention just yet with cash, however a few home dogs roles are coming, so watch for numbers that might work.

Louisville’s performance at Syracuse was sick it was so good. Coach Rick Pitino has sold his team on “team” and look at the results! Circle next Monday, UConn at the ‘Ville.

I’ve seen San Antonio enough to formulate this thought, they are done. Not like a well-done steak at Ruth Chris, more like their time is up as being a true NBA championship contender done. All the different websites that have standings still have them in first place in the Southwest Division, nevertheless, the Lakers blew them out Sunday and an improved Andrew Bynum played Tim Duncan to a standstill. The Spurs are still a good team and some nights very good, but unless King James demands a trade southwest Texas, San Antonio is not going to beat the Lakers in a seven game series. Since Dec. 23, the Duncan gang is 3-6 ATS in all games where the spread was (+) or (–) 7.5 points.

Hey GM Steve Kerr, how’s that remake working in Phoenix? He moved Shawn Marion for what became known as the Big Cactus and presently Miami and the Suns have nearly the same record this season with the Suns 14-27-1 ATS. Jason Richardson for Raja Bell and Boris Diaw? This month Charlotte is 7-5 and 9-3 ATS, the setting Suns, .500 and 2-9-1 against the spread.

Though Kerr was technically correct in wanting to build a more traditional team, attempting to have 30-something players and a cast that doesn’t know how to play defense to become suddenly defensive-minded, well that’s like laying in the desert sun in the summer time and expecting not to get burnt.