RICH SPORTS
NBA
5* 706 Washington - ov 196 -120
3* 704 Charlotte +6.5
3* 709 Portland -7
1-0 yesterday 55-34 YTD.
NBA
5* 706 Washington - ov 196 -120
3* 704 Charlotte +6.5
3* 709 Portland -7
1-0 yesterday 55-34 YTD.
Hoop Service Thread 12/9 -12/15 includes RAS
- Thread starter WildBillPicks7
- Start date
Saturday's NCAAB Top 25 betting cheat sheet
Afternoon Action
With only one college football game on Saturday's schedule, the attention swings to NCAA hoops. Saturday's slate is packed with marquee matchups, including some big-name showdowns between Top 25 programs. Here's a look at all the Top 25 betting action Saturday:
Arizona Wildcats at Michigan Wolverines (-1)
Arizona didn?t miss a beat in its first game at No. 1 and the level of challenge gets raised a few notches when it visits No. 25 Michigan on Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats hammered New Mexico State 74-48 on Wednesday, but they face a Michigan team that has won 20 straight games at home against non-conference opponents and had a week to prepare for them. The key battle could be inside between Arizona?s 6-9 freshman Aaron Gordon and 6-10 sophomore Mitch McGary of Michigan.
The Wolverines followed up a loss at Duke by beating Houston Baptist by 54 last Saturday, recording a season-high 26 assists. Michigan?s only two upperclassmen play up front and Arizona is young in the backcourt as well, except for leading scorer junior Nick Johnson. Michigan is averaging more than 80 points and the Wildcats have held six of 10 opponents under 60, beating San Diego State 69-60 in their only true road game.
TRENDS:
* Wildcats are 5-1 ATS in their last six vs. Big Ten.
* Wolverines are 6-2 ATS in their last eight home games.
* Under is 6-0 in Wildcats' last six overall.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Louisville Cardinals (-22)
Coach Rick Pitino is waiting for that championship-level defense to appear at No. 4 Louisville, which hosts Western Kentucky on Saturday. The numbers look good - the Cardinals started the week leading the country in turnover margin, ranked fifth in steals and 11th in scoring defense at 60.3 points - but Pitino has gotten on his team more than once this year about playing sloppy defense. "We have got to just keep working on it. It will get better," Pitino said after a 113-74 win against Louisiana-Lafayette last week. "The guys we have can score, and we can teach them defense, and it will get better."
The Hilltoppers enter the 12th annual Billy Minardi Classic with decent defensive numbers too - holding teams to 62.4 points - but will be tested by a Louisville team averaging almost 87 points. Western Kentucky gets some help this week when transfers Chris Harrison-Docks (Butler) and Trency Jackson (Texas Tech) become eligible. "We'll have to figure out where we will use those guys and what situations they're going to help us the most, but no question about (it), they're going to help," coach Ray Harper said.
TRENDS:
* Over is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
* Cardinals are 13-4 ATS in their last 17 home games.
* Over is 12-3 in Cardinals' last 15 overall.
Eastern Kentucky Colonels at Wisconsin Badgers (-16.5)
Ben Brust took his turn in the spotlight this week as No. 6 Wisconsin, which hosts Eastern Kentucky on Saturday, continued its hot start. In case anyone had forgotten about Brust in the Badgers' balanced attack, the senior hit his first six shots to get Wisconsin rolling Wednesday. "Ben is one of those guys that can get hot real quick and he can change the complexion of a whole game just because he's such a sharp shooter," sophomore Sam Dekker said after the win against Wisconsin-Milwaukee. "Ben is one of those guys that's not going to always pass the eye test for some people. But he's always one of those guys that's going to get it done day in and day out."
Before anyone misinterpreted his comments, Dekker said Brust works hard in practice and makes hustle plays in games that sometimes go unnoticed - but not by teammates. The Colonels have been opportunistic with turnovers while Wisconsin hasn't lost that many. Wisconsin started the week second in turnovers lost (8.9) while Eastern Kentucky - ranked second in steals at 11.1 - has scored 239 points of 182 turnovers in 10 games.
TRENDS:
* Colonels are 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games.
* Badgers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Under is 5-1 in Badgers' last siix overall.
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys (-12.5)
Marcus Smart has carried Oklahoma State into the top 10 while pushing himself up draft boards. Smart will need to be at his best Saturday when the ninth-ranked Cowboys face upset-minded Louisiana Tech in the All-College Classic at Oklahoma City. Smart and Markel Brown form one of the most dynamic scoring backcourts in the country and swingman Le?Bryan Nash offers a third scoring option for an Oklahoma State club that is among the leaders in the nation with a 90.4 scoring average.
The Bulldogs are no slouches in the scoring department and put up an average of 86.2 points behind their own solid backcourt of Raheem Appleby, Kenneth ?Speedy? Smith and Alex Hamilton. ?We are excited about the opportunity to play a really good team,? Louisiana Tech coach Michael White said of the Cowboys. ?I think everyone in this locker room feels like we have a chance if we play great, despite what they are ranked.? Oklahoma State has been off since topping South Carolina on Dec. 6, and is beginning a stretch of three games in eight days.
TRENDS:
* Bulldogs are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
* Cowboys are 0-6 ATS in their last six neutral-site games.
* Under is 18-7-1 in Cowboys' last 26 non-conference games.
Tennessee Volunteers at Wichita State Shockers (-7)
Wichita State looks to go 10-0 for the first time in school history when it hosts Tennessee on Saturday in the first of two straight games against Southeastern Conference opponents. The eighth-ranked Shockers, who visit Alabama on Tuesday, won their ninth straight out of the gate with a 71-58 triumph over Oral Roberts last Saturday. It marked the eighth time that Wichita State won by double digits and the seventh time it held an opponent under 70 points.
The Shockers have limited opponents to an average of 60.3 points, which was tied for 11th in the country entering the week. They may be challenged by a Volunteers' squad that has found its offensive rhythm, averaging 77 points during a three-game win streak that includes runaway victories against Xavier and Wake Forest. Jarnell Stokes recorded his fourth straight double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds in an 84-63 win over Tennessee Tech last Saturday.
TRENDS:
* Volunteers are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 road games.
* Shockers are 19-7-1 ATS in their last 27 non-conference games.
* Under is 53-25-1 in Volunteers' last 79 road games.
Northern Illinois Huskies at UMass Minutemen (-24.5)
The wins continue to pile up for No. 20 Massachusetts, which hosts Northern Illinois on Saturday, but votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll have yet to follow. Of the 10 unbeaten teams in the top 25, the Minutemen have the lowest ranking, but coach Derek Kellogg isn't all that concerned about it. "I just like that we are in the top 25, that UMass is thought of as one of those teams," said Kellogg. "We're getting some great publicity for the school. I think it's great for UMass."
The Huskies will go for their first win over a ranked team since 1973 and just their third in 31 all-time tries. Nebraska, which is the only common opponent between the two teams, defeated the Huskies 63-58 and lost to the Minutemen 96-90, both at home. Mark Montgomery's team averages only 69 points - nearly 16 fewer than the Minutemen - but ranks 20th in the nation in rebounding at 41.9 per game, just ahead of Massachusette's 41.6.
TRENDS:
* Huskies are 2-5 ATS in their last seven non-conference games.
* Minutemen are 6-0 ATS in their last six games overall.
* Under is 41-18 in Huskies' last 59 overall.
Michigan State Spartans at Oakland Golden Grizzlies (+17)
Fifth-ranked Michigan State has been forced to dwell on a 14-point home loss for 10 days but finally gets the chance to create a more positive memory when it faces in-state opponent Oakland on Saturday at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Spartans gave up their top spot in the rankings after a 79-65 loss to North Carolina, a game that revealed a potential weakness in the post as they were outscored 44-28 in the paint. Oakland has lost 25 consecutive games against Big Ten opponents, including a 81-54 drubbing at Indiana on Tuesday.
While the Spartans had a long layoff, they didn't have much time to work on correcting their mistakes against the Tar Heels because of exams. They have two games to prepare for another tough non-conference test at Texas next Saturday. "I can guarantee you this, I sure as hell ain't worried about Texas," coach Tom Izzo told reporters after the North Carolina game. "I'm worried about Michigan State. We didn't do the things that championship-caliber teams need to do in big games, and that is so disappointing." Michigan State has won all 11 meetings between the in-state foes.
TRENDS:
* Spartans are 1-3-1 ATS in their last five road games.
* Golden Grizzlies are 0-5 ATS in their last five vs. Big Ten.
* Over is 4-1 in Spartans' last five overall.
Saturday's NCAAB Top 25 betting cheat sheet[/COLOR]
Evening Action[/B]
With only one college football game on Saturday's schedule, the attention swings to NCAA hoops. Saturday's slate is backed with marquee matchups, including some big-name showdowns between Top 25 programs. Here's a look at all the Top 25 betting action Saturday evening:
Kentucky Wildcats at North Carolina Tar Heels (-3)
Kentucky?s young team fell in both of its previous chances against a more experienced, ranked opponent. The No. 10 Wildcats will get another chance when they visit No. 21 North Carolina on Saturday in a battle between two of the most storied programs in college basketball. The Tar Heels own a pair of losses, but have plenty of experience knocking off top-10 teams with triumphs over Louisville and then-No. 1 Michigan State already on the resume.
Kentucky?s fabulous freshmen are maturing at different speeds, with Julius Randle and James Young the most consistent through the early schedule. ?The mental aspect of getting yourself ready every day,? Randle said about the college experience being more difficult. ?It?s not high school or AAU where you can take days off. You have to be ready to compete every day.? North Carolina is surging behind sophomore guard Marcus Paige, who will be dueling with the Wildcats? Harrison twins on the perimeter.
TRENDS:
* Under is 4-0-1 in the last five meetings.
* Wildcats are 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings in North Carolina.
* Wildcats are 1-8-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
New Mexico Lobos at Kansas Jayhawks (-5.5)
Two teams that haven?t played to preseason expectations will collide Saturday night when No. 13 Kansas meets New Mexico as part of the Kansas City Shootout at the Sprint Center. The Jayhawks fell six spots in the rankings after losing Saturday to unranked Colorado and figure to drop a couple more after falling Tuesday to No. 19 Florida. New Mexico opened the season ranked No. 20 but needed two overtimes to beat Alabama-Birmingham and lost to Massachusetts.
Most eyes will be on Kansas freshman Andrew Wiggins, a 6-9 guard who is coming off season highs of 26 points and 11 rebounds against Florida. He also made four 3-pointers and blocked two shots for the first time in his college career, even making all eight of his free throws. The Lobos have a guard, a forward and a center each averaging better than 18 points, giving them a variety of methods to sting opponents.
TRENDS:
* Lobos are 5-1 ATS in their last six vs. Big 12.
* Jayhawks are 0-5 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Under is 5-2 in Jayhawks' last seven overall.
Prairie View A&M Panthers at UCLA Bruins (N/A)
Jordan Adams played in the shadow of Shabazz Muhammad for much of last season and now the UCLA guard is taking advantage of his opportunity to shine as UCLA?s No. 1 scoring option heading into its game Saturday evening against visiting Prairie View A&M. Adams is averaging 21.6 points while shooting 51.8 percent from the field, better than the 17.9 points and 44.3 percent shooting Muhammad notched before he was drafted 14th overall by the Utah Jazz last June and then promptly traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Adams has also been consistent, scoring at least 16 points in every game, including four games with 22.
The UCLA player that has NBA scouts especially interested is 6-9 sophomore swingman Kyle Anderson, who already has one triple-double this season and has brushed up against a couple others. Anderson entered the week as the only player in the nation averaging at least 10 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. His playmaking was stifled in Saturday?s loss at Missouri, however, finishing with 13 points, six rebounds and two assists.
TRENDS:
* Panthers are 5-0 ATS in their last five non-conference games.
* Bruins are 4-0 ATS in their last four home games.
* Over is 4-0 in Bruins' last four home games.
North Dakota State Bison at Ohio State Buckeyes (-13.5)
No. 2 Ohio State might have more than it bargained for when red-hot North Dakota State pays a visit Saturday night as part of the Blackrock Gotham Classic. The Bison are riding a five-game winning streak and pulled off a big-time upset at Notre Dame on Wednesday behind 26 points from Marshall Bjorklund. Notre Dame coach Mike Brey told the Chicago Tribune that the Bison are ?very good ? an old, experienced team? and referred to Bjorklund as a ?bear.?
The Buckeyes have relied on their traditional lock-down defense, entering the week ranked third in the NCAA in scoring defense (54.5 points allowed per game). After getting blown out by the Buckeyes 86-48 on Dec. 11, Bryant coach Tim O?Shea told the Columbus Dispatch, ?There are a few teams in the country that will contend for the national championship legitimately, and clearly Ohio State is one of them. ? They play national championship-caliber defense.?
TRENDS:
* Bison are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 non-conference games.
* Buckeyes are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games.
* Under is 5-1-1 in Buckeyes' last seven overall.
Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Oregon Ducks (-6.5)
Mike Moser?s college career has taken a long and winding road, but Oregon?s second-leading scorer will finally get a chance to play in his hometown of Portland on Saturday night when the No. 11 Ducks host Illinois. Moser appeared in just 15 games as a freshman at UCLA, transferred to Nevada-Las Vegas in search of more playing time and produced one solid season and another injury-filled year. Moser went searching for greener pastures again after graduating from UNLV last spring and found it at Oregon, where he?s averaging 15 points and 7.4 rebounds.
The Ducks are benefiting from the arrival of another transfer, junior guard Joseph Young, who averages a team-high 20.1 points on 53.9 percent shooting. The Illini, meanwhile, are also led by a junior guard in his first season with the program. Drake transfer Rayvonte Rice has filled in nicely after the departure of leading scorers Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson, reaching double figures in scoring in every game this season while also contributing 5.7 rebounds.
TRENDS:
* Fighting Illini are 1-3-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Ducks are 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 games overall.
* Over is 13-3 in Ducks' last 16 overall.
Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. South Alabama Jaguars (+15.5)
Gonzaga will try to exploit its mismatch known as 7-1 sophomore Przemek Karnowski for a second straight game when it meets undersized South Alabama on Saturday in the Battle In Seattle. The No. 17 Bulldogs are known more for their guard play led by Kevin Pangos, but they will be a much tougher out come NCAA Tournament time if Karnowski continues to develop and center Sam Dower remains effective. Gonzaga has won five straight since its only loss - 84-79 to Dayton in the Maui Invitational.
Karnowski was humble in his assessment of Gonzaga's 80-76 victory at West Virginia on Tuesday, when he scored a season-high 19 points and matched a career best with 13 rebounds while recording the second double-double of his career. ''The guys were finding me,'' Karnowski said. ''I had great passes, I just had to finish them.'' The Jaguars lost 96-93 at the buzzer in triple overtime at Rice on Dec. 7 to fall to 0-3 on the road and do not have a player in the regular rotation taller than 6-7.
TRENDS:
* Bulldogs are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 Saturday games.
* Jaguars are 2-5 ATS in their last seven neutral-site games.
* Over is 5-1 in Bulldogs' last six overall.
Afternoon Action
With only one college football game on Saturday's schedule, the attention swings to NCAA hoops. Saturday's slate is packed with marquee matchups, including some big-name showdowns between Top 25 programs. Here's a look at all the Top 25 betting action Saturday:
Arizona Wildcats at Michigan Wolverines (-1)
Arizona didn?t miss a beat in its first game at No. 1 and the level of challenge gets raised a few notches when it visits No. 25 Michigan on Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats hammered New Mexico State 74-48 on Wednesday, but they face a Michigan team that has won 20 straight games at home against non-conference opponents and had a week to prepare for them. The key battle could be inside between Arizona?s 6-9 freshman Aaron Gordon and 6-10 sophomore Mitch McGary of Michigan.
The Wolverines followed up a loss at Duke by beating Houston Baptist by 54 last Saturday, recording a season-high 26 assists. Michigan?s only two upperclassmen play up front and Arizona is young in the backcourt as well, except for leading scorer junior Nick Johnson. Michigan is averaging more than 80 points and the Wildcats have held six of 10 opponents under 60, beating San Diego State 69-60 in their only true road game.
TRENDS:
* Wildcats are 5-1 ATS in their last six vs. Big Ten.
* Wolverines are 6-2 ATS in their last eight home games.
* Under is 6-0 in Wildcats' last six overall.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Louisville Cardinals (-22)
Coach Rick Pitino is waiting for that championship-level defense to appear at No. 4 Louisville, which hosts Western Kentucky on Saturday. The numbers look good - the Cardinals started the week leading the country in turnover margin, ranked fifth in steals and 11th in scoring defense at 60.3 points - but Pitino has gotten on his team more than once this year about playing sloppy defense. "We have got to just keep working on it. It will get better," Pitino said after a 113-74 win against Louisiana-Lafayette last week. "The guys we have can score, and we can teach them defense, and it will get better."
The Hilltoppers enter the 12th annual Billy Minardi Classic with decent defensive numbers too - holding teams to 62.4 points - but will be tested by a Louisville team averaging almost 87 points. Western Kentucky gets some help this week when transfers Chris Harrison-Docks (Butler) and Trency Jackson (Texas Tech) become eligible. "We'll have to figure out where we will use those guys and what situations they're going to help us the most, but no question about (it), they're going to help," coach Ray Harper said.
TRENDS:
* Over is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
* Cardinals are 13-4 ATS in their last 17 home games.
* Over is 12-3 in Cardinals' last 15 overall.
Eastern Kentucky Colonels at Wisconsin Badgers (-16.5)
Ben Brust took his turn in the spotlight this week as No. 6 Wisconsin, which hosts Eastern Kentucky on Saturday, continued its hot start. In case anyone had forgotten about Brust in the Badgers' balanced attack, the senior hit his first six shots to get Wisconsin rolling Wednesday. "Ben is one of those guys that can get hot real quick and he can change the complexion of a whole game just because he's such a sharp shooter," sophomore Sam Dekker said after the win against Wisconsin-Milwaukee. "Ben is one of those guys that's not going to always pass the eye test for some people. But he's always one of those guys that's going to get it done day in and day out."
Before anyone misinterpreted his comments, Dekker said Brust works hard in practice and makes hustle plays in games that sometimes go unnoticed - but not by teammates. The Colonels have been opportunistic with turnovers while Wisconsin hasn't lost that many. Wisconsin started the week second in turnovers lost (8.9) while Eastern Kentucky - ranked second in steals at 11.1 - has scored 239 points of 182 turnovers in 10 games.
TRENDS:
* Colonels are 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games.
* Badgers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Under is 5-1 in Badgers' last siix overall.
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys (-12.5)
Marcus Smart has carried Oklahoma State into the top 10 while pushing himself up draft boards. Smart will need to be at his best Saturday when the ninth-ranked Cowboys face upset-minded Louisiana Tech in the All-College Classic at Oklahoma City. Smart and Markel Brown form one of the most dynamic scoring backcourts in the country and swingman Le?Bryan Nash offers a third scoring option for an Oklahoma State club that is among the leaders in the nation with a 90.4 scoring average.
The Bulldogs are no slouches in the scoring department and put up an average of 86.2 points behind their own solid backcourt of Raheem Appleby, Kenneth ?Speedy? Smith and Alex Hamilton. ?We are excited about the opportunity to play a really good team,? Louisiana Tech coach Michael White said of the Cowboys. ?I think everyone in this locker room feels like we have a chance if we play great, despite what they are ranked.? Oklahoma State has been off since topping South Carolina on Dec. 6, and is beginning a stretch of three games in eight days.
TRENDS:
* Bulldogs are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
* Cowboys are 0-6 ATS in their last six neutral-site games.
* Under is 18-7-1 in Cowboys' last 26 non-conference games.
Tennessee Volunteers at Wichita State Shockers (-7)
Wichita State looks to go 10-0 for the first time in school history when it hosts Tennessee on Saturday in the first of two straight games against Southeastern Conference opponents. The eighth-ranked Shockers, who visit Alabama on Tuesday, won their ninth straight out of the gate with a 71-58 triumph over Oral Roberts last Saturday. It marked the eighth time that Wichita State won by double digits and the seventh time it held an opponent under 70 points.
The Shockers have limited opponents to an average of 60.3 points, which was tied for 11th in the country entering the week. They may be challenged by a Volunteers' squad that has found its offensive rhythm, averaging 77 points during a three-game win streak that includes runaway victories against Xavier and Wake Forest. Jarnell Stokes recorded his fourth straight double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds in an 84-63 win over Tennessee Tech last Saturday.
TRENDS:
* Volunteers are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 road games.
* Shockers are 19-7-1 ATS in their last 27 non-conference games.
* Under is 53-25-1 in Volunteers' last 79 road games.
Northern Illinois Huskies at UMass Minutemen (-24.5)
The wins continue to pile up for No. 20 Massachusetts, which hosts Northern Illinois on Saturday, but votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll have yet to follow. Of the 10 unbeaten teams in the top 25, the Minutemen have the lowest ranking, but coach Derek Kellogg isn't all that concerned about it. "I just like that we are in the top 25, that UMass is thought of as one of those teams," said Kellogg. "We're getting some great publicity for the school. I think it's great for UMass."
The Huskies will go for their first win over a ranked team since 1973 and just their third in 31 all-time tries. Nebraska, which is the only common opponent between the two teams, defeated the Huskies 63-58 and lost to the Minutemen 96-90, both at home. Mark Montgomery's team averages only 69 points - nearly 16 fewer than the Minutemen - but ranks 20th in the nation in rebounding at 41.9 per game, just ahead of Massachusette's 41.6.
TRENDS:
* Huskies are 2-5 ATS in their last seven non-conference games.
* Minutemen are 6-0 ATS in their last six games overall.
* Under is 41-18 in Huskies' last 59 overall.
Michigan State Spartans at Oakland Golden Grizzlies (+17)
Fifth-ranked Michigan State has been forced to dwell on a 14-point home loss for 10 days but finally gets the chance to create a more positive memory when it faces in-state opponent Oakland on Saturday at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Spartans gave up their top spot in the rankings after a 79-65 loss to North Carolina, a game that revealed a potential weakness in the post as they were outscored 44-28 in the paint. Oakland has lost 25 consecutive games against Big Ten opponents, including a 81-54 drubbing at Indiana on Tuesday.
While the Spartans had a long layoff, they didn't have much time to work on correcting their mistakes against the Tar Heels because of exams. They have two games to prepare for another tough non-conference test at Texas next Saturday. "I can guarantee you this, I sure as hell ain't worried about Texas," coach Tom Izzo told reporters after the North Carolina game. "I'm worried about Michigan State. We didn't do the things that championship-caliber teams need to do in big games, and that is so disappointing." Michigan State has won all 11 meetings between the in-state foes.
TRENDS:
* Spartans are 1-3-1 ATS in their last five road games.
* Golden Grizzlies are 0-5 ATS in their last five vs. Big Ten.
* Over is 4-1 in Spartans' last five overall.
Saturday's NCAAB Top 25 betting cheat sheet[/COLOR]
Evening Action[/B]
With only one college football game on Saturday's schedule, the attention swings to NCAA hoops. Saturday's slate is backed with marquee matchups, including some big-name showdowns between Top 25 programs. Here's a look at all the Top 25 betting action Saturday evening:
Kentucky Wildcats at North Carolina Tar Heels (-3)
Kentucky?s young team fell in both of its previous chances against a more experienced, ranked opponent. The No. 10 Wildcats will get another chance when they visit No. 21 North Carolina on Saturday in a battle between two of the most storied programs in college basketball. The Tar Heels own a pair of losses, but have plenty of experience knocking off top-10 teams with triumphs over Louisville and then-No. 1 Michigan State already on the resume.
Kentucky?s fabulous freshmen are maturing at different speeds, with Julius Randle and James Young the most consistent through the early schedule. ?The mental aspect of getting yourself ready every day,? Randle said about the college experience being more difficult. ?It?s not high school or AAU where you can take days off. You have to be ready to compete every day.? North Carolina is surging behind sophomore guard Marcus Paige, who will be dueling with the Wildcats? Harrison twins on the perimeter.
TRENDS:
* Under is 4-0-1 in the last five meetings.
* Wildcats are 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings in North Carolina.
* Wildcats are 1-8-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
New Mexico Lobos at Kansas Jayhawks (-5.5)
Two teams that haven?t played to preseason expectations will collide Saturday night when No. 13 Kansas meets New Mexico as part of the Kansas City Shootout at the Sprint Center. The Jayhawks fell six spots in the rankings after losing Saturday to unranked Colorado and figure to drop a couple more after falling Tuesday to No. 19 Florida. New Mexico opened the season ranked No. 20 but needed two overtimes to beat Alabama-Birmingham and lost to Massachusetts.
Most eyes will be on Kansas freshman Andrew Wiggins, a 6-9 guard who is coming off season highs of 26 points and 11 rebounds against Florida. He also made four 3-pointers and blocked two shots for the first time in his college career, even making all eight of his free throws. The Lobos have a guard, a forward and a center each averaging better than 18 points, giving them a variety of methods to sting opponents.
TRENDS:
* Lobos are 5-1 ATS in their last six vs. Big 12.
* Jayhawks are 0-5 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Under is 5-2 in Jayhawks' last seven overall.
Prairie View A&M Panthers at UCLA Bruins (N/A)
Jordan Adams played in the shadow of Shabazz Muhammad for much of last season and now the UCLA guard is taking advantage of his opportunity to shine as UCLA?s No. 1 scoring option heading into its game Saturday evening against visiting Prairie View A&M. Adams is averaging 21.6 points while shooting 51.8 percent from the field, better than the 17.9 points and 44.3 percent shooting Muhammad notched before he was drafted 14th overall by the Utah Jazz last June and then promptly traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Adams has also been consistent, scoring at least 16 points in every game, including four games with 22.
The UCLA player that has NBA scouts especially interested is 6-9 sophomore swingman Kyle Anderson, who already has one triple-double this season and has brushed up against a couple others. Anderson entered the week as the only player in the nation averaging at least 10 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. His playmaking was stifled in Saturday?s loss at Missouri, however, finishing with 13 points, six rebounds and two assists.
TRENDS:
* Panthers are 5-0 ATS in their last five non-conference games.
* Bruins are 4-0 ATS in their last four home games.
* Over is 4-0 in Bruins' last four home games.
North Dakota State Bison at Ohio State Buckeyes (-13.5)
No. 2 Ohio State might have more than it bargained for when red-hot North Dakota State pays a visit Saturday night as part of the Blackrock Gotham Classic. The Bison are riding a five-game winning streak and pulled off a big-time upset at Notre Dame on Wednesday behind 26 points from Marshall Bjorklund. Notre Dame coach Mike Brey told the Chicago Tribune that the Bison are ?very good ? an old, experienced team? and referred to Bjorklund as a ?bear.?
The Buckeyes have relied on their traditional lock-down defense, entering the week ranked third in the NCAA in scoring defense (54.5 points allowed per game). After getting blown out by the Buckeyes 86-48 on Dec. 11, Bryant coach Tim O?Shea told the Columbus Dispatch, ?There are a few teams in the country that will contend for the national championship legitimately, and clearly Ohio State is one of them. ? They play national championship-caliber defense.?
TRENDS:
* Bison are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 non-conference games.
* Buckeyes are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games.
* Under is 5-1-1 in Buckeyes' last seven overall.
Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Oregon Ducks (-6.5)
Mike Moser?s college career has taken a long and winding road, but Oregon?s second-leading scorer will finally get a chance to play in his hometown of Portland on Saturday night when the No. 11 Ducks host Illinois. Moser appeared in just 15 games as a freshman at UCLA, transferred to Nevada-Las Vegas in search of more playing time and produced one solid season and another injury-filled year. Moser went searching for greener pastures again after graduating from UNLV last spring and found it at Oregon, where he?s averaging 15 points and 7.4 rebounds.
The Ducks are benefiting from the arrival of another transfer, junior guard Joseph Young, who averages a team-high 20.1 points on 53.9 percent shooting. The Illini, meanwhile, are also led by a junior guard in his first season with the program. Drake transfer Rayvonte Rice has filled in nicely after the departure of leading scorers Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson, reaching double figures in scoring in every game this season while also contributing 5.7 rebounds.
TRENDS:
* Fighting Illini are 1-3-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Ducks are 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 games overall.
* Over is 13-3 in Ducks' last 16 overall.
Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. South Alabama Jaguars (+15.5)
Gonzaga will try to exploit its mismatch known as 7-1 sophomore Przemek Karnowski for a second straight game when it meets undersized South Alabama on Saturday in the Battle In Seattle. The No. 17 Bulldogs are known more for their guard play led by Kevin Pangos, but they will be a much tougher out come NCAA Tournament time if Karnowski continues to develop and center Sam Dower remains effective. Gonzaga has won five straight since its only loss - 84-79 to Dayton in the Maui Invitational.
Karnowski was humble in his assessment of Gonzaga's 80-76 victory at West Virginia on Tuesday, when he scored a season-high 19 points and matched a career best with 13 rebounds while recording the second double-double of his career. ''The guys were finding me,'' Karnowski said. ''I had great passes, I just had to finish them.'' The Jaguars lost 96-93 at the buzzer in triple overtime at Rice on Dec. 7 to fall to 0-3 on the road and do not have a player in the regular rotation taller than 6-7.
TRENDS:
* Bulldogs are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 Saturday games.
* Jaguars are 2-5 ATS in their last seven neutral-site games.
* Over is 5-1 in Bulldogs' last six overall.
RAS
CBB
Nevada
SIU Edwardsville
Illinois Chicago
South Dakota.
I didn't see any units on them, they are below 500 for December and negative units, but up for the year so far, each of these lines moved 1 1/2 to 3 pts thus far
RICH SPORTS
CBB Early
48-42 YTD
4* 536 Wichita State -6
3* 521 Arizona +3.5 -130
CBB
Nevada
SIU Edwardsville
Illinois Chicago
South Dakota.
I didn't see any units on them, they are below 500 for December and negative units, but up for the year so far, each of these lines moved 1 1/2 to 3 pts thus far
RICH SPORTS
CBB Early
48-42 YTD
4* 536 Wichita State -6
3* 521 Arizona +3.5 -130
RICH SPORTS
4* 560 Butler - ML -140
3.5* 554 North Carolina -4
3* 571 UL Monroe +17
RAS
CBB
Denver -4
Jacksonville St -1.5
UT Arlington +17.5
They went 0-2 on Sunday.
Denver opened -2 1/2, moved to 5 1/2, down to -4 now
UTA opened +17 dropped to +15 1/2
Jacks St opened -1 1/2, dropped to -1, moved to -3, down to -1 1/2 now
GL!
CBB
Denver -4
Jacksonville St -1.5
UT Arlington +17.5
They went 0-2 on Sunday.
Denver opened -2 1/2, moved to 5 1/2, down to -4 now
UTA opened +17 dropped to +15 1/2
Jacks St opened -1 1/2, dropped to -1, moved to -3, down to -1 1/2 now
GL!
