Perry Perspective: Jan 12
Tucker terrific for Texas
Vince Young is not the only big man on campus at Texas these days.
There is another budding superstar that?s garnering more and more attention at UT, especially now that the football season is over.
Longhorns junior forward P.J. Tucker has been ripping up the Big 12, leading the school to a 13-2 record (2-0 conf.) and a No. 8 ranking in the nation. Earlier this week, Tucker was named the Big 12 Player of the Week for the second consecutive week and third time this year after he netted 24 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in the Horns 89-64 clobbering of Colorado.
It was Tucker?s third consecutive double-double and fourth in his last five games. Although the streak was broken on Monday when Texas dumped Iowa State 78-58, he still managed 17 points and seven rebounds. Tucker is currently fourth overall in the Big 12 in scoring, averaging 18.4 ppg. He?s also grabbing 9.1 rebounds, second in the conference behind teammate LaMarcus Aldridge (10.3).
The Horns are riding a five-game win streak, the highlight of which was a 69-58 victory over then-No. 4 Memphis as 5.5-point underdogs. With the five wins, the Horns have climbed up to No. 8 after being dropped to No. 15 in the AP poll.
Texas had been ranked No. 2 through the first month of the season, but that all changed on Dec. 10 when they faced No. 1 Duke. They were humiliated 97-66 by the Blue Devils as 2.5-point road dogs in that game. Perhaps the lingering disappointment from that performance spilled over to the next game, when they were spanked at home by unranked Tennessee 95-78 as 13-point favorites.
This Saturday the Horns face No. 3 Villanova (1 p.m. ET, CBS), the third top-5 team they?ve faced this season and fifth top-25 team.
The Wildcats are coming off their first loss of the season. Last Sunday, they were upset at home by then-ranked No. 24 West Virginia 91-87 as 11.5-point favorites. The Cats blew a 15-point second-half lead, allowing 11 three-pointers and giving up 91 points, the most they?ve given up all season. Worse, they committed a season-high 22 turnovers.
In fact, in the three games prior to Wednesday?s matchup with Rutgers, Villanova was averaging 19 turnovers per game. Their season average of 13.9 TOs is ninth-most in the 16-team Big East.
Favored by many to go deep in the NCAA tournament, the Wildcats are now 10-1 overall (1-1 conf.). Senior guard Randy Foye leads the team in scoring averaging 21 ppg, second overall in the Big East.
The Wildcats were 5-2 ATS prior to Wednesday?s game at Rutgers. On the total, they were 6-1 O/U, which partially reflects the team?s ability to score ? Villanova is averaging nearly 82 ppg, and is second in the Big East behind UConn.
Against the spread, the Longhorns are 6-3-1.
Other notable games this weekend:
No. 11 Pittsburgh at No. 10 Louisville (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN Full Court)
As of Wednesday, the Panthers (12-0, 1-0 conf.) were one of only three undefeated teams remaining - the other two were Duke (14-0, 2-0 conf) and Florida (14-0, 1-0 conf).
Pitt was scheduled to play DePaul (8-5) Thursday, but their unblemished record will really be put to the test on Sunday against Rick Pitino and the Cardinals, who are 13-2 overall (1-1 conf).
Playing its first season in the Big East since transferring from C-USA, Louisville is just 3-8 ATS so far this year. And with the No. 10 ranked scoring offense in the conference, the Cardinals are only 2-9 on the OVER/UNDER.
Pitt is 4-3 ATS and 5-2 O/U.
No. 15 Michigan State at No. 16 Ohio State (Sunday, 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS)
In a Big Ten rivalry game, the Spartans (12-4, 0-2 conf) will travel to Ohio to take on the Buckeyes St (11-1, 1-1 conf.).
Prior to Wednesday, Michigan St. was 5-9 ATS and 8-6 O/U; Ohio St. was 4-3-1 ATS and 5-3-1 O/U.
The Spartans have three players in the top three in scoring in the conference: Maurice Ager (20.5 ppg), Shannon Brown (18.4 ppg) and Paul Davis (18.2 ppg).
However, with four players averaging more than 10 points per game, it?s Ohio State who has the top scoring offense in the conference at 81.6 ppg.
The Spartans were scheduled to play Indiana on Wednesday; the Buckeyes were scheduled to play Purdue.
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Tucker terrific for Texas
Vince Young is not the only big man on campus at Texas these days.
There is another budding superstar that?s garnering more and more attention at UT, especially now that the football season is over.
Longhorns junior forward P.J. Tucker has been ripping up the Big 12, leading the school to a 13-2 record (2-0 conf.) and a No. 8 ranking in the nation. Earlier this week, Tucker was named the Big 12 Player of the Week for the second consecutive week and third time this year after he netted 24 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in the Horns 89-64 clobbering of Colorado.
It was Tucker?s third consecutive double-double and fourth in his last five games. Although the streak was broken on Monday when Texas dumped Iowa State 78-58, he still managed 17 points and seven rebounds. Tucker is currently fourth overall in the Big 12 in scoring, averaging 18.4 ppg. He?s also grabbing 9.1 rebounds, second in the conference behind teammate LaMarcus Aldridge (10.3).
The Horns are riding a five-game win streak, the highlight of which was a 69-58 victory over then-No. 4 Memphis as 5.5-point underdogs. With the five wins, the Horns have climbed up to No. 8 after being dropped to No. 15 in the AP poll.
Texas had been ranked No. 2 through the first month of the season, but that all changed on Dec. 10 when they faced No. 1 Duke. They were humiliated 97-66 by the Blue Devils as 2.5-point road dogs in that game. Perhaps the lingering disappointment from that performance spilled over to the next game, when they were spanked at home by unranked Tennessee 95-78 as 13-point favorites.
This Saturday the Horns face No. 3 Villanova (1 p.m. ET, CBS), the third top-5 team they?ve faced this season and fifth top-25 team.
The Wildcats are coming off their first loss of the season. Last Sunday, they were upset at home by then-ranked No. 24 West Virginia 91-87 as 11.5-point favorites. The Cats blew a 15-point second-half lead, allowing 11 three-pointers and giving up 91 points, the most they?ve given up all season. Worse, they committed a season-high 22 turnovers.
In fact, in the three games prior to Wednesday?s matchup with Rutgers, Villanova was averaging 19 turnovers per game. Their season average of 13.9 TOs is ninth-most in the 16-team Big East.
Favored by many to go deep in the NCAA tournament, the Wildcats are now 10-1 overall (1-1 conf.). Senior guard Randy Foye leads the team in scoring averaging 21 ppg, second overall in the Big East.
The Wildcats were 5-2 ATS prior to Wednesday?s game at Rutgers. On the total, they were 6-1 O/U, which partially reflects the team?s ability to score ? Villanova is averaging nearly 82 ppg, and is second in the Big East behind UConn.
Against the spread, the Longhorns are 6-3-1.
Other notable games this weekend:
No. 11 Pittsburgh at No. 10 Louisville (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN Full Court)
As of Wednesday, the Panthers (12-0, 1-0 conf.) were one of only three undefeated teams remaining - the other two were Duke (14-0, 2-0 conf) and Florida (14-0, 1-0 conf).
Pitt was scheduled to play DePaul (8-5) Thursday, but their unblemished record will really be put to the test on Sunday against Rick Pitino and the Cardinals, who are 13-2 overall (1-1 conf).
Playing its first season in the Big East since transferring from C-USA, Louisville is just 3-8 ATS so far this year. And with the No. 10 ranked scoring offense in the conference, the Cardinals are only 2-9 on the OVER/UNDER.
Pitt is 4-3 ATS and 5-2 O/U.
No. 15 Michigan State at No. 16 Ohio State (Sunday, 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS)
In a Big Ten rivalry game, the Spartans (12-4, 0-2 conf) will travel to Ohio to take on the Buckeyes St (11-1, 1-1 conf.).
Prior to Wednesday, Michigan St. was 5-9 ATS and 8-6 O/U; Ohio St. was 4-3-1 ATS and 5-3-1 O/U.
The Spartans have three players in the top three in scoring in the conference: Maurice Ager (20.5 ppg), Shannon Brown (18.4 ppg) and Paul Davis (18.2 ppg).
However, with four players averaging more than 10 points per game, it?s Ohio State who has the top scoring offense in the conference at 81.6 ppg.
The Spartans were scheduled to play Indiana on Wednesday; the Buckeyes were scheduled to play Purdue.
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