Dave Malinsky
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REASON FOR PICK: 5* KANSAS STATE over NEBRASKA
The betting markets did us a small favor on this one this morning, dropping the opener to the point at which -10 has become common, but we doubt very much that the move comes into play in a game that has a chance to get real ugly.
The fact that there was any Nebraska money at all should not come as a surprise ? we wrote about some of the issues associated with that Cornhuskergame at Missouri in a Rim Shots column last Wednesday. There are a lot of mathematicians in the marketplace, and they get trapped into giving Doc Sadler and his team credit for a road win against a quality opponent when it did not mean anything of the sort because of the Missouri suspensions. Nebraska then got an additional break on Saturday, catching Iowa State in Lincoln sans leading scorer Wesley Johnson. As a result the Cornhuskers come away looking better than they really are, and that sets up tonight?s blowout, which comes both in terms of line value and matchups.
Kansas State has been nothing short of brilliant on this court in Big 12 play. The Wildcats shattered the pointspread by 51.5 points in thrashing Kansas, Iowa State and Texas A&M, and now the marketplace is telling us that Nebraska will hang closer than any of them, despite the fact that Kansas has a real live shot to be in San Antonio in April, and A&M is also on the way to the Dance. And State is only going to get better, as a young roster matures and learns how to play together. Getting upset at Missouri off of last Wednesday?s whipping of Kansas was only natural for a young team, but so is bouncing back with a major degree of focus here. The matchups take care of the rest.
Nebraska can?t score in this setting. Aleks Maric is the only Cornhusker that averages in double figures, but not only is he going to find it tough to get any separation from Michael Beasley, there is also a real expectation that the latter will get him into foul trouble at the other end of the court. So just where to the points come from? In Big 12 play they have shot an anemic 37.3 percent from the field, 31.7 from 3-point range and 62.9 from the free throw line. They are not a back door candidate at all because the perimeter offense is so erratic, and that makes this just a matter of time before a team that has played stifling defense here in Bramlage breaks the game wide open.
6* Maryland
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REASON FOR PICK: 5* KANSAS STATE over NEBRASKA
The betting markets did us a small favor on this one this morning, dropping the opener to the point at which -10 has become common, but we doubt very much that the move comes into play in a game that has a chance to get real ugly.
The fact that there was any Nebraska money at all should not come as a surprise ? we wrote about some of the issues associated with that Cornhuskergame at Missouri in a Rim Shots column last Wednesday. There are a lot of mathematicians in the marketplace, and they get trapped into giving Doc Sadler and his team credit for a road win against a quality opponent when it did not mean anything of the sort because of the Missouri suspensions. Nebraska then got an additional break on Saturday, catching Iowa State in Lincoln sans leading scorer Wesley Johnson. As a result the Cornhuskers come away looking better than they really are, and that sets up tonight?s blowout, which comes both in terms of line value and matchups.
Kansas State has been nothing short of brilliant on this court in Big 12 play. The Wildcats shattered the pointspread by 51.5 points in thrashing Kansas, Iowa State and Texas A&M, and now the marketplace is telling us that Nebraska will hang closer than any of them, despite the fact that Kansas has a real live shot to be in San Antonio in April, and A&M is also on the way to the Dance. And State is only going to get better, as a young roster matures and learns how to play together. Getting upset at Missouri off of last Wednesday?s whipping of Kansas was only natural for a young team, but so is bouncing back with a major degree of focus here. The matchups take care of the rest.
Nebraska can?t score in this setting. Aleks Maric is the only Cornhusker that averages in double figures, but not only is he going to find it tough to get any separation from Michael Beasley, there is also a real expectation that the latter will get him into foul trouble at the other end of the court. So just where to the points come from? In Big 12 play they have shot an anemic 37.3 percent from the field, 31.7 from 3-point range and 62.9 from the free throw line. They are not a back door candidate at all because the perimeter offense is so erratic, and that makes this just a matter of time before a team that has played stifling defense here in Bramlage breaks the game wide open.
6* Maryland
