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Armadillo's Write-Up
Saturday, December 31
Xavier won four of last five games with Georgetown, winning 66-53/88-70 in last two visits here; Musketeers are 11-2 vs schedule #49 but lost both their true road games, by 15 at Baylor, by a hoop at Colorado. Xavier won last four games, is 5-2 vs top 100 teams, with best win by 6 over Clemson on a neutral floor. Georgetown is 8-5 vs schedule #60; they’re 3-4 vs top 100 teams, and lost at home to Maryland/Arkansas State. Hoyas turn ball over 20.1% of time, aren’t great on defensive boards (#322). Georgetown is making 40.2% of its 3-pointers (#22).
It is New Year’s Eve and Duke is playing its first true road game of season; they played UNLV in T-Mobile Arena (not Rebels’ home floor) but Rebels are an expansion team this year. Duke is without Allen (suspended) here; they’ve won last nine games with Virginia Tech, winning last three trips here, by 15-32-5 points- they won last trip here 91-86 in OT two years ago. Blue Devils are 3-1 vs top 100 teams (they’re 12-1 vs schedule #122, with only top 40 wins over Florida, URI. Va Tech is 11-1 with only loss by 3 to Texas A&M on a neutral floor.
Notre Dame is another team playing first true road game today; they’re 2-2 on a neutral floor, 3-2 vs top 100 teams, with losses to Villanova by 8, Purdue by 5- their best win was over #45 Northwestern. Pitt won its last three games with Notre Dame, all by four points; Irish lost five of last seven visits here, in series where road team won three of last four games. Panthers won 112-106 over Marshall last game; they were up 20 at half. Pitt is 11-2 vs schedule #138; they’re 2-1 vs top 100 teams, losing by 9 to SMU on a neutral floor.
Louisville/Indiana both were upset in their conference openers earlier this week; Cardinals won last meeting with Indiana 94-74 two years ago, after trailing by 4 early in second half. This year, Louisville is 11-2 vs schedule #33; they won by 9 at Grand Canyon in its only true road game. Cardinals have #7 eFG% defense in country, Indiana is 2-2 vs top 100 teams; they lost 87-83 to Nebraska in Big 14 home opener, even though Hoosiers made 11-25 on arc. Louisville foes are shooting 28% on the arc. This isn’t a conference game but it is a high-profile national game.
Villanova won its last four games with Creighton, winning 76-72/85-71 in last two visits here; five of last six series meetings were decided by 14+ points. National champ Wildcats are 5-0 on neutral floors; this is their first true road game outside of Philly. Villanova is 13-0 vs schedule #100; they looked shaky at home vs DePaul Wednesday (won 68-65) but they’ve got #4 eFG% in country, are #90 experience team. Creighton has really fast guards; they’re 13-0 vs schedule #149, with six top 100 wins, beating Wisconsin/Seton Hall at home.
UConn is decimated by injuries; they were down 36-12 at half of their AAC opener with Houston. Huskies lost three of last four games, are 5-7, splitting pair of true road games that were decided by total of 7 points. Tulsa lost 7 of top 8 scorers from LY; they lost their last two games, scoring 59.5 pts/game. Hurricane is turning ball over 24.3% of time, in bottom 10 in country. Tulsa is 1-4 vs teams ranked #110 or better, with best win over #89 Illinois St. Home side won all four AAC meetings between UConn/Tulsa; Huskies lost 66-58/60-51 in last two visits here.
Virginia won its last two games by 4 at Cal, 8 at Louisville, two quality wins; Cavaliers’ only loss was by 9 at home to West Virginia. Virginia forces turnovers 23.6% of time (#12); they won five of last six games with Florida State, beating Seminoles in two of last three ACC tournaments; Seminoles lost last three games here, by 20-10-12 points. FSU won its last nine games, with four of those top 100 games; this is Seminoles’ first true road game. Seminoles are 13-1 vs schedule #231; they’re #304 experience team but their bench is playing #22 minutes.
Davidson is 7-4 vs schedule #62; they’re 7-0 vs teams ranked outside top 100, with six of the seven wins by 12+ points. Wildcats are #161 experience team that has players from 7 different countries; they take lot of 3’s but are making only 33.8% of them so far. Richmond is 3-5 in its last eight games, 1-2 in true road games, losing at Bucknell/Oral Roberts. Spiders are shooting just 30.8% on arc. Davidson is 3-1 vs Richmond since they became A-14 rivals; Spiders lost 81-67/83-79 in last two visits here. Home team won three of four series games.
Wyoming is surprising 10-3 vs schedule #229; they were in Las Vegas LW, losing in OT to USC at Orleans Arena. Cowboys are 1-2 in true road games, with only win at Montana by a point- they lost at Pacific/Cal. UNLV has a whole new team; they’re 7-7, 6-3 on this floor; they’re 6-3 vs teams ranked outside top 100. Home side won last six Wyoming-UNLV games; Cowboys won conference tourney on this floor couple years ago, but they’re 0-15 in last 15 games vs Rebels in this gym, with six of last eight losses by 11+ points.
Central Florida is still without PG Taylor (wrist) who missed last six games; Knights have #1 eFG% defense, thanks to 7-6 C Fall- opponents are shooting 36.1% inside arc against them. UCF is turning ball over 22.3% of time; they’re 1-1 in top 100 games, winning at Charleston, losing by 10 to Villanova. Temple won its last four games with UCF, three by 6 or less points; Owls won 86-62/62-60 in last two visits to Orlando. Temple split its last six games, losing by 6 to Cincy in AAC opener. Owls lost by 3 at Mass in their only true road game outside of Philly.
NC State is 11-2 vs schedule #290; they crushed last four opponents since big man Yurtseven became eligible- he scored 11 pts/game so far. Wolfpack lost by 14 at Illinois in only true road game; they also lost by 18 to Creighton on neutral floor- those are their only two top 100 tilts. NC State is 3-2 in its last five games with Miami; they’ve won three of last four games in this building. Hurricanes are 1-2 vs top 100 teams, losing to Iowa St/Florida in tourney at Disney, beating Stanford by 14 in same event. Miami has #6 eFG% defense in the country.
Nevada won its last seven games; they’re 2-1 in true road games, winning at Washington, Bradley after losing at St Mary’s in season opener. Wolf Pack is 9-0 vs teams outside top 125; they lost to #114 Iona in Alaska after they had beaten Gaels in Reno the week before. Fresno State won five of last seven games with Nevada, with both losses in OT; Wolf Pack lost last two visits here, by 4-22 points. Bulldogs are 0-4 vs top 200 teams; their best win is over #204 Oregon State.
Tennessee State beat Murray State 73-71 at home LY, just their second win in last 15 games with the Racers. Tigers lost their last eight games in this gym. TSU is 2-3 in last five D-I games, losing to two ACC teams and Vanderbilt; they’re 6-0 vs teams outside top 100 and they’ve also won at #63 Middle Tennessee State. Murray State is lost its last four D-I games; they last D-I win was Dec 3rd. Racers are 23-22 since coach Prohm bolted to Iowa State; they’re 1-3 vs teams in top 125, with win over #69 Illinois State. Murray is 1-5 in games decided by 6 or less points.
Armadillo's Write-Up
Saturday, December 31
Xavier won four of last five games with Georgetown, winning 66-53/88-70 in last two visits here; Musketeers are 11-2 vs schedule #49 but lost both their true road games, by 15 at Baylor, by a hoop at Colorado. Xavier won last four games, is 5-2 vs top 100 teams, with best win by 6 over Clemson on a neutral floor. Georgetown is 8-5 vs schedule #60; they’re 3-4 vs top 100 teams, and lost at home to Maryland/Arkansas State. Hoyas turn ball over 20.1% of time, aren’t great on defensive boards (#322). Georgetown is making 40.2% of its 3-pointers (#22).
It is New Year’s Eve and Duke is playing its first true road game of season; they played UNLV in T-Mobile Arena (not Rebels’ home floor) but Rebels are an expansion team this year. Duke is without Allen (suspended) here; they’ve won last nine games with Virginia Tech, winning last three trips here, by 15-32-5 points- they won last trip here 91-86 in OT two years ago. Blue Devils are 3-1 vs top 100 teams (they’re 12-1 vs schedule #122, with only top 40 wins over Florida, URI. Va Tech is 11-1 with only loss by 3 to Texas A&M on a neutral floor.
Notre Dame is another team playing first true road game today; they’re 2-2 on a neutral floor, 3-2 vs top 100 teams, with losses to Villanova by 8, Purdue by 5- their best win was over #45 Northwestern. Pitt won its last three games with Notre Dame, all by four points; Irish lost five of last seven visits here, in series where road team won three of last four games. Panthers won 112-106 over Marshall last game; they were up 20 at half. Pitt is 11-2 vs schedule #138; they’re 2-1 vs top 100 teams, losing by 9 to SMU on a neutral floor.
Louisville/Indiana both were upset in their conference openers earlier this week; Cardinals won last meeting with Indiana 94-74 two years ago, after trailing by 4 early in second half. This year, Louisville is 11-2 vs schedule #33; they won by 9 at Grand Canyon in its only true road game. Cardinals have #7 eFG% defense in country, Indiana is 2-2 vs top 100 teams; they lost 87-83 to Nebraska in Big 14 home opener, even though Hoosiers made 11-25 on arc. Louisville foes are shooting 28% on the arc. This isn’t a conference game but it is a high-profile national game.
Villanova won its last four games with Creighton, winning 76-72/85-71 in last two visits here; five of last six series meetings were decided by 14+ points. National champ Wildcats are 5-0 on neutral floors; this is their first true road game outside of Philly. Villanova is 13-0 vs schedule #100; they looked shaky at home vs DePaul Wednesday (won 68-65) but they’ve got #4 eFG% in country, are #90 experience team. Creighton has really fast guards; they’re 13-0 vs schedule #149, with six top 100 wins, beating Wisconsin/Seton Hall at home.
UConn is decimated by injuries; they were down 36-12 at half of their AAC opener with Houston. Huskies lost three of last four games, are 5-7, splitting pair of true road games that were decided by total of 7 points. Tulsa lost 7 of top 8 scorers from LY; they lost their last two games, scoring 59.5 pts/game. Hurricane is turning ball over 24.3% of time, in bottom 10 in country. Tulsa is 1-4 vs teams ranked #110 or better, with best win over #89 Illinois St. Home side won all four AAC meetings between UConn/Tulsa; Huskies lost 66-58/60-51 in last two visits here.
Virginia won its last two games by 4 at Cal, 8 at Louisville, two quality wins; Cavaliers’ only loss was by 9 at home to West Virginia. Virginia forces turnovers 23.6% of time (#12); they won five of last six games with Florida State, beating Seminoles in two of last three ACC tournaments; Seminoles lost last three games here, by 20-10-12 points. FSU won its last nine games, with four of those top 100 games; this is Seminoles’ first true road game. Seminoles are 13-1 vs schedule #231; they’re #304 experience team but their bench is playing #22 minutes.
Davidson is 7-4 vs schedule #62; they’re 7-0 vs teams ranked outside top 100, with six of the seven wins by 12+ points. Wildcats are #161 experience team that has players from 7 different countries; they take lot of 3’s but are making only 33.8% of them so far. Richmond is 3-5 in its last eight games, 1-2 in true road games, losing at Bucknell/Oral Roberts. Spiders are shooting just 30.8% on arc. Davidson is 3-1 vs Richmond since they became A-14 rivals; Spiders lost 81-67/83-79 in last two visits here. Home team won three of four series games.
Wyoming is surprising 10-3 vs schedule #229; they were in Las Vegas LW, losing in OT to USC at Orleans Arena. Cowboys are 1-2 in true road games, with only win at Montana by a point- they lost at Pacific/Cal. UNLV has a whole new team; they’re 7-7, 6-3 on this floor; they’re 6-3 vs teams ranked outside top 100. Home side won last six Wyoming-UNLV games; Cowboys won conference tourney on this floor couple years ago, but they’re 0-15 in last 15 games vs Rebels in this gym, with six of last eight losses by 11+ points.
Central Florida is still without PG Taylor (wrist) who missed last six games; Knights have #1 eFG% defense, thanks to 7-6 C Fall- opponents are shooting 36.1% inside arc against them. UCF is turning ball over 22.3% of time; they’re 1-1 in top 100 games, winning at Charleston, losing by 10 to Villanova. Temple won its last four games with UCF, three by 6 or less points; Owls won 86-62/62-60 in last two visits to Orlando. Temple split its last six games, losing by 6 to Cincy in AAC opener. Owls lost by 3 at Mass in their only true road game outside of Philly.
NC State is 11-2 vs schedule #290; they crushed last four opponents since big man Yurtseven became eligible- he scored 11 pts/game so far. Wolfpack lost by 14 at Illinois in only true road game; they also lost by 18 to Creighton on neutral floor- those are their only two top 100 tilts. NC State is 3-2 in its last five games with Miami; they’ve won three of last four games in this building. Hurricanes are 1-2 vs top 100 teams, losing to Iowa St/Florida in tourney at Disney, beating Stanford by 14 in same event. Miami has #6 eFG% defense in the country.
Nevada won its last seven games; they’re 2-1 in true road games, winning at Washington, Bradley after losing at St Mary’s in season opener. Wolf Pack is 9-0 vs teams outside top 125; they lost to #114 Iona in Alaska after they had beaten Gaels in Reno the week before. Fresno State won five of last seven games with Nevada, with both losses in OT; Wolf Pack lost last two visits here, by 4-22 points. Bulldogs are 0-4 vs top 200 teams; their best win is over #204 Oregon State.
Tennessee State beat Murray State 73-71 at home LY, just their second win in last 15 games with the Racers. Tigers lost their last eight games in this gym. TSU is 2-3 in last five D-I games, losing to two ACC teams and Vanderbilt; they’re 6-0 vs teams outside top 100 and they’ve also won at #63 Middle Tennessee State. Murray State is lost its last four D-I games; they last D-I win was Dec 3rd. Racers are 23-22 since coach Prohm bolted to Iowa State; they’re 1-3 vs teams in top 125, with win over #69 Illinois State. Murray is 1-5 in games decided by 6 or less points.
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