Announcement

**StarDust Bum** · 01-22-2011, 08:52 AM

Big Ten powers clash on Saturday night

MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS (12-6, 4-2 in Big Ten)

at PURDUE BOILERMAKERS (16-3, 5-1 in Big Ten)

Tip-off: Saturday, 9:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Purdue -6, Total: 131

After lackluster efforts in their previous games, No. 14 Purdue and No. 17 Michigan State look for a better showings when the schools meet in Mackey Arena on Saturday night. Both teams are struggling ATS, with MSU on a four-game ATS losing streak while Purdue has failed to cover the spread in three straight games.

The Boilermakers ended a two-game skid with a narrow 63-62 victory over Penn State on Wednesday. JaJuan Johnson (20.5 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 50.4% FGs) scored 25 points on 9-of-18 shooting and hit an 18-foot jumper for the game-winner against the Nittany Lions, giving Purdue its 11th straight victory at home. It marked Johnson's seventh game this season with at least 25 points, and he's averaging 26.7 PPG in his last three contests. E'Twaun Moore (17.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 39.4% three-pointers) added 16 points on 7-of-15 shooting versus Penn State, which is a big improvement from the previous four games when he scored 8.5 PPG and shot 26.3% FG. Johnson and Moore are the nation's third-highest scoring duo (38.1 PPG), and they account for more than 50% of Purdue's scoring average (74.4 PPG). Three-point specialist Ryne Smith (6.6 PPG, 48.6% three-pointers) is hitting a remarkable 60.6% (20-of-33) from long range and is scoring 12.7 PPG in six Big Ten games this season. In conference games, Purdue leads the Big Ten in scoring offense (75.0 PPG), rebound margin (+7.2), assists (18.0 APG) and scoring margin (+12.0 PPG).

Michigan State is looking to rebound from a 71-62 loss at Illinois on Tuesday. The Spartans hit just 37.5% of their field goals, including 26.9% from long range (7-of-26), while allowing the Fighting Illini to shoot 53.2% from the field and 8-of-17 (47.1%) from the three-point line. Kalin Lucas (14.7 PPG, 39.7% three-pointers) led MSU with 15 points, while Durrell Summers (14.1 PPG, 40.6% three-pointers) added 13 points, but was just 4-of-12 from the field. Summers didn't start against Illinois after averaging 6.7 PPG in his previous three contests while shooting 30.4%. Draymond Green (12.8 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 40% three-pointers) chipped in with 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting. Green is scoring 18.0 PPG in his past three games, but is shooting only 40% (16-of-40) from the floor. Michigan State has already matched up with seven teams that were ranked at the time the Spartans played them. They're 3-4 in those games, beating Washington (76-71), Minnesota (71-62) and Wisconsin (64-61), and losing to Duke (84-79), Syracuse (72-58), Texas (67-55) and Illinois (71-62). They also lost to unranked Connecticut which is now the No. 8 team in the AP Poll.

The Boilermakers lead the all-time series with the Spartans, 63-45, and they hold a 39-15 advantage in West Lafayette. However, Michigan State has won 16 of the last 24 games in the series, holding a slight 13-11 ATS advantage. They split two games last season with each team winning on the other's home court. Purdue's Moore tallied a game-high 25 in a 76-64 victory at East Lansing, and is scoring 14.3 PPG in six-career meetings with the Spartans. Michigan State returned the favor and beat the Boilers, 53-44, in West Lafayette as Green had 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Recently, Michigan State has done a much better job on the glass than Purdue. The Spartans have a +8.3 RPG margin in their past three games, while the Boilermakers have been outrebounded 67 to 48 in their past two games. This rebounding advantage should be enough for the Spartans to cover the spread. The FoxSheets give two more reasons to pick Michigan State on Saturday night.

Tom Izzo is 20-8 ATS (71.4%, +11.2 Units) in road games versus excellent ball handling teams - committing <=12 turnovers/game after 15+ games as the coach of MICHIGAN STATE. The average score was MICHIGAN STATE 64.0, OPPONENT 59.5 - (Rating = 2*).

PURDUE is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons. The average score was PURDUE 62.8, OPPONENT 61.0 - (Rating = 1*).

Since 1997, the Under is 16-5 in this series, including 8-2 in the meetings at Purdue. This four-star FoxSheets trend also likes the Under for Saturday night’s game.

PURDUE is 9-0 UNDER (+9.0 Units) in home games after 4 straight games committing 14 or less turnovers over the last 2 seasons. The average score was PURDUE 68.2, OPPONENT 51.8 - (Rating = 4*).

**StarDust Bum** · 01-22-2011, 08:53 AM

OSU puts No. 1 ranking on the line at Illinois

OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (19-0, 6-0 in Big Ten)

at ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI (14-5, 4-2 in Big Ten)

Tip-off: Saturday, 12:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Ohio State -1.5, Total: 137

Top-ranked Ohio State takes its perfect show on the road when it visits No. 23 Illinois on Saturday afternoon.

The Buckeyes are aiming for their 11th consecutive true road win and their 10th straight road victory in the Big Ten. OSU's last road loss was at West Virginia on Jan. 23, 2010 and its last Big Ten road setback came against Minnesota, 73-62, Jan. 9, 2010. The Buckeyes are coming off a 70-48 rout of Iowa on Wednesday to improve to 19-0, the third-best start in school history. David Lighty (13.0 PPG, 46.3% three-pointers) led a balanced attack with 18 points against the Hawkeyes, while William Buford (13.7 PPG, 40.9% three-pointers) had 15 points and Jared Sullinger (17.4 PPG, 9.8 RPG) added 13 points and nine boards. Despite the easy win over Iowa, Ohio State was sloppy with the ball and committed 20 turnovers. The Buckeyes rank fourth in the nation in FG Pct (50.0%), ninth in assists (17.8 APG) and 21st in points (79.3 PPG), but they've scored 70 points or less in each of their past four victories.

Illinois ended its two-game skid with a 71-62 win over Michigan State on Tuesday night. The Fighting Illini shot 53.2% from the field and were led by Brandon Paul's (8.7 PPG) 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting, and Jereme Richmond's (7.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG) 14 points. Leading scorer Demetri McCamey (16.2 PPG, 7.2 APG, 52.5% three-pointers) had 15 points and 11 assists, but was 4-of-11 from the field. He has made just 10-of-32 FG in his last three games. Mike Davis (10.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG) added 11 points and 11 boards for his fourth double-double of the season. Illinois is 3-3 against ranked teams this season. It lost to Texas (90-84 in overtime), Missouri (75-64) and at Wisconsin (76-66) and beat Gonzaga (73-61), Wisconsin (69-61) and Michigan State.

Ohio State went 3-0 against the Illini last season, winning two regular-season meetings and a Big Ten tournament quarterfinal matchup. OSU won 72-53 in Champaign behind Jon Diebler's (11.5 PPG, 47.1% three-pointers) 18 points and Lighty's 17. It then won in Columbus, 73-57, behind Diebler's 21 and Buford's 17. And the Buckeyes pulled off the trifecta with a 88-81 triumph in the Big Ten tourney, as Buford scored 22 points and added 10 rebounds. The Illini lead the all-time series with Ohio State, 99-62, and they hold a 58-23 advantage in Champaign, including 6-4 (SU and ATS) since 1997. The Buckeyes are 6-3-1 ATS (8-2 SU) in the past 10 meetings SU. The teams have met when both were ranked nine times in the series, and Illinois holds a 5-4 SU edge in those matchups. Despite its 19-0 record this season, OSU is just 8-8 ATS, including 1-4 ATS in its past five games. Illinois is 7-3 ATS (10-0 SU) at home this season and these two FoxSheets trends also side with Illinois to cover the spread.

Play Against - All teams where the line is +3 to -3 (OHIO ST) - after 4 straight games where both teams score 70 points or less, with four starters returning from last season. (54-24 over the last 5 seasons.) (69.2%, +27.6 units. Rating = 2*).

ILLINOIS is 37-17 ATS (68.5%, +18.3 Units) in home games off a home win since 1997. The average score was ILLINOIS 78.9, OPPONENT 58.3 - (Rating = 1*).

This FoxSheets trend expects the game to finish Under the total.

Thad Matta is 19-5 UNDER (79.2%, +13.5 Units) after failing to cover 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread as the coach of OHIO ST. The average score was OHIO ST 66.3, OPPONENT 59.3 - (Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 01-22-2011, 08:54 AM

Texas A&M tries to extend home win streak to 14

KANSAS STATE WILDCATS (13-6, 1-3 in Big 12)

at TEXAS A&M AGGIES (16-2, 3-1 in Big 12)

Tip-off: Saturday, 2:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Texas A&M -5, Total: 134

No. 11 Texas A&M looks for its 14th straight home victory when it hosts struggling Kansas State on Saturday afternoon. The Aggies are 29-1 in their past 30 home games at Reed Arena. This matchup features two of the best rebounding teams in the nation as KSU carries a +9.8 RPG margin, while A&M is outrebounding opponents by 10.5 RPG.

The Aggies' 13-game overall winning streak, the third-longest in school history, was snapped in an 81-60 loss at Texas on Wednesday. It marked their first defeat since a 67-65 setback to Boston College on Nov. 25. Texas A&M was limiting opponents to 37.7% shooting prior to its two games versus Missouri and the Longhorns. But it allowed the Tigers to shoot 52.2% last Saturday (a 91-89 win in overtime) and Texas to hit 58% from the field on Wednesday. But despite the lackluster efforts in the past two games, A&M's strength still lies on defense. The Aggies surrender 58.9 PPG (2nd in the Big 12 in scoring defense) including 30.0% from the three-point line, while forcing 14.2 turnovers per contest. Khris Middleton (15.8 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 39.6% three-pointers) scored 16 points versus Texas, but only four came in the second half. David Loubeau (11.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG), the team's second-leading scorer, finished with seven points on 3-of-9 shooting. He had scored 28 combined points the previous two games against Missouri and Oklahoma State. The last time the Aggies lost back-to-back games was on Jan. 12 and 16, 2010, when they fell to Kansas State and Nebraska.

Kansas State continues to struggle on offense and is coming off a 75-59 loss at Missouri on Monday. The Wildcats shot just 42.6%, tallied 24 turnovers and had only eight assists versus Mizzou. In four conference games, they've committed 75 turnovers with 53 assists. Curtis Kelly (9.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG) played in his second game following a six-game suspension and finished with just four points and six turnovers, while Jacob Pullen (17.8 PPG, 3.8 APG, 3.6 RPG), who averaged 21.8 points in the previous four games, scored 16 on 4-of-11 shooting. Rodney McGruder (11.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 41.7% three-pointers) had only four points on 2-of-9 shooting, ending a string of four straight games in double-figures. But like Texas A&M, Kansas State has been solid on defense, as opponents have scored 64.8 PPG on 40.7% shooting (34.3% from long range), while the Wildcats' defense has forced 16.4 turnovers per game.

Texas A&M is 11-0 at Reed Arena this season, and has held the opposition to 58.1 PPG on 38.6% shooting. Kansas State has won three of the past four matchups in the series, including a 65-60 victory on Feb. 7, 2009, its last trip to Reed Arena. K-State leads the all-time series, 15-6, but A&M has won five of the seven meetings in College Station. Last season, K-State routed A&M, 88-65, with four players scoring in double figures, including Pullen who finished with 15 points. Kansas State is 4-9 ATS overall, including 2-5 ATS on the road. Texas A&M is 6-3 ATS this year and 10-5 ATS at home in the past two seasons. These two FoxSheets trends like Texas A&M to win and cover at home.

Mark Turgeon is 12-2 ATS (+9.8 Units) after a game forcing opponent to commit 8 or less turnovers as the coach of TEXAS A&M. The average score was TEXAS A&M 71.6, OPPONENT 61.1 - (Rating = 3*).

TEXAS A&M is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) after scoring 60 points or less over the last 3 seasons. The average score was TEXAS A&M 72.8, OPPONENT 66.2 - (Rating = 2*).

This FoxSheets trend leans towards the Under.

KANSAS ST is 7-0 UNDER (+7.0 Units) vs. top caliber teams - outscoring their opponents by 12+ points/game this season. The average score was KANSAS ST 66.3, OPPONENT 68.0 - (Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 01-22-2011, 08:55 AM

No. 3 Syracuse hosts No. 7 Villanova

VILLANOVA WILDCATS (16-2, 4-1 in Big East)

at SYRACUSE ORANGE (18-1, 5-1 in Big East)

Tip-off: Saturday, 12:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Syracuse -5, Total: 140

These two teams really don’t like each other. Actually, after the way that No. 7 Villanova and No. 3 Syracuse each suffered its first losses of the year in conference play this week (and first loss overall for Syracuse) these teams would have a chip on their shoulders if the next opponent were the Girl Scouts of America. Villanova had a dreadful first half Monday at Connecticut, scoring just 22 points. They shot just 37.5% from the floor (3-of-12 from beyond the arc) for the afternoon, and with the game on the line, the Wildcats became the latest victim of Kemba Walker’s (a.k.a. Superman) late game heroics, as his floater with 2.5 seconds left proved to be the game winner. Later that night, previously unbeaten Syracuse tipped off against Pittsburgh, where it spotted the Panthers a 19-0 lead before the team’s alarm clock went off. The Orange battled back to tie the game at 41 apiece, but a 9-3 Pittsburgh run put the Orange again into a hole from which they could not recover. The Wildcats were haunted by a lousy finish, the Orange were doomed by a lousy start. Both teams have had four days to stew over the missed opportunities. Saturday at high noon in the Carrier Dome its redemption time for two of the biggest beasts in the east.

Monday’s loss at Connecticut ended an 11-game win streak for Jay Wright’s Villanova Wildcats. Corey Fisher was tenacious against the Huskies, putting up 28 points as he and boyhood friend Kemba Walker (24 points) dueled to the finish. Fisher (16.1 PPG, 4.9 APG, 1.6 SPG) is leading the team in scoring, steals and has picked up the slack of late for a slumping Corey Stokes (15.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG). Stokes has been nursing a hamstring injury since a January 9 win over Cincinnati. He has failed to reach double figures in three of his past four games, shooting 10-for-34 over that stretch. Against UConn, Stokes had three points on 0-for-6 shooting. Maalik Wayns is averaging 13.5 PPG, but could stand some improvement on his long-range game, where he is shooting just 20% from beyond the arc. Containing Mouphtaou Yarou will be a point of interest for the Orange. Yarou will be playing his third straight game against a top-tier center, and will be looking for his fourth straight double-digit rebound game. Yarou had 12 boards against Maryland’s Jordan Williams, and 10 rebounds against Connecticut’s Alex Oriakhi, but Syracuse’s Rick Jackson (13.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG) may pose the biggest threat of them all.

The big question mark for the Orange entering Saturday’s showdown is the status of leading scorer Kris Joseph (14.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG). Joseph banged his head on the floor last Saturday in the team’s win over Cincinnati and did not play in the 74-66 Monday loss at Pittsburgh. The good news for the Orange is that Joseph did practice with the team on Thursday, and told a local Syracuse newspaper that he felt better and was hopeful of playing on Saturday. He is officially listed as day-to-day. Whether Joseph is in the lineup or not, the Orange will need to perform much better than they did Monday in Pittsburgh, when they were outrebounded 44-30, shot 39% from the floor, and allowed four of the five Panthers starters to reach double figures in scoring. Before the Pittsburgh game, Syracuse was winning its conference games by an average margin of 11.2 PPG. The last time Villanova and Syracuse met in the Carrier Dome, it was before the largest on-campus crowd in NCAA history (34,616), and the Orange treated their fans to a 95-77 torching of ‘Nova. Jim Boeheim would love nothing more than to see a repeat of the record attendance figure, as well as the on-court performance from his team, come Saturday afternoon.

This series has been tight with an even 10-10 SU split and Villanova holding an 11-9 ATS advantage since 1997. The schools have also split the past eight meetings at Syracuse, with Villanova holding a 5-3 ATS advantage. The Wildcats are a perfect 5-0 ATS in Big East play, while the Orange are 3-3 ATS in conference, 5-6 ATS at home and 7-10 ATS overall. These two FoxSheets trends expect Villanova to cover the spread.

Play On - A road team (VILLANOVA) - excellent FT shooting team (>=73%) against a poor FT shooting team (61-65%) after 15+ games, in a game involving two good ball handling team (<=14.5 TO's). (38-16 over the last 5 seasons.) (70.4%, +20.4 units. Rating = 2*).

SYRACUSE is 39-76 ATS (33.9%, -44.6 Units) in home games when playing only their 2nd game in a week since 1997. The average score was SYRACUSE 77.0, OPPONENT 67.4 - (Rating = 2*).

This FoxSheets trend leans towards the Over.

VILLANOVA is 13-3 OVER (+9.7 Units) after having won 6 or 7 of their last 8 games over the last 2 seasons. The average score was VILLANOVA 83.7, OPPONENT 70.3 - (Rating = 2*).

**StarDust Bum** · 01-22-2011, 08:56 AM

Kansas looks to extend win streaks facing Texas

TEXAS LONGHORNS (15-3, 3-0 in Big 12)

at KANSAS JAYHAWKS (18-0, 3-0 in Big 12)

Tip-off: Saturday, 4:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Kansas -7, Total: 143

Unbeaten No. 2 Kansas looks to extend its home winning streak to 70 games when it hosts No. 10 Texas, unbeaten in Big 12 play, on Saturday afternoon.

The Jayhawks have won 69 straight at Phog Allen Fieldhouse and are off to their best start (18-0) since the 2007-08 team opened 22-0. They're averaging 83.2 points and surrendering 61.1 PPG for a +22.1 scoring margin. KU hasn't played since Monday when it ended Baylor's 15-game home winning streak, 85-65, in Waco. Marcus Morris (17.2 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 40.0% three-pointers) led five players in double-figures against the Bears, scoring 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting. He has averaged 24 points in his past four games and is shooting 61.2% for the season. Twin brother Markieff Morris (13.2 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 57.3% FG) added 19 points and nine rebounds on 9-of-10 shooting. The Jayhawks made 62.5% of their field goals versus Baylor, continuing a season-long trend of remarkable efficiency on offense. Kansas leads the nation in FG Pct. (52.4%), is eighth in scoring (83.2 PPG) and fourth in assists (18.5 APG). KU has played only one ranked team this season, defeating then-No. 14 Memphis on Dec. 7 in the Jimmy V Classic, 81-68.

The Longhorns have won three in a row after an 82-81 overtime loss to Connecticut on Jan. 8. They're coming off an impressive 81-60 rout of rival Texas A&M on Wednesday night, ending the Aggies' 13-game winning streak. Jordan Hamilton (19.7, 7.1 RPG, 42.4% three-pointers) and Tristan Thompson (13.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG) combined for 45 of the Horns' 81 points, as Texas shot 58.0% from the field. Hamilton scored 27 on 10-of-14 shooting and added eight rebounds. He's hit double-digits in points in 17 of 18 games this season, including the past eight. Thompson added 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting to go along with six boards before a leg cramp sidelined him for the final four minutes. He is expected to play on Saturday. The Longhorns average 78.2 PPG and limit opponents to 61.3 PPG for a +16.9 scoring margin. In Big 12 play, the Longhorns are winning by an average score of 77 to 53 with a +9.3 rebounding margin per game. Texas has played five ranked teams in 2010-11 and is 3-2 in those games. The Horns beat Texas A&M, won at Michigan State (67-55) and defeated Illinois (90-84 in overtime) at the 2K Sports Classic in New York. They lost to UConn at home and Pitt, 68-66, in the 2K Sports Classic title game in NYC.

Kansas leads the overall series with Texas, 17-6, and has won three straight and six of the past seven matchups. Three of these games were the Big 12 Tournament Championship (2006-2008) where KU won all three of those contests. The Jayhawks are 9-0 versus Texas in games played in Lawrence, including 7-0 in Allen Fieldhouse. However, Five of the last six games between KU and UT have been decided by 10 points or less, with Texas splitting those 3-3 ATS. Despite an unbeaten SU record this year, Kansas is 3-6 ATS versus major-conference schools and 4-4 ATS at home. The Longhorns defense and rebounding prowess (41.8 RPG, fifth in nation) are enough to keep this game close.

These two FoxSheets trends also expect Texas to cover the spread.

Play On - Any team (TEXAS) - off 2 consecutive wins by 10 points or more against conference rivals against opponent off a road win scoring 85 or more points. (26-6 over the last 5 seasons.) (81.2%, +19.4 units. Rating = 3*).

Play Against - A favorite (KANSAS) - off a road blowout win by 20 points or more, in a game involving two top-level teams (>= 80%). (26-5 over the last 5 seasons.) (83.9%, +20.5 units. Rating = 3*).

This FoxSheets trend sides with the Over.

Rick Barnes is 23-6 OVER (79.3%, +16.4 Units) versus very good defensive teams - shooting pct defense of <=39% after 15+ games as the coach of TEXAS. The average score was TEXAS 73.6, OPPONENT 76.2 - (Rating = 4*).

**StarDust Bum** · 01-22-2011, 09:04 AM

Preview: Knicks (22-20) at Thunder (27-15)

Date: January 22, 2011 8:00 PM EDT

While the Oklahoma City Thunder won't panic after suffering two straight losses, the New York Knicks are doing their best to remain positive during their latest losing stretch.

The Knicks hope to avoid matching a season high with their sixth consecutive loss by snapping a three-game road skid against the Thunder on Saturday night.

New York (22-20) ranks near the top of the NBA averaging 106.7 points, but has scored 96.3 and shot 40.0 percent the last three games. They shot 37.8 percent in Friday's 101-92 loss at San Antonio.

Losers in six of seven, the Knicks last dropped six in a row Nov.7-16.

"Got to win a game. That's all it is,' said forward Amare Stoudemire, who had 18 points to snap his string of 26 straight games with at least 20 points. "We're fine, we're fine. We're in a slump, but we'll be all right.'

Coach Mike D'Antoni's decision to shake up the lineup Friday didn't produce the results he wanted. He changed up the starting five, in part, because the Knicks had been 5-1 with the lineup of Ronny Turiaf, Stoudemire back at his preferred spot of power forward, Danilo Gallinari, and Landry Fields and Raymond Felton in the backcourt.

"Trying something a little different,' D'Antoni said. "Don't read into that much.'

Felton finished with a team-high 23 points for the Knicks, who also will try to avoid a season-high fourth consecutive road loss.

Though New York has struggled of late, Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks is well aware of the Knicks' ability to put up points in a hurry.

Stoudemire scored 23 and Wilson Chandler added 21 in New York's 112-98 home win over Oklahoma City on Dec. 22.

"We just have to continue to contest shots," Brooks told the Thunder's official website. "They put all teams in a tough position because they have one of the best rollers, some of the best three-point shooters on the floor. You have to stop that offensive attack."

Though the Knicks are a more potent offensive club than in past seasons, the Thunder have held them to 93.5 points on 39.0 percent shooting during the last two meetings in Oklahoma City.

The Thunder could use a solid defensive effort after the Lakers and Denver combined to average 106.5 points on 50.6 percent shooting while handing them back-to-back losses for the third time this season. Oklahoma City, which has won four straight at home, has not dropped three in a row since Jan. 22-27.

"When you're playing two of the best teams in basketball on their home floor, you want to make every game a game that you have a chance to win and we did that," Brooks said. "Unfortunately, we did not win either one but it's something we'll continue to work on, continue to improve on and continue to get better as a team."

Russell Westbrook had 28 points with 10 assists while Kevin Durant added 22 in a 112-107 loss to the Nuggets on Wednesday.

Westbrook has recorded five straight double-doubles, averaging 27.4 points and 11.8 assists during that span. He's totaled 54 points in his last two games versus New York.

Durant leads the NBA averaging 28.2 points, just ahead of Stoudemire's 26.2 per contest. The Thunder star has averaged 30.7 points his last three games against the Knicks.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-22-2011, 09:07 AM

Saturday's Slate

January 22, 2011

Saturday's slate in college hoops is stacked with telvised games, starting with George Mason at James Madison on ESPNU at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. An hour later, Syracuse and Villanova will tangle in front of a record crowd at the Carrier Dome. The next time slot is highlighted by Tennessee playing at UConn.

Later in the day, Kansas will take on Texas in a huge Big 12 clash. Finally, Michigan State and Purde will collide at Breslin Center in a battle between Big 10 heavyweights. Other key matchups include Clemson at Maryland (-6.5), Marquette at Notre Dame (-3), BC at FSU (-7.5) and Minnesota at Michigan (-2).

**Texas at Kansas**

--Most betting shops opened Kansas (18-0 SU, 8-8 ATS) as a seven-point favorite with a total of 143. As of early this morning, most books were using those same numbers. Gamblers can take the Longhorns to win outrght for a plus-260 return (risk $100 to win $260).

--Texas (15-3 SU, 10-3 ATS) has been a lucrative team to support this year, especially in recent weeks. The Longhorns have taken the cash in six of their last seven games, including Wednesday’s 81-60 blowout win over Texas A&M. Rick Barnes’ team cruised to victory and halted the Aggies’ 13-game winning streak in the process.

--KU will be gunning for its 70th consecutive home win Saturday afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks haven’t tasted defeat at home since February of 2007 when Acie Law led Texas A&M to a win at Kansas.

--Texas has been a live underdog this season, posting a 3-1 SU record and a 4-0 ATS mark. The ‘Horns have won outright as ‘dogs against Illinois, North Carolina and Michigan St. They lost 68-66 to Pitt as five-point underdogs.

--Bill Self’s team is coming off a strong performance, dealing out woodshed treatment in the form of an 85-65 beatdown at Baylor. The Jayhawks easily covered the number as 3 ½-point road favorites. The Morris Brothers, Marcus and Markieff, were the catalysts, combining for 44 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, five steals and two blocked shots.

--Kansas has won three in a row over Texas both SU and ATS. The ‘over’ is 5-2 in the last seven head-to-head meetings.

--The ‘over’ is 9-7 overall for KU, but the ‘under’ is 5-4 in its home assignments.

--The ‘under’ is 7-5 overall for Texas, 4-2 in its last six outings.

--CBS will have the telecast at 4:00 p.m. Eastern.

**Michigan State at Purdue**

--The Wynn opened Purdue (16-3 SU, 10-6 ATS) as a 5 1/2-point favorite, but most books had the Boilermakers favored by six early this morning. The total started at 131 and the Spartans are plus-240 on the money line (risk $100 to win $240).

--Purdue was on the verge of losing its third straight game Wednesday night until JaJuan Johnson buried an 18-foot jumper from the right wing with two ticks remaining to lift the Boilermakers to a 63-62 win over Penn State. However, the Nittany Lions easily took the cash as 13-point road underdogs. Johnson finished with a game-high 25 points.

--Michigan State (12-6 SU, 6-11 ATS) has failed to cover the spread in four consecutive games, including Wednesday’s 71-62 loss at Illinois as a four-point underdog. Kalin Lucas had a team-high 15 points in the losing effort.

--Matt Painter’s squad is unbeaten in 10 home games with a 5-2 spread record. Before edging PSU the other night, the Boilers had lost back-to-back games at Minnesota and at West Virginia. The Mountaineers won a 68-64 decision over Purdue as three-point home favorites last Sunday afternoon.

--Tom Izzo’s team has been an underdog three times, posting a 1-2 SU record and a 2-1 ATS mark. The Spartans beat Washington 76-71 as one-point ‘dogs at the Maui Classic back in late November. They lost at Duke but covered the number, and the other spot as ‘dogs was the aforementioned defeat at Illinois several nights ago.

--Purdue owns a 3-2 spread record in five games as a single-digit ‘chalk.’

--These Big 10 rivals have split the last eight head-to-head meetings, but Purdue has taken the cash at a 6-2 ATS clip. The road team won both meetings last year with the Spartans capturing a 53-44 win at Purdue as four-point road underdogs on Feb. 28.

--The ‘under’ is 13-3 in the last 16 head-to-head meetings between MSU and Purdue.

--The ‘under’ is 11-6 overall for MSU, 6-1 in its last seven games.

--The ‘over’ is 8-7-1 overall for Purdue, 3-3-1 in its home outings.

--Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--In bounce-back mode for the first time this year, Syracuse is a five-point home favorite vs. Villanova. The Orange were without its leading scorer in Monday's loss at Pitt, but Kris Joseph (concussion) and his 14.6 points-per-game average will be back on the court today.

--I don’t see how Tennessee can get left out of the Big Dance if it wins at UConn today at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on CBS. The Vols have already won at Pitt and beat Villanova at MSG in NYC. They also have a win at Georgia on Brian Williams’ putback at the buzzer earlier this week. Between those wins in the Steel City and Athens, however, UT has lost at home to Oakland, USC, College of Charleston and Florida, not to mention road losses at Charlotte and at Arkansas. So the Vols’ resume is a mixed bag, but a win over UConn basically makes it a given that they’ll be in the NCAA Tournament. Also, we should note that Bruce Pearl will be back on the sidelines in Storrs since it’s not an SEC game. He has four more SEC games to sit out to complete his eight-game suspension from Commissioner Mike Slive. The Huskies were favored by seven early this morning.

--Tennessee isn't the only SEC team challenging itself in non-conference play Saturday. Vanderbilt will take on Saint Mary's at 2:00 p.m. Eastern in Nashville. The Commdores are five-point home favorites.

--Penn State plays five of its next seven games at home, including back-to-back contests vs. Iowa and Wisconsin starting with the Hawkeyes on Wednesday. After facing Iowa, PSU will finish the regular season with 10 straight games against teams with an RPI of 84 or better. In fact, seven of those games will come against squads with an RPI of 32 or better. My point is that the Nittany Lions, with an RPI of 61, are still in contention for an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. Although they are just 10-8 overall, PSU has played as well as any team in America the last two weeks, beating Illinois and Michigan St. at home while losing by three at top-ranked Ohio St. and by one at Purdue. Most importantly for our purposes, the Lions own a 4-0 spread record in their last four outings.

--UCLA’s Reeves Nelson took a bagel and fouled out in Saturday’s win at Oregon. On Thursday night, however, Nelson made amends for the Bruins, who beat Cal on his tip-in with 2.2 seconds remaining. The Bears produced a backdoor cover for their backers in the 86-84 loss as

--The last televised game Saturday night is New Mexico State at Utah St. on ESPNU at 11:00 p.m. Eastern. The Aggies were 14-point favorites early this morning.

--The Wynn opened Kentucky as a 7 1/2-point favorite for tonight's game at South Carolina. The Wildcats, who lost at Alabama earlier this week, will face the Gamecocks at 6:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

--Florida played terrible in Thursday's 45-40 win at Auburn as a 12 1/2-point 'chalk.' The Gators pulled the game out thanks to big shots from guards Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton, who had combined to shoot 4-for-24 from the field before crunch time. Say what you want about Walker because his game has its flaws, but don't say a word about his free-throw shooting. There's no better 'closer' at the charity stripe in college basketball. The Gators are favored by nine tonight against Arkansas at the O-Dome in Gainesville.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-22-2011, 09:09 AM

Saturday's Top 25 Showdowns

January 22, 2011

Villanova Wildcats (7) at Syracuse Orange (3) 12:00 PM ET

Syracuse returns home following that crazy game in Pittsburgh. The Orange fell behind 19-0 before coming back and actually tying the game at one point but the Panthers proved to be too much on their home floor. The absence of Kris Joseph was definitely felt as numerous freshmen were put into play in his place but the good thing is that the Orange players got some needed experience. Syracuse is 13-0 at home this season and this one could be a sellout as over 33,000 tickets have already been sold.

Villanova is also coming off its first Big East Conference loss of the season on Monday as earlier in the day, the Wildcats and Connecticut played a gem. Villanova lost on a runner by Kemba Walker with a few seconds remaining and now it must regroup from that heartbreaker and head onto the road into another tough environment. Villanova lost here last season by 18 points which snapped a three-game winning streak for the Wildcats in this series.

Ohio St. Buckeyes (1) at Illinois Fighting Illini (23) 12:00 PM ET

Ohio St. takes to the road for the first time since becoming the number one team in the country and it certainly is not going to be easy. The Buckeyes remained undefeated on the season with a 22-point win at home over Iowa on Wednesday to improve to 6-0 in the Big Ten. Surprisingly, that was only the second double-digit win in conference action as the others came by five, three, four and three points. Three of the five Buckeyes road wins have been by 10 points or more.

Illinois rebounded from back-to-back losses at Penn St. and Wisconsin to defeat Michigan St. at home on Tuesday by nine points. That moved the Illini to 4-2 in the Big Ten and kept them undefeated at home at 10-0. Illinois is trying to win consecutive home games against ranked opponents for the first time in 10 years. If the last meeting is any indication, we could be in store for a classic. Ohio St. defeated Illinois by seven points in the Big Ten Tournament Semis last season but it took double overtime to do so.

Texas Longhorns (10) at Kansas Jayhawks (2) 4:00 PM ET

The Longhorns did not let that overtime loss at home against Connecticut two weeks ago get to them as they have rattled off three straight wins by 31, 20 and 21 points. Most impressive was the victory last time out against Texas A&M as Texas shot 58 percent from the floor and 86.4 percent from the free throw line. The Longhorns are 2-1 in true road games with the only defeat being a shocking one at USC by 17 points. One concern could be the depth Kansas enjoys with a lineup that goes 10-deep.

Kansas has won 69 straight games at Allen Fieldhouse as the last time the Jayhawks were defeated at home was way back in February of 2007, when Texas A&M escaped Lawrence with a 69-66 victory. This does not mean Kansas is unbeatable though as it was challenged by UCLA and Nebraska, winning those games by one and three points respectively. Do you think the home team has an advantage in this conference? The Big XII teams are a combined 126-10 at home on the season.

Michigan St. Spartans (17) at Purdue Boilermakers (14) 9:00 PM ET

The Spartans lost yet again, making it six defeats on the season and their spot in the top 25 is in serious jeopardy. A win here could keep Michigan St. ranked but a loss definitely knocks it out of the polls where it started second in the nation in the preseason poll. Michigan St.’s last three wins have been by three, three and four points with the last two coming in overtime so things could be even worse. The Spartans have played a very tough schedule with four losses against teams currently ranked in the top ten.

Purdue bounced back from consecutive road losses to defeat Penn St. at home although it wasn’t easy as it came by just a single point. Purdue enters the game on an 11-game home winning streak, including a 10-0 record this season and the Boilermakers surely remember the last visit from the Spartans. Michigan St. defeated third ranked Purdue in West Lafayette last season and that was the highest-ranked Big Ten opponent the Spartans have ever beaten on the road. It is safe to say Purdue will be out for payback.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-22-2011, 09:11 AM

Weekend Winners & Losers

January 21, 2011

It was an interesting college hoops weekend, with the season now finally beginning to take on a bit of definition. Some of the more important developments over the weekend involved the following "winners" and "losers" from Thursday thru Sunday action, all of whom helped put the campaign into better focus.

Baylor: Loser...A defeat at Iowa State is usually not going to wreck a season. But the Bears’ 72-57 setback on Saturday at Ames speaks to a bigger narrative about Baylor’s campaign that to this point could be considered a disappointment. Never mind the 12-4 record; the Bears’ non-conference slate was filled with soft touches, and losses vs. the most-challenging intersectional foes (Gonzaga, Washington State and Florida State) have not helped an RPI that continues to hover in the triple digits. The campaign began awkwardly in Waco with star G LaceDarious Dunn suspended for the first three games after an ugly incident with his girlfriend, and the Bears have also missed the interior presence provided by departed C Ekpe Udoh (Warriors’ first-round pick) and Josh Lomers, who stepped up last March. A true frosh, 6'10 Perry Jones, has flashed some upside, but cannot yet impact games as did Udoh. The schedule now gets much tougher over the next two weeks for the Bears, and at this moment we are not even sure HC Scott Drew has a Big Dance qualifier in Waco.

Cincinnati: Loser...There is a thought that the rugged Big East is going claim several casualties this season. Notre Dame looks to be a potential "fade" candidate, and regional observers are also watching the Bearcats for signs of erosion. Sure, HC Mick Cronin deserves credit for Cincy’s fast start and what has been, for most of the season, the nation’s stingiest scoring defense (53 ppg). But the Bearcats’ non-league slate was soft, and early Big East dates included visits from arguably the three lowest-rated loop entries (Seton Hall, DePaul, and South Florida). On the road at Villanova and then at Syracuse on Saturday, the Bearcats looked quite ordinary. And the more-physical nature of this year’s team, which Cronin believed would help it better survive the conference wars, is now open to debate with rugged 6'9, 260-lb. PF Yancy Gates victimized by an ankle injury that limited him to only four minutes of action at the Carrier Dome, and 6'11 C Ibrahima Thomas having difficulty staying out of foul trouble, being disqualified in two recent games. Don’t be surprised if Cronin begins to give more minutes to frosh sharpshooter Ryan Kilpatrick (scoring 10 ppg while only averaging 19 minutes of floor time), who has been providing a spark off the bench but might warrant a longer look after hitting all three of his shots beyond the arc at Syracuse. The schedule is tough again this week with two more road games at St. John’s and Notre Dame.

Colorado: Winner...Looking for an early Coach of the Year darkhorse candidate? Try Colorado’s Tad Boyle, who has quickly made his mark in Boulder after spending the past few seasons putting Northern Colorado’s program on the map. And now they’re even starting to talk at the foot of the Rockies about the possibility of the Buffs breaking their extended NCAA Tourney drought which has existed since 1997, when Chauncey Billups led the team into the second round of the Big Dance. CU has now won 7 straight and 12 of its last 13 after knocking off Oklahoma State on Saturday by a 75-71 count. That also marked a third straight win over likely Big Dance participants, as Missouri and Kansas State (CU’s first ever back-to-back wins over ranked opponents) had previously been vanquished. And for the moment, the Buffs are surprisingly atop the Big XII table along with Texas A&M. The win over the Cowboys impressed regional observers, especially since CU stormed back from a 12-point deficit in the second half. Importantly, Boyle’s motion offense is creating more looks other than clear-outs for high scoring-wings Alec Burks (19.7 ppg) & Cory Higgins (16.6 ppg), with sr. G Levi Knutson now providing instant offense off the bench with his ability to drain triples (he’s hitting 51% beyond the arc). CU is also outrebounding recent foes despite a height disadvantage, speaking to the quickness of Fs Marcus Relphorde and Austin Dufault, plus 6-7 G Andre Roberson, the team’s rebound leader with 7.9 rpg. Burks & Higgins also represent lots of length on the perimeter, which has been a plus on the stop end. Keep an eye on these guys.

Colorado State: Winner...Not to be outdone by that lot down the road in Boulder, CSU is finally making some noise, too, as it dreams about its first NCAA invitation since 2003. That’s still a longshot, but the Rams continue to offer good value, covering for the sixth time in their last seven spread decisions when beating TCU on Saturday night at Moby Arena. The big and agile senior forward combination of 6'9 former Mississippi State transfer Andy Ogide (15.2 ppg) & 6'7 onetime juco Travis Franklin (14.2 ppg) is causing foes headaches in the paint. And now HC Tim Miles’ backcourt is beginning to produce, with another transfer, 6'3 ex-Iowa State soph G Wes Eikmeier, providing a recent spark as has jr. G Dorian Green, beginning to find his range beyond the arc while hitting 50% or better from tripleville in three of his last five outings. CSU appears more likely to end up in the NIT or one of the other postseason shindigs (CBI or CollegeInsider.com), where it could be a serious threat, although there is still plenty of action remaining in the regular season, and the Rams are not going to be an easy "out" for any Mountain West foe. And the Fort Collins supporters recall the magic of ‘03, when an underdog CSU team pulled a shocker while winning the MWC Tourney in Las Vegas. Could it happen again? Wednesday night’s game at UNLV definitely has the attention of regional observers.

Georgia: Winner...It’s time to start taking the Dawgs seriously. Near misses such as the one at Vanderbilt last Wednesday would have sent previous Georgia editions into a tailspin, but these Bulldogs proved they weren’t going to fade away when bouncing back to rout Ole Miss by a 98-76 count at Oxford on Saturday. Georgia’s multitude of weaponry erupted in a 63.5% FG shooting display at Tad Smith Coliseum just a week after proving too much for Kentucky in a 77-70 win at Stegeman Coliseum. Opponents are having problems dealing with the quickness and athleticism of Gs Travis Leslie (a dunkmeister scoring at 14.6 ppg, as well as leading the team with 7.6 rpg) and roadrunner Gerald Robinson, a Tennessee State transfer tallying 13.9 ppg and off a season-high 22 points vs. the Rebels. In fact, five players scored in double-digits at Ole Miss, and HC Mark Fox remains pleased by excellent ball movement, with 26 assists on the Dawgs’ 33 made shots at Oxford. Meanwhile, 6-9 jr. F Trey Thompkins (17.9 ppg) remains a matchup headache in the paint. With three straight home games beginning Tuesday vs. Tennessee, Georgia is poised to make a serious move in the SEC East.

North Carolina: Loser...We still think the Tar Heels will get to the Big Dance field. But now we’re not so sure the Tar Heels won’t be wearing their road baby blues in the first round. And we’re really not sure where the Tar Heels fit in the ACC’s pecking order, either, after Sunday night’s hard-to-explain 20-point loss at what had been an underachieving Georgia Tech. UNC’s recent 5-game win streak was achieved vs. series of beatable foes, but Heels hardly have a settled look, as Roy Williams tinkers with different combinations in rotation that features three true frosh (Gs Reggie Bullock & Kendall Marshall & F Harrison Barnes) trying to serve as complements to bigs 7'0 Tyler Zeller and 6'10 John Henson. Note that Heels have not offered much spread value lately, covering just 4 of their last 13 on the board after the embarrassment at Atlanta. We’ll know if the alarm bells should start ringing if Clemson can steal a win at the Dean Dome on Tuesday night after losing 54 straight times at Chapel Hill.

Pac-10 Conference: Loser...Sorry, we just can’t get too excited about what we’re seeing from the Pac-10, which seemed to offer hope a few weeks ago but now looks to be a decidedly ordinary loop at best. We’re hard-pressed to project any Pac-10 rep beyond the first weekend of the Big Dance, and we’re wondering again if the league is going to get more than two bids. We’re still assuming Washington and Arizona will make the NCAA field (although we’re not thrilled about either), but it’s tough to pencil in any other league rep. Last weekend was a prime example, as Southern Cal, which seemed to be on the verge of a real breakthrough, took about three steps backward when inexplicably losing a pair on the Oregon road trip. Sure, the Trojans caught the Ducks on opening night of their brand new Matt Arena in Eugene, but Oregon has limited weaponry, and that was a game SC needed to win if it wanted to be considered a serious contender. But the Trojans came out flat and allowed the Ducks to dictate the tempo and emotions of the night, much as SC did a year ago when going AWOL in similar games vs. the Oregon schools, which also swept the Trojans in 2009-10. And SC continued to struggle when losing on Saturday night at Oregon State when its defense took the night off, allowing 56% from the floor. Some Pac-10 scouts are wondering if the team is beginning to tune out quirky HC Kevin O’Neill, whose career is littered with various teams tiring of his idiosyncrasies as seasons progress. No matter, a team that can thrash Texas, win at Tennessee, and almost win at Kansas shouldn’t be getting swept by the Ducks and Beavers. But the bench remains thin, and 6'9 PF Alex Stephenson (who couldn’t reach double figures in points in either game) is still maddeningly inconsistent. Let’s forget projecting SC into the Big Dance field, or even keeping it on the periphery of the bubble, until further notice.

Meanwhile, Washington State continues to send mixed signals, although the Cougs did get a split of their weekend trip to the Bay Area, an improvement on their last road trip when getting swept at the L.A. schools. Still, NCAA hopeful teams shouldn’t be losing to this year’s Cal, and now the Cougs might have to proceed without PG Reggie Moore, suspended until further notice as HC Ken Bone and the school review two recent marijuana-related charges. Wazzu did win on Saturday at Stanford minus Moore, but got little from its bench with Faisal Aden promoted back into the starting five. And the team’s tendency to stand around and simply watch high-scoring G Klay Thompson take on opponents in a game of one-on-five cost Wazzu at Berkeley, when Thompson’s 36 points went for naught. Don’t be surprised if Pac-10 foes start to employ gimmick defenses to slow Thompson (the conference scoring leader at 22.9 ppg), as Cal did in the later stages of its Thursday win after being earlier burned by his 36 points. Wazzu is going to have to win a few more on the Pac-10 road and at least hold serve at home in this modest league to stay in the good graces of the Selection Committee, which is likely to soon begin doubting Wazzu’s March credentials.

Penn State: Winner...Recently, Penn State had scored its first back-to-back wins over ranked foes since the mid ‘50s (or when Joe Paterno was just an assistant football coach at Happy Valley under Rip Engle) when knocking off Michigan State and Illinois in consecutive games at the Bryce Jordan Center. And anyone who continued to underestimate HC Ed DeChellis’ crew was surprised yet again by the Nittany Lions’ near-miss on Saturday at now top-ranked Ohio State, which needed some help from the refs down the stretch to keep its unbeaten season alive. Big Ten scouts, however, might have been more impressed by the close loss at Columbus, in which Penn State, which started quickly, seemed in danger of getting knocked out early in the second half as the Buckeyes surged to a 44-33 lead. Rather than surrender, however, the Nittany Lions rallied, led by superb str. G Talor Battle, and forged a deadlock with less than two minutes to play before OSU frosh Jared Sullinger scored the key points down the stretch for Thad Matta’s crew to avert the upset. That also marked the Nittany Lions’ 13th pointspread cover in their last 14 tries as a Big Ten road dog. Despite their 10-7 record, we still think DeChellis’ troops can make a run at a Big Dance berth, especially if it finishes in the top half of the rugged Big Ten, which ought to gain the attention of the Selection Committee. The team has a senior core led by the excellent Battle (20.6 ppg), whose take-charge presence at the point comes in handy on the unforgiving conference trail, plus functional forwards Jeff Brooks (13.2 ppg), David Jackson (11.1 ppg), and ferocious 6'10 Andrew Jones, who does the necessary dirty work on the blocks. Penn State’s role players are also stepping to the fore the past few weeks, and remember the core of this team remains from the 2009 NIT championship side. Very dangerous.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-22-2011, 09:12 AM

SEC West Update

January 20, 2011

Following is a quick team-by-team update on what’s happening in the SEC West. We’ll be reviewing the East along with the conclusion of our two-part feature story in our next issue, available online next Monday, January 24. Straight-up and pointspread records are thru games of January 19.

ALABAMA (SUR 11-7, PSR 6-8)...In what still looks to be a wide-open Western half of the loop, the Tide has emerged as a top contender, confirmed by its 68-66 Tuesday night upset over Kentucky at Coleman Coliseum. Keeping Bama in good stead is its conscientious defense, especially Gs Charvez Davis Senario Hillman locking down on the perimeter. The offensive dimensions are a bit limited without much dynamism from the backcourt or beyond the 3-point line, where only Davis (hitting 38.6% of his triples) is connecting on better than 33% of his long-range heaves. Forwards JaMychal Green (15.5 ppg & 54% from floor) and Tony Mitchell (14.4 ppg & 54% FGs) do provide HC Anthony Grant a solid 1-2 interior punch, but many SEC insiders are keeping their eye on the PG position, where Grant is asking true frosh Trevor Releford to do almost all of the heavy lifting, without much help from the bench. Unlike some other conference foes, Bama was tested in its non-league slate, where most of the challenging assignments (such as Purdue and Oklahoma State) were on the road; Grant might now be experiencing some of the benefit from the tougher pre-league slate. Now if the Tide could just perform as well away from Tuscaloosa, where it has won all ten of its games this season!

ARKANSAS (SUR 12-5, PSR 4-7)... Could HC John Pelphrey be on the hot seat? Razorback fans definitely had some concerns entering the 2010-11 campaign off a pair of 14-win seasons, to which the Bud Walton Arena faithful are not accustomed. Evidence remains mixed, however, as Pelphrey’s team dropped all of the meaningful challenges on its pre-league schedule (UAB, Texas A&M, & Texas, the latter a 79-46 embarrassment), and early conference road losses at beatable (make that very beatable) LSU and South Carolina could be red flags. Pelphrey, whose team has endured disciplinary problems along the way, is still looking for the right combination, but is hampered by the fact that only G Rotnei Clarke (13.7 ppg) can be considered a somewhat reliable offensive threat. Although 6-9 sr. Delvon Johnson leads the SEC’s best shot-blocking brigade (Hogs at 6.9 bpg, near the nation’s leader) with 3.7 swats pg, Arkansas still ranks last in conference rebounding margin. A key development to watch in the coming weeks is the possible emergence of soph F Marshawn Powell, who scored a season-high 21 points in the OT loss at South Carolina on Wednesday night. As for Pelphrey, most SEC observers believe he likely survives this season thanks to a ballyhooed recruiting class set to enroll for next season. A collapse down the stretch, however, might change the situation.

AUBURN (SUR 7-10, PSR 3-5)...It’s too bad the Tigers are struggling in what should be a celebratory time on campus. After all, the Auburn football team has just won the national championship, and the hoopsters have moved into an intimate new home den, 9,600-seat Auburn Arena, a more cozy venue than the harsh concrete of the cavernous Beard-Eaves Coliseum, complete with its dedication plaque from former governor Lurleen Wallace. First-year HC Tony Barbee (former John Calipari aide most recently at UTEP) has presided over a depleted roster whose shortcomings were somewhat camouflaged by a laughable non-conference slate that nonetheless got the best of the Tigers, who lost to the likes of UNC-Asheville, Samford, Campbell, and Presbyterian. Threatened with expulsion to the Big South, Auburn briefly rallied around New Year’s and even scored an upset win over Florida State on January 3, but that was the last game for star G Frankie Sullivan, Auburn’s returning high scorer who had also missed early-season action due to recurring knee problems. Sullivan, slow to recover from ACL surgery, is now unlikely to return in SEC play or risk forfeiting a year of eligibility. Thus, it’s up to a roster that now boasts of a walk-on starting at PG (John Wallace) and only two DD scorers, Gs Earnest Ross (12.4 ppg) & Andre Malone (11.7 ppg). We’ll be surprised if Auburn wins more than a handful of conference games.

LSU (SUR 10-8, PSR 8-5)...First, the good news: LSU isn’t as bad as it was last season. Now, the bad news: LSU still isn’t that good. HC Trent Johnson, who made the Big Dance field with his first LSU team in 2008-09, has been in rebuild mode since, and most regional observers were not fooled by a promising W-L mark in pre-conference play, mostly accomplished vs. lightweight opposition. The Tigers remain young, relying upon Johnson’s true frosh G combo of Ralston Turner (13.7 ppg) & Andre Stringer (13.0 ppg) as the linchpins of the attack, although Turner has been sidelined the past two weeks with a stress reaction in his right foot, and the timetable for his return is still up in the air. That has further limited Johnson’s attack end options, which were exposed in last Saturday’s 82-44 wipeout loss at Kentucky. Johnson is hoping that jr. F Storm Warren can work his way back into the rotation after suffering an Achilles tendon injury, and that frosh F Jalen Courtney will begin to blossom now that Johnson will be using him in his more comfy back-to-the-basket role. But the Tigers are young and have a thin bench, and Johnson has been forced to go almost exclusively with a 2-3 zone defense on many occasions because of depth issues and stop end shortcomings. We wouldn’t be holding our breath for this LSU edition to make a belated run at a postseason berth.

OLE MISS (SUR 12-7, PSR 8-7)... Time to ring the alarm bells in Oxford, as the Rebs have started a slow 0-4 in SEC play, which could spell big trouble for HC Andy Kennedy. Although the Rebs put up a better fight on Wednesday night at Vandy (hanging close for much of the night before finally losing by 10) than they did in a 22-point home loss to Georgia the previous Saturday when the defense took the afternoon off (Dawgs 63.5% from floor), there is concern about the season slipping away from a senior-laden roster. Ole Miss still relies almost completely upon its backcourt, led by sr. G Chris Warren (18.3 ppg), for offensive production; no frontliner scorers more than F Terrance Henry’s 87 ppg, and that sort of imbalance is proving hard to overcome. On the plus side, Kennedy has inked the school’s first McDonald’s All-American (Jelan Kendrick) for next season, but the natives are restless with the Rebs yet to make an NCAA appearance under Kennedy. As for Kennedy’s contract, it was extended thru the 2013-14 season a year ago at a reported $1.3 million per year, but there are already whispers around Oxford about the buyout provisions if the current Rebs go into free-fall mode.

MISSISSIPPI STATE (SUR 10-7, PSR 3-10)... By far the most-intriguing of this year’s SEC West entries, the Dawgs have endured an awkward first half of the season to emerge as a legit contender. With star G Dee Bost on academic suspension until early January, and touted 6'10 recruit Renardo Sidney not gaining eligibility until mid-December, then disciplined by HC Rick Stansbury for a few more games after a much-publicized incident in the stands with teammate Elgin Bailey during the Hawaii holiday tournament, the Maroon was a mess for most of the first two months of the campaign. But MSU finally seems to have its act somewhat together, even if Elgin Bailey left the program in the wake of the rumble with Sidney. Big Renardo is now making significant contributions, scoring 24 in a recent win over Ole Miss and adding 15 the next game vs. Auburn, while Bost is scoring 16 ppg in his 3 games since regaining eligibility. Along with G Raven Johnson (16 ppg) & F Kodi Augustus (12.5 ppg), Stansbury now looks to have by far the most-potent lineup in the West. And at the least that should mean the end of the Bulldogs’ pointspread struggles after they dropped their first 7 decisions against the number into late December. They’ll take a 2-game SU win and cover streak into Saturday’s interesting showdown vs. Georgia.

Next week: SEC East update...

**StarDust Bum** · 01-22-2011, 09:14 AM

NCAA Betting Preview: UConn hosts Tennessee

The Tennessee Volunteers will have their head coach Bruce Pearl on Saturday as they visit the eighth-ranked Connecticut Huskies.

Pearl was suspended by the SEC for the first eight conference games of the college basketball betting season, but since this is a non-conference game, Pearl will be coaching. The Vols have gone 2-2 in the four SEC games that Pearl has missed.

Check out the current line for this game at *** Global.com.

Tennessee has been very good this season against ranked teams winning against Villanova, Pittsburgh and Memphis. The Volunteers will have a tough task on Saturday against Kemba Walker and the Huskies.

Walker is second in the nation with 25.5 points per game. Connecticut is coming off a 61-59 win over Villanova on Monday as Walker had 24 points including the game winner. Tennessee is also coming off a last-second winner when it beat Georgia 59-57 on Tuesday.

This could be a letdown game for Connecticut after their big win against Villanova but since it is on CBS the Huskies should be ready. Connecticut has the superior offense and a far better defense than Tennessee. The concern if you are taking Connecticut is that the Volunteers will want to put out a great effort because Pearl is behind the bench.

Tennessee has only played three true road games this season and is 1-2 ATS in those contests. Connecticut is 2-1 against the spread in their three lined games played at Hartford's XL Center this season. The Huskies won’t get much rest after this game as they are at Marquette on Tuesday night.

Here are the basketball betting stats for Saturday’s game:

•The Volunteers are 4-1 ATS in their last five versus Big East schools.
•Tennessee is 6-2 ATS in its last eight Saturday games.
•The Volunteers are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
•Tennessee is 1-5 ATS in their last six non-conference games.
•The Huskies are 6-0 ATS in their last six non-conference games.
•UConn is 4-1 ATS in its last five games overall.
On the totals front, the 'under' is 8-2 in the Volunteers' last 10 Saturday games. The 'over' is 11-4 in Tennessee's last 15 non-conference games. The 'under' is 16-7-1 in the Volunteers' last 24 road games and 8-3 in the Huskies' last 11 home games.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-22-2011, 09:15 AM

Memphis and UAB in C-USA odds battle

Once upon a time, the Memphis Tigers were the class of Conference USA basketball, and they just never lost a game. In fact, they went 64 straight conference games without a loss, a streak that ended one year and just two days ago.

One of the teams that was never able to beat them on this stretch was Alabama-Birmingham, though the Blazers came close a number of times.

Now, with both teams fighting for supremacy in C-USA and a bid in the NCAA Tournament, the two will duke it out in NCAA basketball betting action on Saturday at Bartow Arena. This clash will be televised nationally on ESPN2, with the tip coming at 4 p.m. (PT).

Memphis is in the midst of a really tough stretch of games that feature a number of teams that might be of a high enough quality to make the NCAA Tournament this year. The first two tests were passed with wins over the Marshall Thundering Herd and Southern Miss Golden Eagles to improve to 3-1 in conference on the eve of this clash at UAB.

The Tigers didn't have Wesley Witherspoon for their trip to Hattiesburg, as he was suspended for what was classified as an "internal matter." He is expected to be back in the fold on Saturday, and my, is that a good thing.

Witherspoon is putting up 11.5 PPG this year, and though he has dealt with injuries and now this suspension, he is clearly the most talented player on the squad.

Charles Carmouche hit the game-winning shot against the Golden Eagles earlier this week, but he is only good for 8.0 PPG and can't be counted upon for that type of offense often. Still, Memphis will let any combination of nine different players on the court at any time, something that has propelled it to having the No. 27 ranked offense in the nation at 78.2 PPG.

It's been awhile since the Blazers have been in the NCAA Tournament, but this year with the extended field, they have to think that they are probably somewhere around 10 or 11 wins away from getting the job done. They've got a great chance to impress both this weekend and next week with victories against Marshall and the UCF Knights being noteworthy like this one would be against Memphis.

If you're looking for scoring on UAB, you really only have the starting five to look at. Jamarr Sanders and Cameron Moore are both good for a ton of points on a regular basis, as the two are combining for 35.3 PPG this year. Aaron Johnson makes for a perfect role player, but we wish that he would shoot better than 38.5 percent from the field to get to his 10.7 PPG. Ovie Soko rounds out the big-time scorers on this team at 9.4 PPG. These four men are combining for over three quarters of the team's scoring, as the Blazers are averaging 71.3 PPG this year.

If you look up "domination" in the dictionary, you're going to find a picture of a Tiger slaying the green dragon from the UAB logo. Memphis has won nine straight in this series and has gone 7-1-1 ATS in that stretch. The good news that UAB can fall back upon is that it does have four victories here at Bartow Arena over the Tigers since 2000, but they came in 2000, 2002, 2005, and 2006.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-22-2011, 09:16 AM

NCAA Betting Preview: Texas at Kansas Jayhawks

The Texas Longhorns invade Phog Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence this Saturday afternoon to take on the Kansas Jayhawks in a showdown of Big 12 powers. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. (PT) and the game will be broadcast nationally on CBS.

Texas comes into this game riding high after knocking off No. 10 Texas A&M in convincing fashion with an 81-60 victory this past Wednesday night as a 6 ½-point home favorite. The total went ‘over’ the 131 ½ point line. This win followed a 66-46 win over Oklahoma as a 19-point home favorite last Saturday. The Longhorns are currently 15-3 straight-up on the year and an impressive 10-3 against the spread. The two conference wins raised their record to 3-0 SU in the Big 12.

Sophomore guard-forward Jordan Hamilton continues to be an unstoppable force for Texas with an average of 19.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Freshman forward Tristan Thompson heads up a trio of other starters scoring in double-figures with 13.1 points and leads the team in rebounds with 7.7 a game. Freshman guard Cory Joseph rounds things out for the youthful Longhorns with 11.2 points and a team-high 3.2 assists per game.

Texas is averaging 78 points a game and shooting 46 percent from the field. It is hitting 37.6 percent of its shots from three-point range, but just 65.2 percent of its free-throws. The one area that the Longhorns have been really dominant is on the boards. Texas ranks sixth in the nation with an average of 42 rebounds per game.

Kansas continues to roll through the season with a perfect 18-0 record SU, but is just 8-8 ATS. The Jayhawks remained undefeated with a 63-60 victory over Nebraska last Saturday as a 15 ½-point home favorite followed by an 85-65 win over Baylor as a 3 ½-point road favorite this past Monday to raise their conference record to 3-0 SU.

The Morris twins have established themselves as two of the best sharp-shooters in men’s basketball. Marcus leads the team with an average of 17.2 points per game and is shooting 61.2 percent from the field, while his brother Markieff is shooting 57.3 percent and averaging 13.2 points per game. These two are also averaging a combined 15.6 rebounds per game.

Freshman guard Josh Selby is the team’s third leading scorer with 12.1 points per game and junior guard Tyshawn Taylor leads in assists with an average of five.

It is no wonder that the Jayhawks are ranked first in the nation in shooting percentage. They are ranked eighth in scoring with an average of 83.2 points per game and fourth in assists with an average of 18.5. Kansas is at a slight disadvantage to the Longhorns when it comes to rebounds with 39.7 per game.

Texas is 5-1 ATS in its last six games on the road and 6-1 ATS in its last seven games overall. The total has stayed ‘under’ in four of its last six games.

Kansas is 2-4 ATS in its last six home games and 1-3 ATS in its last four games overall. The total has gone ‘over’ in four of its last six games.

Head-to-head, the Jayhawks have won seven of the last nine games SU and are 3-0 both SU and ATS in the last three meetings. The total has gone ‘over’ in five of the last seven meetings.

This will be a stern test for Kansas with the Longhorns coming into this game playing at such a high level. The Jayhawks at home should be able to grind out the win SU, but stick with Texas to get the win ATS if the line opens at four or more points.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-22-2011, 09:17 AM

Villanova, Syracuse tip NCAA betting slate

The No. 7 Villanova Wildcats have a 6-0 spread record in their last six games, with the ‘total’ splitting at 3-3. Jay Wright’s troops head north for Saturday afternoon’s clash against the No. 3 Syracuse Orange, who are 3-2 ATS in their last five contests.

Villanova saw an 11-game win streak end in Monday’s 61-59 defeat as a 2 ½-point road dog against the No. 8 Connecticut Huskies. The Wildcats began the matchup trailing, 10-0, but rallied to as much as a seven-point lead in the second half. Huskies guard Kemba Walker hit a clutch jump shot with three seconds remaining, giving UConn the victory.

Villanova’s Corey Fisher notched team-highs of 28 points and six assists. The senior guard drained 3-of-7 beyond the arc, while sinking 5-of-6 at the foul line.

Fisher’s mate Mouphtaou Yarou logged a team-high 10 boards, extending his streak of rebounding in double-digits to three. The Natitingou native connected on 3-of-8 field buckets, while failing to log a block for the first time in six contests.

The tight battle’s combined 120 points plunged below the ‘total’ of 141 ½, bringing the ‘under’ to 3-1 in Villanova’s last four games. Both squads united for 34 fouls, while the Wildcats were outrebounded, 37-31.

Villanova improved to 3-3 ATS in its six ‘board’ games away from home, with the ‘over’ dropping to 4-2. Yarou and Co. have allowed 69 PPG in that stretch.

Syracuse suffered its first loss in Monday’s 74-66 setback as a 6 ½-point road dog against the No. 4 Pittsburgh Panthers. The Orange were held to 39.1 percent field shooting, while being outrebounded by Pittsburgh, 41-27.

Orange forward C.J. Fair put up a season-high 16 points, playing 36 minutes off the bench. The freshman added nine boards and two of his squad’s seven blocks.

Syracuse’s Rick Jackson notched 10 points and a team-high 11 boards, finishing with his third straight double-double. The Philadelphia native hit 5-of-11 from the field, while logging three steals and two assists.

The contest’s combined 140 points jumped above the ‘total’ of 138, making the ‘over’ 2-1 in Syracuse’s last three games. Both squads united to drain 14-of-35 three-point shots, while the Orange meagerly hit 8-of-15 free throws.

Orange leading-scorer Kris Joseph (14.6 PPG) missed Monday’s game with a concussion. The junior forward is listed by DonBest.com as “probable” to return against Villanova.

Syracuse is 5-6 ATS in its first 11 ‘board’ home dates, with the ‘under’ going 7-3 in the 10 matchups containing a ‘total.’ Jim Boeheim’s crew has scored 77.8 PPG in its last four games at Carrier Dome.

Villanova is 3-1 ATS in its last four meetings against the Orange, with the ‘over’ also going 3-1.

Syracuse won last February’s duel between the Big East Conference rivals, 95-77, as a 4 ½-point home favorite. Jackson finished with a team-high 19 points for Syracuse, who edged out the Wildcats in rebounds, 48-36. Fisher struggled for Villanova, shooting 3-for-12 from the field, including an 0-for-5 blitz beyond the arc.

Saturday’s tip is scheduled for 9 a.m. (PT), with ESPN providing the national television coverage.

Villanova will be off for three days, traveling to meet the Providence Friars as part of Wednesday’s college hoops card. Syracuse will be idle for two days, remaining at home for Tuesday’s matchup against the Seton Hall Pirates.

Announcement

The Bum's Saturday's Best Bets NBA-NHL-NCAAB !

The Bum's Saturday's Best Bets NBA-NHL-NCAAB !

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment