NCAA Basketball
Kentucky vs. Kansas Free Pick
Kentucky vs. Kansas
Well the Final Four have been reduced to two. Sixty-eight teams entered March Madness with high hopes. All but two have gone home disappointed. Monday night April 2 at the Superdome in New Orleans, one team will go home as the National Champion and one will go home wondering what could have been.
The Kentucky Wildcats meet the Kansas Jayhawks to determine the 2011/12 National Collegiate Basketball Champion. Kentucky is the definite favorite, as they have the thoroughbreds needed to win the championship. Freshmen Anthony Davis was recently named the Player of the Year by the Associated Press.
It will be difficult for Kansas to matchup with all the Kentucky heavyweights who will be off to the NBA much sooner than later. The Kentucky defense is strong and will give the big Kansas front line fits on the inside. In Kentucky’s win over Louisville in the Final Four, they held the Cardinals to only 34% shooting overall and 36% from beyond the arc.
Kentucky was outrebounded in the game but much of that was due to an extra-effort by the Cardinals on the offensive boards. They did not shoot well from the charity strip and those two things cannot persist in the championship game if they want to beat Kansas.
Kansas will go once again to their heart and soul Thomas Robinson. If Kentucky holds him in check, the title is theirs for the taking. If Robinson can have an extraordinary game and help get Davis in early foul trouble, the Jayhawks could steal the win.
Kansas must use the strength of their defense to win Monday. Jeff Withey played well against Jared Sullinger, but Davis is quicker, more agile and athletic than Sullinger. Kansas had 11 more boards than Ohio State and they must out rebound Kentucky if they hope to take the title home.
Currently the Wildcats are a 6-point favorite with the total sitting at 138. The Wildcats must keep Davis from getting into foul trouble and they need to control the boards. If they do those two things then their athleticism and talent will carry them to a National Championship.
Pick: Kentucky (-6) Total: UNDER
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Marquette vs. Florida Free Picks
- Gators ATS
Marquette No. 3 (27-7) vs. Florida No.7 (25-10) Thursday March 22
Another great matchup out west will be when the Marquette Golden Eagles meet the Florida Gators, Thursday March 22. Both teams are peaking at the right time and come into the game playing their best basketball of the season. This game should be up-tempo with each team rarely using more than 15 to 20 seconds of the shot clock, the faster the flow of the game, the better for these two clubs.
Florida punched their ticket for the Sweet 16 when they went on a 25-0 run in the first half against upstart Norfolk State to win easily 84-50. Norfolk had defeated Missouri earlier in the tournament. Florida is very deep at guard. They have Erving Walker, Brad Beal, Kenny Boynton and Mike Rosario who transferred from Rutgers. The four combined for 61 of the teams 80 points against Norfolk State.
Marquette is no slouch. They have two of the Big East’s best players. 6-6 Jae Crowder is the team�s MVP and the Big East Conference Player of the Year. 6-2 Darius Johnson-Odom runs the offense at guard. Crowder will be a difficult matchup for Florida. They do not have a natural No. 4 to play against the agile yet powerful Crowder. Look for Erik Murphy to take a shot at controlling him. Marquette defeated Murray State to reach this round 62-53 to cover a 5-point spread as the favorite.
What is important for Marquette to do is try to slow Florida down. Florida, with their strength at guard, will try to light up the scorecard as often as they can. The best shot Marquette has is to keep the score in the high 60s, not the 70s or 80s. Otherwise, as the score goes higher, the possibility of Marquette winning gets lower.
Overall, the Gators are 25-10 SU and 15-15 ATS. Marquette comes into the game with a record of 27-7 SU and 17-12-2 ATS. Currently Marquette is a 2-point favorite and the total is sitting at 146. Florida will find a way to neutralize Crowder and their guards will run them to victory.
Pick: Florida (2) Total: OVER
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Syracuse vs. UNC Ashville Free Pick
Orangemen
The Syracuse Orange starts their NCAA tournament as one of the top seeds and will face the University of North Carolina Asheville Bulldogs March 15. The Orange ended their season with an impressive record of 31-2. At home they were 22-1 and finished the season 16-16 ATS. The Bulldogs completed a fine regular season with a 24-9 overall record. When playing on the road they were 8-6. The line opened with the Orange as 16-point favorites but has come down to 15.5 points. The total is currently at 146.
The Orange is averaging 14 more points per game offensively than their defense is allowing. The Bulldogs are averaging nearly 10 points more per game offensively than they give up. Neither team has any players listed as injured. However, Syracuse was hit with a big blow as their center Fab Melo was ruled ineligible to participate in the tournament.
The last time the two met was in 2003 and Syracuse got the better of Asheville 81-63. Over the last five games, UNC Asheville is 5-0 SU. The Orange over their last five games is 4-1 SU. They last to the Cincinnati Bearcats in the semifinal of the Big East tournament last Friday.
The Orange is 23-2 SU over their last 25 games and the total has been UNDER in 10 of their past 15 games. However, they are just 1-6 ATS over the last 7 games they have played. Nevertheless, they are 8-2 SU when playing on Thursday and are 5-5 SU after a defeat.
The loss of center Fab Melo should not affect the Orange in this first round matchup as much as it will further along in the tournament. The Orange have enough other talented players on both sides of the ball to make up for Melo’s absence. The Orange will win SU and ATS with the total paying out to those who take the UNDER. See live odd and live lines
NCAA Basketball Ohio State vs. Michigan
- Keep it close?
The Value City Arena will host one of the biggest rivalries in college basketball Sunday when the Wolverinesof the University of Michigan visit the Buckeyes of Ohio State. The Big Ten conference matchup is any basketball lover�s dream. Even though both teams are playing very well, records can be tossed out when these two rivals meet.
Michigan comes into the game with a 16-5 record. The team is led by Tim Hardaway Jr., who averages 15.2 points per game. The Wolverines are led in rebounding by Evan Smotrycz who is pulling down 5.7 per contest. The team relies on output from everyone on the floor.
Ohio State is led by All American candidate Jared Sullinger who leads the team in both points scored per game with 17.3 and rebounds per game with 9.7. Two other players, William Buford and Deshaun Thomas are also scoring in double figures with 15.2 and 14.7 respectively.
Both teams are relatively close ATS this season. Michigan is 10-8 ATS, while Ohio State is 10-7 ATS. At home, Ohio State is 8-3 ATS, while on the road; Michigan is just 4-4 ATS. Michigan is only 2-5 SU over their last seven games playing on the road. The Wolverines are also 0-5 SU over their last five games against Ohio State on the road.
At home, Ohio State is 5-0 SU in their last five games. Ohio State is also 5-0 SU in their last five games against Michigan. However, Ohio State is only 1-5 ATS in their last six games against Michigan when playing at home.
Head to head Ohio State holds a big advantage over the last ten games SU. Ohio State is 8-2 SU but just 2-8 ATS in the last ten games between the two teams. The game should be a defensive battle with the UNDER looking good and Michigan winning ATS.
NCAA Basketball: Gonzaga at St. Mary’s
- Gonzaga Basketball Pick
One of the best mid-major rivalries in college basketball takes place tonight (11 p.m. ET) in West CoastConference action when No. 23 Gonzaga faces conference-leading Saint Mary’s. The Gaels are 3.5-point college basketball bets favorites on WagerWeb.com.
This is one of the nation’s underrated rivalries, matching a Gaels team (15-2) that has successfully replaced 2011 West Coast Conference player of the year Mickey McConnell against a Zags club (13-2) that has analysts murmuring again over a vast upside. Gonzaga has owned the WCC for the most part, but Saint Mary’s has a win in the series in four of the past five seasons, and two years ago, blew out GU in the conference-tournament final.
McConnell has been replaced by Aussie Matthew Dellavedova, the Aussie who moved over from the off-guard. Dellavedova is averaging 15.2 points. Forward Rob Jones is at 15.4 points and the five leading Gaels scorers all have more assists than turnovers. Jones was named the WCC Player of the Week after pouring-in a career-high 31 points last week at San Diego. He averages a league-best 10.5 rebounds per game and has 13 double-figure rebounding games this season.
Saint Mary’s will face a formidable challenge in the Gonzaga front line. In starters Robert Sacre and Elias Harris, Gonzaga boasts one of the most established, experienced big-man tandems in the nation. Add sixth man Sam Dower to that mix, and the Bulldogs have a trio up front that is averaging 33.7 points and 18.8 rebounds a game.
In the Gaels’ 73-71 win in Spokane last year, it took an unexpected contribution from forward Phil Benson to keep them competitive down low. That thin margin for error evaporated in two subsequent losses to the Bulldogs. Sacre, Harris and Dower combined for 52 points and 16 rebounds to win in Moraga, then went for 33 points in the WCC Tournament title game in Las Vegas.
Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga have won or shared every regular-season WCC title since 2001 and the two teams have met in the last three WCC Championship games in Las Vegas.
SA Take: Hard to pass of the Zags when they are as good as they are and getting points. Take Gonzaga plus the points.
NCAA Basketball Preview and Pick: Missouri vs. Iowa State
- Iowa State vs. Missouri
As Missouri plays its last season in the Big 12, they are attempting to go out with a bang. Missouri has played exceptional ball thus far this season, but with conference games on the horizon, their undefeated run could be in jeopardy. Even when they have taken on strong opponents, Missouri has been able to put points on the board while holding the other team below their averages. Ricardo Ratliffe is hitting 76% of his shots and is averaging 13.3 points on the season. Marcus Denmon has an 18.7 average per game on the season and is consistently knocking down 50% of his shots from the floor. They have not taken on many ranked teams thus far, and sit second overall in points per game. They also hold the top position at 52% for field goal percentage as a team.
Iowa State doesn�t have much of a chance on January 11th to give Missouri a challenge. Royce White is shooting 53% from the field and is scoring 12.9 points per game on the season while Chris Allen is averaging 12.4 to lead Iowa State�s offense. While there is always the potential for an upset, this is a pretty safe bet when it comes to Missouri. It is unlikely Iowa State will find the fire to upset Missouri, which has done everything right to this point in the season. Missouri�s highest finish ever has been 5th in the �03-�04 season and the team would love to move up in the polls from their current position of seventh.
Iowa State�s record is not bad, but they have only taken on one ranked team all season and it resulted in a loss. Missouri should easily defeat Iowa State and cover the point spread. The over and under should be under as the defense of Missouri should slow down Iowa States mediocre offense.
Missouri has lost its last five games on the road against the spread. In their last 13 games Missouri is only 3-10 SU. In its last five games, Iowa State is 5-0 when bet SU. When playing against Missouri ATS Iowa State is only 2-4 in their last six games. We are going with Iowa State plus the four points.
NCAA Basketball: Florida Gators vs. Georgia Bulldogs
- Florida’s Patric Young
The SEC powerhouse Florida Gators take on the Georgia Bulldogs on the 10th of January. As conference play kicks off in full swing, the SEC rivalries are sure to cause some trouble for the Gators. Even though they sit number one in the conference, SEC rivalries can cause major havoc with a team’s position inthe polls.
Florida is ranked just 14th in the poll even though twoof its three losses were to number three ranked teams, Syracuse (now numberone) and Ohio State. Fourth in overall points per game, the Gators are likelyto take the Bulldogs to town. Kenny Boynton has a 50% field goal percentage per game, Will Yeguete shoots 54% and Patric Young is 61% shooting from the floor. Add all of these together and you can see why Florida has a very potent offense.
Georgia on the other hand is completely outmanned against the Gators and will likely play easy victim to Gator’s frontcourt strength and defense. All of their team statistics are very low on the national level. All of the Georgia players are shooting less than 50% per game with most sitting in the 40s. This will not bode well for the Bulldogs. With very little in the way of offensive rebounding, the Bulldogs will have to rely on a high field goal percentage and that is just not going to happen.
A 15 point spread is likely for this game. Georgia will have a very hard time covering the spread no matter how high it is. Florida has reached 20 wins for the past 12 years, the longest streak in the SEC and the fifth longest streak in the nation. Having won 70 games in the last three seasons, Florida remains on top of the SEC. With over 200 three-pointers per season for 14 years, their shooting game is consistently a force to be reckoned with. Taking the Gators to cover the spread would be a sound decision.
Saturday NCAA basketball: No. 6 Missouri at No. 22 Kansas State
- Mizzou Basketball
There are only four unbeaten teams left in college basketball and that number could well dwindle by one on Saturday when No. 6 Missouri visits No. 22 Kansas State. Place your college basketball bets at WagerWeb.com!
KSU (11-2, 0-1 Big 12) enters off a 67-49 loss at Kansas. It was the Jayhawks’ 43rd victory over their state rivals in the last 46 meetings of the 272-game series. Rodney McGruder had 15 points and Jamar Samuels had 12 for Kansas State, which was only 5 for 20 from 3-point range. The Wildcats came in second in the nation averaging 28.8 free throws but were only eight of 16 from the line on Wednesday.
Missouri (14-0, 1-0) crushed Oklahoma 87-49 in its Big 12 opener. Star Marcus Denmon added 20 points for the Tigers, who were 12 for 21 from 3-point range, held the Sooners to 33 percent shooting and outrebounded them 38-23. Missouri is off to the school’s best since the 1981-82 team was 19-0.
The Oklahoma win marked the first time since Feb. 14, 2009, that Mizzou held a Big 12 foe under 50 (Nebraska, 47). The 38-point win was also the Tigers’ largest over OU since 1922 and their second-largest over a Big 12 team, second only to a 45-point win over Colorado in 2009.
The Tigers currently lead the nation in field goal percentage at 52.2 percent … The team also ranks second in scoring (86.2), first in assist-turnover ratio (1.71), eighth in steals per game (9.64), ninth in 3-point field goal shooting (.417) and second in steal-turnover ratio (0.99). Mizzou is also eighth nationally in free throw percentage (.767), connecting on 243-of-317 free throws this season
Senior big man Ricardo Ratliffe leads the nation in field goal percentage with his .767 clip this season … If he keeps at his current rate all season, the senior would obliterate MU’s single-season FG% record of 67.6 by Jeff Warren in 1990-91 … He is one of two players nationally shooting better than 70-percent.
Mizzou and K-State have met 233 times in history and the series is separated by just one game with Mizzou owning a slight edge at 117-116. The Tigers have won three of the last five meetings but have not won at K-State since Feb. 28, 2004, when Jason Conley led Mizzou with 20 points in a 79-69 win. Mizzou rallied from down 10 in that game.
SA Take: Take Missouri
NCAA Basketball: Tennessee vs. Coll. of Charleston
- The Tennessee Volunteers and the College of Charleston Cougars will both be trying to pick up a win on Wednesday when they battle at Carolina First Arena. Tennessee has fallen on hard times this year and will not be havign the success they have grown accustomed to. They are 3-5 and The College of Charleston is 7-1.
Oddsmakers currently have the Cougars listed as 2½-point favorites versus the Volunteers, while the game’s total has not yet been posted.
In their last action, Tennessee was a 74-70 loser at home against Austin Peay. They failed to cover the 13?point spread as favorites.
In their last action, College of Charleston was an 87-85 winner at home against Chattanooga. They failed to cover the 13?point spread as favorites.
Tennessee:
Team record: 3-5 SU, 5-3 ATS
Current streak: lost 3 straight games.
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of last 15 games on the road
is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
When playing on Wednesday are 7-3
Before playing UNC Asheville are 6-1
After playing Austin Peay are 3-1
After a loss are 5-5
College of Charleston:
Team record: 7-1 SU, 4-3 ATS
Current streak: won 4 straight games.
is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
When playing on Wednesday are 8-2
Before playing Charleston Southern are 7-3
After playing Chattanooga are 6-4
After a win are 7-3
Next up:
Tennessee home to UNC Asheville, Tuesday, December 20
College of Charleston home to Charleston Southern, Saturday, December 17
We like a small play on Charleston here as the team with superior talent and record. They are definetely gunning to get a win vs. a former powerhouse team and big name University.
