February 2012 College Basketball Events
Calendar of College Basketball Events for February 2012 brought to you by collegebasketballsportsbetting.com
College Basketball News
NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (8-0) vs. KENTUCKY WILDCATS (5-2)
2010-12-08
SEC/Big East Invitational – Louisville, KY
Sportsbook.com Line: Kentucky -5 & 141
One team is undefeated, the other team is facing a losing streak. One team has five seniors in its starting lineup. The other team has one senior on its entire team. One team is rated 23rd in the nation and rising. The other team is rated 16th and dropping. Welcome to Notre Dame vs. Kentucky.
Undefeated in eight games, the Irish are off to their best start ever under head coach Mike Brey. Despite losing player of the year candidate Luke Harangody to the NBA, the Irish are showing that a team’s experience can help to close the gap when depth appears to be lacking. Notre Dame is being led by senior guard Ben Hansbrough who is leading them in points and assists (15.8 PPG, 4.0 APG), and forward Tim Abromaitis (15.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG) who continues to be one of the most improved players in the Big East from year to year. Last season, Abromaitis averaged 18.2 PPG in league play. Forward Carleton Scott has become a double-digit scorer and is leading the team in rebounds (7.8 RPG). Forward Tyrone Nash (12.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG) is third on the Irish in scoring, and just behind Scott in the rebounding category. With victories over Georgia, California and Wisconsin that helped them win the Old Spice Classic, Notre Dame has gone a long way to enhance its tournament resume (never too early to talk about that stuff kids!). A win over No. 16 Kentucky would take the conversation to a whole new level.
Kentucky is in the part of its December schedule where it will play key out-of-conference rivals in contests that are only moderately important … if you consider bragging rights and life or death “moderately” important. The ‘Cats are coming off of a 75-73 defeat at North Carolina in Chapel Hill. After Notre Dame, Kentucky has a contest against another cross-state rival, Indiana on Saturday. On New Year’s Eve, John Calipari’s kiddie ’Cats will complete the scheduling gauntlet with a game against Louisville, a surprising 6-0 to start the season. The Wildcats lost to UNC despite a 24-point effort from freshman guard Doron Lamb. Freshman Terrence Jones is leading Kentucky in both scoring and rebounding (19.0 PPG, 9.6 RPG), but struggled against the Tar Heels, tallying just nine points and six boards in 28 minutes of play before fouling out. Freshman Brandon Knight (17.0 PPG, 3.4 APG, 3.3 RPG) has been impressive as he continues to fully grasp Calipari’s system.
The last time that Notre Dame started off this well was in 1973-74 when it began the season 12-0. That year, the biggest achievement for the Irish came when they broke up a certain 88-game winning streak belonging to some team from out west. That will not happen this year, but it doesn’t mean that Mike Brey’s squad won’t have a chance to do something else memorable this year. Wednesday in Louisville they have a shot at another tournament-resume-boosting win. While Christmas is just 17 days away, March will be here before you know it, and the selection committee is always interested in who’s been naughty and who’s been nice.
Kentucky won four straight series meetings (SU and ATS) from 2001 to 2004, but Notre Dame was the most recent series winner, 77-67 in 2009. These two trends like Notre Dame to at least cover the spread on Wednesday night
NOTRE DAME is 18-5 ATS (+12.5 Units) versus good teams - outscoring their opponents by 4+ points/game over the last 2 seasons. The average score was NOTRE DAME 72.4, OPPONENT 66.7 - (Rating = 3*).
NOTRE DAME is 19-6 ATS (+12.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. The average score was NOTRE DAME 73.3, OPPONENT 66.3 - (Rating = 2*).
Sportsbook.com has just put up a variety of props on the Heisman Trophy. Who will finish with a higher finishing positition, Andrew Luck or Kellen Moore? Luck is -300 favorite. Get in the action now at Sportsbook.com.
CBB: Alphabet Tourney’s for Basket Bettors
2010-03-22
After four sensational days of NCAA college basketball, it’s time to return to reality. Still, the three other tournaments that are on the basketball landscape will all be in action, each with its own flavor and key matchup. We’ll take a betting look at a key contest from each tourney, on this not so Big Monday. While the basketball may pale in comparison, having an opportunity to wager and potentially win is certainly better than not playing. Follow all of the key wagering information on the LIVE ODDS and GAME MATCHUPS page of Sportsbook.com.
NIT televised action
The World Wide Leader has a great of time to fill and tonight spreads around four contests on ESPN and ESPNU. The most engaging is at 7:00 Eastern, featuring two teams that nearly were a part of the NCAA field. Virginia Tech was widely suspected as the last team out and smart coaches use that opportunity to motivate their players into proving they should have been invited to the bigger party by going out and winning the NIT. The Hokies quelled Quinnipiac 81-61 as 13-point favorites and is a 4.5-point favorite at Sportsbook.com. Malcolm Delaney and Dorenzo Hudson are a solid 1-2 punch in the backcourt and Virginia Tech is 13-4 ATS in March games over the last three seasons.
Connecticut closed the season like they wanted it to end with four straight losses and had to hang on against Northeastern in their first NIT experience, winning 59-57 as seven-point favorites. The Huskies’ players have not played with any sense of urgency a good portion of the season and have failed to cover their last five contests. UConn will be bounced unless Stanley Robinson and others play with passion, but that could be hard to find for club that is 1-7 ATS facing an opponent that wins 60 to 80 percent of their games on the year after 15 or more had been played in the year.
CBI’s Top Quarterfinal
The College of Charleston and Virginia Commonwealth have a good history of winning college basketball games and each had a quality regular season that ended disappointingly in their conference tournament. Each institution had highlight moments and both are seeking to add a trophy to their case winning this event.
The Cougars from Charleston are coached by Bobby Cremins and have a talented backcourt with Andrew Goudelock and Tony White. The majority Charleston’s losses came from opponents being able to pressure the duo into mistakes, since the front court players are average at best. The Cougars are 18-9 ATS this season and are 12.5-point underdogs. This is largely due to their passing interest in defense (teams shoot 46.9 percent against them at home), nevertheless Cremins club can hang around and is 12-5 ATS on the road.
Virginia Commonwealth also prefers the up-tempo style and has a pressing defense that causes a good number of miscues. In their win over George Washington, they had nine thefts and if the opposing team successfully breaks the press, the last line of defense is the intimidating Larry Sanders. The Rams hold teams to 39.9 percent shooting at the Siegel Center where they are 15-1 and 9-5 ATS.
CIT’s Top Tilt
The teams that play in the CIT tourney are generally a little further down the pecking order, but that doesn’t make it any less important to the competing schools. The Pacific at Northern Colorado contest should be solid conflict. The Tigers from Big West tied for the regular season crown and are impressive 10-7 (8-8 ATS) as visitors, which includes a 86-76 win at Loyola Marymount, shooting a blistering 60 percent from the field. Pacific is one-point underdog with total of 129 and they are 13-4 ATS away from home when the total is 120 to 129.5. Northern Colorado University is in Greeley, where the Bears have set a school record with 25 wins this season. Since Devon Beitzel went down with a broken foot late in the season, UNC has been searching for additional offense and they found it in the last game against Portland. The Bears shot over 72 percent in the final 20 minutes in 81-73 victory as one-point underdogs to the Pilots. Northern Colorado is 15-1 at the Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion (5-8 ATS) and is 22-8 ATS in non-conference games since the 2007-08 campaign.
CBB: Late Round Conference Tournament Trends
2010-03-12
As we get deeper into all of the major conference tourney’s, it’s a good time for a reminder about some of the late round trends that have formed in many of the conferences. Hopefully you’ve been following some of the information from earlier in the week as the winners have been flowing. Get in on the action for all the important games this weekend at Sportsbook.com. While there be sure to get late breaking info on the GAME MATCHUPS pages.
Big East Conference
- A strange pattern has developed in the Big East tournament title game, with underdogs and favorites alternating ATS wins EVERY YEAR since ’98. Accordingly, the UNDERDOG is scheduled to cover in ’10 after Louisville’s chalk win over Syracuse last spring.
Atlantic 10 Conference
- The A-10 title game has been anything but competitive, with underdogs having won just once in the last 10 years (1-8 ATS 11.1%).
Conference-USA
- With Memphis dominating the proceedings, the FAVORITES turn the tables in the semifinal round, having gone 17-3 SU & 12-8 ATS (60%) over the L10 years. The Tigers have won four straight title games as favorites as well, going 3-1 ATS (75%). Since 2006, UNDER the total is 10-2 (83.3%) in the C-USA semifinal & final games.
Mountain West Conference
- FAVORITES have done well late in the last three MWC tourney’s, going 7-1 SU & ATS (87.5%) over the last three years in the semi’s and title games. Note: last year’s championship game was a pick em’ pointspread.
Pac 10 Conference
- UNDERDOGS stand a much better chance of covering late in the Pac 10 Tournament, 11-7-1 ATS (61.1%) since ’03 in the semi’s and title games.
Big Ten Conference
- Similarly, FAVORITES own a 5-1 SU & 4-2 ATS mark in the semifinals of the L3 Big Ten tourney’s after going just 1-11 ATS prior.
Atlantic Coast Conference
- Semifinal UNDERDOGS are even better than previous rounds, 15-6-1 ATS (71.4%) since ’99. It’s not until the ACC title game where FAVORITES take over, 10-1 SU & 6-3-2 ATS (66.7%) since ’99.
Mid-American Conference
- The MAC title game has seen the FAVORITE go 9-3 SU & ATS (75%) since its inception. The straight up winner is 12-0 ATS.
Southeastern Conference
- In the last nine SEC Tournament championship games, the UNDER is 8-1 (88.9%), and the UNDERDOGS are 4-5 SU & 5-3-1 ATS (62.5%).
Western Athletic Conference
- Eight of the L10 (80%) WAC semifinal contests have gone OVER the posted total. Amazingly, in that same stretch, all five WAC title games exceeded the total as well. If you’re combining those numbers, it’s 13-2 (87%) OVER for the last five years.
Get the latest prices on these conference title games on the LIVE ODDS page of Sportsbook.com.
CBB: Siena at Butler (11:00 PM ET, ESPN2)
2010-02-19
ESPN’s bracket Buster event continues early Saturday morning with what could be the crown jewel of the entire 49-game list, as Siena visits Butler. Both teams expect to be in the NCAA tournament, and both are capable of making a run once there. For this matchup, Butler is the home team and the preferred choice of oddsmakers at Sportsbook.com.
Veteran basketball observers will tell you that the difference between Butler and Siena is location, Indianapolis and historic Hinkle Fieldhouse vs. Loudonville, N.Y. The Saints (22-5, 14-9-2 ATS) have strung together four straight 20-win seasons and earns nationally televised cable contest against ranked opponent. "It's a great opportunity for our program," Siena coach Fran McCaffery said. The Saints have a great deal of depth, but pay particular attention to forward Alex Franklin and guard Ronald Moore. Siena is 17-7 ATS in road games after a trio of favorite roles.
It’s a rare occasion when Butler (24-4, 11-17 ATS) is out of Horizon League play in a televised tilt with the opposing team having more to gain with a victory. That is the case in this matchup, with the Bulldogs being the hunted team. A solid win against a team like Siena carries positives, as they have good RPI numbers and are highly thought of in basketball circles, which could improve Butler’s seeding in the middle of March. If you have missed the Bulldogs, keep a watchful eye on forward Gordon Hayward (NBA potential), Matt Howard and point guard Shelvin Mack who runs the show. The marquee matchup of Bracket Buster Saturday has Butler 12-0 at home but sporting just a 4-8 ATS mark.
The StatFox Power Ratings & Outplay Factor Ratings indicate Butler should be favored by 5 & 8 points, respectively.
CBB: Wake Forest at Virginia (12:00 PM ET, ESPN Full Court)
2010-02-09
Quick, name two of the four frontrunners in the ACC currently that are squaring off on Saturday in a key college basketball contest…if you didn’t say Wake Forest and Virginia, you aren’t alone. These teams were not expected to be where they are now, occupying positions normally reserved for teams like Clemson and North Carolina. That should make for an intriguing showdown then when the Demon Deacons invade Charlottesville. Virginia is expected to win and Wake has a history of struggling on the road against good teams. See all of the rest of the key trends impacting this game on the Sportsbook.com GAME MATCHUPS page.
Coming into this year’s ACC campaign, one of the teams not presumed to compete for the conference crown was Virginia (14-6, 9-6 ATS). Yet past the quarter point of the league schedule, the Cavaliers are right in the mix. How could this be? It starts with new coach Tony Bennett stressing the little things- free throw shooting, assists to turnovers ratio and playing defense out to 25 feet. The older Virginia players have seen the value of this style and like W’s. The Cavs are 38-22 ATS at home vs. teams making 45 or percent of shots past the halfway point of season.
Wake Forest (15-5, 9-8 ATS) lost by 20 points at Duke and showed their resolve in knocking out North Carolina 82-69 at Chapel Hill in the next outing. If senior Ishmael Smith can continue to put up impressive numbers, the Demon Deacons are going to be a tough club the rest of the way. Al-Farouq Aminu’s game is ever-expanding and he’s unstoppable near the bucket. If freshmen C.J. Harris and Ari Stewart can be a touch more consistent shooting, they already know center Chas McFarland will do his job in the paint. Wake has to protect the ball, as they are 25-43 ATS in road games when they commit three to seven more turnovers than opponents.
The head-to-head history finds Virginia as 7-3 and 6-4 ATS at Charlottesville against Demon Deacons. The Cavaliers are expected to be about a 2-point closing line favorite according to the StatFox Power Ratings. The Forecaster calls for them to win by three.
CBB: Betting on Thursday Buckets
2010-01-21
Off a huge upset-filled Wednesday night in college basketball, there are a number of intriguing games on the Thursday night card. Looking at two of them in particular, iIn the Big East, Louisville visits Seton Hall, while out west, Washington State takes to the road to face USC. Read on for a look at both games, then head over to the LIVE ODDS, BETTING TRENDS, and TEAM STATISTICS pages on Sportsbook.com for late breaking info on all 34 college contests for Thursday.
Big East teams in need of rally
Louisville’s recent loss to Villanova pointed out a problem the Cardinals have and isn’t going to go away without commitment. Louisville players have made a habit of creating havoc with pressure while forcing turnovers; however at points in games where it is all about half-court defense, they’ve demonstrated an inability to guard their man for 25 seconds or more. This is why the Cardinals (12-6, 5-8 ATS) allow an ordinary 42.2 percent shooting percent and it skyrockets to 45.5 percent on the road. In order for Louisville to become a better squad, coach Rick Pitino is going to have to convince them that defense isn’t just about making steals, it’s about preventing scoring. Still, the Cards are 18-6 ATS in road games over the last three seasons and look to build on that trend in New Jersey tonight..
Not unexpectedly, Seton Hall (10-6, 3-7 ATS) has struggled in Big East action with a 1-4 record. The Pirates have three different players capable of playing point guard, what has hurt them is their weaknesses have been exposed in conference play and when one fails, the other hasn’t raised his level of play to compensate. Seton Hall insiders believe playing two of these guards at the same time might be a solution, however that makes the Pirates a team already lacking height even shorter. The Hall’s defensive numbers are decent, allowing 41.7 percent shooting, but they have permitted 50 percent or more in the last three outings and are 0-7 ATS in next game after surrendering 47 percent or more in a trio of games.
Coach Pitino by his own admission is off the second most difficult loss of his career at Pittsburgh (the Duke Christian Laettner game was the worst) and his team is a one point underdog at Sportsbook.com. Louisville is well suited for this spot with a 15-3 ATS record as a road underdog of three points or less or pick. This has the appearance of a high scoring affair with neither defense playing especially well and both teams scoring over 80 points a game. The Cardinals are 10-2 OVER in all games this season and Seton Hall is 13-4 OVER after failing to cover two of their last three against the spread.
This is just the third Big East contest in New Jersey between teams (1-1 SU & ATS) with both prior games going Over. Tipoff is at 7:00 Eastern on ESPN.
Pac-10 Mess
Let’s face it, the Pacific 10 conference this season looks like a California interstate, jam-packed and just waiting for a wreck to occur. Three teams are sporting two losses in league play and the other seven all have three defeats. The way it’s setting up, whoever finishes over .500 in the conference has a chance to be champion. The bracketologists of the world have suggested if the Pac-10 plays out as many expect, the conference is looking at likely one NCAA bid, with two tops.
Tonight, Washington State (13-5, 5-10 ATS) visits USC (11-6, 9-7 ATS). These teams are polar opposites in the wagering world. The Cougars are 3-3 in league play with just one cover. What’s odd about this is Wazzou has shot 50 percent or higher in four of six Pac-10 games and still is 1-5 ATS. The Trojans return home off a three game road trip and look as good as any team in the conference right now.
With its well-documented off the court problems, USC made a strange hire in Kevin O’Neill though it didn’t have a lot of choices because of timing. The seemingly always sour-faced O’Neill found players willing to listen to his negative tone and defensive orientation and have responded. The turning point was upsetting Tennessee in early December and the Men of Troy have gone on to win nine of 11 and have covered six of seven, including four in a row.
USC has been sent out as eight-point favorite and is 6-0 ATS after four straight games where both teams score 70 points or less over the last three seasons. With the Trojans holding teams to 54.7 points per game on 36.7 percent shooting, it doesn’t place Washington State in a favorable position with 0-8 ATS record versus excellent defensive teams allowing 57 or less points a game.
The StatFox Power Lines for both of these games show Louisville by 1, USC by 8
2010-12-08
SEC/Big East Invitational – Louisville, KY
Sportsbook.com Line: Kentucky -5 & 141
One team is undefeated, the other team is facing a losing streak. One team has five seniors in its starting lineup. The other team has one senior on its entire team. One team is rated 23rd in the nation and rising. The other team is rated 16th and dropping. Welcome to Notre Dame vs. Kentucky.
Undefeated in eight games, the Irish are off to their best start ever under head coach Mike Brey. Despite losing player of the year candidate Luke Harangody to the NBA, the Irish are showing that a team’s experience can help to close the gap when depth appears to be lacking. Notre Dame is being led by senior guard Ben Hansbrough who is leading them in points and assists (15.8 PPG, 4.0 APG), and forward Tim Abromaitis (15.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG) who continues to be one of the most improved players in the Big East from year to year. Last season, Abromaitis averaged 18.2 PPG in league play. Forward Carleton Scott has become a double-digit scorer and is leading the team in rebounds (7.8 RPG). Forward Tyrone Nash (12.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG) is third on the Irish in scoring, and just behind Scott in the rebounding category. With victories over Georgia, California and Wisconsin that helped them win the Old Spice Classic, Notre Dame has gone a long way to enhance its tournament resume (never too early to talk about that stuff kids!). A win over No. 16 Kentucky would take the conversation to a whole new level.
Kentucky is in the part of its December schedule where it will play key out-of-conference rivals in contests that are only moderately important … if you consider bragging rights and life or death “moderately” important. The ‘Cats are coming off of a 75-73 defeat at North Carolina in Chapel Hill. After Notre Dame, Kentucky has a contest against another cross-state rival, Indiana on Saturday. On New Year’s Eve, John Calipari’s kiddie ’Cats will complete the scheduling gauntlet with a game against Louisville, a surprising 6-0 to start the season. The Wildcats lost to UNC despite a 24-point effort from freshman guard Doron Lamb. Freshman Terrence Jones is leading Kentucky in both scoring and rebounding (19.0 PPG, 9.6 RPG), but struggled against the Tar Heels, tallying just nine points and six boards in 28 minutes of play before fouling out. Freshman Brandon Knight (17.0 PPG, 3.4 APG, 3.3 RPG) has been impressive as he continues to fully grasp Calipari’s system.
The last time that Notre Dame started off this well was in 1973-74 when it began the season 12-0. That year, the biggest achievement for the Irish came when they broke up a certain 88-game winning streak belonging to some team from out west. That will not happen this year, but it doesn’t mean that Mike Brey’s squad won’t have a chance to do something else memorable this year. Wednesday in Louisville they have a shot at another tournament-resume-boosting win. While Christmas is just 17 days away, March will be here before you know it, and the selection committee is always interested in who’s been naughty and who’s been nice.
Kentucky won four straight series meetings (SU and ATS) from 2001 to 2004, but Notre Dame was the most recent series winner, 77-67 in 2009. These two trends like Notre Dame to at least cover the spread on Wednesday night
NOTRE DAME is 18-5 ATS (+12.5 Units) versus good teams - outscoring their opponents by 4+ points/game over the last 2 seasons. The average score was NOTRE DAME 72.4, OPPONENT 66.7 - (Rating = 3*).
NOTRE DAME is 19-6 ATS (+12.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. The average score was NOTRE DAME 73.3, OPPONENT 66.3 - (Rating = 2*).
Sportsbook.com has just put up a variety of props on the Heisman Trophy. Who will finish with a higher finishing positition, Andrew Luck or Kellen Moore? Luck is -300 favorite. Get in the action now at Sportsbook.com.
CBB: Alphabet Tourney’s for Basket Bettors
2010-03-22
After four sensational days of NCAA college basketball, it’s time to return to reality. Still, the three other tournaments that are on the basketball landscape will all be in action, each with its own flavor and key matchup. We’ll take a betting look at a key contest from each tourney, on this not so Big Monday. While the basketball may pale in comparison, having an opportunity to wager and potentially win is certainly better than not playing. Follow all of the key wagering information on the LIVE ODDS and GAME MATCHUPS page of Sportsbook.com.
NIT televised action
The World Wide Leader has a great of time to fill and tonight spreads around four contests on ESPN and ESPNU. The most engaging is at 7:00 Eastern, featuring two teams that nearly were a part of the NCAA field. Virginia Tech was widely suspected as the last team out and smart coaches use that opportunity to motivate their players into proving they should have been invited to the bigger party by going out and winning the NIT. The Hokies quelled Quinnipiac 81-61 as 13-point favorites and is a 4.5-point favorite at Sportsbook.com. Malcolm Delaney and Dorenzo Hudson are a solid 1-2 punch in the backcourt and Virginia Tech is 13-4 ATS in March games over the last three seasons.
Connecticut closed the season like they wanted it to end with four straight losses and had to hang on against Northeastern in their first NIT experience, winning 59-57 as seven-point favorites. The Huskies’ players have not played with any sense of urgency a good portion of the season and have failed to cover their last five contests. UConn will be bounced unless Stanley Robinson and others play with passion, but that could be hard to find for club that is 1-7 ATS facing an opponent that wins 60 to 80 percent of their games on the year after 15 or more had been played in the year.
CBI’s Top Quarterfinal
The College of Charleston and Virginia Commonwealth have a good history of winning college basketball games and each had a quality regular season that ended disappointingly in their conference tournament. Each institution had highlight moments and both are seeking to add a trophy to their case winning this event.
The Cougars from Charleston are coached by Bobby Cremins and have a talented backcourt with Andrew Goudelock and Tony White. The majority Charleston’s losses came from opponents being able to pressure the duo into mistakes, since the front court players are average at best. The Cougars are 18-9 ATS this season and are 12.5-point underdogs. This is largely due to their passing interest in defense (teams shoot 46.9 percent against them at home), nevertheless Cremins club can hang around and is 12-5 ATS on the road.
Virginia Commonwealth also prefers the up-tempo style and has a pressing defense that causes a good number of miscues. In their win over George Washington, they had nine thefts and if the opposing team successfully breaks the press, the last line of defense is the intimidating Larry Sanders. The Rams hold teams to 39.9 percent shooting at the Siegel Center where they are 15-1 and 9-5 ATS.
CIT’s Top Tilt
The teams that play in the CIT tourney are generally a little further down the pecking order, but that doesn’t make it any less important to the competing schools. The Pacific at Northern Colorado contest should be solid conflict. The Tigers from Big West tied for the regular season crown and are impressive 10-7 (8-8 ATS) as visitors, which includes a 86-76 win at Loyola Marymount, shooting a blistering 60 percent from the field. Pacific is one-point underdog with total of 129 and they are 13-4 ATS away from home when the total is 120 to 129.5. Northern Colorado University is in Greeley, where the Bears have set a school record with 25 wins this season. Since Devon Beitzel went down with a broken foot late in the season, UNC has been searching for additional offense and they found it in the last game against Portland. The Bears shot over 72 percent in the final 20 minutes in 81-73 victory as one-point underdogs to the Pilots. Northern Colorado is 15-1 at the Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion (5-8 ATS) and is 22-8 ATS in non-conference games since the 2007-08 campaign.
CBB: Late Round Conference Tournament Trends
2010-03-12
As we get deeper into all of the major conference tourney’s, it’s a good time for a reminder about some of the late round trends that have formed in many of the conferences. Hopefully you’ve been following some of the information from earlier in the week as the winners have been flowing. Get in on the action for all the important games this weekend at Sportsbook.com. While there be sure to get late breaking info on the GAME MATCHUPS pages.
Big East Conference
- A strange pattern has developed in the Big East tournament title game, with underdogs and favorites alternating ATS wins EVERY YEAR since ’98. Accordingly, the UNDERDOG is scheduled to cover in ’10 after Louisville’s chalk win over Syracuse last spring.
Atlantic 10 Conference
- The A-10 title game has been anything but competitive, with underdogs having won just once in the last 10 years (1-8 ATS 11.1%).
Conference-USA
- With Memphis dominating the proceedings, the FAVORITES turn the tables in the semifinal round, having gone 17-3 SU & 12-8 ATS (60%) over the L10 years. The Tigers have won four straight title games as favorites as well, going 3-1 ATS (75%). Since 2006, UNDER the total is 10-2 (83.3%) in the C-USA semifinal & final games.
Mountain West Conference
- FAVORITES have done well late in the last three MWC tourney’s, going 7-1 SU & ATS (87.5%) over the last three years in the semi’s and title games. Note: last year’s championship game was a pick em’ pointspread.
Pac 10 Conference
- UNDERDOGS stand a much better chance of covering late in the Pac 10 Tournament, 11-7-1 ATS (61.1%) since ’03 in the semi’s and title games.
Big Ten Conference
- Similarly, FAVORITES own a 5-1 SU & 4-2 ATS mark in the semifinals of the L3 Big Ten tourney’s after going just 1-11 ATS prior.
Atlantic Coast Conference
- Semifinal UNDERDOGS are even better than previous rounds, 15-6-1 ATS (71.4%) since ’99. It’s not until the ACC title game where FAVORITES take over, 10-1 SU & 6-3-2 ATS (66.7%) since ’99.
Mid-American Conference
- The MAC title game has seen the FAVORITE go 9-3 SU & ATS (75%) since its inception. The straight up winner is 12-0 ATS.
Southeastern Conference
- In the last nine SEC Tournament championship games, the UNDER is 8-1 (88.9%), and the UNDERDOGS are 4-5 SU & 5-3-1 ATS (62.5%).
Western Athletic Conference
- Eight of the L10 (80%) WAC semifinal contests have gone OVER the posted total. Amazingly, in that same stretch, all five WAC title games exceeded the total as well. If you’re combining those numbers, it’s 13-2 (87%) OVER for the last five years.
Get the latest prices on these conference title games on the LIVE ODDS page of Sportsbook.com.
CBB: Siena at Butler (11:00 PM ET, ESPN2)
2010-02-19
ESPN’s bracket Buster event continues early Saturday morning with what could be the crown jewel of the entire 49-game list, as Siena visits Butler. Both teams expect to be in the NCAA tournament, and both are capable of making a run once there. For this matchup, Butler is the home team and the preferred choice of oddsmakers at Sportsbook.com.
Veteran basketball observers will tell you that the difference between Butler and Siena is location, Indianapolis and historic Hinkle Fieldhouse vs. Loudonville, N.Y. The Saints (22-5, 14-9-2 ATS) have strung together four straight 20-win seasons and earns nationally televised cable contest against ranked opponent. "It's a great opportunity for our program," Siena coach Fran McCaffery said. The Saints have a great deal of depth, but pay particular attention to forward Alex Franklin and guard Ronald Moore. Siena is 17-7 ATS in road games after a trio of favorite roles.
It’s a rare occasion when Butler (24-4, 11-17 ATS) is out of Horizon League play in a televised tilt with the opposing team having more to gain with a victory. That is the case in this matchup, with the Bulldogs being the hunted team. A solid win against a team like Siena carries positives, as they have good RPI numbers and are highly thought of in basketball circles, which could improve Butler’s seeding in the middle of March. If you have missed the Bulldogs, keep a watchful eye on forward Gordon Hayward (NBA potential), Matt Howard and point guard Shelvin Mack who runs the show. The marquee matchup of Bracket Buster Saturday has Butler 12-0 at home but sporting just a 4-8 ATS mark.
The StatFox Power Ratings & Outplay Factor Ratings indicate Butler should be favored by 5 & 8 points, respectively.
CBB: Wake Forest at Virginia (12:00 PM ET, ESPN Full Court)
2010-02-09
Quick, name two of the four frontrunners in the ACC currently that are squaring off on Saturday in a key college basketball contest…if you didn’t say Wake Forest and Virginia, you aren’t alone. These teams were not expected to be where they are now, occupying positions normally reserved for teams like Clemson and North Carolina. That should make for an intriguing showdown then when the Demon Deacons invade Charlottesville. Virginia is expected to win and Wake has a history of struggling on the road against good teams. See all of the rest of the key trends impacting this game on the Sportsbook.com GAME MATCHUPS page.
Coming into this year’s ACC campaign, one of the teams not presumed to compete for the conference crown was Virginia (14-6, 9-6 ATS). Yet past the quarter point of the league schedule, the Cavaliers are right in the mix. How could this be? It starts with new coach Tony Bennett stressing the little things- free throw shooting, assists to turnovers ratio and playing defense out to 25 feet. The older Virginia players have seen the value of this style and like W’s. The Cavs are 38-22 ATS at home vs. teams making 45 or percent of shots past the halfway point of season.
Wake Forest (15-5, 9-8 ATS) lost by 20 points at Duke and showed their resolve in knocking out North Carolina 82-69 at Chapel Hill in the next outing. If senior Ishmael Smith can continue to put up impressive numbers, the Demon Deacons are going to be a tough club the rest of the way. Al-Farouq Aminu’s game is ever-expanding and he’s unstoppable near the bucket. If freshmen C.J. Harris and Ari Stewart can be a touch more consistent shooting, they already know center Chas McFarland will do his job in the paint. Wake has to protect the ball, as they are 25-43 ATS in road games when they commit three to seven more turnovers than opponents.
The head-to-head history finds Virginia as 7-3 and 6-4 ATS at Charlottesville against Demon Deacons. The Cavaliers are expected to be about a 2-point closing line favorite according to the StatFox Power Ratings. The Forecaster calls for them to win by three.
CBB: Betting on Thursday Buckets
2010-01-21
Off a huge upset-filled Wednesday night in college basketball, there are a number of intriguing games on the Thursday night card. Looking at two of them in particular, iIn the Big East, Louisville visits Seton Hall, while out west, Washington State takes to the road to face USC. Read on for a look at both games, then head over to the LIVE ODDS, BETTING TRENDS, and TEAM STATISTICS pages on Sportsbook.com for late breaking info on all 34 college contests for Thursday.
Big East teams in need of rally
Louisville’s recent loss to Villanova pointed out a problem the Cardinals have and isn’t going to go away without commitment. Louisville players have made a habit of creating havoc with pressure while forcing turnovers; however at points in games where it is all about half-court defense, they’ve demonstrated an inability to guard their man for 25 seconds or more. This is why the Cardinals (12-6, 5-8 ATS) allow an ordinary 42.2 percent shooting percent and it skyrockets to 45.5 percent on the road. In order for Louisville to become a better squad, coach Rick Pitino is going to have to convince them that defense isn’t just about making steals, it’s about preventing scoring. Still, the Cards are 18-6 ATS in road games over the last three seasons and look to build on that trend in New Jersey tonight..
Not unexpectedly, Seton Hall (10-6, 3-7 ATS) has struggled in Big East action with a 1-4 record. The Pirates have three different players capable of playing point guard, what has hurt them is their weaknesses have been exposed in conference play and when one fails, the other hasn’t raised his level of play to compensate. Seton Hall insiders believe playing two of these guards at the same time might be a solution, however that makes the Pirates a team already lacking height even shorter. The Hall’s defensive numbers are decent, allowing 41.7 percent shooting, but they have permitted 50 percent or more in the last three outings and are 0-7 ATS in next game after surrendering 47 percent or more in a trio of games.
Coach Pitino by his own admission is off the second most difficult loss of his career at Pittsburgh (the Duke Christian Laettner game was the worst) and his team is a one point underdog at Sportsbook.com. Louisville is well suited for this spot with a 15-3 ATS record as a road underdog of three points or less or pick. This has the appearance of a high scoring affair with neither defense playing especially well and both teams scoring over 80 points a game. The Cardinals are 10-2 OVER in all games this season and Seton Hall is 13-4 OVER after failing to cover two of their last three against the spread.
This is just the third Big East contest in New Jersey between teams (1-1 SU & ATS) with both prior games going Over. Tipoff is at 7:00 Eastern on ESPN.
Pac-10 Mess
Let’s face it, the Pacific 10 conference this season looks like a California interstate, jam-packed and just waiting for a wreck to occur. Three teams are sporting two losses in league play and the other seven all have three defeats. The way it’s setting up, whoever finishes over .500 in the conference has a chance to be champion. The bracketologists of the world have suggested if the Pac-10 plays out as many expect, the conference is looking at likely one NCAA bid, with two tops.
Tonight, Washington State (13-5, 5-10 ATS) visits USC (11-6, 9-7 ATS). These teams are polar opposites in the wagering world. The Cougars are 3-3 in league play with just one cover. What’s odd about this is Wazzou has shot 50 percent or higher in four of six Pac-10 games and still is 1-5 ATS. The Trojans return home off a three game road trip and look as good as any team in the conference right now.
With its well-documented off the court problems, USC made a strange hire in Kevin O’Neill though it didn’t have a lot of choices because of timing. The seemingly always sour-faced O’Neill found players willing to listen to his negative tone and defensive orientation and have responded. The turning point was upsetting Tennessee in early December and the Men of Troy have gone on to win nine of 11 and have covered six of seven, including four in a row.
USC has been sent out as eight-point favorite and is 6-0 ATS after four straight games where both teams score 70 points or less over the last three seasons. With the Trojans holding teams to 54.7 points per game on 36.7 percent shooting, it doesn’t place Washington State in a favorable position with 0-8 ATS record versus excellent defensive teams allowing 57 or less points a game.
The StatFox Power Lines for both of these games show Louisville by 1, USC by 8