UCLA is a team that needs to play ultra fast in order to be at their best.  The Bruins play an up-tempo style that gives them a lot of easy baskets in transition.  But when they are unable to play at a fast pace, UCLA’s offense struggles mightily in the half court.  The Bruins will not get their preferred style of play tonight as Oregon State plays at one of the slowest paces in the country.  UCLA has been held to less than 70 points six times this season with the Bruins going 0-6 SU and ATS in those games.  It’s highly unlikely that UCLA will score more than 70 points tonight since Oregon State has held 15 of their 17 opponents to less than 70 points this season; they’ve held all ten of their home opponents to 64 points or less.   

Oregon State is quietly having a very good season.  The Beavers are flying well under the radar under new head coach Wayne Tinkle.  He has Oregon State playing a very sound, half court style of basketball that is simply frustrating their opponents.  The Beavers play at one of the slowest paces in the country while playing outstanding defense.  Oregon State is holding their opponents to just 51.6 points per game on 34% shooting from the field and 25.7% shooting from three-point land at home this season.  The Beavers have bought into Tinkle’s system, and the team simply knows how they need to play in order to be at their best.  “We want to muddy the game up,” said Langston Morris-Walker.  “We want to play at our pace. It’s no longer a race to 80 anymore. It’s kind of nasty to watch.”  Oregon State’s style will frustrate UCLA, so we’ll back the Beavers in this game on Thursday night.

9* Play OREGON STATE (-).

Missouri comes into tonight’s game off three straight losses with two of them being close defeats.  The Tigers lost by 6 points on the road at Auburn, and in their last game, Missouri came up short in a 59-51 home loss to Tennessee.  The Wildcats are a scrappy team that only gets blown out by superior teams, and Texas A&M is anything but that.  Missouri and Texas A&M both play at a slow pace, so this game figures to be a half-court grinder.  The Tigers match-up extremely well with Texas A&M as they have a strong 2-point defense as only 47% of their opponents’ points are scored from inside the arc.  Texas A&M’s offense is reliant on 2-point shooting (58% of their points scored), but the Aggies will have trouble scoring inside on Missouri.

Texas A&M is off an impressive 67-64 comeback win at LSU on Saturday afternoon.  That win was somewhat expected as the Aggies’ slow-paced style really frustrated an LSU team that likes to play up-tempo basketball.  Prior to that win, Texas A&M was just 3-3 SU in their previous six games with two of the wins coming by 9 points or less.  Texas A&M’s offense has struggled to score points recently as they are only averaging 61.4 points per game on 37.9% shooting from the field and 23.5% shooting from three-point land over their last five games.  In a low-scoring game, we’ll take the points with Missouri in this game on Wednesday night.

10* Play MISSOURI (+).

Minnesota snapped their 5-game losing streak with an 89-80 home win over Rutgers on Saturday afternoon.  Despite the win, the Golden Gophers failed to cover the pointspread for the sixth consecutive time.  Minnesota is just 12-7 after opening the season with an 11-2 record.  They are just 2-5 overall on the road, including 0-3 in Big 10 road games.  Minnesota’s offense has really struggled on the road in conference play while scoring just 68, 58, and 57 points in their three games.  Things are not going to get any easier tonight, especially against a strong Nebraska defense.  Minnesota’s defense is also in terrible current form as they’ve allowed 72.6 points per game on 47.4% shooting from the field over their last five games.

Nebraska has improved in each of the last three seasons, and this year they were set to breakout with a legitimate shot at making the NCAA tournament.  But the Cornhuskers were besieged with injuries, and they already have seven losses on the season.  However, Nebraska is fully healthy now with a deep rotation, and against teams with similar talent like Minnesota, the Cornhuskers can hold their own.  Nebraska plays at a slow pace and they have a solid defense that is holding opponents to just 61.2 points per game on 38.2% shooting from the field and 29.1% shooting from three-point land.  Minnesota is just 1-5 SU against power conferences this season when held to less than 70 points with all five losses coming by 4 points or more.  We’ll lay the points with Nebraska in this game on Tuesday night. 

10* Play NEBRASKA (-).

Kansas State is only 11-7 on the season, but the Wildcats have been a competitive bunch.  Five of Kansas State’s seven losses this season have come by single digits, and a similar outcome will be good enough in tonight’s game against Iowa State.  The Wildcats play at an extremely slow pace, and their half court defense and interior height have frustrated opponents all season.  Kansas State’s defense is allowing just 62.4 points per game on 44.1% shooting from the field and 34.2% shooting from three-point land this season.  Overall, Kansas State has held 12 straight opponents to 66 points or less, including all five Big 12 opponents.

Iowa State is a team that needs to play ultra fast in order to be at their best.  The Cyclones play an up-tempo style that gives them a lot of easy baskets in transition.  But when they are unable to play at a fast pace, Iowa State’s offense struggles mightily in the half court.  The Cyclones will not get their preferred style of play tonight as Kansas State plays at one of the slowest paces in the country.  Iowa State is just 1-2 SU when held to less than 70 points this season with their lone win coming by just 2 points (63-61) at home over Oklahoma State.  The Cyclones are also off their big 86-81 home win over Kansas on Saturday night, so this is a letdown spot as well.  Kansas State will slow this game to a crawl, and since Iowa State can’t play in a slow-paced game, we’ll take the points with the Wildcats in this game on Tuesday night.                     

9* Play KANSAS STATE (+).

BYU is a team that needs to play ultra fast in order to be at their best.  The Cougars play an up-tempo style that gives them a lot of easy baskets in transition.  But when they are unable to play at a fast pace, BYU’s offense struggles mightily in the half court.  The Cougars will not get their preferred style of play tonight as St. Mary’s plays at one of the slowest paces in the country.  St. Mary’s has held 14 of their 17 opponents to less than 70 points this season.  BYU has been held to less than 70 points twice this season.  The Cougars are 0-2 in those games, losing by 4 and 6 points.  BYU will also be shorthanded for tonight’s game as three key contributors are likely to miss this game with injuries. 

St. Mary’s is 14-3 on the season, and they come into tonight’s game on an 8-game winning streak.  St. Mary’s plays at an extremely slow pace, and their half court defense and interior height have frustrated opponents all season.  The Gaels’ defense is allowing just 62.2 points per game on 41.8% shooting from the field and 31.4% shooting from three-point land this season.  St. Mary’s has held nine consecutive opponents to 68 points or less, including seven of those opponents to 60 points or less.  St. Mary’s will slow this game to a crawl, and since BYU can’t play in a slow-paced game, we’ll lay the points with the Gaels in this game on Saturday night.

10* Play ST. MARY’S (-).

Mississippi and Arkansas play a similar style of basketball as both teams love to run up and down the court while getting easy baskets in transition.  The Rebels have been quite impressive on both ends of the court this season, and they’ve been competitive in their losses.  Five of Mississippi’s six losses this season have come by 7 points or less, and their lone blowout loss came against TCU who plays a very slow, half-court style which frustrates the Rebels.  Tonight’s game in Arkansas will allow Mississippi to play at their preferred pace, and they match-up extremely well against the Razorbacks.  The Rebels attack the paint as 51% of their points scored come from inside the arc.  Arkansas has a soft interior defense as 53% of the points scored on them come from inside the arc.  Mississippi’s offense has been terrific on the road where they are averaging 78.2 points per game on 45.4% shooting from the field and 37.5% shooting from three-point land.      

Arkansas is off a 74-69 loss in Tennessee in their last game.  The Razorbacks were stymied in the half-court, and their offense simply could not generate enough points inside the paint.  Arkansas will face a similar dilemma tonight even though they will get to play at their preferred fast pace.  The Razorbacks score 53% of their points from 2-point range, but Mississippi has one of the best 2-point defenses in the country.  The Rebels only allow opponents to score 41% of their points from 2-point range.  Mississippi’s weakness is 3-point defense, but Arkansas only scores 27% of their points from beyond the arc.  Mississippi holds the edges on both ends of the court, and since they will also get their preferred pace, we’ll take the points with the Rebels in this game on Saturday night.                   

9* Play MISSISSIPPI (+).

Oregon State is quietly having a very good season.  The Beavers are flying well under the radar under new head coach Wayne Tinkle.  He has Oregon State playing a very sound, half court style of basketball that is simply frustrating their opponents.  The Beavers play at one of the slowest paces in the country while playing outstanding defense.  Oregon State is holding their opponents to just 56.4 points per game on 36.9% shooting from the field and 28.2% shooting from three-point land.  The Beavers have bought into Tinkle’s system, and the team simply knows how they need to play in order to be at their best.  “We want to muddy the game up,” said Langston Morris-Walker.  “We want to play at our pace. It’s no longer a race to 80 anymore. It’s kind of nasty to watch.”

Washington State is a completely different team than Oregon State.  The Cougars play at an extremely fast pace under new head coach Ernie Kent.  Washington State is all offense and no defense, and they are completely lost when forced to play in a half court, slow-paced game.  The Cougars have been held to less than 70 points seven times this season.  Washington State is a terrible 1-6 SU in those games with their lone win coming by just 3 points (69-66) over California.  This line has gone nuts because of the recent suspension of Oregon State’s Victor Robbins right before tipoff in their last game at Washington.  This game is all about pace, so the Beavers will not be hampered by the loss of Robbins in this game as they’ll need to win it with their defense anyway.  We’ll take the points with the Beavers in this game on Saturday night.               

9* Play OREGON STATE (+).

Northwestern comes into tonight’s game off three straight losses with two of them being close defeats.  The Wildcats took Michigan State to overtime before losing 84-77 on the road, and in their last game, Northwestern came up just short in a 72-67 home loss to Illinois.  The Wildcats are a scrappy team that only gets blown out to superior teams, and Michigan is anything but that.  Northwestern and Michigan both play at a slow pace, so this game figures to be a half-court grinder.  The Wildcats match-up extremely well with Michigan as they have a strong 3-point defense and a weak 2-point defense.  Michigan’s offense is reliant on 3-point shooting (37% of their points scored) as only 45% of the points they score come form inside the arc.

Michigan is really struggling; the Wolverines are just 10-7 on the season.  Michigan is just 4-6 over their last ten games with three of their four wins coming by 9 points or less.  Michigan’s offense has struggled to score points consistently this season as they are only averaging 64.4 points per game on 41.2% shooting from the field and 34.3% shooting from three-point land.  Michigan will now face another very good defense as Northwestern is only allowing 62.4 points per game on 41.3% shooting from the field this season.  In a low-scoring game, we’ll take the points with Northwestern in this game on Saturday night.

9* Play NORTHWESTERN (+).

Nebraska has improved in each of the last three seasons, and this year they were set to breakout with a legitimate shot at making the NCAA tournament.  But the Cornhuskers were besieged with injuries, and they already have six losses on the season.  However, Nebraska is fully healthy now with a deep rotation, and we saw the team they projected to be over their last two games.  The Cornhuskers beat Rutgers 65-49, and they beat Illinois 53-43.  Nebraska head coach Tim Miles likes where his team is headed: “I am excited to get this team going and get better and better.”  The Cornhuskers play at a slow pace and they have a solid defense that is holding opponents to just 60.7 points per game on 37.7% shooting from the field and 27.6% shooting from three-point land. 

Wisconsin is a very good team that will likely make a deep run in the NCAA tournament if they can get completely healthy.  The Badgers are not healthy right now as starting point guard Traevon Jackson brook his foot in their last game, and center Frank Kaminsky is returning from a concussion.  Wisconsin lost their last game at Rutgers, a team Nebraska just beat by 16 points.  The Badgers haven’t been winning by margin lately as their last home game was only a 7-point win over Purdue.  This game will be a slow-paced, low-scoring defensive slugfest, and that makes the points extremely valuable.  We’ll take the points with Nebraska in this game on Thursday night.

9* Play NEBRASKA (+).

Oregon State is quietly having a very good season.  The Beavers are flying well under the radar under new head coach Wayne Tinkle.  He has Oregon State playing a very sound, half court style of basketball that is simply frustrating their opponents.  The Beavers play at one of the slowest paces in the country while playing outstanding defense.  Oregon State is holding their opponents to just 56.4 points per game on 36.6% shooting from the field and 27.9% shooting from three-point land.  The Beavers have bought into Tinkle’s system, and the team simply knows how they need to play in order to be at their best.  “We want to muddy the game up,” said Langston Morris-Walker.  “We want to play at our pace. It’s no longer a race to 80 anymore. It’s kind of nasty to watch.”

Washington started this season at 11-0, but the Huskies have since lost four consecutive games.  One of those losses was an inexcusable home defeat to Stony Brook, and that game exposed Washington’s phony undefeated record.  The Huskies lost at California and then at Stanford, and in a bounce back game at home against their in-state rival, they lost to Washington State as 11.5-point favorites.  Washington will now be forced into a half-court grinder, and the Huskies are not built to win in low-scoring games.  The Huskies are struggling on offense right now as they’ve shot just 41.8% (104-249) from the field in their last four games.  Things won’t get any easier tonight against the stout Oregon State defense.  We’ll take the points with the Beavers in this game on Thursday night.               

9* Play OREGON STATE (+).

Illinois comes into this game with an 11-6 record, but ten of those wins came with their best player, Rayvonte Rice, on the court.  Illinois won their first game without Rice on the court last Wednesday night when they beat #11 Maryland 64-57 as 1-point home underdogs.  The Illini regressed off that win as they lost 53-43 at Nebraska in their last game.  Illinois has struggled to score points on the road this season as they are only averaging 57.5 points per game on 36.1% shooting from the field and 28.6% shooting from three-point land.  Illinois will now face another very good defense as Northwestern is only allowing 61.8 points per game on 41.3% shooting from the field this season.      

Northwestern comes into tonight’s game off back-to-back losses, so we fully expect a big effort, especially since Illinois is their in-state rival.  The Wildcats had to play Wisconsin and Michigan State in their last two games, so they are taking a major step-down in class for this game.  Northwestern was impressive in their last game as they took Michigan State to overtime before losing 84-77.  The Wildcats are 7-3 at home this season, and considering their last home game resulted in an embarrassing 81-58 loss to Wisconsin, this is a pretty big game that may determine the rest of Northwestern’s season.  We’ll take the points with Northwestern in this game on Wednesday night.

9* Play NORTHWESTERN (+).

UCLA is not having a good season, and their poor start has been well documented.  The Bruins are just 10-7 on the season, but the team is playing much better basketball right now.  UCLA has won back-to-back games over Stanford and California, so they come into this rivalry game with plenty of confidence.  UCLA needs to play fast in order to be a their best, and they will get their preferred pace tonight against USC.  The Bruins have a good offense that is averaging 72.8 points per game.  UCLA will score at will on a USC defense that is in poor current form; they’ve allowed 78 points or more in three of their last four games.  The Bruins will also own a tremendous matchup advantage in this game as they have a strong 2-point defense and only allow 46% of opponents’ points to be scored inside the paint.  USC has a weak 3-point shooting team, so they will be unable to score consistently in this game.    

USC is in their second season under head coach Andy Enfield; he of the Florida Gulf Coast NCAA tournament run fame.  Enfield has struggled to implement his frenetic style of play at USC as he simply doesn’t have the right personnel to run his schemes.  The Trojans are in poor current form as they’ve lost three of their last four games in conference play.  USC’s defense has allowed 71.2 points per game on 44% shooting from the field over their last five games.  The Trojans’ offense has been unable to help as they are only averaging 66.2 points per game over their last five games.  UCLA has played a brutal schedule against Oklahoma, North Carolina, Gonzaga, Kentucky, and Utah.  They are getting another major class relief in this game tonight, so we’ll lay the points with the better team.         

9* Play UCLA (-).

Iowa State is a team that needs to play ultra fast in order to be at their best.  The Cyclones play an up-tempo style that gives them a lot of easy baskets in transition.  But when they are unable to play at a fast pace, Iowa State’s offense struggles mightily in the half court.  The Cyclones will not get their preferred style of play tonight as Baylor plays at one of the slowest paces in the country.  Iowa State has played two similar, slow-paced teams this season; they lost 64-60 to South Carolina and 72-63 to Maryland.  Overall, Iowa State is just 1-2 SU when held to less than 70 points this season with their lone win coming by just 2 points (63-61) at home over Oklahoma State.     

Baylor is off a 66-59 overtime road win at TCU on Saturday afternoon.  That was a nice win for Baylor, especially since they were coming off a 56-55 home loss to Kansas in their previous game.  Baylor plays at an extremely slow pace, and their half court defense and interior height have frustrated opponents all season.  The Bears’ defense is allowing just 52.8 points per game on 37.7% shooting from the field and 27.4% shooting from three-point land at home this season.  Overall, Baylor has held 14 of their 15 opponents to 66 points or less, including all nine of their home opponents.  Baylor will slow this game to a crawl, and since Iowa State can’t play in a slow-paced game, we’ll lay the points with the Bears in this game on Wednesday night.                     

9* Play BAYLOR (-).

Iowa is a good team that is extremely well-coached by Fran McCaffery.  The Hawkeyes have actually played better on the road than at home this season.  Iowa is a perfect 2-0 in true road games while they have two out of conference losses at home.  The Hawkeyes are a team that needs to face an opponent that plays at a quick tempo to be at their best; they won at North Carolina earlier this season.  Iowa will get their pace against Minnesota tonight, so we expect a good effort from the Hawkeyes.  Iowa’s defense has been fantastic this season as they are only giving up 60.2 points per game on 38.5% shooting from the field and 31.3% shooting from three-point land.  Their defense has been even better on the road where they are only allowing 60 points per game on 34.4% shooting from the field and 21.3% shooting from three-point land.             

Minnesota is a reeling team right now.  The Golden Gophers have lost four consecutive games after opening the season with an 11-2 record.  Granted, three of those four losses were on the road.  But aside from Maryland, the competition was mediocre at best.  Minnesota’s offense is in terrible current form as they’ve scored 68 points or less in regulation time in their last four games.  Things are not going to get any easier tonight, especially against a strong Iowa defense.  Minnesota’s defense is also in terrible form as they’ve allowed 70 points or more in five of their last six games.  Iowa is the better team, so we’ll take the points with the Hawkeyes in this game on Tuesday night.        

10* Play IOWA (+).

Michigan and Ohio State are bitter rivals, and their games are often close.  This series has been dominated by the Wolverines lately as they’ve won the last three meetings.  Ohio State’s last win over Michigan came by just 3 points, so the results show that Michigan simply matches-up extremely well versus Ohio State.  The Wolverines play a tricky style under head coach John Beilein, and since he changed the Michigan rotation, the team has played their best basketball of the season.  Michigan is 4-1 over their last five games; the Wolverines went 0-4 in their previous four games.  The Wolverines come into tonight’s game off a confidence-building home win over Minnesota, a game they trailed by 9 points with just over nine minutes left to play.  Michigan won their last conference road game at Penn State, so they’ll have plenty of confidence going into this game.    

Ohio State comes into this game off a 69-66 loss in Indiana on Saturday afternoon.  The Buckeyes may also be flat for this game considering they likely partied last night after the football team won the National Championship.  Ohio State teams under head coach Thad Matta have had a reputation as a strong defensive club that suffocated teams in the half court.  This year’s team is the complete opposite as their defensive play has been below average this season.  They’ve allowed 69 points or more in three of their last four games, and since they’ve allowed Michigan to score 70 points or more in the last three meetings, the Buckeyes will once again have trouble with the Wolverines’ offense.  We’ll take the big points with Michigan in this game on Tuesday night.

9* Play MICHIGAN (+).

Arkansas is a team that needs to play ultra fast in order to be at their best.  The Razorbacks play an up-tempo style for 40 full minutes while wearing out their opponents in the process.  Their style gives them a lot of easy baskets in transition, but when they are unable to play at a fast pace, Arkansas’ offense struggles mightily in the half court.  The Razorbacks will not get their preferred style of play tonight as Tennessee plays at one of the slowest paces in the country.  Arkansas played one similar team on the road this season, and they lost 68-65 at Clemson in overtime.  Arkansas is just 2-2 SU in true road games this season with their two wins coming by just 6 and 4 points despite playing fast and scoring 78 and 79 points in those games.         

Tennessee is off an embarrassing home loss to Alabama in their last game on Saturday afternoon.  The Volunteers only scored 38 points in that 18-point loss (56-38), and it’s a good thing that they’ll play another game soon in order to atone for that poor showing.  Tennessee shot just 31.1% (14-45) from the field and 11.8% (2-17) from three-point land.  The Volunteers’ offense will play much better tonight, especially against an Arkansas defense that is allowing 77.5 points per game on 50.2% shooting from the field and 39.1% shooting from three-point land on the road this season.  Tennessee’s defense has held all eight of their home opponents to 64 points or less this season, and since Arkansas can’t play in a slow-paced game, we’ll take the points with the Vols in this game on Tuesday night.                     

9* Play TENNESSEE (+).

Illinois comes into this game with an 11-5 record, but ten of those wins came with their best player, Rayvonte Rice, on the court.  Illinois won their first game without Rice on the court on Wednesday night when they beat #11 Maryland 64-57 as 1-point home underdogs.  The Illini will regress off that win, especially since they have to take to the road and face a tough Nebraska defense.  Illinois has struggle to score points on the road this season as they are only averaging 62.3 points per game on 39% shooting from the field and 31.9% shooting from three-point land.  Illinois will now face a very good Cornhuskers’ defense that is only allowing 61.9 points per game on 38.4% shooting from the field and 28.3% shooting from three-point land this season.      

Nebraska has improved in each of the last three seasons, and this year they were set to breakout with a legitimate shot at making the NCAA tournament.  But the Cornhuskers were besieged with injuries, and they already have six losses on the season.  However, Nebraska is fully healthy now with a deep rotation, and we saw the team they projected to be in their 65-49 win over Rutgers on Thursday night.  The Cornhuskers hold a huge height advantage in this game, so they will dominate the paint against Illinois.  Nebraska head coach Tim Miles likes where his team is headed: “I am excited to get this team going and get better and better.”  This is a much bigger game for Nebraska, so we’ll lay the points on Sunday night.

9* Play NEBRASKA (-).

South Carolina comes into this game off a 72-68 home loss to Florida on Wednesday night.  The Gamecocks were in a tough spot for that game after they just beat #16 Iowa State 64-60 as 6.5-point underdogs at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.  South Carolina figured to play with a hangover, especially since they were going to face a Florida team that plays slow, half-court basketball; the Gamecocks shot just 40.8% (20-49) from the field.  South Carolina will play much better in this game as they will be able to play their style since Mississippi also likes to run and play up-tempo basketball.  South Carolina is a much improved team in head coach Frank Martin’s third year.  The Gamecocks are 13-6 over their last 19 games dating back to last season with all four of their losses this season coming by 5 points or less.

Mississippi is off a heartbreaking 89-86 overtime loss in Kentucky on Tuesday night.  The Rebels played an exceptional game as they shot 49.2% (29-59) from the field and 52.9% (9-17) from three-point land.  They also hit 86.4% (19-22) from the free throw line.  The Rebels can’t play any better than they did, and since they lost after leading with 3 minutes to play in regulation time, we expect Mississippi to play tonight’s game with a major hangover.  The Rebels do have a good offense, but South Carolina plays terrific defense.  The Gamecocks are holding their opponents to just 59 points per game on 28.6% shooting from the field and an incredible 19.2% shooting from three-point land on the road this season.  These two teams are equals, but this is a terrible situational spot for Mississippi, so we’ll take the points with South Carolina in this game on Saturday night.            

9* Play SOUTH CAROLINA (+).

Baylor and TCU both come into this game off back-to-back losses, but the Horned Frogs are in a better position to bounce back strong with a win.  Baylor just hosted league powerhouse Kansas on Wednesday night, and the Bears lost 56-55.  They lost and only scored 55 points on their home court despite hitting 53.3% (8-15) from three-point land.  Kansas was bad from beyond the arc as they hit just 29.4% (5-17), and the Jayhawks only had 6 free throw attempts in the entire game.  Baylor had no excuse for losing that game, and since they must now take to the road on short rest, we do not expect a good effort from the Bears in this game.  Baylor has played three true road games this season, going 2-1 SU with their wins coming by just 3 and 4 points.  The Bears are averaging just 66 points per game on 42.1% shooting from the field away from home this season.     

TCU also lost on Wednesday night, but their 58-53 defeat at Kansas State was due to terrible shooting.  The Horned Frogs shot just 41.3% (19-46) from the field and an ugly 11.1% (1-9) from three-point land; leading scorer Kyan Anderson only had 8 points.  It’s almost impossible to win on the road while shooting as bad as TCU did, so the fact they only lost by 5 points speaks volumes about their defense.  Overall, the Horned Frogs are holding opponents to just 55.2 points per game on 35.3% shooting from the field and 33.7% shooting from three-point land.  TCU’s stout defense will limit Baylor’s offensive production, especially since the Bears have struggled to score points on the road this season.  TCU’s offense will play much better in this game considering they average 78.3 points per game on 49.5% shooting from the field and 40.2% shooting from three-point land at home this season.  We’ll back TCU in this game on Saturday afternoon.

9* Play TCU (+).

Stanford came thru for us with a Best Bet winner when they beat Washington 68-60 in overtime on Sunday night.  That was their second overtime game in their last four games, so the Cardinal are not dominating their opponents.  Stanford has played three true road games so far this season, and they are just 1-2 SU in those games with the lone win coming in overtime.  The Cardinal defense has been non-existent away from home this season.  Stanford is giving up 79 points per game on 47.1% shooting from the field and 35.2% shooting from three-point land.  That defense is going to get torched by a UCLA offense that plays their best basketball on their home court.            

UCLA is not having a good season, and their poor start has been well documented.  The Bruins are just 8-7 on the season, but seven of those wins have come at home.  UCLA’s offense has been fantastic at home where they are averaging 85 points per game on 48.1% shooting from the field and 42.4% shooting from three-point land.  The Bruins will own a tremendous matchup advantage in this game as they have a strong 2-point defense and only allow 46.3% of opponents’ points to be scored inside the paint.  Stanford has a weak 3-point shooting team, so they will be unable to score consistently in this game.  UCLA has played their last four games on the road, and they’ve played a brutal schedule against Oklahoma, North Carolina, Gonzaga, Kentucky, and Utah.  They are getting a major class relief tonight, and we expect a big effort from UCLA in this game.         

10* Play UCLA (+).

Colorado and Utah are mirror images of one another.  Both teams love to play slow, half-court basketball.  Colorado is an experienced team that will have three of the four best players on the court tonight.  The Buffaloes play tenacious defense as they are only allowing 60.8 points per game on 38.9% shooting from the field and 30.9% shooting from three-point land.  Colorado also gets to the free throw line a lot, and they make the most of those trips as they are converting on 74.6% of their attempts this season.  The Buffaloes are strong on the glass as well, and they’ve dominated Utah with a 65-46 rebounding edge in the last two meetings.        

Utah is a very good team that comes into this game with a 12-2 record, including a perfect 10-0 mark at home.  However, the Utes usually own a major advantage when playing their slow pace against teams that want to get out and run.  The Pac 12 conference as a whole likes to play fast, but Colorado is the one team that plays just as slow as Utah.  That negates a huge edge for Utah, and it’s why we’ve seen these two teams play close, competitive games recently.  The average winning margin over the last four meetings has been just 7 points per game.  We expect this game to a be a low-scoring defensive struggle, so we’ll take the big points with Colorado on Wednesday night.  

9* Play COLORADO (+).

Providence is having a solid season with an 11-4 SU record, but they come into tonight’s game off a road loss at Marquette on Saturday afternoon.  The Friars stayed on the road after that game, so they’ll be ready with a big bounce back effort tonight against Butler.  The Friars beat Butler twice last season, including an 87-81 win in Hinkle Fieldhouse; that win gives them a lot of confidence for this game, especially since the Friars have yet to win a true road game this season.  “We want to get us a road win,” said head coach Ed Cooley.  “That’s our challenge.  We’ve had three road games that didn’t go our way.  We’ll be ready.”  The team is still full of confidence as well:  “As a team we’ve played great,” said Kris Dunn.  “We’re really focused and have great team chemistry right now.”

Butler is also having a good season as they own an identical 11-4 SU record as Providence.  The Bulldogs return home off back-to-back road games at Villanova, a 67-55 loss, and at St. John’s which resulted in a 73-69 win as 3.5-point underdogs.  Butler has good seasonal statistics at home, but they’ve yet to play a really good team.  Their toughest home opponent thus far was Belmont who plays in a much weaker conference.  Tonight’s game against Providence is a stiff test for Butler, especially since the Friars are playing off a loss.  We expect this game to be close throughout, so we’ll take the points with Providence in this game on Tuesday night.    

10* Play PROVIDENCE (+).

Marquette is surprisingly having a decent season so far as they come into tonight’s game against Georgetown with a 9-5 record.  The Golden Eagles are only playing with eight scholarship players this season after two of their better players transferred out a few weeks ago.  Marquette is basically a two-man team with Luke Fischer and Matt Carlino, but tonight they will likely be a one-man team as Fischer will face a bevy of big post players from Georgetown who will neutralize him inside the paint.  That means Carlino will have to carry the Marquette offense, and one guy is not going to keep the Golden Eagles in this game, especially on the road.  Marquette is 0-2 in true road games this season, losing at Ohio State and at DePaul who is a bottom team in the Big East conference.   

Georgetown is 9-4 on the season, including a 7-1 record at home.  Their lone home loss came to Kansas by just 5 points (75-70), so there’s no shame in that defeat.  The Hoyas played a tough non-conference schedule against teams like Wisconsin, Butler, and Florida.  Georgetown is playing at a much quicker pace this season, and their offense has flourished because of it.  The Hoyas are averaging 77.8 points per game on 48.8% shooting from the field and 35.5% shooting from three-point land at home this season.  Georgetown’s defense has also been rock solid at home where they are holding opponents to just 62.4 points per game on 36.9% shooting from the field and 29.9% shooting from three-point land.  Georgetown is the superior team, so we’ll lay the points in this game on Tuesday night. 

9* Play GEORGETOWN (-).

Indiana has overachieved big time this season.  The Hoosiers come into this game with an 11-3 SU record, including a 1-0 mark in conference play after winning in Nebraska 70-65 as 4-point underdogs.  Indiana was picked to finish 10th in the Big 10 this season after losing five players from last year’s team.  The Hoosiers want to play as fast as possible, and so far this season, they’ve been able to do that in every game.  Indiana has scored 70 points or more in every game this season, but that will come to an end tonight against Michigan State.  The Hoosiers will be forced to play a half-court grinder, and they will be clueless in playing that style of basketball.  This will be just their second true road game of the season, and it comes against a much better opponent than they just played. 

Michigan State is only 9-5 on the season, but they played a brutal non-conference schedule.  The Spartans played Duke, Kansas, and Notre Dame all away from home.  Michigan State also had to begin conference play against Maryland who is very good and ranked #11 in the country.  Michigan State also had to play those games with injuries to their best players.  The Spartans are healthier now, and they are taking a major step-down in class for this game.  Michigan State plays at a slow pace while playing ferocious defense.  The Spartans are only allowing 57.2 points per game on 34.8% shooting from the field and 26.4% shooting from three-point land at home this season.  All six of their home wins have come by 16 points or more, so when they win, they tend to blow their opponents out.  We expect Michigan State to win this game easily, so we’ll lay the points with the Spartans on Monday night.        

9* Play MICHIGAN STATE (-).

Washington started this season at 11-0, but the Huskies have since lost back-to-back games.  One of those losses was an inexcusable home defeat to Stony Brook, and that game exposed Washington’s phony undefeated record.  The Huskies lost at California in their last game on Friday night, and with a quick turnaround on the road again, Washington had no time to practice on their weaknesses.  The Huskies are struggling on offense right now as they shot just 39.5% (51-129) from the field in their last two games.  They also turned the ball over 24 times in those games, allowing their opponents easy baskets in transition.  Washington’s perimeter defense has been terrible as well, allowing 43.8% (14-32) shooting from three-point land in their last two games.   

Stanford is a solid team loaded with experienced veterans.  The Cardinal come into this game from the opposite direction as they’ve won three straight games after losing by 2 points (79-77) at BYU.  The Cardinal were impressive in their 74-71 overtime win at Texas three games back, and that win shows how good this team can be.  Stanford is a perfect 7-0 at home this season with every win coming by 6 points or more; their home wins have come by an average of 18.3 points per game.  Stanford is averaging 71.9 points per game on 44.3% shooting from the field and 36.4% shooting from three-point land at home this season.  Their defense has been stifling at home, giving up just 53.6 points per game on 37.6% shooting from the field.  Stanford is simply the better team, so we’ll lay the points in this game on Sunday night.           

9* Play STANFORD (-).

Virginia is a good team that is well coached.  The Cavaliers come into tonight’s game in Miami with a perfect 12-0 record.  Virginia was terrific last season while winning 30 games and earning a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament.  They returned seven of their top nine players from last season, so they projected to be a very good team once again.  However, the two players they lost, Joe Harris and Akil Mitchell, were vital components to their team.  Harris was the leading scorer while Mitchell was their best defender.  Head coach Tony Bennett knows how important those two guys were to the team’s success.  “That was what set our team apart, how cohesive they were. You take away two talented guys, and it’s a different identity and mentality. Can we replace those intangibles Joe and Akil brought at such a high level?”  So far, the Cavaliers have done that.  But the competition gets much tougher now in conference play, and the Cavaliers will get a stiff test tonight against the Hurricanes.  

Miami came flying out of the gates this season; the Hurricanes opened with eight consecutive wins.  They beat Florida, Drexel, and Illinois who are halfway decent.  But after their hot start, the team got complacent and lost against poor teams like Green Bay and Eastern Kentucky.  They also lost at Providence, but the Friars are a good team.  Miami righted the ship in their last game as they waxed an inferior Charleston 67-40.  The Hurricanes rely on hitting three’s to win, and Virginia’s defense allows teams to shoot a lot of open three’s as they prefer to limit points inside the paint.  If Miami hits their open shots, they’ll be in this game until the end with a very good shot at winning outright.  The Hurricanes also like to play slow, so Virginia’s dawdling pace will not be a factor.  In a game that will come right down to the wire, we’ll take the points in a low-scoring defensive slugfest. 

9* Play MIAMI, FL (+).

Creighton comes into this game with a 9-4 record, but the majority of those wins have come against inferior competition.  The Bluejays are a shell of the teams they’ve had in recent years that won 27, 28, and 29 games.  Creighton returns just one starter from last season’s team which featured National Player of the Year Doug McDermott who is now in the NBA.  The four players Creighton lost averaged 51 points per game, and that’s why their offense has struggled mightily this season.  Creighton is shooting just 43.2% from the field, and their offense will have a lot of trouble scoring in this game against a very good Providence defense that is only allowing 61.7 points per game on 41.6% shooting from the field.  “I think our season has been one of inconsistency, which is somewhat typical when you have as many guys in new roles as we have,” Creighton head coach Greg McDermott said.  “I think we’re about where we could be. Providence will be a heck of a challenge for us.”

Providence is set to have a big season.  The Friars come into this game with a 10-3 record with one of those losses coming at Kentucky.  Providence has a fantastic offense that is averaging 70.6 points per game on 45.8% shooting from the field.  Kris Dunn is their best player, and he and his teammates are ready for this game: “We’re really excited to finally be starting the Big East season,” Dunn said.  “As a team we’ve played great. We’re really focused and have great team chemistry right now.”  Providence head coach Ed Cooley also likes where his team is at right now.  “Mentally and physically we’re as prepared for a game as any since we’ve been here,” Cooley said.  Providence is simply the much better team, and with focus and motivation, we’ll lay the points with the Friars in this game on Wednesday night.    

9* Play PROVIDENCE (-).

Georgia Tech and Dayton both play a similar style of basketball.  The two teams play at a controlled pace while setting up their offense in the half court.  The Yellow Jackets are 8-2 on the season with their two losses coming by a combined 7 points.  Georgia Tech’s defense has been terrific; the Yellow Jackets have held eight of their ten opponents to 69 points or less.  Overall this season, Georgia Tech is holding their opponents to just 60.9 points per game on 41.4% shooting from the field and 27.1% shooting from three-point land.  The Yellow Jackets also have motivation tonight as they are looking to avenge a 10-point home loss to Dayton last season.  Georgia Tech was an 8-point favorite in that game, so there’s value in getting the Yellow Jackets plus a handful of points in this game. 

Dayton is also 8-2 on the season, but things are going to get much tougher for the Flyers going forward.  Dayton is basically a one-man team right now with Jordan Siebert carrying the scoring burden.  The Flyers just kicked their two big men off the team after starter Devon Scott and backup Jalen Robinson were involved in a trespassing case on campus.  That duo combined for 12.3 points per game and 9.8 rebounds per game.  Dayton is now an extremely thin and short team as no player is taller than 6-foot-6.  Georgia Tech has a big post presence, so the Yellow Jackets will have a big edge inside the paint in this game.  In what projects to be a low-scoring defensive struggle, we’ll take Georgia Tech plus the points in this game on Tuesday night.  

9* Play GEORGIA TECH (+).

This game will be played on a neutral floor, so neither team will have the home court edge.  Northern Iowa and Iowa both come into this game off losses, so we can expect good efforts by both teams.  Northern Iowa is 9-1 on the season, and a big part of that success has been the Panthers getting back to their slow and defensive ways.  Northern Iowa tried to play a different style of basketball over the last couple of seasons, and it simply didn’t work out.  But head coach Ben Jacobson reverted back to the old ways, and the results have been terrific.  Northern Iowa plays at an extremely slow pace while suffocating their opponents with defense in the half court.  The Panthers are allowing just 59 points per game this season.  Northern Iowa has held nine of their ten opponents to 70 points or less in regulation time this season.   

Iowa is a team that needs to play at a fast pace to be at their best.  The Hawkeyes have struggled mightily with their half court offense this season, so this is not a good match-up for them at all.  Northern Iowa routinely plays in games that have less than 60 total possessions; Iowa has yet to play in such a game this season.  Iowa has scored less than 70 points in three games against power conference teams this season.  The Hawkeyes went just 1-2 SU in those games with the win coming by just 5 points over North Carolina.  That was a strange game considering the Tar Heels also play at a fast pace, so the slow-paced win can be discounted.  We expect Northern Iowa to slow this game to a crawl, so we’ll take the points with the Panthers on Saturday night. 

9* Play NORTHERN IOWA (+).

Gonzaga is one of the best teams in the country, and they have a legitimate shot at making a very deep run in the NCAA tournament in March.  The Zags come into tonight’s game with an 8-1 record with their lone loss coming by just 3 points (66-63) in overtime to a very good Arizona team.  Gonzaga bounced back strongly off that heartbreaking loss as they crushed Washington State 81-66 in their last game.  That’s a positive sign for Gonzaga, and we expect them to come with another strong effort in this game.  The Zags have an extremely efficient offense that is averaging 81.4 points per game on 51% shooting from the field and 37.2% shooting from three-point land.  All five of Gonzaga’s starters are averaging 10 points or more per game.  The Zags also have a deep bench that can score points, and their second unit is little match for many college teams.  

UCLA has a good 8-2 record on the season, but the Bruins have played an extremely weak schedule.  Their two games against decent competition both resulted in losses; UCLA lost 75-65 to Oklahoma and they lost 78-56 to North Carolina.  Neither one of those two teams are as good as Gonzaga, so this will definitely be UCLA’s toughest game of the season so far.  The Bruins love to play fast, but that will be a detriment in this game against a much better Gonzaga offense.  UCLA plays little defense as they’ve given up 71 points or more in six of their ten games this season.  The Bruins have trailed at the half in their last two games to inferior opponents and that’s not a good sign coming into this game.  Gonzaga is simply the superior team, so we’ll lay the points in this game on Saturday night.   

9* Play GONZAGA (-).

Kansas beat us on Wednesday night when they won 75-70 at Georgetown as 2-point underdogs.  We have no hesitation in playing against the Jayhawks once again, especially since they are now laying a handful of points into a better team than they just faced.  This game will be played on a neutral court and not on Kansas’ strong home court, so that eliminates a major edge.  The Jayhawks beat Georgetown because of their hot 3-point shooting and their ability to get to the free throw line.  Kansas shot 58.8% (10-17) from three-point land, and they also connected on 25 of their 32 free throw attempts.  The Jayhawks struggled mightily in the half court as they shot just 37.7% (20-53) from the field in that game. 

Utah is 7-1 on the season with their lone loss coming by 4 points (53-49) on the road to a very good San Diego State team.  The Utes beat Wichita State earlier this season, snapping their 35-game winning streak.  That win showed how good the Utes are this season.  Utah plays at an extremely slow pace, and that is the style of basketball that frustrates Kansas.  The Utes have held seven of their eight opponents to 68 points or less this season.  Overall, Utah is only allowing 57.4 points per game on 35.8% shooting from the field this season.  Kansas has not been winning by big margins lately as their last three wins have come by 6, 6, and 5 points.  We expect this game to be close throughout, so we’ll take Utah plus the points on Saturday afternoon. 

10* Play UTAH (+).

Kansas and Georgetown played last year with the Jayhawks winning 86-64 on their home court.  Kansas had a favorable whistle in that game as they held a whopping 46-28 free throw attempts edge.  The Jayhawks also shot 54.3% (25-46) from the field in that game.  Kansas was simply the much better team last year, but that’s not the case this season, especially since the Jayhawks are not as good as they were after losing two players in the NBA lottery.  Tonight is the rematch Georgetown has been waiting for, and it comes on the Hoyas’ home court, and we expect a much different outcome.   

Georgetown is 5-2 on the season with their two losses coming to good teams like Wisconsin and Butler.  The Hoyas beat Florida, so they’ve been battled tested against three strong opponents.  The Hoyas play at an extremely slow pace, and that is the style of basketball that frustrates Kansas.  Georgetown has held all seven of their opponents to 68 points or less this season.  Overall, the Hoyas are only allowing 61.9 points per game on 38.4% shooting from the field and 26.8% shooting from three-point land.  This is a much bigger game for Georgetown as a win over Kansas would boost their resume come March.  The Hoyas have won 54 consecutive non-conference games on their home court, and since they are playing with a lot of motivation, we’ll back Georgetown in this game on Wednesday night.     

9* Play GEORGETOWN (-).

Creighton comes into this game with a 6-2 record, but the majority of those wins have come against inferior competition.  The Bluejays are a shell of the teams they’ve had in recent years that won 27, 28, and 29 games.  Creighton returns just one starter from last season’s team which featured National Player of the Year Doug McDermott who is now in the NBA.  The four players Creighton lost averaged 51 points per game, and that’s why their offense has struggled mightily this season.  The Bluejays have scored 68 points or less in five of their last six games.  Creighton is shooting just 43.4% from the field, and their offense will have a lot of trouble scoring in this game against a very good Cornhuskers’ defense that is only allowing 63.2 points per game on 38.1% shooting from the field.      

Nebraska has improved in each of the last three seasons, and this year they are set to breakout with a legitimate shot at making the NCAA tournament.  The Cornhuskers are 5-1 this season with their lone loss coming in overtime to Rhode Island.  This is a huge game for Nebraska against their in-state rival, and it’s a game the Cornhuskers have had circled since losing by 15 points last season.  “We were all embarrassed last year,” Nebraska coach Tim Miles said.  “We have a lot to prove in this rivalry. Basketball is as good as it’s been in a long time at Nebraska. The rivalry is a big deal to me and a big deal to our program. It’s one of those games that gets marked on your calendar.”  The players are also quite motivated to beat the Bluejays: “A win against Creighton would erase a lot of bad memories,” said David Rivers.  Nebraska is simply the better team this year, and since they have a lot of motivation, we’ll lay the points in this game on Sunday night.  

9* Play NEBRASKA (-).

Rhode Island is 4-2 on the season with their two losses coming against Kansas and Georgia Tech.  The Rams have played a brutal schedule as their five Division I opponents have a combined record of 25-9.  Rhode Island comes into this game off a loss, and they’ve had five full days to prepare, so they will be ready for a big effort.  “We’ve still got a bad taste in our mouths from that loss,” Jared Terrell said.  “You can see it in practice. Everybody is trying to fuel each other and play harder.”  Rhode Island head coach Dan Hurley also likes what he sees from his team: “I feel pretty good about where we’re at. I think the guys have responded really well.”  

Southern Mississippi won 77-64 in Rhode Island last season, but the Golden Eagles are a shell of that team.  They return just one starter from their 29-win team of last season, and they are also playing a different style of basketball under new head coach Doc Sadler.  Southern Miss is also 4-2 on the season, but their wins have come over William Carey, South Alabama, Troy, and North Dakota State.  The Golden Eagles lost 59-36 at Drexel, a team that just lost to Division II University Sciences Philadelphia on Thursday night.  Rhode Island is simply the better team, and with motivation to avenge last year’s loss, we’ll lay the points in this game on Saturday night.        

9* Play RHODE ISLAND (-).

This is a Big Five rivalry game, and these games tend to be much closer than expected.  Villanova is obviously a good team as they come into this game ranked #9 in the country with a perfect 6-0 record.  However, the Wildcats have played five opponents who like to play a similar fast-paced style; Villanova was simply the better team in all of those games.  Villanova faced one team that likes to play at a slower pace, and that game resulted in a 60-55 win over Michigan.  Tonight will also be the first true road game for Villanova this season, and it comes against an opponent that plays a style which gives the Wildcats fits.     

La Salle is 4-2 on the season, including a perfect 3-0 on their home court.  The Explorers play at an extremely slow pace as they’ve held all six of their opponents to 68 points or less, including four opponents to 60 points or less.  La Salle also matches-up extremely well with Villanova because they have a pair of big men that can control inside the paint.  The Explorers also have a new addition in Auburn transfer Jordan Price who is averaging 17.7 points per game.  His presence has given La Salle a true scoring threat that they’ve lacked over the last couple of seasons.  La Salle will dictate the pace in this game, and since Villanova is not good at playing in the half court, we’ll take the big points with the Explorers in this game on Wednesday night.    

9* Play LA SALLE (+).

Massachusetts beat LSU 92-90 last season, but the Minutemen lost three starters from that team who combined to score 55 of their 92 points in that game.  Massachusetts plays at an extremely fast pace, and that plays right into the hands of LSU.  That was evident in last year’s game with 182 total points scored.  The Minutemen own five wins on the season, but two of those wins have come in state against Boston College and Northeastern while one of their close losses came to Harvard.  Massachusetts will now play on the home court of an opponent out of state for the first time this season, and that makes this a difficult situational and scheduling spot for the Minutemen.    

LSU is in the third year of head coach Johnny Jones’ system, and they finally have the length and athleticism to run their fast-paced attack.  The team won 20 games and advanced to the second round of the NIT tournament last season, and they have a legitimate shot to make the NCAA tournament this season.  LSU also added a huge piece to their coaching staff in Eric Musselman, who is widely regarded as an uptempo coaching guru.  The Tigers’ two losses this season have come against slow-paced teams when LSU was held to less than 70 points.  Massachusetts is not going to hold LSU to less than 70 points, and since the Tigers are simply the better team, we’ll lay the points in this game on Tuesday night.  

9* Play LSU (-).

This is the final of the NIT Season Tip-Off tournament, and the game will be played at Madison Square Garden.  The New York venue clearly gives St. John’s a home court advantage in this game.  Gonzaga has steamrolled teams en route to their 5-0 start this season.  The Bulldogs are certainly a good team, but they did lose guard Josh Perkins to a broken jaw in their 88-76 win over Georgia on Wednesday night.  Gonzaga shot 50% (26-52) from the field in that game, and they got to the free throw line a whopping 35 times.  The Bulldogs hit an incredible 91.4% (32-35) from the free throw line, but the refs were whistle happy as the game saw a total of 70 free throw attempts.  That’s unlikely to happen again tonight, especially with Gonzaga playing the home town team.     

St. John’s has a wealth of talent, but they don’t always bring their best effort.  The Johnnies have been inconsistent under head coach Steve Lavin, but this is a huge game for St. John’s.  There’s no doubt the Johnnies have the talent to be a NCAA tournament team, and a win in this game will go a long ways come March.  St. John’s is off a terrific defensive game against Minnesota on Wednesday night.  The Johnnies held Minnesota to just 61 points on 35.9% shooting from the field and 31.6% shooting from three-point land.  The Golden Gophers only got to the free throw line 16 times, so Gonzaga cannot rely on getting free points in this game.  Overall, St. John’s is holding opponents to just 57.3 points per game on 31.3% shooting from the field and 29.2% shooting from three-point land.  St. John’s will slow this game down with their strong defense, so we’ll take the points in a game that comes right down to the wire.         

9* Play ST. JOHN’S (+).

Oregon is not in good shape for this game tonight against VCU.  The Ducks just played last night, and this will be their third game in five days.  Teams playing multiple games over a short span and without rest are always at a major disadvantage when facing the pressure and havoc of VCU.  The Ducks are also an extremely thin team after losing six players prior to the start of the season.  Oregon lost another player last night when Dwayne Benjamin injured his ankle.  His absence makes the Ducks a shell of the team they projected to have before the season began.  Even with a full compliment of players, Oregon was picked to finish 8th in the Pac 12 this season.  The Ducks are in a terrible spot tonight, especially since their opponent is off an embarrassing performance. 

VCU got crushed by Villanova last night.  The Rams lost 77-53, and the game wasn’t even that close.  However, Villanova is a very good team built with veterans who simply do not turn the ball over.  Teams like that give VCU fits; Oregon is the complete opposite as the Ducks are young and inexperienced.  VCU has a veteran team that returned 69.3% of their minutes played from last year’s 26-9 team.  The Rams are just one of three teams to win 26 games or more over the last five seasons; Duke and Syracuse are the others.  VCU plays at a furious pace, and their up and down style wears teams out, especially early in the season.  The Rams have exceptional conditioning, and against an inexperienced and thin team like Oregon, VCU’s ability to wreak havoc and create turnovers makes this game a complete mismatch.  The Rams are the better team by a wide margin, so we expect VCU to bounce back strong and win this game easily on Tuesday night. 

9* Play VCU (-).

George Washington is a very good team that returned four starters from last year’s 24-9 team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.  The Colonials also got Kethan Savage back from injury; he broke his foot in January and missed eight weeks.  George Washington is 2-0 on the season with a pair of blowout wins over inferior opponents.  One thing was clear in both wins; the Colonials’ exceptional defense from last season has carried over.  George Washington held their opponents to just 41.6% from the field last season.  So far this season, the Colonials are holding opponents to just 46.5 points per game on 31.8% shooting from the field and 21.4% shooting from three-point land.    

Virginia is a good team that is well coached.  The Cavaliers were terrific last season while winning 30 games and earning a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament.  They return seven of their top nine players from last season, so they project to be a very good team once again.  However, the two players they lost, Joe Harris and Akil Mitchell, were vital components to their team.  Harris was the leading scorer while Mitchell was their best defender.  Head coach Tony Bennett knows how important those two guys were to the team’s success.  “That was what set our team apart, how cohesive they were. You take away two talented guys, and it’s a different identity and mentality. Can we replace those intangibles Joe and Akil brought at such a high level?”  Both teams play at a slow pace and focus on defense, so we’ll take the big points in a low-scoring defensive slugfest. 

9* Play GEORGE WASHINGTON (+).

SMU comes into this game off an ugly 72-56 loss at Gonzaga on Monday night.  While the Mustangs did not play well at all in that game, there’s not much shame in that loss because Gonzaga will be one of the top teams in the country this season.  Head coach Larry Brown has been able to get his team to bounce back strong off losses; SMU went 7-2 SU when playing off a loss last season with all seven wins coming by 3 points or more.  The Mustangs won 27 games last season, and with their best players all back this season, SMU projects to be an excellent team once again.   

Indiana is 2-0 on the season with those wins coming by a combined 70 points.  However, the Hoosiers played two inferior opponents in Mississippi Valley State and Texas Southern.  Indiana hit an incredible 55.3% (21-38) of their three-pointers in those games which aided their big margins of victory.  The Hoosiers were picked to finish 10th in the Big 10 this season, and with a huge step-up in class, we expect Indiana to regress sharply in this game.  Indiana lost five of their best players from last season, including three terrific frontcourt players.  The Hoosiers are extremely weak inside the paint, and they’ll be at a major disadvantage against the Mustangs in this game.  SMU is simply the much better team, and since they are off a loss, we’ll lay the points with the Mustangs in this game on Thursday night.         

9* Play SMU (-).

Texas Tech has a lot of question marks coming into this season.  The Red Raiders are picked to finish dead last in the Big 12 conference as their roster was turned upside down with players transferring in the off-season.  Texas Tech has just two guys returning with any experience, and one of their better players, Aaron Ross, is out with a knee injury.  Head coach Tubby Smith knows his team is in for a long season, especially early on.  “We’re going to be a lot younger,” Smith said.  “It’s going to take some time for our guys to mature and get experience.”  

LSU is set to win right away.  The Tigers are in the third year of head coach Johnny Jones’ system, and they finally have the length and athleticism to run their fast-paced attack.  The team won 20 games and advanced to the second round of the NIT tournament last season.  LSU also added a huge piece to their coaching staff in Eric Musselman, who is widely regarded as an uptempo coaching guru.  LSU scored 93 points after shooting 52.2% from the field in their season opening win.  The Tigers simply have too much offense for Texas Tech, and since LSU is in a better position to win right now, we’ll lay the points in this game on Tuesday night.  

9* Play LSU (-).

Northeastern will be a decent team this season, and they are actually picked #1 in the Colonial Athletic conference.  But just how good is that conference considering Northeastern is picked to win it despite going just 11-21 overall and 7-9 in conference play last season?  The Huskies will simply be out-classed in this game against Florida State, especially inside the paint and on the glass.  Northeastern is also trying to work their guys into shape as their best players are all returning from injury.  The Huskies only use a 7-man rotation, and that group struggled against Boston University in their season opener; they trailed 37-26 at the half before rallying for a 71-65 win.    

Florida State is flying well under the radar this season.  The Seminoles will surprise a lot of teams this season, and we expect them to handle Northeastern pretty easily tonight.  Florida State  has a lot of experience and tremendous depth; eight guys played 18 minutes or more in their 81-66 season opening win over Manhattan.  The Seminoles are a big team that rotates three seven-footers in the frontcourt.  Florida State’s backcourt is also back to health this season after two starters missed many games last season due to injury.  The Seminoles have too much offense for Northeastern; they shot 57.5% from the field with six players scoring in double digits in their first game.  Florida State is simply the much better team, so we’ll lay the points in this game on Tuesday night.       

10* Play FLORIDA STATE (-).

Louisiana Tech is a loaded team this season.  The Bulldogs return four starters from last year’s 29-8 team that reached the quarterfinals of the NIT.  Louisiana Tech head coach Michael White turned down a big offer from Tennessee to stay, knowing how good his team will be this season.  Since taking over in 2011, White has led the Bulldogs to an impressive 74-31 record with 56 of those wins coming over the last two years with the current players on the roster.  Louisiana Tech opened their season with a ho-hum 85-76 win over Southern.  Four players scored 15 points or more, and they were aggressive in getting to the free throw line 40 times.  The Bulldogs weren’t that efficient, but with a name opponent in Temple, we expect a much sharper performance in this game.       

Temple also comes in off a win in their season opener; the Owls beat American in a ugly 40-37 defensive slugfest.  Temple went a terrible 9-22 last season, and this year doesn’t look too promising either.  The Owls lost two of their top scorers from last year’s team, and the plans to replace them have been put on hold.  Temple was counting on Clemson transfer Devin Coleman and UMass transfer Jesse Morgan, but both are still ineligible to play.  Another transfer from Texas, Jaylen Boyd, has an ankle injury that forced his to miss the American game.  Temple has a limited offense right now, and that was evident in their first game when they shot 22.9% (11-48) from the field and 26.3% (5-19) from three-point land.  Louisiana Tech is the much better team, so we’ll lay the points in this game on Monday night.         

9* Play LOUISIANA TECH (-).

George Washington is set to win right away.  The Colonials return four starters from last year’s 24-9 team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.  The Colonials will also get Kethan Savage back from injury; he broke his foot in January and missed eight weeks.  George Washington already played a game this season, and that was a 92-40 blowout of Grambling State.  That game was like a glorified practice for the Colonials, and it gives them a nice advantage coming into this game against Rutgers.  George Washington had a terrific defense last season, holding opponents to just 41.6% from the field.  They held Grambling State to just 28.3% (15-53) from the field and 20% (2-10) from three-point land.    

Rutgers has a lot of question marks coming into this season.  The Scarlet Knights are picked to finish dead last in the Big 10 conference as their roster was turned upside down with players transferring in the off-season.  Rutgers has just three guys returning with any experience, and their best player, Kadeem Jack, is dealing with a nagging thumb injury.  He’s questionable to play in this game, and if he doesn’t, Rutgers has little chance to be competitive.  Even if Jack plays, head coach Eddie Jordan said that his conditioning is way short from missing so much practice time.  George Washington is in a better position to win right now, so we’ll lay the points in this game on Sunday night.  

9* Play GEORGE WASHINGTON (-).

Tennessee is a mess of a team and program right now.  The Volunteers ousted coach Cuonzo Martin and in steps Donnie Tyndall who comes over from Southern Mississippi.  After Martin left for California, players decided to leave Tennessee as well.  The Vols made it to the Sweet 16 last season, but they are a shell of that team.  Tennessee lost four of their five starters, and all four of their highly ranked recruits decided to go to another school.  Tyndall is now being investigated for improper actions while at Southern Mississippi, so that is another distraction.  “We’re certainly going to be the least-experienced teams in the SEC, maybe all of college basketball,” said Tyndall.  “We signed eight guys from all different angles. We will be very youthful and inexperienced.” 

VCU is built to win right away as they return 69.3% of their minutes played from last year’s 26-9 team.  The Rams are just one of three teams to win 26 games or more over the last five seasons; Duke and Syracuse are the others.  VCU plays at a furious pace, and their up and down style wears teams out, especially early in the season.  The Rams have exceptional conditioning, and against an inexperienced team like Tennessee, VCU’s ability to wreak havoc and create turnovers makes this game a complete mismatch.  The Rams are the better team by a wide margin, so we expect VCU to win this game easily by double digits.  

10* Play VCU (-).