Cnotes College Hoops For February Rated Games -Trends - News !!

[CNOTES]

NCAAB
Dunkel

Sunday, February 21


East Carolina @ Southern Methodist

Game 829-830
February 21, 2016 @ 2:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
East Carolina
48.756
Southern Methodis
72.400
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Southern Methodis
by 23 1/2
141
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Southern Methodis
by 19
145 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Southern Methodis
(-19); Under

Boston College @ Wake Forest

Game 851-852
February 21, 2016 @ 6:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston College
51.040
Wake Forest
60.634
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Wake Forest
by 9 1/2
135
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Wake Forest
by 7 1/2
139
Dunkel Pick:
Wake Forest
(-7 1/2); Under

Tulsa @ UCF

Game 831-832
February 21, 2016 @ 2:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Tulsa
66.296
UCF
55.218
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Tulsa
by 11
134
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tulsa
by 7 1/2
139 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Tulsa
(-7 1/2); Under

Temple @ Houston

Game 853-854
February 21, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Temple
63.239
Houston
64.732
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 1 1/2
135
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 4
141
Dunkel Pick:
Temple
(+4); Under

Detroit @ Valparaiso

Game 833-834
February 21, 2016 @ 2:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit
54.981
Valparaiso
66,042
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Valparaiso
by 11
155
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Valparaiso
by 15
150 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit
(+15); Over

California @ Washington State

Game 855-856
February 21, 2016 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
California
63.864
Washington State
55.318
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
California
by 8 1/2
136
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
California
by 10 1/2
143 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Washington State
(+10 1/2); Under

Loyola-Chicago @ Missouri State

Game 835-836
February 21, 2016 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Loyola-Chicago
57.323
Missouri State
53.791
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Loyola-Chicago
by 3 1/2
142
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Missouri State
by 2
134
Dunkel Pick:
Loyola-Chicago
(+2); Over

Monmouth @ St. Peter's

Game 857-858
February 21, 2016 @ 2:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Monmouth
57.676
St. Peter's
48.655
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Monmouth
by 9
146
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Monmouth
by 7 1/2
139
Dunkel Pick:
Monmouth
(-7 1/2); Over

George Mason @ Massachusetts

Game 837-838
February 21, 2016 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
George Mason
49.842
Massachusetts
54.342
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Massachusetts
by 4 1/2
138
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Massachusetts
by 6
144 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
George Mason
(+6); Under

Manhattan @ Quinnipiac

Game 859-860
February 21, 2016 @ 2:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Manhattan
48.234
Quinnipiac
51.679
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Quinnipiac
by 3 1/2
141
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Quinnipiac
by 2
134 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Quinnipiac
(-2); Over

Michigan @ Maryland

Game 839-840
February 21, 2016 @ 1:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Michigan
65.448
Maryland
71.266
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Maryland
by 6
134
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Maryland
by 9
140
Dunkel Pick:
Michigan
(+9); Under

Denver @ South Dakota

Game 861-862
February 21, 2016 @ 3:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Denver
48.777
South Dakota
51.341
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
South Dakota
by 2 1/2
131
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
South Dakota
by 4 1/2
136 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Denver
(+4 1/2); Under

San Diego State @ San Jose State

Game 841-842
February 21, 2016 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Diego State
61.728
San Jose State
52.231
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Diego State
by 9 1/2
130
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Diego State
by 8 1/2
122
Dunkel Pick:
San Diego State
(-8 1/2); Over

Boston University @ Bucknell

Game 863-864
February 21, 2016 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston University
51.192
Bucknell
55.569
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Bucknell
by 4 1/2
146
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Bucknell
by 7
153 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Boston University
(+7); Under

La Salle @ George Washington

Game 821-822
February 21, 2016 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
La Salle
49.782
George Washington
63.395
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
George Washington
by 13 1/2
142
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
George Washington
by 17
137 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
La Salle
(+17); Over

Wichita State @ Indiana State

Game 843-844
February 21, 2016 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Wichita State
70.491
Indiana State
53.891
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Wichita State
by 16 1/2
138
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Wichita State
by 11 1/2
133 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Wichita State
(-11 1/2); Over

Seton Hall @ St. John's

Game 823-824
February 21, 2016 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Seton Hall
65.858
St. John's
57.987
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Seton Hall
by 8
148
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Seton Hall
by 11 1/2
144
Dunkel Pick:
St. John's
(+11 1/2); Over

Oakland @ Illinois-Chicago

Game 845-846
February 21, 2016 @ 5:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oakland
61.415
Illinois-Chicago
49.913
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oakland
by 11 1/2
169
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oakland
by 14 1/2
164
Dunkel Pick:
Illinois-Chicago
(+14 1/2); Over

Illinois @ Wisconsin

Game 825-826
February 21, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Illinois
59.445
Wisconsin
75.852
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Wisconsin
by 16 1/2
128
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Wisconsin
by 11
132 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Wisconsin
(-11); Under

UAB @ Middle Tennessee

Game 847-848
February 21, 2016 @ 6:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
UAB
58.597
Middle Tennessee
60.041
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Middle Tennessee
by 1 1/2
145
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
UAB
by 3
140
Dunkel Pick:
Middle Tennessee
(+3); Over

Northeastern @ Hofstra

Game 827-828
February 21, 2016 @ 2:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Northeastern
53.430
Hofstra
63.895
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Hofstra
by 10 1/2
142
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Hofstra
by 7
146
Dunkel Pick:
Hofstra
(-7); Under

Utah @ Southern California

Game 849-850
February 21, 2016 @ 6:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Utah
66.597
Southern Californ
71.027
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Southern Californ
by 4 1/2
147
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Southern Californ
by 3
151
Dunkel Pick:
Southern Californ
(-3); Under

 

[CNOTES]

CBB ATS


CBB > (845) OAKLAND@ (846) IL-CHICAGO | 2016-02-21 17:00:00 - 2016-02-21 17:00:00
Play ON OAKLAND against the spread in All games in road games
The record is 12 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+10.9 units)


CBB > (843) WICHITA ST@ (844) INDIANA ST | 2016-02-21 16:00:00 - 2016-02-21 16:00:00
Play ON WICHITA ST against the spread in Road games off a win against a conference rival
The record is 22 Wins and 5 Losses for the last three seasons (+16.5 units)


CBB > (843) WICHITA ST@ (844) INDIANA ST | 2016-02-21 16:00:00 - 2016-02-21 16:00:00
Play ON WICHITA ST against the spread in All games off a win against a conference rival
The record is 37 Wins and 13 Losses for the last three seasons (+22.7 units)


CBB > (857) MONMOUTH@ (858) ST PETERS | 2016-02-21 14:00:00 - 2016-02-21 14:00:00
Play ON MONMOUTH against the spread in All games when playing with one or less days rest
The record is 7 Wins and 0 Losses for the this season (+7 units)


CBB > (847) UAB@ (848) MIDDLE TENN ST | 2016-02-21 18:00:00 - 2016-02-21 18:00:00
Play AGAINST UAB against the spread in All games when the total is 140 to 149.5
The record is 0 Wins and 7 Losses for the this season (-7.7 units)


CBB > (827) NORTHEASTERN@ (828) HOFSTRA | 2016-02-21 14:00:00 - 2016-02-21 14:00:00
Play AGAINST HOFSTRA against the spread in Home games off a win against a conference rival
The record is 1 Wins and 10 Losses for the last two seasons (-10 units)

CBB > (831) TULSA@ (832) UCF | 2016-02-21 14:00:00 - 2016-02-21 14:00:00
Play ON TULSA against the spread in All games in February games
The record is 16 Wins and 4 Losses for the last three seasons (+11.6 units)

CBB > (859) MANHATTAN@ (860) QUINNIPIAC | 2016-02-21 14:00:00 - 2016-02-21 14:00:00
Play AGAINST QUINNIPIAC against the spread in All games after scoring 60 points or less
The record is 2 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (-10.1 units)


-------------------


CBB MONEYLINE


CBB > (827) NORTHEASTERN@ (828) HOFSTRA | 2016-02-21 14:00:00 - 2016-02-21 14:00:00
Play AGAINST HOFSTRA using money line in Home games after allowing 80 points or more
The record is 4 Wins and 7 Losses for the last three seasons (-19.9 units)

CBB > (837) GEORGE MASON@ (838) MASSACHUSETTS | 2016-02-21 16:00:00 - 2016-02-21 16:00:00
Play AGAINST GEORGE MASON using money line in All games after a conference game
The record is 6 Wins and 24 Losses for the last two seasons (-21.35 units)


CBB > (827) NORTHEASTERN@ (828) HOFSTRA | 2016-02-21 14:00:00 - 2016-02-21 14:00:00
Play AGAINST HOFSTRA using money line in All games in home lined games
The record is 9 Wins and 9 Losses for the last two seasons (-26.15 units)


CBB > (841) SAN DIEGO ST@ (842) SAN JOSE ST | 2016-02-21 16:00:00 - 2016-02-21 16:00:00
Play ON SAN DIEGO ST using money line in All games against conference opponents
The record is 10 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+9.6 units)

CBB > (851) BOSTON COLLEGE@ (852) WAKE FOREST | 2016-02-21 18:30:00 - 2016-02-21 18:30:00
Play AGAINST BOSTON COLLEGE using money line in All games in all lined games
The record is 15 Wins and 50 Losses for the last three seasons (-40.2 units)


CBB > (851) BOSTON COLLEGE@ (852) WAKE FOREST | 2016-02-21 18:30:00 - 2016-02-21 18:30:00
Play AGAINST BOSTON COLLEGE using money line in All games in all games
The record is 15 Wins and 50 Losses for the last three seasons (-40.2 units)


CBB > (857) MONMOUTH@ (858) ST PETERS | 2016-02-21 14:00:00 - 2016-02-21 14:00:00
Play AGAINST ST PETERS using money line in Home games after scoring 60 points or less
The record is 1 Wins and 6 Losses for the last two seasons (-11.7 units)


CBB > (853) TEMPLE@ (854) HOUSTON | 2016-02-21 19:00:00 - 2016-02-21 19:00:00
Play ON TEMPLE using money line in All games against conference opponents
The record is 21 Wins and 9 Losses for the last two seasons (+19.25 units)


CBB > (829) E CAROLINA@ (830) SMU | 2016-02-21 14:00:00 - 2016-02-21 14:00:00
Play AGAINST E CAROLINA using money line in All games against conference opponents
The record is 1 Wins and 8 Losses for the this season (-9.95 units)


-------------------


CBB FIRST HALF


CBB > (855) CALIFORNIA@ (856) WASHINGTON ST | 2016-02-21 20:30:00 - 2016-02-21 20:30:00
Play AGAINST WASHINGTON ST ?>in the first halfin All games after 3 or more consecutive losses
The record is 0 Wins and 9 Losses for the this season (-9.9 units)


CBB > (855) CALIFORNIA@ (856) WASHINGTON ST | 2016-02-21 20:30:00 - 2016-02-21 20:30:00
Play AGAINST WASHINGTON ST ?>in the first halfin All games off a loss against a conference rival
The record is 1 Wins and 11 Losses for the this season (-11.1 units)


CBB > (845) OAKLAND@ (846) IL-CHICAGO | 2016-02-21 17:00:00 - 2016-02-21 17:00:00
Play AGAINST IL-CHICAGO ?>in the first halfin All games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 5 Wins and 21 Losses for the last two seasons (-18.1 units)


CBB > (845) OAKLAND@ (846) IL-CHICAGO | 2016-02-21 17:00:00 - 2016-02-21 17:00:00
Play AGAINST IL-CHICAGO ?>in the first halfin All games revenging a road loss vs opponent
The record is 3 Wins and 15 Losses for the last two seasons (-13.5 units)


CBB > (823) SETON HALL@ (824) ST JOHNS | 2016-02-21 12:00:00 - 2016-02-21 12:00:00
Play ON SETON HALL ?>in the first halfin All games versus the 1rst half line in road games
The record is 7 Wins and 0 Losses for the this season (+7 units)


CBB > (835) LOYOLA-IL@ (836) MISSOURI ST | 2016-02-21 16:00:00 - 2016-02-21 16:00:00
Play ON LOYOLA-IL ?>in the first halfin All games as an underdog vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 37 Wins and 14 Losses for the last three seasons (+21.6 units)


CBB > (835) LOYOLA-IL@ (836) MISSOURI ST | 2016-02-21 16:00:00 - 2016-02-21 16:00:00
Play ON LOYOLA-IL ?>in the first halfin All games revenging a home loss vs opponent
The record is 10 Wins and 1 Losses for the last three seasons (+8.9 units)


CBB > (843) WICHITA ST@ (844) INDIANA ST | 2016-02-21 16:00:00 - 2016-02-21 16:00:00
Play AGAINST INDIANA ST ?>in the first halfin All games after a conference game
The record is 3 Wins and 12 Losses for the this season (-10.2 units)


CBB > (833) DETROIT@ (834) VALPARAISO | 2016-02-21 14:30:00 - 2016-02-21 14:30:00
Play ON VALPARAISO ?>in the first halfin All games against conference opponents
The record is 12 Wins and 3 Losses for the this season (+8.7 units)


-------------------


CBB TOTALS


CBB > (835) LOYOLA-IL@ (836) MISSOURI ST | 2016-02-21 16:00:00 - 2016-02-21 16:00:00
Play UNDER LOYOLA-IL on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 0 Overs and 9 Unders for the this season (+9 units)


CBB > (833) DETROIT@ (834) VALPARAISO | 2016-02-21 14:30:00 - 2016-02-21 14:30:00
Play UNDER VALPARAISO on the totalin All games in February games
The record is 2 Overs and 16 Unders for the last three seasons (+13.8 units)


CBB > (849) UTAH@ (850) USC | 2016-02-21 18:00:00 - 2016-02-21 18:00:00
Play UNDER UTAH on the totalin Road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game
The record is 1 Overs and 12 Unders for the last three seasons (+10.9 units)


CBB > (833) DETROIT@ (834) VALPARAISO | 2016-02-21 14:30:00 - 2016-02-21 14:30:00
Play UNDER VALPARAISO on the totalin All games as a favorite vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 5 Overs and 18 Unders for the this season (+12.5 units)


CBB > (839) MICHIGAN@ (840) MARYLAND | 2016-02-21 13:00:00 - 2016-02-21 13:00:00
Play UNDER MARYLAND on the totalin All games against conference opponents
The record is 2 Overs and 12 Unders for the this season (+9.8 units)


CBB > (823) SETON HALL@ (824) ST JOHNS | 2016-02-21 12:00:00 - 2016-02-21 12:00:00
Play UNDER SETON HALL on the totalin Road games in February games
The record is 13 Overs and 40 Unders for the since 1992 (+25.7 units)


CBB > (845) OAKLAND@ (846) IL-CHICAGO | 2016-02-21 17:00:00 - 2016-02-21 17:00:00
Play OVER OAKLAND on the totalin All games in February games
The record is 18 Overs and 4 Unders for the last three seasons (+13.6 units)


CBB > (823) SETON HALL@ (824) ST JOHNS | 2016-02-21 12:00:00 - 2016-02-21 12:00:00
Play UNDER ST JOHNS on the totalin All games in a home game where the first half total is 65.5 to 68
The record is 0 Overs and 7 Unders for the this season (+7 units)


CBB > (839) MICHIGAN@ (840) MARYLAND | 2016-02-21 13:00:00 - 2016-02-21 13:00:00
Play OVER MICHIGAN on the totalin Road games against conference opponents
The record is 7 Overs and 0 Unders for the this season (+7 units)

 

[CNOTES]

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21


GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS




LAS at GW 12:00 PM


LAS +16.5




BU at BUCK 12:00 PM


BUCK -7.0




HALL at SJU 12:00 PM


HALL -10.5 BEST BET




MICH at MD 01:00 PM


MD -9.0 BEST BET




TLSA at UCF 02:00 PM

TLSA -8.5 BEST BET




NE at HOF 02:00 PM


NE +7.0




MONM at SPC 02:00 PM


SPC +6.5




MAN at QUIN 02:00 PM


QUIN +1.0 BEST BET




DET at VALP 02:30 PM


VALP -14.0




DEN at SDAK 03:00 PM


SDAK -4.5 BEST BET




WICH at INST 04:00 PM


WICH -11.5




L-IL at MOSU 04:00 PM

L-IL +2.5 BEST BET




GMU at MASS 04:00 PM


GMU +6.0




SDSU at SJSU 04:00 PM

SJSU +9.0 BEST BET




OAK at UIC 05:00 PM


OAK -15.0




UAB at MTU 06:00 PM

UAB +3.0 BEST BET




UTAH at USC 06:00 PM


UTAH +1.5




BC at WAKE 06:30 PM


WAKE -8.0

 

[CNOTES]

EVENING GAMES:


TEM at HOU 07:00 PM


TEM +4.0 BEST BET




ILL at WIS 07:30 PM


WIS -11.5




CAL at WSU 08:30 PM


CAL -10.0 BEST BET

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Longhorns (17-10) at Wildcats (15-12)
Date: February 22, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

It's been a little more than two weeks since Texas played an unranked team and even longer since it has gotten to face one on the road.


After a difficult stretch against the Big 12's leaders, the No. 24 Longhorns try to get back on course by taking advantage of Monday night's trip to Kansas State.


Texas (17-10, 8-6) went 1-3 in four consecutive games against ranked teams, earning the win against West Virginia on Tuesday. The Longhorns fell well short Saturday against No. 25 Baylor, trailing by as much as 27 points in the second half in a 78-64 defeat.


"They got the best of us," said guard Isaiah Taylor, who was held to 10 points after scoring 23 against the Mountaineers. "We didn't respond well at all. We've got to come out with more fight, more sense of urgency, more sense of focus as a team."


Texas still has a shot at one of the top two seeds in the Big 12 tournament as it trails the three second-place teams by one game. The Longhorns are tied with Iowa State and one game ahead of Texas Tech in a crowded field behind first-place Kansas.


They'll host the No. 2 Jayhawks and No. 3 Oklahoma to close this month, meaning a win over Kansas State (15-12, 4-10) is paramount.


Texas edged the Wildcats 60-57 on Jan. 5 for its third straight win in the series. A 61-57 victory last February ended a four-game losing streak in Manhattan.


The Longhorns are facing an unranked team on the road for the first time since a 58-57 loss to TCU on Jan. 9. They went 2-3 in five consecutive visits to top 15 opponents.


Texas is 12-5 against unranked teams and has won the last four matchups.


Kansas State is 1-3 since an 80-69 upset of then-No. 1 Oklahoma at home Feb. 6, shooting 38.1 percent in the last four. The Wildcats connected at 37.7 percent in a 72-63 loss to Kansas on Saturday, nearly rallying from a 17-point deficit in the second half.


"We are a fighting team. We are going to keep doing what we have to do, listening to (coach Bruce Weber), working hard in practice. We just have to finish the game out," forward Stephen Hurt said. "We need to cut out the other team's runs and just execute better."


Kansas State is 12-4 at home with all of those losses against ranked teams. The Wildcats are 1-9 overall against Top 25 opponents.


Kamau Stokes' right knee injury hasn't helped, as the starting guard has missed all six games this month.


"Obviously, and I am not making excuses, it would be nice to have Kamau," Weber said.


Taylor, averaging a team-best 15.3 points, had 23 at Kansas State last season and scored 14 of his team-high 17 points in the second half of last month's meeting.


The Longhorns have never won four in a row over the Wildcats.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Cavaliers (21-5) at Hurricanes (21-5)
Date: February 22, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Virginia showed why it has one of the nation's stingiest defenses by ending Miami's longest win streak of the season the last time these teams met.


The seventh-ranked Cavaliers now seek to snap the No. 11 Hurricanes' 11-game home win streak Monday night with sole possession of second place in the ACC on the line.


Virginia and Miami have identical records of 21-5 overall and 10-4 in the conference to tie No. 18 Louisville for second, with fifth-ranked North Carolina one game in front. This is the only ACC game Monday.


The Cavaliers allow an average of 59.5 points to lead all major colleges and that kind of defense was a key to their 66-58 home win Jan. 12 over the Hurricanes, who had an eight-game win streak snapped. Miami was held to its lowest point total and 27.3 percent 3-point shooting.


Malcolm Brogdon scored 20 to lead Virginia, which held Miami top scorer Sheldon McClellan to 13 points on 4-of-12 shooting.


The Cavaliers won for the first time in seven games at Miami in their trip here last season but it wasn't easy. Virginia blew an 18-point halftime lead before pulling out an 89-80 victory in double overtime after trailing in both extra sessions.


London Perrantes scored a career-high 26 points with eight assists in that contest. The junior guard is averaging 18.0 points on 61.9 percent shooting in helping Virginia go 3-0 against Miami in his career.


The Cavaliers have not played since last Monday's 73-53 home rout of North Carolina State came two days after a 63-62 defeat at Duke ended a seven-game win streak. Brogdon scored 22 and Perrantes had 19 versus the Wolfpack.


"We know it's getting closer to March and the postseason and we want to start playing our best ball," Perrantes said. "I feel like we're starting to get into that stride and we just want to keep playing with confidence and keep playing hard."


The Cavs are hoping to get Anthony Gill untracked. Gill, second in the ACC in field-goal percentage at 55.9, is averaging 9.5 points on 43.2 percent shooting in his last four games.


"Teams are playing really well defensively on him," Perrantes said. "We have played some teams that have been really physical against him. We have some other guys that have been stepping up for us."


Miami has to regroup after never really being in contention to take over first place in the ACC in Saturday's 96-71 loss to the Tar Heels. The Hurricanes trailed by as many as 38 points and allowed season highs in points and field-goal percentage (54.2).


"They dominated us, that hasn't happened all year long," coach Jim Larranaga said. "What are we, 21-5 now? That was our 26th game and that hadn't happened to us in our 25 other games. Normally we're able to compete and play pretty well."


No Hurricane scored more than 12 points. Making matters worse, Ja'Quan Newton - one of the ACC's top scoring reserves - left with an injury.


"It appears initially that it might be a bone bruise to his shin," Larranaga said.


Virginia is an NCAA-best 4-0 against Top 25 teams.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Cyclones (19-8) at Mountainers (20-7)
Date: February 22, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

After consecutive losses put a dent in West Virginia's Big 12 title hopes, coach Bob Huggins is focused on getting the Mountaineers healthy enough for a late-season push.


Poor shooting and rebounding led to their demise over the weekend, but that certainly wasn't the case earlier this month when they dealt No. 13 Iowa State only its sixth loss in 75 home games.


With Daxter Miles Jr. day to day and Jaysean Paige hurting, No. 10 West Virginia hopes to replicate that performance and sweep the regular-season series from the visiting Cyclones on Monday night.


The Mountaineers (20-7, 9-5) were in the thick of the conference chase after knocking off then-No. 13 Iowa State and No. 15 Baylor in back-to-back games. However, the dream of the program's first regular-season league title since winning the Atlantic 10 in 1988-89 has faded during a 1-3 stretch.


It won't help if Miles, the team's third-leading scorer at 10.1 points per game, is sidelined again after missing Tuesday's 85-78 loss at then-No. 24 Texas and Saturday's 76-62 home loss to No. 3 Oklahoma due to a strained hamstring.


Paige, averaging a team-high 13.4 points, also missed most of the Texas game because of an ankle injury before scoring 13 on 4-of-16 shooting against the Sooners.


West Virginia, looking to avoid its first three-game skid since Feb. 15-26, 2014, has fallen into a second-place tie with Oklahoma and Baylor - two games back of Kansas.


"You don't have your full compliment of guys so you can't do what you set out to do to start the year," Huggins told the team's official website. "This guy goes down, that guy goes down and all of a sudden you look at what was a strength has become a weakness, particularly the way we have to play."


Though they lead the conference with a plus-8.6 rebounding margin and are fifth with a 45.0 field-goal percentage, the Mountaineers shot 33.3 percent and were outrebounded 48-37 on Saturday.


They're hoping Paige is strong enough to match his effort in Ames on Feb. 2 when he finished with 23 points in an 81-76 win over the Cyclones. Devin Williams scored 17 with 18 rebounds as West Virginia shot 48.4 percent and owned a 43-26 advantage on the glass.


Iowa State (19-8, 8-6) moved past a 2-4 stretch with Saturday's 92-83 home win over TCU. Georges Niang scored 27 points, Abdel Nader added 24 and Deonte Burton had 23 with 14 rebounds.


Still, the Cyclones were outrebounded 43-31 by TCU, which sits last in the Big 12 in rebounding margin.


Niang ranks second in the league with 19.7 points per game for an Iowa State team that leads the conference with an average of 83 and a 50.4 field-goal percentage.


Burton has scored 16.8 in his past four, while Nader has totaled 50 while hitting 10 of 17 from beyond the arc in his last two.


"He turned into Steph Curry overnight," Niang joked about Nader.


Niang has averaged 17.8 points and gone 7 of 16 from 3-point range over his last four matchups with West Virginia. Nader has put up 18 per game on 55.9 percent shooting in three career meetings.


Iowa State, seeking its fifth straight 20-win season, hasn't been as prolific on the road. It's averaging 78.1 points while going 4-5 away from home compared to 86.2 in winning 12 of 14 at Hilton Coliseum.


West Virginia leads the conference in scoring defense (66.0) and turnover margin (plus-4.3).

 

[CNOTES]

CBB ATS


CBB > (519) CLEVELAND ST@ (520) WI-GREEN BAY | 2016-02-22 20:00:00 - 2016-02-22 20:00:00
Play AGAINST CLEVELAND ST against the spread in Road games off a loss against a conference rival
The record is 27 Wins and 58 Losses for the since 1992 (-36.8 units)


----------------


CBB MONEYLINE


CBB > (521) YOUNGSTOWN ST@ (522) WI-MILWAUKEE | 2016-02-22 20:00:00 - 2016-02-22 20:00:00
Play AGAINST YOUNGSTOWN ST using money line in All games after allowing 80 points or more
The record is 5 Wins and 20 Losses for the last three seasons (-20.6 units)


CBB > (515) VIRGINIA@ (516) MIAMI | 2016-02-22 19:00:00 - 2016-02-22 19:00:00
Play AGAINST MIAMI using money line in All games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game
The record is 9 Wins and 10 Losses for the last two seasons (-20.75 units)


CBB > (517) TEXAS@ (518) KANSAS ST | 2016-02-22 19:00:00 - 2016-02-22 19:00:00
Play ON KANSAS ST using money line in Home games off a loss against a conference rival
The record is 11 Wins and 2 Losses for the last three seasons (+10.45 units)


CBB > (527) COPPIN ST@ (528) NORFOLK ST | 2016-02-22 03:01:00 - 2016-02-22 03:01:00
Play AGAINST COPPIN ST using money line in Road games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 2 Wins and 10 Losses for the since 1992 (-12.3 units)


CBB > (523) IOWA ST@ (524) W VIRGINIA | 2016-02-22 21:00:00 - 2016-02-22 21:00:00
Play ON IOWA ST using money line in All games after allowing 80 points or more
The record is 17 Wins and 5 Losses for the last three seasons (+12.75 units)


CBB > (519) CLEVELAND ST@ (520) WI-GREEN BAY | 2016-02-22 20:00:00 - 2016-02-22 20:00:00
Play ON CLEVELAND ST using money line in All games after scoring 60 points or less
The record is 14 Wins and 4 Losses for the last three seasons (+11.1 units)


CBB > (523) IOWA ST@ (524) W VIRGINIA | 2016-02-22 21:00:00 - 2016-02-22 21:00:00
Play AGAINST IOWA ST using money line in Road games against conference opponents
The record is 48 Wins and 108 Losses for the since 1992 (-62.15 units)


CBB > (519) CLEVELAND ST@ (520) WI-GREEN BAY | 2016-02-22 20:00:00 - 2016-02-22 20:00:00
Play AGAINST CLEVELAND ST using money line in All games when playing with one or less days rest
The record is 4 Wins and 9 Losses for the last two seasons (-12.35 units)


------------------


CBB FIRST HALF


CBB > (517) TEXAS@ (518) KANSAS ST | 2016-02-22 19:00:00 - 2016-02-22 19:00:00
Play ON TEXAS ?>in the first halfin All games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games
The record is 10 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+8.9 units) [/B]


-----------------


CBB TOTALS


CBB > (521) YOUNGSTOWN ST@ (522) WI-MILWAUKEE | 2016-02-22 20:00:00 - 2016-02-22 20:00:00
Play OVER YOUNGSTOWN ST on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 11 Overs and 1 Unders for the this season (+9.9 units)


CBB > (521) YOUNGSTOWN ST@ (522) WI-MILWAUKEE | 2016-02-22 20:00:00 - 2016-02-22 20:00:00
Play OVER YOUNGSTOWN ST on the totalin All games as a road underdog of 12.5 or more points
The record is 8 Overs and 0 Unders for the this season (+8 units)


CBB > (521) YOUNGSTOWN ST@ (522) WI-MILWAUKEE | 2016-02-22 20:00:00 - 2016-02-22 20:00:00
Play OVER YOUNGSTOWN ST on the totalin All games after a conference game
The record is 12 Overs and 2 Unders for the this season (+9.8 units)


CBB > (523) IOWA ST@ (524) W VIRGINIA | 2016-02-22 21:00:00 - 2016-02-22 21:00:00
Play UNDER W VIRGINIA on the totalin Home games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 0 Overs and 7 Unders for the this season (+7 units)

CBB > (523) IOWA ST@ (524) W VIRGINIA | 2016-02-22 21:00:00 - 2016-02-22 21:00:00
Play UNDER W VIRGINIA on the totalin Home games against conference opponents
The record is 0 Overs and 7 Unders for the this season (+7 units)


CBB > (519) CLEVELAND ST@ (520) WI-GREEN BAY | 2016-02-22 20:00:00 - 2016-02-22 20:00:00
Play OVER WI-GREEN BAY on the totalin All games as a favorite vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 22 Overs and 7 Unders for the last two seasons (+14.3 units)

CBB > (515) VIRGINIA@ (516) MIAMI | 2016-02-22 19:00:00 - 2016-02-22 19:00:00
Play UNDER VIRGINIA on the totalin All games off a win against a conference rival
The record is 6 Overs and 20 Unders for the last two seasons (+13.4 units)


CBB > (517) TEXAS@ (518) KANSAS ST | 2016-02-22 19:00:00 - 2016-02-22 19:00:00
Play UNDER TEXAS on the totalin Road games against conference opponents
The record is 6 Overs and 21 Unders for the last three seasons (+14.4 units)


CBB > (515) VIRGINIA@ (516) MIAMI | 2016-02-22 19:00:00 - 2016-02-22 19:00:00
Play UNDER MIAMI on the totalin Home games against conference opponents
The record is 3 Overs and 13 Unders for the last two seasons (+9.7 units)

CBB > (523) IOWA ST@ (524) W VIRGINIA | 2016-02-22 21:00:00 - 2016-02-22 21:00:00
Play UNDER W VIRGINIA on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game
The record is 2 Overs and 11 Unders for the last two seasons (+8.8 units)

 

[CNOTES]

Top 25 Betting Recap
February 21, 2016




The Week of Feb. 15-21 of the 2015-16 NCAA Basketball betting season is in the books, and today, we're going to be taking a look at each of the Top 25 teams in the rankings and see how they did from an ATS perspective in this go around this past week.


(Results in parentheses represent SU Result/ATS Result)


1) Villanova (2-0 SU/1-1 ATS)
For the second straight week the Wildcats went 2-0 SU/1-1 ATS, failing to cover for most in Saturday's 77-67 showdown against Butler. While 'Nova continues to win, they are still just 4-7 ATS over their past 11 games. The 'over' has hit in three of their past four, and they have scored 72 or more points in six straight and eight of the past nine.


2) Kansas (2-0 SU/2-0 ATS)
The Jayhawks blew a big lead at K-State Saturday, but the recovered late and were able to hang on for the cover, 72-63. Since an 85-72 setback at Iowa state Jan. 25 the Jayhawks have rock chalked their way to a 7-0 SU/ATS mark. The 'under' is also 5-1 in their past six outings heading into their road game Tuesday at Baylor.


3) Oklahoma (1-1 SU/1-1 ATS)
The Sooners flexed a little muscle in Morgantown, bouncing back from a two-point setback Wednesday at Texas Tech. Oklahoma ran away from West Virginia, 76-62, to get on track in a tough place to play. It will be another challenging week for OU, as they host rival Oklahoma State before traveling to Texas next Saturday. The Sooners are just 1-4 ATS over the past five, and the 'under' is 4-0 in the past four outings.


4) Iowa (0-1 SU/0-1 ATS)
The Hawkeyes were listless in their 79-75 loss at Penn State Wednesday, never threatening to cover as nine-point favorites. The Hawkeyes have dropped two of their past three, and they're 0-3 ATS during the span with Wisconsin looming Wednesday before a trip to Ohio State next Sunday.


5) North Carolina (1-1 SU/1-1 ATS)
The Tar Heels slipped up in the first installment of the Battle of the Blues this week, losing 74-73 to hated Duke on their home floor. They'll get another crack at Cameron March 5. The Heels took out their aggressions on a good Miami team Saturday, blasting the visiting Hurricanes 96-71. The 'over' snapped a five-game 'under' run for UNC. The under is also 8-2 over their past 10.


6) Maryland (1-1 SU/0-2 ATS)
Maryland picked up a hard-fought and high-scoring 86-82 win over Michigan Sunday, but the Terps continue to fail to cover numbers. They're now 0-3 ATS over their past three, and 3-6 ATS over the past nine outings heading into their game at Purdue next Saturday.


7) Virginia (1-0 SU/1-0 ATS)
The Cavaliers had just one test in the past week, and they passed with flying colors in a 20-point rout of visiting North Carolina state. The Hoos have covered in four straight games, and the 'under' has now connected in six straight games.


8) Xavier (1-1 SU/2-0 ATS)
The Musketeers avenged a setback on their home floor against Georgetown Jan. 19 with an 88-70 beating of the Hoyas on their home court in D.C. After a 14-point drubbing at the hands of Creighton, Xavier has rebounded to go 3-0 SU/ATS heading into their showdown with top-ranked Villanova Wednesday in the 'Nati.


9) Michigan State (1-0 SU/1-0 ATS)
Sparty is on quite the roll lately, winning for the sixth time in seven games Thursday against Wisconsin. They're 7-0 ATS in their past seven games since their hiccups in mid-January, while the 'over' has connected in four of the past five heading into their road outing at Ohio State Tuesday night.


10) West Virginia (0-2 SU/0-2 ATS)
It was a rough week for the Mountaineers, as they fell at Texas Tuesday and were manhandled by Oklahoma at home Saturday. They'll look to pick themselves up off the mat Monday, but it won't be easy against a good Iowa State team. The Mountaineers did top the Cyclones 81-76 in Ames on Groundhog Day, however.


11) Miami-Florida (1-1 SU/1-1 ATS)
The No. 11 spot continues to be a kiss of death. The Hurricanes were on the spot this week, and they fell, and fell hard, in their trip to the Dean Dome Saturday. It isn't so much that they loss to the Tar Heels, but a 96-71 loss is not going to impress very many. The 'over' put the brakes on a four-game under run.


12) Arizona (1-0 SU/1-0 ATS)
The Wilcats embarrassed their neighbors to the north with a 99-61 win over rival Arizona State in their only game this week. They're likely to slid back into the Top 10 as a result. The Wildcats have 81 or more points in three straight games, and as a result the 'over' has cashed in each outing.


13) Iowa State (1-1 SU/0-2 ATS)
I-State slipped up at Baylor in a nine-point setback in overtime. They rebounded against Texas Christian, but failed to cover for a second straight game. The Cyclones are just 3-4 SU and 2-5 ATS over the past seven outings. One point of consistency has been the 'over', which has cashed in four in a row for the 'Clones.


14) Kentucky (1-1 SU/1-1 ATS)
Just when you think Kentucky has it figured out on the road, they toss a little doubt into your mind again. A 79-77 overtime loss at Texas A&M is far from an embarrassment, but the Wildcats are now 3-7 SU/ATS in their past 10 forays from Lexington.


15) Dayton (0-2 SU/0-2 ATS)
The Flyers were rolling right along until a 79-70 setback at St. Joe's Wednesday. They followed it up with an egg-laying at home against St. Bonaventure, and now suddenly there is doubt about Dayton and how far they can go. The 'over' has cashed in five straight outings for the Flyers heading into their trip to St. Louis Tuesday.


16) Oregon (1-0 SU/0-1 ATS)
The Ducks put an end to their two-game losing streak Saturday against rival Oregon State, but they dealt bettors a bad beat in the process. The Beavers rallied late to sneak in the backdoor for a cover, as Oregon is now 0-3 ATS after a 6-0 ATS run from Jan. 21-Feb. 7. Next up is a visit from a Washington State team which cannot seem to get out of their own way.


17) Purdue (1-1 SU/1-1 ATS)
The Boilermakers were tripped up at Indiana Saturday for their third setback in five tries. They hung on for a cover for some, and a push for many others, as they can't seem to cover a spread. They're now just 2-7 ATS over the past nine outings. They have a week to make adjustments before facing Maryland, a team, they lost to back on Feb. 6 by a 72-61 score.


18) Louisville (2-0 SU/1-0-1 ATS)
Louisville's team really showed some guts this week. After having the school self impose a postseason ban for this season, the Cardinals lost at Duke and at Notre Dame Feb. 8-13. However, they were able to rebound with wins at home against Syracuse and Duke. The 'under' is where it is at for Louisville, going 6-1 in their past seven outings.


19) Notre Dame (0-1 SU/0-1 ATS)
Notre Dame has a week to get ready for their trip to Georgia Tech, and perhaps they needed a few more days. They were dumped by a buzzer beater in Atlanta, falling 63-62 to continue their woes away from home. The Irish are 1-3 SU/ATS over their past four road outings.


20) Duke (1-1 SU/1-0-1 ATS)
The Blue Devils celebrated their return to the Top 25 with a 74-73 win in Chapel Hill against Norht Carolina. Unfortunately the Devils were unable to carry over their momentum in Saturday's 71-64 loss in Louisville. The push Saturday means Duke has failed to cover in back-to-back games since going 4-0-1 ATS in five games from Dec. 28-Jan. 9.


21) Southern Methodist (1-1 SU/0-2 ATS)
SMU has been a winning team all season long, but they have had tremendous difficulty covering spread. They posted another 0-2 ATS week, and the Mustangs are now 3-6 ATS over the past nine games, and 9-13 ATS overall this season. At no point this season has SMU covered more than two games in a row, and they're not about to break that anytime soon.


22) Indiana (2-0 SU/1-1 ATS)
Indiana fought off a charge from rival Purdue Saturday, but they just missed on the cover in the 77-73 win. For the first time in four weeks the Hoosiers had an unbeaten week. IU is still just 3-5 ATS over their past eight outings, and 1-4 ATS in their past five road outings. Remember that as they head to Illinois Thursday.


23) Providence (0-1 SU/0-1 ATS)
The Friars were belted 85-74 at Xavier, slipping to 1-4 SU and 0-5 ATS over their past five outings. It isn't likely to get much easier, either, as they have a trip to Seton Hall Thursday, a team which has been red hot against the number lately.

24) Texas (1-1 SU/1-1 ATS)
There were mixed reviews for the Longhorns this week, as they beat a very good West Virginia team at home, and slipped up against a very similar Baylor team Saturday. The Longhorns are now just 1-3 SU/2-2 ATS over their past four outings and they face a dangerous game at Kansas State Monday night.


25) Baylor (2-0 SU/2-0 ATS)
The Bears were hanging in the Top 25, just barely, but they topped Iowa State at home and dumped Texas on the road to firmly entrench themselves heading into the new week with Kansas paying a visit Tuesday. After an 0-5-1 ATS slide from Jan. 20-Feb. 6, the Bears have covered in three of the past four. The 'over' is 5-0 in their past five games, 8-2 in their past 10 and 13-5 over their past 18.

 

[CNOTES]

Monday's Top Action
February 22, 2016




IOWA STATE CYCLONES (19-8, 8-6 Big 12) at WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS (20-7, 9-5 Big 12)


WVU Coliseum - Morgantown, WV
Tip-off: Monday, 9:00 pm ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: West Virginia -6.5, Total: 157


Slumping West Virginia tries to get back in the win column Monday night when it hosts an up-and-down Iowa State team.


The Cyclones (12-11 ATS overall) have shot at least 52% FG in four straight games, but are only 2-2 SU (1-3 ATS) in these contests. Both defeats came on the road (at Texas Tech and at Baylor), but they did bounce back after losing in Waco with a 92-83 win over TCU on Saturday.


The Mountaineers (14-10 ATS overall) are 1-3 (SU and ATS) in their past four contests including back-to-back losses at Texas and versus Oklahoma last week. The setback versus the Sooners was just their second home loss all season (11-2 SU, 7-3 ATS).


These schools are meeting for only the eighth time as conference rivals, with Iowa State holding a 5-2 SU advantage (4-3 ATS), including 2-1 (SU and ATS) on the road. But one of those series defeats came earlier this month on Feb. 2 when 5-point underdog West Virginia left Ames with an 81-76 upset victory.


There are plenty of betting trends that favor each side on Monday, as the Cyclones are 84-53 ATS versus very good teams (8+ PPG margin) since 1997, and are 46-25 ATS when revenging a same-season loss in this same timeframe. However, West Virginia's pressure defense thrives against up-tempo offenses, going 13-2 ATS versus teams averaging 62+ FGA per game after 15+ games under head coach Bob Huggins. The team is also 16-6 ATS at home versus excellent ball-handling teams (12 or less TOPG) after 15+ games since 1997.


Each team has one injury concern, and the Cyclones should have F Jameel McKay (undisclosed) back on the floor, while Mountaineers G Daxter Miles Jr. is questionable with an injured hamstring.


Iowa State knows how to put up points with 83.0 PPG (14th in D-I) on an outstanding 50.4% FG (2nd in nation) and strong 38% threes (42nd in D-I). This is an average foul-shooting team at 69.8% FT (172nd in nation) that rarely gets to the line with a mere 430 free-throw attempts (336th in nation). However, the Cyclones hold an impressive 1.49 Ast/TO ratio (17th in D-I) because they usually makes the extra pass (16.7 APG, 24th in nation) and rarely turn the ball over (11.2 TOPG, 42nd in D-I).


Iowa State does not have a very tough defense, allowing 75.1 PPG (257th in nation) on 43.6% FG (188th in D-I) and 34.9% threes (210th in nation), but it plays clean with the second-fewest amount of personal fouls in D-I (15.3 per game). Although the team is efficient on the defensive glass (27.1 Def. RPG, 67th in nation), it grabs only 9.2 offensive RPG (291st in D-I).


The two stars of this team are senior F Georges Niang (17.2 PPG, 2nd in Big 12) and junior PG Monte Morris (14.8 PPG, 1.9 SPG), who ranks among the nation's top-five players in minutes (37:55 per game), assists (7.3 APG) and Ast/TO ratio (4.8). Niang shoots high percentages from all areas the court at 54% FG, 39% threes and 82% FT, but is much more than just a scorer with 6.3 RPG and 3.1 APG. Niang has poured in 24+ points in three straight contests and dropped 20 points -- along with eight turnovers -- in the Feb. 2 loss to West Virginia.


Morris has 11 assists in each of his past two games and posted a remarkable 10 assists and zero turnovers against the Mountaineers, who are the second-best team in the nation in forcing turnovers.


Senior F Abdel Nader (13.3 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.1 SPG) had an offensive explosion last week with 26 points at Baylor followed by 24 versus TCU. He made 17-of-27 FG and 10-of-17 threes, which increased his season percentages to 49% FG and 36% threes.


Senior F/C Jameel McKay (11.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG) has played only 42 minutes over the past five contests, and he hopes to be able to contribute more than he did in the loss to WVU on Groundhog's Day when he had seven points, four rebounds and four turnovers in 30 minutes.


Junior G Matt Thomas (10.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG) is the school's best long-range shooter, as he is making 43% of his threes, while junior G Deonte Burton (10.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG) also knocks down 43% threes and gets his double-digit scoring average in only 19.8 MPG.


West Virginia has been able to put up major points this season with 79.3 PPG (40th in D-I), but it shoots only 45.0% FG (122nd in nation) and 31.5% threes (300th in D-I), and it doesn't cash in from the foul line either (66.1% FT, 289th in nation).


However, the Mountaineers are always attacking the glass with a +8.6 RPG margin (10th in nation) and 16.2 offensive RPG (2nd in D-I), and generate a big chunk of their offense from a heavy pressing defense nicknamed "Press Virginia," that ranks second in the nation in both steals (10.0 SPG) and forced turnovers (18.3 TOPG). This pressure helps the team allow only 66.0 PPG (44th in D-I) on 42.0% FG (106th in nation), and limit opponents to a mere 31.0% threes (31st in D-I).


The offense is very balanced with six players averaging at least nine points per game, but nobody scoring even 14 per contest. F Devin Williams (13.3 PPG, 8.9 RPG) is the go-to scorer shooting 48% FG, and has tallied at least 10 points in seven straight games. This includes a monster 17-point, 18-rebound effort in the Feb. 2 win at Iowa State, which was one of his conference-high 12 double-doubles this season.


Senior G Jaysean Paige (13.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.4 SPG) leads the team in scoring and shoots strong rates of 46% FG and 35% threes this season. But Paige has been ice-cold over his past four games where he has made only 12-of-44 shots (27%) and 3-of-14 threes. But he had no trouble making baskets against the Cyclones three weeks ago when he dropped 23 points on 10-of-17 FG with six rebounds in 23 minutes off the bench.


Lightning-quick guards Daxter Miles Jr. (10.1 PPG, 1.5 SPG) and Jevon Carter (9.6 PPG, 3.2 APG, 3.0 RPG, 1.7 SPG) are both outstanding at taking the ball away, but both Carter (29% threes) and Miles (28% threes) struggle with long-range shooting. Miles had a great effort in Ames with 11 points, five rebounds and two steals in 19 minutes, but Carter was held scoreless in 23 minutes and committed four turnovers which took away from his six assists and two steals.


F Jonathan Holton (9.8 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.1 SPG) provides more muscle down low, with at least eight boards on 13 separate occasions this year. He scored nine points and grabbed 11 rebounds in Saturday's loss to Oklahoma, but did not play in the win over Iowa State earlier this month. WVU's final big scorer is junior G Tarik Phillip (9.0 PPG, 2.9 APG, 1.6 SPG), who has been outstanding over the past two games with a hefty 18.0 PPG on 11-of-21 FG and 6-of-11 threes.

 

[CNOTES]

Big Monday Tip Sheet
February 21, 2016


This Monday night’s college hoops action on ESPN really is big with a pair of crucial showdowns in both the ACC and the Big 12.


First up in a 7:00 p.m. ET tip at the BankUnited Center, the Virginia Cavaliers go on the road to face the Miami Hurricanes with both teams 10-4 in conference play and looking to stay on North Carolina’s heels for the lead in the ACC.


At 9:00 p.m. ET from the WVU Coliseum, the Iowa State Cyclones will look to make up some ground in the Big 12 standings when they square-off against the West Virginia Mountaineers.

No. 7 Virginia Cavaliers at No. 11 Miami Hurricanes (ESPN, 7:00 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Pick 'em, 128

Betting Matchup

The 21-5 Cavaliers are currently a half-game behind North Carolina with last Monday’s 73-53 victory against NC State as 11 ½-point home favorites. They have now covered against the spread in five of their last six games. The total stayed UNDER 129 ½ points in that win and it has now stayed UNDER in their last six games.

Senior guard Malcolm Brogdon and junior guard London Perrantes combined for 41 points against the Wolfpack and the team as a whole shot a blazing 53.7 percent from the field. Brogdon continues to lead Virginia in scoring with 17.8 points per game while hitting 46.5 percent of his shots. The Cavaliers are scoring 71.1 PPG and they are ranked second in the nation in points allowed (59.5).

The Hurricanes blew a chance to take the lead in the ACC by getting their doors blown off by North Carolina this past Saturday in a 96-71 loss as 7 ½-point road underdogs. The loss snapped a straight-up five-game winning streak and Miami is now 4-2 ATS during this same stretch. The total went OVER 147 against the Tar Heels after staying UNDER in the previous four games.

Miami had no answer for stopping North Carolina this past Saturday and a nine-point deficit at the half turned into an ugly 25-point loss. The Hurricanes shot just 42.4 percent from the field as opposed to a season average of 47.4 percent. Senior guard Sheldon McClellan (15.8 PPG) was held to 10 points and he has now scored 11 or fewer points in three of his last four games. It was the first time the Hurricanes allowed more than 70 points in their last six outings.

Betting Trends

-- The Cavaliers are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 Monday games and they have covered in four of their last five games following a SU win. The total has stayed UNDER in five of their last six road games.

-- The Hurricanes are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games at home, but they fall to 1-4 ATS in their last five games following a SU loss. The total has stayed UNDER in seven of their last eight home games.

-- Head-to-head in this ACC tilt, the favorite is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings and the total has gone OVER in four of the last five games played at Miami. Virginia struck first blood in this season’s series with a 66-58 victory on Jan. 12 as a 4 ½-point home favorite. The total stayed UNDER the closing 131 ½-point line.

Iowa State Cyclones at West Virginia Mountaineers (ESPN, 9:00 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: West Virginia -4 ½, 158

Betting Matchup

Iowa State is 8-6 SU in conference play this season and a game behind the 9-4 Mountaineers in the standings following a 92-83 victory against TCU this past Saturday. It failed to cover as a heavy 17 ½-point home favorite to fall to a costly 2-5 ATS in its last seven games and the total has now gone OVER in the last four contests. Overall, the Cyclones are 19-8 SU with a 12-11-1 record ATS.

Senior forward Georges Niang has been a force all season long with a team-high 19.7 PPG to go along with 6.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He lit-up TCU for 27 points and he has now scored at least 24 points in his last three games. All told, the Cyclones are one of the deepest scoring teams in the country with six players averaging at least 10 PPG. Iowa State is averaging 83 points a game and shooting an effective 50.4 percent from the floor.

The Mountaineers will look to pick up the pieces following Saturday’s 76-62 spanking at the hands of Oklahoma as four-point home favorites. This followed an 85-78 road loss to Texas as two-point underdogs and they are now just 1-3 (SU and ATS) in their last four games. The total stayed UNDER 153 ½ points in the loss to the Sooners and it has stayed UNDER in three of their last four outings

West Virginia has averaged 79.3 points this season and at the other end of the court it is holding teams to 66 PPG. Over the course of its last four games, its scoring average has dropped to 69.5 points and it has given-up 75 points or more in all three losses. Senior guard Jaysean Paige and junior forward Devin Williams are each averaging 13 PPG as the team’s top two scorers and they combined for 23 points in Saturday’s loss. One injury note for Monday has Daxter Miles Jr. (10.1 PPG) listed as questionable after sitting out the last two games with a bad hamstring.

Betting Trends

-- The Cyclones are 1-4 ATS in their last five games against a team with a SU winning record, but they have covered in four of their last five Monday games. The total has stayed UNDER in their last five games played on Monday.

-- The Mountaineers are 13-4 ATS in their last 17 home games and they are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a SU loss. The total has stayed UNDER in eight of their last nine games at home.

-- Iowa State’s three-game winning streak both SU and ATS in this series came to an end on Feb. 2 with West Virginia’s 81-76 victory as a five-point road underdog. The total ended as a PUSH in that game after staying UNDER in the previous three meetings.

 

[CNOTES]

Villanova starts 3rd week at No. 1
February 22, 2016


Villanova remains No. 1 in The Associated Press college basketball poll, holding its comfortable lead over Kansas.


The Wildcats (24-3) received 45 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel on Monday for its third week on top of the poll. Kansas (23-4) was No. 1 on 20 ballots to hold second.


Villanova will have its toughest test yet as the top-ranked team when the Wildcats travel to No. 5 Xavier on Wednesday.


Oklahoma and Virginia are tied for third and are followed in the top 10 by Xavier, Michigan State, North Carolina, Iowa, Arizona and Maryland.


No. 21 Texas A&M and No. 22 Utah return to the rankings this week, replacing Dayton, which dropped out from 15th, and Providence, which was 23rd.


-------------------


A&M and Utah return to the rankings
February 22, 2016


Texas A&M and Utah both return to the Top 25 this week, replacing Dayton and Providence.


The Aggies (20-7) return at No. 21 after wins over Mississippi and Kentucky last week. They had lost five of six before those games, knocking them out of the poll for the first time since the third week of the season. Texas A&M, which was ranked as high as fifth this season, was out of the poll for just one week.


Utah (21-7) was out of the poll for the last seven weeks. The Utes come back in at No. 22 having won four straight games. They were ranked 16th in the preseason poll.


---


SEE YA


Dayton (21-5) fell out of the poll from 15th after losses to Saint Joseph's and St. Bonaventure last week. The Flyers were ranked for the last three weeks and four total weeks this season.


Providence (19-8) had been ranked for the last 12 weeks and reached as high as No. 8 this season. Since then, the Friars have lost four of five, including last week's loss to Xavier.


---


BEATING RANKEDS


Oklahoma's victory over West Virginia last weekend was the Sooners' sixth win over a ranked team this season, the most ranked wins for any team in the country.


Four teams have five wins over ranked teams: Iowa, Kansas, Texas and Xavier.


So far this season, 86 teams have registered a total of 180 wins over ranked opponents with 17 coming last week. For numerologists out there, four places have lost just four times: Nos. 2, 6, 12 and 19.


The worst of the numbers is 20th which has lost 13 times. It is the only rank to have lost more than 10 times.


---


NOVA NO. 1


This is Villanova's third week as the No. 1 team in the AP poll. That ties the Wildcats with four others at that number. Three of the four have all been No. 1 since 2009: Gonzaga, Pittsburgh and Wake Forest. The fourth team with three weeks at No. 1 is Marquette, which was last on top of the poll in 1978.


---


CONFERENCE CALL


The Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference remained tied at the top with six teams each. The Big Ten held third with five ranked teams. Then came the changes. The Pac-12 now has three teams with Utah moving in. The Big East dropped to two teams - both are in the top five - and the Southeastern Conference gained a second team with Texas A&M. The American Athletic Conference has the other team with SMU.


---


DOUBLE-RANKED GAMES


There are nine games between ranked teams this week starting with Monday night's matchups: No. 17 Iowa State at No. 14 West Virginia and No. 3 Virginia at No.12 Miami.


On Tuesday, No. 2 Kansas is at No. 19 Baylor. On Wednesday, it's No. 1 Villanova at No. 5 Xavier.


The other games are Saturday: No. 11 Louisville at Miami, No. 7 North Carolina at Virginia, No. 10 Maryland at No. 20 Purdue, No. 3 Oklahoma at No. 25 Texas and No. 9 Arizona at No. 22 Utah.

 

[CNOTES]

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22


GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS




UVA at MIA 07:00 PM


UVA +1.5 BEST BET




IONA at SIE 07:00 PM


SIE -1.0 BEST BET




TEX at KSU 07:00 PM


TEX +1.5 BEST BET




YSU at MILW 08:00 PM


YSU +16.5




CLEV at GB 08:00 PM


GB -12.5




COPP at NORF 09:00 PM


COPP +13.5




ISU at WVU 09:00 PM


WVU -6.0 BEST BET

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Crimson Tide (16-10) at Wildcats (20-7)
Date: February 23, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Kentucky has proven it can withstand injuries to key players. It's the young Wildcats' psyche that continues to be in question.


The 16th-ranked Wildcats will likely be short-handed again as they attempt to bounce back from a gut-wrenching loss Tuesday night against visiting Alabama.


Kentucky appeared on its way to a fifth consecutive win without forward Alex Poythress when Isaac Humphries rebounded a Texas A&M miss with the Wildcats ahead by one with nine seconds left in overtime on Saturday. However, the freshman center received a controversial technical foul for slamming the ball to the floor after being fouled, giving the Aggies possession with the game then tied.


The call proved costly, as Tyler Davis scored on a putback at the buzzer to give Texas A&M a 79-77 win and prevent Kentucky (20-7, 10-4 SEC) from moving closer to a conference title.


"He was saying sorry but he really has nothing to be sorry about," guard Tyler Ulis said of Humphries, who recorded a season-high 12 rebounds. "He was a big help in this game and did his job."


The loss was the Wildcats' second in overtime, having previously fallen 90-84 at current No. 2 Kansas on Jan. 30. They blew a 21-point lead in their subsequent game, an 84-77 defeat at Tennessee.


Having won 35 straight at Rupp Arena and owning a 77-61 victory at Alabama (16-10, 7-7) on Jan. 9, confidence is likely less of an issue for Kentucky. Health is the more pressing concern with Poythress (knee), the team's top rebounder, uncertain to play Tuesday and sharpshooter Derek Willis doubtful after spraining his right ankle against Texas A&M.


Willis was coming off a career-high 25 points Thursday against Tennessee in which the stretch forward went 7 of 11 from 3-point range. The junior has emerged as a valuable cog to an offense that's averaged 10.2 3-pointers and gone 46.2 percent from beyond the arc in averaging 80.8 points over the last six.


Texas A&M capitalized on Poythress' absence by collecting 20 offensive rebounds and recording 22 second-chance points. The senior also was a factor last month against the Crimson Tide, scoring a career-high 25 on 8-of-10 shooting.


Controlling the boards should be less of an issue against Alabama, tied for 11th in the SEC in rebounding margin and outrebounded 43-25 by the Wildcats in January.


The Crimson Tide got back into the NCAA Tournament conversation by beginning February with five consecutive conference wins, including crucial road ones over Florida and LSU, before having their momentum stalled by Saturday's 67-61 home loss to Mississippi State. The Bulldogs shot 49.1 percent after Alabama held the Gators and Tigers to a combined 33.3 percent.


"We weren't as sharp as we have been on both ends of the floor," coach Avery Johnson said. "We weren't as consistent as we've been in certain situations. We didn't have the type of energy that we normally have in games recently."


Alabama, which has lost five straight in Lexington since a 68-64 win in January 2006, is also seeking better balance to an offense that's been heavily reliant on Retin Obasohan, who's averaging 22.1 points over a 10-game stretch and has 57 over his last two.


"I have to do a better job of making sure some of our guys that score for us get more shots and distribute the shot attempts across the board," Johnson said.


The Tide did receive a season-high 22 from Shannon Hale on Saturday. The senior forward was 4 of 8 from 3 after shooting 21.7 percent from deep over his previous eight.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Jayhawks (23-4) at Bears (20-7)
Date: February 23, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Kansas has won at least a share of 11 consecutive regular-season Big 12 championships, and its next game is the biggest of its final four on its way to No. 12.


The second-ranked Jayhawks carry a two-game lead in the loss column into Tuesday night's trip to Baylor, and if their first meeting with the 19th-ranked Bears is any indication, an eighth straight win should be on the way.


After heading to Waco, Kansas (23-4, 11-3) plays two of its last three at home with a stop at No. 25 Texas separating games against Texas Tech and No. 17 Iowa State.


The Jayhawks have won 40 straight at home, so defeating Baylor (20-7, 9-5) and maintaining a two-game lead over the rest of the league entering the final three would seem almost insurmountable.


"We are in decent position, but we are not satisfied with where we are at," guard Frank Mason III said. "We are not satisfied with the team we are right now. We still need to get better. There are still a lot of things we could do better, definitely can get better on the defensive end. We are looking forward to a good team on Tuesday with Baylor. We will go practice ... and then hopefully go over there and get the win."


That's modest considering the Jayhawks have quite simply been the best team in the conference lately. Saturday's 72-63 win at Kansas State was their seventh straight overall and sixth in a row in the league. The Big 12 streak has come with wins by an average of 14.5 points with Kansas shooting 51.0 percent.


Mason scored 16 points and has averaged 14.5 while shooting 50.0 percent in his last four after a three-game stretch in which the junior shot 25.9.


Perry Ellis managed 14 despite leaving the game twice. The team's top scorer missed a long stretch in the second half with a gouge behind his right ear that required 12 stitches. After returning, he was scratched in the eye by teammate Wayne Selden Jr., sending the forward to the bench again. The senior is expected to face Baylor, though Kansas didn't require much of his time in the last meeting.


That was a 102-74 home win Jan. 2 with Ellis scoring 17 points in 24 minutes, while Selden had 24. The guard has averaged 19.7 points on 61.3 percent shooting and 6 of 12 from 3-point range in his last three against the Bears and has been a part of each of the Jayhawks' six straight wins in the series.


Baylor needs to beat Kansas for any real shot at the title, and it enters with consecutive wins to build on. Saturday's 78-64 victory at then-No. 24 Texas followed last Tuesday's 100-91 home overtime win against then-No. 13 Iowa State.


"We're in that chance to win the Big 12," said coach Scott Drew, whose team closes against TCU, No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 14 West Virginia. "This is that grind time for everybody."


The Bears have shot 57.8 percent in the wins, and though they only attempted five 3-pointers against the Longhorns, they've hit 46.2 percent from long range in their last four.


The latest wins are particularly impressive considering Rico Gathers missed the Iowa State game with the flu and played 15 minutes against Texas. Big 12 Player of the Week Johnathan Motley has started the last two games and averaged 25.5 points on 73.3 percent shooting, making 12 of 13 against the Longhorns.


"The season's a long season and you have injuries and illnesses. It takes a team to win," Drew said. "To win in the Big 12, you have to have guys stepping up."

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Spartans (22-5) at Buckeyes (18-10)
Date: February 23, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

(AP) - Defense and rebounding have been the trademarks of Tom Izzo's program for two decades and that has worked out well for Michigan State.


The Spartans have won a national championship and reached the Final Four seven times, including last year, since Izzo succeeded his mentor, Jud Heathcote.


No. 6 Michigan State, though, is scoring more it ever has under Izzo: The Spartans are averaging an Izzo-high 79.4 points going into Tuesday night's game at Ohio State.


Michigan State (22-5, 9-5 Big Ten) is one-half game behind the fourth-place Buckeyes (18-10, 10-5) in conference play. The teams are trying to finish among the top four in the Big Ten to earn a spot in the conference tournament quarterfinals and to potentially avoid playing four games in as many days less than a week before the NCAA Tournament.


A week after ending Wisconsin's seven-game winning streak, the Spartans are hoping to stop Ohio State's four-game run.


'We're playing to get in the top four, maybe even to win a share of the Big Ten title,' senior guard Denzel Valentine said. 'You never know, things can play out and we might be able to get a share.'


Anything appears to be possible with Valentine directing an offense that has options outside and in, and leading a team that might be playing its best at the right time. The Spartans have won six of their last seven games, losing only on the road to then-No. 18 Purdue by one point in overtime.


Valentine is averaging nearly 23 points, almost nine assists and eight rebounds over the last seven games. In double-digit wins over Indiana and Wisconsin, he joined former Baylor standout Pierre Jackson as the only two players from a major conference over the last 20 years to have at least 20 points and 10 assists in consecutive games, according to STATS.


'Individual goals are always something we strive for our players to accomplish,' Izzo said. 'I'm not just a team-team-team-team guy because I believe those individual goals lead to team success. And sometimes team success helps with individual goals.'


Michigan State is making 8.8 3-pointers per game - easily the most in the Izzo era - with Valentine, Bryn Forbes, Eron Harris and Matt McQuaid each making at least 40 percent of their attempts beyond the arc.


Inside, forward Matt Costello has emerged as a go-to player and he has taken advantage of teams defending him with only one player because they don't want to leave his sharpshooting teammates open.


'I think we became a better defensive team,' Izzo said after talking about his team's offensive production. 'We are leading the nation in rebounding margin again, and what that does with this team is it gets our fast break going.'


Yes, it all does come back to defense and rebounding at Michigan State. As much as Izzo enjoys watching the Spartans score in an array of ways, he knows a bad shooting night can end the season in the one-and-done tournaments if they don't defend and rebound well.


'You get into the Big Ten tournament or the NCAA Tournament where every possession matters and things tighten up a little bit, I guess you can win some games with the 3-point shot,' he said. 'But I would rather rely on what the staples have gotten us over the last 20 years."


Ohio State is still in need of a signature victory to bolster its NCAA Tournament credentials, with its 74-67 triumph over then-No. 4 Kentucky on Dec. 19 its only one in five games against ranked opponents. The Buckeyes will visit the Spartans on March 5 to conclude the regular season after a home contest against No. 8 Iowa on Sunday, but coach Thad Matta is not focused on the difficult stretch run, only this game.


"I think Michigan State, now that they're healthy, are as good as anybody in the country," Matta said. "To think ahead or look behind wouldn't do us much good. I think the focus has to be on us, and having a great practice, play well."


Freshman guard JaQuan Lyle scored all 19 of his points after halftime in Saturday's 65-62 overtime victory at Nebraska, but it was Ohio State's defense that again took center stage. It has held opponents to 35.5 percent shooting in the four straight victories after stifling the Cornhuskers at 27.1 percent.


Ohio State has also limited opponents to 27.4 percent from beyond the arc during its win streak and is fifth in the Big Ten defensively at 32.6 percent.

 

[CNOTES]

Teams to Watch - SEC
February 22, 2016


The SEC has a bunch of teams loaded with talent, depth and athleticism. Kentucky won national championships in 1998 and 2012, Florida knocked on the door in 2000 getting to the title game against Michigan State, then won it all with back-to-back titles. Here's a look at some of college basketball's best teams in the SEC.


Kentucky: The Wildcats have another powerhouse young team for Coach John Calipari, who likes to groom them for one year before they head to the NBA. Kentucky is not as big in the frontcourt as in recent years and is led by the backcourt of 6-5 freshman Jamal Murray (18.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and 6-3 freshman Isaiah Briscoe (9.8 ppg, 5 rpg).


The frontcourt is surprisingly experienced behind 6-8 senior Alex Poythress (10 ppg) and 6-9 junior Derek Willis (7.3 ppg). They topped Duke (74-63) and Louisville (75-73), plus lost in overtime last month at Kansas (90-84), gaining valuable experience in close games – something last year’s team lacked. The Wildcats are on a 15-5-2 ATS run against the SEC, plus 42-21 under the total at home.


LSU: The Tigers hit the offseason jackpot with 6-10 freshman Ben Simmons (19 ppg, 12 rpg, 5.2 apg) and he hasn’t disappointed despite the high praise Lebron James comparisons. He has some help, with 6-9 sophomore Craig Victor II (12.5 ppg, 6 rpg). The backcourt has size, too, with 6-6 junior Tim Quarterman (11 ppg) and 6-4 senior Keith Hornsby (13.6 ppg).


The Tigers lead the SEC in points and have gelled quickly after a 4-4 start. They knocked off No. 15 Texas A&M (76-71) and lost to then-No. Oklahoma by a basket. LSU plays its best defense at home, on a 9-4 run under the total there.


South Carolina: Where did these guys come from? The Gamecocks were 17-16 a year ago but have been hot this season ever since a 14-0 start. Start with experience. 6-5 senior Michael Carrera (14.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and 6-5 junior Sindarius Thornwell (12.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg) are outstanding playmakers, rebounders and scorers.


Throw in 6-7 senior Mindaugas Kacinas and junior guard Duane Notice and there is ample leadership and experience. The Gamecocks are No. 4 in the SEC in scoring. After starting conference play 2-0, the team went 6-5, including losses at Missouri and Georgia as chalk. It wasn’t that challenging of an early season schedule, so perhaps they are coming back to earth?

Texas A&M: The Aggies are not an easy team to face with their attacking defense. They topped Florida, Texas and Gonzaga allowing 68, 73 and 61 points. 6-7 senior guard Jalen Jones (15.6 ppg, 7 rpg) and 6-7 senior Danuel House (15.6 ppg) anchor the backcourt and lead the team in scoring.


They got a boost from 6-10 freshman center Tyler Davis (10.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg), who has been a key role player up front. Senior guard Alex Caruso is a terrific playmaker averaging 4.9 assists per contest. A&M is on a 13-4 run under the total, focusing on defense at the right time of the season.


Florida: Coach Bill Donovan went to the NBA so Mike White has been enjoying his stint taking over the Gators. This Florida team is great under the glass with 6-8 senior Dorian Finney-Smith (15 ppg, 8 rpg), 6-11 sophomore John Egbunu (10.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg) and 6-8 soph Devin Robinson (6 rpg).


Freshman guard KeVaughn Allen (12 pg) is the second leading scorer while sophomore guard Chris Chiozza is a fine playmaker with 4.4 assists per game, so this is a well-rounded group. They could use a few more signature wins, losing to Top 25 teams Purdue, Miami, Michigan State, Texas A&M and Kentucky. This weekend the Gators are at LSU then host Kentucky next Tuesday in a rematch.


Vanderbilt: Streaky Vandy has a balanced punch of 6-3 sophomore Wade Baldwin IV (14 ppg) in the backcourt and 7-foot junior Damian Jones (13.8 ppg, 7 rpg) and 7-1 junior Luke Kornet (9 ppg, 7.4 rpg) up front.


They are a fine three-point shooting team and good at shot blocking, though last in the SEC in steals. Vandy has also been a money-burner the last two months, losing to Ole Miss and Mississippi State as favorites, part of a 4-9 spread run. They host a showdown with Kentucky on Saturday.


Odds to win NCAA Tournament - per Sportsbook.ag


Kentucky 10/1


Texas A&M 50/1


LSU 70/1


Vanderbilt 200/1


South Carolina 250/1


Florida 300/1

 

[CNOTES]

Tuesday's Tip Sheet
February 22, 2016


**Kansas at Baylor**


-- The Westgate SuperBook opened Kansas (23-4 straight up, 17-8 against the spread) as a one-point favorite, only to move the number to two within 10 minutes.


-- Bill Self’s team has won six in a row over Baylor while going 5-0-1 ATS. KU smashed the Bears by a 102-74 count as a 12-point home favorite back on Jan. 2. The 176 combined points coasted ‘over’ the 146.5-point total. Wayne Seldon Jr. scored a team-high 24 points to go with five rebounds and four assists. Seldon drained 5-of-6 launches from 3-point range. Perry Ellis finished with 17 points and six rebounds, while Devonte’ Graham had 15 points, three steals and four assists without a turnover. Taurean Smith had a team-best 17 points for Baylor.


-- Baylor (20-7 SU, 8-12 ATS) has won 15 of its 18 home games, but Scott Drew’s team has limped to an 8-12 spread record in Waco. The Bears have lost at home to Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma. If the line holds Tuesday, they will be home underdogs for the first time this year.


-- Since dropping an 84-66 decision to the Red Raiders two Saturdays ago, Baylor has captured back-to-back wins vs. Iowa State (100-91) and at Texas (78-64). The Bears raced out to an 18-point halftime lead Saturday in Austin and cruised to the finish line. They took the cash as 5.5-point road underdogs. Johnathan Motley made 12-of-13 shots en route to a 24-point effort for the winners. Prince finished with 17 points and four steals, while Lester Medford had 13 points and three assists.


-- Baylor had failed to cover in five straight home games until beating the Cyclones by nine in overtime last Tuesday. Motley tallied 27 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots. Medford produced 14 points and nine assists compared to just one turnover, while Prince went for 14 points and nine boards.


-- Prince is scoring at a team-high 15.1 points-per-game clip. Rico Gathers averages a double-double (12.2 PPG, 10.0 RPG), while Medford (9.7 PPG) averages team-highs in assists (6.9 APG) and steals (1.9 SPG). Motley (11.5 PPG) has a team-best 33 blocked shots.


-- KU owns a 5-3 record both SU and ATS in eight road assignments.


-- Kansas is ranked fourth in the nation in 3-point shooting (42.3%), 15th in scoring offense (82.7 PPG) and 14th in field-goal percentage (49.0%).


-- Kansas has won seven in a row both SU and ATS, including Saturday’s 72-63 victory at Kansas State as a 4.5-point road ‘chalk.’ Frank Mason led the way with 16 points, two steals and five assists compared to only one turnover. Ellis and Selden were also in double figures with 14 and 12 points, respectively.


-- Ellis averages team-highs in scoring (16.5 PPG), rebounding (6.3 RPG) and field-goal percentage (52.2%).


-- KU is No. 1 in the RPI Rankings, compiling an 8-3 record against the Top 33 and a 14-3 mark versus the Top 100. The Jayhawks have only one bad loss, falling 86-67 at Oklahoma State on Jan. 19. They own quality road wins at Texas Tech, at Oklahoma and at San Diego State, in addition to neutral-courts scalps of UCLA and Vanderbilt.


-- Baylor is No. 22 in the RPI with a 4-7 record against the Top 28 and a 8-7 mark versus the Top 100. The Bears have swept Iowa State and won at Texas Tech and at Texas.


-- The ‘over’ is 14-7 overall for Baylor, 8-4 in its home outings. The Bears have watched the ‘over’ hit in five consecutive games and eight of their last 10.


-- The ‘under’ is 16-9 overall for KU, 7-1 in its road contests. The Jayhawks have seen the ‘under’ cash at a 5-1 clip in their last six games.


-- Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2.


**Michigan State at Ohio State**


-- The Westgate opened Michigan State (22-5 SU, 17-9 ATS) as a six-point road favorite for this Big Ten showdown in Columbus.


-- Since losing three straight games in mid-January, Michigan State has ripped off seven straight spread covers while losing outright just once. The Spartans dropped an 82-81 decision at Purdue in overtime on Feb. 9. Nevertheless, they hooked up their betting supporters as three-point road underdogs.


-- Michigan State beat Wisconsin by a 69-57 score Thursday at Breslin Center as a 9.5-point home favorite. The Spartans saw a four-game run of ‘overs’ halted when the 126 combined points fell ‘under’ the 135-point tally. Denzel Valentine led the winners with 24 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Bryn Forbes added 17 points.


-- Tom Izzo’s squad owns a 5-3 record both SU and ATS on the road.


-- Valentine is averaging team-highs in scoring (19.7 PPG), assists (7.3 APG) and steals (1.0 SPG).


-- Michigan State is No. 16 in the RPI, posting a 7-4 record against the Top 50 and a 9-4 ledger versus the Top 100. The Spartans have neutral-courts wins over Kansas, Providence and Boise State Their best road win is at Michigan, while they have home scalps of Louisville, Florida, Maryland and Indiana.


-- Ohio State (18-10 SU, 15-11 ATS) is in dire need of a win here to bolster its shaky resume that has NIT written all over it. Thad Matta’s team is No. 74 in the RPI and has only a pair of Top-100 wins over Michigan (RPI: 54) at home and over Kentucky (RPI: 12) on a neutral floor.


-- Ohio State has won four in a row while going 3-1 ATS. The Buckeyes won 65-62 in overtime Saturday at Nebraska as two-point underdogs. JaQuan Lyle paced the winners with 19 points and seven rebounds. Jae’Sean Tate added 15 points and 12 boards, while Marc Loving also had 15 points.


-- OSU is 13-4 SU and 10-5 ATS at home. The Buckeyes have won 11 of their last 12 at home, but they are winless (outright) in a pair of games as home underdogs with a 1-1 spread record in those situations.


-- The ‘under’ is 14-13 overall for the Buckeyes, 9-7 in their home games. However, the ‘over’ is 4-1 in their last five outings.


-- The ‘under’ is 14-12 overall for the Spartans, but they have seen the ‘over’ go 5-3 in their eight road assignments.


-- Michigan State has won three of the last four over Ohio State both SU and ATS. The ‘over’ is 3-1 in those four encounters. This is the first of at least two meetings this year.


-- ESPN will provide television coverage at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.


**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**


-- Tennessee leading scorer Kevin Punter is ‘out’ indefinitely after suffering a stress fracture in his foot. He didn’t play in Saturday’s win over LSU. Punter (22.1 PPG) is 11th in the nation in scoring.


-- LSU starting shooting guard Keith Hornsby sustained a hernia in Saturday’s loss at Tennessee. Hornsby, who is averaging 13.1 PPG and shooting 41.5 percent from 3-point land, could be out for the rest of the year.


-- Duke is expected to have Matt Jones (ankle) and Derryck Thornton (ankle) for Thursday’s game at home vs. FSU. Thornton (8.0 PPG, 2.5 APG) and Jones (11.2 PPG) were injured in Saturday’s loss at Louisville.


-- Missouri has covered the spread in six straight games going into Tuesday’s tilt at Ole Miss. The Rebels were favored by 11.5 points late Monday night. The Tigers are 6-2 ATS as double-digit underdogs this year. Meanwhile, the Rebels are 0-4 ATS as double-digit favorites.


-- Ga. Tech has only been favored twice in ACC play, going 0-2 ATS with one outright loss. The Yellow Jackets are two-point home favorites vs. Clemson on Tuesday. The Tigers are 7-2 ATS in their last nine as underdogs. They have limped to a 2-5 spread record in their last seven games that were preceded by eight consecutive covers.


-- Miami bounced back from Saturday’s blowout loss at North Carolina by holding off Virginia in Monday’s 64-61 win as a two-point home ‘chalk.’ Davon Reed led the way with a team-high 21 points for the Hurricanes.


-- Texas held off a late Kansas State rally to win 71-70 Monday night in Manhattan.

 

[CNOTES]

CBB ATS


CBB > (759) RIDER@ (760) MARIST | 2016-02-23 19:00:00 - 2016-02-23 19:00:00
Play AGAINST MARIST against the spread in Home games after allowing 80 points or more
The record is 0 Wins and 9 Losses for the last three seasons (-9.9 units)


CBB > (753) NEW MEXICO@ (754) COLORADO ST | 2016-02-23 22:00:00 - 2016-02-23 22:00:00
Play AGAINST NEW MEXICO against the spread in Road games in February games
The record is 0 Wins and 8 Losses for the last two seasons (-8.8 units)


CBB > (733) RUTGERS@ (734) MINNESOTA | 2016-02-23 20:30:00 - 2016-02-23 20:30:00
Play AGAINST RUTGERS against the spread in All games after 3 or more consecutive losses
The record is 5 Wins and 19 Losses for the last two seasons (-15.9 units)


CBB > (733) RUTGERS@ (734) MINNESOTA | 2016-02-23 20:30:00 - 2016-02-23 20:30:00
Play AGAINST RUTGERS against the spread in All games on Tuesday nights
The record is 1 Wins and 11 Losses for the last three seasons (-11.1 units)


CBB > (735) GEORGIA ST@ (736) GA SOUTHERN | 2016-02-23 18:00:00 - 2016-02-23 18:00:00
Play AGAINST GEORGIA ST against the spread in All games as an underdog
The record is 1 Wins and 10 Losses for the last two seasons (-10 units)

CBB > (753) NEW MEXICO@ (754) COLORADO ST | 2016-02-23 22:00:00 - 2016-02-23 22:00:00
Play AGAINST NEW MEXICO against the spread in All games in February games
The record is 2 Wins and 12 Losses for the last two seasons (-11.2 units)


CBB > (737) DAYTON@ (738) SAINT LOUIS | 2016-02-23 20:00:00 - 2016-02-23 20:00:00
Play AGAINST SAINT LOUIS against the spread in All games in all lined games
The record is 14 Wins and 34 Losses for the last two seasons (-23.4 units)


CBB > (737) DAYTON@ (738) SAINT LOUIS | 2016-02-23 20:00:00 - 2016-02-23 20:00:00
Play AGAINST SAINT LOUIS against the spread in all games
The record is 14 Wins and 34 Losses for the last two seasons (-23.4 units)


CBB > (749) MICHIGAN ST@ (750) OHIO ST | 2016-02-23 21:00:00 - 2016-02-23 21:00:00
Play ON MICHIGAN ST against the spread in Road games after a conference game
The record is 23 Wins and 7 Losses for the last three seasons (+15.3 units)

CBB > (749) MICHIGAN ST@ (750) OHIO ST | 2016-02-23 21:00:00 - 2016-02-23 21:00:00
Play ON MICHIGAN ST against the spread in Road games against conference opponents
The record is 23 Wins and 7 Losses for the last three seasons (+15.3 units)


CBB > (735) GEORGIA ST@ (736) GA SOUTHERN | 2016-02-23 18:00:00 - 2016-02-23 18:00:00
Play AGAINST GEORGIA ST against the spread in All games against conference opponents
The record is 3 Wins and 12 Losses for the this season (-10.2 units)

CBB > (715) AKRON@ (716) MIAMI OHIO | 2016-02-23 19:00:00 - 2016-02-23 19:00:00
Play AGAINST MIAMI OHIO against the spread in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game
The record is 1 Wins and 9 Losses for the last two seasons (-8.9 units)


--------------------


CBB MONEYLINE


CBB > (753) NEW MEXICO@ (754) COLORADO ST | 2016-02-23 22:00:00 - 2016-02-23 22:00:00
Play AGAINST NEW MEXICO using money line in Road games in February games
The record is 1 Wins and 9 Losses for the last three seasons (-12.9 units)


CBB > (737) DAYTON@ (738) SAINT LOUIS | 2016-02-23 20:00:00 - 2016-02-23 20:00:00
Play ON SAINT LOUIS using money line in Home games in February games
The record is 29 Wins and 6 Losses for the since 1992 (+23.6 units)


CBB > (725) W MICHIGAN@ (726) E MICHIGAN | 2016-02-23 19:00:00 - 2016-02-23 19:00:00
Play AGAINST W MICHIGAN using money line in All games on Tuesday nights
The record is 1 Wins and 8 Losses for the this season (-10.9 units)


CBB > (729) TEMPLE@ (730) TULSA | 2016-02-23 19:00:00 - 2016-02-23 19:00:00
Play ON TEMPLE using money line in All games against conference opponents
The record is 22 Wins and 9 Losses for the last two seasons (+20.95 units)

CBB > (747) VIRGINIA TECH@ (748) BOSTON COLLEGE | 2016-02-23 21:00:00 - 2016-02-23 21:00:00
Play AGAINST BOSTON COLLEGE using money line in All games in all games
The record is 15 Wins and 51 Losses for the last three seasons (-41.2 units)


CBB > (747) VIRGINIA TECH@ (748) BOSTON COLLEGE | 2016-02-23 21:00:00 - 2016-02-23 21:00:00
Play AGAINST BOSTON COLLEGE using money line in All games in all lined games
The record is 15 Wins and 51 Losses for the last three seasons (-41.2 units)


CBB > (755) UNLV@ (756) BOISE ST | 2016-02-23 23:00:00 - 2016-02-23 23:00:00
Play AGAINST UNLV using money line in Road games against conference opponents
The record is 1 Wins and 6 Losses for the this season (-11.2 units)


CBB > (755) UNLV@ (756) BOISE ST | 2016-02-23 23:00:00 - 2016-02-23 23:00:00
Play AGAINST UNLV using money line in Road games after a conference game
The record is 1 Wins and 6 Losses for the this season (-11.2 units)

CBB > (741) BALL ST@ (742) TOLEDO | 2016-02-23 20:00:00 - 2016-02-23 20:00:00
Play AGAINST TOLEDO using money line in Home games after scoring 80 points or more
The record is 3 Wins and 5 Losses for the last two seasons (-18.8 units)


CBB > (735) GEORGIA ST@ (736) GA SOUTHERN | 2016-02-23 18:00:00 - 2016-02-23 18:00:00
Play ON GA SOUTHERN using money line in All games off a loss against a conference rival
The record is 11 Wins and 1 Losses for the last two seasons (+10.45 units)


CBB > (733) RUTGERS@ (734) MINNESOTA | 2016-02-23 20:30:00 - 2016-02-23 20:30:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA using money line in All games in all games
The record is 5 Wins and 15 Losses for the this season (-15.6 units)


CBB > (733) RUTGERS@ (734) MINNESOTA | 2016-02-23 20:30:00 - 2016-02-23 20:30:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA using money line in All games in all lined games
The record is 5 Wins and 15 Losses for the this season (-15.6 units)

CBB > (715) AKRON@ (716) MIAMI OHIO | 2016-02-23 19:00:00 - 2016-02-23 19:00:00
Play ON AKRON using money line in All games versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=64 points/game after 15+ games
The record is 32 Wins and 9 Losses for the since 1992 (+24.4 units)


-------------------


CBB FIRST HALF


CBB > (751) MISSOURI@ (752) OLE MISS | 2016-02-23 21:00:00 - 2016-02-23 21:00:00
Play AGAINST OLE MISS ?>in the first halfin Home games after a conference game
The record is 2 Wins and 15 Losses for the last two seasons (-14.5 units)


CBB > (751) MISSOURI@ (752) OLE MISS | 2016-02-23 21:00:00 - 2016-02-23 21:00:00
Play AGAINST OLE MISS ?>in the first halfin Home games off a win against a conference rival
The record is 0 Wins and 9 Losses for the last two seasons (-9.9 units)


CBB > (711) RHODE ISLAND@ (712) DAVIDSON | 2016-02-23 18:00:00 - 2016-02-23 18:00:00
Play AGAINST DAVIDSON ?>in the first halfin Home games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 0 Wins and 8 Losses for the this season (-8.8 units)


CBB > (711) RHODE ISLAND@ (712) DAVIDSON | 2016-02-23 18:00:00 - 2016-02-23 18:00:00
Play AGAINST DAVIDSON ?>in the first halfin Home games against conference opponents
The record is 0 Wins and 7 Losses for the this season (-7.7 units)


CBB > (723) ALABAMA@ (724) KENTUCKY | 2016-02-23 19:00:00 - 2016-02-23 19:00:00
Play ON ALABAMA ?>in the first halfin All games as an underdog vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 13 Wins and 3 Losses for the this season (+9.7 units)


CBB > (731) CLEMSON@ (732) GEORGIA TECH | 2016-02-23 19:00:00 - 2016-02-23 19:00:00
Play ON GEORGIA TECH ?>in the first halfin All games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games
The record is 9 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+7.9 units)


CBB > (749) MICHIGAN ST@ (750) OHIO ST | 2016-02-23 21:00:00 - 2016-02-23 21:00:00
Play AGAINST OHIO ST ?>in the first halfin All games against conference opponents
The record is 15 Wins and 38 Losses for the last three seasons (-26.8 units)


CBB > (731) CLEMSON@ (732) GEORGIA TECH | 2016-02-23 19:00:00 - 2016-02-23 19:00:00
Play ON GEORGIA TECH ?>in the first halfin All games against conference opponents
The record is 38 Wins and 15 Losses for the last three seasons (+21.5 units)

CBB > (723) ALABAMA@ (724) KENTUCKY | 2016-02-23 19:00:00 - 2016-02-23 19:00:00
Play ON ALABAMA ?>in the first halfin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games
The record is 59 Wins and 25 Losses for the since 1992 (+31.5 units)


CBB > (749) MICHIGAN ST@ (750) OHIO ST | 2016-02-23 21:00:00 - 2016-02-23 21:00:00
Play AGAINST OHIO ST ?>in the first halfin All games after a conference game
The record is 15 Wins and 37 Losses for the last three seasons (-25.7 units)


CBB > (727) VANDERBILT@ (728) FLORIDA | 2016-02-23 19:00:00 - 2016-02-23 19:00:00
Play ON VANDERBILT ?>in the first halfin All games versus the first half line in all games
The record is 18 Wins and 7 Losses for the this season (+10.3 units)


-----------------


CBB TOTALS


CBB > (713) KENT ST@ (714) BUFFALO | 2016-02-23 18:00:00 - 2016-02-23 18:00:00
Play OVER BUFFALO on the totalin All games when the total is 140 to 149.5
The record is 9 Overs and 0 Unders for the this season (+9 units)


CBB > (733) RUTGERS@ (734) MINNESOTA | 2016-02-23 20:30:00 - 2016-02-23 20:30:00
Play OVER RUTGERS on the totalin All games against conference opponents
The record is 12 Overs and 2 Unders for the this season (+9.8 units)


CBB > (731) CLEMSON@ (732) GEORGIA TECH | 2016-02-23 19:00:00 - 2016-02-23 19:00:00
Play UNDER GEORGIA TECH on the totalin Home games in February games
The record is 0 Overs and 8 Unders for the last two seasons (+8 units)


CBB > (743) TCU@ (744) TEXAS TECH | 2016-02-23 21:00:00 - 2016-02-23 21:00:00
Play OVER TEXAS TECH on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games
The record is 14 Overs and 2 Unders for the since 1992 (+11.8 units)


CBB > (757) ST PETERS@ (758) MANHATTAN | 2016-02-23 20:00:00 - 2016-02-23 20:00:00
Play UNDER ST PETERS on the totalin Road games off a loss against a conference rival
The record is 2 Overs and 13 Unders for the last three seasons (+10.8 units)


CBB > (733) RUTGERS@ (734) MINNESOTA | 2016-02-23 20:30:00 - 2016-02-23 20:30:00
Play OVER RUTGERS on the totalin All games after a conference game
The record is 11 Overs and 2 Unders for the this season (+8.8 units)


CBB > (723) ALABAMA@ (724) KENTUCKY | 2016-02-23 19:00:00 - 2016-02-23 19:00:00
Play OVER KENTUCKY on the totalin All games on Tuesday nights
The record is 12 Overs and 2 Unders for the last two seasons (+9.8 units)


CBB > (737) DAYTON@ (738) SAINT LOUIS | 2016-02-23 20:00:00 - 2016-02-23 20:00:00
Play UNDER SAINT LOUIS on the totalin Home games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 2 Overs and 12 Unders for the last two seasons (+9.8 units)


CBB > (749) MICHIGAN ST@ (750) OHIO ST | 2016-02-23 21:00:00 - 2016-02-23 21:00:00
Play UNDER OHIO ST on the totalin All games off a win against a conference rival
The record is 4 Overs and 16 Unders for the last two seasons (+11.6 units)


CBB > (731) CLEMSON@ (732) GEORGIA TECH | 2016-02-23 19:00:00 - 2016-02-23 19:00:00
Play UNDER GEORGIA TECH on the totalin Home games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 3 Overs and 14 Unders for the last two seasons (+10.7 units)

 

[CNOTES]

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack


Six of the best minor league prospects for the Los Angeles Angels:


1) Taylor Ward, C-- Fresnoo State alum hit .348 in his first pro season.


3) Nate Smith, P-- Furman alum did well in AA, got hammered in AAA debut


8) Kaleb Cowart, 3B-- Went 8-46 in 34 big league games LY.


10) Chad Hinshaw, OF-- Stole 27 bases in 32 tries in AA last summer.


19) Austin Adams, P-- Jumped from A ball to AAA during year LY.


30) Hunter Green, P-- Missed last two years with back, elbow injuries.


**********

Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Handicapping the UNLV job, plus more....


Here are my top seven candidates for the UNLV basketball coaching job.........
1) Tom Thibodeau-- Went 278-167 as coach of the Bulls; was an NBA assistant for 20 years before that. Players whined that he worked them too hard-- he is a great coach, but his last college coaching job was as an assistant at Harvard in 1989. From a purely X's and O's standpoint, he would be the #1 choice.


Sidebar: Thibodeau's first NBA coaching job was in Minnesota for Bill Musselman, whose son Eric is now the coach at Nevada. Eric Musselman's college roommate at San Diego was George Tarkanian. Later on, Thibodeau was an assistant for the Spurs when Jerry Tarkanian was coach there. It is a small world sometimes.


2) Kevin Keatts-- Former Pitino assistant is 39-20 in two years at NC-Wilmington; his Seahawks press, play unselfishly and use lot of guys. They have to at least give Keatts an interview-- plus, if they hire him, the Stacey Augmon/race card claim goes out the window. If I am AD at UNLV, I have to strongly consider a minority coach, but quality is the most important factor and Keatts is obviously a quality coach.


Sidebar: UNLV'a last two coaches were Lon Kruger and Dave Rice, two terrific guys but they're both as bland as Jeb Bush. It is Las Vegas-- hire someone who plays a style that has some style!!!


3) Reggie Theus-- One of UNLV's greatest players; has been college coach at both New Mexico State, Cal-Northridge-- he is struggling at Northridge, but had Aggies in NCAAs in his second year there. He also was coach of the Sacramento Kings, and in his playing career, scored over 19,000 points in the NBA. If Tark was alive, I'm pretty sure he'd choose Theus to be the next coach-- Tark said he would've hired him the last time UNLV hired a head coach.


Sidebar: Again, unfortunately race could become an issue here. Hiring Theus defuses a lot of concerns, plus he is an alumnus who has coaching experience. He is much better qualified for this job than Stacey Augmon, who apparently isn't very personable with the press or the boosters. Theus would be my choice for this job.


4) Todd Simon-- 35-year old interim coach who is working like hell to keep the team afloat despite a crippling string of injuries. Was head coach at Findlay Prep for one year, was an assistant there for six years before that. His resume just isn't as good as other candidates.


Side bar: Firing college coaches during the season is a bad idea, unless the guy you want to hire permanently is available immediately.


5) Rick Pitino-- This would be the stuff of movies; Pitino is one of the greatest hoop coaches of all-time, on the surface an absolute coup of epic proportions, but if you get him, it means you're probably also getting his son Richard as coach-in-waiting.


Rick Pitino is 64 years old; if you got him for eight years, he is very intriguing, but I would need a commitment of at least 5-6 years before I considered hiring him.


Sidebar: Richard Pitino is 68-61 in his fourth year as a college coach-- he is 15-35 in league games at Minnesota. 15-35 ain't good- he was 18-14 in one year at FIU, which was a big improvement over his predecessor, Isiah Thomas.


6) Archie Miller-- Is 111-52 at Dayton, been in NCAAs last two years, is 50-30 in conference games. Is a quality coach, would be a good hire for sure, but why would he leave Dayton for UNLV? If he turned down Florida last spring, why would he leave Dayton now? Shaka Smart didn't leave VCU until the big $$$ (Texas) came calling and Brad Stevens didn't leave Butler until the Celtics wanted to hire him.


Sidebar: Archie is Sean Miller's brother; does he want to recruit against his brother? I'm thinking Archie's next move will be to a Power 5 conference or Big East/AAC, maybe at Rutgers, Illinois or Memphis. Maybe he's just content at Dayton.


7) Russell Turner-- In his sixth year as coach at Cal-Irvine, where he is 44-18 in Big West games the last four years- the Anteaters had very little basketball tradition, so Turner has built a league power out of virtually nothing. Turner spent six years as an assistant with the Golden State Warriors- if UNLV hires him, lot of people wouldn't be that familiar with him, but Turner would put a quality team on the floor.


Sidebar: In 1999-2000, Turner was an assistant womens' coach at San Francisco, before he hooked up with Mike Montgomery at Stanford.


Elsewhere in the world............
8) Mountain West looks like a one-bid league this year; San Diego State (#60) is only team in KenPom's top 100. From 2005-09, Mountain West got only two teams a year and also in 2014- they've had 3+ teams every other year since 2003.


9) Minnesota is 1-13 in the Big 14, yet they're a 12.5-point favorite tonight against Rutgers, which is 0-14. Rutgers is the state university of New Jersey- there are a lot of good high school players in New Jersey-- how are they this bad?


10) The US Congress has a 10% approval rating; who exactly is this 10% that thinks they're doing a good job?


11) White Sox signed 37-year old Jimmy Rollins to a contract; how is he an upgrade over Alexei Ramirez, their last shortstop? Rollins hit .224 last year.


12) My non-sports hero is probably the great comedian/actor Steve Martin; just got a copy of his 2007 memoir in the mail today, so I'm enjoying reading that. Unsure how I didn't know about the book sooner than this.


13) The actor who played the offensive coordinator in the football movie Any Given Sunday is now playing the President of the US in a new movie called London Is Falling. Apparently his career is on an upswing.