Stephen Nover
Stephen Nover Wednesday night ...
25-Dime Under Notre Dame/Seton Hall
It's not often I get involved in a college basketball total, but I see this matchup being a surprise defensive battle.
The Irish have lost their last three road games. Their coach has challenged them mentally and physically to play tougher away from South Bend.
This is what Notre Dame guard Tory Jackson said, "A lot of guys that scout us think we're the nice guys that can score but don't want to play defense. I take it as disrespect. Guys look past us and that's what kind of irks me and makes me want to fight even more."
The under has cashed in seven of Notre Dame's last nine road matchups.
If you take away the 90 points Notre Dame allowed fourth-ranked Villanova, the Irish have held their past eight opponents to 70.3 points per game while averaging 69.1 points in their last eight games discounting an 83-point game versus Cincinnati and an 87-point effort against DePaul.
Seton Hall should be up for this home game. The Pirates have beaten Louisville and Pittsburgh at home, but since then have dropped three in a row, including a 25-point loss to Pittsburgh on the road.
Seton Hall is averaging 64.5 points in its last four games during regulation. Jeremy Hazell, the Pirates' leading scorer, has been in a fog recently. He was benched in the Pirates' last game, the blowout loss to Pittsburgh. He ended up scoring just two points in 32 minutes.
10-Dime California
This has been a down year in the Pac-10. No team has really shown much consistency. Home teams and revenge have been a good angle.
Those are two key elements why I like Cal to cover against Washington at home.
The Golden Bears are 11-1 at home and healthier than they've been for a while.
Washington dealt Cal one of its worst defeats of the season, 84-69, in Seattle on Jan. 16. That was the one time Cal was beaten decisively in Pac-10 play this season. The Golden Bears are clinging to a one-game lead over five other teams in the league race.
The Huskies are one of many Pac-10 teams that play well at home and horrible on the road. It's very evident in Washington's case.
The Huskies have failed to cover their past five away matchups. They have yet to win in four Pac-10 road contests losing three of those games by at least 17 points. The Huskies play with far less energy on the road. They seem like a completely different team.
Cal has covered 10 of the past 14 times it has been chalk.
BOUGHT,PAID AND CONFIRMED---------GL GUYS