STATSYSTEMS SPORTS STAT/SHEETS, 12/9/14
NCAA COLLEGE BASKETBALL
INFORMATION WORTH BETTING ON EACH DAY
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***** Tuesday, 12/9/14 NCAACB Knowledge *****
(ALL RESULTS ATS) - Against The Spread - and most recent, unless noted otherwise. Each and every day during the 2014-15 NCAA College Basketball season we will analyze all of your daily basketball action, featuring all our Highly-Rated (Situational & Match-up) Power Trends, along with some of our Situational Analysis (Betting Systems) that pertain to some of that days match-ups. Content contained in this report remains exclusive private property of Stat/Systems Sports. Database information may not be reused or disseminated in any form without express written consent of the publisher.
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Tuesday's Notebook
•8-0 Villanova held Virginia Commonwealth/Michigan to 54 ppg in winning pair on neutral Brooklyn court, its only top 100 games; Wildcats play Big East tourney in MSG every year, so they've been here before. Illinois lost at Miami by 9, beat Baylor by 8 in its two top 100 games. Teams are similar in almost every aspect, other than Villanova should have edge in crowd support.
•Bowling Green plays its subs 43% of time (#9); they're 5-1 versus schedule #311, losing at Western Kentucky by 10, winning at Drake/Detroit. Falcons have new coach but experienced team; they're forcing turnovers 23.1% of time but are stepping up in class- #120 Detroit is best team they played. Dayton is 3-1 versus top 150 teams, with wins by 2-12-9 points (lost to Connecticut).
•Michigan lost to #261 NJIT Saturday, they played Syracuse week ago tonight; Eastern Michigan plays same 2-3 as Orange. Young Wolverines have trip to Arizona this weekend. Eagles lost by 9 at Dayton in first road game after playing one of 10 easiest schedules in nation so far; Eagles have three non-D-I wins and no wins versus top 200 teams.
•Wichita Statehas three top 100 wins and overtime loss at Utah; Shockers will be anxious to play Big East foe, especially since Creighton jumped from Valley to Big East last season. All five Wichita victories are by 15+ points. 7-0 Seton Hall has two top 100 wins, (George Washington/Illinois State); this is their first true road game. Shockers force turnovers 24.7% of time (#22).
•Bradleyis 3-5 versus #324 schedule, losing top 100 games by 8 at Texas Christian, by 28 at Memphis; Braves are turning ball over 23.9% of time- the Memphis game was their only true road game. Kansas State lost four of its last six games but is 3-0 versus teams outside top 200, winning by 30-10-18 points. Wildcats are only 4-4, but have 88-79 win on neutral floor versus Purdue.
•Texas A&M beat Arizona State by point Saturday after being down 11 at half; this is Aggies' first true road game. A&M is 2-1 against top 100 teams, its first top 50 game; they're forcing turnovers 25 % of time (#19). Bears are 7-1 with four top 100 wins, three of which were away from home-- they're making 38.1% from arc-- opponents have made only 23% of three's.
•First road trip for 7-1 Indiana team that’s played 5th-easiest schedule in nation, losing to #106 Eastern Washington; Hoosiers beat Pittsburgh of ACC by 12 last week, also beat Southern Methodist by 6. Louisville is forcing turnovers 27.7% of time, holding teams to 22.8% of three's; Cardinals have two top 100 wins, beating Minnesota by 13 in its only game away from Yum! Center.
•Indiana-Purdue is 2-5 with both wins by hoop; three of its last five games were decided by 3 or less points. Jaguars lost by 20 at Purdue, at Evansville by 27, only games they got blown out of. Xavier is 6-2, winning by 33 in its only game against team ranked outside top 150. Musketeers are shooting 59% inside arc- they have first true road game at Missouri on Saturday.
•Marist is 1-7 under yet another new head coach, losing three road games by 3-18-22 points; Red Foxes are turning ball over 23.8% of time, making 31% of its three's and they take lot of them- they scored 44 ppg in MAAC losses over weekend. Penn won last two games after 0-5 start, but neither team they beat is in top 300. Quakers are turning ball over 25.7% of time.
•Belmont won last six games since opening loss at Wright State, winning three road games, last two by total of three points; Bruins are making 40.1% of their three's. Evansville is 6-1, winning by 19 at Miami OH in its only true road game- they lost by hoop to Green Bay on a neutral floor for only loss. Aces are shooting 57% inside arc, 39% outside it.
•South Dakota State lost both its true road games by total of seven points, at Buffalo/Idaho; Jackrabbits are making only 28.9% of three's- they lost by 2-13 points in only games against top 200 teams. Rebuilding Saint Louis lost three of seven games versus D-I teams; three of four wins were by exactly 3 points. Billkens are one of ten least-experienced teams in country.
•Creighton had big win at intrastate rival Nebraska Sunday night- they've got St Mary's coming in Saturday, don't figure to take South Dakota very seriously. USD is 2-6 versus D-I teams with pair of overtime losses; Coyotes lost by 11-4 points in only top 100 games. Bluejays take lot of three's, make 35% of them- they won by 27-18-22 points in games versus non-top 200 teams.
•UC-Davisoutscored Eastern Illinois 11-5 over last 5:36 to win 63-61 on November 20th; Aggies were 10-20 from arc, Panthers 6-11-- EIU was 15-26 on foul line, which hurt. 6-1 Davis (#12 in experience) lost by 8 at Idaho on Saturday; they're 3-0 at home with win over Utah State, but they've also played one of 15 easiest schedules in US. EIU is 0-3 on road, losing by 11-5-22 points- they lost 54-49 at Cincinnati, not a bad showing.
•Situational Trends of The Day
--IOWA is 19-3 ATS (+15.7 Units) after allowing 30 points or less in the first half in 2 straight games over the last 3 seasons.
The average score was IOWA 69.7, OPPONENT 61.8.
--ILLINOIS is 10-0 UNDER (+10.0 Units) after a game giving up 5 or less offensive rebounds over the last 2 seasons.
The average score was ILLINOIS 58.8, OPPONENT 56.0.
--XAVIER is 23-3 (+21.1 Units) against the money line in home games after a combined score of 155 points or more since 1997.
The average score was XAVIER 80.0, OPPONENT 62.7.
--CREIGHTON is 4-16 (-13.6 Units) against the 1rst half line after 4 straight games forcing opponent to commit 11 or less turnovers over the last 3 seasons.
The average score was CREIGHTON 32.7, OPPONENT 32.4.
--TCU is 16-2 UNDER (+13.8 Units) the 1rst half total after allowing 60 points or less 2 straight games since 1997.
The average score was TCU 27.0, OPPONENT 27.5.
--JIM CREWS is 1-11 ATS (-11.1 Units) after a game being outrebounded by opponent by 15 or more in all games he has coached since 1997.
The average score was CREWS 57.3, OPPONENT 64.7.
•Matchup Trends of The Day
--WICHITA ST is 17-2 ATS (+14.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
The average score was WICHITA ST 73.1, OPPONENT 59.6.
--TEXAS A&M is 17-5 UNDER (+11.5 Units) versus good ball handling teams - committing <=14 turnovers/game over the last 2 seasons.
The average score was TEXAS A&M 52.4, OPPONENT 57.5.
--VILLANOVA is 22-4 against the money line (+16.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
The average score was VILLANOVA 77.1, OPPONENT 66.2.
--IOWA is 9-0 (+9.0 Units) against the 1rst half line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
The average score was IOWA 39.4, OPPONENT 22.7.
--TEXAS A&M is 14-3 UNDER (+10.7 Units) the 1rst half total versus good defensive teams - shooting pct defense of <=42% over the last 2 seasons.
The average score was TEXAS A&M 27.3, OPPONENT 29.1.
--JIM LES is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=64 points/game as the coach of CAL DAVIS.
The average score was LES 70.2, OPPONENT 64.6.
•Situation Analysis of The Day
--Play On - Road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (MARIST) – a terrible shooting team (<=40%) against an average defensive team (42.5%-45%), average ball handling team (14.5-17.5 TO's) against a poor pressure defensive team (<=14.5 TO's), after scoring 55 points or less.
(33-8 over the last 5 seasons.) (80.5%, +24.2 units. Rating = 3*)
The straight up record of the team this system pertains to is : (19-22 over the last 5 seasons.)
The average line posted in these games was: Opponent favored by 6.8
The average score in these games was: Team 59.5, Opponent 60.2 (Average point differential = -0.7)
The number of games in which this system covered the spread by 7 or more points was 16 (41% of all games.)
The situation's record this season is: (2-0).
Over the last 3 seasons the situation's record is: (14-4).
Since 1997 the situation's record is: (76-43).
--Play On - Underdogs of 6 to 11 points versus the first half line (SETON HALL) - average offensive team (67-74 PPG) against an explosive offensive team (>=78 PPG), in a game involving two excellent defensive teams (<=40%), after 2 straight games - allowing a shooting pct. of 37% or less.
(71-30 since 1997.) (70.3%, +38.7 units. Rating = 3*)
The average first half line posted in these games was: Opponent favored by 7.7
The average first half score in these games was: Team 31.1, Opponent 35.5 (Average first half point differential = -4.4)
The situation's record this season is: (2-0).
Over the last 3 seasons the situation's record is: (21-5).
Over the last 5 seasons the situation's record is: (32-11).
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Tuesday's Week #5 Matchups
Systems Analyst Todd Smith
#717 VILLANOVA vs. #718 ILLINOIS - 7:00 PM
Villanova continues to prove that its deep and talented roster has very few flaws - if any. The No. 7 Wildcats aim to remain perfect on the season Tuesday when they take on No. 25 Illinois at the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden. The Wildcats are coming off one of their most dominant performances of the season - a 74-46 victory over rival Saint Joseph's on Saturday - as they notched their sixth double-digit win in eight games.
Illinois only has one loss on its resume - a nine-point defeat at Miami (Fla.) last Tuesday before the team rebounded four days later with a 15-point win against American. Rayvonte Rice is the team's clear leader offensively with averages of 17.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals - all team highs. The Fighting Illini's top six scorers are all capable of hitting 3-pointers, with Rice leading the way at 14-of-30.
•ABOUT VILLANOVA (8-0 SU, 6-1-0 ATS): No player on the Wildcats played more than 29 minutes or scored more than 12 points against Saint Joseph's and six different players are averaging between 8.9 and 12.3 points for Villanova. "Our greatest asset is our depth," said coach Jay Wright after the win over the Hawks. "I wouldn't say we have one guy who carries the team. Instead, we have eight who could carry it any day." One of those players is senior forward JayVaughn Pinkston, who has struggled to regain his form from last season, when he averaged 14.1 points on 52.1 percent shooting, and enters this matchup averaging 8.9 points on 37.3 percent shooting - both career lows.
•ABOUT ILLINOIS (6-1 SU, 4-2-0 ATS): Malcolm Hill scored a team-high 13 points against American while Illinois received 28 points from its reserves. "The bench is really important," Hill told reporters after the game. "We have a bench full of starters, I'd say. Not mid-majors, but high D-1 places." Rice is coming off his worst game of the season - a 10-point performance in which he shot 1-of-7 from the floor and did not make a 3-pointer for the first time this season.
#721 E MICHIGAN @ #722 MICHIGAN - 9:00 PM
Michigan looks to bounce back from its stunning upset loss to NJIT when it hosts Eastern Michigan on Tuesday. The Wolverines had reeled off eight straight home wins and were 50-4 in their previous 54 games at the Crisler Center before falling to the Highlanders (3-5). "There are moments in the season that make you a lot better and I hope this is one of them," Michigan coach John Beilein told reporters. "This is something that is humbling and we have to grow through that humility."
The Wolverines hope to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since Feb. 2013 by beating the Eagles for the 26th time in their last 27 tries. Michigan looks to take care of business without peeking ahead to the mouthwatering matchup at No. 3 Arizona, who was the last non-conference team to beat the Wolverines at Crisler Center before NJIT accomplished the feat. Eastern Michigan had won its first seven games of the season before losing to Dayton 73-64 on Saturday, but hopes that another upset is in the works.
•ABOUT EASTERN MICHIGAN (7-1 SU, 3-2-0 ATS): Raven Lee poured in a season-high 26 points in the loss to Dayton and has scored 24 points or more in three outings this season. Karrington Ward - who leads the team in rebounding (7.3) - grabbed 41 boards in his first four games, but was limited to a season-low two against the Flyers. Mike Talley collected 10 points and seven rebounds on Saturday and has scored in double figures in five straight games.
•ABOUT MICHIGAN (6-2 SU, 2-4-0 ATS): Caris LeVert - who tops the team in points (18.6), rebounding (5.6), assists (4.4) and steals (2.6) - scored 25 of his career-high 32 points in the second half against the Highlanders. Zak Irvin had scored in double figures in the previous seven games before being held to a season-low five points on 2-of-11 shooting versus NJIT. Michigan freshmen Kameron Chatman and Ricky Doyle went a combined 0-of-7 from the floor for three points on Saturday.
#723 SETON HALL @ #724 WICHITA ST - 7:00 PM
Wichita State puts its 21-game home winning streak on the line on the line when undefeated Seton Hall pays a visit for a non-conference matchup Tuesday. The 11th-ranked Shockers haven't been tested often, outscoring opponents by an average of 21.3 points. They should get a fight from the Pirates, who are one of 12 unbeaten teams in the nation and aiming for their first 8-0 start since 2009-10.
Wichita State had its 35-game regular-season winning streak snapped Wednesday in a 69-68 overtime loss at Utah but bounced back in impressive fashion to rout Saint Louis 81-52 on Saturday. "I think watching film of our loss showed us a lot of little things we didn't do at Utah -- good defense and blocking out, things like that," junior guard Evan Wessel told reporters. "I don't think we did too many of those little things wrong (against Saint Louis)." The Pirates have cruised to lopsided victories in four of their seven wins, including an 81-54 romp over in-state rival Rutgers on Saturday.
•ABOUT SETON HALL (7-0 SU, 6-0-0 ATS): The Pirates have seen quite a turnaround from a year ago thanks in large part to freshmen Isaiah Whitehead (12.6 points) and Angel Delgado (8.6 points, 10.1 rebounds). Sharp-shooting junior Sterling Gibbs (17.3 points) leads three players who average double figures in scoring along with Whitehead and senior forward Brandon Mobley (10.1 points, 5.1 rebounds). Seton Hall is a dangerous outside shooting team, hitting 41.3 percent from 3-point range with Gibbs leading the way at a 16-for-30 clip.
•ABOUT WICHITA STATE (5-1 SU, 3-0-0 ATS): The Shockers have four players averaging double-digit scoring with preseason All-America guards Ron Baker (17.8 points, 4.2 rebounds) and Fred VanVleet (12.5 points, 4.5 assists) leading the way. Senior Tekele Cotton (10.8 points, 4.4 rebounds) has been a mainstay on the Wichita State teams that have made three straight NCAA Tournament trips. The Shockers aren't big inside -- their tallest starter is 6-7 -- so they might have a tough time against a Seton Hall frontcourt that starts two 6-9 players in Delgado and Mobley.
#725 BRADLEY @ #726 KANSAS ST - 8:00 PM
Kansas State has been known as a defensive team under coach Bruce Weber, but the Wildcats enter Tuesday’s game against visiting Bradley last in the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense (47.4). The Wildcats’ woes can partly be attributed to a tough non-conference schedule that includes losses to Long Beach State, Arizona and Pittsburgh, but there is reason for concern. Forward Thomas Gipson averages a team-high 4.8 boards for Kansas State, which ranks last in the league in rebounding.
The Wildcats committed a season-high 22 turnovers and lost 65-64 at Tennessee on Saturday, but sophomore point guard Jevon Thomas continued to impress with 13 points and six assists. The loss overshadowed an outstanding second half by guard Marcus Foster, who scored 21 of his 23 points after intermission and finished with seven 3-pointers. The Wildcats look to bounce back against Bradley, which shot 27.1 percent in Saturday’s 73-45 loss at Memphis.
•ABOUT BRADLEY (3-5 SU, 2-3-0 ATS): Braves coach Geno Ford didn’t mince words after his team committed season highs in turnovers (20) and team fouls (27) against Memphis. “Our toughness with the ball was embarrassing,” Ford told the Peoria Journal Star. “They ripped it out of our hands. Our guard play was atrocious.” The news worsened on Monday when the Braves learned that leading scorer Warren Jones, who recorded 33 points last Tuesday against Central Michigan and averages 14.6 points, will miss the next 4-6 weeks due to a stress fracture in his right foot.
•ABOUT KANSAS STATE (4-4 SU, 5-2-0 ATS): Foster is 28-of-58 from 3-point range for the Wildcats, who saw their streak of 12 straight wins in December end on Saturday at Tennessee despite shooting 8-of-14 from beyond the arc in the second half. After a slow start, forward Nino Williams has shot 12-of-19 from the field and scored 29 points over his last two games. Foster (15.9), Gipson (12.1) and Williams (11.3) are each scoring in double figures for the Wildcats, who are averaging 74 points on 46.8 percent shooting.
#727 TEXAS A&M @ #728 BAYLOR - 9:00 PM
Texas A&M brings a five-game winning streak with it to Baylor on Tuesday night in the 206th "Battle of the Brazos." It's the first meeting since Feb. 1, 2012 between the two schools that are located about 90 miles apart and began playing in the 1914-15 season. Baylor has won the last five meetings, but the Aggies hold a commanding 127-78 overall edge in the series.
Both teams come in off narrow wins. Baylor withstood a late 3-point attempt to win at Vanderbilt, 66-63, on Thursday while Texas A&M did the same two days later at home in a 72-71 comeback victory over Arizona State. "We said this was a character win," Aggies coach Billy Kennedy said after his squad rallied from an 11-point second-half deficit to pull out a nail-biter that saw the lead change hands six times in the final five minutes.
•ABOUT TEXAS A&M (6-1 SU, 3-3-0 ATS): Guard Alex Caruso was the SEC assist leader a year ago and is coming off one of the most complete statistical performances in recent history for the Aggies, finishing with game highs in points (23), rebounds (six), assists (six) and steals (six). He scored 13 of Texas A&M's final 22 points in the comeback win over Arizona State and is averaging 10.6 points and 6.1 assists per game. Junior swingman Jalen Jones, an explosive transfer from SMU, leads the team in scoring (12.4) and rebounding (6.1) and has scored in double figures in all but one game this season.
•ABOUT BAYLOR (7-1 SU, 4-1-0 ATS): The Bears are doing it with tough defense, leading the Big 12 and ranking ninth nationally in points allowed (52.6) and holding opponents to 35 percent field-goal shooting, including 23 percent from 3-point range, which ranks sixth nationally. Forward Taurean Prince leads the team in scoring (13.7) while another forward, 6-foot-8, 275-pound Rico Gathers, is averaging 9.0 points and a Big 12-best 10.3 rebounds per game. Senior swingman Royce O'Neale, who spent his first two seasons at Denver, also is averaging in double figures (11.3) and tied his career high with 22 points in the win at Vanderbilt.
#729 LOUISVILLE vs. #730 INDIANA - 9:30 PM
Madison Square Garden has proven to be a home away from home lately for No. 4 Louisville, which looks to extend its winning streak at the venue to nine games Tuesday versus Indiana in the Jimmy V Classic. The Cardinals return to New York’s famous arena for the first time since they claimed the 2012 and 2013 Big East Tournaments – their last two seasons in the league. “(MSG) is the most magical arena in all of basketball, so it's exciting for me,” coach Rick Pitino told the school’s website.
Louisville opened the season 7-0 for the third time in five years following Friday’s 82-57 rout of Florida International, although the nation’s third-ranked scoring defense (49.3 points) should receive a stern test from the county’s fourth-ranked scoring offense (88.4) in the Hoosiers. Indiana concluded its season-opening eight-game homestand with a 95-49 dismantling of Savannah State on Saturday and has won three straight since falling to Eastern Washington on Nov. 24. “We learned from our Eastern Washington game (that) if you don't get up for a team, they start to gain confidence and they think they can play with you,” Hoosiers freshman guard James Blackmon Jr. told the school’s website.
•ABOUT LOUISVILLE (7-0 SU, 2-3-1 ATS): The Cardinals finished with 14 steals on Friday – marking the sixth time in seven games this season they have tallied 11 or more – but also saw the Golden Panthers record 12 – the fourth straight contest in which a Louisville has seen its opponent record at least 10. The Cardinals made up for it by shooting a season-high 57.1 percent, recording nine blocks and forcing 25 turnovers. Regular starter Terry Rozier was benched for sophomore walk-on David Levitch against FIU for missing a class, but was the first substitute off the bench and finished with 12 points in 22 minutes.
•ABOUT INDIANA (7-1 SU, 4-4-0 ATS): The Hoosiers committed 14 turnovers – their second-highest total of the season – against a Savannah State team that utilized full-court pressure, causing head coach Tom Crean some angst when asked about the carryover to the Cardinals. “They have as good of a pressure defensive team as I have seen to this point.... Louisville is as the head of the class on that right now, so we are going to be really, really great with the basketball,” Crean told the school’s website. Blackmon (19.5 points) is the top freshman scorer in the country, shooting slightly better beyond the arc (54.2 percent) than he is inside of it (47.9).
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#731 IUPUI @ #732 XAVIER - 7:00 PM
Xavier looks to remain undefeated at home when it hosts IUPUI on Tuesday. The Musketeers snapped a two-game losing streak Saturday and improved to 5-0 at home with a 97-84 victory over Alabama. IUPUI lost its third straight Saturday, 89-62 to Evansville, and shouldn't put up much resistance for the high-scoring Musketeers.
Xavier ran away from Alabama 97-84, getting a career-high 18 points from reserve Myles Davis while freshman J.P. Macura added 13 off the bench. Another freshman, former UCLA commit Trevon Bluiett, has been one of the best rookies in the country. The 6-6 Bluiett is averaging 15.0 points on 55.3-percent shooting and has drained 17-of-34 3-pointers.
•ABOUT IUPUI (2-5 SU, 3-4-0 ATS): Former University of Arizona star Jason Gardner, in his first year at the helm, inherited a team that won a combined 12 games the previous two seasons and has seven transfers. Redshirt freshman Leo Svete scored 17 points and knocked down four 3-pointers and Mason Archie added 11 points in the loss to Evansville. Marcellus Barksdake leads the team at 10.0 points and two steals per game, DavRon Williams averages 6.6 rebounds and the bench accounts for 46 percent of the Jaguars' points.
•ABOUT XAVIER (6-2 SU, 5-2-0 ATS): The Musketeers enter 11th in the country and first in the Big East in scoring (85.3) and seventh nationally in field-goal percentage (52.5). Center Matt Stainbrook leads the team with 15.3 points per game on a Big East-leading 72.7 percent shooting and averages 7.4 rebounds. Dee Davis averages 6.3 assists, second in the conference, Myles Davis has drained 16-of-31 shots from beyond the arc, and forward Jalen Randolph is averaging over nine points and six boards in just 18 minutes per contest.
#735 FURMAN @ #736 TCU - 8:00 PM
Among all the undefeated teams through the first month of the season, few - if any - are more surprising than TCU. The Horned Frogs have started 8-0 after going 9-22 last season, including 19 straight losses to end the campaign. They have posted a couple of wins against smaller schools this year but also have some quality victories - a 27-point win over Washington State, a nine-point triumph against Mississippi State in the title game of the Corpus Christi Coastal Classic and, most recently, a 12-point win at Mississippi.
"This was our best performance against this level of competition, in their building," TCU coach Trent Johnson said after the win against the Rebels. "We were good defensively and offensively - we're a team. The thing I like best is we're playing like a team and we're staying the course." The Horned Frogs are solid offensively but are riding a suffocating defense that is allowing 54.6 points - 14th-best in the nation. That could spell trouble for a Furman team that is 314th in the nation in scoring (59.8) and 308th in field-goal percentage (38.8).
•ABOUT FURMAN (2-4 SU, 4-1-0 ATS): The Paladins faced their toughest opponent to date on Nov. 26, when they were pummeled 93-54 at Duke - the second of three straight losses before the team rebounded with a 74-64 triumph against Samford on Saturday. Stephen Croone scored a season-high 33 points against Samford and also had five steals, giving him nine in the last two games. Croone is the team's leading scorer at 17 points per game, just ahead of freshman Geoff Beans (15), who will be playing in his third game following an early-season suspension for violating team rules.
•ABOUT TEXAS CHRISTIAN (8-0 SU, 3-1-0 ATS): The Horned Frogs, who are off to their best start since opening 9-0 in 1997-98, have started the same five guys in all eight games. Kyan Anderson averages team highs of 12.5 points and 3.9 assists while hitting a team-high 13 3-pointers this season. Karviar Shepherd led the way with a season-high 14 points and nine rebounds against Ole Miss and his six field goals in that game were two more than he had made in his previous four games combined.
#741 S DAKOTA @ #742 CREIGHTON - 9:15 PM
Creighton looks to put together back-to-back wins for the first time since before Thanksgiving when it hosts South Dakota on Tuesday. The Bluejays haven't played at home since Nov. 25, when they won their fifth straight to start the season, but have alternated wins and losses in four games away from Omaha since. Creighton came from behind to win at Nebraska on Sunday and starts a three-game homestand when the Coyotes come to town.
South Dakota had its three-game winning streak snapped when it gave up a season-high 87 points to Youngstown State on Friday. The Coyotes score 72.3 points a contest, led by Brandon Bos and Tyler Larson at 16.3 points per game and 15.1, respectively, but the team's defense has allowed 75.1 points a game. That defense will be tested by a balanced Bluejays offense, which is led by Isaiah Zierden (12.6 points) and Austin Chatman (12.1).
•ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA (3-6 SU, 3-3-0 ATS): Though the Coyotes lost to Youngstown State on Friday, they may have found more of an offensive identity in the process, realizing they need to work the ball inside more. Down by 15 midway through the second half, South Dakota had made more 3-pointers than twos, so coach Craig Smith implored his team to work the ball into the paint more, which almost led to a comeback. “It was touch down there (in the paint) but once we started finishing it got us back in the game,” Larson told the Vermillion Plain Talk. “(Smith) got into us and said we're 'loving the 3 and liking the rim.' That's what really changed things.”
•ABOUT CREIGHTON (7-2 SU, 5-3-0 ATS): Losing an All-American player and coach's son in Doug McDermott wasn't easy for Creighton, but coach Greg McDermott is seeing his seniors starting to take charge of this year's squad. Avery Dingman, Will Artino and Chatman are at least filling the leadership void left by Doug McDermott, who commanded a great deal of respect within the Creighton program, and their coach is taking notice of how that's helping the team. “We have three seniors who have beaten Nebraska four straight times, and that hasn't happened in often in our history,” Greg McDermott said after the Bluejays rallied to beat the Cornhuskers in Lincoln on Sunday. “I am really proud of them given what we lost last year. This is their team now and our preparation this week was really, really good.”
#751 MISSOURI-KC @ #752 IOWA ST - 7:00 PM
Iowa State has regrouped after ending November with a loss to Maryland, winning its first two games in December by an average of 27.5 points. The Cyclones host UMKC on Tuesday after dominating No. 18 Arkansas 95-77 on Thursday, and forward Georges Niang and guard Bryce Dejean-Jones – both ranked in the top five in the Big 12 in scoring – are both averaging 19.5 points this month. The duo is 28-for-39 from the field in those two contests after combining for 53 points against Arkansas.
The Cyclones lead the Big 12 in scoring at 85.3 points per game and have been held under 81 points once – in a 72-63 loss Nov. 25 to Maryland. Iowa State features plenty of weapons, including the conference’s leader in field-goal percentage, forward Dustin Hogue (60.4 percent). The Kangaroos have dropped five of their past six, including an 81-61 loss Saturday at South Dakota State.
•ABOUT MISSOURI-KC (3-6 SU, 1-1-1 ATS): Martez Harrison is the only Kangaroos player averaging in double figures at 17.1, and he also leads the team with 4.3 assists and 2.7 steals per game. UMKC opened its season with a 69-61 victory at Missouri; its other two victories came against Division II competition. UMKC ranks ninth nationally at 10.3 steals per contest.
•ABOUT IOWA STATE (5-1 SU, 3-2-0 ATS): Niang, who leads the Big 12 in scoring at 19.5 points per game, has scored 20 or more points three times this season. Dejean-Jones, who transferred from UNLV and was named Big 12 preseason newcomer of the year, made all eight of his shots against Arkansas and averages 16.3 points (fifth in the league). The Cyclones are shooting 49.9 percent from the field, ranking 16th nationally, and hit a season-best 64 percent against Arkansas.
#753 NEW HAMPSHIRE @ #754 RUTGERS - 7:00 PM
Rutgers is among the lowest-scoring teams in the country and is coming off an embarrassing loss to in-state rival Seton Hall. The Scarlet Knights will try to pick up the pieces when they host New Hampshire on Tuesday. Rutgers ranks near the bottom of the 345 Division I teams in scoring (57.1 points) and field-goal percentage (36.9) and has less than a month to get ready for its first Big Ten campaign.
The Scarlet Knights are a tough team to figure out: they beat Vanderbilt and Clemson but lost to Virginia and Seton Hall by an average of 23 points. Rutgers shot 30.3 percent in the 81-54 loss to Seton Hall as forward Kadeem Jack (3-of-15) continued a tough junior campaign. Jack has a difficult matchup on the inside with Wildcats freshman Tanner Leissner, who has scored in double figures in five of his first seven games.
•ABOUT NEW HAMPSHIRE (5-2 SU, 0-0-0 ATS): The Wildcats have won four straight and warmed up for the Scarlet Knights by blasting Wheelock College 96-45 on Saturday. New Hampshire gave most of its top scorers a break in that one and was led by senior guard Tommy McDonnell, who scored 16 points after going scoreless the previous three games. Fellow guard Daniel Dion took over the team scoring lead with back-to-back 23-point outings against Boston University and Dartmouth to close out November but was held to nine points in each of the past two games.
•ABOUT RUTGERS (4-4 SU, 2-4-0 ATS): Jack averaged 14.3 points on 50.1 percent shooting as a sophomore but is down to 12 points on 35.7 percent this season. The New York native missed the first two games of the season with a sprained right thumb and scored in single digits in two of the last three contests while turning the ball over a season-high five times in the loss to Seton Hall. Guard Myles Mack is in a similar shooting slump, going 10-of-30 from the field the last three games.
#755 UTAH VALLEY ST @ #756 ARIZONA - 9:00 PM
Arizona looks to avoid a letdown on Tuesday when the third-ranked Wildcats host Utah Valley just three days after recording a thrilling 66-63 overtime win over Gonzaga. The Wildcats feature an incredibly deep roster that includes point guard T.J. McConnell, forward Brandon Ashley and freshman forward Stanley Johnson, who leads the team in scoring (13.8) and rebounds (6.4). Ashley, who missed the end of last season with a foot injury, had 15 points and five rebounds in the win over Gonzaga.
McConnell has begun the season by shooting 36.4 percent, including 7-of-22 from 3-point range, but coach Sean Miller remains confident in his floor leader. “T.J. has the personality of a winner,” Miller told reporters. “He has a resiliency, a toughness that isn’t fake. He sets the tone for a lot of good things that happen for our team.” McConnell will look to get untracked against Utah Valley, which is concluding a stretch of seven straight road games.
•ABOUT UTAH VALLEY (3-4 SU, 0-0-0 ATS): Senior forward Mitch Bruneel averages a team-high 12.6 points and 5.7 rebounds and is the only player scoring in double figures for the Wolverines, who are averaging 59.1 points. Point guard Marcel Davis averages 9.7 points and scored a season-high 17 points in a 68-60 loss to Montana State on Saturday. The undersized Wolverines don’t have anyone in their rotation taller than 6-7, which could lead to a long night against the athletic Arizona frontline.
•ABOUT ARIZONA (8-0 SU, 3-4-0 ATS): The Wildcats’ stellar defense came up big again on Saturday, when Gonzaga was held to one field goal in the final nine minutes of game time. Forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is averaging 12.8 points on 57.6 percent shooting along with 6.3 rebounds and was called “one of the nation’s best defenders” by Miller following Saturday’s contest. Kaleb Tarczewski, the Wildcats’ 7-foot center, is shooting a team-best 61.9 percent from the field.
#757 ALCORN ST @ #758 IOWA - 9:00 PM
Iowa won’t be facing a nationally ranked opponent when Alcorn State visits Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Tuesday night, but it’s a challenge just the same. The Hawkeyes have won five straight but have hit a bit of a lull in their schedule with contests against UMBC and the Braves sandwiched between games against 18th-ranked North Carolina and No. 13 Iowa State. Still, there were no signs of a letdown Saturday afternoon as Iowa jumped out to a 26-6 lead against the visiting Retrievers and cruised to a 77-47 win.
“You could tell they were going to be ready for this game,” Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said at his postgame news conference. “It was not going to be a letdown or anything like that. We started the game 26-6, (and we actually) weren't shooting it that well during that period, but we stayed after them and turned them over and got some transition opportunities, so that was good to see.” Similar to the Hawkeyes’ winless foe Saturday, Alcorn State brings a 1-5 record to Iowa City with its only win coming against lower-division Dillard.
•ABOUT ALCORN STATE (1-5 SU, 0-2-0 ATS): The Braves have lost their five games against Division I foes by an average of 20.6 points, including a 72-51 road loss to Troy in their last contest on Dec. 2. Led by Leantwan Luckett (16.2 points) and Reginald Johnson (12), four Alcorn State players are averaging in double figures, while Marquis Vance is the leading rebounder at 6.5 per game. The Braves are shooting 38.8 percent from the field and are being outrebounded by an average of 6.7 per contest.
•ABOUT IOWA (7-2 SU, 3-3-0 ATS): The Hawkeyes rank sixth nationally in field-percentage defense at 33.8 percent, and none of their last four opponents, including North Carolina in Iowa’s 60-55 road win last Wednesday, have made more than a third of their shots from the floor or topped 55 points. Aaron White is the team’s leading scorer (15.7) and rebounder (7.3) while Jarrod Uthoff is right behind at 11.1 and 6.2, respectively. Center Gabriel Olaseni is coming off a strong effort Saturday when he matched his career high with 15 points and added seven rebounds and three blocks.
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