TotalActionExtra.com

COLLEGE BASKETBALL — February 6

FLORIDA ATLANTIC at DENVER
(Denver -7) — [private] Florida Atlantic wins by playing tight defense and hitting three-pointers; of course, the concern here is that the grind here may get to them. With only one day removed from a disappointing 86-69 loss at North Texas, FAU travels to the high altitude of Denver. The Owls’ backcourt of Greg Gantt and Raymond Taylor is splendid on occasion, and with Brett Royster (3.1 blocks, 6.8 rebounds per game) in the middle they may have what it takes to exploit Denver’s inability to hit the boards with any authority (only 4.5 offensive rebounds a game), and keep them out on the perimeter to boot. What we worry about here is Denver’s poor defense (48% FG’s allowed), which can usually only be turned around with hot three-point shooting. Lately the Pioneer shave been missing the mark, hitting below 40% in three of the last eight games, and coach Mike Jarvis has had his team ready most of the time (seven covers in last nine games).

THE PLAY: FLORIDA ATLANTIC +7 ***

(All information is for news matter only; All games are graded on a scale of 1-4 stars. Lines are subject to change)
[/private]

COLLEGE BASKETBALL — February 3

KANSAS at COLORADO
(Kansas -14.5) — [private] Colorado has not beaten a lot of teams, but the Buffs have proven to be capable of pulling the occasional upset in Boulder, as they did against Baylor on January 12. In losing four of the last five, they have shown some spirit in hanging tough against the likes of Texas A&M, Iowa State and Kansas State. Make no mistake – they are somewhat outmanned against re-minted #1 Kansas, but this number may be a bit inflated off the Jayhawks’ win at KSU. In the end, though, we see that Kansas has won five in a row by double digits as the road team in this series, even though Colorado has tried like hell to slow the pace (six straight unders). We’ll go with the deeper, more talented team that can extend the lead over the course of the second half.

THE PLAY: KANSAS -14.5 **

(All information is for news matter only; All games are graded on a scale of 1-4 stars. Lines are subject to change)
[/private]

COLLEGE BASKETBALL — February 2

MICHIGAN STATE at WISCONSIN
(Wisconsin -2, Total 125) — [private] This has the potential to be a tough spot for the Spartans, who are on a ten-game winning streak but have dropped four of the last five to the number. Against Wisconsin they are facing a team that indeed knows how to take care of the ball (just 9.8 turnovers per game!), and the Badgers have won 14 of their 15 home games. Michigan State has not had a particularly difficult time slowing the Badger offense in recent meetings, holding them to 50 points in last year’s encounter and 47 points, on 33% shooting. And Wisconsin’s Jon Leuer, who scored 21 points in that game on 9-for19 shooting and is the most effective big presence, is out with a wrist injury. Without him, Wisconsin shot 25% in that game. MSU seems to be in a better shooting groove, hitting 50% in their last two games. An undefeated Big Ten season may have been the farthest thing from Tom Izzo’s at the season’s outset, but it’s within reach, as is a #1 NCAA tournament seed. We like the side getting points.

THE PLAY: MICHIGAN STATE +2 ***

(All information is for news matter only; All games are graded on a scale of 1-4 stars. Lines are subject to change)
[/private]

COLLEGE BASKETBALL — February 1

TEXAS at OKLAHOMA STATE
(Texas -2.5, Total 152) — [private] It has now been a streak of eight games that Texas has not covered the pointspread, and the swift pace the Longhorns set has worked against them. You can’t deny that they are deeper than this Oklahoma State team, which aside from Matt Pilgrim doesn’t bring anyone off the bench who has any impact. Sure, there’s a lot of useful size on Rick Barnes’ team, but if there is any team that can possibly exploit the potential defensive weaknesses of Texas’ guards on the perimeter, it’s OSU, which gets almost 17 three-point attempts a game out of the three-guard combo of James Anderson, Obi Muonelo and Keiton Page. Sure, Texas may dominate the boards, but they have not had the best of luck in Stillwater lately, and they still can’t make free throws with a lot of regularity

THE PLAY: OKLAHOMA STATE +2.5 ***

(All information is for news matter only; All games are graded on a scale of 1-4 stars. Lines are subject to change)
[/private]

COLLEGE BASKETBALL — January 31

VIRGINIA at NORTH CAROLINA
(North Carolina -8.5) — [private] The Cavaliers are learning their lessons well under first-year coach Tony Bennett. They are taking care of the ball (10.6 turnovers per game) and playing a little tougher defense (43% FG’s allowed). Of course, they probably haven’t been pushed to the kind of pace they will by this North Carolina squad, which averages 82 points a game. At the same time, if there was any question that the Tar Heels were in a rebuilding phase after the loss of so much talent, it has been confirmed by a 2-3 ACC record and a loss to the College of Charleston. In the recent three-game conference losing streak, UNC was held at least ten points below its season average each time. They’re young. They’ll learn. But they turn the ball over a lot (16.3 times a game) and if Virginia isn’t too dejected over Thursday’s overtime loss to Virginia Tech, they could frustrate Roy Williams’ squad.

THE PLAY: VIRGINIA +8.5 **

(All information is for news matter only; All games are graded on a scale of 1-4 stars. Lines are subject to change)
[/private]

COLLEGE BASKETBALL — January 31

VIRGINIA TECH at MIAMI
(Miami -2.5) — [private] Miami actually snuck into the Top 25 at some point, but they did it on the strength of a non-conference schedule that did not have a lot of road bumps. They have dropped four straight overall, however, and the last five against the number. And they lost touch with teams like Virginia and Maryland, not to mention this Hokie squad, which stymied the ‘Canes in Blacksburg, holding them to 34% shooting. That, unfortunately, is the kind of marksmanship we’ve been seeing from this team lately, and we just don’t see where they do enough to slow Malcolm Delaney, who ran up 28 points in the first meeting and chalked up 27 in Thursday’s hard-fought 76-71 overtime win over in-state rival Virginia. Delaney has shot just 33% over the last couple of games, but he gets to the line (where he shoots 83%) as well as anybody.

THE PLAY: VIRGINIA TECH +2.5 ***

(All information is for news matter only; All games are graded on a scale of 1-4 stars. Lines are subject to change)
[/private]

COLLEGE BASKETBALL — January 30

KANSAS at KANSAS STATE
(Kansas -4) — [private] Kansas State bounced back from two poor shooting performances with 50% against Baylor. Of course, in one of those games they defeated Texas with great defense and rebounding. This is a hustling Kansas State team under the intense Frank Martin, and Kansas, while a formidable force at home, is not necessarily a monster when traveling. I’m not sure the oddsmaker has yet caught up to the Wildcats, who are a very strong 11-4 ATS, and while they might get bullied a little up front, they can stay with the Jayhawks in the backcourt, with a duo (Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente) that shoots almost 14 three-pointers pee game between them.

THE PLAY: KANSAS STATE +4 ***

(All information is for news matter only; All games are graded on a scale of 1-4 stars. Lines are subject to change)
[/private]

PRO BASKETBALL — January 30

NOTRE DAME at RUTGERS
(Notre Dame -8, Total 132) — [private] Rutgers is going to be a non-qualifier for the NCAA tournament this year; the Scarlet Knights have lost touch with all recent opponents, demonstrating that they can’t play enough defense to hold off capable attacks in the Big East (85 ppg allowed in last seven). When you talk about capable attacks, you’re talking about Notre Dame, which shoots 42% as a team from beyond the arc AND has the inside strength of Tim Harangody (24.5 ppg, 50% FG’s). Rutgers, at 42% overall, doesn’t shoot well enough to keep pace. Sophomore Mike Rosario is really “bricking it” lately for Rutgers (11 of last 42 from arc).

THE PLAY: NOTRE DAME -8 ***

(All information is for news matter only; All games are graded on a scale of 1-4 stars. Lines are subject to change)
[/private]

COLLEGE BASKETBALL — January 30

WYOMING at AIR FORCE
(Air Force -1, Total 128) — [private] Air Force has always been a poor rebounding team, and lately they just have not been hitting their shots. The Falcons have lost six straight games, and in none of those have they scored more than 54 points (50-point average) and each has been a loss by nine points or more. They’ve yet to face Wyoming, which has not been daunted by going into hostile surroundings (4-1 ATS as visitor) against better teams, and even though they haven’t scored wins on the road, this venue is not all that intimidating; Air Force has lost ten straight conference games at this location. One positive for the Falcons is that forward Grant Parker, the leading scorer and rebounder, is back in action, but they’re still short-handed without Sammy Schaefer, who would have provided help up front. Parker may have his hands full with Wyoming center Adam Waddell, who pulled down 22 boards last time out against Utah.

THE PLAY: WYOMING +1 ****

(All information is for news matter only; All games are graded on a scale of 1-4 stars. Lines are subject to change)
[/private]