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March 2nd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

For just the second time this season, two teams in the college basketball betting world lock horns that are ranked in the Top-5 in the nation when the Kansas State Wildcats (24-4, 16-6-1 ATS) meet the Kansas Jayhawks (27-2, 10-15-1 ATS) in Allen Fieldhouse.

What's At Stake: It's possible to believe that the Wildcats could run down the Jayhawks for a tie for first place in the Big XII in the regular season. KSU would have to win this game and beat Iowa State over the weekend and hope that Kansas gets beaten by Missouri for that to happen though. The more important theme for this game is fact that both of these teams could still grab #1 seeds to the NCAA Tournament. It doesn't feel like the Jayhawks need to do too much more to get the job done, while the Wildcats will need a victory in this game and a deep run into the Big XII Tournament or the tourney championship to steal a slot on the top line a week from Sunday.

College Basketball Odds: Kansas -9 at 5Dimes Sportsbook

Kansas State Notes: KSU has the third highest scoring team in the Big XII at 80.4 points per game, while playing suitable defense at 68.3 points per game. The team has rolled off SU victories in all seven games since suffering that loss at home to Kansas, while it is also 7-2 ATS in its L/9 games overall. Four of those wins came away from Manhattan, but victories against Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Iowa State, and Nebraska wouldn't even nearly compare to pulling off the upset in Lawrence.

Kansas Notes: For weeks, it appeared as though Kansas was just itching for an upset. The team continued playing with fire game after game, and it finally caught up in the defeat last Saturday in Stillwater. In this stretch of nine games in which the Jayhawks are just 1-8 ATS, they've played two overtime games and one game right down to the wire against Texas A&M to go with the 'L' to Okie State. Their L/4 home wins have all come by double digits, but none of those were good enough for covers. KU is tops in the Big XII and fourth in the nation in scoring at 82.4 points per game on the season, which is making it hard for opposing teams to keep up considering that they are only shooting 37.6% for the season against the Jayhawks.

Players to Watch

Jacob Pullen, Kansas State Wildcats: Not only does Pullen lead the team in scoring at 18.5 points per game, but he also has already proven that he can play with these Jayhawks. In the overtime defeat at home, Pullen put up 22 points, a game-high. For the season, the junior has 11 games in which he has scored at least 20 points.

Cole Aldrich, Kansas Jayhawks: Aldrich is perhaps HC Bill Self's best all-around player. The offense probably doesn't rotate through the big man often enough, as he is third on the team in scoring at 11.4 points per game. However, he's the squad's leading rebounder at 10.0 per game, making him one of the few players in the nation to average a double-double. One of those double-doubles came against these Wildcats, as Aldrich scored 18 points and yanked down 11 boards in the 'W'.

Trends of Note

-Kansas State is 12-3-1 ATS in its L/16 games against teams with winning percentage above .600
-Kansas State is 15-5-1 ATS in its L/21 games overall
-Kansas is 5-0-1 ATS in its L/6 games following an SU defeat
-Kansas is 22-9-1 ATS in its L/32 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600
-Kansas is 9-19 ATS in its L/28 home games against teams with a winning road record
-Kansas is 17-6 ATS in its L/23 clashes with the Wildcats

Final Analysis: Kansas has a great history of playing at Allen Fieldhouse, which makes it scary to bet against, but when push really comes to shove, this is a ton of points to be issuing a Top-5 team in the nation. The Wildcats have already proven that they have the ability to beat this team outright, and this is the equivalent of their Super Bowl. Kansas will probably find a way to eke out a victory based on talent alone, but taking those nine points is far too inviting to leave on the table.

Selection: Kansas State +9

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February 26th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

College basketball betting action isn't going to get much hotter than it will be on Saturday night at the Carrier Dome! The Syracuse Orange will collide with the Villanova Wildcats in a high-octane Big East bash. Here's at Cappers Info, we've got all of the information that you need to know about the game!

What's At Stake: The Orange can wrap up the regular season Big East title with a win. Villanova knows that it controls its own destiny for the same fate. The winner of this game will also most likely have an inside track towards a #1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. This is also one of the very few clashes of the season between two teams that are in the Top-10 at the same time.

College Basketball Odds: Syracuse -5.5 at Diamond Sportsbook

Syracuse Notes: HC Jim Boeheim has accounted for 825 wins in his illustrious coaching career, but it's arguable that this would be one of the more important regular season victories. The Orange love to fly up and down the court, as they have the #7 ranked scoring offense in college basketball at 81.2 points per game. The team has the #1 ranked team in the land in terms of shooting efficiency at 52.2%. That's quite the contrast from the 39.0% from the floor that the opposition is shooting against Syracuse's patented 2-3 zone. The Orange are a stellar 15-2 SU and 7-6 ATS at home this season, but both SU losses came in conference play. They're coming off of back-to-back road wins and covers against Providence and Georgetown after the stunning 66-60 loss at home to Louisville on February 14th.

Villanova Notes: What once looked like a sure-fire #1 seed in either the East or South Brackets has turned into a bit of a disaster for Villanova. Loss against Pittsburgh, Connecticut, and Georgetown in recent weeks have liked chased the Cats down to the #2 line if the tourney was to start today. They looked determined to exact some payback for those recent losses on Wednesday night though, picking up a dominant 74-49 win at home against South Florida. The win snapped a three-game losing streak against the NCAA basketball odds. Villanova is the only team in the Big East that has a more prolific offense that Syracuse does. The Cats are averaging 83.8 points per game, #2 in the country. The defense has come into question a number of times for its 72.0 points per game allowed clip, but a game like the one it had on Wednesday against USF quiets its critics.

Players to Watch

Scottie Reynolds, Villanova: The Wildcats' leading scorer is one of the best guards in the entire nation. He is averaging 19.0 points per game and is coming off of a big 21 point performance against the Bulls. Reynolds has scored at least 18 points in six straight NCAA basketball betting battles.

Wesley Johnson, Syracuse: Not only is Johnson leading Boeheim's bunch in scoring at 15.8 points per game, but he's proving to be the complete package as well. He is a durable player that is averaging over 34 minutes per game. Johnson's shooting percentages are both fantastic (50.2% from the field, 39.4% from downtown), and he is also the team's leading rebounder at 8.7 boards per clash.

Trends of Note

-Villanova is 4-1 ATS in its L/5 games as an underdog of less than seven points
-Villanova is just 2-5 ATS in its L/7 Big East games
-Villanova is a stellar 5-2 ATS in its L/7 road games vs. teams with a winning home record
-Syracuse is 21-8 ATS in its L/29 games against teams with a winning record
-Syracuse is 26-9 ATS in its L/35 games overall and 23-8 ATS in its L/31 games as a favorite
-Syracuse is 10-1 ATS in its L/11 games as a favorite of less than seven points
-The underdog is 5-1 ATS in the L/6 meetings between these Big East rivals

Final Analysis: This game is just going to be too close to call. It isn't the end of the world to either team if it should lose, but the winning team will be full of confidence going into both the NCAA Tournament and the Big East Tournament. When Syracuse gets a chance to set its 2-3 zone, it is a very hard team to score on. However, Villanova is a team that loves to push the tempo of the game and force your defense to play on its heels instead of in a set play. Look for the Wildcats to come out and play inspired basketball for the full 40 minutes, and though it may not ultimately yield an SU victory, sticking within those 5.5 points is the way to go against this college basketball spread.

Selection: Villanova Wildcats +5.5

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February 15th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Just one week after ESPN's "Rivalry Week," the small schools take center stage in the annual "BracketBusters" festivities. Butler and Northern Iowa are both schools that are almost certainly going dancing regardless of what happens for the remainder of the season. However, for many of these teams, this weekend is their last chance to try to impress the Selection Committee in the event that they don't win their conference tournaments. Cappers Info has all you need to know about the teams that are trying to bust brackets this weekend!

Old Dominion Monarchs (20-7, 12-3 in Colonial Athletic)
Key Wins:  vs. William & Mary, vs. Charlotte, @ Georgetown
Key Losses: @ Virginia Commonwealth, @ George Mason
RPI: 33
SOS: 79

If the Monarchs don't capture the auto-bid from the CAA, they're probably in a heap of trouble. The Selection Committee realizes just how good this conference is, but it's hard to justify taking ODU without one more truly marquee win. Heading into UNI is probably the most difficult task that any team has to take on this weekend, but for Old Dominion, it is a test that it must embrace and not fear. The Monarchs already proved that they were good enough to win at Georgetown this year, and a victory against the Panthers would probably get the job done. They've won four straight and gone 3-1 ATS in their L/4 "BracketBuster" appearances, but none are more important than the one this Friday night.

Siena Saints (22-5, 15-1 in Metro Atlantic)
Key Wins: vs. Northeastern
Key Losses: @ Niagara, @ St. John's
RPI: 34
SOS: 123

The good news for the Saints is that they may be the biggest college basketball favorite on the board for a small conference tournament when they take on the rest of the MAAC in a few weeks. The bad news is that their resume, though littered with plenty of wins, doesn't really look like one of a tourney team. HC Fran McCaffery was begging for a battle with Butler or one of the other big schools this week, but he may have gotten more than he bargained for. With four returning starters from last season's Sweet 16 team, the Saints are sure to give the Bulldogs a run for their money in a game that they absolutely have to have in all likelihood to steal an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament if that's what it comes down to. Siena won last season's BracketBuster battle at home against Northern Iowa, but lost on the road against the Panthers earlier this season in the return battle.

Wichita State Shockers (21-6, 10-5 in Missouri Valley)
Key Wins: vs. Northern Iowa, vs. Texas Tech
Key Losses: @ Evansville, @ Drake, @ Creighton, @ Illinois State
RPI: 47
SOS: 120

Wichita State should be happy that it is going on the road for BracketBusters. As you can tell, there isn't a heck of a lot to this resume aside from some nice home wins. A victory at Utah State wouldn't be the most impressive thing in the world, but it would prove to the Selection Committee that the Shockers are capable of playing away from their home court. Right now, they may be the most intriguing side in the entire country, as the Valley's strong history in the dance will probably come into play come Selection Sunday. Still, WSU is going to have to play its way into the field one way or the other, and the far easier route will be a win on Saturday night against the Aggies.

Northeastern Huskies (17-9, 12-3 in Colonial Athletic)
Key Wins: vs. Utah State, vs. Kent State, vs. Old Dominion
Key Losses: vs. Drexel, @ Western Michigan, @ Drexel, vs. Providence, @ Boston
RPI: 62
SOS: 81

One look at this resume, and you're probably thinking to yourself, "How the heck is this team on the bubble?" True, on one glance, the Huskies don't have a great gripe to be a March Madness pick next month. However, the Selection Committee has always asked the question, "What have you done for me lately?" That's where Northeastern thrives. It is 15-2 in its L/17 games, most of which have come against solid CAA foes. The Huskies can play their way into the field if they win out in the regular season and go all the way to the Colonial title game in all likelihood, but a tough test against the WAC's Louisiana Tech stands in their way. Not only does Northeastern have to be good enough to win, but it may have to be incredibly impressive on Saturday to help persuade the committee if it can't take care of business itself.

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February 11th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor
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When you're talking about coaches in the college basketball ranks in recent history, there are plenty of names that spring to mind right off the bat… Jim Boeheim, Jim Calhoun, Tom Izzo, Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams… the list could go on and on.

But of those coaches that I just listed that are still around today, the only one that can say that he has led his team to Sweet Sixteen appearances in at least four of the L/5 years in Roy Williams, and it's becoming clearer and clearer by the day that the only Sweet Sixteen that his team may be going to this year is that of the NIT.

However, let's stop for a second and take a look at what Villanova HC Jay Wright has done with his Wildcats over the L/5 years…

2009-10 21-2 ???
2008-09 30-8 Final Four
2007-08 22-13 Sweet Sixteen
2006-07 22-12 First Round
2005-06 28-5 Elite Eight
2004-05 24-8 Sweet Sixteen

All things told, since Wright stepped foot on the campus in the City of Brotherly Love, he has emerged as one of the top young coaches in the nation and has turned down dream job offers from teams like Kentcuky as well as Philly's own 76ers. He's amassed 199 wins in his nine seasons at the helm at Villanova and has shown no signs of slowing down. 

Recruiting became a huge base for Wright's success and it seems he has a complete plan for success in the griddy Big East conference. He has brought some fantastic names to the Wildcat program, most notably players like Randy Foye, Allan Ray, Kyle Lowry, Curtis Sumpter, Corey Stokes, Corey Fisher, Dante Cunningham, and now, perhaps the best of them all, Scottie Reynolds.  Not only does Wright recruit 4 & 5-star players as well as McDonald's All-Americans, but he seems to get guys that stick around.  Maybe that is the result of going after mosly quick and athetic guards over the bigger front-court high-schhol players. 

When Wright reached Villanova, his program was a mere mediocre team in a very powerful conference. That conference only got better throughout the years when it pillaged Conference USA and brought in even more powerful basketball schools just two years later. Yet Wright has kept it together, posting just one year that finished below .500 overall. He has posted five straight seasons at .500 or better in Big East play and may have Villanova on its way to its second regular season Big East title in during his tenure this season.

Wright's clubs are known for offensive tenacity. This year, his crop of guards may be the best in the entire country, and they're not shy about slashing to the hoop and making space for themselves. This has been a Jay Wright staple for years, as just like he has never backed down from a challenge, he never accepts anything but the hardest out of his team.

Last season, arguably the greatest in the history of the Villanova program was just the beginning for Wright and the Wildcats. Nova won 30 games, 13 of which came in Big East play, and it went all the way to the Final Four, where it was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament by eventual National Champions, North Carolina. The world was introduced to how good this team was at that point.

Now, entering this week as the #5 team in the country, Wright has his men thinking about a #1 seed in the field of 65 and yet another Sweet 16 run. With the rising level of success that he has had through the years, there is nothing to believe that this won't be the year that Jay Wright's name gets put in amongst all of the other great names that you think of when you're discussing the college basketball coaching greats.

 

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February 2nd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor
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Take a look at the NCAA Tournament bracket from the '09 Dance for a second… The Louisville Cardinals, Connecticut Huskies, Pittsburgh Panthers, and North Carolina Tar Heels were all #1 seeds in that field, while the Michigan State Spartans, Duke Blue Devils, Memphis Tigers, and Oklahoma Sooners were #2 seeds. No one is doubting just how good the Spartans and Blue Devils are this year; after all, you can find these two teams as the seventh and eighth choices on the board right now at 5Dimes Sportsbook. 

However, look at the NCAA Tournament resumes for each of those other six teams and play the judge for yourself about how well they're doing this year… 

 

Louisville Cardinals
Record:  14-8 
RPI: 43
Key Wins: vs. Connecticut, vs. Cincinnati, @ Providence
Key Losses: vs. Western Carolina, vs. Charlotte
Odds to win NCAA Tournament:  +7500 at BetUS Sportsbook
The Final Word: Things are only getting harder for the Cardinals, who are only at 5-4 in conference and falling fast, especially on the road, where they only have one win all year long. That win against UConn on Monday night probably helped push Louisville onto the right side of the bubble at the moment, but one would like to think that the Cards will have to go no worse than 3-1 at home and 2-3 on the road, and then take down a pair of games in the Big East Tournament to get some serious consideration to get into the Field of 65.

Connecticut Huskies
Record: 13-9
RPI: 49
Key Wins: vs. Texas, vs. Seton Hall, vs. Notre Dame, vs. William & Mary
Key Losses: None
Odds to win NCAA Tournament:  +4000 at Diamond Sportsbook
The Final Word: It's about time to turn out the lights on UConn's season. Yes, there really aren't any glaring losses on this schedule, but a poor conference record isn't going to help matters any. Barring finishing 6-3 or so in the regular season and making some noise in the Big East Tourney, it's NIT time for the Huskies.

North Carolina Tar Heels
Record: 13-8
RPI:  76
Key Wins: vs. MichiganState, vs. OhioState
Key Losses: vs. Virginia, @ Charleston
Odds to win NCAA Tournament:  +4000 at SportsBet Sportsbook
The Final Word: The only thing keeping UNC alive right now is its name on the front of the jerseys. The defending champs don't have a resume worth much, even though there are a couple of nice wins on the resume. However, none of them are in the ACC, and until and unless that happens, it's going to be hard to see how this team can make a case to get in the field over teams like FloridaState, Duke, Georgia Tech, Clemson, WakeForest, and Maryland.

Pittsburgh Panthers
Record: 16-5
RPI: 20
Key Wins: vs. Louisville, @ Connecticut, @ Cincinnati, @ Syracuse, vs. Wichita State
Key Losses: @ South Florida, @ Indiana
Odds to win NCAA Tournament:  +5500 at JustBet Sportsbook
The Final Word: This was the one team that was supposed to fall off the face of the earth after a solid '09 run in the tourney. However, Pitt's eye-popping start in the Big East has tapered off with losses in three of its L/4. Barring some bad home losses, the Panthers should get into the field, but it's very possible to think that this team could slip and finish up 4-7 in its L/11 games or so and be right back on the bubble.

Memphis Tigers
Record: 15-6
RPI: 78
Key Wins: @ Marshall
Key Losses: @ SMU, vs. UTEP, @ Massachusetts
Odds to win NCAA Tournament:  +11000 at BoDog Sportsbook
The Final Word: The only thing that the Tigers have going for them is that they may be able to steal Conference USA's automatic bid to the dance. There's no hope, even if the Tigers win out, that they can reach the NCAA Tournament without that automatic ticket.

Oklahoma Sooners
Record: 12-9
RPI: 85
Key Wins: vs. Missouri, vs. Oklahoma State
Key Losses: @ Nebraska, vs. UTEP, vs. Houston, @ San Diego, @ VCU
Odds to win NCAA Tournament:  +17500 at 5Dimes Sportsbook
The Final Word: If there's no hope for Memphis, there's even less for Oklahoma. The Sooners can't even compete in their own conference, and they're not even a shoe-in for the NIT this season. There are plenty of big names floating around that will be in the discussions for the Final Four when the regular season is finished. However, before you even remotely consider taking action on one of these so-called "big names" from a year ago, remember that you very well could be betting on a team that isn't even going to make the NCAA Tournament. Your money has to be better invested on teams that are certain to make the field and much more likely to make some noise when they get there.

  

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