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Posts Tagged ‘Villanova Wildcats’

March 4th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: Missouri Tigers @ Kansas Jayhawks
Date: Saturday, March 5th, 12:00 ET
Location: Mizzou Arena, Columbia, MO
Game Line: OTB
Over/Under OTB

If the Jayhawks think that they are going to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, they badly need to collect this win on the road. That would take a lot of pressure off for winning the Big XII Tournament, as there are a ton of teams that are going to be gunning for that crown that need wins in big time ways over teams like these. Mizzou really hasn’t played spectacular ball of late, and it really could use a boost just to get some momentum going and to avoid falling into that seemingly inevitably dreaded 8/9 matchup in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Kansas is a far superior team in terms of talent, and it really showed the first time around when these two met at Allen Fieldhouse. Sure, the intensity really kicks up a notch when you’re playing on the road, especially in a game that is this big, but the Jayhawks should be able to handle themselves. The oddsmakers will give too much respect to the Tigers, and KU will get the job done and lock up the regular season conference crown and the No. 1 seed in the Big 12 Tournament.

Free College Basketball Picks: Kansas Jayhawks

Matchup: Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Connecticut Huskies
Date: Saturday, March 5th, 2:00 ET
Location: XL Center, Storrs, CT
Game Line: OTB
Over/Under OTB

The Fighting Irish have to feel like they have a legitimate chance of being a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but they are going to need to win the Big East and probably beat the Pitt Panthers to do it. There’s a chance to draw level for the Big East regular season crown as well, and that’s a coveted thing for any team to have on its resume for a top seed in the dance. Connecticut really just needs to feel like it has to ability to win it all in what will be the last home game for Kemba Walker before he heads to the NBA. Walker can take this game over like none other, and though the Irish will inevitably throw everything they can at him including the kitchen sink, it isn’t going to be enough. Notre Dame will get rocked on the that day is designed for Walker to shine.

Free NCAA Basketball Picks: Connecticut Huskies

Matchup: Villanova Wildcats @ Pittsburgh Panthers
Date: Saturday, March 5th, 4:00 ET
Location: Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Game Line: OTB
Over/Under OTB

Villanova is in a world of hurt right now, as it is really playing poor ball at a poor time of year to be doing so. The Cats have dropped three in a row going into this, the final, and arguably most difficult game of the entire season. They’ve also lost seven out of 11 and don’t look anything like a team that even belongs in March Madness, let alone belongs there as a respectable seed. Pittsburgh’s defense is just downright nasty, as it hasn’t allowed more than 66 points in a game in almost two full months, including a 57-54 win over Nova in the City of Brotherly Love four weeks ago. Ashton Gibbs, Brad Wanamaker, Gilbert Brown… it’s all just too much for the Wildcats to handle right now. They just don’t stand a chance of going into the Steel City and doing any damage, and it’ll show in another lopsided defeat.

College Basketball Free Picks: Pittsburgh Panthers

Matchup: Florida Gators @ Vanderbilt Commodores
Date: Saturday, March 5th, 6:00 ET
Location: Memorial Gym, Nashville, TN
Game Line: OTB
Over/Under OTB

This is a tough one, because both the Gators and the Dores are fantastic at what they do. Believe it or not, Florida already has eight wins on the road this season, which is a ton for a team that really didn’t do much in the way of scheduling out of conference on the road this year (though there are wins against Xavier and Florida State to speak of). Vandy has those 14 wins at home though, and they’re going to be hard to overlook. Chandler Parsons and the crew are very thin, yet they are very talented as well. UF is really hoping to get up onto the No. 3 line or so for the NCAA Tournament, and a win like this would go a long way to ensuring that. We just don’t buy into Vandy though, as there are a lot of fluff wins that just don’t look all that great when push comes to shove. The 21 wins for the regular season is nice, but knowing that the oddsmakers are going to treat this home court advantage worth a whole slew of points, we have to back the blue and orange.

NCAA Basketball Free Picks: Florida Gators

Matchup: Duke Blue Devils @ North Carolina Tar Heels
Date: Saturday, March 5th, 8:00 ET
Location: Dean E. Smith Center, Chapel Hill, NC
Game Line: OTB
Over/Under OTB


First place in the ACC and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament are on the line in Chapel Hill on Saturday, and the oddsmakers are really going to have to take a close look at just how good they think that UNC really is. The Tar Heels are certainly flying through everyone in the ACC right now, and they were able to do something this past week that Duke wasn’t able to do: Beat Florida State on the road. Granted, the Noles didn’t have Chris Singleton, but it was UNC’s second win against the garnet and gold this year, and the first time around, Singleton was playing, and the game was a blowout from the get go. This challenge against the Dookies the first time around was a solid one, as North Carolina challenged the whole way and blew a huge lead. This time, it will make amends and make things right. The Carolina Blue clad nation will be out and in full force in a game that is going to feel like the Super Bowl on Tobacco Road. Coach K knows that there are bigger and more important battles to fight than this one, and though the Blue Devils will end up losing this battle, their goal is to win the war and to defend their NCAA Championship.

College Basketball Expert Picks: Duke Blue Devils

Matchup: Texas Longhorns @ Baylor Bears
Date: Saturday, March 5th, 9:00 ET
Location: Ferrell Center, Waco, TX
Game Line: OTB
Over/Under OTB

We know that this isn’t a Top 25 battle, but this is arguably the most meaningful game of the entire day. For the Longhorns, they’re hoping to snap out of this two game funk and to get back on track for a potential No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Winning this one and winning the Big XII would still inevitably get the job done. However, a loss and an early exit from the Big XII Tourney could result in a disastrous No. 4 seed, which could make the first round of the dance very, very interesting. Jordan Hamilton, Tristan Thompson and company have the talent to beat anyone in America, but thanks to how inexperienced this club really is, nothing is a guarantee. For Baylor, it really needs this signature win to pad its resume for the NCAA Tournament. A loss will likely leave it with a lot of work to do to get into March Madness. A win will almost certainly get the job done with just one win in the Big XII Tournament (and even that might not be necessary). There’s too much on the line here for Baylor to get beaten, and we tend to believe that it will get the job done once and for all and make its case to go dancing.

NCAA Basketball Free Picks: Baylor Bears

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February 20th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Two teams that are in dire need of a big time victory to get some momentum going towards the NCAA Tournament meet up on Monday night in the City of Brotherly Love, as the Villanova Wildcats duke it out with the Syracuse Orange.

Matchup: Syracuse Orange @ Villanova Wildcats
Date: Monday, February 21st, 7:00 ET
Location: Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA
NCAA Basketball Odds: Villanova -3.5
Over/Under 135

Orange Notes: The question is whether the Orange are really back in the saddle or not. An 84-80 win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in overtime wasn't exactly what we were hoping to see from Syracuse over the weekend. However, it was the second straight win for Head Coach Jim Boeheim and company, something that shouldn't be taken for granted. There are four men that really lead the way for the 'Cuse, none of which are more important than Rick Jackson. Sure, Jackson isn't the biggest scorer on the club, as he is putting up 13.0 points per game, second on the squad, but he is the top rebounder at 11.2 boards per game and is the leader in blocks with 68 in total. Kris Joseph is the leading scorer at 15.0 points per game, but he just doesn't feel like he has been in his element since the beginning of this month. His 21 points and eight boards though, was an encouraging point from that game against Rutgers. Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche are averaging 12.2 points and 11.4 points per game respectively. CJ Fair came up with 12 big points to help out off the bench against the Scarlet Knights, and he is the leader outside of the starting five at 6.5 points per game. The problem has been the defense, which is something that a Boeheim led team usually doesn't end up fretting about. Though things have generally been okay this year, giving up 80 to the Scarlet Knights and 90 to the Seton Hall Pirates is just another reminder that things aren't perfect in the eyes of the Orange as we head towards March.

Wildcats Notes: The good news for Villanova is that it is probably getting Corey Stokes back in the lineup on Monday after he missed out on Saturday's escape from the DePaul Blue Demons. The OT win over DePaul wasn't a thing of beauty by any stretch of the imagination, but just getting the road win was certainly good enough. Corey Fisher had a blast without his backcourt mate in the fold, scoring 34 points in the win, which raised his scoring average up to 16.3 points per game. Stokes will be a welcome addition back into the lineup again though, as he is averaging 14.6 points per game. He's also the man who you want to have the ball in his hands when the game is tight and you need some free throws. Not only does Stokes do a great job protecting the ball, averaging just under 1.5 blunders per game, but he is shooting 93.5 percent from the charity stripe on the campaign to boot. Antonio Pena is coming off of an absolutely horrid game against the Blue Demons, but he should be rebounding well against Syracuse. He is averaging 10.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Mouphtaou Yarou is a star as well, averaging 9.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.

The Final Word: Neither one of these teams are really playing all that well right now, but the fact of the matter is that the Wildcats have been winning games on the road, something that is significantly harder than playing at home where the 'Cuse have struggled. Villanova should be reinvigorated with the return of Stokes and the fact that it is back at home for the first time in over a week, and it should be the victor on Big Monday in this big time battle.

Free College Basketball Picks: Villanova Wildcats

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February 11th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: Syracuse Orange @ Louisville Cardinals
Date: Saturday, February 11th, 12:00 ET
Location: KFC Yum! Arena, Louisville, KY

The Redbirds have a real chance here to make a statement at home against a Syracuse team that has underachieved in recent weeks. Head Coach Jim Boeheim knows that he is up against it in this one, especially on the road where his team has already lost to the Marquette Golden Eagles and the Pitt Panthers over the course of the last month. Louisville is coming off of that crushing loss at the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, but things are definitely looking up. This is a team that generally plays remarkable defense, and that 'D' should really shine on Saturday. The home team is 5-2-1 ATS in the last eight clashes in this series, while Syracuse is just 5-12 ATS in its last 17 games played on Saturday. The Cards have also won and six in a row in this series and are 5-0-1 ATS in those meetings. Back Louisville.

Free College Basketball Picks: Louisville Cardinals

Matchup: Kentucky Wildcats @ Vanderbilt Commodores
Date: Saturday, February 11th, 1:00 ET
Location: Memorial Arena, Nashville, TN

This is a mighty interesting clash for the Wildcats, who really haven't played all that well on the road this year. Perhaps a different program with less of a history wouldn't even have a ranking right now at 17-6, just like this Vanderbilt team is just barely hanging on to the Top 25. The Cats, believe it or not, only have one win on the road in the SEC this year, and if they lose this one, there is a good chance that they will only end up beating one SEC East team on the road. Head Coach John Calipari has a talented bunch, but these youngsters just haven't figured out how to consistently put it together on the road. The 'Dores, on the other hand, are 13-1 at home on the campaign, and they do have some wins against some very quality foes here. Don't be shocked if the big men for Vandy, while are far more experienced, end up outworking the Wildcats in the Music City.

Free NCAA Basketball Picks: Vanderbilt Commodores

Matchup: Ohio State Buckeyes @ Wisconsin Badgers
Date: Saturday, February 11th, 2:00 ET
Location: Kohl Center, Madison, WI

Seemingly everyone and their brother is going to be backing the Badgers in this one, and the college basketball odds might even have the hosts as short favorites over the undisputed No. 1 team in the country. The problem is perception. No one really believes that OSU is that good of a team this year. Sure, Jared Sullinger is amazing, but the rest of this cast really doesn't look like a Final Four team, does it? Then again, does Wisconsin look like a Final Four team either? If Head Coach Thad Motta can figure out how to take the ball out of the hands of Jon Leuer and Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin is in a ton of trouble in this one. The Buckeyes have some big time mojo on their side, and there is a reason that they have withstood the first 24 challenges this year. They'll survive and get win No. 25, which should start the talks about a perfect season in a hurry.

College Basketball Free Picks: Ohio State Buckeyes

Matchup: Baylor Bears @ Texas Longhorns
Date: Saturday, February 11th, 4:00 ET
Location: Frank Erwin Special Events Center, Austin, TX

Texas needs to be particularly careful in this one, as the Bears are a dangerous club. There is a point that the No. 3 team in the country is overrated. We know that Texas is good, and that there is a good chance that this will be at least an Elite 8 team, if not more. However, the point of desperation is going to be kicking in at some point for the Bears, and this is a bit of a bipolar bunch of Longhorns that we are dealing with. Remember, this is a beatable team here in Austin; UConn proved that, and it did so with a big time game from Kemba Walker. Though there is no one quite like Walker in the country, Baylor does have some legit stars like LaceDarius Dunn to rely on. He's capable of going off for 30 in any game that he plays, and he has enough help around him to be able to take down some of the best and brightest in the country. Still, Baylor has struggled and has limped to a marginal record in conference and a terrible record against the NCAA basketball odds. The Bears might be good enough to stick inside of what is sure to be a hefty number, though.

NCAA Basketball Free Picks: Baylor Bears

Matchup: Pitt Panthers @ Villanova Wildcats
Date: Saturday, February 11th, 9:00 ET
Location: The Palestra, Philadelphia, PA

The Wildcats are going to be inevitably be getting very little respect from the oddsmakers thanks to the fact that they were upset in horrifying fashion by the Rutgers Scarlet Knights earlier this week at home as tremendous chalks. Many will think that this is the start of another one of these patented Villanova swoons, just like the team went on a few weeks ago, and just like the one that the squad had just before the NCAA Tournament last year. However, that was clearly a look ahead game, and it was a game in which the Cats were just flat the whole way through because they knew that there were bigger and better on the horizon. U-Pitt is a great team, but even the best and brightest in the Big East end up getting picked off in roadies like this one eventually. If this is anywhere even close to a pick 'em like we are thinking, we have no choice but to go with the hosts.

College Basketball Expert Picks: Villanova Wildcats

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March 5th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

Hated rivals of the Big East duke it out in college basketball betting action on Saturday afternoon when the West Virginia Mountaineers (23-6, 12-16 ATS) clash with the Villanova Wildcats (24-5, 18-10 ATS).

What's At Stake: The fourth #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament is still up for grabs, and both the Mountaineers and Wildcats would love to stake a claim to it. Villanova has been sliding though, going just 2-3 SU in its L/5 games to fall out of that final #1 slot for the time being. West Virginia has made its case at 23-6, but that loss to the Wildcats on February 8th at home must be avenged in order to move closer. This game takes on a bit extra meaning for the Mountaineers, who can lock up a bye to the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament with a win, while a loss will only advance them through the initial stage of the competition. Villanova has already sewn up the two byes.

College Basketball Odds: Villanova -3.5 at BetUS Sportsbook

West Virginia Notes: The Mountaineers have been a strong offensive team all season, scoring 74.9 points per game. Their shooting percentages are mediocre at best though, as 43.9% from the field at 34.8% from beyond the arc are nothing to write home about. West Virginia does take great care of the basketball and play stifling defense, though. It is only turning the ball over 11.3 times per game and is keeping teams to just 64.8 points per game.

Villanova Notes: WVU may have a great offense, but it pales in comparison to that of the Wildcats. Villanova has the #2 rated offense in the land at 83.3 points per game. They might be allowing 72.8 points per game, but the fact that they run up and down the court with ease for a full 40 minutes and have some of the best guards in the country is more than enough to compensate.

Players to Watch

Da'Sean Butler, West Virginia Mountaineers: Butler had a miserable game against Villanova the first time around, as he shot just 2/12 from the floor and scored 13 points. That was well below his season average, which now sits at a team-high 17.1 points per game. After a string of four sub-par games, the senior is coming off of a strong 22-point showing against Georgetown.

Scottie Reynolds, Villanova Wildcats: The high scorer from that February 8th NCAA basketball betting affair was Reynolds, who put up 21 points. He is the pride and joy for HC Jay Wright, as he is the team's top point man at 18.9 points per game. Reynolds will be playing his final home game at Villanova on Senior Day. He's tallied at least 15 points in all but one Big East game all year.

Trends of Note

-Villanova has covered four straight home games against teams with a winning record.
-Villanova is 7-1 ATS in its L/8 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of at least .600.
-Villanova is 9-4 ATS in its L/13 home games.
-West Virginia is 2-5 ATS in its L/7 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of at least .600.
-West Virginia is 4-2 ATS in its L/6 meetings with Villanova

Final Analysis: The oddsmakers aren't giving nearly enough respect to the Wildcats in this one. They've proven time and time again that they are a worthy team, especially on their home court, and on Senior Day, there's no way that they're going to go out losers no matter how much this angry WVU squad wants to get some payback for the early season loss. Look for Villanova to come out firing on all cylinders offensively, as Reynolds leads the charge of seniors to yet another comfortable win.

Selection: Villanova -3.5

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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 14th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

Cappersinfo.com begins its new weekly installment of the Top 10 Teams to bet on across all of sports that you should be betting on religiously this season.  We breakdown the top teams ATS, combine all sports, and rank them. Teams ranked by Score Coefficient Ranking (SCR), which takes the amount of money earned over the course of the season and divides it by the number of games played in relation to games that will be played. Must have 18 games played to qualify.

1: Oregon State Beavers (College Basketball) (14-5 ATS, +$850) (SCR: 34.0) The Beavers continued to roll for college basketball betting fans by taking a 63-55 SU win at Arizona on Saturday and covering ASU by the hook on Thursday.

2: Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (College Basketball) (14-5 ATS, +$850) (SCR: 34.0) Watch out for Southern Miss! The Golden Eagles have covered eight out of nine, including roadies at UTEP, UAB, Houston, and now Tulsa. A 66-50 win against Rice was more than enough to beat the spread on Saturday.

3: North Texas Mean Green (College Basketball) (13-5-1 ATS, +$750) (SCR: 33.9) North Texas' win over Denver on Saturday helped keep its NCAA Tournament hopes alive. A 68-46 win at New Orleans on Thursday was far more impressive.

4: Syracuse Orange (College Basketball) (15-6 ATS, +$840) (SCR: 31.2) Any time you can say that you've won ten straight Big East games and are 7-3 ATS in those games, you've done something special. Syracuse gets a pass for "only" beating Connecticut by five as ten-point favorites.

5: Kansas State Wildcats (College Basketball) (13-5-1 ATS, +$750) (SCR: 30.0) KSU's romp over Colorado erased the memory of a close call against Iowa State of two weeks ago. That's four out of five for what may be the Big XII's second best squad.

6: Villanova Wildcats (College Basketball) (16-7 ATS, +$830) (SCR: 28.5) The Cats won't mind not covering Providence this week, especially after going into Morgantown and absolutely demolishing the Mountaineers.

7: Northwestern Wildcats (College Basketball) (14-6 ATS, +$740) (SCR: 28.5) A loss to Iowa midweek probably signaled the end of the season for the Wildcats. More defeats like that one will send Northwestern off of this list as well.

8: New Mexico Lobos (College Basketball) (16-7-2 ATS, +$830) (SCR: 27.6) Here's a team on the rise. The Lobos spanked UNLV midweek to assert itself as the top team in the MWC. They nearly blew it against Utah on Saturday, but a 68-65 win at least salvaged an ATS push.

9: Washington Capitals (Hockey) (33-29 ATS, +$2,000) (SCR: 24.3) The Caps slumped to three straight losses after posting 14 straight victories. Still, as long as the offense is averaging 3.9 goals per game and has scored at least three in 21 straight, the Caps are probably going to hang on to a spot on this list.

10: San Jose Sharks (Hockey) (31-31 ATS, +$1,908) (SCR: 23.3) San Jose only covered twice in this wicked five-game road trip right before the NHL's sabbatical for the Winter Olympics. The Sharks have a slew of home games coming up, and a lot of those will need to be multi-goal victories to move up on the power polls.

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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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