Wednesday Wagers
**North Carolina State at Virginia**
--Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Virginia (13-6 straight up, 8-6 against the spread) as a 5 ?-point favorite. As of early this afternoon, most betting shops still had UVA favored by 5 1/2 with a total of 136 1/2. Bettors can back the Wolfpack to win outright for a plus-200 return (risk $100 to win $200).
--Tony Bennett is doing a sensational job in his first season since coming to Charlottesville from Washington State. Bennett has the Cavaliers in the hunt for their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2005. They were a part of Joe Lunardi?s ?next four out? in this week?s edition of Bracketology on ESPN.com. (For clarification, Lunardi?s bracket isn?t anything set in stone by any means, but it?s a nice barometer to measure teams at in early February. Also, the ?next four out? implies being in the range of the fifth-to-eighth squads left out of the field.)
--Virginia captured a 75-60 win Sunday night at North Carolina as a live eight-point road underdog. The Cavs hooked up money-line backers with a generous plus-300 return (paid $300 on $100 wagers). Sylven Landesberg, a sophomore slasher, scored a game-high 29 points against the Tar Heels.
--UVA is 10-2 SU and 4-3 ATS at home this year.
--North Carolina St. (14-8 SU, 10-8-1 ATS) stepped out of ACC play Saturday to mash North Carolina Central 77-42 in a non-lined affair. Prior to that victory, the Wolfpack lost at home 77-63 to North Carolina as a one-point home underdog.
--Sidney Lowe?s team is led by junior forward Tracy Smith, who leads the Wolfpack in scoring (17.5 points per game), rebounding (8.4 RPG) and FG-percentage (56.5%).
--N.C. St. owns a 2-1 spread record in its three ACC road assignments.
--These ACC adversaries already met earlier this year in Raleigh, with UVA beating the Wolfpack 70-62 on Jan. 9. The Cavs covered the number as 2 ?-point road underdogs, while the 132 combined points slipped ?over? the 129-point total. Landesberg scored a game-high 23 points in the first meeting.
--The ?over? is 8-4-1 overall for UVA, 5-0-1 in its home outings.
--The ?over? is 9-6 overall for N.C. St.
--Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPNU.
**Texas A&M at Missouri**
--LVSC opened Missouri (16-5 SU, 9-6 ATS) as an eight-point favorite. As of early this afternoon, most spots has the Tigers as 9 1/2-point 'chalk' with the total in the 145-146 range. Gamblers can bring home a lucrative plus-400 return if the Aggies win outright (risk $100 to win $400).
--Mike Anderson?s team is unbeaten in 14 home games with a 7-2 spread record. The Tigers bounced back from last week?s loss at Kansas by spanking Oklahoma St. 95-80 Saturday as 7 ?-point home ?chalk.? Kim English led five double-figure scorers with 20 points.
--Texas A&M (15-6 SU, 9-8 ATS) has lost all three of its Big 12 road games, going 1-2 ATS. The Aggies got stroked at Kansas St. (88-65) and lost 76-69 at Oklahoma St., but they took Texas to overtime in Austin and covered the number in a 72-67 loss as 14 ?-point puppies.
--Mark Turgeon?s squad beat up on Texas Tech by an 85-70 count Saturday as a nine-point home favorite. Donald Sloan was the catalyst with a game-high 28 points. The 155 combined points sailed ?over? the 145-point tally.
--Sloan is averaging a team-high 18.7 points per game for the Aggies, who have been playing without senior guard Derrick Roland since he broke his leg in a 73-64 loss at Washington back on Dec. 22. Roland was the team?s best perimeter defender and was averaging 10.5 PPG.
--English is scoring at a 14.8 PPG clip to pace the Tigers, who lost three starters from last year?s team that went to the Sweet 16 before losing to UConn.
--Texas A&M has won five in a row over Missouri and the Aggies have taken the cash in eight consecutive head-to-head meetings. When these teams met in Columbia two years ago, Texas A&M captured a 77-69 win as a 1 ?-point road favorite.
--The ?over? is 7-6 overall for the Tigers, 5-2 in their home games.
--The ?under? is 10-6 overall for the Aggies, but they have watched the ?over? go 3-2 in their five true road assignments.
--ESPNU will provide television coverage at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
**Kansas at Colorado**
--LVSC opened top-ranked Kansas (20-1 SU, 9-8-1 ATS) as a 13 1/2?point favorite. As of early this afternoon, most books had KU at 14 with a total of 151 1/2. The Buffs are plus-900 on the money line at the Las Vegas Hilton.
--Colorado (11-10 SU, 8-8-1 ATS) has been outstanding at home this season, winning 10 of 11 games while compiling a 4-2-1 ATS mark. The Buffaloes have been home underdogs twice, going 1-1 SU and 1-0-1 ATS. They beat Baylor 78-71 as three-point ?dogs and lost 87-81 to Kansas St. as six-point puppies.
--Since suffering its lone loss at Tennessee, Bill Self?s team has won six in a row while posting a 3-2-1 spread record. KU is coming off an emotional road win Saturday in Manhattan. The Jayhawks survived overtime against Kansas St., collecting an 81-79 triumph. However, the Wildcats covered the spread as 3 ?-point home underdogs.
--Cole Aldrich led the way for KU against its in-state rivals, producing 18 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots. Marcus Morris also had a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards, while Sherron Collins finished with 16 points and four assists.
--Jeff Bzdelik?s squad snapped a three-game losing streak last week by beating Nebraska 72-60 Wednesday as a three-point home favorite. Freshman guard Alec Burks, the prep Player of the Year from out of Missouri last season, scored a game-high 21 points for the Buffs against the Cornhuskers.
--CU couldn?t follow up on the win over Nebraska, dropping a 64-63 decision Saturday at Iowa St. However, the Buffs did take the cash for the third straight game as 6 ?-point road underdogs.
--Burks, who averages 16.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest, left the game against the Cyclones in the opening minutes and did not return. The knee injury has Burks ?questionable? for KU. Bzdelik told BuffStampede.com on Monday, ?Alec is doing great; [it is] just a very mild sprain. He'll do some light work at practice [Monday].?
Burks Update: According to an alert from LVSC at 12:49 p.m. Eastern, Burks has been downgraded to "doubtful."
--The ?under? has posted a 5-2 record in Colorado?s home games but is just 8-8 overall. KU has watched the ?under? cash at a 10-7 clip overall this season.
--The ?under? is 8-0 in the last eight games played in Boulder between these Big 12 rivals.
--ESPN2 will have the telecast at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
--ESPN2 will have a late-night telecast tonight for Idaho at Utah St. at 11:05 p.m. Eastern. The Aggies are 16-point favorites, while the total is 129.
--Wisconsin stayed unbeaten at home and improved to 8-3 versus the number with last night?s 67-49 win over Michigan St. as a two-point favorite. The loss was the Spartans? first in Big Ten play, but that was far from Tom Izzo?s biggest concern when his team left Madison last night. Kalin Lucas went down with what appeared to be a serious ankle injury. Lucas, the Big Ten Player of the Year last season, was ?walking gingerly? an hour after the game, according to SpartanMag.com.
--Who needs a win the most tonight? I would have to go with Mississippi St., which is a six-point underdog at Vanderbilt.
--Northwestern needed a win more than anyone last night, and Bill Carmody?s team delivered. The Wildcats are now 15-7 with a 4-6 record in Big Ten play. Their next nine games to wrap up the regular season look like this: vs. Indiana, at Iowa, vs. Minnesota, vs. Penn St., at Wisconsin, vs. Iowa, at PSU, vs. Chicago St. and at Indiana. By my calculations, NW will be favored in at least six of those contests, possibly seven or eight.
--The 'over' has hit in eight consecutive Georgia games. The Dawgs play host to Arkansas tonight at Stegeman Coliseum. They are four-point home favorites and the total is 146.
**North Carolina State at Virginia**
--Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Virginia (13-6 straight up, 8-6 against the spread) as a 5 ?-point favorite. As of early this afternoon, most betting shops still had UVA favored by 5 1/2 with a total of 136 1/2. Bettors can back the Wolfpack to win outright for a plus-200 return (risk $100 to win $200).
--Tony Bennett is doing a sensational job in his first season since coming to Charlottesville from Washington State. Bennett has the Cavaliers in the hunt for their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2005. They were a part of Joe Lunardi?s ?next four out? in this week?s edition of Bracketology on ESPN.com. (For clarification, Lunardi?s bracket isn?t anything set in stone by any means, but it?s a nice barometer to measure teams at in early February. Also, the ?next four out? implies being in the range of the fifth-to-eighth squads left out of the field.)
--Virginia captured a 75-60 win Sunday night at North Carolina as a live eight-point road underdog. The Cavs hooked up money-line backers with a generous plus-300 return (paid $300 on $100 wagers). Sylven Landesberg, a sophomore slasher, scored a game-high 29 points against the Tar Heels.
--UVA is 10-2 SU and 4-3 ATS at home this year.
--North Carolina St. (14-8 SU, 10-8-1 ATS) stepped out of ACC play Saturday to mash North Carolina Central 77-42 in a non-lined affair. Prior to that victory, the Wolfpack lost at home 77-63 to North Carolina as a one-point home underdog.
--Sidney Lowe?s team is led by junior forward Tracy Smith, who leads the Wolfpack in scoring (17.5 points per game), rebounding (8.4 RPG) and FG-percentage (56.5%).
--N.C. St. owns a 2-1 spread record in its three ACC road assignments.
--These ACC adversaries already met earlier this year in Raleigh, with UVA beating the Wolfpack 70-62 on Jan. 9. The Cavs covered the number as 2 ?-point road underdogs, while the 132 combined points slipped ?over? the 129-point total. Landesberg scored a game-high 23 points in the first meeting.
--The ?over? is 8-4-1 overall for UVA, 5-0-1 in its home outings.
--The ?over? is 9-6 overall for N.C. St.
--Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPNU.
**Texas A&M at Missouri**
--LVSC opened Missouri (16-5 SU, 9-6 ATS) as an eight-point favorite. As of early this afternoon, most spots has the Tigers as 9 1/2-point 'chalk' with the total in the 145-146 range. Gamblers can bring home a lucrative plus-400 return if the Aggies win outright (risk $100 to win $400).
--Mike Anderson?s team is unbeaten in 14 home games with a 7-2 spread record. The Tigers bounced back from last week?s loss at Kansas by spanking Oklahoma St. 95-80 Saturday as 7 ?-point home ?chalk.? Kim English led five double-figure scorers with 20 points.
--Texas A&M (15-6 SU, 9-8 ATS) has lost all three of its Big 12 road games, going 1-2 ATS. The Aggies got stroked at Kansas St. (88-65) and lost 76-69 at Oklahoma St., but they took Texas to overtime in Austin and covered the number in a 72-67 loss as 14 ?-point puppies.
--Mark Turgeon?s squad beat up on Texas Tech by an 85-70 count Saturday as a nine-point home favorite. Donald Sloan was the catalyst with a game-high 28 points. The 155 combined points sailed ?over? the 145-point tally.
--Sloan is averaging a team-high 18.7 points per game for the Aggies, who have been playing without senior guard Derrick Roland since he broke his leg in a 73-64 loss at Washington back on Dec. 22. Roland was the team?s best perimeter defender and was averaging 10.5 PPG.
--English is scoring at a 14.8 PPG clip to pace the Tigers, who lost three starters from last year?s team that went to the Sweet 16 before losing to UConn.
--Texas A&M has won five in a row over Missouri and the Aggies have taken the cash in eight consecutive head-to-head meetings. When these teams met in Columbia two years ago, Texas A&M captured a 77-69 win as a 1 ?-point road favorite.
--The ?over? is 7-6 overall for the Tigers, 5-2 in their home games.
--The ?under? is 10-6 overall for the Aggies, but they have watched the ?over? go 3-2 in their five true road assignments.
--ESPNU will provide television coverage at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
**Kansas at Colorado**
--LVSC opened top-ranked Kansas (20-1 SU, 9-8-1 ATS) as a 13 1/2?point favorite. As of early this afternoon, most books had KU at 14 with a total of 151 1/2. The Buffs are plus-900 on the money line at the Las Vegas Hilton.
--Colorado (11-10 SU, 8-8-1 ATS) has been outstanding at home this season, winning 10 of 11 games while compiling a 4-2-1 ATS mark. The Buffaloes have been home underdogs twice, going 1-1 SU and 1-0-1 ATS. They beat Baylor 78-71 as three-point ?dogs and lost 87-81 to Kansas St. as six-point puppies.
--Since suffering its lone loss at Tennessee, Bill Self?s team has won six in a row while posting a 3-2-1 spread record. KU is coming off an emotional road win Saturday in Manhattan. The Jayhawks survived overtime against Kansas St., collecting an 81-79 triumph. However, the Wildcats covered the spread as 3 ?-point home underdogs.
--Cole Aldrich led the way for KU against its in-state rivals, producing 18 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots. Marcus Morris also had a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards, while Sherron Collins finished with 16 points and four assists.
--Jeff Bzdelik?s squad snapped a three-game losing streak last week by beating Nebraska 72-60 Wednesday as a three-point home favorite. Freshman guard Alec Burks, the prep Player of the Year from out of Missouri last season, scored a game-high 21 points for the Buffs against the Cornhuskers.
--CU couldn?t follow up on the win over Nebraska, dropping a 64-63 decision Saturday at Iowa St. However, the Buffs did take the cash for the third straight game as 6 ?-point road underdogs.
--Burks, who averages 16.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest, left the game against the Cyclones in the opening minutes and did not return. The knee injury has Burks ?questionable? for KU. Bzdelik told BuffStampede.com on Monday, ?Alec is doing great; [it is] just a very mild sprain. He'll do some light work at practice [Monday].?
Burks Update: According to an alert from LVSC at 12:49 p.m. Eastern, Burks has been downgraded to "doubtful."
--The ?under? has posted a 5-2 record in Colorado?s home games but is just 8-8 overall. KU has watched the ?under? cash at a 10-7 clip overall this season.
--The ?under? is 8-0 in the last eight games played in Boulder between these Big 12 rivals.
--ESPN2 will have the telecast at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
--ESPN2 will have a late-night telecast tonight for Idaho at Utah St. at 11:05 p.m. Eastern. The Aggies are 16-point favorites, while the total is 129.
--Wisconsin stayed unbeaten at home and improved to 8-3 versus the number with last night?s 67-49 win over Michigan St. as a two-point favorite. The loss was the Spartans? first in Big Ten play, but that was far from Tom Izzo?s biggest concern when his team left Madison last night. Kalin Lucas went down with what appeared to be a serious ankle injury. Lucas, the Big Ten Player of the Year last season, was ?walking gingerly? an hour after the game, according to SpartanMag.com.
--Who needs a win the most tonight? I would have to go with Mississippi St., which is a six-point underdog at Vanderbilt.
--Northwestern needed a win more than anyone last night, and Bill Carmody?s team delivered. The Wildcats are now 15-7 with a 4-6 record in Big Ten play. Their next nine games to wrap up the regular season look like this: vs. Indiana, at Iowa, vs. Minnesota, vs. Penn St., at Wisconsin, vs. Iowa, at PSU, vs. Chicago St. and at Indiana. By my calculations, NW will be favored in at least six of those contests, possibly seven or eight.
--The 'over' has hit in eight consecutive Georgia games. The Dawgs play host to Arkansas tonight at Stegeman Coliseum. They are four-point home favorites and the total is 146.
