NCAAB
Sunday, January 5
Purdue won three in row, seven of its last eight games with Minnesota; they won two of last three visits here, with loss by 3. Both teams lost their first league game; Boilers won by 3 at West Virginia in their only true road game. Gophers won five of last six, are 2-3 vs top 100 teams, but they were 5-19 from arc and forced only 10 turnovers vs Michigan.
Michigan won its last five games with Northwestern, winning last three played here by 9-2-22 points. Wolverines miss injured McGary (back); three of their last four games were decided by 3 or less points. Michigan is 3-4 vs teams ranked higher than #189, with wins by 2-3-3. Wildcats are 0-5 vs top 100 teams, with all five losses by 11+- they lost league opener by 27 to Wisconsin at home.
'Young Kansas team is playing sixth game in row vs top 100 team, with Jayhawks winning last three by 17-22-10 points. Kansas has conference opener Wednesday at Oklahoma- they've gotten better because they did not have game in Lawrence for 29 days, going 3-3 but improving. Aztecs won last eight D-I games, beating Creighton/Marquette on neutral court; they have true road wins at San Diego/Colorado State.
Illinois State won its last three games with Southern Illinois by 20-14-36 points; young Redbirds won last four home games, but lost at Missouri State in OT Thursday in Valley opener, after being up 16 in first half. Salukis lost six of last eight games, coach blasted the players, then two days later the coach's son-in-law died-- been a tough time for him. SIU lost conference opener at home by 15 to Wichita State.
Wichita State won four of last five games with Northern Iowa, but got beat in last meeting LY; Shockers won by 25-25 points last two times teams played here. Wichita is 14-0; its last three wins are by 11+ pts. UNI is 0-4 in true road games, losing by 11-6-11-14 points, but they've won four of last five overall, with home wins over VCU and Iona.
USC-UCLA will be spirited rivalry, on/off court; Bruins won five of last six meetings, but Trojans split last six visits here. USC won five of last six games, with wins over Dayton/Xavier away from home- they're 1-2 in true road games, losing at Utah State/Long Beach, winning at Dayton. UCLA is 3-2 vs top 100 teams, #4 in country with a 57.5eFG%- you'd expect an Alford team to shoot well- they're 39.9% from arc.
Missouri State won Valley opener in OT over Illinois State; they're 2-1 in true road games, beating ODU/Oral Roberts, losing at Louisville by 30. Loyola lost its last three games, by 6-14-12 points, losing opener in Valley 70-58 at Indiana State Wednesday- they were outscored 15-3 on foul line, were -5 in turnovers. Ramblers are 4-1 at home, with only loss to Northern Illinois.
Colorado is 4-1 vs Oregon in Pac-12 play, with three of four wins by 1 point- they whacked Ducks by 23 here LY. Buffs are 2-2 vs teams in top 30, losing to Baylor/Okla State, beating Harvard/Kansas. Ducks are 13-0 after rallying for OT win at Utah Thursday (with 13:45 left, were down 10); they've now won both their true road games in overtime, at Utah and Ole Miss- they shoot 41.7% from arc.
Washington State got crushed at Arizona Thursday with leading scorer Lacy out (appendicitis); Coogs lost four of last five games with Arizona State, losing by 25-2-4-12 points in last four visits here. ASU got waxed at home by Washington Thursday, trailing by 17 half- they were 2-16 on arc. Wazzu is 1-2 in true road games, losing by 16 at Gonzaga, winning by point at Idaho in addition to the Arizona debacle.
Providence won three of last four games with Villanova, sweeping 'nova LY, but Friars are last in country in bench minutes, lost last two games in OT, losing to UMass/Seton Hall by total of 3 points. Wildcats won league opener by 3 at Butler, after Syracuse loss- they force turnovers 22.5% of time. Only one of Friars' last five losses here was by more than 11 points.
Iowa won three of last four games with Wisconsin; Badgers' last couple series wins were in OT. Hawkeyes lost seven of last eight visits to this gym, with five of last six losses by 12+. Iowa is 3-2 vs top 100 teams, losing by 5 to Villanova on neutral floor, 3 at Iowa State. Badgers' last four wins are all by 25+ points- they already have seven top 100 wins.
North Carolina won its last four games with Wake Forest by 9-14-15-25 points; Tar Heels won four of last five visits here, are 1-1 in true away games, losing at UAB, winning at Michigan State. 10-3 Deacons played #320 schedule to get here; they're 0-3 vs top 50 teams, losing by 9-19-15 points. Wake defends arc well, but Carolina doesn't shoot many 3-balls.
UT-Martin upset Murray State LY; they're 2-17 in last 19 series games,. with last eight losses here all by 13+ points, but Racers are down this year, with PG Jackson (knee) out for year- they're 6-7, making 59.8% on foul line, not as good as previous years. Skyhawks lost four in row, are 3-12 vs D-I teams; opponents are shooting 58.4% inside arc- not good.
Sunday, January 5
Purdue won three in row, seven of its last eight games with Minnesota; they won two of last three visits here, with loss by 3. Both teams lost their first league game; Boilers won by 3 at West Virginia in their only true road game. Gophers won five of last six, are 2-3 vs top 100 teams, but they were 5-19 from arc and forced only 10 turnovers vs Michigan.
Michigan won its last five games with Northwestern, winning last three played here by 9-2-22 points. Wolverines miss injured McGary (back); three of their last four games were decided by 3 or less points. Michigan is 3-4 vs teams ranked higher than #189, with wins by 2-3-3. Wildcats are 0-5 vs top 100 teams, with all five losses by 11+- they lost league opener by 27 to Wisconsin at home.
'Young Kansas team is playing sixth game in row vs top 100 team, with Jayhawks winning last three by 17-22-10 points. Kansas has conference opener Wednesday at Oklahoma- they've gotten better because they did not have game in Lawrence for 29 days, going 3-3 but improving. Aztecs won last eight D-I games, beating Creighton/Marquette on neutral court; they have true road wins at San Diego/Colorado State.
Illinois State won its last three games with Southern Illinois by 20-14-36 points; young Redbirds won last four home games, but lost at Missouri State in OT Thursday in Valley opener, after being up 16 in first half. Salukis lost six of last eight games, coach blasted the players, then two days later the coach's son-in-law died-- been a tough time for him. SIU lost conference opener at home by 15 to Wichita State.
Wichita State won four of last five games with Northern Iowa, but got beat in last meeting LY; Shockers won by 25-25 points last two times teams played here. Wichita is 14-0; its last three wins are by 11+ pts. UNI is 0-4 in true road games, losing by 11-6-11-14 points, but they've won four of last five overall, with home wins over VCU and Iona.
USC-UCLA will be spirited rivalry, on/off court; Bruins won five of last six meetings, but Trojans split last six visits here. USC won five of last six games, with wins over Dayton/Xavier away from home- they're 1-2 in true road games, losing at Utah State/Long Beach, winning at Dayton. UCLA is 3-2 vs top 100 teams, #4 in country with a 57.5eFG%- you'd expect an Alford team to shoot well- they're 39.9% from arc.
Missouri State won Valley opener in OT over Illinois State; they're 2-1 in true road games, beating ODU/Oral Roberts, losing at Louisville by 30. Loyola lost its last three games, by 6-14-12 points, losing opener in Valley 70-58 at Indiana State Wednesday- they were outscored 15-3 on foul line, were -5 in turnovers. Ramblers are 4-1 at home, with only loss to Northern Illinois.
Colorado is 4-1 vs Oregon in Pac-12 play, with three of four wins by 1 point- they whacked Ducks by 23 here LY. Buffs are 2-2 vs teams in top 30, losing to Baylor/Okla State, beating Harvard/Kansas. Ducks are 13-0 after rallying for OT win at Utah Thursday (with 13:45 left, were down 10); they've now won both their true road games in overtime, at Utah and Ole Miss- they shoot 41.7% from arc.
Washington State got crushed at Arizona Thursday with leading scorer Lacy out (appendicitis); Coogs lost four of last five games with Arizona State, losing by 25-2-4-12 points in last four visits here. ASU got waxed at home by Washington Thursday, trailing by 17 half- they were 2-16 on arc. Wazzu is 1-2 in true road games, losing by 16 at Gonzaga, winning by point at Idaho in addition to the Arizona debacle.
Providence won three of last four games with Villanova, sweeping 'nova LY, but Friars are last in country in bench minutes, lost last two games in OT, losing to UMass/Seton Hall by total of 3 points. Wildcats won league opener by 3 at Butler, after Syracuse loss- they force turnovers 22.5% of time. Only one of Friars' last five losses here was by more than 11 points.
Iowa won three of last four games with Wisconsin; Badgers' last couple series wins were in OT. Hawkeyes lost seven of last eight visits to this gym, with five of last six losses by 12+. Iowa is 3-2 vs top 100 teams, losing by 5 to Villanova on neutral floor, 3 at Iowa State. Badgers' last four wins are all by 25+ points- they already have seven top 100 wins.
North Carolina won its last four games with Wake Forest by 9-14-15-25 points; Tar Heels won four of last five visits here, are 1-1 in true away games, losing at UAB, winning at Michigan State. 10-3 Deacons played #320 schedule to get here; they're 0-3 vs top 50 teams, losing by 9-19-15 points. Wake defends arc well, but Carolina doesn't shoot many 3-balls.
UT-Martin upset Murray State LY; they're 2-17 in last 19 series games,. with last eight losses here all by 13+ points, but Racers are down this year, with PG Jackson (knee) out for year- they're 6-7, making 59.8% on foul line, not as good as previous years. Skyhawks lost four in row, are 3-12 vs D-I teams; opponents are shooting 58.4% inside arc- not good.
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