2009 College Basketball Article Archive
Return to Doc's Article Archive home page
Return to Doc's 2009 Article Archive home page
Previous Archive 2008 College Basketball Archives
Next Archive 2010 College Basketball Archives
Below is a listing of articles appearing on Doc’s site sorted by date.
College Basketball Handicapping: Betting Conference Games
by Trevor Whenham - 12/31/2009
The turn of the calendar to a new year means the dawn of conference play in most of the major conferences in college basketball. For bettors, that means that our mindsets need to turn the page as well. Conference basketball is very different than non-conference play, and the successful bettors are the ones who can recognize and adapt to the changes.
Read more about College Basketball Conference Betting.
NCAA Hoops Betting: Under the Radar
by Christopher G. Shepard - 12/30/2009
Now that the holidays are about over it's time for college basketball to turn its attention to conference play. The best team against the spread in non-conference play has been Texas, who marched out to a 12-0 SU record and 8-1 ATS, earning Longhorns' backers +690 return on their investment.
Read more about College Basketball Betting .
College Basketball Handicapping: Leveraging Coaching Tendencies
by Christopher G. Shepard - 12/23/2009
In college basketball players come and go, but the one thing that remains constant for successful programs are the head coaches. For the gambler it can feel like once you get to know a team's grit (and their cheerleaders) the players are gone soon enough and the cheerleaders have packed on 20 pounds, but it is the head coaches who give each team their personality.
Read more about College Basketball Coaching Tendencies.
College Basketball Handicapping: Key Players Joining Teams
by Robert Ferringo - 12/22/2009
USC lost to the No. 1 team in the country, Kansas, by 19 points on the road back on Dec. 3. Then transfer Mike Gerrity became eligible on Dec. 18 and started for the Trojans the next day against No. 6 Tennessee at home. And wouldn't you know, the Trojans hammered the Vols by 22 with Gerrity notching 12 points, 10 assists and five rebounds.
Read more about College Basketball Key Players.
Most Disappointing College Basketball Teams
by Trevor Whenham - 12/22/2009
Most conferences haven't started league play yet in college basketball, and those that have are only at the beginning. That means that almost all teams in the country are still theoretically in contention for a NCAA Tournament bid. Despite that, there are a lot of teams that are all but eliminated, and several that are a lot further away from a potential tournament spot than they were supposed to be at this point.
Read more about Most Disappointing College Basketball Teams.
College Basketball Handicapping: Top 10 Transfers
by Robert Ferringo - 12/21/2009
To this point in the season there has not been a single addition in college basketball that has had a more dramatic impact on his team than Wesley Johnson. By now you should know that the 6-9 swing forward transferred in from Iowa State and, after sitting out the mandatory year, has burst into the Big East and transformed Syracuse from a team with major question marks brought on by defection to a team that is now one of the favorites for a slot in Indianapolis.
Read more about College Basketball Top Transfers.
Saturday College Basketball Preview: North Carolina-Texas Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 12/18/2009
North Carolina has been struggling to live up to the respect that they have earned as the defending national champions. This weekend Texas is looking to earn a little respect for itself, at UNC's expense, as they try to make a run at a National Championship
Read more about North Carolina-Texas Preview.
College Basketball Handicapping: 10 Impact Freshmen
by Robert Ferringo - 12/18/2009
In my humble opinion, freshmen are always the most overrated aspect of college basketball. It's easy for fans, media bobbleheads, and bettors to get sucked into the Hype of this guy or that guy or whoever is supposed to become the next basketball Jesus. Hype is the enemy of solid sports handicapping.
Read more about Top College Basketball Freshmen.
College Basketball Handicapping: Teams That Should Excel in Conference
by Trevor Whenham - 12/18/2009
We are about to enter a transition period in college basketball. The conference season is about to start, and teams are down to their final few non-conference games. Handicapping the conference season isn't as easy as taking the non-conference record and extrapolating it.
Read more about College Basketball Conference Surprises.
College Basketball Handicapping: Big West is ATS Cash Cow
by Robert Ferringo - 12/9/2009
So what would you say if I told you that the Big West is better than the Pac-10 this year? "Of course that is rubbish," you would say. "Teams like Pacific and Riverside would be buried in the Pac-10 even in a down year. Any one of the teams from the Pac-10 would carve a path of destruction and desecration through the Big West, blasting opponents left and right for the better part of the winter.
Read more about Big West Conference Basketball Betting.
College Basketball Handicapping: Syracuse-Florida Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 12/9/2009
I like to say that sports handicapping is mathematics, not magic. But one formula that even I haven't fully been able to grasp and predict is addition by subtraction. And this year the Syracuse Orange and Florida Gators are perfect examples of how this equation can mean big bucks for their backers.
Read more about Syracuse-Florida Basketball Preview.
2009-2010 College Basketball Futures Odds and Predictions
by Robert Ferringo - 12/8/2009
Kansas and Texas started the season as the consensus favorites to cut down the nets in Indianapolis this April. And to this point neither has done much to make the general public think to the contrary. However, while I agree that those two schools are the clear No. 1 and No. 2 contenders I would also say that neither is even close to the shoo-in Final Four favorite that North Carolina was heading into last season.
Read more about College Basketball Futures Predictions.
College Basketball Handicapping: Best Unknown Players
by Robert Ferringo - 12/8/2009
Below, in alphabetical order, are my Top 11 best "unknown" players in college basketball. Now, to serious fans none of the names on this list will come as a surprise. But for a lot of casual fans and square bettors the players below may be some names that either you didn't realize or hadn't heard of.
Read more about Best Unknown College Basketball Players.
Best College Basketball Teams Against the Spread
by Trevor Whenham - 12/8/2009
It's early in the college basketball season, but already some teams are establishing themselves as good friends to bettors. In some cases teams are only big against the spread successes until the public starts to catch on, but more often in college basketball it seems like teams that start out strong continue to reward their faithful backers. Here's a look at the five biggest ATS successes so far this season:
Read more about Best College Basketball Teams Against the Spread.
College Basketball Handicapping: Most Overrated Teams
by Robert Ferringo - 12/2/2009
The Hype Machine completely overheated and exploded in the offseason regarding John Calipari and the 2009-10 Kentucky Wildcats. And just about everyone in the country bought The Resurrection hook, line and sinker. They were instantly crowned as a preseason favorite to win the national title and they opened the season No. 5 in the ESPN/USA Today Poll and No. 4 in the Associated Press Poll.
Read more about College Basketball Overrated Teams.
College Basketball Handicapping: WCC No Longer One-Horse Race
by Trevor Whenham - 12/2/2009
I like and respect Gonzaga and all that they have accomplished in their long run of prominence. There is one problem, though - they have made the West Coast Conference, which used to be a pretty thrilling conference, incredibly boring. The Bulldogs have won nine of the last 11 WCC tournaments, and 11 of the last 12 regular season titles, including the last nine in a row.
Read more about Portland Pilots Betting.
College Basketball Handicapping: Butler Overrated
by Robert Ferringo - 12/1/2009
So far this season the Bulldogs are just 1-5 against the spread, a great indicator of a team getting too much love. And it isn't just that they aren't covering spreads, it's been their overall performance. Other than a blowout win over a wounded Northwestern squad this team has been pretty bad.
Read more about Butler Basketball .
College Basketball Handicapping: Big Ten Once Again Overrated
by Robert Ferringo - 11/30/2009
I was almost sucked into all of the hype surrounding the Big Ten as a college basketball conference. Anyone who knows me or has read much of my writing knows that I think that the Big Ten sucks at everything. (And by "everything" I mean hoops and football.) And I have had a jolly good time mocking and ridiculing their every flop and flounder over the past several years, while also collecting against the overrated schools that populate the league.
Read more about Big Ten Basketball Handicapping.
College Basketball Second Half Betting
by Trevor Whenham - 11/19/2009
Betting on the second half of college basketball games isn't a primary way of betting for many bettors, but smart bettors know that, in some circumstances, it can be a powerful tool in your toolbox as you try to make a profit.
Read more about College Basketball Second Half Betting.
College Basketball handicapping: Freshman Class May Be One For Ages
by Trevor Whenham - 11/18/2009
The NBA's one-and-done rule may have it's share of problems, but one thing about it is gloriously clear - it has allowed us to enjoy some spectacular freshman performances in college basketball over the last four years that we wouldn't have otherwise seen. Guys like Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley, Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, O.J. Mayo, and Greg Oden never would have set foot on a college court without the rule, and college basketball was, in my view, clearly better for their presence.
Read more about College Basketball Freshmen.
Betting College Basketball Teasers
by Robert Ferringo - 11/17/2009
Betting college basketball teasers is a lot like using dynamite. In the wrong hands, someone is likely to lose an arm and a leg. But in the hands of a trained professional you can do some pretty cool stuff.
Read more about Betting College Basketball Teasers.
College Basketball Handicapping: Returning Starters
by Trevor Whenham - 11/17/2009
One of the reliable long-term indicators of betting success early in the college basketball season is the number of returning starters a team has. A team returning all of their starters is going to have an advantage over a team returning two or fewer starters most of the time in the opening weeks of the season before the new starters can get comfortable and settle in.
Read more about College Basketball Returning Starters.
2009-10 College Basketball Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 11/13/2009
The college basketball season is underway, and I couldn't be happier. The best part of the sport is that the season has so many distinct parts to the season - early games, fall tournaments, tough non-conference contests, the conference season, conference tournaments, and the NCAA Tournament.
Read more about College Basketball Predictions.
2009-10 Atlantic 10 Basketball Predictions
by Robert Ferringo - 11/12/2009
Yeah, you're reading this right - the A-10 is the Flyers' conference to lose. And don't sleep on this team for one second as far as being a sleeper team for the Elite Eight. Dayton welcomes back 11 of its top 12 scorers from a team that went 27-8 and advanced to the second round of The NCAA Tournament last year.
Read more about Atlantic 10 Basketball Predictions.
Long-Term College Basketball Against The Spread Success
by Trevor Whenham - 11/12/2009
There is nothing bettors like more than long-term dependability - a team that reliably performs like it is supposed to year after year. College basketball teams obviously change from season to season, but some teams are better than others at maintaining the ability to cover spreads consistently despite those changes than others.
Read more about College Basketball ATS Success.
Bookmaker's Corner: An Early Look at NCAA Basketball Futures
by Richard Gardner | Bodog Sportsbook Manager - 11/12/2009
NCAA basketball betting has tipped off and Bodog's got all of your odds to win the SEC East, SEC West, Pac 10, Big East, Big 12, Big Ten Conference, and of course - the national championship. Kansas (4/1), Kentucky (5/1), North Carolina (15/2) and Duke (10/1) are the early favourites to win the national championship.
Read more about NCAA Basketball Futures.
2009-10 Big 12 Basketball Predictions
by Robert Ferringo - 11/10/2009
There isn't a whole lot that I can say about the Jayhawks that you shouldn't already know. I felt like they were one of the biggest overachievers in the nation last year after losing their entire starting five from the 2007-08 National Championship team.
Read more about Big 12 Basketball Predictions.
2009-10 SEC Basketball Predictions
by Robert Ferringo - 11/9/2009
Like everyone else in the college basketball world last season, I had a blast mocking the SEC. For prolonged stretches they didn't have a single team in the Top 25 (whereas the West Coast Conference had a pair for most of the year) and on Selection Sunday only three teams from this "power conference" got the nod for some March Madness.
Read more about SEC Basketball Predictions.
2009-10 Pac-10 Basketball Predictions
by Robert Ferringo - 11/9/2009
Gutted. There really isn't a better way to describe the talent in the Pac-10 from last season to this season. Graduation, transfers and a little thing called the NBA has simply gutted the talent in one of college basketball's perpetually most competitive conferences. As a result, I would expect a significant drop-off in play out of the Pac-10 this year and all of those West Coast hoops haters should have plenty of ammunition from now until March.
Read more about Pac-10 Basketball Predictions.
College Basketball Preseason Rankings
by Trevor Whenham - 11/6/2009
The college basketball exhibition season has started (much to the chagrin of Syracuse), so that means that the real season is just around the corner. I'm sure I'm not the only one who can't wait. The AP preseason poll is out. At this point the rankings are pure guesswork and speculation - we have no way of knowing what the teams will actually be like until we see them play.
Read more about College Basketball Preseason Rankings.
2009-10 MAC Basketball Predictions
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 11/6/2009
The Mid-American Conference regular season will tip off Friday night, Nov. 13 and this year once again the MAC looks to be top-heavy with the East ruling the roost. The East also looks a little more stable with defending conference champion Akron garnering 19 or 24 first place votes in a preseason poll.
Read more about MAC Basketball Predictions.
2009-10 Big Ten Basketball Predictions
by Robert Ferringo - 11/3/2009
No conference in the country brings back as much experience and talent as the Big Ten boasts this season. A stunning 41 of 55 starters from last year's 11 Big Ten teams have come back this year, including a whopping 17 three-year starters.
Read more about Big Ten Basketball Predictions.
2009-10 ACC Basketball Predictions
by Robert Ferringo - 11/2/2009
The ACC has one of the stranger setups that I can remember seeing in a BCS league recently. When you look around this league there is seemingly an NBA-ready post player on just about every roster. However, of all of the talent that has moved on after last year the area that was decimated with the collective backcourt of this conference.
Read more about ACC Basketball Predictions.
2009-10 Big East Basketball Predictions
by Robert Ferringo - 11/2/2009
Last year's Big East conference has been hailed by some as "the best", "the most talented" and "the most competitive" conference in college basketball history. While I'm not one for "The Best Ever" Game I will say that The Beast was definitely a godless killing machine last year that laid waste to opponents that got in its path.
Read more about Big East Basketball Predictions.
College Basketball Handicapping: Tools to Prepare For the Season
by Trevor Whenham - 10/23/2009
Midnight Madness, the first official day of practice in college basketball, was last week. That means that the season is just around the corner - the first games involving major conference teams will be played on Nov. 9. We still have a little bit of time, but before we know it we'll be in the midst of the thrilling, relentless grind that is the college basketball season.
Read more about College Basketball Betting Preperation.
College Basketball Handicapping: Continuity Key for 2010 Success
by Robert Ferringo - 06/26/2009
No single offseason event impacts the college basketball season like the NBA Draft. With the annual Is-He-or-Isn't-He and Should-He-or-Shouldn't-He debates and decisions raging on campuses everywhere, the NBA early entry list is like a roll call for college programs headed for heaven or for hell.
Read more about College Basketball Continuity
College Basketball Futures Odds - Movement and My Perceptions
by Robert Ferringo - 06/25/2009
I've always heard that to stay ahead in the Gambling Game you have to be thinking a couple moves down the road. So while I watch March Madness and the NCAA Tournament I'm trying to project guys out into the NBA Draft and their professional careers. And when I watch the NBA Draft I'm just thinking about how it will affect college basketball teams next fall.
Read more about College Hoops Futures Odds Movement
2009-2010 College Basketball Futures Odds and Predictions
by Robert Ferringo - 04/20/2009
You would think that the last 12 seconds - down three, with the ball - of a critical conference clash, a rowdy rivalry game, or a tense tournament test would be the most stressful and soul-testing time for a college basketball coach. I think you would also be wrong.
Read more about 2009-2010 College Basketball Futures Odds - Men's Basketball Futures Predictions
College Basketball Betting: Big Ten Tournament Preview
by Matt Severance - 03/10/2009
Michigan State is the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 1999, and as one would expect the Spartans are also the Bodog odds-on favorite at 6/5 to win it.
Read more about 2009 Big Ten Tournament Preview.
College Basketball Betting: Mountain West Tournament Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 03/10/2009
If you wanted a preview of the Mountain West Tournament you wouldn't have to go back very far. In an incredible scheduling coincidence, last Saturday three of the four quarterfinal matchups actually played themselves out. San Diego State beat UNLV, Utah topped TCU and New Mexico hung on to beat Wyoming. Now all three favorites have to repeat the feat and hold off several revenge-minded underdogs.
Read more about 2009 Mountain West Tournament Preview.
College Basketball Betting: Big East Tournament Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 03/09/2009
The Big East Tournament decided that sending teams to the NCAA, NIT and CBE Tournaments wouldn't be enough this year. So they decided to team up for a little Sweet 16 of their own from March 10 through March 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Read more about 2009 Big East Tournament Preview.
Best Picks for the NCAA Tournament
by Jay Horne - 03/04/2009
The NCAA Basketball season is winding down as we approach the exciting conference tournaments that will be followed by the NCAA Tournament. Records and rankings mean absolutely nothing once the NCAA Tournament begins and it simply comes down to who is playing the best basketball at this point in the year. Of course, there will be the favorite teams that many people will wager on to win it all, but who has the ability to be a Cinderella story in 2009? We take a look at some of the best picks for the NCAA Tournament championship this year.
Read more about Best Picks for the NCAA Tournament.
Washington Huskies: The Toast of the West Coast
by Max Powers, Doc's Basketball Handicapper - 03/03/2009
It appeared to be a typical year in the Pac-10 during the lead up to the season, as most experts had penciled in UCLA for the top spot in the conference. This came with good reason, as the Bruins had dominated the league, winning three straight conference titles and the Bruins had made three straight trips to the Final Four.
Read more about Washington Huskies.
College Basketball Betting: If Mills Returns, Don't Sleep on Saint Mary's
by Matt Severance - 03/03/2009
Saint Mary's College was a chic sleeper pick to make a Davidson-type run in this year's NCAA Tournament thanks mainly to star sophomore point guard Patrick Mills.
Read more about Saint Mary's Gaels.
College Basketball Betting: Weekly Atlantic 10 Report
by Christopher G. Shepard - 03/03/2009
With one week left in league play four teams, St. Louis, Duquesne, Temple and St. Joseph's will be looking to win out for a chance at claiming the fourth first-round bye for the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship in Atlantic City from March 11-14.
Read more about Atlantic 10 Betting.
College Basketball Betting: Top 15 Conference Tournaments
by Robert Ferringo - 03/03/2009
Today marks the official tip-off of March Madness and the beginning of the conference tournament schedule. The Horizon, Ohio Valley and Big South conferences all get their postseason underway and right now just about every team in the country has a shot at glory in the form of a trip to the Big Dance.
Read more about Top Conference Tournaments.
Big Ten Basketball Betting: Weekly Notebook
by Matt Severance - 03/03/2009
I don't know about you, but when I think of Big Ten basketball I think of Michigan State as being the conference's pre-eminent program.
Read more about Big Ten Betting.
NCAA Tournament Field Predictions
by Robert Ferringo - 03/02/2009
Below are some updated predictions and projections for the 2009 NCAA Tournament field. I am on record as saying that I think at least two of the following teams are going to get upset in their conference tournament - Butler, Utah State, Siena, Davidson and Memphis. If Memphis or Butler gets beaten then they will receive an at-large bid but I don't think that any of the other three teams (Siena, Davidson, Utah State) have a strong enough resume to warrant one.
Read more about NCAA Tournament Field Predictions.
College Basketball Conference Tournament Schedules
by Robert Ferringo - 03/02/2009
Below is the 2009 NCAA men's college basketball conference tournament schedules. I have listed the conference tournament schedules in chronological order by the date that each one starts. If there were multiple tourneys starting on the same day I placed them in order of which conference playoffs ended first.
Read more about College Basketball Conference Tournament Schedules.
Saturday College Basketball Betting Preview: Marquette at Louisville
by Matt Severance - 02/27/2009
In the span of two hours, that Marquette bandwagon sure emptied quickly.
Read more about Marquette at Louisville.
College Basketball Betting: Weekly Cheat Sheet
by Trevor Whenham - 02/27/2009
A quick hit look at college basketball news and notes from the week that should interest sports bettors:
Read more about College Basketball Betting.
College Basketball Fade or Follow: Bubble Teams
by Robert Ferringo - 02/26/2009
Desperation and insecurity are two of the most vile and hideous human emotions. And when combined, they make otherwise sane and rational beings do chaotic, unexplainable, and disastrous things.
Read more about Betting Bubble Teams.
College Basketball Handicapping: Bubble Teams
by Trevor Whenham - 02/25/2009
The nearer we get to the NCAA Tournament, the more important games get for teams that are fighting for a spot in the dance. Betting games involving bubble teams differs only slightly from betting other games at this time of year - you only need to add in the consideration of how the teams will handle the pressure of their situation. Here's a look at 10 bubble teams and the challenges they face in the coming weeks:
Read more about College Basketball Bubble Teams.
College Basketball Betting: Memphis' Streak May be in Jeopardy (Really)
by Matt Severance - 02/25/2009
Two weeks ago here on Doc's Sports, I wrote a preview story saying that Tulsa had a realistic chance to end Memphis' Conference USA winning streak (then at 50 heading into the game). And even if the Golden Hurricane didn't win, they should be able to hang close, I reasoned.
Read more about Memphis' Conference Unbeaten Streak.
College Basketball Betting: Weekly Atlantic 10 Report
by Christopher G. Shepard - 02/25/2009
Last week featured two significant upsets of two A-10 leaders as Xavier fell three spots in the AP Top 25 from No. 16 to No. 19 after being upset by Charlotte on Feb 19, 60-65, while Dayton's stay in the AP Top 25 was short-lived as the Flyers lost to St. Louis Feb. 21, 49-57.
Read more about Atlantic 10 Betting.
Big Ten Basketball Betting: Weekly Notebook
by Matt Severance - 02/24/2009
There are two weeks to go in the Big Ten's regular season, and few games remaining will be as key as tonight's Penn State at Ohio State matchup.
Read more about Big Ten Betting.
College Basketball Betting Preview: Oklahoma at Texas
by Matt Severance - 02/20/2009
With Connecticut losing earlier this week, we will have a new No. 1 team in the polls Monday, and the team at the front of the line is No. 2 Oklahoma. However, the Sooners have a major test at Texas Saturday night on ESPN.
Read more about Oklahoma at Texas.
College Basketball Betting: Weekly Cheat Sheet
by Trevor Whenham - 02/20/2009
A quick hit look at college basketball news and notes from the week that should interest sports bettors:
Read more about College Basketball Betting.
Top Six Games for Bracket Buster Weekend
by Robert Ferringo - 02/18/2009
This weekend is one of the most energized and unique on the college basketball calendar: Bracket Buster weekend.
Read more about Bracket Buster Top Games.
Betting Trends for Bracket Buster Weekend
by Robert Ferringo - 02/18/2009
I've analyzed the last four years of the mid-February mid-major hoops orgy known as Bracket Buster Weekend to see if I could establish any useful betting angles or trends. Instead of working over every single "official" BracketBuster game I squared my focus on the ones that featuring the mid-major conferences that were routinely wagered upon.
Read more about Bracket Buster Betting Trends.
College Basketball Betting: Key Player Injury News for Wednesday
by Matt Severance - 02/18/2009
Here are three important player updates that you should be aware of for tonight's college basketball action:
Read more about College Basketball Injury News.
College Basketball Betting: Weekly Atlantic 10 Report
by Christopher G. Shepard - 02/18/2009
A huge win against Atlantic 10 rival Xavier moved Dayton to No. 25 in the AP Top-25 Poll for the first time this season while Xavier has continued its tumble two spots from No. 14 to No. 16. This is the first time this season that two A-10 teams have occupied spots in the Top 25.
Read more about Atlantic 10 Betting.
The Missouri Valley Conference: One and Done
by Max Powers - 02/17/2009
The Missouri Valley Conference had been the media darling on Selection Sunday during the middle part of this decade. The conference would receive multiple tournament bids and was able to shed the label of mid-major for most of the decade. But last year this conference seemingly fell back to mid-major status when it received just one bid to the Big Dance with Drake and this year it appears that only the conference tournament champions will make it into the NCAA Tournament.
Read more about Missouri Valley Conference.
College Basketball Handicapping: 11 Mid-Majors That Could Dance
by Trevor Whenham - 02/17/2009
The mid-majors aren't nearly as impressive as we have grown used to them being in recent years in college basketball. Lesser schools from smaller conferences haven't been winning as many big games and opening as many eyes as they have in the past. There are still some good teams out there, and perhaps a couple of very good ones, but the major conferences won't be kept awake by as many nightmares as they have been in the past.
Read more about Mid-Majors in the NCAA Tournament.
College Basketball Betting: How to Handicap Bubble Teams
by Trevor Whenham - 02/17/2009
For many college basketball teams at this time of year the only thing on their mind is trying to get a coveted tournament spot. There aren't nearly enough automatic bids for major conference teams, so that leads to a scramble for the at-large bids.
Read more about College Basketball Bubble Teams.
Big Ten Basketball Betting: Weekly Notebook
by Matt Severance - 02/17/2009
Tonight's Michigan State at Purdue game pits the two preseason conference favorites against each other with lots on the line. The Spartans currently hold a two-game lead over the third-place Boilermakers and Illinois is in between the two at a game-and-a-half back.
Read more about Big Ten Betting.
2009 NCAA Tournament Projections
by Robert Ferringo - 02/16/2009
Valentine's Day came and went on Saturday and that holiday is a pretty clear marker in the college basketball world. It means that we are just over four weeks away from the day in which hearts all over the country will be breaking, Selection Sunday.
Read more about 2009 NCAA Tournament Projections.
College Basketball Handicapping: Second Conference Games
by Trevor Whenham - 02/13/2009
In most college basketball conferences, teams play each other twice. Or at least some teams play each other twice. The first game can be very helpful in handicapping the rematch. If you aren't careful, though, what happened in the first game can lead you to make false assumptions about the second game. In order to make sure that you don't make one of those costly mistakes, you need to consider whether the first result was accurate, and whether it is a sound indicator of what is likely to happen the second time around.
Read more about Second Conference Games.
College Basketball Betting: Weekly Cheat Sheet
by Trevor Whenham - 02/13/2009
A quick hit look at college basketball news and notes from the week that should interest sports bettors:
Read more about College Basketball Betting.
College Basketball Handicapping: Following Up Big Wins
by Trevor Whenham - 02/11/2009
Clemson has got me thinking. I neither like nor particularly care about Tigers basketball, but I do care about spotting teams that are likely to lose. Clemson came out a week ago and laid a massive beating on Duke. It was Duke's biggest loss in more than 20 years. Clemson couldn't handle the success, and promptly went out and lost at home to Florida State as nine-point favorites.
Read more about Big Wins.
College Basketball Handicapping: Teams With Nothing to Play For
by Trevor Whenham - 02/11/2009
We are heading into the final month of the regular season in college basketball. For a lot of teams, that means that they are ratcheting up their game to fight for a NCAA Tournament bid. More teams, though, are already coming to the realization that they are playing for next year. Barring a conference tournament miracle, at least half of the teams in the country don't have any hopes of doing anything besides finishing the season.
Read more about Defeated Teams.
College Basketball Betting: North Carolina at Duke Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 02/11/2009
I don't feel bad for Duke. Not at all. I don't feel bad that they enter tonight's big, super-huge, incredibly important, earth-shattering game with North Carolina as home underdogs.
Read more about College Basketball Betting.
College Basketball Betting: Syracuse at Connecticut Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 02/11/2009
Have you ever wondered what would happen if a Top 25 team didn't play defense, didn't make free throws, didn't take care of the ball, didn't rebound and didn't bring any intensity to the court on the road? Did you ever wonder how long that team would stay in the Top 25?
Read more about College Basketball Betting.
College Basketball Betting: Weekly Atlantic 10 Report
by Christopher G. Shepard - 02/11/2009
First place in the Atlantic 10 conference is on the line tonight as Xavier, who had their 11-game winning streak snapped at Duquesne and tumbled from No. 9 to No. 13 in the AP Poll, visits Dayton for the 148th time at 7 p.m. and is part of ESPN's Rivalry Week televised on ESPN Classic.
Read more about Atlantic 10 Betting.
Big Ten Basketball Betting: Stay Away From Boilers
by Max Powers, Doc's CBB Analyst - 02/09/2009
Most experts around the country believed the Big Ten was going to be down this year with the exception of Purdue and Michigan State. Many believed Purdue was the team to beat and forward Robbie Hummel was the selection as the Preseason Player of the Year. Purdue got off to a solid start to the season, going 11-2 in non-conference play with their only two losses coming to Top 5 teams in Oklahoma and Duke.
Read more about Purdue Basketball Betting.
College Basketball Betting: Tulsa at Memphis Preview
by Matt Severance - 02/10/2009
Let's face it, a majority of the NCAA basketball betting on Wednesday will flow in on that epic North Carolina-Duke rivalry. That game tips off at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN from Durham, and no doubt that will dominate the college basketball ratings on Wednesday night as well.
Read more about College Basketball Betting.
NCAA Tournament Futures Predictions
by Robert Ferringo - 02/09/2009
We are exactly five weeks away from Selection Sunday, which means this is Crunch Time in the college basketball world. Things are changing daily, and while some people might think that the championship picture is becoming clearer by the day I would have to say that I think just the opposite.
Read more about NBA Betting.
Big Ten Basketball Betting: Weekly Notebook
by Matt Severance - 02/09/2009
As bad as the Indiana Hoosiers have been this year, and they have lost 12 of their past 13 games and sit at the bottom of the Big Ten, Tom Crean's club has been respectable against the spread. IU is 8-8 ATS overall this season and 5-3 at home.
Read more about Big Ten Betting.
College Basketball Betting: Memphis at Gonzaga Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 02/06/2009
Gonzaga and Memphis meet on Saturday to play what has become the Annual Summit of Major Mid-Majors. These two clubs are the standard bearers when it comes to mid-major respect and achievement over the last decade, and their impromptu nonconference meeting in the middle of February has to be considered the Title Game for non-BCS supremacy.
Read more about College Basketball Betting.
College Basketball Betting: Shopping For Numbers is Key
by Trevor Whenham - 02/06/2009
Gonzaga and Memphis meet on Saturday to play what has become the Annual Summit of Major Mid-Majors. These two clubs are the standard bearers when it comes to mid-major respect and achievement over the last decade, and their impromptu nonconference meeting in the middle of February has to be considered the Title Game for non-BCS supremacy.
Read more about Shopping for Numbers.
College Basketball Betting: Michigan at Connecticut Preview
by Matt Severance - 02/06/2009
It's too bad for the slumping Michigan Wolverines that top-ranked Connecticut isn't instead the nation's fourth-ranked team.
Read more about College Basketball Betting.
College Basketball Betting: Weekly Cheat Sheet
by Trevor Whenham - 02/06/2009
A quick hit look at college basketball news and notes from the week that should interest sports bettors:
Read more about College Basketball Betting.
College Basketball Betting System
by Robert Ferringo - 02/05/2009
You look at it. First, the line gets a befuddled stare because you know that the spread can't be THAT. You scowl at it, at first angry because there is probably something wrong with the Web site you're getting your odds from. Then the light bulb goes off.
Read more about College Basketball Betting System.
College Basketball Betting: Top 25 Squads That Burn Money
by Matt Severance - 02/05/2009
My challenge in this article was to find a Top-25 quality, NCAA Tournament-bound team that was not exactly playing like a power team when it came to the spread.
Read more about Top 25 Teams.
College Basketball Handicapping: ATS Greats from Small Conferences
by Trevor Whenham - 02/04/2009
Most casual college basketball bettors make a costly mistake when they bet on basketball. They get seduced by the teams that get covered in the news and ignore more obscure teams from smaller conferences. Some of those teams that fly well under the radar, though, provide more betting value than the better-known teams. The smaller conferences also provide another big advantage to bettors - the level of talent is generally lower, so a strong team can have an easier time winning and covering spreads than a good team in a strong conference does.
Read more about Small Conference ATS Studs.
College Basketball Betting: Weekly Atlantic 10 Report
by Christopher G. Shepard - 02/04/2009
Xavier has moved to No. 9 in the AP Poll after the Musketeers went 2-0 last week and held on against UMASS, 82-80, for their 10th straight win Saturday. They remain undefeated in the Atlantic 10 but killed a lucrative eight-game win streak against the spread. Meanwhile the Dayton Flyers are in first place in the Atlantic 10 and the first team in the conference to win 20 games.
Read more about Atlantic 10 Betting.
College Basketball Betting: Duke at Clemson Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 02/03/2009
Normally a two-game winning streak over ACC royalty Duke would be a pretty impressive feat. But when your last win snapped a 22-game losing streak to the Blue Devils I think you might need to do a little bit better than two in a row before we admit that the Dukies don't completely own you.
Read more about Duke-Clemson Preview.
Big Ten Basketball Betting: Weekly Notebook
by Matt Severance - 02/02/2009
What on earth is wrong with Michigan State? The Spartans are one of the great home teams in college basketball, but Sunday's loss to Penn State was MSU's second in a row at the Breslin Center and dropped them to just 3-6 ATS in East Lansing this year.
Read more about Big Ten Betting.
College Basketball Betting: Clutch Players Crucial to Gambling Success
by Robert Ferringo - 01/28/2009
Just 15 minutes ago you were Lord of All Creation. You had a huge bet in on an undervalued five-point favorite, playing at home against some scrubby conference rival. And just 15 minutes ago your squad was in cruise control, up 15 with around nine minutes to play and the home crowd going bonkers. The world was your oyster and you were already sizing up how that loot was going to get spent.
Read more about College Basketball Clucth Players.
College Basketball Betting: Weekly Atlantic 10 Report
by Christopher G. Shepard - 01/28/2009
The Xavier Musketeers went 2-0 straight up and against the spread last week and jumped from No. 13 to No. 10 in this week's AP Top 25 Poll while St. Bonaventure covered their eighth straight road game but saw their seven-game straight up road winning streak come to an end in Dayton last night.
Read more about Atlantic 10 Betting.
College Basketball Handicapping: Baylor and Miami Teams to Fade
by Robert Ferringo - 01/27/2009
It was three days before Thanksgiving in 2007. I'm sitting in Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, doing an interview with a writer for Covers.com about the upcoming college basketball season when I let it slip out.
Read more about Baylor and Miami.
Big Ten Basketball Betting: Weekly Notebook
by Matt Severance - 01/27/2009
It's officially panic time in Madison these days. The Wisconsin Badgers were a preseason Top-25 team and a yearly lock for an NCAA Tournament berth. However, four straight losses have the Badgers tied for seventh in the Big Ten at 3-4 (12-7 overall) and in serious need of a few quality wins on their postseason resume.
Read more about Big Ten Betting.
College Basketball Handicapping: May Be Time to Fade Butler
by Robert Ferringo - 01/24/2009
If this college basketball season were a game of Clue the answer would be obvious: It was The Butler, in The Horizon, with the Defense and Outside Shooting. But now another question remains: just how much longer can the Butler still do it?
Read more about Butler Bulldogs.
College Basketball Betting: Weekly Cheat Sheet
by Trevor Whenham - 01/23/2009
A quick hit look at college basketball news and notes from the week that should interest sports bettors:
Read more about College Basketball Betting.
College Basketball Handicapping: Betting the Ivy League
by Robert Ferringo - 01/22/2009
In the fall, Fridays are for football. But in the winter, Fridays only mean one thing - well, other than Happy Hour - and that is Ivy League basketball.
Read more about Ivy League Basketball Betting.
College Basketball Handicapping: MWC Could Get Three Bids
by Robert Ferringo - 01/21/2009
While everyone is busy piddling about whether the ACC or the Big East is the best conference in the country people are missing out one of the most competitive, unpredictable, and potentially profitable conference races in the nation. And that would be taking place in the Mountain West.
Read more about Mountain West Conference.
Big Ten Basketball Betting: Weekly Notebook
by Matt Severance - 01/20/2009
It appears the Northwestern Wildcats actually won't be Big Ten doormats for one season (thank you, Indiana). Behind Craig Moore's 22 points, NU beat No. 18 Minnesota, 74-65, on Sunday. That's a significant win for the program in that it was the Wildcats' first victory over a ranked team since Feb. 8, 2006. And they had dropped 27 of 28 Big Ten games (going 1-17 last season), including their first four this season.
Read more about Big Ten Betting.
College Basketball Betting: Weekly Atlantic 10 Report
by Christopher G. Shepard - 01/20/2009
Thanks to a 4-0 straight up and against the spread record in conference play the Xavier Musketeers have muscled their way up to No. 13 in the AP Poll while the St. Joseph's Hawks improved to 3-0 SU and ATS in the Atlantic 10.
Read more about Atlantic 10 Betting.
College Basketball Picks: Georgetown/Duke Betting Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 01/16/2009
My enemy is my enemy, until they are my friend. That may sound like some Sun Tzu hashish, but that's actually a Robert Ferringo original there. Generally, I'm talking about the phenomenon in sports handicapping where you may bet against a team and bet against a team and bet against a team, and then all of a sudden you find yourself desperately needing that team that you've dogged to come through to salvage your night, week, or season.
Read more about Georgetown-Duke Preview.
College Basketball Handicapping: Ranking the Conferences
by Trevor Whenham - 01/16/2009
We are well into conference play by now. That means that we are starting to get a sense of the strength of the conferences in internal competition. Combine that with what we learned about the teams that make up the conferences in non-conference play and we can formulate a pretty good impression of how the major conferences stack up. That comparison is exactly what I am going to do here. I'm going to loosely evaluate the conferences based on three criteria - the play of the teams in the conference, their play compared to expectations, and their treatment of bettors. Without further ado:
Read more about Ranking the Conferences.
College Basketball Betting: Weekly Cheat Sheet
by Trevor Whenham - 01/16/2009
A quick hit look at college basketball news and notes from the week that should interest sports bettors:
Read more about College Basketball Betting.
NCAA Basketball Handicapping: North Carolina in Big Trouble?
by Trevor Whenham - 01/15/2009
This is not how this was supposed to turn out. The Tar Heels, regarded by virtually everyone as the most talented team in the country, and sporting a rare sight in a returning senior National Player of the Year, were supposed to roll through the ACC virtually untouched. Only Duke was supposed to pose a threat to them. Yet here they are just two games into the ACC schedule, and already they have two losses. And neither one is to Duke.
Read more about North Carolina Tar Heels.
Big Ten Basketball Betting: Weekly Notebook
by Matt Severance - 01/13/2009
We should get an idea of whether the University of Illinois is NCAA Tournament worthy when it faces the two Michigan schools in Big Ten action this week.
Read more about Big Ten Betting.
College Basketball Betting: Weekly Cheat Sheet
by Trevor Whenham - 01/09/2009
A quick hit look at college basketball news and notes from the week that should interest sports bettors:
Read more about College Basketball Betting.
College Basketball Betting: Weekly Atlantic 10 Report
by Christopher G. Shepard - 01/07/2009
Dayton sits atop the Atlantic 10 standings as the Flyers are off to their second consecutive 13-1 start to the season as the conference begins league play this weekend. Leading up to conference play in the last 10 days teams comprising the Atlantic 10 went 9-9-1 against the spread and notched a 19-10 straight-up win record.
Read more about Atlantic 10 Betting.
College Basketball Betting: Value Based on Strength of Schedule
by Robert Ferringo - 01/06/2009
Jay Bilas has a great line for how he breaks down teams and their NCAA Tournament-worthiness: "Who have you played, and who have you beaten." It's simple. It's straightforward. Yet it also begs for the type of insight that most fringe or surface college basketball fans either don't have the time or capacity for.
Read more about College Basketball Strength of Schedule.
Big Ten Basketball Betting: Weekly Notebook
by Matt Severance - 01/05/2009
The Big Ten basketball season is just a week old, but it appears the cream has risen to the top, and that is Michigan State.
Read more about Big Ten Betting.
Previous Archive 2008 College Basketball Archives
Next Archive 2010 College Basketball Archives