Limiting Opponents Boosts State Into Poll

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Syracuse remained a solid No. 1 Monday in the Associated Press college basketball poll. The undefeated Orange (13-0) received 54 first-place votes, up one from last week, after beating Bucknell and Tulane in their final non-conference games.

No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Kentucky and No. 4 Louisville all received first-place votes and remained in their positions from last week. So did No. 5 North Carolina, No. 6 Baylor and No. 7 Duke.

No. 24 Harvard was in the AP poll for only the second time. It lost its first- ever game as a ranked team to Connecticut three weeks ago and fell out of the poll.

Lincoln, NE (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Nebraska Cornhuskers get their first taste of Big Ten Conference play tonight as they tangle with 11th-ranked Wisconsin at home in the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln. Nebraska, which historically plays most of its non-conference games at home during the first month or so of the season, is in the midst of a four-game homestand right now and is carrying a four-game overall win streak into this meeting tonight. A week ago the Huskers had their problems with Central Michigan, but still managed to come away with a 72-69 triumph in order to move to 6-2 on their own floor.

Against Mississippi Valley State, a team which had won just one of 10 games heading into last week's matchup, the Badgers allowed just 29.2 percent field goal efficiency, while the hosts made good on a solid 50 percent of their total shots. Jordan Taylor showed why he is considered one of the top performers at the collegiate level as he tallied 17 points, while teammates Jared Berggren and Josh Gasser chipped in with 17 and 11 points, respectively. Although he shot just 1-of-6 from the field and finished with a mere five points, Ryan Evans made an impact with his team-high 11 rebounds in the triumph. Evans leads the way on the glass overall for the program with an even seven boards per outing, his 19 blocked shots also tops on the unit. Berggren, who is second in blocks with 18, accounts for a team-best 12.5 ppg, followed by Taylor (12.2 ppg) who is responsible for 65 assists in 13 games and already has more than three times as many dishes as he does turnovers (20). Clearly the key to this team's success has been a defense which has held foes to a meager 44.7 ppg on 33.5 percent shooting from the floor and 24.2 percent behind the three-point line. Needless to say, Wisconsin entered the week ranked first in the nation in scoring defense, with only one other team (Virginia) holding opponents to less than 50 ppg.

The Huskers made good on 58.3 percent from the floor in the first half, but then dropped down to 40.9 percent in the second half against Central Michigan last week. Luckily, Nebraska saved itself by connecting on 19-of-25 at the free-throw line after the break as it dealt with not having two of its top scorers in action. All five starters scored in double figures as Bo Spencer and Brandon Richardson both delivered 15 points, the former also handing out nine of the team's 17 assists. Brandon Ubel, Toney McCray and Caleb Walker all tossed in 11 points for the group, with McCray clearing eight boards as well. Without Brian Jorge Diaz (10.9 ppg) and Dylan Talley (9.1 ppg) the Huskers are leaning more heavily on Spencer who is putting up a team-leading 16.0 ppg in his first season with the program. Spencer has also handed out 47 assists and made 17 steals which helps to compensate for his 41.5 percent shooting from the floor thus far. While the Nebraska defense isn't anywhere near as powerful as that of the Badgers, the Huskers have to be pleased with the fact that they've been able to limit opponents to only 61.1 ppg to this point.

As for Notre Dame, it is a rather mediocre 8-5 overall this season, but all eight home games have resulted in victory. The team has been idle since December 19 when it crushed Sacred Heart in a 106-65 final, the third win in the last four outings for the squad.

The top offensive performer for Pittsburgh is Ashton Gibbs, as he is netting 17.2 ppg despite his disappointing 37.7 percent shooting from the field. Gibbs gets a significant amount of help from fellow guard Tray Woodall, who checks in with 14.1 ppg and over eight assists per contest. Woodall however, is sidelined indefinitely due to injury. Rounding out a trio of double-digit scorers is Nasir Robinson with 12.5 ppg and 6.5 rpg, and he is shooting a blistering 68.3 percent from the field. The Panthers are shooting 49.3 percent as a team while scoring 76.1 ppg, and they are limiting opponents to 64.8 ppg. Unfortunately, Pitt fell 17 points shy of its current average in the loss to Wagner, as game in which the club shot a dismal 39.6 percent overall and 2- of-15 from three-point range. The Panthers finished with only 10 assists against 18 turnovers and even struggled from the foul line.

As for Virginia, it has reeled off eight consecutive victories since its only loss of the season, a two-point setback to TCU on a neutral court. The Cavaliers beat Seattle in an 83-77 final last Wednesday and enter tonight's clash with a 10-1 overall record, including a 6-0 mark at home.

comments

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•    It's ok Sydney, 200 extra taxis on tonight. Good luck getting home! Pffft.

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•    I got the last laugh last night. Florida State beat Notre Dame. #SuckItKyle

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•    notre dame whooped some tail tonight just by the way.

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•    I got 22,272 points while escaping from demon monkeys in Temple Run. this is hard :/

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•    Musir, Mahbooba, Reem, Across The Rhine, Dandy Boy, Steele Tango, Field Of Dreams & Addictive Dream a few DWCC horses who went on turf 2day

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•    Sat 01:39: Periods of rain ending before morning then cloudy with 60 percent chance of drizzle. Temperature steady near plus 1.

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•    On the floor in ac >>>>

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