Full Court Report Wednesday (January 18)
College basketball is now at the heart of the conference action and the next two months will determine which teams get to dance in March. It’s a big card in college basketball on Wednesday nights, including three nationally televised games.
NC State makes the short road trip to take on in-state rival Duke while a pair of Big Ten battles take place between Northwestern/Michigan and Wisconsin/Ohio State. Below is a look at all three national television matches.
NC STATE at DUKE (-11, 144) (ESPN)
NC State will provide another tough challenge for the undefeated, #1 ranked Duke Blue Devils (16-0 SU). The Wolfpack is 14-2 SU this season with their only two losses coming at Iowa and at North Carolina. The Wolfpack has a strong defense that allows just 38 percent from the field (vs. opponents averaging 44 percent overall), and overall the Wolfpack allows just 61 points per game (vs. opponents averaging 71 points per game).
Duke is a long-term ATS 63-47 double-digit home favorite under head coach Mike Krzyzewski and beat Maryland last Wednesday 76-52 as a 13-point favorite. It looks like punters are finally making the right adjustments, as Duke’s most recent game on Saturday landed exactly on the closing number as the Blue Devils won 87-77 at Clemson as a 10-point favorite.
Duke has gone 3-1 SU/ATS in its last four meetings against NC State; however, Duke only won once in those four games by more than twelve points.
NORTHWEST at MICHIGAN (-10 ½, 122 ½) (ESPN-U)
Michigan is coming off a tough 79-74 loss at Illinois last Saturday. Michigan outscored the Illini 46-42 percent overall and covered as a 10 1/2-point underdog on the road. The Wolverines now come home and are 8-1 SU this season, but just 2-4 ATS.
Michigan defeated Northwestern at home, 71-61, last year as an 8 ½-point favorite, but the Wolverines lost the other two road games, falling by decision 69-53 at Northwestern and then losing 58-56 in the tournament. bigten. .
Northwestern qualifies as a double-digit defensive dog tonight as the Wildcats allow just 57 points per game on 39 percent shooting overall. Also, winning the losers (+10 or more) of consecutive SU losses is a solid 60-34 ATS in recent seasons.
WISCONSIN at OHIO STATE (-4 ½, 139 ½) (espn2)
The Big-10 Conference remains the most competitive and talented in the nation this season, as Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan State and Michigan are all postseason contenders.
Wisconsin lost four starters from last year’s Elite Eight team, but they’re still off to an impressive 14-2 SU start. The Badgers tend to play better at home and have a perfect 10-0 SU in Madison, but only 4-2 SU away, including 1-2 SU in true road games. Wisconsin lost earlier this season at Wake Forest and Pittsburgh, before earning its first true road win at Minnesota last week.
My overall power ratings favor Ohio State by just 3 ½ points tonight and Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan is a solid 81-57 ATS in all games coaching the Badgers. However, their teams are just 13-23 ATS on the road after a double-digit SU win and Wisconsin has allowed 46 percent shooting on the road this season.
Ohio State is coming off its first home loss this year when the Buckeyes lost 62-59 as a 4 ½-point favorite to Michigan State on Sunday. Ohio State struggled on offense and shot a season-low 33 percent overall. It was only the second time all season the Buckeyes had shot below 46 percent. Ohio State is still 9-1 SU at home and has won by an average margin of +17 points per game and outscored road opponents 50-43 percent from the ground.
These teams met three times last season and Wisconsin was a 3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS, with their only point difference loss by a single point. In fact, Wisconsin has dominated this head-to-head series the past two seasons, going 5-0 SU (4-1 ATS).