NCAA Basketball Betting: South Carolina against Florida Gators on Thursday

South Carolina at Florida
When: 9:00 PM ET, Thursday, February 2, 2012
Where: Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, Florida

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THE STORY: Things definitely look good for Florida at the moment. The No. 11 Gators have a five-game winning streak, have won 17 consecutive games at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center and host a South Carolina team that the Gators beat by 14 points in Columbia last month. Florida hasn’t played since beating then-No. 16 Mississippi State 69-57 on Saturday at home, a victory that moved the Gators within one game of first-place Kentucky in the SEC. South Carolina is struggling, having dropped five of its past six. The Gamecocks have only one conference victory and are tied with Georgia for last in the SEC.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN3.com

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (9-11, 1-5 SEC): The Gamecocks rank last in the SEC in field-goal percentage defense, not a good thing considering Florida leads the conference and ranks eighth nationally in scoring. But it was South Carolina’s offense that short-circuited any hopes of an upset when Florida won in Columbia on Jan. 14. The Gamecocks did not score during an eight-minute stretch of the second half, and shot 25.8 percent from the field after halftime. Bruce Ellington, a standout on the South Carolina football team, is second on the team in scoring at 10.8 points. He scored 17 points against Florida in his first start of the season.

ABOUT FLORIDA (17-4, 5-1): The Gators put six players in double figures against the Gamecocks, led by Kenny Boynton’s 15 points. Florida took control with an 18-3 run to start the second half. Five Gators average in double figures. While Florida’s average scoring output has dropped to 80.7, the Gators have cranked up the defensive intensity, allowing an average of 58.8 points during their winning streak. Bradley Beal won SEC Freshman of the Week for the fourth time last week, scoring 19 points on 6-for-9 shooting in the victory over Mississippi State.

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1. Last month’s victory gave the Gators a 38-22 lead in the series. Florida has won nine of the past 12 meetings.

2. Florida has made 10 or more 3-pointers in 15 of its 21 games this season.

3. South Carolina ranks second in the SEC in free throw percentage (70.6 percent). The Gamecocks, though, are last in the conference with 296 attempts.

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NCAA Basketball Betting: Oklahoma at Kansas

Oklahoma at Kansas
When: 9:00 PM ET, Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Where: Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kansas

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THE STORY: Two teams from opposite ends of the defensive spectrum meet at Allen Fieldhouse on Wednesday. The No. 8 Jayhawks have won seven of their first eight Big 12 games thanks to a defense that allows an average of 60.6 points, second in the conference. Meanwhile, visiting Oklahoma gives up 67.3 per game, last in the league. Oklahoma is coming off its first road win over a ranked conference foe in four years with a victory over Kansas State, while Kansas had its 10-game winning streak snapped with a loss at Iowa State.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPNU, ESPN3.com

ABOUT OKLAHOMA (13-7, 3-5 Big 12): Steven Pledger was named Big 12 Player of the Week for his efforts against Baylor and Kansas State (average of 23.5 points and 56 percent shooting from the field), but the junior guard’s solid play stretches further back than just two games. As the Sooners have tried to get into the upper half of the conference standings, going 3-2 in the last five games, Pledger is averaging 19.6 points and shooting 46 percent from the field (34 of 73). Oklahoma is second in the conference averaging 14.3 offensive rebounds per game, led by Romero Osby’s 3.1, and the Sooners have grabbed 36 in the last three games.

ABOUT KANSAS (17-4, 7-1 Big 12): The rebounding match up should be key as the Jayhawks are one of the better rebounding teams in the Big 12 (second in margin at plus-6.4), but in the loss to the Cyclones, they were beaten badly on the boards, 36-23. During the 10-game winning streak, Kansas out-rebounded seven opponents, but in the first meeting against Oklahoma, the teams each had 34 boards. Kansas had a two-game stretch in mid-January during which the bench produced 37 points in wins over Iowa State and Texas Tech, but in four games since, only 22 points have come from reserves.

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1. Kansas has won 10 consecutive home games in the series, and since the first year of the Big 12 in 1996-97 has never lost to the Sooners at home.
2. Kansas’ Thomas Robinson is the only player in the Big 12 averaging a double-double (17.5 points, 11.8 rebounds).
3. The Sooners have lost eight straight in the series, last winning in Feb. 2005 in Norman.

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NCAA Basketball Betting: Indiana at Michigan

Indiana at Michigan
When: 6:30 PM ET, Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Where: Crisler Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

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THE STORY:
 No. 22 Michigan didn’t get the results it was looking for on its three-game road trip. The Wolverines dropped two of three, including a 64-49 loss at No. 3 Ohio State on Sunday. The 49 points were a season low for Michigan, whose previous low was 58 in a non-conference loss at Virginia in late November. Worst of all, the Wolverines fell out of first place in the Big Ten and are now tied for third with Wisconsin at 6-3. Things won’t get any easier on Wednesday when Michigan hosts 20th-ranked Indiana. The Hoosiers, who lead the all-time series 101-55, won the previous meeting 73-71 on Jan. 5 at Assembly Hall.

TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network.

ABOUT INDIANA (17-5, 5-5 BIG TEN):
 After starting the year 15-1 and climbing into the top 10 in the polls, Indiana has fallen on hard times, losing four of its last six games. Three of those losses have come on the road, where the Hoosiers have suffered defeats of 17, 11 and seven points. In the first game against the Wolverines, Christian Watford had a huge game, finishing with 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting while also grabbing seven rebounds. But like the Hoosiers, Watford has slowed down ever since. He’s shooting 21-of-62 (33.9 percent) over his last seven games and has twice failed to reach double figures.

ABOUT MICHIGAN (16-6, 6-3 BIG TEN): In the long haul, Michigan coach John Beilein insists that this recent stretch of road games will benefit his team, especially as the calendar flips to March. But in the short term, the Wolverines need wins, and so far this year there hasn’t been a better place to get them than at Crisler Center. Michigan is a perfect 12-0 at home and has won all five of its Big Ten games by an average of 8.8 points. The Wolverines have won two of the last three against Indiana at home, including last year’s 73-69 victory in early February.

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1. Michigan is 3-3 against teams ranked in the top 25.

2. Indiana has the Big Ten’s best scoring offense at 79.5 points per game.

3. The Hoosiers haven’t defeated a ranked opponent on the road since Dec. 1, 2007, a 64-51 victory at 22nd-ranked Southern Illinois.

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NCAA Basketball Betting: Seton Hall at Marquette

Seton Hall at Marquette
When: 8:00 PM ET, Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Where: Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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THE STORY: The Big East has begun to put the teams at the top through the ringer, with some failing to live up to the lofty preseason billing. While Louisville, Connecticut, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh struggle to stay in the rankings, No. 15 Marquette is cruising right through its Big East slate. The Golden Eagles, who sit in second in the conference, got their bumps out of the way early and have only one currently-ranked team left on the schedule – No. 14 Georgetown in the regular season finale. Ready to stand in the way is Seton Hall, which visits the Golden Eagles on Tuesday. The Pirates looked like contenders in the conference until the last two weeks, when they have dropped four in a row while struggling offensively.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, SNY, Sports 32, Big East Network

ABOUT SETON HALL (15-6, 4-5 Big East): The Pirates were a surprise of the first two months, knocking off then-No.8 Connecticut and opening the Big East 4-1. Jordan Theodore, Herb Pope and Fuquan Edwin gave the team a trio of dynamic offensive threats that opponents were struggling to stop. That has all changed over the past four games, as Seton Hall has slumped to an average of 56 points. The Pirates made their way into the national rankings for the first time in 11 years after starting 15-2 but have shot under 30 percent from the field in the last two games and are beginning a stretch of three straight on the road.

ABOUT MARQUETTE (18-4, 7-2): Just when it looked like the Golden Eagles were going to have their winning streak snapped, they recovered from an 18-point deficit to take out Villanova on Saturday – their sixth straight victory. Marquette lost at the Pirates, 85-72, in the regular season finale last season. Jae Crowder was held to one point on 0-of-2 shooting while Darius Johnson-Odom struggled to 13 on 5-of-16 shooting in that contest. Those two are combining to average 34.9 points in 2011-12.

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1. Pope needs four points to become the 39th Seton Hall player to reach 1,000 for his career.

2. The Golden Eagles have taken eight of the last nine in the series.

3. Marquette ranks second in the Big East in scoring offense, averaging 76.5 points.

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NCAA Basketball Betting: Michigan State at Illinois

Michigan St at Illinois
When: 7:00 PM ET, Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Where: Assembly Hall, Champaign, Illinois

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THE STORY:
 One coach is basking in the praise of a lofty career achievement. The other is coming under fire for his team’s recent slide. Needless to say, the locker room atmosphere is very different between Michigan State and Illinois.

The one similar thing between the Spartans and the Illini is their recent opponent – the Minnesota Golden Gophers – who fell by 16 points to Michigan State on Wednesday and handed Illinois its third straight loss Saturday.

Spartans head coach Tom Izzo collected career win No. 400 in a 68-52 win over the Gophers. Minnesota followed that loss with a 77-72 overtime win versus Illinois, adding to the buzz surrounding head coach Bruce Weber’s future in Champaign.

The Spartans have won six of the last eight meetings with the Fighting Illini, with the two losses coming in Assembly Hall.

TV:
 ESPN/ESPN3, 7 p.m. ET

ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE (17-4, 6-2 Big Ten): The Spartans frontcourt is rounding into form just in time to tangle with one of the most versatile big men in the country – Illinois 7-footer Meyers Leonard. Michigan State is getting improved play from centers Adreian Payne and Derrick Nix, who combined for 16 points and eight rebounds in the win over Minnesota. Payne, a 6-foot-10 sophomore, can match Leonard inside while Nix, a 6-foot-9 junior, can guard the Illini’s center when he faces up outside the key.

ABOUT ILLINOIS (15-6, 4-4 Big Ten): The Fighting Illini just aren’t getting enough offense outside of Leonard and star guard Brandon Paul. The two combined for 45 of Illinois total 72 points in the loss to Minnesota, with no other player scoring in double figures. Weber blames wasted possessions for the power outage. Illinois turned the ball over 16 times to the Golden Gophers and took some poor shots down the stretch and in overtime. The Illini entered the matchup with Minnesota averaging less than one point per possession in Big Ten play and are ninth in the conference in scoring at 67.9.

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1. While Michigan State has dominated the recent series, the Spartans and Illini have split their 110 all-time meetings, 55-55.

2. Michigan State leads the Big Ten in assists per game with 16.8. The Spartans have recorded a helper on over 61 percent of their baskets.

3. Since exploding for 43 points against Ohio State, Paul has had the green light on offense. He’s taken more than a quarter of the Illini’s total shots during this three-game skid (45 of 166) and has hit only 17 of them (38 percent).

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Virginia facing visiting Clemson at John Paul Jones Arena

Clemson at Virginia
When: 7:00 PM ET, Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Where: John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, Virginia

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THE STORY:
 Points should be at a premium when the Atlantic Coast Conference’s top two defensive teams square off with No. 18 Virginia facing visiting Clemson at John Paul Jones Arena. The Cavaliers lead the ACC in scoring defense, allowing only 50.6 points per game. Clemson ranks second at 59.7 points allowed per contest. Virginia leads the series 66-51, including a 39-17 advantage at home, but the Tigers have won three of the past five meetings.
Clemson will be without junior Milton Jennings, who was suspended for failure to comply with the team’s academic standards, coach Brad Brownell announced Monday. A former McDonald’s All-American who has failed to live up to expectations for the Tigers, Jennings was averaging a career-high 8.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game this season.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN3.com

ABOUT CLEMSON (11-9, 3-3 ACC): The Tigers have won two straight – both at home – after a three-game losing streak. Senior guard Andre Young has been hot during the brief winning streak, scoring 48 points to boost his team-leading average to 13.9 points per game. Young averages 16.3 points in ACC games. The Tigers are 2-4 on the road this season, including 0-2 in ACC play. They haven’t beaten a ranked team on the road since March 4, 2007, when they knocked off No. 21 Virginia Tech.


ABOUT VIRGINIA (17-3, 4-2 ACC):
 The Cavaliers were looking like an ACC title contender after pushing Duke to the limit at Cameron Indoor Stadium and pummeling Georgia Tech on the road, but a misstep against rival Virginia Tech knocked their stock down a bit. They’ve rebounded with impressive wins against Boston College and at N.C. State, though, with the latter coming in dramatic fashion when N.C. State’s Lorenzo Brown missed a 3-pointer just before the buzzer to allow Virginia to escape with a 61-60 win.

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1. Mike Scott, who leads Virginia with 16.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, has scored in double digits in seven consecutive games, including 18 in each of the Cavaliers’ past three wins.

2. Virginia has held three of its past four opponents under 50 points. The Cavaliers have held nine opponents under 50 this season, the most since the 1981-82 season.

3. Clemson’s defense has been solid all season, and the Tigers are picking it up at the offensive end during conference play. They’ve averaged 68.3 points in six ACC games, nearly five points higher than their average during the non-conference slate.

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NCAA Basketball Betting: Missouri at Texas on Monday

Missouri at Texas
When: 9:00 PM ET, Monday, January 30, 2012
Where: Frank Erwin Special Events Center, Austin, Texas

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THE STORY: When Missouri climbed to No. 2 in the rankings last week, the Tigers responded by putting together two of their more lackluster performances. One was a loss — 79-72 at Oklahoma State last Tuesday — and the other was a 63-50 home win against Texas Tech, the team’s second-lowest scoring effort of the season. If the Tigers fail to show up for a third straight time at Texas on “Big Monday,” it could spell trouble. The young Longhorns are in a four-way tie for sixth place at 3-5 in the Big 12, but they’ve been increasingly competitive, most recently in a 76-71 loss at Baylor over the weekend.

TV:
 9 p.m. ET, ESPN CLICK HERE for 5$ Handicappers Package

ABOUT MISSOURI (19-2, 6-2 Big 12):
 Texas Tech is alone in last place in the Big 12 at 0-8, but the Red Raiders gave Missouri everything it could handle in Columbia on Saturday. Missouri coach Frank Haith was very complimentary of the Red Raiders’ efforts to take away the inside play of Ricardo Ratliffe, the nation’s leader in field-goal percentage. “The game plan was to take our paint production out,” Haith said after Ratliffe mustered only eight points on 4-of-6 shooting, “and they did a nice job of that.” The Longhorns have a few big guys they can throw at Ratliffe, so it wouldn’t be a shock to see them follow Texas Tech’s blueprint. The Tigers, who start four guards, rank sixth nationally in scoring (81.9).


ABOUT TEXAS (13-8, 3-5 Big 12):
 Texas appeared to be on the verge of stringing together a few wins, but the young roster — which features six freshmen among nine regular contributors — hasn’t been able to break through during a very tough opening to the conference schedule. Right now, the Longhorns are a marginal NCAA Tournament team at best, but they’re running out of opportunities for big wins if they hope to make a 14th consecutive appearance. Within the past two weeks, Texas has fallen by five or fewer points to Kansas State, Kansas and Baylor — three of the Big 12’s heavyweights. A win against Missouri would go a long way towards fueling a late-season run.

TIP-INS:

1. Missouri senior Marcus Denmon hit 10-of-10 free throws on Saturday and is tied for the Big 12 lead in free-throw percentage (.915).

2.
 Texas senior J’Covan Brown (19.7) and Denmon (17.8) are first and third in the conference in scoring, respectively.

3. In the Longhorns’ three conference wins, their opponents haven’t topped 55 points. In their five losses, they’ve given up at least 69 points each time.

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NCAA Basketball Betting: Michigan at Ohio State on Sunday

Michigan at Ohio State
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, January 29, 2012
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio

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THE STORY:
 Trey Burke and Jared Sullinger, best friends and former AAU teammates in Ohio, have played in plenty of big games throughout their careers. But on Sunday, the two will be on opposite sides when No. 3 Ohio State hosts No. 22 Michigan with a share of first place in the Big Ten on the line. The Buckeyes have won four of the last five meetings, including three straight, but the Wolverines have played them competitively. Last year, Michigan lost by four, nine and seven. Ohio State is 51-26 at home in the series.

TV: 1 p.m. ET; CBS.

ABOUT MICHIGAN (16-5, 6-2 BIG TEN): Burke, a standout freshman and Columbus, Ohio, native, was recruited hard by head coach John Beilein. Ultimately, Burke decided to sign a letter of intent with the Wolverines, a decision that wasn’t well received by fans of the hometown Buckeyes. At this point, though, it’s hard to argue with Burke’s decision. Burke, a guard, is an early Big Ten freshman of the year candidate and is averaging 14 points and five assists. His six-point effort in Michigan’s 66-64 win at Purdue snapped a streak of 14 straight games with 10 or more points.


ABOUT OHIO STATE (18-3, 6-2 BIG TEN):
 Ohio State has won three straight since falling 79-74 to Illinois on Jan. 10, and the games haven’t been close. Ohio State defeated then-No. 8 Indiana 80-63 on Jan. 15 before routing Nebraska and Penn State by 34 and 24 points, respectively. Ohio State has won seven straight at home against the Wolverines and haven’t lost since a 61-50 setback in the 2002-03 season. Sullinger, who averages a team-high 17 points and nine rebounds, had 20 points and 13 rebounds in the victory over the Nittany Lions on Wednesday. He hasn’t made less than 50 percent of his attempts in a game since Big Ten play began in late December.

TIP-INS:

1. This is just the seventh time that Ohio State and Michigan are playing as ranked opponents.

2. Sullinger averaged 15 points and 11 rebounds in last year’s three games against the Wolverines.

3. Ohio State is 15-0 at Value City Arena and is winning by an average of 27 points.

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No. 1 Kentucky will be the heavy favorite when it visits LSU

Kentucky at Louisiana State
When: 4:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 28, 2012
Where: Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Opening Lines: Kentucky -9.5 Bet Now !!!

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THE STORY: No. 1 Kentucky will be the heavy favorite when it visits LSU in search of its 13th consecutive win. LSU has lost five of its last seven games, the last two against ranked opponents. The Tigers have held 12 opponents under 60 points, but that isn’t likely to happen against a Kentucky team that averages 78.4 points and has only once failed to reach that milestone. Kentucky leads the series 80-24 and has won two straight. Kentucky leads 28-16 in games at Baton Rouge, with LSU’s last home win in the series coming in 2009.

TV: 4 p.m. ET. SEC Network, ESPN3

ABOUT KENTUCKY (20-1, 6-0 SEC): The Wildcats continue to be one of the best shooting teams in the nation, averaging 48.3 percent from the field and 37.1 percent on 3-pointers. Kentucky had eight 3-pointers against Georgia, four of them by Darius Miller, who matched his season-high with 19 points. Point guard Marquis Teague had seven assists against Georgia and did not commit a turnover, only the second time that’s happened this season. Kentucky’s Terrence Jones has made only 7 of 16 free throws in the last two games.


ABOUT LSU (12-8, 2-4 SEC):
 Justin Hamilton has posted double figures in all six SEC games, including a career-best 27 against Florida, and is averaging 17.7 points against conference foes. Ralston Turner has relocated his shooting touch; he had three 3-pointers against Auburn (one of 11 by the Tigers) and posted his first double-figure game since Dec. 19. LSU will continue to work Johnny Bryant III back into the rotation; he had six points in 20 minutes against Miss State in his first game since breaking a bone in his left hand on Jan. 4. Many eyes will be on freshman Anthony Hickey (9.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists), who was Mr. Kentucky Basketball a year ago, but not recruited by the Wildcats.

TIP-INS: 

1. LSU is 3-12 all-time against No. 1-ranked teams, most recently losing to North Carolina in the 2009 NCAA tournament.

2. LSU has had at least 19 offensive rebounds five times this season and leads the SEC with 13.81 per game.

3. Darius Miller needs only two points to pass Dirk Minniefield and six points to pass Rex Chapman and into 48th place on the all-time list.

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NCAA Basketball Betting: Marquette at Villanova at noon Saturday

Marquette at Villanova
When: 12:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 28, 2012
Where: The Pavilion, Villanova, Pennsylvania

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THE STORY:
 No. 18 Marquette brings a five-game winning streak into Philadelphia when it faces  at noon Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center. The Golden Eagles’ only Big East losses have been to Syracuse and Georgetown. The Wildcats have turned around their worst start in league history and have won two of their last three – letting a halftime lead slip away in a road loss to Louisville last time out. Three of Marquette’s four losses have been on the road. The Golden Eagles edged the Wildcats 81-77 on Jan. 1, behind a balanced scoring effort led by Darius Johnson-Odom’s 24 points.

TV: Noon ET, ESPN2, ESPN3.com

ABOUT MARQUETTE (17-4, 6-2 Big East): The Golden Eagles are a well-rounded bunch, with a potent offense and stingy defense. Different players represent Marquette among the league’s top five in scoring (Johnson-Odom, 18.1), field-goal percentage (Davante Gardner, 58.1), assists (Junior Cadougan, 5.6) and steals (Jae Crowder, 2.3). The Golden Eagles’ 76.3 points are second only to Syracuse’s 78, and their 17.5 assists are most in the league. They also harass opponents, ranking fifth in overall field-goal percentage defense and 3-point percentage defense.

ABOUT VILLANOVA (10-11, 3-6 Big East): The Wildcats were outscored by 15 in the second half of Wednesday’s 84-74 defeat at Louisville, after leading 44-39 at the break. Leading scorer Maalik Wayns (18.7 points) continued his recent hot stretch with a team-high 19 points, and has averaged 27.8 over his last four games since a woeful three-point night versus Syracuse on Jan. 11. James Bell, who averages 7.6 points, has reached double figures the last three games, including his first career double-double of 14 points and 13 boards against the Cardinals.

TIP-INS:

1. Marquette coach Buzz Williams collected his 100th victory with a 67-47 triumph over South Florida on Tuesday.

2. The Golden Eagles went to the foul line 13 times more than Villanova in their first meeting, but hit just 23 for 37.

3. Wayns and second-leading scorer Dominic Cheek combined for 18 points on 6-for-23 shooting (1-for-8 3-pointers) in the Jan. 1 game.

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