Posted on
1/22/2008 3:29:43 PM
NCAA Basketball Betting – Michigan at Wisconsin
By Charles Jay
On Tuesday night from Madison, it's the rebuilding Michigan Wolverines (5-13 SU, 3-13 ATS) taking to the court for a Big ten matchup against the Wisconsin Badgers (15-2 SU, 7-7 ATS), who are currently ranked #11 by both the AP and coaches' polls. Game time is 7 PM ET.
In the BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds, Wisconsin is listed at -18, with the total posted at 127 points.
Here are some of the NCAA basketball betting trends and stats relative to this matchup:
* MICH has won one of its last eight games
* MICH has covered two of its last eight games
* MICH has played OVER the total in four of its last five games
* MICH has covered three of its last 17 road games
* MICH has lost nine of its last ten road games SU
* MICH has played eight of its last ten road games OVER the total
* WISC has won its last nine games SU
* WISC is 1-3 ATS in its last four games
* WISC is 0-5 ATS in its last five home games
* WISC has played seven of its last nine games UNDER the total
* WISC has won and covered four of the last five meetings
* WISC has won its last five at home SU vs. Michigan
* WISC has covered five of the last six meetings as the home team
* MICH is shooting 41% from the field
* MICH averages 30.1 rebounds per game
* MICH averages 65.4 points per game
* WISC allows 54.1 points per game (3rd in nation)
* WISC yields 38.2% shooting by the opponent
* WISC shoots 47.1% from the field
The question here does not necessarily involve whether Wisconsin can win the game, but how bad a blowout it can be. Is it worth taking the points with Michigan? Can the Badgers succeed in controlling the tempo enough against a Wolverine team that is still trying to get itself acclimated to John Beilein's hurry-up style. Beilein did not expect his team to be losing by eight points at home to a Big Ten also-ran like Iowa, like it did on Saturday, but the truth is, Michigan is an also-ran.
Michigan is now 2-8 ATS following a straight-up loss, and is operating with just eight scholarship players, making it difficult to put together a second unit. That is even harder now with freshman guard Manny Harris, one of the team's bright spots, bothered by a foot injury. Michigan is even dressing its team manager - Pete Burak - who may yet see action.
Wisconsin has already won by 16 points at Ann Arbor. In that game, they held the Maize and Blue to 54 points and 39% shooting, indicating they can impose their will without much trouble. Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan is raving about his team's offensive balance, as five different players have led the team with 20 or more points in five straight Big Ten games. Wisconsin has also held eight of its last nine foes to 60 points or less, so it's not likely Michigan is going to be able to force an up-tempo game.
The impost is considerable, but there is little evidence to endorse Michigan, which has dropped 14 of its last 17 road games to the number. We'll lay the points with Wisconsin, the 18-point favorite in the BetUS NCAA college basketball betting odds.
BetUS NCAA basketball betting odds: WISCONSIN -18, Total 127
JAY'S PLAY: WISCONSIN
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(Charles Jay of TotalActionExtra.com gets cold when he even thinks of Wisconsin. He currently is a regular contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)