Final exams for the fall term will be prevalent on college campuses the next couple of weeks, leaving the college basketball schedule a bit lighter than recent weeks as far as marquee matchups. That's especially a shame the next two Monday's when ESPN's Monday Night Football contests include none-too-scintillating matches between the Chargers and Jaguars followed by the Rams vs. the Seahawks.
The college hoops season's fifth week begins Monday with the St. John's Red Storm traveling to Motown to play the Detroit Titans at Calihan Hall (7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2). Steve Lavin brings the Red Storm into the contest level on the campaign at 4-4, and level at the basketball betting window with a 3-3 mark. It's been a rough couple of weeks for St. John's who has dropped four of the last five, including an 81-59 whipping at Kentucky last Thursday.
That proved to be a winner for Red Storm backers who were getting 24 at Rupp Arena, and you can't help but think that cover received a big assist from the fact the top-ranked Wildcats had then-No. 5 North Carolina on deck this past Saturday. Kentucky proved its current hold on the No. 1 spot with a 73-72 win over the Tar Heels as 6½-point favorites.
Ray McCallum's Titans are also looking to stop some bleeding in this game; Detroit is just 3-6 in the standings and proving to be a great fade for bettors at 1-6 ATS. Conference play has already begun for the Titans, and they have dropped both Horizon League games. The last time out was a 66-61 conference defeat to a very good Cleveland State squad who was short 2½-point chalk.
Detroit was expected to be a real force in the Horizon League this season, but the loss of Eli Holman to an indefinite suspension back in late-September derailed the Titans before they ever took the court. The 6-foot-10 Holman was charged with assaulting another Detroit Mercy student, and there's no timetable for his return, or if he will return to the team at all.
The Titans are also missing seniors Chris Blake and Nick Minnerath. Blake, who averaged nearly 11 points a game last season, is on the suspended list until the middle of December while Minnerath suffered a season-ending knee injury in a loss to Bowling Green just before Thanksgiving.
Jimmy V Classic Highlights Tuesday Slate
Action picks up Tuesday with a pair of top-10 teams, Syracuse and UNC, on their home courts. The Orange (8-0 SU, 5-2 ATS) will be hosting a Marshall (5-1 SU, 1-3 ATS) crew that is coming off a very disappointing home loss to Ohio, 70-68 as 7½-point favorites, a game that was a big letdown spot for the Thundering Herd following an upset victory at the Cincinnati Bearcats.
Roy Williams' Tar Heels (6-2 SU, 4-3 ATS) should be good and ready to take out two recent losses on the Evansville Aces (3-3 SU, 1-3 ATS) who have not followed up on the promising start to their season that began with an upset of Butler.
Tuesday's best matchups will take place at Madison Square Garden in the Jimmy V Classic. ESPN will televise both games starting with the Missouri Tigers meeting the Villanova Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. (ET) followed by the Washington Huskies taking on the Marquette Golden Eagles.
Mizzou is off to a fast 7-0 start (3-1 ATS) behind an extremely efficient and high-scoring offense. Frank Haith's squad picked up its biggest win of the young season on Nov. 22 over Cal, 92-53, to win the CBE Classic in Kansas City. Paced by Marcus Denmon (20.3 PPG) and Kim English (16.9 PPG), the Tigers' lowest output so far was 81 points vs. Mercer.
Villanova (5-2 SU, 1-5 ATS) had a rough trip to Anaheim over Thanksgiving where the 'Cats suffered both losses on their ledger to Saint Louis and Santa Clara in the 76 Classic.
Marquette (7-0 SU, 3-1 ATS) is coming off a huge win Saturday at Wisconsin, 61-54 as 7½-point road 'dogs to the Badgers who also fell at the Tar Heels last week. You can be certain that head coach Buzz Williams will have an eye on the 'Nova game since the Wildcats are the Eagles' first Big East opponent on New Year's Day.
Washington (4-2 SU, 2-3 ATS) should be a good test for Marquette. The Huskies are averaging 81 points per contest and among the best teams in the country on the glass with great size across the roster. Washington will remain in New York City after this game to meet Duke on Saturday in the Carquest Classic.
Xavier, Butler Top Hump Day Action
Ten schools from one top 25 or another hit the floor Wednesday, including Duke at home to entertain Colorado State and UNLV hosting Cal State San Marcos in a schedule-filler as the Rebels come off a loss to Wichita State. Part of the ESPN doubleheader that evening is an A-10, Horizon League tussle at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis where the Butler Bulldogs host the Xavier Musketeers (9:00 p.m. ET).
Brad Stevens and the Bulldogs are in rebuild mode after successive trips to the NCAA Championship game and the loss of three of the top four scorers from a season ago. Butler (4-4 SU, 0-5 ATS) is having trouble in several facets of the game, putting points on the board being the most glaring.
Xavier (6-0 SU, 2-2 ATS) scored a big win at Vandy this past week, giving the Musketeers at least a little experience on a truly hostile floor heading into this one. They just missed their third straight cover with a 66-63 home win last Saturday vs. Purdue, XU backers laying 3½ in the game. It's a small sample on the total, 3-1 to the 'under,' but this is a team that should be scoring more than 74 points per outing, something to watch for the rest of this month.