CBB: ESPN Super Tuesday Hoops Doubleheader

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Jan/12/2010

Tonight's Super Tuesday College Hoops doubleheader features a couple of highly ranked teams facing conference rivals. The Purdue Boilermakers are 9-point home favorites against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the early game. In the nightcap, Kentucky is laying 3.5-points on the road, according to Sportsbook.com.

A teaching moment for Purdue coaches

The Boilermakers have rarely been outworked for long stretches in any game this season until they faced the Wisconsin Badgers. Purdue (14-1, 8-7 ATS) has a Midwestern blue-collar identity, but didn't bring that same ethic to Madison and were beaten by the Badgers 73-66. Coming into tonight's matchup, Coach Matt Painter was succinct.

"We have to have a better effort than we had in Madison the other night," Painter said on Monday. "They simply just whipped us. Wasn't happy with the rebounding, wasn't happy with the effort. ... We've just got too many people watching." The Boilermakers are 15-6 ATS after playing a road game over the last three seasons.

Ohio State (11-5, 7-9 ATS) has stumbled to start the Big Ten season, losing three of first four (all on the road). The Buckeyes were rolling along to start the season when their best player, Evan Turner, fell and broke two bones in his lower back on Dec. 5. Turner returned last week and he and his team are trying to get back into the groove. Since his return, they own a win against Indiana (79-54) and loss at Minnesota (73-62). "We're trying to get our mojo back a little bit," Turner said.

Ohio State has covered just one of their last eight games and is a 9-point underdog at Purdue. For Big Ten bettors this is not the worst news as the Buckeyes are 6-2 ATS as seven to 12.5-point underdogs and are 8-1 ATS in road games on Tuesday nights over the last three seasons. Purdue will look to commence another winning streak and is 14-3 ATS at home after a conference game since 2007.

No. 2 and trying harder

Kentucky (16-0, 7-7 ATS) is off to its best start since starting 23-0 some 44 years ago and fans of Big Blue are ecstatic with the play and #2 ranking. The basketball world knows about guard John Wall, but other freshmen like forward DeMarcus Cousins are improving game by game, shifting the responsibility away from Wall and freeing junior Patrick Patterson, who is averaging nearly a double-double on the season. Kentucky travels into Gator country after slipping by Georgia 76-68 as 19.5-point favorites last time out and is 8-1 ATS off a win/no-cover game over the L3 seasons.

The Gators' 8-0 start is looking like a no money down Florida land contract, simply too good to be true, with a series of losses since. Coach Billy Donovan has publicly stated his team needs gumption and willingness to fight thru adversity. Florida (11-4, 5-5 ATS) has floundered because of poor perimeter shooting, an inability to keep opponents off the offensive boards, and careless turnovers. While losing to Syracuse was no disgrace, close defeats to Richmond and South Alabama showed a lack of spirit and determination. Donovan's squad is 37-14 ATS versus teams connecting on 48 percent or more of their shot attempts.

Sportsbook.com has Kentucky as 3.5-point favorites with total of 142 and they are 16-6 ATS after playing three consecutive home games. Florida comes in off a loss to Vanderbilt and is 5-14 ATS after a game where they made 13 or more three-point shots. The Gators have won five straight at the O'Connell Center over Kentucky, covering the number four times.

 

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