College Basketball Tip Sheet

It is important to scour the net and look for good information to use. This may come in the form of looking at handicapping sites, newspapers, and forums. I found an article today at a handicapping site that will be helpful in handicapping today's hoops.

Check it out:

**Indiana at Illinois**--

Gamblers will have a tough time figuring the mindset of Indiana going into this game at Illinois. On one hand, perhaps Mike Davis' resignation has lifted the fog hoving over Bloomington, allowing for the Hoosiers to start playing looser? Then again, maybe the tumult of the last few weeks has left this team completely drained emotionally.

--Oddsmakers at Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Illinois as an 11 1/2-point favorite with a total of 130. -

-Indiana (13-9 straight up, 5-14 against the spread) should be at the top of the fade radar for all gamblers. The Hoosiers have lost four consecutive games, but their futility skid has been even more outlandish for our purposes. They have dropped eight in a row ATS and 11 of their last 12.

--Illinois (21-4 SU, 12-9 ATS) snapped a two-game losing streak when it beat Northwestern 63-47 on Wednesday. The Illini barely registered the spread cover as 15 1/2-point favorites. Dee Brown scored a team-high 17 points and dished out four assists.

--Bruce Weber's team has won 13 of its 14 home games, posting a 6-4 spread record in the process. --This is Indiana's first spot as a double-digit underdog this season. The Hoosiers have been underdogs six times, compiling an abysmal 1-5 spread record.

--Illinois has a 5-4 ATS mark as a double-digit 'chalk.' --When these teams met earlier this year at Assembly Hall, IU captured a 62-60 win as a 1 1/2-point 'chalk.' Marco Killingsworth scored 23 points and 12 rebounds to pace the Hoosiers. --The 'under' is 5-2-1 in the last eight head-to-head meetings between these Big Ten adversaries.

**Miami at Duke**

--LVSC opened Duke (24-1 SU, 11-11 ATS) as a 17 1/2-point favorite for Miami's visit to Cameron Indoor Stadium.

--Miami (14-11 SU, 8-12 ATS) blew a golden opportunity Thursday when it failed to hold a six-point halftime lead at Boston College. Not only that, but the Hurricanes couldn't cover the number as eight-point underdogs in the 65-54 loss.

--The 'Canes are 6-6 in ACC action, but they have lost three straight games both SU and ATS.

--Duke has won seven consecutive games since suffering its lone loss of the year at Georgetown. Over that seven-game stretch, the Blue Devils are 3-3-1 ATS thanks to back-to-back covers in their last two outings. J.J. Redick dropped 33 points on Wake Forest to lead Duke to a 93-70 win Tuesday as a 17-point favorite. Redick's four 3-pointers made him the NCAA's all-time leader, surpassing Virginia's Curtis Staples.

--Miami has only been a double-digit 'dog once this season, winning outright 81-70 at North Carolina as a 10 1/2-point 'dog. --The 'Canes are 3-5 both SU and ATS in ACC road games.

--Coach K's squad is unbeaten in 13 home games with a 5-5-1 spread ledger. --The 'over' is 15-8 overall for Duke, 6-5 in its home assignments.

** Bonus Nuggets**

--Wake Forest will play host to North Carolina today at Lawrence Joel Coliseum. The Demon Deacons have been atrocious at home this year, posting an embarrassing 1-12 spread record. However, Wake is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games against UNC.

--Villanova is 6-1 ATS in the last seven head-to-head meetings against Georgetown.

--The 'under' has cashed in six straight games for Georgetown. As for 'Nova, it has watched the 'under' prevail in four consecutive games.

--The Hoyas are 4-2 ATS in their six games as underdogs this season.