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NCAA Basketball Betting Preview: Big Night for College Ball
Derrick Rose leads Memphis into Houston tonight in NCAA Basketball action. (AP Images)
A quick rundown of the biggest games tonight:
Villanova @ No. 21 Pittsburgh - A classic Big East rivalry where struggling 'Nova - the Wildcats have lost two straight conference games - will look to de-rail Pitt. The Panthers have played well through injuries to key players, thanks in large part to the efforts of leading scorer Sam Young (18.3 points per game). Pittsburgh is a 7.5-point favorite at home.
No. 1 Memphis @ Houston - At first glance, this appears to be a cakewalk for the Tigers, but check again. Houston is 15-3 this season and trails Memphis by just a half game in the Conference USA standings and are 11-1 at home this season. Houston is a 10-point home underdog in what might be a savvy play for the betting public.
No. 2 Kansas @ No. 24 Kansas State - a big inter-state affair as the two ranked Big 12 teams set to dance. Most eyes will be on K-State freshman phenom Michael Beasley, who is averaging 25.3 points and 12.7 rebounds per contest. Kansas State is a seven-point home underdog for this contest.
No. 10 Texas @ No. 23 Texas A&M - Another classic inter-state battle between ranked opponents. Texas' DJ Augustin - largely considered to be the best point guard in the Big 12 - takes his 20.7 points per game into College Station to face an A&M squad known for shutting down opposing PGs. Texas A&M is a 3.5-point home favorite for this game.
Illinois @ No. 7 Michigan State - While Illinois (10-11) is not the storied program of recent years, it's always a battle when you play the Illini. Senior forward Shaun Pruitt is leading the team in scoring (12.8 points per game) and rebounding (7.7) and will be a handful for the Spartans frontcourt to defend. The Spartans are, however, nine point home favorites.