Limiting Opponents Leaves State Over Floor

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

They finished with a total of 1,611 points from a nationwide media panel and were one of seven teams to hold their spot at the top of the rankings.

No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Kentucky and No. 4 Louisville all received first-place votes and remained in their positions from last week. So did No. 5 North Carolina, No. 6 Baylor and No. 7 Duke.

San Diego State was also a new addition to the poll this week, while Xavier and Illinois fell out.

As for the Badgers, they too have spent the majority of their non-conference slate at home, ensconced in the Kohl Center where they have recorded eight wins in nine tries. On December 23, the team crushed Mississippi Valley State in a 79-45 final for their fifth consecutive win. Wisconsin, which has lost only to Marquette (61-54) and North Carolina (60-57), moved up two spaces yesterday in the most current AP top-25 rankings.

The Huskers are ahead in the all-time series between the teams with a 10-6 mark, although the most recent matchup in 1998 fell in favor of the Badgers by a score of 78-41 on a neutral floor. Prior to that, the last win for Wisconsin came in 1955 (71-52).

The Huskers made good on 58.3 percent from the floor in the first half, but then dropped down to 40.9 percent in the second half against Central Michigan last week. Luckily, Nebraska saved itself by connecting on 19-of-25 at the free-throw line after the break as it dealt with not having two of its top scorers in action. All five starters scored in double figures as Bo Spencer and Brandon Richardson both delivered 15 points, the former also handing out nine of the team's 17 assists. Brandon Ubel, Toney McCray and Caleb Walker all tossed in 11 points for the group, with McCray clearing eight boards as well. Without Brian Jorge Diaz (10.9 ppg) and Dylan Talley (9.1 ppg) the Huskers are leaning more heavily on Spencer who is putting up a team-leading 16.0 ppg in his first season with the program. Spencer has also handed out 47 assists and made 17 steals which helps to compensate for his 41.5 percent shooting from the floor thus far. While the Nebraska defense isn't anywhere near as powerful as that of the Badgers, the Huskers have to be pleased with the fact that they've been able to limit opponents to only 61.1 ppg to this point.

Notre Dame owns a narrow 29-27 edge in the all-time series between these rivals thanks to three straight wins over the Panthers.

Notre Dame lost its best players, Tim Abromaitis, at the very beginning of the season, and several players have been asked to step up in his absence. Eric Atkins has emerged as the leading active scorer for the club with his 13.9 ppg, and he is second with 44 assists. Jerian Grant, who is tops with 57 assists, ranks second in scoring with 12.7 ppg. The Fighting Irish are generating 72.7 ppg while limiting opponents to 65.2 ppg on 41.5 percent field goal efficiency. In the 41-point romp over Sacred Heart last time out, five UND players reached double figures in scoring, and Jack Cooley led the way with 19 points and eight rebounds. Grant tallied 15 points and seven assists, while Atkins netted 13 points. The Irish shot 61.4 percent from the field and finished with 25 assists against only four turnovers in what was a tremendous offensive performance.

Charlottesville, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 23rd-ranked Virginia Cavaliers have an outstanding chance to add another victory to their record before the start of ACC play when the Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks come to Charlottesville this evening. Maryland-Eastern Shore, a member of the MEAC, is 0-1 in conference action and a disappointing 3-9 overall. The Hawks have lost two of their last three games and are coming off a 64-60 setback at Air Force back on December 17.

Percy Woods scored 14 points for Maryland-Eastern Shore in the narrow loss to Air Force last time out, and Pina Guillaume pitched in 12 points off the bench. Ronald Spencer registered 11 points and eight rebounds for the Hawks, who turned the ball over 16 times and were outscored 14-7 from the foul line. The negatives overshadowed a 36-26 rebounding advantage that included a 17-9 edge on the offensive boards. While the Hawks are 3-1 at home this season, all eight of their contests away from campus have resulted in defeat. Woods is scoring a team-high 11.1 ppg this season, while Louis Bell and Spencer are netting 11.0 ppg apiece. Spencer has only played one game to date, however, so it remains to be seen if he can be a consistent scoring threat. UMES is generating 59.2 ppg this season on 38 percent field goal efficiency, and the club is permitting 71.2 ppg to opponents.

Kingston, RI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rhode Island's top scorer, Jamal Wilson, has been dismissed from the team, according to the Providence Journal. Wilson, who averaged 16.4 points per game this season, was dismissed from the team for an unspecified violation of team rules. He was suspended for the Rams' December 18 game with Yale after he was late to a team meeting.

comments

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•    Thick socks: 1% To be warm. 1% To be comfortable. 98% To slide across floor like a freakin' Ninja!

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•    Luck is what you have left over after you give 100 percent. - Langston Coleman #quotes

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•    notre dame whooped some tail tonight just by the way.

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•    love and other drugs home

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•    Bae, I'm going home now. I can't feel my fingers. Tweet you in a few :)

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•    I got 22,272 points while escaping from demon monkeys in Temple Run. this is hard :/

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•    Hey urinals, give us something to aim at. Maybe a Wisconsin Badgers logo or somethin like that. I like to be competitive when I pee.

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•    Sat 01:39: Periods of rain ending before morning then cloudy with 60 percent chance of drizzle. Temperature steady near plus 1.

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•    - i remember las year i was outside at tha notre dame pep rally .

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•    This school plays notre dame though

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•    On the floor in ac >>>>

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