USC had a mediocre season in 2010-11 with a 19-15 record as well as a fourth place showing in the Pac-10 conference.  During the conference tourney Southern Cal advanced to the semifinals, then proceeded to lose in the play-in game of the tourney to VCU.

The Trojans achieved success by becoming an excellent defensive group.  Southern Cal held their opponents to 40.9% from the field shooting and to less than 64 points every game.

The departures of Nikola Vucevic and Alex Stepheson will be hard to substitute.  Vucevic averaged more than 17 points per game and grabbed more than 10 boards every game.  Stepheson was the team’s second leading rebounder at more than 7 each game and also contributed 9.8 points.

2011-12 Overview

Kevin O’Neill has been the Southern Cal head coach for a couple of seasons and has given the supporters teams that play tough and improve as the year goes on.  This year’s team has a great deal of contributions to replace, but O’Neill does have Jio Fontan, Maurice Jones, and Garrett Jackson returning.  Together with a sound group of newcomers the Trojans brought in transfers Aaron Fuller and Dewayne Dedmon.

Backcourt

USC is going be heavily relying on their guard starters of Fontan and Jones.  Fontan sat out fall semester last season, but returned to lead the team in assists and finished 2nd in scoring at 10.5 points per contest.

Jones was third on the Trojans in scoring with 9.9 points each contest, gave out 110 total assists, and established the team record with 69 steals as a freshman.  His achievements helped to bring in a spot on the conference All-Freshman team.

Bryon Wesley is a 6’5″ freshman guard who’s anticipated to help around the offensive end immediately.  Alexis Moore is another freshman who ought to see time and plays properly on both sides sides of the court.  Junior college transfer Greg Allen is actually a excellent defender and can shoot well from outside.

Frontcourt

USC’s three big men should be Aaron Fuller, Dewayne Dedmon, and James Blascyk.  Fuller was forced to sit out last year soon after transferring over from Iowa.  In his sophomore season at Iowa he was honorable mention on the All-Big Ten team with 9.7 points and almost 7 rebounds every contest.

These guys will probably be pushed in practice by a few transfers who will sit out this season.  Ari Stewart came over from Wake Forest and Eric Wise is a transfer from UC-Irvine.

Every single year we provide our Southern Cal basketball preview in order to get you ready to beat the college basketball lines.

They beat Connecticut handily in the last regular season contest, but lost to the Huskies by a couple of points in the conference tournament. Pitt didn’t have much luck in the NCAA tourney either, losing in the second round to Butler.  Ironically, Butler then went all the way to the title game before losing to UConn.

This year’s edition of the Pittsburgh Panthers will have only two starters returning. However, coach Dixon has started a winning tradition and the program has shown to be able to reload when losing top talent.  While we don’t expect the team to have quite as good of a record as last year, they won’t be a slouch either.

Guards

Pitt’s backcourt will center around Asthon Gibbs. Gibbs opted to enter his name in the NBA draft, but pulled out due to the uncertain labor situation. Last season he averaged 16.8 points per game on 49% 3-point shooting.  If he can improve upon those number he should have a chance to go in next year’s lottery, making his decision to come back to Pitt a good one.

Travon Woodall will take over for Brandon Wanamaker at the point guard position. Woodall is an excellent defender who must live up to the hype of being a solid passer.  The other guards you will be seeing are Cameron Wright, Durand Johnson, and John Johnson.

Post Players

The Panther’s biggest losses came on the inside.  Pitt will be without the services of both Gilbert Brown and Gary McGhee. Nonetheless, Pitt does get some solid players returning to go together with some of the most highly touted recruits anywhere.

Nasir Robinson will bring the expertise to the floor. Last year he averaged 9.4 points and 4.9 rebounds for every contest, but he ought to get far more minutes this year which should increase those numbers.

Khem Birch was a McDonald’s All-American and one of the most-wanted big men coming out of high school. Malcolm Gilbert was also wanted by a good deal of colleges on account of his rebounding and shot blocking capabilities.  While neither one of these players have been tested at the collegiate level, the talent is there for them to contribute immediately.  Providing the team with some extra minutes down low will probably be Dante Taylor, JJ Moore, and Talib Zanna.

Each year we offer our Pittsburgh basketball predictions so you can get yourself ready to beat the college basketball odds on their games.

Not much was expected out of Iowa State last season. Pretty much every person figured they would be at the bottom of the Big 12 conference with just two players returning from the season before, however the Cyclones ended up being sort of a surprise. Ordinarily, it is difficult for people to get energized about a .500 season, nevertheless it was the first time Iowa State did not possess a losing record since the 2005-6 season.

In Fred Hoiberg’s first season Iowa State absolutely modified their identity. Proceeding from a slow it along and grind it out group to one that ran more and spread the floor.  That adjustment of pace helped the Cyclones rank fifth within the conference and 39th in the country in offense at 74.8 points for each game.

Iowa State also shot the 3-ball particularly effectively last year, draining 275 (8.6 for every game) shots from beyond the line. That was plenty to pace the conference and rank 13th in the country.

2011-12 Preview

Only two starters return for Iowa State this season, but the real key may be the addition of four transfers. Last year this group was named the best scout team within the nation and helped keep every single practice competitive. Now Chris Allen, Chris Babb, Royce White, and Anthony Booker will likely be prepared to prove themselves on the floor.

Last year Iowa State wasn’t really deep, so they performed a much more conservative half-court defense. With extra talent on this year’s roster you can bet they are going to be more aggressive in utilizing pressure to force turnovers.

Backcourt

The Cyclones are planning to have to search out a way to replace Dainte Garrett’s production. He was a high quality point guard who notched his name all around Iowa State’s history books for both assists and points.

There is still a lot of talent from the Cyclone backcourt. Scott Christopherson is a very talented shooter who has drained 131 career three-pointers already. He drained 86 last season, ranking 2nd inside the Big 12 and 33rd around the nation at 2.8 for every game. His 44.1 3-point percentage was good for 11th in the country and he’s buried a trey in 34 consecutive games. Christopherson does not turn the ball over, works hard, and shouldn’t have to log a lot of minutes this season due to the team’s bench.

You’ll most likely see Iowa State employing a great deal of three-guard sets due to possessing so much talent in the backcourt. Transfers Chris Allen, Chris Babb, and Tyrus McGee are strong shooters. Allen and Babb ended up being Big Ten starters and both averaged just under 10 points for each game back in 2009-10. McGee is coming over from Cowley Community College.

Chris Allen brings three seasons of experience from his time at Michigan State. He has performed in 14 tournament games and two Final Fours. He can not merely shoot from the outside, but can also be a defensive stopper.

Chris Babb drained 69 three-point shots in his last season at Penn State and averaged 10.2 ppg in Big Ten play.

Tyrus McGee nailed 115 3-point baskets last season at a 48.7% clip. He was a NJCAA First-Team All-American and might play both at the two and at point.

Two more players to keep an eye on are Bubu Palo and Tavon Sledge. Palo played all 32 games last season and proved capable of playing the point position. Sledge will be the person with the most potential. He is incredibly fast and was ranked as the third best participant in New York City following averaging 25.3 points and 5.2 assists in his senior year.

Frontcourt

Mevlin Ejim and Jordan Railey each ought to see action as returning letterman while Royce White, Anthony Booker, and Percy Gibson will all make an impression as newcomers.

Ejim experienced a really productive freshman season last season for Iowa State. The Canadian put up 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He was only the 12th freshman in school history to record double figures. Despite his quality production, Hoiberg thinks Ejim will probably be even far better this season. Ejim is a lot more of a small forward, but was forced to move down low last year because of the team’s lack of depth.

Royce White was an extremely highly touted recruit two years back, but did not play a game for the Minnesota Golden Gophers he sat out last year immediately after transferring to Iowa State. White is powerful and is an exceptional passer. He’ll be starting at power forward and might be the star of this team.

Percy Gibson was one of the best big men in Michigan last year, averaging 21.2 points and 12 boards for each game. Booker was a top-50 player coming out of high school, but only averaged 6.4 points and 4.1 boards when he was a freshman for Southern Illinois.

Take a look at all of the NCAA basketball lines this year for every game on the Iowa State basketball schedule.

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In Pro Basketball, winning and losing are often not the final criteria in judging a team. When one team plays better in defeat, than another does in winning, you can gain real value by seeing through the misleading results. When handicapping Pro Basketball, some fundamentals and considerations are not just the venue. Remember the worst team can beat the best team on any given day. There is more pure skill and athleticism involved in basketball, than football. Scoring requires more skill than football. In a typical NFL game, there are only about 6-8 scoring situations, compared to about 100-120 in an NBA game. In basketball there are many more possessions and scoring opportunities for both teams. This better represents team skill and is less of a determinant in a game’s final outcome.

A handicapper has to constantly research his own and other records to be able to predict more accurately, point spread and values to any number of situations; travel situations, both teams style of play, match ups, injuries and much more. The upside is basketball has more potential for profit. In basketball there are fewer men on the rosters, making it easier to keep track of the players. The ball is round and the playing surface is smooth, making luck and happenstance less of a factor in handicapping the contest.

The rules in basketball are the simplest of all major team sports. This changes the flow of the game and the quality of the talent prevails over the luck in other sports. The length of the NBA schedule gives the bettor much more opportunity for profit.

In the NBA, there are fewer men involved in a basketball game, compared to the injury-prone football. For this reason, it is easier to assess values to injuries in relation to a game. The point spread can be adjusted with more accuracy than football except when a quarterback or star players are out. Basketball lines are posted the same day and the injury information is not always up-to-the-minute and may not be reflected in the line. Getting the information before the lines move, can be a big advantage for the handicapper.

NBA Basketball has about 4 times as many betting opportunities as in the NFL. It’s Sunday everyday during the NBA season. It is difficult to keep up with all the statistics, injuries and factors that influence every game. We will not make predictions until the third week of the season, because the statistics have not started forming yet. There are opportunities though. Young teams tend to be better prepared earlier than older teams. Aging veterans will not keep up their training programs as much during the off-season. Rookies and second-year men will be more durable. Early in the season, games figure to be lower scoring than later in the year. With all the extra pounds on the floor, bench players will get more playing time and the games tend to slow down late. Teams with the most new starters tend to make the most mistakes. Teams with the most players returning from last year will tend to do better than the ones with a lot of new faces, especially early in the season. The teams with a lot of new starters figure to take longer to get in sync.

There have been some obvious trends in the NBA in recent years. The best way to keep a coaching job is to average 50 wins, but there are many reasons for the turnover. Compared with the number of teams in the early 1970s, the NBA has expanded greatly, making it all the more difficult to win a championship. The media scrutinizes the coaches and constantly puts them under pressure. Today, high-priced players are more likely to complain to the management about their coaches or threaten to become free agents if they don’t get what they want. The bottom line is money. Teams pay a lot more for players than they do for coaches. It is easier to change coaches than players. Old owners paid very little for teams while new owners pay very big amounts. They want results much quicker.

Another trend is the proliferation of the 3-point shot. With its rise, the fast break and mid range jump shot, have become lost arts. The big men who dominated the game, back in the1970s, are almost nonexistent today. The average number of points per game has dropped dramatically, as the majority of threes still clang off the rim. The NBA originally adopted a 3-point shot before the 1979-80 season, to give the league a boost.

Handicapping Pro Basketball is very challenging because the schedules are so grueling that you can only guess at a team’s motivation until the playoffs. Most pro games are decided point-wise in the final few minutes. There is no compulsion for the favorite to win big, yet it usually has the talent to do so.

Due to their style of play, some basketball teams have a tendency to hang in against a better opponent. They may be losing teams, but discipline at both ends keeps them in the game. They can be spotted by looking at their point spread trend. There defense offers a good clue.

Control teams occasionally get blown out when unable to dictate the tempo. Don’t be misled because they are disciplined.  They are not inclined to lose big twice in a row. Pro Basketball teams are able to control the tempo better at home. Disciplined quintets that are able to do this are a lot less of a risk when playing over/unders.

Be leery of high point favorites that lack bench strength or killer instinct, check previous records.

For the second week in a row the Hokies will play in an ESPN Primetime Thursday Night game. Last the Hokies were upset by unranked North Carolina as 14.5 point chalk. They will try to deflect losing their third consecutive game this week on the road at East Carolina. The No. 22 Hokies are 5-3 this year (3-2 in the conference) and are just 3-5 at the pay window. Odds makers have assigned them as a hefty 13 point road chalk over East Carolina who has struggled against top-notch opponents so far this year. East Carolina is also 5-3 SU and only 3-4 against the spread but has neglected to be competitive versus above average opponents like West Virginia and North Carolina. They will certainly be facing one of their toughest opponents on Thursday night against the Hokies.

In his first year as the clear cut starter at Va Tech, QB Tyrod Taylor has neglected to come forth as the star that everyone believed he could be. He is only averaging about 175 yards passing per game and has thrown only 9 TD passes in 8 games. Taylor hasn’t really been much of a menace on the ground either as he has only rushed for 150 yards this year. For this Hokie offense to really explode, Taylor has to come forward and play to his athletic potential. There is no question he will have to play well in order to win this contest. Expect East Carolina to stuff the box with players and force Taylor to beat them by throwing the ball.

However, despite Taylor’s failure to command at the quarterback position, Virginia Tech boasts one of the leading running attacks in the nation led by freshman running back Ryan Williams. Va Tech is averaging 190 yards per game on the ground but will be facing a stout rush defense in East Carolina. The Pirates are only yielding an average of 108 yards per game via the rush and 3.4 yards per tote. A strong factor to who wins this game will be who wins the battle of the trenches. If East Carolina can hamper Virginia Tech’s rushing attack and put the ball in Taylor’s hands, they have a chance at pulling the upset.

On the other side of the football, the Pirates are not an offensive juggernaut in their own right. They rank 63rd in the land in points scored and 80th in total yards. East Carolina is a team that is developed around running the ball and playing strong defense. Their running attack is averaging right around 150 yards per game via the ground. This East Carolina offense could present troubles for the Hokie defense who has consistently struggled stopping the run all year long. They are ranked 79th in the nation in rush defense, yielding more than 150 yards a game on the ground. Much like when Virginia Tech has the ball, the battle in the trenches will be critical when East Carolina is on offense as well.

This should be a hard fought football game between two teams who pride themselves on defense and running the football. As mentioned previously, whoever wins the battle upfront will potentially be the winner of this game. The other key to this contest will be which quarterback steps up and plays well. Tyrod Taylor and Patrick Pinkney have not been great to say the least. Pinkney has tossed just 8 TD passes and 9 INTs. It could come down to whichever signal caller makes the least amount of mistakes. Both will have to handle the game, protect the football, and deliver on third and long spots to win the ball game.

Ai Simulator 3* graded prediction on the Lakers as they face Houston set to start at 8:30 EST. AiS shows an 72% probability that Lakers will win this game by 3 or more points. 90% probability that Houston will score between 93 and 98 points in this game. Note that the Rockets are just 34-61 ATS (-33.1 Units) at home when they allow 93 to 98 points in a game since 1996. Lakers are in a solid situation observing they are 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) versus poor rebounding teams being outrebounded by opponents by 3+ per game over the past 3 seasons; 15-4 ATS (+10.6 Units) when working their 2nd road game in 2 days over the last 3 seasons. Houston weakened tonight against LA noting they are just 16-32 ATS (-19.2 Units) after a game where they beat the spread over the past 2 seasons. Take LA.