NCAA Basketball Free Pick – Wednesday, February 23, 2011
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Cincinnati (21-6, 8-6 Big East) at #11 Georgetown (21-6, 10-5 Big East)
Date/Time: Wednesday, February 23, 2011, 9:00PM EST
Venue: Verizon Center in Washington, DC
Broadcast: ESPN3
Money Line: Cincinnati +240 / Georgetown -280
Spread: Georgetown -6.5
Over/Under: OFF
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With just four games left in the regular season, the Cincinnati Bearcats will look to convince the NCAA Tournament powers-to-be that they deserve a shot at the Big Dance, by knocking of No. 11 Georgetown in our nation’s capital on Wednesday night.
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Meanwhile, the 11th-ranked Hoyas will be trying to stretch their home win streak to five games after matching its total of Big East victories from last season, winning 61-55 at South Florida on Saturday.
Chris Wright led the Hoyas against the Bulls with 26 points while leading scorer Austin Freeman (17.7 PPG), missed 8 of 10 shots and scored a season-low four points, but hauled in eight big rebounds, as the conference’s best-shooting team finished at 51.2 percent. The Hoyas continue to be a much-improved team from last season’s 23-win team that was upset in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
G’Town has gone 10-5 in the Big East and 10-2 at home this season. Offensively, the team is averaging 73.9 points per game, shooting an astonishing 49.7 percent from the floor while grabbing 34 offensive rebounds per game. Defensively Georgetown is allowing their opponents to score 66.1 points per game and shoot 41.5 percent while they are 27th in defensive rebounding.
That’s probably bad news for a Cincinnati team that has lost 20 straight on the road against AP Top 25 teams, since Jan. 14, 2004.
Nevertheless, the Bearcats appear poised to reach the NCAA Tourney for the first time in five seasons and have won three of four, including in overtime in Saturday’s 93-81 victory at surging Providence. Senior Rashad Bishop scored a career-high 23 points and Yancy Gates added 21 and eight rebounds. Leading scorer Dion Dixon (11 PPG), was held to just seven points in 26 minutes on the floor.
Overall UC is 8-6 in the Big East, 5-4 on the road. Offensively the Bearcats are averaging 69.8 points per game, shooting 43.3 percent from the field and grabbing 36 offensive rebounds per game. Defensively Cincinnati allows their opponents to score 58.7 points per game and shoot 41.4 percent from the field while they are 41st in defensive rebounding.
The Bearcats, although just 1-4 against ranked teams this season, are also trying to win nine conference games under coach Cronin for the first time. This is the first meeting between the two teams this season, with Georgetown visiting Cincinnati in the regular-season finale on March 5.
The odds makers have the Georgetown Hoyas as a -6.5 point favorite.
Matt’s Free Pick: Georgetown – While Freeman has shown signs of slowing down, averaging 11.0 points on 32.5 percent shooting in his last three games, the Hoya’s Wright has emerged as the team’s new hero, averaging 21.7 points and hitting 50.0 percent in that span. Georgetown does have depth, which is something the Bearcats lack after their first four starters, and will be the deciding factor in this one.
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Cincinnati Bearcats Betting Trends:
Cincinnati is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Cincinnati’s last 13 games on the road
Cincinnati is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Georgetown
Cincinnati is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Georgetown
Georgetown Hoyas Betting Trends:
Georgetown is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Georgetown is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Georgetown’s last 8 games
Georgetown is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games at home
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