Matt Martz is a sports writer for the Bakersfield Californian, the Oregonian, and Utah Spectrum. And below is his Winning NCAA Basketball Picks for Friday, January 14, 2011. Watch his 3 Game Parlay Picks win tonight as all games are televised on ESPNU and ESPN3.com. Sit back & enjoy your winnings this weekend!
Valparaiso Crusaders (12-5, 4-1) at Wright State Raiders (11-6, 4-1)
Date/Time: Friday, January 14, 2011, 7:00 PM EST
Money Line: Wright State -190 / Valparaiso +165
Spread: Wright State -4 ½
Over/Under: OFF
The Crusaders plays host to Wright Sate this Friday in Horizon League action as both teams look to lay sole claim to the division’s number one spot.
The Raiders are rolling having won their last four games in a row to be part of a four-way tie for first place in the Horizon League that includes Valparaiso. Vaughn Duggins is tied with Valparaiso’s Cory Johnson to rank second in the league in scoring in conference games (17.8 ppg). WSU ranks first in the league in scoring defense (59 ppg) but No. 9 in scoring offense (64 ppg). Point guard N’Gai Evans totaled 15 points, nine rebounds, five assists and five steals in the Raiders’ 58-41 win against Loyola on Saturday, the team’s eighth win in nine games.
Meanwhile, the Crusaders are off to its best start as a Horizon League member and have won five of its past six. They do well in scoring, where they outperform the Raiders, 73 to 64 per game.
On the other hand, WSU tops Valparaiso in three-point shooting, 36 to 31 percent.
Last season, the Crusaders went 0-2 against the Raiders, with an average 3-point margin of defeat. Over four years, Valparaiso has gone 3-5 against Wright State, including 1-3 at Nutter Center.
Free Pick: Valparaiso
Fairfield Stags (12-3, 5-0) at Loyola Maryland Greyhounds (6-9, 2-3)
Date/Time: Thursday, January 13, 2011, 7:00 PM EST
Money Line: Fairfield -230 / Loyola +190
Spread: Fairfield -5
Over/Under: 126.5
Reitz Arena will be rocking on Friday as Loyola (MD) welcomes Fairfield in a MAAC battle on Friday night.
Fairfield leads the division and is unbeaten in conference play while Loyola (MD) is in 6th place.
The Stags has a momentum edge in this one; winning 11 games straight and is playing with purpose. The Stags moved up to number three in the nation for scoring defense at 53.9 points in the last set of NCAA statistics (games through January 9). Stephen F. Austin (52.3 ppg), and Nebraska (53.5 ppg), were listed ahead of the Stags in the January 9 rankings. Fairfield remains ranked number one in the MAAC statistics for scoring defense, field goal percentage defense (382), and three-point field goal percentage defense (.270).
Loyola won back-to-back games against Marist and Manhattan before dropping its last outing, an 86-68 decision against Iona. The team has been successful at home this year, winning four of seven games at Reitz Arena.
Fairfield has seen the Greyhounds once already this season, and beat them 65-55 on December 5. The Stags went 2-0 against the Greyhounds last year, winning by an average margin of four points. In four seasons, Fairfield has a record of 8-3 against Loyola (MD), including 4-0 at Reitz Arena.
Free Pick: Fairfield
Butler Bulldogs (12-5, 4-1) at Detroit Titans (10-7, 4-1)
Date/Time: Friday, January 14, 2011, 9:00 PM EST
Money Line: Butler -240 / Detroit +200
Spread: Butler -6
Over/Under: 139
In the second of two battles for top honors, Detroit welcomes Butler in a Horizon clash at Calihan Hall on Friday.
Butler survived a sizzling, second half shooting performance by visiting Youngstown State, and held on for an 84-79 league victory. The win was Butler’s second straight and eighth in the last nine outings. Junior Shelvin Mack, who had scored just nine points in Butler’s first two games last week, exploded with a career-high 28 points while senior Matt Howard scored 11 of 13 Butler points, including eight straight, midway through the second half. Howard ranks second in the Horizon League in scoring (17.6).
The Titans, who stand 6-2 at home this season, are coming off their own league sweep, after picking up road victories at Loyola and UIC last weekend.
Last season, the Bulldogs went 2-0 against the Titans, winning by an average margin of three points. Over the last four seasons, Butler is 8-0 against Detroit, and 4-0 at Calihan Hall.
Free Pick: Butler
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