Larry Ness

My 9* PERFECT STORM is on Ohio St at 6:30 ET.

Richard Pitino has had a roller-coaster run at Minnesota, capturing the NIT (25 wins) in his first season but then falling to 18 wins and just EIGHT wins the next two seasons. The last three seasons have seen 24 and 22-win NCAA teams sandwiched around a 15-win season. Pitino opened the current season without guards Coffey (16.6) and McBrayer (8.9) plus big man Murphy (14.4 & 11.0), who gave the Minnesota program a combined 11 seasons. The Golden Gophers visit Columbus just 10-8, including 4-4 in the Big Ten. Chris Holtmann took over at Butler for Brad Stevens and three NCAA bids later, got the job in Columbus. His first season was a 25-win one but last year, while the Buckeyes did get an NCAA bid, they lost in the first round to finish just 20-15. Ohio State had climbed to No. 2 in the polls before suffering its first loss Dec 15 at Minnesota. The now 12-6 Buckeyes have gone 3-5 since and find themselves in the lower third of the Big Ten standings at 2-5.

In handing Ohio State its first loss of the season in an 84-71 win at home last month, Minnesota received 35 points from sophomore Marcus Carr, while 6-10 sophomore center Daniel Oturu held his own against Buckeyes center Kaleb Wesson, finishing with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Wesson leads Minnesota in scoring (20.2) and rebounding (11.9), while Carr checks in at 16.1-5.2-7.2. Sophomore guard Gabe Kalscheur (11.8) is the conference leader in three-pointers made with 43.

The centerpiece of Ohio St's team this season is 6-9 junior center Kaleb Wesson, a preseason All-Big Ten pick, who leads the team in scoring (14.7) and rebounding (9.3). Holtmann's team has great depth, as EIGHT players are averaging between 6.5 and  Wesson's 14.7 PPG. Two guards join Wesson in double digits, sophomore  Duane Washington (11.3) and  5-star freshman recruit PJ Carton(10.1 & 3.1 APG). a major issue in the team's recent woes has been that Ohio State's primary ball-handlers C.J. Walker and Carton, have combined for more turnovers (34) than assists (31) in the team's last SIX games.

However, a favorable upcoming schedule gives slumping Ohio State an opportunity to regain its footing, starting Thursday night at home against Minnesota. The Golden Gophers are a different team on the road than at home, going 0-6 overall away from Williams Arena, including 0-4 SU & 1-3 ATS in the Big Ten. Talk about "adjusting" the line. Ohio St was a 7 1/2-point road favorite when it lost at Minnesota back on Dec 15 and is basically favored by the same amount here at home. Minnesota's road woes help Ohio St 'get well' in this one!

Good luck...Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on Michigan St at 8:30 ET.

Michigan St made last year's Final Four and was voted the AP's preseason No. 1 time for the first time in school history. However, it hasn't been a  'smooth ride' this season for Tom Izzo's Spartans, who are currently 11th in the latest AP at 14-4, although they do lead the Big Ten at 6-1. Archie Miller began his third season as Indiana's head coach in 2019-20 and KNEW he had better improve on the 16 and 19-win seasons the Hoosiers delivered in his first two seasons at Bloomington. Indiana lost two NBA players from last year's team, guard Langford (16.5 & 5.4) and the 6-7 Morgan (15.5 & 8.2), but this year's team got off to an 11-1 start. That said, the schedule has been home-based and 'soft.' The Hoosiers can match MSU's overall record of 14-4 but they are just 4-3 in Big Ten play.

Senior PG Cassius Winston leads the way for Michigan State, pacing the team in scoring (18.1 points) and assists (6.1). 6-8 forward Xavier Tillman has become a solid second scoring threat by averaging 13.9 PPG plus leads the team with 10.0 RPG. MSU had expected  SG Joshua Langford (15.0 PPG before getting hurt last season) to be back this season but his ankle just hasn't improved. Gone from last season's Final 4 team are the 6-9 Ward (12.9 & 6.1), the 6-7 Goins (7.9 & 8.9) and SG McQuaid (9.8). The 6-6 Henry (9.9 & 4.4) and 6-7 Brown (8.6 & 4.4) have been solid players plus freshman guard Watts (7.0) and 6-7 freshman forward Hall (4.8 & 3.3) have been steady contributors.

The good news for Indiana is that the Hoosiers are finally healthy in the backcourt, with Devonte Green (11.1), Al Durham (10.5), Rob Phinisee (7.1) and Armaan Franklin (4.7) all able to play major minutes if called upon. Highly-touted 6-9 freshman Jackson-Davis (14.2 & 8.2) has been as good as advertised plus he's joined up front by returning 6-7 forward Smith (12.2 & 5.4) and 6-11 Butler graduate transfer Brunk (8.1 & 6.6).

It's payback time for Tom Izzo after his team was stunned twice by Archie Miller’s underdog Hoosiers a year ago (note: those two wins were enough for Indiana to get an at-large NCAA bid last year). Indian is 11-1 SU at home this season (lone loss to Arkansas on Dec 29) plus the Spartans NEED to put their last road game , a 29-point loss at Purdue on Jan 12, behind them. However, that's EXACTLY what I expect then to do, led by Winston, who averaged 23 points and 9.0 assists against the Hoosiers in the two meetings a season ago. Road favorite "get the cash" in this one!

Good luck...Larry

Tad Boyle took the Colorado job in 2010-11 and won 20-plus games in FIVE of his first six seasons (three NCAA appearances). However, mediocre 19-15 and 17-15 seasons followed, before Colorado went 23-13 last year. The Buffs didn't make the Big Dance last season but all FIVE starters returned and big things were expected. The Buffs opened 7-0 and are currently 14-4 (3-2 in the Pac 12) and ranked 23rd in teh latest AP poll. The Buffs welcome Washington St to Boulder on Thursday, with the Cougars coming off a two-game home sweep of the Oregon schools. Washington St  upset then-No. 8 Oregon 72-61 last Thursday (as a 10-pont dog) and then beat Oregon State 89-76 on Saturday, while celebrating the retirement of Klay Thompson’s jersey.

The Cougars are 12-7 overall, including 3-3 in the Pac-12. Junior guard Isaac Bonton (14.6-4.2-3.6) put on a show for Thompson, scoring a career-high 34 points and finishing with eight rebounds and eight assists. WSU's leading scorer is 6-6 forward CJ Elleby (18.9 & 7.2) had 22 points and freshman guard Noah Williams (5.2) added a season-high 17) by making all 14 of his free-throw attempts.

Colorado's Saturday 75-54 loss in Arizona against the Wildcats was the Buffs' most lopsided of the season. It halted a run of SEVEN wins in eight games, including three of four to open Pac-12 play. Guards McKinley Wright (15 points) and D’Shawn Schwartz (12) were the only two Buffaloes to score in double figures in the loss. Guards Wright (13.5-5.3-5.0) and Schwartz (10.7 & 3.6) join Colorado's 6-7 swingman Bey (13.1 & 9.3) in double digits on the season. The other two starters are the 6-8 Battey (9.1 & 6.5) and guard Gatling (6.2). The 6-7 Siewert (7.8 & 4.4) brings some 'muscle' up front off the bench.

The Cougars' Saturday win over Oregon St represented a season-high in points for Washington State, while Colorado's 54 points at Arizona on Saturday represented a season low for the Buffs. Expect a turnaround of those numbers, here. This marks just Washington State’s FIFTH true road game (Cougars enter with a 1-3 road record) and note that Colorado has won 12 of the 16 meetings with Washington St since joining the Pac-12 in 2011, including winning all SEVEN games played in Boulder. Lay the points.

Good luck...Larry

My 9* Conference Crusher (Pac 12) is on Oregon St at 11:00 ET.

Mick Cronin started his career by leading Murray St to two NCAA tourneys in his three seasons at that school and then took over at Cincinnati for Bob Huggins. He didn't get the Bearcats to the "Big Dance" until his FIFTH season (2010-11) but that began a run of NINE consecutive NCAA appearances. He took the UCLA job before the start of the current season but the 9-9 Bruins (2-3 in Pac 12) aren’t playing defense the way Cronin would like plus have yet to identify a go-to score. Up in Corvallis, Oregon State head coach Wayne Tinkle got great news when both 6-7 senior Tres Tinkle (his son) and junior guard Ethan Thompson decided to come back this season and play for the Beavers. Oregon State’s 10-2 start in non-conference play matched the 1989-90, 2011-12 and 2015-16 teams for the program’s best start in 35 years. The Beavers welcome the Bruins to town just 2-4 in Pac 12 play, as their record now sits at 12-6.

Junior guard Chris Smith (12.3 & 5.6) is UCLA's lone double digit scorer but he has averaged 15.6 points & 8.6 rebounds in league play. 6-10 forward Jalen Hill (9.9 & 7.3) is about to climb into double digits, as he has scored at least 11 points in each of the Bruins’ last three games. Senior guard Prince Ali (8.9)  plus freshman guards Jaquez  (8.1 & 4.5)  and Campbell (7.2 & 4.5 APG) plus the 6-9 Riley (8.4 & 4.8) round out the main contributors.

Oregon State gets almost all of its production from its starting-five. Tinkle (19.7-9.6-3.7) and Thompson (16.1-4.2-4.6) lead the way. Tinkle is joined in the frontcourt by the 7-0 Kelley (11.4 & 4.9) and the 6-6 Hollins (6.1 & 3.5), while Reichle (8.6) starts in the backcourt with Thompson. Thompson is shooting 50.3 percent from the floor, while Kelley has scored in double figures in FIVE consecutive games and is second in the nation in blocked shots per game (3.94).

Oregon St has already beaten likely Pac-12 Big Dance reps Colorado and Arizona here at Gill Coliseum and it's HARD to ignore that UCLA comes in 2-7 ATS in its last nine games. Oregon St beat UCLA 79-66last season here in Corvallis and that margin seems about right in this one.

Good luck...Larry