NCAA Betting Picks: Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs West Virginia Mountaineers
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
by Mike Stewart
Notre Dame Fighting Irish , which comes in having won its last four, has slowed the tempo of late and leads the Big East in scoring defense during conference play. West Virginia Mountaineers ounters with the conference's leading scorer and rebounder in senior forward Kevin Jones. The Mountaineers have controlled the series recently, winning four of the last five and posting a 72-58 victory on their home floor last Feb. 19. Notre Dame will be looking for its fourth Big East road victory, having won at Louisville, Seton Hall and Connecticut.
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ West Virginia Mountaineers
When: 9:00 PM ET, Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Where: WVU Coliseum, Morgantown, West Virginia
TV: ET, ESPNU, ESPN3.com
The Mountaineers have opened as 6.5-point favorites on SBG Global Sportsbook’s Live NCAA Basketball Odds.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (15-8): Since losing Tim Abromaitis to a season-ending knee injury, the Fighting Irish have found their rhythm by grinding the game to a near standstill — their 61 possessions per game in league play rank 15th among Big East teams. Notre Dame has remained efficient, ranking 12th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.37) and eighth in fewest turnovers per game (10.5). Conference opponents have struggled to get open looks from outside, hitting just 23.6 percent from 3-point range. Sophomore guards Eric Atkins (13.1 points) and Jerian Grant (12.7 points, 4.9 assists) lead a balanced lineup.
West Virginia Mountaineers (16-8): Jones has carried the load inside for the Mountaineers, averaging 20.8 points and 11.2 rebounds. He and junior Deniz Kilicli (11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds) pace a frontcourt that has West Virginia ranked second in the Big East in rebounding margin (plus-6.1). Senior Darryl Bryant is sixth in the league with 17.6 points, but he is shooting just 32.6 percent on 175 3-point attempts (most in the Big East) and 37.8 percent overall. Jones has posted 15 double-doubles this season, the third-highest total in Division I.
1. Notre Dame leads the series, 25-12, and has an 8-8 record in Morgantown, but the Mountaineers have won their last three home games against the Fighting Irish.
2. West Virginia lost 11 consecutive games to Notre Dame between 1999 and 2005 before turning the tide of the series with a 71-70 home win in 2006.
3. Grant leads the Big East in assist-turnover ratio by a wide margin at 3.1 (113 assists, 37 turnovers).
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darryl bryant - deniz kilicli - eric atkins - jerian grant - kevin jones - notre dame fighting irish - tim abromaitis - west virginia mountaineers - wvu coliseum
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