Arizona State Sun Devils at Nevada Wolf Pack
Friday, 12/17/10, 9:00 PM EDT, TV: ESPNU
Opening Point Spread: Arizona State -4
Current Betting Line: Arizona State -4.5
Opening Total: 129.5
Current Total: 130
Arizona State is the only Pac-10 team to post 20 wins in each of the past three seasons and hits the road for a non-conference battle against Nevada in Reno. The Sun Devils have posted a 13-3 record in the past four years under head coach Herb Sendek when having at least five full days in between games. The team last played against Gardner-Webb on December 11, picking up a 71-48 home victory. “We’re a team right now that doesn’t play with a very wide margin of error,” Sendek commented. “We have to capitalize at a higher rate.” The team has an even 4-4 record and is off to its worst start since the 1998-99 season. Arizona State is 0-5 ATS on the year and currently a road favorite on the college basketball lines page.
The Sun Devils will certainly not overlook the Wolf Pack due to their 2-7 record early in the season, as they are one of seven teams that the team is facing in their non-conference schedule that won at least 20 games last year. “We’re playing some veteran, very successful programs here early in the season and we have not been good enough to win,” said Sendek. Arizona State relies heavily on its starting unit due to the bench averaging just 10 points an outing through eight games this season.
Nevada is suffering through a disappointing start and the club used a meeting with Division II San Francisco State to snap a seven-game losing streak. The Wolf Pack lost a couple key contributors to injury early in the season with Luke Babbitt and Armon Johnson going down and now eagerly awaits the arrival of forward Olek Czyz. He is a 6-foot-7 transfer from Duke and starred at nearby Reno High School. “Olek is kind of a wild card,” said second-year coach David Carter. “He can play two or three different positions.” Nevada is 4-4 ATS on the year and 31-39 ATS over the last three seasons.
The Wolf Pack lead the series with the Sun Devils, 3-1, but dropped the last meeting by a 76-63 score in Tempe on December 10, 2002. Nevada has used two different lineups the first nine games of the season and both have been littered with young players. Three freshmen have started in each of the nine games along with a sophomore and junior. Newcomers have scored 460-of-596 points on the season, which equates to 77 percent of the offense.
Bettors will be interested in knowing that the Sun Devils are 7-1 ATS on the road versus losing home teams, while the Wolf Pack are 10-4 ATS in non-conference action.
The college basketball handicappers at Maddux Sports are ready for a huge weekend and can’t wait for you to join them tonight!
