Vegas NCAA Basketball Odds: No 8 Missouri at Old Dominion
Friday, December 30, 2011
Frank Martin
Off to its best start in 30 years, No. 8 Missouri Tigers faces its first road test of the season before the start of conference play Tuesday. The Tigers take on an Old Dominion Monarchs team that has advanced to the NCAA Tournament the past two years.
With only two returning starters, the Monarchs' offense has been stagnant early on, shooting a woeful 38.7 percent. Missouri on the other hand is shooting 51.9 percent and averaging 87.1 points, both second in the nation. Old Dominion’s best chance will be to slow the game down, similar to how it hung tight with Kentucky in a 62-52 loss.
- #8 Missouri Tigers @ Old Dominion Monarchs
When:
7:00 PM ET, Friday, December 30, 2011
Where:
Ted Constant Convocation Center,
Norfolk, Virginia
TV:
7 p.m. ET, ESPNU
The Tigers have opened as 8-point favorites on SBG Global Sportsbook’s Live NCAA Basketball Odds.
Missouri Tigers (12-0): First-year coach Frank Haith has provided some organization to the chaos employed by Mike Anderson, and Missouri no longer looks lost in half-court sets. The style has particularly benefited seniors Kim English and Ricardo Ratliffe. English is shooting better than 40 percent for the first time in his career, hitting 53 percent from both the field and beyond the arc. Ratliffe leads the nation in field-goal percentage at 76.2 percent. The Tigers have four players averaging more than 13 points including English (15.3), Ratliffe (14.3), Marcus Denmon (18.7) and sixth man Michael Dixon (13.1).
Old Dominion Monarchs (6-6): The Monarchs have struggled to replace leading scorer and rebounder Frank Hassell, who provided a much-needed boost to the team’s field goal percentage. This year’s leading scorer - senior Kent Bazemore (13.2 points) - is shooting only 34.9 percent. He is attempting three more 3-pointers per game than last season, but only hitting 23 percent of them, compared to 40.8 percent last season. Old Dominion hasn’t beat a Big 12 team since Kansas State in the 2000-2001 season. The Monarchs are 1-0 in the Colonial Athletic Conference.
1.
Missouri leads the all-time series 4-0,
including an 81-58 victory in Columbia last season and a 66-61 win in South
Padre the season before.
2. Missouri is the only team in the country to average more steals per game
(10) than turnovers (9.7).
3. Haith
is the first Missouri
coach to start his tenure 12-0 since Craig Ruby in 1920-1921.
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Category
Tags
ricardo ratliffe - frank haith - frank hassell - kent bazemore - kim english - marcus denmon - michael dixon - mike anderson - missouri tigers - old dominion monarchs
