Ness Notes (Feb 5)

Six of the eight schools still winless in conferenceand 11 of their last 13. Kansas is favored by six
play were in action on Saturday but onlypoints with a total of 135. Although not televised
Dartmouth (Ivy League) was able to win. The Bignationally, four other top-25 teams are in action
Green picked up its first conference win byon Sunday.No. 9 Pittsburgh is at No. 17
winning at Columbia, 78-68.Ten Division 1 schoolsGeorgetown at 12:00 ET, No. 10 George
remained unbeaten in conference play enteringWashington hosts Richmond also at 12:00 ET and
Saturday's action and all but George WashingtonNo. 18 North Carolina St hosts Maryland at 2:00
(which plays today) were in action. Of the nine,ET. Georgetown (on a five-game winning streak)
SIX won and THREE lost.is favored by 3 1/2-points with a total of 128. Pitt,
The winners were Bucknell, Duke, Gonzaga,which won its first 15 games this year, is 2-2
Memphis, Penn and West Va. The losers wereover its last four, including an 80-76 loss at No. 1
Delaware St, LSU and Northern Arizona.My freeU Conn last Monday. While the Hoyas are favored,
play for Sunday is Seton Hall over Rutgers inthey have lost five straight to the Panthers.No. 10
college hoops at 12:00 ET. Coming off a 2-1 day inGeorge Washington puts its perfect 7-0
BKB, I've now gone 5-2 71.4% since a poorAtlantic-10 mark on the line today, as well as its
Wednesday. Sunday I'm featuring a lone CBBfirst top-10 ranking in a half-century (was ranked
game, one of my coveted 15* plays. My SuperNo. 7 back in 1956!), when the Colonials host an
Bowl XL selection carries a 22* rating, the highest11-9 Richmond team. GW is favored by 16 points
star-rating I give. It represents my 22nd year inwith a total of 127.No. 18 North Carolina St, 13-1
the business. Be sure to check back at 10:00 ET,at home, will host Maryland, a team that lost its
as I may be adding a late BKB play.While threeleading scorer (Chris McCray) to academic
conference unbeatens fell on Saturday, four moresuspension three games ago. The Terps have lost
struggled to win. No. 2 Duke edged Florida State intwo straight, as Maryland head coach Gary
OT (97-96) in a game that featured 26 ties andWilliams remains tied at 348 career wins at his
17 lead changes. No.3 Memphis won its 10thalma mater, with former Maryland coach Lefty
straight game, winning 84-79 at Rice. The 8-11Driesell. The Wolfpack are favored by seven
Owls, gave the Tigers all they could handle. No. 11points with a total of 152.Vince Carter recorded
West Va struggled early but finally put awayhis second career triple-double on Saturday
Cincinnati, 66-57 and Bucknell trailed by eight at(28-13-10), as the Nets won their 10th
the half, before winning 68-59 at Colgate. Theconsecutive home game, beating the Heat 105-92.
Bison shot 67 percent in the second half plusThe Pistons hardly looked like the league's best
made 16-of-19 free throws.Three conferenceteam last night at Indiana, as the Pacers beat
unbeatens lost on Saturday. LSU lost at Alabamathem 93-85.Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks won
67-62, Delaware St of the MEAC lost to a 7-13their 11th straight game 110-91 over the Sonics,
South Carolina St team 63-51 and Northernmatching the NBA's longest winning streak this
Arizona of the Big Sky lost 73-61 to a 10-12season. The Mavs, not known as a defensive
Eastern Washington team.Illinois saw its 33-gameteam, have held all 11 opponents to under 100
home winning streak ended last night, when Ronpoints during the streak, a franchise record.Super
McBride's potential game-winning shot at theBowl Sunday features a light 3-game schedule in
buzzer was ruled to have been released after thethe NBA. ABC has Houston at the New York
clock had gone to 0:00! Penn State, which had lostKnicks at 12:05 ET. The Rockets have both Ming
18 straight games to ranked opponents, beat No.and McGrady back (11-6 with both in the lineup
6 Illinois, 66-65, as a 19 1/2-point underdog! Earlierthis year) but the Knicks are expected to be
this week, Southern Illinois had its 33-game homewithout Marbury. Jalen Rose makes his Knick
winning streak snapped by Creighton.However, itdebut but there is no early line on the game.The
wasn't all bad news this week for the "33-club", asKings get a quick rematch with the Jazz today,
last night Gonzaga had little trouble with Santaafter Sacramento lost 89-79 Friday night in Utah.
Clara in Spokane. The Bulldogs led the Broncos byThe amazing stat from that game was,
25 points midway through the second half andSacramento's 0-for-20 in FG attempts in the 4th
tied a school-record by winning its 34th straightquarter! Utah outscored Sacramento 34-12 in the
home game, 85-71. However, the win wasn'tquarter. Today's game, a 12:30 ET start, has no
much consolation for Gonzaga bettors, as theearly line as the ever-lovable Ron Artest is
Bulldogs were 18-point favorites.There are 11questionable with a hip injury.Super Bowl XL is set
games scheduled in college hoops on Super Bowlto kickoff at 6:30 ET. The Steelers are favored
Sunday. CBS televises No. 19 Oklahoma atby four points with the total hovering around 47.
Kansas. Oklahoma has won five straight but hasGood luck on the game. That is, if you have my
lost its last seven games in Lawrence. Theside!Larry Ness is a documented member of the
Jayhawks are a young team but they seem toProfessional Handicappers League.
be getting it together, having won four straight