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Eight wins in nine games have given Syracuse a strong case to return to the NCAA Tournament a year after a self-imposed postseason ban that should sound awfully familiar to Louisville. The Orange look to stay hot Wednesday night as they visit the 18th-ranked Cardinals, whose own voluntary exclusion from tournament play could wind up helping out Syracuse. Syracuse (18-8, 8-5) opened the ACC schedule with four straight losses but has suddenly won five in a row. Continue to Article

February 16, 2016 10:03:pm EST

Slaying the sportsbook is a monstrous task. Some days bettors take up residence in a penthouse suite. Other times, they curl up in the nearest ditch, shirtless and toothless. In an attempt to avoid complete destitution, I will post my picks, whether profitable or penniless, through the NCAA tourney. Check out Thursday's selections below: Iowa (19-4, 13-7 ATS) at Indiana (19-5, 12-12) – What a time to be alive if you're a Hawkeye. The football team made an appearance in Pasadena. Caucuses occurred. And now, the Fighting Frans are nearing a No. 1 seed for the first time in school history. Though Iowa is highly ranked by every measurement imaginable, many pundits and casual fans continue to question its veracity. Don't. This is a senior-laden, highly-experienced club with disruptive length and athleticism. The only team in the nation that currently ranks inside the top-11 in offensive and defensive efficiency, the Hawkeyes are a well-oiled machine on both ends. Throw in their deadly range (39.7 3PT%) and charity stripe conversions, and it's easy to see why they've logged seven wins against the KenPom top-50. Despite a sparkling 19-5 record, the jury is still out on Indiana. The Hoosiers, equipped with numerous effective jump shooters, are explosive on offense, particularly in transition. On the year, they've netted 1.14 points per possession and posted a 56.2 effective field-goal percentage, the second-highest mark in the country. Also improved on defense, they appear rock solid. However, IU very well could be a paper tiger, evidenced in its Charmin-soft Big Ten schedule. Point blank, Tom Crean and Co. have yet to face a team the defensive caliber of Iowa. Play D like it did at Penn St., and Jarrod Uthoff goes bananas. Prediction: Iowa 80 (+3.5) Indiana 77 Continue to Article

February 11, 2016 9:52:am EST

Florida State's success against zone defenses has played a major role in the Seminoles' four-game winning streak. Now they are about to square off against maybe the ultimate zone defense in college: Syracuse's challenging 2-3 zone. Coach Leonard Hamilton is no stranger in game planning for the Orange's zone as this marks the 19th time he has faced Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. Continue to Article

February 10, 2016 6:57:pm EST

As Grayson Allen missed a 3-pointer late in the second half on Monday night, the most winnable game of Duke's toughest stretch of the season was in jeopardy of slipping away. The Blue Devils had squandered the entirety of a 15-point second-half lead and were tied with Louisville with just over three minutes remaining. It was then that Marshall Plumlee outfought several Louisville players for an offensive rebound, drew a foul and sank two free throws to put Duke back in front. The Blue Devils fed off Plumlee's aggressiveness for the rest of the game and pulled away for a crucial 72-65 victory over the 13th-ranked Cardinals. Duke's victory was vital because wins should be hard to come by during a two-week stretch in which the Blue Devils (18-6, 7-4) face nothing but the ACC's top three teams. They host No. 7 Virginia on Saturday before visiting No. 9 North Carolina and this same Louisville team next week. Brandon Ingram's rapid development was the biggest reason Duke won the opening leg of its four-game gauntlet. The highly touted freshman had 18 points and 10 rebounds, aggressively attacking the rim at one end and attacking the defensive glass with a vengeance at the other. Allen struggled with Louisville's length when he attacked the rim, but he compensated by sinking four threes. Plumlee scored 10 points, protected the rim effectively and teamed with Ingram to keep Louisville off the offensive glass. Credit Louisville for continuing to play hard in spite of its administration's cynical decision to rob it of the chance of playing in the postseason this year. Damion Lee shot only 3-for-15 from the field against a Duke defense determined not to let him beat them, but freshman Donovan Mitchell scored 17 points and reserve point guard Quentin Snider had a couple huge forays to the rim. It had to be bitterly disappointing for Louisville to go cold in the final minutes and waste such an impressive comeback. The Cardinals fell a half game behind North Carolina in the ACC standings and the Blue Devils got a win they desperately needed given the upcoming schedule. - - - - - - - Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @JeffEisenberg Continue to Article

February 08, 2016 10:00:pm EST

Pitino wasn't done ripping the decision to ban his team this postseason. He even offered up an alternative punishment. Continue to Article

February 06, 2016 4:22:pm EST

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