Saturday's Early Hoops Action
By Judd Hall
Saturday’s slate of college hoops is jam-packed with action. The early schedule includes a pair of Big East scuffles that’ll go a long way towards deciding seeding in the conference tourney, but also who could miss the field of 65.
Another contest features the Blue Devils looking to tweak their schemes prior to the postseason.
Duke at North Carolina State
The Blue Devils will have no problems making the NCAA tournament, sitting in a tie with North Carolina for the top seed in the Atlantic Coast Conference. However, North Carolina State (15-13 straight up, 6-19 against the spread) is slumming near the basement of the league.
Duke (24-3 SU, 14-10-2 ATS) erased any memory it had of losing a pair of games last week with two blowout victories over the Red Storm and Yellow Jackets. Unfortunately for the Blue Devils’ backers, they’ve gone 1-3 ATS in their last four fixtures.
The Wolfpack can’t seem to find a way to stop tripping themselves up. They’ve lost their last six games both SU and ATS. If there is any positive for North Carolina State right now, from a gambler’s perspectives, it’s the fact that they’ve seen the ‘under’ go on a 3-1 run recently. 10-5
N.C. State is 10-5 SU and 2-8-1 ATS at the RBC Center this season. However, the ‘Pack has lost their past three home tests SU and ATS.
The Dukies are 9-3 SU, but 5-7 ATS when playing games away from home this year.
The Blue Devils have gone 2-1 SU and ATS when playing North Carolina State in Raleigh. The ‘over’ has cashed tickets in the last seven head-to-head meetings.
CBS will televise this tilt, starting at 12:00 pm EDT.
Pittsburgh at Syracuse
The fate of Syracuse (17-11 SU, 12-14 ATS) is very much in doubt right now after dropping four of its last five tests this season SU and ATS. This skid includes a 94-87 setback the Orange suffered at Notre Dame as 6½-point road favorites. I guess if you allow Kyle McAlarney to belt you for 30 points, you deserve to lose.
Pittsburgh (20-8 SU, 10-11-1 ATS) still appears to have sewn up a tournament berth this year with a body of work that includes a big neutral-court win over the Blue Devils this season. Now the Panthers sit just a game out of the sixth seed for the Big East tourney. Pitt has not made bettors happy in its last four games, failing to cover the spread in each. However, they’ve seen the ‘over’ hit in three straight matches.
The Panthers have gone 1-4 SU and ATS in their past five tilts away from home this season.
The Orange are 13-4 SU and 8-9 ATS in showdowns at the Carrier Dome.
Syracuse has lost three straight home matches, SU and ATS, to the Panthers dating back to February 2003.
The ‘under’ is on a 7-2 run in this showdown.
Tip-off for this clash is 12:00 pm EDT, with ESPN broadcasting nationally.
Georgetown at Marquette
Georgetown (23-4 SU, 10-14 ATS) is currently sharing the No. 1 spot in the Big East right now with the Cardinals with two games remaining the regular season. And it’s not like the Hoyas haven’t tried to get ahead of Louisville, they’ve gone 4-1 SU in their last five contests. Yet, they posted 2-3 ATS during that stretch.
The Golden Eagles are also on a nice winning streak of their own, pulling in five consecutive victories SU and ATS. Marquette (21-6 SU, 13-9 ATS) has alternated on totals during this streak. Junior guard Dominic James has been solid for the Eagles in their last three contests, averaging 19 points per game.
Marquette has been very strong at home, posting a 14-1 SU and 5-5 ATS mark at the Bradley Center during this season. Meanwhile, the ‘under’ has registered a 6-5 record in those tilts.
The Hoyas, on the other hand, haven’t been all that good away from the Verizon Center this season, going 8-4 SU and 6-6 ATS. The ‘under’ has been a lock for Georgetown on the road with its 10-2 record.
GU has won the last two head-to-head meetings with Marquette, including the Hoyas previous meeting in Milwaukee in March 2006.
CBS will broadcast this affair beginning at 2:00 pm EDT.
vegasinsider.com
Saturday's Late Slate
By Brian Edwards
The calendar strikes March on Saturday, meaning the madness has arrived. The stakes are at an all-time high for not just bubble teams, but squads like Texas, Duke and Kansas, who are vying for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The action starts at noon Eastern when ESPN will televise Syracuse and Pitt at the Carrier Dome. The Orange, who are in dire need of a victory to bolster its resume, have seemingly been on the bubble every year since winning the national title in 2003. Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened the ‘Cuse as a three-point favorite.
N.C. St. will play host to Duke on CBS at noon ET. The Blue Devils cannot afford a loss if they want a top seed on Selection Sunday. They opened as 10-point favorites against the Wolfpack, who own an atrocious 5-19-1 spread record this season.
Other early-afternoon games of significance include West Virginia at UConn (noon), Georgetown at Marquette (2:00 p.m., CBS), Texas A&M at Oklahoma (2:00, ESPN) and UNC at BC (3:30, ABC).
Let’s take a look at three televised games, including ESPN’s prime-time tilt between Kansas State and Kansas, in addition to some Bonus Nuggets.
**Mississippi State at Florida**
--Florida (21-7 straight up, 11-8 against the spread) has won back-to-back games, but the Gators are in the midst of a 2-5 ATS slide. They are off Wednesday’s 77-64 win at Georgia as one-point underdogs. Nick Calathes, a freshman guard from out of Orlando, led UF with 22 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Marreese Speights added 15 points and 10 rebounds.
--LVSC opened Florida as a three-point favorite with a total of 139. On Thursday’s edition of the Power Hours, Marc Lawrence and I both felt the number would be about five. On the flip side, Andy Iskoe thought the Bulldogs would be a short ‘chalk.’
--Mississippi State (19-8 SU, 12-12 ATS) will win the SEC West outright with a victory in Gainesville. The Bulldogs clinched at least a share of the division title by virtue of Wednesday’s 89-78 win over Auburn as 12 ½-point home favorites. Charles Rhodes led the winners with 30 points and nine rebounds.
--If the season ended today, Jamont Gordon would probably be my pick for SEC Player of the Year. For the record, I reserve the right to switch that to Vandy’s Shan Foster depending on how both players play the next three games. Gordon averages 17.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.
--Billy Donovan’s team is 16-2 SU and 5-4 ATS at home in the O-Dome. The Gators are 23-3 at home against SEC West foes this decade.
--UF has won 18 in a row in the month of March. Dating back even further, the Gators have won 24 of their last 25 games in March with the lone loss coming to Villanova in the second round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament.
--Rick Stansbury’s squad is 1-2 both SU and ATS as an underdog this year.
--Florida has won three in a row over Mississippi St., but the Bulldogs are 4-1 ATS in the last five head-to-head encounters.
--The ‘over’ is 10-8-1 for UF, 6-3 in its home games. On the other hand, the ‘under’ is 13-9-2 for Mississippi St.
--Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Eastern on CBS.
**Vanderbilt at Arkansas**
--LVSC opened Arkansas (18-9 SU, 9-13 ATS) as a four-point ‘chalk.’ The Razorbacks are in dire need of a ‘W’ after losing four of its last five games both SU and ATS. They are off a 59-56 loss at Alabama as one-point underdogs.
--Sonny Weems is the catalyst for John Pelphrey’s first team at Arkansas. Weems leads the Hogs and is 15th in the SEC in scoring, averaging 15.4 points per game.
--Vanderbilt (24-4 SU, 14-13 ATS) has won seven consecutive games, posting a 5-2 spread record during that spree. The Commodores are off a 72-69 home win over Tennessee as two-point underdogs. With freshman center A.J. Ogilvy playing only 12 minutes due to foul trouble, senior Shan Foster had to take over offensively. He responded with a game-high 32 points.
--Foster leads the SEC in scoring with a 19.8 PPG average. Ogilvy is sixth in the league in scoring (16.6 PPG).
--Arkansas is 13-2 SU and 6-5 ATS at home.
--Vandy is 3-4 both SU and ATS as an underdog this season. However, we should point out that the ‘Dores have won outright in each of their last three spots as ‘dogs.
--According to VI handicapper Marc Lawrence, Vandy has lost five in a row when going on the road after a win over arch-rival Tennessee.
--The ‘under’ has cashed at a 7-2 clip in Vandy’s last nine games. Also, the ‘under’ is on a 10-4 run for Arkansas in its last 14 home outings. On the flip side, the ‘over’ has hit in four consecutive meetings between these SEC rivals.
**Kansas State at Kansas**
--This is a major revenge game for Kansas, which lost an 84-75 decision at Kansas State back on Jan. 30. Michael Beasley (25 points) and Bill Walker (22) combined for 47 points to pace the Wildcats to the victory as seven-point home underdogs.
--Kansas (25-3 SU, 14-12 ATS) is undefeated in 17 home games, compiling a 10-5 spread record in the process.
--Kansas State (18-9 SU, 11-10 ATS) has fallen on hard times recently, dropping four of its last five games both SU and ATS. The Wildcats have lost three in a row, including Monday’s 74-65 loss to Texas as 3½-point home ‘chalk.’
--Frank Martin’s team is 3-4 both SU and ATS as an underdog this year.
--KU is mired in a 1-7 ATS slide in its last eight games.
--The ‘over’ is on an 8-2 run for Kansas State and a 10-5 surge for KU.
--Most spots have installed Kansas as a 13-point favorite. LVSC opened the total at 148.
--ESPN will provide television coverage at 9:00 p.m. ET.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
--Just when Kentucky appeared to be putting the finishing touches on an improbable rally to garner an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament, those hopes took a crushing blow Friday. I’m talking about a Joe Frazier left hook. Freshman center Patrick Patterson, who averages 16.4 PPG, is out for the season with a stress fracture in his left ankle. Patterson is eighth in the SEC in scoring and sixth in rebounding, pulling down 7.7 boards per game.
--My All-SEC First Team:
G-Jamont Gordon (Mississippi State)
G-Devan Downey (South Carolina)
F-Shan Foster (Vandy)
F-Tyler Smith (Tennessee)
C-A.J. Ogilvy (Vandy)
--Second-Team All-SEC:
G-Nick Calathes (Florida)
G-Ramel Bradley (Kentucky)
F-JaJuan Smith (Tennessee)
F-Patrick Patterson (Kentucky)
C-Richard Hendrix (Alabama)
--Third-Team All-SEC:
G-Chris Lofton (Tennessee)
G-Sundiata Gaines (Georgia)
F-Joe Crawford (Kentucky)
F-Charles Rhodes (Mississippi State)
C-Marreese Speights (Florida)
--Just missed the cut: Sonny Weems (Arkansas), Jarvis Varnado (Mississippi St.), Wayne Chism (Tennessee), J.P. Prince (Tennessee), Alonzo Gee (Alabama), Quan Prowell (Auburn), Chris Warren (Ole Miss) and Marcus Thornton (LSU).
--Vandy has won six times in nine games against the nation’s No. 1 team in 56 years of playing at Memorial Gym in Music City.
vegasinsider.com.
(7) Duke (24-3, 14-10-2 ATS) at N.C. State (15-13, 5-19-1 ATS)
The Blue Devils, back on the winning track after two upset losses, make a short Tobacco Road trip to face ACC rival North Carolina State, which is on a season-killing six-game losing streak.
Duke topped Georgia Tech 71-58 Wednesday for its second straight win after dropping two in a row, but the Blue Devils fell just short of covering the 15½-point spread, falling to 1-4-1 ATS in their last six starts. Duke (11-2, 7-4-2 ATS in the ACC) started off 4-0 SU and ATS in ACC roadies, but the Blue Devils were dealt SU and ATS losses in their last two visits to conference rivals.
North Carolina State got dumped at home by Florida State 72-62 Wednesday laying two points, dropping to 0-6 ATS during its current freefall, all in conference play. The Wolfpack (4-10, 2-11-1 ATS in the ACC) are a lowly 2-9-1 against the number in Raleigh this year.
Duke has won eight of the last 10 meetings in this rivalry (6-3-1 ATS), including a 92-72 home rout in January, barely cashing as an 18-point chalk. Duke is 5-1 ATS in the last six clashes.
The Blue Devils are 5-1 ATS in their last six games against teams with a winning SU record, and they are 7-3-2 ATS coming off a SU win, but they are 0-4-1 ATS in their last five ACC contests.
The Wolfpack have nothing but negative ATS trends, including 7-19-2 in their last 28 games overall, 8-20-1 after a SU loss, 0-5 after a non-cover and 7-23-2 in Raleigh.
For Duke, the over is on streaks of 9-3 overall, 5-0 on the highway, 35-16 in conference play and 7-0 against winning teams. For N.C. State, the over is on runs of 16-5 overall, 7-2 at home, 14-4 in the ACC and 7-0 against winning teams. Finally, the last seven matchups in this series have hurdled the total, with the January meeting sailing past the 142-point posted price.
ATS ADVANTAGE: DUKE and OVER
Pitt (20-8, 12-11 ATS) at Syracuse (17-11, 12-14 ATS)
The Panthers, who just snapped a three-game losing skid, travel to upstate New York for a Big East battle against Syracuse, which has dropped its last two games to put itself squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati 73-67 Wednesday but took its fourth straight ATS loss, failing to cash as a 10½-point home chalk. The Panthers (8-7, 7-8 ATS in the Big East) are also 0-3 SU and ATS in their last three Big East road outings.
Syracuse lost to Notre Dame 94-87 Sunday, barely failing to cash as a 6½-point road underdog for its second straight non-cover and fourth in the last five outings. The Orange (7-8 SU and ATS in the Big East) did upset Georgetown 77-70 as a three-point pup in their last home start two weeks ago.
Pitt is 7-3 SU and ATS the last 10 meetings in this series, including a 74-66 victory as a two-point road chalk in the only meeting last season. Pitt is 5-1 ATS on its last six trips to Syracuse, and the road team is 5-2 ATS in the last seven contests. Finally, the SU winner has cashed in each of the last 10 clashes.
The Panthers are mired in ATS slumps of 1-4 on Saturday, 1-4 coming off a win, 1-4 on the highway, 1-4 after an ATS loss and 0-5 against teams with a winning percentage above .600.
The Orange are 1-4 ATS versus teams with a winning SU record, but they are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 Saturday starts and 8-3 ATS in their last 11 following a pointspread defeat.
The under is 16-6 in Pitt’s last 22 road games and is also 7-2 in its last nine against winning teams. For Syracuse, the under is on runs of 4-1 at the Carrier Dome, 7-2 against winning teams and 9-4 in Big East action. Finally, the under is 7-2 in the last nine meetings overall and 4-0 in the last four battles at Syracuse.
ATS ADVANTAGE: SYRACUSE and UNDER
West Virginia (20-8, 12-9-1 ATS) at (15) UConn (22-6, 11-12-1 ATS)
The Mountaineers, who are on a two-game SU and ATS surge, travel to Storrs for a Big East matchup against Connecticut, which rebounded nicely from its first loss in more than a month.
West Virginia (9-6, 8-6-1 ATS in the Big East) beat DePaul 85-73 Wednesday as a 5½-point road favorite to move to 5-1-1 ATS in its last seven starts, all in Big East play.
Connecticut breezed past Rutgers 79-61 Tuesday giving 10 points on the road, bouncing back from its 67-65 loss at Villanova last Saturday, which snapped a 10-game winning streak for the Huskies (11-4, 8-6-1 ATS in the Big East).
These two teams met just once last season, with West Virginia claiming an 81-71 home win as a one-point underdog to snap a four-game SU and ATS losing streak to UConn. The Huskies were favored in all five contests.
The Mountaineers are 1-4 ATS in their last five starts versus teams with a winning SU record, but they are 4-1 ATS in their last five Big East road trips (3-2 SU).
The Huskies have won six consecutive Big East home games (4-1-1 ATS). But they are mired in ATS slumps of 4-9 on Saturday, 4-9-1 at home against teams with a winning road mark and 4-11-1 following a pointspread win.
The under is 6-2 in West Virginia’s last eight road games and is 11-5 in the Mountaineers’ last 16 starts overall. For UConn, the under is on streaks of 7-3 overall, 4-1 at home, 4-1 on Saturday and 7-2 coming off a SU win.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
(11) Georgetown (23-4, 10-14 ATS) at (21) Marquette (21-6, 13-9 ATS)
The Hoyas take a three-game winning streak to Milwaukee for a Big East matchup against No. 21 Marquette, which is on a five-game SU and ATS tear.
Georgetown topped St. John’s 64-52 Wednesday but couldn’t cover as a heavy 17½-point home favorite, ending a 2-0 ATS surge. The Hoyas (13-3, 6-10 ATS in the Big East) are 2-6 ATS in their last eight starts, all in conference.
Marquette bested Villanova 85-75 Monday as a 1½-point road chalk, posting its fourth double-digit win during its five-game run. The Golden Eagles (11-5, 9-7 ATS in the Big East) have cashed in their last six contests, all in Big East action.
These two squads met just once last year, with Georgetown rolling to a 76-58 home win laying 7½ points. Two years ago, Marquette prevailed 57-51 at home as a 1½-point pup, then got a push in a 62-59 road loss as a three-point pup.
The Hoyas are on negative ATS streaks of 3-10 on Saturday, 1-4 after a pointspread setback, 1-5 after a SU win and 0-4 against teams with a winning percentage above .600. But they are 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 on the road versus teams with a winning home record.
The Golden Eagles are 12-1 ATS in their last 13 home starts against teams with a road winning percentage above .600, and they are 4-1 ATS in their last five Saturday games.
For Georgetown, the under is on surges of 7-1 on the road, 42-16 after a SU win, 41-16 in the Big East and 12-5 on Saturday. For Marquette, the under is on a 4-0 run at home, but the over is 22-10 in its last 32 league contests.
ATS ADVANTAGE: MARQUETTE and UNDER
USC (18-9, 16-9 ATS) at Arizona State (17-10, 12-11 ATS)
Two teams hoping to shore up their NCAA Tournament credentials get together when the Trojans travel to Tempe for a Pac-10 clash against Arizona State.
Southern Cal dumped Arizona 70-58 Thursday as a 5½-point road ‘dog, winning and cashing for the third straight game after a two-game SU and ATS hiccup. With the victory, the Trojans (9-6, 10-5 ATS in the Pac-10) improved to 5-1 SU and ATS in their last six Pac-10 road trips.
Arizona State got drubbed by UCLA 70-49 Thursday catching 6½ points at home, falling to 1-3 SU and ATS in its last four. The Sun Devils (7-8, 8-7 ATS in the Pac-10) are 1-4 in their last five Pac-10 home contests (2-3 ATS).
USC’s 67-53 home win over ASU a month ago as a 6½-point favorite halted a 3-0 ATS run by the Sun Devils in this rivalry. These two teams have split the cash in the last 10 clashes, but the underdog is on an impressive 8-1 ATS run. Southern Cal is also 5-2 ATS on its last seven trips to Tempe.
The Trojans are on positive pointspread streaks of 37-18 overall, 19-7 on the highway, 9-3 in Pac-10 play and 27-10 on Saturday.
Despite Thursday’s debacle versus UCLA, the Sun Devils are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 in Tempe and 8-2 ATS in their last 10 at home against teams with a winning road record. But they are on negative ATS runs of 4-9 following a double-digit home loss and 2-5 after a defeat of more than 20 points.
The under is 5-1 overall in the last six meetings in this series, but the over is 5-1 the last six clashes in Tempe.
ATS ADVANTAGE: USC
(3) North Carolina (26-2, 19-6 ATS) at Boston College (13-13, 9-12 ATS)
The Tar Heels take their five-game winning streak up the eastern seaboard for an ACC contest against Boston College, which has lost three in a row to fall out of contention for a bid to the Big Dance.
North Carolina rolled past Wake Forest 89-73 Sunday, narrowly covering as a 15½-point home favorite, its third straight spread-cover. Going back further, the Tar Heels (11-2, 8-5 ATS in the ACC) have cashed in seven of their last nine starts, all in ACC play.
Boston College got drilled by Virginia Tech 67-48 as a six-point road underdog on Tuesday. The Eagles (4-9, 6-7 ATS in the ACC) have sandwiched just one win – 82-65 over North Carolina State as a four-point home chalk – between a six-game losing streak and the current three-game slide, going 3-7 ATS in the process, all in conference play.
North Carolina has won the last three in this series (2-1 ATS), snapping a 2-0 SU and ATS streak by Boston College. In January, Carolina posted a 91-69 beatdown of the Eagles, easily covering as an 18½-point home chalk.
The Tar Heels are 20-7 ATS in their last 27 Saturday games and are on further positive ATS runs of 40-17 overall, 4-1 in the ACC, 7-3 on the highway, 37-14-1 following a spread-cover and 42-19-1 following a SU win.
Despite their recent SU and ATS woes, the Eagles are 19-7-1 ATS at home against teams with a winning road record.
The over is on several tears for Carolina, including 14-6 overall, 4-1 on Saturday, 7-2 in roadies and 10-4 in ACC action. For Boston College, the over is 6-1 in its last seven home contests, 4-0 in its last four at home against teams with a winning road record and 5-2 in its last seven on Saturday. However, UNC’s blowout of the Eagles in January fell just short of the 161½-point posted price.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NORTH CAROLINA and OVER
(2) Memphis (27-1, 13-13-2 ATS) at Southern Miss (15-12, 11-9 ATS)
Memphis tries to remain perfect in Conference USA play and make a statement that it deserves to once again take over the top spot in next week’s polls when it visits Southern Miss.
The Tigers bounced back from their first loss of the season – last week’s 66-62 home setback to Tennessee – with Wednesday’s 82-67 rout of Tulsa to move to 13-0 in league play (7-6 ATS). However, the Tigers let up down the stretch and failed to cover as an 18½-point home chalk, falling to 3-7 ATS in their last 10.
Southern Miss had a three-game SU and ATS winning streak halted in Wednesday’s ugly 95-67 loss at Houston as a 7½-point road underdog. The Golden Eagles (7-6, 8-5 ATS in Conference USA) have still won and covered six of their last nine since a blowout loss at Memphis six weeks ago, and the straight-up winner is 10-0 ATS in their last 10 games (all in conference).
Memphis has owned this rivalry, winning eight consecutive meetings (4-2-2 ATS), including an 83-47 whooping as a 21½-point home chalk back on Jan. 19. The home team is 8-1-2 ATS in the last 11 series clashes.
Southern Miss is 5-0 SU and ATS in its last five home games and 13-2 at home for the season (7-2 ATS). The Eagles are on further ATS spurts of 35-15-2 overall, 15-6-1 in conference play, 21-5-1 at home and 17-5-1 on Saturday.
The Tigers are unbeaten through 11 road/neutral-site games, going 4-2 ATS when visiting Conference USA foes.
The over is on runs of 7-2 for Southern Miss overall, 19-7 for Southern Miss at home and 4-1 when these schools face off at Southern Miss.
ATS ADVANTAGE: SOUTHERN MISS and OVER
(22) Washington State (22-6, 15-12 ATS) at (8) Stanford (23-4, 13-14 ATS)
Two of the hotter teams in the Pac-10 square off at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto, Calif., where the Cardinal will go for the season sweep against Washington State.
Stanford barely got past Washington 82-79 at home on Thursday for its third straight win and its 10th victory in its last 11 games, staying within a game of first-place UCLA in the conference race. However, the Cardinal (12-3, 7-8 ATS in the Pac-10) never threatened to cover as a hefty 11-point chalk, falling to 1-4 ATS in their last five, with all four non-covers coming as a favorite.
The Cougars have bounced back from a three-game SU and ATS losing skid to win and cover five of their last six, including Thursday’s 70-49 drubbing at Cal as a 2½-point road chalk. The winner has cashed in each of Washington State’s last nine overall and seven of its eight Pac-10 road outings.
The home team is 10-4-1 ATS in the past 15 meetings between these squads. However, one exception came on Feb. 2, when Stanford topped the Cougars 67-65 in overtime as a four-point road underdog to improve to 5-1 (4-2 ATS) in the last six meetings. Three of the last four clashes have been decided by three points or less.
Stanford is 15-1 at home this year, including seven straight wins over Pac-10 visitors. On the downside, the Cardinal are 6-10 ATS in their building, including 2-6 ATS in Pac-10 action (0-3 ATS in the last three).
Washington State has won four in a row on the road in Pac-10 play (3-1 ATS) and is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 on the highway.
The Cardinal have topped the total in five straight games, but the under is still 10-4 in its last 14 at home. Also, Washington State has followed a 5-0 “over” streak by staying under in its last four.
ATS ADVANTAGE: WASHINGTON STATE
(5) Texas (24-4, 14-8 ATS) at Texas Tech (15-12, 14-8 ATS)
The Longhorns look to remain along atop the Big 12 standings and solidify their case for a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament when they visit rival Texas Tech.
Texas took down Kansas State 74-65 as a 3½-point road underdog for its eighth consecutive win and cover. The Longhorns lead the Big 12 with an 11-2 mark (9-4 ATS), including 6-0 when hosting league foes (5-1 ATS). For what it’s worth, Rick Barnes’ squad has also cashed in five straight Saturday affairs.
Texas Tech is coming off its worst loss off the season, a 98-54 drubbing at Texas A&M, never coming close to covering as a 9½-point underdog. On the bright side, the Red Raiders are 5-1 SU and ATS in Big 12 home games this year, with the winner cashing in each contest. Also, despite the dreadful performance at A&M, Texas Tech is still 8-4 ATS in its last 12 overall.
This has been a one-sided rivalry in recent years, with Texas winning nine of the last 10, including the last six in a row, and going 14-3 ATS in the last 17. That includes a 73-47 rout of the Red Raiders in Austin back on Jan. 26, easily cashing as a 10½-point chalk.
During its winning streak, the Longhorns have won four consecutive road games, improving to 9-3 on the highway this year (7-4 ATS). However, today, they go up against a Texas Tech squad that’s won 12 of its 14 contests on its home floor (9-2 ATS).
The under is 8-3 in Texas Tech home games this year and 3-0 in Texas’ last three overall. Also, the under is 6-1 in the last seven series meetings overall and is 5-0-1 in the last six clashes in Lubbock.
ATS ADVANTAGE: TEXAS and UNDER
(18) Vanderbilt (24-4, 14-13 ATS) at Arkansas (18-9, 9-13 ATS)
Fresh off a victory over the top-ranked team in the nation, Vanderbilt now hits the road hoping to avoid a letdown in an SEC battle against the Razorbacks.
The Commodores edged No. 1 Tennessee 72-69 as a two-point home underdog on Tuesday for their sixth consecutive victory, all in SEC play. Vanderbilt (9-4, 6-7 ATS in the SEC) has followed up a 1-6 ATS slump by cashing in five of its last six, including back-to-back upset road victories.
Arkansas has hit a wall at the wrong time, following up a four-game SU and ATS winning steak by dropping four of its last five SU and ATS, all in league play. The Razorbacks (7-6, 5-8 ATS in the SEC) return home after back-to-back narrow road losses at Kentucky last Saturday (63-58 as a 1½-point underdog) and Alabama on Wednesday (59-56 as a one-point ‘dog). The SU winner is 11-0 ATS in the Hogs’ last 11 contests.
Arkansas has dominated this series lately, winning three in a row and six of the last seven (5-2 ATS). Last year, the teams met twice in a six-day span, with the Razorbacks prevailing 82-67 as a five-point road underdog and 72-71 as a two-point chalk in the SEC Tournament. Also, Arkansas is 4-0 ATS in the last four clashes against Vandy in Fayetteville.
The Razorbacks are 13-2 at home (6-5 ATS in lined games), including 4-0 SU and ATS in the last four. Meanwhile, although Vandy has won their last two road games, the Commodores started off SEC play 0-4 SU and ATS as a visitor.
The under is 9-4 in Vanderbilt’s 13 league games this year, 7-3 in its 10 road games and the under is 10-4 in Arkansas’ last 14 at home. However, the over is 4-0 in the last four meetings in this rivalry.
ATS ADVANTAGE: ARKANSAS
(25) St. Mary’s (24-4, 14-10-1 ATS) at (24) Gonzaga (22-6, 15-13 ATS)
First place in the West Coast Conference is on the line tonight in Spokane, Wash., where Gonzaga will try to avenge its most recent defeat when it hosts the Gaels inside the McCarthey Athletic Center.
The Bulldogs have ripped off five straight wins (4-1 ATS) since a controversial 89-85 overtime loss at St. Mary’s on Feb. 4. Gonzaga, which comes into this contest off three consecutive road wins over San Francisco, San Diego and Portland, is tied with the Gaels atop the WCC standings, going 11-1 (7-5 ATS).
St. Mary’s bounced back from last Saturday’s 65-57 Bracketbuster home loss to Kent State with Monday’s 61-54 win over San Diego, its seventh straight conference victory. However, the Gaels (8-4 ATS in the West Coast Conference) have followed up an 8-3 ATS run by failing to cover in their last two.
Including the Gaels’ victory over Gonzaga a month ago, the home team is 7-1 (5-3 ATS) in the last eight head-to-head matchups, including 4-0 in the last four (3-1 ATS).
Gonzaga has won nine straight home games, including all five in conference play. The Zags have also cashed in three straight at home as huge favorites of 31, 23 and 20½ points. Meanwhile, the Gaels are 4-1 in WCC road games (3-2 ATS), including 3-0 in the last three (2-1 ATS).
The Bulldogs have cashed in 20 of their last 26 games on Saturday, but they’re 1-7 ATS as a single-digit favorite this season.
The under is 9-3 in the Gaels’ 12 conference games, including 4-1 on the road. Also, Gonzaga has stayed low in three of its last four overall and eight of its last 11 at home. Finally, the under is 17-4 in St. Mary’s last 21 Saturday games and 3-0 in the last three series meetings in Spokane.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
Kansas State (18-9, 11-10 ATS) at (6) Kansas (25-3, 14-12 ATS)
Kansas State, whose NCAA Tournament hopes are fading fast, takes a three-game losing skid into what promises to be an extremely hostile environment when it visits revenge-minded Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse.
The Wildcats handed Kansas its first loss of the season back on Jan. 30, pulling off an 84-75 upset victory as a seven-point home underdog. Since then, though, K-State is just 3-5 SU and ATS, including three consecutive losses and non-covers to Nebraska (71-64 on the road), Baylor (92-86 on the road) and Texas (74-65 at home). The ‘Cats are now 8-5 SU and ATS in the Big 12, with the winner covering the pointspread in all 13 contests.
Kansas has won five of seven since the loss at Kansas State, including Tuesday’s 75-64 win at Iowa State to move to 10-3 in conference, a game behind first-place Texas. However, the Jayhawks, who started the season 13-5 ATS (4-1 ATS in conference), have failed to cash in seven of their last eight games, going 0-5 ATS in the last five.
Kansas State snapped a four-game losing skid to the Jayhawks with the nine-point home win a month ago. Still, despite consecutive spread-covers in this rivalry, the Wildcats are just 6-14 ATS in the last 20 meetings, all as an underdog. On the bright side for K-State: The visitor has covered in 10 of the last 13 series clashes.
The Jayhawks are 17-0 at famed Allen Fieldhouse, going 10-5 ATS in lined contests, including 7-3 ATS in the last 10. Meanwhile, K-State has dropped four straight conference road games both SU and ATS, falling to 4-7 on the highway this year (3-8 ATS). However, the ‘Cats are 38-13-1 ATS in their last 52 Saturday affairs.
The over is on runs of 5-1 for Kansas State overall, 9-2 for Kansas State on the road this year (4-0 in the last four), 5-0 for Kansas State on Saturday and 4-0 for Kansas at home.
ATS ADVANTAGE: KANSAS and OVER
Gametinepicks.com
Texas Longhorns: The best bet in the country?
Covers.com
Who is the best team in the country?
The usual answer is UCLA, or maybe North Carolina. Some people are even still sweet on one of those teams in Tennessee.
But what about the Texas Longhorns?
You know: big school in Austin…burnt orange…11-2 in the Big 12? For some reason, nobody’s talking about this team even though they have already beaten top contenders like Tennessee and UCLA earlier this season. Even knocking off Kansas a couple of weeks ago barely made a ripple in the college hoops ocean.
Did I mention they’re currently on a seven-game winning streak against the spread?
The most amazing thing is that, in spite of all this, oddsmakers don’t seem to be too high on the Horns, either. You’d think a 14-8 ATS record and their current streak would at least create a blip on the radar, but for all the money the bookies have paid out to Texas bettors recently, the odds don’t seem to be keeping up with the red-hot Horns.
Right after the win over Kansas on Feb. 11 as 5 ½-point underdogs, Texas went into Baylor as an underdog. Then, in their most recent game, oddsmakers spotted them 3 ½ points in Manhattan against a Kansas State team that lost three of its last four games.
But Chuck Esposito, vice president of race and sportsbook operations at Caesar's Palace, says it's not bookmakers who are all wrong about the Longhorns; it's the bettors.
"Although Texas is in a tough conference and has been playing well, the public has actually bet against them in two of their last four games," Esposito said. "The line versus Baylor went from pick to Baylor -2 and the line against K-State went from K-State –1 ½ to –3 ½."
There's on guy who's clear on how good this team is. After losing to Texas last week, K-State superstar Michael Beasley had this to say about the Longhorns: "They've been playing better than any team in the country."
Amazingly, nobody seems to have noticed this fact.
Let me just reiterate that Texas is 24-4 straight-up this season. They haven’t given up the cash in a game since Jan. 30. They have one of the best players in the country in D.J. Augustin. All this and they’re still only seeing an average handicap of -4 in Big 12 play.
Compare that to UCLA, which has only been an underdog in one game this year and, on average, goes into each game as a 10-point favorite. North Carolina’s average handicap is more than -11. Something seem a little out of whack to you?
Say what you want about Texas, but they’ve won their last three games by an average of more than 17 points. If that’s not serious value, then I don’t know what is.
The way Texas is playing right now, it doesn’t look like anyone can touch them. They’re on the fast track to a No. 1 tournament seed, but more importantly, if oddsmakers don’t adjust to the kind of victories they’re putting up night after night, they just might continue to be the best bet in the country.
UK's Patterson out for the season
February 29, 2008
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -Kentucky freshman Patrick Patterson will miss the rest of the season because of a stress fracture in his left ankle.
A statement from the school says Patterson had the injury confirmed after an X-ray Friday. He is wearing a cast on his foot and will be out approximately eight weeks.
The injury is a blow for the Wildcats, who face No. 1 Tennessee on Sunday in a contest for first place in the East division of the Southeastern Conference. He was averaging 16 points and 8 rebounds a game.
Saturday’s Pregame Buzz
NBA
New York Knicks at Orlando Magic
* The Magic are fresh off one of their worst losses on Wednesday, a 101-89 defeat at Philadelphia. They finished shooting just 41 percent from the field, and Coach Stan Van Gundy said “Honestly, this is one of the few games that I thought our biggest problem was our offense." EDGE: KNICKS
* The Knicks have alternated wins and losses over the last eight games. They are coming off a 99-93 defeat at Atlanta on Friday. "I think everyone was getting good looks,” forward Zach Randolph said. Randolph is averaging 25 points and 11 renounds in his last four games against the Magic. EDGE: KNICKS
* Magic’s star Dwight Howard will try to help his team win a fourth consecutive game against the Knicks. He put up 22 points and 20 boards in his last game at Madison Garden, a 112-102 win. EDGE: MAGIC
* Knicks are 2-8 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
* The OVER is 8-0 in the Knicks last 8 games overall.
* Magic are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 home games.
Philadelphia 76ers at Phoenix Suns
* 76ers are 11-2-1 ATS in their last 14 games overall.
* Suns are 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 home games.
* Favorite is 8-1 ATS in the last 9 meetings.
CBB
Pittsburgh at Syracuse
* This is a must-win for both teams in terms of staying in contention for a possible NCAA tournament bid. Pitt snapped a 3-game skid with a much-needed 73-67 win over Cincinnati on Wednesday, but the Panthers have still failed to cover 4 straight and 6 of 7. Meanwhile, Syracuse has dropped 4 of 5 and must essentially win its last 3 games to have a chance. SLIGHT EDGE: PITT
* The Orange's lone win in their last 5 games came against Georgetown at home 2 weeks ago in a nationally televised ESPN game. They have missed covering the spread by 1 point in each of their last 2 games and are 7-8 ATS at the Carrier Dome despite going 13-4 SU there this season. SLIGHT EDGE: PITT
* Pitt is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 meetings.
* Syracuse is 9-3-1 ATS in its last 13 Saturday games.
* The UNDER is 7-2 in the last 9 meetings.
Wright State at Valparaiso
* Wright State is 20-8-2 ATS in its last 30 Sat. games.
* Valparaiso is 3-8-1 ATS in its last 12 games overall.
* The UNDER is 7-1 in Wright State’s last 8 games overall.
#7 Duke at North Carolina State
* Duke Head coach Mike Krzyzewski is seeking his 800th coaching victory. Krzyzewski will try to become the sixth coach in college basketball history to win 800 games. “This gives us a little something extra,” Duke Sophomore Jon Scheyer said. EDGE: DUKE
* Duke, which won 92-72 at home over the Wolfpack on Jan. 31, has won five of six versus N.C. State and its last two trips to Raleigh. EDGE: DUKE
* The Wolfpack is fresh off a 72-62 home loss to Florida State on Wednesday. N.C. State failed to score 70 points for the fourth time in five games and is averaging 65 in its last six contests. EDGE: DUKE
* N.C. State is expected to have Coach Sidney Lowe on the bench for this game, but might have his mind elsewhere as his mother continues to recover from a heart attack she suffered Wednesday. EDGE: DUKE
* Duke is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
* NC State is 7-23-2 ATS in its last 32 home games.
* The OVER is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings.
Texas A&M at Oklahoma
* Texas A&M is 20-9 ATS in its last 29 road games.
* Texas A&M is 4-2 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
* Oklahoma is 10-25-2 ATS in its last 37 games against the Big 12.
Wichita State at #20 Drake
* This is Senior Day at Drake, where Adam Emmenecker, Klayton Korver and Leonard Houston will be honored. Emmenecker is a former walk-on who has led the MVC in assists this year. EDGE: DRAKE
* Drake will be looking to win 3 straight against Wichita State for the first time since winning 7 in a row between 1969-72. The Bulldogs have gone 2-3 in their last 5 games since winning 21 straight, and they are coming off an 86-83 setback at Missouri State on Tuesday that followed an impressive win at Butler a week ago. EDGE: DRAKE
* Wichita State is 4-10-1 ATS in its last 15 games overall.
* Drake is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 Saturday games.
* Road team is 9-4 ATS in the last 13 meetings.
#11 Georgetown at #21 Marquette
* Georgetown has suffered all 4 of its losses on the road, winning 3 straight games overall since falling at Syracuse back on February 16th. The Hoyas average 5 points less per game away from home while defensively they are giving up 2 more per contest. EDGE: MARQUETTE
* Marquette's only home loss of the season came against Louisville on February 4th. Since then, the Golden Eagles have crushed Pitt and Rutgers there by a combined 48 points. In fact, they have covered their last 6 games heading into this Big East battle. EDGE: MARQUETTE
* Georgetown is 3-10 ATS in its last 13 Saturday games.
* The OVER is 22-10 in Marquette’s last 32 games against the Big East.
#3 North Carolina at Boston College
* North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson could be available for this ACC matchup after missing the last 6 games with a sprained ankle. The Tar Heels have covered 3 straight without Lawson and have won 5 in a row overall since losing at home to Duke. However, they could be without Deon Thompson (8.8 points per game) due to a back injury that limited him to 14 minutes on Sunday. SLIGHT EDGE: NORTH CAROLINA
* Tyler Hansbrough has been even more of a force for the Tar Heels with Lawson sidelined, averaging 29 points in the 6 games he has missed. They are a perfect 10-0 on the road this season, going 7-3 ATS. EDGE: NORTH CAROLINA (Bet North Carolina -11 at BetUS - the best line available at last check!)
* North Carolina is 20-7 ATS in its last 27 Saturday games.
* Boston College is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games overall.
* The OVER is 7-2 in North Carolina’s last 9 road games.
#22 Washington State at #8 Stanford
* Stanford has already exceeded their conference win total from each of their first three seasons under Coach Trent Johnson. Recently, though, they’ve struggled. Since losing at Arizona State on Feb. 14, Stanford has managed to defeat its last three opponents - all unranked - by an average of just 5 points. EDGE: WASHINGTON STATE
* The Washington State Cougars are fresh off putting together one of their best offensive performances of the season as they beat Cal 70-49 on Thursday for their fifth win in six games. Forward Kyle Weaver had 17 points in that win against Cal and was hard to stop last time these teams met - scoring 23 points with 11 rebounds. EDGE: WASHINGTON STATE
* Stanford has won four our of the last five meetings, while defeated Washington State by an average of six points. EDGE: STANFORD
* Stanford’s defense limits opponents to 59 points per game - the 10th-best mark in Division I. Washington State, is even stingier, holding opponents to 55 points per contest - third-fewest in the nation. EDGE: UNDER
* Washington State is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 road games.
* Stanford is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 home games.
* The home team is 10-4-1 ATS in the last 15 meetings.
Ohio State at Minnesota
* Ohio State is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games overall.
* Minnesota is 1-6 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
* The UNDER is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings.
#5 Texas at Texas Tech
* Texas is coming off a perfect 8-0 February, both SU & ATS. The Longhorns will be looking to carry that momentum into March, and they are just 1 victory away from tying their regular-season record for wins. EDGE: TEXAS
* Texas Tech is just 3-4 SU since Pat Knight took over as head coach, going 4-3 ATS. The younger Knight is coming off his worst defeat, which is also the team's worst this season. The Red Raiders got blown out 98-54 at Texas A&M on Wednesday, making as many 3-pointers as free throws (8). EDGE: TEXAS
* Texas is 9-4 ATS in its last 13 road games.
* Texas is 14-3 ATS in the last 17 meetings.
* Texas Tech is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 home games.
Mississippi State at Florida
* Mississippi Sate is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings,
* Florida is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games overall.
* The UNDER is 8-2-1 in the Mississippi State’s last 11 road games.
Kansas State at #6 Kansas
* Kansas will try to avoid getting swept by Kansas State for the first time in 25 years and stay in the race for the Big 12 title. The Jayhawks had their 24-game winning streak in Manhattan snapped earlier this season in a 84-75 loss back on January 30th, setting off a string of 7 failed covers in 8 games. EDGE: KANSAS STATE
* Kansas State is riding a 3-game skid both SU & ATS following the team's first home loss in conference play Monday against Texas despite 30 points and 15 rebounds from star freshman Michael Beasley. The Wildcats have lost their last 4 road games both SU & ATS as well since winning at Colorado on January 23rd. EDGE: KANSAS
* Kansas State is 38-13-1 ATS in its last 52 Saturday games.
* Kansas is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 home games.
* Road team is 10-3 ATS in the last 13 meetings
Pregame.com
New York Knicks vs. Orlando Magic
- The fans at Amway Arena will be treated to a game between the New York Knicks and the Orlando Magic when they take their seats on Saturday.
Zach Randolph scored 29 points in New York's 99-93 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.
The Hawks just failed to cover the 6.5-point spread at home in that contest, while the combined score fell UNDER the posted total (202).
The Magic lost 101-89 to the 76ers last time out, as 1.5-point favorites on the road. The 190 points were UNDER the posted total of 202.5.
Hedo Turkoglu shot 5-for-12 from the field with 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the loss.
Team records:
New York: 18-40 SU, 29-28-1 ATS
Orlando: 37-23 SU, 37-22-1 ATS
New York most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 2-8
Before playing New Orleans are 3-7
After playing Atlanta are 2-8
After a loss are 4-6
Orlando most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
Before playing Toronto are 5-5
After playing Philadelphia are 5-5
After a loss are 7-3
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 8 of New York's last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New York's last 6 games on the road
New York is 6-2-1 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
New York is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Orlando is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games when playing New York
Orlando is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against New York
Orlando is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against New York
Orlando is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games at home
Next up:
New York home to New Orleans, Monday, March 3
Orlando home to Toronto, Tuesday, March 4
Utah Jazz vs. Memphis Grizzlies
- The Utah Jazz and the Memphis Grizzlies will both be gunning for a victory on Saturday when they meet at FedExForum.
Mehmet Okur had a team-high 23 points in Utah's 110-98 loss to the New Orleans Hornets on Friday night.
The Hornets managed to cover the 5-point spread at home in that contest, while the combined score fell UNDER the night's posted total (208.5).
Javaris Crittenton had a team-high 22 points in Memphis' 116-95 loss to the Houston Rockets on Friday night.
The Rockets managed to cover the 13.5-point spread at home in that contest, while the combined score went OVER the posted total (194).
Current streak:
Memphis has lost 7 straight games.
Team records:
Utah: 37-22 SU, 30-29 ATS
Memphis: 14-44 SU, 24-34 ATS
Utah most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 6-4
Before playing Dallas are 4-6
After playing New Orleans are 5-5
After a loss are 8-2
Memphis most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
Before playing Chicago are 5-5
After playing Houston are 4-6
After a loss are 1-9
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Utah's last 7 games when playing on the road against Memphis
Utah is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Memphis
Utah is 19-5 SU in its last 24 games
Utah is 16-7 SU in its last 23 games when playing on the road against Memphis
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Memphis's last 7 games when playing at home against Utah
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Memphis's last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Memphis's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Memphis's last 15 games when playing Utah
Next up:
Utah home to Dallas, Monday, March 3
Memphis at Chicago, Tuesday, March 4
San Antonio Spurs vs. Milwaukee Bucks
- The San Antonio Spurs and the Milwaukee Bucks will both be gunning for a victory on Saturday when they meet at Bradley Center.
Tim Duncan dropped a game-high 31 points in leading the Spurs to a 97-94 win over the Mavericks on Thursday. The Spurs failed to cover the 4.5-point spread, while the 191 points made it OVER the night's posted total of 181.
Duncan hauled down 15 rebounds to complete a double-double performance, and Manu Ginobili added 17 in the victory.
The Bucks were crushed 120-106 by the Nets last time out, as 3.5-point road underdogs. The 226 points sailed OVER the posted total of 198.
Michael Redd scored a game-high 33 points for the Bucks, while Mo Williams had 24 in the loss.
Current streak:
San Antonio has won 7 straight games.
Team records:
San Antonio: 39-17 SU, 28-28 ATS
Milwaukee: 22-36 SU, 26-31-1 ATS
San Antonio most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 6-4
Before playing New Jersey are 5-5
After playing Dallas are 6-4
After a win are 9-1
Milwaukee most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 3-7
Before playing Indiana are 2-8
After playing New Jersey are 4-6
After a loss are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
San Antonio is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Antonio's last 7 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 5 games
Milwaukee is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Milwaukee's last 7 games when playing at home against San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 6 games at home
Next up:
San Antonio at New Jersey, Sunday, March 2
Milwaukee at Indiana, Sunday, March 2
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Phoenix Suns
- The Philadelphia 76ers and the Phoenix Suns will both be gunning for a victory on Saturday when they meet at US Airways Center.
Andre Miller and Rodney Carney had 18 points apiece in Philadelphia's 119-97 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Friday night.
The Warriors managed to cover the 5-point spread at home on that night, while the combined score went OVER the posted total (215.5).
The Suns lost 120-103 to the Hornets on Wednesday, as 3.5-point road dogs. The combined score made it OVER the posted total of 216.
Amare Stoudemire had a game-high 32 points with 14 rebounds for a double-double in the loss.
Team records:
Philadelphia: 26-33 SU, 30-28-1 ATS
Phoenix: 39-19 SU, 26-30-2 ATS
Philadelphia most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 3-7
Before playing LA Clippers are 5-5
After playing Golden State are 7-3
After a loss are 6-4
Phoenix most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 7-3
Before playing Portland are 8-2
After playing New Orleans are 7-3
After a loss are 10-0
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Philadelphia is 11-4 ATS in its last 15 games
Philadelphia is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games
Phoenix is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
Phoenix is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Phoenix's last 8 games
Phoenix is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
Next up:
Philadelphia at LA Clippers, Monday, March 3
Phoenix at Portland, Tuesday, March 4
Detroit Pistons vs. Los Angeles Clippers
- The Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Clippers will both be trying to pick up a win on Saturday when they battle at STAPLES Center.
The Pistons were defeated 103-95 by the Jazz last time out, as 2-point road underdogs. The 198 points made it OVER the posted total of 197.
Richard Hamilton led the Pistons with 22 points and five rebounds, while shooting 9-for-19 from the field.
Al Thornton led the Clippers with 33 points in their 110-104 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.
The Nuggets, however, failed to cover the 14-point spread in that contest, while the combined score went OVER the posted total (213.5).
Current streak:
Los Angeles has lost 4 straight games.
Team records:
Detroit: 42-16 SU, 33-24-1 ATS
Los Angeles: 19-37 SU, 25-31 ATS
Detroit most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 8-2
Before playing Seattle are 6-4
After playing Utah are 8-2
After a loss are 6-4
Los Angeles most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 6-4
Before playing Philadelphia are 2-8
After playing Denver are 4-6
After a loss are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
Detroit is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games when playing LA Clippers
Detroit is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 6 games on the road
Detroit is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of the LA Clippers last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of the LA Clippers last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the LA Clippers last 6 games when playing Detroit
LA Clippers are 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games at home
Next up:
Detroit home to Seattle, Tuesday, March 4
LA Clippers home to Philadelphia, Monday, March 3
NBA Betting: Saturday Gameday
By David Harrison
There could be three blowouts on tap in the NBA on Saturday with San Antonio facing Milwaukee, Philadelphia visiting Phoenix and New York at Orlando.
San Antonio at Milwaukee
The Spurs are quietly heating up in the West after winning their last seven games. San Antonio made it seven in a row on Thursday night after getting past Dallas 97-94 as a 5-point favorite. Tim Duncan stepped up to score a team-high 31 points, as leading scorer Manu Ginobili had a rare off-night with only 17 points on 6-of-20 shooting. With that win San Antonio passed New Orleans to take over first place in the Southwest division.
The Bucks are coming off a 120-106 pounding at the hands of New Jersey in which they were a 3-point road underdog. Michael Redd scored a big 33 points for Milwaukee and Mo Williams added 24 points and seven assists, but it wasn’t enough to earn the Bucks a win.
The Spurs and Bucks clashed way back in November when San Antonio bombed Milwaukee 113-88 as a 10.5-point favorite. Ginobili scored 21 points for the Spurs in the win, while Duncan delivered 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Philadelphia at Phoenix
The 76ers have played themselves into a playoff spot in the East after winning eight of their last 10 games heading into Friday night’s action. Philadelphia has a busy weekend with games on back-to-back nights after facing Golden State on Friday. The 76ers played one of their best games of the season earlier this week when they defeated Orlando 101-89 as a 1-point underdog. Andre Miller led the 76ers with 26 points and nine assists, while Willie Green also poured in 26 points. Andre Iguodala also had a solid game for Philly with 24 points and seven assists.
The Suns' recent slump continued on Wednesday night, as they lost to New Orleans 120-103 as a 3-point underdog. Since Shaquille O’Neal joined the Suns' starting five, Phoenix is 2-3. Against the Hornets Amare Stoudemire led the Suns with 32 points and 14 rebounds, while O’Neal chipped in with 15 points and seven boards. Steve Nash had a poor shooting night hitting only 1-of-6 for eight points, but he did have 13 assists.
In the lone meeting last season the 76ers upset the Suns 99-94 as a 6.5-point home underdog.
New York at Orlando
The Knicks posted a rare win earlier this week and were looking to make it two in a row on Friday night in Atlanta. On Wednesday New York defeated Charlotte 113-89 as a 7.5-point favorite. Nate Robinson continued his recent hot streak with 22 points and Jamaal Crawford added 20 points in the win.
The Magic were hammered by Philadelphia 101-89 as a 1-point favorite in their last game. Hedo Turkoglu led Orlando with 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while Rashard Lewis added 19 points in the loss. The Magic could have kept the score much closer if they had shot better than 66 percent from the free-throw line.
Orlando has defeated New York twice already this season and easily covered the spread in both contests.
NCAAB – Cheat Sheet
NCAA Cheat Sheet: College hoops Top 10 preview
For the third time in three weeks a new No.1 team will top the college basketball rankings next week. Tennessee’s trip-up at Vanderbilt finds them on the outside looking in once again as Roy Williams’ Tar Heels of North Carolina are set to assume the position provided, of course, they get past Boston College Saturday afternoon.
Should UNC blow the opportunity, the top spot will be up for grabs. Like the narrowing list of candidates in the US Presidential race, let’s take a look at who qualifies and who doesn’t inside this weekend edition of the Cheat Sheet.
No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers
The puckering sound you hear in the background is simply the Vols’ goodbye kiss upon its short-lived, one-week tenure as the top team in the land. At least they enjoyed it while it lasted. They become the first team to take 100 years to earn a No. 1 national ranking and then lose it all inside a 72-hour span. They’ll host ascending Kentucky on Sunday with revenge on their minds from a 72-66 loss in Lexington earlier this year. They’ve been terrific at home under Bruce Pearl (25-9-2 ATS) and even better in games under his lead when playing off a loss against an opponent off a pair of wins (6-0 ATS). If the price is right, we’ll likely volunteer a play on Tennessee.
No. 2 North Carolina Tar Heels
Do you think Roy Williams is ready to have his troops to assume the No.1 spot in next week’s rankings, what with the targeted pressure and all that comes with the distinction? There’s no question he’ll accept the honor provided, of course, he gets past Boston College on Saturday. The Eagles are only 13-13 on the season, meaning an upset win would be a huge bullet in their gun belt come NIT selection time. And for what its worth, BC is 9-5 ATS taking points at home this decade, including 7-1 when grabbing more than a trey. They are also allowing just 69 PPG on the season, a number that could make the Tar Heels queasy considering they are 21-0 SU and 17-1 ATS in games in which they manage to score 84 or more points this season, but just 6-2 SU and 3-5 ATS when they don’t. We’ll take a long look at the points in this fray.
No. 3 Memphis Tigers
It can be said, and perhaps rightfully so, the best thing to happen to the Tigers was to lose to Tennessee last Saturday. Like sticking a pin in an over inflated balloon, the pressure has been lifted and now Memphis can enjoy playing basketball once again. The problem we have, however, is that until they right themselves completely (read: win and cover) we’ll continue to either observe or fade this group for a while. In the meantime, the Tigers will take a 1-6-1 spread mark in their last eight games into Southern Mississippi this Saturday. That’s the same team they ripped apart 83-47 in the first meeting earlier this season. The Golden Eagles check in at 15-12, on the NIT bubble, this season. More important, they are riding a 28-4 SU and 14-2-1 ATS mark at home since the start of last season. No surprise to see the host in this series to improve to 9-1-2 ATS.
No. 4 UCLA Bruins
It’s our contention that if the NCAA tournament were to start this week, the Bruins would be the team to beat. They certainly bring the tools to table with defense, rebounding and athleticism. They travel to Tucson to take on the Wildcats on Sunday in what could prove to be a bad spot. For openers, they beat Arizona, 82-60, in Westwood earlier this season – the biggest win by UCLA in this series since the 1980’s. The Wildcats are 12-5 SU as a series host, having been favored all 17 times. And there is no better pedigree dog than Arizona, a team that is 52-20 ATS taking points since 1995, including 25-8 when facing an .880 or better opponent. UCLA had better bring it’s A-game; they are going to need it.
No. 5 Texas Longhorns
Don’t look now, but here come the Horns. With eight straight wins (7-0-1 ATS) they travel to Lubbock to meet the Red Raiders this Saturday, a team they trashed, 73-47, earlier this season. They are off a road win at Kansas State (6-1 ATS off win over Wildcats) and have Nebraska up next (8-2 ATS before the Huskers). Yeah, life couldn’t be any better for Rick Barnes’ boys than it is today. The problem we have, though, is that Texas Tech defends its fort rather well (8-2 ATS here this season) and they are off a 45-point pasting at A&M. Be careful here. We’ll call this our “ABO” Game of the Week – Always Beware of the Obvious.
No. 6 Duke Blue Devils
When the Blue Devils travel to Raleigh to meet the Wolfpack this Saturday it will be with trepidation. That’s because Last Home Games tend to bring the best out in certain teams, especially those sporting a winning record. Dress them up as dogs with same-season revenge and you have a winning combination that’s hard to beat (57% on over 200 plays since 1990). Stretch the revenge to 20 or more points from the same season and bring the foe in off a pair of wins and you suddenly have a neat 22-6 ATS winning angle. Couple this with Duke’s penchant for gagging down the stretch on the road against .500 or better teams (21-32-1 ATS mark in this role from Game 24 out during the regular season, including 3-12 when favored off a home game) and we’ll stay with the numbers in our support of NC State in this contest.
No. 7 Kansas Jayhawks
We’ll be the first to admit this year’s Jayhawks’ squad has holes. Their assist-to-turnover ratio ranks below the national average and they really struggled in games in which they’ve scored fewer than 78 points this season (0-9-1 ATS). Put the shoe on the other foot, though, and they know how to bring home the bacon. That’s because they are 18-0 SU & 12-3-1 ATS this season when they manage to score 78 or more points in a game. Now, roll the clock back to the first meeting this year between these rivals when 20-0 Kansas laid 7-points at Kansas State, only to suffer their first loss of the campaign. A 17-0 record at Allen Fieldhouse this season, and a 35-2 SU mark in this series has us looking only one way here tonight. Swiss cheese aside, you either lay it or leave it when Kansas State invades this Saturday.
No. 8 Stanford Cardinal
Quietly, very quietly, the Cardinal has put itself into prime consideration when mention of NCAA tournament “sleeper team” talk is bandied about. Led by a pair of 7-foot Twin Towers, Stanford ranked No. 3 in the land in Rebound Margin (+10.0), Stanford puts its 15-1 home record on the line when they host Washington State on Saturday. The Cougars dropped a 67-65 decision to the Cardinal in Pullman earlier this season and will be out for revenge. WSU is 8-3-1 ATS on the road thus campaign, but just 3-22 SU in its last 25 games in this series. With Stanford all but assured a second place finish in the PAC 10, and the Cougars fending off USC for third place conference honors, look for this game to go right down to the wire.
No. 9 Wisconsin Badgers
On the heels on an impressive 57-42 win over Michigan State Thursday night, the Badgers are off until next Wednesday when they host Penn State in their final home game of the season. When we examine this game in our Cheat Sheet Sneak Peek next week, we’ll point out some eye-opening numbers in this that will have you scratching your head.
No. 10 Georgetown Hoyas
Another big battle in the Big East tips off at Marquette when the Golden Eagles close out their home campaign against the top team in the conference, Georgetown. The Hoyas are actually tied with Louisville for the top spot, while Marquette is battling two other teams for third place in the loop. The Eagles are 14-1 at home this season while currently riding a 6-0 ATS win skein. On the flipside, Georgetown is just 5-10 ATS in conference play this season. All good reasons to make a solid case for Marquette. Our problem, however, is that we don’t lay points into the nation’s top-ranked team in defensive field goal percentage (36.3). Take it or leave it.
Saturday's NBA Tip Sheet
By Brad Young
**Knicks at Magic**
-Caesars Palace installed Orlando as an 11 ½-point home ‘chalk’ over New York, with the total set at 208. This contest is slated to start at 7:05 p.m. ET.
-New York (18-40 straight up, 29-28 against the spread) hits the court for the second night in a row after falling to Atlanta Friday as a seven-point road underdog, 99-93. The combined 192 points failed to topple the 202 ½-point closing total, ending a string of eight straight ‘over’ outings.
-The Knicks are now 6-23 SU and 16-12 ATS on the road, with the ‘over’ going 19-9. New York is losing those games by an average score of 104-95.
-Orlando (37-23 SU, 36-22 ATS) had won three games in a row SU and ATS before Wednesday’s setback to Philadelphia as a one-point road ‘chalk,’ 101-89. The combined 190 points failed to topple the 203-point closing total, enabling the ‘under’ to cash the third consecutive contest.
-The Magic sport a 16-11 SU and 14-11 ATS home record, winning those affairs by an average score of 104-100.
-Orlando is 3-0 SU and ATS the previous three meetings with New York after winning the last affair Dec. 26 as a 10 ½-point home favorite, 110-96. The ‘over’ has also cashed the last three games in this series.
-New York forward Jerome James (undisclosed) is ‘questionable’ against the Magic. Orlando guard Keyon Dooling (foot) is ‘questionable’ versus the Knicks.
**Jazz at Grizzlies**
-Caesars Palace opened Utah as a 9 ½-point road favorite over Memphis, with the total set at 210. This contest is scheduled to begin at 8:05 p.m. ET.
-Utah (37-22 SU, 30-27 ATS) hopes to rebound from Friday’s setback to New Orleans as a 4 ½-point road underdog, 110-98. The combined 208 points slithered ‘under’ the 208 ½-point closing total, ending back-to-back ‘over’ outings.
-The Jazz are now 12-19 SU and ATS on the road, with the ‘over’ going 18-13. Utah has been dropping its road endeavors by an average score of 105-104.
-Memphis (14-44 SU, 22-35 ATS) is also playing back-to-back nights after getting routed by Houston Friday night as a 13 ½-point road underdog, 116-95. The combined 211 points toppled the 194-point closing total, enabling the ‘over’ to cash the third game in a row.
-The Grizzlies return home hoping to improve their 10-20 SU and 10-19 ATS home ledger, with the ‘over’ going 16-13. Memphis has been dropping those games by an average score of 107-104.
-Utah is 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS the last four meetings with the Grizzlies after prevailing Feb. 2 as an eight-point road ‘chalk,’ 110-91. The combined 201 points went ‘under’ the 209 ½-point closing total.
-Memphis guard/forward Mike Miller (back) is expected to miss this matchup with the Jazz.
**Spurs at Bucks**
-Caesars Palace lists San Antonio as a 6 ½-point road ‘chalk,’ with the total set at 192. This matchup is slated to start at 8:35 p.m. ET.
-San Antonio (39-17 SU, 28-28 ATS) is riding a seven-game SU winning streak (5-2 ATS) after slipping past Dallas Thursday as a 4 ½-point home favorite, 97-94. The combined 191 points toppled the 181-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 3-1 the past four games.
-The Spurs own a 15-12 SU and 11-16 ATS road record, with the ‘under’ going 15-11. San Antonio has been winning those matchups by an average score of 95-93.
-Milwaukee (22-36 SU, 26-31 ATS) had won back-to-back outings SU and ATS before falling to New Jersey Thursday as a 3 ½-point road underdog, 120-106. The combined 226 points soared past the 198-point closing total, enabling the ‘over’ to improve to 9-1 the past 10 games.
-The Bucks are 16-11 SU and 13-13 ATS on their home court, with the ‘over’ going 15-12. Milwaukee has been dropping its home games by an average score of 99-98.
-The Bucks had won two games in a row SU and four consecutive meetings ATS versus San Antonio before losing Nov. 11 as a 10 ½-point road underdog, 113-88. The combined 201 points went ‘over’ the 186-point closing total.
**Sixers at Suns**
-Caesars Palace installed Phoenix as a 9 ½-point home favorite, with the total listed at 213. This contest is slated to start at 9:05 p.m. ET.
-Philadelphia is 26-32 SU and 30-25 ATS heading into Friday’s late matchup with Golden State. The Sixers sport a 10-18 SU and 14-13 ATS road record, dropping those affairs by an average score of 99-94.
-Phoenix (39-19 SU, 25-31 ATS) has alternated SU and ATS wins and losses its last five games after Wednesday’s setback to New Orleans as a 3 ½-point road underdog, 120-103. The combined 223 points eclipsed the 215 ½-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 4-1 the past five games.
-The Suns maintain a 21-8 SU and 11-18 ATS home record, with the ‘over’ going 18-10. Phoenix has been winning those contests by an average score of 111-104.
-Philadelphia had dropped three games in a row to Phoenix SU and ATS before winning the last meeting. This is the first meeting of the season between these teams. The ‘under’ is 3-1 the previous four outings.
-Philadelphia forward Jason Smith (ankle) is ‘questionable’ against the Suns.
**Pistons at Clippers**
-There is no overnight line or total on this contest due to a couple of key injuries. This game is scheduled to tipoff at 10:35 p.m. ET.
-Detroit (42-16 SU, 33-24 ATS) was riding a modest three-game SU and ATS winning streak before falling to Utah Wednesday as a one-point road underdog, 103-95. The combined 198 points slithered ‘over’ the 197-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 4-1 the last five games.
-The Pistons are now 20-11 SU and 16-14 ATS on the road, with the ‘over’ going 18-13. Detroit has been winning those matchups by an average score of 97-93.
-Los Angeles is 19-36 SU and 24-31 ATS heading into Friday’s late road matchup with Denver.
-The Clippers return home for this contest with Detroit trying to improve their 11-19 SU and 13-17 ATS home record, with the ‘under’ going 19-11. Los Angeles has been losing its games inside Staples Center by an average score of 96-93.
-Detroit is 5-0 SU and ATS the previous five encounters with the Clippers after prevailing Nov. 9 as an eight-point home favorite, 103-79. The combined 182 points failed to eclipse the 192-point closing total, enabling the ‘under’ to improve to 3-1 the last four games in this series.
-Detroit guard Chauncey Billups (personal) is ‘questionable’ versus the Clippers. Los Angeles center Chris Kaman (back) is ‘questionable’ against the Pistons, while guard Brevin Knight (hand) is ‘probable.’
vegasinsider.com.