College Basketball Betting News and Notes Friday, March 15

Big East Tournament: Semifinals Betting Preview
By Covers.com

Syracuse Orange vs. Georgetown Hoyas (-2, 115)

No. 5 Georgetown and No. 20 Syracuse will renew one of the country’s most meaningful rivalries for the last time as conference foes Friday when the top-seeded Hoyas attempt to defeat the fifth-seeded Orange in the semifinals of the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden. Georgetown will remain in the new-look Big East while Syracuse will join the ACC next season, ending a conference run that saw the two schools combine for 20 regular-season titles and 12 tournament crowns since the league was formed in 1980.

The Hoyas ended the Orange’s 38-game home winning streak on Feb. 23 during their 11-game winning streak and held Syracuse to its lowest scoring total since 1962 in last Saturday’s 61-39 rout. After defeating Cincinnati 62-43 in the quarterfinals, Georgetown will seek its 14th victory in 15 games against the Orange. Syracuse managed its second victory in as many days with Thursday’s 62-59 triumph over Pittsburgh. Friday’s winner will meet face either No. 4 Louisville or Notre Dame in Saturday’s championship game.

ABOUT SYRACUSE (25-8, 16-13-0 ATS): James Southerland (14.1 points) is coming off consecutive 20-point games and has been remarkable beyond the arc in the Orange’s two tournament wins, connecting on 12 of his 15 3-point attempts – including all six Thursday. The scoring punch the senior forward has provided has ignited an offense that struggled at times near the end of the season, particularly against Georgetown. Syracuse finished the regular season shooting 31.3 percent beyond the arc, but is 21-for-34 (58.8 percent) at this event. The Orange’s top-10 field-goal percentage defense held Pittsburgh to 37.5 percent shooting, one game after Seton Hall became the first Syracuse opponent to shoot over 50 percent.

ABOUT GEORGETOWN (25-5, 16-10-0 ATS): Big East Player of the Year Otto Porter (16.4 points) had a rare poor shooting performance Thursday, but made up for his 3-for-9 effort by connecting on all 11 of his free throws for the Hoyas, who advanced to the semifinals for the 21st time in program history. The few times Porter has struggled, Markel Starks (12.5) and D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera (9.2) have generally stepped up. Georgetown’s guard duo is averaging 26.2 points during Georgetown’s 13-1 stretch. They have been particularly effective from the 3-point line over the last seven games, combining to hit 35 of their 76 attempts (46.1 percent).

TRENDS:

* Hoyas are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games following a ATS win.
* Under is 5-0 in Orange’s last five vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
* Under is 5-0 in the last five meetings.

TIP-INS

1. Georgetown is 15-1 as the top seed in the Big East tournament, suffering its only loss against West Virginia in 2010.

2. Syracuse shot a combined 5-for-31 beyond the arc in the first two meetings.

3. The Hoyas have held the Orange to an average of 42.5 points – 31.5 points fewer than Syracuse’s average against every other opponent.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Louisville Cardinals (-9, 125)

Notre Dame has reached the semifinals of the Big East tournament in each of the past three seasons, only to see its hopes of making the championship game dashed by Louisville in the last two. The teams will vie for a title-game appearance at this event for the third straight season Friday when they meet at Madison Square Garden. The sixth-seeded Fighting Irish and second-seeded Cardinals have delivered their fair share of thrilling games in recent years, with five of the last seven and six of the past nine matchups decided in overtime.

One of those overtime games was a Louisville victory in the semifinals of the 2011 Big East tournament while the most recent one was a five-overtime marathon in which the Irish outlasted the Cardinals on Feb. 9. Louisville hasn’t lost since, winning eight straight – seven by double figures – while Notre Dame is 7-3 since claiming victory in the longest game in Big East regular-season history. Friday’s winner will meet face either No. 5 Georgetown or No. 20 Syracuse in Saturday’s championship game.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (25-8, 16-14-0 ATS): Pat Connaughton (9 points), who hit six of his 10 3-point attempts in Thursday’s quarterfinal win over Marquette, is 12-for-18 beyond the arc in two Big East tournament games. The sophomore guard has performed admirably in the two earlier matchups against the Cardinals, shooting 9-for-11 beyond the arc and averaging 14.5 points and 10 rebounds. All-Big East selection Jack Cooley (13 points, 10.4 rebounds) was in foul trouble for the third straight game Thursday and was bailed out by Garrick Sherman’s 16 points off the bench. Cooley is averaging five points and 23.3 minutes during his slump.

ABOUT LOUISVILLE (27-5, 18-14-0 ATS): Leading scorer Russ Smith (18.3 points) fought through an ankle injury and posted 28 points in the Cardinals’ quarterfinal win over Villanova, an inspired performance hours after he learned that his high school coach – Archbishop Molloy’s Jack Curran – died at the age of 82. Louisville forced 25 turnovers against Villanova, but a more telling statistic of the defensive domination may have been the 58 deflections Louisville’s assistant coaches charted, a total coach Rick Pitino stated was a record for one of his teams - college or pro. The Cardinals finished with 12 steals, with seven players collecting at least one and four players tallying at least two.

TRENDS:

* Over is 9-1 in the last 10 meetings.
* Fighting Irish are 4-0 ATS in their last four neutral site games.
* Cardinals are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Over is 4-1 in Fighting Irish's last five overall.

TIP-INS:

1. Louisville has outscored opponents by an average of 15.9 points during its winning streak.

2. Notre Dame is seeking its first Big East tournament title game.

3. With 229 career steals, the Cardinals’ Peyton Siva needs two more to set a school record.

ACC Tournament: Quarterfinals Betting Preview
By Covers.com

Boston College Eagles vs. Miami Hurricanes (-7.5, 126)

After a 2-3 finish to the regular season, Miami has a chance to regain some confidence at the ACC tournament in Greensboro, N.C. The top-seeded Hurricanes will face Olivier Hanlan and Boston College in the quarterfinals on Friday. Miami clinched its first outright ACC title by beating Clemson 62-49 on Saturday, playing better defense and dominating the glass. Sophomore point guard Shane Larkin, a first-team all-conference pick, leads the way for the balanced and experienced Hurricanes.

Miami will have to be alert defensively against Hanlan, the ACC Freshman of the Year who scored 41 in the first-round victory over Georgia Tech on Thursday. Hanlan has averaged just over 20 points in the last eight games and the Eagles have won four straight. Boston College took the Hurricanes to the wire before losing at home 60-59 on Jan. 16 and dropped a 72-50 decision at Miami on Feb. 5.

TRENDS:

* Eagles are 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Over is 4-1 in Hurricanes’ last five overall.
* Over is 6-0 in Eagles’ last six neutral site games.

NC State Wolfpack vs. Virginia Cavaliers (+1.5, 125)

With victories over Duke, North Carolina, Tennessee and Wisconsin, among others, Virginia appears to be in decent shape for an at-large NCAA bid, but another quality win would allow for more restful sleep. The fourth-seeded Cavaliers could gain that with a victory over North Carolina State in the ACC tournament quarterfinals on Friday at Greensboro, N.C. Virginia rallied to defeat the Wolfpack 58-55 at home on Jan. 29, getting 22 points from first-team all-conference selection Joe Harris. The Cavaliers led the conference in scoring defense during the regular season and North Carolina State was second in offense.

The Wolfpack look to be headed to the NCAA Tournament as well, but would like to build momentum with a run to the final. North Carolina State has five players averaging in double figures scoring and senior forward Richard Howell has probably made the biggest impact with 17 double-doubles.

TRENDS:

* Underdog is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Wolfpack are 2-6 ATS in the last eight meetings.
* Under is 6-0 in Wolfpack's last six overall.

Duke Blue Devils vs. Maryland Terrapins (-10, 143)

Second-seeded Duke should feel at home against Maryland in Friday's quarterfinals of the ACC tournament in Greensboro, N.C. The No. 2 Blue Devils have won nine straight conference tournament games and three of their league-leading 19 tournament titles at the Greensboro Coliseum. Duke is 18-0 with senior forward Ryan Kelly in the lineup, including its last three regular-season games.

The seventh-seeded Terrapins, who beat Wake Forest 75-62 in Thursday's opening round, upset a Kelly-less Duke 83-81 on Feb. 16. Sophomore guard Dez Wells continued his hot streak with a game-high 21 points against the Demon Deacons. The Blue Devils are 11-7 in ACC tournament games against Maryland.

TRENDS:

* Blue Devils are 6-0 ATS in their last six neutral site games.
* Terrapins are 1-5 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Under is 4-0 in Blue Devils’ last four Friday games.

Florida State Seminoles vs. North Carolina Tar Heels (-7, 140)

North Carolina hopes to continue its success in Greensboro, N.C., when it takes on Florida State in the ACC tournament quarterfinals on Friday. The third-seeded Tar Heels are 115-30 all-time in Greensboro and have won eight of their 17 tournament titles there. North Carolina finished the regular season winning six of seven, including a 79-58 victory against Florida State on March 3.

The sixth-seeded Seminoles beat Clemson 73-69 in Thursday's opening round and have won three straight since that loss to the Tar Heels. The defending tournament champs were led by junior forward Okaro White, who is shooting 61.3 percent during his last 10 games. The Tar Heels are 4-2 against Florida State in ACC tournament play.

TRENDS:

* Tar Heels are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games overall.
* Under is 6-0 in Tar Heels’ last six overall.
* Underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.

Big Ten Tournament: Quarterfinals Betting Preview
By Covers.com

Indiana Hoosiers vs. Illinois Fighting Illini (-9.5, 137)

Top-seeded Indiana begins its attempt to win the Big Ten tournament when it plays eighth-seeded Illinois in Friday’s quarterfinals in Chicago. The No. 3 Hoosiers had a first-round bye while the Fighting Illini outlasted Minnesota 51-49 on Thursday. Illinois notched an electric 74-72 win over then-No. 1 Indiana on Feb. 7 when it ended the game with a 13-2 run and won on Tyler Griffey’s layup at the buzzer. The Hoosiers have never won the Big Ten tourney.

Indiana will earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament if it emerges as the tournament champion and maybe even if it doesn’t. Still, the Hoosiers are placing a do-or-die spin on the tournament. “I think we just need to take it one game at a time and treat each game like it’s your last,” junior guard Victor Oladipo said. “It’s win or go home.” Illinois senior guard Brandon Paul put on a show against Minnesota by scoring 25 points and draining the game-winning 15-footer at the buzzer. “I saw I had some space, so I let the shot go with the buzzer winding down,” Paul said.

TRENDS:

* Under is 6-1 in Fighting Illini’s last seven overall.
* Fighting Illini are 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall.
* Hoosiers are 1-4 ATS in their last five neutral site games.

Wisconsin Badgers vs. Michigan Wolverines (-3, 125)

Fifth-seeded Michigan has the hardest road of the five elite Big Ten programs in the conference tournament and the No. 8 Wolverines face a tough barrier in No. 23 Wisconsin in Friday’s quarterfinals in Chicago. Michigan defeated Penn State in its first-round game while the well-rested Badgers had a bye as one of top four finishers in the regular season. Fourth-seeded Wisconsin has won 11 of the past 12 meetings, including an overtime victory in the lone meeting this season.

The Badgers lost two of their last three regular-season contests and needed a miracle buzzer-beating 3-point shot by sophomore guard Traevon Jackson to beat Penn State in the regular-season finale. Wisconsin last won the Big Ten tournament in 2008, ending a stretch in which it reached the championship game four times in five seasons. The Wolverines fell behind 14-3 early in the contest against Penn State before dominating the second half and winning 83-66. Michigan tied the Big Ten tournament record by committing only four turnovers to lower their conference-best average to 9.2.

TRENDS:

* Wolverines are 4-0 ATS in their last four neutral site games.
* Underdog is 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.
* Under is 6-1 in the last seven meetings.

Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes (-15, 121)

Ohio State has played in five of the past seven Big Ten tournament title games and the No. 9 Buckeyes begin their pursuit of another appearance when they face 10th-seeded Nebraska in Friday’s quarterfinals in Chicago. Second-seeded Ohio State won the crown in 2007, 2010 and 2011 and lost in the championship game in 2006 and 2009. The Cornhuskers edged Purdue in Thursday’s opening round, but dropped both regular-season meetings against the Buckeyes.

Nebraska first-year coach Tim Miles is in the midst of setting a foundation for a program that was predicted to finish last in the 12-team league and face a quick exit in the tourney. “We were picked dead last by everybody but my mom,” Miles said after the Purdue victory. “We at least outperformed that expectation. Sometimes you got to creep to crawl to walk to run.” The Buckeyes are on the other side of the scale and looking to earn a high seed in the NCAA Tournament. “There is a lot more basketball left,” junior forward Deshaun Thomas said. “I am trying to enjoy myself and get to the Final Four.”

TRENDS:

* Under is 5-0 in Buckeyes' last five overall.
* Buckeyes are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Under is 3-0-1 in Cornhuskers' last four vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.

Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Michigan State Spartans (-5.5, 131)

Third-seeded Michigan State begins defense of its Big Ten tournament championship when it faces a hot Iowa squad in Friday’s quarterfinals in Chicago. The No. 7 Spartans had a bumpy late-season stretch of three losses before rebounding to win their final two regular-season contests. The sixth-seeded Hawkeyes have won seven of nine games after beating Northwestern in Thursday’s first round. An upset of the Spartans would greatly bolster Iowa’s chance of landing an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.

Michigan State won 62-59 at Iowa in the lone regular-season meeting. The Hawkeyes let a 12-point lead get away in a game in which they were missing leading scorer Roy Devyn Marble because of an ankle injury. Iowa coach Fran McCaffery is aware of the importance of beating the Spartans this time around. “I hear what everybody’s saying about that particular game,” McCaffery said after the victory over Northwestern. “To me, I am very comfortable with where our resume is right now. I think we deserve to be in.” Michigan State can improve its seeding with a deep tournament run. The Spartans usually excel in March and are 24-8 during the month over the past four-plus seasons.

TRENDS:

* Favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Hawkeyes are 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Hawkeyes are 5-0 ATS in their last five vs. Big Ten.

ACC Tourney Tips
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

There are four ACC Tournament quarterfinals matchups on tap Friday at Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC. The action starts at noon Eastern when top-seeded Miami will take on Boston College.

Most betting shops have installed the Hurricanes as 7.5-point favorites. ESPN2 will provide television coverage at noon Eastern.

In the second game of the afternoon session, North Carolina St. will meet Virginia as a one-point favorite.

Let’s take a closer look at the two games for the evening session.

Maryland vs. Duke

As of early this morning, a line had not been released.

Duke (27-4 straight up, 17-14 against the spread) closed out the regular season this past Saturday night by dominating North Carolina from start to finish en route to a 69-53 win in Chapel Hill. The Blue Devils, who hooked up their backers as two-point road underdogs, were led by Mason Plumlee’s 23 points and 13 rebounds on 10-of-15 shooting from the field. Senior guard Seth Curry added 20 points.

Maryland (21-11 SU, 12-12-1 ATS) advanced to the ACC Tournament quarterfinals by thumping Wake Forest 75-62 last night as a six-point ‘chalk.’ The 137 combined points slipped ‘over’ the 134.5-point total. Dezmine Wells led five players in double figures with 21 points.

With an 8-10 ACC record and an RPI of 82, Maryland looks like an NIT-bound team. Even if the Terrapins can get a second victory over Duke, they probably can’t get into the bubble conversation even with another quality win on Saturday in the semifinals.

Mark Turgeon’s team has no one to blame but itself. Maryland has only three wins over RPI Top 100 squads (#1 Duke, #30 N.C. St. and #91 Stony Brook). The Terrapins have lost five of their last nine games.

These ACC adversaries split a pair of regular-season meetings with both teams winning at home. Duke trounced the Terrapins by an 84-64 count as a 12-point home favorite on Jan. 26. The 148 combined points went ‘over’ the 139-point total. Rasheed Sulaimon scored a game-high 25 points thanks to splashing 6-of-8 shots from 3-point land. Dezmine Wells and Charles Mitchell had 13 points apiece in the losing effort. Curry led Duke with 25 points in defeat.

In the rematch in College Park, Maryland responded and won an 83-81 decision as a four-point home underdog. Alex Len was the catalyst for the Terps, producing 25 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots.

Duke will undoubtedly be a double-digit favorite, a role it has had been issued 18 times. The Blue Devils are 10-8 ATS in those instances.

Maryland has been a double-digit underdog twice, losing at Duke as previously mentioned and losing 72-69 to Kentucky as a 10.5-point ‘dog on a neutral court (MSG in NYC).

The ‘over’ is 16-14 overall for Duke.

The ‘under’ is 12-11 overall for Maryland, cashing in three of its last four games.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

Florida State vs. North Carolina

Florida St. (18-14 SU, 13-16-1 ATS) advanced by virtue of last night’s 73-69 win over Clemson as a two-point favorite. Okaro White made 8-of-11 shots from the field and all seven of his free throws en route to a team-high 24-point effort. Michael Snaer added 10 points, five rebounds and five assists for the Seminoles.

North Carolina (22-9 SU, 19-10 ATS) saw its six-game winning streak snapped in Saturday’s embarrassing blowout loss to its arch rivals. The Tar Heels couldn’t buy a bucket from beyond the arc, missing 14 of its 15 shots from deep. James Michael McAdoo scored a team-high 15 points, while P.J. Hairston added 14 points.

North Carolina swept a pair of regular-season meetings with FSU both SU and ATS. When these schools met at the Dean Dome on March 3, UNC rolled to a 79-58 win as a 12-point home favorite. McAdoo scored 21 points and Reggie Bullock posted a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Snear had a team-high 17 points for the ‘Noles, who trailed by 19 at intermission.

On Jan. 12 in Tallahassee, Roy Williams’s team won a 77-72 decision as a three-point road underdog. Hairston drained four treys and finished with a game-high 23 points. White had a team-high 15 points for FSU.

FSU has been an underdog 15 times this year, posting an 8-6-1 spread record.

The ‘under’ has cashed in six straight UNC games to improve to 17-11 overall.

UNC is ranked 17th in the nation in scoring, averaging 77.0 points per game. McAdoo averages a team-high 14.6 PPG.

ESPN2 will have the telecast 30 minutes after the conclusion of Duke-Maryland.

B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets

As of early this morning, Indiana was a 9.5-point favorite for its Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals showdown against Illinois. In the second game at the United Center in Chicago, Michigan has been tabbed as a three-point ‘chalk’ vs. Wisconsin.

Georgia saw its season come to an end in Thursday’s 68-63 loss to LSU at the SEC Tournament in Nashville. The Bulldogs failed to cover the number as one-point favorites but still finished the season on a 12-2 ATS run. Now UGA fans have to keep their fingers crossed that sophomore guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will return to school rather than leaving early for the NBA. ‘KCP’ had 32 points and 13 rebounds in the loss to the Tigers. He is listed as the 30th pick in the mock draft

Thursday’s biggest shocker came at the Pac-12 Tournament at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where Utah beat California 79-69 in overtime as an eight-point underdog. The Utes hooked up money-line backers with a gorgeous +300 payout (risk $100 to win $300).

The ‘over’ had hit in 13 consecutive Iowa St. games until its 73-66 win over Oklahoma on Thursday saw the 139 combined points stay ‘under’ the 152.5-point total. Nevertheless, the Cyclones have still seen the ‘over’ hit at an NCAA-best 19-4 rate. They are 6.5-point underdogs in Friday’s semifinals matchup against Kansas, which won both regular-season meetings in overtime.

As of early this morning, Georgetown was listed as a 1.5 or two-point favorite for tonight’s Big East Tournament battle against Syracuse in the semifinals at Madison Square Garden. The Hoyas advanced by collecting a 62-43 win over Cincinnati.

The ‘under’ improved to 22-4 overall for the Bearcats when the 105 combined points stayed below the 113-point tally.

MWC Tournament: New Mexico vs. San Diego State
By Covers.com

New Mexico Lobos vs. San Diego State Aztecs (-2, 131)

Steve Alford's top-seeded Lobos survived a dismal offensive performance in their Mountain West Conference tournament opener. No. 14 New Mexico, which went over 11 minutes without hitting a field goal in a win over Wyoming, hopes for better production when it meets fourth-seeded San Diego State in the semifinals at Las Vegas on Friday night.

The Aztecs, who split a pair of regular-season games with New Mexico, may have popped Boise State's bubble in Wednesday's quarterfinals. Once ranked nationally, San Diego State would like a bit of revenge in this game. The two teams met in the MWC tournament title game last season, with New Mexico winning 68-59.

ABOUT SAN DIEGO STATE (22-9): The Aztecs have had a hard time getting on a roll in the second half of the season. They've won eight of their last 15 games after opening the year 14-2. While they still appear to be a lock for an NCAA Tournament berth, they would enhance their seeding dramatically with a tourney title. The Aztecs have plenty of star power in Jamaal Franklin and Chase Tapley and a strong RPI of 28. They also hammered New Mexico 55-34 earlier in the season. Franklin, viewed as a potential lottery pick in the upcoming NBA draft, scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds in San Diego State's last outing. SDSU is 5-3 in its last eight games against New Mexico.

ABOUT NEW MEXICO (27-5): The Lobos won the regular season-title for the second straight year and Alford was named the conference's coach of the year. Kendall Williams, who won MWC Player of the Year honors, was limited to six points in Wednesday's 59-46 win over Wyoming. But the Lobos won with strong defense, holding the Cowboys to 32 percent shooting in front of a large fan base who made the trip to Las Vegas. "I guess in the eyes of the beholder of what's pretty and ugly, in March, when you win by 13 -- to me -- it's pretty," Alford said. Australian Cameron Bairstow led the Lobos with 14 points and eight rebounds as he filled in for Alex Kirk, who was saddled with foul trouble most of the game. New Mexico has won seven of its last eight games.

TRENDS:

* Aztecs are 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Over is 5-0 in Aztecs’ last five Friday games.

TIP-INS

1. The top four seeds all won their openers Wednesday.

2. New Mexico has won the MWC tournament title twice.

3. Aztec Xavier Thames has scored in double figures in four of his last five games and appears to be nearly 100 percent after injuring his back.

Friday Cliff Notes
Dave Essler

Butler-LaSalle: Obviously one rested and one not. Butler opens as only a -1 point favorite. Two things, up-tempo teams can Butler the most trouble. Yes, LaSalle beat them earlier in the season by one at home. In that game Rotnei Clarke did not play for the Bulldogs.

Miami-Boston College: The Eagles were unconscious and disrespected by oddsmakers, but not here, opening as only an 8 point dog and quickly to +7.5. BC almost beat them in Boston before getting drilled in Miami. The only reason(s) this line could be that short are either they actually think BC can have revenge, or that Miami has it's eyes on the Big Dance rather than the ACC Tournament.

Illinois-Indiana: We're always going to pay a premium for the Hoosiers, even after Illinois eeked one out over Minnesota today. Normally I like to take these teams that play B2B against teams in their first game at least in the 1H. This could be yet another case of where is Indiana's head at. This Tournament or the bigger one. Since Indiana lost at Illinois they won't be taking them lightly, and the move up to 9.5 early might suggest Indiana is focused.

NC State-UVA: Classic case of speed versus sluggish here. Wolfpack haven't beaten a good team away from their own gym yet, and lost at UVA by three. They'll probably do whatever they can to speed this game up, and since I don't like their defense I have an immediate lean to the over. 'Pack opening up at -1 is almost begging for people to take them, but I can't. Only one of UVA's losses was really by much more than a possession, and I certainly trust them more down the stretch at this point.

Michigan-Wisconsin: Tough for me to pass up a team as good as Wisconsin catching points, and a team like the Badgers that defends the perimeter well. I almost wish Michigan did NOT play Thursday because it may have got the jitters out of the young team. Badgers beat them in OT in Madison this year in a low scoring game. I have to think Michigan tries real hard to speed this game up, but they are (can be) mistake prone and I could not pass up a team like the Badgers getting points with their experience. Yet.

Charlotte-St. Louis: I'm a lot surprised at what Charlotte has done, not just Thursday but the latter part of the season with all the injuries. I'm a little surprised that St. Louis opened at -11 hours ago and is still sitting there, if for no other reason than the public would be all over the Billikens. I certainly doubt at this point I could lay that chalk, even figuring the glass slipper will soon break, but Charlotte is pretty relaxed with nothing to lose, and those can be dangerous teams. Again, where is St. Louis' head at. This Tournament or the bigger one.

Tennessee-Alabama: Both teams are playing really well, and again, I would seriously consider the Vols at least for the first half. These teams split close games, with each winning on their home court. I almost put the Vols in that "we've got nothing to lose" category at this point. No doubt a lower scoring game, in which case we'd want the team that turns it over the least and shoots better from the line, and that would be Tennessee in most cases, but the rebounding edge goes to the Tide. Lean Tide slightly, but reserve the right to change my mind tomorrow.

UTEP-Southern Mississippi: I really want to take the Miners here, but with the injury to Bohannon that may be tougher to do than I originally thought. However, UTEP is the bigger and more experienced team, and it is easier to slow a game down rather than speed one up, so we make be watching that line very carefully.

Big 12 Tournament: Semifinals Betting Preview
By Covers.com

Iowa State Cyclones vs. Kansas Jayhawks (-7, 157)

Kansas looks to continue its dominance when the No. 6 and top-seeded Jayhawks play fifth-seeded Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament semifinals Friday in Kansas City, Mo. The Jayhawks beat ninth-seeded Texas Tech 91-63 in Thursday’s quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals for the 15th time in 17 years. Kansas swept Iowa State during the regular season with overtime wins of 97-89 in Lawrence on Jan. 9 and 108-96 in Ames on Feb. 25.

Iowa State defeated fourth-seeded Oklahoma 73-66 in Thursday’s quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals for the first time since 2000. The victory was the Cyclones’ first in the Big 12 tournament since a first-round win over Baylor on March 10, 2005. Iowa State, which leads the country in 3-pointers per game (10), missed its first 10 attempts against the Sooners but finished 7-for-26 from long distance.

ABOUT KANSAS (27-5, 17-14-0 ATS): The Jayhawks are 63-24 all-time in league tournament play, including 33-8 in the Big 12 tournament and 15-2 in Big 12 quarterfinal games. Kansas’ 91 points against Texas Tech are the most in a Big 12 tournament game since Colorado scored 91 in a double-overtime victory over Baylor in 2008. The Jayhawks set a Big 12 tournament record for field goal percentage, shooting a season-high 66 percent against Texas Tech. Redshirt freshman guard Ben McLemore scored 24 points against the Red Raiders for his 10th 20-plus point game. The Jayhawks tied a season high with 12 steals against Texas Tech.

ABOUT IOWA STATE (22-10, 15-12-2 ATS): The Cyclones are 8-15 all-time in the Big 12 tournament and 4-9 in first-round games. Junior forward Melvin Ejim, who led the conference in rebounding, notched his Big 12-best 14th double-double with a career-high 23 points and 12 rebounds against Oklahoma. Ejim has recorded a double-double against every Big 12 team. Redshirt senior guard Will Clyburn passed the 1,000 career points mark with a 17-point performance against the Sooners.

TRENDS:

* Jayhawks are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games overall.
* Over is 5-1 in the last six meetings.
* Jayhawks are 8-1 ATS in their last nine vs. Big 12 foes.

TIP-INS

1. Kansas’ 28-point win over Texas Tech marked the Jayhawks’ largest margin of victory in the Big 12 tournament since beating the Red Raiders 90-50 in the 2002 tournament semifinals.

2. Kansas coach Bill Self’s career record is 296-58 at Kansas and 503-163 overall.

3. Ejim is eighth on Iowa State’s career rebounding list (740).

Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Kansas State Wildcats (-1, 136)

Oklahoma State and Kansas State meet for the second time in less than a week Friday when the teams square off in the Big 12 semifinals in Kansas City. The third-seeded Cowboys advanced with a dramatic 74-72 victory over Baylor on Thursday, while No. 2 seed Kansas State pulled away in the second half for a 17-point win over Texas. Oklahoma State ended a three-game losing streak against the Wildcats with a 76-70 win Saturday.

Kansas State, which defeated the Cowboys 73-67 on Jan. 5, has won 11 of its last 13 games while making a believer out of Texas coach Rick Barnes. “Kansas State is really good,” Barnes told reporters after Thursday’s game. “I mean, really, really good. I love what they're made up of. I love their makeup. I love the way they do a lot of things. They play extremely well together.”

ABOUT KANSAS STATE (26-6, 14-13-1 ATS): Senior wing Rodney McGruder had a game-high 24 points in the Wildcats’ quarterfinal victory after scoring 22 against Oklahoma State on Saturday. Forward Jordan Henriquez was limited to 10 minutes against Oklahoma State because of back problems, but is hoping to be more involved Friday. Freshman D.J. Johnson came off the bench to replace Henriquez and had eight points and seven rebounds against Texas. The Wildcats lead the Big 12 in scoring defense while holding opponents to an average of 60.2 points.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (24-7, 15-13-2 ATS): The Cowboys nearly blew a 20-point lead against Baylor before advancing to the tournament semifinals for the first time since 2009. Oklahoma State was held to six field goals in the second half, but escaped with the win after Phil Forte made two free throws with 2.9 seconds left. Sophomore forward Le'Bryan Nash, who scored 13 of his 14 points in the second half against Baylor, had a team-high 24 points against Kansas State on Saturday. Point guard Marcus Smart, the Big 12 player and freshman of the year, averaged 23 points in two games against the Wildcats.

TRENDS:

* Favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Over is 5-1 in the last six meetings.
* Cowboys are 32-15-4 ATS in their last 51 neutral site games.
* Over is 15-6 in Wildcats' last 21 vs. Big 12.

TIP-INS:

1. The winner will advance to the Big 12 title game against Iowa State or Kansas.

2. Oklahoma State has shot 50 percent or better from the floor in three of its last five games.

3. Kansas State is undefeated (20-0) when outrebounding its opponent.

Pac-12 Tournament: Semifinals Betting Preview
By Covers.com

UCLA Bruins vs. Arizona Wildcats (-3.5, 144)

UCLA looks to beat Arizona for the third time this season when the teams meet Friday in the semifinals of the Pac-12 tournament in Las Vegas. The Bruins advanced with an 80-75 victory over Arizona State on Thursday, while Arizona held off Colorado 79-69. The top-seeded Bruins have won six of their last seven games and appear to be peaking at the right time behind the play of freshman wing Shabazz Muhammad, who scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half against Arizona State.

The fourth-seeded Wildcats closed the regular season by losing two of three, but they used a balanced offensive attack to get past Colorado. Arizona’s reserves scored a combined 25 points, and sophomore guard Nick Johnson had a team-high 18 points. Point guard Mark Lyons missed seven of his nine shots from beyond the arc and finished with 14 points, and he's shooting 25.5 percent (12-of-47) over his last four games.

ABOUT NO. 25 UCLA (24-8, 14-17-0 ATS): Muhammad receives most of the media attention, but Arizona coach Sean Miller said senior point guard Larry Drew II is the key to the Bruins’ success. Drew had 20 points, four assists and two turnovers in 34 minutes against Arizona State, and he’s averaged nine assists in the first two games against the Wildcats. “Larry Drew has been a huge reason why we’ve lost both games,” Miller told reporters. “He has scored and he’s also gotten his teammates easy baskets. We have to be able to contain him.”

ABOUT NO. 18 ARIZONA (25-6, 14-15-0 ATS): While Lyons has fallen into a shooting slump, Johnson has averaged 15 points over the last three games. Reserve guard Jordin Mayes had eight points against Colorado, and he’s made five of his last eight shots from 3-point range over the last four games. Arizona has struggled offensively in its two losses to UCLA, shooting 40.9 percent from the field and averaging 15 turnovers. The Wildcats need a strong game from senior forward Solomon Hill, who was limited to seven points and four boards in a 74-69 loss to the Bruins on March 2.

TRENDS:

* Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings.
* Wildcats are 1-5 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Underdog is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.

TIP-INS:

1. The winner faces Utah or Oregon in Saturday’s title game at 11 p.m. ET.

2. The Wildcats are 23-0 when holding their opponents to fewer than 70 points.

3. UCLA is looking to avenge a 66-58 loss to Arizona in last year’s Pac-12 quarterfinals.

Utah Utes vs. Oregon Ducks (-7.5, 131)

Utah has won four straight and will try to extend its longest winning streak in four years when it plays third-seeded Oregon in the Pac-12 tournament semifinals Friday night in Las Vegas. The No. 10-seed Utes have been the surprise of the postseason, knocking off seventh-seeded USC in Wednesday’s opening round and upsetting No. 2 California in overtime in Thursday’s quarterfinals. Oregon also needed overtime to advance to the semifinals, outlasting sixth-seeded Washington thanks to 11 overtime points from senior forward Arsalan Kazemi.

The Ducks ended a three-game losing streak with a 73-64 win Feb. 9 against the visiting Utes, and Utah posted the second victory in their current winning streak with a 72-62 victory March 9 against visiting Oregon. Utah senior center Jason Washburn recorded two of his three 20-point games this season against the Ducks, while Oregon senior forward E.J. Singler had two of his four 20-point games against the Utes.

ABOUT UTAH (15-17, 20-9-1 ATS): Jarred DuBois deserves plenty of credit for getting the Utes this far. The 6-3 senior transfer from Loyola Marymount scored 22 points against USC and came back with 21 more against the Golden Bears. During the four-game win streak, DuBois is shooting 57.1 percent. He scored 15 points in both games against Oregon this season. The wildcard for Utah could be 6-6 freshman forward Jordan Loveridge, who scored 14 points in each of game this season against the Ducks.

ABOUT OREGON (24-8, 11-18-1 ATS): Singler has been productive against the Huskies this season, and the Ducks need him to follow suit if they hope to win a tournament title. Most of Singler’s numbers are still below what he averaged the last two seasons, but he has shown signs of being postseason ready. He has combined for 37 points in each of the last two games, shooting 14-for-24 in the process. After reaching double figures in 28 of 34 games last season, he has yet to score in double figures in three straight games this season.

TRENDS:

* Over is 5-0 in the last five meetings.
* Utes are 27-10-1 ATS in their last 38 games overall.
* Ducks are 3-13-1 ATS in their last 17 games overall.

TIP-INS:

1. Utah starting small forward Cedric Martin left in the first half of the win against California with an ankle injury and his status for the semifinal is undetermined. He averages just under four points a game.

2. Utah freshman guard Brandon Taylor is averaging 10.8 points over the last four games to increase his scoring average to 6.5.

3. Oregon point guard Dominic Artis started against Washington, his first since coming back from a nine-game absence due to foot injury. Artis, who came off the bench the previous three games, went scoreless and sat while Loyd played in the overtime.

SEC tournament: Quarterfinals Betting Preview
By Covers.com

LSU Tigers vs. Florida Gators (-15, 126)

Florida was closing in on a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament until suffering through a rough few weeks. The top-seeded Gators try to get their legs back under them when they open up their SEC tournament play against No. 9 seed LSU on Friday. The Tigers need a signature win over a team like Florida to impress the selection committee and keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive.

LSU held off Georgia in the second round of the SEC tournament Thursday and has won nine of its last 13 games to draw closer to the bubble. Florida easily handled the Tigers back in January and entered the week with the third-best scoring defense in the country. The problem down the stretch was on the offensive end, where the Gators were held to an average of 62.7 points over their final six games. LSU was impressive defensively in Thursday’s win but was 12th in the league in scoring defense during the regular season.

TRENDS:

* Tigers are 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Tigers are 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall.
* Gators are 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall.

Tennessee Volunteers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide (+1.5, 122)

Alabama and Tennessee are both sitting on the NCAA Tournament bubble and could use a deep run in the SEC tournament to impress the selection committee. One of those teams will get a chance to continue its run when the fourth-seeded Crimson Tide take on the fifth-seeded Volunteers in the quarterfinals on Friday at Nashville, Tenn. Alabama earned a bye through to the quarterfinals while Tennessee had to fend off Mississippi State to reach this point.

The Crimson Tide dropped to the wrong side of the bubble by losing three of five to end the regular season. Two of those setbacks came at first-place Florida and at second-place Mississippi, where wins would have really improved Alabama's tournament resume. Alabama struggled on the road throughout SEC play, including a 54-53 setback at the Volunteers on Jan. 26. Tennessee looked strong in its tournament opener on Thursday and has won nine of its last 10 contests.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Volunteers are 4-12 ATS in the last 16 meetings.
* Under is 19-7 in Crimson Tide's last 26 overall.

Kentucky Wildcats vs. Vanderbilt Commodores (+5.5, 129)

Kentucky hopes to build off the momentum from its win over No. 11 Florida in the regular-season finale when it takes on Vanderbilt in the SEC quarterfinals Friday in Nashville, Tenn. The Wildcats swept the regular-season series from the Commodores but only by a combined six points.

This will be the tournament opener for Kentucky, which is barely in safe territory for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. A win against Vanderbilt could help land the Wildcats on the right side of the bubble come Sunday. But the defending champion Commodores have everything to gain with a repeat title being their only hope at the tournament. The winner of this game will advance to Saturday's semifinal round against either third-seeded Mississippi, sixth-seeded Missouri or 11th-seeded Texas A&M.

TRENDS:

* Wildcats have played over the total in five of their last seven games overall.
* Commodores are 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Underdog is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.

Missouri Tigers vs. Mississippi Rebels (+4.5, 157)

Third-seeded Mississippi opens its SEC tournament with a quarterfinal game against sixth-seeded Missouri on Friday. The Rebels earned a double bye after finishing in a tie for second in the SEC standings, while the Tigers advanced to the quarterfinals with a 62-50 victory over Texas A&M on Thursday in the second round. The two teams split their two games in the regular season, with Missouri having a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde reaction to playing the Rebels.

In the first meeting, the Tigers scored 49 points and lost. In the second encounter, Missouri won by scoring 98 points, the most Mississippi allowed all season. The league's top two scoring teams will try to light up the scoreboard and advance, but the Tigers' defensive effort against Texas A&M could be an indication they are ready to excel at both ends of the floor.

TRENDS:

* Tigers are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 neutral site games.
* Rebels are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 neutral site games.
* Over is 25-9 in Tigers' last 34 overall.