College Knowledge
-- Louisville lost its last two games after 16-1 start; they force turnovers 28.4% of time, but scored 68 or less points in three of last four games, their three lowest-scoring games of season. Georgetown won last three games vs Louisville by 10-3-3 points; Cardinals lost last two visits here, both by three points. Big East home teams are 2-16 vs spread in games where spread is 6 or less points; home dogs of 6 or less are 1-3.
-- Iowa State is 1-4 vs top 50 teams, beating BYU on Dec 1; Cyclones-Kansas State split last six meetings, after K-State had won its previous seven series games. Wildcats' 72-70 loss here LY snapped their 5-game win streak in Ames. 15-3 K-State scored 57 or less points in all three of its losses; they're 3-1 on road, losing by 16 to Gonzaga in Spokane. Big X home favorites are 6-7 against the spread.
-- Minnesota lost its last three games after 15-1 start; they turn ball over 22.1% of time, not good. Gophers lost last three games vs Wisconsin by 8-7-7 points; they're 1-6 in last seven visits to Madison, losing last two by 8-7. Badgers lost last two games, scoring 66-47 points, losing by a hoop at home last game, shooting 29.7% from floor, 7-18 from foul line. Big Dozen single digit home favorites are 4-5 vs spread.
-- New Mexico beat San Diego State 68-59 in MWC title game LY, after road team won both regular season games; Lobos lost three of last four visits to Viejas, with losses by 6-10-11 points. Aztecs lost last game at home to UNLV after winning in OT game before that. New Mexico is 4-0 in MWC, with three of four wins by exactly 5 points- they won in OT at Boise, in only road game. MWC single digit home favorites are 5-3.
-- UCLA won four in row, 13 of last 16 games vs Arizona State; they're 6-2 in last eight visits to Tempe, winning by 1-9 points last two years. Bruins won 11 of last 12 games overall, winning Pac-12 road games by 4-3-11 points. ASU won in OT Thursday; they're 4-2 in league, with a couple of wins in OT. Pac-12 home underdogs are 6-2 vs spread; dogs are 15-4 in league games where spread is 5 or less points.
-- Temple beat Syracuse on neutral court, lost by 7 at Kansas, but also lost at home to Bonnies and struggled with Penn during week, so they're liable to struggle vs well-prepared Butler, which is 3-1 in A-16- their last two games were both decided by a point- four of its last five games were decided by 6 or less. A-16 home favorites of 8 or less points are 10-5 vs spread. Bulldogs are expected to get starting guard Clarke back here.
-- Oregon is 6-0 in Pac-12, with three wins by 4 or less points; they've won league home games by 4-3-7 points. Home side won 14 of last 19 Washington-Oregon games; Huskies lost last two visits to Eugene by 5-25 points. U-Dub lost last two games, scoring 65-66 points, but they do have three league wins (Utah/both No-Cal schools). Pac-12 single digit home favorites are 9-18 vs spread. Huskies are 6-3 vs top 100 teams.
-- NC State is better than North Carolina this year, but Tar Heels won last 13 games vs Wolfpack, winning last five visits to Raleigh by 14-17-14-12-12 points. Wolfpack lost two of last three games (all three were decided by 4 or less points); they're 3-0 at home in ACC, winning by 8-13-4 points. Tar Heels won last three games after 10-5 start. ACC home favorites of less than 6 points are 2-6 vs spread. Pressure on State here.
-- VCU led by 7 with 0:40 left Thursday, lost in OT to crosstown rival Richmond; Rams looked tired at end, now face LaSalle squad that upset Butler last game. Explorers lost last three road games, by 17-9-7 points. VCU forces turnovers on 29.6% of time, #1 in country, but LaSalle has quality guards, will be hard to turn over a lot. A-16 double digit home favorites are 2-4 vs spread. I question VCU's energy level for this one.
-- Utah State is down two starters to injury, so normal home court edge in Logan doesn't exist; they lost last three games, by 13-11-7 points, and lost to UTA at home last game. Louisiana Tech is 8-0 in WAC; four of last six wins on road- they upset Utah State 62-60 in WAC tourney LY, ending a 6-game series losing skid; Bulldogs lost last seven visits here, with five of seven losses by 14+ points. WAC home dogs are 3-7 against the spread.
-- North Dakota State won 11 of last 13 games vs South Dakota State; in first meeting this year, Bison won 65-62 at home, making 70% of shots inside arc, as they grabbed early 19-6 lead, then outscored SDS 13-6 over last 4:56. Jackrabbits won last four games, are 3-0 at home in Summit, winning by 15-7-26 points. Summit League home favorites of 8 or less points are 1-6 vs spread.
-- Belmont is 7-0 in OVC, with three road wins, by 11-1-31 points; they beat Eastern Kentucky 83-76 nine days ago, grabbing early 29-12 lead, but they trailed by 4 with 6:39 left. Having seen EKU's offense once is a big help, but that is EKU's only OVC loss- they force turnovers 26.9% of time, are 4-0 at home in OVC. Colonels made 78% of 2-point shots in first meeting. OVC home dogs of 8 or less points are 2-7 vs spread.
-- Montana won six of last eight games vs Weber State, beating Wildcats in last three Big Sky tourneys; Weber lost last four visits to Missoula, by 14-19-15-19 points. Montana star Cherry is shooting under 30% on arc, under 40% inside it, as he returns from broken foot, but team is at 39.1% outside arc, #17 in country. Weber had its 8-game winning streak ended Thursday at Montana State. Big Sky home favorites of 7 or less points are 13-4 vs spread.
Armadillosports.com
College Basketball: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
Louisville at Georgetown
The Russ Smith (18.7), Peyton Siva (11.5) lead Cardinals netting 75.7 points/game while allowing 58.0 to the opposition are coming off a second consecutive defeat getting upended 73-64 as 11.5 point road favorite at Villanova moving the mark to 16-3 on the campaign with a 10-9 mark at the betting window. The Hoyas upending Notre Dame 63-47 as 5.5 point road dogs on Monday are 13-4 (6-7 ATS) overall, 9-1 (1-5 ATS) on home court. Could be a good spot for Georgetown, the Hoyas ridding a 5-2 ATS stretch at home vs conference knocked off Rick Pitino's troops 71-68 last year in Louisville and have won three straight (2-1 ATS) in the series.
Maryland at Duke
Duke taken behind the woodshed spanked 90-63 in arguably it's worst ever performance shooting a pathetic 29.7% from the field while allowing Hurricanes to hit 56.9% of their shots just can't seem to handle the burden of being on the road in ACC play. Duke's embarrassing 27 point defeat marked the second time this season (0-2 ATS) that Blue Devils have been ripped apart playing on a conference opponent's court. The Blue Devils' other ACC road loss was an 84-76 drubbing at North Carolina State. As bad as Coach K's troops were on Wednesday night returning to Durham for a game in front of the Cameron Crazies will inspire an about face in performance and a return to winning ways. Blue Devils with five double digit scorers led by Mason Plumlee (17.3), Seth Curry (15.9) averaging 77.8 points/game rebound with Maryland paying a visit. Duke has not only won 11-of-12 meetings vs Terps (8-3-1 ATS) the Blue Devils are on a sparkling 13-0 (9-4 ATS) regular season streak following a loss the previous game. Expect Duke to improve it's 59-3 (29-30-1 ATS) stretch on home court as Terrapins are on a 0-5 (1-4 ATS) skid in Duke's back yard, 0-6 SU/ATS road slide vs the ACC.
Washington at Oregon
Oregon Ducks (17-2, 9-8 ATS) netting 75.9 PPG on 46.0% shooting behind five double digit scorers while allowing just 62.3 PPG on 39.8% from the field are for real. Ducks have brushed aside all six Pac-12 foes they've met including Arizona and UCLA. Washington Huskies (12-7, 9-8 ATS) dropping it's last two against conference bottom feeders look doomed heading to Eugene where Ducks are ridding a prefect 13-0 (6-5 ATS) mark.
North Carolina AT N.C. State
NC State (15-4, 9-8 ATS) has gone off the rails since it's huge win over Duke posting a lowly 1-2 SU/ATS mark losing to Maryland, defeating mediocre Clemson and most recently dropping one to Wake Forest. Wolfpack one of the more potent offenses in the nation behind five double digit scorers lead by C.J. Leslie (15.3) net a solid 79.2 points/game on a smart 51.0% from the field. At the other end of the court Wolfpack surrender 69.5 PPG to it's opponents. Meanwhile, UNC opening conference play 0-2 have regained their stride winning three straight moving to 13-5 (10-6 ATS) overall, 3-2 SU/ATS within the ACC. UNC a dangerous group scoring 78.7 PPG lead by James Michael-McAdoo (14.7), Reggie Bullock (14.3) are holding opponents to 68.1 PPG on 39.6% shooting but it is well to note over the current win streak Tar Heels have held foes to a mere 62.3 PPG on 40.4% from the field. NC State which hasn't lost a game at home (11-0, 6-3 ATS) are 5.0 to 5.5 favorites despite being 0-13 (4-9 ATS) last thirteen meetings, 1-18 (6-13 ATS) last nineteen encounters with UNC including 1-8 SU/ATS running the hardwood in Raleigh.
College Basketball Betting Odds and Key Matchups: Jan. 26
Atssportsline.com
Another great slate of college basketball games today are on tap. That means tons of betting opportunities so grab a chair and get a few cold ones. There's hoops from 11amET all the way past midnight. There are several big conference games involving top 25 teams and there's a traditional matchup that could burst one of these teams bubble. Don't miss the action today and if you need some assistance, check out ATS Sportsline.
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#5 Louisville (16-3 SU, 10-9 ATS) at Georgetown (13-4 SU, 6-7 ATS)
Last game: (12/28/11). Georgetown (+6.5) over LOUISVILLE, 71-68. It doesn't get any easier for Louisville after losing two straight games. They were upset at Villanova, 73-64, giving 11.5 on Tuesday. That was after they lost to Syracuse at home by 2. Georgetown continues to play without wing Greg Whittington (suspension) yet they somehow beat Notre Dame, 63-47, getting 5.5 on Monday. The Hoyas want to to keep this a low score and the Cards need to make this an uptempo game. Georgetown is 5-12 ATS last 17 Saturday games. College Basketball Odds: Louisville is a 6.5-point favorite. Total: NT.
Maryland (15-4 SU, 5-7 ATS) at Duke (16-2 SU, 10-8 ATS)
Last game: (2/11/12). DUKE (-15) over Maryland, 73-55. Duke is coming off one of their worst home losses in school history on Wednesday when they were dominated by Miami-Fla, 90-63. They should bounce back at home against a young Maryland team that has the size to compete inside. They need guard Dez Wells to step up and create for his teammates. Maryland is coming off a 64-59 home win over Boston College on Wednesday, giving 8.5. Duke is 8-17 ATS last 25 home games. College Basketball Line: Duke is a 12.5-point favorite. Total: NT.
Oklahoma (13-4 SU, 9-4 ATS) at #2 Kansas (17-1 SU, 8-9 ATS)
Last game: (2/1/12). KANSAS (-17) over Oklahoma, 84-62. The Sooner are now 4-1 in the Big 12 and have won six of their last seven games. Oklahoma beat Texas on Monday, 73-67, but didn't cover the 7.5. The Jayhawks should be the number one team next week, assuming they can hold on against the pesky Sooner. Kansas has won 16 straight games since losing to Michigan State on Nov. 13. They defeated Kansas State on Tuesday, 59-55, giving 3.5. Oklahoma is 7-2 ATS last 9 overall. College Basketball Odds: Kansas is a 15-point favorite. Total: NT.
#15 New Mexico (17-2 SU, 10-7-1 ATS) at San Diego State (15-4 SU, 8-6 ATS)
Last game: (3/10/12). New Mexico (-4.5) over SAN DIEGO STATE, 68-59. New Mexico is on fire, having won four straight and five of six. The Lobos are coming off a 66-61 win giving 4.5 against Colorado State on Wednesday. San Diego State defeated Nevada on the road on Wednesday, 78-57, giving 4 after losing two straight games to Wyoming and UNLV. Jamaal Franklin and Chase Tapley provide the bulk of points for the Aztecs. New Mexico is 20-6 ATS L26 vs. Mountain West. Hoops Odds: San Diego State is a 3.5-point favorite. Total: NT.
North Carolina (13-5 SU, 10-6 ATS) at #18 NC State (15-4 SU, 9-8 ATS)
Last game: (3/10/12). NORTH CAROLINA (-9.5) over NC State, 69-67. North Carolina has won three straight games after losing two straight. But this will be their toughest challenge. They beat Georgia Tech on Wednesday night, 79-63, giving 11. NC State is coming off another shaky road loss, as they fell at Wake Forest, 86-84, giving 8. James Michael McAdoo leads the Tar Heels against C.J. Leslie of NC State. Road team is 7-3 ATS L10 in series. College Basketball Lines: North Carolina is a 5-point favorite Total: NT.
Top 25 NCAAB Betting Notes
By Covers.com
With no playoff football this weekend, college basketball steps into the spotlight with a schedule packed with Top-25 showdowns. Check out our betting news and notes for every game involving a ranked program Saturday.
Syracuse Orange at Villanova Wildcats (+7.5, 133)
No. 4 Syracuse takes its eight-game winning streak and 1.5-game Big East lead into Villanova on Saturday in search of its seventh consecutive conference victory. The Orange knocked off then-No. 1 Louisville 70-68 on Jan. 19 before coming back to edge No. 20 Cincinnati 57-55 two days later. Guards Brandon Triche and Michael Carter-Williams provided clutch late-game shots in both victories. Against the Bearcats, Triche made two mid-range jumpers before a Carter-Williams 3-pointer pulled the Orange even with Cincinnati 55-55 with 1:24 left. C.J. Fair’s tip-in 1:02 later won the game. Villanova snapped a three-game losing streak when it defeated the Cardinals 73-64 on Tuesday. Ryan Arcidiacono led five Wildcats players in double digits with 15 points and Achraf Yacoubou made a tie-breaking 3-pointer with 3:57 left as Villanova pulled away late. Syracuse beat the Wildcats 72-61 on Jan. 12 behind a 22-point effort from Fair.
Louisville Cardinals at Georgetown Hoyas (+4.5, 118)
No. 5 Louisville has had some trouble closing out games lately. The Cardinals will be looking to snap a modest two-game slide when they visit Georgetown on Saturday. Louisville was the No. 1 team in the country when it squandered a late lead and fell at home to Syracuse last Saturday. It was free throw shooting that helped doom the Cardinals late in a loss at Villanova on Tuesday. The Hoyas are coming off a strong performance at Notre Dame. Georgetown used a tight defensive effort to stifle the Fighting Irish and will look to slow the pace with Louisville as well. The Cardinals like to get out and run but have been held below 70 points in three of their last four games, including the two setbacks. Senior point guard Peyton Siva and All-American candidate Russ Smith tend to dominate the ball offensively for Louisville but have both been inconsistent with their shot in Big East play.
Ohio State Buckeyes at Penn State Nittany Lions (+13, 126)
No. 15 Ohio State travels to Penn State in search of its fourth Big Ten victory in five games. The Buckeyes are fresh off a 72-63 win over Iowa on Tuesday in which leading scorer Deshaun Thomas overcame a cut under his eye to score 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting and grab seven rebounds. Before beating the Hawkeyes, Ohio State lost to No. 11 Michigan State 59-56 on Jan. 19 and defeated No.3 Michigan 56-53 six days prior. The Nittany Lions are winless in conference play. They lost to No. 8 Indiana 72-49 on Wednesday, shooting just 2-of-15 from beyond the arc. Penn State has lost by at least nine points to six of its seven Big Ten opponents.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at South Florida Bulls (+3, 119)
Notre Dame has lost three of its last four games after a 14-1 start, capped by a demoralizing 16-point loss at home to Georgetown on Monday. The Irish play three of the next four games on the road, beginning at struggling South Florida on Saturday afternoon. Notre Dame is still shooting almost 50 percent from the field and is second in the nation in assists. However, the Irish have not been good on the defensive end since league play began. Meeting South Florida might be the best medicine. The Bulls are averaging 51.7 points and shooting 37.8 percent from the field in Big East games – last in both categories – and have dropped seven straight to the Irish. South Florida could not build on its first conference victory over Georgetown, losing 55-47 at Seton Hall on Wednesday.
Maryland Terrapins at Duke Blue Devils (-13, 135)
Duke was the latest No. 1 team to fall in the week it ascended to the top of the rankings. The Blue Devils will try to shake off an embarrassing loss when they host Maryland on Saturday. Duke re-took the top spot Monday after Louisville fell on Saturday but the Blue Devils, who held the top spot for four weeks earlier in the season, were blasted 90-63 at Miami on Wednesday. The Terrapins have won two of three. Duke went more than eight minutes without a field goal in the first half against the Hurricanes and suffered the third-worst loss ever for a No. 1-ranked team. The Blue Devils, whose other loss came at North Carolina State, have yet to lose at home. Maryland has struggled on the road in ACC play, falling at Miami and North Carolina, and is averaging 55.2 points over its last five games. The battle between Terrapins center Alex Len and Duke big man Mason Plumlee could be a look at two future NBA draft picks.
Kansas State Wildcats at Iowa State Cyclones (-3.5, 134)
No. 13 Kansas State looks to rebound from a 59-55 loss to No. 2 Kansas when it travels to Iowa State on Saturday. The Wildcats had an eight-game winning streak snapped when their in-state rivals handed them their first Big 12 defeat on Tuesday. Leading scorer Rodney McGruder managed just 13 points on 3-of-9 shooting from deep in the loss. Iowa State had won three straight before falling to Texas Tech 56-51 on Wednesday. Will Clyburn logged his fourth double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds, but the Cyclones shot just 6-for-23 (26.1 percent) from 3-point range.
Minnesota Golden Gophers at Wisconsin Badgers (-2, 125)
Wisconsin is in the midst of a brutal stretch that has the team facing eight ranked opponents in a span of 11 games. That includes a pair of contests against No. 14 Minnesota, the first of which will be played at Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon. The Badgers hit their high point of the season with a two-point upset at then-No. 2 Indiana on Jan. 15 but have dropped their last two games, including a 49-47 loss to 11th-ranked Michigan State on Tuesday night. Minnesota could tumble out of the rankings next week following a three-game losing streak. The Golden Gophers opened the season 15-1 and were riding an 11-game losing streak before back-to-back losses to Big Ten Conference heavyweights Indiana and Michigan. The skid reached three in Wednesday's 55-48 loss at Northwestern, a game in which Minnesota was held to its lowest point total of the season. Wisconsin has won the last three meetings.
Oklahoma Sooners at Kansas Jayhawks (-14, 132)
Kansas is poised to take over the No. 1 ranking in the USA Today Coaches poll, but first the second-ranked Jayhawks have to get past visiting Oklahoma on Saturday in a battle for first place in the Big 12 Conference. Kansas has ripped off 16 consecutive victories - the longest active winning streak in the nation - and is coming off a pair of hard-fought road wins at Texas and bitter rival Kansas State. The Jayhawks have dominated the series with Oklahoma in recent seasons, winning the last nine meetings. The Sooners have bounced back from an ugly home loss to Stephen F. Austin on Dec. 18 with victories in six of their last seven games. The only loss in that stretch was a nine-point defeat at Kansas State a week ago. Oklahoma had dropped six straight games to Texas before squeezing out a 73-67 victory Monday behind a career-high 29 points from Romero Osby. The 6-8 Osby leads the Sooners in scoring (14.5 points) and rebounding (6.5) and is averaging 19.2 points in conference play.
New Mexico Lobos at San Diego State Aztecs (-4, 127)
New Mexico is the only undefeated team in Mountain West Conference play and the No. 17 Lobos can turn their unblemished mark into a commanding lead if they can win at No. 25 San Diego State on Saturday. New Mexico was forecasted to battle the Aztecs and Nevada-Las Vegas for the regular-season crown and both San Diego State and UNLV already have two league losses. “We want to stay undefeated for as long as possible in conference,” senior guard Chad Adams said after Wednesday’s victory over Colorado State. “If we could go all year, that would be great. We’re all trying to get some rings.” The Aztecs defeated Nevada on Wednesday to snap a two-game losing skid. San Diego State won its first eight home games before losing to UNLV on Jan. 16.
Vanderbilt Commodores at Missouri Tigers (-14, 128)
Missouri will try to notch consecutive conference wins for the first time in its tenure in the Southeastern Conference when the 22nd-ranked Tigers host Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers have gotten off to a bumpy start in their first season of Southeastern Conference play with losses at Mississippi and Florida, but they're 3-0 at home in league play and 11-0 overall at Mizzou Arena. They survived a scare Tuesday, overcoming a 13-point deficit for a 71-65 home win over South Carolina. The Commodores have won two straight after losing their first three conference games, and they're coming off a 73-61 win against Auburn on Wednesday. The teams are meeting for the sixth time with Vanderbilt holding a 3-2 advantage. They split a home-and-home series in 2009 and 2010 with the host team winning each game.
Temple Owls at Butler Bulldogs (-8.5, 127)
Butler is expected to have shooting guard Rotnei Clarke back in the lineup when the Bulldogs host Temple, which has won three of its last four games. The ninth-ranked Bulldogs have gone 1-2 without their leading scorer, who missed three games with a sprained neck after crashing into a padded basket support on Jan. 12 at Dayton. Clarke ranks fifth in the Atlantic 10 in scoring at 16.3 points per game, and he was clearly missed when La Salle snapped Butler’s 13-game winning streak with a 54-53 victory on Wednesday. The Bulldogs are 33-10 following a loss under coach Brad Stevens and 9-0 this season at Hinkle Fieldhouse, but the Owls showed they’re capable of an upset when they beat then-No. 3 Syracuse last month.
Washington Huskies at Oregon Ducks (-9, 138)
Last week it appeared Washington and No. 19 Oregon had a chance to bring unbeaten Pac-12 records into their game Saturday afternoon in Eugene, Ore., but then the Huskies were beaten by Utah and Oregon State, two teams that were previously winless in conference play. Washington got off to a slow start in both games and never led. The Huskies must answer the bell against an Oregon team that’s off to its best start in conference play since 1925-26. The Ducks feature five players who average double figures in scoring, plus 6-7 senior forward Arsalan Kazemi, who averages 8.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals. Kazemi made his first Pac-12 start Wednesday against visiting Washington State and produced 16 points, seven rebounds and four steals in the 68-61 victory. Kazemi will have to battle for rebounds with Aziz N’Diaye, the 7-foot senior center for Washington who averages 10.7 points and 9.5 boards.
North Carolina Tar Heels at North Carolina State Wolfpack (-6, 153)
With surprising Miami (Fla) undefeated in Atlantic Coast Conference play, the pressure is already on No. 18 North Carolina State to go on a long winning streak in order to fulfill its preseason expectations of winning the conference. After losses in two of their last three, a rare win by the Wolfpack over North Carolina on Saturday would be a step in the right direction. Following a win against then-No. 1 Duke on Jan. 12, North Carolina State has since sandwiched a pair of road losses against Maryland and Wake Forest by a total of three points around a home win against Clemson. In order to keep pace with the league-leading Hurricanes, the Wolfpack need to end their 13-game slide against the Tar Heels. North Carolina is on a three-game winning streak after beginning ACC play 0-2. The Tar Heels defeated Georgia Tech 79-63 on Wednesday.
USC Trojans at Arizona Wildcats (-16, 137)
Arizona’s strong start has given way to two losses in four games and the No. 6 Wildcats strive to relocate their groove when they host Southern California on Saturday. Arizona won its first 14 games and Thursday’s 84-73 home loss to unranked UCLA was easily its worst performance of the season. The Wildcats dug themselves a 21-5 hole and were just 5-of-24 from 3-point range. “When you get down like that, it’s hard to fight back,” senior forward Solomon Hill said afterwards. Arizona is now two full games behind Pac-12 leader Oregon, which handed the Wildcats their first loss. The Trojans lost 98-93 in overtime to Arizona State on Thursday to drop to 1-2 under interim coach Bob Cantu, who replaced Kevin O’Neill on Jan. 14. USC’s offense has emerged to average 78 points over the last four contests.
Mississippi Rebels at Auburn Tigers (+7.5, 141)
Riding an SEC-best eight-game win streak, No. 24 Ole Miss tries to stay atop the conference when it visits struggling Auburn on Saturday night. The Rebels rallied for a 62-56 win over Tennessee on Thursday as Marshall Henderson scored 24 of his 28 points after halftime. The JUCO transfer leads the SEC in scoring (18.9), and the Rebels rank fifth nationally in scoring (81.3). The Tigers have dropped three straight, most recently falling 73-61 at Vanderbilt on Wednesday.
La Salle Explorers at VCU Rams (-12, 139)
The Explorers look to follow up their upset of Butler with another toppling of a ranked opponent when they travel to face the No. 16 Rams on Saturday. La Salle is coming off a last-second win over the No. 9 Bulldogs while VCU is trying to bounce back from an overtime loss on Thursday to Richmond that snapped the Rams' 13-game winning streak. This game could be an up-and-down affair, featuring the top two teams in the conference in steals per game and turnover margin. Both squads average in the 70s in scoring, with VCU ranking 10th in the country with its 79.0-ppg average. A close game could come down to free-throw shooting, and the Explorers have the edge there, hitting 72.2 percent from the charity stripe.
Florida Gators at Mississippi State Bulldogs (+21, 125)
No. 7 Florida faced its first halftime deficit in Southeastern Conference play this season in its last game and still won by 17 points. Given their recent dominance, the Gators appeared poised for their third 6-0 start in league play on Saturday when they travel to Mississippi State. Florida has been excelling against SEC opponents, winning by an average of 24.8 points and allowing 48.4 points per contest while also shooting 50.4 percent from the field. Just as impressively, three of the last four Gators’ victories have been on the road, including Wednesday’s 64-47 triumph against Georgia. Conversely, the Bulldogs lost 96-70 to Arkansas on Wednesday – the team’s third straight setback of at least 15 points following a 2-0 start in league action.
San Francisco Dons at Gonzaga Bulldogs (-20, 147)
Defending the 3-point line should be the primary goal Saturday evening when No. 10 Gonzaga hosts San Francisco in a West Coast Conference game. The Dons have made at least nine 3-pointers in a game seven times this season and De’End Parker, a 6-6 junior guard who played two games at UCLA last season, is shooting 47.7 percent from beyond the arc. San Francisco may have trouble handling Gonzaga’s size, however. Without a player taller than 6-9, the Dons have been outrebounded in all seven conference games this season and 13 of the last 15 overall. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are led by 7-foot junior forward Kelly Olynyk, who's averaging 18.5 points and 6.9 rebounds. He made all nine field-goal attempts in a victory Thursday night against BYU, bumping his field-goal percentage to 67.4. The second option is 6-8 senior forward Elias Harris, who averages 15.5 points and 7.1 rebounds. He scored a season-high 25 against BYU.
Bradley Braves at Wichita State Shockers (-16, 129)
When No. 21 Wichita State plays host to Bradley in a Missouri Valley Conference game Saturday night, the Shockers will attempt to beat the Braves for the second time this season. Wichita State won 69-63 when the teams met Jan. 6 in Peoria, Ill. The Shockers have a three-game winning streak and are coming off a 62-52 victory at Missouri State on Wednesday. Bradley, which is coming off a 66-56 loss at Evansville on Wednesday, is 2-20 in MVC road games since the start of the 2010-11 season. Although Bradley is 71-61 in the series against Wichita State, the Shockers are 41-20 all-time at home against the Braves and have won six straight in the series.
College Basketball Game of the Day: Louisville vs. Georgetown
Atssportsline.com
It doesn't get any easier for #5 Louisville (16-3 SU, 10-9 ATS) after losing two straight games. They were upset at Villanova, 73-64, giving 11.5 on Tuesday. That was after they lost to Syracuse at home by 2. Georgetown (13-4 SU, 6-7 ATS) somehow beat Notre Dame, 63-47, getting 5.5 on Monday. Louisville travels to the Verizon Center, in Washington D.C. to take on the Hoyas at 12pmET.
Matchup: Last game: (12/28/11). Georgetown (+6.5) over LOUISVILLE, 71-68. Georgetown has won three straight SU in this series.
Latest Odds: Louisville is a 5.5-point favorite.
Key Betting Trends:
Louisville is:
4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games.
7-3 ATS in their last 10 vs. Big East.
Road team is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
16-7 ATS in their last 23 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
13-6 ATS in their last 19 Saturday games.
19-9 ATS in their last 28 games overall.
1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a S.U. loss.
Georgetown is:
Underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
5-12 ATS in their last 17 Saturday games.
2-5 ATS in their last 7 home games.
8-20 ATS in their last 28 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
1-7 ATS in their last 8 games following a ATS win.
Key Injuries:
Louisville:
G Mike Marra (knee) is out for the season.
Georgetown:
F Greg Whittington (suspension) is questionable.
Preview:
Basketball fans in Louisville have had the wind knocked out of them with the Cardinals being punched in the gut this week.
The fifth-ranked Cardinals have lost back-to-back games since entering last weekend as the nation's top-ranked team. Louisville travels to Georgetown on Saturday looking to bounce back from its latest setback and avoid dropping three in a row for the first time since January 2010.
Finishing has been a problem in Louisville's losses to then-No. 6 Syracuse - which upset the Cardinals (16-3, 4-2 Big East) at home last Saturday 70-68 - and at Villanova on Tuesday. The 73-64 loss to the struggling Wildcats was especially frustrating for Pitino because of his team's poor performance at the free-throw line.
The Cardinals trailed the Wildcats by as many as 10 points in the first half before rallying to take a 52-46 lead with 8:25 remaining. Villanova closed with a 27-14 run, helped by Louisville's 7 of 18 free-throw shooting, including missing five of its final six.
Sophomore forward Chane Behanan had an especially rough game, hitting just 3 of 9 from the line, and junior Gorgui Dieng missed both of his second-half attempts.
Louisville's poor free-throw shooting was part of the reason it lost its last matchup with the Hoyas. The then-No. 4 Cardinals shot 58.8 percent from the line in a 71-68 home defeat Dec. 28, 2011, their third straight in this series.
Georgetown (13-4, 3-3) was ranked in all three of those wins, and it enters this meeting after posting a 63-47 victory at No. 24 Notre Dame on Monday.
The Hoyas are 2-1 against Top 25 teams this season, with the only loss coming in overtime to then-No. 1 Indiana on Nov. 20. They are 9-1 at home and will be facing a Cardinals team in the midst of playing four of six on the road. After this matchup, Louisville hosts Pittsburgh and Marquette before traveling to Rutgers and Notre Dame.
Each upcoming opponent except Rutgers has either been ranked or received votes in the poll this season. Still, Pitino's concern is his Cardinals putting their last loss behind them.
North Carolina at N.C. State
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com
There is a stacked slate of college basketball games on Saturday’s menu, so gamblers have tons of matchups to break down. Let’s take an in-depth look at a key ACC battle before touching on a number of other important contests.
BetOnline.com opened North Carolina St. (15-4 straight up, 9-8 against the spread) as a five-point home favorite for Saturday’s game against arch-rival North Carolina.
Mark Gottfried’s squad has an RPI of 17 and has gone 2-2 against RPI Top 50 opponents and 4-3 versus RPI Top 100 foes. However, N.C. St. is looking to bounce back from its worst effort of the year in Tuesday’s 86-84 loss at Wake Forest as an eight-point road ‘chalk.’
The victory for the Demon Deacons was the first against a team ranked in the RPI’s Top 75 during Jeff Bzdelik’s three-year tenure.
In the losing effort, Richard Howell had 13 points and 16 rebounds, Lorenzo Brown scored 13 points and dished out 10 assists and Rodney Purvis scored a team-high 18 points. The Wolfpack’s leading scorer, C.J. Leslie, was also in double figures with 13 points but he was limited to 18 minutes of playing time due to foul trouble.
All five N.C. St. starters are scoring double figures led by Leslie’s 15.3 points-per-game average. The Wolfpack rank ninth in the nation in scoring, averaging 79.2 PPG.
N.C. St. is unbeaten in 11 home games, going 6-3 ATS. The Wolfpack’s best wins have come over Duke, UConn, UMass and Stanford. Their four defeats came at Wake Forest, at Maryland and in neutral-court games against Michigan and Oklahoma St.
Since back-to-back losses at Virginia and vs. Miami to open ACC play, North Carolina (13-5 SU, 10-6 ATS) has won three in a row both SU and ATS. The Tar Heels are coming off a 79-63 win Wednesday over Ga. Tech as 11-point home favorites. The 142 combined points jumped ‘over’ the 136-point total.
Reggie Bullock was the catalyst for UNC, finishing with 17 points and six rebounds on 7-of-12 shooting from the field. P.J. Hairston added 15 points in just 17 minutes of playing time, while James Michael McAdoo produced 14 points and nine boards.
Roy Williams’s team stopped the bleeding two Saturdays ago with its first ACC win in Tallahassee. UNC slipped past FSU in a nip-and-tuck affair to capture a 77-72 win as a three-point underdog. Next, the Heels knocked off Maryland 62-52 at home before this week’s triumph over the Yellow Jackets.
North Carolina is sporting an RPI Ranking of 32. UNC is 1-3 against RPI Top 50 foes but has three wins over schools in the 50-100 range (vs. East Carolina, vs. Maryland and at FSU).
UNC has been an underdog three times this season, compiling a 1-2 record both SU and ATS. The win came at FSU and the losses were at Virginia and at Indiana by an 83-59 count.
The ‘over’ is 8-6 overall for N.C. St., 4-2 in its home games. The ‘over’ is on a 6-3 run for the Wolfpack regardless of the venue.
The ‘under’ is 9-7 overall for UNC, 5-1 in its last six games. The ‘under’ is 4-1 in the Tar Heels’ five true road assignments.
Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.
B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets
The first game on Saturday’s card will come off the board at 11:00 a.m. Eastern when Villanova hosts Syracuse on ESPNU. BetOnline opened the ‘Cuse as a six-point road favorite. The Wildcats are off their best performance of the season in a 73-64 win Tuesday over Louisville as 11½ point home underdogs. Jay Wright’s squad is 2-2 both SU and ATS as a home ‘dog this year, beating Louisville and St. Joseph’s but losing by double digits to Temple and Pitt.
The ‘under’ is on an 8-2 run in Villanova’s last 10 games with a total.
Louisville will try to respond to its loss at Villanova when it plays at Georgetown on ESPN at noon Eastern. The Cardinals opened as 6½-point road ‘chalk.’
Florida is 5-0 in SEC play and is winning by an average margin of 25 points per game. The Gators opened as 19½-point favorites for Saturday night’s game at Mississippi St.
Like UF, Ole Miss is 5-0 in SEC play for the first time since… the 1930s! The Rebels are six-point favorites Saturday at Auburn, but gamblers might want to be careful here. That’s because Andy Kennedy’s team is in a look-ahead situation with Kentucky coming to Oxford on Tuesday.
I’ve always harped about how the AP Top 25 rankings in college hoops are beyond meaningless. And here’s three reasons why with unranked teams favored against ranked squads: San Diego St. -4.5 vs. #15 New Mexico, Iowa St. -3.5 vs. #11 Kansas St. and Wisconsin -3 vs. #12 Minnesota.
The Gophers and Badgers will be in bounce-back mode after tough mid-week losses. Wisconsin lost a nail-biter at home to Michigan St., while Minnesota got upset at Northwestern.
Speaking of Sparty, Tom Izzo’s team is 5-0 in Big Ten play with a trip to Assembly Hall to face Indiana looming on Sunday.
Missouri was hoping to get Laurence Bowers back on Saturday vs. Vanderbilt. But Bowers, who averages 16.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, has been ruled 'out' and will miss a fifth straight game with a knee injury. The Tigers opened as 14-point favorites at most spots.
The ‘under’ is 10-3 overall for Vandy although the ‘over’ has hit in two of its last three games.
After posting a huge win Thursday at Arizona as an 8½-point underdog, UCLA faces a quick turnaround when it plays Saturday at Arizona St. The Bruins opened as 3½-point favorites at most books for this 4:00 p.m. Eastern tip against the Sun Devils in Tempe.
Saturday's NCAAB Action
By Sportsbook.ag
LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (16-3) at GEORGETOWN HOYAS (13-4)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Louisville -5
No. 5 Louisville looks to stop a two-game losing skid when it visits Georgetown on Saturday afternoon.
The Cardinals, were ranked No. 1 in the nation when they lost to then-No. 6 Syracuse last Saturday by a 70-68 score. But Tuesday's loss at unranked Villanova was much more troubling, as the Wildcats ended the game on a 27-14 run, aided by Louisville's 7-of-18 shooting (39%) from the foul line during that stretch. Georgetown is riding high after a 63-47 rout at Notre Dame on Monday. The Hoyas outshot the Irish 47% FG to 35% FG and outrebounded them 35-24. Georgetown is 7-2 SU (4-4-1 ATS) against Louisville since 2000, winning each of the past three meetings SU. Despite the Cardinals recent struggles, they have been an outstanding road team this year at 4-1 (SU and ATS), outscoring these hosts by 14.4 PPG. Louisville also has more size and experience than Georgetown, which is a horrible 1-5 ATS at home, scoring just 63.8 PPG in these 10 games.
Louisville scores 75.7 PPG (36th in nation) and ranks 59th in the country in both rebounds (38.0 PPG) and assists (15.0 APG). SG Russ Smith is the team's top scorer at 18.7 PPG, but he makes just 41% of his shots and 32% of his threes. He shot a woeful 2-of-13 at Villanova on Tuesday, while committing four turnovers. PG Peyton Siva has also shot horribly during the two-game skid (6-for-22 FG), but he has 19 assists during this stretch. Siva had an outstanding game against Georgetown last season with 15 points, six assists and five steals. PF Chane Behanan has been a force on the glass in the past four games (9.3 RPG) and also has eight steals over his past three contests. C Gorgui Dieng has upped his season rebounding average to 10.1 RPG, thanks to his 11.6 RPG in the eight games this month. Both Behanan and Dieng grabbed eight boards apiece in last season's home loss to the Hoyas.
Georgetown is not a prolific offense (64.0 PPG, 255th in D-I), but it shares the ball well (15.0 PPG, 59th in nation) and takes good shots (46.2% FG, 46th in D-I) in its patience Princeton-style offense. With second-leading scorer F Greg Whittington (12.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG) suspended for the past four games, leading scorer Otto Porter (14.6 PPG, 7.7 RPG) has stepped up his offense, netting at least 19 points in all four contests. Porter has also notched 9.3 RPG during this four-game stretch, and tallied an impressive 14 points and 14 rebounds in the win at Louisville last season. Junior SG Markel Starks (11.2 PPG) has shot the ball pretty well this season at 46% FG and 41% threes, but he's made just 4-of-17 FG in his past two contests, scoring a total of 12 points. However, Starks poured in a game-high 20 points on 7-of-8 FG (4-of-4 threes) in last year's victory over the Cardinals. The Hoyas got great production from their bench in Monday's win at Notre Dame, as SG D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera dropped in 14 points on 6-of-12 FG, and C Moses Ayegba grabbed 10 rebounds. The Nigerian-born junior will likely play a big role trying to contain Dieng on Saturday.
MARYLAND TERRAPINS (15-4) at DUKE BLUE DEVILS (16-2)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Duke -12.5
No. 1 Duke looks to bounce back from its embarrassing loss at Miami on Wednesday when it hosts Maryland on Saturday afternoon.
The Blue Devils were completely dominated in the 90-63 drubbing from the Hurricanes, getting outshot 57% FG (47% threes) to 30% FG (17% threes). Their starting backcourt of PG Quinn Cook and SG Seth Curry combined to make just 1-of-22 shots. Maryland has dropped five straight games ATS (2-3 SU), but it did win its last time out on Tuesday, edging 8.5-point underdog Boston College 64-59. Duke has owned the Terrapins since the start of the 2007-08 season, going 11-1 SU (8-3-1 ATS) and winning the past four matchups by 18, 16, 13 and 18 points. Despite the series dominance, this spread seems a bit too lofty for a Duke team that is 4-6 ATS at home, and has outscored ACC foes by just 5.4 PPG this season. Maryland has given up only 57.7 PPG in its three road games and ranks second in the entire nation in rebounds per game (43.0 RPG). The Blue Devils have been outrebounded by 10 boards in three contests without starting PF Ryan Kelly (5.4 PPG), and this factor should allow the Terrapins to hang around for the majority of the afternoon.
Maryland scores just 71.8 PPG (85th in nation), but it makes 46.8% FG (31st in D-I) and dishes out 16.1 APG (20th in D-I). The strength of the team lies on the glass though, as the Terps are pulling down an impressive 43.0 RPG, good for second in the country. Seven-foot-1 C Alex Len (13.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG) recorded his fifth double-doubles this season on Tuesday with 16 points and 13 rebounds. He also has six straight games of at least 10 points. SF Dez Wells (11.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.1 APG) has been outstanding in his two ACC road games this season with 19.5 PPG on 68% FG, but was held to five points in Tuesday's home win over Boston College. Sophomore SG Nick Faust (8.7 PPG) is the team's third-leading scorer, but he's made just 37% FG and 29% of his threes this season. PG Pe'Shon Howard (4.6 APG) has failed to score a point in four of his past five games, and turned the ball over seven times at UNC last Saturday. But he played well in his one game against Duke last season with 10 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Duke is led by senior PF Mason Plumlee (17.3 PPG, 11.4 RPG), who has three straight double-doubles. But he's also missed 23 shots (12-for-35 FG, 34%) and turned the ball over nine times over the past two games. However, Plumlee dominated the Terps last year, scoring 19.5 PPG on 56% FG. He had 23 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in the most recent meeting on Jan. 25, 2012 in College Park. SG Seth Curry (15.9 PPG) is the team's No. 2 scorer, but he was 0-for-10 FG (0-for-5 threes) in the loss at Miami. This was very surprising considering how well he shot against Georgia Tech in the previous game at home, scoring 24 points and draining 6-of-7 threes. He made just 2-of-9 shots at Maryland last season, but scored 19 points on 7-of-15 FG in the home win last February. PG Quinn Cook (11.1 PPG, 6.1 APG, 4.0 RPG) missed 11 of 12 shots on Wednesday, but he has done a wonderful job running this offense with 109 assists and just 40 turnovers (2.73 Ast/TO ratio). This ratio has jumped to 4.0 (36 Ast, 9 TO) in the past five games. Freshman SG Rasheed Sulaimon (11.3 PPG) has made just 40% FG this season, but since his 0-for-10 performance at NC State, he has an impressive 15.5 PPG on 53% FG in his past two contests. PF Ryan Kelly (13.4 PPG) will miss his fifth straight game on Saturday due to a foot injury.
NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS (13-5) at NORTH CAROLINA STATE WOLFPACK (15-4)
Sportsbook.ag Line: NC State -5
No. 18 North Carolina State tries to remain in second place in the ACC standings when red-hot rival North Carolina makes the short trip to Raleigh on Saturday night.
UNC has won three straight games (SU and ATS), holding its opponents to a mere 62.3 PPG. NC State has dropped two of its past three contests (SU and ATS), but is a perfect 11-0 SU (6-3 ATS) at home this season. Although the Wolfpack are the nationally-ranked and favored team here, the Tar Heels have won 13 straight meetings SU and are 9-2 ATS over the past 11 times they have met. UNC is on a roll right now, and the Heels have beaten this Wolfpack club in 13 of the past 16 meetings in Raleigh. Although both of these teams rank among the top-15 in the nation in scoring, the Tar Heels are the No. 1 rebounding squad in the country, while NC State ranks 102nd in rebounding at 36.9 RPG.
North Carolina is one of the more potent offenses in the nation with 78.7 PPG (14th in nation) despite a mediocre 44.5% FG clip (115th in D-I). The Tar Heels also grab the most rebounds in the nation (43.1 RPG) while dishing out 18.1 APG (3rd in D-I). PF James Michael-McAdoo leads the club in scoring (14.7 PPG) and rebounding (8.3 RPG) and is averaging 15.7 PPG and 9.3 RPG during the three-game win streak. Junior swingman Reggie Bullock (14.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG) has also been strong during the win surge with 17.7 PPG on 50% FG. Bullock averaged 9.0 PPG and 6.7 RPG in the three meetings with NC State last season. SG P.J. Hairston (11.9 PPG, 4.2 RPG) is the other double-figure scorer for Carolina. In the team's last road game, he lit up Florida State for 23 points on 9-of-14 FG. He also scored 15 points in just 17 minutes in Wednesday's win. A big reason UNC scores so many points is the decision making of PGs Marcus Paige (6.7 PPG, 4.4 APG) and Dexter Strickland (7.9 PPG, 4.9 APG). Paige has 12 assists over the past two games, while Strickland has a 2.77 Ast/TO ratio for the season, with 72 assists and only 26 turnovers.
NC State scores 79.2 PPG (9th in D-I) and makes an impressive 51.0% FG (3rd in nation). This team has six players that score at least 9.9 PPG, led by the impressive trio of SF C.J. Leslie (15.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG), PG Lorenzo Brown (12.8 PPG, 6.9 APG, 4.5 RPG) and PF Richard Howell (12.6 PPG, 10.9 RPG). All three of these players had huge games in the near upset of then-No. 4 UNC in last season's ACC Tournament. Leslie had 22 points (9-of-14 FG) and seven rebounds, Brown poured in 16 points, six assists, four rebounds and four steals, while Howell posted a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. When it comes to shooting well from downtown, senior SF Scott Wood is usually called upon with his 42% clip from three-point range this season.
College Basketball Point Spreads and Picks
By: The Linemakers
Sportingnews.com
The inevitability of Kentucky winning it all last season gave way to unpredictability.
Twenty-five top-10 teams have lost this season. Dominance is out, parity is in.
On Wednesday, No. 1 Duke became the fourth top-ranked team to go down, and the Blue Devils fell hard, 90-63 at Miami. It was the third-worst loss by a No. 1 team in history. No. 9 Butler, No. 12 Creighton and No. 14 Minnesota all lost on the same night. The common denominator? All four were on the road in conference play.
Will the carnage continue Saturday? Probably. Nineteen ranked teams are in action, starting with an intriguing morning tipoff in the Big East.
No. 3 Syracuse (18-1 SU, 10-5 ATS) at Villanova (12-7 SU, 10-5-1 ATS), 11 a.m. ET, ESPNU
Line: Syracuse -6.5 Total: 133
The Linemakers' take: Two weeks ago, the Orange failed to cover at home against the Wildcats, winning 72-61 as 14-point favorites. That was the first game senior forward James Southerland (13.6 ppg) missed due to academics, and he remains out indefinitely. Syracuse is 1-2 ATS without him, and needed near-miracles to win at Louisville and at home against Cincinnati. The Wildcats snapped a three-game skid with a 73-64 upset of Louisville on Wednesday. Five players scored in double figures for Villanova, which is 7-3 at home. The win over Louisville could be a turning point for a Wildcats team that’s held opponents to 63.2 points over the last five games.
"That win was really gratifying for me,” coach Jay Wright said. “It's like when you're a parent—you see kids get the rewards from hard work. You want to teach them what it takes. Sometimes you know that they don't really understand it until they get the results. It was great to watch these guys get the results."
Trends:
Syracuse is 4-1 ATS in its last five road games.
Syracuse is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 Big East games.
Villanova is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games.
Villanova is 5-1 ATS in its last six games against teams with .600-plus winning percentages.
Under is 8-2 in Villanova’s last 10 games.
Over is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.
Underdog is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings.
Oklahoma (13-4 SU, 9-4 ATS) at No. 3 Kansas (17-1 SU, 8-9 ATS), 4 p.m. ET, ESPN
Line: Kansas -14 Total: 134
The Linemakers' take: Kansas has won the last nine meetings, covering the last two fairly handily. The Jayhawks have won 16 straight overall, the longest active streak in the nation. But KU has broken 70 points only once in its last six games, and coach Bill Self wants the Jayhawks to run more off defensive stops. Oklahoma comes in hot, having won six of seven while shooting 45.4 percent. Senior forward Romero Osby is averaging 19.2 points over his last five games. The Sooners are athletic and deep enough to make this very interesting.
Trends:
Oklahoma is 5-1 ATS in its last six games against winning teams.
Oklahoma is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games.
Kansas is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.
Under is 4-0 in Kansas’ last four games.
Under is 4-1 in Oklahoma’s last five road games.
Over is 5-1 in the last six meetings.
Temple (13-5 SU, 7-9 ATS) at No. 9 Butler (16-3 SU, 12-5 ATS), 6 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Line: Butler -5.5 Total: 130.5
The Linemakers' take: Butler’s 13-game win streak came to a sudden end Wednesday at La Salle, but the Bulldogs have covered five straight and now leading scorer Rotnei Clarke (16.3) will return to the lineup. He practiced Thursday for the first time since spraining his neck while crashing into a basket support Jan. 12. Butler is 9-0 at home, winning all but two by at least 13 points. The Owls enter on an 0-3 ATS skid in which they’ve failed to cover by an average of nearly nine points. Senior guard Khalif Wyatt is on a tear, though, averaging 24.8 points on 55.6 percent shooting over his last four games. This is the first-ever meeting.
Trends:
Temple is 1-4 ATS in its last five games.
Butler is 5-0 ATS in its last five games following a SU loss.
Butler is 34-16-4 in its last 54 games against teams with .600-plus winning percentages.
Over is 6-2-1 in Temple’s last nine games following an ATS loss.
Over is 7-3 in Butler’s last 10 games against teams with .600-plus winning percentages.
Over is 26-12 in Temple’s last 38 games against teams with .600-plus winning percentages.
No. 12 Minnesota (15-4) at Wisconsin (13-6) - 2 p.m. ET. TV: Big Ten Network
Line: Wisconsin -3 Total: 124.5
The Gophers come in on a three-game losing streak. They lost at Indiana, to Michigan and at Northwestern after opening 15-1. The Badgers were beaten on this floor 49-47 by Michigan State on Tuesday and they don't lose often at home. Looking for Wisconsin to control the tempo and the boards and give Minnesota their fourth straight loss. Wisconsin -3 with slight lean to the UNDER.
No. 15 New Mexico (17-2) at San Diego State (15-4) - 4 p.m. ET. TV: NBCSN
Line: San Diego State -4.5 Total: 129.5
This will be another battle in the tough Mountain West Conference. The Lobos are coming in at 17-2 after a 66-61 win at home over a pesky Colorado State squad. The Aztecs have lost two of their last three (to UNLV and at Wyoming) but may still prove to be the class of the conference. We believe that the Aztecs will prevail in this one.
La Salle (13-5) at No. 19 VCU (16-4) - 8 p.m. ET - TV: CBSSN
Line: VCU -11 Total: 139.5
La Salle beat Butler 54-53 Wednesday on a last second layup. That win got them to 13-5 on the year but this could be a tough spot. VCU was beaten in OT at Richmond on Thursday and will be hopping mad. It's a big number but this one could get ugly. Looking for an easy win from VCU.