College Basketball Betting News and Notes Saturday, January 30

Saturday's Top 25 Trends
VegasInsider.com

West Virginia at Florida

West Virginia has bounced back from consecutive losses to Oklahoma and Texas by beating Texas Tech and Kansas State in the last two contests. The Mountaineers have done a great job covering numbers of late, posting a 5-1 ATS record since starting 0-2 ATS in Big 12 play. Florida rallied late in Tuesday’s loss at Vanderbilt, managing a cover as 4½-point underdogs in a 60-59 setback. The Gators have won four straight games at the O’Connell Center, while going 5-1 ATS the past six games overall.

Virginia at Louisville

Virginia rallied late to stun Wake Forest on Tuesday, 72-71 on a buzzer-beating three-pointer. The Cavaliers failed to cash as 7½-point road favorites, the fourth straight ATS loss and sixth non-cover in the past seven games. Louisville has also struggling to cash tickets recently, falling to 2-7 ATS the last nine games in spite of winning at Virginia Tech on Wednesday, 91-83. The Cardinals have dominated in the past two home contests, wiping out Florida State and Pittsburgh by double-digits.

Xavier at DePaul

Since getting upset by Georgetown at home, Xavier has bounced back with consecutive wins over Seton Hall and Providence. The Musketeers have won three of four road games in Big East action, while going for the season sweep of DePaul after routing the Blue Demons at home earlier this month, 84-64. DePaul has slumped to a 1-7 start in Big East action, while going 0-3 SU and 1-2 ATS at home against conference foes.

Iowa State at Texas A&M

These two old Big 12 rivals meet for the first time since 2012, as the Aggies are coming off their first SEC loss following a 7-0 start. Texas A&M was tripped up at Arkansas, 74-71, while cashing the ‘under’ in five straight games. Iowa State has won and covered four games in a row, including home triumphs over Kansas and Oklahoma. The Cyclones have cashed in both road underdog opportunities this season, including an 81-79 victory at Cincinnati as five-point ‘dogs in December.

Minnesota at Indiana

The Golden Gophers are one of two Big 10 squads that has yet to win a conference game (Rutgers the other). Minnesota covered as 14-point home underdogs in a 68-64 setback to Purdue on Wednesday to improve to 3-1 ATS the last four games. Indiana suffered its first conference loss following a 7-0 start in Tuesday’s overtime defeat at Wisconsin, 82-79. The Hoosiers own a 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS record at home inside the conference, as Indiana goes for the season sweep of Minnesota after winning in Minneapolis earlier this month, 70-63 as 10½-point favorites.

Miami, FL at North Carolina State

The Hurricanes face their third straight team from North Carolina after beating Wake Forest and Duke at home. Miami has won only once in three ACC road opportunities with the two losses coming at Clemson and Virginia. The Wolfpack have struggled in conference play at 1-6, coming off Wednesday’s high-scoring defeat to Georgia Tech. N.C. State is 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS at home against ACC foes, while the Wolfpack are 1-5 ATS in their last six games in Raleigh.

Boston College at North Carolina

It’s the haves and the have-nots hooking up in Chapel Hill. North Carolina hasn’t lost an ACC game yet, while Boston College has yet to crack the win column against conference foes. The Tar Heels own a perfect 7-0 record in ACC play, but haven’t covered in each of their past three wins against N.C. State, Wake Forest, and Virginia Tech as double-digit favorites. It’s been an ugly start for BC in conference action, going 0-7 SU and 1-5-1 ATS inside the league with all three road losses coming by 20 points or more. Since 2011, the Eagles have lost seven straight meetings with the Tar Heels, including three losses by 18 points or more.

Nebraska at Purdue

Nebraska had its four-game winning streak snapped in a home loss to Michigan last Saturday. The Huskers have covered five of their last six contests, while winning its past three road games at Rutgers, Illinois, and Michigan State. Purdue has failed to cash in its last three trips to the court, in spite of victories over Minnesota and Ohio State. In all three home Big 10 wins, the Boilermakers have won by double-digits, while beating the Huskers at home last season, 66-54 as 7½-point favorites.

Oklahoma at LSU

In a battle of two Player of the Year candidates, the top-ranked Sooners hope to avoid their third loss this season. Buddy Hield leads Oklahoma off back-to-back wins over Baylor and Texas Tech, but the Sooners are 3-7 ATS the last 10 games. Ben Simmons and LSU have struggled to cover numbers of late, going 0-6 ATS the past six contests, including a non-cover in Tuesday’s 89-85 victory over Georgia as eight-point favorites. The Tigers are listed as a home underdog for the second time this season, as LSU knocked off Kentucky in early January, 85-67.

Georgia at Baylor

Georgia has been an ATS covering machine lately by posting a 6-1 ATS mark the last seven games. The Bulldogs rallied late to cash as road underdogs at LSU on Tuesday, the third straight cover away from Athens. UGA has eclipsed the ‘over’ in seven of the last nine games, including each of the past three times as a road underdog. Baylor came back to shock Oklahoma State on Wednesday, 69-65 for its third straight road win. The Bears have failed to cash in their last two home games, which includes a loss to Oklahoma.

Kentucky at Kansas

Kansas hasn’t lost back-to-back games this season, while alternating wins and losses the past six contests. The Jayhawks were tripped up at Iowa State on Monday, 85-72, falling to 0-5 ATS the last five games. Kansas is unbeaten at home this season at 11-0, but hasn’t covered in its last three wins at Allen Fieldhouse. Kentucky is rolling of late by winning three straight games by double-digits, but the Wildcats are 2-4 in their last six contests away from Rupp Arena. The Wildcats destroyed the Jayhawks in their previous meeting last season, 72-40 as seven-point favorites in Chicago.

Memphis at SMU

Memphis snapped a two-game losing streak with a 97-86 victory at Central Florida on Tuesday to pick up their third straight road cover. All three of Memphis’ losses in AAC play have come by four points or less, including away ATS wins at UConn and Cincinnati. SMU is fresh off its first loss of the season last Sunday at Temple, dropping to 2-5 ATS the last seven contests. All four times SMU won at home in AAC play, the Mustangs didn’t bring in the money, including a pair of wins by four points or less.

Providence at Georgetown

Providence couldn’t capitalize off its overtime upset of Villanova, as the Friars lost at home to Xavier on Tuesday, 75-68. The Friars have fared well on the highway in Big East play with a perfect 3-0 SU/ATS mark, including victories over Creighton and Butler. Georgetown is fresh off a miraculous comeback victory over Creighton, erasing an 11-point deficit in the final 90 seconds of a 74-73 triumph. The Hoyas began Big East play at 6-1, but haven’t cashed in the last two contests.

Oregon State at Arizona

Oregon State has lost nine straight Pac-12 road games since last season, including an 0-3 mark this season. The Beavers look to bounce back after getting rolled at Arizona State on Thursday, 86-68 as five-point underdogs, while OSU tries to upset Arizona for the second straight season. The Wildcats own a surprising 4-4 record in Pac-12 play after losing to Oregon on Thursday, its first home loss in their last 50 games at the McKale Center. Arizona has cashed the ‘over’ in nine of the last 10 games, including five straight ‘overs’ in Tucson.

Saturday's Tip Sheet
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

West Virginia at Florida

Florida (13-7 straight up, 11-6-1 against the spread) and West Virginia will collide in the inaugural SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Saturday in Gainesville. Tip-off at the sold-our O-Dome is scheduled for noon Eastern on ESPN.

Mike White’s team is No. 26 in the RPI Rankings thanks to the nation’s fourth-toughest non-conference scheduled and the country’s ninth-toughest overall slate. UF is just 1-5 against the Top 50, but it has a 5-7 mark against the Top 100 and zero deplorable losses. The Gators’ best wins include triumphs over Saint Joseph’s, Georgia, Auburn and LSU. They beat Phil Martelli’s squad on a neutral court and have a road win at Ole Miss. However, UF still needs to capture another win of merit on the road. Those chances will come in pending games at Kentucky, at Georgia, at South Carolina and at LSU.

Florida has won nine of its 10 home games in Gainesville, going 5-2 ATS.

UF saw its three-game winning streak snapped in Tuesday’s 60-59 loss at Vanderbilt, but it hooked up its betting backers as a 4.5-point underdog. The Gators covered the number for the fifth time in six games. KeVaughn Allen and Kasey Hill scored 16 points apiece in the losing effort. Dorian Finney-Smith finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Allen, the true freshman guard out of Little Rock, scored 14 of his 16 points in the last two minutes of the game. UF was an abysmal 7-of-33 from the field in the first half, including 0-for-10 from long distance.

UF forward Justin Leon sustained a concussion three minutes into the first half at Vanderbilt. Leon, who had been averaging 10.5 points per game in the six previous contests, had recently become a starter. His status for WVU as of Friday afternoon was ‘questionable.’ Leon had 14 points and nine boards to spark his team to a 68-62 home win over LSU a few weeks ago. Leon, who initially signed with White at La. Tech, has been a pleasant surprise. He leads UF in 3-point shooting percentage, draining 45.5 percent of his launches from beyond the arc. He’s made 56.5 percent of his attempts from downtown in SEC play. Leon’s absence was key against Vandy, as the Commodores won most of the 50/50 battles for loose balls. Leon not only produces numbers, but he’s a blue-collar player that makes hustle plays galore. Facing a scrappy team coached by Bob Huggins, Leon’s presence (or absence) will be crucial, worth at least a point or two in the line in my opinion.

West Virginia (17-3 SU, 11-6 ATS) is No. 18 in the RPI Rankings, producing a 4-3 record against the Top and a 6-3 mark versus the Top 100. The Mountaineers have just three defeats – vs. Texas, at Oklahoma and vs. Virginia on a neutral court. They owns quality scalps over Kansas State (twice), Texas Tech, San Diego State and Kansas.

These teams have a pair of common foes. Both have beaten Richmond and Oklahoma State

Since losing back-to-back games to OU and UT, WVU has won consecutive contests at Texas Tech (80-76) and vs. Kansas State (70-55). Jonathan Holton led the way against the Wildcats with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Jaysean Paige contributed 12 points, five boards and four steals for the winners.

Following his weekly radio show Thursday night, Huggins announced that Holton has been suspended indefinitely (at least three games) and will miss Saturday’s game. Holton averages 9.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. He shoots at a team-best 54.0 percent clip from the field.

Paige leads the Mountaineers in scoring with a 13.6 points-per-game average. Junior forward Devin Williams is averaging 13.1 points and 8.2 RPG, while sophomore guard Jevon Carter is averaging 11.0 PPG and has a 64/29 assists-to-turnovers ratio. Carter also has a team-best 37 steals.

WVU has won four of its five road games, going 3-2 ATS.

These schools haven’t met since playing a home-and-home series in 2002 and 2003. In 2002, WVU upset the Gators 68-66 as a 17-point road underdog. Then in Morgantown the next year, UF exacted revenge in a 70-57 triumph as an 11.5-point road ‘chalk.’ Matt Walsh and David Lee scored 17 and 15 points, respectively, as UF overcame a six-point halftime deficit.

The ‘over’ is 7-3 in UF’s last 10 games. Totals have been an overall wash (9-9) for the Gators, but they have seen the ‘over’ hit at a 5-3 clip in their eight lined home games.

The ‘under’ is 10-7 overall for WVU, but the ‘over’ has cashed at a 4-1 clip in the Mountaineers’ five true road assignments.

Virginia at Louisville

If Virginia wants to stay in the mix for the ACC regular-season title, it is crucial that the Cavaliers go into the KFC Yum! Center and beat Louisville on Saturday afternoon. The Cavs are 5-3 in ACC play, while U of L is 6-1. The Cardinals trail North Carolina and its 7-0 league ledger by one game going into this weekend.

Louisville (17-3 SU, 8-8 ATS) is undefeated in 13 home games with a 6-3 spread record.

Rick Pitino’s squad has won four in a row since suffering its lone ACC setback at Clemson, 66-62. However, the Cardinals have failed to cover the spread in back-to-back games. They are off a 91-83 win Wednesday night at Va. Tech as 10-point road favorites. Damion Lee was sensational in Blacksburg, needing only eight shots to score a game-high 29 points. Lee, the transfer from Drexel, drilled 6-of-7 shots from 3-point land and converted 11-of-12 attempts at the charity stripe. He also dished out six assists and pulled down five rebounds. Trey Lewis, another transfer from Cleveland State, poured in 22 points on 4-of-7 shooting from downtown.

Lee paces U of L in scoring (17.2 PPG), steals (1.6 SPG) and free-throw percentage (87.0%). Lewis is averaging 12.7 PPG. Sophomore center Chinanu Onuaku is averaging 10.6 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. Onuaku has a team-best 40 blocked shots.

Louisville is No. 16 in the RPI Rankings, compiling a 2-2 record against the Top 50 and a 6-3 mark against the Top 100. The Cards’ best wins came at home vs. Pitt and FSU. They have lost at Michigan State, at Kentucky and at Clemson by 10 combined points.

Virginia (16-4 SU, 7-11 ATS) is No. 11 in the RPI, going 7-2 versus the Top 50 and 9-3 against the Top 100. The Cavs have great wins over Villanova, Miami and West Va., in addition to quality scalps over the likes of Syracuse, California, Notre Dame, Clemson and William & Mary. They also have a road win at Ohio State

UVA hasn’t lost at home but has dropped four of its six road games. Even worse, the Cavs are 0-6 ATS on the road this year.

Tony Bennett’s team has won three in a row but is mired in a money-burning 2-8 ATS slide. UVA was fortunate to pull out a remarkable comeback win at Wake Forest on Tuesday night in Winston Salem. The Cavs trailed by as many as 13 in the second half and they were down 10 with 1:20 remaining. Trailing by four, Malcolm Brogdon hit a deep trey with 4.5 seconds remaining. After fouling, Wake Forest made one of two free throws. Then UVA advanced the ball and after taking a pass in the corner with just one tick left, Darius Thompson launched a game-winning 3-ball that kissed home off the glass at the buzzer. Thompson, a sophomore transfer from Tennessee, had not taken a shot the entire game until burying the game winner.

Brogdon scored a game-high 28 points at Wake ForeState Anthony Gill added 17 points before fouling out.

Brogdon averages a team-best 17.6 PPG. The senior guard from Norcross, just outside of Atlanta, has a 58/30 assists-to-turnovers ratio and collects 4.5 RPG. Gill scores at a 15.0 PPG clip and grabs 6.0 RPG. The senior forward is making 60.1 percent of his attempts from the floor. Junior guard London Perrantes (11.7 PPG) has a 79/35 assists-to-turnovers ratio and a team-high 20 steals. Perrantes is hitting 52.7 percent of his shots from 3-point range.

UVA leads the nation in keeping opponents off the boards, allowing foes just 25.2 RPG. The Cavs are 11th in the country in scoring defense, giving up only 61.9 PPG. They are 10th in the nation in field-goal percentage, connecting on 49.6 percent of their shot attempts. They are 19th in the country in 3-point shooting percentage and free-throw percentage, making 39.7 percent and 75.0 percent, respectively.

The ‘over’ is 10-8 overall for UVA, 3-3 in its road outings.

The ‘over’ is 8-7-1 overall for U of L, but the ‘under’ has posted a 5-3-1 record in its home outings. The Cards have seen the ‘over’ hit in three consecutive contests.

CBS will have the broadcast at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.

Iowa State at Texas A&M

Texas A&M (17-3 SU, 7-6-2 ATS) is unbeaten in 12 home games with a 4-2 spread record. The Aggies are No. 14 in the RPI, posting a 4-1 record against the Top 50 and a 9-3 ledger versus the Top 100. They own quality wins over the likes of Texas, Kansas State, Baylor, Florida and Gonzaga.

Billy Kennedy’s team saw its 10-game winning streak snapped Wednesday at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, where Arkansas captured a 74-71 win as a 3.5-point home underdog. In the losing effort, Danuel House knocked down 4-of-5 shots from 3-point range en route to scoring a game-high 24 points. House also had six rebounds and three steals. Tyler Davis finished with 14 points and eight boards.

Texas A&M is unbeaten this year in three games against Big 12 opponents.

Jalen Jones is the catalyst for A&M, averaging team-highs in scoring (17.0 PPG) and rebounding (7.0 RPG). House is scoring at a 15.7 PPG clip, while Davis averages 11.3 PPG and 5.9 RPG. Davis has a team-best 21 blocked shots.

Iowa State (16-4 SU, 10-6 ATS) has won three of its five road games while posting a 4-1 spread record.

Steve Prohm’s squad has won four in a row both SU and ATS, including Monday’s 85-72 win over Kansas as a 1.5-point home favorite. The Cyclones trailed by seven at intermission and didn’t take their first lead until the final nine minutes of the second half. They scored 11 straight at one point to take the lead for good.

Monte Morris was the catalyst against KU, scoring 21 points and dishing out nine assists without committing a turnover. Georges Niang scored 19 points, grabbed six rebounds and handed out three assists. Abel Nader drained all three of his shots from long distance, finishing with 17 points, four steals, three boards and three assists compared to just one turnover. Matt Thomas added 13 points, four steals and six rebounds.

Morris leads the Big 12 in assists (7.0 APG), steals (2.0 SPG) and assists-to-turnovers ratio (139/29!). The Flint, MI., product was tabbed as last week’s Big 12 Player of the Week. Morris averages 15.4 PPG and is shooting at an incredible percentage (53.9%) from the field for a guard.

Niang, the versatile 6’8” forward who can play inside and out, is averaging a team-best 19.2 PPG. The senior averages 6.4 RPG and has 64 assists, 17 steals and 13 blocked shots through 20 games.

Iowa State has six players scoring in double figures, including Nader and his 12.9 PPG average. Senior center Jameel McKay is averaging 12.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per conteState McKay has a team-high 32 rejections.

Iowa State is No. 10 in the RPI, producing a 4-3 record vs. the Top 25, a 6-3 mark against the Top 50 and an 8-3 ledger in the Top 100. The Cyclones have one bad loss to No. Iowa on a neutral court. Yes, the Panthers also beat North Carolina, but they have struggled mightily since those two upset victories and are just No. 150 in the RPI.

Iowa State’s best wins have come at home vs. Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa and Texas Tech. The Cyclones have neutral-court scalps of Colorado, Va. Tech and Illinois. They have quality road wins at Cincinnati and at Kansas State

The ‘under’ is 10-7 overall for the Cyclones, but the ‘over’ is 3-2 in their five road contests. They have seen the ‘under’ cash in four straight outings.

The ‘under’ is 9-6 overall for the Aggies, 4-3 in their home games. They have seen the ‘under’ cash in five consecutive games.

Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

NCAAB: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com

Kentucky at Kansas

We are used to seeing a slate of conference games at this time of the year, but the schedule maker sometimes throws us a bit of a January curveball, and that is what we get this Saturday, January 30. One of the most intriguing games on the schedule sees the Kentucky Wildcats facing the Kansas Jayhawks in a battle of ranked opponents that usually has a feel of March Madness match up. If you’re a Wildcats or a Jayhawks fan and want to keep up with this game’s odds, they're are posted at MyBookie.ag

How to bet Kentucky Wildcats Vs Kansas Jayhawks

This has all the makings of the best match-up of the weekend, as it’s a battle of the giants. Both of these programs have a rich basketball history, and you can bet that pride will be on the line in this one. These are a pair of teams that are pretty tough to separate, so it’s really going to be interesting to see how the odds shape up for this one. Get your NCAAB odds at MyBookie.ag.

Why bet on the Kentucky Wildcats

The Kentucky Wildcats (16-4, 6-2) have their eyes set on the top spot in the SEC, where they trail the Texas A&M Aggies by a single game. While they will be well aware that this game will be one of their toughest of the season so far, they are coming in on a 3-game win streak where they have looked very impressive indeed. The Wildcats have played 2 previous games against ranked opponents this season, and they managed to come away with a win on both. Kentucky have had their issues on the road this season, but 2 road wins in their last 3 suggests that they might be able to handle what is reading to be a boisterous Allen Fieldhouse. The Wildcats are averaging 77.9 PPG, and have seen that number start to creep up in recent games. Defensively, they are giving up 66.4 PPG.

Why bet on the Kansas Jayhawks

It has been a tough stretch of games for the Kansas Jayhawks (16-4, 5-3) who have lost 3 of their last 5 games. A pair of those wins came against ranked opponents, which has to be a disappointment for a Kansas team that had been disposing of ranked teams with stunning regularity earlier in the season. It sometimes takes a big win to break out of this type of slump, and a victory over Kentucky would certainly fit into that category. The problem that the Jayhawks have been facing of late is some lackluster play on the defensive side of the court, as the 85 and 86 points that they gave up in losses to Iowa State and Oklahoma State, respectively, are well above their 69.3 PPG season average. If they can defend better in their own end, there is no reason they can’t win this one. Offensively, the Jayhawks are averaging 83.7 PPG.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

I personally cannot wait for this game, as I think it has the potential to be the most exciting match-up of the weekend. I expect a close one, and think we might even be looking at a buzzer beater for the win. I’m giving the slight edge to Kentucky here.

NCAAB: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com

Virginia at Louisville

Saturday is always a great day to place a few wagers and watch some sports on TV, but it gets even better when you have a great match-up to play on. There is indeed a great ACC game to pay attention to on Saturday when Louisville hosts Virginia. Be sure to visit MyBookie.ag for your NCAA Basketball odds.

How to Bet Virginia Cavaliers Vs Louisville Cardinals

One of the toughest challenges for any NCAA basketball bettor is trying to figure out who will come out on top when a couple of teams ranked in the top 20 go head to head. It’s even harder to predict when they are also conference foes, but that is all just part of the fun. It’s going to be interesting to see how the bookies have this one.

Why Bet on the Virginia Cavaliers

After a bit of a sticky start to conference play, it looks as though the Virginia Cavaliers (16-4, 5-3) are finally comfortable in the ACC. The rough start they made has seen them drop to #11 in the rankings, but a 3-game win streak and a victory over ranked Louisville would certainly help their chances of getting back into the top 10. The strange thing about the record that Virginia have compiled this season is that all of their losses have come against unranked opponents. They are a perfect 3-0 against ranked teams, although all 3 of those wins came on home court. The Cavaliers broke out of their 3-game losing skid on the road with a win over Wake Forest earlier this week, and they have a good shot of making it 2 in a row on Saturday. The Cavaliers are averaging 72.9 PPG, and are giving up just 61.9 PPG this season.

Why Bet on the Louisville Cardinals

The Cardinals (17-3, 6-1) are on a bit of a roll at the moment, and have now won 4 straight games heading into this one. That streak began with a 59-41 win over a ranked Pittsburgh team, and it seems to have infused this group with some much-needed confidence. The Cardinals have won 13-straight home games this season, and have won 13 of their last 15 overall. Louisville is ranked #16 right now, but you have to think that a victory over another ranked opponent would have them continue their upward trajectory. That is sometimes the only motivation that a team needs when heading into a big game. The Cardinals are averaging 80.9 PPG, and are giving up just 60.0 PPG.

Expert Betting Pick and Final Score Prediction

As good as both of these team are defensively, the chances of us seeing a shootout here are pretty much slim to none. For me, the edge has to go to the Cardinals, simply because they have been so dominant on home court all season long.

Saturday's NCAAB Top 25 Betting Cheat Sheet
Covers.com

No. 9 West Virginia at Florida (-1.5, OFF)

The Mountaineers' pressure defense - they lead the nation in turnovers forced (19.8 per game) and steals (10.8) led by four-headed backcourt monster - starters Jevon Carter and Dexter Miles Jr. and talented reserves Jaysean Paige and Tarik Phillip - have combined for 136 steals, that lead to easy baskets on the other end.

The Gators are coming off a 60-59 loss at Vanderbilt in which they managed only 19 first-half points while shooting a woeful 21.2 percent. Freshman guard KeVaughn Allen made it interesting, pouring in 11 points in the final 32 seconds, but it wasn't enough as the Gators' three-game SEC winning streak ended.

TRENDS:

* West Virginia is 5-1 ATS in its last six games overall.
* Florida is 5-1 ATS in its last six games overall.
* Under is 5-1 in West Virginia's last six games overall.
* Over is 5-1 in Florida's last six home games.

No. 12 Virginia at No. 14 Louisville (-6, OFF)

The Cavaliers are the conference's best three-point team, shooting a conference-high 39.9 percent beyond the arc - good for 19th in the country - and commit a league-low 9.3 turnovers - tied for the best mark in the country.

Meanwhile, Louisville went a season-best 12-of-18 beyond the arc in Wednesday's 91-83 victory at Virginia Tech, using its best 3-point shooting effort since Dec. 27, 2010, to overcome a rare poor effort from the nation's fifth-ranked scoring defense. "We had to win this game on offense because we were in such serious foul trouble. We did a great job making the extra pass, passing and shooting," Cardinals coach Rick Pitino told reporters.

TRENDS:

* Virginia is 0-5 ATS in its last five road games.
* Louisville is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games following a straight up win.
* Over is 4-1 in Virginia's last five games following a straight up win.
* Over is 6-1 in Louisville's last seven games following a straight up win.

No. 8 Xavier at DePaul (+10, OFF)

The Musketeers shot 50.8 percent from the field and put the clamps on No. 10 Providence for a 75-68 victory on Tuesday – their third consecutive triumph away from home. Sophomore guard Trevon Bluiett continues to lead the offense, averaging 15.4 points and draining 39.3 percent from 3-point range.

Myke Henry, a 6-6 forward who averages 14.3 points and 6.3 rebounds, has scored in double figures 19 of his last 22 contests and is shooting 54.9 percent from the field this season. Billy Garrett Jr. is the only other double-figure scorer (13.5) while Tommy Hamilton IV (9.2 points, 6.3 rebounds) has made 11-of-18 from the field over the past three outings.

TRENDS:

* Xavier is 6-0 ATS in its last six road games versus a team with a losing home record.
* DePaul is 1-4 ATS in its last five Saturday games.
* Under is 4-1 Xavier's last five road games.
* Under is 5-1 in DePaul's last six games overall.

No. 16 Iowa State at No. 5 Texas A&M (-4.5, OFF)

Iowa State has won four straight contests after a 1-3 start in the Big 12, including a 13-point win over No. 3 Kansas on Monday, and the Aggies come in off their first loss in 11 games. The Cyclones are led by a deep, productive offense that tops the Big 12 in field-goal percentage (50.3) and stands second in scoring (84.4).

The Aggies still lead the SEC at 7-1, but must recover from a season-high 21 turnovers in the 74-71 loss at Arkansas on Wednesday. They lead the SEC in assists per game (18.6) and are second in assist-turnover ratio (1.48) despite their rough outing with the ball at Arkansas.

TRENDS:

* Iowa State is 4-0 ATS in its last four games overall.
* Favorite is 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings.
* Under is 5-0 in Texas A&M's last five games overall.
* Under is 4-0 in Iowa State's last four games overall.

Minnesota at No. 17 Indiana (-19.5, OFF)

Indiana entered the week as one of the nation's hottest teams before having its 12-game winning streak snapped by Wisconsin in overtime on Tuesday. Indiana is among the nation's leaders in points per game (85.8), field-goal percentage (51.9) and 3-point shooting (44.4 percent), but Minnesota limited it to 70 points on 41.3 percent shooting - including 32 percent from beyond the arc in their first meeting.

The Gophers are last in the conference and have dropped 13 of 14, with their last victory coming on Dec. 16 against Chicago State. Minnesota has lost to three ranked Big Ten teams - Indiana, No. 11 Michigan State and No. 21 Purdue - by a total of nine points, but they all occurred at home.

TRENDS:

* Minnesota is 4-1 ATS in their last five games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Indiana is 5-1 ATS in their last six Saturday games.
* Over is 4-0 in Minnesota's last four road games.
* Over is 6-0 in Indiana's last six home games vs. a team with a losing road record.

No. 13 Miami at North Carolina State (+5, OFF)

The 13th-ranked Hurricanes are riding a three-game ACC winning streak while the Wolfpack have only one ACC victory and are winless at home in league play. Miami is coming an impressive 80-69 victory over No. 20 Duke in which the Hurricanes shot 50.8 percent from the field thanks to their unselfish play.

While the Wolfpack has struggled, it certainly hasn't been energetic guard Anthony "Cat" Barber's fault as the junior leads the ACC in scoring (22.8) while dishing out 4.7 assists per game.

TRENDS:

* Miami is 1-4 ATS in its last five road games.
* North Carolina State is 1-6 ATS in its last road home games.
* Under is 7-1 in Miami's last eight overall.
* Over is 4-0 in North Carolina State's last four home games.

Boston College at No. 1 North Carolina (-27, OFF)

Boston College is the only winless team in the conference and play the Tar Heels twice in a span of 11 days, as they host the Tar Heels on Feb. 9. They played their closest ACC game in a 72-62 loss at home against Florida State on Tuesday.

The Tar Heels have won 11 straight and their first seven in league play - all by an average of 11.1 points - behind the conference's top offense, despite the fact Marcus Paige is mired in an alarming slump that has seen him miss all 16 of his 3-point attempts over the last three games, which comes after he hit at least one 3-pointer in a school-record 41 consecutive contests.

TRENDS:

* Boston College is 0-7 ATS in their last seven road games.
* North Carolina is 0-4 ATS in their last four home games.
* Under is 10-2 in Boston College's last 12 games overall.
* Under is 6-1 in the last seven meetings in North Carolina.

Nebraska at No. 21 Purdue (-11, OFF)

The Cornhuskers have shown dramatic offensive improvement in the past month and are a confident bunch, having gone on the road and defeated Illinois and No. 11 Michigan State before laying an egg at home against Michigan. Nebraska's one-two scoring punch of Andrew White (16.9 points) and Shavon Shields (15.8) might be able to take advantage of the Boilermakers, who could be looking ahead to their next two opponents: No. 7 Maryland and the Spartans.

The last time Purdue played, the Boilermakers were without star freshman forward Caleb Swanigan and needed Vince Edwards' 24 points and eight rebounds to avoid what would have been an embarrassing loss to Minnesota. Swanigan, who averages 10.1 points and 8.9 rebounds, remains a question mark with a lower leg injury.

TRENDS:

* Nebraska is 4-0 ATS in its last four road games.
* Purdue is 1-4 ATS in its last five games following a straight up win.
* Over is 8-1 in Nebraska's last nine games following a straight up loss.
* Over is 4-0 in Purdue's last four games following a straight up win.

No. 2 Oklahoma at Louisiana State (+4.5, OFF)

Sooners senior Buddy Hield has been the best guard in the country and the Sooners have lost only twice - both agianst top 20 opponenets while posting victories against Memphis, Wisconsin, Villanova, Iowa State, and West Virginia, among others. Their most recent outing featured a 24-point rout of Texas Tech as Hield scored 30 points to raise his scoring average to 25.9.

Freshman sensation Ben Simmons averages 19.8 points, 12.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists, although he was held without an assist for the first time this season in Tuesday's four-point win over Georgia.

TRENDS:

* Oklahoma is 6-0 ATS in their last six versus SEC.
* LSU is 0-6 ATS in their last six games overall.
* Over is 5-0 in Oklahoma's last five games following a ATS win.
* Under is 6-1 in LSU's last seven games following a straight up win.

Georgia at No. 18 Baylor (-11.5, OFF)

J.J. Frazier has scored 26 points in each of his past two games and teams with Kenny Gaines to form a potent 3-point shooting duo, with Frazier hitting 41.1 percent from long range and Gaines shooting 40.4 percent.

Baylor leads the nation at 20.3 assists per game, with point guard Lester Medford averaging 7.1 per contest (seventh nationally). The Bears have won eight of their past 10 games and had their 15-game homecourt winning streak snapped in last Saturday’s 82-72 loss to the Sooners.

TRENDS:

* Georgia is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games overall.
* Baylor is 1-7 ATS in their last eight non-conference games.
* Over is 5-1 in Georgia's last six versus Big 12.
* Over is 6-1 in Baylor's last seven games versus a team with a winning % above .600.

Alabama at No. 22 South Carolina (-7, OFF)

The Crimson Tide spoiled No. 22 South Carolina’s 15-0 start with a 73-50 home rout on Jan. 13, but they’ve lost three of four since. Five of their eight losses have come by 10 points or fewer - including each of the last three.

South Carolina never was in the first meeting, as Alabama raced out to an early lead and was 13-of-28 from 3-point range while holding the Gamecocks to 35.8 percent shooting overall and 3-of-18 from beyond the arc.

TRENDS:

* Alabama is 4-1 ATS in its last five games overall.
* South Carolina is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 home games.
* Under is 10-4 in the last 14 meetings.
* Under is 5-1 in Alabama's last six versus a team with a winning straight up record.

No. 19 Kentucky at No. 3 Kansas (-5, OFF)

In case its 2-3 record over the last five games doesn't provide enough motivation, most of the key contributors from Kansas' upperclass-laden roster this year logged significant minutes when Kentucky routed the Jayhawks 72-40 in the Champions Classic in Indianapolis last season. The 32-point margin of defeat was the largest suffered by Kansas since Feb. 7, 2000, and gave the Wildcats their third straight win in the series.

The Jayhawks are coming off an 85-72 loss at Iowa State on Monday, but they enter this contest with a 34-game winning streak in Allen Fieldhouse, where Kentucky will attempt to increase its 22-6 advantage in the all-time series. The Wildcats, who are 2-3 in true road games this season, have won three in a row after pounding Missouri 88-54 on Wednesday.

TRENDS:

* Kentucky is 6-1 ATS in their last seven games versus a team with a winning straight up record.
* Kansas is 0-5 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Under is 7-0 in Kentucky's last seven versus Big 12.
* Under is 5-1 in Kansas' last six overall.

No. 10 Providence at Georgetown (-2, OFF)

The 10th-ranked Friars, who play five of their next seven on the road, fell for the third time in four home games with a 75-68 setback against No. 8 Xavier on Tuesday, sinking into a tie for fourth place in the Big East.

The Hoyas were headed toward a home loss of their own on the very same night before rallying to top Creighton 74-73. D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera capped a 19-point effort with the key free throws in the closing seconds as Georgetown moved into a tie with Xavier for second place in the league.

TRENDS:

* Providence is 8-1 ATS in their last nine games following a ATS loss.
* Georgetown is 4-1 ATS in their last five versus Big East.
* Over is 4-1 in Providence's last five road games.
* Over is 7-1 in Georgetown's last eight home games versus a team with a winning road record.

Oregon State at No. 15 Arizona (-13.5, OFF)

Oregon State has lost four of its last five games and needs a win to avoid falling out of contention in the wide-open Pac-12 race. Freshman guard Stephen Thompson Jr. scored a team-high 14 points against Arizona State, but the Beavers fell into a tie for ninth in the Pac-12 after failing to build on their 15-point win over USC.

Arizona is deep in unchartered waters after losing four of its last seven contests, including watching its 49-game home winning streak come to an end with Thursday’s loss to Oregon. The Wildcats clearly miss junior forward Elliott Pitts (personal reasons) and freshman guard Allonzo Trier, who averages nearly 15 points per game but remains out due to a broken hand.

TRENDS:

* Oregon State is 3-13 ATS in its last 16 road games.
* Arizona is 5-1 ATS in their last six home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
* Over is 9-1 in Oregon State's last 10 games following a straight up loss.
* Over is 5-0 in Arizona's last five home games.