College Basketball Knowledge
Since 2004, 11-seeds are 5-11 SU when facing a 3-seed this round; underdogs are 5-3 vs spread in last eight 3-11 games. Wichita St. spanked Arizona Thursday; they've allowed 52.5 ppg in two wins this week. Shockers used nine guys 12+ minutes vs Arizona, only VanVleet/Baker went 32+. Miami is #33 experience team in nation; they played four guys 33:00+ vs Buffalo, going 26-34 on line in a game that was 35-33 at half. It has been five years since 11-seed was favored to beat a 3-seed; 11-seed Gonzaga (-2) lost to BYU; in '10, Washington (-1.5) beat 3-seed New Mexico.
Since 1998, Duke is 15-1 in second round games; only loss was to West Virginia in '08. Yale lost 80-61 at Duke Nov 25; was 38-36 at half. Each team lost a key player from that day. Yale plays great defense; their two guys inside are seniors- thier opponents shoot only 32% on arc (#44) in country. Bulldogs outscored Baylor 22-9 on foul line in Thursday's win. Yale used three kids 35:00+. Duke was 31-43 on line vs UNCW; that was full-court game, this will be half-court game. Allen/Ingram played 40/39:00- Devils use only seven kids, with 7th kid barely used.
Kentucky-Indiana used to play on CBS every December; Calipari didn't want to go to Bloomington anymore, so series ended in '12. Over last four years, favorites are 8-3 vs spread in #4-5 seed tilts in this round. Both teams had easy wins Thursday. Indiana is 6-1 in its last seven games, but lost its first Big 14 tourney game. UK is 11-2 in its last 13 games; they've won last five games in second round (4-1 vs spread). Indiana is 3-2 as an underdog this year, 2-1 in league play. Big 14 teams are 7-0 vs SEC this year (Kentucky lost to Ohio St.), going 2-0 as an underdog.
Ark-Little Rock was down 14 with 4:29 left Thursday, rallied for a double OT win; three Trojans played 40:00+ in altitude. Trojans lost by 12 at Texas Tech, its only Big X game this year. Sun Belt teams are 0-4 vs Big X this year, losing by 22-7-42-12. Iowa State ran past defenseless Iona; Cyclones used three guys 37:00 in thin Denver air. Since 2010, #12-seeds are 5-2 vs spread as underdogs in this round. UALR is #12 in experience; they're 30-4, play #344 pace, 9th-slowest in country. Trojans' G Hagins had 31 Thursday; he single-handedly brought UALR back in final minutes.
In first two years of reconfigured Big East, league teams are 1-5 in second round NCAA games; Xavier had only win LY. Last seven years, #1 seeds are 17-10-1 in second round games; Virginia won easily Thursday- no one played more than 30:00. Cavaliers beat Villanova 86-75 in December; ACC teams are 4-5 vs Big East this year, faves were 6-3 vs spread those games. Butler used four kids 31:00+ vs Texas Tech, in game they trailed by 8 early, led 30-28 at half- they were 9-17 on arc. Bulldogs lost to ACC's Miami by 10; they're 8-3 in last 11 overall. Virginia won 14 of last 17 games, with losses by 1-3-4 to top 25 teams.
Kansas lost in this round last two years, both times as a 2-seed; they're 4-5 vs spread in second round last nine years. Ollie is 7-0 in tournament as a head coach; Huskies won by five at Texas in December, its only Big X game. AAC teams are 3-2 vs Big X this season. UConn stormed back vs Colorado in first round after they trailed by nine early in second half- two UConn kids played more than 25:00. Huskies have #6 eFG% defense, are #92 experienced team. Kansas starts, three juniors, one senior- they shoot 42.1% on arc, #3 in country. Last seven years, #1 seeds are 17-10-1 in second round games.
Since 2003, Gonzaga is 3-8 in this round, 2-3-1 vs spread when an underdog. Utah won 10 of last 11 games, losing to Oregon in Pac-12 tourney final; Utes beat BYU by 8, its only WCC game. Pac-12 teams are 11-3 vs WCC this year, 2-2 vs Gonzaga. Bulldogs beat Seton Hall by 16, using three guys 35:00+; altitude bothered the Pirates- Utah is used to it. Since 2004, 11-seeds are 5-11 SU when facing a 3-seed this round; underdogs are 5-3 vs spread in last eight 3-11 games. Utah played four guys 33;00+ Thursday; they fell behind with 10:32 left, outscored Fresno 33-19 rest of way.
North Carolina won its last six games after a 4-4 lull in February; since 2001, Tar Heels are 7-5 in this round- they're 6-4 vs spread in last ten 2nd round games. ACC teams are 4-5 vs Big East this year, faves were 6-3 vs spread those games. Providence won five of last six games, scoring with 0:01.3 left to beat USC Thursday. Dunn/Bentil shot combined 12-34, Friars still won- they don't use any seniors- they're young, thin. UNC is deep, more experienced. Last seven years, #1 seeds are 17-10-1 in second round games. Providence forces turnovers 20.6% of time; they'll need to here.
NIT
Creighton had lost five of last six games before hammering Alabama by 18 Tuesday, Bluejays are 13-1 vs teams outside top 150, with only loss to Loyola in December. Wagner won eight of last nine games, with loss at home in NEC title game; they won at St Bonaventure in NIT opener, running out to 17-point first half lead, then holding on.
CIT
UL-Lafayette won three of last four games, losing to UALR in semis of Sun Belt tourney; Cajuns lost three of last four road games, with win by 10 at lowly Troy. Furman had lost four of five before beating Cajuns' rival UL-Monroe in last game; Paladins scored last 12 points of game in a 58-57 win. SoCon teams are 3-2 vs Sun Belt teams this season.
New Hampshire is 12-4 in its last 16 games after starting year 8-8; they lost to Vermont in America East semis- they've won six of last nine on foreign soil. Coastal Carolina is 4-3 in its last seven games; Chanticleers won last three home games since losing to High Point 58-57. UNH has one senior in its rotation; these are important games for future growth.
Armadillosports.com
Saturday's Early Tips
By David Schwab
VegasInsider.com
The 2016 NCAA Tournament’s second round kicks things off this Saturday afternoon with a pair of intriguing matchups in both the South and West Region. The No. 11 Wichita Shockers get things started in the South against the No. 3 Miami Hurricanes in a 12:10 p.m. (ET) at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence followed by a matchup between No. 12 Yale and No. 4 Duke in the West at this same venue.
No. 11 Wichita State Shockers vs. No. 3 Miami Hurricanes
Opening Odds: Wichita State -2, 130
Betting Matchup
The Shockers lived up to their recent reputation as a team to watch in this tournament with a pair of victories so far. In a play-in game against Vanderbilt this past Tuesday, they hammered the Commodores 70-50 as four-point favorites. Wichita State advanced to this round with Thursday’s 65-55 victory against No.6 Arizona in a game that closed as a PICK. The total stayed UNDER in both of these contests and it has stayed UNDER in its last four games.
Defense was the driving force behind the win against the Wildcats with Wichita State holding Arizona to shooting 41.7 percent from the field and 6-for-18 from three-point range. Senior guard’s Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet combined for 39 points, nine rebounds and seven assists to help pace the win. These two have been getting it done all season long for a Shockers’ team that is averaging 73.2 points per game while ranking first in the nation in points allowed (59.3).
Miami started its tournament run as the No. 3 seed in the South with a tighter than expected 79-72 victory over No. 14 Buffalo as a 14-point favorite. The Hurricanes have now failed to cover in their last four games while going 2-2 straight-up. The total went OVER 148 in Thursday’s win and it has now gone OVER in their last three games. Coming into this game as an underdog, Miami is 2-3 against the spread when getting points this season.
To keep this run alive against a very tough opponent, the Hurricanes will need a big game from the backcourt combination of seniors’ Angel Rodriguez and Sheldon McClellan. These two combined for 44 points against Buffalo to go along with 12 rebounds and six assists. Miami is averaging 75.6 PPG, but this was just the second time it exceeded this number in its last 12 games. Defensively, the Hurricanes are holding opponents to 66.8 PPG.
Betting Trends
The Shockers are now 9-3 ATS in their last 12 NCAA Tournament games, but they fall to 3-10 ATS in their last 13 neutral-site games. The total has stayed UNDER in six of their last eight games outside their conference.
The Hurricanes are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 nonconference games, but they have failed to cover in five of their last six Saturday games. The total has gone OVER in nine of their last 10 games in this tournament.
This will be the first meeting between these two teams in recent memory.
Championship Odds
Miami 30/1
Wichita State 35/1
South Region Odds
Miami 15/2
Wichita State 12/1
No. 12 Yale Bulldogs vs. No. 4 Duke Blue Devils
Opening Odds: Duke -6, 146
Betting Matchup
Yale did some damage to quite a few brackets in another one of those famous 12-5 upsets with its 79-75 victory over Baylor this past Thursday as a 5½-point underdog. The Bulldogs have just one SU loss in their last 19 games and they have been a solid betting team since late January with a 10-3-1 record ATS in their last 14 contests. The total went OVER 136½-points against the Bears and it has gone OVER in four of their last six games.
Much has been made in the press over Yale’s ability to outrebound Baylor 36-32, but the highlight of this upset was sophomore guard Makai Mason going off with a game-high 31 points. He is the Bulldogs’ leading scorer this season with 16.3 PPG, but this lineup also boasts a pair of solid scorers in senior forward’s Justin Sears (15.9 PPG) and Brandon Sherrod (12.4 PPG). Yale is averaging 75.2 points while allowing an average of 63.1 points on defense.
The Blue Devils bowed-out of this season’s ACC Tournament with an 84-79 loss to Notre Dame as two-point favorites and they found themselves down by three as 10-point favorites in Thursday’s 93-85 victory against the No. 13 UNC Wilmington Seahawks. After failing to cover in that game, Duke is now 0-6 ATS in its last six outings. The total went OVER 154 points in Thursday’s win and it has gone OVER in its last three contests after staying UNDER in 10 of its previous 11 games.
Duke fans can thank senior center Marshall Plumlee and sophomore guard Grayson Allen for setting-up this Saturday’s matchup after each put-up 23 points against the Seahawks. Freshman guard Brandon Ingram also came up big in his first NCAA Tournament game with 20 points, nine rebounds and three assists. The Blue Devils are ranked 17th in the nation in scoring with 81.5 PPG and at the other end of the court they are holding opponents to 72.1 points.
Betting Trends
The Bulldogs are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 neutral-site games and they are 8-3-2 ATS in their last 13 games outside their conference. The total has stayed UNDER in seven of their last 10 games played at a neutral site.
The Blue Devils have covered in six of their last seven NCAA Tournament games, but they have now failed to cover in their last seven games at a neutral site. The total has stayed UNDER in eight of their last 11 games against an Ivy League team.
These two faced one another in the regular season with Duke covering as a 14 ½-point home favorite in an 80-61 victory on Nov. 25. The total stayed UNDER the closing 149-point line.
Championship Odds
Duke 30/1
Yale 300/1
West Region Odds
Duke 6/1
Yale 65/1
Saturday's Evening Tips
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com
#5 Indiana vs. #4 Kentucky (-3, 155)
These two rivals haven’t met since 2012 as the Hoosiers and Wildcats are each coming off blowout wins in their tournament openers. Indiana (26-7 SU, 18-15 ATS) routed public underdog Chattanooga on Thursday, 99-74 to easily cash as 11-point favorites, while improving to 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS the last seven games. Tom Crean’s club won its first NCAA tournament since 2013, when the Hoosiers reached the Sweet 16 before bowing out to Syracuse. Indiana put together a 3-2 ATS record as an underdog this season, including outright victories over Michigan, Iowa, and Notre Dame.
Kentucky (27-8 SU, 19-16 ATS) came within one victory of reaching the National Championship game last season, as the Wildcats had no issues in their tournament opener against Stony Brook in an 85-57 stomping of the Sea Wolves. John Calipari’s squad covered as 13½-point favorites marking the sixth consecutive game that UK picked up an ATS win. The Wildcats posted a 1-4 ATS record in last season’s Big Dance, while going 5-5-1 ATS as a single-digit favorite in the tournament since 2011.
The last time the Wildcats and Hoosiers hooked up four years ago, Kentucky ousted Indiana in the Sweet 16 in a 102-90 triumph. The Wildcats have won four of the past five matchups with the only loss coming at the buzzer in Bloomington in December 2011 as a 5½-point favorite, 73-72. Kentucky is currently listed at 10/1 odds to win the National Championship at Sportsbook.ag, while Indiana sits at 30/1.
#12 Arkansas-Little Rock vs. #4 Iowa State (-6½, 145)
One of the two #12 seeds to pull off an upset on Thursday was the Sun Belt champions, Arkansas-Little Rock (30-4 SU, 20-10 ATS), who erased a 14-point deficit in the final five minutes of regulation to stun Purdue in double-overtime, 85-83. The Trojans cashed as 8½-point underdogs in their first ‘dog opportunity since a 68-64 win at Louisiana in mid-February as 3½-point ‘dogs. UALR became the second straight Sun Belt team to an opening round game after Georgia State knocked off another Big 12 foe last season in a one-point upset of Baylor.
Iowa State (22-11 SU, 16-13-1 ATS) avoided another early exit in the tournament by taking care of Iona in Thursday’s first round matchup, 94-81 as seven-point favorites. The Cyclones overcame a pair of late season losses to Kansas and Oklahoma to advance to the round of 32 for the first time since 2014, when ISU eventually got knocked out in the Sweet 16. ISU busted the 90-point mark for the seventh time this season in Thursday’s victory, while cashing the ‘over’ in seven of the past 10 games overall.
The Cyclones are looking for consecutive covers in the favorite role for the first time in nearly two months, while posting an 8-4 ATS record in their last 12 games when laying points. UALR opened the tournament at 100/1 just to win the Midwest Region, as that number has dropped to 75/1 after the upset of Purdue. The Trojans sit at 300/1 odds to win the National Championship at Sportsbook.ag, while the Cyclones are listed as 40/1 to capture the title.
#9 Butler vs. #1 Virginia (-7, 131½)
One of three top seeds to take the court in the evening in the round of 32 is Virginia (27-7 SU, 18-14 ATS), who pulled away after a slow start to rout Hampton, 81-45 as 23-point favorites. The Cavaliers improved to 10-2 ATS in the last 12 contests, including nine straight covers in the favorite role. Tony Bennett’s club continues to play terrific defense, finishing ‘under’ the total for the 12th time in the past 14 games, while holding eight of those opponents to 53 points or less.
Butler (22-10 SU, 17-14-1 ATS) isn’t afraid of the March spotlight after making the championship game in 2010 and 2011. The Bulldogs look for another run to the Final Four as they cruised past Texas Tech to reach the round of 32 in a 71-61 victory as 3½-point favorites. Butler rebounded from a poor showing in the Big East tournament against Providence to pick up its eighth win in the last 11 games. From an ATS perspective, the Bulldogs own a spectacular 9-2 ATS record in this hot stretch, while covering in both opportunities as an underdog.
Since the start of its miraculous run to the 2010 championship game, Butler has compiled a 14-2-1 ATS record in its last 17 tournament games, including a 9-1-1 ATS mark in the underdog role. Virginia has covered just three times in seven tournament contests under Bennett dating back to 2012, including a 2-3 ATS mark in the favorite role. The Cavaliers are currently listed at 9/1 odds to win the title behind Kansas (9/2) and North Carolina (6/1)
Saturday's Late Tips
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com
Connecticut vs. Kansas
This is a South Region game in Des Moines, IA., with the winner moving on to the Sweet 16 in Louisville to face the Maryland-Hawaii winner. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. Eastern on CBS.
The Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas opened Kansas (31-4 straight up, 22-11 against the spread) as an eight-point favorite with a total of 139. As of early Friday night, however, the Jayhawks were favored by 8.5 points with the total adjusted to 140. The Huskies were +375 on the money line (risk $100 to win $375).
Kansas moved into the Round of 32 by blasting Austin Peay 105-79 as a 24.5-point favorite. The 184 combined points soared ‘over’ the 150.5-point total. Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk scored a team-high 23 points off the bench in 24 minutes thanks to 9-of-11 shooting from the field. Perry Ellis added 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting, while Landen Lucas scored 16 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked a pair of shots.
Kansas has won 15 games in a row while cashing tickets at a frenetic 13-2 ATS clip. Bill Self’s team hasn’t tasted defeats since losing at Iowa State way back on Jan. 25.
KU has been a single-digit ‘chalk’ 15 times, producing a 10-5 spread record.
Bill Self owns a 37-16 (69.8%) career record in the NCAA Tournament, ranking his winning percentage as the seventh-best among active head coaches and the fourth-best among coaches remaining in this year’s field.
UConn (25-10 SU, 17-13 ATS) is rolling with five consecutive wins both SU and ATS, including Thursday’s 74-67 come-from-behind win over Colorado as a 3.5-point favorite. The Huskies trailed by nine at intermission, but they dominated the second half. Daniel Hamilton was the catalyst with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Rodney Purvis finished with 19 points and five boards. Sterling Gibbs was also in double figures with 12 points and his 3-pointer from the corner gave UConn its first lead of the game about six minutes into the second half.
UConn has only been an underdog six times, posting a 2-3-1 spread record with a pair of outright victories.
UConn is 1-2 SU in three games against RPI Top-25 foes. The Huskies’ best wins came at home vs. SMU, on a neutral court vs. Cincinnati and at Texas. They also beat teams in the tourney like Michigan, Tulsa and Temple. In 35 games, UConn lost by a double-digit margin only twice – vs. Maryland (by 10) on a neutral court and at SMU.
UConn head coach Kevin Ollie owns a perfect 7-0 record in NCAA Tournament games. The last coach to win his first seven games in the Tournament was Michigan’s Steve Fisher but in his eighth Tourney game, the defending national champs featuring Terry Mills, Rumeal Robinson and Loy Vaught got smashed by Loyola-Marymount in the 1990 second round as Jeff Fryer drained 11 3-pointers for Paul Westhead’s team that would advance to the Elite Eight in memory of its late teammate Hank Gathers. LMU lost to eventual national champ UNLV.
The ‘under’ is 16-14-1 overall for the Huskies, but the ‘over’ is 6-2 in their eight outings.
The ‘under’ is 19-12-1 overall for KU, but the ‘over’ is 4-1-1 in its last five contests.
Gonzaga vs. Utah
This is a Midwest Region matchup between 11th-seeded Gonzaga and third-seeded Utah in Denver. The winner will advance to the Midwest semifinals to face a double-digit seed (Syracuse-Middle Tennessee winner) in Chicago. This game is slated to tip at 8:40 p.m. Eastern.
The Westgate opened this game as a pick ‘em with a total of 139. The side remains a pick, while the total has been slightly adjusted to 139.5.
Utah (27-8 SU, 17-15 ATS) advanced to the Round of 32 by capturing an 80-69 win over Fresno State as an 8.5-point favorite. The 149 combined points jumped ‘over’ the 139-point tally. Lorenzo Bonam scored a team-high 17 points by draining 7-of-10 attempts from the field. Jako Poeltl produced 16 points, 18 rebounds and four assists, while Brandon Taylor contributed 16 points, six assists and four steals. Jordan Loveridge buried 4-of-8 from downtown and finished with 16 points, three rebounds and three steals.
Utah had the nation’s seventh-strongest schedule. The Utes went 3-5 against RPI Top-25 opponents, 11-7 versus the Top 50 and 19-8 against the Top 100. They own neutral-court wins over Texas Tech, Duke, Temple, California and Southern Cal. Their best road triumphs came at Colorado and at USC.
Poeltl averages team-highs in scoring (17.6 PPG), rebounding (9.2 RPG), field-goal percentage (64.9%) and blocks (1.6 BPG).
Gonzaga (27-7 SU, 16-15-1 ATS) was in danger of potentially missing the Tournament for the first time since Mark Few took over at the school for the 1999-2000 season. However, the Bulldogs caught fire at the right time and have now won six in a row both SU and ATS. Five of those victories have come by double-digit margins.
Few’s team advanced Thursday night by thumping Seton Hall 68-52 as a two-point ‘chalk.’ The 120 combined points stayed way ‘under’ the 146-point tally. Domantas Sabonis dominated in the paint with 21 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, two blocked shots and one steal. The key to victory was the Bulldogs’ domination on the glass with a 47-32 rebounding advantage. Gonzaga’s defense forced Seton Hall star Isaiah Whitehead into a miserable 4-of-24 shooting performance. Whitehead missed all 10 of his 3-point launches. The Pirates were an atrocious 8-of-21 from the charity stripe and 4-for-21 from long distance.
Kyle Wiltjer scored 13 points and had seven rebounds against Seton Hall, but he was only 5-of-14 from the field. The senior, who is in his second year with Gonzaga after transferring from Kentucky, averages a team-best 20.5 PPG and makes 42.6 percent of his 3-pointers.
Sabonis averages 17.5 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. The son of Russian legend and former Portland Trail Blazer star Arvidas Sabonis is shooting 60.8 percent from the field.
Totals have been an overall wash (16-16) for the Bulldogs, but they’ve seen the ‘over’ go 3-1 in their last four outings.
The ‘over’ is 19-13-1 overall for Utah after hitting in each of its last four games.
Providence vs. North Carolina
This is an East Region showdown in Raleigh, N.C., between No. 1 seed North Carolina (29-6 SU, 16-18-1 ATS) and ninth-seeded Providence. The winner moves on to Sweet 16 in Philadelphia to face the winner of Kentucky-Indiana.
The Westgate opened UNC as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 151. Since then, they’ve adjusted the Tar Heels to 10-point ‘chalk.’ The Friars are +450 on the money line (risk $100 to win $450).
North Carolina knocked off Florida Gulf Coast by an 83-67 count Thursday night, but it failed to cover the number as a 22.5-point favorite. The 150 combined points slipped ‘over’ the 148-point total. It was the sixth straight victory for Roy Williams’s club, but its four-game string of spread covers came to an end. Brice Johnson was the catalyst with 18 points, eight blocked shots, seven rebounds and three assists without a turnover. Joel Berry II finished with 14 points and six boards, while Justin Jackson and Isaiah Hicks had 12 points apiece. Marcus Paige scored 10 points and dished out five helpers compare to just one turnover.
Johnson is the catalyst for this ultra-talented UNC squad. The senior forward averages team-highs in scoring (16.6 PPG), rebounding (10.5 RPG) and field-goal percentage (61.5%).
Providence (24-10 SU, 18-15 ATS) advanced to the Round of 32 by beating Southern Cal 70-69 on a layup by Rodney Bullock off a baseline inbounds pass with 1.4 seconds remaining. Nevertheless, gamblers backing the Trojans cashed tickets as two-point underdogs. Ben Bentil scored 19 points and pulled down the nine rebounds pace PU. Kris Dunn scored 16 points and had four rebounds and four assists. Bullock finished with 16 points, 10 boards, two steals, two blocks and one assist without a turnover.
PU has thrived in 14 games as an underdog, compiling a 9-5 spread record with eight outright victories.
This is a rematch of the 2014 NCAA Tournament matchup won by UNC 79-77 as a 4.5-point ‘chalk.’ Paige had 19 points and four assists compared to only one turnover for the Tar Heels. Brice Johnson had 16 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots, while Kennedy Meeks finished with 12 points and five boards.
The ‘over’ is 19-14 overall for the Friars.
The ‘over’ is 18-17 overall for UNC.
Tip-off is slated for 9:40 p.m. Eastern on TBS.
NCAAB: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
Gonzaga vs Utah
Mark Few's Bulldogs using a dominating defensive beat sixth-seeded Seton Hall 68-52 in the first round setting up a Midwest Region matchup against #3-seed Utah Utes who took care of Fresno State 80-69 in the round of 64 to advance. Stat wise not much seperates these two. Zags are netting 79.4 points/game with four players in double digits lead by Kyle Wiltjer (20.5). On the defensive side, Zags allow an average 65.8 per/contest. As for Utah, the Utes drop 77.7 points/game with Jakob Poeltl (17.6) leading four players in double digits. Defensively, Utes allow opponents 69.1 per/game.
Although there is a tussle in the betting market with this one a PK'm the Utes will rise to the occasion here. That's because Zags have a habit of faltering in the second round. In their last seven appearances Bulldogs are 2-5 SU/ATS. Bulldogs are also ridding a 1-7-1 ATS skid in non-conference games.
East Region Second Round Betting Preview
By Covers.com
There are two East Region Round of 32 matchups Saturday, including the latest chapter of a storied rivalry when No. 5 seed Indiana faces off against No. 4 Kentucky.
No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers vs. No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats (-3, 155)
As far as second-round NCAA Tournament matchups go, it doesn't get much better than Kentucky versus Indiana. The storied programs square off Saturday at Des Moines, Iowa, where the fourth-seeded Wildcats and fifth-seeded Hoosiers aim to build off impressive opening-round victories.
This is the first matchup between the teams since the 2011-12 season, when Indiana upset Kentucky at the buzzer in the regular season before the Wildcats got their revenge in the Sweet 16. “It’s a rivalry because of the history of it, because of the proximity of the two states,” Hoosiers coach Tom Crean told reporters, “but (also) because the two basketball teams have been good when it’s been at its best.” This encounter will pit the Hoosiers' senior backcourt against the young, talented guards of the Wildcats. Of course, things don't get any easier for the winner of this game, which likely will face East Region No. 1 seed North Carolina (or potentially ninth-seeded Providence).
LINE HISTORY: Kentucky opened as 3-point favorites in this Second Round matchup and the line hasn't moved off that number. The total has been bet down one point from 156 to 155. Check out the complete line history here.
ABOUT INDIANA (26-7, 18-15 ATS, 16-17 O/U): Senior point guard Yogi Ferrell is the undisputed leader for Indiana, which shot nearly 65 percent from the field and went 10-of-16 from the 3-point line in a resounding 99-74 victory over 12th-seeded Chattanooga in Thursday's opener. Ferrell led the way with 20 points and 10 assists, while the role players who stepped up included freshman OG Anunoby, who scored 14 points and is averaging 13.5 points on 12-of-13 shooting in his last two games. The bulk of Kentucky's frontcourt players are veterans, putting additional pressure on Indiana freshman Thomas Bryant (11.6 points, 5.7 rebounds) and junior Troy Williams (13.0, 6.0) to hold their own in the paint.
ABOUT KENTUCKY (27-8, 19-16 ATS, 19-15-1 O/U): The Wildcats trounced No. 13 seed Stony Brook, 85-57, behind Jamal Murray's 19 points and a solid 13-point, 11-rebound effort from fellow freshman Isaiah Briscoe. The other primary member of Kentucky's backcourt is Tyler Ulis, the SEC Player of the Year who chipped in 10 points and seven assists against Stony Brook, although it was his lowest-scoring game in more than two months. The Wildcats set an NCAA Tournament record with 15 blocks on Thursday, including six by up-and-down freshman Skal Labissiere and two by senior mainstay Alex Poythress.
TRENDS:
* Indiana is 5-1 ATS in its last six non-conference games.
* Kentucky is 6-0 ATS in its last six games overall.
* Over is 20-7 in Indiana's last 27 non-conference games.
* Over is 6-0 in Kentucky's last six versus Big Ten opponents.
No. 9 Providence Friars vs, No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels (-9.5, 151)
Top-seeded North Carolina will look for a sharper effort when it takes on No. 9 seed Providence in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday night in Raleigh, N.C. The Tar Heels only led 16th-seeded FGCU by one at halftime before pulling away for an 83-67 victory Thursday in the opening round of the East Regional to extend their winning streak to six.
“We definitely built some momentum in the ACC Tournament, and then we kind of went backward here,” North Carolina forward Brice Johnson told reporters Thursday. “We can definitely get back to where we were. We just have to come back with a different mindset.” Johnson did his part in the victory with 18 points, seven rebounds and eight blocks and will face a difficult challenge inside against Providence’s Ben Bentil, who led the Big East in scoring. The Friars survived 40.3 percent shooting and edged USC 70-69 on Rodney Bullock’s layup with 1.5 seconds left in Thursday’s first round. Providence coach Ed Cooley told reporters it will be a “David-and-Goliath situation” against the Tar Heels, but he added that, “anything, as you can see, can happen in March.”
LINE HISTORY: The No. 1 ranked Tar Heels opened as 9.5-point home favorites and have yet to move off that number. The total also hasn't moved since opening at 151. Check out the complete line history here.
ABOUT PROVIDENCE (24-10, 18-15 ATS, 19-14 O/U): Guard Kris Dunn battled foul trouble that limited him to 27 minutes, but scored 16 against USC and will need a big effort against North Carolina’s talented backcourt. Dunn averages 16 points, 6.3 assists and 2.5 steals while the 6-9 Bentil scores 21.1 per game after pouring in 19 on 7-of-21 shooting Thursday. Bullock (11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds) has strung together two big games in a row, scoring 34 total on 13-of-22 shooting – 6-of-9 from 3-point range -- and grabbing 17 rebounds.
ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (29-6, 16-18-1 ATS, 18/17 O/U): The Tar Heels have held 26 straight opponents to under 45 percent shooting from the field but must have a better defensive effort than Thursday if they are to win a championship. Offense is not a concern for North Carolina, which averages 82.3 points with six players registering at least nine per contest. Johnson averages 16.6 points and 10.5 rebounds while Joel Berry II scores 12.7 per game – 16.3 in the last four – and fellow guards Justin Jackson (12.1) and Marcus Paige (12.0) also contribute.
TRENDS:
* Providence is 5-1 ATS in its last six games overall.
* North Carolina is 4-1 ATS in its last five games overall.
* Under is 4-1 in Providence's last five NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 6-0 in North Carolina's last six non-conference games.
South Region Second Round Betting Preview
By Covers.com
The Second Round of the "Big Dance" tips off Saturday in the South Region with No. 3 Miami taking on the experienced No. 11 seed Wichita State, who is actually favored in this matchup.
No. 11 Wichita State Shockers at No. 3 Miami Hurricanes (+2, 131.5)
Two of the most experienced and productive backcourt duos in the nation meet when third-seeded Miami (Fla.) takes on No. 11 seed Wichita State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday in Providence, R.I. Sheldon McClellan and Angel Rodriguez combined for 44 points in Miami’s first-round South Region win while Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet have led the Shockers to a pair of victories.
Rodriguez scored 24 as the Hurricanes survived with a 79-72 victory over Buffalo on Thursday, and the 5-11 point guard’s block ignited a decisive run. “That’s the beauty of this team,” Rodriguez told reporters. “We just need one little thing to get us going, and we found it on the defensive end.” VanVleet and Baker were freshmen when Wichita State reached the Final Four in 2013, and they have been on the floor together for 118 games in four seasons -- emerging victorious in 105 of them. The seniors combined for 29 points in Thursday’s 65-55 first-round win over Arizona.
LINE HISTORY: Despite being an 11-seed, books are giving lots of respect to the hot Shockers, opening them as 2.5-point faves over the 3-seed Hurricanes from Miami. The line has come back to Miami a bit, now sitting at Wichita State -2. The total hasn't moved from the opening number 131.5. Check out the complete line history here.
ABOUT WICHITA STATE (26-8, 20-12 ATS, 13-18-1 O/U): The Shockers got a strong effort from their bench again Thursday as guard Conner Frankamp and forward Markis McDuffie each scored 10. “It’s going to take more than me and (Baker) to be able to get these wins,” VanVleet told reporters, “and the last two games we’ve been able to do that, so give these guys a ton of credit.” Baker averages 14.1 points overall while VanVleet is the only other player in double figures (12.2) and he dishes out 5.6 assists per contest.
ABOUT MIAMI (26-7, 18-13-1 ATS, 16-16 O/U): Rodriguez scored at least 17 in four of the last six games and drained three 3-pointers in three of the past five while McClellan, a 50-percent shooter overall, is scoring 18 per game in the last five outings. Davon Reed (11.2) and Ja’Quan Newton (11.1) support McClellan (15.9) and Rodriguez (12.1) on the perimeter for the Hurricanes, who are 5-2 in their last seven. Senior center Tonye Jekiri (7.9 points, 8.8 rebounds) is the key to Miami’s defense with 126 career blocks – sixth all time at Miami.
TRENDS:
* Wichita State is 4-0 ATS in its last four non-conference games.
* Miami is 0-4 ATS in its last four games overall.
* Under is 4-0-1 in Wichita State's last five games overall.
* Over is 6-0 in Miami's last six neutral site games.
No. 9 Connecticut Huskies vs. No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks (-8, 140)
There are seven games on Kevin Ollie’s NCAA Tournament head-coaching résumé, and the Connecticut coach still has yet to taste defeat. That run, though, will face a serious test Saturday when the ninth-seeded Huskies take on the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed, Kansas, in a second-round South Region contest in Des Moines, Iowa.
Much like 2014, when Ollie guided UConn to the national championship as a seventh seed, the current Huskies are on a late-season roll while winning five straight, including a 3-0 run to win the American Athletic Conference tournament title and a 74-67 comeback victory over eighth-seeded Colorado in Thursday’s NCAA tourney first round. “Coaching is overrated,” Ollie said Thursday in his post-game news conference. “I want to have a great relationship with my guys, so I can push them and demand everything I possibly can out of them. They've done a beautiful job.” Kansas enters Saturday’s contest on a 15-game roll after, as expected, routing 16th-seeded Austin Peay 105-79 on Thursday. “I don't think our guys have felt pressure from being the No. 1 seed,” Kansas coach Bill Self told the media afterward. “... But I don't think it's to the point that (we) need to validate anything anymore. I think what you gotta do, is you gotta play hungry and you gotta play aggressive and you gotta play loose – and you can't let other people play well.”
LINE HISTORY: The overall No. 1 seed Jayhawks opened as 8-point faves over the streaking Huskies and the line hasn't moved since. The total has been bet up one point from 139 to 140. Check out the complete line history here.
ABOUT CONNECTICUT (25-10, 17-13-1 ATS, 14-16-1 O/U): The Huskies got off to a sluggish start against Colorado, falling behind 33-22 late in the opening half, but they turned things around with tight defense and a 22-of-23 performance from the free-throw line to outscore Colorado 52-34 the rest of the way. Guards Rodney Purvis (19 points), Daniel Hamilton (17) and Sterling Gibbs (12) combined for 48 points in the win and are joined by forward Shonn Miller to give the team a quartet of leading scorers averaging between 12 and 12.7 points per game. In the meantime, defense (opponents are shooting only 38.3 percent from the floor) and free-throw shooting (UConn’s 79.3 percentage is tops in the nation) have been huge for the Huskies all season.
ABOUT KANSAS (31-4, 22-11 ATS, 13-19-1 O/U): The Jayhawks haven’t lost since an 85-72 defeat at Iowa State on Jan. 25, and are averaging 85.3 points over their last six outings, including their 3-0 run to the Big 12 tournament title. And with Kansas jumping ahead of Austin Peay early Thursday, the Jayhawks were able to get their bench heavily involved, and reserve swingman Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk wound up leading the team with a career-high 23 points. Senior forward Perry Ellis chipped in 21 points and leads the team with his 16.8 average while guards Wayne Selden Jr. (13.3), Frank Mason III (13.0) and Devonte’ Graham (11.4) also are averaging double digits for the Jayhawks, who rank in the top 10 nationally in field-goal (49.7) and 3-point (42.5) percentage.
TRENDS:
* Connecticut is 5-0 ATS in its last five games overall.
* Kansas is 12-3 ATS in its last 15 games overall.
* Over is 10-2 in Connecticut's last 12 games versus Big 12 opponents.
* Over is 4-1-1 in Kansas' last six games overall.
Midwest Region Second Round Betting Preview
By Covers.com
There are three Midwest Region Second Round matchups on tap Saturday, highlighted by Cinderella Arkansas-Little Rock taking on high scoring Iowa State. We break down all the action in our betting preview.
No. 12 Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans vs. No. 4 Iowa State Cyclones (-6.5, 145)
No. 12 seed Arkansas-Little Rock pulled off one of the first upsets of the NCAA Tournament and Thursday and will try to rip off another when it faces No. 4 seed Iowa State in the second round on Saturday in Denver. Senior guard Josh Hagins played the hero for the Trojans in the opener and will try to keep up with a Cyclones squad that dropped 94 points in their first-round win.
Hagins buried a tying 3-pointer from just in front of half court to force overtime against Purdue and banked in a layup to force a second overtime as Arkansas-Little Rock squeezed out an 85-83 win. “We're a fantastic team,” Hagins told reporters. “We're a bunch of guys that like to fight. That's the bottom line, man. We didn't come here to kind of show up and be happy to be here. We're here to win. We really believe in ourselves and we're here to win.” Iowa State lost in its opening round NCAA Tournament game last season to No. 14 seed UAB and was determined not to make that mistake again. The Cyclones put all five starters in double figures, led by Georges Niang’s 28 points, and jumped out to a big lead en route to a 13-point win over Iona.
LINE HISTORY: Iowa State has opened as 6.5-point faves over upset minded Arkansas-Little Rock and the line hasn't moved since. The total has been bet down one point from 146 to 145. Check out the complete line history here.
ABOUT ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK (30-4, 20-10 ATS, 11-19 O/U): The Trojans were down by 13 points with 3 1/2 minutes left in regulation on Thursday before Hagins took over and finished with a career-high 31 points, seven rebounds, six assists and five steals. Arkansas-Little Rock sailed through the Sun Belt during the regular season and is united in its belief that it can make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. “We're not done yet,” Trojans coach Chris Beard told reporters. “I've always thought there's different kinds of teams that go to tournaments. Teams that are happy to be in the tournament and teams that go to try to win the tournament. That's kind of our objective right now. We think we have a team that can advance in this tournament.”
ABOUT IOWA STATE (22-11, 16-13-1 ATS, 14-15-1 O/U): The Cyclones got over the mental hurdle of last year’s early exit and look like a stronger team than the one that came into the Tournament off back-to-back losses thanks to the health of guard Monte Morris. The junior strained the AC joint in his right shoulder during the regular-season finale and went 1-of-9 from the field in the opening loss of the Big 12 tournament against Oklahoma but was 7-of-12 in 37 minutes on Thursday. “Now you got the pressure to go to the Sweet 16,” Iowa State coach Steve Prohm told reporters. “There's a constant pressure in this business. But you want to be at jobs where there's pressures and expectations or really what are you coaching for and what are you playing for?”
TRENDS:
* Arkansas-Little Rock is 4-0 ATS in its last four neutral site games, but 0-5 ATS in its last five versus Big 12 opponents.
* Iowa State is 4-1 ATS in its last five games overall.
* Under is 4-1 in Arkansas-Little Rock's last five neutral site games.
* Over is 5-1 in Iowa State's last six NCAA Tournament games.
No. 8 Butler Bulldogs vs. No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers (-7.5, 130)
Virginia was knocked out in the Round of 32 in last season's NCAA Tournament, a fate it hopes to avoid when it meets No. 9 seed Butler on Saturday in a Midwest Region affair in Raleigh, N.C. The top-seeded Cavaliers shook off a slow start - and a scare when coach Tony Bennett fainted just before halftime before returning to coach the second half - to rout Hampton 81-45 in Thursday's first round.
They shot 55 percent, made 12 3-pointers and turned the ball over only five times in their most lopsided win since the season-opener against Morgan State. "It just started with ... getting into the paint, having our bigs be aggressive down low and just finishing down low," London Perrantes - who scored all 12 of his points on four 3-pointers - told reporters. "It opened up for us around the 3-point line." The Bulldogs also worked past some early issues to take control and knock off Texas Tech 71-61. They are seeking their first Sweet 16 berth since 2011, when they were national runners-up for the second straight time.
LINE HISTORY: No. 1 seed Virginia opened as seven-point favorites and have been bet up to -7.5. It no surprise with defensive-minded Virginia involved, the total has been bet down two points from 132 to 130. Check out the complete line history here.
ABOUT BUTLER (22-10, 17-14-1 ATS, 16-14-1 O/U): Kellen Dunham scored 23 points and Kelan Martin had 11 in the final eight-plus minutes in the win over the Red Raiders. Tyler Wideman also hit double digits with 14 points on 6-of-6 shooting while Andrew Chrabascz chipped in 13 for the Bulldogs, who have won at least one game in nine of their last 10 tournament appearances. To keep pace with the Cavaliers, Butler may need more from senior forward Roosevelt Jones, who has a total of nine points on 2-of-17 shooting over his last two games.
ABOUT VIRGINIA (27-7, 18-14 ATS, 12-20 O/U): Senior forward Anthony Gill was seen praying with one hand on his coach's shoulders after the brief collapse on the sidelines, and later joked that he had been the one to heal Bennett. The Cavaliers are getting used to Gill stepping up in postseason play, as he has now scored in double figures in five of six career NCAA Tournament games while some of the other big names around him have struggled. Marial Shayok provided a boost Thursday with 10 points off the bench and he has reached that mark in two of his last three games after 11 straight single-digit efforts.
TRENDS:
* Butler is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games overall.
* Virginia is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games overall.
* Under is 4-0 in Butler's last four non-conference games.
* Under is 6-1 in Virginia's last seven non-conference games.
No. 11 Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. No. 3 Utah Utes (Pick, 140)
Third-seeded Utah meets No. 11 seed Gonzaga on Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver in a Midwest Region contest featuring a pair of sophomore big men at the top of their games. Seven-footer Jakob Poeltl, the Pac-12 Player of the Year, recorded 16 points and 18 rebounds in the Utes' 80-69 victory over Fresno State on Thursday while 6-11 Domantas Sabonis registered 21 and 16 in a 68-52 triumph over Seton Hall.
Utah also boasts a backcourt featuring senior Brandon Taylor and junior Lorenzo Bonam, who combined for 33 points Thursday with Taylor also providing six assists and four steals. The teams are loaded with experience as the Utes reached the Sweet 16 last season while the Bulldogs made it to the Elite Eight before losing to eventual national champion Duke. Gonzaga is appearing in its 18th consecutive NCAA Tournament - fourth-longest behind Kansas (26), Duke (21) and Michigan State (19) - and is coming off its eighth straight first-round victory, matching the Jayhawks for the longest current run. ''This group of guys, as well as the guys before them, have just done an unbelievable job of making streaks that just seemed impossible when you look back at them,'' Bulldogs coach Mark Few told reporters.
LINE HISTORY: Despite this being a matchup between a 3-seed and an 11-seed the line has opened at a Pick'em. The total has been bet up one points from 139 to 140. Check out the complete line history here.
ABOUT GONZAGA (27-7, 16-15-1 ATS, 16-16 O/U): Senior forward Kyle Wiltjer (20.5 points per game) is the highest scorer on either team and leads four Bulldogs in double figures. Sabonis (17.5 points) is seventh nationally at 11.7 rebounds while senior Eric McClellan (10.5 points) - the West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year - and freshman Josh Perkins (10.2) add scoring punch out of the backcourt. Senior guard Kyle Dranginis (6.6 points, 4.4 rebounds) adds veteran leadership while sophomore guard Silas Melson (6.8 points) also contributes.
ABOUT UTAH (27-8, 17-15-1 ATS, 19-13-1 O/U): Poeltl (team highs of 17.6 points and 9.2 rebounds) receives support down low from sophomore forward Kyle Kuzma (10.6 points, 5.8 rebounds), who could be the top candidate to help slow down Wiltjer. Senior forward Jordan Loveridge (11.9 points) scored 16 versus Fresno State while Bonam (10.1 points, 3.1 assists) and Taylor (9.8, 3.9) are the Utes' other top scorers. Coach Larry Krystkowiak uses an eight-man rotation that averages at least 13 minutes and includes senior forward Dakarai Tucker (5.3 points).
TRENDS:
* Gonzaga is 6-0 ATS in its last six games overall.
* Utah is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games overall.
* Under is 6-1 in Gonzaga's last seven non-conference games.
* Over is 4-0 in Utah's last four games overall.
West Region Second Round Betting Preview
By Covers.com
The West Region's lone Second Round game on Saturday features a rare postseason rematch as the defending champion Duke Blue Devils takes on the upstart Bulldogs from Yale.
No. 12 Yale Bulldogs vs. No. 4 Duke Blue Devils (-6, 146)
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has won more NCAA Tournament games than any coach in history, while Yale is coming off its first ever NCAA Tournament victory. They’ll both try to add to those disparate totals when the fourth-seeded Blue Devils face the No. 12 seed Bulldogs in the second round of the West Region on Saturday in Providence, R.I.
It’s a rare postseason rematch, as the Blue Devils pulled away for an 80-61 home win over the Bulldogs on Nov. 25, but Duke star Grayson Allen isn’t putting much stock into the first meeting. “It’s tough to really look at that game at all just because both teams are so different now,” Allen told reporters. “It’s really like two different seasons from then to us playing them now. … They’re a completely different team since then, and we’ve grown as well.” Yale has won 18 of its last 19, including a 79-75 upset of No. 5 seed Baylor on Thursday, and is in the midst of its winningest season since 1906-07. The Blue Devils stumbled down the stretch, losing three of their last five regular-season games before going 1-1 in the ACC tournament, but they withstood a challenge from No. 13 seed UNC Wilmington in a 93-85 victory Thursday.
LINE HISTORY: Duke opened as 6-point favorites over the tournament's first Cinderella, Yale and the line hasn't moved off that number. The total also hasn't moved off the opening number of 146. Check out the complete line history here.
ABOUT YALE (23-6, 12-6-2 ATS, 12-8 O/U): The Bulldogs boast the Ivy League Player of the Year in senior forward Justin Sears (15.9 points, 7.4 rebounds) and another pair of first-team all-conference performers in senior forward Brandon Sherrod (12.4 points, 7.0 rebounds) and sophomore guard Makai Mason (16.3 points). Yale has been excellent on the boards all season and continued that trend against Baylor – improving to 20-2 when winning the rebounding battle – but will have a tougher time on the glass against the Blue Devils’ size up front. The Bulldogs also have a knack for getting to the foul line, averaging nearly 12 free-throw attempts per game, and will likely need to do so often to pull off a second straight upset.
ABOUT DUKE (24-10, 13-18-2 ATS, 15-18 O/U): The Blue Devils struggled with injuries for much of the year, including the loss of senior big man Amile Jefferson, but their young stars might be emerging at the right time to make a deep run. Allen (21.6 points), freshman Brandon Ingram (16.9 points, 6.9 rebounds) and 7-footer Marshall Plumlee (8.6 points, 8.6 rebounds) each topped 20 points against UNC Wilmington. Plumlee put up 23 points on 9-of-10 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds Thursday, and the Blue Devils need him to again take advantage inside against an undersized Yale team.
TRENDS:
* Yale is 10-3-1 ATS in its last 14 games (where a spread was posted).
* Duke is 0-6 ATS in its last six games overall.
* Under is 4-1 in Yale's last five games following an ATS win.
* Over is 5-0 in Duke's last five non-conference games.