College Knowledge
Big East tournament (NYC)
-- Cincinnati was 18-4 when it lost 54-50 (-4.5) at Providence Feb 6, as Friars shot 59% inside arc in game that started Bearcats on current 3-6 skid. Teams combined to go 5-30 from arc that day. UC lost in finals here LY; they're 5-3 in this tournament over last three years. Providence won seven of last nine games, losing at UConn in OT last game; since '03, they're 2-9 in this tournament, losing first game last three years.
-- Seton Hall survived awful OT game with USF last night; three of their starters played 40+ minutes- Pirates' bench played 34 minutes, took one shot. Hall lost 15 of last 18 games, including 76-65 (+9) home loss Feb 16 to Syracuse, when Pirates were 10-26 from arc, 9-18 inside it, only 17-29 from foul line. Orange are struggling, losing four of last five games and 7 of last 12- they're 6-6 in this tourney since winning it in '06.
-- St John's lost last four games by 16-3-26-2 points; throwing Harrison off team hasn't helped. Villanova (-7.5) beat St John's 98-86 in OT at home Jan 2; they were 34-42 from foul line, Red Storm 12-20 (10-20 from arc). Johnnies led by 3 with 1:58 left, couldn't hold on. Wildcats get 28.3% of their points on foul line (#1 in US); this is road game for them- they lost three of last four on road, winning at UConn. St John's is 3-4 in this tournament last seven years, despite being the home team.
-- Rutgers was 12-4 when it lost 69-66 (+12) at Notre Dame Jan 19, loss that started Scarlet Knights on current 3-11 skid; they beat DePaul by 19 last nite, playing only two guys more than 28 minutes. Notre Dame split its last six games since winning consecutive OT games last month; they lost four of last five on road, but won first game in this event last three years, by 12-38-4 points. Rutgers is 1-4 in this event since 2007.
Pac-12 tourney (MGM Garden Arena, Las Vegas)
-- Arizona State lost last four games, scoring 61.8 ppg; they won twice in '09 Pac-12 tourney when they had Harden, are 0-7 otherwise in this event over last decade, losing first game last three years by 9-7-20. ASU lost 62-59 (-1) to Stanford Feb 9 at home; other than Carson, they shot 31% from floor, while Cardinal was 10 for 18 from arc. Stanford is 4-5 in last nine games; they won first tourney game four of last five years.
-- LY, Colorado won four games in four days to win Pac-12 tourney in its first year in league; road team won both Colorado-Oregon St. games, as Beavers (+10) won 64-58 at Colorado Saturday, holding Buffs to 35% from floor with Roberson out (mono). OSU lost five of last six and 14 of last 18 games; they won first tourney game last two years. Only once in last ten games has Colorado allowed more than 64 points- they split last six games, after winning six of previous seven.
-- USC has two of three 7-footers suspended here after off-court issues in Pullman last week; Trojans (+3.5) won 76-59 at Utah Jan 12, was last game for O'Neill before SC fired him. Trojans are 7-7 under Cantu, losing last three road games. Utes swept Oregon schools last week after dismal 3-13 run; they lost first conference tourney game by 12-14-12 points in last three years. Trojans have 10 transfers, interim coach, played hard (#7) schedule, have two guys suspended; too much drama?
-- Washington slipped to 9-9 in Pac-12 this year, after going 57-24 last four years, winning tourney twice; Huskies beat Washington State twice this year, by 5-4 points, making 58/60% inside arc vs Coogs, who lost first game in last three tourneys, by 2-2-5 points. State had lost nine in a row before sweeping LA schools last week, by 12-24 points. Huskies lost five of last six road games (won @ ASU) but won four of their last six games overall.
MWC tourney (@ UNLV)
-- UNLV struggled with Air Force this year, beating Falcons 76-71 Jan 12 in OT at home (-13), then losing 71-56 (-3.5) on road Feb 13. Rebels' lack of true PG has hurt them badly- they're just 4-4 in this event in last four years, but won first tourney game nine of last 10 years. From 2005-2008, AF went 39-23 in MWC but never won tourney game; this is best team they've had since then. Falcons lost last five road games, with three losses by 12+ points. Early start, smaller crowd should help Falcons.
-- Colorado State is senior-dominated team; Green got hurt in last game, unsure of status here- Rams are not deep team- they beat Fresno twice this year, by 7-11 points, are 1-4 in this event last four years. Bulldogs had lost 15 of 19 games before beating Air Force/UNLV last week; win on this court Saturday has to help their confidence. Fresno played #6 schedule in country, use lot of guys, but have only one win in last six conference tourneys.
-- San Diego State is 10-2 in MWC tourney last four years, winning its first game last five years, by 4-14-1-14-3 points. Boise State (-2) beat Aztecs by 4 Saturday, after losing by 1 in San Diego Feb 6; home teams got off to big leads in both games, barely hung on late. Boise is 1-4 last four years in this event, losing first round games by 10-24-3- they're 5-1 in last six games overall, winning more as they got healthy. Aztecs lost their last five games away from Viejas Arena.
Big X tournament (Kansas City)
-- Hard to lay any points with West Virginia squad that is only 6-12 in its first year in Big X; they swept Texas Tech, winning by 16-2 points. Mountaineers lost in first game of Big East tourney last two years, after winning it in '10- they've lost last six games since nipping Tech by hoop Feb 16. Tech is 9-45 in Big 12 play last three years, losing first tourney game last two years, by 4-16 points; they haven't won road game since Jan 5 at TCU.
-- Texas is 5-3 since Kabongo got eligible Feb 13, with three of five wins in OT; Longhorns need to win tourney to get to NCAAs- they've never won this tournament, despite strong teams they've had. Texas beat TCU by 17-9 points this year, once with Kabongo, once without; Longhorns are 8-1 in first tourney game last eight years, but six of eight wins were by 7 or less points. TCU upset Oklahoma in last game, after being up 22 at half, just its second Big X win in 18 tries.
Amarillosports.com
SEC Tournament: Round 1 Betting Preview
By Covers.com
South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs (+5, 133)
South Carolina closed the regular season by losing four of its final five games. The good news for the Gamecocks is the only team they beat in that stretch is first up in the SEC tournament opener Wednesday as Mississippi State and the Gamecocks begin the tournament. South Carolina enters the tournament as the 12 seed. The Gamecocks defeated the Bulldogs 79-72 in Columbia on March 6, one of two victories for South Carolina in its final 12 games. Mississippi State, the 13 seed, lost 13 in a row at one point this season but ended the regular season with two victories in its final three games. Tennessee awaits the winner in Thursday’s second round.
ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE (9-21, 4-14 SEC, 11-16-0 ATS): First-year coach Rick Ray has juggled his lineup constantly as four players have been lost for the season due to injuries. The Bulldogs start three freshmen and one sophomore. Freshman guard Craig Sword won SEC freshman of the week for the second time last week, averaging 19.5 points and hitting the game-winning free throws against Auburn. Junior forward Colin Borchert recorded his first career double-double (20 points, 13 rebounds).
ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (14-17, 4-14 SEC, 11-15-0 ATS): Junior guard Brenton Williams set a school record for scoring in a SEC game during last week’s victory over the Bulldogs, posting a career-high 38 points on 10-for-17 shooting. Freshman forward Michael Carrera has scored nine points in his past two games, after reaching double figures in six of his previous 10 contests. Carrera did record 13 rebounds in Saturday’s loss to Vanderbilt.
TRENDS:
* Under is 7-2-1 in the last 10 meetings.
* Underdog is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
* Gamecocks are 0-5 ATS in their last five vs. Southeastern.
* Bulldogs are 0-4 ATS in their last four neutral site games.
TIP-INS:
1. South Carolina ranks next-to-last in the SEC in average points allowed (68.9), one point ahead of the Bulldogs (69.9).
2. The Gamecocks’ victory over Mississippi State ended a seven-game losing streak to the Bulldogs.
3. The Bulldogs are the first team since Georgia in 2004-05 to finish with fewer than 10 SEC victories.
Texas A&M Aggies vs. Auburn Tigers (+5, 124)
Texas A&M enters its first SEC tournament hoping to ride a scoring star to a few victories, starting with a first-round matchup with Auburn. Elston Turner leads the Aggies in scoring, averaging 17.7 points, and has shown a penchant for getting hot and leading the team with his scoring ability., though he sat out A&M's last game with a hand injury. The Aggies, the No. 11 seed, are hoping Turner can play against the Tigers. Auburn is just looking to get a win to extend its season, as the 14th-seeded Tigers have lost nine straight heading into this one. The Aggies won the previous meeting between the teams this year, with Turner leading the way with 21 points.
ABOUT TEXAS A&M (17-14, 7-11 SEC, 12-12-0 ATS): The Aggies are hoping to advance, then have another shot at Missouri in the second round since they topped the Tigers in early February. Turner gives them a shot at that, especially the way he's playing lately — he's averaged 24.9 points over his last seven outings while shooting 50 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from 3-point range. Fabyon Harris is another key for the Aggies, with his 43.9 percent shooting from 3-point range, which helps draw some defensive attention away from Turner. Freshman point guard Alex Caruso had his best game of the season against Auburn, setting career highs in points (14) and assists (eight). The inside duo of Kourtney Roberson (6.6 rpg) and Ray Turner (9.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg) will need to play well against the bigger front line of the Tigers.
ABOUT AUBURN (9-22, 3-15, 12-17-0 ATS): Coach Tony Barbee says he's not concerned about his job security, but with 15 losses in their last 16 games — the worst single-season stretch in program history — the Tigers haven't exactly made things easy for the third-year coach. Would a win in the SEC tournament help Barbee's case to keep his job? Maybe not, but it certainly wouldn't hurt. If Auburn is going to pull an upset, it's going to need a big game from senior Frankie Sullivan, who leads the team with a 14.4-ppg average. Also needing to play big — figuratively and literally — is fellow senior Rob Chubb (9.0 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.1 bpg). Chubb will have a size advantage with his 6-10, 250-pound frame against the Aggies' front line. Defense must be a focus for the Tigers, who have given up 71.6 points a game in SEC play.
TRENDS:
* Aggies are 1-4 ATS in their last five vs. Southeastern.
* Aggies are 0-4 ATS in their last four neutral-site games.
* Over is 6-2 in Tigers last 8 overall.
* Tigers are 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 neutral-site games.
TIP INS:
1. Turner is 26 points away from becoming the 33rd player in Texas A&M history to reach the 1,000-point plateau with the Aggies. Turner's totals of his time with Washington and Texas A&M already put him over 1,000 points for his collegiate career.
2. The Aggies are 22-35 all-time in conference tournaments, going 16-19 in Southwest Conference tournament games and 6-16 in Big 12 tournament games.
3. The Tigers are 0-2 in the SEC tournament under Barbee, losing to Georgia in 2011 and to Mississippi in 2012.
Big 12 Tournament: Round 1 Betting Preview
By Covers.com
Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. West Virginia Mountaineers (-8, 136)
Texas Tech looks to beat West Virginia for the first time in school history when the ninth-seeded Red Raiders play the eighth-seeded Mountaineers on Wednesday night in the opening game of the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City, Mo. Texas Tech lost the previous three meetings, including 66-64 on Feb. 16 in Morgantown and 77-61 on Feb. 2 in Lubbock. The Red Raiders have a two-game losing streak and are coming off a 71-69 overtime loss at home to Texas on Saturday. The winner will face top-seeded Kansas in the quarterfinals Thursday.
West Virginia, which is playing its first season in the Big 12 after 17 seasons in the Big East, has a six-game losing streak. The Mountaineers are coming off an 83-74 loss at home to Iowa State on Saturday. Coach Bob Huggins, who is in his sixth season at West Virginia, guided the Mountaineers to the NCAA Tournament in each of his previous five seasons.
ABOUT TEXAS TECH (10-19, 9-13-0 ATS): The Red Raiders, who finished ninth in the Big 12 with a 3-15 conference record, are 12-16 all-time in the Big 12 tournament. They are 7-7 in the first round and reached the finals in 2005. Redshirt junior forward Jaye Crockett on Sunday was selected All-Big 12 honorable mention by the league’s coaches, becoming the first Red Raider to earn postseason honors from the conference since 2010. Crockett, who came off the bench in 25 of 29 games, leads the team in scoring (11.9) and rebounding (6.8). Sophomore forward Jordan Tolbert is the only Red Raider to average double-digit scoring (10.4) in conference play. Freshman guard Josh Gray, who has seven games with five or more assists, ranks third among Big 12 freshmen in assists (92), second in steals (57) and seventh in scoring (9.6).
ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (13-18, 9-18-2 ATS): The Mountaineers finished eighth in the Big 12 with a 13-18 conference record. This is Huggins’ first losing season in league competition since his first Akron team produced a 6-10 record in Mid-American Conference play in 1985. Huggins is 38-14 in conference tournaments, including 10 championships in four different leagues. With 723 career wins, Huggins needs one to tie Ray Meyer for 18th place on the NCAA Division I all-time winningest coaches list. Freshman guard Eron Harris, who leads West Virginia in scoring (9.9), is averaging 17.5 points in his last four games, including two games with 23 points or more. Harris and senior forward Deniz Kilicli, who is second on the team in scoring (8.8) and first in rebounding (4.4), received Big 12 honorable mention.
TRENDS:
* Red Raiders are 8-17 ATS in their last 25 vs. Big 12.
* Mountaineers are 0-5 ATS in their last five vs. Big 12.
* Over is 13-5-1 in Mountaineers' last 19 neutral site games.
* Under is 7-3 in Red Raiders' last 10 neutral site games.
TIP-INS:
1. West Virginia has won 67 of its last 83 games when holding opponents to 69 points or less.
2. Harris could become the second freshman to lead the Mountaineers in single-season scoring since Warren Baker (16.6) in 1972-73.
3. Crockett’s 6.8 rebounds are Texas Tech’s highest single-season rebounding average since Andy Ellis (7) in 2002.
TCU Horned Frogs vs. Texas Longhorns (-11, 121)
Texas coach Rick Barnes looks to continue his dominance of in-state foes as his No. 7 seed Longhorns meet 10th-seeded TCU as the Big 12 Tournament tips off at Kansas City on Wednesday. Barnes' teams are 129-18 against state opponents including a 3-0 mark against TCU.
The Horned Frogs snapped an eight-game losing streak last time out beating Oklahoma in their regular-season finale. TCU was swept by the Longhorns during the season losing by 17 points on the road and nine points at home. The winner of the game will face second-seed Kansas State on Thursday.
ABOUT TEXAS (15-16, 8-18-0 ATS): The Longhorns have won six straight and 10 of the last 11 meetings against the Horned Frogs. Texas is 5-1 all-time in games played at neutral sites. Overall the Longhorns have won five of their last eight games since Myck Kabongo has returned to lineup. In those games, Kabongo leads the team in scoring (15.8), rebounds (5.3), assists (5.3), steals (15) and minutes played (37.8 mpg). Texas has reached the conference finals six times, including five times in the last nine years most recently in 2011. The Longhorns were 7-11 in conference play.
ABOUT TCU (11-20, 15-13-1 ATS): The Horned Frogs wrapped up a dismal conference season with a three-point win over Oklahoma on Saturday. The game prior they also put a scare into Kansas State before falling 79-68. This is TCU's first appearance in the Big 12 tournament after going 2-16 in conference play on the season. Sophomore guard Kyan Anderson enters the tourney riding a hot streak. Anderson has scored in double figures in nine straight games and ranks among the conference leaders in steals, assists, and scoring at 12.1 points.
TRENDS:
* Horned Frogs are 9-24 ATS in their last 33 vs. Big 12.
* Longhorns are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 neutral site games.
* Over is 6-1-1 in Horned Frogs last eight vs. Big 12.
* Over is 6-0 in Longhorns last six vs. Big 12.
TIP-INS:
1. Barnes' teams are 19-14 in Big 12 tournament play.
2. Texas' Sheldon McClellan scored a career-high 27 points in Saturday's win at Texas Tech.
3. TCU ranks third in the Big 12 in scoring defense, 56th in the nation at 62.3 points.
Pac-12 Tournament: Round 1 Betting Preview
By Covers.com
Stanford Cardinal vs. Arizona State Sun Devils (+3.5, 136)
Stanford will try for its sixth consecutive victory against Arizona State when the teams meet Wednesday in the first round of the Pac-12 tournament in Las Vegas. The Cardinal were picked by the media to finish fourth in the conference, but got off to a slow start before finishing tied for sixth with Arizona State at 9-9. The Sun Devils, picked to finish 11th, benefited from the strong play of freshman point guard Jahii Carson, who shared Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors UCLA's Shabazz Muhammad.
The Cardinal won the Feb. 9 meeting in Tempe, Ariz., shooting 10-for-18 from beyond the 3-point line in the 62-59 victory. Stanford sophomore guard Chasson Randle was held to three points in that game but hasn’t scored less than 12 in the seven games since. He has made four 3-pointers in each of the last three games, a first in his career.
TRENDS:
* Cardinal are 6-0 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
* Cardinal are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 neutral site games.
* Sun Devils are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 neutral site games.
Colorado Buffaloes vs. Oregon State Beavers (+5.5, 134.5)
Four days after Oregon State posted its first-ever victory at Colorado, the teams will meet again Wednesday in the opening round of the Pac-12 tournament in Las Vegas. The 12th-seeded Beavers looked dangerous after finishing 10-2 in non-conference play but dropped 14 of their final 18 games to finish tied for last with Washington State. Colorado, the defending tournament champion, also had 10 wins heading into Pac-12 action but the fifth-seeded Buffaloes lost four of their next five and ended up finishing fifth.
The Buffaloes could be without junior forward Andre Roberson, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year who averages a conference-leading 11.5 rebounds and 2.3 steals. Roberson missed the last two games with mononucleosis. He’s expected to travel with the team to Las Vegas but his availability for the tournament opener appears in doubt after he missed practice Monday. Oregon State forwards Joe Burton and Eric Moreland both reached double digits in points and rebounds in Roberson’s absence last weekend.
TRENDS:
* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Favorite is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Buffaloes are 7-1 ATS in their last eight neutral-site games.
USC Trojans vs. Utah Utes (+2, 126)
USC and Utah enter their Pac-12 tournament first-round matchup Wednesday night in Las Vegas heading in opposite directions. The 10th-seeded Utes swept Oregon and Oregon State to close out the regular season last week and the double-digit victories allowed them to escape last place. The No. 7 seed Trojans were swept at Washington and Washington State to finish the season, then learned Monday that leading rebounder Dewayne Dedmon would be suspended for at least the tournament opener for violating team rules.
Utah senior guard Jarred DuBois has played well against USC, even during his days at Loyola Marymount. The L.A. native scored a season-high 17 points against the Trojans as a sophomore at LMU in 2009-10 and scored 18 earlier this season in a 76-59 loss to USC in their only meeting. DuBois will likely be matched against one of USC’s top scorers, Wake Forest transfer J.T. Terrell, who has reached double digits in 10 straight games.
TRENDS:
* Trojans are 16-35-3 ATS in their last 54 games overall.
* Utes are 25-10-1 ATS in their last 36 games overall.
* Under is 7-1 in Utes last eight neutral-site games.
Washington State Cougars vs. Washington Huskies (-2, 127)
Washington will try to continue its success at the Pac-12 tournament when the sixth-seeded Huskies play No. 11 Washington State in a first-round game Wednesday in Las Vegas. Washington has the second-best record in tournament history (16-11) behind Arizona. The Huskies became the second No. 6 seed in four years to win the title last season. The Cougars are 5-13 all time at the tournament, including 1-1 against Washington.
Washington State played its in-state rival close this season, losing by five points at home on Jan. 5 and by four in Seattle on March 3. The Cougars closed out the season with wins against UCLA and USC. The Huskies have won five straight overall against Washington State and nine of the last 11. The Cougars had fourth-leading scorer DaVonte Lacy when they played Washington this season. He has since been lost to season-ending knee surgery.
TRENDS:
* Underdog is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Cougars are 2-7 ATS in their last nine neutral-site games.
* Over is 5-1 in Huskies' last six neutral site games.
Big East Tournament: Round 2 Betting Preview
By Covers.com
Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Providence Friars (+3, 123)
Cincinnati used a runner-up finish in the Big East tournament last season as a springboard to a run to the regional semifinals in the NCAA Tournament. One year later, the ninth-seeded Bearcats may need another strong showing in the conference tournament at Madison Square Garden, starting Wednesday in a second-round matchup against No. 8 seed Providence, to rest easy on “Selection Sunday." Cincinnati began the season 12-0 and rolled to a 6-3 start in conference play, but a lackluster offensive effort caused the team to drop six of its final nine games.
The first of the Bearcats’ six setbacks during their second-half fade came Feb. 6 at Providence, which reversed a 2-7 start in Big East play to finish at .500 in the conference. The Friars, who played 15 games decided by fewer than six points, went 4-1 in such games during their strong close to the season. The winner of this game plays Georgetown in the quarterfinals.
TRENDS:
* Over is 5-2 in the last seven meetings.
* Bearcats are 2-5 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Friars are 7-20 ATS in their last 27 neutral-site games.
Seton Hall Pirates vs. Syracuse Orange (-12, 127)
Although No. 20 Syracuse and Seton Hall remain alive in the Big East tournament, both teams are coming off forgettable performances entering Wednesday’s second-round matchup in the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden. The fifth-seeded Orange held the top spot in the conference for much of the season, but an anemic offense down the stretch led to a 1-4 spell, culminating in Saturday’s 61-39 loss at Georgetown – the fewest points scored by a Jim Boeheim-coached team in his 37-year tenure at the school.
The 12th-seeded Pirates are dealing with their own offensive woes, but overcame an eight-point deficit late in regulation Tuesday to edge South Florida 46-42 in overtime in a first-round game. The game was the second-lowest scoring result in tournament history while the win was only Seton Hall’s second since defeating the Bulls on Jan. 23 – a stretch during which it has scored 55 or fewer points seven times. The winner of this contest will play No. 19 Pittsburgh – the fourth-seed – in the quarterfinals.
TRENDS:
* Favorite is 9-3 ATS in the last 12 meetings.
* Pirates are 3-11 ATS in the last 14 meetings.
* Orange are 2-7 ATS in their last nine neutral-site games.
St. John's Red Storm vs. Villanova Wildcats (-4.5, 126)
Teams headed in opposite directions meet in the second round of the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday when seventh-seeded Villanova plays No. 10 seed St. John’s. The Wildcats’ NCAA Tournament hopes appeared to be fading in mid-February, but a 4-2 finish – including a home victory over top-seeded Georgetown that halted the Hoyas' 11-game win streak – likely solidified their tournament resume. They collected three victories over top-five opponents during the Big East schedule.
The Red Storm have lost four straight since coach Steve Lavin suspended leading scorer D’Angelo Harrison for unspecified reasons and six of seven overall. While five of those six losses have been to ranked foes, St. John’s is averaging 53.3 points and shooting 35.5 percent – including 10.9 percent from beyond the arc – in Harrison’s absence. The winner of this contest plays Louisville in the quarterfinals.
TRENDS:
* Over is 5-0 in the last five meetings.
* Favorite is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Red Storm are 1-5 ATS in the last six meetings.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-8, 128)
Notre Dame triggered the first of two long losing streaks for Rutgers with a narrow victory in their only meeting back in January. Another such win Wednesday in the second round of the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden by the Fighting Irish will give them a win in their first game of the tournament in five consecutive years. Notre Dame will begin its final tournament run Wednesday after receiving approval from the Big East to move to the ACC in most sports beginning next season.
But before the sixth-seeded Irish can even think about advancing to the semifinals of the Big East tournament for the fourth straight year, they’ll need to get through the 11th-seeded Scarlet Knights, who nearly defeated them at home on Jan. 19. The loss to Notre Dame began a 1-11 stretch before Rutgers secured victories at Seton Hall to conclude the regular season and against DePaul to open the conference tournament. The winner of this contest will meet No. 13 Marquette – the third-seed – in the quarterfinals.
TRENDS:
* Scarlet Knights are 13-3 ATS in the last 16 meetings.
* Under is 6-2 in the last eight meetings.
* Underdog is 11-5 ATS in the last 16 meetings.
Wednesday Tips
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com
College basketball heats up with Championship Week continuing on Wednesday. The Big East and Pac 12 are among the conferences that will showcase four matchups in the quarterfinal round, while the SEC and Big 12 tip off their tournaments with a pair of contests. We'll take a look at these 15 games to get you ready for a monster week of action leading up to the NCAA Tournament.
Big East (Madison Square Garden, New York):
(8) Providence vs. (9) Cincinnati
-- The Bearcats are listed as 3½-point favorites with a total of 122½.
-- Cincinnati is 2-4 SU and 0-6 ATS the last six games, while losing four consecutive road contests.
-- Providence has won seven of its last nine contests, while covering six times in this stretch.
-- The Friars beat the Bearcats as four-point home underdogs, 54-50 on February 6.
(5) Syracuse vs. (12) Seton Hall
-- Syracuse started conference play at 10-3, but the Orange stumbled down the stretch by losing and failing to cover four of their final five games.
-- Seton Hall won for just the second time in the last 13 games by rallying past USF last night in overtime, 46-42.
-- The Orange beat the Pirates at the Prudential Center, 76-65 as 8 ½-point favorites on February 16.
(7) Villanova vs. (10) St. John's
-- The Wildcats are listed as 4½-point favorites with a total of 125½.
-- Villanova owns a 6-3 SU/ATS record the past nine games, but all three losses came on the road.
-- St. John's is 1-6 SU and 4-3 ATS the previous seven contests, while scoring 59 points or less in five straight away games.
-- The Wildcats beat the Red Storm in overtime, 98-86 on January 2 to cash as 7½-point 'chalk.'
(6) Notre Dame vs. (11) Rutgers
-- Notre Dame split its final six games, but lost four of its last five road contests.
-- Rutgers won its second consecutive game with last night's 76-57 blowout of DePaul, while covering five of its last six contests.
-- The Irish edged the Scarlet Knights on January 19 in South Bend, 69-66 as 11½-point 'chalk.'
Pac 12 (MGM Grand Arena, Las Vegas):
(8) Stanford vs. (9) Arizona State
-- Stanford is listed as a 3½-point favorite with a total of 134.
-- The Cardinal split their last 10 games, while posting a 2-4 ATS record as a favorite.
-- The Sun Devils have dropped four straight, while cashing the 'under' in eight of the last nine.
-- Stanford squeezed by Arizona State on February 9 as 1 ½-point road 'dogs, 62-59.
(5) Colorado vs. (12) Oregon State
-- Colorado is listed as a 4½-point favorite with the total set at 134.
-- The Buffaloes have split their last six games, while cashing the 'under' in 13 of the past 14 contests.
-- The Beavers snapped a five-game skid by beating Colorado last Saturday, 64-58 in Boulder as 9½-point underdogs.
-- CU owns a 1-4 ATS the last five games as a favorite, while OSU is 5-3 ATS the previous eight opportunities as a single-digit 'dog.
(7) USC vs. (10) Utah
-- USC is listed as a 1½-point favorite.
-- The Trojans have lost four of six since a four-game winning streak, while posting a 1-4 ATS record the last five.
-- The Utes closed conference play with back-to-back home wins over Oregon and Oregon State, while covering six of the last eight games overall.
-- USC blasted Utah as three-point road 'dogs on January 12 in a 76-59 rout.
(6) Washington vs. (11) Washington State
-- Washington is listed as a 1½-point favorite with the total set at 127.
-- The Huskies have won four of their previous six, while hitting the 'under' in eight of the last nine games.
-- The Cougars finished the season with a sweep of the L.A. schools by beating USC and UCLA in Pullman. WSU compiled an 0-9 SU and 3-5-1 ATS record against conference foes on the road.
-- Washington beat Washington State each time this season, but the Cougars covered in Seattle on March 3 as seven-point 'dogs in a 72-68 defeat.
Big 12 (Sprint Center, Kansas City):
(8) West Virginia vs. (9) Texas Tech
-- West Virginia is listed as an 8 ½-point favorite with the total set at 131.
-- The Mountaineers enter their first Big 12 tournament with a 1-7 SU/ATS record the last eight games, with the lone victory coming against Texas Tech, 66-64.
-- The Red Raiders have won just one of their previous 12 trips to the court, while posting a 4-8 ATS record in this stretch.
-- WVU swept the season series, which included a 77-61 road triumph on February 2 as 4 ½-point 'chalk.'
(7) Texas vs. (10) TCU
-- Texas is listed as 11-point favorites with a low total of 115.
-- The Longhorns are 5-3 SU and 5-2-1 ATS the last eight games, while beating Baylor and Oklahoma at home.
-- TCU snapped an eight-game skid by holding off Oklahoma in the season finale, 70-67 as 11 ½-point home underdogs.
-- Texas took both meetings from TCU, including a 68-59 triumph in Ft. Worth on February 19 as 5 ½-point favorites.
SEC (Bridgestone Arena, Nashville):
(12) South Carolina vs. (13) Mississippi State
-- South Carolina is listed as a 5½-point favorite with the total set at 128.
-- The Gamecocks failed to cover each of their last five games, which included a 79-72 victory over Mississippi State as nine-point favorites.
-- After losing 13 straight games, the Bulldogs won two of their final three contests, while covering in three consecutive games.
-- In the seven-point victory by South Carolina last week, Mississippi State shot 51% from the floor, but missed 11 free throws.
(11) Texas A&M vs. (14) Auburn
-- Texas A&M is listed as 5½-point favorites with the total set at 119.
-- The Aggies have lost four of their previous five, while going 3-6 ATS the last nine games.
-- The Tigers can't catch a break by losing nine straight, while failing to cover in eight consecutive contests.
-- Texas A&M knocked off Auburn in a pick-em spot on February 20 on the road, 65-56.
Boise St. vs. San Diego St.
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com
After splitting a pair of regular-season meetings, San Diego St. and Boise St. will collide in a rubber game of monumental importance late Wednesday night in Las Vegas at the Thomas & Mack Center.
As of early Tuesday night, most books had the Aztecs listed as four-point favorites for this Mountain West Conference Tournament quarterfinals matchup. The total was 132. Gamblers can expect to see the Broncos at around +160 on the money line (risk $100 to win $160).
These schools finished with identical overall records and in a tie for fourth place (both 9-7) in the Mtn. West standings. This has prompted many pundits to look at this game as a win-and-you’re-in scenario, but I disagree with that notion. I think both teams are at-large squads regardless of what happens in Vegas.
Boise St. (21-9 straight up, 16-10 against the spread) has won five of its last six games, including Saturday’s 69-65 win over San Diego St. as a two-point home favorite. Derrick Marks was the catalyst, producing 27 points, nine rebounds, six assists and a pair of blocked shots. Anthony Drmic added 23 points for the Broncos, who are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games.
In the losing effort, Xavier Thames had a team-high 18 points, including a pair of deep treys that sparked a late Aztecs’ run that saw them erased a double-digit deficit to pull within one. However, when San Diego St. appeared poised to take the lead after a basket and a quick steal, Marks came out of nowhere to block a layup attempt.
Marks gathered the ball following the block and then got fouled. When he buried both shots from the charity stripe and BSU got a stop, the four-point swing and defensive stand put the game on ice.
Before this 10-game spread surge for BSU, we should note that the team was dealing with several injuries to key players. Since it has been back at full strength, Boise St. has played extremely well, especially for our purposes. The Broncos’ only loss in the last six games came in a 68-64 decision at UNLV last week in a game that could’ve gone either way.
San Diego St. (21-9 SU, 12-12-1 ATS) has lost two of its last three games and has dropped four in a row ATS. The Aztecs have been single-digit favorites 11 times, compiling a 5-6 spread record.
Steve Fisher’s team is led by junior guard Jamaal Franklin, who averages team-highs in points (17.0 PPG), rebounding (9.4 RPG), assists (3.1 APG) and steals (1.5 per game). Franklin had 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists in the first regular-season meeting against Boise St.
On that night, San Diego St.’s Chase Tapley drained a 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds remaining to lift his team to a 63-62 win as a 9.5-point home ‘chalk.’ Thames did not play in this game for the Aztecs, while BSU was without Igor Hadziomerovic (5.4 PPG and 3.0 RPG).
San Diego St. is No. 31 in the RPI Rankings, going 4-7 against the RPI Top 50 and 7-9 versus the RPI Top 100. The Aztecs have zero shameful losses with a 70-67 defeat at Air Force (RPI: 72) serving as the closest thing.
BSU has an RPI of 38, posting a 4-6 record against RPI Top 50 opponents and an 8-7 mark versus RPI Top 100 foes.
These schools have squared off five times in the last two seasons. The Aztecs have won outright in four of those encounters, but BSU has taken the money at a 4-1 ATS clip. All five meetings have gone ‘under’ the total.
The ‘over’ is 12-9-1 overall for San Diego St., but the ‘under’ has connected in its last three outings.
The ‘under’ is 9-7-1 overall for Boise St., 3-0-1 in its last four games.
This game will tip approximately 30 following the conclusion of New Mexico’s game, estimated to be around midnight Eastern. The CBS Sports Network (channel 613 on DirecTV) will provide television coverage.
B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets
-Add Iona -4 vs. Manhattan in Monday’s MAAC Tournament finals to the all-time Bad Beats Club. The Gaels took a 60-52 lead on a basket with six seconds remaining. Next, the Jaspers made a meaning-less 3-pointer with one tick left to cut the deficit to 60-55. Then the unthinkable happened. The Iona fans stormed the court, prompting officials to issue a technical foul. Manhattan hit both free throws to give its backers a wild backdoor cover in a 60-57 setback.
-Georgia owns a 12-1 spread record in its last 13 games. The Bulldogs are one-point favorites Thursday afternoon vs. LSU in an SEC Tournament quarterfinals matchup in Nashville.
-The ‘over’ has hit in 10 consecutive Oklahoma games. As for Iowa St., it has seen the ‘over’ cash in 13 straight games. Fittingly, these teams meet Thursday afternoon in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals. Only one offshore book (CRIS) had a total posted (as of late Tuesday afternoon) and it was 150.
-The 'under' is on a sick 14-1-1 run in Gonzaga's last 16 games. The Bulldogs beat Saint Mary's for a third time this season in the WCC Tournament finals, cruising to a 65-51 win Monday as 6.5-point favorites. The 116 combined points stayed 'under' the 136-point total.
-Cincinnati will face Providence in today's lid-lifter at the Big East Tournament. The Bearcats, who are 3.5-point favorites, have failed to cover the number in six straight games and eight of their last nine. The 'under' is 20-4 overall for Cincy this season. The total was 122 as of early this morning.
Wednesday Cliff Notes
By Dave Essler
Boise State-San Diego State: These two just ended the regular season playing each other four days ago in a game both teams needed to win, and Boise won at SDSU by four. In that game they held the Aztecs, to 3-16 from behind the arc. Both teams went to the line over twenty times and both shot well over 80% from said line. That was at Boise, and SDSU won in San Diego by one. With the Aztecs having basically no quality road wins in Conference play, I suppose the natural tendency would be to fade them, but do they lose to Boise twice in four days? Since Boise is still listed as one of the last four in and on the bubble, they've got to be more "needy" here. Perhaps the fact that SDSU beat Boise in THIS game last year by three is even more motivation. What I do love about taking a smaller team like Boise here is that they get to the line a fair bit and shoot over 75% as a team, which over the course of 40 minutes is just safer. This could be another of those games where I see the Broncos have more ways to win, at least at this point.
Cincinnati-Providence: From a distance standpoint Providence is not a long drive to MSG. Before I go any further I can almost tell you it's the Friars or nothing. Bearcats simply have too many issues scoring, except when I bet on them. If I do take Cincinnati then Wright and Kilpatrick will simply go off. Friars have won seven of the last nine, with the only real bad loss coming at Syracuse. Not BAD to lose to the Orange on the road, but they got killed. They (Providence) beat Cincinnati by four at home in a low scoring game. Bearcats have struggled with just about everyone the second half of Conference play, which is/was a bit surprising because they did play a pretty solid non-conference schedule. Technically Cincinnati is in the Dance (not really sure why) and the Friars are not, so there could be the letdown for the Bearcats here, meaning my original "night before" thought is Providence or nothing. But, on paper, Cincinnati ought to win. Whoever dictates tempo will win, and because it's easier to slow a game down rather than speed it up, perhaps the Bearcats are in play, but certainly not a GOM or anything. Yet.
Arizona State-Stanford: Arizona State need a great showing to perhaps have a SLIGHT chance of getting in, while Stanford has to be disappointed with this season, given that they had basically the whole team back that won the NIT last year, so clearly that edge (who wants to be here) has to go to ASU. But, Stanford had two great wins to close out the season, beating Utah badly and winning at Cal. ASU lost to Stanford by three at home in their only meeting this season. ASU ended the season with four straight losses, three of them predictable and on the road, so how do THEY regroup this quickly. What concerns me here is that Stanford will want to push the pace and ASU is super-thin off the bench, and seeing as how ASU simply cannot shoot free throws, it's Stanford's game to lose, I think.
Villanova-St. Johns: I look more at this as a game of Steve Lavin versus Jay Wright, actually. Villanova played some great basketball the last month of the season, while St. Johns lost seven of the last nine, five of which were on the road and the two home losses were to Marquette and Pittsburgh, so MAYBE there a little under valued. St. Johns lost in OT at Villanova way back on January 2nd in a surprisingly high scoring game (meaning this total may be too high) and one thing to remember is that this IS a home game for the Red Storm, who are about the youngest team in the nation, which gives me some pause, of course. I of course love that the Wildcats get the highest percentage of points of any team in the nation, but what we hate is that they really have turnover issues at times. And in spite of St. Johns' youth, they do not have a problem protecting the ball, just scoring when they do have it. Since 'Nova is technically in right now, I'd have to think that PERHAPS we could make a small case for taking the points. But a very small one.
Washington State-Washington: Neither of these two are going anywhere. If State loses their playing golf on Thursday (well, maybe Friday) and if Washington wins they're probably an NIT team. With that in mind and given that this is a rivalry (duh) I would, without looking, try to take Washington State. They played Washington tough both times they played, and did win their last two home games. When Washington gets out of the Alaska Airlines Arena (which I would have thought would be in Alaska) they are not the same team, at least not the second half of Conference Play. Since we know it's easier to slow a game down, this would perhaps be another reason to lean to Washington State, who plays (walks) slow. What WS will have to do to win this game is stop Washington, the number one rebounding team in the Pac-12 (they ARE big) from getting second chance points. State is not SMALL and they CAN rebound well, however. State is simply going to have to make their three's and continue to get to the line, but Washington does defend the perimeter well. State has to stop Washington, mainly N'Diaye, from scoring inside, and they've got nearly the worst interior defense in the Conference. Now, Washington HAS has some turnover issues and State CAN force some, so there's hope here yet for the "weaker sister". I do certainly look for this one to stay under the number, however.