NCAAB Betting News and Notes Friday, March 10th, 2017

NCAAB Knowledge

Big 10 tournament, Washington DC

Michigan flew in from Detroit yesterday morning, went right to the arena and beat Illinois by 20, wearing practice uniforms. Wolverines won seven of their last nine games overall; they beat Purdue 82-70 at home Feb 25, in their only meeting this season, shooting 11-26 on arc- they used four guys 32:00+ yesterday. Purdue won eight of its last nine games, with loss in Ann Arbor the only setback; Boilermakers beat Michigan 76-59 in LY’s tourney. Boilers won their first tourney game last two years by 5-31 points- they’re 6-9 in first tourney game the last 15 years.

Michigan State beat Minnesota twice this season, 75-74 in OT on road Dec 27 (trailed by 14 in 2nd half), then 65-47 at home two weeks later. Spartans won nine of last 11 games against the Gophers, but Minnesota is on an 8-1 run, with only loss on Senior Day at Wisconsin Sunday. Gophers played five OT games in conference this season (3-2); they’re 6-3 in first tournament game the last nine years. Michigan State lost three of last five games; they’re #320 experience team in country- they lost last four road games, with last road win Feb 2 at Nebraska.

Atlantic 14 tournament, Pittsburgh

Davidson played four starters 32:00+ last nite, made 11-27 on arc in 82-73 win over LaSalle. Wildcats are 4-6 in their last ten games; their last two losses came in OT. Dayton won 89-82 in OT at Davidson 13 days ago, after trailing by 11 with 6:18 left in game; they’re 2-1 vs Wildcats in A-14 play. Flyers won nine of last ten games, losing on Senior Day at GW six days ago. Since ’05, Dayton is 9-1 in its first conference tourney game. Aldridge played all 40:00 and scored 33 for Davidson yesterday but Dayton had the day off, a big advantage.

St Bonaventure lost 71-59 at Rhode Island in January; Bonnies were 12-41 inside arc, but did have 19 offensive rebounds. URI won three of last four series games- Rams lost by a hoop in Olean last year. Bonnies had easy time with UMass yesterday but Mobley/Adams still played all 40:00; they’ve won four of last five games- since 2012, they’re 7-3 in A-14 tourney games, with a title in 2012. Rhode Island is 1-3 in this tourney last five years, but they’re better this season, coming in with five wins in row and 9-2 mark in their last eleven games.

Conference USA tournament, Birmingham

Middle Tennessee State won 18 of its last 19 games; lone loss was 57-54 in El Paso five weeks ago, a game Blue Raiders led by 17 with 14:08 left in game- that was teams’ only meeting this season. MTSU had fairly easy time beating UTSA yesterday; none of their guys played more than 30:00; they’re 2-3 in C-USA games vs UTEP, losing by 13 to Miners in this event two years ago. UTEP used three starters 36:00+ in impressive rout of a good Rice team; Miners won seven of last eight games, with only loss by a point at home to Old Dominion.

SEC tournament, Nashville

Vanderbilt beat Florida twice this year, both by two points; Commodores won six of last seven games, with only loss by 6 at Kentucky- they led 25-6 early in that game. Vandy was 11-29 on arc in easy win over Texas Aggies yesterday; they had two starters play 30:00+, but it was a stress-free game. Gators won their first SEC tourney game the last eight years, with seven wins by 7+ points. Florida won 10 of its last 12 games, losing at Kentucky/Vandy; they had yesterday off, which helps. Gators shot 33% or less from arc in all four of their SEC losses.

Kentucky beat Georgia twice this year, but had to fight like hell both times, winning 90-81 in OT at home in first meeting (trailed 19-5 early, by hoop in last 1:00), then 82-77 in Athens Feb 18 (outscored Dawgs 9-2 in last 0:55 of game). Wildcats are 8-1 in SEC tourney last three years, winning first game each year, by 18-15-26 points- they won eight games in row since 88-66 loss at Florida Feb 4. Georgia played nine guys 10+ minutes in 59-57 win yesterday; Dawgs got 26:00 out of injured star Maten, so that helps. 10 of their last 12 games were decided by 7 or less points or in OT.

Alabama won 90-86 in FOUR OVERTIMES at South Carolina in only meeting this season Feb 7; SC’s Thornwell was 25-33 on foul line by himself that night- Carolina was 35-50 on line in a game they trailed by 17 in first half. Crimson Tide lost three of last five games overall- they had an easy win over Miss State yesterday- none of their guys played more than 28:00. Gamecocks are 4-3 in this tournament the last three years- they had yesterday off. Carolina lost its last three road tilts, by 9-15-5 points- they’re 3-5 in last eight games. Win here and they sleep lot better.

ACC tournament, Brooklyn

Home side won both Duke-North Carolina games this season; Duke was 20-46 on arc in the two games. Blue Devils are 12-5 in last 17 games against UNC. Tar Heels won six of last seven games overall; they used one guy more than 29:00 yesterday in easy win over Miami. Duke is playing third day in row, after competitive wins over Clemson/Louisville; their subs played 69 minutes total in two games- they were down 12 in second half yesterday. Duke split its last six games overall; they won last series meeting vs UNC in ACC tourney, in 2011 Final.

Florida State won four of its last five games; they used three starters 30:00+ in 74-68 win over Va Tech yesterday. Seminoles have gone W-L in ACC tourney last four years; since ’03, they’re 2-7 in second game of conference tourney. FSU beat Notre Dame 83-80 at home in first meeting Jan 18, then lost 84-72 in South Bend in rematch Feb 11- they’re 3-2 in ACC matchups with ND. Irish played three starters 37:00 each in fairly easy 71-58 win over Virginia last night. Notre Dame is 5-1 in ACC tourney last three years- they won tourney two years ago.

Big X tournament, Kansas City

Iowa State starts four seniors, is #6 experience team in country; they made 12-24 on arc in 92-83 win over Okla State yesterday, their third win over OSU this season. Morris/Long both played 36:00 yesterday. Cyclones won seven of last eight games, with loss at WV. TCU had huge upset win over Kansas yesterday; they won last two days after coming into tourney on 7-game losing streak. Robinson/Williams played 38/36 minutes yesterday. Horned Frogs beat Iowa State 84-77 at home Jan 14, then lost rematch 84-71 in Ames three weeks ago.

Pac-12 tournament, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas

Road team won both Arizona-UCLA games this season; Wildcats are 5-3 in last eight series games- they’re 2-4 vs Bruins in this tournament. Arizona made 10-19 on arc in 92-78 win over Colorado last nite; Trier was only Wildcat to play more than 30:00. Overall, Arizona won six of its last seven games, is 28-4 despite being #323 experience team in country. UCLA won its last ten games, holding off crosstown rival USC by a hoop last night; Bruins used three starters 33:00+; their bench played total of 44:00. UCLA hasn’t lost since January 25 at USC.

Mountain West tournament, Las Vegas

Nevada won regular season title, but got swept by Fresno this season, losing 77-76 in Fresno (led by 10 in second half), then losing rematch 81-76 at home three weeks later. Bulldogs got Nevada inside players in foul trouble- Wolf Pack isn’t very deep- their bench played only 37:00 yesterday in fairly easy win over Utah St. FSU won six of its last seven games against Nevada. Bulldogs won last six games overall; they used three starters 37:00+ yesterday in 65-60 win over New Mexico. Nevada won its last seven games overall, with four of those on road.

Armadillosports.com

AAC Conference Tournament Quarterfinals Betting Preview
By Covers.com

The AAC conference tournament continues Friday in Hartford with four quarterfinal matchups involving the top seeds from Southern Methodist, Cincinnati, Houston, Central Florida, and Memphis.

Tournament to be played at XL Center, in Hartford, Connecticut.

East Carolina Pirates vs Southern Methodist Mustangs

The Pirates headed into the tournament ranked 337th in Division 1 in scoring (62.3 points) and 336th in field-goal shooting percentage (39.4 percent) but shot 50.9 percent against the Owls and reached 80 points for the first time this season in conference play. The Pirates' strength is a defense that ranks 10th nationally in field-goal percentage defense (38.7 percent), but the Mustangs shot 49.2 percent and scored 85 points in the most recent meeting between the teams. Sophomore forward Kentrell Barkley is leading the team in scoring (12.8 points) and rebounding (7.7) and is coming off a career high in both points (26) -- his first 20-point performance since Nov. 25 -- and rebounds (16) in the victory over Temple.

SMU will attempt to build on the momentum of its 13-game winning streak when it begins postseason play against ninth-seeded East Carolina in the American East Conference Tournament quarterfinals on Friday. The regular-season AAC champions.have won by an average of 18.2 points during their winning streak and swept their two games against the Pirates in dominant fashion, winning by 31 and 40 points. The Mustangs finished the regular season playing with great confidence on both ends of the floor, averaging 98 points while holding Tulsa and Memphis to 33.8 and 35.8 percent shooting from the field in a pair of blowout victories. Redshirt junior forward Semi Ojeleye, who was named the AAC player of the year earlier this week, heads into the postseason on a roll, going 15-of-16 from the field in the wins over the Golden Hurricane and Tigers.

TRENDS:

* Pirates are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight up win.
* Mustangs are 22-5 ATS in their last 27 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 6-1 in Pirates last 7 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 5-0 in Mustangs last 5 overall.

Memphis Tigers vs Central Florida Knights

Memphis has dropped five of six after being routed by SMU 103-62 on Saturday. Memphis has seemed to lose the formula after starting the league season 7-3, including a home victory over UCF, but a 72-57 setback against the Knights on Feb. 4 started a 2-6 downward spiral. The Tigers are led by 6-9 sophomore Dedric Lawson, who was named first team All-AAC after finishing second in the league in scoring (19.4) and first in rebounds (9.9). Coach Tubby Smith told the Commercial Appeal the Tigers are not playing the team basketball they did during non-conference and early AAC play: “Unselfishness is the key to our whole success all year long, and we’ve got to get that back.”

UCF comes in with five-game winning streak to reach 20 victories for the first time since 2012-13. The Knights won the last four games by four points or fewer under first-year coach Johnny Dawkins, who won 20 games in four of his eight years at Stanford. “When you talk about facing adversity and figuring out how to win, you need to learn how to do that,” Dawkins told reporters. “There’s no shortcut. There’s no magic potion. You have to figure it out on the floor and our guys have found a way to do that.” The Knights have steadily improved on the offensive end but lean on their defense, which leads the nation in field goal percentage against (36.1) and is fifth in points against (60.5).

TRENDS:

* Tigers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss.
* Knights are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 neutral site games.
* Over is 4-0 in Tigers last 4 overall.
* Under is 4-1 in Knights last 5 overall.
* Favorite is 10-2-1 ATS in the last 13 meetings.

Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs Cincinnati Bearcats

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane advanced Thursday by holding off 10th-seeded Tulane 66-60 at the XL Center. Tulsa entered the postseason on a two-game skid, including a regular season-ending 81-69 loss at Tulane, but the Golden Hurricane made amends Thursday in a ragged game (45 total fouls, 27 turnovers) to survive and advance. The Golden Hurricane beat Tulane despite shooting only 38 percent from the field and committing 15 turnovers as guards Pat Birt, Corey Henderson and Sterling Taplin combined for 37 of the team’s 66 points. Meanwhile, leading scorers Junior Etou (12.7 points) and Jaleel Wheeler (9.4) combined for only 11 points on 4-of-14 shooting and will be counted on to bounce back Friday.

Cincinnati is seeking its first conference title since 2004, and the 18th-ranked and second-seeded Bearcats begin that quest Friday night against seventh-seeded Tulsa in the American Athletic Tournament quarterfinals in Hartford, Conn. Since 2004, Cincinnati only has made it to one conference tourney final (2012 Big East Tournament) and is 1-3 in three AAC tourneys, bowing out in the quarterfinals each of the last two seasons with losses to lower-seeded foes. In compiling the second-most regular-season wins (27) in program history, Mick Cronin’s current Bearcats appear poised to make a deep strong postseason run, but the veteran coach knows it all starts with getting past a Tulsa squad the Bearcats swept during the regular season. “It’s always a challenge to try to beat any team for the third time,” Cronin said on the school’s athletics web site Thursday. “College basketball is so unique. In a one-game shot. So many things can happen. That would be your biggest concern, making sure your guys are sharp and they don’t underestimate a (team) because we did beat them twice.”

TRENDS:

* Golden Hurricane are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Bearcats are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.
* Over is 5-1 in Golden Hurricane last 6 overall.
* Under is 6-2 in Bearcats last 8 overall.

Connecticut Huskies vs Houston Cougars

The sixth-seeded Huskies advanced after holding off a second-half rally by South Florida on Thursday to post a 77-66 victory. With Thursday’s win, the Huskies improved their season record in Hartford to 5-3, but that includes a 62-46 loss to Houston in the AAC opener for both teams on Dec. 28. The Huskies are the defending tournament champions, going 3-0 last year in Orlando en route to the title, and have played in the championship game in each of the league’s three seasons. UConn finished the regular season with four straight losses but received a game- and career-high 30 points, six rebounds and three steals from senior guard Rodney Purvis to lead the way past USF.

After a first-round bye, third-seeded Houston tips off for the first time in the American Athletic Conference tournament in Hartford on Friday with a quarterfinal contest against local favorite Connecticut. The Cougars are entering the postseason with momentum, having won eight of their final 10 regular-season contests, but still have work to do to better their chances as they sit on the NCAA Tournament bubble. Facing UConn in its home state, however, makes things exponentially harder for Houston, which won both of the regular-season meetings. “I found out UConn is the sixth seed, and that makes our road a lot tougher,” Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson told reporters last weekend after the tournament bracket was set. “Any time you have to play the host school in a gym where they play a lot of their games in – that’s going to be a road game. When the potential opponent is Connecticut, it’s hard to think past that.”

TRENDS:

* Huskies are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 neutral site games.
* Cougars are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.
* Over is 7-2 in Huskies last 9 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 7-1 in Cougars last 8 games following a straight up win.
* Underdog is 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings.

Big East Conference Tournament Semifinals Betting Preview
By Covers.com

The Big East tournament continues with a pair of epic semifinal matchups, including a rematch of last year's final, as top-seeded Villanova will have revenge on its mind when they battle No. 5 Seton Hall at Madison Square Garden Saturday.

Tournament to be played at Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

Seton Hall Pirates vs. Villanova Wildcats

Villanova used its Big East tournament opener to make a serious statement, but now its mission is revenge. The winner of this contest will earn a spot in the tournament title game, where Villanova fell to Seton Hall a year ago. The Wildcats, of course, went on to win the NCAA Tournament, and they are 35-3 since that loss to the Pirates. Few of those games, if any, featured a better performance than Thursday's outing in which coach Jay Wright's team shot 63.2 percent and knocked down 15-of-29 3-pointers while racking up 23 assists and seven turnovers in a 41-point victory. Kris Jenkins averaged 19 points in the two meetings with Seton Hall this season, draining 9-of-12 3-pointers in those contests.

The Pirates topped Marquette 82-76 on Thursday for their eighth victory in 10 games as Khadeen Carrington and Myles Powell led the way with 19 and 17 points, respectively. Angel Delgado recorded 12 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists, and likely will need another strong performance if the Pirates are to have a chance against the Wildcats, who defeated the Pirates the by a combined 52 points in two meetings this season.

TRENDS:

* Seton Hall is 5-1 ATS in its last six games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Villanova is 4-1 ATS in its last five games overall.
* Over is 4-0 in Seton Hall's last four games following an ATS win.
* Under is 9-2 in Villanova's last 11 games after scoring 100 points in its previous game.

Xavier Musketeers vs. Creighton Bluejays

Xavier, seeded No. 7 in this event, lost point guard Edmond Sumner to a torn ACL in late January and shortly thereafter began a six-game losing streak. The team has rallied to win three straight, capped by a critical 62-57 upset against No. 2 seed Butler in Thursday's quarterfinals. The Musketeers had posted their last three wins against DePaul - two in the regular season and one in the first round of this event - before nipping Butler behind Trevon Bluiett's go-ahead jumper with 16 seconds left. The win could prove critical for a Xavier team that is expected to be right on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament but could probably lock up a spot in the Field of 68 with another victory Friday.

Creighton, meanwhile, lost point guard Maurice Watson Jr. to a torn ACL in mid-January - ironically against Xavier - and has won back-to-back games only once since. Of course, the sixth-seeded Bluejays can accomplish that feat Friday, one day after dismissing of third-seeded Providence 70-58. The Bluejays received 19 points from Khyri Thomas and 15 from Marcus Foster in Thursday's win against Providence in which the team won despite 4-of-20 3-point shooting and uncharacteristic 20-of-33 shooting from the foul line. Thomas has registered double-digit points in 10 of his last 11 games and Foster enters this one with a 15-game streak of scoring in double figures.

TRENDS:

* Xavier is 1-6 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Underdog is 6-0 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Over is 10-2 in the last 12 meetings.
* Under is 4-0 in Xavier's last four games following a SU win.

Big Ten Conference Tournament Quarterfinals Betting Preview
By Covers.com

It's on to the quarterfinals for the Big Ten tournament in Washing, D.C. The conference's top four seeds from the regular season (Purdue, Wisconsin, Maryland, and Minnesota) are rested and ready following their double-bye.

Tournament to be played at Verizon Center, Washington, District of Columbia

Michigan Wolverines vs Purdue Boilermakers

Michigan breezed past Illinois 75-55 in the second round despite arriving in the nation's capital only hours before tipoff as their charter plane skidded off the runway during takeoff Wednesday. The Wolverines were forced to wear their practice uniforms because of the delay, but that didn't hamper their performance as they shot 53.6 percent from the floor and will turn their attention to beating Purdue for the second time following an 82-70 victory Feb. 25. Michigan all but cemented a place in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year and hopes to exact a measure of revenge against the Boilermakers, who dumped the Wolverines out of the semifinals in last season's Big Ten Tournament.

The Boilermakers won eight of their last nine games down the stretch to earn their first outright regular-season title since 1996, and hope to continue their winning ways by advancing to the semifinals of the conference tournament for the third consecutive year. "We wanted to take the next step and from the beginning of the season everyone had bought in," Sophomore forward Caleb Swanigan told reporters. "We kept reminding ourselves why we we're here - to help restore this great legacy from this great school." Swanigan was named the Big Ten Player of the Year after averaging 18.9 points, 12.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists during conference play to become the fourth player in program history to win the award.

TRENDS:

* Wolverines are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.
* Boilermakers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games.
* Under is 7-0 in Wolverines last 7 neutral site games.
* Over is 5-0 in Boilermakers last 5 neutral site games as a favorite.
* Favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

Michigan St. Spartans vs Minnesota Golden Gophers

The Spartans, who are fighting for their NCAA Tournament lives, can cement their 20th straight appearance in the Big Dance by beating Minnesota for the third time in a row after sweeping the season series. Michigan State advanced to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals in each of the last six years while winning it three times during that span, and hopes to live up to its reputation of peaking in March with another deep run. Miles Bridges, who was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year earlier in the week, scored 15 points and pulled down nine rebounds against Penn State to finish in double figures for the 15th consecutive game. The Under in their Thursday win over Penn St. was the sixth Under in Michigan State's last seven neutral site games.

The Golden Gophers won eight of their last nine games to finish with 11 conference victories for the first time in 18 years and hope to parlay their regular-season success into their first Big Ten Tournament title. Richard Pitino was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year after engineering the greatest turnaround in Minnesota history as the Gophers improved their win total by 15 games and search for their first semifinal appearance in the conference tournament since 2010. The Spartans ended a two-game slide with an emphatic 78-51 victory against 13th-seeded Penn State in Thursday's second round. Junior point guard Nate Mason became the first Golden Gopher to be named to the All-Big Ten First Team since 2005 after leading the club with 15.5 points and 5.1 assists during the regular season.

TRENDS:

* Spartans are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Golden Gophers are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 neutral site games.
* Under is 6-1 in Spartans last 7 neutral site games.
* Over is 7-1 in Golden Gophers last 8 vs. Big Ten.
* Spartans are 13-5 ATS in the last 18 meetings.

Indiana Hoosiers vs Wisconsin Badgers

Indiana defied its own history in the Big Ten tournament Thursday when it knocked off a higher-seeded team for only the fourth time in the 20-year history of the event. The 10th-seeded Hoosiers attempt to pull off another seemingly improbable task one day later when they square off against No. 2 seed Wisconsin in the quarterfinals. Indiana showed no signs of the struggles that led it to drop eight of its final 12 regular-season contests during its second-round 95-73 rout of seventh-seeded Iowa, catching fire beyond the arc after halftime (6-of-8 ) en route to setting school tournament records with 12 3-pointers and in 3-point percentage (60). The Hoosiers improved to 3-10 in the Big Ten tournament over the last 10 years as a result, although defeating the Badgers has proven to be even more difficult in recent years, as Wisconsin has won 17 of the last 19 meetings.

The 23rd-ranked Badgers picked up two of those victories earlier this season, winning 75-68 at Bloomington on Jan. 3 and 65-60 at home on Feb. 5. Wisconsin suffered through its own late-season malaise by dropping five of its last seven games, although one of those two triumphs came against Minnesota in their regular-season finale Sunday. Ethan Happ is averaging only eight points per game over his last four outings, but the sophomore forward still finished the regular season as the only player in the nation to lead his team in points (14.6), rebounds (8.6), assists (three per game), blocks (1.6) and steals (2.3) during conference play. Leading scorer Bronson Koenig (14.2 points) is the school's all-time leader in 3-pointers (247) and is averaging 20 points per game over the last four contests, nailing at least four triples in three of those outings.

TRENDS:

* Badgers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 5-1 in Hoosiers last 6 overall.
* Under is 10-1 in Badgers last 11 neutral site games.
* Underdog is 9-2 ATS in the last 11 meetings.

Northwestern Wildcats vs Maryland Terrapins

Northwestern may be the sentimental favorite for many in the Big Ten tournament as it inches closer to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, but the Wildcats will almost certainly not gain any benefit from it in their next game. The Wildcats made quick work of Rutgers in second-round action Thursday, using a 31-0 run in the first half on their way to an 83-61 victory over the Scarlet Knights and advance to the quarterfinals at this event for the first time since 2014. The win further increased the likelihood that Northwestern, which already entered this tournament with a school-record 21 victories, will end its dubious distinction of being one of only five schools - and the only one from a major conference - to never make the Big Dance. The Wildcats played without Scottie Lindsey (14 points per game) in the first meeting - the final of four games he missed due to mononucleosis - and the team's second-leading scorer had averaged only 7.6 points in the five games since his return before contributing 16 on Thursday.

No. 3 seed Maryland makes the 15-minute drive from its College Park campus to the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. on Friday when it meets sixth-seeded Northwestern in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament. Maryland's Melo Trimble scored a career-high 32 points in that contest and helped the Terrapins wrap up conference play on a high note Saturday, as he drained the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left in a 63-60 win over Michigan State. Trimble (team-high 16.9 points), who has reached double figures in 20 straight games, became the first Terrapin since Greivis Vasquez to earn all-conference recognition three times when he was one of two unanimous picks on the coaches’ All-Big Ten team.

TRENDS:

* Wildcats are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.
* Terrapins are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Under is 10-2 in Wildcats last 12 neutral site games.
* Over is 5-1 in Terrapins last 6 games following a ATS loss.
* Underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

ACC Conference Tournament Semifinals Betting Preview
By Covers.com

The ACC tournament rolls into the semifinals on Friday and is treating us to a dream matchup as the Duke Blue Devils and the North Carolina Tar Heels continue one of sport's greatest rivalries. This time with a spot in the ACC tournament final on the line.

Tournament to be played at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Duke Blue Devils vs. North Carolina Tar Heels

Just six days after they closed out the regular season against one another, Duke and North Carolina will meet for the 245th time in their storied rivalry Friday in the semifinals of the ACC tournament in Brooklyn, N.Y. This marks the first meeting between the programs in the postseason since 2011, when Duke won 75-58 to claim its 19th ACC tourney crown, a mark North Carolina is looking to match this season. Jayson Tatum had 25 points for Duke in the win over Louisville and he is averaging 22.5 in the tournament as he continues to blossom into a star, although the Tar Heels limited the athletic freshman to 13 points on 4-of-13 shooting in Saturday's encounter.

No. 1 seed North Carolina displayed more of that defensive prowess in its 78-53 win over Miami in the first quarterfinal game Thursday, riding 19 points by senior forward Isaiah Hicks to their fourth consecutive victory in the tournament. The Tar Heels dominated on the glass all season but were outrebounded by five in their earlier loss to the Hurricanes, an issue they corrected by picking up a 36-29 advantage in Thursday's win. Senior Kennedy Meeks led the charge with seven boards and four other players had at least four for North Carolina, which held Miami to 35.8 percent from the field.

TRENDS:

* Duke is 4-1 ATS in its last five neutral site games.
* North Carolina is 5-1-1 ATS in its last seven games overall.
* Over is 4-1 in Duke's last five games as an underdog.
* Under is 8-0-1 in North Carolina's last nine games following a SU win.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Florida State Seminoles

The Fighting Irish may be the hottest team in the conference, having won six of their last seven in the regular season and opening tourney play by topping Virginia 71-58 on Thursday. Junior forward Bonzie Colson notched his ACC-leading 19th double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds as Notre Dame reached the semifinals for the third straight season. Colson struggled in the first meeting with the Seminoles (nine points, eight rebounds) - an 83-80 loss Jan. 18 - but erupted for a career-high 33 points to go along with 13 boards in the rematch last month, which resulted in a 12-point triumph at home for Notre Dame.

Second seed Florida State will be looking to return to the ACC tournament title game for the first time since it won the event in 2012. Sophomore standout Dwayne Bacon missed all five of his 3-point tries in a 4-for-17 effort against Virginia Tech but led the way by hitting 9-of-10 free throws as he scored in double figures for the 31st time in 32 games this season. Sophomore Terance Mann and freshman Jonathan Isaac scored 11 points apiece and Isaac hauled in 12 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season, helping the Seminoles win the battle of the boards 45-31. Florida State made 3-of-16 from beyond the arc and it is shooting 29.1 percent in a seven-game stretch that began when it went 3-for-15 versus Notre Dame on Feb. 11.

TRENDS:

* Notre Dame is 5-0 ATS in its last five games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Under is 4-0 in Notre Dame's last four games following a SU win.
* Under is 4-0 in Florida State's last four overall.

SEC Tournament Quarterfinals Betting Preview
By Covers.com

The quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament tip off in Kansas City on Friday, highlighted by the No. 1 seed Kentucky Wildcats taking on an upset-minded Georgia squad that needs to win the conference title if it has any hope of going dancing this March.

Tournament to be played at Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee

Georgia Bulldogs vs. Kentucky Wildcats

Anything short of winning the SEC Tournament probably won’t be enough to get Georgia into the NCAA Tournament field, but the Bulldogs would like to make their resume a little more appealing to the selection committee. The Wildcats swept the regular-season series, winning 90-81 in overtime at home and 82-77 at Georgia, but the Bulldogs led in the final minute of regulation and covered the spread in both games. The Bulldogs played most of the second matchup without big man Yante Maten, who injured his knee in the first two minutes and only returned to the lineup Thursday, scoring 12 points and grabbing five rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench. Georgia’s weakness is its bench production, which could become a factor with the Bulldogs playing on back-to-back days against a fresh Kentucky team.

Kentucky closed the regular-season with eight straight wins (4-4 ATS) to claim its third straight SEC crown, but the Wildcats’ larger focus is on the NCAA Tournament beginning next week. “This tournament is our way of getting ready,” Kentucky coach John Calipari told reporters. “It’s our way of getting ready and every one of these teams is capable of beating us. We know that. This is about, how are we getting in a frame of mind of how you’re going to have to play in another week.” Georgia’s weakness is its bench production, which could become a factor with the Bulldogs playing on back-to-back days against a fresh Kentucky team.

TRENDS:

* Georgia is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 games as an underdog.
* Kentucky is 1-5 ATS in its last six games as a favorite of between -7.0 and -12.5.
* Over is 6-0 in Georgia's last six games following a SU win.
* Under is 4-0 in Kentucky's last four games overall.

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. South Carolina Gamecocks

Alabama routed Mississippi State 75-55 on Thursday and hopes to keep the momentum going, perhaps with a chance to play its way back onto the bubble or even claim an automatic bid with an SEC Tournament title. The key to the Crimson Tide’s success is at the defensive end, and they held the Bulldogs to 39.1 percent overall and 2-for-12 from 3-point range in their tournament opener. Alabama lacks a consistent go-to guy at the offensive end, as freshmen Braxton Key (12 points, 5.6 rebounds) and Dazon Ingram (10.5 points, 4.5 rebounds) are the only players averaging double-digit scoring, but a deep bench is full of role players who can step up at any time.

The Gamecocks lost four of their last six and five of their last eight, going 1-7 against the spread in the process, to close the regular season, beginning with a 90-86 four-overtime home loss to the Crimson Tide on Feb. 7. Coach Frank Martin’s team is still widely considered a lock to make the 68-team field for the first time since 2004, but another loss to Alabama would lead to some restless moments while the brackets are announced Sunday evening. The Gamecocks also hang their hats on their defensive prowess – they rank second nationally in 3-point defense (29.2 percent) and fifth in turnovers forced per game (17.4). Martin also has at his disposal one of the SEC’s most dynamic offensive players in guard Sindarius Thornwell (21.2 points, 7.3 rebounds), who had 11 20-point games in conference play.

TRENDS:

* Alabama is 1-4 ATS in its last five neutral site games.
* South Carolina is 1-8 ATS in its last nine games overall.
* Under is 4-0 in Alabama's last four neutral site games.
* Under is 4-0 in South Carolina's last four neutral site games.

Vanderbilt Commodores vs. Florida Gators

Vanderbilt has defeated No. 13 Florida twice this season and might need to do it a third time to solidify a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The seventh-seeded Commodores are on the bubble and will be in must-win mode when they square off against the second-seeded Gators in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament. The Commodores are making a dash down the stretch with six wins in their last seven games, going a perfect 7-0 against the spread in those games and they limited Texas A&M to its lowest-scoring output of the season during the quarterfinal win.

Florida was frothing to get another chance at a team that won both regular-season meetings by two points. "We can't control who wins," Gators guard KeVaughn Allen said at a press conference. "But if they win, we'll be prepared for what they do and just be ready." The Gators are playing for a high seed in the NCAA Tournament, but the Commodores are aware they may need another win over Florida to assure they get an invitation. Allen (13.9 points) was an All-SEC First Team selection while senior Canyon Barry (12.5) exceeded all expectations as a graduate transfer and was named the league's Sixth Man of the Year.

TRENDS:

* Vanderbilt is 7-0 ATS in its last seven games overall.
* Underdog is 7-0 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Under is 6-1 in Vanderbilt's last seven games following a ATS win.
* Over is 15-7 in Florida's last 22 games following a SU loss.

Ole Miss Rebels vs. Arkansas Razorbacks

Ole Miss is thriving with eight wins in its past 11 games, including an 86-74 win over Missouri on Thursday. The Rebels feature a fierce interior player in senior forward Sebastian Saiz, who had 14 points and 16 rebounds against the Tigers for his 20th double-double of the season. Saiz is a first-team all-SEC selection who averages 15.1 points and 11.1 assists while junior guard Deandre Burnett averages a team-best 16.8 points. Burnett missed the regular-season finale with a knee injury but displayed no issues against Missouri as he hit 4-of-5 3-point attempts while scoring 23 points in the victory over Missouri. Burnett and sophomore guard Terence Davis (14.2) both played well in the earlier loss to the Razorbacks -- Burnett scoring 27 and Davis adding 24.

The Razorbacks rolled to a 98-80 win over Ole Miss earlier in the season but coach Mike Anderson said that has no bearing on Friday. "In a tournament setting each game is going to have its own characteristic," Anderson told reporters. Senior center Moses Kingsley is a second-team all-SEC choice with averages of 12 points and a team-leading 7.8 rebounds and he also has rejected 80 shots. Second-leading scorer Daryl Macon (13.1) will be watched closely by the Rebels after the junior guard erupted for career highs of 30 points and six 3-pointers in the earlier meeting.

TRENDS:

* Ole Miss is 5-1 ATS in its last six games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Arkansas is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games overall.
* Over is 6-1-1 in Ole Miss' last eight overall.
* Under is 4-1 in Arkansas' last five neutral site games.

Big 12 Conference Tournament Semifinals Betting Preview
By Covers.com

The TCU Horned Frogs pulled off the upset of conference tournament week with their 85-82 victory over the disinterested Kansas Jayhawks. This is big for the remaining four schools who will compete in semifinal matchups Friday.

Tournament to be played at Sprint Center, Kansas City, Missouri.

Texas Christian Horned Frogs vs Iowa St. Cyclones

TCU's quarterfinal victory over No. 1 Kansas was the first time in school history that the Horned Frogs defeated a top-three ranked team in 18 tries. So the Horned Frogs, who entered the tournament with a seven-game losing streak that they snapped with a first-round 82-63 victory over Oklahoma, will now try win the rubber match against an Iowa State squad that has won seven of its last eight games, including a 84-71 decision over TCU on Feb. 18 in Ames. However, TCU won the first meeting 84-77 in Fort Worth on Jan. 14 and will try to keep its glass slipper from shattering one more day. "We owe them one, too," TCU junior guard Alex Robinson said Thursday. "We lost to them at their house. It's going to be a great game. Great players. ... We just have to prepare like we did for this one and OU." The Horned Frogs, who finished 12-21 a year ago, haven't made the NCAA Tournament in 18 years and last won a game in March Madness back in 1987 when first-year coach Jamie Dixon led the team in assists en route to All-Southwest Conference honors.

All-American senior point guard Monte Morris, the preseason Big 12 Player of the Year who leads the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (6.17), surprisingly was not named one of the five finalists for the Bob Cousy Award that goes to the nation's top point guard and was a man on a mission against Oklahoma State, finishing just an assist shy of only the second triple-double Big 12 tourney history with 21 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. "Mr. Bob Cousy down there is the best point guard in the country," Iowa State coach Steve Prohm said. "I don't know how much tape they're watching for that Bob Cousy Award not to have him as a top-five guy in the country. He would have been a great representative for that award and what it's about." The Cyclones connected on 12-of-24 3-pointers in the win over Oklahoma State, including 7-of-8 in the second half, and have five players on the team who have made at least 30 3-pointers this season, including senior guard Naz Mitrou-Long who averaged a Big 12-best 3.0 treys per game.

TRENDS:

* Horned Frogs are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 neutral site games.
* Cyclones are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after scoring more than 90 points in their previous game.
* Under is 8-1 in Horned Frogs last 9 Friday games.
* Over is 7-0 in Cyclones last 7 overall.
* Over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.

Kansas State Wildcats vs West Virginia Mountaineers

Kansas State guard Barry Brown, a 6-3 sophomore, was spectacular in Thursday night's upset of Baylor, connecting on all four of his 3-pointers and sinking 9-of-13 free throws, including 5-of-6 in the final 31 seconds to help seal the victory. His four-point play with 9:34 left triggered a 7-1 run that built the Wildcats' lead to 47-38, and Baylor never got closer than four points the rest of the way. Senior forward D.J. Johnson also scored in double figures (13) and grabbed a team high seven rebounds to go along with two steals and two blocks while sophomore guard Kamau Stokes added nine points and five assists.

West Virginia's path for its first ever Big 12 Tournament title appeared to get a whole lot easier Thursday when top seed and No. 1 ranked Kansas was upset by TCU and third seed and No. 10 ranked Baylor fell to Kansas State in quarterfinals. Assuming the favorites role meant little to the Mountaineers who are just two wins away from their first conference tourney championship since winning the Big East in 2010. "Honestly, we don't really pay attention to what other teams are doing," junior guard Jevon Carter said when asked if his team took notice of the Kansas loss before taking the court. "It's about us. You can't play the next game until you win the current game, so that was the message to the team." Carter, a second team all-Big 12 pick and the conference's Defensive Player of the Year, showed he can play a little offense too in the win over the Longhorns, connecting on 5-of-7 3-pointers (71.4 percent) en route to a game-high 21 points.

TRENDS:

* Wildcats are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Friday games.
* Mountaineers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. Big 12.
* Over is 9-2 in Wildcats last 11 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Under is 4-0 in Mountaineers last 4 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings.

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

The semifinals of the Pac-12 conference tournament in Las Vegas will feature the No. 1 Oregon Ducks taking on the No. 5 California Golden Bears and the No. 2 Arizona Wildcats battling the No. 3 UCLA Bruins.

Tournament to be played at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

California Golden Bears vs Oregon Ducks

After struggling in California’s final three regular-season games, Bears senior Jabari Bird has rediscovered his shot in the Pac-12 tournament. The 6-6 wing looks to continue his strong play in Friday’s semifinals as the fifth-seeded Bears take on No. 1 seed Oregon at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Cal closed the regular season by losing five of its final six games but opened with a 67-62 win over 12th-seed Oregon State before keeping its NCAA Tournament hopes alive by recording a 78-75 victory over No. 4 seed Utah on Thursday. Bird opened tournament play with 20 points in the win over Oregon State before making four 3-pointers and matching his career high with 26 points against Utah. The Bears’ postseason push has also received a spark from freshman Charlie Moore, who scored 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting against the Utes and passed Jason Kidd (378 points) for ninth on the school’s all-time freshman scoring list.

The Oregon Ducks are aiming for their second straight tournament championship and a shot at the No. 1 seed in the NCAA’s West region. Oregon will be the more rested team Friday after using 11 players in Thursday’s 80-57 quarterfinals win over eighth-seeded Arizona State. Pac-12 player of the year Dillon Brooks had a team-high 22 points and seven rebounds for the Ducks, who swept the regular season series against Cal with an 86-63 win on Jan. 19 in Eugene and a 68-65 victory in Berkeley on Feb. 22. Senior guard Dylan Ennis had a career-high 12 rebounds and five assists to lead the Ducks past Arizona State, which tired in the second half of Thursday’s quarterfinals after needing overtime to get past Stanford on Wednesday.

TRENDS:

* Golden Bears are 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 neutral site games.
* Ducks are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 4-1 in Golden Bears last 5 games following a ATS win.
* Under is 4-0 in Ducks last 4 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
* Golden Bears are 12-4 ATS in the last 16 meetings.

UCLA Bruins vs Arizona Wildcats

UCLA received 22 points from Isaac Hamilton and never trailed in Thursday’s 76-74 victory over sixth-seeded USC as the Bruins extended their winning streak to 10 games. Star freshman guard Lonzo Ball had 12 points and seven assists for UCLA, which lost 96-85 at home to Arizona on Jan. 21 before snapping the Wildcats’ 21-game home winning streak with a 77-72 victory on Feb. 25. Five players scored in double figures in the win, and the Bruins will need another balanced attack Friday against an Arizona team that has played stellar defense in back-to-back wins over Arizona State and Colorado. Ball averaged 17.5 points in the two previous meetings against Arizona and received All-Pac-12 first team honors after averaging 14.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists during the regular season.

Arizona center Lauri Markkanen has rediscovered his 3-point shot just in time for the Wildcats, who face No. 2 seed UCLA on Friday in the semifinals of the Pac-12 tournament in Las Vegas. After going 0-for-11 from long range over his previous four games, the 7-foot center made four 3-pointers and finished with 20 points to lead the third-seeded Wildcats past Colorado on Thursday. Markkanen’s outside game opened up the offense against Colorado as the Wildcats saw five players score in double figures, including guard Allonzo Trier (19), center Dusan Ristic (15) and guards Rawle Alkins (15) and Kadeem Allen (13).

TRENDS:

* Bruins are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.
* Wildcats are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games after scoring more than 90 points in their previous game.
* Under is 5-0 in Bruins last 5 vs. Pacific-12.
* Under is 5-1-1 in Wildcats last 7 neutral site games.
* Underdog is 12-1 ATS in the last 13 meetings.

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No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 5 Duke

The Blue Devils picked up a win as an underdog Thursday against Louisville to set up Round 3 of the Battle of the Blues. These two Tobacco Road rivals, separated by a mere 10 miles by way of US 15-501, meet in Brooklyn of all places for the first time in their storied rivalry. The teams split their regular season series, each holding serve on their respective home courts, so this will be the rubber game. And there is a lot at stake. A win means a trip to the ACC Tournament Final. Duke has come alive in the postseason, covering each of their two outings after wrapping up the regular season 0-4-1 ATS in their final five, and 5-14-1 ATS in their final 20 outings. UNC throttled Miami on Thursday, exacting revenge on the Hurricanes after an embarrassing 77-62 loss in South Florida on Jan. 28, their worst loss of the season. UNC is an impressive 5-1-1 ATS over their past seven outings, while going 19-5-2 ATS in their past 26 neutral site games as a favorite. However, Duke is 3-1-1 ATS in the past five meetings in the rivalry. Projection: North Carolina 85 Duke 81

No. 2 Florida State vs. No. 3 Notre Dame

The Seminoles were well rested for their opening ACC Tournament game against Virginia Tech, and they grinded out a 74-68 win. While they didn't cover, they were able to shake free of the pesky Hokies in the second half. Meanwhile, the Irish didn't have a lot of trouble against Virginia, keeping them at arm's length for most of their 71-58 victory despite being 3 1/2-point underdogs coming in. The Irish and Seminoles split a pair of regular season matchups, with each side winning on their home court. So like UNC-Duke above, this is the rubber match. The Irish enter 4-1 ATS over their past five, and 7-2 ATS over their past nine. For Florida State, they're just 3-3-1 ATS over their past seven while the 'under' has connected in four in a row. The Irish are 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings in this series while the 'over' is 4-1 during that span. However, the 'under' is the play lately for both sides, cashing in four straight for FSU and four of Notre Dame's past five against ACC foes. Projection: Florida State 77 Notre Dame 82

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No. 1 Villanova vs. No. 5 Seton Hall

Now that Kansas has been knocked out, the door is wide open for Villanova to claim the No. 1 overall seed for the NCAA Tournament. Although the top team that emerges as the Pac-12 Tournament champ will also be in the race, expect the selection committee to give the defending champs their due so long as they escape Madison Square Garden unscathed. First up is the last team to defeat the Wildcats in a postseason contest. Before Kris Jenkins' heroics and Nova's run to a national title, it sufffered through a 69-67 setback against Seton Hall in this event's championship game a year ago. The Pirates were led by Isaiah Whitehead, now a rookie with the NBA's Brooklyn Nets, winning thanks to his 26 points and go-ahead late three-point play that held up when Angel Delgado blocked Josh Hart's game-tying layup at the buzzer away on a play that could've been whistled for a foul but wasn't. The Pirates are Delgado's team now, with key wings Khadeem Carrington and Desi Rodriguez back as anchors after each scoring 12 points in last year's win. Delgado (12-16-9) fell one assist shy of a triple-double in Friday's win over Marquette, helping Seton Hall feast off double-teams while keying a 41-30 rebounding advantage and a 40-12 edge on points in the paint. The Pirates have won five straight and six of seven overall, erasing any doubt over their return to this year's NCAAs. Awaiting them in this semifinal is a Villanova team that has already exacted revenge over the 2016 Big East Tournament, sweeping both regular-season meetings by a combined 52 points. Still, don't sleep on Seton Hall's chances here. The Pirates overcame their typically weak free-throw shooting, knocking down 22-of-23 to hold off the Golden Eagles in the quarterfinals. They're locked in and will be a significant threat if they can repeat that type of focus. There's no question winning one last conference tournament title means a lot to Villanova seniors Josh Hart and Jenkins, not to mention some of the younger key contributors who haven't won one. The Wildcats got 52 points from the bench on 16-for-18 shooting in a 108-67 rout of the Red Storm that marked their most prolific offensive performance and most lopsided win in this tournament. Freshman Donte DiVincenzo scored a career-high 25 points on 7-for-8 shooting, connecting on five 3-pointers, while Jenkins scored a senior-season best 24 points. Big Villanova forward Darryl Reynolds continued to show positive signs after returning from a rib injury that sidelined him down the stretch, and he'll be counted on to help slow Delgado. It remains to be seen if F/C Mikal Bridges can return from the illness that forced him to leave yesterday's game early. Villanova has won and covered all three games since its Feb. 22 home loss to Butler, prevailing by an average margin of 27.7 points. Seton Hall scored a season-low 46 points in the Jan. 16 road loss to Nova in Philly, but has scored at least 70 points in eight of its last nine. Projection: Villanova 77 Seton Hall 70

No. 6 Creighton vs. No. 7 Xavier

Any doubt that the Musketeers are an NCAA Tournament team was cast aside in Thursday night's 62-57 upset of Butler. Needing to secure a win to ensure that the only wins over its last 10 games weren't exclusively limited to conquests of lowly DePaul, Xavier summoned an excellent defensive effort and got a special peformance from star wing Trevon Bluiett to defiantly state its case that it deserves a bid in spite of a late-season slide caused in part by the loss of point guard Edmond Sumner. Bluiett, playing on a tender ankle that has also been part of XU's struggles, scored 23 points and connected on the game-winning jumper to snap a tie with 16 seconds left. Neither team led by more than two points over the final 6 minutes until Butler exhausted all hope with late fouls, so the Musketeers passed both a physical and mental test in a game that featured 10 ties and 13 lead changes. We'll see whether overcoming a Bulldogs team that they had lost to twice and alleviating some of the massive pressure that came with ending their slide against quality opponents will lead to them collapsing in this spot, although there's certainly a possibility it could set them free to play without doubt hanging in their heads. Creighton lost its star point guard in-season too, but has picked up the pieces without Mo Watson and is now playing to improve its NCAA seed. Khyri Thomas, who took over the role full-time, paced last night's 70-58 win over Providence with 19 points, while the defense forced 15 second-half turnovers to help overcome uncharacteristically poor shooting. Top scorer Marcus Foster struggled with a lack of rhythm and foul trouble. This is will be the first Big East semifinal for the Blue Jays since 2014, but it will be Xavier's fourth in a row since entering the league. These teams split their regular-season meetings, winning on the other's home floor. The under has prevailed in five of seven Musketeers games, including the last three. Following last night's sloppy win, the under is now 4-1 in Creighton's last five games. Projection: Creighton 69 Xavier 66

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No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 8 Michigan

The Wolverines worked over Illinois in Thursday's game to reach the quarterfinals against top-seed Purdue. They won't be intimidated. Fresh in the minds of both teams is a Michigan 12-point win on Feb. 25 in the only meeting of the regular season. Michigan is now 4-1 SU/3-2 ATS over their past five games, and 7-2 SU/6-3 ATS over their past nine outings. Purdue secured the top seed in the tournament, but they had some ugly outings in the final two weeks of the season. They needed heroics late to force overtime and win at Penn State by a 74-70 score on Feb. 21, and then they were throttled in Ann Arbor. Purdue was just 1-2-1 ATS in their final four outings of the regular season. Projection: Michigan 75 Purdue 79

No. 4 Minnesota vs. No. 5 Michigan State

This wasn't a dominant year by any stretch of the imagination for Tom Izzo's Spartans, but here they are staring at another 20-win season if they can top the Gophers. Sparty humbled Penn State by 27 points in Thursday's action, now set their sights on a much bigger fish. Michigan State dealt Minnesota two of their eight losses this season, winning 65-47 in East Lansing on Jan. 11, and by one point in an overtime win in the Twin Cities on Dec. 27. Can Sparty do it three times in the same season against the 23-win Gophers? They are 24-9 ATS in their past 33 games against conference opponents. The Gophers are also just 1-6 ATS in their past seven neutral-site outings. Projection: Michigan State 70 Minnesota 66

No. 2 Wisconsin vs. No. 10 Indiana

The Hoosiers may have played their best and most complete game of the season in their dismantling of Iowa on Thursday. They easily covered a three-point number in their 95-73 victory to send the Hawkeyes packing. They face a much more daunting task in Friday's Quarterfinals action against two-seeded Wisconsin. These two sides met twice in the regular season with the Badgers sweeping the series, but winning by just an average of 6.0 points. Indiana was oh-so-close in each game, but they just didn't have enough juice to get over the hump. Indiana has covered back-to-back games for just the fourth time this season, and at no point have they rattled off three successive covers. The Badgers wrapped up the regular season 2-5 SU over their final seven games, and 2-7 ATS over their final nine outings. Projection: Wisconsin 67 Indiana 69

No. 3 Maryland vs. No. 6 Northwestern

Northwestern pounded Rutgers in Thursday's action for the easy cover, moving them to 22-10 SU and closer to their first NCAA Tournament berth. Many feel they're already a shoo-in for the big dance regardless of what happens from here on in. However, a win over Maryland would certainly be a feather in their cap. The relative newcomers to the Big Ten were a major thorn in the league's side this season, and Northwestern was no exception. UMD won 74-64 in Evanston on Feb. 15 in the only meeting of the season between the two sides. The Terps struggled a bit down the stretch, losing five of season outings from Feb. 4-25, but they righted the ship for two wins to finish the regular season. Still, they're just 1-4 ATS over their past five and the Wildcats have to feel good about where they are heading in. Projection: Northwestern 69 Maryland 68

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No. 4 Iowa State vs. No. 8 TCU

Texas Christian stunned top-seed Kansas in the Big 12 quarterfinals, 85-82 to pick up its second straight win following a seven-game losing streak. The Horned Frogs split the season series with Iowa State, as the Cyclones captured the last matchup in Ames, 84-71 in mid-February as 6 ½-point favorites. ISU outlasted Oklahoma State in the quarters, 92-83 to win its seventh game in the last eight tries. The Cyclones continued its OVER streak on Thursday by eclipsing the OVER for the seventh consecutive contest, while both matchups with the Horned Frogs finished OVER the total. Iowa State is seeking its first Big 12 championship appearance since winning the tournament in 2015. Projection: Iowa State 77 TCU 71

No. 2 West Virginia vs. No. 6 Kansas State

Kansas may not have advanced on Thursday but Kansas State will get another game at the Sprint Center after knocking off Baylor, 70-64 as 4 ½-point underdogs. The Wildcats have suddenly won three straight games after losing five of six as K-State will hook up with West Virginia. The Mountaineers held off a feisty Texas squad in the quarterfinals, 63-53 to win for the sixth time in seven games. West Virginia and Kansas State split a pair of matchups this season with the home team winning each time. K-State has profited nicely as an underdog in Big 12 play by posting a 7-2-1 ATS record when receiving points. Projection: West Virginia 78 Kansas State 73

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No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 8 Georgia

Kentucky has captured each of the past two SEC tournament championships as the Wildcats look to improve their NCAA tournament seeding this weekend. The Wildcats have won eight consecutive games since getting blown out at Florida in early February, but are 5-11 ATS the last 16 contests overall. UK faces Georgia, who covered in a pair of close losses to the Wildcats this season. The Bulldogs edged Tennessee on Thursday to advance, as UGA owns a solid 9-2 ATS record in SEC play as an underdog. Georgia has dropped eight consecutive meetings with Kentucky since 2014, but the Bulldogs held the Wildcats to 42% shooting from the floor in the two losses this season. Projection: Kentucky 79 Georgia 70

No. 4 South Carolina vs. No. 5 Alabama

The last time South Carolina and Alabama met up in Columbia in February, the Crimson Tide outlasted the Gamecocks in four overtimes, 90-86 as eight-point underdogs. Sindarius Thornwell knocked down 25 free throws and scored a career-high 44 points for South Carolina, as the Gamecocks shot just 26% from the floor. The Gamecocks struggled down the stretch covering numbers by compiling a 1-8 ATS record the last nine games, while losing five of their final eight contests. Alabama cruised past Mississippi State on Thursday, 75-55 for its third victory over the Bulldogs this season. The Tide cashed their first OVER in the past five games in the second round win, while holding their fifth straight opponent below 60 points. Projection: South Carolina 64 Alabama 62

No. 2 Florida vs. No. 7 Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt beat Texas A&M for the third time this season in Thursday’s 66-41 rout to advance to the quarterfinals. Now, the Commodores try to beat Florida for the third time as Vandy won in Gainesville as 11 ½-point underdogs in January, 68-66, while knocking off the Gators at home last Saturday, 73-71. Vandy is riding a 6-1 SU and 7-0 ATS run the last seven games, which includes five UNDERS. The Gators put together a nine-game winning streak from late January through late February, but dropped two of their final three contests. Florida has won eight consecutive SEC tournament openers with its last loss in its first tourney game coming in 2008. Projection: Florida 74 Vanderbilt 67

No. 3 Arkansas vs. No. 6 Mississippi

Ole Miss is making a late run towards a postseason berth as the Rebels have won six of their last eight games. The Rebels cruised past Missouri in the second round, 86-74 for their fifth straight victory in the favorite role. Ole Miss is flipped to an underdog against Arkansas, as the Razorbacks routed the Rebels in Fayetteville, 98-80 in mid-February. Arkansas has won and covered six of its final seven games, including five consecutive victories as a favorite. The Hogs has lost seven of the past eight SEC tournament openers, but reached the SEC championship in 2015 before falling to Kentucky. Projection: Arkansas 70 Mississippi 73