NCAAB Betting News and Notes Saturday, February 25th, 2017

Saturday's Tip Sheet
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

UCLA at Arizona

Arizona (26-3 straight up, 14-13-2 against the spread) is in first place in the Pac-12 standings, leading Oregon by one game and UCLA by two. The Wildcats are 15-1 in league play, winning five consecutive games since taking their lone conference loss in blowout fashion at Oregon on Feb. 4.

Sean Miller’s team is just 2-4 ATS in its last six games, but it did take the cash in Thursday’s 90-77 win over Southern Cal as a nine-point home favorite. The Wildcats drained 11-of-20 launches from 3-point range (55.0%) led by Allonzo Trier’s four makes on six attempts. Trier scored a game-high 25 points, while Rawle Alkins contributed 12 points, four rebounds, four assists, one steal and one blocked shot in merely 17 minutes of playing time off the bench. Alkins buried all five of his shot attempts, including a pair of long-range jumpers from beyond the arc.

Arizona is a No. 2 seed from the Midwest Region in ESPN.com’s latest edition of ‘Bracketology’ from Joe Lunardi. Miller’s squad is No. 8 in the RPI Rankings and No. 4 in the latest poll from the Associated Press. UA has posted a 1-3 record against RPI Top-25 foes, a 6-3 ledger versus the Top 50 and a 12-3 mark against the Top 100. The Wildcats’ only losses have come at Oregon (RPI: 7) and on neutral courts vs. Gonzaga (RPI: 9) and Butler (RPI: 11). They own notable wins at UCLA, at California, at USC and at Stanford, in addition to neutral-court victories over Michigan State and Texas A&M. UA’s best home wins include scalps of Cal, USC, Utah, Stanford and New Mexico.

Lauri Markkanen, a six-foot 11-inch freshman, is averaging 15.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. He is hitting 49.5 percent of his shots from the field, 45.4 percent of his 3’s and 84.3 percent of his free throws. Trier has now played 10 games after missing 19 due to an NCAA eligibility issue. The sophomore guard is scoring at a 15.0 PPG clip and is pulling down 5.0 rebounds per contest. Alkins (11.3 PPG), Dusan Ristic (11.1 PPG) and Kobi Simmons (10.7 PPG) are also scoring in double figures.

Arizona is ranked No. 16 in the nation in 3-point shooting (40.0%) and No. 17 in free-throw percentage (76.7%). The Wildcats are ranked 27th in the county in scoring defense (64.0 PPG) and 22nd at defending the 3-point line (31.0%).

Arizona is undefeated in 15 home games with a 5-8 spread record.

UCLA (25-3 SU, 14-14 ATS) has won outright in seven of its nine road assignments, but it has limped to a 3-6 spread record.

Steve Alford’s team has won six straight games, but it is mired on a 2-6 ATS slump. UCLA won 87-75 at Arizona State on Thursday, but it failed to cover the number as a 13-point road ‘chalk.’ T.J. Leaf paced the winners with 25 points and nine rebounds on 11-of-16 shooting from the field. Aaron Holiday produced 17 points, six assists and four rebounds, while Bryce Alford added 15 points and six assists compared to only one turnover. Ike Anigbogu contributed 12 points, six boards and three blocked shots in 20 minutes of playing time off the bench.

Leaf leads the Bruins in scoring (17.0 PPG), rebounding (8.8 RPG) and field-goal percentage (63.2%). Leaf, a freshman who is listed as the No. 13 pick in nbadraft.net’s latest mock, is hitting 47.1 percent of his 3-point attempts. Lonzo Ball, the team’s freshman point guard who was a five-star recruit and is currently projected to go No. 2 in the 2017 NBA Draft at nbadraft.net, leads UCLA in assists (7.5 APG) and steals (1.9 SPG) while averaging 15.0 PPG. Alford (16.2 PPG), a senior who is the son of the head coach, has a 75/31 assists-to-turnovers ratio and is draining 45.5 percent of his shots from downtown. Isaac Hamilton (13.8 PPG), Holiday (13.1 PPG) and Thomas Welsh are also averaging in double figures for the high-scoring Bruins.

UCLA is ranked tops in the nation in both scoring (92.1 PPG) and field-goal percentage (53.1%). In addition, the Bruins are fourth in the country in 3-point shooting percentage, burying 41.7 percent of their attempts. Credit Ball for all three of those stats as his speed and dribble penetration draws defenders, creating space for teammates to spot up and await his dishes for open looks.

UCLA is No. 5 in the AP poll and No. 17 in the RPI. The Bruins are 2-2 against RPI Top-25 opponents, 4-3 versus the Top 50 and 10-3 against the Top 100. They took their losses at Oregon, at Southern Cal (RPI: 29) and at home vs. Arizona. UCLA has home wins over Cal, Oregon, USC, Michigan and Stanford, in addition to neutral-court triumphs over Nebraska, Texas A&M and Ohio State. The Bruins have road wins at Kentucky and at Utah.

When these teams met on Jan. 21 at Pauley Pavilion, Arizona raced out to an 11-point halftime lead and won a 96-85 decision as a 5.5-point road underdog. The 181 combined points soared ‘over’ the 160-point total. Simmons led five Arizona players in double figures with 20 points, six rebounds and five assists compared to just one turnover. Markkanen added 18 points and seven boards, nailing 3-of-4 shots from long distance. Ball scored a game-high 24 points and had eight assists, six rebounds and two steals with only one turnover in the losing effort. Alford finished with 15 points.

The underdog owns a remarkable 11-1 spread record in the last 12 head-to-head meetings between these Pac-12 rivals. The ‘over’ has connected at a 13-6 rate in the last 19 encounters at Arizona.

Arizona has won outright in four of the last five games in this rivalry, but UCLA owns an 8-2 spread record in the last 10 meetings.

As of late Friday afternoon, several offshore shops had Arizona installed as a 2.5-point home favorite.

The ‘under’ is 15-13-1 overall for Arizona, but the ‘over’ is 8-7 in its home contests. With that said, the Wildcats have seen the ‘under’ cash in three of their last four games and six of their last nine (regardless of the venue).

The ‘over’ is 14-12-2 overall for the Bruins, 4-4-1 in their road outings. However, the ‘under’ has been a winner in four of UCLA’s last five games.

BYU at Gonzaga

As of late Friday afternoon, several spots had Gonzaga (29-0 SU, 20-5-1 ATS) listed as a 20.5-point home favorite.

Mark Few’s team is unbeaten in 15 home games with a stellar 10-2 spread record. The Bulldogs are 9-2 ATS in 11 games as double-digit home favorites.

Gonzaga is the nation’s only undefeated team and it is in the midst of an 8-1-1 ATS run after taking the money in Thursday’s 96-38 win at San Diego as a 24-point road favorite. Josh Perkins was the catalyst with 15 points, five rebounds and six assists without a turnover. Jordan Mathews also scored 15 points, while Johnathan Williams produced 14 points and 19 rebounds. Nigel Williams-Goss finished with 14 points, six boards and five assists.

Williams-Goss, a junior who transferred from Washington, is leading Gonzaga in scoring (16.2 PPG), assists (4.8 APG) and steals (1.7 SPG). Williams, a transfer from Missouri, is averaging 10.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while making a team-best 61.3 percent of his attempts from the field. Senior center Przemek Karnowski is averaging 12.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

Gonzaga is No. 1 in the nation in the AP poll and No. 9 in the RPI. The Bulldogs are 4-0 against the RPI Top 25, 5-0 versus the Top 50 and 10-0 against the Top 100. They own neutral-court wins over Florida, Iowa St., Arizona and Tennessee. In addition, the ‘Zags swept Saint Mary’s (RPI: 19).

BYU (20-10 SU, 11-15-1 ATS) has been an underdog six times this year, limping to a 1-4-1 spread record with one outright victory (at San Francisco). This is the Cougars’ biggest ‘dog spot of the season.

Dave Rose’s team is off of Thursday’s 97-78 win at Portland as an 11.5-point road ‘chalk.’ Elijah Bryant erupted for a career-best 39 points and also had six assists and five rebounds. Eric Mika added 19 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals and one blocked shot, while Nick Emery finished with 16 points and three steals.

BYU is 4-4 SU and 3-5 ATS in eight road assignments.

BYU is No. 90 in the RPI, going winless in three games against the Top 25 and four versus the Top 50. The Cougars are 4-6 against the Top 100. They have notable scalps at home over Princeton and CSU Bakersfield, in addition to sweeping San Francisco.

Mika leads the Cougars in scoring (19.9 PPG), rebounding (9.3 RPG) and blocked shots (2.0 BPG). T.J. Haws and Emery are averaging 13.8 and 13.1 PPG, respectively. This trio of players played on the same high school team that won four state titles in a row in Utah.

BYU’s L.J. Rose tore his meniscus earlier this month and hasn’t played since Feb. 4. Rose, who was averaging 5.5 points, 4.7 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game, remains ‘out’ indefinitely.

The ‘over’ is 14-12 overall for Gonzaga, 7-5 in its home contests. The ‘over’ is 5-1 in the Bulldogs’ last six games.

The ‘under’ is 15-11-1 overall for the Cougars, but they’ve seen the ‘over’ go 5-3 in their road games.

When these teams met at Marriott Center in Provo in front of nearly 19,000 fans on Feb. 2, Gonzaga won an 85-75 decision as a 10-point road favorite. The 160 combined points slithered ‘under’ the 162-point total. Williams-Goss paced the ‘Zags with 33 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. Williams added 12 points, eight boards, two assists, two steals and one block, while Perkins finished with 11 points and four assists without a turnover. For BYU, Haws scored a team-best 29 points. Mika tallied 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Emery scored just two points before fouling out.

The ‘under’ is 11-3 in the last 14 head-to-head meetings between these WCC rivals.

B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets

Florida will take a nine-game winning streak into Rupp Arena on Saturday for a 2:00 p.m. Eastern tip on CBS. Mike White’s team is 7-2 ATS during its nine-game surge, with the last two victories coming after losing starting center John Egbunu to a season-ending ACL tear. The Gators thumped South Carolina without Egbunu and with Canyon Barry going scoreless. Barry only logged nine minutes of playing time after spraining his ankle last Saturday in a non-covering win at Mississippi St. KeVaughn Allen needed only seven shots from the field to drop a game-high 26 points on the Gamecocks. When UF and UK met in Gainesville earlier this month, Florida dealt out an 88-66 shellacking as a short home ‘chalk.’

Kentucky starters Isaiah Briscoe (13.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 4.3 APG) and De’Aaron Fox (15.5 PPG, 5.3 APG, 4.2 RPG & 1.5 SPG) were both listed as ‘questionable’ vs. UF with ankle injuries late Friday afternoon. With that said, I’d be shocked if they don’t play.

Northeastern senior forward Alex Murphy is ‘out’ Saturday at UNC-Wilmington due to personal reasons. Murphy, who previously played at Duke and Florida, has finally been healthy this year, averaging 14.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.

Miami guard JaQuan Newton (15.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG & 3.6 APG) is done serving his three-game suspension and will return for Saturday’s home game vs. Duke. These ACC adversaries will collide at 4:00 p.m. Eastern on CBS.

The televised noon Eastern tips include FSU at Clemson (ACC Network), UNC at Pitt (ACC Network), UVA at N.C. State (ESPN), SMU at UConn (CBS), Tulane at Temple (ESPNU) and Wichita State at Missouri State (ESPN2).

Texas hosts Kansas
By: Dave Schoenholt
StatFox.com

#3 Kansas tries for their sixth straight win when they visit Austin against the reeling Longhorns, losers of four straight.

Kansas, having just wrapped up an NCAA-tying 13th straight regular season conference title, takes their #3 ranking into Texas looking to continue their dominance over the Longhorns. The Jayhawks have won the last nine out of 10 meetings in this series, including a 79-67 (UT +16.5) win in Lawrence on Jan. 21 of this season. The Jayhawks come off five straight wins -- six of their last seven (3-4 ATS) – and carry an 8-1 (4-5 ATS) road mark on the season. Kansas enjoyed huge top 10 wins over West Virginia (84-80, KU -5) and at Baylor (67-65, KU +2) before taking down TCU at home (87-68, KU -12.5) on Wednesday to seal another conference title. With Villanova’s loss to Butler this week, Kansas is likely to move to #2 in the nation if they can keep Texas in the losing column. Losing is what Coach Shaka Smart’s Longhorns have done best this season, as the former VCU coaching star is still trying to put the pieces together of a massive rebuild in Austin. The Longhorns are winless anywhere except the Frank Erwin Center (0-13) this season, with their last win coming at home against Iowa State (who beat Kansas) 67-65, UT +2.5, on Feb. 7. Texas has not only lost their last four contests, but is 0-4 ATS as well in those results, which includes a road loss to Oklahoma – the only Big 12 team sitting below them in the conference standings. Texas has only been a favorite in two conference games this season and is 4-3 (4-3 ATS) at home in Big 12 play. Longhorns leading scorer G Tevin Mack (14.8 PPG) was booted from the team by Coach Smart prior to Texas’ Jan. 14 game against West Virginia. There is no indication Mack will return to the team this season, and Texas is 3-9 (6-6 ATS) without the 6’7” sophomore in the lineup. As mentioned earlier, Texas has only beaten Kansas once in their past 10 tries (81-69, UT +4) which happened in Feb. 2014. Texas is 6-4 ATS in those 10 games, however. In total trends, the Under is 7-1 in Texas’ last eight games, while the Under is also 9-4 in Kansas’ last 13 contests.

Coach Bill Self’s Jayhawks are coasting, and should continue to do so as favorites against the struggling young Longhorns. Coach Self is now 3-0 against Coach Smart as a Big 12 rival, although Smart’s 2011 Final Four VCU team did take down Self’s #1 Kansas team in the elite eight of that season’s NCAA Tournament. Outside turmoil has rumbled around the Jayhawk basketball program this season, but on the court, Kansas is playing as well as ever, most recently clinching another conference title on the strength of solid shooting (47.5% FG, 43.5% 3PT) and smothering defense (39.1 % FG, 26.1% 3PT) in their 87-68 win over TCU on Wednesday. Kansas put four players in double-figures in their 79-67 win over Texas in January, while shooting a blistering 48% from beyond the arc in the win. They also forced Texas into 19 turnovers (versus just nine assists). The Jayhawks boast one of the best backcourts in the nation, so it should be no surprise that the three-point line is a key weapon for them in every game (40.8% 3PT, 6th in NCAA). G Frank Mason III (20.3 PPG, 5.0 APG, 51% 3PT) is amongst the favorites for the Wooden Award this season. The senior is looking to be the first player ever in Big 12 play to average 20 points per game to go along with five assists per game in a season. On Mason III’s wings are G Devonte Graham (13.1 PPG, 4.4 APG) and G Josh Jackson (16.5 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 3.0 APG). The junior, Graham, has six or more assists in three of his last five games and has played 34+ minutes for Coach Self in 12 straight. The 6’8” freshman Jackson, a surefire lottery pick in June’s upcoming NBA Draft, has really heated up in conference play. Jackson owns six double-doubles (all points-rebounds) in his last eight games (54.0 % FG), and is playing well on both ends of the court, (2.0 SPG in that stretch). Jackson will be needed to help crash the glass along with F Landen Lucas (7.6 PPG, 8.3 RPG) and F Carlton Bragg (5.8 PPG; 15 points, seven rebounds against TCU), as Kansas has struggled to defend talented frontcourt players all season long. Texas’ Jarrett Allen dismantled Kansas in the paint to the tune of 22 points and 19 rebounds in the first meeting between these two teams.

Texas faces an uphill battle against the Big 12’s best team, but conference play has shown nothing to be impossible. Oklahoma went into Morgantown and pulled out a victory earlier this season and Ohio State just took down Wisconsin on Thursday. All these teams are still playing hard, and Texas’ young core can gain a lot for next season by taking Kansas to the wire at home. The Longhorns played hard in the January loss in Lawrence, ultimately bowing out by 12. Kansas jumped on them early, creating turnovers and hitting threes, but ultimately Texas never truly waned, playing Kansas to a 38-34 second half on the road. In order to pull the upset Texas will have to establish their mismatch with F Jarrett Allen (13.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 58% FG) early on. As mentioned earlier, Allen tore apart Kansas’ weak interior defense for 22 points, 19 rebounds (9-for-14 FG). Allen did commit six of Texas’ 19 turnovers, but you have to think Coach Smart will live with his big freshman being aggressive. The issue is that Texas’ perimeter players were mostly silent. Sophomore guards Eric Davis Jr. (8.0 PPG) and Kerwin Roach Jr. (10.0 PPG, 3.8 APG) combined to shoot 4-for-19 from the field for 12 points. The emergence of freshman G Andrew Jones (11.3 PPG, 3.4 APG) should help Texas the second time around. Jones had 15 points, five rebounds and five assists off the bench against Kansas, and has since ascended into a starting role and 30+ minutes per game for Coach Smart. Jones has double-figures in 11 of his last 12 games (9 points in the non-double figure outing) and is averaging 13.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 4.5 APG since Mack’s suspension (12 games). While the message on offense against the Jayhawks will be to get the ball to Allen and 6’8”, 275-pound senior Shaquille Cleare (8.1 PPG), on defense Texas must defend better beyond the arc. At 253rd nationally defending the three (35.6%), the Longhorns are behind the eight ball against a team with the wealth of perimeter talent such as Kansas. Two of Texas’ last four opponents have shot better than 52% from three.

Miami hosts #10 Duke
By: Dave Schoenholt
StatFox.com

#10 Duke will look for a season sweep over Miami when they travel to Coral Gables on Saturday.

Like Syracuse on Wednesday night, Miami will be looking for a season-defining (and NCAA Tournament solidifying) win on Saturday when they host the Blue Devils. Already boasting a home win over #9 North Carolina, as well as a road victory over #18 Virginia, Miami’s resume can probably withstand a loss to the #10 Blue Devils, but a win on Saturday would make the Hurricanes’ NCAA resume fairly airtight. Miami comes into Saturday’s contest winners in five of their last six games (4-2 ATS), although they are just 9-16 ATS on the season. Miami’s impressive Monday road win over Virginia (54-48, MIA +7.5) was done without G Ja’Quon Newton (15 PPG, 3.6 APG) while he served his last game in a three game suspension by Coach Jim Larranaga for “conduct detrimental to the team”. Newton will be eligible to return for Saturday’s game. At 9-6 in conference play, Miami can enter the conversation for a double-bye in the ACC tournament and join four teams clogged in the ACC standings with 10 wins. Duke, 10-5 in ACC play, saw their regular season ACC title hopes take a huge hit with their loss at the buzzer in the Carrier Dome on Wednesday night. The Blue Devils now sit two games behind 12-4 North Carolina. That said, Duke is playing excellent basketball over the last month, winning eight of their last 10 games (two losses by a combined five points). The win to start this recent run was a 70-58 defeat of these Hurricanes (Duke -10) on Jan. 21. Duke forced Miami into 18 turnovers while the Hurricanes shot only 7-for-15 from the charity stripe, contributing to a sloppy loss for Coach Larranaga’s group. Miami returns home for the rematch where they’re 13-2 this season but just 4-10 ATS. Duke, meanwhile, is 4-4 (3-5 ATS) on the road to date and 4-10 ATS overall in their last 14 games. Historically, while Duke had completely dominated this matchup between 2005 and 2011 (11-1 straight-up, 6-6 ATS), Miami has made things very interesting the past five seasons. The Hurricanes hold a 4-3 edge (5-2 ATS) including Duke’s win last month. Since the start of the 2012 season, that includes a 2-1 (2-1 ATS) home mark. Miami was an underdog in six of these seven games, including a 90-63 home blowout of Duke in Jan. 2013. Miami is 10-3 ATS against Duke since Feb. 2008.

While Coach Krzyzewski’s team has been playing very well, ascending to the top 10 in the AP poll and threatening for an ACC crown, every team reacts differently to losing in such dramatic fashion as Duke did on Wednesday against Syracuse. Duke will now have to travel to Coral Gables, a place where they’ve had limited success in recent years. The Hurricanes have an elite defense, and were able to stay in the game in Cameron Indoor this season, all while shooting uncharacteristically poor from the free throw line and mishandling the basketball on offense. The Blue Devils had four double-figure scorers against Miami in their January win, but have to be alarmed at how some key players have been performing as of late. Besides the sterling play of F Jayson Tatum (16.6 PPG, 7.4 RPG) and G Luke Kennard (20.1 PPG, 46.0% 3PT), Duke currently just doesn’t have a reliable third (or fourth, or fifth) option. Former captain Grayson Allen (15.0 PPG) has regressed to just 8.0 PPG (9-for-39 FG) in his last four games (after a 25-point outing in a win over North Carolina). At 38.7% FG, Allen is shooting the worst percentage of his career and his scoring average is down a full six points per game from last year. While Allen is also a non-factor on defense, F Amile Jefferson (11.3 PPG, 8.7 RPG) and G Matt Jones (7.8 PPG, 1.6 SPG) are really only factors on defense. After languishing in single figures in seven out of his previous eight games before Saturday’s win over Wake Forest, Jefferson at least seems to be breaking out of his offensive funk (16 points against Wake Forest, 14 against Syracuse). It’s fair to wonder, however, the toll it takes on Dukes offense to consistently give Jones the 34 minutes per game he’s receiving. The senior guard’s scoring is down almost three points per game, and his three point shooting has severely regressed (35.0% 3PT). Talented freshmen like G Frank Jackson and the recovering Harry Giles seem deserving of more playing time to diversify Duke’s attack, as they shot an ACC-season low 39.1% FG on Wednesday night.

Coach Larranaga faces a quandary about how to incorporate back his star junior point guard in Newton. Miami went undefeated without him, deploying solid freshman G Bruce Brown (11.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 3.3 APG) to run the offense. Brown took his lumps (10 assists; 10 turnovers) but led the team with 14 points (9-of-10 FT) and the game-winning three in the overtime win on Monday at Virginia. With the 6’5” Brown, 6’6” G Davon Reed (15.4 PPG, 40.2% 3PT) and a frontcourt that stands at 6’7”, 6’8”, and 6’10”, Miami’s length posed serious problems to opponents without starting the 6’2” Newton. The Hurricanes held Clemson and Virginia to 17.6% 3PT and 25.0% 3PT respectively in their last two contests with this rangy defensive lineup. In addition, Miami potentially found a key new weapon in their rotation in the absence of Newton with freshman sharpshooter Dejan Vasiljevic (5.9 PPG), who averaged 9.3 points in extended minutes over his past three games. Vasiljevic hit the game-tying three with a minute left in regulation against Virginia. Reed, Brown and Newton combined for 47 of Miami’s 58 points in their first loss to Duke this season, as Reed (5-for-8 3PT) was effective from deep while Brown added six assists. That said, Newton and Reed combined for eight turnovers. F Kamari Murphy (7.0 PPG, 7.7 RPG) added a season-high 15 rebounds in the loss at Cameron Indoor Stadium, and the well-traveled fifth year transfer from Oklahoma State has started to consistently contribute on the offensive end (10.8 PPG over his last five games)

NCAAB: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com

West Virginia at TCU

TCU hitting a rough patch have lost four straight (0-4 ATS), eight of eleven (2-9 ATS). A Big-12 matchup vs West Virginia does not bode well for TCU. Since joining the conference the Horn Frogs have lost ten consecutive vs Moutaineers posting a money-burning 3-7 record against the betting line.

Florida at Kentucky

The eyes of most college basketball fans as well as those with a penchant for gaming will be on Saturday's SEC showdown between Florida Gators (23-5, 16-10 ATS) and Kentucky Wildcats (23-5, 14-14 ATS) at Rupp Arena.

John Calipari's Wildcats' with four players in double digits lead by Malik Monk (21.1) can light it up. Wildcats net 88.2 points/game on 48.2% from the field, 35.3% from outside. Defensively, Wildcats allow 72.8 per/contest on 42.8% shooting. Wildcats take a five-game winning streak into Saturday's showdown but having to give up huge allotment of points just 2-3 ATS over the span.

Gators not as proficient in the scoring department drop 79.6 through the hole on 45.5% shooting, 36.5% from long range. On the defensive side, Gators are exceptionally good at keeping the ball out of their own basket allowing 65.9 points/game on 40.7% from the field. Gators peaking at the right time hit the hardwood on a nine game win streak with a profitable 7-2 record against the betting line.

In an earlier meeting in Gainesville the Gators snapped a five game skid vs Kentucky handing Wildcats a 22-point loss holding Calipari's troops to a season low 66 points. That earlier loss still fresh in their minds, top spot in the SEC at stake look for Wildcats to make a statement vs Gators playing without their big center John Egbunu.

Consider laying the points knowing Wildcats are 3-0 SU, 2-0-1 ATS at Rupp Arena exacting revenge vs Gators following a loss in Gainsville. Wildcats are also on a profitable 10-5 ATS stretch on home court hosting an SEC opponent.

NCAAB Knowledge

Florida State crushed Clemson 109-61 at home Feb 5; Seminoles were 17-30 on arc, led by 26 at the half. FSU is 4-3 in last seven series games; they won last three games in Littlejohn, by 5-15-4 points- they lost by 9 to Clemson LY in a different arena. Florida State lost five of its last six road games; they’re 0-3 as a road favorite, with only road wins by 2 at Virginia, 18 at Miami. Clemson lost lost five of last six games, is 2-4 at home, 0-2 as a home underdog. ACC road teams are 12-7-1 vs number in games where spread was 2 or less points.

UConn is 7-2 since they lost 69-49 at SMU Jan 19; game was 36-15 at the half. Mustangs are 7-2 in last nine series games, but they lost by 8-6 points in last two visits to the Nutmeg State. Huskies won last six home games; they covered last three games as an underdog. SMU won its last ten games, covering eight of last nine; Mustangs are 6-0-1 as an ACC road favorite- their only AAC road loss in eight games was by hoop in Cincinnati. AAC road favorites of 6 or less points are 8-6 against the spread.

VCU won its last nine games, last four by 10+ points; they’re 5-2 on A-14 road, with two wins in last second- they’re an A-14 underdog for first time this season. Rhode Island won six of its last eight games, but the two losses were their last two home games. URI is 4-3 in A-14 home tilts, 3-4 vs spread as a home favorite. VCU grabs 34.5% of its own missed shots, best in A-14. URI is #12 in A-14 on defensive boards. VCU is 4-0 vs URI in A-14 games, winning by 6-5 points in last two visits here. A-14 home favorites of 3 or less points are 4-9 vs spread this season.

Florida was 10-26 on arc in 88-66 home win over Kentucky Feb 4, Gators’ first win in last six games with Kentucky. Florida lost 67-50/80-61 in last two visits here. Gators won last eight games, are 6-1 on SEC road, with only loss by 4 at South Carolina- they’re 0-4 vs spread as an underdog in all games this season. Kentucky is 5-0 since losing in Gainesville; they’re 4-3 as an SEC home favorite- Wildcats are 2-6 against spread in their last eight games overall. SEC home favorites of 4 or less points are 6-17 vs spread this season.

Duke beat Miami 70-58 at home Jan 21; ‘canes led by 11 at half, were outscored 24-4 in first 10:00 of second half. Miami is 4-3 in its last seven games with Duke, winning two of last three series games in this gym. Blue Devils had 7-game win streak snapped at Syracuse in last game; Duke is 3-4 on ACC road, 1-3 as a road favorite- their road wins are by 2-10-10 points. Miami won seven of last nine games; they’re 6-2 at home, losing to Notre Dame/FSU. ACC road favorites of 3 or less points are 7-4-1 against the spread this season.

Baylor is 3-4 in its last seven games, losing two of last three on road; Bears are 4-3 on Big X road, 2-1 as a road underdog, with losses by 21-6-5 points. Iowa State won/covered its last four games, scoring 80+ points in all four; Cyclones are 5-2 at home- favorites covered six of those seven games. Baylor beat Iowa State 65-63 at home Jan 4, after trailing by 6 with 5:33 left; Bears won last five series games, winning by 1-5 points in last two visits to Ames. Big X favorites of 3 or less points are 3-8 against the spread this season.

Oregon won its last four games (3-0-1 vs spread); they’re 5-2 on Pac-12 road, 4-1-1 as a road favorite- they were down 10 with 4:10 left at Cal in last game, won by 3. Stanford won its last three home games; they’re 5-3 at home, 2-1 as a home underdog- their home losses were by 5-39-7 points. Oregon was 11-25 on arc, beat Stanford 69-52 at home Jan 21 in game that was 40-22 at half. Ducks lost two of last three visits to Stanford- they lost 76-72 here LY. Pac-12 road favorites of 7+ points are 9-7-1 vs spread this season.

Michigan won four of its last five games; they’re 6-2 at home in Big 14, losing to Maryland by 7, Ohio State by 4. Wolverines are 3-2 as a Big 14 underdog. Purdue won its last six games; they are 5-2 on Big 14 road, 2-5 as a road favorite, with wins by 1-11-6-5-4 points on foreign soil. Purdue won three of last four games with Michigan; Boilermakers lost last three games in Crisler Arena, by 15-9-5 points.- they beat Michigan 76-59 in Big 14 tourney LY. Home favorites of 3 or less points are 14-11 against the spread this season.

Cal-Davis is 6-0 at home in Big West, 4-1 as a home favorite; five of their six home wins were by 9+ points. Long Beach State is 3-4 on Big West road, 0-3 as a road dog, with losses by 15-7-10-5 points. Davis lost 78-69 in OT at Long Beach nine days ago after leading by 7 with 8:24 left in game where teams combined to go just 31-58 on foul line. 49ers are 21-3 in last 24 series games, winning last three by 12-9-9 points- they’re 10-1 in last 11 visits here, but got swept by Aggies two years ago. Big West home favorites of 4 or less points are 5-8 vs spread.

Louisiana Tech won its last six games; they’re 5-1 on C-USA road, 2-2 as a road favorite- their only road loss was by 10 at Middle Tennessee. Rice won six of its last seven games, is just 4-4 at home (5-2 on road) in C-USA. Tech never trailed in 74-64 home win over Rice Jan 19; Tech led by 24 with 8:16 left. Bulldogs are 7-0 vs Rice in C-USA play, winning both visits here, by 22-12 points. Tech forces most turnovers in league; Owls turn ball over 19.8% of time, worst in C-USA. C-USA home teams are 9-5-1 vs number in games where spread was 2 or less points.

Colorado State won/covered five in row, eight of last nine games; they’re 5-2 at home, losing by 13 to New Mexico, 3 to Boise State. San Diego State won five of last seven games; they’re 3-4 on MW road, 1-2 as a road underdog. Colorado State won 78-77 at San Diego State Jan 28; Rams were 10-18 on arc in game they trailed by 13 with 16:16 left to play. Aztecs won four of last five series games; they’re 2-3 in last five visits to Fort Collins. Mountain West home favorites of 3 or less points are 8-13 vs spread this season.

Gonzaga is only 4-3 in its last seven games with BYU, which won 73-70/69-68 in last two visits to Spokane. Zags beat BYU in last three WCC tourneys. Gonzaga won by 10 at BYU in first meeting this year; they were 24-34 on line, Cougars 21-26. Young BYU team is 4-4 in its last eight games, losing four of last six road games; they’re 2-7 vs spread in last nine games overall. Gonzaga is 6-2 as a home favorite, closest WCC home win was by 21 points. WCC home favorites of 15+ points are 8-6 against the spread this season.

Arizona made 9-20 on arc in 96-85 win at UCLA Jan 21; Bruins were just 10-31 on arc. Wildcats won four of last five series games, winning last two in Tucson by 10-12 points. Arizona won its last four games, is 8-0 at home in Pac-12, 1-5-2 vs spread as a home favorite- they’re 2-6-1 vs spread in last nine games overall. UCLA won its last six games, is 6-2 on road- they‘re a dog for just second time all season. Bruins (+9) won 97-92 at Kentucky back on Dec 3. Pac-12 home favorites of 3 or less points are 3-7 vs spread this season.

Armadillosports.com

Trends to Watch - Saturday
VegasInsider.com

Southeast Affair

Kentucky welcomes Florida to Rupp Arena with first place on the line in the Southeastern Conference. Both teams enter the game 13-2 in the conference. These teams met on Super Bowl weekend with the Gators romping the Wildcats by an 88-66 score at O'Connell Center in Gainesville to easily cover a 1 1/2-point spread. The Wildcats are 4 1/2-point favorites as of early Saturday morning.

The Gators haven't had a lot of luck as road underdogs, going 3-13 ATS in their past 16. They're also 1-10 ATS in their past 11 overall as underdog. However, the Gators are 4-1 ATS in their past five road games, 7-2 ATS in their past nine overall and 6-2 ATS in their past eight against SEC foes. They're also an impressive 7-3 ATS in their past 10 against teams with a winning percentage against .600. The Wildcats have covered 22 of their past 32 games at Rupp, and they're also 22-10 ATS in their past 32 as a home favorite. However, they're only 3-9 ATS in their past 12 as a favorite and 2-7 ATS in their past nine games overall.

The favorite has cashed in each of the past five in this series, with the home team going 5-1 ATS in the past six overall. The Gators are just 1-4 ATS in their past five meetings with the Wildcats, although that one cover was three weeks ago. The Gators are also 1-4 ATS in their past five trips to Lexington. The under is 5-0 in the past five meetings at Rupp Arena, too. Tip-off is sete for 2:00 p.m. on CBS.

Creigton Barrel

Creighton looks to barrel into Villanova and come away with a win. The Wildcats were humbled 74-66 against Butler despite being a 10-point favorite, so they figure to be fighting mad for the Blue Jays. The Wildcats are 26-1 SU against every team not named Butler and 0-2 against the Bulldogs. These two teams met on New Year's Eve in Omaha with the defending champs coming away with an 80-70 victory as 1 1/2-point favorites.

The Wildcats haven't lost back-to-back games at home since Nov. 20-Dec. 5, 2012 when the dropped consecutive games against Columbia and Temple. Villanova is 0-5 ATS in their past five as a home favorite and 2-8 ATS in their past 10 games overall as a fave. They're also 2-7 ATS in their past nine conference battles and 2-6 ATS in their past eight against a team with a straight up winning record. The Blue Jays have covered seven of their past nine on the road, and they're 5-1 ATS in their past six road games against a team with a home winning percentage over .600. Creighton has covered just once in the past five meetings in this series.

'Under' bettors might want to pay close attention to this afternoon battle. While the 'over' is 4-1 in the past five for Creighton, the 'under' is 6-1 in their past seven road games against a team with a winning home record and 3-1-1 in their past five against teams with a straight up winning mark. The under is 14-5 in the past 19 overall for Villanova, and 12-5 in their past 17 league games. The under is 3-1-1 in the past five in this series, too, including the first meeting this season in Nebraska. Tip-off is set for 3:00 p.m. on FOX.

AC-see

Duke will battle Miami-Florida in a road game. The Hurricanes are looking to avenge a 70-58 loss at Cameron Indoor Stadium back on Jan. 21. While Duke has won seven of their past eight, they lost last time out at Syracuse. The Blue Devils are also just 5-12 ATS in their past 17 games overall. They're also just 3-9-1 ATS in their past 13 road games and 5-15 ATS in their past 20 ACC battles. The Hurricanes are just 3-11 ATS in their past 14 home games and 7-15 ATS in their past 22 games overall. The road team is 8-3-1 ATS in their past 12 meetings, but the Blue Devils are just 3-9-2 ATS in the past 14 against the 'Canes. Tip-off is set for 4:00 p.m. ET on CBS.

North Carolina State plays host to Virginia. The Wolfpack slapped the brakes on a seven-game losing streak with a 71-69 win at Georgia Tech last time out. Neither team has been very good against the number lately. The Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS in their past five as a favorite and 0-4 ATS in their past four games overall. The Wolfpack are 1-7 ATS in their past eight games overall while going 1-6 ATS in their past seven as an underdog and 0-5 ATS in their past five at home. UVA enters the game as 7 1/2-point favorites. Tip-off is set for 12:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Pittsburgh welcomes North Carolina to the Steel City for a high noon battle. These teams just met Jan. 31 in Chapel Hill and the Tar Heels eeked out an 80-78 victory despite entering the game as 19-point favorites. The Tar Heels have been much better against the number lately, though, going 3-0 ATS in their past three outings. They're also 2-8 ATS in their past 10 road games against a team with a winning home record. The Panthers are 6-1 ATS in their past seven overall, including 5-0 ATS in their past five as an underdog.

The 'under' is 6-1-1 in UNC's past eight games and 6-1 in their past seven as a favorite. The under is 5-1 in Pitt's past six as an underdog, 6-2 in their past eight league games and 20-8 in their past 28 against a team with a winning percentage over .600. The 'under' is also a whopping 15-3 in their past 18 following a cover last time out.

Pac-12 Undercard

Oregon looks to pick up a road win at Stanford in the 'other' Pac-12 game on Saturday. While all eyes might be on UCLA-Arizona, the Ducks-Cardinal battle is a pretty good matchup, too.

The Ducks are 13-3 ATS in their past 16 games overall, 6-2 ATS in their past eight on the road and they're 4-1 ATS in their past five as a favorite. They have also covered 37 of their past 52 conference battles. In addition, Oregon has been fantastic against teams with a winning overall record, covering 39 of their past 58. On the flip side, the Cardinal are a dismal 3-14 ATS in their past 17 as an underdog between seven and 12 1/2 points. However, the home team has cashed in five of the past seven meetings in this series.

The 'under' is 4-1 in Oregon's past five road games, 8-2 in their past 10 road games against a team with a winning home record and 7-3 in their past 10 overall. The 'over' is 4-0 in the past four home games for Stanford and 5-1 in their past six overall. However, the 'under' is 7-3 in Stanford's past 10 home games against a team with a winning road record.

In Other Action...

Illinois State heads to Northern Iowa and the Redbirds are favored by a bucket as of Saturday morning. Illinois State is 8-2 ATS in their past 10 games on the road, but they're 0-4 ATS in their past four as a favorite and 0-4 ATS in their past four overall. UNI is just 1-11 ATS in their past 12 games against a team with a winning percentage over .600 and 3-7 ATS in their past 10 games at home. UNI has also covered just eight times in the past 25 outings.

Wofford goes to Furman, and the Terriers are six-point underdogs as of Saturday morning. The line opened with the 20-win Paladins favored by 7 1/2 points. Wofford have been cover kings lately, going 11-2 ATS in their past 13 road games, 11-4 ATS in their past 15 SoCon games and 9-1 ATS in their past 10 games as a road underdog. Furman has covered nine of their past 12 overall, and they're 23-8 ATS in their past 31 home games. However, the Terriers are 7-2 ATS in the past nine meetings, and 6-2 ATS in their past eight trips to Furman.

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

No. 19 Virginia at N.C. State (+7.5, 131.5)

Virginia looks to pull out of a puzzling 0-4 ATS tailspin when it visits dangerous North Carolina State on Saturday afternoon for an ACC clash. The Cavaliers are averaging just 48 points the last three games and the under is 8-2-1 in their last 11 and 8-16-1 O/U for the season. While N.C. State won Tuesday for the first time since it was announced coach Mark Gottfried would be fired at the end of the season, snapping a seven game losing streak. The Cavaliers are not deep offensively as it is and leading scorer London Perrantes (12.3), a senior point guard, is struggling shooting while going 16-of-58 from the field over the last four games. In the Cavaliers last eight trips to North Carolina State the under is 7-1.

TRENDS:

* Wolfpack are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
* Under is 8-2-1 in Cavaliers last 11 overall.
* Under is 4-0 in Wolfpack last 4 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Under is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings in N.C. State.
* Cavaliers are 7-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings in N.C. State.

No. 25 Wichita State at Missouri State (+13, 144.5)

Wichita State travels to Missouri State on Saturday looking to clinch at least a share of the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title for the fourth consecutive year. The Shockers have won 11 in a row straight up since their lone league loss to Illinois State on Jan. 14, and a victory Saturday coupled with an Illinois State loss would produce their fifth conference championship in the past six years.

Wichita State enters the weekend with one of the better defenses in the nation, ranking third in field-goal percentage defense (37.8 percent) and 15th in points allowed per game (62.9 percent). Despite the defence the Shockers over has cashed in 16 of 27 games a total was available. The Bears have lost seven of their past nine, a stretch that began with three consecutive overtime contests (one win, two losses). Missouri State has lost seven games by three points or less, the second-highest total in the country. While their record is 11-6 SU, their O/U stands at 19-8-0.

TRENDS:

* Shockers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Bears are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 Saturday games.
* Over is 8-2 in Shockers last 10 road games.
* Over is 12-1 in Bears last 13 Saturday games.
* Shockers are 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings.

No. 20 Florida State at Clemson (+1.5, 152)

Most of the talk around resurgent Florida State has centered around freshman sensation Jonathan Isaac and sophomore guard Dwayne Bacon, but unheralded Xavier Rathan-Mayes has proven to be as valuable as either. Coming off an outstanding defensive effort sparked by the junior point guard, No. 20 Florida State seeks to improve upon its seeding for the upcoming ACC tournament when it visits Clemson. Where the Seminoles are looking for a season sweep and are 4-1 in their last five meetings.

Clemson’s fading NCAA Tournament hopes took another hit Tuesday when Virginia Tech took down the Tigers 71-70 on a 3-pointer by Seth Allen with 3.8 seconds remaining, the Tigers’ fifth loss in six games. A brutal schedule hasn’t helped Clemson as Florida State is the 19th consecutive opponent the Tigers have played that is rated among the top 100 in the latest RPI.

TRENDS:

* Seminoles are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games.
* Over is 4-0 in Seminoles last 4 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Over is 9-0 in Tigers last 9 home games.
* Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
* Seminoles are 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Clemson.

No. 8 North Carolina at Pittsburgh (+8.5, 157.5)

North Carolina looks to avoid a letdown after a huge win over another top 10 team when they visit dangerous Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon for an ACC battle. The Tar Heels remained unbeaten straight up at home with a 74-63 victory over No. 6 Louisville on Wednesday, extending their lead in the league to two games over four different teams with three contests left on the schedule. While North Carolina is 15-0 at Dean Smith Center, in true road games they are 5-4 SU. The Tar Heels have shown progress defensively over the last three games, allowing an average of 59.3 points and 38.9 percent shooting and the Panthers over has failed to cash in 15 of their last 18 games following an ATS win. For the season, totals for North Carolina are 10-16-1 and 12-15-0 for Pittsburgh.

TRENDS:

* Tar Heels are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Panthers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
* Under is 6-1-1 in Tar Heels last 8 overall.
* Under is 15-3 in Panthers last 18 games following a ATS win.

No. 21 Southern Methodist at Connecticut (+5.5, 126)

SMU looks to regain sole possession of first place in the American Athletic Conference when it tangles with Connecticut in Hartford on Saturday. The surging Mustangs have won 10 consecutive games. SMU, which has won 20 of its last 21 games SU, is ranked third nationally in scoring defense (58.9) and hopes to hold the Huskies under 50 points once more after a 69-49 victory in their first meeting of the season on Jan. 19.

UConn saw its four-game winning streak come to an abrupt end as the Huskies went cold from the floor in the second half of the 75-70 setback to Houston on Wednesday. UConn has dropped the last two meetings with SMU by an average of 23 points and is in serious danger of missing the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years, barring a title run in the conference tournament. The Huskies have won their last six home games, including four by double digits, and look to knock off a ranked team for the first time this season.

TRENDS:

* Mustangs are 7-0-1 ATS in their last 8 road games.
* Huskies are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up loss.
* Over is 4-0 in Huskies last 4 Saturday games.
* Over is 4-1 in Huskies last 5 home games.
* Home team is 6-0 ATS in the last 6 meetings.

No. 12 Florida at No. 10 Kentucky (-4.5, 156.5)

The red-hot Gators extended their win streak to nine games straight up with an 81-66 victory over South Carolina on Tuesday, prevailing by an average of 20.5 points during their run. One of those victories was an 88-66 thrashing of the Wildcats in Gainesville on Feb. 4 in which Florida crushed Kentucky on the boards 54-29 but this time around will miss the post presence of junior center John Egbunu (7.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.5 blocks), who is out for the season after tearing the ACL in his left knee Feb. 14.

The Wildcats lead the SEC in rebounding (40.6 per game) while Florida grabs the third-fewest in the 14-team conference at 36.0. The Wildcats won at Missouri 72-62 on Tuesday - when prized point guard De’Aaron Fox who averages 15.5 points and leads the SEC at 5.3 assists per game, sustained and injury after falling to the court. Kentucky coach John Calipari said Fox is a game-time decision. Kentucky is fourth in the nation in scoring at 88.2 points per game but averaged 76 in its last four contests. The Under is 5-0 in the last five meetings in Lexington and 4-1 in the last five meetings between the SEC rivals

TRENDS:

* Gators are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games.
* Wildcats are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS loss.
* Under is 5-0 in Gators last 5 Saturday games.
* Under is 5-1 in Wildcats last 6 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Kentucky.
* Favorite is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

No. 13 West Virginia at Texas Christian (+4.5, 146)

With four full days to rest up following a scary incident against Texas earlier this week, when Huggins fell to his knees and grabbed his chest following a timeout against the Longhorns. Huggins is expected to resume his normal duties Saturday as No. 13 West Virginia visits TCU. Despite the health scare, the Mountaineers took care of business with their 77-62 victory over Texas, clinching a bye in the Big 12 Tournament with their fourth win in five games straight up.

Following a 17-7 start, the Horned Frogs are on the verge of falling off the NCAA Tournament bubble and could use a quality win in order to boost their resume after dropping their fourth in a row Wednesday at Kansas. Which might be tough as West Virginia has won all 10 meetings, including the last three by at least 12 points.

TRENDS:

* Horned Frogs are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Over is 9-2-1 in Mountaineers last 12 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 5-1 in Horned Frogs last 6 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.

No. 23 Creighton at No. 2 Villanova (-10.5, 152)

After losing to Butler for the second time this season, Villanova - who are 26-1 straight up against every team not named Butler - look to regroup against visiting Creighton. Villanova won the first matchup with Creighton 80-70. Jalen Brunson scored a career-high 27 points and has generally been terrific since that game, adding 46 points on 16-of-20 shooting over the last two games, though he has been sloppy with the ball with eight turnovers during that stretch. In his previous four games, he had five total turnovers.

The Wildcats once again can clinch the Big East regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament with a win. Saturday is Senior Day for the Wildcats' Josh Hart, Kris Jenkins and Darryl Reynolds, who are the winningest players in school history with 123 victories entering the weekend. Chalk is 5-1 in the last six meetings between these Big East rivals.

TRENDS:

* Bluejays are 21-5 ATS in their last 26 games following a ATS loss.
* Wildcats are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
* Under is 6-1 in Bluejays last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Under is 4-1 in Wildcats last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Favorite is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.

No. 11 Duke at Miami-Florida (+3, 142)

Duke visits Miami on Saturday with the teams separated by a single game in the ACC standings and both needing strong finishes to potentially earn one of four coveted double byes in the conference tournament. Miami, which is 4-4 SU (4-4 ATS, 5-3 O/U) against Duke under coach Jim Larranaga, will be looking to atone for a dismal second-half performance in the earlier meeting in which the Hurricanes led by nine points at halftime before becoming completely unglued during a 31-4 run that resulted in a 70-58 win for the Blue Devils.

Luke Kennard (20.1 points a game), who is No. 1 in the ACC and No. 9 in Division 1 in 3-point shooting percentage (46.1) and junior Grayson Allen (15.0, 3.9 assists) are one of the nation's most dynamic backcourt duos although Allen has struggled with his shot recently while playing with a sore ankle. For the season, Duke stands at 12-14-1 O/U, during true road games they’re 6-2. The over has cashed for the home Hurricanes in 13 of their last 17 games versus a team above .500.

TRENDS:

* Blue Devils are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Hurricanes are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games following a ATS win.
* Over is 6-1 in Blue Devils last 7 road games.
* Over is 6-1 in Blue Devils last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

No. 7 Oregon at Stanford (+8, 140)

Oregon enters the weekend a game back of the No. 4 Wildcats with two games left, and the Ducks own the tiebreaker after beating Arizona earlier this month. Stanford has won its last two games and doesn't figure to roll over for Oregon. The Ducks beat the visiting Cardinal 69-52 on Jan. 21, but Stanford was without leading scorer and rebounder Reid Travis, who was out with a shoulder injury. Travis returned the following game and is averaging 21 points and 8.8 rebounds over the last five contests while shooting 58.9 percent. Oregon is coming off a difficult win at California on Wednesday, as Dillon Brooks sank a 3-pointer with 0.2 seconds left and the Ducks rallied from 16 points down for the 68-65 victory, keeping their title hopes alive.

TRENDS:

* Ducks are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games overall.
* Over is 5-1 in Ducks last 6 games following a ATS loss.
* Over is 4-0 in Cardinal last 4 home games.
* Over is 8-2 in Cardinal last 10 games following a ATS loss.

No. 14 Purdue at Michigan (-1, 140)

The Boilermakers have rattled off six consecutive wins, including a 74-70 overtime victory against Penn State on Tuesday, to take a one-game lead over 15th-ranked Wisconsin at the top of the conference standings.

Purdue has won three of the last four meetings with the Wolverines by an average margin of 15.7 points, but has not registered a victory in Ann Arbor since Feb. 25, 2012. The Wolverines have won four of their last five games to move on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble and hope to add another marquee win to their resume after beating Wisconsin 64-58 on Feb. 16. Michigan is 14-3 at home this season and will honor seniors guards Zak Irvin and Derrick Walton Jr. among others, as the Wolverines hope to beat Purdue for the fourth consecutive time at Crisler Center before finishing the regular season with back-to-back road games.

TRENDS:

* Boilermakers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS loss.
* Wolverines are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Home team is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
* Boilermakers are 7-1-1 ATS in the last 9 meetings.

No. 9 Baylor at Iowa State (-2, 140.5)

Ninth-ranked Baylor entered February looking like the team that might finally dethrone Kansas in the Big 12 title race. But four losses in seven games later, the Bears find themselves in a three-way tie for second. Baylor has won five in a row straight up against Cyclones. The Bears are only 2-9 ATS in their last 11 trips to Hilton Coliseum where Iowa State has won 18 of its last 24 games against ranked opponents.

TRENDS:

* Cyclones are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Over is 4-1 in Bears last 5 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Over is 7-1 in Cyclones last 8 Saturday games.
* Over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings in Iowa St..
* Bears are 2-9 ATS in the last 11 meetings in Iowa St..

No. 3 Kansas at Texas (+8.5, 145.5)

Third-ranked Kansas made history when it clinched at least a share of its 13th straight Big 12 Conference title with a 87-68 win over TCU on Wednesday night. The Jayhawks can make it an outright championship with a victory at Texas on Saturday. The Jayhawks had barely put on their "13 straight champions" hats and t-shirts after the TCU win when news emerged that two of their top three scorers, freshman guard Josh Jackson (16.5 points per game) and junior guard Devonte' Graham (13.1), were involved in two different police incidents.

The Longhorns bring a four-game losing streak into the contest but have been competitive at home where they are 4-3 in conference play with all seven games being decided by four points or fewer. With leading scorer Tevin Mack suspended indefinitely since early January, 6-11 freshman Jarrett Allen has become the main man for the Longhorns, averaging 13.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while also shooting 57.6 percent from the floor.
Kansas holds a 28-8 lead in the series with the Longhorns and has won the last six in a row

TRENDS:

* Jayhawks are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games following a ATS win.
* Under is 7-1 in Longhorns last 8 overall.
* Under is 3-0-1 in the last 4 meetings.
* Underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
* Road team is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

Iowa at No. 24 Maryland (-7, 153.5)

No. 24 Maryland looks to to avoid its first three-game losing streak since Feb. 25-March 4, 2012 and re-establish some momentum heading into the postseason when it hosts Iowa on Saturday. The Hawkeyes are aiming for a second straight victory following a three-game slide of their own.
Maryland won 84-76 at Iowa on Jan. 19 as five Terrapins scored in double figures, but the Hawkeyes are 3-1 in rematch games this season. Iowa is coming off a 96-90 overtime win over visiting Indiana and is trying to get back to .500 in the Big Ten. Chalk is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings between the schools.

TRENDS:

* Hawkeyes are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Terrapins are 10-2-2 ATS in their last 14 games following a double-digit loss at home.
* Over is 5-1-1 in Hawkeyes last 7 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 4-0 in Terrapins last 4 games following a ATS loss.
* Favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

Santa Clara at No. 18 St. Mary’s (-15, 122.5)

Saint Mary's concludes its regular season by hosting Santa Clara on Saturday as it makes final preparations for the West Coast Conference tournament. The No. 18 Gaels, who were not invited to the 2016 NCAA Tournament despite a 27-5 record, are coming off a 78-49 victory at Pepperdine on Thursday as they continue to mow through the WCC competition with the only blemishes a pair of losses to No. 1 Gonzaga.

The Gaels won the first meeting of the season 72-59 on Jan. 28 behind 20 points and 11 rebounds from junior center Jock Landale. The Broncos won three of their last four games after holding off visiting Pacific 69-68 on Thursday as sophomore guard KJ Feagin scored 22 points. The Broncos lead the series 137-87 but Saint Mary's has won three straight meetings, five of the last six and 14 of 16 while winning the last eight in a row at home.

TRENDS:

* Broncos are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games.
* Under is 12-3 in Broncos last 15 games following a ATS loss.
* Under is 5-1 in Gaels last 6 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
* Under is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings in St. Mary's.
* Broncos are 1-5 ATS in the last 6 meetings.

Brigham Young at No. 1 Gonzaga (-20, 161.5)

Gonzaga stomped San Diego 96-38 earlier this week, covering easily as a 24-point favorite. The Bulldogs didn’t leave much to drama, jumping out to a 44-16 halftime lead. The Zags have edged opponents by an average of 13.2 points per first half this season – the highest margin in the country - and are 12.5-point first-half chalk against BYU Saturday. In their last meeting, Gonzaga outscored the Cougars 42-26 in the first 20 minutes before losing the second half battle 49-43, leading to an 85-75 at BYU which pushed with the 10-point spread on February 2.

Brigham Young hasn’t been afraid of the big bad Zags, having won at Spokane in each of the previous two seasons. The Cougars won 69-68 as 7.5-point road underdogs last January and stole a 73-70 victory inside McCarthey Athletic Center as 13.5-point pups in February 2015. Brigham Young is getting 20.5 points this time around and will likely not have standout forward Yoeli Childs (9.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg) at 100 percent, after he sat out versus Portland with an ankle injury.

TRENDS:

* Cougars are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Bulldogs are 26-6-1 ATS in their last 33 games following a straight up win.
* Bulldogs are 20-5-1 ATS in their last 26 games following a ATS win.
* Under is 11-3 in the last 14 meetings.