NCAAB betting trends, odds and predictions for Saturday, March 11th, 2017 from various handicappers and websites
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Big 10 tournament, Washington DC
Michigan won eight of its last ten games; they beat Purdue in OT yesterday, playing three guys 40:00+- they’re playing third day in a row here. Wolverines lost 83-78 in OT at Minnesota Feb 19; Gophers were 28-41 on foul line, Michigan just 9-18. Minnesota won nine of last ten games; they avenged two regular season losses to Michigan State yesterday; this is only their second game this week. Since 2003, Minnesota is 3-7 in its second tourney game. This is third time in four years Michigan won two tourney games; they lost 3rd game those years by 14-17 points.
Atlantic 14 tournament, Pittsburgh
Last 8+ years, VCU is 21-5 in conference tournaments; they’re 11-3 in A-14 tourneys- this is their 5th one. Rams won 11 of last 13 games overall. VCU beat crosstown rival Richmond twice this season, 81-74 at home Feb 1, then 84-73 at Richmond Feb 17- they shot 58%/60% inside arc in those games. Spiders won tourney in 2011 but are just 3-5 in this event since; Richmond survived tense struggle with GW last night- they used four starters 31:00+. VCU beat George Mason yesterday by 11; game was tied at half. Only one Ram played more than 28:00.
SEC tournament, Nashville
Road team won both Vandy-Arkansas games this season; Hogs won 71-70 in Nashville Jan 24, then Commodores won 72-59 at Arkansas Feb 7. Vandy was 12-23 on arc in their win, 9-26 in the loss. Vanderbilt won seven of its last eight games but needed OT to beat Florida Thursday, their third win over the Gators this season- they used four players 34:00+, with Kornet playing 44:00. Arkansas won seven of its last eight games; they held Ole Miss off 73-72 yesterday, playing nine kids 14:00+, only one player more than 26:00.
AAC tournament, Hartford
Cincinnati hammered UConn twice this season, 82-68 at home Feb 4, then 67-47 in Nutmeg State a week ago; Bearcats lost to UConn in four OT’s in LY’s tournament- they haven’t won a conference tourney since 2004 C-USA tourney, when Bob Huggins was their coach. Cincy had an easy time with Tulsa yesterday; no one played more than 29:00. UConn won last two days by 11-10 points; they entered tourney on 4-game losing streak. Huskies are playing on their home court; since 2011, they’re 17-3 in conference tournaments, with two titles.
Big East tournament, New York City
Villanova spanked Creighton twice this season, 80-70 in Omaha New Year’s Eve, then 79-63 at home two weeks ago. Wildcats struggled past Seton Hall 55-53 yesterday; three of their guys played 31:00+. Creighton beat Xavier in last 0:07 last night; Bluejays used four starters 30:00+ last night. Villanova is best team in league defending arc; Jays are shooting 37.2% on arc this season, third-best in Big East. Creighton lost final here in 2014; Villanova won this tourney in ’15, lost final LY. Lower seeded team won four of last six Big East finals.
Big X tournament, Kansas City
West Virginia beat Iowa State twice this season, 85-72 in Ames Jan 31, then 87-76 at home eight nights ago. Mountaineers shot 6-32 in first half last night, rallied late to sneak past Kansas State, 51-50- they’re won six of last seven games, allowed 53-50 points in first two tournament games this week. Adrian/Carter played 38:00 apiece last nite, no one else more than 28:00. ISU starts four seniors, is #6 experience team in country; Cyclones won by 21 last nite; they’re 24-49 on arc this weekend. Iowa State won this tourney in ’14/’15; WVU lost final to Kansas LY.
MAC tournament, Cleveland
Arch-rivals won on each other’s home court this season; Kent won 70-67 in Akron Feb 17, then Zips got revenge 66-56 at Kent eight nights ago. Over last decade, Akron is 3-5 in MAC finals; their last title was in 2013. Flashes were last in final in 2011- they lost to Akron in OT. Zips beat Ball State by 4 yesterday, surviving Cardinals’ 13-29 shooting on arc; Akron used two guys 32:00+- they played eight guys double figure minutes. Kent State won last two days by total of five points; they played three starters 37:00+ yesterday; they played 30:00+ on Thursday.
ACC tournament, Brooklyn
Duke rallied to win from down double digits vs Louisville/North Carolina last two nights; no team has ever won four games in four days to win ACC tourney- Duke can do it here. Blue Devils won 84-74 at Notre Dame Jan 30, in only meeting between teams this season- they haven’t won an ACC tournament since 2011; their last final appearance was loss to Virginia in ’14. Notre Dame made 13-27 on arc in 77-73 win over Florida State last nite; Irish bench played total of only 31:00. Notre Dame won eight of last nine games with only loss by 7 at Louisville;
C-USA tournament, Birmingham
Middle Tennessee State avenged its only C-USA loss yesterday by thumping UTEP; they beat Marshall twice this season, 69-57 at home Jan 12, then 97-86 in Huntington Feb 18. Marshall is playing 4th day in a row; they made 19-35 on arc yesterday in 93-77 thumping of 2-seed La Tech. Thundering Herd played four starters 35:00+ yesterday; their bench played total of 36:00. MTSU had stress-free games the last two days. Blue Raiders are in third straight C-USA final; Marshall’s last final appearance was loss to Memphis in 2012.
Pac-12 tournament, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
Oregon won its last eight games; they used seven guys last nite, playing three of them 31:00+ in game that was 36-33 at half. Ducks hammered Arizona 85-58 at home Feb 4 in only meeting this season; they were 16-25 on arc in that game. Arizona beat UCLA fairly easily last night; Wildcats are 20-39 from arc last two nights- new arena must have good lighting. Ducks are in Pac-12 final for 4th time in five years (2-1 in previous three). Arizona is in final for 5th time in seven years; they were 1-3 in previous three finals, but beat Oregon 80-52 two years ago.
Big West tournament, Anaheim
Top-seeded Cal-Irvine won five in a row, eight of its last nine games; they held off Long Beach State 62-57 last nite, playing three guys 30:00+. Anteaters lost 74-65 at Cal-Davis when the Aggies were 35-46 on foul line; Irvine avenged that loss 79-49 at home one week ago. Davis needed OT to beat Fullerton last night, surviving 2-18 shooting on arc; Aggies start four seniors and in mid-major leagues, that makes a big difference. Higher seed won Big West final four of last five years; Anteaters won this tourney two years ago.
Big Sky tournament, Reno
Top-seeded North Dakota won eight of its last nine games; they’re 17-3 in last 20 games after starting season 5-6. Hawks swept Weber State, winning 83-77 at home Jan 19, then winning 77-68 in Ogden Feb 18. UND beat Idaho by 5 last night; they played all five starters 32:00+. Weber won its last three games, scoring 82 pts/game; they used three starters 34:00+ last nite. is in Big Sky final for 5th time in last six years; they won title in ’14/’16. North Dakota is looking for its first league title- they lost by 21 to Weber in final three years ago.
Mountain West tournament, Las Vegas
On Nov 20, Nevada beat Iona 91-76 at home; six nights later, they lost by hoop to Iona in final of Alaskan Shootout; last Saturday, Wolf Pack beat Colorado State by 13 at home; a week later, here they are again, in Mountain West tourney final. Nevada won its last eight games; they used six guys last night, playing three starters 37:00+. Wolf Pack was 11-21 on arc; they were 12-31 on arc vs Rams last week, a game CSU led by 10 in first half. Colorado State has only seven scholarship players, five of whom are freshmen/sophomores. This will be fun to watch; have a feeling it is Colorado State’s year.
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ACC Trends and Angles
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No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 5 Duke
The Irish topped Florida State in Friday's semifinals, while the Blue Devils topped UNC in the third installment of the 'Battle of the Blues'. So we'll get a matchup against good friends Mike Brey and Mike Krzyzewski in the ACC Final. These two sides met once during the regular season, and it was the Blue Devils coming away with an 84-74 victory in South Bend. Notre Dame has come alive over the past few weeks after a four-game slide from Jan. 24-Feb. 5. The Irish are 8-1 SU over their past nine outings, and 8-2 ATS over their past 10 outings. The 'under' has cashed in five of their past six outings, while the 'over' has cashed in each of Duke's three tournament games so far, and four in a row overall. The Blue Devils are looking for their 20th ACC Tournament championship, most of any school in the conference. Notre Dame won their only ACC Tournament in 2015. For just the second time in the past seven years the final does not feature the University of North Carolina. Projection: Notre Dame 83 Duke 81
Big East Trends and Angles
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No. 1 Villanova vs. No. 6 Creighton
If this game is close down the stretch, neither one of these teams should be shook given what transpired in the semifinals. Both teams are here because they not only landed the last punch, but also dodged the final bullet. In the Wildcats' case, that was a point-blank layup missed by Seton Hall's Angel Delgado, who would've likely sent a game the Pirates led for the majority of the evening to overtime if he'd executed something he typically manages in his sleep. The degree of difficult for Xavier's JP Macura was much more challenging since he pulled up from nearly 25 feet, misfiring on the game-tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds after Blue Jays' leading scorer Marcus Foster snapped a tie with a pull-up 3-pointer of his own. Creighton has reached the Big East final for the second time since joining the conference in 2014 and finding immediate success thanks to Doug McDermott. Bryce Cotton, who has since bounced around the NBA and is currently playing Australia, led Providence to a 65-58 win at the Garden. Villanova won its second title, the first under head coach Jay Wright, in '15 but lost last year. Even after winning an NCAA championship and dominating the league with a 16-2 regular season, the Wildcats are hungry to claim another one of these and looked every bit invested as they rallied from 11 points down and held on after four lead changes in the final minutes. Josh Hart, a top candidate for National Player of the Year, led Villanova with 19 points and 10 boards, delivering the go-ahead 3-point play with 9.6 seconds remaining. It won despite shooting 5-for-19 from beyond the arc and 10-for-17 from the free-throw line, so 'Nova did some flirting with disaster and still won for the 13th time in 14 games. Foster's shot connected with 6.9 seconds left, on the heels of losing a late lead with just 15 ticks left. Despite draining 13-of-20 3-pointers, Creighton's fate wasn't decided until Xavier's final attempt clanked off the rim. After shooting 18-for-25 from the field in the second half and 7-for-9 from 3-point range, the Blue Jays will come into their third clash against Villanova with some confidence. They've rescued their profile in this tournament following a skid after losing point guard Mo Watson to a knee injury. In center Justin Patton, Creighton has a big man who can command attention inside the way Delgado did, so 'Nova must be prepared for another challenge after being pushed around by Seton Hall in the paint. Villanova beat Creighton in Omaha (80-70) on Dec. 31 when it was the No. 1 team in the country and 79-63 in Philly on Feb. 25 when it was ranked second. That first game was a New Year's Eve battle of unbeatens, won by Jalen Brunson's career-high 27 points. Foster led Creighton in scoring in both games, averaging 24.5 points despite the losses. The Blue Jays could probably rise a seed line or two with a win here, while Villanova has already done enough to secure a No. 1 seed, though it could be ranked as the top overall team by finishing the deal here. The under has prevailed in 12 of 17 'Nova games following Friday's win and came through in both Creighton games. It has hit in five of six Jays' games, including yesterday's by a half-point. Projection: Villanova 74 Creighton 66
Big 10 Trends and Angles
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No. 4 Minnesota vs. No. 8 Michigan
Michigan knocked off a No. 1 seed for the second consecutive season in the Big Ten Tournament when they ousted Purdue. The Wolverines strengthen their resume for an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament, but have they done enough? A win over Minnesota and a trip to the Finals would likely clinch a bid. The Gophers, meanwhile, exorcised some demons when they showed Michigan State the door, 63-58. Sparty manhandled them by 18 points in East Lansing back on Jan. 11. Michigan and Minnesota played a classic game on Feb. 19, with the Gophers coming out on top 83-78 in overtime. It was the only meeting of the season. The 'over' is 10-3 in the past 13 for Minnesota, but the 'under' is 2-0 in their past two. That includes the only meeting with the Wolverines. The over cashed for Michigan in their quarterfinals game, and is 5-2 over their past seven. Projection: Michigan 75 Minnesota 77
No. 2 Wisconsin vs. No. 6 Northwestern
The Wildcats of Northwestern likely cemented their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth with a victory over 3-seed Maryland on Friday night. They have their eyes set on a much bigger prize, however, as this team continues to defy the odds and push forward for bigger and better things. The Wildcats will face the Badgers for the second time this season. They met in Madison on Feb. 12 and it was Northwestern coming away with a 66-59 victory as 11 1/2-point underdogs.The Wildcats are 4-1 ATS over their past five outings, and 11-6 ATS over their past 17 games. Wisconsin has won back-to-back games for the first time since an eight-game winning streak from Jan. 12-Feb. 9. They closed out the season 2-5 SU in the final seven regular season games, and 2-6 ATS in their final eight outings, but they appear to have righted the ship. The 'under' has hit in three straight for the Badgers and is 12-6-1 in Northwestern's past 19, although the 'over' is 2-0 in their two Tournament games. The total pushed in their earlier meeting. Projection: Wisconsin 65 Northwestern 68
Big 12 Trends and Angles
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No. 2 West Virginia vs. No. 4 Iowa State
In early February, Iowa State owned a 6-5 record inside the Big 12 after losing at last-place Texas. The Cyclones have torn through the conference recently by winning eight of nine games to reach the Big 12 championship against West Virginia. Iowa State cruised past TCU on Friday, 84-63 as 4 ½-point favorites to cash the OVER for the eighth straight game. The only loss in this stretch for ISU came in the season finale at West Virginia, 87-76, as the Mountaineers pulled off the season sweep of the Cyclones. WVU squeezed past Kansas State in a 51-50 victory on Friday, but failed to cover as six-point favorites. The Mountaineers dropped to 1-5-1 ATS in the last seven games, in spite of winning six times during this stretch. West Virginia is playing for the Big 12 championship for the second straight season after losing to Kansas in 2016, while Iowa State captured the tournament title in both 2014 and 2015. Projection: West Virginia 80 Iowa State 77
SEC Trends and Angles
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No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 5 Alabama
Kentucky and Alabama meet in the SEC tournament for the second straight year as the Wildcats blew out the Crimson Tide in the quarterfinals, 85-59 last March. The Wildcats advanced to this year’s semifinals following a 71-60 victory over Georgia on Friday, but Kentucky failed to cash as 11½-point favorites. The Crimson Tide won for the second straight day after knocking out South Carolina, 64-53 to cover as four-point underdogs. Earlier this season, Alabama lost at home to Kentucky, 67-58 as 7½-point underdogs as the Tide last beat the Wildcats in January 2013. The Tide improved to 5-5 ATS as an underdog in SEC play this season following Friday’s win, but Alabama owns a 1-5 ATS record in its last six matchups with Kentucky. Projection: Kentucky 73 Alabama 68
No. 3 Arkansas vs. No. 7 Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt pulled off its third victory over Florida in Friday’s quarterfinals, 72-62 in overtime to help improve its resume for the NCAA tournament. The Commodores have covered eight straight games and have compiled a terrific 9-0 ATS mark in its last nine in the role of an underdog. Vanderbilt and Arkansas split a pair of meetings this season with the road team winning each time. In the last matchup in Fayetteville on February 7, the Commodores jumped out to a 21-point halftime lead and never looked back in a 72-59 rout as four-point underdogs. Arkansas held off Mississippi on Friday to advance to the semifinals, 73-72, but failed to cash as 4½-point favorites. With the victory, the Hogs improved to 7-1 in the last eight games as these teams are meeting in the SEC tournament for the first time since 2013. Projection: Arkansas 65 Vanderbilt 71
Pac-12 Trends and Angles
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No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 2 Arizona
The Ducks handled the Sun Devils 80-57 in the least entertaining of the Pac-12 quarterfinals, running away from the No. 9 seed after the break. While the league's other two heavyweights square off in the nightcap, Dillon Brooks-led Oregon will try and guard against complacency against a Cal team still looking to cement an NCAA at-large bid. Holding off a late Utah surge to prevail in a bubble battle helped aid their cause, but the Bears struggled down the stretch and don't have the most impressive of resumes, making this a must-win if it wants to be confident going into Selection Sunday. Since February began, Cal's two most impressive outings before yesterday's win were losses at Arizona and home against Oregon, which won 68-65 on Feb. 22. The Bears blew a 16-point second-half lead when Dillon Brooks connected on a 3-pointer with 0.2 left, rescuing a game that the Ducks trailed by 10 pints with less than five minutes remaining. Weeks later, Cal is still looking for the signature win that escaped them and knows it will likely see full-court pressure considering how poorly it handled it as Oregon staged its comeback. Jabari Bird scored 20 points in that loss and was the driving force on Thursday, pouring in 26 and connecting on a crucial 3-point play to help the Bears avoid blowing an 11-point lead with 2:17 remaining. Both Ducks' wins over Cal went over the posted total, as have both games for the Bears in this tournament. Oregon had a four-game run of overs ended when yesterday's win over ASU fell well short of 154.5. Projection: Oregon 76 Arizona 72
Big East Conference Tournament Final Betting Preview
By Covers.com
Creighton Bluejays vs. Villanova Wildcats
Josh Hart and No. 2 Villanova are in the midst of a magical ride that has lasted nearly a full year. The Wildcats can continue their impressive run of domination Saturday when they face Creighton in the Big East tournament title game at Madison Square Garden.
Hart lifted the Wildcats past Seton Hall on Friday with an offensive rebound that he converted into a dramatic three-point play with under 10 seconds remaining. The win - its 36th in the last 39 games - moved No. 1 seed Villanova within one victory of its second league tournament title in the last three years. The Wildcats lost to Seton Hall in the championship game last season but of course went on to win the national title behind Hart, Kris Jenkins and Jalen Brunson, among others. This year's squad has dreams of back-to-back national championships but must not overlook the Bluejays, who nipped Xavier in the final seconds on Friday behind Marcus Foster's decisive 3-pointer.
LINE HISTORY: The line is currently off the board. Check out the complete line history here.
POWER RANKINGS: Creighton (-9.2) - Villanova (-18.5) + neutral site (0) = Villanova -9.3
WHAT SHARPS SAY: "The No. 1 seed in this tourney, Villanova has dominated Creighton of late, winning and covering each of the last four match-ups in this series. In addition, defending national champions are 8-3 SU and ATS in conference title games the following season. It all looks good for the Wildcats until you notice the Blue Jays’ sterling 9-1 SU and 8-2 ATS mark in conference championship games, including 4-0 SU and ATS as an underdog. Something’s got to give." - Covers Expert Marc Lawrence
ABOUT CREIGHTON: The Bluejays received 21 points apiece from Foster and freshman center Justin Patton on Friday and hit 13-of-20 3-pointers as a team in a cofidence-boosting win. Creighton has been inconsistent since losing point guard Maurice Watson Jr. to a season-ending knee injury in January, although three of four since a loss at Villanova. Patton shot 10-of-13 from the field in the semifinals and has shot at least 50 percent in every game this season except for one. Additionally, the Bluejays have struggled at in this matchup over the years, dropping the previous six meetings, going 1-5 against the spread in the process.
ABOUT VILLANOVA: The Wildcats on Friday shot under 42 percent from the field and went 5-of-19 from the arc while missing seven of their 17 foul shots in their lowest scoring game of the season. "I think we got outplayed tonight. We just found ways at the end. Great players make great plays," said coach Jay Wright, whose team needs Jenkins in particular to return to form. The senior forward is 7-of-34 from 3-point range over the last five games and he followed up his season-high 24-point effort in the quarterfinals with a four-point effort - his second-lowest total of the year - in the semis.
TRENDS:
* Villanova is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Creighton 0-5 ATS in their last five games following a SU win.
* Under is 5-1 in Creighton's last five games overall.
* Under is 3-0-1 in the last four meetings.
AAC Tournament Semifinals Betting Preview
By Covers.com
Central Florida Knights vs. Southern Methodist Mustangs
The top-seeded Mustangs won their last 14 (11-2-1 ATS) games, which includes a victory over the fourth-seeded Knights, who come in on a six-game winning streak. Coach Tim Jankovich's squad has an explosive offense that seems to be gaining steam as the Mustangs averaged 92.3 points over their last three outings. Forward Semi Ojeleye leads the offensive attack at 19.1 points per game with guards Shake Milton (13.1) and Sterling Brown (12.9) joining Ojeleye to form a trio of players who have each hit at least 53 3-pointers this season. While there are a number of players on the Mustangs' roster that can and have stepped up with clutch plays throughout the season, the team's success in the rest of the AAC tournament and the NCAAs will likely rely on the play of Ojeleye. The AAC Player of the Year makes the difference between SMU being a good team and a potential title contender, which he showed again Friday in the AAC tournament quarterfinals.
They'll need to be ready to bomb away from the outside to avoid the interior defense of UCF's 7-6 center Tacko Fall, who averages 2.5 blocks to go with his 11.3 points and 9.6 rebounds. Sophomore guard B.J. Taylor's 17 points per game lead UCF, while guard Matt Williams averages 15.3 points, with 109 of his 156 field goals coming from beyond the 3-point arc. Earning a top four seed in the conference tournament was one thing, but dominating a Memphis team that they've lost 21 of their last 23 meetings to give the Knights all the confidence in the world heading into a meeting with SMU. UCF's defense was at its best, showing that there's more than just Fall in the middle for opponents to worry about, while the offense showed great balance, with four different players scoring in double figures.
TRENDS:
* UCF is 4-0 ATS in their last four games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* SMU is 22-5-1 ATS in their last 28 games as a favorite.
* Under is 5-1 in UCF's last six games following a ATS win.
* Over is 6-0 in SMU's last six games overall.
Connecticut Huskies vs. Cincinnati Bearcats
The Bearcats, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, routed the Huskies by 20 on March 5 and by 14 on Feb. 5, covering the spread as 6 and 13.5-point favorites respectively. Cincinnati enters the game on a roll, having won three straight, with all three victories coming by 18 points or more. The Bearcats may be known for their defense, but coach Mick Cronin's team can score, with swingman Jacob Evans (13.6 points) and forward Kyle Washington (13.5) leading the way. Cronin always makes sure his team is focused on defense, but he also wants to see his players hit the glass on the offensive end, leading to second-chance points. The Bearcats, who rank second in the AAC in offensive rebounding, had a 13-6 edge in offensive boards in its win over Tulsa on Friday, which led to a 19-5 advantage in second-chance points.
UConn has another hot senior guard in the mold of ex-Huskies Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier in Rodney Purvis, who had 30 points in the first round and 18 points in the quarterfinals of this tournament. Purvis (13.9 points) and Jalen Adams (14.2 points) form a solid 1-2 scoring duo for coach Kevin Ollie, but they'll need to take care of the basketball against a pressuring Cincinnati defense. Senior center Amida Brimah isn't a big offensive threat for the Huskies, but his play could be the difference between UConn possibly playing for a title or heading home. The 7-foot Brimah is an anchor for the Huskies' defense, averaging 2.6 blocks and intimidating many players that drive the lane against UConn.
TRENDS:
* UConn is 1-4 ATS in its last five games overall.
* Cincinnati is 4-11 ATS in its last 15 neutral site games.
* Over is 4-1 in UConn's last five neutral site games.
* Over is 4-1 in Cincinnati's last five neutral site games.
Big 12 Tournament Final Betting Preview
By Covers.com
Iowa St. Cyclones vs. West Virginia Mountaneers
The Sprint Center in Kansas City, site of the Big 12 Tournament, has been nicknamed "Hilton South" because of the crush of Iowa State fans who make the three-hour drive down I-35 each March for the tourney. Over half the arena was filled with Cardinal and Gold-clad Cyclones' fans for Friday night's 84-63 semifinal win over TCU, and that crowd advantage for Iowa State figures to be even bigger when they face 11th-ranked West Virginia, which rallied to eek out a 51-50 win over Kansas State, in Saturday night's championship contest.
Fourth-seeded Iowa State will be attempting to win the tournament for the third time in four years while second-seeded West Virginia, which lost to Kansas, 81-71, in last year's title game, will be attempting to win its first Big 12 Tournament after moving over from the Big East in 2012-13. The Mountaineers, who rallied from a 12-point second half deficit to defeat the Wildcats when forward Esa Ahmad sank one of two free throws with 20.2 seconds left, made it to the title game despite a brutal first half offensively when they scored just 16 points on 6-of-32 shooting, holding on at the end when guard Kamau Stokes missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer just before the buzzer. "This is why we came to Kansas City man," Mountaineers senior guard Tarik Phillip, who scored all 13 of his points in the second half, said. "This is what we dreamed of. We won a couple games. Now we have to win the big one."
LINE HISTORY: The line is currently off the board. Check out the complete line history here.
WHAT SHARPS SAY: "Bob Huggins’ Mountaineers escaped by the skin of their teeth in a one-point win over Kansas State whole the Cyclones clobbered TCU in a letdown following the Horned Frogs shocking win over Kansas. Huggy Bear is 9-2 SU in conference title games, including 6-0 SU and 4-2 ATS as a favorite of more than three points. On the flip side, Iowa Sate is a spotless 3-0 SU and ATS in Big 12 championship tiffs. However, ISU will need to put a halt to a 0-4 SU and ATS losing skid in this series if they hope to cut down the nets." - Covers Experts' Marc Lawrence.
POWER RANKINGS: Iowa St. (-12.5) - West Virginia (-15) + neutral site (0) = West Virginia -2.5
ABOUT IOWA STATE (22-10 SU, 17-12 ATS, 17-12 O/U): The 24th-ranked Cyclones have three senior guards -- first team all-Big 12 pick Monte Morris, second team choice Naz Mitrou-Long and Matt Thomas, who earned honorable mention -- that played key roles in winning two previous Big 12 Tourney titles and have won eight of nine games in the tournament. Morris, an All-American who came within an assist of a triple-double in Iowa State's 92-83 quarterfinal win over Oklahoma State when he finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, came back to score 15 points and dish off three assists in the semifinal. Another senior guard, 6-4, 250-pound Deonte Burton, scored 20 points in the first 22 minutes and finished with a team-high 22 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists in Friday's win over TCU.
ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (26-7 SU, 13-14-1 ATS, 15-12-1 O/U): The 6-8 Ahmad, who missed three games at the end of the season with back spasms, led the Mountaineers with 15 points and 10 rebounds against Kansas State. He ranks second on the team in scoring (11.3) behind junior guard Jevon Carter (12.9), the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Year who led the conference in steals (2.72). Phillip, the Big 12's Sixth Man of the Year, averages 9.4 points and 3.1 assists per game while 6-9 senior forward Nathan Adrian, a third team all-Big 12 pick, also is averaging in double figures (10.0) while grabbing a team best 6.1 rebounds per game.
TRENDS:
* Cyclones are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.
* Mountaineers are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
* Over is 9-0 in Cyclones last 9 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Under is 5-0 in Mountaineers last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Cyclones are 0-4 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
SEC Conference Tournament Semifinals Betting Preview
By Covers.com
Alabama Crimson Tide vs Kentucky Wildcats
Two more wins in the SEC Tournament would earn Alabama an unlikely automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament – but one more might be enough to make the Crimson Tide an interesting topic for the selection committee. The fifth-seeded Crimson Tide aim for their 20th victory when they face surging No. 1 seed Kentucky in an SEC Tournament semifinal Saturday. Alabama is in the conference semifinals for the first time since 2013 after a 64-53 win over No. 4 South Carolina on Friday. "We've had an up-and-down year in a lot of ways and haven't been able to put together complete games, especially in back-to-back games, but we did it tonight,” Alabama coach Avery Johnson told reporters. “I'm proud of our guys. They were hard-nosed, they fought and they were scrappy.”
The Crimson Tide have a much bigger challenge ahead, as Kentucky has won a season-best nine straight games including a 71-60 victory over No. 8 seed Georgia in the quarterfinals. The Wildcats won the only regular-season meeting, 67-58 at Alabama on Feb. 11 and have won seven straight in the series. The Wildcats proved they are more than a one-man team by beating Georgia despite a season-low two points from leading scorer Malik Monk (20.6 points). Fellow freshman De’Aaron Fox (15.7 points, 5.0 assists) and sophomore guard Isaiah Briscoe (13.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists) scored 20 points apiece against the Bulldogs, and freshman Bam Adebayo (13.3 points, 7.7 rebounds) recorded a double-double to carry Kentucky.
TRENDS:
* Crimson Tide are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Wildcats are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 neutral site games as a favorite.
* Under is 5-0 in Crimson Tide last 5 neutral site games.
* Under is 5-0 in Wildcats last 5 games as a favorite.
* Favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
Vanderbilt Commodores vs Arkansas Razorbacks
With a run to the SEC Tournament semifinals, Vanderbilt might have finally done enough to secure an NCAA Tournament bid, but the Commodores would prefer to win two more games in Nashville and remove all doubt. The surging Commodores’ next shot at padding their resume comes Saturday when they take on Arkansas with a trip to the championship game on the line. The Commodores dominated the extra period in a 72-62 overtime win over No. 2 seed Florida on Friday – their third win over the Gators this season. That sets up a rubber match with Arkansas, as the teams split the regular-season series with each winning on the other’s home court. The Commodores are one of the SEC’s best 3-point shooting teams, and they knocked down 11 from behind the arc against the Gators. Reserve guard Matthew Fisher-Davis (13.8 points) and Riley LaChance (10.4 points) were hot from outside Friday, and 7-foot-1 forward Luke Kornet (13.4 points, 6.2 rebounds) collected a double-double despite going 0-for-4 from long range.
The Razorbacks have won seven of their last eight games since a 72-59 home loss to the Commodores on Feb. 7, and they eked out a 73-72 win over Ole Miss on Friday behind 17 points from Daryl Macon. Arkansas is trying to earn its second trip to the SEC Tournament championship game in the last three years. The Razorbacks have a balanced attack, but it has been sharp-shooting guard Dusty Hannahs (14.6 points) who has lit up the Commodores in the previous two meetings, averaging 20.5 points. Macon (13.3 points) was the man Friday, scoring 17 off the bench including 9-of-10 from the foul line, as the Razorbacks were 20-of-23 from the stripe.
TRENDS:
* Commodores are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Razorbacks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS loss.
* Under is 14-2 in Commodores last 16 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 12-1 in Razorbacks last 13 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Commodores are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
ACC Conference Tournament Final Betting Preview
By Covers.com
Duke Blue Devils vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Fifth-seeded Duke attempts to become the first team in history to win four contests in four days to take the ACC tournament when it faces third seed - and 16th-ranked - Notre Dame in the championship game Saturday in Brooklyn, N.Y. The 14th-ranked Blue Devils earned a chance at their record 20th title by scoring 51 points in the second half to rally past top seed North Carolina 93-83 in Friday’s semifinals.
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski told ESPN after the game his Blue Devils “played lights out with great courage,” and they will need more of the same to give him his 14th ACC tournament title, which would move him past Dean Smith for the most all-time. Notre Dame, which withstood a second-half rally by Florida State on Friday for a 77-73 victory and a trip the final for the second time in three seasons, will try to oust Duke from the tournament for the third straight season. The Fighting Irish, who are 6-2 in their ACC tournament history that includes a title in 2015, also will go for their eighth straight win at Barclays Center. Notre Dame dropped an 84-74 decision at home to the Blue Devils in the only meeting this season on Jan. 30.
POWER RANKINGS: Duke (-15.2) - Notre Dame (-13.8 ) + neutral site (0) = Duke -1.4
ABOUT DUKE (26-8 SU, 14-18-1 ATS, 16-16-1 O/U): Grayson Allen was blanked in the first game of the tournament but has delivered 18 points in each of the last two contests while hitting a total of seven 3-pointers. Luke Kennard leads the team in scoring (20.2 points) and is contributing 21.3 points in the tournament, but freshman Jayson Tatum is raising his game even more by producing an average of 23 over his last three games. Freshman Frank Jackson scored 15 points on Friday and has been solid over the last six contests, averaging 16 while shooting 50 percent.
ABOUT NOTRE DAME (25-8 SU, 18-8-1 ATS, 14-12-1 O/U): Bonzie Colson, an All-ACC First Team pick like Kennard, is averaging 19.5 points over the first two games of the tournament and paces the team at 17.1 while leading the league in rebounding (10.2). Matt Farrell, Steve Vasturia and V.J. Beachem also average better than 13 points for the Irish. Coach Mike Brey, a former assistant for Krzyzewski, has been using a smaller lineup that has helped spur an 8-1 run and Matt Ryan stepped up Friday with 11 points after going scoreless over his last three outings.
TRENDS:
* Blue Devils are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 neutral site games.
* Fighting Irish are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Over is 5-0 in Blue Devils last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 4-0-1 in Fighting Irish last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Underdog is 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings.
Big Ten Conference Tournament Semifinals Betting Preview
By Covers.com
Michigan Wolverines vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Wolverines cruised past ninth-seeded Illinois 75-55 in the second round despite arriving in Washington, D.C., only hours prior to tipoff Thursday as their charter plane skidded off the runway during takeoff Wednesday before knocking off No. 1 seed Purdue 74-70 in overtime in Friday's quarterfinal. Michigan eliminated the top seed in the conference tournament for the second time in as many years and hopes to advance to the championship game for the first time since 2014. D.J. Wilson led the way with 26 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots to lift the Wolverines past Purdue for the second time in two weeks. Zak Irvin added 13 points and seven rebounds, including the game-tying basket with 4.2 seconds left to send the game to overtime.
Minnesota advanced to the semifinals for the first time in seven years following a hard-fought 63-58 victory against fifth-seeded Michigan State on Friday. The Golden Gophers have won nine of their last 10 games and turn their attention to beating Michigan for the second time this season after an 83-78 overtime victory in Minneapolis on Feb. 19. Reggie Lynch, who was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year earlier in the week, scored a team-high 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting and blocked five shots against Michigan State. Amir Coffey added 13 points and Jordan Murphy produced 10 points and 13 rebounds to notch his third double-double in the last four games.
TRENDS:
* Michigan is 4-0 ATS in its last four neutral site games.
* Minnesota is 5-1 ATS in its last six games overall.
* Under is 7-1 in Michigan's last eight neutral site games.
* Over is 7-1 in Minnesota's last eight games following a SU win.
Northwestern Wildcats vs. Wisconsin Badgers
The Wildcats advanced to the semifinals for the first time in the 20-year history of this event with Friday's 72-64 victory over third-seeded Maryland, taking control of the game in the second half thanks to a 20-2 run and 25 points off 14 turnovers by the Terrapins. Bryant McIntosh, who fueled Friday's upset with 16 points and six assists, played an even bigger role in Northwestern's 66-59 victory over the Badgers on Feb. 12, finishing with 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. McIntosh (team-high 14.6 points, league-best 5.4 assists), who has averaged 26.5 points per game in his last two games against Wisconsin, took most of the offensive load upon himself in last month's meeting, shooting 10-for-23 from the field as second-leading scorer Scottie Lindsey (14.1 points) was sidelined with mononucleosis.
That loss to the Wildcats triggered a 1-5 stretch for Wisconsin, but the Badgers appear to be back on track after beating No. 10 seed Indiana 70-60 in Friday's quarterfinals. The win was a second straight since the slide for Wisconsin, which will attempt to the reach the Big Ten tournament title game for the seventh time. On the same day he joined Frank Kaminsky as the only Badger to be named a finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (nation's best center), Ethan Happ (13.9 points, 9.1 rebounds) posted his ninth double-double of the season Friday with 14 points and 12 boards. Bronson Koenig (team-high 14.2 points) led Wisconsin with 16 points against Indiana and has picked up his play on the offensive end over the last five contests, averaging 19.2 points in that span.
TRENDS:
* Northwestern is 5-1 ATS in its last six neutral site games.
* Wisconsin is 1-5 ATS in its last six games following a ATS win.
* Under is 10-3 in Northwestern's last 13 neutral site games.
* Under is 11-1 in Wisconsin's last 12 neutral site games.
Pac-12 Tournament Final Betting Preview
By Covers.com
Arizona Wildcats vs. Oregon Ducks
Oregon and Arizona will play for the Pac-12 tournament title for the second time in three years Saturday in Las Vegas, and a victory by the top-seeded Ducks would earn a fifth conference tournament championship, matching the second-seeded Wildcats for the most in the event's 19-year history. Oregon beat visiting Arizona by 27 points in their only meeting this season, which represents the second-worst loss in eight seasons under coach Sean Miller.
Oregon small forward Dillon Brooks was voted the Pac-12 Player of the Year, but sophomore guard Tyler Dorsey is currently the hottest shooter among the No. 5-ranked Ducks. Dorsey scored 23 points and made all six 3-pointers in the first meeting against Arizona this season, and scored 23 again Friday in the semifinals, shooting 5-for-6 from 3-point range in the 73-65 victory against fifth-seeded California. Dorsey helped cover for Brooks, who missed 12 1/2 minutes of the second half after picking up his fourth foul with 18:03 remaining and Oregon clinging to a five-point lead. No. 7-ranked Arizona played one of its strongest games of the season in its semifinal win against third-seeded UCLA, and the Wildcats are a different team than they were in the Feb. 4 loss to the Ducks, namely sophomore shooting guard Allonzo Trier is back in the starting lineup and appears in midseason form after missing the first 19 games because of a suspension.
LINE HISTORY: Oregon opened as 2-point chalk in the Pac-12 Championship while the total hit the board at 138. Check out the complete line history here.
POWER RANKINGS: Arizona (-17.6) - Oregon(-18) + neutral site (0) = Oregon -0.4
ABOUT OREGON (29-4): Oregon has been leaning heavily on 6-9 junior forward Jordan Bell, playing him at least 30 minutes in four of the last five games, and he figures to play close to 40 minutes against Arizona if he can stay out of foul trouble. Bell matched his season high with 15 rebounds against California while also contributing six points and five blocked shots, and he should do a better job defending Arizona freshman forward Lauri Markkanen than UCLA did, giving up 29 points to the 7-footer. Another player who should be a factor is guard Dylan Ennis, who made all nine of his free throws against the Golden Bears, and his ability to penetrate and get certain Wildcats in foul trouble could be one of the keys to this game.
ABOUT ARIZONA (29-4): Trier scored 20 points in the semifinal win against UCLA and his matchup with Brooks will be one to watch. Trier hasn't defeated the Ducks in two seasons at Arizona, and in the conference tournament semifinals last season against the Ducks fouled out with 2:37 left in regulation and the Wildcats lost in overtime. Arizona will need more than Trier and Markkanen to dethrone Oregon and 6-5 freshman guard Rawle Alkins might be the answer if he can play as he did the last month against the Ducks, when he finished with 16 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals.
TRENDS:
* Arizona is 4-1 ATS in its last five games overall.
* Favorite is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Over is 7-1 in Oregon's last eight games following an ATS loss.
* Under is 5-2-1 in Arizona's last eight neutral site games.
CONSENSUS: The early consensus has 65 percent of bettors laying the points with Oregon, while a big 73 percent of wager are on the Over.