NCAAB Betting News and Notes Thursday, March 9th, 2017

Creighton vs. Providence
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

Providence and Creighton are poised to collide Thursday night in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The third-seeded Friars and sixth-seeded Bluejays will square off around 9:30 p.m. Eastern on Fox Sports 1. The exact tip time will be 30 minutes after the conclusion of Butler’s quarterfinals showdown versus the winner of Xavier and DePaul, who play the late game at MSG on Wednesday night.

As of Wednesday night, most betting shops had Creighton (23-8 SU, 18-11 ATS) installed as a two-point favorite.

Creighton looked like a legit Final Four contender from November through January. However, the Bluejays lost the nation’s top assists man when senior guard Mo Watson Jr. went down with a season-ending ACL tear.

. Watson sustained the injury on Jan. 16 when his team was toting an 18-1 record. Since then, the Bluejays have lost seven of 12 contests. Watson was averaging 12.9 points, 8.5 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. We’ll make quick note of the fact that Watson is no longer with the program and is banned from campus since being arrested on charges of sexual assault.

Greg McDermott’s team has lost three of its last four and five of its last eight games both SU and ATS, including Saturday’s 91-83 loss at Marquette as a 4.5-point road underdog. Khyri Thomas had 23 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals in the losing effort. Cole Huff and Justin Patton scored 11 points apiece.

Creighton is No. 28 in the RPI Rankings, going 2-2 against the Top 25, 5-4 versus the Top 50 and 10-8 against the Top 100. The Bluejays own road wins over Xavier, Butler, Nebraska and Providence, in addition to a neutral court scalp of Ole Miss. They have home victories over Wisconsin, Seton Hall, Butler, Georgetown and Akron. However, we’ll point out that their only significant win without Watson came at Butler.

McDermott’s troops are led by Marcus Foster, the transfer from Kansas State, who is averaging 18.5 points per game. Justin Patton, the six-foot-11-inch center from Omaha, is averaging 13.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots per game. Patton is fourth in the nation in field-goal percentage (69.3%).

Creighton is ranked third in the nation in field-goal percentage (51.2%), 11th in 3-point shooting (40.4%) and 16th in scoring (83.5 PPG).

Providence (20-11 straight up, 20-11 against the spread) brings a six-game winning streak to the Big Apple. Even better for our purposes, Ed Cooley’s team has compiled an 8-1 spread record in its last nine games.

PU won its sixth straight this past Saturday when it collected an 86-75 win at St. John’s as a one-point road ‘chalk.’ Jalen Lindsey and Alpha Diallo scored 17 points apiece, while Isaiah Jackson produced 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Emmitt Holt was also in double figures with 14 points.

Providence has been an underdog 15 times this year, posting a remarkable 12-3 spread record with seven outright victories. The Friars have covered the number in eight consecutive games as ‘dogs.

Providence is led by Rodney Bullock, the junior forward who is averaging 16.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Holt averages 12.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, while Kyron Cartwright (11.3 PPG) has a 211/86 assists-to-turnovers ratio.

Providence appears to be safely ‘in’ the NCAA field thanks to its late-season surge. Joe Lunardi of ESPN.com has the Friars among his ‘Last Four Byes.’ They are No. 53 in the RPI, going 1-4 against the Top 25, 6-7 versus the Top 50 and 10-8 against the Top 100.

PU has home wins over Vermont, Rhode Island, Seton Hall, Butler and Xavier. The Friars won at Creighton and swept a pair of meetings against both Georgetown and Marquette.

The ‘under’ is 16-13 overall for Creighton, 3-1 in its last four games.

The ‘under’ is 15-14-2 overall for the Friars, but they’ve watched the ‘over’ go 8-3 in their last 11 outings.

B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets

Kansas freshman star Josh Jackson is ‘out’ for his team’s Big 12 Tournament opener due to a one-game suspension. Jackson, who averages 16.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, is accused of backing into a parked car and fleeing the scene in Lawrence last month. The Jayhawks will face the TCU-Oklahoma winner on Thursday.

Georgia junior power forward Yante Maten has been upgraded to ‘probable’ for Thursday’s 1:00 p.m. Eastern tip against Tennessee. UGA has beaten the Volunteers in three straight head-to-head meetings, including a 76-75 win in Knoxville this year. Maten, who averages 18.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, was a first-team All-SEC selection. He was reportedly begging Mark Fox to let him play in the second half of this past Saturday’s loss at Arkansas. Maten suffered a ‘Grade 2’ MCL sprain vs. Kentucky on Feb. 18. The Bulldogs opened as 1.5-point favorites.

Miami advanced past Syracuse with a 62-57 win as a two-point favorite in Wednesday’s ACC Tournament lid-lifter at Barclays Arena in Brooklyn. This will leave the ‘Cuse with anxious moments galore between now and Selection Sunday. The Hurricanes will take on top-seeded North Carolina at noon Eastern on ESPN. They were listed as eight-point underdogs Wednesday night.

Ole Miss’s leading scorer Deandre Burnett (16.5 PPG) is listed as ‘questionable’ (knee) for his team’s SEC Tourney opener vs. the Auburn-Missouri winner.

As of Wednesday night, Vanderbilt was listed as a four-point favorite for Thursday’s SEC Tourney game vs. Texas A&M. The Commodores have won five of their last six games while going 6-0 ATS. The only loss in this stretch came at Kentucky in a game they led by double digits for a good chunk of the first half. The Aggies lost both regular-season meetings with Vandy.

According to multiple reports, LSU’s Johnny Jones will be fired after his team is eliminated from the SEC Tournament.

NCAAB Knowledge

ACC tournament, Brooklyn

Last 12 years, North Carolina is 10-2 in its first ACC tourney game with last four wins all by 16+ points. Tar Heels were 19-3 when they got whacked 77-62 at Miami Jan 28, Hurricanes’ fifth win in last seven games vs UNC, only meeting this season. Miami beat Carolina 87-77 in ACC tourney in 2013. Tar Heels won five of last six games overall. Miami beat Syracuse 62-57 yesterday, its fifth win in last seven games; ’canes played three starters 33:00+, used only two subs more than 2:00. Miami is 1-5 in 2nd tourney game last six years, losing by 2-9-11-7-5.

Duke lost 78-69 at Louisville Jan 14, only meeting this season; teams split four ACC meetings. Cardinals forced 18 turnovers (+7) in game that Duke big man Jefferson missed with an injury. Blue Devils have won consecutive ACC tourney games in only one of last five years, going 1-3 in this round- they’re 2-3 in last five games overall. Louisville didn’t go to ACC tourney LY, lost in first round year before; they won five of last seven games but lost three of last four road games. Duke used four guys 34:00+ yesterday; only two other guys played more than 5:00.

Florida State was 24-32 on foul line in 93-78 home win over Virginia Tech way back on Jan 7; Seminoles were 15-1 at the time, are 9-6 since then, losing six of last eight road games. FSU won its first ACC tourney the last five years, winning by 11-4-2-3-22 points. Tech scored 62 points in second half of 99-90 win over Wake Forest last nite- they were down 7 at half. Four Hokies played 34:00+. FSU is 4-2 in last six series games; they lost 96-85 to Hokies in LY’s ACC tourney. Tech won six of its last eight games overall, with losses by 4-5 points.

Notre Dame won six of its last seven games overall, losing last game by 7 at Louisville; last eight years, Irish are 7-1 in its first conference tourney game. Virginia won 71-54 in South Bend Jan 24, in only meeting this season; game was 27-26 at half. Virginia is 2-2 under Bennett in its second tourney game. Cavaliers won their last four games after a 2-6 skid; they’re 5-0 against Notre Dame in ACC games, with four of five wins by 11+ points. Virginia didn’t have too much stress in its 75-63 win over Pitt last night.

Big X tournament, Kansas City

Iowa State won Big X tournament in ’14 and ’15; other than those two years, they’re 1-8 in last nine first round games. ISU beat Oklahoma State twice this year, 96-86 in Stillwater Jan 11, then 86-83 at home nine days ago. Cyclones won their last seven games with OSU; teams last met in this tourney in ’09. ISU won six of last seven games overall; they’re 3-2 in last five road games. Cowboys lost last two games by total of 8 points after a 10-1 run that put them solidly into the NCAA’s. OSU had won its first tourney game nine years in row, before losing last two years.

Baylor PG Lecomte missed Bears’ last two games; check status before investing in this contest. Baylor won 77-68 at Kansas State Jan 14, then lost 56-54 at home to Wildcats Feb 4. Baylor won four of last five games overall with K-State; Bears won their first Big X tourney game last three years, by 14-10-8 points. K-State lost its first tourney game four of last six years; Wildcats won their last two games after a 3-8 skid sent them headed towards the NIT. Baylor starts three juniors (if Lecomte plays) and a senior; they’re much more experienced than K-State.

Big East tournament, Manhattan

Marquette won four of last five games, scoring 83+ points in all four wins; Eagles won their first Big East tourney game in both years under Wojciechowski, winning by 22-8 points. Seton Hall won this tourney LY; they’re 6-2 in first tourney game last eight years. Marquette/Seton Hall traded 3-point home court decisions this season, games played 10 days apart in early January. Marquette was 18-44 on arc in the two games; they’ve lost three of last four games with Seton Hall, which won seven of last nine games overall, with all seven wins by 7 or less points.

Xavier had lost six games in row before beating DePaul twice in last two games; they pulled away in second half last night, surviving 6-24 shooting on arc. Musketeers lost twice to Butler this season, losing 83-78 in Indy Jan 14, then 88-79 at home 11 days ago, after going 6-1 in first seven Big East games vs Bulldogs. Butler won four of last five games, losing last game at home to Seton Hall. Bulldogs are 0-3 in Big East tourney since joining league. Xavier is 5-6 since losing PG Somner and three of the five wins were over league doormat DePaul.

Creighton was 18-1 when PG Watson got hurt; they’re 5-7 since- they won 78-64 at Providence Jan 7, then lost 68-66 at home to the Friars Feb 22, after leading by 13 in first half- PC made 12 of 24 on arc in that game, Jays’ sixth loss in last seven games against PC. Friars beat them 65-58 in this tourney in 2014. Over last decade, Bluejays are 8-2 in first conference tourney game, but most of that was in MVC- they’re 3-1 in first game of Big East tourney. Last three years, Friars won first tourney game by 5-17-14 points.

MAC tournament, Cleveland

Western Michigan won its last nine games, after starting season 7-15; they lost 84-78 at Ball State Jan 28, then won rematch 80-55 at home four weeks later. Cardinals won three of last four series games. Last 7+ years, WMU is 10-6 in this tournament, going 3-7 in second tourney games. Ball State won five of last six games overall, with one loss at WMU; Cardinals are 3-14 in last 17 MAC tourney games. 0-5 the last five years- two of those three wins were in OT. WMU shoots 39.4% on arc in MAC games, best in league. Cardinals are worst 3-point defense in MAC.

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

Arizona State played three starters 41:00+ yesterday in 98-88 OT win over Stanford; ASU’s subs play least minutes of any bench in country. Sun Devils lost 71-70 at Oregon Feb 2, holding Ducks to 8-23 on arc in game ASU led by hoop with 6:52 left. Sun Devils has only six turnovers whole game, led by 3 at the half. Oregon won last five series games, wth four of five wins by 7 or less points. Ducks won last six games overall, with four of those six games on road- they won first Pac-12 tourney game last four years, by 3-14-8-6 points.

California had to play Rabb/Bird 36:00 each last nite in 67-62 win over Oregon State; Bears are 2-5 in last seven games overall, with both wins over OSU. Utah won its last three games, had day off yesterday; Utes are 4-0 in first tourney game last four years, winning by 3-6-24-8 points. Cal beat Utah 77-75 in double OT in first meeting Feb 2, then got crushed 74-44 in SLC four weeks later, game they trailed in by 20 at half. Utes won six of last eight series games- they beat Golden Bears by 10-4 points in Pac-12 tourney, in ’13/’16.

Colorado was down 30-11 in first half to Washington State last nite, rallied to win by 10; they used two starters 33:00+. Buffaloes won nine of their last 12 games after starting Pac-12 play 0-7. Colorado was outscored 26-10 on foul line in 82-73 loss at Arizona Jan 7; Buffs were 9-29 on arc in game that was played before Trier was eligible for Wildcats. Arizona won its last seven games vs Colorado, beating them by 10-20 in this tourney in ’14/’15. Wildcats are 11-5 in Pac-12 tourney last six years, but they’ve only won it once- they won first tourney game last six years, with wins by 9-8-10-32-21-4 points.

NCAAB: Streaks, Tips, Note
Sportspic.com

Miami vs North Carolina

Top Seeded Tar Heels (26-6, 16-13-2 ATS) lead by ACC Player of the Year Justin Jackson (18.6) are no slouches at putting the ball through the hoop average 85.2 points/game. Not the most efficient at the other end, Roy Williams' troops allow 70.5 per/contest.

Tar Heels off a 'double bye' will now take on Miami Hurricanes (21-10 SU, 11-18 ATS) who got past Syracuse as 2 point faves on Wednesday. Currently oddsmakers have Tar Heels laying 8 points.

Tar Heels are a dangerous group but it won't be a cake walk against Hurricanes dropping 70.2 points/game and a team great at keeping the ball out of their own basket allowing opponents just 63.2 per/contest. Keep in mind, Miami handed UNC its worst loss of the season a 77-62 thrashing back on Jan 28th moving Hurricanes record to 5-2 SU/ATS last seven vs Tar Heels.

When handicapping this contest a few betting nuggets to ponder. Tar Heels are a money-stuffing 6-1 ATS last 7 in Conf Tourney's, 10-2-1 ATS as chalk of 7 to 10 points. Hurricanes a money-burning 1-6 ATS its last seven ACC Tournaments, 7-3 ATS last ten as underdogs of 7 to 10.

AAC Conference Tournament First Round Betting Preview
By Covers.com

The AAC Conference Tournament gets underway with opening round action from Hartford. The action kicks off Thursday afternoon with East Carolina taking on Temple followed by Tulane and Tulsa, concluding with South Florida battling Connecticut.

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

East Carolina Pirates vs Temple Owls (-5, 132)

The teams split two regular season meetings with each taking care of business on home court as Temple posted a 19-point victory in early January before East Carolina took their revenge with a 14-point win in mid-February. For East Carolina the 78 points scored in that game was their second highest scoring game of the year. The Pirates enter tournament play ranked 340th nationally in points per game (62.3) and finished their conference schedule at 6-12.

Temple wasn’t much better for most of the year, going 7-11 in AAC action with two straight wins to close out the regular season. The Owls have had success on neutral site games finishing 3-0 this season with wins over West Virginia and Florida State. Thursday has been a sneaky good day of the week for Temple as they have covered in eight of their last nine games. In contrast the Pirates have struggled to cover on Thursdays, only cashing three of their last 16 contests.

TRENDS:

* Owls are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games.
* Owls are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 Thursday games.
* Over is 6-1 in Pirates last 7 games following a straight up loss.
* Over is 9-1-1 in Owls last 11 neutral site games.
* Over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.

Tulane Green Wave vs Tulsa Golden Hurricane (-4.5, 149)

Tulane's Cameron Reynolds scored a career-high 31 points, knocking down seven 3-pointers as the Green Wave defeated the Golden Hurricane in the regular-season finale for both teams Sunday. Reynolds reached double figures in 17 straight games, raising his average to 17 points, sixth in the AAC. After enduring a miserable stretch, Tulane won two of its last five games to climb out of the cellar in the conference finishing with a 3-15 mark in the AAC. The Green Wave are a miserable 2-14 ATS in games played on Thursday.

Tulsa, seeded seventh, lost two straight and eight of its last 10, ruining a promising start to conference play. The Golden Hurricane, who raced out to a 5-1 mark in the AAC, won the first meeting against the Green Wave 89-82. Junior Etou is the lone Hurricane in double-figures averaging 12.8 points a game but freshman Martins Igbanu (6.2 points) was a key figure down the stretch. Igbanu, a burly 6-8 forward, scored in double figures in six of his last seven games including a career-high 19 last game as he was recently inserted into the starting lineup. This is the first season that Tulsa is playing a first-round game in the AAC tournament after finishing second in the standings two seasons ago and third last year.

TRENDS:

* Golden Hurricane are 1-10-1 ATS in their last 12 neutral site games.
* Over is 6-0 in Green Wave last 6 games following a ATS win.
* Over is 6-0 in Golden Hurricane last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.
* Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
* Green Wave are 2-8-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings.

South Florida Bulls vs Connecticut Huskies (-14, 131.5)

The South Florida Bulls limp into the tournament losers of five straight and went 1-17 in conference play. Interim coach Murry Bartow has done little to stake a claim to retaining the position with a record of 1-15 since replacing Orlando Antigua on Jan. 3. The Bulls average 64.8 points which ranks 326th out of 347 Division I teams. Geno Thorpe leads the team in scoring at 14.8 points with Troy Holston Jr. next at 9.9 points. The Bulls' lone conference win of the season was a 64-57 home decision over East Carolina, and they've lost 18 times by double-figures.

A season-ending four-game losing streak cost Connecticut a first-round bye in the American Athletic Conference tournament. Sixth-seeded UConn defeated No. 11 seed USF twice this year, including a 97-51 rout last game when it opened the contest with a 17-1 run. But the Huskies continue to be plagued by injuries as star guard Jalen Adams is slowed with an ankle injury, and freshmen Christian Vital and Vance Jackson recently suffered concussions and enter the game questionable. Adams (team highs of 14.1 points and 6.3 assists) was an all-conference first-team selection and is expected to play with a bad ankle.

TRENDS:

* Bulls are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Thursday games.
* Bulls are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 neutral site games.
* Over is 4-0 in Bulls last 4 games following a double-digit loss at home.
* Over is 5-0 in Huskies last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.
* Bulls are 0-4 ATS in the last 4 meetings.

Big Ten Conference Tournament Second Round Betting Preview
By Covers.com

The Second Round of the Big Ten Tournament tips off Thursday afternoon in Kansas City as ranked teams look to secure higher seeds and bubble teams hope to stamp their dance ticket or else their bubble could burst on Selection Sunday.

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

Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Michigan Wolverines

After opening league play with a 3-8 mark straight up and against the spread, Illinois won five of its next six (5-1 ATS) to at least put itself into the NCAA Tournament bubble discussion and entered Sunday on a four-game winning streak after a three-point victory over Michigan State. The Illini, who haven't reached the Big Dance since Groce's first season in Champaign in 2012-13, ruined most of the momentum they created in February by falling 62-59 at Rutgers, however, which claimed only its third league victory. Senior guard Malcolm Hill, who landed on the all-conference second team for the second straight season Monday and ranks third in the Big Ten in scoring (17.2 points), is one of only two players from one of the six major conferences to lead his team in total points (532), rebounds (167), assists (96) and steals (36).

The Wolverines overcame their own slow start in conference play but entered their regular-season finale in much different fashion after giving up a game-winning layup at the buzzer off a long inbounds pass in a loss at Northwestern on Wednesday. Michigan bounced back in a big way with a 93-57 pummeling of Nebraska on Sunday, sending the Cornhuskers to their worst home loss in program history. The Wolverines team plane was involved in an accident Wednesday on its way to Washington. The plane attempted to take off in high winds, but takeoff was aborted and after braking strongly, the plane slid off the runway.Luckily no one was injured. According to statement from the school, the team will fly out of Detroit to Washington at 7:30 a.m. local time and the game will tip off as scheduled at noon ET Thursday.

TRENDS:

* Fighting Illini are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Under is 10-2 in Fighting Illini last 12 overall.
* Under is 6-0 in Wolverines last 6 neutral site games.
* Under is 14-3 in Fighting Illini last 17 Thursday games.

Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Michigan State Spartans

The Spartans are on the bubble following back-to-back losses to Illinois (73-70) and Maryland (63-60) to end the regular-season and hope to take a big step toward their 20th straight NCAA Tournament appearance by improving to 37-8 all-time against the Nittany Lions. "It's one and done time and some people embrace it while some people fear it," Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo told reporters. "We've had great success in this tournament in the last five years so we're headed into D.C. with that same mindset." Miles Bridges was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year after averaging 16.6 points and 8.1 rebounds during conference play, and became the first Spartan to win the award since Gary Harris in 2013.

The Nittany Lions have dropped seven of the last eight meetings with Michigan State, but beat the Spartans 72-63 at the Palestra in Philadelphia in the only regular-season clash on Jan. 7 and hope to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2015. "We just have to come out with the same intensity as we did today," Freshman forward Mike Watkins told reporters. "We're going to play hard and play together and the outcome will be whatever it is." Watkins also broke the Nittany Lions' record for most rebounds in a single season when he pulled down his 255th in the first half.

TRENDS:

* Penn State is 8-2-1 ATS in its last 11 neutral site games.
* Michigan State is 2-7 ATS in its last nine neutral site games.
* Under is 5-1 in Michigan State's last six neutral site games.
* Over is 5-0 in Penn State's last five games following a ATS win.

Indiana Hoosiers vs Iowa Hawkeyes

The Hoosiers spent the bulk of the first half of the season ranked inside the top 10 - rising as high as No. 5 - before a season-ending injury to OG Anunoby and a three-game absence from leading scorer James Blackmon Jr. contributed to a 3-8 finish to the regular season, going 4-6-1 ATS in the process. The 2015-16 Big Ten regular-season champions closed their most recent campaign out on a high note Saturday, however, pulling out a 96-92 victory at Ohio State for their second win in three contests. After totaling 41 points on 15-of-52 shooting (and 5-of-31 beyond the arc) over his last six games - including 19 in the first meeting against Iowa - junior forward Robert Johnson (13.3 points) erupted for 26 points on 10-of-17 from the field (5-of-8 from long-range) against the Buckeyes.

A roster laden with seven freshmen was supposed to be Iowa's major impediment from returning to the NCAA Tournament, and the team appeared to have little hope of making a fourth straight Big Dance until it ended the regular season by winning four in a row straight up and against the spread, including victories over then-ranked Maryland and No. 23 Wisconsin. The run began on Feb. 21 when the Hawkeyes ended a three-game losing streak with a 96-90 home triumph over Indiana behind 35 points from Big Ten leading scorer Peter Jok. Jok (20.2 points), who had been limited to 19 total points over his previous two games, exploded for 20 of his 21 in the second half of Sunday's win over Penn State; the senior guard has five 30-point efforts this season, tying him for the most by a player from a power-5 conference.

TRENDS:

* Iowa is 5-1 ATS in its last six games following a ATS win.
* Over is 12-3 in Indiana's last 15 vs. a team with a winning SU record.
* Over is 4-1 in Hawkeyes last 5 vs. a team with a winning SU record.
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Underdog is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Northwestern Wildcats

Rutgers won its first-ever Big Ten tournament game when it knocked off 11th-seeded Ohio State 66-57 on Wednesday. The Scarlet Knights, who are ranked 10th nationally in rebounding and won the battle of the boards 47-31 to notch back-to-back conference victories for the first time since joining the Big Ten in 2014-15, hope to continue their Cinderella run with their first triumph over Northwestern in more than 14 years. The Knights will have the advantge on the glass agianst a Wildcats team that ranks 122 in rebounding. Nigel Johnson went 8-of-8 from the foul line en route to 21 points off the bench to help the Scarlet Knights shock Ohio State. Deshawn Freeman added 10 points and pulled down eight rebounds, including five on the offensive end, to finish in double figures for the 18th time this season and 23rd in his career.

The Wildcats all but cemented a place in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history following a 67-65 win against Michigan on March 1, which was their school-record 21st victory of the season. They were also a very profitiable at the betting window, going 17-11 ATS. Northwestern has won each of its last four meetings with Rutgers (3-1 ATS), including both matchups in 2016-17, and hopes to continue its dominance in the series by advancing to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2014. Bryant McIntosh was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team after averaging 14.6 points and a league-best 5.4 assists in the regular season. Scottie Lindsey is second in scoring at 14 points per game but has been held to 7.6 over his last five contests since returning from a bout of mononucleosis in mid-February.

TRENDS:

* Rutgers 4-1 ATS in its last five games overall.
* Northwestern 3-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Under is 5-0 in Rutgers' last five games following a SU win.
* Under is 10-1 in Northwestern's last 11 neutral site games.

Big 12 Conference Tournament Quarterfinals Betting Preview
By Covers.com

The Quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament tips off Thursday afternoon in Kansas City as ranked teams look to secure higher seeds and bubble teams hope to stamp their dance ticket or else their bubble could burst on Selection Sunday.

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

Oklahoma State Cowboys vs Iowa State Cyclones (Pick, 161)

Oklahoma State PG Jawun Evans posted 22 points and a career-high 15 assists in Saturday's 90-85 loss against Kansas, which is the first 20-15 game in the country this season and only the fourth in Big 12 history. Despite the loss, it has been quite a turnaround for Oklahoma State, which seems certain to become the first team since Maryland in 1985-86 to make the NCAA Tournament after starting league play 0-6. Junior forward Jeffrey Carroll was named to the All-Big 12 second team after ranking fourth in scoring (17.3), eighth in rebounding (6.6) and third in 3-point percentage (.438). If those numbers hold, Carroll would be just the fourth player in league history to finish in the top 10 in each of those categories, joining Georges Niang (ISU, 2015-16), Jordan Hamilton (Texas, 2010-11) and Kevin Durant (Texas, 2006-07).

Iowa State also enters off a loss, 87-76 on Friday at West Virginia despite 22 points and five 3-pointers from Naz Mitrou-Long and 17 points from Monte Morris and Deonte Burton. The Cyclones have owned the series of late, winning nine straight contests, but if the game comes down to the free-throw line, the Cowboys will certainly have an advantage, having made 67 of their last 73 free throws (.918) with Evans having made 29 straight and Phil Forte having made 20 straight. In Big 12 play, Morris, who has torched the Cowboys for 42 points and 16 assists in two games this season, has averaged one turnover every 45.9 minutes played in Big 12 games. Morris is flanked by seniors Mitrou-Long (16 points per game, 89 3-pointers) and Matt Thomas (12.2 points, 78 3-pointers), whose 167 combined 3-pointers is the most ever by a Cyclones duo.

TRENDS:

* Cowboys are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Over is 5-0 in Cowboys last 5 neutral site games.
* Over is 8-0 in Cyclones last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Over is 6-0 in Cyclones last 6 overall.
* Underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.

Texas Christian Horned Frogs vs Kansas Jayhawks

The Horned Frogs lost seven straight to end the regular season, but they were able to avenge Saturday’s loss to the Sooners with a dominant performance in the first round and hope for another round of revenge Thursday as the Jayhawks swept the season series - winning 86-80 at TCU on Dec. 30 and 87-68 at home on Feb. 22. Kansas has won 11 straight against the Horned Frogs and has claimed 14 of 15 all-time meetings. The Horned Frogs shot a blistering 60 percent against Oklahoma, and all four of their primary scorers were in double digits. Big man Vladimir Brodziansky (14 points, 5.7 rebounds) led the way with 20 points and Kenrich Williams (10.5 points, 9.4 rebounds) had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and that’s the type of production TCU will need to pull off the upset.

Top-ranked Kansas will be without one of its star players when the Jayhawks meet TCU in the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals Thursday in Kansas City. Freshman guard Josh Jackson will serve a one-game suspension related to a Feb. 2 traffic incident. Kansas likely is locked into a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament regardless of what happens this week in Kansas City, but coach Bill Self would like to see his team continue to build momentum after closing the regular season with eight straight wins. “This game is obviously an important game. They all are this time of year,” Self told reporters. “I think our guys will react pretty favorably.” The Jayhawks no doubt will miss Jackson (16.4 points, 7.2 rebounds), but they have plenty of talent to survive without him for a game. Star guards Frank Mason III (20.5 points, 5.1 assists) and Devonte’ Graham (13.2 points, 4.3 assists) are more than capable of picking up the scoring slack, and center Landen Lucas (7.7 points, 8.3 rebounds) along with a well-stocked bench are ready to step up. Jackson’s absence might be felt the most at the defensive end, as he leads the team in blocks (33) and steals (51).

TRENDS:

* Horned Frogs are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 neutral site games.
* Jayhawks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Under is 6-2 in Jayhawks last 8 neutral site games.
* Horned Frogs are 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.

Texas Longhorns vs West Virginia Mountaineers

The Texas Longhorns overcame a brutal first half that saw them managed just 20 points and shoot 28 percent, including 1-of-13 from 3-point range, to pull out the victory over the Cowboys. Texas, which lost to West Virginia, 77-62, on Feb. 20 in Morgantown and 74-72 in Austin on Jan. 14, trailed the Red Raiders, 42-31, midway through the second half before going on a 26-8 run to pull off the upset. Now Shaka Smart's squad has to come back in the span of about 21 hours to face a pressing West Virginia squad that leads the nation in steals (10.9) and turnovers forced per game (21.9) while also wearing opponents down. "It's nice to get the first win," Smart said. "Anything can happen from there. Now we just have to play with nothing to lose and attack tomorrow."

Eleventh-ranked West Virginia enters Big 12 Tournament play as the No. 2 seed for the second year in a row. Junior point guard Jevon Carter is the leader of the "Press Virginia" defense, garnering Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors thanks to a conference-leading 85 steals which also ranks sixth nationally. Carter, a second team all-Big 12 choice, also leads the team in scoring (12.9) and assists (4.0). Esa Ahmad, a 6-8 sophomore forward who has been slowed recently by a sore back, is second on the team in scoring (11.4) while 6-9 senior forward Nathan Adrian (10.3), a third team all-Big 12 selection, also is averaging in double-digits while grabbing a team best 6.1 rebounds per game.

TRENDS:

* Longhorns are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
* Under is 6-1 in Longhorns last 7 overall.
* Under is 4-0 in Mountaineers last 4 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.
* Longhorns are 3-0-1 ATS in the last 4 meetings.

Kansas State Wildcats vs Baylor Bears (-5.5, 129.5)

Kansas State stayed relevant for an NCAA Tournament berth after rebounding from crushing losses to Oklahoma State and Oklahoma by a combined 42 points to knock off TCU by one and taking down Texas Tech 61-48 in the season finale Saturday to clinch a bye to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2013-14. “I am going to leave (the NCAA selection) up to the committee. I think we are in good conversation and it will be an even better conversation if we do something in the Big 12 tournament,” said Iwundu, who was named to the third team All Big 12 Team for the second straight season. The Wildcats are second in the Big 12 in steals (8.1), fourth in scoring defense (67.5) and 30th in the nation in turnovers forced (15.5); in their most recent meeting with Baylor on Feb. 4, D.J. Johnson blocked Motley’s game-tying jumper attempt with one second remaining to preserve a 56-54 victory.

Baylor, who started the season outside the top ten and advanced all the way to No. 1 in January, have tied school records with 25 wins in the regular season and its highest seed in the conference tournament (2010), and the Bears are currently ranked 10th in the country. "I think we have a lot of confidence going into the Big 12 tournament," said Motley, who was a unanimous pick for All Big 12 honors. "We're trying to do some big things here. We're all about making history, and no other Baylor team has cut down the nets there. And that's our goal." The Bears lead the Big 12 in scoring defense (62.5 points), field goal percentage defense (39.5), 3-point field goal percentage defense (31.4), rebounding defense (29.3) and rebounding margin (+8.8 ).

TRENDS:

* Wildcats are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Bears are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 neutral site games.
* Under is 4-0 in Wildcats last 4 games following a ATS win.
* Under is 6-1-1 in Bears last 8 neutral site games.
* Under is 8-2 in Bears last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

ACC Conference Tournament Quarterfinals Betting Preview
By Covers.com

The ACC Conference Tournament is on to the quarterfinals Thursday. North Carolina, Louisville, Florida St. and Notre Dame are rested and ready to go after their double-bye straight into the third round.

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

Miami-Florida Hurricanes vs North Carolina Tar Heels (-7.5, 140)

The ninth-seeded Hurricanes survived a 62-57 contest against Syracuse in Wednesday's second round and should have some confidence going up against a Tar Heels team they defeated by 15 points at home Jan. 28. Senior forward and Brooklyn native Kamari Murphy had a career-high 16 points and 10 rebounds versus the Orange, as Miami seemingly solidified an at-large bid in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Leading scorer Davon Reed had 14 points and backup guard Dejan Vasiljevic contributed 13 on Wednesday, and they combined to make six of the Hurricanes' nine 3-pointers. Miami will enter Thursday's game as a significant underdog but they have covered the spread in four of their last five contests when getting points.

The No. 1-seeded Tar Heels are primed to defend their tourney crown after claiming the regular-season championship in one of the league's most competitive campaigns. "It was a big time thing," coach Roy Williams said on his weekly radio show of the first-place finish. "Fifteen teams, and 15 really good teams. It's the deepest league there is and the deepest conference there is in college basketball. I told the guys that I was really, really proud of them." Junior forward Justin Jackson, named the ACC's Player of the Year, leads the way with 18.3 points per game but shot 33 percent while averaging 11 points in the final two games of the regular season. Jackson was honored as first-teamer and junior guard Joel Berry II made the All-ACC second team after finishing second on the team in scoring (15.1) and first in assists (3.7), while senior forward Kennedy Meeks (12.5 points, team-high 9.1 rebounds) was an honorable mention pick.

TRENDS:

* Hurricanes are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Tar Heels are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. Atlantic Coast.
* Under is 5-0 in Hurricanes last 5 overall.
* Over is 6-1 in Tar Heels last 7 neutral site games as a favorite.
* Hurricanes are 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.

Duke Blue Devils vs Louisville Cardinals (-1.5, 147.5)

Duke had lost three of four before opening the tournament with a 79-72 win over Clemson in the second round Wednesday, riding three 20-point scorers. ACC first-team selection Luke Kennard and freshmen Jayson Tatum and Frank Jackson were the three to reach 20 points in Wednesday's win and senior forward Amile Jefferson recorded his eighth double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Controversial guard Grayson Allen continues to nurse a sore ankle and was scoreless in 12 minutes as he cedes more playing time to Jackson, who is averaging 18.3 points over his last four games. "I like to score the ball," Jackson told reporters Wednesday. "It's what I do best. I'm lucky to have a coach who allows me to be myself and players that I'm surrounded by that give me all the confidence in the world."

A year after a self-imposed postseason ban, Louisville returns to the ACC tournament as the fourth seed and with a chip on its shoulder. "The theme this year was going in there and playing our butts off because last year we didn’t get that opportunity," sophomore guard Donovan Mitchell told the New York Post. "We're excited to be back and get ready to get to the national championship, hopefully." Mitchell was selected to the ACC's first team after leading Louisville in scoring (15.9) and the conference in steals (2.1) as a stalwart for one of the league's top defenses. The Cardinals showcased some of that defensive prowess by forcing 18 turnovers in a 78-69 win over the Blue Devils during the regular season.

TRENDS:

* Blue Devils are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog of 0.5-6.5.
* Cardinals are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite of 0.5-6.5.
* Under is 4-0 in Blue Devils last 4 neutral site games as an underdog.
* Over is 6-1 in Cardinals last 7 games as a favorite.

Virginia Tech Hokies vs Florida St. Seminoles

The Hokies moved into the quarterfinals by rallying from a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat Wake Forest 99-90 in the second round on Wednesday night. Leading scorer Zach LeDay poured in a career-high 31 points in the victory for Virginia Tech, which has not won two games in the ACC tournament since 2011. LeDay (16.1 points), a senior forward, came off the bench Wednesday to make 8-of-15 from the field and 14 of his 18 attempts at the free-throw line while grabbing 15 rebounds for his second straight double-double. Senior guard Seth Allen also poured in 18 points in the win to push his average to 13.3 and sophomore guard Ahmed Hill (11.9) added a dozen. Wednesday's win over Wake Forest was their seventh cover in their last nine ACC matchups (7-1-1).

Florida State surprised many by grabbing the second seed in the ACC tournament and gets its first chance to validate that lofty position Thursday. The 17th-ranked Seminoles won three of their final four games of the regular season while winning the tiebreaker over Notre Dame and Louisville after going 12-6 in league play – four wins better than 2015-16. “This is an important event for us as we prepare for the NCAA Tournament because we need to start getting our postseason tournament mindset,” Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton told the Tallahassee Democrat. “Hopefully we can find that magic level that will allow us to rise up and play at our very, very best.” The Seminoles are the second-highest scoring team in the conference (83.0) and the second-best shooting team (48.5 percent), led by sophomore guard Dwayne Bacon (16 points per game).

TRENDS:

* Hokies are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Seminoles are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Over is 5-0 in Hokies last 5 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Under is 4-1 in Seminoles last 5 overall.
* Over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings.

Virginia Cavaliers vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Virginia freshman guard Kyle Guy matched his career high with 20 points and leading scorer London Perrantes added 15 as 21st-ranked Virginia defeated Pittsburgh 75-63 in the second round Wednesday. Perrantes is the only active player averaging in double figures (12.8 ) for the Cavaliers, who lead the nation in scoring defense (55.1). Guy managed three points combined in three games just past the midpoint in February, but has responded by averaging 15.5 points over the last four contests, draining 16-of-25 from 3-point range during that stretch. Perrantes also has been productive from behind the arc, making 12-of-24 in the last four games, and the Cavaliers made 11 from 3-point range Wednesday — matching a program record in the ACC tournament.

Third-seeded Notre Dame finished the regular season with six wins in seven games and hopes to ride that momentum when it takes on sixth seed Virginia in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament. The 16th-ranked Fighting Irish scored at least 80 points in five of six contests before losing 71-64 on Saturday at Louisville, but have lost 10 straight games against Virginia. Junior forward Bonzie Colson leads the way for Notre Dame, scoring at least 20 points in five of his last seven games en route to being selected All-ACC first team, while three other veteran players score at least 13 per contest. Colson boasts 18 double-doubles and leads the ACC in rebounding (10.4) while scoring 17 per game overall and shooting 52.3 percent from the field.

TRENDS:

* Cavaliers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 Thursday games.
* Fighting Irish are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Under is 6-1 in Cavaliers last 7 overall.
* Under is 4-0 in Fighting Irish last 4 overall.
* Cavaliers are 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

SEC Tournament Second Round Betting Preview
By Covers.com

The Big 12 Tournament continues in Kansas City on Thursday and features a Vanderbilt team that must win versus Texas A&M or their NCAA Tournament bubble will more than likely burst.

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

Tennessee Volunteers vs. Georgia Bulldogs (-1.5, 143)

The ninth-seeded Volunteers also need a string of victories in Nashville to have any shot at the NCAAs, after dropping six of their final nine conference contests. Tennessee’s freshman class has accounted for 47.3 percent of the team’s scoring and 46 percent of minutes played, and the Volunteers won two more SEC games than it did a season ago (8-10 vs. 6-12 in 2015-16). One of those freshmen, Grant Williams, leads the team in rebounding (six per game) and field-goal percentage (50.2 percent). Senior Robert Hubbs III leads the Volunteers in scoring at 13.9 points per game while shooting a team-best 83.8 percent from the free-throw line. Williams, an all-SEC freshman team honoree, averaged 12.8 points overall and a team-best 14.2 points in conference games.

Georgia opens the SEC tournament against Tennessee on Thursday in Nashville, Tenn., without all-SEC first-team honoree Yante Maten, who is sidelined with a knee injury. Should Georgia find a way to reach the NCAA tournament, the belief is Maten would be able to return, but his status for the league tournament is murky – and so are the Bulldogs’ NCAA hopes. Eighth-seeded Georgia has played well down the stretch, winning three of its final four games after Maten was injured early in a loss to Kentucky, but a bevy of close losses throughout SEC play and the lack of a signature win likely means the Bulldogs need a deep run this weekend. Senior J.J. Frazier has picked up the scoring load in Maten’s absence, averaging 29.6 points per game in his past five contests to rise to third in the SEC in scoring at 18.7 points per game (tied with Maten).

TRENDS:

* Volunteers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 neutral site games.
* Bulldogs are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite.
* Under is 8-2 in Volunteers last 10 games as an underdog of 0.5-6.5.
* Over is 7-0 in Bulldogs last 7 neutral site games as a favorite.

Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Alabama Crimson Tide

The 12th-seeded Bulldogs advanced with a one-sided win over LSU, but lost twice to Alabama during the regular season. Team scoring leader Quinndary Weatherspoon had a game-high 19 points in the first-round triumph over LSU, giving the Bulldogs their first winning streak in nearly two months. Freshman Tyson Carter was the other offensive star for Mississippi State, pouring in 18 points off the bench on 7-of-14 shooting while knocking down four 3-pointers. The Bulldogs' defense was even more impressive, limiting LSU to 33.3 percent from the field while holding the Tigers to one made 3-pointer on 22 attempts. Mississippi St. have failed to cover the point spread the last four games following a win of 20 or more points.

Alabama's biggest win of the season came in a four-overtime stunner against nationally-ranked South Carolina, and the fifth-seeded Crimson Tide would love nothing more than to repeat the feat but first they will need to get past Mississippi State on Thursday. The Crimson Tide haven't won the conference title in more than a quarter-century, but certainly have the defense to compete as coach Avery Johnson's team was among the league leaders in points per game allowed (64.7) and field-goal percentage against (39.9) while finishing in the top 25 nationally in rebounding (39.4). Alabama has also had the upper hand against Mississippi State, prevailing 68-58 in Starkville, Miss. on Jan. 3 and following that up with a 71-62 triumph at home to close out the month. The Crimson Tide offense was the team's biggest question mark coming into the season, and that concern will follow Alabama into the postseason as it has produced 55 or fewer points in three of its last four games.

TRENDS:

* Bulldogs are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 Thursday games.
* Crimson Tide are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
* Under is 8-1 in Bulldogs last 9 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Under is 4-0 in Crimson Tide last 4 vs. Southeastern.
* Under is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings.

Texas A&M Aggies vs. Vanderbilt Commodores (-4, 131)

Texas A&M lost to Kentucky in overtime in last year’s SEC tournament title game, but this hardly is the same team as it has lost four of its last seven. Vanderbilt swept the season series from the Aggies, winning 68-54 at Texas A&M on Jan. 31 and 72-67 at home on Feb. 16. The Aggies are big in the frontcourt with a pair of 6-10 players in Tyler Davis (14 points, 6.9 rebounds) and Tonny Trocha-Morelos (8.4, 5.1) along with 6-9 freshman Robert Williams (12, 8.1). Admon Gilder (13.8 points, 3.9 assists) also can light it up, but the Aggies miss swingman DJ Hogg (12, 5.1 rebounds), who is done for the season with an ankle injury.

Depending upon which prognosticator is doing the talking, Vanderbilt may or may not have a shot at an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. But one thing is for certain - the Commodores must defeat Texas A&M in their first game of the SEC tournament in Nashville on Thursday to remain anywhere in the vicinity of the bubble. The seventh-seeded Commodores maintained some hope of an at-large bid with a strong finish to the regular season, winning five of their last six contests - including home triumphs over two ranked opponents in South Carolina and Florida. Their only loss during that stretch was a 73-67 setback at Kentucky. The Commodores are the best long-range shooting team in the SEC, leading the league in 3-point percentage (38 percent) and 3-pointers made (9.9 per game), but they beat the Gators on Saturday despite a season-low five 3s.

TRENDS:

* Aggies are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 neutral site games as an underdog.
* Commodores are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
* Under is 4-1 in Aggies last 5 overall.
* Under is 12-1 in Commodores last 13 games following a straight up win.
* Favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

Missouri Tigers vs. Ole Miss Rebels

Missouri is playing to extend its season as well as coach Kim Anderson's career with the Tigers, as he will be let go at the end of the campaign. Kevin Puryear averaged 11 points during the regular season but he came up big against Auburn, scoring 30 points, including the game-winning 3-pointer at the overtime buzzer, so he'll look to keep the hot hand. An eight-win team may not seem dangerous, but looking at the Tigers, they have a number of positives heading into another matchup that they're not expected to win. The players love Anderson and don't want to see his time as coach end, so they're motivated to play hard, plus they have nothing to lose, considering no one expected them to last more than one game in the tournament. And after the comeback from a 10-point deficit against Auburn, the players will certainly believe that they can deal with any adversity and keep their season from ending, especially facing an Ole Miss squad that beat them twice this season but only by a combined seven points.

The No. 6 seed Rebels have a shot at a 20th victory on the season for the ninth time in coach Andy Kennedy's 11 seasons, but they'll have to beat the 14th-seeded Tigers, who are coming off a come-from-behind overtime victory over Auburn in the opening round Wednesday night. Ole Miss is a high-scoring team, averaging 77.6 points, but it also allows a lot of points, with opponents going for 76.2 per game. The Rebels have a trio of double-figure scorers in Deandre Burnett (16.5 points), Sebastian Saiz (15.1) and Terence Davis (14), and six different Ole Miss players have hit at least 20 3-pointers this season, led by Burnett's 57. Davis could be a big key for the Rebels' chances against Auburn as well as any other opponents in this tournament but only if he can stay on the court. The sophomore guard has had his playing time limited because of foul trouble lately, playing fewer than 28 minutes in seven of the last nine games. Davis can be a prolific scorer when he gets hot, but he didn't score more than 12 points in any of the Rebels' last four regular-season game, and his offense will be needed if the Rebels hope to make a run in the tournament.

TRENDS:

* Tigers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up win.
* Rebels are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Thursday games.
* Over is 4-0 in Tigers last 4 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Over is 6-0 in Rebels last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.
* Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.

Big East Conference Tournament Quarterfinals Betting Preview
By Covers.com

The Big East was one of the strongest leagues in the NCAA this season, housing seven teams with at least 19 wins. One of those teams was of course, defending national champion Villanova, which quietly went 28-3 this season. The No. 1 seed Wildcats highlight four quarterfinal matchups in New York on Thursday as the Big East tournament continues.

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

St. John's Red Storm vs. Villanova Wildcats

The Red Storm nipped Georgetown by a point on Wednesday thanks to 17 from Shamorie Ponds and 14 from Bashir Ahmed. Malik Ellison delivered 11 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals for St. John's, which won a Big East tournament game for the first time in six years. Marcus LoVett continued to struggle with his shooting, however, connecting on 2-of-9 attempts en route to four points to drop his shooting percentage to 34.4 percent over his last six contests.

The Wildcats won the 2016 national championship despite a two-point loss to Seton Hall in the Big East tournament title game. They have won 34 of their 37 games since - losing twice to Butler and once at Marquette - and now will tangle with the eighth-seeded Red Storm. Villanova closed the regular season with a solid 16-point win against Creighton and a 26-point rout at Georgetown, virtually assuring the team of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats relied on two seniors in their win over Georgetown as Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins combined for 40 points while sophomore Jalen Brunson chipped in 17. Hart, who was just named the Big East Player of the Year, has registered double digits in points in every game this season and also leads the team in rebounding (6.5) while ranking second in assists, steals and 3-pointers.

TRENDS:

* St. John's is 0-4 ATS in its last 4 games vs. a team with a winning SU record.
* Villanova is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 neutral site games.
* Over is 4-1 in St. John's last five games following a SU win.
* Under is 14-4 in Villanova's last 18 games following a SU win.

Seton Hall Pirates vs. Marquette Golden Eagles

Seton Hall begins defense of its Big East Tournament title when it meets Marquette on Thursday in the quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden in New York. The fifth-seeded Pirates and fourth-seeded Golden Eagles split a pair of games in early January and each was decided by three points. The Pirates, who closed the regular season with four straight victories (2-2 ATS), will likely be without an important reserve in forward Ismael Sanogo, who missed the regular season finale and is doubtful for this game with an ankle injury. Sanogo doesn't score much, but is a strong defender and second on the team in rebounding (5.7 per game). With Sanogo out, Angel Delgado needs to be better than he was in his previous four Big East Tournament games, in which he averaged 8.7 points and seven rebounds.

Marquette freshman Markus Howard gets his first taste of the Big East Tournament after leading the nation in 3-point shooting during the regular season, which the Golden Eagles closed with wins in five games. After an inconsistent start to his first season with the Golden Eagles, junior Andrew Rowsey has become a critical part of their success and earned Big East Sixth Man Award honors for his efforts. Rowsey hasn't been the prolific scorer he was at UNC Asheville, where he averaged better than 19 points in two seasons, but he's been a solid complement, putting up 11.2 points and shooting well from everywhere on the floor.

TRENDS:

* Seton Hall is 1-5-1 ATS in its last seven neutral site games.
* Marquette is 4-1 ATS in its last five games overall.
* Under is 4-0 in Seton Hall's last four neutral site games.
* Over is 6-1 in Marquette's last seven neutral site games.

Xavier Musketeers vs. Butler Bulldogs

Butler already has defeated Xavier twice this season, and a third victory would send the 20th-ranked Bulldogs into the semifinals of the Big East tournament. Xavier lost six games in a row straight and and seven straight against the spread, before defeating DePaul in the regular-season finale and then again in Wednesday's opening round, but most projections have the team right on the cut line for the Field of 68. The Musketeers lost to the Bulldogs by five points in mid-January and nine in late February, allowing a whopping total of 108 in the second half of those contests. The Musketeers are short-handed for a variety of reasons, including a torn ACL suffered last month by Edmond Sumner, but they continue to take advantage of their meetings with DePaul.

The Bulldogs need to quickly shake off the disappointment of losing on Senior Day, when Seton Hall dealt them a six-point setback as 8.5-point favorites. The Bulldogs scored 64 points against Seton Hall - their lowest-scoring game since January - as they were trounced on the boards 35-24 and missed 15 of their 21 3-point attempts. The starters combined for 11 rebounds in 132 minutes and, aside from Avery Woodson's 3-of-4 shooting from long distance, the rest of the team was ice cold. Top scorer Kelan Martin (16.1 points) is averaging 22 points over his last three games, including a 25-point effort in the most-recent meeting with Xavier.

TRENDS:

* Xavier is 0-6 ATS in its last six games vs. a team with a winning SU record.
* Butler is 9-1-1 ATS in its last 11 games following a SU loss.
* Under is 4-1 in Xavier's last five games following a SU win.
* Over is 5-1 in Butler's last six games overall.

Creighton Bluejays vs. Providence Friars

In a conference featuring the defending national champion and seven 19-win-plus teams among its 10 members, no one is hotter than Providence, which brings a six-game win streak into the Big East tournament, having covered the spread in eight of its last nine. Following a Feb. 8 road loss at Seton Hall, Providence had dropped four of five and was languishing with a 4-8 Big East record. But the Friars have not lost since, including wins over Butler (71-65), Xavier (75-63) and Creighton (68-66), and bring much momentum to the Big Apple. Rodney Bullock and Kyron Cartwright were second-team All-Big East selections, and the latter also was named the conference’s most improved player after leading the league in assists (6.8 ).

Creighton, meanwhile, opened the season 18-1 but enters the postseason coming off three losses in its final four regular-season contests (1-3 ATS) – a stretch beginning with the two-point home loss to the Friars on Feb. 22. The Bluejays have gone 5-7 since that record-setting start (and guard Maurice Watson Jr.’s season-ending injury), and they wound up settling for sixth after all the tiebreakers were sorted out even though they tied for the third-best conference record at 10-8. Junior guard Marcus Foster, a first-team All-Big East selection, leads the team in scoring at 18.5 points per outing while 7-foot freshman Justin Patton earned second-team all-conference recognition averaging 13.1 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.

TRENDS:

* Creighton is 1-6 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Providence is 8-1 ATS in their last nine games overall.
* Under is 6-0 in Providence's last six vs. a team with a winning SU record.
* Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings.

Big East Trends and Angles
VegasInsider.com

No. 1 Villanova vs. No. 8 St. John's

The defending champs lost in last year's final to Seton Hall, so winning a second title is important to seniors Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins, not to mention some of the younger key contributors who haven't won one. Jay Wright has only two career titles, so a No. 1 seed would indeed be a fitting reward since these are tough to win. A great regular season currently has them on that seed line, and frankly, only tripping up in this particular game against the 8th-seeded Red Storm could put in that jeopardy. The Wildcats own a pair of 13-point wins over St. John's this season and built an 18-point halftime lead in the last meeting, but they've twice committed 20 or more turnovers against SJU pressure and will likely see it again here. The question becomes whether the Johnnies will have enough in the tank to defend with the requisite intensity to disrupt a team that handles and shares the ball at the elite level manages. The Red Storm forced 13 Georgetown turnovers and held the Hoyas to 5-for-21 3-point shooting in a 74-73 win that was clinched with a stop at the buzzer. Sharmorie Ponds scored 17 points and Malik Ellison added 11 points, eight boards and seven assists in a win that highlighted the improvement that has been made under Chris Mullin in his second season. St. John's won a game in the Big East Tournament for the first time in six years, but have to play a perfect game to advance here. The Red Storm surrendered 90.2 over their final five regular-season games, but the first round win marked their third straight win when holding a team to 73 points or less. In fact, for the season, St. John's is 11-3 when it does that, but one of the outliers is its Jan. 14 loss to 'Nova at the Garden. The under is 16-6 in Villanova game beginning with its Dec. 10 win over Notre Dame. Projection Villanova 80 St. John's 66

No. 4 Marquette vs. No. 5 Seton Hall

This 4-5 matchup between teams with similar at-large resumes may as well be for a golden ticket. Although both schools should be safely in the field, the winner gets to sleep soundly on Thursday night, secure in its NCAA fate. They've split their meetings this season, but haven't seen each other in two months. The Pirates won on Jan. 1 and lost in Milwaukee in overtime 10 games later, so they've proven to be evenly matched with the Golden Eagles. Seton Hall forward Angel Delgado leads the country in rebounding (13.1) and is tied with Eastern Michigan's James Thompson IV for the most offensive boards. He was exceptional against the Golden Eagles, scoring 32 points while grabbing 31 rebounds over the two games. Avoiding foul trouble, which he managed to do in both meetings despite having to deal with 6-11 senior Luke Fischer, will be critical. Fischer fouled out both times but shot 12-for-17. Marquette freshman Markus Howard has emerged as the team's leading scorer and shot 13-for-18, including 7-for-12 from 3-point range. Pirates junior Desi Rodriguez set a career-high by scoring 30 in the OT game, so these teams have certainly felt comfortable against one another and should operate a fast pace. Seton Hall's top scorer, Kadeen Carrington, shot just 3-for-12 from 3-point range and tends to be streaky, which should be a huge factor here. Key Pirates reserve forward Ismael Sonogo will be a game-time decision. Each of Marquette's games in March have been shootouts, and it averaged 93 points in wins over Xavier and Creighton, but its final five February dates all went under the posted total. Projection Seton Hall 82 Marquette 80

No. 2 Butler vs. No. 7 Xavier

Being down to DePaul at halftime wasn't part of the plan for wowing the NCAA Tournament Selection committee that holds their fate in their hands. With one of the more unique resumes in the country due to standout point guard Edmond Sumner tearing his ACL in late January and top scorer Trevon Bluiett dealing with an ankle injury down the stretch, this Big East Tourney is about proving they've still got the goods. Bluiett was scoreless at the break. His 17 second-half points helped pull out a 75-64 win. Not only did they beat the Blue Demons, they covered. Bluiett went for 24 points and 10 boards against the Blue Demons on Saturday and scored a team-high 21 in an 88-79 loss to Butler on Feb. 26, so him getting back to form is now something that should be proven in the committee's mind barring any setbacks here. Now, it's all about getting a win. The Bulldogs playing to wrap a top-four seed, so taking them down, or even pushing them to the limit, should be enough for the Musketeers to merit an invite to dance. A loss would mean that over their last nine games, the only team they would've beaten would be DePaul, which means it doesn't matter that they've done it three times. Butler's win at Xavier was their first there since 2009, clinching a regular-season sweep, so they could be the biggest culprit in the Muskies being left out if it continues its dominance here. The Bulldogs have averaged 85.5 points in the two head-to-head wins and have been able to spread the floor and funnel offense effectively through big man Andrew Chrabascz, who Xavier really struggles to match up with. Both meetings went well over the posted totals, which were nearly identical at 144-145 despite Sumner only being present for the first. Projection Butler 77 Xavier 71

No. 3 Providence vs. No. 6 Creighton

The Friars have enough on their resume, most notably a six-game winning streak, that a loss to the Blue Jays isn't going to dent their chances for an at-large bid. It couldn't hurt to win though. The Friars have a few ugly losses to overcome, so a second win over Creighton in a two-week span and a lengthier stay in this tournament could impact their seed. The same can be said of the Jays, who lost point guard Mo Watson, the engine to their high-powered offense, when he tore his ACL on Jan. 16. They're just 3-5 since January began, so going out early here could have repurcussions since none of those wins came against teams with a winning record. Creighton shoots the 3-pointer exceptionally well and has a lot of weapons that the Friars have to concern themselves with, but this will be its first trip into Madison Square Garden this season since its visit to St. John's came at Alumni Hall. Providence goes as Rodney Bullock and Jalen Lindsey do from beyond the arc since point guard Kyron Cartwright isn't much of a shooter. He'll square off with Khyri Thomas, the sophomore who moved into the pilot's chair full-time when Watson went down and does a lot of everything to make Creighton go. Whoever gets the better of the matchup will likely pick up a win. Projection Creighton 78 Providence 72

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No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 9 Miami, Fl.

The Hurricanes marched into the quarters with a 62-57 avenge win against Syracuse on Wednesday, setting up a date with the top seeded Tar Heels. UNC can't be overly enthused about playing Miami, as it was the Hurricanes who handed them their worst loss of the season, 77-62, in South Florida back on Jan. 28. The Tar Heels are just 7-3 SU/4-5-1 ATS since that date, so they're certainly not invincible. Bettors have enjoyed UNC at the window cashing 'under' tickets lately, as the under is 8-2-1 in the past 11 for Carolina blue. Miami has also hit the 'under' in five in a row. After their win at Barclays Center on Wednesday, the Canes are still just 2-3 ATS on a neutral court this season, and 3-7 ATS in their past 10 at a neutral-site venue. Projection North Carolina 86 Miami, Fl. 77

No. 4 Louisville vs. No. 5 Duke

Duke picked up a hard-fought 79-72 victory, and a narrow cover, against Clemson in Wednesday's afternoon session. Now, they get a quick turnaround facing a rested Louisville squad. These teams met in the 'Ville back on Jan. 14, and it was the Cards coming away with a 79-68 victory and cover as the 'over' cashed. Duke hasn't had a lot of success against the number lately, going just 2-3 SU over their past five games, and 1-4-1 ATS in their past six. They're also a dismal 5-14-1 ATS over their past 20 games dating back to mid-December. Louisville hasn't been much better, staggering to the finish line in the ACC with a 2-2 SU mark over their final four regular season games while going 2-6 ATS over their final eight outings. Someone has to cover. It's Duke's postseason experience vs. Rick Pitino playing back in New York. Projection Louisville 75 Duke 69

No. 2 Florida State vs. No. 7 Virginia Tech

The Seminoles are well rested and ready for the Hokies, who grinded out a tough 99-90 victory against Wake Forest on Wednesday. These two sides met once during the regular season on Jan. 7 and it was all FSU. The Seminoles buried the Hokies 93-78 in Tallahassee to cover an 8 1/2-point number. The Hokies are 7-1-1 ATS in their past nine overall, and they're 5-0 ATS in their past five games against a team with a winning percentage over .600. They're also 5-1 ATS in their six on a neutral-site court. FSU was an impressive 18-0 SU and 12-3-1 ATS at home this season, but on the road and neutral-site courts they have had their issues. The 'Noles are just 6-7 SU and 5-7-1 ATS in 13 games either on the road or at a neutral site. That has to give the Hokies more than enough confidence they can pull off the upset. Projection Florida State 73 Virginia Tech 75

No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 6 Virginia

The Cavaliers pushed past Pittsburgh by 12 points in Wednesday's game, and it was a veritable shootout as far as UVA is concerned. They won 75-63 for a rare 'over' result, their first in seven games. Virginia has now won and covered four in a row. These teams met once in the regular season, and the Hoos pounded the Irish 71-54 in South Bend to easily cover as a 1 1/2-point underdog. The game resulted in an 'under', commonplace for the Cavs. The 'under' is 11-3-1 in the past 15 for Virginia, and the 'under' is 4-1 in the past five meetings between these schools. Virginia has covered each of the past five meetings, too. The Irish have won six of their past seven outings and they're 6-2 ATS in their past eight overall. Projection Notre Dame 64 Virginia 67

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No. 8 Michigan vs. No. 9 Illinois

The Wolverines played much better down the stretch, going 3-1 SU/2-2 ATS over their final four games, including an impressive 82-70 win against Purdue on Feb. 25. The Wolverines managed a respectable 8-5 ATS mark over their final 13 games, including a 66-57 win and cover against Illinois back on Jan. 21 as 7 1/2-point favorites. However, it was the Illini with an emphatic 85-69 victory in Champaign on Jan. 11 as a bucket 'dog at home. Illinois enters on a 4-1 SU/ATS run, including wins against Iowa, Michigan State and Northwestern. A loss at Rutgers in the regular season finale shows how inconsistent the Illini have been this season. Projection Michigan 74 Illinois 71

No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 13 Penn State

These teams met once during the regular season at the Palestra in Philadelphia on Jan. 7, and the Nittany Lions pulled off the 72-63 win at a neutral-site court. Can they do it again? Penn State barely survived in Wednesday's overtime win against Nebraska in the opening game of the Big Ten Tournament, but this time of the year is survive and advance. It doesn't have to be pretty. Sparty has dropped two in a row, and three of the past five, and they haven't won away from home in four straight outings dating back to Groundhog Day. Michigan State is 3-1 ATS in their past four, and 7-3 ATS over their past 10 outings. Projection Michigan State 71 Penn State 69

No. 7 Iowa vs. No. 10 Indiana

The Hawkeyes wrapped up the regular season on a high note, rattling off four victories in a row. They kicked off the streak with a 96-90 overtime win in Iowa City against these Hoosiers in the only regular season meeting between the two sides. Iowa is a respectable 7-3 ATS over their final 10 games, too. It was a very un-Indiana-like season for Tom Crean's bunch, as they fumbled their way to a final record just three games over .500. Inconsistency ruled the day in Bloomington, as IU hasn't recorded back-to-back wins since a three-game win streak from Jan. 15-21. They won their regular season finale at Ohio State, so can they break that ugly back-to-back trend? Projection Iowa 85 Indiana 80

No. 6 Northwestern vs. No. 14 Rutgers

Northwestern is closing in on their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth, and they very likely already have an at-large bid wrapped up. But they can ill afford an ugly, bad loss to a team like Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights bumped off disappointing Ohio State in Wednesday's game in Brooklyn, but they won't have nearly as much success against the Wildcats. While Northwestern stubbed their toe down the stretch, going 3-6 SU/ATS in their final nine games, one of those three victories as against the Scarlet Knights in Evanston on Feb. 18. They swept the season series against Rutgers, going 1-1 ATS. The Scarlet Knights are 4-1 ATS in their past five against teams with a winning overall record, but just 1-4 ATS in their past five against the Wildcats. Projection Northwestern 69 Rutgers 65

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No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 Tennessee

Georgia has a slim shot at making the NCAA Tournament at 18-13, as the Bulldogs need a solid run in the SEC Tournament. The first test for UGA is Tennessee, as the Volunteers lost five of their final seven games of the regular season. Tennessee snapped a three-game skid by overcoming a 16-point deficit to shock Alabama in the regular season finale, 59-54 as 2½-point favorites. In spite of losing their season finale at Arkansas, Georgia posted a 9-2 ATS record as an underdog in SEC play, but put together a 1-6 ATS mark as a conference favorite. Tennessee looks to avenge a 76-75 home loss to Georgia as 4 ½-point favorites in mid-February, as the Bulldogs have won three straight meetings with the Volunteers. Projection Georgia 71 Tennessee 69

No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 12 Mississippi State

Mississippi State picked up consecutive wins for the first time in nearly two months after knocking out LSU on Wednesday, 79-52 in the opening round of the SEC tournament. The Bulldogs face Alabama, looking to beat the Crimson Tide for the first time in three tries this season after losing the first two meetings by 10 and 9 points. The Tide jumped out to an impressive 6-2 record to begin SEC play, but Alabama put together a choppy finish by losing six of its final 10 games. Alabama’s defense has played well down the stretch by allowing 60 points or less in five of the past six contests, resulting in five UNDERS. Projection Alabama 64 Mississippi State 62

No. 7 Vanderbilt vs. No. 10 Texas A&M

Vanderbilt began SEC play at 3-5, but the Commodores won seven of their final 10 conference games to own a 10-8 league record. The Commodores pulled off a sweep of Florida, while covering their final six contests. Vandy faces an underachieving Texas A&M squad as the Aggies finished at 8-10 inside the conference following a 13-5 record last season. The Aggies won three of their final five games, but the season was capped off by a 71-63 defeat to regular season league champion Kentucky. Vandy pulled off the season sweep of A&M, including a 14-point rout as 4½-point underdogs at College Station in late January. Projection Vanderbilt 70 Texas A&M 67

No. 6 Mississippi vs. No. 14 Missouri

Missouri wasn’t ready to end its tumultuous season as the Tigers erased a late six-point deficit in overtime to stun Auburn, 86-83 as seven-point underdogs. The Tigers look for consecutive wins for the first time since December as they face Mississippi, a team Mizzou hung with twice in close losses. The latest matchup came in Oxford in late February as Ole Miss edged Missouri, 80-77 as 11-point home favorites. The Rebels won seven of their final 10 games, although all three of those losses came away from Oxford. Mississippi has lost in each of its last SEC tournament openers, while facing Mizzou in this tournament for the first time since a 64-62 victory in 2013. Projection Mississippi 77 Missouri 68

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No. 4 Iowa State vs. No. 5 Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State and Iowa State are two of the hottest teams in the Big 12 down the stretch. The Cowboys began league play with an ugly 0-6 record, but OSU rebounded with victories in nine of its final 13 games. OSU dropped its final two games of the season, including an 86-83 defeat at Iowa State on February 28. The Cowboys dominated in the underdog role by covering in seven of the last eight games when receiving points. The Cyclones had won six straight games before losing its finale at West Virginia, while ISU is riding a six-game streak to the OVER. Iowa State is two years removed from capturing the Big 12 tournament championship, while Oklahoma State has lost its Big 12 tourney opener the last two seasons. Projection Iowa State 77 Oklahoma State 80

No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 8 TCU

Kansas has reached the Big 12 tournament championship game in eight of the past 11 seasons as the Jayhawks look for its eighth title in this stretch. The Jayhawks will be without freshman star Joshua Jackson, who is suspended for Thursday’s game against TCU stemming from a traffic violation. KU closed out conference play with eight consecutive victories, including a 19-point home victory over TCU last month. The Horned Frogs routed Oklahoma on Wednesday to advance in the Big 12 tournament, 82-63, while snapping a seven-game losing streak. However, TCU has cashed in only two of its last nine opportunities in the underdog role. Projection Kansas 79 TCU 65

No. 2 West Virginia vs. No. 10 Texas

Texas picked up its first win away from Austin all season in Wednesday’s 61-52 triumph over Texas Tech to advance in the Big 12 tournament. The Longhorns snapped a seven-game losing streak as UT covered for the first time since knocking off Iowa State on February 7 as a home underdog. Texas faces West Virginia as the Mountaineers pulled off the sweep of Longhorns this season. WVU won nine of its final 12 games following a brief two-game skid in mid-January, but the Mountaineers compiled a 2-4 ATS record in its last six games as a road favorite. In four seasons inside the Big 12, WVU has lost its first conference tournament game three times. Projection West Virginia 71 Texas 61

No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 6 Kansas State

Baylor began the season with an impressive 15-0 record and even reached the top ranking in January. However, the Bears suffered six losses in its last 16 games as Baylor faces Kansas State. The Wildcats went through an uneven finish to the regular season, but managed back-to-back victories against TCU and Texas Tech to end on a winning note. K-State and Baylor split a pair of regular season matchups with the road team winning each time. The Wildcats upset the Bears in Waco as seven-point underdogs in early February, 56-54, one of four road conference wins for K-State. Baylor closed out Big 12 play owning a 5-8 ATS record in the favorite role, as the Bears have won three straight conference tournament openers. Projection Baylor 77 Kansas State 69