NCAAB betting trends, odds and predictions for Wednesday, March 8th, 2017 from various handicappers and websites
SEC Trends and Angles
VegasInsider.com
No. 12 Mississippi State vs. No. 13 LSU
LSU stumbled to a 2-16 conference record following last season’s exciting campaign with eventual top pick Ben Simmons. The Tigers lost 16 of their final 17 games, but put together a 5-3 ATS mark away from Baton Rouge in that span. LSU faces Mississippi State, as the Bulldogs knocked off the Tigers twice this season, including an 88-76 victory in Starkville this past weekend. The Tigers have struggled from a defensive standpoint by cashing the OVER in 19 of the past 22 games, including five straight road contests. MSU began SEC play with an impressive 3-1 mark, but Ben Howland’s squad managed to win three games the rest of the way, while dropping seven consecutive contests away from Starkville. Projection Mississippi State 84 LSU 71
No. 11 Auburn vs. No. 14 Missouri
Auburn improved from a 5-13 conference mark in 2016 to a 7-11 record inside the SEC this season. Two of those victories for the Tigers came against another Tigers’ squad, pulling off the season sweep of Missouri. Auburn closed out the regular season with an 89-78 home victory over Missouri as 8 ½-point favorites, as Bruce Pearl’s squad looks for a repeat effort in the 2015 SEC tournament in which the Tigers advanced all the way to the championship game. Mizzou limped to a 2-16 record inside the conference, while picking up only one victory in 13 tries away from Columbia this season. Kim Anderson’s team covered in six of its final nine games, while playing in its first SEC tournament since 2015 following a postseason ban last season. Projection Auburn 81 Missouri 75
Big 12 Trends and Angles
VegasInsider.com
No. 8 TCU vs. No. 9 Oklahoma
Oklahoma reached the Final Four last season, but the Sooners picked up only 11 victories this season. Lon Kruger’s club covered the final six games of the campaign, including as three-point favorites in Saturday’s 73-68 home victory over TCU. The Horned Frogs are going in the opposite direction by losing seven consecutive games, while covering just once in this stretch in a one-point defeat to West Virginia. TCU began Big 12 play at 4-1 ATS, but Jamie Dixon’s team slipped to 3-11 ATS in the final 14 games of the season, including a 1-6 ATS mark away from Ft. Worth. The Horned Frogs have won the Big 12 tournament opener each of the last two seasons, while the Sooners are 2-3 SU in their last five tournament openers. Projection TCU 68 Oklahoma 65
No. 7 Texas Tech vs. No. 10 Texas
Texas failed to win a game away from Austin this season by compiling an 0-14 mark on the highway. The Longhorns look to extend their season for one more game against cross-state rival Texas Tech. The Red Raiders were also dreadful when playing away from Lubbock by going 2-10, including an 0-9 ledger in Big 12 play. Texas Tech and Texas split a pair of meetings this season with the home team winning each time as the Red Raiders knocked off the Longhorns on March 1 in Lubbock, 67-57. The Longhorns began Big 12 play by compiling an impressive 8-3 ATS record, but slipped to an 0-6-1 ATS mark in the final seven games. Projection Texas Tech 66 Texas 61
Big East Trends and Angles
VegasInsider.com
No. 8 St. John's vs. No. 9 Georgetown
The Hoyas playing in this first round, as a lower-ranked seed than a St. John's program that has been rebuilding under Chris Mullin, is the reason John Thompson III's seat is so hot after 13 years on the job. Unless Georgetown runs the table to reach the NCAAs, it will miss qualifying for a postseason tournament for the second consecutive season. The team has had talent, but has fallen apart in close games and struggled with consistency. They're 1-7 SU/2-6 ATS since February began, defeating only Marquette. The Red Storm beat the Hoyas 86-80 on Feb. 25 to gain a split of the season series, taking advantage of 22 Hoyas turnovers. Both teams went on 17-0 runs. As he'll probably be in this matchup, St. John's freshman Shamorie Ponds was the x-factor, scoring a game-high 24 points. He's been a revelation for the Johnnies, setting the program's all-time scoring record and leading the Big East in scoring. Backcourt mate Marcus LoVett joined on him on the league's All-Freshman team and will also be a driving force in this one. Normally you would worry about young guards in a postseason setting, but SJU routinely plays at Madison Square Garden and beat Georgetown there two Saturdays ago. Nerves shouldn't be an issue. The Hoyas do have a size advantage with bigger ballhandlers Rodney Pryor and L.J. Peak, who combine to average 34.1 points per game. Injuries have been an issue for Thompson since center Bradley Hayes and guard Tre Campbell have been largely hobbled and combined to play 12 scoreless minutes last time out. The under has cashed in six of eight Hoyas games, with the loss at St. John's being one of the outliers. St. John's has lost four of five, surrendering 90.2 points per contest. They gave up 82.7 points in conference play, last in the league. Projection St. John's 78 Georgetown 76
No. 7 Xavier vs. No. 10 DePaul
The Musketeers take the floor in Manhattan knowing they must impress the NCAA Tournament Selection committee to earn a bid after their season went down due to devastating injuries. Standout point guard Edmond Sumner tore his ACL in late January, but XU held off Seton Hall and won at Creighton without him. After a third straight win over DePaul, top scorer Trevon Bluiett aggravated an ankle sprain in a loss at Villanova and this team hasn't been the same since. He missed two games and has struggled since returning. In all, the Musketeers dropped six straight before going on the road and beating the same Blue Demons team they'll see in this tournament opener just to salvage a .500 record in Big East play. Head coach Chris Mack points at his team's strength of schedule, bolstered by a non-conference win in the Crosstown Shootout against Cincinnati and several head-to-head wins over other bubble teams and feels his team has done enough, but there's no question style points will count and a strong effort in a likely quarterfinal against Butler would significantly aid their cause. Bluiett went for 24 points and 10 boards against the Blue Demons on Saturday and is getting back to form, while freshman Quentin Goodin has gotten better acclimated to playing major minutes in Sumner's place. Ideally, the Musketeers will impose their will in the first half and rest their starters for the challenge of dealing with a Bulldogs team it lost to twice, but DePaul had actually covered in five straight games prior to their last loss, hanging with Villanova and Butler and nearly pulling off an upset of Seton Hall. They have nothing to lose here and will be led by redshirt senior Billy Garrett, Jr., their long-time leader who will look to extend his college career by ruining Xavier's season. DePaul won outside Illinois only once all season, defeating Georgetown on Feb. 22 on a pair of Garrett free throws with 0.2 seconds left. Projection Xavier 79 DePaul 64
Pac-12 Conference Tournament First Round Betting Preview
By Covers.com
The Pacific-12 Conference Tournament gets underway with opening round action from Las Vegas. A full slate of four games will tip off with Stanford taking on Arizona State and wrap up with Washington battling USC.
Tournament to be played at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Stanford Cardinal vs Arizona State Sun Devils (+3.5, 150)
ABOUT STANFORD (14-16 SU, 13-15-1 ATS, 14-15 O/U): Junior forward Reid Travis received first-team All-Pac-12 honors after finishing in the top five in the league in scoring (17.2) and rebounding (8.8 ), and the 6-8 standout averaged 19 points and 9.5 boards in the two regular-season losses to Arizona State. First-year coach Jerod Haase has received a welcome spark from senior guard Marcus Allen, who has averaged 14.4 points over the last eight games and was voted to the Pac-12’s all-defensive team. The taller Cardinal should control the paint against Arizona State but may need improved play from the point guard position to get past the first round.
ABOUT ARIZONA STATE (14-17 SU, 14-14-2 ATS, 17-12-1 O/U): Guard Torian Graham averaged 27 points in the two wins over the Cardinal while shooting 62.5 percent from the field and 11-of-19 from beyond the arc. The Sun Devils shot 44.6 percent from 3-point range in the two games against Stanford and figure to rely on the shot again Wednesday against a Cardinal team that is next-to-last in the league in defending 3-pointers. Senior forward Obinna Oleka recorded 14 double-doubles this season but struggled in the two games against Stanford, averaging 11 points and four rebounds.
TRENDS:
* Cardinal are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Wednesday games.
* Sun Devils are 9-1-1 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight up loss.
* Over is 5-1 in Cardinal last 6 Wednesday games.
* Under is 6-1 in Sun Devils last 7 overall.
* Favorite is 7-1-1 ATS in the last 9 meetings.
Oregon St. Beavers vs California Golden Bears (-14.5, 120.5)
ABOUT OREGON STATE (5-26 SU, 12-17 ATS, 15-14 O/U): Sophomore forward Drew Eubanks earned all-Pac-12 honorable mention honors after averaging 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks, but guards Stephen Thompson Jr., JaQuori McLaughlin and Kendal Manuel shot a combined 30.8 percent from the field in the last three games. Sophomore center Gligorije Rakocevic has provided a spark by averaging 8.5 points and 5.2 rebounds over the past 10 games, giving coach Wayne Tinkle hope for an upset. “I’ve seen some nutty stuff happen in the postseason,” Tinkle told reporters. “It is a clean slate and it's time to start over.”
ABOUT CAL (19-11 SU, 13-17 ATS, 13-17 O/U): Nobody questions the Bears’ defensive ability, but coach Cuonzo Martin needs more scoring throughout his lineup after his bench was held to six points in the loss to Colorado. “You just can't keep getting stops and stops without scoring,” senior wing Jabari Bird told reporters. “We’ve got to score baskets, too.” Bird, whose career has been marked by multiple injuries, ranks second on the team in scoring at 14.2 points per game but was limited to a total of 18 points on 7-of-24 shooting in two regular-season wins over the Beavers.
TRENDS:
* Beavers are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points.
* Golden Bears are 1-7-1 ATS in their last 9 neutral site games.
* Over is 9-1 in Beavers last 10 neutral site games.
* Under is 4-0 in Golden Bears last 4 vs. Pacific-12.
* Over is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.
Washington St. Cougars vs Colorado Buffaloes (-10, 146)
ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE (13-17 SU, 14-13 ATS, 10-17 O/U): Coach Ernie Kent’s Cougars began the season 9-5, including a 2-0 Pac-12 start, but dropped 12 of their last 16 contests to finish 6-12 in the conference, above only Washington (2-16) and Oregon State (1-17). With 15.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per outing, senior forward Josh Hawkinson, a second-team all-conference selection, was only one of two Pac-12 players to average a double-double on the season and his 55 career double-doubles are the most by any active Division I player in the nation. Four other Cougars are averaging at least 9.3 points, led by senior guard Ike Iroegbu (12.5) and freshman backcourt mate Malachi Flynn (10.1) who also average a combined 6.5 assists per outing.
ABOUT COLORADO (18-13 SU, 11-18-1 ATS, 13-17 O/U): The Buffaloes’ 91-89 overtime loss at Washington State on Jan. 21 culminated a 0-7 Pac-12 start, but Colorado caught fire and closed out the season with eight wins in its final 11 games, including an 81-49 rout of the visiting Cougars on Feb. 12. Senior guard Derrick White, a Division II transfer, has made the most of his only season in Boulder as he leads the team with 17.0 points, 4.3 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals per game and was the only Pac-12 player to earn All-Pac 12 first-team and all-defensive team honors. Senior forward Xavier Johnson (14.5 points) and junior swingman George King (11.5) also average double figures while King (6.9 rebounds), senior forward Wesley Gordon (6.6) and Johnson (6.0) are the leaders on the boards.
TRENDS:
* Cougars are 6-13 ATS in their last 19 games following a ATS win.
* Buffaloes are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games as a favorite.
* Under is 7-0 in Cougars last 7 overall.
* Under is 5-0 in Buffaloes last 5 games as a favorite of 7.0-12.5.
Washington Huskies vs Southern California Trojans (-11.5, 154.5)
ABOUT WASHINGTON (9-21 SU, 8-20-1 ATS, 10-19 O/U): David Crisp was expected to step in and help fill the void left by Fultz, but the team's second-leading scorer (13.5) is mired in an 8-for-38 shooting slump over the last three games, capped by a scoreless performance against the Trojans in which the sophomore guard fouled out in 18 minutes. Noah Dickerson, on the other hand, is thriving in the last three games, averaging 22 points to bump his season average to 12.4. The 6-8 sophomore forward scored a career-high 27 points against the Trojans last weekend, so he should be one of the more confident players on the floor.
ABOUT USC (23-8 SU, 15-15 ATS, 15-14-1 O/U): Jordan McLaughlin enters the tournament playing at his highest level of the season and the junior point guard has the experience to lead his team deep into this tournament. He's averaging 15.3 points in the last three games and has 29 assists and six turnovers in that span, just missing a triple-double by one rebound last week against Washington State. His distribution skills will surely benefit his talented big men up front, Bennie Boatwright and Chimezie Metu, who lead the team in scoring at 14.9 and 14.4 points, respectively.
TRENDS:
* Huskies are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 vs. Pacific-12.
* Trojans are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite.
* Under is 8-0 in Huskies last 8 games as an underdog of 7.0-12.5.
* Over is 4-0 in Trojans last 4 neutral site games as a favorite.
* Huskies are 1-5 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
NCAAB Knowledge
ACC tournament, Brooklyn
Syracuse is 0-2 in ACC tournament games; they couldn’t play in ’15. Having crowd edge should help them in Brooklyn. Orangemen lost four of last six games overall; they beat Miami 70-55 at home Jan 4— Miami was 2-10 from line for game. Hurricanes won six of last nine games but lost last two; they won their first ACC tourney game the last seven years. Syracuse was 2-7 on road in ACC play, winning at NC State/Clemson. Miami shot 36.2% on arc, #10 in ACC, critical vs 2-3 zone. Syracuse was worst defensive rebounding team in the ACC this season.
Clemson started season 11-2, then lost 12 of next 15 games before winning last three; they lost 64-62 at Duke Feb 11- they were down 29-18 at half, but led by point with 10:10 left. Duke was 11-26 on arc that night, Tigers 2-9. Clemson played 8 guys 16:00+ yesterday; only two Tigers played more than 29:00. Brownell is 3-6 in ACC tourney games. Duke lost three of its last four games, is 3-6 on ACC road this season; since ’03, they’re 12-2 in first ACC tourney game, but three of last four first round wins were by four or less points. Duke didn’t play yesterday.
Wake Forest won its last four games, one of which was 89-84 win at Virginia Tech four days ago; they were 27-33 on foul line, Collins 13-14. Deacons played three guys 31:00+ yesterday, Tech had yesterday off. Hokies won three of last four games vs Wake, five of last seven games overall; over last decade, Tech is 7-3 in first ACC tourney game. Wake won its last four games overall, is 10-9 in ACC (6 wins vs BC-NC St-GT); they’ve got shot at NCAA’s, but obviously need win here. Only two demon Deacons played more than 29:00 yesterday vs BC.
Pitt snapped 4-game skid yesterday; they used four starters 34:00+, used only two subs more than 2:00 in tense win over Ga Tech last nite. Panthers beat Virginia 88-76 at home in OT Jan 4, then got hammered 67-42 at Virginia four days ago, when starters Artis/Young were benched for first 10:00 of game. Virginia won its last three games by 15-10-25 points, after a 4-game losing skid. Cavaliers won this event in ’14; they won first tourney game last three years, by 13-14-20 points. Cavaliers are 5-1 vs Pitt overall in ACC play, with three wins by 12+ points.
Mountain West, Las Vegas
Wyoming lost four of last six games since a 4OT win Feb 8; Cowboys beat Air Force twice this season, 84-72 at home, 83-74 on road; Cowboys made 27-62 3’s in the two games. Wyoming won this event two years ago; they’re 2-5 in first tourney game last seven years. Since 2003, Air Force is 3-14 in Mountain West tourney games; they lost in first round in triple OT to UNLV last year; Falcons lost nine of their last ten games with only win at home over UNLV, when they were 14-26 on arc- they’re 18-71 on arc in three losses since that game.
Pac-12 tournament, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
Arizona State beat Stanford twice this season, 98-93 on road, 75-69 at home; they were 25-56 on arc in those games. ASU won four of last five overall vs Cardinal, but they’re 1-7 in Pac-12 tourney last seven years. Sun Devils lost three of their last four games; their subs play least minutes of any bench in country. Stanford lost eight of its last 11 games, losing last six games on road; Cardinal are 3-3 in first tourney game last six years. Stanford forces turnovers 21.5% of time, best in Pac-12. Sun Devils only turn ball over 13.4% of time, also best in league.
Colorado won eight of last 11 games after starting Pac-12 play 0-7; Buffaloes lost 91-89 in OT at Washington State, then won rematch 81-49 at home three weeks later. Buffs are 9-2 vs Wazzu in Pac-12 games. Colorado is 9-4 in Pac-12 tourney, 5-0 in first round; they won this tournament in 2012. Coogs lost last eight Pac-12 tourney games, losing by 25-24 last two years; their last tourney win was in ’09. Wazzu lost six of last eight games overall, losing last five road tilts. TV people were saying they’re improved this year, but they start four seniors and are 13-17.
Big 10 tournament, Washington DC
Nebraska lost its last four games and 12 of last 15; they beat Penn State 82-66 at home Feb 14; Cornhuskers are 6-5 vs PSU in Big 14 games, but lost 68-65 to Lions in conference tournament two years ago. Nebraska is 2-3 in its first Big 14 tourney game since joining league. Penn State is 1-4 in first round last five years; they lost last five games overall, as starting three frosh and a sophomore took its toll. Penn State forces turnovers 20.1% of time in league games, #2 in Big 14. Teams shoot 42.5% on arc vs Nebraska, but Lions shoot just 32.8%, 12th in Big 14.
Ohio State outscored Rutgers 8-2 over final 1:19 to beat Scarlet Knights 70-64 at home Feb 8; they’re 4-0 vs Rutgers in Big 14 games, winning by 19-26-10-6 points. Buckeyes lost four of last six games overall, but won their first Big 14 tourney game the last eight years, winning last three by 2-6-4 points. Rutgers lost six of last seven games, but four of six losses were by nine or less points; Knights lost by 12-17 points in first two Big 14 tourney games. Rutgers is last in league in six of nine offensive metrics. Buckeyes are best team in league at getting to foul line.
Big East tournament, NYC
Georgetown lost seven of last eight games overall, scoring 59-55 points last two games. Lot of rumblings from alumni about a coaching change being needed. Big East tourney is on St John’s home court; they’re 0-5 in this event last five years, losing by 14-13-5-17-8 points. Red Storm lost four of last five games overall, but win was 86-80 over the Hoyas Feb 25, when they forced 22 Georgetown turnovers (+13). Hoyas won first meeting by 28 at home; they were +20 on boards. Georgetown won 10 of last 13 series games; teams last met in this tourney in ’09.
Big X tournament, Kansas City
TCU lost its last seven games after starting season 17-7; Horned Frogs split with Oklahoma, winning first meeting 60-57 at home, then losing 73-68 in Norman four days ago- they’re 2-8 vs Sooners in Big X games. TCU was 6-12 in league this year after being 8-64 the previous four years; they won first tournament game last two years, by 2-5 points. Oklahoma lost Woodard for season six games ago (3-3); Sooners lost last six road games since win at West Va. Oklahoma hasn’t won Big X tourney since 2003; they’re 3-8 in this tournament the last eight years.
Texas lost its last seven games, last four all by 10+ points; they beat Texas Tech 62-58 at home Feb 1, then lost 67-57 in Lubbock four weeks later. Longhorns are 25-5 in last 30 games with Tech, winning by 7-12 points in tournament games. Last year was first time since ’05 Texas lost its first Big X tournament game. Red Raiders is 1-6 in tourney last six years, losing in first round last three years, by 18-12-5 points. Tech lost six of last eight games overall, with two of last four losses in OT. Red Raiders are #11 experience team in country, Longhorns are #342.
SEC tournament, Nashville
Mississippi State beat LSU twice this season, 95-78 on road, 88-76 on road four days ago; that win snapped 7-game skid for Bulldogs. LSU lost 16 of last 17 games, amidst reports last night that coach Jones will get fired after their next loss. Bulldogs won three of last four series games, after losing five of previous six vs Bayou Bengals. LSU won its first SEC tournament game four of last five years, with only loss in OT. Bulldogs are 2-6 in SEC tourney the last six years. Four teams in SEC tournament today rank #327-330-339-350 in experience. Very young teams.
Armadillosports.com
NCAAB: Streaks, Tips, Note
Sportspic.com
Syracuse vs Miami
The Syracuse Orange and the No. 25 Miami Hurricanes have already made it to the second round of the ACC Tournament. They earned a direct bye into Wednesday’s game (noon ET, ESPN), with Syracuse as the No. 8 seed and Miami at No. 9 on the ACC bracket; the winner will go on to face the No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels on Thursday.
Syracuse (18-13 SU, 13-13 ATS) may have the better seed and de facto home-court advantage at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, but the Hurricanes (20-10 SU, 10-18 ATS) were the superior team during the regular season. However, in their lone meeting back in January, it was the Orange prevailing 70-55 as 3-point home dogs, up from +1 at the open. Miami had difficulty dealing with Syracuse’s 2-3 zone defense, shooting just 39% on the day.
Wednesday’s game is doubly important for the Orange – they could fall off the March Madness bubble with a loss to Miami, while the Hurricanes are expected to receive a Tournament invite no matter what happens. Both teams improved their positions last month with upset wins over the Duke Blue Devils and Virginia Cavaliers.
Big Ten Conference Tournament First Round Betting Preview
By Covers.com
The First Round of the Big Ten Tournament gets underway in the nation's capitol and if any of the teams involved on Wednesday's hope to go dancing, it will take a miracle run to a conference tournament title.
Tournament to be played at Verizon Center, Washington, District of Columbia
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers (+2, 141)
The Cornhuskers started conference play with three straight wins for the first time in over 40 years but went 3-12 (5-10 ATS) the rest of the way, including a 93-57 setback to Michigan in the regular-season finale, to finish below .500 for the third consecutive year. Nebraska beat the Nittany Lions 82-66 in the only meeting of the season on Feb. 14 and hopes to build some confidence early in the tournament just like it did during last year's surprising run to the quarterfinals. Senior guard Tai Webster was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team by the media after averaging 17.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and four assists.
Penn State limps into the conference tournament having lost five straight games (1-4 ATS) following a 90-79 defeat to Iowa on Sunday. The Nittany Lions seemed poised to turn the corner after knocking off Minnesota 52-50 on Jan. 14, but went on to drop 10 of their next 13 games, and they hope to prolong their season by notching a win in the tournament for the first time since 2015. Freshman point guard Tony Carr was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team after averaging 13.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists during the regular season.
TRENDS:
* Penn State is 7-1-1 ATS in its last nine games vs. a team with a losing SU record.
* Nebraska is 8-0 ATS in its last eight games vs. a team with a losing SU record.
* Over is 3-0-1 in Penn State's last four vs. a team with a losing SU record.
* Over is 6-1 in Nebraska's last seven games following a SU loss.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Ohio State Buckeyes (-7.5, 136)
A loss in the regular-season finale dropped Ohio State to the first round of the Big Ten tournament, and the Buckeyes know what they need to do in order to avoid missing the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row: Run the table in Washington, D.C. The Buckeyes had a chance to enjoy a first-round bye with a win Saturday at home against Indiana, but they struggled mightily on the defensive end in a 96-92 setback. The Hoosiers’ point total and number of made field goals (34) established records by an opponent at Ohio State’s arena and rendered useless any momentum the team had built on a two-game winning streak.
That’s a longer streak than the Scarlet Knights ever had while going 3-15 to finish at the bottom of the conference, although they did win their regular-season finale with a 62-59 win over Illinois to snap a six-game skid. Despite finishing in last place in the Big Ten, the Scarlet Knights doubled their overall win total from last season in their first campaign under Pikiell, which included an 11-2 start in nonconfence play. All three conference victories came by three points or fewer, highlighted by junior forward Deshawn Freeman hitting a 3-pointer with seven seconds remaining to beat the Illini on Saturday.
TRENDS:
* Rutgers is 16-35 ATS in its last 51 versus Big Ten opponents.
* Ohio State is 5-16 ATS in its last 21 neutral site games.
* Under is 4-0 in Rutgers' last four games following a straight up win.
* Over is 8-3 in Ohio State's last 11 neutral site games.
Big East Conference Tournament First Round Betting Preview
By Covers.com
The conference that houses the defending national champion Villanova Wildcats had another strong season with seven teams notching at least 19 wins. One of those teams, Xavier - a tournament regular in recent years - will be fighting for the opportunity to go dancing on the opening day of the Big East tournament this Wednesday.
Tournament to be played at Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Georgetown Hoyas vs. St. John's Red Storm (+1, 153)
The teams split two meetings this season, with each winning on its own home court as Georgetown posted a 28-point victory in early January before St. John's exacted a measure of revenge with a six-point triumph late last month. However, that was the only win for the Red Storm among their final five games as they stumbled to a 7-11 record in league play. St. John's has allowed at least 80 points in five straight games and ranks 305th nationally in points allowed (78) entering Tuesday's contest.
Georgetown wasn't any better, going 5-13 in Big East action with five straight losses entering this week. The Hoyas closed the regular season with a 26-point home loss to Villanova, which held Georgetown to 36.2 percent shooting and 4-of-15 from beyond the arc - not to mention 20 turnovers. Rodney Pryor, who scored 21 points, averages a team-high 18.1 and also led the team with 22 in the recent loss to St. John's.
TRENDS:
* Both Georgetown and St. John's are 1-4 ATS in its last five games overall.
* Favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Under is 6-1 in Georgetown's last seven games following a SU loss.
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
DePaul Blue Demons vs. Xavier Muskateers (-10.5, 142.5)
The Musketeers halted a six-game losing streak with a 79-65 road victory Saturday against the Blue Demons, but could use a couple more victories to improve their chances of making the NCAA Tournament. Junior guard Trevon Bluiett, fresh off being named to the All-Big East first team for the second time, leads the Musketeers into action. Bluiett, whose third double-double of the season helped Xavier close the regular season with a win, leads the Big East in average minutes played (34.4), and is fourth in scoring (18 points per game) and 10th in rebounding (5.8 ). This will be the fourth Big East Tournament for Xavier, which reached the semifinals in each of the past three, including a loss to Villanova in the 2015 final.
Billy Garrett, Jr., the winner of the Big East Sportsmanship Award, tries to lead the Blue Demons to the Big East Tournament quarterfinals for the first time in what will be their 10th attempt. Unless Garrett, Eli Cain and another player such as Tre'Darius McCallum, Brandon Cyrus or Chris Harrison-Docks come up with big games, the Blue Demons will have a small margin for error in this contest. Dave Leitao's team posted only two conference wins and both came when it held its opponent to fewer than 70 points.
TRENDS:
* DePaul is 5-1 ATS in its last six games overall.
* Xavier is 1-7 ATS in its last eight versus Big East opponents.
* Under is 5-1 in DePaul's last six games following an ATS loss.
* Over is 14-6 in Xavier's last 20 games following an ATS win.
ACC Conference Tournament Second Round Betting Preview
By Covers.com
The ACC Conference Tournament is on to the second round Wednesday. Syracuse will take on Miami while Duke, Virginia Tech and Virginia will matchup against Tuesday's winners from the opening round.
Tournament to be played at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Miami-Florida Hurricanes vs Syracuse Orange
ABOUT MIAMI (20-10 SU, 10-18 ATS, 9-18-1 O/U): With Ja'Quan Newton now coming off the bench, freshman guard Bruce Brown (11.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists) has taken on more of a leadership role and become the team's No. 2 scoring threat behind Davon Reed (15.3 points), who is coming off a 22-point performance against Florida State. The tournament will serve as a homecoming for senior forward Kamari Murphy (7.1 points, 7.5 rebounds), a Brooklyn native who has picked up his scoring recently and is the key to Miami's interior defense. Freshman guard Dejan Vasiljevic (5.9 points) has been inconsistent from 3-point range all season but has been more aggressive offensively in recent games and did set his career high of 18 points by making six 3-pointers against Syracuse in Miami's loss at the Carrier Dome.
ABOUT SYRACUSE (18-13 SU, 13-13 ATS, 17-7-2 O/U): Boeheim points to the ability of John Gillon (11 points, 5.5 assists) to get into the lane and make plays as the key to Syracuse's offense. The point guard has plenty of options when he's distributing the ball, with fellow graduate student Andrew White III (team-leading 17.9 points), Tyler Lydon (13.4) and freshman guard Tyus Battle (10.8 ) having combined to make 201 shots from 3-point range. Lydon leads the team in rebounding (8.3) and teams with 6-10 freshman forward Taurean Thompson (8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds) to provide an inside presence - a combined 72 blocked shots - as part of Syracuse's famed 2-3 zone defense.
TRENDS:
* Hurricanes are 0-8 ATS in their last 8 Wednesday games.
* Orange are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 neutral site games as an underdog.
* Under is 4-0 in Hurricanes last 4 overall.
* Over is 10-1-1 in Orange last 12 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings.
Clemson Tigers vs Duke Blue Devils
ABOUT CLEMSON (17-14 SU, 13-14-2 ATS, 16-13 O/U): Shelton Mitchell has been a different player over the last eight games – starting with a 23-point effort at Duke – averaging 16.1 over the stretch while shooting 57.7 percent from the field. Senior forward Jaron Blossomgame continues to do his thing in the final games of his collegiate career - scoring at least 16 in six of his last seven contests - and leads the team overall at 17.5, but scored just seven at Duke. Sophomore forward Elijah Thomas (7.7 points), a transfer from Texas A&M, scored 10 on Tuesday and had a season-high 15 on 5-of-7 shooting from the field to go along with nine rebounds at Duke.
ABOUT DUKE (23-8 SU, 11-18-1 ATS, 13-16-1 O/U): Junior guard Grayson Allen is fighting through an ankle injury and scored 14 versus North Carolina on Saturday while senior forward Amile Jefferson (foot) had 12 after producing a double-double against Florida State. The Blue Devils are led by sophomore sharpshooter Luke Kennard, a first-team All-ACC pick, who scored 28 on Saturday to push his team-best average to 20.1. Freshman forward Jayson Tatum (16.0 points, 7.3 rebounds) is also a major threat and freshman guard Frank Jackson is averaging 17.7 points the last three games.
TRENDS:
* Tigers are 2-8-2 ATS in their last 12 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Blue Devils are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up loss.
* Under is 5-0 in Tigers last 5 overall.
* Under is 6-1 in Blue Devils last 7 neutral site games.
* Tigers are 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs Virginia Tech Hokies
ABOUT WAKE FOREST (19-12 SU, 16-13 ATS, 20-8-1 O/U): Sophomore guard Bryant Crawford led the way with 20 points against Boston College while all-ACC first-team selection John Collins added 19 and 12 rebounds. Senior forward Austin Arians chipped in 17 points and hit four of his season-high five 3-pointers in the first half. "We feel like offensively we have guys across the board that are capable scorers," said Manning, whose team has scored at least 80 points in 10 of its last 11 games.
ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (21-9 SU, 14-11-1 ATS, 13-13 O/U): LeDay leads five double-digit scorers with 15.6 points per game and is second on the team in rebounding (7.1). He and senior guard Seth Allen (13.1) both shoot better than 53 percent for the ACC's top shooting team (49.2 percent), and Allen was fourth in the conference from beyond the arc (46.5). Junior Ty Outlaw has been a force since the team lost fellow guard and top rebounder Chris Clarke to a torn ACL last month, averaging 15.6 points while shooting 69.2 percent from the floor over the past five contests.
TRENDS:
* Demon Deacons are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Hokies are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
* Over is 9-0 in Demon Deacons last 9 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Over is 7-0 in the last 7 meetings.
* Underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
Pittsburgh Panthers vs Virginia Cavaliers
ABOUT PITTSBURGH (16-16 SU, 12-17-2 ATS, 12-19 O/U): Michael Young poured in 17 points in the victory over Georgia Tech on Tuesday as the Panthers advanced despite shooting 38.9 percent from the field. Young averages 19.8 points overall and Jamel Artis is next at 18.2 after scoring 11 on Tuesday while fellow senior Sheldon Jeter (8.2) registered 14 points in the victory – his highest total since posting 29 against Florida State on Feb. 18. Sophomore guard Cameron Johnson (11.6 points) is the only underclassman among the top five scorers, but he managed just five in the tournament opener on 1-of-4 shooting.
ABOUT VIRGINIA (21-9 SU, 17-11 ATS, 8-19-1 O/U): Senior guard London Perrantes was named second-team All-ACC after averaging 17 points - pushing his season mark to 12.8 - and draining 10-of-19 from 3-point range over the last three contests. Perrantes is the only active player averaging in double figures scoring while junior guard Marial Shayok (8.7) must get going again after combining for just two points on 1-of-9 shooting in his last three games. “I guess my time is right now,” Shayok told Virginia’s website. “. … I’ve just got to stay confident and be ready. It’s a new season now.”
TRENDS:
* Panthers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Cavaliers are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games after allowing less than 50 points in their previous game.
* Under is 7-0 in Panthers last 7 overall.
* Under is 10-1-1 in Cavaliers last 12 games after allowing less than 50 points in their previous game.
* Under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
SEC Conference Tournament First Round Betting Preview
By Covers.com
The Southeastern Conference Tournament gets underway with opening round action from Nashville. A pair of evening games will feature LSU taking on Mississippi St. and Missouri battling Auburn.
Tournament to be played at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
Louisiana State Tigers vs Mississippi St. Bulldogs (-6.5, 156)
ABOUT LSU (10-20 SU, 11-17-1 ATS, 21-8 O/U): LSU's second-year guard Antonio Blakeney finished fifth in the SEC in scoring at 17.4 points per game but comes in having scored just 21 combined points over his last two games; he had averaged 26.3 points over his previous six contests. Duop Reath is second on the team at 12.2 points per game and was sensational in defeat against Mississippi State, scoring 12 points and pulling down 12 rebounds. Brandon Sampson (11.8 ) rounds out the top three in scoring, and is averaging 17.7 points over his last three games while shooting a blistering 18-of-20 from the free-throw line.
ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE (15-15 SU, 16-11 ATS, 15-12 O/U): Mississippi St. is led by sophomore guard Quinndary Weatherspoon, who finished sixth in the conference in scoring at 16.6 points per game; he averaged slightly less in two meetings with the Tigers this season (16 ppg), but shot 14-of-22 from the field. Lamar Peters (10.9) and Mario Kegler (10.3) join Weatherspoon in double digits, while Kegler adds 5.6 rebounds but comes in shooting just 8-for-24 over his previous three games. Sophomore forward Aric Holman added 8.4 points and a team-best 6.1 rebounds, and averaged 15.5 points and 7.5 boards in two games against LSU.
TRENDS:
* Tigers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog of 0.5-6.5.
* Bulldogs are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.
* Over is 12-2 in Tigers last 14 games following a ATS loss.
* Over is 4-1 in Bulldogs last 5 games as a favorite.
* Over is 10-1 in the last 11 meetings.
Missouri Tigers vs Auburn Tigers (-6.5, 153)
ABOUT MISSOURI (7-23 SU, 12-13-2 ATS, 14-13 O/U): The Tigers have been an anemic 3-point shooting team all season, but they hit a season-high 13 from beyond the arc – on a school-record 38 attempts – at Auburn on Saturday. Missouri has three players who average double digits in points – Jordan Barnett (12.1 points, 5.8 rebounds), Kevin Puryear (11, six) and Terrence Phillips (10.5, 4.4 assists) – but the supporting cast has been inconsistent. Puryear led the way with 19 points Saturday after going 1-for-10 for four in a 77-72 home loss to Auburn on Jan. 10.
ABOUT AUBURN (18-13 SU, 16-13 ATS, 16-13 O/U): Perhaps the Tigers’ biggest question mark in the postseason is how their bevy of freshman stars will perform on the big stage. Guards Mustapha Heron (15.2 points, 5.8 rebounds) and Jared Harper (11.5 points), forward Danjel Purifoy (11.4) and center Austin Wiley (8.8 ) – all freshmen – are the top four scorers for Bruce Pearl’s team. Heron has given Missouri fits, averaging 18 points in the two meetings this season.
TRENDS:
* Auburn is 0-6 ATS in their last 6 neutral site games as a favorite.
* Over is 11-2 in Auburn's last 13 overall.
* Under is 6-2 in Missouri's last 8 neutral site games.
* Favorite is 4-1-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
Pac-12 Trends and Angles
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No. 8 Arizona State vs. No. 9 Stanford
The season came off the rails for both of these teams early, which is why the reward for surviving here is the top-seeded Ducks, which means they're going to likely end the season under .500 regardless of what happens here. The Cardinal opened 6-1, then had a murderous stretch against Saint Mary's, Kansas and SMU where it came up empty in lopsided losses that sapped away some of its confidence, leading an 0-4 start in Pac-12 play. It didn't help that they struggled to make much headway with top scorer Reid Travis dealing with a shoulder injury for weeks to start 2017. He's been effective down the stretch, racking up three triple-doubles and has averaged 19.4 points and 9.6 rebounds over his last eight. He did participate in both games against the Sun Devils and shot 16-for-25 (64 pct.) and averaged 19 points and 9.5 boards, so look for him to be the focal point here. From ASU's standpoint, it will definitely be shooting guard Torian Graham, who led the Sun Devils in scoring (18.2) and set his career-high with 30 points off the bench against the Cardinal. In the two wins, Graham shot 62.5 percent from the field and hit 11 of 19 3-point attempts (57.9 pct) in averaging 27 points and seven boards. Both teams feature short rotaions, so foul trouble will be a big part of this one. Arizona State lost projected key contriubtors early this season, really hindering its ability to succeed long-term. Its best win came at home against USC on Feb. 26, so there's hope that everyone has enough gas in the tank to make a run here. Stanford has dropped three straight and was routed 91-68 as the No. 9 seed in this tournament by Washington last year, spelling the end for head coach Johnny Dawkins, who landed at UCF. Jerod Haase was hired away from UAB and will be matched up with Hurley, who lost his Pac-12 Tourney debut last year. The over has prevailed in seven of Stanford's last nine games. Totals on ASU's games have been set at over 150 points in 14 of the last 16, with the under currently on a 6-1 run. Projection Arizona State 79 Stanford 78
No. 5 California vs. No. 12 Oregon State
The Bears have lost five of their last six contests, costing them a bye that looked like a sure thing after they opened 9-3 in Pac-12 play. Cal opened March with road losses at Utah and Colorado to ultimately fumble away a top-four seed. In those games, Cuonzo Martin's team scored 44 and 46 points, their two lowest-scoring outputs of the season. Beating the Beavers would give them a 20th win, but they've got to get past this game and a quartefinal against Utah to give themselves a chance to play themselves back onto the right side of the bubble with an upset of Oregon. Cal beat the Beavers by 30 points in Berkeley on Feb. 24, the only win since beginning its aforementioned skid, and won in Corvallis by 11. Oregon State won only once in Pac-12 play, pulling off a home upset of Utah on Feb. 19 as a 13-point underdog. The absence of head coach Wayne Tinkle's son Tres, a standout sophomore who played just six games after breaking his wrist, proved crippling to a team that dealt with injuries and one of the country's youngest rosters. They're looking to play spoiler behind 6-10 forward Drew Eubanks, who has averaged 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game and will battle with Cal's Ivan Rabb in a matchup that will intrigue NBA scouts. Rabb, a 6-foot-11 potential lottery pick, has recorded six double-doubles over the last nine and averaged 14.3 points and 10.6 boards on the season. He comes into the tournament on a 4-for-14 shooting slump over his last two games and must have a big next few days for the Bears to have any type of success. The under has prevailed in five of Cal's last seven, including three straight. Projection California 68 Oregon State 54
No. 7 Colorado vs No. 10 Washington State
The Buffaloes have underachieved given all the experience on a roster that reached the NCAAs last year. They'll get a shot at the fifth 20-win season of Tad Boyle's six-year tenure, but have illusions of making a run in Vegas. Colorado has won eight of 10 and handed Oregon one of its two Pac-12 losses, but its inconsistency suggests it can't overlook the Cougs. Washington State beat CU in overtime in Pullman on Jan. 21. The Buffs are one only two teams Washington took a game from in conference play. Suspensions and discipline issues have been a part of Colorado's problems this season, and it appears standout freshman guard Bryce Peters will remain sidelined for at least the first game of this tournament. Washington State hung tough at UCLA in the regular-season finale but has won just twice outside of its home state this season. In Josh Hawkinson (15.6 ppg, 10.1 rpg), WSU is led by one of the top big men in the league, and they have enough talent around him to pull off an upset if the 3-pointer is falling. Seniors Conor Clifford, Ike Iroegbu and Charles Callison would love to extend their careers, making the Cougs dangerous, but their hopes will certainly depend on freshman point guard Malachi Flynn and how he fares against Derrick White, the Pac-12's second-leading scorer (17.0). Seven consecutive Washington State games have finished under the posted toal, but the team set its season-high with 91 points in the OT victory over Colorado. Projection Colorado 74 Washington State 69
No. 6 USC vs. No. 11 Washington
The Trojans are in win-and-you're-in territory here since avoiding a bad loss is likely the only obstacle standing between them and an at-large bid. Their task got easier since likely No. 1 NBA Draft pick Markelle Fultz is sitting this one out with a sore knee. In a class filled with fabulous freshman, including UCLA standout Lonzo Ball, Fultz's impressive versatility stood out. His 23.2 points per game were the highest in the Pac-12 in two decades, which makes his 5.7 rebounds an 5.9 assists per game even more impressive. It also makes Washington's 9-21 record and 2-16 mark in league play all the more unacceptable, although it didn't help Lorenzo Romar that his top recruits from the previous season, Marquese Chriss and Dejounte Murray, each jumped to the NBA. His future is in doubt, and without Fultz, it's unlikely the Huskies will taste a 10th win. Their last win came against Colorado in OT on Jan. 18, so they're carrying a 12-game losing streak into this matchup, including a 74-58 loss in L.A. against the Trojans to end the regular season on Saturday. Fultz missed five of the final seven games, which led to four double-digit losses. A USC victory would lead to a third meeting with UCLA, which it already defeated once to notch the bright spot on its resume. Both regular-season games between these teams resulted in the under connecting. In fact, the last 11 Washington games have come in below the posted total. The over is 6-1 in USC's last seven games not played against the Huskies. Projection USC 81 Washington 63
ACC Trends and Angles
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No. 8 Syracuse vs No. 9 Miami
The Hurricanes head to New York hoping they have better results than the last time they faced the Orange. In the only meeting of the regular season it was Syracuse coming away with a 70-55 victory at the Carrier Dome back on Jan. 4 as the 'under' cashed. It was a rare under result for Syracuse, as the 'over' is 11-0-2 over their past 13 outings. The Hurricanes struggled away from home this season, losing their past two on the road, and just 3-6 in their past nine. They're also 4-7 ATS in their past 11 games either on the road or on a neutral site. Miami is also just 5-18 ATS in their past 23 games as a favorite, while Syracuse is an impressive 7-1 ATS in their past eight neutral-site games as an underdog. Projection Syracuse 78 Miami, Fl. 76
No. 5 Duke vs. No. 12 Clemson
The Blue Devils stumbled down the stretch, dropping three of their past four regular season games. They were also 0-4-1 ATS in their final five outings. And in their most recent meeting with the Tigers at Cameron Indoor Stadium the Blue Devils won just 64-62 against Clemson as an 11-point favorite. And Blue Devils G Grayson Allen (ankle) and F Amile Jefferson (foot) are banged up. So is Duke ripe for the picking in this ACC Tournament? Well, not so fast. Clemson sent N.C. State packing on Tuesday in an impressive 75-61 win, but they're still just 6-12 SU and 6-10-2 ATS over their past 18 outings. There's a reason Clemson is a 12-seed out of 15 teams. Neither of these teams have been hot against the number, with Clemson 4-9-2 ATS in their past 15 against a team with a winning record and Duke 3-11 ATS in their past 14 neutral-site games. The Tigers are 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings in this series. Projection Duke 71 Clemson 67
No. 7 Virginia Tech vs. No. 10 Wake Forest
This game has the potential to be one of the best of the day, as the Demon Deacons look for their 20th victory of the season. They inched closer to an at-large NCAA Tournament berth with a late-season win against Louisville and a first-round win against Boston College. But they still have plenty of work to do. Wake has won four in a row, and they're 3-1 ATS during the span. That includes an 89-84 win in Blacksburg in the regular season finale on March 4. Both of these teams have been hot against the number, with Wake 7-1 ATS in their past eight against teams with a winning percentage over .600, while Va. Tech is 4-0 ATS in their past four against teams with a plus-.600 win percentage. The Deacs are 1-4 ATS in the past five meetings, but of course that one cover was last week. The 'over' has connected in seven consecutive meetings between these two. Projection Virginia Tech 88 Wake Forest 83
No. 6 Virginia vs. No. 14 Pittsburgh
The Panthers are in unfamiliar territory, playing from the second-to-last seed in a conference tournament. They squared up their record at 16-16 with a first-round win against Georgia Tech. These teams met in the regular season finale on Tuesday with the Cavaliers undressing the Panthers by a 67-42 score. It was the third straight win and cover for Virginia after a four-game losing and non-cover streak. It's hard to know what Virginia team will show up. A microcosm of Virginia's season can be viewed looking at the results from their meetings with Pittsburgh. They throttled the Panthers on Tuesday, but lost in Pittsburgh by an 88-76 score in overtime back on Jan. 4. Projection Virginia 65 Pittsburgh 56