Betting news, trends, odds and predictions from various handicappers and websites for Saturday 1/4/20
Saturday’s college basketball
Tennessee adds 18-year old PG Vescovi from Uruguay today; he is expected to play about half the game. LSU won three of last four games with the Vols, but lost last two visits to Knoxville, by 16-23 points. Tigers lost two of last three games; they’re 0-2 in road games, losing by hoop at both VCU/USC. LSU is experience team #327 that is 8-4 vs schedule #169; they’re making 59.3% of their 2’s (#2). Tennessee lost three of its last four games after a 7-1 start; they’re experience team #180 that is 8-4 vs schedule #121- they have #20 eFG% defense.
Oklahoma State lost three of last four games with Texas Tech, losing last two visits to Lubbock, by 4-5 points. Underdogs covered seven of last nine series games. Tech won its last four games, is experience team #294 that is 9-3 vs schedule #298; Red Raiders lost three of four top 100 games, but the win is over Louisville; Tech forces turnovers 23% of time (#42). Oklahoma State lost three of its last five games after a 7-0 start; Cowboys are experience team #92 that is 9-3 vs schedule #51- they’re 4-3 in top 100 games, 2-0 in true road games (Charleston/Houston).
Home side won last six Maryland-Indiana games; Hoosiers lost their last three trips here, by 2-3-3 points. Five of last six series games were decided by 6 or fewer points. Indiana is #281 experience team that is 11-2 vs schedule #160, losing by 20 at Wisconsin (only true road game), by 7 at home to Arkansas; they’re #2 team in country at getting to foul line, are top 20 rebounding team. Maryland lost two of last three games after a 10-0 start; they’re experience team #298 that is 11-2 vs schedule #48- Terrapins won six of eight top 100 games.
Louisville-Florida State split their last six meetings; teams split couple games in Yum! Center. Seminoles won their last five games; they’re experience team #275 that is 12-2 vs schedule #91, with losses at Pitt/Indiana- they have a road win at Florida. FSU is tallest team in country; they force turnovers 26.5% of time (#4). Louisville split its last four games after a 9-0 start; Cardinals are experience team #21 that is 11-2 vs schedule #163, losing last game to Kentucky in OT. Louisville has #5 eFG% defense without forcing TO’s; opponents shoot 41.2% inside arc (#10).
Villanova won four of its last five games with Marquette, but lost two of last three visits to Milwaukee, losing by point here LY. Villanova won its last six games, beating Kansas/Xavier in last two; they’re experience team #331 that is 10-2 vs schedule #55, losing their only true road game outside of Philly by 25 at Ohio State. Wildcats are shooting 35.5% on arc (#84), getting 36.5% of their points on arc (#60). Marquette won five of last six games, losing at Creighton by 17 last game; they’re experience team #53 that is 10-3 vs schedule #65.
Duke-Miami split their last ten meetings; Blue Devils won last two, by 8-30 points. Duke lost three of last five visits to South Beach. Duke won its last six games, winning first two ACC tilts, by 14-39 points; they’re experience team #338 that is 12-1 vs schedule #87, with only loss at home to SF Austin- they’ve got true road wins at Michigan St/Va Tech. Miami won its last five games, winning last game in OT at Clemson; Hurricanes are experience team #163 that is 9-3 vs schedule #42- they’re making 38.9% of their 3’s (#15).
Kansas won six of last seven games with West Virginia, beating WVU in last two Big X tourneys; Mountaineers are 0-7 in Lawrence in Big X play (2-4-1 ATS). West Virginia won its last four games, is experience team #296 that is 11-1 vs schedule #46; Mountaineers’ only loss was by hoop at St John’s. WVU beat Ohio State in its last game; they have #2 eFG% defense in country. Kansas won nine of last ten games; they’re experience team #232 that is 9-2 vs schedule #6, with losses to Duke/Villanova by total of 3 points. Kansas has #3 eFG% inn country.
Wichita State won its last six games, winning AAC opener Wednesday, now they venture into Power 5 territory. Shockers are experience team #335 that is 12-1 vs schedule #270, with only loss by 12 to West Virginia on a neutral floor, Wichita’s only loss in four top 100 games- they force turnovers 22.8% of time (#44). Ole Miss won its last four games, all vs stiffs; they’re experience team #261 that is 9-3 vs schedule #337, losing three of four top 100 games, with only win by hoop over Penn State. Rebels lost their only true road game, by 21 at Memphis.
Oregon won 12 of last 13 games with Utah, winning last four tips to SLC; they beat Utes in four of last five Pac-12 tourneys. Ducks won five of last six games but lost Pac-12 opener at Colorado Thursday; they’re experience team #197 that is 11-3 vs schedule #27, 4-3 vs top 100 teams. Oregon is making 40.1% of its 3’s (#8); they split two true road games, winning at Michigan i OT. Utah won six of its last seven games; they’re experience team #351 that is 10-3 vs schedule #132, winning five of six top 100 games, including a win over Kentucky.
Wofford beat NC-Greensboro three times LY, by 29-30-2 points, after losing previous five games in series; these teams met in last three SoCon tourneys. UNCG won eight of its last nine games, with only loss at buzzer to NC State; Spartans are experience team #145 that is 10-3 vs schedule #279, winning three of four true road games (lost by 12 at Kansas). Wofford lost SoCon opener by point at ETSU Wednesday; Terriers are experience team #71 that is 6-6 vs schedule #97, losing four of five top 100 games, but the one win was over North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
Baylor won seven of last eight games with Texas, winning last three series games played here, by 1-9-15 points. Longhorns won six of last seven games; they’re experience team #268 that is 10-2 vs schedule #250, with losses by 16-22 points to Georgetown/Providence- their best win was by 4 at Purdue. Texas forces turnovers 23% of time (#39). Baylor won its last nine games since its 67-64 loss to Washington in Alaska; Bears are experience team #126 that is 10-1 vs schedule #228- they’ve got three top 100 wins, are forcing turnovers 24% of time (#24).
Arizona hasn’t played in two weeks; they lost three of last four games, after a 9-0 start; Wildcats are experience team #291 that is 10-3 vs schedule #125, splitting six top 100 games. Wildcats got swept by Arizona State LY, after winning previous five series games; ASU lost eight of its last nine tips to Tempe, winning 72-64 here LY. Sun Devils lost two of last three games, are 9-4 vs schedule #90; they’re experience team #193 that lost four of six top 100 games, with best wins over Georgia/St John’s. ASU is forcing turnovers 23% of time (#40).
San Diego State lost its last two games with Utah State, after winning 11 in a row over the Aggies; Aztecs won three of last four trips to Logan, losing 70-54 here LY. SD State is experience team #72 that is 12-0 vs schedule #224, winning first three MW games, by 22-2-9 points; they’ve got true road wins, at BYU/Colorado State. Aztecs have #7 eFG% in country. Utah State is 4-3 in its last seven games, after a 7-0 start; they lost by 17 at UNLV Wednesday. Aggies are experience team #136 that is 11-3 vs schedule #186, 2-3 vs top 100 teams (beat LSU/Florida).