North Carolina at Duke Preview
Matt Fargo
Series History
This is the 229th meeting in the rich history of this series. North Carolina leads the all-time series 130-98 and has won six of the last eight meetings. However, the Blue Devils took the first meeting in Chapel Hill and with this one at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke will be heavily favored for the sweep. North Carolina has won four straight meetings in Durham.
What's at Stake?
Widely regarded as the greatest rivalry in all of college sports, this final meeting of the 2010 season will be missing a lot of the luster that usually comes with it. There is a lot on the line for Duke, which is coming off a loss at Maryland, putting it into a tie with the Terrapins for first place in the ACC. Duke will need to win most likely since Maryland is at Virginia earlier in the day to win the conference.
Even though the Blue Devils are tied, they would claim the top seed based on tie-breaker advantages. That would help them get back into the running for a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament as that fourth and final top spot remains up for grabs. It is Senior Night against their biggest rival so the final home game for Jon Scheyer and Lance Thomas will make it even more special.
As for the Tar Heels, it has been a complete disaster of a season following a National Championship a year ago. They lost a ton from that title team and coming into this year as a top six team was obviously a little too lofty. The only thing on the line tonight for North Carolina is pride but in this rivalry, that can sometimes mean more than anything else. But can North Carolina even play for that?
A win here will get North Carolina to 17-14 on the season but it is still a long ways off from getting into the NCAA Tournament. Right now even the NIT and CBI Tournaments are out of reach so the only thing that the Tar Heels can hope for is a run to the title of the ACC Championship. North Carolina has won two straight for the first time since December so it may be peaking at the right time but it still could be too late.
Tar Heels Offensive Struggles
Part of the reason for the North Carolina struggles has been because of its offense. Despite shooting a solid 45.4 percent from the floor, the Tar Heels have not scored 80 points in a game since December 30th against Albany when they tallied 87 points. This is a stretch of 16 consecutive games and the previous long such stretch in the Roy Williams era was a five-game streak in 2003-04.
History will be made if North Carolina cannot make it to 80 points Saturday. The Tar Heels have gone their first 15 conference games without scoring 80 points and they have never gone an entire season without pouring in 80 points at least once in ACC action. It won�t be easy as Duke is allowing just 62.2 ppg on 40.5 percent shooting and held North Carolina to 54 points on 34.5 percent shooting in the first meeting.
Other Notable Numbers
Taking care of the ball has been an issue for the Tar Heels as well. They have a 1.01 assist/turnover ratio which is decent since it is above the break even point but after posting a 1.43 ratio last season, that is a major disappointment. Conversely, Duke has a 1.28 ratio this season and that jumps to 1.56 at home where its ratio margin is +0.87. Meanwhile the Tar Heels ratio drops to 0.77 on the road where its margin is a dismal -0.48.
Free throw shooting is also a big issue as the Tar Heels are shooting only 65.3 percent from the charity stripe which is over 10 percent less than last season. The percentage drops to a nightmarish 61.6 percent in road games. The Blue Devils are hitting 75.9 percent from the line this season and that is nearly the same percentage in its 16 home games where is drops slightly to 75.6 percent.
Notable Trends
Duke is 7-0 ATS in its last seven games following a non-cover and it is 12-3-1 ATS in its last 16 home games.
North Carolina is 1-7 ATS in its last eight games following a win while going just 2-6 ATS in its last eight road games against teams with a winning home record.
The road team has covered five straight games in this series.
Early Saturday Battles
By Judd Hall
The Big East Tournament gets underway next Tuesday, but for some teams it has already begun. Villanova is looking to get its act together before the knockout phase of the season. Louisville, on the other hand, aims to solidify its hold on a NCAA Tournament berth.
West Virginia at Villanova – 12:00 p.m. EST, CBS
Things are looking up for West Virginia (23-6 straight up, 12-16 against the spread) as the conference tourney looms. The Mountaineers have won four of their last five contests, covering the spread in three of those games. And while some of those wins were against some of the dregs of the conference (Cincinnati, Providence, UConn), it gave Bob Huggins’ crew the shot in the arm they needed to compete against the upper crust of the Big East.
The Mountaineers proved that they were ready to buy another fifth for Huggins in their 81-68 triumph over Georgetown as seven-point home favorites last Monday night. WVU’s biggest contributor on Senior Night was Da’Sean Butler, who lit up the Hoyas for 22 points, six rebounds and six assists in his final game in Morgantown.
While the ‘Neers are running strong, Villanova (24-5 SU, 18-10 ATS) is just looking for any way to move forward. The Wildcats have fallen in three of their past five fixtures, while going 2-3 ATS. To be fair to Jay Wright’s club they lost to Pittsburgh and Syracuse, two of the better teams in not only the conference, but in the nation.
The ‘Cats did struggle against Cincy last Tuesday in a 77-73 win as 3 ½-point road favorites. What was surprising in their win was the fact that Scottie Reynolds scored all 17 of his points in the second half. Gamblers were able to come back strong on ‘Nova for a second-half cover as a 2 ½-point favorite against Cincy.
West Virginia has gone just 6-4 SU and 4-6 ATS when playing away from home this season. The Wildcats, on the other hand, is 19-1 SU and 12-7 ATS at the Wachovia Center.
What could keep bettors away from the Mountaineers is the fact that they are just 9-11 SU and 11-9 ATS in their last 20 meetings with ‘Nova. The Wildcats have also enjoyed a 6-3 SU and 5-4 ATS record the last nine times they’ve welcomed West Virginia to Philadelphia.
Syracuse at Louisville – 2:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
They may have benefitted from some teams taking a dive to get the No. 1 ranking the Associated Press poll, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a reason that Syracuse (28-2 SU, 19-7 ATS) shouldn’t be in that spot. The Orange lead the nation in field goal percentage (51.8), sixth in scoring offense (81.7 points per game) and 20th in defensive field goal percentage (39.1).
The benefit of being near the top of those categories has helped the Orange win and cover the number in four straight games. Syracuse’s Senior Night was big for Andy Rautins and Arinze Onuaku combined for 35 points as they drubbed the Red Storm 85-66 as a 13 ½-point home “chalk” on March 2.
Louisville (19-11 SU, 9-16 ATS) wanted to prove that they were worthy of being taken off of the NCAA Tourney bubble with a win over the Golden Eagles. All Rick Pitino’s Cardinals could do no right in a 69-48 embarrassment as 1 ½-point road pups to Marquette. The ‘Ville hit just 37 percent from the field and made one of its two free throws. That’s right; they had just two free throws.
Things do get better for the Cards at Freedom Hall, evidenced by a 15-5 SU mark in their last 20 home dates. Gamblers, however, could care less about backing Louisville since they’re 5-10 ATS in the 15 home tilts that were on the board.
Syracuse has been a great team to get a ticket on as they’re 14-6 SU and 13-7 ATS in its last 20 games away from the Carrier Dome.
Most everyone will think this game is a no-brainer type of wager for the Orange. The truth is that the Cardinals are 4-0 SU and 2-0-1 ATS in their last four home games against the ‘Cuse.
vegasinsider.com
Saturday's Prime Tips
By Brian Edwards
Bettors have a huge card to wager on Saturday, including another UNC-Duke showdown on Tobacco Road. Mississippi St. is in desperation mode when it hosts Tennessee in Starkville. Ditto for UConn, which hits the road to take on the South Florida Bulls, who have been a lucrative team for gamblers to support this season.
Let's get you ready to make some bets...
**Tennessee at Mississippi State**
Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Mississippi State (21-9 straight up, 13-11-1 against the spread) as a 2 ½-point favorite. As of early Friday night, most betting shops had the Bulldogs favored by 3 1/2 with a total of 139.
Even though Mississippi St. has won the SEC West regular-season crown, it is most likely below the cut line in terms of at-large candidates for one of the last few bids to the NCAA Tournament. With that said, a win over Tennessee instantly puts the Bulldogs back into the conversation. The Bulldogs are going to play Florida next Friday in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals, assuming the Gators beat the fifth seed from the SEC West (the loser of Saturday’s Alabama-Auburn game) on Thursday in Nashville.
Tennessee (22-7 SU, 11-14-1 ATS) is 3-4 SU and 2-5 ATS in seven SEC road games.
Bruce Pearl’s team has won four of its last five games, including Wednesday’s 80-73 home win over Arkansas. The Razorbacks took the cash as 12 ½-point road underdogs. Scotty Hopson, who was a verbal commitment to Mississippi St. during the recruiting process before pledging his services for the Vols, led five double-figure scorers with 15 points and three steals. Wayne Chism added 14 points, six rebounds and a pair of blocked shots.
Mississippi St. has won 13 of its 15 home games in Starkville, going 5-4-1 ATS. The Bulldogs have an RPI of 62. They are 9-6 in SEC play.
These schools haven’t squared off since the SEC Tournament finals in Tampa last year. On that Sunday afternoon at the St. Pete Times Forum, Mississippi St. captured a 64-61 win over the Vols as a 5 ½-point underdog. Phil Turner had a team-high 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Jarvis Varnado had 10 points, seven boards and six blocked shots. Chism had 15 points and seven rebounds in the losing effort.
Varnado, who is the NCAA’s all-time leader in blocked shots, will go through Senior Night ceremonies before tip-off along with fellow senior Barry Stewart.
When I asked Bruce Marshall of The Gold Sheet about this SEC showdown, he had this to say: "With NCAA-bound UT picking up its defensive intensity in a 74-65 Knoxville upset vs. Kentucky last Saturday (limited the potent Cats to just 35% FGs), would rather "take" a couple of hoops with Vols, who've captured 6 of last 7 in series, including last 2 visits to Starkville. MSU loves to hoist the 3-ball, but the Bulldogs will get few uncontested looks vs. UT's tenacious perimeter "D" (allowing only 30% beyond arc)."
The ‘under’ has been a serious money maker in UT games, cashing at a 15-7 overall clip. As for the Bulldogs, they have watched the ‘under’ go 13-12 overall. However, the ‘over’ is a lucrative 8-2 in their home assignments at The Hump.
ESPN will have the telecast at 6:00 p.m. Eastern.
**North Carolina at Duke**
LVSC opened Duke (25-5 SU, 17-10-2 ATS) as a 12-point favorite. As of early Friday night, most spots had the Blue Devils favored by 14 1/2 with a total of 146 1/2.
North Carolina (16-14 SU, 10-18 ATS) has won back-to-back games both SU and ATS, including Tuesday’s 69-62 win over Miami as a four-point home favorite on Senior Night. Marcus Ginyard had 12 points, 12 rebounds and five assists, while Deon Thompson had 14 points. William Graves came off the bench to score a team-high 16 points.
Duke saw its eight-game winning streak snapped Wednesday in College Park, where Maryland captured a 79-72 victory as a one-point home underdog. Nolan Smith had a team-high 20 points in defeat, while Jon Scheyer scored 19 points.
Mike Krzyzewski’s squad is undefeated in 16 home games with a 10-4-1 spread record.
The ‘under’ is 16-13 overall for Duke, 8-7 in its home games at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
The ‘under’ is 17-8 overall for the Tar Heels, 16-5 in their last 21 games.
When these teams met in Chapel Hill on Feb. 10, Duke won a 64-54 decision as a 5 ½-point road ‘chalk.’ Scheyer had a game-high 24 points for the Blue Devils, while Kyle Singler chipped in with 19 points and nine rebounds. UNC’s William Graves had 13 points and eight boards in the losing effort.
UNC sophomore center Ed Davis had four points, five rebounds and six blocked shots in the first meeting against Duke. However, Davis is “out” this time around with a broken wrist. Davis was averaging 12.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
North Carolina is a double-digit underdog for the first time since March 5 of 2003. That's when Wake Forest spanked the Tar Heels 75-60 as a 10 1/2-point home favorite.
The underdog is 13-5 ATS in the last 18 meetings in this bitter rivalry.
Marshall thinks Duke is going to put it on UNC by an 83-67 count. He also told VI this on Friday afternoon: “Cameron Indoor should be electric for this reg.-season finale. Roy Williams' Tar Heels have been finding a little traction in the last week with a pair of wins over Wake & Miami, but they could not slow the potent Duke combo of Jon Scheyer & Kyle Singler when those two combined for 43 points in the Blue Devils' win at Chapel Hill Feb. 10. This time, the last "ESPN laugh" in this Tobacco Road rivalry duel goes to Dookie Jay Bilas over Tar Heel Hubert Davis."
Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
Texas A&M has covered the spread in nine consecutive games. The Aggies play at Oklahoma at noon Eastern on ESPN. LVSC opened Mark Turgeon’s team as a 4 ½-point road favorite.
Villanova will play host to West Virginia at noon Eastern on Saturday. CBS will provide television coverage. LVSC opened ‘Nova as the four-point home ‘chalk.’ When these Big East rivals met in Morgantown, the Wildcats were in control from the get-go and knocked off the Mountaineers, 82-75. Jay Wright’s team took the money as a 5 ½-point road underdog.
UConn is in dire need of a win Saturday at South Florida. LVSC opened the Huskies as 2 ½-point favorites for this 2:00 p.m. Easter tip-off.
Va. Tech and Ga. Tech will square off in a crucial contest between ACC adversaries and fellow bubble teams. LVSC opened the Yellow Jackets as seven-point home favorites. That number seems a tad rich to me, and I’ll be extremely interested in the Hokies if this number is indeed available.
Alabama head coach Anthony Grant has reinstated sophomore power forward JaMychal Green, who was suspended for Wednesday's 79-70 win at South Carolina due to a violation of team rules. Green will be back in the lineup Saturday against Auburn. As of early Friday night, most books had the Tide as a 5 1/2-point favorite against the Tigers. Green averages 14.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. The winner gets the fourth seed in the SEC West for the league tourney, while the loser falls into fifth and a first-round matchup with Florida on Thursday in Nashville.
Florida is 9-9 against teams in the RPI’s Top 106. The Gators beat Alabama (RPI: 102) and N.C. St. (RPI: 106).
vegasinsider.com
Sadly, The End Of Regular Season Hoops Wagering
Doug Upstone
Its OK to feel a little choked up, real men do. The end of the regular season for college basketball is already here, it seems like football just ended and now this. But its fine, is time for March Madness, with more crazy twists and turns than Charley Sheens marriage to his wife Brooke. This is the time for fun and action, where a 15-point lead at halftime can dry up faster than a puddle of water up against an Arizona March sun. So take advantage of situation and dont worry about what you dont have, rather what you are about to enjoy.
West Virginia at Villanova
The impact on the Big East standings would be minimal, but for West Virginia (23-6, 12-16 ATS), this trip to Philadelphia is very meaningful. The Mountaineers are 6-4 and 4-6 ATS as visitors, lack a defining road win all season, with December victory at Seton Hall probably the best of the lot. West Virginia plays many of the aspects of basketball expertly, however they lack a true point guard and a shooter at the end of the game. West Virginia lost earlier at home to Villanova and is 1-5 ATS revenging a straight up loss vs. opponent as a favorite.
Has the lack of Wildcats scoring and defense in low blocks finally caught up to them The immediate answer would be yes, as Nova has fallen four times since Feb. 6. Opposing teams are brazenly attacking Villanova (24-5, 18-10 ATS) at the rim and coach Jay Wrights team is drawing fouls like clicks to Megan Foxs website. Most of the points in the lane come on dribble penetration or put-backs, not conventional scoring. The Wildcats are 21-11 ATS playing a team with a winning record past the mid-point of schedule since last year.
The straight up winner is 15-0 ATS dating back to 1999.
Kansas at Missouri
The Jayhawks fell from No.1 and lost unbeaten regular season in the Big 12 at Oklahoma State and have one more treacherous stop left. They played outstanding for all about seven minutes in crushing Kansas State by 17 points and has one last conference clash. Kansas (28-2) travels to the home of their most bitter rival Missouri (22-8, 14-10 ATS), who lies in wait to conquer them. Coach Bill Self has been preaching at season, "Weve got to have a killer instinct and bury people. Hes seen his team routinely build 20+ point leads and win by less, which is a big reason why the Jayhawks are only 11-15-1 ATS. That should not be a problem in Columbia, however a 2-13 ATS record after winning 18 or more of their last 20 games over the last three seasons is.
Missouris in the Big Dance and an upset should improve their seeding dramatically. The Tigers are ferocious at home with 16-1 record (8-4 ATS), winning by 23.8 points per game. Mizzous backcourt is like an unmarked stove, your never sure what area is hot, and once determined, that player can stay hot until the next one emerges. Guards Kim English and Zaire Taylor are the most likely to heat up quickly, but sub Marcus Denmon has shown proclivity to ripping the chords also. Missouri needs its pressure defense to force miscues and turn them into points and are 8-2 ATS versus offensive clubs scoring 77 or more points game in 2009-10.
Missouri is 5-11 and 5-9-2 ATS in Border Wars since 2001 and the team with the higher three-point shooting percent is 16-0 SU.
Syracuse at Louisville
The last team to finish 9-0 on the Big East road was Connecticut 11 years ago and they went on to win national championship. Syracuse (28-2, 19-7 ATS) is perfect thus far as conference guests and would love to saunter down a similar path this season. The Orangemen are also 11-0 and 10-1 ATS away from Syracuse and freshman guard Brandon Triche has the answer why. "Less to do. On the road, you can't really go out. All you do is just sit there and think about the game." The Cuse is 9-0 ATS having won four of five games this season.
It has been an escalator ride for Louisville (19-11, 9-16 ATS) this season; going down after loss at St. Johns by 19 and going right back up when they knocked off Syracuse in New York in next outing. This is not your typical Rick Pitino club, normally peaking at this time, instead when asked where his team was headed late in the season, his response was next game. This has been a team marked with inconsistency, making them an unsafe wager at home, where the Cardinals are 14-4, with rueful 4-9 ATS mark. This will be the last game at Freedom Hall, where Louisville has won over 80 percent of their games in this building since playing their starting in the 1957/58 season.
Not many matchups with Louisville, still a relative newcomer to Big East, yet Syracuse is 0-5 and 0-4-1 ATS the last three years.
Tennessee at Mississippi State
The Bulldogs shocking loss at Auburn means they still have work to do to be outright West Division champions of the SEC. Mississippi State (21-9, 13-11 ATS) did not show their usual defensive tenacity, allowing the Tigers score the most points against them all season (89) and surrender highest shooting percentage for a the year at 51.7. This is extremely important contest for the Bulldogs since they are not secure for NCAA bid. Despite having 22 victories, a perusal of those accomplishments has Old Dominion as best win. Mississippi State needs a W and be playing in the SEC championship to give them best chance for invite. The Bulldogs are 11-5 ATS off a SU loss and spread failure.
Tennessee's fate for now is set, finishing third in the SEC East and playing LSU in first tournament game. Coach Bruce Pearl wants his Volunteers (22-7, 11-15 ATS) to look at the bigger picture. A win at Starksville and at least a couple victories next week in Nashville could have Tennessee climbing to possibly a third seed when the NCAA bids are announced. Scotty Hopsons more aggressive offensive manner and Brian Williams energy, make the Vols a tougher team to knock off. Wagering wise not so much, having covered only three of last 12 SEC conflicts.
The underdog has been the correct side in seven of last 10 meetings.
North Carolina at Duke
Given the choice, ESPN would probably rather telecast great moments in North Carolina and Duke history, since this doesn't set up to be one. The Tar Heels (16-14, 10-18 ATS) started the season with seven McDonalds All-Americans and as the regular season closes, it appears Roy Williams picked up seven guys that ate at Micky D's in his most frustrating season. North Carolina has shown a pulse lately winning and covering last two contests, yet UNC is 0-9 ATS facing teams outscoring foes by eight or more points after 15 or more contests.
It's senior night for starters G Jon Scheyer, C Brian Zoubek and F Lance Thomas and what better way to go out than ACC regular season champs (or co-champs) with a win over their most hated rival. This is most versatile Duke (25-5, 17-11-1 ATS) team in a number of seasons as the year wore on, still needing Scheyer, Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler to score, but the contributions have been coming in from different areas on game by game basis. The Blue Devils are 16-0 and 10-5 ATS at Cameron Indoor Stadium this campaign, winning by super-sized 26.1 points per game.
This however is normally very competitive matchup, with the Dukies 7-5 with 2-10 ATS home record against Carolina Blue since 1997.
NCAAB Betting TV Guide
By RYAN COLAIANNI
No. 10 West Virginia Mountaineers at No. 9 Villanova Wildcats (12 p.m. ET, CBS)
A month ago, a case could be made that Villanova was the best team in the country. Sitting at 20-1, the Wildcats appeared ready for another Final Four run. However, the brutality of the Big East set in and Villanova has gone 4-4 in its last eight games.
"I don't think we're in a rut," coach Jay Wright told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "I think we are what our record is. That's the great thing about a Big East season. By the end of the season, you are what your record says you are.
No. 23 Texas A&M Aggies at Oklahoma Sooners (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
With all the talk centering around Kansas and Kansas State in the Big 12, little has been made of Texas A&M which is quietly positioning itself for a lengthy tournament run. The Aggies gave Kansas all it could handle a few weeks ago, falling by just five points. Texas A&M gets it done on the defensive end, implementing pressure defense and has the ability to grind out wins against any team in the country.
No. 22 Maryland Terrapins at Virginia Cavaliers (1:30 p.m. ET, Raycom)
When ACC play started in December, Maryland was an afterthought after struggling in non-conference play including a home loss to William & Mary. Maryland is now tied for the ACC lead after a win over Duke and, if it beats Virginia, Maryland will assure itself of at least a share of the ACC regular season title. Having a guard like Greivis Vasquez makes this a dangerous team in March.
No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks at Missouri Tigers (2 p.m. ET, CBS)
Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich both struggled in Wednesday’s against No. 5 Kansas State, but the fact that Kansas beat Kansas State by 17 points with its two stars struggling, showed that the Jayhawks can have off nights and still beat one of the best teams in the country. Xavier Henry has shrugged off his midseason slump and looks every bit like the lottery pick he was billed to be and Marcus Morris is the most improved player in the Big 12, giving Kansas even more weapons.
No. 1 Syracuse Orange at Louisville Cardinals (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)
This time of year, most teams are suffering from bumps and bruises and Syracuse is no exception. Forward Kris Joseph did not participate with his teammates for most of practice this week, suffering from a knee injury that he tweaked against St. John’s Tuesday. Despite the injury, Joseph will play on Saturday in the final game at Louisville’s Freedom Hall.
South Carolina Gamecocks at No. 13 Vanderbilt Commodores (2 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
After averaging 42.3 points per game as a senior in high school, many expected Vanderbilt freshman John Jenkins to enter the starting lineup immediately after arriving at Vanderbilt. However, due to depth, Jenkins started the season on the bench but is now in the starting lineup, getting the nod the last two games and hitting 11 of his 20 shots.
No. 25 Texas Longhorns at No. 21 Baylor Bears (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)
For Texas guard Jordan Hamilton his season has seen a lot of highs and lows. He did not score in games against Kansas and Baylor, but in Monday’s win against Oklahoma, the freshman posted his first double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. More importantly it appears that Hamilton has finally realized the importance of defense.
"Jordan has realized he's more than just a guy who can stand and shoot," coach Rick Barnes told the Austin American Statesman.
Virginia Tech Hokies at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (4 p.m. ET, Raycom)
With both teams needing wins to lock up an NCAA Tournament berth, Saturday’s game may serve as an elimination game for Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech lost three straight before beating North Carolina State Wednesday but needs this win and wins in the ACC tournament to make the NCAA. Georgia Tech has lost four of six down the stretch.
No. 16 Tennessee Volunteers at Mississippi State Bulldogs (6 p.m. ET, ESPN)
With Mississippi State leading the SEC in defensive field goal percentage (38 percent), Tennessee knows what Bulldog player it needs to avoid when trying to go to the basket. Jarvis Varnado has blocked nearly 150 shots this year and blocked six Tennessee shots in last year’s SEC championship game. Tennessee will try to bring Varnado away from the basket by bringing Wayne Chism outside.
North Carolina Tar Heels at No. 4 Duke Blue Devils (9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Wednesday’s loss to Maryland snapped Duke’s eight-game winning streak but coach Mike Krzyzewski told the News and Observer that playing a close game against a good team will help his team in the NCAA tournament.
"Both teams played their hearts out," Krzyzewski told reporters. "There was a lot of emotion in this building, and [Maryland] fed on it early on and almost knocked us out of the building. And our kids responded really well."
Top of the Heap
By SportsPic
Top-ranked Syracuse will be looking for payback when it travels to Louisville as Cardinals ruined Orange's Valentine's Day with a 66-60 win in the Carrier Dome to hand Jim Boeheim's club one of its two Big East losses. Syracuse netting a hardy 81.8 PPG paced by Wesley Johnson (15.6) and 3-point sharp shooting Andy Rautins (40.5%) chipping in 11.9 PPG put the finishing touches to it's Big East regular season crown this past week with an impressive 18 point win Saturday over Nova followed by a 19 point victory Tuesday over Red Storm. Cuse 28-2 (19-7 ATS) overall, 15-2 (11-5-1 ATS) in the conference have yet to lose on the road this season (11-0, 10-1 ATS) and that includes a perfect 8-0 (7-1 ATS) vs the Big East outscoring opponents by 9.3 PPG. Meanwhile, Rick Pitino's troops a real letdown this campaign were stomped 69-48 at Golden Eagles Tuesday moving the record to 19-11 on the year with a cash draining 9-16 mark at the betting window. Conference wise, Cardinals are 10-7 but backing these birds vs the Big East has been a bust, they're 6-11 ATS including 2-6 against-the-oddsmaker at Freedom Hall. Still, Pitino's group netting 76.6 PPG lead by Samardo Samuels (15.5), Edgar Sosa (12.9) can't be sold short as home dogs. It's not only Seniors Night, it's the final game being played at historic Freedom Hall. Take the points knowing Cardinals always put their best foot forward in final home games, they carry a sparkling 11-0 (8-1-1 ATS) mark into the contest.
Saturday Streaks, Notes, Trends
West Virginia at Villanova
Suffering one of it's two losses in Morgantown at the hands of Nova the West Virginia Mountaineers (23-6, 12-16 ATS) travel to Villanova (24-5, 18-10 ATS) with pay-back in mind. Mountaineers running around and over Georgetown (81-68) on Monday enter the contest on a winning note, as they've won four of five on the hardwood. Little doubt Mountaineers will be tested vs conference scoring leaders Nova (83.3). Defensively, the Mountaineers allowing 64.8 PPG need to slam shut Scottie Reynolds, keep him in check Mountaineers keep this one close enough to cover. Interesting to note, Mountaineers are 5-0 SU & ATS exacting series revenge.
Texas at Baylor
The Bears (23-6, 14-8 ATS) go for a rare season sweep against the Longhorns (23-7, 10-16 ATS). Bears entering 14-1 in Waco with the only loss coming against Kansas State (76-74) have conditions on their side. Including the win in Austin back on January 30th the Bears are 8-2 while Longhorns have limped along at 5-5. Bears holding seven of it's last ten opponents to 75 or less per game get the edge. Texas on a 3-14 ATS skid, 4-13-1 ATS on the highway, 3-12 ATS in Big 12 play are 3-8 ATS held at 75 or under in scoring
(10) West Virginia (23-6, 12-16 ATS) at (9) Villanova (24-5, 18-10 ATS)
The Wildcats wrap up regular-season play with a key Big East battle against West Virginia at the Wachovia Center.
West Virginia has also dropped off the pace lately, with three losses in its last seven games, though it has won its last two contests, both at home. On Monday, the Mountaineers rolled past Georgia Tech 81-68 as a seven-point favorite, ending a two-game ATS hiccup. For the year, Bob Huggins’ squad has outscored foes by an average of 10 ppg (74.9-64.8), though on the road, that has tightened up to 75.5-71.1.
Four of Villanova’s five losses this season have come in the last eight games, including three in the last five, though it pulled out a 77-73 road win over Cincinnati on Tuesday as a 3½-point chalk. The Wildcats rank second in the nation in scoring, at 83.2 ppg on 46.5 percent shooting, while allowing 72.8 ppg, and they’re even more proficient at home, averaging 85.6 ppg on 47.6 percent shooting and giving up 68.6 ppg on 39.6 percent shooting.
West Virginia is 4-2 SU and ATS in the last six meetings in this rivalry, but the two teams have alternated SU and ATS wins over the last four matchups, with Villanova winning 82-75 as a 5½-point road chalk last month. The SU winner has cashed in the last 15 clashes between these two.
The Wildcats are on ATS skids of 0-5 after a SU win and 1-4 on Saturday, but they also carry positive pointspread streaks of 9-4 at home, 4-0 at home against teams with a winning road record and 11-5 after a spread-cover. The Mountaineers are just 2-6 ATS in their last eight games following a pointspread victory.
The under has hit in four of Villanova’s last five home starts and eight of West Virginia’s last 10 following a spread-cover. However, the over for ‘Nova is on rolls of 16-7 overall, 4-1 on Saturday, 14-4 coming off a SU win, 10-4 after an ATS victory and 8-3 against winning teams. Furthermore, the over for the Mountaineers is on runs of 6-2 overall (all in the Big East), 4-1 on Saturday and 8-3 against winning teams.
Finally, in this rivalry, the total has hurdled the posted price in eight of the last 11 meetings overall and four of the last five in Philadelphia.
ATS ADVANTAGE: VILLANOVA and OVER
(2) Kansas (28-2, 11-15-1 ATS) at Missouri (22-8, 14-10 ATS)
The Jayhawks cap regular-season action with a short road trip to Mizzou Arena for a border battle against the Tigers.
Kansas bounced back from last Saturday’s SU and ATS loss at Oklahoma State by easily handling No. 5 Kansas State 82-65 Wednesday night as an 8½-point home chalk to clinch the Big 12 regular-season title. The Jayhawks, who ended a five-game ATS skid with Wednesday’s win, rate in the top 10 nationally in scoring (82.4 ppg, third), field-goal percentage (48.8 percent, eighth), 3-point shooting (40.2 percent, ninth) and rebounding (38.1 per game, sixth), and they also boast the No. 3 shooting defense (37.7 percent).
Missouri has won four of its last five and six of eight as it tries to shore up its postseason credentials. On Tuesday night, the Tigers narrowly fended off Iowa State 69-67 in overtime as a five-point road chalk, their second straight pointspread setback after a four-game ATS winning streak. Mizzou also puts up points, averaging 78.9 per game (22nd), while allowing 65.1 ppg, and at home, they’ve rolled up 85.8 ppg and given up just 62.6.
Kansas has won seven of the last eight meetings in this rivalry, going 5-1 SU and ATS in the last six, including cashing the last four in a row. On Jan. 25, the Jayhawks breezed to an 84-65 home win laying 12 points. The home team is 4-1 ATS in the last five contests.
The Jayhawks are 34-16-1 ATS in their last 51 games against teams with a winning percentage above .600, but the pointspread streaks tumble downward from there, including 1-5 overall (all in the Big 12), 0-5 after a SU win, 1-6 after a spread-cover, 1-4 on the road and 2-6 against winning teams. The Tigers, meanwhile, are on ATS surges of 21-6 at home, 19-9 in the Big 12, 5-1 on Saturday and 5-1 after a non-cover.
Kansas is on “under” runs of 28-12 after a SU win and 10-3 after a spread-cover, and Missouri is on “under” rolls of 5-2 overall, 4-1 after a SU win, 6-2 on Saturday and 5-2 against the Big 12. Still, the over has hit in four of the Tigers’ last five at home and in four of the Jayhawks’ last five on Saturday, and the over is 7-3 in KU’s last 10 against winning teams.
Finally, in this rivalry, the over/under has alternated in the last six meetings, with January’s contest falling just short of the 150-point posted total.
ATS ADVANTAGE: MISSOURI
(1) Syracuse (28-2, 19-7 ATS) at Louisville (19-11, 9-16 ATS)
The Orange aim to avenge the only loss in their last 16 games when they travel to Freedom Hall for the regular-season finale against Louisville.
Since suffering that 66-60 home upset to the Cardinals as a 6½-point favorite on Feb. 14, Syracuse has won four in a row SU and ATS, all in the Big East and none by less than 14 points. After manhandling Villanova by 18 points at home on Saturday, the Orange came back Tuesday and crushed St. John’s 85-66 as a hefty 13½-point home chalk. Jim Boeheim’s troops are the best shooters in the nation, hitting 51.8 percent from the floor en route to an average of 81.8 ppg (sixth), while yielding 65.7 ppg on 39.2 percent shooting.
Louisville is fighting for its postseason life after dropping two of its last three games, following a 5-1 surge, and the Cardinals have gone just 3-6 ATS over that entire nine-game stretch. On Tuesday, Rick Pitino’s club got run out of Marquette’s gym in a 69-48 shellacking as a 1½-point pup. Louisville has outscored opponents by an average of about seven ppg this year (76.6-69.7), though that margin grows to more than 11 at Freedom Hall (79.7-68.3).
Louisville has won the last five clashes in this rivalry, going 4-0-1 ATS, with the spread-covers coming in the last four meetings. The Cards are 3-0-1 ATS in the last four matchups in Louisville, the chalk is 4-1-1 ATS in the last six meetings, and the SU winner is 6-0-1 ATS in the last seven.
The Orange’s 19-7 ATS mark is No. 1 in the nation this year, and they are on additional spread-covering sprees of 35-17 overall, 9-1 on the road, 23-8 against winning teams, 20-7 in Big East play, 19-7 after a spread-cover and 23-9 after a SU win. The lone negative: a 2-5 ATS mark in its last seven Saturday games.
On the flip side, the Cardinals are on a bundle of ATS slides, including 2-6 overall (1-4 last four, all in the Big East), 1-6 at home, 1-5 on Saturday, 3-7 after a non-cover and 4-9 against winning teams.
The ‘Cuse is on “over” stretches of 4-0 overall (all in the Big East), 10-2 on Saturday and 17-8 after a spread-cover, and Louisville is on “over” upticks of 8-3 on Saturday and 13-6 after a SU loss. That said, the under is 6-2 in the Cardinals’ last eight contests (all in the Big East), 6-2 in the Orange’s last eight road tilts and 9-4 for Syracuse following a SU win.
Finally, in this rivalry, the total has stayed low in three of the last four meetings, with the Jan. 14 contest in New York landing miles short of the 148-point posted price.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE
Notre Dame (20-10, 13-10-1 ATS) at Marquette (20-9, 15-7-1 ATS)
Two teams making late-season pushes for Big Dance consideration collide in a Big East regular-season finale when the Golden Eagles welcome Notre Dame to the Bradley Center.
Marquette has won four in a row and nine of its last 10, going 7-2-1 ATS in that span. During that span, the Golden Eagles played in an unheard of three straight overtime games and won them all (2-0-1 ATS), all on the road – at Cincinnati, St. John’s and Seton Hall – before blowing out Louisville 69-48 Tuesday as a 1½-points home chalk. On the home floor this year, Marquette is outscoring foes by more than 18 ppg (77.9-59.6).
For the past five games, Notre Dame has been without leading scorer and rebounder Luke Harangody, the nation’s No. 2 scorer at 24.1 ppg. The Irish dropped the first two, but have rebounded with three consecutive victories: a home ripping of Pittsburgh and road rout of Georgetown – both ranked teams – prior to Wednesday’s 58-50 home victory over UConn as a 1½-point chalk. Still, Notre Dame is just 2-6 in true roadies this year (4-3-1 ATS).
Marquette is 6-2 SU and ATS in the last eight clashes in this rivalry, covering the last four in a row, including a 71-64 road victory as a 2½-point pup in last year’s lone meeting. The visitor, though, is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.
The Golden Eagles are on ATS tears of 11-3-1 overall, 5-0 on Saturday, 12-3-1 against winning teams, 8-1 against teams with a win percentage above .600, 4-1-1 after a SU win and 5-2 at home. The Irish have cashed in four straight (all in the Big East) and are on further ATS upswings of 4-0 against winning teams and 5-2 after a SU win, though they’ve also gone 16-34-1 ATS in their last 51 starts following a pointspread win.
In this rivalry, the total has gone high in five of the last six meetings. In addition, Marquette is on a 35-16 “over” streak on Saturday, and the over is 5-1 in Notre Dame’s last six games against winning teams. However, the Eagles sport “under” runs of 4-0 after a spread-cover and 4-1 after a SU win, and the Irish are on “under” surges of 4-1 overall (all in the Big East), 6-1 after a SU win, 17-5 after a spread-cover and 4-1 on Saturday.
ATS ADVANTAGE: MARQUETTE
Texas (23-7, 10-16 ATS) at (21) Baylor (23-6, 14-8 ATS)
The surging Bears and struggling Texas finish the regular season with a Big 12 contest at the Ferrell Center.
Baylor is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games (5-5 ATS), all within the Big 12, winning its last three in a row. Most recently, the Bears have posted a pair of road wins, dropping Oklahoma 70-63 as a 4½-point favorite last Saturday, then routing Texas Tech 86-68 as a four-point chalk Tuesday night. Baylor is averaging 76.9 ppg on a sturdy 48.4 percent shooting (13th), while giving up just 64.9 ppg with the fourth-best shooting defense (37.8 percent).
After winning its first 17 games, Texas has since gone a middling 6-7 SU and a dismal 3-10 ATS. That said, Rick Barnes’ troops have won three of their last four (1-3 ATS), including Monday’s 87-76 win over Oklahoma, falling short as a hefty 13½-point home chalk. The Longhorns average 81.8 ppg (sixth) while allowing 68.2 pgg, and they are the nation’s second-best rebounding team (39.8 per game). But on the road, they are getting narrowly outscored in allowing 74.9 ppg and scoring 74.8.
Baylor has won two in a row SU and ATS in this in-state rivalry, after Texas had reeled off a whopping 24 consecutive wins (15-9 ATS). The Bears won 76-70 getting 4½ points in the Big 12 tourney last year, then upended the ‘Horns 80-77 in overtime as a nine-point road ‘dog on Jan. 30. However, Baylor hasn’t beaten Texas in Waco since Feb. 21, 1998, a 80-75 triumph in a pick-em contest, after which the Longhorns’ 24-game series tear began. Texas is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 visits to Waco, and the road team and the pup are on identical 4-1 ATS runs in this rivalry.
The Bears are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 Saturday games, but they also shoulder negative ATS streaks of 2-5 against winning teams and 5-15-1 at home against teams with a winning road record. The Longhorns are a bundle of pointspread slides, including 3-14 overall, 1-9 after a SU win, 3-10 after a non-cover, 1-7 on Saturday, 3-12 against winning teams, 6-22-1 in the Big 12 and 7-18-1 in roadies.
Baylor is on “over” sprees of 12-5 overall, 5-0 after a spread-cover, 10-2 after a SU win, 10-2 versus teams with a win percentage above .600, 11-4 in the Big 12 and 7-3 on Saturday. The over is also 6-1 in Texas’ last seven against winning teams and 8-3 in the Longhorns’ last 11 Saturday starts. Finally, the total has gone high in five of the last six clashes in this rivalry.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
Virginia Tech (22-7, 11-11-1 ATS) at Georgia Tech (19-10, 13-9-1 ATS)
The Hokies aim to firm up their NCAA credentials when they travel to Atlanta for an ACC contest against Georgia Tech at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.
Virginia Tech followed an 8-1 SU tear by losing three in a row over the last week of February, but it bounced back Wednesday night with a 71-59 home victory over North Carolina State laying 7½ points to halt an 0-4-1 ATS slide. Over the last five games, the Hokies have given up an average of 78.6 ppg while scoring 74.6, shooting just 39.8 percent, including a dismal 20 percent from 3-point range.
Georgia Tech has likely fallen off the NCAA bubble by losing four of its last six games (2-3-1 ATS), all inside the ACC. On Tuesday at Clemson, the Jackets lost 91-80 catching 6½ points, their sixth straight road loss, though they’ve won nine in a row at home (4-2 ATS in lined games). At home this season, Tech has outshot its opponents by more than 10 percent (46.2-36.0), scoring 75 ppg and allowing 60.2 ppg.
In this rivalry, VaTech is on a 4-1 SU run (2-3 ATS), and the road team is 5-2 ATS since the Hokies joined the ACC in the 2004-05 season. Last year, Virginia Tech prevailed 76-71 at home, but Georgia Tech got the cash as a 7½-point pup.
The Hokies are in ATS funks 1-4-1 overall (all in the ACC) and 1-3-1 against winning teams, and the Yellow Jackets are on pointspread dives of 2-5-1 overall (all in the ACC), 2-5-1 against winning teams and 1-4-1 against teams with a win percentage above .600. However, Georgia Tech is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 at home, 7-3 ATS in its last 10 after a SU loss and 5-2-1 following a non-cover.
VaTech is on “under” runs of 5-1 after a spread-cover, 4-1 after a SU win and 4-1 on Saturday. Likewise, Georgia Tech is on “under” surges of 6-2 after a SU loss, 5-2 after a non-cover, 5-2 at home and 12-5 against teams with a win percentage above .600. In this rivalry, though, the total has gone high in three straight, after a 4-0 “under” stretch.
ATS ADVANTAGE: GEORGIA TECH
(16) Tennessee (27-9, 11-14-1 ATS) at Mississippi State (21-9, 13-11-1 ATS)
Mississippi State tries to lock up the SEC West title and the No. 2 seed in the upcoming conference tournament when it hosts the Volunteers at the Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, Miss.
Tennessee followed up last Saturday’s impressive 74-65 upset victory at home over second-ranked Kentucky with Monday’s 80-73 win over Arkansas, but came up short as an 11½-point home favorite. The Vols have won four of their last five, but they’re mired in a 3-9 ATS slump. During that 12-game stretch, Bruce Pearl’s club has lost three of five on the highway (all in the SEC), going 1-4 ATS.
The Bulldogs saw their Big Dance chances take a severe hit Wednesday when they lost 89-80 at Auburn as a two-point road favorite, ending three-game winning streak. Mississippi State has won five of seven overall, and has a one-game lead over Ole Miss in the SEC West. However, the Bulldogs have been very inconsistent at the betting window lately, going 3-4-1 ATS in their last seven games, but they’re 6-1 in SEC home games (3-3-1 ATS), the only loss coming to then No. 1 Kentucky in overtime (81-75).
Tennessee beat the Bulldogs 81-76 but failed to cover as a nine-point home favorite in last year’s regular-season meeting, extending its winning streak in this series to five in a row. However, that run ended less than three weeks later in the SEC tournament, as Mississippi State scored a 64-61 upset as a 5½-point underdog.
Prior to last year, the Vols had been on a 6-1 ATS run in this rivalry, and they’re 4-1 ATS in their last five trips to Starkville. Also, the underdog has cashed in seven of the last 10 meetings, including the last three in a row.
The Vols are in ATS slumps of 3-9 overall (all in the SEC), 1-5 on the road and 2-5 after a SU victory. Mississippi State is on positive pointspread surges of 3-1-1 at home, 9-4-1 on Saturday, 11-5 after either a SU or ATS setback and 15-7 versus winning teams.
Tennessee sports “under” streaks of 17-7 overall, 11-4 on the highway, 7-3 in conference, 4-0 on Saturday, 19-8 after a SU victory and 7-0 after a non-cover. The under is also 5-1 in the Bulldogs’ last six on Saturday, 5-0 in their last five after a SU loss and 5-1 in their last six after an ATS setback. However, the over has been the play in six of Mississippi State’s last eight at Humphrey Coliseum.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
North Carolina (16-14, 10-18 ATS) at (4) Duke (25-5, 17-10-2 ATS)
The Blue Devils, looking to put the finishing touches on a perfect home season and clinch at least a share of the ACC regular-season title, welcome archrival North Carolina to Cameron Indoor Stadium in the finale for both teams.
The Tar Heels have posted back-to-back ACC wins for the first time this season, knocking off Wake Forest 77-68 as a seven-point underdog last Saturday followed by Tuesday’s 69-62 win over Miami, Fla., as a 4½-point home chalk. Not only has UNC won consecutive games for the first time since a three-game winning streak to end 2009, but it has covered the spread in back-to-back contests for the first time since early December (a stretch of 20 games).
Duke fell apart in the final minute of Wednesday’s game against Maryland, losing 79-72 as a one-point road favorite. The normally sharpshooting Blue Devils made just 39.4 percent of their field goals, while the stout defense let the Terps connect on 50 percent of their shots. Wednesday’s loss snapped Duke’s eight-game overall and nine-game ACC winning streaks, and dropped coach Mike Krzyzewksi’s squad into a tie with Maryland atop the ACC standings.
Although the Blue Devils are just 4-4-2 ATS in their last 10 outings, they’ve suffered consecutive ATS losses just once all season (back on Dec. 2 and 5).
Last Saturday’s win at Wake Forest ended the Tar Heels’ four-game SU and ATS road losing skid, all against ACC foes. The defending champs are just 3-9 in road/neutral-site games (4-8 ATS). Meanwhile, Duke is 16-0 at Cameron Indoor (10-4-1 ATS in lined action), outscoring visitors by 26.1 ppg (86.2-60.1) and outshooting them 47.1 percent to 38.2 percent. The Blue Devils have won 18 in a row at home (11-5-1 ATS) going back to last year’s 101-87 home loss to the Tar Heels as a two-point underdog.
Duke took the 13-mile trek to Chapel Hill on Feb. 10 and whipped the Tar Heels 64-54, covering as a 5½-point road favorite. Previously, UNC had won three in a row and six of seven in this rivalry, including four consecutive SU and ATS wins at Cameron Indoor. The Blue Devils have cashed in the last two meetings after the Tar Heels had been on a 6-1 ATS roll. Finally, this series has been dominated by the underdog (13-5 ATS last 18 battles).
Prior to covering in its last two outings, North Carolina had been in a 4-14 ATS slump, including 1-7 ATS away from Chapel Hill. Additionally, the defending champs are on pointspread slides of 7-19 in ACC play, 1-7 after a SU win, 1-4 after a spread-cover and 4-9 versus winning teams. Duke is just 6-13-1 ATS in its last 20 Saturday outings, but otherwise the Devils are on ATS runs of 6-2-2 in ACC play, 10-4-1 at home and 7-0 after a non-cover.
North Carolina is on “under” runs of 16-5 overall, 6-1 on the highway, 14-2 in ACC play, 4-0 on Saturday, 4-0 after a SU win and 7-0 after a spread-cover. Likewise, Duke carries “under” trends of 6-2 overall, 4-1 at home, 27-11 in the ACC and 5-1 on Saturday. Finally, the under has hit in three of the last four Duke-Carolina clashes, with last month’s contest falling way short of the 155½-point price.
ATS ADVANTAGE: DUKE and UNDER
UAB (23-6, 14-12-1 ATS) at (24) UTEP (23-5, 12-12 ATS)
Having already wrapped up the Conference USA regular-season championship thanks to a 13-game winning streak, UTEP now attempts to enhance its Tournament resume – and damage the Blazers’ in the process – as these league rivals cap the regular season at the Don Haskins Center.
UAB suffered a critical 70-65 home loss to Memphis on Wednesday, failing as a 3½-point home favorite. The Blazers, who likely need to win today and make a deep run in next week’s conference tourney to qualify for the Big Dance, had won four in a row (3-0-1 ATS) prior to Wednesday. They have won three straight road games (all in Conference USA), going 2-0-1 ATS. For the season, UAB is 10-3 away from Birmingham (7-5-1 ATS), despite outscoring opponents by barely four ppg (67.1-62.9).
The Miners won their 13th in a row Tuesday, rallying from a seven-point halftime deficit at Marshall and prevailing 80-76 as a 2½-point road underdog. It was the eighth time during this 13-game run that UTEP escaped with a single-digit victory, and it is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 following an 0-6 ATS drought. The Miners have won all seven of their Conference USA home games, but they’re just 2-5 ATS (all as a favorite). Going back to Dec. 29, UTEP has failed to cover in seven of nine at the Haskins Center.
The Miners needed overtime to knock off UAB 74-65 as a four-point road underdog on Jan. 30. UTEP has won the last two meetings (including last year’s 70-52 rout as a one-point favorite in El Paso) following a four-game series winning streak by UAB. Also, the Miners are on a 3-0 ATS run in this rivalry after going 0-3 ATS in the previous three. Finally, the host has won seven of the nine all-time meetings in Conference USA play (5-4 ATS).
The Blazers are on ATS runs of 3-1-1 overall (all in conference) and 3-1-1 on the road. UTEP’s 2-7 ATS slide at home is offset by positive pointspread streaks of 5-2 overall (all in conference), 5-1 on Saturday and 6-2 versus winning teams.
UAB is on “under” runs of 4-1 overall (all in C-USA) and 5-2 on the road, but the Blazers also are on “over” streaks of 4-1 on Saturday and 15-6 after a SU defeat. Also, the Miners carry “over” trends of 4-1 overall, 17-5 on Saturday, 43-20-1 after a SU win and 18-8-1 after a non-cover. Finally, four of the last six in this rivalry have gone over the posted price.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
NCAABK Trends
Visit SPORTSBETTING.com for their 110% sign-up bonus!
Tremors rumbled through the Atlantic Coast Conference on Wednesday night in a game between the No. 23 Maryland Terrapins and the No. 4 Duke Blue Devils.
The Terps not only covered as 1.5-point underdogs, they defeated the Blue Devils 79-72.
The win allowed Maryland to pull even with Duke atop the conference standings.
The two teams also take to the court on Saturday and with the regular season winding down and Selection Sunday in the very near future, wins are paramount.
The Blue Devils are +140 to win the ACC tournament and the Terrapins are +240 to do the same at most online sportsbooks. As you might expect, Sportsbetting.com reported Maryland money showing up on these future odds after their win.
This weekend Duke has a contest against the unranked North Carolina Tar Heels, who are looking like anything but defending champions — UNC is currently 5-10 within the ACC, 16-14 straight up and an ugly 9-18 against the spread.
UNC vs. Duke
The Blue Devils have struggled in their last nine games overall against the Tar Heels, with records of 3-6 SU and ATS.
Duke has also struggled the last 11 times they have hosted North Carolina, going 2-9 ATS and are 0-4 ATS in their last four such games.
The Blue Devils have been much better in their last nine home games, going 9-0 SU and 7-2 ATS.
Maryland vs. Virginia
Maryland on the other hand, will be on the road to play the Virginia Cavaliers.
The Terrapins have been hot as of late, going 10-2 SU and 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games overall.
Over/Under bettors take note: in their last eight overall, the Over has cashed six times.
Maryland has struggled in their last 11 in Virginia, with a record of 3-8 ATS, but they are 7-2 ATS in their last nine road games.
Syracuse vs. Louisville
With the season drawing to a close, the consensus No. 1 team in college basketball is the Syracuse Orange.
Syracuse’s season finale is a road game against the Louisville Cardinals and in their last 11 away games, they are riding an 11-game SU winning streak. More importantly for sports bettors is how hot they have been against the spread, going a very impressive 10-1 ATS.
The Orange have struggled in their last eight overall games against the Cards with records of 2-6 SU and 1-5-1 ATS.
Syracuse is the odds-on favorite to take the Big East tournament at +150.
West Virginia vs. Villanova
Speaking of the Big East, a crucial conference matchup takes place this weekend when the No. 8 West Virginia Mountaineers travel to Villanova to play the No. 9 Wildcats.
The two teams met in West Virginia back on Feb. 8 and the game resulted in an 82-75 win for 5-point underdog Villanova.
In ‘Nova’s last 14 home games they are 13-1 SU and 10-4 ATS and in West Virginia’s last 12 road games, it has taken eight Overs.
The conference tournaments and Selection Sunday are coming and they will give way to March Madness.
It’s a good time to be a hoops bettor.
Visit SPORTSBETTING.com for their 110% sign-up bonus!
NCAAB News and Notes
Saturday, March 6
Information on the best of Saturday's college basketball games.
Senior Day for Scottie Reynolds; Villanova (+5.5) won at West Virginia 82-75, shooting 57% from floor- they're just 3-3 since that game, 2-5 in last seven games as home favorite. Mountaineers won four of last five games, are underdog for second time this year (lost 77-62 at Purdue on New Year's Day, +5).Bog East HFs of 4 or less points are 8-11.
Memphis (+2.5) won 93-86 at Tulsa Feb 13, shooting 54% from floor, 25-30 from line with only five turnovers; Tigers are 3-4 as home fave in C-USA games, winning at home by 20-15-10-6-13-7 points, with a loss to UTEP. Tulsa is 1-3 as C-USA road dog, losing away games by 10-14-6 points (4-3 SU). Single digit home favorites are 14-20 in C-USA.
Missouri (+12) lost 84-65 at Kansas Jan 25; game was 50-30 at the half, as Tigers shot just 28% from floor. Jayhawks are 2-8 vs spread in last ten games, 1-4 in last five as road favorite, winning away games by 12-23-2-6-12-5 points, with loss at Oklahoma State. Mizzou is 6-1 in Big 12 home games. Big 12 home dogs of less than 5 points are 4-9.
Freedom Hall closes down with Syracuse trying to avenge Feb 14 home loss to Louisville (66-60, -8); Orange won, covered all four games since- they're 8-0 on Big East road (7-1 vs spread)- they scored average of 93 ppg in last three games. Louisville is just 4-3 in last seven games, 2-5 vs spread as home favorite- they were awful in last game, at Marquette.
Baylor (+8.5) won 80-77 in OT at Texas Jan 30, holding Longhorns to 39% from floor while forcing 18 turnovers; Bears won six of last seven games, are 4-3 as Big 12 home favorite, losing only to Texas A&M by a hoop. Texas lost four of last six road games, is 0-3 as Big 12 road dog, losing by 9-9-5-16 points. Big 12 HFs of 3 or less points are 7-4.
Senior Day for Nic Wise, who played for four head coaches in his four years at Arizona, including both head coaches in this game; Wildcats are 5-3 at home in Pac-10, 2-2-1 as home fave, winning home games by 17-8-4-13-5 points. Arizona (+8.5) lost 56-50 at USC Dec 31. O'Neill was Arizona's coach two years ago- his Trojans lost last four games, but are 4-1-1 against the spread as a Pac-10 road underdog.
Duke (-5.5) won 64-54 at North Carolina Feb 10, despite shooting 32% for night (9-18 from arc, though); Blue Devils are 6-1 as ACC home fave winning in Cameron by 21-12-20-14-19-21-12 points. Tar Heels are 2-7 as ACC underdog, winning last two games SU as dog- their road losses are by 19-4-21-17-4 points. Double digit home faves are 6-1 in ACC.
Colonial tournament
Towson covered last eight CAA tourney games, going 5-3 SU last three years; they're 6-3 in last nine CAA games, after starting league play 1-9. Tigers lost twice to Old Dominion this year, 78-67/87-71, as Monarchs shot 54/52% from floor, were +12/+20 on boards. ODU is 7-4 vs spread in last 11 games as CAA favorites, winning five of last six games overall.
VCU (-4) blew 41-28 halftime lead, lost 82-77 in OT at George Mason Feb 9, just second loss in last 12 games vs Patriots; Rams won four of last five games overall, beating Delaware easily Friday. Mason is 8-2 in this event last three years, but they finished regular season 1-3, with last three games decided by 3 or less points. Rookie coach vs great coach.
Hofstra won 10 of last 11 games, covering last six in CAA play; the only loss was 75-55 at home to Northeastern, loss they avenged 17 days later by winning 73-62 in Boston as an 11-point dog. Pride won by point last night, getting 8 shots blocked by Georgia State. Huskies was just 2-3 in last five games, 0-5-1 vs spread in last six, all as a favorite.
James Madison lost eight of last ten games (4-1-1 vs spread in last six) they held Drexel to 34% last night, made 28-39 from line in upset win. JMU split pair vs William & Mary, shooting 54% in 85-78 road loss, then upsetting Tribe 65-63 13 days later. Veteran Tribe shoots lot of 3s; they're 5-2 in last seven games, 3-1 in last four games as a favorite.
Sun Belt tournament
Road team won both South Alabama-Florida Atlantic games; Jaguars got 96-93 OT win at FAU, shooting 54.5% (28-45 from line), then got beat 70-59 at home by Owls in rematch, shooting 33%. USA hasn't played in nine days- they lost six of last seven road games. FAU stumbled down stretch, losing three in row, covering one of last seven games.
Home side won both Ark-Little Rock-Arkansas State games; Trojans hit 10-19 treys in 79-77 upset win, after State won first meeting 69-61 (-4). UALR lost six of last seven games after upsetting State; they're 2-4-1 vs spread in last seven games as underdog. State lost three of last four, as the underdog covered their last four Sun Belt games.
Denver won three of last four games, but they're just 1-8 on road in Sun Belt, winning at hapless UNO; Pioneers made 11-22 from arc in 59-53 home win (-16) over Florida International; FIU shot 52%, just 1-6 from arc. Isiah's Panthers lost last eight games, but covered five of last six, as they were 5-3 against the spread as a Sun Belt road underdog.
Western Kentucky (-18) beat New Orleans 76-56 in only meeting; this is last year in Sun Belt for Privateers, who are dropping to D-III next year because of $$$ issues. Hilltoppers forced 25 turnovers in first meeting; they won last six games (5-1 vs spread) but two of last three wins came in OT. Double digit favorites are 14-12 vs spread in Sun Belt play.
UL-Lafayette beat UL-Monroe twice this year, 72-67 (-3) on road, then 73-71 at home (-11), making 11-19 from arc; Ragin' Cajuns were just 2-4 in last six games (0-6 vs spread), with last two wins both by 2 points. ULM lost last four games, with last two by total of five points- they're 7-4 vs spread in their last eleven games as an underdog.