Tuesday's Tip Sheet
By Brian Edwards
Bettors have 14 games on Tuesday’s college hoops card, including a doubleheader on ESPN. Super Tuesday features an early Big Ten game (Indiana at Ohio St.) and a late-night SEC showdown (Kentucky at Tennessee). Let’s take a look at these contests and more.
**Indiana at Ohio State**
--Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Ohio State (11-3 straight up, 5-5 against the spread) as an 18 ½-point favorite with a total of 126.
--Thad Matta’s team has lost three of its last five games after starting the season with nine consecutive victories. The Buckeyes won their first Big Ten game at home against Iowa, but they have since lost back-to-back contests at Minnesota (68-59) and at Michigan St. (67-58).
--Indiana (5-10 SU, 5-7 ATS) has lost six in a row, including Saturday’s 76-45 loss at Illinois as an 18-point underdog. Nick Williams had a team-high 12 points, but the Hoosiers were an abysmal 20-of-51 from the field (39.2%) and only got to the charity stripe six times.
--IU owns a 2-5 spread record as a double-digit underdog. Meanwhile, OSU is 2-1 ATS as a double-digit ‘chalk.’
--Devan Dumes, a juco transfer, lead IU in scoring with a 12.8 points per game average. Freshman power forward Tom Pritchard is averaging 12.2 PPG and a team-high 7.3 rebounds per contest.
--Matta’s bunch is led by sophomore forward Evan Turner, who is averaging a team-high 15.9 PPG and 7.3 RPG.
--Both schools have watched the ‘under’ go 6-3 overall to date.
Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.
--Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2.
**Kentucky at Tennessee**
--LVSC opened Tennessee (10-4 SU, 6-5-1 ATS) as a 7 ½-point favorite with a total of 149.
--UT went into Stegeman Coliseum in Athens Saturday and captured an 86-77 triumph as an 8 ½-point road favorite. Senior slasher Tyler Smith led the way with 24 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Bobby Maze added 16 points and six boards.
--Back in the days when Don Devoe, Wade Houston and Buzz Petersen roamed the sidelines at Tennessee, this is the only home game that would sell out each year – for the men’s team, that is. These days, however, Kentucky fans aren’t needed to fill up Thompson-Boling Arena. Bruce Pearl has the UT program thriving and on its way to a fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
--Kentucky (12-4 SU, 7-3-1 ATS) won its SEC opener Saturday, trumping Vanderbilt 70-60 as a nine-point home favorite. Jodie Meeks scored a game-high 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds to pace the Wildcats.
--Billy Gillispie’s squad has been tagged as an underdog three times this year, posting a 2-1 spread record.
--The Vols are 6-1 SU and 3-1-1 ATS at home this season.
--These long-time SEC adversaries have split a pair of regular-season meetings the last two seasons, with the home team winning all four games. With that said, UK has taken the cash in three of the last four encounters.
--The ‘over’ has hit in four straight UT games and is 7-5 overall.
--ESPN will have the telecast at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
--There’s just something about the navy blue uniforms at Freedom Hall. Every time Marquette or Notre Dame comes to Louisville, college basketball fans and gamblers get one of the best games of the season. That was the case again when the Irish and Cards got Big Monday off to a scintillating start, going to overtime before Rick Pitino’s team took an 87-73 decision.
Tough loss for Mike Brey’s team, which went on the road and played nasty enough for 40 minutes to garner the victory. Tougher loss for Irish backers, who had to rip up their tickets after taking the 6 ½-point road underdogs. Notre Dame had a great chance to hook up money-line backers with a plus-235 return, but it couldn’t buy a bucket at crunch time or the extra session. It was eerily reminiscent of how so many Big East games went for the Irish a few years ago in Chris Quinn’s senior season.
vegasinsider.com.
BUFFALO (8 - 5) at AKRON (8 - 6)
Top Trends for this game.
BUFFALO is 0-8 ATS (-8.8 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points over the last 3 seasons.
AKRON is 17-5 ATS (+11.5 Units) on Tuesday nights since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
AKRON is 3-1 against the spread versus BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
AKRON is 4-0 straight up against BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA (5 - 10) at OHIO ST (11 - 3)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 2-1 against the spread versus OHIO ST over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 2-1 straight up against OHIO ST over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
BRADLEY (10 - 6) at INDIANA ST (4 - 12)
Top Trends for this game.
BRADLEY is 28-15 ATS (+11.5 Units) after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
BRADLEY is 3-1 against the spread versus INDIANA ST over the last 3 seasons
BRADLEY is 3-1 straight up against INDIANA ST over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
FLORIDA ST (13 - 3) at NC STATE (9 - 4)
Top Trends for this game.
NC STATE is 12-24 ATS (-14.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NC STATE is 12-24 ATS (-14.4 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
NC STATE is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
NC STATE is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA ST is 2-1 against the spread versus NC STATE over the last 3 seasons
FLORIDA ST is 2-1 straight up against NC STATE over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
N ILLINOIS (5 - 8) at BALL ST (6 - 7)
Top Trends for this game.
BALL ST is 24-42 ATS (-22.2 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
BALL ST is 24-42 ATS (-22.2 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
BALL ST is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in all home games over the last 2 seasons.
BALL ST is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.
BALL ST is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
BALL ST is 2-2 against the spread versus N ILLINOIS over the last 3 seasons
BALL ST is 3-1 straight up against N ILLINOIS over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
C MICHIGAN (3 - 10) at E MICHIGAN (2 - 13)
Top Trends for this game.
C MICHIGAN is 10-25 ATS (-17.5 Units) in road games after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997.
E MICHIGAN is 10-24 ATS (-16.4 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
C MICHIGAN is 3-1 against the spread versus E MICHIGAN over the last 3 seasons
E MICHIGAN is 2-2 straight up against C MICHIGAN over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS (12 - 3) at TULSA (11 - 5)
Top Trends for this game.
TULSA is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
TULSA is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 195-155 ATS (+24.5 Units) in all games since 1997.
MEMPHIS is 195-155 ATS (+24.5 Units) in all lined games since 1997.
MEMPHIS is 111-83 ATS (+19.7 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.
MEMPHIS is 56-33 ATS (+19.7 Units) in January games since 1997.
MEMPHIS is 145-103 ATS (+31.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
MEMPHIS is 87-55 ATS (+26.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 3-2 against the spread versus TULSA over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 5-0 straight up against TULSA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
KANSAS ST (11 - 4) at KANSAS (11 - 4)
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS ST is 1-13 ATS (-13.3 Units) in road games on Tuesday nights since 1997.
KANSAS is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in all home games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS ST is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in January games over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS is 3-2 against the spread versus KANSAS ST over the last 3 seasons
KANSAS is 4-1 straight up against KANSAS ST over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
UCF (10 - 5) at UAB (9 - 6)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
UAB is 2-0 against the spread versus UCF over the last 3 seasons
UAB is 2-0 straight up against UCF over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
N IOWA (10 - 6) at EVANSVILLE (11 - 4)
Top Trends for this game.
EVANSVILLE is 17-4 ATS (+12.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
EVANSVILLE is 1-1 against the spread versus N IOWA over the last 3 seasons
N IOWA is 4-0 straight up against EVANSVILLE over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
KENTUCKY (12 - 4) at TENNESSEE (10 - 4)
Top Trends for this game.
TENNESSEE is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in all home games over the last 2 seasons.
TENNESSEE is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.
TENNESSEE is 54-33 ATS (+17.7 Units) in home games against conference opponents since 1997.
TENNESSEE is 54-35 ATS (+15.5 Units) in January games since 1997.
TENNESSEE is 52-31 ATS (+17.9 Units) in home games after a conference game since 1997.
TENNESSEE is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in home games off a win against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.
TENNESSEE is 64-41 ATS (+18.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
TENNESSEE is 34-19 ATS (+13.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games since 1997.
TENNESSEE is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
KENTUCKY is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
KENTUCKY is 74-49 ATS (+20.1 Units) in road games after a conference game since 1997.
KENTUCKY is 55-36 ATS (+15.4 Units) in road games off a win against a conference rival since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
KENTUCKY is 3-1 against the spread versus TENNESSEE over the last 3 seasons
TENNESSEE is 2-2 straight up against KENTUCKY over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
GEORGIA ST (4 - 12) at OLD DOMINION (9 - 6)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
OLD DOMINION is 3-2 against the spread versus GEORGIA ST over the last 3 seasons
OLD DOMINION is 4-1 straight up against GEORGIA ST over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
TCU (11 - 5) at BYU (13 - 2)
Top Trends for this game.
BYU is 35-22 ATS (+10.8 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
BYU is 86-54 ATS (+26.6 Units) in all home games since 1997.
BYU is 86-54 ATS (+26.6 Units) in home lined games since 1997.
BYU is 25-12 ATS (+11.8 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
BYU is 30-14 ATS (+14.6 Units) in home games off a win against a conference rival since 1997.
BYU is 63-37 ATS (+22.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
BYU is 3-2 against the spread versus TCU over the last 3 seasons
BYU is 5-0 straight up against TCU over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
SACRAMENTO ST (1 - 16) at N COLORADO (5 - 11)
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO ST is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
N COLORADO is 1-1 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO ST over the last 3 seasons
N COLORADO is 2-2 straight up against SACRAMENTO ST over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
BUFFALO vs. AKRON
Buffalo is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Akron
Buffalo is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Akron
Akron is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games at home
Akron is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Buffalo
CENTRAL MICHIGAN vs. EASTERN MICHIGAN
Central Michigan is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Eastern Michigan
Central Michigan is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Eastern Michigan is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing Central Michigan
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Eastern Michigan's last 6 games when playing Central Michigan
FLORIDA STATE vs. NORTH CAROLINA STATE
Florida State is 2-7-1 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against North Carolina St
Florida State is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against North Carolina St
North Carolina State is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 games when playing Florida State
North Carolina State is 15-3 SU in its last 18 games when playing Florida State
INDIANA vs. OHIO STATE
Indiana is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Ohio State
Indiana is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Ohio State
Ohio State is 16-1 SU in its last 17 games at home
Ohio State is 16-3 SU in its last 19 games
NORTHERN ILLINOIS vs. BALL STATE
Northern Illinois is 8-15 SU in its last 23 games when playing Ball State
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Northern Illinois's last 7 games when playing Ball State
Ball State is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Ball State is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
STONY BROOK vs. DARTMOUTH
No trends available
Dartmouth is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Dartmouth is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
BRADLEY vs. INDIANA STATE
Bradley is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Bradley is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Indiana State is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Bradley
Indiana State is 4-10 ATS in its last 14 games when playing Bradley
MEMPHIS vs. TULSA
Memphis is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Memphis's last 8 games on the road
Tulsa is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Memphis
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tulsa's last 5 games when playing Memphis
CENTRAL FLORIDA vs. UAB
Central Florida is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Central Florida is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
UAB is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
KANSAS STATE vs. KANSAS
Kansas State is 7-18 ATS in its last 25 games when playing Kansas
Kansas State is 2-23 SU in its last 25 games when playing Kansas
Kansas is 23-2 SU in its last 25 games at home
Kansas is 21-4 SU in its last 25 games
NORTHERN IOWA vs. EVANSVILLE
Northern Iowa is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Evansville
Northern Iowa is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Evansville
Evansville is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games
Evansville is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
GEORGIA STATE vs. OLD DOMINION
Georgia State is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Georgia State is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games
Old Dominion is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Georgia State
Old Dominion is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Georgia State
KENTUCKY vs. TENNESSEE
Kentucky is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Tennessee
Kentucky is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games when playing Tennessee
Tennessee is 16-6 SU in its last 22 games
Tennessee is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home
SACRAMENTO STATE vs. NORTHERN COLORADO
Sacramento State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Sacramento State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Northern Colorado is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
TCU vs. BYU
TCU is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing BYU
TCU is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing BYU
BYU is 22-2 SU in its last 24 games at home
BYU is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games
NCAAB Today
Notes on today's games.
Akron beat Buffalo twice LY, 76-56 here (-14), 76-68 on road (-6); they took 60 foul shots in the two games, Bulls took 22. Zips shot 32% in a 64-51 OT loss at Miami Saturday, their MAC opener. Buffalo trailed by 16 at half at Bowling Green Saturday, wound up losing 86-82 in league opener for Bulls. MAC home favorites are 3-3 vs spread.
Underdog covered last five Indiana-Ohio State games; Hoosiers split last four visits to Ohio State, losing by 13-7 points. Buckeyes lost three of last four games, scoring just 58.3 ppg- their only win was by 3 vs Iowa. Indiana is 0-3 in Big 11, losing only road game by 31 at Illinois. Big 11 home favorites are 8-8 vs spread, 2-5 if spread is more than 7.
Home side won last five Bradley-Indiana State games; Braves lost their last two visits to ISU by 12-10 points- they're 4-1 in Valley, after 73-64 home loss to Creighton Saturday- they won their two road games, by 2 at Wichita, 6 at Missouri State. ISU is 2-3 in Valley, with both wins in overtime. MVC home dogs are 2-4 against the spread.
Florida State, NC State split last six games; favorites are 5-3 vs spread in last eight series games. Seminoles split last four visits to Raleigh, losing by 16-22 points. FSU split its last four games, losing to Pitt, Duke; they are 3-1 on road, losing by 14 at Northwestern, beating three stiff teams by 2-4-5 points. ACC home favorites are 2-6 against the spread.
Home side won both Northern Illinois-Ball State games LY, but visitor covered both; NIU had 34 turnovers in the two games, Cardinals just 8. Huskies won MAC opener by 24, just their second win in last 8 games. Ball State is 2-5 in last seven games, winning MAC opener 46-42 in an ugly contest at Eastern Michigan. Ball shot 36.2%, EMU 28.6%.
Home side won both Central-Eastern Michigan games LY; EMU made 39% from floor in the loss, 61% in the wins. CMU is ranked 290th in US, EMU 306th, so both teams really struggling- Chippewas lost last five games, losing MAC opener 72-63 to W. Michigan- they scored just 57.5 ppg in their last four games.
Memphis won last seven games vs Tulsa, winning three games LY, with a 77-51 win in finals of C-USA tourney, when Tulsa was playing fourth game in four days. Tigers won last three visits here by 17-23-15 points; they were down 8 in second half at UCF Saturday, rallied to win by 7. Tulsa won seven of its last eight games.
Kansas is 10-2 in last dozen games vs K-State, winning four of last five here, with wins by 6-7-27-14 points. Jayhawks are 7-4 vs spread in last 11 series games; they're last Big 12 team to play league game. Wildcats lost at home to Oklahoma Saturday, shooting 33% from floor. Kansas got crushed 75-62 at Michigan State Saturday (was 37-18 at half). .
UAB won last three games vs Central Florida by 10ot-7-7 points; UCF lost last visit here 74-64 in OT three years ago (+8.5). Blazers are 1-3 in last four games, losing by 19 at Houston in its league opener Saturday. Knights led Memphis at home in second half Saturday, lost by seven, their first loss in last six games. C-USA home faves are 4-2 vs spread.
Northern Iowa won last seven games vs Evansville, winning last three in this gym by 8-13-3 points; Panthers are 4-1 in MVC; they shot 70.5% from floor in win vs Missouri State Saturday, their fourth win in a row. Aces are 2-0 at home in Valley, winning by 11-5ot points, holding both foes to 34.5% from floor. MVC home favorites are 11-8 vs spread. .
Home side won last four Kentucky-Tennessee games; Wildcats lost last two visits here, by 4-3 points- they're 3-1 vs spread last four times they were series underdog. Vols are struggling, losing two of last three games. Wildcats haven't won since 74-71 loss at Louisvlle nine days ago, their first loss in last seven games.
Old Dominion won last six games vs Georgia State (5-1 vs spread); GSU lost last three visits here by 35-19-23 points- they lost last three CAA games by 6-14-3 points, scoring 52 ppg, making 12-44 from arc. ODU is 1-3 in last four games, 7-35 from arc in last two games. CAA home faves are 9-10 against spread so far this season. .
BYU won last seven games vs TCU, winning last three played here by 9-24-11 points; Cougars are 13-2, losing only to Wake Forest, Arizona State, two really good teams- they're 8-4 vs spread as a favorite. TCU upset UNLV Saturday, their fourth straight win. Frogs are 4-2 against spread as a dog. MWC home favorites are 4-0 vs spread so far this year.
Home side won both Northern Colorado-Sacramento State games LY, as Hornets (+9) lost 74-60 here. Sac State is 1-16, 0-4 in Big Sky, losing its league games by 12-13-19-17 points (16-51 from arc). No. Colorado is lost its last two Big Sky games, both in OT, then got drilled at Texas St by 23; they're 1-2 against the spread as a favorite this season.
Can't-miss college hoops games
By MATT SEVERANCE
Kentucky Wildcats at Tennessee Volunteers
Kentucky needs to start polishing its resume as the Wildcats have lost both of their true road games so far and are 0-3 against ranked teams overall.
However, Saturday's 10-point win over Vanderbilt might be the boost of confidence UK needs heading in to Knoxville. Star Patrick Patterson was in foul trouble against the Commodores, yet enough role players stepped up to end Vandy's six-game winning streak (Vandy was without star center A.J. Ogilvy).
“When (Patterson's) not having his greatest game and we're able to pull out a win like this says a lot about our team," said Jodie Meeks, UK's leading scorer. "It says that we're maturing.”
Florida State (13-3, 6-3 ATS) at N.C. State (9-4, 5-4 ATS)
Two squads that opened the ACC season with disappointing losses on Saturday look to get back on track, as Florida State heads north to Raleigh, N.C., for a matchup with the Wolfpack.
The Seminoles hosted No. 2 Duke on Saturday, and after a sluggish first half – the Blue Devils led just 19-15 – they came out to start the second half and got outscored 41-11 in the first 7:15. However, Florida State battled back to lose by a respectable 66-58 margin and cover as a 10-point home underdog. The Seminoles’ three losses have been by point margins of 14 (at Northwestern), eight (vs. Pitt) and eight (vs. Duke).
N.C. State opened up conference play with Saturday’s 63-51 loss at Clemson, coming up just short as an 11½-point road chalk. Exactly one week earlier, the Wolfpack went to Florida and suffered a tough 68-66 defeat, but covered as a 10½-point underdog. The consecutive losses come on the heels of a 5-1 (2-2 ATS) homestand.
The visitor pulled off the outright upset twice in this series last season, with N.C. State winning 69-66 as an eight-point underdog and the Seminoles returning the favor with a 72-62 rout as a two-point pup one month later. The Wolfpack have won 11 of the last 14 SU and ATS in this rivalry – 7-2 SU and ATS in the last nine clashes in Raleigh – with the winner covering the spread in each contest.
Florida State has held its last eight opponents to an average of 57.3 ppg, but the ‘Noles have scored just 59, 58 and 48 points in their three defeats. Also, over their last five games, they’re putting up just 65.6 ppg on 40.3 percent shooting. Meanwhile, N.C. State is averaging 75.1 ppg (48.2 percent shooting) at home and allowing 59.1 ppg (36.4 percent), but in their last five, the Wolfpack are outscoring foes by just one point per game (66.4-65.4) while outshooting them 47 percent to 44 percent.
The Seminoles are on ATS streaks of 10-4-1 overall, 7-1 on the road, 5-0-1 in ACC play and 10-4-1 against teams with a winning record. N.C. State is on pointspread upticks of 5-3 overall and 4-1 on Tuesday, but the Pack are 5-13-1 ATS in their last 19 home games, 3-15 ATS in their last 18 conference contests and 9-24-1 ATS in their last 34 after a SU loss.
For Florida State, the under is on runs of 5-1 overall, 4-1-1 on the road, 19-9-1 in ACC play, 20-6-1 after a SU loss, 4-1 on Tuesday. The under is also 4-1 in N.C. State’s last five overall and 4-1 in its last five on Tuesday, but otherwise the Wolfpack have topped the total in 10 of their last 14 at home and 16 of their last 22 league outings.
ATS ADVANTAGE: FLORIDA STATE and UNDER
Kentucky (12-4, 7-3-1 ATS) at (24) Tennessee (10-4, 7-5 ATS)
The surging Wildcats make the trek south to Knoxville looking to improve to 2-0 in SEC play when they clash with 24th-ranked Tennessee at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Kentucky avenged their worst SEC loss in school history when they took down Vanderbilt 70-60 on Saturday, barely holding on as a 9½-point home chalk. The Wildcats, who lost 93-52 at Vandy last February, are 12-2 SU since opening the season with consecutive losses to VMI and North Carolina, and they’ve cashed in six of their last seven. They’re also 2-0-1 ATS on the highway since losing at then-No. 1 North Carolina on Nov. 18.
The Volunteers snapped a two-game SU and ATS funk with Saturday’s SEC-opening 86-77 win at Georgia, holding on to get the cash as an 8½-point road favorite. The last time Bruce Pearl’s team was at Thompson-Boling, it saw its 37-game home winning streak come to an end in an 89-79 overtime loss to Gonzaga as a 3½-point favorite.
The home team has held serve in this rivalry the last two years, but Kentucky got the cash as an underdog in both meetings last season, winning 72-66 as a 5½-point home pup and losing 63-60 in Knoxville but covering easily as a 14½-point ‘dog. The Wildcats are 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings, including 4-1 ATS in the last five. Also, the underdog has been the play in 11 of the last 16 head-to-head tussles.
Kentucky has scored at least 70 points in 13 of 16 games, including the last eight in a row, and defensively, the ‘Cats have allowed more than 70 points just three times during their current 12-2 SU run. For the season, Billy Gillespie’s troops are putting up 79.8 ppg while shooting a blistering 50.5 percent from the floor (33.7 percent from three-point range), and giving up 64.8 ppg (37 percent).
Tennessee ranks sixth in the nation in scoring at 84.3 ppg despite shooting only 45.5 percent. The Vols have scored at least 72 points in every game this season, going for 80 or more eight times. On the defensive end, however, Tennessee is surrendering 75 ppg on 44 percent shooting, allowing 77 or more in five of its last seven outings.
In addition to its ongoing 6-1 ATS roll, Kentucky is on pointspread tears of 4-1 in SEC play, 5-2-1 on the road and 4-0 against winning teams, but the ‘Cats are just 2-6-1 ATS in their last nine Tuesday contests. Meanwhile, despite losing to Gonzaga last week, the Vols are still 5-1 ATS in their last six at home.
The over is on streaks of 4-0 for the Vols overall, 4-1 for the Vols in SEC play and 4-1 for Kentucky both after a SU win and an ATS triumph. Conversely, the under is 7-2 in the Wildcats’ last nine SEC games and 6-2 in Tennessee’s last eight on Tuesday. Also, last year’s two head-to-head meetings stayed below the posted total.
ATS ADVANTAGE: KENTUCKY
Gametimepicks.com
BUFFALO at AKRON
BUFFALO: 0-8 ATS as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6
AKRON: 17-5 ATS on Tuesday
INDIANA at OHIO ST
INDIANA: 1-8 ATS AWAY after playing a game as an underdog
OHIO ST: 35-18 ATS after having lost 2 of their last 3
BRADLEY at INDIANA ST
BRADLEY: 23-10 ATS after 3 consecutive conference games
INDIANA ST: 1-5 ATS at home
FLORIDA ST at NC STATE
FLORIDA ST: 12-2 ATS after playing 2 consecutive games as a home underdog
NC STATE: 1-9 ATS after playing a game as a road underdog
N ILLINOIS at BALL ST
N ILLINOIS: 3-0 ATS off a home win
BALL ST: 5-14 ATS after playing a road game
C MICHIGAN at E MICHIGAN
C MICHIGAN: 5-1 OVER when playing with one or less days rest
E MICHIGAN: 5-15 ATS at home off a home loss
MEMPHIS at TULSA
MEMPHIS: 5-2 OVER on Tuesday nights
TULSA: 11-1 ATS after a win by 15+ points
KANSAS ST at KANSAS
KANSAS ST: 12-3 ATS in January
KANSAS: 5-1 OVER as a home favorite of 6.5 to 12
UCF at UAB
UCF: 10-5 OVER after having won 4 of their last 5
UAB: 7-0 ATS at home after playing a road game
N IOWA at EVANSVILLE
N IOWA: 30-14 UNDER as an underdog
EVANSVILLE: 17-4 ATS as a favorite
KENTUCKY at TENNESSEE
KENTUCKY: 6-1 OVER after a DD win
TENNESSEE: 7-0 ATS at home off a road win
GEORGIA ST at OLD DOMINION
GEORGIA ST: 9-0 UNDER after playing 2 consecutive games as a home underdog
OLD DOMINION: 1-5 ATS as a favorite
TCU at BYU
TCU: 0-6 ATS AWAY after 3+ consecutive wins
BYU: 32-17 ATS off a road win
SACRAMENTO ST at N COLORADO
SACRAMENTO ST: 1-5 ATS after one or more consecutive overs
N COLORADO: 9-2 ATS when playing only their 2nd game in 8 days
Tips and Trends
Indiana at Ohio State
Indiana: One might think it couldn't get much worse for the Hoosiers this season. Losers of six straight games, they might be without leading scorer Devan Dumes after he suffered what could be a severely sprained ankle. Dumes is a junior who transferred into the program from junior college, averaging 12.7 points per game. Indiana has seen true freshmen account for 70.6 percent of the minutes played this season, up significantly from 30.1 a year ago.
Indiana is 3-1 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
The UNDER is 6-2 in Indiana's last 8 games overall.
Key Injuries - G Devan Dumes (ankle) is questionable.
PROJECTED SCORE: 50
Ohio State (-17.5, O/U 123): The Buckeyes return to Big Ten play after finishing up their non-conference slate with an 89-65 rout of Houston Baptist on Friday. They are 1-2 in conference games so far, losing both road games at Minnesota and Michigan State while winning their lone home game so far against Iowa. Ohio State hits the road for two tough league games at Michigan and Illinois after hosting Indiana, making this matchup crucial for building confidence.
Ohio State is 4-9-1 ATS in its last 14 games vs. Big Ten.
The UNDER is 3-1 in Ohio State's last 4 games overall.
Key Injuries - G Mark Titus (foot) is OUT.
PROJECTED SCORE: 73 (Side Play of the Day)
Kentucky at Tennessee
Kentucky: The Wildcats will be counting on Jodie Meeks to continue his hot play when they visit Tennessee in a key SEC battle. Meeks is averaging 28 points in his last six games but has averaged just 11.3 in three career games against the Vols. He leads the SEC at 24.3 points per game and is coming off a 21-point performance in a 70-60 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday. "As hard as Jodie is playing, I don’t see too many bad plays,” said Kentucky head coach Billy Gillispie.
Kentucky is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games overall.
The UNDER is 7-2 in Kentucky's last 9 games vs. SEC.
Key Injuries - F Ramon Harris (back) has returned.
PROJECTED SCORE: 70 (UNDER - Total Play of the Day)
Tennessee (-6, O/U 155): Tyler Smith was not supposed to play Saturday due to a knee injury, but he came through with an inspirational performance to lead the Vols to an 86-77 victory at Georgia. Smith totaled 24 points and 11 rebounds despite spending the earlier part of the week on crutches, as he convinced head coach Bruce Pearl to let him play against the Bulldogs. “The message is we don’t win the game without him,” Pearl said. “The message is, if he’s not the best player in the SEC, he’s the best competitor. Tyler is the best competitor and he absolutely willed this basketball team to win.”
Tennessee is 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
The UNDER is 6-2 in Tennessee's last 8 Tuesday games.
Key Injuries - F Ryan Childress (knee) is questionable.
F Tyler Smith (knee) is questionable.
PROJECTED SCORE: 76