Big East Tip Sheet
By Brian Edwards
We’ve got day games! That’s right, the gambling starts early and often Tuesday. Before the clock strikes noon Eastern, the lights will be on at Madison Square Garden in New York City for the Big East Tournament.
Unlike previous years since the conference expanded to 16 teams, every school in the league is invited to MSG this year. In the past, only the top 12 Big East teams qualified for the conference tournament.
Let’s take a look at Tuesday’s quadrupleheader that unfortunately – and shockingly – won’t be televised.
**Depaul vs. Cincinnati**
--Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Cincinnati (18-13 straight up, 11-14 against the spread) as a 7 ½-point favorite with a total of 129.
--Cincy has lost three in a row and five of its last six to fall out of the NCAA Tournament picture. Perhaps a run to the Big East title game could change that, but the Bearcats are most likely looking at an NIT bid unless they cut the nets down later this week.
--Depaul (8-23 SU, 7-17 ATS) is longing for the days of Ray Meyer, Dave Corzine, Mark Aguirre, Terry Cummings and Dallas Comegys. Those are distant memories that Jerry Wainwright’s tenure hasn’t lived up to through four years. Wainwright, the former head coach at UNC-Wilmington that took the Seahawks to several NCAA Tournaments behind the hot shooting of Brett Blizzard, is 51-71 at Depaul and could be facing a pink slip in the next 48-72 hours.
--The Blue Demons haven’t tasted a victory in 2009. They went winless in Big East play with their last win coming on Dec. 28 against Alcorn St. Furthermore, Depaul hasn’t beaten a team from a BCS conference all year long.
--Despite Depaul’s massive struggles, we should note that the Blue Demons have covered the number in four of their last five outings. They easily took the cash in a 48-40 loss at Georgetown as 17 1/2-point underdogs in the regular-season finale.
--Mick Cronin’s team closed out the regular season by losing 67-63 to Seton Hall in overtime as a 6 ½-point home favorite. Vaughn had 18 points and six rebounds in the losing effort.
--Vaughn leads Cincy in scoring with a 15.8 points per game average. Freshman center Yancy Gates has come on strong late in the season with several big games. He averages 10.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per contest. Depaul is led by Dar Tucker, who averages 18.2 PPG.
--The ‘over’ is 14-10-1 overall for Cincy, 13-10-1 overall for Depaul. However, the ‘under’ has cashed in four straight head-to-head meetings between these schools.
--When these teams met on Jan. 17, Cincy collected a 59-55 triumph as a 1 ½-point road favorite. Deonta Vaughn scored a game-high 18 points for the Bearcats.
--Tip-off is scheduled for noon Eastern. The winner will face eighth-seeded Providence at noon on Wednesday.
**Georgetown vs. St. John’s**
--LVSC opened Georgetown (16-13 SU, 8-16-1 ATS) as a seven-point favorite with a total of 122.
--Georgetown is one of the country’s biggest disappointments. The Hoyas started Big East play with an eye-opening 74-63 win at UConn, only to sink toward the bottom of the league standings afterward. They have dropped five of their last eight games outright. Even worse, they are in the midst of a 3-14-1 ATS slide.
--St. John’s (15-16 SU, 11-13-1 ATS) has played its best basketball lately, winning three of its last five games, including a 59-56 win over Georgetown on March 3. Paris Horne and Rob Thomas scored 16 points apiece for the Red Storm.
--St. John’s has a 5-2 spread record in its last seven games. With that said, the Red Storm failed to cover in their regular-season finale, a 74-55 loss Friday at Notre Dame as an 11 ½-point underdog.
--Georgetown is 4-6 ATS in 10 games as a single-digit ‘chalk’ this season. Meanwhile, St. John’s is 6-11 ATS in 17 games as an underdog.
--St. John’s has watched the ‘under’ cash at a 14-10-1 overall clip.
--The ‘under’ has cashed in four straight games for the Hoyas and is 14-11 for the year.
--The ‘under’ has cashed in five straight head-to-head meetings between these old-school rivals.
--This game will start 30 minutes after the Depaul-Cincy game ends.
**Rutgers vs. Notre Dame**
--LVSC opened Notre Dame (17-13 SU, 8-16 ATS) as a 10 ½-point favorite with a total of 141.
--Along with Georgetown, Notre Dame is also one of the nation’s biggest disappointments after spending most of November and December in the Top 20. The Irish have won five of their last eight games, but they came up short in chances to make a big splash against UConn, Villanova and West Va.
--Mike Brey’s team beat up on St. John’s by a 74-55 count last Friday. Luke Harangody went off with 31 points and 12 rebounds, while Ryan Ayers added 15 points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots.
--Rutgers (11-20 SU, 11-11 ATS) ended an eight-game losing streak in its regular-season finale, beating USF 45-42 as a 3 ½-point home favorite. JR Inman had 10 points and 12 boards in his last game at the RAC on Senior Day.
--Notre Dame is 2-4 ATS as a double-digit favorite this year. On the other hand, RU owns a 6-3 spread record as a double-digit underdog.
--Notre Dame’s Harangody leads the Big East in scoring (23.7 PPG) and rebounding (12.1 RPG). Rutgers is led by freshman Mike Rosario, a McDonald’s All-American who averages 16.3 PPG.
--The ‘under’ is on a lucrative 11-1 run for the Scarlet Knights, who have seen the ‘under’ go 13-8 overall this season. The ‘under’ is also hot for the Irish, cashing in four straight and six of their last seven. The ‘under’ is 12-11 overall for Notre Dame.
--This game is scheduled to tip at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. The winner moves on to face seventh-seeded West Virginia on Wednesday night.
**South Florida vs. Seton Hall**
--LVSC opened Seton Hall (16-14 SU, 16-9 ATS) as a five-point ‘chalk’ with a total of 131.
--Bobby Gonzalez’s squad has been on fire for our purposes, posting a 12-4 spread record in its last 16 games. The Pirates have won seven of their last 12 games straight up, including an overtime win at Cincy this past weekend.
--South Florida (9-21 SU, 16-13 ATS) has covered the number in back-to-back games, including a 70-59 win over Cincy as a 2 ½-point home underdog on March 3.
--Since USF joined the Big East, it has lost all six games against Seton Hall with the Pirates taking the cash in the last five encounters. The Hall won 75-60 over the Bulls as a seven-point home ‘chalk’ two weeks ago.
--Seton Hall is 3-2 ATS as a single-digit favorite this season.
--The ‘under’ is on an 8-2 run for USF and is 15-13-1 overall for the Bulls. The Hall has watched the ‘under’ go 13-11 overall and 6-3 in its last nine outings.
--The ‘over’ is 5-1 in the last six head-to-head meetings between these schools.
--This game will tip 30 minutes after the conclusion of RU and Notre Dame. The winner will advance to face Syracuse late Wednesday night.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
--VI’s Judd Hall polled seven VI handicappers on their thoughts of who would win the Big East Tourney. Four ‘cappers pegged Pitt to win it, while two had UConn and one (Keith Fredrick) went with Syracuse.
--Pitt could be looking at a third meeting against UConn in the semifinals. If the Huskies lose to the Panthers for a third time, they will probably have to settle for a No. 2 seed in the Big Dance. Regardless of what Pitt does at MSG, it says here that it will still be a top seed in the NCAA Tournament.
--Seven Big East teams are comfortably “in” the NCAA field. Providence is the only bubble squad, needing at least one win (and possibly two) to feel comfortable about its at-large chances.
--LVSC released future odds to win the Big East Tournament on Monday. Pitt is the 2/1 ‘chalk,’ followed by UConn at 12/5. Louisville has 14/5 odds. Check out the rest of the numbers by clicking here.
vegasinsider.com
Big East tournament: Round 1 preview and picks
By JASON LOGAN
Big East tournament games are being played in Madison Square Garden.
DePaul Blue Demons vs. Cincinnati Bearcats (-8)
Before losing three in a row to end the year the Bearcats were one of those Big East teams on the right side of the bubble. They had wins over West Virginia, Georgetown and Notre Dame. And then their bubble burst in more ways than one.
Cincinnati shot a combined 37 percent in its losses to Seton Hall, South Florida and Syracuse including just 23-of-88 from beyond the arc. Freshman forward Yancy Gates and junior guard Deonta Vaughn played below their averages in that stretch and missed Texas transfer Mike Williams, who sat out three games with an injured knee.
Williams came back against Seton Hall and gives the Bearcats’ struggling offense a boost. DePaul, 0-18 in conference play, is one of the worst defensive squads in the Big East and lost by four at home to Cincinnati in mid January.
Final score prediction: Cincinnati 56, DePaul 49
Georgetown Hoyas vs. St. John’s Red Storm (+6)
The Hoyas didn’t expect to be in this situation back in November. But due to an identity crisis on offense, Georgetown has to run the gauntlet in order to make the field of 65. The Hoyas can’t decide if they're an up-tempo team or a slow-it-down, Princeton offense.
When they do go small, the ball moves better and they create more space for shooters. Another thing hurting Georgetown’s scoring is the lack of a go-to guy. Junior forward DaJuan Summers should be that guy. But he isn’t consistent enough and gets slowed by foul trouble.
Freshman forward Greg Monroe can be that guy. Hoyas faithful have been waiting for the 6-foot-10 talent to live up to the hype all season. He’s not aggressive enough on the offensive end and defers open shots far too often.
Georgetown was nearly upset, if you can still call it that, by St. John’s in New York last week. The Hoyas know what to look for this time around and handle a very raw Red Storm roster.
Final score prediction: Georgetown 71, St. John’s 52
Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-10.5)
The biggest disappointment in college basketball is out to save face. And it all starts with having a little pride on defense.
Notre Dame allowed Big East foes to average 75 points on over 43 percent shooting. They don’t pressure much, don’t jump the passing lanes, rank last in the Big East in blocks and have only forced just over 12 turnovers per game.
Luke Harangody can post as many double-doubles as he likes, but until the Irish start fighting on the other end of the floor they will continue to fall short of expectations.
They only beat Rutgers by five points at home in the teams’ lone meeting this season. The Knights are fiddling with their rotation, getting solid work on defense from coach Fred Hill’s moves. Freshman stud Mike Rosario is coming off a poor showing in the season finale but did drop 20 points on the Irish on a busy shooting night back on Feb. 25.
Notre Dame’s talent will squeak out another win in MSG Tuesday.
Final score prediction: Notre Dame 68, Rutgers 64
South Florida Bulls vs. Seton Hall Pirates (-5)
South Florida is playing in its first Big East tournament thanks to the 16-team, free-for-all format of this year’s competition.
The Bulls need to find a way to live without shooting guard Jesus Verdejo, who is battling numerous foot ailments. South Florida’s game-breaker returned in the season finale after sitting out a loss to WVU and a win over Cincinnati. He played just 22 minutes and scored five points and is questionable for Tuesday’s game.
Without Verdejo at full strength, opponents are collapsing on leading scorer Dominique Jones. Not having guard Mike Mercer (out with knee injury) has left Jones playing the point more than coach Stan Heath would like.
Freshman transfer Augustus Gilchrist could be the Bulls' saving grace. Since becoming eligible in December, the former Maryland Terrapin has averaged double figures and has the ability to explode for 20-plus points. He scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds against the Pirates earlier this year.
The Bulls offense is the worst in the Big East and will have trouble keeping pace if Verdejo sits or plays limited minutes. Gilchrist will show freshman nerves with his limited big game experience.
Final score prediction: Seton Hall 74, South Florida 59
PRINCETON (12 - 14) at PENNSYLVANIA (10 - 17) - 3/10/2009, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PRINCETON is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) as a road underdog of 3 points or less or pick over the last 3 seasons.
PRINCETON is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) on Tuesday nights over the last 3 seasons.
PRINCETON is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.
PRINCETON is 12-23 ATS (-13.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
PRINCETON is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.
PENNSYLVANIA is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in all home games this season.
PENNSYLVANIA is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in home lined games this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
PENNSYLVANIA is 5-0 against the spread versus PRINCETON over the last 3 seasons
PENNSYLVANIA is 5-0 straight up against PRINCETON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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DEPAUL (8 - 23) vs. CINCINNATI (18 - 13) - 3/10/2009, 12:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DEPAUL is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in all games this season.
DEPAUL is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in all lined games this season.
DEPAUL is 7-14 ATS (-8.4 Units) as an underdog this season.
DEPAUL is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) on Tuesday nights over the last 3 seasons.
DEPAUL is 18-35 ATS (-20.5 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
DEPAUL is 2-1 against the spread versus CINCINNATI over the last 3 seasons
DEPAUL is 2-1 straight up against CINCINNATI over the last 3 seasons
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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GEORGETOWN (16 - 13) vs. ST JOHNS (15 - 16) - 3/10/2009, 2:20 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GEORGETOWN is 8-16 ATS (-9.6 Units) in all games this season.
GEORGETOWN is 8-16 ATS (-9.6 Units) in all lined games this season.
GEORGETOWN is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) against conference opponents this season.
GEORGETOWN is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) after a conference game this season.
GEORGETOWN is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) after scoring 60 points or less this season.
ST JOHNS is 25-12 ATS (+11.8 Units) on Tuesday nights since 1997.
ST JOHNS is 29-12 ATS (+15.8 Units) in road games after scoring 60 points or less since 1997.
GEORGETOWN is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in first round tournament games since 1997.
ST JOHNS is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ST JOHNS is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
ST JOHNS is 2-2 against the spread versus GEORGETOWN over the last 3 seasons
GEORGETOWN is 3-1 straight up against ST JOHNS over the last 3 seasons
4 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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RUTGERS (11 - 20) vs. NOTRE DAME (17 - 13) - 3/10/2009, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NOTRE DAME is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) after a conference game this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
RUTGERS is 3-0 against the spread versus NOTRE DAME over the last 3 seasons
NOTRE DAME is 3-0 straight up against RUTGERS over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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S FLORIDA (9 - 21) vs. SETON HALL (16 - 14) - 3/10/2009, 9:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SETON HALL is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) after a conference game this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
SETON HALL is 4-0 against the spread versus S FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
SETON HALL is 4-0 straight up against S FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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E MICHIGAN (8 - 23) vs. C MICHIGAN (11 - 18) - 3/10/2009, 12:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
C MICHIGAN is 3-3 against the spread versus E MICHIGAN over the last 3 seasons
E MICHIGAN is 4-2 straight up against C MICHIGAN over the last 3 seasons
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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N ILLINOIS (10 - 19) vs. KENT ST (18 - 13) - 3/10/2009, 2:20 PM
Top Trends for this game.
N ILLINOIS is 0-8 ATS (-8.8 Units) in road games against conference opponents this season.
N ILLINOIS is 4-11 ATS (-8.1 Units) after a conference game this season.
KENT ST is 99-72 ATS (+19.8 Units) as a favorite since 1997.
KENT ST is 21-7 ATS (+13.3 Units) on Tuesday nights since 1997.
KENT ST is 69-45 ATS (+19.5 Units) off a win against a conference rival since 1997.
N ILLINOIS is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) on Tuesday nights over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
N ILLINOIS is 2-1 against the spread versus KENT ST over the last 3 seasons
KENT ST is 3-0 straight up against N ILLINOIS over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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OHIO U (14 - 16) vs. W MICHIGAN (10 - 20) - 3/10/2009, 5:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OHIO U is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in road games after scoring 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
OHIO U is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in road games versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=64 points/game after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.
OHIO U is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) in road games versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=64 points/game over the last 3 seasons.
OHIO U is 97-71 ATS (+18.9 Units) as a favorite since 1997.
OHIO U is 58-26 ATS (+29.4 Units) revenging a road loss vs opponent since 1997.
W MICHIGAN is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in all games this season.
W MICHIGAN is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in all lined games this season.
W MICHIGAN is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in all neutral court games over the last 3 seasons.
W MICHIGAN is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) after a conference game this season.
W MICHIGAN is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) when playing on a neutral court over the last 3 seasons.
W MICHIGAN is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
W MICHIGAN is 2-1 against the spread versus OHIO U over the last 3 seasons
OHIO U is 2-1 straight up against W MICHIGAN over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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TOLEDO (7 - 24) vs. AKRON (19 - 12) - 3/10/2009, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TOLEDO is 10-18 ATS (-9.8 Units) in all games this season.
TOLEDO is 10-18 ATS (-9.8 Units) in all lined games this season.
TOLEDO is 6-18 ATS (-13.8 Units) as an underdog this season.
TOLEDO is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in road games against conference opponents this season.
TOLEDO is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) in road games after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
TOLEDO is 7-19 ATS (-13.9 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent since 1997.
TOLEDO is 9-22 ATS (-15.2 Units) in road games in all tournament games since 1997.
TOLEDO is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game this season.
AKRON is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) on Tuesday nights since 1997.
AKRON is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
AKRON is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
TOLEDO is 29-14 ATS (+13.6 Units) when playing with one or less days rest since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
AKRON is 2-1 against the spread versus TOLEDO over the last 3 seasons
AKRON is 2-1 straight up against TOLEDO over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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CLEVELAND ST (24 - 10) at BUTLER (26 - 4) - 3/10/2009, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND ST is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) in conference tournament games since 1997.
BUTLER is 55-37 ATS (+14.3 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
BUTLER is 55-37 ATS (+14.3 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
BUTLER is 35-19 ATS (+14.1 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
BUTLER is 13-6 ATS (+6.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
BUTLER is 4-3 against the spread versus CLEVELAND ST over the last 3 seasons
BUTLER is 6-1 straight up against CLEVELAND ST over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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FRESNO ST (12 - 20) vs. HAWAII (13 - 16) - 3/10/2009, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FRESNO ST is 20-33 ATS (-16.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
FRESNO ST is 20-33 ATS (-16.3 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
FRESNO ST is 11-22 ATS (-13.2 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
FRESNO ST is 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
FRESNO ST is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
FRESNO ST is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
HAWAII is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in road games after scoring 60 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
HAWAII is 6-20 ATS (-16.0 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
HAWAII is 6-0 against the spread versus FRESNO ST over the last 3 seasons
HAWAII is 5-1 straight up against FRESNO ST over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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MONTANA ST (14 - 16) vs. PORTLAND ST (21 - 9) - 3/10/2009, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND ST is 4-3 against the spread versus MONTANA ST over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND ST is 5-2 straight up against MONTANA ST over the last 3 seasons
6 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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IDAHO ST (13 - 18) at WEBER ST (21 - 8) - 3/10/2009, 9:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
IDAHO ST is 24-35 ATS (-14.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
IDAHO ST is 24-35 ATS (-14.5 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
IDAHO ST is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
IDAHO ST is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
IDAHO ST is 52-80 ATS (-36.0 Units) after a conference game since 1997.
WEBER ST is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) in all games this season.
WEBER ST is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) in all lined games this season.
WEBER ST is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) in all home games over the last 2 seasons.
WEBER ST is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.
WEBER ST is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) against conference opponents this season.
WEBER ST is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) after a conference game this season.
WEBER ST is 12-2 ATS (+9.8 Units) off a win against a conference rival this season.
WEBER ST is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
WEBER ST is 3-3 against the spread versus IDAHO ST over the last 3 seasons
WEBER ST is 4-2 straight up against IDAHO ST over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
12:00 PM
DEPAUL vs. CINCINNATI
DePaul is 6-17 SU in its last 23 games when playing Cincinnati
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of DePaul's last 5 games when playing Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Cincinnati is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
12:00 PM
EASTERN MICHIGAN vs. CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Eastern Michigan is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Central Michigan
Eastern Michigan is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games when playing Central Michigan
Central Michigan is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Central Michigan's last 11 games
2:00 PM
GEORGETOWN vs. ST. JOHN'S
Georgetown is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Georgetown is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games
St. John's is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Georgetown
St. John's is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Georgetown
2:00 PM
NORTHERN ILLINOIS vs. KENT STATE
Northern Illinois is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Kent State
Northern Illinois is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Kent State
Kent State is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Kent State is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games
4:00 PM
OHIO vs. WESTERN MICHIGAN
Ohio is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Ohio is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Western Michigan is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Ohio
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Western Michigan's last 6 games when playing Ohio
7:00 PM
IDAHO STATE vs. PORTLAND STATE
Idaho State is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Portland State
Idaho State is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Portland State
Portland State is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Portland State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
7:00 PM
RUTGERS vs. NOTRE DAME
Rutgers is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Rutgers is 2-17 SU in its last 19 games
Notre Dame is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Rutgers
Notre Dame is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Rutgers
7:10 PM
TOLEDO vs. AKRON
Toledo is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Toledo is 8-15 ATS in its last 23 games
Akron is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Akron's last 6 games
8:00 PM
PRINCETON vs. PENNSYLVANIA
Princeton is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Pennsylvania
Princeton is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Pennsylvania is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
9:00 PM
CLEVELAND STATE vs. BUTLER
Cleveland State is 4-10-1 ATS in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Butler
Cleveland State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Butler
Butler is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Butler is 20-1 SU in its last 21 games at home
9:00 PM
SOUTH FLORIDA vs. SETON HALL
South Florida is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of South Florida's last 10 games
Seton Hall is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing South Florida
Seton Hall is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing South Florida
9:30 PM
MONTANA STATE vs. WEBER STATE
Montana State is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Weber State
Montana State is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Weber State
Weber State is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Weber State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
10:30 PM
FRESNO STATE vs. HAWAII
Fresno State is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Hawaii
Fresno State is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Hawaii
Hawaii is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games
Hawaii is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
12:00 PM
SAINT LOUIS vs. LA SALLE
Saint Louis is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games
Saint Louis is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
La Salle is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
La Salle is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
PRINCETON at PENNSYLVANIA, 8:00 PM ET
PRINCETON: 10-3 Under vs. conference
PENNSYLVANIA: 1-8 ATS in home games
Big East Tournament First Round - New York, NY
DEPAUL vs. CINCINNATI, 12:00 PM ET
DEPAUL: 7-1 Over on neutral court
CINCINNATI: 1-13 ATS if home favorite last game
GEORGETOWN vs. ST JOHNS, 2:20 PM ET
GEORGETOWN: 1-11 ATS off an Under
ST JOHNS: 21-7 ATS Away off DD conference loss
RUTGERS vs. NOTRE DAME, 7:00 PM ET
RUTGERS: 6-0 ATS if favored last game
NOTRE DAME: 1-7 ATS off ATS win
S FLORIDA vs. SETON HALL, 9:30 PM ET
S FLORIDA: 9-19 ATS revenging DD loss
SETON HALL: 4-0 ATS vs. South Florida
MAC Tournament First Round - Cleveland, OH
E MICHIGAN vs. C MICHIGAN, 12:00 PM ET
E MICHIGAN: 2-8 ATS off BB SU wins
C MICHIGAN: 8-2 Over in conf tournament
N ILLINOIS vs. KENT ST, 2:20 PM ET
N ILLINOIS: 0-8 ATS Away vs. conference
KENT ST: 7-0 ATS Away off BB wins by 6pts or less
OHIO U vs. W MICHIGAN, 5:00 PM ET
OHIO U: 6-0 ATS off BB road games
W MICHIGAN: 2-10 ATS on neutral court
TOLEDO vs. AKRON, 7:30 PM ET
TOLEDO: 6-18 ATS as a dog
AKRON: 23-12 ATS off ATS loss
Horizon League Championship - @ Butler
CLEVELAND ST at BUTLER, 9:00 PM ET
CLEVELAND ST: 3-13 ATS in conf tournament
BUTLER: 35-19 ATS after allowing 60 points or less
WAC Tournament First Round - Reno, NV
FRESNO ST vs. HAWAII, 10:30 PM ET
FRESNO ST: 2-10 ATS when the line is +3 to -3
HAWAII: 6-0 ATS Away off DD loss
Added Games
Big Sky Conference Semifinals - Ogden, UT
MONTANA ST vs. PORTLAND ST, 7:00 PM ET
MONTANA ST: 1-9 ATS playing w/ same season revenge
PORTLAND ST: 9-0 Over after allowing 65 points or less BB games
IDAHO ST at WEBER ST, 9:30 PM ET
IDAHO ST: 11-21 ATS in road games
WEBER ST: 13-1 ATS off BB SU wins
NCAAB Today
Notes on today's games.
Pennsylvania forced 20 turnovers, won 62-55 at Princeton 62-55 in OT Feb 17, grabbing 17 offensive rebounds. This is last game for both sides, as Cornell won Ivy League. Quakers are 1-5 SU in Ivy home games, 1-4 as home favorites, with only home win 64-54 vs Brown. Princeton lost six of last nine games, are 2-2 as an Ivy League road underdog.
Big East tournament (NYC)
DePaul went 0-16 in Big East, are making just second appearance in Big East tournament; they lost to Villanova by 8 in previous visit. Demons hung in there, covering four of last five games, but 0-16 is 0-16- they lost 59-55 at home to Cincinnati Jan 17 (even, trailed 36-25 at half). Cincy is 1-5 in last six games, 2-3 vs spread as a Big East fave, 1-5 in this event.
Georgetown lost 59-56 in OT to St John's here last week; they're 4-10 in last 14 games, 1-8 vs spread in last nine tries as Big East favorite. Hoyas scored 58 or less points in last four games; they're 8-3 in this event the last four years. Red Storm are 3-2 in last five games, but are 2-9 against spread in last 11 games as an underdog- this is their home court.
Notre Dame (-15) beat Rutgers 70-65 Feb 25, outscoring Knights 16-1 at foul line; Harangody was just 7-25 from floor in that game. Rutgers lost eight of last nine games, is 5-7 vs spread in last 12 tries as Big East dog. Irish are 1-6 vs spread in last seven games as favorite; they're 1-8 in last nine games away from home, they lost first game in this event three of the last four years.
Seton Hall started Big East season 0-6, rallied to finish 7-11; they're 3-1 vs spread as Big East favorite, beating South Florida 75-60 Feb 25 (-7.5) in game Knights made 9-18 from arc, USF 1-12 (Pirates had a turnover ratio of +12). Bulls lost seven of last eight games, but are 5-3 vs spread in last eight games as underdog. This is their first Big East tourney.
Mid-American tournament
Eastern Michigan won last four games after starting MAC season 2-10; they covered seven of last nine games, and beat Central Michigan twice, winning 84-77 at home in double OT Jan 13 (-4), then 57-56 at Central Feb 28 (+9). Chippewas are 5-3 in last eight games, covered three of last four as MAC favorite. Eastern covered five of last six as an underdog.
Kent State won 10 of last 12 games, beating OVC champ Morehead St in Bracket Busters; Flashes won 86-83 in double OT at Northern Illinois Feb 10, in game where both sides went to line 40+ times. Northern is 2-9 vs spread in last 11 tries as MAC dog; they went 4-3 in last seven games after starting 2-8 in MAC. Kent covered two of last six as a favorite.
Ohio U lost five of last six games, losing 75-41 in last game Sunday, so they have issues; Bobcats lost 76-62 at Western Michigan Feb 11 (+1), in game where both sides made 10-20 from arc. Ohio is 2-5 vs spread in last seven tries as a favorite. Western lost nine of last 12 games, are 1-3 vs spread this season as a MAC underdog.
Akron (--6.5) won 70-61 at Toledo Jan 28; Zips are 3-4 in its last seven games, after 6-game win streak in midseason. Akron is 7-4 vs spread in last 11 tries as a favorite, 4-1 as favorite in this event. Toledo went 3-2 in last five MAC games after 2-9 start; they're 3-10 vs spread as a dog in MAC play. Rockets won first game in this event the last three years.
Horizon League final
Cleveland State lost twice to Butler, 50-48 at home Dec 4 (+2.5), 58-56 on this floor Feb 28 (+7); Vikings won 10 of their last 12 games, are 3-1 vs spread as underdog this year. Butler is 7-2 in last nine games, but 1-4 vs spread in last five games as favorite. State has four seniors in its five top players; Butler has three freshmen, a sophomore and a junior.
Sun Belt Conference final
Western Kentucky beat South Alabama twice this season, 69-66 on road Dec 18 (+3.5), 67-59 at home Feb 7 (-7.5); Hilltoppers were 18-37 from arc in the two games. Jaguars are 6-1 since the last Western game, are 3-4 vs spread as a dog this season- they start four seniors. Western won last six games, are 5-1 vs spread in last six tries as a favorite.
Big Sky tournament
Home side won both Idaho State-Portland State games this year, as the Vikings won 85-58 at home Feb 10 (-11), shooting 57% from floor, then losing 78-69 in Pocatello Feb 12 (-3.5), making just 10-30 from the arc. Bengals won six of last seven games, but were down 6 at half Saturday in first round win vs No. Colorado- they're 3-5 as a Big Sky underdog.
Weber State won its last 12 games, covered its last ten; they won 84-64 at Montana State last Tuesday (-3.5), after getting upset at home by the Bobcats 75-70 in first meeting Jan 15 (-7). MSU had lost five of last six games before upsetting Montana in Missoula Saturday- they're 8-5 vs spread in last 13 games as dog. Weber covered last six as a favorite.
Tips and Trends
Horizon Title Game: Cleveland State vs. #17 Butler
Cleveland State: The Vikings will try to beat a Top 25 opponent for just the second time this season after topping Syracuse on a 60-foot shot by J'Nathan Bullock at the Carrier Dome back on December 15th. Cleveland State beat Wisconsin-Green Bay 73-67 on Saturday to advance to the championship game behind 23 points from Norris Cole, overcoming a 12-point deficit in the first half to win for the 11th time in 13 games.
Cleveland State is 5-16 ATS in its last 21 Tuesday games.
The OVER is 8-3 in Cleveland State's last 11 games overall.
Key Injuries - F D'Aundray Brown (knee) is doubtful.
PROJECTED SCORE: 58 (Side Play of the Day)
Butler (-6, O/U 119.5): The Bulldogs continue another impressive run through the Horizon League despite playing the entire season without a senior on the roster. They have gone 15-3 in conference play and swept Cleveland State this season, winning each game by two points apiece. “We could have won the game, and we should have won the game,” said Vikings head coach Gary Waters after seeing Butler beat them for the second time on a putback basket with less than a minute left.
Butler is 4-7 ATS in its last 11 games overall.
The OVER is 8-2 in Butler's last 10 games overall.
Key Injuries - G Shelvin Mack (leg) is questionable.
PROJECTED SCORE: 61