Week 14 NCAA basketball betting preview
By: Willie Bee
If you thought you were going to have time to catch your breath and regroup following the Super Bowl, think again. Rivalry week arrives on the college basketball betting schedule Monday with ESPN flooding its airwaves with a huge list of conference matchups.
Week 13 didn't turn out to be unlucky for most of last week's top 10, though Kentucky might argue that. Ranked No. 10 last week, the Wildcats dropped a pair of close road contests at Mississippi (71-69) and Florida (70-68). Kentucky now has to try and get its act back together against a pair of Volunteer State rivals, Tennessee and Kentucky.
No. 6 Connecticut was the only other top-10 school to suffer a loss this past week, falling 66-58 as three-point home chalk to Syracuse who was coming off four consecutive defeats. The Huskies did manage to get back in the win column on Saturday, but just barely in a 61-59 win once again as three-point favorites.
UConn has now dropped its last three games at the NCAA betting window after beginning the season 10-3 against the spread.
Here's a quick glance at where the most recent AP top 10 will be in action over the next seven days.
1. Ohio State (24-0 SU, 11-10 ATS)
The Buckeyes have a light week with just one game, and it's a big one. Ohio State travels to Wisconsin on Saturday (Feb. 12) in a collision of ranked schools that finds the Buckeyes looking for their first win in Madison since March 2003. The two schools swapped home wins and covers last season, both games finishing 'under' the total.
2. Kansas (22-1, 11-10)
Bill Self's crew begins the week at home Monday (Feb. 7) against their rivals from Missouri. The Jayhawks currently own a three-game SU and ATS streak versus the Tigers who last won in Lawrence in 1999. Kansas will remain at Allen Fieldhouse for Saturday's matchup with Iowa State.
3. Texas (20-3, 14-4)
The Longhorns put their eight-game win streak on the line Wednesday (Feb. 9) in a rivalry matchup at Oklahoma before ending the week at home versus Baylor. Texas split with the Sooners last season, losing in Norman as seven-point chalk, and dropped all three of its games against Baylor including a 19-point loss in a pick 'em during the Big 12 Tournament.
4. Pittsburgh (21-2, 9-9)
Pitt begins the week on Monday with a Backyard Brawl battle at West Virginia. The Panthers were skinned in Morgantown last season, 70-51, as 10-point underdogs. Jamie Dixon's gang closes the week in Philadelphia for a big contest against Villanova on Saturday, a game we will preview here at Don Best Sports.
5. Duke (21-2, 12-10)
What would rivalry week be without a Blue Devils, Tar Heels matchup? The two ACC foes square off at Cameron on Wednesday, with the rematch coming March 5 in Chapel Hill. Duke closes the week on the road Sunday (Feb. 13) in Miami against a Hurricanes team it beat 74-63 at home on Jan. 2 as 19-point chalk.
6. Connecticut (18-4, 10-6)
UConn searches for consistency following a pair of losses and close win at Seton Hall when Jim Calhoun's crew faces a tough test at St. John's on Thursday (Feb. 10). The Huskies finish the week at home next Sunday versus Providence.
7. San Diego State (23-1, 13-9)
The Aztecs will be home to host Utah on Tuesday (Feb. 8) and Steve Fisher's biggest job in that one will be to keep his team from looking ahead to Saturday's road trip to Las Vegas. SDSU got past UNLV at home on Jan. 12 in a defensive struggle, 55-49, covering as 4½-point chalk.
8. Brigham Young (22-2, 9-11)
Jimmer Fredette and the Cougars will be in Colorado Springs on Wednesday to take on Air Force, then return home for Saturday's matchup against Utah. Brigham Young beat both schools back-to-back in January, failing to cover a huge 21-point spread at home against the Falcons (76-66) then easily covering the 12-point line in Salt Lake Cit versus the Utes (104-79).
9. Notre Dame (18-4, 11-7)
The Fighting Irish have a tough test at home on Wednesday against No. 15 Louisville. The two played a double-overtime thriller last year at Freedom hall where the Cardinals came away 91-89 winners as 12-point favorites. Notre Dame closes the week Saturday in Tampa against South Florida.
10. Kentucky (16-6, 8-9)
John Calipari versus Bruce Pearl, that's the coaching matchup on Tuesday when the Wildcats host the Volunteers. Kentucky then heads to Nashville on Saturday to meet Vanderbilt.