College Basketball Top 25 Saturday Betting Cheat Sheet
Saturday’s college basketball slate has plenty of wagering options for NCAA hoop heads. We look at the biggest and best matchups featuring Top 25 teams with our NCAAB betting cheat sheet.
(15) North Carolina Tar Heels at Pittsburgh Panthers
*Since defeating then-No. 2 Duke on Jan. 11, N.C. State has dropped each of its three games against ranked conference foes by a total of nine points.
*If Pitt will want to compete against UNC, they will need better shot selection from their guards who went 7-of-21 in their last game against Louisville.
(21) Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan State Spartans
*D’Angelo Russell certainly does not lack the confidence and swagger of a top player nationally. “Personally, I feel like it’s scary for my opponents because I feel like I get better in every game,” Russell said Tuesday.
*Spartans’ senior Branden Dawson averages 11.8 points and a Big Ten-leading 9.9 rebounds after grabbing at least 10 in nine of his 11 league games.
(16) Baylor Bears at (9) Kansas Jayhawks
*Baylor averages 10 more rebounds than their opponents, second in the conference to Texas and third nationally.
*Kansas will be without assistant coach Jerrance Howard, who has been suspended two weeks due to a marijuana possession fine.
South Carolina Gamecocks at (1) Kentucky Wildcats
*South Carolina lost six of seven games before posting a 65-60 victory over Missouri on Tuesday. The Gamecocks committed just 10 turnovers – the fourth time they’ve had 10 or fewer miscues – and piled up 10 steals in a strong effort.
*Though much has been made of UK’s undefeated season, coach John Calipari sure doesn’t seem too invested. During the Wildcats game against LSU, Calipari said “They’re going to learn their lesson on this. We’re not losing in March because of a play like that…I hope we lose.”
(22) VCU Rams at George Washington Colonials
*VCU routed the Colonials 72-48 on Jan. 27 en route to its 12th consecutive victory, but have dropped three of four as Briante Weber (knee) and Treveon Graham (ankle) have succumbed to injury.
*The Colonials, who were one of 11 Division I teams not to allow more than 75 points in a game prior to Wednesday, rank third in the conference in scoring defense and first in rebounding margin.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons at (3) Virginia Cavaliers
*The Demon Deacons’ last three victories have come by a total of nine points and nine of their last 11 games have been decided by single digits, including contests that went to overtime and double overtime.
*”I used to think Kansas had one of the best home-court advantages I’d ever seen, and I have to put Virginia, in terms of arena and fans culture, in the same league with Kansas,” Louisville’s Rick Pitino said on the ACC coaches’ teleconference. “And the reason I say that is … usually fans get bored by defense.”
(20) West Virginia Mountaineers at (14) Iowa State Cyclones
*WVU looked terrible in the second half against Kansas State. After shooting 62 percent in the first, they dropped to 28 percent in the second half.
*The Cyclones have had one of the toughest stretches in college basketball over the past month, but coach Fred Hoiberg is more worried about mental fatigue. “These past couple weeks, there’s been a lot of things said out there that we’re worthless and we’re not a very good basketball team, and I could just see a little mental fatigue from the guys.”
N.C. State Wolfpack at (8) Louisville Cardinals
*Since defeating then-No. 2 Duke on Jan. 11, N.C. State has dropped each of its three games against ranked conference foes by a total of nine points.
*In winning five of its last six games, Louisville has shot a combined 47.9 percent from the field (148-of-309), shooting 50 percent or above in three of those games.
(5) Duke Blue Devils at Syracuse Orange
*The Blue Devils come into this game with their first rest in quite some time. “My team has been through the ringer,” coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “They’ve come out pretty well, winning all but one of those (last eight games). We have to get a little bit refreshed right now.”
*Michael Gbinije has been the star of late, averaging 20.7 points on 71.1 percent shooting in the last three games. “He’s just played well,” coach Jim Boeheim said of his junior swingman. “He’s played well for a long time. He’s having a tremendous year. He’s overlooked a little bit.”
(6) Villanova Wildcats at (18) Butler Bulldogs
*The Wildcats have won five straight by an average of 14.8 points after suffering a 20-point loss at Georgetown on Jan.19.
*The Bulldogs have not played since topping DePaul 83-73 on Feb. 7 and will attempt to improve to 13-1 on their home court while avenging a 67-55 loss at Villanova in the league opener on New Year’s Eve.
(24) Oklahoma State Cowboys at TCU Horned Frogs
*The Cowboys have been dominant against Texas opponents this season, going 7-0 straight up and against the spread.
*TCU has suspended junior Charles Hill Jr. indefinitely for “conduct unbecoming of a TCU Men’s Basketball player.”
(13) Wichita State Shockers at Illinois State Redbirds
*The Shockers have held their last three opponents under 60 points and limited Indiana State to 34.8 percent from the field on Wednesday after limiting Missouri State to 25 percent while forcing a total of 31 turnovers.
*The Redbirds didn’t do the Shockers any favors by falling at Northern Iowa on Wednesday but have won four of their last five home games.
Pepperdine Waves at (2) Gonzaga Bulldogs
*Pepperdine is having trouble finding that same sort of scoring punch of late and failed to reach 53 points while dropping its last two games to San Diego and Portland.
*Gonzaga has taken 27 in a row from the Waves, and 16 in a row at home.
(17) Oklahoma Sooners at Kansas State Wildcats
*Oklahoma is surging at just the right time. The Sooners were 3-4 in Big 12 play three weeks ago but have since reeled off five straight wins – all by at least eight points.
*The Wildcats are expected to reinstate leading scorer Marcus Foster (14.0 ppg) and Malek Harris by Saturday’s game.
(19) Maryland Terrapins at Penn State Nittany Lions
*Coach Mark Turgeon is not happy with his teams efforts lately. “There’s a lot of guys in that [locker] room who are seniors. You’ve got [six] regular season games left. We just trying to be mediocre? Or are we trying to have a great year? What are we gonna do?”
*Penn State has held seven consecutive opponents below their season average in scoring, but are 3-4 in those games.
(23) Arkansas Razorbacks at Ole Miss Rebels
*After leading the SEC in assists last season, Arkansas is back at it again. The Razorbacks are sixth nationally with 17.1 assists per game, highlighted by eight games of 20+ assists.
*No one on Ole Miss is playing more than 29 minutes a game, and 10 players are averaging at least 10 minutes a game.
UConn Huskies at (25) SMU Mustangs
*UConn has won three straight for the first time since AAC play began and posted its most impressive win with a 70-45 triumph over Tulsa on Thursday.
*The 25th-ranked Mustangs took over first place in the AAC with UConn’s win over Tulsa and their own victory over Houston on Thursday and have won 10 of their last 11.
POINTWISE
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
KEY RELEASES
LSU over Tennessee (Sat) RATING: 1
NO CAROLINA ST over Louisville (Sat) RATING: 2
MISSISSIPPI over Arkansas (Sat) RATING: 3
CREIGHTON over Marquette (Sat) RATING: 5
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14 SCORE
(12:00) MICHIGAN STATE 70 – Ohio State 68 (ESPN) _____ _____
(12:00) CLEMSON 67 – Virginia Tech 64 _____ _____
(12:00) North Carolina 78 – PITTSBURGH 71 _____ _____
(12:00) WESTERN MICHIGAN 65 – Northern Illinois 59 _____ _____
(12:00) Memphis 74 – SOUTH FLORIDA 67 (ESPNU) _____ _____
(12:30) DAYTON 76 – St Bonaventure 70 (NBCS) _____ _____
(12:30) XAVIER 82 – St Johns 81 (FOX) _____ _____
(1:00) KANSAS 77 – Baylor 71 (CBS) _____ _____
(1:00) CREIGHTON 63 – Marquette 57 (FOX 1) _____ _____
(2:00) RHODE ISLAND 75 – Saint Louis 55 _____ _____
(2:00) CINCINNATI 76 – Tulane 53 (CBSC) _____ _____
(2:00) TEMPLE 81 – East Carolina 60 _____ _____
(2:00) BUFFALO 88 – Central Michigan 72 _____ _____
(2:00) TOLEDO 77 – Kent State 75 _____ _____
(2:00) GEORGIA 74 – Auburn 64 (FSN) _____ _____
(2:00) KENTUCKY 79 – South Carolina 48 (ESPN) _____ _____
(2:00) Davidson 82 – LASALLE 70 _____ _____
(2:00) GEO WASHINGTON 67 – Va Common 66 (ESPN2) _____ _____
(2:30) EASTERN MICHIGAN 72 – Akron 71 _____ _____
(2:00) WILLIAM & MARY 90 – Delaware 73 (NBCS) _____ _____
(2:30) VIRGINIA 84 – Wake Forest 65 _____ _____
(2:30) Florida State 72 – GEORGIA TECH 69 _____ _____
(3:00) TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO 75 – Charlotte 74 _____ _____
(3:00) LA-MONROE 69 – Appalachian State 55 _____ _____
(3:00) UCLA 84 – Oregon 68 (FOX) _____ _____
(3:30) MIAMI-OHIO 63 – Ohio U 62 _____ _____
(4:00) INDIANA STATE 81 – Drake 65 _____ _____
(4:00) SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 67 – Evansville 66 _____ _____
(4:00) Lsu 73 – TENNESSEE 68 (SEC) _____ _____
(4:00) Mississippi State 64 – MISSOURI 60 (ESPNU) _____ _____
(4:00) SAN DIEGO 67 – Saint Marys 63 _____ _____
(4:00) LOUISVILLE 80 – North Carolina State 77 (ESPN) _____ _____
(4:00) MASSACHUSETTS 79 – Duquesne 59 _____ _____
(4:00) Richmond 73 – GEORGE MASON 64 _____ _____
(4:00) PROVIDENCE 81 – Seton Hall 73 (FOX 1) _____ _____
(4:00) IOWA STATE 86 – West Virginia 75 (ESPN2) _____ _____
(4:30) Bowling Green 67 – BALL STATE 58 _____ _____
(5:00) SOUTH ALABAMA 82 – Texas-Arlington 81 _____ _____
(5:00) SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 64 – Oregon State 58 _____ _____
(5:15) TROY 75 – La-Lafayette 73 _____ _____
(5:30) MARSHALL 69 – Western Kentucky 66 _____ _____
(5:30) Georgia State 63 – TEXAS STATE 54 _____ _____
(6:00) Oklahoma State 72 – Tcu 69 _____ _____
(6:00) Duke 80 – SYRACUSE 75 (ESPN) _____ _____
(6:00) BUTLER 73 – Villanova 70 (CBSC) _____ _____
(6:00) WYOMING 81 – San Jose State 49 _____ _____
(6:00) New Mexico 78 – NEVADA 76 _____ _____
(6:00) Wichita State 67 – ILLINOIS STATE 53 (ESPN2) _____ _____
(6:00) HARVARD 74 – Cornell 65 _____ _____
(6:00) PRINCETON 78 – Yale 74 _____ _____
(6:30) TEXAS A&M 65 – Florida 64 (SEC) _____ _____
(7:00) LOUISIANA TECH 80 – Florida International 68 _____ _____
(7:00) Brown 63 – PENNSYLVANIA 61 _____ _____
(7:00) DARTMOUTH 74 – Columbia 73 _____ _____
(7:00) ELON 72 – James Madison 71 _____ _____
(8:00) Georgia Southern 77 – ARK-LITTLE ROCK 67 _____ _____
(8:00) Cal-Irvine 70 – CAL-RIVERSIDE 59 _____ _____
(8:00) Uab 70 – RICE 55
(8:00) NORTH TEXAS 67 – Middle Tennessee State 66 _____ _____
(8:00) GONZAGA 94 – Pepperdine 70 _____ _____
(8:00) ALABAMA 72 – Vanderbilt 62 (ESPN2) _____ _____
(8:00) SAN DIEGO STATE 75 – Colorado State 65 (CBSC) _____ _____
(8:00) UNC-WILMINGTON 68 – Northeastern 64 _____ _____
(8:00) TEXAS 83 – Texas Tech 53 _____ _____
(8:00) Oklahoma 67 – KANSAS STATE 60 (ESPN2) _____ _____
(8:00) SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI 59 – Florida Atlantic 56 _____ _____
(8:30) PENN STATE 70 – Maryland 62 (BIG10) _____ _____
(9:00) SMU 81 – Connecticut 66 (ESPN) _____ _____
(9:00) MISSISSIPPI 84 – Arkansas 67 (SEC) _____ _____
(9:00) BYU 97 – Pacific 68 _____ _____
(9:00) UTEP 86 – Old Dominion 75 _____ _____
(10:00) Cal-Santa Barbara 71 – CAL-NORTHRIDGE 65 _____ _____
(10:00) CAL-POLY SLO 67 – Long Beach State 66 _____ _____
(10:00) PORTLAND 69 – Loyola-Marymount 68 _____ _____
(10:00) Boise State 76 – FRESNO STATE 69 _____ _____
(10:00) Unlv 68 – AIR FORCE 67 _____ _____
(12:00) HAWAII 84 – Cal-Fullerton 66 _____ _____
BEST BETS: CREIGHTON(5), DAVIDSON, WILLIAM & MARY, LSU(1),
NORTH CAROLINA STATE(2), SYRACUSE, GA SOUTHERN, UAB, PENN
STATE, MISSISSIPPI(3), BYU, BOISE STATE.
Mid-Major Money: Big Profits from NCAAB Small Conferences
By DOC’S SPORTS
Some of the best betting value in college basketball is hiding beyond the power conferences. Each week Doc’s Sports takes a look at the little programs that could help you make big cash.
Team to Watch: Samford Bulldogs (12-14 SU, 14-6-1 ATS)
Upcoming: vs. Citadel on Thursday, at Chattanooga on Saturday
Samford lost to its two upcoming opponents, the Citadel and UT-Chattanooga, earlier this season. But a completely different Samford squad has been on display of late.
The Bulldogs started the season 7-14, a stretch that included a six-game losing streak in January—complete with their setbacks against the Citadel and UTC. Suddenly, however, they have won five in a row.
A young staff and a young roster may have been part of the reason why it took a while to gel. Now Samford’s surge under first-year head coach Scott Padgett is its longest since 2005-2006. Freshman Christen Cunningham can be thanked. On Tuesday he was named Southern Conference Freshman of the Week for a fourth time this season and he has scored in double-figures in six straight outings.
Samford is 14-6-1 ATS this season, including 5-0 ATS in its last five overall.
Team to Beware: Wright State Raiders (11-13 SU, 8-13 ATS)
Upcoming: vs. Illinois-Chicago on Thursday, vs. Youngstown State on Sunday
Wright States has lost six of its last seven games and it’s not difficult to figure out why. Leading scorer and rebounder J.T. Yoho (16.1 ppg, 6.7 apg) has missed six consecutive contests due to a foot injury and he will likely be out until late February. Fellow forward Steven Davis (7.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg) has been sidelined for the past 10 games—also with a foot injury.
The physical problems have forced head coach Billy Donlon to utilize a four-guard lineup. With matchup problems on defense, Wright State has given up an average of 81 points in its last three games.
“It is hard to guard midgets running around,” Cleveland State head coach Gary Waters said after his squad hammered the visiting Raiders 88-72 last Saturday.
Wright State is 8-13 ATS for its 2014-15 campaign. It is 0-3 ATS in its last three and 1-6 ATS in its last seven.
Total team: Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans (9-14 SU, 8-6-1 O/U)
Upcoming: at Appalachian State on Thursday, vs. Georgia Southern on Saturday
The Arkansas-Little Rock defense has taken a serious hit since James White went down with a stress fracture. White, who is leading the team in rebounding and has blocked 25 shots (including five games with at least three swats), is out for the season with a stress fracture.
A 6’8’’, 220-pound forward, White last played on Jan. 10 when the Trojans beat Appalachian State 64-46. They have since given up at least 64 points in eight straight games, and 75 or more in three of those eight contests.
At the same time, ALR is scoring plenty because its 10.7 turnovers a game are the fewest in the Sun Belt Conference.
The over is 10-3 in games involving the Trojans this season, including 6-0 in their last six overall. The over is 3-1 in both Appalachian State’s and Georgia Southern’s last four outings.
NCAAB Basketball Betting 3-Point Play: Three Interesting Opening Lines Saturday
by Alan Matthews
With all due respect to the Big East, I don’t consider it a power conference in college basketball any longer after losing Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Louisville. It’s probably the next-best one after the Power 5, sure. So what a surprise it is, then, that the best game on Saturday’s schedule is for first place in the Big East, with Villanova all but locking up the conference’s regular-season title for the second year in a row with a win over Butler. The Wildcats are +3000 to win the national title. Here’s a look at that game and two others that caught my eye.
No. 23 Ohio State at Michigan State (-1.5)
It’s a noon tip on ESPN for this Big Ten matchup, and the winner here will be in a better position to potentially finish second in the conference behind lock Big Ten champion Wisconsin. The Buckeyes (19-6, 8-4) have won five of their past six games and come off a 75-55 home rout of Penn State on Wednesday. Superstar freshman D’Angelo Russell had 17 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and Sam Thompson had a career-high 22 points. OSU played without occasional starting center Anthony Lee due to a groin injury, and he’s questionable here. He averages only 11 minutes per game. The Buckeyes played their third straight game without second-leading scorer Marc Loving, but he will come off suspension and face the Spartans. Loving is averaging 11.7 points and shoots a terrific 53.2 percent from long range. Loving has been practicing with Ohio State during his suspension.
Michigan State (16-8, 7-4) is in the NCAA Tournament as things stand, but Sparty doesn’t want to go on a three-game losing streak or anything because it’s close to the bubble. MSU comes off a 68-44 rout at Northwestern on Tuesday. Coach Tom Izzo wanted to give his offense a boost, so he started freshman Lourawls Nairn at point guard and brought second-leading scorer Travis Trice off the bench. It seemed to energize Trice as he had 16 points and made 4 of 6 from 3-point range. Trice averaged 11 points on 33 percent shooting in his previous six games. Izzo tied late Purdue coach Ward “Piggy” Lambert for third place on the all-time Big Ten victories list with 228 – Bobby Knight (353) and Gene Keady (265) are the only two ahead of Izzo.
This is the only regular-season meeting. The schools split two very close games last year, each winning at home.
Key trends: OSU is 4-1 ATS in its past five games. The Buckeyes have covered just two of their past 12 on the road. The Spartans are 2-6 ATS in their past eight. They have failed to cover six straight vs. teams with a winning record. OSU has covered five of its past seven at MSU.
Why take the underdog: OSU is just the better team.
Oregon State at USC (TBA)
It’s a 5 p.m. tip on the Pac-12 Network for this one. Rather amazingly, at least to me, Oregon State hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament since 1990. The Beavers (16-8, 7-5) have a realistic shot this season if they can finish the regular season strong, although a loss to a bad USC team would really be a killer. OSU comes off a 75-59 defeat at UCLA on Wednesday. Junior guard Gary Payton II, the son of the greatest Oregon State basketball player ever and an NBA legend, matched his career high with 24 points in the loss. OSU was just 5-for-22 from beyond the arc and 20 of 52 (.320) overall. The team got more bad news when the suspension of Victor Robbins was extended for an indefinite period following a recent DUI citation. Robbins, who averages 10.3 points, was given a 10-game suspension in mid-January due to a violation of athletic department rules and was set to return Feb. 19 vs. Utah. That won’t happen now.
I wonder if USC (9-15, 1-11) is having second thoughts about hiring former Florida Gulf Coast coach Andy Enfield in April 2013 after his team was the darling of that year’s NCAA Tournament. This program isn’t going forward and is last in the Pac-12 after finishing in the basement last year as well. The Trojans have lost nine straight since their lone conference win, 71-57 at home vs. Cal. If looking for a positive, seven of those losses were close. Loss No. 4 of that skid was 59-55 at Oregon State on Jan. 24. Payton II had 21 points and 10 rebounds. Trailing 58-55, the Trojans had a chance to tie, but Payton stole a pass intended for Nikola Jovanovic at the top of the 3-point arc with eight seconds to play. Katin Reinhardt led USC with 17 points. The Beavers have won eight of the last 11 meetings against USC.
Key trends: The Beavers are 9-3 ATS in their past 12 after a loss. OSU is 1-6 ATS in its past seven road games. The Trojans are 0-4 ATS in their past four at home vs. teams with a losing road record. The road team has covered the past four meetings.
Why the TBA? USC freshman guard Jordan McLaughlin is likely to sit after aggravating his surgically-repaired shoulder in the loss to Oregon. He averages 12.1 points, 4.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds in a team-high 31.6 minutes per game. OSU will be a favorite in this game but not by much. Assuming McLaughlin sits, take the Beavers as they should roll.
No. 6 Villanova at No. 18 Butler (+2)
This starts at 6 p.m. on the CBS Sports Network. Currently ESPN’s Bracketology has Villanova as a No. 2 seed in the East, but should it win out and claim the Big East title I could easily see the Wildcats jumping to a No. 1 because I expect probably two more losses for current East No. 1 Virginia. Villanova (22-2, 9-2) has a one-game lead over Butler and brings a five-game winning streak into this one. The Wildcats survived a tough challenge at Providence on Wednesday, 74-68. The Wildcats used an 11-0 run in the second half for a 48-34 lead with just over eight minutes left and hung on. Ryan Arcidiacono scored 20 points and Daniel Ochefu had 19 to lead Villanova. Ochefu was out of the starting lineup for the second straight game as punishment for some academic issue, but after that game Nova coach Jay Wright made it sound like the punishment was up.
Butler (18-6, 8-3) struggled to a 14-17 record last season in its first year post-Brad Stevens and first in the Big East, but the Bulldogs clearly will return to the NCAA Tournament next month. The Bulldogs also have won five straight and have been off since an 83-73 win over DePaul last Saturday. Butler is coached by Chris Holtmann, who was supposed to an assistant to Brandon Miller, but the school announced on Oct. 1 that Miller would be taking a leave of absence as head coach for unspecified medical reasons. It has since been announced that Miller won’t be returning at all, so the job is Holtmann’s.
Villanova hosted Butler on New Year’s Eve and the Wildcats won 67-55. Arcidiacono scored 15 points and Ochefu had 10 points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots. Butler shot only 35.5 percent. The Bulldogs’ two leading scorers, Kellen Dunham and Roosevelt Jones, were held to a combined 18 points, about 12 below their current combined average.
Key trends: Villanova is 5-0 ATS in its past five conference games. The Wildcats are 7-3 ATS in their past 10 on the road. Butler is 5-0 ATS in its past five vs. teams with a winning record. The Bulldogs are 9-4 ATS in their past 13 at home.
Why take the favorite: Butler’s a nice team but not in Nova’s class.
NCAAB Saturday’s Early Tips
By David Schwab
Mismatches in conference play happen almost every day during the men’s college basketball season, but bettors that like to go with heavy chalk are obviously only concerned with the favorite’s ability to cover the spread. This Saturday’s slate features two high-profile matchups that fit the bill starting with No. 1 Kentucky playing host to South Carolina in the SEC. The second mismatch takes us to the ACC where Wake Forest will go on the road to square off against No. 2 Virginia.
South Carolina Gamecocks vs. No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats (ESPN, 2 p.m. ET)
Opening Odds: Kentucky -19
The Gamecocks have posted just three straight-up wins in the SEC this season against eight losses and they have been even worse against the spread with a record of 1-10. They are 2-5 ATS this season as underdogs and the total has stayed UNDER in five of their last six games. The one ray of hope to keeping this game close is a defensive effort that is holding opposing teams to an average of 61.3 points per game. Offensively, a pair of sophomore guards in Sindarius Thornwell and Duane Notice has led the way with a combined 22.5 PPG, but both are hitting fewer than 40 percent of their shots from the field.
Kentucky continues to roll through the regular season with 24 straight wins, but it has been a drain on the bankroll lately after failing to cover in its last five outings with the total going OVER in each game. The Wildcats are just 1-4 ATS in their last five games as double-digit favorites and 3-8 ATS in conference play. There is no doubt that the pressure to run the table continues to build, but Kentucky remains the most dominant team in the nation. Its offense is averaging 73.5 PPG with seven different player averaging at least seven points. This complements a smothering defense that is ranked second in the nation in points allowed (52.2).
Betting Trends
— The Gamecocks are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games against a team with a SU winning record and they have failed to cover in their last five road games. The total has stayed UNDER in 13 of their last 16 games played on the road.
— The Wildcats have failed to cover in four of their last five home games and they are 0-4 ATS in their last four games against a team with a SU winning record. The total has stayed UNDER in 20 of their last 28 games at home.
— The favorite in this series has gone 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings and the total has stayed UNDER in seven of the last 10 games. Kentucky has won seven of the last eight contests SU including a 58-43 victory as a 12-point road favorite in the first meeting this season on Jan. 24.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. No. 2 Virginia Cavaliers (ESPN3, 2:30 p.m. ET)
Opening Odds: Virginia -17 ½
Wake Forest comes into Saturday’s game fresh off a solid 72-70 upset over Miami as a 2 ½-point home underdog this past Wednesday. It is now 3-1 SU (2-2 ATS) in its last four ACC games after starting conference play with just one SU win in its first seven matchups. The total has gone OVER in eight of its last 11 games. The Demon Deacons are averaging a respectable 71.2 PPG, but they are hitting just 42.4 percent of their shots from the field. Junior guard Codi Miller-McIntyre leads the team in scoring with 14.2 PPG and junior forward Devin Thomas is pulling down a team-high 9.6 rebounds a game.
The Cavaliers have failed to cover in four of their last five games following this past Tuesday’s 51-47 victory against NC State as 7 ½-point road favorite. They are an even 6-6 ATS at home this season as part of an overall record of 14-9 ATS. Virginia remains the No. 1 defense in the nation in points allowed (50.5), but the loss of junior guard Justin Anderson with a broken finger has taken a pretty big chunk out of an offensive effort that was already ranked well down the list with 66.9 PPG. He was averaging 13.4 PPG while shooting 48 percent from the field. The Cavaliers, as a team, are hitting 46.2 percent of their shots from the floor.
Betting Trends
— The Demon Deacons are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games against a team with a SU winning record and they are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games following a SU win. The total has stayed UNDER in five of their last seven games following a SU win.
— The Cavaliers have gone 17-8-1 ATS in their last 26 home games and they are 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 games following a loss ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in four of their last five games played at home.
— The home team has covered ATS in the last four meetings and the total has stayed UNDER in six of the last eight games between the two. This series is tied 2-2 SU and ATS in the last four meetings.
NCAAB Saturday’s Late Tips
By Brian Edwards
**Villanova at Butler**
— In what is being billed as the biggest game in the storied history of Hinkle Fieldhouse, Villanova (22-2 straight up, 16-7 against the spread) invades Indianapolis to put its first-place standing in the Big East on the line against Butler. With a victory, the Bulldogs can pull into a first-place tie with the Wildcats atop the league. ‘Nova is 9-2 in Big East play and Butler is one game back at 8-3.
— A few offshore books opened Villanova as a two-point favorite.
— Since getting thumped 78-58 at Georgetown on Jan. 19, Jay Wright’s squad has won five in a row both SU and ATS. Villanova picked up a big road win Wednesday when it went into Providence and prevailed by a 74-68 score as a four-point road favorite. The 142 combined points jumped ‘over’ the 135.5-point total, ending a run of four straight ‘unders’ for the Wildcats. Ryan Arcidiacono scored 20 points, making all nine of his three free throws and 3-of-6 from 3-point range. Daniel Ocheful had 19 points and nine rebounds, while Darrun Hilliard added 16 points.
— Butler (18-6 SU, 14-8 ATS) has had a week to prepare after beating DePaul 83-73 last Saturday. The Bulldogs failed to cover the number as 13-point home favorites, while the 156 combined points catapulted ‘over’ the 140.5-point total. Kellen Dunham paced the winners with a game-high 24 points, burying 4-of-9 from long distance and all eight of his free-throw attempts. Roosevelt Jones and Andrew Chrabascz scored 20 and 16 points, respectively, against the Blue Demons.
— Butler has won five consecutive games and seven of its last eight. The Bulldogs are 6-2 ATS during this stretch with the only non-covers coming in heavy ‘chalk’ spots (-9.5 vs. Creighton and the aforementioned non-cover vs. DePaul).
— Butler has won 12 of its 13 home games while posting a 7-4 spread record.
— Dunham is averaging a team-high 16.7 points per game. The junior shooting guard is making 42.0 of his attempts from downtown and 85.8 percent of his free throws. Jones averages 13.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.
— Villanova has won outright in five of its seven road assignments, going 4-3 versus the number.
— Hilliard is averaging a team-best 13.4 points and 1.8 steals per game. Ochefu (9.5 PPG) paces the Wildcats in rebounding (8.4 RPG), field-goal percentage (62.8%) and blocked shots (1.3 BPG). Arcidiacono is scoring at a 10.4 PPG clip and has an 88/36 assists-to-turnovers ratio.
— The ‘under’ is 14-9 overall for ‘Nova, but it has seen the ‘over’ go 4-3 in its seven road assignments. The ‘under’ had cashed in four straight for the Wildcats until the ‘over’ hit in the win at Providence.
— The ‘over’ has hit in four straight Butler games to improve to 11-10 overall. The ‘over’ is 6-5 for the Bulldogs at home, 4-1 in their last five at Hinkle.
— Fox Sports 1 will have the broadcast at 6:00 p.m. Eastern.
**Duke at Syracuse**
— Since losing at Notre Dame on Jan. 28, Duke (21-3 SU, 12-11-1 ATS) has won four in a row, including a revenge beatdown of the Irish by a 90-60 count last Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow were the catalysts for the Blue Devils, who led 50-24 at halftime. Okafor finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and a pair of steals, while Winslow scored 19 points, grabbed 11 boards, dished out four assists and blocked two shots. Matt Jones came off the bench to score 17 points, and Tyus Jones produced 12 points, five rebounds and seven assists without a turnover.
— A few offshore shops opened Duke as a six-point road favorite.
— Syracuse (16-8 SU, 7-13-1 ATS) is coming off of Wednesday’s 70-56 win at Boston College as a two-point favorite. Michael Gbinije enjoyed a dominant performance against the Eagles, tallying 21 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals. Trevor Cooney dropped 15 points on BC, while Kaleb Joseph and B.J. Johnson were also in double figures with 14 and 12 points, respectively.
— Duke has won six of its eight road games while going 4-4 ATS.
— Syracuse senior center Rakeem Christmas, who had seven points and 10 boards at BC, leads the Orange in scoring (18.0 PPG), rebounding (9.2 RPG), field-goal percentage (58.2%) and blocked shots (2.3 BPG). The matchup between Christmas and Okafor in the paint will be compelling to watch.
— Okafor is averaging team-highs in scoring (18.0 PPG), rebounding (9.1 RPG), field-goal percentage (66.5%) and blocked shots (1.5 BPG).
— Jim Boeheim’s team has won 12 of its 14 home games, but it has a miserable 3-8 ATS record at the Carrier Dome. Regardless of the venue, the ‘Cuse has been burning the pockets of its backers by limping to a 1-6-1 spread mark in its last eight outings.
— When these teams met at the Carrier Dome last season, Syracuse won a 91-89 decision in overtime. However, Duke took the cash as a 4.5-point underdog. Rasheed Sulaimon knocked down a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that forced the extra session. Of course, Sulaimon became the first Duke player to ever be kicked out of the program on Mike Krzyzewski’s watch in 30-plus years a couple of weeks ago.
— The ‘over’ is 13-9 overall for Duke, 4-4 in its eight road assignments.
— The ‘over’ is 11-6-2 overall for the ‘Cuse, 5-3-2 in its home games. The ‘over’ was on a 4-0-1 run until the 126 combined points in the BC game fell ‘under’ the 133-point tally.
— Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
— Ole Miss has won six in a row, going 5-1 ATS in the process, after going into the O-Dome on Thursday night and emerging with a 62-61 win over Florida as a six-point underdog. Stefan Moody’s 28-foot jumper got nothing but nylon with 2.7 seconds remaining to propel his team to a victory that netted money-line supporters a payout in the +205 range (risk $100 to win $205). The Rebels will put their winning streak on the line Saturday at home vs. Arkansas.
— With the victory on Wednesday, Ole Miss improved to 8-1 ATS with six outright victories in nine games as an underdog.
— Florida has now lost five games by seven combined points. The Gators will be without leading scorer Michael Frazier II for at least two more games. He is recovering from a high-ankle sprain sustained in last Saturday’s home loss to unbeaten and top-ranked Kentucky. Billy Donovan’s team faces a quick turnaround when it travels to College Station on Saturday to face Texas A&M.
— Marquette senior point guard Matt Carlino is ‘doubtful’ for Saturday’s game at Creighton. Carlino, who averages 14.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, has missed back-to-back games since suffering a concussion. Without their leading scorer, the Golden Eagles have gone 1-1 both SU and ATS, winning outright at Seton Hall as 5.5-point ‘dogs before getting smashed 64-44 by Xavier at home.
— Larry Shyatt can’t catch a break. In his second tour of duty at Wyoming, he has fielded outstanding teams that were in contention in the Mountain West Conference the last two seasons. However, star player Larry Nance Jr. went down with a season-ending injury midway through the conference slate last year, prompting the Cowboys to fade down the stretch. Everything was going great for Wyoming this season until it caught another bad break. This time around, Nance has mono and when he’ll return is a major question mark. In UW’s first two games without Nance, the results have been awful. The Cowboys got crushed 73-50 at Air Force and 67-41 at San Diego State. Nance, who averages 16.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocked shots per contest, isn’t expected to play on Saturday’s home game vs. San Jose State.
— VCU’s Treveon Graham (16.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG) is ‘questionable’ for Saturday’s game at George Washington. Since spraining his ankle in a win at George Mason, Graham has missed a pair of games, both of which were outright defeats for the Rams.
— UNLV freshman sensation Rashad Vaughn is out indefinitely with a torn meniscus. Vaughn averages 17.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
— Since Marcus Thornton returned from a two-game absence, Georgia has won back-to-back games. Mark Fox’s club was winless in a pair of games (at South Carolina and at Kentucky) it played without Thornton, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder who sat out due to lingering concussion symptoms from a scary fall in a home win over Vandy. The Bulldogs captured a 62-53 win at Texas A&M as 4.5-point road underdogs Wednesday night, hooking up money-line backers with a nice payout in the +175 range. UGA will take on Auburn at Stegeman Coliseum at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on Saturday.
— Ohio State sophomore forward Marc Loving will return from a three-game suspension Saturday against Michigan State. The Buckeyes have gone 2-1 without Loving, their second-leading scorer.
— St. Bonaventure freshman guard Jaylen Adams (10.0 PPG, 4.5 APG) is out for the rest of the season after having surgery on his broken finger.
NEWSLETTER College Basketball Prediction From Robert Ferringo
Take Georgia State (-3) over Texas State (Noon, Saturday, Feb. 14)
No one is more focused than I am on finishing this college basketball season on a killer run. There are about eight weeks left in the season, and I plan on winning every single one of them. And that includes this week’s 7-Unit Plays. Here we have Georgia State, the bane of my existence and a consistent loser all season long. They are 9-14 ATS overall and have dumped two more games. But they have had a week to pull their heads out of their asses. These guys understand that they need to win out to win the conference and give themselves the best possible path for winning the Sun Belt’s automatic bid. They have an extremely easy schedule the rest of the way and really could win out. They have revenge against Texas State for an OT loss in Atlanta back in early January. And even though they can’t beat the number to save their lives, the Panthers have scored their last four wins by at least 10 points and by an average of 16.8 points per game. I think they are rested and ready and they will take care of business against these mediocre Bobcats.
NEWSLETTER College Basketball Prediction From Strike Point Sports
Take Xavier over St. John’s (12:30 p.m., Saturday, February 14)
Strike Point Sports will have a full selection of rated CBB plays on their card this Saturday, but a free play winner should be had on the X-Men hosting St. John’s this afternoon. The Red Storm have lost four of their five road league games, while the Musketeers already have home conference wins over ranked teams like Georgetown and Seton Hall earlier this year. Thus far SJU haven’t proven to be a strong team away from New York, and I think this is another one that gets away from them. Xavier’s last home game saw them lose a close overtime contest with Creighton, so this is their chance to respond on their home floor and rack up another league victory. Go for the home team over the Johnnies here.
NEWSLETTER NHL Hockey Prediction From Doc’s Sports
Take #51 Edmonton (+160) over Ottawa (2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 14)
There aren’t many bettors that are willing to back the Edmonton Oilers, but that means we can sometimes find value where others aren’t looking. Saturday night is one of those instances. The Oilers have showed some promise of late with four road wins in their last seven tries, including victories over the Sharks and Capitals. Two weeks ago, they had just two road wins for the entire season. The Oilers are playing noticeably looser as a team, and some of the younger guys are showing marked improvement from earlier on in the season. They’ll go up against an inconsistent Ottawa Senators team that probably shouldn’t be priced this high against anyone. The Sens are out of the playoff picture in the East, and I don’t see a very good effort from them on a nightly basis. Much like the Oilers, they have lots of talent, but it just hasn’t meshed like it should. With two underachieving squads going at it, we’ll look to the high-priced underdog for value. Take Edmonton.
NEWSLETTER NBA Basketball Prediction From Raphael Esparza
Take Kyle Korver (+320) To Win 3-Point Contest (8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 14)
Last year Marco Belinelli blew up the 3-point contest, but I don’t see a repeat this year. The 3-point contest is stacked this year, and usually the dunk contest is the center stage, but lately that has been a snooze fest and I’m actually excited to watch the 3-point contest this year. Most likely the betting public will be betting Stephen Curry (odds 13-4) or his other half Splash Brother Klay Thompson (odds 4-1), but I’m picking the hottest shooter in the league. Yes boys and girls I’m taking Kyle Korver to run away with this contest, and I smell a Larry Bird-like performance. I believe tons of value is on Kyle Kover and wouldn’t be shocked to be able to get better odds on Kover just because of the Splash Brothers being in this contest.
All-Star Saturday Night: Odds to Win
By: Zach Cohen
The NBA’s top specialists compete for a chance to call themselves the best Saturday night.
Who will win the Skills Challenge?
Jeff Teague (+400)
Isaiah Thomas (+450)
Trey Burke (+400)
Brandon Knight (+500)
Kyle Lowry (+500)
Dennis Schroder (+800)
Elfrid Payton (+800)
Patrick Beverley (+800)
StatFox take: The Skills Challenge is an underrated part of this weekend and there is a pretty exciting field in this year’s event. Jeff Teague is a very good pick to win, but I actually think that Brandon Knight is the way to go. Knight is a great value at +500 and should have some bones to pick with the All-Star Game selection committee. Knight was one of the biggest snubs for this year’s game and I always like choosing guys like him in these smaller events. He’s also lightning quick with a nice shot, which should have him move through the obstacle course pretty quickly. Some of the other guys with his speed and ability to change directions, like Elfrid Payton and Dennis Schroder, could have trouble hitting the jumper at the top of the key.
Who will win the Slam Dunk Contest?
Zach LaVine (-130)
Giannis Antetokounmpo (+300)
Victor Oladipo (+350)
Mason Plumlee (+1000)
StatFox take: This event was a little funky a year ago, but it should be more amusing now that the fans know what to expect. There are some talented players in this year’s contest, but none of them can come close to matching the athleticism of Zach LaVine. It’s never fun taking the chalk, but LaVine showed off a 46-inch vertical leap during a pre-draft workout last season. A simple search on YouTube will reveal to you just what he is capable of doing. The only way LaVine doesn’t win is if the judges feel some type of obligation to name Mason Plumlee a winner in the state he plays in. That’s very unlikely though, as Plumlee has the worst jumping ability of all of the contestants.
Who will win the Three-Point Contest?
Stephen Curry (+300)
Kyle Korver (+320)
Klay Thompson (+400)
JJ Redick (+650)
Kyrie Irving (+700)
Marco Belinelli (+700)
James Harden (+800)
Wesley Matthews (+800)
StatFox take: This is one of the most loaded competitions this event has ever had. Most people will be going for the bigger names like Stephen Curry and Kyle Korver in this one, but I’m suggesting something else. At +800, I love the value you could get on Wesley Matthews. The Portland sharpshooter has been slept on and should come into the contest with a major chip on his shoulder. Matthews is taking 7.6 threes per game this season and making 3.0 of them (40%). He’s also known for hitting big shots for his team. I feel the pressure won’t effect him at all and he’ll quietly put up big numbers while the other snipers will be too worried about smaller individual battles (Curry versus teammate Thompson, Korver versus the world, etc.).
NBA All-Star Saturday Night Betting: Slam Dunk, 3-Point, and Skills Contests
by Jason Logan
Before the best in the NBA showcase their talents in the annual NBA All-Star Game Sunday, fans are treated to a series of All-Star events the night before. Covers’ Jason Logan breaks down the best ways to wager NBA All-Star Saturday Night.
The crown jewel of NBA All-Star Saturday Night has always been the Slam Dunk Contest. I mean, who doesn’t like dunks? Apparently, a good majority of people.
Over the past 15 years or so – basically since Vince Carter ruined dunking for everyone in 2000 – the dunk contest has been blasted by critics. And we understand why.
No big-name players (looking at you LeBron) want to do it, the format has been rebooted more times than a Spider-Man movie (that damn dunk wheel?), and with just about every slam dunk under the sun been seen and done, the crowds aren’t wowed to see men fly anymore.
I think the problem lies not with the dunk contest itself but with the All-Star Saturday Night set list. The dunk contest is always saved for last, as some grand main event of the evening. However, the opening acts, the 3-point Shootout and Skills Challenge have been the much more entertaining contests for a while now.
Not only are you guaranteed drama in the 3-point contest and Skills Challenge (and guys actually put the ball through the basket, unlike the dunk contest), but the All-Stars haven’t shied away from these All-Star Weekend events.
The roster for this year’s 3-point Contest reads like a fantasy hoops lineup, featuring true All-Stars like Stephen Curry, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thomson, and Kyle Korver. The Skills Challenge isn’t as star-stacked but has guys like Jeff Teague and Kyle Lowry participating (John Wall and Jimmy Butler were also going to be in but pulled out).
Now measure that up against the four-man field for the slam dunk-off. I still don’t know how to properly pronounce Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Like a good mix tape (do people still make those any more? Playlist I guess…), the NBA should sandwich the dunk contest between the Skills and 3-point events – bringing ‘em up with the skills, keep them entertained with the dunk, then closing strong with the familiar faces and hot hands of the 3-point.
Or, you could just make all the events entertaining as hell and put money down. That’s what we do.
Here’s a look at the betting odds for NBA All-Star Saturday Night:
Sprite Slam Dunk Contest
John Wall’s win (pinned Dunker of the Night in an East-versus-West format) in last year’s contest was a break from the normal dunk contest betting trends. Wall entered the event as the fifth-overall favorite, priced at +450 behind high-risers like Terrence Ross and Harrison Barnes.
In the previous seven dunk contests, six of the winners had been among the top two favorites with odds of +350 or lower. The only slam dunk champ to deviate from that trend was Nate Robinson in 2009 (with the Kryptonite!), who was set at +450 with two other contestants as the third overall fave.
This year, books and bettors see this as Zach LaVine’s contest to lose. Oddsmakers have the Timberwolves guard priced at -110, possibly making him the third biggest favorite to win the Slam Dunk Contest in the past nine years (Blake Griffin -250 in 2011, Dwight Howard -180 in 2009). And deservedly so. Commentators were calling a dunk crown for LaVine during summer league play. If you’re looking for the best betting value, however, you may have to go against the grain.
Second overall favorite, Bucks guard Giannis Antetokounmpo (+190) is a great dunker but most of his stuffs come on a one-foot, run-up – not the sexiest approach in a contest dominated by two-foot jumpers. Nets big man Mason Plumlee will have a home-court edge as the long shot (+750) in Brooklyn but let’s be honest, no one wants to see a 7-foot white guy dunk. Especially after he committed the ultimate party foul. Those courtside beers are like $17…
The best bang for your buck is Orlando guard Victor Oladipo at +275. He’s only 6-foot-4 – the shortest player in the field – which is actually an advantage. Little dunkers always look cooler, with all that extra space between them and the earth. That helped Wall last year. And Oladipo can fly. It’s nothing for him to pull off a 360 in a game. If that’s his safe dunk on a fastbreak, I’d love to see what he can do with some time to plan ahead.
Foot Locker 3-point Contest
Unlike its All-Star Saturday Night brother, the 3-point Contest hasn’t been dominated by the chalk. Last year’s shootout provided a nice payday with Spurs forward Marco Belinelli at +800, who held value against a field of notable names with the second longest odds on the board.
San Antonio’s Italian Stallion is just the latest in a long line of 3-point contest underdogs to come cashing in on All-Star Saturday Night, joining the likes of Kyrie Irving (+550) in 2013, Kevin Love (+500) in 2012, James Jones (+450) in 2011, Paul Pierce (+400) in 2010, and Daequan Cook (+750) in 2009.
In fact, the shortest favorite to win the 3-point contest in the past seven years was Jason Kapono at +350 in 2008. And even at that price he was the fourth favorite on the board as the defending champ.
So with that trend in mind, perhaps the best value doesn’t sit with 3-point chalk like Stephen Curry (+300), but with his equally sharp-shooting teammate Klay Thompson (+400). Curry is 0 for 3 in the 3-point contest for his career, following his dad’s winless footsteps (Dell Curry was 0 for 2 in 3-point contests).
Second overall fave Kyle Korver (+320) is also a big 0-fer in his three attempts at the 3-point crown, going all the way back to 2004. Jeez, has he been in the league that long?!
What about the defending champ Belinelli, who is getting a bit more respect than last year at +700? He did put up some huge numbers in New Orleans last February, recording 24 points in the final round – tying for second all-time in points in a round and points in the final. He’s shooting just 38.1 percent from beyond the arc on the season but game stats don’t mean squat in this one. It’s about speed and streaks.
Taco Bell Skills Challenge
There’s one word that gets basketball bettors excited, and that word is “Bracket”. The Skills Challenge is flipping formats again, this time somehow seeding the contestants and arranging them in a tournament-style elimination process, going head-to-head rather than the top times advancing. Taco Bell and the NBA have always made strange bedfellows…
The field has been shaken up a couple times with John Wall, Jimmy Butler and Michael Carter-Williams replaced by Elfrid Payton, Dennis Schroder, and Patrick Beverley (all priced at +800), leaving this year’s Skills Challenge short on household names.
The opening round matchups and overall winner odds look like this:
Jeff Teague (+400) vs. Elfrid Payton (+800)
Kyle Lowry (+500) vs. Dennis Schroder (+800)
Isaiah Thomas (+450) vs. Patrick Beverly (+800)
Trey Burke (+450) vs. Brandon Knight (+500)
At first glance, the defending champ Burke is getting screwed with a much tougher opening round opponent than the other contestants, simply because his matchup didn’t pull out at the last minute. That’s opened up tremendous value on Thomas (who gets the winner of Teague/Payton) and Lowry (gets the winner of Burke/Knight).
However, there has been a trend of repeat winners in the short life span of this All-Star contest, which could lean toward Burke. In the 12 previous years, there have been three repeat Skills champs including Damian Lillard winning in 2013 and 2014, as part of the team format that was quickly killed off.
JACK CLAYTON
College Basketball 3-Pack Attack
5* 02/14 03:00 PM CB (585) OKLAHOMA STATE VS (586) TCU
Take 5-Star Big 12 Crusher: : (585) OKLAHOMA STATE Reason: Oklahoma State has won 3 in a row and is 17-7 on the season. You need defense to win on the road and Oklahoma State’s scoring defense is 60.0 points per game (34th in the NCAA). The Cowboys are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. Big 12 and 8-0 all-time in games played against TCU in Fort Worth. TCU has lost 7 in a row, and the Horned Frogs are 20-44 ATS against the Big 12, plus 23-52 ATS in their last 75 home games. And the Road team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
Play (585) OKLAHOMA STATE!
4* 02/14 03:00 PM CB (595) WICHITA STATE VS (596) ILLINOIS STATE
Play: (595) WICHITA STATE . Illinois State is 7-6 in the Missouri Valley and hasn’t stepped well against the big boys, off an 83-64 loss to Northern Iowa. They already played Wichita State and shot 36% in a loss by 8. The Redbirds are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games overall. Wichita State is a powerhouse teams and the Shockers are 44-21 ATS in their last 65 road games, 40-16 ATS on the road against a team with a winning home record. And the Shockers are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings, 4-0 ATS on this court.
Play (595) WICHITA STATE!
3* 02/14 03:00 PM CB (587) DUKE VS (588) SYRACUSE (588)
SYRACUSE. Syracuse won’t be playing during tourney time, so a game like this is their Super Bowl. Last year Syracuse won at home (91-89) over No. 17 Duke in OT (21-0), then Duke won at home (66-60), so they are used to playing close ones. The Blue Devils are 5-12-2 ATS vs. the ACC and Syracuse is a home dog, but 12-2 at home.
Play (588) SYRACUSE!