NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up
Saturday, March 9
Saturday’s 5 interesting games
Kansas @ Houston (-8.5)
Kansas (22-8, 10-7)
KenPom rating: 17
Tempo: 96
Experience: 19
Continuity: 129
Kansas split its last eight games.
Jayhawks are 2-6 SU/1-2 ATS as Big X road underdogs.
Kansas is shooting 55.4% inside arc (#25)
Jayhawks are 10-5 vs teams ranked in the top 50.
Houston (27-3, 14-3)
KenPom rating: 1
Tempo: 349
Experience: 98
Continuity: 123
Houston won its last eight games (3-5 ATS).
Cougars are 8-0 SU/5-3 ATS as Big X home faves.
Houston has #1 eFG% defense in country.
Cougars are 11-3 vs teams ranked in the top 50.
Kansas (+2) beat Houston 78-65 at home February 3.
Jayhawks won despite being minus-15 (18-3) in turnovers.
That was teams’ first meeting as Big X rivals.
Big X home favorites of 8+ points are 14-17 ATS.
Kentucky @ Tennessee (-7.5)
Kentucky (22-8, 12-5)
KenPom rating: 18
Tempo: 12
Experience: 194
Continuity: 318
Kentucky won four in row, six of its last seven games.
Wildcats are 5-3 SU/3-1 ATS as an SEC road underdog.
Kentucky has #5 eFG% in the country.
Wildcats are 6-5 against teams ranked in the top 50.
Tennessee (24-6, 14-3)
KenPom rating: 5
Tempo: 73
Experience: 27
Continuity: 67
Tennessee won its last seven games (6-1 ATS).
Vols are 7-1 SU/ATS as SEC home favorites.
Tennessee has the #2 eFG% defense in country.
Vols are 8-5 vs teams ranked in top 50.
Tennessee (-1.5) won 103-92 at Kentucky February 3.
Teams split their last six meetings.
Kentucky won three of last five visits to Knoxville.
SEC home favorites of 8 or less points are 20-21 ATS
North Carolina @ Duke (-5.5)
North Carolina (24-6, 16-3)
KenPom rating: 8
Tempo: 43
Experience: 6
Continuity: 181
North Carolina won its last five games.
Tar Heels are 1-1 ATS as an underdog this season.
North Carolina has #12 eFG% defense in the country.
Tar Heels are 6-4 vs teams ranked in top 50.
Duke (24-6, 15-4)
KenPom rating: 7
Tempo: 242
Experience: 209
Continuity: 25
Duke won eight of its last nine games.
Blue Devils are 8-1 SU/6-3 ATS as ACC home favorites.
Duke has #20 eFG% in the country.
Blue Devils are 5-3 against teams in top 50.
North Carolina (-5) beat Duke 93-84 at home February 3.
Teams split their last 12 meetings.
Tar Heels won three of last five visits to Durham.
ACC home favorites of 6 or less points are 27-20 ATS.
New Mexico @ Utah State (-3.5)
New Mexico (22-8, 10-7)
KenPom rating: 36
Tempo: 5
Experience: 41
Continuity: 218
New Mexico is 4-5 in last nine games, after an 18-3 start.
Lobos are 4-4 SU/1-3 ATS as Mountain West road dogs.
Lobos are 4-2 in games decided by 5 or less points.
New Mexico is 6-7 vs teams in top 100.
Utah State (25-5, 13-4)
KenPom rating: 41
Tempo: 110
Experience: 79
Continuity: 360
Utah State won six of its last seven games.
Aggies are 7-1 SU/6-2 ATS as MW home favorites.
Utah State is shooting 57.2% inside arc (#11)
Aggies are 7-5 vs teams in the top 100.
New Mexico (-6) beat Utah State 99-86 January 16.
Lobos shot 69.4% inside the arc.
Utah State won seven of last eight series games.
Lobos lost their last six visits to Logan.
Mountain West home favorites of 4 or less points are 10-9 ATS.
OVC Tournament final
Morehead State vs Little Rock (@ Evansville, IN)
Morehead State (25-8, 16-4)
KenPom rating: 121
Tempo: 329
Experience: 164
Continuity: 247
Morehead State won its last five games.
Eagles are 1-2-1 ATS as an underdog this season.
Morehead played six guys Friday, four of them 36:00+.
Morehead is playing for third night in a row.
Eagles are 1-5 vs teams in the top 200.
Morehead is 7-2 in its last four OVC tourneys (won in 2021).
Little Rock (21-11, 15-4)
KenPom rating: 176
Tempo: 95
Experience: 250
Continuity: 287
Little Rock won its last ten games.
Trojans covered 10 of their last 11 games.
Little Rock has #51 eFG% defense in country.
Trojans are 5-3 vs teams in the top 200.
Little Rock had stress-free win Friday, didn’t play Thursday.
Last time Little Rock won a conference tourney: 2011.
Morehead (-1.5) lost 69-68 at Little Rock February 15.
Little Rock was 16-18 on foul line, Morehead 4-4.
Trojans won two of three meetings as OVC rivals.
Home team won all three of those games.
Armadillo's Write-Up
Saturday, March 9
Saturday’s 5 interesting games
Kansas @ Houston (-8.5)
Kansas (22-8, 10-7)
KenPom rating: 17
Tempo: 96
Experience: 19
Continuity: 129
Kansas split its last eight games.
Jayhawks are 2-6 SU/1-2 ATS as Big X road underdogs.
Kansas is shooting 55.4% inside arc (#25)
Jayhawks are 10-5 vs teams ranked in the top 50.
Houston (27-3, 14-3)
KenPom rating: 1
Tempo: 349
Experience: 98
Continuity: 123
Houston won its last eight games (3-5 ATS).
Cougars are 8-0 SU/5-3 ATS as Big X home faves.
Houston has #1 eFG% defense in country.
Cougars are 11-3 vs teams ranked in the top 50.
Kansas (+2) beat Houston 78-65 at home February 3.
Jayhawks won despite being minus-15 (18-3) in turnovers.
That was teams’ first meeting as Big X rivals.
Big X home favorites of 8+ points are 14-17 ATS.
Kentucky @ Tennessee (-7.5)
Kentucky (22-8, 12-5)
KenPom rating: 18
Tempo: 12
Experience: 194
Continuity: 318
Kentucky won four in row, six of its last seven games.
Wildcats are 5-3 SU/3-1 ATS as an SEC road underdog.
Kentucky has #5 eFG% in the country.
Wildcats are 6-5 against teams ranked in the top 50.
Tennessee (24-6, 14-3)
KenPom rating: 5
Tempo: 73
Experience: 27
Continuity: 67
Tennessee won its last seven games (6-1 ATS).
Vols are 7-1 SU/ATS as SEC home favorites.
Tennessee has the #2 eFG% defense in country.
Vols are 8-5 vs teams ranked in top 50.
Tennessee (-1.5) won 103-92 at Kentucky February 3.
Teams split their last six meetings.
Kentucky won three of last five visits to Knoxville.
SEC home favorites of 8 or less points are 20-21 ATS
North Carolina @ Duke (-5.5)
North Carolina (24-6, 16-3)
KenPom rating: 8
Tempo: 43
Experience: 6
Continuity: 181
North Carolina won its last five games.
Tar Heels are 1-1 ATS as an underdog this season.
North Carolina has #12 eFG% defense in the country.
Tar Heels are 6-4 vs teams ranked in top 50.
Duke (24-6, 15-4)
KenPom rating: 7
Tempo: 242
Experience: 209
Continuity: 25
Duke won eight of its last nine games.
Blue Devils are 8-1 SU/6-3 ATS as ACC home favorites.
Duke has #20 eFG% in the country.
Blue Devils are 5-3 against teams in top 50.
North Carolina (-5) beat Duke 93-84 at home February 3.
Teams split their last 12 meetings.
Tar Heels won three of last five visits to Durham.
ACC home favorites of 6 or less points are 27-20 ATS.
New Mexico @ Utah State (-3.5)
New Mexico (22-8, 10-7)
KenPom rating: 36
Tempo: 5
Experience: 41
Continuity: 218
New Mexico is 4-5 in last nine games, after an 18-3 start.
Lobos are 4-4 SU/1-3 ATS as Mountain West road dogs.
Lobos are 4-2 in games decided by 5 or less points.
New Mexico is 6-7 vs teams in top 100.
Utah State (25-5, 13-4)
KenPom rating: 41
Tempo: 110
Experience: 79
Continuity: 360
Utah State won six of its last seven games.
Aggies are 7-1 SU/6-2 ATS as MW home favorites.
Utah State is shooting 57.2% inside arc (#11)
Aggies are 7-5 vs teams in the top 100.
New Mexico (-6) beat Utah State 99-86 January 16.
Lobos shot 69.4% inside the arc.
Utah State won seven of last eight series games.
Lobos lost their last six visits to Logan.
Mountain West home favorites of 4 or less points are 10-9 ATS.
OVC Tournament final
Morehead State vs Little Rock (@ Evansville, IN)
Morehead State (25-8, 16-4)
KenPom rating: 121
Tempo: 329
Experience: 164
Continuity: 247
Morehead State won its last five games.
Eagles are 1-2-1 ATS as an underdog this season.
Morehead played six guys Friday, four of them 36:00+.
Morehead is playing for third night in a row.
Eagles are 1-5 vs teams in the top 200.
Morehead is 7-2 in its last four OVC tourneys (won in 2021).
Little Rock (21-11, 15-4)
KenPom rating: 176
Tempo: 95
Experience: 250
Continuity: 287
Little Rock won its last ten games.
Trojans covered 10 of their last 11 games.
Little Rock has #51 eFG% defense in country.
Trojans are 5-3 vs teams in the top 200.
Little Rock had stress-free win Friday, didn’t play Thursday.
Last time Little Rock won a conference tourney: 2011.
Morehead (-1.5) lost 69-68 at Little Rock February 15.
Little Rock was 16-18 on foul line, Morehead 4-4.
Trojans won two of three meetings as OVC rivals.
Home team won all three of those games.