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[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Southeast Division Analysis
By Joe Nelson

Take a look as the five teams in the Eastern Conference Southeast Division as we approach the halfway point in the season. Here is a breakdown of the results and spread results for each team in the Southeast division and a look at what situations may be favorable moving forward for each squad.

The Southeast was expected to fall off the map a bit this season with the expected decline of the Miami Heat but the Atlanta Hawks have emerged as one of the leaders in the NBA this season coming off an incredible win streak this winter. Washington has also looked like a serious Eastern Conference contender at times this season and despite losing records both Charlotte and Miami would make the playoffs right now as this has been a stronger and deeper division than most expected.

Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks have been the story of the season so far with a 41-9 record through 50 games. Atlanta has an eight game lead over Toronto for the top spot in the Eastern Conference and the +6.9 average point differential for the Hawks leads the conference by over two points per game. Not surprisingly the Hawks have been a great ATS performer, going 34-15-1 ATS and they led an incredible cover streak in January that just recently was halted. This was a team that was 1-3 to start the season and 5-5 through 10 games, meaning that the Hawks have won 36 of the last 41 games for a truly dominant run. Atlanta has played the weakest schedule in the NBA by most measures however so there could be some correction ahead for the Hawks who will also likely be overvalued at times.

While Atlanta only has three S/U losses at home all season, going 17-10 ATS, the profits for Hawks backers have been on the road where Atlanta is 17-5-1 ATS on the season. The Hawks are 9-4 ATS as an underdog and 25-11-1 ATS as a favorite this season including going 8-2-1 ATS this season as a road favorite. A big part of the success for the Hawks vs. the number is that Atlanta is rarely a heavy favorite and in fact the Hawks have not done well as a big favorite this season despite overwhelming success in most areas. This season the Hawks are just 5-9 ATS as a favorite of seven or more points. Atlanta has leaned slightly to the ‘over’ on the season with the ‘over’ 27-22-1 but there has not been a substantial edge on totals for the Hawks home or away.

Washington Wizards: The Wizards looked like a lock for one of the top three seeds in the Eastern Conference a few weeks ago but a recent slide now has Washington clinging to the third spot with just a game separating the #3, #4, and #5 seeds in the Eastern Conference. Those other teams are Cleveland and Chicago, certainly teams that will be feared in the post-season so there should be a big incentive for the Wizards to avoid being drawn into the 4/5 first round matchup. The Wizards have looked like an overachiever much of the season with only a +1.7 average point differential on the year, lower than several teams with worse records this season.

Those close margins have kept Washington as a losing spread performer at 21-28-1 ATS through 50 games including an ugly ATS run since the calendar turned to 2015 with a 7-13 ATS run. Washington is just 14-19 ATS as a favorite this season and just 6-11 ATS when laying five or more points this season. Washington has been a .500 team as a road favorite but the Wizards have struggled in the road underdog role at just 4-8 ATS this season. Washington games have leaned to the ‘over’ with the Wizards on the road and leaned to the ‘under’ in home games at this point in the season, sitting with totals knotted at 25-25 overall for the season through 50 games.

Charlotte Hornets: In the first year with the Charlotte team back as the Hornets, Charlotte did not look like a playoff team for much of the season. If the season ended now the Hornets would face an increasingly vulnerable looking Toronto team in the first round however. It has been a great turnaround for the franchise that has had little success since its creation as this squad was 6-19 S/U in mid-December, looking bound to be one of the top teams in the lottery yet again. Charlotte is 15-8 S/U since December 19 for a great run back into playoff contention but surprisingly Charlotte is only 14-9 ATS in that span. The turnaround was not really a huge surprise as Charlotte has been favored in nine of those 23 games and the Hornets are rarely picking up wins against top competition.

A clear trend has emerged with this team as they are 14-8-1 ATS on the road and just 9-16 ATS at home. The Hornets have only been a road favorite three times all season as they have been a profitable road underdog to support going 12-6-1 ATS on the season with Charlotte covering in nine of the last 12 instances as a road underdog. Given the competitive play the Bobcats have often been a tempting team as a home underdog but they are just 3-7 ATS this season in that role. Totals have leaned very slightly to the ‘over’ for the Bobcats this season though that trend has reversed course of late with seven of the last eight Charlotte games staying ‘under’ as of early February.

Miami Heat: Of the teams in the bottom half of the NBA Miami has shown the potential to knock off a contender once in a while even though this has been a disappointing team sitting at 21-28 S/U through 49 games. Miami is still right in the thick of the playoff race even in a clear transition season after four straight trips to the NBA Finals. A -3.7 average point differential is actually worse than four teams that the Heat sit ahead of in the Eastern Conference standings with Miami currently holding the final playoff position. Miami has played a rather difficult schedule however and the Heat is playing good defense on most nights.

Miami is just 8-15 S/U and ATS at home this season for one of the worst home court edges in the league. Miami is 22-25-2 ATS overall this season which actually is not too bad considering that most expected the Heat to still be a serious Eastern Conference contender this season. Miami has struggled playing as a favorite at just 6-10-1 ATS on the season but the Heat have been a tough road team at 14-10-2 ATS. The strongest position in Miami games has been taking the ‘under’ as the ‘under’ is 31-18 in Heat games this season. Since the calendar turned to 2015, 13 of 16 Miami games have stayed ‘under’. Almost all of the success for backing the ‘under’ in Miami games has been with the Heat away from home where the ‘under’ is 19-7 this season even with the two most recent road games for the Heat going ‘over’.

Orlando Magic: Jacque Vaughn was recently fired as the head coach of the Orlando Magic with Orlando just 15-37 on the season. While it has been a disappointing season for the Magic it is not really clear what was expected given that several prominent players left the team in the offseason and this is a very young and unproven squad. Orlando was certainly expected to be one of the worst teams in the league this season and a surprisingly competitive start to the season may have doomed Vaughn as expectations elevated with the team opening the season 5-8 S/U. Almost all of those wins came against some of the fellow bottom-tier teams in the league and Vaughn was fired with the team on a 2-16 S/U run since late December. Orlando has a slight winning ATS record this season at 27-25 ATS and in mid-December the Magic were a sneaky good spread performer at 16-10 ATS through December 13.

It has been a downward trend since and it will be interesting to see how the team reacts to the changes. The clear rule of thumb has been the back the Magic on the road where they are 20-10 ATS while going just 7-15 ATS at home on the season. Orlando is 8-2 ATS as a double-digit underdog this season as they have competed well even when clearly overmatched and while it has not happened often the Magic are just 2-5 ATS as a favorite this season. Orlando is 20-8 ATS as a road underdog this season including 16-5 ATS when dogged by at least six points. Backing the ‘over’ in Magic home games has been profitable with the ‘over’ at 14-8 in Orlando this season with a recent seven-game ‘over’ home streak snapped last week.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Saturday's Tip Sheet
By Tony Mejia

Bulls at Pelicans – 7:05 PM EST

Indiana’s upset of Cleveland kept the Bulls in first place in the Central Division, but their grip has loosened considerably. Chicago lost to the Heat before embarking on this four-game road swing, shocked Golden State and then ran out of gas in losses to the Lakers, Suns and Rockets. Reports are that most in the locker room blame a lack of effort, so maybe they’ll be engaged after a few more practice-filled days. This will be just the Bulls second game in eight nights, so they should be as rested they’ve been in months. Pau Gasol could set a career-best with his 11th consecutive double-double and leads the NBA with 31. The Bulls had 15 offensive rebounds in their 107-100 win on Dec. 27. All-Star Jimmy Butler broke out for 33 points.

The Pelicans won’t have much time to dwell on their emotional last-second win in Oklahoma City last night, but certainly enjoyed a happy flight home. Chicago native Anthony Davis finished with 41 points, including the 3-point buzzer-beater that has been the talk of the NBA. He had 29 points, 11 boards and six blocks in the earlier loss to the Bulls. Injured starting point guard Jrue Holiday isn’t expected back until after the All-Star break, but Tyreke Evans has taken over at point guard, finishing with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists against the Thunder on Friday.

Nets at Wizards – 7:05 PM EST

The Nets got a huge 3-pointer from Jarrett Jack with 13 seconds left to outlast the Knicks on Friday. They’ll be looking for their first four-game winning streak of the season in D.C, where they won by 22 just three weeks ago. Brooklyn went on to lose to the Wizards the next night and then dropped 12 of their final 14 in January. Its recent success coincides with Deron Williams' return from a broken rib, but tonight will be his first back-to-back situation. Brook Lopez had 22 rebounds, nine boards and six blocks off the bench for the Nets, who are beginning a season-long eight-game stretch on the road that gets broken up by the All-Star break.

Washington’s run of being on the wrong side of the number has reached nine games, and it is just 2-7 outright in that stretch. The latest disappointment came in Charlotte, as the Wizards managed just 13 fourth-quarter points, melting down without Bradley Beal, whose injured toe has him questionable here. John Wall scored just two points in the second half against the Hornets, but his lack of production takes a back seat to getting out-rebounded 18-6 in the final quarter. The entire group is in a collective slump.

Warriors at Knicks – 7:35 PM EST

After losing a terrific shootout in Atlanta that ended 124-116, the Warriors may have to fight tired legs in their only visit to Madison Square Garden. Not only are they playing their fourth game in five nights, they flew cross-country in-between. Head coach Steve Kerr does have the luxury of one of the NBA’s deepest teams, so no one played more than 36 minutes. Stephen Curry is averaging over 31 points over GSW’s last five games. Two seasons ago, he scored 54 points and knocked down 11-for-13 from 3-point range. Last year, he toned it down and just put up a triple-double (27-11-11).

Since coming back from resting his sore knees, Carmelo Anthony has helped New York to a 5-4 mark in games he’s participated in. He’s only been forced to play one back-to-back and made it through just 25 minutes in a blowout loss at Indiana, but it’s likely he’ll be in the mix here. Brooklyn’s Alan Anderson helped hold him to 6-for-23 shooting in last night’s loss, contributing to the team’s 38 percent shooting. Rookie guard Langston Galloway led the Knicks with 11 rebounds. NYK has lost on the second night of a back-to-back 11 consecutive times, losing nine of them by double-digits.

Trail Blazers at Mavericks – 8:35 PM EST

LaMarcus Aldridge has excelled playing though his thumb injury and is back in his hometown of Dallas, where he put up 30 points twice last season, typical of how dominant he’s been there over his career. He became the Blazers all-time leader in double-doubles in a 108-87 rout of Phoenix and will surely be looking to set the tone since his team hasn’t fared well on the road over the last month. Portland has lost six consecutive road games. All of them, like this one, have come against teams with winning records. A visit to Houston awaits on Sunday night.

If the playoffs were to start today, this would be your 4-5 matchup, so the Mavericks will definitely want to fare better than they did in Portland the first time these teams met. Dallas lost on the road by a 108-87 count on Nov. 6 and will see the Trail Blazers twice more in the regular season, hosting the April 15 finale. Dirk Nowitzki rested last time out in Sacramento, but Rajon Rondo (facial fractures) has been ruled out through the weekend in order to try and avoid surgery. Veteran J.J. Barea has been starting in his place.

Kings at Jazz – 9:05 PM EST

DeMarcus Cousins got at teammates “to have some self-respect” and “act like you care,” following Wednesday’s 101-78 loss to the visiting Mavs, so it will be interesting to see how they respond. Rudy Gay shot 2-for-13, while rookie guards Nik Stauskas and Ray McCallum combined to shoot 3-for-20, so a lack of energy is only part of the problem right now. Point guard Darren Collison left Wednesday’s loss with a hip flexor strain and is considered doubtful here, leaving Ramon Sessions and McCallum to split duties. The Kings are 6-18 under interim coach Tyrone Corbin, who coached Utah from 2010-14. They’ve lost 10-of-11 and haven’t won a road game since Jan. 1, losing their last six outside Sacramento.

The Jazz lost for the fifth time in six games at Phoenix on Friday, falling 100-93 despite 24 points from Gordon Hayward. Utah did beat the Warriors at home on Jan. 30, but have lost six of nine at Energy Solutions Arena in 2015. Quin Snyder will definitely be looking for a win over the man he replaced, but injuries in the backcourt tie his hands. He’s been starting Australian rookies Dante Exum and Joe Ingles while bringing Trey Burke and Chris Johnson off the bench. Of that group, Burke, a 22-year-old former lottery pick in his second season, is the only one with over 100 NBA games under his belt.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Finding the best betting value before the NBA All-Star Break
By JASON LOGAN

The NBA All-Star Break is the unofficial midway mark of the basketball season, and it’s just around the bend.

After a grueling three and a half months, this halfway hiatus can often catch teams looking ahead to some time away from the court, especially those teams dealing with injuries, locker room drama, or just plain crappy play.

The All-Star Break can also serve as a motivator – a reward for working so hard. Teams can use the stretch before the break as an excuse to finish strong and earn a few days off, giving them some added value when betting against the spread.

Here are three teams trying to take some momentum into the All-Star Break and three teams counting down the days until they can get away from their poisonous situations:

STRONG FINISHERS

Minnesota Timberwolves (9-40 SU, 20-28-1 ATS)

The Timberwolves are getting their pieces back in place just in time. Minnesota has already seen the benefit of returning point guard Ricky Rubio and are expected to get underrated forward Shabazz Muhammad back this weekend.

The T-Wolves had covered in four of their last six games before Thursday night, despite winning on the scoreboard only one time in that span. Minnesota actually won but didn’t cover against Miami – set as a rare favorite Thursday – but will be getting plenty of points in its final slate of games before the break. The Timberwolves go head-to-head with the top three teams in the NBA - Memphis, Atlanta and Golden State – in their next four games, with a lone softy coming at Detroit.

Charlotte Hornets (22-27 SU, 24-23-2 ATS)

The Hornets have won three in a row SU and ATS – all as underdogs – and are a profitable 6-3 ATS in their last nine games heading into the weekend. The former Bobcats are showing some tenacity on defense, limiting opponents to 39.3 percent shooting and an average of only 87 points in that three-game run (two of which came versus Washington). Charlotte shut down the Wizards for 33 second-half points Thursday.

The Hornets have played a road-heavy schedule recently, with four of their last six away from home. They have three games before the break, and two of those will be inside Time Warner Cable Arena. Charlotte visits Philadelphia Saturday, then comes back to North Carolina for stands against Indiana and Detroit before the break.

Brooklyn Nets (20-28 SU, 23-25 ATS)

The hosts of NBA All-Star Weekend have plenty going on behind the scenes. Team owner Mikhail Prokhorov is reportedly shopping the franchise and trade rumors are swirling around the roster involving some big-name players. But the Nets are doing their best to boost the sale price, playing some solid basketball.

They’ve won back-to-back games over quality opponents in the Clipper and Raptors, and have covered the spread in four straight heading into Friday’s Battle for the Big Apple with the Knicks. Brooklyn hits the highway for the final three games before the break, a chance to get away from the relentless New York media and a challenge that could bring this team closer together. Deron Williams’ return and the play of Brook Lopez is providing some serious pop off the bench for Brooklyn.

WEAK FINISHERS

Washington Wizards (31-20 SU, 20-30-1 ATS)

The Wizards could be feeling a little burned out after trying to keep pace with the Atlanta Hawks in the Southeast standings. Washington, which jumped out to a strong start to the season, is hitting the wall with five straight losses heading into Saturday’s game versus Brooklyn. The Wizards recently dropped two against the Hornets, with a loss to Atlanta sandwiched in between. They mustered an average of only 40 points in the second half during that three-game span.

Washington could be counting down the days until some time off – and so could its bettors after suffering through a nine-game ATS losing skid. And to add to that anxiousness, guard Bradley Beal left Thursday’s loss with a toe injury and is questionable for the weekend. After the home game versus the Nets, the Wizards host Orlando and then travel north of the border to play Toronto.

Miami Heat (21-28 SU, 22-25-2 ATS)

Staying in the Southeast Division, the Heat are another team just trying to survive until the All-Star Break. Miami has been lost on offense with guard Dwyane Wade down with a hamstring injury, averaging less than 87 points in the four games without him. Wade isn’t the only member of the Heat nursing an ailment. Luol Deng is battling through a sore calf and Mario Chalmers has a leg injury. Some time off on the sands of South Beach is just what the doctor ordered for Miami.

The Heat close of the first half of the schedule with two tough road games sandwiching a home stand against the Knicks. Miami is at San Antonio for a Finals rematch Friday, plays New York next Monday, before heading to Cleveland in a massive meeting with former star LeBron James and the Cavaliers. It doesn’t help Miami’s cause that five of their last six games before the break come on the road.

Atlanta Hawks (41-9 SU, 35-15 ATS)

Yeah, that’s right. The NBA’s top team finds its way to this list. Atlanta has been living under the microscope for a good part of the season, ever since it went on an insane 19-game winning streak. That included a 16-3 ATS record. The Hawks rebounded from their first loss since nearly Xmas with a win over Washington but run a gauntlet of tough games before the break.

The Hawks have a rather large target on their backs with Golden State coming to town Friday, then head off for road stops in Minnesota and Boston. It’s a stretch of four games in six nights with travel in between. A run like Atlanta went on is exhausting on and off the court and expectations could be way too high for this team looking forward to some time away from the pressures of staying on top.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB Big East Analysis
By Kevin Rogers

The Big East race has turned into a good one nearly halfway through conference play. Four teams are within one game of each other for first place (Villanova, Georgetown, Butler, and Providence), while three other squads own .500 or better records inside the league (DePaul, Seton Hall, and Xavier). Looking ahead to the final half of the regular season prior to the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York, many of these teams have established play-on and play-against situations.

Villanova (20-2, 7-2)

The Wildcats battle Georgetown in a key revenge spot on Saturday in Philadelphia, looking to avenge a 78-58 blowout loss last month. Jay Wright’s team has rebounded with three consecutive blowouts, knocking off Creighton, DePaul, and Marquette by double-digits each. Granted, those three squads are in the bottom half of the conference, but all seven Big East wins are by at least 12 points.

The upcoming three-game stretch for the Wildcats will be a big test to see if they can hold onto the top spot in the league. Following a home matchup with Georgetown (7-4), Villanova heads to Providence (7-3) next Wednesday, then a trip to Butler (7-3) next Saturday. The Wildcats have covered four of five home games in the conference, with the lone ATS loss coming as 21 ½-point favorites against DePaul in a 17-point victory.

Butler (17-6, 7-3)

The transition from the Atlantic 10 to the Big East wasn’t easy for the Bulldogs last season, losing 14 of 18 league contests. However, Butler has proven it can hang in a major conference by winning seven of its first 10 Big East games, while also beating North Carolina and Georgetown in the Bahamas during the Thanksgiving break. Butler began league play with a 12-point loss at Villanova, but is 7-2 SU/ATS in the past nine games with the only defeats coming by four to Providence and two at Georgetown.

Given Villanova’s upcoming schedule, it wouldn’t be crazy to think that Butler could move into the top spot in the conference. The next six games for the Bulldogs are against DePaul, Villanova, at Creighton, at Xavier, Marquette, and at DePaul. Butler has won 11 of 12 games at Hinkle Fieldhouse, while squeezing out three road wins by four points apiece at St. John’s, Seton Hall, and Marquette.

Providence (17-6, 7-3)

The Friars shocked the Big East by locking up the automatic berth for the NCAA Tournament by capturing the conference tournament title last March over Creighton. Providence has carried over that momentum to this season, as Ed Cooley’s squad overcame a three-game skid in non-conference play (which included a home loss to Brown) to win 11 of its past 14 contests. The Friars have lost three conference games, but two of those have come to St. John’s, who owns a 3-6 record in the league.

Providence faces a tough test on Saturday with a trip to Xavier, as the Friars held off the Musketeers in their previous matchup in overtime, 69-66 to barely cover as 2-point favorites on January 22. The Friars return to the Dunkin Donuts Center for a pair of games next week against Villanova and Seton Hall, while owning a 6-2 ATS record the past eight contests with the only two non-covers coming to St. John’s.

Georgetown (15-7, 7-4)

The Hoyas fell apart late in Wednesday’s 74-71 home defeat to Providence as 6 ½-point favorites, the second setback to the Friars this season. Georgetown started conference play winning its first four home games, but has lost each of its past two games at the Verizon Center. Playing in the role of a favorite has not been profitable, posting a 2-5 ATS record in the last seven games when laying points, but the Hoyas have won five times in this stretch.

Georgetown still has two meetings apiece with Seton Hall and St. John’s, while making trips to Villanova (Saturday) and Butler (March 3). For as much as the Hoyas have slipped up at home recently, Georgetown has picked things up away from the Nation’s Capital with three straight road victories following an 0-2 start on the highway inside the league.

What else to watch for:

DePaul was expected to be near the bottom of the conference once again, but the Blue Demons surprised the ATS audience by covering each of their first seven Big East games. Oliver Purnell’s club pulled off upsets of Marquette, Seton Hall, and Xavier, while surprising Creighton as 10-point ‘dogs. However, the Blue Demons have slowed up with a 1-3 ATS mark of late, even though DePaul is fresh off a home ‘dog victory over an inconsistent Seton Hall club.

If Seton Hall is listed as a favorite in Big East play, it’s probably a good idea to fade them, as the Pirates have posted an 0-3 SU/ATS record when laying points inside the league. Besides a 13-point loss at DePaul on Tuesday, the Hall has also lost at home to Butler and DePaul in the favorite role. However, Seton Hall owns a solid 5-2 SU/ATS mark as an underdog against conference foes, as the Pirates will be likely listed as a ‘dog next week against Georgetown at home, Villanova on the road, and Providence on the highway.

St. John’s has been the worst ATS team in the league, covering twice in nine tries. The Red Storm swept Providence and covered each time, meaning Steve Lavin’s club has failed to cover a Big East game against anybody that doesn’t play in Rhode Island. St. John’s will be favored in its next two games against Creighton and DePaul at home, as the Red Storm has lost to both of those teams already as a road favorite.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB Hot & Not Report
By Brian Edwards

Money Makers:

Georgia Southern has only faced one team inside of the RPI's Top 150 so if you haven't taken notice of this squad yet, you're forgiven. But sharp bettors have been playing plenty of attention to the Eagles, who have been cashing tickets at a frenetic 11-2-1 against-the-spread clip. They face Ga. St. in Statesboro on Thursday night with first place in the Sun Belt Conference on the line. Ga. Southern, a four-point home 'dog to the Panthers, are unbeaten in nine home games with a 3-0-2 spread record. The Eagles lost 80-71 at Illinois in their only significant non-conference game, easily taking the cash as 23-point road underdogs.

Like Ga. Southern, Pepperdine is a home underdog Thursday night to BYU. The Waves, who won outright against the Cougars as 15-point 'dogs on Jan. 8, own a stellar 14-4-2 ATS record. They are led by junior forward Stacy Davis, who averages 15.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Pepperdine (14-8 straight up), which plays five of its last seven games at home, is coming off of Saturday's 67-62 win at Saint Mary's as an eight-point underdog.

Davidson has failed to cover the number in back-to-back games and three of its last five. Nevertheless, Bob McKillop's squad has still compiled a 13-4 spread record for the season. There's a reason why Davidson hasn't been impressive lately, as the team is missing its best player due to a slight meniscus tear. Jack Gibbs missed his fourth consecutive game Wednesday when the Wildcats lost a 62-61 decision to St. Bonaventure as 7.5-point home 'chalk.' Gibbs is averaging 15.8 points, 4.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game. When Gibbs will return remains a mystery. Also, Jake Belford (7.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG) was lost to a season-ending injury in December. Davidson (14-6 SU) has an RPI of 55 with home games looming vs. Duquesne (2/7) and George Mason (2/11). This team's ATS production is clearly waning, so bettors should stay away until Gibbs returns.

Money Burners:

San Jose State has been a mess all season. The Spartans, who have the nation's worst ATS ledger (3-14-2), have seen their roster gutted by three season-ending injuries and the dismissals of three other players from the program. The starting backcourt (Devante Wilson and Jalen James) is gone due to injuries. Dave Wojcik's team has zero wins against D-1 competition and is 1-13-2 versus the number in its last 16 lined games. SJS has lost nine of its 10 Mountain West games by 11 points or more.

CSU Northridge, which competes in the Big West, has also seen its personnel decimated by six suspensions. The result has been a 4-13-1 ATS mark. The Matadors seem to be improving recently, however, going 3-3 ATS in their last six games. After playing at Cal St. Fullerton on Thursday, they return home to take on UC Davis.

Pittsburgh (15-8 SU) has been an NCAA Tournament mainstay during Jamie Dixon's tenure, but it has limped to a 5-14-1 ATS record. Barring a hot run the rest of the regular season, the Panthers are going to have to win the ACC Tournament in order to hear their name called on Selection Sunday. The first issue came up in November when Durand Johnson (8.8 PPG last year) was lost to a season-long suspension. Next, Cameron Johnson (4.5 PPG) suffered a shoulder injury that has kept him out since early December. Pitt did pick up its best win this past Saturday when it upset Notre Dame as a home underdog. The Panthers host Syracuse this Saturday before going to Louisville on Feb. 11.

**B.E.'s Bonus Nuggets**

-- Penn State owns a 7-0 spread record as an underdog this season. Looking ahead at its schedule, PSU will probably be a 'dog in at least five of its last eight regular-season games.

-- The 'over' has hit in seven straight games for Pitt.

-- Florida is mired in a 1-5 ATS slump with its only spread cover coming by one-half point in a 52-50 win at Alabama as a 1.5-point road fave. The Gators, who have seen the 'over' go 9-2 in their last 11 games, will be home 'dogs for the first time in a long time Saturday night vs. top-ranked Kentucky.

-- Seton Hall has been a money maker with a 15-6 spread record, going 8-2 versus the number at home. However, the Pirates are 2-4 ATS in their last six outings. They get Marquette (2/7) and Georgetown (2/10) at home in their next two contests.

-- DePaul took the money in its first seven Big East games before losing three in a row both SU and ATS. The Blue Demons snapped out of that funk with Tuesday's 75-62 win over Seton Hall as 2.5-point home 'dogs. They'll be healthy puppies in their next three games that are all on the road.

-- After Wednesday's 60-58 home win over Ohio St., Purdue has won four in a row and five of its last six both SU and ATS. The Boilermakers are 9-2 ATS at home and the 'under' has connected at an 8-1 clip in their games in West Lafayette.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Tournament Forecast (2/6/15)
By The SportsBoss

2015 NCAA Tournament – Projected Field thru action on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2015

This is our third installment of bracketology for the 2015 NCAA Tournament and comes as we wrap up the first weekend of February.

Last week my bracket only had one difference from Lunardi where I had in NC State in the field vs. him having two CUSA teams making the cut: Old Dominion as an at-large (I had ODU as CUSA automatic bid) and Western Kentucky as earning the CUSA automatic berth (I did not have Western Kentucky in mix for an at-large).

Now that we briefly looked back at last week’s difference (which we will do every week) let’s jump into the latest 2015 projection! Below we breakdown each conference into three buckets initially (with a fourth bucket “life support” coming in our next installment along with a more detailed breakdown – see last year’s Bracketology entries to get a feel for next week’s template):

1) Automatic Bid
2) Looking Good - teams highly likely to play well enough in the regular season to earn a bid
3) Need Wins - teams that are firmly on the bubble and will need to play well to close their season

**Teams are listed in the s-curve order I see them now within conference**

**To add some color to each team I will include their SBPI ranking through action on Thursday January 29. For one bid leagues I will also show the SBPI ranking of the best team in the conference that was not selected as my automatic bid entrant to give a feel for their competition**

**Last key to remember when looking this over – I always lean towards INCLUDING teams in my breakdown that have any shot at earning a bid; some listed are extreme longshots but I would prefer including any potential candidates vs. adding them later out of blue. Leveraging that idea further I will lean towards keeping teams in say “Need Wins” versus moving them up to “Looking Good” till I feel certain they are a lock to earn a bid – do not want to slide teams down levels, only up. Many teams are closer to being left off completely versus moving up a level at this point in the season**

America East: Albany #212 (Stony Brook #115)

American Athletic: Cincinnati #57
Looking Good: SMU #73
Need Wins: Tulsa #63, Temple #59, Memphis #100, UConn #92

Atlantic Ten: VCU #11
Need Wins: Dayton #69, George Washington #62, Davidson #61, Rhode Island #87, UMass #95

ACC: Duke #1
Looking Good: Virginia #10, North Carolina #19, Louisville #8, Notre Dame #107
Need Wins: Miami #52, NC State #35, Clemson #76, Pittsburgh #54

Atlantic Sun: North Florida #168 (Florida Gulf Coast #200)

Big 12: Kansas #4
Looking Good: Iowa State #29, West Virginia #14, Oklahoma #18, Baylor #7
Need Wins: Oklahoma State #17, Texas #28

Big East: Villanova #3
Looking Good: Butler #5, Providence #21, Georgetown #24
Need Wins: Seton Hall #31, Xavier #15, St. John’s #51

Big Sky: Eastern Washington #211 (Northern Arizona #164)

Big South: High Point #138 (Gardner-Webb #135)

Big Ten: Wisconsin #9
Looking Good: Maryland #60, Indiana #45
Need Wins: Michigan State #33, Iowa #25, Ohio State #27, Illinois #41, Purdue #48, Michigan #46, Nebraska #102, Minnesota #43

Big West: Long Beach State #82 (Cal Poly #75)

Colonial: William & Mary #106 (Northeastern #173)

Conference USA: Western Kentucky #96 (Old Dominion #80)

Horizon: Cleveland State #74 (Green Bay #83)

Ivy: Yale #36 (Harvard #81)

MAAC: Iona #166 (Canisius #185)

MAC: Buffalo #71 (Toledo #84)

MEAC: North Carolina Central #193 (Norfolk State #238)

Missouri Valley: Wichita State #13
If WICHITA STATE does not win their conference tournament they would still RECEIVE a bid, thus taking a spot away from the at-large field. The Shockers are currently 7-2 vs. RPI Top 100 teams.
Need Wins: Northern Iowa #68

Mountain West: San Diego State #38
If SAN DIEGO STATE does not win their conference tournament they would still RECEIVE a bid, thus taking a spot away from the at-large field. The Aztecs are currently 5-4 vs. RPI Top 100 teams including a signature win over RPI #11 Utah earlier in the season.
Need Wins: Colorado State #79, Boise State #56, Wyoming #195

Northeast: St. Francis NY #199 (St. Francis PA #205)

Ohio Valley: Murray State #131 (Eastern Kentucky #85)

Pac 12: Arizona #6
Looking Good: Utah #12
Need Wins: UCLA #20, Stanford #34, Oregon #90, Washington #121, Oregon State #113

Patriot: Bucknell #191 (Holy Cross #198)

SEC: Kentucky #2
Looking Good: Arkansas #26, Georgia #42
Need Wins: LSU #94, Texas A&M #40, Ole Miss #44, Tennessee #89, Alabama #47, Florida #16

Southern: Wofford #109 (Chattanooga #159)

Southland: Stephen F. Austin #98 (Sam Houston State #126)

SWAC: Texas Southern #236 (Southern #230)

Summit: Oral Roberts #98 (South Dakota State #158)

Sun Belt: Georgia Southern #149 (Georgia State #130)

West Coast: Gonzaga #23
If GONZAGA does not win their conference tournament they would still RECEIVE a bid, thus taking one away from the current at-large pool.
Need Wins: St Mary’s #58, BYU #30

WAC: New Mexico State #141 (Chicago State #234)

FIELD: 68

AUTOMATIC BIDS: 32

Looking Good: 17 (unchanged)

Currently I project 49 of the 68 bids are earned.

Need Wins: 43 (unchanged)

That leaves 43 teams that are in the mix for 19 open bids.

Keep in mind however that DOES NOT include the upsets we will see during Conference Tournament week where teams that are LOCKS from smaller conferences lose a game in their conference tournament and hence use an at-large bid on themselves.

For the remaining 19 open bids this is the way I see it currently, which will obviously be very fluid (listed in conference alphabetical order applying s-curve within conference):

Tulsa (LAST FIVE IN)
Dayton
Miami, Fl.
NC State (LAST FIVE IN)
Oklahoma State
Texas
Seton Hall
Xavier
St. Johns (LAST FIVE IN)
Michigan State
Iowa
Ohio State
Northern Iowa
Colorado State
UCLA
Stanford
LSU
Texas A&M (LAST FIVE IN)
Ole Miss (LAST FIVE IN)

FIRST FIVE OUT – alphabetical order by conference:

Temple
George Washington
Illinois
Purdue
Oregon

Multiple bid conferences (total of 46 bids in 10 conferences; 22 single bid conferences = 68 bids):

B12 (7)
BE (7): Added St. John’s
ACC (7): Lost Syracuse (self-imposed sanction)
B10 (6)
SEC (6)
P12 (4): Added UCLA
AAC (3): Added Tulsa & lost Temple
A10 (2): Lost Davidson
MWC (2)
MVC (2)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Bracketology Update
By Bruce Marshall

We're now beyond the midway point of the college basketball season. "Bubble" talk now permeates the discussion. In fact, we are less than one month away from conference tournaments commencing!

Thus, we begin to value our "Bracketology" updates a bit more as we more accurately project where many of these teams will slot on Selection Sunday.

For our newest update, we include not only each team's record, but also its "RPI" (Ratings Percentage index) number, a calculation that begins to become more illuminating as we get deeper into conference action. All straight up (SU) records and RPI are thru February 4.

Note that for all of our "Bracketology" updates, the term "protected seed" refers to seeds 1 thru 4 in each region, and usual favorable geographic placement in the sub-regional round.

As usual, we break down the projected matchups by each region, beginning with the sub-regionals, which this season will begin on Thursday, March 19, with the Dayton "First Four" games played on March 17 and 18.

Remember, Selection Sunday is only five weeks away!

EAST REGIONAL (Syracuse)

At Charlotte...

1 Virginia (SU 20-1, RPI-3) vs. 16 High Point (17-6, 111)...Even after last Saturday's late loss to Duke, Virginia is not yet in any danger of being knocked out of a top regional seed, especially after Tony Bennett's Cavs bounced back so strongly to whip North Carolina in Chapel Hill on Monday night. The Big South as usual looks up for grabs entering next month's conference tourney near Myrtle Beach. At the moment, a measured vote for Scott Cherry's High Point, with likely league MVP F John Brown, though Radford and Winthrop could also be considered co-favorites entering the conference tourney. Note that Cherry, a former aide to Jim Larranaga at George Mason during its Final Four season of 2006, is being mentioned as a possible successor to Paul Hewitt in Fairfax if the Patriots continue their recent slide.

8 Seton Hall (15-7, 45) vs. 9 Texas (14-8, 36)...Both of these sides are far from being safely into the field, but we project a bit down the road and expect the Selection Committee to give rather wide berths to the Big East and Big 12. The Hall, however, is wobbling with four losses in its last six, and the Longhorns continue to sit in the lower half of the Big 12. Neither are advised to test the Selection Committee's love for their respective elagues by finishing under .500 in conference play. These sides could both quickly drop into serious bubble trouble if they stumble a few more times in the next couple of weeks.

At Omaha...

4 Wichita State (20-3, 14) vs. 13 Yale (15-6, 51)...Wichita is now technically behind Northern Iowa in the Valley standings after last Saturday's loss at Cedar Falls, but gets the Panthers at Koch Arena in a few weeks and can still claim the top seed in the upcoming "Arch Madness" (otherwise known as the MVC Tournament) in St. Louis. We still believe the Shockers are a more-likely protected Big Dance seed than UNI. As for Yale, it has jumped out to the early lead in the Ivy, though will be facing Tommy Amaker's four-time defending league champion Harvard in a crucial battle this weekend at New Haven.

5 Virginia Commonwealth (18-4, 9) vs. 12 Iowa (13-8, 51) /Colorado State (19-4/28)...VCU is moving forward without key cog Briante Weber, now out with a season-ending injury, but Shaka Smart's Rams have good depth and still appear to be the team to beat in the A-10. They're also the only certain qualifier out of the loop for the Dance. In one of the play-in games at Dayton we slot a couple of teams sliding dangerously close to the cut line. Iowa took a three-game losing streak into Thursday's game at Michigan, but two of those losses were vs. Wisconsin, and road wins at North Carolina and Ohio State are just enough to keep the Hawkeyes in the field...for the moment. CSU's at-large credentials took another jolt when losing for a second time to Mountain West border rival Wyoming on Wednesday. It is no guarantee that the Committee goes three-deep in the Mountain, which appears down this season. But after losing twice to Wyo, how can we put the Rams above Larry Shyatt's Cowboys?

At Pittsburgh...

2 Villanova (20-2, 7) vs. 15 Georgia Southern (16-4, 107)...Villanova is probably sitting just outside of the number-one line at the moment, but is poised to slide into a top regional seed should one of our other projected number ones stumble in the next few weeks. The Cats are a good bet to be ticketed to the Pittsburgh sub-regional at whatever seed they claim on Selection Sunday. The Sun Belt race at the moment features Ron Hunter's Georgia State and loop newcomer Georgia Southern leading the pack. The Panthers were favored in last year's conference tourney before losing in OT to UL-Lafayette, but the Eagles scored a rousing win over State on Thursday to take over first place in the loop. Matters get settled next month in the conference tourney at the U of New Orleans' Lakefront Arena.

7 Baylor (17-5, 15) vs. 10 Texas A&M (15-6, 33)...Wouldn't this be a fascinating sub-regional tussle between former longtime rivals in the old Southwest Conference and the Big 12? Baylor might project a bit higher than a 7 seed, but we have pushed the Bears a bit down the Big 12 ladder and expect Scott Drew's bunch could be shuffled downward on Selection Sunday due to traffic from their conference. Even after a midweek loss at Ole Miss, Texas A&M looks to be part of a larger-than-expected SEC contingent that could number as many as six bids on Selection Sunday.

At Jacksonville...

3 West Virginia (18-4, 23) vs. 14 Iona (16-6, 52)...Though Bob Huggins' WVU stubbed its toe at midweek vs. Oklahoma, the Big 12 looks to be a likely 7-bid league, and the Mountaineers still project in protected-seed territory (though we have sent them a bit farther away from what would be their preferred sub-regional in nearby Pittsburgh). Tim Cluess' Iona is no stranger to the Big Dance and has drawn clear in the Metro-Atlantic, but this does not look to be quite as dangerous a Gaels side as in recent years, and any number of contenders (watch out for Manhattan, Rider, Monmouth, Canisius, and the "Pollsters" from Quinnipiac) appear capable of an upset run at next month's conference tourney in Albany.

6 Ohio State (17-6, 41) vs. 11 Tulsa (16-5, 43)...Just when we are about to move the Buckeyes up another line or two, they stumbled again on Wednesday at Purdue, so at the moment OSU stays in the 6-7 seed range despite owning one of the nation's most exciting frosh in high-scoring D'Angelo Russell. Tulsa, which returned four starters from last year's Big Dance qualifier under Danny Manning, is poised for a return trip to the Dance under first-year HC Frank Haith. If the Golden Hurricane can carry its current lead in the American all of the way to the conference tourney in Hartford, it will likely secure an at-large bid ahead of Selection Sunday.

SOUTH REGIONAL (Houston)

At Charlotte...

1 Duke (19-3, 5) vs. 16 St. Francis NY (14-9, 146)/Albany (15-7, 135)...Perhaps we have over-reacted to Duke's rousing win last Saturday at unbeaten Virginia, moving the Blue Devils to the top line at the expense of the likes of Wisconsin, Villanova, and Kansas. But we project a bit with these brackets as well and believe Duke retains an excellent chance at a top seed. The America East race has been turned inside-out the past few weeks by the Great Danes from Albany, looking for a return trip to the Dance and having zoomed ahead of all else in the A-E with a blistering 10-0 start to league play. At the moment, the Terriers of Brooklyn-based St. Francis (NY) have the pole position in the Northeast, not insignificant since the conference winner has homecourt edge in a conference tourney played at campus sites. Looming close behind in the NE standings are Smithfield, RI-based Bryant, the home team of the Pittsburgh Airport, Robert Morris, Maurice Stokes' alma mater St. Francis (PA), Mount Saint Mary's, and Bob Beckel's Staten Island-based alma mater, Wagner. America East and Northeast champs have had to endure the 16 vs. 16 play-in games before.

8 Cincinnati (15-6, 31) vs. 9 Dayton (17-4, 35)...This would both a nice neighborhood battle...unlimited cheese coneys from Gold Star Chili to the winner! Cincy and Dayton both project into this seed range, so the local matchup is not impossible. The Bearcats look to be on course for a return to the Dance even minus HC Mick Cronin (out of decency we spare the use of our old nickname for Cronin), now on medical leave. We are not sure how deep the Committee looks in the A-10, but beyond VCU we believe Dayton looks the best bet for an at-large. Remember, Archie Miller's Flyers advanced to the Elite Eight last spring with a similar-looking team.

At Louisville...

4 Oklahoma (15-7, 18) vs. 13 William & Mary (14-7, 74)...Such is our respect for the Big 12 that we believe Oklahoma, even with seven losses, is likely to project into protected seed status. With a solid body of work in non-league play, plus good road wins at Tulsa, Texas, and Oklahoma State, Lon Kruger appears to have his best Sooner team in four seasons at Norman. And they're getting excited in Williamsburg, as the Tribe of W&M is on the cusp of its first-ever Big Dance invitation that came so close a year ago before losing in the last second of the conference tourney final at Baltimore vs. U-Dee. Stylish, long-haired sr. G Marcus Thornton (19 ppg) is the likely Colonial MVP.

5 Maryland (19-4, 16) vs. 12 Wofford (18-5, 46)...The Terps' numbers might suggest a protected seed, but their form of late has been a bit spotty, with a handful of close calls vs. decided underdogs (such as Northwestern and Penn State) and recent heavy losses at Indiana and Ohio State. So we put Maryland at a five in this report. Meanwhile, Wofford has taken command in the SoCon as it looks for back-to-back Big Dance trips under vet HC Mike Young and star G Karl Cochran.

At Columbus...

2 Wisconsin (20-2, 6) vs. 15 NC Central (17-6, 111)...Wisconsin is sitting as the best-rated Big Ten side at the moment and is poised to move into a number one regional seed should any of our other projected top seeds stumble in the next month. The Badgers will have an even better shot at a top regional slot if they can win next month's Big Ten Tourney, this year in Chicago. Looking for back-to-back Big Dance visits are HC LeVelle Moton's NC Central Eagles, who should be safely clear of the 16 vs. 16 play-in game as long as they maintain current form and don't get KO'd in next month's MEAC Tourney at the Norfolk Scope, once upon a time of the regional homes for the ABA Virginia Squires during Dr. J's earliest days as a pro hoopster.

7 Georgetown (15-7, 24) vs. 10 Georgia (14-7, 25)...Here are a couple of "G" teams who have slid down the seeding ladder in the past week, though safely remaining in the field...for now. Georgetown, recently in contention for a protected seed, has suffered home losses to Xavier and Providence within the past week and has slipped into the 7-8 range. As for Georgia, we can't penalize the Bulldogs too much for their competitive Tuesday loss at Kentucky, but a previous 17-point setback at South Carolina is the sort of result Mark Fox's team has to avoid in February if it wants to stay on the safe side of the cut line.

At Seattle...

3 Utah (17-4, 11) vs. 14 Valparaiso (21-4, 90)...The Pac-12 might only go three deep on Selection Sunday, but we believe Utah is surely going to be one of those three and perhaps rewarded with a protected seed, though we admit that any more efforts like last Thursday's loss at UCLA could hurt those prospects. Bryce Drew's Valpo has more wins (21) that any team in the country save Kentucky (22) and both Notre Dame and Northern Iowa (21 each, the same as the Crusaders). But the path to the Dance through the Horizon Tourney is tricky with capable Green Bay and Cleveland State lurking, and it is doubtful Valpo has a strong enough profile to merit an at-large bid if needed

6 Arkansas (17-5, 22) vs. 11 Michigan (13-9, 57)...Though we do not project any SEC team save Kentucky to receive a protected seed, Arkansas is likely to be one of several (we peg six in this update) SEC reps to get a call on Selection Sunday. We also stick our necks out a bit with Michigan, which took nine SU losses into last Thursday's game vs. Iowa. Injury problems have proven costly to the Wolverines, though that might prove a bonus at the cut line if John Beilein can keep his team in the bubble mix into March.

MIDWEST REGIONAL (Cleveland)

At Louisville...

1 Kentucky (22-0, 2) vs. 16 Bucknell (12-12, 182)/New Mexico State (13-10, 167)...Never mind the nuances of the RPI, expect Coach Cal's Cats to be the top overall seed on Selection Sunday. If they haven't already, UK fans can make their plans for the Louisville sub-regional. The Patriot champ has been involved in past play-in games, and this season's conference race has been turned inside-out with preseason favorite Lafayette taking on some water in recent weeks and CBS head honcho Les Moonves' alma mater Bucknell suddenly emerging along with unheralded Colgate as the leaders in the race. Also keep an eye on Army, with perhaps its best team since Coach K's years in the late '70s, and of course the memorable Bob Knight editions of the late '60s and into 1970. In the WAC, New Mexico State finally has skywalking G Daniel Mullings back in the lineup and will again be the favorite in the conference tourney at Las Vegas next month.

8 Indiana (16-7, 30) vs. 9 Oklahoma State (15-7, 29)...Indiana and its 80-ppg offense is a lot of fun to watch, but the Hoosiers' defensive issues are going to prevent Tom Crean from feeling too comfy about an at-large invite for the next several weeks. And if IU blows its chance at a bid, is Crean going to be in trouble? Meanwhile, Ok State is hanging at .500 in the rough-and-tumble Big 12, which should be good enough to get a favorable call from the Committee on Selection Sunday. Recent wins over Baylor and at Texas have the Cowboys looking more like an NCAA Tourney team.

At Jacksonville....

4 North Carolina (17-6, 16) vs. 13 Buffalo (15-6, 40)...With UNC finding creative ways to blow its biggest games, we do not think Roy Williams' current edition is a serious title contender as some recent editions. But there are an ample number of soft spots in the ACC for the Heels to win enough to get a protected seed on Selection Sunday. There would be a definite Tobacco Road flavor to a possible matchup vs. Buffalo, which has emerged as the team to beat in the MAC behind second-year HC and former Duke G Bobby Hurley.

5 Northern Iowa (21-2, 19) vs. 12 Murray State (19-4, 77)...We suppose UNI could warrant a protected seed, especially after last week's rousing victory over Wichita, but we project a loss in the rematch vs. the Shockers, which probably moves the Panthers down to the 5-seed range. Nonetheless, UNI looks securely into the field of 68, along with Wichita, San Diego State, VCU, and maybe Dayton as the only mid-majors who appear solid with their at-large credentials (yes, we know Mountain West and A-10 reps don't like to be called mid-majors!). Murray State has no problem embracing the mid-major label and looms as a dangerous sub-regional foe, as it has assumed command of the Ohio Valley. A possible showdown vs. recently-surging Belmont in the conference tourney next month in Nashville would be, as Ed Sullivan used to say, "a really big shoooo."

At Portland...

2 Arizona (20-2, 24) vs. 15 Texas Southern (11-11, 132)...Arizona was fancying itself as a top regional seed in the West for the first month of the season, but road losses at UNLV and Oregon State are not befitting a top seed. Even with a close December home win over Gonzaga, we think the Zags are more likely to grab the West's top seed, likely moving the Wildcats out of the region. The Houston-based Tigers from Texas Southern, with non-league upset wins at Michigan State and Kansas State (not bad results for a low-major team with four new starters!), would be the one SWAC rep that would likely be able to bypass the 16 vs. 16 play-in game.

7 SMU (18-4, 21) vs. 10 Purdue (15-8, 76)...After being perhaps the final team left out of the 68-team field a year ago, expect Larry Brown's SMU to be comfortably on the safe side of the cut-line prior to this year's Selection Sunday. A recent "mover" has been Purdue, suddenly up to third in the Big Ten and further solidifying its surprising at-large credentials with a midweek win over Ohio State. All of which is taking some of the heat off of HC Matt Painter, acknowledged by many Big Ten insiders to be on the hot seat this season.

At Pittsburgh...

3 Notre Dame (21-3, 27) vs. 14 South Dakota State (17-7, 115)...We're not sure why the RPI doesn't like Notre Dame a bit more (did the loss at Pitt hurt that much?), but the Fighting Irish look a solid protected seed to us. The Summit Tourney at hoops-mad Sioux Falls, SD is annually one of the wildest mid-major events in March. Next month, it might come down to a battle of the Dakotas between "South State" and "North State" (we project Scott Nagy's Jackrabbits from the South as the likely rep, but as we mentioned, anything goes in this annual free-for-all).

6 Butler (17-6, 14) vs. 11 Wyoming (19-4, 62)...The RPI doesn't seem to love Wyo very much, but the Cowboys are not showing signs of buckling as they have done (mostly due to injuries) the past couple of seasons. A pair of wins over border rival CSU should have the Cowboys ahead of the Rams in the at-large queue (though we still have projected CSU as an at-large play-in team). While the RPI doesn't seem to like Wyo too much, it is very much likes Butler, whose 14 RPI suggests that maybe the Bulldogs ought to get protected seed consideration.

WEST REGIONAL (Los Angeles)

at Seattle...

1 Gonzaga (22-1, 8) vs. 16 Florida Gulf Coast (16-7, 133)...After a couple of losses by Arizona, the Zags now project to the top spot in the West Regional and are a good bet to stay there as they figure, as usual, to cruise through the WCC. Shades of 2013's "Dunk City" at FGCU, as the Eagles have moved to the lead in the Atlantic Sun with a few remnants of their Sweet Sixteen team from two years ago still in the fold. But FGCU won't be sneaking up on anyone in this Big Dance. Wonder if HC Andy Enfield (currently struggling at USC) wishes he hadn't left Fort Myers?

8 San Diego State (18-5, 26) vs. 9 LSU (16-5, 39)...This doesn't appear to be as formidable of an SDSU team as Steve Fisher has put on the court the past couple of years. But the numbers suggest the Aztecs are one of the few mid-majors to be solidly in place for an at-large bid should they lose in their conference tourney (in the MW's case at Las Vegas). We're keeping close watch on developments in the SEC, where LSU has tended to play erratically, but road wins at Ole Miss and Florida suggest the Tigers are good enough to stay on the safe side of the cut line.

At Omaha...

4 Iowa State (16-5, 13) vs. 13 Stephen F. Austin (18-3, 83)...Fred Hoiberg's ISU has advanced to the round of 32 and Sweet 16 the past two seasons; by that logic, do the Cyclones get to the Elite 8 this March? We'll see, and we expect them to have a protected seed to begin their next postseason quest. Hoiberg would certainly not allow his troops to overlook SFA, which made some noise for HC Brad Underwood (a former Frank Martin aide) last season when dumping VCU in the sub-regionals. First, however, the Lumberjacks have to take care of dangerous Sam Houston State and others in the Southland Tourney next month in the Houston suburb of Katy.

5 Michigan State (15-7, 38) vs. 12 St. Mary's (17-5, 68)/Ole Miss (15-7, 44)...We know that a five seed looks a bit aggressive for Michigan State's numbers, but we base the projection as much upon history as anything else, and current form suggests that Tom Izzo might have another team ready to peak late in the season. The other at-large play-in game has several candidates, and we think Randy Bennett's Saint Mary's rates a slight nod over BYU (which has stumbled a few more times) out of Gonzaga's WCC. As for Ole Miss, its midweek success over Texas A&M was huge and gives it four wins on the trot, definitely putting the Rebs back on Selection Committee radar.

At Portland...

2 Kansas (19-3, 1) vs. 15 Eastern Washington (16-5, 93)...The RPI apparently overlooks such info as Kansas' 32-point loss to Kentucky in its formula to rank the Jayhawks as the top team in its calculation. KU might still get a regional top seed, but plenty of banana peels are on the ground in the Big 12, and we believe Bill Self's team likely ends up a 2 or 3 seed. If EWU noses out Sac State and Montana in the Big Sky, it might be a team to watch, having won in pre-league play at Indiana and owning the nation's top scorer in rapid-fire G Tyler Harvey (23.4 ppg)

7 Stanford (15-6, 32) vs. 10 Temple (16-7, 42)...As mentioned earlier, this seems a rather barren season in the Pac-12, and we do not project the Committee going deeper than three teams on Selection Sunday. Stanford, however, projects as one of those chosen teams, as Johnny Dawkins has impressively stabilized the situation in Palo Alto (no more talk on The Farm these days about Dawkins being on the hot seat, either!). Fran Dunphy's Temple has been on the move since all of its transfers gained eligibility in December and the Owls own a big win over Kansas that can be cashed for value on Selection Sunday.

At Columbus....

3 Louisville (19-3, 12) vs. 14 UC Davis (16-4, 93)...Rick Pitino is now playing in the ACC, but the 'Ville has made a seamless transition to its new neighborhood and could be on the one or two-line by the time we get to Selection Sunday. As for Kimberly Guilfoyle's alma mater UC Davis, it has stayed at or near the top of the Big West race with the nation's top three-point shooting accuracy (45.2%!). Star G Corey Hawkins looks like he could be the difference-maker in the league, though don't forget how a sub-.500 Cal Poly side (still lurking) won the conference tourney at Anaheim last March. The Aggies, as well as top contender UC Irvine, will be looking for their first-ever Big Dance invitations next month at Honda Center.

6 Providence (17-6, 20) vs. 11 La Tech (17-5, 87)...Ed Cooley's Providence has been a mild surprise all season, not skipping a beat after the graduation of do-everything G Bryce Cotton. The Friars look well on the safe side of the cut line after their second win of the season against Georgetown on Wednesday night. Conference USA is a logjam at the top, but we don't think there will be more than the winner of the conference tourney (this year held in Birmingham) to make the field of 68. At the moment, a slight nod to Michael White's La Tech, a narrow loser in last year's conference tourney in El Paso. Keep an eye on ascending UAB, which gets home edge in the tourney next month, while Tim Floyd's UTEP could also be a team to watch in Birmingham.

Last four in: Iowa, Colorado State, Saint Mary's, Ole Miss.

Last four out: Xavier, Miami-Fla., St. John's, Illinois.

Next four out: Boise State, George Washington, Rhode Island, BYU.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Kentucky vs. the Field
By Tony Mejia

Top-ranked Kentucky has arrived at the SEC stretch that loomed ominously, at least on paper, before conference play began.
It consists of back-to-back road games that have those brave souls that have already backed Kentucky to enjoy a perfect run through the 2014-15 season a little on edge. The destinations, Gainesville and Baton Rouge, coupled with the talent they’ll face, represent a challenge.

Last year’s team lost at both stops.

Florida, who the Wildcats face in Saturday’s night’s college basketball primetime showcase, beat them three times last season. The Gators have routed UK at the O’Connell Center two years in a row, rolling by a combined total of 27 points. Mind you, those Kentucky teams were less polished, not as deep and weren’t the juggernaut this team is, but it’s still disconcerting that no one that is going to log major minutes on Saturday has ever won in Gainesville.

Willie Cauley-Stein, playing through ankle pain, is 0-for-2 at UF, but he’s at least tasted victory against Billy Donovan’s team. All the sophomores have something in common with this year’s elite freshmen class in that they would all be experiencing a first in defeating Florida.

Despite that recent history in play, this particular Wildcats team has shown enough to command respect from the books, who expect to see lopsided wins from now until deep into the SEC Tournament, barring injury.

“They're going to be double-digit favorites now all the way out,” said Johnny Avello, the executive director of Race and Sports at the Wynn Las Vegas. “At LSU they're definitely double-digits. Arkansas (on Feb. 28) would be something if they were home, but that's not the same game in Kentucky. Georgia on the road, they should handle. All of them are perceived as games they should get easily.”

This Gators challenge could be the most interesting if Donovan finds a way to pull his team together after Wednesday’s 67-61 loss at Vanderbilt, but this certainly isn’t the group that humbled the Harrison twins last year. Not even close.

Patric Young, a force inside and on the boards who could match up athletically with Kentucky’s bigs, graduated and is now playing in Turkey. Tag-team partner Will Yeguete, wing Casey Prather and heady point guard Scottie Wilbekin also all exhausted their eligibility.

Walk-on Jacob Kurtz is the lone senior who sees playing that was on the team last season. He played one minute in the three games against Kentucky. Michigan transfer Jon Horford, who had his Wolverines career ended by UK in last year’s NCAA tournament, has been in and out of the lineup for Florida and hasn’t had the anticipated impact. The same can be said about Duke transfer Erik Murphy. Former prep All-American Chris Walker can best hang athletically with UK’s giants, but he’s been a disappointment, struggling with foul trouble and inconsistency. He’s played just nine minutes in each of the last two games.

It could be revenge time for Cauley-Stein, Dakari Johnson and Anthony Lee, who should impose their will inside with help from talented freshman Karl Anthony Towns. Fellow freshman Trey Lyles is likely to miss the game due to illness.

Florida wings Dorian Finney-Smith and Michael Frazier had their moments against the Cats last year, but now have to shoulder more of the load while the defense focuses more of their attention on them. Guards Eli Carter, Kasey Hill and freshman Chris Chiozza must handle intense pressure and barely held on against Arkansas’ full-court pressure just last Saturday.

Florida escaped the Razorbacks 57-56 when Frazier nailed two late free-throws, but the aura of invincibility that the Gators carried at the O-Dome has largely disappeared this season. Miami, UConn and LSU have already won there. Louisiana-Monroe managed to take them to overtime.

We could very well have already witnessed Kentucky’s toughest SEC tests, since it was forced to work OT by Ole Miss and at Texas A&M in consecutive games in early January. Only Vanderbilt has come within single-digits since, with the margin of victory over its last seven games a massive 19.4 points per game.

Head coach John Calipari has praised how engaged he believes this team is, so the best thing they can do to avoid complacency is to embrace the massive target on their backs and chase perfection.

“We haven’t had a bad practice. They haven’t all been high watermarks, but they’ve all been good. There’s not been what I would say is a bad practice, so I can go every day knowing, ‘what are we doing today?,’” said Calipari, comparing the team’s habits to his 2012 national championship team. “It’s a very smart team. I can do stuff on the fly.”

Whether they hammer Florida or simply survive, the next stop is Baton Rouge, where they suffered an 87-82 loss last season. This marks the final time Kentucky will play back-to-back true road games, having survived the first set at South Carolina and Missouri without complications. With NBA prospects Jordan Mickey and Jarrell Martin leading the Tigers frontcourt, Tuesday’s visit to the Pete Maravich Center could carry its own potential pitfalls. Still, Auburn just pulled off a win at LSU on Thursday, so the expectation is that the Wildcats will get through unscathed.

Look for the payoff available for Kentucky running the table to take a hit following these two games, since a similar Saturday/Tuesday stretch against Arkansas and at Georgia would become the next major hurdle. It doesn’t seem too daunting. Sportsbooks still have UK at +250 if you want to back a perfect run, while backing it to take a spill remains favored at -400.

Having beaten Kansas, Providence, Texas, North Carolina, UCLA and rival Louisville prior to SEC play, it’s no wonder that many have seen enough and are getting behind the defending national runner-up to break through.

Just the other day, Avello says the Wynn took a significant bet on Kentucky to win it all. He anticipates it is going to get to the point where all the sportsbooks will be looking for someone to knock them off in the tournament, though the odds to get out of their region and so forth could ultimately get pricey once the bracket is released.

“I don’t think I'm alone. You have so much money coming in on them already and we’re only going to see more action,” said Avello. “They’re going to struggle in at least one game come the tournament. You know, someone is going to give them a run for their money, and they really do have issues shooting the ball that creep up from time to time. But as far as the public goes, they’re going to be tough to come off of.”

Bettors that seek out more favorable odds are likely going to be among the few who look elsewhere when backing another potential champ at the window or in filling out their brackets. The combination of stifling defense, breathtaking length and impressive depth have put Kentucky on a pedestal few teams have reached. It’s similar to UNLV's run to a title in ’90 and flirting with perfection in ’91. There is seemingly no peer.

“I think that’s why they’re overwhelming favorites, no longer even money anymore. There’s nobody in that other spot,” responded Avello when asked if any team has separated itself as a clear-cut second option. “Virginia, Villanova, Duke, Wisconsin, Arizona, Gonzaga, Kansas, all of them are in that pack of teams that could be No. 2, but there is no one you can really put up there as a foil for Kentucky.

“We’ve seen all those teams lose.”

The ’90-‘91 Runnin’ Rebels ended up 34-1 after a two-point loss to Duke in the Championship game. If history is to repeat itself and a perfect season is to be denied late, it’s likely going to take another superpower to do the dirty work.

We just don’t know who that could be yet.

We do know Kentucky appears to be formidable and consistent enough to take seriously as it chases history. Following this pair of games, it will have cleared a few more hurdles.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Kentucky at Florida
By Brian Edwards

After going to the Elite Eight in four consecutive seasons, Florida (12-10 straight up, 7-13-1 against the spread) looks like it is going to miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008. However, if the Gators can knock off unbeaten and top-ranked Kentucky on Saturday night at The O-Dome, they'll instantly jump right back in the middle of the bubble conversation.

On the flip side, if UF loses to UK, the only bubble it will need to worry about is one of the NIT variety.

Billy Donovan's team lost four seniors that led it to the Final Four last season. Nevertheless, nearly every poll and publication had UF as a preseason Top-10 team. So what's gone wrong?

Well, there are a slew of issues negatively impacting this team. Michael Frazier II, one of the nation's top 3-point shooters the last two seasons, isn't getting nearly as many good looks from beyond the arc. Frazier's 3-point percentage has dipped to 39.6% after he connected on 44.7% and 46.8% in his sophomore and freshman campaigns, respectively.

Most of all, the sophomores just aren't producing. Chris Walker and Kasey Hill were both McDonald's All-Americans coming out of high school. Both have talent galore and show flashes of brilliance, but neither player has been able to consistently perform at an elite level.

Kentucky (22-0 SU, 11-11 ATS) didn't play particularly well in Tuesday's home win over Georgia. Facing a UGA squad that was without its leading scorer and rebounder, UK beat the Bulldogs 69-58 as an 18.5-point home favorite. Andrew Harrison was the catalyst with 23 points and seven assists compared to just one turnover. Karl-Anthony Towns added 15 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and a pair of blocked shots.

UK has incredible size with three seven-footers and six total players that stand at least 6'9". One of those, however, freshman Trey Lyles, missed the Georgia game and is 'doubtful' at UF due to an illness. Lyles averages 7.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

Not only does John Calipari's team has the best size in America, it also has more depth than any other team in the country. Aaron Harrison leads a balanced scoring attack with a 11.0 points-per-game average. Devin Booker is the team's best shooter (50.7% FGs, 48.2 % 3PFG) and second-leading scorer (10.6 PPG).

Willie Cauley-Stein and Towns are the best of the 'bigs.' Cauley-Stein leads UK in rebounding (6.4 RPG), steals (33) and is third on the team in scoring (8.7 PPG). Towns (8.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG) has a team-best 51 blocked shots.

Florida (12-10 SU, 7-13-1 ATS) fell to 5-4 in SEC play after losing 67-61 Tuesday at Vanderbilt. UF backers took an 'L' laying 2.5 points on the road. Riley LaChance knocked down four treys and scored a team-high 15 points to lead the Commodores into the win column.

If there was a bright side for UF coming out of Music City, it was the return of Frazier's shooting stroke. After hitting at least one 3-pointer in a school-record 41 straight games, Frazier failed to connect from long distance in back-to-back contests before going to Nashville. The junior guard drained 4-of-6 from downtown against Vandy, however, finishing with a game-high 21 points, six steals and five rebounds.

Dorian Finney-Smith, UF's best overall player, fouled out with nearly nine minutes remaining. He had just four points and four rebounds. Walker was held scoreless and didn't even grab a rebound, while Hill dished out just one assist.

Frazier is UF's top scorer, averaging 13.4 PPG. Finney-Smith averages 12.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.

Florida has an RPI of 66, going 1-5 versus the Top 50. The Gators are 5-7 against RPI Top-100 opponents. Four of UF's losses have come by six combined points and that's not even counting three mind-boggling setbacks. In home losses to UConn and Miami, Donovan's team blew double-digit second-half leads and it allowed a 17-point second-half advantage to get away at Kansas.

UF is 8-3 SU at home, but it is just 4-6 ATS in Gainesville.

These teams met three times last year with the Gators winning each encounter, including a 61-60 win in the finals of the SEC Tournament. When these teams squared off in Gainesville, UF cruised to an 84-65 win as a nine-point 'chalk.' Finney-Smith produced 11 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocked shots.

Florida hasn't been a home underdog since losing to Kentucky by a 74-59 count as a five-point 'dog on March 4 of 2012. The 'Cats have been road favorites five times this year, producing a 3-2 spread record.

The 'over' has been a money maker in UF games, cashing at a 14-7-1 overall clip. The Gators have seen the 'over' hit at a 9-2 clip in their last 11 outings.

The 'under' is 15-7 overall for the 'Cats, 3-2 in their five road assignments. However, they have seen the 'over' hit in three consecutive games.

The 'under' is 7-2 in the last nine head-to-head meetings between these long-time SEC adversaries.

As of late Friday afternoon, a few offshore shops had UK listed as a seven-point road favorite.

ESPN will have the telecast at 9:00 p.m. Eastern. The GameDay crew will be at the O-Dome all day.

**B.E.'s Bonus Nuggets**

-- Arkansas might be without its second-leading scorer for Saturday's showdown vs. Mississippi State. According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Michael Qualls (15.1 PPG) has a sprained knee and is 'questionable.' The Bulldogs have won back-to-back games vs. LSU and at Tennessee.

-- Georgia might get its leading scorer and rebounder Marcus Thornton (13.5 PPG, 7.3 RPG) back in the lineup for Saturday's home game vs. Tennessee. According to multiple reports, Mark Fox is optimistic that Thornton will be cleared on Saturday. The plan was for him to practice a little bit on Friday. UGA has lost both games without him, getting smashed 67-50 at South Carolina last weekend.

-- Alabama's second-leading scorer Ricky Tarrant (13.1 PPG) is 'doubtful' for Saturday's game at LSU. The Tulane transfer injured his leg in a loss vs. Florida and has missed back-to-back contests. The Crimson Tide has gone 1-1 SU and 2-0 ATS without Tarrant.

-- Georgia Southern is the nation's best ATS team with a 12-1-2 spread ledger. The Eagles won outright against Ga. St. as 3.5-point home 'dogs Thursday.

-- Pepperdine improved to 15-8 SU and 15-4-2 ATS with Thursday's 80-74 home win over BYU. The Waves swept the season series from the Cougars, who saw their slim hopes of an NCAA at-large bid completely destroyed in Malibu.

-- Texas A&M's Kourtney Roberson (7.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG) is 'questionable' for Saturday's game against Missouri due to an undisclosed injury.

-- Just an hour before tip-off at Texas Tech earlier this week, Kansas St. suspended leading scorer Marcus Foster and Malek Harris. The status of both players for Saturday's game against Texas remained a mystery as of late Friday afternoon.

-- Already down starting guard Briante Weber, VCU will most likely have to face St. Bonaventure without another key player. Treveon Graham, who averages 16.2 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, is 'doubtful' against the Bonnies. Graham left Wednesday's 72-60 win at George Mason with a sprained ankle.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Saturday's Early Tips
By David Schwab

When it comes to catching the betting public’s attention in men’s college basketball, there is nothing better than a head-to-head conference matchup between nationally ranked teams.

This Saturday afternoon’s early slate features three of these showdowns across three different major conferences. In a 12:00 p.m. (ET) tip in the Big 12, Baylor will go on the road to face the Mountaineers of West Virginia.

One of the top matchups in the ACC pits No. 10 Notre Dame against No. 4 Duke in a 1:00 p.m. start in Durham and at 2:00 p.m. the Big East takes center stage with a showdown between Georgetown and Villanova at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

No. 19 Baylor Bears at No. 15 West Virginia Mountaineers (ESPNU, 12:00 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: West Virginia -4

Baylor is now 3-1 both straight-up and against the spread in its last four games after beating TCU 77-57 this past Wednesday as an eight-point favorite at home. The total went OVER the closing 125-point line and it has gone OVER in six of its last eight games. The Bears have been one of the best rebounding teams in the nation this season with an average of 41.3 a game and they are holding opponents to 58 points per game on defense. Baylor is averaging 69.5 PPG and shooting 42.8 percent from the field.

The Mountaineers fell to 6-3 SU in Big 12 play with this past Tuesday’s 71-52 loss to Oklahoma as 5 ½-point road underdogs. They are now just 3-4 ATS in their last seven games and the total has stayed UNDER in four of their last five contests. Senior guard Juwan Staten scored a team-high 15 points while pulling down nine rebounds in the losing effort to the Sooners. He remains the Mountaineers’ leading scorer with 14.8 PPG. The team is averaging 75.9 PPG, but it is hitting just 41.4 percent of its shots from the floor.

Betting Trends

-- The Bears are 3-1-1 ATS in their last five games against a team with a SU winning record and they have covered in three of their last four games played on a Saturday. The total has gone OVER in four of their last five road games.

-- The Mountaineers are 7-16 ATS in their last 23 games following a SU loss, but they are 4-1 ATS in their last five games following a loss ATS. The total has gone OVER in 11 of their last 17 home games.

-- The road team in this matchup is 4-1 SU in the last five meetings. Baylor has the slight 3-2 edge ATS and the total has gone OVER in three of the five games.

No. 10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at No. 4 Duke Blue Devils (CBS, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Duke -10

Notre Dame bounced-back from a 76-72 loss to Pittsburgh this past Saturday as a three-point road favorite with Wednesday’s tight 71-63 victory over Boston College as a heavy 12 ½-point favorite at home. The Irish have now failed to cover in five of their last eight games. Notre Dame is ranked seventh in scoring with 80.8 PPG and its 52.1 field goal percentage is second-best in the nation. Senior guard Jerian Grant and junior forward Zach Auguste are combining for 31 points, 9.5 rebounds and 7.1 assists a game.

The Blue Devils needed a big second-half effort to get past Georgia Tech 72-66 this past Wednesday as 17-point home favorites. This followed a huge 69-63 victory against previously unbeaten Virginia as 5 ½-point road underdogs. They are now 3-5-1 ATS in the ACC this season. Duke is averaging 80.2 PPG and it is ranked seventh in the nation shooting the ball with a 49.5 field goal percentage. Freshman sensation Jahlil Okafor has led the way with 18.1 points and 9.3 rebounds a game.

Betting Trends

-- The Fighting Irish 10-23-1 ATS in their last 34 ACC games and they are 5-11-1 ATS in their last 17 games following an ATS loss. The total has gone OVER in five of their last seven road games.

-- The Blue Devils are 2-6-1 ATS in their last nine home games and they are 4-11-2 ATS in their last 17 conference games. The total has gone OVER in 10 of their last 11 games played at home.

-- Notre Dame is 2-0 SU and ATS in the last two meetings including a 77-73 victory on Jan. 28 as a 1 ½-point home underdog. The total has gone OVER in three of four previous meetings.

No. 24 Georgetown Hoyas at No. 7 Villanova Wildcats (FOX, 2:00 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Villanova -9

Georgetown is a game off the pace in the Big East standings at 7-4 SU, but it is just 4-7 ATS. The Hoyas dropped a costly 74-71 decision against Providence this past Wednesday as 6 ½-point home favorites. Junior guard D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera led all scorers in the loss to the Friars with 21 points. He is averaging a team-high 15.8 PPG with a 39.5 shooting percentage from three-point range. Senior guard Joshua Smith is second with 11.9 PPG while leading the team in rebounds with 6.6.

The Wildcats are at the top of the standings in the Big East at 7-2 SU and they have covered in six of the nine games including a 70-52 rout of Marquette on Wednesday as 14-point favorites at home. Villanova is 8-4 ATS at home this season and the total has stayed UNDER in four of its last five games overall. Senior guard Darrun Hilliard II is the Wildcats’ leading scorer with 13.2 PPG, but junior guard Ryan Arcidiacono had the hot hand in Wednesday’s win with 18 points while going 4-for-7 from three-point range. Villanova is averaging 75 PPG and shooting 46.2 percent from the field.

Betting Trends

-- The Hoyas have failed to cover in six of their last eight games against a team with a SU winning record and they are 4-9-1 ATS in their last 15 road games against a team with a SU winning record at home. The total has gone OVER in eight of their last 12 games on the road.

-- The Wildcats are 25-9 ATS in their last 34 home games, but they have failed to cover in four of their last five games played on a Saturday. The total has stayed UNDER in 15 of their last 22 home games.

-- The home team has covered ATS in the last five meetings and the total has gone 3-2-1 in the last six games. Georgetown drew first blood in this season’s series with a 78-58 romp on Jan. 19 as a four-point home underdog.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Saturday's Top Action

NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (21-3) at DUKE BLUE DEVILS (19-3)

Cameron Indoor Stadium - Durham, NC
Tip-off: Saturday, 1:00 p.m. ET
Line: TBD

ACC powerhouses collide Saturday when No. 10 Notre Dame faces No. 4 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

No. 10 Notre Dame is coming off of a 71-63 victory over Boston College as 12.5-point home favorites. The team has now won six of its past seven games SU, but it has struggled ATS. Notre Dame has failed to cover in two straight games and is just 3-5 ATS in its past eight games. The team has also failed to score 80+ points in each of its past three games, which is poor for their standards.

No. 4 Duke, meanwhile, is coming off of a 72-66 home victory over Georgia Tech. Duke has won five of its past six games but the team was a 16.5-point home favorite against Georgia Tech and has now failed to cover in two of its past three games.

Notre Dame won-and-covered 77-73 when it faced Duke as a 1.5-point home favorite on Jan. 28. Duke has now lost two straight games SU against Notre Dame and it has also failed to cover in three straight against the Fighting Irish. The Blue Devils have not hosted the Fighting Irish since Nov. 26, 1998, when Duke won 111-82 as 27.5-point home favorites.

Notre Dame won-and-covered in its only game as a road underdog this season, but is just 2-3 ATS (but 7-0 SU) when coming off of an ATS loss. The Blue Devils are 10-1 SU but just 5-6 ATS when playing as a home favorite. Duke is 7-2 SU when coming off of an ATS loss, but they have covered in just four of those contests.

The Fighting Irish have one of the best offenses in the country, averaging 80.8 PPG (8th in NCAA) on 52.1% shooting (2nd in NCAA). The team is also solid defensively, allowing just 64.1 PPG (121st in NCAA). Notre Dame lost 76-72 in Pittsburgh last weekend, but they picked up a 71-63 victory over Boston College on Wednesday and head into this game with some momentum.

When the Fighting Irish beat the Blue Devils in South Bend, G Jerian Grant (17.3 PPG, 6.4 APG, 1.8 SPG) had one of his best games of the season. Grant did not sit for a single minute in that game, finishing with 23 points, 12 assists and six rebounds. He also added three steals and two blocks on the defensive end. Grant is one of the toughest competitors in college basketball and he will make things difficult on the Duke guards on both ends of the floor.

F Zach Auguste (13.7 PPG, 6.5 RPG) may be the Notre Dame player with the toughest task in this one. Auguste will be matched up against C Jahlil Okafor (18.1 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 1.5 BPG) in this game, and he must hold his own. If the forward can not play well on the defensive end, it will be extremely difficult for the Fighting Irish to pull off this road upset. In the last meeting between these teams, Auguste had 14 points and six rebounds. He did, however, allow Okafor to go for 22 points and 17 rebounds.

G Pat Connaughton (13.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG) will be relied on to knock down shots in this one. He is one of the best outside shooters in college basketball (44% 3PT), and he is also a fantastic rebounder. He had 13 points and 12 rebounds against the Blue Devils on Jan. 28 and he’ll need to contribute in both ways once again on Saturday.

G Demetrius Jackson (12.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.7 SPG) was lousy against Boston College last game, scoring just three points (1-for-4 FG) in 31 minutes of action. He did, however, add 10 rebounds and four assists in the game. He’ll be relied on to reach double digits in scoring on Saturday.

Duke is another team that is extremely explosive on the offensive end, averaging 80.2 PPG (11th in NCAA) on 49.5% FG (7th in NCAA). They’re allowing 64.6 PPG (135th in NCAA) thanks to their ability to get into passing lanes (7.4 SPG, 66th in NCAA).

G Tyus Jones (11.1 PPG, 4.9 APG, 3.2 RPG) has been huge for this team recently and is one of the main reasons this team comes away with so many steals (1.4 SPG). He had three steals against Georgia Tech on Wednesday and added nine points and five assists offensively. When these teams last played one another, Jones had 14 points (5-for-11 FG, 1-for-3 3PT). He was absolutely huge in Duke’s victory over Virginia on Jan. 31, and is really coming into his own as the lead guard on this team. Jones is lethal from the free throw line (88% FT), so he’ll be looking to get to the basket in order to draw contact.

G Quinn Cook (14.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.7 APG) has also been playing extremely well for Duke recently. Cook is averaging 16.0 PPG over the past four games for the Blue Devils and his ability to knock down outside shots (39% 3PT) will keep the Fighting Irish players on their heels throughout the course of this one. He had 15 points the last time these teams played and didn’t leave the court the entire game.

C Jahlil Okafor is this team’s most important player though. Okafor is the most dominant big man in college basketball and completely had his way with the Notre Dame forwards in the last meeting between these teams. Duke will do whatever they can to get him the ball in this one.

One player who could be an x-factor for the Blue Devils is F Justise Winslow (11.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG). Winslow had 13 points the last time these teams played and has now had 13+ points in each of the past three games. He is a fantastic two-way player and his athleticism will make things very difficult for Notre Dame on both ends of the floor. One thing that is concerning for him is free throw shooting (58% FT). His inability to convert from the charity stripe has devalued his strength of getting to the basket.

KENTUCKY WILDCATS (22-0) at FLORIDA GATORS (12-10)

Stephen C. O’Connell Center - Gainesville, FL Tip-off: Saturday, 9:00 p.m. ET Line: TBD

Once looked at as the featured game in the SEC conference season, Florida looks for a season-saving home win versus undefeated arch-rival, No. 1 Kentucky.

Billy Donovan’s Florida Gators, ranked No. 7 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll, have been one of the biggest disappointments in college basketball this season. The Gators, thought of at the time as the main challengers to John Calipari’s cast of future lottery picks in Lexington, have flopped their way to a 12-10 record (7-12-2 ATS), without defeating one top-25 team in the process.

After winning their first three SEC games, the Gators have dropped four of their last six conference contests and are a putrid 1-5 ATS during that time. Kentucky, as you well know, is money (line) in the bank this season (22-0). Covering in conference play, however, has been a different story: The Wildcats are 3-6 ATS in SEC play (11-11 ATS overall) and have failed to cover in four of their last five contests. To be fair, Kentucky has only seen three lines all season where they were favored by only single digits (Kansas, at Louisville, at Alabama) and they covered all three of those games.

Since 2010, Kentucky is 8-5 SU (6-6-1 ATS) versus Florida and 3-4 SU (4-3 ATS) in Gainesville over that same period (Calipari was hired as coach in April, 2009). Florida is coming off possibly its worst loss of the season on Tuesday, at Vanderbilt, where the Commodores snapped a seven-game losing streak and won for only the second time in conference. Kentucky is coming off an 11-point victory at Georgia on Tuesday, their 5th straight win with a margin of victory below 20 points (nine of Kentucky’s 12 non-conference wins were by 20 points or greater).

The Wildcats’ victory Tuesday was without F Trey Lyles (7.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 21.7 MPG) who has an undisclosed illness. Calipari indicated during the post-game press conference that “we don’t know” how long Lyles will be out, hinting at an extended absence.

Kentucky’s dominance in going 22-0 with 10 potential first round draft picks has been well documented. Just in case a reminder was in order, a list of stats in which Kentucky is #1 in the country: Scoring margin (22.8 PPG), block % (13.5), FG% defense (32.9%), points per-possession against (0.79), assists per-game against (7.2), assist-to-turnover ratio against (0.46 A:TO) and, of course, winning %. Every stat listed is rooted in defense, as the Wildcats have been on a historical run defending the goal this season.

Kentucky doesn’t have a poor offense by any means (73.9 PPG, 70th NCAA; 46.1% FG, 64th NCAA). Their efficiency numbers are elite (1.15 pts per-possession, 13th NCAA) and they don’t beat themselves (1.4 A:TO, 18th NCAA), but they still haven’t clicked on offense. Maybe it’s because they’re not getting enough shots at the rim (71.3% FG at-the-rim, 5th NCAA; only 33.8% shots taken at-the-rim, 231st NCAA), or maybe it’s because even in limited minutes, fouling is an issue (17.3 FPG, 248th NCAA). The Wildcats don’t shoot it from deep, but when 88% of your rotation is 6-foot-6 or taller (except G Tyler Ulis), then Calipari has the right idea when talking his kids out of the three point shot (5.9 threes/game, 215th NCAA).

The Wildcats do have one sneaky weapon at their disposal on offense: Drawing fouls, especially in SEC play (57.4 FT rate 2nd NCAA during conference play). 28.9% of Kentucky’s points in conference have come from the line, as they’ve shot a respectable 72.2% from the stripe over that period. By now, the much-famed “platoon” system from John Calipari has seemingly taken a backseat to a more normalized rotation in conference play.

Emerging from the pack to each garner over 23 MPG in conference play has been (all stats are conf. play) G Aaron Harrison (12 PPG, 2.2 threes/gm, 1.4 SPG, 29.1 MPG), G Andrew Harrison (9.6 PPG, 3.8 APG, 27.3 MPG), who had a season-high 23 points vs Georgia on Wednesday, C Willie Cauley-Stein (6.8 PPG, 6 RPG, 1.6 BPG, 27 MPG), G Devin Booker (11.6 PPG, 1.9 threes/gm on 53% from deep, 23.9 MPG), Tyler Ulis (5.8 PPG, 3.4:0.8 A:TO Ratio, 23.2 MPG). Stepping up for the injured Lyles, F Karl-Anthony Towns (8.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 19.9 MPG) had a huge game versus the Bulldogs on Tuesday with 15 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks in a career-high 31 minutes.

Florida’s 12-10 record, despite a roster full of talent, can be blamed on all the things they don’t do: They hoist a bunch of threes (444 threes attempted, 1st SEC) but they can’t make them with any regularity (33.6% from three, 200th NCAA). They don’t get to the line (31.7 FT rate, 305th NCAA), nor do they get second-chance points off the offensive glass (10 O-RPG in conf. play, 13th SEC). When you don’t shoot it well from deep, you’re not corralling your own misses, and you don’t make up for that by piling up points at the line, you’re going to have a mediocre offense (66 PPG, 11th SEC).

As Billy Donovan teams historically do, Florida creates offense from defense by picking your pocket (7.8 SPG, 2nd SEC, 43rd NCAA) and boasts a solid turnover margin (+2.2, 45th NCAA). That said, if you can get past the Gators’ press, there’s nobody waiting at the rim to greet you (2.9 BPG in conference play, 13th SEC). While rebounding hasn’t been a red flag for the Gators, they did get punished on the glass by Vanderbilt in Tuesday’s loss, 42-26. In fact, if the Gators win the rebounding battle in conference games, they win the game and vice versa (5-0 when outrebounding their opponent; 0-4 when getting outrebounded).

Florida’s attack is led by G Michael Frazier II (13.4 PPG, 2.4 threes on 39.6% from deep). Frazier II led the Gators with 21 points and six steals in a defeat at Vanderbilt on Tuesday, but has been wildly inconsistent scoring the ball in conference play (four games with 8 points or fewer). Six-foot-eight F Dorian Finney-Smith (12.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.8 threes on 39.2 from deep), a transfer from Virginia Tech, has a world of talent and versatility, but constantly finds himself coming off the bench and seems to be off the floor for long stretches (only one conf. game of 30 mpg).

Much was expected of Mickey D’s All-American G Kasey Hill (7.4 PPG, 4.1 APG) when he committed to the Gators last season. Hill seems to have bottomed out however (4.5 PPG in his last four games, 25% FG) as he’s only hit double figure scoring once in conference play.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

College basketball Top 25 Saturday betting cheat sheet

(19) Baylor Bears at (12) West Virginia Mountaineers (-3.5)

*Baylor's defense has held teams to an average of 11.5 points below their season scoring averages. The Bears have held 20 of 22 opponents under their season scoring averages.

*The Mountaineers are expecting to have second-leading scorer Devin Williams in the lineup. Williams missed WVU's loss to Oklahoma due to an illness.

(10) Notre Dame Fighting Irish at (5) Duke Blue Devils (-9.5)

*The Fighting Irish have made a living out of winning close games by going 7-2 SU in ACC play when the final margin is in single digits.

*It may only be 10 days since Duke lost to Notre Dame, but this team has changed a lot. Dismissing their sixth man and staging a furious comeback to shock Virginia on the road has assistant coach Nate James "we're a little bit more experienced."

Texas Tech Red Raiders at (14) Iowa State Cyclones (-16.5)

*The Red Raiders have been lights out once they've grabbed the lead after two quarters. Texas Tech is 10-0 this season when leading at the half.

*In the Cyclones last four games they are allowing 44.4 percent from 3-point range. "It's a lot on us, there's no doubt about it," said coach Fred Hoiberg. "We've played off of some shooters that haven't shot a very high percentage, but we've been burned with that as well. For us, you've got to run them off the line and make them take those 2-point shots outside of the paint."

(24) Georgetown Bulldogs at (7) Villanova Wildcats (-9.5)

*We can't go through stretches where we aren't getting shots," John Thompson III told reporters after the Hoyas committed 15 turnovers and squandered a 13-point lead with under 12 minutes left against Providence on Wednesday.

*Ryan Arcidiacono is 22-of-40 from 3-point range over the last eight games and has scored 18 points - his season high - in three of the last six contests.

(18) VCU Rams at St. Bonaventure Bonnies (+3)

*VCU could be without leading scorer Treveon Graham who is suffering from a left ankle sprain. This comes after the Rams lost starting PG Briante Weber for the season on Jan. 31.

*If the Bonnies want to control this game, than the offense needs to run through Youssou Ndoye. In the Bonnies past five wins, Ndoye has averaged 18.6 points and 11.8 rebounds, but only 8.2 points and 8.8 rebounds in the past five losses.

(9) Kansas Jayhawks at Oklahoma State Cowboys (+1)

*Kansas has had a difficult time as of late closing games and coach Bill Self has noticed. "In both of those particular games, I think the other team did a good job of getting after us, but I also think we did a pitiful job of handling them getting after us."

*The Cowboys offense has been lacking this season, as Oklahoma State has scored fewer than 70 points in their past 10 games.

(13) North Carolina Tar Heels at Boston College Eagles (+8.5)

*After a second consecutive loss Monday, Marcus Paige was none too pleased with his teammates.“He was like, ‘Hey, you guys got to look at yourself in the mirror and say whether you’re actually doing everything you can. Because if you sit there and say you are, then you’re lying to yourself,'" Brice Johnson said.

*The Eagles have been good at keeping pace with the top teams in the nation, but beating them has not happened. "We have to have everyone on our team come to play, and we had some key guys not play hard or well," coach Jim Christian told reporters.

(21) Oklahoma Sooners at TCU Horned Frogs (+4.5)

*Oklahoma has held 19 of 22 opponents below their season average in points at the time of competition.

*TCU has struggled mightily in the strong Big 12 this season, dropping their last five SU (1-4 ATS) and averaging seven points less per game within the conference.

DePaul Blue Demons at (22) Butler Bulldogs (-13)

*Blue Demons fans have been forced to watch a lot of bad basketball in recent years, but this year has been a pleasant change. DePaul has been better than expected and is taking aim at ending a streak of seven consecutive losing campaigns.

*Butler's Kameron Woods has been a force on the boards all season – reaching double digits 11 times – and is averaging 15 rebounds over the last two outings to raise his average to a team-best 9.5.

(6) Arizona Wildcats at Arizona State Sun Devils (+8.5)

*The Wildcats are averaging 7.5 steals and the defensive mastery is fueled by point guard T.J. McConnell, who had a career-best eight thefts in the win over Oregon State.

*Arizona State has been taking home court advantage to new heights lately. The Sun Devils have won 26 of their past 30 home games.

Northwestern Wildcats at (4) Wisconsin Badgers (-19)

*Northwestern has been held to 60 points or less in five of its eight conference games.

*"Most of our offense ran through the post," Kaminsky said after a win over Indiana. "We knew we had a size advantage and we knew we had to take advantage of it."

(8) Louisville Cardinals at (3) Virginia Cavaliers (-7)

*"You've got to be a great shooting team to get good shots, because they'll give it to you," coach Pitino said about shooting against Virginia. "And the opening will be a moment, and you've got to take that opening and have great spacing, great movement.

*Virginia's Anthony Gill scored 13 points off the bench Monday – a total that matches or exceeds what Louisville has received from its entire bench in 16 of its 22 games this season.

(23) SMU Mustangs at Tulsa Golden Hurricanes (-1)

*One reason for SMU's success in 2015 has been Markus Kennedy joining the team. After missing the first half of the season due to academic reasons, Kennedy has helped the Mustangs to a 11-2 SU (8-3-2 ATS) record.

*The Golden Hurricane’s 12-game win streak is the program’s longest since the 1999-00 squad won 13 consecutive contests

Missouri State Bears at (17) Wichita State Shockers (-18.5)

*Since Marcus Marshall decided to leave Missouri State, the Bears are 1-6 SU (4-2-1 ATS) and have not once broken 60 points.

*The Shockers have three players averaging in double figures, including forward Darius Carter, who is scoring 11.8 points per game on 53 percent shooting.

Drake Bulldogs at (15) Northern Iowa Panthers (-17)

*During Drake's three game winning streak, they have hit 50 percent from beyond the arc with their trays accounting for 41.8 percent of their points.

*The Panthers, who have yet to allow a MVC foe to score more than 60 points, are holding opponents to a Division I-low 50.6 points in conference play.

(1) Kentucky Wildcats at Florida Gators (+7.5)

*Wildcats Trey Lyles has missed the last two games due to illness and is unlikely to face the Gators. Lyles' absence has been felt in the last two games as the Wildcats were outrebounded by both Alabama and Georgia.

*Florida is 11-7 at home against Kentucky under Donovan.

(11) Utah Utes at Colorado Buffaloes (+5)

*Look for Jakob Poeltl, the 7-foot Austrian, to become a more prominent member of Utah's offense. “We talked about [getting Poeltl shots] and added a couple of new sets to get the ball in," said Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak

*With starter Josh Scott sidelined due to injury, Wesley Gordon is one of two players nationally (major conferences) averaging 10+ rebounds and 2.0 + blocks per game in conference play this season.

(2) Gonzaga Bulldogs at San Francisco Dons (+13.5)

*Sharing the ball effectively has not been an issue for the Bulldogs this season. Gonzaga has five players who are scoring in double figures.

*The Dons have been outrebounded in nine of their last 12 games, and they’re shooting a dismal 27-of-105 from 3-point range over the last six contests.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

College Basketball: Streaks, Tips, Notes -

Louisville at Virginia February 7, 07:00 EST

Virginia rebounding from it's first blemish of the season defeating UNC in Chapel Hill this past Monday return to John Paul Jones Arena to host Louisville. Cavaliers will not only be looking to halt Cardinals 4-0 (3-1 ATS) run but also looking to make amends for last Saturday's loss to Duke which snapped a 21-game home win streak. Betting trends line up well for the highly motivated Cavaliers as they've cashed 14 of 16 home lined games and hit the hardwood a sharp 18-5-2 against the betting line facing an ACC opponent. On the other side, Cardinals have not fared well against the betting line posting a terrible 7-12-2 record including 4-5 ATS vs the ACC.


Georgetown at Villanova February 7, 02:00 EST

Villanova Wildcats (20-2, 14-7 ATS) and Georgetown Hoyas (15-7, 8-10-1 ATS) square off for the second time this season. In the earlier meeting Hoyas spanked Wildcats 78-58 cashing as 4-point home favorites. Wildcats a balanced team with six players averaging 9 or more points/game net a combined 75.0 PPG on 46.2% shooting. Defensively, Wildcats are solid allowing opponents 40.8% shooting and 60.2 points/game. The Hoyas drop 71.8 per/game through the iron with Smith-Rivera (15.8), Joshua Smith (11.9) the only two scoring more than 9 points/game. Just like the visitors, Hoyas have their own brand of stingy defense allowing opponents 64.8 points/game on 39.7% from the field. The lean is towards revenge minded Wildcats, The home team in this series owns a smart 5-0 ATS streak. Wildcats 4-1 ATS vs the conference have cashed 8 of 11 on home court, Hoyas enter 4-9-1 ATS on the road vs a team with a winning home record and have a 4-10 ATS skid vs Big East opponents.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

Baylor lost its last two road games, scoring 57 ppg; they're 1-3 on Big X road, with only win in OT at TCU. Horned Frogs won three of four Big X games with West Virginia, winning by 3-13 in two visits here; visitor won last three series games. Mountaineers won last three home games by 21-1-19 points; they won three of last four overall. Big X home favorites of less than 5 points are 10-6 vs spread. Baylor is rebounding 42.9% of its misses in league play.

Home side won nine of last ten Buffalo-Akron games; Bulls lost eight of last ten visits here, last two by 4-12 points. Buffalo won last three games by 6-25-4 points; they're 2-3 on MAC road, losing by 10-11-2. Zips are 4-0 at home in MAC with three wins by 12+ points, but four of last five Akron games were decided by 3 or less points. Buffalo plays the fastest tempo in MAC but is making only 25.9% behind arc in MAC. MAC home favorites of less than 5 points are 10-8 vs spread.

Home side won all three Providence-Xavier Big East games; Friars won first meeting this year 69-66 in OT Jan 22, blowing 14-point second half lead. Friars won four of last five games, are 2-2 on Big East road; all three of their league losses are by 9+ points. Xavier is 4-6 in its last 10 games, but is 4-1 at home in Big East, losing last home game in OT to Creighton. These two are worst shooting teams in league behind arc. Big East home favorites of 8 or less points are 11-13 vs spread.

Duke won five of last six games, but lost 77-73 at Notre Dame ten days ago, after being up 10 with 12:10 left- they also lost by a hoop in South Bend LY. Blue Devils are 3-1 at home in ACC, losing to Miami, winning other three games by 23-6-14 points; ACC home favorites of 8+ points are 6-12 vs spread. Irish have best eFG% in nation, are 17-2 in their last 19 games, losing last road game at Pitt. Duke's defensive eFG% is 9th in 15-team ACC.

Memphis won six of last eight games, losing at Tulsa/Gonzaga; they won last three AAC home games by 13-20-12 points. Tigers beat Temple in OT here LY, swept Owls in first AAC season. Temple won four games in row, all by 13+ points, since three-game skid last month; Owls are 4-1 on AAC road, with only loss at Cincinnati by 31. AAC home teams are 7-4 in games with spread of 4 or less points. Young Memphis guards are turning ball over 20.8% of time in AAC, 8th-best in 11-team league.

Villanova won three of its last four games with Georgetown, but Hoyas upset them 78-58 in first meeting, storming out to 42-20 lead at half. Big East home favorites of 7+ points are 9-8 vs spread. Hoyas won last three road games by 6-10-27 points, but they lost last two at home. Five of its seven losses are by 6 or less points. Villanova allowed 52.3 ppg in three games since Georgetown loss, winning by 21-13-18 points-- those games were against lower half of league, though.

Kansas won eight of last ten games with Oklahoma State, winning 67-57 in first meeting this year, going 32-46 on foul line. Jayhawks lost three of last five visits here, are 10-1 in last 11 games, with road wins by 1-13-3 points with only road loss at Iowa State. OSU won four of five at home in Big X, losing last home game to Oklahoma by 8. Kansas is holding foes to 39.6% inside arc in league play. Big X home underdogs of 3 or less points are 0-4 vs spread.

Kansas State suspended its best scorer, lost four of last five games, with last three by 6-11-17 points while scoring 54.3 ppg. Texas is without its PG; they've lost last four games, are 2-3 on Big X road, with losses by 3-11-23 points. K-State won four of five at home in Big X, losing by six to West Virginia in last one; they've won four of last five in series, winning last four here by 9-4-26-17 points. Big X home favorites of 5+ points are 13-9-1 vs spread.

Virginia won at North Carolina after blowing a late lead at home to Duke for its only loss this year; Cavaliers are 3-1 at home in ACC, with three wins all by 10+ points, but their defensive eFG% in last three games was their worst three games of year, other than Davidson in December. ACC home favorites of less than 9 points are 7-15 vs spread. Louisville won its last four games since losing at home to Duke, all by 8+ points- three of them were on road, at Pitt, BC and Miami.

Yale leads Ivy League by game; win here would he huge in league without tourney at end. Bulldogs lost nine of last 11 games with Harvard, winning last three visits here by 30-6-12 points. Yale hammered Dartmouth by 16 last night, making 13-21 from arc; they're 5-0 in Ivy, winning home games by 4-15. Harvard escaped Brown with OT win last night after trailing in last 0:12 of regulation. Crimson had 20 offensive rebounds. Ivy League home teams are 7-12 against spread.

SMU won 16 of last 18 games with both losses to Cincinnati; Mustangs laid an egg at home to Bearcats Thursday- they've won last four on road since earlier loss at Cincinnati, allowing 55 ppg. Tulsa is 11-0 in league; their last loss was Dec 13 to Oklahoma. Hurricane won their AAC home games by 18-8-18-7 points, with last home in OT. AAC home teams are 7-4 in games with spread of 4 or less points. Tulsa is shooting only 27% from arc in its conference games.

Cal-Irvine won four of last five games with Long Beach, but lost 88-82 at home in first meeting Jan 8, blowing 7-point lead with 4:05 left, as 49ers made 12-24 from arc. Anteaters lost by 19 at home to Davis Thursday, snapping 6-game win streak since Long Beach loss- Irvine is 3-0 on road in league, winning by 5-31-6 points. Big West home favorites of 4 or less points are 6-3-2 vs spread. Long Beach won its last six games, with four of six by 6 or less points.

Kentucky lost four of last five games with Florida, losing last two visits here by 17-10 points, but Gators aren't as good this year, losing four of last six games, with two wins by total of three points. Florida is 12-10, will need to win SEC tourney to make NCAAs. Kentucky's first two SEC wins were in OT; six of seven wins since then are by 11+ points; Wildcats are 4-0 on SEC road with last three wins by 22-15-16 points. SEC home underdogs are 9-7 vs spread.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Cats visit Sun Devils'

Two Pac-12 teams at opposite ends of the conference ladder collide in Tempe when Arizona Wildcats (20-2, 13-9 ATS) visit in-state rival Arizona State Sun Devils (11-11, 10-12 ATS). Wildcats are 8-1 (7-2 ATS) in the conference netting a robust 72.8 PPG while allowing Pac-12 opponents 49.1 per/contest, the Sun Devils come in 3-6 (4-5 ATS) in Pac-12 play scoring 64.2 PPG giving up 65.7 per/contest. Wildcats in a defensive groove since losing to Oregon State earlier this month held Beavers to a lowly 34 points on 28.6% shooting last time out in exacting revenge. Prior to that matchup, Wildcats held the Pac-12 top-scoring team Oregon Ducks to a season low in a 90-56 victory. Wildcats ridding a 6-0 (5-1 ATS) streak along with having destroyed ASU 73-49 in the conference opener have been given the nod by oddsmakers as they're 8.5 point road favorites. Always dangerous backing a conference road favorite but in this case its much less risky as Wildcats have a strong tendency to cash tickets after allowing 50 or less points the previous game (11-3 ATS). Wildcats also hit the hardwood 6-2 ATS vs ASU including a perfect 4-0 ATS when holding Sun Devils under 60 points/game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Game of the Day: Louisville at Virginia

Louisville Cardinals at Virginia Cavaliers

Virginia rebounded from an uncharacteristic home loss versus Duke last weekend with a clinical performance in Monday’s win at North Carolina. The third-ranked Cavaliers complete their run of three top-15 foes in succession for the first time since 1997 on Saturday when they host No. 8 Louisville. After allowing the Blue Devils to end its 20-0 start and snap its 21-game home winning streak, Virginia regrouped to defeat a ranked Tar Heels squad in Chapel Hill for the first time since 1981.

In addition to holding the North Carolina to its second-lowest point total of the season in their 75-64 victory on Monday, the Cavaliers became only the second team to shoot better than 50 percent against the long and athletic Tar Heels. The Cardinals, whose last setback also came against Duke, have won four straight since that Jan. 17 defeat following Tuesday’s 63-55 triumph over Miami (Fla.) — an opponent that took Virginia to double-overtime in its ACC opener. "We feel like we know (the Cavaliers). Coach (Rick Pitino) has been showing us film of their defense all year; they've been the example that he's shown us on how to do it," guard Terry Rozier told reporters Tuesday.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

INJURY REPORT: Louisville - N/A Virginia - N/A

ABOUT LOUISVILLE (19-3 SU, 7-12-2 ATS, 9-9 O/U): Montrezl Harrell (15.4 points, 9.2 rebounds) played all but one minute Tuesday, but paid a price in doing so, falling hard on his right side in the first half on a running hook before taking an inadvertent shot to the chest while chasing a loose ball in the second half. Rozier (team-high 18.5 points) has been nearly impossible to stop during the Cardinals’ winning streak, delivering half of his eight career 20-point games over that stretch. Louisville, which trails only Virginia in the ACC in field-goal percentage defense, paces the league in blocked shots, steals and turnover margin.

ABOUT VIRGINIA (20-1 SU, 13-6 ATS, 7-8-1 O/U): After yielding a season-high 14 transition points in their loss to Duke, the Cavaliers gave up only two to the high-scoring Tar Heels. London Perrantes (5.7 points, team-high 4.6 assists), who averaged 5.4 points over his previous seven ACC games after erupting for 26 in Virginia’s conference opener, complied with coach Tony Bennett’s pleas to be more assertive Monday, scoring 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Virginia leads the conference in fewest fouls, fewest turnovers, scoring defense and scoring margin, ranking among the top six in the country in each category.

TRENDS:

*Cardinals are 5-12-2 ATS in their last 19 games overall.
*Cavaliers are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
*Over is 11-4 in Cardinals last 15 vs. Atlantic Coast.
*Under is 4-0-1 in Cavaliers last 5 games following a ATS win.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

WAKE FOREST (11 - 12) at GEORGIA TECH (10 - 12) - 2/7/2015, 12:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
WAKE FOREST is 65-100 ATS (-45.0 Units) in road games against conference opponents since 1997.
WAKE FOREST is 63-98 ATS (-44.8 Units) in road games after a conference game since 1997.
WAKE FOREST is 31-54 ATS (-28.4 Units) in road games off a win against a conference rival since 1997.
GEORGIA TECH is 23-10 ATS (+12.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
GEORGIA TECH is 3-1 against the spread versus WAKE FOREST over the last 3 seasons
GEORGIA TECH is 3-1 straight up against WAKE FOREST over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

ILLINOIS (15 - 8) at MICHIGAN ST (15 - 7) - 2/7/2015, 12:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
MICHIGAN ST is 35-9 ATS (+25.1 Units) as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ILLINOIS is 2-1 against the spread versus MICHIGAN ST over the last 3 seasons
MICHIGAN ST is 2-1 straight up against ILLINOIS over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

BAYLOR (17 - 5) at W VIRGINIA (18 - 4) - 2/7/2015, 12:00 PM

There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
BAYLOR is 3-1 against the spread versus W VIRGINIA over the last 3 seasons
BAYLOR is 3-1 straight up against W VIRGINIA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

BUFFALO (15 - 6) at AKRON (15 - 7) - 2/7/2015, 7:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
BUFFALO is 27-16 ATS (+9.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BUFFALO is 27-16 ATS (+9.4 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
AKRON is 0-8 ATS (-8.8 Units) in February games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BUFFALO is 3-1 against the spread versus AKRON over the last 3 seasons
AKRON is 2-2 straight up against BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

DELAWARE (5 - 17) at NORTHEASTERN (15 - 9) - 2/7/2015, 12:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
DELAWARE is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
DELAWARE is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in road games after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
DELAWARE is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) off a loss against a conference rival this season.
NORTHEASTERN is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
NORTHEASTERN is 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) in all home games over the last 3 seasons.
NORTHEASTERN is 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) in home lined games over the last 3 seasons.
NORTHEASTERN is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) in home games after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
NORTHEASTERN is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in home games off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
NORTHEASTERN is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
NORTHEASTERN is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DELAWARE is 4-2 against the spread versus NORTHEASTERN over the last 3 seasons
DELAWARE is 4-2 straight up against NORTHEASTERN over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

MARQUETTE (10 - 12) at SETON HALL (15 - 7) - 2/7/2015, 12:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
MARQUETTE is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
MARQUETTE is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
SETON HALL is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) in all games this season.
SETON HALL is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) in all lined games this season.
MARQUETTE is 123-76 ATS (+39.4 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
MARQUETTE is 110-74 ATS (+28.6 Units) in road games since 1997.
MARQUETTE is 110-74 ATS (+28.6 Units) in road lined games since 1997.
MARQUETTE is 42-24 ATS (+15.6 Units) in road games in February games since 1997.
MARQUETTE is 53-34 ATS (+15.6 Units) in road games on Saturday games since 1997.
MARQUETTE is 32-17 ATS (+13.3 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent since 1997.
MARQUETTE is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in road games after scoring 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SETON HALL is 3-2 against the spread versus MARQUETTE over the last 3 seasons
MARQUETTE is 4-1 straight up against SETON HALL over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

CREIGHTON (11 - 13) at ST JOHNS (14 - 8) - 2/7/2015, 12:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
ST JOHNS is 35-54 ATS (-24.4 Units) in home games off a loss against a conference rival since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST JOHNS is 2-1 against the spread versus CREIGHTON over the last 3 seasons
CREIGHTON is 2-1 straight up against ST JOHNS over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

TENNESSEE (13 - 8) at GEORGIA (14 - 7) - 2/7/2015, 12:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
TENNESSEE is 6-14 ATS (-9.4 Units) in all games this season.
TENNESSEE is 6-14 ATS (-9.4 Units) in all lined games this season.
GEORGIA is 47-31 ATS (+12.9 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
GEORGIA is 47-31 ATS (+12.9 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
GEORGIA is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
GEORGIA is 31-16 ATS (+13.4 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
GEORGIA is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in February games over the last 3 seasons.
GEORGIA is 110-76 ATS (+26.4 Units) on Saturday games since 1997.
GEORGIA is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
TENNESSEE is 106-72 ATS (+26.8 Units) as an underdog since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
GEORGIA is 2-1 against the spread versus TENNESSEE over the last 3 seasons
GEORGIA is 2-1 straight up against TENNESSEE over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

PROVIDENCE (17 - 6) at XAVIER (14 - 9) - 2/7/2015, 1:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
XAVIER is 82-56 ATS (+20.4 Units) in home games against conference opponents since 1997.
XAVIER is 53-32 ATS (+17.8 Units) revenging a road loss vs opponent since 1997.
XAVIER is 186-147 ATS (+24.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
XAVIER is 110-81 ATS (+20.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
PROVIDENCE is 13-6 ATS (+6.4 Units) in all games this season.
PROVIDENCE is 13-6 ATS (+6.4 Units) in all lined games this season.
PROVIDENCE is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
PROVIDENCE is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
PROVIDENCE is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
XAVIER is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) after a conference game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PROVIDENCE is 3-0 against the spread versus XAVIER over the last 3 seasons
PROVIDENCE is 2-1 straight up against XAVIER over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

NOTRE DAME (21 - 3) at DUKE (19 - 3) - 2/7/2015, 1:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
DUKE is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NOTRE DAME is 2-0 against the spread versus DUKE over the last 3 seasons
NOTRE DAME is 2-0 straight up against DUKE over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

TEMPLE (16 - 7) at MEMPHIS (14 - 8) - 2/7/2015, 1:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
TEMPLE is 34-56 ATS (-27.6 Units) in road games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game since 1997.
MEMPHIS is 176-135 ATS (+27.5 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.
MEMPHIS is 215-170 ATS (+28.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
MEMPHIS is 142-93 ATS (+39.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
TEMPLE is 179-139 ATS (+26.1 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.
TEMPLE is 81-54 ATS (+21.6 Units) in February games since 1997.
TEMPLE is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in road games after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 1-1 against the spread versus TEMPLE over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 2-0 straight up against TEMPLE over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

GEORGETOWN (15 - 7) at VILLANOVA (20 - 2) - 2/7/2015, 2:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
GEORGETOWN is 149-187 ATS (-56.7 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.
VILLANOVA is 35-17 ATS (+16.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 35-17 ATS (+16.3 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 33-15 ATS (+16.5 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) in all home games over the last 2 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in home games against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 47-29 ATS (+15.1 Units) in home games off a win against a conference rival since 1997.
VILLANOVA is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 26-12 ATS (+12.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
GEORGETOWN is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in February games over the last 3 seasons.
GEORGETOWN is 53-34 ATS (+15.6 Units) in road games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
VILLANOVA is 2-2 against the spread versus GEORGETOWN over the last 3 seasons
VILLANOVA is 3-1 straight up against GEORGETOWN over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

KANSAS (19 - 3) at OKLAHOMA ST (15 - 7) - 2/7/2015, 2:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS is 13-6 ATS (+6.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
OKLAHOMA ST is 67-95 ATS (-37.5 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
OKLAHOMA ST is 10-24 ATS (-16.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA ST is 3-3 against the spread versus KANSAS over the last 3 seasons
KANSAS is 4-2 straight up against OKLAHOMA ST over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

TEXAS TECH (12 - 11) at IOWA ST (16 - 5) - 2/7/2015, 2:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS TECH is 115-158 ATS (-58.8 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
TEXAS TECH is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) as a road underdog of 12.5 or more points over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS TECH is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) as a road underdog of 15.5 to 18 points over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS TECH is 79-108 ATS (-39.8 Units) in road games since 1997.
TEXAS TECH is 79-108 ATS (-39.8 Units) in road lined games since 1997.
TEXAS TECH is 69-99 ATS (-39.9 Units) in road games against conference opponents since 1997.
TEXAS TECH is 42-63 ATS (-27.3 Units) in road games on Saturday games since 1997.
TEXAS TECH is 68-97 ATS (-38.7 Units) in road games after a conference game since 1997.
IOWA ST is 82-57 ATS (+19.3 Units) in home games after a conference game since 1997.
IOWA ST is 205-162 ATS (+26.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
IOWA ST is 62-38 ATS (+20.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
IOWA ST is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) in home games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS TECH is 3-2 against the spread versus IOWA ST over the last 3 seasons
IOWA ST is 3-2 straight up against TEXAS TECH over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

W MICHIGAN (13 - 8) at C MICHIGAN (15 - 5) - 2/7/2015, 2:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
W MICHIGAN is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
C MICHIGAN is 2-2 against the spread versus W MICHIGAN over the last 3 seasons
W MICHIGAN is 4-0 straight up against C MICHIGAN over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

WYOMING (19 - 4) at AIR FORCE (10 - 12) - 2/7/2015, 2:00 PM

There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
AIR FORCE is 3-1 against the spread versus WYOMING over the last 3 seasons
AIR FORCE is 3-1 straight up against WYOMING over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

ILLINOIS ST (15 - 8) at S ILLINOIS (9 - 15) - 2/7/2015, 2:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
ILLINOIS ST is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
ILLINOIS ST is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in road games after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
ILLINOIS ST is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
S ILLINOIS is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.
S ILLINOIS is 25-42 ATS (-21.2 Units) in home games in February games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ILLINOIS ST is 4-0 against the spread versus S ILLINOIS over the last 3 seasons
ILLINOIS ST is 3-1 straight up against S ILLINOIS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

BRADLEY (7 - 17) at EVANSVILLE (16 - 7) - 2/7/2015, 2:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
BRADLEY is 17-31 ATS (-17.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BRADLEY is 17-31 ATS (-17.1 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
BRADLEY is 7-19 ATS (-13.9 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
EVANSVILLE is 44-27 ATS (+14.3 Units) in home games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
EVANSVILLE is 3-2 against the spread versus BRADLEY over the last 3 seasons
EVANSVILLE is 3-2 straight up against BRADLEY over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

JAMES MADISON (13 - 11) at TOWSON ST (11 - 13) - 2/7/2015, 2:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
JAMES MADISON is 16-26 ATS (-12.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
JAMES MADISON is 16-26 ATS (-12.6 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
JAMES MADISON is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
JAMES MADISON is 7-19 ATS (-13.9 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
TOWSON ST is 29-17 ATS (+10.3 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
TOWSON ST is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in February games over the last 3 seasons.
TOWSON ST is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
TOWSON ST is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) revenging a road loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TOWSON ST is 4-2 against the spread versus JAMES MADISON over the last 3 seasons
TOWSON ST is 4-2 straight up against JAMES MADISON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

WRIGHT ST (11 - 12) at CLEVELAND ST (14 - 10) - 2/7/2015, 2:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
WRIGHT ST is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game this season.
CLEVELAND ST is 32-19 ATS (+11.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND ST is 32-19 ATS (+11.1 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND ST is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
WRIGHT ST is 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
WRIGHT ST is 21-6 ATS (+14.4 Units) in road games after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
WRIGHT ST is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WRIGHT ST is 4-2 against the spread versus CLEVELAND ST over the last 3 seasons
WRIGHT ST is 4-2 straight up against CLEVELAND ST over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

VA COMMONWEALTH (18 - 4) at ST BONAVENTURE (12 - 8) - 2/7/2015, 2:00 PM

There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST BONAVENTURE is 1-1 against the spread versus VA COMMONWEALTH over the last 3 seasons
VA COMMONWEALTH is 2-0 straight up against ST BONAVENTURE over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

TOLEDO (14 - 8) at BALL ST (7 - 13) - 2/7/2015, 2:00 PM

There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
BALL ST is 3-1 against the spread versus TOLEDO over the last 3 seasons
TOLEDO is 3-1 straight up against BALL ST over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

OKLAHOMA (15 - 7) at TCU (14 - 8) - 2/7/2015, 3:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA is 31-20 ATS (+9.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA is 31-20 ATS (+9.0 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA is 19-10 ATS (+8.0 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA is 16-4 ATS (+11.6 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
TCU is 202-248 ATS (-70.8 Units) in all games since 1997.
TCU is 202-248 ATS (-70.8 Units) in all lined games since 1997.
TCU is 9-22 ATS (-15.2 Units) in all home games over the last 3 seasons.
TCU is 9-22 ATS (-15.2 Units) in home lined games over the last 3 seasons.
TCU is 16-31 ATS (-18.1 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
TCU is 72-116 ATS (-55.6 Units) on Saturday games since 1997.
TCU is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in home games after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
TCU is 30-56 ATS (-31.6 Units) in home games off a loss against a conference rival since 1997.
TCU is 46-72 ATS (-33.2 Units) after scoring 60 points or less since 1997.
TCU is 5-17 ATS (-13.7 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
TCU is 87-116 ATS (-40.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
TCU is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in home games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TCU is 2-2 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA is 3-1 straight up against TCU over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

SYRACUSE (15 - 7) at PITTSBURGH (15 - 8) - 2/7/2015, 4:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
SYRACUSE is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) against conference opponents this season.
SYRACUSE is 9-20 ATS (-13.0 Units) on Saturday games over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in all games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in all lined games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 6-18 ATS (-13.8 Units) in all home games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 6-18 ATS (-13.8 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in home games on Saturday games over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SYRACUSE is 3-1 against the spread versus PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
SYRACUSE is 3-1 straight up against PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

TEXAS (14 - 8) at KANSAS ST (12 - 11) - 2/7/2015, 4:00 PM

There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS ST is 5-0 against the spread versus TEXAS over the last 3 seasons
KANSAS ST is 4-1 straight up against TEXAS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

NEBRASKA (13 - 9) at PENN ST (14 - 9) - 2/7/2015, 4:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
NEBRASKA is 77-113 ATS (-47.3 Units) in road games since 1997.
NEBRASKA is 77-113 ATS (-47.3 Units) in road lined games since 1997.
NEBRASKA is 68-94 ATS (-35.4 Units) after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.
NEBRASKA is 81-115 ATS (-45.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
NEBRASKA is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
NEBRASKA is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
NEBRASKA is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
NEBRASKA is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
PENN ST is 3-10 ATS (-8.0 Units) as a favorite this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEBRASKA is 4-0 against the spread versus PENN ST over the last 3 seasons
NEBRASKA is 3-1 straight up against PENN ST over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

ARIZONA (20 - 2) at ARIZONA ST (11 - 11) - 2/7/2015, 4:30 PM

There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 4-1 against the spread versus ARIZONA ST over the last 3 seasons
ARIZONA is 4-1 straight up against ARIZONA ST over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

DREXEL (8 - 14) at COLL OF CHARLESTON (7 - 17) - 2/7/2015, 5:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
DREXEL is 32-47 ATS (-19.7 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
DREXEL is 32-47 ATS (-19.7 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
COLL OF CHARLESTON is 17-32 ATS (-18.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
COLL OF CHARLESTON is 17-32 ATS (-18.2 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
COLL OF CHARLESTON is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
COLL OF CHARLESTON is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points over the last 3 seasons.
COLL OF CHARLESTON is 12-25 ATS (-15.5 Units) in all home games over the last 3 seasons.
COLL OF CHARLESTON is 12-25 ATS (-15.5 Units) in home lined games over the last 3 seasons.
COLL OF CHARLESTON is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
COLL OF CHARLESTON is 3-14 ATS (-12.4 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
COLL OF CHARLESTON is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
COLL OF CHARLESTON is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) after scoring 80 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
COLL OF CHARLESTON is 4-15 ATS (-12.5 Units) versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=64 points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DREXEL is 3-0 against the spread versus COLL OF CHARLESTON over the last 3 seasons
DREXEL is 2-1 straight up against COLL OF CHARLESTON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

GEORGIA ST (15 - 8) at S ALABAMA (7 - 16) - 2/7/2015, 5:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
GEORGIA ST is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in road games this season.
GEORGIA ST is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in road lined games this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
GEORGIA ST is 2-1 against the spread versus S ALABAMA over the last 3 seasons
GEORGIA ST is 3-0 straight up against S ALABAMA over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

UCF (9 - 12) at E CAROLINA (9 - 13) - 2/7/2015, 5:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
UCF is 3-14 ATS (-12.4 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points since 1997.
UCF is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
E CAROLINA is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in February games over the last 3 seasons.
E CAROLINA is 122-169 ATS (-63.9 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.
E CAROLINA is 70-106 ATS (-46.6 Units) on Saturday games since 1997.
E CAROLINA is 114-160 ATS (-62.0 Units) after a conference game since 1997.
E CAROLINA is 74-110 ATS (-47.0 Units) off a loss against a conference rival since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
E CAROLINA is 1-1 against the spread versus UCF over the last 3 seasons
E CAROLINA is 1-1 straight up against UCF over the last 3 seasons

__________________________________________________ _______________

NORTHWESTERN (10 - 12) at WISCONSIN (20 - 2) - 2/7/2015, 5:30 PM

Top Trends for this game.
WISCONSIN is 22-9 ATS (+12.1 Units) in home games after scoring 80 points or more since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
WISCONSIN is 3-1 against the spread versus NORTHWESTERN over the last 3 seasons
WISCONSIN is 3-1 straight up against NORTHWESTERN over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

UTEP (15 - 7) at FLA INTERNATIONAL (11 - 11) - 2/7/2015, 5:30 PM

Top Trends for this game.
UTEP is 12-26 ATS (-16.6 Units) versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=64 points/game after 15+ games since 1997.
UTEP is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) on Saturday games over the last 3 seasons.
UTEP is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in road games after allowing 60 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
FLA INTERNATIONAL is 71-97 ATS (-35.7 Units) in all home games since 1997.
FLA INTERNATIONAL is 71-97 ATS (-35.7 Units) in home lined games since 1997.
FLA INTERNATIONAL is 53-81 ATS (-36.1 Units) when playing with one or less days rest since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
UTEP is 1-0 against the spread versus FLA INTERNATIONAL over the last 3 seasons
UTEP is 1-0 straight up against FLA INTERNATIONAL over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

NEVADA (6 - 15) at SAN JOSE ST (2 - 20) - 2/7/2015, 6:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
NEVADA is 111-79 ATS (+24.1 Units) in road games since 1997.
NEVADA is 111-79 ATS (+24.1 Units) in road lined games since 1997.
NEVADA is 107-78 ATS (+21.2 Units) on Saturday games since 1997.
NEVADA is 74-50 ATS (+19.0 Units) in road games after a conference game since 1997.
NEVADA is 33-11 ATS (+20.9 Units) in road games off a loss against a conference rival since 1997.
SAN JOSE ST is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in all games this season.
SAN JOSE ST is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in all lined games this season.
SAN JOSE ST is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) as an underdog this season.
SAN JOSE ST is 7-22 ATS (-17.2 Units) in all home games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN JOSE ST is 7-22 ATS (-17.2 Units) in home lined games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN JOSE ST is 8-21 ATS (-15.1 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE ST is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE ST is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE ST is 38-61 ATS (-29.1 Units) after allowing 80 points or more since 1997.
SAN JOSE ST is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses this season.
SAN JOSE ST is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
SAN JOSE ST is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=64 points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE ST is 1-1 against the spread versus NEVADA over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE ST is 1-1 straight up against NEVADA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

TEXAS A&M (15 - 6) at MISSOURI (7 - 15) - 2/7/2015, 6:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
MISSOURI is 20-33 ATS (-16.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MISSOURI is 20-33 ATS (-16.3 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
MISSOURI is 11-25 ATS (-16.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.
MISSOURI is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS A&M is 3-2 against the spread versus MISSOURI over the last 3 seasons
MISSOURI is 3-2 straight up against TEXAS A&M over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

CONNECTICUT (12 - 9) at TULANE (13 - 9) - 2/7/2015, 6:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
TULANE is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in home games on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
TULANE is 131-166 ATS (-51.6 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.
TULANE is 51-84 ATS (-41.4 Units) in home games after a conference game since 1997.
TULANE is 76-105 ATS (-39.5 Units) off a loss against a conference rival since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
__________________________________________________ _______________

UTAH ST (12 - 10) at NEW MEXICO (14 - 8) - 2/7/2015, 6:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
UTAH ST is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW MEXICO is 270-223 ATS (+24.7 Units) in all games since 1997.
NEW MEXICO is 270-223 ATS (+24.7 Units) in all lined games since 1997.
NEW MEXICO is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
NEW MEXICO is 71-49 ATS (+17.1 Units) in February games since 1997.
NEW MEXICO is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW MEXICO is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
NEW MEXICO is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
NEW MEXICO is 110-72 ATS (+30.8 Units) after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.
NEW MEXICO is 24-11 ATS (+11.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW MEXICO is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW MEXICO is 27-14 ATS (+11.6 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW MEXICO is 2-1 against the spread versus UTAH ST over the last 3 seasons
NEW MEXICO is 3-0 straight up against UTAH ST over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

LOUISVILLE (19 - 3) at VIRGINIA (20 - 1) - 2/7/2015, 7:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
VIRGINIA is 33-17 ATS (+14.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA is 33-17 ATS (+14.3 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA is 27-16 ATS (+9.4 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA is 27-14 ATS (+11.6 Units) in all home games over the last 3 seasons.
VIRGINIA is 27-14 ATS (+11.6 Units) in home lined games over the last 3 seasons.
VIRGINIA is 22-7 ATS (+14.3 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA is 15-2 ATS (+12.8 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA is 28-12 ATS (+14.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA is 19-4 ATS (+14.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 2 seasons.
LOUISVILLE is 109-78 ATS (+23.2 Units) in road games since 1997.
LOUISVILLE is 109-78 ATS (+23.2 Units) in road lined games since 1997.
LOUISVILLE is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
LOUISVILLE is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) in road games after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
LOUISVILLE is 27-13 ATS (+12.7 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.
LOUISVILLE is 27-15 ATS (+10.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
LOUISVILLE is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
__________________________________________________ _______________

DARTMOUTH (8 - 10) at BROWN (9 - 12) - 2/7/2015, 6:00 PM

There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
BROWN is 3-1 against the spread versus DARTMOUTH over the last 3 seasons
BROWN is 3-1 straight up against DARTMOUTH over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

PRINCETON (9 - 10) at CORNELL (10 - 10) - 2/7/2015, 6:00 PM

There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PRINCETON is 4-0 against the spread versus CORNELL over the last 3 seasons
PRINCETON is 4-0 straight up against CORNELL over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

ALABAMA (14 - 8) at LSU (16 - 6) - 2/7/2015, 6:00 PM

There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
LSU is 3-0 against the spread versus ALABAMA over the last 3 seasons
LSU is 2-2 straight up against ALABAMA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

TEXAS ST (11 - 10) at ARK-LITTLE ROCK (8 - 14) - 2/7/2015, 6:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS ST is 13-26 ATS (-15.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS ST is 13-26 ATS (-15.6 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS ST is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS ST is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) on Saturday games this season.
ARK-LITTLE ROCK is 22-9 ATS (+12.1 Units) in home games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game since 1997.
ARK-LITTLE ROCK is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=64 points/game over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS ST is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARK-LITTLE ROCK is 3-0 against the spread versus TEXAS ST over the last 3 seasons
ARK-LITTLE ROCK is 2-1 straight up against TEXAS ST over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

MISSOURI ST (9 - 14) at WICHITA ST (20 - 3) - 2/7/2015, 8:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
MISSOURI ST is 28-51 ATS (-28.1 Units) after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.
WICHITA ST is 35-18 ATS (+15.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 35-18 ATS (+15.2 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 33-18 ATS (+13.2 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) as a home favorite of 15.5 to 18 points over the last 3 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) on Saturday games over the last 3 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 22-9 ATS (+12.1 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 22-8 ATS (+13.2 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
MISSOURI ST is 33-17 ATS (+14.3 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
MISSOURI ST is 32-17 ATS (+13.3 Units) after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
MISSOURI ST is 20-7 ATS (+12.3 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WICHITA ST is 4-3 against the spread versus MISSOURI ST over the last 3 seasons
WICHITA ST is 7-0 straight up against MISSOURI ST over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

UCLA (14 - 9) at CALIFORNIA (14 - 9) - 2/7/2015, 8:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
UCLA is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
UCLA is 26-12 ATS (+12.8 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
UCLA is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
UCLA is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
CALIFORNIA is 23-34 ATS (-14.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CALIFORNIA is 23-34 ATS (-14.4 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
CALIFORNIA is 10-19 ATS (-10.9 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CALIFORNIA is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
CALIFORNIA is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games revenging a road loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
UCLA is 4-1 against the spread versus CALIFORNIA over the last 3 seasons
UCLA is 4-1 straight up against CALIFORNIA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

SMU (18 - 5) at TULSA (17 - 5) - 2/7/2015, 8:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
TULSA is 32-17 ATS (+13.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 32-17 ATS (+13.3 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 23-6 ATS (+16.4 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 9-0 ATS (+9.0 Units) in February games over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 22-6 ATS (+15.4 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 19-6 ATS (+12.4 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 97-68 ATS (+22.2 Units) after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.
TULSA is 23-13 ATS (+8.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games over the last 3 seasons.
SMU is 49-31 ATS (+14.9 Units) in road games on Saturday games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
TULSA is 1-1 against the spread versus SMU over the last 3 seasons
TULSA is 1-1 straight up against SMU over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

PORTLAND (13 - 10) at SANTA CLARA (11 - 13) - 2/7/2015, 8:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
PORTLAND is 48-75 ATS (-34.5 Units) in February games since 1997.
PORTLAND is 33-55 ATS (-27.5 Units) off a win against a conference rival since 1997.
PORTLAND is 33-17 ATS (+14.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PORTLAND is 33-17 ATS (+14.3 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
PORTLAND is 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
PORTLAND is 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SANTA CLARA is 3-2 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
SANTA CLARA is 3-2 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

SAN DIEGO (12 - 12) at PEPPERDINE (15 - 8) - 2/7/2015, 8:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
PEPPERDINE is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in all games this season.
PEPPERDINE is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in all lined games this season.
PEPPERDINE is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) on Saturday games over the last 3 seasons.
PEPPERDINE is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PEPPERDINE is 4-2 against the spread versus SAN DIEGO over the last 3 seasons
PEPPERDINE is 3-3 straight up against SAN DIEGO over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

UC-IRVINE (13 - 9) at LONG BEACH ST (13 - 11) - 2/7/2015, 7:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
UC-IRVINE is 49-71 ATS (-29.1 Units) in February games since 1997.
LONG BEACH ST is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
LONG BEACH ST is 17-29 ATS (-14.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LONG BEACH ST is 3-3 against the spread versus UC-IRVINE over the last 3 seasons
UC-IRVINE is 4-2 straight up against LONG BEACH ST over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

TX-ARLINGTON (12 - 9) at LA-LAFAYETTE (13 - 10) - 2/7/2015, 2:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
TX-ARLINGTON is 33-17 ATS (+14.3 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
TX-ARLINGTON is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
TX-ARLINGTON is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
TX-ARLINGTON is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) in road games after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
TX-ARLINGTON is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) in road games off a loss against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA-LAFAYETTE is 2-1 against the spread versus TX-ARLINGTON over the last 3 seasons
LA-LAFAYETTE is 3-0 straight up against TX-ARLINGTON over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

KENTUCKY (22 - 0) at FLORIDA (12 - 10) - 2/7/2015, 9:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 55-36 ATS (+15.4 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
FLORIDA is 41-24 ATS (+14.6 Units) in home games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 3-2 against the spread versus KENTUCKY over the last 3 seasons
FLORIDA is 4-1 straight up against KENTUCKY over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

UC-RIVERSIDE (10 - 12) at CS-FULLERTON (9 - 13) - 2/7/2015, 9:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
CS-FULLERTON is 17-28 ATS (-13.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CS-FULLERTON is 17-28 ATS (-13.8 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
CS-FULLERTON is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
UC-RIVERSIDE is 4-1 against the spread versus CS-FULLERTON over the last 3 seasons
CS-FULLERTON is 3-2 straight up against UC-RIVERSIDE over the last 3 seasons
3 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

PACIFIC (10 - 13) at ST MARYS-CA (17 - 5) - 2/7/2015, 10:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
PACIFIC is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) as a road underdog of 12.5 to 15 points since 1997.
ST MARYS-CA is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) in all games this season.
ST MARYS-CA is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) in all lined games this season.
ST MARYS-CA is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) against conference opponents this season.
PACIFIC is 25-11 ATS (+12.9 Units) on Saturday games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST MARYS-CA is 2-2 against the spread versus PACIFIC over the last 3 seasons
ST MARYS-CA is 4-1 straight up against PACIFIC over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

UTAH (17 - 4) at COLORADO (11 - 10) - 2/7/2015, 10:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) after scoring 60 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
UTAH is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in all games this season.
UTAH is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in all lined games this season.
UTAH is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) as a favorite this season.
UTAH is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 38-20 ATS (+16.0 Units) in road games in February games since 1997.
UTAH is 16-4 ATS (+11.6 Units) on Saturday games over the last 3 seasons.
UTAH is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 24-11 ATS (+11.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
UTAH is 4-1 against the spread versus COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
UTAH is 3-2 straight up against COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

CAL DAVIS (17 - 4) at CS-NORTHRIDGE (6 - 18) - 2/7/2015, 10:30 PM

Top Trends for this game.
CAL DAVIS is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in all games this season.
CAL DAVIS is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in all lined games this season.
CAL DAVIS is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) as a favorite this season.
CAL DAVIS is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) against conference opponents this season.
CAL DAVIS is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=64 points/game over the last 3 seasons.
CS-NORTHRIDGE is 4-15 ATS (-12.5 Units) in all games this season.
CS-NORTHRIDGE is 4-15 ATS (-12.5 Units) in all lined games this season.
CS-NORTHRIDGE is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) revenging a road loss vs opponent this season.
CS-NORTHRIDGE is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) after failing to cover the spread in 3 or more consecutive games this season.
CS-NORTHRIDGE is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CAL DAVIS is 4-1 against the spread versus CS-NORTHRIDGE over the last 3 seasons
CAL DAVIS is 4-1 straight up against CS-NORTHRIDGE over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

GONZAGA (23 - 1) at SAN FRANCISCO (9 - 15) - 2/7/2015, 11:30 PM

Top Trends for this game.
SAN FRANCISCO is 72-47 ATS (+20.3 Units) in February games since 1997.
GONZAGA is 15-4 ATS (+10.6 Units) when playing with one or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) when playing with one or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
GONZAGA is 3-2 against the spread versus SAN FRANCISCO over the last 3 seasons
GONZAGA is 5-0 straight up against SAN FRANCISCO over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

__________________________________________________ _______________

S DAKOTA ST (17 - 8) at IUPUI (8 - 15) - 2/7/2015, 1:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
S DAKOTA ST is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
S DAKOTA ST is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) after a conference game this season.
S DAKOTA ST is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
S DAKOTA ST is 12-1 ATS (+10.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
S DAKOTA ST is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=64 points/game after 15+ games over the last 3 seasons.
IUPUI is 27-49 ATS (-26.9 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
IUPUI is 27-49 ATS (-26.9 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
IUPUI is 7-23 ATS (-18.3 Units) in all home games over the last 3 seasons.
IUPUI is 7-23 ATS (-18.3 Units) in home lined games over the last 3 seasons.
IUPUI is 13-28 ATS (-17.8 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
IUPUI is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in February games over the last 3 seasons.
IUPUI is 10-24 ATS (-16.4 Units) on Saturday games over the last 3 seasons.
IUPUI is 11-28 ATS (-19.8 Units) after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
IUPUI is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) revenging a road loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
IUPUI is 9-23 ATS (-16.3 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.
IUPUI is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
IUPUI is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
S DAKOTA ST is 5-1 against the spread versus IUPUI over the last 3 seasons
S DAKOTA ST is 6-0 straight up against IUPUI over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

WOFFORD (19 - 5) at VMI (8 - 15) - 2/7/2015, 1:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
WOFFORD is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game after 15+ games since 1997.
WOFFORD is 8-20 ATS (-14.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game since 1997.
WOFFORD is 19-10 ATS (+8.0 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
WOFFORD is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) in February games over the last 3 seasons.
WOFFORD is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
VMI is 1-0 against the spread versus WOFFORD over the last 3 seasons
WOFFORD is 1-0 straight up against VMI over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

UNC-GREENSBORO (7 - 17) at THE CITADEL (8 - 14) - 2/7/2015, 1:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
UNC-GREENSBORO is 6-13 ATS (-8.3 Units) in all games this season.
UNC-GREENSBORO is 6-13 ATS (-8.3 Units) in all lined games this season.
UNC-GREENSBORO is 15-28 ATS (-15.8 Units) after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
UNC-GREENSBORO is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
UNC-GREENSBORO is 21-39 ATS (-21.9 Units) after scoring 80 points or more since 1997.
UNC-GREENSBORO is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
THE CITADEL is 23-40 ATS (-21.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
THE CITADEL is 3-1 against the spread versus UNC-GREENSBORO over the last 3 seasons
THE CITADEL is 2-2 straight up against UNC-GREENSBORO over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

FAIRFIELD (6 - 16) at ST PETERS (10 - 13) - 2/7/2015, 2:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
ST PETERS is 38-21 ATS (+14.9 Units) versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=64 points/game since 1997.
FAIRFIELD is 34-15 ATS (+17.5 Units) in road games in February games since 1997.
FAIRFIELD is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in road games after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.
ST PETERS is 15-26 ATS (-13.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ST PETERS is 15-26 ATS (-13.6 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
ST PETERS is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
ST PETERS is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in all home games this season.
ST PETERS is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in home lined games this season.
ST PETERS is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games against conference opponents this season.
ST PETERS is 6-25 ATS (-21.5 Units) in home games on Saturday games since 1997.
ST PETERS is 17-29 ATS (-14.9 Units) after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
ST PETERS is 21-46 ATS (-29.6 Units) in home games off a loss against a conference rival since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST PETERS is 3-2 against the spread versus FAIRFIELD over the last 3 seasons
ST PETERS is 3-3 straight up against FAIRFIELD over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

S DAKOTA (11 - 13) at N DAKOTA ST (16 - 7) - 2/7/2015, 3:00 PM

There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
N DAKOTA ST is 3-2 against the spread versus S DAKOTA over the last 3 seasons
N DAKOTA ST is 4-1 straight up against S DAKOTA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

N DAKOTA (8 - 13) at N ARIZONA (11 - 11) - 2/7/2015, 4:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
N ARIZONA is 47-84 ATS (-45.4 Units) when playing with one or less days rest since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
N DAKOTA is 3-1 against the spread versus N ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
N DAKOTA is 3-1 straight up against N ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

MERCER (13 - 11) at FURMAN (7 - 15) - 2/7/2015, 4:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
FURMAN is 105-138 ATS (-46.8 Units) as an underdog since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
FURMAN is 1-0 against the spread versus MERCER over the last 3 seasons
MERCER is 2-0 straight up against FURMAN over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

SAMFORD (11 - 14) at E TENN ST (13 - 9) - 2/7/2015, 4:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
SAMFORD is 11-26 ATS (-17.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
SAMFORD is 13-6 ATS (+6.4 Units) in all games this season.
SAMFORD is 13-6 ATS (+6.4 Units) in all lined games this season.
SAMFORD is 30-17 ATS (+11.3 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
SAMFORD is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) on Saturday games over the last 3 seasons.
SAMFORD is 20-6 ATS (+13.4 Units) when playing with one or less days rest over the last 3 seasons.
E TENN ST is 5-12 ATS (-8.2 Units) in all games this season.
E TENN ST is 5-12 ATS (-8.2 Units) in all lined games this season.
E TENN ST is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) as a favorite this season.
E TENN ST is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) against conference opponents this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAMFORD is 1-0 against the spread versus E TENN ST over the last 3 seasons
E TENN ST is 2-0 straight up against SAMFORD over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

E WASHINGTON (17 - 5) at MONTANA ST (4 - 18) - 2/7/2015, 4:30 PM

Top Trends for this game.
E WASHINGTON is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in February games over the last 2 seasons.
MONTANA ST is 18-29 ATS (-13.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MONTANA ST is 18-29 ATS (-13.9 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
MONTANA ST is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) against conference opponents this season.
MONTANA ST is 33-64 ATS (-37.4 Units) in February games since 1997.
MONTANA ST is 2-16 ATS (-15.6 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
MONTANA ST is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) when playing with one or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.
MONTANA ST is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) after a conference game this season.
MONTANA ST is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
E WASHINGTON is 3-0 against the spread versus MONTANA ST over the last 3 seasons
E WASHINGTON is 3-1 straight up against MONTANA ST over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
__________________________________________________ _______________

UT-CHATTANOOGA (16 - 8) at W CAROLINA (11 - 13) - 2/7/2015, 4:30 PM

Top Trends for this game.
UT-CHATTANOOGA is 62-90 ATS (-37.0 Units) when playing with one or less days rest since 1997.
W CAROLINA is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) revenging a road loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
W CAROLINA is 36-61 ATS (-31.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
UT-CHATTANOOGA is 3-1 against the spread versus W CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
UT-CHATTANOOGA is 4-1 straight up against W CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons