SPORTS ADVISORS
Louisville (15-9, 7-12 ATS) at (2) Syracuse (24-1, 15-6 ATS)
The red-hot Orange pursue their 12th consecutive victory when they take on Louisville in a Big East battle at the Carrier Dome.
Syracuse topped UConn 72-67 Wednesday night, falling short as a healthy 10-point home chalk as they squandered most of a 16-point second-half lead, but it has still posted an 8-3 ATS mark during its 11-game win streak. The Orange are racking up 81.6 ppg (seventh nationally) and are the top shooting team in the country (52.7 percent), while holding opponents to 64.2 ppg on just 38.3 percent shooting (13th). Also, Syracuse’s 15-6 ATS mark ranks fifth nationally.
Louisville hasn’t been nearly as consistent as Syracuse, going 3-5 SU and 2-6 ATS over its last eight starts, including Thursday’s 74-55 blowout loss at St. John’s as a 5½-point favorite, ending a modest two-game SU uptick. The Cardinals are averaging 78.7 ppg and allowing 69.5 ppg on the year, but in road games, they’re getting outscored by about a 3-pointer per game (75.7-72.6).
Louisville has taken four in a row in this rivalry (3-0-1 ATS), winning and covering in both meetings last year – a 67-57 road victory laying one point and a 76-66 decision giving 7½ points in the Big East tournament championship game. The home team is 4-1-1 ATS in the last six regular-season clashes, the favorite is 4-0-1 ATS in the last five meetings and the SU winner is on a 5-1-1 ATS run.
The Orange sport positive pointspread streaks of 24-8 overall, 19-7 at home, 15-5 in the Big East, 20-8 after a SU win, 6-0 after a non-cover, 4-0 on Sunday and 20-7 against winning teams. Despite failing to cover in seven of their last nine – all in the Big East – the Cardinals are still 44-19-1 ATS in their last 64 conference contests, but they also shoulder negative ATS streaks of 0-4 on Sunday, 1-5 after a non-cover, 2-6 against winning teams and 2-5 on the road.
The under is 5-2 in Louisville’s last seven Sunday outings, but the over for the Cardinals is on surges of 5-2 after a SU loss and 7-3 after an ATS setback. The over has hit in Syracuse’s last four Sunday games, but the Orange are on “under” streaks of 5-0 overall (all in the Big East), 5-0 after a SU win and 5-0 after a non-cover. Finally, the over is 4-2 in the last six meetings in this rivalry.
ATS ADVANTAGE: SYRACUSE
(13) Ohio State (19-6, 12-13 ATS) at Illinois (17-8, 10-14 ATS)
Two of the hottest teams in the Big Ten collide when the Buckeyes travel to face Illinois at Assembly Hall.
Ohio State has won five in a row and eight of its last nine, including Wednesday’s 69-52 rout of Indiana as a 10½-point road favorite, halting a 1-4 ATS skid. During their five-game run, the Buckeyes have outscored foes by 14 ppg (72.4-58.4), shooting a stout 49.6 percent and allowing 42.7 percent shooting. However, on the road this year, OSU averages 63 ppg and gives up 66.4, and it shoots just 31.3 percent from three-point range in opponents’ gyms, while allowing 40.5 percent from long distance.
Illinois has followed a three-game skid with a five-game winning streak of its own, including back-to-back victories over ranked teams in its last two starts. On Feb. 6., the Illini dropped then-No. 5 Michigan State 78-73 as a 1½-point home ‘dog, and they followed up Tuesday night with a 63-56 upset of 11th-ranked Wisconsin as a nine-point road pup. Illinois has averaged 69.4 ppg on sturdy 50.4 percent shooting in the last five games, while allowing 63.0 ppg on 38.9 percent shooting.
Illinois has covered in the last three clashes in this rivalry (2-1 SU), after a four-game SU and ATS run by Ohio State. The Illini swept last year’s two meetings, rolling 67-49 at home as a 7½-point favorite and eking out a 70-68 road win catching 2½ points. Illinois is 5-2 ATS in its last seven home starts against Ohio State, and the road team and the underdog are on identical 4-1 ATS runs in the last five meetings overall. Lastly, the SU winner has cashed in seven of the last eight matchups.
The Buckeyes are 4-1 ATS in their last five starts against winning teams, but they are in ATS funks of 2-6 on the road, 1-5 on the highway against teams with a winning home record and 3-9 on Sunday. The Illini have cashed in just two of their last seven at home and are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 starts after a spread-cover, but they are on ATS upticks of 4-1 overall (all in the Big Ten), 4-1 following a SU win and 4-1 on Sunday.
Illinois is on “over” runs of 19-7 overall, 11-2 at home, 9-2 after a spread-cover, 5-2 on Sunday and 5-2 in conference play, and the over for Ohio State is on an 8-2 surge coming off an ATS win. The under, though, is 5-2 in the Illini’s last seven following a SU win, 5-2 in the Illini’s last seven against winning teams and 18-7 in the Buckeyes’ last 25 Sunday games. In addition, the total has stayed low in five of the last seven meetings in this rivalry.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
Louisville (15-9, 7-12 ATS) at (2) Syracuse (24-1, 15-6 ATS)
The red-hot Orange pursue their 12th consecutive victory when they take on Louisville in a Big East battle at the Carrier Dome.
Syracuse topped UConn 72-67 Wednesday night, falling short as a healthy 10-point home chalk as they squandered most of a 16-point second-half lead, but it has still posted an 8-3 ATS mark during its 11-game win streak. The Orange are racking up 81.6 ppg (seventh nationally) and are the top shooting team in the country (52.7 percent), while holding opponents to 64.2 ppg on just 38.3 percent shooting (13th). Also, Syracuse’s 15-6 ATS mark ranks fifth nationally.
Louisville hasn’t been nearly as consistent as Syracuse, going 3-5 SU and 2-6 ATS over its last eight starts, including Thursday’s 74-55 blowout loss at St. John’s as a 5½-point favorite, ending a modest two-game SU uptick. The Cardinals are averaging 78.7 ppg and allowing 69.5 ppg on the year, but in road games, they’re getting outscored by about a 3-pointer per game (75.7-72.6).
Louisville has taken four in a row in this rivalry (3-0-1 ATS), winning and covering in both meetings last year – a 67-57 road victory laying one point and a 76-66 decision giving 7½ points in the Big East tournament championship game. The home team is 4-1-1 ATS in the last six regular-season clashes, the favorite is 4-0-1 ATS in the last five meetings and the SU winner is on a 5-1-1 ATS run.
The Orange sport positive pointspread streaks of 24-8 overall, 19-7 at home, 15-5 in the Big East, 20-8 after a SU win, 6-0 after a non-cover, 4-0 on Sunday and 20-7 against winning teams. Despite failing to cover in seven of their last nine – all in the Big East – the Cardinals are still 44-19-1 ATS in their last 64 conference contests, but they also shoulder negative ATS streaks of 0-4 on Sunday, 1-5 after a non-cover, 2-6 against winning teams and 2-5 on the road.
The under is 5-2 in Louisville’s last seven Sunday outings, but the over for the Cardinals is on surges of 5-2 after a SU loss and 7-3 after an ATS setback. The over has hit in Syracuse’s last four Sunday games, but the Orange are on “under” streaks of 5-0 overall (all in the Big East), 5-0 after a SU win and 5-0 after a non-cover. Finally, the over is 4-2 in the last six meetings in this rivalry.
ATS ADVANTAGE: SYRACUSE
(13) Ohio State (19-6, 12-13 ATS) at Illinois (17-8, 10-14 ATS)
Two of the hottest teams in the Big Ten collide when the Buckeyes travel to face Illinois at Assembly Hall.
Ohio State has won five in a row and eight of its last nine, including Wednesday’s 69-52 rout of Indiana as a 10½-point road favorite, halting a 1-4 ATS skid. During their five-game run, the Buckeyes have outscored foes by 14 ppg (72.4-58.4), shooting a stout 49.6 percent and allowing 42.7 percent shooting. However, on the road this year, OSU averages 63 ppg and gives up 66.4, and it shoots just 31.3 percent from three-point range in opponents’ gyms, while allowing 40.5 percent from long distance.
Illinois has followed a three-game skid with a five-game winning streak of its own, including back-to-back victories over ranked teams in its last two starts. On Feb. 6., the Illini dropped then-No. 5 Michigan State 78-73 as a 1½-point home ‘dog, and they followed up Tuesday night with a 63-56 upset of 11th-ranked Wisconsin as a nine-point road pup. Illinois has averaged 69.4 ppg on sturdy 50.4 percent shooting in the last five games, while allowing 63.0 ppg on 38.9 percent shooting.
Illinois has covered in the last three clashes in this rivalry (2-1 SU), after a four-game SU and ATS run by Ohio State. The Illini swept last year’s two meetings, rolling 67-49 at home as a 7½-point favorite and eking out a 70-68 road win catching 2½ points. Illinois is 5-2 ATS in its last seven home starts against Ohio State, and the road team and the underdog are on identical 4-1 ATS runs in the last five meetings overall. Lastly, the SU winner has cashed in seven of the last eight matchups.
The Buckeyes are 4-1 ATS in their last five starts against winning teams, but they are in ATS funks of 2-6 on the road, 1-5 on the highway against teams with a winning home record and 3-9 on Sunday. The Illini have cashed in just two of their last seven at home and are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 starts after a spread-cover, but they are on ATS upticks of 4-1 overall (all in the Big Ten), 4-1 following a SU win and 4-1 on Sunday.
Illinois is on “over” runs of 19-7 overall, 11-2 at home, 9-2 after a spread-cover, 5-2 on Sunday and 5-2 in conference play, and the over for Ohio State is on an 8-2 surge coming off an ATS win. The under, though, is 5-2 in the Illini’s last seven following a SU win, 5-2 in the Illini’s last seven against winning teams and 18-7 in the Buckeyes’ last 25 Sunday games. In addition, the total has stayed low in five of the last seven meetings in this rivalry.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
