SPORTS ADVISORS
(21) Georgia Tech (16-5, 11-4 ATS) at (10) Duke (17-4, 13-7 ATS)
Duke tries to rebound from a humbling non-conference loss at Georgetown – and avenge last month’s loss at Georgia Tech – when it returns to Cameron Indoor Stadium for an ACC clash with the Yellow Jackets.
Georgia Tech stepped out of conference Saturday and crushed Kentucky State 98-50 in a non-lined home game, which came on the heels of last Thursday’s 21-point rout of Wake Forest as a 5½-point home favorite. The Yellow Jackets have won four of their last five games, cashing in all four lined contests, with the only setback being a 68-66 loss in their most recent road game at Florida State (as a five-point underdog). They’re 3-3 SU and 4-2 ATS in true roadies this season.
The Blue Devils went to Georgetown on Saturday as a two-point favorite but were never in the game, losing 89-77 to the seventh-ranked Hoyas. Prior to that, Duke had posted consecutive double-digit ACC wins over Clemson (60-47 as a two-point road chalk) and Florida State (70-56 as a 12½-point home favorite). The Blue Devils are 12-0 SU and 8-3 ATS at Cameron Indoor, outscoring visitors by a whopping 29 points per game (90-61). They shoot 50.3 percent from the field at home (42.6 percent from three-point range) and hold opponents to 38.4 percent overall and 29.6 percent from long range.
The Yellow Jackets stunned Duke 71-67 as a seven-point home underdog on Jan. 9, ending a four-game losing skid (1-3 ATS) in the rivalry. Although the Blue Devils had a 43.3 percent to 41.5 percent shooting edge, Georgia Tech dominated from the free-throw line (22-for-28 vs. 9-for-14) and had a 34-26 rebounding advantage.
Duke has won eight of the last 10 meetings with Georgia Tech (6-4 ATS) and is 10-1 in the last 11 clashes at Cameron Indoor. Going back further, the Devils have cashed in 16 of the last 21 clashes overall. The Jackets’ last victory at Duke came in 2004.
In addition to cashing in its last four games (all in ACC play), Georgia Tech is on ATS runs of 8-2 on the highway, 5-1 on Thursday, 11-4 after a SU victory and 8-2 when coming off a win of more than 20 points. The Blue Devils are on pointspread surges of 7-3 overall, 5-0 at home, 4-1 in conference, 4-0 after a non-cover and 7-3 against winning teams, but they have failed to cover in five of their last seven after a SU setback.
The under is on runs of 4-0 for the Yellow Jackets overall, 16-5 for the Yellow Jackets against winning teams, 5-2 for Duke at home, 22-8 for Duke in ACC play and 7-0 for Duke against winning teams. Finally, 16 of the last 21 meetings between these schools – including the last 13 in a row – have stayed low.
ATS ADVANTAGE: DUKE and UNDER
Maryland (14-6, 9-7 ATS) at Florida State (16-5, 5-11 ATS)
The Terrapins, who are coming off their first defeat in nearly three weeks, hit the highway for their second straight ACC road game when they visit the Tucker Center in Tallahassee for a battle with Florida State.
Maryland took a four-game SU and six-game ATS winning streak to Clemson on Sunday and stumbled 62-53, falling short as a 3½-point underdog. The Terps were held to a season-low in points and scored less than 70 for just the second time this season. Prior to playing Clemson, they had averaged 80.4 points in their first five ACC contests. Maryland is 3-5 (4-4 ATS) on the highway this year, including 1-2 (2-1 ATS) when visiting league rivals.
The Seminoles rebounded from last Wednesday’s 70-56 loss at Duke with Saturday’s 61-57 victory at Boston College. They covered as a one-point underdog, ending an 0-5 ATS slump, all in ACC play. Florida State has been held under 70 points in five of six conference games (including the last four in a row), and while the ‘Noles are 10-1 at home, they’re just 1-6 ATS in lined games.
The home team has dominated this rivalry, winning the last nine in a row (7-2 ATS). On Jan. 10, the Seminoles went to Maryland and fell 77-68 as a four-point underdog, falling to 1-3 SU and 0-4 ATS in the last four head-to-head battles. Also, the host has covered in 10 of the last 12 meetings – with Florida State going 4-1 ATS in the last five clashes at the Tucker Center – and the favorite is 5-1 ATS in the last six.
The Terps on are on ATS runs of 6-1 overall, 4-1 on the road, 9-3 after a SU defeat and 8-1 against the ACC. On the flip side, Florida State is in pointspread ruts of 1-5 overall (all in the ACC), 1-6 at home, 1-4 on Thursday, 2-6 after a SU victory and 1-5 against winning teams.
These teams have topped the total in four of their last five meetings overall and four of their last five in Tallahassee. Also, Maryland comes into this contest carrying “over” trends of 9-4 overall, 4-1 against winning teams, 6-1 after a SU defeat and 6-0 after a non-cover. Conversely, the under is on streaks of 4-0 for Florida State overall (all within the ACC) and 9-4 for the Terps in conference games.
ATS ADVANTAGE: MARYLAND and OVER
Arizona State (15-7, 8-10 ATS) at Washington State (14-7, 7-12 ATS)
Arizona State will try to sweep the season series from the Cougars when it heads to Pullman for this Pac-10 contest at Beasley Coliseum.
The Sun Devils snapped a brief two-game slide in dominating fashion Saturday, jumping out to a 54-22 halftime lead and rolling to an 88-70 victory as an 11-point favorite. Since dropping its first two conference games of the season SU and ATS (both on the road), Arizona State has won and covered five of its last seven, including two road victories at Oregon (76-57) and Oregon State (66-57). The SU winner has gotten the cash in each of the Sun Devils’ last 10 games (including all nine Pac-10 contests)..
Washington State took a 40-36 halftime lead at Washington on Saturday, then returned to the court and got outscored 56-24 over the final 20 minutes to lose 92-64 as a nine-point road underdog. The Cougars have dropped four of their last six games (1-5 ATS), including a trio of double-digit losses. The slump started with a 71-46 loss at Arizona State as an eight-point underdog on Jan. 10. Wazu is 7-2 at home, but just 1-6 ATS in lined games.
With its 25-point rout of Washington State last month, Arizona State snapped a six-game SU losing streak and a three-game pointspread slide in this rivalry. The Sun Devils have dropped six in a row in Pullman (1-5 ATS), and the host has covered in eight of the last nine head-to-head clashes.
While Arizona State is 5-2 ATS in its last seven games, the Cougars are in ATS funks of 1-5 overall, 0-5 at home, 0-4 after a SU defeat, 2-5 after a non-cover and 1-6 against teams with a winning record.
The Sun Devils are on “over” runs of 5-0 overall, 4-1 on the road, 6-2 on Thursday, 4-1 after a SU victory and 6-2 after a spread-cover, and Washington State is on “over” stretches of 12-5 overall and 6-1 at home. On the other hand, the under has been the play in five of the last six meetings in this rivalry overall and five of the last six at the Beasley Center.
ATS ADVANTAGE: ARIZONA STATE and OVER
Miami (24-25 SU and ATS) at Cleveland (39-11, 26-23-1 ATS)
The Cavaliers try to extend their winning streak to 10 when they welcome the struggling Heat to Quicken Loans Arena.
Miami lost its third straight (1-2 ATS) and fifth in its last six games (2-4 ATS) on Wednesday, falling 107-102 in Boston, but cashing as a 5½-point underdog. It was the first time the Heat reached triple digits in four games as they had put up just 90.2 in their previous five contests. Back-to-back games have not been good for Miami, which is just 3-6 ATS in its nine tries this when playing without rest.
Cleveland has rattled off nine straight wins (6-3 ATS) cashing in each of the last five, including Tuesday’s 105-89 victory over Memphis as a 10-point home favorite. In the victory, the Cavs got 13 points and 13 rebounds from Shaquille O’Neal, while LeBron James chipped in with 22 points and 15 assists. While the Cavs are an impressive 20-3 at home, they are just 10-13 ATS in those contests (but 4-1 ATS in the last five).
Cleveland has won each of the last four meetings (SU and ATS) with the Heat, including both games this season in Miami. Just last Monday, the Cavaliers scored a 92-91 win in South Beach as a one-point underdog. Cleveland has won four straight meetings at Quicken Loans Arena, but the road team still has a 6-2 ATS edge in the last eight battles.
Miami is on several negative ATS runs, including 1-5 overall, 1-5 against Eastern Conference teams, 1-5 on the second night of a back-to-back and 0-5 against teams with winning records. The Cavaliers are on ATS streaks of 5-0 overall, 4-1 at home and 5-0 after getting a day off.
The Heat topped the total on Wednesday in Boston, but they are on “under” runs of 6-0 against Central Division teams, 19-7 on Thursday and 7-4 on the road against teams with winning home records. Cleveland has stayed below the posted number in 10 of 14 against Eastern Conference squads, but has gone over in five of seven at home and four of five at home against teams with losing road records. In this series, the “under” has been the play in the last four clashes in Cleveland.
ATS ADVANTAGE: CLEVELAND
San Antonio (28-19, 23-23-1 ATS) at Portland (29-22, 27-23-1 ATS)
The Blazers shoot for their fifth straight win over the Spurs when these two Western Conference foes square off inside the Rose Garden.
San Antonio scored a 115-113 road win in Sacramento on Wednesday, failing as a 4½-point chalk. Despite last night’s win, the Spurs have dropped six of their last 10 games (3-7 ATS) and concluded a disappointing six-game homestand at 2-4 on Sunday with a blowout loss to the Nuggets, falling 103-89 as a 5½-point favorite. San Antonio has not been good in back-to-back situations, going 3-5 ATS in its eight chances this season.
Portland had its short two-game winning streak halted on Wednesday in Utah, losing 118-105 as a 7½-point underdog. The Blazers have lost four of their last six overall, but they have cashed in six of their last nine. Opposite of the Spurs, Portland has flourished in the back-to-back situation, cashing in eight of its 11 tries.
The Blazers have taken four in a row SU and ATS against the Spurs, including both meetings this season. On Nov. 6, Portland prevailed 96-84 as a four-point home favorite and then went to Texas on Dec. 23 and beat the Spurs 98-94 as a whopping 12-point pup. The Blazers are 7-2 ATS in the last nine series clashes, including 5-0 in Portland, as the home team has cashed in nine of the last 12 meetings.
San Antonio is on ATS slides of 2-9 against Northwest Division teams and 1-6 on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Blazers are on positive pointspread pushes of 6-3 overall, 12-3 when playing on back-to-back nights and 10-4 when facing a team with a winning record.
The Spurs have topped the total in five of six against Northwest Division foes, but they are on “under” runs of 6-2 on the road, 5-1 on Thursdays and 18-7-1 on the second night of a back-to-back. Portland is on a plethora of “over” streaks, including 21-8 overall, 11-3 at home, 11-1 against Western Conference teams and 7-0 when playing the second night of a back-to-back. In this rivalry, the “over” has been the play in four of the last six.
ATS ADVANTAGE: PORTLAND and OVER
