SPORTS ADVISORS
(4) Duke (7-0, 4-3 ATS) at (9) Purdue (5-1, 3-2 ATS)
The marquee matchup in this year’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge comes from Mackey Arena, where ninth-ranked Purdue hosts fourth-ranked and unbeaten Duke.
The Boilermakers are coming off their first defeat, losing 87-82 in overtime as a two-point favorite in Friday’s Preseason NIT championship game. Purdue has followed up an 18-4-1 ATS run with consecutive non-covers, the first time that’s happened since a five-game ATS slump from last December to early January.
Duke is coming off Saturday’s 95-72 home rout of Duquesne as a 22-point home chalk, and the Blue Devils have won six of their seven contests by 15 points or more, including five wins by 20-plus points. In their only two games away from Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Devils crushed Southern Illinois (83-58) and Michigan (71-56), cashing in both contests at the Coaches vs. Cancer classic at Madison Square Garden.
Purdue shocked Duke 78-68 as a nine-point road underdog in 2003, the most recent meeting between the schools. The Boilermakers lost to Clemson 61-58 in last year’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge, but cashed easily as a 10-point road underdog. In 2006, they hosted Virginia and won 61-59, but came up short as a 3½-point chalk.
The Blue Devils hammered Wisconsin 82-58 as a 9½-point home favorite last November to improve to 9-0 SU all-time in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, the only school with a perfect record in the event. Including this year’s win over Michigan, Duke is 4-0 SU and ATS against Big Ten teams since the start of last year, with all three victories coming by 13 points or more.
In addition to its overall 18-6-1 ATS run, Purdue is on pointspread rolls of 11-4 at home, 7-1-1 on Tuesdays and 4-0 after a SU defeat, but the Boilers are 5-10 ATS in their last 15 non-conference games and 1-4 ATS in their last five versus the ACC. Meanwhile, Duke is 4-0 ATS in its last four on Tuesdays, but it is 1-6 ATS in its last seven after a spread-cover.
The under is 10-3 in Duke’s last 13 games overall and 10-3 in its last 13 in non-conference action, but the over is 6-1 in its last seven on the road and 4-1 in its last five on Tuesdays. Purdue has stayed low in four straight games against the ACC, but the over is 5-2 in its last seven overall and 7-3 in its last 10 outside the Big Ten.
ATS ADVANTAGE: DUKE
Ohio State (3-0, 1-1 ATS) at (21) Miami, Fla. (4-1, 2-1 ATS)
Ohio State puts an eight-game winning streak on the line when it hits the road for the first time this season, visiting 21st-ranked Miami (Fla.) in an ACC/Big Ten Challenge contest.
The Buckeyes, who won last year’s NIT championship by going 5-0 SU and ATS, have started off this season with three straight victories, all at home. Most recently, Thad Matta’s team clobbered Samford 59-22 as a 21½-point home favorite, holding an opponent to its lowest point total in 69 years and allowing just nine made baskets. During its winning streak, Ohio State is 6-1 ATS in lined contests.
The Hurricanes followed up their first loss – a 76-63 setback to No. 2 UConn in the Paradise Jam semifinals in the Virgin Islands – with consecutive double-digit wins over San Diego (80-45 as a six-point favorite) and Setson (79-65 in a non-lined game). Against lined opponents this season, Miami is averaging 73 points per game (42.4 field-goal percentage) and allowing 61.5 ppg (38.3 percent).
These schools last met on a basketball court in the second round of the 2000 NCAA Tournament, with the ‘Canes rolling to a 75-62 victory as a five-point underdog. In the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, Miami is 0-2 SU all-time and the Buckeyes are 1-5 SU.
In addition to its overall 6-1 ATS streak, Ohio State is on positive pointspread runs of 9-1 in non-conference games, 4-0 after a spread-cover, 6-1 against winning teams and 4-1-1 on Tuesdays. On the downside, the Buckeyes are 1-5 ATS in their last six against the ACC, and they’ve lost seven straight road games against ranked opponents.
Miami, which is 16-2 SU at home since the start of last season, is on ATS runs of 20-8-3 overall, 11-1 in non-conference action and 4-0 at home, but the Hurricanes have failed to cash in four straight Tuesday outings.
The under is 9-3 in Miami’s last 12 non-league games, but the over is on runs of 5-2 for Miami on Tuesdays, 5-2 for the Buckeyes overall and 4-0 for the Buckeyes on Tuesday.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE
Clemson (7-0, 2-3 ATS) at Illinois (6-0, 3-1 ATS)
Somebody’s perfect season will go by the wayside tonight as Clemson visits Illinois in this ACC/Big Ten Challenge battle of unbeatens.
Five of the Tigers’ seven wins have come by double digits, including Friday’s 79-58 rout of Presbyterian in a non-lined game. Clemson is putting up 81.1 ppg (49.3 percent shooting) and allowing 59.4 ppg (37.7 percent) against Division I competition.
The Illini barely kept their perfect season alive last week in the South Padre Invitational in southern Texas, knocking off Kent State 69-63 in overtime Friday, then edging Tulsa 48-44 on Saturday, cashing both times as a 2½-point favorite. Three of Illinois’ last four victories have come by margins of 6, 6 and 4 points, and the Illini are putting up 67 ppg (45.2 percent) and giving up 56.2 ppg (37.4 percent) against their four Division I opponents.
The schools played a home-and-home series in 1997 and 1998, with Illinois pulling off upsets on both occasions. Last year in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, Clemson beat Purdue 61-58, but failed to cover as a 10-point home favorite, while Illinois lost 69-61 at Maryland as a one-point road ‘dog.
Clemson is 2-5 ATS in its last seven non-conference contests, but 4-1 ATS in its last five against the Big Ten. Meanwhile, the Illini are on ATS tears of 5-2 overall, 5-2 in non-conference play and 4-1 on Tuesdays, but they’re 2-5 ATS in their last seven at home.
The over is 13-6-1 in Clemson’s last 20 non-conference outings and 5-1 in its last six against the Big Ten, but the under is 5-2 in its last seven on the road and 4-1 in its last five on Tuesdays. Meanwhile, Illinois is riding “under” streaks of 5-2 in non-league play, 5-1 versus the ACC and 4-0 at home.
ATS ADVANTAGE: ILLINIOS and UNDER
NBA
Detroit (10-6, 8-8 ATS) at San Antonio (9-7, 8-7-1 ATS)
The Spurs look to get back on the winning track when they host the Pistons inside the AT&T Center in a rematch of the 2005 NBA Finals.
San Antonio had its five-game winning streak snapped in Saturday’s 103-84 loss at Houston as a 2½-point road underdog. It marked the first time since an overtime game at Minnesota on Nov. 5 – a stretch of 12 contests – that San Antonio had surrendered more than 98 points. Gregg Popovich’s club is still 7-2 SU (6-2-1 ATS) in its last nine games. Also, the Spurs are 5-1 (4-1-1 ATS) in their last six at home.
Detroit is coming off Sunday’s 96-85 loss to Portland as a four-point home favorite, as the Pistons completed a disappointing 2-2 SU and ATS homestand. Detroit has followed up a 7-2 start to the season by losing four of its last seven games, both SU and ATS. Also, the SU winner is 14-0 ATS in the team’s last 14 games.
The Pistons are 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings with the Spurs, covering in the last three in a row overall, and they’re 3-0 ATS in their last three visits to San Antonio. Detroit swept the two-game season series’ in 2005-06 and 2007-08 (4-0 ATS), while the Spurs pulled off the sweep in 2006-07 (1-1 ATS). The SU winner has cashed in nine of the last 10 clashes going back to the 2005 NBA Finals.
Also, in this rivalry, the underdog and the road team are both 4-1 ATS in the last five battles.
Detroit carries positive ATS marks of 7-3 on the road, 9-3 after a loss, 10-4 after a non-cover, 4-0 against the Southwest Division, 7-1 after a double-digit loss and 37-18 when playing on one day of rest. Meanwhile, in addition to their ATS streaks of 4-1-1 overall and 5-1 at home, the Spurs are 5-0 ATS in their last five when playing on two days’ rest and 4-1 ATS in their last five after a double-digit defeat.
The over is 7-3 in Detroit’s last 10 games on the highway. Otherwise, the under for Detroit is on streaks of 6-1 overall, 14-3 against the Southwest Division, 7-0 following a defeat and 5-2 on Tuesdays. Additionally, San Antonio sports “under” runs of 19-7 overall, 10-3 at the AT&T Center, 4-0 against the Eastern Conference, 4-0 versus the Central Division, 5-0 on Tuesdays and 6-1 against winning teams.
Finally, the under is 6-1 in the last seven meetings in this rivalry (3-1 in San Antonio).
ATS ADVANTAGE: DETROIT and UNDER
Toronto (8-8, 6-10 ATS) at Denver (12-6 SU and ATS)
The Raptors resume their three-game Western Conference road swing when they invade the Pepsi Center for a battle with the Nuggets.
Toronto had a modest two-game wining streak halted in Sunday’s 112-99 loss to the Lakers, coming up just short as a 12-point underdog for the team’s fifth consecutive non-cover. Since starting the season 3-0 (2-1 ATS), the Raptors are just 5-8 SU and 4-9 ATS, including 2-4 SU and 3-3 ATS on the highway. Also, Sam Mitchell’s squad has reached triple digits just five times this year, but has allowed 100 or more on eight occasions.
Denver easily dispatched of the Rockets on Sunday, cruising to a 104-94 win as a four-point home favorite. The Nuggets have eclipsed the century mark in five consecutive games, and since starting the season 1-3, they’ve won 11 of their last 14 contests (9-5 ATS).
The Nuggets have owned this inter-conference rivalry, winning seven of the last eight clashes (5-3 ATS). Last year, George Karl’s squad swept the Raptors in the two-game season series, winning 137-105 as an 8½-point home chalk and 109-100 as a 2½-point road ‘dog. The visitor has gotten the money in five of the last seven head-to-head matchups.
Toronto is 5-2 ATS in its last seven outside of Canada, but beyond that, the Raptors are in the midst of ATS slumps of 0-8 versus the Western Conference, 0-4 against the Northwest Division, 2-5 on Tuesdays and 6-24 when playing after a day off. On the flip side, Denver is riding ATS hot streaks of 5-2-1 at home, 6-1-1 against the Eastern Conference, 9-0 against the Atlantic Division, 4-1-1 on Tuesdays and 7-2 when coming off a 100-point scoring effort.
For the Raptors, the over is on stretches of 7-2 overall, 5-1 on Tuesdays and 4-1 when playing on one day of rest, while Denver’s “over” runs include 5-0 overall, 4-0 at home, 8-3 on Tuesdays, 10-4 against the Eastern Conference and 14-6-1 versus Atlantic Division opponents. Also, three of the last four series meetings between these teams have hurdled the total, with the last six featuring at least 205 combined points.
ATS ADVANTAGE: DENVER and OVER
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