SPORTS ADVISORS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
(20) Temple (24-5, 18-11 ATS) at Saint Louis (19-9, 14-8-1 ATS)
Two of the hottest teams in the Atlantic 10 get together when the Owls make the trip to Chaifetz Arena to face Saint Louis.
Temple has won five in a row and seven of its last eight, going 6-2 ATS in that stretch, and it leads the A-10 with a 12-2 SU mark (9-5 ATS). On Sunday at LaSalle, the Owls rolled 65-53 as a 7½-point favorite. Temple isn’t an offensive powerhouse, averaging 65.5 ppg on 42.9 percent shooting, but the Owls are quite effective on defense, ranking sixth nationally in points allowed (57.0 ppg), ninth in field-goal defense (37.9 percent shooting) and fifth in three-point defense (28.1 percent).
Saint Louis has also won seven of its last eight, cashing in the last seven in a row to move up to fourth in the A-10. The Billikens lost to Xavier 73-71 as a 4½-point home pup last Wednesday, then bounced back to beat Duquesne 69-59 Saturday as a 4½-point home chalk. Rick Majerus’ troops are outscoring visitors by more than 10 ppg on the year (67.8-57.7), shooting 46.7 percent at home and allowing just 38.9 percent.
Temple is 3-1 SU and ATS in four meetings since Saint Louis joined the A-10 in the 2005-06 season, with the Owls’ victories coming in the last three clashes. Last year, Temple rolled 65-40 at home as an 11½-point favorite, and two years ago in the Gateway City, the Owls snuck out with a 54-53 overtime win as a one-point underdog. The SU winner cashed in all four contests, and the favorite is 3-1 ATS in those games.
The Owls are on ATS rolls of 4-1 overall, 4-1 on Wednesday, 36-14-1 in the A-10 and 36-17-1 against winning teams, but they’ve gone just 2-5 ATS in their last seven on the highway. Meanwhile, along with their current 7-0 ATS run, the Billikens are on pointspread sprees of 6-0 after a SU win, 16-5 after a spread cover, 4-0 at home, 4-0 against winning teams and 21-6 in conference play.
Temple is on “over” streaks of 4-1 on the road, 4-1 on Wednesday, 4-1 after a spread-cover and 5-2 after a SU win, and the over for Saint Louis is on runs of 13-4 on Wednesday and 15-6 at Chaifetz Arena. In this rivalry, though, the under his hit in three of four meetings, including the last two in a row.
ATS ADVANTAGE: SAINT LOUIS and OVER
(5) Kansas State (24-4, 16-6-1 ATS) at (2) Kansas (27-2, 10-15-1 ATS)
The Jayhawks, who have already wrapped a share of their sixth straight Big 12 regular-season crown, brace for surging Kansas State as this in-state rivalry resumes at Allen Fieldhouse.
Kansas won its first 14 games of the season, stubbed its toe at Tennessee, then plowed through its first 13 conference contests before coming up short at Oklahoma State on Saturday in an 85-77 setback as a six-point favorite. The Jayhawks rank in the Top 10 nationally in scoring (82.4 ppg, fourth), field-goal shooting (48.9 percent shooting, ninth), and three-point shooting (40 percent, ninth). Defensively, Bill Self’s squad allows just 63.9 ppg on 37.6 percent shooting (fourth).
Kansas has won 58 consecutive games at Allen Fieldhouse, the longest active home winning streak in the nation. This year, the Jayhawks are 17-0 in Lawrence, averaging 87.1 ppg on exactly 50 percent shooting (41.5 percent from three-point land), while yielding 62.1 ppg on 36.5 percent shooting.
Kansas State has peeled off seven straight wins, all in the Big 12, since dropping an 81-79 overtime thriller to Kansas as a 3½-point home pup on Jan. 30. The second-place Wildcats have won six straight Big 12 road games (4-1-1 ATS) and are coming off Saturday’s 63-53 home win over Missouri laying 6½-points Saturday. K-State is also explosive offensively, averaging 80.4 ppg (ninth) while allowing 68.0. On the road, the Wildcats actually average a shade more at 80.9 ppg, while giving up 71.6.
K-State’s last-second spread-cover a few weeks back ended a 3-0 SU and ATS run by Kansas in this rivalry. Still, the Jayhawks are 17-6 ATS in the last 23 contests (all as the favorite), and the home team is on a 4-1 ATS uptick.
The Jayhawks sport positive ATS streaks of 5-0-1 after a SU loss, 18-7-2 on Wednesday and 22-9-1 against teams with a win percentage above .600, but they also own ATS slides of 0-5 overall (all in the Big 12), 0-4 at home and 9-19 at home against teams with a winning road record. The Wildcats are 2-6 ATS in their last eight Wednesday starts, but are otherwise on ATS upswings of 15-5-1 overall, 4-1 after a SU win, 11-4-1 after a spread-cover, 4-1 in the Big 12 and 13-4-1 against winning teams.
The over for Kansas is on runs of 5-0 after a SU loss and 5-0 against winning teams, and the over for K-State is on stretches of 5-0 against winning teams, 5-0 on Wednesday and 7-3-1 on the road. Also, in this rivalry, the total has gone high in the last five clashes. However, the under is 3-1-1 in the Wildcats’ last five outings.
ATS ADVANTAGE: KANSAS and OVER
(4) Duke (25-4, 17-9-2 ATS) at (22) Maryland (21-7, 15-9 ATS)
The Blue Devils aim to hold off Maryland for first place in the ACC when these longtime rivals clash at the Comcast Center.
Duke has won its last eight games (4-2-2 ATS), six of them by double digits, to put itself in position for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. On Sunday at Virginia, the Blue Devils rolled 67-49 as a 9½-point chalk, winning their 10th straight ACC game while ending an 0-1-2 ATS hiccup. Duke is outscoring its opponents by more than 17 ppg on average (79.2-61.7) and has the nation’s No. 1 three-point defense (26.7 percent shooting allowed). On the road, though, the Devils average just a bucket more than their foes (69.4-67.6).
Maryland is on a five-game winning streak (4-1) ATS and has won seven of its last eight, all in the ACC. The Terrapins needed double overtime to knock off Virginia on Saturday and keep their surge going, notching a 104-100 victory as a 1½-point road underdog. Maryland is averaging 80.0 ppg (12th) while holding opponents to 67.2 ppg on 38 percent shooting (11th), and at home, the Terps are outscoring visitors by more than 20 ppg (84.3-63.5) while boasting a shooting edge of 50.3 percent to 37.5 percent.
Duke is 12-2 SU (9-3-2 ATS) in the ACC, and Maryland is 11-3 SU and ATS.
Last month, Duke rolled to a 77-56 home victory laying 9½ points against Maryland for its sixth consecutive win in this rivalry (4-1-1 ATS, all as a favorite), including SU and ATS victories on its last two trips to College Park. The SU winner is 12-1-1 ATS in the last 13 clashes.
The Blue Devils are on pointspread runs of 3-1-2 overall, 3-0-2 in the ACC, 4-1-1 on Wednesday and 9-4-2 against teams with a win percentage above .600. The Terps are on ATS tears of 12-3 overall, 6-1 at home, 4-1 against winning teams, 20-7 in the ACC, 8-3 after a SU win, 7-3 after a spread-cover and 37-12-2 on Wednesday.
Duke is on a bundle of “under” streaks, including 6-1 overall, 5-0 against winning teams, 27-10 in the ACC, 6-1 after a SU win, 24-11 after a spread-cover and 12-5 on Wednesday. The under for Maryland is on surges of 5-0 against winning teams and 26-9 on Wednesday, and in this rivalry, the total has stayed low in five consecutive meetings. However, Maryland is on “over” runs of 4-1 overall (all in the ACC), 15-5-1 in College Park and 4-0 against teams with a win percentage above .600.
ATS ADVANTAGE: MARYLAND
Oklahoma State (20-8, 13-8-1 ATS) at (23) Texas A&M (20-8, 16-8 ATS)
The Cowboys, coming off their giant-killing win over Kansas, will try to avoid the letdown as they head to College Station’s Reed Arena for a big 12 battle with Texas A&M.
Oklahoma State has followed an 0-3 SU and ATS slide by winning four of its last five SU and ATS, all in the Big 12, and none bigger than Saturday’s 85-77 victory over the top-ranked Jayhawks as a six-point home pup. During their current surge, the Cowboys are averaging 78.4 ppg on 49.3 percent shooting, while giving up 72.2 ppg on 41.4 percent shooting. However, on the road this year, the Pokes have been outscored by an average of about seven ppg (75.4-68.7), shooting just 39.9 percent. Oklahoma State is 2-5 SU and ATS in Big 12 roadies, with the winner covering the spread in all seven games.
Texas A&M has followed a 4-0 SU and ATS run by alternating SU wins and losses over its last four games, though the Aggies cashed in all eight contests. On Saturday, they hammered Texas 74-58 as a one-point home favorite. In College Station this season, A&M is 13-1 SU and 7-4 ATS in lined action, averaging 73.6 ppg on 45.2 percent shooting, while giving up just 58.9 ppg on 39.8 percent shooting. The Aggies are 6-1 (5-2 ATS) when hosting conference rivals, the only loss coming to then-No. 1 Kansas (59-54, cashing as a 6½-point underdog)
The Aggies’ four games prior to the Texas contest (three on the road, one at home) were all decided by four points or less.
Oklahoma State is 3-1 SU and ATS in the last four meetings in this rivalry, including a 76-69 win as a 5½-point home favorite on Jan. 27. In fact, the Cowboys are the last team to cover the spread against A&M. The road team is 11-5 ATS in the last 16 clashes, the Cowboys have cashed in six of their last eight trips to College Station, the favorite is on a 4-1 ATS roll and the SU winner has cashed in eight straight meetings.
The Cowboys are 2-6 ATS in their last eight roadies, but they sport positive pointspread streaks of 24-9-1 overall, 4-1 in the Big 12, 4-1 against winning teams, 16-6 after a spread-cover and 18-7-1 following a SU win. Along with their current 8-0 ATS surge, the Aggies are on spread-covering sprees of 37-18 overall, 4-0 at home, 5-0 after a SU win, 7-0 against winning teams, 20-7 in the Big 12 and 9-4 on Wednesday.
Oklahoma State is on “under” runs of 8-1 against winning teams, 9-3 after a SU win and 7-3 following a spread-cover, and A&M is on “under” tears of 5-0 overall (all in the Big 12), 7-2 at home and 7-1 against teams above .500. Finally, these teams topped the total in their meeting earlier this season, ending an 8-0 “under” run in this rivalry, with the last five in a row in College Station staying low.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
NBA
Memphis (30-30, 32-27-1 ATS) at New Orleans (31-30, 30-30-1 ATS)
Two Southwest Division rivals hoping to get back into the Western Conference playoff race hook up at New Orleans Arena, where the Hornets host the Grizzlies.
Memphis continued its recent inconsistent play with Monday’s 103-93 loss to the Blazers as a 1½-point home underdog. The Grizzlies have now alternated SU wins and losses in their last nine games, but shockingly they’ve won four straight road contests (4-0 ATS) during this stretch. In fact, the road team is a perfect 10-0 in Memphis’ last 10 outings (9-1 ATS). Once one of the top pointspread teams in the NBA, the Grizzlies have failed to cover in 10 of their last 16 games.
New Orleans has dropped four of its last five, including the last two to Southwest Division foes (108-100 loss at Dallas on Sunday, pushing as an eight-point road underdog; 106-92 home loss to San Antonio on Monday as a three-point home pup). Monday’s defeat to the Spurs snapped the Hornets’ three-game SU and ATS home winning streak. Still, they’re 4-2 SU and ATS in their last six at New Orleans Arena.
The Hornets have dominated this divisional rivalry, winning 12 of the last 13 meetings (7-5-1 ATS), including the last three in a row (2-1 ATS). However, both battles this season were nail-biters, with New Orleans prevailing 113-111 as a 3½-point home favorite on Jan. 20 and 109-102 in overtime as a 7½-point road underdog 10 days later. Neither squad has cashed in consecutive meetings in the last eight head-to-head matchups.
Memphis has failed to cover in four of its last five Western Conference contests and six of eight against opponents with a winning record, but it does carry a trio of 4-0 ATS streaks: on the road, on Wednesday and following a SU defeat. The Hornets are on ATS runs of 7-3-1 overall, 6-0-1 after a day off and 5-2 after a non-cover, but they’re also 1-4-1 ATS in their last six against Western Conference foes and 2-5 ATS in their last seven after a double-digit home loss.
The Grizzlies are on “over” runs of 12-5 on the road and 7-3 versus winning teams, while Memphis carries “over” trends of 13-6 overall, 7-3 in Western Conference games, 4-1 against the Southwest Division, 5-2 on Wednesday, 9-2 after a SU defeat and 6-1 following a non-cover. Finally, 13 of the last 16 meetings in this rivalry have hurdled the posted total, including seven of the last eight in the Big Easy.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
Oklahoma City (36-23, 35-24 ATS) at Denver (39-21, 27-29-4 ATS)
The Thunder start a three-game Western Conference road trip with a stop at the Pepsi Center, where the Nuggets will try to put the brakes on a two-game slide in this Northwest Division clash.
Oklahoma City ripped off nine consecutive victories from Jan. 29-Feb. 21, then dropped consecutive games last week to Phoenix at home (104-102) and San Antonio on the road (95-87). But Kevin Durant and Co. have since gotten back on track with three straight home wins over the TWolves (109-92 as a 9½-point home favorite on Friday), Raptors (119-99 as an 8½-point home chalk on Sunday) and Kings (113-107 as a 10 ½-point favorite last night).
With Tuesday’s non-cover, Oklahoma City is now just 2-5 ATS in its last seven games, but it was favored in six of those contests.
Denver followed up Sunday’s 95-89 loss at the Lakers (pushing as a six-point underdog) with Monday’s 101-85 loss at Phoenix (falling way short as a 2½-point underdog). Prior to those two contests, the Nuggets had been held under 90 points just twice in their first 58 games. George Karl’s club is playing .500 ball since Feb. 3, going 6-6 SU (5-5-2 ATS).
Prior to losing at San Antonio last Wednesday, the Thunder had won five straight road games (3-2 ATS). For the season, they’re 17-12 SU and 19-10 ATS on the highway. Meanwhile, the Nuggets – who begin a three-game homestand tonight – have won 25 of 30 contests at the Pepsi Center, but they’re just 15-14-1 ATS.
Oklahoma City has cashed in seven straight meetings with the Nuggets, the first six as an underdog – including a 102-93 loss in Denver as a 10-point pup on Dec. 14. In the rematch on Dec. 29 in Oklahoma, the Thunder cruised 101-84 as a two-point favorite, holding the Nuggets to a season-low point total.
Also in this rivalry, the home team has won the last four meetings in a row, the first three of which were in Denver. The Thunder franchise has lost six straight games at the Pepsi Center (3-3 ATS).
Oklahoma City is on ATS runs of 15-6 on the road, 5-1 as an underdog (all on the road), 10-1 as a ‘dog of five to 10½ points, 7-0 as a road pup in that price range, 5-2 when playing on back-to-back nights and 11-2 versus winning teams. The only negative for the Thunder: They’ve failed to cash in five of six on Wednesday (including last week’s loss at San Antonio).
Denver is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 Wednesday contests and 36-14-2 ATS in its last 52 as a favorite of five to 10½ points, but it has failed to cover in its last four divisional battles (0-2-2 ATS)
The under is on runs of 6-1 for the Thunder in divisional games and 6-2 when Denver is playing on one day of rest. Conversely, Oklahoma City has topped the total in seven of nine against winning teams, five of seven when playing the second night of a back-to-back and 25 of 33 as a ‘dog of five to 10½ points, while the Nuggets sport “over” streaks of 6-2 at home (all as a favorite), 10-4 when laying points anywhere and 8-2 on Wednesday.
Finally, the over is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings between these rivals, including 4-1 in the last five in Denver.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OKLAHOMA CITY and OVER
