NCAAB
Thursday, March 9
ACC Conference Tournament Quarterfinals betting preview and odds
The No. 1-seeded Tar Heels are primed to defend their tourney crown after claiming the regular-season championship in one of the league's most competitive campaigns.
The ACC Conference Tournament is on to the quarterfinals Thursday. North Carolina, Louisville, Florida St. and Notre Dame are rested and ready to go after their double-bye straight into the third round.
Tournament to be played at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Miami-Florida Hurricanes vs North Carolina Tar Heels (-7.5, 140)
The ninth-seeded Hurricanes survived a 62-57 contest against Syracuse in Wednesday's second round and should have some confidence going up against a Tar Heels team they defeated by 15 points at home Jan. 28. Senior forward and Brooklyn native Kamari Murphy had a career-high 16 points and 10 rebounds versus the Orange, as Miami seemingly solidified an at-large bid in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Leading scorer Davon Reed had 14 points and backup guard Dejan Vasiljevic contributed 13 on Wednesday, and they combined to make six of the Hurricanes' nine 3-pointers. Miami will enter Thursday's game as a significant underdog but they have covered the spread in four of their last five contests when getting points.
The No. 1-seeded Tar Heels are primed to defend their tourney crown after claiming the regular-season championship in one of the league's most competitive campaigns. "It was a big time thing," coach Roy Williams said on his weekly radio show of the first-place finish. "Fifteen teams, and 15 really good teams. It's the deepest league there is and the deepest conference there is in college basketball. I told the guys that I was really, really proud of them." Junior forward Justin Jackson, named the ACC's Player of the Year, leads the way with 18.3 points per game but shot 33 percent while averaging 11 points in the final two games of the regular season. Jackson was honored as first-teamer and junior guard Joel Berry II made the All-ACC second team after finishing second on the team in scoring (15.1) and first in assists (3.7), while senior forward Kennedy Meeks (12.5 points, team-high 9.1 rebounds) was an honorable mention pick.
TRENDS:
* Hurricanes are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Tar Heels are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. Atlantic Coast.
* Under is 5-0 in Hurricanes last 5 overall.
* Over is 6-1 in Tar Heels last 7 neutral site games as a favorite.
* Hurricanes are 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
Duke Blue Devils vs Louisville Cardinals (-1.5, 147.5)
Duke had lost three of four before opening the tournament with a 79-72 win over Clemson in the second round Wednesday, riding three 20-point scorers. ACC first-team selection Luke Kennard and freshmen Jayson Tatum and Frank Jackson were the three to reach 20 points in Wednesday's win and senior forward Amile Jefferson recorded his eighth double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Controversial guard Grayson Allen continues to nurse a sore ankle and was scoreless in 12 minutes as he cedes more playing time to Jackson, who is averaging 18.3 points over his last four games. "I like to score the ball," Jackson told reporters Wednesday. "It's what I do best. I'm lucky to have a coach who allows me to be myself and players that I'm surrounded by that give me all the confidence in the world."
A year after a self-imposed postseason ban, Louisville returns to the ACC tournament as the fourth seed and with a chip on its shoulder. "The theme this year was going in there and playing our butts off because last year we didn’t get that opportunity," sophomore guard Donovan Mitchell told the New York Post. "We're excited to be back and get ready to get to the national championship, hopefully." Mitchell was selected to the ACC's first team after leading Louisville in scoring (15.9) and the conference in steals (2.1) as a stalwart for one of the league's top defenses. The Cardinals showcased some of that defensive prowess by forcing 18 turnovers in a 78-69 win over the Blue Devils during the regular season.
TRENDS:
* Blue Devils are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog of 0.5-6.5.
* Cardinals are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite of 0.5-6.5.
* Under is 4-0 in Blue Devils last 4 neutral site games as an underdog.
* Over is 6-1 in Cardinals last 7 games as a favorite.
Virginia Tech Hokies vs Florida St. Seminoles (OFF)
The Hokies moved into the quarterfinals by rallying from a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat Wake Forest 99-90 in the second round on Wednesday night. Leading scorer Zach LeDay poured in a career-high 31 points in the victory for Virginia Tech, which has not won two games in the ACC tournament since 2011. LeDay (16.1 points), a senior forward, came off the bench Wednesday to make 8-of-15 from the field and 14 of his 18 attempts at the free-throw line while grabbing 15 rebounds for his second straight double-double. Senior guard Seth Allen also poured in 18 points in the win to push his average to 13.3 and sophomore guard Ahmed Hill (11.9) added a dozen. Wednesday's win over Wake Forest was their seventh cover in their last nine ACC matchups (7-1-1).
Florida State surprised many by grabbing the second seed in the ACC tournament and gets its first chance to validate that lofty position Thursday. The 17th-ranked Seminoles won three of their final four games of the regular season while winning the tiebreaker over Notre Dame and Louisville after going 12-6 in league play – four wins better than 2015-16. “This is an important event for us as we prepare for the NCAA Tournament because we need to start getting our postseason tournament mindset,” Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton told the Tallahassee Democrat. “Hopefully we can find that magic level that will allow us to rise up and play at our very, very best.” The Seminoles are the second-highest scoring team in the conference (83.0) and the second-best shooting team (48.5 percent), led by sophomore guard Dwayne Bacon (16 points per game).
TRENDS:
* Hokies are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Seminoles are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Over is 5-0 in Hokies last 5 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Under is 4-1 in Seminoles last 5 overall.
* Over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings.
Virginia Cavaliers vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish (OFF)
Virginia freshman guard Kyle Guy matched his career high with 20 points and leading scorer London Perrantes added 15 as 21st-ranked Virginia defeated Pittsburgh 75-63 in the second round Wednesday. Perrantes is the only active player averaging in double figures (12.8) for the Cavaliers, who lead the nation in scoring defense (55.1). Guy managed three points combined in three games just past the midpoint in February, but has responded by averaging 15.5 points over the last four contests, draining 16-of-25 from 3-point range during that stretch. Perrantes also has been productive from behind the arc, making 12-of-24 in the last four games, and the Cavaliers made 11 from 3-point range Wednesday — matching a program record in the ACC tournament.
Third-seeded Notre Dame finished the regular season with six wins in seven games and hopes to ride that momentum when it takes on sixth seed Virginia in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament. The 16th-ranked Fighting Irish scored at least 80 points in five of six contests before losing 71-64 on Saturday at Louisville, but have lost 10 straight games against Virginia. Junior forward Bonzie Colson leads the way for Notre Dame, scoring at least 20 points in five of his last seven games en route to being selected All-ACC first team, while three other veteran players score at least 13 per contest. Colson boasts 18 double-doubles and leads the ACC in rebounding (10.4) while scoring 17 per game overall and shooting 52.3 percent from the field.
TRENDS:
* Cavaliers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 Thursday games.
* Fighting Irish are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Under is 6-1 in Cavaliers last 7 overall.
* Under is 4-0 in Fighting Irish last 4 overall.
* Cavaliers are 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
Thursday, March 9
ACC Conference Tournament Quarterfinals betting preview and odds
The No. 1-seeded Tar Heels are primed to defend their tourney crown after claiming the regular-season championship in one of the league's most competitive campaigns.
The ACC Conference Tournament is on to the quarterfinals Thursday. North Carolina, Louisville, Florida St. and Notre Dame are rested and ready to go after their double-bye straight into the third round.
Tournament to be played at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Miami-Florida Hurricanes vs North Carolina Tar Heels (-7.5, 140)
The ninth-seeded Hurricanes survived a 62-57 contest against Syracuse in Wednesday's second round and should have some confidence going up against a Tar Heels team they defeated by 15 points at home Jan. 28. Senior forward and Brooklyn native Kamari Murphy had a career-high 16 points and 10 rebounds versus the Orange, as Miami seemingly solidified an at-large bid in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Leading scorer Davon Reed had 14 points and backup guard Dejan Vasiljevic contributed 13 on Wednesday, and they combined to make six of the Hurricanes' nine 3-pointers. Miami will enter Thursday's game as a significant underdog but they have covered the spread in four of their last five contests when getting points.
The No. 1-seeded Tar Heels are primed to defend their tourney crown after claiming the regular-season championship in one of the league's most competitive campaigns. "It was a big time thing," coach Roy Williams said on his weekly radio show of the first-place finish. "Fifteen teams, and 15 really good teams. It's the deepest league there is and the deepest conference there is in college basketball. I told the guys that I was really, really proud of them." Junior forward Justin Jackson, named the ACC's Player of the Year, leads the way with 18.3 points per game but shot 33 percent while averaging 11 points in the final two games of the regular season. Jackson was honored as first-teamer and junior guard Joel Berry II made the All-ACC second team after finishing second on the team in scoring (15.1) and first in assists (3.7), while senior forward Kennedy Meeks (12.5 points, team-high 9.1 rebounds) was an honorable mention pick.
TRENDS:
* Hurricanes are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Tar Heels are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. Atlantic Coast.
* Under is 5-0 in Hurricanes last 5 overall.
* Over is 6-1 in Tar Heels last 7 neutral site games as a favorite.
* Hurricanes are 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
Duke Blue Devils vs Louisville Cardinals (-1.5, 147.5)
Duke had lost three of four before opening the tournament with a 79-72 win over Clemson in the second round Wednesday, riding three 20-point scorers. ACC first-team selection Luke Kennard and freshmen Jayson Tatum and Frank Jackson were the three to reach 20 points in Wednesday's win and senior forward Amile Jefferson recorded his eighth double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Controversial guard Grayson Allen continues to nurse a sore ankle and was scoreless in 12 minutes as he cedes more playing time to Jackson, who is averaging 18.3 points over his last four games. "I like to score the ball," Jackson told reporters Wednesday. "It's what I do best. I'm lucky to have a coach who allows me to be myself and players that I'm surrounded by that give me all the confidence in the world."
A year after a self-imposed postseason ban, Louisville returns to the ACC tournament as the fourth seed and with a chip on its shoulder. "The theme this year was going in there and playing our butts off because last year we didn’t get that opportunity," sophomore guard Donovan Mitchell told the New York Post. "We're excited to be back and get ready to get to the national championship, hopefully." Mitchell was selected to the ACC's first team after leading Louisville in scoring (15.9) and the conference in steals (2.1) as a stalwart for one of the league's top defenses. The Cardinals showcased some of that defensive prowess by forcing 18 turnovers in a 78-69 win over the Blue Devils during the regular season.
TRENDS:
* Blue Devils are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog of 0.5-6.5.
* Cardinals are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite of 0.5-6.5.
* Under is 4-0 in Blue Devils last 4 neutral site games as an underdog.
* Over is 6-1 in Cardinals last 7 games as a favorite.
Virginia Tech Hokies vs Florida St. Seminoles (OFF)
The Hokies moved into the quarterfinals by rallying from a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat Wake Forest 99-90 in the second round on Wednesday night. Leading scorer Zach LeDay poured in a career-high 31 points in the victory for Virginia Tech, which has not won two games in the ACC tournament since 2011. LeDay (16.1 points), a senior forward, came off the bench Wednesday to make 8-of-15 from the field and 14 of his 18 attempts at the free-throw line while grabbing 15 rebounds for his second straight double-double. Senior guard Seth Allen also poured in 18 points in the win to push his average to 13.3 and sophomore guard Ahmed Hill (11.9) added a dozen. Wednesday's win over Wake Forest was their seventh cover in their last nine ACC matchups (7-1-1).
Florida State surprised many by grabbing the second seed in the ACC tournament and gets its first chance to validate that lofty position Thursday. The 17th-ranked Seminoles won three of their final four games of the regular season while winning the tiebreaker over Notre Dame and Louisville after going 12-6 in league play – four wins better than 2015-16. “This is an important event for us as we prepare for the NCAA Tournament because we need to start getting our postseason tournament mindset,” Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton told the Tallahassee Democrat. “Hopefully we can find that magic level that will allow us to rise up and play at our very, very best.” The Seminoles are the second-highest scoring team in the conference (83.0) and the second-best shooting team (48.5 percent), led by sophomore guard Dwayne Bacon (16 points per game).
TRENDS:
* Hokies are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Seminoles are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Over is 5-0 in Hokies last 5 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Under is 4-1 in Seminoles last 5 overall.
* Over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings.
Virginia Cavaliers vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish (OFF)
Virginia freshman guard Kyle Guy matched his career high with 20 points and leading scorer London Perrantes added 15 as 21st-ranked Virginia defeated Pittsburgh 75-63 in the second round Wednesday. Perrantes is the only active player averaging in double figures (12.8) for the Cavaliers, who lead the nation in scoring defense (55.1). Guy managed three points combined in three games just past the midpoint in February, but has responded by averaging 15.5 points over the last four contests, draining 16-of-25 from 3-point range during that stretch. Perrantes also has been productive from behind the arc, making 12-of-24 in the last four games, and the Cavaliers made 11 from 3-point range Wednesday — matching a program record in the ACC tournament.
Third-seeded Notre Dame finished the regular season with six wins in seven games and hopes to ride that momentum when it takes on sixth seed Virginia in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament. The 16th-ranked Fighting Irish scored at least 80 points in five of six contests before losing 71-64 on Saturday at Louisville, but have lost 10 straight games against Virginia. Junior forward Bonzie Colson leads the way for Notre Dame, scoring at least 20 points in five of his last seven games en route to being selected All-ACC first team, while three other veteran players score at least 13 per contest. Colson boasts 18 double-doubles and leads the ACC in rebounding (10.4) while scoring 17 per game overall and shooting 52.3 percent from the field.
TRENDS:
* Cavaliers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 Thursday games.
* Fighting Irish are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Under is 6-1 in Cavaliers last 7 overall.
* Under is 4-0 in Fighting Irish last 4 overall.
* Cavaliers are 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
NCAAB
Thursday, March 9
Big East Conference Tournament Quarterfinals betting preview and odds
Since losing the Big East Tournament title game last season, Villanova has gone 34-3 and won the national championship. Not bad.
The Big East was one of the strongest leagues in the NCAA this season, housing seven teams with at least 19 wins. One of those teams was of course, defending national champion Villanova, which quietly went 28-3 this season. The No. 1 seed Wildcats highlight four quarterfinal matchups in New York on Thursday as the Big East tournament continues.
Tournament to be played at Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
St. John's Red Storm vs. Villanova Wildcats (OFF)
The Red Storm nipped Georgetown by a point on Wednesday thanks to 17 from Shamorie Ponds and 14 from Bashir Ahmed. Malik Ellison delivered 11 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals for St. John's, which won a Big East tournament game for the first time in six years. Marcus LoVett continued to struggle with his shooting, however, connecting on 2-of-9 attempts en route to four points to drop his shooting percentage to 34.4 percent over his last six contests.
The Wildcats won the 2016 national championship despite a two-point loss to Seton Hall in the Big East tournament title game. They have won 34 of their 37 games since - losing twice to Butler and once at Marquette - and now will tangle with the eighth-seeded Red Storm. Villanova closed the regular season with a solid 16-point win against Creighton and a 26-point rout at Georgetown, virtually assuring the team of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats relied on two seniors in their win over Georgetown as Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins combined for 40 points while sophomore Jalen Brunson chipped in 17. Hart, who was just named the Big East Player of the Year, has registered double digits in points in every game this season and also leads the team in rebounding (6.5) while ranking second in assists, steals and 3-pointers.
TRENDS:
* St. John's is 0-4 ATS in its last 4 games vs. a team with a winning SU record.
* Villanova is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 neutral site games.
* Over is 4-1 in St. John's last five games following a SU win.
* Under is 14-4 in Villanova's last 18 games following a SU win.
Seton Hall Pirates vs. Marquette Golden Eagles (-3, OFF)
Seton Hall begins defense of its Big East Tournament title when it meets Marquette on Thursday in the quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden in New York. The fifth-seeded Pirates and fourth-seeded Golden Eagles split a pair of games in early January and each was decided by three points. The Pirates, who closed the regular season with four straight victories (2-2 ATS), will likely be without an important reserve in forward Ismael Sanogo, who missed the regular season finale and is doubtful for this game with an ankle injury. Sanogo doesn't score much, but is a strong defender and second on the team in rebounding (5.7 per game). With Sanogo out, Angel Delgado needs to be better than he was in his previous four Big East Tournament games, in which he averaged 8.7 points and seven rebounds.
Marquette freshman Markus Howard gets his first taste of the Big East Tournament after leading the nation in 3-point shooting during the regular season, which the Golden Eagles closed with wins in five games. After an inconsistent start to his first season with the Golden Eagles, junior Andrew Rowsey has become a critical part of their success and earned Big East Sixth Man Award honors for his efforts. Rowsey hasn't been the prolific scorer he was at UNC Asheville, where he averaged better than 19 points in two seasons, but he's been a solid complement, putting up 11.2 points and shooting well from everywhere on the floor.
TRENDS:
* Seton Hall is 1-5-1 ATS in its last seven neutral site games.
* Marquette is 4-1 ATS in its last five games overall.
* Under is 4-0 in Seton Hall's last four neutral site games.
* Over is 6-1 in Marquette's last seven neutral site games.
Xavier Musketeers vs. Butler Bulldogs (OFF)
Butler already has defeated Xavier twice this season, and a third victory would send the 20th-ranked Bulldogs into the semifinals of the Big East tournament. Xavier lost six games in a row straight and and seven straight against the spread, before defeating DePaul in the regular-season finale and then again in Wednesday's opening round, but most projections have the team right on the cut line for the Field of 68. The Musketeers lost to the Bulldogs by five points in mid-January and nine in late February, allowing a whopping total of 108 in the second half of those contests. The Musketeers are short-handed for a variety of reasons, including a torn ACL suffered last month by Edmond Sumner, but they continue to take advantage of their meetings with DePaul.
The Bulldogs need to quickly shake off the disappointment of losing on Senior Day, when Seton Hall dealt them a six-point setback as 8.5-point favorites. The Bulldogs scored 64 points against Seton Hall - their lowest-scoring game since January - as they were trounced on the boards 35-24 and missed 15 of their 21 3-point attempts. The starters combined for 11 rebounds in 132 minutes and, aside from Avery Woodson's 3-of-4 shooting from long distance, the rest of the team was ice cold. Top scorer Kelan Martin (16.1 points) is averaging 22 points over his last three games, including a 25-point effort in the most-recent meeting with Xavier.
TRENDS:
* Xavier is 0-6 ATS in its last six games vs. a team with a winning SU record.
* Butler is 9-1-1 ATS in its last 11 games following a SU loss.
* Under is 4-1 in Xavier's last five games following a SU win.
* Over is 5-1 in Butler's last six games overall.
Creighton Bluejays vs. Providence Friars (+2, OFF)
In a conference featuring the defending national champion and seven 19-win-plus teams among its 10 members, no one is hotter than Providence, which brings a six-game win streak into the Big East tournament, having covered the spread in eight of its last nine. Following a Feb. 8 road loss at Seton Hall, Providence had dropped four of five and was languishing with a 4-8 Big East record. But the Friars have not lost since, including wins over Butler (71-65), Xavier (75-63) and Creighton (68-66), and bring much momentum to the Big Apple. Rodney Bullock and Kyron Cartwright were second-team All-Big East selections, and the latter also was named the conference’s most improved player after leading the league in assists (6.8).
Creighton, meanwhile, opened the season 18-1 but enters the postseason coming off three losses in its final four regular-season contests (1-3 ATS) – a stretch beginning with the two-point home loss to the Friars on Feb. 22. The Bluejays have gone 5-7 since that record-setting start (and guard Maurice Watson Jr.’s season-ending injury), and they wound up settling for sixth after all the tiebreakers were sorted out even though they tied for the third-best conference record at 10-8. Junior guard Marcus Foster, a first-team All-Big East selection, leads the team in scoring at 18.5 points per outing while 7-foot freshman Justin Patton earned second-team all-conference recognition averaging 13.1 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.
TRENDS:
* Creighton is 1-6 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Providence is 8-1 ATS in their last nine games overall.
* Under is 6-0 in Providence's last six vs. a team with a winning SU record.
* Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
Thursday, March 9
Big East Conference Tournament Quarterfinals betting preview and odds
Since losing the Big East Tournament title game last season, Villanova has gone 34-3 and won the national championship. Not bad.
The Big East was one of the strongest leagues in the NCAA this season, housing seven teams with at least 19 wins. One of those teams was of course, defending national champion Villanova, which quietly went 28-3 this season. The No. 1 seed Wildcats highlight four quarterfinal matchups in New York on Thursday as the Big East tournament continues.
Tournament to be played at Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
St. John's Red Storm vs. Villanova Wildcats (OFF)
The Red Storm nipped Georgetown by a point on Wednesday thanks to 17 from Shamorie Ponds and 14 from Bashir Ahmed. Malik Ellison delivered 11 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals for St. John's, which won a Big East tournament game for the first time in six years. Marcus LoVett continued to struggle with his shooting, however, connecting on 2-of-9 attempts en route to four points to drop his shooting percentage to 34.4 percent over his last six contests.
The Wildcats won the 2016 national championship despite a two-point loss to Seton Hall in the Big East tournament title game. They have won 34 of their 37 games since - losing twice to Butler and once at Marquette - and now will tangle with the eighth-seeded Red Storm. Villanova closed the regular season with a solid 16-point win against Creighton and a 26-point rout at Georgetown, virtually assuring the team of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats relied on two seniors in their win over Georgetown as Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins combined for 40 points while sophomore Jalen Brunson chipped in 17. Hart, who was just named the Big East Player of the Year, has registered double digits in points in every game this season and also leads the team in rebounding (6.5) while ranking second in assists, steals and 3-pointers.
TRENDS:
* St. John's is 0-4 ATS in its last 4 games vs. a team with a winning SU record.
* Villanova is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 neutral site games.
* Over is 4-1 in St. John's last five games following a SU win.
* Under is 14-4 in Villanova's last 18 games following a SU win.
Seton Hall Pirates vs. Marquette Golden Eagles (-3, OFF)
Seton Hall begins defense of its Big East Tournament title when it meets Marquette on Thursday in the quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden in New York. The fifth-seeded Pirates and fourth-seeded Golden Eagles split a pair of games in early January and each was decided by three points. The Pirates, who closed the regular season with four straight victories (2-2 ATS), will likely be without an important reserve in forward Ismael Sanogo, who missed the regular season finale and is doubtful for this game with an ankle injury. Sanogo doesn't score much, but is a strong defender and second on the team in rebounding (5.7 per game). With Sanogo out, Angel Delgado needs to be better than he was in his previous four Big East Tournament games, in which he averaged 8.7 points and seven rebounds.
Marquette freshman Markus Howard gets his first taste of the Big East Tournament after leading the nation in 3-point shooting during the regular season, which the Golden Eagles closed with wins in five games. After an inconsistent start to his first season with the Golden Eagles, junior Andrew Rowsey has become a critical part of their success and earned Big East Sixth Man Award honors for his efforts. Rowsey hasn't been the prolific scorer he was at UNC Asheville, where he averaged better than 19 points in two seasons, but he's been a solid complement, putting up 11.2 points and shooting well from everywhere on the floor.
TRENDS:
* Seton Hall is 1-5-1 ATS in its last seven neutral site games.
* Marquette is 4-1 ATS in its last five games overall.
* Under is 4-0 in Seton Hall's last four neutral site games.
* Over is 6-1 in Marquette's last seven neutral site games.
Xavier Musketeers vs. Butler Bulldogs (OFF)
Butler already has defeated Xavier twice this season, and a third victory would send the 20th-ranked Bulldogs into the semifinals of the Big East tournament. Xavier lost six games in a row straight and and seven straight against the spread, before defeating DePaul in the regular-season finale and then again in Wednesday's opening round, but most projections have the team right on the cut line for the Field of 68. The Musketeers lost to the Bulldogs by five points in mid-January and nine in late February, allowing a whopping total of 108 in the second half of those contests. The Musketeers are short-handed for a variety of reasons, including a torn ACL suffered last month by Edmond Sumner, but they continue to take advantage of their meetings with DePaul.
The Bulldogs need to quickly shake off the disappointment of losing on Senior Day, when Seton Hall dealt them a six-point setback as 8.5-point favorites. The Bulldogs scored 64 points against Seton Hall - their lowest-scoring game since January - as they were trounced on the boards 35-24 and missed 15 of their 21 3-point attempts. The starters combined for 11 rebounds in 132 minutes and, aside from Avery Woodson's 3-of-4 shooting from long distance, the rest of the team was ice cold. Top scorer Kelan Martin (16.1 points) is averaging 22 points over his last three games, including a 25-point effort in the most-recent meeting with Xavier.
TRENDS:
* Xavier is 0-6 ATS in its last six games vs. a team with a winning SU record.
* Butler is 9-1-1 ATS in its last 11 games following a SU loss.
* Under is 4-1 in Xavier's last five games following a SU win.
* Over is 5-1 in Butler's last six games overall.
Creighton Bluejays vs. Providence Friars (+2, OFF)
In a conference featuring the defending national champion and seven 19-win-plus teams among its 10 members, no one is hotter than Providence, which brings a six-game win streak into the Big East tournament, having covered the spread in eight of its last nine. Following a Feb. 8 road loss at Seton Hall, Providence had dropped four of five and was languishing with a 4-8 Big East record. But the Friars have not lost since, including wins over Butler (71-65), Xavier (75-63) and Creighton (68-66), and bring much momentum to the Big Apple. Rodney Bullock and Kyron Cartwright were second-team All-Big East selections, and the latter also was named the conference’s most improved player after leading the league in assists (6.8).
Creighton, meanwhile, opened the season 18-1 but enters the postseason coming off three losses in its final four regular-season contests (1-3 ATS) – a stretch beginning with the two-point home loss to the Friars on Feb. 22. The Bluejays have gone 5-7 since that record-setting start (and guard Maurice Watson Jr.’s season-ending injury), and they wound up settling for sixth after all the tiebreakers were sorted out even though they tied for the third-best conference record at 10-8. Junior guard Marcus Foster, a first-team All-Big East selection, leads the team in scoring at 18.5 points per outing while 7-foot freshman Justin Patton earned second-team all-conference recognition averaging 13.1 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.
TRENDS:
* Creighton is 1-6 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Providence is 8-1 ATS in their last nine games overall.
* Under is 6-0 in Providence's last six vs. a team with a winning SU record.
* Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
NCAAB
Thursday, March 9
Big Ten Conference Tournament Second Round betting preview and odds
It was rough for Indiana down the stretch, going just 3-8 (4-6-1 ATS) finish to the regular season.
The Second Round of the Big Ten Tournament tips off Thursday afternoon in Kansas City as ranked teams look to secure higher seeds and bubble teams hope to stamp their dance ticket or else their bubble could burst on Selection Sunday.
Tournament to be played at Verizon Center, Washington, District of Columbia
Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Michigan Wolverines (-4.5, OFF)
After opening league play with a 3-8 mark straight up and against the spread, Illinois won five of its next six (5-1 ATS) to at least put itself into the NCAA Tournament bubble discussion and entered Sunday on a four-game winning streak after a three-point victory over Michigan State. The Illini, who haven't reached the Big Dance since Groce's first season in Champaign in 2012-13, ruined most of the momentum they created in February by falling 62-59 at Rutgers, however, which claimed only its third league victory. Senior guard Malcolm Hill, who landed on the all-conference second team for the second straight season Monday and ranks third in the Big Ten in scoring (17.2 points), is one of only two players from one of the six major conferences to lead his team in total points (532), rebounds (167), assists (96) and steals (36).
The Wolverines overcame their own slow start in conference play but entered their regular-season finale in much different fashion after giving up a game-winning layup at the buzzer off a long inbounds pass in a loss at Northwestern on Wednesday. Michigan bounced back in a big way with a 93-57 pummeling of Nebraska on Sunday, sending the Cornhuskers to their worst home loss in program history. The Wolverines team plane was involved in an accident Wednesday on its way to Washington. The plane attempted to take off in high winds, but takeoff was aborted and after braking strongly, the plane slid off the runway.Luckily no one was injured. According to statement from the school, the team will fly out of Detroit to Washington at 7:30 a.m. local time and the game will tip off as scheduled at noon ET Thursday.
TRENDS:
* Fighting Illini are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Under is 10-2 in Fighting Illini last 12 overall.
* Under is 6-0 in Wolverines last 6 neutral site games.
* Under is 14-3 in Fighting Illini last 17 Thursday games.
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Michigan State Spartans vs (OFF)
The Spartans are on the bubble following back-to-back losses to Illinois (73-70) and Maryland (63-60) to end the regular-season and hope to take a big step toward their 20th straight NCAA Tournament appearance by improving to 37-8 all-time against the Nittany Lions. "It's one and done time and some people embrace it while some people fear it," Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo told reporters. "We've had great success in this tournament in the last five years so we're headed into D.C. with that same mindset." Miles Bridges was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year after averaging 16.6 points and 8.1 rebounds during conference play, and became the first Spartan to win the award since Gary Harris in 2013.
The Nittany Lions have dropped seven of the last eight meetings with Michigan State, but beat the Spartans 72-63 at the Palestra in Philadelphia in the only regular-season clash on Jan. 7 and hope to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2015. "We just have to come out with the same intensity as we did today," Freshman forward Mike Watkins told reporters. "We're going to play hard and play together and the outcome will be whatever it is." Watkins also broke the Nittany Lions' record for most rebounds in a single season when he pulled down his 255th in the first half.
TRENDS:
* Penn State is 8-2-1 ATS in its last 11 neutral site games.
* Michigan State is 2-7 ATS in its last nine neutral site games.
* Under is 5-1 in Michigan State's last six neutral site games.
* Over is 5-0 in Penn State's last five games following a ATS win.
Indiana Hoosiers vs Iowa Hawkeyes (+1.5, OFF)
The Hoosiers spent the bulk of the first half of the season ranked inside the top 10 - rising as high as No. 5 - before a season-ending injury to OG Anunoby and a three-game absence from leading scorer James Blackmon Jr. contributed to a 3-8 finish to the regular season, going 4-6-1 ATS in the process. The 2015-16 Big Ten regular-season champions closed their most recent campaign out on a high note Saturday, however, pulling out a 96-92 victory at Ohio State for their second win in three contests. After totaling 41 points on 15-of-52 shooting (and 5-of-31 beyond the arc) over his last six games - including 19 in the first meeting against Iowa - junior forward Robert Johnson (13.3 points) erupted for 26 points on 10-of-17 from the field (5-of-8 from long-range) against the Buckeyes.
A roster laden with seven freshmen was supposed to be Iowa's major impediment from returning to the NCAA Tournament, and the team appeared to have little hope of making a fourth straight Big Dance until it ended the regular season by winning four in a row straight up and against the spread, including victories over then-ranked Maryland and No. 23 Wisconsin. The run began on Feb. 21 when the Hawkeyes ended a three-game losing streak with a 96-90 home triumph over Indiana behind 35 points from Big Ten leading scorer Peter Jok. Jok (20.2 points), who had been limited to 19 total points over his previous two games, exploded for 20 of his 21 in the second half of Sunday's win over Penn State; the senior guard has five 30-point efforts this season, tying him for the most by a player from a power-5 conference.
TRENDS:
* Iowa is 5-1 ATS in its last six games following a ATS win.
* Over is 12-3 in Indiana's last 15 vs. a team with a winning SU record.
* Over is 4-1 in Hawkeyes last 5 vs. a team with a winning SU record.
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Underdog is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Northwestern Wildcats (OFF)
Rutgers won its first-ever Big Ten tournament game when it knocked off 11th-seeded Ohio State 66-57 on Wednesday. The Scarlet Knights, who are ranked 10th nationally in rebounding and won the battle of the boards 47-31 to notch back-to-back conference victories for the first time since joining the Big Ten in 2014-15, hope to continue their Cinderella run with their first triumph over Northwestern in more than 14 years. The Knights will have the advantge on the glass agianst a Wildcats team that ranks 122 in rebounding. Nigel Johnson went 8-of-8 from the foul line en route to 21 points off the bench to help the Scarlet Knights shock Ohio State. Deshawn Freeman added 10 points and pulled down eight rebounds, including five on the offensive end, to finish in double figures for the 18th time this season and 23rd in his career.
The Wildcats all but cemented a place in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history following a 67-65 win against Michigan on March 1, which was their school-record 21st victory of the season. They were also a very profitiable at the betting window, going 17-11 ATS. Northwestern has won each of its last four meetings with Rutgers (3-1 ATS), including both matchups in 2016-17, and hopes to continue its dominance in the series by advancing to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2014. Bryant McIntosh was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team after averaging 14.6 points and a league-best 5.4 assists in the regular season. Scottie Lindsey is second in scoring at 14 points per game but has been held to 7.6 over his last five contests since returning from a bout of mononucleosis in mid-February.
TRENDS:
* Rutgers 4-1 ATS in its last five games overall.
* Northwestern 3-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Under is 5-0 in Rutgers' last five games following a SU win.
* Under is 10-1 in Northwestern's last 11 neutral site games.
Thursday, March 9
Big Ten Conference Tournament Second Round betting preview and odds
It was rough for Indiana down the stretch, going just 3-8 (4-6-1 ATS) finish to the regular season.
The Second Round of the Big Ten Tournament tips off Thursday afternoon in Kansas City as ranked teams look to secure higher seeds and bubble teams hope to stamp their dance ticket or else their bubble could burst on Selection Sunday.
Tournament to be played at Verizon Center, Washington, District of Columbia
Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Michigan Wolverines (-4.5, OFF)
After opening league play with a 3-8 mark straight up and against the spread, Illinois won five of its next six (5-1 ATS) to at least put itself into the NCAA Tournament bubble discussion and entered Sunday on a four-game winning streak after a three-point victory over Michigan State. The Illini, who haven't reached the Big Dance since Groce's first season in Champaign in 2012-13, ruined most of the momentum they created in February by falling 62-59 at Rutgers, however, which claimed only its third league victory. Senior guard Malcolm Hill, who landed on the all-conference second team for the second straight season Monday and ranks third in the Big Ten in scoring (17.2 points), is one of only two players from one of the six major conferences to lead his team in total points (532), rebounds (167), assists (96) and steals (36).
The Wolverines overcame their own slow start in conference play but entered their regular-season finale in much different fashion after giving up a game-winning layup at the buzzer off a long inbounds pass in a loss at Northwestern on Wednesday. Michigan bounced back in a big way with a 93-57 pummeling of Nebraska on Sunday, sending the Cornhuskers to their worst home loss in program history. The Wolverines team plane was involved in an accident Wednesday on its way to Washington. The plane attempted to take off in high winds, but takeoff was aborted and after braking strongly, the plane slid off the runway.Luckily no one was injured. According to statement from the school, the team will fly out of Detroit to Washington at 7:30 a.m. local time and the game will tip off as scheduled at noon ET Thursday.
TRENDS:
* Fighting Illini are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Under is 10-2 in Fighting Illini last 12 overall.
* Under is 6-0 in Wolverines last 6 neutral site games.
* Under is 14-3 in Fighting Illini last 17 Thursday games.
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Michigan State Spartans vs (OFF)
The Spartans are on the bubble following back-to-back losses to Illinois (73-70) and Maryland (63-60) to end the regular-season and hope to take a big step toward their 20th straight NCAA Tournament appearance by improving to 37-8 all-time against the Nittany Lions. "It's one and done time and some people embrace it while some people fear it," Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo told reporters. "We've had great success in this tournament in the last five years so we're headed into D.C. with that same mindset." Miles Bridges was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year after averaging 16.6 points and 8.1 rebounds during conference play, and became the first Spartan to win the award since Gary Harris in 2013.
The Nittany Lions have dropped seven of the last eight meetings with Michigan State, but beat the Spartans 72-63 at the Palestra in Philadelphia in the only regular-season clash on Jan. 7 and hope to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2015. "We just have to come out with the same intensity as we did today," Freshman forward Mike Watkins told reporters. "We're going to play hard and play together and the outcome will be whatever it is." Watkins also broke the Nittany Lions' record for most rebounds in a single season when he pulled down his 255th in the first half.
TRENDS:
* Penn State is 8-2-1 ATS in its last 11 neutral site games.
* Michigan State is 2-7 ATS in its last nine neutral site games.
* Under is 5-1 in Michigan State's last six neutral site games.
* Over is 5-0 in Penn State's last five games following a ATS win.
Indiana Hoosiers vs Iowa Hawkeyes (+1.5, OFF)
The Hoosiers spent the bulk of the first half of the season ranked inside the top 10 - rising as high as No. 5 - before a season-ending injury to OG Anunoby and a three-game absence from leading scorer James Blackmon Jr. contributed to a 3-8 finish to the regular season, going 4-6-1 ATS in the process. The 2015-16 Big Ten regular-season champions closed their most recent campaign out on a high note Saturday, however, pulling out a 96-92 victory at Ohio State for their second win in three contests. After totaling 41 points on 15-of-52 shooting (and 5-of-31 beyond the arc) over his last six games - including 19 in the first meeting against Iowa - junior forward Robert Johnson (13.3 points) erupted for 26 points on 10-of-17 from the field (5-of-8 from long-range) against the Buckeyes.
A roster laden with seven freshmen was supposed to be Iowa's major impediment from returning to the NCAA Tournament, and the team appeared to have little hope of making a fourth straight Big Dance until it ended the regular season by winning four in a row straight up and against the spread, including victories over then-ranked Maryland and No. 23 Wisconsin. The run began on Feb. 21 when the Hawkeyes ended a three-game losing streak with a 96-90 home triumph over Indiana behind 35 points from Big Ten leading scorer Peter Jok. Jok (20.2 points), who had been limited to 19 total points over his previous two games, exploded for 20 of his 21 in the second half of Sunday's win over Penn State; the senior guard has five 30-point efforts this season, tying him for the most by a player from a power-5 conference.
TRENDS:
* Iowa is 5-1 ATS in its last six games following a ATS win.
* Over is 12-3 in Indiana's last 15 vs. a team with a winning SU record.
* Over is 4-1 in Hawkeyes last 5 vs. a team with a winning SU record.
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Underdog is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Northwestern Wildcats (OFF)
Rutgers won its first-ever Big Ten tournament game when it knocked off 11th-seeded Ohio State 66-57 on Wednesday. The Scarlet Knights, who are ranked 10th nationally in rebounding and won the battle of the boards 47-31 to notch back-to-back conference victories for the first time since joining the Big Ten in 2014-15, hope to continue their Cinderella run with their first triumph over Northwestern in more than 14 years. The Knights will have the advantge on the glass agianst a Wildcats team that ranks 122 in rebounding. Nigel Johnson went 8-of-8 from the foul line en route to 21 points off the bench to help the Scarlet Knights shock Ohio State. Deshawn Freeman added 10 points and pulled down eight rebounds, including five on the offensive end, to finish in double figures for the 18th time this season and 23rd in his career.
The Wildcats all but cemented a place in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history following a 67-65 win against Michigan on March 1, which was their school-record 21st victory of the season. They were also a very profitiable at the betting window, going 17-11 ATS. Northwestern has won each of its last four meetings with Rutgers (3-1 ATS), including both matchups in 2016-17, and hopes to continue its dominance in the series by advancing to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2014. Bryant McIntosh was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team after averaging 14.6 points and a league-best 5.4 assists in the regular season. Scottie Lindsey is second in scoring at 14 points per game but has been held to 7.6 over his last five contests since returning from a bout of mononucleosis in mid-February.
TRENDS:
* Rutgers 4-1 ATS in its last five games overall.
* Northwestern 3-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Under is 5-0 in Rutgers' last five games following a SU win.
* Under is 10-1 in Northwestern's last 11 neutral site games.
