The Bum's Top 25 College Basketball Previews For Saturday 03/03/2017 !

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Preview: Wildcats (27-3) at Hoyas (14-16)
Date: March 04, 2017 12:00 PM EDT

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Extra motivation is not needed when Villanova and Georgetown meet in college basketball. The schools are long-time Big East Conference rivals who each have at least one Final Four appearance on their resume in the past 10 years.

But there are several interesting subplots involved when the No. 2 Wildcats visit the Hoyas on Saturday at the Verizon Center.

The regular-season finale will also be the final home game in the nation's capital for Villanova senior standouts Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins, a pair of local products.

Hart, one of the top players in the country, is from nearby Silver Spring, Md., and played at Sidwell Friends, the private school located a few miles of the Verizon Center.

Jenkins, whose shot beat North Carolina in the NCAA title game last March, is from Upper Marlboro, Md., and also played high school ball in the District of Columbia. He is a product of Gonzaga, a private school power with several graduates at the Division I level.

Hart averages a team-best 18.6 points while Jenkins adds 13.2 per game.

The Wildcats will have had plenty of rest since they last played at home Saturday in a 79-63 victory over Creighton as Hart had 16 points and Jenkins had 15. Villanova (27-3, 14-3 Big East) won four regular-season conference titles in a row.

The Wildcats are averaging 77.4 points and allowing 63.3.

"Nobody wins anything without really talented players," coach Jay Wright told reporters after beating Creighton. "Our guys are really good and so talented. When you win championships, the players are talented. They're really good.

"Over the years, these guys have played with some great players that have taught them, and these guys became great players and they (Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins) are teaching him (Eric Paschall). He's going to be a great one. That's really what Villanova basketball is all about. It's hard to get those guys here. It's hard to keep getting better like they do. That's really what has happened over the last four years. It's hard to keep that going."

The motivation for Georgetown? Perhaps save face for coach John Thompson III, who is coming under pressure from many alumni as the Hoyas appear headed to a second straight losing season.

Georgetown (14-16, 5-12) is coming off a 62-59 loss Tuesday at Seton Hall as the Hoyas fumbled the ball in several of their last possessions. The Hoyas could only manage a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer following a timeout with 14.6 seconds left, and have lost four games in a row.

Thompson said in a statement to ESPN.com: "First and foremost, our fans are terrific and have been terrific. They've experienced some good times with us, and now, with the stretch we are having, I understand their frustration. There is no one more frustrated than I am. We are accustomed to winning. I know that our players and staff are working hard and playing hard. No one cares more about this program and tradition than I do."

Junior forward L.J. Peak led Georgetown with 15 points at Seton Hall while graduate transfer Rodney Pryor had 11.

The Georgetown seniors will be honored Saturday. But there will certainly be many Villanova fans at the Verizon Center, which has been lifeless at times this season when Georgetown plays.

Hart and Jenkins were honored Saturday in their last home game. Now this Saturday they get to play near their childhood homes.

"The beginning is more for the parents and celebrating them," Hart said after Saturday's game. "We give them all the credit for raising us. After that, the game is all business and we have to play 40 minutes of Villanova basketball.

This game isn't about the seniors, it's about the next step in our journey. We fought and we battled. I'm proud of us for that. It was great to do all of that."

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Preview: Wildcats (25-5) at Aggies (16-13)
Date: March 04, 2017 12:00 PM EDT

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- No. 9 Kentucky (25-5, 15-2) goes for the outright SEC championship on Saturday when they close the regular season at Texas A&M (16-13, 8-9). The Wildcats already secured the No. 1 seed for the league tournament next week in Nashville.

"I think we're in a good place. I think Cal thinks we're in a good place for March 2," said assistant coach Joel Justus, sitting in Thursday for head coach John Calipari. "I think we want to be in a better place tomorrow. I think we want to be in a good place, and then we test ourselves on March 4. See what we're about and whatever situations present themselves how we handle those. Then we get ready for Nashville and go from there."

Kentucky comes into the game riding a seven-game win streak, but fighting concerns over slow starts. UK trailed Vanderbilt 25-6 on Tuesday before rallying to win 73-67. The previous game, they trailed Florida 18-6 before winning 76-66.

"We weren't desperate enough to start the game," Calipari said of the Vanderbilt win. "But two things happened. They stuck together, no one broke off. That's how you've got to play basketball in March. You've got to fight and stick together. You can't fight and then everybody go do their own thing. You can't win a basketball game."

Justus said the coaching staff asked the players about the issue.

"They're the ones that are doing it so you say, 'Why? What is it? Do we need to do something better? Is it something we need to practice? Is it something that we need to fundamentally change at the games? Is it a warm up?'" Justus said. "I think that's the thing we're trying to figure out and address verses play ostrich and put your head in the sand and pretend it's not happening.

"I think it's still an open-ended discussion," Justus said. "But everybody sees that. The players and coaches are aware that we need to focus in a little bit on that."

Texas A&M, meanwhile, has won three of its last four games. All three victories -- Auburn, Alabama, Missouri -- came at home in College Station.

"We're playing better. We're a different team than we were the first time we met," A&M coach Billy Kennedy said. "I think we'll be ready, it's whether we can handle their pressure because they're really good. That's going to be the key for us."

The Aggies, unlike most teams, are led by post players. 6-10, 270-pound sophomore Tyler Davis is the leading scorer at 14.1 points per game and grabs 6.9 rebounds. 6-9, 237-pound freshman Robert Williams averages 11.7 points and 7.9 rebounds. 6-9 sophomore DJ Hogg averages 12.0 points.

"Both of their bigs are extremely gifted," Justus said. "They both can score. They both can pass. They require a lot of attention on the defensive end and it's a big game for our big guys to come and be ready to compete, to be ready to battle."

The two teams met Jan. 3 in Lexington with Kentucky scoring a 100-58 victory. In that game, Davis had 13 points, but only two rebounds and seven turnovers. Williams had eight points, but only two rebounds.

"From how they've changed from January to now, I think there is a seismic shift in their development individually, but also collectively," Justus said. "They're playing hard. They're playing together, and they present major problems for us on the defensive end and it's gonna be something that we will have to focus in on to get our game plan set for those guys Saturday morning."

Kentucky, in contrast to Texas A&M, is guard heavy. Freshman Malik Monk leads UK and the SEC in scoring at 21.7 points per game. He scored 26 in UK's first meeting with Texas A&M, connecting on 8-of-11 field goals. Next comes freshman De'Aaron Fox at 15.4 and sophomore Isaiah Briscoe at 13.1.

"Kentucky always brings a special flare to it," Kennedy said. "This is going to be a tough game for us. Their perimeter guys are the best in our league, probably the best in the country."

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Preview: Panthers (15-15) at Cavaliers (20-9)
Date: March 04, 2017 12:00 PM EDT

With the final weekend of the regular season here, the only thing that has been decided in the Atlantic Coast Conference race is the champion. North Carolina has wrapped up its 31st regular-season title in program history, but seeding for next week's ACC Tournament is still up for grabs.

Virginia rebounded from a rare four-game losing streak to win their last two in a row, including a 10-point upset win over North Carolina on Monday night.

The Cavaliers held the Tar Heels to their lowest point total in 38 years. They now have an opportunity to improve their tournament seed to as high as four, in which they'd receive a double bye in Brooklyn.

More realistically, a win over Pittsburgh on Saturday should give the Cavaliers anywhere from a five to a seven seed.

The Panthers, despite having two of the more prolific scorers in the conference, have sputtered under first-year coach Kevin Stallings. They will find themselves playing on the first day of the ACC Tournament on Tuesday.

Although Pitt has struggled this season, it got its biggest win of the season over Virginia in January with an 88-76 overtime victory in the Steel City.

"We got lost defensively," Virginia coach Tony Bennett said after the loss. "We didn't keep the ball in front of us, and we didn't keep them off of the glass."

Jamel Artis scored a game-high 24 points and running mate Michael Young had 19. Young and Artis have been the consistant scorers for a Pittsburgh team that has three players averaging in double figures, with Young at 20 points per game and Artis at 19 points per game.

"It felt sort of desperate," Stallings said of his team's victory in January.

Desperation has turned into realization for this year's Pittsburgh squad. The Panthers will have nothing to play for but pride and momentum heading into Brooklyn for a shot at pulling off the improbable and winning five straight games and an ACC Tournament title.

Young needs just 10 points against the Cavaliers to become the seventh player in Panthers history to score 1,800 points. Doing so shouldn't be a problem for the conference's leading scorer.

Virginia will need to rely on a defense that has come alive again in back-to-back wins over N.C. State and North Carolina to slow down the offensive duo of Young and Artis.

The Panthers knocked down 13 3-pointers in the teams' first meeting and the Cavaliers will need to limit Pittsburgh's outside shooting.

Guard London Perrantes will play his last home game in a Virginia uniform. After his start against North Carolina on Monday night, he became the Cavaliers' career leader in games started.

Perrantes along with freshman Kyle Guy and junior Devon Hall have been the leaders of the Virginia offense lately. All three scored in double figures against North Carolina and look to continue their solid shooting against Pittsburgh.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh freshman point guard Justice Kithcart was dismissed from the program on Friday due to detrimental conduct, according to Stallings.

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Preview: Gators (24-6) at Commodores (16-14)
Date: March 04, 2017 2:00 PM EDT

Vanderbilt and Florida have much to play for when the teams meet in Nashville's Memorial Gymnasium on Saturday.

Florida (24-6, 13-3 Southeastern Conference) can't be the top seed in next week's SEC Tournament, but a win over Vanderbilt, coupled with a Kentucky loss at Texas A&M, would give the No. 12 Gators a share of the regular-season title.

The Commodores (16-14, 9-8) are gunning for an NCAA Tournament bid. On a four-game losing streak and buried for dead at 8-10 and 2-4 in the league, Vanderbilt shocked the Gators in Gainesville 68-66, becoming the only team to beat Florida on its campus this year.

Vanderbilt has since beaten three other probable NCAA Tournament teams in Arkansas, Iowa State and South Carolina, but an at-large bid has never been awarded to a team with more than 14 losses.

Vanderbilt's resume is unique. According to CBSsports.com's RPI, the Commodores have the No. 2 strength of schedule in the country -- that should rise to No. 1, since the Gators are No. 3 in the RPI -- and the toughest out-of-conference slate, too.

ESPN's Joe Lunardi, as of Friday morning, has Vanderbilt as his first team out of the tournament, while handing Florida a No. 4 seed. The Gators' 8-3 road record, 15 top-100 RPI wins and high ratings in computer rankings that the NCAA Tournament is said to consider suggest the Gators could climb as high as a No. 2.

The key to this game could be in the paint, where Vanderbilt center Luke Kornet (21 points versus Kentucky on Tuesday) has played wonderfully since his knees have felt better. Kornet, who along with starting guard Nolan Cressler will be honored on Senior Day on Saturday, ranks in the top 10 in conference play in seven statistical categories.

Vandy's 7-foot-1 center, named a CoSida second-team Academic All-American this week, is three blocks shy of tying Festus Ezeli's school record of 204.

The Commodores are aiming to rebound from a 73-67 loss to Kentucky -- a game in which they let a 19-point lead slip away.

"At the end of the year, you can look tired, but when you are still improving as a team, it rejuvenates you and gives you energy," Vanderbilt coach Bryce Drew said. "And from the practices to the games, we are still getting better."

Florida could be particularly vulnerable in the paint. The Gators lost 6-foot-11, 255-pound center John Egbunu to a season-ending knee injury in the Auburn game on Feb. 14, and don't have a similar player to replace him. The Gators have given 6-foot-9, 218-pound Kevarrius Hayes more minutes, and also given floor time to seldom-used Schuyler Rimmer and Gorjok Gak.

Florida's 3-point defense is 11th-best in the country (30.5 percent), but Vanderbilt shoots 38.4 percent behind the arc and was 10-for-25 (40 percent) in its victory over UF.

Guard Matthew Fisher-Davis led Vanderbilt with 19 points in the earlier meeting, but his season has included a one-game suspension and some partial-game benchings. The junior failed to score at Kentucky and had four turnovers, which may have been the difference in a 6-point loss to the 'Cats.

Florida has also shot well from the outside, going 10-for-23 (43.5 percent) from 3 in its last game, a 78-65 win over Arkansas. In the earlier meeting, guard KeVaughn Allen had a season-high 29 points, but missed a last-second 3 from the corner with Fisher-Davis bearing down on him.

The Gators lack stars and thrive on a team-first approach.

"I think that speaks to this team in general, how any given night any person can step up and have a big game," senior swingman Canyon Barry said.

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Preview: Fighting Irish (23-7) at Cardinals (23-7)
Date: March 04, 2017 2:00 PM EDT

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- With the ACC Tournament looming next week, seven of the top eight seeds are all in play as No. 19 Notre Dame travels to No. 8 Louisville on Saturday at the KFC Yum! Center.

The top four seeds in the league each get a double bye. With a win, the Cardinals (23-7, 11-6) are assured of at least a double bye. A win assures the Fighting Irish (23-7, 12-5) of a double bye.

There are all kinds of scenarios that end with some combination of Notre Dame, Louisville, Florida State or Duke being in the No. 2-5 seed in the ACC Tournament, but the easiest way to summarize is essentially Louisville and Notre Dame are playing Saturday to not have to play next Wednesday.

Whichever team doesn't get the double bye will have to win four games in as many days to win the ACC title and the league's automatic NCAA bid.

"Realistically, it's hard to get to Saturday night if you've got to play Wednesday," Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said. "You have a much better chance of getting to Saturday night if you start playing on Thursday. That's what we've talked about."

"It's a lot for your body. You want to play one less game to get to the championship," Louisville senior center Mangok Mathiang said.

The Irish come in with an advantage. They have won their last six straight games and also have a victory over Louisville earlier this season.

"If we were to finish in the top four and get a double bye, that would be six out of the last eight seasons between the Big East and the ACC that we've done that," Brey said. "It's something we're really proud of, a top-four finish."

Fans likely are in for a thriller Saturday. Louisville's last 11 games against Notre Dame have included 11 overtime periods.

The last time these two teams met was on Jan. 4 at Notre Dame when the Irish beat the Cardinals, 77-70. It was Notre Dame's sixth straight home win vs. Louisville.

"We know what to expect from Notre Dame every time," Mathiang said. "They are a well-coached team, they play hard and they always know what they are doing. We know why we lost the last game and so we have to go out and make sure that doesn't happen again."

Junior guard Matt Farrell had a career-high 22 points and junior post Bonzie Colson had 18 points and 14 rebounds during the Jan. 4 game. After trailing nearly the entire game, Louisville tied the score at 68 only to fumble the game away in the final two minutes. Quentin Snider missed a free throw, the Cardinals had back-to-back turnovers and Donovan Mitchell missed a 3-point attempt. Notre Dame closed out the win on a 9-2 run.

"We didn't really play that well," Louisville senior David Levitch said. "Notre Dame will spread you out and shoot a 3. They penetrate well and they kick out and shoot 3s. You have to stop that penetration."

A key for Louisville will be getting sophomore leading scorer Mitchell more involved. He has just seven points during the Cardinals' 88-81 loss at Wake Forest Wednesday night. Mitchell may be guarded by Irish defensive specialist Steve Vasturia, a senior guard.

"We have put him on the best perimeter guy all the time," Brey said. "Actually when we're playing smaller, he's guarding the power forward sometimes. He does a little bit of everything."

Colson is averaging a double-double this season at 16.9 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.

Notre Dame is on a six-game winning streak. Only one of the six games came against teams in the top nine spots in the ACC league standings.

Saturday is Louisville's senior day for Mathiang, Levitch and Tony Hicks. None of the three are traditional starters, but could get the nod Saturday.

Louisville fans are having a Red Out Saturday and will be wearing red for the seniors.

Louisville leads Notre Dame 20-15 in the all-time series, but the Cardinals have lost the last three and four of the last six.

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Preview: Pirates (19-10) at Bulldogs (23-6)
Date: March 04, 2017 2:30 PM EDT

INDIANAPOLIS -- After coming off back-to-back road wins over No. 2 Villanova and Xavier, the Butler basketball team took a couple days off before getting ready for Saturday's game with Seton Hall.

"Whenever you are playing well, you'd like to keep playing," Butler coach Chris Holtmann said. "I've always said that, you'd like to stay in that rhythm."

But a break can help, too. Following the last seven-day break, Holtmann said Butler came out and beat host Marquette 68-65. After losing on the road to Providence in the next outing, the Bulldogs have won four in a row.

"We're playing a really good Seton Hall team that is hot as anyone in our league," Holtmann said. "We'll need to play well on Senior Day. But I think having a chance to get a little more rest is a good thing."

The No. 13 Bulldogs (23-6, 12-5 Big East) will face Seton Hall (19-10, 9-8) at 2:30 p.m. ET in the Big East regular-season finale at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

The Pirates have won six of the last eight games. Despite shooting 35.2 percent, Butler topped Seton Hall 61-54 on Jan. 25

"Both teams struggled offensively," Holtmann said. "They're really tough defensively. They're physical. They're tough-minded. They're a solid team, well-coached. Hopefully, we can be a little better offensively. I'm sure they will be better offensively. They just missed some shots they normally make."

Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard is proud of how the team has turned things around in the second half of Big East play.

"When we were 3-6 (in the Big East) people had given us our last rites and this team has found a way to get to be 9-8," Willard said.

Pirates senior guard Madison Jones said the Pirates have put themselves into position to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Of course, beating Butler would be a step in the right director.

Junior guard Khadeen Carrington averages a team-high 17.0 points for the Pirates, followed by junior forward Desi Rodriguez at 16.0 points and junior forward Angel Delgado at 15.6.

Butler junior forward Kelan Martin has pulled himself out of a midseason slump, averaging 20 points and eight rebounds in the past four games. He is averaging a team-high 16.0 points

"Kelan is doing some really good things for us," Holtmann said. "He's impacted the game and been more efficient offensively, which is our challenge for him. It's what he's got to continue to do. That's the sign of good players is their efficiency. He's really been efficient of late and that's been beneficial to our team."

This will be the final home game for six Butler seniors, including forward Andrew Chrabascz, who has started 99 of his 123 games with the Bulldogs. He is averaging 11.3 points and 4.6 rebounds.

Holtmann said he hasn't given much thought to next week's Big East tournament.

"Hopefully, we'll play well there," Holtmann said. "We've obviously struggled there (in previous three seasons), but it's not always been because we've played poorly. Our focus is now on Seton Hall. I'm so proud of our seniors and what they have been able to do and accomplish.

Andrew Chrabascz is going to play in his third NCAA Tournament. So is Steven Bennett. It's been an outstanding group to coach. I'm proud of their leadership this year."

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Preview: Bears (24-6) at Longhorns (10-20)
Date: March 04, 2017 4:00 PM EDT

There will still be plenty on the line for No. 11 Baylor and reeling Texas when the two teams square off to end the regular season on Saturday afternoon at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Tex.

Baylor heads south down I-35 into the state capitol on the heels of a 71-62 win over No. 10 West Virginia on Monday that was just the Bears' second victory in their past five games. Baylor (24-6, 11-5 in Big 12 play) can finish the regular season with 25 victories, which would tie the mark for the most regular season wins in program history (2012).

With a win in Austin on Saturday, Baylor will finish third in the Big 12; a loss gets the Bears the fourth seed in the Big 12 Tournament. Baylor can't fall lower than fourth.

"It's been a tough February -- that's the Big 12," Baylor coach Scott Drew said after the win Monday. "The big thing is we've got to get healthy and that's first and foremost. Because I tell you what, as us coaches figured out a long time ago, we're better coaches when we have all our players healthy."

A fourth-place conference finish for Baylor means having to play Oklahoma State, which has won 10 of its past 12 games and is cemented in the fifth seed. Baylor beat the Cowboys earlier this season in a game where the Bears made a ton of 3-point shots, but it can't count on that to happen again so avoiding Oklahoma State is a huge plus.

Junior forward Johnathan Motley has scored in double figures in 13 straight contests, leading the team in scoring 10 times. He is averaging 20.8 points and 10.5 rebounds during the 13-game span and leads the Big 12 with 12 double-doubles and 9.7 rebounds per game and ranks third with 17.5 points per game.

On Wednesday, Motley was names as one of 10 semifinalists for the 2017 Naismith Men's College Player of the Year Trophy, fellow Big 12 Conference players Kansas' Josh Jackson and Frank Mason III as those still in consideration.

Motley was a huge part of the Bears' win over West Virginia, scoring 23 points, taking eight rebounds and recording three blocks while converting all 11 of his free throws attempts.

"I was attacking more and making quicker moves and once I got to the free throw line it all started coming together," Motley said. "I was just being aggressive."

The Longhorns (10-20, 4-13) can exorcise plenty of demons if they can find a way to beat Baylor. Texas has lost six straight games, the latest a 77-67 defeat at Texas Tech that continued its woeful, winless season on the road. The Longhorns can finish no better than ninth in the 10-team Big 12 Conference.

Texas has had 14 of its 30 contests this season decided by five points or less, including 10 by three points or fewer. Seven of the Longhorns' eight conference home games have had margins of four points or less.

"Obviously, we are a long way away in terms of our record -- if it is possible to be close and be a long way away, that's what we are," Texas coach Shaka Smart said. "I think our guys hopefully have been able to internalize this lesson of 'every second matters, every possession matters, every play, every pass matters.' We've got a chance if our guys can make a lot of strides to be much better long-term."

Texas freshman forward Jarrett Allen has been a bright spot for the Longhorns. He's had a double-double in Texas' past two games and four times in the past six contests while shooting 61.5 percent and averaging 15.7 points and 8.8 rebounds during that span.

Allen has led the Longhorns in scoring in 11 of the past 15 outings and has posted double-digit point totals 22 times this year. He has grabbed at least seven rebounds in 17 of his last 19 contests.

"(Allen) is more competitive than you might think just in seeing him in terms of his personality -- he's got a laidback personality," Smart said. "He likes to compete. Playing against older, stronger guys has been an adjustment for him. He is way better at in than he was at the beginning of the year."

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Preview: Hurricanes (20-9) at Seminoles (23-7)
Date: March 04, 2017 4:00 PM EDT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Two weeks ago, following Florida State's win against Boston College at home, Seminoles head coach Leonard Hamilton was asked what it would mean to finish the regular season unbeaten at the Donald L. Tucker Center by beating Miami on March 4.

Hamilton paused for a moment, furrowed his brow and locked eyes with the reporter.

The question did not please him one bit -- and he made sure everyone in the room knew it.

"I have no interest (in talking about Miami)," Hamilton said as the mood became tense and members of the media shifted uncomfortably in their chairs. "We have not earned the right to look two games past other teams like Clemson and Duke. We can talk about Clemson and (then Duke) and I hope we have some conversations (about Miami). But right now, I could care less about what happens with (when Miami comes to Tallahassee). We need to worry about how we prepare for Clemson."

The No. 15-ranked Seminoles (23-7, 11-6 ACC) ultimately prepared for Clemson well, beating the Tigers 76-74 on February 25 for just their third ACC road win this season. And although the Seminoles fell to Duke only three nights later at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the victory against the Tigers was a gut-check win away from home that Florida State needed to prepare for the upcoming ACC tournament, which begins Tuesday in Brooklyn, N.Y.

But before the Seminoles find out who and when they play, Florida State must see which seed it will earn -- something a win Saturday against Miami (20-9, 10-7) would improve.

No. 5 North Carolina (13-4 ACC) and No. 19 Notre Dame (12-5) head to the final day of the regular season as the No. 1 and 2 seeds, with the Tar Heels having already locked up the regular-season title no matter what happens in their Saturday evening showdown with No. 17 Duke.

But after that? Well, there are tiebreakers galore -- including margin of victory over common opponents -- to factor in, and it gets highly hypothetical and complicated.

Florida State is tied with Duke and No. 8 Louisville at 11-6 in conference -- and then three other teams, including Miami, are hot on their heels at 10-7 in ACC play -- meaning any seed beyond North Carolina's No. 1 slot can't be determined until this weekend's final regular-season games shake out.

At best, Florida State can garner a No. 4 seed with a win Saturday against Miami --- a team it crushed 75-57 in Coral Gables back on Feb. 1 -- provided the Seminoles get some help. If that happens, Florida State would have a first- and second-round bye until the quarterfinals and not open play in the ACC tourney until Thursday.

If the Seminoles lose, they could fall as far as the eighth seed, depending on what else happens Saturday in the rest of the conference's regular-season finales.

But like his coach, Florida State center Michael Ojo -- one of two seniors who will be honored on Senior Day on Saturday, the other being forward Jarquez Smith -- doesn't want to look that far ahead.

"It's the last game, but it's not the last game of the season," said the 7-foot-1 fifth-year senior from Nigeria. "It'll be emotional."

Also at stake for the Seminoles on Saturday is finishing the year unbeaten at home for the first time since the 1975-76 season. They have gone 17-0 in the Donald L. Tucker Center this season and have won 20 straight games dating back to last year.

And Miami is well aware of how hard this year's Seminoles, who boast the best home record in the ACC, have been to beat in Tallahassee this year.

"They're a very talented team, a very deep team," senior guard Davon Reed told the Palm Beach Post this week. "They're like a completely different team at home. But aside from all that, it's a rivalry game. All that stuff goes out the window between both teams. I'm looking forward to going to Tallahassee and handling business."

The Hurricanes are coming off a 66-61 setback against Virginia Tech on Monday night, but they have had the entire week to prepare for the rematch. And outside of that loss to the Hokies earlier this week, the Hurricanes have been one of the better teams in the ACC since that 18-point defeat to the Seminoles a month ago.

Before Monday, Miami had won six of seven games, including wins at No. 23 Virginia and Duke, and the only loss was at Louisville. The Hurricanes, like Florida State, could be seeded anywhere from No. 4 to No. 8 depending on what happens Saturday.

"Despite our loss the other night, we've been rolling," Reed told the Post. "We've caught our stride. We've been playing at a very high level, I feel like. I feel we'll continue to grow and take some good steps forward."

A win over the Hurricanes would give the Seminoles 12 ACC wins and would tie the school record for ACC victories in a single season. The Seminoles have won two of their last three games, and they are 5-3 since the win over Miami.

The Seminoles will also play their 10th ranked opponent of the season, with nine of those games coming against a ranked ACC opponent. Only Louisville, who will play its 11th ranked opponent of the season in Notre Dame on Saturday, will have played more ranked teams among the 15 conference teams during the 2016-17 regular season.

Seminoles guard Dwayne Bacon, a finalist for the Julius Erving Award, leads the team with 16.2 points a game, while Miami is paced by Reed's 15 points a game.

Florida State is ahead in the all-time series against Miami 43-35 and will be looking to sweep the rivalry in the regular season for the fifth time since the Hurricanes joined the ACC in 2005.

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Preview: Wildcats (26-4) at Sun Devils (14-16)
Date: March 04, 2017 4:00 PM EDT

The No. 7 Arizona Wildcats can clinch at least a tie for the Pac-12 title, but it will take a victory at a place that has been problematic for coach Sean Miller.

Arizona (26-4, 15-2 Pac-12) travels to Tempe for Saturday's game against Arizona State in the regular-season finale for both teams. Miller is just 4-3 on the home court of his state rival, having lost three of the past five meetings.

On the plus side for the Wildcats, Miller is 3-0 overall against second-year Sun Devils coach Bobby Hurley, including a 91-75 victory in Tucson earlier this season.

"Bobby Hurley has done an outstanding job coaching his team this year," Miller said.

"Not many coaches have gotten more out of his team than he's gotten out of his team. They're downsized, they play small ball, but he's made it work. They score, they play at a fast pace, they use the 3-point shot as a real weapon, and they have learned how to survive on defense playing that small.

"We know that's going to be a really hard game."

Arizona State (14-16, 7-10) is coming off an upset victory against visiting USC. The Sun Devils were down 10 with 2:32 to go but came back to win 83-82.

"What a great feeling," Hurley said. "I feel terrific for the guys who have worked so hard and who got that type of result. Never gave in and never gave up."

Arizona is coming off a 77-72 home loss to then-No. 5 UCLA, dropping the Wildcats into a first-place tie with Oregon. The Ducks, who finish up Saturday at Oregon State, would earn the No. 1 seed for the Pac-12 tournament in case of a tie because of a head-to-head victory over Arizona.

Arizona guard Allonzo Trier, who did not play in the first game against Arizona State because he was in the midst of a 19-game NCAA suspension for a positive PED test, scored a career-high 28 against UCLA on Saturday. He moved into the team scoring lead (16.2 points per game) over freshman 7-footer Lauri Markkanen, who is looking to regain his 3-point touch.

He is shooting 44.4 percent from behind the arc (59 of 133), but he made only 5 of 26 in February.

Miller said fatigue might be playing a part.

"Lauri has played a lot of minutes," Miller said. "We've asked him to do everything. It's obvious as you start getting close to March, you start wearing down a little bit. ... He'll bounce back. We have to do a better job of getting him good looks."

Arizona has a distinct size advantage in this matchup, outrebounding the Sun Devils 38-22 in the first meeting. In their four-guard lineup, only 6-foot-8 Obinna Oleka is taller than 6-5.

Arizona State loves to run and shoot the 3. The Sun Devils' 79.3 points per game is the school's best mark since the 1997-98 season. Their 300 made 3-pointers is the fourth-best mark in conference history.

Guard Torian Graham averages 18.3 points, followed by guard Tra Holder (16.8) and guard Shannon Evans (15.4). The "fourth" guard in the lineup, Kodi Justice, scored a career-high 22 vs. USC and is 11 of 18 from 3-point range in the past two games.

"He's playing guys who are like a foot bigger than him -- maybe not that much, but like a half-foot bigger than him -- and he's battling and fighting and scrapping," Hurley said. "I love coaching Kodi."

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Preview: Tigers (19-11) at Mustangs (26-4)
Date: March 04, 2017 4:00 PM EDT

The No. 14 SMU Mustangs say they aren't satisfied with clinching a share of the American Athletic Conference regular-season title.

They also give the strong impression they won't be satisfied with the outright title, which they can capture with a win over Memphis on Saturday.

"We know our work's not done," point guard Shake Milton said after Thursday's 93-70 win over Tulsa that gave SMU a share of the AAC title. "It's just getting started for us."

SMU, having won 12 in a row and 22 of its last 23, has aspirations of success beyond the conference level. The Mustangs were denied a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament last season because of NCAA sanctions.

That's why there was little emotion shown Thursday when SMU (26-4, 16-1) claimed a share of its second AAC title in three years.

"These guys, I can't wait to see when we really celebrate something," SMU coach Tim Jankovich said. "They are very even-keeled, emotional-wise. They're not giddy about anything. Their goals are always bigger. They're always (acting as if), 'We expected to do that.'

"They're happy, but they're not done and they're not satisfied."

One thing that would satisfy SMU is finishing off the season undefeated at home. SMU is 17-0 this season at Moody Coliseum, but Memphis (19-11, 9-8) comes in having righted its ship in a 92-70 win over Tulane on Thursday.

The win snapped a four-game losing streak for Memphis, but only after the Tigers snapped out of some first-half doldrums.

Memphis trailed 39-34 at halftime against Tulane, which has won just two conference games.

Tulane shot 51 percent from the field in the first half but just 32 percent in the second half after Memphis revved up its offense.

Sophomore guard/forward Dedric Lawson scored 29 points on 11-of-15 shooting from the field in what may have been his final home game. Lawson is pondering a jump to professional basketball after the season.

Memphis also forced nine turnovers by Tulane in the second-half comeback.

"The second half proved if we can score, we can be more effective defensively," Memphis coach Tubby Smith said.

Memphis is tied with Connecticut for fifth place in the AAC. The No. 5 seed lands a first-round bye in next week's AAC tournament, which runs March 9-12 in Hartford, Conn.

SMU has already clinched a bye and the top seed in the AAC tourney.

The Mustangs will be looking to continue their roll into postseason play and send seniors Sterling Brown, Ben Moore and Jonathan Wilfong out with a win Saturday.

SMU's seniors have more wins than any other class in the program's history.

"All our energy, for me, is to make sure that every single one of us in our camp does every single thing we can do to make our seniors' last day memorable and exciting and fun and perfect," Jankovich said. "The one thing standing in the way is a very good Memphis team."

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Preview: Jayhawks (27-3) at Cowboys (20-10)
Date: March 04, 2017 6:00 PM EDT

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Kansas and Oklahoma State clash Saturday amid an appearance of having little on the line.

Far from it.

While the teams are locked into bracket spots for next week's Big 12 Tournament -- the top-ranked Jayhawks fill the No. 1 seed and the Cowboys sit at No. 5 -- and both are safely projected into the NCAA Tournament field, motivation isn't hard to find for either squad.

Kansas continues its quest to lock down the No. 1 overall seed for March Madness. Oklahoma State looks to enhance its postseason status, with a sellout crowd expected to energize Gallagher-Iba Arena on Senior Night in the regular season finale for both schools.

And there are simmering bragging rights, both ways, with the Cowboys owning a three-game series winning streak of upsets in Stillwater. Oklahoma State is the only team to beat Kansas each of the past four seasons.

So, yeah.

"There's still stuff to be played for," said Cowboys guard Phil Forte III, one of two seniors, along with Leyton Hammonds. "Both teams have a lot of pride. I expect nothing less than every other OSU-Kansas game. It's going to be very physical, very intense. It'd be nice to come out with a win."

The Jayhawks have already clinched the outright Big 12 regular season championship, their 13th consecutive. It's been a taxing year for Kansas, with uncharacteristic depth issues forcing front-line players to fill a lot of minutes.

Still, there's no sense that this is an opportunity for the Jayhawks to rest.

"We just want to get better," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "We've been in this situation before where we haven't probably closed the season out the way we'd like to, based on, you know, maybe clinching beforehand.

"But this is a time where I just hope our guys go down there and with a free mind, just play. And love to play with each other and know that that time is coming to an end shortly. And we just want to make it last as long as we can and make the most out of each opportunity, and this is certainly another opportunity."

The game features the top two scorers and two of the premier point guards in the Big 12. The Jayhawks' Frank Mason III leads the league at 20.3 points per game, while Oklahoma State's Jawun Evans is next at 18.6.

Kansas won the first meeting in Lawrence, 87-80, and rides into Stillwater on a seven-game winning streak and carrying an overall record of 27-3, 15-2 in the Big 12.

Oklahoma State, after an 0-6 start to conference play, has rallied to 9-8 in the Big 12 and 20-10 for the season. The Cowboys had a five-game winning streak snapped Tuesday night at Iowa State.

"We have to get back to a winning mindset after a very tough game in Ames," Oklahoma State coach Brad Underwood said. "Now we welcome the No. 1 team in the country. Conference champions. They're really good. There's a reason they're No. 1 in the country. It's Phil and Leyton's Senior Night, an emotional night unto itself.

"We're excited about the challenge and the opportunity."

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Preview: Ducks (26-4) at Beavers (5-25)
Date: March 04, 2017 6:00 PM EDT

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- It is first versus worst for the latest edition of the Civil War.

Sixth-ranked Oregon (26-4) takes a five-game winning streak to Oregon State (5-25) on Saturday as the Ducks look to clinch at least a share of a second straight Pac-12 regular-season championship.

The Ducks are tied for first place with Arizona at 15-2, and the Wildcats play a road game against Arizona State on Saturday afternoon.

If Oregon and Arizona end up sharing the regular-season conference title, the Ducks would get the No. 1 seed in the Pac-12 tournament because they beat Arizona 85-58 last month in the teams' only meeting.

"We have had a week off to rest and get better and we need to get better in a lot of areas," Oregon coach Dana Altman said. "Refocus and hope we are ready to go."

Oregon had to come from behind in the final three minutes last week to win 68-65 at California and 75-73 at Stanford.

"It stresses coach out, but it shows we can get gritty and get the win," Oregon senior guard Dylan Ennis said. "We keep fighting back and if we're down like that again, we can do the same thing."

Both Oregon and Oregon State had the week off to prepare for the final game of the regular season.

"Practice and get ready for Oregon State," Oregon freshman guard Payton Pritchard said. "That is what is on our mind now."

Oregon State is last in the conference at 1-16 as it tries to avoid becoming the eighth school to win no more than one conference game since the Pac-12 schedule expanded to 18 in 1978.

"We know Oregon is awfully talented, but we want to try to get off to a good start and take care of business at home and carry momentum into the Pac-12 tournament," Oregon State coach Wayne Tinkle said.

The Ducks beat the Beavers 85-43 in Eugene in January to give Oregon State its most lopsided loss this season. Oregon scored the first 21 points in that game.

"We played catch-up the whole time so hopefully we don't fall into a hole like that again," Beavers sophomore guard Tanner Sanders said. "We have to come out with more aggression instead of being passive and waiting for them to throw the first punch. They came out with more of a want-to attitude than we did. They acted and we reacted and we were down 21-0. That can't ever happen in a basketball game."

Oregon has won five regular-season conference championships in its history, but never in consecutive seasons.

"They mean a lot when you haven't won a lot of them," Altman said.

Oregon junior Dillon Brooks has one last chance to make his case for conference player of the year as he leads the team with 15.6 points per game. Sophomore guard Tyler Dorsey averages 12.8 points while senior center Chris Boucher is scoring 12.1 off the bench.

Ennis averages 11.1 points while junior forward Jordan Bell scores 10.8 points to go with a team-leading 7.8 rebounds.

Sophomore guard Stephen Thompson Jr. leads Oregon State with 16.4 points and 3.2 assists per game while sophomore forward Drew Eubanks averages 14.9 points and a team-best 8.4 rebounds.

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Preview: Blue Devils (23-7) at Tar Heels (25-6)
Date: March 04, 2017 8:00 PM EDT

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Two teams intent on doing more big things this season collide Saturday night in the regular-season finale when No. 17 Duke travels to No. 5 North Carolina.

So much already has been determined regarding the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season, but that doesn't diminish the impact of the meeting at the Smith Center.

"It still boils down to one thing," North Carolina coach Roy Williams said. "It's still North Carolina against Duke."

The teams played a riveting first game with Duke pulling away in the final minute for an 86-78 home victory on Feb. 9.

That perhaps makes the rematch just as intriguing.

"Saturday will be an amazing game," Duke forward Amile Jefferson said. "We'll have to come out tough and ready to fight."

North Carolina (25-6, 13-4 ACC) is locked into the top seed for next week's ACC Tournament. If Notre Dame wins at Louisville earlier in the day, North Carolina will have to knock off Duke in order to secure the outright regular-season title.

"We get the win, it gives us a lot of momentum going into the tournament," North Carolina guard Joel Berry said. "I'm going to bring my all to get revenge on them. I want to win the ACC outright and not share with anyone else."

Duke (23-7, 11-6), which was the ACC and national preseason favorite, has won eight of its last 10 games. The Blue Devils could land as anywhere from the No. 3 to No. 7 seed for the conference tournament.

"I know we're hungry," Duke freshman guard Frank Jackson said. "We're willing to do whatever it takes to win."

Unlike the game in Durham, the Tar Heels expect to have senior forward Isaiah Hicks available. He suffered a hamstring injury in practice and sat out that night, marking the only time this season he hasn't been in North Carolina's starting lineup.

Hicks and Kennedy Meeks are likely to be the only regular starters on the court for the Tar Heels for Saturday night's tip-off. Williams said he'll maintain his normal Senior Night plan, using a lineup of all seniors. That means Nate Britt, Stilman White and former football quarterback Kanler Coker join Hicks and Meeks.

"It's going to be pretty exciting, knowing this is the last time (for a home game)," Hicks said. "Sad at the same time. It has been an amazing four years."

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said Friday that he expects Grayson Allen and Jefferson, who've both been hampered by injuries, to play. Allen missed last Saturday's loss at Miami and was limited in Tuesday night's home finale against Florida State.

"You could tell he's not there right now," Krzyzewski said. "We will see in the next week what we can do with him as we head into not just our last game and the ACC Tournament, but the NCAA Tournament. We have to get him healthy because he's just too valuable for us."

Allen has led Duke in scoring in the last three games against North Carolina. Last month, he made 7 of 12 3-point attempts on the way to 25 points.

North Carolina is coming off Monday night's setback at Virginia. The Tar Heels haven't lost consecutive games since early February 2016.

North Carolina has played Duke seven previous times under Williams in the final game of the regular season with first place at stake for the Tar Heels (either outright or a share). North Carolina is 7-0 in those games.

North Carolina leads the all-time series 134-109, though Duke has won 12 of the last 16 matchups.

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Preview: Cougars (13-16) at Bruins (27-3)
Date: March 04, 2017 10:15 PM EDT

Senior guard Bryce Alford will have a chance to break UCLA's career record for 3-point field goals on Saturday when the third-ranked Bruins conclude the regular season against Washington State in a Pac-12 Conference game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles.

UCLA (27-3, 14-3 Pac-12) has won eight consecutive games since suffering back-to-back losses at the end of January, but the Bruins will likely be without freshman standout TJ Leaf. They are one game behind Arizona and Oregon, who are tied for first in the Pac-12.

Washington State (13-16, 16-11) has lost six of eight. The Cougars had won two in a row before falling to USC on Wednesday.

Alford enters the contest with 315 career 3-point field goals, two shy of the school record held by Jason Kapono (2000-03). Alford made eight 3-pointers in UCLA's 98-66 victory over Washington on Wednesday.

Leaf, a freshman forward who averages 16.8 points and 7.7 rebounds, sprained an ankle early in the first half against Washington and had to be helped off the floor to the locker room. He did not return.

UCLA coach Steve Alford said the team's medical staff had ruled out any broken bones. He said Leaf is receiving treatment as well as using crutches and a walking boot to rest the ankle. Leaf's father told the Los Angeles Times that his son hopes to return for next week's Pac-12 tournament.

Leaf leads the team in scoring and rebounding. He would be critical in the conference tournament and will be essential to the Bruins' hopes of winning their first NCAA championship since 1995.

"We've obviously got to get him back as soon as we can, but it was just a sprained ankle," Alford said after the Washington game. "It's not a bad one, but we'll have to see what the next 48 hours look like as far as his availability for Saturday."

The Bruins managed to get by without Leaf against Washington. They shot 52.1 percent from the field, made 14 of 27 from 3-point range, committed only eight turnovers and recorded 23 assists on 38 made baskets.

UCLA leads the nation in scoring, assists and field-goal percentage. The Bruins average 92 points per game.

Washington State is coming off an 87-64 loss to USC. Robert Franks came off the bench to score a career-high 20 points for the Cougars. Josh Hawkinson had 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

Hawkinson is going into Saturday's game with 989 career rebounds. He needs three more to tie the school record, held by Steve Puidokas (1974-77).

UCLA rolled to a 95-79 victory over Washington State when the teams met Feb. 1. Leaf had a career-high 32 points and 14 rebounds for the Bruins, who shot 57.6 percent despite making just 3 of 16 from 3-point range.

Ike Iroegbu led Washington State with 20 points in that game while Conor Clifford added 16. Hawkinson had 15 points, nine assists and five rebounds.

The Cougars shot 50.8 percent from the field and made 10 of 21 from long distance, but they couldn't match UCLA's firepower.

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday's Tip Sheet
March 3, 2017

**Kansas at Oklahoma State**

-- Since starting Big 12 play with six straight losses, Oklahoma State (20-10 straight up, 16-8-1 against the spread) has ripped off 10 wins in its last 12 games both SU and ATS. Brad Underwood, the first-year head coach who was formerly at Stephen F. Austin, has done a remarkable job with this squad over the last six weeks. The Cowboys’ two defeats during this span have come by six combined points.

-- Oklahoma State saw its five-game winning streak snapped in Tuesday’s 86-83 loss at Iowa State. The Cowboys took the cash in backdoor fashion as 3.5-point underdogs thanks to 12 points from Jawun Evans in the last two minutes. Evans drained a deep triple with two seconds remaining to trim the deficit to two. OSU fouled with 1.1 seconds left, leaving the ATS result in doubt. Iowa State’s Donovan Jackson made the first free throw but missed the second to allow OSU backers to cash tickets. Evans was sensational in defeat, producing 29 points, six assists and four rebounds. The sophomore guard buried 4-of-6 attempts from long distance and splashed the nets on all nine of his free throws. Leyton Hammonds added 19 points on 5-of-9 shooting from downtown, while Phil Forte finished with 12 points and four boards.

-- As of late Friday afternoon, several offshore books had this game as a pick ‘em.

-- OSU is No. 29 in the RPI Rankings, going 1-6 against the Top 25, 3-8 versus the Top 50 and 9-9 against the Top 100. The Cowboys have wins at Wichita State, at West Virginia, at Texas Tech, at TCU and at Kansas State. They also beat Arkansas by 28 at home and knocked off Georgetown on a neutral court.

-- Oklahoma State has won outright in 11 of 15 home games, compiling a 5-5 spread record. Depending on the line movement, this might be OSU’s second game as a home underdog this year. The Cowboys lost a 92-75 decision to WVU as 2.5-point home ‘dogs back on Dec. 30.

-- Evans leads the Cowboys in scoring (18.6 points per game), assists (6.0 APG) and steals (1.9 SPG). Carroll (17.0 PPG) is OSU’s leading rebounder (6.7 RPG) and paces the team in field-goal percentage (53.8%). Forte (13.4 PPG) is the nation’s best free-throw shooter (95.2%) who is hitting 42.5 percent of his launches from 3-point land.

-- Kansas (27-3 SU, 10-17-1 ATS) has won nine of its 10 road assignments, posting a 4-5 spread record.

-- Bill Self’s squad locked up yet another Big 12 regular-season championship two weeks ago. Since losing in overtime at Iowa State on Feb. 4, KU has won seven straight games. The Jayhawks are off a 73-63 win Monday over Oklahoma, but they failed to cover the number as 14.5-point home ‘chalk.’ The Sooners led by 12 midway through the second half, but Frank Mason led the KU comeback on his Senior Night by scoring 23 points and handing out six assists. Devonte Graham hit three key 3-pointers in the second-half surge and finished with 16 points. Freshman sensation Josh Jackson had 11 points and 12 rebounds, but he committed eight turnovers.

-- Kansas is ranked No. 1 in the nation in the Associated Press’s poll and is No. 2 in the RPI. KU has a 5-1 record against the RPI Top 25, an 8-2 mark versus the Top 50 and a 17-3 record against the Top 100. The Jayhawks lost their season opener to Indiana on a neutral court. They took their two other defeats at home vs. Iowa State and at West Virginia. KU owns home wins over Oklahoma State, Baylor, WVU, UNC Asheville, Stanford, Nebraska, Kansas State, Texas Tech and TCU. The Jayhawks have neutral-court scalps of Georgia and Duke, in addition to road wins at Iowa State, at Kentucky, at Baylor, at TCU, at K-State and at Texas Tech.

-- Mason is a candidate for National Player of the Year honors, averaging 20.3 points, 4.9 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. The senior guard has drained 50 percent of his 3-pointers. Jackson is averaging 16.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.1 blocked shots per game, while Graham (13.2 ) is also averaging double figures and has a 130/52 assists-to-turnovers ratio.

-- When these teams met at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence on Jan. 14, Kansas rallied to capture an 87-80 win as a 13.5-point home ‘chalk.’ The 167 combined points slithered ‘under’ the 169-point total. OSU took the lead in the first two minutes, led by as many as 11 in the first half and went to intermission with a four-point advantage. KU won the battle of the boards by a 45-36 margin and were fortunate enough to get to the charity stripe 45 times. The Jayhawks made 30-of-45 free throws, while the Cowboys were sent to the FT line just 14 times, making 11. Mason led KU with 22 points, five rebounds and four assists, while Jackson contributed 20 points, 11 boards, four steals and two blocked shots. Graham finished with 21 points and four assists compared to only one turnover. Carroll scored a game-high 23 points and pulled down seven boards for OSU. Evans went just 6-of-22 from the field and finished with 15 points and six assists.

-- The ‘under’ is 16-12-1 overall for KU, cashing at an 11-4 clip in its last 15 games. The Jayhawks have seen the ‘under’ go 8-2 in their road contests.

-- The ‘over’ is 13-11-1 overall for OSU, 7-2-1 in its home outings. However, the ‘under’ has cashed at a 6-3 clip in the Cowboys’ last nine games.

-- Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

**Duke at North Carolina**

-- College basketball’s most bitter rivalry will be renewed when North Carolina (25-6 SU, 16-13-1 ATS) hosts Duke on Saturday night in Chapel Hill. UNC is undefeated in 15 home games with a 10-4 spread record. The Tar Heels have compiled a 3-1 ATS mark in their four games as single-digit favorites.

-- Roy Williams’s squad saw its four-game winning streak both SU and ATS halted in Monday’s 53-43 loss at Virginia as a 3.5-point road favorite. UNC made just 17-of-48 shots (35.4%) from the field went 4-for-16 from 3-point land. Joel Berry was the only UNC player in double figures with 12 points.

-- North Carolina is No. 5 in both the RPI and the AP rankings. UNC is 4-3 against the RPI Top 25, 9-4 versus the Top 50 and 14-6 against the Top 100. The Tar Heels own home victories over Louisville, FSU, Virginia, Notre Dame, Va. Tech, Monmouth, Tennessee, Syracuse and Pittsburgh. They have neutral-court scalps of Oklahoma State and Wisconsin, in addition to road wins at Wake Forest, at Clemson and at Pitt.

-- Justin Jackson leads UNC in scoring with an 18.4 PPG average. He has hit 39.3 percent of his 3-point attempts. Berry is averaging 14.7 points and 3.8 assists per game, while Kennedy Meeks is averaging 12.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.0 blocked shots per game.

-- Duke (23-7 SU, 11-18 ATS) has lost five of its nine road games, going 3-6 ATS.

-- Duke won seven games in a row when head coach Mike Krzyzewski returned from a leave of absence after undergoing back surgery. However, the Blue Devils saw that seven-game streak halted in a Feb. 22 loss at Syracuse on a buzzer beater off of the backboard. Then with junior guard Grayson Allen out nursing an ankle injury last Saturday, they lost 55-50 at Miami as one-point road favorites. Duke avoided a three-game losing streak by beating FSU 75-70 on Tuesday as an eight-point home favorite. Frank Jackson was the catalyst with a game-high 22 points. Amile Jefferson produced a double-double with 14 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots, while Luke Kennard had 17 points and six rebounds. Jayson Tatum finished with 15 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks.

-- Kennard leads Duke in scoring (19.8 PPG) and also averages 5.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. The smooth-shooting southpaw has knocked down 45.4 percent of his 3-pointers. Tatum is averaging 16.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Jefferson, the senior power forward, paces the Blue Devils in rebounding (8.6 RPG), field-goal percentage (61.9%) and blocked shots (1.6 BPG).

-- After sitting out the loss at Miami, Allen played 16 minutes against the Seminoles. He was ineffective, contributing only two points, two rebounds and one steal. Allen, who is averaging 14.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, is listed as a ‘probable’ at UNC.

-- Duke has been an underdog three times this season, posting a 1-2 record both SU and ATS.

-- Duke has failed to cover the spread in four consecutive games and is mired in a 5-14 ATS slump.

-- When these schools met at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham on Feb. 9, Duke won an 86-78 decision as a 2.5-point home favorite. The 164 combined points hit right on the total for a push. Allen led the Blue Devils by knocking down 7-of-12 shots from 3-point range on his way to a game-high 25-point effort. Kennard added 20 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Tatum finished with 19 points, nine rebounds, five assists and a pair of blocked shots. Jackson paced UNC with a team-best 21 points, while Berry was also in double figures with 15 points.

-- As of late Friday afternoon, several offshore shops had UNC installed as a six-point home favorite.

-- The ‘under’ is 18-10-1 overall for UNC, 11-3 in its home games. The Tar Heels have seen the ‘under’ go 8-1-1 in their last 10 outings.

-- The ‘under’ is 16-12-1 overall for Duke, but the ‘over’ is 6-3 in its nine road contests.

-- ESPN will have the telecast at 8:15 p.m. Eastern.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- I made a mistake in Friday’s Tip Sheet when discussing the Ivy League’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. The conference has finally changed its format this year, adding a four-team playoff that’ll be played March 11-12 at The Palestra in Philadelphia. The regular season champion will no longer get the bid to the Tournament, as the top four teams will slug it out in the City of Brotherly Love.

-- Illinois has won four in a row and five of its last six both SU and ATS. The Illini will face Rutgers at the RAC as a short road favorite Saturday at noon Eastern on ESPNU. The Scarlet Knights are 3-3 ATS with one outright win as home underdogs against Big Ten competition.

-- Pitt owns a 3-0 spread record in three games as a double-digit underdog. The Panthers were listed as double-digit ‘dogs late Friday afternoon for Saturday’s noon Eastern tip at Virginia.

-- Oklahoma has covered the number in five consecutive games. The Sooners will host TCU as short home favorites at 3:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN News. OU has seen the ‘under’ go 8-2 in their last 10 games. The Horned Frogs are looking to snap a six-game losing streak.

-- Texas has lost six in a row while limping to a 1-5 spread record. The Longhorns will take on Baylor in Austin at 4:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

-- Miami, Fl. owns a 5-1 spread record with four outright victories in five games as an underdog in ACC play. The Hurricanes were listed as 7.5-point ‘dogs for their trip to Tallahassee to face FSU. The Seminoles are undefeated in 17 home games with an 11-3 spread record.

-- Mississippi State guard Quinndary Weatherspoon is ‘questionable’ for Saturday’s home game vs. LSU due to an ankle injury. Weatherspoon is averaging 16.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game.

-- Boise State opened as a 3.5-point favorite for a 4:00 p.m. Eastern tip at Air Force. The Broncos are looking to snap out of a 0-7 ATS slide.