The Bum's College Basketball Best Bets/Trends/ News Thru The Madness !

[StarDust Bum]

Top 25 Betting Recap
February 25, 2018

Each week until March Madness we'll take a look at how the Top 25 fared from college basketball, but straight up and against the number, while also taking a look at their upcoming schedule.

Before we get started, a big thank you for reading all season! Hopefully you have been cashing some winners along the way, and this column has played at least a small part.

Middle Tennessee (23-5 SU, 15-10 ATS) made its debut in the Top 25, and apparently the Blue Raiders want to stay for a while. They rumbled past Louisiana Tech (16-14 SU, 10-16 ATS) and Alabama-Birmingham (17-12 SU, 10-13 ATS) by an average of 21.0 points per game. Last season, Kermit Davis' group made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year, and in the 2018 installment they might be disappointed if they don't make it to the Sweet Sixteen. This is a team which might find itself in the neighborhood of the five-line when March Madness rolls around, and they could go from the hunter to the hunted at this rate.

Virginia (26-2 SU, 18-6-1 ATS) sits atop the rankings and they are showing no signs of slowing down. It's likely that regardless of what happens in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Tournament, the Cavaliers are going to be on the one-line, perhaps the overall No. 1 seed if they make it to the title game of their league event. It will likely be a battle for that top overall spot with Michigan State (28-3 SU, 15-14-2 ATS) for that top overall seed. The Spartans have the luxury of starting their conference tournament a week earlier due to a scheduling conflict at Madison Square Garden with the Big East Tournament. So the compressed conference schedule means the regular season is now over, and the conference tournament begins next week. It might be the only advantage Sparty has, as they and their conference brethren face a lengthy layoff between the league tournament and the Big Dance.


Texas Tech (22-7 SU, 13-12 ATS) is sliding at an inopportune time. They have seven losses overall on the season, but they're in the midst of a three-game losing streak. They haven't covered in any of the outings, either. It's not a good time for the Red Raiders to skid, but at least they still have time to right the ship before the conference tournament and NCAA Tournament. As a result of the TTU skid, Kansas (19-8 SU, 14-13 ATS) clinched at least a share of its 14th consecutive Big 12 title. Rock Chalk has won four consecutive games, and they have covered three in a row. One of the losses this past week by the Red Raiders came at the hands of the Jayhawks, and KU covered a 2 1/2-point number on the road with the outright win in Lubbock.

Cincinnati (25-4 SU, 14-11-1 ATS) is hurtling toward a high seed in the NCAA Tournament, and this team has the look of a sleeper laying in the weeds. Not many are talking about the Bearcats nationally, but they continue to do well. After a couple of hiccups recently against fellow Tournament-bound teams Houston (22-6 SU, 14-9-1 ATS) and Wichita State (23-5 SU, 12-14 ATS), the Bearcats bounced back with a couple of league victories at home. They won by an average of 16.5 points per game, too. Speaking of the Cougars, they smashed East Carolina (10-17 SU, 10-10 ATS) by 51 points on Sunday, 109-58. Houston is harkening back to the days of Phi Jamma Slamma, when the Cougars dominated in the early 1980's. It has been a long time since the Cougars have won an NCAA Tournament game, however, last winning an NCAA game in 1984. Their last tournament appearance came in 2010, so if you like Cinderella stories, Houston might be a team to root for.

Ohio State (24-7 SU, 15-14 ATS) rebounded this week with two victories, including a thrilling double-overtime win at Indiana (16-14 SU, 18-12 ATS). The Buckeyes have struggled away from Columbus, however,going just 1-2 SU and 0-3 ATS over their past three road assignments. They have been a bit hard to figure for total bettors, too, as they followed up a five-game 'under' streak from Jan. 30-Feb. 15 with a three-game 'over' stretch from Feb. 18-23. Next up for the Buckeyes will be a foray into the Big Ten Tournament in New York City. Officially, they have won the conference tournament four times, as their fifth championship in 2002 was vacated. Last season it was Michigan (24-7 SU, 19-10-1 ATS) doing the honors. The Wolverines might be flying high heading into the tourney, winning and covering five in a row heading into this week, while going 8-2 ATS over their past 10.

While Nevada (25-5 SU, 15-12-2 ATS) has failed to cover in each of their past two outings, the Wolf Pack have rattled off five victories in a row, and they're 14-2 SU across their past 16 games dating back to just before Christmas. Many haven't been as fortunate to see Nevada play, as the Mountain West doesn't get nearly the same kind of exposure as some of the larger conferences, but they might be a team that sneaks up on some when March Madness begins. Another team not many get to see on a regular basis, but could be a surprise team in the tournament is Rhode Island (23-4 SU, 15-9-1 ATS) from the Atlantic 10. The Rams have dominated the A-10, going 15-1, and they're 15-0 SU at home this season. URI has covered eight of their past nine at home, too, which is something to remember heading into Senior Night on Tuesday against St. Joseph's (13-15 SU, 13-12-1 ATS).

TOP 25 RESULTS

Rank Team Past Week (SU, ATS) Last 10 ATS Upcoming Week Schedule

1 Virginia 2-0, 1-1 7-2-1 at Louisville, Notre Dame

2 Michigan State 2-0, 1-1 2-6-2 Big Ten Tournament

3 Villanova 1-1, 1-1 6-4 at Seton Hall, Georgetown

4 Xavier 1-0, 1-0 7-3 Providence, at DePaul

5 Duke 2-0, 2-0 7-3 at Virginia Tech, North Carolina

T6 Gonzaga 2-0, 1-1 3-7 West Coast Conference Tournament

T6 Texas Tech 0-2, 0-2 5-5 at West Virginia, TCU

8 Kansas 2-0, 2-0 5-4-1 Texas, at Oklahoma State

9 Purdue 2-0, 1-1 1-8-1 Big Ten Tournament

10 North Carolina 2-0, 1-1 6-4 Miami-Florida, at Duke

11 Cincinnati 2-0, 1-1 6-4 at Tulane, at Wichita State

12 Auburn 1-1, 1-1 7-3 at Arkansas, South Carolina

13 Wichita State 2-0, 0-2 5-5 at UCF, Cincinnati

14 Arizona 1-1, 1-1 4-6 Stanford, California

15 Clemson 1-1, 0-2 5-5 Florida State, at Syracuse

16 Ohio State 2-0, 1-1 4-6 Big Ten Tournament

17 Michigan 2-0, 2-0 8-2 Big Ten Tournament

18 Rhode Island 2-0, 1-1 6-4 St. Joseph's, at Davidson

19 Tennessee 2-0, 2-0 6-4 at Mississippi State, Georgia

20 Nevada 2-0, 0-2 4-5-1 at UNLV, at San Diego State

21 West Virginia 2-0, 1-1 4-6 Texas Tech, at Texas

22 St. Mary's (CA) 2-0, 1-1 4-6 West Coast Conference Tournament

23 Houston 1-1, 1-1 7-2-1 at SMU, Connecticut

24 Middle Tennessee 2-0, 2-0 7-3 Western Kentucky, Marshall

25 Florida State 1-1, 0-2 4-6 at Clemson, Boston College

[StarDust Bum]

Monday's Result & Feb. Record

date w-l-t % units record

02/26/2018 6-4-0 60.00% +8.00

02/25/2018 15-15-0 50.00% -7.50

02/24/2018 61-53-2 53.51% +1350

02/23/2018 11-4-1 73.33% +3300

02/22/2018 38-21-1 64.41% +7450

02/21/2018 17-19-0 47.22% -1950

02/19/2018 3-7-0 30.00% -2350

02/18/2018 6-6-1 50.00% -300

02/17/2018 27-19-1 58.70% +3050

02/14/2018 21-15-1 58.33% +2250

02/11/2018 3-8-0 27.27% -2900

02/10/2018 51-58-2 46.79% -6400

02/09/2018 4-8-1 33.33% -2400

02/07/2018 11-18-1 37.93% -4400

02/01/2018 29-28-1 50.88% -900

totals.........304 - 283......51.78%......-41.50

[StarDust Bum]

Virginia firms No. 1 poll ranking in hoops
February 26, 2018

A second blowout loss to Villanova didn't stop Xavier from notching the program's highest AP Top 25 ranking a week ago. The Musketeers are rising again, passing the Wildcats on Monday to reach yet another program high at No. 3.

The poll switch comes after the Musketeers beat Georgetown in their only game last week and Villanova lost to unranked Creighton. The Wildcats dropped just one spot, to No. 4, and a game behind Xavier in the Big East standings.

Virginia firmed up its hold on the No. 1 ranking, receiving 48 votes from a media panel in the poll released on Monday, up six from a week ago. No. 2 Michigan State, which clinched the Big Ten title this weekend, received 17 first-place votes and Duke rounded out the top five.

The Musketeers (25-4, 13-3 Big East) rolled over Georgetown 89-77 despite leading scorer Trevon Blueitt being held to two points on 1-of-10 shooting. Blueitt, who averages 19.8 points per game, has 3 combined points his last two visits to Washington, D.C.

''I hope that the Big East tournament isn't played here,'' Xavier coach Chris Mack said he told Bluiett in jest toward the end of the game. ''I think maybe folks in D.C. that don't have a TV and come to the games they may think he's an average player, a below average player.''

Virginia was the top overall seed when the NCAA Tournament selection committee revealed its initial rankings of the top 16 teams two weeks ago. The Cavaliers moved up to No. 1 despite losing to Virginia Tech a day before the rankings were released.

Last week, Virginia (26-2, 14-1 ACC) won its third ACC title in five years by dominating Pittsburgh , limiting the Panthers to seven first-half points in a 66-37 victory.

The Cavaliers are still in line to receive the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

''It was something that we knew about coming into this game, so it was exciting,'' Virginia forward Isaiah Wilkins said. ''It is a good feeling, but there is still a lot of basketball to be played.''

KANSAS CLIMBS, ZAGS FALL

Kansas and Gonzaga both won conference titles this past weekend.

The Jayhawks' Big 12 title was enough to move them ahead of the Zags in this week's poll.

Kansas (23-6, 12-4) clinched its record-setting 14th straight Big 12 title with a 74-72 win over No. 6 Texas Tech on Saturday. The title broke the record the Jayhawks held with UCLA, which had 13 straight Pac-10 titles from 1967-79.

Kansas moved up two spots to No. 6.

The Jayhawks' move cost Gonzaga (27-4, 17-1) a spot in the poll despite clinching its 18th regular-season West Coast Conference title in the past 19 years. The Bulldogs dropped a spot to No. 7.

RED RAIDERS FALLING

Texas Tech tied Gonzaga at No. 6 last week for the program's highest ranking.

The Red Raiders (22-7, 10-6 Big 12) took a big tumble this week, dropping to No. 12 after losses to Oklahoma State and Kansas ran their losing streak to three games. The streak has coincided with a toe injury to Keenan Evans suffered against Baylor on Feb. 17. He scored in single digits in all three games.

SMALL CHANGES

The AP Top 25 has been volatile most of the season, with drastic changes coming nearly every week.

Poll movement was limited to small changes for the most part this week.

Florida State dropped out of the poll and Kentucky moved back in. Texas Tech had the biggest drop of teams still in the poll and Arizona was next, falling five spots to No. 19.

The biggest move up: Ohio State three spots to No. 13.

[StarDust Bum]

Gonzaga rising as March nears
February 26, 2018

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) Coming off a loss in the NCAA championship game, Gonzaga began this season with a bit of an edge. Not for that 71-65 defeat by North Carolina, but because coaches in the West Coast Conference predicted the Zags would finish second in the league this year.

Coach Mark Few said his staff didn't care about the diminished expectations.

''But I think the kids did,'' he said.

Picked to wind up behind St. Mary's, the Zags are No. 7 and rising. They've won their sixth consecutive title and are seeded No. 1 heading into the WCC tournament in Las Vegas, with their first game on Saturday.

Gonzaga has won 11 straight games since losing to now-No. 22 Saint Mary's at home. Always in the March mix, Few's team seems to be peaking at the right time.

The program lost four key players from last season's team, accounting for 62 percent of the scoring, and experts wondered if this might be a down year for the Zags.

That didn't sit well with the players.

''I have never heard of a team coming off the national championship game getting picked second in its league,'' senior guard Silas Melson said after Gonzaga beat BYU to wrap up the league title on Saturday.

''I just know we had pieces back ... that contributed to last year's team,'' guard Josh Perkins said. ''I just felt we deserved to be picked to win it.''

''We weren't, which is fine,'' Perkins said. ''Pick who you want, but at the end of the day, you'll see who the No. 1 seed is in Vegas.''

A conference title seemed iffy on Jan. 18, when Saint Mary's came to the McCarthey Athletic Center and inflicted a rare home loss on the Zags, 74-71, to take sole possession of first place.

But the Zags haven't lost since. They won at Saint Mary's, 78-65, in the rematch, and survived close games in many of their other contests.

They kept finding ways to win.

A recent game against Pepperdine was a good example. The Waves closed within 66-64 with 7 + minutes left in the game, and seemed to have the momentum. But Gonzaga outscored them 15-3 the rest of the way to seal the win.

''We needed to win this game,'' said senior Johnathan Williams, who had 18 points and 12 rebounds, including two dunks in the closing stretch. ''And basically we started getting stops and rebounds.''

The win broke a three-year streak of losing in the home finale, also known as Senior Night.

Pepperdine coach Marty Wilson was impressed.

''I'm blown away and tip my hat to Mark and what he's done,'' Wilson said. ''It's remarkable, not just to have the success, but to sustain it in domination form.''

Afterward, Few took some time to focus on the importance of reaching 25 wins for the 11th consecutive season. Only Kansas, at 12, has a longer streak.

''Those are hard to come by, man,'' Few said. ''Really hard to come by in college basketball.

''I don't take them for granted. Staff doesn't and nor do our players, because they're the ones out there fighting and making the plays to get it done,'' he said.

Indeed, Gonzaga's most singular achievement is to sustain a Top 25 program for two decades.

The numbers are overwhelming.

Gonzaga has won at least 25 games for 18 of the past 20 seasons. It has produced 21 straight 20-win seasons, and 19 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament.

The Zags have won or shared 16 of the past 17 conference regular-season titles. This season, they have six players averaging at least 9.9 points per game, making life difficult for opposing defenses.

Few said the balanced scoring is a sign of a special team. Seven different players have scored at least 20 points in a game this season.

''That shows character and a winning spirit, when there's a lot of selfish spirits out there in the world of basketball right now,'' Few said.

[StarDust Bum]

Virginia Tech stuns No. 5 Duke, enhances tourney resume
February 26, 2018

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) Chris Clarke tipped in a missed shot with 4 seconds remaining Monday night, and Virginia Tech stunned No. 5 Duke 64-63.

The Hokies (21-9, 10-7 Atlantic Coast Conference) had trailed almost the entire game before Nickeil Alexander-Walker's jumper sailed over the rim and Clarke grabbed it and laid it in.

Alexander-Walker led the Hokies with 17 points, Justin Bibbs had 14 on his Senior Night and Kerry Blackshear Jr. added 13.

Grayson Allen led Duke (24-6, 12-5) with 22 points, but his 3-point try before the buzzer missed. Wendell Carter Jr. grabbed the rebound, but the clock ran out before his layup went through.

The victory boosts the Hokies' NCAA Tournament prospects. They also have a road victory at No. 1 Virginia and a home victory against No. 18 Clemson.

NO. 6 KANSAS 80, TEXAS 70

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - Svi Mykhailiuk had 17 points, Devonte Graham added 10 and 11 assists and Kansas beat Texas.

The Jayhawks (24-6, 13-4 Big 12) used a strong night from seniors Mykhailiuk and Graham in what was the pair and walk-on Clay Young's senior night and final game in Allen Fieldhouse. Their powerful start helped them control the game early, forcing the Longhorns (17-13, 7-10 Big 12) to burn four timeouts in the first half.

Kerwin Roach II led the way for Texas, scoring 18 points and dishing out eight assists just days after hitting the game-winner against Oklahoma State. Jacob Young posted 14 points and five rebounds.

The Longhorns were without star freshman Mo Bamba, who missed the game with a toe injury.

NO. 20 WEST VIRGINIA 84, NO. 12 TEXAS TECH 74

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) - Jevon Carter scored 21 points and Daxter Miles Jr. added 18 in their final home game, and West Virginia rode a hot start to beat Texas Tech.

West Virginia (22-8, 11-6 Big 12) broke a second-place tie with the Red Raiders (22-8, 10-7) and moved closer to earning the No. 2 seed in the Big 12 tournament with one game left.

Sagaba Konate added 16 points, Esa Ahmad had 11 points and 11 rebounds, and James ''Beetle'' Bolden scored 10 for the Mountaineers, who have won three straight.

Freshman guard Jarrett Culver scored 26 points, Niem Stevenson added 24 and Zhaire Smith scored 12 for Texas Tech, which lost its fourth straight. The Red Raiders were without injured starters Justin Gray, Keenan Evans and Zach Smith.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Tuesday, February 27

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LONGWOOD (6 - 25) at HIGH POINT (14 - 15) - 2/27/2018, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HIGH POINT is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
HIGH POINT is 1-0 against the spread versus LONGWOOD over the last 3 seasons
HIGH POINT is 6-1 straight up against LONGWOOD over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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PRESBYTERIAN (11 - 20) at CHARLESTON SO (14 - 15) - 2/27/2018, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PRESBYTERIAN is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
CHARLESTON SO is 5-1 straight up against PRESBYTERIAN over the last 3 seasons




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MIAMI OHIO (15 - 14) at KENT ST (14 - 15) - 2/27/2018, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
KENT ST is 119-90 ATS (+20.0 Units) off a win against a conference rival since 1997.
MIAMI OHIO is 17-9 ATS (+7.1 Units) in all games this season.
MIAMI OHIO is 17-9 ATS (+7.1 Units) in all lined games this season.
MIAMI OHIO is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) as an underdog this season.
MIAMI OHIO is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) on Tuesday nights this season.
KENT ST is 9-23 ATS (-16.3 Units) in a home game where the total is 135 to 139.5 since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI OHIO is 4-0 against the spread versus KENT ST over the last 3 seasons
KENT ST is 3-2 straight up against MIAMI OHIO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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AKRON (12 - 16) at BUFFALO (21 - 8) - 2/27/2018, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
AKRON is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) on Tuesday nights over the last 2 seasons.
BUFFALO is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) after scoring 80 points or more over the last 2 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
BUFFALO is 3-3 against the spread versus AKRON over the last 3 seasons
AKRON is 4-2 straight up against BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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BALL ST (19 - 10) at C MICHIGAN (16 - 13) - 2/27/2018, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
C MICHIGAN is 2-12 ATS (-11.2 Units) revenging a road loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
BALL ST is 3-2 against the spread versus C MICHIGAN over the last 3 seasons
BALL ST is 4-1 straight up against C MICHIGAN over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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E MICHIGAN (18 - 11) at W MICHIGAN (17 - 12) - 2/27/2018, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
E MICHIGAN is 157-200 ATS (-63.0 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
E MICHIGAN is 20-39 ATS (-22.9 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points since 1997.
E MICHIGAN is 114-154 ATS (-55.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
W MICHIGAN is 4-1 against the spread versus E MICHIGAN over the last 3 seasons
W MICHIGAN is 3-2 straight up against E MICHIGAN over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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BOWLING GREEN (16 - 13) at OHIO U (12 - 16) - 2/27/2018, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OHIO U is 148-111 ATS (+25.9 Units) in all home games since 1997.
OHIO U is 148-111 ATS (+25.9 Units) in home lined games since 1997.
OHIO U is 86-55 ATS (+25.5 Units) revenging a road loss vs opponent since 1997.
OHIO U is 102-67 ATS (+28.3 Units) off a loss against a conference rival since 1997.
OHIO U is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) after allowing 80 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
OHIO U is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in home games after scoring 80 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
BOWLING GREEN is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) after a conference game this season.


Head-to-Head Series History
BOWLING GREEN is 3-2 against the spread versus OHIO U over the last 3 seasons
BOWLING GREEN is 3-2 straight up against OHIO U over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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TENNESSEE (21 - 7) at MISSISSIPPI ST (21 - 8) - 2/27/2018, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MISSISSIPPI ST is 35-17 ATS (+16.3 Units) in a home game where the total is 135 to 139.5 since 1997.
MISSISSIPPI ST is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in home games against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
MISSISSIPPI ST is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in home games after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
MISSISSIPPI ST is 105-76 ATS (+21.4 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
TENNESSEE is 134-92 ATS (+32.8 Units) as an underdog since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
TENNESSEE is 2-1 against the spread versus MISSISSIPPI ST over the last 3 seasons
TENNESSEE is 2-1 straight up against MISSISSIPPI ST over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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FLORIDA (18 - 11) at ALABAMA (17 - 12) - 2/27/2018, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.


Head-to-Head Series History
ALABAMA is 2-1 against the spread versus FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
ALABAMA is 2-1 straight up against FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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MISSOURI (18 - 11) at VANDERBILT (11 - 18) - 2/27/2018, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MISSOURI is 89-118 ATS (-40.8 Units) in road games since 1997.
MISSOURI is 89-118 ATS (-40.8 Units) in road lined games since 1997.
VANDERBILT is 7-19 ATS (-13.9 Units) in all games this season.
VANDERBILT is 7-19 ATS (-13.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
VANDERBILT is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.


Head-to-Head Series History
MISSOURI is 2-0 against the spread versus VANDERBILT over the last 3 seasons
VANDERBILT is 1-1 straight up against MISSOURI over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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OKLAHOMA ST (16 - 13) at IOWA ST (13 - 15) - 2/27/2018, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
IOWA ST is 97-68 ATS (+22.2 Units) in home games after a conference game since 1997.
IOWA ST is 253-198 ATS (+35.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
IOWA ST is 160-125 ATS (+22.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
IOWA ST is 3-3 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA ST over the last 3 seasons
IOWA ST is 5-1 straight up against OKLAHOMA ST over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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ST JOSEPHS (13 - 15) at RHODE ISLAND (23 - 4) - 2/27/2018, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
RHODE ISLAND is 34-23 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
RHODE ISLAND is 34-23 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
RHODE ISLAND is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 over the last 2 seasons.
RHODE ISLAND is 30-19 ATS (+9.1 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
RHODE ISLAND is 23-13 ATS (+8.7 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
RHODE ISLAND is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in home games on Tuesday nights over the last 3 seasons.
RHODE ISLAND is 23-13 ATS (+8.7 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
RHODE ISLAND is 21-8 ATS (+12.2 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
RHODE ISLAND is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in home games after scoring 80 points or more this season.
ST JOSEPHS is 29-14 ATS (+13.6 Units) in road games on Tuesday nights since 1997.
RHODE ISLAND is 30-49 ATS (-23.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
RHODE ISLAND is 2-2 against the spread versus ST JOSEPHS over the last 3 seasons
RHODE ISLAND is 2-2 straight up against ST JOSEPHS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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TOLEDO (20 - 9) at N ILLINOIS (11 - 17) - 2/27/2018, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.


Head-to-Head Series History
N ILLINOIS is 4-1 against the spread versus TOLEDO over the last 3 seasons
N ILLINOIS is 3-2 straight up against TOLEDO over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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AUBURN (24 - 5) at ARKANSAS (20 - 9) - 2/27/2018, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
AUBURN is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) in all games this season.
AUBURN is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) in all lined games this season.
AUBURN is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) against conference opponents this season.
AUBURN is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) after a conference game this season.
AUBURN is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ARKANSAS is 7-14 ATS (-8.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ARKANSAS is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game this season.


Head-to-Head Series History
AUBURN is 2-1 against the spread versus ARKANSAS over the last 3 seasons
AUBURN is 2-1 straight up against ARKANSAS over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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DEPAUL (11 - 17) at CREIGHTON (20 - 9) - 2/27/2018, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DEPAUL is 13-25 ATS (-14.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
CREIGHTON is 27-15 ATS (+10.5 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
CREIGHTON is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in home games on Tuesday nights over the last 3 seasons.
CREIGHTON is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) after allowing 80 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
CREIGHTON is 14-3 ATS (+10.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
CREIGHTON is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
CREIGHTON is 4-1 against the spread versus DEPAUL over the last 3 seasons
CREIGHTON is 5-0 straight up against DEPAUL over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


OKLAHOMA (17 - 11) at BAYLOR (17 - 12) - 2/27/2018, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) in all games this season.
OKLAHOMA is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) in all lined games this season.
OKLAHOMA is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) when the total is 150 to 159.5 this season.
OKLAHOMA is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in road games this season.
OKLAHOMA is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in road lined games this season.
OKLAHOMA is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in road games against conference opponents this season.
OKLAHOMA is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) after a conference game this season.
OKLAHOMA is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA is 8-16 ATS (-9.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
OKLAHOMA is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
BAYLOR is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) after allowing 80 points or more over the last 3 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
BAYLOR is 3-2 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA is 3-2 straight up against BAYLOR over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


KANSAS ST (20 - 9) at TCU (20 - 9) - 2/27/2018, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TCU is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) revenging a road loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
TCU is 109-149 ATS (-54.9 Units) in all home games since 1997.
TCU is 109-149 ATS (-54.9 Units) in home lined games since 1997.
TCU is 159-199 ATS (-59.9 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.
TCU is 65-93 ATS (-37.3 Units) in home games after a conference game since 1997.
TCU is 178-228 ATS (-72.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
TCU is 111-147 ATS (-50.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS ST is 4-1 against the spread versus TCU over the last 3 seasons
KANSAS ST is 4-1 straight up against TCU over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


MIAMI (20 - 8) at N CAROLINA (22 - 7) - 2/27/2018, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 20-33 ATS (-16.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 20-33 ATS (-16.3 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 4-11 ATS (-8.1 Units) after a conference game this season.
MIAMI is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) off a win against a conference rival this season.
N CAROLINA is 307-249 ATS (+33.1 Units) as a favorite since 1997.
N CAROLINA is 18-6 ATS (+11.4 Units) in all home games over the last 2 seasons.
N CAROLINA is 18-6 ATS (+11.4 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.
N CAROLINA is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in home games after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
N CAROLINA is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) in home games off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
N CAROLINA is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 138-98 ATS (+30.2 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
MIAMI is 126-90 ATS (+27.0 Units) in road games since 1997.
MIAMI is 126-90 ATS (+27.0 Units) in road lined games since 1997.
MIAMI is 115-85 ATS (+21.5 Units) in road games against conference opponents since 1997.
MIAMI is 143-110 ATS (+22.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
MIAMI is 58-36 ATS (+18.4 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
N CAROLINA is 2-1 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
N CAROLINA is 2-1 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


DAVIDSON (17 - 10) at ST BONAVENTURE (22 - 6) - 2/27/2018, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DAVIDSON is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) in a road game where the total is 145 to 149.5 since 1997.
DAVIDSON is 200-143 ATS (+42.7 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.
DAVIDSON is 36-18 ATS (+16.2 Units) on Tuesday nights since 1997.
DAVIDSON is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) after a conference game this season.
DAVIDSON is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) off a win against a conference rival this season.
DAVIDSON is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
DAVIDSON is 96-59 ATS (+31.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
ST BONAVENTURE is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 over the last 2 seasons.
ST BONAVENTURE is 30-50 ATS (-25.0 Units) in home games in February games since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
DAVIDSON is 3-1 against the spread versus ST BONAVENTURE over the last 3 seasons
DAVIDSON is 3-1 straight up against ST BONAVENTURE over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


BOISE ST (22 - 6) at SAN DIEGO ST (17 - 10) - 2/27/2018, 11:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOISE ST is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO ST is 13-6 ATS (+6.4 Units) as a favorite this season.
SAN DIEGO ST is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in all home games this season.
SAN DIEGO ST is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in home lined games this season.
SAN DIEGO ST is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in home games revenging a road loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
SAN DIEGO ST is 3-2 against the spread versus BOISE ST over the last 3 seasons
BOISE ST is 3-2 straight up against SAN DIEGO ST over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ARMY (13 - 16) at LOYOLA-MD (8 - 21) - 2/27/2018, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOYOLA-MD is 54-86 ATS (-40.6 Units) in all home games since 1997.
LOYOLA-MD is 54-86 ATS (-40.6 Units) in home lined games since 1997.
LOYOLA-MD is 46-75 ATS (-36.5 Units) in home games against conference opponents since 1997.
LOYOLA-MD is 13-33 ATS (-23.3 Units) in home games in February games since 1997.
LOYOLA-MD is 40-66 ATS (-32.6 Units) in home games after a conference game since 1997.
LOYOLA-MD is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) in first round tournament games since 1997.
LOYOLA-MD is 26-46 ATS (-24.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
LOYOLA-MD is 10-31 ATS (-24.1 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
LOYOLA-MD is 3-3 straight up against ARMY over the last 3 seasons




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


AMERICAN (6 - 23) at LAFAYETTE (9 - 20) - 2/27/2018, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
AMERICAN is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
AMERICAN is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
LAFAYETTE is 3-3 straight up against AMERICAN over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, February 27

Ball State won seven of its last nine games; they lost four of their last six road games. Central Michigan lost five of its last six games, losing last two home games, by 6-5 points- they’re 2-5 overall in MAC home games. Ball beat CMU 82-76 at home Jan 16, Cardinals’ third straight series win; Ball won its last two visits here, by 12-9 points. Ball is 15-10 vs spread in last 25 MAC road games, 3-4 this year; Chippewas are 5-9-2 in last 16 home games, 2-4-1 this year. MAC home teams are 50-42 vs spread this season.

Western Michigan won its last four home games and six of last nine overall; they’re 6-2 in MAC home games. Eastern Michigan won its last four games, with three wins by 6 or less points; they won three of last four road games. Western won 71-57 at EMU Jan 30; Broncos won four of last six series games. Eagles lost their last five visits to Kalamazoo, by 4-8-8-8-8 points. Eagles are 9-22 in last 31 games as road underdogs, but are 3-2 this year; Western is 8-3 in last 11 games as home favorites, 3-2 this year. MAC home favorites are 28-33 vs spread.

Tennessee won 12 of last 15 games, but lost two of last three on road, losing by 28 at Alabama, 11 at Georgia. Vols are 6-6 vs top 50 teams this season. Mississippi State won its last three games and seven of last nine; they won their last six home games. Tennessee won six of last eight games with MSU; Vols won three of last four visits to Starkville. Tennessee is 6-10 under Barnes as road underdogs, 2-1 this year; under Howland, Bulldogs are 8-7 as home favorites, 4-2 this year. SEC home teams are 45-35 vs spread.

Alabama lost its last three games after starting 8-5 in SEC play; Tide is 6-2 in SEC home games. Florida lost three of its last four games but beat Auburn Saturday; they lost three of last four on road. Alabama shot 64% inside arc in 68-50 win at Florida Feb 3, surviving 19 turnovers (-7), just 2nd series win for Crimson Tide in last 14 series games. Gators won their last six visits to Coleman Coliseum. Alabama is 7-5-1 in last 13 games as home favorites, 3-2-1 this year; Gators are 10-7-1 in last 18 games as road underdogs, 2-0-1 this year. SEC home teams are 45-35.

Home side is 6-0 in SEC games between Missouri/Vanderbilt; Tigers lost their three visits to Nashville, by 3-23-15 points. Mizzou lost its last three games after starting out 8-5 in SEC tilts. Tigers are lost five of their last seven road games. Vandy won three of last four home games, but lost last two games overall, giving up 89-88 points- they’re 4-16 vs top 50 teams. This is first time in four years Mizzou is an SEC road favorite; Vandy is 6-3 in last nine games as home underdogs, 1-3 this year. SEC home underdogs are 11-9 vs spread.

Iowa State blew an 8-point lead with 0:32 left in 96-87 loss in Stillwater Jan 6, Oklahoma State’s first win in its last 11 games with the Cyclones. Cowboys lost their last six visits to Ames, with three of last four losses by 4 or fewer points. OSU lost seven of last ten games but split last four road games. ISU lost its last four games, giving up 83.8 ppg; they split their eight Big X home games. Cyclones covered their last five games as home underdogs; last five years, OSU is 1-8 as road favorites. Big X home underdogs are 12-7 vs spread.

Toledo outscored Northern Illinois 25-5 on foul line in 72-67 home win over the Huskies Feb 6; Rockets are 3-5 in last eight series games- they won two of last three visits to DeKalb, winning here in OT LY. Toledo is 12-4 in MAC but lost last two road games, at Ball St/EMU; they’re 5-3 in MAC road games. NIU is 5-11 in MAC but won two of their last three home games. Toledo is 9-6 in last 15 games as road favorites, 3-0 this year; Huskies covered their last six tries as a home underdog (3-0 this year). MAC home underdogs are 13-7 vs spread.

Auburn made 11-20 on arc in 88-77 home win over Arkansas Jan 6; it was just second win in last 11 series games for Tigers. Hogs won their last five visits to Auburn. Auburn split its last six games after starting season 21-2; Tigers they lost last two road games, at So Carolina/Florida. Arkansas won five of last six games overall, six of last seven home games, losing last home game to Texas A&M. Under Pearl, Auburn is 12-15-1 as road favorites, 2-1 this year; Hogs are 12-10 in last 22 games as home favorites, 3-5 this year. SEC home teams are 45-35 vs spread.

Oklahoma beat Baylor 98-96 at home Jan 30, in game where both sides made more than half their 3’s; teams split last eight series games. Sooners lost two of their last three visits to Waco. Oklahoma lost six of its last seven games; they lost their last eight road games- their last road win was Dec 30 at TCU. Bears lost last two games, probably fell off bubble. Baylor is 7-13 in last 20 games as home favorites, 3-2 this year; Sooners are 15-11-1 in last 27 games as road underdogs, but are 1-4 this year. Big X home favorites are 28-29 vs spread.

Kansas State never trailed in 73-68 home win over TCU Jan 20; Wildcats won four of last five series games, winning last two visits here, by 1-14 points. K-State split its last eight games but won two of last three on road; they’re 4-4 overall in Big X road games. Horned Frogs won last three games, scoring 87 ppg, after starting out 5-8 in Big X: they’re 5-3 in Big X home games. Under Dixon, TCU is 6-6 as home favorites, 4-2 this year; Wildcats are 8-6 in last 14 games as road underdogs, 4-3 this year. Big X home favorites are 28-29 vs spread.

North Carolina won its last six games, winning last three home games, by 31-4-17 points; Tar Heels are 7-1 in ACC home games, with only loss in OT to NC State. Miami won its last two games by total of four points- they’re 4-4 on ACC road; they miss injured G Brown. UNC won three of its last four games with Miami; teams split last four series games played here. Miami is 27-10-3 vs spread in its last 40 games as ACC road underdogs; Tar Heels are 11-5 in last 16 games as home favorites, 4-3 this year. ACC home favorites are 38-36 vs spread.

Davidson made 14-33 on arc in 83-73 home win over St Bonaventure Jan 19; Wildcats won last three series games, by 4-5-10 points- they lost 97-85 in only visit here, two years ago. Davidson is 12-3 in its last 15 games after starting season 5-7; they’re they won five of last seven road games. Bonnies won their last 10 games; they’re 8-0 in A-14 home games, with last three wins by 9-3-6 points. Davidson is 8-6 as A-14 road underdogs, 0-1 this year; Bonnies are 6-8-1 in last 15 games as home favorites, 3-4 this year. A-14 home favorites are 35-29 vs spread.

Boise State made 14-28 on arc in 83-80 home win over San Diego State Jan 13; Broncos won five of last seven series games, winning last two visits to Viejas, by 10-4 points. Boise split its last six road games, also split last four games overall. Broncos are 6-4 vs top 100 teams. Aztecs won their last four games with PG Kell back healthy; they won their last four home games, all by 10+ points. Boise is 11-5 in last 16 games as road underdogs; Aztecs are 6-1 this season as home favorites. Mountain West home favorites are 29-25 vs spread.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB

Tuesday, February 27

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SAINT JOSEPH'S @ RHODE ISLAND
SAINT JOSEPH'S

Saint Joseph's is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Saint Joseph's's last 8 games when playing on the road against Rhode Island
RHODE ISLAND

Rhode Island is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Rhode Island is 18-1 SU in its last 19 games
AKRON @ BUFFALO
AKRON

The total has gone OVER in 4 of Akron's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Akron's last 9 games when playing on the road against Buffalo
BUFFALO

Buffalo is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Buffalo's last 8 games
BALL STATE @ CENTRAL MICHIGAN
BALL STATE

Ball State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Ball State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Central Michigan
CENTRAL MICHIGAN

The total has gone OVER in 6 of Central Michigan's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Central Michigan's last 10 games when playing Ball State
BOWLING GREEN @ OHIO
BOWLING GREEN

Bowling Green is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Bowling Green's last 6 games when playing Ohio
OHIO

The total has gone OVER in 6 of Ohio's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Ohio's last 6 games when playing Bowling Green
EASTERN MICHIGAN @ WESTERN MICHIGAN
EASTERN MICHIGAN

The total has gone OVER in 5 of Eastern Michigan's last 5 games when playing on the road against Western Michigan
Eastern Michigan is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
WESTERN MICHIGAN

Western Michigan is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Eastern Michigan
Western Michigan is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Eastern Michigan
MIAMI-OHIO @ KENT STATE
MIAMI-OHIO

Miami-Ohio is 8-0-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Kent State
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Miami-Ohio's last 6 games when playing Kent State
KENT STATE

Kent State is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home
Kent State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Miami-Ohio
BINGHAMTON @ ALBANY
BINGHAMTON

No trends to report
ALBANY

No trends to report
UMBC @ HARTFORD
UMBC

No trends to report
HARTFORD

No trends to report
VERMONT @ MAINE
VERMONT

No trends to report
MAINE

No trends to report
UMASS-LOWELL @ NEW HAMPSHIRE
UMASS-LOWELL

No trends to report
NEW HAMPSHIRE

No trends to report
OKLAHOMA STATE @ IOWA STATE
OKLAHOMA STATE

Oklahoma State is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oklahoma State's last 5 games
IOWA STATE

Iowa State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Oklahoma State
Iowa State is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing Oklahoma State
FLORIDA @ ALABAMA
FLORIDA

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Florida's last 5 games on the road
Florida is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Alabama
ALABAMA

The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Alabama's last 10 games at home
Alabama is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games at home
TENNESSEE @ MISSISSIPPI STATE
TENNESSEE

The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Tennessee's last 7 games when playing on the road against Mississippi State
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Tennessee's last 7 games on the road
MISSISSIPPI STATE

Mississippi State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Mississippi State is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games
MISSOURI @ VANDERBILT
MISSOURI

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Missouri's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Missouri's last 21 games on the road
VANDERBILT

Vanderbilt is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Vanderbilt's last 6 games at home
PRESBYTERIAN @ CHARLESTON SOUTHERN
PRESBYTERIAN

No trends to report
CHARLESTON SOUTHERN

No trends to report
LONGWOOD @ HIGH POINT
LONGWOOD

No trends to report
HIGH POINT

No trends to report
AMERICAN @ LAFAYETTE
AMERICAN

No trends to report
LAFAYETTE

No trends to report
ARMY @ LOYOLA-MARYLAND
ARMY

No trends to report
LOYOLA-MARYLAND

No trends to report
TOLEDO @ NORTHERN ILLINOIS
TOLEDO

The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toledo's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toledo's last 5 games when playing on the road against Northern Illinois
NORTHERN ILLINOIS

Northern Illinois is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Toledo
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Northern Illinois's last 5 games when playing at home against Toledo
MIAMI @ NORTH CAROLINA
MIAMI

The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Miami's last 8 games when playing on the road against North Carolina
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Miami's last 6 games on the road
NORTH CAROLINA

North Carolina is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
North Carolina is 20-2 SU in its last 22 games at home
DAVIDSON @ ST. BONAVENTURE
DAVIDSON

The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Davidson's last 8 games on the road
Davidson is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
ST. BONAVENTURE

St. Bonaventure is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
St. Bonaventure is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
OKLAHOMA @ BAYLOR
OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Baylor
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oklahoma's last 5 games
BAYLOR

Baylor is 14-4 SU in its last 18 games at home
Baylor is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games
KANSAS STATE @ TCU
KANSAS STATE

Kansas State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing TCU
Kansas State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing TCU
TCU

The total has gone OVER in 5 of TCU's last 5 games at home
TCU is 20-3 SU in its last 23 games at home
AUBURN @ ARKANSAS
AUBURN

Auburn is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Arkansas
Auburn is 21-4 SU in its last 25 games
ARKANSAS

Arkansas is 21-3 SU in its last 24 games at home
Arkansas is 17-3 SU in its last 20 games when playing at home against Auburn
DEPAUL @ CREIGHTON
DEPAUL

DePaul is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of DePaul's last 5 games on the road
CREIGHTON

Creighton is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing DePaul
Creighton is 15-2 SU in its last 17 games at home
BOISE STATE @ SAN DIEGO STATE
BOISE STATE

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boise State's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boise State's last 5 games on the road
SAN DIEGO STATE

San Diego State is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games at home
San Diego State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Dunkel

Tuesday, February 27


Miami-OH @ Kent State

Game 513-514
February 27, 2018 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami-OH
51.236
Kent State
55.763
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Kent State
by 4 1/2
134
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kent State
by 1 1/2
139
Dunkel Pick:
Kent State
(-1 1/2); Under

Akron @ Buffalo

Game 515-516
February 27, 2018 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Akron
46.578
Buffalo
66.490
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Buffalo
by 20
154
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Buffalo
by 16
159
Dunkel Pick:
Buffalo
(-16); Under

Ball State @ Central Michigan

Game 517-518
February 27, 2018 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Ball State
56.751
Central Michigan
54.225
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Ball State
by 2 1/2
154
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Ball State
Pick
147 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Ball State
Over

Eastern Michigan @ Western Michigan

Game 519-520
February 27, 2018 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Eastern Michigan
52.745
Western Michigan
54.236
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Western Michigan
by 1 1/2
141
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Western Michigan
by 4
136 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Eastern Michigan
(+4); Over

Bowling Green @ Ohio

Game 521-522
February 27, 2018 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Bowling Green
48.734
Ohio
55.692
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Ohio
by 7
146
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Ohio
by 4 1/2
151
Dunkel Pick:
Ohio
(-4 1/2); Under

Tennessee @ Mississippi State

Game 523-524
February 27, 2018 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Tennessee
65.233
Mississippi State
69.812
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Mississippi State
by 4 1/2
129
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Mississippi State
by 1 1/2
137
Dunkel Pick:
Mississippi State
(-1 1/2); Under

Florida @ Alabama

Game 525-526
February 27, 2018 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Florida
66.785
Alabama
65.692
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Florida
by 1
144
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Alabama
by 2 1/2
139
Dunkel Pick:
Florida
(+2 1/2); Over

Missouri @ Vanderbilt

Game 527-528
February 27, 2018 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Missouri
64.337
Vanderbilt
63.298
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Missouri
by 1
147
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Vanderbilt
by 1
142 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Missouri
(+1); Over

Oklahoma State @ Iowa State

Game 529-530
February 27, 2018 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oklahoma State
63.215
Iowa State
64.339
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Iowa State
by 1
157
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oklahoma State
by 1
152 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Iowa State
(+1); Over

St Joseph's @ Rhode Island

Game 531-532
February 27, 2018 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St Joseph's
56.751
Rhode Island
68.890
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Rhode Island
by 12
154
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Rhode Island
by 14
147
Dunkel Pick:
St Joseph's
(+14); Over

Toledo @ Northern Illinois

Game 533-534
February 27, 2018 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toledo
56.734
Northern Illinois
49.652
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toledo
by 7
146
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toledo
by 4
152 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toledo
(-4); Under

Auburn @ Arkansas

Game 535-536
February 27, 2018 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Auburn
69.435
Arkansas
73.523
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arkansas
by 4
156
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Arkansas
by 1 1/2
161 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Arkansas
(-1 1/2); Under

DePaul @ Creighton

Game 537-538
February 27, 2018 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
DePaul
62.409
Creighton
67.523
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Creighton
by 5
159
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Creighton
by 9 1/2
153 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
DePaul
(+9 1/2); Over

Oklahoma @ Baylor

Game 539-540
February 27, 2018 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oklahoma
68.924
Baylor
67.886
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oklahoma
by 1
164
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Baylor
by 4 1/2
157
Dunkel Pick:
Oklahoma
(+4 1/2); Over

Kansas State @ TCU

Game 541-542
February 27, 2018 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Kansas State
63.613
TCU
71.759
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
TCU
by 8
144
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
TCU
by 6 1/2
148
Dunkel Pick:
TCU
(-6 1/2); Under

Miami-FL @ North Carolina

Game 543-544
February 27, 2018 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami-FL
63.226
North Carolina
76.185
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
North Carolina
by 13
146
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
North Carolina
by 10 1/2
152 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
North Carolina
(-10 1/2); Under

Davidson @ St Bonaventure

Game 545-546
February 27, 2018 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Davidson
63.224
St Bonaventure
62.314
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Davidson
by 1
152
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
St Bonaventure
by 3
145
Dunkel Pick:
Davidson
(+3); Over

Boise State @ San Diego St

Game 547-548
February 27, 2018 @ 11:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boise State
63.217
San Diego St
61.823
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boise State
by 1 1/2
147
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Diego St
by 3
142 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Boise State
(+3); Over

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB

Tuesday, February 27

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NCAAB Game of the Day: Miami at North Carolina betting preview and odds
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Miami-Florida Hurricanes at No. 10 North Carolina Tar Heels (-10, 152)

With the regular season winding down, North Carolina is heating up with six straight wins and is in position to clinch a double-bye for the ACC Tournament with a victory over visiting Miami on Tuesday night. The Hurricanes reached 20 wins for the sixth time in coach Jim Larranaga's seven seasons with a last-second 79-78 triumph over Boston College on Saturday and desperately need to keep winning to have a chance at an NCAA Tournament berth.

This game is special for two of the Tar Heels' all-time greats in Joel Berry and Theo Pinson as this will be their final game in front of the UNC faithful at Dean E. Smith Center. The seniors have been instrumental in North Carolina's success and are a huge reason why the Tar Heels have a good chance at making their third straight NCAA championship game appearance and second straight title. "It's Senior Day at North Carolina," Larranaga told reporters. "We're expecting a vocal crowd, very enthusiastic." It's a tough spot for a Hurricanes team that has won two in a row after a three-game skid but needed late rallies to pull them off, including a clutch last-second Lonnie Walker IV 3-pointer to top off a 14-point comeback - Miami's largest - against BC.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN

LINE HISTORY: North Carolina opened as 11.5-point home favorites but that number has been bet down to the current number of -10. The total hit betting boards at 152.5 and has been dropped slightly to 152.

ABOUT MIAMI (20-8 SU, 10-13 ATS, 12-11 O/U): Larranaga stuck with the bigger starting lineup against Boston College and the move paid off for the second straight game as the Hurricanes held a 39-27 rebounding advantage against the Eagles, with 15 coming on the offensive glass, their third-most offensive rebounds this season. Dewan Huell (team highs of 16 points, nine rebounds) and Anthony Lawrence (13 points, nine rebounds) each fell one rebound shy of a double-double while freshmen Walker (14) and Chris Lykes (15) also scored in double digits as the Hurricanes extended their record to 10-3 when four or more players hit double figures. Miami had problems containing the Eagles as they hit 56.6 percent of their shots from the floor, but the Hurricanes made their free throws count, nailing 13-of-15, including nine in a row down the stretch.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (22-7 SU, 16-11-1 ATS, 17-11 O/U): Berry (18 points) scored the game-winning points on a steal and a layup in Wednesday's 78-74 victory over Syracuse, the third time he hit the winning points in an ACC game this year, but Luke Maye had a quiet outing with nine points and three rebounds, far below his averages of 18.0 and 10.2. Pinson had his usual success delivering the ball with a game-high seven assists but he also put together one of his best shooting performances with a career-high 23 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, the first time this year he hit multiple times from long distance in a game. The Tar Heels, who face rival Duke in the season finale, remain the ACC's top rebounding team (43.1 per game) and Kenny Williams led North Carolina for the first time with a career high-tying eight boards against Syracuse.

MATCHUP CHART:



TRENDS:

* Hurricanes are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up win.
* Tar Heels are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
* Over is 5-1 in Hurricanes' last 6 road games.
* Over is 12-3 in Tar Heels' last 15 home games.
* Under is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings @ North Carolina.

TIP-IN BETTING TIDBITS:

- North Carolina owns a 21-7 series advantage over Miami, but the Hurricanes have won five of the last eight meetings.

- Miami and North Carolina join Duke and Virginia as the only ACC schools to own six or more 20-win seasons in the last seven years.

- The Tar Heels are 15-1 this season when Pinson has five or more assists.

CONSENSUS: Numbers show 58 percent of contest players like the road underdog Miami Hurricanes to cover the spread.

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday's Wagers
February 27, 2018

**Miami at North Carolina**

-- North Carolina (22-7 straight up, 16-11 against the spread) has been downright nasty at home this year, producing a 12- SU record and a 10-3 ATS mark.

-- As of early this morning, most books had North Carolina installed as a 10.5-point favorite.

-- UNC has won six straight games but saw its 5-0 ATS surge snapped in this past Wednesday’s 78-74 win over Syracuse as a 4.5-point road favorite. The Tar Heels led 74-66 with less than five minutes remaining until the ‘Cuse went on an 8-0 run to pull even. They scored the game’s final four points in last two minutes, but their backers were left disappointed by the Orange’s backdoor cover by one-half point.

-- In the win at the Carrier Dome, Theo Pinson paces UNC with 23 points, seven assists, six rebounds and three steals. Joel Berry II added 18 points and four assists compared to merely one turnover, while Sterling Manley finished with 12 points and six boards in only 17 minutes of playing time in a reserve role.

-- UNC junior forward Luke Maye leads UNC in scoring (18.0 points per game), rebounding (10.2 RPG), field-goal percentage (51.3%), 3-point shooting accuracy (46.7%) and blocked shots (1.2 BPG). Berry is averaging 17.7 PPG and has an 88/49 assist-to-turnover ratio, while Cameron Johnson (12.7 PPG) has a 42/19 assist-to-turnover ratio and is making 90.0 percent of his free-throw attempts. Kenny Williams (11.3 PPG) paces the Tar Heels in steals (1.1 SPG) and has drained 41.0 percent of his treys.

-- Roy Williams’s squad is ranked 10th in the latest Top 25 from the Associated Press) and is fifth in the RPI Rakings. UNC is 5-3 versus the RPI Top 25, 9-5 against the Top 50 and 15-6 vs. the Top 100. The Tar Heels have home wins over the likes of Michigan, Clemson, Duke and Notre Dame. They also have road victories at Tennessee, at N.C. St., at Louisville, at Syracuse, at Davidson, at Stanford and at Notre Dame, in addition to neutral-court wins over Arkansas and Ohio St.

-- Miami (20-8 SU, 10-13 ATS) has compiled a 7-4 record both SU and ATS in 11 road assignments.

-- Miami is still without sophomore guard Bruce Brown, who is hoping to return sometime in March after sustaining a fracture in his foot. Brown, one of the Hurricanes’ best defenders, was averaging 11.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists per game and 1.3 steals per game.

-- Miami is No. 28 in the RPI Rankings with its 1-3 record against the Top 25, a 4-5 mark versus the Top 50 and a 7-7 ledger against the Top 100. The Hurricanes have home wins over Louisville, FSU and Boston College, in addition to a neutral-court scalp of Middle Tennessee. They have road victories at N.C. State, at Virginia Tech and at Notre Dame.

-- Miami is mired in a 2-8 ATS slump, but the Hurricanes have won seven of its past 11 games. They snapped a three-game losing streak with last week’s 77-74 win at Notre Dame as 4.5-point underdogs. UM won a 79-78 decision over Boston College on Saturday as a 6.5-point home ‘chalk.’ Dewan Huell led the way with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Chris Lykes had 15 points in a reserve role.

-- The ‘over’ is 17-11 overall for UNC, 10-3 in its home outings. The ‘over’ is 6-2 for the Tar Heels’ in their last eight contests.

-- The ‘over’ is on a 10-4 run for UM to improve to 12-11 overall and 6-5 in its road games.

-- Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

**Boise State at San Diego State**

-- As of early this morning, most spots had San Diego State listed as a 2.5-point favorite.

-- San Diego State (22-6 SU, 14-12-1 ATS) has been outstanding at home, posting an 11-2 SU record and a 9-2 ATS mark. The Aztecs have produced a 2-1 record both SU and ATS in three games as single-digit home ‘chalk.’

-- San Diego State won’t have 6’10” senior power forward Malik Pope for a second straight game after he was suspended indefinitely this past weekend. Pope is alleged to have received impermissible benefits according to media reports in relation to the federal investigation into corruption in college basketball. Pope will be sidelined pending an internal investigation into his eligibility. He was averaging 12.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots per game.

-- SDSU has won four consecutive contests while going 3-1 ATS. The Aztecs won all four games by double-digit margins, but they failed to cover the spread as 13.5-point favorites in Saturday’s 71-59 win at San Jose State. This was a brutal beat for SDSU’s betting supporters, as it led by 15 and purposefully ran out the shot clock without attempting a shot to give the Spartans the ball back with 3.8 seconds remaining. But San Jose State inbounded and – check this out – its player dribbled to the top of the key and attempted a trey as if it were a free throw without jumping. He was left uncontested and, of course, the meaningless shot went in to give San Jose State an improbable backdoor cover. Jalen McDaniels was the catalyst with 16 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots, while Max Montana contributed 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting from 3-point land in only 19 minutes off the bench. Trey Kell finished with six points, six rebounds, three steals and nine assists compared to merely one turnover.

-- Devin Watson (12.5 PPG) is the Aztecs’ second-leading scorer who has handed out a team-best 3.9 APG while hitting 37.4 percent of his treys. Matt Mitchell (11.0 PPG) is making 37.1 percent of his 3’s.

-- SDSU is ranked No. 107 in the RPI, going 0-1 versus the Top 25, 1-3 against the Top 50 and 3-6 vs. the Top 100. The Aztecs have home wins over Gonzaga and Wyoming, in addition to a neutral-court scalp of Georgia.

-- Boise State (22-6 SU, 14-12 ATS) is No. 46 in the RPI with a 0-2 record against the RPI Top 25, a 1-2 ledger versus the Top 50 and a 4-4 mark against the Top 100. BSU’s best wins are a home win over Loyola-Chicago (by 34!), a neutral-court victory over Illinois State (by 18) and road wins at Oregon and at Fresno State.

--Since seeing its four-game winning streak snapped in back-to-back defeats at Utah St. and vs. Nevada, Boise State has responded with back-to-back victories in blowout fashion. First, Christian Sengfelder scored 17 points to lead the Broncos to a 76-52 home win over Air Force as 14-point favorites. Then this past Saturday in Ft. Collins, BSU raced out to a 21-point halftime lead and coasted to an 87-54 triumph as a 7.5-point road favorite. Hutchison dropped 27 points on the Rams thanks to 10-of-18 shooting from the field and 4-of-7 makes from downtown. Justinian Jessup added 16 points, six rebounds and three steals, while Zach Haney finished with 13 points and seven boards.

-- Boise State is 6-4 SU and 5-4-1 ATS in 10 road assignments. The Broncos are 3-1-1 ATS with three outright victories in five games as road underdogs.

-- Leon Rice’s team is led by Hutchison, the senior forward who paces BSU in scoring (19.9 PPG), assists (3.5 APG), rebounding (7.6 RPG) and steals (1.5 SPG). Jessup (11.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG) has drained 46.2 percent of his 3’s and is second on the team in steals (38). Sengfelder, a grad transfer from Fordham, is averaging 11.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

-- BSU has beaten San Diego State in five of the past seven head-to-head meetings, going 4-3 ATS in the process. The Broncos knocked off San Diego State, 83-80 but failed to cover as four-point home favorites on Jan. 13. The 163 combined points catapulted ‘over’ the 144-point tally. Hutchison scored a career-high 44 points in front of 10,874 fans at Taco Bell Arena. He had eight rebounds and buried 15-of-21 FGAs and 7-of-10 launches from long distance. Lexus Williams added 16 points for BSU. Watson finished with 19 points and eight assists in the losing effort, while Pope finished with 18 points and nine rebounds.

-- The ‘under’ is on a 6-1 run for the Aztecs to improve to 12-12-1 overall and 7-4 in their home contests.

-- The ‘under’ has cashed in five consecutive BSU games overall and six straight road assignments. The ‘under’ is 16-10-1 overall for the Broncos, 7-2 in their 10 road outings.

-- The CBS Sports Network will have the telecast at 11:00 p.m. Eastern.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- Without the nation’s second-leading shot blocker Mo Bamba, Texas lost an 80-70 decision at Kansas last night. However, the Longhorns took the cash as 12-point underdogs. My only Monday play in college hoops was the ‘over’ for Texas at KU. That was a winner with the 150 combined points jumping ‘over ‘the 141.5-point total. Shaka Smart’s team also covered second-half wagers as a four-point underdog after trailing by 13 at intermission (+17 adjusted).

-- Northwestern’s Vic Law has been downgraded to ‘doubtful’ for Thursday’s second-round Big Ten Tournament showdown against Penn St. Law, who averages 12.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game, is dealing with a foot injury. The Wildcats’ Bryant McIntosh (12.0 PPG, 5.1 APG) is listed as ‘questionable ‘with a shoulder injury, while PSU’s Mike Watkins is ‘questionable’ with a leg injury. Watkins averages 12.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots per game for the Nittany Lions.

-- Mississippi State has won 18 of 19 home games outright, posting an 8-6 spread record. The Bulldogs are hosting Tennessee tonight and they were 1.5-point favorites early this morning. The Volunteers are 7-4 SU and 8-3 ATS on the road. Ben Howland’s team was in the ‘First Four Out’ of Joe Lunardi’s latest edition of ‘Bracketology’ that was released on ESPN.com Monday morning. These teams will collide at The Hump in Starkville at 7:00 p.m. Eastern on the SEC Network.

-- Florida has won six in a row at Coleman Coliseum and hasn’t tasted defeat at Alabama since 2006. That UF loss was its last of ’06 as it won out and went on to win the school’s first national title in men’s hoops. Mike White’s team allowed a double-digit lead to get away when it was outscored 41-17 in the second half of a 68-50 home loss to Alabama on Feb. 3. The Crimson Tide crushed UF on the glass with a 37-24 rebounding advantage. Collin Sexton was the catalyst for Avery Johnson’s team, producing 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and one blocked shot. The ‘under’ is on a 7-1 run for the Gators, who snapped a three-game losing streak with Saturday’s 72-66 win over Auburn as 2.5-point home favorites. The ‘under’ is 18-10 overall for ‘Bama, which has lost three in a row both SU and ATS. Nevertheless, the Tide was favored by 2.5 points early this morning. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

-- Missouri plays at Vanderbilt tonight on ESPN2 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. Most spots had the game as a pick ‘em this a.m. The ‘over’ is on a 9-3 run for the Commodores, who are in a 1-4 ATS slump.

-- Arkansas will host Auburn tonight at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on the SEC Network. The Razorbacks, fresh off a crucial comeback win at Alabama, was favored by two this morning. Mike Anderson’s team is 5-1 both SU and ATS in its past six contests. Meanwhile, Auburn has dropped two it last three both SU and ATS. When these teams met on The Plains on Jan. 6, Bruce Pearl’s squad won 88-77 as a 4.5-point home ‘chalk.’ The 165 combined points dipped ‘under’ the 167.5-point total.

[StarDust Bum]

Duke-UNC takes center stage this week
February 27, 2018

College basketball has some great rivalries. Kentucky and Louisville have a heated one. So do Xavier and Cincinnati.

Arizona-Arizona State and Kansas-Kansas State don't like each other much, either.

This week features not only what many consider to be the greatest college basketball rivalry, but one of the best in any sport.

Duke-North Carolina.

The two meetings - three if they face off in the ACC tournament - are always must-watch programming and Saturday's game is no different.

Duke (24-6, 12-5) is up to No. 5 in the AP Top 25 after winning five straight games, but lost to unranked Virginia Tech Monday night.

North Carolina (22-7, 11-5) moved up a spot to No. 9 this week after stretching its winning streak to six games.

Neither can win the ACC title - top-ranked Virginia wrapped that up last week - but both a vying for first-round byes in the conference tournament. The Blue Devils also are hoping to lock up a coveted No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The not-so-neighborly teams separated by about 10 miles played an entertaining game their first meeting on Feb. 8.

North Carolina won it 82-78 after rallying from a 12-point deficit at the Smith Center.

''Once everybody got going, we proved to ourselves how good we can be,'' said North Carolina's Kenny Williams, who matched his career high with 20 points in that game.

Duke will be at home and has star freshman Marvin Bagley III back after he missed two weeks with a sprained knee.

Find a way to watch this one.

AAC SHOWDOWN

Wichita State's move to the American Athletic Conference was a big boost to the Shockers, putting them in a strong conference that should help them come NCAA Tournament seeding time.

It also has strengthened the conference and created some stellar matchups.

A big one comes on Sunday, when No. 10 Cincinnati plays at No. 11 Wichita State.

The Bearcats (25-4, 14-2) lead the ACC by a game over the Shockers (23-5, 13-3), who won the teams' first meeting 76-72 at Cincinnati. Landry Shamut scored 19 points and Wichita State ended the nation's longest home winning streak at 39 games in that game.

The Bearcats will certainly looking for payback in this budding rivalry.

BIG 10 BEGINS

The Big 10 is the first Power 5 league to play its conference tournament, kicking off Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.

No. 15 Michigan is the only one of conference's ranked teams that starts on Thursday, facing the winner between Iowa and Illinois.

No. 2 Michigan State, the regular-season champion, plays the Maryland-Wisconsin winner and No. 13 Ohio State gets the Penn State-Northwestern winner. No. 8 Purdue has to wait two games to find out who it will play among Indiana, Minnesota and Rutgers.

WCC REPEAT?

No. 7 Gonzaga and No. 22 Saint Mary's appear to be on a collision course to meet in the West Coast Conference title game for the eighth time in 10 seasons.

The Bulldogs (27-4) won the regular-season title for the 18th time in 19 seasons after going through the conference schedule 17-1. Gonzaga's only loss was to Saint Mary's and the Zags avenged that with a convincing 78-65 win in Moraga. The Gaels (16-2) had a surprising loss after that game, paving the way to Gonzaga's regular-season title.

Gonzaga opens against Loyola Marymount or Portland on Saturday and Saint Mary's gets the Santa Clara-Pepperdine winner.

[StarDust Bum]

Dinero Tracker - Feb. 27
February 27, 2018


Read the Dinero Tracker's mission statement here
Last night's ATS Records
NBA: 2-3 | NCAA BB: 4-3

Following up a 29-11 day in college by going 3-9 wasn't ideal. There were some heinous finishes in the mix, so you can find the best details below. Following up an 8-1 night in NBA with a 5-3 was a decent follow-up, but the 76ers unexpectedly slumped on the road to keep it from being far better. Both sets of guarantees came in for a third straight day. Here is Sunday's recap, complete with some of the highlights (and lowlights):

TUESDAY'S FREE SELECTION

The pick: Bulls +10.5
The Hornets have come out of the All-Star break with great purpose, running their streak of wins by 15 or more points to three games by taking care of the Wizards and Pistons. Buzz City should continue its push with a victory here, but the additional points the Bulls are getting coming in on the second night of a back-to-back may be too generous. Zach LaVine didn't play last night and will participate here, while the team's depth should give Fred Hoiberg fresh options to throw out there at Charlotte. Dwight Howard has been fantastic, but we can always count on him to leave a few points behind at the free-throw line. Either by hanging around for 48 minutes or slithering in through an open back door, I'm bullish on Chicago covering. Take the points.

MONDAY'S FREE SELECTION

The pick: Lakers ML -118
Although the danger existed that the young impressionable Laker lads might get swallowed up by Atlanta's evening delights, everyone should be in the mix to try and continue a road trip that hits Miami and San Antonio next. They'll have a few days in South Florida to monitor before the next move, but I like them to continue a surge that will produce their fourth winning streak of at least three games since 2018 began. They failed to win more than consecutive games over the season's first three months, but are clearly playing much better and won't regress with Lonzo Ball back. Atlanta just bought out Ersan Ilyasova, will be missing key backup Malcolm Delaney and have to deal with the reality that there are more Lakers fans in Philips Arena tonight than Hawks faithful. Ride L.A. on the money line to avoid laying the 1.5 on the road.

Result: The freebie is on a nice little run, so lunch is on you next time we meet. The Lakers got off to a strong start and never trailed after the 3:14 mark of the first quarter, rolling to a 123-104 win. The Lakers overcame 23 turnovers by hitting 15 3-pointers and shooting 52 percent. L.A. also outrebounded Atlanta 59-41. We'll see if the Lakers can avoid the South Beach flu next time out. They're suddenly pretty deep.

MONDAY'S LOCK

The pick: Raptors -10
The Pistons have seen Blake Griffin slump of late and they didn't play well at all in yesterday's visit to Charlotte. Although they're just north of Detroit across the border, the Pistons are again going to struggle in an opposing arena, especially against a team with multiple point guards who can take advantage of Reggie Jackson's continued absence. The Raptors had won their five February games at Air Canada Centre by an average of nearly 24 points prior to Friday's loss to Milwaukee and own the league's best home record. They should crush Detroit. Ride Toronto, guaranteed.

Result: The Raptors won every quarter and turned a six-point halftime lead into a commanding 22-point edge before the third quarter was halfway through, ultimately winning 123-94. The NBA guarantee is on a 7-for-8 run, coming in for a fourth straight day after this one.

LOCK THAT DIDN'T CLICK

The pick: Kansas -10.5
Mo Bamba is nursing an injured toe and is now dealing with controversy over extra benefits, so it remains to be seen whether he's played his last game at Texas. The future lottery pick is the key to Texas' success at both ends of the floor given the fact attrition has limited its quality depth, so his absence is a complete deal-breaker on taking the points. Considering it's also Senior Night in Lawrence and the team can celebrate another Big 12 title, conditions are ripe for a blowout. Lay the points and ride Kansas, guaranteed.

Result: My run of six straight college locks came to an end in painful fashion here. Although the number started at 9, the number reached 12 as news of Bamba's absence became official, so Kansas' 80-70 win just missed delivering on the cover. The Longhorns won the second half 38-35, showing heart in a game they were really never in after the first few minutes. Texas connected on a few huge open 3-pointers down the stretch and should be commended for not hanging its head despite being shorthanded. When Dylan Osetkowski fouled out, I thought this was in the bag. Coming up just short was a tough way to see the streak end.

BAD BEAT BULLETIN

The pick: Celtics/Grizzlies UNDER 203.5
The Celtics will have Aron Baynes back in the lineup and got quality contributions from Daniel Theis in his absence, so they'll have options against Marc Gasol, who will return to the lineup after a rest day. With Andrew Harrison set to pester Kyrie Irving, this has the makings of a sloppy game and will likely be non-competitive down the stretch. Typically, you need two teams to reach a total. Ride the under.

Result: I was channeling that Leo DiCaprio "Wolf of Wall Street" meme where he's losing his mind after this one failed to land safely. Despite Boston scoring 67 first-half points, we were still in position to come out a winner here due to how lopsided this was, but Memphis scored 57 second-half points as JaMychal Green couldn't miss a shot and Shane Larkin was having fun running the Celtics offense. With under four minutes left, the Celtics' lead was down to 98-85, which put us in great position to come in under the posted total with a few misses and some milking of the shot clock. Instead, nine of the next 11 possessions resulted in points. That put this game at 107-93 entering the final minute, so we still had a shot. Abdel Nader hit two free throws, Jarrell Martin hit a 3-pointer and Brice Johnson got a dunk that actually helped cover the 11.5-point spread in a 109-98 loss. Condolences to any Celtics-backers. My under beat was equally as painful.

TOTAL RECALL

The pick: Lipscomb/Stetson OVER 158.5
Lipscomb should advance in this A-Sun Tournament quarterfinal, but the No. 2 seed is being saddled with a 12-point spread, which could be problematic to cover since the Hatters do shoot the ball well. Casey Alexander will have his team pushing at all costs -- one of the reasons they average 81.7 poins -- so look for Stetson to be able to put up points as well since they're unlikely to be able to get this pace slowed down to their liking. Ride the over.  

Result: I was extremely tempted by laying points with the Bison, but just thought the dozen was too rich. It kept me from an in-game parlay, because the teams came through on clearing the total. Lipscomb won 89-73.

UPSET CITY

The pick: North Florida +6.5
The Ospreys have a number of guards who can really push tempo and fill it up, and they won't be lacking for confidence considering they just won at home over NJIT 86-75 on Feb. 17. UNF lost to the Highlanders in Jersey 91-59 in their first visit this season, but that game seems to have influenced this spread too much. Look for an aggressive performance from the visitors and ride North Florida and the over in this Atlantic Sun quarterfinal.

Result: North Florida got off to a tremendous start, capitalizing on an awful early offensive effort to build a 39-19 halftime lead at NJIT. The Highlanders predictably rallied, but couldn't get even and fell 80-76 in a 5-over-4 upset. We just missed on this in-game parlay, coming up a 3-pointer short.

CARDIAC ATTACK

The pick: Georgetown/Marquette OVER 157.5
This feels like a game where the team that has the ball last will wind up pulling out the win. With Marquette getting guard Markus Howard back, they'll have enough shotmakers to win on the road, but will have to overcome Marcus Derrickson's ability to go inside-outside and a likely big night from Jesse Govan in the post. Ride the over.

Result: While there were some unfortunate moments on Monday, we were blessed with some good luck too. The Hoyas and Golden Eagles were on track to deliver this total all night until the final few minutes of regulation, where both teams hit a lull. Sam Hauser hit a 3-pointer with 2.9 seconds left to make it 78-76 and it looked like this bet was toast, but Hoyas guard Jonathan Mulmore somehow raced down the court inside three ticks for an uncontested layup that bought us an extra five minutes. Did they start the clock late? It was incredible. Marquette ended up with a 90-86 OT win, draining 18 3-pointers.

SWING AND A MISS

The pick: Kennesaw State +3.5
The Dolphins have been pounded today, going from a pick’em when this line was unveiled to where this line is right now, where you can get more than a possession approaching the start of this A-Sun Tournament. Although the Dolphins will be at home, they have lost key guard JD Notae, a capable defender and one of the team’s best shooters. Al Skinner coaches the Owls and got some improvement from his group down the stretch. It wouldn’t be surprising to see them win this outright. Ride Kennesaw State plus the points.

Result: The betting markets had this one right. Notae's absence was overcome effectively by JU, which held serve at home 87-68. I've been to Swisher Gym a number of times in my life, and every instance was far more entertaining that what I saw via stream last night. Still, it can never be said that I don't love the A-Sun!

PROOF OF CLAIRVOYANCE

The pick: Duke/Virginia Tech UNDER 155
Both teams are likely to ride their zone heavily, so the key to this game winding up lower-scoring than expected will be avoiding any shooters catching fire and ensuring the Hokies don't get going in transition. Avoiding overtime obviously is key too, but otherwise, the under is a solid total play.

Result: This was never in doubt, so all we had to do was avoid overtime as Duke melted down in the final minutes. Virginia Tech won 64-63 in a game where both teams committed to zone, resulting in this final score falling 28 points shy of the posted total.

[StarDust Bum]

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

OKST at ISU 07:00 PM
ISU +2.5
O 151.5

MIZZ at VAN 07:00 PM
VAN -2.0
O 144.5

M-OH at KENT 07:00 PM
M-OH +3.5
O 140.0

BALL at CMU 07:00 PM
BALL +1.0
O 150.0

JOES at URI 07:00 PM
JOES +13.5
U 147.0

AKR at BUFF 07:00 PM
BUFF -15.0
O 159.5

EMU at WMU 07:00 PM
WMU -3.5
O 136.5

BGSU at OHIO 07:00 PM
BGSU +4.0
O 151.0

TENN at MSST 07:00 PM
TENN +1.5
U 138.5

FLA at ALA 07:00 PM
ALA +1.0
U 139.0


***************************

TOL at NIU 08:00 PM
TOL -4.5
O 153.5

OKLA at BAY 09:00 PM
BAY -3.5
U 154.0

DAV at SBON 09:00 PM
SBON -1.5
U 145.5

KSU at TCU 09:00 PM
KSU +6.5
U 146.5

DEP at CRE 09:00 PM
DEP +9.0
O 153.5

AUB at ARK 09:00 PM
ARK -1.0
U 160.5

MIA at UNC 09:00 PM
MIA +10.0
U 151.5

BSU at SDSU 11:00 PM
BSU +5.0
O 144.0

[StarDust Bum]

Top 26 Capsules
February 27, 2018

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) Ja'Quan Newton hit a running 30-footer at the horn to help Miami upset No. 9 North Carolina 91-88 in a wild finish Tuesday night.

Newton's heave off his left foot came immediately after UNC's Joel Berry II hit a tough 3 of his own to tie the game with 4.1 seconds left. Miami pushed the ball upcourt for Newton's shot over Berry, then the Hurricanes immediately mobbed Newton near midcourt.

The shot capped a game that saw Miami (21-8, 10-7 Atlantic Coast Conference) squander a 16-point second-half lead.

Chris Lykes scored 18 points to lead Miami, which shot 55 percent.

Berry matched his career high with 31 points for the Tar Heels (22-8, 11-6), who lost their final home game to snap a six-game winning streak.

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ARKANSAS 91, No. 14 AUBURN 82

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) - Daniel Gafford had 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead Arkansas to its sixth win in seven games.

Gafford was 10 of 15 from the field, including seven dunks, and matched his career high with seven blocks for the Razorbacks (21-9, 10-7 Southeastern Conference), who won for the fourth time at home over a ranked team this season.

Mustapha Heron scored 28 points and Jared Harper had 20 to lead the Tigers (24-6, 12-5), who could have clinched at least a share of the regular season SEC title with a win.

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No. 16 TENNESSEE 76, MISSISSIPPI STATE 54

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) - Admiral Schofield had 24 points and Lamonte Turner added 12 for the Volunteers, who pulled away in the second half.

Schofield also had seven rebounds and shot 9 of 18 from the field for the Volunteers (22-7, 12-5 SEC), who made 13 of their final 15 field goal attempts.

Quinndary Weatherspoon led Mississippi State (21-9, 9-8) with 17 points. Nick Weatherspoon had 11 points and Aric Holman finished with 10 for the Bulldogs.

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SAINT JOSEPH'S 78, No. 17 RHODE ISLAND 48

KINGSTON, R.I. (AP) - James Demery scored 21 points and Taylor Funk had 17 for Saint Joseph's.

Shavar Newkirk added 14 points for the Hawks (14-15, 9-8 A 10), who posted their first true road victory over a ranked team since beating No. 15 Georgetown on Jan. 2, 1979.

Jared Terrell scored 19 points with seven rebounds and E.C. Matthews had 13 points for Rhode Island (23-5, 15-2). It was the Rams' second loss in four games after a school record 16-game winning streak.