Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
The college basketball top 25 predictions, TV schedules, game previews, and game times for Tuesday, February 16th
The college basketball top 25 predictions, TV schedules, game previews, and game times for Tuesday, February 16th
Results So Far: SU 80-27, ATS 55-51, o/u: 62-43-1
Photo Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
The college basketball top 25 predictions, TV schedules, game previews, and game times for Saturday, February 13th
The college basketball top 25 predictions, TV schedules, game previews, and game times for Saturday, February 13th
Results So Far: SU 66-20, ATS 46-39, o/u: 51-33-1
Photo Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
The college basketball top 25 predictions, TV schedules, game previews, and game times for Wednesday, February 10th
The college basketball top 25 predictions, TV schedules, game previews, and game times for Wednesday, February 10th
Results So Far: SU 56-19, ATS 41-34, o/u: 43-31-1
Photo Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
The college basketball top 25 predictions, TV schedules, game previews, and game times for Saturday, February 6th
The college basketball top 25 predictions, TV schedules, game previews, and game times for Saturday, February 6th
Results So Far: SU 37-15, ATS 29-23, o/u: 29-23
Photo Credit: Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports
The college basketball top 25 predictions, TV schedules, game previews, and game times for Wednesday, February 3rd
The college basketball top 25 predictions, TV schedules, game previews, and game times for Wednesday, February 3rd
Results So Far: SU 32-10, ATS 23-19, O/U: 24-18
Photo Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
The college basketball top 25 predictions, TV schedules, game previews, and game times for Tuesday, February 2nd
The college basketball top 25 predictions, TV schedules, game previews, and game times for Tuesday, February 2nd
Photo Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
The college basketball top 25 predictions, TV schedules, game previews, and game times for Tuesday, January 26th
The college basketball top 25 predictions, TV schedules, game previews, and game times for Tuesday, January 26th
[jwplayer Nqif2Uus]
7:00 ESPN2
Line: Texas -4.5, o/u: 143
– Bet on this at BetMGM
7:00 ESPN
Line: Alabama -8, o/u: 147
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7:00 SEC Network
Line: Tennessee -10, o/u: 130.5
– Bet on this at BetMGM
8:30 CBS Sports Network
Line: Saint Louis -10, o/u: 136
– Bet on this at BetMGM
9:00 ESPN2
Line: Auburn -2.5, o/u: 148.5
– Bet on this at BetMGM
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The college basketball top 25 predictions, TV schedules, game previews, and game times for Saturday, January 23rd
The college basketball top 25 predictions, TV schedules, game previews, and game times for Saturday, January 23rd
Photo Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Analyzing the 2020 American Athletic Conference Tournament odds and futures, with sports betting picks, tips and best bets.
The 2020 American Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament kicks off Thursday at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Tex. There are a few teams from the AAC which should be shoe-ins for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid, should they come up short for a championship bid. A few others are on the bubble, and need impressive showings, and help in other tourneys, to catch the eye of the selection committee. Below, we look at the futures odds to win the AAC tournament.
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednsday, March 11 at 11 a.m. ET.
Regular-season record: (23-8, 13-5 AAC)
The Cougars will have a lot less pressure than some of the teams below them, as they’re a lock for a bid to the dance. They’re simply playing for seeding at this point and could use a couple of wins to bump them up. They could be on the 8-line right now, which would give them a coin-flip game in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Get some action on this event or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.
Houston scratched out a win and non-cover against a solid Memphis side over the weekend in the regular-season finale. The Cougars have the defense to make at least an Elite Eight run if they’re on top of their game. They ranked 12th in the nation in points allowed (62.1 points per game), and they ranked seventh in defensive field-goal percentage (38.3). While Houston isn’t the best scoring team, posting just 72.3 PPG on offense, checking in a middling 135th, it creates plenty of second chances, ranking second in the country in offensive rebounding.
The FAVORITE IS WORTH A BET AT +200, as the Cougars are the class of the AAC.
Regular-season record: (20-10, 13-5 AAC)
The Bearcats stumbled down the stretch, going just 5-3 straight up and 1-7 against the spread across their final eight games. File that away if you bet their games individually going forward. As far as winning the AAC Tournament, the Bearcats are a talented team, especially defensively. While not as tenacious as Houston, Cincy did rank 31st in the country in defensive FG% (39.8). G Jarron Cumberland (15.5 points, 4.9 assists) is a talented scorer, and 7-foot-1 C Chris Vogt had 1.6 blocked shots per outing with F Tre Scott cleaning the glass to the tune of 10.5 rebounds per game with 1.5 steals per outing. CINCINNATI IS WORTH A SMALL-UNIT BET AT +350, but don’t get ridiculous.
Regular-season record: (23-8, 11-7 AAC)
The Shockers certainly made plenty of waves, rising from mid-major power in the Missouri Valley Conference to an invitation to the AAC. After a brief adjustment period, the Shockers are doing what we’ve come to expect from them – win a lot of games. While they lost two road games to Cincinnati and Memphis down the stretch, a 22-point win in the final over a good Tulsa team snapped them back on track. WICHITA STATE IS A GOOD VALUE BET AT +400.
Regular-season record: (21-10, 13-5 AAC)
The Golden Hurricane were humbled by 22 points at Wichita in the finale. Tulsa beat the teams they were supposed to beat, and were hammered by the good teams. A 33-point loss in Houston Feb. 19 was also alarming. They’ll be a good NIT team, and a loss Friday in their first game, potentially against Memphis, wouldn’t be surprising. AVOID.
Regular-season record: (21-10, 10-8 AAC)
The Tigers had a chance to get off the bubble with a win in Houston in the finale. While they covered, they faltered, and covers do not impress the committee. Memphis likely needs at least two wins, perhaps three, to feel comfortable on selection Saturday. If the Tigers still had James Weisman in the middle, their chances of winning here would be better. They’re a good defensive team, but offensively they’re rather bland. A SMALL-UNIT PLAY TO WIN THE AAC AT +600 is OK, as their defense is good enough, but they’re a better bet in individual games against the spread and on Under plays.
Regular-season record: (19-12, 10-8 AAC)
UConn is on the bubble, and likely needs at least a run to the final to have a chance at an NCAA bid. The Huskies are matched up with Tulane in the 5-12 matchup, a team they scraped by 80-76 in the regular-season finale. They won both meetings with Tulane, but went 0-2 ATS. The good news is UConn enters this tournament on a five-game winning streak. Still, the Huskies are a mediocre team, and their odds are rather inflated based upon that. Not a good value, so AVOID.
Regular-season record: (19-11, 9-9 AAC)
The Mustangs looked like a certain NCAA team, but they ended the regular season on a 1-5 SU/ATS slide, including shocking road losses to Tulane, UCF and South Florida. There’s a reason UConn is a 19-win team and just +600, and SMU has a better record but are long shots. What have you done for me lately? AVOID.
Regular-season record: (14-17, 6-12 AAC)
The Owls could spring a mild upset over a skidding SMU in the first round, but that’s as far as they go. They enter on their own five-game slide. It seems like regular-season wins over USC, Texas A&M and Wichita State were in another century. AVOID.
Regular-season record: (16-14, 7-11 AAC)
The Knights won their final two regular-season games, and they won at Cincinnati Feb. 19. They split with first-round opponent South Florida, so they could win one game, but they’re not going far. AVOID.
Regular-season record: (14-17, 7-11 AAC)
The Bulls won’t be on parade. They did top SMU in the regular-season finale and won in Memphis Feb. 8, but their opening game vs. UCF is a toss-up. If they win that one, they go no further. AVOID.
Regular-season record: (11-20, 5-13 AAC)
The Pirates lost their final three games of the regular season, and are the only 20-loss team in the AAC. They beat SMU Jan. 11 but also lost by 20 to the Mustangs. That’s a microcosm of their season, and how inconsistent, and awful, they can be. AVOID.
Regular-season record: (12-18, 4-14 AAC)
The Green Wave opened 7-1 SU/6-2 ATS, and looked like they were in line for a big season, including a win in Utah. They also beat Cincinnati and SMU at home, but this game isn’t in New Orleans, and they dropped five of their last six away from their home floor. The Green Wave will crash early in this tourney. AVOID.
Want some action on this tournament? Place a bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.
Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
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Analyzing the 2020 Big 12 Tournament odds and futures, with sports betting picks, tips and best bets.
The 2020 Big 12 Conference Tournament kicks off Wednesday at Sprint Center in Kansas City. The tournament features two matchups Wednesday, and four battles Thursday. The Kansas Jayhawks secured the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament, and a handful of teams are in good shape for at-large bids whether they win the tourney or not, while others need a deep run. Below, we look at the futures odds to win the Big 12 tournament.
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday, March 11 at 10:45 a.m. ET.
Regular-season record: (28-3, 17-1 Big 12)
The Jayhawks enter the tourney as the hottest team in the conference, winners of 16 in a row. They’re also a very impressive 7-2 ATS across their past nine outings, so remember that as you bet single games through the postseason. Kansas is likely to land as one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament barring an absolute disaster in their first game in this tournament.
Get some action on this event or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.
Kansas will be challenged by Baylor, a team they split with during the regular season. They won in Waco against the Bears 64-61 Feb. 22, so if they match up in the Final, expect to sweat out every minute. They’ll have a pro-Jayhawks crowd filling the seats in Kansas City, so that adds to their chances.
The FAVORITE IS WORTH A BET AT +105, as the Jayhawks are on a tear right now.
Regular-season record: (26-4, 15-3 Big 12)
The Bears looked like they were a slam-dunk No. 1 seed for most of the season, but they faltered down the stretch, going 2-3 straight up and 1-4 against the spread, losing to Kansas, at TCU and at West Virginia in the final month. As such, they’re not nearly as strong of a play as the favored Jayhawks. In fact, it’s Kansas, and then the drop-off is precipitous.
If you pick two teams to play, BAYLOR IS WORTH A SMALL-UNIT BET AT +315, but they’re playing their worst ball of the season.
Regular-season record: (21-10, 9-9 Big 12)
The Mountaineers humbled Baylor 76-63 in the regular-season finale March 7, bouncing back after a late three-game skid, and a 1-6 SU stretch between Feb. 8-29. Their late-season swoon really makes this a wide-open tourney, especially if Kansas somehow stumbles. Still, the Mountaineers were really bad down the stretch, and they played .500 ball in the conference. There’s not much value at this price. AVOID.
Regular-season record: (18-13, 9-9 Big 12)
The Red Raiders gave Kansas a scare in the regular-season finale, but they dropped each of their past four to go from an NCAA Tournament certainly to a bubble team in need of some quality wins. They got hot last season en route to their first-ever Final Four. Can they do it again? A four-game skid to close out the season suggests otherwise. AVOID.
Regular-season record: (19-12, 9-9 Big 12)
The Sooners might be the best value on the entire board. Some talking heads have them projected as a 9-seed for the NCAA Tournament, but they will likely breathe easier on Selection Sunday with a win or two in this tournament. Like Baylor, Texas Tech and West Virginia, the Sooner had their issues down the stretch. They lost three in a row from Feb. 15-22, although two of those losses were to Baylor and Kansas, so there’s no shame in that.
A SMALL-UNIT PLAY TO WIN THE BIG 12 AT +1600 IS A GREAT VALUE. Their defense ranks 36th in the country with a 39.9 defensive field-goal percentage. They’re also 20th in the nation in free-throw percentage at 76.6.
Regular-season record: (19-12, 9-9 Big 12)
The Longhorns looked to be rolling into the postseason, winning and covering five in a row from Feb. 19-March 3; however, they were smashed 81-59 at home by a mediocre Oklahoma State team, casting doubt on their viability and landing them right back on the bubble in need of two wins to realistically have a shot at the NCAA Tournament, if not an overall win. Confidence is low, as they were swept by Baylor, swept by Kansas and went 1-1 against Texas Tech and West Virginia. AVOID.
Regular-season record: (16-15, 7-11 Big 12)
The Horned Frogs were a thorn in people’s sides down the stretch, and they even beat Baylor Feb. 29 by a 75-72 count in Fort Worth. They were 2-4 SU/3-3 ATS in their final six games, and they lost two games to Kansas by a total of 23 points, showing they have nothing for the top seed. They also had an ugly 46-point loss at Texas Tech Feb. 10 which sticks out like a sore thumb. AVOID.
Regular-season record: (17-14, 7-11 Big 12)
The Cowboys finished with three wins to close out the regular season, hotter than any lower seed. In a wide-open Big 12, they have just as good of a chance as any to run to the Final, but can they beat Kansas? They lost by 15 and 25 to the Jayhawks, and were swept by Baylor by a total of 15 points. They were also pounded by West Virginia in two games by an average of 16 points. AVOID.
Regular-season record: (10-21, 3-15 Big 12)
K-State lost 10 straight games from Feb. 1 to March 4 before winning the final against Iowa State. Nothing to see here. AVOID.
Regular-season record: (12-19, 5-13 Big 12)
The Cyclones dropped 10 of their final 13 contests, and they were 1-5 ATS in their final six, so remember that for their first-round matchup. I-State lost two games to Kansas by a total of 46 points, two to Baylor by a total of 27, etc. No chance the Cyclones find any magic. AVOID.
Want some action on this tournament? Place a bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.
Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
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