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North Carolina has scored 70+ points in each of their last 15 NCAA Tournament games, the longest streak since Kentucky did so in 20 straight games from 1996-99.
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Nevada In An Unfamiliar Spot As Underdog vs Cincinnati
The Nevada Wolf Pack were the class of the Mountain West Conference this season, which means they have only rarely found themselves as a betting underdog. Through its Round of 64 game vs Texas, Nevada has only closed as the dog four times this season but went an underwhelming 1-3 SU and ATS in those outings. The Wolf Pack will be pups for the fifth time this season when they take on the Cincinnati Bearcats in the Round of 32 on Sunday.
Nevada managed to win its first outing of the NCAA Tournament vs Texas in what might be the most exciting game so far this March. Nevada’s explosive offense started slow but the Wolf Pack shot 60 percent and scored 61 points in the second half and overtime. The game was a microcosm of what we have come to expect from Eric Musselman’s team: a high-powered offense and a mediocre – at best – defense.
Cincinnati made it this far on the back of Jarron Cumberland, who set career highs with 27 points and 11 rebounds in a Round of 64 game against Georgia State. Outside of Cumberland, the rest of the Bearcats struggled offensively by shooting a combined 35.6 percent from the field and 26.3 percent from beyond the arc. Defensively, Cincy did exactly what we all expected the team to do but finding more offensive consistency is going to be vital.
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings ...
The Cincinnati Bearcats sport a record of 31-4 and 19-15 ATS heading into this betting matchup, while the Nevada Wolf Pack have 28-7 and 17-15-3 ATS marks on the season. The OVER/UNDER records are 13-21 for the Bearcats and 18-17 for the Wolf Pack.
This college basketball game matches up the No. 2 (Cincinnati) and the No. 23 (Nevada) teams in the league, according to our current NCAA basketball power rankings.
Statistical Matchup ...
Scoring and defensive stats point to some betting edges in this matchup. The game features Cincinnati's No. 127-ranked scoring average of 74.29 PPG, against a Nevada defense rated No. 155 and allowing 73.17 PPG. The Bearcats' FG% has averaged 45.08% to date this season, less than the Wolf Pack shooters have managed so far (46.96% per game).
Recent Outings Betting Recap ...
Nevada earned an 87-83 victory over Texas on Friday, getting 22 points from Kendall Stephens at Bridgestone Arena.
Georgia State was victimized for 27 points and 11 rebounds by Jarron Cumberland as the Bearcats bested the Panthers 68-53 in college basketball action on Friday.Comment
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Auburn is on a bad betting slide ahead of matchup with Clemson
Clemson vs Auburn certainly sounds like a sexy football matchup, but they’ll face off Sunday evening on the hardwood in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The game opened with a spread of -1 favoring Auburn, making this the smallest spread of any Round of 32 game. Auburn has been slumping at the betting window, dropping five straight ATS with three outright losses in those games.
Auburn is 7-17 SU in its last 24 games in March.
The total has gone UNDER in Auburn’s last three games.
Clemson is 6-2 ATS in its last eight games after consecutive ATS wins.
Auburn survived a scare in its first-round matchup vs No. 13-seeded College of Charleston, squeaking out a 62-58 victory. Luckily for Auburn backers, Clemson isn’t playing its best basketball of the season either, posting a 4-5 SU record over its last nine games.
Clemson has one of the top defenses of the remaining teams in the tourney, allowing 65.9 points per game. This could be the difference in this game as Auburn allows 72.8 points per game — bad enough for 173rd in the nation.
With a total hovering in the 146-point range, bettors will be interested to know that the total has gone UNDER in nine straight Clemson games vs SEC teams. Coincidence, possibly, but keep in mind that Clemson has been involved in some very low-scoring games over the past month. This includes four games that finished with 123 combined points or less.
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings ...
Supporters of the Clemson Tigers have watched them go 24-9 and 18-12 ATS on the college basketball season, while the Auburn Tigers are at 26-7 and 19-12 ATS. In totals betting, Auburn is 15-16, while Clemson has a 16-13-1 mark.
The odds would favor Auburn if the lines were set according to our power ranks. Auburn is rated No. 10 in the current OddsShark poll, while Clemson is at No. 135.
Statistical Matchup ...
Rating these schools in several key categories is important for handicappers and Auburn has the nation's No. 17-rated offensive output, at 82.73 PPG. The visiting Clemson defense ranks No. 26 allowing on average 65.88 PPG. The Clemson FG% has averaged 43.66% so far, less than the Auburn marksmen have achieved on the year, 45.64% per game.
Recent Outings Betting Recap ...
Shelton Mitchell scored 23 points leading Clemson to a 79-68 victory over New Mexico State at Viejas Arena on Friday.
Auburn got 16 points from Mustapha Heron to get past College of Charleston 62-58 on Friday at Viejas Arena.Comment
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2nd HALF STEAM :
TEXAS A&M AGGIES +8Comment
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Can UMBC continue to shock the world vs Kansas State?
The UMBC Retrievers were supposed to just be happy to be there. The No. 16 seed did the unthinkable and rocked the NCAA Tournament like no other team has by defeating No. 1 seed Virginia. The Retrievers opened as double-digit dogs to continue their magical run vs the Kansas State Wildcats.
Kansas State is 17-1 SU in its last 18 games on Sunday.
Kansas State is 17-2 SU as a favorite this season.
Jairus Lyles leads UMBC at 20.5 points per game this season.
The Retrievers played out of their minds vs Virginia, knocking down 50 percent of their shots from three-point range (12 of 24) and completely neutralizing the Cavaliers’ patented pack-line defense. Jairus Lyles scored 28 points and helped UMBC to light up the scoreboard with 74 points, which is impressive considering Virginia only allowed 53.4 points per game all season (ranked first in the NCAA).
It’s hard to envision UMBC continuing its magical run but the Retrievers have been on a roll lately at 9-1 SU in their last 10 games and have covered in four straight. After beating a 1 seed, anything is possible with all conventional wisdom needing to be taken with a grain of salt.
As for the Wildcats, they did not leave the arena thinking their opponent would be UMBC on Sunday. This means K-State should be feeling confident it can play better perimeter defense than Virginia did vs the Retrievers, as the Wildcats limited Creighton to only 59 points and 9-for-34 from three-point range (26.5 percent) in their first-round victory.
If bettors are thinking of backing Kansas State, the trends they need to know are that the Wildcats are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games in March and 3-1 ATS in the last four games overall. Coming out of the Big 12 has seasoned this Wildcats squad to be ready for stiff competition and it shouldn’t shock anyone this time around if UMBC falls after such an emotional high.
The total opened at 135.5 and the UNDER should be the profitable angle in this matchup. Kansas State holds teams to an average of 67.9 points per game and was masterful with its perimeter defense vs Creighton. The Wildcats have only topped 70 points twice in their last seven games and should be able to clamp down on the Retrievers’ scorers.
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings ...
The UMBC Retrievers will try to spoil the party and cover the point spread on Sunday; they are 10-2 against the betting line this season, while the Kansas State Wildcats are 15-16 ATS. The Retrievers are 5-6-1 on betting the total; the Wildcats are 11-19-1.
The OddsShark Power Rankings have the Wildcats at No. 224 and the Retrievers at No. 265 heading into this college basketball betting matchup.
Recent Outings Betting Recap ...
UMBC cruised to victory on Friday, running Virginia out of the gym and running up a 74-54 score at Spectrum Center.
Barry Brown scored 18 points to lead the Wildcats to a 69-59 victory over Creighton at Spectrum Center on Friday.Comment
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CG Technology ...
CLEM-AUB ... Seeing good two-way action.
In UMBC-KANST ... public backing Kansas State against spread (-10) but also taking flier on 16 seed UMBC moneyline at +400. Hoping for another big upset
Neither game seeing much sharp play.Comment
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Sweet 16
Kentucky -5½ vs. Kansas State
Nevada -2½ vs. Loyola Chicago
Michigan -3 vs. Texas A&M
Gonzaga -6½ vs. Florida State
Villanova -5 vs. West Virginia
Purdue -1½ vs. Texas Tech
Duke -11½ vs. Syracuse
Kansas -4 vs. ClemsonComment
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Dogs went 7-1 ATS Sunday with 5 upsets
Unders went 5-3Comment
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Dogs have taken the lead at 24-22-1 ATS (not counting Nevada/Texas at PK)
Unders 28-10 (58.3%)Comment
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In the first two rounds of the Tournament, underdogs of more than 5 points won 7 games straight-up
In the last 20 years, that ties the 1998 tourney for the most such wins in the first two roundsComment
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4th time since expansion in 1985 that just 7 Top-4 seeds reach Sweet 16 (2000, 1990, 1986)Comment
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1st time since 2004 only 4 teams seeded 1 or 2 reach Sweet 16Comment
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Duke -11.5 vs Syracuse in Sweet 16.
Since 1985, been 23 Sweet 16 games with line of 11 points or more. Only one lost outright - Duke in 2002 as a 13-point favorite over Indiana.Comment
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A&M just the sixth team since 2005 to win a NCAA tourney game by more than 20 points as an underdog of more than 3 pts
In next game, previous five teams went 2-3 SU and ATSComment
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This is 1st time ever that 4 top-4 seeds suffered losses of 20+ points in a single NCAA Tournament.Comment
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