Friday's NCAAB Midwest Region betting cheat sheet
No. 15 New Mexico St. Aggies vs. No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks (-10.5, 132)
After losing the Big 12 title game, Kansas looks to regroup as the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region with a second-round matchup against No. 15 seed New Mexico State on Friday in Omaha, Neb. The Jayhawks, who have made 26 straight appearances, fell 70-66 to Iowa State on Saturday, which killed their chances at a No. 1 seed and may have factored in their tough road to the Final Four. Kansas could meet Wichita State in the third round and undefeated Kentucky looms as the region's top seed.
By the time Friday rolls around, the Aggies will have gone more than two months since their last defeat as they carry a 13-game winning streak into their fourth consecutive appearance in the Big Dance. Led by a pair of WAC first-teamers in Freshman of the Year Pascal Siakam and senior Daniel Mullings, New Mexico State is looking to end a string of seven straight losses in the Tournament since a win over Nebraska in 1993. The victor meets either No. 7 seed Wichita State or No. 10 seed Indiana in the third round Sunday.
TRENDS:
* New Mexico St. is 1-4 ATS in its last five versus the Big 12.
* Kansas is 1-5 ATS in its last six NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 4-1 in New Mexico St.'s last five NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 5-0 in Kansas' last five neutral site games.
No. 12 Buffalo Bulls vs. No. 5 West Virginia Mountaineers (-4.5, 149.5)
West Virginia, a No. 5 seed from the Big 12 Conference, faces Buffalo, a No. 12 seed from the Mid-American Conference, in an NCAA Tournament second-round Midwest Regional game Friday in Columbus, Ohio. The Mountaineers are back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012, when they lost their opener to Gonzaga 77-54. West Virginia has dropped three of its last four games, including an 80-70 setback against Baylor in a Big 12 Conference tournament quarterfinal Thursday.
Buffalo, which is coached by former Duke star player Bobby Hurley, is in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. The Bulls beat Central Michigan 89-84 on Saturday to win the Mid-American Conference tournament title and earn an automatic bid. Buffalo has an eight-game winning streak.
TRENDS:
* Buffalo is 4-0 ATS in its last four non-conference games.
* West Virginia is 6-2 ATS in its last eight versus the Mid-American conference.
* Over is 6-1 in Buffalo's last seven Friday games.
* Over is 4-0 in West Virginia'slast four games overall.
No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers vs. No. 7 Wichita State Shockers (-6, 140.5)
Indiana was considered a bubble team for the NCAA Tournament after finishing tied for seventh in the Big Ten regular season and winning one game at the conference tournament. The Hoosiers were awarded the No. 10-seed in the Midwest Region, however, and will open play Friday against No. 7 Wichita State in Omaha, Neb. Indiana started 5-1 in the Big Ten, including a win over conference runner-up Wisconsin, but hasn’t been able to string together two straight wins since.
The Shockers are coming off a loss to Illinois State in the Missouri Valley Conference semifinals - denying them a chance to defend their title - and face a key matchup at the starting point guard position, as red-hot Wichita State junior Fred VanVleet matches up against veteran Yogi Ferrell of the Hoosiers, a unanimous all-Big Ten first-team selection. VanVleet is averaging 16.4 points in the last five games to bump his season mark to 12.7, while Ferrell is averaging 18.7 in the last three to nudge his average to 16.1. Both players also have reliable sidekicks in the backcourt as Ron Baker averages a team-high 15 points for the Shockers and fellow shooting guard James Blackmon Jr. ranks second on Indiana at 15.8 points a game.
TRENDS:
* Indiana is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games versus the Missouri Valley Conference.
* Wichita State is 6-1 ATS in its last seven NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 13-3 in Indiana's last 16 non-conference games.
* Over is 4-1 in Wichita State's last five versus the Big Ten Conference.
No. 13 Valparaiso Crusaders vs. No. 4 Maryland Terrapins (-4.5, 123.5)
Maryland looks to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament when it begins its journey against Valparaiso in the second round in Columbus, Ohio. The Terrapins won a school-record 26 regular-season games in their inaugural campaign in the Big Ten before being bounced in the semifinals of the conference tournament by Michigan State. Fourth-seeded Maryland has won eight of its last nine games overall and hopes to make a splash in its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2010.
Thirteenth-seeded Valparaiso looks to advance to the round of 32 at the NCAA Tournament for the first time since making the Sweet 16 in 1998. The Crusaders won the Horizon League regular-season title before claiming the conference tournament championship to earn an automatic bid for the second time in three years. Valparaiso has won 10 of its last 11 games and would love nothing more than to add another tournament upset to its memorable collection.
TRENDS:
* Valparasio is 6-0 ATS in its last six games versus a team with a SU winning record.
* Maryland is 13-3 ATS in its last 16 neutral site games.
* Under is 4-0 in Valparasio's last four games versus the Big Ten Conference.
* Over is 4-0 in Maryland's last four NCAA Tournament games.
Friday's NCAAB East Region betting cheat sheet
No. 10 Georgia Bulldogs vs. No. 7 Michigan State Spartans (-6, 127)
As Michigan State prepares for its 18th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the Spartans must shake off a disappointing finish to the Big Ten tournament title game. Michigan State led by 11 with under eight minutes left against Wisconsin on Sunday before the Badgers closed regulation with a 23-12 run and then blanked the Spartans 11-0 in the extra session. Despite the loss, Tom Izzo's crew earned a No. 7 seed in the East Region and will face 10th-seeded Georgia on Friday in Charlotte, N.C.
Michigan State has won its first NCAA Tournament game in seven of the last eight seasons, while Georgia will be making its first trip to the field of 68 since 2011. The Bulldogs tied for third in the SEC standings and had won five of six before falling to Arkansas in the semifinals of the conference tournament. The Spartans had captured eight of 10 prior to the late collapse against the Badgers, although they still have the experience to make a deep run in the Big Dance.
TRENDS:
* Georgia is 5-1-1 ATS in its last seven non-conference games.
* Michigan State is 5-1 ATS in its last six non-conference games.
* Under is 6-1 in Georgia's last seven games versus the Big Ten Conference.
* Over is 5-0 in Michigan State's last five games versus the Southeastern Conference.
No. 12 Wyoming Cowboys vs. No. 5 Northern Iowa Panthers (-6, 110.5)
A standout season for Northern Iowa keeps getting better. The Panthers, who won the Missouri Valley Conference tournament and have matched the program’s single-season record for victories, followed up those feats Sunday by garnering the highest NCAA Tournament seed in its history. Northern Iowa is the fifth seed in the East Region and will face 12th-seeded Wyoming on Friday in Seattle.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, stole an NCAA bid and knocked an at-large team off the bubble by winning the Mountain West Conference tournament as a fourth seed Saturday in Las Vegas. The Cowboys finished 11-7 during Mountain West play but regrouped to post three hard-fought wins in the conference tourney and send Larry Shyatt to his first Big Dance in his 10 seasons as a head coach. Overall, it was the program's first conference tournament title since 1988 and its first trip to the NCAAs since 2002.
TRENDS:
* Wyoming is 2-12 ATS in its last 14 games after scoring less than 50 points in its previous game.
* Northern Iowa is 13-3-3 in its last 19 games overall.
* Over is 19-4 in Wyoming's last 23 games after scoring less than 50 points in its previous game.
* Over is 4-1 in Northern Iowa's last five games overall.
No. 15 Belmont Bruins vs. No. 2 Virginia Cavaliers (-17, 123)
Regular season ACC champion Virginia had its sights set on a second straight tournament title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament until getting stopped 61-57 by North Carolina in the conference semifinals. That loss dropped the Cavaliers to a two-seed in the East Region where they will open play against No. 15 Belmont on Friday in Charlotte, N.C. Virginia, which is in the field for back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1994-95, lost 61-59 to Michigan last season in the Sweet 16.
Virginia will be facing a seasoned Belmont squad that finished second in the Ohio Valley Conference but became the first team to qualify for the tournament when Taylor Barnette drilled a contested 3-pointer with 3.2 seconds left for an 88-87 victory over conference top-seed Murray State, which was a perfect 16-0 in regular-season play. Although the Bruins' 22 wins was their fewest since the 2008-09 season, Belmont qualified for the the NCAA tournament for the fourth time in five years and for the seventh time in the last 10 years. The Bruins are still seeking their first win in the Big Dance, although they did take second-seeded Duke to the brink in 2008 before dropping a 71-70 decision.
TRENDS:
* Belmont is 6-0 ATS in its last six games overall.
* Virginia is 6-0 ATS in its last six games following a SU loss.
* Over is 5-1 in Belmont's last six games following an ATS win.
* Under is 4-0 in Virginia's last four games following an ATS loss.
No. 13 UC Irvine Anteaters vs. No. 4 Louisville Cardinals (-8, 125)
When it comes to teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference, most of the attention will fall on Virginia and Duke - but don't sleep on the Louisville Cardinals, who open their 41st NCAA Tournament appearance Friday afternoon against UC Irvine in the East Regional in Seattle. Rick Pitino's crew comes into the tournament in a minor slump, splitting its last eight games. But the Cardinals turn it on at tournament time, reaching the Final Four in two of the past three years and winning it all in 2013.
The 13th-seeded Anteaters will be in tough spot against No. 4 Louisville, but come in on a 7-2 stretch and won three games in as many days - the last a 67-58 triumph over Hawaii - to capture the Big West title and earn their first-ever Tournament appearance. UC Irvine excelled at the defensive end, limiting opponents to an effective field goal percentage of 39.8. But the Cardinals are defensive powerhouses themselves, holding foes to 59.5 points per game.
TRENDS:
* UC Irvine is 5-0 ATS in its last five neutral site games.
* Louisville is 0-4-1 ATS in its last five non-conference games.
* Under is 14-3 in UC Irvine's last 17 non-conference games.
* Under is 4-1 in Louisville's last five non-conference games.
Friday's NCAAB West Region betting cheat sheet
(9) Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. (8) Oregon Ducks (-1.5, 136)
Le'Bryan Nash comes into the tournament after scoring a season-high 27 points and matching his career best of 12 rebounds in the previous game, a 15-point loss to Oklahoma in a Big 12 tournament quarterfinal. Nash, a 6-7, 235-pound wing, has accomplished something even Young hasn’t and that’s score in double figures in every game this season.
The Ducks were picked to finish eighth in the Pac-12 preseason media poll. One of the keys to slowing the Ducks is limiting the open looks by senior guard Joseph Young. He comes in tied for 12th in the nation at 20.2 points per game on a nation-leading 552 field goal attempts and has been held to fewer than 10 field goal attempts in just one game this season.
TRENDS:
* Over is 6-2 in Ducks last eight NCAA Tournament games.
* Cowboys are 1-4 ATS in their last five vs. Pacific-12.
* Ducks are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 Friday games.
(16) Coastal Carolina Chanticleers vs. (1) Wisconsin Badgers (-19.5, 129.5)
Senior guard Warren Gillis, who leads the Chanticleers with 13.1 points and 3.2 assists per game, poured in a game-high 22 points and handed out six assists in the win over Winthrop. Elijah Wilson scored 19 in a reserve role and was named the tournament MVP after averaging 20.3 points in three games. Coastal Carolina ranks fifth nationally with 39.8 rebounds per game, with Tristian Curtis corralling 30 in his last three outings.
Big Ten Player of the Year Frank Kaminsky, who tops the team in scoring (18.2) and rebounding (8.1), has finished in double digits in 27 straight games. Nigel Hayes went 12-of-12 from the foul line en route to 25 points as the Badgers came from behind to beat Michigan State 80-69 in overtime for their first Big Ten tournament title since 2008.
TRENDS:
* Over is 4-0 in Chanticleers last four neutral site games.
* Chanticleers are 6-1 ATS in their last seven neutral site games.
* Over is 4-0 in Chanticleers last four neutral site games.
Friday's NCAAB South Region betting cheat sheet
(16) Robert Morris Colonials vs. (1) Duke Blue Devils (-22.5, 144)
The Colonials, who have defeated top-seeded teams in Kentucky (2013) and St. John’s (2014) in their last two trips to the NIT, have been at their ball-hawking best over the last three games, averaging 13.3 steals after recording 12 against the Ospreys. Thanks to its 14th game with 10 or more steals, Robert Morris held a plus-14 edge in turnover margin and a significant 21-5 advantage in points off miscues.
Jahlil Okafor, who leads the team in scoring (17.7 points), rebounds (nine) and field-goal percentage (66.9), became the first freshman in league history to be named ACC Player of the Year. Justise Winslow (12.3 points, 5.9 boards) and Tyus Jones (11.6 points, 5.8 assists) each joined Okafor on the league’s all-freshman team, marking the first time that one school landed three players on the squad in conference history.
TRENDS:
* Colonials are 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.
* Under is 5-0 in Blue Devils last five neutral site games.
* Blue Devils are 2-6 ATS in their last eight NCAA Tournament games.
(10) Davidson Wildcats vs. (7) Iowa Hawkeyes (-2.5, 145.5)
Bench scoring has been a weak point the last two games for Davidson, and that lack of depth may hurt the Wildcats going forward. Davidson had a total of five points from the reserves compared to 27 for VCU on Saturday. Leading scorers Tyler Kalinoski (17.0) and Jack Gibbs (16.3) will have to carry the Wildcats if they plan on making it past the Hawkeyes to the second round.
The Hawkeyes concluded the regular season on a six-game winning streak but were knocked out of the Big Ten tournament early by Penn State. Leading scorer Aaron White enters the tournament on a recent hot streak, totaling at least 21 points in five straight games. Iowa had the second-best scoring defense in the Big Ten, limiting opponents to 61.9 points per game.
TRENDS:
* Under is 6-0 in Hawkeyes last six neutral site games.
* Wildcats are 7-0 ATS in their last seven non-conference games.
* Wildcats are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six vs. Big Ten.
(9) St. John's Red Storm vs. (8) San Diego State Aztecs (-4, 122.5)
The Red Storm will open the NCAA Tournament without the services of center Chris Obekpa, who was suspended for two weeks for violating team rules. Obekpa, St. John's all-time blocks leader with 321, is averaging 5.8 points and seven rebounds this season but coach Steve Lavin said he treated the violation as he would for any player, telling reporters, "All of the young men associated with our program are held to standards consistent with the aims and mission of our university. It is our hope Chris will learn from this experience."
The Aztecs were left deflated after the narrow defeat in the Mountain West championship game as coach Steve Fisher bluntly expressed. "I'm disappointed we're not the ones out chopping the nets down, but we're not and that's the reality of it," he said. "That feeling truly has no boundaries."
TRENDS:
* Red Storm are 0-4 ATS in their last four NCAA Tournament games.
* Aztecs are 1-5 ATS in their last six non-conference games.
* Over is 6-2 in Aztecs last eight NCAA Tournament games.
(15) North Dakota State Bison vs. (2) Gonzaga Bulldogs (-18, 128.5)
The Bison are making their third trip to the Big Dance and know what it takes to spring an upset as they defeated Oklahoma 80-75 in overtime in the 2014 NCAA Tournament before being eliminated by San Diego State 63-44. Lawrence Alexander, a 6-3 senior guard, scored 17 of his 25 points in the second half against South Dakota and averages a team-best 18.9 points while contributing 4.6 rebounds.
Gonzaga was in contention for a No. 1 seed before losing to BYU 73-70 on Feb. 28 in its regular-season finale - snapping win streaks of 41 at home and 22 overall, but exacted revenge from the Cougars with a 91-75 victory in the West Coast Conference tournament final on March 10. “This is a resilient group, a battle-tested group,'' Bulldogs coach Mark Few told The Spokesman-Review after the WCC tournament. "We kind of grinded our way through the league, and we got back to being in attack mode (in Las Vegas). Without a doubt, that’s when we’re at our best.”
TRENDS:
* Bulldogs are 2-5-1 ATS in their last eight neutral site games.
* Under is 5-1 in Bison last six overall.
* Over is 23-8 in Bulldogs last 31 NCAA Tournament games.
