THE SPORTS ADVISORS
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
West Virginia (13-4, 5-9 ATS) at (12) Georgetown (12-4, 6-5-1 ATS)
Georgetown looks to bounce back from a setback to Duke when it resumes Big East play against West Virginia at the Verizon Center.
The Hoyas lost to then No. 3 Duke 76-67 Saturday, getting the push as a nine-point road underdog, though Georgetown is now just 1-3-1 ATS in its last five starts (2-3 SU). In those five games, the Hoyas have allowed an average of 73.6 ppg, nearly 12 points higher than their season average (61.7), and they averaged just 62.7 ppg in the three losses, nearly a dozen points lower than their season average (74.5).
The Mountaineers edged South Florida 62-59 Saturday but fell a mile short of cashing as a 17½-point home chalk, winning their second straight game but failing to cash for the fourth consecutive contest. West Virginia, shooting 43.3 percent from the floor for the season, has been well under 40 percent in its last three Big East contests, hitting only 38.5 percent against South Florida and faring worse than that in a home loss to Connecticut (30.3 percent) and a road loss to Marquette (35.0 percent).
Georgetown is on a 3-0 SU and ATS run in this rivalry, including a 72-55 rout laying three points at Madison Square Garden in last year’s Big East tournament. The home team is 6-2 ATS in the last eight clashes.
The Hoyas are on ATS upticks of 5-1 in Thursday games, 12-4 following a SU loss and 9-4 at home against teams with a winning road record. On the flip side, along with their current 0-4 ATS slide, the Mountaineers are on pointspread declines of 1-7 after a non-cover, 1-4 in conference play and 3-8 against winning teams.
The under for Georgetown is on rolls of 39-19 in the Big East, 4-1 against winning teams, 14-5 on Thursday and 50-24 at home, and the under for West Virginia is on streaks of 7-3 overall, 4-1 against winning teams and 4-1 on the road. Finally, in this rivalry, the total has gone low in four of the last five meetings.
ATS ADVANTAGE: GEORGETOWN and UNDER
(18) Purdue (14-4, 6-8 ATS) at (21) Minnesota (16-2, 8-4-1 ATS)
Surprising Minnesota, coming off just its second setback of the year, returns home to Williams Arena for a Big Ten battle against surging Purdue.
The Golden Gophers got bounced at Northwestern 74-65 Sunday as a 1½-point road pup, halting a four-game SU and ATS run, all in conference play. Minnesota has been solid at home this year, averaging 73.7 ppg while allowing nearly a dozen less at 61.8 ppg, and the Gophers are shooting at a nearly 50 percent clip on their home floor (49.6), including 40.1 percent from 3-point range.
The Boilermakers routed Iowa 75-53 Sunday as a 12½-point favorite for their third straight victory (2-1 ATS), all in conference play, after opening the Big Ten season with losses from the favorite’s role against Illinois and at Penn State. Purdue has been tough on the defensive end in its last three starts, allowing only 36.4 percent shooting, while the Boilermakers have hit 46 percent on the offensive end.
Purdue has won and cashed in the last two meetings in this rivalry, including a 65-53 home win last year as a 7½-point favorite. However, the home team is 4-0-1 ATS in the last five meetings, and Minnesota is 4-1-1 ATS in the last six clashes on its home court.
The Gophers are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games versus teams with a winning road mark, but they are otherwise on positive pointspread streaks of 8-2 overall, 4-0 against teams with a winning percentage above .600, 6-1 at home, 4-1 on Thursday and 4-1 in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers are on ATS rolls of 6-1-1 after a SU win of more than 20 points, 24-9-1 in Big Ten play and 11-5-1 on the highway, but they are on an 0-4 ATS slide following a spread-cover.
The over for Purdue is on tears of 4-1 overall, 4-0 on Thursday, 5-1 in the Big Ten and 5-2 on the road. But the under for the Boilermakers is on a 5-0 streak against winning teams, and the under for Minnesota is on runs of 15-5 overall, 5-0 against winning teams, 8-2 on Thursday, 10-3 against the Big Ten and 37-18 at home. Furthermore, in this rivalry, the under is on a 9-0 spree.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
(13) UCLA (14-3, 8-8 ATS) at Washington State (11-6, 4-10 ATS)
UCLA, coming off an upset loss in its last outing, aims to get back on track when it makes the trek to Pullman to face Washington State, which has won three in a row.
The Bruins stumbled against Arizona State in a 61-58 overtime loss as a six-point home chalk Saturday, ending a 10-0 SU surge (5-4 ATS in lined games). It marked just the second time all season that UCLA, averaging 75.5 ppg, was held under 60 points – with the first coming in a 55-52 loss to Michigan on a neutral court in the third game of the year. Despite the setback, the Bruins are still averaging 71.4 ppg and 48.6 percent shooting (40.7 percent from 3-point range) in their last five outings, while allowing 60.2 ppg.
The Cougars swept their road trip to Oregon last week, edging the Ducks 61-57 laying six points last Thursday, then dropping Oregon State 74-62 as a 1½-point favorite Saturday to snap a five-game pointspread slide. Washington State is generally playing low-scoring games this season, averaging 59.4 ppg while allowing 52.4, and over the last five games, the Cougars have been outscored by a bucket per game (59.6-57.6) while shooting 40.5 percent.
UCLA has won and covered in the last three meetings in this Pac-10 rivalry and is on an 8-0 SU streak overall (5-3 ATS). The Bruins are 6-0 ATS on their last six trips to Pullman, the favorite has cashed in four of the last five contests, and the road team is on an 8-1 ATS tear.
The Bruins are on ATS upticks of 6-1 against winning teams, 10-3 on Thursday, 36-15-1 on the highway and 38-17 after a pointspread setback. Conversely, along with their current 1-5 ATS slide, the Cougars are on ATS purges of 0-4 against winning teams, 1-6 at home, 1-5 in the Pac-10 and 2-6 after a spread-cover.
The over for UCLA is on stretches of 9-4 on Thursday and 4-1 after a SU loss, but the under is 6-2 in the Bruins’ last eight roadies, and the under for Washington State is on runs of 5-2 overall, 14-2 against teams with a win percentage above .600, 6-2 at home and 5-2 on Thursday.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UCLA
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COLLEGE BASKETBALL
West Virginia (13-4, 5-9 ATS) at (12) Georgetown (12-4, 6-5-1 ATS)
Georgetown looks to bounce back from a setback to Duke when it resumes Big East play against West Virginia at the Verizon Center.
The Hoyas lost to then No. 3 Duke 76-67 Saturday, getting the push as a nine-point road underdog, though Georgetown is now just 1-3-1 ATS in its last five starts (2-3 SU). In those five games, the Hoyas have allowed an average of 73.6 ppg, nearly 12 points higher than their season average (61.7), and they averaged just 62.7 ppg in the three losses, nearly a dozen points lower than their season average (74.5).
The Mountaineers edged South Florida 62-59 Saturday but fell a mile short of cashing as a 17½-point home chalk, winning their second straight game but failing to cash for the fourth consecutive contest. West Virginia, shooting 43.3 percent from the floor for the season, has been well under 40 percent in its last three Big East contests, hitting only 38.5 percent against South Florida and faring worse than that in a home loss to Connecticut (30.3 percent) and a road loss to Marquette (35.0 percent).
Georgetown is on a 3-0 SU and ATS run in this rivalry, including a 72-55 rout laying three points at Madison Square Garden in last year’s Big East tournament. The home team is 6-2 ATS in the last eight clashes.
The Hoyas are on ATS upticks of 5-1 in Thursday games, 12-4 following a SU loss and 9-4 at home against teams with a winning road record. On the flip side, along with their current 0-4 ATS slide, the Mountaineers are on pointspread declines of 1-7 after a non-cover, 1-4 in conference play and 3-8 against winning teams.
The under for Georgetown is on rolls of 39-19 in the Big East, 4-1 against winning teams, 14-5 on Thursday and 50-24 at home, and the under for West Virginia is on streaks of 7-3 overall, 4-1 against winning teams and 4-1 on the road. Finally, in this rivalry, the total has gone low in four of the last five meetings.
ATS ADVANTAGE: GEORGETOWN and UNDER
(18) Purdue (14-4, 6-8 ATS) at (21) Minnesota (16-2, 8-4-1 ATS)
Surprising Minnesota, coming off just its second setback of the year, returns home to Williams Arena for a Big Ten battle against surging Purdue.
The Golden Gophers got bounced at Northwestern 74-65 Sunday as a 1½-point road pup, halting a four-game SU and ATS run, all in conference play. Minnesota has been solid at home this year, averaging 73.7 ppg while allowing nearly a dozen less at 61.8 ppg, and the Gophers are shooting at a nearly 50 percent clip on their home floor (49.6), including 40.1 percent from 3-point range.
The Boilermakers routed Iowa 75-53 Sunday as a 12½-point favorite for their third straight victory (2-1 ATS), all in conference play, after opening the Big Ten season with losses from the favorite’s role against Illinois and at Penn State. Purdue has been tough on the defensive end in its last three starts, allowing only 36.4 percent shooting, while the Boilermakers have hit 46 percent on the offensive end.
Purdue has won and cashed in the last two meetings in this rivalry, including a 65-53 home win last year as a 7½-point favorite. However, the home team is 4-0-1 ATS in the last five meetings, and Minnesota is 4-1-1 ATS in the last six clashes on its home court.
The Gophers are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games versus teams with a winning road mark, but they are otherwise on positive pointspread streaks of 8-2 overall, 4-0 against teams with a winning percentage above .600, 6-1 at home, 4-1 on Thursday and 4-1 in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers are on ATS rolls of 6-1-1 after a SU win of more than 20 points, 24-9-1 in Big Ten play and 11-5-1 on the highway, but they are on an 0-4 ATS slide following a spread-cover.
The over for Purdue is on tears of 4-1 overall, 4-0 on Thursday, 5-1 in the Big Ten and 5-2 on the road. But the under for the Boilermakers is on a 5-0 streak against winning teams, and the under for Minnesota is on runs of 15-5 overall, 5-0 against winning teams, 8-2 on Thursday, 10-3 against the Big Ten and 37-18 at home. Furthermore, in this rivalry, the under is on a 9-0 spree.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
(13) UCLA (14-3, 8-8 ATS) at Washington State (11-6, 4-10 ATS)
UCLA, coming off an upset loss in its last outing, aims to get back on track when it makes the trek to Pullman to face Washington State, which has won three in a row.
The Bruins stumbled against Arizona State in a 61-58 overtime loss as a six-point home chalk Saturday, ending a 10-0 SU surge (5-4 ATS in lined games). It marked just the second time all season that UCLA, averaging 75.5 ppg, was held under 60 points – with the first coming in a 55-52 loss to Michigan on a neutral court in the third game of the year. Despite the setback, the Bruins are still averaging 71.4 ppg and 48.6 percent shooting (40.7 percent from 3-point range) in their last five outings, while allowing 60.2 ppg.
The Cougars swept their road trip to Oregon last week, edging the Ducks 61-57 laying six points last Thursday, then dropping Oregon State 74-62 as a 1½-point favorite Saturday to snap a five-game pointspread slide. Washington State is generally playing low-scoring games this season, averaging 59.4 ppg while allowing 52.4, and over the last five games, the Cougars have been outscored by a bucket per game (59.6-57.6) while shooting 40.5 percent.
UCLA has won and covered in the last three meetings in this Pac-10 rivalry and is on an 8-0 SU streak overall (5-3 ATS). The Bruins are 6-0 ATS on their last six trips to Pullman, the favorite has cashed in four of the last five contests, and the road team is on an 8-1 ATS tear.
The Bruins are on ATS upticks of 6-1 against winning teams, 10-3 on Thursday, 36-15-1 on the highway and 38-17 after a pointspread setback. Conversely, along with their current 1-5 ATS slide, the Cougars are on ATS purges of 0-4 against winning teams, 1-6 at home, 1-5 in the Pac-10 and 2-6 after a spread-cover.
The over for UCLA is on stretches of 9-4 on Thursday and 4-1 after a SU loss, but the under is 6-2 in the Bruins’ last eight roadies, and the under for Washington State is on runs of 5-2 overall, 14-2 against teams with a win percentage above .600, 6-2 at home and 5-2 on Thursday.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UCLA
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