Top 25 Betting Recap

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

5 minute read

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.

Conference tournaments for some of the smaller leagues have already started, while the big boys get underway in the upcoming week. Selection Sunday is less than a week to go, as March Madness is about to kick off full bore. Some teams are finishing up the regular season strong, while a couple are starting to wilt under the pressure. It looks like it is going to be a wide open NCAA Tournament, and we'll get a much better idea of who the contenders or pretenders are during the conference tournaments.

 Marquette (23-8 SU, 18-13 ATS) picked a bad time for their worst basketball of the season. The Golden Eagles are in freefall, dropping four consecutive games, or exactly half of their season's losses since Feb. 27. If you're fading Marquette lately, good for you. They have failed to cover in each of their losses and six of the past nine. The 'under' has also been a frequent occurrence for Marquette, cashing in four of the past five, while going 10-4-1 across the past 15 outings.

Cincinnati (23-8 SU, 18-13 ATS) is another team skidding toward the finish line. They dropped games this week to Houston (29-2 SU, 20-10-1 ATS) and UCF (23-7 SU, 18-11-1 ATS) picked, and they have failed to cover in eight straight games. Total bettors will like the fact the 'under' is 5-1 in the past six, and 7-2 across the past nine outings. They were swept in two regular-season games while going 0-2 ATS in two games against the Cougars, and they split the regular-season games with the Knights while also posting an 0-2 ATS mark. Remember that for the AAC Tournament next week. The AAC is looking like a three-bid league for the NCAA Tournament, possibly four if the committee shows Temple (23-8 SU, 15-14-2 ATS) some love. The Owls just cooled off the Knights over the weekend to enhance their resume'.

Wofford (28-4 SU, 18-11 ATS) is looking like a team no one is going to want to draw in the Big Dance. The Terriers continue to mow down opponents in the SoCon, and they'll look to cap off their perfect conference season in the league final on Monday against UNC Greensboro (28-5 SU, 14-15-2 ATS). The Terriers rolls into Monday's game with a 10-1 ATS mark in the past 11 outings, and they haven't lost in the regular season since Dec. 19. UNCG probably deserves an NCAA Tournament bid, win or lose, although they likely need the win more than Wofford, who probably can afford a loss while still getting in with an at-large bid. The Spartans took care of once-ranked Furman (25-7 SU, 19-10 ATS), moving to 2-0-1 ATS over the past three.

Duke (26-5 SU, 17-14 ATS) slipped in the Battle of the Blues on Saturday night, falling to rival North Carolina (26-5 SU, 19-10-2 ATS) for the second time this season. Fans everywhere would love to see what would happen with a healthy Zion Williamson (knee), and that could still possibly happen in the ACC Tournament. Virginia (28-2 SU, 22-8 ATS) is also in the mix for a No. 1 seed, and it's conceivable the ACC could land two teams on the one-line, and perhaps even three. The Hoos have been the best against the spread, cashing in five of the past six outings while the 'over' has hit in three of the past four.

Michigan State (25-6 SU, 22-9 ATS) knocked off Michigan (26-5 SU, 17-14 ATS) to claim the Big Ten regular-season title. It didn't look like it was going to happen, even as recently as a week ago, when Indiana (17-14 SU, 14-16 ATS) completed the sweep of Sparty. Michigan State is still an impressive 6-2 ATS over the past eight outings, and the 'over' has cashed in three of the past four outings. Purdue (23-8 SU, 17-13-1 ATS) came alive down the stretch, and they will be a tough out in the postseason, too. The Boilermakers have covered three of the past four to wrap up the regular season after a tough 0-3-1 ATS run.

VegasInsider Staff

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