Top 25 Betting Recap

Editor's Note: Don't miss out on 30 days of Winning College Hoops Picks from Joe Williams for the 2018-19 NCAABK regular season. Click to win! 

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.

Nevada (24-1 SU, 16-7-1 ATS) was having difficulty against the spread a few weeks ago, but they have certainly righted the ship lately. The Wolf Pack have posted 10 games in a row since an inexplicable loss at New Mexico (11-14 SU, 9-15 ATS) on Jan. 5. The Pack avenged that loss in a big way, roughing up the Lobos 91-62 as 20 1/2-point favorites on Feb. 9, one of six consecutive covers for Nevada. The Wolf Pack have six regular-season games remaining, and they could head into the Mountain West Tournament in the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas as a 30-win team.

 Tennessee (23-2 SU, 13-10-1 ATS) took a pounding over the weekend at Kentucky (21-4 SU, 15-10 ATS), as the Wildcats made a statement against the Vols. It was Tennessee's first loss in 19 games dating back to Nov. 23, a neutral-site loss against Kansas (20-6 SU, 12-14 ATS). The Vols will get a chance at revenge on March 2 in Knoxville, and we'll find out a great deal more about each of these teams before they head into the SEC Tournament and NCAA Tournament. Both teams are still very well alive for No. 1 seeds in the Big Dance. The Wildcats have covered nine of the past 10 games, and the 'under' has connected in four of the past five, and six of the past eight for UK.

Duke (23-2 SU, 15-10 ATS) have won nine in a row since they're four-point overtime loss against Syracuse (17-8 SU, 14-11 ATS) back on Jan. 14. It served as a wake-up call for Coach K's bunch, although they're still just 5-6 ATS over the past 11 outings. Total bettors have been visiting the window and taking the 'under' in Duke games lately. The total has gone under in six of the past eight for Duke. By the way, they have a revenge game on tap in Syracuse on Feb. 23 after the first installment of the 'Battle of the Blues' against North Carolina (20-5 SU, 15-8-2 ATS) on Wednesday at Cameron. The Tar Heels head into that one with the 'under' going 4-2 over the past six.

Houston (25-1 SU, 17-8-1 ATS) routed Tulane (4-20 SU, 10-14 ATS) in Louisiana on Sunday by 35 points, covering an 18-point number. The Cougars are 2-0 ATS in the past two as a double-digit favorite, and 4-1 ATS in the past five such situations. The 'under' has cashed in three in a row for Houston, as they're defense has allowed just 57.0 points per game (PPG) during the span. Houston is also a solid 7-2 ATS across the past nine games overall. They passed their biggest test Feb. 10 against Cincinnati (21-4 SU, 12-13 ATS), and they'll get another crack at the Bearcats on March 10 in the Queen City. Really, that's probably the only threat for a second regular-season loss down the stretch.

In the Big Ten, Maryland (19-7 SU, 13-12-1 ATS) and Wisconsin (17-8 SU, 14-11 ATS) are each likely to drop out of the Top 25 after losses at the bottom of the rankings. The Badgers lost both of their contests against the Michigan schools this past week, and they could very well be in jeopardy of missing the NCAA Tournament with a few more setbacks. Bettors like the Badgers for totals, as the 'under' has connected in eight of the past nine. The 'under' is also a popular play for UMD, going 7-2 over the past nine for the Terps. Oddly enough the 'over' cashed in their most recent meeting on Feb. 1 in Madison, albeit by a half-point at most shops.

It will be interesting this week to see if Wofford (23-4 SU, 13-11 ATS) can make it into the Top 25 rankings this week. We already had a SoCon team in the rankings earlier this season when Furman (22-5 SU, 16-8 ATS) made the rankings for a couple of weeks earlier in the fall. The Southern Conference has four teams with at least 21 wins, as the league is very top heavy. But Wofford is 15-0 in the conference, and they just blasted UNC Greensboro (22-5 SU, 11-13-1 ATS) by 30 last time out. They'll get another big test at Furman next Saturday. 

TOP 25 RESULTS
Rank Team Past Week (SU, ATS) Last 10 ATS Upcoming Week Schedule
1 Tennessee 1-1, 0-2 5-5 Vanderbilt, at LSU
2 Duke 2-0, 0-2 5-5 North Carolina, at Syracuse
3 Gonzaga 2-0, 0-2 5-5 Pepperdine, BYU
4 Virginia 2-0, 1-1 6-4 at Virginia Tech, at Louisville
5 Kentucky 1-1, 1-1 9-1 at Missouri, Auburn
6 Michigan 1-1, 1-1 6-4 at Minnesota, Michigan State
7 Nevada 1-0, 1-0 8-2 at San Diego State, Fresno State
8 North Carolina 1-1, 1-1 6-4 at Duke, Florida State
9 Houston 2-0, 1-1 7-3 South Florida
10 Marquette 1-0, 1-0 7-3 Butler, at Providence
11 Michigan State 2-0, 2-0 7-3 Rutgers, at Michigan
12 Purdue 1-1, 0-1-1 7-2-1 at Indiana, at Nebraska
13 Villanova 1-1. 1-1 8-2 at Georgetown, at Xavier
14 Kansas 2-0, 2-0 4-6 at Texas Tech
15 Texas Tech 2-0, 2-0 5-5 Kansas
16 Louisville 1-1, 1-1 6-4 at Syracuse, Virginia
17 Florida State 2-0, 2-0 7-3 at Clemson, at North Carolina
18 Kansas State 1-1, 1-1 8-2 at West Virginia, Oklahoma State
19 LSU 2-0, 1-1 7-3 Florida, Tennessee
20 Wisconsin 0-2, 0-2 6-4 Illinois, at Northwestern
21 Iowa 2-0, 0-2 6-4 Maryland, Indiana
22 Virginia Tech 2-0, 0-1-1 3-6-1 Virginia, at Notre Dame
23 Iowa State 1-0, 1-0 6-4 Baylor, at TCU
24 Maryland 1-1, 1-1 5-5 at Iowa, Ohio State
25 Buffalo 2-0, 1-1 4-6 Ohio, Kent State