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College Basketball

Saturday’s Tip Sheet

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
5 minute read
The first Saturday in February for college basketball bettors should be a good one with a grocery list of great matchups. The following three games in the Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC highlight the betting board.

The early start in the trio has the No. 14 Michigan State Spartans on the road in Madison against the Wisconsin Badgers. Later in the afternoon, the Texas Tech Red Raiders square off against the No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks in Lawrence. The final matchup pits the No. 13 Kentucky Wildcats on the road against the No. 17 Auburn Tigers.

No. 14 Michigan State Spartans at Wisconsin Badgers
(FOX, 1 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: >Michigan State -4.5, Total 131
Provided by Unibet (NJ and PA only)
Odds subject to change

Betting Matchup

The Spartans are 3-1 straight-up and against the spread in their last four games starting with a 67-55 home victory against Wisconsin as 9 ½-point favorites. The lone loss was a 67-63 setback against Indiana on Jan. 23 as four-point road favorites. The total has stayed UNDER in their last six games. Michigan State is 8-2 SU in Big Ten play and 16-5 (11-10 ATS) overall. Senior guard Cassius Winston matched his season scoring average with 18 points in Wednesday’s 79-50 win against Northwestern.

Wisconsin (12-9 SU, 8-12-1 ATS) has dropped three of its last four games SU starting with that loss to Michigan State. After failing to cover as six-point road underdogs in a PUSH against Iowa on Monday, the Badgers are 1-5-1 ATS over their past seven games. The total has stayed UNDER in seven of their last 10 outings. At 5-5 SU in conference play, Wisconsin is averaging 66.3 points per game. Earlier this week, Kobe King (12.6 points) announced he his transferring from the team.

Betting Trends

-- The Spartans are 1-5 ATS in their last six road games with the total staying UNDER in their last three road games. They are 11-10 ATS this season as favorites.

-- The Badgers have a 4-6 record ATS at home this season. They are 4-1 ATS in their last five games at home as underdogs. The total stayed UNDER in four of those five games.

-- With the earlier win, Michigan State is 8-2 SU in the last 10 meetings but the series is tied 5-5 ATS. The total has now stayed UNDER in the last five games between the two.

Texas Tech Red Raiders at No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks
(ESPN, 4 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: >Kansas -9, Total 131
Provided by Unibet (NJ and PA only)
Odds subject to change

Betting Matchup

Going back to a home loss against Baylor on Jan. 7, the Red Raiders have gone just 3-4 SU and ATS in their last seven games. They are coming off a crucial 89-81 victory against West Virginia on Wednesday as 2 ½-point home favorites. The total went OVER 132 ½ points in that game and it has gone OVER in three of their last five games. Texas Tech is 13-7 SU with a 9-11 record ATS overall. Davide Moretti scored a career-high 25 points in Wednesday’s win.

Kansas is 6-1 SU (5-2 ATS) in Big 12 play after beating Oklahoma State 65-50 on Monday as a 7 ½-point road favorite. The Jayhawks are 17-3 SU overall with a 12-8 record ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in five of their last seven games. Freshman guard Christian Braun led the way in the team’s latest win with 16 points and nine rebounds. The team’s leading scorer sophomore guard Devon Dotson (18.0 points) ended Monday’s game with 11 points.

Betting Trends

-- The Red Raiders have a 3-7 record ATS in their last 10 road games as underdogs. The total has gone OVER in four of their last six road games getting points.

-- The Jayhawks are 9-1 SU in their last 10 games as home favorites with a 5-4-1 record ATS. The total has gone OVER in four of their last six home games as favorites.

-- Kansas has won eight of its last 10 games against Texas Tech SU with the slight 6-4 edge ATS. The total has gone OVER in the last six games in this matchup.

No. 13 Kentucky Wildcats at No. 17 Auburn Tigers
(ESPN, 6 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: >Auburn -2.5, Total 143
Provided by Unibet (NJ and PA only)
Odds subject to change

Betting Matchup

The Wildcats come into this big SEC showdown with a SU four-game winning streak (2-2 ATS) after beating Vanderbilt 71-62 on Wednesday as heavy 20 ½-point home favorites. They are 6-1 SU in conference play but just 3-4 ATS. Kentucky is 16-4 SU overall and 8-11-1 ATS. The total stayed UNDER 142 points in that last game after going OVER in eight of its previous nine contests. Tyrese Maxey scored 17 points in Wednesday’s win. Junior forward Nick Richards added 15 points and 11 rebounds to the winning cause.

Auburn (18-2 SU) is two games back in the SEC standings (5-2 SU, 3-4 ATS) after getting past Mississippi 83-82 on Tuesday in double-overtime as a 5 ½-point road favorite. The Tigers have failed to cover in four of their last five games as part of an overall record of 9-11 ATS. The total has stayed UNDER or ended as a PUSH in 12 of those 20 games. Isaac Okoro converted a big three-point play to help secure the win. Senior guard Samir Doughty scored 17 points in that game.

Betting Trends

-- The Wildcats are 3-1 ATS in four previous road games this season. They are 8-2 SU and 6-4 ATS over their last 10 games on the road with the total going OVER in the last five road contests.

-- The Tigers are a perfect 10-0 SU in their last 10 games at home but an even 5-5 ATS. The total has gone OVER or ended as a PUSH in three of their last four home games.

-- These two split last season’s series 1-1 (SU and ATS). Kentucky has won seven of the last 10 meetings SU with Auburn holding a 4-2-1 edge ATS in the last seven games. The total has stayed UNDER in four of the last six matchups.

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