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College Basketball

Saturday’s Tip Sheet

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
4 minute read
This Saturday night’s pair of featured betting matchups on ESPN go coast-to-coast with two huge rivalry games in the ACC and the West Coast Conference.

The early game in the ACC is the first of two meetings between the No. 7 Duke Blue Devils and the North Carolina Tar Heels in Chapel Hill. In a later start out west, the No. 2 Gonzaga Bulldogs go on the road to square off against the rival Saint Mary’s Gaels.

No. 7 Duke Blue Devils at North Carolina Tar Heels
(ESPN 6 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: >Duke -8, Total 150
Provided by Unibet (NJ and PA only)
Odds subject to change

Betting Matchup

Duke is 9-2 straight-up in ACC play and a game and a half behind Louisville for the top spot in the standings. Its current SU winning streak reached four games with a 2-2 record against the spread after failing to cover in Tuesday’s 63-55 road victory against Boston College as a heavy 14-point favorite.

The Blue Devils (19-3 ATS) are 3-5 ATS over their past eight outings with the total going OVER in seven of their last nine games. Vernon Carey Jr. scored 17 points in Tuesday’s win with 10 rebounds. The freshman center leads the team with 17.8 points per game.

This is shaping up as a lost season for North Carolina at 10-12 SU with a 3-8 record in conference play. It comes into this heated rivalry with a two-game slide after losing to Boston College at home and to Florida State on the road.

The Tar Heels did cover as eight-point road underdogs in Monday’s six-point loss to the Seminoles. The total has stayed UNDER or ended as a PUSH in four of their last six games. North Carolina is basically giving up as many points (70.5) as it is scoring (70.9).

Betting Trends

-- The Blue Devils have gone 8-2 SU in their last 10 road games as favorites but that record drops to 5-5 ATS. The total gas gone OVER in three of their last five road games as favorites.

-- The Tar Heels are 3-7 SU in their last 10 home games as underdogs with a 5-5 mark ATS. The total has gone OVER in three of their last four games getting points at home.

-- North Carolina has a slight 6-4 SU edge in its last 10 games against Duke with a 6-3-1 record ATS. The Tar Heels have covered in the last four meetings and the total has stayed UNDER in the last six games in this bitter ACC rivalry.

No. 2 Gonzaga Bulldogs at Saint Mary’s Gaels
(ESPN 10 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: >Gonzaga -6, Total 150
Provided by Unibet (NJ and PA only)
Odds subject to change

Betting Matchup

The Bulldogs continue to roll towards another West Coast Conference regular season title at 10-0 SU (5-5 ATS) in conference play. This is part of a 24-1 record overall. They have failed to cover in their last three outings after beating Loyola Marymount 85-67 on Thursday as 25 ½-point home favorites.

Gonzaga is 13-10-1 ATS overall and the total has gone OVER in 19 of those 24 games. Points runs deep on a team that is ranked second in the nation in scoring (88.5 points) with seven different players averaging at least 10 PPG.

Saint Mary’s is the second-best team in the WCC at 7-3 SU with a 20-5 record overall. The Gaels have won five of their last six games SU with Thursday’s 66-60 road victory against San Diego. As 11-point favorites, this was the first time they failed to cover in their last six outings.

Overall, they are 12-11 ATS with the total going OVER in 15 of those 23 games. Malik Fitts led the way against San Diego with 17 points and 14 rebounds.

Betting Trends

-- The Bulldogs are a perfect 10-0 SU in their last 10 road games as favorites with an even 5-5 record ATS. The total has gone OVER in five of their last six road games laying points.

-- The Gaels have gone 3-7 SU with an even 5-5 record ATS in their last 10 home games closing as underdogs. The total has stayed UNDER in three of four home games getting points.

-- Gonzaga has won seven of its last 10 games against Saint Mary’s both SU and ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in the last six of the meetings in this WCC rivalry matchup.

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