NC State didn't extend itself much in 80-63 win over Va Tech Thursday, its 7th win in last nine games; State (+3.5) lost 58-55 at Virginia Jan 26, game Wolfpack led by 11 late in first half. State is 5-3 in last eight ACC tourney games; Virginia is 1-6 last six years, with last tourney win in '10. Cavaliers are 3-4 in last seven games, with last four decided by 5 or less points. State's last five games, UVa's last three stayed under total.
Big Dozen tourney (Chicago)
Indiana (-7) lost 74-72 at Illinois Feb 7, game they led by 14 with 12:50 left; Hoosiers split last four games after 24-3 start. LY's 75-58 win over Penn State is Indiana's only Big Dozen tourney win last six years. Illini survived 32% shooting to nip Minnesota 51-49 Thursday; three of their starters played 31+ minutes, subs provided one hoop. Five of last seven Indiana games, five of last seven Illini games stayed under the total.
Michigan has gone W-L in last six Big Dozen tourneys; they won by 17 yesterday (led by 2 at half)- they're only 6-5 in last 11 games- they lost 65-62 (-2) at Wisconsin Feb 9, when Badgers hit 45-footer at buzzer to force OT. Wisky won this tourney in '08, is 1-4 in it since, scoring 49.0 ppg in four losses; they lost two of last three games, with only win at buzzer at Penn State. Seven of last ten Wolverine games went over total.
Atlantic 16 tournament (Brooklyn)
Butler was 16-2 before losing 54-53 (+2.5) at LaSalle Jan 23, game they led by 10 late in first half; Bulldogs played three starters 31+ minutes in 73-67 win over Dayton Thursday, making 10-24 from arc. Butler is now 14-6 in last 20 conference tournament games. LaSalle won seven of last nine games behind senior G Galloway (41.7% from arc); over last decade Explorers are 5-3 in first A-16 tourney games. Five of Explorers' last six games went over the total.
SEC tournament (Nashville)
Tennessee was just 9-8 before nipping Alabama 54-53 Jan 26, avenging earlier 68-65 loss to Tide; Vols crushed an awful Miss State club 69-53 Thursday, its 9th win in last 10 games- they're 6-4 in last 10 conference tourney games. Alabama is 2-3 in last five games, losing last three away games- they've won first SEC tourney game last four years. Five of last seven Tennessee games went over total. Tennessee was up 16 at half on Thursday, played three starters 32+ (mainly stress-free) minutes.
Missouri held A&M to 24% from floor Thursday in 62-50 win, its 8th win in last 10 conference tourney games; Tigers split pair of one-sided games with Ole Miss, with last one played Feb 9. Rebels are 3-2 in SEC tourney last two years; over is 9-3 in their last 12 games, 4-1 in last five Mizzou tilts. 23-8 Ole Miss is seen as bubble team, since its win over Mizzou is its only top 50 win (beat #62 Tennessee), so this game is lot for important for Rebel team that won four of its last five games.
Conference USA tournament (Tulsa)
Memphis is 17-0 in league play, 21-2 in last 23 C-USA tourney games, but this is true road game for them, at Tulsa squad they beat 94-64 (-15) Feb 2, making 12-26 from arc. Only two of Tigers' last seven road games were double figure wins. Tulsa was down five at half to ECU Thursday, played three starters 31+ minutes in 79-72 (-1) win. Hurricane is 0-5 vs top 100 teams this year, with only one loss by less than 15 points. Six of last seven Tulsa games went over total.
Big East tournament (NYC)
Syracuse scored TOTAL of 85 points in 11-22 point losses to Hoyas in last three weeks; Georgetown won 12 of last 13 games overall, is 12-6 in last 18 Big East tourney games. Syracuse made 12-19 from arc in 62-59 upset of Pitt Thursday, just its third win in last nine games, second time since '06 they've won 2+ games in a Big East tourney. Georgetown used three starters 37+ minutes, Syracuse played four starters 35+ Thursday, but Orange also had a game Wednesday.
Last 4+ years, Louisville is 10-2 in this event; over last decade, they are 5-1 in semi-finals of Big East tourney. Cardinals lost in five OTs Feb 9 at Notre Dame (led by 7 in last minute), then beat Irish by 16 six nights ago. Irish played three starters 35+ minutes each of last two nights, and played two guys 40 minutes last night. Louisville had Wednesday night off. Cardinals forced 24 turnovers (+6) in fairly easy 74-55 win over an improving Villanova team last nite. Under is 9-4 in last 13 L'ville games.
Big X tournament (Kansas City)
-- Iowa State had its heart torn out by Kansas twice this year with pair of OT losses, 97-89/108-96; Cyclones led both games late. ISU is 7-2 in last nine games overall; yesterday was its first conference tourney win since '05. Kansas is 17-2 in last 19 Big X tourney games; they crushed Texas Tech 91-63, after Cyclones came back from down 37-29 down at half to nip Oklahoma by 7. My question about State is this: after two brutal losses to Kansas, do their kids believe they can beat Kansas?
Pac-12 tourney (MGM Garden Arena, Las Vegas)
-- UCLA was down 15 with 16:00 left Thursday, rallied to win by 5, as thin ASU squad got tired down stretch. Bruins beat Arizona twice this year, by 11-5 points. Wildcats haven't won Pac-12 tourney since 2002; they lost in final last two years, both by a basket. Arizona is 5-4 in last nine games after 20-2 start, as lack of true PG begins to show up. Its been five years since the #1 seed won Pac-12 tournament, but this is also its first year at truly neutral site.
Mountain West tourney (@ UNLV)
Over last 7+ years, San Diego State is 15-4 in MWC tourney, winning it two of last three years; they've won MWC semis last four years, by 2-3-2-10 points. Aztecs split pair of one-sided games with New Mexico this season- their win Wednesday was first in last six games away from home. Lobos won seven of last eight games, with only loss in that span by point at Air Force. New Mexico won this event LY, since '05, Lobos are 9-6 in MWC tourney.
UNLV won this event in '07/'08, is just 5-4 in it since, despite playing at home; Rebels split pair of close games with Colorado State this season, losing by 5 in Fort Collins, winning by hoop here. Rams normally start five seniors, but PG Green (ankle) isn't supposed to play, big blow for State squad that is 4-3 in last seven games after a 21-4 start. Eight of last ten UNLV games stayed under; over is 5-0-1 in Rams' last six. Less than 1,000 tickets were left for this twinbill as of Thursday, but how many are Lobo fans who will leave after first game?