AAC Conference Tournament Quarterfinals betting preview and odds
It's on to the quarterfinals for the final eight teams remaining in the AAC conference tournament in Orlando. The top four seeds - Cincinnati, Wichita St., Houston, and Tulsa - will be fresh off their opening round byes and ready to take on all challengers Friday at Amway Center.
Tournament to be played at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.
Southern Methodist Mustangs vs Cincinnati Bearcats (-13.5, 127)
Banged-up SMU put together a surprisingly effective offensive performance in its American Athletic Conference Tournament win over Connecticut on Wednesday. But the Mustangs will need to be even more prolific Thursday afternoon in Orlando as they take on No. 10 Cincinnati, the tournament's top seed and owner of the country's No. 2 scoring defense.
With team scoring leader Shake Milton on the sidelines - likely for the entire AAC Tournament - with a hand injury, SMU leaned on a trio of scorers to build a big lead against the Huskies, then hold on for dear life after UConn closed to within four late. Ben Emelogu II had a team-best 23 points in the 80-73 victory, while Akoy Agau added a career-best 21 and Jahmal McMurray chipped in 19. Those three will have to be just as good - or better - Thursday.
The Bearcats come in having allowed 57.3 points per game during the regular season, second only to Virginia (52.8) and well ahead of third-place Central Florida (61.3). Cincinnati also dominated the two-game series with the Mustangs, winning both games by a combined 41 points. The Bearcats are led by AAC MVP Gary Clark, who put together the most complete season of any player in the conference - averaging 12.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocked shots while shooting 51.3 percent from the field and 44.2 percent from 3-point range.
BETTING STATS:
BETTING ACTION AND LINE MOVEMENT:
Cincinnati opened as big 13-point favorites and that number clearly was not big enough for early bettors and books were forced to move to -13.5 on Thursday evening. The total hit betting boards at 127 and has been bet up a full point to 128.
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Mustangs are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 Friday games.
* Bearcats are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Under is 4-1-1 in Mustangs' last 6 neutral site games.
* Under is 5-0 in Bearcats' last 5 neutral site games.
* Favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
Memphis Tigers vs Tulsa Golden Hurricane (-3.5, 140.5)
Tulsa, one of the hottest teams in the American Athletic Conference, looks to keep it going in its first game in the league’s tournament Friday, facing Memphis in the quarterfinal round at the Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. The fourth-seeded Golden Hurricane have won eight of their last nine contests - with the one loss being at AAC champ Cincinnati - while the fifth-seeded Tigers have won two straight, including a two-point victory over South Florida in the opening round Thursday.
Junior forward Kyvon Davenport was the star in the tournament opener for the Tigers, scoring a career-high 27 points and grabbing nine rebounds as he continues to adjust to his lead role with leading scorer Jeremiah Martin sidelined for the rest of the season. Junior Kareem Brewton Jr. is a big key with Martin out, as he takes over his role at the point and has averaged 13 points along with five assists over the last four contests.
Forward Junior Etou leads the Tulsa attack, averaging 15.1 points and 7.7 rebounds, while the guard combo of Sterling Taplin (11.7 points, 4.4 assists) and Corey Henderson Jr. (10.2 points) provide scoring punch from the perimeter. Henderson can especially get hot from 3-point range, hitting five from beyond the arc during Tulsa’s opening 24-0 run in a win over Temple on Sunday. The Golden Hurricane doesn't have gaudy defensive numbers for the season, but over the past five games Tulsa has held opponents to 59.5 points in its four wins during that stretch. Coach Frank Haith's squad has also held three of those four opponents to under 38 percent shooting from the field, compared to the 41.8 percent teams have shot against the team all season.
BETTING STATS:
BETTING ACTION AND LINE MOVEMENT:
Tulsa opened as 3-point favorites and money coming in the Golden Hurricanes has bumped that line up to 3.5. The total hit the board at 140.5 and has yet to move off the opening number.
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Golden Hurricane are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Over is 5-0 in Tigers last 5 games following a ATS loss.
* Over is 4-0 in Golden Hurricane last 4 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Over is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings.
Temple Owls vs Wichita St. Shockers (OFF)
Wichita State has had its hands full with Temple this season, and now a third matchup will decide which team advances to the American Athletic Conference tournament semifinals. The Shockers, seeded second in this Orlando-based event, are aiming to bounce back against the seventh-seeded Owls after losing their regular-season finale to league champion Cincinnati. Wichita State and Temple met twice during the regular season with the Owls pulling an 81-79 upset in the first meeting thanks to Obi Enechionyia's two late free throws in overtime. In the second meeting, the Owls led 56-42 at halftime before the Shockers outscored them by 21 points after intermission en route to an 93-86 triumph.
Temple advanced to this matchup with Wednesday's 82-77 victory against Tulane, fueled by Enechionyia's 19 points and Shizz Alston Jr.'s 17 points and eight assists. Enechionyia was 5-of-7 from 3-point range against Tulane after making 5-of-18 attempts over the previous four games. Alston added two 3-pointers on Thursday - his fourth straight game with multiple 3s - and notched his second-highest assist total of the season after failing to record any assists in the regular-season finale.
Wichita State won seven straight down the stretch before falling to Cincinnati, 62-61, and now will attempt to avoid back-to-back losses for the second time this season. Landry Shamet (14.6 points) leads four players averaging double-digit points and also has 150 assists - more than twice as many as his next-closest teammate. Shaquille Morris contributes 14.2 points and 5.5 rebounds, while Darral Willis Jr. pitches in 10.6 points and 6.0 boards - and each shoots above 50 percent from the field. Both big men can make 3-pointers, as well, and in fact the top seven scorers for Wichita State all shoot at least 35 percent from long distance.
BETTING STATS:
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Owls are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.
* Shockers are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 Friday games.
* Over is 13-2-1 in Owls last 16 neutral site games.
* Over is 13-3 in Shockers last 16 overall.
Central Florida Knights vs Houston Cougars (OFF)
Houston doesn't feel much pressure as it prepares to face Central Florida in Friday's quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament. The No. 3-seeded Cougars have won 10 of their past 12 games and expect to be part of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010.
The sixth-seeded Knights, who lost their only meeting with Houston 69-65 at home a month ago, will depend on their defense to slow the high-scoring Cougars. UCF ranks third nationally in scoring defense (61.0 points) while holding opponents to a 39.5-percent clip from the floor. Junior guard B.J. Taylor, who missed 16 games with a foot injury, leads the Knights with 15.6 points and 3.3 assists. Senior forward A.J. Davis (12.4 points, 7.7 rebounds) has been hot lately, hitting 54.3 percent from 3-point range and averaging 18.3 points over the past eight games.
Houston features one of the league's top scorers in senior guard Rob Gray and two of the league's best 3-point shooters. Gray, a first-team all-conference selection for the second year in a row, leads the Cougars with 18.1 points and 4.7 assists and has produced four 30-point performances this season. Junior Corey Davis Jr. (13.4 points) and sophomore Armoni Brooks (10.2) - the league's sixth man of the year - lead the league with 3.1 and 2.6 3-pointers made, respectively.
BETTING STATS:
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Knights are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Cougars are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Over is 4-0 in Knights last 4 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Over is 5-0-1 in Cougars last 6 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
It's on to the quarterfinals for the final eight teams remaining in the AAC conference tournament in Orlando. The top four seeds - Cincinnati, Wichita St., Houston, and Tulsa - will be fresh off their opening round byes and ready to take on all challengers Friday at Amway Center.
Tournament to be played at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.
Southern Methodist Mustangs vs Cincinnati Bearcats (-13.5, 127)
Banged-up SMU put together a surprisingly effective offensive performance in its American Athletic Conference Tournament win over Connecticut on Wednesday. But the Mustangs will need to be even more prolific Thursday afternoon in Orlando as they take on No. 10 Cincinnati, the tournament's top seed and owner of the country's No. 2 scoring defense.
With team scoring leader Shake Milton on the sidelines - likely for the entire AAC Tournament - with a hand injury, SMU leaned on a trio of scorers to build a big lead against the Huskies, then hold on for dear life after UConn closed to within four late. Ben Emelogu II had a team-best 23 points in the 80-73 victory, while Akoy Agau added a career-best 21 and Jahmal McMurray chipped in 19. Those three will have to be just as good - or better - Thursday.
The Bearcats come in having allowed 57.3 points per game during the regular season, second only to Virginia (52.8) and well ahead of third-place Central Florida (61.3). Cincinnati also dominated the two-game series with the Mustangs, winning both games by a combined 41 points. The Bearcats are led by AAC MVP Gary Clark, who put together the most complete season of any player in the conference - averaging 12.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocked shots while shooting 51.3 percent from the field and 44.2 percent from 3-point range.
BETTING STATS:
BETTING ACTION AND LINE MOVEMENT:
Cincinnati opened as big 13-point favorites and that number clearly was not big enough for early bettors and books were forced to move to -13.5 on Thursday evening. The total hit betting boards at 127 and has been bet up a full point to 128.
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Mustangs are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 Friday games.
* Bearcats are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Under is 4-1-1 in Mustangs' last 6 neutral site games.
* Under is 5-0 in Bearcats' last 5 neutral site games.
* Favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
Memphis Tigers vs Tulsa Golden Hurricane (-3.5, 140.5)
Tulsa, one of the hottest teams in the American Athletic Conference, looks to keep it going in its first game in the league’s tournament Friday, facing Memphis in the quarterfinal round at the Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. The fourth-seeded Golden Hurricane have won eight of their last nine contests - with the one loss being at AAC champ Cincinnati - while the fifth-seeded Tigers have won two straight, including a two-point victory over South Florida in the opening round Thursday.
Junior forward Kyvon Davenport was the star in the tournament opener for the Tigers, scoring a career-high 27 points and grabbing nine rebounds as he continues to adjust to his lead role with leading scorer Jeremiah Martin sidelined for the rest of the season. Junior Kareem Brewton Jr. is a big key with Martin out, as he takes over his role at the point and has averaged 13 points along with five assists over the last four contests.
Forward Junior Etou leads the Tulsa attack, averaging 15.1 points and 7.7 rebounds, while the guard combo of Sterling Taplin (11.7 points, 4.4 assists) and Corey Henderson Jr. (10.2 points) provide scoring punch from the perimeter. Henderson can especially get hot from 3-point range, hitting five from beyond the arc during Tulsa’s opening 24-0 run in a win over Temple on Sunday. The Golden Hurricane doesn't have gaudy defensive numbers for the season, but over the past five games Tulsa has held opponents to 59.5 points in its four wins during that stretch. Coach Frank Haith's squad has also held three of those four opponents to under 38 percent shooting from the field, compared to the 41.8 percent teams have shot against the team all season.
BETTING STATS:
BETTING ACTION AND LINE MOVEMENT:
Tulsa opened as 3-point favorites and money coming in the Golden Hurricanes has bumped that line up to 3.5. The total hit the board at 140.5 and has yet to move off the opening number.
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Golden Hurricane are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Over is 5-0 in Tigers last 5 games following a ATS loss.
* Over is 4-0 in Golden Hurricane last 4 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Over is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings.
Temple Owls vs Wichita St. Shockers (OFF)
Wichita State has had its hands full with Temple this season, and now a third matchup will decide which team advances to the American Athletic Conference tournament semifinals. The Shockers, seeded second in this Orlando-based event, are aiming to bounce back against the seventh-seeded Owls after losing their regular-season finale to league champion Cincinnati. Wichita State and Temple met twice during the regular season with the Owls pulling an 81-79 upset in the first meeting thanks to Obi Enechionyia's two late free throws in overtime. In the second meeting, the Owls led 56-42 at halftime before the Shockers outscored them by 21 points after intermission en route to an 93-86 triumph.
Temple advanced to this matchup with Wednesday's 82-77 victory against Tulane, fueled by Enechionyia's 19 points and Shizz Alston Jr.'s 17 points and eight assists. Enechionyia was 5-of-7 from 3-point range against Tulane after making 5-of-18 attempts over the previous four games. Alston added two 3-pointers on Thursday - his fourth straight game with multiple 3s - and notched his second-highest assist total of the season after failing to record any assists in the regular-season finale.
Wichita State won seven straight down the stretch before falling to Cincinnati, 62-61, and now will attempt to avoid back-to-back losses for the second time this season. Landry Shamet (14.6 points) leads four players averaging double-digit points and also has 150 assists - more than twice as many as his next-closest teammate. Shaquille Morris contributes 14.2 points and 5.5 rebounds, while Darral Willis Jr. pitches in 10.6 points and 6.0 boards - and each shoots above 50 percent from the field. Both big men can make 3-pointers, as well, and in fact the top seven scorers for Wichita State all shoot at least 35 percent from long distance.
BETTING STATS:
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Owls are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.
* Shockers are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 Friday games.
* Over is 13-2-1 in Owls last 16 neutral site games.
* Over is 13-3 in Shockers last 16 overall.
Central Florida Knights vs Houston Cougars (OFF)
Houston doesn't feel much pressure as it prepares to face Central Florida in Friday's quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament. The No. 3-seeded Cougars have won 10 of their past 12 games and expect to be part of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010.
The sixth-seeded Knights, who lost their only meeting with Houston 69-65 at home a month ago, will depend on their defense to slow the high-scoring Cougars. UCF ranks third nationally in scoring defense (61.0 points) while holding opponents to a 39.5-percent clip from the floor. Junior guard B.J. Taylor, who missed 16 games with a foot injury, leads the Knights with 15.6 points and 3.3 assists. Senior forward A.J. Davis (12.4 points, 7.7 rebounds) has been hot lately, hitting 54.3 percent from 3-point range and averaging 18.3 points over the past eight games.
Houston features one of the league's top scorers in senior guard Rob Gray and two of the league's best 3-point shooters. Gray, a first-team all-conference selection for the second year in a row, leads the Cougars with 18.1 points and 4.7 assists and has produced four 30-point performances this season. Junior Corey Davis Jr. (13.4 points) and sophomore Armoni Brooks (10.2) - the league's sixth man of the year - lead the league with 3.1 and 2.6 3-pointers made, respectively.
BETTING STATS:
MATCHUP CHART:
TRENDS:
* Knights are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Cougars are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Over is 4-0 in Knights last 4 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Over is 5-0-1 in Cougars last 6 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
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