**Duke at Florida State**
--Unless Florida State (17-8 SU, 11-8 ATS) makes an inspired run at the ACC Tournament, a victory in this spot is mandatory in order for the Seminoles to garner an invite to the Big Dance for the first time since 1998.
--Duke (27-1 SU, 12-13 ATS) will be playing its third road game in seven days. The Blue Devils won 74-66 Saturday at Temple, but they failed to cover the spread as 10-point favorites. Shelden Williams led his team with 23 points and 12 rebounds against the Owls. Duke also won 73-66 at Georgia Tech last Wednesday, but again cost its backers as an 11-point 'chalk.'
--Most sports books have installed Duke as a seven-point favorite with a total of 156. The Seminoles are plus 250 on the money line.
--Controversy surrounded the first meetings between these schools at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Feb. 4. With more than nine minutes left, FSU center Alexander Johnson was whistled for an intentional foul, his fourth personal, when he hacked Williams going to the basket.
In frustration, Williams bounced up from the hard foul and got in Johnson's face for a few choice words. At that point, Johnson simply walked away, yet he and Williams were both assessed technical fouls. Johnson, who had 13 points and 11 rebounds at that point, was fouled out by the technical that's also a personal foul in college. Due to this inept officiating, the entire crew was subsequently suspended afterward.
In the end, the Blue Devils captured a 97-96 win in overtime, but the 'Noles easily covered the spread as 15 1/2-point underdogs. FSU junior forward Al Thornton had a career game in defeat, scoring 37 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and posting a 5/1 assists-turnover ratio.
--Leonard Hamilton's team has won 12 of its 14 home games, posting a 5-4 spread record in the process.
--For our purposes, Mike Krzyzewski's squad has been awful lately on the road, struggling to a 2-6 spread record in its last eight trips.
--FSU has covered the spread in five of its last six games against Duke. However, the 'Noles have only beaten Duke outright four times in 28 games since joining the ACC in 1991-92.
--The 'over' is 12-1 in Duke's last 13 games.
--The 'over' is 5-3-1 in FSU's home games with a total.
--The 'under' is 6-1 in the last seven head-to-head meetings between these squads.
--ESPN will provide television coverage at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
**Kentucky at Tennessee**
--I've always felt like you can get a good read on how well a team has been coached in a given season by its spread record. For the most part, quality ATS records point to quality coaching jobs, ones that spark a team to exceed expectations. That's what we've seen in Knoxville from Bruce Pearl this year, one of the premier coaching performances in America. Gamblers have also witnessed a 16-6 spread record from the Volunteers, the third-best ATS mark in the nation.
--On the other hand, Kentucky (18-10 SU, 11-13 ATS) has endured its worst season of Tubby Smith's tenure. For the first time since the probation scandal in the late 1980s and early '90s, the Wildcats are in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament.
--Tennessee (20-5 SU, 16-6 ATS) beat Kentucky 75-67 at Rupp Arena on Feb. 7. Sophomore sensation Chris Lofton returned to his home state and scored 31 points to lead the Vols to the outright victory as 2 1/2-point underdogs.
--UT was unbeaten at home before losing Saturday against Arkansas, 73-69. Still, the Vols are 13-1 SU and 8-3 ATS at Thompson-Boling Arena.
--The Vols will return to the Big Dance this season after a four-year hiatus during the Buzz Peterson Era. Before Peterson was hired, Jerry Green took UT to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
--Say what you want about the Wildcats, but they have been serious money makers in SEC road games. In fact, Tubby's troops have posted a 6-1 spread record in seven SEC road assignments.
--UK reserve guard Ramel Bradley (8.3 points per game) remains "out" with a broken hand. He might return for the postseason.
--Most spots have installed the Vols as six-point favorites with a total of 153.
--Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Eastern. Jefferson Pilot will provide television coverage in the South, while bettors located elsewhere can only watch on ESPN's Full-Court Package.
--Unless Florida State (17-8 SU, 11-8 ATS) makes an inspired run at the ACC Tournament, a victory in this spot is mandatory in order for the Seminoles to garner an invite to the Big Dance for the first time since 1998.
--Duke (27-1 SU, 12-13 ATS) will be playing its third road game in seven days. The Blue Devils won 74-66 Saturday at Temple, but they failed to cover the spread as 10-point favorites. Shelden Williams led his team with 23 points and 12 rebounds against the Owls. Duke also won 73-66 at Georgia Tech last Wednesday, but again cost its backers as an 11-point 'chalk.'
--Most sports books have installed Duke as a seven-point favorite with a total of 156. The Seminoles are plus 250 on the money line.
--Controversy surrounded the first meetings between these schools at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Feb. 4. With more than nine minutes left, FSU center Alexander Johnson was whistled for an intentional foul, his fourth personal, when he hacked Williams going to the basket.
In frustration, Williams bounced up from the hard foul and got in Johnson's face for a few choice words. At that point, Johnson simply walked away, yet he and Williams were both assessed technical fouls. Johnson, who had 13 points and 11 rebounds at that point, was fouled out by the technical that's also a personal foul in college. Due to this inept officiating, the entire crew was subsequently suspended afterward.
In the end, the Blue Devils captured a 97-96 win in overtime, but the 'Noles easily covered the spread as 15 1/2-point underdogs. FSU junior forward Al Thornton had a career game in defeat, scoring 37 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and posting a 5/1 assists-turnover ratio.
--Leonard Hamilton's team has won 12 of its 14 home games, posting a 5-4 spread record in the process.
--For our purposes, Mike Krzyzewski's squad has been awful lately on the road, struggling to a 2-6 spread record in its last eight trips.
--FSU has covered the spread in five of its last six games against Duke. However, the 'Noles have only beaten Duke outright four times in 28 games since joining the ACC in 1991-92.
--The 'over' is 12-1 in Duke's last 13 games.
--The 'over' is 5-3-1 in FSU's home games with a total.
--The 'under' is 6-1 in the last seven head-to-head meetings between these squads.
--ESPN will provide television coverage at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
**Kentucky at Tennessee**
--I've always felt like you can get a good read on how well a team has been coached in a given season by its spread record. For the most part, quality ATS records point to quality coaching jobs, ones that spark a team to exceed expectations. That's what we've seen in Knoxville from Bruce Pearl this year, one of the premier coaching performances in America. Gamblers have also witnessed a 16-6 spread record from the Volunteers, the third-best ATS mark in the nation.
--On the other hand, Kentucky (18-10 SU, 11-13 ATS) has endured its worst season of Tubby Smith's tenure. For the first time since the probation scandal in the late 1980s and early '90s, the Wildcats are in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament.
--Tennessee (20-5 SU, 16-6 ATS) beat Kentucky 75-67 at Rupp Arena on Feb. 7. Sophomore sensation Chris Lofton returned to his home state and scored 31 points to lead the Vols to the outright victory as 2 1/2-point underdogs.
--UT was unbeaten at home before losing Saturday against Arkansas, 73-69. Still, the Vols are 13-1 SU and 8-3 ATS at Thompson-Boling Arena.
--The Vols will return to the Big Dance this season after a four-year hiatus during the Buzz Peterson Era. Before Peterson was hired, Jerry Green took UT to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
--Say what you want about the Wildcats, but they have been serious money makers in SEC road games. In fact, Tubby's troops have posted a 6-1 spread record in seven SEC road assignments.
--UK reserve guard Ramel Bradley (8.3 points per game) remains "out" with a broken hand. He might return for the postseason.
--Most spots have installed the Vols as six-point favorites with a total of 153.
--Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Eastern. Jefferson Pilot will provide television coverage in the South, while bettors located elsewhere can only watch on ESPN's Full-Court Package.