With conference tournaments and Selection Sunday right around the corner, teams are entering their final six or seven games of the season. That means that bubble teams face must-wins across the board, while several other teams are fighting for seeds – both in conference tourneys and in the NCAA Tournament. None of the major conferences have been completely decided, and there are plenty of teams looking to make a move in the league standings to get back in the title hunt. This weekend features an abundance of games with postseason implications – perfect for those looking to spend some alone time before Valentine’s Day.

Maryland at Duke (Saturday, 1:00 PM): With these two teams atop the ACC right now, it’s almost like a flashback to the early 2000s, with Jay Williams and Juan Dixon doing battle in the backcourts. Maryland is rolling right now, having won six of its last seven games, with only two of the Terps’ 14 wins this season coming by single-digits. They have covered in eight of their last nine contests, and are hitting their stride. After its win over North Carolina Wednesday night, Duke has now won five of its last six, moving to 8-2 in the ACC. The Blue Devils have been inconsistent ATS this season, struggling mightily on the road and also failing to cover the O/U the majority of the time. The difference in this game will be Duke’s inside depth and the presence of Kyle Singler and his inside-outside skills.


Prediction: Duke 85, Maryland 77

Missouri at Baylor (Saturday, 1:45 PM): I’m expecting plenty of points in this game. Missouri has scored fewer than 70 points just five times this season, and not surprisingly, three of the team’s six losses came in those match-ups. The Tigers have lost three of their last seven games, but they are 6-3 in the Big 12 and are playing well. Unfortunately, they have gone just 3-4 ATS in their last seven. Baylor has lost two games ATS in a row, but the Bears have won three of four straight-up, including a road victory at Texas (a win that is losing some luster as the season progresses). Like Missouri, Baylor likes to get up and down the floor, as evidenced by the Bears’ scoring at least 70 points in all but three games this season – and in 14 straight games. In this one, I like Baylor’s edge down low with Ekpe Udoh, but the Bears are going to have to handle pressure defense better than it did down the stretch in that Texas game.


Prediction: Baylor 82, Missouri 75

Rhode Island at Temple (Saturday, 4:00 PM): An Atlantic-10 showdown between two teams jockeying for position in the crowded upper tier of the conference. Rhode Island dropped a home game to Richmond on Wednesday night, but the Rams had won four in a row prior to the defeat. Interestingly enough, URI has been mediocre ATS this season, going just 9-10-1 overall – and an astounding 1-8 at home. Temple was blitzed by Richmond over the weekend, and the Owls gone just 3-5 ATS in their last eight games. Overall, Temple has won eight of its last 10, and is trying to get a top-four seed come March. Rhode Island likes to push the ball, while Temple would much rather slow the game down and get into a defensive battle. Look for Temple’s ability to control tempo and score in the halfcourt to be the difference.

Prediction: Temple 67, Rhode Island 60

Georgia Tech at Wake Forest (Saturday, 8:00 PM): A couple of teams going in opposite directions right now. Georgia Tech, after its loss to Miami (Fl.) on Wednesday, has lost two of three, with the lone win coming by two points at home over North Carolina State. On the other side, Wake Forest has won three in a row and five of its last six to move to 7-3 in the ACC. Moreover, Tech hasn’t covered a game ATS since January 28, while Wake Forest has lost just one game ATS in the last month. Al-Farouq Aminu needs to break out of his mini-slump for the Demon Deacons, but his battle against Gani Lawal and Derrick Favors should be tremendous. Expect this game to come down to the wire, with Wake pulling it out late.


Prediction: Wake Forest 74, Georgia Tech 69

Tennessee at Kentucky (Saturday, 9:00 PM): SEC showdown that should produce plenty of points and plenty of highlights. Tennessee’s roster attrition in January could finally be catching up to them, as the Volunteers have lost three of their last six games, and just escaping against LSU and Florida in two of the wins. Moreover, they are just 1-5 ATS in their last six contests. Kentucky is still pushing towards a No. 1 seed come Selection Sunday, and probably don’t face enough tough games to really put that spot in doubt. However, they have not been overly impressive ATS this season, going exactly .500, at 11-11. Their propensity for playing down to their competition and allowing lesser teams to stay in the game is not advantageous for betting purposes. Still, Tennessee’s inconsistent point guard play and turnover problems could spell doom for the Volunteers.


Prediction: Kentucky 82, Tennessee 71