A Near Split at the Betting Window:

It was a long, full Friday of college basketball, with 37 games on the betting board. And unlike Thursday, when there was a decisive winner as the underdogs went 27-19-1 against the spread (ATS) and notched 14 outright victories, things were much tighter.

Favorites went 19-17-1 ATS Friday, though the pups still managed to grab 10 straight-up (SU) victories, including three upsets while cashing in all four of the ACC contests. Georgia Tech dropped Maryland 69-64 as a four-point pup, North Carolina State beat Florida State 58-52 catching 6.5 points, and Miami topped Virginia Tech 70-65 getting 3.5 points.

Duke was the only ACC chalk to win SU, besting Virginia 57-46, but falling well short as an overwhelming 17-point favorite. The puppies are now 7-0-1 ATS the past two days in the ACC.

Big Ten underdogs went 3-0-1 ATS Friday, with Illinois dumping Wisconsin outright 58-54 catching 7.5, and Minnesota (+4) beating Michigan State 72-67 in overtime. Northwestern (+8) got a push in its 69-61 loss to Purdue, and Ohio State needed Evan Turner’s 37-footer at the buzzer to beat Michigan 69-68, though the Wolverines got the funds as a nine-point ‘dog.

So even though chalks came out slightly ahead overall at the betting window, several ‘dogs still had their day on Friday.

 College Basketball Fast Break:

The fight for Big Dance invitations continues in earnest today, so let’s send you into your weekend with a bevy of betting numbers:

·         No. 17 Temple, facing Rhode Island in the Atlantic 10 semis, is on ATS surges of 5-0 overall, 39-14-2 in conference play, 38-17-1 against winning teams and 7-1 on neutral courts.

·         Rhode Island is on ATS slides of 2-7 overall, 16-33-3 in the A-10 and 3-7 against winning teams.

·         Temple has won three in a row SU and ATS in this rivalry, and the SU winner has cashed in the last 13 clashes.

·         No. 24 Xavier is on ATS rolls of 35-16-2 overall, 35-16-1 on neutral courts, 9-3 in the A-10 and 8-3 following a SU win, with Richmond up next.

·         The Spiders are on ATS upticks of 9-2-1 overall (all in conference play) and 3-1 on neutral floors (4-0 SU).

·         Suddenly surging North Carolina State is 5-1 SU and ATS in its last six games, all in ACC action, and the Wolfpack are 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS on neutral courts this season, as Georgia Tech awaits.

·         The Yellow Jackets are 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven at neutral sites (4-0 last four), though they are still 3-6-2 ATS in their last 11 outings, all in ACC play.

·         The over has hit in the last seven Duke-Miami contests, and the over is on further runs of 7-0 for the Blue Devils and Hurricanes against winning teams, and 6-2 overall for the ‘Canes (all in ACC play).

·         No. 1 Kansas, facing No. 9 Kansas State, is on a 36-16-1 ATS tear against teams with a winning percentage above .600, but the Jayhawks also carry negative ATS streaks of 4-9 overall (all in the Big 12), 2-7 after a spread-cover and 3-9 after a SU win.

·         K-State is on ATS rolls of 17-6-1 overall, 12-5-1 after a spread-cover, 15-5-1 against winning teams and 5-1 at neutral sites.

·         Kansas is 18-6 ATS in its last 24 clashes with K-State, including 4-1 SU and ATS in the last five.

·         No. 5 Ohio State is on ATS upticks of 7-3 at neutral venues, 4-1 after a non-cover and 4-1 against winning teams, with Illinois up today.

·         The Illini are 1-6 ATS in their last seven neutral-site starts, 1-3 ATS in their last four overall, 4-10 ATS in their last 10 after a spread-cover and 3-8 ATS in their last 11 on Saturday.

·         The SU winner is 9-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings between Ohio State and Illinois.

·         Minnesota, facing No. 6 Purdue, is on ATS streaks of 7-1 overall (all in the Big Ten), 4-0 against winning teams and 6-2 on Saturday.

·         The Boilermakers are on ATS purges of 3-11-1 laying points, 1-6 on Saturday and 0-3-1 against winning teams, but they’ve gone 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last five against the Gophers.

·         The SU winner is 9-1-1 ATS in the last 11 Minnesota-Purdue meetings.

·         No. 22 Georgetown has cashed in four straight overall and five in a row on neutral courts, though they are 10-25-1 ATS in their last 36 coming off a spread-cover, with No. 7 West Virginia up next.

·         The Mountaineers are 2-6 ATS in their last eight at neutral venues (1-4 ATS last four).

·         San Diego State is 4-1 SU and ATS in its last five meetings with UNLV and is 6-2 SU and ATS in its last eight away from home against Mountain West foes, with tonight’s tourney final on the Rebels’ home floor.

·         The SU winner is 8-0 ATS in the last eight meetings between the Aztecs and Rebels.

·         California is on a 6-0 SU and ATS tear and is 17-5 ATS in its last 22 as a chalk, but the Bears are just 2-6 ATS in their last eight neutral-site starts, heading into the Pac-10 final against Washington in Los Angeles.

·         The Huskies are 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS in their last six and have cashed in six straight Saturday games, though they are on a 2-4 ATS skid at neutral sites.

·         Mississippi State has cashed in four straight meetings with Vanderbilt and in 10 of the last 13 clashes.

·         Vandy is on a 10-4 ATS run against winning teams and is 12-5 ATS in its last 17 on neutral floors.

·         The SU winner is 10-1 in the last 11 contests between Kentucky and Tennessee, and the top-ranked Wildcats are 5-1 ATS (4-2 SU) in the last six meetings in this rivalry.

·         The under has hit in five of the last six Tennessee-Kentucky contests and is on further tears of 19-7-1 for the Vols, 13-3 with Tennessee a pup, 6-1 for Kentucky on neutral floors and 5-1 for the ‘Cats against winning teams.