Streaks are made to be broken.
When it comes to wagering — sports without gambling action (really?!) or life in general — it’s an age-old adage many unbudgingly adhere to thinking some cosmic force is doing everything in its power to keep the good or bad series of events going.
In betting, trends are believed to own similar ethereal powers. No matter the influences at play, they are indeed thy friend. … Well, sometimes.
There are sensible, and not supernatural, explanations for why teams surge or suffer over extended periods. Some are fleeting. Meanwhile, others bizarrely blaze quite the fiery trail. Greedily, when tailed, they can spike bank accounts with a windfall of steady cash.
What teams have suplexed spreads around this college basketball season? Below are the best ATS teams, among notable schools, as tracked by TeamRankings.com.
1. Minnesota (Record ATS: 22-3). When it comes to the Minneapolis reps, the sportsbooks have taken a bath in all 10,000 of the state’s lakes. The Gophers are undoubtedly Golden for those who’ve religiously invested. An advanced numbers darling of sorts, they’re top-60 nationally in eFG offense and eFG defense. Selfless (No. 2 in A/FGM), impactful around the rim on both ends (top 40 in 2PT% off/def) and active on the offensive glass (No. 96 in OR%), Ben Johnson’s boys can hang with almost anyone. The recent fright they put into Purdue inside Mackey is case in point. With the Big Ten Tournament in its backyard this year, Minnesota is a dark horse bid stealer. Dawson Garcia, Cam Christie and Mike Mitchell are a downright deadly trio.
2. South Florida (Record ATS: 16-5-3). The Bulls’ trampling of Florida Atlantic gave them a one-game lead over Charlotte and a two-game advantage over the Owls. South Florida has tallied an astounding 11 straight wins, having dropped only one contest since early December. What Amir Abdur-Rahim has accomplished in his first year in Tampa is nothing shy of extraordinary. However, the Bulls have a moderate mountain to climb due to an uneventful NET impacted by a lackluster 4-3 record over Quad 1 and Quad 2s, a pair of Quad 4 losses and a 250-plus strength of schedule. Still, their dynamite defense and 3-point accuracy (40.4% since Jan. 1) make them better than advertised. Keep tailing.
3. Richmond (Record ATS: 18-6-1). The Spiders have backers tingling in all the right places. Only a half-game out of the captain’s chair in the Atlantic 10 and a reliable 10-2 straight up in their past 12, Chris Mooney’s club is in the thick of it. Cautious with the rock (12.2 TO% off.), blitzing along the arc (36.6 3PT% in last 30) and lockdown defensively (No. 14 in eFG D), Richmond continues to dunk on the sportsbook. Isaiah Bigelow, a 6-foot-7 forward who nets 40.0% from 3, is a mismatch for most, and point guard Jordan King, who also hits bull’s-eyes along the arc, and 7-footer Neal Quinn can be difficult to wrangle. Peter Parker fully recommends a follow.
4. Iowa State (Record ATS: 18-7). Celebratory keg stands, Cuervo shots and awkward bannister grinds are in order in Ames. The Cyclones are balling. They’re No. 3 overall in the last 30 days, according to BartTorvik’s analytics, and it’s no wonder why they’ve covered in seven of their last eight games. They’re well-rounded and well-oiled, especially on offense, as Keshon Gilbert, Milan Momcilovic and Curtis Jones have showered buckets since the calendar flipped to 2024. With a colossal clash in Houston on Monday, the searing could stop. Still, in what should be a hotly contested battle (read my in-depth game pick), Iowa State is entirely capable of cashing … again.
NEW NOISE!
— Brad Evans (@NoisyHuevos) February 19, 2024
*Slightly* important matchup in the Big 12 tonight between Iowa St/Houston.
My thoughts and pick only on The Gaming Juice (Or simply THE JUICE). Read below! https://t.co/hZqysXp4u6
5. South Carolina (Record ATS: 18-8). Last week’s nightmare woke all Gamecock fans up in a cold sweat. Unfortunately, the horror they endured was no dream. A 101-61 slaughter at Auburn and a listless close against LSU that led to a 64-63 gut-punch loss at home could be South Carolina’s regression to the mean. When playing even at a B-minus level, Lamont Paris’ squad is stifling defensively (No. 51 in eFG D). The Gamecocks also wax the glass on the offensive end, squeezing a second chance on 33.4% of their possessions, and they check in at No. 21 nationally in assists-to-field goals made. It’s anyone’s best guess what team arrives in Oxford on Saturday. If the pre-Auburn version shows up, the line value could be terrific against Ole Miss.