Oregon returns for this week’s rankings to claim the top spot, while Penn State, UMass and Villanova’s impressive starts all warrant inclusion. This week’s wildcard, though, is that serial upsetter, UNC, who has another chance to shock the nation this week.
[sc:BettingArticlesShortcoder ]College Basketball Betting Power Rankings – December 11
| TEAMS | TRENDS |
|---|---|
| Oregon Ducks | 6-0-1 ATS; 6-0 OVER |
| Penn State Nittany Lions | 7-0 ATS; 6-1 OVER |
| Massachusetts Minutemen | 7-1-0 ATS |
| Villanova Wildcats | 6-1 ATS |
| North Carolina Tar Heels | 4-1 ATS in last 5 games |
*All stats and odds as of December 11
1. Oregon Ducks
Next Games: vs Illinois, vs UC Irvine
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]Definitely the trendiest team in college basketball today, Oregon has been money on all three fronts (SU, ATS and O/U) this season.
Incredibly, the Ducks are currently 8-0 SU in non-conference play, are an undefeated 6-0-1 ATS and are a perfect 6-0 on the over.
They have a tricky contest against Illinois, but the Ducks will have the home-state crowd behind them in the Moda Center (formerly the Rose Garden).
2. Penn State Nittany Lions
Next Games: at Duquesne, vs Princeton
Penn State hasn’t had the greatest couple of weeks, going just 1-2 SU after a 6-1 start. The Nittany Lions however are still doing extremely well ATS-wise, with a perfect 7-0 mark.
They’ve managed to maintain their flawless record after covering 3.5 and 13.5 point spreads as underdogs despite losing to Ole Miss and Pitt, respectively.
The Lions will probably be favored against minnows Duquesne and Princeton — games they’re expected to win. The over is 6-1 in Penn State’s games this season.
3. Massachusetts Minutemen
Next Games: vs Northern Illinois, vs Ohio
The Minutemen have started the season on fire, winning their first eight games. After a close ATS loss to LSU in their second game of the season, #22 UMass has reeled off six ATS wins in a row to improve their season record to 7-1-0, tied for the most covers in the NCAA.
They have two very winnable games this week against Northern Illinois and Ohio, which should improve their already impressive record.
4. Villanova Wildcats
Next Game: vs La Salle
Jay Wright is once again working his magic at Villanova. The 10th ranked Wildcats are 9-0 SU (6-1 ATS), which includes two signature wins against top 25-ranked Kansas and Iowa.[sc:NCAAB240banner ]
Nova should be the odds-on favorites to push their winning streak to ten games with their lone game this week against lowly La Salle, who are 5-4 SU.
5. North Carolina Tar Heels
Next Games: vs Kentucky, vs Texas
So what are we to make of North Carolina this season? The #18 Tar Heels are currently 6-2 SU, with their two losses coming against teams from the Ohio Valley and Conference USA. However, they’ve already defeated two top 3-ranked teams in reigning NCAA champs Louisville and #1 Michigan State.
With this small sample, would it be fair to surmise that this year’s Tar Heels get up for the big games? It just so happens, they have two this week. UNC is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games, a good prep as they welcome heavyweights Kentucky and Texas to Chapel Hill.
Bet on all these teams and more over at the sportsbook.
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