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**Udog** · 03-09-2018, 08:11 AM

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

— Pitt fired basketball coach Kevin Stallings after only two seasons.

— Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is worth $112B; he is the richest guy in the world.

— Houston Rockets are 51-13, only 15-10 if either Harden or Paul sit out

— Aaron Judge hit .228 after the All-Star break LY; no more HR Derbies for him.

— Tampa Bay Rays will use a 4-man rotation early this season; when a 5th starter is needed, they’ll just have a bullpen game.

— Dodgers starting pitchers threw 100+ pitches only 24 times last year. Surprising.

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Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Wrapping up a full day of hoop

13) C-USA— Southern Miss 71, Middle Tennessee 68 OT— Potentially bad news for bubble teams all over the country; Blue Raiders are 24-7; they lost to USC by 5, to Miami by 3- they don’t have any really great non-conference wins. the next 48-72 hours will be very long for them.

12) ACC— Virginia 75, Louisville 58— Cavaliers are 29-2 and they’re underrated; they don’t have any big stars for ESPN to over-hype, and they fly under the radar. Excellent team.

Duke 88, Notre Dame 70— Have the Irish done enough to make the NCAA’s? They’re 20-14, but Bonzie Colson missed 15 games; lot of teams have injuries, though. Duke won seven of its last eight games.

North Carolina 82, Miami 65— Miami started game on a 14-0 run, but trailed 32-31 at the half. Luke Maye had a weird game; he grabbed 13 rebounds, had a couple assists, but he was 1-15 from the floor, 0-5 on the arc. Tar Heels have rubber match with Duke in ACC semis tonight.

11) A-14— George Mason 80, UMass 75— Patriots beat UMass three times this year, twice in overtime. Mason won six of its last eight games; an improving young team.

Saint Louis 70, George Washington 63— Billikens were down 11 at the half; they’re 17-15 and getting better under Travis Ford.

10) Big X— Kansas State 66, TCU 64 OT— Kid on TCU hit a 3 at the buzzer to force OT, but a shaky instant replay reversal gave K-State the last possession in overtime, and they cashed it in.

Kansas 82, Oklahoma State 68— Jayhawks are 26-5 in last 31 Big X tourney games. Cowboys are on the bubble, and most people don’t think they should be.

9) Big East— Butler 75, Seton Hall 74— Bulldogs get first Big East tourney win in five tries, scoring with 0:03.6 left in a wild final 0:30. Butler-Villanova in the semis tomorrow night.

Providence 72, Creighton 68 OT— You wonder how these teams from the midwest like trudging to Manhattan every March for their conference tournament. Long trip after a long season, especially when Bluejays already have their NCAA bid in order, despite going 3-6 in their last nine D-I games.

8) Big Sky— Southern Utah 92, Idaho 78— 10th-seed Thunderbirds are in Big Sky semis; they eliminated an Idaho team here that is the 2nd-most experienced team in country.

Montana 84, North Dakota 76— Top-seed has won last seven Big Sky tournaments, but Griz trailed by 6 with 15:48 left, before restoring order down the stretch. Montana will play Northern Colorado in the semis; the Bears crushed Weber State 80-55.

7) Sounds like Mike Moustakas will return to the Royals and Carlos Gonzalez will go back to Colorado, which is bad news for my fantasy team, and bad news for those two guys’ wallets. Not a lot of appetite for teams to spend big money on 30-ish free agents.

6) Big West— Fullerton 76, Long Beach 74— Tough game to ref; very physical. Allman played whole game for the Titans- they need to win next two days to win the tournament. He’ll need some rest eventually.

Fullerton-Davis play in semis Friday; Titans won both meetings during season. Head coaches had words after the first meeting; Fullerton coach Taylor is a Cal-Davis alum.

5) AAC— None of the eight AAC teams who played today will make the NCAA’s unless they win this AAC tournament. Scanning Twitter this week, it is amazing how many people put up their fields of 68 online, as if any of that means anything. Only thing that matters is what we see at 6:00 Sunday on TBS.

Memphis has quietly won six of its last seven games, as rumors about Penny Hardaway being the next Tigers’ coach float around. Memphis is 20-12 and plays Tulsa on Friday.

4) MAC— Buffalo signed coach Nate Oats to a 5-year contract extension; good for him. Bulls are 61-38 under Oats, 36-18 in conference games.

Toledo 71, Miami 69— Rockets avoid an upset here, surviving 4-23 shooting on the arc.

3) Mountain West— Utah State 78, Boise State 75— Big upset puts Broncos on the bubble and maybe in the NIT. Boise does have a win at Oregon, but not much else on its resume.

Nevada 79, UNLV 74— Wolf Pack have lot of injury issues, but they shot 12-25 on arc in this game and came back from 12 down in second half. UNLV PG Johnson got his 4th foul early in second half and Wolf Pack went on a run after that.

2) Pac-12— Arizona-UCLA play in Pac-12 semis Friday; teams met only once this season, with Bruins winning 82-74 in Tucson. Does UCLA need a win to make the NCAA’s?

1) SEC— Alabama 71, Texas A&M 70— Collin Sexton went length of court and hit a runner at the buzzer for the walk-off game-winner. Back in December, Aggies were thought to be Final Four caliber; they were 11-1 at Christmas, but finish 20-12. Could they be going to Dayton? Aggies’ last three games were decided by total of four points.

Georgia 62, Missouri 60— Star freshman Michael Porter Jr played in this game, after missing the whole season except for the first 2:00. Porter was 5-17 from floor in 23:00, which is an awful lot of shots for a kid who hasn’t played since November. You wonder how his presence affected team chemistry.

**Udog** · 03-09-2018, 08:36 AM

NHL

Friday, March 9

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Trend Report
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DETROIT @ COLUMBUS
Detroit is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Detroit's last 13 games
Columbus is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Columbus's last 6 games

CALGARY @ OTTAWA
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Calgary's last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Calgary's last 8 games when playing Ottawa
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Ottawa's last 8 games when playing Calgary
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Ottawa's last 7 games at home

ANAHEIM @ DALLAS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Anaheim's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Anaheim's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Dallas's last 7 games when playing at home against Anaheim

MINNESOTA @ VANCOUVER
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing on the road against Vancouver
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Vancouver's last 10 games at home
Vancouver is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota

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**Udog** · 03-09-2018, 09:48 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Friday, March 9

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DETROIT (26-30-0-11, 63 pts.) at COLUMBUS (35-28-0-5, 75 pts.) - 3/9/2018, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLUMBUS is 5-2 (+3.0 Units) against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
COLUMBUS is 5-2-0 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
5 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.8 Units)

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CALGARY (33-25-0-10, 76 pts.) at OTTAWA (23-32-0-11, 57 pts.) - 3/9/2018, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 3-2 (+0.9 Units) against the spread versus CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
OTTAWA is 3-2-0 straight up against CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.1 Units)

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ANAHEIM (34-22-0-12, 80 pts.) at DALLAS (37-24-0-6, 80 pts.) - 3/9/2018, 8:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ANAHEIM is 4-3 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
ANAHEIM is 4-3-0 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.3 Units)

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MINNESOTA (38-22-0-7, 83 pts.) at VANCOUVER (25-33-0-9, 59 pts.) - 3/9/2018, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
VANCOUVER is 5-3 (+5.4 Units) against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
VANCOUVER is 5-3-0 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.1 Units)

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NHL
Dunkel

Friday, March 9

Detroit @ Columbus

Game 1-2
March 9, 2018 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit
11.973
Columbus
10.812
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Detroit
by 1
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Columbus
-210
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit
(+180); Over

Calgary @ Ottawa

Game 3-4
March 9, 2018 @ 7:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Calgary
10.412
Ottawa
11.345
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Ottawa
by 1
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Calgary
-140
6
Dunkel Pick:
Ottawa
(+120); Under

Anaheim @ Dallas

Game 5-6
March 9, 2018 @ 8:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Anaheim
10.644
Dallas
12.102
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Dallas
by 1 1/2
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
-135
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Dallas
(-135); Under

Minnesota @ Vancouver

Game 7-8
March 9, 2018 @ 10:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
11.767
Vancouver
10.665
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 1
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Minnesota
-145
6
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(-145); Under

**Udog** · 03-09-2018, 10:04 AM

NHL Betting Cheat Sheet and Odds: Original Six rivals meet for rare matinee home-and-home
Monty Andrews

The Dallas Stars are struggling on offense, the Toronto Maple Leafs are really missing Auston Matthews, and the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks meet for a pair of afternoon games this weekend. We break down all of the betting angles you'll need to know for this weekend's action with our NHL Cheat Sheet.

No O in Big D

The Dallas Stars have been one of the more reliable Over plays for most of the season - but things have changed over the past 2 1/2 weeks as the Stars prepare for a Friday night encounter with the visiting Anaheim Ducks. The Stars have gone below the total in seven of their previous 10 games, including four shutouts over that span; Dallas has been on the right end of two of those shutouts, and blanked in the other two. And there's a good bet that stretch will continue Friday night, with Anaheim coming into the game as one of only three teams with 40 or more Unders on the season.

Bad Time for a Bad Stretch

The Toronto Maple Leafs are finding life without Auston Matthews a lot more difficult this time around than they did earlier in the season - and they'll likely be without their electrifying center as they entertain the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night. Matthews has missed the past five games with a shoulder ailment, and Toronto has gone just 1-2-2 in that span while carrying a four-game losing skid into Saturday's encounter. The Penguins head to the Ontario capital on a three-game winning streak and have prevailed nine of their last 12 games overall, including a 5-3 win over Toronto on Feb. 17.

Original Six Showdown

Two of the NHL's oldest franchises will do battle this weekend as the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks take part in a rare home-and-home matinee series. The Bruins have been one of the hottest teams in the league since the All-Star Break and have positioned themselves as a terrific bet to win the Stanley Cup, presently installed at +650 on Bet365 - behind only the Tampa Bay Lightning and Nashville Predators. Things haven't been nearly as rosy for the Blackhawks, who find themselves at the bottom of the Central Division race and will likely one of the first Western Conference teams eliminated from postseason contention.

If you're in the market for an online sportsbook, check out in-depth reviews of the best books and sign-up bonuses at OddsShark.com.

Player Notes

* The Carolina Hurricanes have made a front-office shake-up, removing Ron Francis as general manager and reassigning him to president of hockey operations. The Hurricanes enter Thursday night four points out of the second East wild-card spot.

* The Boston Bruins will be without forward David Backes through the weekend after he was given a three-game suspension for a hit on Detroit Red Wings forward Frans Nielsen. It's the first time Backes has been suspended in his NHL career.

* The Chicago Blackhawks have rewarded Jan Rutta for a solid season, signing the 27-year-old to a one-year contract extension worth $2.25 million. Rutta entered Thursday night with six goals and 13 assists in 43 games this season.

Injury Updates

* Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered Tuesday against the New York Rangers. The Jets are 13-3 SU and 11-5 O/U in games in which Scheifele has found the back of the net this season.

* The Philadelphia Flyers have welcomed forward Wayne Simmonds back to the lineup after he missed eight games with an upper-body injury. The Flyers won their first four games with Simmonds on the sidelines, then promptly lost the next four.

* Injured Calgary Flames netminder Mike Smith has joined the team on its three-game road trip but isn't sure when he'll be back in the lineup. Smith, who hasn't played since Feb. 11 against the New York Islanders, is 23-16-6 with a 2.53 goals-against average.

Stanley Cup Futures

* The Tampa Bay Lightning remain the team to beat in oddsmakers' eyes. The NHL's overall points leaders are installed as +425 favorites on Bet365 to win their second Stanley Cup title; Nashville is a close second in the odds race at +500.

* The Toronto Maple Leafs' recent struggles have dropped their odds to +1,300 - sixth-best in the league, and fourth among Eastern Conference contenders. They're one spot ahead of the Penguins (+1,400), who visit Air Canada Centre on Saturday.

* Don't count out the Minnesota Wild, whose sensational second half of the season has pushed them into live underdog status. The Wild have moved all the way up to +1,700 on Bet365, the fourth-best odds among Western Conference teams.

Betting Trends

* Host teams have been particularly dominant of late, going 31-14-4 - a 63.3-percent success rate - over the seven-day period ending Wednesday. That gives the home side a 56.4-percent win rate over the past 30 days, and 55.8 percent for the season.

* Over has been the stronger play over the most recent seven-day stretch, with 27 games exceeding the total and 21 going Under. That puts the count at 504 Overs compared to 499 Unders so far in 2017-18.

* You won't find many better Under plays at this point in the season than the Detroit Red Wings, who have gone below the total in 14 of their previous 18 games entering Thursday night. They're the first Eastern Conference team to surpass 40 Unders.

* Colorado's value to bettors has depended almost entirely on where the Avalanche have played. The Denver-based franchise has returned a league-best 1,278 units at Pepsi Center, but is at -274 units in 32 games away from Colorado.

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Friday's NHL Trends and Indexes - 3/9

Friday's NHL Trends and Indexes - 3/9

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