The Bum's Best Bets For Saturday February 21st NBA -NHL-NCAABB- !

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Tomorrow i'll have my February Game of the Month so check back later and load up on this one..........:msh<:msh<:msh<

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Saturday's Top Action

February 20, 2015


FLORIDA GATORS (13-13) at LSU TIGERS (18-8)

Pete Maravich Assembly Center – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Tip-off: Saturday, 1:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Tigers -5.5

The Gators look to get back over .500 with a win in Baton Rouge over LSU Saturday.

Florida is coming off of a 50-47 win over Vanderbilt as a 5-point home favorite on Wednesday. It was the Gators’ first victory in five games and they are now 2-4 ATS in their past six as well. This Florida offense is miserable, failing to score 70+ in seven straight games. They rarely ever come through with a great performance on that end of the floor, so they’ll need to play excellent defense against LSU. The Tigers, meanwhile, are coming off of a 68-62 loss as 2.5-point underdogs at Texas A&M on Tuesday.

LSU beat the Gators in Florida earlier in the season, winning 79-61 as an 11-point road underdog. Prior to that win for the Tigers, Florida had won six straight games SU against LSU. The Gators have won in their last two games at Pete Maravich Assembly Center, but they have failed to cover in three of their past four games in Baton Rouge. The Gators are just 6-7 SU and ATS versus SEC opponents this season, and they’re also a lousy 2-7-2 ATS when coming off of a SU win. LSU, meanwhile, is 7-6 SU and 7-5-1 ATS versus the SEC this season and 6-1 SU and 4-1-1 ATS when coming off of a SU loss.

G Michael Frazier II (Ankle), F Dorian Finney-Smith (Suspension), G Dillon Graham (Personal), C John Egbunu (Eligibility), G Brandone Francis (Academics) and G DeVon Walker (Knee) are all out indefinitely or for the season. LSU is not currently dealing with any injuries.

Florida barely came away with a home victory over Vanderbilt on Wednesday, but they’ll still be satisfied to come away from that night at .500. At this point in the year, the Gators are playing for NIT eligibility and it will be tough with off the court problems derailing this team. Florida has been horrible offensively this season, averaging just 64.8 PPG (242nd in NCAA) on 43.7% shooting (174th in NCAA). They don’t have many scoring options and where they are able to give teams trouble is on the defensive end. The Gators allow just 59.4 PPG (23rd in NCAA) and do so by getting into the passing lanes, averaging 7.6 SPG (51st in NCAA).

With the team depleted by injuries, F Devin Robinson (5.9 PPG, 2.7 RPG) is a guy who will really need to play well. Robinson had 12 points and six rebounds against Vanderbilt, but he has been very inconsistent recently. After a 14-point performance against Ole Miss three games ago, Robinson was in foul trouble and didn’t score a point against Texas A&M the following game. He’ll need to find a way to stay on the court and provide some offense for this team.

G Kasey Hill (7.2 PPG, 4.5 APG) will also need to play well going forward. Hill had just three points and five assists in 30 minutes against Vanderbilt and that followed up a game in which he had no points and 10 assists in a win over Texas A&M. While his distributing has been excellent, the team needs him to start finding the bottom of the net.

C Jon Horford (6.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG) is one of the few starters who is still playing for Florida at this point in the season. He had just four points and three rebounds against LSU in the last meeting between these teams and will need to play well defensively against what is a dominant frontcourt for the Tigers.

G Eli Carter (8.6 PPG) followed up a 22-point performance against A&M with just six points (2-for-9 FG, 0-for-5 3PT) against Vanderbilt. Carter has been miserable from behind the arc this season (30% FG), but he is a better shooter than his stats give him credit for. He’ll need to start making some shots for this team if they are going to find themselves playing in any respectable postseason tournament this year.

The Tigers have one of the better offenses in the nation, scoring 73.7 PPG (42nd in NCAA) on 45.7% shooting (76th in NCAA). Defensively, however, they have struggled in allowing 67.3 PPG (203rd in NCAA) despite 6.4 BPG (6th in NCAA) and 7.5 SPG (53rd in NCAA). The Tigers have a very winnable game against Florida in this one and have a great chance to regroup after their loss to Texas A&M.

F Jarrell Martin (15.8 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 1.2 SPG) has been one of the most consistent players for this LSU team this year. Martin fouled out against Texas A&M, but he had 13 points and six rebounds before exiting and had 22 points in a win over Florida early in the season. If he can stay out of foul trouble, he should be able to really hurt the Gators with his ability to score both from midrange and around the basket.

F Jordan Mickey (16.7 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.8 BPG) was awful against Texas A&M last game, finishing with just six points and four rebounds in 34 minutes. He did, however, dominate Florida in their last meeting with 14 points, 14 rebounds and three assists in 35 minutes. Jon Horford has size inside, but he doesn’t have the speed or athleticism to really guard Mickey. The Tigers will need to feed him the ball often in this game.

G Tim Quarterman (11.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.4 SPG) is a guy that can really fill up the stat sheet. He had 15 points, eight assists, five rebounds and a steal against the Gators last meeting and his length at the guard position really gave Florida issues. He’ll need to keep attacking the rim and getting into passing lanes for this team.

G Keith Hornsby (12.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.2 SPG) is LSU’s best shooter from behind the arc (37% 3PT). He had 15 points (6-for-12 FG, 3-for-6 3PT) and two steals against Florida last meeting and will need to knock down his open shots in this one as well.

MIAMI HURRICANES (17-9) at LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (20-6)

KFC Yum! Center - Louisville, KY
Tip-off: Saturday, 2:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Cardinals -9

No. 12 Louisville looks to stop their free-fall and prevent a three game losing skid when they host Miami on Saturday.

Louisville, losers of two of its past three, is a mess right now. Coach Rick Pitino’s crew has lost their last two games, both to inferior squads (at home versus NC State and on the road at Syracuse). The Cardinals were without G Chris Jones (13.6 PPG, 3.7 APG, 2.0 SPG) against Syracuse due to a suspension from Pitino, but local reports have Jones pegged to play versus the Hurricanes.

Miami has had an up-and-down year to this point, unable to put together a consistent stretch of conference wins. The Hurricanes do have a modest two-game run with victories over ACC bottom-feeders Boston College, and Virginia Tech. The Boston College game, especially – as a double overtime victory on the road (after being delayed due to weather) – may be a positive turning point in the Hurricanes’ season.

Louisville and Miami have already met this season, with the Cardinals picking up a 63-55 win on Feb. 3 in Coral Gables (covering the 4.5-point spread). Jones was huge in that matchup, racking up 16 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and a season-high six steals. Miami really struggled to just 34% FG in that matchup as only one player shot over 50% on the entire squad. Historically, Miami has never beaten or covered against Louisville in this series’ limited recent history (only 3 meetings since 2005).

Louisville has been mediocre ATS this season at 10-14-1, and even worse at home (5-10-1 ATS), while Miami is 4-4 ATS on the road. Something has to give with the total of this game, though, as while Miami has gone Over in nine of their previous 11 road games, Louisville has gone Under in eight of their last 10 home games.

Miami has shown that they can play up to the level of competition this season with top-25 wins over then-No. 8 Florida, and at No. 4 Duke. They also took No. 2, Virginia, down to the wire in two overtimes, before losing 89-80 (and being the only team to break the 80 point mark against the Cavaliers in the process). Lately, however, the Hurricanes look like a middling lower-tier conference team, having gone .500 in conference play since Jan. 17.

It should be no surprise that behind this drop in production has been a severe dip in play from team leader, G Angel Rodriguez (12.6 PPG, 4.6 APG, 2.0 SPG), as Rodriguez’s numbers in the 10-game span from Jan. 17th to now are putrid (8.5 PPG, 23% FG, 19% 3PT). Miami has been held together due to consistent scoring from G Sheldon McClellan (14.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.5 threes/gm on 38% 3PT), and an uptick in play from sophomore G Davon Reed (7.4 PPG) who’s averaged 11.4 PPG and is hot from the field (58% FG, 55% 3PT – 2.2 threes/gm) since working his way into a major role on offense (26+ minutes per game) – coincidentally, exactly when Rodriguez started to tail off in production. Getting all three backcourt weapons to mesh cohesively is a must for Coach Jim Larranaga if the Hurricanes cling to any realistic at-large NCAA hopes.

The rock for Miami all season has been their man in the middle, C Tonye Jekiri (8.5 PPG, 10.4 RPG – 1st in ACC, 14th in NCAA). The seven-footer is a legitimate candidate for All-ACC honors as one of the most improved players in the country. Reed and Jekiri led the Hurricanes in their eight point loss earlier in the month to Louisville, as Jekiri posted a double-double and Reed almost had a perfect night from the field (7-8 FG; 5-6 threes) for a team-high 19 points. Rodriguez struggled mightily with Louisville’s press and fouled out with only six points and one assist for the game.

Miami is a much better offensive team on the road, oddly enough (73 PPG – 19th in NCAA in road PPG) and their strong assist-to-turnover ratio (1.36, 20th in NCAA) bodes well against the aggressive Louisville press. If they can handle the press and set themselves up for open threes (35.9% of Miami points come from beyond the arc, 31st in NCAA) the Hurricanes will have a great chance at kicking Louisville while they’re down.

It may be just another game in February, but given the Cardinals’ recent play, this game is as close to a must-win February game as there is. The last 10 days might’ve been Coach Rick Pitino’s worst at the helm of Louisiville: A loss, as a 10.5-point home favorite, to mediocre North Carolina State, compounded by the second suspension this season of starting senior guard, Jones, and then another loss at Syracuse (a squad that Louisville had owned, historically) brings us to this game against middle-of-the-pack Miami.

The woes for Louisville start on offense, where the numbers say they’re decent (71.1 PPG, 84th in NCAA) their recent play says otherwise. Louisville hasn’t broken 68 points since January (five games) and is averaging 60.6 PPG in that span. The underlying issue with the lack of offense is that Louisville relies on their defense to turn into offense. Through Jan. 31 Louisville had a streak (to start the season) of 16 straight games with 12+ turnovers forced, and their season average of 14.2 TO/G is still good for 42nd in the nation. That said, they’re only forcing turnovers at a shockingly-low (for Louisville) rate of 10.2/game in ACC play, good for a four-way tie for 13th place in the conference.

This is not historically indicative of a Rick Pitino coached squad. Left without transition buckets to feast on and Louisville’s poor perimeter shooting really hurts them (32% 3PT, 14th ACC), see F Wayne Blackshear (10.5 PPG, 1.6 threes/gm) and his 0-0-0 line (points, rebounds, assists) in the recent loss to Syracuse ? a game Louisville desperately needed Blackshear’s outside shooting against Syracuse’s zone - for no further explanation as to the lack of depth in Louisville’s offensive attack.

The Cardinals are blessed with the inside-outside duo of G Terry Rozier (18 PPG, 5.5 RPG 44% FG) and F Montrezl Harrell (15.4 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 58% FG), but those two alone can’t carry this offense to respectability, as the effective return of Jones will go a long way to determining the outcome of this game. In Jones’ stead, sophomore G Quentin Snider (2.5 PPG) provided a season-high 13 points and hit three triples in the loss at the Carrier Dome.

Coach Pitino also has to be encouraged by the recent play of F Chinanu Onuaku (3.4 PPG, 1.5 BPG) who went for eight points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks on Wednesday night.

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday's Tip Sheet

February 20, 2015


**UCLA at Arizona**

-- Arizona (23-3 straight up, 16-10 against the spread) has won three in a row both SU and ATS, including Thursday's 87-57 win over Southern Cal as a 24-point home favorite. All five starters were in double figures led by Kaleb Tarczewski, who had 15 points and nine rebounds. Stanley Johnson added 13 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals.

-- One offshore betting shop had Arizona installed as a 14-point home favorite late Friday afternoon.

-- Arizona is undefeated in 14 home games with a 10-4 spread record.

-- Johnson leads Sean Miller's team in scoring (14.5 points per game) and rebounding (6.7 RPG).

-- After dropping a 68-66 decision Wednesday night at Arizona St., UCLA (16-11 SU, 13-14 ATS) finds itself in dire need of a victory in Tucson to keep alive its chances of garnering an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins are 45th in the RPI Rankings with a 1-5 record against the RPI Top 50. However, we should note that the one victory came over Utah (RPI: 9) and all five defeats came against foes in the Top 15. Then again, we should note that all five of those setbacks came by double-digit margins, including losses by 39 and 32 points to Kentucky and Utah, respectively.

-- To its credit, UCLA does have five wins over teams RPI 50-100 to give it a 6-10 record against the Top 100. The Bruins' only loss to an opponent outside of the Top 100 was a 62-56 loss at Colorado (RPI: 115).

-- Steve Alford's squad has won five of its last seven games, hooking up its backers at a 6-1 ATS clip.

-- Arizona is seventh in the RPI thanks to a 3-0 record against the Top 50. The Wildcats are 13-2 versus the Top 100. They have losses at Oregon St., at Arizona Stateand at UNLV.

-- UCLA has been a road underdog seven times, struggling to a 2-5 spread record with one outright win at Stanford.

-- The 'under' is 17-9 overall for UCLA, 8-1 in its nine road assignments. The 'under' is on an 8-1 roll in the Bruins' last nine games.

-- The 'under' is 14-12 overall for Arizona, 8-6 in its home games.

-- Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

**Gonzaga at Saint Mary's**

-- Gonzaga (27-1 SU, 12-11-2 ATS) appears destined to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament if it can win out through the finals of the WCC Tournament. However, a loss in this spot could put that in jeopardy. One offshore book had Gonzaga favored by 7.5 points late Friday afternoon.

-- Gonzaga failed to cover the spread for the fourth time in five games Thursday when it won an 86-74 decision at Pacific as a 17-point home favorite. Kyle Wiltjer stole the show with a career-high 45 points on 15-of-22 shooting from the field, 7-of-10 from 3-point range and 8-of-9 from the charity stripe. The Kentucky transfer also had six rebounds and four assists compared to just one turnover. Gary Bell Jr. was also in double figures with 12 points. Kevin Pangos dished out eight assists.

-- Wiltjer is averaging a team-best 17.4 points per game and is making 54.9 percent of his shot from the field, 47.2 percent from beyond the arc and 81.2 percent from the free-throw line. He averages 5.5 rebounds per game and has a 54/28 assists-to-turnovers ratio. Pangos is scoring at a 12.0 PPG clip, draining 45.9 percent of his attempts from distance. The senior guard has a stellar 138/39 assists-to-turnovers ratio.

-- Saint Mary's (20-6 SU, 17-6-1 ATS) has won 14 of its 17 home games while going 10-4-1 ATS. Since losing at BYU on Feb. 12, the Gaels have won back-to-back games both SU and ATS, including Thursday's 68-51 win over Portland as six-point home 'chalk.' Kerry Carter scored a game-high 21 points by making 6-of-8 from the field and 4-of-6 from downtown. Aaron Bright added 16 points and Brad Waldow finished with 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Waldow produced those numbers despite playing for only 23 minutes due to foul trouble.

-- Waldow averages team-highs in scoring (19.7 PPG), rebounding (9.1 RPG), field-goal percentage (57.3%) and blocked shots (0.7 BPG).

-- Mark Few's team is eighth in the RPI Rankings, posting a 4-1 record against Top-50 opponents and a 7-1 mark versus Top-100 foes. The Bulldogs' only loss of the season was a 66-63 decision at Arizona (RPI: 7). They own home scalps of SMU (RPI: 18), Saint Mary's and Memphis. In addition, the 'Zags beat Georgia and StateJohn's on a neutral court and have road wins at UCLA and at BYU.

-- Saint Mary's is 2-2 ATS with one outright win over Creighton in four games as an underdog. This is the first home underdog situation of the season for Randy Bennett's squad.

-- Saints Mary's is 12-3 ATS in its last 15 games.

-- When these teams met in Spokane on Jan. 22, Gonzaga won its seventh straight head-to-head meeting over Saint Mary's. In addition, the Bulldogs covered the number for the sixth straight time against the Gaels. They won by a 68-47 count as 15-point home favorites behind 14 points and five assists from Pangos. Waldow had 14 points and seven boards in the losing effort.

-- The 'over' is 14-9-2 overall for Gonzaga, 7-3 in its road assignments.

-- The 'under' is 11-7-1 overall for Saint Mary's, 5-4-1 in its home games.

-- The 'under' has cashed in six straight meetings between these WCC adversaries.

-- ESPN2 will provide the broadcast at 10:00 p.m. Eastern.

**B.E.'s Bonus Nuggets**

-- Louisville starting guard Chris Jones (13.6 PPG, 3.7 APG) has been reinstated after a one-game suspension caused him to miss Wednesday's loss at Syracuse. Jones is expected to play in Saturday's home game vs. Miami.

-- Marquette's Matt Carlino (14.5 PPG) has missed three straight games due to a concussion. He is a question mark for Saturday's home game vs. Villanova.

-- Alabama's second-leading scorer Ricky Tarrant has been ruled 'out' for Saturday's home game vs. Georgia. Tarrant (13.1 PPG) will miss his seventh straight game with a leg injury sustained in a loss vs. Florida.

-- Georgia is hoping to get starting guard J.J. Frazier back for its trip to Tuscaloosa. Frazier missed Tuesday's home loss to South Carolina due to a fracture orbital bone and a concussion sustained in last Saturday's home loss to Auburn. Frazier was 'questionable' as of late Friday afternoon.

-- Boise Stateguards Mikey Thompson and Montigo Alford will return from three-game suspensions Saturday when Leon Rice's team faces Nevada.

-- The 'under' is on a 14-2 run in Clemson's last 16 games with a total. The Tigers might be without Jaron Blossomgame for Saturday's game at Duke. Blossomgame, the Tigers' leading scorer (12.9 PPG) and rebounder (8.1 RPG), is 'questionable' with a foot injury.

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday's Big 12 Tip Sheet

February 20, 2015


The Big 12 goes six deep in nationally ranked teams based on the AP’s latest Top 25 and the competition for the regular season title is about as heated as it gets with three games separating all six teams. This Saturday’s slate features a pair of matchups that could be a potential trap game for two of these title contenders. No. 20 Baylor will kick things off at home against Kansas State in a 1:00 p.m. (ET) tip followed closely by No. 14 Iowa State on the road against Texas at 2:00 p.m ET.

Kansas State Wildcats at No. 20 Baylor Bears (ESPNU, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Baylor -11

Kansas State got off to a promising 4-1 SU start in conference play, but it has now lost seven of its last nine contests while going 3-4 ATS in its last seven games. The Wildcats are coming off a 69-55 loss to TCU this past Wednesday as 3 ½-point road underdogs. The total went OVER the 119 ½-point closing line after staying UNDER in six of their previous seven outings. Kansas State is averaging 63.7 points per game, but it has only exceeded that total once in its last seven games. Senior forward Nino Williams scored 14 points while pulling down 10 rebounds in the losing cause against the Horned Frogs.

The Bears snapped a two-game skid both SU and ATS with a 54-49 victory against Texas Tech this past Tuesday, but they failed to cover as 8 ½-point road favorites. They are now 8-6 ATS on the year when closing as favorites and the total has stayed UNDER in their last two games. Baylor is scoring an average of 69.2 PPG and it is ranked fourth in the nation in rebounds with 40.7 a game. A pair of junior forwards have led the way with Taurean Prince averaging 13 PPG and Rico Gathers pulling down 11.1 rebounds a game. The Bears are holding opponents to 59.4 points on the other end of the court.

Betting Trends

-- The Wildcats are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games as underdogs and they are 4-2 ATS in their last six games on the road. The total has stayed UNDER in 16 of their last 21 games following a SU loss.

-- The Bears are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 home games against a team with a SU losing record on the road and they are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six Saturday games. The total has gone OVER in four of their last five home games.

-- The underdog in this series is 14-6-1 ATS in the last 21 meetings and the total has gone OVER in five of the last seven meetings in Baylor. Kansas State won the first meeting this season 63-61 as a two-point home favorite to end as a PUSH.

No. 14 Iowa State Cyclones vs. Texas Longhorns (ESPN2, 2:00 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Texas -3

The Cyclones are now just one game off the pace in the Big 12 standings with a 3-1 record both SU and ATS in their last four games. The total has stayed UNDER in three of the four contests. This past Wednesday, they beat Oklahoma State 70-65 as two-point underdogs on the road. Junior forward Jameel McKay led the way against the Cowboys with a game-high 17 points while pulling down 14 rebounds and senior forward Dustin Hogue added 14 points and seven rebounds in the winning cause. Iowa State is averaging 79.6 PPG and it is shooting an effective 48.7 percent from the field.

Texas is coming off a hard-fought 71-69 loss to Oklahoma as a 6 ½-point road underdog this past Tuesday to snap a SU three-game winning streak. This evened its mark to 4-4 ATS in its last eight games. The total has now gone OVER in five of the Longhorns last eight outings. They are still below .500 in conference play at 6-7 SU behind an offense that is averaging 68.5 PPG and shooting 44 percent from the field. Texas has four players scoring in double figures led by sophomore guard Isaiah Taylor’s 12.8 PPG. Taylor has been struggling as of late with a total of just 17 points in his last three games.

Betting Trends

-- The Cyclones have failed to cover in three of their last four road games, but they are 5-1 ATS in their last six games played on a Saturday. The total has gone OVER in four of their last five games on the road.

-- The Longhorns are just 4-9 ATS in their last 13 Saturday games and they have failed to cover in five of their last seven home games. The total has stayed UNDER in five of their last seven games at home.

-- The home team in this matchup has covered in four of the last five meetings and the total has gone OVER in seven of the last nine meetings in Texas. Iowa State won the first meeting this season 89-86 on Jan. 26, but it could not cover as a five-point home favorite.

[StarDust Bum]

FSU looks for big road upset

February 20, 2015

FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES(15-12) at VIRGINIA CAVALIERS(24-1)

John Paul Jones Arena - Charlottesville, VA Tip-off: Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: N/A

No. 2 Virginia looks to win its sixth straight when the team faces off against Florida State in Charlottesville on Sunday.

On the surface, things seem to be smooth sailing for Coach Tony Bennett’s No. 2 Virginia Cavaliers. Since dropping their first game, 69-63 at home to conference rival Duke on Jan. 31, the Cavaliers have reeled off five straight wins, the first two over ranked foes (North Carolina, Louisville) and the last three over NC State, Wake Forest, and most recently, 61-49 over Pittsburgh on Monday evening.

Looking closer, though, Virginia isn’t the dominant team it was in non-conference play and early-conference season play. Virginia has one ATS win in its past seven games (1-6-1 ATS), even though it is just 6-1 SU in that span.

Florida State is seemingly finding its way now in conference play, going 6-3 SU in its past nine games after a 1-4 start. Given Virginia’s slow pace and incredible defense, it’s not surprising to find that the Cavaliers aren’t hitting the Over very often (4-8-1) in conference play. They’ve also only hit the Over once all season in-conference to a team averaging less than 69 points per-game – and that had the caveat of being a double-overtime win at Miami. (Florida State averages 68.2 PPG.)

More interestingly, contrary to Virginia’s recent inability to cover, the Seminoles are a sterling 8-1 ATS in their past nine games (4-0 ATS on the road; 5-0 ATS as an underdog), and have covered each of their last four contests. Historically, Florida State is 5-4 SU (3-6 ATS) versus Virginia since Tony Bennett became the head man in Charlottesville (March 2009). Virginia has won four of the last five meetings between these two schools, though, with the last win being in March, 2014 – a 64-51 win in the ACC tournament in Greensboro, NC. Virginia will be without the services of G Justin Anderson (13.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG), as they have been for the past three games, with a finger injury. FSU’s Aaron Thomas (14.8 PPG in 6 games) was declared ineligible in December and is out for the season.

Florida State is fresh off wins at Georgia Tech last Saturday, 57-53, and at home Wednesday versus Boston College, 69-60. On the road versus the Yellow Jackets, the defensive effort and shot blocking were reminiscent of Seminoles teams of past years under Coach Leonard Hamilton’s tenure.

Reserve F Jarquez Smith (6.6 PPG, 1.1 BPG) led the effort with 16 points and three of Florida State’s nine blocks on the day.

Against the Eagles, G Devon Bookert (11 PPG, 43% 3PT) took charge with 18 points on 6-for-7 from the field (4-for-5 3PT), as Florida State withstood 32 points from Boston College star Olivier Hanlan. While Florida State is great a defending the rim (5.2 BPG in-conference, 1st in ACC), that’s partially due to having three seven-footer’s they can rotate, who don’t do much else (C’s Boris Bojanovsky, Keil Turpin, and Michael Ojo – contributing 6.7 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 2.6 BPG combined).

Without projected leader, Thomas, the Seminoles offense has been put in the hands of redshirt freshman G Xavier Rathan-Mayes (13.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 4.5 APG). Rathan-Mayes has shown flashes of brilliance (35 points at Chapel Hill) and also reminders that he’s still very much a work-in-progress (5 points, 1 assist, 6 turnovers at Duke last Monday). Rathan-Mayes (3.6 TO/game, 1st ACC, 9th in NCAA) is a big reason why Florida State is also first in the ACC (14.2) in turnovers committed per game.

Rounding out the backcourt, where the Seminoles get most of their production, is G Montay Brandon (12.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG), a long, physical specimen of a swingman. Brandon is unfortunately wildly inconsistent on the offensive end, as he’s scored seven points or less in four of his past 10 games.

No. 2 Virginia remains at that lofty perch due to their unique style of play and vaunted “pack-line” defense, which relies on cutting off inside production with help defense (45.1% FG at-rim against, 1st in NCAA), and daring teams to make contested perimeter shots by forcing the primary ball handler away from his comfort zone.

The stalwart for Virginia’s number 1 scoring defense in the country (50.8 PPG) is G Malcolm Brogdon (13.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG) who’s length and size make him a menace on defense, whether guarding a dribbler on the perimeter, or finishing off a ball handler who’s just been woozy trying to dribble past the impenetrable defense of G London Perrantes (6.0 PPG, 4.5 APG) who’s widely considered one of the best on-ball defenders in the nation. It’s been a team effort filling in Justin Anderson’s lost production, but every major Cavalier has had a hand in succeeding at that task.

Perrantes is averaging just over nine points per game in his last three. Brogdon has taken it upon himself to create more offense, especially for a team without tons of firepower. (Brogdon has scored 15+ points in five of his past six contests.) Perhaps the x-factor of the Cavaliers, F Anthony Gill (11.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG), a transfer from South Carolina, provides the muscle inside to clean the glass, and has also proven up to the task of increasing his offense, averaging over 13 points in his last three games and four offensive rebounds per game in that stretch.

F Darion Atkins (7 PPG, 6.1 RPG) is the perfect forward in Tony Bennett’s system. He can guard any size forward, clean the glass, and will always be in the right place at the right time on offense. C Mike Tobey (7.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG) was a decorated recruit who hasn’t exactly burst into stardom, but he provides UVA with a competent post-presence when they need a bucket down low. He’ll probably be needed for big minutes to matchup against Florida State’s centers.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA > (505) PHOENIX@ (506) CHICAGO | 02/21/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play ON PHOENIX using the money line in Road games in non-conference games
The record is 18 Wins and 6 Losses for the last two seasons (+17.5 units)

NBA > (503) NEW ORLEANS@ (504) MIAMI | 02/21/2015 - 07:35 PM
Play OVER NEW ORLEANS on the total in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 61 Overs and 28 Unders for the last three seasons (+30.2 units)

NBA > (505) PHOENIX@ (506) CHICAGO | 02/21/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play ON PHOENIX using the against the spread in Road games in non-conference games
The record is 19 Wins and 5 Losses for the last two seasons (+13.5 units)

NBA > (507) TORONTO@ (508) HOUSTON | 02/21/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play OVER TORONTO on the total in Road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 24 Overs and 8 Unders for the last two seasons (+15.2 units)

NBA > (505) PHOENIX@ (506) CHICAGO | 02/21/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play UNDER CHICAGO on the total in Home games on Saturday games
The record is 6 Overs and 22 Unders for the last three seasons (+15.4 units)

NBA > (509) SACRAMENTO@ (510) LA CLIPPERS | 02/21/2015 - 10:05 PM
Play UNDER SACRAMENTO on the total in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 9 Overs and 25 Unders for the last two seasons (+15.1 units)

NBA > (501) OKLAHOMA CITY@ (502) CHARLOTTE | 02/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play UNDER CHARLOTTE on the total in All games on Saturday games
The record is 1 Overs and 10 Unders for the this season (+8.9 units)

[StarDust Bum]

NBA > (507) TORONTO @ (508) HOUSTON | 02/21/2015 - 08:05 PM
Line: HOUSTON -3.5 BTB PowerLine: HOUSTON -3
Edge On: HOUSTON (0.5)

[StarDust Bum]

CBB > (655) SAN DIEGO ST@ (656) SAN JOSE ST | 02/21/2015 - 10:00 PM
Play AGAINST SAN JOSE ST using the against the spread in All games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games
The record is 4 Wins and 22 Losses for the last three seasons (-20.2 units)

CBB > (677) IUPU-FT WAYNE@ (678) N DAKOTA ST | 02/21/2015 - 03:00 PM
Play ON IUPU-FT WAYNE using the against the spread in All games as an underdog
The record is 32 Wins and 9 Losses for the last three seasons (+22.1 units)

CBB > (601) VIRGINIA TECH@ (602) NC STATE | 02/21/2015 - 06:00 PM
Play AGAINST NC STATE using the against the spread in Home games when playing with 5 or 6 days rest
The record is 3 Wins and 18 Losses for the since 1992 (-16.8 units)

CBB > (539) BUFFALO@ (540) BOWLING GREEN | 02/21/2015 - 02:00 PM
Play ON BOWLING GREEN using the against the spread in All games in all games
The record is 16 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+11.6 units)

CBB > (669) NIAGARA@ (670) RIDER | 02/21/2015 - 02:00 PM
Play AGAINST RIDER using the against the spread in Home games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 0 Wins and 8 Losses for the last two seasons (-8.8 units)

CBB > (523) TEXAS A&M@ (524) S CAROLINA | 02/21/2015 - 12:00 PM
Play AGAINST S CAROLINA using the against the spread in All games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games
The record is 3 Wins and 16 Losses for the last three seasons (-14.6 units)

CBB > (661) CS-NORTHRIDGE@ (662) UC-IRVINE | 02/21/2015 - 10:00 PM
Play AGAINST CS-NORTHRIDGE using the against the spread in All games in all games
The record is 5 Wins and 17 Losses for the this season (-13.7 units)

[StarDust Bum]

CBB > (709) N DAKOTA@ (710) SACRAMENTO ST | 02/21/2015 - 10:00 PM
Play ON SACRAMENTO ST using the money line in All games as a favorite
The record is 16 Wins and 1 Losses for the last two seasons (+14.6 units)

CBB > (551) DAYTON@ (552) DUQUESNE | 02/21/2015 - 02:00 PM
Play AGAINST DUQUESNE using the money line in All games in February games
The record is 33 Wins and 76 Losses for the since 1992 (-72.05 units)

CBB > (613) COLUMBIA@ (614) YALE | 02/21/2015 - 07:00 PM
Play ON YALE using the money line in All games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games
The record is 11 Wins and 4 Losses for the last three seasons (+17 units)

CBB > (563) NEVADA@ (564) BOISE ST | 02/21/2015 - 03:00 PM
Play AGAINST NEVADA using the money line in All games in February games
The record is 5 Wins and 13 Losses for the last three seasons (-20.1 units)

CBB > (681) IDAHO ST@ (682) MONTANA ST | 02/21/2015 - 04:30 PM
Play AGAINST IDAHO ST using the money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 3 Wins and 17 Losses for the last two seasons (-16.75 units)

CBB > (657) HAWAII@ (658) CAL DAVIS | 02/21/2015 - 10:00 PM
Play ON CAL DAVIS using the money line in All games off a win against a conference rival
The record is 8 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+10.2 units)

CBB > (515) PITTSBURGH@ (516) SYRACUSE | 02/21/2015 - 12:00 PM
Play AGAINST PITTSBURGH using the money line in Road games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game
The record is 5 Wins and 14 Losses for the last three seasons (-20 units)

CBB > (587) SOUTHERN MISS@ (588) CHARLOTTE | 02/21/2015 - 05:30 PM
Play AGAINST CHARLOTTE using the money line in All games when playing with one or less days rest
The record is 21 Wins and 27 Losses for the since 1992 (-43.25 units)

CBB > (655) SAN DIEGO ST@ (656) SAN JOSE ST | 02/21/2015 - 10:00 PM
Play ON SAN DIEGO ST using the money line in All games in all games
The record is 37 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (+25.95 units)

CBB > (527) ELON@ (528) DELAWARE | 02/21/2015 - 12:30 PM
Play ON DELAWARE using the money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 15 Wins and 2 Losses for the last two seasons (+13 units)

CBB > (577) CLEMSON@ (578) DUKE | 02/21/2015 - 04:00 PM
Play ON CLEMSON using the money line in All games after scoring 60 points or less
The record is 8 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+10.05 units)

CBB > (511) S FLORIDA@ (512) E CAROLINA | 02/21/2015 - 11:00 AM
Play ON E CAROLINA using the money line in Home games in February games
The record is 8 Wins and 2 Losses for the last three seasons (+13.3 units)

[StarDust Bum]

CBB > (577) CLEMSON@ (578) DUKE | 02/21/2015 - 04:00 PM
Play ON CLEMSON in the first half in Road games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 8 Wins and 0 Losses for the this season (+8 units)

CBB > (671) ST PETERS@ (672) FAIRFIELD | 02/21/2015 - 02:00 PM
Play AGAINST FAIRFIELD in the first half in Home games after a conference game
The record is 0 Wins and 8 Losses for the this season (-8.8 units)

CBB > (527) ELON@ (528) DELAWARE | 02/21/2015 - 12:30 PM
Play AGAINST DELAWARE in the first half in Home games against conference opponents
The record is 0 Wins and 8 Losses for the this season (-8.8 units)

CBB > (519) GEORGIA TECH@ (520) N CAROLINA | 02/21/2015 - 12:00 PM
Play ON GEORGIA TECH in the first half in Road games after a conference game
The record is 14 Wins and 2 Losses for the last two seasons (+11.8 units)

CBB > (677) IUPU-FT WAYNE@ (678) N DAKOTA ST | 02/21/2015 - 03:00 PM
Play ON IUPU-FT WAYNE in the first half in All games in February games
The record is 15 Wins and 2 Losses for the last three seasons (+12.8 units)

CBB > (655) SAN DIEGO ST@ (656) SAN JOSE ST | 02/21/2015 - 10:00 PM
Play AGAINST SAN JOSE ST in the first half in All games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games
The record is 2 Wins and 15 Losses for the last three seasons (-14.5 units)

CBB > (593) SANTA CLARA@ (594) LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT | 02/21/2015 - 06:00 PM
Play AGAINST LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT in the first half in Home games off a loss against a conference rival
The record is 2 Wins and 15 Losses for the last three seasons (-14.5 units)

[StarDust Bum]

CBB > (511) S FLORIDA @ (512) E CAROLINA | 02/21/2015 - 11:00 AM
Line: E CAROLINA -6.5 BTB PowerLine: E CAROLINA -11
Edge On: E CAROLINA (4.5)

CBB > (527) ELON @ (528) DELAWARE | 02/21/2015 - 12:30 PM
Line: DELAWARE -6 BTB PowerLine: DELAWARE -10
Edge On: DELAWARE (4)

CBB > (673) AUSTIN PEAY @ (674) MURRAY ST | 02/21/2015 - 02:00 PM
Line: MURRAY ST -19 BTB PowerLine: MURRAY ST -25
Edge On: MURRAY ST (6)

CBB > (669) NIAGARA @ (670) RIDER | 02/21/2015 - 02:00 PM
Line: RIDER -11.5 BTB PowerLine: RIDER -17
Edge On: RIDER (5.5)

CBB > (563) NEVADA @ (564) BOISE ST | 02/21/2015 - 03:00 PM
Line: BOISE ST -13.5 BTB PowerLine: BOISE ST -19
Edge On: BOISE ST (5.5)

CBB > (675) IUPUI @ (676) S DAKOTA | 02/21/2015 - 03:00 PM
Line: S DAKOTA -5.5 BTB PowerLine: S DAKOTA -10
Edge On: S DAKOTA (4.5)

CBB > (601) VIRGINIA TECH @ (602) NC STATE | 02/21/2015 - 06:00 PM
Line: NC STATE -13.5 BTB PowerLine: NC STATE -18
Edge On: NC STATE (4.5)

CBB > (631) LOYOLA-IL @ (632) ILLINOIS ST | 02/21/2015 - 08:00 PM
Line: ILLINOIS ST -10 BTB PowerLine: ILLINOIS ST -15
Edge On: ILLINOIS ST (5)

CBB > (699) TENN-MARTIN @ (700) SIU EDWARDSVL | 02/21/2015 - 08:00 PM
Line: SIU EDWARDSVL -1.5 BTB PowerLine: SIU EDWARDSVL -6
Edge On: SIU EDWARDSVL (4.5)

CBB > (703) WEBER ST @ (704) MONTANA | 02/21/2015 - 09:00 PM
Line: MONTANA -7 BTB PowerLine: MONTANA -13
Edge On: MONTANA (6)

[StarDust Bum]

nba


*****...............................8 - 12
double play........................13 - 14 - 1
triple play..........................4 - 10
slam dunk.........................7 - 16


ncaabb


*****................................38 - 51 - 1
double play.........................45 - 29 - 1
triple play...........................16 - 22 - 1
slam dunk..........................55 - 44 - 2


nhl


*****.............................11 - 9................. + 2.29
double play......................17 - 17................ - 5.64
triple play........................6 - 8..................... - 7.74
hat trick..........................11 - 25................... - 70.88

[StarDust Bum]

NHL > (3) NASHVILLE@ (4) PHILADELPHIA | 02/21/2015 - 01:05 PM
Play ON NASHVILLE using the money line in All games
The record is 29 Wins and 6 Losses for the this season (+20.8 units)

NHL > (13) ANAHEIM@ (14) EDMONTON | 02/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON ANAHEIM using the money line in Road games on Saturday games
The record is 17 Wins and 4 Losses for the last three seasons (+15.1 units)

NHL > (13) ANAHEIM@ (14) EDMONTON | 02/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON ANAHEIM using the in Road games on Saturday games
The record is 17 Wins and 4 Losses for the last three seasons (+15.1 units)

NHL > (19) DETROIT@ (20) DALLAS | 02/21/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play AGAINST DALLAS using the in Home games revenging a loss versus opponent
The record is 4 Wins and 13 Losses for the this season (-12.9 units)

NHL > (19) DETROIT@ (20) DALLAS | 02/21/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play AGAINST DALLAS using the money line in Home games revenging a loss versus opponent
The record is 4 Wins and 13 Losses for the this season (-12.9 units)

NHL > (5) COLUMBUS@ (6) MONTREAL | 02/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON COLUMBUS using the money line in All games revenging a home loss versus opponent
The record is 21 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (+17.05 units)

NHL > (5) COLUMBUS@ (6) MONTREAL | 02/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON COLUMBUS using the in All games revenging a home loss versus opponent
The record is 21 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (+17.05 units)

NHL > (5) COLUMBUS@ (6) MONTREAL | 02/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play OVER COLUMBUS on the total in Road games after playing 3 consecutive road games
The record is 8 Overs and 0 Unders for the last three seasons (+8.45 units)

NHL > (1) NY ISLANDERS@ (2) WASHINGTON | 02/21/2015 - 12:35 PM
Play AGAINST WASHINGTON using the money line in All games after a 3 game unbeaten streak
The record is 0 Wins and 6 Losses for the this season (-8.3 units)

NHL > (1) NY ISLANDERS@ (2) WASHINGTON | 02/21/2015 - 12:35 PM
Play AGAINST WASHINGTON using the in All games after a 3 game unbeaten streak
The record is 0 Wins and 6 Losses for the this season (-8.3 units)

NHL > (7) WINNIPEG@ (8) TORONTO | 02/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play AGAINST TORONTO using the money line in All games revenging a loss versus opponent
The record is 8 Wins and 24 Losses for the this season (-19 units)

NHL > (7) WINNIPEG@ (8) TORONTO | 02/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play AGAINST TORONTO using the in All games revenging a loss versus opponent
The record is 8 Wins and 24 Losses for the this season (-19 units)

NHL > (11) CAROLINA@ (12) NEW JERSEY | 02/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play UNDER NEW JERSEY on the total in Home games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 6 Overs and 21 Unders for the last three seasons (+14.7 units)

NHL > (11) CAROLINA@ (12) NEW JERSEY | 02/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON CAROLINA using the money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season
The record is 6 Wins and 0 Losses for the this season (+7.05 units)

NHL > (11) CAROLINA@ (12) NEW JERSEY | 02/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON CAROLINA using the in All games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season
The record is 6 Wins and 0 Losses for the this season (+7.05 units)

NHL > (17) PITTSBURGH@ (18) ST LOUIS | 02/21/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play UNDER PITTSBURGH on the total in All games after a division game
The record is 5 Overs and 15 Unders for the this season (+10.1 units)

NHL > (7) WINNIPEG@ (8) TORONTO | 02/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play OVER WINNIPEG on the total in All games in a road game where where the total is 5.5
The record is 12 Overs and 4 Unders for the this season (+9.05 units)

NHL > (3) NASHVILLE@ (4) PHILADELPHIA | 02/21/2015 - 01:05 PM
Play OVER PHILADELPHIA on the total in All games on Saturday games
The record is 26 Overs and 10 Unders for the last three seasons (+16.6 units)

NHL > (1) NY ISLANDERS@ (2) WASHINGTON | 02/21/2015 - 12:35 PM
Play OVER NY ISLANDERS on the total in All games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game
The record is 29 Overs and 13 Unders for the last two seasons (+15.3 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday, February 21

Game Score Status Pick Amount

South Florida - 11:00 AM ET South Florida +5.5 500
East Carolina -

Pittsburgh - 12:00 PM ET Pittsburgh +4 500
Syracuse -

Oklahoma - 12:00 PM ET Texas Tech +10 500 *****
Texas Tech -

Texas A&M - 12:00 PM ET Texas A&M +2 500 DOUBLE PLAY
South Carolina -

Minnesota - 12:00 PM ET Wisconsin -14.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Wisconsin -

Seton Hall - 12:00 PM ET St. John's -8.5 500
St. John's -

Massachusetts - 12:00 PM ET Massachusetts +10 500 *****
VCU -

Georgia Tech - 12:00 PM ET North Carolina -11.5 500 SLAM DUNK
North Carolina -

Elon University - 12:30 PM ET Elon University +5.5 500 *****
Delaware -

[StarDust Bum]

Canisius - 1:00 PM ET Quinnipiac -4.5 500
Quinnipiac -

Kansas St. - 1:00 PM ET Kansas St. +9 500 *****
Baylor -

Florida - 1:00 PM ET Florida +4.5 500 SLAM DUNK
Louisiana State -

Southern Illinois - 1:05 PM ET Southern Illinois +6.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Indiana St. -

Toledo - 2:00 PM ET Western Michigan -1.5 500 SLAM DUNK
Western Michigan -

Kent St. - 2:00 PM ET Kent St. -1 500
Ohio -

West Virginia - 2:00 PM ET Oklahoma St. -4.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Oklahoma St. -

Iowa St. - 2:00 PM ET Texas -2.5 500
Texas -

Appalachian St. - 2:00 PM ET Georgia St -16.5 500 SLAM DUNK
Georgia St -

Buffalo - 2:00 PM ET Bowling Green -2 500 SLAM DUNK
Bowling Green -

Miami-Florida - 2:00 PM ET Miami-Florida +8.5 500 *****
Louisville -

Niagara - 2:00 PM ET Rider -10 500
Rider -

Dayton - 2:00 PM ET Duquesne +8 500
Duquesne -

Austin Peay - 2:00 PM ET Austin Peay +19 500
Murray St. -

St. Peter's - 2:00 PM ET St. Peter's -4 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Fairfield -

NC-Wilmington - 2:00 PM ET Towson +0 500 *****
Towson -

Butler - 2:00 PM ET Xavier -4.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Xavier -

Villanova - 2:30 PM ET Marquette +10 500
Marquette -

Missouri - 2:30 PM ET Vanderbilt -12 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Vanderbilt -