The Bum's March Madness Hoops March 1st / Trends,Stats,News All You Need To Know !!

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NCAAB

Friday, March 13

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ACC tournament semifinals: NCAAB betting cheat sheet
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Virginia Cavaliers vs. UNC Tar Heels (-2.5)

No. 19 North Carolina looks to turn the page after an inconsistent regular season with a berth in the ACC tournament championship game. The fifth-seeded Tar Heels take on top seed Virginia in the semifinals on Friday night at Greensboro, N.C. after solid performances against Boston College and Louisville the last two days. North Carolina has posted 151 points in a pair of games in the tournament and faces a fourth-ranked Virginia team that ranks first in the nation in scoring defense.

Tar Heels forward Brice Johnson is averaging 19.5 points and eight rebounds in the tournament while point guard Marcus Paige scored 17.7 per game in his last three contests. The Cavaliers took a 17-point halftime lead before holding off a rally by Florida State for a 58-44 victory on Thursday and got second-leading scorer Justin Anderson back in the lineup. Anderson missed the previous eight games with a fractured finger, followed by an appendectomy.

TRENDS:

*Cavaliers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.
*Under is 5-1 in Tar Heels last 6 overall.
*Favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
*Under is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings.



Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Duke Blue Devils (-6.5)

Guards Quinn Cook and Tyus Jones have combined to fuel Duke’s 12-game winning streak and a berth in Friday’s ACC semifinals. The second-seeded and No. 2 ranked Blue Devils meet third-seeded and No. 9 ranked Notre Dame for a trip to the conference title game, sparked by Cook’s 18.6 points per game and Jones’ 12.9 points and 7.2 assists during the winning streak. Duke smashed North Carolina State 77-53 in Thursday’s quarterfinals, shooting 58.6 percent from the field.

The Fighting Irish are one victory away from playing for the ACC championship in their second season in the conference, and Notre Dame is one of three teams to beat Duke this season. Jerian Grant, one of the top players in the ACC, scored 23 points with 12 assists in Notre Dame’s 77-73 home victory over Duke on Jan. 28, but the Blue Devils smashed the Fighting Irish 11 days later, 90-60. Notre Dame blew a 20-point lead Thursday before downing Miami (Fla.), 70-63.

TRENDS:

*Blue Devils are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
*Fighting Irish are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a S.U. win.
*Under is 4-0 in Blue Devils last 4 neutral site games.
*Over is 5-1 in Fighting Irish last 6 Friday games.

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NCAAB

Friday, March 13

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Big East tournament semifinals: NCAAB betting cheat sheet
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Villanova Wildcats vs. Providence Friars (+9)

Providence got off to an impressive start in its Big East tournament title defense but is about to run into some stiff competition. The fourth-seeded Friars will have to get through No. 1 seed Villanova in the semifinals in New York on Friday to earn a second straight trip to the final. The Wildcats won their second straight regular season title by closing with 12 straight victories and opened their Big East tournament run in dominating fashion.

Villanova matched school and Big East tournament records with 17 3-pointers in an 84-49 thrashing of Marquette in Thursday’s quarterfinal as Josh Hart buried 5-of-7 from beyond the arc off the bench. Providence will challenge those perimeter shooters with co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year Kris Dunn, who rolled an ankle late in Thursday’s 74-57 win over St. John’s but is expected to be ready for the Wildcats. Dunn shared the overall Big East Player of the Year award with Villanova guard Ryan Arcidiacono.

TRENDS:

*Friars are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 neutral site games.
*Wildcats are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a SU win of more than 20 points.
*Over is 5-1 in Wildcats last 6 overall.
*Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.



Georgetown Hoyas vs. Xavier Musketeers (+2)

When D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera plays at a high level, Georgetown can be as dangerous as any team in the Big East. The Hoyas hope to ride their junior star to a second straight victory in the conference tournament when they face Xavier on Friday at Madison Square Garden. This semifinal matchup features two teams coming off close victories Thursday with the sixth-seeded Musketeers surviving No. 3 seed Butler 67-61 in overtime. Earlier in the night, Smith-Rivera scored 12 of his 25 points in the final five minutes to help the second-seeded Hoyas overcome No. 10 seed Creighton 60-55.

"We got to the point where we needed someone to step up," Hoyas coach John Thompson III said to the media. "You've heard me say all year that when we need baskets, everyone knows who we're going to. ... He answered today." Smith-Rivera, a Big East first-team selection, has made 16-of-31 3-pointers over his last four games and has scored at least 20 points in five of his last nine outings. The Musketeers received balanced scoring Thursday and will be looking to defeat the Hoyas for the third time this season.

TRENDS:

*Musketeers are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
*Hoyas are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. Big East.
*Under is 6-2 in Musketeers last 8 overall.
*Under is 7-3 in Hoyas last 10 Friday games.

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NCAAB

Friday, March 13

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Big 12 tournament semifinals: NCAAB betting cheat sheet
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Baylor Bears vs. Kansas Jayhawks (-1)

Freshman Kelly Oubre Jr. experienced the top game of his young career in the Big 12 quarterfinals and looks to have another stellar outing when top-seeded Kansas faces fourth-seeded Baylor in Friday’s semifinals of the conference tournament in Kansas City. With leading scorer Perry Ellis (knee) sidelined, it was Oubre who stepped up for the No. 10 Jayhawks with a career-best 25 points in Thursday’s 64-59 victory over TCU. No. 16 Baylor advanced with an 80-70 victory over West Virginia.

The Bears lost both regular-season meetings to Kansas and look to exact some revenge while winning for the seventh time in the last eight games. Baylor is one of four teams nationwide to hold all its opponents to less than 75 points and Oubre is aware the Bears will be tough to beat a third time. “They have great players on the offensive and defensive end,” Oubre said at the postgame press conference. “We have to bring our game, play with heart and come ready to play because we can be beat on any given night if we’re not ready to play.”

TRENDS:

*Jayhawks are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
*Over is 12-3-1 in Bears last 16 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
*Bears are 0-3-1 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
*Under is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings.



Iowa State Cyclones vs. Oklahoma Sooners (PICK)

Iowa State nearly was headed home and the second-seeded Cyclones aim to avoid a double-digit deficit to overcome when they square off with third-seeded Oklahoma on Friday in the Big 12 tournament semifinals in Kansas City. No. 15 Iowa State never led in Thursday’s quarterfinal matchup against Texas until guard Monte Morris swished a jumper with no time remaining to cap a career-best 24-point outing as the Cyclones posted a 69-67 victory. No. 14 Oklahoma advanced by posting a 64-49 victory over Oklahoma State.

The Sooners also had some early game troubles – their 21 first-half points were a season low – before dominating the final 10 minutes against Oklahoma State. It sure didn’t look like Iowa State was going to beat Texas and reach the semifinals and only a game-ending 12-0 run saved the day. “I’m proud of these guys for finding a way and sticking together and gutting out an impressive win against a very good Texas team,” Cyclones coach Fred Hoiberg said in the postgame press conference.

TRENDS:

*Sooners are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
*Cyclones are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 vs. Big 12.
*Over is 37-17-1 in Cyclones last 55 games following a S.U. win.
*Under is 5-0 in Sooners last 5 neutral site games.

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NCAAB

Friday, March 13

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Pac-12 tournament semifinals: NCAAB betting cheat sheet
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Arizona Wildcats vs. UCLA Bruins (+11)

The two most-decorated teams in the Pac-12 conference will meet up Friday night when top-seeded Arizona takes on No. 4 UCLA in the semifinals of the conference tournament in Las Vegas. Both teams have won this tournament four times since 1987, though the Wildcats haven’t captured a title since 2002, losing in the championship game four times since then, including last year to UCLA. Arizona went on to advance to the Elite 8 at the NCAA Tournament and is poised for another deep postseason run.

The teams met for the only time this season Feb. 21 in Arizona and the Wildcats came out on top 57-47 in a sloppily played game. Arizona starters Stanley Johnson, Brandon Ashley and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson were a combined 4-for-25 from the field, but the Wildcats made up for it by allowing one offensive rebound and outscoring the Bruins 16-0 in second-chance points. UCLA shooting guard Isaac Hamilton is coming off a career-high 36 points in Thursday's quarterfinal victory against USC, but the Bruins could be without starting forward Kevon Looney, who was hospitalized after suffering a facial injury against the Trojans.

TRENDS:

*Wildcats are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
*Under is 15-6 in Bruins last 21 overall.
*Underdog is 7-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings.
*Under is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings.



Oregon Ducks vs. Utah Utes (OFF)

Oregon guard Joseph Young looks to send another message to his detractors Friday when he leads the second-seeded Ducks against No. 3 seed Utah in the Pac-12 tournament semifinal at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Young’s selection as Pac-12 Player of the Year surprised some experts, but Young answered his critics with 30 points in Thursday’s 93-85 quarterfinal victory over Colorado. Oregon has won three straight against the Utes, including a 69-58 defeat in Eugene on Feb. 22.

Utah lost three of its final five regular-season games and struggled early in Thursday’s matchup against Stanford before outscoring the Cardinal 47-16 in the second half and cruising to an 80-56 victory. Utes guard Delon Wright showed why he belonged in the player of the year discussion with 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three blocks. Wright scored 20 points against Oregon in last month’s loss, when the Utes were outrebounded 35-31 and shot 8-of-29 from 3-point range.

TRENDS:

*Utes are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 neutral site games.
*Ducks are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 vs. Pacific-12.
*Over is 13-3 in Utes last 16 Friday games.
*Under is 4-1 in Ducks last 5 vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.

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NCAAB

Friday, March 13


Virginia has UNC's number at betting window

The Virginia Cavaliers against the spread victories over the North Carolina Tar Heels in back-to-back games as well as four of the last five meetings heading into Friday's ACC semifinal.

Virginia posted a 75-64 victory over North Carolina as a 1-point fave back on Feb. 2.

The Cavaliers are 1-0 ATS in the ACC tournament after defeating Florida State 58-44 as 13-point faves Thursday. The Tar Heels have posted back-to-back covers in the tournament with wins over Boston College (-12) and Louisville (-2.5).

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Armadillo: Saturday's six-pack

-- Maple Leafs had a 5:00 power play last night but gave up two shorthanded goals, which typifies how bad Toronto has been this year.

-- Milwaukee Brewers temporarily banned high-5's to prevent spread of pink-eye, which is highly contagious. Seriously, they did.

-- Dolphins traded WR Mike Wallace to Minnesota after they got Kenny Stills from the Saints. New Orleans signed RB CJ Spiller.

-- Zack Wheeler has a sore elbow, will miss a start for the Mets, who have depth in their starting pitching but no one is sure if it is quality depth.

-- Ben Roethlisberger signed another 5-year contract with the Steelers. He is 33.

-- Turns out Fredi Gonzalez got tossed Thursday after first pitch in bottom of first inning; he was annoyed about some pitches in top of the first.



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Armadillo: Saturday's List of 13: Wrapping up a college hoop Friday

13) AAC
-- Temple 80, Memphis 75-- Owls' first conference tourney win in four years.
-- SMU 74, East Carolina 68-- Pirates made 15-35 on arc, made things interesting.

12) ACC
-- Notre Dame 74, Duke 64 -- Irish led by 18 and 15 points at half last two nights. .
-- North Carolina 70, Virginia 67-- Tar Heels will play for 4th day in row tonight. .

11) A-14
-- VCU 70, Richmond 67-- Rams avenged pair of losses to crosstown rivals.
-- Davidson 67, LaSalle 66-- Brutal loss for Explorers, who led by 18 in first half.

10) Big X
-- Iowa State 67, Oklahoma 65-- Sooners missed easiest of layups at buzzer.
-- Kansas 62, Baylor 52-- You heard it here first; Bears go to Final Four if they don't get put in same region as Kentucky.

9) Big 14
-- Maryland 75, Indiana 69-- Hoosiers will have long couple of days to see if they get in Field of 68 or not.
-- Purdue 64, Penn State 59-- Some ESPN announcers were uncomfortable promoting the Christian Laettner show because of the word "hate" in title- makes sense.

8) Big Sky
-- Eastern Washington 91, Sacramento State 83-- Kid came off bench for Eagles and made 7-8 from arc; team was 15-25 overall on 3-pointers.
-- Montana 61, Northern Arizona 59-- Griz has home court advantage tonight.

7) Big West
-- Hawai'i 65, Cal-Davis 58-- Rainbow Warriors play hard, very aggressive, smallish team- this is 5th time in nine years #1 seed lost in this tournament.
-- Cal-Irvine 72, UCSB 63 OT-- 7-foot-6 Ndiaye had 18 points, four blocks for UCI. Anteaters were 20-34 from arc in two wins over Hawai'i this season.

6) C-USA
-- UAB 72, Louisiana Tech 62 OT-- #1 seed had to play true road game here, which is not fair, then Blazers had 21-3 edge on foul line. Tech can't be real happy.
-- Middle Tennessee 53, UTEP 50-- Blue Raiders will be playing for fourth day in row in final today.

5) MAC
-- Buffalo 68, Akron 59--Both Hurley brothers won their game Friday and they each got a technical foul, about five minutes apart in real time.
-- Central Michigan 75, Toledo 66-- Chippewas are coached by Keno Davis, whose dad Tom was successful coach at Boston College and Iowa.

4) Mountain West
-- San Diego State 54, Colorado State 43-- Aztecs are 2-3 in last five conference finals; they beat Wyoming twice this season
-- Wyoming 71, Boise State 66 OT-- Every bubble team in America will be rooting for San Diego State. Wyoming would steal a bid with a win here.

3) Pac-12
-- Oregon 67, Utah 64-- Joseph Young validated his Player of Year award by winning this game with a 3-pointer with 0:03 left.
-- Arizona 70, UCLA 64-- Bruins are like Indiana; nervous weekend for them.

2) SEC
-- Arkansas 80, Tennessee 72 -- Razorbacks led by 20 at half, held on for win.
-- Auburn 73, LSU 70 OT-- Bruce Pearl was 4-14 in SEC, is 3-0 this week.

1) Sun Belt
-- UL-Lafayette 53, Texas State 43-- Ragin' Cajuns were down 3 at the half.
-- UL-Monroe 77 South Alabama 59-- Warhawks made 9-18 behind the arc.

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NCAAB
Long Sheet

Saturday, March 14

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MIDDLE TENN ST (18 - 15) vs. UAB (17 - 15) - 3/14/2015, 3:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.


Head-to-Head Series History
UAB is 4-1 against the spread versus MIDDLE TENN ST over the last 3 seasons
MIDDLE TENN ST is 3-2 straight up against UAB over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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PURDUE (20 - 11) vs. WISCONSIN (28 - 3) - 3/14/2015, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WISCONSIN is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in all neutral court games over the last 2 seasons.
WISCONSIN is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) when playing on a neutral court over the last 2 seasons.
PURDUE is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) in all games this season.
PURDUE is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) in all lined games this season.
PURDUE is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) as an underdog this season.
PURDUE is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) against conference opponents this season.
PURDUE is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) revenging a road loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
PURDUE is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PURDUE is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.


Head-to-Head Series History
PURDUE is 3-1 against the spread versus WISCONSIN over the last 3 seasons
WISCONSIN is 3-1 straight up against PURDUE over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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AUBURN (14 - 19) vs. KENTUCKY (31 - 0) - 3/14/2015, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
KENTUCKY is 74-51 ATS (+17.9 Units) in March games since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
KENTUCKY is 3-1 against the spread versus AUBURN over the last 3 seasons
KENTUCKY is 4-0 straight up against AUBURN over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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VA COMMONWEALTH (23 - 9) vs. DAVIDSON (23 - 6) - 3/14/2015, 1:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VA COMMONWEALTH is 11-19 ATS (-9.9 Units) in all games this season.
VA COMMONWEALTH is 11-19 ATS (-9.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
VA COMMONWEALTH is 6-13 ATS (-8.3 Units) against conference opponents this season.
VA COMMONWEALTH is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) on Saturday games this season.
DAVIDSON is 21-5 ATS (+15.5 Units) in all games this season.
DAVIDSON is 21-5 ATS (+15.5 Units) in all lined games this season.
DAVIDSON is 15-3 ATS (+11.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
DAVIDSON is 15-3 ATS (+11.7 Units) against conference opponents this season.
DAVIDSON is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) on Saturday games this season.
DAVIDSON is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
DAVIDSON is 79-43 ATS (+31.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
DAVIDSON is 2-0 against the spread versus VA COMMONWEALTH over the last 3 seasons
DAVIDSON is 1-1 straight up against VA COMMONWEALTH over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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LA-LAFAYETTE (19 - 12) vs. GEORGIA ST (22 - 9) - 3/14/2015, 2:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.


Head-to-Head Series History
LA-LAFAYETTE is 3-2 against the spread versus GEORGIA ST over the last 3 seasons
GEORGIA ST is 3-2 straight up against LA-LAFAYETTE over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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TEMPLE (22 - 9) vs. SMU (24 - 6) - 3/14/2015, 3:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TEMPLE is 35-58 ATS (-28.8 Units) in road games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game since 1997.
SMU is 50-31 ATS (+15.9 Units) in road games on Saturday games since 1997.
TEMPLE is 183-142 ATS (+26.8 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.
SMU is 10-28 ATS (-20.8 Units) in all neutral court games since 1997.
SMU is 10-28 ATS (-20.8 Units) when playing on a neutral court since 1997.
SMU is 16-30 ATS (-17.0 Units) in all tournament games since 1997.
SMU is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) in conference tournament games since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
SMU is 3-1 against the spread versus TEMPLE over the last 3 seasons
SMU is 3-1 straight up against TEMPLE over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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STONY BROOK (23 - 10) at ALBANY (23 - 8) - 3/14/2015, 11:00 AM
Top Trends for this game.
ALBANY is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
ALBANY is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
ALBANY is 2-0 against the spread versus STONY BROOK over the last 3 seasons
ALBANY is 4-4 straight up against STONY BROOK over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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YALE (22 - 9) at HARVARD (21 - 7) - 3/14/2015, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
YALE is 14-7 ATS (+6.3 Units) in all games this season.
YALE is 14-7 ATS (+6.3 Units) in all lined games this season.
YALE is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
YALE is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
YALE is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) when playing with 5 or 6 days rest this season.
YALE is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) after allowing 60 points or less this season.
YALE is 39-22 ATS (+14.8 Units) in road games after scoring 60 points or less since 1997.
YALE is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
YALE is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.
HARVARD is 15-30 ATS (-18.0 Units) in March games since 1997.
HARVARD is 18-34 ATS (-19.4 Units) in home games when playing with 5 or 6 days rest since 1997.
HARVARD is 99-131 ATS (-45.1 Units) after a conference game since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
HARVARD is 3-3 against the spread versus YALE over the last 3 seasons
HARVARD is 4-2 straight up against YALE over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, March 14

C-USA tournament, Birmingham
#4 seed UAB is taking advantage of playing at home this week; they beat #1 seed La Tech in OT last nite- four starters played 30:00+. Blazers had 21-3 edge on foul line. UAB won its last 11 games in Birmingham (this is not its home court); they beat #6 seed Middle Tennessee twice this year, 54-49 on road Jan 4, then 100-95 in triple OT Feb 28, game Blazers led by 15 in second half. Blue Raiders are playing for 4th day in row and are now playing true road game- lot to ask.

Ivy League playoff game, Philadelphia
Yale-Harvard both went 11-3 in Ivy League, have one game playoff at a neutral (Palestra) site. Yale gagged away a five-point lead in last 0:24 at Dartmouth last week after they won at Harvard night before. Bulldogs haven't been to NCAAs since 1962. Harvard won this league last three years- they won first meeting at Yale 52-50 Feb 7 (Yale shot 28% inside arc, trailed 16-11 at half), then lost 62-52 to Bulldogs eight nights ago, (Crimson was 2-17 on arc), but Yale blew chance to clinch the next nite.

Big 14 tournament, Chicago
Michigan State won this tournament two of last three years; they are 7-2 in last nine games overall, but lost twice to Maryland this season, first in double OT at home in Big 14 opener Dec 30 (Terps had 22 turnovers -8), then 75-59 on road Jan 17 (Terps were 11-21 on arc). Terps won their last nine games, allowing 57.8 ppg in last five; they used four starters 32+ minutes in win over Indiana (was 42-20 at half). State used four starters 30+ minutes in its win over Ohio State.

SEC tournament, Nashville
Win over Tennessee yesterday ended 7-game skid for Razorbacks in SEC tourney. Arkansas won nine of its last 11 games; they were up 20 at half Friday vs Vols, won by 8, going 32-39 on line- they used four starters 32:00+ in game. Georgia won five of last six games, with four wins by 4 points or less; Dawgs used only two guys more than 28:00. Hogs won in Athens 79-75 in SEC opener at Athens Jan 6, despite being -15 on boards and trailing by 13 in first half.

Atlantic 14 tournament, Brooklyn
VCU is now 20-5 in its last 25 conference tournament games, avenging a pair of losses to crosstown rival Richmond yesterday. Rams won first two games here this week by total of nine points- they were 10-21 on arc Friday, outscoring Spiders 16-0 on foul line. VCU beat Davidson 71-65 in first meeting Jan 7, then lost 82-55 to Wildcats in Charlotte nine days ago, going 1-15 on arc while Davidson was 11-26. Davidson won its last ten games, rallying from 18 down to stun LaSalle 67-66 yesterday.

AAC tournament, Hartford
Temple won last four games and 11 of last 13; Owls ended 3-year skid in conference tourneys Friday, but they lost twice to SMU this year, 60-55 at home Jan 14, 67-58 in rematch in Dallas Feb 17. Temple had 22-8 edge on foul line yesterday- they used three starters 33+ minutes. SMU won 16 of 19 AAC games this year, winning last two by 5-6 points- in win vs East Carolina Friday, Mustangs had 19-7 edge on foul line while playing Moore/Manuel 39:00 each. Moore was only SMU to take a trey (3-9).

MAC tournament, Cleveland
Central Michigan beat Buffalo twice this season, by 11 at home Jan 21, by 1 in Buffalo Feb 14, game Bulls led by 13 at half. Chippewas are 8-2 in last ten games; since 2003, they're 0-5 in second conference tourney game of a year. Buffalo won its last seven games since losing to Central at home; Bulls are 2-4 in second conference tourney game of a year. Bulls played two starters 34:00 Friday, no one else more than 29:00. Central played three of its starters 37+ minutes yesterday.

ACC tournament, Greensboro
Notre Dame led by 15-18 points at half last two nights, then hung on in second half both times; Irish won 71-70 in Chapel Hill, Jan 5, despite being -17 on boards- they made 10-23 on arc. North Carolina is 16-7 in ACC tourney last nine years; they're playing fourth day in row, tough for Paige, who has little help in backcourt. Three Irish starters played 36:00+ last two nights; they've won seven of last eight games. Carolina was 4-6 in last ten regular season games before winning three games this week.

Big East tournament, NYC
Xavier won its last three games: by a point, by 6 in OT, by 2 points last night in game they led by 19 in second half. Villanova has won 14 games in row, is playing for #1 seed in next week's tournament; none of its guys played more than 31:00 last night, as they led by 13 in second half, hung on for dramatic 63-61 win. Xavier lost 88-75 at Villanova Jan 14, 78-66 at home two weeks ago, game Musketeers led by 9 early in second half. Davis played whole 40:00 last nite; three other starters played 31:00+.

Big X tournament, Kansas City
Kansas won this tournament six of last nine years, going 6-0 when they are in finals; Ellis played 26:00 Friday, after not playing Thursday- they are 3-20 from arc this week. Iowa State won seven of its last nine games; they were down 11 at half vs Texas, tied at the half last night. Home side won both series games this season; Cyclones won 86-81 Jan 17 in Ames, lost 89-76 in Lawrence Feb 2. Only two Jayhawks played 29:00+ last night. Niang/Morris played 37/39 minutes last night for Cyclones.

Pac-12 tourney, MGM Las Vegas
Arizona won its last ten games, with three of last four by 22+ points; as good as Wildcats have been, they haven't won this tournament in last 12 years. Oregon won seven in row, 11 of last 12 games. Ducks won six of last seven conference tourney games- they've won this tournament three times since last time Arizona won it. Arizona pounded Oregon in both meetings this season, 80-62 in Eugene Jan 8, then 90-56 at home Jan 28, when Wildcats shot 66% inside arc.

Mountain West tournament, Las Vegas
San Diego State is in Mountain West final for sixth time in seven years, but went only 2-3 in previous five finals. Last time Wyoming was in the conference tourney final, they lost in OT to Aztecs in 2006. Cowboys can knock team off bubble by winning here, stealing bid; their last three games were all decided by 2 points or in OT- they had four guys play 38+ minutes last night (Adams 45:00/Nance 44:00). Aztecs swept both games with Wyoming this year, by 8 in Laramie, 26 at home, but Nance didn't play in that game. .

Big West tournament, Anaheim
Hawai'i plays fast, has smallish team; they'll attempt to neutralize giants Irvine has by keeping game fast, Hawai'i was 3-5 on Big West road before winning first two tourney tilts by seven points each; Warriors lost twice to Irvine this season, 78-72 at home Jan 24 (Irvine was 10-15 on arc), then 75-60 in Bren Center Feb 19 (Anteaters were 10-19 on arc). Hawai'i has been in NCAA four times, last time in '02; Irvine has never been in- they lost conference final twice, in '08/'13.

Big Sky tournament, Missoula, MT
Eastern Washington had kid come off bench, make 7-8 on arc yesterday in 91-83 win over Sacramento; Eagles were 15-25 on arc for game- they won 75-69 on this floor Feb 5 (were 11-24 on arc), then lost by point at home to Griz Feb 28 (were 10-25 on arc, only 12-20 on line). Montana won nine of last ten games after starting season 11-10; they won by 3-2 points in first two tourney games, needing OT to beat Weber Thursday. Griz won this tourney three of last five years; Eastern last won it in '04.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB

Saturday, March 14


SMU Mustangs becoming hottest over team in nation

In their past nine games, Southern Methodist has been a boon for over backers with eight of those contests topping the closing total. The Mustangs have averaged 68.5 points during those nine contests while allowing 63.2 points per game.

The combined average score of 131.7 is a full eight points higher than the average spread.

SMU takes on Temple in the AAC Tournament Saturday.




Top 25 roundup: Duke, Virginia both lose in ACC tournament

Duke and Virginia, the two Atlantic Coast Conference teams in line for No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament, both were upset the ACC tournament semifinals on Friday at the Greensboro Coliseum.

No. 19 North Carolina took out third-ranked Virginia 71-67 in the first semifinal, and 11th-ranked Notre Dame followed with a 74-64 victory over second-ranked Duke.

North Carolina 71, Virginia 67

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Freshman forward Justin Jackson scored 22 points and North Carolina held off Virginia.

Guard Marcus Paige's 14 points and forward Brice Johnson's 13 points aided the Tar Heels (24-10), who avenged a regular-season loss. The fifth-seeded Tar Heels shot 54.8 percent from the field, the best mark for any team this season against top-seeded Virginia.

Guard Malcolm Brogdon's career-high 25 points, with 22 coming in the second half, weren't enough for the Cavaliers (29-3).

Notre Dame 74, Duke 64

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Forward Bonzie Colson scored 17 points and guard Demetrius Jackson had 15 points as Notre Dame led for most of the game.

Guard Jerian Grant added 13 points for the Irish, who built a 21-point lead in the second half, then held on down the stretch.

Third-seeded Notre Dame (28-5), in just its second season in the ACC, meets fifth-seeded North Carolina in Saturday night's final.

Center Jahlil Okafor scored 28 points for Duke (29-4) on 13-of-18 shooting from the field. Duke got as close as 68-64., but Okafor then missed two foul shots with 1:48 to play. Notre Dame guard Pat Connaughton then drilled a 17-footer.

Villanova 63, Providence 61

NEW YORK -- Ryan Arcidiacono's two free throws with 3.1 seconds to play gave No. 4 Villanova a thrilling win in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden.

The Wildcats (31-2) advanced to the championship on Saturday for the first time since 1997 when they lost to then-member Boston College.

Arcidiacono, a junior guard, was fouled driving the baseline after Providence scored five straight points to tie it at 61. The final basket came when Friars forward Ben Bentil (12 points, 10 rebounds) stole a Villanova inbounds pass and fed Kris Dunn for a layup with 12 seconds to play.

The Wildcats have won 14 straight since losing by 20 points at Georgetown on Jan. 19.

Xavier 65, Georgetown 63

NEW YORK - For the second straight game in the Big East tournament, Xavier knocked off a Top 25 team, eliminating 23rd-ranked Georgetown in the semifinals.

On Thursday, Xavier (21-12) turned back No. 22 Butler 67-61 in overtime.

On Friday, the Musketeers built a 21-point, second-half lead, then held on for the win. Center Matt Stainbrook topped Xavier with 20 points and nine rebounds. Georgetown got 19 points from guard Jabril Trawick and 15 points from forward Isaac Copeland.

Georgetown guard D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera hit a layup to get the Hoyas to within 60-59, but Xavier guard Dee Davis made two free throws to put his team ahead 62-59 with 10 seconds remaining.

Kentucky 64, Florida 49

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Having beaten Florida on March 7 to complete a perfect 31-0 regular season, Kentucky found itself facing the Gators again just six days later to open the 2015 Southeastern Conference Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Top-ranked Kentucky won again and advanced to Saturday's semifinals.

The teams' third meeting of the season proved to be a slugfest as Kentucky (32-0) ended the first half with a slim 31-27 lead. The game remained close until a jumper by sophomore guard Andrew Harrison late in the second half gave Kentucky its biggest lead of 17 points at 64-47 and capped a 14-2 run.

Freshman center Karl-Anthony Towns led Kentucky with a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds. Guard Aaron Harrison added 13 points. Center Jon Horford paced Florida (17-17) with 15 points.

Arkansas 80, Tennessee 72

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Arkansas, the No. 2 seed in the Southeastern Conference Tournament, defeated 10th-seeded Tennessee in a quarterfinal game.

SEC Player of the Year Bobby Portis, a 6-foot-11 sophomore, led Arkansas (25-7) with a double-double of 26 points and 11 rebounds. Eighteen of his points came in the first half.

Tennessee (16-16) got 22 points and 10 rebounds from senior guard Josh Richardson.

Wisconsin 71, Michigan 60

CHICAGO -- Forward Sam Dekker scored 17 points and hit a key 3-pointer to break open a tight game as No. 6 Wisconsin beat Michigan in a Big Ten quarterfinal at the United Center.

Dekker's 3-pointer with 3:42 left in regulation opened a 61-56 advantage and the Badgers pulled away from there.

Forward Frank Kaminsky added 16 points and 12 rebounds for top-seed Wisconsin (29-3), which paces Purdue in Saturday's semifinals. Guard Bronson Koenig finished with 12 points and forward Nigel Hayes added 11.

Guard Zak Irvin topped Michigan (16-16) with a game-high 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Maryland 75, Indiana 69

CHICAGO -- Forward Dez Wells scored a game-high 22 points and guard Melo Trimble added 17 as No. 8 Maryland used late free-throw shooting to secure a Big Ten tournament victory over Indiana at the United Center.

The second-seeded Terrapins (27-5) went 11 of 13 from the line in the final 4:45 and advanced to Saturday's tournament semifinals in the program's first Big Ten season. Guards Jake Layman and Jaren Nickens each had 10 points.

Guard Yogi Ferrell scored 18 points, forward Troy Williams finished with 17 and guard Robert Johnson added 10 for the Hoosiers (20-13). Indiana, one of the nation's top 3-point shooting teams, was just 7 of 24 (29.2 percent).

Kansas 62, Baylor 52

KANSAS CITY, Mo.-- Ninth-ranked Kansas got 20 points and eight rebounds from guard Wayne Selden and defeated No. 16 Baylor in the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament at the Sprint Center.

The Jayhawks reached the title game for the 11th time in the 18-year history of the postseason tournament. The Kansas defense throttled Baylor, holding the Bears to their season low in points (the previous low was 53 at Oklahoma State Jan. 27) on just 32.8 percent shooting from the field.

Baylor (24-9) was led by guard Kenny Chery with 20 points.

Iowa State 67, Oklahoma 65

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- No. 13 Iowa State escaped with a win against No. 15 Oklahoma, and the Cyclones (24-8) will face Kansas in the title game Saturday.

Iowa State was led by forward Georges Niang with 13 points, and guard Buddy Hield had 16 points for Oklahoma.

After a follow shot by forward TaShawn Thomas got the Sooners (22-10) within a point with 12.6 second left, Niang made one of two free throws with 9.7 seconds left. Oklahoma had a couple of chances to tie the score in the waning seconds but couldn't get the ball to fall.

SMU 74, East Carolina 68

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Junior guard Nic Moore and top-seeded Southern Methodist overcame sharpshooting East Carolina in the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference tournament at the XL Center.

The AAC player of the year, Moore finished with 20 points, including two clutch free throws with a minute remaining to help seal the win for 20th-ranked SMU (25-6). The 5-foot-9 point guard also had five assists and two steals, playing all but one minute.

East Carolina, the conference's eighth seed, kept things interesting with its perimeter shooting, knocking down a season-high 15 3-pointers on 34 attempts (44.1 percent) to threaten the upset.

Junior guard Terry Whisnant scored 18 points to lead East Carolina (14-19).

Arizona 70, UCLA 64

LAS VEGAS -- While fifth-ranked Arizona bolstered its hopes for a No. 1 seed in next week's NCAA Tournament, UCLA's at-large hopes might have taken a final, fatal hit.

Forward Brandon Ashley scored a game-high 24 points to lead the Wildcats back from a seven-point second-half deficit as they reached the Pac-12 championship game at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Ashley made 9 of 11 shots, including three in a game-changing 15-0 run for Arizona (30-3).

Guard Norman Powell tallied 21 points for the Bruins (20-13), who will have to sweat it out until Sunday to see whether they earn an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Wyoming 71, Boise State 66 (OT)

LAS VEGAS -- Guard Josh Adams scored 27 points and had three steals and forward Larry Nance Jr. added 20 points as No. 4 seed Wyoming upset 25th-ranked and top-seeded Boise State in overtime in the semifinals of the Mountain West tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Mountain West Player of the Year Derrick Marks scored 17 points on 6-of-21 shooting to lead Boise State (25-8), which shot just 38.6 percent.

The Cowboys (24-9) took control in overtime thanks to a 3-pointer from the top of the key that banked in by guard Jason McManamen that made it 66-62 with 29 seconds left. Adams then stole the ball from Marks on the ensuing possession and guard Riley Grabau sank a pair of free throws to put Wyoming up by six.

Oregon 67, Utah 64

LAS VEGAS -- The Pac-12 Player of the Year pushed his team into the conference's tournament championship. Guard Joseph Young scored 18 of his team-high 25 points in the second half, canning a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left to lead second-seeded Oregon to a 67-64 win over No. 17 Utah at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Young made just 2 of 6 shots in the first half, committing three turnovers. But he canned 6 of 10 after halftime against one of the nation's best defensive teams, which limits opponents under 60 points per game. Freshman forward Dillon Brooks added 14 for the Ducks (25-8), while forward Elgin Cook contributed 13 points, including a 3-point play with 2:03 remaining to snap a 60-60 tie. Oregon will meet Arizona on Saturday night.

Guard Brandon Taylor fired in a game-high 24 points for the Utes (24-8), including a fadeaway 3-pointer from the right corner with 2:31 left to even the score. Guard Delon Wright added 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists for Utah, which should receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament when the 68-team field is revealed Sunday.

Davidson 67, La Salle 66

Tyler Kalinoski hit a scoop shot at the buzzer to give 24th-ranked Davidson the comeback win in an Atlantic 10 tournament quarterfinal game at the Barclays Center in New York.

The top-seeded Wildcats (24-6) trailed almost the entire game and were down nine points with 4:45 left, but ninth-seeded La Salle (17-16) didn't score another point.

Kalinoski started the rally with a 3-pointer, then finished it with his shot over the outstretched arms of 6-foot-8 Jerrell Wright.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB

Saturday, March 14

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Conference tournament finals: NCAAB betting cheat sheet
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Big 12

Iowa State Cyclones vs. Kansas Jayhawks (-2.5, 151)

The Cyclones have a tendency to dig themselves a hole before making a comeback or late charge. “I’m not saying being down double digits for those last couple of games is a good thing,” forward Georges Niang said at the postgame press conference. “Obviously, we need to get things in check but there is no quit in this team and that’s the biggest thing we need.” Another concern for Iowa State is rebounding after Oklahoma posted a 43-27 edge on the boards and Texas held a 37-30 advantage in the quarterfinals.

Guard Wayne Selden Jr. had perhaps his best all-around game of the season as he scored 20 points and grabbed a career-best eight rebounds in the victory over Baylor. “I thought Wayne did a much better job. He settles too much in my opinion,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said at the postgame press conference. “He did a much better job of getting to the free-throw line – didn’t make his free throws great – but he was much more aggressive and he seemed to me like he had much more balance.”

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
* Favorite is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Cyclones are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four games overall.
* Under is 4-0 in Jayhawks last four neutral site games



Big East

Xavier Musketeers vs Villanova Wildcats (-7.5, 141.5)

The Musketeers must find a way to solve the long-range shooting prowess of Villanova, which tied a Big East tournament record by hitting 17 3-pointers in Thursday's win and connected on 28-of-63 attempts from behind the arc in the matchups with Xavier. Senior center Matt Stainbrook is averaging 19.7 points and 9.3 rebounds over his last three games, while Jalen Reynolds has scored 29 points on 13-of-16 shooting in the two losses to Villanova.

Josh Hart has picked the perfect stage to show why he was named the Big East Sixth Man of the Year, pouring in a team-high 20 points in a rout of Marquette before pacing the Wildcats with 18 points against Providence. Hart had been in a scoring slump down the stretch, failing to reach double digits in five of six games before averaging 17 points and connecting on 11-of-18 3-point attempts over the past three contests.

TRENDS:

* Favorite is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Musketeers are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 Saturday games.
* Under is 7-2 in Musketeers last nine overall.
* Under is 5-1 in Wildcats last six neutral site games.


ACC

UNC Tar Heels vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+3.5, 151)

Brice Johnson has been outstanding over the last four games - averaging 17.3 points while making 28-of-51 from the field - and Marcus Paige has contributed 16.8 points and six assists in the same span. Jackson has scored in double figures in eight consecutive games and went 8-of-10 from the field against Virginia, including a season-best four 3-pointers. The Tar Heels will look to use their depth inside to wear down the Irish with the 6-9 Johnson, 6-10 Jerome James, 6-8 Isaiah Hicks and 6-9 Kennedy Meeks.

The Irish attacked Duke by taking it to the basket and concentrated on limiting the Blue Devils from long range, allowing only 3-of-17 from behind the 3-point arc. Bonzie Colson, 6-5 freshman, has become a big factor off the bench of late while scoring at least 16 points four times in the last six games after reaching double figures once in his previous 21 outings.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-1 in Fighting Irish last five overall.
* Tar Heels are 6-0 ATS in their last six neutral site games.
* Fighting Irish are 4-0 ATS in their last four vs. Atlantic Coast.
* Over is 8-2 in Fighting Irish last 10 Saturday games.


PAC 12

Oregon Ducks vs. Arizona Wildcats (OFF, OFF)

The Ducks have leaned on Joseph Young for the first two games of the tournament, but need strong games from forwards Elgin Cook and Jordan Bell in order to snap Arizona’s 10-game winning streak. “Arizona presents problems because of their size just like Utah did,” Pac-12 Coach of the Year Dana Altman told reporters. “We’re not a big team and it’s given us problems.”

Sean Miller said junior Brandon Ashley played the best game of his career Thursday, when the 6-9 forward had a career-high 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting along with seven rebounds. Forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had a quiet night offensively with eight points on 2-of-10 shooting but grabbed 12 rebounds and continued to show why he’s one of the league’s top defensive players. Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Stanley Johnson opened tournament play by averaging 17 points and eight rebounds in wins over California and UCLA and could be a key player if the Ducks focus on slowing down Young.

TRENDS:

* Ducks are 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings.
* Ducks are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games overall.
* Under is 5-1 in Wildcats last six neutral site games.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB

Saturday, March 14

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SEC tournament semifinals: NCAAB betting cheat sheet
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Kentucky Wildcats vs. Auburn Tigers (-23.5, 137)

Auburn doesn’t seem to be too worried about Saturday’s SEC tournament semifinal matchup against top-ranked and undefeated Kentucky. Fresh off three upset wins in three days in Nashville, Tenn., the 13th-seeded Tigers are too busy enjoying their extended Music City stay. “Lately, that's all we have been doing is just staying together and playing defense and just having fun,” Auburn senior guard Malcolm Canada said in news conference Friday following a 73-70 overtime victory over No. 4 seed LSU. “When you have fun and you play the game of basketball, good things happen, no matter what.”
The Wildcats, meanwhile, continue to be all about the business of perfection, dominating the second half Friday to dispatch Florida 64-49. The Gators were still hanging around at 50-45 with 7:40 remaining, but Kentucky slammed the door with a 14-4 contest-closing run. “They have a will to win,” coach John Calipari said of his players in the post-game news conference. “They do have a will to win, and we have enough play-maker kind of players. … We got a lot of guys that aren't afraid to make the play.”

TRENDS:

*Tigers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
*Wildcats are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
*Under is 6-1 in Tigers last 7 overall.
*Wildcats are 10-1-1 ATS in their last 12 neutral site games.



Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Georgia Bulldogs (-1.5, 147)

Bobby Portis had just scored a game-high 26 points Friday in an 80-72 victory over Tennessee to help Arkansas snap its seven-game SEC tournament losing streak when he was asked if the Razorbacks were sneaking a peek at a possible championship matchup with top-ranked and undefeated Kentucky. The SEC Player of the Year, though, quickly dismissed that notion. “Just one game at a time,” said Portis, whose 20th-ranked and second-seeded squad takes on No. 3 seed Georgia in Saturday’s second semifinal in Nashville, Tenn. “We still haven't won our game Saturday to even play Kentucky, and like Kentucky hasn't even won their game against Auburn yet. So in due time everything will play out, but we have to just come in tomorrow ready to play.”

Following Arkansas’ win, the Bulldogs pulled away late to oust 11th-seeded South Carolina 74-62 and book their second straight SEC semifinal appearance. Georgia couldn’t hold on to a 13-point first-half lead and fell to visiting Arkansas 79-75 on Jan. 6 in the conference opener for both teams. “We have been through so much since we played Arkansas, I can't barely remember it,” Bulldogs coach Mark Fox said in his post-game news conference Friday. “… But they have a great basketball team. They have a nationally ranked team, they have the best player in the conference leading them and it will be a big challenge.”

TRENDS:

*Razorbacks are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
*Over is 5-0 in Razorbacks last 5 overall.
*Over is 5-2 in Bulldogs last 7 overall.
*Bulldogs are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.

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NCAAB

Saturday, March 14

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Big Ten tournament semifinals: NCAAB betting cheat sheet
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Wisconsin Badgers vs. Purdue Boilermakers (+9.5, 128.5)

Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan told reporters following his team’s last victory that he is less concerned about his team’s NCAA Tournament seeding and more focused on “taking care of business”. The fifth-ranked and top-seeded Badgers may be able to do a bit of both Saturday by defeating Purdue in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament in Chicago. Wisconsin downed Michigan 71-60 in Friday’s quarterfinals for its 14th win in its last 15 games, collecting its 24th double-digit victory of the season.

“I've always figured that if you just take care of business, people in the know will know what to do with your team. That's all we can do. … All we know is we're going to be playing in the NCAA Tournament and the rest is wait and see,” Ryan said following Friday’s triumph. One of Wisconsin’s single-digit wins came in a 62-55 home victory over the Boilermakers on Jan. 7, allowing Ryan to boast a winning record (11-10) against every other conference foe that has resided in the Big Ten for more than a year. No. 4 seed Purdue advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2010 with Friday’s 64-59 triumph over Penn State.

TRENDS:

*Boilermakers are 11-5 ATS in the last 16 meetings.
*Badgers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 vs. Big Ten.
*Over is 4-1 in Boilermakers last 5 neutral site games.
*Under is 7-2 in Badgers last 9 games following a S.U. win.



Michigan State Spartans vs. Maryland Terrapins vs. (+2.5, 130)

Branden Dawson (11.6 points, 9.3 rebounds) regained the form that allowed him to garner Most Outstanding Player honors during last season’s conference title run, posting 14 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three blocks in Friday’s victory. The second-team all-conference performer, who missed most of the last two games with a facial injury, had slumped in recent games and was even benched by Izzo in a March 1 loss to Wisconsin.

Maryland’s maiden voyage in its new conference has been nothing short of a success, setting a school-record with 26 regular-season wins – two coming against Michigan State. The eighth-ranked and second-seeded Terrapins could write another chapter in their fairytale season Saturday in Chicago as they attempt to beat the defending Big Ten tournament champions in semifinal action. Maryland won 14 of its first 15 games this season, including a double-overtime win at Michigan State on Dec. 30.

TRENDS:

* Underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Spartans are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games overall.
* Terrapins are 5-0 ATS in their last five vs. Big Ten.
* Over is 5-0 in Spartans last five overall.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB

Saturday, March 14

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AAC tournament semifinals: NCAAB betting cheat sheet
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Temple Owls vs. Southern Methodist Mustangs (-3.5, 127)

Temple pushed itself closer to an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament by knocking off Memphis in the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference tournament but would prefer to take it out of the hands of the selection committee entirely. The fourth-seeded Owls will try to get one step closer to an automatic bid when they face No. 1 seed SMU in the semifinals on Saturday in Hartford, Conn. The Mustangs got by East Carolina in a tough quarterfinal on Friday.

SMU was the team that watched as its bubble burst on selection Sunday last season but likely ensured itself of a spot in the field of 68 with its performance in the regular season this year. Temple thrust itself onto the good side of the bubble with wins in 11 of its last 13 games and has won four in a row heading into the AAC tournament semifinals. Two of the Owls’ five AAC losses this season came against the Mustangs, who limited Temple to an average of 56.5 points in the two meetings.

TRENDS:

*Owls are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games following a S.U. win.
*Mustangs are 5-21 ATS in their last 26 neutral site games.
*Over is 6-2 in Owls last 8 vs. American Athletic Conference.
*Over is 8-1 in Mustangs last 9 overall.



Tulsa Golden Hurricanes vs. UConn Huskies (-2, 122.5)

Despite being on the bubble for an NCAA Tournament berth, the second-seeded Golden Hurricane put forth an uninspired effort in defeating Houston 59-51 in Friday's quarterfinals at the XL Center in Hartford. "We got off to a good start in the first 10 minutes, then I thought we took our foot off the pedal a little bit and turned the ball over," coach Frank Haith told the media.

Much as Shabazz Napier did last season, senior Ryan Boatright came through in a big way as the Huskies survived a back-and-forth quarterfinal game against Cincinnati and kept their NCAA Tournament hopes alive in the process. Boatright hit a 3-pointer in the final second and scored 18 points for UConn, which needs the automatic bid to avoid missing the tournament a year after capturing the national title. UConn improved to 8-1 this season at the XL Center.

TRENDS:

* Under is 8-2 in Golden Hurricane last 10 neutral site games.
* Huskies are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games following a ATS win.
* Golden Hurricane are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games following a S.U. win.
* Over is 5-1 in Huskies last six Saturday games.

[StarDust Bum]

Big East Final

March 14, 2015

The crowd at Madison Square Garden was treated to a couple of “instant classics” in Friday’s Big East Tournament’s Semifinal Round. After the smoke cleared from the two tightly contested battles, the No. 6 seed Xavier Musketeers and the top-seeded Villanova Wildcats survived to advance to Saturday night’s Championship.

No. 6 Xavier Musketeers vs. No. 1 Villanova Wildcats (Fox Sports 1, 8 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Villanova -7 ½

The Musketeers fell to sixth in the final Big East standings with a very pedestrian straight-up record of 9-9, but they have found their form in the first two games of this tournament with back-to-back upsets of Butler and Georgetown while closing as 1 ½-point underdogs in each contest. Xavier had gone 3-3 SU in its final six regular season games with a losing 2-3-1 record against the spread. The total has stayed UNDER in both its wins this week and it has now stayed UNDER in seven of its last nine outings.

In Thursday’s 67-61 overtime victory against the Bulldogs, senior center Matt Stainbrook led the way with 13 points and 10 rebounds. On the year, he is averaging a team-high 12.2 points and 6.9 boards. He did not stop there after posting 20 points and nine rebounds in Friday’s 65-63 win over the Hoyas while hitting eight of his 13 shots from the floor. The Musketeers jumped-out to a nine-point lead at the half in that game and they were able to hold off Georgetown from there. Xavier is averaging 74.2 points per game and shooting 47.6 percent from the field, but on the other end of the court it is allowing an average of 67.6 points to its opponents.

Villanova has been on cruise control since late January, but that ride to a possible No. 1 seed in next week’s NCAA Tournament almost came to an abrupt halt in Friday’s 63-61 squeaker over Providence as an 8 ½-point favorite. The Wildcats’ current SU winning streak reached 14 games, but they are now 2-2 ATS in their last four contests after successfully covering in the first 10 games of this impressive run. The total has stayed UNDER in their first two tournament games this week after going OVER in their last five regular season games.

There are a number of quality players responsible for Villanova’s SU 31-2 record this season, but sophomore reserve guard Josh Hart has put himself in position to garner this tournament’s most valuable player award if the Wildcats can seal the deal with a win on Saturday night. In Villanova’s 84-49 romp over Marquette in the quarterfinals as a 14-point favorite, Hart came off the bench to score a game-high 20 points while going 5-for-7 from three-point range. Against the Friars he posted a team-high 18 points and shot 7-for-10 from the field. The Wildcats remain one of the top scoring teams in the nation with an average of 76.5 PPG and they are giving-up an average of 61.2 points on defense.

Betting Trends

-- The Musketeers are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four games following a SU win and they are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games against a team with a SU winning record. However, they have failed to cover in eight of their last 11 games played on a Saturday. The total has stayed UNDER in their last six games following a SU win.

-- The Wildcats are 37-17 ATS in their last 54 conference games and they are 40-16 ATS in their last 56 games following a SU win. They have covered in 22 of their last 30 Saturday games and the total has stayed UNDER in five of their last six games played at a neutral site.

-- The favorite in this series has covered ATS in the last five meetings and the total has gone OVER in the last three games. Villanova won both meetings this season SU and ATS to extend its current winning streak against Xavier to four games (SU and ATS).

[StarDust Bum]

ACC/Pac-12 Final

March 14, 2015

ACC Final:
(5) North Carolina vs. (3) Notre Dame – 8:30 PM EST

This matchup was one likely not predicted by the public for the right to claim the automatic berth out of the ACC, but it pits a pair of teams heading to the NCAA tournament regardless of the result. North Carolina goes for its fourth win in four days after knocking off Boston College, Louisville, and top-seed Virginia. In last night’s victory over UVA, the Tar Heels lit up one of the nation’s best defenses for 55% shooting in a 71-67 triumph as 4 ½-point underdogs, led by Justin Jackson’s 22 points. Forward Kennedy Meeks returned from a one-game absence, scoring seven points and pulling down nine rebounds in 26 minutes of action.

Notre Dame avenged a 30-point loss at Duke last month by pounding the Blue Devils last night, 74-64 as 8 ½-point underdogs. The Fighting Irish jumped out to a 41-26 advantage and never looked back, while shooting 50% from the floor and converting 22-of-25 free throws. Notre Dame spread out its scoring as Bonzie Colson, Jerian Grant, and Demetrius Jackson each scored at least 13 points, as Mike Brey’s club won and covered its fourth straight game.

These teams meet up in Chapel Hill back on January 5, as the Irish escaped with a 71-70 victory, the first win by Notre Dame over North Carolina in four lifetime matchups. The Irish squandered an 11-point lead, but Zach Auguste gave Notre Dame the lead for good with a layup in the final minute, while scoring a game-high 18 points. Notre Dame cashed as eight-point underdogs, while limiting UNC to 38% shooting from the field, as Tar Heels’ guard Marcus Paige shot just 6-of-17 from the floor.

Notre Dame has won 13 of its past 17 games since edging North Carolina, as the Irish owns a 6-1 ATS record in the last seven contests. Prior to this hot ATS run, the Irish failed to cover four in a row, while they own a 4-2 ATS mark this season in the role of an underdog. The Heels have cashed seven of their last nine games since a 13-point loss at Pittsburgh last month, while compiling a 7-8 ATS ledger as a favorite against conference foes. UNC is seeking its first ACC tournament title since 2008, as the Heels lost in the championship three straight times from 2011 through 2013.

Pac-12 Final:
(2) Oregon vs. (1) Arizona – 11:00 PM EST

The top two seeds remain in Las Vegas as Arizona goes for its first conference tournament title since 2002. The Wildcats held off UCLA last night, 70-64, but Arizona failed to cover as 11-point favorites. Brandon Ashley led Arizona with 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the floor, but the rest of the Wildcats combined to go 13-of-44 from the floor (29%). Sean Miller’s team won its 10th straight game, even though Arizona’s five-game ATS hot streak came to an end.

Oregon picked up its seventh consecutive victory by beating Utah for the second time in less than a month, downing the Utes, 67-64 as seven-point underdogs. Pac-12 Player of the Year Joseph Young led the Ducks with 25 points, including the go-ahead three-pointer with two seconds left in regulation. Dillon Brooks and Elgin Cook combined for 27 points for Oregon, as the Ducks have won and covered five straight games in the role of an underdog.

Arizona routed Oregon in Tucson in late January, 90-56 as 15-point favorites. The Wildcats opened up a 42-27 halftime lead, as Sean Miller’s club shot a scorching 59% from the field, while six players scored in double-figures. Oregon converted just 40% on its shots, as Young put up 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting, while Cook had the best offensive night for the Ducks with 16 points on 7-of-9 from the floor. The Ducks and Wildcats are meeting in the conference tournament for the first time since 2007, when Oregon destroyed Arizona, 69-50.