The Bum's March NCAABB Conference Playoffs Thru The Madness Picks-Trends-News-Stats !!

[StarDust Bum]

Iowa State seeks strong postseason run
March 8, 2016

AMES, Iowa (AP) Iowa State's lack of depth made its hopes for a regular-season Big 12 title unrealistic.

Perhaps the postseason will be kind again to the 21st-ranked Cyclones.

Iowa State (21-10, 10-8 Big 12) will begin its quest for a third straight conference tournament title Thursday against third-seeded Oklahoma (24-6, 12-6), ranked sixth nationally.

The Cyclones are the sixth seed - which could be lower than the one they'll receive for the NCAA tournament if they replicate their previous success in Kansas City.

''You can't look ahead. We're just trying to beat Oklahoma ... we're not worried about fatigue. We're not worried about minutes,'' coach Steve Prohm said. ''Hopefully we can make a great run there, and then get ready for the next run in the NCAAs.''

Iowa State's well-known depth issues were exacerbated when starter Naz Mitrou-Long chose to seek a medical redshirt in December because of hip issues. Junior Matt Thomas blossomed in Long's absence, averaging 10.6 points a game while shooting 43 percent on 3-point attempts.

But transfer Hallice Cooke couldn't adequately replace Thomas's production off the bench, which left Prohm with as few as six reliable players at times.

Cooke has recently shown flashes of the player the Cyclones thought he could be after transferring from Oregon State.

Cooke's breakout game came in a win over Kansas State on Feb. 27, when he scored 10 points in a season-high 24 minutes. Though he scored just three points in last weekend's 85-78 loss at top-ranked Kansas, the fact that Prohm has come to trust Cooke enough to play more significant minutes in the last three games is encouraging for the Cyclones.

''He's just the ultimate team guy these past few weeks,'' forward Georges Niang said. ''That's what it's all about at this point. You're going to get your opportunities. But what are you going to do with them? Hallice has relished every opportunity.''

Cooke's resurgence should also allow Prohm to feel a bit better about giving banged-up point guard Monte Morris some rest.

Prohm said Monday that Morris will sit out two days of practice after straining his right rotator cuff in Saturday's loss to the Jayhawks. It'll be the first time that Morris, who has played all but 17 minutes in Big 12 games, has rested on multiple days since June.

Morris said he will be back against the Sooners.

''My mom is going to be there. I'm going to tell her I'm at 100 percent even if I'm at 50 percent. That's just the love for this team. I'm going to lay it all on the line, hurt or not,'' Morris said.

Despite seeing Morris get hurt and Niang finish his career without a win at Allen Fieldhouse, Iowa State was encouraged by its play late in its final regular-season game. The Cyclones got a strong performance from center Jameel McKay, whose 19 points and nine rebounds suggested his struggles in Big 12 play might be behind him.

''Our guys are playing well. We're up one with three minutes to go at Kansas, where they've lost nine times in the last 13 years,'' Prohm said. ''I think we'll go into the (Big 12) tournament with a lot of confidence, and we'll go into the NCAA Tournament with a lot of confidence because we know we've got a good team. We've just got to continue to finish.''

[StarDust Bum]

Larranaga hopes Miami can be like GM
March 8, 2016

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) Before his Miami Hurricanes practiced at his old arena on George Mason's campus, coach Jim Larranaga gathered players at center court and pointed to the 2006 Final Four banner. He told them stories about his team's improbable run and the sacrifices and the joy that came out of it.

Ten years later, Larranaga beamed with pride as he returned to the scene of so many of his mid-major triumphs. On Thursday his team opens the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament at Verizon Center, where George Mason beat Connecticut to reach the Final Four.

Even though No. 11 Miami isn't the off-the-map underdog George Mason was, the teams share plenty of parallels.

''Our George Mason team had three seniors in the starting lineup,'' Larranaga said. ''This year's team has three seniors and a redshirt senior in the starting lineup. I would say the common denominator is experience. We have older guys, and I think they have a great deal of confidence in themselves and their ability to play at the highest level.''

The highest level is yet to come for redshirt senior guards Sheldon McClellan and Angel Rodriguez, senior center Tonye Jekiri and Co. They have work to do before Miami fans remember them the way George Mason - and college basketball - fans remember the likes of Tony Skinn, Jai Lewis and Lamar Butler from their Cinderella run in 2006.

It starts with experience and continues with cohesive play.

Miami assistant Chris Caputo and director of basketball operations James Johnson gave players a ''crash course'' in George Mason, but they also see a team that's just as close as the Patriots were.

''The George Mason team was one of the closest groups of guys that I've been around,'' Johnson said. ''I think we have a close-knit group here - a talented group and also they really get along and like each other, they like playing for each other.''

Growing up together plays a role in that.

Skinn, now an assistant at Louisiana Tech, remembered the 2004-05 George Mason team being just a younger version and could feel the difference the second time March rolled around.

''We were seldom rattled outside of our game plan,'' Skinn said in a phone interview. ''I think that says enough about experience - having guys that's been in those situations before, just knowing what to do to get out of a ballgame. The year before we didn't.''

A year ago Miami went through what Caputo said was a series of ups and strange downs and was bound for the NIT. Caputo said each team was ''hardened'' by its experiences over two seasons, and the Hurricanes started this season 11-1 and rolled to the third seed in the ACC Tournament behind only North Carolina and Virginia.

''In our situation this year we had a veteran group, so we got off to a great start,'' Larranaga said. ''Almost we're following the mid-major formula for success. The difference being in the mid-major once you get into conference play, you're not playing very many teams in the top 50 or top 100. In the ACC you're playing a top 50 team every night and a lot of times it's not even top 50 it's top 20 or top 10.''

Miami has faced tougher competition and won't be on the bubble like George Mason was in 2006 after losing in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament.

But after getting in as a No. 11 seed, George Mason upset Michigan State, North Carolina, Wichita State and Connecticut to reach the Final Four in Indianapolis, where it lost to eventual national champion Florida.

Like George Mason in 2006, Miami has had its share of doubters. Larranaga hasn't forgotten that initial bracket projections in September had his Hurricanes not even making the NCAA Tournament this season.

''The amount of media exposure that the NCAA Tournament gets and everything leading up to it, yeah, there's going to be some information we can use to motivate our team,'' Larranaga said.

Larranaga knows how to motivate and also how to get his players in the ''right mental frame of mind.'' He watches other teams' benches during games and can sense pressure, and the veteran coach always wants to deflect enough pressure off his players to get them to relax.

''You have a team like that competing at that level with a coach like Coach Larranaga, I don't think the philosophy changes,'' Skinn said. ''He sets the game plan for those guys and I can see even on video he's still dancing with those dudes, so I'm sure they're just as loose as we were. ... Put that all together on a neutral floor, man, and anything can happen.''

[StarDust Bum]

Big 12 heads to KC for league tournament
March 8, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Shaka Smart is careful not to demean the Colonial Athletic Association and the Atlantic 10, where he led VCU through a combined six conference tournaments and captured a pair of championships.

Both are good leagues. Both have solid programs. Both tournaments were tough in their own right.

Neither of them are the Big 12.

''It's going to be just a tremendous event, when you have so many great teams together in one venue,'' the first-year Texas coach said before his first taste of its conference tournament.

''You have in the Big 12 so many teams that have beaten up on each other over the past two-plus months,'' Smart said, ''and you everyone will come together. You look at the bracket, some of the games that are going to be played early in the tournament are just phenomenal matchups.''

The tournament begins Wednesday night when eighth-seeded Kansas State plays No. 9 seed Oklahoma State and seventh-seeded Texas Tech plays No. 10 seed TCU. But it really gets going on Thursday, when each of the four quarterfinal matchups will feature at least one team ranked in the Top 25.

Already set are sixth-ranked Oklahoma against No. 21 Iowa State and No. 22 Baylor against No. 23 Texas, while top-ranked Kansas and No. 9 West Virginia await the winners in the opening round.

To put into perspective how stacked the bracket is, consider this: The third-seeded Sooners and sixth-seeded Cyclones could be seeded better in the NCAA Tournament than they are this week.

''That's what you get in the Big 12,'' said Sooners coach Lon Kruger, whose teams spent time ranked No. 1 this season, but has struggled heading into the crucial games of March. ''At least you won't have any bad losses in the tournament. Everyone is ranked.''

The Jayhawks are undoubtedly the favorites after winning the outright regular-season title, the 12th consecutive year they've earned at least a share of it. But recent history suggests the Big 12 tournament is wide open: Only once in the past four years has the No. 1 seed won the championship.

Iowa State has won the last two titles, knocking off the Jayhawks in the finals a year ago.

''You probably are playing to validate the regular season as much as anything else,'' Kansas coach Bill Self said. ''That's really what we'll go into it thinking. We've proven it over a couple of months. Now we can validate it and try to play just as well.''

As the tournament gets going at the Sprint Center, here are some of the story lines:

RUBBER MATCHES: With the double-round robin schedule, there are several potential matchups between teams that split in the regular season. Three of the four matchups already set will be decisive.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: The Big is No. 1 in RPI with three teams in the top 10 and seven in the top 28, the most of any conference. The league is a combined 28-15 against the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC, the best combined winning percentage of any conference against rival power leagues.

INJURY SITUATION: Cyclones coach Steve Prohm expects star guard Monte Morris to play after sitting out of practice this week with a shoulder injury, while the Longhorns could get big man Cameron Ridley back from a broken foot for the first time since late December.

''I don't know definitively when he's going to be able to play,'' Smart said, ''but we're extremely hopeful and optimistic he'll be able to play soon. He's been cleared to do quite a few basketball-type activities.''

BUBBLE WATCH: Kansas State, Oklahoma State and TCU need to win the title to get to the NCAA Tournament, while the Red Raiders (19-11) will feel better about their at-large hopes by beating TCU and West Virginia.

''I'll feel comfortable if we win the Big 12 Tournament. That's when I'll feel comfortable,'' Texas Tech coach Tubby Smith said. ''We'd better not be comfortable. We have a lot of work to do.''

SEED LINES: As much as anything, seeding in the NCAA Tournament is at stake this week. Kansas has a chance to be the overall No. 1 seed with a strong showing, while others are also trying to move up.

''Everybody realizes you have a chance to improve your seed with each and every game,'' Baylor coach Scott Drew said, ''because every game is a quality-win opportunity.''

[StarDust Bum]

]Oregon leads deep Pac-12 tourney field
[/B]March 8, 2016

LAS VEGAS (AP) The Pac-12 was one of the nation's strongest conferences during the regular season, the teams' schedules filled with difficult games every week.

It won't get any easier at this week's Pac-12 tournament.

Oregon was the regular-season champion, but the Ducks will have their hands full if they want to sweep in a conference that finished with four teams in the final regular-season Associated Press Top 25.

At least seven other teams will enter MGM Grand Garden Arena with a legitimate chance to win the conference tournament. It wouldn't be a total upset if a team wins four games in four days to take the title.

A quick rundown of what to look for at the Pac-12 tournament, which starts with four games on Wednesday:

---

DUCKS DOMINANCE: Oregon (25-6, 14-4 Pac-12) was picked to finish fourth in the preseason media poll, but ended up winning its first title since 2002. The eighth-ranked Ducks are deep, athletic, have one of the conference's best players in Dillon Brooks and Dana Altman repeated as Pac-12 coach of the year. Arizona swept the regular season and tournament titles last year and Oregon has the talent to do it this season.

POELTL SHINES: Utah (24-7, 13-5) finished a game behind Oregon in the race for the regular season title and was No. 12 in the final regular season poll. Jakob Poeltl was a big reason for it. The 7-foot sophomore is one of the nation's best and most versatile players, able to score inside or out. He was voted the Pac-12's player of the year after finishing fourth nationally in shooting at 66 percent, second in the Pac-12 in scoring (17.5 points) and third in rebounding (9.1).

STEAKING BEARS: California (22-9, 12-6) may be the hottest team headed into the tournament. The Bears won eight of their final nine games and were in position to beat Arizona before coughing up a late lead in Tucson last week. Cal is young and athletic, with one of the league's best players in Jaylen Brown, the Pac-12 freshman of the year after averaging 15.3 and 5.6 rebounds.

DANGEROUS WILDCATS: Arizona (24-7, 12-6) fell short of winning it third straight Pac-12 title, finishing two games behind Oregon. The Wildcats may be one of the most dangerous teams in the bracket, though. Arizona is big up front, led by 7-0 center Kaleb Tarczewski, and has one of the conference's most dynamic players in freshman Allonzo Trier. The 15th-ranked Wildcats won last year's tournament and will be one of the favorites to win it this year.

RIVALRY CONTINUED: The rivalry between UCLA and Southern California shifts to Sin City in the opening round of the Pac-12 tournament for the second straight season. The Bruins swept the three games last season and this year the Trojans have a chance to return the favor after winning the two regular-season games by a combined 33 points. UCLA (15-16, 6-12) limped to the finish of the regular season, losing its final four games and seven of nine to finish 10th in the Pac-12. USC (20-11, 9-9) had a similar finish, losing six of its final eight.

SOLD OUT: The depth of this year's field helped the Pac-12 tournament sell out for the first time in its history. The tournament has been a big hit since moving to Las Vegas four years ago and three of the four days were sold out last year. This year, Wednesday's sessions also sold out ahead of time, making the tournament a tough ticket to get.

[StarDust Bum]

AP) The Atlantic 10 turned 40 this season and everybody got a trophy.

Well, not quite, but three teams enter the A-10 tournament at Barclays Center in Brooklyn as regular-season co-champions and the feeling among league coaches is about half the 14-team conference has a legitimate chance to leave New York with a title.

Only top-seeded Dayton seems safely into the NCAA field of 68, so add pressure to the parity and the competition should be intense.

Dayton tied with VCU and St. Bonaventure for first in the A-10 at 14-4 and Saint Joseph's was a game back to lock up the top four seeds and Friday games, avoiding the daunting task of having to win four (or five) games in as many days to win the championship.

''One of the goals going into the season was to try to get one of the top four spots,'' St. Bonaventure coach Mark Schmidt said. ''That's important if you want to have any chance to win the Atlantic 10. It makes us one of the elite teams in the conference.''

The last time a team from outside the top four seeds won the A-10 tournament was 2006, when 10th-seeded Xavier upset the field.

The A-10 has not just survived realignment, but it has remained a multiple-NCAA bid league that challenges the Big East for title of best basketball conference that doesn't play FBS football.

Over the last three seasons, the A-10 has put 14 teams in the NCAA tournament. This season that number is difficult to predict. If upsets abound and Dayton wins out, there is even a shot the A-10 could be a one-bid league.

''We have five teams that feel they have a right to be there,'' Dayton coach Archie Miller said.

The Flyers are a lock for their third straight NCAA appearance under Miller, but they head to the Big Apple looking for their first tournament title since 2003 and having lost the championship game to VCU last year.

''I don't think you're playing for seeding. I don't think you're safely in. All you're looking to do is win that first game,'' Miller said.

The Flyers start Friday's quadruple-header against the winner of Thursday's game between No. 8 Fordham and No. 9 Richmond.

Dayton won its final two regular-season games, each by one point, to right itself after losing three of four. Miller expects forward Kendall Pollard to be closer to 100 percent after he missed a chunk of February with a knee injury.

''I don't think we're sharing the ball and we aren't playing fast enough on offense and that affects our defense,'' Miller said. ''This is a chance to reset going to Brooklyn.''

Things to know about the A-10 tournament, which starts Wednesday night with two games - No. 12 George Mason against No. 13 Saint Louis and No. 11 Duquesne facing No. 14 La Salle.

CONTENDERS: The Flyers are 11-0 this season when they have a full lineup. Aside from playing without Pollard in February, Miller started the season without Dyshawn Pierre, who was serving a university suspension for allegations of sexual assault of a female student. Charges were not filed in the case and Pierre tried to have the suspension overturned in court.

St. Bonaventure finished the season winning 10 of 11 games, behind one of the best backcourts in the country. Marcus Posley averages 20.7 points and Jaylen Adams brings in 19.3.

''If you have two good guards, you think you can win every game,'' Schmidt said.

No. 4 seed St. Joseph's is led by the conference player of the year, DeAndre' Bembry.

NEW VCU: When coach Shaka Smart left VCU for Texas, he took his Havoc-style defensive pressure with him.

These second-seeded Rams don't full-court press as much under first-year coach Will Wade, but they still lead the conference in steals (11.2 per game).

''It's a little more controlled. It's a little more halfcourt,'' Wade said.

ON THE BUBBLE: If the top four seeds can advance to the semifinals, the A-10 should be solid for multiple NCAA bids. But beyond Dayton, all the teams could use at least one more victory. If not two.

[StarDust Bum]

Hoosiers look to rewrite tourney history
March 8, 2016

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The Indiana Hoosiers took a long, hard road to winning the Big Ten title.

If they're going to win the tournament title, they'll also need to rest.

Two months after being discounted, overlooked and forgotten by many outsiders, the 10th-ranked Hoosiers head to Indianapolis with the top seed and a chance to change directions in what has been a frustrating event for Indiana. The 2016 tourney opens with two games Wednesday.

''The main thing playing three games in three days is rest,'' first-team all-Big Ten guard Kevin ''Yogi'' Ferrell said. ''You've got to get your feet up, you've got to get treatment and if you win one, you've got to get right on to the next one.''

The good news is that Indiana (25-6) is playing as well as it has all season and it won't play until Friday.

Last week, the Hoosiers won at No. 16 Iowa to clinch the league's outright title and routed No. 14 Maryland at home to complete their first unbeaten season at Assembly Hall since 2006-07. Plus, they'll take a five-game winning streak with them to Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

So why is their consternation throughout the Hoosier State?

Indiana is 11-18 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament, has never won the title, has only played in one championship game (2001) and has only one semifinal appearance since 2007.

The road this year isn't any easier. After a double bye into the quarterfinals, the Hoosiers face either eighth-seeded Michigan or ninth-seeded Northwestern, and then face a possible rematch with No. 13 Purdue. A win there could set up a championship game showdown with No. 2 Michigan State.

Indiana isn't the only favorite who has had trouble in this event.

No. 20 Iowa hasn't played in the semifinals since 2006.

''To me, it's going to be harder to move on into the Big Ten tournament than it might be to move on into the NCAA tournament,'' Spartans coach Tom Izzo said. ''So I think you've got to stay focused on the little things. Your defense still has to be there and you're preparation, I think the team that plays on Thursday has a definite advantage.''

Iowa will play on Thursday.

Indiana won't. But the Hoosiers are looking at this week a little differently.

''People think if you've won the Big Ten, you can relax,'' said forward Max Bielfeldt, who played on Michigan's conference tourney runner-up team in 2014. ''We've got to be aggressive. We've got to be the team that we are.''

And hope that's good enough.

Here are some other things to watch during this week's tourney:

DEUCES WILD: Clearly, the poll voters don't buy into the notion that Michigan State is the second best team in Indy. The second-ranked Spartans and Big Ten regular-season runner-ups wound up with the No. 2 seed. But in the only meeting between the league's top two teams this season, Michigan State ran away with an 88-69 victory over Indiana. A rematch in Sunday's title game might be the best matchup this weekend.

PARING DOWN: The tournament begins with five ranked teams and presumably one more that looks to get an invite to the NCAA's field of 68. But the results between Thursday and Sunday could determine who's in and who's out and probably seeding. Michigan and Ohio State may have the most at stake since they're still trying to play their way in.

JUMP START: A couple of weeks ago, it looked like the regular-season title race would be between Maryland and Iowa. Over the past few weeks, things changed dramatically. The Terrapins have lost four of six while the Hawkeyes have lost four of five. Both teams need to find solutions now before the same problems derail them in the NCAA tourney.

CAT SCRATCH FEVER: Northwestern might not be everyone's favorite but it's hard to root against a team still looking for its first NCAA bid. After a strong start this season, it looks like the only way they can get in this season is by winning four games in four days.

THE HOT SEAT: For struggling teams, this could be the final chance for coaches to save their jobs. In past years, some coaches whose teams underperform and then make early exits don't even survive till Sunday. Who could be the first to go this year? Perhaps Eddie Jordan of Rutgers.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Wolfpack (16-16) at Blue Devils (22-9)
Date: March 09, 2016 2:00 PM EDT

Anthony 'Cat' Barber and Grayson Allen are set for one final duel between ACC scoring leaders.

The explosive guards from North Carolina State and No. 19 Duke figure to be part of an entertaining affair Wednesday in a conference tournament second-round matchup in Washington D.C.

Barber averaged 23.4 points in the regular season and Allen 21.5 as the only players in the conference to top 20. While the 6-foot-2 Barber was known more for his driving ability as he finished the regular season as one of the nation's leaders with 261 free throw attempts, the 6-5 Allen is the better 3-point shooter at 42.3 percent with a reputation as one of college basketball's best dunkers.

Allen wasn't always so proficient from long range, connecting at 34.6 percent on 3-pointers last season as a freshman when he averaged 4.4 points. He and Clemson's Jaron Blossomgame tied in coaches' voting for the conference's most improved player.

"In Grayson's case, I don't think there's anybody who's improved as much in the country," coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "No one's produced a 17-point differential than what they've scored before."

Duke (22-9) took both matchups this season over North Carolina State, ending its season-worst three-game slide by rallying from seven down at halftime for an 88-78 road victory Jan. 23. Allen scored 28 points and Barber had 19.

The teams met two weeks later in Durham and the Blue Devils won 88-80, as Allen outscored Barber 28-26.

Barber is looking forward to a rematch after helping the Wolfpack (16-16) advance past Wake Forest 75-72 on Tuesday. He started 2 of 11 from the field before making five of his final 10 shots for 22 points.

"It's great to play Duke again," Barber said. "We're looking forward to it. We're going to come out tomorrow and try to get this win."

Freshman Maverick Rowan made a season-high six 3-pointers and scored 24 points. Rowan credited Barber for setting screens to get him open, and Barber returned the compliments.

'Mav got great looks, and he was knocking them down,' he said.

Rowan went 5 of 16 from beyond the arc in the two losses to the Blue Devils.

Duke is second in the ACC in 3-point shooting at 38.9 percent. The Blue Devils shot 45.3 percent on 3-pointers against the Wolfpack with 50 free-throw attempts.

These teams ranked third and fourth in the ACC regular season in average foul shot attempts with 24.1 for Duke and 24.0 for N.C. State.

'That's what we do - 3s and free throws are kind of how we have to score,' Krzyzewski said. 'We've got to do what we have to do, and it's won 22 games, it's made us a very good and tough team.'

The Blue Devils also feature ACC freshman of the year Brandon Ingram, who is second on the team in scoring with 16.7 points per game and rebounding at 6.8. He has had to step up with senior forward Amile Jefferson out for the season with a foot injury.

Duke lost 76-72 at home to then-No. 8 North Carolina on Saturday to cap a three-game stretch in which it shot 37.1 percent. The Blue Devils were outrebounded 64-29.

The winner will face Notre Dame in Thursday's quarterfinals.

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's Pac-12 Tips
March 9, 2016


**Southern California vs. UCLA**

-- The Westgate SuperBook opened USC (20-11 straight up, 17-13-1 against the spread) as a two-point favorite early Tuesday afternoon, only to move the game to a pick ‘em 21 minutes later. As of early this morning, however, most spots had the Trojans favored by 2.5 or three points. The total was in the 156-157 range.

-- UCLA (15-16 SU, 11-20 ATS) will miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012 if it doesn’t win this week’s Pac-12 Tournament at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Steve Alford’s third UCLA squad has lost four in a row both SU and ATS and, going back further, it is 2-7 SU and 3-6 ATS in its last nine games.

-- UCLA finished 10th in the Pac-12 standings with an abysmal 6-12 record in league play. The Bruins dropped back-to-back home games this past Thursday and Saturday. Oregon went into Pauley Pavilion and captured a 76-68 win as a two-point road favorite. Two days later, Oregon State won an 86-82 decision as a 6.5-point road underdog. Isaac Hamilton had 21 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals in the loss to the Beavers, but he was 7-of-23 from the field and just 3-of-13 from downtown. Bryce Alford finished with 18 points and five assists without a turnover.

-- UCLA is No. 96 in the RPI Rankings, going 4-10 against the Top 100 and 8-14 versus the Top 100. The Bruins have home wins over Kentucky, Arizona and Colorado, in addition to road scalps of Oregon State, Gonzaga and Arizona State.

-- Hamilton averages a team-high 17.1 points per game, while Alford scores at a 16.3 PPG clip and owns a 164/61 assists-to-turnovers ratio.

-- USC has slumped mightily down the stretch, losing six of its last eight games both SU and ATS. The Trojans have home wins over Colorado and Oregon State during this span, but they closed the regular season with a 76-66 home loss to Oregon as 2.5-point home underdogs. Andy Enfield’s teams went 4-of-19 from 3-point range (21.1%) against the Ducks. Katin Reinhardt and Nikola Jovanovic had 12 points apiece in the losing effort.

-- USC owns a 9-5 spread record in 14 games as a single-digit favorite this year.

-- USC is No. 42 in the RPI, posting a 5-7 record against the Top 50 and an 11-11 mark versus the Top 100. The Trojans have home wins over Yale, Arizona, CU, Oregon State, Monmouth, Arizona State, Washington and UCLA, in addition to road wins over UCLA and UC Santa Barbara. They also beat Wichita State on a neutral court. USC doesn’t have any blemished on its record in terms of losing to teams outside of the RPI Top 100.

-- When these teams met at Pauley Pavilion on Jan. 13, Southern Cal cruised to a 48-30 halftime advantage. UCLA would never get within single digits the rest of the way in an 89-75 loss as a 2.5-point home favorite. Jordan McLaughlin led the winners with 23 points and four assists without a turnover. McLaughlin, the sophomore guard, hit 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. Chimezie Metu added 21 points and eight rebounds, while Reinhardt finished with 14 points and five boards, draining all three of attempts from long distance. Tony Parker had a team-best 27 points and 12 rebounds for UCLA, while Hamilton tallied 10 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.

-- In the rematch on Feb. 4 at the Galen Center, USC smashed UCLA again by an 80-61 count as a five-point home ‘chalk.’ The 141 combined points stayed ‘under’ the 161.5-point total. Julian Jacobs paced the Trojans with 17 points, six rebounds and five assists. Elijah Stewart had 16 points and six boards, while Reinhardt and Bennie Boatwright finished with 13 and 12 points, respectively. Aaron Holiday had a team-best 15 points for the Bruins.

-- The ‘over’ is 18-13 overall for the Bruins.

-- The ‘over’ is 16-14-1 overall for USC, 3-1 in its last four outings.

-- The UCLA-USC winner will face second-seeded Utah at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on Thursday night.

-- Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on the Pac-12 Network.

**Arizona State vs. Oregon State**

-- This game will tip 30-35 minutes after the conclusion of USC-UCLA on the Pac-12 Network. The Westgate opened the Beavers as three-point favorites. The number remained at three early this morning, while most offshores had the total at 142 points.

-- Oregon State (18-11 SU, 15-13 ATS) is on the proverbial bubble, currently listed by ESPN.com’s Joe Lunardi as a part of his “First Four Out” due to Monmouth and Saint Mary’s losing in their respective conference tournaments. Lunardi had the Beavers in his “Last Four In” 36 hours ago. In other words, they have to beat ASU and depending on how other bubble teams fare, probably will need another win over third-seeded California on Thursday in order to feel comfortable on Selection Sunday.

-- Oregon State has a solid RPI of 29 thanks to three Top-15 wins over Oregon, California and Utah. The Beavers are 5-7 against the Top 50 and 11-11 versus the Top 100. They haven’t lost to any opponents outside of the RPI Top 100. In non-conference play, OSU beat Iona at home, won at UC Santa Barbara and topped Tulsa (RPI: 55) on a neutral court. The win over the Golden Hurricane could prove critical because Tulsa is also vying for an NCAA berth and joins the Beavers as a part of Lunardi’s “First Four Out.”

-- Wayne Tinkle’s team is led by Gary Payton II, who averages team-highs in scoring (15.9 PPG), assists (5.3 APG), rebounding (7.6 RPG) and steals (2.4 SPG).

-- Oregon State has won three of its last four games, including the aforementioned 86-82 win at UCLA this past Saturday. Stephen Thompson Jr., whose father was a star player at Syracuse in the late 1980s, led the way with 23 points, five rebounds, four steals and two assists. Thompson, a true freshman and Tinkle’s prize recruit to date, hit 4-of-6 launches from 3-point range. Payton finished with 16 points, five boards and six assists compared to only one turnover.

-- Oregon State will be without freshman forward Tres Tinkle tonight. Tinkle is nursing a foot injury but hopes to return soon. The coach’s son is a true freshman who is second on the team in scoring (13.1 PPG), rebounding (5.4 RPG) and steals (1.2 SPG).

-- Arizona State (15-16 SU, 14-15 ATS) is No. 91 in the RPI, producing a 3-9 record against the Top 50 and an 8-14 mark versus the Top 100. The Sun Devils have home wins over Texas A&M, Oregon State, USC, Belmont, UC Santa Barbara, Stanford and Stephen F. Austin. They won at Creighton, at UNLV and beat N.C. State on a neutral court.

-- Bobby Hurley’s team has lost five of its last six games while going 2-4 ATS. ASU dropped a 68-65 decision to Cal in its regular-season finale, but it covered the number as a 5.5-point home underdog. Eric Jacobsen scored 20 points and pulled down six rebounds in defeat. Gerry Blakes added 14 points, six boards, two steals and six assists without a turnover. Tra Holder finished with 10 points, six assists and four rebounds.

-- ASU has been an underdog 16 times, compiling a 6-9-1 spread record with four outright victories.

-- Holder paces ASU in scoring (14.3 PPG), assists (3.5 APG) and steals (1.0 SPG).

-- The ‘over’ is 17-12 overall for the Sun Devils, but they have seen the ‘under’ cash in six of their last eight contests.

-- The ‘over’ is 18-10 overall for the Beavers, 5-1 in their last six outings.

-- The ‘over’ is 7-2 in the last nine head-to-head meetings between these Pac-12 rivals. They met just once this season with ASU capturing an 86-68 win as five-point home favorite on Jan. 28. The 154 combined points soared ‘over’ the 140.5-point total. Obinna Oleka scored 17 points for the Sun Devils, while Blakes added 16. Payton had a horrible game, making only 1-of-7 shots and scoring just two points. Thompson had a team-best 14 points for the Beavers.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- Most books have Clemson installed as a one-point favorite vs. Georgia Tech for tonight’s 7:00 p.m. Eastern tip at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. ESPN2 will have the broadcast. The total is 134 points. The Yellow Jackets have won five of their last six games, covering the spread in four straight as underdogs. The ‘under’ is 8-3 in Georgia Tech’s last 11 games.

-- Clemson lost a 75-73 decision at Georgia Tech on Feb. 23, but the Tigers took the cash as 2.5-point road underdogs. They knocked off the Yellow Jackets 66-52 as five-home favorites in Greenville on Feb. 13. The ‘under’ has hit in six of Clemson’s last nine games.

-- Texas Tech is an eight-point favorite vs. TCU tonight in the Big 12 Tournament. Tip-off is slated for 9:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPNU. The Red Raiders have won six of their last eight games both SU and ATS, including an 80-71 win over Kansas St. as five-point home ‘chalk’ in this past Saturday’s regular-season finale. The ‘over’ is 6-2 in Texas Tech’s last eight games. Tubby Smith’s team swept the season series from the Horned Frogs, winning 76-69 in Ft. Worth and 83-79 in Lubbock. TCU took the cash as an 11.5-point road underdog in the recent meeting at Texas Tech.

-- Tennessee is a 3.5-point favorite vs. Auburn in tonight’s SEC Tournament elimination game in Nashville. The SEC Network will have the telecast at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. The total is 145.5 points. UT will be without leading scorer Kevin Punter, who is out with a stress fracture in his foot. Punter (22.2 PPG) was second in the SEC in scoring and 12th in the nation. Robert Hubbs III (10.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG) is also ‘questionable’ for the Vols with a knee injury that’s kept him out of two of the last three games. Hubbs played six minutes in a blowout loss to Ole Miss in the regular-season finale.

-- The ‘under’ is 7-1-1 in Tennessee’s last nine games. The Vols have lost four in a row both SU and ATS.

-- Nebraska is a 14.5-point favorite vs. Rutgers tonight at the Big Ten Tournament. These teams will collide at 7:00 p.m. Eastern on the Big Ten Network. The Cornhuskers have lost five in a row while going 1-4 ATS. They are 2-1 ATS this year in three games as double-digit favorites, including an 87-63 win over Rutgers as 19-point home ‘chalk.’ Tim Miles’s team also dealt out woodshed treatment to the Scarlet Knights at The RAC on Jan. 9, cruising to a 90-56 triumph as a 6.5-point road fave.

[StarDust Bum]

Big 12 Trends and Angles
March 7, 2016

Overall Betting Results
Favorites/Underdogs:
Over/Under:

Wednesday, Mar. 9

OPENING ROUND
Matchup Records Skinny Projection

No. 8 Kansas State
Overall: 16-15, 15-12-1 ATS
Totals: 14-14 O/U

No. 9 Oklahoma State
Overall: 12-19, 14-14-1 ATS
Totals: 11-18 O/U
No. 8 Kansas State vs. 9 Oklahoma State (ESPNU, 7:00 p.m. ET)

These teams have each had long seasons. Bruce Weber's Wildcats look like a more cohesive unit on the floor, but they're not as talented with guys like Marcus Foster gone. Wesley Iwundu has emerged as the leader of this year's team and is gifted enough to get it done at both ends, but he doesn't have a lot of help. The Cowboys can sympathize. Senior shooter Phil Forte (elbow) was lost in the season's opening month, while point guard Jawun Evans, a former McDonald's All-American who quickly put his stamp on the program in the way Marcus Smart once did, was lost two weeks ago due to a shoulder injury. These teams split their regular-season meetings, each winning on their own home floor. The Cowboys won the most recent encounter 58-55 on Feb. 13.

Kansas State 66
Oklahoma State 63


No. 7 Texas Tech
Overall: 19-11, 15-12 ATS
Totals: 15-12 O/U

No. 10 TCU
Overall: 11-20, 10-14 ATS
Totals: 8-17 O/U
No. 7 Texas Tech vs. No. 10 TCU (ESPNU, 9:30 p.m. ET)

The Red Raiders are likely already in the NCAA Tournament. A loss to TCU would certainly give the selection committee room for pause, so this one is entirely about Texas Tech taking care of business. The Horned Frogs have lost both games these teams have played this season, but did manage to cover as an 11.5-point dog in Lubbock the last time these teams got together on Feb. 23. The Horned Frogs have lost seven consecutive games, last beating Oklahoma State on Feb. 8. TCU has played on the opening Wednesday in its first three seasons in the league, but did win last year.

Texas Tech 70
TCU 62

Thursday, Mar. 10
QUARTERFINALS
Matchup Records Skinny Projection
vs. TBD
No. 1 Kansas
Overall: 27-4 SU, 19-10 ATS
Totals: 10-18 O/U

No. 8/9
Overall:
Totals:
No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 8/9 (ESPN2, 12:30 p.m. ET)
---
TBD
TBD
vs.
No. 4 Texas
Overall: 20-11 SU, 16-14 ATS
Totals: 13-16 O/U

No. 5 Baylor
Overall: 21-10 SU, 10-14-1 ATS
Totals: 15-10 O/U
No. 4 Texas vs. No. 5 Baylor (ESPN2, 3:00 p.m. ET)
---
TBD
TBD
vs. TBD
No. 2 West Virginia
Overall: 24-7 SU, 18-10 ATS
Totals: 12-15 O/U

No. 7/10
Overall:
Totals:
No. 2 West Virginia vs. No. 7/10 (ESPNU, 7:00 p.m. ET)
---
TBD
TBD
vs.
No. 3 Oklahoma
Overall: 24-6 SU, 12-16 ATS
Totals: 13-15 O/U

No. 6 Iowa State
Overall: 21-10 SU, 14-13-1 ATS
Totals: 13-14-1 O/U
No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 6 Iowa State (ESPNU, 9:30 p.m. ET)
---
TBD
TBD

Friday, Mar. 11
SEMIFINALS
Matchup Records Skinny Projection
TBD vs. TBD
TBD
Overall:
Totals:

TBD
Overall:
Totals:
TBD vs. TBD (ESPN, 7:00 p.m. ET)
---
TBD
TBD
TBD vs. TBD
TBD
Overall:
Totals:

TBD
Overall:
Totals:
TBD vs. TBD (ESPN, 9:30 p.m. ET)
---
TBD
TBD

Saturday, Mar. 12
CHAMPIONSHIP
Matchup Records Skinny Projection
TBD vs. TBD
TBD
Overall:
Totals:

TBD
Overall:
Totals:
TBD vs. TBD (ESPN, 6:00 p.m. ET)
---
TBD
TBD

[StarDust Bum]

ACC Trends and Angles
March 8, 2016


Overall Betting Results
Favorites/Underdogs: 2-0 SU, 1-0-1 ATS
Over/Under: 1-1

Wednesday, Mar. 9
SECOND ROUND

Matchup Records Skinny Projection


No. 8 Pittsburgh
Overall: 20-10 SU, 12-15 ATS
Totals: 11-16 O/U

No. 9 Syracuse
Overall: 19-12 SU, 15-15 ATS
Totals: 16-14 O/U
No. 8 Pittsburgh vs. No. 9 Syracuse (ESPN, 12:00 p.m. ET)

Pittsburgh (9-9 ACC) pulled off the regular season sweep of Syracuse (9-9 ACC), including a 66-52 triumph at the Carrier Dome as two-point underdogs on February 20. The Panthers slipped up to close the season by losing six of their final nine games, including consecutive defeats as road favorites at Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech. Pitt owned one of the top ‘under’ marks in conference play by cashing in 11 of the final 13 ACC contests, while scoring 63 points or less seven times. The Orange isn’t playing its best basketball down the stretch by losing four of their last five contests, capped off by back-to-back losses at Florida State and North Carolina. Syracuse compiled a 5-2 ATS record in its final seven road games, as the Orange goes for its first ever ACC tournament victory.

Pittsburgh 64
Syracuse 68

.
No. 5 Duke
Overall: 22-9 SU, 13-15-2 ATS
Totals: 12-18-2 O/U

No. 12 North Carolina State
Overall: 16-16 SU, 13-15-1 ATS
Totals: 17-12 O/U
No. 5 Duke vs. No. 12 N.C. State (ESPN, 2:30 p.m. ET)

North Carolina State (6-13 ACC) held off rival Wake Forest in the opening round of the ACC tournament, 75-72. The Wolfpack has failed to cover in its five games (0-4-1 ATS), while losing twice to Duke in the regular season. In the first matchup in Raleigh, Duke knocked off N.C. State, 88-78 to cash as 4 ½-point road favorites on January 23. The Wolfpack lost by eight points in the next meeting in Durham, but managed to cover as 11 ½-point underdogs. Duke (11-7 ACC) lost three of its final five games, capped off by a 76-72 defeat to North Carolina. The Blue Devils are riding an eight-game ‘under’ streak, including five straight ‘unders’ away from Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke has struggled to cover numbers in the ACC tournament by going 1-7 ATS since 2012.

N.C. State 75
Duke 83


No. 7 Clemson
Overall: 17-13 SU, 15-11 ATS
Totals: 11-5 O/U

No. 10 Georgia Tech
Overall: 18-13 SU, 16-12 ATS
Totals: 12-17 O/U
No. 7 Clemson vs. No. 10 Georgia Tech (ESPN2, 7:00 p.m. ET)

Clemson (10-8 ACC) put together a surprising 5-1 start in conference action, but stumbled to a 5-7 finish in its final 12 games. One of those defeats came at Georgia Tech (8-10 ACC) on February 23 as the Tigers squandered a double-digit lead in the second half of a 75-73 setback. Clemson won the first matchup with Georgia Tech this season at home, 66-52 to cash as five-point favorites. After starting ACC play at 8-0 ATS, the Tigers managed to cover only four of their final 10 contests. The Ramblin’ Wreck saved its best for last by winning five of their last six games with the only loss coming at Louisville by three points. Tech has dropped four of its previous five ACC tournament openers with the lone victory coming in overtime against Boston College in 2014.

Clemson 71
Georgia Tech 74


No. 6 Virginia Tech
Overall: 18-13 SU, 16-9 ATS
Totals: 12-12 O/U

No. 11 Florida State
Overall: 19-12 SU/12-14-1 ATS
Totals: 15-12 O/U
No. 6 Virginia Tech vs. No. 11 Florida State (ESPN2, 9:30 p.m. ET)

Florida State (9-10 ACC) cruised past Boston College on Tuesday, 88-68 as 11 ½-point favorites to win their ACC tournament opener for the fifth straight season. The Seminoles won and covered for the third consecutive game since an 0-5 SU/ATS run in February. FSU fell at Virginia Tech as 3 ½-point chalk on February 20 by an 83-73 count, as the Hokies outscored the Seminoles in the second half by 18 points. The Hokies (10-8 ACC) are riding a 5-0 SU/ATS hot streak, including home underdog victories over Pittsburgh and Miami to clinch the sixth spot in the conference. VT put together an impressive 14-4 ATS record in ACC play, while compiling a 5-1 ATS mark in its past six conference tournament games since 2012.

Virginia Tech 69
Florida State 73

[StarDust Bum]

ACC Conference Tournament 2nd Round Betting Preview

The Verizon Center will be rockin' as eight teams hit the floor for Round 2 of the ACC Conference Tournament.

Florida State hammered a pathetic Boston College squad, 88-66, and NC State squeaked past Wake Forest, 75-72, on Tuesday at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. The second round gets underway early on Wednesday and the action continues all day long.

Tournament being played at the Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.

Syracuse Orange vs. Pittsburgh Panthers (-2, 133)

* Michael Gbinije, a senior who started his career at Duke, is averaging 17.6 points overall and shoots 40.1 percent from 3-point range. Freshman forward Tyler Lydon stepped up in the last four games, averaging 15 points and draining 22-of-39 from the field, while senior guard Trevor Cooney needs to find his shooting touch after going 5-for-30 from 3-point range in the same span.

* Michael Young leads the team in scoring (16.1), rebounds (7.1) and shoots 54 percent from the field, but will need help if the Panthers are going to make a splash in the postseason. James Robinson runs the show for Pittsburgh, averaging 10.4 points and standing second in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (4.37).

Betting Stats:

Syracuse - 19-12 SU, 15-15 ATS, 16-14 O/U
Pittsburgh - 20-10 SU, 12-15 ATS, 11-16 O/U

Trends:

* Orange are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Wednesday games.
* Panthers are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games following a ATS loss.
* Over is 10-1-1 in Orange last 12 neutral site games.
* Under is 9-0 in Panthers last 9 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.


N.C. State Wolfpack vs. Duke Blue Devils (OFF)

* Freshman Maverick Rowan made a career-best six 3-pointers in the first-round victory to score 24 and made at least two from beyond the arc in eight of the last nine games. Anthony Barber made only 7-of-21 from the field Tuesday, but dished out six assists and connected on all six attempts from the free-throw line where he is shooting 86.9 percent.

* Grayson Allen finished second in the league behind Barber in scoring at 21.5 per game and has averaged 25.2 in the last six contests while shooting 42.3 percent from 3-point range overall. Brandon Ingram has been a consistent force as well, posting 16.7 points and 6.8 rebounds, and fellow freshman Luke Kennard scored 20 in Saturday’s loss to North Carolina.

Betting Stats:

N.C. State - 16-16 SU, 13-15-1 ATS, 17-12 O/U
Duke - 22-9 SU, 13-15-2 ATS, 12-18 O/U

Trends:

* Wolfpack are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up win.
* Blue Devils are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games.
* Under is 13-3 in Blue Devils last 16 vs. Atlantic Coast.
* Over is 19-7-1 in the last 27 meetings.


Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Clemson Tigers (-1.5, 134)

* Senior guard Marcus Georges-Hunt leads the Yellow Jackets in scoring at 16.6 points, averaging 19.1 in his final eight games but shooting 6-of-24 from the field and 1-of-8 from 3-point range in the final two contests. A rare senior-laden squad, a quintet of Georgia Tech seniors have accounted for 76 percent of the team’s scoring.

* Clemson forward Jaron Blossomgame earned first-team All-ACC honors and was selected the league's most improved player, ranking third in the conference in scoring at 18.6 points (20.7 points in league play). Center Landry Nnoko led the ACC in blocked shots at 2.4 per contest, ranking 24th nationally.

Betting Stats:

Georgia Tech - 18-13 SU, 16-12-1 ATS, 12-17 O/U
Clemson - 17-13 SU, 15-11 ATS, 11-15 O/U

Trends:

* Yellow Jackets are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 Wednesday games.
* Tigers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 4-1 in Yellow Jackets last 5 games following a ATS win.
* Over is 4-1 in Tigers last 5 neutral site games.


Florida St. Seminoles vs. Virginia Tech Hokies (OFF)

* The Seminoles display the third-best offense in the ACC, averaging 77.9 points per game – their highest total since 1992-93. Dwayne Bacon and Malik Beasley earned all-conference freshman honors, combining to average 31.3 points and 11 rebounds per contest. Bacon leads the team in scoring at 15.7 points and Beasley ranks second at 15.6.

* Junior forward Zach LeDay averages team highs in scoring (15.2 points) and rebounds (7.6), scoring 17.6 points per contest the past three days and earning all-conference honorable mention honors. Justin Bibbs shoots 48.7 percent from 3-point range, averaging 12.2 points per game and is five points shy of 1,000 for the season.

Betting Stats:

Florida St. - 19-12 SU, 12-14-1 ATS, 15-12 O/U
Virginia Tech - 18-13 SU, 16-9 ATS, 12-12-1 O/U

Trends:

* Seminoles are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
* Hokies are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Over is 7-0 in Seminoles last 7 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 6-1 in Hokies last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

[StarDust Bum]

Pac-12 Conference Tournament 1st Round Betting Preview

USC will attempt a three-game sweep of UCLA this season when they meet in the opening round of teh Pac-12 tournament Wednesday.

The Pac-12 tournament gets underway Wednesday in Las Vegas, highlighted by a first round matchup not many would have predicted a few weeks ago with UCLA facing off against USC.

Tournament to be played at MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV

Stanford Cardinal vs. Washington Huskies (-2.5, 150)

* Senior forward Rosco Allen, an All-Pac-12 First Team selection, averaged 17.9 points over his last seven contests and had a team-high 20 points along with nine rebounds in last month’s loss to the Huskies. Senior point guard Christian Sanders was suspended indefinitely for an undisclosed violation of team rules last week and is not expected to play in the Pac-12 tournament.

* Andrew Andrews scored fewer than 12 points twice this season, and one of the games came against Stanford on Feb. 20 as the league’s leading scorer missed all four field-goal attempts and finished with eight points. The Huskies’ roster is tied for the fifth youngest in Division I and features a promising point guard in Murray, who was named to the second team all-conference squad after averaging 15.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists.

Betting Stats:

Stanford - 15-15 SU, 11-15-1 ATS, 13-14 O/U
Washington - 17-13 SU, 16-12 ATS, 18-10 O/U

Trends:

* Under is 4-0 in Stanford's last four neutral site games.
* Under is 7-0 in Washington's last seven neutral site games.
* Washington is 7-1 ATS in its last eight games following an ATS loss.
* Stanford is 3-7-1 ATS in its last 11 games versus a team with a winning SU record.


Washington State Cougars vs. Colorado Buffaloes (-9.5, 140.5)

* The Cougars are riding a 16-game losing streak and finished the regular season by allowing Washington star Andrew Andrews to score a career-high 47 points, but they have at least one believer in Arizona coach Sean Miller. “I’m just telling you, Washington State — don’t be surprised if they play really, really well,” Miller told reporters. Washington State’s best chance for an upset rests with 6-foot-10 forward Josh Hawkinson, who averages 15.6 points and a league-high 11 rebounds.

* The Buffaloes likely need at least one win in Las Vegas to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament after closing the regular season by watching Utah rally from a 14-point second-half deficit to escape with a 57-55 victory. Forward Josh Scott received All-Pac-12 First Team honors for the second straight season after averaging 16.5 points and 8.7 rebounds, and the 6-foot-10 senior has matched up well against Pac-12 big men such as Hawkinson and Utah’s Jakob Poeltl.

Betting Stats:

Washington State - 9-21 SU, 12-17 ATS, 13-16 O/U
Colorado - 21-10 SU, 17-11 ATS, 14-14 O/U

Trends:

* Over is 5-1 in the last six meetings.
* Under is 10-2 in Washington State's last 12 overall.
* Colorado is 4-1 ATS in its last five games overall.
* Washington State is 0-5 ATS in its last five games following an ATS win.


UCLA Bruins vs. USC Trojans (-2.5, 157)

* The Bruins arrived at the MGM Grand losing their last four games after failing to achieve a winning record throughout conference play. Their best bet to knock off USC might ride on the hands of junior wing Isaac Hamilton, who recorded his career high of 36 points in this arena last season when UCLA routed the Trojans in the quarterfinals of this tournament.

* The seventh-seeded Trojans were 7-3 on Feb. 4 and tied for second in conference play after beating the Bruins for the second time this season, but an eight-day break seemed to take some steam out of their momentum and they lost the next two games and six of their final eight in conference play. USC doesn't need to rely on one player as six Trojans average from 10 to 12.9 points and seven have scored at least 19 in a game this season.

Betting Stats:

UCLA - 15-16 SU, 11-20 ATS, 18-13 O/U
USC - 20-11 SU, 17-13-1 ATS, 16-14-1 O/U

Trends:

* UCLA is 0-4 ATS in its last four overall.
* USC is 1-5 ATS in its last six games overall.
* Over is 5-0-1 in USC's last six games following an ATS loss.
* Over is 6-1 in the last seven meetings.


Arizona State Sun Devils vs. Oregon State Beavers (-3, 142)

* Arizona State blew out the Beavers by 18 points in their only meeting this season, a 86-68 victory in Tempe on Jan. 28, and Obinna Oleka scored 17 points and Gerry Blakes had 16, well above their season averages. Arizona State leading scorer Tra Holder continues to play like he already hit his peak this season, averaging 17.5 points from mid-December to mid-February, but just 8.7 points in the last six games to lower his season mark to 14.3.

* Oregon State was one of the hottest teams over the second half of Pac-12 play, but the sixth-seeded Beavers could remain shorthanded Wednesday because Oregon State freshman forward Tres Tinkle, the team's second leading scorer and rebounder, missed the last two games with a right foot injury and his father and head coach Wayne Tinkle didn't sound optimistic he'd return in time for the Pac-12 tournament opener.

Betting Stats:

Arizona State - 15-16 SU, 14-15-1 ATS, 17-12 O/U
Oregon State - 18-11 SU, 15-13 ATS, 18-10 O/U

Trends:

* Favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Oregon State is 2-7 ATS in its last nine games following an ATS win.
* Over is 5-0 in Oregon State's last five neutral site games.
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.

[StarDust Bum]

Big Ten Conference Tournament 1st Round Betting Preview

Nebraska will try for their third win over Rutgers this year and end their season all in one go Wednesday.

The Big Ten Tournament begins Wednesday, as a quartette of struggling teams try to continue their seasons. Minnesota takes on Illinois and Rutgers does battle with Nebraska.

Tournament to be played at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Illinois Fighting Illini (-8, 136.5)

* The Golden Gophers are no stranger to adversity and are down to eight players after losing Joey King to a broken foot, dismissing senior guard Carlos Morris and suspending three others in recent weeks. Minnesota dropped both meetings with Illinois this season and was embarrassed its last time out, falling 75-52 at Rutgers on Saturday to end the Scarlet Knights' 32-game losing streak in Big Ten action.

* Illinois has been without three projected starters for the bulk of the season due to injury or suspension and seven different players have combined to miss nearly 100 games so far this year, contributing to the Illini's 5-6 record in contests decided by five points or fewer. Hill has been a bright spot, however, and is one of only three Division I players to lead his team in scoring (18.6), rebounding (6.6), assists (3.3), steals (1.1) and blocks (0.5), and is coming off a career-high 39-point, 13-board masterpiece in Sunday's 86-79 double-overtime loss at Penn State.

Betting Stats:

Minnesota - 8-22 SU, 10-18 ATS, 16-12 O/U
Illinois - 13-18 SU, 12-14-3 ATS, 14-14-1 O/U

Trends:

* Minnesota is 0-5 ATS in its last five neutral site games.
* Illinois is 1-7-1 ATS in its last nine neutral site games.
* Over is 5-1 in Minnesota's last six neutral site games.
* Over is 8-2 in Illinois' last 10 games following an ATS loss.


Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers (-14.5, 139.5)

* The Scarlet Knights' misery in Big Ten play continued for nearly another month after their second defeat of the season to Nebraska before they ended a 17-game losing streak and 32-game conference skid in Saturday's 75-52 home romp of Minnesota. Sophomore guard Mike Williams (12.2 points) sparked the Scarlet Knights off the bench with career highs of six 3-pointers and 29 points Saturday, ending a four-game stretch in which he shot 3-of-13 beyond the arc and failed to reach double figures.

* Nebraska encountered two three-game losing streaks early in conference play, and both times, Rutgers provided a soft landing. The high point of the Cornhuskers' up-and-down regular season was a four-game winning streak that began on Jan. 9 with a 90-56 rout at Rutgers, which gave Nebraska its largest margin of victory in a road game since 1920. The Cornhuskers enjoyed a similar result in the rematch on Feb. 6, cruising to an 87-63 victory in a contest in which second-team all-conference selection Shavon Shields suffered a concussion that cost him the next four games and contributed to the their season-ending slide.

Betting Stats:

Rutgers - 7-24 SU, 10-16 ATS, 17-9 O/U
Nebraska - 14-17 SU, 14-12 ATS, 15-10-1 O/U

Trends:

* Rutgers is 1-5 ATS in its last six games overall.
* Nebraska is 1-4 ATS in its last five games overall.
* Over is 20-5-1 in Rutgers' last 26 versus Big Ten opponents.
* Under is 6-1 in Nebraska's last seven games overall.

[StarDust Bum]

Big East Conference Tournament 1st Round Betting Preview

It would almost certainly take a Big East Tournament win for 19-win Marquette to get an invite to the "Big Dance".

The Big East Conference Tournament tips off Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, with DePaul taking on Georgetown and St. John's squaring off against Marquette.

Tournament to be played at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

DePaul Blue Demons vs. Georgetown Hoyas (-8.5, 143)

* DePaul has lost at least 19 games for the ninth straight season and enters Wednesday's matchup with a 1-7 record in its last eight games. Myke Henry's scoring decreased down the stretch, but he closed the regular season with back-to-back solid games in which he averaged 14 points, right below his season average (13.9). Billy Garrett Jr. chips in 12.9 points and scored a team-high 18 in a loss to Seton Hall last weekend.

* Georgetown closed the regular season by losing six straight games and nine of its final 10. The Hoyas have given up at least 70 points in every game during their current skid and are posted their worst regular-season conference record since 2008-09. The teams met on Georgetown's home court back in early January, when the Hoyas made 11 3-pointers in a 74-63 triumph.

Betting Stats:

DePaul - 9-21 SU, 10-18-1 ATS, 16-13 O/U
Georgetown - 14-17 SU, 15-14 ATS, 17-12 O/U

Trends:

* DePaul is 2-6 ATS in its last eight overall.
* Georgetown is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games versus a team with a winning percent below .400.
* Over is 4-0 in DePaul's last four games overall.
* Over is 4-0 in Georgetowns last four games overall.


St. John's Red Storm vs. Marquette Golden Eagles (-6.5, 144)

* The Red Storm endured a nightmare regular season that featured eight total wins and only one in league play - against the league's second-worst team, DePaul, back on Feb. 17. St. John's suffered some respectable losses last month, but they closed February with a 41-point spanking at Creighton followed by a 27-point home loss to Providence last weekend in a game where they allowed 49 first-half points and never seriously competed.

* Marquette lost two of its final three to end the regular season with the lone victory being a one-point squeaker against Georgetown. Freshman big man Henry Ellenson is the clear centerpiece for the Golden Eagles, who essentially have twin towers with the 6-10 Ellenson and 6-11 Luke Fischer. Ellenson (16.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.5 blocks) is an inside-outside threat, although his 3-point percentage dipped to 27.6 precent after going 5-of-23 in his final seven games.

Betting Stats:

St. John's - 8-23 SU, 11-19 ATS, 16-14 O/U
Marquette - 19-12 SU, 12-18 ATS, 18-12 O/U

Trends:

* St. John's is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Over is 6-2-1 in the last nine meetings.
* Underdogs is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Over is 5-1 ATS in St. John's last six neutral site games.

[StarDust Bum]

SEC Conference Tournament 1st Round Betting Preview

The winner between the Tigers and Vols advances to face No. 5 seed Vanderbilt in Thursday’s second round.

The SEC Conference Tournament tips off Wednesday night with their version of the "play-in game" between Tennessee and Auburn.

Tournament being played at the Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee.

Auburn Tigers vs. Tennessee Volunteers (-3.5, 147)

* The Tigers are a dangerous opponent if only because they can shoot it from the outside, leading the SEC with 8.9 made 3-pointers per game, and have a pair of capable frontcourt players. Kareem Canty (18.3 points, 5.3 assists) and Bryce Brown (10.2 points) lead the charge on the perimeter, and Tyler Harris (13.9 points, 7.6 rebounds) and Cinmeon Bowers (10.7 points, 9.8 rebounds) can cause problems in the paint. The Tigers also have been more competitive when T.J. Dunans (11.2 points) is on the court – going 7-6 with him in the starting lineup – but he missed both regular-season meetings with the Vols.

* The Volunteers have lost four straight and six of their last seven and are without leading scorer Kevin Punter Jr. (22.2 points) due to a stress fracture in his right foot. Robert Hubbs III (10.4 points) also has been hampered by a knee injury and his status for Wednesday is up in the air, putting a heavy burden on swingman Armani Moore (12 points, 7.9 rebounds), who managed only three points in two meetings against Auburn this season.

Betting Stats:

Auburn - 11-19 SU, 12-17 ATS, 11-17-1 O/U
Tennessee - 13-18 SU, 14-15-1 ATS, 11-16-3 O/U

Trends:

* Tigers are 2-8 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
* Volunteers are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a double-digit loss at home.
* Under is 11-3-1 in Tigers last 15 games following a straight up loss.
* Under is 7-1-1 in Volunteers last 9 vs. Southeastern.