Announcement

**StarDust Bum** · 03-18-2016, 11:43 AM

TIPPING OFF: What to watch in second day of NCAA Tournament
March 18, 2016

Looking ahead to Friday's NCAA Tournament action and the best of Thursday's games:

CALIFORNIA FACING DISTRACTIONS

One of the most intriguing issues in Friday's NCAA Tournament action is how California will respond after two major losses in the last few days.

California fired assistant coach Yann Hufnagel on Monday for violating the school's sexual harassment policy and lost its leading scorer when Tyrone Wallace broke his right hand in practice.

The 23rd-ranked Golden Bears face Hawaii at Spokane, Washington.

''It's been a rough week for the team and everything,'' California guard Jabari Bird said. ''But we have had up-and-downs throughout the whole entire year, so it's nothing new for us. The main thing is putting it behind us and focusing on (Friday's) game.''

The Golden Bears announced Thursday that Wallace is expected to miss three to five weeks, which would keep him out for the remainder of the season. Wallace averages 15.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game.

The Hufnagel firing could have bigger long-term implications. California announced Wednesday that it is reviewing whether head coach Cuonzo Martin correctly handled the allegations against Hufnagel.

---

MORE 5-12 MAGIC

Maryland has reason to feel very wary as the No. 5 seed in the West Region heading into Friday's game with No. 12 seed South Dakota State.

No. 12 seeds won two of their three matchups with No. 5 seeds on Thursday to continue an NCAA Tournament tradition. Yale upset Baylor 79-75 and Little Rock edged Purdue 85-83 in double overtime. Of the three No. 5 seeds to play Thursday, the only one to survive was Indiana, which trounced Chattanooga 99-74.

At least one No. 12 seed has beaten a No. 5 seed in 28 of the 32 years since the NCAA field expanded to 64 teams (it has since expanded again to 68 teams).

---

WILDCATS SEEK REDEMPTION

Villanova wants to shed its reputation as an NCAA Tournament underachiever.

The Wildcats were a No. 1 seed last season and a No. 2 seed in 2014 but lost in the round of 32 both years. They're a No. 2 seed in the South Region and face UNC Asheville on Friday at Brooklyn, New York.

Villanova hasn't advanced beyond the tournament's first weekend since reaching the Final Four in 2009.

''We can't really harp on the past so much,'' Villanova forward Daniel Ochefu said. ''I think we've done a great job of eliminating that from our memories.''

---

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

Apparently all it takes for Oregon State to reach the NCAA Tournament is to have a Gary Payton on the roster.

Oregon State will play its first NCAA Tournament game since 1990 when the Beavers face VCU at Oklahoma City. That 1989-90 Oregon State team featured Hall of Fame guard Gary Payton.

Payton's son, Oregon State senior Gary Payton II, is the only Division I player to average at least 15.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5 assists and 2.5 steals per game. Payton said his dad will attend Friday and has given him some advice on what to expect.

''He just told me just to play my game, don't let everything outside the court get to me,'' Payton said. ''It's going to be a little crazy, a little havoc just because our program hasn't been here in a while and we're getting back here for the first time. So he said just treat it like a regular game, any other ordinary game.''

---

TEXAS TROUBLES

Yale's upset of Baylor and Texas Tech's loss to Butler on Thursday continued the recent NCAA Tournament struggles of teams from the state of Texas.

No schools from Texas won any NCAA Tournament games last season, according to STATS LLC. Texas, Baylor, Texas Southern, SMU and Stephen F. Austin all went one-and-done last year. Baylor and Texas Tech both fell to lower-seeded teams Thursday.

Three more Lone Star State schools play Friday. Stephen F. Austin faces West Virginia, Texas A&M takes on Green Bay and Texas meets Northern Iowa.

---

DRINK UP, TONY! (BUT ONLY FROM AN NCAA-APPROVED CUP)

The top priority for Virginia between now and Saturday has to be making sure coach Tony Bennett drinks plenty of water.

In the only thing resembling a scare for the Cavaliers in their first-round 81-45 rout of Hampton, Bennett collapsed in the final minute of the first half. Bennett said after the game he ''blacked out'' and became light-headed due to dehydration.

Bennett wound up being well enough to coach the second half and was a good sport about it afterward, with forward Anthony Gill saying he prayed for his coach, then joking that ''I healed him.''

The Cavaliers will need Bennett at his lubricated best Saturday when they figure to get more of a test from ninth-seeded Butler in the second round.

---

HE SAID IT

The most interesting postgame press conference exchange of the tournament's opening day came when a reporter asked Baylor's Taurean Prince how Yale had out-rebounded the Bears.

Prince's response: ''Um, you go up and grab the ball off the rim when it comes off, and then you grab it with two hands, and you come down with it, and that's considered a rebound. So they got more of those than we did.''

**StarDust Bum** · 03-18-2016, 11:51 AM

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

Six of the more interesting first round games on Friday..........

-- Syracuse-Dayton-- Both teams struggled down the stretch.

-- Hawai'i-Cal-- Golden Bears are without PG Wallace (hand) again.

-- Temple-Iowa-- Owls have bad recent history in NCAA; Iowa struggled lately.

-- Michigan-Notre Dame-- Why don't these teams play? They do in football.

-- VCU-Oregon State-- Beavers' first appearance in NCAAs since 1990.

-- South Dakota State-Maryland-- Jackrabbits get a shot at one of the big boys.

**********

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

Wichita State 65, Arizona 55-- Shocking no-show by Arizona, which trailed 31-19 at half. Is Sean Miller OK? He has lost 40 pounds, he sweated thru his shirt well before halftime, he just doesn't look right. Not just talking about today, either. Wichita paid Gregg Marshall $3M a year to turn down Alabama; today was why.

Providence 70, USC 69-- Friars scored on an out-of-bounds-under play with less than 0:03 left, after Trojans missed two front ends of 1-and-1's in last 0:30. Bentil/Dunn hit a combined 13-34 shots, Providence still won. Wow. Last minute of this game made James Naismith turn over in his grave, but the Friars advance to play North Carolina.

Yale 79, Baylor 75-- Georgia State last year, Yale this year; Baylor goes down again as a first round favorite. Scott Drew is this generation's version of Eddie Fogler, who lost as a 2-seed and 3-seed while at South Carolina. No bueno. Very good day for Yale coach James Jones-- last time Yale played in an NCAA game was 1962, when they played Wake Forest- one of the Deacons' guards that day was Billy Packer.

Ark-Little Rock 85, Purdue 83 2OT-- Epic gag job by Boilers, who led by 13 with 3:33 left. Second year in row a Sun Belt team pulls a big upset in first round. Maybe if ESPN showed some of their games, they wouldn't be underrated in March. Back when ESPN first started up, the Sun Belt was first league to have ESPN show its games.

Duke 93, NC-Wilmington 85-- Seahawks were 14-19 on foul line, Grayson Allen was 15-17 by himself. Chris Webber is good on TV; he speaks his mind and doesn't hold back. "They should call them at both ends." after the play-by-play guy described how refs were calling touch fouls on UNCW. Duke plays Yale on Saturday.

Butler 71, Texas Tech 61-- Big East has teams in Indiana, Nebraska, Wisconsin, as geography students grow dumber by the second. Want to make America great again? Make Big East only have teams in the east. Tubby Smith has now taken five schools to NCAAs- if you can win in Lubbock in Big X, you're a damn good coach.

Iowa State 84, Iona 71-- MAAC is now 0-8 in first round (0-8 vs spread) since Siena beat Ohio State in an 8-9 game in '09; Iona lost by 25-16-13 points its last three times in this round. Total was in doubt until AJ English got a technical for cursing at Iowa State's coach during a timeout- they were only down 7 when that happened.

UConn 74, Colorado 67-- Buffaloes were up nine at halftime, but got squashed in the second half. Rough day for Conference of Champions, with Utah only one of four Pac-12 teams to win. Kevin Ollie is now 7-0 in NCAA tournament as head coach- Huskies play Kansas Saturday- UConn wins that game, he might go straight to Springfield.

Utah 80, Fresno State 69-- Fresno went ahead 48-47, then Utah hit another gear and put the Bulldogs away, ending a bad year for the Mountain West. Utes face Gonzaga Saturday; battle inside between Poeltl-Sabonis will be spotlighted. Fresno had a great year with veteran guards, now they have to rebuild.

Virginia 81, Hampton 45-- I've got nothing on this mismatch; really enjoyed having three games on channel 702 on DirecTV, a mix channel, with the game on CBS' local station on my laptop, so I could see all four games at once, in the comfort of my own home. Good deal. I did see Hampton in Las Vegas in December; they lost to an 11-23 team, so their coach did a solid job having them win their league to get this far.

Kansas 105, Austin Peay 79-- It wouldn't have mattered much, but Austin Peay is a way worse team that Florida Gulf Coast and should've been in the play-in game. You watch FGCU compete against North Carolina- it was 41-40 at the half. Kansas game was over as soon as they sang the National Anthem. Say a prayer for coach Loos' little granddaughter, who is battling cancer; she is six years old.

Miami 79, Buffalo 72-- Game was in Providence, where coach Larranaga played 40 or so years ago. Miami starts two juniors, three seniors-- you need seniors who played in the program for 3-4 years, it means more to those kids. Lot of the bigger-name teams have transient players who have one eye on the NBA- they don't do as well.

Indiana 99, Chattanooga 74-- Remember when you were a kid and if game wasn't a real competitive one, you played "free outs"? Moccasins played free outs here for 40 full minutes- they looked like the Raptors the night Kobe Bryant scored 81 on them. Not lot of resistance- they shot 59.5% inside the arc and still lost by 25.

Kentucky 85, Stony Brook 57-- Not sure who is happier with the Indiana-Kentucky matchup Saturday, CBS or the scalpers? I was in the gym the night Stony Brook had its 18-game winning streak snapped by Albany. then I watched them today and it is like, how did this team ever win 18 games in a row?

Gonzaga 68, Seton Hall 52-- Pirates start five sophomores, young team- they made a great run to win Big East tournament Saturday night, but had very little here, against a Gonzaga squad that is hitting its stride at the right time. If Sabonis came out for the NBA Draft, I'd take him over Ben Simmons or the Ingram kid on Duke.

North Carolina 83, Florida Gulf Coast 67-- Game was 41-40 at the half, so credit to the Eagles for competing- they're just not good enough, obviously. Tar Heels will get a much better test on Saturday, when they play Providence. Tar Heels are much deeper than Providence, but if they have to hit outside shots to win, can they do it?

**StarDust Bum** · 03-18-2016, 11:52 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Friday, March 18

Michigan @ Notre Dame

Game 823-824
March 18, 2016 @ 9:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Michigan
64.562
Notre Dame
69.141
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Notre Dame
by 4 1/2
138
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Notre Dame
by 2 1/2
143
Dunkel Pick:
Notre Dame
(-2 1/2); Under

Cal State Bakersfield @ Oklahoma

Game 825-826
March 18, 2016 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cal State Bakersf
54.266
Oklahoma
70.721
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oklahoma
by 16 1/2
133
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oklahoma
by 14
139
Dunkel Pick:
Oklahoma
(-14); Under

South Dakota State @ Maryland

Game 841-842
March 18, 2016 @ 4:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
South Dakota Stat
57.732
Maryland
65.384
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Maryland
by 7 1/2
138
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Maryland
by 10
143 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
South Dakota Stat
(+10); Under

Virginia Commonwealth @ Oregon State

Game 827-828
March 18, 2016 @ 1:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Virginia Commonwe
68.070
Oregon State
60.513
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Virginia Commonwe
by 7 1/2
136
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Virginia Commonwe
by 4 1/2
141
Dunkel Pick:
Virginia Commonwe
(-4 1/2); Under

Hawaii @ California

Game 843-844
March 18, 2016 @ 2:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Hawaii
63.427
California
65.619
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
California
by 2
136
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
California
by 5
141 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Hawaii
(+5); Under

Green Bay @ Texas A&M

Game 829-830
March 18, 2016 @ 7:20 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Green Bay
60.110
Texas A&M
70.685
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Texas A&M
by 10 1/2
160
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Texas A&M
by 13
155
Dunkel Pick:
Green Bay
(+13); Over

Holy Cross @ Oregon

Game 845-846
March 18, 2016 @ 7:25 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Holy Cross
51.056
Oregon
76.901
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oregon
by 26
140
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oregon
by 23
133 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Oregon
(-23); Over

Northern Iowa @ Texas

Game 831-832
March 18, 2016 @ 9:50 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Northern Iowa
66.122
Texas
65.152
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Northern Iowa
by 1
129
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Texas
by 4 1/2
124 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Northern Iowa
(+4 1/2); Over

Cincinnati @ Saint Joseph's

Game 847-848
March 18, 2016 @ 9:55 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cincinnati
66.141
Saint Joseph's
61.562
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cincinnati
by 4 1/2
142
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cincinnati
by 2 1/2
136
Dunkel Pick:
Cincinnati
(-2 1/2); Over

Weber State @ Xavier

Game 833-834
March 18, 2016 @ 9:20 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Weber State
56.919
Xavier
67.320
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Xavier
by 10 1/2
153
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Xavier
by 13 1/2
147 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Weber State
(+13 1/2); Over

Virginia Tech @ Brigham Young

Game 849-850
March 18, 2016 @ 9:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Virginia Tech
68.415
Brigham Young
71.484
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Brigham Young
by 3
167
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Brigham Young
by 6 1/2
162 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Virginia Tech
(+6 1/2); Over

Pittsburgh @ Wisconsin

Game 835-836
March 18, 2016 @ 6:50 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Pittsburgh
67.754
Wisconsin
66.283
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Pittsburgh
by 1 1/2
136
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Wisconsin
by 1
130 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Pittsburgh
(+1); Over

Middle Tennessee @ Michigan State

Game 837-838
March 18, 2016 @ 2:45 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Middle Tennessee
58.610
Michigan State
79.623
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Michigan State
by 21
136
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Michigan State
by 17 1/2
141 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Michigan State
(-17 1/2); Under

Syracuse @ Dayton

Game 839-840
March 18, 2016 @ 12:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Syracuse
61.412
Dayton
65.856
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Dayton
by 4 1/2
126
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dayton
by 1
131 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Dayton
(-1); Under

NC-Asheville @ Villanova

Game 817-818
March 18, 2016 @ 12:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NC-Asheville
55.906
Villanova
71.067
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Villanova
by 15
145
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Villanova
by 17 1/2
141 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
NC-Asheville
(+17 1/2); Over

Temple @ Iowa

Game 819-820
March 18, 2016 @ 3:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Temple
61.293
Iowa
65.224
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Iowa
by 4
145
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Iowa
by 7 1/2
139 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Temple
(+7 1/2); Over

Stephen F. Austin @ West Virginia

Game 821-822
March 18, 2016 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Stephen F. Austin
62.834
West Virginia
73.344
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
West Virginia
by 10 1/2
140
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
West Virginia
by 7
145 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
West Virginia
(-7); Under

**StarDust Bum** · 03-18-2016, 11:53 AM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Friday, March 18

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UNC-ASHEVILLE (22 - 11) vs. VILLANOVA (29 - 5) - 3/18/2016, 12:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VILLANOVA is 39-27 ATS (+9.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 39-27 ATS (+9.3 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 39-26 ATS (+10.4 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 26-12 ATS (+12.8 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 30-17 ATS (+11.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
UNC-ASHEVILLE is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in all games this season.
UNC-ASHEVILLE is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in all lined games this season.
UNC-ASHEVILLE is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in all neutral court games this season.
UNC-ASHEVILLE is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) when playing on a neutral court this season.
UNC-ASHEVILLE is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in all tournament games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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TEMPLE (21 - 11) vs. IOWA (21 - 10) - 3/18/2016, 3:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TEMPLE is 14-7 ATS (+6.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
IOWA is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in all neutral court games over the last 2 seasons.
IOWA is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) when playing on a neutral court over the last 2 seasons.
IOWA is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in all tournament games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SF AUSTIN ST (27 - 5) vs. W VIRGINIA (26 - 8) - 3/18/2016, 7:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
W VIRGINIA is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all games this season.
W VIRGINIA is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
W VIRGINIA is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
W VIRGINIA is 19-6 ATS (+12.4 Units) in a NCAA tournament games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MICHIGAN (23 - 12) vs. NOTRE DAME (21 - 11) - 3/18/2016, 9:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MICHIGAN is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in first round tournament games since 1997.
NOTRE DAME is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) in road games in first round tournament games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CS-BAKERSFIELD (24 - 8) vs. OKLAHOMA (25 - 7) - 3/18/2016, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CS-BAKERSFIELD is 9-0 ATS (+9.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CS-BAKERSFIELD is 9-0 ATS (+9.0 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
CS-BAKERSFIELD is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in all neutral court games over the last 2 seasons.
CS-BAKERSFIELD is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.
CS-BAKERSFIELD is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
CS-BAKERSFIELD is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) when playing on a neutral court over the last 2 seasons.
CS-BAKERSFIELD is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
CS-BAKERSFIELD is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) after scoring 60 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
CS-BAKERSFIELD is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) in all tournament games over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA is 8-16 ATS (-9.6 Units) as a favorite this season.
OKLAHOMA is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in road games on Friday nights over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) after a conference game this season.
OKLAHOMA is 8-16 ATS (-9.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
OKLAHOMA is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

VA COMMONWEALTH (24 - 10) vs. OREGON ST (19 - 12) - 3/18/2016, 1:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VA COMMONWEALTH is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) in all games this season.
VA COMMONWEALTH is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) in all lined games this season.
VA COMMONWEALTH is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 over the last 3 seasons.
VA COMMONWEALTH is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) as a favorite this season.
VA COMMONWEALTH is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) after a conference game this season.
VA COMMONWEALTH is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in road games in first round tournament games since 1997.
VA COMMONWEALTH is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) in a NCAA tournament games since 1997.
VA COMMONWEALTH is 14-7 ATS (+6.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WI-GREEN BAY (23 - 12) vs. TEXAS A&M (26 - 8) - 3/18/2016, 7:20 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WI-GREEN BAY is 20-12 ATS (+6.8 Units) in all games this season.
WI-GREEN BAY is 20-12 ATS (+6.8 Units) in all lined games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

N IOWA (22 - 12) vs. TEXAS (20 - 12) - 3/18/2016, 9:50 PM
Top Trends for this game.
N IOWA is 38-24 ATS (+11.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
N IOWA is 38-24 ATS (+11.6 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
N IOWA is 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) in a neutral court game where the total is 120 to 129.5 since 1997.
N IOWA is 25-13 ATS (+10.7 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
N IOWA is 21-7 ATS (+13.3 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
N IOWA is 25-14 ATS (+9.6 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WEBER ST (26 - 8) vs. XAVIER (27 - 5) - 3/18/2016, 9:20 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WEBER ST is 22-38 ATS (-19.8 Units) in road games after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.
XAVIER is 313-261 ATS (+25.9 Units) in all games since 1997.
XAVIER is 313-261 ATS (+25.9 Units) in all lined games since 1997.
XAVIER is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
XAVIER is 21-8 ATS (+12.2 Units) in a NCAA tournament games since 1997.
XAVIER is 31-20 ATS (+9.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
XAVIER is 125-91 ATS (+24.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
XAVIER is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) after allowing 80 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PITTSBURGH (21 - 11) vs. WISCONSIN (20 - 12) - 3/18/2016, 6:50 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 20-38 ATS (-21.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 20-38 ATS (-21.8 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 0-9 ATS (-9.9 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 11-24 ATS (-15.4 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) after failing to cover the spread in 3 or more consecutive games over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 18-29 ATS (-13.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
WISCONSIN is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) after a conference game this season.
PITTSBURGH is 27-12 ATS (+13.8 Units) on Friday nights since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MIDDLE TENN ST (24 - 9) vs. MICHIGAN ST (29 - 5) - 3/18/2016, 2:45 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MICHIGAN ST is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) in all games this season.
MICHIGAN ST is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
MICHIGAN ST is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 this season.
MICHIGAN ST is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) as a favorite this season.
MICHIGAN ST is 76-53 ATS (+17.7 Units) in March games since 1997.
MICHIGAN ST is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) after a conference game this season.
MICHIGAN ST is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN ST is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) off a win against a conference rival this season.
MICHIGAN ST is 17-9 ATS (+7.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MICHIGAN ST is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYRACUSE (19 - 13) vs. DAYTON (25 - 7) - 3/18/2016, 12:15 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

S DAKOTA ST (26 - 7) vs. MARYLAND (25 - 8) - 3/18/2016, 4:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MARYLAND is 17-4 ATS (+12.6 Units) in a neutral court game where the total is 140 to 144.5 since 1997.
S DAKOTA ST is 33-20 ATS (+11.0 Units) after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HAWAII (27 - 5) vs. CALIFORNIA (23 - 10) - 3/18/2016, 2:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HAWAII is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) after allowing 60 points or less this season.
HAWAII is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in all tournament games over the last 2 seasons.
CALIFORNIA is 6-19 ATS (-14.9 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOLY CROSS (15 - 19) vs. OREGON (28 - 6) - 3/18/2016, 7:25 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OREGON is 57-40 ATS (+13.0 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
OREGON is 57-40 ATS (+13.0 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
OREGON is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
OREGON is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) on Friday nights over the last 3 seasons.
OREGON is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) off a win against a conference rival this season.
OREGON is 34-19 ATS (+13.1 Units) in road games after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.
HOLY CROSS is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in all games this season.
HOLY CROSS is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in all lined games this season.
HOLY CROSS is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) as an underdog this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CINCINNATI (22 - 10) vs. ST JOSEPHS (27 - 7) - 3/18/2016, 9:55 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 39-60 ATS (-27.0 Units) in March games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 10-22 ATS (-14.2 Units) in road games after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 108-145 ATS (-51.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
ST JOSEPHS is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) in all games this season.
ST JOSEPHS is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
ST JOSEPHS is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 this season.
ST JOSEPHS is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) as an underdog this season.
ST JOSEPHS is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games after a conference game this season.
ST JOSEPHS is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) after scoring 80 points or more this season.
ST JOSEPHS is 13-6 ATS (+6.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

VIRGINIA TECH (20 - 14) at BYU (24 - 10) - 3/18/2016, 9:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BYU is 219-164 ATS (+38.6 Units) as a favorite since 1997.
BYU is 28-11 ATS (+15.9 Units) as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points since 1997.
BYU is 138-103 ATS (+24.7 Units) in all home games since 1997.
BYU is 138-103 ATS (+24.7 Units) in home lined games since 1997.
BYU is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in home games in March games since 1997.
BYU is 59-38 ATS (+17.2 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1997.
BYU is 96-70 ATS (+19.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
VIRGINIA TECH is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all games this season.
VIRGINIA TECH is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all lined games this season.
VIRGINIA TECH is 15-8 ATS (+6.2 Units) as an underdog this season.
VIRGINIA TECH is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) when playing with one or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA TECH is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) after allowing 80 points or more this season.
VIRGINIA TECH is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
BYU is 34-56 ATS (-27.6 Units) in all tournament games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-18-2016, 11:56 AM

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, March 18

Friday's games

afternoon games

Dayton (+6.5) upset Syracuse 55-53 in second round 3-11 game couple years ago in Buffalo; Orange were 0-10 on arc that day. Syracuse won five of last six first-round games, but lost five of its last six games overall, losing last three, all by 5 or less points- they made 20-45 on arc in neutral court wins vs UConn, Texas A&M in November- they're shooting 36.1% on arc, are thin (#350 subs' minutes). Last eight years, underdogs are 10-7-1 vs spread in 7-10 first round games. ACC teams are 14-2 SU in first round last three years; A-14 teams are 3-6, with Dayton two of three wins. Dayton split its last eight games, after a 21-3 start.

Lot of pressure on Villanova this weekend; last three times they were a #1 or 2 seed, they didn't get past first weekend; other two times, they were 9-seed and lost in first round. Wildcats won five of last six games overall, losing by hoop to Seton Hall in Big East tourney final. NC-Asheville tied for 3rd in Big South, but is 15-seed, first time since Winthrop in '08 that Big South team is higher than a 16. Big South teams are 2-4 vs spread since '08 n first round, after covering five in row before that. NC-Asheville won at Georgetown, lost by 28 at Texas A&M in its two top 100 games. Since 2008, #2-seeds who are favored by 16+ points are 6-12 vs spread in this round.

VCU lost first round games in OT last two years; this is Wade's first NCAA- he went 27-7 in SoCon at Chattanooga, but never got this far. Oregon State is in NCAAs for first time since 1990, when Gary Payton was the Beavers' star; now his son is OSU's star. Tinkle was 0-3 in NCAAs at Montana. OSU is 4-8 vs top 50 teams. Beavers split last eight games overall; freshman wing Tinkle (foot) is out. VCU is 7-5 in last 12 games after a 17-5 start; Rams Since 2009, Pac-12 teams are 23-6 in this round. Last eight years, underdogs are 10-7-1 vs spread in 7-10 first round games. VCU is 1-6 vs top 60 teams this season.

Hawai'i is 11-2 in last 13 games; they're 10-2 on mainland after playing once on mainland before Jan 14. Rainbows lost to Oklahoma by 3, Texas Tech 8 in its only two top 70 games this year- best team they beat was Northern Iowa by 16 on Dec 22. Over last decade, Big West teams are 0-10 in non-play-in games (3-7 vs spread). Cal Bears split last four games, losing to Utah in OT in Pac-12 tourney; they've got one senior in talented, 8-man rotation. Pac-12 teams are 13-0 vs Big West this year (9-4 vs spread). Last 10 years, favorites are 23-17 vs spread in 4-13 first round games. Hawai'i is #48 in country in experience.

Middle Tennessee is in NCAAs for first time since losing play-in game in '11; Blue Raiders won Alaskan Shootout, are 0-2 vs top 100 teams, losing by 6-4 to VCU, South Dakota State. MTSU is 4th-worst (60.7%) foul shooting team in country. Michigan State got to Sweet 16 last four years, covering first round game all four times; Spartans started season with 82-55 win over FAU of C-USA- they're making 38.9% of 3's, #19 in country. Big 14 teams are 5-1 vs C-USA this year, 3-2 vs spread as faves. Since 2008, #2-seeds who are favored by 16+ points are 6-12 against the spread in this round.

Iowa lost six of its last eight games after 19-4 start; seven of those eight tilts were decided by 8 or less points. Hawkeyes lost to Dayton of A-14 on neutral floor in November. Iowa is experienced, starting junior and four seniors- they made 38.2% on arc (#32), just 33.1% in last six games. Temple is in NCAAs for first time in three years; Owls are 2-4 in last six first round games. Last eight years, underdogs are 10-7-1 vs spread in 7-10 first round games; since 2010, Big 14 teams are 28-10 in this round- they're 3-4 vs A-14 teams, 2-2 vs spread when favored. AAC teams are 4-2 in this round the last two tournaments.

Cal-Bakersfield is in D-I March Madness for first time; they won three D-II national titles. Coach Barnes was last in tournament with Ole Miss in 2002, losing to UCLA by 22 in first round. Roadrunners lost by 16-35 vs top 100 teams (Arizona State and St Mary's); they've got #10 eFG% defense in country. Oklahoma lost in first round two of last three years (0-3 vs spreas); last time they covered in first round was 2009. Sooners are just 6-5 in last 11 games after 19-2 start; Big X is such a hard league- they are 8-0 vs teams outside top 90. WAC teams are 3-10 vs spread in this round, 0-5 the last five years. Since '07, #2-seeds who are favored by 16 or less points in the first round are 12-4 against the spread.

Maryland is 3-5 in last eight games after starting season 22-3; TV pundits are openly questioning team chemistry. Maryland took 93 3's last four games, more than when they were playing well. South Dakota State won six in row, 12 of last 14 games; they won 84-70 at Big 14's Minnesota Dec 8. Since '03, Terps are 6-0 in first round games; they beat Valpo by 3 LY, in first NCAA with Turgeon as coach. Jackrabbits will start three seniors, always a help. Since '03, Summit League teams are 1-12 in NCAAs, 2-9-2 vs spread; North Dakota State got the only win, two years ago in 5-12 game. Big 14 teams are only 3-3 vs Summit League this year; 2-3 against spread as a favorite.

night games

Pitt coach Dixon is rumored to be leaving Pitt for either TCU or UNLV; Panthers are 4-7 in last 11 games overall, 7-1 in last 8 first round games. Wisconsin coach Gard got interim label lifted, is now the guy; Badgers are 8-1 in last nine first round games- they lost last two games after 11-1 run, slight red flag. Big 14 teams are 10-8 vs ACC teams this year; Pitt lost 70-56 at home to Purdue Dec 1, its only loss in 13 non-conference games; Wisconsin won in OT at Syracuse in its ACC game. Badgers don't defend 3-ball well, but Pitt is 16-64 on arc in last four games. The last eight years, underdogs are 10-7-1 vs spread in 7-10 first round games.

SF Austin coach Underwood worked for Bob Huggins at Kansas State; Lumberjacks are 88-13 in Underwood era, 59-1 in Southland play. SFA upset VCU in '14 first round, lost to Utah by 7 LY- they force turnovers 25.9% of time. West Virginia 25.5%- they lead the country in that stat. Mountaineers won six of last seven games, can struggle on offense, but they've played schedule #5, SFA #317. 'jacks are #46 experience team, WV #170. Southland teams are 2-10 in first round games, 5-6-1 vs spread, 1-3 in last four non-play-in games. SFA opened season with 97-55 loss at Baylor; they got beat by 7 at Arizona State on other top 100 game.

Horizon teams are 0-4 in NCAA games since Butler bolted for greener pa$ture$ (1-3 vs spread). Green Bay coach Darner won D-II national title LY at Florida Southern; they've won eight of their last nine games, winning four days in row to win Horizon title. Texas A&M won eight of last nine games, losing in OT to Kentucky at SEC tourney; Aggies forced turnovers 20.7% of time in SEC games. Green Bay plays #6 tempo, has protected ball well (#27)- their offensive posessions are shortest in the country. SEC teams won both their games with Horizon teams this year, but didn't cover either one. Underdogs are 8-4 against the spread in 3-14 games last three years.

Oregon won its last eight games, 14 of last 16 to grab its #1 seed; Ducks won first round games last three years by 13-19-6 points. Last three years, underdogs are 8-4 vs spread in 1-16 games- the #1 seed in West is 10-4 vs spread last 14 years, 0-3 last three.

Xavier is in NCAAs for 10th time in 11 years; they're 6-2 in last 8 first round games- this is 1st time they've been higher than 6-seed under Mack. Xavier is 12-0 out of conference. Weber State is in NCAAs for just second time in last nine years; they lost 68-59 to Arizona in '14. Big Sky teams are 0-9 in NCAA last nine years (2-7 vs spread). Wildcats are 1-2 vs top 100 teams, splitting pair with South Dakota State. Since '07, #2-seeds who are favored by 16 or less points in the first round are 12-4 against the spread. Last two years, double digit first round favorites are 9-16 vs spread.

Notre Dame is in NCAAs for 6th time in seven years; they're 2-3 last five first round games, 3-4 in last seven games overall. Irish don't have much depth- PG Jackson played 33:00+ in 11 of last 12 games, 40:00+ in six of 12. Last four years, faves are 11-4-1 vs spread in 6-11 games.

Northern Iowa won 12 of last 13 games, beat North Carolina very early in season, but somehow went 5-10 in skid during middle of year- they beat Iowa State of Big X 81-79 on neutral floor. Panthers won game in tourney LY after missing four years in row before that; UNI is #35 team in experience; they protect ball well, shoot 3's well. Texas is 4-5 in last nine games; they played hardest schedule in country. Longhorns might get big man Ridley back here; they play #301 pace, un-Smart-like, after he became famous with pressing style at VCU. Last four years, faves are 11-4-1 vs spread in 6-11 games. Big X.MVC slit four games this season with underdog covering all four games.

Cincinnati split last six games, losing last game in 4OTs to UConn is there a gangover from that? St Joe's scored 85 ppg in winning A-14 title; they're in NCAAs for just second time in eight years- they lost in OT to UConn in first round in 2014. Hawks protect the ball well, aren't deep, don't foul lot (#6 in not fouling). Cincinnati is 3-2 in first round games last five years; last four were decided by 6 or less points. Winner of this game has legit shot to knock off #1 Oregon Sunday. AAC/A-14 split eight games this season; Cincy beat GW/VCU, St Joe's beat Temple in OT. Since '03, dogs are 31-21 against the spread in 8-9 first round games.

We'll do what we can with these minor tournaments; impossible to determine how interested players on these teams will be........

NIT

Virginia Tech needed OT to beat Princeton at home Wednesday; Hokies outscored Tigers 26-12 on foul line, but blew 11-point second half lead in game where Princeton was 11-39 on arc. I'll guarantee you this: BYU ain't going 11-39 on arc in Provo. Cougars made 13-30 in racing out to 51-30 halftime lead over UAB Wednesday- three starters played 35:00+. Tech used four starters 32:00+ in its win.

CBI
none

CIT
none.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-18-2016, 12:00 PM

NCAAB

Friday, March 18

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1:15 PM
SYRACUSE vs. DAYTON
No trends available
Dayton is 1-8-1 ATS in its last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Dayton's last 11 games

See more trends!
MARCH 18, 1:40 PM
UNC ASHEVILLE vs. VILLANOVA
No trends available
Villanova is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Villanova's last 9 games

See more trends!
MARCH 18, 2:30 PM
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH vs. OREGON STATE
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Oregon State's last 8 games
Oregon State is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games

See more trends!
MARCH 18, 3:00 PM
HAWAII vs. CALIFORNIA
No trends available
California is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games
California is 8-2-1 ATS in its last 11 games

See more trends!
MARCH 18, 3:45 PM
MIDDLE TENNESSEE vs. MICHIGAN STATE
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Michigan State's last 12 games
Michigan State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

See more trends!
MARCH 18, 4:10 PM
TEMPLE vs. IOWA
No trends available
Iowa is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games
Iowa is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games

See more trends!
MARCH 18, 5:00 PM
CS BAKERSFIELD vs. OKLAHOMA
No trends available
Oklahoma is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oklahoma's last 5 games

See more trends!
MARCH 18, 5:30 PM
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE vs. MARYLAND
No trends available
Maryland is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games

See more trends!
MARCH 18, 7:50 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. WISCONSIN
No trends available
Wisconsin is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Wisconsin's last 9 games

See more trends!
MARCH 18, 8:10 PM
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN vs. WEST VIRGINIA
No trends available
West Virginia is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

See more trends!
MARCH 18, 8:20 PM
WISC-GREEN BAY vs. TEXAS A&M
No trends available
Texas A&M is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Texas A&M's last 6 games

See more trends!
MARCH 18, 10:20 PM
WEBER STATE vs. XAVIER
No trends available
Xavier is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Xavier's last 5 games

See more trends!
MARCH 18, 10:50 PM
NORTHERN IOWA vs. TEXAS
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Texas's last 5 games

See more trends!
MARCH 18, 10:57 PM
CINCINNATI vs. SAINT JOSEPH'S
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Saint Joseph's last 13 games
Saint Joseph's is 16-4 SU in its last 20 games

**StarDust Bum** · 03-18-2016, 12:02 PM

Friday's NCAA Tournament First Round betting previews

Friday's South Region First Round betting preview

The Cal Golden Bears lost one of their top players to a broken hand and the books reacted with a major line reduction.

No. 15 NC-Asheville Bulldogs vs. No. 2 Villanova Wildcats (-17.5, 141.5)

Game to be played at Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY

Following a disappointing conclusion to the Big East tournament - combined with an NCAA Tournament seed and region that are slight letdowns, as well - Villanova tips off in the Field of 68 on Friday in Brooklyn against UNC Asheville. After losing to Seton Hall in the Big East tournament title game on Saturday, the Wildcats had to settle for a No. 2 seed in the South Region (instead of their ideal No. 1 seed in the East) but must regroup quickly against a 15th-seeded Bulldogs squad that defeated Georgetown earlier this season.

Villanova has not made it out of the NCAA Tournament's opening weekend since 2009, but the current crop of Wildcats was ranked No. 1 in the nation as recently as last month and comes in with a variety of dangerous weapons. Josh Hart, a first-team All-Big East selection, is Villanova's best and most consistent player, although Kris Jenkins and Ryan Arcidiacono are effective complements to the junior guard. UNC Asheville, which upset top-seeded Winthrop in the Big South tournament championship game, will try to be as physical with Villanova as Seton Hall was on Saturday. “I think we're going to learn a lot from this game,” Wildcats coach Jay Wright told reporters after losing to the Pirates. “This was a tough, physical, athletic team that that really got into us in the first half and took us out of our offense. And I think they're the kind of teams you meet in the (NCAA) Tournament. So it's great to have that experience. We made a lot of mistakes because of what they did.”

TV: 12:40 p.m. ET, truTV

LINE HISTORY: Villanova opened as 17.5-point favorites. The total opened at 141.5 and has held tight all week. Check the complete line history here.

ABOUT UNC ASHEVILLE (22-11, 6-0 ATS, 2-4 O/U): The Bulldogs are in the Big Dance for the first time since 2012, when they were seeded 16th and nearly upset No. 1 seed Syracuse before falling 72-65 in a controversial Round of 64 matchup. Freshman Dwayne Sutton was named MVP of the conference tournament after capping his run with a 25-point, 18-rebound performance - both career highs - against Winthrop. Sutton averages 12 points per game, joining four of his teammates in double-figures, a group that is led by Dylan Smith (13.5 points), who made 77 3-pointers - 41 more than anyone else on the team.

ABOUT VILLANOVA (29-5, 15-17-1 ATS, 17-15-1 O/U): The Wildcats had won 12 of 13 before losing to Seton Hall in a game where they got very little production from Arcidiacono and backcourt mate Jalen Brunson, who combined to shoot 2-of-11 for five points. Jenkins drained five 3-pointers in that contest and averages 13.3 points, although he has surpassed that average in each of his last nine games. Hart (15.5 points) recorded eight double-doubles in the first three months of the season but has not come particularly close in his last seven games, although his scoring production and shooting efficiency remain steady.

TRENDS:

* Bulldogs are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
* Wildcats are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Under is 4-0 in Bulldogs last 4 vs. Big East.
* Over is 8-1 in Wildcats last 9 overall.

No. 11 Hawaii Warriors vs. No. 4 California Golden Bears (-4.5, 141.5)

Game to be played at Spokane Arena, Spokane, WA

California’s highly touted defense will be tested Friday as the fourth-seeded Bears meet No. 13 Hawaii in the first round of the NCAA Tournament’s South Region in Spokane, Wash. Cal earned its first top-five seed since 1997 despite falling to Utah in overtime of the Pac-12 tournament semifinals, while Hawaii beat Long Beach State in the Big West tournament title game to clinch its first trip to the Big Dance since 2002.

The Bears led the Pac-12 in scoring defense (67 points per game) while holding opponents to 39.3 percent shooting but need to be careful not to underestimate a Hawaii team that averaged a Big West-high 77.8 points per game. The game features a matchup of two dynamic senior point guards in Hawaii’s Roderick Bobbitt and Cal’s Tyrone Wallace, who averaged 15.3 points and 4.4 assists and had a season-high 26 points in Friday’s loss to Utah. Bobbitt, a native of Oakland, led the Big West in steals and assists but was limited by foul trouble in Saturday’s 64-60 win over Long Beach State. Hawaii also matches up well in the frontcourt, where Big West player of the year Stefan Jankovic will be tasked with slowing down Cal freshmen forwards Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb.

Update: California's Tyrone Wallace suffered a broken right hand and will miss the rest of the season.

TV: 2 p.m. ET, TBS

LINE HISTORY: California opened at 6.5-point favorites but a potentially disasterous injury to Cal's Tyrone Wallace has moved the line all the way down to -4.5. The total opened at 141 and went up as high as 143.5 at one point during the week, but it has settled back down to 141.5 - also as a result of Wallace's injury. Check the complete line history here.

ABOUT HAWAII (27-5, 14-12 ATS, 13-12-1 O/U): The Rainbow Warriors, who were picked to finish third in the Big West preseason poll under first-year coach Eran Ganot, shared the regular-season title with UC Irvine before tying the school's single-season wins record with the victory over Long Beach State. The 6-foot-11 Jankovic averages 15.7 points and 6.6 rebounds and was named to the Big West all-tournament team along with guard Aaron Valdes, who scored 14 points in the title game. The team’s opportunistic backcourt includes senior Quincy Smith, a Bay Area native who averaged 7.7 points and 1.7 steals.

ABOUT CAL (23-10, 18-14-1 ATS, 16-17 O/U): After opening Pac-12 play 4-5, Cal won eight of its final nine regular-season games and defeated Oregon State in the conference quarterfinals before falling to Utah. Brown was named Pac-12 freshman of the year after averaging 15.0 points and 5.5 rebounds, and Rabb has likewise been as good as advertised while averaging 12.5 points and 8.5 rebounds. The Bears’ veteran backcourt features a trio of sharpshooters in Wallace, Jordan Mathews and Jabari Bird, who rediscovered his stroke during the team’s late-season surge and averaged 16.5 points in the Pac-12 tournament.

TRENDS:

* Warriors are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Golden Bears are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.
* Under is 5-1 in Warriors last 6 neutral site games.
* Under is 5-0 in Golden Bears last 5 non-conference games.

No. 10 Temple Owls vs. No. 7 Iowa Hawkeyes (-7.5, 140)

Game to be played at Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY

Seventh-seeded Iowa makes its third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and faces No. 10 Temple in the first round of the South Regional on Friday in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Hawkeyes, who registered their fourth straight 20-win season under coach Fran McCaffery, attempt to make it past the second round for the first time in its sixth try since 1999.

McCaffery's team put together an impressive run of 16 wins in 18 games between November and February, but have lost six of its last eight games, including its only game in the Big 10 tournament. The Hawkeyes are carried by the tandem of senior forward Jarrod Uthoff and junior guard Peter Jok, who have accounted for 44 percent of the team's scoring and 53 percent of its made 3-pointers. "It's March now and it's win or go home so we need to stay positive and regroup," Jok told the media. The Owls return to the tournament after a two-year absence on a roll, winning 13 of their last 17 games after opening with an 8-7 record under coach Fran Dunphy, who takes the Owls to their sixth NCAA tournament in his 10 seasons but first since 2013.

LINE HISTORY: Iowa opened as seven-point favorites and were bet up slightly to -7.5. The total opened at 138.5 and rose to 140 throughout the week. Check the complete line history here.

ABOUT TEMPLE (21-11, 17-13 ATS, 15-14-1 O/U): The Owls don't do anything particularly spectacular aside from playing defense, but even that wasn't there in a 77-62 loss to Connecticut in the American Athletic Conference tournament. Overall, Temple limits the opposition to 41.7 shooting from the field and 31.4 percent from 3-point territory, but occasionally its will throw in a clunker as it did against the likes of Villanova, Tulsa and UConn. Quenton DeCosey is the main cog on offense, averaging 15.6 points and Jaylen Boyd cleans up underneath with 8.3 rebounds per game.

ABOUT IOWA (21-10, 14-14 ATS, 14-14 OU): Uthoff and Jok appeared to go through a shooting slump toward the end the season, which could explain the Hawkeyes' swoon. Over a five-game span that included four losses, Uthoff made 35.3 percent and Jok 34.8 percent, but the duo seem to come out of it in a loss to Illinois in the Big 10 tournament. The other main contributors for the Hawkeyes are Anthony Clemmons, Mike Gesell, who leads the team with 6.3 assists per game, and Adam Woodbury, the top rebounder at 8.5 per contest.

TRENDS:

* Owls are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 games following a double-digit loss at home.
* Hawkeyes are 2-11 ATS in their last 13 neutral site games.
* Over is 5-0-1 in Owls last 6 neutral site games.
* Under is 4-1 in Hawkeyes last 5 games following a straight up loss.

No. 12 South Dakota State Jackrabbits vs. No. 5 Maryland Terrapins (-9.5, 143)

Game to be played at Spokane Arena, Spokane, WA

At times this season it looked like Maryland might end up on a top line come NCAA Tournament time, but the Terrapins finished out the season with losses in five of their last eight games - including the Big Ten tournament - to end up as the No. 5 seed in the South. Maryland will take on No. 12 seed South Dakota State in the first round on Friday in Spokane, Wash.

The Terrapins were 15-1 before running through the gauntlet of a tough Big Ten schedule but remain one of the most talented teams in the country behind sophomore guard Melo Trimble and the front line of Diamond Stone, Robert Carter and Jake Layman. Trimble was held to 11 points on 2-of-15 shooting in the 64-61 loss to Michigan State in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament and is hoping to guide his team out of the first weekend after falling in the second round to West Virginia in the NCAA Tournament as a freshman. Trimble and company will not have an easy road to Sunday with Jackrabbits, who rolled through the Summit League tournament to reach the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the last five years. South Dakota State will test Maryland’s front line with freshman forward Mike Daum, who has scored in double figures in 20 straight games.

TV: 4:30 p.m. ET, TBS

LINE HISTORY: Maryland opened as nine-point favorites and the public has bet that number up to -9.5. The total opened at 145 and has been bet down a full two points to 143. Check the complete line history here.

ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (26-7, 15-14 ATS, 14-15 O/U): The Jackrabbits are peaking at the right time with wins in six straight games after knocking off rival North Dakota State in the Summit final. “Our kids, literally, this is as hard as I’ve seen them play all year in terms of being in tune with each other,” South Dakota State coach Scott Nagy told reporters. A team defensive effort, a team rebounding effort. I’m super happy for the seniors, particularly Deondre (Parks), George (Marshall) and Keaton (Moffitt), because last year we weren’t able to go, but they’re going to get the NCAA experience this year.” Marshall (14.9 points) and Parks (14.7) will get the job of stopping Trimble.

ABOUT MARYLAND (25-8, 15-16-1 ATS, 12-19-1 O/U): Three of the Terrapins’ last four losses came by five or fewer points, and they managed only two field goals over the final 10 minutes of the semifinal loss to the Spartans in the Big Ten tournament. “To be honest with you, through the ebbs and flow of the season, you just kind of have to look at your last game," guard Rasheed Sulaimon told reporters after the latest setback. "Sometimes you're going to play at your highest level. Sometimes you're not. We definitely had both throughout the whole season. Just looking at this game, I'm proud of everything we accomplished." Sulaimon averages 11.1 points but failed to reach double figures in five of the last six contests.

TRENDS:

* Jackrabbits are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 Friday games.
* Terrapins are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 5-0 in Jackrabbits last 5 overall.
* Over is 5-1 in Terrapins last 6 NCAA Tournament games.

Friday's East Region First Round betting preview

Notre Dame's surprising collapse in the ACC tournament last weekend was certainly not what coach Mike Brey expected, but it did allow the Fighting Irish to get some rest.

No. 10 Pittsburgh Panthers vs. No. 7 Wisconsin Badgers (-2, 131)

Game to be played at Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO

Wisconsin is making its 18th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, but it’s certainly a different Badgers bunch than the team which reached the Final Four the past two seasons. Wisconsin, which features a first-year coach and a revamped roster, are the East Region’s seventh seed and will face 10th-seeded Pittsburgh in the first round Friday in St. Louis.

Greg Gard, who took over as the Badgers’ interim coach when mentor Bo Ryan suddenly resigned Dec. 15, was officially had his interim tag removed March 8 when he received a five-year contract from the school. Gard, who is in his 16th season at Wisconsin, lost four of his first six games at the helm, including a 1-4 Big Ten start, but the Badgers won 11 of their next 12 before dropping their last two prior to Selection Sunday. “This is an extremely special moment for me and our family,” Gard said at the March 8 news conference. “But I think just special for the state of Wisconsin, from the standpoint of being one of their own, that's been able to trek through their career at various stops around the state, and to ultimately be in this position to be able to lead your home state institution's flagship school into the future.” That immediate future begins with the Big Dance date against Pittsburgh, which is making its 13th NCAA Tournament appearance in the last 15 seasons.

TV: 6:50 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: Wisconsin opened as 2-point favorites, the spread dropped down as low as -1 at one point earlier in the week, but came back up to the opening number by Thursday. The total opened at 131 and has held steady. Check the complete line history here.

ABOUT PITTSBURGH (21-11, 12-17 ATS, 13-16 O/U): The Panthers did miss the NCAA tourney a season ago for only the second time in 13 seasons under coach Jamie Dixon, finishing 19-15. “It means a lot to make the tournament knowing where we were last year,” senior guard James Robinson said in a Pittsburgh news release Sunday. “We know Wisconsin is going to play hard, and we’ll get right to work (Monday) to prepare for the game.” With 10.3 points per game, Robinson joins forwards Michael Young (16.0) and Jamel Artis (14.4) as double-digit scorers for the Panthers, who finished ninth in the ACC with a 9-9 record and were ousted by top-seeded North Carolina 88-71 in the conference-tournament quarterfinals.

ABOUT WISCONSIN (20-12, 16-16 ATS, 14-18 O/U): The Badgers bounced back from their 1-4 Big Ten start to finish 12-6 and tie for third place in the standings before being upended by Nebraska 70-58 in the second round of the conference tournament in Indianapolis. Junior forward Nigel Hayes (16.3 points per game) and junior guard Bronson Koenig (13.4), the two starters remaining from last season’s national championship game loss to Duke, are the team’s leading scorers and also are averaging a combined 5.6 assists per outing. Meanwhile, 6-9 freshman forward Ethan Happ is averaging 12.7 points and a team-most 7.8 rebounds.

TRENDS:

* Panthers are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 vs. Big Ten.
* Badgers are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Over is 7-1 in Panthers last 8 Friday games.
* Under is 8-1 in Badgers last 9 overall.

No. 14 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks vs. No. 3 West Virginia Mountaineers (-8, 145.5)

Game to be played at Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY

West Virginia will be a heavy favorite Friday when the third-seeded Mountaineers face No. 14 seed Stephen F. Austin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament’s East Region in Brooklyn, N.Y., and it’s easy to understand the logic. Coach Bob Huggins’ squad recorded an impressive win over Oklahoma in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals and took a one-point lead into the half against Kansas in the title game before falling 81-71.

Guard Jaysean Paige leads a balanced attack for the Mountaineers, whose high-pressure defense forces more turnovers per possession than any team in the country. Guard Daxter Miles Jr. turned in one of the best defensive performances of the season in the Big 12 semifinals by holding Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield to six points on 1-of-8 shooting, and the 6-foot-3 sophomore will need another strong effort against the upset-minded Lumberjacks. Stephen F. Austin won its third straight Southland Conference tournament on Saturday with a 82-60 rout of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and the Lumberjacks led the league in scoring (80.7 points per game) and defense (63.3 points). Coach Brad Underwood's squad upset fifth-seeded VCU two years ago in the NCAA Tournament and face a similar challenge against the Mountaineers.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CBS

LINE HISTORY: West Virginia opened as 7.5-point favorites over Stephen F. Austin and the spread was bet up slightly to -8 by Thursday evening. The total opened at 147 and gradually dropped all week to settle at 145.5. Check the complete line history here.

ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN (27-5, 2-2 ATS, 3-1 O/U): The Lumberjacks are riding a 20-game winning streak and boast one of the nation’s most underrated stars in senior guard Thomas Walkup, who averaged 17.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists and earned the conference tournament MVP for the third straight year. Forward Clide Geffrard and guard Demetrious Floyd earned All-Tournament honors for the Lumberjacks, who aren’t lacking for confidence. “This team is very good,” Underwood told reporters. “We’re not going to be afraid of the moment. It’s one game at a time, and that’s the way we’re going to approach it.”

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (26-8, 20-11 ATS, 14-16-1 O/U): The Mountaineers were among the nation’s worst 3-point shooting teams during the regular season and that continued in the Big 12 final as they finished 2-of-15 from beyond the arc. The stellar frontcourt, which includes the imposing duo of Jonathan Holton and Devin Williams, left an impression on Kansas guard Wayne Selden Jr. “It’s a dangerous group,” he told reporters. “You know, the way they press, it’s really unconventional, but it works for them, and they could be really dangerous in the tournament.”

TRENDS:

* Lumberjacks are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 non-conference games.
* Mountaineers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
* Over is 5-1 in Lumberjacks last 6 Friday games.
* Under is 4-0-1 in Mountaineers last 5 NCAA Tournament games.

No. 15 Weber St. Wildcats vs. No. 2 Xavier Musketeers (-13, 147.5)

Game to be played at Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO

Xavier worked its way to a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and is looking for a second straight trip to the Sweet 16 and beyond. The Musketeers will get things started against 15th-seeded Big Sky champion Weber State on Friday in the East Region in St. Louis.

The No. 2 seed is the highest in school history for Xavier, which has reached the NCAA Tournament in 10 of the last 11 seasons and reached the Sweet 16 in three of the last six trips. The Musketeers boast one of the top offenses in the country at an average of 81.3 points and pushed that number to 87.9 over the final seven games. Sophomore guard Trevon Bluiet leads four player averaging double figures at 15.5 points but was one of three players to foul out for the Musketeers in an 87-83 loss to Seton Hall in the Big East tournament semifinals. The Wildcats can put up some points as well (averaging 76.7) and punctuated a Big Sky regular season title by beating second-place Montana 62-59 in the tournament final to reach the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons.

TV: 9:20 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: Xavier opened as big 13.5-point favorites and the spread came down slightly to -13 by Thursday night. The total open at 147.5 and hasn't budged an inch all week. Check the complete line history here.

ABOUT WEBER STATE (26-8, 14-16 ATS, 13-17 O/U): The Wildcats have a distant history of NCAA Tournament success - knocking off Michigan State in the first round in 1995 and North Carolina in the opener in 1999 - and are returning again after a bounce-back season that saw them improve from 13-17 to conference champions. "I’m just so proud of this team,” Weber State coach Randy Rahe told reporters. “We went through so much last year but to do this is great. I’m so happy for our team and how once again, they found a way.” Junior guard Jeremy Senglin leads the team with an average of 18.2 points and was named the Big Sky tournament MVP after putting up 22.3 points in the three victories.

ABOUT XAVIER (27-5, 19-13 ATS, 21-11 O/U): The Musketeers landed in a brutal East bracket that includes traditional powers North Carolina, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Notre Dame and Wisconsin among the top seven seeds. Xavier can score with any of those teams from the starting unit and the bench, where senior James Farr takes the lead. The 6-10 forward serves as the team’s sixth man most games and enters tournament play on a strong run by scoring in double figures in each of the last six contests.

TRENDS:

* Wildcats are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up win.
* Musketeers are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 neutral site games.
* Over is 5-0 in Wildcats last 5 Friday games.
* Over is 7-0 in Musketeers last 7 overall.

No. 11 Michigan Wolverines vs. No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-3, 143)

Game to be played at Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY

Notre Dame's surprising collapse in the ACC tournament last weekend was certainly not what coach Mike Brey expected, but it did allow the Fighting Irish to get something its next opponent only wish it could have - rest. Sixth-seeded Notre Dame looks to rebound from its worst offensive showing of the season when it faces road-weary No. 11 seed Michigan on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

"We could make our travel plans at halftime; let me put it that way," Brey told reporters last Friday after his squad, which entered the ACC tournament semifinals as one of the more efficient offensive teams in the country, went more than 11 minutes without a field goal in a 78-47 drubbing against North Carolina. The season-worst scoring effort was all the more surprising after the Irish battled back from a 16-point second-half deficit the night before to rally past Duke in overtime. The Wolverines entered last Thursday on the NCAA Tournament bubble prior to upsetting top-seed Indiana before losing to Purdue in the Big Ten tournament semifinals. Michigan, which will be playing its fifth game in nine days, earned the right to face Notre Dame after edging Tulsa 67-62 on Wednesday in a First Four game in Dayton, Ohio.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, CBS

LINE HISTORY: Notre Dame opened as 3-point favorites for their game against Michigan the day after St. Patrick's Day and the line has held solid. The total opened at 143 and has also been steady. Check the complete line history here.

ABOUT MICHIGAN (23-12, 17-16 ATS, 19-13-1 O/U): The Wolverines, who led the Big Ten with 9.3 made 3-pointers entering Wednesday, rank second among NCAA Tournament teams with a school-record 332 triples despite going 6-of-25 beyond the arc against Tulsa. Michigan used a tiebreaking 3-pointer from little-used Kameron Chatman with 0.2 seconds remaining to beat the Hoosiers and received more unexpected contributions Wednesday from freshman Moritz Wagner, a deep reserve who doubled his season total entering the game with four blocks and pulled down a career-high eight boards. Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman (8.5 points) has scored at least 14 points in four straight and six of his last eight outings after doing so only five times in his team's first 27 games.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (21-11, 14-15-1 ATS, 15-15 O/U): The Wolverines don't appear to have an answer in the post for 6-10 forward Zach Auguste (14.4 points, ACC-best 10.8 rebounds), who is averaging 15.7 points and 11.9 rebounds with eight double-doubles over his last 12 contests. Demetrius Jackson (team-high marks of 15.5 points, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals) has failed to meet his scoring average in seven straight contests, averaging 11 points on 4-of-20 from the field during the Irish's two-game run in the ACC tournament. Jackson's limited contributions recently have been minimized somewhat by the increased production from V.J. Beachem (11.3 points), who is 12-of-24 beyond the arc over Notre Dame's last five contests.

TRENDS:

* Wolverines are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 NCAA Tournament games.
* Fighting Irish are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 5-1 in Wolverines last 6 Friday games.
* Under is 14-3-1 in Fighting Irish last 18 NCAA Tournament games.

Friday's Midwest Region First Round betting preview

Tom Izzo's Michigan State Spartans are expected to make a very deep run in this year's tournament.

No. 10 Syracuse Orange vs. No. 7 Dayton Flyers (-1, 129)

Game to be played at Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO

Despite losses in five of its last six games, No. 10 Syracuse is back in the NCAA Tournament and will face No. 7 Dayton in the first round of the Midwest Region on Friday at St. Louis. The Orange, who were ineligible for the tournament last year, endured an up-and-down season, posting a pair of winning streaks of at least five games and a pair of losing streaks of at least three games.

Syracuse does not lack for weapons, as it has senior Michael Gbinije, freshman Malachi Richardson and freshman Tyler Lydon among five players who play better than 30 minutes per game. Gbinije, who was named to the All-ACC second team, averages close to 18 points while shooting 40 percent from 3-point territory and Lydon has been even better from beyond the arc for a team that is not afraid to hoist 3-point attempts. The Orange have attempted 776 treys this season, good for 37th in the nation. The Flyers won nine straight games at one point this season, but followed that with a 4-4 mark in their last eight games, including a loss to Saint Joseph's in the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 tournament.

TV: 12:15 p.m. ET, CBS

LINE HISTORY: Syracuse opened this First Round matchup as 1-point faves, but the line has jumped the fence since then and it is now Dayton who is the 1-point fave. The total has been bet down 2-points since opening, moving from 131 to 129. Check the complete line history here.

ABOUT SYRACUSE (19-13, 16-15 ATS, 17-14 O/U): The story of the game for the Orange will be defense and whether it can contain Dayton's 3-point shooting like it has for most of its opponents. Only 10 teams in the country have limited the opposition to a lower 3-point percentage than Syracuse, which held 17 teams to under 30 percent from beyond the arc this season. "I thought we could make this (NCAA Tournament) because we've got good wins," coach Jim Boeheim told the media. "This is probably the happiest I've been on Selection Sunday since I've been coaching."

ABOUT DAYTON (25-7, 13-17-1 ATS, 14-16-1 O/U): Like Syracuse, the Flyers have four players who score in double figures, led by the duo of Charles Cooke and Dyshawn Pierre. Cooke, a member of the All-Atlantic 10 first team and defensive team, averages 15.7 points and six rebounds from his guard spot, while Pierre contributes 13 points and a team-leading 8.6 rebounds per game. Head coach Archie Miller has three strong 3-point shooters in Cooke, Pierre and Scoochie Smith, who will need to convert against Syracuse's zone defense.

TRENDS:

* Syracuse is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games versus a team with a winning percentage above .600.
* Dayton is 1-8-1 ATS in its last 10 games overall.
* Under is 4-1 in Syracuse's last five NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 8-3 in Dayton's last 11 games overall.

No. 15 Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders vs. No. 2 Michigan State Spartans (-18, 143.5)

Game to be played at Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO

Michigan State didn't earn a top seed for the NCAA Tournament like many expected, but the Spartans have done well as the No. 2 seed in their history and they'll try to continue that trend beginning Friday against No. 15 Middle Tennessee in the Midwest Region in St. Louis. Michigan State won the national title as the No. 2 seed in 1979 and advanced to the 2009 championship game seeded in the same slot.

Michigan State captured the Big Ten Tournament title with a 66-62 win Sunday against Purdue after knocking off Maryland and Ohio State in the two prior days. If the Spartans hope to win the Big Ten's first national title in 16 years, they'll need some support for Denzel Valentine, who averaged 17.3 points, nine assists and 8.7 rebounds during the conference tournament to earn the outstanding player award. Bryn Forbes needs to find his groove from long range for Michigan State, shooting 5-for-23 from 3-point distance over the last four games after shooting 26-for-40 in the previous four. Middle Tennessee will be making its second NCAA Tournament appearance in the last 27 years following its Conference USA Tournament title over the weekend.

TV: 2:45 p.m. ET, CBS

LINE HISTORY: Michigan State opened as 17.5-point favorites and have been bet up to -18. The total has been bet up 2-points from 141.5 to 143.5. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT MIDDLE TENNESSEE (24-9, 17-15 ATS, 14-17-1 O/U): The Blue Raiders feature four players who average double figures in scoring led by 6-foot-2, 220-pound guard Giddy Potts at 15 points a game. Potts missed three games recently with a concussion, but appears to be back to full strength after averaging 15 points in the three conference tournament games and shooting 7-for-11 from 3-point range in that span. Reggie Upshaw, at 6-7, and 6-6 Perrin Buford will face a big-time size disadvantage against the Spartans and their starting front line of 6-9 Matt Costello and 6-10 Deyonta Davis.

ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE (29-5, 22-11 ATS, 16-17 O/U): Costello is looking for a better performance in this season's tournament than what he did last year, when he averaged four points in five games in the Spartans' run to the Final Four. Costello has reached double figures in scoring in six of the last seven games leading into this tournament and contributed a season-high four blocked shots in Sunday's win against Purdue while finishing with eight points. Junior guard Eron Harris might also be a key figure in this tournament, especially if Valentine is regularly double-teamed and Forbes continues to struggle from long distance.

TRENDS:

* Middle Tennessee State is 5-0 ATS in its last five non-conference games.
* Michigan State is 12-2 ATS in its last 14 games overall.
* Under is 5-1 in Middle Tennessee State's last six games overall.
* Under is 5-1 in Michigan State's last six neutral site games.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-18-2016, 12:03 PM

Friday's West Region First Round betting preview

Oklahoma's Buddy Hield is averaging 25 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 46.4 percent from 3-point range.

No. 10 VCU Rams vs. No. 10 Oregon State Beavers (+4.5, 141)

Game to be played at Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK

Oregon State will snap a 26-year NCAA Tournament drought, the second-longest active streak among major conference programs in the country, when it faces VCU on Friday in Oklahoma City. The Beavers, considered a bubble team by some NCAA Tourney prognosticators, cruised in as a surprising No. 7 seed in the West Region and open with a Rams squad that will be making its sixth straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

The return to the NCAA Tournament for the Beavers is filled with ironies. Oregon State's last previous trip to the NCAA Tournament occurred in 1990 when future Naismith Hall of Famer and longtime NBA defensive stalwart Gary "The Glove" Payton played point guard. This year Wayne Tinkle's squad is led by Payton's son, Gary Payton II, who earned his second consecutive Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Award and also was a first team all-conference selection. And should the Beavers get on a roll and make it to the Elite Eight they could very likely see a familiar face - Civil War rival and No. 1 seed Oregon.

TV: 1:30 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: This is another case where the books and the selection committee didn't see eye-to-eye, as the 10th seeded Rams opened as 4-point faves over the 7th seeded Beavers. Since then bettors backed VCU, moving the line to -4.5. The total has moved from its opening number of 141. Check the complete line history here.

ABOUT VCU (24-10, 20-9 ATS, 14-15 O/U): The Rams didn't miss a beat despite the departure of head coach Shaka Smart to Texas, earning a share of the regular season Atlantic 10 title and then making it to their fourth consecutive A-10 Tournament championship game where they lost to Saint Joseph's, 87-74, on Sunday. "Our expectations were a little bit lower than they've been this year," coach Will Wade, a former Smart assistant, said. "I don't think a lot of people thought we'd tie for the regular season and (get) back in the conference final." Four starters return from a squad that fell 75-72 in overtime to Ohio State in the first round of last year's NCAA Tourney - including senior guard Melvin Johnson, who leads the team in scoring (17.4) and has made 104 3-pointers; junior guard JeQuan Lewis (10.7); and junior forward Mo Alie-Cox (10.2).

ABOUT OREGON STATE (19-12, 16-13-1 ATS, 20-10 O/U): The Beavers finished in a three-way tie for sixth place with USC and Washington in the Pac-12 and lost to Cal, 76-68, in the quarterfinals of the conference tourney - which is why people in Corvallis were a tad nervous until the NCAA Tournament pairings were released. Payton has been spectacular at times, leading the team in scoring (15.9), rebounding (7.9), assists (5.1), steals (2.5) and SportsCenter appearances for highlight-reel dunks. Two other players average in double figures - freshman forward Tres Tinkle (13.1) and freshman guard Stephen Thompson Jr. (10.8) - but it's the Beavers' 1-3-1 zone defense that has helped key the team's turnaround, forcing an average of 13.5 turnovers per game and holding opponents to just 32.9 percent shooting from 3-point range.

TRENDS:

* VCU is 4-0 ATS in its last four games versus Pac-12 opponents.
* Oregon State is 3-0-1 ATS in its last four neutral site games.
* Under is 5-0 VCU's in its last five games following an ATS loss.
* Over is 7-0 in Oregon State's last seven neutral site games.

No. 15 Cal. State-Bakersfield Roadrunners vs. No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners (-14, 140)

Oklahoma will try to avoid another first-round upset when the second-seeded Sooners open the NCAA Tournament on Friday against No. 15 CSU Bakersfield in the West Region at Oklahoma City. Oklahoma fell to No. 12 seed North Dakota State in the opening round two years ago, but rebounded to make it to the Sweet 16 last season.

The Sooners most recently lost in the Big 12 tournament semifinals Friday against West Virginia, as Buddy Hield's half-court basket was ruled to have left his hand a fraction of a second late in the 69-67 defeat. Hield, a 6-foot-4 senior guard, is still having one of the best seasons of any player in the country, averaging 25 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 46.4 percent from 3-point range. CSU Bakersfield is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance after knocking off New Mexico State on Saturday to win the Western Athletic Conference tournament title. The Roadrunners have won five straight and nine and 10, but the closest they've come to playing a team the caliber of Oklahoma was a 94-59 loss to Saint Mary's back on Nov. 29.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: No. 2 seed Oklahoma opened as 13.5-point favorites and have been bet up to -14. The total has stayed put at the opening number of 140. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT CSU BAKERSFIELD (24-8, 3-0 ATS, 1-2 O/U): The Roadrunners won't feel completely out of their element as four of their players are from the neighboring state of Texas, including third-leading scorer Dedrick Basile (12.0 points) and fourth-leading scorer Damiyne Durham (11.8). Basile, a 5-10 junior guard, is averaging 14.5 points during the current five-game winning streak while shooting 12-for-22 from 3-point range, including the game-winner against New Mexico State. Durham, a 6-4 freshman guard, also shoots the ball well from deep, taking nearly twice as many 3s as Basile on the season, but may have to exert a lot of energy guarding Hield on the other end of the floor.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA (25-7, 12-18 ATS, 13-17 O/U): Hield may still be steaming following his performance against West Virginia, when he not came a split-second from nailing the game-winner, but was held to a single-digit point total for the first time this season. Hield, the two-time Big 12 Player of the Year, has followed up most of his subpar performances with huge efforts this season, most recently scoring 33 points against Texas last month after finishing with 17 the game before against Oklahoma State. Just in case Hield has another off-night, the Sooners will look to fellow guards Jordan Woodard and Isaiah Cousins to pick up the scoring slack.

TRENDS:

* Cal. State-Bakersfield is 4-0 ATS in its last four non-conference games.
* Oklahoma is 0-5 ATS in its last five overall.
* Under is 8-1 in Cal. State Bakersfield's last nine games overall.
* Under is 10-1 in Oklahoma's last 11 games overall.

No. 14 Green Bay Phoenix vs. No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies (-13, 155)

Game to be played at Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK

Following a four-year absence, Texas A&M makes its return to the NCAA Tournament on Friday with a first-round matchup against No. 14 seed Green Bay in a South Region affair in Oklahoma City. The third-seeded Aggies reeled off eight consecutive wins before a tough overtime loss to Kentucky in the finals of the SEC tournament on Sunday and have matched the highest seed in program history.

Billy Kennedy took home SEC Coach of the Year honors and boasts an experienced squad with four senior starters. Danuel House is perhaps the most decorated of the bunch and the All-SEC second-team selection had a career-high 32 points in the loss to the Wildcats while fellow senior and leading scorer Jalen Jones had 15 and nine rebounds. The Phoenix, who lead the nation in steals amidst a run of high-scoring affairs, also have eight wins in the last nine games and upset Horizon League regular-season champ Valparaiso en route to the conference tourney crown and the school's first Tournament berth since 1996. Carrington Love leads the way with 17.7 points per game for first-year coach Linc Darner, a former two-time captain as a player with Purdue.

TV: 7:20 p.m. ET, TBS

LINE HISTORY: Texas A&M have held steady at the opening number of -13. The total also hasn't seen any movement, sticking at 155. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT GREEN BAY (23-12, 20-10-2 ATS, 18-14 O/U): Love had 23 points in the upset of Valparaiso but took a back seat in the finals win over Wright State, as Jordan Fouse led the way with 16 points and Charles Cooper had 15. Fouse averages 12.8 points on the season but is up to 16.1 over his last eight games and an even more impressive 18.5 during the conference tournament. Love, who also led the Horizon League in steals (2.7), hit 84 3-pointers, more than double any of his teammates.

ABOUT TEXAS A&M (26-8, 15-12-2 ATS, 12-17 O/U): Jones and House do the bulk of the scoring, but senior point guard Alex Caruso - the school's all-time leader in assists and steals - runs the show. Caruso has 43 assists against 10 turnovers over his last seven games and fellow starting guard Anthony Collins has given it up just twice in 85 minutes in a four-game stretch for a squad that entered Sunday tied for 19th in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.45). The Aggies could have an interesting ride in Oklahoma City, which is roughly five hours away by car and could feature a second-round encounter with rival Texas, whom they defeated in the Battle 4 Atlantis on Nov. 25.

TRENDS:

* Green Bay is 5-0 ATS in its last five neutral site games.
* Texas A&M is 5-1 ATS in its last six games overall.
* Over is 7-3 in Green Bay's last 10 non-conference games.
* Under is 4-1 Aggies' last five games following a SU loss.

No. 16 Holy Cross Crusaders vs. No. 1 Oregon Ducks (-23)

Game to be played at Spokane Arena, Spokane, WA

Dana Altman has presided over the most successful six-year run in Oregon's 111-season program history, but his success in the NCAA Tournament has usually been fleeting at best. After earning a No. 1 seed for the first time, his Ducks eye the beginning of a deep run in first-round action of the West Region on Friday when they face No. 16 seed Holy Cross in Spokane, Wash.

Oregon, which has amassed at least 21 wins in each of Altman's six seasons, has made only one Sweet 16 appearance under his leadership and bowed out in the second round in each of the previous two years. The Ducks swept the Pac-12 regular-season and tournament title for the first time in school history, however, suggesting they could be primed for their first foray into the Final Four since winning the first NCAA Tournament in 1939. The Crusaders, who are the only team with a losing record in this year's field, continued their unlikely postseason surge with Wednesday's 59-55 victory over Southern in a First Four contest in Dayton, Ohio. Holy Cross ended a 63-year winless drought in the NCAA Tournament with its fifth straight victory, all of which have come away from home.

TV: 7:27 p.m. ET, truTV

LINE HISTORY: The No. 1 seed Ducks opened as big 22.5-point favorites and have been bet up to -23. The total remains at its opening number of 133.5. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT HOLY CROSS (15-19, 6-0 ATS, 2-4 O/U): Malachi Alexander (team-high marks of 11.8 points, 5.6 points, 2.9 assists) nearly logged his first triple-double Wednesday - finishing with seven points, eight rebounds and a career-high eight assists - after scoring a record 83 points during the Patriot League tournament. The Crusaders have relied almost exclusively on a 1-3-1 defense during their winning streak, holding Southern nearly 18 points below its season average after allowing an average of 57.3 points during their conference tournament. Robert Champion (11.7 points) led all scorers with 19 points off the bench versus the Jaguars and went 3-for-5 beyond the arc, matching the number of 3-pointers Southern hit as a team (3-for-20).

ABOUT OREGON (28-6, 19-12 ATS, 14-17 O/U): The Ducks played one of their most complete games in a 88-57 title-game rout of Utah on Saturday, shooting 51.6 percent - including 11-of-22 beyond the arc - while scoring 28 points off 20 turnovers and 23 points off 17 offensive rebounds. Oregon features two of the Pac-12's top four shot-blockers in Jordan Bell (1.7) and Chris Boucher (3.1; second-best in the nation), who is the only player in conference history with at least 100 blocks and 35 3-pointers. First-team All-Pac 12 performers Dillon Brooks (team-high 16.8 points) and Elgin Cook (14.5) are two of four double-digit scorers for the Ducks, who averaged 88.7 points during the conference tournament.

TRENDS:

* Holy Cross is 6-0 ATS in its last six games overall.
* Oregon is 6-1 ATS in its last seven NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 4-0 in Holy Cross' last four neutral site games.
* Over is 7-3 in Oregon's last 10 NCAA Tournament games.

No. 11 Northern Iowa Panthers vs. No. 6 Texas Longhorns (-4.5, -124.5)

Game to be played at Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK

Two tough defenses will be on display when sixth-seeded Texas faces No. 11 Northern Iowa in Friday's first-round matchup in the West Region in Oklahoma City. First-year head coach Shaka Smart, who went 7-5 in the NCAA Tournament while at VCU, has the Longhorns ranked second in the Big 12 in blocked shots and fourth in scoring defense at 68.1 points.

Texas might look a little different with the return of senior center Cameron Ridley, who missed 20 games with a broken foot before returning briefly at the conference tournament. The Panthers, who won nine of their last 10 regular-season games before claiming the Missouri Valley Tournament, are ranked 11th nationally in scoring defense (62.9). The Panthers are making their fourth Tournament appearance in the past eight years, winning a first-round game last year against Wyoming. Friday's winner will face either Texas A&M or Green Bay on Sunday.

TV: 9:50 p.m. ET, TBS

LINE HISTORY: No. 6 Texas opened as 5-point favorites, but bettors like Northern Iowa as the line has come down to Texas -4.5. The total has been bet up a half point from 124 to 124.5. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT NORTHERN IOWA (22-12, 19-13-1 ATS, 13-20 O/U): Senior guard Wes Washpun, who hit the buzzer-beater in the MVC title game and was named the tournament MVP, leads the Panthers with 14.3 points and 5.2 assists. Senior guards Matt Bohannon (11.8 points) and Paul Jesperson (10.7 points) add to the balanced offensive attack while junior guard Jeremy Morgan (10.4 points) leads the Panthers - who own non-conference wins against North Carolina and Iowa State - with 5.1 rebounds. The Panthers lost three of their top four scorers from last year's 31-win squad and overcame a 2-6 start to league play.

ABOUT TEXAS (20-12, 16-15 ATS, 13-17-1 O/U): Junior guard Isaiah Taylor leads the Longhorns with 14.8 points and 4.9 assists. Prince Ibeh earned Big 12 defensive player of the year honors after leading the team in rebounds (6.3) and blocks (2.6) since Ridley's injury. Freshmen Eric Davis Jr. (7.5 points) and Kerwin Roach Jr. (7.4 points) have been consistent contributors, with Roach scoring in double figures in three of his last four games.

TRENDS:

* Northern Iowa is 11-1-1 ATS in its last 13 games overall.
* Texas is 0-7 ATS in its last seven NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 5-0 in Northern Iowa's last five games overall.
* Under is 3-0-1 in Texas' last four games overall.

No. 9 Cincinnati Bearcats vs. No. 8 St. Joseph's Hawks (+2.5, 136.5)

Game to be played at Spokane Arena, Spokane, WA

No. 8 seed Saint Joseph's looks to build off its biggest victory of the season when it takes on ninth-seeded Cincinnati in the first round of the West Region in Spokane, Wash., on Friday. The Hawks knocked off VCU 87-74 on Sunday to claim their second Atlantic 10 tournament title in the last three years and secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after missing out on March Madness last year.

"It's a special achievement for this group, especially the seniors," Saint Joseph's coach Phil Martelli told reporters. "They have a wonderful team character and they've been like this since August." Cincinnati earned its sixth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament on the back of another 20-win season - its sixth straight under coach Mick Cronin. The Bearcats were left to sweat out Selection Sunday after falling to Connecticut (in part due to a 62-foot buzzer beater in the third overtime) of the American Athletic Conference tournament quarterfinals on Friday. Cincinnati has held six of its last 10 opponents to 60 points or fewer and hopes to use its stifling defense to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year.

TV: 9:57 p.m. ET, truTV

LINE HISTORY: Despite being the No. 9 seed, Cincinnati opened as 2-point favorites, but early action came in on St. Joe's , moving the line to Cincy -1. Since then the Bearcats have seen more action and the line has moved back to Cincy -2.5. The total is down a half point from the opening number, going from 137 to 136.5. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT SAINT JOSEPH'S (27-7, 22-10-1 ATS, 19-13-1 O/U): Atlantic 10 Player of the Year DeAndre Bembry led the Hawks with 30 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists in the win over VCU. Senior forward Isaiah Miles added 26 points and 12 rebounds against the Rams en route to earning the Atlantic 10 tournament's Most Outstanding Player honors. "We went through a rough year last year," Bembry told reporters. "I'm happy the guys on the team last year got to see a championship this year."

ABOUT CINCINNATI (22-10, 12-16 ATS, 10-17-1 O/U): Troy Caupain filled up the stat sheet in the loss to the Huskies as he racked up a career-high 37 points to go along with 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals after being named to the All-AAC first team earlier in the week. Octavius Ellis added 13 points and 10 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season while Gary Clark also got into the act with 12 points and 12 boards against UConn. The Bearcats are 3-1 all-time against Saint Joseph's but haven't played the Hawks since 1969.

TRENDS:

* Cincinnati is 1-6 ATS in its last seven non-conference games.
* St. Joe's is 7-0-1 ATS in its last eight non-conference games.
* Under is 4-0 in Cincinnati's last four versus A-10 opponents.
* Over is 9-0 in St. Joe's last nine games following a SU win.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-18-2016, 12:18 PM

Yesterday's Results: 9 - 0
Madness Record: 26 - 11
March YTD: 134 - 91 - 3

FRIDAY, MARCH 18

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

SYR at DAY 12:15 PM

SYR -1.0

O 129.5

UNCA at VILL 12:40 PM

VILL -18.0

U 141.5

VCU at ORST 01:30 PM

VCU -4.0

O 142.0

HAW at CAL 02:00 PM

CAL -5.5

O 140.0

MTU at MSU 02:45 PM

MSU -17.0

U 143.0

**StarDust Bum** · 03-18-2016, 02:03 PM

Late Aternoon Games:

TEM at IOWA 03:10 PM

TEM +7.0

O 140.0

CSB at OKLA 04:00 PM

CSB +14.5

O 141.0

SDST at MD 04:30 PM

MD -9.0

PITT at WIS 06:50 PM

WIS +1.5

U 131.5

**StarDust Bum** · 03-18-2016, 07:34 PM

Evening Plays:

PITT at WIS 06:50 PM

WIS +1.5

U 131.5

GB at TAM 07:20 PM

TAM -13.0

HC at ORE 07:27 PM

ORE -22.0

WEB at XAV 09:20 PM

XAV -13.0

VT at BYU 09:30 PM

VT +8.0

MICH at ND 09:40 PM

ND -2.5

U 144.0

UNI at TEX 09:50 PM

UNI +4.0

CIN at JOES 09:57 PM

JOES +3.0

**StarDust Bum** · 03-18-2016, 07:50 PM

SFA at WVU 07:10 PM

SFA +6.5

**StarDust Bum** · 03-19-2016, 01:53 AM

Saturday's Top Action
March 18, 2016

BUTLER BULLDOGS (22-10) vs. VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (27-7)

PNC Arena - Raleigh, NC
Tip-off: Saturday, 7:10 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Virginia -7, Total: 131

Perennial Cinderella #9 Butler will be looking for a monumental upset over #1 Virginia when the teams meet in the second round on Saturday.

Butler faced a tough Texas Tech team in the first round of the tournament, but the Bulldogs were up for the challenge. The team came away with a 71-61 victory as a four-point favorite and now will be hoping to upset a Virginia team that has been one of college basketball’s best teams all season long.

The Cavaliers are fresh off of an 81-45 first round victory over Hampton. While they will be breathing a bit easier after not being the first #1 seed to lose to a #16, they can’t get too comfortable. They know that Butler is up for the challenge in this game and have to focus their energy on this one. This will, however, be the first ever meeting between these two teams, so there is no history to draw upon when looking into this game.

With the win over Texas Tech, Butler improved to 4-2 SU and 3-3 ATS when playing a neutral site game this season. The Bulldogs are also 12-1 SU and 8-5 ATS when facing a non-conference opponent this season. Virginia, meanwhile, is 7-1 SU in neutral site games and 12-1 SU against non-conference opponents this season.

Butler is coming off of an impressive victory over Texas Tech on Thursday and G Kellen Dunham (16.3 PPG) really came up huge for his team in that one. Dunham poured in 23 points in the game and also had two steals on the defensive end. He was an absurd 8-for-15 from the floor and 5-for-9 from the outside in that game. He is now 10-for-15 from three over the past two contests and will be hoping to stay hot against Virginia on Saturday.

While Dunham is the guy that does most of the scoring for this team, F Roosevelt Jones (14.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.5 SPG) is the glue that holds it together. Jones stuffs the stat sheet and knows how to help his teams win games. He has, however, really struggled to get it going lately and is just 2-for-17 from the field over the past two contests. Butler will need him to be more efficient on Saturday or it will likely have no chance to pull off this upset.

F Kelan Martin (16.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG) is another guy that will be counted on to produce offensively for the Bulldogs. He was solid in the opening round, finishing with 11 points and seven boards on 4-for-9 shooting from the floor and 2-for-4 shooting from the outside. He has a great combination of size and skill and Butler will need him to step it up against this talented Virginia team.

Virginia is one of the toughest teams to beat in the country and that is because of its impenetrable defense. The Cavaliers are known for their ability to frustrate their opponents, allowing just 59.7 PPG (2nd in NCAA). They’ll be hoping to keep playing stifling defense against a Butler team that shot very well in its first round victory.

As is always the case for Virginia, G Malcolm Brogdon (18.7 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.8 APG) is going to need to show up offensively. Brogdon was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year this season, but he is also one of the best scorers in the conference. He is a very good shooter from all over the floor, hitting 46.8% of his shots from the field and 40.9% of his threes coming into this one. Brogdon is also a very big guard and is capable of using his size and strength to get to the basket.

G London Perrantes (11.0 PPG, 4.4 APG, 3.0 RPG, 1.1 SPG) is also going to need to come through for Virginia in this one. Perrantes is a very good defender at the point guard position and he is also a 48.1% shooter from the outside. He rarely misses threes when spotting up and will need to take some pressure off of Brogdon by knocking a few down on Saturday.

C Anthony Gill (13.3 PPG, 6.1 RPG) is the x-factor for the Cavaliers in this one, though. Gill will be the biggest player on the floor in this game and he needs to control the paint on both ends of the floor. He had 19 points, seven boards, four assists and two steals in the tournament opener against Hampton.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-19-2016, 01:56 AM

Saturday's Early Tips
March 18, 2016

The 2016 NCAA Tournament’s second round kicks things off this Saturday afternoon with a pair of intriguing matchups in both the South and West Region. The No. 11 Wichita Shockers get things started in the South against the No. 3 Miami Hurricanes in a 12:10 p.m. (ET) at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence followed by a matchup between No. 12 Yale and No. 4 Duke in the West at this same venue.

South Region

No. 11 Wichita State Shockers vs. No. 3 Miami Hurricanes (CBS, 12:10 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Wichita State -2, 130

Betting Matchup

The Shockers lived up to their recent reputation as a team to watch in this tournament with a pair of victories so far. In a play-in game against Vanderbilt this past Tuesday, they hammered the Commodores 70-50 as four-point favorites. Wichita State advanced to this round with Thursday’s 65-55 victory against No.6 Arizona in a game that closed as a PICK. The total stayed UNDER in both of these contests and it has stayed UNDER in its last four games.

Defense was the driving force behind the win against the Wildcats with Wichita State holding Arizona to shooting 41.7 percent from the field and 6-for-18 from three-point range. Senior guard’s Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet combined for 39 points, nine rebounds and seven assists to help pace the win. These two have been getting it done all season long for a Shockers’ team that is averaging 73.2 points per game while ranking first in the nation in points allowed (59.3).

Miami started its tournament run as the No. 3 seed in the South with a tighter than expected 79-72 victory over No. 14 Buffalo as a 14-point favorite. The Hurricanes have now failed to cover in their last four games while going 2-2 straight-up. The total went OVER 148 in Thursday’s win and it has now gone OVER in their last three games. Coming into this game as an underdog, Miami is 2-3 against the spread when getting points this season.

To keep this run alive against a very tough opponent, the Hurricanes will need a big game from the backcourt combination of seniors’ Angel Rodriguez and Sheldon McClellan. These two combined for 44 points against Buffalo to go along with 12 rebounds and six assists. Miami is averaging 75.6 PPG, but this was just the second time it exceeded this number in its last 12 games. Defensively, the Hurricanes are holding opponents to 66.8 PPG.

Betting Trends

-- The Shockers are now 9-3 ATS in their last 12 NCAA Tournament games, but they fall to 3-10 ATS in their last 13 neutral-site games. The total has stayed UNDER in six of their last eight games outside their conference.

-- The Hurricanes are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 nonconference games, but they have failed to cover in five of their last six Saturday games. The total has gone OVER in nine of their last 10 games in this tournament.

-- This will be the first meeting between these two teams in recent memory.

Championship Odds according to Sportsbook.ag

-- Miami 30/1

-- Wichita State 35/1

South Region Odds according to Sportsbook.ag

-- Miami 15/2

-- Wichita State 12/1

West Region

No. 12 Yale Bulldogs vs. No. 4 Duke Blue Devils (CBS, 2:40 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Duke -6, 146

Betting Matchup

Yale did some damage to quite a few brackets in another one of those famous 12-5 upsets with its 79-75 victory over Baylor this past Thursday as a 5 ½-point underdog. The Bulldogs have just one SU loss in their last 19 games and they have been a solid betting team since late January with a 10-3-1 record ATS in their last 14 contests. The total went OVER 136 ½-points against the Bears and it has gone OVER in four of their last six games.

Much has been made in the press over Yale’s ability to outrebound Baylor 36-32, but the highlight of this upset was sophomore guard Makai Mason going off with a game-high 31 points. He is the Bulldogs’ leading scorer this season with 16.3 PPG, but this lineup also boasts a pair of solid scorers in senior forward’s Justin Sears (15.9 PPG) and Brandon Sherrod (12.4 PPG). Yale is averaging 75.2 points while allowing an average of 63.1 points on defense.

The Blue Devils bowed-out of this season’s ACC Tournament with an 84-79 loss to Notre Dame as two-point favorites and they found themselves down by three as 10-point favorites in Thursday’s 93-85 victory against the No. 13 UNC Wilmington Seahawks. After failing to cover in that game, Duke is now 0-6 ATS in its last six outings. The total went OVER 154 points in Thursday’s win and it has gone OVER in its last three contests after staying UNDER in 10 of its previous 11 games.

Duke fans can thank senior center Marshall Plumlee and sophomore guard Grayson Allen for setting-up this Saturday’s matchup after each put-up 23 points against the Seahawks. Freshman guard Brandon Ingram also came up big in his first NCAA Tournament game with 20 points, nine rebounds and three assists. The Blue Devils are ranked 17th in the nation in scoring with 81.5 PPG and at the other end of the court they are holding opponents to 72.1 points.

Betting Trends

--The Bulldogs are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 neutral-site games and they are 8-3-2 ATS in their last 13 games outside their conference. The total has stayed UNDER in seven of their last 10 games played at a neutral site.

--The Blue Devils have covered in six of their last seven NCAA Tournament games, but they have now failed to cover in their last seven games at a neutral site. The total has stayed UNDER in eight of their last 11 games against an Ivy League team.

--These two faced one another in the regular season with Duke covering as a 14 ½-point home favorite in an 80-61 victory on Nov. 25. The total stayed UNDER the closing 149-point line.

Championship Odds according to Sportsbook.ag

-- Duke 30/1

-- Yale 300/1

West Region Odds according to Sportsbook.ag

-- Duke 6/1

-- Yale 65/1

**StarDust Bum** · 03-19-2016, 01:59 AM

Saturday's Evening Tips
March 18, 2016

East Region – Raleigh – PNC Arena
#5 Indiana vs. #4 Kentucky (-3, 155) – 5:15 PM EST – CBS

These two rivals haven’t met since 2012 as the Hoosiers and Wildcats are each coming off blowout wins in their tournament openers. Indiana (26-7 SU, 18-15 ATS) routed public underdog Chattanooga on Thursday, 99-74 to easily cash as 11-point favorites, while improving to 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS the last seven games. Tom Crean’s club won its first NCAA tournament since 2013, when the Hoosiers reached the Sweet 16 before bowing out to Syracuse. Indiana put together a 3-2 ATS record as an underdog this season, including outright victories over Michigan, Iowa, and Notre Dame.

Kentucky (27-8 SU, 19-16 ATS) came within one victory of reaching the National Championship game last season, as the Wildcats had no issues in their tournament opener against Stony Brook in an 85-57 stomping of the Sea Wolves. John Calipari’s squad covered as 13 ½-point favorites marking the sixth consecutive game that UK picked up an ATS win. The Wildcats posted a 1-4 ATS record in last season’s Big Dance, while going 5-5-1 ATS as a single-digit favorite in the tournament since 2011.

The last time the Wildcats and Hoosiers hooked up four years ago, Kentucky ousted Indiana in the Sweet 16 in a 102-90 triumph. The Wildcats have won four of the past five matchups with the only loss coming at the buzzer in Bloomington in December 2011 as a 5 ½-point favorite, 73-72. Kentucky is currently listed at 10/1 odds to win the National Championship at Sportsbook.ag, while Indiana sits at 30/1.

Midwest Region – Denver – Pepsi Center
#12 Arkansas-Little Rock vs. #4 Iowa State (-6 ½, 145) – 6:10 PM EST

One of the two #12 seeds to pull off an upset on Thursday was the Sun Belt champions, Arkansas-Little Rock (30-4 SU, 20-10 ATS), who erased a 14-point deficit in the final five minutes of regulation to stun Purdue in double-overtime, 85-83. The Trojans cashed as 8 ½-point underdogs in their first ‘dog opportunity since a 68-64 win at Louisiana in mid-February as 3 ½-point ‘dogs. UALR became the second straight Sun Belt team to an opening round game after Georgia State knocked off another Big 12 foe last season in a one-point upset of Baylor.

Iowa State (22-11 SU, 16-13-1 ATS) avoided another early exit in the tournament by taking care of Iona in Thursday’s first round matchup, 94-81 as seven-point favorites. The Cyclones overcame a pair of late season losses to Kansas and Oklahoma to advance to the round of 32 for the first time since 2014, when ISU eventually got knocked out in the Sweet 16. ISU busted the 90-point mark for the seventh time this season in Thursday’s victory, while cashing the ‘over’ in seven of the past 10 games overall.

The Cyclones are looking for consecutive covers in the favorite role for the first time in nearly two months, while posting an 8-4 ATS record in their last 12 games when laying points. UALR opened the tournament at 100/1 just to win the Midwest Region, as that number has dropped to 75/1 after the upset of Purdue. The Trojans sit at 300/1 odds to win the National Championship at Sportsbook.ag, while the Cyclones are listed as 40/1 to capture the title.

Midwest Region – Raleigh – PNC Arena
#9 Butler vs. #1 Virginia (-7, 131 ½) – 7:10 PM EST – TBS

One of three top seeds to take the court in the evening in the round of 32 is Virginia (27-7 SU, 18-14 ATS), who pulled away after a slow start to rout Hampton, 81-45 as 23-point favorites. The Cavaliers improved to 10-2 ATS in the last 12 contests, including nine straight covers in the favorite role. Tony Bennett’s club continues to play terrific defense, finishing ‘under’ the total for the 12th time in the past 14 games, while holding eight of those opponents to 53 points or less.

Butler (22-10 SU, 17-14-1 ATS) isn’t afraid of the March spotlight after making the championship game in 2010 and 2011. The Bulldogs look for another run to the Final Four as they cruised past Texas Tech to reach the round of 32 in a 71-61 victory as 3 ½-point favorites. Butler rebounded from a poor showing in the Big East tournament against Providence to pick up its eighth win in the last 11 games. From an ATS perspective, the Bulldogs own a spectacular 9-2 ATS record in this hot stretch, while covering in both opportunities as an underdog.

Since the start of its miraculous run to the 2010 championship game, Butler has compiled a 14-2-1 ATS record in its last 17 tournament games, including a 9-1-1 ATS mark in the underdog role. Virginia has covered just three times in seven tournament contests under Bennett dating back to 2012, including a 2-3 ATS mark in the favorite role. The Cavaliers are currently listed at 9/1 odds to win the title behind Kansas (9/2) and North Carolina (6/1)

Announcement

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

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