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

[StarDust Bum]

Yesterday's Results: 6 - 6
Madness Record: 52 - 29 - 2
March CBB Record: 160 - 109 - 5

MONDAY, MARCH 21

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


DUQ at MORE 07:00 PM

MORE -5.5

U 156.5


GW at MONM 07:00 PM

GW +2.0

U 153.5


UNCG at OHIO 07:00 PM

OHIO -8.5

O 155.5


BU at NJIT 07:30 PM

NJIT -4.5

O 149.5


GT at SCAR 09:00 PM

GT +4.0

O 146.5


EWU at NEV 10:00 PM

EWU +5.0

O 159.0


UVM at SEA 10:00 PM

SEA +4.5

O 138.0


WASH at SDSU 11:30 PM

WASH +5.5

U 149.0

[StarDust Bum]

March Madness handle jumps
March 21, 2016

The first March Madness weekend in Las Vegas is always the busiest four-day stretch the sports books will see all season, but the 2016 version took things up a few notches that surprised even the most veteran bookmakers across the city.

"It was unbelievably busy,"said MGM Resorts sports book hub manager Jeff Stoneback.

"Every year you think it can't be any busier, but it was a sight I've never seen in my 30 years in the business. The crowds were incredible, and our action reflected the growth with ticket counts being up 30 percent on Wednesday before the tournament and then up 20 percent over the same Thursday through Sunday last year. We had lines backed up all the way past California Pizza Kitchen (inside Mirage) at 9 am with only one game starting within the hour on Saturday."

The busy Saturday morning was a continuation from what happened Friday night, when bettors did extremely well on the late results with Notre Dame covering -3 against Michigan and Northern Iowa winning outright as a 4.5-point underdog against Texas.

"We ran out of money Friday," said Stoneback regarding the non-stop payouts. "We had to get two cash fills from the cage, so when Saturday morning came around, bettors were really gung ho about the upcoming games."

The most surprising thing thing about the MGM books having so much additional action is that they didn't offer in-progress wagering or phone wagering like many of the other books in town, who also said handle was way up.

"Handle way up, win down," said William Hill's bookmaking director Nick Bogdanovich. "The first day was good, but the other three were a battle."

It was the same story at Station Casinos 19 books across the city.

"Handle was up slightly, but win was definitely down," said Station Casinos sports book director Jason McCormick.

"Thursday was great, but Friday evening was a nightmare erasing more than what was gained from the afternoon profits. Saturday was a nothing day and Sunday was decent just because of St. Joseph's covering."

St. Joseph's was getting +6.5 against No. 1 seed Oregon and managed to cover in a 69-64 loss. The reason it was such a massive decision for the books around town was just because it was the final game posted of the weekend and live parlays from the other 15 Saturday and Sunday games were all waiting to be posted with a result. An Oregon cover would have been a crushing blow, and bettors and books alike had a major nail-biting session throughout the second-half of that one.

"We won the big games during the day, but lost all the late decisions each night, until Wisconsin and St. Joe's covered on Sunday night," said CG Technology VP of risk management Jason Simbal.

The final tally against the spread over the four days had the favorites going 25-23 with 11 underdogs winning outright and the OVER going 26-19-1. Those are ideal numbers for the books to do well, which they did, just not as large as they would have liked and a little less than last year.

Michigan State Madness

Those who had the idea a No. 15 seed could knock off one of the most popular teams of the tournament were rewarded when Middle Tennessee beat Michigan State outright as an 18-point underdog, which paid out 20-to-1 on on the money-line (Bet $100 to win $2,000).

William Hill books had 84% of the point spread tickets and 81% of the total point-spread dollars wagered on the game taking Michigan State. William Hill was also offering the prop 'WILL A 15 SEED WIN A GAME?' with YES at +240 and NO at -280.

“Great game for the house. This is why the tournament is so great. We never know what to expect," said Bogdanovich.

The Spartans were also the most wagered team in odds to win the Tournament. Scratch that, they're still the most wagered team at a few books.

"Even after being eliminated on Friday, as of Monday morning after two full days of busy crowds and way more volume on futures, we still have more tickets written on Michigan State than anyone else," Stoneback said.

"Right now our biggest risk is on Syracuse (30/1) and then Gonzaga (30/1)."

Those two will meet Friday in the Sweet 16 with Gonzaga a 4-point favorite.

The four days of action that begins on Thursday won't be nearly as busy for the books as last weekend and will give all the ticket writers, bookmakers and directors a chance to take a deep breath.

A big round of applause for each and every one of the sports book crews around town that put on perhaps the best weekend of Madness Las Vegas has ever seen.

[StarDust Bum]

Sweet 16 Primer
March 21, 2016

Sweet 16 Brackets

Six ACC teams and all four No. 1 seeds are still alive in the 2016 NCAA Tournament that saw its field reduced to 16 during Sunday’s thrilling set of games.

Notre Dame is one of the ACC schools that still has a pulse thanks to a 76-75 win over Stephen F. Austin in a helluva Round of 32 slugfest at Barclays Arena in Brooklyn. The Lumberjacks covered the spread as 1.5-point underdogs, while the 151 combined points zipped ‘over’ the 139.5-point total.

Rex Pflueger’s amazing tip-in of a Zach Auguste miss with 1.5 seconds remaining lifted the Fighting Irish to a second straight Sweet 16 appearance. The bucket was Pflueger’s only one of the game, an epic affair that never saw more than a seven-point separation that the Fighting Irish enjoyed midway through the second half.

Demetrius Jackson and Auguste were the catalysts for Mike Brey’s team. Jackson finished with 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field. He drained 2-of-3 attempts from downtown, including a trey with less than one second remaining in the first half to send the Irish to the locker room with a one-point cushion. Jackson’s 3-ball allowed Notre Dame to either push (-1) or cover (pick ‘em, -120 or -125 price) for its backers on first-half bets.

Auguste finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds, making 8-of-9 shots from the field. V.J. Beachem scored 15 points and seven rebounds.

Notre Dame, a No. 6 seed, will face seventh-seeded Wisconsin on Friday at 7:25 p.m. Eastern in Philadelphia. One book had the Irish favored by 1.5 points early this morning.

Stephen F. Austin had won 21 in a row after bouncing third-seeded West Va. from the Tournament as a seven-point underdog Friday night. Senior Thomas Walkup saw his collegiate career end in gut-wrenching fashion, but he went out on his sword. He played terrific in his final game, producing 21 points, five rebounds and five assists without committing a turnover.

Wisconsin advanced by edging Xavier on Bronson Koenig’s buzzer beater from the corner while fading out of bounds. The Badgers trailed by nine with 6:19 remaining, but a trey by Koenig knotted the score at 63-63 with 11.7 seconds left. After Zak Showalter drew a charge with 4.7 seconds left, UW inbounded to halfcourt before calling its last timeout to set up a play that led to Koenig’s game winner.

Wisconsin is in the region semifinals for the fifth time in six years. The Badgers are here despite starting the season with a 9-9 record and despite losing legendary head coach Bo Ryan to retirement before Christmas.

The late game in Philly will pit No. 1 seed North Carolina against fifth-seeded Indiana. The Tar Heels have been installed as six-point ‘chalk’ with a total of 160.

IU bounced Kentucky from the Tournament on Saturday night in Des Moines. Meanwhile, North Carolina overcame a four-point halftime deficit to pull away and even cover as a double-digit favorite vs. Providence.

Jay Wright has his Villanova (31-5 SU, 17-17-1 ATS) program back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2009 after it destroyed Iowa 87-68 in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicated. The Wildcats easily hooked up their backers as six-point favorites.

Senior guard Ryan Arcidiacono led the way with 16 points and four assists without a turnover. Josh Hart scored a team-high 19 points, while Kris Jenkins finished with 15 points, two steals and six assists without a turnover.

Villanova will take on Miami on Thursday night in Louisville, Ky. The Westgate opened Villanova as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 142.5 points. The Hurricanes, who beat Wichita St. as two-point underdogs Saturday, are +180 on the money line (risk $100 to win $180).

The other South Region semifinal matchup features No. 1 seed Kansas against fifth-seeded Maryland. One book had the Jayhawks installed as seven-point favorites early this morning.

KU took the cash in Saturday’s 73-61 win over UConn as an eight-point favorite. Meanwhile, the Terrapins put away a pesky Hawaii squad with a 14-0 run midway through the second half of a 73-60 win in Spokane, WA. They covered the number as 7.5-point favorites, while the 133 combined points dipped ‘under’ the 144-point tally.

Melo Trimble paced the winners with 24 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Diamond Stone and Rasheed Sulaimon finished with 14 points apiece.

The SEC still has life – somehow. Northern Iowa blew a 12-point lead with 35 seconds remaining in a collapse of unfathomable proportions. Texas A&M took advantage and won a 92-88 decision in double overtime.

Forty-eight hours after beating Texas on a buzzer beater off the glass from halfcourt by senior Paul Jesperson, the Panthers committed four turnovers in 33 seconds and allowed the Aggies to make six straight shots to end regulation. Nevertheless, NIU still took the money as a seven-point underdog.

Alex Caruso led the winners with 25 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Danuel House finished with 22 points and eight boards. NIU’s Jeremy Morgan was sensational in heartbreaking defeat, producing 36 points, 12 boards, three steals, two assists and a pair of blocked shots.

Billy Kennedy’s squad will take on Oklahoma in Anaheim on Thursday night in the West Region semifinals. One betting shop had the Sooners favored by two early this morning.

OU slipped past VCU by an 85-81 count in what equated to a home game on Oklahoma City. The Rams trailed by 13 at halftime, but they stormed back and into the lead with 9:55 remaining thanks to back-to-back 3-pointers from Michael Gilmore.

Buddy Hield’s 3-ball with 6:37 left gave the Sooners the lead back for good, though. The senior All-American erupted for 29 of his game-high 36 points in the second half. VCU’s Melvin Johnson and JeQuan Lewis scored 23 and 22 points, respectively.

Form held in the West Region, leaving us with a semifinal showdown between No. 1 seed Oregon and fourth-seeded Duke. The Blue Devils nearly blew a 27-point second-half lead Saturday against Yale. The Bulldogs trimmed the deficit to three, but Duke pulled away in the final minute for a 71-64 triumph as a six-point favorite.

Oregon beat St. Joseph’s 69-64 thanks to an 11-4 run in the final two minutes, but the Hawks covered the spread as seven-point underdogs. Dillon Brooks led the way with a game-high 25 points.

In the Midwest Region, a double-digit seed with play in the Elite Eight at United Center in Chicago this weekend. That’s because No. 10 seed Syracuse and No. 11 seed Gonzaga will collide in one semifinal matchup.

Both schools were on the bubble two weeks ago. Jim Boeheim’s team advanced by smashing Middle Tennessee 75-50 Sunday as a six-point ‘chalk.’ Gonzaga drilled third-seeded Utah 82-59 on Saturday night, two days after dropping Seton Hall by a 68-52 score.

As of early this morning, most books had Gonzaga favored by 4.5 points with a total of 135.

Virginia and Iowa State will face each other in Friday’s early game from the Windy City. The Cavaliers are favored by 5.5 with a total of 141 points.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- Bettors backing Northern Iowa on the money line for a +250 return obviously sustained all-timer of a bad beat. However, those on the Panthers plus seven might’ve taken the worst beat (EVER!) if not for inept free-throw shooting from Texas A&M in the second extra session.

-- St. Joseph’s finished its season with an incredible 10-1-1 spread record in 12 games as an underdog. The Hawks won nine of those games outright, but they were unable to do so against the Ducks.

-- Texas A&M is in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2007.

-- Florida advanced to the NIT quarterfinals by winning 74-66 at Ohio St. as a 1.5-point favorite Sunday afternoon in Columbus. The Gators will play on the road Wednesday against the winner of Monday’s winner of George Washington at Monmouth. Dorian Finney-Smith had 16 points and 12 rebounds against the Buckeyes. Kasey Hill had 15 points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals.

-- The collegiate careers of Charles Mann and Kenny Gaines came to an end Sunday night in Georgia’s 77-65 loss at Saint Mary’s as a seven-point underdog. UGA did cover second half bets (pick ‘em) after trailing by 13 at intermission. Yante Maten made 14-of-17 field goals in the Bulldogs’ opening-round home win over Belmont. But against the Gaels, he couldn’t throw it in the ocean, missing 16 of his 22 shots from the field. Mann and Gaines finished with 13 and 11 points, respectively. I offer both a hat tip to excellent careers in which they helped me to many winners along with J.J. Frazier, who is a junior and will return for Mark Fox’s program next season. Frazier had 13 points, seven assists and five boards against the Gaels, but he was only 5-of-15 from the field.

[StarDust Bum]

At 12-1, ACC has record 6 teams in S16
March 21, 2016

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Atlantic Coast Conference teams aren't taking anyone lightly in the NCAA Tournament because of their status as Power 5 schools.

Maybe that's why they're rolling along with a record number of teams in the Sweet 16.

The ACC went 12-1 in the tournament's opening weekend and put an NCAA-record six teams in the regional semifinals: No. 1 seeds North Carolina and Virginia, No. 3 seed Miami, No. 4 seed Duke, No. 6 seed Notre Dame and No. 10 seed Syracuse.

The six Sweet 16 teams broke the previous record of five set by the Big East in 2009 and matched by the ACC last year, according to STATS. Tenth-seeded Pittsburgh's first-round loss to 7-seed Wisconsin is the only ACC loss.

It comes in a year when the league tied its own record with seven NCAA bids on Selection Sunday despite the fact that another likely high seed - Louisville - ended up sitting out due to a self-imposed postseason ban amid an NCAA investigation.

''With the year this year, it's playing out to be the best league,'' Fighting Irish coach Mike Brey said Sunday after his team ousted 14-seed Stephen F. Austin on a last-second tip-in.

''Remember, I came from that league called the Big East where we were by far the best league and had this kind of depth and number of NCAA Tournament-caliber teams,'' Brey said. ''It's unbelievable and further validates how hard our league was and how proud I was that we were 11-7 and the 4-seed (in the ACC Tournament). We'll take that.''

Granted, the ACC hasn't pulled any major upsets or surprises in any games. None of the 12 wins have come against a team seeded better than No. 7 - that was Syracuse's first-round win against Dayton on Friday in the Midwest Region - and nine have come against seeds 11 or lower.

Then again, the parity in college basketball has made getting what was once that automatic hasn't been easy.

The Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12 all matched the ACC's seven tournament bids. But in an upset-filled opening weekend, the ACC nearly matched those leagues' combined total (seven) of Sweet 16 teams.

The Big 12 - pegged by many as the nation's best this year - still has No. 1 seed Kansas, No. 2 seed Oklahoma and No. 4 seed Iowa State but lost No. 3 seed West Virginia in the first round and is 6-4 in the NCAAs.

The Pac-12 lost six teams, including No. 3 seed Utah, to leave only 1-seed Oregon and a 3-6 record. And while the Big Ten got three mid-range seeds into the Sweet 16 and went 8-4, the league took the biggest hit so far with title contender and No. 2 seed Michigan State falling to 15-seed Middle Tennessee to torch bracket-pool picks everywhere.

Throw in the Southeastern Conference, which managed a meager three bids and one Sweet 16 team, and those four leagues combined for 10 losses to teams with double-digit seeds.

Some of those defeats eased the path for the ACC, with Miami, Duke, Notre Dame and Syracuse all advancing to the Sweet 16 by beating the lower-seeded teams that had upset their power-conference brethren.

Meanwhile, preseason No. 1-ranked North Carolina and Virginia both pushed past ninth-seeded Big East teams in their second-round games Saturday night in Raleigh. The Cavaliers beat Butler, while the Tar Heels wore down foul-plagued Providence in front of a home-state crowd.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, whose team beat Middle Tennessee on Sunday to advance, said it's difficult to measure conference strength during the regular season as league teams beat up on each other.

But March, he said, offers ''a good measuring stick.''

''You can't go just by the NCAA Tournament but I think you have to go a little bit by what conferences do in the tournament,'' Boeheim said. ''That's the only thing we have to judge on."

[StarDust Bum]

Opening odds and early betting action on NCAA Sweet 16 matchups

“We've booked more action on North Carolina to win it all than any other team. Bettors have also been backing them each round and the Sweet 16 is no different,” says Bookmaker.eu.

After an opening weekend filled with upset stunners and heartbreaking losses, the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16 is set. And for such a thrilling four days of “Big Dance” action, the remaining eight matchups are void of a true Cinderella team.

The biggest seeds left standing face off in a No. 10 versus No. 11 showdown, when the Syracuse Orange take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the Midwest Regional semifinals. But while these teams are double-digit draws this year, it’s tough to call two power programs, like Syracuse and Gonzaga, true Cinderellas.

Oddsmakers opened with the No. 11 Bulldogs as low as 4-point favorites in Chicago Friday, with that number quickly being bet up to -4.5. In Las Vegas, sportsbook operator CG Technology opened the Zags as 5-point chalk.

According to online book CarbonGaming.ag, which opened Gonzaga -4.5, they’ve seen early money on the underdog.

“The Orange are getting 54 percent of the early action,” says Michael Stewart of CarbonGaming.ag, following Syracuse’s dominant 25-point win against Middle Tennessee State.

Outside of that meeting between double-digit seeds, the tournament has trickled down as many expected – for the most part.

No. 7 Wisconsin shocked No. 2 Xavier with a last-second shot Sunday, setting up the Badgers with No. 6 Notre Dame in the Sweet 16. Oddsmakers opened this game a pick’em and early money sided with the Fighting Irish, moving this spread to -1.5. Notre Dame avoided an upset of its own with a 76-75 victory over Stephen F. Austin in the Round of 32.

No. 2 Villanova Wildcats vs. No. 3 Miami Hurricanes - Open: +4, Move: +5, +4.5

The bottom half of the South Regional has the No. 2 Wildcats facing the No. 3 Hurricanes. Oddsmakers opened Villanova as low as -4 and watched action bet the line up as high as -5 before buyback on Miami, trimmed a half a point from that spread.

“We initially took Nova money from a lot of the public and one player we respect. We moved the spread to +5 but then quickly got action from some smart bettors so we moved back to the opener of -4.5,” John Lester, line manager for Bookmaker.eu says. “It will be interesting to see where this goes but there haven't been a lot of Hurricanes backers in the tournament thus far.”

Villanova has rolled through its first two tournament opponents, crushing UNC-Asheville and Iowa to advance to the Sweet 16. Miami, on the other hand, was challenged by Buffalo in the opening round but looked sound against Wichita State in the Round of 32.

No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels vs. No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers – Open: +4.5, Move: +6

Online books opened North Carolina as low as -4.5 versus Indiana, but according to CG Technology some of their oddsmakers wanted the spread even lower for this East Regional semifinal Friday.

“Indiana versus UNC is, in my opinion, the most intriguing matchup and it was a tricky one to make a line for,” Jason Simbal, vice president of risk management for CG Technology, tells Covers. “Our team ranged from 3.5 to 6 and we went with the higher end based on the expectation of a lot of public bets on the Tar Heels coming Saturday.”

The move to six has been pushed by public money, says Bookmaker.eu. Wiseguys have yet to have an opinion on this name-brand Sweet 16 showdown. North Carolina has been one of the biggest public draws of the NCAA tournament, for games and outright winner futures as well.

“We've booked more action on North Carolina to win it all than any other team. Bettors have also been backing them each round and the Sweet 16 is no different,” says Lester. “We opened Tar Heels -4.5 and have moved to -6 currently. It's mostly public money at this point but if the sharps get involved on that side, we'll really need a Hoosiers cover.”

No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers vs. No. 4 Iowa State Cyclones – Open: +6, Move: +5

The No. 1 Cavaliers opened as 6-point favorites for their meeting with the No. 4 Cyclones in Chicago Thursday, and according to CG Technology early money is siding with the underdog. Simbal says the second most money wagered for the Sweet 16 is on Iowa State, trimming a half a point from their opener.

Online books, like CarbonGaming.ag, are down to Virginia -5 with 60 percent of the early money grabbing the points with the underdog.

The Cyclones breezed past Iona in the Round of 64 and rolled Arkansas-Little Rock in the Round of 32, scoring a total of 172 points in those contests. Iowa State ranks 14th in the nation in scoring, averaging 82.1 points per game, and now faces a methodical Virginia program that thrives on defense and extending possessions.

The Cavaliers play the slowest tempo in the country, according to KenPom.com, leaving books to set Thursday's total at 141 points – the lowest number for an Iowa State game all season. According to Stewart, early total bettors are expecting Virginia to dictate the pace, with 92 percent of the early handle siding with the Under.

Remaining NCAA Sweet 16 odds:

No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies vs. No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners (-2, 145)
No. 5 Maryland Terrapins vs. No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks (-7, 147)
No. 4 Duke Blue Devils vs. No. 1 Oregon Ducks (-2.5, 156)

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Dunkel

Tuesday, March 22

St. Mary's @ Valparaiso

Game 659-660
March 22, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St. Mary's
61.279
Valparaiso
67.907
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Valparaiso
by 6 1/2
127
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Valparaiso
by 4 1/2
132
Dunkel Pick:
Valparaiso
(-4 1/2); Under

Creighton @ Brigham Young

Game 661-662
March 22, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Creighton
65.610
Brigham Young
72.777
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Brigham Young
by 7
171
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Brigham Young
by 4 1/2
165
Dunkel Pick:
Brigham Young
(-4 1/2); Over




NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, March 22

NIT
St Mary's won 10 of last 11 games, losing to Gonzaga in WCC finals in Las Vegas; Gaels won last four true road games- this is their first away game in 24 days. St Mary's is #331 experience team with lot of kids from Australia- probably not as disappointed to not be in NCAAs. Valpo is #31 in experience; they've won 13 of last 15 games. Horizon is 2-1 vs WCC this year; all three games were decided by 6 or less points.

BYU won eight of last ten games, with both losses to Gonzaga; they've scored 87.5 ppg in winning first two NIT games, by 18-3. Cougars are making 38.5% on arc (#24)- they start two seniors. Creighton lost three true road games in row by 13-4-5 points; they're 3-5 in last eight games overall. Bluejays went 0-3 in non-conference road games, losing by 21-3-13 points at Indiana-Loyola Chi-Oklahoma. This should be a fast game, as in lot of up-and-down play.




NCAAB

Tuesday, March 22

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
ST. MARY'S vs. VALPARAISO
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of St. Mary's last 8 games on the road
St. Mary's is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Valparaiso is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games at home
Valparaiso is 23-2 SU in its last 25 games at home

9:00 PM
CREIGHTON vs. BYU
Creighton is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Creighton is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
BYU is 1-3-2 ATS in its last 6 games
BYU is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Tuesday, March 22

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ST MARYS-CA (29 - 5) at VALPARAISO (28 - 6) - 3/22/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ST MARYS-CA is 11-24 ATS (-15.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.
ST MARYS-CA is 34-22 ATS (+9.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ST MARYS-CA is 34-22 ATS (+9.8 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
ST MARYS-CA is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
ST MARYS-CA is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in non-conference games this season.

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

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CREIGHTON (20 - 14) at BYU (25 - 10) - 3/22/2016, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BYU is 219-165 ATS (+37.5 Units) as a favorite since 1997.
BYU is 138-104 ATS (+23.6 Units) in all home games since 1997.
BYU is 138-104 ATS (+23.6 Units) in home lined games since 1997.
BYU is 59-39 ATS (+16.1 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1997.
BYU is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 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.

[StarDust Bum]

Yesterday's Results: 4 - 3
Madness Record: 52 - 29 - 2
March Record: 160 - 109 - 2

[StarDust Bum]

TUESDAY, MARCH 22

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


SMC at VALP 07:00 PM

VALP -3.5

U 134.5


CRE at BYU 09:00 PM

BYU -4.5

U 165.5

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack

Odds for six interesting first round matches in Match Play golf today......

Jason Day (-$225) vs Graeme McDowell (+$180)

Rickie Fowler (-$190) vs Jason Dufner (+$155)

Sergio Garcia (-$155) vs Lee Westwood (+$125)

Adam Scott (-$210) vs Thomas Pieters (+$175)

Shane Lowry (-$130) vs Martin Kaymer (even)

Brooks Koepka (-$130) vs Billy Horschel (even)

**********

Armadillo: Wednesday's List of 13: Mid-week musings........

13) I see where coaches Mike Montgomery, Hugh Durham were elected to College Basketball Hall of Fame in Kansas City; congrats to them, but why isn't UNLV's Jerry Tarkanian in that Hall of Fame? He is in Springfield's Basketball Hall of Fame (the real HOF), but for some reason, a Hall of Fame with Gene Keady, Norm Stewart, Lefty Driesell and Lou Carnesecca doesn't have room for Tark the Shark. No bueno.

12) Denzel Washington went to college at Fordham; he played freshman basketball, where his coach was PJ Carlesimo; both went on to bigger and better things.

11) Coaching carousel: Central Florida hires Johnny Dawkins, recently fired by the Stanford Cardinal. Southern Utah hired Todd Simon, former interim coach at UNLV.

10) Cat Barber bolts NC State for the NBA; this is why some teams cannot gain any traction in their leagues. Players skip out early and try to cash in, which obviously is their right, but teams that develop a nucleus of good players who don't have their eyes on NBA are ones that win more consistently-- say a team like Wisconsin or maybe Virginia. Kentucky/Duke are scooping up most of the big-time recruits.

9) Los Angeles Angels were supposed to play an exhibition game in Salt Lake City against their farm team Tuesday, but the game got snowed out. Snow. Yuk.

8) Remember Rik Smits, the Pacers' center? His son is red-shirting at Valparaiso this year and yes he is also 7-1. If he is as good as his dad, Bryce Drew is a lucky guy.

7) When the Chicago Cubs stretched yesterday, they were led by....a mime. I am not kidding, a freakin' mime was on the field, leading their stretching. Joe Maddon is big on breaking up the monotony of a long season. Mimes will do that sort of thing.

6) Spring training statistics are largely useless; Bob Welch won 27 games for the '90 A's, he won the Cy Young. His ERA in spring training that year was over 17.00.

5) Duke-Oregon game will be just third time in last 20 years that Duke is the lower-seeded team in an NCAA tourney game- they lost the other two, to Louisville in a regional final, to Kansas in a regional semi. Over last 30 years, Duke is 7-3 vs spread when getting points in the NCAAs- they're an underdog against Oregon.

4) Bandwagon fever: Royals drew 11,781 fans for an exhibition game last night, during which Royals' TV guy Rex Hudler was defending Chase Utley's slide from playoffs LY, when he broke Ruben Tejada's leg.

They showed Hal McRae breaking up a DP in the 1972 World Series, when he threw a cross-body block on Oakland's Dick Green. Hudler sounded like my dad, when he used to go into his "back in the good ol' days" routine. Classic stuff.

3) Why don't both leagues have the DH, or neither league? How is this possible, that one league does and one does not? And in Japan, it is the same damn thing-- one league has the DH, the other league doesn't. Makes no sense.

2) Roy Williams banks an extra $200K if North Carolina beats Indiana Friday; think he'll spring for extra toppings on players' pizzas if the Tar Heels win? He gets $200K more if the Tar Heels win on Sunday and $250K more if they win national title.

1) Today is an underrated TV day, with 32 first round matches in World Golf Match Play tournament. Plus some exhibition baseball. Better-than-usual daytime TV, which isn't sayng much. The quality of daytime TV most days is putrid.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Dunkel

Wednesday, March 23


Georgia Tech @ San Diego State

Game 777-778
March 23, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Georgia Tech
64.390
San Diego State
71.473
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Diego State
by 7
130
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Diego State
by 4 1/2
135
Dunkel Pick:
San Diego State
(-4 1/2); Under

Florida @ George Washington

Game 775-776
March 23, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Florida
63.181
George Washington
66.627
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
George Washington
by 3 1/2
153
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
George Washington
by 1 1/2
147 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
George Washington
(-1 1/2); Over

Vermont @ Nevada

Game 793-794
March 23, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Vermont
58.615
Nevada
57.590
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Vermont
by 1
152
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Nevada
by 4
145
Dunkel Pick:
Vermont
(+4); Over

Morehead State @ Ohio

Game 791-792
March 23, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Morehead State
53.527
Ohio
59.388
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Ohio
by 6
157
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Ohio
by 3 1/2
152 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Ohio
(-3 1/2); Over

UC Irvine @ UL Lafayette

Game 783-784
March 23, 2016 @ 8:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
UC Irvine
57.140
UL Lafayette
61.757
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
UL Lafayette
by 4 1/2
146
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
UL Lafayette
by 2
153 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
UL Lafayette
(-2); Under

Grand Canyon @ Coastal Carolina

Game 781-782
March 23, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Grand Canyon
52.898
Coastal Carolina
53.753
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Coastal Carolina
by 1
149
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Coastal Carolina
by 4
143
Dunkel Pick:
Grand Canyon
(+4); Over

Ball State @ Columbia

Game 779-780
March 23, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Ball State
55.393
Columbia
60.798
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Columbia
by 5 1/2
133
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Columbia
by 7 1/2
138
Dunkel Pick:
Ball State
(+7 1/2); Under

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Wednesday, March 23

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

FLORIDA (21 - 14) at GEORGE WASHINGTON (25 - 10) - 3/23/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 117-88 ATS (+20.2 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
FLORIDA is 71-44 ATS (+22.6 Units) in all tournament games since 1997.
GEORGE WASHINGTON is 10-20 ATS (-12.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

GEORGIA TECH (21 - 14) at SAN DIEGO ST (27 - 9) - 3/23/2016, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GEORGIA TECH is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
GEORGIA TECH is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) on Wednesday games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

BALL ST (21 - 13) at COLUMBIA (22 - 10) - 3/23/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BALL ST is 35-56 ATS (-26.6 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 since 1997.
BALL ST is 23-42 ATS (-23.2 Units) in March games since 1997.
BALL ST is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) after allowing 80 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBIA is 51-31 ATS (+16.9 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
COLUMBIA is 25-43 ATS (-22.3 Units) in home games after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.

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

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

GRAND CANYON (27 - 6) at COASTAL CAROLINA (20 - 11) - 3/23/2016, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

UC-IRVINE (26 - 9) at LA-LAFAYETTE (19 - 14) - 3/23/2016, 8:15 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UC-IRVINE is 18-36 ATS (-21.6 Units) in road games after scoring 80 points or more since 1997.
UC-IRVINE is 33-18 ATS (+13.2 Units) when playing with 5 or 6 days rest since 1997.

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

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

MOREHEAD ST (21 - 12) at OHIO U (23 - 11) - 3/23/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OHIO U is 136-100 ATS (+26.0 Units) in all home games since 1997.
OHIO U is 136-100 ATS (+26.0 Units) in home lined games since 1997.
OHIO U is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in non-conference games this season.
MOREHEAD ST is 36-23 ATS (+10.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MOREHEAD ST is 36-23 ATS (+10.7 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
MOREHEAD ST is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) when the total is 150 to 159.5 this season.
MOREHEAD ST is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) as an underdog this season.
MOREHEAD ST is 23-9 ATS (+13.1 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points since 1997.
MOREHEAD ST is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
MOREHEAD ST is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
MOREHEAD ST is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MOREHEAD ST is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
MOREHEAD ST is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games this season.

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

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

VERMONT (23 - 13) at NEVADA (21 - 13) - 3/23/2016, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VERMONT is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
VERMONT is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
VERMONT is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

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

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Short Sheet

Wednesday, March 23

Florida at George Washington, 7:00 ET
Florida: 9-20 ATS after 1 or more consecutive wins
George W: 31-15 ATS at home after scoring 75 pts or more 2 straight games

Georgia Tech at San Diego State, 9:00 ET
Georgia Tech: 14-6 ATS when playing only their 2nd game in a week
San Diego St: 0-6 ATS after 2 straight wins by 10 points or more

Ball State at Columbia, 7:00 ET
Ball St: 0-6 ATS after allowing 80 points or more
Columbia: 51-31 ATS in non-conference games

Grand Canyon at Coastal Carolina, 7:00 ET
Grand Canyon: 1-3 ATS in a post-season tournament game
Coastal Carolina: 10-2 ATS off a home win

Cal Irvine at UL Lafayette, 8:15 ET
Cal Irvine: 18-36 ATS in road games after scoring 80 points or more
UL Lafayette: 10-2 ATS after having won 3 of their last 4 games

Morehead State at Ohio, 7:00 ET
Morehead St: 6-0 ATS when the total is 150 to 159.5
Ohio: 0-6 ATS after 3 straight games committing 11 or less turnovers

Vermont at Nevada, 10:00 ET
Vermont: 2-10 ATS after 1 or more consecutive wins
Nevada: 11-2 ATS after a game where they were called for 10 or less fouls
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[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, March 23

NIT

Florida's gym is being re-done; Gators won first two NIT games on the road- they've won four of last five games overall, losing to A&M by 6 in SEC semis. Gators beat St Joe's by 11, Richmond by 20 in two A-14 games. George Washington played four starters 33:00+ on Monday at Monmouth (Florida played Sunday); they beat Tennessee by 3 in only SEC game. A-14 teams are 5-3 vs SEC squads this spring.

San Diego State had 12,400+ fans for its win Monday; Aztecs are 20-3 in last 23 games, 10-1 in last 11 at home (lost to Boise St). Georgia Tech won easy at South Carolina Monday (two guys used more than 25:00); they've won eight of last ten games. Aztecs used only two guys more than 26:00 Monday- they've got #1 eFG% defense in country. Yellow Jackets are 12-3 outside the ACC this season.

CBI

Morehead State won eight of last nine games, scoring 83 ppg in winning first two games in this tourney; only two Eagles played more than 27:00 in their 67-possession win Monday. Ohio beat Tennessee State by 8 in its only OVC game; Bobcats won by 4-5 in first two tourney tilts, both at home. Ohio is an offensive team; Morehead State pressure on defense. Morehead is #72 experienced team; Ohio U is #289.

Vermont stays out west after winning at Seattle Monday; Catamounts are 9-1 in last 10 games, after a 14-12 start- they used five guys 30:00+ in Seattle Monday- they won three of last four true road games. Nevada scored 82 ppg in winning first two tourney games; Wolf Pack used only seven guys Monday; star Coleman returned with 15:00 off bench- three Nevada guys played 34:00+. 6-8 Oliver will be a handful for Vermont.

CIT

Ball State needed OT in both its first two tourney games, beating pair of OVC schools; Cardinals (4-0 in OT this year) were down 11 with 2:27 left Sunday, rallied at home to win/advance here, vs Columbia squad that had bye in this event, beat Norfolk State a week ago to get here, so they are much more rested here. Lions start four seniors; Ball State starts two sophomores and a freshman.

Grand Canyon won eight of last ten games; Antelopes weren't eligible for WAC tourney- they're thrilled just to be playing- they're 2-3 in last five true road games. Coastal Carolina won 12 of last 15 games after 8-8 start; Chanticleers won last four home games since losing to High Point by 68-67 Feb 11. Cosatal is #28 experience team; they start four juniors and senior. Grand Canyon, looking for future, starts three sophs.

Irvine's 7-6 center Ndiaye is probable here; Anteaters won five of last six games, winning last game in OT at North Dakota- they've won last four true road games. UL-Lafayette won four of last five games, winning at Furman to get here; Cajuns scored 88 ppg in first two tournament tilts. Both teams start three seniors; this should be a good game.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB

Wednesday, March 23

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

7:00 PM
MOREHEAD STATE vs. OHIO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Morehead State's last 5 games on the road
Ohio is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Ohio's last 9 games

7:00 PM
FLORIDA vs. GEORGE WASHINGTON
Florida is 7-15 SU in its last 22 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Florida's last 5 games on the road
George Washington is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
George Washington is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games

7:00 PM
BALL STATE vs. COLUMBIA
Ball State is 7-16 SU in its last 23 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ball State's last 5 games on the road
Columbia is 18-5 SU in its last 23 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Columbia's last 6 games

7:00 PM
GRAND CANYON vs. COASTAL CAROLINA
Grand Canyon is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games on the road
No trends available

8:00 PM
UC IRVINE vs. LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE
The total has gone OVER in 4 of UC Irvine's last 6 games on the road
UC Irvine is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Louisiana-Lafayette is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Louisiana-Lafayette's last 7 games

9:00 PM
GEORGIA TECH vs. SAN DIEGO STATE
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 8 of San Diego State's last 11 games
San Diego State is 20-3 SU in its last 23 games

10:00 PM
VERMONT vs. NEVADA
No trends available
Nevada is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Nevada's last 10 games at home