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

[StarDust Bum]

Shockers, 'Dores square off
March 14, 2016

VANDERBILT COMMODORES (19-13) vs. WICHITA STATE SHOCKERS (24-8)

University of Dayton Arena – Dayton, OH
Tip-off: Tuesday, 9:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Wichita State -3.5, Total 135

No. 11 Vanderbilt and No. 11 Wichita State will battle on Tuesday for a chance to play No. 6 Arizona in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Vanderbilt may not have as good of a record as most of the teams in this tournament, but the Commodores have a number of quality wins and are loaded with talent. They do, however, enter this tournament on a two-game losing streak both SU and ATS.

Wichita State, meanwhile, lost 57-52 as a nine-point favorite against Northern Iowa in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament. The loss had the Shockers on the bubble, but this is a team that feels it can still win a national title.

The only time Wichita State and Vanderbilt have ever played was on Mar. 21, 2005. The Commodores won that game 65-63, but they were favored by 7.5 points. One thing that is working in Vanderbilt’s favor is the fact that the team was 8-5 SU and 7-4 ATS when facing non-conference opponents this season.

The Commodores were, however, a lousy 2-7 SU and 3-6 ATS as an underdog on the year. The Shockers, meanwhile, were a miserable 2-4 SU and 1-5 ATS in neutral site games this season.

It’s not all bad for Wichita State, though. The team was an impressive 22-7 SU and 18-11 ATS when playing as a favorite this year. Both teams will be entering this game at close to full strength, so hopefully injuries won’t factor into the outcome.

Vanderbilt stumbled a bit down the stretch this season, but the team ultimately made the tournament because it passes the eye test. If the Commodores are going to get a chance to face Arizona next round then G Wade Baldwin Jr. (14.3 PPG, 5.2 APG, 4.0 RPG, 1.2 SPG) and C Damian Jones (14.2 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.6 BPG) are going to need to play extremely well.

Baldwin Jr. has done an excellent job of running the team recently and comes into this game averaging 8.0 APG over the past two contests. He is very big for a point guard and will need to use his size to his advantage in his matchup with Fred VanVleet. He will have a ton of opportunities to make plays for his teammates if he can attack the basket and use his body to finish or draw over extra defenders.

Jones, meanwhile, should be able to feast in the paint against a Wichita State team that does not have a lot of size. The Commodores will likely feed him often, as the Shockers will need to send extra help his way in this game.

If that’s the case then G Matthew Fisher-Davis (9.9 PPG) could have a field day on Tuesday. He’s a 45.7% shooter from the outside and he’ll make the Shockers pay for leaving him in this game. F Jeff Roberson (9.5 PPG, 5.6 RPG) could have the same effect, as he is a 45.5% shooter from deep.

Wichita State is an experienced team and has had championship aspirations since losing in the tournament a year ago. Back for one last go at it are Gs Fred VanVleet (12.0 PPG, 5.7 APG, 3.1 RPG, 1.6 SPG) and Ron Baker (14.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.5 SPG.

VanVleet is the most important player for this Wichita State team. He missed four games early in the year and the Shockers were only able to win one game without him. They’ll need him to find his touch on Tuesday, though. VanVleet is a miserable 3-for-15 from the field over the past two games and he’ll need to get back on track as soon as possible.

Baker, meanwhile, will also need to get it going on Tuesday. He was just 5-for-18 from the floor and 0-for-5 from the outside in the loss to Northern Iowa in the conference tournament. That followed up a 25-point performance against Loyola the game before, and Wichita State will need to see that side of him in order to make a run. Baker is a big guard that knows how to draw fouls and he is also a 35.8% shooter from deep.

The x-factors for the Shockers in this game will, however, be guys like Fs Anton Grady (8.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG) and Shaquille Morris (6.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.0 BPG). Wichita State does not have any true centers, so these guys will need to do their best to keep Damian Jones from taking over this game. Morris particularly is the Shockers’ best shot-blocker and he’ll need to protect the rim at all costs on Tuesday.

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday's First-Four Tips
March 14, 2016

The First Four Round of the 2016 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament gets underway this Tuesday night with a play-in game between the No. 11 seeds in the South Region when the SEC’s Vanderbilt Commodores take-on the MVC’s Wichita State Shockers in a 9:10 p.m. (ET) tip at University of Dayton Arena.

On the undercard this Tuesday night at this same venue is a play-in matchup between the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles and the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights as a pair of No. 16 seeds in the East Region of the bracket starting at 6:40 p.m. ET.

Vanderbilt Commodores vs. Wichita State Shockers (truTV, 9:10 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Wichita State -3, Total 136

Betting Matchup

Vanderbilt was a bubble team that did not do itself any favors in a stunning 67-65 loss to Tennessee in the SEC Tournament as a heavy 12-point favorite. The Commodores still come into this matchup with a 4-2 record both straight-up and against the spread in their last six games and even though the total stayed UNDER the 146-point closing line against the Volunteers, it has gone OVER in eight of their previous nine games.

The duo of sophomore guard Wade Baldwin IV and junior center Damian Jones have led the way all season long for Vanderbilt. Baldwin is the team’s leading scorer with 14.3 points per game and he also leads in assist with 5.2 a game. Jones is a close second with 14.2 PPG and he is also pulling down 6.9 rebounds a game. The Commodores are averaging 77 points and shooting 46.1 percent from the field.

The Shockers also tested the NCAA Tournament’s Selection Committee’s patience with their 57-52 Missouri Valley tournament loss in overtime to Northern Iowa as nine-point favorites. Their body of work in the regular season including a SU 16-2 record in conference play still proved to be good enough. That loss snapped a SU six-game winning streak and Wichita State in now 4-2-1 ATS in its last seven games. The total stayed UNDER 123 points its last time out and it has stayed UNDER in eight of its last 11 contests.

The backcourt pairing of senior guards Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet should have quite a bit to say about the Shockers’ chances to advance to Thursday’s opening round against Arizona. Baker has a team-high 14.2 points and 4.8 rebounds a game while VanVleet is averaging 12 points and 5.7 assists. Wichita State is well down the list in the NCAA in scoring with 73.2 PPG, but it is the No. 1 team in the country at the other end of the court with a points-allowed average of 59.3 points.

Betting Trends

-- The Commodores are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 nonconference games, but they are just 1-4 ATS in their last five games in the NCAA Tournament. The total has stayed UNDER in 16 of their last 23 games played at a neutral site.

--The Shockers have covered in seven of their last 10 NCAA Tournament games, but they are just 2-5 ATS in their last seven games against the SEC. The total has stayed UNDER in four of their last five neutral-site games.

--These two last met in the 2005 postseason with Vanderbilt coming away with a tight 65-63 victory as a six-point favorite. The total stayed UNDER the 128-point closing line.

Fairleigh Dickinson Knights vs. Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (truTV, 6:40 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Florida Gulf Coast -6, Total 149.5

Betting Matchup

The Knights made their way into this play-in game with a run all the way to the Northeast Tournament title including a huge 87-79 upset against Wagner in the championship as nine-point underdogs. They covered ATS in two of their three tournament games and the total went OVER in their last two contests.

Fairleigh Dickinson was the second seed in the NEC behind Wagner with a SU 11-7 record in conference play. Sophomore guard Darian Anderson exploded for 28 points in the title game and he has now eclipsed his team-high 15.4 PPG scoring average in three of his last four starts. The Knights are averaging 77.9 PPG and shooting 46.3 percent from the field. Another sophomore at the guard position that has been a key contributor is Earl Potts Jr. with 14.7 PPG. He added 27 points in the winning effort against Wagner.

Florida Gulf Coast hails out of the Atlantic Sun Conference and despite posting a SU 8-6 record in conference play, it was able to turn a three-game run in its conference tournament into a spot in this Tuesday night’s play-in game. The big win during that run was an 89-56 romp over North Florida as 6 ½-point underdogs. The Eagles went 2-1 ATS in their three tournament games with the total staying UNDER in the first two contests.

In a tight 80-78 overtime win against Stetson in the A-Sun Championship, sophomore Antravious Simmons had a big day off the bench with 21 points and the 10-point favored Eagles shot 52.6 percent from the field. Junior forward Marc Eddy Norelia added 16 points to the winning cause as the team’s leading scorer this season with 17.2 PPG. He had scored 20 points or more in four of his previous five starts including 23 in the win against North Florida.

Betting Trends

-- The Knights are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games at a neutral site, but they have covered in five of their last seven games against a team with a SU winning record. The total has stayed UNDER in five of those seven neutral-site games.

-- The Eagles have covered in 12 of their last 13 neutral-site games and they have gone 7-0 ATS in their last seven games played on Tuesday. The total has stayed UNDER in eight of their last 12 games following a SU win.

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

[StarDust Bum]

Best & Worst Big Dance Draws

Dissecting the bracket and the decisions of the selection committee is certainly a fun topic Monday morning. Here is a quick look at some of the favorable and unfavorable draws in the bracket. Neither is indicative of ultimate success in the tournament but some teams were dealt better hands than others.

Worst Draws

West Virginia (#3 East): The Mountaineers made it to the Big XII championship game, narrowly losing against #1 overall Kansas on Saturday. Most power ratings project West Virginia as a clear top 10 team but they have drawn a fairly difficult path as a #3 seed, while staring at the Oklahoma team they finished ahead of and just beat as a #2 seed. Stephen F. Austin hasn’t lost a game since the calendar turned to 2016 taking a 20 game winning streak into the tournament. The Lumberjacks beat VCU in the 2015 tournament and last season played a very close game with Utah in a 5/12 matchup. West Virginia’s success is built on creating turnovers yet they will have to face the only team in the nation with a higher defensive turnover rate in this matchup as these teams have similar strengths, except in 3-point shooting and free throw shooting where the Mountaineers are the much weaker team. Should West Virginia survive they could potentially face Notre Dame or Michigan, two powerhouse fan bases that have will have strong support in the Brooklyn venue.

Baylor (#5 West): The Bears lost as a #3 seed last season against Georgia State and Baylor will again be on upset alert this season in the opening round. In 2013 and 2014 Ivy League champion Harvard won NCAA tournament games and last season the Crimson just missed an upset over North Carolina in a two-point defeat as the league deserves some respect. This game will also take place in Providence giving the Bulldogs a huge location edge with the venue just an hour and a half drive from New Haven and with plenty of alumni in the region ready to snap up tickets for Yale’s first Big Dance appearance since 1962. As the spread suggests a Yale win won’t be much of an upset but if the Bears survive they will only have to go through the defending national champions with Duke sitting as the opposing #4 seed should the Blue Devils advance.

Indiana (#5 East): The Hoosiers don’t have a great argument to have been seeded much higher despite being the Big Ten champions in the regular season. The SEC regular season and tournament champion Kentucky certainly does have a valid gripe however and that potential matchup will be the highest profile game of the Round of 32. If Indiana keeps up its late season shooting they can beat anyone but the Kentucky backcourt seems likely to be a difficult matchup for the Hoosiers and the Des Moines crowd will likely have strong Kentucky support. The Hoosiers had better not get caught looking ahead to that game however as Chattanooga is a dangerous team that lost just five games all season and picked up wins over Georgia, Illinois, and Dayton. The Mocs have been very good at creating turnovers which could capitalize on the chief weakness of the Hoosiers and the 3-point defense for Chattanooga has also been pretty sound. Beat Chattanooga and Kentucky and Indiana’s reward is facing North Carolina in most scenarios as it won’t be easy for Tom Crean to get past the Sweet 16 for the first time since he took over in Bloomington.

Arizona (#6 South): The Wildcats have been unable to get over the hump in the Elite Eight the past two years and they will have a difficult path ahead if Sean Miller is to make his first Final Four in 2016. Arizona may have felt slighted to be a #2 seed last season but they at least played on the west coast. This season the Wildcats have been shipped across the country to Providence. To make matters worse they play on Thursday night but they won’t know the opponent until Tuesday night facing the winner of gem of a First Four matchup between Wichita State and Vanderbilt. Both of those squads wound up on the bubble but both teams have very high ceilings and will be considered viable sleepers to make it out of the first weekend. In the short history of the First Four, all five seasons one of the winning teams has advanced to at least the Round of 32, with three teams making the Sweet 16 and VCU making the Final Four in the initial year of the First Four in 2011.

Cal-State Bakersfield (#15 West): The hodgepodge WAC doesn’t get much respect as a whole as there are some pretty bad teams in the group but the top of the conference produced some respectable results around the country. Bakersfield is 24-8 to earn this spot after knocking off regular season champion New Mexico State last weekend. While the profile lacks any standout non-conference wins most power rankings would place the Roadrunners above several teams that received better placement in the bracket such as Chattanooga, Green Bay, Stony Brook, or Buffalo. In addition to the #15 seed and the difficult matchup with a Sooners team that was ranked #1 much of the year, the Roadrunners will feel like they are playing a road game drawing Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. It won’t be a shock in Bakersfield gives the Sooners a scare but the Roadrunners would have been a more viable upset threat with a seeding more consistent with their strong statistics.

Best Draws

Oregon (#1 West): The Ducks weren’t on the radar for most as a potential #1 seed but the Pac-12 was given great respect by the committee and the emphatic title game win pushed the Ducks to the top line after claiming both the regular season and conference tournament titles. Oregon gets to play the winner of the Holy Cross and Southern Matchup as they will have one of the most favorable opening round draws and getting to play the first weekend in Spokane is a big plus with no other west coast schools in that pod. Duke and Baylor don’t look overly formidable as the #4 and #5 teams in the group particularly on defense given Oregon’s fantastic offensive potential. Upsets are very possible in that Providence grouping as well with Duke and Baylor both set to face challenging opening games. If Oregon lives up to its seeding it would have an Anaheim regional final matchup with likely Oklahoma or Texas A&M two teams with high ceilings but plenty of inconsistency this season while avoiding some of the more proven candidates in those #2 and #3 slots.

Villanova (#2 South): The Wildcats have a big monkey on their back for tournament failures in recent years and not having the pressure of being a #1 seed might be a benefit. #1 overall Kansas is on the opposite side of the region but getting past the opening weekend has to be the priority for Villanova. UNC-Asheville rates as one of the weaker teams in the field losing six games in the Big South but a non-conference win over Georgetown should be enough to capture Villanova’s attention. The 7/10 draw of Iowa and Temple also looks promising as Temple rates as by far the weakest #10 seed and is a team that Villanova beat by 16 in February. While Iowa has a strong season profile this is a Hawkeyes team that has lost six of the last eight games to wipe away the great work the team did in January. Iowa lost to Penn State, Ohio State, and Illinois down the stretch while also losing two home games and snapping out of that funk looks challenging against a team like Villanova should the Hawkeyes even get that chance. Miami is a strong team as the #3 seed but perhaps less threatening than some of the other potential teams that could have been in that spot in the South like West Virginia, Kentucky, or Texas A&M.

Michigan State (#2 Midwest): Most instantly placed Michigan State as a team with a gripe about not being a #1 seed as the Spartans are the Vegas favorites to cut down the nets and it isn’t a hard case to make putting the Spartans on the #1 line. That said, a close look reveals some real benefits to this path if the Spartans can use that slight as motivation to get back to the Final Four. The #1 seed in the Midwest is Virginia, a team the Spartans have beat the past two seasons in the NCAA Tournament and that potential game would be in Chicago with a clear edge for Michigan State. Middle Tennessee State is a better team than any of the #1 seeds will face in the opening round but the Spartans should be comfortable with potential matchups with Syracuse or Dayton in the Round of 32. Utah also looks like the weakest of the #3 seeds and that potential Sweet 16 matchup would also be in Chicago for a huge location edge for the Spartans. Iowa State also looks like one of the weaker #4 seeds and they also line up in the Midwest should Virginia falter early.

Texas (#6 West): The Longhorns lost twice as many games as their NCAA Tournament seed this season but big wins pushed Texas into a favorable position. Northern Iowa had some big wins this season and as the spread suggests it won’t be an easy game but the Oklahoma City venue should be favorable and Texas is very comfortable playing at a slower pace. The Longhorns can’t help but looking ahead to a potential matchup with Texas A&M in the round of 32, a rival and team they had a chance to play early in the season and would have no shortage of motivation and support for. It should be a Big XII crowd at the Chesapeake Arena with Oklahoma also slated to play there which could help the cause. If the Longhorns advance to the Sweet 16 they would likely face a Sooners team they beat by 13 just a few weeks ago. Ultimately the Longhorns have to feel pretty good about how things worked out especially with two other #6 seeds having the challenge of facing a First Four winner while the other #6 Seton Hall has been sent across the country in a pod with three western teams.

Iona (#13 Midwest): Metro Atlantic fans can certainly cry foul for Monmouth’s exclusion but the conference was handed a great opportunity to actually pick up a win in the NCAA Tournament with the draw for Iona. Getting a #13 seed is probably generous for a squad that lost 10 games and whose only top 100 wins came against Monmouth. Of the #4 seeds Iona would want to face Iowa State would have to be high on the list as the Cyclones don’t have the devastating size up front that some of the other #3, #4, or #5 seeds have. Iona is led by an up-tempo offense and that is Iowa State’s preferred pace as well with the Cyclones shaky on defense at times as this game could be a bit of a track meet. Playing in the mountain air in Denver also could give the Gaels a boost as well as the conditioning for Iona should be excellent given the pace of play they employ.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Dunkel

Tuesday, March 15

Alabama @ Creighton

Game 553-554
March 15, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Alabama
59.385
Creighton
68.780
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Creighton
by 9 1/2
149
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Creighton
by 7
142
Dunkel Pick:
Creighton
(-7); Over

Long Beach State @ Washington

Game 555-556
March 15, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Long Beach State
57.332
Washington
63.783
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 6 1/2
159
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
by 9
165 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Long Beach State
(+9); Under

Florida @ North Florida

Game 557-558
March 15, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Florida
60.504
North Florida
55.425
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Florida
by 5
154
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Florida
by 7 1/2
161
Dunkel Pick:
North Florida
(+7 1/2); Under

Texas Southern @ Valparaiso

Game 559-560
March 15, 2016 @ 9:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Texas Southern
47.253
Valparaiso
62.332
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Valparaiso
by 15
146
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Valparaiso
by 16 1/2
142
Dunkel Pick:
Texas Southern
(+16 1/2); Under

IPFW @ San Diego State

Game 561-562
March 15, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
IPFW
54.342
San Diego State
63.783
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Diego State
by 9 1/2
147
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Diego State
by 11 1/2
142
Dunkel Pick:
IPFW
(+11 1/2); Over

New Mexico State @ St. Mary's

Game 563-564
March 15, 2016 @ 11:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New Mexico State
54.310
St. Mary's
68.846
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
St. Mary's
by 14 1/2
122
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
St. Mary's
by 12
128
Dunkel Pick:
St. Mary's
(-12); Under

Fairleigh Dickinson @ Florida Gulf Coast

Game 543-544
March 15, 2016 @ 6:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Fairleigh Dickins
47.652
Florida Gulf Coas
50.548
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Florida Gulf Coas
by 3
156
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Florida Gulf Coas
by 6
151
Dunkel Pick:
Fairleigh Dickins
(+6); Over

Morehead State @ Siena

Game 567-568
March 15, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Morehead State
52.045
Siena
60.572
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Siena
by 8 1/2
140
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Siena
by 6 1/2
146
Dunkel Pick:
Siena
(-6 1/2); Under

Vanderbilt @ Wichita State

Game 545-546
March 15, 2016 @ 9:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Vanderbilt
68.937
Wichita State
70.122
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Wichita State
by 1
140
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Wichita State
by 3 1/2
135
Dunkel Pick:
Vanderbilt
(+3 1/2); Over

Mercer @ Coastal Carolina

Game 579-580
March 15, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Mercer
45.933
Coastal Carolina
54.172
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Coastal Carolina
by 8
134
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Coastal Carolina
by 6 1/2
138 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Coastal Carolina
(-6 1/2); Under

Akron @ Ohio State

Game 547-548
March 15, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Akron
58.537
Ohio State
68.060
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Ohio State
by 9 1/2
139
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Ohio State
by 5
145
Dunkel Pick:
Ohio State
(-5); Under

Louisiana-Monroe @ Furman

Game 581-582
March 15, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Louisiana-Monroe
55.889
Furman
58.392
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Furman
by 2 1/2
135
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Furman
Pick
140 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Furman
Under

Davidson @ Florida State

Game 549-550
March 15, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Davidson
58.871
Florida State
70.556
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Florida State
by 11 1/2
161
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Florida State
by 9
167
Dunkel Pick:
Florida State
(-9); Under

Ball State @ Tennessee State

Game 583-584
March 15, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Ball State
55.083
Tennessee State
56.107
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Tennessee State
by 1
144
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tennessee State
by 2 1/2
138
Dunkel Pick:
Ball State
(+2 1/2); Over

High Point @ South Carolina

Game 551-552
March 15, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
High Point
52.236
South Carolina
70.101
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
South Carolina
by 18
154
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
South Carolina
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
South Carolina
N/A

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Tuesday, March 15

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FARLEIGH DICKINSON (18 - 14) vs. FLA GULF COAST (20 - 13) - 3/15/2016, 6:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FLA GULF COAST is 26-12 ATS (+12.8 Units) in all games since 1997.
FLA GULF COAST is 26-12 ATS (+12.8 Units) in all lined games since 1997.
FLA GULF COAST is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all neutral court games since 1997.
FLA GULF COAST is 11-0 ATS (+11.0 Units) in road games in March games since 1997.
FLA GULF COAST is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) on Tuesday nights over the last 3 seasons.
FLA GULF COAST is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in road games after a conference game since 1997.
FLA GULF COAST is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) when playing on a neutral court since 1997.
FLA GULF COAST is 14-1 ATS (+12.9 Units) in road games in all tournament games since 1997.
FLA GULF COAST is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
FLA GULF COAST is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.


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




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VANDERBILT (19 - 13) vs. WICHITA ST (24 - 8) - 3/15/2016, 9:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WICHITA ST is 60-34 ATS (+22.6 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 60-34 ATS (+22.6 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 57-33 ATS (+20.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 13-6 ATS (+6.4 Units) after a conference game this season.
WICHITA ST is 34-21 ATS (+10.9 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
VANDERBILT is 118-87 ATS (+22.3 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
WICHITA ST is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) in all tournament games over the last 2 seasons.


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




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AKRON (26 - 8) at OHIO ST (20 - 13) - 3/15/2016, 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.




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DAVIDSON (20 - 12) at FLORIDA ST (19 - 13) - 3/15/2016, 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.




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HIGH POINT (21 - 10) at S CAROLINA (24 - 8) - 3/15/2016, 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.




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ALABAMA (18 - 14) at CREIGHTON (18 - 14) - 3/15/2016, 9:00 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.




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LONG BEACH ST (20 - 14) at WASHINGTON (18 - 14) - 3/15/2016, 9:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.


Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 1-1 against the spread versus LONG BEACH ST over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 2-0 straight up against LONG BEACH ST over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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FLORIDA (19 - 14) at N FLORIDA (22 - 11) - 3/15/2016, 9:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.


Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 1-0 straight up against N FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons




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TEXAS SOUTHERN (18 - 14) at VALPARAISO (26 - 6) - 3/15/2016, 9:15 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.




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IUPU-FT WAYNE (24 - 9) at SAN DIEGO ST (25 - 9) - 3/15/2016, 10:00 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.




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NEW MEXICO ST (23 - 10) at ST MARYS-CA (27 - 5) - 3/15/2016, 11:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.


Head-to-Head Series History
ST MARYS-CA is 1-0 against the spread versus NEW MEXICO ST over the last 3 seasons
ST MARYS-CA is 1-0 straight up against NEW MEXICO ST over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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MOREHEAD ST (19 - 12) at SIENA (21 - 12) - 3/15/2016, 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.




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MERCER (19 - 14) at COASTAL CAROLINA (18 - 11) - 3/15/2016, 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.




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LA-MONROE (20 - 13) at FURMAN (18 - 15) - 3/15/2016, 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.




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BALL ST (19 - 13) at TENNESSEE ST (20 - 10) - 3/15/2016, 8:00 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.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, March 15

Play-in games

Tuesday
North Florida beat Robert Morris 81-77 in play-in LY, also a matchup of Atlantic Sun-NEC teams. Florida Gulf Coast is more of a defensive team now than in '13, when they ran to Sweet 16 under Enfield, who is now at USC. Eagles are 20-13 (4 non-D-I wins); they finished in 3-way tie for 2nd in A-Sun. FGCU is 12-7 vs teams outside top 200. FDU also finished in 3-way tie for 2nd; they're 18-14, with win over #139 Towson their only half-way decent non-NEC win. Knights are 5th-youngest club in America, playing almost solely freshmen/sophs.

In five years of "varsity" (#11-seed) play-in games, underdogs are 7-3 vs spread. Wichita State is 24-8; half the losses came when VanVleet was injured in November; Shockers lost 64-60 to SEC's Alabama- they won five of last six games overall, are forcing turnovers 23.3% of time, #5 in country. Wichita is 7-3 in NCAA tourney games last three years. Since '08; Vanderbilt is 1-4 in NCAA games; Commodores have one senior in their rotation- they've got #3 eFG% defense in country. SEC teams are 4-0 vs MVC teams this season, with three wins by 13+ points.

Wednesday
Southern won at Miss State/Wyoming, lost by 5 at Memphis; Jaguars finshed 4th in SWAC, losing 4 of last 5 games before winning conference tourney. Since 2003, SWAC teams are 1-6 in play-in games, with win in 2010 by Ark-Pine Bluff. Holy Cross was 3-12 in last 15 games before it won four straight road games to win Patriot tourney; Crusaders run the Princeton offense, but they shoot only 32.7% on arc, not good enough if you run that offense. Southern is 15-6 vs teams outside the top 200.

Michigan finished 8th in Big 14, its best player is out for year; they are 5-7 in last 12 games- they lost to UConn by 14, SMU by 24 in couple games vs AAC. Tulsa is most experienced team in country; they're 4-2 in last six games, but losses were both to mediocre Memphis. Hurricane is 5-7 vs top 60 teams- they lost to Oral Roberts at home. AAC teams are 6-2 vs Big 14 teams this year; favorites were 5-2 vs spread in those games, with one pick 'em. Again, in five years of "varsity" (#11-seed) play-in games, underdogs are 7-3 vs spread.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB

Tuesday, March 15

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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8:00 PM
LOUISIANA-MONROE vs. FURMAN
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Louisiana-Monroe's last 11 games on the road
Louisiana-Monroe is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Furman's last 8 games
Furman is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

See more trends!
MARCH 15, 8:00 PM
BALL STATE vs. TENNESSEE STATE
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Ball State's last 7 games on the road
Ball State is 6-16 SU in its last 22 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Tennessee State's last 7 games at home
Tennessee State is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games at home

See more trends!
MARCH 15, 10:10 PM
VANDERBILT vs. WICHITA STATE
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Wichita State's last 11 games
Wichita State is 19-3 SU in its last 22 games

[StarDust Bum]

CBB ATS

CBB > (561) IUPU-FT WAYNE@ (562) SAN DIEGO ST | 2016-03-15 22:00:00 - 2016-03-15 22:00:00
Play ON IUPU-FT WAYNE against the spread in All games as an underdog
The record is 33 Wins and 7 Losses for the last three seasons (+25.3 units)

CBB > (567) MOREHEAD ST@ (568) SIENA | 2016-03-15 19:00:00 - 2016-03-15 19:00:00
Play ON MOREHEAD ST against the spread in All games off a loss against a conference rival
The record is 10 Wins and 0 Losses for the last two seasons (+10 units)

CBB > (543) FARLEIGH DICKINSON@ (544) FLA GULF COAST | 2016-03-15 18:40:00 - 2016-03-15 18:40:00
Play ON FLA GULF COAST against the spread in Road games in March games
The record is 11 Wins and 0 Losses for the since 1992 (+11 units)

CBB > (543) FARLEIGH DICKINSON@ (544) FLA GULF COAST | 2016-03-15 18:40:00 - 2016-03-15 18:40:00
Play ON FLA GULF COAST against the spread in Road games in all tournament games
The record is 14 Wins and 1 Losses for the since 1992 (+12.9 units)

CBB > (581) LA-MONROE@ (582) FURMAN | 2016-03-15 19:00:00 - 2016-03-15 19:00:00
Play ON FURMAN against the spread in Home games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 9 Wins and 0 Losses for the last two seasons (+9 units)

CBB > (835) PITTSBURGH@ (836) WISCONSIN | 2016-03-18 18:50:00 - 2016-03-18 18:50:00
Play AGAINST PITTSBURGH against the spread in All games in March games
The record is 0 Wins and 9 Losses for the last two seasons (-9.9 units)

CBB > (825) CS-BAKERSFIELD@ (826) OKLAHOMA | 2016-03-18 16:00:00 - 2016-03-18 16:00:00
Play ON CS-BAKERSFIELD against the spread in all games
The record is 9 Wins and 0 Losses for the last two seasons (+9 units)

CBB > (629) PRINCETON@ (630) VIRGINIA TECH | 2016-03-16 20:00:00 - 2016-03-16 20:00:00
Play ON VIRGINIA TECH against the spread in Home games after a conference game
The record is 8 Wins and 0 Losses for the this season (+8 units)

CBB > (747) GONZAGA@ (748) SETON HALL | 2016-03-17 21:55:00 - 2016-03-17 21:55:00
Play ON SETON HALL against the spread in All games as an underdog
The record is 12 Wins and 2 Losses for the this season (+9.8 units)

CBB > (547) AKRON@ (548) OHIO ST | 2016-03-15 19:00:00 - 2016-03-15 19:00:00
Play AGAINST OHIO ST against the spread in All games in March games
The record is 2 Wins and 14 Losses for the last three seasons (-13.4 units)

CBB > (629) PRINCETON@ (630) VIRGINIA TECH | 2016-03-16 20:00:00 - 2016-03-16 20:00:00
Play ON VIRGINIA TECH against the spread in All games after allowing 80 points or more
The record is 13 Wins and 2 Losses for the last two seasons (+10.8 units)

CBB > (721) YALE@ (722) BAYLOR | 2016-03-17 14:45:00 - 2016-03-17 14:45:00
Play ON YALE against the spread in Road games after a conference game
The record is 13 Wins and 2 Losses for the last two seasons (+10.8 units)

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

CBB MONEYLINE

CBB > (543) FARLEIGH DICKINSON@ (544) FLA GULF COAST | 2016-03-15 18:40:00 - 2016-03-15 18:40:00
Play ON FLA GULF COAST using money line in Road games in March games
The record is 7 Wins and 1 Losses for the since 1992 (+12.85 units)

CBB > (733) AUSTIN PEAY@ (734) KANSAS | 2016-03-17 16:00:00 - 2016-03-17 16:00:00
Play ON AUSTIN PEAY using money line in All games in March games
The record is 5 Wins and 0 Losses for the last three seasons (+10.35 units)

CBB > (733) AUSTIN PEAY@ (734) KANSAS | 2016-03-17 16:00:00 - 2016-03-17 16:00:00
Play ON AUSTIN PEAY using money line in Road games in March games
The record is 5 Wins and 0 Losses for the last three seasons (+10.35 units)

CBB > (553) ALABAMA@ (554) CREIGHTON | 2016-03-15 21:00:00 - 2016-03-15 21:00:00
Play AGAINST CREIGHTON using money line in All games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 14 Wins and 30 Losses for the last two seasons (-32.4 units)

CBB > (561) IUPU-FT WAYNE@ (562) SAN DIEGO ST | 2016-03-15 22:00:00 - 2016-03-15 22:00:00
Play ON SAN DIEGO ST using money line in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game
The record is 17 Wins and 4 Losses for the last three seasons (+17.3 units)

CBB > (847) CINCINNATI@ (848) ST JOSEPHS | 2016-03-18 21:55:00 - 2016-03-18 21:55:00
Play ON ST JOSEPHS using money line in All games as an underdog
The record is 8 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+10.3 units)

CBB > (831) N IOWA@ (832) TEXAS | 2016-03-18 21:50:00 - 2016-03-18 21:50:00
Play ON N IOWA using money line in All games in all neutral court games
The record is 11 Wins and 2 Losses for the last two seasons (+12.65 units)

CBB > (677) TEXAS A&M CC@ (678) LA-LAFAYETTE | 2016-03-16 20:00:00 - 2016-03-16 20:00:00
Play AGAINST LA-LAFAYETTE using money line in All games in first round tournament games
The record is 2 Wins and 11 Losses for the since 1992 (-15.55 units)

CBB > (561) IUPU-FT WAYNE@ (562) SAN DIEGO ST | 2016-03-15 22:00:00 - 2016-03-15 22:00:00
Play ON IUPU-FT WAYNE using money line in All games in road games
The record is 10 Wins and 3 Losses for the this season (+12.75 units)

CBB > (835) PITTSBURGH@ (836) WISCONSIN | 2016-03-18 18:50:00 - 2016-03-18 18:50:00
Play ON WISCONSIN using money line in Road games in non-conference games
The record is 19 Wins and 4 Losses for the last three seasons (+16.7 units)

CBB > (747) GONZAGA@ (748) SETON HALL | 2016-03-17 21:55:00 - 2016-03-17 21:55:00
Play ON SETON HALL using money line in All games in all games
The record is 21 Wins and 7 Losses for the this season (+16.4 units)

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

CBB FIRST HALF

CBB > (839) SYRACUSE@ (840) DAYTON | 2016-03-18 12:15:00 - 2016-03-18 12:15:00
Play ON SYRACUSE ?>in the first halfin Road games off a loss against a conference rival
The record is 11 Wins and 0 Losses for the last three seasons (+11 units)

CBB > (581) LA-MONROE@ (582) FURMAN | 2016-03-15 19:00:00 - 2016-03-15 19:00:00
Play ON LA-MONROE ?>in the first halfin All games versus the first half line in all games
The record is 22 Wins and 5 Losses for the this season (+16.5 units)

CBB > (663) TX-ARLINGTON@ (664) SAVANNAH ST | 2016-03-16 19:00:00 - 2016-03-16 19:00:00
Play ON TX-ARLINGTON ?>in the first halfin All games in non-conference games
The record is 9 Wins and 0 Losses for the this season (+9 units)

CBB > (843) HAWAII@ (844) CALIFORNIA | 2016-03-18 14:00:00 - 2016-03-18 14:00:00
Play ON HAWAII ?>in the first halfin All games as an underdog vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 18 Wins and 3 Losses for the last two seasons (+14.7 units)

CBB > (581) LA-MONROE@ (582) FURMAN | 2016-03-15 19:00:00 - 2016-03-15 19:00:00
Play ON LA-MONROE ?>in the first halfin All games after a conference game
The record is 16 Wins and 3 Losses for the this season (+12.7 units)

CBB > (735) CONNECTICUT@ (736) COLORADO | 2016-03-17 13:30:00 - 2016-03-17 13:30:00
Play AGAINST COLORADO ?>in the first halfin Road games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 5 Wins and 22 Losses for the last two seasons (-19.2 units)

CBB > (843) HAWAII@ (844) CALIFORNIA | 2016-03-18 14:00:00 - 2016-03-18 14:00:00
Play ON HAWAII ?>in the first halfin All games in non-conference games
The record is 14 Wins and 2 Losses for the last two seasons (+11.8 units)

CBB > (543) FARLEIGH DICKINSON@ (544) FLA GULF COAST | 2016-03-15 18:40:00 - 2016-03-15 18:40:00
Play AGAINST FLA GULF COAST ?>in the first halfin All games as a favorite vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 1 Wins and 12 Losses for the last three seasons (-12.2 units)

CBB > (549) DAVIDSON@ (550) FLORIDA ST | 2016-03-15 19:00:00 - 2016-03-15 19:00:00
Play ON DAVIDSON ?>in the first halfin All games as a road underdog of 3.5 to 5 points vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 18 Wins and 3 Losses for the since 1992 (+14.7 units)

CBB > (547) AKRON@ (548) OHIO ST | 2016-03-15 19:00:00 - 2016-03-15 19:00:00
Play AGAINST OHIO ST ?>in the first halfin All games in March games
The record is 2 Wins and 14 Losses for the last three seasons (-13.4 units)

CBB > (735) CONNECTICUT@ (736) COLORADO | 2016-03-17 13:30:00 - 2016-03-17 13:30:00
Play AGAINST COLORADO ?>in the first halfin Road games in non-conference games
The record is 2 Wins and 14 Losses for the last three seasons (-13.4 units)

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

CBB TOTALS

CBB > (741) ARK-LITTLE ROCK@ (742) PURDUE | 2016-03-17 16:30:00 - 2016-03-17 16:30:00
Play UNDER ARK-LITTLE ROCK on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 1 Overs and 12 Unders for the this season (+10.9 units)

CBB > (833) WEBER ST@ (834) XAVIER | 2016-03-18 21:20:00 - 2016-03-18 21:20:00
Play OVER XAVIER on the totalin All games when the first half total is 65.5 to 70.5
The record is 14 Overs and 2 Unders for the this season (+11.8 units)

CBB > (717) BUFFALO@ (718) MIAMI | 2016-03-17 18:50:00 - 2016-03-17 18:50:00
Play OVER BUFFALO on the totalin All games when the total is 140 to 149.5
The record is 11 Overs and 1 Unders for the this season (+9.9 units)

CBB > (631) HOFSTRA@ (632) GEORGE WASHINGTON | 2016-03-16 20:00:00 - 2016-03-16 20:00:00
Play UNDER GEORGE WASHINGTON on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game
The record is 2 Overs and 16 Unders for the last three seasons (+13.8 units)

CBB > (621) TULSA@ (622) MICHIGAN | 2016-03-16 21:10:00 - 2016-03-16 21:10:00
Play UNDER TULSA on the totalin Road games after allowing 80 points or more
The record is 1 Overs and 14 Unders for the since 1992 (+12.9 units)

CBB > (733) AUSTIN PEAY@ (734) KANSAS | 2016-03-17 16:00:00 - 2016-03-17 16:00:00
Play OVER AUSTIN PEAY on the totalin All games off a win against a conference rival
The record is 12 Overs and 1 Unders for the last two seasons (+10.9 units)

CBB > (545) VANDERBILT@ (546) WICHITA ST | 2016-03-15 21:10:00 - 2016-03-15 21:10:00
Play UNDER WICHITA ST on the totalin All games in all neutral court games vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 1 Overs and 12 Unders for the last two seasons (+10.9 units)

CBB > (673) TENN-MARTIN@ (674) C MICHIGAN | 2016-03-16 20:00:00 - 2016-03-16 20:00:00
Play UNDER C MICHIGAN on the totalin All games off a loss against a conference rival
The record is 0 Overs and 8 Unders for the this season (+8 units)

CBB > (653) MONTANA@ (654) NEVADA | 2016-03-16 22:00:00 - 2016-03-16 22:00:00
Play UNDER NEVADA on the totalin Home games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 0 Overs and 8 Unders for the this season (+8 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Knights (18-14) at Eagles (20-13)
Date: March 15, 2016 6:40 PM EDT

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) The 'Dunk City' darlings from Florida Gulf Coast University are back in the NCAA Tournament.

The Eagles (20-13) return to the tournament for the first time since they became national sweethearts - and boosted the profile of the Fort Myers, Florida school - with an improbable Sweet Sixteen run as a No. 15 seed in 2013.

'It's a sexy opponent,' said Greg Herenda, whose Fairleigh Dickinson team will play Florida Gulf Coast in a First Four game Tuesday night. 'The name is out there. They had an incredible run. And now they're a totally different team, but a very, very good team.'

The third-year Knights coach brings one of the youngest teams in the country to the tournament from Teaneck, New Jersey, thanks to topping Wagner in the Northeast Conference tournament.

With no seniors on the squad, Fairleigh Dickinson (18-14) is paced by sophomore Darian Anderson, who led a quartet of second-year Knights who averaged in double figures this season.

'Being sophomores, we knew we had to pick it up (because) the coach looks at it as like we we're seniors,' said guard Stephan Jiggetts. 'We weren't the typical sophomores you would see.'

Florida Gulf is led by junior forward Marc-Eddy Norelia, who averaged 17.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game for the Atlantic Sun conference champs.

Coach Joe Dooley, the longtime Kansas assistant who took over Florida Gulf Coast the year after its Cinderella run, said it's time for this year's team to make its own reputation.

'We tell our guys, listen, they started something we need to keep going,' he said. 'And it's on your shoulders to keep (up) expectations, and hopefully to keep this program going in the right direction.'

The winner of Tuesday's game moves on to play North Carolina, the No. 1 seed in the East Regional.

Here are five things to watch in their First Four game:

---

CONSISTENT SUCCESS: Florida Gulf Coast University has played Division I basketball since 2007 and has been post-season eligible for only the past four. Still it has won 20-plus games for in all four of those seasons. The Eagles beat Stetson in the Atlantic Sun tournament final to earn a ticket to the tournament.

---

ON THE RISE: Fairleigh Dickinson struggled to an 8-21 record last year and was picked to finish near to the bottom of the Northeast Conference at the start of this season. Herenda says his team earned the respect of people in New Jersey this season, now he wants to earn the respect of the nation.

THEY'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE: Fairleigh Dickinson has appeared in the NCAA Tournament five times dating back to 1985. The last time was 2005. It has yet to win a game in the tournament. FGCU is making its second appearance after stunning Georgetown and San Diego State in 2013 and earning the 'Dunk City' moniker. It was the only 15th seed to ever advance to the Sweet 16.

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SUPER SOPHOMORES: 96 percent of Fairleigh Dickinson's scoring this season came from sophomores or freshmen. That's 2,402 of the team's total 2,493 points. The four sophomore starters accounted for 67 percent of the scoring, led by Anderson (15.4 ppg), Earl Potts Jr. (14.7), Marques Townes (11.4) and Jiggetts (11.2).

---

BIG MEN INSIDE: Among the starters, Florida Gulf Coast has a size advantage, led by the frontcourt tandem of Norelia (6-foot-8) and Demetris Morant (6-foot-9). Fairleigh Dickinson freshman forward Mike Holloway is listed at 6-foot-7.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Commodores (19-13) at Shockers (24-8)
Date: March 15, 2016 9:10 PM EDT

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) A strained hamstring. A twisted ankle. A spinal concussion. A stress fracture. The injuries piled up fast for Wichita State, which opened a promising season at No. 10 in the preseason poll but fell hard.

The Shockers (24-8) are back in good health and in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth year in a row, facing Vanderbilt (19-13) on Tuesday in the First Four. The Shockers returned three starters from the team that knocked off Indiana and Kansas to reach the Sweet 16 last year, but the early injuries forced the Shockers to reinvent themselves.

'It's been a testament to dealing with adversity,' coach Gregg Marshall said.

Guard Fred VanVleet - a two-time Missouri Valley player of the year - strained his left hamstring during preseason workouts and was slowed by the injury for the first couple months. Landry Shamet suffered a stress fracture that ended his season. Anton Grady collided with another player during a game in November and temporarily lost the feeling in his arms and legs.

The Shockers were in shock, losing five of their first 10 games. They've gone 19-3 since Dec. 20, and they enter the tournament with one of its most experienced backcourts.

VanVleet and Ron Baker were part of their Final Four team in 2013. Each has played in 10 NCAA tournament games. Baker (118 points) and VanVleet (113) rank first and second among active players in NCAA tournament scoring.

By contrast, 7-foot center Josh Henderson is the only player on Vanderbilt's roster with NCAA tournament experience.

'I think it make a huge difference,' Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings said. 'That's what they say about experience: You can't teach it.'

Inconsistent Vanderbilt sweated out an NCAA Tournament berth after losing to a struggling Tennessee in the SEC tournament. The Commodores have a pair of 7-footers on the front line with Henderson and 7-foot-1 Luke Kornet, who make it hard for teams to score inside. But they've had trouble doing things consistently.

'We're on full display now,' guard Wade Baldwin IV said.

The winner plays Arizona on Thursday in Providence, Rhode Island.

Five things to watch in their First Four game:

READY, AIM, SHOOT: The Shockers have worked on their long-range shooting in the past week, the part of their game that let them down in the conference tournament. They went 2 for 24 from bend the arc in their tournament loss to Northern Illinois.

'You're 2 for 24 and 16 to 18 of those are wide-open looks,' Marshall said. 'You've got to make more than two. And we've just got to perform better.'

TOUGH D: The game matches two of the nation's toughest defenses. Wichita State and Vanderbilt rank sixth and seven nationally in field goal percentage defense, and the Shockers lead in scoring defense at 59.3 points per game. The Shockers rely on their guards to get steals, with VanVleet and Baker making the Missouri Valley's all-defensive team. The Commodores use their 7-footers inside to prevent teams from scoring.

FIVE STRAIGHT: Marshall coached Winthrop in the first NCAA Tournament play-in game at Dayton in 2001. He's the 11th Division I coach to make the tournament five or more times with two different teams - he led Winthrop to seven appearances. Six of the others are still actively coaching: John Calipari, Fran Dunphy, Steve Fisher, Bob Huggins, Rick Pitino and Roy Williams.

LOOKING UP: The Shockers haven't faced anything like Vanderbilt's huge front line. They've got four players at 6-foot-8 and two who are 6-foot-10 but don't play much.

'We just try to bring our (forwards) in in waves and just try to wear them down,' VanVleet said.

TOURNAMENT HISTORY: The Shockers are in the tournament for the 13th time overall and their school-record fifth in a row. They've won at least one game each of the last three years, going 7-3 over that span. They're 15-13 all-time. Vanderbilt is making its 14th appearance and its first since 2012. The Commodores are 10-14 all-time.

[StarDust Bum]

Wichita State back in health, faces Vandy
March 14, 2016

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) Wichita State opened a promising season at No. 10 in the preseason poll, but fell fast and hard as the injuries piled up, with four of the top six players missing time.

The Shockers (24-8) are back healthy and in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth year in a row, facing Vanderbilt (19-13) on Tuesday in the First Four. The Shockers returned three starters from the team that knocked off Indiana and Kansas to reach the Sweet 16 last year, but the early injuries forced the Shockers to reinvent themselves.

Guard Fred VanVleet - a two-time Missouri Valley player of the year - has been slowed by a strained hamstring for much of the season.

Inconsistent Vanderbilt sweated out an NCAA Tournament berth after losing to Tennessee in the SEC tournament.

The winner plays Arizona on Thursday in Providence, Rhode Island.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB

Tuesday, March 15

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

7:00 PM
DAVIDSON vs. FLORIDA STATE
Davidson is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Florida State's last 12 games
Florida State is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games

See more trends!
MARCH 15, 7:00 PM
HIGH POINT vs. SOUTH CAROLINA
No trends available
South Carolina is 20-3 SU in its last 23 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of South Carolina's last 7 games

See more trends!
MARCH 15, 7:00 PM
AKRON vs. OHIO STATE
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Akron's last 5 games on the road
Ohio State is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ohio State's last 5 games at home

See more trends!
MARCH 15, 7:00 PM
MOREHEAD STATE vs. SIENA
Morehead State is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Morehead State's last 13 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Siena's last 5 games at home
Siena is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games

See more trends!
MARCH 15, 8:00 PM
BALL STATE vs. TENNESSEE STATE
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Ball State's last 7 games on the road
Ball State is 6-16 SU in its last 22 games on the road
Tennessee State is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games at home
Tennessee State is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games

See more trends!
MARCH 15, 8:00 PM
LOUISIANA-MONROE vs. FURMAN
Louisiana-Monroe is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Louisiana-Monroe's last 11 games on the road
Furman is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Furman's last 5 games at home

See more trends!
MARCH 15, 9:00 PM
ALABAMA vs. CREIGHTON
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Alabama's last 11 games on the road
Creighton is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Creighton is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games

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MARCH 15, 9:00 PM
FLORIDA vs. NORTH FLORIDA
Florida is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Florida's last 17 games on the road
No trends available

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MARCH 15, 9:00 PM
LONG BEACH STATE vs. WASHINGTON
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Long Beach State's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Long Beach State's last 19 games on the road
Washington is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Washington's last 21 games

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MARCH 15, 9:15 PM
TEXAS SOUTHERN vs. VALPARAISO
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Valparaiso's last 5 games
Valparaiso is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games

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MARCH 15, 10:00 PM
IUPU FORT WAYNE vs. SAN DIEGO STATE
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Diego State's last 5 games
San Diego State is 18-3 SU in its last 21 games

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MARCH 15, 10:10 PM
VANDERBILT vs. WICHITA STATE
No trends available
Wichita State is 19-3 SU in its last 22 games
Wichita State is 16-5-1 ATS in its last 22 games

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MARCH 15, 11:00 PM
NEW MEXICO STATE vs. ST. MARY'S
New Mexico State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
St. Mary's is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
St. Mary's is 20-2 SU in its last 22 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB

Tuesday, March 15

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First Four betting preview
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Playing in the First Four isn't how they hoped they would start the NCAA Tournament, but Wichita State will make its fifth straight appearance in the "Big Dance."

Games to be played at University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, OH

Fairleigh Dickinson Knights vs Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (-5.5, 152)

FGCU returns to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since pulling off two huge upsets to reach the Sweet 16 three years ago as it faces Fairleigh Dickinson on Tuesday in the First Four at Dayton, Ohio. Florida Gulf Coast is back after winning the Atlantic Sun tournament while the Knights rebounded from a 2-6 start to win the Northeast Conference.

The Eagles, who shocked Georgetown and San Diego State in 2013 when the team was nicknamed “Dunk City,” has won at least 20 games in four consecutive seasons. Junior forward Marc Eddy Norelia leads FGCU in scoring (17.2) and rebounding (9.2) while shooting 53.9 percent from the field. Fairleigh Dickinson makes its fifth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and first since 2005 with the youngest team in the nation, made up of mostly freshmen and sophomores, which beat Wagner 87-79 in the NEC final. The winner of the matchup between No. 16 seeds will advance to play top-seeded North Carolina on Thursday in East Regional at Raleigh, N.C.

TV: 6:40 p.m. ET, truTV

LINE HISTORY: Florida Gulf Coast opened as 6-point favorites in the first game of the NCAA Tournament and have been bet down to -5.5. The total has been bet down a half point from 152.5 to 152.

INJURY REPORT: No injuries to report.

ABOUT FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON (18-14, 2-1 ATS, 2-1 O/U): The Knights, who were 8-21 in 2014-15, are averaging 80.5 points over the last four games and have won five in a row overall. Darian Anderson is averaging 15.4 points and fellow sophomore Earl Potts Jr. is next at 14.7 after the duo provided 28 and 27, respectively, in the NEC Championship game. Marques Townes (11.4) and Stephan Jiggetts (11.2) also average in double figures scoring for the Knights, who boast five players with at least 30 3-pointers and force 15.4 turnovers per game.

ABOUT FGCU (20-13, 3-3-1 ATS, 3-4 O/U): Norelia was one rebound shy of his fourth straight double-double last time out in the 80-78 overtime win over Stetson while sophomore Antravious Simmons stepped up with career highs of 21 points and 12 boards. Simmons is fifth on the team at 7.7 points per game and two others join Norelia in double figures – Christian Terrell (12.6) and Zach Johnson (11.2). The Eagles are also a young team with 84 percent of their points and 88 percent of their rebounds coming from underclassmen.

Trends:

* Fairleigh Dickinson is 1-6 ATS in its last seven neutral site games.
* Florida Gulf Coast is 12-1 ATS in its last 13 neutral site games.
* Under is 5-2 in Fairleigh Dickinson's last seven neutral site games.
* Under is 12-5-1 in Florida Gulf Coast's last 18 overall.



Wichita State Shockers vs. Vanderbilt Commodores (+3.5, 135)

Wichita State will make its fifth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament when it takes on Vanderbilt in the First Four at Dayton, Ohio on Tuesday night. Wichita State struggled to a 5-5 start, due in part to injuries, and won 19 of 21 before losing to Northern Iowa in the Missouri Valley Conference semifinals while the Commodores earned their first bid since 2012.

The Shockers need to advance one step to reach 25 victories for the seventh straight season and will lean on senior guards Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet, a two-time MVC Player of the Year. Wichita State will be at a size disadvantage and must get strong play inside against Vanderbilt’s 7-0 center Damian Jones, who was named to the SEC’s first team while averaging 14.2 points and shooting almost 60 percent from the field. The Commodores impressed the committee with wins over Kentucky and Texas A&M along with a pair against fellow bubble team Florida. The winner of the game between the two 11 seeds will meet No. 6 seed Arizona on Thursday in Providence, R.I.

TV: 9:10 p.m. ET, truTV

LINE HISTORY: Wichita State opened as 3-point favorites and have been bet up to -3.5. The total has been bet up a half point from 134.5 to 135.

INJURY REPORT:

Wichita State - L. Shamet (out Tuesday, foot).
Vanderbilt - No injuries to report.

ABOUT WICHITA STATE (24-8, 18-12 ATS, 13-16-1 O/U): Baker is second all time in team history with 237 makes from 3-point range, but was held to 0-of-5 from behind the arc against Northern Iowa. Baker averages 14.2 points, while VanVleet is the only other player in double figures (12.0) after struggling to 3-of-15 from the field the last two games. Forward Anton Grady, a transfer from Cleveland State, picked up his production in the last four games while averaging 13.3 points and 5.5 rebounds, draining 20-of-30 from the field.

ABOUT VANDERBILT (19-13, 15-15 ATS, 15-14-1 O/U): The Commodores dropped their last two games, including a heartbreaker to Tennessee in the SEC tournament, after winning four in a row. Jones has been in double figures nine straight games and grabs 6.9 rebounds per contest – second on the team behind Luke Kornet (7.2). Wade Baldwin IV tops the team in scoring (14.3) despite struggling from the field (15-of-46) the last four games and backcourt partner Matthew Fisher-Davis (9.9) has drained 45.7 percent of his 3-point attempts.

Trends:

* Wichita State is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 neutral site games.
* Vanderbilt is 1-4 ATS in its last five NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 4-0 in Wichita State's last four NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 8-2 in Vanderbilt's last 10 overall.

[StarDust Bum]

cbb for march..........108 - 80 - 3
cbb for madness: Yesterday: 1 - 1
ytd: 109 - 81 - 3

[StarDust Bum]

*NCAAB
Short Sheet

Tuesday, March 15*

*Florida Gulf Coast at Fairleigh Dickinson, 6:40 ET*
Florida GC: 9-1 ATS when playing on a neutral court
Fairleigh: 10-2 UNDER after playing a road game

*Vanderbilt at Wichita State, 9:10 ET*
Vanderbilt: 14-5 UNDER after a loss by 6 points or less
Wichita St: 9-2 ATS after allowing 65 points or less 5 straight games
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