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

[StarDust Bum]

SATURDAY, MARCH 26

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


OKLA at ORE 06:09 PM

ORE -1.0

U 154.5


VILL at KU 08:49 PM

KU -2.0

O 144.5

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack

The following is based on Baseball America's top 30 prospects for each team:

-- Twins, Blue Jays, Giants are only three big league teams whose top 30 minor league prospects are all home-grown.

-- Braves (14), Padres/Phillies (19 each) have least home-grown top prospects.

-- Twins/Rangers (14 each), Royals (12) have most international top prospects.

-- Blue Jays (17), Rays (15), Reds/Pirates (13) have most high school prospects.

-- Braves have acquired 15 of their top 30 prospects via trade.

-- Giants (19), Angels (15), Astros (14) have most college top prospects.

**********

Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Happy Easter to those you believe.......

13) Oklahoma 80, Oregon 68-- Sooners made 12-24 on arc, jumped out quickly and made quick work of the Ducks. Buddy Hield scored 37, made 8-13 on arc and was too much for Oregon, which got only seven points from Dillon Brooks.

12) Villanova 64, Kansas 59-- Strange stat: since 2003, #2-seeds are now 13-5 against #1-seeds SU in regional finals.

Teams combined to go 10-40 on arc in this brickfest. Jayhawks got zero bench points in this game. Bupkus. Bill Self is 2-4 in regional finals; he was favored in all six games.

11) Was reminded yesterday of Jeff Van Gundy's wish that any 3-point shot that is banked in only count as two points. I wouldn't be against that.

10) Greedy bastard update: Gas is back up to $2.29 in beautiful downtown Colonie, after it had gotten down to $2.03 last month. I'm told gas was in $1.60's in Ohio this winter. Price here went up a dime in one day here-- greedy bastards.

9) Home plate ump in Toronto-Philly game Friday looks like he is 15 years old; guy got drilled by a foul ball, he takes his mask off and I'm like, "Why is a kid umping the plate in a big league game?" They said his name; he is already in the majors, too.

8) I'm not a big fan of Reds' TV guy Thom Brennaman; he is brutally honest, but for a spring training game, thats good, because you learn stuff about the Reds' roster you might need for fantasy baseball. Cincinnati is in a major rebuild mode.

He and Chris Walsh were whining about the Reds playing three night games in Wrigley field on their first road trip-- guess they don't like cold weather.

7) Atlanta-Colorado-Milwaukee-Cincinnati-- lot of NL teams are rebuilding.

6) Brennaman was killing the Reds' lineup, saying because no one good hits behind Joey Votto, he is likely to draw 200+ walks this season. Votto won't expand his zone to avoid walks, he just lets pitchers walk him. Maybe he should bat leadoff.

5) Fact of Life: baseball players get hurt a lot, thats hard part of fantasy baseball, it is so aggravating. Brewers lost reliever Will Smith this weekend: he tore the LCL in his knee, when he was putting his shoe on. Seriously.

Imagine if you owned the Brewers and were paying Will Smith $1.475M this year and he blows his knee out putting his shoes on? He is a professional athlete!!!! Oy.

4) Singer Huey Lewis was in uniform and in the Giants' dugout Saturday; no word on whether he got hurt putting his shoes on, and Lewis is 65.

3) Rumors have Pitt Panthers going after Vandy coach Kevin Stallings, who has done well with the Commodores, going 332-220 there, 138-142 in SEC play. Vandy loses so much in football that 138-142 sounds like a great record-- Stallings has been there for 17 years. I'm not even sure Pitt is a better hoop job than Vanderbilt, money aside. Pretty sure he would get a substantial raise in Pittsburgh.

2) Early spread for next weekend: Villanova -1.5 over Oklahoma.

1) CIT tournament has a great mascot matchup today: Cal-Irvine is down south to play Coastal Carolina, the Anteaters against the Chanticleers. Top that.

[StarDust Bum]

Syracuse vs. Virginia: Elite Eight betting preview

Virginia has been a great bet in the later part of the season and during their tourney run, going 11-2-1 ATS in its last 14 games overall.

No. 10 Syracuse Orange vs. No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers (-8, 124)

Game to be played at United Center, Chicago, IL

A much-anticipated night of all-ACC action in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight begins in Chicago on Sunday when top-seeded Virginia meets No. 10 seed Syracuse in the Midwest Region final. The Cavaliers contended for their third straight regular-season crown in the high-powered conference while the Orange finished ninth and squeaked into the NCAA Tournament, but both are a win away from joining a league mate in North Carolina or Notre Dame - who play later in the evening - in the Final Four.

Virginia will be playing for its first Final Four berth since 1984 after shooting 56.1 percent to fend off Iowa State 84-71 on Friday. "I feel like we've just gotten better and better," ACC Player of the Year Malcolm Brogdon told reporters following a 12-point effort versus the Cyclones. "We've battled through our ups and downs, and it's a huge accomplishment." Syracuse is used to long tournament runs, but this one - in a season where coach Jim Boeheim was suspended for nine games by the NCAA and the squad dropped five of six down the stretch - has defied the odds. "These guys have fought all year, and every game we've been behind, we've been in some tough situations, and they've battled through them all year," Boeheim told the media after his team erased a late nine-point lead to tip Gonzaga 63-60 on Friday.

TV: 6:09 p.m. ET, TBS

LINE HISTORY: No. 1 seed Virginia opened as 8-point favorites over No. 10 Syracuse and the line has yet to move off that number. The total saw immediate action however. The Over/Under opened at a low 122 and was very quickly bet up two whole points to the current number of 124. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT SYRACUSE (22-13, 19-15 ATS, 17-17 O/U): The Orange's trademark zone defense has stifled opponents in the tournament, allowing an average of 53.7 points. Leading scorer Michael Gbinije (17.8 points per game) has topped the 20-point mark in his last two games and guard Trevor Cooney has broken free from a late-season slump by averaging 13.3 points and shooting 50 percent from 3-point range in the tournament. Boeheim is in the Elite Eight for the seventh time and is seeking his fifth Final Four berth.

ABOUT VIRGINIA (29-7, 19-14-1 ATS, 14-20 O/U): While Brogdon has been an inconsistent tournament performer, shooting 36.8 percent from the floor in eight career games, fellow senior Anthony Gill has been a steady leader. Gill had 23 points and eight rebounds versus Iowa State, is averaging 20.3 points on 71.9 percent shooting in this year's tournament and has scored in double figures in all but one of those eight career March Madness contests. Another senior, Mike Tobey, has emerged in this year's Big Dance with 36 points on 17-of-23 shooting in 44 minutes off the bench.

TRENDS:

* Syracuse is 4-0 ATS in its last four games overall.
* Virginia is 12-3-1 ATS in its last 16 games overall.
* Under is 4-0 in Syracuse's last four NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 11-2 in Virginia's last 13 versus Atlantic Coast conference opponents.

CONSENSUS: Bettors are all over the dog in this matchup with 65 percent of wagers on Syracuse. As for the total, bettors think while the game may not be a high scoring affair, it will go over the low number with 64 percent on the over.




Notre Dame vs. North Carolina: Elight Eight betting preview

The Tar Heels are 7-0 SU and 6-1 ATS since the start of postseason play.

No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels (-10, 155)

Game to be played at Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA

Top-seeded North Carolina may be peaking at just the right time and only ACC-rival Notre Dame stands in the way of a trip to the Final Four. The Tar Heels have won eight straight games – the last three in the NCAA Tournament by a combined 50 points – as they prepare to take on sixth seed Notre Dame in the East Regional final on Sunday at Philadelphia.

“One game away,” North Carolina forward Brice Johnson told reporters after his team shot 51.6 percent from the field in a 101-86 win over Indiana on Friday. “We’re not done. We’ve got to go out there and play.” Senior point guard Marcus Paige’s revival is taking the Tar Heels’ offense to a new level after he matched the program record in the NCAA Tournament with six 3-pointers and scored 21 on Friday – his highest output since registering the same against Notre Dame on Feb. 6. The Fighting Irish won that contest 80-76 at home, but were held to 30 percent shooting in a 78-47 loss to North Carolina in the ACC tournament semifinals. Notre Dame has won six games combined in consecutive NCAA Tournaments for the first time in its history and reached the Elite Eight for the second straight year after losing to Kentucky in 2015.

TV: 8:49 p.m. ET, TBS

LINE HISTORY: No. 1 seeded North Carolina opened as big 10.5-point favorites over Notre Dame, but early money was backing the Irish, moving the line to the current number of Tar Heels -10. As for the total, the number opened at 156 and has been bet down one point to the current number of 155. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (24-11, 16-16-1 ATS, 16-17 O/U): Forward V.J. Beachem has been a major factor in the NCAA Tournament while averaging 17.3 points in three games – more than five above his seasonal average – and draining 9-of-17 from 3-point range. Point guard Demetrius Jackson leads the team in scoring (15.5) and assists (4.7) while forward Zach Auguste (14.3 points, team-high 10.9 rebounds) has 22 double-doubles. The Irish have won their three NCAA games by a combined 13 points after a 61-56 triumph against Wisconsin on Friday and go after their first Final Four appearance since 1978.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (31-6, 18-18-1 ATS, 19-18 O/U): Johnson (16.8 points, 10.5 rebounds) has recorded 22 double-doubles to tie Billy Cunningham (1964) for the single-season team record and needs 13 boards to boast the most in program history for one campaign. Paige, who struggled shooting most of this season (39.6 percent), may still be the key to unlock a sixth NCAA title for the Tar Heels after making 11-of-21 from 3-point range in the last three games. Paige told reporters, “I just wanted to stay aggressive, and the rim looked pretty big to me (Friday) so I hope it’s just the arena so I can do it again on Sunday.”

TRENDS:

* Notre Dame is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* North Carolina is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games overall.
* Under is 5-1 in Notre Dame's last six games versus a team with a winning SU record.
* Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings.

CONSENSUS: Bettors think 10-points is too many to be favored by at this point in the tourney and early on 58 percent of wagers are backing Notre Dame. When it comes to the total, 67 percent of wagers are on the over.

[StarDust Bum]

SUNDAY, MARCH 27

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


NJIT at CLMB 06:00 PM

CLMB - 9.5

U 144.0


SYR at UVA 06:09 PM

UVA -8.0

U 122.5


ND at UNC 08:49 PM

ND +9.0

U 153.5


UCI at CCAR 09:00 PM

CCAR +6.0

U 133.0

[StarDust Bum]

Monday's Vegas 16 Tips
March 27, 2016

Las Vegas is the undisputed sports betting capital of the world and it has decided to get into all the action March Madness brings to the table with the inaugural Vegas 16 Tournament starting this Monday night at Mandalay Bay. While there are only eight teams in the field, the four matchups on the slate feature Old Dominion and UC Santa Barbara in the top half of the bracket and Oakland and Louisiana Tech in the bottom half as favorites to advance to the next round.

Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles vs. Old Dominion Monarchs (CBSSN, 3:00 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Old Dominion -7 ½, 138

Betting Matchup

The Golden Eagles went 11-5 straight-up in the Ohio Valley Conference this season as part of an overall record of 19-11. They closed things out on a down note with just two SU wins in their last six games while failing to cover against the spread in five of those contests. The player to watch in this tournament would be senior guard Torrance Rowe. He has averaged 22.3 points in his last four starts.

Old Dominion made a run to the Conference USA Tournament Finals before falling to Middle Tennessee is a tight 55-53 loss as a three-point favorite. This was just the second time the Monarchs failed to cover in their last eight games. The total has stayed UNDED in seven of their last 10 outings. Senior guard Trey Freeman led the conference in scoring this season with 22.2 PPG.

Betting Trends

-- The Golden Eagles have failed to cover in five of their last seven nonconference games and the total has stayed UNDER in 11 of their last 16 games played at neutral site.

-- The Monarchs are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games outside their conference and the total has gone OVER in seven of their last nine Monday games.

UC Santa Barbara Gauchos vs. Northern Illinois Huskies (CBSSN, 5:30 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: UC Santa Barbara -5, 136.5

Betting Matchup

The Gauchos fell to Hawaii 88-76 in the Big West Tournament as 3 ½-point underdogs to snap a SU nine-game winning streak. They went a very profitable 8-1 ATS during this run with the total going OVER in three of their last four games. UC Santa Barbara averaged 71.5 PPG led by senior guard Michael Bryson. His 18.4 point scoring average was the best in the Big West.

Northern Illinois went an even 9-9 SU in the Mid-American Conference this season and then bowed-out of the conference tournament with a 79-62 loss to Ohio as a 2 ½-point underdog. The Huskies were a solid bet down the stretch with a 7-3 record ATS over their last 10 games. They averaged 72.7 PPG while shooting 42.8 percent from the field and 35.1 percent from three-point range.

Betting Trends

-- The Gauchos are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a SU loss and the total has gone OVER in their last four nonconference games.

-- The Huskies have gone 5-2-1 ATS in their last eight games played on Monday and the total has gone OVER in their last four games against the Big West.

Oakland Golden Grizzlies vs. Towson Tigers (CBSSN, 9:00 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Oakland -6, 160

Betting Matchup

Competing in the Horizon League, Oakland finished second to Valparaiso in the regular season standings at 13-5 as part of an overall SU record of 21-11. A 59-55 loss to Wright State as 6 ½-point favorites ended the Golden Grizzlies postseason run, but they were still a solid 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 games. Junior guard Key Felder led the Horizon in scoring with 24.2 PPG.

Towson went 20-12 SU in the regular season including an 11-7 record in the CAA. Its postseason run was also short-lived with a 71-60 loss to the Northeastern Huskies as a 1 ½-point underdog. The Tigers went 9-6 ATS this season when closing as underdogs. Senior forward William Adala Moto scored 18 points and pulled-down 12 rebounds in a losing effort against the Huskies.

Betting Trends

-- The Golden Grizzlies have failed to cover in seven of their last eight neutral-site games and the total has gone OVER in 11 of their last 14 games outside their conference.

-- The Tigers are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games against a team with a SU winning record and the total has stayed UNDER in their last four games played at a neutral site.

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs vs. E. Tennessee St. Buccaneers (CBSSN, 11:30 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Louisiana Tech -2, 155.5

Betting Matchup

Louisiana Tech is the second entry in this tournament from C-USA. The Bulldogs tied ODU for third place in the regular season at 12-6 SU, but they exited the conference tournament with a 68-52 loss to the Monarchs as three-point underdogs. They went an even 12-12 ATS with the total going OVER in 16 of those 24 games. Senior guard Alex Hamilton was third in the conference in scoring with 19.7 PPG and he was at the top of the list in assists (5.7).

The Buccaneers finished second to Chattanooga in the Southern Conference at 14-4 SU and they also lost to the Mocs 73-67 as 5 ½-point underdogs in the postseason tournament. It was the first time they failed to cover in their last seven games. Senior guard Ge’Lawn Guyn averaged 18.2 PPG and he has now scored 20 points or more in four of his last five starts.

Betting Trends

-- The Bulldogs are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games following a SU loss and the total has gone OVER in four of their last five Monday games.

-- The Buccaneers have covered in their last four nonconference games and the total has stayed UNDER in eight of their last 11 games at a neutral site.

[StarDust Bum]

2016 NIT, CBI, CIT Results

National Invitation Tournament (NIT)

REGION 1 - ST. BONAVENTURE
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 15 Alabama at Creighton (-8.5) 72-54 Favorite-Under (144)
Mar. 16 Wagner (+9, +375) at St. Bonaventure 79-75 Underdog-Over (146)
Mar. 16 Princeton at Virginia Tech (-4) 86-81 (OT) Favorite-Over (153)
Mar. 16 UAB at BYU (-9.5) 97-79 Favorite-Over (167)
Mar. 18 Virginia Tech at BYU (-8) 80-77 Underdog-Under (164.5)
Mar. 19 Wagner at Creighton (-14.5) 87-54 Favorite-Under (145)
Mar. 22 Creighton at BYU (-4.5) 88-82 Favorite-Over (165.5)

REGION 2 - VALPARAISO
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 15 Texas Southern at Valparaiso (-15) 84-73 Underdog-Over (143)
Mar. 15 Davidson at Florida State (-9) 84-74 Underdog-Under (168)
Mar. 15 New Mexico State at St. Mary's-CA (-10.5) 58-56 Underdog-Under (131)
Mar. 16 Belmont at Georgia (-7.5) 93-84 Favorite-Over (158)
Mar. 17 Florida State at Valparaiso (-5) 81-69 Favorite-Over (148)
Mar. 20 Georgia at St. Mary's-CA (-7) 77-65 Favorite-Over (134.5)
Mar. 22 St. Mary's-CA at Valparaiso (-3.5) 60-44 Favorite-Under (134.5)

REGION 3 - SOUTH CAROLINA
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 15 High Point at South Carolina (-16.5) 88-66 Favorite-Over (145.5)
Mar. 15 Long Beach State at Washington (-9.5) 107-102 Underdog-Over (167.5)
Mar. 15 IUPU-Fort Wayne at San Diego State (-9.5) 79-55 Favorite-Under (143.5)
Mar. 16 Houston at Georgia Tech (-3.5) 81-62 Favorite-Under (154)
Mar. 21 Georgia Tech (+4, +160) at South Carolina 83-66 Underdog-Over (146.5)
Mar. 21 Washington at San Diego State (-5.5) 93-78 Favorite-Over (149)
Mar. 23 Georgia Tech at San Diego State (-5) 72-56 Favorite-Under (135)

REGION 4 - MONMOUTH-NJ
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 15 Akron at Ohio State (-4.5) 72-63 (OT) Favorite-Under (147.5)
Mar. 15 North Florida at Florida (-7.5) 97-68 Favorite-Over (162.5)
Mar. 16 Bucknell at Monmouth-NJ (-9) 90-80 Favorite-Over (161)
Mar. 16 Hofstra at George Washington (-6) 82-80 Underdog-Over (152.5)
Mar. 20 Florida (-1.5) at Ohio State 74-66 Favorite-Over (139.5)
Mar. 21 George Washington (+2, +115) at Monmouth-NJ 87-71 Underdog-Over (153.5)
Mar. 23 George Washington (-2) at Florida 82-77 Favorite-Over (147)

SEMIFINALS & FINALS
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 29 Valparaiso vs. BYU - -
Mar. 29 George Washington vs. San Diego State - -
Mar. 31 TBD vs. TBD - -

College Basketball Invitational (CBI)

FIRST ROUND
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 15 Morehead State (+6, +220) at Siena 84-80 Underdog-Over (149)
Mar. 16 Omaha at Duquesne (-5) 120-112 Favorite-Over (180)
Mar. 16 Albany at Ohio (-3) 94-90 (OT) Favorite-Over (150.5)
Mar. 16 Houston Baptist at North Carolina-Greensboro (-8) 69-65 Underdog-Under (154)
Mar. 16 Western Carolina at Vermont (-6) 79-74 Underdog-Over (147.5)
Mar. 16 Pepperdine at Eastern Washington (+2, +110) 79-72 Underdog-Under (161)
Mar. 16 Montana at Nevada (-3.5) 79-75 Favorite-Over (138.5)
Mar. 16 Idaho at Seattle (+2.5, +125) 68-63 Underdog-Under (133)

QUARTERFINALS AND SEMIFINALS
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 21 Duquense at Morehead State (-5.5) 82-72 Favorite-Under (156.5)
Mar. 21 North Carolina-Greensboro at Ohio (-8.5) 72-67 Underdog-Under (155.5)
Mar. 21 Eastern Washington at Nevada (-5.5) 85-70 Favorite-Under (159)
Mar. 21 Vermont (-4.5) at Seattle 73-54 Favorite-Under (138)
Mar. 23 Morehead State (+3, +140 ML) at Ohio 77-72 Underdog-Under (151.5)
Mar. 23 Vermont at Nevada (-4.5) 86-72 Favorite-Over (146)

FINALS (BEST-OF-THREE)
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 28 Morehead State vs. Nevada - -
Mar. 30 Morehead State vs. Nevada - -
April 1 Morehead State vs. Nevada (if necessary) - -

CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT)

FIRST ROUND
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 14 Jackson State (+6.5, +250) at Sam Houston State 81-77 (OT) Underdog-Over (140)
Mar. 14 South Carolina State at Grand Canyon (-13) 78-74 Underdog-Over (151.5)
Mar. 15 Mercer at Coastal Carolina (-6) 65-57 Favorite-Under (142)
Mar. 15 Louisiana-Monroe at Furman (+2, +120) 58-57 Underdog-Under (142)
Mar. 15 Ball State (+2.5, +130) at Tennessee State 78-73 (2 OT) Underdog-Over (138.5)
Mar. 16 Boston University (+8, +320) at Fordham 69-66 Underdog-Under (148)
Mar. 16 Tennessee-Martin (+9, +350) at Central Michigan 76-73 Underdog-Push (149)
Mar. 16 New Hampshire (+5, +200) at Fairfield 77-62 Underdog-Under (150.5)
Mar. 16 Norfolk State at Columbia (-12.5) 86-54 Favorite-Under (151)
Mar. 16 Texas-Arlington (-13) at Savannah State 75-59 Favorite-Under (138)
Mar. 16 Army at New Jersey Tech (-3) 79-65 Favorite-Under (154)
Mar. 16 UC Irvine (-6.5) at North Dakota 89-86 (OT) Underdog-Over (143.5)
Mar. 16 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at Louisiana-Lafayette (-9) 96-72 Favorite-Over (154)

SECOND ROUND AND QUARTERFINALS

Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 17 Jackson State at Grand Canyon (-10.5) 64-54 Underdog-Under (143)
Mar. 19 Louisiana-Lafayette (-2.5) at Furman 80-72 Favorite-Over (150)
Mar. 19 New Hampshire at Coastal Carolina (-5.5) 71-62 Favorite-Under (137)
Mar. 20 Tennessee-Martin at Ball State (-7) 83-80 Underdog-Over (135.5)
Mar. 21 Boston University at New Jersey Tech (-4.5) 83-72 Favorite-Over (149.5)
Mar. 23 Grand Canyon at Coastal Carolina (-3.5) 60-58 Underdog-Under (142.5)
Mar. 23 Ball State at Columbia (-7) 69-67 Underdog-Under (138.5)
Mar. 23 UC Irvine (+4.5, +170 ML) at Louisiana-Lafayette 67-66 Underdog-Under (152)
Mar. 24 Texas-Arlington at New Jersey Tech (+3.5, +150 ML) 63-60 Underdog-Under (155.5)

SEMIFINALS & FINALS
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 27 New Jersey Tech vs. Columbia (-9.5) 80-65 Favorite-Over (144)
Mar. 27 UC Irvine (-6) vs. Coastal Carolina 66-47 Favorite-Under (132)
Mar. 29 UC Irvine vs. Columbia - -

Vegas 8 Postseason Tournament

QUARTERFINALS
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 28 Tennessee Tech vs. Old Dominion - -
Mar. 28 Northern Illinois vs. UC Santa Barbara - -
Mar. 28 Oakland vs. Towson - -
Mar. 28 Louisiana Tech vs. East Tennessee State - -

SEMIFINALS & FINALS
Date Matchup Score ATS Result
Mar. 29 TBD vs. TBD - -
Mar. 29 TBD vs. TBD - -
Mar. 30 TBD vs. TBD - -

[StarDust Bum]

TIPPING OFF: Yes, it's Syracuse (and OU, 'Nova and Heels)
March 28, 2016

When the word ''Syracuse'' popped up on the bracket for the first time, most of the so-called experts were crying ''foul,'' not shouting ''Final Four.''

So much for that.

Coach Jim Boeheim's ''I Told You So'' tour will travel all the way to Houston. The 10th-seeded Orange became only the fourth double-digit seed to make the Final Four. They aren't the only surprise out of Syracuse. The Orange women's team also shocked the basketball world by advancing to their first Final Four, though the ladies were a four seed.

They'll be joined by a blue blood (North Carolina), a scrappy squad with no stars (Villanova) and the team with the tournament's best player in Buddy Hield (Oklahoma).

Though it's been hard to find many genuine surprises in this, a season full of unpredictable twists and turns, Syracuse making the Final Four would certainly fit that category. This was a program under duress, one that lost Boeheim for nine games early this season while he served punishment for NCAA violations.

This was a program that gave St. John's one of its eight wins this season; a program that dropped five of six heading into Selection Sunday. Hardly any bracketologist had the Orange making it into the field of 68. The NCAA selection committee didn't agree. And shortly after Syracuse beat Dayton 70-51 in the first round, Boeheim was at his cranky best, saying, anybody ''that said we didn't deserve to be in obviously doesn't know anything about basketball.''

Syracuse trailed Virginia by as many as 16 before Boeheim switched out of his trademark 2-3 zone and into a full-court press. That helped the Orange outscore the Cavaliers 29-8 down the stretch to win 68-62.

''We had a lot of doubters,'' freshman Tyler Lydon said. ''A lot of people who believed we shouldn't even be in this tournament. I'm sure there are still a lot of people who think that. But we know what we can do as a team and that's all that matters.''

Syracuse plays Saturday's late game against the Tar Heels, who beat Notre Dame 88-74. It's a matchup of ACC teams; North Carolina has beaten Syracuse twice this season.

The first semifinal pits Oklahoma against Villanova. Oklahoma won a meeting in December, 78-55.

A quick look at the teams and their roads to the Final Four:

---

OKLAHOMA

The Coach: Lifer Lon Kruger is back in the Final Four for the first time since he took Florida in 1994.

The Star: That would be Hield - aka ''Buddy Buckets'' - who averages 25.4 points a game and cracked 35 twice in the four tournament games.

The Story: The Sooners were ranked No. 1 in February before losing three of four. Another loss, in January, was a triple-overtime setback to Kansas in the best college basketball game of the year.

---

VILLANOVA

The Coach: Jay Wright, who led a turnaround at Hofstra before getting the Villanova job in 2001. He has taken the Wildcats to the tournament 11 of the last 12 seasons.

The Star: The stat sheet says there isn't one. But let's go with senior guard Ryan Arcidiacono, a 12-point-per-game scorer who celebrated his 22nd birthday by making four clutch free throws to seal Saturday's win over Kansas.

The Story: Seeded 1 or 2 the two years before this, the Wildcats didn't make it out of the first weekend either season. Now, they're back at the Final Four for the first time since 2009.

---

SYRACUSE

The Coach: Jim Boeheim, in his fifth Final Four. Served a nine-game suspension for NCAA violations.

The Star: Michael Gbinije leads the team at 17.6 points a game. But the star, really, is that ultra-nuanced 2-3 zone that Boeheim wins with in an era in which most sought-after recruits have zero interest in those kind of details.

The Story: So many to choose from, most centered around this team's ability to get to the Final Four when nobody gave it a chance.

---

NORTH CAROLINA

The Coach: Roy Williams, now taking the Tar Heels to the Final Four for the fourth time, to match the number of times he reached it with Kansas.

The Star: Brice Johnson, averaging nearly 17 points and 10 1/2 rebounds.

The Story: Only No. 1 seed to make the Final Four. The program is in its record 19th Final Four, but first since 2009. No surprise considering the Tar Heels won the ACC regular-season and tournament titles, and that conference had four teams in the Elite Eight.

[StarDust Bum]

CBB ATS

CBB > (751) NEVADA@ (752) MOREHEAD ST | 2016-03-28 20:30:00 - 2016-03-28 20:30:00
Play ON MOREHEAD ST against the spread in All games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games
The record is 10 Wins and 2 Losses for the this season (+7.8 units)

CBB > (519) MOREHEAD ST@ (520) NEVADA | 2016-03-30 21:00:00 - 2016-03-30 21:00:00
Play ON MOREHEAD ST against the spread in All games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games
The record is 10 Wins and 2 Losses for the this season (+7.8 units)

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

CBB MONEYLINE

CBB > (751) NEVADA@ (752) MOREHEAD ST | 2016-03-28 20:30:00 - 2016-03-28 20:30:00
Play ON NEVADA using money line in All games in a road game where the total is 140 to 144.5
The record is 6 Wins and 0 Losses for the last three seasons (+12.05 units)

CBB > (595) TOWSON ST@ (596) OAKLAND | 2016-03-28 21:00:00 - 2016-03-28 21:00:00
Play AGAINST OAKLAND using money line in All games in all tournament games
The record is 1 Wins and 5 Losses for the last two seasons (-11.5 units)

CBB > (519) MOREHEAD ST@ (520) NEVADA | 2016-03-30 21:00:00 - 2016-03-30 21:00:00
Play ON NEVADA using money line in All games in all home games
The record is 12 Wins and 3 Losses for the this season (+9.65 units)

CBB > (597) E TENN ST@ (598) LOUISIANA TECH | 2016-03-28 23:30:00 - 2016-03-28 23:30:00
Play AGAINST LOUISIANA TECH using money line in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games
The record is 5 Wins and 19 Losses for the since 1992 (-16.9 units)

CBB > (597) E TENN ST@ (598) LOUISIANA TECH | 2016-03-28 23:30:00 - 2016-03-28 23:30:00
Play ON E TENN ST using money line in All games in all games
The record is 19 Wins and 8 Losses for the this season (+11.7 units)

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

CBB FIRST HALF

CBB > (519) MOREHEAD ST@ (520) NEVADA | 2016-03-30 21:00:00 - 2016-03-30 21:00:00
Play AGAINST NEVADA ?>in the first halfin All games on Wednesday games
The record is 1 Wins and 10 Losses for the this season (-10 units)

CBB > (751) NEVADA@ (752) MOREHEAD ST | 2016-03-28 20:30:00 - 2016-03-28 20:30:00
Play AGAINST NEVADA ?>in the first halfin All games in non-conference games
The record is 7 Wins and 26 Losses for the last three seasons (-21.6 units)

CBB > (519) MOREHEAD ST@ (520) NEVADA | 2016-03-30 21:00:00 - 2016-03-30 21:00:00
Play AGAINST NEVADA ?>in the first halfin All games in non-conference games
The record is 7 Wins and 26 Losses for the last three seasons (-21.6 units)

CBB > (751) NEVADA@ (752) MOREHEAD ST | 2016-03-28 20:30:00 - 2016-03-28 20:30:00
Play AGAINST NEVADA ?>in the first halfin All games after a non-conference game
The record is 7 Wins and 25 Losses for the last three seasons (-20.5 units)

CBB > (595) TOWSON ST@ (596) OAKLAND | 2016-03-28 21:00:00 - 2016-03-28 21:00:00
Play AGAINST TOWSON ST ?>in the first halfin All games when playing with 7 or more days rest
The record is 1 Wins and 12 Losses for the since 1992 (-12.2 units)

CBB > (595) TOWSON ST@ (596) OAKLAND | 2016-03-28 21:00:00 - 2016-03-28 21:00:00
Play AGAINST TOWSON ST ?>in the first halfin Road games when playing with 7 or more days rest
The record is 0 Wins and 9 Losses for the since 1992 (-9.9 units)

CBB > (593) N ILLINOIS@ (594) UC-SANTA BARBARA | 2016-03-28 17:30:00 - 2016-03-28 17:30:00
Play AGAINST N ILLINOIS ?>in the first halfin All games in all neutral court games vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 4 Wins and 19 Losses for the since 1992 (-16.9 units)

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

CBB TOTALS

CBB > (597) E TENN ST@ (598) LOUISIANA TECH | 2016-03-28 23:30:00 - 2016-03-28 23:30:00
Play OVER E TENN ST on the totalin Road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games
The record is 7 Overs and 0 Unders for the this season (+7 units)

CBB > (591) TENNESSEE TECH@ (592) OLD DOMINION | 2016-03-28 15:00:00 - 2016-03-28 15:00:00
Play UNDER OLD DOMINION on the totalin All games in all neutral court games
The record is 1 Overs and 10 Unders for the last two seasons (+8.9 units)

CBB > (591) TENNESSEE TECH@ (592) OLD DOMINION | 2016-03-28 15:00:00 - 2016-03-28 15:00:00
Play UNDER OLD DOMINION on the totalin Road games in all tournament games
The record is 1 Overs and 10 Unders for the last two seasons (+8.9 units)

CBB > (597) E TENN ST@ (598) LOUISIANA TECH | 2016-03-28 23:30:00 - 2016-03-28 23:30:00
Play UNDER LOUISIANA TECH on the totalin All games after a conference game
The record is 4 Overs and 14 Unders for the this season (+9.6 units)

CBB > (597) E TENN ST@ (598) LOUISIANA TECH | 2016-03-28 23:30:00 - 2016-03-28 23:30:00
Play OVER LOUISIANA TECH on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game
The record is 10 Overs and 1 Unders for the last three seasons (+8.9 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

-- Underdogs are now 16-3 vs spread in last 19 West Region finals; weird stat.

-- Last year, Cincinnati started a rookie pitcher in their last 64 games. Not good.

-- Baseballs used in Japan are smaller than major league baseballs.

-- Robinson Cano hit three HRs Sunday; he's ready for the season to start.

-- CBS sideline reporter Allie LeForce is married to Angels' reliever Joe Smith.

-- Want to feel old? William Shatner turned 85 last week, Randall Cunningham 53.

**********

Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports weekend.......

13) Syracuse 68, Virginia 62-- Over last 30 years, when teams from same conference meet in a regional final, the lower seed is 8-4 SU, 10-2 vs spread. Virginia led this game 54-39 with 9:32 left, before their epic collapse began. Syracuse is the first double-digit seed to make the Final Four since VCU five years ago.

12) North Carolina 88, Notre Dame 74-- Carolina shot 61.5% inside arc- they made 15-33 on arc this weekend. Tar Heels beat Syracuse by 5-11 points in two meetings this season, UNC was 8-40 on arc against the Orangemen this season. Next week is a dome setting, better suited for a zone defense.

11) Early Final Four line: North Carolina -9.5 over Syracuse

Over last 31 years, when teams from same conference meet in Final Four, higher seed is 3-3. St John's/Georgetown were both #1 seeds when they met in '85.

10) Pitt hired Kevin Stallings away from Vandy, hire that got mixed reviews- some suggest that Vanderbilt was about to can Stallings anyway, after their lackluster loss in the play-in game. He's been at Vandy 17 years; is 35-37 in SEC play last four years.

Considering how Vanderbilt gets treated like a pinata in football, you'd think they'd throw Stallings a parade, but apparently not, and that is why he left for Pitt.

9) Weird sidebar to Vandy-Pitt story: Sheldon Jeter is a 6-8 junior for Pitt; he started his college career at Vanderbilt-- when he wanted to transfer back home to Pitt, it was blocked by Stallings. Now the kid is playing for him again, unless he wants to transfer. I'm guessing the NCAA would give him a waiver if he wants to transfer again, without him having to sit out a year.

8) Good to see Lon Kruger, Jay Wright make Final Four; I'm told they're good guys that everyone likes. Kruger made the Final Four with Florida way back in 1994, has coached the Atlanta Hawks- he might be the most underrated coach in the game.

7) Looks like hitters will try to bunt more to beat the shift; Jay Bruce did it against the Dodgers yesterday. How many times will have a hitter have to take a free basehit by bunting, before teams don't shift against him anymore?

6) Diamondbacks have won 20+ spring training games; but it means zero, bupkus. Could it sell some extra season tickets? Maybe, but otherwise it means nothing. You can tell their TV guys want to talk about it, but sometimes it raises expectations to a stupid high level. Arizona spent a lot of $$$ last winter; we'll see if it helped.

5) Colorado Rockies look like they've got a keeper in rookie SS Trevor Story, which makes the Jose Reyes debacle an intriguing one. Reyes goes on trial over his domestic abuse charges next week in Hawai'i- considering he makes $22M this year and next, they'd probably be just as happy if he got suspended for the year- he's not tradeable, not at age 33, with a history of hamstring problems.

4) Cardinals' coach Jose Oquendo is taking medical leave after knee surgery; he's both the third base coach and infield instructor- he will be missed.

3) Actress Condola Rashad, whose character Kate works in the prosecutor's office in Showtime's Billions, is the daughter of Ahmad and Felicia Rashad.

2) Columbia beat NJIT 80-65, Cal-Irvine whacked Coastal Carolina 66-47 in CIT.

1) One week until Opening Day; make sure you log on every day for information on each and every baseball game, thru the World Series. Pitchers/umpires/team trends, it will be all be there.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Dunkel

Monday, March 28


Oakland @ Towson

Game 595-596
March 28, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oakland
60.207
Towson
50.683
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oakland
by 9 1/2
166
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oakland
by 5 1/2
159 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Oakland
(-5 1/2); Over

Louisiana Tech @ E. Tennessee State

Game 597-598
March 28, 2016 @ 11:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Louisiana Tech
55.294
E. Tennessee Stat
50.679
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Louisiana Tech
by 4 1/2
161
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Louisiana Tech
by 2
155
Dunkel Pick:
Louisiana Tech
(-2); Over

Nevada @ Morehead State

Game 751-752
March 28, 2016 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Nevada
57.040
Morehead State
58.099
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Morehead State
by 1
138
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Morehead State
by 4 1/2
144
Dunkel Pick:
Nevada
(+4 1/2); Under

Tennessee Tech @ Old Dominion

Game 591-592
March 28, 2016 @ 3:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Tennessee Tech
51.729
Old Dominion
55.905
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Old Dominion
by 4
133
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Old Dominion
by 7 1/2
138
Dunkel Pick:
Tennessee Tech
(+7 1/2); Under

Northern Illinois @ Santa Barbara

Game 593-594
March 28, 2016 @ 5:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Northern Illinois
53.354
Santa Barbara
56.368
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Santa Barbara
by 3
142
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Santa Barbara
by 5
136 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Northern Illinois
(+5); Over




NCAAB
Long Sheet

Monday, March 28

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

TENNESSEE TECH (19 - 11) vs. OLD DOMINION (22 - 13) - 3/28/2016, 3:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OLD DOMINION is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in road games in non-conference games this season.
OLD DOMINION is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
OLD DOMINION is 70-97 ATS (-36.7 Units) 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.

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

N ILLINOIS (21 - 12) vs. UC-SANTA BARBARA (18 - 13) - 3/28/2016, 5:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UC-SANTA BARBARA is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
UC-SANTA BARBARA is 44-25 ATS (+16.5 Units) in March games since 1997.
N ILLINOIS is 47-32 ATS (+11.8 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
N ILLINOIS is 47-32 ATS (+11.8 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
N ILLINOIS is 35-18 ATS (+15.2 Units) after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
N ILLINOIS is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.
N ILLINOIS is 81-51 ATS (+24.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
N ILLINOIS is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.

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

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

TOWSON ST (20 - 12) vs. OAKLAND (21 - 11) - 3/28/2016, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) in all games this season.
OAKLAND is 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) in all lined games this season.
OAKLAND is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in non-conference games this season.
OAKLAND is 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.
OAKLAND is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) after scoring 60 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
OAKLAND is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
TOWSON ST is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in road games after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
TOWSON ST is 43-25 ATS (+15.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
TOWSON ST is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

E TENN ST (23 - 11) vs. LOUISIANA TECH (23 - 9) - 3/28/2016, 11:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
E TENN ST is 24-11 ATS (+11.9 Units) in March games since 1997.
E TENN ST is 44-27 ATS (+14.3 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
E TENN ST is 43-25 ATS (+15.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
E TENN ST is 14-3 ATS (+10.7 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games since 1997.
E TENN ST is 21-9 ATS (+11.1 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game since 1997.

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

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

NEVADA (22 - 13) at MOREHEAD ST (22 - 12) - 3/28/2016, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MOREHEAD ST is 37-23 ATS (+11.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MOREHEAD ST is 37-23 ATS (+11.7 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
MOREHEAD ST is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in all tournament games over the last 2 seasons.
MOREHEAD ST is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MOREHEAD ST is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.

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

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




NCAAB
Short Sheet

Monday, March 28

Tennessee Tech at Old Dominion, 3:00 ET
Tennessee Tech: 19-8 ATS in road games off a loss by 10 pts or more to a conf rival
Old Dominion: 0-6 ATS in road games in non-conference games

Northern Illinois at Cal Santa Barbara, 5:30 ET
N Illinois: 19-9 ATS off a loss against a conference rival
Cal Santa Barbara: 7-0 OVER after 5 games forcing opp to commit 14 or less turnovers

Towson at Oakland, 9:00 ET
Towson: 14-5 UNDER after a game where they failed to cover the spread
Oakland: 11-4 ATS after 3 consecutive conference games

E Tennessee State at Louisiana Tech, 11:30 ET
E Tenn St: 19-7 ATS after having won 15 or more of their last 20
Louisiana Tech: 15-4 OVER in non-conference games

Nevada at Morehead State, 8:30 ET
Nevada: 1-7 ATS after 3 consecutive non-conference games
Morehead St: 11-0 ATS after having won 5 or 6 of their last 7 games




NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, March 28

CBI
This is first game of best-of-3 series; games 2-3 are in Reno. Nevada lost three of last four true road games, with only win at San Jose. Wolf Pack has star G Coleman back now- he had 20 points last game. Nevada won 11 of 15 non-league games; they play tempo #58, have an NBA coach. Morehead State won at Siena/Ohio to get here; they won nine of last 10 D-I games, are more experienced, deeper team, with a lesser coach.

CIT
None

Las Vegas 8
Keep in mind none of these teams have played in at least 15 days.

Old Dominion won seven of last eight games, losing in C-USA title game by hoop to Middle Tennessee, which upset Michigan State in NCAAs. Monarchs are 19-3 vs teams outside the top 150- they've got #18 eFG% defense. Tennessee Tech hasn't played in 26 days; they'll start three seniors but lost four of their last six games. C-USA teams are 7-5 vs OVC teams this season, 3-5 vs spread if favored.

UCSB won nine of its last 10 games after a 9-12 start, losing to Hawai'i by 12 in Big West tourney; Gauchos are just 6-7 outside Big West; they have shortest trip to Vegas of these eight teams. Northern Illinois went finished 7-10 after a 14-2 start; they beat CSUN of Big West by 12 in season opener. MAC teams won/covered all three games vs Big West this season; they were favored in all three.

Oakland is 10-3 in last 13 games; they play #14 tempo with really good PG. Grizzlies haven't played in three weeks; they shoot 39.6% on arc- Mandalay Bay is big arena- will it hurt their shooting? Towson State is playing tempo #301; they're 9-4 out of conference, but played terrible schedule (#343). Tigers are 4-5 in last nine games- they haven't played in 23 days. Interesting contrast in styles in this game.

East Tennessee State won seven of last eight games, losing SoCon title game by 6 to Chattanooga; Buccaneers haven't played in three weeks. ETSU went 8-6 vs #41 non-league schedule; they're #15 experience team and shoot 38.2% on arc (#16). Louisiana Tech lost its last two games after a 23-7 start; they are #242 in experience. SoCon teams are 3-2 vs C-USA teams this year; underdogs covered four of the five games.




NCAAB

Monday, March 28

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

3:00 PM
TENNESSEE TECH vs. OLD DOMINION
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Old Dominion's last 10 games
Old Dominion is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games

8:30 PM
NEVADA vs. MOREHEAD STATE
Nevada is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Nevada is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Morehead State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Morehead State is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games

9:00 PM
OAKLAND vs. TOWSON
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Towson's last 5 games

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Long Sheet

Monday, March 28

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

BROOKLYN (21 - 51) at MIAMI (42 - 30) - 3/28/2016, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BROOKLYN is 4-15 ATS (-12.5 Units) after playing 3 consecutive home games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
BROOKLYN is 31-19 ATS (+10.1 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 31-19 ATS (+10.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 9-7 against the spread versus BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 10-6 straight up against BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
10 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

OKLAHOMA CITY (51 - 22) at TORONTO (49 - 23) - 3/28/2016, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 30-40 ATS (-14.0 Units) in all games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 15-25 ATS (-12.5 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) in road games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 4-15 ATS (-12.5 Units) against Atlantic division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 18-28 ATS (-12.8 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 18-27 ATS (-11.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
TORONTO is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 152-113 ATS (+27.7 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 31-15 ATS (+14.5 Units) in road games after playing 3 consecutive home games since 1996.
TORONTO is 25-38 ATS (-16.8 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 21-33 ATS (-15.3 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 5-0 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 3-2 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

PHOENIX (20 - 53) at MINNESOTA (24 - 49) - 3/28/2016, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 30-43 ATS (-17.3 Units) in all games this season.
PHOENIX is 20-29 ATS (-11.9 Units) as an underdog this season.
PHOENIX is 11-25 ATS (-16.5 Units) in road games this season.
PHOENIX is 7-19 ATS (-13.9 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
PHOENIX is 8-21 ATS (-15.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
PHOENIX is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
PHOENIX is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
MINNESOTA is 69-83 ATS (-22.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 13-22 ATS (-11.2 Units) in home games this season.
MINNESOTA is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
MINNESOTA is 11-22 ATS (-13.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
MINNESOTA is 42-55 ATS (-18.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 5-4 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 7-3 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

ATLANTA (44 - 30) at CHICAGO (36 - 36) - 3/28/2016, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 5-5 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 5-5 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

SAN ANTONIO (61 - 12) at MEMPHIS (41 - 32) - 3/28/2016, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 7-4 against the spread versus MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 9-2 straight up against MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
8 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

NEW YORK (30 - 44) at NEW ORLEANS (26 - 46) - 3/28/2016, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

DALLAS (35 - 38) at DENVER (31 - 43) - 3/28/2016, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 22-37 ATS (-18.7 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 21-35 ATS (-17.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 31-20 ATS (+9.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
DALLAS is 342-277 ATS (+37.3 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 458-382 ATS (+37.8 Units) in road games since 1996.
DALLAS is 135-103 ATS (+21.7 Units) in road games after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.
DALLAS is 39-22 ATS (+14.8 Units) in road games after playing 3 consecutive road games since 1996.
DENVER is 162-210 ATS (-69.0 Units) when playing on back-to-back days since 1996.
DENVER is 23-39 ATS (-19.9 Units) in home games after allowing 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
DENVER is 5-19 ATS (-15.9 Units) in home games after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 16-29 ATS (-15.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 4-4 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 5-5 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

LA LAKERS (15 - 58) at UTAH (36 - 37) - 3/28/2016, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
UTAH is 5-4 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
UTAH is 6-3 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

SACRAMENTO (29 - 44) at PORTLAND (38 - 36) - 3/28/2016, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND is 5-4 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND is 7-2 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

BOSTON (43 - 30) at LA CLIPPERS (45 - 27) - 3/28/2016, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 87-69 ATS (+11.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 46-33 ATS (+9.7 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 238-194 ATS (+24.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
BOSTON is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 55-39 ATS (+12.1 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 52-35 ATS (+13.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 35-48 ATS (-17.8 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 150-189 ATS (-57.9 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 81-116 ATS (-46.6 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 186-250 ATS (-89.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 3-2 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 4-1 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

MONDAY, MARCH 28

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


NEV at MORE 08:30 PM

MORE -5.0

O 143.5


OAK at TOWS 09:00 PM

OAK -5.0

O 159.0


LT at ETSU 11:30 PM

LT -3.0

O 157.5

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

-- Utah 123, Lakers 75-- Not a professional-level effort by the visitors.

-- Morehead State 86, Nevada 83-- Best-of-3 CBI final continues Wed. in Reno.

-- Old Dominion 75, Tennessee Tech 59-- ODU was only up 32-30 at half.

-- UCSB 70, Northern Illinois 63-- Gauchos were down 15 in first half.

-- Oakland 90, Towson State 72-- Grizzlies were 31-39 on the charity stripe.

-- East Tennessee State 88, Louisiana Tech 83-- Guyn had 34 pts, 10 reb, 6 ass't.

**********

Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but........

13) Some concern for the Mets; Matt Harvey was scratched from today's start with some sort of non-baseball medical situation. This was supposed to be the tuneup for his Opening Night start in Kansas City. Hopefully it is not serious.

12) Mets and Cubs are headed to Las Vegas for exhibition games Thursday/Friday at Cashman Field in downtown Vegas. Always enjoy going to minor league games there while I'm in Las Vegas- the Mets' AAA team plays there.

11) Old friend Nick Swisher got released by Atlanta Monday; when a bad team cuts you, it could be the end of the line. Always liked Swisher when he played for the A's and even after; seems like a good-natured guy.

10) Was watching Rangers-Dodgers last night; in my opinion, Orel Hershiser is the best TV analyst in baseball. Very smart, you learn stuff from him but he still keeps his sense of humor. Ron Darling is also very good and there are others: Mark Gubicza, Tom Grieve, Bob Brenly that to me stand out above the rest.

9) Oklahoma basketball coach Lon Kruger was a really good baseball player; he was drafted by the Astros in 1970, the Cardinals in 1974 and played one year of minor league ball in the St Louis system, before he found his calling as a coach.

8) My opinion on retired baseball players complaining about the current players showing off: Please be quiet. Just stop. Shut up. No one wants to hear guys from the past sound like Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino-- "Get off my lawn!!!!"

7) Georgia Tech is targeting Duke assistant Jeff Capel for its head coaching job, but if you're Capel's friend, don't you tell him to pass on this job? Being at Duke, he will get plenty more head coaching offers (he has been a head coach, at VCU, Oklahoma). Georgia Tech seems like a hard place to win, the way the ACC is set up now.

6) Santa Ckara was brilliant in hiring Herb Sendek as its coach; they'll be happy.

UNLV fired alum Dave Rice on January 10, then stumbled thru 11 weeks of looking like incompetent administrators, before finally hiring Little Rock's Chris Beard. Fans will like Beard's fiery demeanor; looks like he can coach, but its going to take time to rebuild a roster that has been ravaged by attrition the last few months.

5) Former UConn coach Jim Calhoun picked Oklahoma to win the national title while appearing on ESPNU Monday.

4) NIT semifinals tonight: BYU-Valparaiso, George Washington-San Diego State.

3) Next few weeks we'll hear a lot about kids transferring, coaches getting new jobs. Some of next winter's games will be won or lost this spring; teams have so little on their benches, if they lose a couple kids unexpectedly, and don't replace them with good players, they will wind up like Duke was this seasonl with only six players you trust. Teams like that don't last long in March.

2) Green Bay Packers rarely sign veteran free agents away from other teams, but they signed TE Jared Cook Monday. I'll try to be nice here, but Cook got a lot of money in free agency from the Rams a few years back and did little to justify the expense. Now he has Aaron Rodgers throwing to him, which has to help a great deal, but iif he doesn't get open more than he did in St Louis, even that won't matter.

1) Syracuse lost to St John's this season.........
St John's lost to College of the Incarnate Word.....
College of the Incarnate Word lost to Our Lady of the Lake.....
Our Lady of the Lake lost to Oklahoma Arts & Sciences......

What would the spread be if Syracuse played Oklahoma Arts & Sciences?

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Tuesday, March 29

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

BYU (26 - 10) vs. VALPARAISO (29 - 6) - 3/29/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BYU is 61-101 ATS (-50.1 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
BYU is 33-56 ATS (-28.6 Units) in all neutral court games since 1997.
BYU is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) as a neutral court underdog of 3 points or less or pick since 1997.
BYU is 21-41 ATS (-24.1 Units) in road games in March games since 1997.
BYU is 33-56 ATS (-28.6 Units) when playing on a neutral court since 1997.
BYU is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) in road games in all tournament games over the last 3 seasons.
BYU is 82-124 ATS (-54.4 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
VALPARAISO is 38-21 ATS (+14.9 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 since 1997.
VALPARAISO is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 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.

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

GEORGE WASHINGTON (26 - 10) vs. SAN DIEGO ST (28 - 9) - 3/29/2016, 9:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GEORGE WASHINGTON is 41-63 ATS (-28.3 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1997.
GEORGE WASHINGTON is 77-105 ATS (-38.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
GEORGE WASHINGTON is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.
GEORGE WASHINGTON is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

UC-IRVINE (28 - 9) at COLUMBIA (24 - 10) - 3/29/2016, 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.

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




NCAAB
Short Sheet

Tuesday, March 29

BYU at Valparaiso, 7:00 ET
BYU: 33-56 ATS when playing on a neutral court
Valparaiso: 24-11 ATS off 2 or more consecutive home wins

George Washington at San Diego State, 9:30 ET
George Wash St: 1-5 ATS after 3 or more consecutive wins
San Diego St: 75-40 ATS after a win by 15 points or more




NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, March 29

NIT
BYU scored 88.3 ppg in winning its three NIT games; with all three tilts at home. Cougars are 12-4 outside WCC- they've won four of last five games away from home. Valparaiso is 13-2 outside Horizon; they won last five road games, last of which was 29 days ago. Valpo has #6 eFG% defense; they're #31 experience, play slow tempo. BYU plays fast, #11 tempo. Horizon teams are 2-1 vs WCC clubs this year; all three games were decided by 6 or less points.

San Diego State is 21-3 since a 7-6 start that cost them an at-large spot in NCAAs; Aztecs are young team with best eFG% defense in country- they're 5-1 in last six games away from home. George Washington won 14 of 16 outside A-14, but vs #238 non-conference schedule. Colonials scored 83.7 ppg in winning first three NIT games, with impressive win at Monmouth. Both teams play slowish tempo. Aztecs made 22-48 on arc in last three games; if they shot like that in non-conference schedule, they wouldn't be in this tournament.

CBI
Morehead State leads best-of-3 series, 1-0
Game 2 is Wednesday night in Reno.

CIT
Cal-Irvine won eight of last nine games, taking last two on road to get to finals of CBI; 7-6 center Ndiaye played 23:00 in his return Sunday- no Irvine player played more than 30:00. Anteaters are 23-0 vs teams not in top 100. Columbia won seven of last nine games; this is their sixth home game in row. Lions allowed 62 ppg in winning first three tourney games. Columbia used three players 31:00+ in its win over NJIT Sunday.

Las Vegas 8
All four of these teams played yesterday, after lengthy layoffs.

Old Dominion won eight of last nine games, losing in C-USA title game by hoop to Middle Tennessee, which upset Michigan State in NCAAs. Monarchs are 20-3 vs teams outside the top 150- they've got #18 eFG% defense. UCSB won 10 of its last 11 games after a 9-12 start, they were down 15 to No Illinois Monday, rallied for 70-63 win. Gauchos played couple starters 32:00+; ODU used only one kid more than 28:00. These two leagues (C-USA/Big West) split two games this season.

Oakland is 11-3 in last 14 games; they ran Towson St off floor Monday, going 31-39 on line. 5-9 PG Felder dominated game. Grizzlies play #9 tempo in country, but East Tennessee State will run with them- total in this game will be very high. Bucs are 11-3 in their last 14 games- they're 9-6 vs #41 non-league schedule. ETSU is #15 experience team, shoots 38.2% on arc (#16)- they were 11-28 on arc last nite. ETSU lost two of three vs top 100 teams, losing by 35-21; they upset Georgia Tech back in November. This will be fun to watch.




NCAAB

Tuesday, March 29

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

7:00 PM
UC IRVINE vs. COLUMBIA
UC Irvine is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of UC Irvine's last 12 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Columbia's last 6 games at home
Columbia is 14-2 SU in its last 16 games at home

7:00 PM
BYU vs. VALPARAISO
No trends available
Valparaiso is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Valparaiso is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games

9:00 PM
GEORGE WASHINGTON vs. SAN DIEGO STATE
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 8 of San Diego State's last 12 games
San Diego State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Dunkel

Tuesday, March 29


UC Irvine @ Columbia

Game 777-778
March 29, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
UC Irvine
61.259
Columbia
59.791
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
UC Irvine
by 1 1/2
146
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Columbia
by 1 1/2
139 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
UC Irvine
(+1 1/2); Over

Santa Barbara @ Old Dominion

Game 781-782
March 29, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Santa Barbara
60.637
Old Dominion
59.287
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Santa Barbara
by 1 1/2
130
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Old Dominion
by 1
124
Dunkel Pick:
Santa Barbara
(+1); Over

Brigham Young @ Valparaiso

Game 773-774
March 29, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Brigham Young
65.360
Valparaiso
69.732
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Valparaiso
by 4 1/2
152
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Valparaiso
by 2
146 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Valparaiso
(-2); Over

George Washington @ San Diego State

Game 775-776
March 29, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
George Washington
63.763
San Diego State
70.175
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Diego State
by 6 1/2
134
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Diego State
by 3
128 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
San Diego State
(-3); Over