The Bum's 2016 NCAA Basketball News-Trends-Picks !

[StarDust Bum]

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

LAS at MASS 01:00 PM

MASS +1.5

U 152.5

MTU at UAB 01:00 PM

MTU -7.0

O 133.0

VALP at NKU 01:00 PM

NKU +1.5

UIC at WRST 02:00 PM

WRST -7.0

SPC at CAN 02:00 PM

SPC -2.5

SYR at LOU 02:00 PM

SYR +9.0

O 142.0

GMU at GW 02:00 PM

GW -3.5

FAIR at NIAG 02:00 PM

FAIR -3.0

RID at QUIN 02:00 PM

RID -2.0

U 164.0

DETU at GB 03:00 PM

DETU +10.5

CIN at UCF 03:00 PM

UCF +5.0

U 124.5

OAK at MILW 03:00 PM

OAK +9.0

BUT at XAV 03:30 PM

XAV +2.0

O 144.5


*********************************

WIS at MSU 04:00 PM

MSU +3.0

O 129.0

MONM at IONA 04:00 PM

IONA +2.0

O 162.5

MRST at SIE 04:00 PM

SIE -12.0

ECU at TLSA 04:00 PM

ECU +5.0

HOU at MEM 05:00 PM

HOU -3.0

USC at ASU 06:30 PM

USC -4.5

GT at ND 06:30 PM

ND -11.0

ILL at NEB 07:30 PM

NEB -3.5

WASH at WSU 08:30 PM

WSU +2.0

O 155.5

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

— Spurs 119, Lakers 98— San Antonio is a very quiet 45-13.

— Clippers 124, Hornets 121 OT— Blake Griffin had 43 for the Clippers.

— Thunder 118, Pelicans 110— DeMarcus Cousins got his 18th technical, has to sit out the next game.

— Northern Kentucky 82, Valparaiso 78— Valpo’s best player is on crutches.

— Monmouth 79, Iona 73- Hawks’ last loss was January 2 to St Peter’s.

— Washington State 79, Washington 71— Markelle Fultz missed his third game with a bad knee.

**********

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

13) Pretty soon the college basketball coaching carousel will start spinning, which begs the question: is it better to be a big fish in a small pond, or a smaller fish in a big pond?

Shaka Smart bolted VCU for Texas and more $$$, but now he is 30-32 in two years, 15-19 in conference games and Longhorn fans are wondering why Rick Barnes got fired.

Guys like Gregg Marshall (Wichita St), Eric Musselman (Nevada) and Archie Miller (Dayton) are winning big in smaller leagues and will surely get offers from schools like NC State, Missouri, Illinois or whatever other jobs open up, but they all make a lot of money now.

Is it worth it to coach in deeper waters for more money, when it is harder to win there?

12) Watching Gonzaga lose at home to BYU late Saturday night, it occurs to you that they haven’t been tested enough by the lame WCC, which was way down this year, other than St Mary’s—even BYU is very young and isn’t as good as usual.

Gonzaga’s guards looked lost in the last few minutes, when the game was tight and a loss seemed possible. Zags hadn’t played a single-digit game since Dec 3, when they won by 7 over Arizona in Los Angeles. 84 days between close games isn’t that healthy for a team.

11) San Antonio Spurs have had 20 consecutive seasons with a winning road record; that is really a great accomplishment.

10) Arizona State 83, USC 82— ASU played starters 199 out of 200 minutes in their loss to UCLA Thursday; I’ve never seen that before. In this game, they played two subs, one 11:00, another 12:00, but they pulled out a win and improved to 7-10 in the Pac-12.

9) Big West Conference is way down this year, but three of their four games Saturday went to overtime, and the fourth game ended 83-80, so solid night of entertainment in that league.

8) Champ Week starts tonight, with four first-round games in the Atlantic Sun tourney at campus sites. Florida Gulf Coast is the #1 seed, Lipscomb the #2 seed.

Ohio Valley tournament will be next, starting on Wednesday.

7) A U of Louisville sophomore thought he won $38,000 at a women’s basketball game Thursday by hitting a layup, foul shot, 3-pointer and half-court shot during a time-out, but he has been told he is ineligible to receive the prize because he played high school ball and the fine print of the contest says no one can collect if they played organized basketball within the last six years. Too bad- the sponsor would win back the $38K in goodwill if they gave the kid the $$$.

6) San Diego State had a great running back this season, Donnel Pumphrey; the school honored the young man during a timeout in the Aztecs’ basketball game Wednesday, but there was one small problem.

Mr Pumphrey showed up wearing a Dodgers’ hat.

People in San Diego don’t like Los Angeles, and since the Chargers just bolted to LA, that feeling has ramped up a little bit, so Mr Pumphrey took some grief on social media for the hat. Took until the second half for someone at the arena to get him a red Aztecs’ cap.

5) I’m a big fan of college basketball adopting the 8-second half-court rule; would encourage teams to press more and also to run the ball up the floor, instead of walking it up.

4) Do you think Jack Nicklaus sits at home and quietly celebrates because Eldrick Woods’ career is in the dumper, which preserves Nicklaus’ record for most majors won?

3) Toughing moment at Michigan State Sunday; senior Eron Harris blew his knee out earlier this year- his career is over, but he suited up for his last home game Sunday and with 0:11 left and the Spartans safely ahead, Harris checked into the game to get one last ovation.

He knelt down, which wasn’t easy with the big knee brace he had on, and kissed the Spartan logo at midcourt. I’m not sure the average fan realizes how much effort these kids put into their playing careers and how much it means to them. It was a pretty cool moment.

2) I was trying to explain to a young person the other day what basketball was like before the shot clock; in short, it wasn’t as fun. Coaches could dominate the game; the game could have almost no flow at all. The shot clock and 3-point shot have made basketball a way better game.

Example: February 22, 1980— While the US Olympic hockey team was beating the Russians in the Miracle on Ice in Lake Placid, my college team was playing in the semifinals of their conference tournament, in Buffalo. People in the corner of the small gym were watching the hockey game on Canadian TV in the corner of the gym.

We lost the game that night in four overtimes; the team that won the tip of all four 5:00 OT’s held the ball for the last shot. I’m not kidding, it was that boring— tense is a better word.

In 1979, a North Carolina-Duke basketball game was 7-0 at halftime. Seriously.

1— Watching college hoop games this weekend, one thing is clear; people are tired. Season is a long one; players, coaches, and maybe most of all the officials are tired. Getting to Champ Week gives everyone a little jolt of energy.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Dunkel

Monday, February 27


NJ Tech @ Lipscomb

Game 551-552
February 27, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NJ Tech
42.783
Lipscomb
57.959
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Lipscomb
by 15
162
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Lipscomb
by 9
156 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Lipscomb
(-9); Over

Jacksonville @ North Florida

Game 549-550
February 27, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Jacksonville
47.427
North Florida
46.781
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Jacksonville
by 1
145
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
North Florida
by 4
151 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Jacksonville
(+4); Under

Kennesaw St @ SC-Upstate

Game 547-548
February 27, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Kennesaw St
49.529
SC-Upstate
49.060
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Kennesaw St
Even
146
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
SC-Upstate
by 3 1/2
152 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Kennesaw St
(+3 1/2); Under

Stetson @ FL-Gulf Coast

Game 545-546
February 27, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Stetson
43.343
FL-Gulf Coast
57.506
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
FL-Gulf Coast
by 12 1/2
146
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
FL-Gulf Coast
by 14 1/2
155
Dunkel Pick:
Stetson
(+14 1/2); Under

Norfolk State @ Hampton

Game 543-544
February 27, 2017 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Norfolk State
47.343
Hampton
41.123
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Norfolk State
by 6
139
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Hampton
by 2 1/2
133 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Norfolk State
(+2 1/2); Over

E Tenn State @ NC-Greensboro

Game 541-542
February 27, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
E Tenn State
55.881
NC-Greensboro
61.973
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NC-Greensboro
by 6
150
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
E Tenn State
by 2 1/2
143 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
NC-Greensboro
(+2 1/2); Over

VMI @ Western Carolina

Game 539-540
February 27, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
VMI
47.648
Western Carolina
42.281
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
VMI
by 5 1/2
131
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Western Carolina
by 3 1/2
135 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
VMI
(+3 1/2); Under

Chattanooga @ The Citadel

Game 537-538
February 27, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chattanooga
55.260
The Citadel
44.759
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chattanooga
by 10 1/2
185
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chattanooga
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Chattanooga
N/A

Samford @ Mercer

Game 535-536
February 27, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Samford
44.893
Mercer
59.481
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Mercer
by 14 1/2
127
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Mercer
by 5
140 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Mercer
(-5); Under

Miami-FL @ Virginia Tech

Game 533-534
February 27, 2017 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami-FL
66.657
Virginia Tech
70.760
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Virginia Tech
by 4
134
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Virginia Tech
by 1
140 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Virginia Tech
(-1); Under

Georgia Southern @ AR-Little Rock

Game 531-532
February 27, 2017 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Georgia Southern
55.197
AR-Little Rock
48.508
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Georgia Southern
by 6 1/2
148
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
AR-Little Rock
by 1 1/2
139
Dunkel Pick:
Georgia Southern
(+1 1/2); Over

Oklahoma @ Kansas

Game 529-530
February 27, 2017 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oklahoma
57.350
Kansas
80.465
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Kansas
by 23
144
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kansas
by 13 1/2
153
Dunkel Pick:
Kansas
(-13 1/2); Under

Georgia State @ Arkansas St

Game 527-528
February 27, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Georgia State
58.130
Arkansas St
53.968
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Georgia State
by 4
152
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Arkansas St
by 1
140
Dunkel Pick:
Georgia State
(+1); Over

Troy @ TX-Arlington

Game 525-526
February 27, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Troy
49.422
TX-Arlington
67.660
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
TX-Arlington
by 18
151
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
TX-Arlington
by 9 1/2
156 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
TX-Arlington
(-9 1/2); Over

South Alabama @ Texas State

Game 523-524
February 27, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
South Alabama
49.368
Texas State
56.170
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Texas State
by 7
136
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Texas State
by 4
126 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Texas State
(-4); Over

LA-Lafayette @ Appalachian St

Game 521-522
February 27, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA-Lafayette
53.333
Appalachian St
57.739
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Appalachian St
by 4 1/2
145
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA-Lafayette
by 4
166 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Appalachian St
(+4); Under

LA-Monroe @ Coastal Carolina

Game 519-520
February 27, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA-Monroe
48.007
Coastal Carolina
49.665
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Coastal Carolina
by 1 1/2
128
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Coastal Carolina
by 6 1/2
133
Dunkel Pick:
LA-Monroe
(+6 1/2); Under

West Virginia @ Baylor

Game 517-518
February 27, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
West Virginia
78.365
Baylor
73.478
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
West Virginia
by 5
146
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Baylor
by 2
135 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
West Virginia
(+2); Over

North Carolina @ Virginia

Game 515-516
February 27, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
North Carolina
79.866
Virginia
72.795
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
North Carolina
by 7
136
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
North Carolina
by 1 1/2
130
Dunkel Pick:
North Carolina
(-1 1/2); Over

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Monday, February 27

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N CAROLINA (25 - 5) at VIRGINIA (19 - 9) - 2/27/2017, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VIRGINIA is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) in a home game where the total is 130 to 134.5 since 1997.
N CAROLINA is 290-237 ATS (+29.3 Units) as a favorite since 1997.


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




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W VIRGINIA (23 - 6) at BAYLOR (23 - 6) - 2/27/2017, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
W VIRGINIA is 44-67 ATS (-29.7 Units) in road games off a win against a conference rival since 1997.
BAYLOR is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in all home games over the last 2 seasons.
BAYLOR is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.
BAYLOR is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in home games against conference opponents this season.
BAYLOR is 4-11 ATS (-8.1 Units) after a conference game this season.


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




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LA-MONROE (8 - 20) at COASTAL CAROLINA (14 - 15) - 2/27/2017, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA-MONROE is 37-22 ATS (+12.8 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
LA-MONROE is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
COASTAL CAROLINA is 1-0 against the spread versus LA-MONROE over the last 3 seasons
COASTAL CAROLINA is 1-0 straight up against LA-MONROE over the last 3 seasons




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LA-LAFAYETTE (17 - 11) at APPALACHIAN ST (8 - 19) - 2/27/2017, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA-LAFAYETTE is 65-42 ATS (+18.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
LA-LAFAYETTE is 4-0 against the spread versus APPALACHIAN ST over the last 3 seasons
LA-LAFAYETTE is 4-0 straight up against APPALACHIAN ST over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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S ALABAMA (13 - 15) at TEXAS ST (16 - 11) - 2/27/2017, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
S ALABAMA is 119-153 ATS (-49.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS ST is 4-1 against the spread versus S ALABAMA over the last 3 seasons
TEXAS ST is 4-1 straight up against S ALABAMA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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TROY (16 - 13) at TX-ARLINGTON (22 - 6) - 2/27/2017, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TROY is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) off a loss against a conference rival this season.
TROY is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.


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




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GEORGIA ST (18 - 10) at ARKANSAS ST (19 - 9) - 2/27/2017, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARKANSAS ST is 15-8 ATS (+6.2 Units) in all games this season.
ARKANSAS ST is 15-8 ATS (+6.2 Units) in all lined games this season.


Head-to-Head Series History
GEORGIA ST is 2-1 against the spread versus ARKANSAS ST over the last 3 seasons
GEORGIA ST is 3-1 straight up against ARKANSAS ST over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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OKLAHOMA (10 - 18) at KANSAS (26 - 3) - 2/27/2017, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA is 10-20 ATS (-12.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS is 8-15 ATS (-8.5 Units) as a favorite this season.


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




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GA SOUTHERN (18 - 11) at ARK-LITTLE ROCK (13 - 15) - 2/27/2017, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARK-LITTLE ROCK is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) in all games this season.
ARK-LITTLE ROCK is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) in all lined games this season.
ARK-LITTLE ROCK is 4-11 ATS (-8.1 Units) against conference opponents this season.


Head-to-Head Series History
GA SOUTHERN is 2-1 against the spread versus ARK-LITTLE ROCK over the last 3 seasons
ARK-LITTLE ROCK is 2-2 straight up against GA SOUTHERN over the last 3 seasons
4 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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MIAMI (20 - 8) at VIRGINIA TECH (20 - 8) - 2/27/2017, 9:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in road games after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA TECH is 34-19 ATS (+13.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA TECH is 34-19 ATS (+13.1 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA TECH is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) in all home games over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA TECH is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA TECH is 25-11 ATS (+12.9 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA TECH is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in February games over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA TECH is 12-2 ATS (+9.8 Units) when playing with one or less days rest over the last 3 seasons.
VIRGINIA TECH is 24-11 ATS (+11.9 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA TECH is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) revenging a road loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA TECH is 29-17 ATS (+10.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA TECH is 21-8 ATS (+12.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 134-92 ATS (+32.8 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
MIAMI is 25-10 ATS (+14.0 Units) as a road underdog of 3 points or less or pick since 1997.
MIAMI is 119-84 ATS (+26.6 Units) in road games since 1997.
MIAMI is 119-84 ATS (+26.6 Units) in road lined games since 1997.
MIAMI is 110-78 ATS (+24.2 Units) in road games against conference opponents since 1997.
MIAMI is 109-78 ATS (+23.2 Units) in road games after a conference game since 1997.
MIAMI is 136-101 ATS (+24.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
MIAMI is 36-19 ATS (+15.1 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games since 1997.
MIAMI is 92-65 ATS (+20.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
VIRGINIA TECH is 4-3 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 6-1 straight up against VIRGINIA TECH over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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SAMFORD (17 - 13) at MERCER (14 - 16) - 2/27/2017, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAMFORD is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) as an underdog this season.
SAMFORD is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) in road games this season.
SAMFORD is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) in road lined games this season.
SAMFORD is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in road games when playing with one or less days rest over the last 3 seasons.
MERCER is 6-18 ATS (-13.8 Units) in February games over the last 3 seasons.
MERCER is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
MERCER is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 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
MERCER is 4-1 against the spread versus SAMFORD over the last 3 seasons
MERCER is 5-0 straight up against SAMFORD over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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UT-CHATTANOOGA (19 - 10) at THE CITADEL (10 - 20) - 2/27/2017, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.


Head-to-Head Series History
THE CITADEL is 3-2 against the spread versus UT-CHATTANOOGA over the last 3 seasons
UT-CHATTANOOGA is 5-0 straight up against THE CITADEL over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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VMI (6 - 22) at W CAROLINA (8 - 22) - 2/27/2017, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VMI is 2-12 ATS (-11.2 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 over the last 2 seasons.
VMI is 15-25 ATS (-12.5 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
VMI is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
VMI is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
VMI is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
VMI is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
W CAROLINA is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in a home game where the total is 135 to 139.5 over the last 3 seasons.
W CAROLINA is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in February games over the last 2 seasons.
W CAROLINA is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in home games after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
W CAROLINA is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 77+ points/game since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
W CAROLINA is 4-1 against the spread versus VMI over the last 3 seasons
W CAROLINA is 3-2 straight up against VMI over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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E TENN ST (24 - 6) at UNC-GREENSBORO (22 - 8) - 2/27/2017, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
E TENN ST is 48-29 ATS (+16.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.


Head-to-Head Series History
UNC-GREENSBORO is 3-2 against the spread versus E TENN ST over the last 3 seasons
E TENN ST is 3-2 straight up against UNC-GREENSBORO over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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NORFOLK ST (15 - 14) at HAMPTON (12 - 15) - 2/27/2017, 9:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.


Head-to-Head Series History
HAMPTON is 1-0 against the spread versus NORFOLK ST over the last 3 seasons
NORFOLK ST is 4-2 straight up against HAMPTON over the last 3 seasons
0 of 0 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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STETSON (11 - 20) at FLA GULF COAST (23 - 7) - 2/27/2017, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.


Head-to-Head Series History
STETSON is 1-0 against the spread versus FLA GULF COAST over the last 3 seasons
FLA GULF COAST is 6-1 straight up against STETSON 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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KENNESAW ST (13 - 17) at USC UPSTATE (17 - 14) - 2/27/2017, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.


Head-to-Head Series History
USC UPSTATE is 1-0 against the spread versus KENNESAW ST over the last 3 seasons
USC UPSTATE is 4-3 straight up against KENNESAW 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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JACKSONVILLE (17 - 14) at N FLORIDA (13 - 18) - 2/27/2017, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.


Head-to-Head Series History
N FLORIDA is 6-0 straight up against JACKSONVILLE over the last 3 seasons




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NEW JERSEY TECH (11 - 19) at LIPSCOMB (19 - 12) - 2/27/2017, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.


Head-to-Head Series History
LIPSCOMB is 3-1 straight up against NEW JERSEY TECH over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, February 27

Virginia lost five of last seven games; they lost last two home games, scoring 55-48 points. North Carolina won/covered its last four games; they’re 3-4 as road favorites (5-3 SU), with wins by 24 at NC State, 18 at Pitt in last two away games. UNC hammered Virginia 65-41 at home nine days ago; Cavaliers were 2-20 on arc, were -18 on boards in game that was 34-22 at the half. Teams split last eight series games; Carolina lost its last three visits here, by 9-15-5 points. ACC road favorites of 3 or less points are 7-4-1 vs spread this season.

Baylor is 3-5 in its last eight games after a 20-1 start; they’re 6-2 as a home favorite, with pair of 2-point losses, to K-State/Kansas. Bears turned ball over 29 times in 89-68 loss at West Virginia Jan 10; Baylor lost last three series games by 11-11-21 points. Teams split four series games played here. West Virginia won five of its last six games; their last two road games were decided by a total of five points- they’re 2-0 as an underdog this year. Baylor turns ball over 22% of time, worst in Big X. Big X home favorites of 3 or less points are 3-8 vs spread.

Coastal Carolina lost two of its last three games; they’re 6-2 vs spread at home in Sun Belt, with only losses both by two points, to Texas State/ULL. Chanticleers are 3-1 as a home favorite. UL-Monroe snapped 5-game skid with an upset win at App State Saturday; War Hawks are 1-7 on Sun Belt road, 4-4 as a road underdog, with losses by 4-31-9-16-6-14 points. ULM is last in Sun Belt in five of nine offensive metrics. Coastal has best 3-point defense in league; opponents are allowing 31.9% on arc. Sun Belt home favorites of 7 or less points are 17-20 vs spread.

Appalachian State lost its last three games, by 13-10-11 points; they’re 3-4 at home in league games, 2-2 as a home underdog- they’re 3-7 vs spread in last 10 games. UL-Lafayette is 4-0 vs Appalachian State in Sun Belt games; Cajuns won 80-64/87-76 in its two visits here. ULL won its last three games, last two by total of three points; they’re 4-4 on Sun Belt road, 2-1 as a road favorite. ULL is last in four of nine defensive metrics in league; road team is 11-4 vs spread in their Sun Belt games. Sun Belt road favorites of 4+ points are 4-8 vs spread this season.

Texas State won six of last nine games, covered six of last eight; they’re 3-2 as a home favorite, with home wins by 9-8-6-7-4-4 points. South Alabama lost three of last four games, is 5-3 vs spread as a road underdog, 2-6 SU on road- their last four road losses were all by 11+ points. USA made 10-24 on arc in 72-67 OT win over Texas State Jan 14; Jaguars are 3-4 vs TSU in series games- they lost by 1-11 points in two visits here. Sun Belt home favorites of 5 or less points are 11-14 against the spread this season.

Troy made 17-25 on arc in 93-71 home win over Tex-Arlington Jan 14; UTA got to foul line 33 times but was just 4-25 on the arc. Trojans won four of last five games, are 6-1 vs spread as a road underdog- all six of their conference losses are by six or less points. Arlington won six in a row, 10 of last 11 games; four of their last six wins were by 10+ points- they’re 5-2-1 as a home favorite, Teams split two meetings here, with games decided by total of four points. Sun Belt home favorites of 9+ points are 7-4-1 vs spread this season.

Georgia State is 10-3 in its last 13 games, with all three losses by 5 or less points; they are 5-3 on Sun Belt road. Panthers are 6-1 vs Arkansas State in Sun Belt games; they won two of three visits to ASU, with two of those games going OT. Red Wolves lost three of last four games, are 7-1 at home in league games, with only loss by 12 to Georgia Southern Saturday. ASU is 4-4 as a home favorite. State has best eFG% in Sun Belt, on both offense and defense. Road teams are 8-4-1 vs number in Sun Belt games where spread was 2 or less points.

Georgia Southern is 3-4 on Sun Belt road; they allowed 78+ points in all five conference losses, are 8-0 in Sun Belt when allowing less than 78 points. Southern/Little Rock split four Sun Belt meetings, going 1-1 in each gym; three of the four games were decided by 13+ points. Trojans lost their last nine games, are 0-4 vs spread in last four; they’re 2-6 at home, 0-8 vs spread, 0-5 as a home favorite. Southern is shooting 39.9% on arc, best in the league. Road teams are 8-4-1 vs number in Sun Belt games where spread was 2 or less points.

Kansas won its last six games, covering last three; they’re 2-6 as a home favorite, with wins at home by 2-17-7-12-5-4-19 points, and loss to Iowa State. Oklahoma covered its last four games (2-2 SU); they’re 5-2-1 as road underdogs, with road losses by 3-11-1-8-16-4-6 points. Kansas made 12-27 on arc in 81-70 win at Oklahoma Jan 10; Jayhawks won six of last seven series games. Sooners lost last eight visits here- they lost 109-106 in triple OT here LY. Double digit home favorites are 3-15-1 vs spread in Big X games this season.

Miami won its last four games; quick turnaround for them after its home win over Duke. ‘canes are 3-4 on ACC road, 3-1 as road underdog- they allowed 56 pts/game in their last four games. Virginia Tech won four of its last five games; they’re 6-1 at home in ACC, 1-4 vs spread as a home favorite. Miami beat Tech 74-68 at home Feb 8; Hurricanes won seven of last eight games vs Tech- teams split last four played here. Miami lost 77-62 in Blacksburg LY. ACC home favorites of 3 or less points are 7-9 against the spread this season.

Mercer made 14-25 on arc in 68-65 win at Samford Jan 11; Bears were down 5 with 7:55 left, rallied to win 5th straight game vs Samford- they won by 24-19 in last two meetings here. Mercer is is 3-5 in its last eight games, losing last three home games; they’re 3-3 as a home favorite. Samford lost as a 13-point favorite Saturday; they’re 2-5 in last seven games, 4-1 as a road underdog- seven of their last eight losses were by 6 or less points or in overtime. SoCon home favorites of 5 or less points are 8-14-2 this season.

Chattanooga lost its last three games, is 4-6 in its last ten; they’re 4-4 on SoCon road, 2-4 as a road favorite. Mocs’ senior G McLean got hurt Saturday (check status). UTC outscored Citadel 23-13 in foul line in 83-73 home win over the Bulldogs Jan 11; Citadel snapped an 11-game skid Saturday; they’re 2-4 as a SoCon home underdog. Mocs won last eight series games, winning last five visits here, by 1-5-4-19-6 points. UTC plays slowest tempo games in league, Citadel plays 2nd-fastest tempo in entire country. SoCon road favorites are 13-12 vs spread.

VMI lost its last five games, is 2-5-1 vs spread as a SoCon road underdog, with road losses by 27-18-5-18-17-19-7 points- their only road win was as a 20-point underdog. WCU lost seven of last eight games; they’re 2-6 at home in SoCon- this is first time they’ve been favored in a game this season. VMI made 13-34 on arc, nipped Western Carolina 79-78 at home Jan 12; Keydets are 2-3 in last five series games- teams split last two meetings in Cullowhee. SoCon home favorites of 3 or less points are 7-6 this season.

NC-Greensboro made 13-20 on arc in 83-79 upset win at East Tennessee State Jan 12, after trailing by 10 early on. Spartans won their last six games, are 6-2 at home in SoCon, with losses by 6 to Furman, 11 to Samford. East Tennessee also won its last six games, covering four of last five; they’re 4-3 as a road favorite, with road wins by 44-9-10-10-14-16 points with losses at Furman/Wofford. ETSU is 3-2 in SoCon meetings; teams split last two played here. SoCon road favorites of 4 or less points are 2-3 against the spread.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB

Monday, February 27

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
VMI vs. WESTERN CAROLINA
No trends available
Western Carolina is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against VMI
Western Carolina is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing VMI

See more trends!
FEBRUARY 27, 7:00 PM
LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE vs. APPALACHIAN STATE
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Louisiana-Lafayette's last 6 games on the road
Appalachian State is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games at home
Appalachian State is 2-10 SU in its last 12 games

See more trends!
FEBRUARY 27, 7:00 PM
CHATTANOOGA vs. THE CITADEL
Chattanooga is 2-2-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against The Citadel
Chattanooga is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against The Citadel
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of The Citadel's last 5 games
The Citadel is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games

See more trends!
FEBRUARY 27, 7:00 PM
WEST VIRGINIA vs. BAYLOR
The total has gone OVER in 5 of West Virginia's last 7 games on the road
West Virginia is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Baylor is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Baylor is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games

See more trends!
FEBRUARY 27, 7:00 PM
LOUISIANA-MONROE vs. COASTAL CAROLINA
Louisiana-Monroe is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Louisiana-Monroe's last 5 games on the road
No trends available

See more trends!
FEBRUARY 27, 7:00 PM
SAMFORD vs. MERCER
Samford is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Samford's last 7 games on the road
No trends available

See more trends!
FEBRUARY 27, 7:00 PM
NORTH CAROLINA vs. VIRGINIA
North Carolina is 6-13 ATS in its last 19 games on the road
North Carolina is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Virginia's last 9 games when playing at home against North Carolina
Virginia is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games at home

See more trends!
FEBRUARY 27, 7:00 PM
EAST TENNESSEE STATE vs. UNC GREENSBORO
No trends available
UNC Greensboro is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games when playing East Tennessee State
UNC Greensboro is 3-5-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing East Tennessee State

See more trends!
FEBRUARY 27, 8:00 PM
TROY vs. TEXAS-ARLINGTON
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Troy's last 9 games on the road
Troy is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Texas-Arlington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Texas-Arlington's last 5 games at home

See more trends!
FEBRUARY 27, 8:00 PM
GEORGIA STATE vs. ARKANSAS STATE
Georgia State is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Arkansas State is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Georgia State
Arkansas State is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Georgia State

See more trends!
FEBRUARY 27, 8:00 PM
SOUTH ALABAMA vs. TEXAS STATE
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of South Alabama's last 6 games on the road
South Alabama is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games on the road
Texas State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing South Alabama
Texas State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

See more trends!
FEBRUARY 27, 9:00 PM
MIAMI vs. VIRGINIA TECH
Miami is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Virginia Tech
Miami is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Miami
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Virginia Tech's last 5 games when playing Miami

See more trends!
FEBRUARY 27, 9:00 PM
GEORGIA SOUTHERN vs. ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK
Georgia Southern is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Georgia Southern is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Arkansas-Little Rock is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
Arkansas-Little Rock is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games at home

See more trends!
FEBRUARY 27, 9:00 PM
OKLAHOMA vs. KANSAS
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Oklahoma's last 7 games on the road
Oklahoma is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Kansas's last 8 games when playing Oklahoma
Kansas is 16-2 SU in its last 18 games when playing Oklahoma

[StarDust Bum]

College basketball fans have a betting edge with these NIT rules changes

“My take on it is that it’s gonna help the teams that are very high-scoring teams. It’s gonna make the totals a little higher.”

The NCAA is eyeing another step toward creating more possessions and more scoring in college basketball, floating a couple trial balloons in the upcoming National Invitation Tournament. And those adjustments should have alarm bells going off in the heads of college basketball bettors as the postseason draws near.

The first change eliminates the 1-and-1 free-throw situation, while also ostensibly breaking the game into quarters without actually doing so. Presently, a team would shoot the 1-and-1 after its opponent commits seven fouls in a half, and would get two free throws when 10 fouls are reached.

During the NIT, a team will get two shots after the opponents’ fifth and subsequent fouls in the first 10 minutes. Then, at the 10-minute mark, both teams’ foul totals will reset to zero and a team will again be awarded two shots after an opponents’ fifth and subsequent fouls. The second half will unfold the same way.

The second change again involves the shot clock. In 2015, the NIT experimented with a 30-second clock, instead of 35, and the NCAA put the 30-second clock into full effect for the 2015-16 season. Now, for inbounds plays in the frontcourt due to a foul or play being stopped due to a bleeding player/blood on a uniform, the shot clock will remain the same as when play stopped or reset to 20 seconds, whichever is greater, rather than resetting to the full 30 seconds.

The changes should lead to more offense, which means college hoops oddsmakers will have to adjust their numbers for the NIT before, during, and even after - if the NCAA writes these new rules in stone across the country next season.

“It’s very tricky,” said Scott Kaminsky, director for offshore sportsbook TheGreek.com. “My take on it is that it’s gonna help the teams that are very high-scoring teams. It’s gonna make the totals a little higher.”

But it could also hurt a high-scoring team such as West Virginia, which averages 84.5 points per game (14th nationally) but plays end-to-end on offense and defense to do so.

“West Virginia always does the full-court press, and they commit more fouls than an average team,” Kaminsky said, alluding to the Mountaineers’ average of 20.6 fouls per game, among the most of any team in the nation. “You’re gonna have more possessions, you’re gonna have more fouls, the totals are gonna be higher. If you get to five fouls at the 15-minute mark, the other team is shooting two free throws until the 10-minute mark.”

Kaminsky said the change in totals won’t be as dramatic as when the shot-clock shifted from 35 to 30 seconds. Just three weeks into the 2015-16 season, the average final combined score was 146 points, up a whopping 13 points from the 2014-15 season average.

“The shot clock going to 30, that was worth six to eight points (on average),” he said. “This is gonna be more subtle. A total of 159, maybe now it should be 162. But that’s something. That’s an edge if you can figure it out – teams that foul more.”

Kaminsky added the opposite would likely hold true for a low-scoring, plodding team such as Virginia, which might not commit nor take five fouls in 10 minutes’ time.

Aaron Kessler, supervisor and oddsmaker at the Golden Nugget in downtown Las Vegas, wasn’t as concerned with totals as he was with teams that are behind having one less tool to catch up.

“I like the 1-and-1, and this takes that strategy away,” he said. “I think what it’s gonna do is turn games into more of a free-throw-shooting contest. Teams that shoot free throws better will benefit.”

South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews, speaking to both changes, enjoined points from both Kaminsky and Kessler.

“The total, you’ve got to tick up a little bit. That’s the first thing I saw when I looked at it,” Andrews said. “Second, the game is really being geared toward shooters. It’s really a shooting match, whereas there used to be strategy. I don’t know that they need to do that.”

Andrews added that the expected increase in possessions and/or scoring would seem to benefit favorites. Maybe.

“I think that makes a lot of sense,” he said. “But compare it to college football, way back when they decided to stop the clock after every first down. My thought was that would greatly help favorites. I’m not sure that really wound up happening. We thought that’s what would happen in football, and we think that again with this. But it might not happen.”

Should the NIT changes gain full implementation, Kaminsky seems more certain that it’s a big win for favorites.

“These rules are gonna help the better team,” he said. “I think you’ll have less upsets, since you’ll have a few more possessions where the clock resets to 20. You might get six extra possessions. Another reason why you might have a few less upsets is that the better team, leading at the end, is now gonna get two shots at it from the free-throw line. That gives the weaker team less of a chance to rally and come back at the end.”

And considering upsets are arguably the best part of college basketball – think court-storming and Cinderella stories – these changes might not be such a good thing.

“For the pros, I don’t give a damn, but upsets are cool in college,” Kaminsky said. “And there aren’t gonna be as many.”

Kessler summarized, “I think these are changes for the sake of change. I’m not very fond of them.”

[StarDust Bum]

Monday's Tip Sheet
February 26, 2017

The final Monday of the month in college basketball betting action on ESPN and ESPNU features a pair of matchups between some of the top teams this season in both the ACC and the Big 12.

The opener pits the No. 8 North Carolina Tar Heels on the road against the No. 18 Virginia Cavaliers in the ACC and later that night in a big showdown in the Big 12, the No. 12 West Virginia Mountaineers go on the road to square off against the No. 9 Baylor Bears

No. 8 North Carolina Tar Heels at No. 18 Virginia Cavaliers (ESPN, 7:00 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: North Carolina -1.5, Total 130

Betting Matchup

The Tar Heels took a big step towards locking up the ACC regular season title with Saturday’s 85-67 romp over Pittsburgh as nine-point road favorites. At 13-3 straight-up in conference play, they now have a two-game lead over Florida State with just two games to play. North Carolina (25-5) has covered in its last four games to improve to 17-13 against the spread. The total has stayed UNDER in seven of its last nine outings and it is 4-8 ATS on the road this season.

Junior forward Justin Jackson is the team’s leading scorer with 18.8 points per game and, with 23 points in Saturday’s win, he has now scored at least 20 points in four of his last five starts. North Carolina is averaging 86.4 points, which is the seventh-highest total in the nation.

With Saturday’s much needed 70-55 victory against North Carolina State as a six-point road favorite, Virginia stopped its slide down the conference standings as a result of a four-game losing streak both SU and ATS. The Cavaliers are 9-7 in ACC play and 19-9 SU overall heading into their final two regular season games. They have gone 3-6 ATS in their last nine games and the total has stayed UNDER in nine of their last 12 contests.

Virginia’s shutdown defense has been the primary strength of this team with a points-allowed average of 55.8 that is still ranked first in the country. However, going back over its previous five games this number ballooned to 63.8 PPG. The 70 points scored against the Wolfpack was just the third time in the last seven outings that the Cavaliers exceeded their season scoring average of 67.1 PPG.

Betting Trends

-- The Tar Heels are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 road games overall and they are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games against a team with a SU winning record at home. The total has stayed UNDER or ended as a PUSH in their last seven games following a SU win.

-- The Cavaliers are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 home games against a team with a SU winning record on the road, but they fall to 1-4 ATS in their last five games against a team with a SU winning record overall.

-- Head-to-head in this cross state rivalry, the favorite has gone 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings and the total has gone OVER in five of the last seven games between the two. Back on Feb. 18, North Carolina won the first meeting 65-41 as a six-point favorite at home.

No. 12 West Virginia Mountaineers at No. 9 Baylor Bears (ESPNU, 7:00 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Baylor -2, Total 135.5

Betting Matchup

The Mountaineers (23-6) squeaked past TCU 61-60 on Saturday as five-point road favorites to improve to 11-5 in Big 12 play. Going back to mid-January, they have gone 4-7-1 ATS over their last 12 games. They are 15-11 ATS on the year and the total has stayed UNDER in four of their last seven games. West Virginia is 5-4 ATS in nine previous road games this season.

Junior guard Jevon Carter (15 points) and senior forward Nathan Adrian (13 points) led the way against the Horned Frogs and junior guard Daxter Miles Jr. sealed the win with a clutch free throw in the final seconds of the game. Carter has been the Mountaineers’ leading scorer all season long with 12.7 PPG and the team has a whole is averaging 84.5 points.

Baylor has now dropped three of its last four games SU with Saturday’s 72-69 loss to Iowa State on the road. The Bears closed as one-point underdogs in that game and they have failed to cover in their last four outings. The total went OVER 139 ½ points against the Cyclones after staying UNDER in eight of their previous 10 games. Baylor returns home with a costly 4-9 record ATS this season at the Ferrell Center in Waco.

Junior forward Johnathan Motley scored a game-high 27 points in Saturday’s loss to go along with 11 rebounds and he has now scored 19 points or more in five of his last six games. He leads the Bears in scoring this season with 17.3 PPG and he is pulling down an average of 9.8 rebounds a game. Baylor is averaging 73 PPG.

Betting Trends

-- The Mountaineers are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four Monday games and they are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four games following an ATS loss. The total has gone OVER or ended as a PUSH in six of their last eight road games.

-- The Bears have failed to cover in four of their last five games played on Monday and they are 1-7 ATS in their last eight home games. The total has stayed UNDER in their last five games played at home.

-- The favorite in this Big 12 tilt is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings and the total has gone OVER in six of the last seven games between the two. West Virginia drew first blood in the season series with an 89-68 victory on Jan. 10 as a 5 ½-point home favorite.

[StarDust Bum]

Monday's Best Bet
February 27, 2017

West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Baylor Bears

Sportsbook.ag Odds: Pick'em; Total set at 137

Although more of the talking heads at the major media outlets across the country will be glued to the UNC/Virginia game tonight, it's the other contest between two ranked foes from the Big 12 at the same time that has grabbed my attention from a betting perspective.

Neither West Virginia or Baylor have a shot at a Big 12 Championship this year after Kansas clinched it over the weekend, but fighting for positioning in the Big 12 Tournament is still on the line as both sides would love to get that #2 spot and avoid a date with Kansas for as long as possible.

For Baylor to improve in the standings tonight's game is a must-win for them. They were blown out in the first meeting with the Mountaineers back in West Virginia as the 89-68 final score line wasn't flattering in any way. West Virginia's press, chaotic defense always forces plenty of turnovers, but the 29 Baylor had that day was way too many to overcome.

Being at home this time around, bettors should expect to see Baylor find a bit more success offensively if for nothing else, those turnover numbers should be cut down. Seeing West Virginia for the second time will eliminate the element of surprise a bit as in Baylor's guards and primary ball-handlers will have a much better idea of what to expect from West Virginia's press and be able to break it more often.

Giving up 47.8% from the floor wasn't flattering either for a Baylor defense that allows an average of 39.5% shooting against, and just 62.8 points allowed per game. West Virginia is one of the higher scoring teams in the country (84.5 points/game) but that's in large part to all the extra possessions they get from the turnovers and/or all the fouls they commit. An aggressive defense will always commit plenty of fouls and if Baylor can take advantage of those opportunities (just 14-for-23 from FT line in 1st meeting), they should be in good shape tonight.

Yet, while things look positive on the improvement side for Baylor, there aren't too many bettors jumping in that boat. This point spread has already dropped to a pick'em after opening up as Baylor -2, and three losses over their past four games (0-4 ATS) for Baylor will garner a lack of support.

The Mountaineers are on a roll with five wins in their last six games (the only loss coming in OT to Kansas) and with bettors weighing current form more heavily into their projections these days, it's not overly surprising that West Virginia took plenty of action when they were getting points.

However, now the spread as gotten to a point where points don't matter and I can't help but like Baylor to be the ones who come out with the win tonight. Baylor is 14-2 SU at home this year and both those losses came by exactly two points against the programs from Kansas (Kansas, Kansas State).

That tells me that no matter what, Baylor finds a way to potentially have a shot at it in the dying seconds of a game and I've got no problem backing that side, especially at home. It's also the final home game for Baylor this year and senior night motivation can be something special for clubs, especially when they are looking to knock of a highly-ranked foe.

[StarDust Bum]

Top 25 Betting Recap
February 27, 2017

Gonzaga (29-1 SU, 20-6-1 ATS) suffered its first loss at the hands of giant killer Brigham Young (19-10 SU, 10-15-1 ATS), falling 79-71 at home on Saturday night. There was a lot of hand wringing and speculation in the Twitterverse that the previously unbeaten Bulldogs could lose not only the No. 1 overall seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, but one of four one seeds in the Big Dance. Don't believe the hype. The Bulldogs have still been one of the best teams in the nation, and perhaps losing this game is good for them in the long run. They have failed to cover in two of their past three games, and the 'under' is 2-0 in their past two after a five-game run of 'over' results. Next up will be battles in their conference tournament, and perhaps a rematch with BYU.

Kansas (26-3 SU, 10-16-1 ATS) is poised to take over the No. 1 spot in the rankings after Gonzaga's hiccup, and a home loss by Villanova (27-3 SU, 15-14 ATS) was tripped up at home by their nemesis, Butler (23-6 SU, 17-10 ATS). The Jayhawks can roll into the Big 12 Tournament on a high note with wins against the two schools from the state of Oklahoma this week. While Kansas has a dismal 10-16-1 ATS mark overall on the season, they have covered a season-high three games in a row.

As far as the defending champion Wildcats are concerned, they'd be pleased if they didn't have to see the Bulldogs again. Villanova is 27-1 SU against all other teams, and 0-2 SU/ATS against Butler. It's possible they can meet each other again in the Big East Tournament. Butler has covered three of their past four games, although they have covered three or more in a row just twice this season. Total bettors have been enamored with the Bulldogs lately, as the 'over' has connected in five stragiht outings after a 4-1 'under' run.

Arizona (26-4 SU, 14-14-2 ATS) and UCLA (26-3 SU, 15-14 ATS) lived up to the hype on Saturday night. The Bruins were embarrassed at home by the Wildcats back on Jan. 21 by a 96-85 score. While UCLA didn't roll up a double-digit victory in Arizona, they were able to pick up a 77-72 win to deal the Wildcats a rare loss at home, snapping a 21-game win streak on their home court. These teams might face each other a third time in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals barring any upsets down the stretch or into the early rounds of the conference tourney. It was rare cover for the Bruins, as they're still just 3-6 ATS over their past nine games, and 5-12 ATS over their past 17 outings.

Big Ten combatants Wisconsin (22-7 SU, 12-14 ATS) and Maryland (22-7 SU, 14-10-3 ATS) are each playing their worst basketball of the season. The Badgers have dropped four of their past five games, and their only win during the span was against the Terps. Wisconsin is an awful 1-6 ATS in their past seven outings, too. The Terps have been tripped up n a season-high three games in a row, and they're just 2-4-1 ATS over their past seven outings after a 10-1 ATS stretch from Dec. 12 to Jan. 31.

Creighton (22-7 SU, 17-10 ATS) is also playing their worst stretch of basketball at an inopportune time. The Blue Jays have dropped two in a row, and six of their past 10 games overall. During the stretch bettors have cashed in since they're just 4-6 ATS during the stretch. Oddly enough, the Jays do have a victory on the road against red-hot Butler, so Creighton has been a bit of a hard team to figure. They have also been playing with the distraction of PG Maurice Watson Jr. and accusations of sexual assault. He turned himself into police on Sunday.

TOP 25 RESULTS

Rank Team Past Week (SU, ATS) Last 10 ATS Upcoming Week Schedule

1 Gonzaga 1-1, 1-1 7-2-1 WCC Tournament

2 Villanova 1-1, 1-1 3-7 at Georgetown

3 Kansas 2-0, 2-0 4-5-1 Oklahoma, at Oklahoma State

4 Arizona 1-1, 1-1 3-7 at Arizona State

5 UCLA 2-0, 1-1 4-6 Washington, Washington State

6 Oregon 2-0, 0-2 6-4 at Oregon State

7 Louisville 1-1, 1-1 5-4-1 at Wake Forest, Notre Dame

8 North Carolina 2-0, 2-0 5-5 at Virginia, Duke

9 Baylor 1-1, 0-2 3-7 West Virginia, at Texas

10 Duke 0-2, 0-2 3-7 Florida State, at North Carolina

11 Kentucky 2-0, 1-1 3-7 Vanderbilt, at Texas A&M

12 West Virginia 2-0, 0-1-1 5-4-1 at Baylor, Iowa State

13 Florida 1-1, 1-1 7-3 Arkansas, at Vanderbilt

14 Purdue 1-1, 0-2 6-3-1 Indiana, at Northwestern

15 Cincinnati 1-1, 0-2 4-6 Houston, at Connecticut

16 Wisconsin 0-2, 0-2 3-7 Iowa, Minnesota

17 Southern Methodist 2-0, 2-0 9-1 Tulsa, Memphis

18 Virginia 1-1 1-1 5-5 North Carolina, Pittsburgh

19 Florida State 2-0, 1-0-1 4-4-2 at Duke, Miami-Florida

20 Saint Mary's (Calif.) 2-0, 1-0-1 6-3-1 WCC Tournament

21 Notre Dame 1-0, 0-1 5-5 Boston College, at Louisville

22 Butler 2-0, 2-0 5-5 Seton Hall

23 Creighton 0-2, 0-2 4-6 St. John's, at Marquette

24 Maryland 0-2, 0-2 5-4-1 at Rutgers, Michigan State

25 Wichita State 2-0, 2-0 7-3 MVC Tournament

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Kansas moves to No. 1 in AP poll
February 27, 2017

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) Kansas could have rested easy after clinching a share of its 13th straight Big 12 title.

Instead, the Jayhawks hit the road to beat Texas on Saturday, clinching the outright championship with two games left in the regular season. And when top-ranked Gonzaga and second-ranked Villanova dropped games last week, it meant the Jayhawks ascended to the top of The Associated Press poll.

So much for taking it easy.

The Jayhawks (26-3) moved up two places to the top spot, receiving 58 first-place votes Monday from the 65-member national media panel . They spent five weeks at No. 1 last season, including the final three polls, but became the sixth No. 1 this season by moving to the top spot for the first time.

''It feels pretty great,'' Kansas freshman Josh Jackson said, ''but like our coaches told us, we don't feel like we've done anything we weren't supposed to do.''

Villanova (27-3) remained second and received two first-place votes, despite losing to Butler and beating Creighton last week. The win over the Bluejays allowed the reigning national champions to clinch their fourth straight Big East regular-season championship.

UCLA (26-3) moved up from fifth to third and earned three first-place nods after its win over Arizona on Saturday. It was only the second time in 69 games the Wildcats have lost at the McKale Center.

Gonzaga (29-1) fell to No. 4 after losing its first game of the season, an upset by BYU at home on Saturday. The Zags, who had been No. 1 for the last four polls, still received two first-place votes as they turns their attention to the West Coast Conference Tournament on Saturday.

North Carolina moved from eighth to fifth after clinching a share of the ACC title, while Oregon, Arizona, Louisville, Kentucky and West Virginia rounded out the top 10.

Baylor, which was No. 1 earlier this season, dropped two more spots after losing at Iowa State over the weekend. The Bears were followed by Florida, Butler - up nine spots thanks in part to its victory over Villanova - SMU, Florida State, Purdue, Duke, Cincinnati, Notre Dame and Saint Mary's.

The last five were Wichita State, Wisconsin, Virginia and newcomers Iowa State and Miami.

The Cyclones (19-9), who were ranked for the first six polls of the season, moved back into the Top 25 after their win over the Bears. The Hurricanes (20-8), who were ranked most of last season and reached as high as seventh, moved into the poll after Saturday's victory over Duke.

Creighton (22-7) dropped out for the first time this season after losses to Providence and Villanova, and Maryland (22-7) tumbled out after losses to Minnesota and Iowa.

Kansas extended the longest current streak in the Top 25, which dates to February 2009, by reaching No. 1 for the 63rd time in school history. That remains the fifth-best mark behind UCLA (134), Duke (129), Kentucky (117) and North Carolina (113).

The Jayhawks' conference title run matches UCLA's streak in the Pac-8 in the 1960s and `70s.

''It has been an unbelievable run,'' Kansas coach Bill Self said, ''but you can understand why you win 13 (straight titles). There's been a lot of hard-rocking guys who have played here over that time.''

The other teams to be No. 1 this season were Duke, Kentucky, Villanova, Baylor and Gonzaga. The Jayhawks beat the Blue Devils on a neutral floor in November, topped the Wildcats at Rupp Arena last month and swept the season series from the Bears - a combined 4-0 against former No. 1s.

''Winning never gets old,'' Self said. ''Losing gets old fast, but winning doesn't.''

The Jayhawks play Oklahoma in their home finale Monday night, then have a break before visiting Oklahoma State on Saturday to wrap up the regular season. Then, they'll turn their attention to the Big 12 Tournament and clinching a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament.

There are plenty of high-profile games this week as many conferences wrap up the regular season.

West Virginia visits Baylor and North Carolina heads to Virginia on Monday night, Florida State visits Duke on Tuesday and Iowa State visits the Mountaineers on Friday. The slate on Saturday includes Miami-Florida State, Notre Dame-Louisville and Duke-North Carolina.

There also will be a handful of NCAA Tournament bids handed out as leagues begin to crown their tournament champs. The Ohio Valley title game is Saturday, and the Missouri Valley, Atlantic Sun and Big South will crown their champions on Sunday.

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G Mack granted release by Texas
February 27, 2017

University of Texas leading scorer Tevin Mack will be granted a release from his scholarship and allowed to transfer, Longhorns head coach Shaka Smart announced Monday.

Mack, a sophomore who is serving his second suspension this season for a violation of team rules, has not played since Jan. 11.

The 6-foot-7 sophomore was averaging a team-high 14.8 points at the time of the suspension. He also was benched for the season opener due to an undisclosed violation of team rules.

"There's been a lot of games where afterward that's crossed my mind," Smart said Monday when asked if he had second thoughts about disciplining Mack. "But I really didn't have a choice. As I told you guys, that was my decision."

Texas (10-19, 4-12 Big 12) has struggled without Mack, a native of Columbia, S.C. Mack initially committed to Virginia Commonwealth to play for Mack but followed his coach to Texas.

"It was just difficult that it didn't work out the way with Tevin that we thought it could work out," Smart said. "Basketball-wise, he was really making tremendous progress."

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Duke's Allen, Jefferson game-time decisions
February 27, 2017

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski says he doesn't know if injured upperclassmen Grayson Allen and Amile Jefferson will play Tuesday night against No. 15 Florida State.

Krzyzewski said Monday that they practiced Sunday but it will be a game-time decision for both.

Allen missed the loss at Miami over the weekend with an injured left ankle. Jefferson missed two games in January with a bruised bone in his right foot and has since played through lingering discomfort.

Allen is the team's third-leading scorer, averaging 15 points, and Jefferson averages a team-best 8.5 rebounds for the 17th-ranked Blue Devils (22-7, 10-6 Atlantic Coast Conference), who lost twice last week after winning seven in a row to climb back into the top 10.

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Conference Championship Odds
February 27, 2017

“Championship Week” for the major college basketball conferences takes place during the week of March 5 through 12 and bettors can start placing wagers on the select tournaments.

Odds per Sportsbook.ag

Odds to win 2017 ACC Tournament (3/12/17)
North Carolina 9/5
Louisville 3/1
Duke 4/1
Florida State 13/2
Virginia 17/2
Notre Dame 11/1
Syracuse 14/1
Miami, Fl. 22/1
Clemson 50/1
Virginia Tech 50/1
Wake Forest 50/1
North Carolina State 80/1
Pittsburgh 80/1
Georgia Tech 100/1
Boston College 200/1

2016 Winner: North Carolina

Odds to win 2017 AAC Tournament (3/11/17)
Cincinnati 6/5
SMU 7/5
Houston 4/1
Connecticut 10/1
Central Florida 20/1
Memphis 22/1
Temple 50/1
Tulsa 50/1
East Carolina 100/1
Tulane 150/1
South Florida 200/1

2016 Winner: Connecticut

Odds to win 2017 Big 12 Conference Tournament (3/11/17)
Kansas 6/5
West Virginia 2/1
Baylor 4/1
Iowa State 13/2
Oklahoma State 12/1
Kansas State 25/1
Texas 30/1
TCU 35/1
Texas Tech 35/1
Oklahoma 50/1

2016 Winner: Kansas

Odds to win 2017 Big East Conference Tournament (3/11/17)
Villanova 5/6
Butler 2/1
Creighton 5/1
Marquette 10/1
Xavier 10/1
Seton Hall 20/1
Georgetown 25/1
Providence 28/1
St. John's 65/1
DePaul 200/1

2016 Winner: Seton Hall

Odds to win 2017 Big Ten Conference Tournament (3/12/17)
Purdue 3/2
Wisconsin 11/5
Maryland 6/1
Michigan 10/1
Minnesota 10/1
Michigan State 14/1
Indiana 16/1
Northwestern 16/1
Ohio State 35/1
Iowa 40/1
Illinois 50/1
Nebraska 60/1
Penn State 60/1
Rutgers 150/1

2016 Winner: Michigan State

Odds to win 2017 Pac-12 Conference Tournament (3/11/17)
UCLA 33/20
Arizona 2/1
Oregon 2/1
California 12/1
Utah 16/1
USC 18/1
Colorado 30/1
Stanford 50/1
Arizona State 70/1
Washington 125/1
Washington State 125/1
Oregon State 200/1

2016 Winner: Oregon

Odds to win 2017 SEC Tournament (3/12/17)
Kentucky 1/1
Florida 7/5
South Carolina 10/1
Georgia 14/1
Arkansas 15/1
Mississippi 28/1
Tennessee 28/1
Vanderbilt 30/1
Alabama 35/1
Texas A&M 35/1
Auburn 50/1
Mississippi State 60/1
Missouri 150/1
LSU 200/1

2016 Winner: Kentucky


Odds Subject to Change - Update 2.27.17

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

SAM at MER 07:00 PM

MER -5.5

U 142.5

WVU at BAY 07:00 PM

WVU +1.0

O 137.0

UNC at UVA 07:00 PM

UVA +3.5

U 130.0

CHAT at CIT 07:00 PM

CIT +8.5

O 168.5

ULL at APP 07:00 PM

APP +5.0

O 163.0

ETSU at UNCG 07:00 PM

ETSU -3.0

U 144.5

ULM at CCAR 07:00 PM

ULM +5.5

U 137.5

VMI at WCU 07:00 PM

VMI +2.0

U 137.0

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USA at TXST 08:00 PM

TXST -4.5

GSU at ARST 08:00 PM

GSU +1.5

TROY at UTA 08:00 PM

UTA -9.5

O 157.0

NORF at HAMP 09:00 PM

HAMP -3.0

OKLA at KU 09:00 PM

OKLA +14.5

U 152.0

MIA at VT 09:00 PM

VT +1.5

O 138.0

GASO at UALR 09:00 PM

GASO +3.0

O 144.0