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

[StarDust Bum]

TOURNAMENT GAMES AS OF MONDAY:

Date W-L-T % Units Record

03/17/2017 12-18-0 40.00% -3900

03/16/2017 19-18-0 51.35% -400

03/15/2017 15-9-0 62.50% +2550

03/14/2017 10-7-0 58.82% +1150

BEST BETS:

03/17- ATS- 7 - 6...........TOTALS- 1 - 2

03/16- ATS- 7 - 7...........TOTALS- 4 - 4

03/15- ATS- 4 - 2 ..........TOTALS- 5 - 2

03/14- ATS- 5 - 2...........TOTALS- 0 - 2

STAR RATED PLAYS: 6 - 2


SATURDAY, MARCH 18

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

MISS at SYR 11:00 AM

MISS +7.0

U 158.5

ND at WVU 12:10 PM

ND +2.5 **********

O 147.0

WIS at VILL 02:40 PM

VILL -6.0 **********

O 128.5

NW at GONZ 05:15 PM

GONZ -11.0

O 137.5

XAV at FSU 06:10 PM

FSU -6.0 **********

O 151.0

[StarDust Bum]

EVENING BEST BETS:

MTU at BUT 07:10 PM

MTU +2.5

O 140.5 **********

SMC at ARIZ 07:45 PM

ARIZ -5.0 **********

U 137.0

UVA at FLA 08:40 PM

FLA -1.5 **********

U 126.0

ISU at PUR 09:40 PM

PUR +0.0 **********

O 155.5 **********

[StarDust Bum]

TOURNAMENT GAMES AS OF MONDAY:

Date W-L-T % Units Record

03/18/2017 10-8-0 55.56% +600

03/17/2017 12-18-0 40.00% -3900

03/16/2017 19-18-0 51.35% -400

03/15/2017 15-9-0 62.50% +2550

03/14/2017 10-7-0 58.82% +1150

BEST BETS:

03/18- ATS- 4 - 3...........TOTALS- 1 - 2

03/17- ATS- 7 - 6...........TOTALS- 1 - 2

03/16- ATS- 7 - 7...........TOTALS- 4 - 4

03/15- ATS- 4 - 2 ..........TOTALS- 5 - 2

03/14- ATS- 5 - 2...........TOTALS- 0 - 2

STAR RATED PLAYS: 10 - 6



2017 NCAA Tournament Results
March 19, 2017

NCAA TOURNAMENT BETTING RESULTS

Wager Favorites-Underdogs

Straight Up 34-10
Against the Spread 21-23

Total
Over-Under 30-13-1

First-Four Games
TUESDAY, MARCH 14
Matchup Score ATS Result
Mount St. Mary's (+1) vs. New Orleans 67-66 Underdog-Over (132)
Kansas State (-1) vs. Wake Forest 95-88 Favorite-Over (147)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15
North Carolina Central vs. UC Davis (+3.5, ML +150) 67-63 Underdog-Under (131)
Providence vs. Southern California (-2) 75-71 Favorite-Over (141.5)

First Round - Thursday March 16
SESSION 1
Matchup Score ATS Result
Notre Dame (-6) vs. Princeton 60-58 Underdog-Under (133.5)
Virginia (-7.5) vs. UNC Wilmington 76-71 Underdog-Over (134.5)
Butler (-10.5) vs. Winthrop 76-64 Favorite-Under (145)
Gonzaga (-23.5) vs. South Dakota State 66-46 Underdog-Under (157)

SESSION 2
Matchup Score ATS Result
West Virginia (-13) vs. Bucknell 86-80 Underdog-Over (148.5)
Florida (-9.5) vs. East Tennessee State 80-65 Favorite-Under (148)
Minnesota vs. Middle Tennessee State (-1.5) 81-72 Favorite-Over (128)
Northwestern (+2, ML +115) vs. Vanderbilt 68-66 Underdog-Over (130)

SESSION 3
Matchup Score ATS Result
Maryland vs. Xavier (+2, ML +115) 76-65 Underdog-Under (142)
Mount St. Mary's vs. Villanova (-25) 76-56 Underdog-Over (131.5)
St. Mary's, CA (-4) vs. Virginia Commonwealth 85-77 Favorite-Over (128.5)
Purdue (-8) vs. Vermont 80-70 Favorite-Over (134.5)

SESSION 4
Matchup Score ATS Result
Florida State (-11) vs. Florida Gulf Coast 86-80 Underdog-Over (149.5)
Wisconsin (-6) vs. Virginia Tech 84-74 Favorite-Over (136)
Arizona (-18.5) vs. North Dakota 100-82 Underdog-Over (147)
Iowa State (-6) vs. Nevada 84-73 Favorite-Over (157.5)

First Round - Friday, March 17
SESSION 1
Matchup Score ATS Result
Michigan (-2.5) vs. Oklahoma State 92-91 Underdog-Over (155)
Baylor (-11.5) vs. New Mexico State 91-73 Favorite-Over (135)
Arkansas (+1, ML -105) vs. Seton Hall 77-71 Underdog-Over (147)
Oregon (-15) vs. Iona 93-77 Favorite-Over (156.5)

SESSION 2
Matchup Score ATS Result
Louisville (-18.5) vs. Jacksonville State 78-63 Underdog-Over (133)
Southern Methodist vs. USC (+7.5, ML +310) 66-65 Underdog-Under (142)
North Carolina (-26.5) vs. Texas Southern 103-64 Favorite-Over (157.5)
Creighton vs. Rhode Island (-2) 84-72 Favorite-Over (144.5)

SESSION 3
Matchup Score ATS Result
Kansas (-23) vs. UC Davis 100-62 Favorite-Over (144)
Dayton vs. Wichita State (-6.5) 64-58 Underdog-Under (144)
Duke (-19.5) vs. Troy 87-65 Favorite-Under (155.5)
Cincinnati (-3) vs. Kansas State 75-61 Favorite-Over (130)

SESSION 4
Matchup Score ATS Result
Miami-Florida vs. Michigan State (+2, ML +105) 78-58 Underdog-Over (127)
Kentucky (-20) vs. Northern Kentucky 79-70 Underdog-Under (155)
South Carolina (PK) vs. Marquette 93-73 Favorite-Over (143.5)
UCLA (-19.5) vs. Kent State 97-80 Underdog-Over (163.5)

Second Round
SATURDAY, MARCH 18
Matchup Score ATS Result
Notre Dame vs. West Virginia (+2.5, ML +130) 83-71 Underdog-Over (150)
Wisconsin (+5.5, ML +230) vs. Villanova 65-62 Underdog-Under (134)
Northwestern vs. Gonzaga (-10.5) 79-73 Undedog-Over (140.5)
Xavier (+7.5, ML +270) vs. Florida State 91-66 Underdog-Over (154)
Middle Tennessee State vs. Butler (-2.5) 74-65 Favorite-Push (139)
St. Mary's, CA vs. Arizona (-5) 69-60 Favorite-Under (137)
Virginia vs. Florida (-1.5) 65-39 Favorite-Under (126)
Iowa State vs. Purdue (-1) 80-76 Favorite-Over (154.5)

SUNDAY, MARCH 19
Matchup Score ATS Result
Arkansas vs. North Carolina - -
Rhode Island vs. Oregon - -
Michigan State vs. Kansas - -
Michigan vs. Louisville - -
Southern California vs. Baylor - -
South Carolina vs. Duke - -
Wichita State vs. Kentucky - -
Cincinnati vs. UCLA - -

Sweet Sixteen
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
Matchup Score ATS Result
West Virginia vs. Gonzaga - -
Xavier vs. Arizona - -
TBA vs. TBA - -
TBA vs. TBA - -

FRIDAY, MARCH 24
Matchup Score ATS Result
Wisconsin vs. Florida - -
TBA vs. TBA - -
TBA vs. TBA - -
TBA vs. TBA - -

Elite Eight
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
Matchup Score ATS Result
TBA vs. TBA - -
TBA vs. TBA - -

SUNDAY, MARCH 26
Matchup Score ATS Result
TBA vs. TBA - -
TBA vs. TBA - -

Final Four & Championship
SATURDAY, APRIL 1 & MONDAY APRIL 3
Matchup Score ATS Result
TBA vs. TBA - -
TBA vs. TBA - -
TBA vs. TBA - -

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday - Session 1
March 18, 2017

Sunday’s betting action in the second round of this year’s NCAA Tournament gets underway with No. 7 Michigan taking on No. 2 Louisville in the Midwest Region.

Next up is a South Region tilt between No. 10 Wichita State and No. 2 Kentucky and the early action on the day closes things out with a Midwest Region clash between No. 9 Michigan State and No. 1 Kansas.

Midwest Region (Indianapolis, IN)
No. 7 Michigan Wolverines vs. No. 2 Louisville Cardinals (CBS, 12:10 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Louisville -2 ½, 140 ½

Betting Matchup

Following an impressive four game run to the Big Ten Tournament title both straight-up and against the spread, Michigan (25-11 SU, 16-17 ATS) extended its current SU winning streak to six games with Friday’s tight 92-91 victory against No. 10 Oklahoma State as a 2 ½-point favorite.

It was the first time the Wolverines failed to cover in their last six contests and the total has now gone OVER or ended as a PUSH in nine of their last 10 games. Four of five starters ended the day in double figures against the Cowboys with senior guard Derrick Walton Jr. leading the way with a game-high 26 points.

Louisville pulled away from No. 15 Jacksonville State in the second half of Friday’s 78-63 first round victory as a heavy 18 ½-point favorite. The Cardinals (25-8 SU, 18-13 ATS) have failed to cover the closing spread in eight of their last 10 games.

The total went OVER 133 points in Friday’s win and it has gone OVER in nine of their last 11 outings.

Sophomore guard Donovan Mitchell has been Louisville’s leading scorer all season long with 15.5 points per game, but he has now scored a combined 17 points in his last two starts.

Senior forward Mangok Mathiang was the Cardinals’ leading scorer on Friday with 18 points while going 8-for-13 from the field.

Betting Trends

-- The Wolverines are 1-3-1 ATS in their last five NCAA Tournament games and the total has gone OVER in five of their last six games in this tournament when closing as underdogs.

-- The Cardinals are 7-1-1 ATS in their last nine games against a team from the Big Ten and the total has gone OVER in nine of their last 12 NCAA Tournament games when closing as favorites.

-- These two last met in the 2013 NCAA Tournament Championship with Louisville coming away with an 82-76 victory as a four-point favorite. The total went OVER the 137 ½-point line.

South Region (Indianapolis, IN)
No. 10 Wichita State Shockers vs. No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats (CBS, 2:40 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Kentucky 4 ½, 153 ½

Betting Matchup

The Shockers extended their current SU winning streak to 16 games with Friday’s 64-58 victory against No. 7 Dayton, but they failed to cover as 6 ½-point favorites.

They have now failed to cover in two of their last three games and the total has stayed UNDER in their last four contests.

Wichita State (31-4 SU, 18-13-1 ATS) is ranked 14th in the nation in points allowed (62.3) and it has not given up more than 63 points in its last four games.

Offensively, freshman guard Landry Shamet led the way in Friday’s victory with 13 points as one of three players to score in double figures in that game.

Kentucky (30-5 SU, 17-17-1 ATS) has now won its last 12 games SU with Friday’s 79-70 victory against No. 15 Northern Kentucky, but it could not cover as a heavy 20-point favorite to fall to 5-10-1 ATS over its last 16 games.

The total stayed UNDER 154 ½ points in Friday’s win and it has stayed UNDER in nine of the Wildcats’ last 11 contests.

This is the fifth-highest scoring team in the country with an average of 85.9 PPG led by freshman guard Malik Monk’s 20.2-point scoring average. He posted just 12 points against Northern Kentucky after scoring a combined 37 points in his last two starts.

Betting Trends

-- The Shockers have failed to cover in 16 of their last 22 neutral-site games and the total has stayed UNDER in their last four games against the SEC.

-- The Wildcats are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games played at a neutral site and the total has stayed UNDER in six of their last seven NCAA Tournament games.

-- These two met in the 2014 NCAA Tournament with Kentucky pulling off the 78-76 upset as 4 ½-point underdogs. The total went OVER the 132 ½-point line.

Midwest Region (Tulsa, OK)
No. 9 Michigan State Spartans vs. No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks (CBS, 5:15 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Kansas -8, 147 ½

Betting Matchup

The Spartans crushed the Miami Hurricanes 78-58 as 1 ½-point underdogs to start this tournament, but it was just their second SU win in their last five games.

They have gone a solid 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games and the total has gone over in five of their last eight contests.

Michigan State (20-14 SU, 18-15 ATS) opened up an 11-point lead at the half of Friday’s win and never looked back.

Freshman forward Nick Ward and freshman guard Miles Bridges combined for 37 points and 16 rebounds against Miami and Michigan State, as a team, shot an impressive 56.6 percent from the field.

Kansas made an early exit from the Big 12 Tournament with a stunning 85-82 loss to TCU as an 8 ½-point favorite, but there were no signs of rust in Friday’s 100-62 thrashing of No. 16 UC Davis as a heavy 22 ½-point favorite.

The Jayhawks (29-4 SU, 12-18-1 ATS) are still a spotty betting team lately with a 5-6-1 record ATS in their last 12 games and the total has gone OVER in six of their last nine outings.

Senior guard Frank Mason III leads Kansas in both points (20.8) and assists (5.2) this season and in Friday’s win he posted a game-high 22 points.

All five of the Jayhawks’ starters ended that game in double figures.

Betting Trends

-- The Spartans have gone 11-5-1 ATS in their last 17 games against the Big 12 and the total has stayed UNDER in seven of their last nine games played at a neutral site.

-- The Jayhawks are just 6-16 ATS in their last 22 games against a team from the Big Ten and the total has gone OVER in five of their last seven nonconference games.

-- Head-to-head in this matchup, Michigan State holds a 6-1 edge ATS in the last seven meetings and the total has stayed UNDER in five of the last six games between these two basketball powers.

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday - Session 2
March 18, 2017

South Region (Greenville, SC)
No. 8 Arkansas Razorbacks vs. No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels (TNT, 6:10 p.m. ET)

Odds: UNC -10 161.5

Betting Matchup

Although a questionable flagrant foul call that worked in their favor got a lot of the attention after their 77-71 win over Seton Hall, the Hogs earned this second-round game. Moses Kingsley finished 10-for-13 from the field and had four blocks, making life difficult for national rebounding leader Angel Delgado, who finished with 12 points and 13 boards but had five turnovers. Arkansas hassled Desi Rodriguez into 4-for-17 shooting and got 20 points from Jaylen Barford, whose flop did pick up a call that helped provide additional security in the game's final minute. Yes, the call was lame, but allowing it to take away from what the Razorbacks accomplished in putting the Pirates in position to have to foul there late would be short-sighted.

The Razorbacks proved they could defeat an NCAA Tournament team outside of their conference, since only Mount St. Mary's fell into that category prior to the win over Seton Hall. Arkansas is still now just 5-7 against teams that made the Dance, with two of those coming against Vanderbilt. This will be their toughest game outside of a Jan. 7 visit to Lexington that they dropped 97-71 as a 17-point underdog. Kingsley scored 23 points, one of his season-high, and is Arkansas' most important player despite being the fourth-leading scorer (12.1). Shooters Dusty Hannahs and Daryl Bacon are the top two scorers and have hit 134 3-pointers on the season, delivering at a 38 percent clip. They're going to have to deliver at around 50 for the Hogs to hang with the Heels.

After suffering a 93-83 loss to Duke in the ACC Tournament semifinals, North Carolina got a reminder that it must step up its defensive intensity or risk falling stort in this tournament too. We're about to see whether they're focused since this will be its first real challenge. UNC crushed overmatched Texas Southern 103-64 as Justin Jackson led the way with five 3-pointers, scoring 21 points to post his highest output since Feb. 25. The Tar Heels don't know if point guard Joel Berry will be able to play after rolling his ankle on Friday night. He'll be a game-time decision after declaring he's at 75-80 percent on Saturday. Head coach Roy Williams is hopeful he'll be able to participate. North Carolina would miss his presence against a team that presses more than anyone it has seen all year. Senior Nate Britt and freshman Seventh Woods would be in for more minutes if Berry can't go.

The 103 points UNC scored against the SWAC champion Tigers marked the sixth time it has reached the century mark this season. North Carolina ranks eighth in the nation in scoring at 84.9 points per game, while Arkansas averages 79.7 to rank 36th, so it's no surprise to see the total set as high as it is, especially given the over run in these NCAAs.

Betting Trends

-- The Razorbacks have only topped the 80-point mark once in the last seven games, and their current four-game run since doing so is their longest of the season. Perhaps running with the Heels will do them some good. The The under is 5-2 in their games within that stretch.

-- The Tar Heels are 1-1 against SEC competition this season, failing to cover the spread each time. The beat Tennessee 73-71 on Dec. 11 and lost in Las Vegas the next week against Kentucky 103-100. The over has prevailed in three of UNC's last four.

Midwest Region (Sacramento, CA)
No. 11 Rhode Island Rams vs. No. 3 Oregon Ducks (TBS, 7:10 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Oregon -4,5,139

Betting Matchup

As we turned the corner into March, the Rams were on the outside looking in for an NCAA Tournament bid. They had just beaten VCU to give themselves a chance at an at-large but realistically faced a series of must-wins. They're now 6-0 in the month, have won an A-10 Tournament after beating the other Rams again and handled Creighton in the first round by double-digits. With a 13-2 record over their last 15 and nine straight wins, Rhody's Rams are among the hottest teams still working in these NCAAs and can swing for the fences here.

E.C. Matthews is URI's leading scorer (14.9) and most talented offensive player, capable of stepping out and skilled at driving and in the mid-range. Kuran Iverson, who started his career at Memphis, scored 17 points in the win over the Blue Jays and has been at his best this month as the Rams' x-factor. He and forward Hassan Martin combine to average 14.4 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game. Danny Hurley can also lean on guard Jared Terrell and Jeff Dowtin to put the ball in the basket and seniors Jarvis Garrett and Stanford Robinson to help run the team and create continuity. Among Hurley's rotation, all but Dowtin are seniors or juniors.

The Ducks have passed their first two tests without injured forward Chris Boucher, who tore his ACL in the Pac-12 Tournament semis. Although Oregon failed to defeat Arizona in Las Vegas for the league tourney title, it did a lot to prove it could survive without Boucher. Jordan Bell has stepped up and the team will play small more often, but there are more than enough weapons still in place to make a run at a national title.

After losing two of their first four games with Dillon Brooks trying to make it back from an injury, Oregon closed by winning 28 of 31 and won the league's regular-season title. If they had beaten the Wildcats in the Pac-12 final, they would've had an argument to replace Kansas as a No. 1 seed, so you can argue they're under-seeded here. Tyler Dorsey scored 24 points to lead four double-digit scorers as they tied their third-largest scoring output of the season in a 93-77 win over Iona.

Betting Trends

-- Rhody has gone 7-2 ATS on its nine-game winning streak but has been a slight favorite in every game. As an underdog this season, the Rams are 2-2 SU/ATS, beating Cincinnati and Davidson while losing at Duke and Houston.

-- The Ducks own what is statistically regarded as one of the top defenses in the country, but they may have to switch things up with Boucher's size no longer a factor. Six of their last seven games have gone over the posted total, a trend which could continue if they opt to keep pushing tempo.

East Region (Tulsa, OK)
No. 11 USC Trojans vs. No. 3 Baylor Bears (TruTV, 7:45 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Baylor -6 ½, 143

Betting Matchup

Southern Cal's basketball team was rightfully nervous on Selection Sunday as they were one of the final team's that got into the tournament, gaining inclusion by the skin of their teeth on the strength of wins over SMU and rival UCLA, which it also played tough in the Pac-12 Tournament. Perhaps the selection committee took into account the fact that they played without key forward Bennie Boatwright, who really helps their offense with spacing and their defense with his size, but the went 11-4 without him and dropped four in a row after his return. Whatever the case, they were given the benefit of the doubt and have made the most of it.

Down 17 points against Providence in the second half, USC rallied and pulled away for a cover in a 75-71 loss. The deficit was more manageable against SMU on Friday since they were down just 10 in the second half, a margin they erased by shooting 7-for-9 from beyond the arc over the final 20 minutes, going ahead on an Elijah Stewart 3-pointer with 37 seconds left. The Mustangs had won 16 consecutive games. This will be USC's third game in five days, but the Trojans are very confident since they've gotten to this spot despite point guard Jordan McLaughlin going just 2-for-7 and missing all five of his 3-point attempts against SMU in scoring just five points, one off a season-low. He'll be better here.

Baylor point guard Manu Lecomte is the key to his team's fortunes, so the Bears have to be excited him seeing healthy again after he's been hobbled by an ankle injury over the past few weeks. The Big 12 Newcomer of the Year played 31 minutes and was a stabilizing presence against New Mexico State's complicated defense in the first round. Although Baylor has a walking double-double in Jonathan Motley and one of the country's most feared shot-blockers in Jo-Lual Acuil, Jr., it's Lecomte who allows the team to be formidable. He's irreplaceable, which makes his matchup against McLaughlin the key to this pairing.

Betting Trends

-- The Bears have seen the over connect in three consecutive games and scored a season-high 91 points against New Mexico State. They own a 66-49 win over Pac-12 regular-season champ Oregon that came when the Ducks were without Dillon Brooks on Nov. 15.

-- USC is out to eliminate second-straight Texas-based team and is 5-1 SU and ATS this month. The under has connected in five of the last six games involving the Trojans.

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday - Session 3
March 18, 2017

East Region (Greenville, SC)
No. 8 South Carolina Gamecocks vs. No. 2 Duke Blue Devils (TNT, 8:40 p.m. ET)

Odds: Duke -7 142

Betting Matchup

The Gamecocks sure picked the right time for their most prolific offensive game of the season. After being held to 53 points by Alabama to flame out in the SEC Tournament, they beat that mark by 40 in a 93-73 rout of Marquette that helped pick up the program's first NCAA Tournament win since 1973. This is a program that lost as a No. 2 seed in '97, only the third time that had happened, before falling as a No. 3 the next season. The crowning moment in program history would be winning an NIT title. So, yes, eliminating Duke in an NCAA Tournament would indeed become South Carolina basketball's crowning achievement.

Can they do it? Well, the location definitely helps. Greenville is just 100 miles form Columbia and will also be filled with Tar Heels eager to join in on wishing rival Duke the worst possible outccome. Whether UNC handles business against Arkansas or suffers a stunning defeat, its fans will stick around and root against the Blue Devils. They'll be cheering Sindarius Thornwell, the SEC Player of the Year, who became the first Gamecock with 20 points and 10 boards in an NCAA Tournament since the legendary Alex English accomplished the feat in '73. He went for 29 and 11, adding three steals, but won't be able to lead South Carolina to a win over Duke unless he gets help from PJ Dozier and Duane Notice, the team's other double-digit scorers and most prolific 3-point shooters.

Duke continued its late surge with an 87-65 win over Troy, knocking down first-half 3-pointers and never looking back, even earning the cover after the Trojans threatened to wind up within 20. Grayson Allen continued his inspired play off the bench, scoring 21 points and embracing boos that are sure to be magnified tonight. Luke Kennard shot just 3-for-12 and saw his streak of 19 games scoring in double-figures end, so Duke's dominant performance is even more impressive since they coasted on an off night from their leading scorer.
The Blue Devils were a preseason No. 1 in the eyes of most due to who they had returning and coming on board in recruiting. In addition to Tatum, center Harry Giles was also part of a standout class, but his best contributions haven't come until recently since he's been progressing slowly after tearing both of his ACLs. With him now a productive part of the rotation, Mike Krzyzewski has the most talented top-seven in the college game since all are likely to play in the NBA in some capacity. Oddsmakers initially had Duke as the betting favorite for this NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday despite them being placed in the same East region as No. 1 overall seed Villanova, whose elimination at the hands of Wisconsin on Saturday really opens the bracket up for the Blue Devils.

Betting Trends

-- South Carolina thrives due to its defense and has seen the under go on a 4-1-1 run since Feb. 18 prior to the explosion against Marquette. Nine of the Gamecocks' first 11 came in below the posted total.

-- Duke defeated its lone SEC opponent this season, handling Florida 84-74 on Dec. 6. The Blue Devils went 2-0 against Clemson, but never played in South Carolina this season until taking the floor against Troy on Friday night. Its last two games have gone under the posted total.

South Region (Sacramento, CA)
No. 6 Cincinnati Bearcats vs. No. 3 UCLA Bruins (TBS, 9:40 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: UCLA -4,154

Betting Matchup

The Bearcats rebounded from its loss to SMU in the American Athletic Conference tournament final by dominating Kansas State in a physical game where they were able to find offense more easily than they usually do. In all five of their losses, it was their offense that betrayed them, as they've averaged just 57.6 points in those games.

Senior point guard Troy Caupain has been the engine for the the Bearcats for years and must be aggressive and assertive since few of his teammates can create their own offense outside of putbacks. On that note, it will be on the more versatile Gary Clark to help teammate Kyle Washington get some breathing room inside by stepping out to draw defenders away from the paint. Cincinnati shot 62 percent from the field as Caupain, Washington and Clark combined to shoot 18-for-26 (69.2 pct) in scoring 54 of the team's 75 points. Sixth man Jarron Cumberland, an x-factor who has averaged 8.1 points as a freshman, added nine and will be invaluable to the cause against UCLA.

The Bruins lead the nation in scoring and padded that edge by scoring 97 in a 17-point win against 14th-seeded Kent State, who actually pulled out the cover late. Anyone on the East coast who hadn't bothered to check out what all the hype over UCLA's freshman was about got an eyeful with TJ Leaf scoring a team-high 23 points and point guard Lonzo Ball adding 15 points and three assists. Ball set a record for most assists in a single season, increasing his tally to 257, but did get banged up during a hard fall where he injured his hip late in the first half. That should be worth watching since the Bearcats will hound them and make sure he's not out there playing hurt.

Rebounding will be huge for UCLA against the physical Bearcats, so it is hoping that freshamn Ike Anigbogu can play after missing the Troy contest. Although the Bruins have quality bodies up front, none can be described as a banger equipped to deal with Cincinnati, with Anigbobu being the closest thing to a bruiser they've got.

Betting Trends

-- Cincinnati has covered in five of its last six games and has seen the over go 3-0-1 over its last four games despite surrendering an average of 66 points. This will be the Bearcats' first game of the season against a Pac-12 foe.

-- UCLA is on a run of failed covers in four consecutive games and would tie its longest run of the season if it fails to over this number. The Bruins had cashed in nine straight games in the early non-conference portion of their schedule, but books have adjusted to their tempo and dominance.

[StarDust Bum]

CBB Top Trends
ATS

5:00 pm 3/19/2017
(735) TCU @(736) IOWA
Play AGAINST TCU against the spread in All games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games.
The record is 9 Wins and 23 Losses for the last two seasons (-16.3 units)

Rating: 2.02
7:30 pm 3/19/2017
(733) OAKLAND @(734) RICHMOND
Play ON OAKLAND against the spread in All games as an underdog.
The record is 25 Wins and 8 Losses for the last three seasons (+16.2 units)

Rating: 2.63
7:30 pm 3/19/2017
(733) OAKLAND @(734) RICHMOND
Play ON OAKLAND against the spread in All games when playing against a team with a winning record.
The record is 26 Wins and 10 Losses for the last two seasons (+15 units)

Rating: 2.42
7:05 pm 3/20/2017
(633) SAMFORD @(634) LIBERTY
Play ON SAMFORD against the spread in Road games in non-conference games.
The record is 16 Wins and 2 Losses for the last three seasons (+13.8 units)

Rating: 4.25
7:05 pm 3/20/2017
(633) SAMFORD @(634) LIBERTY
Play ON SAMFORD against the spread in Road games in non-conference games.
The record is 12 Wins and 1 Losses for the last two seasons (+10.9 units)

Rating: 4.18

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

CBB Top Trends

MONEYLINE

2:40 pm 3/19/2017
(723) WICHITA ST @(724) KENTUCKY
Play AGAINST WICHITA ST using the money line in Road games when playing with one or less days rest.
The record is 4 Wins and 8 Losses for the last three seasons (-17.4 units)

Rating: 3.97
7:10 pm 3/19/2017
(729) RHODE ISLAND @(730) OREGON
Play ON OREGON using the money line in All games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games.
The record is 36 Wins and 11 Losses for the last three seasons (+28.55 units)

Rating: 4.89
7:45 pm 3/19/2017
(725) USC @(726) BAYLOR
Play ON USC using the money line in All games in non-conference games.
The record is 16 Wins and 3 Losses for the last two seasons (+14.15 units)

Rating: 4.64
9:40 pm 3/19/2017
(731) CINCINNATI @(732) UCLA
Play ON UCLA using the money line in All games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game.
The record is 11 Wins and 2 Losses for the last two seasons (+11.2 units)

Rating: 3.90
9:40 pm 3/19/2017
(731) CINCINNATI @(732) UCLA
Play ON UCLA using the money line in All games in non-conference games.
The record is 12 Wins and 3 Losses for the last two seasons (+13.8 units)

Rating: 4.59
7:00 pm 3/20/2017
(615) UCF @(616) ILLINOIS ST
Play ON ILLINOIS ST using the money line in All games as a favorite.
The record is 24 Wins and 3 Losses this season (+18.4 units)

Rating: 4.35
7:00 pm 3/20/2017
(615) UCF @(616) ILLINOIS ST
Play ON ILLINOIS ST using the money line in Home games when playing against a team with a winning record.
The record is 20 Wins and 6 Losses for the last three seasons (+18.4 units)

Rating: 4.29
9:00 pm 3/20/2017
(627) MISSOURI-KC @(628) WYOMING
Play ON WYOMING using the money line in Home games after a non-conference game.
The record is 13 Wins and 1 Losses for the last three seasons (+12.05 units)

Rating: 4.68
11:15 pm 3/20/2017
(621) CS-BAKERSFIELD @(622) COLORADO ST
Play AGAINST COLORADO ST using the money line in All games in non-conference games.
The record is 5 Wins and 9 Losses for the last two seasons (-17.75 units)

Rating: 4.01
11:15 pm 3/20/2017
(621) CS-BAKERSFIELD @(622) COLORADO ST
Play AGAINST COLORADO ST using the money line in All games after a non-conference game.
The record is 5 Wins and 10 Losses for the last two seasons (-18.75 units)

Rating: 4.67

[StarDust Bum]

CBB Top Trends
HALFTIME

12:10 pm 3/19/2017
(721) MICHIGAN @(722) LOUISVILLE
Play ON MICHIGAN in the first half in All games in all neutral court games vs. the 1rst half line.
The record is 16 Wins and 4 Losses for the last three seasons (+11.6 units)

Rating: 2.19
12:10 pm 3/19/2017
(721) MICHIGAN @(722) LOUISVILLE
Play ON MICHIGAN in the first half in All games when playing with one or less days rest.
The record is 12 Wins and 2 Losses for the last three seasons (+9.8 units)

Rating: 2.21
2:40 pm 3/19/2017
(723) WICHITA ST @(724) KENTUCKY
Play AGAINST WICHITA ST in the first half in Road games after allowing 60 points or less.
The record is 0 Wins and 7 Losses this season (-7.7 units)

Rating: 2.91
7:45 pm 3/19/2017
(725) USC @(726) BAYLOR
Play AGAINST BAYLOR in the first half in Road games in non-conference games.
The record is 0 Wins and 8 Losses for the last two seasons (-8.8 units)

Rating: 3.22
7:00 pm 3/20/2017
(623) LOYOLA-MD @(624) COASTAL CAROLINA
Play ON LOYOLA-MD in the first half in All games versus the 1rst half line in road games.
The record is 108 Wins and 56 Losses since 1996 (+46.4 units)

Rating: 2.16
7:05 pm 3/20/2017
(633) SAMFORD @(634) LIBERTY
Play ON SAMFORD in the first half in All games after a non-conference game.
The record is 18 Wins and 4 Losses for the last three seasons (+13.6 units)

Rating: 3.04
7:05 pm 3/20/2017
(633) SAMFORD @(634) LIBERTY
Play ON SAMFORD in the first half in Road games after a non-conference game.
The record is 14 Wins and 2 Losses for the last three seasons (+11.8 units)

Rating: 3.34
8:00 pm 3/20/2017
(629) GEORGE WASHINGTON @(630) IL-CHICAGO
Play AGAINST IL-CHICAGO in the first half in All games in non-conference games.
The record is 6 Wins and 25 Losses for the last three seasons (-21.5 units)

Rating: 3.80
8:00 pm 3/20/2017
(629) GEORGE WASHINGTON @(630) IL-CHICAGO
Play AGAINST IL-CHICAGO in the first half in All games after a non-conference game.
The record is 5 Wins and 25 Losses for the last three seasons (-22.5 units)

Rating: 4.46
8:00 pm 3/20/2017
(617) AKRON @(618) TX-ARLINGTON
Play ON TX-ARLINGTON in the first half in All games in non-conference games.
The record is 23 Wins and 4 Losses for the last three seasons (+18.6 units)

Rating: 4.67

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

CBB Top Trends
HALFTIME OVERS

12:10 pm 3/19/2017
(721) MICHIGAN @(722) LOUISVILLE
Play OVER MICHIGAN on the first half total in All games versus the first half line in all games.
The record is 24 Overs and 9 Unders this season (+14.1 units)

Rating: 3.08
12:10 pm 3/19/2017
(721) MICHIGAN @(722) LOUISVILLE
Play OVER MICHIGAN on the first half total in All games when the first half total is 65.5 to 70.5.
The record is 10 Overs and 1 Unders this season (+8.9 units)

Rating: 3.59
6:10 pm 3/19/2017
(717) ARKANSAS @(718) N CAROLINA
Play OVER N CAROLINA on the first half total in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game.
The record is 29 Overs and 11 Unders for the last three seasons (+16.9 units)

Rating: 2.24
6:10 pm 3/19/2017
(717) ARKANSAS @(718) N CAROLINA
Play OVER N CAROLINA on the first half total in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game.
The record is 13 Overs and 3 Unders this season (+9.7 units)

Rating: 2.87
7:45 pm 3/19/2017
(725) USC @(726) BAYLOR
Play OVER BAYLOR on the first half total in All games in non-conference games.
The record is 19 Overs and 5 Unders for the last three seasons (+13.5 units)

Rating: 2.61
7:45 pm 3/19/2017
(725) USC @(726) BAYLOR
Play OVER BAYLOR on the first half total in All games in non-conference games.
The record is 14 Overs and 2 Unders for the last two seasons (+11.8 units)

Rating: 3.84
9:40 pm 3/19/2017
(731) CINCINNATI @(732) UCLA
Play OVER UCLA on the first half total in All games after allowing 80 points or more.
The record is 9 Overs and 1 Unders this season (+7.9 units)

Rating: 2.77
9:40 pm 3/19/2017
(731) CINCINNATI @(732) UCLA
Play OVER UCLA on the first half total in All games after allowing 80 points or more.
The record is 20 Overs and 4 Unders for the last two seasons (+15.6 units)

Rating: 4.26

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

CBB Top Trends
HALFTIME UNDERS

2:40 pm 3/19/2017
(723) WICHITA ST @(724) KENTUCKY
Play UNDER WICHITA ST on the first half total in All games in all neutral court games vs. the 1rst half line.
The record is 4 Overs and 20 Unders for the last three seasons (+15.6 units)

Rating: 3.76
6:00 pm 3/19/2017
(737) IDAHO @(738) TEXAS ST
Play UNDER TEXAS ST on the first half total in Home games when playing against a team with a winning record.
The record is 3 Overs and 17 Unders since 1996 (+13.7 units)

Rating: 3.07
6:00 pm 3/19/2017
(737) IDAHO @(738) TEXAS ST
Play UNDER TEXAS ST on the first half total in Home games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games.
The record is 0 Overs and 8 Unders for the last two seasons (+8 units)

Rating: 3.22
7:00 pm 3/20/2017
(623) LOYOLA-MD @(624) COASTAL CAROLINA
Play UNDER COASTAL CAROLINA on the first half total in All games after scoring 80 points or more.
The record is 1 Overs and 9 Unders for the last two seasons (+7.9 units)

Rating: 2.02
7:00 pm 3/20/2017
(623) LOYOLA-MD @(624) COASTAL CAROLINA
Play UNDER COASTAL CAROLINA on the first half total in Home games in all tournament games.
The record is 2 Overs and 13 Unders since 1996 (+10.8 units)

Rating: 2.31
8:00 pm 3/20/2017
(617) AKRON @(618) TX-ARLINGTON
Play UNDER AKRON on the first half total in All games when the first half total is 70.5 to 75.5.
The record is 3 Overs and 19 Unders since 1996 (+15.7 units)

Rating: 3.81
8:00 pm 3/20/2017
(629) GEORGE WASHINGTON @(630) IL-CHICAGO
Play UNDER IL-CHICAGO on the first half total in All games after a non-conference game.
The record is 3 Overs and 14 Unders for the last two seasons (+10.7 units)

Rating: 2.68
8:00 pm 3/20/2017
(629) GEORGE WASHINGTON @(630) IL-CHICAGO
Play UNDER IL-CHICAGO on the first half total in All games after a non-conference game.
The record is 3 Overs and 15 Unders for the last three seasons (+11.7 units)

Rating: 2.69
8:00 pm 3/20/2017
(617) AKRON @(618) TX-ARLINGTON
Play UNDER AKRON on the first half total in All games when the first half total is 70.5 to 75.5.
The record is 1 Overs and 9 Unders this season (+7.9 units)

Rating: 2.77

[StarDust Bum]

CBB Top Trends
OVERS

12:10 pm 3/19/2017
(727) MICHIGAN ST @(728) KANSAS
Play OVER MICHIGAN ST on the total in All games as an underdog.
The record is 20 Overs and 6 Unders for the last three seasons (+13.4 units)

Rating: 2.26
12:10 pm 3/19/2017
(721) MICHIGAN @(722) LOUISVILLE
Play OVER MICHIGAN on the total in All games in all games.
The record is 23 Overs and 10 Unders this season (+12 units)

Rating: 2.28
12:10 pm 3/19/2017
(721) MICHIGAN @(722) LOUISVILLE
Play OVER MICHIGAN on the total in All games in all lined games.
The record is 23 Overs and 10 Unders this season (+12 units)

Rating: 2.28
5:00 pm 3/19/2017
(735) TCU @(736) IOWA
Play OVER IOWA on the total in All games as a home favorite of 3 points or less or pick.
The record is 8 Overs and 0 Unders for the last three seasons (+8 units)

Rating: 2.72
8:00 pm 3/20/2017
(625) UTAH VALLEY ST @(626) RICE
Play OVER RICE on the total in All games in home lined games.
The record is 19 Overs and 5 Unders for the last two seasons (+13.5 units)

Rating: 3.11
9:00 pm 3/20/2017
(627) MISSOURI-KC @(628) WYOMING
Play OVER WYOMING on the total in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game.
The record is 15 Overs and 3 Unders for the last three seasons (+11.7 units)

Rating: 2.69
9:00 pm 3/20/2017
(627) MISSOURI-KC @(628) WYOMING
Play OVER WYOMING on the total in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game.
The record is 15 Overs and 3 Unders for the last two seasons (+11.7 units)

Rating: 3.19
9:00 pm 3/20/2017
(619) BOISE ST @(620) ILLINOIS
Play OVER BOISE ST on the total in Road games when playing with 5 or 6 days rest.
The record is 18 Overs and 2 Unders since 1996 (+15.8 units)

Rating: 4.51

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

CBB Top Trends
UNDERS

2:40 pm 3/19/2017
(723) WICHITA ST @(724) KENTUCKY
Play UNDER WICHITA ST on the total in All games in March games.
The record is 0 Overs and 9 Unders for the last two seasons (+9 units)

Rating: 4.10
2:40 pm 3/19/2017
(723) WICHITA ST @(724) KENTUCKY
Play UNDER WICHITA ST on the total in Road games in March games.
The record is 0 Overs and 9 Unders for the last two seasons (+9 units)

Rating: 4.10
7:10 pm 3/19/2017
(729) RHODE ISLAND @(730) OREGON
Play UNDER OREGON on the total in Road games after a non-conference game.
The record is 2 Overs and 11 Unders for the last two seasons (+8.8 units)

Rating: 2.05
9:40 pm 3/19/2017
(731) CINCINNATI @(732) UCLA
Play UNDER UCLA on the total in Road games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game.
The record is 2 Overs and 15 Unders for the last three seasons (+12.8 units)

Rating: 3.82
7:00 pm 3/20/2017
(623) LOYOLA-MD @(624) COASTAL CAROLINA
Play UNDER COASTAL CAROLINA on the total in All games after scoring 80 points or more.
The record is 1 Overs and 9 Unders for the last two seasons (+7.9 units)

Rating: 2.02
7:00 pm 3/20/2017
(615) UCF @(616) ILLINOIS ST
Play UNDER ILLINOIS ST on the total in All games as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points.
The record is 7 Overs and 23 Unders since 1996 (+15.3 units)

Rating: 2.12
7:05 pm 3/20/2017
(633) SAMFORD @(634) LIBERTY
Play UNDER SAMFORD on the total in Road games after a non-conference game.
The record is 10 Overs and 35 Unders since 1996 (+24 units)

Rating: 3.43

[StarDust Bum]

TIPPING OFF: Learning from how players see big-time games
March 19, 2017

A look at some interesting things as we head into Sunday, when the NCAA Tournament will finalize its Sweet 16:

--

SOMETIMES ...

Southern Cal's De'Anthony Melton got as philosophical as a basketball player can get. When asked about the Trojans' second-round game with Baylor, he answered: ''It doesn't matter who's better because sometimes the better team wins, the better team loses. So it just depends on who can play harder and who can get stops at the end of the game.''

---

CATCHING UP

The Trojans lead the nation in winning games in which they trailed by at least 10 points, including the Trojans' two wins in the NCAA Tournament.

Coach Andy Enfield has started to approach big deficits differently as the season has gone along.

''Early in the season we used to get really mad at our players for falling behind, especially with teams we thought we were equally talented or had more talent than,'' he said. ''But now, at halftime the other night, we said, `Hey, this is great, we're only down 8. We were down 15 the other night. This is great.' And our players started laughing.''

---

OVERRATED SLEEP

With quick turnarounds between games and long travel, sleep becomes a rarity especially for coaches and their staff.

''Sleep is overrated this time of year and this is what you work so hard for,'' Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said. ''So to get to this point, college coaches, we're all - we were all the kind of guys that probably had to cram anyway back in our college days. We probably weren't the best, most prepared students. So cramming is something I think we probably practice.''

---

STRANGE COINCIDENCE?

Kentucky and Wichita State face each other Sunday for the first time since they met in the NCAA Tournament since 2014. In that game Wichita State was the unbeaten No. 1 seed while the Wildcats were a No. 8 seed, a placing many said was well under what they should have been.

On Sunday, the 10th-seeded Shockers, a team many feel is underseeded, face third-seeded Kentucky, a team with national championship consideration.

''The bottom line is the only two guys that remember that game, other than you media people, are Coach Cal and I. Everyone else is new,'' Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall said of Kentucky's John Calipari. ''What I thought was really ironic that year is we were such a polarizing team. We deserve a 1 seed. We don't deserve a 1 seed. And you're either on one side of the fence or the other. Then we get the 1 seed, but we get Kentucky as an 8. I think they hedged their bet a little bit.

''But in the end, it took a loss to validate our team, which I think is really ironic and sad.''

---

30/30

Sunday's game will be only the second time in NCAA Tournament history that 30-win teams have played against one another in the second round. Wichita State is 31-4, Kentucky is 30-5.

In 2008, No. 2 Tennessee (30-4) beat No. 7 Butler (30-3) in overtime, 76-71.

---

FAN FAVORITES

Few teams receive negative reaction from fans as Duke does. The old bumper sticker says: ''My favorite team is Carolina. My second-favorite team is whoever's playing Duke.''

On Sunday, when the Blue Devils play South Carolina, not only is the arena in Greenville, South Carolina, but there will also be a strong contingent of North Carolina faithful.

''We were playing in the ACC Tournament where we were playing a game and not only are the opposing fans there but Carolina's fans are also there waiting to boo us, too. So we've played in games that are supposed to be neutral where it felt like an away game. There's not much difference,'' Duke's Grayson Allen said.

---

NO No. 1

It isn't easy being the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Villanova was the latest to find out, losing 65-62 to eighth-seeded Wisconsin in the second round.

For the 11th time in the past 14 years, the No. 1 overall seed won't win the NCAA title and yet another reigning national champion fails to get past the Sweet 16. Florida was the last to do so when it repeated in 2007.

Besides this year, the No. 1 seeds to lose in the round of 32 are Kansas in 2010, Pittsburgh in 2011, Gonzaga in 2013, Wichita State in 2014 and Villanova in 2015.

''There should be nothing negative about this tournament. This is the greatest, I think, sporting event in our country,'' Villanova coach Jay Wright said. ''Just being in it ... we can't take it for granted. It's so special to be a part of it. Every time you win and you get a chance to advance, cherish it. You're playing the best teams in the country. You're going to come down to games like this. We had a game like this against Kansas last year and we came out of the good side of it. We had a game like this against N.C. State two years ago, and we had a shot to win it and we missed it.''

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday’s six-pack

— Ole Miss won their NIT game at Syracuse, 85-80.

— North Carolina PG Joel Berry (ankle) is questionable for UNC today against Arkansas.

— Lebron James had to “rest” last night; looked like he was drinking coffee on the Cavs’ bench.

— Arizona Cardinals lost six defensive players from LY to free agency; those six guys played a total of 4,657 snaps LY. Not good.

— Americans beat Dominican Republic 6-3 to move on the semi-finals of the WBC in Dodger Stadium this coming week. Adam Jones made a great catch in CF, robbing his Oriole teammate Manny Machado of a home run. Great catch.

— RIP Chuck Berry, a great musician who passed away this weekend at age 90.

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

Sunday’s List of 13: Wrapping up a basketball Saturday…….

13) Wisconsin 65, Villanova 62— Wildcats won national title LY, but since 2010, they’re now 1-4 in 2nd round games- they were favored by 4.5-4.5-9.5-5.5 points in the losses. Wisconsin has a lot of big-game experience- they were down 57-50 in this game, finished strong- they shot 64.5% inside arc, surviving 7-16 shooting on foul line.

12) West Virginia 83, Notre Dame 71— Mountaineers put relentless pressure on you and it tires teams out. West Virginia was 8-14 on arc, which doesn’t happen much (first time since Dec 10 they made more than half their 3’s)- when they shoot well, they can pressure the ball more and then they’re very hard to beat.

Notre Dame took 28 3-pointers, 26 2-pointers in this game, not usually a winning formula.

11) Gonzaga 79, Northwestern 73— I’m glad Zags won, but this game clearly swung on a blown goaltending call the refs missed, when Wildcats were making huge run, after trailing by 20 at one point. Collins got T’d up because of the missed call, which happened with 4:57 left and Gonzaga up by 5— goaltending would’ve made it a 3-point game.

Gonzaga moves on; Northwestern goes home after a historic season for them, making NCAA’s for first time. A Big 14 school near Chicago should never have been this bad for so long, but now Evanston should become a more fashionable destination for good players.

10) Xavier 91, Florida State 66— I think Steve Lavin is a great game analyst, so fun to listen to, much better than in studio, where he can only say so much. Lavin was at his best in this game with Ian Eagle, throwing in movie/pop culture references. Good stuff.

As for the game, Chris Mack can really coach; he is playing with a freshman backup PG (who has no backup), yet his team won this game easily, leading by 10 at the half. Disappointing end to the season for FSU, a young team that often struggled away from home.

9) Butler 74, Middle Tennessee 65— Three of Blue Raiders’ starters didn’t score, which makes it hard to win- their leading scorer Potts was averaging 15.6 pts/game- he didn’t score, but this was still a 5-point game late. Last four years, 12-seeds are 1-5 vs spread in second round when facing a 4-seed. Butler gets monkey off its back; they lost in second round last two years.

8) Arizona 69, St Mary’s 60— Gaels led 30-29 at the half, but superior athleticism took over in the second half as Arizona wore St Mary’s down and pulled away late. Sean Miller faces his old team Xavier in the next round out in San Jose.

7) Florida 65, Virginia 39— Horrendous exhibition by the Cavaliers, shooting 1-15 on the arc in a non-competitive performance. Florida won/covered its last five second round games, though they did miss tournament the last two years. This was just an awful game.

6) Purdue 80, Iowa State 76— Cyclones were incredibly bad for the first 22:00, then they made an epic comeback, rallying back from 19 down to take a 73-71 lead, but Purdue won this game in the last 3:00 and moves on and will play the Kansas-Michigan State winner in Kansas City. Cyclones were 7-23 on arc, their worst mark in any game since Jan 21st.

5) When John Chaney was coaching at Temple, it basically became expected that once a player got his second foul in the first half, he was done until the second half. Now all of a sudden this year, some TV people are criticizing that strategy, including some guys who coached against Chaney and did it themselves when they coached.

4) Brad Underwood bolts Oklahoma State after one year for Illinois; apparently the AD at OSU told Underwood he would re-negotiate his contract if the Cowboys won, which they did. But then the AD reneged on his word and Underwood bolted, quickly.

The term “carpet-bagger” comes to mind, but Underwood gets a huge pay upgrade for going to Illinois, and this is a capitalist society, so good for him.

This, by the way, is why some college players get annoyed— coaches jump ship for big bucks, while kids get in trouble with the NCAA for taking extra benefits. It is called “how the real world works”, but I can also see their point.

3) Since 1987, Villanova is 16th 1-seed to lose in 2nd round; of previous 15 teams to upset the 1-seed, those teams went 8-7 SU in regional semi-finals, 1-2 vs spread as a favorite, 7-5 as the underdog. Surprisingly, North Carolina has twice upset a 1-seed in 2nd round, in ’90 and 2000.

2) Looking at the eight teams who pulled those 2nd round upsets, then won again in regional semis, they went 5-3 SU if they got to the regional final- they were underdog in four of five wins.

1— Since 2001, Florida (’07) is only defending national champ that made it to a regional final the next year- they won back/back titles, in ’06/‘07. Villanova’s loss drops defending champs to 8-2 in last ten second round games (since ’01).

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday’s games

Since 2010, Louisville is 4-0 SU/ATS in 2nd round games, winning by 3-26-15-13 points. Cards split their last six games overall; they won 1st round game by 15, even though Jax State made 10-19 on arc. Michigan made 16-29 on arc in 92-91 win over Oklahoma St Friday; they used four starters 38:00+. Wolverines are 11-3 outside Big 14; they lost by 3 at home to Va Tech in only game vs an ACC opponent this season. Louisville beat Michigan 82-76 in national title game four years ago. Last eight years, 2-seeds are 14-12 vs spread when favored in 2nd round.

USC is on roll this week, beating Providence/SMU by total of 5 points; they’ve won 13 games this year in which they trailed by 10+ points at some point in game. Play-in winners who then won their first round game are 3-3 SU in 2nd round games, but two of those wins came vs double-digit seeds after bracket-buster upsets- play-in winners are 2-1 vs spread as a dog in this round. Baylor is 6-6 in its last 12 games after starting season 20-1; Bears are 12-0 outside Big X; they beat Oregon of Pac-12 by 17 in November. Trojans won five of last six games overall.

North Carolina is 13-2 outside ACC this year, losing to Indiana/Kentucky; Tar Heels had easy time Friday- since ’07, UNC is 6-3 vs spread in 2nd round games, losing back/back to Kansas/Iowa St in ’13/’14- they beat Arkansas 87-78 in 2nd round two years ago, forcing 21 turnovers while going 29-37 on foul line. Arkansas won nine of last 11 games; they were only 3-7 on arc vs Seton Hall- they forced turnovers on 20%+ of possessions in last three games. Last seven years, #1 seeds are 17-11 vs spread in second round games, with five SU losses.

Over last six years, 3-seeds are just 6-5 SU vs 11-seeds in 2nd round games. During same time, 3-seeds are 8-8 vs spread as 2nd-round favorites, whether playing 6 or 11-seed. Oregon got almost no resistance from Iona Friday; Ducks beat Arizona St by 1-23 points this year- ASU is coached by Bobby Hurley, brother of URI coach Dan Hurley. Oregon is without its best shot blocker Boucher. Rhode Island won its last nine games; they were 28-31 on foul line Friday; they start two juniors, two seniors. Rams are just 9-4 outside the Atlantic 14 this season.

Three years ago, Wichita State got to NCAA’s unbeaten, but lost by hoop to Kentucky in second round of tournament; players are different, coaches the same here. Shockers won last 16 games; they’re 2-4 vs top 50 teams this year, with both wins over Illinois St. Kentucky won its last dozen games; they start three freshmen, Shockers start three juniors, no seniors. Both teams lost to Louisville this year; Wichita beat LSU of SEC by 30. Since ’09, 2-seeds are 15-12 vs spread in second round games. ’09 was last time all four 2-seeds made it to the Sweet 16.

Duke won its last six 2nd round games, covering four of last five; they made 13-28 on arc against Troy. South Carolina is #8 in country defending arc (30.1%), #4 at forcing turnovers (24.6%). Gamecocks beat Syracuse by 14 on neutral court, lost to Clemson by 2 in its two ACC games. Blue Devils beat Florida by 10 in only SEC game this year- they don’t go on road much out of conference, but this game is in Greenville, SC and Gamecocks should have crowd edge. South Carolina has two senior guards leading an inexperienced group- this is big stage for them.

Cincinnati plays pace #327, UCLA pace #13; Bearcats are better on offense than they’ve been in recent years (#102 eFG% this year, #199 LY)- they have athletes to match up with Bruins, who have #1 eFG% in country. Since ’08, favorites are 10-4 vs spread in 3-6 seed 2nd round games; this is only second one of those in last three years. Cincy won eight of last nine games; their opponents average 0:18.2/possession, #324; if UCLA has the ball 0:18/possession in this game, they won’t win. Bruins’ average possession on offense is 0:14.4 (#6).

Arizona won nine of last ten games; they lost to Gonzaga by 7 in December on neutral floor, a team St Mary’s lost to three times this year. Sean Miller won/covered all four 2nd round games with Wildcats, with wins by 1-23-23-15 points. St Mary’s beat Stanford by 15 in their only Pac-12 game; this is game where both teams play slow pace- Gaels #350 (2nd-lowest in country), Arizona #273). Gaels got to foul line 39 times in win over VCU Friday. Arizona is #5 team in height, St Mary’s #75. Pac-12 teams are 6-4 vs spread this season when playing a WCC team.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Dunkel

Sunday, March 19


Belmont @ Georgia Tech

Game 741-742
March 19, 2017 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Belmont
63.100
Georgia Tech
63.897
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Georgia Tech
by 1
132
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Georgia Tech
by 4
137 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Belmont
(+4); Under

TCU @ Iowa

Game 735-736
March 19, 2017 @ 5:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
TCU
64.082
Iowa
69.168
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Iowa
by 5
158
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Iowa
by 1 1/2
152 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Iowa
(-1 1/2); Over

Oakland @ Richmond

Game 733-734
March 19, 2017 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oakland
60.024
Richmond
68.127
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Richmond
by 8
166
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Richmond
by 4
161
Dunkel Pick:
Richmond
(-4); Over

Cincinnati @ UCLA

Game 731-732
March 19, 2017 @ 9:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cincinnati
72.463
UCLA
70.567
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cincinnati
by 2
146
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
UCLA
by 4 1/2
154
Dunkel Pick:
Cincinnati
(+4 1/2); Under

Rhode Island @ Oregon

Game 729-730
March 19, 2017 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Rhode Island
72.239
Oregon
70.322
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Rhode Island
by 2
147
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oregon
by 5 1/2
140 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Rhode Island
(+5 1/2); Over

Michigan State @ Kansas

Game 727-728
March 19, 2017 @ 5:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Michigan State
65.618
Kansas
75.482
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Kansas
by 10
155
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kansas
by 8
147 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Kansas
(-8); Over

USC @ Baylor

Game 725-726
March 19, 2017 @ 7:45 pm

Dunkel Rating:
USC
63.207
Baylor
73.851
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Baylor
by 10 1/2
137
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Baylor
by 6 1/2
143 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Baylor
(-6 1/2); Under

Wichita State @ Kentucky

Game 723-724
March 19, 2017 @ 2:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Wichita State
75.830
Kentucky
73.878
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Wichita State
by 2
157
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kentucky
by 4 1/2
151 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Wichita State
(+4 1/2); Over

Michigan @ Louisville

Game 721-722
March 19, 2017 @ 12:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Michigan
75.687
Louisville
72.912
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Michigan
by 3
134
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Louisville
by 4
143 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Michigan
(+4); Under

South Carolina @ Duke

Game 719-720
March 19, 2017 @ 8:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
South Carolina
68.387
Duke
78.699
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Duke
by 10 1/2
138
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Duke
by 7 1/2
142 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Duke
(-7 1/2); Under

Arkansas @ North Carolina

Game 717-718
March 19, 2017 @ 6:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arkansas
64.385
North Carolina
79.618
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
North Carolina
by 15
166
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
North Carolina
by 10 1/2
162
Dunkel Pick:
North Carolina
(-10 1/2); Over

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Sunday, March 19

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

ARKANSAS (26 - 9) vs. N CAROLINA (28 - 7) - 3/19/2017, 6:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARKANSAS is 90-134 ATS (-57.4 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
ARKANSAS is 61-90 ATS (-38.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
ARKANSAS is 30-48 ATS (-22.8 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game since 1997.
N CAROLINA is 292-239 ATS (+29.1 Units) as a favorite since 1997.
N CAROLINA is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
N CAROLINA is 164-129 ATS (+22.1 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
N CAROLINA is 1-0 against the spread versus ARKANSAS over the last 3 seasons
N CAROLINA is 1-0 straight up against ARKANSAS over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

S CAROLINA (23 - 10) vs. DUKE (28 - 8) - 3/19/2017, 8:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DUKE is 203-149 ATS (+39.1 Units) after scoring 80 points or more since 1997.
S CAROLINA is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 over the last 2 seasons.
S CAROLINA is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
S CAROLINA is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
S CAROLINA is 29-15 ATS (+12.5 Units) in road games after scoring 80 points or more since 1997.
S CAROLINA is 39-23 ATS (+13.7 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games since 1997.

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

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

MICHIGAN (25 - 11) vs. LOUISVILLE (25 - 8) - 3/19/2017, 12:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOUISVILLE is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
LOUISVILLE is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

WICHITA ST (31 - 4) vs. KENTUCKY (30 - 5) - 3/19/2017, 2:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
KENTUCKY is 85-59 ATS (+20.1 Units) in March games since 1997.
WICHITA ST is 39-25 ATS (+11.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 39-25 ATS (+11.5 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 81-55 ATS (+20.5 Units) in road games after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.
WICHITA ST is 25-10 ATS (+14.0 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.

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

USC (26 - 9) vs. BAYLOR (26 - 7) - 3/19/2017, 7:45 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BAYLOR is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
USC is 54-34 ATS (+16.6 Units) in March games since 1997.
USC is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

MICHIGAN ST (20 - 14) vs. KANSAS (29 - 4) - 3/19/2017, 12:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) in road games after scoring 80 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS is 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN ST is 40-27 ATS (+10.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN ST is 40-27 ATS (+10.3 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN ST is 85-56 ATS (+23.4 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 since 1997.
MICHIGAN ST is 32-20 ATS (+10.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

RHODE ISLAND (25 - 9) vs. OREGON (30 - 5) - 3/19/2017, 7:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OREGON is 20-12 ATS (+6.8 Units) in all games this season.
OREGON is 20-12 ATS (+6.8 Units) in all lined games this season.
OREGON is 34-23 ATS (+8.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
OREGON is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.
OREGON is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) after scoring 80 points or more this season.
OREGON is 15-8 ATS (+6.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
OREGON is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

CINCINNATI (30 - 5) vs. UCLA (30 - 4) - 3/19/2017, 9:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 111-154 ATS (-58.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
UCLA is 27-39 ATS (-15.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
UCLA is 27-39 ATS (-15.9 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
UCLA is 19-32 ATS (-16.2 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
UCLA is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in road games after allowing 80 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
UCLA is 17-29 ATS (-14.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
UCLA is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

OAKLAND (25 - 8) at RICHMOND (21 - 12) - 3/19/2017, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 37-20 ATS (+15.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 37-20 ATS (+15.0 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 19-6 ATS (+12.4 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 19-6 ATS (+12.4 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in a road game where the total is 160 to 169.5 since 1997.
OAKLAND is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 26-10 ATS (+15.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
RICHMOND is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
RICHMOND is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in home games in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.

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

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

TCU (20 - 15) at IOWA (19 - 14) - 3/19/2017, 5:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TCU is 236-285 ATS (-77.5 Units) in all games since 1997.
TCU is 236-285 ATS (-77.5 Units) in all lined games since 1997.
TCU is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
TCU is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
TCU is 161-219 ATS (-79.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
TCU is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
IOWA is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in all tournament games over the last 3 seasons.

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

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Short Sheet

Sunday, March 19

Arkansas at North Carolina, 6:10 PM ET
Arkansas: 32-54 ATS after a win by 6 points or less
N Carolina: 11-1 ATS after a combined score of 165 points or more

South Carolina at Duke, 8:40 PM ET
S Carolina: 1-7 ATS after failing to cover 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread
Duke: 6-0 ATS in road games after scoring 75 points or more 4 straight games

Michigan at Louisville, 12:10 PM ET
Michigan: 12-4 OVER after a game with 5 or less offensive rebounds
Louisville: 0-7 ATS in road games after failing to cover 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread

Wichita State at Kentucky, 2:40 PM ET
Wichita St: 13-4 ATS after covering 6 or 7 of their last 8 against the spread
Kentucky: 11-4 UNDER after having won 15 or more of their last 20 games

USC at Baylor, 7:45 PM ET
USC: 19-9 ATS in non-conference games
Baylor: 2-10 ATS after playing 3 consecutive games as favorite

Michigan State at Kansas, 5:15 PM ET
Michigan St: 19-7 ATS after a game giving up 5 or less offensive rebounds
Kansas: 2-10 ATS after a game where they covered the spread

Rhode Island at Oregon, 7:10 PM ET
Rhode Island: 17-32 ATS after successfully covering the spread in 3 or more consecutive games
Oregon: 15-6 ATS after having won 2 of their last 3 games

Cincinnati at UCLA, 9:40 PM ET
Cincinnati: 21-8 UNDER in road games after playing a game as favorite
UCLA: 0-6 ATS after having won 2 of their last 3

Oakland at Richmond, 7:30 PM ET
Oakland: 10-2 ATS as a road underdog or pick
Richmond: 3-11 ATS in home games in non-conference games

TCU at Iowa, 5:00 PM ET
TCU: 1-10 ATS in road games off a home win
Iowa: 8-1 ATS in home games after playing a game as a home favorite

Idaho at Texas State, 6:00 PM ET
Idaho: 8-1 ATS after having won 3 of their last 4 games
Texas St: 2-4 ATS after having won 4 of their last 5 games