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Auburn navigated chaos to get to NCAA game vs Charleston
March 15, 2018

SAN DIEGO (AP) Bruce Pearl and Auburn's basketball program have been under a cloud since before the start of the season.

Even though they faced investigations, the loss of an assistant coach, the ineligibility of two key players, or even Pearl's minor run-in with an opposing strength coach last week at the SEC tournament, Pearl led the Tigers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2003.

For Pearl, the bigger concern is how the fourth-seeded Tigers will play Friday against No. 13 seed Charleston in the first round of the Midwest Region. His team has learned to live within the chaos surrounding the program and somehow thrived despite it.

''You go through a process with an internal investigation or answering questions from the NCAA, you know, you only do that for a few hours, or whatever. That's it,'' Pearl said. ''Then you move on and go back to focusing on the things that you are at Auburn to do as a student-athlete. It doesn't dominate our process because it doesn't dominate our time. The kids had to go through the process. They went through the process and they're all certified as eligible and we moved on.''

The FBI and NCAA investigations have seemed secondary of late. Auburn (25-7) has been trying to celebrate winning a share of the SEC regular-season title while also dealing with the loss of forward Anfernee McLemore to a season-ending ankle injury in mid-February. That's left the Tigers with just eight players in their rotation and even more of the load has fallen on guards Bryce Brown and Mustapha Heron.

''I can tell you that we've overcome those things and we ended up having a pretty good season. We have much more to show and much more to accomplish,'' Brown said.

Charleston (26-7) is in the NCAAs for the first time since 1999 after winning the Colonial Athletic Association title. They have just one NCAA win, coming in 1997 as a No. 12 seed.

Here are other things to watch in the Midwest Region:

UNDER PRESSURE: Michigan State's Cassius Winston was honest about the expectations facing the third-seeded Spartans heading into their first-round game with No. 14 seed Bucknell.

''We're in our mindset where if it's not a national championship, then it's probably a bust for this team,'' Winston said.

The expectations are always high in East Lansing, especially for a team that features stars like Miles Bridges, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Joshua Langford. Throughout the season the Spartans have shown they're worthy of championship consideration - at least as long as they avoid rival Michigan, which beat them twice.

Bucknell was the champion of the Patriot League and enters the tournament having won 18 of its past 19 games. Bucknell coach Nathan Davis said the message for his team is they only need to be better for one day.

''We know it's going to be a great challenge. Michigan State's got one of the best teams in the country. I think we've got a pretty good team, too. So we'll go out there and see what happens,'' Davis said. ''We don't need to be better than them for four games or four days. It's only 40 minutes.''

FOND MEMORIES: It's been 31 years since TCU last won an NCAA Tournament game. Horned Frogs coach Jamie Dixon remembers it quite well since he played in the game.

''I remember the travel. I remember my dad being there, my uncle being there, who is no longer with us. I remember going to Charlotte,'' Dixon said.

The Horned Frogs will be trying to erase three decades without a tournament win when the No. 6 seed faces 11th-seeded Syracuse on Friday in Detroit. TCU went 21-11 overall and finished fifth in the Big 12, earning the school's first NCAA bid since 1998.

A year ago in Dixon's first season back at his alma mater, TCU barely missed the tournament before making a run to the NIT title. Dixon took Pittsburgh to the NCAAs 11 times in 13 seasons before returning to TCU.

''We got a good group and we're lucky,'' Dixon said. ''Got high-character guys in our senior class that took to less playing time, less scoring, sacrificing. But the end result was an NIT championship, which was huge for us.''

Dixon is very familiar with his opponent in the first round. During his time at Pittsburgh, Dixon went 15-6 against Syracuse, becoming one of the few coaches to have that level of success against Syracuse under Jim Boeheim.

''I think this is a much better offensive team than most of the other teams he had at Pittsburgh,'' Boeheim said. ''They were more defense. We got hurt more when we lost to Pittsburgh on the defensive end.''

TRANSFER U: No. 12 seed New Mexico State is a popular pick to upset No. 5 seed Clemson. The WAC champions are a group of mostly transfers playing under first-year coach Chris Jans. The Aggies have seven players on the roster who have transferred to the school, led by Zach Lofton and his 19.8 points per game.

Jans found a way to make it work. The Aggies (28-5) lost consecutive games just once all season and own wins over Miami, Davidson and Illinois.

''We knew he knew what he was talking about,'' forward Jemerrio Jones said. ''He came from a winning program. We just bought into him.''

Clemson (23-9) hasn't been the same team since the loss of forward Dante Grantham to a season-ending knee injury. The Tigers are just 7-6 since Grantham was hurt in late January, including a three-game losing streak in the middle of February. The Tigers can still be dangerous and took Virginia to the wire in the ACC semifinals.

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Purdue set for NCAA opener after steady success in Big Ten
March 15, 2018

DETROIT (AP) Purdue is the NCAA Tournament's highest seed from the Big Ten, and has arguably been the conference's best team this season.

What the Boilermakers didn't do was win the league - in the regular season or the conference tournament - and that leaves them with plenty of unfinished business.

''I think it's a big motivation. Obviously disappointing to not win your conference or your tourney, but I felt we played really well throughout the majority of the season,'' said Isaac Haas, the 7-foot-2 senior who can be a matchup problem for just about any opponent. ''We had a few bad stretches, but it's just a matter of learning and improving.''

The second-seeded Boilermakers face 15th-seeded Cal State Fullerton on Friday in the East Region. Purdue is coming off a lengthy layoff after the Big Ten had its tournament earlier than usual this season - but the break wasn't as long as some other teams in that league faced. That's because the Boilermakers reached the tournament final before losing to Michigan .

Purdue also finished as a runner-up in the regular season, tied with Ohio State for second place.

It looked like the Boilermakers might cruise to a Big Ten title when they went on a 19-game winning streak that included a 12-0 start in league play. Then they dropped consecutive games to Ohio State, Michigan State and Wisconsin.

Purdue rebounded quickly after that, and coach Matt Painter's team presents plenty of challenges. Haas averages 14.9 points a game, and the Boilermakers surround him with good marksmen. Purdue (28-6) is one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the country at 42 percent.

''Obviously Purdue is an extremely good ballclub. Watching them on film and watching them statistically, I'm trying to figure out if they're not an NBA team the way they shoot the basketball,'' Cal State Fullerton coach Dedrique Taylor said. ''And they have the best of both worlds in terms of their inside presence, and then they shoot the ball extremely well from the perimeter. We'll have our work cut out for us.''

The Titans (20-11) lost their season opener by 42 to Southern California and fell by 19 to Saint Mary's, but that was back in November. They'll have to play better than that - against even tougher competition - if they want to pull off the upset this week.

Other things to watch in the East Region on Friday:

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL: Butler averages only 11.2 turnovers per game, but the 10th-seeded Bulldogs have met their match in seventh-seeded Arkansas (23-11), which averages only 11. The teams play in Detroit after the Purdue-Cal State Fullerton game.

Razorbacks coach Mike Anderson is known for a frenetic, up-tempo style of play, but his teams haven't necessarily been sloppy on offense.

''That's been the case wherever I've been. We value the basketball,'' Anderson said.

Anderson's calling card has been his ''Fastest 40 Minutes in Basketball'' - but Arkansas has changed a bit the past few seasons. As of Thursday afternoon, the Razorbacks were just 92nd in the nation in adjusted tempo, according to kenpom.com.

Of course, that's still a quicker pace than Butler (20-13).

''I would say we're a group of tough guys that like to get the job done,'' Bulldogs guard Kamar Baldwin said. ''No matter how we do it, we're going to get it done. Like our motto - we're gritty, not pretty.''

CALM BEFORE THE STORM: Murray State is well aware it hasn't experienced anything like the pressure defense it will face against West Virginia.

''You can't simulate it, the pressure they are going to see,'' coach Matt McMahon said. ''But I expect them to be ready to go on Friday. We know we will have to handle their pressure, not just in the full court. But they're just as good in the half court with their man-to-man pressure.''

The 12th-seeded Racers (26-5) will bring a 13-game winning streak into Friday's game against the fifth-seeded Mountaineers in San Diego. In its previous two NCAA appearances - 2010 and 2012 - Murray State pulled off wins.

Is another looming, especially with the Racers one of the ever-popular No. 12 seeds?

Making West Virginia (24-10) nervous will mean handling the Mountaineers' pressure and two-time Big 12 defensive player of the year Jevon Carter. West Virginia wants to create chaos but has allowed at least 70 points in each of its 10 losses.

''You have to trust it and you're going to give up some layups sometimes and some easy shots. Sometimes it's just not going to work,'' West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said. ''But I think over the long haul, it's been good for us.''

LONG WAIT: Marshall is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1987, and the 13th-seeded Thundering Herd (24-10) will face a program that's much more familiar with this stage in recent years. Fourth-seeded Wichita State (25-7) is making its seventh straight appearance - it reached the Final Four five seasons ago.

The Shockers face the Thundering Herd in San Diego, immediately before West Virginia and Murray State play.

Marshall guard Jon Elmore said the Thundering Herd are motivated by the challenge.

''Now we're to the point where we want to beat teams like that,'' he said. ''Wichita is a class act. You never hear anything bad. You only hear how good they are and how great their players are.''

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Heated rivals Cincinnati, Xavier open NCAA play at same site
March 15, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Xavier coach Chris Mack jokes that LaRosa's pizza, Skyline Chili and Graeter's ice cream should add locations in Nashville this week for all the Cincinnati residents heading south.

Cincinnati and Xavier fans won't find their favorite Cincinnati-based restaurant chains in Music City. But they will find that they weren't able to get away from their crosstown rival.

The Bearcats and Musketeers are starting the NCAA Tournament in the same arena. Xavier is the No. 1 seed in the West Region and will face Texas Southern (16-19) on Friday, while Cincinnati (30-4) is the No. 2 seed in the South Region and takes on Georgia State (24-10).

But just because the NCAA found reasons to put the rivals at the same site doesn't necessarily mean fans of one school will cheer for the other.

Xavier guard J.P. Macura believes Cincinnati fans will be pulling for Texas Southern while Xavier fans cheer for Georgia State.

''It's a heated rivalry,'' Macura said.

Cincinnati forward Gary Clark said fans of one Cincinnati team will also root for the other, even if reluctantly.

''I've talked to people who will come back to our game and then come back for the Xavier game,'' Clark said. ''They'll all say they're not rooting for each other, but you've got to sit there and watch. ... (Xavier fans) won't say it, but deep down in their hearts they'll be pulling for the red and black.''

The schools got the benefit of opening NCAA Tournament play about a four-hour drive from their respective campuses by virtue of their strong seasons. Cincinnati is seeded second in the South Region. Xavier is the No. 1 seed in the West Region after a banner year that included an 89-76 victory over Cincinnati .

That game continued the history of contentious matchups between the two schools, which are separated by about 3 miles. Although they're members of different conferences, they face each other every year.

Bearcats coach Mick Cronin drew a technical foul for yelling something at Macura, who apparently said something back. They exchanged words again during the postgame handshake line, and Cronin turned around and tried to go back toward Macura before Cincinnati assistant coaches and a referee guided him toward the locker room.

Xavier's 76-63 home victory over Cincinnati in the 2011-12 season featured a brawl in the closing seconds that caused four players from each team to be suspended.

Considering that history, Cincinnati forward Kyle Washington isn't surprised the two schools ended up getting sent to the same site, even though they aren't facing each other this week.

''It was pretty predictable of the NCAA,'' Washington said. ''They love creating story lines, and I think that's a pretty interesting story line. Xavier's a storied program from Cincinnati. We're a storied program from Cincinnati.''

Xavier is the No. 1 seed in the West Region and will face Texas Southern (16-19) on Friday. Cincinnati (30-4) is the No. 2 seed in the South Region and takes on Georgia State (24-10).

The two schools got the benefit of opening the tourney within driving distance by virtue of their strong seasons.

North Carolina and Duke occasionally have opened NCAA Tournament play in one site, with fans of one school cheering against the other. Cincinnati and Xavier don't know whether to expect a similar situation this week.

''I don't feel like there are going to be that many fans in the building because usually they're expensive to get tickets and most fans, at least in my experience don't go to both sessions,'' Mack said. ''I could be wrong. I really don't care one way or another.

''The only thing I worry about is being able to guard (Texas Southern star) Demontrae Jefferson - not me because that would be a problem, but our team. We're not really concerned too much about the environment.''

Actually, Nashville organizers said the majority of ticket buyers bought passes for the entire weekend, which will enable them to watch both Cincinnati and Xavier.

As Kate Lopez watched the Musketeers practice Thursday, the Xavier alum acknowledged she would also cheer for Cincinnati since they're not playing each other.

''I root for the hometown teams, no matter what,'' Lopez said.

Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin expects at least two more Xavier fans to be rooting for his team.

''A couple of guys that I owe favors to are big Xavier boosters but are friends of mine,'' Cronin said. ''So it's going to end up costing me $400 or $400, them being in the same (arena) as us, having to buy extra tickets for them. But I will get it back this summer somehow.''

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Porter out to help Missouri in NCAA tourney, not stack stats
March 15, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Missouri freshman Michael Porter Jr. is one of the biggest unknowns in the NCAA Tournament.

Not that he minds at all.

''People can kind of say what they want,'' Porter said Thursday. ''I'm pretty good at taking what people say and putting it aside and focusing on what's important for me.''

Porter is a big topic of conversation if only because he came in last fall as a preseason All-American based on being the nation's top recruit until Duke's Marvin Bagley decided to go to college himself a year early. Then Porter hurt his low back two minutes into Missouri's season opener and needed surgery.

That sidelined him until Missouri's lone game in the Southeastern Conference Tournament. The 6-foot-10 forward's college career consists of 25 minutes played over two games, and Porter shot 5 of 17 in a 62-60 loss to Georgia .

If Porter plays anything like he did as a high school senior, then the eighth-seeded Tigers (20-12) could snap a string of three straight losses in the NCAA Tournament. Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton says he's expecting Porter at his best, even if based only on what he saw out of the forward before college.

''He's a tremendously talented youngster,'' Hamilton said. ''In fact, he's one of the top four, five basketball players in college basketball. So as young people say, we don't have it twisted. We know exactly what we're facing. We're facing a youngster that is tremendously talented, that's healthy.''

Porter scored 36.2 points per game in leading Nathan Hale to a Washington state title. He was MVP of the McDonald's All-American Game and also piled up the Naismith and Gatorade player of the year awards, joining only Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Chris Webber and Alonzo Mourning to win all three.

That's why Porter shared the SEC's preseason player of the year award . Then two minutes into a game against Iowa State on Nov. 10, Porter's freshman season appeared over. He had a microdiscectomy that month to repair two discs , then began the healing process.

Porter said he worked to stay focused and patient, ignoring what people said about him.

''They're going to forget about you, but you know you're going to bounce back better than ever,'' Porter said.

Porter's return comes at a perfect time for the Tigers, who are down to eight available players and seven on scholarship against Florida State (20-11). Jordan Barnett, the second-leading scorer, is suspended for this game after being arrested for driving while intoxicated last weekend.

''He's a great player so he's not going to try to be somebody he's not,'' Missouri guard Kassius Robertson said of Porter. ''He's going to come in, play the game. And don't forget, we did have three, four months of practice with him before the season started, so it's not like he's a stranger to us. We know exactly how he plays, who he is.''

For the Seminoles, Porter has their attention.

''Everyone has seen what he's done in high school,'' Florida State guard Terance Mann said. ''Everyone kind of knows he's a good player. We've got to contain him and follow the scouting report.''

A vegetarian all his life, Porter has taken to eating 10 bananas a day along with up to two gallons of water. He says he's not looking to boost any personal stats right now. Helping his team, and his brother and fellow freshman Jontay, who averages 10.1 points, is his only focus.

''We're happy to be here and can't wait for (Friday night),'' Porter said.


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Boeheim, Dixon to meet again when TCU takes on Syracuse
March 15, 2018

DETROIT (AP) No. 6 seed TCU (21-11) vs. No. 11 seed Syracuse (21-13)

First round, East Region; Detroit, 9:40 p.m. EDT on Friday

BOTTOM LINE: TCU coach Jamie Dixon faces a former conference rival in Syracuse's Jim Boeheim. Dixon was the coach at Pittsburgh from 2003-16. The Panthers were in the Big East with Syracuse, and then both teams were in the ACC together. Boeheim says this TCU team is better offensively than Dixon's teams at Pittsburgh generally were.

FINISHING STRONG: TCU won the NIT last year, so the last time the Horned Frogs ended the season with a loss was in 2016 when they lost to West Virginia in the Big 12 Tournament. Dixon took over the following season.

STINGY: Syracuse held Arizona State to a season low in points in a 60-56 victory over the Sun Devils on Wednesday night in the First Four. The Orange had to win that game to make it to the round of 64.

THEY SAID IT: The Orange haven't had much time to rest after the win over Arizona State, and TCU didn't know its opponent until that game was over. ''Quick turnaround as far as knowing who we're playing for us,'' Dixon said. ''So really unique and first time I've been through it. We're playing the winner of the play-in game. ... You get some time, but not time to focus on just one team.''

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Cocky Texas Southern guard gets big stage vs. No. 1 Xavier
March 15, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Xavier guard Trevon Bluiett has known Texas Southern's leading scorer since middle school and even played against him five or six times.

For his part, Demontrae Jefferson says he might need to see a face to remember Bluiett when asked about their relationship.

Don't take that as bulletin board material. Texas Southern coach Mike Davis said that's just the personality and attitude that has turned his 5-foot-7 sophomore guard into a player that might get a few NBA looks, a confident player who won't acknowledge knowing who anyone else is because Jefferson believes he's the best to ever play the game.

Not even LeBron James.

''The worst that you can do is start talking about another player,'' Davis said Thursday. ''Trae acts like he doesn't know who he is. I asked him did he know LeBron James. He says, `I don't know LeBron James.'''

Jefferson and Texas Southern will get their firsthand look at Bluiett on Friday night when they play Xavier, the No. 1 seed in the West Region. The Tigers already have made school history with their first NCAA Tournament win in eight tries.

The Tigers (16-19) got into Nashville by 2 a.m. Thursday and made a quick trip to Steak 'n Shake before hitting the bed after beating North Carolina Central in Dayton . Sleep is not a problem for a team that played its first 13 games all on the road against the likes of Gonzaga and Kansas - and lost every one.

''This isn't nothing we haven't done before, like we had back-to-back games, flying state to state, all non-conference,'' Jefferson said from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ''So just back to the basics, really.''

The Musketeers (28-5) have seen enough of Jefferson and Texas Southern not to think of them as a No. 16 seed.

''He lacks the size, but he makes up for it with his scoring and all that,'' Bluiett said of the Tigers' leading scorer. ''We have shown that we have trouble with small guards in the past, but I feel like we've made adjustments to that and so, hopefully, we'll be able to contain him.''

Xavier coach Chris Mack certainly has seen Jefferson show off his skills on YouTube. Mack's Musketeers, who lost to Gonzaga in the Elite Eight last year, have their own big goals this March.

''Being locked in and having fun and being a group that is playing to win a national championship (Friday) night is who we're going to be,'' Mack said.

---

Some things to know about the rest of the West Region games on tap Friday:

BACK TO NORMAL? Cameron Johnson's back has been probably the biggest concern for an otherwise healthy North Carolina team. The Pittsburgh graduate transfer injured his back when a Miami player landed on him during last week's Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.

Johnson played through the injury but ultimately had to sit the final minutes of the title-game loss to top-ranked Virginia. Both Johnson and coach Roy Williams said Johnson made it through Thursday morning's practice and they expect him to be fine.

The second-seeded Tar Heels (25-10) open their pursuit to repeat as national champions Friday against 15-seed Lipscomb (23-9) in Charlotte, North Carolina.

''A little bit of low-back tightness when I stand up and come up, but that's all going away,'' Johnson said. ''It's starting to feel a lot better and I'm feeling pretty comfortable out there.''

REDEMPTION FOR PURYEAR: With highly touted recruit Michael Porter Jr. injured for most of the season, Missouri (20-12) has relied on newcomers like graduate transfer Kassius Robertson and freshmen Jontay Porter and Jeremiah Tilmon.

The Tigers' drive to Friday night's NCAA Tournament game against No. 9 seed Florida State will be particularly sweet for junior forward Kevin Puryear, who survived an 8-24 season last year and a 10-21 campaign in 2015-16.

''I used to walk around with my hood on last year,'' Puryear said. ''I didn't really want people to see me because it was just kind of embarrassing to lose that much, especially when you're going out there and giving your all every single game.

''It was an extremely frustrating and hard time for me, one of the hardest things I've ever had to go through in the course of my life. I'm just grateful for those lessons.''

A win would give Florida State (20-11) a chance at its own redemption against Xavier, the team that upset the Seminoles in a 91-66 rout in the second round last year.

''It's definitely motivation, a lot more motivation to get to the next round to see them as a rematch,'' Seminoles senior guard Terance Mann said. ''But we got this game (Friday) night that we've got to focus on.''

REBOUNDING CONCERNS: When Texas A&M and Providence meet in Charlotte, the Friars know they had better figure out a way to rebound with the bigger Aggies.

The seventh-seeded Aggies (20-12) rank 23rd nationally in rebounding margin behind a pair of 6-foot-10 bigs in Tyler Davis and Robert Williams. That presents a difficult matchup for the 10th-seeded Friars (21-13), who typically don't start anyone taller than 6-9.

Guard Kyron Cartwright said the scouting report contained a yellow piece of paper reading ''box out.''

''It's not secret, you know,'' Providence coach Ed Cooley said. ''Texas A&M is a very physical team, they're a powerful team, they have NBA size in a lot of different positions. ... It was definitely talked about in everything that we do. You may have a block-out sign on your back right now and don't even know it.''

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Friday's NCAA Tournament first round betting preview: Midwest Region

(14) Bucknell Bison vs (3) Michigan St. Spartans (-14.5, 148)

Game to be played at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

Michigan State starts its drive for an eighth Final Four appearance under coach Tom Izzo when it faces Bucknell in a first-round contest in the NCAA Tournament's Midwest Region on Friday in Detroit. The Spartans, the region's No. 3 seed, won the Big Ten Conference regular-season title but had their 13-game winning streak snapped by Michigan in the league tournament semifinals, while the 14th-seeded Bison won the regular-season and tournament titles in the Patriot League.

Senior forward Zach Thomas (20.3 points, 9.2 rebounds) is the top offensive weapon for Bucknell coach Nathan Davis but he's not the only one, with center Nana Foulland and guard Stephen Brown averaging 15.4 and 14.9 points, respectively. The Bison average 81.1 points per game, hitting 47.2 percent from the field, but they'll face one of the top defensive teams in the country in Michigan State, which holds opponents to 64.8 points and 36.6 percent shooting. Offensively, the Spartans can score the ball as well, led by forwards Miles Bridges (16.9 points) and Nick Ward (12.6) and guard Cassius Winston (12.6 points, 6.8 assists, 52.6 3-point percentage). The wild card for Izzo is 6-11 freshman forward Jaren Jackson Jr., who averages 11.3 points and set the school record with 104 blocked shots but also struggles with foul trouble at times.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Friday, CBS

LINE HISTORY: Michigan St. opened as 13.5-point favorites and that pointspread has been bet up to -14.5. The total hit betting boards at 148.5 and has been bet down slightly to 148.

BETTING STATS:



ABOUT BUCKNELL: The Bison will want to get a big performance from Brown, a 5-11 guard, who will be matched up with Winston, the leading assist man for the Spartans. Brown will need to handle the ball well and be able to handle the solid Michigan State defense so the Bison don't give away easy baskets off turnovers, but he also needs to put some pressure on Winston, who is prone to giving the ball away as the Spartans averaged 13.2 turnovers per game. Bucknell forced 12.6 turnovers per contest this season, but it will likely try to ratchet up from pressure on Michigan State, which has too many weapons for teams to play a half-court defense against.

ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE: Ward is coming off one of his worst games of the season in the Spartans' Big Ten tournament semifinal loss to Michigan, playing just 10 minutes and finishing with six points and two rebounds. Ward only had two fouls in the game -- though one was a technical -- but he was a liability for Michigan State because he couldn't handle the Wolverines' versatile forward Moritz Wagner for the second time this season. The sophomore will have to play well defensively against Bucknell forwards Foulland (60 percent shooting) and Thomas (60 3-pointers, 2.2 assists) or Izzo will likely pull his top low-post scoring threat again and go with better defenders on the interior.

MATCHUP CHART:



TRENDS:

* Bison are 13-6 ATS in their last 19 games overall.
* Spartans are 2-8-2 ATS in their last 12 games overall.
* Over is 4-0 in Bison's last 4 non-conference games.
* Over is 5-0 in Spartans' last 5 NCAA Tournament games.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 61 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Michigan St., while 54 percent of totals wagers are on the Under.




(13) Charleston Cougars vs (4) Auburn Tigers (-9, 148)

Game to be played at Viejas Arena in San Diego, California.

Auburn let an otherwise sensational season get away from it down the stretch - and has little time to regroup as it prepares to face Charleston in an NCAA Tournament Midwest Region first-round game Friday in San Diego. Fourth-seeded Auburn was stunned by Alabama in the SEC Tournament and will take nothing for granted against the No. 13-seed Cougars, who won the Colonial Athletic Association title for their fifth tournament appearance.

Fans were concerned enough when the Tigers won just two of their final five games of the regular season - but they were positively shocked when Collin Sexton racked up 31 points to lead Alabama past Auburn 81-63 in their conference quarterfinal. The defeat stings even more considering the Tigers led by 10 at the half, only to surrender 50 points after the break. "It was a tale of two halves," Auburn coach Bruce Pearl told reporters afterward. "We did what we wanted to do in the first half. At the start of the second half, they came down and flipped the table on us really quickly." Charleston will look to celebrate its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1999 on a winning note, have prevailed in 14 of their previous 15 games heading into this one.

TV: 7:27 p.m. ET, truTV

LINE HISTORY: Auburn opened as 10.5-point favorites and heavy betting action on Charleston earlyin the week has push the pointspread down to 9. The total hit betting boards at 148.5 and has been bet down slightly to 148.

BETTING STATS:



ABOUT CHARLESTON: The Cougars did plenty of things well this season - but distributing the ball wasn't one of them; they averaged just 11.4 assists per game, ranking in the bottom 50 in the country. Grant Riller, Jarrell Brantley and Joe Chealey provide the bulk of the scoring for Charleston, averaging a combined 54.2 points between them; Riller (18.7 points) has caught fire of late with 20 or more points in eight of his previous 10 games, while Chealey (18.5) has surpassed the 20-point plateau in four of his past five contests. Brantley averages 17 points per game and a team-best 7.1 rebounds and has been a force on the boards down the stretch, entering the Big Dance on a four-game double-double streak.

ABOUT AUBURN: Pearl knows the Tigers need Mustapha Heron (team-best 16.6 points) to be at his best if they hope to survive the opening weekend in their first tournament appearance in 15 years; Heron is averaging 20 points in four games since returning from illness but is shooting a dismal 7-of-24 over his previous two outings. Bryce Brown is a close second in scoring at 16.2 points but has been held below his season average in three of his last four games, with a 29-point showing against South Carolina his only solid performance in that span. Charleston would be wise to keep the Tigers off the free-throw line - they come into this one shooting 78.6 percent from the stripe, eighth-best in the nation.

MATCHUP CHART:



TRENDS:

* Cougars are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. Southeastern.
* Tigers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Over is 8-2 in Cougars' last 10 overall.
* Over is 4-1 in Tigers' last 5 non-conference games.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 53 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Auburn, while 52 percent of totals wagers are on the Under.




(11) Syracuse Orange vs (6) Texas Christian Horned Frogs (-4.5, 136.5)

Game to be played at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

Jamie Dixon's first shot at coaching his alma mater resulted in a NIT championship run, while his second year at the helm of TCU resulted in the school's first NCAA Tournament appearance in 20 seasons. The sixth-seeded Horned Frogs seek their first win in the Big Dance since Dixon's senior season at the school Friday when they meet No. 11 seed Syracuse in first-round action of the Midwest Region in Detroit.

TCU carried over the momentum it gained from last year's title run into its most successful regular season since 1997-98, winning its first 12 games and finishing 9-9 in a conference (Big 12) that sent seven of 10 teams to the Big Dance. The Horned Frogs are only 9-11 since their undefeated start and enter the weekend on a two-game slide after dropping their last two contests by a total of six points, including a two-point overtime setback in the Big 12 quarterfinals. TCU will try to end its 31-year NCAA Tournament win drought against the Orange, who hope to repeat the success they enjoyed two years ago when they advanced to the Final Four as a No. 10 seed. Syracuse hasn't topped 60 points in three of its last four contests but improved to 3-1 over that span with Wednesday's 60-56 victory over Arizona State in First Four action.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, CBS

LINE HISTORY: TCU opened as 4-point favorites and some sharp action on the Horned Frogs has pushed that number up to -4.5. The total hit betting boards at 136.5 and has yet to move as of Thursday night.. Check out the complete line history here.

BETTING STATS:



ABOUT SYRACUSE: Freshman Oshae Brissett (14.9 points, 8.9 rebounds) overcame a hard fall in the first half to score 15 of the Orange's final 30 points while posting his second straight double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds Wednesday. Sophomore guard Tyus Battle (19.7 points), who ranks third in the ACC in scoring, has reached double figures in all but one game this season and played more minutes (1,323) than all but one Division I player. Frank Howard (14.9) shot 4-for-13 against the Sun Devils while recovering from strep throat and is 26-for-87 from the field overall in his last six outings, failing to shoot over 31 percent in five of those contests.

ABOUT TCU: Second-team all-conference guard Kenrich Williams (13.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists), who is one of 11 active players with 1,000 career points, 800 career boards and 200 career assists, has recorded double-doubles in each of his last three outings. Vladimir Brodziansky (team-high 15.1 points, 5.1 boards, 1.6 blocks) sits 11th on the program's all-time scoring list (1,351) and only needs three more blocks to match the school's career record (171). The Horned Frogs led the Big 12 in field-goal percentage (49.9, eighth in Division I), were second in 3-point percentage (40.0, 17th) and four players rank inside the top 12 in the conference in field-goal percentage - including sophomore guard Desmond Bane (12.8 points, league-best 47.2 3-point percentage).

MATCHUP CHART:



TRENDS:

* Orange are 11-5 ATS in their last 16 vs. Big 12.
* Horned Frogs are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up loss.
* Under is 6-2 in Orange's last 8 neutral site games.
* Over is 6-1 in Horned Frogs' last 7 non-conference games.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 61 percent of bettors taking the underdogs from Syracuse, while 56 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.




(12) New Mexico St. Aggies vs (5) Clemson Tigers (-5, 133)

Game to be played at Viejas Arena in San Diego, California.

March Madness Betting Breakdown: No. 5 Clemson vs. No. 12 New Mexico State
The No. 5 Clemson Tigers takes on the No. 12 New Mexico State Aggies as 5-point favorites in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.

Clemson is back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in seven seasons, heading into a first-round matchup in the Midwest Regional on Friday in San Diego against No. 12 seed New Mexico State. The fifth-seeded Tigers, who finished tied for third place in the rugged ACC, stumbled down the stretch by losing three games in a row before winning three of its final five games before succumbing to Virginia in the conference semifinals.

The Tigers have relied on a stellar defense that is ranked 35th in the nation in opposing field-goal percentage (41 percent) and 29th in the country in blocked shots per contest (4.8 per game) entering Sunday's action. Clemson overcame the season-ending injury to Donte Grantham as junior guard Marcquise Reed finished 10th in the ACC in scoring at 15.9 points per game and ranked fifth in steals at steals per contest (1.7). Led by first-year head coach Chris Jans, the Aggies won the West Coast Conference for the fifth consecutive season and tied the program record for most wins in a season. Following a two-game losing streak, New Mexico State won its final six games entering the NCAAs.

TV: 9:57 p.m. ET, truTV

LINE HISTORY: Clemson opened as 5-point favorites and as of Thursday night that number has yet to move. The total hit betting boards at 133.5 and has been bet down slightly to 133.

BETTING STATS:



ABOUT NEW MEXICO STATE: Senior forward Jemerrio Jones earned conference tournament MVP honors after averaging 12.3 points and 18.3 rebounds. Senior guard Zach Lofton scored 24.3 points per game in the tournament and is shooting 38.2 percent from 3-point range, hitting six from long range in the WAC semifinal victory over Seattle. The Aggies are one of the best defensive teams in the country, leading the WAC and ranking fifth nationally in opposing field-goal percentage (39.2 percent) and rebounding margin (9.1).

ABOUT CLEMSON: Reed struggled in the semifinal loss to Virginia but shot 19-for-34 from the field in averaging 18.3 points per game in his previous three contests. Senior guard Gabe DeVoe also elevated his game after the Grantham injury, posting two 25-point performances in his past five contests. The Tigers hit 75.7 percent of their free-throw attempts this season, second in the ACC and 40th in the country.

MATCHUP CHART:



TRENDS:

* Aggies are 6-2-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
* Tigers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.
* Under is 7-3 in Aggies' last 10 overall.
* Under is 4-0 in Tigers' last 4 non-conference games.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 51 percent of bettors taking the underdogs from New Mexico St., while 51 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday's NCAA Tournament first round betting preview: East Region

(15) Cal St. Fullerton Titans vs (2) Purdue Boilermakers (-20.5, 146.5)

Game to be played at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

March Madness Betting Breakdown: No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 CS Fullerton
No. 2 Purdue is a 20.5-point favorite versus No. 15 Cal State Fullerton in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.

After reaching the Sweet 16 of last year's NCAA Tournament, Purdue has bigger plans this time around. The second-seeded Boilermakers head to Detroit on Friday to take on 15th-seeded Cal State Fullerton in the East Region's first round of the Big Dance.

Purdue has not been in the Final Four since 1980 but has a real shot this season thanks to a balanced attack that ranks in the top 40 in both offense (81.1 points, 35th nationally) and defense (65.6 points allowed, 26th nationally). The Boilermakers finished second in the Big Ten during the regular season before falling to Michigan in the league title game, and now they will take on a Titans team that won the Big West Tournament title as a No. 4 seed. Cal State Fullerton played two ranked teams during the season, losing to USC (84-42) and Saint Mary's (76-57) in its first two contests. It will have its hands full with the Boilermakers, who boast a veteran squad that has threats both on the perimeter and down low with 7-2 senior center Isaac Haas.

TV: 12:40 p.m. ET, truTV

LINE HISTORY: Purdue opened as huge 20.5 favorites for this opening round matchup and as of Thursday afternoon that number has yet to move. The total hit betting boards at 146.5 and has also been steady.

BETTING STATS:



ABOUT CAL STATE FULLERTON: Kyle Allman averages a team-high 19.4 points and has combined with second-leading scorer Khalil Ahmad (15.3 points) to drain 99 3-pointers this season. Allman, a junior guard, had 26 points in the Big West title game, while Ahmad added 23 points to help account for the other three starters totaling 12 points on 3-of-12 shooting. This is the first NCAA Tournament berth in 10 years for the Titans, who average 14 turnovers per game and must cut down on that number in order to stick with the Boilermakers for the full 40 minutes.

ABOUT PURDUE: The Boilermakers surround Haas with a collection of 3-point shooters, including top scorer Carsen Edwards (18.5 points, 41.2 percent from 3-point range) and unrelated Vincent Edwards (14.5 points, 39.2 percent from 3-point range). Haas averages 14.9 points and is coming off a 23-point effort on 9-of-12 shooting against Michigan. Purdue's three backcourt starters (Carsen Edwards, P.J. Thompson and Dakota Mathias) shot a combined 9-of-31 againstg the Wolverines and must be in sync consistently if coach Matt Painter's squad is going to make a deep run in this event.

MATCHUP CHART:



TRENDS:

* Titans are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
* Boilermakers are 1-11-1 ATS in their last 13 games overall.
* Under is 13-3 in Titans' last 16 neutral site games.
* Over is 5-0 in Boilermakers' last 5 NCAA Tournament games.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 54 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Purdue, while 55 percent of totals wagers are on the Under.




(13) Marshall Thundering Herd vs (4) Wichita St. Shockers (-12, 165.5)

Game to be played at Viejas Arena in San Diego, California.

Wichita State begins its journey in the NCAA Tournament as a fourth seed when it meets No. 13 Marshall on Friday in the first round of the East Region in San Diego. The Shockers, who lost to Houston 77-74 in the American Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals Saturday, boast a veteran team which reached the Sweet 16 in 2015 and 2016 before losing to Kentucky in the second round in 2017.

Wichita State is led by sophomore guard Landry Shamet, who averages a team-best 15 points and an AAC-most 5.1 assists. The Thundering Herd, which upset Western Kentucky 67-66 on Saturday to win the Conference USA Tournament, ride a four-game winning streak into their first NCAA Tournament since 1987. "I’m happy for these kids and I’m happy for the school,” Marshall coach Dan D’Antoni, brother of Houston Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni, told reporters. “It’s been a long time coming and Marshall basketball kind of fell off.'' The Shockers are coached by former Marshall assistant Gregg Marshall, marking the first time in NCAA Tournament history that a school's name matches the opposing coach's last name.

TV: 1:20 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: Wichita St. opened as 12-point favorites and as of Thursday evening that number has yet to move. The total hit betting boards at 166 and has been bet down slightly to 165.5.

BETTING STATS:



ABOUT MARSHALL: Junior guard Jon Elmore led C-USA in scoring (22.8 points) and assists (6.9), prompting D'Antoni to tell reporters after Saturday's game: "He’s a complete ballplayer. I thought he did a great job.” Junior guard C.J. Burks averaged 20.5 points, helping the Thundering Herd average a conference-best 84.4 points (12th nationally). Junior forward Ajdin Penava (15.5 points, 8.6 rebounds) was named C-USA Tournament MVP after averaging 17 points and 8.3 rebounds in the three games.

ABOUT WICHITA STATE: Senior forward Shaquille Morris has been a force in the middle, averaging 14 points and 5.5 rebounds - both career highs - and 16.8 points over his last nine games. Senior forward Darral Willis Jr. (10.4 points, 6.0 rebounds) and senior guard Conner Frankamp (10.1 points) are also playing their final NCAA Tournaments. Junior forward Markis McDuffie is averaging 8.5 points and 3.2 rebounds - down from his 11.5 and 5.7 numbers from last season - and is averaging only 15.8 minutes over his last four games.

MATCHUP CHART:



TRENDS:

* Thundering Herd are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 neutral site games.
* Shockers are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
* Over is 14-5 in Thundering Herd last 19 non-conference games.
* Over is 15-3 in Shockers last 18 overall.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 62 percent of bettors taking the underdogs from Marshall, while 51 percent of totals wagers are on the Under.




(10) Butler Bulldogs vs (7) Arkansas Razorbacks (+1.5, 151)

Game to be played at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

No. 7 Arkansas is a 1.5-point underdog taking on No. 10 Butler in the Round of 64 of the NCAA tournament.

Tenth seed Butler and No. 7 Arkansas find themselves in the same region of the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season, only this time with much different seeds. The Bulldogs and Razorbacks, who will meet Friday in the first round of the East Region at Detroit, were eliminated by eventual champion North Carolina last season in the South Region.

Kelan Martin, who led all players in scoring in Big East games at 23.6 per contest, is back in the tournament for a fourth consecutive season. The Bulldogs have had a see-saw campaign, going 4-6 since the start of February, but were never in doubt to make the field, particularly after reaching the semifinals of the Big East Tournament, where they lost to Villanova. The Razorbacks and coach Mike Anderson, who has guided his team to three tournament bids in seven seasons, advanced to the semifinals in the SEC Tournament before bowing to runner-up Tennessee. Jaylen Barford and Daryl Macon have averaged 18 and 16.9 points, respectively, this season for the Razorbacks, who have won eight of their last 11 games.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, truTV

LINE HISTORY: This game opened as a Pick 'Em but steady betting action on Butler all week has pushed the Bulldogs into the favorite position at -1.5. The total hit betting boards at 152.5 and has been bet down to 151.

BETTING STATS:



ABOUT BUTLER: Martin averaged 15 points and 6.3 rebounds in the Bulldog's run to the Sweet 16 last season as a No. 4 seed, which ended with a loss to the Tar Heels, and all told he has played in seven tournament games. The 6-7 forward from Louisville has been a dominant player this season for first-year coach LaVall Jordan, putting up 19 20-point games, including four games with 30 or more points. Kamar Baldwin, Paul Jorgensen and Tyler Wideman represent the main supporting cast for the Bulldogs, who lost to potential second round opponent Purdue 82-67 on Dec. 16 at the Crossroads Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in their hometown of Indianapolis.

ABOUT ARKANSAS: After serving more as a complementary player last season, Barford has been a star this year for the Razorbacks, who got in with a No. 8 seed last season and defeated Seton Hall before bowing to North Carolina. The senior from Tennessee improved in just about every area over last season, but none were more pronounced than his 3-point shooting, which stands at 43.6 percent after shooting below 30 percent last season. Daniel Gafford (11.9 points), a 6-11 freshman center from Argentina, leads the team in rebounding (6.2) and blocked shots (2.1).

MATCHUP CHART:



TRENDS:

* Bulldogs are 20-5-2 ATS in their last 27 NCAA Tournament games.
* Razorbacks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games.
* Over is 5-0 in Bulldogs last 5 non-conference games.
* Over is 6-1 in Razorbacks last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 66 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Bulter, while 61 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.




(12) Murray St. Racers vs (5) West Virginia Mountaineers (-10.5, 145.5)

Game to be played at Viejas Arena in San Diego, California.

March Madness Betting Breakdown: No. 5 West Virginia vs. No. 12 Murray State
The No. 5 West Virginia Mountaineers are 10.5-point favorites taking on No. 12 Murray State in the Round of 64 of the NCAA tournament.

West Virginia takes its pressing defense into a fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance when it takes on No. 12 seed Murray State in the first round of the East Region on Friday in San Diego. The fifth-seeded Mountaineers, who were knocked out in the Sweet 16 by Gonzaga last season, utilized their frenetic style to force 16.5 turnovers per game - 10th-most in the country - and record a turnover margin of plus-five, third nationally.

Their run in the Big 12 Tournament ended with an 81-70 loss to Kansas on Saturday, but they will present a challenge to anyone in their way in the NCAAs. "Very versatile," senior leader Jevon Carter said of his team before the loss to the Jayhawks. "Can do a lot of different things. We can play fast. We can play slow. We can guard. We can score. Just very versatile." The Racers of the Ohio Valley Conference are making their first appearance in the tournament since 2012 and carry a 13-game winning streak - the longest active run in the country - into the event. They are led by OVC Player of the Year Jonathan Stark, who led the conference in scoring (21.8 points per game) and was 10th nationally in made 3-pointers with 109.

TV: 3:50 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: West Virginia opened as 9.5-point favorites and steady betting on the Mountaineers has pushed that pointspread up to -10.5. The total hit betting boards at 144.5 and has been bet up slightly to 145.5.

BETTING STATS:



ABOUT MURRAY STATE: Stark, a senior, has averaged 26.1 points over his last eight games, including 24 in the OVC Tournament title game against Belmont. The Racers also have the league's second-ranked assist man in freshman Ja Morant, who hands out 6.4 per game, and its second-ranked rebounder in Terrell Miller Jr. (8.3). Murray State has held nine consecutive opponents to 66 points or fewer and entered Sunday ranked 25th in the country in scoring defense (65.5) and eighth in 3-point percentage defense, limiting opponents to 30.6 percent from beyond the arc.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA: Carter was an All-Big 12 first-team selection and won the league's Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second straight time after averaging 17 points, 6.6 assists and 2.85 steals - fifth in the country. Three other Mountaineers score in double digits, including big man Sagaba Konate, who joined Carter on the All-Defensive Team while recording 3.3 blocks per game. Daxter Miles Jr. averaged 22 points while making 15-of-27 3-pointers in the Big 12 Tournament and will be looking to bounce back from last season's NCAAs, during which he averaged nine points while shooting 39.1 percent.

MATCHUP CHART:



TRENDS:

* Racers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Mountaineers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.
* Under is 6-0 in Racers' last 6 NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 5-1 in Mountaineers' last 6 overall.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 55 percent of bettors taking the favorites from West Virginia, while 56 percent of totals wagers are on the Under.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday's NCAA Tournament first round betting preview: West Region

(10) Providence Friars vs (7) Texas A&M Aggies (-2.5, 138)

Game to be played at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Providence advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth consecutive season, and the 10th-seeded Friars will meet No. 7 seed Texas A&M in the West Region on Friday in Charlotte, N.C. Providence finished in a three-way tie for third in the Big East before playing in three straight overtime games in the conference tournament, including a loss to Villanova in the championship game on Saturday.

The Aggies reached the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons, overcoming an 0-5 start in the SEC to finish 9-9 and tied for seventh with Mississippi State before losing on a buzzer-beater to Alabama in the conference tournament opener. Tyler Davis, a 6-10 junior center for Texas A&M who averages a team-high 14.5 points and 8.8 rebounds, was held to single digits for just the fifth time this season in the loss to Alabama on Thursday. Davis, second-leading scorer Admon Gilder (12.2 points) and third-leading scorer DJ Hogg (11.3) were all key members of the Texas A&M team that reached the Sweet 16 two years ago. Providence has only advanced past the first game once in the previous four years in this tournament, beating USC two years ago before losing to the Trojans in the first round last season.

TV: 12:15 p.m. ET, CBS

LINE HISTORY: Texas A&M opened as 3.5-point favorites and that pointspread has been bet down slightly to -2.5. The total hit betting boards at 138.5 and has been dropped slightly to 138.

BETTING STATS:



ABOUT PROVIDENCE: A key player for the Friars will be 6-7 sophomore guard Alpha Diallo, who's second on the team in scoring at 13 points per game and the top rebounder at 6.6. Diallo is coming off his sixth double-double of the season, posting 22 points and 10 rebounds in the overtime loss to Villanova. He played well while the Friars went 3-3 against Villanova and Xavier this season, a positive sign considering those conference foes earned top seeds for this tournament.

ABOUT TEXAS A&M: Davis should feel at ease in this environment, as he made 7-of-8 shots and led the Aggies with 17 points in their Sweet 16 loss to second-seeded Oklahoma two years ago. Providence will likely counter with 6-8 senior forward Rodney Bullock, but he'll be giving up two inches and about 40 pounds to Davis, and fellow frontcourt starter Kalif Young hasn't played more than eight minutes in the past four games for the Friars. The Aggies also have good size elsewhere in the starting lineup with Hogg (6-9) and Robert Williams (6-10), which will certainly pose problems for Providence.

MATCHUP CHART:



TRENDS:

* Friars are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 non-conference games.
* Aggies are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Over is 13-3-1 in Friars' last 17 non-conference games.
* Over is 7-3 in Aggies' last 10 overall.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 68 percent of bettors taking the underdogs from Providence, while 52 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.




(15) Lipscomb Bison vs (2) North Carolina Tar Heels (-19.5, 162.5)

Game to be played at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

North Carolina begins defense of its NCAA Tournament title as the No. 2 seed in the West Region when it meets 15th-seeded Lipscomb in Friday's first round at Charlotte, N.C. The Tar Heels, who are coming off a 71-63 loss to Virginia in the AAC Tournament championship game Saturday, are trying for their seventh national championship after defeating Gonzaga 71-65 in 2017 and losing in the 2016 title game to Villanova 77-74 on a last-second shot.

“For our younger guys to get this feeling, and for me to get this feeling, I think it will have us come back even more hungry going into the (NCAA) Tournament,” North Carolina senior forward Theo Pinson told reporters after Saturday's loss. The Tar Heels feature a balanced attack led by junior forward Luke Maye, who averages team bests of 17.2 points and 10.1 rebounds, and was one of two ACC players to average a double-double (Duke's Marvin Bagley III). The Bisons earned their first NCAA Tournament appearance with a 108-96 victory at Florida Gulf Coast on March 4 after watching a 32-point second-half lead get trimmed to five. "Couldn't be happier," Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander told reporters. "Someone asked me how I was feeling. I don't even know."

TV: 2:30 p.m. ET, CBS

LINE HISTORY: North Carolina opened as massive 19-point favorites and that number wasn't high enough for bettors as they have been bet up slightly to -19.5. The total hit betting boards at 163.5 and has been bet down to 162.5.

BETTING STATS:



ABOUT LIPSCOMB: The Bisons are fueled by junior guard Garrison Mathews, who led the Atlantic Sun in scoring at 22.1 points, averaging 28.3 over his last three games after scoring 33 versus FGCU. Junior forward Rob Marberry was the team's only other double-figure scorer at 16 points per game while averaging 5.8 rebounds. Junior forward Eli Pepper (7.0 points) averaged a club-most 7.9 rebounds - good for third in the Atlantic Sun - while sophomore guard Kenny Cooper (9.9 points) averaged a team-best 4.0 assists.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA: Maye and senior guard Joel Berry (17.1 points per game) combined for 37 points and shot 12-for-25 from the field against Virginia, which allows the fewest points in the nation at 53.4, but their teammates were 8-for-24. That includes senior guard Cameron Johnson (12.7 points), who averaged 14.4 points in the five games before scoring four Saturday. Pinson (10.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, team-high 4.8 assists) performs well at both ends of the court while junior guard Kenny Williams (11.4) adds consistent scoring depth.

MATCHUP CHART:



TRENDS:

* Bison are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Tar Heels are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.
* Over is 7-3 in Bison's last 10 overall.
* Over is 10-4 in Tar Heels' last 14 NCAA Tournament games.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 74 percent of bettors taking the favorites from North Carolina, while 53 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.




(16) Texas Southern Tigers vs (1) Xavier Musketeers (-19.5, 160)

Game to be played at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

Xavier was on the cusp of its first-ever Final Four last season as a No. 11 seed, and Chris Mack's squad hopes it can finally break through that glass ceiling after securing a No. 1 seed for the first time in school history in 2017-18. The Musketeers begin what they hope is another deep run with a first-round matchup Friday in the West Region against 16th-seeded Texas Southern in Nashville, Tenn.

Xavier upset three single-digit seeds last year before watching its season end against national championship runner-up Gonzaga in the Elite Eight, marking the third time it fell one game short of the Final Four. This season's edition of the Musketeers, who are two victories shy of matching a school record, posted 10- and nine-game winning streaks en route to capturing the Big East regular-season title, halting Villanova's four-year run atop the conference. Xavier enters the tournament with a bit of a sour taste in its mouth, however, as it surrendered a 17-point, second-half lead in an overtime loss to Providence in the conference tournament semifinals last Friday. The Tigers notched their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory with Wednesday's 64-46 win over North Carolina Central in First Four action.

TV: 7:20 p.m. ET, TBS

LINE HISTORY: The top ranked Xavier Musketeers opened as big 19.5-point favorites over the First Four qualifier from Texas Southern and as of Thursday afternoon that number has not moved. The total hit betting boards at 160 and has also been steady since its release.

BETTING STATS:



ABOUT TEXAS SOUTHERN: The Tigers faced six NCAA Tournament teams prior to beginning Southwestern Athletic Conference action, and 5-7 sophomore Demontrae Jefferson (23.4 points) averaged 23.8 points in the four such games he played, reaching the 20-point mark each time. Trayvon Reed (9.7 points, 8.8 rebounds) - a 7-2 junior who leads the SWAC in blocks per game (3.1) and field-goal percentage (68.4) - went 4-for-4 from the floor and swatted six shots Wednesday to contribute to the Eagles' 30.4-percent showing from the field. Second-leading scorer Donte Clark (18.6 points) is averaging 22.7 points over his last six outings and is among the national leaders in free throws made (208, seventh) and attempted (270, fourth).

ABOUT XAVIER: Three-time All-Big East selection Trevon Bluiett (team-high marks of 19.5 points and 5.7 rebounds) went 2-for-14 from the field against the Friars but stands second on the school's all-time scoring list (2,227), and his 315 career 3-pointers are a program record. Fellow senior guard J.P. Macura (12.2 points) has reached double figures only once in the last four games, but his 1,445 career points rank 20th in school history. Despite not playing more than 24 minutes in any of the last 21 games, senior forward Kerem Kanter (10.4 points, 4.5 boards) has scored at least 10 points in every contest over that span in which he played more than 12 minutes.

MATCHUP CHART:



TRENDS:

* Tigers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Musketeers are 24-6-1 ATS in their last 31 NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 4-1 in Tigers' last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 5-1-1 in Musketeers' last 7 NCAA Tournament games.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 56 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Xavier, while 52 percent of totals wagers are on the Under.




(9) Florida State Seminoles vs (8) Missouri Tigers (+1.5, 147)

Game to be played at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

Missouri survived an early season injury to heralded freshman Michael Porter Jr. to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013, but there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding the team entering the event. The eighth-seeded Tigers will try to take care of business on the floor when they face No. 9 seed Florida State on Friday in the first round of the West Region in Nashville, Tenn.

While Porter, considered a potential NBA lottery pick, returned from back surgery in time to appear in the SEC Tournament, Missouri will play without suspended forward Jordan Barnett, the team's second-leading scorer (13.7 points per game) who was arrested for DWI on Saturday. "He's suspended as we speak. He won't play Friday," first-year coach Cuonzo Martin told reporters Sunday before adding that Barnett could potentially return if the Tigers advance to the second round. To do so, they will need to take care of a Seminoles squad that lost six of 10 down the stretch, including an 82-74 setback against Louisville in the ACC Tournament. This is Florida State's second straight tournament appearance and sixth overall under coach Leonard Hamilton.

TV: 9:45 p.m. ET, TBS

LINE HISTORY: Missouri opened as 1-point favorites however heavy early betting on Florida St. caused the pointspread to jump the fence to 1.5 points in their direction. The total hit betting boards at 147.5 and has been bet down slightly to 147.

BETTING STATS:



ABOUT FLORIDA STATE: The Seminoles use a balanced scoring attack with three players averaging between 13.2 and 12.9 points, a trio led by guard Terance Mann, who has been held to single digits in six of his last eight contests. Florida State backed into the tournament to a degree but owns wins over Florida, North Carolina, Miami (Fla.), Clemson, Virginia Tech and Syracuse - all tournament teams - and Hamilton hopes his squad can hit the reset button and rediscover its earlier form. "I'm sure that we'll play with a lot more sense of urgency to bounce back from what we thought was a poor performance (against Louisville)," he told the media.

ABOUT MISSOURI: Porter was hurt early in the season opener and did not return until Thursday's 62-60 loss to Georgia in the SEC Tournament, scoring 12 points on 5-of-17 shooting. "With this type of injury, the last thing to come back is your explosiveness, your pop," Porter told reporters after the loss. "I knew that wasn't there yet." Senior Kassius Robertson leads the team with 16.2 points per game while freshman Jontay Porter - Michael's brother - is the top rebounder (6.8) and averaged 21 points on 69 percent shooting over his last three contests.

MATCHUP CHART:



TRENDS:

* Seminoles are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
* Tigers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. Atlantic Coast.
* Under is 4-1 in Seminoles' last 5 non-conference games.
* Over is 14-2 in Tigers' last 16 NCAA Tournament games.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 51 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Florida St., while 53 percent of totals wagers are on the Under.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday's NCAA Tournament first round betting preview: South Region

(15) Georgia St. Panthers vs (2) Cincinnati Bearcats (-13.5, 129.5)

Game to be played at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

Cincinnati has made a habit of long winning streaks en route to winning the American Athletic Conference Tournament, and the Bearcats look to keep rolling as their journey in the Big Dance begins Friday against Georgia State in the South Region at Nashville, Tenn. The second-seeded Bearcats enter the NCAA Tournament with seven straight wins, including a 56-55 triumph over Houston in Sunday’s conference title game, to give the program back-to-back 30-victory seasons for the first time.

The Bearcats have smothered opponents all season, allowing just 57.1 points per game - ranking second in the nation to Virginia. Cincinnati fashioned a 16-game winning streak earlier this season, and three of its four losses came against teams ranked in the top 25 at the time. No. 15 seed Georgia State captured its second Sun Belt Conference title in the past four seasons Sunday with a 74-61 victory over Texas-Arlington and, after losing four of five late in the season, it enters the NCAAs on a four-game winning streak. The Panthers, making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since reaching the second round in 2015, are limiting opponents to 39.3 percent shooting from the field.

TV: 2 p.m. ET, TBS

LINE HISTORY: Cincinnati opened the week as 15.5-point favorites and steady action on the underdog Panthers has puched that pointspread down to -13.5 as of Thursday night. The total hit betting boards at 126 and has been bet up to 129.5.

BETTING STATS:



ABOUT GEORGIA STATE: Sophomore guard D’Marcus Simonds, the Sun Belt player of the year, averages 21.1 points overall and scored 16.7 per contest in the conference tournament. Senior guard Isaiah Williams, who scored 21 points in the semifinal victory over Georgia Southern as Simonds was saddled with foul trouble, is 9-of-18 from 3-point range in his past four games. The Panthers led the Sun Belt in 3-point shooting, hitting 38.8 percent of their attempts from long range.

ABOUT CINCINNATI: Senior forward Gary Clark averaged 16.3 points per game during the AAC Tournament, shooting 57.7 percent from the field in three games. Senior forward Kyle Washington has reached double figures in 10 of his past 13 games, averaging 12.2 points during that stretch while shooting 52.8 percent from the field. Cincinnati led the country entering Sunday in scoring margin, beating opponents by an average of 17.8 points per game.

MATCHUP CHART:



TRENDS:

* Panthers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Bearcats are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games.
* Under is 6-0 in Panthers' last 6 neutral site games.
* Under is 52-21 in Bearcats' last 73 non-conference games.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 58 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Cincinnati, while 64 percent of totals wagers are on the Under.




(10) Texas Longhorns vs (7) Nevada Wolf Pack (+1.5, 143.5)

Game to be played at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

Texas overcame a ton of adversity to get back to the NCAA Tournament. The 10th-seeded Longhorns' reward is trying to stop seventh-seeded Nevada's high-powered offense in the first round of the South Region in Nashville, Tenn., on Friday.

The regular-season Mountain West Conference champs feature four players in double figures who all have NCAA Tournament experience with the Wolf Pack or their former teams. Twins Caleb and Cody Martin combine for 32.7 points and 11.6 rebounds for Nevada, which is looking for its first NCAA Tournament win since 2007. The Longhorns' up-and-down season included playing without Andrew Jones (diagnosed with leukemia in January) and consistent bench contributor Eric Davis Jr. (withheld during investigation since Feb. 23). The young Texas team - which played four freshmen in its seven-man rotation in Thursday's loss to Texas Tech in the Big 12 quarterfinals - got 6-11 freshman forward Mohamed Bamba back after he missed three games with a toe injury.

TV: 4:20 p.m. ET, TBS

LINE HISTORY: Nevada opened as 1.5-point favorites and heavy sharp action on Texas caused that number to jump the fence Thursday to Longhorns -1.5. The total hit betting boards at 144.5 and has been dropped to 143.5.

BETTING STATS:



ABOUT TEXAS: Junior forward Dylan Osetkowsi leads the Longhorns with 13.6 points and 7.1 rebounds, while junior guard Kerwin Roach II adds 11.9 points and 3.7 rebounds. Bamba chips in 12.9 points to go along with a Big 12-best 10.4 rebounds and 3.7 blocks. Freshman guard Matt Coleman (9.7 points, 4.1 assists) has been solid all year, while freshman forward Jericho Sims (5.1 points, 3.9 rebounds) and sophomore guard Jacob Young (6.2 points, including a career-high 29 points on Thursday) increased their production down the stretch with more minutes.

ABOUT NEVADA: Junior Caleb Martin averages 19.1 points while Cody Martin adds 13.6 points for the Wolf Park, who won 12 road games while going 1-2 in neutral games. Junior wing Jordan Caroline adds 17.9 points and a team-best 8.8 rebounds, while senior guard Kendall Stephens adds 13.2 points after hitting a league-record 73 3-pointers in Mountain West play. The Wolf Pack, who average 9.9 turnovers per game, are coming off their worst game of the season in Friday's 90-73 loss to San Diego State, allowing the eventual Mountain West Tournament champs to shoot 51.9 percent from the floor.

MATCHUP CHART:



TRENDS:

* Longhorns are 0-8 ATS in their last 8 NCAA Tournament games.
* Wolf Pack are 17-3-1 ATS in their last 21 games following a straight up loss.
* Over is 10-3 in Longhorns' last 13 NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 4-0 in Wolf Pack's last 4 vs. Big 12.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 53 percent of bettors taking the underdogs from Texas, while 56 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.




(9) Kansas State Wildcats vs (8) Creighton Bluejays (-1, 144.5)

Game to be played at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Marcus Foster was the leading scorer at Kansas State his freshman and sophomore years, but the senior shooting guard will be up against his former team when eighth-seeded Creighton plays the No. 9 Wildcats in the first round of the South Region on Friday in Charlotte, N.C. Foster transferred to Creighton after the 2014-15 season and last week was named first-team all-Big East for the second straight year.

Foster, who struggled with disciplinary issues during his two years at Kansas State, is averaging 24 points over the past four games to boost his season average to 20.3, fourth in the Big East. Creighton finished in a three-way tie for third in the Big East with Seton Hall and Providence, then lost in overtime in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament to Providence. Kansas State finished fourth in the Big 12 and advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament, losing to Kansas for the third time this season 83-67. The Wildcats played without leading scorer Dean Wade (16.5), who sustained a foot injury in the quarterfinal win against TCU, and second-leading scorer Barry Brown (16) left after getting poked in the eye two minutes into the game. Kansas State coach Bruce Weber was optimistic after the game Friday that both would be available for the start of the NCAA Tournament.

TV: 6:45 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: Creighton opened as 1.5-point favorites and that number has been bet down slightly to -1. The total hit betting boards at 145.5 and has been dropped to 144.5.

BETTING STATS:



ABOUT CREIGHTON: Foster averaged seven 3-pointers a game and has become substantially more accurate from beyond the arc this season, converting on 42.2 percent of his attempts compared to 34.1 last season; and he was under 40 percent both seasons at Kansas State, as well. Foster has a solid compliment in the backcourt in junior shooting guard Khyri Thomas, who is shooting 41.9 percent from 3-point distance. Thomas averaged 20.8 points over the final five regular-season games, but was kept quiet in the overtime loss to Providence on Thursday, scoring eight points - just the third time this season he has been held to single digits.

ABOUT KANSAS STATE: Wade is a 6-10 junior forward who shoots 55 percent from the floor and leads the Wildcats at 6.3 rebounds a game. Creighton starts four guards and 6-10 senior forward Toby Hegner, who averages just three rebounds a game, so Kansas State should have a clear advantage down low if Wade is healthy. The Wildcats are also excited about 6-9 sophomore forward Makol Mawien, who took advantage of Wade's absence to score a season-high 29 points against Kansas and he should see increased minutes against Creighton, regardless of Wade's status.

MATCHUP CHART:



TRENDS:

* Wildcats are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 vs. Big East.
* Bluejays are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
* Under is 7-1 in Wildcats' last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Under is 4-1 in Bluejays' last 5 vs. Big 12.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 55 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Creighton, while 51 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.




(16) MD Baltimore County Retrievers vs (1) Virginia Cavaliers (-21, 121)

Game to be played at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Top-seeded Virginia kicks off its pursuit of a national championship against Maryland-Baltimore County in the first round of the South Region on Friday at Charlotte, N.C. The Cavaliers are the clear No. 1 team in the country heading into the NCAA Tournament after capturing the ACC championship on Saturday, while the 16th-seeded Retrievers got into the tournament after a buzzer-beater win in the America East title game.

Virginia is fresh off one of the most dominant seasons in ACC history where it went 20-1 in the regular season and playoffs, capped off with a 71-63 win in the championship game over North Carolina on Saturday night. Kyle Guy had 16 points and Devon Hall added 15, but it was the vaunted "Pack Line" defense that came through when it mattered most, holding the Tar Heels scoreless for five minutes late in the second half as Virginia stretched its lead to nine with 3:32 remaining and held on for the third ACC championship in program history. UMBC made one of the more dramatic entrances to the tournament as senior Jairus Lyles nailed a long 3-pointer with less than a second remaining as the double-digit underdog Retrievers knocked off Vermont 65-62. "Win the game, that was all that was going through my head," Lyles told reporters after finishing with a game-high 27 points on 10-of-23 shooting.

TV: 9:20 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: Virginia opened as 22.5-point favorites and bettors have been hitting the underdog Retrievers, driving the pointspread down to -21. The total hit betting boards at 120.5 and in up slightly to 121.

BETTING STATS:



ABOUT MARYLAND-BALTIMORE COUNTY: Trailing by nine with 8:21 remaining, UMBC turned up the pressure on defense and didn't allow a field-goal for the rest of the game as it snapped a 23-game losing streak to Vermont that dated back 10 seasons. Lyles, the team's leading scorer at 20.2 points per game, also hit the game-tying three with 1:01 remaining and finished 5-of-7 from behind the arc. Backcourt mate K.J. Maura, the America East assists leader, had just two against Vermont but averaged 5.2 per game this season and was named to the America East All-Championship team.

ABOUT VIRGINIA: "This is one of the most connected groups I've ever coached," Virginia coach Tony Bennett told reporters as he accepted the ACC championship trophy on Saturday night, referring to a roster that doesn't have any one-and-dones or NBA lottery picks. Instead, the Cavaliers have developed a special chemistry that has led to the NCAA's best defense that gives up just 53.4 points per game, almost four fewer than the second-best team (Cincinnati). But Virginia can also score when it needs to, as it proved against North Carolina on Saturday when it shot 52.9 percent (9-for-17) from behind the 3-point line and went 20-of-22 from the free-throw line.

MATCHUP CHART:



TRENDS:

* Retrievers are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 games overall.
* Cavaliers are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 non-conference games.
* Over is 6-0 in Retrievers' last 6 neutral site games.
* Over is 4-1 in Cavaliers' last 5 NCAA Tournament games.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 69 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Virginia, while 59 percent of totals wagers are on the Under.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB

Dunkel

Friday, March 16


MD-Baltimore Co @ Virginia

Game 863-864
March 16, 2018 @ 9:20 pm

Dunkel Rating:
MD-Baltimore Co
56.784
Virginia
76.228
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Virginia
by 19 1/2
116
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Virginia
by 23
121 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
MD-Baltimore Co
(+23); Under

Kansas State @ Creighton

Game 865-866
March 16, 2018 @ 6:50 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Kansas State
68.019
Creighton
67.135
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Kansas State
by 1
138
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Creighton
by 2
145 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Kansas State
(+2); Under

Providence @ Texas A&M

Game 867-868
March 16, 2018 @ 12:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Providence
63.425
Texas A&M
69.533
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Texas A&M
by 6
146
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Texas A&M
by 3 1/2
138
Dunkel Pick:
Texas A&M
(-3 1/2); Over

Lipscomb @ North Carolina

Game 869-870
March 16, 2018 @ 2:45 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Lipscomb
52.945
North Carolina
75.438
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
North Carolina
by 22 1/2
167
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
North Carolina
by 19 1/2
161 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
North Carolina
(-19 1/2); Over

Butler @ Arkansas

Game 871-872
March 16, 2018 @ 3:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Butler
68.576
Arkansas
65.014
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Butler
by 3 1/2
158
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Butler
by 1
152 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Butler
(-1); Over

CS-Fullerton @ Purdue

Game 873-874
March 16, 2018 @ 12:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
CS-Fullerton
52.315
Purdue
75.785
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Purdue
by 23 1/2
152
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Purdue
by 20 1/2
145 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Purdue
(-20 1/2); Over

Syracuse @ TCU

Game 875-876
March 16, 2018 @ 9:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Syracuse
65.339
TCU
68.427
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
TCU
by 3
132
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
TCU
by 4 1/2
136 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Syracuse
(+4 1/2); Under

Bucknell @ Michigan State

Game 877-878
March 16, 2018 @ 8:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Bucknell
63.185
Michigan State
73.564
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Michigan State
by 10 1/2
143
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Michigan State
by 15
148 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Bucknell
(+15); Under

Texas @ Nevada

Game 879-880
March 16, 2018 @ 4:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Texas
66.218
Nevada
67.303
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Nevada
by 1
137
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Texas
by 1
144
Dunkel Pick:
Nevada
(+1); Under

Georgia State @ Cincinnati

Game 881-882
March 16, 2018 @ 2:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Georgia State
59.513
Cincinnati
71.649
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cincinnati
by 12
122
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cincinnati
by 15 1/2
129
Dunkel Pick:
Georgia State
(+15 1/2); Under

Texas Southern @ Xavier

Game 883-884
March 16, 2018 @ 7:20 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Texas Southern
49.063
Xavier
72.134
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Xavier
by 23
166
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Xavier
by 19
160
Dunkel Pick:
Xavier
(-19); Over

Florida State @ Missouri

Game 885-886
March 16, 2018 @ 9:50 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Florida State
67.404
Missouri
64.587
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Florida State
by 3
155
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Florida State
by 1
148
Dunkel Pick:
Florida State
(-1); Over

Murray State @ West Virginia

Game 887-888
March 16, 2018 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Murray State
59.305
West Virginia
72.415
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
West Virginia
by 13
138
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
West Virginia
by 10 1/2
146 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
West Virginia
(-10 1/2); Under

Marshall @ Wichita State

Game 889-890
March 16, 2018 @ 1:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Marshall
56.784
Wichita State
71.365
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Wichita State
by 14 1/2
159
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Wichita State
by 12
167 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Wichita State
(-12); Under

New Mexico St @ Clemson

Game 891-892
March 16, 2018 @ 9:55 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New Mexico St
62.416
Clemson
64.875
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Clemson
by 2 1/2
138
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Clemson
by 6
132 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
New Mexico St
(+6); Over

Coll of Charleston @ Auburn

Game 893-894
March 16, 2018 @ 7:25 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Coll of Charlesto
60.513
Auburn
68.276
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Auburn
by 7 1/2
154
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Auburn
by 11 1/2
148 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Coll of Charlesto
(+11 1/2); Over

Central Michigan @ Wofford

Game 579-580
March 16, 2018 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Central Michigan
54.785
Wofford
57.327
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Wofford
by 2 1/2
154
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Wofford
by 5
145
Dunkel Pick:
Central Michigan
(+5); Over

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Friday, March 16

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

C MICHIGAN (20 - 14) at WOFFORD (21 - 12) - 3/16/2018, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WOFFORD is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
C MICHIGAN is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
C MICHIGAN is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in non-conference games this season.


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




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


MD-BALT COUNTY (24 - 10) vs. VIRGINIA (31 - 2) - 3/16/2018, 9:20 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VIRGINIA is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) in all games this season.
VIRGINIA is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) in all lined games this season.
VIRGINIA is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) as a favorite this season.
VIRGINIA is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in road games after a conference game this season.
VIRGINIA is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games off a win against a conference rival this season.
VIRGINIA is 15-8 ATS (+6.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
VIRGINIA is 39-59 ATS (-25.9 Units) in March games since 1997.


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




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


KANSAS ST (22 - 11) vs. CREIGHTON (21 - 11) - 3/16/2018, 6:50 PM
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS ST is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in non-conference games this season.
CREIGHTON is 28-16 ATS (+10.4 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
CREIGHTON is 8-15 ATS (-8.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CREIGHTON is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.


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




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


PROVIDENCE (21 - 13) vs. TEXAS A&M (20 - 12) - 3/16/2018, 12:15 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PROVIDENCE is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in non-conference games this season.
PROVIDENCE is 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
PROVIDENCE is 30-19 ATS (+9.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
PROVIDENCE is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS A&M is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.


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




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


LIPSCOMB (23 - 9) vs. N CAROLINA (25 - 10) - 3/16/2018, 2:45 PM
Top Trends for this game.
N CAROLINA is 35-24 ATS (+8.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
N CAROLINA is 38-22 ATS (+13.8 Units) in road games on Friday nights since 1997.
N CAROLINA is 174-135 ATS (+25.5 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.


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




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


BUTLER (20 - 13) vs. ARKANSAS (23 - 11) - 3/16/2018, 3:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BUTLER is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in road games after a conference game this season.
BUTLER is 2-12 ATS (-11.2 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BUTLER is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
BUTLER is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game this season.
BUTLER is 73-40 ATS (+29.0 Units) in all neutral court games since 1997.
BUTLER is 29-15 ATS (+12.5 Units) in road games when playing with 5 or 6 days rest since 1997.
BUTLER is 73-40 ATS (+29.0 Units) when playing on a neutral court since 1997.
BUTLER is 158-93 ATS (+55.7 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
BUTLER is 77-47 ATS (+25.3 Units) in all tournament games since 1997.
BUTLER is 19-4 ATS (+14.6 Units) in first round tournament games since 1997.
BUTLER is 25-9 ATS (+15.1 Units) in a NCAA tournament games since 1997.
ARKANSAS is 81-124 ATS (-55.4 Units) in road games after a conference game since 1997.
ARKANSAS is 29-53 ATS (-29.3 Units) in road games off a loss against a conference rival since 1997.
ARKANSAS is 96-143 ATS (-61.3 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
ARKANSAS is 65-95 ATS (-39.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
ARKANSAS is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game this season.


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




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


CS-FULLERTON (20 - 11) vs. PURDUE (28 - 6) - 3/16/2018, 12:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CS-FULLERTON is 20-38 ATS (-21.8 Units) when playing with 5 or 6 days rest since 1997.
PURDUE is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
CS-FULLERTON is 17-9 ATS (+7.1 Units) in all games this season.
CS-FULLERTON is 17-9 ATS (+7.1 Units) in all lined games this season.
CS-FULLERTON is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) as an underdog this season.
PURDUE is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 this season.
PURDUE is 6-14 ATS (-9.4 Units) after a conference game this season.


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




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


SYRACUSE (21 - 13) vs. TCU (21 - 11) - 3/16/2018, 9:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SYRACUSE is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) as a neutral court underdog of 3.5 to 6 points since 1997.
TCU is 179-229 ATS (-72.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
TCU is 112-148 ATS (-50.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.


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




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


BUCKNELL (25 - 9) vs. MICHIGAN ST (29 - 4) - 3/16/2018, 7:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MICHIGAN ST is 94-62 ATS (+25.8 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 since 1997.
MICHIGAN ST is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) after a conference game this season.
MICHIGAN ST is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 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.




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


TEXAS (19 - 14) vs. NEVADA (27 - 7) - 3/16/2018, 4:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEVADA is 38-26 ATS (+9.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NEVADA is 38-26 ATS (+9.4 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
NEVADA is 33-20 ATS (+11.0 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 over the last 3 seasons.
NEVADA is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) when playing with 5 or 6 days rest over the last 2 seasons.
NEVADA is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
NEVADA is 27-14 ATS (+11.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
NEVADA is 29-14 ATS (+13.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.


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




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


GEORGIA ST (24 - 10) vs. CINCINNATI (30 - 4) - 3/16/2018, 2:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GEORGIA ST is 19-11 ATS (+6.9 Units) in all games this season.
GEORGIA ST is 19-11 ATS (+6.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
GEORGIA ST is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in road games off a win against a conference rival this season.
CINCINNATI is 33-52 ATS (-24.2 Units) in road games in March games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 119-161 ATS (-58.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.


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




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TEXAS SOUTHERN (16 - 19) vs. XAVIER (28 - 5) - 3/16/2018, 7:20 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.


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




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FLORIDA ST (20 - 11) vs. MISSOURI (20 - 12) - 3/16/2018, 9:50 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA ST is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) in road games after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA ST is 4-15 ATS (-12.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
MISSOURI is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in a neutral court game where the total is 145 to 149.5 since 1997.
MISSOURI is 31-51 ATS (-25.1 Units) after scoring 60 points or less since 1997.


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




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MURRAY ST (26 - 5) vs. W VIRGINIA (24 - 10) - 3/16/2018, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
W VIRGINIA is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) in a NCAA tournament games since 1997.


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




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MARSHALL (24 - 10) vs. WICHITA ST (25 - 7) - 3/16/2018, 1:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WICHITA ST is 221-177 ATS (+26.3 Units) as a favorite since 1997.
WICHITA ST is 27-13 ATS (+12.7 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game since 1997.
MARSHALL is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all games this season.
MARSHALL is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
MARSHALL is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) after a conference game this season.
MARSHALL is 26-14 ATS (+10.6 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.


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




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


NEW MEXICO ST (28 - 5) vs. CLEMSON (23 - 9) - 3/16/2018, 9:55 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW MEXICO ST is 42-25 ATS (+14.5 Units) in March games since 1997.
CLEMSON is 77-111 ATS (-45.1 Units) in road games after a conference game since 1997.
CLEMSON is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) in road games in first round tournament games since 1997.


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




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


COLL OF CHARLESTON (26 - 7) vs. AUBURN (25 - 7) - 3/16/2018, 7:25 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLL OF CHARLESTON is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) on Friday nights over the last 3 seasons.
AUBURN is 17-9 ATS (+7.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
COLL OF CHARLESTON is 62-33 ATS (+25.7 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1997.


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

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB

Friday, March 16

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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PROVIDENCE @ TEXAS A&M

PROVIDENCE

Providence is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Providence's last 13 games

TEXAS A&M

The total has gone OVER in 7 of Texas A&M's last 10 games
Texas A&M is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games

CAL STATE-FULLERTON @ PURDUE

CAL STATE-FULLERTON

The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Cal State-Fullerton's last 7 games
Cal State-Fullerton is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
PURDUE

Purdue is 21-4 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Purdue's last 6 games

MARSHALL @ WICHITA STATE

MARSHALL

Marshall is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Marshall is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
WICHITA STATE

The total has gone OVER in 12 of Wichita State's last 13 games
Wichita State is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games

GEORGIA STATE @ CINCINNATI

GEORGIA STATE

Georgia State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Georgia State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
CINCINNATI

Cincinnati is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 5 games

LIPSCOMB @ NORTH CAROLINA

LIPSCOMB

No trends to report
NORTH CAROLINA

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of North Carolina's last 5 games
North Carolina is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games

BUTLER @ ARKANSAS

BUTLER

The total has gone OVER in 17 of Butler's last 25 games
Butler is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
ARKANSAS

Arkansas is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games

MURRAY STATE @ WEST VIRGINIA

MURRAY STATE

Murray State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Murray State's last 7 games
WEST VIRGINIA

The total has gone OVER in 5 of West Virginia's last 6 games
West Virginia is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games

TEXAS @ NEVADA

TEXAS

No trends to report
NEVADA

Nevada is 16-4 SU in its last 20 games
Nevada is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games

KANSAS STATE @ CREIGHTON

KANSAS STATE

No trends to report
CREIGHTON

The total has gone OVER in 4 of Creighton's last 6 games
Creighton is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games

CENTRAL MICHIGAN @ WOFFORD

CENTRAL MICHIGAN

The total has gone OVER in 5 of Central Michigan's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Central Michigan's last 9 games
WOFFORD

Wofford is 12-3 SU in its last 15 games at home
Wofford is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games

BUCKNELL @ MICHIGAN STATE

BUCKNELL

No trends to report
MICHIGAN STATE

Michigan State is 13-1 SU in its last 14 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Michigan State's last 7 games

TEXAS SOUTHERN @ XAVIER

TEXAS SOUTHERN

No trends to report
XAVIER

Xavier is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games
Xavier is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON @ AUBURN

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON

College of Charleston is 14-1 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of College of Charleston's last 10 games
AUBURN

Auburn is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games
Auburn is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

UMBC @ VIRGINIA

UMBC

No trends to report
VIRGINIA

Virginia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Virginia's last 5 games

SYRACUSE @ TCU

SYRACUSE

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Syracuse's last 6 games
TCU

The total has gone OVER in 14 of TCU's last 20 games
TCU is 4-1-1 ATS in its last 6 games

FLORIDA STATE @ MISSOURI

FLORIDA STATE

The total has gone OVER in 5 of Florida State's last 7 games
Florida State is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games
MISSOURI

The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Missouri's last 11 games
Missouri is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 game

NEW MEXICO STATE @ CLEMSON

NEW MEXICO STATE

New Mexico State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
CLEMSON

Clemson is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games

[StarDust Bum]

FRIDAY, MARCH 16
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

PROV at TAM 12:15 PM
TAM -3.0
O 138.5

CSF at PUR 12:40 PM
CSF +20.5
U 145.0

MRSH at WICH 01:30 PM
MRSH +12.5
O 166.0

GSU at CIN 02:00 PM
GSU +13.5
U 131.0

LIP at UNC 02:45 PM
UNC -20.5
O 162.5

BUT at ARK 03:10 PM
ARK +1.5
O 151.0

MURR at WVU 04:00 PM
MURR +10.0
U 145.5

TEX at NEV 04:30 PM
NEV +1.5
O 143.5

KSU at CRE 06:50 PM
KSU +1.0
O 144.5

[StarDust Bum]

march madness record: ( overall record+ best bets ) all wagers based on 5 units

03/16/2018 8-10-0 44.44% -15.00
03/15/2018 13-20-0 39.39% -4500
03/14/2018 15-8-1 65.22% +31.00
03/13/2018 7-14-1 33.33% -41.50
03/12/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00


best bets:


Ats

03/16/2018.............................................. .4 - 4...............................- 2.00
03/15/2018.............................................. .7 - 6..............................+ 2.00
03/14/2018.............................................. .7 - 5..............................+ 7.50
03/13/2018.............................................. .2 - 4...............................-12.00
03/12/2018.............................................. 1 - 0..............................+ 5.00


TOTALS............................................ .......21 - 19..............................+ 0.50


over/under

03/16/2018.............................................. .1 - 3................................- 11.50
03/15/2018.............................................. .6 - 8................................- 14.00
03/14/2018.............................................. .2 - 1................................+ 4.50
03/13/2018.............................................. .0 - 5.................................-27.50
03/12/2018.............................................. 1 - 0.................................+ 5.00


TOTALS............................................ . .......10 - 17.............................- 43.50

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday’s 6-pack

— Jose Altuve got a 5-year, $151M contract extension from the Astros.

— Reds gave 3B Eugenio Suarez a 7-year, $66M deal.

— There are/have been 35 college basketball coaching jobs open already this spring.

RIP to three sports figures who passed away this week:

— Tom Benson, 90, owned the New Orleans Saints and the Pelicans of the NBA.

— Ed Charles, 84, was 3B for the ’69 Miracle Mets; he was the A’s 3B when I first became a baseball fan in the mid-60’s.

— Augie Garrido, 79, who won five national titles as a college baseball coach; he was the opposing manager in the Kevin Costner baseball movie, For Love of the Game.

Quote of the Day
“If I don’t read it and study it and learn and try to figure these kids out, I have no chance to coach. Because the way I was taught as a child was, ‘Hey, you are going to eat what is on your plate, if not, you’re going to sit here.’ I had to sit at the kitchen table one Saturday afternoon because I didn’t want to eat green beans or salmon patties. So we have a lot of green beans on our team meals, and I tell that story to our guys. But you have to adjust. You’d better learn to give and some take with these kids, I think.”
Stephen F Austin coach Kyle Keller

Saturday’s quiz
Comedian Bill Murray’s son is an assistant coach for which top 25 basketball program?

Friday’s quiz
Frankfurt is the capital of Kentucky.

Thursday’s quiz
No #16-seed has ever beaten a #1-seed in the NCAA tournament.

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

Saturday’s List of 13: Wrapping up a full Friday of hoop

Night Games

16) UMBC 74, Virginia 54— The good news: Retrievers from the America East Conference are first #16-seed EVER to beat a #1-seed. And they won easily.

The bad news: UMBC will need a new coach in a couple weeks. Wins like this make coaches wealthy. Ryan Odom’s dad is Dave Odom, who was Tim Duncan’s coach at Wake Forest.

On January 21, UMBC lost 83-39 to the Albany Great Danes. They’ve improved.

UMBC was a 20.5-point underdog, but pointspread-wise, Norfolk State (+21.5) over Missouri in 2012 was a bigger upset than this, a 2-15 game.

15) Kansas State 69, Creighton 59— Bluejays went 3-7 in their last ten games- they really missed 6-9 Krampelj, who got hurt on January 17. Creighton was never the same after that.

How excited is the K-State traveling party tonight? A 9-seed that’ll be a double digit favorite on Sunday— first time that’ll happen, too.

14) Auburn 62, Charleston 58— Auburn’s point guard got two fouls in the first 2:00 so to make up for it, the refs screwed Charleston over the rest of the game. Auburn was 15-32 on foul line, Cougars were 7-14- their point guard fouled out with 5:46 left.

Charleston kid got hit on the elbow as he tried game-tying 3-ball in last minute, but it wasn’t called.

13)

12) Clemson 79, New Mexico State 68— WAC team hasn’t won a tournament game since Nevada won as a 7-seed in 2007. Aggies won this league for 6th time in last seven years- maybe they should jump to the Big West, a better league. Even the Big Sky would be an improvement.

11) Xavier 102, Texas Southern 83— Couple years ago in July, I was watching AAU games in Las Vegas and Xavier coach Chris Mack was there with his daughter, who was probably 9 or 10 at the time. She was in the bleachers, watching games and playing with whatever electronic device she had. I’m pretty sure Coach Mack coaches her grade school basketball team. Good guy.

10) Michigan State 82, Bucknell 78— Spartans led by 16 with 2:56 left, Bucknell fought till the end and made the score look closer than the game actually was- they made 11-20 on the arc.

9) Syracuse 57, TCU 52— Once again. Syracuse doesn’t deserve to get in the tournament, then they win two games when they get there. Orange made the Final Four as a 10-seed couple years ago- their zone defense is tough to prepare for. TCU is 45-26 in Jamie Dixon’s first two years, but this loss will sting.

Day Games

1) Nevada 87, Texas 83 OT— By far best game of the afternoon; Wolf Pack was dead in this game, down 14 with 18:40 left- they looked like a goner, but Josh Hall scored 15 points off the bench— he was the only sub Nevada used the whole game.

In 2011, Shaka Smart took VCU on a Cinderella run from the play-in game to the Final Four, winning five of six NCAA tournament games. The last five years, Smart is 0-4 in NCAA tourney games, with three of the four losses in overtime.

2) Marshall 81, Wichita State 75— Wichita took 17 foul shots in this game; Marshall’s star guard Elmore took 15, all by himself, as the Thundering Herd post a big upset.

This is first time in 10 years that two #13-seeds won their first round game.

Up next for Marshall are the West Virginia Mountaineers; these teams used to play once a year in December until two years ago, but I’m assuming West Virginia cancelled it- no way Marshall cancelled it. Now they lay for the right to go to the Sweet 16.

Dan Muller, the coach at Illinois State took a shot at former MVC rival Wichita State on Twitter after the Shockers lost this game:

“I guess switching conferences doesn’t magically make things better. Valley teams advance in the Dance”

3) Purdue 74, Cal State-Fullerton 48— This was an easy but costly win for the Boilermakers, who were just too big for Fullerton. Isaac Haas broke his elbow with about 6:00 left when he fell backwards, hit his elbow on the floor- he is done for the season.

4) Texas A&M 73, Providence 69— Aggies led by 11 with 0:29 left, gave their backers a scare by giving up eight points in last 0:29, but they hung on and covered.

A&M looked like a Final Four team back in November, then injuries/suspensions derailed their season- they play North Carolina in Charlotte Sunday.

5) Butler 79, Arkansas 62— Butler led this game 21-2 out of the gate, then it was 29-29; would like to see the plus/minus charts. This was first loss for the SEC in six tournament games.

Bulldogs play Haas-less Purdue Sunday; they lost by 15 to the Boilermakers on a neutral court back in December, when Haas scored 15 points but played only 16:00 due to foul trouble.

6) Cincinnati 68, Georgia State 53— Bearcats win their 8th straight game, in a brickfest where teams combined to go 17-57 on arc. Sun Belt teams had posted a first round upset two of last three years, but this Cincinnati squad was too athletic for the scrappy Panthers.

7) North Carolina 84, Lipscomb 66— This was first NCAA tournament appearance foe the Bisons; getting assigned to play the Tar Heels in Charlotte assured that it would be a short stay. Atlantic Sun rep covered their first tourney game for fifth time in last six years.

8) West Virginia 85, Murray State 68— Racers’ really good senior guard Stark ended his career with a 1-12 shooting day against a Mountaineer squad that has two good senior guards. OVC plays entertaining ball, but they haven’t won a tournament game since 2012- they’re 3-15 in first round games the last 18 years.