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**Udog** · 03-15-2018, 08:33 AM

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

Some prop bets for the NCAA tournament; wins by team: (Westgate SuperBook)

— wins for Villanova, 3.5 (under -$120)

— wins for Duke, 3 (under -$130)

— wins for Michigan State, 2.5 (under -$135)

— wins for Virginia, 4 (under -$140)

— wins for North Carolina 2.5 (under -$140)

— wins for Michigan 2 (under -$130

**********

Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud……

13) USC star Chimezie Metu sat out the Trojans’ NIT game Tuesday, because he doesn’t want to get hurt before the NBA Draft, which is in late June. This ignited a heated Twitter debate.

I’ll say this: Metu has the right to do as he pleases, it is a free country. But…….

In 2000, Kenyon Martin was the star of a Cincinnati team that was going to be a #1-seed in the NCAA’s, but in the first round of the C-USA tournament, he broke his leg and also injured knee ligaments, the kind of disastrous injury that Metu obviously fears now.

Long story short: Martin was still picked 1st in the NBA Draft that year; he played 15 years in the NBA, scored over 9,200 points and earned $113M in his career.

My opinion is that you should finish what you start, but thats just my opinion.

12) Klay Thompson has apparently broken his right thumb, will miss at least four games; he hasn’t missed more than five games in a season since he became a full-time starter.

11) Stupid new baseball rule: In minor league baseball this year, all extra innings will start with a runner on second base. I’m beginning to think the people who run baseball don’t like baseball.

10) Patrick Beilein is the 34-year old coach at LeMoyne, a D-II school in Syracuse; he is the son of Michigan coach John Beilein. It has been rumored that Patrick Beilein has already gotten three job offers from D-I schools this spring.

9) Ole Miss is going to hire Middle Tennessee State coach Kermit Davis, whose dad used to be the coach at Mississippi State. Rough couple weeks for the Blue Raiders, who got screwed out of an NCAA tournament bid and now are losing their coach of the last 16 years.

8) Memphis went 21-13 this year, but apparently they fired Tubby Smith this week and will hire Anfernee Hardaway as his replacement. John Calipari spoiled this fanbase forever; they ran Josh Pastner out of town after he went 166-73 with the Tigers and now they got rid of Tubby, whose career record is 597-302. Tough town.

7) Evansville fired Marty Simmons after 11 years and zero NCAA tournament bids; he went 25-9, 24-12 two and three years ago, but didn’t win Arch Madness so now he is unemployed.

6) Arizona Cardinals signed Mike Glennon as their backup QB, which is a good thing if they’re going to start Sam Bradford at QB this fall.

Bradford has a 34-45-1 W-L record in NFL, missing 48 games in his eight NFL seasons. He has a very bad knee that Mike Zimmer recently called “degenerative.” He is not dependable.

5) There are 11 teams in this year’s NIT that would be favored over Syracuse on a neutral floor.

4) Toys ‘r Us is closing its 800 stores in this country; that just sounds kind of sad.

3) Cleveland Browns’ tackle Joe Thomas retired this week; the man played 10,363 consecutive snaps in the NFL without missing a play, which is astounding for an offensive lineman.

2) Saw a baseball shift this week I’ve never seen before; Kris Bryant is batting for the Cubs with a man on 3rd. San Diego put three infielders on the left side of the infield, and the 1B almost halfway to 2B. If Bryant hits the ball to the right side of the infield, not sure how they get him out, unless he hits it hard right at the first baseman.

1— Dee Gordon is playing centerfield for the Mariners this spring, at least he was until Robinson Cano strained a hamstring. Seattle’s TV guys were bragging on the Mariners’ bullpen, so we’ll see how well they do this season.

**Udog** · 03-15-2018, 08:44 AM

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

(14) Wright St. Raiders vs (3) Tennessee Volunteers (-12, 132)

Game to be played at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

March Madness Betting Breakdown: No. 3 Tennessee vs. No. 14 Wright State
The No. 3 Tennessee Volunteers are 13-point favorites versus No. 14 Wright State in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.

Third-seeded Tennessee looks to make a splash in the NCAA Tournament when it faces No. 14 seed Wright State in the first round of the South Regional on Thursday in Dallas, Texas. The Volunteers won over 20 games in the regular season for the first time since 2013-14 before advancing to the SEC Tournament final where they suffered a 77-72 loss to Kentucky on Sunday, and hope to live up to their lofty seed in their first-ever meeting with the Raiders.

"To have the kind of year to put yourself in position to play in the tournament is in itself a great accomplishment," Tennessee coach Rick Barnes told reporters. "I'm really proud of the guys to put us in that position." Wright State won three straight games en route to the Horizon League Tournament title and clinched its first NCAA Tournament berth in 11 years. The Raiders set a school record with 25 wins, but have dropped their last three meetings with SEC opponents by an average margin of 13 points and hope to buck the trend by notching their first NCAA Tournament win in program history. "It will be my job to bring them back down to earth and then get them to really believe it can happen," Wright State coach Scott Nagy told reporters. "I've seen teams at our level do it."

TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, truTV

LINE HISTORY: Tennessee opened as 13-point favorites and as of Wednesday night that pointspread was down slightly to -12. The total hit betting boards at 131.5 and went up to 132 before falling back to the opening number. Check out the complete line history here.

BETTING STATS:

ABOUT WRIGHT STATE: Grant Benzinger was named the Most Valuable Player of the Horizon League Tournament after averaging 14 points and 9.6 rebounds in victories over Green Bay, Milwaukee and Cleveland State. Benzinger led the way with 19 points, nine rebounds and three steals in the 74-57 win against the Vikings in the championship game while Cole Gentry and Jaylon Hall each added 11 points. Loudon Love was named to the All-Tournament team after averaging 14.6 points and 10.3 rebounds, including nine points in the final, to set a freshman record for points in a season previously held by Bill Edwards in 1990.

ABOUT TENNESSEE: Junior forward Admiral Schofield was named to the All-SEC Tournament team after averaging 17 points and 8.3 rebounds over three games. Schofield scored 22 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in the loss to Kentucky in the title game to notch his third double-double of the season while Grant Williams, who was named the SEC Player of the Year, added 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals. Jordan Bone tallied 12 points and reigning SEC Co-Sixth Man of the Year Lamonte Turner scored 10, but it wasn't enough as the Volunteers were held to 37.1 percent shooting.

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Raiders are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Volunteers are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 4-1 in Raiders' last 5 neutral site games.
* Under is 5-0 in Volunteers' last 5 non-conference games.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 58 percent of bettors taking the underdogs from Wright State, while 52 percent of totals wagers are on the Under.

(11) Loyola-Chicago Ramblers vs (6) Miami-Florida Hurricanes (-1.5, 133)

Game to be played at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

March Madness Betting Breakdown: No. 6 Miami vs. No. 11 Loyola-Chicago
The No. 6 Miami Hurricanes face No. 11 Loyola-Chicago as 2.5-point favorites in the Round of 64 in the NCAA tournament.

Miami would love nothing more than to rebound from last year's poor showing at the NCAA Tournament - and has already gone through plenty of big-game moments in preparation - as it faces Loyola-Chicago in the first round of the South Region on Thursday at American Airlines Center in Dallas. The sixth-seeded Hurricanes are also hoping to get a boost with the possible return of Bruce Brown Jr.

The Hurricanes gave fans more than their share of thrills to close out the regular season, winning each of their final four games by a combined eight points - a stretch that included a three-point triumph over North Carolina and a one-point victory over Virginia Tech. But whatever heroics Miami displayed over that stretch ran out when the ACC Tournament got underway as the Hurricanes were trounced 82-65 by the Tar Heels. Miami's quest for a first Final Four appearance begins against the No. 11 Ramblers, who locked up their sixth tournament berth in school history - and first since 1985 - by claiming the Missouri Valley Conference title. The Ramblers won the national title in 1963, but have won only four tournament games since.

TV: 3:10 p.m. ET, truTV

LINE HISTORY: Miami opened as 3-point favorites and early money on the underdog Ramblers has pushed that number down to -1.5. The total hit betting boards at 133.5 and has dropped slightly to 133 as of Wednesday night.

BETTING STATS:

ABOUT LOYOLA-CHICAGO: The Ramblers ended their 33-year NCAA Tournament drought by playing some of the most relentless defense in the nation - they allowed the fifth-fewest points in the country (62.2) while limiting opponents to fewer than 10 made free throws per game. And Loyola-Chicago's offense wasn't so bad either as it boasted a 57.8-percent effective shooting rate that ranked in the top 10 nationally. Five players averaged double figures in scoring this season, led by Clayton Custer's 13.4 points as he'll be looking to end a frightful offensive slump that has seen him held to a total of 23 points over his past four games while shooting 4-for-20 from beyond the arc over that stretch.

ABOUT MIAMI: Brown's return would invigorate the Hurricanes' offense and rebounding as he ranks tied for second on the roster in scoring at 11.4 points while contributing a team-best 7.1 boards. But Miami hasn't had to worry much in his absence, boasting seven players who average between 8.7 and 11.5 points per game, but the Hurricanes will need to be much better from the free-throw line, where they ranked last in the ACC at 66.3 percent this season. Look for the Hurricanes to put plenty of pressure on Loyola-Chicago in the early going as Miami allowed just over 30 first-half points per game this season, ranking inside the top 30 in the country in that category.

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Ramblers are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Hurricanes are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 5-0 in Ramblers' last 5 overall.
* Over is 11-2 in Hurricanes' last 13 NCAA Tournament games.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 51 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Miami, while 65 percent of totals wagers are on the Under.

(12) Davidson Wildcats vs (5) Kentucky Wildcats (-5, 143)

Game to be played at Taco Bell Arena in Boise, Idaho.

March Madness Betting Breakdown: No. 5 Kentucky vs. No. 12 Davidson
The No. 5 Kentucky Wildcats take on the No. 12 Davidson Wildcats a 6-point favorites in the Round of 64 of the NCAA tournament.

Davidson stole an NCAA Tournament bid from a bubble team with a surprising run to the Atlantic 10 tournament title and is looking for its first Tournament win since Stephen Curry led Davidson to the 2008 Elite Eight. Standing in the way is fifth-seeded Kentucky, which rolled to the SEC tournament title and hosts No. 12 seed Davidson in the first round of the South regional in Boise, Idaho, on Thursday.

Davidson picked up its first A-10 tournament title by knocking off top-seeded Rhode Island in the title game and cruises into its 14th NCAA Tournament with wins in four straight, during which it allowed an average of 62 points. Davidson won 11 of its last 13 games to come into March Madness hot and will lean on defense after forcing the Rams into 14 turnovers and 38.5 percent shooting in Sunday's 58-57 triumph. That defense will have its work cut out for it against Kentucky, which is averaging 80.4 points over its last eight games and features four players averaging double figures in scoring. "Every situation and experience is new to them, so you don't really know what they're going to do, and we need as many of these kinds of things as we can going into next weekend," Kentucky coach John Calipari told reporters of his young team. "So proud of them. Really proud of them."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBS

LINE HISTORY: Kentucky opened the betting Sunday night as 6-point favorites however early money on the upset-minded Davidson Wildcats has pushed that number down to -5. The total hit betting boards at 142.5 and was bumped up to 143.5 before dropping back slightly to 143 on Wednesday.

BETTING STATS:

ABOUT DAVIDSON: Davidson will counter Kentucky's young, balanced attack with some experienced scoring in senior forward Peyton Aldridge, who averages over 21 points and was named the co-Player of the Year in the Atlantic 10. Aldridge was held to 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting in Sunday's win over Rhode Island but went over 30 points five times on the season, including a 45-point outburst in a triple-overtime loss at St. Bonaventure on Feb. 27 - the team's lone setback in the last nine contests. Davidson can't match Kentucky's young talent but does have a freshman in guard Kellan Grady averaging over 18 points.

ABOUT KENTUCKY: Freshman guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 29 points in Sunday's SEC championship game win over Tennessee and is averaging 18.4 points over the last seven games. The Canada native is also emerging as a team leader due to his hard work. "He will miss guys sometimes, but he's gotten so much better," Calipari told reporters of Gilgeous-Alexander. "But it's taken film and practice and talks and one-on-ones. The kid is a great kid in trying to do the right thing. These kids know, if a guy's - it's hard to lead if you're not the hardest guy working it. It's hard to lead if you're not the first one in there. It's hard to lead if you're not a guy that's capable to go on the court and win games. I'm not following you. Who wants to follow you? I mean, you've got to be that guy."

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Davidson is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games.
* Kentucky is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
* Under is 4-0 in Davidson's last 4 NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 8-0 in Kentucky's last 8 non-conference games.

CONSENSUS: Covers consensus data is showing 64 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Kentucky, while 63 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.

(13) Buffalo Bulls vs (4) Arizona Wildcats (-8.5, 158.5)

Game to be played at Taco Bell Arena in Boise, Idaho.

March Madness Betting Breakdown: No. 4 Arizona vs. No. 13 Buffalo
The No. 4 Arizona Wildcats take on the No. 13 Buffalo Bulls as 9.5-point favorites in the Round of 64 in the NCAA tournament.

After a controversy-filled few weeks, Arizona has regained its swagger just in time for the NCAA Tournament. The fourth-seeded Wildcats claimed both the Pac-12 regular-season title and the conference tournament championship but will need to be careful not to overlook No. 13 seed Buffalo when the teams meet Thursday in the first round of the South Region in Boise, Idaho.

Buffalo set a school record for wins and owns the No. 6 scoring offense in the nation at 84.8 points per game, but the Bulls face an uphill battle against national player of the year candidate Deandre Ayton, a 7-1 freshman who averaged 32 points and 16 rebounds in back-to-back wins over UCLA and USC in the Pac-12 Tournament. “Deandre, the dominance that he put forth – if there’s another player better, I’d like to meet him,” coach Sean Miller told reporters. “He absolutely was a one-man wrecking crew.” The Wildcats extended their winning streak to five with Saturday's 75-61 victory over USC in Las Vegas, while Buffalo defeated Toledo in the Mid-American Conference Tournament title game in Cleveland. Four different players average double figures in scoring for Arizona, which dropped three straight games in the Bahamas in late November without injured guard Rawle Alkins but had little trouble during Pac-12 play.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, CBS

LINE HISTORY: Arizona opened as 8.5-point favorites and as of Tuesday evening that pointspread has yet to move. The total hit betting boards at 158 and was bet down to 157.5 before bouncing to 158.5 on Wednesday.

BETTING STATS:

ABOUT BUFFALO: Senior guard Wes Clark, a transfer from Missouri, was named Mid-American Conference Tournament MVP after scoring 26 points in the 76-66 win over Toledo. The Bulls’ impressive backcourt includes junior guard CJ Massinburg, who led the team in scoring at 16.9 points per game but was held to four points on 1-of-7 shooting in the championship game against Toledo. Junior forwards Nick Perkins and Jeremy Harris combined for 26 points against the Rockets, but the undersized duo will be tested early and often by Arizona’s imposing frontline.

ABOUT ARIZONA: In addition to Ayton, the Wildcats' frontcourt includes 7-foot senior Dusan Ristic, who averages 12.1 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting 56.1 percent from the field. Junior guard Allonzo Trier ranks second on the team in scoring at 18.4 points per game and will be looking to get untracked after averaging nine points while shooting 5-of-19 from the field against UCLA and USC in the Pac-12 Tournament. Senior point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright started all 34 games and provides steady leadership for the Wildcats, who averaged 81.1 points per game but struggled defensively at times during the regular season.

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Bulls are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Wildcats are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games.
* Over is 11-4 in Bulls' last 15 non-conference games.
* Under is 8-2 in Wildcats' last 10 overall.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 65 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Arizona, while 59 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.

**Udog** · 03-15-2018, 08:56 AM

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

(13) NC-Greensboro Spartans vs (4) Gonzaga Bulldogs (-12.5, 136)

Game to be played at Taco Bell Arena in Boise, Idaho.

March Madness Betting Breakdown: No. 4 Gonzaga vs. No. 13 UNC Greensboro
The No. 4 Gonzaga Bulldogs take on No. 13 No. 13 UNC Greensboro as 12.5-point favorites in the Round of 64 of the NCAA tournament.

When fourth-seeded Gonzaga faces No. 13 seed UNC Greensboro on Thursday in the first round of the West Region at Boise, Idaho, the Zags might have flashbacks to their former Cinderella days. Gonzaga, making its 20th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, enters as confident favorites against upset-minded UNC Greensboro, which is making its first trip to the Big Dance since 2001.

Five players average double figures in scoring for Gonzaga, which claimed its sixth consecutive West Coast Conference Tournament championship with Tuesday’s 74-54 victory over BYU. The Zags fell in last season’s NCAA championship game and figured to take a step back after losing four of their top five scorers, but coach Mark Few reloaded and saw his team reach the 30-win mark for the fourth time in six seasons. The Zags dominated at the WCC Tournament in Las Vegas with three wins by an average of 20.7 points, with sophomore forward Killian Tillie averaging 24.0 points on a remarkable 77.8 percent shooting to win tournament MVP honors. While the Zags are aiming for another deep run, they’ll need to be careful not to overlook UNC Greensboro, which boasts a veteran backcourt and ranks sixth in the nation in scoring defense at 62.4 points per game.

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

LINE HISTORY: Gonzaga opened as 13-point favorites and that number has been bet down slightly to -12.5. The total hit betting boards at 135.5 and has been bumped up slightly to 136. Check out the complete line history here.

BETTING STATS:

ABOUT UNC GREENSBORO (27-7): The Spartans earned an automatic bid after point guard Demetrius Troy and forward Jordy Kuiper scored 13 points apiece in a 62-47 victory over East Tennessee State in the Southern Conference Tournament championship game. The team’s leading scorers, guard Francis Alonso and forward Marvin Smith, were held to a combined 13 points on 3-for-18 shooting in the title game, but the Spartans’ stingy defense proved to be the difference. James Dickey, a 6-foot-10 sophomore, made the all-tournament team and will be a key factor against Gonzaga’s formidable front line.

ABOUT GONZAGA (30-4): The Zags dominated the All-WCC selections as forwards Johnathan Williams and Rui Hachimura were named to the First Team along with guard Josh Perkins, while freshman guard Zach Norvell Jr. was named Newcomer of the Year. Williams, one of two seniors in the starting lineup, led the team in scoring at 13.5 points per game and had 10 points and 13 rebounds to help the Zags pull away from BYU. “That last 20 minutes was scary, and fun to be part of,” Perkins told reporters. “If we keep doing that, the sky is the limit for this group. I’m feeling really confident going into the NCAA Tournament.”

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Spartans are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games.
* Bulldogs are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 18-8 in Spartans' last 26 non-conference games.
* Over is 7-1 in Bulldogs' last 8 non-conference games.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 74 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Gonzaga, while 63 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.

(12) South Dakota State Jackrabbits vs (5) Ohio St. Buckeyes (-7.5, 147)

Game to be played at Taco Bell Arena in Boise, Idaho.

March Madness Betting Breakdown: No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 12 South Dakota State
The No. 5 Ohio State Buckeyes are 8-point favorites facing No. 12 South Dakota State in the Round of 64 in the NCAA tournament.

Ohio State owns the higher seed and the more recognizable name, but South Dakota State has more recent NCAA Tournament experience on its ledger entering their first-round West Regional matchup Thursday. That’s the challenge awaiting the fifth-seeded Buckeyes as they take on the 12th-seeded Jackrabbits in Boise, Idaho.

A No. 12 seed has beaten a No. 5 seed in nine of the last 10 NCAA Tournaments, and 12s have won 11 of the last 24 such first-round matchups overall. The Buckeyes, who earned an at-large bid out of the Big Ten, are making their 28th Big Dance appearance overall but their first since 2015 under former coach Thad Matta. South Dakota State, meanwhile, captured an automatic NCAA bid by winning the Summit League championship and also finished first in the conference with a 13-1 league record during the regular season. It will be the third straight NCAA Tournament appearance for the Jackrabbits and fifth in the last seven seasons for the program which moved up to the Division I level in 2005.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: Ohio St. opened as 7-5-point favorites and early action on the Buckeyes push the pointspread to -8 before returning to the opening number Wednesday night. The total hit betting boards at 148.5 and was been dropped considerably to 146.5 before rebounding slightly to 147 on Wednesday. Check out the complete line history here.

BETTING STATS:

ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE: The Jackrabbits, guided by second-year coach T.J. Otzelberger, won their 11th straight game with a 97-87 victory over South Dakota in the Summit League championship game, and also notched wins over the Big Ten’s Iowa (80-72) and the SEC’s Ole Miss (99-97) during non-conference play. South Dakota State does boast a national-headline name in 6-9 junior forward Mike Daum who paced the Summit League in scoring (23.8 points per game) and rebounding (10.4) while connecting on a team-most 91 pointers on 216 attempts (42.1 percent). Guards David Jenkins Jr. (16.1 points) and Reed Tellinghuisen (12.1) also average double figures for South Dakota State, which ranks sixth nationally with 84.9 points per game and shoots 40.3 percent as a team from 3-point range (12th nationally).

ABOUT OHIO STATE: The Buckeyes have had a stronger-than-expected season under new coach Chris Holtmann, finishing in a tie for second in the Big Ten at 15-3 before getting upended by Penn State in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament. That 69-68 loss March 2 in New York was the third defeat in five games for Ohio State, which boasts four double-digit scorers, led by 6-7 junior forward Keita Bates-Diop, the Big Ten’s Player of the Year who averages 19.4 points and 8.8 rebounds. Forward Jae’Sean Tate (12.5 points), guard C.J. Jackson (12.2) and freshman forward Kaleb Wesson (10.8) also average double digits for the Buckeyes, who finished fourth in the conference by averaging 75.8 points per outing.

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Jackrabbits are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Buckeyes are 5-21 ATS in their last 26 neutral site games.
* Over is 6-2 in Jackrabbits' last 8 vs. Big Ten.
* Under is 8-1 in Buckeyes' last 9 neutral site games.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 68 percent of bettors taking the underdogs from South Dakota State, while 52 percent of totals wagers are on the Under.

(11) San Diego St. Aztecs vs (6) Houston Cougars (-4, 142.5)

Game to be played at Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas.

March Madness Betting Breakdown: No. 6 Houston vs. No. 11 San Diego State
The No. 6 Houston Cougars are 4-point favorites facing No. 11 San Diego State in the Round of 64 of the NCAA tournament.

Sixth-seeded Houston will have to cool off red-hot San Diego State to win its first NCAA Tournament game in 34 years. The 11th-seeded Aztecs head to Thursday's West Region first-round game in Wichita, Kan., on a nine-game win streak.

San Diego State's streak includes two victories against Mountain West Conference regular-season champ - and NCAA Tournament at-large pick - Nevada and Saturday's 82-75 win against New Mexico in the conference tournament finals. A healthy and full roster has helped the Aztecs - who feature balanced scoring from the starting five and the bench - get hot at the right time. The Cougars are in the Big Dance for the first time since 2010 and haven't won a tournament game since reaching the championship game in 1984. Senior guard Rob Gray leads a high-scoring Houston squad that can also play tough defense, allowing 64.9 points.

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

LINE HISTORY: Houston opened as 4-point favorites for this opening round matchup and as of Wednesday afternoon that pointspread has not moved. The total hit betting boards at 142.5 and has also been steady in early betting.

BETTING STATS:

ABOUT SAN DIEGO STATE: Senior forward Malik Pope - who missed one game after his name was included in a report for possible impermissible benefits but was later cleared by his school - leads the Aztecs with 12.9 points and 6.6 rebounds. Freshmen forwards Jalen McDaniels (10.2 points, 7.5 rebounds) and Matt Mitchell (10.7, 4.0) give the Aztecs additional options in the frontcourt, while senior playmaker Trey Kell - who had a career-high 28 points in Saturday's title game - does a little bit of everything with 10.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.1 steals. Junior guard Devin Watson (12.3 points, 3.8 assists) is the fifth Wolf Pack starter averaging double digits.

ABOUT HOUSTON: Gray leads the Cougars with 18.5 points and 4.5 assists, while senior forward Devin Davis adds 10.8 points and a team-best 6.2 rebounds. Junior Corey Davis Jr. contributes 13.5 points while shooting 44 percent from the 3-point line and sophomore Armoni Brooks - the American Athletic Conference's Sixth Man of the Year - adds 9.8 points and shoots 42.3 percent beyond the arc. The Cougars can get defensive - holding opponents to 39.6 percent shooting, forcing 13.3 turnovers and control the boards - as shown in Sunday's 56-55 loss to Cincinnati in the AAC championship.

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Aztecs are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Cougars are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.
* Over is 6-1 in Aztecs' last 7 neutral site games.
* Over is 4-1 in Cougars' last 5 vs. Mountain West.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 59 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Houston, while 52 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.

(14) Montana Grizzlies vs (3) Michigan Wolverines (-11, 135)

Game to be played at Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas.

March Madness Betting Breakdown: No. 3 Michigan vs. No. 14 Montana
The No. 3 Michigan Wolverines are 11-point chalk versus No. 14 Montana in the Round of 64 of the NCAA tournament.

Third-seeded Michigan looks to continue its winning ways when it faces No. 14 seed Montana in the first round of the West regional on Thursday in Wichita, Kan. The Wolverines have ripped off nine consecutive wins, including four victories in four days in New York City to claim their second Big Ten tournament title in as many years, and hope a 10-day layoff doesn't rob them of their momentum as they strive to advance to the second round of March Madness for the fourth time in their last five appearances.

"We got back to the gym to be competitive and get motivated for a really tough tournament," Michigan forward Moritz Wagner told reporters. "We've been doing a great job and I don't think this team needs a lot of help to be hungry." Michigan is 11-4 in the NCAA Tournament since 2013 and hopes to make another deep run by taming the Grizzlies in the first-ever matchup between the teams. Montana went 16-2 in Big Sky Conference play before winning three straight in the conference tournament, including an 82-65 triumph over Eastern Washington in the final, to punch its Big Dance ticket for the first time since 2013. The Grizzlies have dropped 11 of their last 14 meetings with teams currently in the Big Ten and hope to notch their first win in the tournament since knocking off Nevada 87-79 in 2006.

TV: 9:50 p.m. ET, TBS

LINE HISTORY: Michigan opened as 12-point favorites as as of Wednesday afternoon that number has been bet down to -11. The total hit betting boards at 134.5 and has been bumped up slightly to 135.

BETTING STATS:

ABOUT MONTANA: Michael Oguine was named the Big Sky tournament's Most Outstanding Player after averaging 21 points and five rebounds in wins against North Dakota, Northern Colorado and Eastern Washington. Oguine scored 15 of his team-leading 21 points in the second half while Ahmaad Rorie added 15 points and five assists to help the Grizzlies overcome a 10-point halftime deficit to win the conference tournament title. "We have a senior (Fabijan Krslovic) who has given his all to the program," Rorie told reporters. "We didn't want to play in the NIT as we wanted to get him in the tournament."

ABOUT MICHIGAN: Wagner was named the MVP of the Big Ten tournament after averaging 15.7 points and 6.5 rebounds over four games at Madison Square Garden. Wagner scored 17 points while Muhammad-Ali-Abdur Rahkman, who was also named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team, added 15 points and four assists as the Wolverines knocked off Purdue 75-66 in the title game to avenge two regular-season losses to the Boilermakers. Starting forward Isaiah Livers suffered an ankle sprain early in the first half against the Boilermakers, but practiced during the week and is expected to be available Thursday.

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Grizzlies are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.
* Wolverines are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Over is 4-0 in Grizzlies' last 4 neutral site games.
* Over is 5-0-2 in Wolverines' last 7 overall.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 66 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Michigan, while 55 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.

**Udog** · 03-15-2018, 09:57 AM

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

(16) Radford Highlanders vs (1) Villanova Wildcats (-23.5, 140)

Game to be played at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The No. 1 Villanova Wildcats are 22-point chalk facing No. 16 in the Round of 64 of the NCAA tournament.

Top-seeded Villanova starts the quest for a second NCAA Tournament championship in three years when it when takes on No. 16 seed Radford in the first round of the East Region on Thursday in Pittsburgh. The Wildcats take a five-game winning streak into the Big Dance after outlasting Providence 76-66 in overtime in the Big East title game and set their sights on the Highlanders, who advanced out of the First Four on Tuesday.

“The biggest challenge is always this first game,” Villanova coach Jay Wright told ESPN. “One game at a time.” Wildcats junior guard Jalen Brunson, the Big East Player of the Year, matched his career high with 31 points in the conference title game and leads the nation’s most productive offense that boasts six players averaging in double figures, 87.1 points per contest and 388 made 3-pointers - second-most in the country. Villanova, which is the top seed in the East for the third time in four seasons, will face a Radford team that has won a program record 23 games and lost to Ohio State, Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech earlier in the season. Ed Polite Jr. and Carlik Jones each notched double-doubles as the Highlanders won their first NCAA Tournament game by knocking off LIU Brooklyn 71-61 in Dayton on Tuesday.

TV: 6:50 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: Villanova opened the betting for this matchup as massive 23.5-point favorites and as of Wednesday afternoon that number has yet to move. The total hit betting boards at 141 and has been bet down slightly to 140.

BETTING STATS:

ABOUT RADFORD: Polite, a junior forward, leads the team in scoring (13.5), rebounds (7.9) and steals (1.9) while going over 1,100 points for his career after scoring 13 on Tuesday. Jones, a freshman who drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer in the Big South Tournament final to send the Highlanders to the NCAA Tournament for the third time, averages 11.8 points (13.5 in the last four) and 3.1 assists. Sophomore guard Travis Fields Jr. is averaging 12 points in the last three games (12-for-18 from the field) to push his season mark to 6.3.

ABOUT VILLANOVA: Brunson averages team highs of 19.4 points and 4.7 assists while draining 53.1 percent from the field and fellow junior guard Mikal Bridges (18.0 points, 52.1 from the field) is scoring 23 per game over the last five. Junior guard Phil Booth, who missed seven games with a hand injury earlier this season, is also a major threat but must recover from an 0-for-5 shooting effort in the Big East final. The Wildcats will also need a big tournament from sophomore guard Donte DiVicenzo (13.1 points), but he has scored only 6.3 per game in his last three outings.

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Highlanders are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Wildcats are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 neutral site games.
* Under is 6-1 in Highlanders' last 7 neutral site games.
* Over is 10-2 in Wildcats' last 12 games following a straight up win.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 70 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Villanova, while 66 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.

(14) Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks vs (3) Texas Tech Red Raiders (-11, 137.5)

Game to be played at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

March Madness Betting Breakdown: No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 14 Stephen F. Austin
No. 3 Texas Tech is an 11.5-point favorite facing No. 14 Stephen F. Austin in the Round of 64 of the NCAA tournament.

Texas Tech didn’t win the Big 12 regular-season or tournament title, but it did earn a favorable NCAA Tournament draw. The Red Raiders, third-seeded in the East region, will stay in the Lone Star State to open the Big Dance in Dallas, facing 14th-seeded and in-state foe Stephen F. Austin on Thursday.

Coach Chris Beard’s Red Raiders finished second in the Big 12 behind perennial champion Kansas and beat Texas 73-69 in their Big 12 Tournament opener before falling to third-seeded West Virginia 66-63 in the semifinals. Overall, Texas Tech enters the NCAA Tourney with a 24-9 record – its first 20-win season in 11 years and its most wins since a school-record 30-2 season in 1995-96. It also will be the second NCAA Tournament appearance in the last decade for the Red Raiders and their first since 2016 when coach Tubby Smith’s eighth-seeded squad was upended 71-61 in the first round by ninth-seeded Butler. Stephen F. Austin, located in Nacogdoches, Texas, also has punched its first Big Dance ticket since 2016 and got there by winning the Southland Conference tournament title as a third seed.

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

LINE HISTORY: Texas Tech opened as 11-point favorites for this opening round matchup and that number was not high enough for bettors as steady early action on the Raiders pushed the pointspread up slightly to -11.5. Some buy-back on the underdog brought the number back down to the opener Wednesday evening. The total hit betting boards at 139 and was quickly bet down to 137.5.

BETTING STATS:

ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN: The Lumberjacks enter the NCAA Tournament – their fourth appearance in the last five years – with 10 wins in the their last 11 games, including a 59-55 upset win over top-seeded Southeast Louisiana in the Southland championship game. Forward T.J. Holyfield closed the Southland Tournament with consecutive double-doubles and averages 13.0 points and a team-best 6.4 rebounds per game. Guards Shannon Bogues (15.4 points) and Kevon Harris (14.6) also average double figures with the latter shooting a team-best 43.2 percent from 3-point range, which ranked second in the Southland.

ABOUT TEXAS TECH: The Red Raiders started 14-1 and were 22-4 a little more than a month later when they climbed to No. 6 in the national polls – the high-water mark in program history. But guard Keenan Evans, the team’s leading scorer at 17.5 points, suffered a toe injury in a Feb. 17 loss to Baylor and totaled only 12 points in the school’s final four games in February, including a Feb. 26 contest at West Virginia where he sat out entirely, contributing heavily to Texas Tech’s four-game tailspin entering March. Evans has averaged 20.3 points in the Red Raiders’ three games since and is joined by freshmen guards Jarrett Culver (11.7, team-best 4.8 rebounds) and Zhaire Smith (11.2) in double figures on the season.

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Lumberjacks are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Red Raiders are 0-6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
* Under is 7-1 in Lumberjacks' last 8 neutral site games.
* Over is 5-0 in Red Raiders' last 5 games following a straight up loss.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 54 percent of bettors taking the underdogs from Stephen F. Austin, while 53 percent of totals wagers are on the Under.

(9) Alabama Crimson Tide vs (8) Virginia Tech Hokies (-2, 141.5)

Game to be played at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

March Madness Betting Breakdown: No. 8 Virginia Tech vs. No. 9 Alabama
The No. 8 Virginia Tech Hokies face the No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide as 2-point favorites in the Round of 64 of the NCAA tournament.

A pair of high-scoring teams will do battle in the NCAA Tournament's East Region first round when No. 8 seed Virginia Tech takes on No. 9 Alabama on Thursday in Pittsburgh. The Hokies average 79.7 points and have five double-figure scorers, while the Crimson Tide averages 72.4 with both teams allowing at least 70 points a contest.

Alabama is powered by one of the top freshmen in the country, guard Collin Sexton, who leads the team in scoring (19 points) and assists (3.5) and is able to take games over, as he did with 21 second-half points in a quarterfinal win over Auburn in the SEC tournament. Coach Avery Johnson will need to get more offense from the rest of the lineup as the Hokies will certainly focus on stopping Sexton and forcing other Alabama players to beat them. Guard Justin Robinson paces the high-powered Hokies attack, averaging 13.8 points and 5.6 assists, both team-highs. Four different players -- Robinson, Justin Bibbs, Ahmed Hill and Nickeil Alexander-Walker -- have hit at least 50 3-pointers this season, which will stretch the Alabama defense.

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

LINE HISTORY: Virginia Tech opened as 2-point favorites and as of Tuesday evening that number has yet to move. The total hit betting boards at 142 and has come down slightly to 141.5.

BETTING STATS:

ABOUT ALABAMA: Crimson Tide coach Avery Johnson is confident he'll have forward Donta Hall available for the NCAA Tournament after Hall suffered a concussion in the team's quarterfinal win over Auburn in the SEC tournament Friday. Hall missed the semifinal loss to Kentucky on Saturday, but Johnson says the 6-10 junior is in concussion protocol and he's optimistic he'll have the team's second-leading scorer (10.9 points per game) and top rebounder (6.8) and shot-blocker (2.1) against the Hokies. Freshman Alex Reese started in Hall's place against Kentucky, finishing with five points and four rebounds in 19 minutes in his first-ever collegiate starting assignment.

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH: Coach Buzz Williams is hoping his team got their postseason stinker out of its system at the ACC tournament, when the Hokies led Notre Dame by 21 with just over 15 minutes to play and lost. Virginia Tech likes to dare teams to beat it from the outside because of the small lineup Williams plays, trying to pack the lane and prevent easy drives to the basket, and the Irish were able to take advantage from the perimeter. Williams will certainly be on the lookout for a hot shooting team, whether it be Alabama or any future opponent, and try to extend the defense more, but the Hokies have at least learned that no lead is safe in a one-and-done situation.

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Crimson Tide are 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 non-conference games.
* Hokies are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games.
* Under is 14-6 in Crimson Tide's last 20 overall.
* Under is 9-0 in Hokies' last 9 overall.

CONSENSUS: Covers consensus data is showing 63 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Virginia Tech, while 53 percent of totals wagers are on the Under.

(11) St. Bonaventure Bonnies vs (6) Florida Gators (-5.5, 143)

Game to be played at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

March Madness Betting Breakdown: No. 6 Florida vs. No. 11 St. Bonaventure
No. 6 Florida opened a pick and is now a 5.5-point favorite versus No. 11 St. Bonaventure in the Round of 64 of the NCAA tournament.

Sixth-seeded Florida hopes to find the best version of itself when it begins play in the NCAA Tournament against No. 11 seed St. Bonaventure in the first round of the East Region on Thursday in Dallas. The Gators owns impressive victories over Gonzaga, Cincinnati, Kentucky (two) and Auburn, but dropped five of their last eight games against non-NCAA teams before falling in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals against Arkansas.

“We have competitors, there’s no doubt about that. We see that every day at practice,” Florida senior guard Igor Koulechov told Floridagators.com. “Where we’re lacking sometimes is with our emotion.” As Koulechov said, it’s back to the rollercoaster for the Gators as they try to put strong performances on both sides of the floor together and make a run with a capable group that boasts four players averaging at least 11 points. St. Bonaventure will create quite a challenge after the Bonnies knocked off UCLA 65-58 on Tuesday in the First Four at Dayton, Ohio, for its school-record 26th win and first NCAA Tournament victory since 1970. St. Bonaventure advanced without big nights from its leading scorers - senior guards Jaylen Adams (19.4) and Matt Mobley (18.4), who finished with 22 points combined against the Bruins.

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

LINE HISTORY: Florida opened as 5.5-point favorites and as of Wednesday morning that pointspread has yet to move. The total hit betting boards at 143 and has also been steady.

BETTING STATS:

ABOUT ST. BONAVENTURE: Mobley recorded 14 points Tuesday, but was 2-for-7 from 3-point range and 4-for-12 overall, while Adams missed 14 of his 16 field goals attempts and all five of his tries from behind the arc. Courtney Stockard (13.3 points) stepped up by scoring 26 and is averaging 23.8 over the last five contests, but the 6-5 junior lauded the team’s defense Tuesday. “We played the same defense all year,” Stockard told reporters. “UCLA is a good offensive team, high-scoring team. But. … we did a good job taking away their knowns, making them take contested shots.”

ABOUT FLORIDA: The Gators got hammered on the boards against Arkansas 43-28 and shot 41.7 percent from the field after winning the final three regular-season games in impressive fashion. Junior guard Jalen Hudson (15.3 points) scored 22.7 per game during those wins, but went 2-for-9 from the field against Arkansas while Koulechov (13.6 points) missed nine of 11 shots from the floor against the Razorbacks. Junior guard KeVaughn Allen (11.3) is averaging 14.8 points over the last four contests and experienced senior point guard Chris Chiozza (11.2 points, team-high 6.1 assists) runs the show.

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Bonnies are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 non-conference games.
* Gators are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 Thursday games.
* Under is 6-1 in Bonnies' last 7 non-conference games.
* Under is 14-3 in Gators' last 17 games following a straight up loss.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 63 percent of bettors taking the favorites from St. Bonaventure, while 58 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.

**Udog** · 03-15-2018, 10:16 AM

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

(10) Oklahoma Sooners vs (7) Rhode Island Rams (-2, 158)

Game to be played at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

March Madness Betting Breakdown: No. 7 Rhode Island vs. No. 10 Oklahoma
No. 7 Rhode Island is a 2-point favorite versus No. 10 Oklahoma in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.

In what may go down as one of the more controversial selections of the NCAA Tournament, Oklahoma not only made it but garnered a No. 10 seed and will meet No. 7 Rhode Island on Thursday in the Midwest Region in Pittsburgh. The Sooners went 6-12 down the stretch and were bounced from the Big 12 Tournament in the first round but will still get to face the Rams, who are the Atlantic 10 regular-season champions.

The fact that they play in a major conference that sent seven teams to the tournament and have Freshman of the Year candidate Trae Young certainly helped the Sooners, who were the only team in the field, including First Four teams, to make it with fewer than 19 victories. Young led the nation in scoring (27.4 points per game) and assists (8.8) while grabbing 3.9 rebounds for coach Lon Kruger. The 6-2 guard helped his team to a 12-1 start, including three wins over ranked teams, but things started to go south in mid-January. The Rams, who were unable to capture a second straight Atlantic 10 Tournament title, got a tough draw, including a possible second-round game with No. 2 seed Duke, for a team that won 25 games, including its first 13 in the Atlantic 10.

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

LINE HISTORY: Rhode Island opened as 1-point favorites and that number has been bet up slightly to -2. The total hit betting boards at 160.5 and has been bet down to 158.

BETTING STATS:

ABOUT OKLAHOMA: Everyone knows what Young can do, but it's the rest of the team that will decide if the Sooners can advance out of the first round after missing the tournament last season. Junior guard Christian James had been solid with seven straight games in double figures before going scoreless in the Sooner's 71-60 loss to Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Tournament. Freshman forward Brady Manek is the only other player averaging in double figures for Kruger, but has only scored more than nine points once in the past seven games.

ABOUT RHODE ISLAND: Redshirt senior E.C. Matthews recorded 20 points and eight rebounds, but the Rams lost their second low-scoring game to Davidson in the last two weeks in the Atlantic 10 final. Dan Hurley's team is well-rounded with a top scorer in Jared Terrell, a defensive specialist in Stanford Robinson and a solid point guard and leader in Jeff Dowtin. Andre Berry, Cyril Langevine and Jarvis Garrett also see considerable playing time for the Rams, who are in the tournament in back-to-back seasons for the first time since going to three straight from 1997-1999.

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Sooners are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games overall.
* Rams are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Over is 9-2 in Sooners' last 11 non-conference games.
* Under is 5-1 in Rams' last 6 overall.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 58 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Rhode Island, while 54 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.

(16) Pennsylvania Quakers vs (1) Kansas Jayhawks (-13.5, 146)

Game to be played at Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas.

The No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks are 14-point favorites versu No. 16 Penn in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.

Pennsylvania's reward for winning the Ivy League is a No. 16 seed and a date in the NCAA Tournament with top-seeded Kansas in Wichita, Kan., on Thursday. The Jayhawks earned the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region by winning their 11th Big 12 tournament, which came a week after they sewed up at least a share of their 14th consecutive Big 12 regular-season crown.

Kansas was throwing up some inconsistent performances before going into the Big 12 championship game and knocking off West Virginia 81-70. "I think it should give us confidence moving forward," Jayhawks coach Bill Self told reporters after the win. "The best thing that can happen for our team right now is to get some rest, but to try to somewhat bottle the energy and how well we played together today." Kansas earned a No. 1 seed for the third straight season and the eighth time in the last 12 NCAA Tournaments while making its 29th consecutive Tournament appearance. The Quakers are not quite as storied a program when it comes to March Madness and are returning for the first time since 2007 after knocking off Harvard 68-65 in the Ivy League title game Sunday.

TV: 1:50 p.m. ET, TBS

LINE HISTORY: No. 1 seed Kansas opened as 15-point favorites and that number appears to be too high for early bettors as books were forced to drop the number down to -13.5. The total hit betting boards at 147.5 and has been dropped to 146.

BETTING STATS:

ABOUT PENNSYLVANIA: The Quakers are bidding to become the first No. 16 seed to knock off a No. 1 in the NCAA Tournament and were surprised to get this far. "Honestly, I didn't even dream about this, I didn't think we could do it," Pennsylvania coach Steve Donahue told reporters after the win in the Ivy League title game. "I drove home last night saying, 'I gotta get that out of my head, I gotta show some confidence. I didn't think it was possible for us to get to the NCAA Tournament until that horn went off. In a building I grew up in, and watching the kids storm the floor for our guys, it's magic." The Quakers have four scorers averaging double figures, led by sophomore guard Ryan Betley (14.4 points).

ABOUT KANSAS: The Jayhawks are led by Big 12 Player of the Year Devonte' Graham but have five players averaging at least 12 points, and watched sophomore guard Malik Newman step up in the Big 12 tournament while averaging 24 points and winning Most Outstanding Player honors. "He has had a great attitude," Self told reporters of Newman. "He works hard. He's really starting to understand exactly how he needs to play in order for him to have total confidence and freedom, and I think he's buying into that better than he has all year long." Graham handed out 13 assists in the Big 12 title game and is averaging 9.8 over the last five contests.

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Quakers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 NCAA Tournament games.
* Jayhawks are 7-0-1 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Over is 6-0 in Quakers' last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Under is 5-0 in Jayhawks' last 5 vs. Ivy League.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 65 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Kansas, while 63 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.

(15) Iona Gaels vs (2) Duke Blue Devils (-20.5, 157)

Game to be played at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

March Madness Betting Breakdown: No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Iona
The No. 2 Duke Blue Devils are 19.5-point favorites facing No. 15 Iona in the Round of 64 of the NCAA tournament.

With one of the most talented freshman classes in recent NCAA history, Duke earned a No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Devils take aim at another deep run through the bracket beginning with Thursday's date with 15th-seeded Iona in Pittsburgh.

This is the 23rd straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament for Duke, which finished second in the ACC during the regular season and then fell to rival North Carolina in the semifinals of the league tournament. Marvin Bagley Jr. (21.1 points, 11.5 rebounds per game) and Wendell Carter Jr. (13.8, 9.3) highlight the Blue Devils' young front line, while Gary Trent Jr. (14.3 points, 85 3-pointers) is their top freshman on the perimeter. Grayson Allen (15.7 points) helped Duke secure a national championship as a freshman and is back for a final go-round in hopes of bookending his career with NCAA Tournament titles. The first team in his path is a Gaels squad that won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference as the No. 4 seed in the league tournament.

TV: 2:45 p.m., ET, CBS

LINE HISTORY: Duke opened as massive 19.5-point favorites and as of Wednesday afternoon that number has been bet up even further to -20.5. The total hit betting boards at 156.5 and has been bumped up slightly to 157.

BETTING STATS:

ABOUT IONA: The Gaels average nearly 80 points per game and were led in the MAAC championship game by a pair of transfers, Roland Griffin and Zach Lewis. Griffin, who averages 10.9 points, exploded for 29 in the title game, while Lewis had 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals. Five Iona players average at least 10 points per game, led by Rickey McGill (13.5), who made only 5-of-22 shots during the league tournament, although he had a career-high 40 points in the regular-season finale.

ABOUT DUKE: The Blue Devils will continue to feed the 6-11 Bagley, who has three straight double-doubles and is averaging 24.3 points and 15 rebounds over that stretch. Trent led the team with 20 points in the loss to North Carolina, while Carter pitched in 14 points and nine boards in a game where only four players scored for Duke, as Bagley added 19 and Allen 16. First-year point guard Trevon Duval was 0-of-6 from the field versus the Tar Heels and has not scored more than seven points in any of his last six games.

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Gaels are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 NCAA Tournament games.
* Blue Devils are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. Metro Atlantic Athletic.
* Over is 10-3-1 in Gaels' last 14 overall.
* Over is 11-1 in Blue Devils' last 12 non-conference games.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 58 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Duke, while 67 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.

(9) NC State Wolfpack vs (8) Seton Hall Pirates (-2.5, 157.5)

Game to be played at Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas.

March Madness Betting Breakdown: No. 8 Seton Hall vs. No. 9 North Carolina State
No. 8 Seton Hall is a 2.5-point favorite versus No. 9 NC State in the Round of 64 of the NCAA tournament.

Ninth-seeded North Carolina State takes on eighth-seeded Seton Hall in the first-round of the Midwest Region from Wichita, Kan., on Thursday. The Wolfpack and Pirates had successful regular seasons but both are coming off early losses in their conference tournaments, with N.C. State losing to Boston College 91-87 in its first ACC tournament game and Seton Hall being upset by Butler 75-74 in its opening match at the Big East Conference tournament.

N.C. State scored 56 second-half points as it erased a 14-point halftime deficit but BC's Jerome Robinson broke a tie with 17 seconds remaining and then forced a turnover on an inbounds play to give the Eagles the upset win. "Every time we made a basket, they would come down and make a basket," N.C. State coach Kevin Keatts told reporters after the game after he watched his team tie the contest five times late in the second half but saw its only lead on the game's opening basket. Seton Hall's loss in the Big East quarterfinal was a heartbreaker as Khadeen Carrington converted a three-point play with 11 seconds to play, giving the Pirates a one-point lead, but Butler's Tyler Wideman scored on a putback with 4 seconds remaining to give the Bulldogs the win. "It's a tough loss," Carrington told reporters after the game. "You never want to lose, but I feel like everyone put it out on the floor, but we knew it was going to be a tough battle when we came in, so it was a tough Big East game."

TV: 4:30 p.m. ET, TBS

LINE HISTORY: Seton Hall opened as 2.5-point favorites and as of Wednesday afternoon that number has yet to move. The total hit betting boards at 157 and has been bumped up slightly to 157.5. Check out the complete line history here.

BETTING STATS:

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA STATE: Senior guard Allerik Freeman, the team's leading scorer at 15.4 points per game, had a team-high 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting -- including 5-of-7 from behind the arc -- against the Eagles while All-ACC third-team center Omer Yurtseven added 20 points and nine rebounds. Markell Johnson, the ACC assists leader with 7.4 per game, had 10 points and six helpers, but also committed a crucial mistake when he asked for a timeout with 7.3 seconds left even though the Wolfpack didn't have any, resulting in a technical foul and two made free throws for BC. "I knew in my head we didn't have any," Johnson told reporters after the loss. "I was so caught up in the game."

ABOUT SETON HALL: The Pirates are a veteran team that features four senior starters, including Carrington and leading scorer Desi Rodriguez who averages 17.8 points and 4.9 rebounds. And then there's senior center Angel Delgado, the Big East's all-time leader in rebounds and just the second player in history to lead the Big East in rebounding in three different seasons. But don't sleep on sophomore guard Myles Powell who was named the Big East Most Improved Player after averaging 15.4 points per game -- second-most on the team -- and is shot 38.5 percent from behind the 3-point arc this season.

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Wolfpack are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.
* Pirates are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Under is 10-4 in Wolfpack's last 14 NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 6-1-1 in Pirates last 8 NCAA Tournament games.

CONSENSUS: Consensus data is showing 55 percent of bettors taking the favorites from Seton Hall, while 52 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.

**Udog** · 03-15-2018, 10:21 AM

These First Round tourney totals have had sharps salivating
Patrick Everson

Plenty of teams are drawing plenty of action on the NCAA Tournament’s 16-game dockets for Thursday and Friday. But there are certainly opportunities to be had on totals, as well. Patrick Everson checks in on a few games seeing such action, with insights from Matthew Holt, CEO of CG Analytics; Jeff Stoneback, director of trading for MGM Resorts sportsbooks; and Nick Bogdanovich, director of trading for William Hill US.

No. 14 Wright State Raiders vs. No. 3 Tennessee Volunteers – Open: 132; Move: 131

Wright State rolled to the Horizon League title to nab an automatic NCAA berth. The Raiders (25-9 SU, 18-13-1 ATS) dropped Cleveland State 74-57 as a 9.5-point favorite in the March 6 final. While that game cleared the total of 126.5, it’s worth noting that the Under is 20-12 for Wright State this season.

Tennessee is one of the more surprising teams of the year, rising up among the best in a very competitive Southeastern Conference. The Volunteers (25-8 SU, 18-13 ATS) lost in the SEC title game to Kentucky, 77-72 as a 2-point favorite. That Over hit in that game and in Tennessee’s semifinal win over Arkansas, ending a five-game run of Unders, and for the season, the Under is 18-13 for the Vols.

“We’re seeing Under action on Tennessee vs Wright State,” Holt said of activity at CG books, including at The Cosmopolitan and Venetian on the Vegas Strip. “The market is 132 or at least 131.5, and we are at 131 due to large sharp action on Under.”

The Raiders-Vols contest is among the earliest tipoffs Thursday, at 12:40 p.m. ET.

No. 13 North Carolina-Greensboro vs. No. 4 Gonzaga Bulldogs – Open: 136; Move: 135

Gonzaga rolled through the West Coast Conference Tournament here in Vegas. The Bulldogs (30-4 SU, 14-16-1 ATS) dropped Brigham Young 74-54 laying 9 points in the March 6 final, with the 128 points falling well short of the 141.5 total. However, the Zags are basically 50/50 on the Over/Under this year, at 15-16.

UNC-Greensboro won the Southern Conference automatic bid with a run in which all three of its SoCon Tournament games went Under. In the March 5 final, the Spartans rolled over East Tennessee State 62-47 as a 2-point underdog, going way Under despite a low 125.5-point total. For the season, the Under is 16-11 for UNC-Greensboro.

“Sharp action on UNC-Greensboro vs. Gonzaga Under, which is not a surprise, as both teams are so good defensively,” Holt said of this 1:30 p.m. ET tip Thursday.

Virginia, Cincinnati, and Arizona top the odds board in the NCAA tournament South Regional
The South Regional has some basketball heavyweights atop the odds board in Las Vegas, but it could be No.1 seed Virginia that has the toughest time cashing in for bettors. We're inside the Wynn Las Vegas talking March Madness odds and action with Johnny Avello, executive director of race and sports.

No. 16 Pennsylvania Quakers vs. No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks – Open: 147.5; Move: 146.5

Kansas claimed the Big 12’s regular-season and tournament titles, finishing with an 81-70 victory over West Virginia as a 1.5-point underdog in Saturday’s conference final. Penn (24-8 SU, 13-14 ATS) won the Ivy League Tournament by edging Harvard 68-65 as a 2.5-point fave in Sunday’s final.

The Jayhawks (27-7 SU, 18-14-1 ATS) are split on the Over/Under this year, at 16-16, though the Over is 5-1-1 in their last seven. The Over is 4-1 in the Quakers’ last five outings and 17-10 on the year.

However, Stoneback said sharp action on the Under for this 2 p.m. ET start took the total down a point at MGM books, including his home base at The Mirage on the Vegas Strip.

No. 10 Butler Bulldogs vs. No. 7 Arkansas Razorbacks – Open: 153; Move: 152.5; Move: 151.5

Butler reached the Big East Tournament semifinals, then got blown out by Villanova 87-68 catching 8 points on Friday. The Bulldogs (20-13 SU, 15-17 ATS) tend to play more to the Over this season, with a 19-13 mark (59.4 percent).

Arkansas (23-11, 17-16-1 ATS) made it to the SEC semifinals before getting run by Tennessee 84-66 as a 3-point pup. The Over is 6-2 in the Razorbacks’ last eight games, but early activity on this one is heading the other way.

“Someone liked the Under. That’s the biggest move of them all,” Bogdanovich said of activity that led to a 1.5-point dip on the total at William Hill. “I’d imagine that’s sharp play. It looks like the total moved basically everywhere.”

Indeed, Holt said CG books also had a 1.5-point move, from 152.5 to 151, and MGM books went from 152.5 to 151.5 for this 3:10 p.m. ET Friday start.

“That’s all sharp money right there,” Stoneback said. “The sharps usually come in on the Under, and the public likes to come in and bet the Over.”

No. 10 Texas Longhorns vs. No. 7 Nevada Wolf Pack – Open: 144; Move: None

Texas squeaked into the NCAA Tournament, likely bolstered by a home overtime win against West Virginia in the regular-season finale. The Longhorns (19-14 SU, 15-14 ATS) got to the second round of the Big 12 Tourney, losing to Texas Tech 73-69 as a 6.5-point ‘dog.

Nevada (27-7 SU, 16-14-3 ATS) was the top seed in the Mountain West Tournament, but got blown out by San Diego State in the semis, 90-73 as a 2-point chalk.

The Longhorns and Wolf Pack are in the middle on Over/Under this season, at 14-14 and 17-15 respectively. CG books have seen an early lean from bettors, but not enough to move the total for this 4:30 p.m. ET Friday matchup.

“Sharp action on Texas-Nevada Under,” Holt said. “Nevada has not been as efficient offensively since point guard Lindsey Drew (torn Achilles) went down for the season, and Texas is not a great offensive team.”

**Udog** · 03-15-2018, 10:24 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Thursday, March 15

Radford @ Villanova

Game 719-720
March 15, 2018 @ 6:50 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Radford
52.338
Villanova
77.867
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Villanova
by 25 1/2
147
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Villanova
by 23
140 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Villanova
(-23); Over

Alabama @ Virginia Tech

Game 721-722
March 15, 2018 @ 9:20 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Alabama
65.019
Virginia Tech
69.562
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Virginia Tech
by 4 1/2
147
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Virginia Tech
by 1 1/2
141 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Virginia Tech
(-1 1/2); Over

Oklahoma @ Rhode Island

Game 723-724
March 15, 2018 @ 12:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oklahoma
63.418
Rhode Island
62.529
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oklahoma
by 1
154
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Rhode Island
by 2
161
Dunkel Pick:
Oklahoma
(+2); Under

Iona @ Duke

Game 725-726
March 15, 2018 @ 2:45 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Iona
57.819
Duke
75.439
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Duke
by 17 1/2
152
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Duke
by 21
156 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Iona
(+21); Under

Pennsylvania @ Kansas

Game 727-728
March 15, 2018 @ 2:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Pennsylvania
60.418
Kansas
70.895
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Kansas
by 10 1/2
152
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kansas
by 16
147
Dunkel Pick:
Pennsylvania
(+16); Over

NC State @ Seton Hall

Game 729-730
March 15, 2018 @ 4:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NC State
68.563
Seton Hall
67.449
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NC State
by 1
162
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Seton Hall
by 2 1/2
157
Dunkel Pick:
NC State
(+2 1/2); Over

San Diego St @ Houston

Game 731-732
March 15, 2018 @ 7:20 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Diego St
67.117
Houston
73.675
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 6 1/2
138
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 3 1/2
144
Dunkel Pick:
Houston
(-3 1/2); Under

Montana @ Michigan

Game 733-734
March 15, 2018 @ 9:50 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Montana
61.394
Michigan
74.512
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Michigan
by 13
128
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Michigan
by 11
135
Dunkel Pick:
Michigan
(-11); Under

Loyola-Chicago @ Miami-FL

Game 735-736
March 15, 2018 @ 3:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Loyola-Chicago
64.578
Miami-FL
68.552
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami-FL
by 4
128
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Miami-FL
by 1 1/2
135
Dunkel Pick:
Miami-FL
(-1 1/2); Under

Wright State @ Tennessee

Game 737-738
March 15, 2018 @ 12:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Wright State
57.717
Tennessee
72.808
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Tennessee
by 15
127
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tennessee
by 12 1/2
132 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Tennessee
(-12 1/2); Under

St Bonaventure @ Florida

Game 739-740
March 15, 2018 @ 9:55 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St Bonaventure
65.409
Florida
68.583
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Florida
by 3
148
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Florida
by 5 1/2
143
Dunkel Pick:
St Bonaventure
(+5 1/2); Over

Stephen F Austin @ Texas Tech

Game 741-742
March 15, 2018 @ 7:25 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Stephen F Austin
59.548
Texas Tech
68.421
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Texas Tech
by 9
146
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Texas Tech
by 12
138 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Stephen F Austin
(+12); Over

Davidson @ Kentucky

Game 743-744
March 15, 2018 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Davidson
65.534
Kentucky
73.609
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Kentucky
by 8
149
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kentucky
by 5 1/2
143
Dunkel Pick:
Kentucky
(-5 1/2); Over

Buffalo @ Arizona

Game 745-746
March 15, 2018 @ 9:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Buffalo
61.409
Arizona
72.528
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arizona
by 11
163
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Arizona
by 9
157 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Arizona
(-9); Over

South Dakota St @ Ohio State

Game 747-748
March 15, 2018 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
South Dakota St
62.785
Ohio State
68.563
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Ohio State
by 6
142
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Ohio State
by 8 1/2
149 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
South Dakota St
(+8 1/2); Under

NC-Greensboro @ Gonzaga

Game 749-750
March 15, 2018 @ 1:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NC-Greensboro
60.375
Gonzaga
69.784
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Gonzaga
by 9 1/2
130
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Gonzaga
by 12 1/2
136 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
NC-Greensboro
(+12 1/2); Under

LA-Monroe @ Austin Peay

Game 755-756
March 15, 2018 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA-Monroe
52.019
Austin Peay
51.127
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA-Monroe
by 1
138
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Austin Peay
by 3 1/2
144 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
LA-Monroe
(+3 1/2); Under

**Udog** · 03-15-2018, 10:25 AM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Thursday, March 15

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

RADFORD (23 - 12) vs. VILLANOVA (30 - 4) - 3/15/2018, 6:50 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VILLANOVA is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) in all games this season.
VILLANOVA is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) in all lined games this season.
VILLANOVA is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) as a favorite this season.
VILLANOVA is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) in non-conference games this season.
VILLANOVA is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

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

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

ALABAMA (19 - 15) vs. VIRGINIA TECH (21 - 11) - 3/15/2018, 9:20 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VIRGINIA TECH is 34-23 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA TECH is 34-23 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA TECH is 37-21 ATS (+13.9 Units) after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
VIRGINIA TECH is 46-30 ATS (+13.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
VIRGINIA TECH is 33-17 ATS (+14.3 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.

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

OKLAHOMA (18 - 13) vs. RHODE ISLAND (25 - 7) - 3/15/2018, 12:15 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA is 10-20 ATS (-12.0 Units) in all games this season.
OKLAHOMA is 10-20 ATS (-12.0 Units) in all lined games this season.
OKLAHOMA is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) when the total is 150 to 159.5 this season.
OKLAHOMA is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) after a conference game this season.
OKLAHOMA is 30-48 ATS (-22.8 Units) in road games off a loss against a conference rival since 1997.
OKLAHOMA is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
OKLAHOMA is 2-13 ATS (-12.3 Units) 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.

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

IONA (20 - 13) vs. DUKE (26 - 7) - 3/15/2018, 2:45 PM
Top Trends for this game.
IONA is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
DUKE is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all games this season.
DUKE is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
DUKE is 19-10 ATS (+8.0 Units) as a favorite this season.
DUKE is 13-6 ATS (+6.4 Units) after a conference game this season.

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

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

PENNSYLVANIA (24 - 8) vs. KANSAS (27 - 7) - 3/15/2018, 2:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS is 27-14 ATS (+11.6 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS is 24-10 ATS (+13.0 Units) in road games after scoring 80 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in all tournament games over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS is 34-20 ATS (+12.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

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

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

NC STATE (21 - 11) vs. SETON HALL (21 - 11) - 3/15/2018, 4:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NC STATE is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
SETON HALL is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) when playing with 5 or 6 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
NC STATE is 53-34 ATS (+15.6 Units) in road games in March games since 1997.
NC STATE is 63-40 ATS (+19.0 Units) in all tournament games since 1997.

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

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

SAN DIEGO ST (22 - 10) vs. HOUSTON (26 - 7) - 3/15/2018, 7:20 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO ST is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) in all games this season.
SAN DIEGO ST is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) in all lined games this season.
SAN DIEGO ST is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) after a conference game this season.
SAN DIEGO ST is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) off a win against a conference rival this season.
SAN DIEGO ST is 14-7 ATS (+6.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

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

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

MONTANA (26 - 7) vs. MICHIGAN (28 - 7) - 3/15/2018, 9:50 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MICHIGAN is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) in all games this season.
MICHIGAN is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) in all lined games this season.
MICHIGAN is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in all neutral court games over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 14-7 ATS (+6.3 Units) after a conference game this season.
MICHIGAN is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) when playing on a neutral court over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in all tournament games over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
MICHIGAN is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 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.

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

LOYOLA-IL (28 - 5) vs. MIAMI (22 - 9) - 3/15/2018, 3:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 144-111 ATS (+21.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
LOYOLA-IL is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) in all games this season.
LOYOLA-IL is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) in all lined games this season.
LOYOLA-IL is 14-7 ATS (+6.3 Units) after a conference game this season.
LOYOLA-IL is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) off a win against a conference rival this season.
LOYOLA-IL is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LOYOLA-IL is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
MIAMI is 21-35 ATS (-17.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 21-35 ATS (-17.5 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 11-26 ATS (-17.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) after a conference game this season.

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

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

WRIGHT ST (25 - 9) vs. TENNESSEE (25 - 8) - 3/15/2018, 12:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TENNESSEE is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
WRIGHT ST is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) in road games after a conference game this season.

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

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

ST BONAVENTURE (26 - 7) vs. FLORIDA (20 - 12) - 3/15/2018, 9:55 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ST BONAVENTURE is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 132-99 ATS (+23.1 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
FLORIDA is 77-50 ATS (+22.0 Units) in all tournament games since 1997.

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

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

SF AUSTIN ST (28 - 6) vs. TEXAS TECH (24 - 9) - 3/15/2018, 7:25 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS TECH is 29-48 ATS (-23.8 Units) in all neutral court games since 1997.
TEXAS TECH is 1-11 ATS (-11.1 Units) in a neutral court game where the total is 135 to 139.5 since 1997.
TEXAS TECH is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) in road games in March games over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS TECH is 82-120 ATS (-50.0 Units) in road games after a conference game since 1997.
TEXAS TECH is 29-48 ATS (-23.8 Units) when playing on a neutral court since 1997.
TEXAS TECH is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) off a loss against a conference rival this season.
TEXAS TECH is 107-139 ATS (-45.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.

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

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

DAVIDSON (21 - 11) vs. KENTUCKY (24 - 10) - 3/15/2018, 7:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
KENTUCKY is 89-60 ATS (+23.0 Units) in March games since 1997.
DAVIDSON is 19-11 ATS (+6.9 Units) in all games this season.
DAVIDSON is 19-11 ATS (+6.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
DAVIDSON is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.
DAVIDSON is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) after a conference game this season.
DAVIDSON is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) off a win against a conference rival this season.
DAVIDSON is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
DAVIDSON is 159-123 ATS (+23.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
DAVIDSON is 100-60 ATS (+34.0 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.

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

BUFFALO (26 - 8) vs. ARIZONA (27 - 7) - 3/15/2018, 9:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in road games in March games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) in road games after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in road games off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
BUFFALO is 12-2 ATS (+9.8 Units) in all neutral court games over the last 3 seasons.
BUFFALO is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.
BUFFALO is 36-22 ATS (+11.8 Units) after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
BUFFALO is 12-2 ATS (+9.8 Units) when playing on a neutral court over the last 3 seasons.
BUFFALO is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all tournament games over the last 3 seasons.
BUFFALO is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
BUFFALO is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
BUFFALO is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game this season.
ARIZONA is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

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

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

S DAKOTA ST (28 - 6) vs. OHIO ST (24 - 8) - 3/15/2018, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
S DAKOTA ST is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all games this season.
S DAKOTA ST is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all lined games this season.
S DAKOTA ST is 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
S DAKOTA ST is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) off a win against a conference rival this season.
S DAKOTA ST is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) after scoring 80 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

UNC-GREENSBORO (27 - 7) vs. GONZAGA (30 - 4) - 3/15/2018, 1:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GONZAGA is 36-25 ATS (+8.5 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
UNC-GREENSBORO is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in all games this season.
UNC-GREENSBORO is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in all lined games this season.
UNC-GREENSBORO is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in non-conference games this season.
UNC-GREENSBORO is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

LA-MONROE (16 - 15) at AUSTIN PEAY (18 - 14) - 3/15/2018, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA-MONROE is 47-69 ATS (-28.9 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.

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

**Udog** · 03-15-2018, 10:27 AM

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, March 15

Day Games
Oklahoma is 4-11 in its last 15 games after starting season 14-2; they haven’t played since Wednesday. Sooners are #303 experience team with no senior starters. In their last three games, Oklahoma is 22-82 (26.8%) behind the arc. Rhode Island split its last eight games; they lost A-14 final on Sunday. Rams start four seniors; they’re 4-6 vs top 100 teams. URI forces turnovers 22.8% of time (#5). Over last five years, favorites are 12-8 vs spread in #7-10 seed 1st round games. Over last three years, Big X teams are 12-2 SU vs A-14 teams, 9-4 vs spread.

Tennessee is in NCAAs for 1st time since 2014; Barnes is in for 14th time in last 17 years, but first time since ’15- he is 9-4 in his last 13 1st-round games. Vols played SEC title game Sunday, now has early tip time on Thursday; pretty quick turnaround. Tennessee is 8-0 vs teams ranked outside top 100, with six wins by 10+. Wright State coach Nagy was 1-2 vs spread in 1st-round when he was at South Dakota St. Raiders finished 2nd in Horizon; their last game was March 6. Horizon League reps are 2-4 vs spread in 1st-round games the last six years.

Gonzaga will have big crowd support in this game in Boise; Zags won their last nine 1st-round games (5-4 vs spread). Gonzaga is #239 experience team that won its last 14 games; they lost national title game 71-65 LY, re-tooled, are 30-4 this year- they’re 8-4 vs top 100 teams, but aren’t great defending arc (#210 in 3-pt %age). NC-Greensboro lost by 12 to Virginia, by 6 to Wake Forest in its high-profile games; they get 40% of their points from arc (35.5% on 3’s). SoCon teams lost last nine 1st-round games, going 1-3 vs spread last four years.

Ivy League teams covered seven of last eight 1st-round games, going 3-2 SU in last five, with all five decided by 6 or fewer points, but this is first time since ’89 that Ivy League rep is a 16-seed. Penn lost 90-62 to Villanova, 60-51 to Temple in its top 100 games this year; Quakers are #135 experience team. Kansas is 3-5-1 vs spread in last one 1st-round games; Jayhawks are 7-0 vs teams ranked outside top 100, with five wins by 30+ points. Kansas makes 40.3% on arc; they won eight of last nine games. Penn opponents shot only 29.6% on arc this season.

Duke is 2-4 vs spread in its last six first round games; they’re 8-0 vs teams ranked lower than #100, with seven wins by 17+ points. Blue Devils are 2nd-least experienced team in country but they do have senior G in Allen. Iona is #26 experience team that is in NCAAs for third year in row- they lost 1st round games 93-77 (Oregon), 94-81 (Iowa St) last two years. Gaels finished 4th in MAAC this year; they lost 71-62 to Syracuse of ACC. Iona shoots 38.8% on arc. Over last six years, #2 seeds are 12-11-1 against the spread in 1st round games.

Last six years, ACC teams are 13-25 vs spread in 1st-round games. Loyola is in NCAAs for first time since 1985; Ramblers won at Florida- they lost 87-53 in Boise, 73-56 in Milwaukee in non-MVC games (9-2). MVC teams won last eight 1st-round games; 6 of 8 wins were Wichita/Creighton, who have moved on. Miami won five of last six 1st-round games; they’re experience team #307, starting two frosh and a soph. Miami is 11-1 outside ACC (#283 NC sked), losing to New Mexico St in Diamond Head. Last 4 years, dogs are 9-7 vs spread in #6-11 seed games.

South Dakota State is in NCAA’s for 5th time in seven years, going 2-2 vs spread in previous four 1st-round games. Jackrabbits are #49 experience team that turns ball over least of any team in country (13.8%)- they beat Big 14’s Iowa 80-72 in November. Ohio State is 24-8 but lost three of last five games; Holtmann won/covered his three 1st-round tourney games while at Butler. Buckeyes are 9-4 outside Big 14, with all four losses to top 30 teams. Summit teams are 1-14 SU in this round, 5-4 vs spread the last nine years, covering only two times they were a #12-seed.

Seton Hall is #55 experience team that lost six of last 10 games; three of their last four games were decided either by 1 point or in OT. Pirates are 10-2 outside ACC, losing to Louisville of ACC by a hoop. NC State is 5-4 in its last nine games; they start frosh/soph guards- they’re #179 experience team. State is in NCAAs for first time since ’15; Keatts is in for 3rd year in row, losing but covering his 1st-round game last two years for UNCW. Last three years, Big East teams are 17-12 SU vs ACC teams. Last five years, favorites are 11-8 vs spread in #8-9 seed games.

Night Games
Last nine years, 16-seeds who won their play-in game are 7-11 vs spread in their next game, vs a #1-seed. Radford played only two guys more than 26:00 Tuesday, in their 8th straight win; Highlanders are 0-4 vs top 100 games, losing by 10-12-27-15 points. Villanova won its last five games; they’re 13-0 outside the Big East, Radford plays slow (#346 pace); they finished T2 in Big South; Wildcats are 11-0 vs teams outside top 100; three of their last six games went to OT. Last three years, #1-seeds are 7-5 against the spread in first round games.

Kentucky is least experienced team in country, starting four freshman, one soph; Wildcats won seven of last eight games- they’re 10-2 outside the SEC (NC sked #43), 7-9 vs top 50 teams, 4-7 vs spread in its last 11 first round games. Davidson won 8 of its last 9 games; they’re 5-6 outside A-14, 2-4 vs top 50 teams. Wildcats shoot 39.1% on arc, have #11 eFG% in country. Last three years, A-14 teams are 10-7–1 vs spread when getting points from an SEC squad. Last five years, A-14 teams are 7-5 vs spread when getting points in this round.

Houston is in NCAAs for first time since ’10; Cougars won 10 of last 12 games- they’re #48 experience team that is 10-2 outside AAC (#250 NC sked), 10-4 vs top 100 teams- they’ve got #9 eFG% defense in country. San Diego State won last nine games after PG Kell got healthy; Aztecs are 3-2 vs top 50 teams, 7-3 outside Mountain West- they’re in NCAA’s for first time since ’15, won last three first-round games. Last three years, AAC teams are 3-5 SU in this round, 2-3 vs spread when favored. Last 4 years, dogs are 9-7 vs spread in #6-11 seed games.

Texas Tech lost five of its last seven games; they had some players banged-up but they’re back now. Tech is 11-1 outside tough Big X, beating Abilene Christian of Southland 74-47 back in December. Red Raiders are 9-1 vs teams not ranked in top 100, with all nine wins by 18+ points. SF Austin is in tournament for 4th time in five years; they upset VCU, West Virginia in two of three 1st round games, lost other game by 7. Lumberjacks won 10 of last 11 games; they played three SEC teams this year (1-2), with three games decided by total of seven points.

Alabama lost six of last eight games, finished T9 in SEC, but upset Auburn in SEC tourney; they’re #348 experience team, 8-4 outside SEC (#84 NC sked). Crimson Tide shoots 32.4% on arc- their frosh PG Sexton is their best player. Virginia Tech is #156 experience team that finished 7th in ACC; Hokies beat Ole Miss by 3, lost by 7 at Kentucky in two SEC games. Bama is in NCAA’s for first time since 2012; Tech lost by 10 to Wisconsin LY, their first NCAA game in decade. Last three years, ACC teams are 32-23 SU vs SEC, 17-12 vs spread when favored.

Arizona won Pac-12 tourney last week, winning by 16-11ot-14 points; last two times Arizona won Pac-12 tourney, Wildcats won first NCAA tourney game by 21-18 points (1-0-1 vs spread)- Wildcats are 2-4-1 vs spread overall in last seven first round games. Arizona won seven of its last eight games; three of their last seven went to OT. Buffalo won 19 of its last 22 games; they’re 0-5 vs top 100 teams this season, losing by 6-14-11-7-16 points. Bulls are in 3rd NCAA in four years, losing last two by 6-7 points. MAC teams are 6-3 vs spread in last nine NCAAs.

Big Sky teams haven’t won an NCAA tourney game since 2006; they’re 1-5-1 vs spread in first round last seven years. Montana is in for first time in five years; they’re 3-2 vs spread in last five NCAA first round games. Griz won 19 of last 21 games; they’re 0-4 vs top 100 teams, losing by 13-16-3-3 points- they lost 70-57 to Big 14’s Penn State. Michigan won its last four first round game (2-2 vs spread); they’ve won nine games in row, have been off for 10 days since winning Big 14 tourney. Wolverines are #202 experience team; they’re 18-2 vs teams outside top 50.

#11-seeds who win the play-in games are 8-6 vs spread in their next game. St Bonaventure finished 2nd in A-14 this year; they’re #32 experience team, with pair of senior G’s- they won 14 of last 15 games, are 11-2 outside A-14, 8-4 vs top 100 teams. Florida covered six of its last eight first round games; they’ve made Elite 8 in their last five NCAA’s. Gators make 37.5% of their 3’s; they take lot of them. Florida is 8-4 outside the SEC (#54 NC sked). Bonnies played four kids 35:00+ in their win over UCLA- they survived their best player Adams going 2-16 from floor. Florida beat St. Bonaventure 73-66 in November ’16.

Friday’s games
Day Games
Providence lost in Big East final Saturday; all three tournament games went to OT. Friars are #117 experience team, starting three seniors- they lost five of last six first round games in this tournament. Providence is 7-7 in last 14 games overall; they’re 9-4 outside Big East (#191 NC sked), 6-9 vs top 50 teams. Texas A&M is 3-4 in its last seven games; they’re 11-1 outside SEC (NC sked #38) but were only 9-10 inside SEC. they’re #233 experience team. Over the last five years, favorites are 12-8 against the spread in #7-10 seed 1st round games.

Purdue won 15 of last 17 first round games, covering four of last six; Boilermakers start four seniors, are #52 experience team- they make 42% of their 3’s. Purdue is 13-2 outside Big 14 (#145 NC sked); they’re 12-0 vs teams ranked outside top 100. Cal State-Fullerton won eight of last ten games; they’ve got good guards, are #3 team in country in %age of their points scored on foul line. Titans are #235 experience team- they’re 5-5 outside Big West (#80 NC sked); they’re 1-4 vs top 100 teams. Big West teams are 2-5 vs spread in this round the last seven years.

Dan D’Antoni is Marshall’s coach; his team plays fast (#6 pace), just like the Rockets. Marshall won 10 of its last 12 games; they’re #260 experience team that is 9-4 outside C-USA (NC sked #334). Thundering Herd makes 35.6% of its 3’s; 46% of their shots are 3’s. C-USA teams won their 1st round game four of last five years. Wichita State is 16-0 vs teams ranked outside top 100; Shockers are #13 experience team, but teams shoot 36.3% on arc against them (#247). Wichita’s last six wins are all by 8 or fewer points- they won last five first round games.

Cincinnati won its last seven games; they force turnovers 22.3% of time, have #2 eFG% defense in country. Bearcats are 11-2 outside AAC, vs NC schedule #295- they’re 11-4 vs top 100 teams. Cincy plays slow (#322 pace). Georgia State is #101 experience team; they make 39.1% of their 3’s, take lot of them. Panthers have great PG in Simonds, but have thin bench (#342 in bench minutes played); they beat Tulane of AAC 70-59 back in November. Last four years, #2-seeds are 9-7 vs spread in 1st round games. Sun Belt teams covered three of last four 1st round games.

North Carolina split its last six games overall, went 11-2 vs #15 non-league schedule; they won their last 15 first round games, but are 5-7-1 vs spread in last 13. Tar Heels rebound 38.4% of their own misses, #2 in country; they’re 7-1 vs teams ranked outside top 100. Lipscomb is in NCAAs for first time; they won 12 of last 13 games, are 8-5 vs NC schedule #30, but are 2-4 vs top 100 teams, with losses by 22-23-10-32 points. Bisons get 22.3% of their points on foul line (#27). Atlantic Sun teams are 3-2 vs spread in first round the last five years.

Arkansas is #43 experience team that is 10-2 outside SEC (#135 NC sked), 6-8 vs top 50 teams; Razorbacks are in NCAAs for 3rd time in last four years- they won their last three first round games. Hogs are 8-3 in last 11 games; they start three seniors. Butler is #204 experience team that lost six of last nine games, with two OT losses; Bulldogs are 10-3 outside Big East (NC sked #157), 4-10 vs top 50 teams. Butler turns ball only 15.7% of time (#28); Arkansas forces TO’s 19.4% of time. Last three years, Big East teams are 17-7 vs SEC opponents.

West Virginia forces turnovers 23.4% of time; they’re #196 experience team that is 11-2 vs teams ranked outside top 50- they’re 11-1 outside Big X (#297 NC sked). Mountaineers won five of last seven games; they start pair of senior guards, are 3-4 vs spread in last seven 1st round games. Murray State is in NCAAs for first time in six years; they lost by 5 to Middle Tennessee, by 4 to Auburn in high-profile non-league games. Racers won their last 13 games, are #110 experience team- their PG Stark is a senior, but Murray isn’t deep (#304 in bench minutes).

Nevada has injury issues; PG Drew tore his achilles, Caroline is playing thru a broken finger, Martin is playing thru foot issues. Wolf Pack lost by 11 to Iowa St of Big X in first round LY; they lost twice to San Diego State in last two weeks, were down 30 at the half in their last game, but Musselman is an NBA coach and Nevada gets 35% of its point behind arc, which negates Texas shot blocker Bamba. Longhorns are #336 experience team with depth issues; they’re 4-6 in last 10 games. Last four years, Mountain West teams are 1-4 vs spread in this round.

Night Games
Creighton star Foster played his first two years of college ball at Kansas State, which makes this 8-9 game more interesting. Bluejays lost six of last nine games; they’re 6-7 since 6-9 Krampelj was lost for year. Creighton is #185 experience team that is 10-2 outside Big East (NC sked #291), but 4-7 vs top 50 teams- they shoot 37.6% on arc and take lot of them. K-State is #242 experience team that is 7-10 vs top 50 teams, 10-2 outside Big X (#321 NC sked). Wildcats start three sophs, two juniors. Last three years, Big X teams are 6-5 when playing Big East teams.

Bucknell (+13) lost 86-80 to West Virginia in 1st round LY, in a 4-13 game. Bison are #82 team in experience, starting three seniors- they suspended backup F Moore for this game; he didn’t play in Patriot tourney. Michigan State won only one tourney game last two years; Spartans are #281 experience team, starting four sophs and a freshman. Sparty opponents are shooting 38.4% inside arc this season. MSU makes 41.3% of its 3-pointers. Patriot League teams are 1-4 vs spread in this round last five years; Bucknell is 3-2 vs spread in this round.

Texas Southern started season 0-13 in a cash grab; son of school’s AD is on this team, which lost games by 7 at Clemson, 6 at Oregon, 6 at Wyoming- they also got smoked in several games, but they’ve won eight games in row. they shouldn’t be in awe; 11 of their 14 non-league opponents are top 120 teams. Xavier won 13 of last 15 games; they’re #123 experience team that plays pace #61. musketeers are 12-1 outside Big East; they’re 10-0 vs teams ranked outside top 100, with six wins by 19+ points. SWAC teams covered three of last four games in this round.

Since 2009, CAA teams are 9-2 vs spread in first round games; Charleston is #60 experience team that won 14 of its last 15 games. Cougars took trip to Alaska in November, went 3-2 in OT games this year, are #1 team in country in Minutes Continuity, a KenPom stat that measures stability of a roster. Auburn lost four of last six games after starting season 23-3; Tigers are in NCAA for first time since 2003- they’re #308 experience team. None of eight guys in Auburn’s rotation are seniors. Charleston wants a slower pace (#323) than Auburn (#21) does.

UMBC’s coach is Ryan Odom, whose dad Dave was once an assistant at Virginia. Retrievers are in NCAAs for first time in 10 years; they’re #99 experience team that makes 38.2% of its 3’s, and they take lot of them. UMBC has two senior G’s; they won 8 of last 9 games, winning at Vermont in America East final, after having lost 23 in row to UVM. Virginia won its last eight games, is #162 experience team that plays pace #351, slowest in country. Cavaliers are 9-0 vs teams raked outside top 100. Last three years, #1-seeds are 7-5 against the spread in first round games.

Missouri senior F Barnett (DUI) is suspended for this game, didn’t travel with team; freshman star Porter plays his 2nd game of season after sitting out whole year with back injury- he took 17 shots in 23:00 in his debut in 62-60 loss to Georgia in SEC tourney. Tigers lost four of last six games; they’re likely to start three freshmen in first NCAA game in five years. Florida State won 83-66 at Florida of SEC; they’re 11-1 outside ACC, but vs NC sked #331. Seminoles are 4-6 in last ten games- they play pace #1, are 3-0 in OT games this season.

When he was coach at Pitt, Jamie Dixon won his last five games with Syracuse. Syracuse played all five starters 34:00+ in Wednesday’s win over Arizona St; two guys played whole 40:00- their bench plays least minutes in country. Orange made Final Four as 10-seed two years ago; they can’t be dismissed here- their trip to Detroit is a short one. Syracuse is #309 experience team; they’re 4-5 in last nine games. TCU is #74 experience team that is 12-0 outside Big X (NC sked #178); Frogs split their last 10 games- they shoot 40% on arc.

New Mexico State is in NCAAs for 6th time in seven years under three head coaches; Aggies lost last nine 1st round games (3-6 vs spread); their last NCAA win was in 1993. State is experience team #76 that starts three seniors- they beat Miami 63-54 in Hawai’i so doubtful they’ll be awed by an ACC opponent. Clemson is in NCAA’s for first time in seven years; Tigers went 7-6 after losing big guy Grantham for year- they’re 15-2 vs teams ranked outside top 50. Clemson is #58 experience team; they play pace #296, Aggies play pace #173.

Other tournaments
Austin Peay is 8-4 in its last dozen games; they’re 3-7 outside OVC, beating Sun Belt’s Troy by hoop Dec 19. Governors force turnovers 22.2% of time (#12). UL-Monroe won seven of last ten games; they’re 4-5 outside Sun Belt, losing by 19 at Jacksonville State of OVC Dec 9. ULM is #68 experience team that plays pace #284- they get 40.9% of their points outside the arc.

Wofford got a bye in this tournament; they haven’t played in 12 days; Terriers are 6-4 outside SoCon, with a win in Chapel Hill over the Tar Heels. Wofford is #299 experience team that has made 39.9% of its 3’s (#18). Central Michigan won 94-89 in Ft Wayne Monday, using three starters 33:00+. Chippewas are 9-2 outside MAC, but their NC schedule is ranked #340.

**Udog** · 03-15-2018, 10:29 AM

NCAAB

Thursday, March 15

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Trend Report
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OKLAHOMA @ RHODE ISLAND
OKLAHOMA

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma's last 6 games
Oklahoma is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games
RHODE ISLAND

Rhode Island is 20-4 SU in its last 24 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Rhode Island's last 6 games
WRIGHT STATE @ TENNESSEE
WRIGHT STATE

Wright State is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Wright State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
TENNESSEE

Tennessee is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tennessee's last 7 games
UNC GREENSBORO @ GONZAGA
UNC GREENSBORO

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

Gonzaga is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Gonzaga's last 5 games
PENNSYLVANIA @ KANSAS
PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pennsylvania's last 5 games
KANSAS

Kansas is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
Kansas is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games
IONA @ DUKE
IONA

Iona is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Iona's last 8 games
DUKE

The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Duke's last 8 games
Duke is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games
LOYOLA-CHICAGO @ MIAMI
LOYOLA-CHICAGO

Loyola-Chicago is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Loyola-Chicago's last 5 games
MIAMI

Miami is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Miami is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE @ OHIO STATE
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE

South Dakota State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
South Dakota State is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
OHIO STATE

Ohio State is 19-5 SU in its last 24 games
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Ohio State's last 14 games
NORTH CAROLINA STATE @ SETON HALL
NORTH CAROLINA STATE

North Carolina State is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
North Carolina State is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
SETON HALL

Seton Hall is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Seton Hall's last 10 games
RADFORD @ VILLANOVA
RADFORD

No trends to report
VILLANOVA

Villanova is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Villanova's last 15 games
DAVIDSON @ KENTUCKY
DAVIDSON

Davidson is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
Davidson is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
KENTUCKY

Kentucky is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games
Kentucky is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
SAN DIEGO STATE @ HOUSTON
SAN DIEGO STATE

San Diego State is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
San Diego State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
HOUSTON

Houston is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Houston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN @ TEXAS TECH
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN

No trends to report
TEXAS TECH

Texas Tech is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Stephen F. Austin
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Texas Tech's last 6 games
LOUISIANA-MONROE @ AUSTIN PEAY
LOUISIANA-MONROE

The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Louisiana-Monroe's last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Louisiana-Monroe's last 6 games
AUSTIN PEAY

The total has gone OVER in 7 of Austin Peay's last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Austin Peay's last 9 games at home
ALABAMA @ VIRGINIA TECH
ALABAMA

The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Alabama's last 20 games
Alabama is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
VIRGINIA TECH

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Virginia Tech's last 5 games
Virginia Tech is 9-4 ATS in its last 13 games
BUFFALO @ ARIZONA
BUFFALO

Buffalo is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Buffalo is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
ARIZONA

Arizona is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Arizona's last 5 games
MONTANA @ MICHIGAN
MONTANA

Montana is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Montana's last 7 games
MICHIGAN

Michigan is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Michigan's last 5 games
ST. BONAVENTURE @ FLORIDA
ST. BONAVENTURE

St. Bonaventure is 14-1 SU in its last 15 games
St. Bonaventure is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
FLORIDA

The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Florida's last 11 games

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**Udog** · 03-15-2018, 11:01 AM

Follow the biggest line moves and sharpest plays for the opening Thursday of March Madness betting
Patrick Everson

“This game’s got the most money in the pot so far for first-day games. Sharps are on Davidson, but it’s pretty much two-way action now.” - Nick Bogdanovich, William Hill U.S.

For those about to bet – and those who already have – we salute you. The NCAA Tournament is rolling out its 16-game Thursday slate, with ostensibly 12 uninterrupted hours of hoops.

Patrick Everson checks in on the matchups drawing the most interest, with insights from Nick Bogdanovich, director of trading for William Hill US; Tony Nevill, sportsbook director at Treasure Island; Jeff Stoneback, director of trading for MGM Resorts sportsbooks; D.J. Fields, odds consultant for offshore sportsbook Bookmaker.eu; and Scott Cooley, odds consultant for offshore site BetDSI.eu.

No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners vs. No. 7 Rhode Island Rams – Open: Pick; Move: -1; Move: -1.5; Move: -2; Move: -1.5; Move: -2

Right out of the gate, Oklahoma will get a chance to prove it deserved an NCAA Tourney bid, since this 12:20 p.m. ET Midwest Region tip is the first of the day. The Sooners (18-13 SU, 10-20 ATS) are one of the worst spread-covering outfits in the nation and imploded the last two months of the season, yet somehow made it into the field of 64.

Lon Kruger’s squad went 2-8 SU and ATS in its last 10 games and is 3-13 ATS in its last 16 games. The Sooners lost in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament, 71-60 as a 1-point favorite against Oklahoma State on March 7.

By comparison, Rhode Island looks awesome, though it did lose twice in nine days to fellow NCAA Tourney team Davidson. The Rams (25-7 SU, 16-13-1 ATS) fell at Davidson in the regular-season finale, then were dealt a 58-57 setback as a 2.5-point favorite in the Atlantic 10 championship game Sunday.

“Smart money has been pouring in on Rhode Island from the moment we opened this game,” Fields said of activity at Bookmaker.eu. “Oklahoma's lackluster play late in the year seems to have left our bettors questioning if Lon Kruger's team has the depth needed to escape the first round. One-way action has driven Rhode Island to 2-point favorites.”

William Hill opened the Rams -1.5 and moved to -2.

“This game’s got pretty good two-way action,” Bogdanovich said of betting at William Hill’s 100-plus shops cross Nevada. “Pretty good handle too.”

No. 14 Wright State Raiders vs. No. 3 Tennessee Volunteers – Open: -12.5; Move: -11.5; Move: -12

Tennessee lost its last game, but prior to that was on a six-game run in a very strong Southeastern Conference. The Vols (25-8 SU, 18-13 ATS) came up short to Kentucky 77-72 as a 2-point chalk in Sunday’s SEC Tourney final.

Wright State made a three-game run through the Horizon League Tourney to grab an automatic NCAA bid. The Raiders (25-9 SU, 18-13-1 ATS) dumped Cleveland State 74-57 laying 9.5 points in the March 6 final.

“They’re playing Tennessee,” Nevill said of bettors at Treasure Island. “I think everybody believes Tennessee is the best team out of the SEC, even though the Vols lost to Kentucky in that final.”

Bookmaker.eu opened earlier and significantly higher for this 12:40 p.m. ET South Region contest, leading to quite the opposite of what Nevill saw at Treasure Island.

“Wiseguys seem to think we were too aggressive in opening up Tennessee as a 14-point favorite, as the early action was all on Wright State,” Fields said of wagering that dropped the line to 12. “Wright State cruised through the Horizon League Tournament, but faces a Tennessee team with regular-season wins over both Purdue and Kentucky. The public is backing the favorite Volunteers, while the smart money is taking the points with the Raiders.”

No. 11 Loyola-Chicago Ramblers vs. No. 6 Miami Hurricanes – Open: -3; Move: -2.5; Move: -2; Move: -1.5; Move: -2: Move: -1.5; Move: -2; Move: -1.5

Loyola-Chicago, champion of the Missouri Valley Conference, has been talked up quite a bit this week. The Ramblers (28-5 SU, 19-9-1 ATS) have won 10 in a row and 17 of their last 18, going 14-4 ATS in that stretch. In the March 4 MVC Tourney final, Loyola rolled over Illinois State 65-49 giving 8.5 points.

Miami snapped a three-game skid with a four-game run to end the regular season. However, the Hurricanes couldn’t keep it going in a tough ACC Tourney quarterfinal, tumbling to North Carolina 82-65 catching 6 points last Thursday.

“You've heard the rumblings, and they're only getting louder as the bets come in,” Cooley said of Ramblers action at BetDSI.eu for a 3:10 p.m. ET South Region meeting. “Loyola is a team many believe can make a serious run in this tournament, and the action has supported that. Despite being matched up against a household program like the Hurricanes, even the public is backing the Ramblers. Currently, we have 78 percent of the handle on the underdog.”

No. 14 Montana Grizzlies vs. No. 3 Michigan Wolverines – Open: -12; Move: -11.5; Move: -11; Move: -10.5; Move: -11

Michigan is on fire and well-rested heading into one of the final games of the day, a 9:50 p.m. ET start in the West Region. The Wolverines (28-7 SU, 22-11-1 ATS) are on a nine-game tear (8-1 ATS), including a four-games-in-four-days Big Ten Tournament run that culminated with a 75-66 win over Purdue as a 4-point pup on March 4.

Montana has won six in a row but is just 3-6 ATS in its last nine outings. The Grizzlies (26-7 SU, 19-11-1 ATS) rolled to the Big Sky title with an 82-65 victory over Eastern Washington laying 4.5 points Saturday.

“They’re betting Michigan, even though it opened 12 and went down to 10.5,” Stoneback said from MGM’s home base at The Mirage, while noting Wednesday Wolverines action took the line back up to 11. “It looks like the public is all over Michigan. Ticket count is 4/1 on Michigan and the money is 2/1 on Michigan, and there are a lot of parlays on the Wolverines, too.”

Right next door at Treasure Island, the line opened Michigan -12 and dipped to 11, but the underdog is carrying the torch.

“They’re ready to anoint Cinderella. They’re taking the points. I’ve got a feeling we’ve got some folks from Montana in the house,” Nevill said. “All we’ve heard all week long is how Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue had all this time off, and how it might be bad for them. I don’t know if betting against those teams is such a wise thing.

“When everybody is on one side, from the talking heads through the crowd here, you start thinking, ‘Oh no, herd mentality, herd mentality.’”

No. 12 Davidson Wildcats vs. No. 5 Kentucky Wildcats – Open: -6; Move: -5.5; Move: -5

Kentucky was the No. 4 seed in the SEC Tournament, but rolled to the title as part of a 7-1 SU and ATS run. The blue-and-white-clad Wildcats (24-10 SU, 17-17 ATS) topped Tennessee 77-72 as a 2-point ‘dog in Sunday’s conference final.

Davidson took the Atlantic 10’s automatic bid by beating regular-season champ Rhode Island in Sunday’s conference final. The red-and-white-clad Wildcats (21-11 SU, 18-12-1 ATS) edged the Rams 58-57 as a 2.5-point pup.

“This game’s got the most money in the pot so far for first-day games,” Bogdanovich said of a 7:10 p.m. ET clash in the South Region. “Sharps are on Davidson, but it’s pretty much two-way action now.”

MGM books also opened Kentucky -6 and dipped to 5, then bounced between 5.5 and 5 Wednesday night.

“The public is laying the points with Kentucky,” Stoneback said. “Sharp money coming in on the ‘dog drove it down, but the public is coming back on Kentucky. It’s a Pros vs. Joes game here.”

BetDSI.eu opened Kentucky -7, with Davidson cash forcing the line down to 5.5.

“This was one of the more difficult lines to set, and honestly, we were a point too high on the outset,” Cooley said. “Again, the underdog is seeing the majority of sharp money, while the casual bettors think anything less than double digits with Kentucky is a gift. Personally, I think the Wildcats from North Carolina are getting a tad too much respect in this one.”

Let’s wrap it up with some quick hitters on a few other Thursday games of note:

• No. 11 San Diego State vs. No. 6 Houston: “This Cougars club is one the wiseguys are high on,” Cooley said, noting Houston opened -3 and moved to -4 at BetDSI. “We've taken a few more bets on the Aztecs and the money is almost dead even, but we're bumping this spread because of the steady sharp action on Houston. This number could climb another point or so with the way action is trending.” This West Region contest tips at 7:20 p.m. ET.

• No. 12 South Dakota State vs. No. 5 Ohio State: William Hill US opened Ohio State -8, and the number ticked down to 7.5 Wednesday for this 4 p.m. ET West Region matchup. “Sharps took the 8 with the ‘dog,” Bogdanovich said.

• No. 16 Pennsylvania vs. No. 1 Kansas: Said Bookmaker.eu’s Fields: “Kansas opened as a 16-point favorite, but questions about the availability of Jayhawks center Udoka Azubuike (sprained MCL) dropped the line down to 13.5. It wasn't until we moved the line 2.5 points that we finally started to see some buyback from the public on Kansas.” That pushed the line back up to 14 Wednesday night for today’s 2 p.m. ET start in the Midwest Region.

• No. 9 North Carolina State vs. No. 8 Seton Hall: “They’re all betting Seton Hall, and it seems like everybody who’s playing the side is playing Seton Hall moneyline too,” Nevill said of this Midwest Region matchup. The Pirates opened -1.5 and late Wednesday night moved to -2.5 at Treasure Island for the 4:30 p.m. ET start.

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Thursday's NCAAB Trends and Indexes - 3/15

Thursday's NCAAB Trends and Indexes - 3/15

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