Announcement

**Udog** · 03-16-2018, 08:18 AM

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

Odds you can get on various World Series matchups:

14-1- Astros-Dodgers

18-1– Indians-Dodgers

18-1— Astros-Nationals

22-1— Indians-Nationals

30-1— Red Sox-Cubs

150-1— A’s-Dodgers— Hey, a guy can dream.

**********

Armadillo: Friday's Den: Wrapping up a basketball Thursday

Night Games
16) Buffalo 89, Arizona 68— Complete ass-kicking; Bulls outhustled Arizona, they made 15-30 on the arc and they looked like the better team. Arizona kids quit in the last 10:00.

This is first time since 2012 a MAC team won an NCAA tournament game; it is only the second time in last eight years Arizona didn’t make the Sweet 16. With all their legal issues, could be a long time before they get there again.

15) Houston 67, San Diego State 65— Rob Gray scored 39 of Houston’s 67 points, including the game-winner with 0:01 left; I don’t want to say he’s a ballhog, but he took 25 shots, 15 more foul shots and he had zero assists. It is amazing how much he dominates the ball, but he made 12-25 from the floor and the Cougars advance.

14) Alabama 86, Virginia Tech 81— Pet Peeve of the Day; calling a flagrant foul when a defender intrudes the space of the guy with the ball, and the offensive player swings the ball to create space and plugs the defender in the face with the ball or his elbow. Whats he supposed to do?

20 years ago, we used to teach this about rebounding: “Catch-Tuck-Swing” the ball, and if the guy on the other team didn’t want to get drilled in the face, he’d move his face. Now in our soft society, that would be a foul on the guy with the ball, maybe a flagrant foul. It shouldn’t be.

13) Kentucky 78, Davidson 73— Davidson hit a 3-ball with 0:00.6 to cover the spread, but now Kentucky plays Buffalo Saturday for a spot in the Sweet 16.

Kentucky went 0-for-6 outside the arc against Davidson, which ended a 1,047-game streak in which Kentucky made at least one 3-pointer. It was the longest active streak in the country, dating back to November 26, 1988.

12) Texas Tech 70, Stephen F Austin 60— Lumberjacks led by 3 at the half; but Keenan Evans scored 23 points for the Red Raiders and Tech gets their first NCAA tournament win since 2005.

11) Michigan 61, Montana 47— Griz led this game 10-0 early, but Big Sky teams haven’t won a tournament game since 2006- they’re just not good enough to beat a top 20 opponent.

10) Florida 77, St Bonaventure 62— Bonnies made tournament for first time since 2012, beat UCLA Tuesday, but ran out of gas here and got drilled by the Gators, who now play Texas Tech.

I’m still amazed one of the genius AD’s at the big money schools hasn’t scooped up Bonnies’ coach Mark Schmidt— he is a very good coach. Ain’t easy to recruit players to Olean, NY.

9) Villanova 87, Radford 61— Worst game of the day, a total mismatch; now the Wildcats face their bugaboo, the second round of the tournament.

Since 2010, Villanova is 1-4 in the second round of the NCAA’s, losing two of last three years in 2nd round as a #1-seed; the one time they won was two years ago, when they went on to win the national title. Villanova plays Virginia Tech Saturday.

Day games
1) Rhode Island 83, Oklahoma 78 OT— First game of the tournament was terrific; Sooners led by 8 late in first half, then trailed by 6 with 4:10 left in regulation, before URI missed a point-blank putback at the buzzer to force OT, where the Rams prevailed.

Oklahoma winds up losing 12 of its last 16 games. URI moves on to play Duke.

2) Loyola Chi 64, Miami FL 62— Donte Ingram stuck a 3-ball with 0:00.3 left to send Ramblers on to the next round in their first NCAA appearance since 1985. Loyola outscored Miami 8-2 over the last 2:47; they were +6 in turnovers (16-10) for the game.

This is the 14th consecutive year that a #11 seed beat a #6 seed

3) Gonzaga 68, NC-Greensboro 64— Games like this are what make the NCAA tournament great. Condescending jerks like Jay Bilas think the NCAA’s should be the best 68 teams in country, rather than the champs from all 32 D-I leagues, but if that were the case, the Spartans wouldn’t have been invited— we’d get the 13th place team in the ACC.

Zags led by 12 with 16:00 left, but UNCG took a 64-62 lead with 1:46 to play- Gonzaga scored the last six points of the game. Exciting game, for sure.

4) Ohio State 81, South Dakota State 73— This game was 70-70 with 1:53 left, but then SD State fouled the 3-point shooter on the next two trips and that was that. Jackrabbits dared Ohio State to shoot 3-pointers; OSU was 12-40 outside the arc, 15-32 inside arc.

South Dakota State’s Mike Daum is an NBA player; he is a sturdy 6-8 guy with 3-point range; he had 27 in this game, and star freshman Jenkins had 16. If those two guys are back in school next year, the Jackrabbits should go dancing again.

5) Duke 89, Iona 67— Gaels shot 38.3% on arc for season; they were 5-24 in this game, as Duke ran out to a 53-39 halftime lead and coasted home from there.

6) Seton Hall 94, NC State 83— Pirates are #55 experience team in country, NC State is #179, which explains this result. Seton Hall led 51-41 at the half and held the Wolfpack off in a game with lot of fouls. Solid first season for Kevin Keatts with NC State, finishing at 21-12. ACC lost two teams already; Wolfpack and Miami.

7) Kansas 76, Penn 60— Quakers led 21-11 early, then reality set in. Penn had a senior named Caleb Wood, only senior in their rotation. He was 4-12 behind the arc in this game, only 12 shots he took all day. He shot 38% behind arc for the year; thats a good gig, just shooting 3’s.

Penn was first Ivy League team to be a 16-seed since Princeton in 1989.

8) Tennessee 73, Wright State 47— Total mismatch, other than first 2:00, when Raiders led 2-0. Vols are just so much more athletic than Wright State. Tennessee has all five of its starters back next year, so they should be even better. Wright State’s only senior starter was Grant Benzinger, son of former major leaguer Todd Benzinger— he was 2-16 from floor in this game.

**Udog** · 03-16-2018, 08:26 AM

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BETTING STATS:

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

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

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BETTING STATS:

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

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

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TV: 3 p.m. ET, truTV

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

BETTING STATS:

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

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

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BETTING STATS:

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

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

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

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

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

**Udog** · 03-16-2018, 08:36 AM

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BETTING STATS:

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

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

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BETTING STATS:

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

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

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BETTING STATS:

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

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

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BETTING STATS:

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

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

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

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

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

**Udog** · 03-16-2018, 08:44 AM

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BETTING STATS:

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

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

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BETTING STATS:

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

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

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BETTING STATS:

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

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

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BETTING STATS:

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

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

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

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

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

**Udog** · 03-16-2018, 08:56 AM

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

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

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

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

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

TV: 2 p.m. ET, TBS

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

BETTING STATS:

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

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

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BETTING STATS:

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

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

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BETTING STATS:

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

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

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BETTING STATS:

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

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

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

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

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

**Udog** · 03-16-2018, 09:44 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Friday, March 16

MD-Baltimore Co @ Virginia

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

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

Kansas State @ Creighton

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

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

Providence @ Texas A&M

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

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

Lipscomb @ North Carolina

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

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

Butler @ Arkansas

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

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

CS-Fullerton @ Purdue

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

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

Syracuse @ TCU

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

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

Bucknell @ Michigan State

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

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

Texas @ Nevada

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

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

Georgia State @ Cincinnati

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

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

Texas Southern @ Xavier

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

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

Florida State @ Missouri

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

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

Murray State @ West Virginia

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

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

Marshall @ Wichita State

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

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

New Mexico St @ Clemson

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

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

Coll of Charleston @ Auburn

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

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

Central Michigan @ Wofford

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

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

**Udog** · 03-16-2018, 09:56 AM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Friday, March 16

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BUCKNELL (25 - 9) vs. MICHIGAN ST (29 - 4) - 3/16/2018, 7:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MICHIGAN ST is 94-62 ATS (+25.8 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 since 1997.
MICHIGAN ST is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) after a conference game this season.
MICHIGAN ST is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

**Udog** · 03-16-2018, 10:07 AM

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, March 16

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** · 03-16-2018, 10:12 AM

NCAAB

Friday, March 16

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

PROVIDENCE @ TEXAS A&M
PROVIDENCE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

No trends to report
NORTH CAROLINA

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

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

Arkansas is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games
MURRAY STATE @ WEST VIRGINIA
MURRAY STATE

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

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

No trends to report
NEVADA

Nevada is 16-4 SU in its last 20 games
Nevada is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games
KANSAS STATE @ CREIGHTON
KANSAS STATE

No trends to report
CREIGHTON

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

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

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

No trends to report
MICHIGAN STATE

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

No trends to report
XAVIER

Xavier is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games
Xavier is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON @ AUBURN
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON

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

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

No trends to report
VIRGINIA

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

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

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

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

The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Missouri's last 11 games
Missouri is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
NEW MEXICO STATE @ CLEMSON
NEW MEXICO STATE

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

Clemson is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games

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

**Udog** · 03-16-2018, 01:23 PM

Saturday's 2nd Round lines

Bama-Nova (-11, 148)

URI-Duke (-9.5, 149.5)

Buff-UK (-6, 158)

Loyola-Chi-Tenn (-6, 130)

Hall-Kan (-4.5, 154)

OSU-Zags (-3.5, 145)

Fla-TTech (-2, 134)

Hou-Mich (-3, 134)

Announcement

Friday's NCAAB Trends and Indexes - 3/16

Friday's NCAAB Trends and Indexes - 3/16

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment