Announcement

**Udog** · 03-14-2021, 10:26 AM

When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will be at peace.

**Udog** · 03-14-2021, 10:26 AM

Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack

— Georgetown 73, Creighton 48— #8-seed Hoyas win the Big East.
— Texas 91, Oklahoma State 86— Longhorns had lost last six Big X title games.
— Grand Canyon 74, New Mexico State 56— Bryce Drew’s Antelopes win WAC.
— Iona 60, Fairfield 51— Rick Pitino gets his Gaels into the NCAAs.
— North Texas 61, Western Kentucky 57 OT— Mean Green’s first title since 2010.
— Oregon State 70, Colorado 68— Beavers win Pac-12 tourney for first time.

Americans who have died from COVID-19: 533,868
PLEASE wear a mask (over your nose/mouth) when you go out.

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Armadillo: Sunday's Den: Wrapping up a sports Saturday

13) Last three days have been very excellent; sat around my house in hooded sweatshirts and sweats, watched ball for 14-16 hours a day, ate pizza, took a lot of notes. Life almost seemed normal again.

In most years, this is my favorite week of the year; last year it was a disaster, when everything shut down because of the pandemic. This week, college basketball was everywhere, the way it is supposed to be in March. Filled in the voids with spring training baseball. Good stuff.

Sunday night the brackets come out, something we all missed last year.

Meanwhile, there was other stuff going on besides college basketball:

12) Every summer, HBO does Hard Knocks, a behind-the-scenes look at NFL training camp, usually one team each summer. They do five one-hour shows during the summer; it is fun to learn some things that normally behind-the-scenes. It helps promote the league.

Baseball needs to do this!!! Give HBO access to a team every spring; Lord knows there is enough free time for managers/coaches/players to talk on camera. Let HBO spen six weeks with the Angels so America can learn about Trout, and Ohtani. Next year do the Padres.

Promote the game!!! Young people need to learn how great baseball is; there is so much stuff going on these days, so much competition for the entertainment dollar. Expose baseball to as many people as possible; that would seem like a good business move.

Speaking of which, why do they black out TV broadcasts of games on MLB Network? Let as many people watch games as want to do it— it is STUPID to black games out.

11) Major league baseball now controls the minor leagues; starting this season, they’re going to use the minors as a laboratory for new rules. Different levels will have different experiments:
— All four infielders will have to have both feet on the infield dirt.
— Teams will have to have two infielders on each side of th einfield.
— 0:15 pitch clock, which seems to be a bit much.
— Throws to first base vs baserunners will be limited.
— Robotic ball/strike umpires (I really dislike this one, maybe even hate it)

10) The motivation for all this is that MLB wants more baseballs put in play; less strikeouts and walks, more game action. If there are only two fielders on the right side of the infield, guys can go to the other way more— hard grounders that are pulled are more likely to be hits. Fewer batters will try to hit home runs all the time.

Batting average in the major leagues the last three years:
2018: .248
2019: .252
2020: .245— In 2000, it was .270. Shifts have badly hurt offense; offense makes the game more fun to watch.

9) Worlds colliding: a guy named Frank McCourt used to own the Dodgers- it didn’t go well. He had to sell the team, after he spent too much money in his personal life, and his toxic divorce proceedings pushed the Dodgers into bankruptcy. No bueno.

McCourt now owns a soccer team in France, a team previously owned by a guy who was the CEO of Adidas. When the guy passed away in 2009, his wife inherited the team— she is worth $5.9B, according to Forbes magazine, the richest Russian-born woman in the world. She later sold the soccer team to McCourt.

Anyway, it turns out that the Adidas guy was 2nd-cousins with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who played Elaine on the Seinfeld TV show. Like I said, worlds colliding.

8) Chicago Cubs hired Jon Sciambi as their new TV play-by-play guy, a huge upgrade over the last guy, who moved to White Sox radio. Sciambi is awesome and will team with former big league pitcher Jim Deshaies. The reason I care about this a decent amount is that I have both Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant on my fantasy team, so I’m going to be watching the Cubs a lot this season.

7) Was watching the Milwaukee Brewers play in the middle of the night this week, the replay of an exhibition game, and got this sick feeling that I get every March when I watch the Brewers.

They’re analytically-driven, which means their front office guys all went to fancy colleges, and they do unusual things with the team, then use their college degrees to defend them when they don’t work. Translation: I will never have another Milwaukee pitcher on my fantasy team.

6) Random sports trivia; Arkansas hoop coach Eric Musselman is the son of the late coach Bill Musselman, who coached the Minnesota Gophers, also in the NBA and in the CBA, with the Albany Patroons, who played three miles from my house. Musselman’s Gophers won the 1972 Big Ten championship, back before there was a conference tournament.

When Bill Musselman was at Minnesota, one of the subs on his team was this guy who was pretty good in another sport, a 6-6 outfielder you may have heard of. Guy named Dave Winfield, a baseball Hall of Famer.

5) Tip of the cap to Nick Markakis, who retired this week after a 15-year career where he hit .288 for the Orioles/Braves, with a career on-base % of .357. Pretty freakin’ good.

Markakis played in 147+ games in 12 of his 15 seasons; he wound up with 2,388 hits. He was on my fantasy team for several years, was a big help— one of the best “abilities” is dependability.

4) NCAA Tournament schedule is a little different this year:
— Play-in games will all be on Thursday.
— First round games are Friday/Saturday
— Second round games are Sunday/Monday
— Second weekend of the tournament will be Saturday-Tuesday.

3) Georgia Tech 80, Florida State 75
— This was only second time EVER (Georgia Tech-Virginia in 1990) that the ACC title game didn’t have a team from North Carolina in it.
— Georgia Tech wins ACC title for first time since 1993.

2) 12-15 years ago, when I used to go to Florida every summer to watch the AAU national tournament at Disney World, I’d venture to different high schools in the Kissimmee area to watch games. When I went back to work the next week, I’d tell people how I spent my vacation, and more than one person gave me an odd look. Go figure.

One day I’m at Poinciana HS watching games, sitting on a cafeteria table, behind one of the baskets and this young coach sits on the other end of the table. I struck up a conversation with him and picked his brain for a couple hours, learned a lot. Probably asked too many questions, but learned a lot.

Maybe 4-5 years ago, I’m at Bishop Gorman HS in Las Vegas watching games, and once again I’m sitting next to the same guy, and we had another good conversation. Now I’m a nobody, he had no reason to be nice to me, or answer my numerous questions, but he did.

Josh Pastner is a hell of a nice guy; was so happy to see him win this game and win the ACC title. He was a sub as a player on great Arizona teams under Lute Olson and now has been a head coach for 12 years, seven at Memphis, five at Georgia Tech. Congrats coach!!!

1) Since AFL-NFL merger, most starts for a QB-coach combo without making playoffs:
85— Jim Zorn/Jack Patera, (expansion Seahawks)
59— David Carr/Dom Capers (expansion Texans)
52— Ryan Tannehill/Joe Philbin (Dolphins)
48— Derek Carr/Jon Gruden (Raiders)

**Udog** · 03-14-2021, 10:31 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Sunday, March 14

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Sunday, March 14

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VA COMMONWEALTH (19 - 6) vs. ST BONAVENTURE (15 - 4) - 3/14/2021, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ST BONAVENTURE is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in all neutral court games over the last 2 seasons.
ST BONAVENTURE is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) after a conference game this season.
ST BONAVENTURE is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) when playing on a neutral court over the last 2 seasons.
ST BONAVENTURE is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.

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

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LSU (18 - 8) vs. ALABAMA (23 - 6) - 3/14/2021, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ALABAMA is 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ALABAMA is 3-3 against the spread versus LSU over the last 3 seasons
ALABAMA is 3-3 straight up against LSU over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CINCINNATI (12 - 10) vs. HOUSTON (23 - 3) - 3/14/2021, 3:15 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 19-33 ATS (-17.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 19-33 ATS (-17.3 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 19-35 ATS (-19.5 Units) after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 12-26 ATS (-16.6 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 14-24 ATS (-12.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 131-182 ATS (-69.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 56-86 ATS (-38.6 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games since 1997.
HOUSTON is 53-36 ATS (+13.4 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 53-36 ATS (+13.4 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 5-1 against the spread versus CINCINNATI over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 4-2 straight up against CINCINNATI over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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OHIO ST (21 - 8) vs. ILLINOIS (22 - 6) - 3/14/2021, 3:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ILLINOIS is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in all games this season.
ILLINOIS is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in all lined games this season.
ILLINOIS is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) when the total is 150 to 159.5 this season.
ILLINOIS is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) against conference opponents this season.
ILLINOIS is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) after a conference game this season.
ILLINOIS is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) off a win against a conference rival this season.
ILLINOIS is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ILLINOIS is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.

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

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LOYOLA-MD (6 - 10) at COLGATE (13 - 1) - 3/14/2021, 12:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOYOLA-MD is 126-86 ATS (+31.4 Units) in road games since 1997.
LOYOLA-MD is 126-86 ATS (+31.4 Units) in road lined games since 1997.
LOYOLA-MD is 103-63 ATS (+33.7 Units) in road games against conference opponents since 1997.
LOYOLA-MD is 101-70 ATS (+24.0 Units) in road games after a conference game since 1997.
LOYOLA-MD is 48-30 ATS (+15.0 Units) in road games off a win against a conference rival since 1997.

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

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NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, March 14

Patriot League tournament
Loyola MD @ Colgate
Loyola MD (6-10, 6-10)
— ranked #210 by KenPom
— Tempo: #140
— Experience: #197
— Continuity: #100
— Loyola is 5-3 in last eight games, after a 1-7 start.
— Greyhounds have two losses in triple OT this season.
— Loyola is shooting 31.2% on the arc (#289), 60.6% on foul line (#344)
— This is Loyola’s 8th year in row under .500; they last made NCAA’s in 2012.

Colgate (13-1, 13-1)
— ranked #86 by KenPom
— Tempo: #20
— Experience: #147
— Continuity: #46
— Raiders won their last 12 games; their loss was January 3 to Army.
— Nine of their 13 wins are over Boston U/Holy Cross.
— Colgate is shooting 38.5% on the arc (#13)
— Colgate made NCAAs two years ago, their only bid since at least 1997.

— Colgate won seven of last nine series games.
— Loyola lost last seven visits here, five of them by 6 or fewer points.

AAC tournament
Cincinnati vs Houston (@ Fort Worth, TX)
Cincinnati (12-10, 10-6)
— ranked #110 by KenPom
— Tempo: #62
— Experience: #265
— Continuity: #212
— Cincinnati is 8-3 in their last 11 games.
— Bearcats are shooting 31.6% on arc (#273), 65.6% on line (#316)
— Cincinnati is turning ball over 20.7% of time (#264)
— Bearcats won last two days, by total of four points.
— 7 of their last 9 wins were by three or fewer points.
— Cincinnati won the last two AAC tournaments.

Houston (23-3, 16-3)
— ranked #6 by KenPom
— Tempo: #322
— Experience: #149
— Continuity: #117
— Houston won last six games, scoring 81.5 ppg.
— Cougars are grabbing 39.5% of their missed shots (#2)
— Houston has #1 eFG% defense in country.
— Cougars played three starters 36:00+ in Saturday’s 76-74 win over Memphis.
— Houston went WWL in last two AAC tournaments; their last tourney title was in 2010.

— Bearcats lost 90-52 at Houston February 21.
— Houston is 5-3 in last eight series games, but they lost to Cincy in last two AAC tourneys.

Big 14 tournament (@ Indianapolis)
Ohio State vs Illinois
Ohio State (21-8, 15-8)
— ranked #7 by KenPom
— Tempo: #245
— Experience: #95
— Continuity: #173
— Buckeyes won last three days, by 4 points, by 9 in OT, by 1 point.
— Ohio State is shooting 52.1% inside arc (#81), 36.7% on arc (#50)
— Buckeyes are getting 21.1% of their points on foul line (#45)
— Ohio State beat their rivals Michigan yesterday by a point.
— Last 7+ years, Ohio State is 8-6 in Big 14 tourneys- last time they won Big 14 tournament was 2013.

Illinois (22-6, 18-4)
— ranked #3 by KenPom
— Tempo: #79
— Experience: #218
— Continuity: #48
— Illinois won five in row, 12 of last 13 games.
— Illini has #31 eFG% defense in country.
— Illinois is a top 20 rebounding team in country.
— Illinois won last two days by 22-11 points; not much stress.
— Illini is 7-9 in last 16 Big 14 tourney games; their last tourney title was 2005.

— Teams split pair of road wins this year.
— Ohio State won 10 of last 13 series games.

SEC tournament (@ Nashville)
LSU vs Alabama
LSU (18-8, 13-6)
— ranked #29 by KenPom
— Tempo: #63
— Experience: #325
— Continuity: #133
— LSU won its last four games, scoring 80.8 ppg.
— Tigers are grabbing 31.4% of their missed shots (#67)
— LSU is worse on defensive boards (#319).
— LSU played two guys 40:00, another 38:00 yesterday.
— This is first time since 2003 that LSU won two SEC tournament games.

Alabama (23-6, 18-2)
— ranked #8 by KenPom
— Tempo: #7
— Experience: #136
— Continuity: #152
— Alabama won eight of its last nine games.
— Crimson Tide has #10 eFG% defense in country.
— Alabama gets 40.1% of its points on arc (#15)
— Last 5+ years, Crimson Tide is 8-4 in SEC tournament games.

— Alabama beat LSU twice this season, 105-75/78-60.
— Crimson Tide won eight of last ten series games.

Atlantic 14 tournament (@ Dayton)
VCU vs St Bonaventure
VCU (19-6, 12-4)
— ranked #43 by KenPom
— Tempo: #110
— Experience: #305
— Continuity: #282
— Rams are 3-2 in last five games, after a 14-2 run.
— VCU is forcing turnovers 24.0% of time (#7)
— Rams are 10-5 this season vs teams ranked in top 100.
— VCU are 3-2 in last four A-14 tourneys (22-6 in the nine before that)

St Bonaventure (15-4, 13-4)
— ranked #28 by KenPom
— Tempo: #321
— Experience: #115
— Continuity: #30
— Bonnies won five of their last six games.
— St Bonaventure has #14 eFG% defense in country.
— Bonnies are grabbing 33.6% of their missed shots (#31).
— Last 9+ years, Bonnies are 12-6 in A-14 tourney.

— These teams haven’t played in eight days.
— These teams split couple of games this season.
— Rams won six of last seven series games.

NCAAB

Sunday, March 14

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Trend Report
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Loyola-Maryland @ Colgate
Loyola-Maryland
No trends to report
Colgate
No trends to report

VCU @ St. Bonaventure
VCU
VCU is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing St. Bonaventure
The total has gone OVER in 6 of VCU's last 9 games when playing St. Bonaventure
St. Bonaventure
The total has gone OVER in 6 of St. Bonaventure's last 9 games when playing VCU
St. Bonaventure is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing VCU

LSU @ Alabama
LSU
LSU is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing Alabama
LSU is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games when playing LSU
Alabama is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing LSU

Cincinnati @ Houston
Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games when playing Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Cincinnati's last 15 games when playing Houston
Houston
Houston is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Cincinnati
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Houston's last 15 games when playing Cincinnati

Ohio State @ Illinois
Ohio State
Ohio State is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games when playing Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games when playing Ohio State

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**Udog** · 03-14-2021, 12:38 PM

651VA COMMONWEALTH -652 ST BONAVENTURE
ST BONAVENTURE is 7-0 ATS (7 Units) in all neutral court games over the last 2 seasons.

655CINCINNATI -656 HOUSTON
HOUSTON is 8-0 ATS (8 Units) after a game where they failed to cover the spread in the current season.

657OHIO ST -658 ILLINOIS
ILLINOIS are 7-0 ATS (7 Units) in road games vs. good teams (Win Pct: 60% to 80%) in the current season.

1521LOYOLA-MD -1522 COLGATE
LOYOLA-MD is 79-45 ATS (29.5 Units) in road games after 3 consecutive conference games since 1997.

Announcement

Sunday's NCAAB Trends and Indexes - 3/14

Sunday's NCAAB Trends and Indexes - 3/14

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