Monday Trends and Indexes 03/24

[pm530]

Trends and Indexes
Monday, March 24

Good Luck on day #84 of 2008!

NOTE:
As information becomes available, we will attempt to post the trends and indexes as soon as possible.
Information is posted from what we believe are reliable sources.
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[pm530]

Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up an excellent weekend........

13) 65 teams have been whittled down to 16; Villanova, the last team in the field, is still alive, while Duke and Georgetown, pair of #2 seeds, are both out. Davidson, Western Kentucky are in, USC (3 seed), Vanderbilt (4 seed) are both out. Go figure.

12) Since '93, #9 or lower seeds who made Sweet 16 are 1-7 in the regional semifinals, with George Mason two years ago the only winner in the group. This year, Villanova, Davidson and Western Kentucky fit into that category. Last time there were three 10 or lower seeds in third round was back in 2002.

11) Memphis survived 15-32 foul shooting to hold off athletic Mississippi State 77-74; now Tigers get rough-and-tumble foe in their next game, Michigan State.

10) Texas was 23-48 from arc in their two games; their excellent guards will challenge Stanford's shaky perimeter players next weekend. Rick Barnes is an underrated coach.

9) Think about the rivalry in the Sun Belt next year; Western Kentucky is in Sweet 16, but they lost twice to South Alabama and finished behind them in standings. Jaguars got squashed by Butler in first round Friday.

8) Holding Notre Dame to 41 points is impressive; in their two second halves, Washington State outscored their foes, 73-33.

7) Speaking of second halves, Stephen Curry scored 55 points in his two second halves in Raleigh this weekend.

6) Siena's Josh Duell has to be first player in college basketball history to play on winning side in two 4-13 upsets (he was on Vermont in '05, Siena this year).

5) Siena, Davidson are two smallest schools in the Field of 65 this season. Siena has 2,900 students, Davidson less.

4) There are two other tournaments going on, by the way, with NIT down to eight teams after Monday's schedule; Tuesday is Florida-Arizona State game-winner gets to go to New York and play couple of games. CBI gets down to Final Four Monday.

3) Some kids have some interesting decisions to make about the NBA Draft-- Robin Lopez, Bill Walker, Joe Alexander-- the kids who stay in school make their teams favorites in the 2009 NCAA tournament, or at least in their respective leagues.

2) I am thinking there are coaches up and down the Atlantic Coast who are being quizzed as to why Stephen Curry wasn't recruited by their schools. A kid like that at Davidson?

1) Speaking of coaches and Davidson, it would behoove Norm Roberts to win at St John's next year, or else Bob McKillop is going to be hot candidate there. McKillop is from Long Island and makes sense if Red Storm decide to make a change.

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[pm530]

Six-pack for Monday

6) Dirk Nowitzki is out for couple weeks after spraining ankle in game against the Spurs Sunday; in the west, couple of bad weeks could knock you out of the playoffs.

5) Matt Brady left Marist to be head coach at James Madison Would be interested in knowing if it was a money move, or if there are other factors why Brady would make what seems to be a lateral move, at best.

4) Good news for the Twins; Francisco Liriano tossed four innings of no-hit ball against the Orioles. Minnesota will be in deep trouble unless he is healthy and effective.

3) Mets' Mike Pelfrey gave up eight runs on 13 hits in 4.1 IP in an exhibition game Sunday; I know its only an exhibition game, but you have to wonder if Pelfrey will be a capable sub should one of the Mets' starters go on the DL (considering El Duque is one of them, its when he goes on DL, not if).

2) Only once in last 40 years (1986) have five or more tackles been taken in first round of NFL Draft-- this year, as many as eight offensive tackles have received first round grades.

1) Eldrick Woods is T9th as the World Golf Tour event in Florida will finish Monday-- it won't be long before a nitwit on TV will do a feature on why he's in such a slump.

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[pm530]

Arena Football League – Long Sheet

AFL
Long Sheet


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Monday, March 24
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GRAND RAPIDS (0 - 2) at KANSAS CITY (0 - 2) - 3/24/2008, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS CITY is 2-0 against the spread versus GRAND RAPIDS over the last 3 seasons
KANSAS CITY is 2-0 straight up against GRAND RAPIDS over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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[pm530]

Arena Football League – Additional

AFL
Week 4


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Trend Sheet
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MARCH 24, 8:00 PM

GRAND RAPIDS vs. KANSAS CITY
Grand Rapids is 7-17 ATS in its last 24 games on the road
Grand Rapids is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Kansas City is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Kansas City is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

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[pm530]

National Basketball Association – Long Sheet

NBA
Long Sheet


Monday, March 24

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PHILADELPHIA (35 - 35) at BOSTON (55 - 14) - 3/24/2008, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 43-25 ATS (+15.5 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 33-21 ATS (+9.9 Units) as a favorite this season.
BOSTON is 37-24 ATS (+10.6 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 11-1 ATS (+9.9 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 35-20 ATS (+13.0 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 53-82 ATS (-37.2 Units) in home games after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.
BOSTON is 39-71 ATS (-39.1 Units) in home games after scoring 105 points or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 9-2 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 7-4 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW JERSEY (29 - 41) at NEW YORK (19 - 50) - 3/24/2008, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 6-5 against the spread versus NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
NEW JERSEY is 7-4 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MILWAUKEE (24 - 44) at MIAMI (12 - 57) - 3/24/2008, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 6-4 against the spread versus MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 6-4 straight up against MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
8 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHOENIX (47 - 22) at DETROIT (49 - 19) - 3/24/2008, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 31-17 ATS (+12.3 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 45-31 ATS (+10.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 4-1 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 4-1 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DENVER (41 - 28) at MEMPHIS (18 - 51) - 3/24/2008, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DENVER is 85-70 ATS (+8.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 28-19 ATS (+7.1 Units) as a favorite this season.
DENVER is 28-14 ATS (+12.6 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 30-39 ATS (-12.9 Units) in all games this season.
MEMPHIS is 21-32 ATS (-14.2 Units) as an underdog this season.
MEMPHIS is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
MEMPHIS is 11-24 ATS (-15.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MEMPHIS is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 6-3 against the spread versus MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 6-3 straight up against MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SACRAMENTO (31 - 38) at HOUSTON (47 - 23) - 3/24/2008, 8:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 4-4 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 6-3 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PORTLAND (37 - 33) at SEATTLE (16 - 54) - 3/24/2008, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PORTLAND is 41-58 ATS (-22.8 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) in home games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 7-4 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
SEATTLE is 6-5 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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LA LAKERS (48 - 21) at GOLDEN STATE (42 - 26) - 3/24/2008, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 32-18 ATS (+12.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 42-26 ATS (+13.4 Units) in all games this season.
LA LAKERS are 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
LA LAKERS are 24-12 ATS (+10.8 Units) in road games this season.
LA LAKERS are 11-1 ATS (+9.9 Units) in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
LA LAKERS are 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) second half of the season this season.
LA LAKERS are 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
LA LAKERS are 26-8 ATS (+17.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
LA LAKERS are 13-1 ATS (+11.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 29-39 ATS (-13.9 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 12-22 ATS (-12.2 Units) in home games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 10-19 ATS (-10.9 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA LAKERS is 7-3 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 9-1 straight up against GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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[pm530]

National Basketball Association – Write up

NBA
Write-up


Monday, March 24

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Today's NBA analysis

Hot Teams
-- Celtics won fourteen of last sixteen games. 76ers won eleven of their last fourteen games.
-- Nets covered four of their last five games.
-- Suns won, covered their last seven games.
-- Nuggets won five of their last seven games. Grizzlies covered their last five games, winning three of last four.
-- Trailblazers won six of their last nine games.
-- Warriors won ten of their last fourteen games. Lakers are 3-1 in their last four games.

Cold Teams
-- Knicks lost four in row, 11 of last 12 games.
-- Miami lost three in row, eleven of last twelve games. Bucks lost six of their last seven games.
-- Pistons covered just three of last ten games.
-- Rockets lost three of their last four games. Kings are 5-10 in their last fifteen games.
-- Sonics lost last eleven games (4-7 against the spread).

Previous meetings this season
-- Celtics are 3-0 vs Philly this season, winning by 10-27-14 pts.
-- Knicks are 3-0 vs Nets this season, winning by 7-6-8 points.
-- Bucks won two of three vs Miami this season.
-- Pistons (+2.5) won 116-86 in Phoenix Feb 24.
-- Denver beat Memphis twice this year, by 4-22 points.
-- Home side won both Houston-Sacramento games this year.
-- Home team is 3-0 in Portland-Seattle games this season.
-- Lakers lost two of three against Golden State this year.

Totals
-- Six of last eight Boston games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last eight New Jersey games went over the total.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven Miami games; over is 17-3 in last twenty Milwaukee games.
-- Over is 16-5-1 in last 22 Phoenix games.
-- Nine of last eleven Denver games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Sacramento games stayed under the total.
-- Nine of last twelve Seattle games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Warrior games stayed under the total.

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[pm530]

National Basketball Association - Tips & Trends

NBA


Monday, March 24

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Tips and Trends
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Phoenix Suns at Detroit Pistons [NBA | 7:35 PM ET]

Suns: In the West's ever-changing landscape, the title of "conference's hottest team" now belongs to the Suns. Phoenix stretched the league's longest active winning streak to seven, with a 122-113 victory over the Rockets last time out. It wa sthe sixth straight game Phoenix has scored at least 110 points, and brought its scoring average during the run up to 117 points. Shaquille O'Neal has been dominating the post and keeping up with the run-and-gun style scoring 23 points with 13 rebounds against Houston.

Suns are 1-8 ATS in the last 9 meetings.

Key Injuries - G Raja Bell (12 ppg; ankle) is questionable

PROJECTED SCORE: 102

Pistons (-3, O/U 206): The Detroit Pistons are 27-6 at home this season, and are 13-2 in their last 15 games alone. Detroit is holding opponents to 91 points per game this season and rank among the league leaders, including holding the Hornets and Spurs to 164 points combined on its last homestand. The Pistons shot an amazing 60 percent from the field last time at the Palace against a poor defensive team in Denver, and according to team insiders they are looking forward to returning home after their road trip which concluded Sunday night.

The OVER is 5-2 in the Pistons last 7 home games.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 105



Portland Trailblazers at Seattle Supersonics [NBA | 10:05 PM ET]

Blazers (-8.5, O/U 205.5): This is a good stretch of schedule for Portland, which has to finish only 5-7 over the last dozen games to earn a winning record. The Blazers are fresh off of back-to-back victories over the Clippers and have brought their offense back up to life with averaging 96 ppg over their last five. LaMarcus Aldridge had his 14th double-double of the season with 21 points and 10 rebounds in that latest victory, and recorded 23 points with 8 rebounds last time against Seattle.

Blazers are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 road games.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 109 (OVER - Total Play of the Day)

Sonics : With 12 games left, the Sonics are limping toward the end of the season. Losers of 11 straight, and 15 of their last 16 games, the Sonics finished a 115-101 loss on Saturday at Utah with only nine healthy bodies. The biggest names were Earl Watson suffering a bruised calf and forward Chris Wilcox with an injuried pinkie finger. Seattle looks to be packing it in for the season, as they haven't held an opponent under the century mark in 15 straight games, with the last opponent being these Blazers (87).

Sonics are 3-6-1 ATS in their last 10 games.

Key Injuries -F Chris Wilcox (13 ppg; ankle) is questionable
G Earl Watson (9 ppg; calf) is probable

PROJECTED SCORE: 100

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[pm530]

National Basketball Association - Gameday

NBA
Gameday


Monday, March 24

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NBA Gameday
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Monday NBA Gameday

The NBA steals the hoops spotlight back from the college ranks on Monday, with the Phoenix Suns facing the Detroit Pistons in the top matchup. Here's your NBA Gameday:

Phoenix Suns at Detroit Pistons, 7:30pm ET

The Suns have won seven straight games to stay close to the Lakers in the battle for top spot in the Pacific Division. Phoenix hasn't lost since falling in back-to-back contests to the Nuggets and Jazz on March 5 and March 7. The Suns knocked off the Rockets 122-113 in their last game on Saturday, with Amare Stoudemire scoring 38 in that win.

Detroit has had some good success against the top Western Conference teams over the past couple of weeks. The Pistons knocked off the Spurs 84-80 back on March 14, and they followed up that result with strong victories over the Hornets (105-84) and the Nuggets (136-120). Detroit is close to locking down first place in the Central Division.

Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics, 7:30pm ET

The Sixers' strong play in the month of March has them comfortably in the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia has gone 9-2 since March 1, losing only to the Celtics (March 10) and the Magic (113-95). The Sixers are coming off a 91-87 win over the rival Nets on Saturday, with Andre Iguodala pouring in a game-high 28 points.

Boston impressed with consecutive road wins over the Spurs, Rockets, and Mavericks last week, but they're coming off a 113-106 loss in New Orleans on Saturday. Paul Pierce had a team-high 28 points for the Celtics in that defeat, while Kevin Garnett picked up 19 points and 12 rebounds. Boston has already clinched first in the Atlantic.

Sacramento Kings at Houston Rockets, 8:30pm ET

The Kings are currently on a two-game losing streak, falling back-to-back to the Spurs and Grizzlies on Friday and Saturday. Sacramento is just 4-6 over its past 10 games, and the team has no shot at a playoff berth in the tough Western Conference. Kevin Martin had 29 points against Memphis, while Ron Artest and Brad Miller sat with injuries.

The Rockets' lengthy winning streak was snapped by the Celtics last Tuesday, and they've now lost three of their past four contests to give up some ground to the Hornets and Spurs in the Southwest Division standings. Houston fell 122-113 to the Suns on Saturday, with Tracy McGrady contributing 30 points and Luis Scola tossing in 16 points.

Portland Trail Blazers at Seattle SuperSonics, 10:00pm ET

The Trail Blazers will likely finish with a winning record this season, but that's not going to be enough to get them into contention for a playoff berth in the Western Conference. Portland beat the Clippers twice over the weekend, winning 107-102 at home on Friday, and 83-72 on the road on Saturday. Brandon Roy had 23 points in that Saturday victory.

The Sonics have lost 11 games in a row, and they now sit with the worst record in the Western Conference (16-54). Seattle hasn't won since they knocked off the Timberwolves 111-108 on March 2. The Sonics fell 115-101 to the Jazz last time out on Saturday night, with Kevin Durant and Jeff Green both scoring 23 points in that defeat.

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[pm530]

College Basketball – Long Sheet

NCAAB
Long Sheet


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Monday, March 24

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UAB (23 - 10) at VIRGINIA TECH (20 - 13) - 3/24/2008, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VIRGINIA TECH is 19-10 ATS (+8.0 Units) in all games this season.
VIRGINIA TECH is 19-10 ATS (+8.0 Units) in all lined games this season.
VIRGINIA TECH is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
VIRGINIA TECH is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
UAB is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 this season.

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

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CALIFORNIA (17 - 15) at OHIO ST (20 - 13) - 3/24/2008, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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DAYTON (22 - 10) at ILLINOIS ST (25 - 9) - 3/24/2008, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DAYTON is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
DAYTON is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
ILLINOIS ST is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.

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

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NEBRASKA (20 - 12) at OLE MISS (22 - 10) - 3/24/2008, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEBRASKA is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
NEBRASKA is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
OLE MISS is 18-6 ATS (+11.4 Units) after scoring 80 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
OLE MISS is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 over the last 3 seasons.

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

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OLD DOMINION (18 - 15) at VIRGINIA (16 - 15) - 3/24/2008, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OLD DOMINION is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
OLD DOMINION is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) in all tournament games over the last 2 seasons.
OLD DOMINION is 65-91 ATS (-35.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
VIRGINIA is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) in home games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games since 1997.
VIRGINIA is 25-42 ATS (-21.2 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 since 1997.

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

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VALPARAISO (22 - 13) at HOUSTON (23 - 9) - 3/24/2008, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VALPARAISO is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
HOUSTON is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) after scoring 80 points or more this season.

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

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OHIO U (20 - 12) at BRADLEY (18 - 15) - 3/24/2008, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRADLEY is 56-39 ATS (+13.1 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
BRADLEY is 56-39 ATS (+13.1 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
BRADLEY is 33-20 ATS (+11.0 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
BRADLEY is 27-15 ATS (+10.5 Units) in all home games over the last 3 seasons.
BRADLEY is 27-15 ATS (+10.5 Units) in home lined games over the last 3 seasons.
BRADLEY is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
OHIO U is 41-24 ATS (+14.6 Units) after scoring 80 points or more since 1997.

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

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UTAH (18 - 14) at TULSA (21 - 13) - 3/24/2008, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TULSA is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) as a favorite this season.
TULSA is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in home games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 43-26 ATS (+14.4 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game since 1997.

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

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[pm530]

College Basketball – Write up

NCAAB
Write-up


Monday, March 24

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Monday's NIT Games

UAB won six of last eight games, losing to Memphis and in OT to Tulsa- they lost 78-70 to Florida State of ACC in November. Blazers won four of last five road games. Virginia Tech is 6-2 in its last eight games, losing to Carolina, Clemson by total of just three points- they're 10-5 outside of ACC, covered last five tilts when they were favored.

Ohio State won three of last four games after 2-6 skid that KO'd them out of NCAAs; Buckeyes covered last three as a favorite. California covered seven of its last eight as road underdog in Pac-10 games, six of nine as underdog overall, but they're still just 2-6 in last eight overall. OSU is 9-4 outside the Big 11; Cal is 9-2 in its non-conference games.

Dayton won five of its last six games; they're 13-1 in non-A-14 games, 5-4 vs spread as underdog this season. George Mason is only non-league to beat Dayton this season. Illinois State is 6-1 in its last seven games, winning last four at home by 4-12-14-4 points. Redbirds are 9-3 outside of MVC, with wins over Cincinnati, NC-Wilmington.

Ole Miss won four of its last five games, losing in double OT in SEC tourney to Georgia; Rebels won last four home games, by 11-3-9-15 points. Ole Miss is 14-0 outside SEC. Nebraska is 2-8 on road this season, with only wins at Missouri, Tex A&M. Huskers are 12-2 outside the Big 12, losing in OT at Western Kentucky, and at Creighton- they're 4-1 in last five as the dog.


Monday's CBI Games

Virginia beat Drexel 72-58 in its only game vs CAA opponent; Cavaliers are just 2-3 in last five games, nipping Richmond by hoop in their first CBI game. Old Dominion won six of last eight tilts- they lost 66-53 at Clemson, 99-82 at North Carolina, beat Va Tech 72-69 in their games against ACC foes this year. ODU covered three of its last four as an underdog.

Valparaiso won five of last six games, winning at Washington in first round, 72-71 (+10); Crusaders are 2-4-1 vs spread in last seven tries as underdog. Houston shoots lot of 3's; they're 2-3 in last five games, also winning by point on road in its first CBI game (80-79 at Nevada)- Cougars are 0-4 vs spread in last four tries as the favorite.

Ohio is just 4-5 in last nine games after beating Brown in first round- they're 1-4-1 vs spread in last six tries as a dog. Bradley ended three-game skid when they beat Cincinnati in first round Braves are 1-3 vs spread in last four tries as favorite, 9-5 out of Missouri Valley. Bobcats are 11-4 outside of the MAC.

Tulsa has been terrific home team, winning seven in row there since losing to Memphis Jan 23; Hurricane covered its last six at home, and won seven in row outside C-USA after a 1-4 start in November. Utah won at UTEP in first round, just their third win in last nine games- they're 9-4 outside of Mountain West, 3-1-1 vs spread in last five games as the underdog.

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[pm530]

College Basketball - Tips & Trends

NCAAB


Monday, March 24

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Tips and Trends
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California at Ohio State [ESPN | 7:00 PM ET]

Cal: California was the best offensive team in the Pac-10 but ranked last in defense. When the Bears won, it was on those nights when they focused in on defense. California bounced back from a UCLA beating with an opening round victory over New Mexico. Top scorer Ryan Anderson didn't miss a beat with 26 points in that vwin, but one of the toughest aspects of the NIT can be the travel, especially in the second-round and quarterfinal games.

The OVER is 21-6 in Cal?s last 27 road games.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 66

Ohio State (-7.5, O/U 141.5): Ohio State has taken care of its homecourt this season, going 15-3. The Buckeyes are scoring 71 points while allowing just 58 ppg. State once again protected its turf in the opening round of the NIT with an 18-point victory over NC-Ashville, and all three leading scorers Butler, Koufos, and Hunter combined for 52 of the 84 points. The Buckeyes haven't had to travel at all, unlike their opponent.

The UNDER is 9-4 in Ohio State's last 13 home games.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 76 (Side Play of the Day)



UAB at Virginia Tech [ESPN | 9:00 PM ET]

UAB: Head coach Mike Davis said his team hasn't played very well since the UTEP game in February, but did upset Virginia Commonwealth in the first round of the NIT on Wednesday. The Blazers survived a late rally by the Rams in an 80-77 victory against a VCU team which was 12-1 at home. UAB's backcourt defense has been an off-an-on issue and will be tested against Virginia Tech's guard-heavy attack.

UAB is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games overall.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 64

Virginia Tech (-7.5, O/U 135): Virginia Tech is playing well. The Hokies have played solid in Blacksburg and advanced with a 32-point blowout win over MEAC club Morgan State in the opening round of the NIT. Tech out-rebounded Morgan State 32-17 in that victory and should have another advantage against this UAB team, which lacks an inside physical presence.

Virginia Tech is 8-0 ATS in its last 8 games overall.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 72

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[pm530]

National Hockey League – Write up

NHL
Write-up


Monday, March 24

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Today's NHL analysis

Hot Teams
-- Penguins won seven of their last nine games.
-- Canadiens are 9-4 in their last thirteen games. Senators won three of their last four home games.
-- Oilers won eleven of their last fourteen games.
-- Flames won three of their last four games.

Cold Teams
-- Islanders lost nine of their last ten games.
-- Minnesota lost four of its last five games.
-- Colorado lost last four games, outscored 16-9.

Series Records
-- Penguins won four of last five against the Islanders.
-- Senators won eight of last nine against Montreal.
-- Home team won last seven Minnesota-Edmonton games.
-- Flames won three of last four against Colorado.

Totals
-- Over is 4-0-1 in last five Pittsburgh games; last four Islander games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last seven Montreal games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 13-4 in last seventeen Edmonton games.
-- Under is 11-4-1 in last sixteen Calgary games.

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[pm530]

National Hockey League – Additional

NHL


Monday, March 24

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NHL -– Trend Sheet
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MARCH 24, 7:00 PM

PITTSBURGH vs. NY ISLANDERS
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing NY Islanders
Pittsburgh is 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against NY Islanders
NY Islanders are 1-7 SU in their last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the NY Islanders last 5 games



MARCH 24, 7:30 PM

OTTAWA vs. MONTREAL
Ottawa is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Ottawa's last 8 games on the road
Montreal is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Montreal's last 7 games



MARCH 24, 9:00 PM

CALGARY vs. COLORADO
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Calgary's last 14 games
Calgary is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Colorado is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Calgary
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Colorado's last 7 games when playing at home against Calgary



MARCH 24, 9:00 PM

MINNESOTA vs. EDMONTON
Minnesota is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games when playing Edmonton
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing Edmonton
Edmonton is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Edmonton's last 8 games at home

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[Udog]

NBA
Hot Lines


Monday, March 24

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Pick 'n' roll: Monday's best NBA bets
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Phoenix at Detroit (-3, 206)

The Phoenix Suns have one of the most-potent offenses in the NBA, but their latest offensive explosion has been astonishing - even by their high standards.

The Suns look to match a season high with their eighth straight win when they open a daunting four-game road trip against the Central Division-leading Detroit Pistons on Monday.

Phoenix (47-22) has only two road victories - at Portland and Seattle - during its seven-game streak, and it will see much tougher competition over the next week. After Detroit (49-20), the Suns visit league-leading Boston on Wednesday, red-hot Philadelphia on Friday and New Jersey Saturday.

The Pistons, who have the second-best defense in the league (90.8), have won three straight home games, and 13 of their last 15 at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Detroit won at Phoenix 116-86 on Feb. 24, but the Suns were still adjusting to the addition of Shaquille O'Neal at that time.

Phoenix has had no trouble with O'Neal in the lineup lately.

The Suns won their seventh in a row, 122-113 over Houston on Saturday. Phoenix has moved ahead of the Rockets into third place in the Western Conference, one-half game behind first-place New Orleans, which is percentage points ahead of the Pacific Division-leading Los Angeles Lakers.

The Suns, who reeled off eight consecutive wins Nov. 9-23, had lost four of five immediately before their current run, dropping to sixth in the West.

"I just don't want us to get ahead of ourselves," Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said. "Two weeks ago, we weren't going to make the playoffs, according to a lot of people, and today we'll probably never lose again, and neither one of them is true - we're right in the middle. We're still working and have got some things to do."

The Pistons lost their second straight, 95-83 at Washington on Sunday. Detroit is still 10 games ahead of second-place Cleveland in the Central, and close to clinching its fourth straight division title. The Pistons are also second in the Eastern Conference.

"With the position that we're in, we have the luxury of trying to work on some things,'' guard Chauncey Billups said. "We're not moving up or down or trying to go nowhere. We just have to stay healthy and try to work on some things that could benefit us in some series.''

Pick: over


Portland at Seattle (+8 1/2, 205)

For the Portland Trail Blazers to avoid missing the playoffs for a fifth straight year, they must continue stringing together wins.

The Trail Blazers will try for their longest winning streak in more than two months on Monday when they close out their season series with the stumbling Seattle SuperSonics, who have dropped 11 straight.

Portland (37-33) seeks to return to the postseason for the first time since 2003, but is currently 10th in the competitive Western Conference, 6 1/2 games behind eighth-place Golden State for the final playoff spot and five behind ninth-place Denver.

However, the Blazers completed a home-and-home sweep of the Los Angeles Clippers with an 83-72 road win on Saturday. Brandon Roy scored 23 points, while LaMarcus Aldridge added 21 and 10 rebounds for the Blazers, who have not won three straight games since winning four in a row from Jan. 2-9.

The Blazers shot just 46.0 percent (74-for-161) in the two victories, but outrebounded the Clippers 87-69. Portland's 53 rebounds Saturday matched a season high set in an 89-79 win over Northwest Division rival Seattle (16-54) on Dec. 25.

Portland center Joel Przybilla grabbed a career-high 25 rebounds Saturday, two shy of the team record set Feb. 26, 1975.

"One of the assistant coaches told me before the game they were probably going to go small, so just try to get every rebound. And that's what I focused on," said Przybilla, who is averaging a team-leading 8.0 boards. "(Friday night) we played at home and I only got three rebounds, so I was upset with myself because that's not me. I take a lot of pride in my rebounding. That's what my job is."

The Blazers have outrebounded Seattle - the league's leader with 44.6 per game - only once in three games.

The Blazers have won five of their last eight on the road, but dropped their last two in Seattle, where they are 2-7 since the start of 2003-04.

Seattle, which begins a seven-game homestand, has lost five straight at KeyArena and is a conference-worst 10-23 at home. The Sonics - 1-15 since their February victory over Portland - extended their losing streak with a 115-101 defeat at Utah on Saturday.

Pick: Trail Blazers