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**Udog** · 03-19-2010, 03:59 AM

Daily Sports Roundup: March 19

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Jazz take on the Suns in Phoenix, while the Orange and Blue Devils put their top seeds on the line in the NCAA tourney.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

There are 11 games around the NBA on Friday, including Oklahoma City at Toronto. The Thunder (41-25 SU, 39-27 ATS) fell 100-92 in Charlotte in their last game on Wednesday, with Kevin Durant scoring 26 points in the losing cause. The Raptors (33-33 SU, 29-37 ATS) slipped past Atlanta for a 106-105 win in their last game on Wednesday night; Andrea Bargnani had 22 points and 11 rebounds in that win. The Thunder and Raptors met in Oklahoma City back on February 28, with the Raptors missing star forward Chris Bosh in a 119-99 loss.

Also on the NBA hardwood on Friday: Detroit at Indiana, Philadelphia at New York, Charlotte at Atlanta, Cleveland at Chicago, Boston at Houston, Golden State at San Antonio, Washington at Portland, Milwaukee at Sacramento, Minnesota at the Lakers, and Utah at Phoenix. The Jazz (44-24 SU, 42-23-3 ATS) have won two straight games, blowing past Minnesota in a 122-100 win on Wednesday night. The Suns (42-26 SU, 39-28-1 ATS) have also won two in a row, beating the T-Wolves 152-114 on Tuesday. Utah is 2-0 vs. Phoenix this year.

Over in the NCAA Tournament the first round wraps up on Friday, with top seeds Syracuse and Duke hitting the hardwood. The Orange (28-4 SU, 18-9 ATS) are No. 1 in the West Region, and they'll take on No. 16 Vermont in front of a friendly crowd at Buffalo's HSBC Arena on Friday night; the oddsmakers have Syracuse pegged as big 17-point favorites in that matchup, with the total at 143 points. The Blue Devils (29-5 SU, 18-14-1 ATS) will take on No. 16 Arkansas-Pine Bluff at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena on Friday night. Duke is listed as a 23-point favorite vs. the Golden Lions, who got the win in Tuesday's play-in contest.

Duke is No .1 in the South; other South matchups Friday: No. 13 Siena vs. No. 4 Purdue (-4), No. 12 Utah State vs. No. 5 Texas A&M (-3), and No. 9 Louisville vs. No. 8 California (-1). In the West on Friday it's also No. 11 Minnesota vs. No. 6 Xavier (PK), No. 14 Oakland vs. No. 3 Pittsburgh (-10.5), and No. 9 Florida State (-1.5) vs. No. 8 Gonzaga. In the Midwest it'll be No. 10 Georgia Tech vs. No. 7 Oklahoma State (-1.5), No. 12 New Mexico State vs. No. 5 Michigan State (-13), No. 15 UCSB vs. No. 2 Ohio State (-17.5), and No. 13 Houston vs. No. 4 Maryland (-9.5). As well, the East matchups on Friday are No. 15 Morgan State vs. No. 2 West Virginia (-17.5), No. 12 Cornell vs. No. 5 Temple (-4), No. 10 Missouri vs. No. 7 Clemson (-1.5), and No. 13 Wofford vs. No. 4 Wisconsin (-10).

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

Finally, the National Hockey League has four games on tap for Friday, with Minnesota at Columbus, Detroit at Edmonton, the Islanders at Anaheim, and San Jose at Calgary. The Flames helped their playoff chances with a 3-2 win in Colorado on Wednesday night; Rene Bourque scored twice for Calgary in that contest, while Vesa Toskala made 32 saves between the pipes. Calgary, though, was bombed 9-1 in San Jose the last time they took on the Sharks on January 18. Joe Pavelski had a goal and three assists for San Jose in that game, and Dany Heatley scored twice. Evgeni Nabokov stopped 21 of the 22 Calgary shots.

**Udog** · 03-19-2010, 03:59 AM

Bettors' best friend: Friday's wagering tips

Lines off the board

Detroit Pistons at Indiana Pacers: Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey (seizure) and center Ben Wallace (knee) are probable and center Chris Wilcox (back) is questionable.

Charlotte Bobcats at Atlanta Hawks: Bobcats forwards Gerald Wallace (ankle) and Stephen Jackson (heel) are probable. Hawks guard Joe Jackson (Achilles) is questionable.

Golden State Warriors at San Antonio Spurs: Warriors guard Stephen Curry (ankle) and forward Ronny Turiaf (knee) are questionable.

Utah Jazz at Phoenix Suns: Jazz guards Deron Williams (ankle) and Wesley Matthews (knee) and forward Andrei Kirilenko (calf) are questionable.

Chicago Bulls at Cleveland Cavaliers: Bulls guard Derrick Rose (wrist) is probable and center Luol Deng (calf) is doubtful.

New York Islanders at Anaheim Ducks: Islanders wing Kyle Okposo (undisclosed) and Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf (ankle) and wing George Parros (head) are questionable.

Lines to keep an eye on

Washington Wizards at Portland Trail Blazers: The total opened at 193 and dropped to 192. Under is 8-2 in last 10 at Portland.

Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers: The total opened at 215.5 and jumped to 216.5. Over is 7-2 in the T'wolves' last nine.

Morgan State vs. West Virginia: The Mountaineers opened as 16.5-point favorites but that number has jumped to as high as 18 at some books.

Who's hot

Milwaukee Bucks are 22-5-1 ATS in their last 28.

Cleveland Cavaliers are 11-1 SU in their last 12.

Golden State Warriors are 10-3 ATS in their last 13.

Cornell is 10-0 ATS in their last 10 vs. the Atlantic 10.

Who's not

Toronto Raptors are 1-11 ATS in their last 12.

Chicago Bulls have lost nine in a row SU and are 2-7 ATS.

Washington Wizards have lost nine in a row SU.

Missouri Tigers are 1-3 SU and 0-4 ATS in their last four.

Key stat

15.9 - Average margin of victory for the Lakers' during their current nine-game winning streak over the Timberwolves. The Lakers are favored by 15.5.

Injury that shouldn't be overlooked

Missouri forward Laurence Bowers, who moved into the starting lineup after an injury to Justin Safford, revealed this week that he is postponing surgery to repair two torn ligaments in his wrist until after the NCAA Tournament. It could be a short wait since Bowers, who averages 10.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, clearly will not be 100 percent for today's first-round game against Clemson.

Game of the day

Utah Jazz at Phoenix Suns

Notable quotable

"That shot was bigger than he could imagine. It wasn't just a game-winning shot. We'll remember this for the rest of our lives."

No. 13-seeded Murray State's B.J. Jenkins said of teammate Danero Thomas' buzzer-beater to upset No. 4 Vanderbilt 66-65 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Tips and notes

Following their fifth straight loss Monday, Raptors star Chris Bosh called out his teammates and himself. On Thursday they responded with a 106-105 victory over Atlanta on Bosh's buzzer-beater. The last time Bosh went off like this, also after a five-game losing streak in December, the Raptors won three straight and 20 of their next 29. Consider it a warning more than a tip if the Thunder -1.5 points sounds too easy.

If the Timberwolves haven't quit, it's safe to say the white flag has been unfurled and is ready for waving. The T'wolves are 1-17 SU in their last 18 and 0-6-1 ATS in their last seven, losing their last three on their current road trip by an average of 25 points and letting foes score more than 129 during that stretch. The Lakers are home, healthy and hungry against the tired T'wolves, who are playing their fifth road game in seven days.

Many believe West Virginia should be a No. 1 seed and they Mountaineers might be if they could shoot. But despite being one of the NCAA Tournament's hottest teams heading into the tourney, WVU also are among the coldest-shooting teams in the field. It's been 12 games since the Mountaineers have hit better than 37 percent from 3-point range and more than two months since they shot better than 50 percent from the field.

**Udog** · 03-19-2010, 04:00 AM

Friday six-pack

-- Jets are playing on Monday night in Week 1 in the new stadium in the Jersey Swamp, in September, while the Giants will play Snday afternoon in Week 1. Jets are also hosting a Thanksgiving night game.

-- Hopefully, Cliff Lee doesn't appeal his suspension, and will miss the Mariners' first series of the year against my A's. We could use a break.

-- You can bet on which team gets to 15 points first in an NBA game.

-- Michigan is going to play its first night home game in September '11; not sure why they aren't playing one this fall, but they're not.

-- Seeing Jim Thome in the Twins' lineup just doesn't seem right.

-- Pablo Sandoval (.387 OB%) was only Giants starter who had OB% of more than .330 last year. Thats not good.

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

Friday's List of 13: Wrapping up the first day of March Madness.....

13) Nine of 16 games decided by five or less points, or in OT; five teams seeded 10th or worse won. Just another day in the NCAA tournament.

12) Big East teams went 1-3 Thursday; all winter, as every league game is broadcast, Big East announcers preach how great their league is. No other league does that, then Georgetown gives up 97 points to the 9th-seeded team in the MAC, who won two conference tourney games in overtime, or else they would have been lucky to be in the CBI or CIT.

11) Hoyas became first 3-seed in four years to lose in first round; Iowa lost to Northwestern State, but that game was little fluky, as Hawkeyes blew 17-point lead in that game. Ohio ran the Hoyas off the floor.

10) Memo to ESPN; Get some more MAC games on TV next winter.

9) Marquette had a 14-point lead in second half over Washington, but the Huskies rallied for the win, just another in long line of nailbiters for the Golden Eagles, who made 12-19 from the arc and still lost.

8) Reynolds/Fisher didn't start for Villanova and Wildcats sleptwalked through first 35:00 of game, before the refs bailed them out as Villanova escaped the first round with 73-70 OT win over gritty Robert Morris. Wildcats were 31-40 from line in game they trailed most of the way. Odd that the Big East team that played the worst was only one that won.

7) Luke Harangody had an excellent college career, but averaged 9 ppg on 29% shooting in four career games in the NCAA tournament.

6) This is second time in three years Vandy lost in first round as a 4-seed.

5) Georgetown became first 3-seed to lose in first round in four years.

4) UTEP led Butler by six at half, then got outscored 50-26 in second half as Butler hit 10-13 from the arc, with Shelvin Mack going 6-7. Impressive show of force by Butler, which if it makes Final Four, would be playing in its home town of Indianapolis.

3) Sam Houston State came into tournament as 38% team beyond arc, but somehow covered the spread despite an atrocious 5-31 brickfest against Baylor, which has couple players the Bearkats wouldn't even guard, thats how unbalanced Baylor is on offense.

2) Senior PG Ish Smith hit winning shot for Wake Forest against Texas; not bad for a kid who shoots 42.7% from floor, 22% from arc, 50% from the line. Rick Barnes had to be happy when Smith shot. Until it went in. The diminutive Smith had 19 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists; nice game.

1) Day 2 of the tournament has a very tough act to follow

**Udog** · 03-19-2010, 04:02 AM

NBA

Friday, March 19

The remaining matchups wil be posted asap.

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
DETROIT vs. INDIANA
Detroit is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Detroit is 2-10 SU in its last 12 games
Indiana is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Detroit
Indiana is 8-13-2 ATS in its last 23 games when playing at home against Detroit

7:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. TORONTO
Oklahoma City is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Oklahoma City is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Toronto
Toronto is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
Toronto is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City

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**Udog** · 03-19-2010, 04:03 AM

NBA

Friday, March 19

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Pick 'n' Roll: Today's best NBA bets
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Detroit Pistons at Indiana Pacers (N/A)

If you’re wondering how the Cavs could lock up their division title so soon these two teams should help explain.

The Pistons and Pacers don’t have much to play for in the final weeks of the regular season. Indiana coach Jim O’Brien says his star forward and best scorer, Danny Granger, is out indefinitely after taking an elbow to the cheek Tuesday night against Charlotte.

The Pistons are still waiting to get combo guard Rodney Stuckey back. The Eastern Washington product collapsed in a game against Cleveland on March 5 and hasn’t played since. Coach John Kuester hopes to have Stuckey back for Friday’s game.

Is it possible the Pistons miss Ben Wallace more than Stuckey right now? Detroit is allowing 110 points per game over the last eight games that Wallace has been out with a knee injury.

Pick: Over

Boston Celtics at Houston Rockets (-1.5, 203)

The Houston Rockets are enjoying their longest winning streak of the season. It looks like Kevin Martin and Aaron Brooks have worked out all the kinks in backcourt. The pair is averaging 45.5 points during the four-game unbeaten run.

The team still struggles to get easy baskets and defend inside.

The Celtics seem to beat the teams they’re supposed to and lose to teams with any kind of momentum. Kevin Garnett doesn’t abuse a weak frontcourts offensively any more and you don’t want to rely on scoring from defensive center Kendrick Perkins.

Rajon Rondo is an elite defensive guard and he should keep Aaron Brooks under wraps. Expect the Celtics to close out Houston long-range bombers and slow the pace.

Pick: Under

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**Udog** · 03-19-2010, 04:03 AM

NBA

Friday, March 19

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What bettors need to know: Jazz at Suns
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Utah Jazz at Phoenix Suns (N/A)

The skinny

Who's hotter? The Suns have won 16 of their past 21 while the Jazz have won 20 of their past 26. The Jazz are currently in fourth place in the Western Conference playoff standings but have just a two-game lead on sixth-placed Phoenix.

Utah has won six of the last eight meetings overall.

Playoff push

With only 14 games until the playoffs, the Suns wish they could bottle what they have going for the postseason. Amare Stoudemire, Jason Richardson and Grant Hill are playing their best basketball of the season. Nash is the healthiest he’s been since January. Center Robin Lopez changed the team's dynamic, bringing a balance to the frontcourt to help the trouble spots of defense and rebounding.

Lopez and sixth man Channing Frye have averaged 21.5 points and 10.0 rebounds combined with Lopez in the starting lineup. Guard Leandro Barbosa made his return Tuesday after missing 23 games with a wrist injury. He had seven points, three assists and three rebounds in 15 minutes. He adds even more depth and firepower to the NBA’s No. 1 offense.

"We want to take this momentum into the playoffs," Stoudemire told reporters. "We want to play well all the way into the playoffs and also through the playoffs.”

Richardson said the playoffs essentially already have begun, starting with Friday’s key game.

"Guys aren't even worried about anything but going out there and winning games," Richardson told the media. "Especially right now, nobody has personal goals. Everybody's so focused on positioning ourselves for a better playoff spot and trying to get home-court advantage that it stepped everybody's game up. We're that team you saw when we went 14-3 at the beginning of the season.”

The Suns annihilated Minnesota 152-114 at US Airways Center in their latest game Tuesday. Phoenix scored at least 35 points in each quarter for the first time since 1972. The Suns shot 56 percent, put eight scorers in double figures, hit 27-of-29 free throws and made 15-of-31 3-point shots to set a Minnesota franchise opponent record for scoring.

Jazz singing the blues

Point guard Deron Williams came down awkwardly on his ankle in the first quarter of Wednesday night’s match-up with the T-Wolves.

Williams wasn't the only Jazz player to be injured Wednesday night, either. Starting small forward Andrei Kirilenko left the game two minutes into the third quarter after re-injuring his left calf. He was wearing a walking boot on his left foot and lower leg as he left the arena Wednesday night.

"It's frustrating when it comes back, the same injury," Kirilenko, who had missed the previous two games, told the press.

Also, Utah's starting shooting guard Wesley Matthews suffered a mild sprain to his left knee. All three players are listed as day-to-day and will be re-evaluated prior to Friday night.

"Every time you look around, somebody else is hurt," coach Jerry Sloan told the media. "We've cut our practices back to almost nothing, hoping not to tax guys too much and (so they'll be able to) come out and be ready to play. It's always a fine line."

The injuries could not have come at a worse time for Utah. The Jazz are in the midst of an unrelenting stretch in which they will play 17 games in March.

"Have you seen the rest of this month?" Williams asked. "It makes me sad. [Games] Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday. Monday, Wednesday. And I ain't even looked at April.”

“It's tough, especially when we've got a lot of guys banged up, myself included. You need the rest. When we went on that win streak, the games were more spread out, we were able to recover. It just seems like we haven't had a chance to just recover. “

Despite the injuries, Utah is playing great basketball right now. The Jazz won seven of their last 10 games and trail the Nuggets by just two games in the Northwest Standings. If they want to hold on to the fourth spot in the Western Conference playoff standings, they’ll have to continue to get wins over other playoff teams.

Head to head

The most recent meeting was in Phoenix on March 4. Phoenix had a lead almost the entire game (8-point lead at halftime, 11-point lead after the third quarter). Utah exploded for 41 points in the fourth quarter and won the game 116-108.

Phoenix shot 57.5 percent from the floor, but had 19 turnovers and allowed 19 offensive rebounds to the Jazz.

That was the Jazz’s second straight win over the Suns this season after a 124-115 win back in January. Again, Phoenix held a lead going into the fourth quarter but was outscored 33-19 in the final period.

Utah is 7-2 ATS in the last nine meetings with Phoenix and 8-1 ATS in the last nine games at Phoenix. The underdog is 17-8 ATS in the last 25 meetings and the road team is 12-5 ATS in the last 17 meetings.

Trends

Utah is 36-15-3 ATS in its last 54 games overall and 13-4-1 ATS in its last 18 road games.
Phoenix is 16-5 ATS in its last 21 games overall and 7-3 ATS in its last 10 home games.

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**Udog** · 03-19-2010, 04:05 AM

NBA
Dunkel

The POD will be posted asap.

FRIDAY, MARCH 19

Game 823-824: Vermont vs. Syracuse
Dunkel Ratings: Vermont 58.266; Syracuse 71.037
Dunkel Line: Syracuse by 13
Vegas Line: Syracuse by 17 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Vermont (+17 1/2)

Game 825-826: Florida State vs. Gonzaga
Dunkel Ratings: Florida State 67.966; Gonzaga 67.275
Dunkel Line: Florida State by 1
Vegas Line: Florida State by 1 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Gonzaga (+1 1/2)

Game 827-828: Morgan State vs. West Virginia
Dunkel Ratings: Morgan State 54.356; West Virginia 71.744
Dunkel Line: West Virginia by 17 1/2
Vegas Line: West Virginia by 17
Dunkel Pick: West Virginia (-17)

Game 829-830: Missouri vs. Clemson
Dunkel Ratings: Missouri 65.655; Clemson 71.628
Dunkel Line: Clemson by 6
Vegas Line: Clemson by 1
Dunkel Pick: Clemson (-1)

Game 831-832: Cornell vs. Temple
Dunkel Ratings: Cornell 61.561; Temple 66.009
Dunkel Line: Temple by 4 1/2
Vegas Line: Temple by 3 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Temple (-3 1/2)

Game 833-834: Wofford vs. Wisconsin
Dunkel Ratings: Wofford 60.304; Wisconsin 69.945
Dunkel Line: Wisconsin by 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Wisconsin by 10
Dunkel Pick: Wofford (+10)

Game 835-836: AR-Pine Bluff vs. Duke
Dunkel Ratings: AR-Pine Bluff 48.109; Duke 76.435
Dunkel Line: Duke by 28 1/2
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 837-838: Louisville vs. California
Dunkel Ratings: Louisville 68.711; California 70.630
Dunkel Line: California by 2
Vegas Line: Louisville by 1
Dunkel Pick: California (+1)

Game 839-840: UC-Santa Barbara vs. Ohio State
Dunkel Ratings: UC-Santa Barbara 57.543; Ohio State 73.486
Dunkel Line: Ohio State by 16
Vegas Line: Ohio State by 17
Dunkel Pick: UC-Santa Barbara (+17)

Game 841-842: Georgia Tech vs. Oklahoma State
Dunkel Ratings: Georgia Tech 66.698; Oklahoma State 70.002
Dunkel Line: Oklahoma State by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: Oklahoma State by 1 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma State (-1 1/2)

Game 843-844: Oakland vs. Pittsburgh
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland 58.574; Pittsburgh 68.319
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh by 10 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (+10 1/2)

Game 845-846: Minnesota vs. Xavier
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 69.748; Xavier 69.314
Dunkel Line: Even
Vegas Line: Minnesota by 1
Dunkel Pick: Xavier (+1)

Game 847-848: New Mexico State vs. Michigan State
Dunkel Ratings: New Mexico State 62.288; Michigan State 70.730
Dunkel Line: Michigan State by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Michigan State by 13 1/2
Dunkel Pick: New Mexico State (+13 1/2)

Game 849-850: Houston vs. Maryland
Dunkel Ratings: Houston 62.501; Maryland 71.952
Dunkel Line: Maryland by 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Maryland by 9
Dunkel Pick: Maryland (-9)

Game 851-852: Utah State vs. Texas A&M
Dunkel Ratings: Utah State 69.819; Texas A&M 73.405
Dunkel Line: Texas A&M by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: Texas A&M by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Texas A&M (-2 1/2)

Game 853-854: Siena vs. Purdue
Dunkel Ratings: Siena 63.290; Purdue 68.089
Dunkel Line: Purdue by 5
Vegas Line: Purdue by 4
Dunkel Pick: Purdue (-4)

**Udog** · 03-19-2010, 04:06 AM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Friday, March 19

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VERMONT (25 - 9) vs. SYRACUSE (28 - 4) - 3/19/2010, 9:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SYRACUSE is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all games this season.
SYRACUSE is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all lined games this season.
SYRACUSE is 50-30 ATS (+17.0 Units) in all neutral court games since 1997.
SYRACUSE is 50-30 ATS (+17.0 Units) when playing on a neutral court since 1997.
SYRACUSE is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in road games after scoring 80 points or more this season.
SYRACUSE is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in all tournament games over the last 2 seasons.
SYRACUSE is 16-8 ATS (+7.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
VERMONT is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
VERMONT is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
VERMONT is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 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.

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FLORIDA ST (22 - 9) vs. GONZAGA (26 - 6) - 3/19/2010, 7:20 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA ST is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in all games this season.
FLORIDA ST is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in all lined games this season.
FLORIDA ST is 6-13 ATS (-8.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
FLORIDA ST is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
FLORIDA ST is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
GONZAGA is 42-25 ATS (+14.5 Units) as an underdog since 1997.

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

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MORGAN ST (27 - 9) vs. W VIRGINIA (27 - 6) - 3/19/2010, 12:15 PM
Top Trends for this game.
W VIRGINIA is 78-55 ATS (+17.5 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
W VIRGINIA is 12-2 ATS (+9.8 Units) in a NCAA tournament games since 1997.

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

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MISSOURI (22 - 10) vs. CLEMSON (21 - 10) - 3/19/2010, 2:45 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MISSOURI is 34-23 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MISSOURI is 34-23 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEMSON is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in all neutral court games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEMSON is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in road games after a conference game this season.
CLEMSON is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) when playing on a neutral court over the last 2 seasons.
CLEMSON is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in all tournament games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEMSON is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in road games in first round tournament games since 1997.
CLEMSON is 1-11 ATS (-11.1 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CLEMSON 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.

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

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CORNELL (27 - 4) vs. TEMPLE (29 - 5) - 3/19/2010, 12:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CORNELL is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.
TEMPLE is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) in all games this season.
TEMPLE is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) in all lined games this season.
TEMPLE is 18-10 ATS (+7.0 Units) as a favorite this season.
TEMPLE is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
TEMPLE is 24-12 ATS (+10.8 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
TEMPLE is 19-10 ATS (+8.0 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
TEMPLE is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TEMPLE is 24-12 ATS (+10.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.
CORNELL is 85-55 ATS (+24.5 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
CORNELL is 54-34 ATS (+16.6 Units) in road games after a conference game since 1997.
CORNELL is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in road games in non-conference games this season.
CORNELL is 31-15 ATS (+14.5 Units) in road games after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.

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

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WOFFORD (26 - 8) vs. WISCONSIN (23 - 8) - 3/19/2010, 3:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WISCONSIN is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game this season.
WOFFORD is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) as an underdog this season.
WOFFORD is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in non-conference games this season.
WISCONSIN is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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LOUISVILLE (20 - 12) vs. CALIFORNIA (23 - 10) - 3/19/2010, 9:55 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOUISVILLE is 23-40 ATS (-21.0 Units) in all neutral court games since 1997.
LOUISVILLE is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) after a conference game this season.
LOUISVILLE is 23-40 ATS (-21.0 Units) when playing on a neutral court since 1997.

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

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UC-SANTA BARBARA (20 - 9) vs. OHIO ST (27 - 7) - 3/19/2010, 9:45 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OHIO ST is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) after scoring 80 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
OHIO ST is 40-26 ATS (+11.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
OHIO ST is 28-15 ATS (+11.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.
UC-SANTA BARBARA is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) after a conference game this season.

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

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GEORGIA TECH (22 - 12) vs. OKLAHOMA ST (22 - 10) - 3/19/2010, 7:15 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA ST is 12-1 ATS (+10.9 Units) as a favorite this season.
OKLAHOMA ST is 73-48 ATS (+20.2 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
OKLAHOMA ST is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 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.

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OAKLAND (26 - 8) vs. PITTSBURGH (24 - 8) - 3/19/2010, 2:55 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 19-6 ATS (+12.4 Units) on Friday nights since 1997.
PITTSBURGH is 15-8 ATS (+6.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
OAKLAND is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in all tournament games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in road games in March games 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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MINNESOTA (21 - 13) vs. XAVIER (24 - 8) - 3/19/2010, 12:25 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) in road games after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
XAVIER is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all games this season.
XAVIER is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
XAVIER is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
XAVIER is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
XAVIER is 29-17 ATS (+10.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
XAVIER is 78-50 ATS (+23.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.

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

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NEW MEXICO ST (22 - 11) vs. MICHIGAN ST (24 - 8) - 3/19/2010, 7:20 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW MEXICO ST is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in road games in March games since 1997.
MICHIGAN ST is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

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

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

HOUSTON (19 - 15) vs. MARYLAND (23 - 8) - 3/19/2010, 9:50 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 13-28 ATS (-17.8 Units) after scoring 80 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
MARYLAND is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) after a conference game this season.
MARYLAND is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) 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.

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

UTAH ST (27 - 7) vs. TEXAS A&M (23 - 9) - 3/19/2010, 4:55 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS A&M is 18-10 ATS (+7.0 Units) in all games this season.
TEXAS A&M is 18-10 ATS (+7.0 Units) in all lined games this season.
TEXAS A&M is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS A&M is 26-16 ATS (+8.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS A&M is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS A&M is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game this season.
UTAH ST is 19-10 ATS (+8.0 Units) in all games this season.
UTAH ST is 19-10 ATS (+8.0 Units) in all lined games this season.
UTAH ST is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) after a conference game this season.

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

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

SIENA (27 - 6) vs. PURDUE (27 - 5) - 3/19/2010, 2:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PURDUE is 10-18 ATS (-9.8 Units) as a favorite this season.
PURDUE is 68-95 ATS (-36.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
PURDUE is 37-62 ATS (-31.2 Units) in road games 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.

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

**Udog** · 03-19-2010, 04:08 AM

NCAAB
Write-Up

Friday, March 19

Friday's NCAA games
Vermont upset Syracuse in a 4-13 game five years ago, but Catamounts had better players then; America East teams lost last four tourney games by 13-27-19-24 points. Onuako is out for weekend, so Syracuse is thin, but that won't matter here, but they haven't won by more than 15 points in last nine first round games. Big East non-league favorites are 50-53.

Young Gonzaga comes all the way to western NY, their fifth trip east of Mississippi this year. Zags lost conference tourney final to St Mary's, got upset at San Francisco, both red flags. Florida State is best defensive team in country, according to kenpom.com, very athletic up front, but their last tourney win was '98- they're 0-4 vs spread in last four games.

West Virginia had emotional run thru Big East tourney, now has to crank up again against Morgan State team that lost at Minnesota by 30, Baylor by 16, Louisville by 9-- they won at Arkansas. Mountaineers are 3-6 in last nine games as favorite, 2-5 vs spread as non-conference double digit favorite. Three of last five MEAC tourney losses are by 11 or less pts.

Clemson lost last three first round games and were favored in all three- their last tourney win was '97. Clemson is 2-3 in last five games, was 2-7 on ACC road. Missouri lost three of last four games, scoring 57.8 ppg in the losses. Both teams like to press and go up and down, but Missouri's recent struggles scoring make pressing difficult. Big 12 underdogs: 18-15.

Cornell led in last 2:00 at Kansas, which is why Big Red is trendy pick for upset; that and lot of national media are Ivy grads, so they're on the Cornell bandwagon. Temple holds opponents under 30% from arc, but Cornell makes 42%+ from arc, so that will be key stat. Cornell lost by 15 to Syracuse, 10 to Seton Hall. Temple is 10-2 in last 12 as favorite.

Wofford won last 13 games, covered eight of last nine as underdog; they lost by 14 at Illinois, 2 at Bradley, 3 at Pitt, 12 at Michigan State, won at Georgia. Wisconsin had 4-game win streak snapped in first game of Big 11 tourney; they're 5-3 as double digit favorite, but 3-4 vs spread as a favorite overall. SoCon underdogs are 31-34 vs spread this season.

Ark-Pine Bluff held Winthrop to 29% Tuesday, 2-20 from arc, getting its first tournament win; Lions started season 0-11, playing seven teams in top 60, but none of the losses were by more than 20 points. Duke has to be preparing for second round game vs Louisville/Cal; they're 1-4 vs spread in last five first round games. Game means lot more to Pine Bluff.

California starts four seniors, shoots 3's well, which makes them live vs Louisville team that has to play zone because their man defense is awful. Pac-10 vs Big East bias gives Cal value. Bears won six of last seven, are 9-2 vs spread in last 11 games. Cardinals are 2-3 in their last five games, 3-7 vs spread in last ten. Cardinals are 4-8 in games outside of Louisville.

Ohio State plays seven guys; they've won last seven games, are 6-4 vs spread in last ten, Buckeyes played Sunday, could be flat vs UCSB club that won eight of last nine games and is 5-2-1 vs spread in last eight as a dog. Once-proud Big West lost last four tourney games by 12-35-15-11 points (1-3 vs spread). Big West underdogs are 26-25 against spread.

Rematch of 2004 national semifinal game, which Georgia Tech won; they went 3-1 in ACC tourney to make tournament after a 4-7 end to regular season. Jackets have two terrific big guys, but suspect guards. Oklahoma State split last six games; they were down 25 at half in last game, to K-State in Big 12 tourney. Big 12 favorites are 45-28 vs spread this year.

Pitt won seven of last nine games, is 4-4-1 as double digit favorite; they won last four first round games by 15-21-19-10 points (3-1 vs spread). Oakland lost to Syracuse/Michigan St/Memphis and Kansas, all by 30+ points- they lost to Mizzou by 16, so they're not likely to hang in here, but they did play #14-ranked non-conference schedule this season.

Minnesota got in tournament with strong Big 11 tourney, but played on Sunday- they're 8-2 vs spread in last 10 games, 7-3 SU, with two losses by 28-29 points. Xavier won seven of last eight games, losing in OT in conference tourney; Musketeers went 9-5 against #12-ranked non-conf schedule. Gophers' last tournament win came way back in 1997.

New Mexico State lost last three regular season road games before run in WAC tournament got them here; Aggies are 8-5 vs spread last 13 games as an underdog. Michigan State is 3-9 vs spread in last dozen games as a favorite, 2-6 as favorite in non-league games, 3-5 vs spread in last eight first round tournament games. WAC underdogs are 24-22 vs spread.

Houston was going to fire its coach a week ago, now they're in NCAAs after unlikely 4-day run thru C-USA tourney; Cougars were 4-8 in last 12 regular season games, losing at lowly Tulane. Maryland covered nine of last 11 as favorite, getting four-game win streak snapped in first game of ACC tourney. Terps won last four first round games by 2-3-12-13.

Utah State was one of last two teams in field after loss to athletic New Mexico State in WAC tourney; now they face an equally athletic Texas A&M squad that is 11-2 vs spread in last 13 games, 7-2 in last nine as a favorite. A&M won its last four first round games by 8-16-5-13 points. Utah State beat Wichita (Turgeon's old team) in Bracket Busters Feb 20.

Siena's best 3-point shooter sprained his ankle over weekend, had to use crutches Sunday night; status is ?? here, which almost offsets Hummel's torn ACL. Saints won first round game last two years, upsetting Ohio St in 8-9 game LY. Boilermakers trailed 37-11 at halftime of last game; they are 0-7 vs spread in last seven games, all as fave. MAAC dogs are 18-15.

**Udog** · 03-19-2010, 04:09 AM

NCAAB

Friday, March 19

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Trend Report
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12:15 PM
MORGAN STATE vs. WEST VIRGINIA
No trends available
West Virginia is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
West Virginia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

12:25 PM
MINNESOTA vs. XAVIER
Minnesota is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Minnesota is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Xavier is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games
Xavier is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games

12:30 PM
CORNELL vs. TEMPLE
Cornell is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games
Cornell is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Temple is 6-0-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Temple is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

2:30 PM
SIENA vs. PURDUE
Siena is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Siena is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Purdue is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Purdue is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games

2:45 PM
MISSOURI vs. CLEMSON
Missouri is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Missouri is 17-7 SU in its last 24 games
Clemson is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Clemson's last 6 games

2:55 PM
OAKLAND vs. PITTSBURGH
No trends available
Pittsburgh is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 7 games

3:00 PM
WOFFORD vs. WISCONSIN
Wofford is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Wofford is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Wisconsin is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Wisconsin's last 22 games

4:55 PM
UTAH STATE vs. TEXAS A&M
Utah State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Utah State is 17-1 SU in its last 18 games
Texas A&M is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 games
Texas A&M is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

7:10 PM
FLORIDA STATE vs. GONZAGA
Florida State is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Florida State is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Gonzaga is 18-3 SU in its last 21 games

7:15 PM
GEORGIA TECH vs. OKLAHOMA STATE
Georgia Tech is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Georgia Tech's last 5 games
Oklahoma State is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games
Oklahoma State is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games

7:20 PM
NEW MEXICO STATE vs. MICHIGAN STATE
New Mexico State is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games
New Mexico State is 19-5 SU in its last 24 games
Michigan State is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games
Michigan State is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games

9:40 PM
VERMONT vs. SYRACUSE
No trends available
Syracuse is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Syracuse is 21-4 SU in its last 25 games

9:45 PM
SANTA BARBARA vs. OHIO STATE
Santa Barbara is 13-6 ATS in its last 19 games
Santa Barbara is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games
Ohio State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Ohio State's last 7 games

9:50 PM
HOUSTON vs. MARYLAND
Houston is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Houston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Maryland is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Maryland is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games

9:55 PM
LOUISVILLE vs. CALIFORNIA
Louisville is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Louisville's last 10 games
California is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
California is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

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**Udog** · 03-19-2010, 04:10 AM

NCAAB

Friday, March 19

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NCAA Tournament: Regionals Day 2
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East regional

No. 15 Morgan State Bears vs. No. 2 West Virginia Mountaineers (-17.5, 138.5)

West Virginia looked tough in winning the Big East Tournament.

The Mountaineers (27-6, 13-19 ATS) are physical, talented and can throw different defensive looks at opponents on a possession-by-possession basis. They are 5-7 ATS as a double-digit favorite.

The Bears (27-9) have been overmatched by big-conference competition this season, losing to Louisville by 11, Minnesota by 30 and Baylor by 16. They own two wins over Coppin State by 20 and 13.

West Virginia beat Coppin State by 26 and Louisville by three.

Morgan State prefers to push the pace, but that can lead to sloppy play. The Bears allow 70 points, turn the ball over 13.5 times and commit more than 21 fouls per game.

Their roster is pretty similar to last year, when the Bears were blown out by Oklahoma in the opening round of the tournament.

Prediction: West Virginia 83, Morgan State 65

No. 7 Clemson Tigers (-1.5, 138.5) vs. No. 10 Missouri Tigers

It’s a tough matchup to handicap between two talented, but inconsistent teams.

Missouri (22-10) is banged-up. Starting forward John Safford tore his ACL in late February. The Tigers are 1-3 and 0-4 ATS since losing Safford.

Safford’s replacement, sophomore forward Laurance Bowers, has two torn ligaments in his wrist, but has decided to delay surgery until after the tournament and is expected to play against Clemson.
Like Missouri, Clemson (21-10) pushes the pace. But it can lead to needless turnovers (14.8 TOs per game).

Common opponents include Texas A&M and Illinois. Missouri lost by three to A&M and hammered Illinois by 13. Clemson lost by nine at home to A&M and by two at home to Illinois.

Prediction: Clemson 76, Missouri 70

No. 5 Temple Owls (-3.5, 119.5) vs. No. 12 Cornell Big Red

A trendy upset pick, Cornell (27-4, 16-10) lost by only five as 20-point dog at Kansas in early January. The Big Red own wins over St. John’s, Alabama, UMass and St. Joseph’s.

Kansas ran Temple off the floor in an 82-54 win in January. But Cornell has neither the size nor the athletes that the Jayhawks do.

But the Big Red can shoot the ball. They’re the tournament’s top 3-point shooting team, making more nine per game. If they get hot, the Owls don’t have the offensive firepower (64.9 ppg.) to keep up.

Temple (29-5, 21-11-1 ATS) has the best 3-point defense in the field, though, and has held its last seven opponents to under 60 points. That’s pretty impressive

Look for the Owls to extend their zone defense, press out on the 3-point line and force Cornell to drive the basketball. Syracuse’s zone forced the Big Red to shoot 13 for 37 from the 3-point line in a 15-point win over Cornell in December.

Prediction: Cornell 60, Temple 58

No. 12 Wofford Terriers vs. No. 4 Wisconsin Badgers (-10. 115.5)

Wofford lost to Illinois by 14 and Michigan State by 12 during non-conference play. That’s a pretty good gauge of how the Terriers will stack up with Badgers, who play the same Big Ten style of ball as the Illini and Spartans.

Expect Wisconsin to be physical with the much smaller Terriers. There won’t be any easy baskets against the Badgers’ fourth-ranked defense that allows just 56.2 points per game.

The Terriers (26-8) have had their struggles at the free throw line, shooting just 67.2 percent as a team.

In the last three NCAA tournaments, double-digit favorites are 27-18-1 against the spread.

Prediction: Wisconsin 68, Wofford 56.

South regional

No. 13 Siena Saints vs. No. 4 Purdue Boilermakers (-4, 129.5), 2:30 p.m.

In late February, Purdue had suffered just three losses the entire season, was ranked third in the nation and was eyeing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Then the Boilermakers lost leading scorer and rebounder Robbie Hummel to a knee injury, and Purdue hasn’t been the same since.

The Boilermakers are 3-2 SU and 0-4-1 ATS without Hummel in the lineup. With or without the star forward, Purdue has struggled against the number, covering just seven of 23 games since mid-December, including none of its last seven.

Although Siena is 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS as an underdog this year, the Saints have excelled as Cinderellas in past NCAA tourneys.

They are 4-1 ATS their last three trips to the Big Dance, including upset wins over Ohio State and Vanderbilt the last two years. The Saints are led by senior forward Alex Franklin (13.6 ppg, 7.5 rpg) – the MAAC player of the year, as well as the conference tournament’s MVP.

I’m going to jump on the bandwagon and choose Siena over Purdue – the region’s trendy pick of the opening round. The Boilermakers are simply a different squad without Hummel while the Saints are scrappy, well-coached and tournament-tested.

Final score prediction: Siena 64, Purdue 62

No. 12 Utah State Aggies vs. No. 5 Texas A&M Aggies (-3, 125), 4:45 p.m.

Utah State is remarkably ranked 12th or higher in the nation in half of the 10 main team statistical categories (field goal, 3-point and free-throw percentage, scoring defense and rebounds defense).

But these Aggies played a rather easy schedule, facing only three teams in the RPI’s top 50 and just one since early December (No. 43 Wichita State).

A Texas A&M victory will likely depend on the play of guard Donald Sloan (18.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.3 apg). The A&M standout likes to drive to the basket, seeks contact, and, as a result, gets a lot of free points. He shoots better than 77 percent from the charity stripe.

“It’s something that we’re aware of,” said Utah State coach Stew Morrill. “[Stopping Sloan] is easier said than done.”

Texas A&M, who faced one of the nation’s toughest schedules, has excellent guard play and is more athletic than Utah State. Watch for A&M to get the other Aggies into foul trouble, pull away for a seemingly comfortable win and reach the tourney’s second round for the fourth time in the last five years.

Final score prediction: Texas A&M 66, Utah State 54

No. 16 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions vs. No. 1 Duke Blue Devils (-23, 125), 7:25 at Jacksonville

Arkansas-Pine Bluff is fresh off a 17-point upset victory over Winthrop just three days ago in the tournament’s play-in game. The Golden Lions started the season 0-11 before winning 18 of their last 22, albeit against primarily SWAC opposition.

They must face the region’s top-seeded team in Duke, a No. 1 seed for the first time in four years.

The Blue Devils are a very un-Duke-like 3-3 SU and 1-5 ATS in the last three NCAA tourneys and have covered just two of their last nine games this season.

The Blue Devils have their best team in four years mostly because of Duke’s big three on the perimeter – guards Jon Scheyer (18.9 ppg, 5.2 apg) and Nolan Smith (17.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.0 apg), and forward Kyle Singler (17.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg).

Although reports out of Durham indicate the tourney-bound team is its most confident in years, you can’t help but think Duke might be looking ahead. The Blue Devils’ road to an Elite Eight appearance seems rather manageable.

Consider this: Duke is 1-3 ATS since 2005 when favored by 19 to 33 points in the NCAA tournament, not covering by an average of nearly 11 points. Under the same circumstances, the Blue Devils are 0-3 ATS this season.

Final score prediction: Duke 70, Ark.-Pine Bluff 52

No. 9 Louisville Cardinals vs. No. 8 California Golden Bears (Pick, 149.5), 9:45 at Jacksonville

Louisville’s success in this year’s tournament will primarily depend on the play of its leading scorer and rebounder, forward Samardo Samuels (15.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg). Although the Cardinals are deep - 11 players average at least 11 minutes per game - they’ll only go as far as Samuels takes them.

Since scoring 36 points in a victory over Notre Dame in mid-February, Samuels has averaged just 11.3 points the last six games. The Cardinals are 3-3 SU and 2-4 ATS in that span.

“I know he’s a load,” said California coach Mike Montgomery of Samuels. “He posts very hard, which obviously, given our size constraints, will cause us problems.”

Although Cal has the Pac-10 player of the year in guard Jerome Randle (18.7 ppg, 4.5 apg, 93.5 FT percentage), no Bear is as tall as the 6-9 Samuels.

The Cardinals will take advantage of a small Cal team, who has yet to face a player this season like the physical, 260-pound Samuels.

Final score prediction: Louisville 82, California 75

Midwest regional

No. 5 Michigan State Spartans vs. No. 12 New Mexico State Aggies (+13, 148)

Michigan State (24-8) ended the season with a whimper, going 5-5 in its last 10 games, including a first-round exit from the Big Ten tournament. Star point guard Kalin Lucas (14.9 ppg) didn’t regain all the quickness he lost from a late-season ankle injury.

One positive: Starting guard Chris Allen (9.1 ppg) will return after being suspended for the Big Ten tourney loss for internal team issues. He was deeply missed in that 72-67 loss to Minnesota, because the Spartans are not deep.

The Aggies (22-11) won the WAC tournament by outscoring their opponents, averaging 80 points per game in three games.

Junior 6-5 guard Jahmar Young (20.5 ppg) can score from anywhere on the court and leads the way. If the Aggies can speed the pace, force the Spartans into turnovers and play inspired defense, an upset is possible.

But MSU coach Tom Izzo typically has his teams very ready for the postseason. When the Aggies lose, they typically go down in flames. Of their 11 losses, nine were by double digits, and all were by eight points or more.

Prediction: Michigan State 78, New Mexico State 58

No. 4 Maryland Terrapins vs. No. 13 Houston Cougars (+9.5, 156)

Two of the nation’s most dynamic players face off in the opening round.

Senior 6-6 guard Greivis Vasquez (19.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 6.3 apg) does it all for Maryland (23-8). He’s the only player in ACC history with more than 2,000 points, 700 assists and 600 rebounds. When he’s hot, he’s all but unstoppable. When he’s off, he can shoot the Terps out of a game.

Maryland is much better now than it was earlier in the season. Other players have emerged, such as 6-10 freshman Jordan Williams but the team’s guards still lead the way.

Houston (19-15) sports the nation’s leading scorer, 6-4 senior Aubrey Coleman (25.6 ppg). No shot is out of his range, and the Cougars are very perimeter oriented. Five of the team’s top six scorers are guards, with 6-4 senior Kelvin Lewis second at 15.3 ppg.

If Houston can slow Vasquez, other Terps can score and will always defend. The Cougars, on the other hand, won’t have answer if Coleman is off.

Prediction: Maryland 75, Houston 65

No. 7 Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. No. 10 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (+1.5, 136)

It’s Oklahoma State’s backcourt vs. Georgia Tech’s frontcourt.

Star 6-6 guard James Anderson (22.6 ppg) can single-handedly carry the Cowboys, but he doesn’t have to. Keiton Page (10.7 ppg) and Obi Muonelo (13.4 ppg) are both solid scorers.

Oklahoma State (22-10) won its first-round game last year, but wants more this year.

“Winning one game in the tournament is just a tease,” Muonelo told The Oklahoman. “We got there last year, we were happy to get there. We don’t want to do the same thing.”

Depth isn’t a concern. Nine players average more than 10 minutes per game. But teams with size and scoring down low give the Cowboys concerns.

Georgia Tech (22-12) has one of the best frontcourt duos in freshman Derrick Favors (12.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg) and junior Gani Lawal (13.1 ppg, 8.7 rpg). Those two could give the Cowboys real trouble in the paint.

The Yellow Jackets’ backcourt, however, has struggled. Iman Schumpert is the team’s top guard, but he averages 10.1 ppg on 39.5-percent shooting.

In the NCAA Tournament, teams win with guard play more often than they win with forward play.

Prediction: Oklahoma State 68, Georgia Tech 64

No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. No. 15 UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (+17, 132)

Evan Turner is a rightful national player of the year candidate, averaging 20.3 ppg, 9.2 rpg and 5.9 apg, all team highs for Ohio State (27-7). There isn’t much the 6-7 wingman can’t do or hasn’t done in Buckeyes’ Big Ten title season.

But he’s also surrounded by talent, and is one of four players averaging more than 12.5 ppg.

Ohio State isn’t particularly large in the frontcourt, and that could pose an issue down the line. But the Buckeyes are still bigger than Santa Barbara.

Santa Barbara (20-9) became a much better team with the addition of Loyola Marymount transfer Orlando Johnson (17.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg), the Big West player of the year.

UCSB doesn’t score very much and is one of the worst rebounding teams in the tournament. That does not bode well against the talented, deep and big Buckeyes.

Prediction: Ohio State 80, UC Santa Barbara 48

West regional

Xavier Musketeers vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers (-1, 141.5) 12:25 p.m.

The Musketeers are an experienced NCAA Tournament team. The X-Men have been dancing nine of the last 10 years, including five straight, and advanced to the Sweet 16 last season.

Xavier is led by sophomore Jordan Crawford who finished first in the A-10 in scoring this season (19.7 ppg) while averaging 18.2 ppg versus Top 25 competition. He seems eager to shine on a big stage once again.

“I’m very excited just to get back out on the court and play in the NCAA Tournament because last time was not a good one,” said Crawford, who was with Indiana in the 2008 tournament. “It was real quick and it wasn’t good. And it ended up, that was my last game for two years.”

Minnesota, on the other hand, sounds content to just be in the tournament.

"We got hot at the right time. It's a great story line, guys that have had to overcome some adversity this year," coach Tubby Smith said. "I do think we're one of the best 65 teams in the country."

Really Tubby?

Prediction: Xavier 77, Minnesota 70

Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Oakland Golden Grizzlies (+10, 135) 2:40 p.m.

When the Golden Grizzlies rolled into Pittsburgh in November of 2006 and led the fourth-ranked team in the country by double digits in the first half, the time-consuming gameplan installed by coach Greg Kampe’s worked perfectly.

"When we played Pitt the last time, we held the ball for 34 seconds (each possession) and we played zone,” he said.

Kampe said his team will not "trick it up" as it did in the last matchup but will play its normal, up-tempo style of basketball that had his squad averaging 76.8 ppg this season.

"We're not dumb enough to think we're going to cut the nets down,” Kampe said. “We just want to play our tails off, have fun and see how we stack up. We like to play fast. We're not going to change that now."

Oakland comes into the tournament battle-tested, having played teams like Syracuse, Kansas, Wisconsin and Michigan State in non-conference play, and that carefree attitude takes all the pressure off the Grizzlies in this matchup.

Prediction: Pittsburgh 74, Oakland 68

Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. Florida State Seminoles (-1.5, 132) 7:10 p.m.

The Zags are no longer the Cinderella of college basketball and they aren’t intimidated when they step onto the court against a major conference team.

"They have been kind of giant killers," said Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton. "They have traveled all over the country playing anyone who would like to play. They've tried to schedule all the tough games.”

The Bulldogs faced Duke, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Cincinnati, Wake Forest and Illinois this season, compiling a 3-3 record against that elite competition and going 4-2 ATS.

Florida State will aim to slow the pace of this game which doesn’t suit the Bulldogs preferred pulse. But the Noles coach doesn’t roll into this game with a ringing endorsement.

"We still have a lot of areas in our game that we need to improve on,” Hamilton said. “We need to take care of the ball a little better.”

FSU was one of the most turnover-prone teams in the nation this season (16.8 per game), something the Zags can capitalize on in transition.

Prediction: Gonzaga 65, Florida State 63

Syracuse Orange vs. Vermont Catamounts (+17.5, 143) 9:30 p.m.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim has essentially ruled out Arinze Onuaku for Friday’s game, but there might not be too much of a drop off. The center will be replaced in the starting lineup by the Big East Sixth Man of the Year, Kris Joseph, who actually averaged more minutes than Onuaku during the season.

The Orange seem to be most concerned about their defense, or lack thereof, going into the Dance. The team’s post-postseason motto: “Shut it Down”

Syracuse will have its hands full as Vermont boasts the best kept secret in college basketball in superstar Marqus Blakely. The 6-5, 230-pound forward averaged 17.4 points and 9.4 rebounds this season.

Expect the defensive intensity of the Orange to be high.

Prediction: Syracuse 72, Vermont 53

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**Udog** · 03-19-2010, 04:14 AM

NHL

Friday, March 19

The remaining matchups will be posted asap.

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. COLUMBUS
Minnesota is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing on the road against Columbus
Columbus is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
Columbus is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing Minnesota

9:00 PM
DETROIT vs. EDMONTON
Detroit is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Edmonton
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Detroit's last 12 games when playing Edmonton
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Edmonton's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Edmonton's last 12 games when playing Detroit

9:00 PM
SAN JOSE vs. CALGARY
San Jose is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Calgary
San Jose is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games on the road
Calgary is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against San Jose
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Calgary's last 18 games at home

10:00 PM
NY ISLANDERS vs. ANAHEIM
NY Islanders are 1-8 SU in their last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the NY Islanders last 6 games when playing Anaheim
Anaheim is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Anaheim's last 5 games

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**Udog** · 03-19-2010, 04:14 AM

NHL

Friday, March 19

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Ice picks: Today's best NHL bets
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Minnesota Wild at Columbus Blue Jackets (-145, 5.5)

The Blue Jackets are creeping out of last place in the Western Conference, winning three of their last four games.

Columbus’ most recent victory came in a 5-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers Monday – the only team below it in the conference standings. The Blue Jackets piled on the goals in the third period, scoring three times to secure the win.

Columbus has done well, even leading scorer Rick Nash in the stands. Nash has been out of action since suffering a lower-body injury in a 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings earlier in the month. Since then, the team is 3-1 and should have its star forward back for Friday’s game against the Minnesota Wild. Nash has totaled 57 points – 28 of those points coming on goals.

The Blue Jackets are much better at home this year, going 17-11-2-5 inside Nationwide Arena. The last time they hosted the Wild, the Jackets took a 2-1 victory as -135 favorites back in October.

Pick: Columbus

New York Islanders at Anaheim Ducks (N/A)

Welcome back Jonas Hiller. The Ducks missed you.

Anaheim’s star netminder hasn’t missed a game since returning from the Olympics, however, the Swiss goaltender has been with the team in body only. Hiller allowed 3.5 goals per game in his first four starts back following the break, leaving the Ducks to go 0-4 in that stretch.

Hiller is returning to form in recent games. He turned away 28 shots in a 1-0 loss to the Nashville Predators last Friday then stopped a total of 74 shots over his next two games, leading Anaheim to 4-2 wins over two of the best teams in the NHL – the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks.

Those efforts also pulled the Ducks to 13th in the Western Conference with 72 points – eight points behind the Detroit Red Wings, who are in the eighth and final postseason spot in the conference.

Pick: Anaheim

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**Udog** · 03-19-2010, 04:15 AM

NOTE:
For the initial posting of trends and indexes, we have provided information available up to the time of posting.
Additional updates for today’s games will be posted ASAP.

Announcement

Friday Trends and Indexes 3/19 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Friday Trends and Indexes 3/19 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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