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**StarDust Bum** · 03-19-2010, 11:32 AM

Session I, Friday

Day One of the NCAA Tournament was packed full of action. Now it’s time to do it all over again on Friday with the final 16 spots in the second round up for grabs. West Virginia begins its run when the take on the Bears of Morgan State. Ten minutes later, the Musketeers and Golden Gophers square off in Milwaukee. Then at 12:30 p.m., Temple and Cornell meet up in Jacksonville, Florida. Let’s take a look at all three of these early contests.

Morgan State (15) vs. West Virginia (2) – 12:15 p.m. EDT

Most sportsbooks have installed West Virginia (27-6 straight up, 13-19 against the spread) as a 17 ½-point favorite with a total of 138. The Bears can be taken for the upset at plus-2500 (risk $100 to win $2500).

The Mountaineers come into this game with a six-game winning streak and a Big East championship. West Virginia clinched the title at Madison Square Garden against the Hoyas as 2 ½-point favorites in a 60-58 decision on March 13. Da’Sean Butler posted 20 points and seven rebounds in that game, including the game-winning shot with 4.2 seconds remaining in regulation. WVU didn’t cover in the game against Georgetown, but that isn’t new as they’re on a 2-5 ATS run in its last seven matches.

West Virginia’s Bob Huggins believes that his team deserved to get a No. 1 seed. But it’s hard to make a case for them over the Wildcats, Blue Devils and Orange. Huggins should at least take heart in the fact that a lot of our handicappers believe they are going to come out of the East Region.

Morgan State (27-9 SU, 5-5 ATS) is walking tall after clinching its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance with a 68-61victory as a 10-point “chalk” last Saturday over South Carolina State. Kevin Thompson paced the Bears to the MEAC championship with 18 points and 10 boards against the Bulldogs.

The Mountaineers have been automatic when they’ve been listed as double-digit favorites, evidenced by a 13-0 SU and 5-8 ATS mark. Totals bettors should note that the ‘under’ is 7-4 in those contests.

Todd Bozeman’s club has only been listed as double-digit pups twice this year. In those tilts, the Bears are 0-2 SU and 1-1 ATS. Something else to keep in mind is that Morgan State was 0-5 SU against other teams in the NCAA Tournament.

The ‘over’ has gone 14-12-1 this season for West Virginia. In its last eight games, the ‘under’ is on a 6-2 run.

Clemson or Missouri will be waiting for the winner of this game in the second round.

Minnesota (11) vs. Xavier (6) – 12:25 p.m. EDT

LVSC has posted Minnesota (21-13 SU, 17-15 ATS) as a one-point favorite with the total coming in at 142. The majority of betting shops have this game set up as a pick ‘em. Bettors looking to back the Musketeers can get them at even-money.

The Golden Gophers were tap dancing on the bubble with needles on their shoes before the start of the Big Ten Tournament. Tubby Smith found a way to rally the troops to make it to the league title game against the Buckeyes after a 69-42 rout of the Boilermakers in the semis. Minnesota wound up getting railed by the Bucks 90-61 as a four-point underdog on March 14. Lawrence Westbrook posted 17 points in a losing effort.

As bad as that loss was for Minnesota, gamblers have taken solace in know that they have gone 7-3 SU and 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games of the season. When they’ve faced NCAA qualifiers, the Gophers are 6-7 SU and 7-6 ATS with the ‘under’ going 8-5.

Xavier (24-8 SU, 20-11 ATS) knew that they were going to be getting into the Big Dance, but figured to be going in as Atlantic 10 Tournament champs. That wasn’t to be for the Musketeers after losing to Richmond 89-85 as three-point favorites in the conference semifinals. Jordan Crawford came away with 20 points and eight boards against the Spiders in defeat.

Despite that loss, the Muskies have shown they can hang with some of the better teams in the nation. They’ve played tough against Marquette, Baylor and Kansas State to name a few. Yet Xavier sports a 2-7 SU and ATS mark against fellow teams in the tourney. The ‘over’ held a slight 5-4 advantage in those games.

There isn’t much to suggest the Golden Gophers are the play as single-digit favorites this season, evidenced by a 3-4 SU and 2-5 ATS mark. The ‘under’ did cash in at a nice 4-2 clip.

Xavier isn’t much better as a single-digit pup as they’re 1-5 SU and 2-4 ATS this season. The ‘over’ is 4-2 in this situation as well. The lone win for the Musketeers came as 4 ½-point road pups against Florida in a 76-64 triumph on Feb. 13.

The winner of this contest will most likely face Pittsburgh in the second round, who are taking on Oakland in its opening showdown.

Cornell (12) vs. Temple (5) – 12:30 p.m. EDT

LVSC has opened the Owls as 3 ½-point favorites with a total of 119. Most betting outlets have listed Temple (29-5 SU, 21-11-2 ATS) as a four-point fave with the same total.

Cornell (27-4 SU, 16-10 ATS) had no problem dominating the Ivy League this season with a 13-1 mark. Of course, the one thing that could hurt the Big Red is it will have been almost two full weeks when they take the court on Friday afternoon. In that game on March 6, they easily controlled Yale in a 79-59 win as 11-point road favorites. Louis Dale registered 18 points, while Ryan Wittman added 20 points.

The Big Red gained a lot of publicity around the nation after taking everything Kansas could give them in a 71-66 on Jan. 6 as 21-point road underdogs. The performance was the feather in Cornell’s cap of a 1-2 SU and 2-1 ATS record against other teams that made the NCAA Tournament.

Temple (29-5 SU, 21-11-2 ATS) punched its ticket to the Big Dance by dropping the Spiders in the A-10 Tournament Final 56-52 as a four-point favorite on March 14. Juan Fernandez paced the Owls to the title with a 14 point, four assist performance.

The Owls have shown to be a tough out against other teams that made the tourney, evidenced by a 4-3 SU and 3-3 ATS record this season. The ‘over’ was the right bet in the majority of those games as it is 4-2.

Fran Dunphy’s club has posted an impressive 26-2 SU and 17-9-2 ATS mark when posted as single-digit favorites this season. The ‘under’ has gone 14-8-1 in those contests.

The winner of this contest will make plans to face off with either Wisconsin or Wofford in the second round.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-19-2010, 11:34 AM

Session II, Friday

March Mayhem continues Friday afternoon with games galore. Let’s break down the second game in three regions and both contests that’ll be played in Spokane.

**Siena vs. Purdue**

--Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Purdue (27-5 straight up, 12-18-2 against the spread) as a 4 ½-point favorite with a total of 132. As of Thursday afternoon, most betting shops had the Boilermakers as four-point ‘chalk’ with the total adjusted to 130. Bettors can take the Saints to win outright for a plus-160 return (risk $100 to win $160).

--Siena (27-6 SU, 16-14-1 ATS) is making its third straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Saints have pulled first-round upsets the last two seasons, beating fourth-seeded Vanderbilt in 2008 and knocking off Ohio St. in Dayton last year.

--Fran McCaffery’s team needed overtime to win the MAAC Tournament and garner the league’s automatic bid. Alex Franklin, the MAAC Player of the Year, earned MVP of the conference tournament after leading the Saints to a 72-65 win over Fairfield in the finals. They failed to cover the number as 8 ½-point favorites, however. Franklin had 22 points and 12 rebounds against the Stags. He tallied 63 points and 31 boards in the three MACC Tourney games.

--Purdue is mired in a 0-6-1 ATS slide in its last seven games. The Boilers were eliminated from the Big Ten Tournament in embarrassing fashion, as Minnesota took them behind the woodshed in a 69-42 shellacking. They fell down 37-11 at intermission with E’Twaun Moore shooting an atrocious 1-of-14 from the floor.

--Matt Painter’s squad has won three of its five games without Robbie Hummel, the junior forward who was lost for the season when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in a 59-58 win at Minnesota on Feb. 24. Hummel was averaging 15.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.

--Siena’s Clarence Jackson is “doubtful” due to a sprained ankle sustained at practice this past Saturday. Jackson averages 14.0 points per game.

--Purdue owns a 4-8-2 spread record in 14 games as a single-digit favorite. As for the Saints, they are winless and just 1-3 ATS in four games as underdogs.

--The ‘under’ has cashed in seven straight Siena games and is 18-8-1 overall for the Saints.

--The ‘under’ is on a 7-2 run for Purdue, which saw the ‘under’ go 15-14-1 overall.

--CBS will have the telecast from Spokane at 2:30 p.m. Eastern.

**Missouri vs. Clemson**

--LVSC opened Clemson (21-10 SU, 14-14 ATS) as a 1 ½-point favorite with a total of 139. As of Thursday afternoon, most betting shops had the Tigers at one or 1 ½ with the total in the 139-140 range.

--Missouri (22-10 SU, 14-12 ATS) has lost three of its last four games, dropping each of those contests ATS. The Tigers were sent packing from the Big 12 Tournament when Nebraska took them out by a 75-60 count as a 10 ½-point underdog.

--Like Mizzou, Clemson didn’t stick around for long at its conference tournament. The Tigers lost 59-57 to North Carolina St. as seven-point favorites in the ACC Tourney quarterfinals.

--Missouri advanced to the Elite Eight last season before losing an 82-75 decision to UConn as a six-point underdog. The Tigers beat Cornell, Marquette and Memphis prior to the loss against the Huskies.

--Oliver Purnell has enjoyed a lot of success during his seven-year tenure at Clemson, but he has yet to lead the school to an NCAA Tournament victory. The Tigers are in the Big Dance for the third straight season after going to the NIT for three consecutive seasons.

--Clemson is led by senior power forward Trevor Booker, who averages 15.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.

--Mike Anderson’s squad is 1-4 ATS in five underdog situations this year.

--Totals have been a wash for Missouri (12-12 overall), but it has seen the ‘under’ go 6-3 in its last nine games.

--The ‘under’ has been a money maker in Clemson games this year, going 17-9 overall.

**Wofford vs. Wisconsin**

-- LVSC opened Wisconsin (23-8 SU, 17-12 ATS) as a 9 ½-point ‘chalk’ with a total of 119. As of Thursday afternoon, most spots had the Badgers favored by 10 with a total of 115 ½. Gamblers can back the Terriers to win outright for a plus-500 payout (risk $100 to win $500).

--Wofford (26-8 SU, 16-11-2 ATS) won the So-Con Tourney thanks to a 56-51 win over Appalachian St. as a four-point favorite. Cameron Rundles, who averages just 6.4 PPG, came off the bench to pour in a game-high 20 points for the winners.

--Wofford hasn’t tasted defeat since a 70-68 loss at Charleston on Jan. 22. Since then, the Terriers have won 13 consecutive games, posting a 6-5-2 ATS mark in the process.

--Mike Young has the Terriers in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history during the eighth season of his tenure. They took on a number of big-name schools in non-conference play. In fact, Wofford won 60-57 at Georgia as a 4 ½-point underdog and also beat South Carolina 68-61 as a three-point home ‘dog. Also, Wofford took the cash in losses at Pittsburgh (63-60), at Michigan St. (72-60) and at Illinois (78-64).

--Bo Ryan’s team is in the NCAA Tournament for the ninth straight time in his nine-year tenure. The fourth-seeded Badgers are looking to bounce back from a 58-54 loss to Illinois as 7 ½-point favorites in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.

--Wisconsin has an outstanding backcourt featuring Trevon Hughes and Jason Bohannon. Hughes leads the Badgers in scoring (15.4 PPG) and steals (1.7 per game), while Bohannon averages 12.0 PPG and shoots at a 40.2-percent clip from 3-point range.

--The ‘under’ has cashed at a 17-5 clip for Wisconsin in its last 22 games with a total.

--The ‘under’ is 15-12 overall for Wofford.

**Oakland vs. Pittsburgh**

-- LVSC opened third-seeded Pitt (24-8 SU, 16-11-2 ATS) as an 11-point favorite with a total of 138. As of Thursday afternoon, most spots had the Panthers installed as 10-point ‘chalk’ with the total lowered to 134 ½. The Golden Grizzlies are plus-500 on the money line.

--Oakland (26-8 SU, 9-12 ATS) has won 11 in a row but is just 5-6 ATS during that stretch. The Golden Grizzlies have covered the number in three straight games, including their 76-64 win over IUPUI as 1 ½-point underdogs in the finals of the Summit League Tournament. Derick Nelson was the catalyst with 36 points and nine rebounds.

--Junior center Keith Benson is Oakland’s go-to guy on the blocks. Benson leads the Golden Grizzlies in scoring (17.0 PPG), rebounding (10.5 RPG) and blocked shots (3.4 BPG).

--Jamie Dixon did one of the best coaching jobs in America this year after losing LeVance Fields, DeJuan Blair, Sam Young and Tyrell Biggs from last season’s team that went to the Elite Eight before losing at the buzzer to Villanova. Despite those defections, Pitt finished third in the brutal Big East.

--Pitt has won eight of its last 10 games, compiling a 6-3 spread record in the nine lined affairs. However, the Panthers lost by a 50-45 count to Notre Dame as two-point favorites in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals.

--Oakland went 2-2 both SU and ATS in four underdog spots. The Golden Grizzlies faced four teams in the NCAA Tournament field during the regular season. They lost 58-42 at Wisconsin, 89-59 at Kansas, 88-57 at Michigan St. and 92-60 at Syracuse.

--The ‘over’ is 12-6-1 overall for Oakland.

--The ‘under’ is 5-2 in Pitt’s last seven outings and is 13-12-1 overall for the Panthers.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--For the first time since 1993, BYU advanced to the second round by beating Florida 99-92 in double overtime. Jimmer Fredette scored 37 points for the Cougars, who hooked up their backers with a fortunate cover as 5 ½-point favorites. The Gators rallied from a 13-point deficit in the second half and had chances to win at the end of regulation and the first extra session. But Chandler Parsons’ turnaround jumper from about 14 feet out caught the back rim at the end of regulation and UF couldn’t even get a legit look at the basket in the waning moments of the first OT.

--Fredette will deservedly get all the headlines for leading BYU to the winner’s circle, but this space has to give major props to Florida freshman guard Kenny Boynton for his brilliant play Thursday in Oklahoma City. Boynton scored 11 straight points when UF went down by 13 and he finished with a team-high 27 points before fouling out in double overtime.

--Baylor won its first NCAA Tournament game since 1950 when it pulled away from Sam Houston St. for a 68-59 win. The Bears failed to cover the number, however, as 10 ½-point favorites. They advance to take on Old Dominion in a second-round showdown Saturday. The Monarchs took out Notre Dame by a 51-50 count Friday in New Orleans.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-19-2010, 01:55 PM

Following the Friday Early Line Moves

The wagering public has had more time to dissect the Friday numbers and they have come up with interesting choices on the Friday afternoon or morning matchups depending on one’s time zone. What did these people see that maybe you didn’t or what do you know something they don’t?

The one contest the public felt the strongest about is the Texas A&M and Utah State total. At DonBest.com, they show this game opening at 129.5 and have seen it be in free fall down to 125. The reasoning for is not readily apparent, at least by how each team plays. Texas A&M averages just over 133 total points per game and 129.6 points away from College Station. Utah State is over 136 total points in all games they have played and even higher on the road at 139 exactly.

The general tendency would be to believe the pace will be slowed down for a tournament tilt and the Aggies from Logan, UT are 14-5 UNDER after allowing 30 points or less in the first half in two straight games. Texas A&M is 11-3 UNDER in road games after one or more consecutive losses. Both are good defensive squads, thus it will be curious to see what occurs.

The Purdue and Siena contest, which will be the first game in Spokane, figured to have movement at least in one direction. All week people have been talking about the Boilermakers lopsided loss to Minnesota in the Big Ten tourney and they will face a veteran Siena team that knocked off higher-seeded teams in each of the last two NCAA tournaments. Purdue opened as five-point favorites and have fallen to four at Sportsbook.com and most other wagering outlets.

Even before Robbie Hummel’s season ending injury, Purdue was not a good wager and is 2-11 ATS having won eight or more of their last 10 games this season. Siena figures to be more focused than they were in MAAC champion game where they had to overcome huge deficit to win over Fairfield 72-65 to survive as nine-point favorites. On the years, the Saints are holier than thou 10-2 ATS after failing to cover the spread.
The total on this 4 vs. 13 encounter has fallen 1.5-points to 130 and this seems a little less certain. If Siena is really ready to pull the upset, the number coming down is justified, as the Saints are 11-4 UNDER having won 12 or more of their last 15 contests. However, the Boilermakers are 14-4 OVER in road games after failing to cover four or five of their last six against the spread.

Many have no idea who Oakland U. is (Summit League champions) and even fewer would know where they are from (Rochester, MI). The Golden Grizzlies are veteran bunch, with two seniors and three juniors in the starting lineup, making their second NCAA appearance in three years. Oakland U. averages 76.8 points per game and the contests they have played that had oddsmakers numbers, they are 10-4 OVER. Why than is the total headed downward against third-seeded Pittsburgh?

Three factors are in play. The Golden Grizzlies played four teams in this tournament, averaging just 54.5 points a contest. The Panthers of Pitt hold opposing teams to 40 percent shooting and neutral court teams off an upset win over a conference rival as an underdog like Oakland, in a game involving two teams with win percentage of 60 to 80 percent, are 46-19 UNDER.

The Cornell story is ideal for the Cinderella in March, their misfortune, at least on the surface is drawing one of the hottest teams in the tournament in Temple. The Owls have flown to 10 consecutive wins (8-2 ATS) in being the A-10 champions for the third year in a row. This doesn’t stop the Big Red from having a chance to pull the upset and lines are trending towards university from Ithaca, NY. No one is going to confuse the Ivy League with the Atlantic 10, especially this season. Yet this isn’t your grandpa’s Cornell club. The Big Red shoot the ball expertly (48.1 percent) and drain the three-ball at 43.4 percent rate. They also have a rarity, a 7’0 center in Jeff Foote, who’s a solid player.

No question Temple deserves all the accolades coming their way, however one aspect deserves a further look. In common opponents this season, Cornell is 5-3 SU & ATS, with +2.9 scoring margin. The Owls against these same opponents are 7-2, with 4-5 ATS record and score differential of +5.9. The public might be on to something.

Missouri and Clemson are essentially mere images of one another, pressing teams that love to force turnovers and disrupt opponents into numerous miscues. Mizzou has veterans from last year’s Elite 8 club and they force 10.9 steals and 20 turnovers per contest, leading the nation in both categories. The Tigers of Clemson are ninth in the country in steals at 9.6 per game and they convert on seven shots from beyond the arc. Missouri also is not afraid to launch the three ball either, making eight of their own an outing.

The total opened at 138 and is up 2.5-points. With both teams ability to force turnovers, that usually leads to points. Each has faced a pressing defense in practice all season and should know how to attack once they break the press, taking the ball to the basket. Missouri is 10-1 OVER in last 11 NCAA battles and Clemson is 24-10 OVER after two or more consecutive Under’s.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-19-2010, 04:36 PM

Session III, Friday

Friday’s primetime slate features another four battles on tap and this quartet is loaded with three ACC schools in action. Of the three, top-seeded Duke shouldn’t have any issues advancing but both Florida State and Georgia Tech should be in for dogfights against Gonzaga and Oklahoma State respectively. The remaining contest features New Mexico State against Michigan State, which could be closer than the oddsmakers believe.
Let’s break ‘em all down!

West Regional at Buffalo – No. 8 Gonzaga vs. No. 9 Florida State (7:10 p.m. EDT)

Florida State (22-9 SU, 8-18 ATS) and Gonzaga (26-6 SU, 15-11 ATS) tip off the evening action from Upstate New York in a battle of at-large bids. The Seminoles were one of five ACC schools to earn a ticket to the Big Dance, while the Bulldogs will be making their 12th straight tournament appearance out of the West Coast Conference.

The oddsmakers listed FSU as a short favorite (-1.5) over Gonzaga and it could have some scratching their heads, including this writer. For starters, everybody knows the ACC is very down this year. Second, how do you give points, albeit not many, with a team that has covered 30 percent of their games this year? Third, defense does help you advance but sooner or later you must score points and the Seminoles’ attack (68.5 PPG) is inconsistent and that's putting it nicely.

If you look at FSU’s nine losses, the team has given up 68 points or more in seven of them. The other two losses happened recently too, setbacks to N.C. State (52-58) in the ACC quarterfinals last weekend and on Feb. 28 to Clemson (50-53). If this game is played in the fifties or low sixties, the advantage sides with Leonard Hamilton’s club.

If you turn your attention to Gonzaga, the glass looks half full. The Zags were humbled in the WCC Championship to St. Mary’s (81-62) but that game happened 11 days ago, plenty of time for the team to move forward. Prior to that loss, the school had won nine of the last 10 and 18 of 20. The up-tempo attack has produced 77.6 PPG, which has been helped tremendously by a 49.4 field goal percentage. The 3-point shooting isn’t as deadly as past years and surprisingly, the free throw shooting (66.3%) is down too. The key to this game will be the outside shooting, since FSU’s big men have been known to control the paint.

WWC Player of the Year Matt Bouldin (16 PPG) garners a lot of the attention but backcourt mates Steven Gray (13.7 PPG) and Demetri Goodson (6.5 PPG) are solid contributors as well for Gonzaga. The one knock on the Bulldogs is their softness and lack of depth. Head coach Mark Few only uses an eight-man rotation and the three coming off the bench aren’t as capable as the starters.

The total on this game is listed at 132 and that’s based off Florida State’s pace. Gonzaga played two non-conference games in the Maui Invitational against schools with similar offensive styles, Wisconsin and Cincinnati. The Bulldogs stopped the Badgers (74-61) and held off the Bearcats (61-59) in overtime of the championship.

Whoever wins this game will get to sit back and watch No. 1 Syracuse battle No. 16 in the Vermont in the late-night tip from Buffalo. Expect a lot of Orange in attendance for this game and against the winner of the Seminoles and Bulldogs.

Midwest Regional at Milwaukee – No. 7 Oklahoma St. vs. No. 10 Georgia Tech (7:15 p.m. EDT)

Georgia Tech (22-12 SU, 16-11 ATS) and Oklahoma State (22-10 SU, 15-10 ATS) meet from the Bradley Center this evening in a battle of size versus skill. The Yellow Jackets like to pound the ball inside to Derrick Favors (12.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG) and Gani Lawal (13.1 PPG, 8.7 RPG), both considered pro prospects, while the Cowboys let it rip behind gunners James Anderson (22.6 PPG) and Obi Muonelo (13.4 PPG). So far in the tournament, we’ve size dominate (St. Mary’s) but quick guard play (Ohio) has proven to be a winner too.

The Yellow Jackets won three straight games in the ACC Tournament before coming up short to Duke (65-61) in the championship. G-Tech’s offense (62.3 PPG) wasn’t that great but its defense (60.5 PPG) was tough to penetrate.

Oklahoma State defeated Oklahoma (81-67) in its Big 12 tournament opener but was blasted the next day by Kansas State (83-64). The knock on head coach Travis Ford’s team is their defense or lack thereof. The Cowboys have often shot themselves out of games, but at the same time they’ve won games with the bombs too. OSU does have wins against Kansas State (73-69) and Kansas (85-77) on the year, so some credit is deserved in Stillwater.

When you play an up-tempo attack, minutes play a large factor and that’s where VegasInsider.com James Patrick believes G-Tech has the advantage. “The Cowboys get over one-third of their offense from 3-point land and that won't cut it here against the Yellow Jackets who have a nice blend of youth and experience. What I really like about GT is the depth. It has eight players logging at least 16 minutes per game, which should play a factor here,” explained Patrick.

Georgia Tech (8-10 SU, 10-7-1 ATS) and Oklahoma State (7-9 SU, 7-9 ATS) weren’t exactly the best bets to ride when they went outside their environments this year.

Oddsmakers have made OSU a 1 ½-point favorite and the total is hovering between 136 and 137, which could be hit or miss. The Yellow Jackets have watched the ‘under’ go 16-12, but they also played ACC opponents that like to slow it down. This meeting against OSU will be a true test but a decent offense will always be able to score on a sub-par defense. The Cowboys saw the ‘over’ go 7-3 in their final 10 games. Ford and company have seen five totals of 137 or less on the year and the ‘over’ went 3-2 in those contests.

The winner of this game will most likely see No. 2 Ohio State in the next round, unless No. 15 UC Santa Barbara pulls the upset.

Midwest Regional at Spokane - New Mexico State vs. Michigan State (7:20 p.m. EDT)

Can Michigan State (24-8 SU, 12-19 ATS) return to the championship game this year? Tom Izzo and the Spartans didn’t win the Big 10 title this year but they did receive an at-large bid for their work. In the first round, the Spartans have been installed as 13 ½-point favorites over New Mexico State, who won the Western Athletic Conference tournament.

Despite the double-digit number, VegasInsider.com handicapper ,Matt Fargo believes this game could be closer than the experts think. He said, “Calling for the upset here is a stretch but New Mexico State is playing as good as any team right now and quite frankly, the WAC vs. Big Ten conference theory can be tossed out. Michigan State didn’t have great chemistry this season and hasn’t appeared to be focused at times and we’ll get to see if that changes during the tournament but that is concerning coming in and “hoping” for a reversal is never of good thing to be backing.”

“New Mexico State is extremely athletic and it can score with any team in the nation. The issue has been on the defensive side of the floor but since the Aggies resurgence, they have improved quite a bit and the offense is still there to back it up with the massive depth. Over the first 13 games, New Mexico St. allowed 72 or more points 12 times but since the team is at full strength, it has allowed than many points only 13 times in its last 20 games. One of the Spartans’ weaknesses has long been perimeter defense. If this game were played in December, it would be a different story but the Aggies are a different team now. They have won 19 of their last 24 games and the run in the WAC Tournament has given them a ton of confidence.”

Fargo pointed out how hot the Aggies have been, but you should also be aware that Michigan State limped into this game. Izzo and company went 5-5 in their final 10 games and the victories came against Penn State (2), Indiana, Michigan and a banged-up Purdue squad.

Looking at the Spartans’ schedule, the only non-conference win that looked impressive came against Gonzaga (75-71). However, MSU has losses against North Carolina (82-89), Florida (74-77) and Texas (68-79), three teams that aren’t as good as past years. Perhaps we should start thinking the same about Izzo and his kids.

If this contest turns out to be a high-scoring affair like most believe, then the winner better be ready for Sunday since they’ll face either Maryland or Houston, two other explosive schools.

South Regional at Jacksonville – Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. Duke (7:25 p.m. EDT)

Do you lay 23 points with Duke (29-5 SU, 18-13 ATS) or take ‘em with Arkansas-Pine Bluff (18-15 SU, 2-4 ATS)? An old rule of thumb in gambling is to never bet on an underdog unless you think they can win outright, which makes sense, since you never want to concede that the team has no shot, right? If you stick with that theory, your play would be on the Blue Devils or pass, and the latter might be the better option here.

The Golden Lions won the play-in game against Winthrop (61-44) on Tuesday from Dayton behind a stifling defense. What’s impressive is that APB started the year with 14 straight games on the road and not surprisingly, it went 2-12. Fortunately, the Lions have gone 16-3 since that rough start. None of the wins were against top competition but the early losses came against tournament teams in UTEP (52-70), Oklahoma State (66-81), Georgia Tech (53-65), Missouri (70-88) and Kansas State (76-90). All of those losers were less by 18 or less, which should put things in perspective for the number on this matchup.

The Blue Devils won the ACC Championship last weekend by winning three games in three days, but the club was 0-3 ATS during this stretch. Despite the tough skid for its backers, Duke still owns a positive mark against the number (18-13) this season. And prior to the three contests played in Greensboro, Duke was 4-0 both SU and ATS in neutral games this season.

It’s hard to see head coach Mike Krzyzewski and the Devils losing in this spot, since they’ve gone 16-2 SU in their last 18 first round battles. However, they are just 6-11-1 ATS over this span.

The play-in winner the last five years has lost by an average of 20.8 PPG, the largest margin coming by North Carolina over Coppin State (107-67) in 2007 and the closest call happening in Villanova’s 58-45 victory against Monmouth in 2006.

If Duke advances, it should be in for a tougher matchup on Sunday against No. 8 California or No. 9 Louisville.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-19-2010, 04:38 PM

Session IV, Friday

At this time a year ago, I was writing about how the first day of the 2009 NCAA Tournament was about as dull as it gets for March Mayhem. There was little drama and blowouts galore. One year later, I’m not sure if I can recall a first day any better than what we saw Thursday.

Check that, I am sure. Without a doubt, we just saw the best first day in the history of the NCAA Tourney.

The first session had a pair of overtime games and a one-point game between Notre Dame and ODU. BYU beat Florida 99-92 in double OT, while third-seeded Villanova played from behind all day before beating Robert Morris in a game that went to the buzzer in the extra session. ODU held off Notre Dame, 51-50, as the Irish had a potential tying 3-pointer rim out in the final seconds.

During the next set of games, Murray State’s Danero Thomas was dinero at crunch time, draining a contested 16-footer at the buzzer to send Vanderbilt home where they were certainly singing the blues last night in Music City. Several hours after Thomas etched his heroic shot into NCAA lore forever, Washington’s Quincy Pontexter, Northern Iowa’s Ali Farokhmanesh and Wake Forest’s Ish Smith did the same with game-winning buckets.

Surely Friday’s action can’t equal what we saw yesterday? If it does, we’re in for a treat. Now let’s discuss the four late-night games on tap during the feel-good hours.

**Syracuse vs. Vermont**

--Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened No. 1 seed Syracuse (28-4 straight up, 19-9 against the spread) as a 20-point favorite with a total of 141. As of early this afternoon, most books had the ‘Cuse reduced to 16-point ‘chalk’ with a total of 144. Bettors can take the Catamounts to win outright for a plus-2000 return at the Las Vegas Hilton (risk $100 to win $2,000).

--Jim Boeheim’s team has dropped back-to-back games, including a 91-84 loss to Georgetown as a 5 ½-point favorite in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals. Not only did the Orange get sent packing from New York City before getting comfortable at the team hotel, but Arinze Onuaku went down with a quad injury that’ll keep him in street clothes during Friday’s first-round matchup.

--Vermont (25-9 SU, 6-2 ATS) won the America East Conference Tournament with an 83-70 win over Boston U in the finals. Mike Lonergan’s squad took the money as a five-point favorite. Marqus Blakely enjoyed a dominant performance, scoring 24 points and grabbing 18 rebounds.

--Blakely, a six-foot five senior forward, leads Vermont in scoring (17.4 points per game), rebounding (9.4 rebounds per game), assists (3.7 APG), steals (2.4 SPG) and blocked shots (1.9 per game). He scored a season-high 32 points in an 80-77 home win over Quinnipiac. Blakely led the Catamounts to a 77-71 win at Rutgers by producing 17 points, nine rebounds, five blocked shots, four steals and two assists compared to just one turnover. He is currently listed as the No. 58 pick in this summer's NBA draft at NBADraft.net.

--Onuaku averages 10.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. He’s ‘doubtful’ for Sunday’s potential game against the Gonzaga-FSU winner. Since Boeheim usually plays only seven players, his rotation will be reduced to six. Obviously, this makes foul trouble a serious concern for the ‘Cuse.

--Wesley Johnson was named Big East Player of the Year in his first, last and only season in uniform for Syracuse. The transfer from Iowa St. led the Orange in scoring (16.0 PPG) and rebounding (8.4 RPG). According to NBADraft.net’s latest mock draft, Johnson is going to be the third overall pick this summer behind only Evan Turner and John Wall.

--These schools met in the first round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament with Vermont stunning Syracuse 60-57 in overtime. The Catamounts won outright as nine-point underdogs. However, unless T.J. Sorrentine and Taylor Coppenrath are given eligibility and a uniform on Friday night, there’s no reason to think another upset can occur in Buffalo. Remember, a No. 16 seed has never beaten a No. 1 seed in NCAA Tournament history.

--Vermont played only one team in the NCAA field – Cornell. The Big Red knocked off the Catamounts 67-59 as a 6 ½-point home favorite.

--Syracuse went 7-5 ATS in 12 games as a double-digit favorite.

--The ‘under’ is 3-2 in Vermont’s five games with a total.

--The ‘over’ is 4-0-1 in the Orange’s last five games, but the ‘under’ is 12-11-1 overall for the ‘Cuse.

**Houston vs. Maryland**

-- LVSC opened Maryland (23-8 SU, 17-10 ATS) as a nine-point favorite with a suggested total of 151. As of early this morning, most spots had the Terrapins favored by 9 ½ with a total of 157. Bettors can back the Cougars on the money line for a plus-400 payout (risk $100 to win $400).

--After a disappointing loss at Tulane in the regular-season finale, Houston (19-15 SU, 15-16 ATS) went into the Conference USA Tournament with its head coach Tom Penders on the hot seat. That’s not the case anymore, however. Not after the Cougars won four games in four days to win C-USA’s automatic bid, culminating in an 81-73 win over UTEP as seven-point underdogs in the finals.

--Aubrey Coleman, who leads the nation in scoring with a 25.6 PPG average, only made 4-of-20 shots and finished with just 13 points against the Miners. But he found other ways to impact the game, grabbing nine rebounds, dishing out six assists and making four steals.

--Gary Williams’ squad is looking to bounce back from a 69-64 loss to Ga. Tech as a four-point favorite in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals. In the losing effort, Greivis Vasquez had 17 points, five steals, four assists and three rebounds. However, he made just 6-of-21 shots from the field and committed six turnovers.

--Before the loss to the Yellow Jackets, Maryland had won seven in a row while posting a 6-1 ATS ledger.

--Houston is 5-6 SU and 6-5 ATS in 11 underdog situations this year.

--The ‘over’ has hit in five of Maryland’s last six games. For the season, the Terps saw the ‘over’ go 16-8-1 overall.

--The ‘over’ has been a money maker in Houston games recently, cashing at a 6-1-1 clip in its last eight outings. Nevertheless, the ‘under’ still went 16-11-1 overall for the Cougars.

**Louisville vs. California**

--This is the 8/9 matchup in the South Region that’ll be played in Jacksonville with the winner expected to face top-seeded Duke.

--LVSC opened California (23-10 SU, 19-13 ATS) as a one-point favorite with the total marked at 143 on the send-out. As of early this morning, most spots had the Cardinals listed as one-point ‘chalk’ with the total in the 149-150 range.

--Louisville (20-12 SU, 10-17 ATS) has lost three of its last five games and is mired in a 5-12 ATS slide. The Cardinals were eliminated from the Big East Tournament when Cincinnati collected a 69-66 upset victory at MSG.

--Rick Pitino’s team has been a complete mystery for most of the season. The Cards own a pair of wins over top-seeded Syracuse, but they only beat three other teams in the NCAA field. Those victories came over already-eliminated Notre Dame, 15th-seeded Morgan St. and 16th-seeded East Tennessee St. And U of L needed OT to beat the Irish at Freedom Hall. Furthermore, the Cards lost at home to both Charlotte (by 18!) and Western Carolina (91-83).

--Louisville senior guard Jerry Smith (8.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG) has been upgraded to ‘probable.’ Smith missed the Big East Tourney loss to Cincy after suffering a thumb injury in a March 6 win over the ‘Cuse. “It doesn't bother me at all, quite frankly,” Smith told the Louisville Courier-Journal as the team arrived at its hotel Thursday afternoon. “I practiced (Wednesday); I got hit on it a couple of times. It would get sore, but afterwards it would go away.”

--Cal’s Omondi Amoke has been suspended indefinitely for an unspecified violation of team rules. Amoke averages 4.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest.

--The ‘over’ is 14-11-1 overall for Louisville, 17-13-1 overall for California.

--During this week’s special edition of the Power Hours on VI Radio, cohort Chris David was extremely bullish on these Cal Bears. In fact, David called for Mike Montgomery’s team to upset Duke in the second round and get all the way to the Final Four.

**Cal-Santa Barbara vs. Ohio State**

--Ohio St. (27-7 SU, 17-17 ATS) is the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region. The Buckeyes won the Big Ten Tournament last week, destroying Minnesota by a 90-61 count to easily hook up their backers as 3 1/2-point favorites. As usual, Evan Turner was the catalyst, garnering tournament MVP honors after going off on the Gophers for 31 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.

--Most books are listing Ohio St. as a 17 ½-point favorite with a total of 132. The Las Vegas Hilton has 25/1 odds for the Gauchos to win outright.

--UCSB (20-9 SU, 15-11 ATS) won the Big West Tournament by beating Long Beach State 69-64 as a one-point favorite. Orlando Johnson scored 20 points, pulled down five rebounds and dished out four assists, while James Nunnally went for 19 points and six boards.

--Turner was a first-team All-American, averaging team-highs in scoring (20.3 PPG), assists (5.9 APG), steals (1.8 SPG) and field-goal percentage (54%). He only missed six games after fracturing two bones in his back on a hard fall early in the year. Since Turner’s return, Ohio St. has looked like a solid Final Four contender and he’s looked like a Danny-Manning type player. Remember, Manning carried Kansas to the 1988 national title on the team eventually dubbed ‘Danny and the Miracles.’

--Like Florida, Thad Matta’s team hasn’t won an NCAA Tournament game since it was in Atlanta for the 2007 Final Four. The Buckeyes missed the Big Dance in 2008 and lost to Siena in overtime of their first-round showdown in Dayton last year.

--UCSB is 1-2 both SU and ATS as a double-digit underdog. Bob Williams’ team won 61-48 at Pacific as a 10-point ‘dog, but it got spanked at Arizona St. (69-42) and at Cal (87-66).

--UCSB played just two schools in the NCAA Tourney field. The Gauchos lost to San Diego St. 69-61 as four-point home underdogs, in addition to the aforementioned setback in Berkley.

--Ohio St. owns a 7-8 spread record in 15 games as a double-digit favorite.

--The ‘under’ is 14-11 overall for the Gauchos. As for Ohio St., totals have been an overall wash (17-17).

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--There were two overtime games in the entire 2009 NCAA Tournament. On the first day of the 2010 Tourney, we saw three games (UF-BYU, ‘Nova-Robert Morris and Wake-Texas) go to OT. On the first day of the ’09 Tourney, 13 of 16 games were decided by double-digit margins. This time around, only five of 16 games resulted in double-digit margins. And of those five, three were interesting games. UTEP led Butler at halftime before the Bulldogs ran away from the Miners. Lehigh had an early lead against top-seeded Kansas and wouldn’t go away in the first 30 minutes. Finally, Ohio’s 97-83 over Georgetown was the day’s biggest shocker. The Bobcats hooked up money-line backers with a plus-1100 return at the Las Vegas Hilton (risk $100 to win $1,100).

--Thursday’s Best Games:
1-Washington over Marquette, 80-78.
2-BYU over Florida 99-92 in double overtime.
3-Murray St. over Vandy 66-65 at the buzzer.
4-Villanova over Robert Morris 73-70 in OT.
5-Wake Forest 81-80 over Texas in OT.

--Most betting shops are listing Ole Miss as a 4 ½-point home favorite vs. Memphis tonight at The Tad Pad in Oxford. The total is 149 for this 6:30 p.m. Eastern tip.

--Most books are listing Mississippi State as a 7 ½-point favorite for Saturday’s NIT home game against North Carolina. The Bulldogs and Tar Heels will square off at The Hump at noon Eastern.

--I couldn’t help but notice the line for the UConn women’s team in its first-round NCAA Tournament game against Southern. LVSC opened the Lady Huskies as 50-point favorites.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-19-2010, 05:15 PM

Evening Set of games:

Memphis - 6:30 PM ET Memphis +4 300
Mississippi - Under 148 300

Florida St. - 7:10 PM ET Gonzaga +1.5 500
Gonzaga - Under 132.5 500

Georgia Tech - 7:15 PM ET Oklahoma St. -1 400
Oklahoma St. - Over 140.5 400

New Mexico St. - 7:20 PM ET Michigan St -13 500 POD )
Michigan St -

Arkansas-Pine Bluff - 7:25 PM ET Arkansas-Pine Bluff +24 200
Duke - Over 125.5 400

Vermont - 9:30 PM ET Vermont +15.5 400
Syracuse - Under 145 300

UC Santa Barbara - 9:35 PM ET Ohio St. -17.5 500 ( POD )
Ohio St. - Under 131 500 ( TOTAL OF THE NIGHT )

Houston - 9:40 PM ET Houston +9.5 300
Maryland - Under 156 300

Louisville - 9:45 PM ET California -1 500 ( POD )
California - Under 149 400

**StarDust Bum** · 03-19-2010, 05:36 PM

Friday, March 19Game Score Status Pick Amount

Detroit - 7:00 PM ET Detroit +1.5 500
Indiana - Over 202.5 300

Oklahoma City - 7:00 PM ET Oklahoma City -1 500 ( POD )
Toronto - Under 209 500

Charlotte - 7:30 PM ET Atlanta -5.5 300
Atlanta - Over 192 500

Philadelphia - 7:30 PM ET Philadelphia +2.5 300
New York - Over 209 400

Cleveland - 8:00 PM ET Cleveland -10.5 500
Chicago - Over 206 500

Boston - 8:30 PM ET Houston +2.5 500
Houston - Under 202.5 500

Golden State - 8:30 PM ET Golden State +12 500 ( NBA DOG )
San Antonio - Under 220.5 500 ( NBA TOTAL )

Utah - 10:00 PM ET Phoenix -5.5 300
Phoenix - Under 223 400

Washington - 10:00 PM ET Washington +12.5 300
Portland - Under 191 300

Milwaukee - 10:00 PM ET Sacramento +3.5 300
Sacramento - Over 196.5 500

Minnesota - 10:30 PM ET Minnesota +15 500
L.A. Lakers - Over 216 500

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

Friday, March 19Game Score Status Pick Amount

Minnesota - 7:00 PM ET Minnesota +136 500
Columbus - Under 5.5 500 ( NHL TOTAL )

San Jose - 9:00 PM ET San Jose +114 500 ( NHL DOG )
Calgary - Over 5.5 500

Detroit - 9:30 PM ET Edmonton +219 500
Edmonton - Over 5.5 500

NY Islanders - 10:00 PM ET NY Islanders +153 500
Anaheim - Over 5.5 500

Good Luck Gang........

**StarDust Bum** · 03-19-2010, 07:09 PM

Trend Report - Friday

Cavaliers at Bulls – The Cavaliers are 7-0 ATS (9.7 ppg) since February 01, 2009 on the road with at least one day of rest after a win in which they scored less than 15% of their points from the free throw line. The Bulls are 7-0 ATS (5.9 ppg) since January 23, 2008 at home with at least one day of rest after a game on the road in which they allowed at least 50% from the field.

Bobcats at Hawks – The Bobcats are 7-0-1 ATS (13.4 ppg) since November 16, 2008 off a home win in which they trailed by 10+ points. The Hawks are 7-0 ATS (8.4 ppg) since January 24, 2003 at home off a loss of four points or fewer as a dog in which they trailed by 15+ points.

Bucks at Kings – The Bucks are 0-9 ATS (-11.2 ppg) since April 04, 2006 on the road when seeking revenge for a loss in which they had no rest. The Bucks are 0-7-1 ATS (-8.6 ppg) since March 14, 1999 on the road with at most one day of rest off a loss that broke at least a four-game winning streak.

76ers at Knicks – The 76ers are 0-6 ATS (-7.1 ppg) since October 31, 2003 as a dog after playing at home when the OU line is at least fifteen points higher than it was last game. The Knicks are 0-7 ATS (-8.2 ppg) since December 19, 2004 at home after a game on the road in which they had at least 12 steals.

Timberwolves at Lakers – The Timberwolves are 0-8 ATS (-10.3 ppg) since February 26, 2010 when facing a team they lost to in their previous same-season match-up. The Timberwolves are 7-0 ATS (11.7 ppg) since November 08, 2008 on the road with at most one day of rest after a loss in which they scored more than 25% of their points from the free throw line. The Lakers are 0-8 ATS (-13.2 ppg) since December 11, 2001 at home with two or more days of rest after a game on the road in which they committed fewer than ten turnovers.

Pistons at Pacers – The Pistons are 0-6 ATS (-6.7 ppg) since February 04, 2009 after a double digit loss against the Cavaliers. The Pacers are 8-0 ATS (6.4 ppg) since April 10, 2006 as a home favorite after a loss in which the percentage of their baskets that were assisted was at least ten percentage points higher than their season-to-date average.

Thunder at Raptors – The Thunder are 7-0 ATS (17.9 ppg) since April 15, 2009 with at least one day of rest after a loss in which they scored less than 10% of their points from the three-point line. The Raptors are 0-10 ATS (-9.3 ppg) since February 02, 2010 when they allowed one-hundred-plus points for two straight games.

Celtics at Rockets – The Celtics are 0-7-1 ATS (-7.4 ppg) since January 12, 2005 on the road with at least one day of rest after a win in which their opponent stole the ball at least twelve times. The Celtics are 0-7 ATS (-6.1 ppg) since December 14, 2009 vs non-conference opponent in their first match-up of the season. The Rockets are 9-0 ATS (8.5 ppg) since January 26, 2001 at home with at most one day of rest after a game at home in which they blocked at least 10 shots.

Warriors at Spurs – The Warriors are 0-8 ATS (-9.8 ppg) since December 28, 2007 with at most one day of rest after a home win in which the percentage of their baskets that were assisted was at least ten percentage points higher than their season-to-date average. The Spurs are 7-0 ATS (10.8 ppg) since November 30, 1996 after a double digit loss in which they had at least 10 more personal fouls than their opponent. The Spurs are 7-0-1 ATS (7.6 ppg) since November 28, 2007 at home with at most one day of rest after a loss in which they allowed at least 50% from the field.

Jazz at Suns – The Jazz are 7-0-2 ATS (5.3 ppg) since April 23, 2009 with at least one day of rest after a game in which they had at least 12 steals. The League is 12-0-3 ATS (6.3 ppg) since May 11, 2008 at home with two or more days of rest after a double digit home win in which their DPS was at least plus 15 points.

Wizards at Trailblazers – The Wizards are 6-0 ATS (8.8 ppg) since March 09, 2009 with at least one day of rest after a double digit road loss in which they allowed at least 50% from the field. The Trailblazers are 0-6 ATS (-13.7 ppg) since December 09, 2008 at home after a game in which they scored more than 30% of their points from the three-point line. The Trailblazers are 6-0 ATS (6.3 ppg) since February 02, 2009 with at least one day of rest after a win in which they allowed at least 50% from the field.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-19-2010, 07:10 PM

Friday's Game of the Day

Utah Jazz vs. Phoenix Suns (9:00 p.m. EDT)
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 4th place in the Western Conference playoff standings but have just a two-game lead on, you guessed it, Phoenix (6th place).

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 front-line to help the trouble spots: defense and rebounding.

Lopez and sixth man Channing Frye have averaged 21.5 points and 10.0 rebounds combined with Lopez in the starting line-up. Guard Leandro Barbosa made his return Tuesday after missing 23 games with a wrist injury. He had 7 points, 3 assists, and 3 rebounds in 15 minutes. He adds even more depth and firepower to the NBA’s #1 offense.

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

The Suns are in sixth place in the West with a key game coming at home Friday against Utah. Richardson said the playoffs essentially already have begun.

"Guys aren't even worried about anything but going out there and winning games," Richardson said. "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 on 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.

Utah Jazz

Point guard Deron Williams came down awkwardly on his ankle in the first quarter of Wednesday night’s matchup with the T-Wolves. Williams wasn't the only Jazz player to be injured Wednesday, 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 said, who had missed the previous two games.

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 the Jazz's next game on Friday night in Phoenix against the Suns.

We're just trying to get healthy," said Jazz power forward Carlos Boozer. "At this point of the season, everybody is banged up."

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan agrees. "Every time you look around, somebody else is hurt," said Sloan. "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.” Williams added later, “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. They’ve 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 4th spot in the Western Conference playoff standings, they’ll have to continue to get wins over other playoff teams, starting with Phoenix on Friday night.

Head to Head

The most recent meeting was on Mar. 4 in Phoenix. Phoenix had a lead almost the entire game (8 point lead at halftime, 11 point lead after 3rd quarter). Utah exploded for 41 points in the fourth quarter and won the game 116 to 108.

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

That was the Jazz’ 2nd straight win over the Suns this season after a 124-115 win back in January. Again, Phoenix held a lead going into the 4th quarter but was outscored 33-19 in the final period.

Utah is 7-2 ATS in the last 9 meetings with Phoenix and 8-1 ATS in the last 9 meetings @Phoenix. The underdog is17-8 ATS in the last 25 meetings and the road team is 12-5 ATS in the last 17 meetings.

Key Statistical Information – Last Five Games

PPG
Utah: +8.0 PPG
Phoenix: +9.2 PPG

FG%
Utah: +6.4%
Phoenix: +6.5%

Rebounding
Utah: +3.4 RPG
Phoenix: +3.8 RPG

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

**StarDust Bum** · 03-19-2010, 07:22 PM

UPGRADE:

Arkansas-Pine Bluff - 7:25 PM ET Arkansas-Pine Bluff +24 500 ( POD )

This team has lost on the road to K.St. by 14, Missouri by 18, Ga. Tech by 12, Okla. St. by 15, Arizona St. by 17, Akron by 3,
UTEP by 18.....i think they hang within the number here........take Pine Bluff to cover...

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