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**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2010, 12:12 PM

Saturday, March 20Game Score Status Pick Amount

Carolina - 1:00 PM ET Carolina +189 500 [/b] ( NHL DOG )
Pittsburgh - Over 5.5 500

Ottawa - 2:00 PM ET Ottawa +104 500
Dallas - Over 5.5 500

Montreal - 7:00 PM ET Montreal -114 500
Toronto - Over 5.5 500

St. Louis - 7:00 PM ET St. Louis +142 500 ( NHL DOG )
New Jersey - Under 5.5 500

Philadelphia - 7:00 PM ET Philadelphia -125 500
Atlanta - Over 6 500

Buffalo - 7:00 PM ET Buffalo -135 500
Florida - Over 5.5 500

Washington - 7:30 PM ET Tampa Bay +185 500
Tampa Bay - Over 6.5 500

Columbus - 8:00 PM ET Nashville -203 500
Nashville - Over 5.5 500

Chicago - 9:00 PM ET Phoenix -117 500
Phoenix - Over 5.5 500

Detroit - 10:00 PM ET Vancouver -145 500
Vancouver - Over 5.5 500

NY Islanders - 10:30 PM ET NY Islanders +192 500
Los Angeles - Under 5.5 500

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2010, 12:13 PM

Saturday's Early Tips

Thursday’s action in the NCAA Tournament is being called by some as one of the best days it has ever had. Gamblers that took the underdogs to cover saw them go 10-6 ATS on Day 1 of the tourney. And bettors that backed those pups on the money line watched six of them advance to Saturday’s second round of play. Ohio was the biggest payday for those folks with a 10/1 return in a thrashing of the Hoyas. And you can only imagine the heartbreak of some that were look at 25/1 with Robert Morris, who narrowly fell to the Wildcats as a 15th-seed.

Will we see that tradition continue as we punch the first tickets to the Sweet Sixteen? Let’s look at the first four games of the second round and find out.

St. Mary’s (10) vs. Villanova (2) – 1:05 p.m. EDT

Most sportsbooks have posted the Wildcats as 4 ½-point home favorites with a total of 153. Bettors can back St. Mary’s (27-5 straight up, 22-10 against the spread) for a plus-170 return (risk $100 to win $170).

The Gaels picked up their first win in the Big Dance since 1959 by dropping seventh-seeded Richmond as two-point pups 80-71 last Thursday. Omar Samhan proved why teams need to focus on him in their game plans after unloading for 29 points and 12 rebounds against the A-10 runners-up Spiders. Seven of those boards for Samhan can off of the offensive glass; Richmond had just three offensive rebounds for the whole team.

That win improved St. Mary’s record to 3-2 SU and ATS when listed as a single-digit underdog this season. The ‘under’ has gone 3-2 in that stretch to boot.

The Gaels have also moved up to 5-3 SU and ATS in games against teams that are in the NCAA field. And Thursday’s win pushed the ‘over’ to 4-3 in those spots.

Out of all the teams that advanced to the second round of play, Villanova (26-7 SU, 18-14 ATS) was the one that was gifted the entry. The Wildcats were outmatched by 15th seed Robert Morris for much of their game. Still, ‘Nova moved onto weekend play with a 73-70 overtime win over the Colonials as a 19-point favorite.

The Wildcats were staring a 44-36 deficit square in the face with 9:35 left in the second half. That’s when they starting seeing themselves toeing up to the charity stripe 15 times in regulation, making 13 of them to help force the extra session. The free throw line is where this game was won for Villanova as they were outshot in the field by the Colonials (40%-35%), but made 31-of-40 free throws to get the win. Scottie Reynolds made just two of his 15 field goal attempts after getting benched for much of the first half by Head Coach Jay Wright. Yet Reynolds was still able to rack up 20 points by hitting 15-of-16 free throw attempts.

Villanova has seemingly failed to show up over the last two months, going 5-6 SU and 3-8 ATS since Feb. 6. The ‘over’ only holds a slight 5-4-1 edge, so you can’t even back that when you want to play totals.

The ‘Cats are just 6-5 SU and ATS in 11 games this season as single-digit favorites with the ‘over’ of 6-4-1 in that time frame. In the last four games in this situation, ‘Nova is 1-3 SU and ATS with the ‘under’ going 2-1-1.

Baylor or Old Dominion will await the survivor of this contest.

Murray State (13) vs. Butler (5) – 3:20 p.m. EDT

The majority of betting shops have installed Butler (29-4 SU, 14-19 ATS) as a 4 ½-point “chalk” with a total of 128. You can back the Racers at plus-170 (risk $100 to win $170).

Murray State (31-4 SU, 15-14-1 ATS) was a popular pick by gamblers and bracket makers alike to drop the Commodores in the first round. And sure enough, the Racers took down Vanderbilt as 2 ½-point pups in a buzzer-beating 66-65 win on Thursday. Danero Thomas drained the game-winner as time expired to cap off a 11 point, six rebound performance. Isacc Miles paced MSU with 17 points and six boards of his own.

There is a good reason whey the gambling public was on the Racers. This is a team that has won 22 of their last 23 contests, covering the spread in 12 of those triumphs. The ‘under’ is on a strong 6-1 run for totals players right now.

MSU has only been a single-digit pup twice this year, going 1-1 SU and ATS. And that win came just on Thursday against the Commodores.

Butler was figured to succumb to the favorite sleeper of many people, the Miners. And at halftime, UTEP was in control of the game with a 33-27 lead at halftime. Then the Bulldogs took control of the game with a 22-4 run to open the second half to earn a 77-59 win as 2 ½-point favorites. Shelvin Mack led the comeback with 25 points, including going 7-for-9 from three-point land.

The Bulldogs have enjoyed plenty of success as single-digit faves this season, evidenced by a 13-0 SU and 8-5 ATS mark. They’ve also seen the ‘over’ go 10-3 in these matches.

Ohio (14) vs. Tennessee (6) – 3:35 p.m. EDT

Most sportsbooks have installed the Volunteers as eight-point favorites with a total of 138.

Ohio (22-14 SU, 19-12 ATS) wasn’t given much of a chance to make any noise as a 14-point pup to the Hoyas in the first round. After all, this was a team that went into the MAC Tournament as the No. 9 seed. That didn’t stop the Bobcats from winning their conference’s automatic bid. And they parlayed that into an impressive 97-83 win over Georgetown in the first round. The ‘Cats were never in danger of losing this game, only seeing their lead cut to seven-points in the second half. Armon Bassett came away with 32 points, while D.J. Cooper posted 23 points and eight assists in the upset.

Even though the Bobcats’ season hasn’t been as great as a whole, the end of it has been extremely strong. Ohio has gone 13-5 SU and 14-4 ATS in its past 18 contests. The ‘under’ has gone 13-11 for the year. However, the ‘over’ has gone on a 6-1 run in OU’s last seven tilts.

Tennessee (26-8 SU, 13-16-2 ATS) was one of the rare favored clubs that didn’t falter on Thursday night with a 62-59 win over the Aztecs as a three-point “chalk.” J.P. Prince led the Vols to the win with 15 points and six boards. The “push” in this game was a welcome change for backers of the Volunteers since they are 5-11-1 ATS in their last 17 fixtures.

The Vols are 8-2 SU and 5-4-1 ATS in their 10 games this season as single-digit favorites with the ‘under’ going 6-2-1.

Ohio is 3-7 SU and 6-4 when posted as a single-digit ‘dog with the ‘under’ going 6-4 this season.

Northern Iowa (9) vs. Kansas (1) – 5:40 p.m. EDT

LVSC has made Kansas (33-2 SU, 14-17-1 ATS) an 11 ½-point favorite with a total of 128. Bettors can invest in the Panthers for a plus-700 return (risk $100 to win $700).

Northern Iowa (29-4 SU, 21-10-1 ATS) got all they could handle and more out of the Running Rebels in a 69-66 win as a one-point favorite last Thursday. Ali Farokhmanesh scored the game-winning three-pointer with 4.9 seconds remaining to cap off his 17-point performance. It’s impressive to think that UNI turned the ball over 16 times.

The Panthers are riding high with a 13-2 SU and 9-5-1 ATS record in their past 15 contests leading into the second round. The ‘under’ is 10-5, but the ‘over’ has cashed in their last two games.

Kansas was expected to roll over the Mountain Hawks as a 25-point “chalk,” but got plenty of pushback with a 90-74 win. Marcus Morris put in 26 points and 10 rebounds for the winning effort. Still, this was a game that saw the Jayhawks work out some kinks. They had to fight back to tie the game at 12-all early in the first half and only led by six at halftime.

The Jayhawks failed to cover the number, which was the first time in two games they didn’t get an ATS win. For a team that has been lousy at nailing the spread, they have been good as of late with a 4-2 ATS mark in its last six tests.

KU fans should take heart in knowing that their team is 22-0 SU when made a double-digit favorite. Gamblers backing them, on the other hand, also know that they are just 8-13-1 ATS in those matches. That includes a recent an 0-7 ATS run in this situation. The ‘under’ has gone 12-8 when a total was posted.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2010, 12:28 PM

Will Wildcats lead to cash Saturday Night?

High seeds Kentucky and Kansas State will complete a full day of Round 2 action after dark in locations east of the Mississippi River. Each of these Wildcat squads are favored, but not by large amounts as they seek to avoid the upset and move on to Sweet 16.

Wake Forest will have to play big

Wake Forest (20-10, 16-11 ATS) played their most complete game in a month in taking down Texas 81-80 in OT as five-point underdogs. Guard Ishmael Smith’s last shot was a swish, which helped him finish with 19 points, 12 boards and a victory. The next task will be far more daunting and you can forgive coach Dino Gaudio for inquiring about what eligibility the Ivan Brothers have left after watching tape on Kentucky (33-2, 18-15 ATS).

The Wildcats are the biggest team in college basketball, having NBA-size in the frontcourt and they looked similarly imposing in handing East Tennessee State its exit papers 100-71 as 18.5-point favorites. Though Wake Forest’s strength is its baseline players like Al-Farouq Aminu, Kentucky is 6-0 ATS on the road versus teams who average 40 or more rebounds a game on the season. The Demon Deacons are 9.5-point underdogs, but that might work for them since Wake is 12-4 ATS catching points the last two seasons, losing by one point a game in that situation.

K-State out to tames Cougars offense

The other Wildcats had a similarly easy time with first round foe North Texas, as Kansas State (27-7, 20-9 ATS) turned the Mean Green into Gumby with 20-point thumping. The Wildcats guard tandem of Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen will have to not only score, but play defense against BYU (30-5, 19-13 ATS) who can match points with any team in the country.

The Cougars need two overtimes to finally frustrate Florida 99-92 and grab a fairly remarkable cover. Remarkable only begins to tell the story of Jimmer Fredette, who finished with 37 points. Fredette is the heart and soul of BYU and his point total matched Danny Ainge from 29 years ago, for tournament school record. The junior guard was clutch, with 29 of his points scored after halftime. The Kansas State guards are not dutiful defenders and the Wildcats are only 5-14 ATS when out of Manhattan versus teams outscoring opponents by eight or points a game.

K-State is 4.5-point favorite at Bookmaker.com with total of 155 and they are exquisite 7-1 ATS facing teams who make eight or more three bombs a game on the year. The Cougars will try and force the pace of the game even higher, as they are 6-0 ATS in road games when they score 81 to 86 points.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2010, 12:49 PM

Betting Afternoon Round 2 Electricity

The afternoon session of the NCAA Tournament this Saturday has a wide variety of wagering options and games that could turn into real head-scratchers. Lower seeds Murray State, Ohio U., Washington and Old Dominion could make a mess of the most people brackets, if they could pull off yet another upset. Here is a preview of what the afternoon might look like for sports bettors.

Murray State vs. Butler 3:20E

The Racers proved oddsmakers correct in assigning them a low number as underdog against Vanderbilt with their thrilling one point buzz-beater against the Commodores. Few teams in college basketball are more balanced than Murray State (31-4, 16-13-1 ATS), with six players capable of scoring in double figures every game, making defenses having to guard everyone evenly. The Racers have run out to 22-1 SU streak and are adept this season to varying paces with 16-4 ATS mark in away games after two or more Under’s.

Butler (29-4, 14-19 ATS) passed their first test with bulldog determination, routing UTEP with huge 50-26 second half. The Bulldogs employed a great strategy against the Miners as explained by their head coach. "One of the things we try to do is we try to talk about not hitting home runs, it's single, single, single, single, one possession at a time, and we felt like if we played that way today we would be able to do some things," Stevens said of staying patient. Butler is 6-1 ATS the last seven times they have been a favorite of eight points or less.

Bookmaker.com has the Bulldogs as five-point faves with total of 128.5, but they are 3-10 ATS after they’ve covered the spread this season. Watch the total on this match, with Murray State 10-0 OVER after making 53 percent or less of their free throws and Butler 10-1 OVER in all neutral court games over the last three seasons. No. 13 seeds that score 70 or more points, concede less than 66 PPG and get less than 48 percent of points from the backcourt are 3-0 SU against five seeds. (Thanks, Bracketscience.com)

Ohio U vs. Tennessee 3:35E

Tennessee’s defense had problems with how San Diego State executed their offense in the paint area, in Saturday’s second round matinee, they will have to defend 25 or more feet to move on to Sweet 16. Ohio U. (22-14, 19-12 ATS) was the first 14th-seed to engineer an upset in four years, shooting 58.2 percent against Georgetown and draining 13-three balls. The dangerous duo of Armon Bassett and D.J. Cooper accounted for 55 points, making the Bobcats a tough out and they are 10-2 ATS after scoring 80 points or more this season.

Tennessee (26-8, 13-17-1 ATS) is an 8.5-point favorite and will have to use their size to move Ohio U. around and force feed the ball down low to Wayne Chism. After struggling mightily, J.P. Prince and Scotty Hopson are showing signs of finding their offense, which would be important since they are 1-8 ATS away from Knoxville after playing a game where both teams score 65 points or less.

Ohio U. is 6-0 ATS in March and 12-1 ATS in last 13 tries and 14th-seeds taking on six-seeds lose by 5.1 PPG on average.

Northern Iowa vs. Kansas 5:40E

Kansas doesn’t play in many games with a total of 126.5. That is the second lowest number that has popped up on their plate the last three seasons. The Jayhawks (33-2, 14-17-1 ATS) has the skill level to alter their pace, as they are 12-6-3 ATS when the total is 136 or less the past three years. Kansas has the size and quickness edge to contain Northern Iowa (29-4, 22-10 ATS) in the paint and they are 9-1 ATS in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

The Panthers desperately have to control tempo, or they will get blown out. Northern Iowa has veteran experience and isn’t going to find the moment too big facing the nation’s No. 1 team. Against UNLV, after having issues with the Rebels press, the Panthers settled in and played their game. UNI is an 11.5-point underdog and is 11-4 ATS after four or more consecutive wins this season. They will need eight or more three-point plays to hang with Kansas and stay out of foul trouble in the frontcourt. Nine seeds that average less than 73 points and have scoring margin differential of less than seven points, are 0-46 SU facing a top seed.

Old Dominion vs. Baylor 5:45E

Nobody is going to mistake Waco, TX as a basketball mecca, nevertheless Baylor (25-7, 16-9 ATS) is creating a stir with this talented bunch. The Bears wrestled with a hearty Sam Houston State bunch, winning by nine as 10.5-point chalk, but when it is your first NCAA victory in six decades, you don’t quibble about details. Baylor was led by Ekpe Udoh (20 points, 13 rebounds), who recorded his 15th double-double and they are 10-2 ATS having won four of their last five games this season.

Old Dominion (27-8, 13-17-1 ATS) followed the old tale of – Cut off the head and the body will die. The Monarchs prevented Notre Dame’s Luke Hanargody from scoring until the final minute and upset the Fighting Irish. Old Dominion played outstanding perimeter defense as the normally reliable Irish shooters were 6-26 from behind the three-point line and they helped expertly when the higher seed tried to dribble and drive. "I guess I'm kind of old school. I think we can guard people and stop them," coach Blaine Taylor said. The Monarchs have six straight wins (4-2 ATS) and are 4.5-point underdogs. ODU however is 0-6 ATS after six or more consecutive triumphs and 3 vs. 11 matchups have the higher seed winning by 8.8 PPG and if that team was not in the tournament the prior year, they are 12-0 SU.

Washington vs. New Mexico 5:50E

The final contest of the afternoon session should be frantic affair. Both teams score in the mid to upper 70’s and stingy defense is the not the strength of either club. Washington (25-9, 15-18 ATS) moved ahead thanks to Quincy Pondexter’s efforts, making two clutch baskets in the final 34 seconds, including the game winner with 1.7 seconds left. The Huskies are now 13-2 and 10-4 ATS since lost weekend in L.A. in Pac-10 action.

New Mexico (30-4, 18-14-1 ATS) looked nervous in opening contest against Montana and played well only is spurts, winning 52-47 as nine-point favorites. The Lobos don't have a starter taller than 6’8, yet they have a number of players that can fill the basket, including Mountain West Conference Player of the Year, forward Darington Hobson. The Lobos are 14-5 ATS after a combined score of 125 points or less and the number three seed is a 1.5-point underdog to Pac-10 post season champions.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2010, 12:54 PM

Is No. 2 Villanova in serious trouble?

You would have to believe so by the way they are playing and evidently other actions off the court. Villanova (25-7, 18-13 ATS) has won three of their previous eight games, covering the spread twice (one was by a single point). The big question about the Wildcats seems to be commitment. Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher were the latest players late in the season to be a part of coach Jay Wright’s “teaching points”, starting the a NCAA game on the bench. Does this appear to be a team hungry to return to the Final Four?

Villanova was a 17-point favorite over No. 15 Robert Morris and needed five extra minutes to put away the Colonials 73-70. Nova’s biggest lead of the game was six points as they shot 35.3 percent as a team and were 6-22 from behind the arc and at the end of the contest, one team got a standing ovation and it wasn’t Villanova. The Wildcats will have to work hard to keep 8-1 ATS record in road games playing their second game in three days over the last two seasons.

St. Mary’s (27-5, 21-9-1 ATS) is the opponent out of the 10th seed slot and they are very capable at 13-3 and 12-4 ATS on the road. After losing consecutive road games at Gonzaga and Portland in the middle of February and allowing 80 points in each, coach Randy Bennett made it point to reconstruct St. Mary’s practices, starting each one with defensive focus. This new strategy has work emphatically, as the Gaels have rattled off six straight wins and five covers.

Another big factor in St. Mary’s success and it big, literally, is the domination of 6’11 center Omar Samhan. He tore up the Richmond defense with his 29 points and 12 rebounds, leading the way in comfortable 80-71 upset of the Spiders. Samhan has enjoyed more freedom in the low blocks as point guard Mickey McConnell and freshman guard Matthew Dellavedova have shot the rock with greater effectiveness deep. St. Mary’s is 10-3 ATS away from home after two or more wins this season.

Villanova is five-point favorite with total of 153.5 at Bookmaker.com, which should mean a high scoring affair. The Wildcats may be 15-6 ATS versus offensive teams scoring 77 or more points a game, but 10-seeds have won outright 40 percent of the time against No. 2’s if they average better than 72 points a game and if they outscore opponents by at least five points per contest (St. Mary’s at 13.5). The Gaels are 12-3 ATS on the road after scoring 80 or more points.

This is the opening game on Saturday slated for 1:05 Eastern and Villanova is 17-4 UNDER after failing to cover the spread in three or more consecutive games.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2010, 01:12 PM

Your Evening set of games.......won't be around as i'll be attending the games at HP Pavilion at noon.......good luck !

N.C. State - 5:00 PM ET N.C. State +5.5 400
UAB - Under 123.5 400

Northern Iowa - 5:40 PM ET Northern Iowa +11 500 ( DOG POD )
Kansas - Over 126.5 500

Old Dominion - 5:45 PM ET Old Dominion +4.5 500 ( ANOTHER DOG POD )
Baylor - Over 129 500

Washington - 5:50 PM ET Washington -2.5 500 ( POD )_
New Mexico - Under 151.5 300

Brigham Young - 8:10 PM ET Kansas St. -4.5 500 ( POD )
Kansas St. - Under 155.5 300

Wake Forest - 8:15 PM ET Kentucky -9.5 500
Kentucky - Under 146 300

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2010, 01:13 PM

Saturday's Late Tips

**Old Dominion vs. Baylor**

--This second-round showdown between the third-seeded Bears and the 11th-seeded Monarchs will take place in New Orleans. Tip-off on CBS is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. Eastern.

--Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Baylor (26-7 straight up, 16-10 against the spread) as a five-point favorite with a total of 130. As of early Friday night, most betting shops had the Bears favored by four with the total as low as 127 ½ (Las Vegas Hilton) and as high as 129 ½ (Stratosphere). Bettors can take the champs from out of the Colonial Athletic Association to win outright for a plus-165 payout (risk $100 to win $165).

--Old Dominion (27-8 SU, 14-17 ATS) advanced to the second round by rallying to knock off sixth-seeded Notre Dame by a 51-50 count Thursday afternoon. Trailing 28-22 at halftime, the Monarchs took charge at the defensive end, limiting the Irish to 22 points in the second half. They collected the outright victory as a short 2 ½-point underdog, cashing money-line tickets as generous a plus-130. Frank Hassell scored 15 points and pulled down nine rebounds for the winners, who held Luke Harangody to just four points. Keyon Carter 11 points, six boards, three steals and one blocked shot.

--Baylor got all it wanted from 14th-seeded Sam Houston St. in their first-round matchup Thursday. The Bears pulled away late for a 68-59 victory, but the Bearkats still hooked up their backers, albeit barely, as 9 ½-point underdogs. Ekpe Udoh was the difference for the Bears, producing 20 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, two steals and a pair of blocked shots.

--Scott Drew’s squad has been a single-digit favorite 15 times, compiling an 8-7 spread record in those situations.

--ODU owns a 2-6 record both SU and ATS in eight underdog spots. Both wins came over Big East foes, Georgetown and Notre Dame.

--The ‘under’ is 17-13 overall for ODU, but the ‘over’ has cashed in seven of its last nine outings.

--The ‘over’ has cashed tickets at a lucrative 17-9 overall clip for Baylor this season.

--The winner will advance to the South Region semifinals in Houston to play the Saint Mary’s-Villanova winner.

**Washington vs. New Mexico**

-- LVSC opened this 3/11 matchup as a pick ‘em with a total of 150. However, due to the fact that Lobos’ star Darington Hobson was considered “questionable” as of early Friday night, most books had the game circled (low limits, no parlays) with Washington (25-9 SU, 15-18 ATS) listed as the 1 ½-point favorite with a total of 150.

--New Mexico (30-4 SU, 18-13-2 ATS) advanced past 14th-seeded Montana on Thursday night, but not before getting all it wanted from the Grizzlies. In the end, the Lobos captured a 62-57 win but they failed to cover the spread for the fourth straight time as 8 ½-point favorites. Roman Martinez was the catalyst for UNM, scoring a team-high 19 points while also grabbing six rebounds and dishing out four assists. Hobson finished with 11 points, 11 boards, six assists and a pair of steals.

--Hobson, who leads UNM in scoring, rebounding and assists, has a sore and tender left wrist after a hard fall against Montana. Nevertheless, he is expected to play and bettors should look for him to be upgraded to “probable” in the hours leading up to tip time.

--Lorenzo Romar’s team has caught fire at the right time. UW has won eight in a row, posting a 7-1 spread record in the process. Despite trailing for most of the second half in their first-round game vs. Marquette, the Huskies rallied and won an 80-78 decision as one-point underdogs. Quincy Pondexter, who finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds, scored the game-winning bucket with 1.7 second remaining. Isaiah Thomas had a team-high 19 points and eight assists.

--Steve Alford’s squad has played 12 games against teams in the NCAA field, winning nine of those contests. The Lobos have played one team from out of the Pac-10 this year, beating California 86-78 as 5 ½-point home favorites.

--CBS will have television coverage from San Jose 30 minutes after the conclusion of Butler-Murray St. The winner will face the West Virginia-Missouri winner in next week’s Sweet 16 round at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse.

**Kentucky vs. Wake Forest**

-- LVSC opened top-seeded Kentucky (33-2 SU, 18-15 ATS) as a nine-point favorite with a total of 147. As of early Friday night, most books had UK at nine still with the total adjusted to 143. Dino Gaudio’s team can be had to win outright for a generous plus-375 payout (risk $100 to win $375).

--Wake Forest (20-10 SU, 16-11 ATS) got past Texas 81-80 Thursday night in overtime, as senior guard Ish Smith came through in the clutch with a game-winning jumper from about 15 feet out. The Demon Deacons won outright as 5 ½-point underdogs, hooking up money-line backers with a plus-200 return (risk $100 to win $200). Smith finished with 19 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.

--Wake Forest owns a 7-3 spread record in 10 games as an underdog. Meanwhile, the Wildcats are 9-5 versus the number in 14 games as single-digit ‘chalk.’

--John Calipari’s squad was perhaps the most dominant team of the first round, destroying East Tennessee St. 101-70 as an 18 ½-point favorite. Freshman guard Eric Bledsoe stole the show, burying 8-of-9 attempts from 3-point range en route to a game-high 29 points. Patrick Patterson added 22 points, while John Wall had 17 points and 11 assists.

--The point-guard matchup will be interesting to watch between Wall and Smith. These players are the nation’s two fastest off the dribble, so it’ll be interesting to see who can get into the lane to finish and distribute most often.

--The ‘over’ is on a 4-2 run for UK in its last six games and is 17-15 overall.

--The ‘under’ is 15-11 overall for Wake Forest.

**BYU vs. Kansas State**

--LVSC opened second-seeded Kansas St. (27-7 SU, 19-9-1 ATS) as a 4 1/2–point favorite with a total of 154. As of Friday night, most spots had the Wildcats at either four or 4 ½ with the total at 154 ½. Gamblers can take the Cougars on the money line at a plus-170 price.

--BYU (30-5 SU, 19-13 ATS) won its first NCAA Tournament game since 1993 Thursday, taking out Florida 99-92 in double overtime. The Cougars hooked their backers up with a fortunate cover as 5 ½-point favorites. Jimmer Fredette scored a game-high 37 points, but reserve guard Michael Loyd was the difference with his 26 points off the bench. Loyd was money at the charity stripe to put the game away and give BYU backers the winner.

--Frank Martin’s team drilled North Texas 82-62 as a 15-point favorite in Thursday’s first-round game. Denis Clemente scored 17 points and dished out six assists, while Curtis Kelly and Jacob Pullen chipped in with 15 points apiece.

--BYU has been an underdog five times, posting an abysmal 1-4 record both SU and ATS. The Cougars’ lone win and cover came at UTEP.

--Kansas St. has thrived as a single-digit favorite, cashing tickets at an incredible 12-3-1 clip in 16 such spots.

--The ‘over’ is 15-12-1 overall for K-St., 16-14 overall for BYU.

--The winner advances to the West Region semifinals in Salt Lake City to face the Pitt-Xavier survivor.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2010, 01:16 PM

Trend Report - Saturday

Warriors at Grizzlies – The Warriors are 7-0 ATS (9.1 ppg) since January 16, 2009 when their DPA was at least plus 15 points in their previous game. The Grizzlies are 0-9 ATS (-6.9 ppg) since November 28, 2003 at home with two or more days of rest off a loss as a dog in which they led by 10+ points. The Grizzlies are 0-8 ATS (-11.8 ppg) since February 20, 2007 with two or more days of rest after a loss in which their opponent shot at least ten three-pointers and made at least half of them.

Bobcats at Heat – The Bobcats are 8-0 ATS (8.6 ppg) since January 28, 2006 on the road when playing their fourth game in five days. The Heat are 0-6 ATS (-5.6 ppg) since February 25, 2006 at home when their opponent is playing their fourth game in five days. The Heat are 6-0 ATS (14.2 ppg) since March 11, 2009 at home when they scored at least 25 more points in their previous game than in the game before.

Hornets at Jazz – The Hornets are 0-10 ATS (-8.0 ppg) since April 19, 2009 on the road with at least one day of rest after a game in which they scored less than 15% of their points from the free throw line. The Hornets are 7-0 ATS (7.5 ppg) since December 30, 1996 on the road with at least one day of rest after a double digit road loss in which their opponent stole the ball at least twelve times. The Jazz are 9-0 ATS (10.4 ppg) since December 10, 2009 when they have a revenge game at home next.

Celtics at Mavericks – The Celtics are 8-0 ATS (12.8 ppg) since November 18, 2006 as a road dog with no rest after a game in which they had an assist to turnover ratio of at least two. The Mavericks are 0-9 ATS (-8.2 ppg) since March 17, 2009 at home when facing a non-conference team they beat in their first match-up of the season. The Mavericks are 7-0-1 ATS (6.9 ppg) since November 17, 2006 as a favorite with two or more days of rest after a game at home in which they shot at least 50% from the field.

Raptors at Nets – The Raptors are 0-11 ATS (-10.8 ppg) since February 02, 2010 when they allowed one-hundred-plus points for two straight games. The League is 7-0 ATS (11.1 ppg) since February 23, 2008 as a favorite with no rest after a double digit loss in which they had at least five more turnovers than their season-to-date average. The Nets are 8-0-1 ATS (7.0 ppg) since December 23, 1999 at home with at least one day of rest after a game on the road in which they had at least 10 shots blocked. The Nets are 0-7 ATS (-16.2 ppg) since December 12, 2008 at home after a loss in which less than 45% of their baskets were assisted.

Bucks at Nuggets – The Bucks are 14-0-1 ATS (8.4 ppg) since January 05, 2010 before playing at home. The Nuggets are 10-0-1 ATS (6.8 ppg) since March 01, 2005 at home after playing the Hornets. The Nuggets are 9-0-1 ATS (5.8 ppg) since February 27, 2009 when playing the last game of at least a three game home stand. The Nuggets are 8-0-1 ATS (6.4 ppg) since December 18, 1999 at home after a home win in which they had at least 20 offensive rebounds.

Bulls at Sixers – The Bulls are 0-8 ATS (-7.4 ppg) since March 07, 2005 after a loss in which they shot at least twenty three-pointers and made less than a 25% of them. The 76ers are 0-8 ATS (-8.4 ppg) since December 03, 2008 at home when both they and their opponent have no rest.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2010, 01:23 PM

Saturday, March 20Game Score Status Pick Amount

Chicago - 7:00 PM ET Philadelphia -4 300
Philadelphia - Over 203.5 300

Charlotte - 7:30 PM ET Miami -6.5 500
Miami - Over 180 500

Toronto - 7:30 PM ET New Jersey +3.5 400
New Jersey - Over 207.5 400

Golden State - 8:00 PM ET Golden State +10 500
Memphis - Under 230.5 500

Boston - 9:00 PM ET Boston +4 500
Dallas - Under 200 500 ( NBA TOTAL )

Milwaukee - 9:00 PM ET Milwaukee +10.5 500 ( NBA POD )
Denver - Over 203.5 500

New Orleans - 9:00 PM ET New Orleans +9.5 500
Utah - Over 212 500

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2010, 02:41 PM

Well i think i've gotten all the informattion i could find.....leaving here soon for HP Pavilion.............I'll be under the South Hoop............

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2010, 09:52 PM

Well back from HP Pavilion....and all i can say is......those huskies will be one dangerous team...wowwwwwwwwwww.....where has this team been all year...............

**StarDust Bum** · 03-21-2010, 01:28 AM

Pods go 9 - 2 for the day.

5 - 2 College Hoops

2 - 0 NBA

2 - 0 NHL

Maybe am back on track............

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