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**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2010, 01:08 AM

Are Washington and Cornell desirable dogs?

The East Regional is a marriage of four unlikely teams. Here we find something new (Cornell), something old (Bob Huggins having team in the tournament), something borrowed (Washington playing like they are a top Sweet 16 program or better after underachieving a good portion of the season) and something blue (lots of Kentucky blue). These four converge in upstate New York not willing to be a bridesmaid and the underdogs earning a lot of love.

These Huskies are no dogs

For Washington (26-9, 16-18 ATS) fans, their lost weekend in Los Angeles (losing to both UCLA and USC) is a distant memory. Those Jan. 21 and 23 contests were the last time the Huskies played bad basketball. Whatever happened to this team after losing to the Trojans by 26 points, it has worked. Washington has won 14 of 16, including nine in a row and is 11-4 ATS. Maybe it was coach Lorenzo Romar steady influence, sending the same message and getting his players to believe.

One player that never lost faith was senior Quincy Pondexter. “When I kept saying in January, 'Don't panic,' it was for a reason," Pondexter said. "We still had a lot of time to come together and make a push like we are now."

Washington is now 6-1 ATS in NCAA Tournament appearances and believes they can achieve greatness. "If we do what we're supposed to do, we got a chance to do something even more special," coach Romar said. "You never want to look too far ahead, and we don't…….I don't think anyone is satisfied yet. They like playing basketball, and they want to keep playing."

The Huskies ability to control the pace has been the key with their athletes. Strip away the slowdown tactics of Oregon State and Washington has average 81.3 points per game in the last six other contests. Bookmaker.com has them as four-point underdog with total of 140.5.

West Virginia (29-6, 15-19 ATS) received some sobering news, losing point guard Truck Bryant to broken foot. This was already the Mountaineers weakest position on the floor, which leaves Joe Mazzulla to soldier the load independently. Mazzulla was already playing more minutes than Bryant in recent weeks, however now he has no credible backup to support him. It will be imperative Mazzulla plays well as facilitator to Da'Sean Butler, Kevin Jones and Devin Ebanks and stays under control defensively, as Washington will try to force West Virginia into track meet. The ‘Teers are 14-2 ATS in their last 16 NCAA games.

It would seem picking the total has a direct correlation to spread outcome. Washington is 12-3 OVER having won 12 or more of their last 15 games, winning by 6.4 points per game. West Virginia is 12-4 UNDER when the total is 140 to 149.5 over the last two seasons, being victorious by 7.8 PPG. No.2 seeds are 7-1 SU against 11’s, winning by 6.4 points a contest.

Big Red vs. Big Blue

Kentucky (34-2, 19-15 ATS) is now the odds on favorite to win the whole shebang and is an 8.5-point favorite over Cornell (29-4, 18-10). The Big Red cannot be underestimated, at least to cover the spread. Cornell’s strength is in their ability to play their game. In two tournament trips, they have shot 43.6 percent from three-point land, which is right on target with season average and NCAA best figure of 43.9.

Kentucky is powerful in the paint and will likely be able to slowdown Cornell’s 7’0 center Jeff Foote. Nonetheless, the team most similar to Cornell, at least in terms of style is Mississippi State and the Wildcats needed overtime and fair amount of luck to down the Bulldogs twice.
Ryan Wittman, Louis Dale and Jon Jaque all can drain the long ball and their team is 8-2 ATS away from home after three or more consecutive wins this season.

Kentucky is going to have to make three-point shots, as Cornell will stay in their zone defense. The Wildcats do have definite edge is size and quickness and when pushed on the road, they have held opposing teams to 27.9 percent behind the arc. Expect coach John Calipari to use his big guys to get Foote into foul trouble, making it easier to focus on guarding the perimeter. Kentucky has covered their last five tournament appearances and No.1 seeds vs. 12’s are perfect 16-0 SU, winning by 14.6 PPG.

The question remains will this youthful ‘Cats team stay focused taking on an Ivy League squad, despite their ability? Over the years, Kentucky is 2-17 ATS after consecutive blowout wins by 20 points or more.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2010, 01:09 AM

Favorites presumed to rule the West

The chalk followed suit in the West Regional with top seeds Syracuse and Kansas State both victorious. Each are a solid betting choice to meet in an Elite 8 matchup on Saturday, yet both will encounter clubs that are NCAA tournament tested and carrying a strong belief this is their chance to shine in what has been unpredictable tournament in 2010.

Syracuse vs Butler

The status of Arinze Onuaku is presently listed as doubtful, which doesn’t help the Orangemen (30-4, 21-9 ATS) as they look to move on in the tournament. Onuaku is a contributing scorer near the basket and though a mediocre free throw shooter, he still draws fouls against the opposing team and is exceptional rebounder in their 2-3 zone. His ability to control the glass has set up Syracuse to push the ball offensively, often finding the right player in motion towards the basket with a sharp, on-target pass they led to easier baskets for Orange shooters. Syracuse is 13-3 ATS in all tournament games over the last two seasons.

That leaves more of the burden to fall on Wesley Johnson and Rick Jackson specifically. Johnson has to rebound a little more and can’t cheat out quite as much on misfires from the opposition. Jackson in turn has to be the Windex-man (long-time Dick Vitale favorite saying) and has to work a little harder on the offensive glass for put-backs. Off their high-octane effort against Gonzaga (87-65), Syracuse is 8-1 ATS in road games after a blowout win by 20 points or more.

Butler (30-4, 12-20 ATS) is a six-point underdog, with total of 138.5 at Bookmaker.com. The Bulldogs are playing with a real swagger; a 22-game win streak will do that for team. In spite of their phenomenal success, Butler was often mentioned as a play against team in both the first two games in the tournament and they played unafraid even the face of real adversity. F-C Matt Howard sat a good portion of the second half with four fouls against Murray State, yet the Bulldogs actually built a lead during that time, spreading the floor offensively and getting points from a variety of scorers including versatile Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack.

Butler is ordinary three-point team (34.1 percent), nonetheless has players capable of tickling the twine and is 21-7 ATS as an underdog.

Xavier vs. Kansas State

The Wildcats from Manhattan are looking better all the time. Kansas State (28-7, 21-9 ATS) was considered a darkhorse for a top seed until losing twice in final week of the regular season. However, obstacles might be falling to the wayside for the Wildcats to be considered a real championship club. Their nemesis Kansas is flushed; Syracuse and West Virginia have either ailing starters or have lost them all together. The Cinderella’s are presumed to strike midnight before long, leaving only a few worthy contenders.

Stellar guard play is a must to survive and advance in March and coach Frank Martin just might have the most dynamic duo since Batman and Robin. Jacob Pullen or Denis Clemente are both capable of boiling over and scoring points at per minute clip. In the painted area, Curtis Kelly and Jamar Samuels can both produce big nights, particularly if they're converting offensive rebounds into stick-backs. K-State is a four-point favorite and is 18-6 ATS this season when bestowed with the honor.

Xavier’s is nobody’s fool, being only just one of two teams to make it to the Sweet 16 in each of the last three seasons along with Michigan State. Forget the talk of the Musketeers not being elite program. "I don't feel like we're a mid-major at all," said senior Jason Love, having been a part of this ride. "You look at our schedule and we play some of the best teams in the country."

Xavier (26-8, 22-11 ATS) is 8-1 ATS in a NCAA tournament games over the last three seasons and holds opposing teams to 40.7 percent shooting, yet are explosive enough to average almost 80 (79.3) points a contest. Sophomore guard Jordan Crawford led the A-10 in scoring with 19.6 points a game and has a complete package, being able find open teammates, defend effectively, and deliver big baskets when his team needs them throughout a game. Xavier is 14-3 ATS having won two of their last three games this campaign.

Two seeds are 18-5 SU taking on six seeds, with average winning margin 5.6 PPG.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2010, 01:11 AM

Sweet 16 & Elite 8 Tendencies

With the NCAA tournament moving into the Sweet 16 round on Thursday, then the Elite 8 round on Saturday, here are some trends you’ll want to use this weekend as the field narrows further. Plus, stay tuned throughout the next few days as we take a closer look at each of the games. Included in this piece are round-by-round notes from our friend at Playbook.com, Marc Lawrence.

Sweet 16 Round

The Sweet 16 round is typically the end of the run for most “Cinderella” teams. Better seeds & favorites have only lost six of the 32 games in this round over the L4 years. They are 10-6 ATS the last two years.

Since ‘03 there have been 20 favorites of 5-1/2 points or more in the Sweet 16 round. Those teams are 20-0 SU & 12-7-1 ATS (63%), holding their opponents to just 64.4 PPG while winning by 12.1 PPG.

#1 seeds are 8-0 SU & 6-2 ATS in the Sweet 16 round over the last two years. However, they are just 5-5 SU & 2-7-1 (22%) in their L10 of this round when favored by 5-points or less.

In the last seven games where two teams seeded #6 or worse met in the Sweet 16, the lesser seed is 6-1 SU & ATS (86%).

Double-digit seeded teams are just 2-10 SU & 4-8 ATS in the Sweet 16 round since ’03.

Oddsmakers have provided a good blueprint on totals in one sense in the Sweet 16, as in games with posted totals of 128 points or less, UNDER the total is 11-2 (85%) since ’99.

Marc Lawrence's Sweet 16 Notes
• #1 Seed favs < 11 pts off BB SUATS wins are 10-2 ATS

• #2 Seeds are 12-5 ATS vs opponents off a SU dog win

• #4 Seed dogs are 2-8 ATS vs foes off BB SUATS wins

• #5 Seeds are 1-4 ATS vs foes off BB SUATS wins

• #6 Seeds off a DD SU win are 2-6 ATS

• #9 or higher seed dogs > 2 pts are 3-10 ATS

• Favorites off a SU win of 30 > pts are 4-0 ATS

• Favorites off BB SU wins of 15 > pts are 10-2 ATS

• Underdogs who scored < 65 pts last game are 7-3 ATS

• Underdogs off BB dog wins are 2-9 ATS

• Underdogs who scored 85 > pts last game are 2-7 ATS

Best Team SU & ATS records in this round
Xavier: 3-0 ATS, Michigan St: 5-1 SU & ATS, Kentucky: 10-2 SU / 9-3 ATS, West Virginia: 3-1 ATS

Worst Team SU & ATS records in this round
Butler: 0-3 SU / 1-2 ATS, Tennessee: 0-3 SU / 1-2 ATS, Washington: 0-3 SU, Duke: 1-5 SU & ATS, Syracuse: 1-4 SU / 0-4-1 ATS, Purdue: 1-3 SU & ATS.

Best Conference ATS records in this round
Atlantic 10: 6-0, SEC: 8-2 as dogs, Big 10: 14-5.

Worst Conference ATS records in this round
Big East: 0-5 as favs < 7 pts, Pac 10: 1-6 as dogs, Big 12: 1-5 as favs 10 < pts, ACC: 3-11 as favs 8 < pts.

Elite 8 Round (Quarterfinals)

Lesser seeds hold an overall advantage in this round since 1998, going 29-17-2 ATS (63%).

Since eight straight covers by lesser seeds in the Elite 8 round games of 2005 & 2006, better seeds, all #1’s, have gone 8-4 SU & 7-5 ATS.

In Elite 8 games that have had pointspreads of 3-points or less, the lesser seeds are on an incredible run of 17-4 SU & 16-5 ATS (76%), including 13-3 SU & ATS as underdogs!

Teams favored by 8-points or more in the quarterfinal round have lost just two of the last 12 games outright, but are just 3-9 ATS (25%).

Teams seeded #4 or worse and taking on a better seed are on a 15-5 ATS (75%) run in the quarterfinal games.

There has only been one upset in the Elite 8 round since ’98 when the difference between the seeds has been five or more. In such game, the better seeds are 12-1 SU but 4-8-1 ATS (33%).

The Elite 8 round has been the highest scoring of any round over the last eight years, with games averaging a total of 147.5 PPG while going 28-15-1 OVER (65%).

In games with totals less than 145, the OVER has been spectacular, 22-7 (76%). In games between “A” level conference teams, the OVER is 20-9 since ’99.

Marc Lawrence's Elite 8 Notes
• #1 Seed favs > 7 pts are 0-7 ATS vs foe off BB ATS wins

• #2 Seeds are 2-9-1 ATS off a DD ATS win

• #3 Seeds are 1-4 ATS

• #4 Seeds are 7-1 ATS

• #5 Seeds are 4-0 SU and ATS

• #6 Seeds are 0-6 SU

• #8 or higher seeds are 6-2-2 ATS

• Teams off BB ATS losses are 6-2 ATS

• Teams with Revenge are 12-4-1 ATS

• Favs who scored < 65 pts last game are 0-5 ATS

• Dogs off 3 straight DD wins are 1-4-1 ATS

• Dogs who scored 85 < pts last game are 1-4 ATS

COACH ME IF YOU CAN:

• Jim Boeheim is 1-5-1 ATS in Sweet 16 games, but 6-0 ATS from the Elite 8 out

• Tom Izzo is 11-3 SU and 9-4-1 ATS in Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games

• Bob Huggins is 1-9 ATS as an NCAA tourney dog or favorite of less than two points

THE IDES OF MARCH:

• Xavier is 25-12 SU and 24-12-1 ATS during the month of March since 2004, including 14-1-1 ATS in the NCAA tourney.

Title Odds
Here is a look at each team's title odds according to Sportsbook.com, along with my thoughts on their chances...

Baylor +2500: Perhaps the least publicized of any Sweet 16 team, yet favored to reach Elite 8. I don’t see it though.

Butler +5000: Don’t believe this team has the horses to get by Syracuse.

Cornell +7500: Honestly…performance this weekend was un-Cinderella-like. Kentucky must be on-guard.

Duke +500: Very long odds for highest remaining ******* Outplay Factor team. My new pick for title.

Kansas State +600: Toughest remaining road to title of any high seed. Longshot.

Kentucky +175: Most dominant team in first two rounds. Yet to be tested, but still the favorite.

Michigan State +3000: Lucas injury devastating. Will be lucky to survive UNI.

Northern Iowa +5000: If 3-point shots continue to fall, Final Four berth possible. That’s it.

Ohio State +800: Favorite in Midwest Region, best player, best defense.

Purdue +6000: Heavy underdog to Duke, has matched up poorly in recent head-to-head play.

St Marys (CA) +5000: Samhan the player-of-the-tournament thus far. One more win possible.

Syracuse +400: Written off after Onuaku injury, yet West Region looks there for the taking.

Tennessee +3500: Playing much better than expected. Buckeyes a stern test though.

Washington +4000: Is a Pac 10 team really a Cinderella? Seem to be coming back together at right time.

West Virginia +600: Defense was superb for the last 2-3 weeks. East Region final matchup vs. UK would be outstanding.

Xavier +4000: New game plan, same tourney results, now 14-1-1 ATS in L16 tourney games. Wow.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2010, 01:15 AM

Midwest Region Semifinals

The Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri is the locale for the Midwest Region semifinals on Friday night. Things get kicked off with Ohio State taking on Tennessee in a rematch of the 2007 South semis. After that game goes final, Northern Iowa will look to shove its foot back into the glass slipper when they face Michigan State in the nightcap.

Las Vegas Sports Consultants initially opened the Buckeyes up as 4 ½-point favorites with a total of 135. Most betting shops have adhered to that same spread, but the total has shrunk slightly to 134. For those bettors wanting to back Tennessee (27-8 straight up, 13-16-1 against the spread), they’ll get a plus-175 return (risk $100 to $175) on the outright win.

Ohio State (29-7 SU, 17-14 ATS) comes into its second Sweet Sixteen berth in four years after dumping the 15th-seeded Gauchos in the first round and sending the 10th-seeded Yellow Jackets packing.

The Bucks failed to cover as 17 ½-point faves in their 68-51 win over Cal-Santa Barbara, but were never in danger of falling in this tilt. Evan Turner was tossing up cinder blocks in that opener with nine points on 2-of-13 shooting from the field. John Diebler was there to pick up the slack with 23 points as he went 7-of-12 from beyond the arc.

OSU needs Turner and Diebler to put up strong numbers every time out because things get pretty thin for the team outside of the starting five. To give you an idea of how little depth Thad Matta’s squad has, just consider the playing time against Georgia Tech. Turner, Diebler and William Buford all played 40 minutes. Dallas Lauderdale put in 31 minutes of work, while David Lighty was on the floor for 36 minutes. In the first two rounds of this tourney, Ohio State’s starters played in 312 of a possible 320 minutes of action.

The Volunteers reached the regional semifinals after surviving a scare against 11th-seed San Diego State, then pushing 14th-seed Ohio back to a curb somewhere in Athens. Bruce Pearl’s crew is playing strong at just the right time, going 7-1 SU and 4-3-1 ATS in its last eight contests.

Tennessee came awfully close to not even being in this spot after holding onto a 62-59 over the Aztecs. Wayne Chism made two clutch free throws in the final eight seconds of the game to create the final margin of victory; he wound up with nine points altogether against SDSU. J.P. Prince paced the Vols with 15 points and six boards in the victory.

The Vols didn’t have any issues in running away late against Ohio in an 83-68 triumph as 8 ½-point faves last Saturday. Prince came up big once again with 18 point and four rebounds against the Bobcats.

Tennessee has been listed as an underdog nine times this season, going 4-5 SU and 4-4-1 ATS. In the last six spots, they are 2-4 SU and ATS.

Ohio State is 10-1 SU and 8-3 ATS when tabbed as a single-digit “chalk” this year. The ‘over’ has gone 7-4 in those spots as well.

These two teams met in the 2007 South Region semifinals with OSU as a 4 ½-point favorite. Yet the Bucks looked nothing like a team worthy of making a run to the championship game after going down 20 points. Ohio State found a way to fight back and win 85-85 on the strength of a Greg Oden block with 0.2 seconds left.

The Vols did exact some revenge the following season with a 74-69 win in Knoxville, but Ohio State covered as a 11 ½-point road pup.

All told, the Buckeyes are 2-1 SU and 1-2 ATS in their last three showdowns with UT. The ‘under’ has gone 2-1 in those contests as well.

You’ll see this game tip-off on CBS at 7:10 p.m. EDT.

About 30 minutes after the first game goes final, Northern Iowa (30-4 SU, 22-10-1 ATS) will look to continue its Cinderella run against the Spartans.

There is no discounting how good the Panthers are after looking at their road to the Sweet Sixteen. They opened up with a white-knuckle 69-66 win over UNLV in the first round as one-point favorites. This game appeared to be heading to an extra session with a 66-66 score until Ali Farokhmanesh drilled a three-point jumper with 4.2 seconds left.

Farokhmanesh wasn’t satisfied by showing he had the stones to drop the Rebs. Oh no, he was going to cement his flair for the clutch shot against No. 1 overall seed Kansas. UNI held a comfortable lead for much of the game…that was until the Jayhawks pulled within one at 63-62. The Panthers’ senior guard nailed a three-pointer with 35 seconds on the clock to essentially put the game out of reach. KU made a bucket late, but the UNI walked away with a 69-67 upset as an 11 ½-point underdog. And those gamblers that had the guts to take Ben Jacobson’s club to win outright were rewarded with a plus-700 return (risk $100 to win $700).

Farokhmanesh led Northern Iowa scorers with 16 points, while Jordan Eglseder popped in 14 points with five boards.

Michigan State (26-8 SU, 13-20 ATS) has had to work for this spot in the regional semifinals. The Spartans survived a thriller against 12th-seed New Mexico State 70-67, but failed to cover as 13-point faves. And it didn’t get any easier against for MSU against the No. 4 Terrapins as they won 85-83 as a 1 ½-point pup on Korie Lucious’ three-pointer at the buzzer.

The Spartans’ win over Maryland could be considered one of Tom Izzo’s finer coaching effort considering they were without Kalin Lucas for the final 22 minutes of the game. At first it didn’t look like Lucas’ absence would matter as Michigan State pulled out to a 16-point lead in the second half. But the Terps weren’t going away quietly with Greivis Vasquez scoring 10 points in the final two-minutes of the game. Luckily for the kids from East Lansing that Lucious was able to hit his game-winner from the top of the key.

We’re going to get see if Izzo can paint another masterpiece this weekend as Lucas is out for the tournament with a ruptured left Achilles’ tendon. That means Lucious will be getting the lion’s share of playing time in his absence. While the sophomore can make a clutch shot, his ball-handling and leadership skills are nowhere near what we’ve seen with Lucas over the past three years.

The Spartans have been nothing more than a coin flip this season as single-digit faves, evidenced by a 5-5 SU and 4-6 ATS. In the last five instances under this situation, Michigan State has gone 1-4 SU and ATS. The ‘over’ is 4-1 in the last five matches.

Northern Iowa have posted a great 6-1 SU and ATS record when listed as an underdog this season with the ‘under’ going 5-1.

The Panthers also have a pristine 4-0 SU and ATS mark when facing teams from the power conference this season. The ’under’ was 2-1 in those games.

UNI has seen the ‘under’ go 17-6 for the entire season, but the ‘over’ has hit in three straight games.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2010, 01:16 AM

East Region Semifinals

After this, all that’s left is kids and memories so we want this to last as long as possible.” -- Cornell senior point guard Louis Dale

The East Region semifinals will take place Thursday at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY. In the lid-lifter, West Virginia will square off against Washington, followed by Cornell vs. Kentucky.

Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened the Mountaineers as 3 ½-point favorites with a total of 140. As of early Wednesday morning, most betting shops had Bob Huggins’ team favored by four or 4 1/2 with the total at 142. Bettors can back the Huskies to win outright for a plus-180 return (risk $100 to win $180).

West Virginia (29-6 straight up, 15-19 against the spread) advanced to the Sweet 16 by sending home 15th-seeded Morgan St. and 10th-seeded Missouri. The ‘Neers got off to an inauspicious start in their first-round game against the Bears, trailing by a 10-0 count out of the gate. Nevertheless, they recovered to cruise to a 77-50 win as 17-point favorites.

Kevin Jones scored a game-high 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Devin Ebanks posted a double-double with 16 points and 13 boards.

Next, WVU dropped Missouri 68-59 to take the cash as a six-point ‘chalk.’ Da’Sean Butler erupted for 28 points, while Butler and Jones went for 14 and 13 points, respectively, against the Tigers.

During Tuesday’s practice, WVU starting point guard Darryl ‘Truck’ Bryant broke his foot. The sophomore's loss is big, but not a complete deal-breaker in my opinion. The Mountaineers will turn to junior guard Joe Mazzulla, who plays an excellent floor game and has loads of experience. However, due to a shoulder injury that has bothered him throughout the last two seasons, Mazzulla’s perimeter shooting has been rendered completely ineffective.

In fact, he hasn’t hit a 3-pointer all year, missing all five attempts. Mazzulla’s free-throw percentage has dipped to 55%. Bryant, who attended St. Raymond’s High School in the Bronx, was second on the team in 3-pointers made and free throws made.

Washington (26-9 SU, 16-18 ATS) has caught fire at the right time, winning nine straight games while compiling an 8-1 spread record. The Huskies beat Marquette in one of the best games of the tournament so far, rallying for an 80-78 win on Quincy Pondexter’s game-winning bucket with 1.7 seconds remaining. They cashed tickets as one-point underdogs in the opening-round win over the Golden Eagles.

Lorenzo Romar’s squad was dominant in the second round, trouncing New Mexico by an 82-64 count as a two-point favorite. Pondexter scored a team-high 18 points, while Isaiah Thomas had 15 points and seven assists.

Washington is 2-4 both SU and ATS in six underdog spots. Meanwhile, WVU owns an 8-10 ATS ledger in 18 games as a single-digit favorite.

The ‘under’ has cashed in six consecutive games for West Va, improving to 18-14 overall. The ‘over’ is 16-14 overall for the Huskies.

This game will come off the board at 7:25 p.m. Eastern.

As we move our conversation to Cornell-Kentucky, let’s get a few things straight right off the bat. For starters, let’s be crystal clear that Cornell’s presence in the Sweet 16 is no joke and, to loyal readers of this space, no surprise whatsoever. We’ve been hyping this senior-laded club since it spanked Alabama in Tuscaloosa in its season opener.

Steve Donahue’s squad showed remarkable offensive efficiency against two of the best defenses in the nation last weekend. The Big Red stroked fifth-seeded Temple 78-65 as a three-point underdog, hooking up money-line backers with a plus-140 payout at tip time (the money-line play was as generous as plus-170 earlier in the week).

Louis Dale had 21 points and seven assists against the Owls, while Ryan Wittman had 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 on attempts from 3-point range. Jeff Foote, the senior 7-foot center, had 16 points and seven rebounds.

After the win over Temple, some thought Cornell (29-4 SU, 18-10 ATS) would be like Vermont in 2005 or Princeton in 1996 and 1998. In other words, it was a nice story but it was going no further.

Wrong!

Cornell jumped all over fourth-seeded Wisconsin early and often, taking a 72-43 lead with 10:53 left after Dale completed a three-point play the hard way. The Badgers, notorious for tenacious defense during Bo Ryan’s tenure that’s produced NCAA Tournament appearances every season, had allowed more than 72 points in just two games this year.

They surrendered 74 points to Gonzaga in Hawaii way back in November. Also, Wisconsin-Green Bay put up 88 on Wisky in an overtime game (just 75 at the end of regulation). And Cornell had produced a 72-spot in only 29 minutes against Ryan’s bunch that had wins over Duke, Michigan St., Purdue, Ohio St., Maryland and Marquette.

After icing the clock down the stretch against Wisconsin, Cornell cruised to an 87-69 victory as a 4 ½-point underdog. Most gamblers taking the Big Red to win outright were rewarded with a plus-160 payout (paid $160 on $100 wagers).

Dale was spectacular once again, finishing with a game-high 26 points. Wittman had 24 points on 10-of-15 shoting, scoring on an array of catch-and-shoot jumpers (just like his Daddy coming off screens and getting passes from Doc Rivers for my Hawks back in the ‘80s!). Wittman also has an excellent knack for creating space for himself off the dribble and taking a fadeaway mid-range jumper.

Foote had 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists against the Badgers. Foote certainly doesn’t have the bulk of Kentucky’s DeMarcus Cousins, but he’s got excellent footwork around the basket, a nice touch on his shot and he’s an outstanding passer for a big man (sort of reminding me of Florida’s Dwayne Schintzius circa late ‘80s).

Like Cornell, Kentucky (34-2 SU, 19-15 ATS) was dominant last weekend. The ‘Cats took East Tennessee St. behind the woodshed from the get-go, capturing a 101-70 win to easily hook up their backers who were laying 18 ½ points. Eric Bledsoe had a game-high 29 points, draining 8-of-9 shots from beyond the arc. Patrick Patterson had 22 points, while John Wall finished with 17 points and 11 assists.

In its second-round game against Wake Forest, UK delivered another shellacking, this time in the form of a 90-60 clubbing as a 9 ½-point favorite. Darius Miller went for 20 points and nine rebounds, while Cousins scored 19 points and pulled down eight boards. Wall added 14 points and seven assists, although we should note his five turnovers.

Cornell has been listed as an underdog seven times, posting a 5-2 SU record and a 6-1 ATS mark. Meanwhile, John Calipari’s team owns a 10-5 spread record in 15 games as a single-digit favorite.

The ‘over’ has hit in three straight UK games to improve to 18-15 overall.

The ‘under’ is 12-10 overall for Cornell, although the ‘over’ prevailed in both of its games last weekend.

This game will be played 30 minutes after WVU-Washington concludes. You can be assured that at least 12-15 thousand UK fans will find their way into the Carrier Dome. Likewise, a strong Cornell contingent will be on hand, as the school’s campus in Ithaca is just a one-hour drive to Syracuse. Also, it’s a given that every non-UK fan in attendance will be rooting for the Big Red.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--For bettors thinking Kentucky’s athleticism will be like nothing Cornell has seen, think again. The Big Red played at Kansas this year and had a one-point lead in the final minute before Sherron Collins made several big plays to lead KU to a 71-66 win. Donahue’s team has also played at the Carrier Dome this year, losing 88-73 to the Orange in a game the ‘Cuse led 42-36 at halftime.

--West Va. and Washington shared three common foes this season – Marquette, Georgetown and Texas A&M. The ‘Neers beat the Hoyas twice and also won against the Golden Eagles and Aggies. The Huskies beat Marquette and Texas A&M, but they lost to Georgetown by a 74-66 count.

--I love it when ESPN’s Doug Gottlieb talks about players being ineffective offensively. Gottlieb, a point guard, had a career free-throw percentage of 45.7%, which is obviously pathetic. When I was eight years old, I could hit 60-percent from the charity stripe. In a four-year collegiate career at Notre Dame (one year) and Oklahoma St. (three years), he shot 36.8% from the floor and 24% from 3-point land. Just the facts, folks, just the facts.

--Since I got in a St. Raymond’s High School reference earlier in regards to Truck Bryant, let’s get a shout-out in to my favorite all-time point guard from St. Raymond’s, former UTEP point guard Eddie Rivera, who absolutely dominated the now-defunct Governor’s Cup Tournament in Tallahassee at the Leon Co. Civic Center (where FSU plays) during the 1989 Christmas Holidays. Other big-time players that once played in the Governor’s Cup include Andrew Moten (Florida), Dwayne Schintzius (Florida), Toney Mack (Georgia), Robert Horry (Alabama), Avery Curry (FSU and Idaho) and Darryl Prue (West Va.).

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2010, 01:18 AM

Total Talk - Sweet Sixteen

Let’s take a quick look at the eight games in the Sweet Sixteen.

Thursday, Mar. 25

Butler vs. Syracuse (138): Butler lives and dies by the 3-ball, along with its sound defense. They put up 20 bombs in the first two rounds but Syracuse’s 2-3 zone only gave up five treys to Vermont and Gonzaga, two teams with just as much ability from the outside than the Bulldogs. The Orange offense tends to go through motions at times, but they still posted 87 and 79 in their first two tournament games. Butler is on an 8-2 ‘under’ run, but Syracuse has watched the ‘over’ go 6-1-1 in its last eight.

Washington vs. West Virginia (142): This battle is another example of two different styles going head-to-head. The Huskies like to get out and run, evidenced by their 80 and 82-point performances in the first two rounds while West Virginia likes to settle it down and lives in the paint and on the glass. The Mountaineers have given up 60 points or less in five straight games, which has helped the ‘under’ cash in all five.

Xavier vs. Kansas State (153): Out of the eight games slated in the Sweet 16, this is the only matchup where the teams met in this year’s regular season. Kansas State blasted Xavier 71-56 on Dec. 8 from Manhattan in a game that could be summed up as ugly. The Wildcats missed 17 free throws (23-of-40) and was just 4-of-17 (24%) from 3-point land. Even more disappointing was Xavier, who was worse from the field (29%) and it missed a dozen free throws too. A lot has changed since the Musketeers were held to their lowest point total of the season.

Cornell vs. Kentucky (147): Cornell and Kentucky both saw the ‘over’ go 2-0 in their opening round games, which was helped with some hot 3-point shooting from the Big Red (17) and Wildcats (22). If these teams hit their outside shots and get to the free-throw line again, this one could cash easily. Depth could be a factor for Cornell, which would make you believe head coach Steve Donahue will slow it down. One thing that isn’t being talked about much on this matchup is Kentucky’s defense, which is holding teams to 37.9% shooting. ETSU posted 71 points in a game that was over at half, while Wake Forest managed only 60 points.

**winabet21** · 03-25-2010, 04:11 PM

The New York Yankees never show up when they are supposed to.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2010, 06:32 PM

Thursday, March 25Game Score Status Pick Amount

Miami - 8:00 PM ET Miami +1.5 400
Chicago - Under 191 300

L.A. Clippers - 8:30 PM ET Houston -6.5 500 ( NBA POD )
Houston - Under 208.5 500 ( NBA TOTAL )

Dallas - 10:30 PM ET Dallas +3.5 500 ( NBA DOG )
Portland - Over 192.5 300

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

Thursday, March 25Game Score Status Pick Amount

Tampa Bay - 7:00 PM ET Tampa Bay +174 500
Boston - Over 5.5 500

NY Rangers - 7:00 PM ET New Jersey -187 500
New Jersey - Under 5 500

Calgary - 7:00 PM ET Calgary -144 500
NY Islanders - Over 5.5 500

Minnesota - 7:00 PM ET Minnesota +138 500
Philadelphia - Under 5.5 500

Washington - 7:00 PM ET Carolina +149 500 ( NHL DOG )
Carolina - Over 6.5 500

Toronto - 7:00 PM ET Toronto +115 500 ( NHL DOG )
Atlanta - Over 6 500

Chicago - 7:00 PM ET Columbus +139 500
Columbus - Over 5.5 500

Florida - 7:30 PM ET Montreal -150 500
Montreal - Over 5.5 500

Los Angeles - 8:00 PM ET Los Angeles +103 500
St. Louis - Under 5.5 500

Phoenix - 8:00 PM ET Nashville -111 500
Nashville - Over 5 500

Dallas - 10:30 PM ET Dallas +197 500 ( NHL DOG )
San Jose - Over 5.5 500

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

Thursday, March 25Game Score Status Pick Amount

Butler - 7:05 PM ET Syracuse -6 500 ( POD )
Syracuse - Under 137.5 500

Washington - 7:25 PM ET Washington +4.5 500 PAC 10 DOG )
West Virginia - Under 140 500

Pacific - 8:00 PM ET Pacific +4 500
Appalachian St. - Over 134.5 500

Xavier - 9:35 PM ET Xavier +5 500 ( A-10 DOG )
Kansas St. - Under 151.5 500

Cornell - 9:55 PM ET Cornell +8 500 ( IVY DOG )
Kentucky - Over 146 500 ( TOTAL OF THE NIGHT )

Good Luck and Enjoy the Games........

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2010, 07:48 PM

Trend Report - Thursday

Heat at Bulls – The Heat are 9-0 ATS (5.3 ppg) since January 28, 2004 on the road with at least one day of rest after a win in which they shot at least 10 percentage points higher than their season-to-date average. The Heat are 0-9 ATS (-11.5 ppg) since February 09, 2006 with at least one day of rest after a double digit win in which they committed fewer than ten turnovers. The Heat are 0-6 ATS (-11.2 ppg) since March 27, 2006 with two or more days of rest after a win in which they scored less than 10% of their points from the three-point line. The Bulls are 7-0 ATS (9.7 ppg) since December 06, 2006 at home with at least one day of rest after a game at home in which their DPA was minus 15 points or less. The Bulls are 7-0 ATS (8.6 ppg) since February 22, 2006 at home with two or more days of rest after a game at home in which they allowed less than 40% from the field.

Clippers at Rockets – The Clippers are 0-8 ATS (-11.6 ppg) since January 13, 2010 when facing a team they lost to on the road in their previous same-season match-up. The Rockets are 9-0-1 ATS (6.2 ppg) since February 11, 2008 at home and when facing a team they beat in their previous two match-ups of the season. The Rockets are 0-6 ATS (-5.1 ppg) since January 28, 2009 when playing the first game of at least a three game home stand.

Mavericks at Trailblazers – The Mavericks are 0-8 ATS (-10.6 ppg) since April 13, 2006 when seeking revenge for a home loss in which they allowed at least 50% shooting from the field. The Mavericks are 7-0 ATS (10.5 ppg) since October 30, 2009 on the road after a game in which their field goal attempt per turnover ratio was at least eight. The Trailblazers are 11-0 ATS (10.0 ppg) since January 27, 2007 before playing the Hornets. The Trailblazers are 9-0-1 ATS (9.5 ppg) since March 11, 2008 and when facing a team they beat in their first two match-ups of the season. The Trailblazers are 0-7 ATS (-4.8 ppg) since April 19, 1998 at home with at least one day of rest after a road loss in which they had an assist to turnover ratio of at least two.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2010, 07:58 PM

Inside the Paint - Thursday

Most of the focus at the betting counter will be geared towards the college game but gamblers do have a few options in the NBA, including TNT’s primetime double-header. Both of the battles are conference clashes and they could have an impact on the upcoming playoffs.
Let’s check break ‘em down!

Miami (37-34 SU, 35-35 ATS) at Chicago (33-37 SU, 35-33 ATS)

Isn’t it amazing how a team can lose 10 straight games late in the season, yet still have a chance to make the playoffs? That’s the case with Chicago, who trails Toronto by two games for the final spot in the Eastern Conference and is just 3 ½-games behind tonight’s opponent, Miami, for the sixth position.

The Bulls snapped their 10-game skid last Saturday with a 98-84 win at Philadelphia and followed up that performance with a 98-88 home win over Houston on Monday. Gamblers chasing with Chicago have watched them cover five straight contests. Point guard Derrick Rose (wrist) is close to 100 percent and center Joakim Noah (foot) played limited minutes in the victories over the 76ers and Rockets.

Looking at the schedule closer, the Bulls have a good chance to make a run with seven of their final 12 games coming at the United Center. And of the five road games, three are against the Pistons, Wizards and Nets, which are all must-win spots.

First, Chicago needs to win at home against Miami. Fortunately for the Bulls, this series has been all about the home team. The host has won eight of the previous nine meetings, including all three encounters this season. This game is just as important for Miami, who has won two of three in the season series - both from South Beach – which mean’s tonight’s finale against Chicago could also give them the head-to-head tiebreaker if it warranted.

Chicago opened as a short one-point favorite over Miami, who owns an inconsistent 16-18 SU and 18-16 ATS mark on the road this year. The Heat are coming off a 99-89 road win over New Jersey on Monday but they were benefited with a six-game homestand prior to this short road trip. After tonight, the club heads to Milwaukee for a game on zero days rest.

The total is sitting at 191 and two of the three games this season have gone ‘under’ the number. The one ‘over’ ticket occurred two weeks ago (Mar. 12) in Miami when the Bulls didn’t have Rose or Noah in the lineup.

The fourth and final installment between the Bulls and Heat starts at 8:05 p.m. EDT, with TNT offering up coverage.

Dallas (47-24 SU, 29-41 ATS) at Portland (42-29 SU, 38-31 ATS)

The Mavericks were starting to make a push for the top spot in the Western Conference playoff race after ripping off 13 straight victories (7-5-1 ATS). All good things have to come to an end eventually and they have for Dallas. Since the hot run, the team has gone 2-3 SU and 0-4-1 ATS. During this lapse, the defense has given up 128, 102 and 115 in the losses.

Dallas will try to get back on track tonight when it heads to Portland, but that’s easier said than done. The Trail Blazers have already defeated the Mavericks twice this season and both wins came in Texas. In the last meeting on Jan. 30, Portland stopped Dallas 114-102 in overtime as an 8 ½-point underdog. What’s even more impressive is that Brandon Roy didn’t play for the Blazers either.

Tonight, Portland will be healthy and it’s also playing great basketball. The club is 8-2 SU and 6-4 ATS in the last 10 and the two losses weren’t surprising, at Denver (106-118) and at Phoenix (87-93).

This contest could be a playoff preview, since the Mavs currently sit in the second spot and Portland holds a 4 ½-game lead over Memphis for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. However, the club is just a half game out of the seventh spot and has a legit chance to move up to the fifth seed, since Phoenix is just three games ahead of the Blazers.

With the majority of teams only having 11 games left in the regular season, the Mavs are looking at their upcoming slate very seriously. "We haven't beat them all year so this is a big game for us," Mavs guard Jason Terry said. "And then looking at Golden State and then Denver - so a big three-game stretch for us and we want to win them all."

Looking at the situation from an emotion standpoint, gamblers could look at the Warriors as home ‘dogs on Saturday against Dallas, who could be spent from Thursday’s battle and then possibly looking ahead to Denver on Monday.

The Mavericks and Trail Blazers meet one more time from Rose Garden on Apr. 9, which will be the first of a three-game road trip for Rick Carlisle’s team.

Including this game, Portland only plays five of its lat 11 at home. This season, the Blazers have gone 23-13 SU and 16-19 ATS. They have won four straight (2-2 ATS) entering tonight’s contests but they face a Dallas team that has gone 22-13 SU and 21-14 ATS on the road this season.

The Trail Blazers have been installed as three-point favorites in tonight’s matchup, while the total is hovering between 192 and 193 points.

TNT will provide national coverage of this game, which is slated for 10:35 p.m. EDT.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2010, 08:02 PM

Dallas and Portland do battle

As much as the Dallas Mavericks covet second place in the Western Conference, they may not want the spot if it means facing the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs. Having lost both home games in the season series, the Mavericks look to beat the Blazers for the first time in 2009-10 on Thursday night.

A 13-game winning streak lifted Dallas (47-24, 29-41-1 ATS) into contention for the No. 2 seed. The Mavericks then lost three of four before knocking off the Los Angeles Clippers 106-96 on Tuesday night. Two of Dallas’ next three games are against teams in playoff position. One is a Monday night matchup with Denver, the Mavs’ main competition for second place, and Thursday’s contest versus Portland (42-29, 38-31-2 ATS) could very well be a first-round preview.

Dallas is 0-2 SU and against the spreads versus Portland this season, losing twice at the American Airlines Center by a combined six points. The Blazers, in eighth place in the conference and within reach of the sixth spot, had won eight of nine before a 93-87 loss to Phoenix on Sunday night. Portland carries a four-game home winning streak and is 17-7 ATS after a loss by six or fewer points.

“We haven’t beat them all year so this is a big game for us,” Mavs guard Jason Terry said. “And then looking at Golden State and then Denver - so a big three-game stretch for us and we want to win them all.”

Dallas will likely need to shore up its defense to beat Portland. The Blazers, a win away from taking a series from the Mavs for the first time since 1998-99, shot 53.5 percent in a 114-112 overtime win Jan. 30 in the teams’ last matchup.

Dallas allowed an average of 112.8 points in four games prior to limiting the Clippers to 5-of-22 shooting in the fourth quarter.

“We’re pretty good when we do that,” point guard Jason Kidd said. “We might make or miss on the other end, but when we get stops that definitely helps us. We haven’t been getting stops of late. After that little 13-game streak we had, we stopped doing that.” Not many positive numbers for a team that is 10-22 ATS after failing to cover the spread in three or more consecutive games.

Kidd had a strong performance on his 37th birthday with a season-high 26 points and 12 assists. He has been held to 7.5 points and 31.8 percent shooting in his last 11 games versus the Blazers.

Portland has had its own shooting woes, making 34.3 percent over the last two games. “The last couple of games we’ve struggled in the fourth quarter against zone defenses, so we’ve got to start picking that up,” said Blazers leading scorer Brandon Roy, shooting 30.5 percent in his last three contests.

Roy led Portland with 23 points against the Suns, but the Blazers couldn’t extend their win streak despite holding the league’s highest-scoring team to 38.8 percent shooting. Portland has allowed fewer than 82 points in three of its last four home games and is 11-3 ATS after two or more Under’s. The Blazers may be without second-year guard Rudy Fernandez (quadriceps) for the second straight game. Fernandez, averaging 8.8 points and 1.1 steals, is listed as questionable.

The oddsmakers at Bookmaker.com have sent Portland off as 2.5-point favorites with total of 192. The well-rested Blazers are 4-1 with three or more days between games (2-3 ATS) and 25-9 ATS if their last contest was on the road. Dallas is two spots ahead of Portland in field goal percentage defense at 16th, yet is 11-24 ATS versus teams conceding more than 46 percent from the field.

This series has shown no inclination one way or the other when it comes to studying the total, nevertheless the Mavericks are 12-3 UNDER in road games revenging a home loss.

This is the second game on TNT’s Thursday package which starts at 10:35 Eastern, with Dallas 0-8 ATS revenging a straight up loss vs. opponent as a favorite of seven or more. Pick the winner for a winner, as the team emerging victorious is 7-0 ATS in previous seven meetings.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-25-2010, 08:04 PM

Xavier (26-8) vs. Kansas State (28-7)

FACTS & STATS: Site: EnergySolutions Arena (19,120) -- Salt Lake City, Utah. Television: CBS. NCAA Tournament Record: Xavier 19-20, Kansas State 30-27. Series Record: Xavier leads, 4-2.

GAME NOTES: Into the Sweet 16 for the third straight year, the Xavier Musketeers try to extend their 2009-10 campaign a bit longer as they challenge the Kansas State Wildcats in the NCAA Tournament West Regional Semifinal at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Sixth-seeded Xavier, in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight year and the ninth time in the last decade, defeated Minnesota in first round of the 72nd annual event last Friday with a 65-54 decision and then topped Pittsburgh by a mere three points, 71-68, in the second round two days later. Now with 26 wins on the season, the Musketeers have matched their fourth-highest total in program history as they chase the all-time mark of 30 victories stemming from their efforts in 2007-08.

As for the second-seeded Wildcats, back in the round of 16 for the 17th time in school history and the first time since 1988, they have won four of their last five outings, with the lone setback coming against top-ranked Kansas during the Big 12 Conference Tournament.

Kansas State, in the NCAA Tournament for the 24th time overall, took care of North Texas rather easily in the first round with an 82-62 triumph and then topped nationally-ranked BYU over the weekend in Oklahoma City with an 84-72 decision to advance.

As far as the all-time series between these two teams is concerned, Xavier has won three in a row over the Wildcats and now owns a 4-2 advantage overall, thanks to a 103-77 blowout of KSU in the most recent meeting on New Year's Eve of 2007.

The winner of this contest will take on the winner of the Butler/Syracuse meeting in the regional final on Saturday.

Trailing by three points in the first half against Pittsburgh last weekend, the Musketeers dialed up the offense and the defense as they put on a 16-0 scoring run and the team successfully avenged a loss to the Panthers in last year's NCAA Tournament. Jordan Crawford, who continues to go where few Xavier players have gone before, posted a game-high 27 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the floor, adding six rebounds, while Jason Love and Terrell Holloway accounted for 14 and 13 points, respectively. Only a sophomore, Crawford was named the Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year by a couple of media outlets and has scored at least 20 points in five straight outings. Through 34 games this season, Crawford is the top scorer in the A-10 with his 20.2 ppg, getting the job done with an impressive 40 percent shooting behind the three- point line. Also a sophomore, Holloway adds 11.7 ppg to the attack and has delivered on 132 assists to players like Love who, in this his senior season, has ratcheted up his production with 11.8 ppg, 8.5 rpg and 50 blocked shots.

Guard play was again key to Kansas State's success last weekend as Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente combined to post 53 of the unit's 84 points in the victory against a tough-minded BYU squad. Pullen made good on 7-of-12 shots behind the three-point line and converted all 11 of his field goal attempts as he finished with an astonishing 34 points. Clemente had a trio of triples of his own, putting up another 19 points, while Curtis Kelly tacked on 10 points and seven rebounds for a squad that knocked down 27-of-30 tries at the charity stripe. Also playing a key role off the bench was Wally Judge with his eight points and team-best eight rebounds. Pullen, who leads the team in eight different statistical categories, is the leading scorer for the Wildcats with his 19.2 ppg and has scored in double figures in every game this season. With 35 consecutive double-digit scoring efforts, Pullen is second on the school's all-time list behind only Mitch Richmond who turned the trick in 50 straight. Clemente (16.3 ppg) accounts for a team-best 148 assists while Jamar Samuels, who missed all six of his field goal attempts against BYU, is second on the team in scoring with 11.3 ppg and is one of the leaders on the glass with better than five boards per game.

Crawford is a dynamic player for the Musketeers, but he could easily be overshadowed by the combination of Pullen and Clemente if everything falls into place for the Wildcats tonight.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Kansas State 80, Xavier 69

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