Announcement

**StarDust Bum** · 03-27-2010, 10:15 AM

East Region finals

While the 2010 NCAA Tournament has featured upsets galore, form has held in the East Region where top-seeded Kentucky will square off against No. 2 seed West Virginia in Saturday’s Elite Eight showdown at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. Eastern on CBS.

Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Kentucky (35-2 straight up, 20-15 against the spread) as a 3 ½-point favorite with the total 136 on the send-out. As of early this morning, most betting shops had the Wildcats favored by four with a total of 133 ½. Gamblers can play the Mountaineers on the money line for a plus-170 return at Sportsbook.com (risk $100 to win $170).

John Calipari’s team advanced to the Elite Eight by trouncing Cornell 62-45 as an 8 ½-point favorite. The 107 combined points resulted in an easy winner for ‘under’ backers who saw the total close at 146.

DeMarcus Cousins was the catalyst, scoring a team-high 16 points to go with seven rebounds and four steals. Eric Bledsoe was also in double figures with 12 points, while John Wall had eight points, eight assists, seven rebounds and a pair of steals. Patrick Patterson finished with nine points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots.

The Big Red raced out to a 10-2 lead thanks to the playmaking of Louis Dale, who closed out his collegiate career by scoring a game-high 17 points. However, Kentucky answered the 10-2 deficit by erupting for a 30-6 run for the rest of the first half.

Steve Donahue’s team refused to fold, though. In fact, Cornell got to within six at 40-34 on a 3-pointer by Dale late in the second half. But the Big Red would get no closer.

The ‘Cats are searching for their first Final Four appearance since 1998, the longest drought in the program’s storied history. And that’s why UK hired Calipari, who has taken a pair of school to the Final Four.

Then again, has he?

We all know UMass and Memphis made it to the national semifinals on Cal’s watch, but the record books say differently. Both of those schools were stripped of those victories because Marcus Camby was being paid by an agent while playing for the Minutemen, and Derrick Rose had someone else take his standardized test that got him eligible to play for the Tigers.

Although the Teflon John came out clean in both incidents, UMass and Memphis were both placed on probation. But in both instances, Calipari moved on to greener pastures.

This time he went to arguably the best program in America. With a pair of guaranteed one-and-doners in Cousins and Wall, UK appears to be back at the top of the college basketball mountain – for now.

West Virginia (30-6 SU, 16-19 ATS) can change that tonight. The ‘Neers are trying to get third-year head coach Bob Huggins back to the Final Four for the first time since he took Cincinnati in 1992, only to lose to a freshman-laden squad in Michigan. They sent 11th-seeded Washington packing with Thursday’s 72-59 win as a 4 ½-point favorite.

Kevin Jones scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds against the Huskies, who led WVU 29-27 at intermission. Huggins’ bunch took control early in the second half, outscoring Washington 42-27 the rest of the way. The Mountaineers hooked up their backers for second-half bets as 4 ½-point favorites.

Da’Sean Butler scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Devin Ebanks tallied 12 points, seven boards and five assists. WVU limited Huskies’ start Quincy Pondexter to just seven points, including none in the first half.

UK is 11-5 ATS in 16 games as a single-digit favorite. Meanwhile, West Va. has compiled a 1-1 record both SU and ATS in a pair of underdog situations. The ‘Neers won in overtime at Villanova as three-point puppies, taking the 68-66 decision in the regular-season finale for both squads. They lost 77-62 at Purdue as 4 ½-point ‘dogs.

The ‘under’ has cashed in seven consecutive games for WVU and is 19-14 overall. On the flip side, the ‘Cats have watched the ‘over’ go 4-1 in their last four games, 18-16 overall.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--For first-half wagers, UK is a two-point favorite with a total of 61 ½.

--Filling in for starting point guard Darryl ‘Truck’ Bryant, Joe Mazzulla played 25 minutes against Washington. He was an abysmal 1-for-8 from the field and 1-for-3 at the charity stripe. Mazzulla also committed four turnovers, but he did have four assists and three steals.

--If Reggie Jackson is the Mr. October of baseball, Tom Izzo has to be the Mr. March of college basketball coaches. Great halftime adjustments last night, sparking Michigan St. to a 59-52 win over No. Iowa after the Panthers led 29-22 at intermission.

--Tennessee is in the Elite Eight for the first time in school history after beating Ohio St. 76-73 as a 4 1/2-point underdog. Bettors backing UT on the money line collected a plus-180 payout (paid $180 on $100 wagers). Wayne Chism dominated in the lane with 22 points and 11 rebounds, while J.P. Prince finished 14 points, six assists and one blocked shot. The block came on Evan Turner's potential game-tying 3-point attempt that would've beaten the buzzer.

--Great no-call on Prince's block of Turner's last-gasp attempt. Turner is a great player, wo had a game-high 31 points, but I lost a tad bit of respect for him in complaining about a no-call on Prince's block that replays clearly showed was all ball.

--LVSC opened Tennessee as a two-point favorite vs. Michigan St. in Sunday’s Elite Eight matchup at 2:20 p.m. Eastern. The total was 135 on the send-out. Izzo owns a 5-1 career record in six previous Elite Eight games. If the Spartans beat UT, they will be going to the Final Four for the sixth time in 12 years.

--LVSC opened Duke as a four-point ‘chalk’ for Sunday’s South Region final in Houston vs. Baylor. The total opened at 144.

--Updated future odds per LVSC:
Kentucky 2/1
Duke and K-St. 9/2
West Virginia 5/1
Tennessee 8/1
Baylor and Butler 10/1
Michigan St. 14/1

**StarDust Bum** · 03-27-2010, 10:16 AM

West Region Final

It’s taken 65 teams and six days worth of non-stop college hoops, but we’re finally ready to find out who will making the pilgrimage to Indianapolis for the national semifinals. The first ticket to the Final Four gets punched in the West Region final as the Bulldogs and Wildcats face off on CBS at 4:30 p.m. EDT.

Butler (31-4 straight up, 15-20 against the spread) found itself coming into this tourney with most experts making an early exit. Brad Stevens’ club instead found itself overpowering the Miners in the first round (77-59) and survived against the Racers (54-52) to make the regional semifinals.

In their Sweet Sixteen showdown with top-seeded Syracuse, the Bulldogs found themselves being outshot (40%-44%), having a worse night from three-point land (37%-25%) and out rebounded (33-27). Seeing stats like that make you believe that the Orange would have ran away with the win. That wasn’t the case as Butler came up with 13 steals that, along with five other turnovers, helped them come away with a 63-59 win to easily cash as a six-point underdog.

Gordon Hayward paced Butler with his 17 points and five rebounds, while Shelvin Mack put in 14 points and got six boards of his own. Ronald Nored only scored seven points, but proved to be the biggest thief in Bulldog Blue with a team-high five steals.

It would be understandable if Kansas State (29-7 SU, 20-9-2 ATS) have nothing but fumes left in its tank after a thrilling 101-96 double-overtime win over the Musketeers last Thursday night, but still failed to cover as a 5 ½-point “chalk.”

You could take your pick of stars in the Wildcats’ fantastic win over Xavier. Denis Clemente had 25 points and Curtis Kelly dropped in with 21 points and eight rebounds. When it came to making the clutch shots, look no further than Jacob Pullen. K-State’s junior guard scored a team-high 28 points, but 10 of them came in the extra sessions. If you want to magnify it even more, Pullen nailed two three-pointers in the second overtime: one put the ‘Cats up 94-93 with 71 seconds remaining and the second gave them a 97-94 advantage with 35 seconds.

Kansas State’s Frank Martin (who couldn’t be confused for Guy Smiley by anyone) summed this contest up as well as you could. “I expected it to be a hard-fought game. I didn’t expect it to be like this, but they were phenomenal. And our guys were pretty good, too.”

Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened this game up late Thursday night with the Wildcats as three-point favorites with a total of 135. As of Friday afternoon, the total has stayed the same with K-State moving up to a four-point fave. Gamblers looking to take Butler to play for a national championship in its own backyard can do so for a plus-165 return (risk $100 to win $165).

If we’re looking at the stat sheets between the Bulldogs and ‘Cats from Thursday night, the most glaring number is depth. Butler rode its starting five for no fewer than Hayward’s 31 minutes on the court. Kansas State, on the other hand, had six players play at least 20 minutes against the Muskies on Thursday evening. I will grant you that it’s easier to have numbers like that when you’re playing a pair of extra sessions.

This depth issue could come into play if this is a tense battle…especially when you consider that K-State can runs about 10 deep, legitimately.

I can harp on how thin the Bulldogs are on their roster, but this team knows how to win. Butler has won 23 straight games outright, covering the spread in 11 of those games. The ‘under’ was the right side to take when it came to totals during this streak as it has gone 13-9.

Butler did get the win last night as an underdog, but they are still just 2-4 SU and 3-3 ATS in the six total times they were in that role this season. The Wildcats have gone 16-1 SU and 13-3-1 ATS when listed as single-digit favorites with the ‘over’ going 9-7.

Kansas State has seen the ‘over’ go 16-13-1 this season. However, the ‘under’ is 6-4 in its last 10 games this season.

The Bulldogs have more than held their own when taking on the power conferences in college basketball (ACC, Big Ten, Big XII, Big East, Pac-10, SEC). Since 2007, Butler has gone 15-7 SU and 14-7-1 ATS against teams out of those leagues. The ‘over’ went 12-10 in those contests as well.

The last two favorites in the West Region final won and covered their games. Over the last 10 years, however, the faves are just 5-5 SU and 3-6-1 ATS with the ‘over’ going 7-3.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-27-2010, 10:18 AM

Rarity in East Regional Final

In what many are calling the greatest NCAA Tournament ever, at the very least to this point, the East Region has been a sea of tranquility, at least in part. Top seeds Kentucky and West Virginia are the only No. 1 and No. 2 seeds to make to the Elite Eight field from the same region and these two squads are combined 6-0 SU and ATS to this juncture. For those who would run over Cinderella’s glass slipper and discard her to the side of the road, this is the right matchup.

Kentucky (35-2, 20-15 ATS) became the best bet to win the NCAA Tournament after Kansas was derailed and they look the part, winning by 25.3 points per game in three tries. It’s amusing to read Kentucky detractors, this team is too young, they don’t shoot the ball well against zone defenses and Ashley Judd doesn’t look that hot in blue. While all or some of this conjecture might be true, coach John Calipari had arguably the most talented team coming into the tournament and as opposed to Kansas who could match them ability-wise, coach Cal’s players have an obvious desire to win and convincingly.

Kentucky has moved to 6-0 ATS in NCAA tourney clashes and their defense is unrelenting, with no team shooting over 36 percent in last three games and only Mississippi State converting over 40 percent among the previous six opponents.

West Virginia (30-6, 16-19 ATS) can also “D” it up with their physical nature. The Mountaineers have also not permitted a team to shoot over 40 percent in the tournament and six of last seven foes have not been able to make four of ten shot attempts. Coach Bob Huggins squad has won nine in a row (6-3 ATS) by locking down shooters and playing volleyball with their own missed shots.

Against Washington, they owned the glass with a 49-29 advantage and if they can convert over 76 percent from the charity stripe (13-17) against Kentucky, they could move to 22-4 ATS in all post-season tournament games since 1997.

Kentucky is a four-point pick at Bookmaker.com, with total of 133.5 and 13-6 ATS versus defensive teams holding opponents to 42 percent or less shooting and 7-1 ATS in previous eight Saturday assignments. The Wildcats are 9-1 OVER after three consecutive contests allowing 37 percent or less shooting. West Virginia is 6-0 ATS after a trio of teams have failed to score 60 or more points against them and 11-3 UNDER after they’ve covered the spread this season.

Watch for if Bob Huggins brings out their 1-3-1 zone sooner against Kentucky. Though West Virginia doesn’t use it a great deal in any given game, typically it has been at the end of a contest and it has worked like Mariano Rivera in closing out games. Because of Kentucky’s size, they might put John Wall and Patrick Patterson in the corners to get shots and set backside screens for lob attempts to either or both.

Maybe it just seems peculiar, but a 1 vs. 2 matchup only happens 35 percent of the time in the Elite Eight according to BracketScience.com since the field went to 64 teams. The higher seed is a mere 18-17 SU, with point differential of +1.4

**StarDust Bum** · 03-27-2010, 10:19 AM

Can the Butler do it?

This or similar headlines will appear across the country for the West Regional final and what it lacks in originally, it makes up for in convenience. A season ago, NCAA administrators realized they could have a home court advantage on their hands and while they welcomed the extra revenue of having Michigan State make it to the championship game, they had to be pleased that talent won out and North Carolina won the title, thus avoiding criticism for a team having football sized crowd edge in the sports most important contest.

Here we are one year later and the very same thing could occur again if Butler (31-4, 15-20 ATS) wins yet again, this time taking down the No. 2 seed out West in Kansas State (29-7, 21-9-1 ATS). Either way, the Bulldogs are heading back to Indianapolis after this Elite Eight encounter, but they might be doing so as the unofficial host of the Final Four with the triumph.

Butler was the aggressor all night against top-seeded Syracuse and out-worked the Orangemen over large expanses of the contest. The Bulldogs put Syracuse on the defensive from the start in building 10-point halftime lead. Butler’s greatness and toughness came to light after Syracuse had stormed back to take 54-50. Butler showed bulldog determination, scoring the next 11 points and the Orangemen’s tank went to empty. No wonder these Bulldogs are 22-7 ATS as underdogs.

Kansas State overcame more disappointments than a Cubs fan Thursday night in finally getting Xavier to succumb 101-96 in double overtime, with backers earning surprising Push. The Musketeers were like a cat, with Jordan Crawford and Terrell Holloway draining big shot after big shot to keep Xavier coming back time after time.

The Wildcats had guards that could also perform in the clutch as Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente totaled 53 points (compared to Xavier duo that had 58). When the K-State got to the century mark in points, Xavier’s nine lives had expired and the Wildcats are 12-1 ATS after one or more Over’s this season.

Bookmaker.com has Kansas State as four-point favorites to advance to Final Four for the first time since 1964. The Wildcats are 18-6-1 ATS as a favorite this season, but will have less 40 hours to rest and recover from a taxing contest with so much at stake. With the total at 134.5, K-State is 16-6 OVER away from Manhattan having won four of their last five games.

Butler would prefer to change the pace of this matchup, since they are 5-12 ATS when the total is 130 to 139.5.The Bulldogs are 15-6 OVER in road games after allowing 60 points or less in two straight contests, winning by 8.1 points a game.

This West finale starts just after 4:30 Eastern and in the last 21 years, only twice has a 5-seed faced a 2-seed in this round and each time the lower seed pulled the outright upset. (In 2005 and 1996)

**StarDust Bum** · 03-27-2010, 11:08 AM

Saturday, March 27Game Score Status Pick Amount

Calgary - 1:00 PM ET Boston -114 500
Boston - Under 5 500

Philadelphia - 1:00 PM ET Pittsburgh -180 500
Pittsburgh - Under 5.5 500

Tampa Bay - 7:00 PM ET Buffalo -193 500
Buffalo - Over 5.5 500

NY Rangers - 7:00 PM ET Toronto -102 500
Toronto - Under 5.5 500

New Jersey - 7:00 PM ET Montreal +102 500
Montreal - Over 5 500

Florida - 7:00 PM ET Florida +151 500 ( POD )
Ottawa - Over 5 500

Atlanta - 7:00 PM ET Carolina -129 500
Carolina - Over 6 500

NY Islanders - 7:00 PM ET Columbus -155 500
Columbus - Over 5.5 500

Detroit - 8:00 PM ET Nashville -111 500
Nashville - Over 5.5 500

Colorado - 9:00 PM ET Phoenix -135 500
Phoenix - Under 5 500 ( NHL TOTAL )

Vancouver - 10:00 PM ET San Jose -140 500
San Jose - Under 5.5 500

Dallas - 10:30 PM ET Los Angeles -166 500
Los Angeles - Under 5.5 500

**StarDust Bum** · 03-27-2010, 11:30 AM

I feel so good about today's plays to use them in a 4 team parlay.

Saturday, March 27Game Score Status Pick Amount

Butler - 4:30 PM ET Butler +3.5 500
Kansas St. - Under 134.5 500

West Virginia - 7:00 PM ET Kentucky -3.5 500
Kentucky - Over 132.5 500

**StarDust Bum** · 03-27-2010, 11:33 AM

West Virginia and Kentucky fight for right to move to Final Four

Syracuse, NY (Sports Network) - A berth in the "Final Four" is on the line tonight in Syracuse, New York, as the top-seeded Kentucky Wildcats and the second-seeded West Virginia Mountaineers do battle in the 2010 NCAA Tournament East Regional Final.

The winner of this game will take on either Duke or Baylor next Saturday in Indianapolis.

West Virginia has won its last nine games to improve to 30-6 overall, and its most recent triumph was Thursday's 69-56 decision over Washington. The Mountaineers, who won the Big East Conference Tournament, crushed 15th-seeded Morgan State in the first round of this event before knocking off 10th-seeded Missouri by nine points in the second round. WVU is now 23-22 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. The Mountaineers finished sixth in the final regular-season AP Poll, their best finish since placing fifth in 1960.

As for Kentucky, it took down "Cinderella" Cornell by a final of 62-45 on Thursday, thanks to one of the best defensive efforts that we have seen by any team in "Sweet 16" action over the last quarter century. The Wildcats are led by first-year head coach John Calipari and are one of only two No. 1 seeds remaining in this tournament (Duke). Three UK starters are freshmen, and while youth can be a detriment, Calipari's squad has been dominant, winning its first and second round games by 29 and 30 points, respectively, prior to the triumph over Cornell. The Wildcats are making their record 50th NCAA Tournament appearance and own a 101-44 record in the event all-time. They are 35-2 overall this season and won both the SEC regular season and tournament titles.

The Wildcats own a 13-4 series advantage over the Mountaineers, which includes seven straight wins over WVU.

Prior to the "Sweet 16" matchup with Washington, West Virginia starting point guard Darryl "Truck" Bryant broke his foot in practice, knocking him out of the tournament. Many wondered how the loss would affect the Mountaineers, and early on the team did struggle at times offensively against the Huskies. Fortunately, WVU played tremendous defense, limiting Washington to 39.3 percent shooting from the floor while forcing 21 turnovers. Rebounding was a huge key to the Mountaineers as well, as they finished with a 49-29 edge on the boards. Kevin Jones led three double-digit scorers with 18 points, and he ripped down eight rebounds as well. Da'Sean Butler added 14 points, and Devin Ebanks finished with a dozen. Butler is the team's leading scorer through 36 games with 17.4 ppg, while Jones (13.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg) and Ebanks (12.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg) are solid contributors as well. WVU is generating 72.8 ppg while limiting foes to 63.1 ppg.

Kentucky has advanced to the Regional Finals for the 31st time in program history, and there are a few obvious reasons for the 17-point win over Cornell. Above all, it was a sensational defensive effort that saw the Wildcats limit the Big Red to 33.3 percent shooting from the floor, including a 5-of-21 effort from three-point range, 20 percent below the club's average efficiency from behind the arc. Rebounding was also key to the victory, as Kentucky earned a 41-28 edge on the boards. DeMarcus Cousins scored 16 points, while fellow freshman Eric Bledsoe added 12 points. Patrick Patterson ripped down 12 rebounds, and John Wall dished out eight assists. Wall has racked up 236 assists this season, and he has 62 steals as well to go along with 16.6 ppg. Cousins provides 15.1 ppg and 9.9 rpg, while Patterson posts 14.5 ppg. Bledsoe is netting 11.4 ppg for Kentucky, which is scoring 79.6 ppg while permitting just 64.7 ppg on 37.8 percent shooting by opponents.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-27-2010, 11:37 AM

Bulldogs and Wildcats duke it out for berth in Final Four

Salt Lake City, UT (Sports Network) - The dance continues for at least one "Cinderella", as the surprising Butler Bulldogs take on the Kansas State Wildcats in the 2010 NCAA Tournament West Regional final at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City this afternoon.

As a fifth seed, Butler has set a new school record as well as a Horizon League record for the most wins in a season by posting a 63-59 triumph over top-seeded Syracuse two nights ago. The win was the 31st of the year for a Bulldog squad that has gone farther in the NCAA Tournament than any previous competitor from the Horizon League.

Butler, which defeated UTEP (77-59) and Murray State (54-52) in the first and second rounds of the 72nd annual event, respectively, is also enjoying the nation's longest win streak at the moment, numbering 23 since the team last faltered a few days before Christmas at UAB. The Bulldogs have now won at least 26 games in four consecutive campaigns and have set a new program and conference record for the most victories over the span (116).

As for the second-seeded Wildcats, they went from double-digit wins against North Texas and BYU in the first two rounds of the tourney, to having to battle into double-overtime on Thursday night in a thrilling 101-96 final versus Xavier. Kansas State is now in the "Elite Eight" for the first time since 1988 and improved its all-time record in the event to 31-27. The Wildcats, ranked seventh in the most recent AP Poll, are playing in Salt Lake City for the third time, appearing here in 1981 when they topped Illinois, but then bowed to North Carolina and again six years later as the team knocked off Georgia before suffering defeat at the hands of UNLV.

This game marks the first-ever meeting between Butler and Kansas State on the hardwood, and the winner will head to Indianapolis next Saturday to take on either Michigan State or Tennessee in the Final Four.

Ahead by double digits at the break, the Bulldogs appeared to be well on their way to another victory on Thursday night before Syracuse bounced back and made things interesting in the four-point decision. Gordon Hayward stepped up to tally 17 points for the victors, clearing five rebounds as well in 31 minutes of action, while Shelvin Mack accounted for 14 points, six boards and five assists in an effort to disguise the fact that he shot just 5-of-19 from the field and 1-of-10 behind the three-point line. Willie Veasley tacked on 13 points for a squad that picked up only three points from its reserves but turned the ball over just seven times. After 35 games, Hayward remains Butler's top point producer with his 14.9 ppg, and he is also tops on the glass with better than eight rebounds per game, while Mack and Matt Howard pitch in with 14.1 and 11.8 ppg, respectively. As the Bulldogs showed in the round of 16, their goal is to control the pace of games and they pretty much did that against the Orange, which is why the squad has been able to limit opponents to 58.8 ppg to this point in the season.

Guard play was again crucial for the Wildcats on Thursday night as Jacob Pullen punctuated his 28-point effort with a pair of key three-pointers in the second overtime as he helped guide Kansas State to the dramatic win. Pullen finished the night hitting 6-of-12 shots out on the perimeter, the team a collective 8-of-19 beyond the arc. Backcourt mate Denis Clemente contributed 25 points, five rebounds and five assists, followed by Curtis Kelly with 21 points, eight boards, four dishes and a game-high five blocks. The squad got a lift off the bench from Jamar Samuels with his 14 points and five rebounds. The importance of Pullen and Clemente cannot be overstated, given that one of the two has led the team in scoring in each of the last five games and in seven of the last eight. Between them, Pullen and Samuels have connected on a staggering 193 three-pointers, which means the rest of the Wildcats have made good on a collective 55 triples over the course of 36 games. But more than just shooters, Pullen (19.5 ppg) and Clemente (16.5 ppg) have also been responsible for 124 and 153 assists, respectively, so they are the ones who have the most input when it comes to the team's 80.4 ppg scoring average.

**bryce** · 03-27-2010, 01:17 PM

Good luck stardust!!

**StarDust Bum** · 03-27-2010, 02:51 PM

Thanks Bryce and every one else.........good luck today

**StarDust Bum** · 03-27-2010, 02:55 PM

Saturday, March 27Game Score Status Pick Amount

Utah - 7:00 PM ET Washington +8.5 500
Washington - Under 196 500

New Jersey - 8:00 PM ET New Jersey +9 500 (BIG DOG POD )
Chicago - Under 196 500

Portland - 8:00 PM ET New Orleans +3 500
New Orleans - Under 194 500

L.A. Lakers - 8:30 PM ET Houston +6 500
Houston - Over 202 500

Dallas - 10:30 PM ET Golden State +4.5 500 ( NBA POD )
Golden State - Under 234.5 500 ( NBA TOTAL )

**StarDust Bum** · 03-27-2010, 03:01 PM

Trend Report - Saturday

Nets at Bulls – The Nets are 9-0 ATS (15.7 ppg) since January 02, 2009 as a dog when facing a team they beat in their previous same-season match-up and they have a revenge game next. The Bulls are 7-0 ATS (3.3 ppg) since January 29, 2008 after a game in which they shot less than 35% from the field. The Bulls are 0-7 ATS (-3.9 ppg) since March 16, 2001 at home with at most one day of rest after a home loss in which they allowed at least 50% from the field.

Trailblazers at Hornets – The Trailblazers are 13-0 ATS (9.3 ppg) since December 10, 2002 as a road favorite when they have a revenge game on the road next. The Trailblazers are 0-8 ATS (-7.2 ppg) since March 29, 2004 on the road after a win in which they were whistled for fewer than 15 personal fouls. The Hornets are 0-8 ATS (-9.2 ppg) since November 23, 2007 after a home loss in which they committed fewer than ten turnovers.

Lakers at Rockets – The Lakers are 0-8 ATS (-11.0 ppg) since February 03, 2006 as a favorite with at most one day of rest after a double digit road loss in which they shot less than 40% from the field. The League is 6-0 ATS (6.2 ppg) since January 14, 2009 as a road favorite with no rest after a loss in which they had fewer than fifteen assists. The Rockets are 8-0 ATS (10.1 ppg) since March 17, 2001 as a home dog with at most one day of rest after a game at home in which they had an assist to turnover ratio of at least two. The Rockets are 0-7 ATS (-8.3 ppg) since March 26, 1996 as a home dog when they suffered a double digit ATS loss for two straight games.

Mavericks at Warriors – The Mavericks are 0-9 ATS (-8.7 ppg) since March 11, 2006 on the road after playing the Trailblazers. The Warriors are 9-0-1 ATS (7.0 ppg) since March 14, 2003 as a home dog when seeking revenge for a loss in which they led by double digits. The Warriors are 8-0 ATS (11.5 ppg) since January 25, 2009 when playing the last game of at least a three game home stand.

Jazz at Wizards – The Jazz are 11-0 ATS (7.7 ppg) since April 21, 2009 after a game on the road in which they allowed at least 50% from the field. The Wizards are 0-9 ATS (-5.4 ppg) since November 14, 2004 with no rest off a road loss in which they never led. The Wizards are 0-8 ATS (-7.5 ppg) since November 18, 2008 when facing a team that covered by double digits against them in their previous same-season meeting as a road dog.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-27-2010, 07:32 PM

Top NBA Weekend Power Trends - 3/26-3/28

Saturday, 03/27/2010
(501) UTAH vs. (502) WASHINGTON

UTAH is 30-15 ATS (+13.5 Units) as a favorite this season. The average score was UTAH 106.2, OPPONENT 97.1 - (Rating = 2*)

(501) UTAH vs. (502) WASHINGTON

UTAH is 12-0 OVER (+12 Units) in road games on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons. The average score was UTAH 106.9, OPPONENT 109.8 - (Rating = 4*)

(503) PORTLAND vs. (504) NEW ORLEANS

NEW ORLEANS is 6-20 ATS (-16 Units) versus poor defensive teams - shooting pct defense of >=46% this season. The average score was NEW ORLEANS 104, OPPONENT 106 - (Rating = 3*)

(507) LA LAKERS vs. (508) HOUSTON

LA LAKERS are 32-11 ATS (+19.9 Units) in road games vs poor defensive teams allowing 99+ PPG - 2nd half of L3 seasons. The average score was LA LAKERS 110, OPPONENT 101.3 - (Rating = 3*)

Announcement

The Bum's Saturday's Best Bets + Pod's !

The Bum's Saturday's Best Bets + Pod's !

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment