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**Udog** · 04-02-2010, 05:02 AM

Daily Sports Roundup: April 2

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Flyers play host to the Canadiens, while the Lakers take on the Jazz, and the Hawks attempt to pick up a win in Cleveland.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

There are 10 games on the NBA's schedule for Friday, including Utah at the Lakers. Los Angeles last took on the Jazz back on February 10 in Utah, with the home side falling 96-81 as a 5.5-point favorite. Lamar Odom had a team-high 25 points in that win for the Lakers, who played that game without an injured Kobe Bryant. Pau Gasol picked up 22 points and 19 rebounds in the contest. Andrei Kirilenko was good for 17 points for Utah, while Deron Williams added 11 points.

Also on the NBA hardwood on Friday: Milwaukee at Charlotte, Chicago at Washington, Miami at Indiana, Houston at Boston, Phoenix at Detroit, New Orleans at Memphis, Orlando at San Antonio, New York at Golden State, and Atlanta at Cleveland. The Hawks are riding high heading into Friday's matchup, as they beat the Lakers 109-92 at home in their last game on Wednesday. Atlanta, though, hasn't managed to knock off Cleveland since December 2008.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

As well, the NHL offers up seven games on Friday, with Chicago at New Jersey, the Rangers at Tampa Bay, San Jose at Minnesota, Edmonton at Dallas, Calgary at Colorado, Vancouver at Anaheim, and Montreal at Philadelphia. The Canadiens failed to help their playoff chances on Wednesday night, falling 2-1 at home to the Hurricanes. Marc-Andre Bergeron had the only Habs goal in that loss, while Carey Price stopped 25 of 27 Carolina shots. The Canadiens and Flyers last met in back-to-back games back on February 12 and February 13, with Philadelphia managing to grab the win in both those contests (3-2 and 6-2).

**Udog** · 04-02-2010, 05:02 AM

Bettors' best friend: Friday's wagering tips

Lines off the board

Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers: Pacers center Jermaine O'Neal (knee) is questionable.

Milwaukee Bucks at Charlotte Bobcats: Bucks guard Carlos Delfino (neck) and Bobcats forward Stephen Jackson (hamstring) are questionable.

Houston Rockets at Boston Celtics: Rockets center David Anderson (back) and guard Kevin Martin (shoulder) are questionable.

New Orleans Hornets at Memphis Grizzlies: Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (shoulder) is doubtful and guard Ronnie Brewer (hamstring) is questionable.

Phoenix Suns at Detroit Pistons: Suns guard Steve Nash (back) and Pistons guard Richard Hamilton (ankle) are questionable.

Lines to keep an eye on

The Chicago Bulls opened as 4.5-point favorites over the Washington Wizards but that number has fallen to 4. The total opened at 193 and dropped to 192.5.

The Los Angeles Lakers opened as 5-point picks over the Utah Jazz but that line has dropped to 4.5. The total opened at 205 and has dipped to 204.5.

Weather to watch

The Northeast has been hit hard by flooding and rising waters over the weekend could lead to some travel delays.

Who's hot

Cleveland Cavaliers are 10-1 SU in their last 11.

Phoenix Suns have won nine in a row SU.

Atlanta Hawks are 8-2 ATS in their last 10.

Chicago Bulls are 7-2 ATS in their last nine.

Indiana Pacers are 6-1 SU in their last seven.

Miami Heat have won six in a row SU.

Who's not

Washington Wizards are 1-16 SU in their last 17.

New Orleans Hornets are 4-12-1 ATS in their last 17.

Detroit Pistons are 0-9 SU and ATS in their last nine.

Houston Rockets are 0-6 ATS in their last six.

Colorado Avalanche are 1-6 SU in their last seven.

Key stat

504 - Combined points of the Atlanta Thrashers' final five regular-season opponents. The ninth-place Trashers are trying to make the playoffs but face the first-place Capitals (110) twice, the third-place Penguins (95) twice and the fourth-place New Jersey Devils (94) once.

Injury that shouldn't be overlooked

The only things that have been able to stop Spurs guard Manu Ginobili lately are back spasms. Ginobili averaged 25.8 points per game last week to be named Western Conference Player of the Week on Monday, the same day he had to take a day off because his back hurt so bad he couldn't pull up his pants. The Spurs lost to the Nets and Ginobili vowed to return tonight against the Magic. He is listed as probable.

Game of the day

Jazz at Lakers

Notable quotable

"We thought it would only be a radio promotion and that would be it. But it kind of caught fire and grew into something we didn't expect."

Texas Motorspeedway president Eddie Gossage said after an April Fool's joke that Dallas radio DJ Terry Dorsey was legally changing his name to Texasmotorspeedway.com got picked up by major news services.

Tips and notes

Time is running out for Warriors coach Don Nelson to become the winningest coach in NBA history. He needs three more and is rumored to be out of a job next season. His team wants to get the record for him and the Knicks are a must-win if he has any chance. The Knicks are on their fourth stop of a five-game, West Coast swing, losing the first three by a combined 69 points. It's time to win one for Nelly.

The Flames refused to be snuffed out of the playoff race despite looking like longshots at this time last week. After big wins over the Capitals and Coyotes, the Flames get a shot at the team currently clinging to the eighth spot - the Avalanche, who have allowed five goals per game in their current three-game skid. The Flames have won five straight at home and will have a playoff atmosphere on their side in the Saddledome.

Not to throw stones at the glass-slipper stories in this year's NCAA Tournament, but history show that experience is a huge factor at this stage of the game. Five of the last six national titles were won by teams that visited the Final Four at least five years prior. The 2007 Florida team was the lone exception and it returned to repeat in 2008. Michigan State and Duke get the ex(perience) factor over Butler and West Virginia.

**Udog** · 04-02-2010, 05:04 AM

Friday six-pack

-- Danny the Glover e-mailed with an adamant claim that Sam Bradford will be a bust as an NFL QB. I hope he is wrong........

-- Dodger owner Frank McCourt is getting divorced; his wife is asking for $1M+ a month in support. Thats an awful lot of support.

-- Six of the 12 basketball coaches in Conference USA will be new next season. Surprised that Billy Gillespie isn't one of them.

-- Houston hired James Dickey, who went 30-2 at Texas Tech in 1996, but was shown the door so Tech could hire Robert M Knight. Gillespie was thought to be a near-lock for that job.

-- Highest profile college hoop jobs that are still open: Boston College-Oregon-DePaul-Charlotte. Iona and Siena are still open, too.

-- Phillies put three pitchers on DL Thursday, not the best way to start their season. Bullpen is depleted early without Lidge and Romero.

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

Friday's List of 13: Things I'm looking for this baseball season....

13) Will the 2010 Mets be any less of a mess than the '09 version? This season starts with Reyes/Beltran on DL and KRod in Venezuela. Ugh.

12) Will Tampa Bay contend in 2010? If they get off to a bad start, will they be tempted to trade free agent-to-be Carl Crawford? He's probably the best player in Rays' history, but he's going to walk after the season.

11) How far will the Angels fall? It looks like they aren't as good as their recent teams, but Mike Scioscia is the best manager in baseball, so never underestimate the Halos. They'll need Joel Pineiro to pitch well.

10) Can Atlanta's young Jason Heyward live up to the hype?

9) Will the Pirates finish under .500 for the 18th year in a row?

8) How quickly will the Mariners regret signing Milton Bradley? The guy is on a different team every year for a reason. Cliff Lee starts the season hurt, so a season with high expectations in Seattle is off to a shaky start.

7) Will the Padres trade Adrian Gonzalez, and if so, where?

6) Will Houston's new manager Brad Mills be an upgrade over the fired Cecil Cooper? Boston's former bench coach has drawn raves this spring, but everyone's always happy when you're 0-0.

5) Can the Twins contend with a closer-by-committee? Will they wind up trading for one? Will their fans build snowmen in the stands this April?

4) Can geographic re-alignment gain enough support to become even a remote possiblity? This would help even the financial playing field.

3) How will Frank McCourt's divorce proceedings affect the Dodgers on the field? Will they still be buyers in July, if they need to be?

2) How will Mark McGwire do as the Cardinals' hitting coach? He has a couple pretty good hitters to start with, Pujols/Holliday.

1) The biggest question in modern baseball is when mid-July rolls around, what teams will sell players, which ones will buy? Thats why the season long over/under win total bets are tough to win. The team you see on the field in April isn't necessarily the one that'll be there in August.

**Udog** · 04-02-2010, 05:06 AM

NBA
Write-Up

Friday, April 2

Hot Teams
-- Pacers won six of their last seven games. Heat won its last six games, covering four of last five.
-- Bobcats won four of their last five games. Milwaukee is 16-5-1 vs the spread in its last 22 games.
-- Bulls covered seven of their last nine games.
-- Suns won last nine games (covered three of last four).
-- Cavaliers won 17 of their last 18 games, are 2-5 vs spread last seven. Hawks won eight of their last ten games.
-- Orlando won 14 of its last 16 games. Spurs won three of last four.
-- Jazz won eight of their last ten games.

Cold Teams
-- Rockets lost five of last six games (0-6 vs spread). Celtics lost last two games, covered one of last five.
-- Hornets lost 13 of their last 17 games. Grizzlies lost last three games, the last two in OT.
-- Wizards snapped their 16-game losing streak Wednesday.
-- Pistons haven't won or covered any of last nine games.
-- Warriors lost five of their last seven games. Knicks lost last three in a row, by 26-5-24 points.
-- Lakers lost three of their last four games, but all were on road.

Playing Second of Back-to-Back Nights
-- Orlando is 1-4 vs spread playing second straight night on road.

Totals
-- Four of last five Indiana games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four Charlotte games went over the total.
-- Nine of last ten Washington games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last eight Houston road games went over the total.
-- Last three Memphis games went over the total.
-- Eight of last twelve Detroit games went over the total.
-- 12 of last 17 Atlanta games went over the total. Under is 5-2 in last seven Cleveland games.
-- Last four Orlando games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 6-3-1 in last ten Golden State games.
-- Last three Laker games went over the total.

**Udog** · 04-02-2010, 05:07 AM

NBA

Friday, April 2

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. WASHINGTON
Chicago is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games
Chicago is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Washington is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Chicago
Washington is 15-4 SU in its last 19 games when playing at home against Chicago

7:00 PM
MIAMI vs. INDIANA
Miami is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Indiana
Miami is 1-17 SU in its last 18 games when playing on the road against Indiana
Indiana is 7-0-1 ATS in its last 8 games at home
Indiana is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:00 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. CHARLOTTE
Milwaukee is 17-5 SU in its last 22 games
Milwaukee is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Charlotte
Charlotte is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Charlotte's last 7 games when playing at home against Milwaukee

7:30 PM
HOUSTON vs. BOSTON
Houston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Houston's last 12 games when playing Boston
Boston is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games
Boston is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home

8:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. CLEVELAND
Atlanta is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games
Atlanta is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland's last 6 games when playing at home against Atlanta

8:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. MEMPHIS
New Orleans is 4-13 SU in its last 17 games
New Orleans is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Memphis
Memphis is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against New Orleans
Memphis is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against New Orleans

8:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. DETROIT
Phoenix is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Phoenix's last 9 games when playing Detroit
Detroit is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Detroit is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home

8:30 PM
ORLANDO vs. SAN ANTONIO
Orlando is 14-2 SU in its last 16 games
Orlando is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
San Antonio is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games when playing Orlando
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 5 games when playing Orlando

10:30 PM
NEW YORK vs. GOLDEN STATE
New York is 5-9-1 ATS in its last 15 games when playing Golden State
New York is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Golden State
Golden State is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games
Golden State is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games

10:30 PM
UTAH vs. LA LAKERS
Utah is 8-14-1 ATS in their last 23 games when playing LA Lakers
Utah is 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
LA Lakers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games
LA Lakers are 8-3 SU in their last 11 games

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**Udog** · 04-02-2010, 05:08 AM

NBA

Friday, April 2

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Game of the day: Jazz at Lakers
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Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Lakers (-5, 205)

The skinny

Utah has won eight of its 10 ten games and owns third place in the Western Conference playoff standings. As of Thursday, the Jazz are a half game behind Dallas for second place and a half game ahead of Phoenix for fourth place.

Los Angeles has won seven of its last 10 but is coming off of a 2-3 road trip. The Lakers are in first place, four games ahead of Dallas. With only six games remaining, it’s unlikely that they’ll relinquish the top spot.

The Lakers have won seven of the last nine meetings with the Jazz and two of three meetings this season.

Playoff push

Utah flattened the Golden State Warriors Wednesday night. The Jazz opened with a 40-point first quarter, continuing to a 76-point first half and rolling to a 128-104 victory at EnergySolutions Arena.

"I think our guys got off to a great start," coach Jerry Sloan told reporters. "They came out and played hard, got themselves going. Their bodies were alive. I thought they did a good job defensively, and when they did that they got some easy baskets out of it."

It’s going to take a monstrous effort if they want to continue their climb in the playoff standings. The Jazz have dropped 13 consecutive games to the Lakers at Staples Center, counting the 2008 and 2009 playoffs, and scored just six points in the fourth quarter of a 101-77 loss back on December 9.

"It's going to be tough," point guard Deron Williams told the media. "We know they're going to be hungry after the way they played the last five games. It's a good test for us."

Another slump could drop them as low as fifth in the West, meaning they could lose home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. They’ve lost four of their last six road games and own a pedestrian 19-18 record away from home this season.

Andrei Kirilenko won't return from his strained left calf until at least next week, with the Jazz announcing that Kirilenko won't travel for Friday's game. Kirilenko has missed nine of the past 11 games with the playoffs fast approaching.

In La-La Land

Los Angeles is coming off a 17-point road loss to Atlanta. It was the Lakers’ worst loss at Atlanta since suffering a 106-89 defeat December 28, 1974. It dropped them to a sputtering 22-15 road record this season. Atlanta simply outplayed the Lakers, with the Hawks faring better against them in points in the paint (44-26), in field-goal percentage (54.2 percent to 45.8 percent) and in team balance (Atlanta had seven players crack double figures while the Lakers had four). Atlanta’s bench also outscored the Lakers bench, 44-22.

The Lakers’ lack an identity without Andrew Bynum in the starting lineup and it was especially apparent in their latest game. He missed his sixth consecutive contest due to a strained left Achilles' tendon, leaving the team settling for too many outside shots and the defense leaving itself vulnerable inside (Atlanta outscored the Lakers 19-4 in second-chance points).

Many are wondering if the Lakers are “packing it in” for the rest of the regular season, having all but solidified their playoff spot. But the players insist their effort level hasn’t decreased.

"Not a good trip at all for us, it's as simple as that," Derek Fisher told the press. "There isn't anyone in our locker room offering any excuses of any kind. We're taking it as hard as we can take it and wanting to come back and figure things out. We're not panicking. We're not throwing everything away. We're really trying to turn this thing around in a way that puts us in a better position going into the playoffs. There are still no guarantees, but we'd definitely like to improve."

They’ve allowed over 100 points in three straight games and they’ll have to step up their defensive intensity against the Jazz, who boast the top shooting percentage in the NBA (49.2 percent)

"Defensively we have to step it up," forward Pau Gasol told reporters. "We can't allow teams to score 100 points on us. They're shooting the ball well. Everybody is excited to play against us. We understand that. We just can't give open looks to people. They're too good of shooters. We've got to cut down on easy looks and layups. We have to make sure we don't give them second opportunities. We have to put a lot of thought and effort into it."

Head to head

In their last meeting, the Jazz took a nine-game winning streak into their showdown with the Lakers on February 10. Kobe Bryant sat out his third straight game and his teammates responded with their third consecutive win without their injured superstar, beating Utah 96-81.

The home team is 17-8-1 ATS in the last 26 meetings and the Jazz are 3-10 ATS in the last 13 meetings in Los Angeles.

Trends

Utah is 19-6-2 ATS in its last 27 games vs. Western Conference teams and 15-6-1 ATS in its last 22 road games.

Los Angeles is 1-6-1 ATS in its last eight home games and 2-7-1 ATS in its last 10 vs. NBA Northwest.

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**Udog** · 04-02-2010, 05:08 AM

NBA

Friday, April 2

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Pick 'n' Roll: Today's best NBA bets
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Milwaukee Bucks at Charlotte Bobcats (N/A)

If Scott Skiles isn't the NBA Coach of the Year, he should be a lock for the coach of the half-year.

After an 18-25 start to the season, the long-suffering Milwaukee Bucks have gone 23-8 ever since and are currently in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings.

"There's a lot of excitement in this city because we're actually winning," rookie guard Brandon Jennings told ESPN, "and a lot of that has to do with our coach."

True to Skiles' philosophy, the Bucks are doing it with defense. They are allowing opponents and average of 96.5 points per game, and only 91 points per game during their recent 16-5 hot streak.

Oddsmakers are wise to Milwaukee's lock-down D as its last three have gone over, but Andrew Bogut and the rest of the Bucks should be able to manhandle the Bobcats.

Pick: Bucks

Atlanta Hawks at Cleveland Cavaliers (-5.5, 195)

The Hawks looked like world-beaters - in Atlanta. But when the Hawks take flight, they seem to forget to pack their A-game.

Despite recent home wins over the Lakers, Magic and Spurs, the Hawks are 2-5 SU in their last seven on the road, including losses to the Wizards and Sixers.

The Cavs haven't lost at home since mid-February and although they haven't exactly been cover-licious in Cleveland, they haven't been this lightly favored either.

The Cavs have won eight in a row over the Hawks dating back to last season, winning those games by an average margin of 12 points.

Pick: Cavs

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**Udog** · 04-02-2010, 05:12 AM

For now, the only stuff up is for Saturday. Tonight's game is in "Trend Report". If the sources publish any more info for tonight, I'll get it in.

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Saturday, April 3

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MICHIGAN ST (28 - 8) vs. BUTLER (32 - 4) - 4/3/2010, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MICHIGAN ST is 8-15 ATS (-8.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BUTLER is 89-57 ATS (+26.3 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
BUTLER is 119-86 ATS (+24.4 Units) after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.
MICHIGAN ST is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) in all neutral court games over the last 3 seasons.
MICHIGAN ST is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) when playing on a neutral court over the last 3 seasons.
MICHIGAN ST is 29-15 ATS (+12.5 Units) in a NCAA tournament games since 1997.

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

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W VIRGINIA (31 - 6) vs. DUKE (33 - 5) - 4/3/2010, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DUKE is 22-14 ATS (+6.6 Units) in all games this season.
DUKE is 22-14 ATS (+6.6 Units) in all lined games this season.
DUKE is 22-14 ATS (+6.6 Units) as a favorite this season.
DUKE is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
DUKE is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in road games in non-conference games this season.
W VIRGINIA is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in road games against ACC opponents since 1997.
W VIRGINIA is 82-55 ATS (+21.5 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
W VIRGINIA is 39-23 ATS (+13.7 Units) in road games in all tournament games since 1997.
W VIRGINIA is 16-2 ATS (+13.8 Units) in a NCAA tournament games since 1997.

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

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**Udog** · 04-02-2010, 05:13 AM

NCAAB
Short Sheet

Saturday, 4/3/2010

NCAA Tournament Semifinals - Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, IN
MICHIGAN ST vs. BUTLER, 6:05 PM ET CBS
MICHIGAN ST: 29-15 ATS in NCAA Tournament
BUTLER: 8-0 Over on neutral court if the total is 129.5 or less

W VIRGINIA vs. DUKE, 8:35 PM ET CBS
W VIRGINIA: 16-2 ATS in NCAA Tournament
DUKE: 12-2 Over on neutral court if the total is 130 to 139.5

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

**Udog** · 04-02-2010, 05:14 AM

NCAAB
Write-Up

Final Four games

Butler is at home; its only six miles from Hinkle Fieldhouse to Lucas Oil Stadium, but Michigan State won a national title in Indy in 2000, so Izzo probably feels at home too. Bulldogs won last 24 games, already beating #1 seed Syracuse in its region. Last time there was a national semifinal game where neither team was a #1-4 seed was 2000, when Florida beat North Carolina before losing to Izzo's Spartans in final. Butler is 2-1 vs Big 11 teams, winning at Northwestern 67-54, Ohio State 74-66, losing to Minnesota on neutral floor, 82-73. Bulldogs are super on defense; can they keep Spartans away from offensive boards? Michigan State won by 30 over Valparaiso in its only game against an Horizon League team.

Duke is in first Final Four since '04; Huggins is in first one since '92 with Cincinnati. West Virginia beat Duke 73-67 in second round game back in '08, when Duke was #2 seed, WVa #7. Blue Devils lead country, holding foes to 27.8% behind arc; they're facing #1 offensive rebounding team in country. Duke played 4th-hardest schedule, WVa faced the #2 schedule, so both team are battle-tested. Duke is 2-1 vs Big East teams, losing at Georgetown by 12, beating St John's (80-71), UConn (68-59). Duke is on 8-game win streak, Mountaineers won last 10 (were an underdog in three of the ten) games. In its seven postseason games, West Virginia is allowing an average of just 55.9 ppg. Darryl Bryant not expected to be in lineup (foot) but Mountaineers beat Kentucky without him.

**Udog** · 04-02-2010, 05:15 AM

NCAAB

Friday, April 2

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH vs. SAINT LOUIS
Virginia Commonwealth is 16-5-2 SU in its last 23 games
Virginia Commonwealth is 2-4-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Saint Louis is 18-5-1 SU in its last 24 games at home
Saint Louis is 11-3-2 SU in its last 16 games

Saturday, April 3

6:07 PM
MICHIGAN STATE vs. BUTLER
Michigan State is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Michigan State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
Butler is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Butler is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

8:47 PM
WEST VIRGINIA vs. DUKE
West Virginia is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
West Virginia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Duke is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Duke is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

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**Udog** · 04-02-2010, 05:17 AM

NCAAB

Saturday, April 3

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What bettors need to know
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Michigan State vs. Butler

Michigan State Spartans vs. Butler Bulldogs (-1, 126), 6:05 p.m. ET

Spartan fighters

Tom Izzo has now taken Michigan State to a whopping six Final Fours since 1999, but this run has to be the wildest and most improbable of all.

The Spartans have won three of their four NCAA Tournament games by three points or fewer (70-67 over New Mexico State, 85-83 over Maryland, and 70-69 over Tennessee). Against the Terrapins, MSU lost star point guard Kalin Lucas to a torn Achilles and trailed by one point in the waning seconds, but Korie Lucious -Lucas’ backup -nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Additional adversity is still coming in the form of injuries, as guard Chris Allen (torn ligament in his right arch) and forward Delvon Roe (knee) are dealing with their own physical problems. Allen’s recent practices have involved only shooting and Roe faces offseason surgery.

So far the Spartans (28-8, 15-20 ATS) have overcome everything. Perhaps that’s part of the reason why Butler coach Brad Stevens called Michigan State “one of the great, if not the greatest program in the country over the last 12 years”, in an ESPN interview earlier this week.

But as if all of that isn’t enough for the Spartans, they now have to face a Final Four opponent that is playing in its home city. In fact, Butler is the first team since UCLA in 1972 (Final Four in Los Angeles) to enjoy such an opportunity.

24 in a row

Butler has won an incredible 24 consecutive games (12-12 ATS) heading into Saturday’s national semifinals. The Bulldogs have not lost since a December 22 trip to UAB, where a 67-57 setback dropped them to a pedestrian 8-4 mark.

111 days later, Butler will charge into Lucas Oil Stadium at 32-4 (16-20 ATS).

The last time a Tom Izzo-coached team faced an opponent on such a win streak was in the 1999 Final Four, as Duke rode a 31-game surge at the time. Michigan State succumbed to 68-62 to the Blue Devils.

These Bulldogs do not feature NBA lottery picks at multiple positions like those Blue Devils, but the Spartans know what Butler is all about.

“They're not mid-majors,” Roe told the Grand Rapids Press. “You learn when you play these teams not to underestimate them, or you'll end up like the other teams they played this year: out.”

“I'm sure their confidence is sky high,” Lucious noted. “They're going to be real confident because I'm sure they don't want their winning streak to be snapped. So they're going to come out with intensity and we're going to match it.”

Painter of the picture

Purdue faced Michigan State twice this season and shares the state of Indiana with Butler, so Boilermaker head coach Matt Painter is familiar with both participants in Saturday’s first Final Four showdown.

“Butler will push, but they're selective,” Painter said in a Wednesday teleconference. “If it's there, they go. If they get a wide-open shot in transition, they take it. But if not, they make you play and break down.

“But Butler doesn't get the credit they deserve for how tough they are and how good a defensive team they are.”

No team has reached the 60-point mark against the Bulldogs so far in this NCAA Tournament.

Painter, whose team won at Michigan State 76-64 on February 9 before losing to the Spartans 53-44 at home on February 28, said Saturday’s game will be a “race to 60.” In other words, the team that gets to 60 points first wins.

Common opponents

The Bulldogs faced three teams from the Big Ten during the regular season—Northwestern away, Minnesota on a neutral court and Ohio State at home. Butler handled the Wildcats 67-54, fell to the Gophers 82-73 and upset Ohio State 74-66.

Michigan State swept Northwestern with ease, went 2-1 against Minnesota (lost in the conference tournament) and dropped a 74-67 home decision to Ohio State.

Both Michigan State and Butler also faced Valparaiso. The Spartans destroyed Valpo 90-60 at home on November 22. The Bulldogs pulled out a 74-69 road victory on February 26.

Trending topics

The Spartans are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games at neutral sites (and this is, technically, a neutral site). They are also 25-10-1 in their last 36 NCAA Tournament contests.

The Bulldogs are 7-3 in their last 10 NCAA Tournament games, 4-1 ATS in their last five overall, and 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven against Big Ten opponents.

Both Michigan State (16-18 O/U) and Butler (15-19 O/U) have leaned just slightly toward the under this season. The under is 8-1 in Butler’s last nine overall, but the over is 8-0 in MSU’s last eight against the Horizon League.

West Virginia vs. Duke

West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Duke Blue Devils (-2.5, 131), 8:45 p.m. ET.

The other Butler

Butler University, which is not only the official host of the Final Four but also an unlikely participant, is not the only “Butler” in town this weekend in Indianapolis.

Da’Sean Butler, of course, is West Virginia’s star player and senior leader. The 6-foot-7 forward (17.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.3 apg) boasts some impressive numbers, but his value extends far beyond the stat sheet.

Butler has hit six game-winning shots in the final seconds this season and he did it twice in the Big East tournament. Tied with the clock ticking down against Cincinnati, Butler delivered a miracle 3-pointer at the buzzer. Butler then drained an off-balance, contested runner to beat Georgetown 60-58 in the championship.

“I can tell you right now from watching two games of tape, Butler one of best players in the country,” gushed Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. “He’s a great player and a clutch player. Nobody has hit as many big shots as this kid. He loves the moment.”

“When your best player is the best person and unquestionably is your hardest worker you’re going to be good,” WVU coach Bob Huggins said during Monday’s Final Four conference call.

Butler was named a Second Team All-American by the Associated Press earlier this week. So, too, was Duke’s own Jon Scheyer.

Brothers in arms

Nobody is going to confuse this Duke team with any of the most talented Krzyzewski has ever coached, but these Blue Devils are not relying on basketball skills alone to get the job done.

“This team will really be brothers forever,” Krzyzewski told the Durham Herald Sun. “It's as close a team as I've had. They’ve been spectacular to coach.”

“We have a genuine love for each other,” added senior Lance Thomas. “We know that we need each other to win. Not one guy is going to lead us to victory in a game.”

With that love comes an acceptance of roles, embodied by Thomas himself. The 6-foot-8 forward scores a mere five points per game, but his eight offensive rebounds against Baylor made the undisputed difference in last weekend’s South Region final.

On a team that sees three players (Scheyer, Kyle Singler, and Nolan Smith) combined for 53.2 ppg, Brian Zoubek contributes only 5.4 ppg (still good four fourth on the team). No matter, though, because the 7-foot-1 center has grabbed 35 rebounds in Duke’s past three NCAA victories.

“I think people have grown into knowing the value of their roles,” Krzyzewski noted. “They take value from what we see as value, but that takes maturity. These kids are very mature, so they understand that.”

Defense wins championships

West Virginia has limited six of its last seven opponents to fewer than 60 points. Even though Kentucky eclipsed that mark for 66 in the title game of the East Region, the Wildcats shot an unbelievably bad 4-of-32 from three-point range and turned the ball over 16 times.

“We don’t like being scored on,” forward Devin Ebanks told the Times West Virginian. “We try to limit everybody’s scoring and limit their touches. It’s fun knowing that you can shut the other person down and outrebound the other team, just outman them, out-tough them. It’s a fun way to play.”

Duke has held three of its four NCAA Tournament opponents to fewer than 60 points (Baylor scored 71). The Blue Devils have not allowed more than 74 points since giving up 89 to Georgetown on January 30. Ten of their last 15 opponents have not reached 60 and four of their last 10 opponents did not even pass 50.

Common opponents

The Blue Devils went up against three teams from the Big East during the regular season—Connecticut on a neutral court, St. John’s at home and Georgetown in Washington. Duke dispatched the Huskies 68-59, beat St. John’s 80-71 and trailed Georgetown almost the entire way in an 89-77 loss.

West Virginia fell at Connecticut 73-62, crushed St. John’s on the road 79-60 and swept Georgetown (81-68 at home on March 1, 60-58 two weeks later in the Big East tournament final).

The one other common opponent this season was Long Beach State. The Mountaineers eased their way to an 85-62 road win back in November and the Blue Devils—at home—scored a similar 84-63 victory over the 49ers.

Trending topics

The Mountaineers are 4-0 ATS in their four NCAA Tournament games, 5-0 ATS in their last five non-conference contests and 5-1 ATS in their last six against ACC opponents.

The Blue Devils are also 4-0 ATS during this NCAA Tournament, but they are just 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven against Big East opposition.

West Virginia (15-19 O/U) has been a decent under play this season and the under has definitely been the way to go with Duke (15-22 O/U). The under is 7-1 in WVU’s last eight overall and 4-1 in Duke’s last five overall.

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**Udog** · 04-02-2010, 05:18 AM

NCAAB

Saturday, April 3

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Final Four and championship game tourney trends
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It’s onward to Indianapolis for the Final Four games. Listed below are some interesting trends and angles to consider before our Fab Four takes a final spin in Circle City this weekend. All results listed below are ATS (Against The Spread) since 1991 unless noted otherwise.

Final Four round notes

• One-seeds who are 4-0 ATS in the tourney are 2-4 SU and 1-5 ATS on the last weekend (Duke)

• Two-seeds are 1-7 ATS off a double-digit ATS win (West Virginia)

• Teams off back to back outright dog wins are 2-8 ATS (Butler)

• ACC teams are 4-2 SU and 5-1 ATS since 2002 (Duke)

• Big East teams are 0-3 ATS since 2004 (West Virginia)

• Teams with the greater win percentage are 8-2 ATS last five years (Butler and Duke)

• Returnees from last year in this round are 11-4 SU and 10-5 ATS (Michigan State)

Championship notes

• One-seed faves are 6-1 ATS

• Two-seeds are 0-5 ATS off an ATS win

• Five or worse seeds are 0-3 SU & ATS

• Favorites of 5 points or less are 10-1 ATS

• Favorites who scored 80 or more points in the Final Four round are 4-1 ATS

• Teams with a win percentage of .810 or less are 0-4 SU & ATS

• Teams off five straight tourney ATS wins are 4-1 ATS

• Teams that have scored the most points in the tourney are 14-5 SU and 12-7 ATS

• Underdogs of 3 points or more off a SU dog win are 1-5 ATS

• Big East teams are 3-0 ATS

• ACC teams are 9-2 ATS

• Big Ten teams are 1-6 ATS

Coach me up

• Butler’s Brad Stevens: 3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS as an NCAA tourney favorite… 5-2 SU and 5-1-1 ATS versus Big Ten opponents… 41-2 SU at home, including 3-0 SU and 2-0-1 ATS versus Big Ten opponents.

• Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski: 39-4 SU versus .750 or less opponents and 14-11 SU versus greater than .750 foes, including 7-12-1 ATS as a favorite in this tourney… 5-1 SU and 4-2 in Final Four games and 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS in NCAA championship games.

• Michigan State’s Tom Izzo: 10-0 SU and 6-4 ATS versus Horizon League competition… 21-5 ATS versus opponent off SU and ATS win in this tourney… 2-3 SU and 3-2 ATS in Final Four and 1-1 SU and ATS in championship games in this event.

• West Virginia’s Bob Huggins: 9-7 SU and ATS versus ACC opposition, including 3-1 SU and ATS in this tourney… 1-5 ATS as a dog in this tourney… 18-3 SU and 15-5-1 ATS versus .718 or less opponents –but- 8-13 SU and 6-15 ATS versus .724 or greater foes in this tourney.

There you have it, trends and notes of teams and coaches for the NCAA Final Four and out games played in the last 20 years.

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**Udog** · 04-02-2010, 05:19 AM

NHL
Write-Up

Friday, April 2

Hot Teams
-- Rangers won three of their last four games.
-- Sharks won four of their last five games.

Cold Teams
-- Blackhawks lost three of last four games. New Jersey lost five of its last seven games.
-- Canadiens lost five of their last six games. Flyers lost six of seven.
-- Lightning lost four of their last five home games.
-- Minnesota lost 12 of its last 18 games.
-- Dallas is 2-11 in game following its last thirteen wins. Oilers lost last three games, all by one goal.
-- Avalanche lost six of their last seven games. Flames lost three of their last four road games.

Totals
-- Six of last nine Chicago games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Montreal games stayed under the total. Three of last four Philly games went over.
-- Four of last five Lightning home games stayed under the total.
-- Last three Minnesota home games stayed under the total. Last three San Jose games all went over.
-- Five of last six Dallas games stayed under the total.
-- Last six Colorado games went over the total. Four of last five Calgary games stayed under the total.

Playing second of back-to-back nights
-- Flyers are 1-4 if they lost the night before.

Series Records
-- Canadiens won three of last four games against the Flyers.
-- Rangers won five of last six games against Tampa Bay, winning 8-2 in last meeting Jan 19.
-- Sharks won their last four games against Minnesota.
-- Oilers lost five of last six visits to Dallas.
-- Flames lost five of last six games against Colorado.

Announcement

Friday Trends and Indexes 4/2 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Friday Trends and Indexes 4/2 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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