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**StarDust Bum** · 02-15-2011, 03:35 PM

Red-hot Pacers try to upset Miami Tuesday night

MIAMI HEAT (39-15)

at INDIANA PACERS (24-28)

Tip-off: 7:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Miami -4.5 Total: 206.5

The Miami Heat will travel to Indiana on Tuesday to take on the Indiana Pacers in the third game of their four-game road trip.

Miami had its eight-game win streak snapped on Sunday in Boston and fell to 0-3 against the Celtics on the season in an 85-82 loss. The Heat are now 26-26 ATS on the season and 17-11 ATS on the road. The loss snapped a four-game road win streak both overall and ATS. The Heat shot 41.9 percent from the field against Boston, which was the lowest they shot since their previous loss against the Knicks when they shot 41.7 percent. After averaging 33.0 PPG against the Pacers last season, Dwyane Wade has struggled against them this season. He scored a season-low three points and made just one of 13 shots in a loss on November 22. He then scored 17 points, but shot just 7-for-17 in a win on February 8. LeBron James is averaging 31.3 PPG in his past nine games against the Pacers, including scoring 41 against them on February 8.

Indiana is 25-24 ATS overall this season and 14-11 ATS at home. The Pacers have won three straight and seven of their past eight games SU since Frank Vogel took over for Jim O’Brien. They have won two straight and five of their past six games ATS. Darren Collison scored 22 in the Pacers’ win over the Bucks on Saturday, but has really struggled against the Heat in his career. In his four games against Miami, Collison is averaging just 8.0 PPG while shooting 28.9 percent from the field. Roy Hibbert has struggled over his past two games, averaging just 9.5 PPG, but averaged 18.7 PPG and recorded four double-doubles in his previous six games.

The Pacers and Heat have split both games SU this season with the Pacers winning both games ATS. Miami won all four games last season against Indiana both ATS and SU. Two of those wins were at Indiana where the Heat had lost their previous 14 games. While Miami has dominated the East SU posting a 26-8 record, they are just 15-18-1 ATS. After starting the season 2-10 following an ATS loss, the Heat are 9-3-1 in such games since. I’m taking Miami minus the points to cover at home. FoxSheets says:

MIAMI is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in road games after having won 5 or 6 of their last 7 games this season. The average score was MIAMI 102.4, OPPONENT 95.0 - (Rating = 0*).

Eighteen of the past 29 games at Indiana in this series have finished Under the total, and this highly-rated FoxSheets trend also sides with the Over.

Play Over - All teams where the total is 200 to 209.5 (INDIANA) - hot team - having won 8 or more of their last 10 games, with a losing record. (22-4 since 1996.) (84.6%, +17.6 units. Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-15-2011, 03:36 PM

Bobcats look for another upset at Chicago

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS (24-31)

at CHICAGO BULLS (36-16)

Tip-off: Tuesday, 8:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Chicago -9, Total: 182

The Bobcats are looking to continue their impressive play against some of the NBA’s best teams, but the Bulls are hoping to change Charlotte’s luck Tuesday night at the United Center.

Charlotte comes into Tuesday night winners of three of five with those three victories coming against Boston, Atlanta and Los Angeles. The Bobcats manhandled the Lakers on Monday night beating them 109-89 and leading by as many as 28. Charlotte got a nice boost from Gerald Henderson (6.3 PPG) off the bench as he shot 67 percent and scored 18 points. Despite the 109 points, Charlotte is still third worst in the NBA scoring a measly 93.8 PPG. Unfortunately for Charlotte, the Bulls are the second best team in the league in defense, allowing 92.3 PPG. With that said, the Bobcats still have won two in a row against the Bulls and one of these victories came Jan. 18 at Chicago where the Bulls are 23-4 SU (16-10 ATS). Charlotte desperately needs Stephen Jackson to regain that scoring edge he had the three games before Monday’s contest against the Lakers. Jackson (19.0 PPG) averaged 26.7 PPG the prior three games before only scoring nine points in Monday’s victory.

Only San Antonio has been better at home than Chicago (23-4) in the NBA this season. Taking away the two January losses to Charlotte, the Bulls are 13-2 since Jan. 8. Chicago’s dominance starts with their 22-year-old point guard Derrick Rose who is averaging 24.7 PPG and 8.1 APG in only his third NBA season. Rose has increased his scoring by just about four points each year and has made Chicago an Eastern Conference elite. The Bulls are still without Joakim Noah (thumb), but are happy to have a healthy Carlos Boozer (19.5 PPG 10.1 RPG).

Charlotte has been terrific against the Bulls, going 7-3 ATS their past 10 meetings. The Bobcats have been bad on the road (10-17 SU), but average against the spread (15-12 ATS). A big factor for Charlotte might be that it is playing back-to-back games in which it has had no success, going 5-11 ATS on zero days rest, including 1-4 ATS from home to road. However, the Bobcats are 10-2 ATS in their past 12 road games. I like the Bulls to win, but Charlotte to take the ATS victory with the excessive points that it is receiving.

The FoxSheets provide two more trends siding with the Bobcats:

Paul Silas is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) in road games after 3 straight games forcing opponent to commit 14 or less turnovers as the coach of CHARLOTTE. The average score was CHARLOTTE 100.4, OPPONENT 97.8 - (Rating = 1*).

CHARLOTTE is 18-7 ATS (72.0%, +10.3 Units) in road games versus good 3 point shooting teams - making >=36% of their attempts over the last 2 seasons. The average score was CHARLOTTE 93.7, OPPONENT 97.2 - (Rating = 1*).

This FoxSheets trend also expects the Under to occur.

CHICAGO is 18-5 UNDER (78.3%, +12.5 Units) avenging a loss vs. opponent this season. The average score was CHICAGO 95.0, OPPONENT 90.0 - (Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-15-2011, 03:37 PM

Kings getting 9.5 points at Oklahoma City

SACRAMENTO KINGS (13-38)

at OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (34-19)

Tip-off: Tuesday, 8:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Oklahoma City -9.5, Total: 208

The Kings travel to Oklahoma City to take on Kevin Durant and the Thunder on Tuesday. This is game number two of Sacramento’s seven-game road trip.

Sacramento is 22-28 ATS this season, posting an 11-11 record ATS on the road. They have won three straight and six of their past eight ATS overall. They have won three straight, six of seven and eight of their past 10 ATS on the road. The Kings defeated the Suns on Sunday to snap a five-game SU losing skid. Samuel Dalembert scored 18 points and grabbed 15 boards in the win. He is averaging 16.0 PPG and shooting 70.4 percent from the field in his past three games. Tyreke Evans is averaging 21.5 PPG over his past 14 games, which includes scoring 30 points in the Kings’ 99-97 loss at home to the Thunder on Saturday.

Oklahoma City has won four of six overall and is 26-26 ATS on the season, which includes a 13-12 record ATS at home. They have lost three straight and nine of their past 13 games ATS. Kevin Durant leads the NBA in scoring at 29.1 PPG and is averaging 31.7 PPG over his past three games. He scored 35 in Oklahoma City’s win over Sacramento on Saturday. He has also reached double figures in rebounds in six of his past nine games, averaging 9.9 RPG over that span. Russell Westbrook has recorded five double-doubles over his past eight games, averaging 22.8 PPG and 9.4 APG over that stretch. Jeff Green has struggled over his past three games, totaling just 27 points while making 9-of-28 shots from the field.

Only the Cavaliers have fewer than Sacramento’s 13 wins this season. The Kings are winless in their four visits to Oklahoma City since the Thunder moved there after the 2007-08 season. I’m taking the Thunder minus the points.

The FoxSheets give two reasons to support Oklahoma City on Tuesday:

OKLAHOMA CITY is 36-17 ATS (67.9%, +17.3 Units) after 1 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons. The average score was OKLAHOMA CITY 103.3, OPPONENT 97.9 - (Rating = 2*).

SACRAMENTO is 2-10 ATS (16.7%, -9.0 Units) versus good foul drawing teams - attempting >=27 free throws/game this season. The average score was SACRAMENTO 94.7, OPPONENT 103.1 - (Rating = 1*).

The FoxSheets also give a four-star reason to take the Under in this game.

SACRAMENTO is 18-3 UNDER (85.7%, +14.7 Units) after having lost 4 of its last 5 games this season. The average score was SACRAMENTO 91.8, OPPONENT 97.6 - (Rating = 4*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-15-2011, 03:38 PM

Kirilenko will not play Tuesday at Phoenix

UTAH JAZZ (31-24)

at PHOENIX SUNS (26-26)

Tip-off: Tuesday, 9:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Phoenix -4.5, Total: 206.5

On Friday night, the Jazz saw a 12-point halftime lead slip away at home to Phoenix, as interim head coach Ty Corbin lost his first game. The good news is that they’ll be well-rested for the rematch in Phoenix Tuesday night. They’ve also been better than usual on the road. The Jazz are 14-12 SU (though only 13-13 ATS). Last year (21-20 SU) was the first time they’d had a winning season away from home since 2000-01.

But Utah will be without forward Andrei Kirilenko, the team’s best defender, who left Friday’s game in the second quarter with an ankle injury. That seemed to have a big effect on the Jazz, as they led by 13 when Kirilenko went down, but ended up losing by 12. Rookie Gordon Hayward replaced Kirilenko, and while he shot 5-for-5 from the field and scored 14 points, his defensive shortcomings were a big reason he posted a plus/minus of -23. Utah has also been hurt by point guard Deron Williams’ recent shooting slump. Williams is shooting just 43.0% from the field and 19.2% from three in five games since returning from a wrist injury. Guard Raja Bell (8.4 PPG) is questionable to play Tuesday due to a calf strain and Ronnie Price (3.2 PPG) is also questionable with a sprained toe.

The Suns have had Utah’s number this season, winning two matchups in Salt Lake this year. A big reason for that has been reserve forward Hakim Warrick, who is averaging just 8.8 PPG and 3.8 RPG on the season, but getting 17.0 PPG on 63.2% shooting and 8.5 RPG in two games against Utah. While the Suns had been on a nice run at home heading into last weekend, winning seven of nine SU and six of eight ATS, they may have had their confidence shaken in a home loss to lowly Sacramento on Sunday night (Phoenix was a 9.5-point favorite in that game).

Still, I think the Suns match up well with the Jazz, and with Kirilenko out I like Phoenix even better. The FoxSheets have some trends to back that pick up, including:

PHOENIX is 23-7 ATS (76.7%, +15.3 Units) versus good shooting teams - making >=46% of their shots - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons. The average score was PHOENIX 107.4, OPPONENT 99.6 - (Rating = 3*).

Play Against - Road teams (UTAH) - off a double-digit loss as a favorite of 6 points or more, winning between 51% and 60% of their games on the season. (42-16 since 1996, 72.4%, +24.4 units. Rating = 2*).

The past four meetings between these teams have finished Under the total and this FoxSheets trend also likes the Under.

Play Under - All teams where the total is 200 to 209.5 (UTAH) - off an upset loss as a favorite against opponent off an upset loss as a home favorite. (34-9 over the last 5 seasons.) (79.1%, +24.1 units. Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-15-2011, 03:39 PM

Kentucky favored by 17.5 over Mississippi State

MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS (13-11, 5-5 in SEC)

at KENTUCKY WILDCATS (17-7, 5-5 in SEC)

Tip-off: Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Kentucky -17.5, Total: 140

Another game, and another challenge of bouncing back from a disappointing road defeat. That has become the all too familiar pattern for John Calipari’s wildly young, wildly talented and wildly inconsistent No. 22 Kentucky Wildcats. The ‘Cats have dropped five of six on the road in SEC play this year, and for the third time this year they will try and bounce back from a road defeat with a home victory. To do that they will have to handle a Mississippi State team that is probably befuddling coach Rick Stansbury as much as Kentucky is unnerving Coach Cal. The Bulldogs have lost four of their past seven, most recently falling to the doormat of the league, Auburn (9-15, 2-8) on Saturday 65-62, and with MSU at 13-11 (5-5 in conference) is showing signs of losing its grip on its slim chances of earning an NCAA Tournament bid.

Kentucky is coming off of a hard-fought 81-77 loss on Saturday at Vanderbilt. Sophomore guard John Jenkins torched the ‘Cats for a career-high 32 points despite an aching shoulder that required treatment during and after the game. The win kept Vanderbilt tied for second place and within shouting distance of Florida in the SEC East, while the loss dropped Kentucky to 5-5 in conference play, closer to the bottom than the top. "We still had a chance to win," Calipari said. "I liked our execution down the stretch, but we were in a dogfight. We have a couple of guys that don't have that mentality to come up with the ball." Terrence Jones had 25 points and nine rebounds, while Brandon Knight added 20 in the losing effort. The Wildcats now return to Rupp Arena where they are undefeated, and have won four conference games by a margin of 20.0 PPG. The Wildcats defeated Mississippi State twice last year in two overtime thrillers, the first game was a regular season 81-75 victory in Starkville, the second was a 75-74 victory in the SEC Championship, a defeat that cost the Bulldogs their shot at earning a bid in the NCAA Tournament.

What made Saturday’s defeat at Auburn particularly galling for the Bulldogs was the fact that the team blew a 19-point, second-half lead (51-32 with 11:25 to go) en route to allowing the Tigers to earn their first home win in SEC play. Top scorer Dee Bost (17.7 PPG) led the Bulldogs with 22 points, but Ravern Johnson (17.0 PPG) and Renardo Sidney (13.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG) struggled to generate offense. Johnson and Sidney scored three and nine points respectively against the Tigers. The game was Johnson’s first action since February 2, the last game he played before serving a two-game suspension for sending inappropriate tweets, as well as violating a class attendance policy. Stansbury will need his second leading scorer to concentrate less on his Blackberry, and more on his jump shot if the ‘Dawgs are to save their season for the time being and pull off the upset. Averaging 68.1 PPG, and shooting just over 42.5% as a team, Mississippi State can ill afford to experience an off shooting night from two of its top four scorers, especially against a Kentucky team that has been nothing short of dominant on its home floor in league games. The Bulldogs are 2-3 on the road this year in SEC play.

Since 1997, Kentucky is 5-1 SU in home meetings with MSU, but the teams are an even 3-3 ATS. Same goes for overall as the Wildcats are 12-4 SU, but 7-7-2 ATS in all 16 meetings since 1997. In terms of this season, the Bulldogs are a pathetic 5-13 ATS overall, but 4-4 ATS in SEC play, which is much better than UK’s 3-7 ATS against conference foes. The ‘Cats are giving too many points in this game, which makes Mississippi State the play here. These two FoxSheets trends also expect the Bulldogs to cover.

MISSISSIPPI STATE is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) off an upset loss as a favorite over the last 3 seasons. The average score was MISSISSIPPI STATE 73.3, OPPONENT 65.8 - (Rating = 2*).

Play Against - Home favorites of 10 or more points (KENTUCKY) - good ball handling team - committing <=14 turnovers/game, after 3 straight games forcing opponent to commit 14 or less turnovers. (573-406 since 1997.) (58.5%, +126.4 units. Rating = 2*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-15-2011, 03:40 PM

Trending: NBA majority betting

This column will examine majority betting in the NBA. We wanted to find out whether or not bettors should be siding with the general public or fading the majority and following the money. Below is our breakdown by majority percentage, and then further into home/road, point spread ranges and team-by-team records. All numbers are through Sunday, Feb. 13 and are all ATS. Games that finished as Pushes and/or games where betting was split 50/50 were not included in this study.

MAJORITY BETS
First we take a look at simple majority of 51% or more of the general public in terms of Home and Road. Success of majority road teams is 4% greater than home teams. When broken out by the point spread size, most of the ranges are 45% to 52%, with heavy road favorites and heavy road underdogs both winning more than 60% of the time, albeit in smaller sample sizes.
Majority (51% or more) bets Home Team
Total: 156 wins, 178 losses (47%)

Records by Spread
Underdogs: 0-2
0 to -3: 23-28 (45%)
-3.5 to -6.5: 58-60 (49%)
-7 to -9.5: 48-55 (47%)
-10 or more: 27-33 (45%)

Majority (51% or more) bets Road Team
Total: 226 wins, 214 losses (51%)

Underdogs by Spread
+10 or more: 15-9 (63%)
+7 to +9.5: 23-26 (47%)
+3.5 to +6.5: 33-35 (49%)
+0.5 to +3: 36-27 (57%)
Total: 107-97 (52%)

Favorites/Pick by Spread
0 to -3: 51-46 (53%)
-3.5 to -6.5: 49-59 (45%)
-7 or more: 19-12 (61%)
Total: 119-117 (50%)

VAST MAJORITY BETS
Next we examine bets when at least 65% of the bets go to one team. First we take a look at Vast Majority bets of home teams. In this category, favorites of at least seven points are having a harder time covering these bets at 30-46 (39%). We also show the teams with the most notable records in this scenario, both good and bad. Six Western Conference teams make the list, while Miami is the lone East representative.
Vast Majority (65% or more) bets Home Team
Total: 59 wins, 72 losses (45%)

Records by Spread
0 to -3: 4-5 (44%)
-3.5 to -6.5: 25-21 (54%)
-7 to -9.5: 17-30 (36%)
-10 or more: 13-16 (45%)

Notable team records in this scenario
L.A. Clippers 5-0
Golden State 7-1
Utah 4-1
L.A. Lakers 4-11
Miami 1-4
New Orleans 1-5
Phoenix 0-6

Next we examine Vast Majority bets of road teams, and see that favorites of at least seven points are having a much easier time than home teams, covering these bets at 17-10 (63%). And when we check out the notable records, we only see two teams from the prior home list -- New Orleans (bad on both) and Miami (bad home, good road) -- while the East is much more prevalent here.

Vast Majority (65% or more) bets Road Team
Total: 148 wins, 136 losses (52%)

Records by Spread
Underdogs: 43-34 (56%)
0 to -3: 44-35 (56%)
-3.5 to -6.5: 44-57 (44%)
-7 or more: 17-10 (63%)

Notable team records in this scenario
Philadelphia 4-0
San Antonio 11-5
Miami 13-6
Atlanta 10-5
Dallas 10-5
New York 10-5
Oklahoma City 6-11
New Orleans 3-9
New Jersey 0-3

SUPER MAJORITY BETS
Lastly, we delve into the scenario when at least 80% of the bets go to one team. The sample size is pretty small for home teams, but road teams are only winning 43% of the time here, which drops to 41% when spreads are less than seven points. The Heat (good) and Hornets (bad) predictably show up again on our team breakdown.
Super Majority (80% or more) bets Home Team
Total: 8 wins, 7 losses (53%)

Records by Spread
0 to -3: 0-0
-3.5 to -6.5: 3-2
-7 to -9.5: 3-3
-10 or more: 2-2

Super Majority (80% or more) bets Road Team
Total: 43 wins, 56 losses (43%)

Records by Spread
Underdogs: 2-3 (40%)
0 to -3: 13-16 (45%)
-3.5 to -6.5: 19-30 (39%)
-7 or more: 9-7 (56%)

Notable team records in this scenario
San Antonio 3-1
Miami 8-3
Orlando 7-4
L.A. Lakers 3-6
Oklahoma City 2-5
Utah 1-3
New Orleans 0-4

**StarDust Bum** · 02-15-2011, 03:42 PM

UNC hosts Wake Forest in ACC betting

The North Carolina Tar Heels are finding different ways to win as they host the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Tuesday night.

The Tar Heels (18-6 straight-up, 12-9 against the spread) are a re-energized team and looking to finish out the ACC season strong after an 8-2 SU start.

No. 19 North Carolina is 6-1 SU and 7-0 ATS in its last seven games. The only blemish was a 79-73 loss at Duke last Wednesday. The team blew a 14-point halftime lead, with Duke guard Nolan Smith having an All-American performance (34 points). The one consolation was the ‘cover’ as 10 ½-point road ‘dogs.

The next game was Saturday at Clemson. The Tigers are the ACC’s leader in scoring defense (60.2 PPG) and it was a tight, low scoring affair throughout. The difference from the Duke game was the Tar Heels’ young players didn’t fold under pressure, getting a 64-62 win as two-point ‘dogs.

Coach Roy Williams was happy to see his team grind out a low-scoring win for a change. He has a new point guard in freshman Kendall Marshall, who took over for the struggling Larry Drew seven games ago. Drew has subsequently left the program and Marshall has performed admirably (8.3 PPG, 6.0 APG) as the starter.

The ‘under’ is now 2-0 in North Carolina’s last two games, scoring 68.5 PPG. The ‘over’ was 5-0 in the previous five, with the offense able to free-flow at 85.6 PPG.

The ‘over’ is also 5-2-1 In North Carolina’s home games this year. It averages 82.3 PPG there as opposed to 74.8 PPG in road and neutral site contests (the ‘under’ going 9-4).

The Demon Deacons were expected to struggle this year after losing Al-Farouq Aminu (15.8 PPG, 10.7 RPG) and Ishmael Smith (13.2 PPG, 6.0 APG). That’s come to fruition at 8-17 SU and 7-13-1 ATS, both low marks in the conference.

Coach Jeff Bzdelik has struggled big-time in his first year after replacing the fired Dino Gaudio. The team has a four-game losing streak and is 2-13 SU (4-8-1 ATS) in its last 15 games. That includes conference numbers of 1-9 SU and 2-8 ATS.

The last game was Sunday at home against NC State, an 80-55 debacle as 5 ½-point underdogs. Leading scorer Travis McKie (12.5 PPG) was the only player in double-digits with 15. He’s one of three freshmen starting in addition to guard J.T. Terrell and center Carson Desrosiers.

Sophomore guard C.J. Harris (11.2 PPG) was supposed to be the star offensively, but has yet to take the next step. Wake Forest is 10th in the ACC in scoring (68.8 PPG) and last in defense (76.9 PPG) and scoring margin (minus 8.1 per game).

The Demon Deacons are 0-7 SU (2-5 ATS) in true road games, with the ‘over’ going 6-1.

This looks like a bad matchup for Wake Forest once again. North Carolina has the twin towers of Tyler Zeller (14.3 PPG. 7.2 RPG) and John Henson (11.3 PPG, 8.8 RPG) and is second in the conference in rebounding margin (plus 5.3 per game). Fab freshman forward Harrison Barnes (13.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG) also helps in that regard.

Desrosiers is the only Demon Deacons starter above 6-foot-7. Junior center Tony Woods would have helped, but was given his release back in October after an assault charge. The Deacons are last in the league in rebounding margin (minus 4.4 per game), which should be a major issue on Tuesday.

These teams have split the last four meetings SU and ATS, with North Carolina winning 77-68 as seven-point road ‘dogs last year.

There are no significant injuries for either team, although Wake Forest just dismissed seldom-used freshman forward Melvin Tabb.

ESPN3.com will have the 5 p.m. (PT) tip-off from the Dean E. Smith Center.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-15-2011, 03:44 PM

Sharks and Predators test Tuesday NHL odds

The San Jose Sharks will be looking to snap a two-game skid when they invade Bridgestone Arena to face off against the Nashville Predators this Tuesday night. Game time is set for 4 p.m. (PT) and it will be broadcast locally on FOX Sports-Tennessee.

San Jose’s five-game winning streak ended unexpectedly with a 2-1 loss to New Jersey last Friday as a 144 road favorite. The Sharks followed this up with a 3-2 loss to Florida as a 138 road favorite. The two losses dropped them to 30-21-4 straight-up on the year and 25-32 against the spread.

The Sharks total 66 points and are currently two points behind Dallas in the Pacific Division standings, and in seventh-place in the Western Conference.

Center Logan Couture leads the team with 24 goals and left winger Patrick Marleau is second with 21. Right winger Dany Heatley is the points leader with 48 (19 goals and 28 assists) and center Joe Thornton helps round out a very potent offense with a team-high 32 assists. The Sharks are averaging 2.72 goals a game, tying them with Anaheim for 15th in the league.

San Jose goalie Annti Niemi is expected to get the start in this game. He has a goals-against average of 2.56 and a .916 save percentage in 36 previous starts. The Sharks are giving up an average of 2.61 goals a game, ranking them 11th in the NHL.

Nashville has won three of its last four games including a huge 4-1 win over Detroit last Wednesday as a 147 road underdog and a 5-3 victory over Colorado as a 153 home favorite this past Saturday. The Predators trail the Red Wings in the Central Division by seven points with a total of 67 points on the year. They are 30-19-4 SU overall (38-18 ATS) and in fifth-place in the West.

Right winger Patric Hornqvist is Nashville’s leading goal scorer with 17 and he is third on the team in total points with 31. Defenseman Shea Weber actually leads the team in points with 35 (11 goals and 24 assists) while another defenseman Ryan Sutter leads in assists with 25. The Predators are ranked near the bottom of the league in scoring with a goals-per-game average of 2.57.

Look for Pekka Rinne to be between the pipes against the Sharks on Tuesday night. He has started 39 games this season and has a GGA of 2.11 which is third-best in the NHL and a save percentage of .928, which ranks him second. Behind Rinne’s strong play, Nashville is ranked second in the league in goals allowed; giving up an average of just 2.32 a game.

San Jose is 9-8 this season as an underdog and 21-19 as a favorite. The total has gone over in 29 of its 57 games this year. Nashville is 11-10 as a favorite and 19-16 as an underdog this season. The total has stayed ‘under’ in 31 of its 56 games which is 55.4 percent of the time.

Head-to-head, the Predators have won three of the last five games including two games this season. They won 3-2 on Dec. 15 as a 111 home underdog and 2-1 as a 151 road underdog on Jan.8. The total stayed ‘under’ in both of those games.

This time around Nashville should open as a mild favorite, but do not be surprised if the money line ends up slightly favoring the Sharks. Either way stick with the Predators to make it three straight wins over San Jose in another close, low-scoring affair.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-15-2011, 03:45 PM

Miami Heat battle NBA odds at Indiana

The Indiana Pacers are inching closer towards the .500 mark this year, and barely hanging on to their spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race. On Tuesday night, they'll take on the Miami Heat, a team that they could very well be facing in the first round of the postseason.

This NBA betting contest will be played at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, with the tip coming at 4:00 p.m. (PT). The duel can be seen locally on Sun Sports in the Sunshine State or Fox Sports in Indiana.

Miami tried its best to erase a big deficit in the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics in Beantown on Sunday, but just couldn't get the job done. For a team that scores 101.7 PPG, scoring just 82 points in a three-point defeat was certainly not the norm for the boys from South Beach. It was the second time this year that the C's held the Heat in the low 80s.

The regular theme of trying to get outside scoring from any of the three amigos rang true again on Sunday. LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, each of whom played at least 41 minutes, combined to score 62 points. Only Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored more than five points aside from that.

If there was an encouraging sign in spite of the lackluster offensive performance for the Heat on Sunday, it was that they really did play well on the defensive end of the court. This loss to the NBA odds dropped their scoring average down to 93.9 PPG. Teams are only shooting 42.6 percent from the field against head coach Erik Spoelstra and company this year, the best mark in the league.

Ironically, the only team that has held the Miami offense to fewer points in a game other than the Celtics this season? None other than these Pacers.

Indiana really hasn't played the greatest defense in the world this season, but all of a sudden, the offense has really kicked it into gear. The team has scored at least 100 points in eight straight games, of which the Pacers are a rock solid 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS. The scoring average of 107.6 PPG in this run is clearly the best of the season for a team that really looked like it was going to slump for the whole year.

It's about time that Danny Granger really gets a bit of respect, as he is one of the least appreciated big time scorers in the game. He is averaging 21.1 PPG and 5.5 RPG this year, and though it is a relatively down year statistically by his standards, it is still helping out the Pacers in a huge way.

Over the course of the last five seasons, the Pacers really have held their own against Miami, going 10-10 SU and 11-9 against the NBA betting lines. They've won 17 of the last 19 outright against the Heat here at Conseco Fieldhouse and are 11-7-1 ATS in that stretch as well.

Of the two meetings this year, the two teams have split the outright proceedings, with Miami winning 117-112 in February and losing 93-77 in November. Both games have been played in South Beach. Indiana has beaten the basketball betting lines in both duels.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-15-2011, 03:46 PM

NBA Betting Preview: Utah Jazz at Phoenix

Utah and Phoenix, two teams vying for playoff positioning in the Western Conference, renew acquaintances with Tuesday’s tilt. The Jazz (31-24 straight up, 24-30-1 against the spread) currently find themselves in seventh place in the Western Conference, but only two games separate teams in fifth through eighth.

The Suns (26-26 SU, 23-27-2 ATS) continue to play .500 ball, and they remain in second place in the Pacific Division standings. Phoenix would miss the playoffs if the regular season ended today, and the team is searching for some momentum before the upcoming All-Star break.

Utah is currently mired in a two-game SU and ATS losing streak after suffering Friday’s setback to Phoenix as six-point home ‘chalk,’ 95-83. The combined 178 points never seriously threatened the 208 ½-point closing total, helping the ‘under’ cash the second consecutive contest. That marked Ty Corbin’s first appearance as head coach for the Jazz after Jerry Sloan suddenly stepped down after 23 years on the bench.

Utah jumped to a 12-point advantage at the end of the first quarter, 31-19, but the team was outscored by the Suns in the second half, 51-27. Phoenix grabbed more rebounds, 47-45, but the Jazz delivered more assists, 27-19.

The Suns shot 40 percent (36-of-89) from the field and just 22 percent (5-of-23) from behind the arc. Veteran point guard Steve Nash paced the offense with 18 points and 10 assists, while forward Hakim Warrick provided 16 and six rebounds.

Utah connected at a 44-percent clip (34-of-78) from the field, and 41 percent (7-of-17) from 3-point land. Point guard Deron Williams accounted for 19 and 14 assists in the setback, while small forward C.J. Miles had 19 and six boards.

Phoenix has now won the previous four meetings with Utah SU and ATS, with the ‘under’ prevailing each time. The only other meeting this season occurred Oct. 28 when the Suns triumphed as a 7 ½-point road underdog, 110-94. The combined 204 points failed to eclipse the 209-point closing total. However, the Jazz are a surprising 8-2 ATS the last 10 road meetings in this series.

Phoenix was riding a three-game SU and ATS winning streak before falling to Sacramento Sunday as a 9 ½-point home favorite, 113-108. The combined 221 points soared ‘over’ the 205 ½-point closing total, ending a string of three straight ‘under’ outings.

The Suns entered halftime with a seven-point advantage, 57-50, but they were outscored in the second half, 63-51. Phoenix was on the short end of rebounding, 51-36, and assists, 25-19, while shooting 47 percent (42-of-90) from the field and 30 percent (6-of-20) from behind the arc. Nash provided 22 and 18 assists in the setback, while center Channing Frye had 15 and seven boards.

Utah guard Raja Bell (calf injury), forward Andrei Kirilenko (ankle) and guard Ronnie Price (toe) are ‘questionable’ versus the Suns. The Jazz host Golden State Wednesday before embarking on a three-game road trip at Dallas, Indiana and Detroit. Utah has seen the ‘over’ go 10-3 its last 13 road games.

Phoenix guard Goran Dragic (foot) is ‘questionable’ against the Jazz. The Suns continue a three-game homestand with games against Dallas and Atlanta. Phoenix is 6-2 ATS its past eight outings overall.

Tuesday’s contest is scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. PT from Phoenix’s US Airways Center.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-15-2011, 03:47 PM

NCAA Betting: Ohio State back from loss to host Spartans

Tuesday night's Big Ten matchup in Columbus between Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan State Spartans was circled by college basketball fans and bettors alike this past November. A showdown of two of the favorites to win the Big Ten before the campaign started, the lone meeting of the regular season between the two foes held a lot of intrigue and importance.

It still does, only now for different reasons.

Ohio State is coming off its one and only defeat of the season, a 71-67 setback at Wisconsin this past Saturday. Coasting along with a 15-point lead early in the second half, the Buckeyes fell out of their game while the Badgers started to rain threes to climb back in the contest.

Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor led all scorers with 27 points, hitting five of his eight from beyond the arc. William Buford paced OSU with 21 points while freshman Jared Sullinger added 19 to go with 12 boards, his 12th double-double this season and third straight.

The defeat left the Buckeyes with a 24-1 straight-up mark, 11-11 against the spread, and marked their sixth 'over' in the last nine Big Ten contests.

How Thad Matta's kids respond after their first loss is the big question for Ohio State. There's always going to be disappointment following that initial defeat after such a remarkable run of wins. Getting his team focused just on this game could be difficult with Wisconsin still on their minds and Purdue just a few days ahead on the slate.

If Michigan State (14-10 SU, 7/16 ATS) was having the season that was forecast by many, there wouldn't be much danger of the Buckeyes looking ahead to the Boilermakers. A full five games back of Ohio State in the Big Ten standings at 6-6, the Spartans have dropped five of their last seven – 1-6 ATS in that span – and sit 48th in the latest Ken Pomeroy rankings after beginning the season ranked second by the coaches.

The Spartans practically find themselves in must-win situations from here on out. A huge upset over the Buckeyes would surely help matters, but since we're talking about a team that needed overtime at home to beat Indiana, just covering the spread Tuesday might be State's best hope.

Tom Izzo's guys took the weekend off after winning and covering this past Thursday at home in a 75-57 triumph versus Penn State. Kalin Lucas' game-high 24 led the way for the Spartans while Draymond Green contributed 15 points and 14 boards, his eighth double-double this campaign.

To tell you how low this team has sunk in the eyes of many, the preseason No. 2 squad closed as just a 6½-point favorite versus the Nittany Lions. It was the first winning odds ticket for Spartans backers since a 65-62 win at Northwestern as 2½-point chalk on Jan. 3.

The Buckeyes won the only get-together between the two schools last season, topping the Spartans on the road in East Lansing as five-point underdogs, 74-67. That left the schools even-Steven in the last four meetings, 2-2 both SU and ATS.

ESPN will broadcast Tuesday's game from Value City Arena with the tip slated for a few minutes past 6 p.m. (PT).

Ohio State's trip to Purdue on Sunday is followed by a quick return ride home to host Illinois next Tuesday (Feb. 22). Michigan State's schedule has the Spartans home on Saturday to meet Illinois

**StarDust Bum** · 02-15-2011, 03:51 PM

Inside the Paint - Tuesday

February 15, 2011

Gamblers following the NBA last night were treated to a barrage of favorites, which more than likely created some deep lines at the betting counter. The ‘chalk’ produced a 5-1 record both straight up and against the spread. What’s more impressive is that all of the victories were by double digits and none of them were classified as sweat shops.
The saving grace for the sportsbooks on Monday was Charlotte, who embarrassed the L.A. Lakers by 20 points (109-89) as a five-point home underdog. The margin was the worst loss of the season for L.A. and the outcome was surprising since Phil Jackson’s team was 9-1 SU in back-to-back sets this season. Even though the Purple and Gold have dropped two in a row, a win tomorrow at Cleveland would produce a 5-2 record on their seven-game road trip. Not too shabby!

The Bobcats have been a tough team to figure out but right now they’re 1 ½ games behind Indiana for the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte (24-31 SU, 29-25 ATS) passed last night’s test against the Lakers and it will get another measuring stick tonight when it visits Chicago (36-16 SU, 30-20-2 ATS). Paul Silas and the ‘Cats haven’t been a good team to back on zero days rest, going 4-12 SU and 6-9-1 ATS this season.

Oddsmakers may have taken those numbers into consideration, since they opened Chicago as a healthy nine-point favorite. The Bulls have outscored teams by an average of 10 points per game (99-89) at home this season, which has translated into an impressive 23-4 SU and 17-10 ATS ledger.

Charlotte has gone 10-17 SU on the road, yet its helped backers with a 16-11 ATS record. And those numbers include an 83-82 win at Chicago on Jan. 18 as a 7 ½-point underdog, which was the second win for Charlotte over the Bulls this season, the first coming at home (96-91) on Jan. 12.

VegasInsider.com writer and handicapper Kevin Rogers believes Charlotte might be a look for another reason. He explained, “One of the best angles in the NBA is fading a home team in their first game back from a road trip of three or more games. And when the host is favored by nine points or more, the odds of that team covering aren’t good at all. It’s your classic flat spot and if you don’t like the ‘Cats in this matchup, the best play for you could be a pass.”

Chicago wrapped up a five-game road trip on Saturday with a 97-88 win over New Orleans from the “Big Easy.” Defense was the key as the Bulls held all three opponents under 100 in the victories, but gave up 101 and 109 in the setbacks.

It’s fair to say that the Bobcats could have a letdown as well tonight after last night’s win over the Lakers but the Bulls also face a look-ahead spot here too. On Thursday, the league’s best team in San Antonio visits the United Center for a nationally televised tilt just before the All-Star break.

One Week Later…

Miami (39-15 SU, 26-27 ATS) and Indiana (24-28 SU, 26-24 ATS) will tangle for the second time in two weeks tonight from Conseco Fieldhouse. The Pacers fell to the Heat 117-112 last Tuesday, but managed to cover as 10 ½-point road underdogs. Indiana is still catching points (+5) at home but the spread has been cut in half. Since handing over the coaching duties to Frank Vogel, the Pacers have gone 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS behind an up-tempo style. The club has posted 100-plus points in all eight affairs and the ‘over’ has gone 5-3 during this span. Getting triple digits tonight might be tough to ask against Miami, who are holding teams to 93.9 PPG. The Heat had their eight-game winning streak snapped by Boston (82-85) on Sunday, which dropped their record to 0-3 against the Celtics this season. Miami has been a beast on the road (19-10 SU, 17-12 ATS) this season, especially against the spread. However, the Pacers are 15-11 SU and 14-11 ATS at home and that includes five straight wins, four coming under Vogel as coach.

Phoenix and the Under?

Utah (31-24 SU, 24-31 ATS) and Phoenix (26-26 SU, 22-27 ATS) tangle in the desert tonight and based on recent history, gamblers might be tempted to press the Suns and the ‘under.’ The Suns have won and covered four straight against the Jazz, including both encounters this season. All four of the battles during this span have gone ‘under’ the total, due to the inept offense of the Jazz. Utah has scored 100, 86, 94 and 83 points in those four against Phoenix, yet the ‘over/under’ on tonight’s tilt is hovering between 206 and 207 points. While a lot of novice gamblers still think the Suns run ‘n gun, it’s been the exact opposite since they traded Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu. Those two players both had a knack of shooting from downtown and the now options are limited from 3-point land.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-15-2011, 03:53 PM

Las Vegas Betting Notes

February 14, 2011

The last time Wisconsin beat a No. 1 ranked college basketball team was in 1962 against Ohio State. On Saturday they duplicated the feat, but took it one step further by giving the Buckeyes their first loss of the season. It’s almost a mirror image of what the football team did in Madison back in October when they beat Ohio State’s No. 1 ranked undefeated team on the gridiron.

The Wisconsin double-sting has the folks in Columbus in grumbling and refusing anything and everything to do with cheese, milk and Miller beer as a protest of sorts for their newly found dislike of what the state has to offer. However, it still doesn’t come close to comparing to what happened in 2007 when Florida beat down the Buckeyes in both football and basketball Championship games.

Wisconsin’s win pushes their record to 19-5 on the year and sets them up for bonus points in the NCAA seeding process. The win also is beneficial to UNLV and the Mountain West conference because of UNLV’s November win against the Badgers. Despite the MWC having the RPI’s fourth ranked conference, it looks as though only two teams are guaranteed to get in at this juncture with two others on the fence (UNLV and Colorado State) and another (New Mexico) needing to win out just to sit on the fence.

UNLV (No. 29 RPI) has a good resume, but their MWC play has been horrendous going 0-5 against the top three teams in the conference. With four extra spots filling the NCAA board, yes, UNLV should get in, but they had better win at least one of their games at Colorado State or New Mexico to ensure it. Should they lose both of those tough matchups, we might talking about the NIT here in Las Vegas come March.

As for the Buckeyes, it was a good loss. They don’t need that weight of being undefeated going down the stretch of conference play. They can now re-focus and set their sights on making the Final Four, a place I fully expect them to be.

Bubble Teams

We're at the time of the year now where teams control their own fate. They can either win a few big games and make the tournament or lose them and miss out. Michigan State, Kansas State, Gonzaga, Mississippi State, Baylor, Boston College, Tennessee, Memphis, and Virginia Tech are all needing a major push down the stretch, just as UNLV and Colorado State does.

ATS Streaks

St. Bonaventure is on a four-game cover streak which includes a big win against Duquesne as an 8 ½-point underdog and a two-point loss at Dayton as a 9-point dog. Another Atlantic-10 team who has been going in the opposite direction all season is Fordham, who has been ripe for the picking against almost every game. Despite covering 21-points in an 11-point loss to Temple, they are on a 13-game losing streak and have gone 2-11 ATS over that span.

Miami-Florida seems to play every ACC game close with nearly all their games being decided by 3 points or less; however, they are currently on a four-game non-cover skid. North Carolina has gone almost a month of covering getting the money seven games in a row. After a shaky start to the season, the Tar Heels have gone 11-2 SU in their last 13 games. Even though they have the much heralded Carolina blue on their chests and expectations are always high, they are playing well and could be a really dangerous team in the tournament.

N.C. State took care of their eight game non-cover streak by blasting Wake Forest Sunday just like everyone else does, but don’t let the one cover scare you into staying away from betting against them. Depaul still has their 12 game losing streak in tact, but they have covered their last three games.

Notre Dame is currently playing one of the best teams in the Big East having won seven in a row with a 6-1 record ATS. Pitt’s only loss in their last 14 games came at the hands of the Irish, but the Panthers are clearly the most polished team in the conference, and maybe even the nation. They have gone 3-0 ATS in their last three and 7-2 ATS in their last nine.

Who knows what to think about Syracuse. They are tough to bet on or against, The stats keep saying to bet against them, but you've got that stubborn thought of reason that keeps telling you they still are one of the better teams in the nation. The reality is that the Orange have been a great team to bet against all season. They are 3-6 ATS since their undefeated streak was snapped and on the season, they are 10-15 ATS. We all kind of knew Cincinnati was phony thanks to their padded schedule early and once conference play began, they were exposed. In their last four games, they are 0-4 ATS and have gone 2-8 ATS since January 9.

Michigan is likely NIT bound, but they’re making a major push to get on the bubble having won five of their last six games going 5-1 ATS.

Must Watch TV

The game of the week has the best from the WAC and the WCC facing each other as No. 24 Utah State plays at No. 23 Saint Mary’s Saturday night. Utah State lost at Idaho last Wednesday as a 9-point favorite and failed to cover in a win against Fresno State Saturday. Saint Mary’s is on a four-game winning streak and should be able to keep the streak going at home. Look for a nine-point win by the Gaels.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-15-2011, 03:55 PM

Conf. Tourney look-aheads

February 15, 2011

Following is our annual mid-February look at the major "board" conferences and their chances of sending multiple entries to the NCAA Tournament, with specific previews of upcoming conference tournament action. . We have divided the teams into three categories--Solid, Looking Good, and Bubble. Solid is self-explanatory. Looking Good teams can expect an NCAA invitation as long as they don't slump badly in the next few weeks. Bubble teams, however, remain at the mercy of the Tourney Committee, and desperately need every win to keep their Big Dance hopes alive.

Keep in mind that nearly every Division I team can qualify for an automatic Big Dance berth by winning its conference tournament. With the Big Ten finally relenting early in the last decade, and the Pac-Ten re-instituting its tourney in 2002 after a 12-year hiatus, the Ivy League remains the lone conference tourney holdout--and even the Ivies are now talking about conducting their own postseason bash in the near future! Stay tuned for further developments. In the meantime, as always, the number of upsets in conference tournaments can alter the look of the Big Dance. Also included below are conference tourney sites and dates; Conference Power Rankings (thru Feb. 13); and last year's postseason participants, including NCAA, NIT, CBI, and CIT action.

ACC--Solid...Duke, North Carolina. Looking Good. ..Florida State, Virginia Tech. Bubble.. .Clemson, Boston College, Maryland, Miami-Florida. Conference Power Rating-4th. Notes.. .Tourney March 10-13 at Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC. Last year. ..NCAA-6 (Duke-Champion, Maryland-2nd round, Wake Forest-2nd round, Georgia Tech-2nd round, Clemson, Florida State); NIT-3 (North Carolina-2nd place, Virginia Tech-quarterfinals, NC State-2nd round).

ATLANTIC TEN--Solid.. .Temple. Looking Good.. .Xavier, Richmond. Bubble. ..Duquesne, Dayton. Conference-9th. Notes...Tourney first round March 8 at campus sites; quarters, semis, and final March 11-13 at Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ. Last year...NCAA-3 (Xavier-Sweet 16, Richmond, Temple); NIT-2 (Dayton-Champs, Rhode Island-semifinals); CBI-3 (Saint Louis-2nd place, Duquesne, George Washington).

BIG EAST--Solid.. .Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Georgetown, UConn, Villanova, Syracuse, Louisville. Looking Good.. .Cincinnati, West Virginia. Bubble...Marquette, St. John's. Conference-1st. Notes...Tourney March 8-12 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY. Last year...NCAA-8 (West Virginia-Final Four, Syracuse-Sweet 16, Villanova-2nd round, Pittsburgh-2nd round, Notre Dame, Marquette, Louisville, Georgetown); NIT-5 (UConn-2nd round, Cincinnati-2nd round, Seton Hall, South Florida, St. John's).

BIG TEN--Solid...Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin. Looking Good...Illinois, Minnesota. Bubble...Michigan State, Michigan, Penn State. Conference-2nd. Notes...Tourney March 10-13 at Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN. Last year...NCAA-5 (Michigan State-2nd place, Purdue-Sweet 16, Ohio State-Sweet 16, Wisconsin-2nd round, Minnesota); NIT-2 (Illinois-3rd round, Northwestern).

BIG XII--Solid...Kansas, Texas, Missouri. Looking Good...Texas A&M. Bubble .. .Baylor, Oklahoma State, Colorado, Kansas State. Conference-3rd. Notes...Tourney March 9-12 at Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO. Last year...NCAA-7 (Kansas State-Elite Eight, Baylor-Elite Eight, Kansas-2nd round, Missouri-2nd round, Texas A&M-2nd round, Oklahoma State, Texas); NIT-1 (Texas Tech-quarterfinals).

BIG WEST--Conference tourney champ will be league's only NCAA rep. Conference-20th. Notes...Tourney March 10-12 at Honda Center, Anaheim, CA. Last year...NCAA-1 (UC Santa Barbara); CIT-1 (Pacific-2nd place).

COLONIAL--Looking Good...George Mason. Bubble...Virginia Commonwealth, Old Dominion. Conference-11th. Notes...Tourney March 4-7 at Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, VA. Last year...NCAA-1 (Old Dominion-2nd round); NIT-2 (William & Mary, Northeastern); CBI-2 (Virginia Commonwealth-Champs, Hofstra); CIT-1 (George Mason).

CONFERENCE USA--Looking Good...UTEP. Bubble...Memphis, Southern Miss, UAB. Conference-8th. Notes...Tourney March 9-12 at Don Haskins Center, El Paso, TX. Last year...NCAA-2 (Houston, UTEP); NIT-3 (UAB-quarterfinals, Memphis-2nd round, Tulsa); CIT-2 (Marshall-2nd round, Southern Miss).

HORIZON--Looking Good...Cleveland State. Bubble...Butler, Valparaiso. Conference-10th. Notes...Tourney March 1 at campus sites (first round); quarters and semis March 4-5 at home of regular-season champions, also the number one seed; Final March 8 at home of highest-remaining seed. Last year...NCAA-1 (Butler-2nd place); CBI-1 (UW-Green Bay-2nd round).

MAC--Conference tourney champ will be only NCAA rep. Conference-17th. Notes...Tourney March 8 at campus sites (first round); quarters, semis, and Final March 10-12 at Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH. Last year...NCAA-1 (Ohio-2nd round); NIT-1 (Kent State-2nd round); CBI-1 (Akron).

MISSOURI VALLEY--Looking Good...Wichita State. Bubble...Missouri State. Conference-13th. Notes...Tourney ("Arch Madness") March 3-6 at Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO. Last year...NCAA-1 (Northern Iowa-Sweet 16); NIT-2 (Illinois State, Wichita State); CBI-1 (Indiana State); CIT-2 (Missouri State-Champs, Creighton-Semifinals).

MOUNTAIN WEST--Solid...San Diego State, BYU. Bubble...Colorado State, UNLV, New Mexico. Conference-5th. Notes...Tourney March 9-12 at Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV. Last year...NCAA-4 (BYU-2nd round, New Mexico-2nd round, UNLV, San Diego State); CBI-1 (Colorado State).

PAC 10--Solid...Arizona. Looking Good...UCLA, Washington. Bubble...Washington State. Conference-7th. Notes...Tourney March 9-12 at Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA. Last year...NCAA-2 (Washington-Sweet 16, California-2nd round); NIT-1 (Arizona State); CBI-1 (Oregon State).

SEC--Solid...Florida, Vanderbilt, Kentucky. Looking Good...Georgia, Tennessee. Bubble...Alabama. Conference-6th. Notes...Tourney March 10-13 at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA. Last year...NCAA-4 (Kentucky-Elite Eight, Tennessee-Elite Eight, Florida, Vanderbilt); NIT-2 (Ole Miss-semifinals, Mississippi State-2nd round).

SUN BELT--Conference tourney champ will be only NCAA rep. Conference-22nd. Notes...Tourney March 5-8 at Summit Arena, Hot Springs, AR. Last year...NCAA-1 (North Texas); NIT-1 (Troy); CIT-1 (Middle Tennessee).

WEST COAST--Solid...Saint Mary's. Bubble...Gonzaga. Conference-12th. Notes...Tourney March 4-7 at Orleans Hotel Arena, Las Vegas, NV. Last year...NCAA-2 (Saint Mary's-Sweet 16, Gonzaga-2nd round)); CIT-2 (Loyola Marymount, Portland).

WAC--Solid...Utah State. Conference-14th. Notes...Tourney March 9-12 at Orleans Hotel Arena, Las Vegas, NV. Last year...NCAA-2 (New Mexico State, Utah State); NIT-1 (Nevada-2nd round); CIT-1 (La Tech-quarterfinals).

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