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**StarDust Bum** · 02-22-2011, 05:34 PM

Tennessee desperate for a win vs. red-hot Vanderbilt

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS (16-11, 6-6 in SEC)

at VANDERBILT COMMODORES (20-6, 8-4 in SEC)

Tip-off: Tuesday, 9:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Vanderbilt -6.5, Total: 143

No. 18 Vanderbilt is aiming for its sixth straight victory when it hosts in-state rival Tennessee on Tuesday night.

The Commodores are led by John Jenkins (19.9 PPG, 42.3% three-pointers), the top scorer in SEC play, who recovered from a slow start with a strong second half in Vanderbilt's 77-60 win at Auburn on Saturday. Jenkins only had six points on 2-of-8 shooting in the first half, but scored 16 second-half points to finish with 22 points for his 25th double-figure game this season. He compiled his fourth-straight 20-point game and seventh in the past eight contests. Jeffery Taylor (14.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 38.9% three-pointers) added his second double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds against the Tigers. The Commodores made 11 of their first 17 shots in the second half after shooting just 36% in the first half. Vanderbilt ranks 23rd in the nation in scoring (77.6 PPG) and has reached at least 77 points in four of the five games during its winning streak.

Tennessee has dropped four of its past five games and is coming off a 69-63 setback to Georgia on Saturday. The Vols shot just 28.1% (9-of-32) in the first half, and 41.7% (25-of-60) for the game. Scotty Hopson (17.4 PPG, 39.1% three-pointers) was one of the few bright spots offensively, as he scored a career-high 32 points on 12-of-19 shooting, which marked his third consecutive game with at least 22 points. Tobias Harris (14.4 PPG, 7.4 RPG) chipped in with 18 points versus the Bulldogs. Tennessee defeated Vanderbilt, 67-64, in Knoxville in January. In that game, the Vols overcame a 17-point deficit by forcing a season-high 21 turnovers, including 12 steals. Hopson led the Vols with 16 points against Vandy, while Harris added 15 points and nine rebounds.

The Commodores own a 51-36 advantage in games played in Nashville, and won last season's matchup at Memorial Gym, 90-71. While Tennessee has won six of the past 10 meetings in the series, Vanderbilt is 3-2 against the Vols in the past five contests. Tennessee is 18-9 ATS versus the Commodores, including 9-4 ATS at Vanderbilt since 1997. The Vols are also 5-2 ATS as an underdog this year, while Vandy is just 4-6 ATS as a home favorite. Vanderbilt will probably win the game, but Tennessee, which has seven losses by less than six points this season, will keep the final margin under 6.5 points.

The FoxSheets provide two more trends backing the Vols to cover the spread.

VANDERBILT is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) after scoring 30 points or less in the first half in 2 straight games over the last 3 seasons. The average score was VANDERBILT 70.9, OPPONENT 72.1 - (Rating = 2*).

TENNESSEE is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in road games after failing to cover the spread in 2 or more consecutive games over the last 3 seasons. The average score was TENNESSEE 71.2, OPPONENT 63.3 - (Rating = 1*).

Nine of the past 13 meetings in this series have finished Under the total and these two four-star FoxSheets coaching trends also expect the Under to occur again.

Bruce Pearl is 18-4 UNDER (81.8%, +13.6 Units) vs. good free throw shooting teams - making >=72% of their attempts after 15+ games as the coach of TENNESSEE. The average score was TENNESSEE 70.0, OPPONENT 67.9 - (Rating = 4*).

Bruce Pearl is 9-0 UNDER (+9.0 Units) versus good foul drawing teams - attempting >=25 free throws/game after 15+ games as the coach of TENNESSEE. The average score was TENNESSEE 66.7, OPPONENT 66.7 - (Rating = 4*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-22-2011, 05:34 PM

Thunder heavily favored over the Clippers

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (21-35)

at OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (35-19)

Tip-off: Tuesday, 8:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Oklahoma City -9, Total: 207

The Oklahoma City Thunder look to get their first win against the Clippers on their home floor since leaving Seattle in 2008 when the two match up Tuesday night.

Blake Griffin will be coming in sky-high off his Slam Dunk Contest victory and the chance to play in his home state. Griffin, who grew up in Oklahoma and attended the University of Oklahoma, has emerged as one of the NBA’s brightest young stars. The 21-year-old has averaged 22.8 PPG and 12.6 RPG in his first season after missing all of last year with a knee injury. Any time a player averages more points than his age, you know that they are something special. Even through Griffin’s success, the Clippers have lost seven of their past nine games. Los Angeles deeply misses their other young stud Eric Gordon (24.1 PPG), who will be absent for the 14th consecutive game with a broken wrist. Los Angeles needs Chris Kaman, who just recently returned from missing 34 games with an ankle injury, to help out Griffin with scoring and rebounding. Other than Gordon and Griffin, the only other player averaging in double digits is the aging Baron Davis (13.1 PPG).

The Thunder have picked up their play, winning 7-of-10 and most recently dismantling the Kings 126-96. The last meeting the Thunder had with the Clippers, their lanky star Kevin Durant (28.9 PPG) shot 6-for-24 and finished with only 16 points as the Clippers won 107-92. The only teams the Thunder have not beaten on their home floor since moving to Oklahoma City are the Clippers and Celtics. This may change this meeting due to Los Angeles’ brutal 5-21 road record. When most people talk about the Thunder they mention Kevin Durant, but Russell Westbrook (22.2 PPG) has become one of the NBA’s best point guards. In only his third year, Westbrook has improved his scoring and assists each year and the sky is the limit for this kid.

The Clippers enjoy shootouts with good offensive, but bad defensive, teams going 17-10 ATS against teams that allow 99.0 PPG or more and 19-11 against teams scoring 99.0 PPG or more. Los Angeles also has had success versus Northwest Division opponents (9-5 ATS). The Thunder have been average at home against the spread (14-12) but have been terrific revenging a loss to opponents, going 15-7 ATS. It has also been terrible Tuesdays for the Clippers who are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 Tuesday games. With the Tuesday curse aside, Los Angeles will lose like normal on the road, but keep it close enough to cover the large spread. The FoxSheets also support the Clippers to at least cover the spread.

Vinny Del Negro is 35-18 ATS (66.0%, +15.2 Units) after playing 2 consecutive road games in all games he has coached since 1996. The average score was Del Negro 100.8, OPPONENT 100.8 - (Rating = 0*).

This highly-rated FoxSheets trend predicts a high-scoring affair finishing Over the total.

OKLAHOMA CITY is 28-11 OVER (71.8%, +15.9 Units) as a favorite this season. The average score was OKLAHOMA CITY 106.7, OPPONENT 102.8 - (Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-22-2011, 05:35 PM

Boston looks to snap 6-game losing skid at Golden State

BOSTON CELTICS (40-14)

at GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (26-29)

Tip-off: Tuesday, 10:30 p.m. EDT
Line: Boston -4.5, Total: 198

It may be hard to believe, but the last time Boston won in Oakland, Kevin Garnett was in Minnesota, Ray Allen was in Seattle and Rajon Rondo was in high school. The Warriors have beaten the Celtics at home six straight times, with Boston’s last win coming in December 2003. And Golden State enters Tuesday night on a bit of a roll.

The Warriors have won three in a row, SU and ATS. They’re a team that relies heavily on perimeter shooting, and in February they’ve shot it great. So far in February, they rank in the NBA’s top 10 in field-goal percentage (47.5%) and three-point shooting (38.5%). Leading scorer Monta Ellis continues to play at another level in Oracle Arena, where he averages 28.4 PPG on 48.3% shooting from the field and 41.1% shooting from three. While Stephen Curry has taken more of a secondary role this season, he’s averaging 15.0 PPG on 52.7% shooting over the past eight games, while swingman Reggie Williams has been torching the nets, hitting 58.2% of his shots and 57.1% of his threes during that stretch.

The Celtics have been a bit Jekyll and Hyde of late, with their recent win over the Heat overshadowing their inconsistency in losing home games to the Mavs and Lakers and a road game in Charlotte. They did fare well in their most recent West Coast swing, going 3-1 SU (2-2 ATS), beating the Lakers, Blazers and Kings. The aging C’s didn’t get to enjoy the All-Star break, with their four stars participating in Sunday’s All-Star Game. Paul Pierce has been dealing with a nagging foot injury (he’s probable for Tuesday night) that could be responsible for his recent shooting slump (40.2% from the field, 14.8% from three over the past seven games). Only Ray Allen (47.2% from three) has been shooting it particularly well in February, as the Celtics have averaged just 91.0 PPG this month.

Because of the Warriors’ recent strong play, coupled with Boston’s recent futility in Oakland, I’m going with Golden State to cover on Tuesday night. And the FoxSheets have a couple of trends pointing the Warriors’ way, including this one:

Play On - Underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (GOLDEN STATE) - hot team - having won 6 or 7 of their last 8 games, with a winning percentage of between 45-55% on the season. (73-39 over the last 5 seasons, 65.2%, +30.1 units. Rating = 2*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-22-2011, 05:37 PM

Miami favored by 13.5 over Sacramento

SACRAMENTO KINGS (13-40)

at MIAMI HEAT (41-15)

Tip-off: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
Line: Miami -13.5, Total: 204

The Heat come back from the All-Star break with their eyes on first place in the Eastern Conference, while the Kings look for a fresh start in the second half.

Sacramento has been bad as expected this year. The extremely young Kings (13-40 SU, 22-30 ATS) have the third-worst record in the NBA. Sacramento has been happy to see its emerging young stars Tyreke Evans (18.3 PPG) and DeMarcus Cousins (14.0 PPG) playing better together. Unfortunately, Evans is doubtful for Tuesday’s game with plantar fasciitis and Sacramento is 1-6 without him in the lineup. If Evans is unable to go, the Kings will need Cousins to take on a greater scoring load. Cousins had an impressive Rookie Challenge Game scoring 33 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.

After a 9-8 start, the Heat have proceeded to go 32-7 (82%) and find themselves a few percentage points back of the Celtics at 41-15. Many critics were all over the Heat early in the season, but the three stars, LeBron James (26.1 PPG), Dwyane Wade (25.4 PPG) and Chris Bosh (18.5 PPG), tuned them all out and learned how to play together. The Heat have been stellar at home going 20-5 and are 14-2 overall since Thanksgiving. During the Heat’s most recent winning run of 10 out of 11 victories, James has averaged 27.0 points, 8.1 assists, 8.0 rebounds, and is shooting 53.7 percent from the field. Dwyane Wade tweaked his ankle in the All-Star Game, but says he will be ready to go Tuesday night. Wade will look to stay hot after scoring 69 points in the two games prior to the All-Star lay-off.

Miami is 23-4 ATS in the past 27 meetings with the Kings, which includes five straight victories by an average of 19.0 PPG. Sacramento hasn’t won a game in Miami since Nov. 10, 2001. Miami has been very good against Pacific Division opponents going 6-2 ATS this year and 20-8 ATS over the last three seasons. Although Miami has been below average at home against the spread (9-15), the Heat have had to cover extremely large spreads having extremely large expectations. On the other hand, the young Kings are terrible against good offensive teams going 9-19 ATS against teams that score 99.0 PPG or more. Sacramento has also had no luck against Southeast Division foes notching a 6-20 ATS record over the last three seasons. With Evans not likely to go and the Heat playing spectacular basketball, I like Miami to hand the Kings a defeat by at least 20 points. The FoxSheets also expect the Heat to win and cover.

Play Against - Road teams (SACRAMENTO) - revenging a loss where team scored less than 85 points against opponent off 2 or more consecutive road wins. (87-46 since 1996.) (65.4%, +36.4 units. Rating = 2*).

Ten of the past 13 meetings at Miami have finished Under the total and this highly-rated FoxSheets trend also sides with the Under.

SACRAMENTO is 18-5 UNDER (+12.5 Units) after having lost 4 of their last 5 games this season. The average score was SACRAMENTO 92.3, OPPONENT 99.7 - (Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-22-2011, 05:39 PM

NCAA Betting Preview: Illinois at Ohio State

The Ohio State Buckeyes have hit a bump in the road as they return home for a Tuesday night encounter with the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Ohio State (25-2 straight-up, 11-13 against the spread) was undefeated and the nation’s No. 1 team just nine days ago and some online sportsbooks were even laying odds on a perfect season.

Now fast forward to today. The third-ranked Buckeyes have lost two of their last three games, at Wisconsin (71-67 as two-point underdogs) on February 12 and at Purdue (76-63 as one-point ‘dogs) this past Sunday.

Ohio State has also failed to ‘cover’ its last two home games, going 1-5 ATS in the last six games overall.

The Wisconsin game was marked by a 15-point blown lead in the second half. The Purdue contest was highlighted by an incredible individual effort by E’Twaun Moore, a career-high 38 points (13-of-18 from the field).

The 139 combined points scored against Purdue went just ‘over’ the 138-point total. The ‘over’ is 3-0 in Ohio State’s last three road games and 8-2 away this season.

The ‘under’ is 3-1 in Ohio State’s last four home games and 9-5 at home this season.

The question remains whether OSU’s losses are an aberration or a sign of a bigger problem. *** Global currently has Ohio State as the second-favorite to win March Madness (plus 450), trailing only Duke (plus 300).

It’s hard to fault Ohio State for losing at two of the best home teams in the country. Purdue and Wisconsin are a combined 30-0 SU and 18-5 ATS at home this season.

One potential worry spot in that marquee player Jared Sullinger (18 PPG, 10 RPG) is a freshman and hasn’t been through the rigors of March Madness. However, that didn’t hurt champion Syracuse and Carmelo Anthony back in 2003 and Sullinger is surrounded by four starting upperclassmen.

The Fighting Illini (17-10 SU, 13-13-1 ATS) are 7-7 SU in the conference, trailing Ohio State (12-2 SU), Purdue (11-3 SU) and Wisconsin (10-4 SU). They’re also an NCAA tourney bubble team, so every game is vitally important.

Illinois has played very uneven basketball the last month, going 3-5 SU and 3-4-1 ATS. That includes losses at Northwestern and Indiana. The latest game was Saturday at Michigan State, a 61-57 loss and ‘push’ as four-point underdogs. Illinois guard Demetri McCamey scored 15 points, but the team shot just 37.3 percent from the field.

The 118 combined points scored went way ‘under’ the 135 ½-point total. The ‘under’ is 5-2 in Illinois’ last seven games and 7-3 in its last 10 road games.

Illinois hosted Ohio State back on Jan. 22. Sullinger had 27 points and 16 rebounds for a 73-68 rally win and ‘cover’ as 3 ½-point favorites. McCamey (14.5 PPG) had just five points on 2-of-11 shooting. The team needs a consistent second scorer and has trouble winning when McCamey struggles.

Coach Bruce Weber would seem to have a good matchup inside against Sullinger with 7-foot-1 Mike Tisdale and 6-foot-9 Mike Davis. However, neither is a physical player and both can be out-muscled by the wide-body freshman. Davis (11.6 PPG) is the second-leading scorer and needs a big game on Tuesday.

The Fighting Illini lost 73-57 at Ohio State last year as 9 ½-point ‘dogs and are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games in Columbus.

There are no significant injuries to report for either team.

ESPN will have the 4 p.m. (PT) tip-off from Value City Arena, right before SEC’s Tennessee at No. 18 Vanderbilt.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-22-2011, 05:40 PM

Volunteers, Commodores meet in Nashville

The Vanderbilt Commodores and Tennessee Volunteers are both trying to make some noise in the SEC East this year, and they'll both have a shot in NCAA basketball betting action on Tuesday when they meet at Memorial Gym.

Tip-off from the Music City will come at 6:00 p.m. (PT) in a game that will be seen on ESPN just following their telecast of Big Ten rivals Illinois and Ohio State.

Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl has to be scratching his head right now about how good (or bad) his team really is. Sure, there are some great wins against teams like the Pitt Panthers and the Villanova Wildcats, but since starting the season 7-0, the Vols are below .500, and they have some absolutely atrocious losses.

One of those defeats came at home against the Georgia Bulldogs this past Saturday, as the 69-63 decision is sure to knock Tennessee down a notch in the brackets.

The good news is that Scotty Hopson is really on his game right now. Over the course of his last three games, Hopson has put up 22, 23 and 32 points. He's averaging 17.4 PPG on the campaign and starting to come on strong for the push towards the NCAA Tournament.

The bad news is that he really isn't getting all that much help. Sure, Tobias Harris is averaging 14.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, but he can't do it alone either. Beyond that, there just aren't enough scoring options for this team to do some big time damage in the SEC and NCAA Tournaments.

The Commodores have won five games in a row and have to feel like they're in great shape for the remaining of the season even though the schedule is very tough. Road wins against the Georgia Bulldogs and Auburn Tigers last week weren't the types of wins that make you go "Wow!" But they were still road wins in conference, which are never easy to pick up.

Unlike the case with the Volunteers, Vanderbilt has all of the scoring options that it needs. John Jenkins is one of best in the SEC, and the duel between he and Hopson should be a great one. Jenkins is shooting 42.3 percent from downtown and 46.5 percent from the field, and he is just a tick under 20 PPG.

The key man might be the one right in the middle of the offense. Festus Ezeli was held down by the Auburn Tigers on Saturday, but he has 12 blocked shots over the course of his last two games, raising his average up to 2.46 per game on the campaign. Ezeli is also averaging 12.4 PPG and 6.2 RPG.

Keep an eye on Jeffrey Taylor. He came up big with 20 points and 10 boards against Auburn to lead the way on Saturday, and he is good for 14.5 PPG on the average night. He's a streaky shooter though, knocking down just 43.6 percent from his shots.

Earlier this season, Tennessee came up big with a big time 67-64 victory over the 'Dores. The Volunteers have done well in this series, going 14-6 ATS and 12-8 SU over the course of the last 20 meetings in this series dating back to 2001. Even here in Nashville since 1996, Tennessee is 9-6 against the NCAA basketball betting lines

**StarDust Bum** · 02-22-2011, 05:41 PM

NBA Betting Preview: LA Lakers host Hawks

Fresh off collecting the NBA All-Star MVP trophy, Kobe Bryant will attempt to help his Los Angeles Lakers teammates snap a three-game losing skid Tuesday night against an Atlanta Hawks squad that is in the midst of a seven-game road excursion.

The overnight line for this 7:30 p.m. (PT) matchup at Staples Center has the Lakers as seven-point favorites, with the total set at 193 points.

The game directly prior to the All-Star break saw the Lakers suffer an embarrassing 104-99 setback to a Cleveland squad they had defeated by 55 points a month earlier.

The Lakers also failed to cover as 11-point road favorites, which lowered their spread record to a dismal 25-31-1. Though the combined 203 points skipped ‘over’ the 200 ½-point closing total, the ‘under’ is still 31-15 in the Lakers’ last 46 outings and 34-23 overall.

Los Angeles wasted Pau Gasol's first-ever 30-point, 20-rebound game and watched a scrambling last-minute comeback against the Cavs fall short. It was Cleveland's first victory in regulation time since Nov. 27.

Coach Phil Jackson cited 19 Lakers turnovers and a tough shooting night by Andrew Bynum. Although the Lakers fed Bynum the ball early against a team that starts nobody over 6-foot-9, the big center was 0-for 7 in the half and finished with six points in 22 ½ minutes.

One would think playing at Staples Center would help the Lakers snap this three-game slide. However, Phil Jackson’s troops are just 19-8 SU and 10-17 ATS through their first 27 home dates despite outscoring the opposition by an average of almost nine points per game (104.1 – 95.3).

Los Angeles ranks eighth offensively with an average of 102.3 points per game. The club is shooting 46.8 percent from the field, which ranks seventh.

The Lakers are yielding an average of 96.4 PPG (11th) and are allowing the opposition to shoot 44.2 percent from the field (fifth).

Atlanta began this seven-game road trip with stops in Detroit and New York prior to the All-Star break. The Hawks defeated the Pistons 94-79 to begin the excursion, but then suffered a 102-90 setback to the Knicks two days later.

Both games ducked below the closing total, leaving the ‘under’ 31-24 in Atlanta’s first 55 overall encounters and 16-13 in its first 29 road dates.

The Hawks also failed to cover against the Knicks as two-point road underdogs, which lowered Atlanta’s spread ledger to 25-30. The split of those two games left Atlanta’s road record at 17-12 SU and 13-16 ATS.

Marvin Williams scored 17 points and Mike Bibby had 15 in a losing effort against the Knicks. Hawks sixth man Jamal Crawford, who entered with just 21 points on 8-of-31 shooting over his previous four games, was 0-of-3 in the first half and finished 3-of-11 for seven points.

Center Al Horford, who has been suffering from a bad back after a hard foul from Blake Griffin during Atlanta’s Feb. 4 contest against the Clippers, is listed as “probable.”

The Hawks are yielding an average of just 95.4 points per game, which ranks seventh. They are also allowing the opposition to shoot just 33.1 percent from beyond the three-point line, which ranks second.

But it’s on the offensive end where the Hawks have had their struggles. Larry Drew’s club is averaging just 96.8 PPG, which ranks 22nd.

This will be the first meeting of the season between the Hawks and Lakers. Atlanta is 2-5 ATS in its last seven trips to Staples Center, with the ‘over’ going 5-1 in the last six meetings in Los Angeles.

The Hawks will continue their road journey Wednesday with a stop in Phoenix to play the Suns. The Lakers will make the short trip to Portland for a Wednesday meeting against the Blazers

**StarDust Bum** · 02-22-2011, 05:42 PM

Week 16 NCAA basketball betting preview

Week 15 saw each of the top-4 teams in the AP add a mark to their loss columns.
Sam Peckinpah was known for movies with violence at their core. Nothing was too bloody or gory for the old filmmaker.

The last week-&-a-half of the college basketball schedule played out as if 'Bloody Sam' was calling the shots, and if the season continues in Peckinpah's mold, we shouldn't expect the good guys to win in the end.

It was only fitting that the carnage came during ESPN's BracketBuster week.

Ohio State's loss at Wisconsin on Feb. 12 ignited the tough stretch for top-ranked schools. By the time the Buckeyes suffered their second loss of the campaign eight days later at Purdue, seven of the most recent AP top-10 had suffered defeat. That number could grow to eight if Duke is upset Sunday evening after we go to press.

Kansas spit the bit in its first game after ascending to the No. 1 slot, setting the stage for Ohio State to move back to the top or opening the door for either Texas or Pittsburgh to assume the position. Neither the Longhorns nor the Panthers seemed to want the spot, however, the 3-4 teams respectively in the AP dropping conference road tilts on Saturday (Feb. 19).

So it leaves writers and coaches with a real mess to sort through with the next set of rankings. Will we see Duke rise all the way from fifth to first, assuming the Blue Devils take care of business with a big win at home Sunday evening against Georgia Tech?

Could Kansas remain on top after no other school directly behind the Jayhawks came away from Week 15's bloodbath? Is it time for voters to start throwing some love to San Diego State or BYU in advance of their Week 16 collision? And would it really matter if they simply threw out last week's polls in the same order and played the same scene again, Peckinpah style?

Here's a fast rundown of where you'll find the top teams this week.

1. Kansas (25-2 SU, 14-13 ATS)
The Jayhawks take on a couple of Big 12 South clubs this week, first hosting Oklahoma State on Monday and then traveling to Oklahoma for Saturday's contest. Kansas fell 85-77 at the Cowboys as six-point favorites last season, winning 81-68 at home versus the Sooners but failing to cash as huge 21-point chalk.

2. Ohio State (25-2, 11-13)
Life on the Big Ten road has resulted in consecutive losses for the Buckeyes, so they'll be more than happy to see their Week 16 slate strictly at home in Columbus. Ohio State welcomes Illinois to Value City Arena on Tuesday after the Illini put up a tough fight in Champaign on Jan. 22, an eventual 73-68 win for the Buckeyes (minus three). Indiana arrives in Columbus on Sunday; OSU covered a 13-point line in Bloomington on Dec. 31 with an 85-67 triumph.

3. Texas (23-4, 16-6)
Coming off their first loss since early January, the Longhorns should jump right back in the win column this Tuesday when they host Iowa State. Texas finishes the week on the road at Colorado on Saturday, a team they cracked at home last season, 103-86, missing the 21-point spread.

4. Pittsburgh (24-3, 11-11)
The Panthers will looking to maintain their two-game lead in the Big East when they host West Virginia on Thursday. The two schools met in Morgantown on Feb. 7 with Pitt a 71-66 winner in a contest that closed as a pick 'em on the NCAA odds board. Pittsburgh will close the week on Sunday at Louisville.

5. Duke (*24-2, 14-11)
The Blue Devils slip out of ACC play to host Temple on Wednesday, a game we will feature here at Don Best. Duke finishes the week off on the road in Blacksburg against Virginia Tech, a team the Blue Devils have beaten four straight.

6. San Diego State (27-1, 16-10)
Steve Fisher will have all week to prepare his Aztecs for Saturday's rematch versus BYU. The Cougars were favored by 5½ when they handed San Diego State its only loss of the season Jan. 26 in Provo, 71-58. The Aztecs have reeled off seven wins since then, going 4-3 ATS in the stretch. Brigham Young scored a 71-69 win in San Diego last season, a 'push' for bettors who got in on the closing number that favored the Cougars by a pair.

7. Brigham Young (25-2, 11-12)
Before they go to San Diego on Saturday, the Cougars host Colorado State on Wednesday. BYU won and covered as seven-point chalk in Fort Collins on Jan. 22.

8. Notre Dame (21-5, 13-9)
Their seven-game Big East streak done, the Fighting Irish will end a three-game conference road stretch Wednesday at Providence. Notre Dame will then return to South Bend to host Seton Hall, a possible look-ahead alert on that one with the Irish having games versus Villanova and Georgetown to follow.

9. Georgetown (21-6, 15-11)
The Hoyas will host Cincinnati on Wednesday and remain home for Saturday's crucial meeting with Syracuse. Georgetown beat the Orange Feb. 9 at the Carrier Dome, 64-56, as a 4½-point underdog, snapping a three-game regular season losing skid against 'Cuse.

10. Wisconsin (*19-6, 13-8)
An opportunity to sweep a pair of Big Ten rivals awaits the Badgers this week. Bo Ryan's charges will travel to Michigan on Wednesday after beating the Wolverines in Madison on Jan. 5 as 12-point favorites, 66-50. The week ends at home versus Northwestern on Sunday. Wisconsin pounded the Wildcats in Evanston Jan. 23, easily covering the one-point spread in the 78-46 rout.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-22-2011, 05:44 PM

NBA Odds: Carmelo Anthony, Knicks host Bucks

Carmelo Anthony makes his Knicks debut Wednesday versus the Bucks.
The New York Knicks host the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night in what should be the much anticipated debut of superstar Carmelo Anthony. This is a back-to-back game for Milwaukee.

The Knicks (28-26 straight-up, 33-19-2 against the spread) have shown solid improvement after going 29-53 SU last season and missing the playoffs. They added free agent big man Amare Stoudemire in the offseason, but wanted another big piece.

That left the door open for Anthony. The native New Yorker led Syracuse to a national title and his contract was expiring at the end of the season. He made it clear to Denver execs that he would only sign an extension with the Knicks and the trade was finally consummated Monday night.

The final tally had Denver receiving Timofey Mozgov, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, draft picks and cash. Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter and Renaldo Balkman came in return. New York also sent forward Anthony Randolph to Minnesota for swingman Corey Brewer.

Anthony and the rest of the new acquisitions should make their debut on Wednesday. That’s pending the passing of physicals and final league approval. Ticket prices are already soaring at resellers.

The new starting lineup should have Billups at point guard replacing Felton. Landry Fields stays at shooting guard. Anthony and Stoudemire form the potent ‘three and four’ combination that should put up around 50 PPG. Ronny Turiaf should start at center with Mozgov gone (try to say that five times fast).

New York is second in the league in scoring (106.2 PPG) and second-worst in defense (105.8 PPG). Coach Mike D’Antoni doesn’t require much ‘D’ normally in his up-tempo system and Anthony never helps much on that end of the court anyhow.

Wednesday’s game could have the feel of an All-Star Game with New York having just a few plays with the new guys and fast-breaking at every opportunity. There will also be several celebrities in the crowd, giving it an electric feel.

The Bucks (21-34 SU, 25-28-2 ATS) are in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, remarkably just 3.5 games behind Indiana (24-30 SU) for the final playoff spot. Ninth-place Charlotte (24-32 SU) is one game back of Indiana.

The Bucks will host Minnesota on Tuesday (result still pending) before traveling for Wednesday night’s game. They limped into the All-Star break at 2-8 SU (4-6 ATS) in their last 10 games.

Milwaukee has a mishmash of a roster, with no All-Stars and guard Brandon Jennings the leading scorer at 15.6 PPG. Jennings, center Andrew Bogut (12.9 PPG, 11.5 RPG) and shooting guard John Salmons (13.7 PPG) are the three main guys.

Injuries have played a big part in the inconsistent lineups. Not one player has played every game, with Jennings (19 games missed) and forward Carlos Delfino (32 games missed) two of the biggest losses. That doesn’t even include shooting guard Michael Redd (knee), who hasn’t played yet this year.

The team should have everyone healthy Wednesday besides Redd and reserve power forward Drew Gooden (foot).

Coach Scott Skiles desperately needs to set a rotation down the stretch. That should help the offensive woes some. The team is last in the league in both scoring (91.3 PPG) and field goal shooting (42.4 percent).

The ‘under’ is 8-1 in Milwaukee last nine games and 34-21 on the year.

Milwaukee is 8-21 SU and 14-15 ATS on the road. However, it’s 20-4-2 ATS in its last 26 games against the Atlantic Division.

The Bucks are 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings with the Knicks and 4-0 ATS in the last four in the Big Apple. However, it’s hard to extrapolate any handicapping information involving the Knicks with their total roster makeover.

Tip-off from historic Madison Square Garden will be 4:30 p.m. (PT).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-22-2011, 05:48 PM

Tuesday's Trends

February 22, 2011

Here’s a quick look at several current team and "totals" trends to watch in Tuesday’s night college hoops card...

LaSalle at Xavier... Note that the host Musketeers have failed to cover their last three outings at the Cintas Center.

Virginia Tech at Wake Forest... The Demon Deacons continue to misfire, now 4-11-2 vs. the spread their last 17 games on the board. Ten of Wake’s eleven ACC losses have also come by 14 points or more. The Deacs are also "over" 5-2 in their last seven outings.

Illinois at Ohio State... The Buckeyes aren’t offering much value lately, dropping 4 of their last 5 and 9 of their last 13 spread decisions. As for the Fighting Illini, they’re trending "under" (5-2 last 7) the past few weeks.

Ole Miss at South Carolina... The Gamecocks have cooled considerably, dropping 6 of their last 8 spread decisions. Also note that Ole Miss has been trending "under" (6-2 last eight) in recent weeks.

Indiana State at Northern Iowa... The Panthers have hit the skids lately, dropping 5 of their last six against the line as well as their last four vs. the number at home in Sioux Falls. Both ISU and UNI are trending "over" lately...the Sycamores 7-2 their last nine, the Panthers 5-0 their last five and 9-2 their last eleven on the board.

Bradley at Illinois State... The Braves have caught a bit of an updraft after an extended slump, now covering five of their last six. "Totals" trends similar both ways, with Bradley "over" 13-4 its last 17 and the Redbirds "over" in 6 of their last 8 outings.

Iowa State at Texas... Despite that Saturday loss at Nebraska, the Longhorns have still covered 12 of their last 16 games. Meanwhile, the Cyclones have dropped 7 of their last 9 vs. the number. Conflicting "totals" trends, however, with Texas "under" 14-4 its last 18, and ISU "over" 5-1-1 its last seven.

Tennessee at Vanderbilt... Note that the Volunteers are "under" in 9 of their last 11 games.

Michigan State at Minnesota... The Spartans are stirring, unbeaten vs. the number in their last three games. Meanwhile, the Gophers have dropped 5 of their last 6 spread decisions.

Louisville at Rutgers... The Scarlet Knights are "over" in their last four games.

Houston at Memphis... The Cougars are a surprising 8-3-1 vs. the line their last 12 games on the board. Also note how the Tigers are trending "under" lately (6-0 their last six, and 10-2 their last 12 on the board).

TCU at Utah...It’s gone a bit pear-shaped for the Horned Frogs, who have dropped 11 of their last 14 spread decisions, including 5 of their last 7 away from Fort Worth. Utah trending "under" the past two months (10-5 last 15).

Weber State at Idaho State...The visiting Wildcats have covered 6 of their last 7 games. Meanwhile, the host Bengals have some of the strongest "totals" trends in the Big Sky, now "over" 12 of their last 15.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-22-2011, 05:49 PM

Vandy looking for revenge

February 22, 2011

After suffering just its second loss of the season Sunday at Purdue, Ohio State faces a quick turn-around Tuesday night when it hosts Illinois at 7:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. As of early this morning, most betting shops had the Buckeyes installed as 10 ½-point favorites with a total of 135.

Illinois (17-10 straight up, 13-14 against the spread) is in bounce-back mode after losing Saturday at Michigan State by a 61-57 count as a 3 ½-point underdog. In defeat, Demetri McCamey had 15 points, five assists, four rebounds and a pair of blocked shots.

The Illini are in the midst of a 4-7 slide both SU and ATS, adding even more emphasis to tonight’s Big Ten showdown in Columbus. With an RPI of 41, Bruce Weber’s team is still ‘in’ the NCAA Tournament (if the season ended today) but its seeding will start to look like one of the double-digit variety with another loss.

Ohio State (25-2 SU, 11-13 ATS) is still a No. 1 seed but another loss or two could change that. The Buckeyes are unbeaten in 17 home games but are just 6-8 versus the number. They are 1-4 ATS in their five Big Ten home games as double-digit favorites.

South Carolina will be missing Lakeem Jackson for a third straight time tonight when it hosts Ole Miss tonight. Jackson averages 8.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

As of early this morning, most spots had the Rebels listed as 1 ½-point road favorites. Ole Miss (17-10 SU, 12-11 ATS) has won four of its last six games, but it was on the short end of a 71-58 decision Saturday at arch-rival Mississippi St.

South Carolina (13-12 SU, 9-12 ATS) has lost five in a row and seven of its last eight. The Gamecocks have been mediocre at home, going 10-5 SU and 4-7 ATS.

Andy Kennedy's team has had the better of the head-to-head rivalry recently, as the Rebels are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games against South Carolina. The 'over' is 6-2 in the last eight encounters.

The other SEC game on tonight’s card will go down in Nashville, where Vanderbilt will be looking for revenge when it hosts Tennessee. When these teams met in Knoxville, the Volunteers rallied from 17 points down to beat the Commodores 67-64 as 1 ½-point home favorites. Senior guard Scotty Hopson scored a team-high 16 points, while freshman forward Tobias Harris finished with 15 points and nine rebounds.

As of early this morning, most books were listing Vandy (20-6 SU, 13-8-1 ATS) as a 6 ½-point favorite with a total of 143 ½.

Kevin Stallings’ team has won five in a row, including Saturday’s 77-60 win at Auburn as an 11-point road favorite. John Jenkins scored 22 points to pace the ‘Dores, who got a double-double out of Jeffery Taylor when he scored 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds.

Tennessee (16-11 SU, 12-14 ATS) has lost four of its last five games both SU and ATS, including Saturday’s 69-63 home loss to Georgia as a 4 ½-point ‘chalk.’ Hopson had 32 points in the losing effort.

Vandy has won 14 of its 15 home games but is just 5-6 ATS. Meanwhile, Bruce Pearl’s team owns a 4-2 spread record in six games as a road underdog (5-2 ATS if you want to count a six-point ‘dog situation against Villanova at MSG in NYC).

With an RPI of 31, UT isn't in any trouble yet. That's because the Vols have three scalps of RPI Top 25 teams and a 5-4 record against RPI Top 50 squads.

The ‘under’ is on a lucrative 9-2 run in Tennessee games. The Vols have seen the ‘under’ go 14-11 overall. The ‘over’ is 12-10 overall for Vandy, 8-3 in its home outings.

Tip-off at Memorial Gymnasium in Music City is slated for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

The last game to come off the board will be TCU at Utah. Most spots had the Utes as 7 ½-point favorites early this morning. The Mountain West Network will have television coverage at 10:00 p.m. Eastern.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--Kansas destroyed Oklahoma St. 92-65 as a 17-point home favorite last night in Lawrence. Marcus Morris scored a game-high 27 points and Elijah Johnson had 15 points and three assists as KU’s new starting point guard. Johnson replaced Tyshawn Taylor, who was suspended indefinitely by head coach Bill Self on Monday.

--College of Charleston stayed hot with last night’s easy 75-49 win over Samford as a 17-point home favorite. Even with starting forward Jeremy Simmons out of the lineup with a blood clot in his arm, the Cougars are in the midst of a 6-0-1 ATS surge. Don’t be shocked if Bobby Cremins’ team is this year’s Cinderella in the NCAA Tournament.

--Syracuse picked up a big win last night at Villanova. The Orange captured a 69-64 win as a four-point underdog, hooking up money-line backers with a plus-150 payout (risk $100 to win $150). Scoop Jardine was the catalyst with 20 points, six assists and four rebounds, while Rick Jackson chipped in with 18 points for the ‘Cuse.

--UCF's up-and-down squad could be on the rise again. The Knights started the year with 14 consecutive wins, including triumphs over in-state rivals from BCS conferences like South Florida, Miami and Florida. But then they lost eight straight outright. UCF's ATS slide reached 11 in a row before winning last week at Tulane. The Knights have added two more covers for a three-game ATS winning streak following yesterday's 74-68 win at UTEP as eight-point underdogs. Donnie Jones's team hooked up money-line backers with a plus-320 payout at the Las Vegas Hilton (risk $100 to win $320).

--Rutgers has lost six of its last seven games but for our purposes, the Scarlet Knights are on a lucrative 7-2 ATS roll. They play host to Louisville tonight on ESPNU at 9:00 p.m. Eastern. As of early this morning, most books had the Cardinals listed as four-point road favorites with a total of 135. RU senior forward Jonathan Mitchell, a transfer from Florida, is playing the best basketball of his career. Mitchell, who averages 14.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, has scored 20 points or more in six of the Knights' last nine games.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-22-2011, 05:51 PM

Las Vegas Betting Notes

February 22, 2011

The top four teams in the nation lost last week elevating Duke to the number one slot in what was a fantastic week of college basketball, maybe the best week of the entire season. In the process, it made things a little more jumbled for the NCAA selection committee with two weeks to go. A team like Alabama is making things interesting for itself by winning eight of its last nine - covering seven in a row -- but might still be on the outside looking in.

One of the most impressive resurgences on the year added another chapter over the weekend with St. John’s making the coaches poll at No. 25. The Red Storm’s win over then No. 4 Pitt, a team that had won 14 of its last 15 games in the tough Big East, sent a message to the basketball world that the Johnnies are indeed for real. They don’t have any quality road wins, but man, they can beat just about anyone at the Garden.

St. John’s is regarded as having the toughest schedule and have used those tough contests to take them to where it is now, which is a team no one will want to face in the tournament. The Johnnies have big conference wins against Georgetown, Notre Dame, Connecticut, West Virginia and Pitt and also are one of only two teams to have knocked off No. 1 ranked Duke.

From a betting stand point, the Red Storm has been hot as well. Since losing at UCLA three weeks ago, St. John’s has won and covered four straight games with three of those coming as underdogs and two of them on the road.

Leading the charge for Steve Lavin’s team has been senior guard Dwight Hardy, who has come up big in each of its impressive wins. He leads the team with 17.2 point per game, up seven points from his junior season. The kids have all bought into Lavin’s energetic coaching style and it’s all paying off. Look for St. John’s to keep the momentum going with a good showing in the Big East tournament, played in Madison Square Garden where it is 7-1 this year. I also think the Johnnies are going to make a run to the Sweet 16 in March.

DePaul Covering
St. John’s will start its week off Wednesday at home against a suddenly dangerous DePaul squad which ended its 12-game losing skid with a big road win at Providence. They followed that up with a 77-75 overtime home loss to Villanova, making it five straight covers for the Blue Demons.

Boiler-Up
The Team with perhaps the best of week was Purdue who are rolling along just fine without Robbie Hummel. They beat two top-10 teams last week with home wins against Wisconsin and Ohio State. E’Twaun Moore’s 38 points Sunday against the Buckeyes helped Purdue to their fourth straight cover while also coming with one game of Ohio State for the Big Ten regular season title. If they can win out for their remaining four games, they’ll have a No. 2 seed wrapped up. Three of their games are on the road with a big one at Michigna State who are fighting for their lives to avoid the NIT.

Wild Cats are Back
Just when we had Kansas State as a bubble team last week after losing to Colorado, it went off and beat No. 1 Kansas and then made quick work of Oklahoma in a 15-point win. After scoring only 12 points at Colorado, seven points below his season average, Jacob Pullen poured in a career-high 38 in the upset over Kansas and then had 27 against the Sooners. Pullen had vowed that he wouldn’t play in the NIT if that’s where they were headed, but now has finally done something about it on the court.

Kansas State can solidify its current status as a team destined for the Big Dance with a road win at Nebraska and a win at home against Missouri this week. The following week the Wildcats play at Texas and at home game against Iowa State. Those are three pretty tough games and Pullen will have to create some more magic to take at least two of them.

Cowboy Up
Oklahoma State has been in a meltdown mode that has made some bettors happy by betting against them. The Cowboys have gone 3-8 in their last 11 games straight up and are 1-7 ATS in their last eight, including two straight weeks of not covering.

Texas Tech has gone 1-4 in its last five games, but has covered the spread in its last four with three of those games having spreads of 13-points or higher. The Red Raiders play Colorado on Wednesday and then have a matchup with Oklahoma State on Saturday where they put their ATS streaks against each other.

No. 1 Seed at Stake Saturday
The game of the week has BYU playing at San Diego State where the Aztecs will try to avenge their 71-58 loss January 26 in Provo. The Aztecs haven’t lost since that game and should they win, and they will, it might wrap up a No. 1 seed for the NCAA’s. Despite not having the east coast support on their side when it comes to voting, as was no more evident last week when two teams who lost remained higher ranked, they still have the RPI numbers in their favor. They are currently No. 2 in the RPI’s, just below Kansas, and just above BYU. I’ll take San Diego State to win by eight points.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-22-2011, 05:53 PM

Bracketology Update

February 21, 2011

As the calendar moves toward the last week of February, "March Madness talk" begins to heat up. And our latest "Bracketology" projections have taken on a different look than our last update a few weeks ago.

By monitoring how we believe the Big Dance would shape up at the moment, it provides a valuable barometer regarding the progress of the current season. Postseason considerations are now paramount, as teams begin to position themselves to make a late-season run...or fall by the wayside. And by updating our tourney projections on a recurring basis, we can get some idea of a team’s trajectory by seeing how it compared to the last update.

The one change of note in this year’s NCAA Tourney is the addition of three more at-large teams, bringing the field to 68 teams. There will now be four "play-in games" (which the NCAA is calling the "First Four") at Dayton instead of just one between the two lowest-seeded teams as in recent years. This season, the four lowest at-large seeds will play for a pair of 12 seeds when the sub-regionals commence March 17 and 18, while the four lowest-seeded teams will also contest for a pair of 16 seeds.

Following are our latest Big Dance projections. Straight-up records and RPI numbers are through February 20. We’ll continue to update our "Bracketology" each week, and then daily beginning in March, until Selection Sunday on March 13.

EAST REGIONAL (Newark)

At Charlotte...

1 Duke (SUR 25-2, RPI-3) vs. 16 Long Island (22-5, 98)... With Pitt losing at St. John’s on Saturday, and Duke avoiding the banana peel in recent weeks, the Blue Devils temporarily ascend back to a number one seed; Coach K almost assuredly begins the trek at the Charlotte sub-regional. A matchup vs. the Blackbirds of Long Island would rekindle memories in many oldtimers who remember LIU from the long-ago glory days of coach Clair Bee, also the author of the Chip Hilton books whose teams won 95% of their games between 1931-51.

8 UNLV (20-7, 25) vs. 9 Old Dominion (21-6, 44)... UNLV won a very crucial game on Saturday at Colorado State to give the Rebels (who also own non-conference wins over Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, and Kansas State) the inside track to the Mountain West’s third spot. Unfortunately, Lon Kruger’s team now seems to be in the mix for one of the dreaded 8 vs. 9 games, as it was last year vs. Northern Iowa. ODU helped its at-large case greatly with its Bracket Busters win over Cleveland State. Along with non-conference wins over Clemson, Xavier, and Richmond, plus the CAA’s solid Busters showing, the Monarchs look well-positioned for a return to the Dance, where they beat Notre Dame in the first round a year ago.

At Tampa...

4 Florida (21-5, 23) vs. 13 Fairfield (22-5, 88)... Florida has moved to the lead in the SEC East, and Billy Donovan’s team could be zeroing in on a protected seed and likely sub-regional ticket to the friendly Tampa venue. Hard to believe that the Gators haven’t won an NCAA game since beating Greg Oden (remember him?) and Ohio State back in the 2007 title game. Meanwhile, the Fairfield Stags have drawn clear in the Metro-Atlantic, but they’ll still have to overcome challenges from the likes of Rider, St. Peter’s, Iona and other upset-minded entries in the fast-approaching MAAC Tourney, this year being played in Bridgeport, CT (an advantage for the nearby Stags) after several years in Albany.

5 Louisville (20-7, 18) vs. 12 Butler (20-9, 52)/Memphis (20-7, 77)... Rick Pitino might complain if the Cards don’t get a protected seed, but a trip to Tampa as the fifth seed in this region would not be too much punishment. Remember, we’re having two 12 vs. 12 play-in games this year (the "First Four") in Dayton, and we think Butler has climbed back into the at-large mix with six straight wins. If the Bulldogs can at least get to the Horizon Tourney (likely to be hosted by Cleveland State), we think they’ve got a chance. As for Memphis, it did not help itself by losing on Saturday at Rice. But with Wesley Witherspoon back in the fold, we expect the Tigers to close strong enough to keep their at-large profile intact (even if we’re putting them in one of the play-in games).

At Chicago...

2 Purdue (22-5, 8) vs. 15 Bucknell (19-8, 93)... We never had much doubt that Purdue was going to be a protected seed, but that seems all but assured now after Sunday’s rousing win over Ohio State at Mackey Arena. Expect the Boilermakers to be bound for nearby Chicago in sub-regional action. Bucknell has drawn clear in the Patriot and is close to securing home-court edge for the upcoming conference tourney, played on campus sites. Although it would be more fun for the fans to have D.C.-based American U win the regular-season crown so the tourney could be played across the street from NBC’s Washington studios, where fans might get a glimpse of Chris Matthews or Pat Buchanan...or, if they’re lucky, Norah O’Donnell.

7 Temple (21-5, 30) vs. 10 Marquette (16-11, 52)... Temple is now in safe territory after seven straight wins has kept the Owls on Xavier’s heels in the Atlantic-10, although a recent epidemic of injuries is cause for slight concern. Get ready to hear how Fran Dunphy hasn’t been able to win an NCAA game the past three years with temple; we don’ have an answer for it, either. As for Marquette, we stick our necks out with this pick, as the Golden Eagles look to become the eleventh and last Big East team to be invited to the Dance. But the Milwaukee bunch at least stopped the bleeding on Saturday vs. Seton Hall, and this is indeed one of the 68 best teams in the country. No foe would be too excited about drawing Buzz Williams’ team in the first round.

At Washington, D.C...

3 Notre Dame (21-5, 11) vs. 14 Princeton (20-5, 80)... Saturday’s loss at West Virginia might temporarily cost the Irish a line in the regional seeds, but we still believe Notre Dame is solidly in protected seed territory. And a date vs. Princeton might seem like harsh punishment for Mike Brey’s team, although the Tigers have their own problems at the moment after Saturday’s shock loss at Brown effectively dropped them into a tie with Harvard (both with one loss) in Ivy play; the rematch is set for March 5 in Cambridge.

6 Texas A&M (21-5, 31) vs. 11 Virginia Tech (17-8, 40)... After losing three straight a couple of weeks ago, A&M has stabilized itself with four straight wins over lesser Big XII foes, although we think the Aggies are outside of protected seed territory until further notice. As for Seth Greenberg, he seems hellbent on torturing himself and Hokie fans who have had their hopes dashed too many times recently on Selection Sunday. Saturday’s loss at Virginia (the second of the year vs. the Cavs) slips VPI closer to danger territory on the bubble.

SOUTHEAST REGIONAL (New Orleans)

At Cleveland...

1 Ohio State (25-2, 1) vs. 16 Bethune-Cookman (16-11, 242)/Florida Atlantic (19-9, 144)... Okay, now we know that Ohio State is far from unbeatable after losing twice within 8 days at Wisconsin and Purdue. Have the Buckeyes also surrendered a chance at a top regional seed? Probably not yet, but Thad Matta’s crew at least shouldn’t have to worry about being anywhere other than Cleveland for the sub-regional. As for the MEAC race, there have been major developments in the last two weeks, where early frontrunner Hampton has fallen off the pace, and the pride of Daytona Beach, Bethune-Cookman, roars into the top spot in the league, which will determine its Big Dance rep in the conference tourney at Winston Salem March 8-12. Meanwhile, FAU is looking very wobbly with this provisional nod from the Sun Belt, but in any event it looks as if the winner of the disappointing Belt might have to be involved in one of these 16 vs. 16 play-in games (and this would be an all-Florida battle).

8 Cincinnati (21-6, 20) vs. 9 Saint Mary’ (22-6, 33)...The sub-regionals could be a trip down memory lane for Cincy if a second-round matchup vs. Ohio State should materialize; all old Cincy fans recall the Bearcats beating big, bad Ohio State in both the 1961 and ‘62 finals. Meanwhile, Saint Mary’s might have played itself into some bubble trouble with last week’s losses to Utah State (understandable, perhaps) in the Bracket Buster and a shocker at San Diego (not understandable). The Gaels are one more slip on a banana peel away from having to win the WCC Tourney to assure themselves a spot in the Dance.

At Washington, D.C...

4 Vanderbilt (20-6, 21) vs. 13 Coastal Carolina (25-3, 84)... We have been referring to Vandy as a "stealth" Final Four team for much of the season, and now the Commodores are beginning to play like they mean business. Vandy’s current 5-game win streak puts it in protected seed territory until further notice, and it’s worth noting there are plenty of Commodore alums in and around the Beltway, so D.C. would not be a bad assignment. As for Coastal Carolina, it will have homecourt edge and be heavily favored to win the upcoming Big South Tourney as it tries to give HC Cliff Ellis his fourth different team in the Big Dance (South Alabama, Clemson, and Auburn previously).

5 UConn (20-6, 15) vs. 12 Clemson (18-9, 50)... Jim Calhoun’s Huskies don’t have to worry about the Selection Committee losing their invitation, but UConn has played itself down the seeding scale by losing 4 of its last 7, likely out of protected seed territory for the moment (although the D.C. sub-regional assignment would probably be tops on the Huskies’ list). A crucial win on Sunday at Miami-Florida probably keeps Clemson on safe side of the cut line (without much room for error) for the time being.

At Cleveland...

2 Pitt (24-3, 4) vs. 15 Morehead State (21-8, 114)... It really doesn’t mean too much to Pitt to get a number one or a number two seed; Jamie Dixon’s team still likely gets placed in the favorable Cleveland sub-regional. But after the loss at St. John’s on Saturday, we push the Panthers down a notch to a 2 this week. The bigger question looming if the Panthers can make a run at their first-ever Final Four. Stay tuned. The Ohio Valley race has come down to an Affirmed vs. Alydar battle between longtime antagonists Morehead State and Murray State, both impressive BracketBuster winners vs. Missouri Valley foes on Saturday. The difference will be settled in the upcoming OVC Tourney in Nashville (where nearby Austin Peay also looms as a potential darkhorse).

7 UCLA (19-8, 42) vs. 10 Tennessee (16-11, 48)... UCLA was finally cooled off by Cal in OT on Sunday night at Berkeley, but the Bruins have won enough games in the last month to move a safe distance from the cut line. We’re not sure we can say the same anymore about Tennessee, which keeps piling up the losses (now 11 of ‘em after Saturday’s setback vs. Georgia). Wins over Villanova, Pitt, and Vandy will still probably pull the Vols through on Selection Sunday, but Bruce Pearl’s team is now officially in bubble trouble. By the way, this "pod" has the potential of pitting Ben Howland against former assistant Jamie Dixon in the second round, which would be a rematch of a Sweet Sixteen matchup (won by UCLA) in San Jose a few years ago.

At Charlotte...

3 North Carolina (20-6, 16) vs. 14 Miami-Ohio (14-13, 156)... North Carolina is winning (although not doing it as pretty as Roy Williams would like) and now seems to be a good bet to land a protected seed in Charlotte. Where, if Duke is also part of the sub-regional festivities at Time Warner Cable Arena, we can look forward to Tar Heel fans cheering loudly against the Blue Devils, and vice versa. The MAC Tournament is shaping up as a wide-open affair, and perhaps Buffalo or Kent State are more-likely to emerge, but we have to tip our harts to our favorite coach, Miami-Ohio’s Charlie Coles, for steering the RedHawks to the top of the MAC East after explosive swingman Antonio Ballard went out with a wrist injury in late January. Pre-league tests vs. Duke, San Diego State, Ohio State, Cincinnati, and Kansas at least mean that Miami will not be intimidated by UNC or anyone else.

6 Missouri (21-6, 22) vs. 11 Wichita State (22-6, 55)... The big news this past week for Mizzou was winning a road game in the Big XII. It was only Iowa State, but after five straight losses on the conference trail, Mike Anderson isn’t about to throw back a win over anyone, even the Cyclones. Wichita wishes it had those sorts of problems; the Shockers might have played themselves into must-win mode in the upcoming "Arch Madness" Missouri Valley Tourney after losing their BracketBuster at home vs. Virginia Commonwealth.

SOUTHWEST REGIONAL (San Antonio)

At Tucson...

1 Texas (21-3, 2) vs. 16 Texas Southern (14-10, 228)/McNeese State (16-9, 212)... Texas finally hit a pothole on Saturday at Nebraska after being undefeated in Big XII play. We don’t think it’s enough to knock the Longhorns out of a top seed in our projections, however. But we are a bit more sure that SWAC and Southland teams are going to be involved somewhere in those pair of 16 vs. 16 play-in games; Texas Southern (hard by the University of Houston) and McNeese State loom as slight favorites in those respective conference tourneys, but both look as wide-open as the Sonora Desert that surrounds Tucson.

8 Washington (18-8, 28) vs. 9 Utah State (25-3, 24)... Utah State finally notched a much needed, high-profile win over non-conference opposition in the BracketBuster at Saint Mary’s; the Utags should finally feel pretty comfy about an at-large bid regardless what happens in the upcoming WAC Tourney, this year moved to the Orleans Hotel Arena in Las Vegas. As for U-Dub, it probably wishes it could play all of its NCAA games at home in Seattle, where it scores nearly 100 ppg. On the road, the Huskies haven’t been quite as fearsome, although they were one of the parties in the potential game of the year played on this McKale Center court on Saturday in a wild 87-86 loss to host Arizona.

At Washington, D.C...

4 Villanova (21-6, 16) vs. 13 Belmont (25-4, 34)… Having only split 5 of its last 10 games prior to hosting Syracuse on Monday night, Nova might be on the brink of playing itself out of a protected seed; the Cats cut it awfully close on the road vs. lower-level Big East opposition (Seton Hall and DePaul) last week. And we guarantee Belmont is not an opponent any foe is going to take lightly, not after Rick Byrd’s team pushed crosstown Vanderbilt as well as Tennessee in non-league play. Remember, too, how the Bruins nearly KO’d a Coach K Duke team in the first round a few years ago.

5 Kentucky (19-7, 14) vs. 12 Richmond (20-7, 47)... Until Kentucky proves it can win some games on the SEC road (which it has only done vs. South Carolina thus far), we’re reluctant to put Coach Cal’s Cats in protected seed territory. A matchup vs. Richmond and Chris Mooney’s modified Princeton offense could problems for the young UK side, too. The Spiders are Big Dance veterans, having made it in a year ago (only to lose to Saint Mary’s in the first round), and notched a much-needed win on Saturday over St. Bonaventure after laying an egg midweek at Temple. We think the A-10 is good for at least three bids and possibly four on Selection Sunday.

At Tucson...

2 San Diego State (27-1, 7) vs. 15 Long Beach State (17-10, 102)... If San Diego State keeps winning, it might be hard not to grant the Aztecs a top seed. Now the question is if SDSU is going to be up to winning its first-ever NCAA tourney games. We’ll find out soon enough. Meanwhile, Long Beach has drawn clear from the pack in the Big West, and after its BracketBuster win over Montana appears to be the clear favorite for the upcoming conference tourney, this year moved to the Anaheim Ducks’ Honda Center. The 49ers are one Big West entry that at least shouldn’t have to worry about being placed in one of the 16 vs. 16 play-in games. This would be a matchup of foes from the early days of the old PCAA.

7 George Mason (23-5, 26) vs. 10 Alabama (18-8, 58)… After developments elsewhere in the past week and its BracketBuster success at Northern Iowa, George Mason now has the nation’s longest win streak at 13 games. So, Jim Larranaga should be in good shape for his Patriots to get an at-large bid regardless of what happens in the fast-approaching CAA Tourney at Richmond. Meanwhile, although strength-of-schedule numbers are not convincing, we’re pretty confident that Anthony Grant’s disciplined Alabama is going to make the field as the Tide pulls clear in the SEC West and likely gets to 20 win by next week.

At Chicago...

3 Wisconsin (20-6, 10) vs. 14 College of Charleston (21-7, 71)... One way to distract all of the protesters in Madison would be for the hometown Badgers to keep winning and get rewarded with a protected sub-regional seed in Chicago. We’re relatively sure that the pride of Chester, PA, HC Bo Ryan, would think that would be a swell idea. But if Bobby Cremins’ College of Charleston emerges from the Southern Conference, beware, as the Cougars were good enough to win at Tennessee in late December, and Cremins is a veteran of many past March wars (both as a player and coach).

6 St. John’s (17-9, 27) vs. 11 Kansas State (18-9, 35)... No team has made a leap in the seedings over the past couple of weeks like St. Johns, which claimed another high-profile scalp last weekend (Pitt) to add to a collection that is already the nation’s most impressive; the Panthers are on top of West Virginia, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Duke, Cincinnati, UConn, and Marquette. Did anyone believe this was really possible under Steve Lavin? Speaking of leaps, we have put Kansas State back in the field after the Wildcats drilled Kansas and Oklahoma this past week. Having endured a turbulent campaign, K-State now seems poised to finish fast and return to the Dance.

WEST REGIONAL (Anaheim)

At Denver...

1 Kansas (23-1, 4) vs. 16 Vermont (22-6, 94)... Last week’s loss at Kansas State rocked the chalk out of the Jayhawks, but KU bounced back nicely to romp past Colorado on Saturday and still looks in pole position to get a number one seed in some region (we’ll say the West). Vermont has become something of a Big Dance regular in recent years and is poised to return to the Dance. And even though there are no more Taylor Coppenrath or HC Tom Brennan in the mix, Mike Lonergan’s Catamounts will nonetheless be favored to win the upcoming America East Tourney, where they will have homecourt edge throughout.

8 Florida State (19-7, 35) vs. 9 Illinois (17-10, 29)... Although there was some concern in Tallahassee after the Noles’ high scorer, F Chris Singleton, went down with a broken foot last week, FSU had no trouble with Wake Forest in its first game without Singleton, and ACC sources believe Leonard Hamilton has enough manpower to compensate enough to at least safely qualify for the Dance. We’re not quite as sure about Illinois, whose losses are piling up (now at 10) after Saturday night’s setback at Michigan State. The edge of the bubble is suddenly becoming rather crowded, and the Illini can ill afford too many more slips.

At Denver...

4 Arizona (23-4, 13) vs. 13 Cleveland State (21-6, 46)... Arizona has drawn clear in the Pac-10 and has probably done enough to secure protected seed status, although the Wildcats are prohibited from appearing in the Tucson sub-regional on their homecourt; Denver is the next best alternative. Meanwhile, we’re wondering if Cleveland State might now have to win the Horizon Tourney to make the Dance after getting pounded at Old Dominion in the BracketBuster. The Vikings have plenty of wins but none of the marquee variety, with two losses also against league foe Butler.

5 Syracuse (22-6, 12) vs. 12 Virginia Commonwealth (21-8, 77)/Minnesota (17-9/36)... The rugged Big East slate figured to knock a few teams down the seeding ladder and we suspect Syracuse is one of those, with several conference losses perhaps costing it a protected seed and more favorable destination for the sub-regional. VCU, however, won’t be complaining wherever it is sent, including Dayton for a play-in game. An impressive Bracket Busters display by the CAA powers makes us think the Committee might find room for a third Colonial team in the Dance, and it could be the Rams, off of their road win over Wichita and with notable non-league successes vs. UCLA and Purdue. Minnesota might also gladly accept a play-in assignment as it has fallen into the second division of the Big Ten table. But the Gophers are officially in bubble trouble and can forget about any invitation if they can’t at least get to .500 in the Big Ten (they’re at 6-8 after last weekend).

At Denver...

2 BYU (25-2, 5) vs. 15 Montana (19-8, 109)... We’re officially into "BYU mode" now that we approach March and must make the concessions to LDS rules and make sure the Cougars are involved in Thursday-Saturday regional action. That means BYU probably stays in the West because Anaheim is a Thursday-Saturday regional, and for sub-regional action Denver is not only the best geographic fit but also is on the Thursday-Saturday rotation. That’s why we have BYU in the West and San Diego State in the Southwest, which plays its San Antonio regional on a Friday-Sunday rotation. Montana stumbled in the Bracket Buster at Long Beach, and we’ll find out this week if the Grizzlies can stay ahead of Northern Colorado in the Big Sky race and thus host the upcoming conference tournament.

7 West Virginia (17-9, 19) vs. 10 Georgia (18-8, 49)... Both of these entries really helped their causes last weekend when each seemed to be in danger of playing themselves away from the safe side of the cut line. But WVU’s win over Notre Dame temporarily stopped the bleeding for the Mountaineers, who still have a challenging two weeks ahead (Pitt, UConn, and Louisville all looming) before the Big East Tourney; staying above .500 in league play (WVU is 8-6 at the moment) should be enough for the Selection Committee. Georgia, however, might have needed its Saturday win over Tennessee more than the Mounties needed their win over Notre Dame. The Bulldogs, with Trey Thompkins on the blocks and highlight-reel G Travis Leslie, could be a very dangerous draw for some high-profile foe in the sub-regional.

At Tampa...

3 Georgetown (21-6, 9) vs. 14 Oakland (20-9, 65)... Remember, Georgetown is prevented from playing in the D.C. sub-regional because the Hoyas home court is the Verizon Center, site of first and second-round action, so Tampa looms as a sub-regional possibility. But JT III’s troops could make a case for as high as a 2 seed, and recent lineup adjustments suggest the Hoyas might be built for a deep run. Oakland will enter the upcoming Summit League Tourney is Sioux Falls, SD as the favorite for a return visit to the Dance after facing Pitt in the first round a year ago. Don’t dismiss the Golden Grizzlies, either, after they won at Tennessee (a result that has admittedly lost a bit of its original luster) in December.

6 Xavier (20-6, 137) vs. 11 UTEP (20-6, 69)... We think that winning the A-10 regular-season crown will be good enough to assure an invite from the Selection Committee, and "X" is in good position for a return trip to the Dance after providing lots of thrills when Jordan Crawford starred for the Musketeers last year. As for Conference USA, it’s really a coin flip to see who emerges. At this moment, we think the league might squeeze an extra bid, but the advantage for the auto qualifier goes to Tim Floyd’s UTEP, which lost at Southern Miss last week but gets to host the conference tourney at the Haskins Center. As for Floyd, he’ll be looking to join a select few coaches who have taken four different schools to the Big Dance; in Floyd’s case, he’s already taken New Orleans, Iowa State, and Southern Cal.

Last four in: Memphis, Butler, Virginia Commonwealth, Minnesota.

Last four out: Colorado State, Michigan State, Gonzaga, Duquesne.

Next four out: Boston College, Maryland, Southern Miss, UAB.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-22-2011, 06:16 PM

NBA

Tuesday, February 22Game Score Status Pick Amount

Toronto - 7:00 PM ET Charlotte -6.5 500
Charlotte - Under 195.5 500

Indiana - 7:00 PM ET Indiana -1.5 500
Washington - Over 208.5 500

Houston - 7:30 PM ET Detroit +1.5 500
Detroit - Under 201 500

Sacramento - 7:30 PM ET Miami -13 500
Miami - Under 205.5 500

Minnesota - 8:00 PM ET Minnesota +8 500
Milwaukee - Over 193 500

L.A. Clippers - 8:00 PM ET L.A. Clippers +8.5 500
Oklahoma City - Under 206.5 500

Memphis - 9:00 PM ET Memphis +1.5 500
Denver - Over 205.5 500

Boston - 10:30 PM ET Golden State +4.5 500 ( NBA POD)
Golden State - Under 195.5 500 ( NBA TOTAL )

Atlanta - 10:30 PM ET Atlanta +7.5 500
L.A. Lakers - Over 189.5 500

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

NHL

Tuesday, February 22Game Score Status Pick Amount

NY Islanders - 7:00 PM ET NY Islanders +136 500
Toronto - Over 5.5 500

Phoenix - 7:00 PM ET Phoenix +156 500
Philadelphia - Over 5.5 500

NY Rangers - 7:00 PM ET Carolina -130 500
Carolina - Over 5.5 500

Nashville - 7:00 PM ET Nashville +109 500
Columbus - Over 5 500

San Jose - 7:30 PM ET San Jose +113 500 ( NHL POD )
Detroit - Over 5.5 500

Edmonton - 8:00 PM ET Minnesota -173 500
Minnesota - Under 5.5 500

Colorado - 8:00 PM ET Colorado +158 500
St. Louis - Over 5.5 500

New Jersey - 8:30 PM ET New Jersey -114 500
Dallas - Under 5 500

Boston - 9:00 PM ET Calgary +106 500
Calgary - Over 5.5 500

Montreal - 10:00 PM ET Montreal +171 500( NHL DOG )
Vancouver - Under 5.5 500

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

NCAAB

Tuesday, February 22Game Score Status Pick Amount

Virginia Tech - 7:00 PM ET Wake Forest +14 500
Wake Forest - Under 143.5 500

Mississippi - 7:00 PM ET Mississippi -1 500
South Carolina - Under 140.5 500

Illinois - 7:00 PM ET Ohio St. -10.5 500
Ohio St. - Under 135 500

La Salle - 7:00 PM ET Xavier -14 500
Xavier - Under 154 500

Indiana St. - 8:00 PM ET Northern Iowa -6.5 500
Northern Iowa - Under 125 500

Iowa St. - 8:00 PM ET Texas -17.5 500
Texas - Under 141 500 ( TOTAL POD )

Bradley - 8:05 PM ET Bradley +3.5 500
Illinois St. - Under 129 500

Louisville - 9:00 PM ET Rutgers +4 500
Rutgers - Under 134.5 500

Houston - 9:00 PM ET Memphis -11 500
Memphis - Over 137.5 500

Tennessee - 9:00 PM ET Tennessee +5 500
Vanderbilt - Under 143.5 500

Michigan St - 9:00 PM ET Minnesota -2.5 500
Minnesota - Under 133 500

Weber St. - 9:05 PM ET Weber St. -4.5 500
Idaho State - Over 138.5 500

Texas Christian - 10:00 PM ET Utah -7 500
Utah - Under 137.5 500

Announcement

The Bum's Tuesday's Best Bets NBA-NHL-NCAAB !

The Bum's Tuesday's Best Bets NBA-NHL-NCAAB !

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