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**StarDust Bum** · 02-25-2011, 03:06 PM

Bears and Shockers in NCAA betting showdown

The Bears were road underdogs when they beat the Shockers 59-56 in January.
It's uncanny how schedules work out sometimes, schedules that are often in the making several seasons before games are played. Things certainly worked out as far as the Missouri Valley Conference goes this year.

The No. 1 seed in the MVC Tournament is on the line at Springfield's JQH Arena this Saturday when the Missouri State Bears host the Wichita State Shockers. Both teams enter the fracas with the same 14-3 marks in the conference, are ranked in the top 10 of the last mid-majors poll and sport top-50 RPI ratings.

This battle begins with the same understanding that Thursday's Gonzaga, St. Mary's matchup held going in: A win won't guarantee either team an invitation to the dance while a loss seemingly relegates that squad to needing the automatic bid.

Both teams suffered BracketBuster Week losses to teams that have NCAA tourney hopes themselves, and that has made this matchup a possible invite-buster.

Missouri State (22-7 straight up, 13-13-2 against the spread) has gotten this far by dominating at home, 14-1 to date. Just don't ask Bears backers to tell you they've dominated at JQH Arena, at least not lately. Mo State started 5-0 at the window in home games but has since failed to cover any of its last nine home tilts (0-7-2). Regardless of where the court has been, the Bears are just 2-9 ATS their last 11.

They did get the cover in addition to the win in their most recent contest, a 76-58 win at Southern Illinois while carrying five-point chalk. Missouri St. drained 8-of-13 from long range and got a huge game from big man Will Creekmore. The senior hit for a career-best 26 and added 11 boards, his fifth double-double on the campaign, a big reason why it marked the 10th 'over' in the Bears' last 12 trips to the floor.

That win came off a very disappointing loss at Valparaiso. The Bears were two-point underdogs, a role they'd been 3-1 ATS before the game, and came out flat in an 80-67 defeat. Kyle Weems and Adam Leonard each had trouble finding the net, combing for 9-of-30 from the field, 2-of-13 from three-point land.

Wichita State (23-6 SU, 13-11 ATS) also comes off a victory after a BracketBuster loss. The Shockers needed every bit of the clock to avoid a second-straight home upset, getting past Creighton on Wednesday, 67-65. Aaron Ellis' late jumper helped Wichita St. to the win but the Shockers never came close to the 11-point spread they were laying.

They were nine-point chalk at home on Feb. 18 when Virginia Commonwealth pulled the 68-67 shocker in the final second. Joey Rodriguez's two free throws came with under a tick left to give the Rams that victory.

Missouri State was a 5½-point underdog when it scored a 59-56 win over the Shockers in Wichita a little more than six weeks ago. That game was two games in won, the Bears dominating the first 30 minutes or so and Wichita State rallying late to erase a 13-point deficit and make it a game. The contest carried a 137½-point total.

ESPN2 will air Saturday's matchup beginning at 10 a.m. (PT).

Both teams will be idle until next Friday, the second round of the MVC tourney that is set to begin at St. Louis' Scottrade Center on Thursday, March 3. If all projections hold true, the Shockers and Bears would meet in the Championship Game on Sunday, March 6, with CBS broadcasting that game starting at 10 a.m. (PT).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-25-2011, 03:07 PM

NCAA Odds: San Diego State hosts BYU Cougars

BYU handed the Aztecs their only loss of the season on January 26.
Let’s be honest. It hasn’t been a great season so far for college basketball out west.

There are two exceptions – Brigham Young and San Diego State.

The seventh-ranked Cougars take on No. 6 San Diego State Saturday at 11 a.m. PT on CBS in what could be the Aztecs’ most important home game in school history. At stake is first place in the Mountain West Conference and national prestige.

Both teams are 12-1 in Mountain West.

BYU is 26-2. San Diego State is 27-1 with its lone defeat occurring to BYU, 71-58, as 5 ½-point road ‘dogs on Jan. 26. The combined 129 points went ‘under’ the 145 ½-point total.

Cougars’ star guard Jimmer Fredette had a game for the ages in that first meeting scoring 43 points on 14-of-24 shooting from the floor, including five-of-eight from beyond the arc.

Fredette leads the nation in scoring at 27.4 points per game. The 6-foot-2 senior is averaging two points more per game than Marshon Brooks of Providence, the second-leading scorer in the country.

He stands a good chance of becoming just the third player since 1970 to win the scoring title and national player of the year honors in the same season. The only two to accomplish that feat during the past 40 years are Bradley’s Hersey Hawkins in 1988 and Purdue’s Glenn Robinson in 1994.

Fredette has scored 33 and 28 points, respectively, during his last two visits to San Diego’s Viejas Arena.

BYU swept the Aztecs last season winning 71-69 as one-point road ‘dogs and 82-68 as 7 ½-point home favorites.

San Diego State, though, will be rested having not played since last Saturday. Steve Fisher’s Aztecs currently rank seventh in the country defensively surrendering 58.6 points per contest. The Aztecs are 15th in defensive field goal percentage holding foes to 39.3 percent shooting.

The obvious key for the Aztecs is slowing down Fredette. He scored 34 points in the Cougars’ 84-76 hard-fought victory this past Wednesday against Colorado State. It was the first time in six games Fredette broke the 30-point barrier.

BYU failed to cover as 13 ½-point home favorites. The combined 160 points went ‘over’ the 148 ½-point total.

Fredette, nursing a bruised left calf, had his second-worst shooting game of the season against the Rams making only nine-of-26 shots from the field and two-of-eight from 3-point range.

The Cougars committed 19 turnovers with Fredette turning the ball over seven times. BYU, though, had a 48-29 rebounding advantage against the Rams. Cougars center Brandon Davies pulled down a career-high 15 rebounds while also scoring 14 points.

Most likely BYU wasn’t sharp against Colorado State because it was looking ahead to San Diego State and Fredette wasn’t 100 percent.

Now the biggest game of the season for both teams is here. A victory by San Diego State, which has never won an NCAA Tournament game, could mean a top-five ranking. The Aztecs are the only team in the Top 25 with just one defeat. All the other teams have at least two losses.

San Diego State is led in scoring by Kawhi Leonard, who is averaging 15.2 points a game. The Aztecs have won seven in a row since falling to the Cougars.

The Aztecs beat Air Force, 70-58, as 10 ½-point road favorites in their last game. The combined 128 points went ‘over’ the 121-point total.

San Diego State is 7-5 ATS in its ‘lined’ home games. BYU is 6-4 ATS when facing ‘board’ teams on the road.

The Cougars rank sixth in the nation offensively averaging 83 points a game. They are 22nd in free throw accuracy making 75.4 percent of their tosses from the foul line.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-25-2011, 03:08 PM

NCAAB Betting Preview: Florida at Kentucky

Florida’s victory over Kentucky on Feb. 5 was the Gators’ ninth win in the last 13 meetings
March Madness is just around the corner, and there is a quality Southeastern Conference matchup on Saturday’s schedule when 13th-ranked Florida (21-5 straight up, 9-13 against the spread) visits 22nd-ranked Kentucky (19-8 SU, 10-12 ATS).

The Gators currently sit atop the SEC East Division standings by 2 ½ games over second-place Vanderbilt, while the Wildcats are tied for fourth.

There are currently six SEC teams projected to reach the NCAA Tournament, and a winning streak down the stretch of the regular season will definitely improve tournament seeding. Florida continues to battle SEC West leader Alabama for the top seed in the upcoming SEC Tournament. The Gators are projecting to be around a three seed in the Big Dance, but there is still plenty of basketball to be played before the NCAA Tournament tips off.

Florida is riding a five-game SU winning streak heading into Thursday’s home matchup with Georgia. The Gators continued their winning ways by upending Louisiana State Sunday as a 10 ½-point road ‘chalk,’ 68-61.

The combined 129 points eclipsed the 121-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 3-1 the past four performances.

Florida cruised after opening a 15-point halftime advantage, 40-25, and improved to 7-1 SU this season when playing on the road. The Gators controlled the boards, 36-25, but the Tigers delivered more assists, 13-7. Florida finished the contest by shooting 46 percent (25-of-55) from the field, and 31 percent (4-of-13) from 3-point land.

Guards Kenny Boynton (17 points) and Erving Walker (17, four rebounds) paced the offense, while center Vernon Macklin added 16 and seven. Forward Alex Tyus also aided in the triumph with six and nine.

Kentucky had its brief two-game SU winning streak halted with Wednesday’s overtime setback to Arkansas as a seven-point road favorite, 77-76. The combined 153 points toppled the 140 ½-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ cash the fourth consecutive contest.

The Wildcats are now just 2-6 ATS their past eight outings.

Kentucky finished the game with advantages in rebounding (43-35) and assists (10-7), while shooting 42 percent (30-of-71) from the field but just 16 percent (3-of-19) from behind the arc. Coach John Calipari’s team is now just 1-6 SU in conference road games, but an unblemished 6-0 at Rupp Arena.

Guard Brandon Knight scored a season-high 26 points along with eight rebounds in the loss, while forward Josh Harrellson added 12 and 14. Guard Darius Miller provided 13 and eight, while DeAndre Liggins had 13 and five.

Florida dispatched Kentucky Feb. 5 as a one-point home underdog, 70-68, while the combined 138 points eclipsed the 134-point closing total. Senior forward Chandler Parsons stepped up with 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Gators. The Wildcats’ Knight finished with 24, five and four assists, but he missed a forced 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have won the game. Coach Billy Donovan’s team is now 9-4 SU the previous 13 games against Kentucky.

Florida forward Chandler Parsons is ‘probable’ versus the Wildcats due to an injured hip. The Gators wrap up their regular season with a home game against Alabama before traveling to Vanderbilt.

Kentucky concludes its regular season with a home game against Vanderbilt and a road contest at Tennessee.

CBS Sports will provide coverage of Saturday’s matchup beginning at 1:00 p.m. PT from Kentucky’s Rupp Arena.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-25-2011, 03:09 PM

NCAA Odds: George Mason among top mid-majors

Is there a Butler for this year’s tourney among the crop of mid-majors?
Weekend must-wins abound on the schedules for college basketball mid-majors. Next week when the big boys are closing their regular seasons, conferences like the West Coast, Missouri Valley, Colonial and Horizon will begin their postseason tournaments.

Thirty-one slots in this year's 68-team field are promised out to conference champions and the remaining 37 openings will be fought for tooth-&-nail by all, especially the middies. We've had the hype of 11 Big East schools making this year's tourney; 9-10 getting in definitely isn't out of the question, roughly a quarter of the at-large openings.

Too much remains to be determined when it comes to making any final decisions. An upset in the Big South could lead to a tough cut from the Horizon while the unexpected in the Pac-10 or SEC the rest of the way could open the door for someone in the Missouri Valley.

Still, there are some mid-major conferences that clearly will be in play for multiple tickets to the dance. The four that seem destined to have at least one at-large bid extended are the Colonial, West Coast, Horizon and Ivy League.

Let's start with the Ivy League.

No foolin', that preseason notion of two Ivy Leaguers attending the dance could come true. With no postseason tourney, the March 5 meeting in Boston between Harvard and Princeton should serve as the conference title tilt.

If neither is upset before then, the Crimson and Tigers will enter that matchup with one conference loss each, and 23-24 wins overall. Harvard's lone Ivy defeat came at Princeton on Feb. 4, a 65-61 setback as a 2½-point underdog. Princeton is off its only loss of the conference campaign, an embarrassing 75-65 upset at Brown as eight-point chalk.

Both teams head into weekend play with decent places in the RPI, but lacking on the Ken Pomeroy rankings. The loser of that March 5 game will need to have rolled over their other remaining opponents, but two entries is a strong possibility for the Ivy League.

The West Coast Conference is also a bubble group as far as sending two to the dance. The St. Mary's Gaels and Gonzaga Bulldogs are both worthy, but one could get squeezed out. All signs point to the two rivals meeting twice more, the first Thursday night (Feb. 24) for a regular season matchup and the next coming in the conference title game in Las Vegas a week or so later.

Both squads made the tourney last season, St. Mary's bowing out in the Sweet 16 to Baylor, 72-49, as a five-point underdog and Gonzaga exiting the round before that in an 87-65 loss to Syracuse who was favored by seven. Despite their resume that lists 12 consecutive NCAA appearances, the 'Zags might need two wins over the Gaels to make it, and if that happens it could mean St. Mary's gets left out despite a strong season overall.

Three deserving Horizon League squads are hopeful, but only two invites are likely to go out. Cleveland State holds a slim half-game lead presently over both Butler and Valparaiso. The Milwaukee Panthers are also lurking, but their only chance would be as the automatic qualifier meaning two of the previous three could be left to the NIT.

The Colonial Athletic Association also has three solid candidates plus a few bubble squads; like the Horizon League, however, there may only be two openings.

George Mason, the darlings of the 2006 NCAA Tournament when the Patriots made their shocking run into the Final Four, will get in either as the conference champ or as an at-large. The Patriots currently are ranked No. 1 on the mid-majors list, 17th according to the RPI. Old Dominion also could get an at-large invite, assuming the Monarchs at least reach the conference championship.

Virginia Commonwealth's only chance will be to earn the automatic bid. Keep an eye on Hofstra next week when the postseason tourney gets underway in Richmond, VA. The Pride could become the proverbial fly in the ointment and knock either ODU or VCU out of the mix.

There doesn't appear to be a Butler among this year's crop of mid-majors. The Bulldogs were a true top-10 squad in 2009-10 and had the talent to make a deep run in the tournament, which they did. Three teams, however, do appear capable of making a run into the Sweet 16: St. Mary's, George Mason and Bucknell.

The recent two-game slip by St. Mary's is worrisome. Still, the Gaels have decent players inside and a great court general in senior Mickey McConnell. It all comes down to exorcising Gonzaga from its run, something that would be a huge lift for the team going into the NCAA Tournament.

George Mason also is well-rounded and has some upperclassmen that won't be intimidated easily. The Patriots' biggest problem will be coming up a team that is strong in the paint and can post up a solid pair of big men.

I've probably jinxed the Bison by including them in this group, but there's still something about this Bucknell team that intrigues me. Mike Muscala is a great presence on the inside and the team shoots lights out from the charity stripe. The Bison are at least worth a look for a cover or two in the early stages of the tourney.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-25-2011, 03:09 PM

NBA Odds: Trail Blazers, Mavericks on ATS roll

The Mavericks are on a 14-1 SU run, going 11-4 ATS in that stretch of games.
The Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers have been on an ATS roll as we head into the final 20-25 games before the playoffs.

Dallas has the West’s second best record at 41-16 straight-up (32-23-2 against the spread). It’s played one game since the break, a 118-99 Wednesday home win over Utah as 10-point favorites. The Jazz were a little shell-shocked, playing without star point guard Deron Williams, traded to New Jersey earlier that day.

The Mavericks have now ‘covered’ five games in a row and are 14-1 SU and 11-4 ATS in their last 15 overall. The schedule has been easy, only four of the last 15 opponents currently slotted in the playoffs, but Mark Cuban’s bunch is rolling over teams.

Forward Peja Stojakovic was a recent acquisition and he’s averaging 10.9 PPG with Dallas. Cuban will keep looking to improve the team before and after the trading deadline as it looks for its first title. The Mavs next play at Washington on Saturday.

Portland (32-25 SU, 28-26-3 ATS) is 6-1 SU and 5-1-1 ATS in its last seven games. The one loss was a ‘bad beat,’ 106-101 in OT to the Lakers as 2 ½-point home ‘dogs. Portland blew a seven-point lead with under three minutes left in regulation.

The Trail Blazers are scoring 103. 7 PPG in their last seven games, compared to 96.3 PPG on the season (ranked 24th). LaMarcus Aldridge is averaging 31.3 PPG in those seven. Reinforcements are also here with Brandon Roy (knee injury) returning last game, although his minutes will be limited. The team hosts Denver on Friday.

Heading in the wrong direction

Minnesota has lost six games in a row and is also 1-5 ATS. Michael Beasley (ankle) missed the first four and team scoring during the six games (88.2 PPG) is way below the season average (101.8 PPG, 10th in the league).

New Orleans got a big 98-87 home win and ‘cover’ over the L.A. Clippers on Wednesday. The Hornets were just 2-9 SU and 1-10 ATS in their previous 11 games. They really miss injured center Emeka Okafor, out the last 10 games, but probable Friday at Minnesota.

The Clippers’ slide continues during their mammoth 11-game road trip. They’re 2-8 SU and 3-7 ATS so far, missing the scoring of Eric Gordon to help the sensational Blake Griffin. They return home to the Staples Center on Friday, but it’s still a ‘road’ game at the Lakers.

Atlanta is 0-3 SU and ATS in its last three games and 1-5 SU and ATS in the last six overall. The Hawks just made a major trade with Washington, shipping out Mike Bibby and others, with Kirk Hinrich the main piece back. They’re at Golden State on Friday.

Coaching changes a mixed bag

There have been three in-season coaching changes this year and the results have been mixed from a SU and ATS perspective.

Charlotte has improved all-around since Paul Silas took over for Larry Brown right after Christmas. The Bobcats were 9-19 SU and 12-14-2 ATS before the switch, 16-13 SU and 17-12 ATS since.

Indiana needed to shake things up and Jim O’Brien got the axe on Jan. 30, replaced by Frank Vogel. The record under O’Brien wasn’t pretty (17-27 SU, 20-22-2 ATS), but interim coach Vogel has his team playing hard (9-3 SU, 7-5 ATS).

Utah’s Jerry Sloan called it quits on Feb. 23 after 23 years on the job. The Jazz were 31-23 SU and 24-29-1 ATS under their long-tenured coach, but are 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS since going with former assistant Ty Corbin.

Orlando Magic a quiet dog

The Orlando Magic have been a very quiet underdog this year (1-5-1 ATS). They’ve come up short (0-4 SU, 0-3-1 ATS) at the three best teams record-wise in Boston, Miami and San Antonio.

Meanwhile, Boston has been a very profitable ‘dog at 7-2 ATS, while San Antonio is 6-2 ATS. Miami is 4-3-1 ATS.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-25-2011, 03:10 PM

NBA Odds: Bulls start trip at Milwaukee Bucks

The Bulls are 2-0 versus the Bucks this season, both wins in Chicago.
The Chicago Bulls will look to step up their road play when they start a five-game trip at Central Division rival Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night.

The Bulls (39-17 straight-up, 33-21-2 against the spread) have had a mixed bag of results since the All-Star break. It began with an awful 118-113 loss as 8 ½-point favorites at lowly Toronto on Wednesday. It was the second-most points Chicago has let up this season.

Big man Joakim Noah returned after missing 30 games with a thumb injury. He showed his value with 16 boards (nine offensive) in 25 minutes, but the team got caught looking ahead to a Miami Heat home showdown on Thursday.

The Heat clash lived up to its billing. It was a back-and-forth affair with each team owning at least a nine-point lead in the second half. The game was tied at 89-89 before a Luol Deng three-pointer led to a 93-89 win and ‘cover’ as three-point ‘dogs.

The 182 combined points scored went ‘under’ the 192-point total. The ‘over’ was 4-0 in Chicago’s previous four.

Noah (seven points, eight boards) was in foul trouble most of the game, but he did help limit Miami’s Chris Bosh to a historically bad 1-of-18 from the field. Omer Asik was Noah’s backup, which caused a DNP for veteran Kurt Thomas. Thomas started when Noah was out and it’s going take time for team chemistry to sort out.

Chicago is now 5-1 SU and ATS in its last six games, going 4-0 SU and ATS before the break.

The Bulls are a dominant home team (26-4 SU, 19-9-2 ATS). The road is a different story (13-13 SU, 14-12 ATS) and they can’t afford another poor effort in the 90 mile trek up to Wisconsin.

The Bucks (22-35 SU, 26-29-2 ATS) are starting a four-game homestand and are 1-1 SU and ATS since the break. They beat Minnesota on Tuesday night, 94-88 as eight-point home favorites. Starting point guard Brandon Jennings had 27 points and Corey Maggette added 20 off the bench.

Milwaukee had a ‘back-to-back’ at the Knicks on Wednesday and it was made infinitely harder by the debut of New York forward Carmelo Anthony. The former Nugget had 27 points in front of the raucous crowd. The Bucks’ John Salmons had 27 of his own and they at least ‘covered’ the 6 ½-points in the 114-108 loss.

The 222 combined points scored went way ‘over’ the 199 ½-point total. It was Milwaukee’s highest output in regulation since January 8, and the ‘under’ was 9-1 in its previous 10 games.

The last two games are a microcosm of the Bucks’ season. They have a bunch of solid players, but no superstar to carry them offensively every night or to pull out close games in the fourth quarter (like New York’s Anthony).

Shooting guard Michael Redd used to be that kind of guy, but he hasn’t played since January 2010 with a knee injury. Redd is back practicing some with the team, but he’s not cleared yet and the former 20 PPG scorer will make little impact the rest of this year.

Coach Scott Skiles’ team is last in the league in scoring (91.7 PPG), but can improve as long as the current starters stay healthy and Maggette (13.3 PPG) contributes off the bench.

Milwaukee is 14-13 SU and 11-14-2 ATS at home. The ‘under’ is 19-8 in those games.

The Bucks are 1-6-1 ATS in their last eight against the Central and 0-5 ATS in their last five following an ATS win.

Milwaukee’s Drew Gooden (out, foot) is the only injury for either team besides Redd.

Both meetings this year were in Chicago, with the Bulls going 2-0 SU and ATS. The ‘under’ went 2-0 and is 4-0 in the last four overall. Chicago is 4-1 ATS in the last five in Wisconsin.

Tip-off from the Bradley Center will be 5:30 p.m. (PT).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-25-2011, 03:11 PM

Bruins, Canucks highlight NHL odds slate

Two of the best goaltenders in the NHL square off Saturday night when Roberto Luongo and the Northwest Division-leading Vancouver Canucks host Tim Thomas and the Northeast Division-leading Boston Bruins.

The overnight line for this 7:00 p.m. (PT) contest has the Canucks as 150 home favorites, with the total set at 5 ½ ‘under’ (minus 120).

The well-rested Bruins have captured the first three outings on this current six-game road excursion, including Tuesday’s 3-1 victory at Calgary as 107 road favorites. The combined four goals dipped ‘under’ the 5 ½-goal closing total, snapping Boston’s streak of six straight ‘over’ games.

Nevertheless, the ‘under’ is 30-23-7 in the Bruins’ first 60 overall efforts and 13-11-6 in their first 30 road dates.

Tuesday’s victory lifted Boston’s road ledger to a sparkling 19-7-1-3, which is actually better then the club’s home record of 15-12-1-2. The Bruins are outscoring the opposition on enemy ice by almost one goal per game (3.2 – 2.3).

Boston All-Star goalie Tim Thomas made 28 saves, and Milan Lucic scored twice to lead the Bruins past Calgary.

Thomas was playing for the first time in a week after getting a two-game break from Bruins coach Claude Julien. The 36-year-old netminder had lost consecutive games for the first time this season, yielding eight goals in the process.

Thomas raised his record to 27-8-6) and lowered his NHL-leading goals-against average to 1.99. He also has a sparkling .939 save percentage and league-high seven shutouts.

Rich Perverley, acquired in a trade earlier in the week, made his Bruins debut by playing on a line with Chris Kelly and Michael Ryder.

Boston went 0-for-2 with the man advantage against the Flames, marking the first time in six games the Bruins had failed to register a power play goal. Nonetheless, the Bruins are ranked 13th on the power play with a 17.9 percent success rate.

Putting the puck in the net has not been a problem for a Boston offense that is ranked fourth with an average of 3.1 goals per game. The Bruins are averaging 33.5 shots on goal per game, which ranks second.

Vancouver has captured two of its first three outings on a current six-game homestand. The Canucks are off Thursday’s 3-2 victory against the St. Louis Blues as hefty 190 home favorites.

The combined five goals dipped below the NHL odds, leaving the ‘under’ 5-1 in Vancouver’s last six contests. However, the ‘over’ is 17-14-1 in the club’s first 32 home dates.

Manny Malhotra scored to snap a tie just over one minute into the third period and Cory Schneider turned aside 28 shots to lead Vancouver. Mikael Samuelsson scored and defenseman Sami Salo netted his first goal of the season to help Vancouver remain one point ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers in the race for the Presidents' Trophy.

Though Schneider was the winning goalie in Thursday’s game, Roberto Luongo figures to be between the pipes for Saturday’s contest against the Bruins. Vancouver’s No. 1 goalie is a nifty 28-11-2-5 with a sparkling 2.27 GAA, a .924 save percentage and three shutouts.

Alain Vigneault’s Canucks are outscoring their opponents at General Motors Place by an average of 3.53 to 2.19 en route to a league-best 22-5-1-4 home record.

Vancouver continues to lead the league both offensively and defensively. The club is scoring an average of 3.3 GPG and allowing an average of 2.3 GPG. The Canucks also own the league’s best power play with a 25 percent success rate, and are fourth on the penalty kill (85.5 percent).

Boston continues its six-game road journey next Tuesday with a stop in Ottawa to play the Senators. Vancouver remains on its six-game homestand with a Tuesday meeting against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-26-2011, 09:27 AM

Trending: NBA Home underdogs

With Thursday’s two games both featuring home underdogs winning, we figured it was time to see just how profitable betting on home dogs was this NBA season. We broke down home underdogs by team, conference and size of point spread and uncovered some interesting trends to consider when making future bets. All numbers are through Thursday, Feb. 24 and all results are Against The Spread. We eliminated both “pick ‘em” spreads and games that ended in a Push.
NBA Home Underdogs ATS Records Overall
Overall: 123 wins, 124 losses (50%)
+1 to +3 Spread: 46-50 (48%)
+3.5 to +5.5 Spread: 51-40 (56%)
+6 or more Spread: 26-34 (43%)

This is very surprising that home underdogs have been a losing bet on the whole this year. There is some money to be made (56%) when home dogs are getting 3.5 to 5.5 points, but once the spread climbs to 6+ points, these home teams are only covering 43% of their games. Let’s see what the conference breakdown holds.

NBA Home Underdogs ATS Records by Conference
Overall: 123 wins, 124 losses (50%)
East: 76-64 (54%)
West: 47-60 (44%)

East +1 to +3 Spread: 31-22 (58%)
East +3.5 to +5.5 Spread: 29-18 (62%)
East +6 or more Spread: 16-24 (40%)

West +1 to +3 Spread: 15-28 (35%)
West +3.5 to +5.5 Spread: 22-22 (50%)
West +6 or more Spread: 10-10 (50%)

The Eastern Conference home dogs are winning 10% more than those in the Western Conference, and that difference is a whopping 23% when just considering lines of +1 to +3. But which teams have the best records in these scenarios? Let’s first look at overall records as a home underdog.

Best ATS Records as Home Underdog (minimum 3 games)
Chicago 3-0 (100%)
Denver 3-1 (75%)
Philadelphia 8-3 (73%)
Memphis 4-2 (67%)
New York 3-2 (60%)

The 76ers are the only team above 60% with a significant sample size and they have been winning no matter what the spread.

Worst ATS Records as Home Underdog (minimum 3 games)
Dallas 1-3 (25%)
Houston 2-5 (29%)
Golden State 3-7 (30%)
Minnesota 6-12 (33%)
Utah 1-2 (33%)
Indiana 3-5 (38%)

The top five teams on this list are all Western Conference teams. Dallas has only been a home dog four times this year, but there are seven teams that have been a home dog less than three times (L.A. Lakers 0, Miami 0, Orlando 0, San Antonio 0, Atlanta 1, Oklahoma City 1 and Boston 2).

We conclude this study with a breakdown of some other significant home underdog trends.

PLAY ON:

NEW JERSEY is 6-1 ATS as a home underdog when getting +3.5 to +5.5 points. The Nets have won four of these games outright, beating Atlanta, Chicago, Memphis and Portland, and lost two of these by a combined four points.
PHILADELPHIA is 5-1 ATS as a home dog when the spread is +1 to +3. The 76ers are winning big in this scenario, outscoring these slight favorites by 11.1 PPG (93.3 to 82.2)! The UNDER is also 5-1 when Philly is a home dog of 1-to-3 points.

CHARLOTTE is 3-1 ATS as a home dog when getting +3.5 to +5.5 points, with all three ATS wins also being SU wins. The Bobcats beat the Lakers by 20 as a five-point dog, topped Memphis by 14 when getting 3.5 points and edged Boston 94-89 as a 4.5-point underdog. All of these games have occurred since January.

PLAY AGAINST:
MINNESOTA is 0-5 ATS as a home underdog when the spread is +1 to +3. The Timberwolves have been crushed in these games by 11.0 PPG. They are scoring 96.6 points and surrendering 107.6.

L.A. CLIPPERS are 1-4 ATS as a home underdog when the spread is +1 to +3. Their four losses in this scenario have been by an average of 11.2 PPG (103.5 to 92.3).

HOUSTON is also 1-4 ATS as a underdog when getting 3 or fewer points. Although the Rockets are putting up 103.2 PPG in this scenario, they are also allowing a hefty 108.6 PPG.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-26-2011, 09:28 AM

BYU goes for season sweep of SDSU

BYU COUGARS (26-2, 12-1 in Mountain West)

at SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS (27-1, 12-1 in Mountain West)

Tip-off: Saturday, 2:00 p.m. EDT
Line: San Diego State -3, Total: 141

Who says the regular season is meaningless? Don’t try and tell that to a fan of the Mountain West Conference. When San Diego State and Brigham Young meet in the Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl Saturday, the contest could go a long way towards deciding who will be the champions of the MWC. While both teams are in the top-10 nationally and locks to make the field of 68, the Cougars and the Aztecs are playing for positioning for their seeding in the big dance. Tied at 12-1 atop the conference, 7th-ranked BYU can wrest away control of the league with a victory over Steve Fisher’s 6th-ranked Aztecs, having previously defeated them in Utah. If they can find a way to complete this portion of the season with a Mountain West Tournament championship, the Cougars will have a strong argument for why they deserve a number one seed in the West. But lets not get ahead of ourselves, right now the biggest game of the year is the next one, and BYU will have to deal with an angry rival that is out to avenge its only loss of the year, and hungry to apply the brakes to that express train known as Jimmer Fredette mania.

Just about everything about these two teams this year can be characterized by three words: neck and neck. Not only are they that way in the conference standings, they are separated by just one loss (27-1 versus 26-2) overall, and even in the RPI ratings, San Diego State is rated 4th, just two spots behind Brigham Young, who sit at No. 2. The only time where closeness wasn’t quite the case was in the first meeting of the year, when BYU defeated the Aztecs 71-58, snapping the 20-game win streak that began San Diego State’s season. "It was a physical game and we stayed with them for about 35 minutes, but we just couldn't hang for 40," San Diego State coach Steve Fisher said.

The Cougars did it with a heavy dose of Jimmer Fredette (27.4 PPG, 4.2 APG). The nation’s leading scorer and national Player of the Year candidate torched the visitors for 43 points on 14-of-24 shooting, which included 5-for-8 from beyond the arc. Fredette was spectacular, but he got some key help. Reserve center James Anderson had a career-high five blocks in just 14 minutes of action, and sophomore forward Brandon Davies (11.4 PPG, 6.2 RPG) got his team off to a fast start with eight points in the first 10 minutes of the game. Forward Noah Hartsock led BYU with seven rebounds, and the entire Cougars team was tenacious at covering Aztecs shooters all over the floor, as San Diego State shot just 35.5% on the night. Another key effort was turned in by guard Jackson Emery, BYU’s all-time steals leader, who held SDSU guard D.J. Gay (12.1 PPG, 3.5 APG) to two points on 0-for-7 shooting from the floor.

One of the things that did work for the Aztecs was the play of sophomore forward Kawhi Leonard (15.2 PPG, 10.7 RPG). Leonard posted 22 points and 15 boards against BYU, but his six turnovers were backbreakers, as the Aztecs attempted to mount a late second-half comeback. Leonard is one of the most complete forwards as there is in the country, consistently filling the stat sheet with points and rebounds on a game-by-game basis. Leonard has failed to reach double-figure scoring in just three of the 27 games he has played this year. The performances in Provo by Gay and top rebounder Malcolm Thomas (11.6 PPG, 8.2 RPG) were particularly surprising, as the two players combined to shoot just 4-for-18 from the floor. The Aztecs were 25% (5-for-20) from three-point territory, well below their 35.3% clip for the season. The January 26 game played before a ferocious crowd of 22,700 marked the first time that two Mountain West teams each in the top-10 squared off against each other. Saturday will be the second time. The Aztecs are hoping for the sequel to surpass the original. Bring your popcorn.

Despite their 25-2 SU record, the Cougars are just 11-13 ATS this year, including 7-7 ATS in non-home games. They are also 10-11 ATS after a straight-up win. Since losing to BYU, San Diego State has played stellar defense, holding all seven opponents to 62 points or less (56.3 PPG). The Aztecs are 7-4 ATS at home and have won their 13 home games by an average of 19.5 PPG. If they can hold Fredette to a “mere” 30 points, they should win comfortably. These two FoxSheets trends also like San Diego State to win and cover on Saturday.

Play On - Home teams as a favorite or pick (SAN DIEGO STATE) - revenging a same season loss vs. opponent against opponent after a home game where both teams scored 75 points or more. (71-38 over the last 5 seasons.) (65.1%, +29.2 units. Rating = 2*).

BYU is 38-76 ATS (33.3%, -45.6 Units) in road games versus good teams - outscoring their opponents by 4+ points/game since 1997. The average score was BYU 68.5, OPPONENT 73.4 - (Rating = 2*).

Eleven of the past 17 games in the series have gone Under the total and this FoxSheets trend also supports playing the Under.

SAN DIEGO STATE is 27-11 UNDER (71.1%, +14.9 Units) in all home games over the last 3 seasons. The average score was SAN DIEGO STATE 72.2, OPPONENT 56.0 - (Rating = 2*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-26-2011, 09:34 AM

Hokies hope to burst bubble

February 26, 2011

For three straight seasons, Virginia Tech (18-8 straight up, 10-10-2 against the spread) has spent February and March on the proverbial bubble. And on each Selection Sunday, the Hokies haven’t heard their name called.

In order to avoid a similar fate this time around, Seth Greenberg’s team could use a win Saturday night at home against top-ranked Duke. Now that’s not to imply that a loss ruins Va. Tech’s chances of going to the NCAA Tournament, but a setback certainly ensures another Selection Sunday filled with anxiety.

Most betting shops opened Duke (26-2 SU, 16-11 ATS) as a 4 ½-point favorite with the total in the 141-142 range. The Blue Devils have regained the top spot in the rankings thanks to a seven-game winning streak since losing at St. John’s on Jan. 31.

Mike Krzyzewski’s team is coming off Wednesday’s 78-61 win over Temple as a 13 ½-point home favorite. Senior forward Kyle Singler snapped out of a personal shooting slump to score a game-high 28 points. Nolan Smith added 15 points, six rebounds and four assists for the winners, who are 6-1 ATS during their seven-game surge.

Va. Tech went to Winston-Salem on Tuesday night and captured a 76-62 win at Wake Forest as a 14-point road ‘chalk.’ Jeff Allen scored 17 points and pulled down eight rebounds, while Malcolm Delaney chipped in with 17 points as well.

Va. Tech has won 10 of its 12 home games in Blacksburg, cashing tickets at a 5-3 ATS clip. This is the first time the Hokies have been listed as home underdogs.

Duke has covered the number in five consecutive ACC road games. The Blue Devils were favorites in each of those contests.

The ‘under’ is 12-10 overall for Va. Tech, but the ‘over’ has hit at a 6-2 clip in its home outings. Meanwhile, Duke has seen the ‘under’ go 14-13 overall but it is on a 6-1 run in its last seven games (regardless of venue).

Duke has won four consecutive head-to-head meetings in this rivalry, going 3-0-1 ATS in the process. These programs last met at Cameron Indoor Stadium last season with the Blue Devils winning by a 67-55 count as 12-point home favorites.

Singler had 25 points and 10 rebounds against the Hokies, while Smith added 23 points. Delaney finished with 19 points but he was just 5-of-19 from the field.

Tip-off is slated for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

In another prime-time tilt on ESPNU at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, Texas A&M will go on the road to face Baylor. Most books opened the Bears as 2 ½-point favorites.

Baylor (17-10 SU, 6-13 ATS) has won 14 of its 16 home games, but it is an abysmal 2-6 versus the number in Waco. The Bears are led by senior guard LaceDarius Dunn, who averages a team-high 20.4 points per game.

But Dunn had better get it going if his team is going to return to the NCAA Tournament just one year after advancing to the Elite Eight. Dunn had an atrocious performance in Wednesday’s 77-59 loss at Missouri. In 36 minutes of playing time, Dunn committed six turnovers, zero rebounds and zero assists. He scored 12 points and was 4-of-14 from the field.

Scott Drew’s team has just one victory over an RPI Top 50 team, but that could change with a win in this spot and in Baylor’s regular-season finale vs. Texas.

Texas A&M (22-5 SU, 10-8-1 ATS) has an RPI of 17 thanks to a 4-2 record against Top 50 squads. The Aggies have bounced back from a three-game losing streak to win five in a row. They are coming off a 71-57 home win Wednesday over Oklahoma as 12 ½-point favorites.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--Florida has won nine of its 10 games against RPI Top 50 teams following Thursday’s 71-62 win over Georgia as a six-point home favorite. Chandler Parsons came off the bench to spark his team to victory after missing the first game of his career in last Sunday’s win at LSU. Parsons scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead UF back from a seven-point deficit at halftime. The Gators face a quick turnaround when they play at Kentucky on Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. Eastern on CBS. Most books opened UK as a 7 ½-point home favorite.

--St. John’s is an underdog once again when it faces Villanova on ESPN at 2:00 p.m. Eastern. Most spots opened the Wildcats as six-point home favorites. The Johnnies are 5-1 both SU and ATS in their last six games as ‘dogs.

--Gonzaga has won five consecutive games, going 4-1 ATS in the process. Mark Few’s team captured a huge win Thursday at St. Mary’s in overtime. Barring an unforeseen upset loss, it now appears clear that the Bulldogs are poised to remain perfect during Few’s tenure in terms of making the Big Dance.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-26-2011, 09:35 AM

Midwestern Report

February 25, 2011

Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas coach Bill Self said guard Tyshawn Taylor probably will continue to serve his suspension for an unspecified violation of team rules when the Jayhawks travel to play at Oklahoma on Saturday. Elijah Johnson replaced Taylor in the starting lineup and scored 15 points to go along with three assists and three rebounds. Johnson will continue to start with Taylor suspended.

Jayhawks’ Thomas Robinson was thought to be out until early March recovering from surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his right knee, but Robinson returned on Monday to play against Oklahoma State. The 6’9” forward averages 8.7 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game in just over 15 minutes per game off the bench.

Indiana State Sycamores

Senior guard Jake Kelly may have played his last game with Indiana State. He last played on February 1st and is out indefinitely with mononucleosis. The Sycamore guard is third on the team in scoring at 9.3 points per game.

Now, second-leading scorer Carl Richard is doubtful for Saturday’s matchup with Southern Illinois. Richard suffered a knee injury during Tuesday's game against Northern Iowa after a dunk attempt. He averages 10.5 points per game and leads the team with 6.9 rebounds per game.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Irish forward Carleton Scott tweaked his ankle against Providence on Wednesday. The senior captain remains questionable for Saturday’s game against Seton Hall. Scott previously missed four games this season with a hamstring injury, and the Irish went just 2-2 in his absence. Scott averages 11.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks for the ninth-ranked Fighting Irish.

Texas Tech Red Raiders

Guard Mike Singletary did not travel to Waco last Saturday as he was still recovering from a bruised calf and strained MCL. Singletary is Tech’s second-leading scorer and top rebounder, but the Red Raiders pulled off a giant upset over Baylor without him. Singletary came off the bench in Tech’s last game against Colorado despite claiming he’s not 100 percent healthy yet. He scored 17 points and grabbed six rebounds in 29 minutes. He’s probable for Texas Tech’s trip to Oklahoma State on Saturday.

UW-Milwaukee Panthers

The Panthers have won eight on their last nine games including a road win over the first-place team in the Horizon league, Cleveland State. UW-M now sits in third place in the Horizon and will be a serious threat come conference tournament time.

Senior and leading scorer Anthony Hill sprained his ankle in the Panthers loss to Buffalo last weekend on Bracket Buster Saturday. Hill was questionable heading into Thursday’s game against Cleveland State. He played 17 minutes and scored 16 points in the upset. He isn’t 100 percent, but he’ll continue to play unless the injury worsens.

Northern Illinois Huskies

The Huskies have dropped eight straight games (2-6 against the spread) and have fallen to second-to-last in the MAC West. Things aren’t looking up, as they may be without leading scorer Xavier Silas along with two other key contributors for their next game. Silas injured his ankle in NIU’s last game loss to Central Michigan and remains questionable for Saturday. The Huskies would sorely miss the seniors 22.3 points per game.

Forward Lee Fisher and guard Bryan Hall are also questionable for Saturday’s game against Toledo. Fisher and Hall are key role players who combine to average eight points and 8.3 rebounds per game.

Southern Illinois Salukis

Starting center Gene Teague returned from a three-game suspension to play just five minutes against Indiana State on February 16th. He wasn't even on the bench for Senior night on Wednesday because of what head coach Chris Lowery called dealing with "personal reasons." It’s unlikely that Teague will return for the remainder of Southern Illinois’ season, and the Salukis will miss his 8.9 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game.

Toledo Rockets

Guard Reese Holliday will miss the remainder of the season after suffering two stress fractures in his right foot on February 15th. Holliday was second on the team with 10.5 points per game and led the team with 6.5 rebounds per game. Toledo hasn’t won since January 19th and has just four victories this entire season and losing Holliday certainly doesn’t improve the Rockets’ chances from here on out.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-26-2011, 09:37 AM

What to watch: College hoops betting TV guide

Missouri Tigers at Kansas State Wildcats (-3.5, 149.5), 12 p.m. ET, ESPN

Jacob Pullen is finally looking like the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year. Pullen has dropped 27 points in consecutive games, including the team’s most recent four-point win at Nebraska. In the 61-57 win, he dropped 20 in the second half, thanking his brother for telling him to get more aggressive.

"Beginning of Big 12, I thought I was playing well, but just really thought toward the end of games I wasn't asserting myself and I was being too passive," said Pullen. "Lately, my brother has really been telling me I gotta force the issue and even my teammates. Curt (Kelly) and (Jamar Samuels) really just saying I gotta make plays and make things happen toward the end of games so we can win games."

Syracuse Orange at Georgetown Hoyas (-1.5, 134.5), 12 p.m., CBS

The Hoyas will be without lead guard Chris Wright when they host the Orange this weekend. Wright broke a bone in his left, non-shooting hand in a loss to Cincinnati Wednesday. The guard is averaging 13.1 points per game this season, but had been even better the previous three contests, averaging 21.7 points per night on 50 percent shooting over that span.

"Our medical staff is optimistic, and although we do not have an exact timetable, we expect to have Chris back before the end of the season," coach John Thompson III.

Wichita State Shockers at Missouri State Bears (-1, 135), 1 p.m., ESPN2

Aaron Ellis is getting clutch minutes for the Shockers. Ellis, a senior, is averaging just 4.7 points per game, but notched eight on 4-for-6 shooting in a 67-65 win over Creighton earlier this week. Of the four field goals, the final one was a bank shot that won the game and gave his team the victory on senior night. Look for the team to continue to use Ellis in a short-to-midrange game.

“I always tell (Ellis), if I drive, just dive to the basket and I’ll find you,” Shockers guard Joe Ragland said. “It kicked in at the right time. He dove right to the basket. He got a layup for the game.”

St. John’s Red Storm at Villanova Wildcats (-6.5, 134.5), 2 p.m., ESPN

Who would have thought that the Wildcats would have trouble scoring? Including a 69-64 loss to Syracuse this week, Villanova is a mediocre 5-6 in its past 11 games. The team has made just 40.7 percent or worse from the floor in six of those games, going 1-5 in those contests.

Against Syracuse, the team hit rock bottom, making a horrendous 32.3 percent of their shots. Sophomore guard Maalik Wayns is also questionable, as he missed the second half against Syracuse with back spasms.

BYU Cougars at San Diego State Aztecs (-3, 141), 2 p.m., CBS

To beat the visiting Cougars, the Aztecs will have to crack the BYU zone. The team has been mixing in more and more of a zone look the past few games with amazing results. Since giving up 86 points to New Mexico late last month, the team has given up more than 64 points only once in six straight games – all wins.

“I think defensively we’ve been better. We changed things up a little bit. We are playing a little bit more zone. I think [with] our man matchups, guys are doing a much better job of their individual responsibility with their man,” BYU coach Dave Rose said. “We don’t have to bring a second defender as much.”

Memphis Tigers at UTEP Miners (-4, 134.5), 3 p.m., ESPN2

Antonio Barton is good to go for the Tigers. Playing 33 minutes in a win over Houston, the freshman dropped 10 points and added three rebounds, two assists and two steals. However, after the game, he was so dehydrated he spent the ensuing day at the hospital getting pumped back full of liquid. Barton was released from the hospital Thursday and given a clean bill of health.

"They did all types of tests. They were very thorough just to make sure there were no issues. Everything came back negative in terms of the tests; everything was clean," Memphis coach Josh Pastner said. "They released him with no restrictions."

Kansas Jayhawks at Oklahoma Sooners (+14.5, 144), 4 p.m., ESPN

The Jayhawks needed to find a replacement for suspended junior Tyshawn Taylor at the point. Kansas might have a new full-time starter in sophomore Elijah Johnson. In a 92-65 win over Oklahoma State, he held the Cowboy’s Keiton Page to a mere eight points on 2-of-11 shooting. Johnson also dropped in 15 points himself on just six shots.

“He is our starter. I mean there is no doubt about that,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “Whether or not he remains a starter for how long, who knows? We’re going to Norman ... he’s going to have the ball in his hands, so we’ll see how that goes.”

Florida Gators at Kentucky Wildcats (-8, 136.5), 4 p.m., CBS

Wildcats forward Terrance Jones had 10 points, eight rebounds and four blocks in an overtime loss against Arkansas. Normally, that would be a good performance for the star freshman. But not when he was continually abused down low by Razorbacks sophomore Marshawn Powell, who had 22 points and 10 rebounds and dominated the paint.

"He just went right at him (Jones)," Wildcats coach John Calipari said. "He wasn't afraid of him. It was a toughness thing. Again, we need to learn."

Mississippi State Bulldogs at Tennessee Volunteers (-11, 135.5), 6 p.m., ESPN

Not even Coach Bruce Pearl has any idea who will play for his Volunteers. In a 60-51 win at Vanderbilt, he followed a “gut feeling” to give Jeronne Maymon nine minutes after he had touched the court only once in the past 11 games. He also gave 10 minutes to freshman Trae Golden, who came through with a team-high three assists. Golden hadn’t played since Feb. 12.

"We'll look at Mississippi State,'' Pearl said, "and see how practice goes, knowing we have some options available to us.''

Seton Hall Pirates at Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-10, 134), 7 p.m., ESPNU

Senior captain Charleton Scott is limping. Missing four games last week with a tear in his hamstring, Scott now is struggling with a sprained right ankle and spent the last few minutes of a win over Providence with his foot wrapped in ice. He had 10 rebounds against the Friars and has grabbed 10 or more caroms in four of the past five games. Scott is questionable against the Pirates.

“He actually got off the plane better than I thought; he didn't need crutches,” said Notre Dame coach Mike Brey.“I think we'll really take a look at him Friday and see where he's at. I was more encouraged seeing how he was walking without any crutches from the plane to the bus.”

Duke Blue Devils at Virginia Tech Hokies (+4.5, 142), 9 p.m., ESPN

Freshman guard Tyler Thornton continues to give the Blue Devils a boost. Whether getting a spot start or coming off the bench, he has succeeded in both roles. In a recent win over Temple, he came off the pine in the first half to score six points in the opening 20 minutes for the second straight game. It might not seem like much, but it’s huge for a streak-shooting team that has struggled to find rhythm at times this year.

Texas A&M Aggies at Baylor Bears (-2.5, 128), 9 p.m., ESPNU

The Aggies have won three straight road games thanks to the development of a low post game. Forward David Loubeau dropped a career-high 22 points in a recent win over Oklahoma State. Over the past six games, he has cracked double-figures six times as he averages 11.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game this season.

“David pretty much carried us the whole game,” said Aggies guard Kris Middleton. “We just tried getting the ball to him and let him go to work.”

**StarDust Bum** · 02-26-2011, 09:52 AM

Syracuse seeks 4th straight win visiting Georgetown

SYRACUSE ORANGE (23-6, 10-6 in Big East)

at GEORGETOWN HOYAS (21-7, 10-6 in Big East)

Tip-off: Saturday, 12:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Georgetown -1, Total: 134.5

The pendulum on what has been the Syracuse basketball season seems to have swung back and forth more than the fate of the Carmelo Anthony trade. The team started the season by winning 18 straight, then it lost four straight, followed by two more wins, then two more losses, and finally its current three-game win streak. If Syracuse was a stock the broker would be running out of Pepto Bismol on a weekly basis. Still, putting the angst of the Orange fans aside, an objective observer would have to admit that the ‘Cuse has shown a penchant for playing its toughest on the road against some of the Big East’s tougher teams. Remember, Syracuse was the ranked team that went into Madison Square Garden and actually beat St. John’s (a task that Georgetown, Notre Dame, Duke, Connecticut, and Pittsburgh failed to do). When the Orange were riding a four-game losing streak, they snapped it on the road against Connecticut. Last Monday they went into the Wells Fargo Center and beat a tough nationally-ranked Villanova squad. So while its fans have been worriers, the Orange have been warriors when it comes to a road test. Saturday in our nation’s capital, they get a chance to enhance that road mark when they visit John Thompson III and his No. 11 Georgetown Hoyas.

After being the hot Big East flavor of the month during an eight-game stretch where the Hoyas won all eight games, the team has suddenly fallen on hard times, both offensively and physically. Georgetown has lost two of its past three games, last week to Connecticut, and this Wednesday to Cincinnati. While the team is the eighth-best shooting squad in the nation (48.9% FG), the offense is in reverse, scoring 70, 61, and 46 in its past three games. In the loss to the Bearcats, Georgetown shot an anemic 25% from the floor, and only made 12 field goals the entire night. Top scorer Austin Freeman (17.8 PPG) is averaging just 11.6 PPG over his past three games. Of much greater concern right now is the fact that Georgetown will be without its senior point guard, Chris Wright, for a little bit. Wright had surgery Thursday to repair his broken left hand. Coach Thompson says that he is “optimistic” that Wright (13.1 PPG, 5.4 APG) will return before the end of the season, but offered no timetable for that return. Wright reportedly suffered the injury in the second half against Cincinnati after turning the ball over and committing a reach-in foul. He had been playing some of his best basketball of the year, averaging 21.7 PPG on 50% shooting over his previous three games. Wright was superb in the February 9 meeting against Syracuse, tallying nine assists, five rebounds, two blocks and just one turnover in Georgetown’s 64-56 victory in the Carrier Dome. Look for junior Jason Clark (12.0 PPG) and backup guard Vee Sanford to get increased minutes in Wright’s absence.

No. 17 Syracuse (23-6, 10-6) is coming off two close victories in the past week, the hard-fought, five-point win over ‘Nova, and an overtime scare at home last Saturday over Rutgers, 84-80. Against the Scarlet Knights, top scorer Kris Joseph saved his best for last, scoring six of his 21 points in overtime. Rick Jackson chipped in with another double-double, 16 points and 12 boards. Monday night in Philly, Jackson had another big game, scoring 18 points, with five rebounds and four blocks, while point guard Scoop Jardine, playing in his hometown, overcame some heavy second-half foul trouble to bury 20 points along with six assists as the Orange made their free throws down the stretch (13-of-17, 76.5% for the game) to hold on for a second straight close victory. The Orange are looking to make it two straight years winning in the Verizon Center, but will hope to avoid a wild contest like last year’s affair, when Syracuse allowed Georgetown to trim a 23-point, second-half lead down to one, before holding on for the 75-71 triumph.

Syracuse is 16-9 SU and 14-11 ATS versus Georgetown since 1997, but the teams are 5-5 (SU and ATS) in meetings in Washington D.C., and 3-3 (SU and ATS) in the past three seasons overall. Neither team has been a great bet this year, as the Orange are 11-16 ATS overall and 7-9 ATS in the Big East, while the Hoyas are 15-12 ATS overall, but just 6-10 ATS in conference play and 5-7 ATS at home. With Syracuse’s recent road success coupled with the absence of Chris Wright, the pick here is the Orange. These two highly-rated FoxSheets trends also like Syracuse to win.

Jim Boeheim is 14-1 ATS (93.3%, +12.9 Units) in road games off an upset win as a road underdog as the coach of SYRACUSE. The average score was SYRACUSE 76.7, OPPONENT 66.1 - (Rating = 5*).

GEORGETOWN is 3-17 ATS (15.0%, -15.7 Units) after playing a game where both teams score 65 points or less over the last 3 seasons. The average score was GEORGETOWN 69.2, OPPONENT 69.2 - (Rating = 4*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-26-2011, 09:54 AM

Tigers looking for more down the stretch

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) - Clemson guard Tanner Smith knows the Tigers aren't experts in the motion offense. Still, the junior thinks the team has picked up first-year coach Brad Brownell's schemes quicker than some may have expected.

That's one reason for Clemson's success.

``Maybe we're 'A' students now,'' Smith said Friday. ``We'll see how it goes.''

With about a week left in the regular season, the Tigers are vying for a first-round bye in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament and a spot in the NCAAs. The stretch starts Saturday against Wake Forest, the Tigers' first game since a rousing road win at Miami last Sunday.

Bidding for an NCAA spot was not where some, including Smith, thought Clemson (18-9, 7-6 ACC) would be so late in the season. Not after longtime coach Oliver Purnell left for DePaul and the team's star, Trevor Booker, became a first-round NBA draft pick.

``I definitely had some questions,'' Smith said.

Clemson was picked to finish seventh in the ACC. There were several reasons, including the unknown quantity of Brownell, hired from Wright State to replace Purnell, and the question over who would pick up the offensive punch of Booker, the power forward who led the Tigers with 15.2 points and 8.4 rebounds a game last year.

Things looked even worse early on. Brownell could not hold on to promising Purnell recruit Marcus Thornton while long-range shooter Noel Johnson decided to transfer less than a month into the season.

There were three straight awful defeats to Michigan, rival South Carolina and Florida State where the Tigers appeared lost in the offensive flow.

``It was a transition, no doubt about that,'' Smith said. ``But we had some people who were battle tested and wanted to succeed.''

The Tigers reeled off eight straight victories, including a 2-0 start in ACC play. They defeated a ranked team in Florida State on Jan. 29 and are a game behind Virginia Tech for fourth place, which would mean an opening round rest when the ACC tournament starts.

``We're on the bubble, or whatever, so we have a lot of work to do before we worry about those kinds of things,'' Brownell said.

The Tigers have been particularly sharp at home, winning five of six so far with the Demon Deacons (1-12 in the league) on Saturday and the Hokies left at Littlejohn Coliseum a week later.

Despite the transition, Brownell never eased up on expectations. But he didn't inflate them, either, always placing the emphasis on gradual improvement over how high the Tigers might go.

He's not changing that now with Clemson in sight of a fourth consecutive NCAA tournament berth.

``Both collectively and individually, we still have to get more guys playing consistently well for us to challenge in the ACC tournament or things of that nature,'' the coach said.

The Tigers have been led by seniors in point guard Demontez Stitt and forward Jerai Grant. Stitt, a slasher who's best at driving the lane, is the team's top scorer at 14 points a game. Grant, the 6-foot-8 son of former Oklahoma standout Harvey, is right behind at 12 points a game and leads the club in rebounding (6.5 average).

Smith says the team's epiphany came when they discovered that tightening defense would mean easier baskets and a better offensive flow. The Tigers lead the ACC in scoring defense giving up just 60.2 points a game, 2 points a game ahead of Florida State and Virginia.

Clemson's players believe in what their coaches are teaching and it shows on the court. Smith said the Tigers were angry about fumbling away a 69-61 loss at North Carolina State last week after leading for a good part of the contest. Instead of crumbling, Smith said the team channeled efforts into last Sunday's 63-59 win at Miami.

``The energy is there. The focus is really there,'' Smith said. ``We can't dwell on the games we gave away. We're still in control of our destiny and I think we're ready.''

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