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**Udog** · 03-13-2011, 09:06 AM

Daily Sports Roundup: March 13

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: College hoops wraps up its conference tourneys, the Magic battle with the Suns in Phoenix, and the Stars get a visit from the rival Kings.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

There are six games on the NBA's Sunday schedule, with Oklahoma City at Cleveland, Charlotte at Toronto, Milwaukee at Boston, Indiana at New York, Minnesota at Golden State, and Orlando at Phoenix. The Magic played host to the Suns prior to their big trade back on November 18, winning 105-89 as a 10.5-point favorite in that UNDER result. Dwight Howard was good for 20 points and 12 rebounds for Orlando in that win, while Jameer Nelson and Quentin Richardson picked up 15 points apiece. Grant Hill led the Phoenix attack with 21 points, and Steve Nash sat out the loss with a strained groin.

The last four college hoops conferences will decide their champions on Sunday, with title games being played in the Big Ten, SEC, Atlantic 10, and ACC. In the ACC championship game at Greensboro Coliseum it'll be Duke vs. North Carolina. The Blue Devils got past Virginia Tech in the ACC semifinals on Saturday, winning 77-63 behind a 27-point performance from Nolan Smith. The Tar Heels needed overtime on Saturday, but they managed to slip past Clemson 92-87 in their ACC semifinal matchup; Harrison Barnes poured in 40 points for North Carolina in that game. The oddsmakers are going with the Blue Devils for Sunday's ACC title game, pegging them as the 3-point favorites.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

Finally, the NHL offers up five games on Sunday, with Chicago at Washington, Edmonton at Pittsburgh, Ottawa at Buffalo, Phoenix at Anaheim, and Los Angeles at Dallas. The Kings played host to the Stars on March 7, losing 4-3 in overtime despite being a -170 home favorite in that OVER result. Brenden Morrow (in OT), Mike Ribeiro, Jamie Benn, and Trevor Daley had the goals for Dallas that day, and Kari Lehtonen made 20 saves between the pipes. Willie Mitchell, Justin Williams, and Kyle Clifford all scored for the Kings in that loss, while Jonathan Bernier allowed four goals on 22 shots.

**Udog** · 03-13-2011, 09:09 AM

Sunday's betting tips: Duke eyes revenge

Who’s hot

NHL: The Senators are 4-0 in their last four road games and the under is 6-0-1 in their last seven overall.

NCAAB: Florida is 5-0-1 ATS in its last six overall.

NCAAB: Richmond is 6-0 ATS in its last six overall.

NBA: The under is 5-1 in Milwaukee's last six road games and 4-0 in Boston's last four against the Eastern Conference.

NBA: The under is 4-0 in Charlotte's last four road games and 4-1 in Toronto's last four home games.

Who’s not

NHL: The Coyotes are 0-4 in their last four road games.

NCAAB: Ohio State is 1-4 ATS in its last five neutral-site games.

NCAAB: The over is 0-5 ATS in the last five meetings between Duke and North Carolina.

NBA: The Celtics are 0-4 ATS in their last four overall.

NBA: The Pacers are 0-4 ATS in their last four overall.

Key stat

53 – Kevin Love is making double-doubles look easier than stealing candy from a baby. He recorded his 53rd straight on Friday night as Minnesota routed the Jazz 122-101. Love, who scored 24 points and added 12 rebounds, already has the NBA record for consecutive double-doubles and he will look to extend it when the Timberwolves visit Golden State on Sunday. The former UCLA Bruin is three for three on double-doubles against the Warriors this season and he enjoyed a 37-point, 23-rebound outburst in a 126-123 victory over them on February 27.

Injuries that shouldn’t be overlooked

The Thunder and Cavs are filling up the injury report heading into their contest on Sunday. Of course, for Oklahoma City it is just more of the same. Kendrick Perkins (knee) is getting better and has returned to practice, but he is listed as doubtful and likely won't make his debut with the Thunder in this one. Nate Robinson (knee), also newly acquired, is expected to be sidelined until late April.

Cleveland will likely be without center Semih Erden, who is doubtful with a groin problem. That may not seem like a big loss, but the Cavs are already thing. Baron Davis (personal - death in family) probably won't return until next weekend, Anderson Varejao is out for the year, and Antawn Jameson (finger) is slated for a mid-April comeback.

Biggest games on the slate

Duke Blue Devils vs. North Carolina Tar Heels (3.5, 145.5)

Notable quotable

"We lost to them last time we played them, so I am looking forward to it. When you're in a tournament like this, you kind of want the two best teams playing in the championship game. I believe the two best teams are in it, so it's going to work out to be a great ballgame.'' -- Duke forward Kyle Singler on North Carolina and the ACC Championship between the two rivals on Sunday afternoon in Greensboro. Duke and UNC split their regular-season meetings.

Tips and notes

The Stars and Kings are moving up in the Western Conference standings and have solid goaltending to thank heading into their showdown on Sunday. Los Angeles is on a two-game winning streak and has allowed only three goals in those two contests. Jonathan Bernier Quick held Columbus to a pair and Jonathan Quick limited Detroit to just one. For Dallas, Kahri Lehtonen delivered his first shutout on Friday night in a 4-0 win over Minnesota. "He's been so close before, so we definitely wanted to help him out," said defenseman Nicklas Grossman. "He had some key saves and some key moments early. Then we definitely pushed them as the game went on. It was fun to see him get the shutout."

Cleveland is back to its losing ways again, having dropped three in a row (0-3 ATS) and five of its last six (2-4 ATS). Head coach Byron Scott attributes all the losing to youth. ''When I look at our roster, I sit back and say, 'OK, it explains a lot,''' Scott said of a team that has nine players under 25 years old who get significant minutes when healthy. ''As frustrated as I get with the way we play sometimes, against New York and the bigger-market teams, we really come out and we're really jacked up. That's youth. We have to get past that. But our guys are pretty much playing hard and they're giving me an effort. That's all I want them to do.''

**Udog** · 03-13-2011, 09:12 AM

Sunday's six-pack

My guide for coaches on how to keep their jobs........
7) Don't let the AD who hired you leave for another job.

6) Don't have your picture taken at parties with college-age females.

5) Don't have your picture taken with an alcoholic drink in your hand.

4) Don't get caught giving money to recruits or their families.

3) If the NCAA grills you about violations, they already know the right answer, so come clean and tell them the truth.

2) Win more games than you lose. Lot more. Especially rivalry games.

1) If you struggle to accomplish #'s 3-7, make sure you're good at #2.

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

Sunday's List of 13: Wrapping up three great days of college hoop

13) Johnny Vander Meer once pitched consecutive no-hitters for the Reds back in the 30's; its a record that'll never be broken, since no one will ever toss three in a row. Well, UConn just won five games in five days, and no one in college basketball will ever do better.

12) Not only did they win five games in five days, they won four games in a row as underdogs against teams that have total of 99 wins this year. An amazing run by a team that played the noon Tuesday game.

11) Clemson is now 1-15 against North Carolina in the ACC tournament after a tough OT loss to the Tar Heels. Second day in row Carolina had a double-digit deficit in the second half. If they keep Marshall/Barnes for another year or two, Tar Heels will be a formidable team.

10) San Diego State has beaten UNLV in MWC tourney three years in a row, which is tough, since tournament is at the Thomas & Mack Center. The building job Steve Fisher has done there cannot be overstated, just a tremendous job of making a great program out of what was a disaster.

9) If I'm coach Fisher, the one team I don't want in my bracket is Notre Dame; highly skilled offensive teams could give Aztecs trouble.

8) I forgot to mention UCLA's complete no-show at the Pac-10 tourney, what a hideous performance in a loss to Oregon. They were awful at the Washington schools the weekend before too, so now I'm not sure if their tank is empty heading to the tournament, or if they can recharge.

7) I'll be curious to see who Georgia Tech hires to replace Paul Hewitt-- Tech is a very hard job, the best academic school in the ACC. They need a coach who will recruit less-skilled players who will stay four years. The problem Hewitt had was his best recruits bolted quickly for the NBA.

6) Siena's administration would be remiss if they didn't contact Hewitt to see if he'd be interested in coming back. Doubt he would, but it would be a coup for them if he did. Still think he's an excellent coach.

5) Memphis-UTEP was a 9:30am tipoff local time in El Paso, but they had a spirited crowd; too bad the fans went home sad, as Memphis came through with another close win, 67-66 over the Miners. Josh Pastner has a young team, a talented group, and he's done his job well.

4) The two tournaments they moved to the Orleans Arena, the WCC and WAC, both had large crowds for the conference finals, so good move by those leagues. WCC will have to change dates next year, because BYU is not allowed to play on Sundays.

3) Arizona-Washington play great games; Saturday was no exception, as Huskies won a 77-75 overtime thriller in Pac-10 final. ESPN's College Gameday should go to one of their two matchups next season.

2) Akron won the MAC title, winning two of the last three games in OT. Zips blew a 16-point halftime lead in Miami game, allowed 22 offensive rebounds to Western Michigan, made only 8-17 from foul line in the final, but they came up big at the end and are now dancing.

Akron's coach is Keith Dambrot, Lebron James' high school coach.

1) The one game with intrigue Sunday is Dayton-Richmond; Flyers have no shot at an at-large bid, so every bubble team in America is rooting for the Spiders, a veteran crew that upset Temple Saturday. Richmond looks to be solid for a bid themselves.

**Udog** · 03-13-2011, 09:15 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Duke vs. North Carolina
The Blue Devils look to take advantage of a North Carolina team that is coming off a 92-87 win over Clemson and is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games after scoring more than 90 points in its previous game. Duke is the pick (-3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Blue Devils favored by 5 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Duke (-3 1/2). Here are all of today's games.

SUNDAY, MARCH 13

Game 883-884: Duke vs. North Carolina (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Duke 77.945; North Carolina 72.507
Dunkel Line: Duke by 5 1/2
Vegas Line: Duke by 3 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Duke (-3 1/2)

Game 885-886: Kentucky vs. Florida (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kentucky 70.861; Florida 70.572
Dunkel Line: Even
Vegas Line: Florida by 2
Dunkel Pick: Kentucky (+2)

Game 887-888: Dayton vs. Richmond (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dayton 59.005; Richmond 65.547
Dunkel Line: Richmond by 6 1/2
Vegas Line: Richmond by 4
Dunkel Pick: Richmond (-4)

Game 889-890: Penn State vs. Ohio State (2:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Penn State 68.637; Ohio State 76.861
Dunkel Line: Ohio State by 8
Vegas Line: Ohio State by 10
Dunkel Pick: Penn State (+10)

**Udog** · 03-13-2011, 09:18 AM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Sunday, March 13

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DUKE (29 - 4) vs. N CAROLINA (26 - 6) - 3/13/2011, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
N CAROLINA is 77-54 ATS (+17.6 Units) in road games after scoring 80 points or more since 1997.
N CAROLINA is 51-32 ATS (+15.8 Units) in road games in all tournament games since 1997.
N CAROLINA is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
DUKE is 41-29 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DUKE is 41-29 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
DUKE is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 over the last 2 seasons.
DUKE is 41-28 ATS (+10.2 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
N CAROLINA is 3-3 against the spread versus DUKE over the last 3 seasons
N CAROLINA is 3-3 straight up against DUKE over the last 3 seasons
5 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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KENTUCKY (24 - 8) vs. FLORIDA (26 - 6) - 3/13/2011, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 52-29 ATS (+20.1 Units) in all tournament games since 1997.
FLORIDA is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
KENTUCKY is 84-59 ATS (+19.1 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 since 1997.
KENTUCKY is 90-64 ATS (+19.6 Units) in road games after a conference game since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 4-1 against the spread versus KENTUCKY over the last 3 seasons
KENTUCKY is 4-2 straight up against FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DAYTON (22 - 12) vs. RICHMOND (26 - 7) - 3/13/2011, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DAYTON is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.
RICHMOND is 37-23 ATS (+11.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
RICHMOND is 37-23 ATS (+11.7 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
RICHMOND is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in road games against conference opponents this season.
RICHMOND is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) when playing with one or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.
RICHMOND is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in road games after a conference game this season.
RICHMOND is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in road games off a win against a conference rival this season.
RICHMOND is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
RICHMOND is 25-14 ATS (+9.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
RICHMOND is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
RICHMOND is 2-1 against the spread versus DAYTON over the last 3 seasons
RICHMOND is 2-2 straight up against DAYTON over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PENN ST (19 - 13) vs. OHIO ST (31 - 2) - 3/13/2011, 3:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OHIO ST is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) when playing with one or less days rest over the last 3 seasons.
OHIO ST is 171-135 ATS (+22.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
PENN ST is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
PENN ST is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) against conference opponents this season.
PENN ST is 27-13 ATS (+12.7 Units) when playing with one or less days rest since 1997.
PENN ST is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) after a conference game this season.
PENN ST is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
PENN ST is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
PENN ST is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in road games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.
PENN ST is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in road games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 2 seasons.
PENN ST is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OHIO ST is 3-2 against the spread versus PENN ST over the last 3 seasons
OHIO ST is 5-0 straight up against PENN ST over the last 3 seasons
5 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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**Udog** · 03-13-2011, 09:20 AM

NCAAB
Write-Up

Sunday, March 13

ACC tournament (Greensboro)
Its been eight years since UNC-Duke met in ACC tournament. Teams split two meetings this year, but Carolina led both games at halftime by double digit margin. Duke won this tournament last two years- they've got eight straight tourney wins. Tar Heels were down double digits last two days in second half, but were bailed out by freshmen. Higher seed won the ACC final in each of the last six tournaments.

SEC tournament (Atlanta)
Kentucky (-1) lost 70-68 at Florida Feb 5, then won rematch 76-68 (-5) at home three weeks later; Wildcats won seven of their last eight games, are 5-7-1 vs spread in its last 13 games when favored- they made 9-20 from arc vs Alabama Saturday, leading by 16 at half in easy win. Gators won 10 of their last 11 games. Lower-seeded team won two of last three SEC title games, with last two decided by a total of four points.

Atlantic 14 tournament (Atlantic City)
Dayton can steal bid with win here, so all of Anerica is rooting for the Spiders, who won 70-61 (+1.5) at Dayton Jan 25, making 8-15 from arc while Flyers shot just 34.4% from floor. Dayton won last two days by combined total of four points- they've covered four of last five games as underdogs. Higher-seeded team won last four A-14 finals, with last three decided by 5-5-4 points. Richmond lost in finals here last March.

Big 11 tournament (Indianapolis)
Ohio State (-17) nipped Penn State 69-66 at home Jan 15, then came to Penn State and won 82-61 (-6) March 1. PSU held Spartans to 32% in upset win yesterday- they're in uncharted territory here. Buckeyes are 2-0 in Big 11 finals last four years, winning by 17-29 points; higher-seed won last four Big 11 finals, with three wins by 13+ points. Ohio State is 4-2 vs spread in its last six games as a favorite.

**Udog** · 03-13-2011, 09:24 AM

NCAAB

Sunday, March 13

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Trend Report
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1:00 PM
DAYTON vs. RICHMOND
No trends available
Richmond is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Richmond's last 7 games when playing Dayton

1:00 PM
DUKE vs. NORTH CAROLINA
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of North Carolina's last 5 games when playing Duke
North Carolina is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

1:00 PM
KENTUCKY vs. FLORIDA
No trends available
Florida is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Kentucky
Florida is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games

3:30 PM
PENN STATE vs. OHIO STATE
No trends available
Ohio State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Ohio State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Penn State

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**Udog** · 03-13-2011, 09:31 AM

ACC Tournament: Duke vs. North Carolina preview and pick

Duke Blue Devils vs. North Carolina Tar Heels (+3)

THE STORY: Duke and North Carolina will make their 30th appearances in Sunday's ACC tournament final at Greensboro, N.C. The ACC tournament has been referred to as the Duke Invitational of late because the Blue Devils have claimed nine of the past 12 ACC titles since 1999, including the last two. They have 18 league championships, one more than the Tar Heels.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, ESPN, ESPN3.com

ODDS: Duke opened as a 3-point favorite following Saturday's ACC Tournament semifinals.

ABOUT DUKE (29-4): Senior guard Nolan Smith didn’t appear too bothered with an injured toe in Saturday’s 77-63 semifinal victory over Virginia Tech. The ACC Player of the Year hit eight of 16 shots to register a game-high 27 points to go with his six assists. The Tar Heels’ lack of great backcourt speed means they will again be challenged in slowing down Smith, who has torched them for 64 points in the two meetings this season.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (26-6): Freshman Harrison Barnes scored a career-high 40 points in Saturday’s 92-87 come-from-behind overtime victory over Clemson, and became the first player to ring up at least 40 in an ACC tournament game since Wake Forest's Randolph Childress in 1995. A North Carolina player hadn't scored that many points in a tournament game since Charlie Scott went for 41 in the 1970 quarterfinals. The Tar Heels, who have won nine straight and 14 of their last 15, will need to avoid the early turnover problems that have plagued them the last two games.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: The two teams have met twice previously this season, with each team winning at home. Duke overcame a big North Carolina lead to win 79-73 at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Feb. 9, while the Tar Heels were impressive in an 81-67 decision to win the ACC regular-season title in Chapel Hill on March 5, the final day of the regular season. In both games, North Carolina's frontline has dominated. This will be the 10th time the schools have met in the ACC final and North Carolina holds a 6-3 advantage.

UP NEXT: Both teams are expected to be at least a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, with the winner making a strong case for a No. 1.

TRENDS:

- Under is 5-0 in the last five meetings.
- Blue Devils are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games as favorites.
- Tar Heels are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 games overall.
- Under is 6-1 in Blue Devils' last seven overall.
- Under is 15-5-1 in Tar Heels' last 21 games as underdogs.

PREDICTION: Duke 75, UNC 71

Big Ten Tournament: Ohio State vs. Penn State preview and pick

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Penn State Nittany Lions (+10)

THE STORY: Top-ranked Ohio State seeks a second straight Big Ten tournament title and an overall No. 1 seed for the upcoming NCAA tournament when it plays surprising Penn State on Sunday. The Buckeyes, who won two earlier meetings against the Lions, are playing in their third straight title game and are attempting to become only the second team to win in consecutive seasons (Michigan, 1999-2000). Talor Battle’s 3-point binge in Saturday’s 61-48 semifinal win against Michigan State carried Penn State to its first Big Ten tournament final, and may have locked up the Lions’ first NCAA tournament berth in 10 years.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS

ODDS: Ohio State opened as high as a 10.5-point favorite following Saturday's Big Ten semifinals.

ABOUT OHIO STATE (31-2): Many feel the Buckeyes are the favorite to win the national title because of their balance. That was on display Saturday as Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jared Sullinger had 14 points and 13 rebounds, and wings Jon Diebler and William Buford added 16 points apiece as Ohio State used 11-0 and 16-0 runs to pull out a 68-61 semifinal win over Michigan. Sullinger, who was double-teamed on the low block by the smaller Wolverines all game, shot 5 of 13 from the floor and 4 of 10 from the foul line. The Buckeyes survived a major scare in the quarterfinal before putting away Northwestern 67-61 in overtime.

ABOUT PENN STATE (19-13): The Lions won the NIT two seasons ago before stumbling to an 11-20 record last season, including a Big Ten-worst 3-15. The Lions looked strong early in conference play this season after wins against ranked Illinois and Michigan State before slumping. However, they recovered to win four straight, five of six and seven of nine. Battle, who has 2,167 career points, drained four 3-pointers to stretch a one-point lead to 42-33 Saturday, and the Spartans couldn’t recover. The senior sharpshooter finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and got plenty of help from sophomore backcourt mate Tim Frazier, who averages five points per game. Frazier, the lone non-senior starter, scored a career-high 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting and added eight rebounds and seven assists. Battle, who shot 3 of 18 in the Lions’ 36-33 quarterfinal win Friday over Wisconsin, shot 7 of 16 in this one, including 6 of 11 from the arc.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Sullinger converted two three-point plays in the final minute to provide Ohio State a 69-66 home win Jan. 15. Sullinger finished with 19 points as did fellow freshman Aaron Craft. Battle was held to 15 points on 5-of-17 shooting, including 1 of 10 from the arc. David Jackson led the Lions with 19. The Buckeyes got a school-record 10 3-pointers in 12 attempts from Diebler - he missed his first and last attempt - in an 82-61 demolition March 1 in Happy Valley. He finished with a career-high 30 points. Sullinger had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Battle led the Lions with 18 in his final home game.

UP NEXT: Win or lose, Ohio State is expected to receive a No. 1 seed, while Penn State may have already done enough to save coach Ed DeChellis' job with an NCAA bid.

TRENDS:

- Over is 5-0 in the last five meetings.
- Nittany Lions are 6-1-1 ATS in their last eight games overall.
- Buckeyes are 1-4 ATS in their last five neutral site games as favorites.
- Under is 7-3 in Nittany Lions' last 10 neutral site games.
- Over is 5-1-1 in Buckeyes' last seven overall.

PREDICTION: Ohio State 67, Penn State 56

SEC Tournament: Florida vs. Kentucky preview and pick

Kentucky Wildcats vs. Florida Gators (+2)

THE STORY: Kentucky tries to repeat as SEC tournament champion - and win its 28th conference title - when the No. 16 Wildcats face No. 12 Florida in Sunday’s final in Atlanta. Both teams were impressive in the semifinals as Kentucky dispatched Alabama and Florida stormed past Vanderbilt. Florida is seeking its fourth SEC title after victories from 2005-07. Florida and Kentucky finished 1-2 in the SEC East.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, ABC

ODDS: The Wildcats opened as low as a pick, but that number climbed to -1.5 and -2 following Saturday's SEC semifinals.

ABOUT KENTUCKY (24-8): The Wildcats raced to a 16-point halftime lead in their easy 72-58 victory over Alabama in the semifinals. Kentucky, which put five players in double figures, has won five straight and appears to be peaking at the right time. Point guard Brandon Knight had 12 points and seven assists while playing 38 minutes, and DeAndre Liggins came off the bench to score 14 points and hit all three of his 3-point tries. However, Liggins and fellow guard Doron Lamb, who led Kentucky with 15 points, both left with ankle injuries late in the game. Liggins was able to jog off and is probable, but Lamb had to be helped off and is doubtful. The Wildcats start three freshmen, including SEC Freshman of the Year Terrence Jones. The 6-8 forward averaged 17.1 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in the regular season and led the SEC with 11 double-doubles.

ABOUT FLORIDA (25-6): The Gators have won 10 of 11 after coming back to beat Vanderbilt 77-66 in the semifinals. The backcourt of Kenny Boynton (24 points) and Erving Walker (17 points) took over the game late, and SEC Player of the Year Chandler Parsons finished with 16 points and nine rebounds. Florida entered the tournament as a top seed after winning the third outright SEC regular-season title in school history. The Gators accomplished that feat primarily by going 8-2 on the road. The Gators got hot once they started running their offense through center Vernon Macklin, who ranks second in the SEC in field-goal percentage. Macklin’s emergence has provided good looks for Boynton, Walker and Parsons, all of whom average in double figures.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Kentucky started its five-game win streak with a 76-68 home win over the Gators on Feb. 26. Darius Miller scored a career-high 24 points, and Brandon Knight had 16 points, six assists and no turnovers. In the first meeting, Knight came up short on a final 3-pointer as Florida survived 70-68 in Gainesville. The Gators won thanks to 18-of-22 shooting from the foul line and Parsons’ 17-point, 12-rebound effort.
Florida has won nine of the past 14 meetings.

UP NEXT: A Florida win would ensure the Gators of being no worse than a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament. Kentucky could end up anywhere from a No. 3 to a No. 5 seed, depending on Sunday's outcome.

TRENDS:

- Wildcats are 1-4-1 ATS in the last six meetings.
- Wildcats are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games as favorites of 0.5-6.5.
- Gators are 6-0-1 ATS in their last seven games as underdogs.
- Over is 7-0 in Gators last seven overall.
- Over is 6-2-1 in Wildcats last nine games following a ATS win.

PREDICTION: Florida 78, Kentucky 74

**Udog** · 03-13-2011, 09:34 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Milwaukee at Boston
The Celtics look to take advantage of a Milwaukee team that is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games as an underdog of 5 to 10 1/2 points. Boston is the pick (-9 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Celtics favored by 12 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Boston (-9 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

SUNDAY, MARCH 13

Game 871-872: Charlotte at Toronto (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Charlotte 112.957; Toronto 115.387
Dunkel Line & Total: Toronto by 2 1/2; 203
Vegas Line & Total: Toronto by 1 1/2; 198
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-1 1/2); Over

Game 873-874: Oklahoma City at Cleveland (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 121.687; Cleveland 113.393
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 8 1/2; 207
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 9 1/2; 211
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+9 1/2); Under

Game 875-876: Orlando at Phoenix (2:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Orlando 119.464; Phoenix 121.104
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1 1/2; 192
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 877-878: Indiana at New York (5:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 108.609; New York 123.005
Dunkel Line & Total: New York by 14 1/2; 224
Vegas Line & Total: New York by 8; 218
Dunkel Pick: New York (-8); Over

Game 879-880: Milwaukee at Boston (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee 113.047; Boston 125.661
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 12 1/2; 176
Vegas Line & Total: Boston by 9 1/2; 180 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-9 1/2); Under

Game 881-882: Minnesota at Golden State (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 116.752; Golden State 118.883
Dunkel Line & Total: Golden State by 2; 223
Vegas Line & Total: Golden State by 6 1/2; 218 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+6 1/2); Over

**Udog** · 03-13-2011, 09:38 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, March 13

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CHARLOTTE (27 - 38) at TORONTO (18 - 47) - 3/13/2011, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHARLOTTE is 66-47 ATS (+14.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 99-123 ATS (-36.3 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 2-12 ATS (-11.2 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 195 and 199.5 points over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 33-52 ATS (-24.2 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHARLOTTE is 8-2 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
CHARLOTTE is 6-4 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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OKLAHOMA CITY (41 - 23) at CLEVELAND (12 - 52) - 3/13/2011, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 84-67 ATS (+10.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 33-21 ATS (+9.9 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 25-36 ATS (-14.6 Units) in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 31-46 ATS (-19.6 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) against Northwest division opponents this season.
CLEVELAND is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) in non-conference games this season.
CLEVELAND is 11-22 ATS (-13.2 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 3-2 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 4-1 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ORLANDO (41 - 25) at PHOENIX (33 - 30) - 3/13/2011, 3:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 4-0 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO is 3-2 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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INDIANA (27 - 38) at NEW YORK (34 - 30) - 3/13/2011, 6:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 7-20 ATS (-15.0 Units) as a road underdog of 6.5 to 9 points over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 32-45 ATS (-17.5 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 10-19 ATS (-10.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
NEW YORK is 39-23 ATS (+13.7 Units) in all games this season.
NEW YORK is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
INDIANA is 36-23 ATS (+10.7 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 17-33 ATS (-19.3 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 4-4 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 5-3 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MILWAUKEE (26 - 38) at BOSTON (46 - 17) - 3/13/2011, 6:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 41-68 ATS (-33.8 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 85-64 ATS (+14.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 44-30 ATS (+11.0 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 28-10 ATS (+17.0 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) against Atlantic division opponents this season.
BOSTON is 21-30 ATS (-12.0 Units) as a favorite this season.
BOSTON is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) as a home favorite of 9.5 to 12 points over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 34-48 ATS (-18.8 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 28-43 ATS (-19.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 7-1 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 6-3 straight up against MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MINNESOTA (17 - 50) at GOLDEN STATE (29 - 36) - 3/13/2011, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 67-81 ATS (-22.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 56-71 ATS (-22.1 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 19-31 ATS (-15.1 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 19-34 ATS (-18.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 81-65 ATS (+9.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 66-48 ATS (+13.2 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 54-37 ATS (+13.3 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 55-40 ATS (+11.0 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 25-10 ATS (+14.0 Units) in home games after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 6-4 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 7-3 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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**Udog** · 03-13-2011, 09:49 AM

NBA

Sunday, March 13

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Trend Report
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1:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. CLEVELAND
Oklahoma City is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Oklahoma City is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Cleveland is 6-13-1 ATS in its last 20 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Cleveland's last 9 games when playing Oklahoma City

1:00 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. TORONTO
Charlotte is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Charlotte is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Toronto's last 11 games when playing at home against Charlotte
Toronto is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Charlotte

3:30 PM
ORLANDO vs. PHOENIX
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Orlando's last 15 games
Orlando is 5-0-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Phoenix
Phoenix is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Orlando
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Phoenix's last 6 games at home

6:00 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. BOSTON
Milwaukee is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Milwaukee is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games when playing Boston
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Boston's last 17 games at home

6:00 PM
INDIANA vs. NEW YORK
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Indiana's last 6 games when playing on the road against New York
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Indiana's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 6 games when playing at home against Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 7 of New York's last 10 games at home

9:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. GOLDEN STATE
Minnesota is 4-21 SU in its last 25 games on the road
Minnesota is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games
Golden State is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Golden State's last 10 games at home

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**Udog** · 03-13-2011, 09:51 AM

NBA

Sunday, March 13

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Orlando Magic at Phoenix Suns: What bettors need to know
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Orlando Magic at Phoenix Suns

The Magic and Suns are set for their second of two meeting this season on Sunday afternoon. If it’s not any better than their previous encounter, ABC is going to have a tough time pulling viewers away from the final conference tournament games of March Madness and the Selection Sunday shenanigans.

Back on November 18, Orlando dismantled the Suns 105-89 as a 10.5-point home favorite in a beat down that was far worse than the score suggests. The Magic led 31-15 after one quarter and 62-34 at the half before they let their opponents make it look somewhat respectable during a meaningless fourth.

Jameer Nelson (15 points, 12 assists) and Dwight Howard (20 points, 12 rebounds) both had double-doubles despite playing fewer than 30 minutes apiece in the rout. The Suns, meanwhile, were without Steve Nash due to a groin injury.

In addition to the Suns missing their star point guard, that game came exactly one month to the day before Orlando and Phoenix hooked up for a blockbuster six-player trade that sent Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat and Mickael Pietrus to the Suns while Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Earl Clark headed east.

Nash equilibrium

The Suns (33-30, 28-33-2 ATS) did not have Nash (15.7 ppg, 11.4 apg) for the first one and they likely won’t have him this time, either. The same groin injury reared its ugly head during Thursday’s 116-97 home loss to Denver.

"It's been bothering for a couple of weeks," Nash told the Arizona Republic afterward. "I thought we were getting better and then, for whatever reason, took a big step back. Frustrating and another obstacle but just got to try to work every day to get better.

"This is the worst it's been. Definitely Sunday is in question, but we'll see how it goes. If I can improve in time, then I can play. But if not, I can't play the way I was moving on Thursday night. I just can't move. Too much pain and immobility."

Nash added that if he does miss any time, it will hopefully allow deadline-acquisition and backup point guard Aaron Brooks (10.9 ppg, 3.8 apg) to get comfortable in the offense.

Magic tricked

The Magic (41-25, 29-36-1 ATS) are reeling at the moment, having lost three of their last four games (0-4 ATS). They seemed to hit rock-bottom Thursday, when host Golden State stormed back from a 21-point deficit to stun Orlando 123-100 in overtime.

Outspoken head coach Stan Van Gundy was, not surprisingly, furious afterward.

"Right now, we're at a point where we will not play 48 minutes," he told Fox Sports Florida. "We will not. Our guys' focus isn't on changing."

The Warriors and Magic combined for an NBA-record 36 3-pointers in the shootout. Golden State hit 21 to Orlando’s 15.

Speaking of three-balls, J.J. Redick suffered a strained abdomen prior to the game and is not looking good for Sunday. He is listed as doubtful and is not expected to return during the Magic’s road trip, which includes games with the Lakers and Bucks next week.

Facing former team

The trio of former Magic men had this to say in interviews with the Suns website about going up against Orlando:

Carter - “When you’re playing for a playoff spot, it has more to do with what you need to do more than what it says on their jersey.”

Gortat - “A lot of people are saying that there’s going to be competition between me and Dwight or between Vince and J-Rich. But at the end of the day, it’s all about winning the game.”

Pietrus - “I’ve been traded before so it’s just another game. I’m just trying to win the next game.”

Trending topics

The Magic are 0-4 ATS in their last four overall and 1-4 ATS in their last five against the Western Conference.

The Suns are 1-5 ATS in their last six home games.

The under is 12-4 in Orlando’s last 16 overall, but the over is 5-2 in Phoenix’s last seven overall.

The home team and the favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings between the two teams. The Magic are 5-1 ATS in the last six encounters overall and 4-1 ATS in the last five in Phoenix.

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**Udog** · 03-13-2011, 09:54 AM

NBA

Sunday, March 13

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Pick 'n' roll: Sunday's best NBA bets
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Indiana Pacers at New York Knicks (-8, 218)

The wheels have come off for the Pacers.

Indiana has dropped six straight and eight of the past 10 overall. The culprit? A mediocre defense that also has seen the team go 2-8 ATS over that span. During this stretch, Indiana has coughed up at least 100 points in nine of those games. This is especially troubling for a team that is among the league leaders in field goal defense (44.7 percent).

"We are not focused on the little details, execution, not giving up easy baskets in transition and it leads to losses," said Pacers forward Danny Granger. "We are going to keep losing until we change it."

And the Knicks can’t wait to keep the Pacers coughing up easy baskets.

New York might struggle on defense as well, but is having little problem scoring the ball with Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. Overall, the Knicks have cracked the century mark in eight of their past 10 games. Stoudemire is coming off a strong performance against Dallas in which he dropped 36 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

Anthony has topped his 25.3 points per game scoring average six times in the past 10 games.

"We'll have nights that they're unstoppable," Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said.

Pick: New York

Minnesota Timberwolves at Golden State Warriors (-6.5, 218.5)

Things might finally be turning around in Minnesota.

The Timberwolves have won two straight and are 3-0 ATS in their past thee. They are finally blending all their parts together while using a young, deep bench to supplement the play of stars Michael Beasley and Kevin Love, along with the emergence of center Darko Milicic.

"It's the end of the season," Milicic said. "We're kind of a struggling team. We're not going to make the playoffs. We're going to go home on April 13. It shows something about us that we're going out against teams fighting for playoff spots and we give them a good fight."

Love is a beast with his record 53-game double-double streak, and Beasley can score in bunches. But over the past three games, Milicic has helped give them an additional inside presence. He combined for 10 points, eight rebounds and five blocks in two games prior to a breakout 14-point, six-rebound, four-assist, two-block performance in a 122-101 win over Utah.

The Warriors, meanwhile, have dropped seven of their past 10 games overall and are just 4-6 ATS over that span. Golden State is coming off a 123-120 overtime win over the Magic that saw the team bury a fluky 21 three-pointers.

Another strong performance by Milicic is more likely than another 20-plus three-point performance from Golden State.

Pick: Minnesota

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**Udog** · 03-13-2011, 09:56 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Chicago at Washington
The Blackhawks look to take advantage of a Washington team that is 1-5 in its last 6 games as a home favorite from -110 to -150. Chicago is the pick (+115) according to Dunkel, which has the Blackhawks favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+115). Here are all of today's picks.

SUNDAY, MARCH 13

Game 51-52: Edmonton at Pittsburgh (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 11.310; Pittsburgh 10.354
Dunkel Line & Total: Edmonton by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-245); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (+205); Over

Game 53-54: Chicago at Washington (11:35 a.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 12.865; Washington 11.952
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Washington (-135); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+115); Under

Game 55-56: Los Angeles at Dallas (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Los Angeles 12.210; Dallas 11.088
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 1; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas (-115); 5
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-105); Under

Game 57-58: Ottawa at Buffalo (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ottawa 10.622; Buffalo 12.198
Dunkel Line & Total: Buffalo by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 59-60: Phoenix at Anaheim (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 12.949; Anaheim 11.743
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Anaheim (-140); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+120); Under

Announcement

Sunday's Trends and Indexes - 3/13 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Sunday's Trends and Indexes - 3/13 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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