Announcement

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2011, 04:17 AM

NCAA Tournament Odds: Purdue, VCU vye for Sweet 16

The VCU, Purdue winner will face off against the Florida
State, Notre Dame winner next week in San Antonio.
Everywhere you turned on Selection Sunday there seemed to be one analyst or another pointing out that Virginia Commonwealth had no business in the NCAA Tournament. Instead, it's the Rams who have so far been giving the business to their opposition with a pair of upset wins to reach the Round of 32.

Shaka Smart's 11th-seeded squad will be out for another upset on Sunday when they face Matt Painter's Purdue Boilermakers, the SW Region's third seed. Purdue is a nine-point favorite for the 4:10 p.m. (PT) tip from Chicago's United Center. Totals bettors are looking at a 135½ for their number.

Defense has been the Rams' calling card in their two games so far. Virginia Commonwealth (25-11 straight up, 15-20 against the spread) opened its action last Wednesday with a First Four contest in Dayton against Southern Cal, notching a 59-46 victory as a four-point underdog. The Rams negated the Trojans' size advantage in the paint, limited USC to just one three-pointer in nine attempts and forced 15 turnovers to their eight.

Jamie Skeen was the only VCU player in double digits on the scoreboard with a game-best 16 points. The six-foot-nine senior added nine rebounds to just miss a double-double despite being on the court just 29 minutes due to foul trouble.

The boxscore told a similar story in Friday's 75-56 win over 6-seed Georgetown who was favored by 5½. The Rams frustrated the Hoyas on the perimeter, holding Georgetown long-range shooters to just 5-of-26 and once again winning the turnover battle by a 17-6 margin.

This time it was senior guard Brandon Rozzell providing the scoring highlights with 26 points off the bench, canning six of his 10 tries from beyond the arc with VCU converting on 12-of-26 as a team. The Rams also spent a lot of time at the free throw line, making 26-of-39 while Georgetown was hitting on 11-of-13.

The loss marked the second consecutive early exit from the tournament with John Thompson III's team who ended the season on a five-game losing skid. The Hoyas were favored by 14 against Ohio in last year's first round only to fall by 14. One of a record 11 Big East schools in this year's dance, Georgetown was one of four to lose its tourney opener joining St. John's, Villanova and Louisville.

While VCU was busy playing the part of the little engine that could this week, Purdue (26-7 SU, 18-10-1 ATS) was playing the role of bully in its 65-43 victory over St. Peter's on Friday. Though they handily covered the 15-point spread, led by as many as 27 in the game and stopped their brief two-game losing stretch, the Boilermakers' win over the Peacocks wasn't as pretty as the scoreboard might indicate.

Purdue committed 16 turnovers, seven by E'Twaun Moore who led the Boilermakers with 19 points. Painter's squad shut the overmatched St. Peter's group down with solid defense, but also didn't have an easy a time scoring, Moore and JaJuan Johnson combining to sink just 13 of their 31 field goal tries.

The Boilermakers made up for that with a big advantage on the boards, 40-26. Johnson was a beast with 16 rebounds on his own to go with his 16 points.

Friday's win upped Purdue's record this season when leading at halftime to a perfect 24-0. The Boilermakers will be looking to extend another unbeaten mark in Sunday's VCU matchup with Purdue having won all three of its previous NCAA Tournament games played in Chicago.

The 'under' 135½ looks particularly appealing in a battle between two squads are trending that direction recently though their overall season marks don't favor one side or the other. VCU (16-16 'over/under') is 2-0 'under' so far this tournament with seven if its last nine staying below the total. Purdue (15-14 'under') has played three straight to the low side and five of its last six 'under.'

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2011, 04:18 AM

NCAA Tournament Odds: Tar Heels and Huskies battle

Coaches are usually pleased when their team scores over 100 points, hits better than 50 percent from the field, hauls in 52 rebounds and blocks 10 shots.

Roy Williams was indeed happy when his North Carolina Tar Heels did all of those things in their tournament opener on Friday, topping Long Island 102-87 to move on to the Round of 32. But just as he was during opening round wins in the recent ACC tournament, Williams was not content with the overall play of his Heels who beat the Blackbirds with their height more than anything else in the 2/15 seed contest.

North Carolina will still have a slight edge in the height department when the Tar Heels meet the Washington Huskies on Sunday for a berth in the Sweet 16, but it won't be near as pronounced as against LIU. The Heels will also still have a home crowd behind them when the game tips at Charlotte's Time Warner Cable Arena at 9:15 a.m. (PT).

All of that adds up to UNC favored by 3½. Sunday's total started at 155½ on the Don Best odds screen and is rising.

Unlike their ACC tourney start when they needed a last-second layup from Tyler Zeller to get past Miami, the Tar Heels led from start to finish against the Blackbirds. Turnovers, 18 of them, and poor outside shooting still left Williams dissatisfied.

"Am I pleased about the win? You're darn right," the UNC coach noted following Friday's triumph. "Am I pleased about some of the turnovers? Not at all. Am I pleased about going 3-for-17 from the three-point line? Not at all."

Tar Heel backers weren't pleased with UNC failing to cover the 18½-point chalk despite opening a 21-point gap six minutes into the second half. The game easily went past the 158-point total with North Carolina featuring three players scoring 24 or more, UNC just missing having a trio of double-double stat lines.

Zeller led everyone with a personal-best 32 points while grabbing nine boards. John Henson also scored a career-high with 28 points along with 11 rebounds and Harrison Barnes added 24 points plus a career-best 16 boards.

Huskies head coach Lorenzo Romar cam sympathize with Williams a little after Washington also shot poorly from long range in Friday's win over Georgia. The 7-seed Huskies went 4-for-18 from beyond the arc but still managed to get past the 10-seed Bulldogs, 68-65. Oddsmakers were charging six points on Washington who won its fourth consecutive game straight up but fell short at the window for the third time in that four-game streak.

The 'under' 145½ winner marked the sixth time in seven Washington games low-side bettors were rewarded, leaving the Huskies 17-13 to the 'under' on the season.

Washington led by as many as 10 and trailed by as much as seven in the game that was level after the first 20 minutes, 28-28. Four Georgia players reached double digits in the contest led by Trey Thompkins' game-high 26, but the bulldogs got little else from any other player. Georgia's bench was blanked in the points column while Huskies reserves scored 28.

Romar's troops also limited their turnovers to five and made the most of their free throw opportunities by converting 12-of-14,

The victory marked the fifth consecutive win in NCAA Tournament openers for Washington who advanced to the Sweet 16 last year with triumphs over Marquette and New Mexico before falling to West Virginia in the East Region. North Carolina's dubya was it's first tournament game since winning the 2009 event.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2011, 04:19 AM

NBA Betting Preview: Utah Jazz at Houston Rockets

The road team has won both Houston and Utah matchups this season.
Utah (36-33 straight up, 29-39-1 against the spread) begins a three-game road trip with Sunday’s matchup at Houston (36-34 SU, 37-31-2 ATS). Both teams would be on the outside looking in on the NBA Playoffs if the regular season ended today. The Jazz currently reside in ninth-place, one game behind eighth-place Memphis while the Rockets are just a half-game behind Utah.

The Jazz have strung together back-to-back SU and ATS victories after dumping Minnesota Wednesday as six-point home ‘chalk,’ 119-104. The combined 223 points soared past the 209 ½-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 8-2 the past 10 games.

Utah jumped out to a 21-point halftime advantage, 71-50, and finished the contest with advantages in points in the paint (62-42) and assists (28-13). The Jazz shot a stellar 55 percent (46-of-84) from the field, and 37 percent (7-of-19) from behind the arc.

All five starters reached double digits in scoring, led by small forward C.J. Miles who scored 40 points on 14-of-18 shooting. Center Al Jefferson provided 26 and 11 rebounds in the victory, while small forward Andrei Kirilenko added 15, six and six assists.

Houston has posted three consecutive SU victories and back-to-back wins ATS after Friday’s triumph over Boston as a 1 ½-point home underdog, 93-77. The combined 170 points never seriously threatened the NBA odds, helping the ‘under’ cash the third consecutive contest.

The Rockets cruised to an easy victory despite getting outscored in the fourth quarter, 21-12. Houston also won the rebounding battle, 44-35, while also delivering more assists, 22-19. The Rockets shot 44 percent (32-of-73) from the field, and 36 percent (8-of-22) from 3-point land.

Shooting guard Kevin Martin paced the offense with 25 points, while point guard Kyle Lowry added 20 and nine assists. Power forward Patrick Patterson provided 18 and 12 in the victory, while center Chuck Hayes had 11 and 11.

The road team has won both matchups this season in the Utah-Houston series, while the ‘under’ has cashed the previous three encounters. The Jazz prevailed Jan. 8 in overtime as a one-point road underdog, 103-99, while the combined 202 points went ‘under’ the 207 ½-point closing total. The Rockets won Feb. 2 as a two-point road ‘dog, 97-96, while the combined 193 points went ‘under’ the 203-point closing total.

Utah guard Raja Bell (toe injury) and guard Ronnie Price (toe) are ‘probable’ versus the Rockets, while forward Andrei Kirilenko (back), forward Paul Millsap (knee) and center Francisco Elson (knee) are ‘questionable.’ The Jazz conclude their road trip with games against Memphis and Oklahoma City.

Houston forward Luis Scola (knee) is ‘questionable’ against the Jazz, while forward Terrence Williams (abdominal) is ‘doubtful.’ The Rockets wrap up a six-game homestand with Wednesday’s outing with Golden State.

Utah is just 11-26 ATS the past 37 games overall, while the ‘under’ is 13-6 the past 19 outings versus Southwest Division opponents. The Jazz have seen the ‘under’ go 7-2 the previous nine games in Houston.

The Rockets are 8-3 ATS their last 11 games overall. Houston has seen the ‘under’ go 7-3 its past 10 outings overall.

Sunday’s contest is scheduled to start at 4:00 p.m. PT from Houston’s Toyota Center.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2011, 04:23 AM

Sunday's Chicago Tips

March 19, 2011

Friday’s slate of games missed a lot of the excitement we saw out of Thursday’s tests, but it helped pare the field down to 32 teams. By the time we finish up with our action on Sunday, we’ll know who will be heading to the regional sites for the Sweet Sixteen.

Chicago’s final two games offer up some big name brands looking to head out to San Antonio for the Southeast Regional semifinals.

It will all start with the No. 2 seed Fighting Irish taking on the 10th-seeded Seminoles for a ticket to the Alamo Dome at 9:40 p.m. EDT on TBS. The oddsmakers have named the Irish as six-point favorites with a total of 133 ½ late on Friday evening. FSU is coming in at 2/1 (risk $100 to win $200) to earn a spot in the regional semis.

Notre Dame (27-6 SU, 16-12 ATS) punched its ticket to the third round by holding off the spirited Zips for a 69-56 win, but just failed to cover as a 14-point “chalk.” The 125 points scored just snuck ‘under’ the closing total for the matchup.

The Irish played a little tight in the first half, leading 34-30 at the break. But they pulled away in the second half thanks to Carleton Scott pulling in 14 boards with his eight points. Ben Hansbrough accounted for 15 points and Tim Abromaitis contributed 14 as well. As good as ND finished off Akron, they can’t be happy with the fact they turned the ball over 15 times to the Zips.

Florida State (22-10 SU, 15-10-2 ATS) was a team that not many people were sure what to expect out of in the tournament. What we do know is that the ‘Noles claimed their first NCAA tournament win since 1998 with a 57-50 triumph over Texas A&M. Bettors were happy with FSU in this game no matter what. The Seminoles opened as 1 ½-point pups, but were bet up to 1 ½-point faves by the time the game tipped off.

Derwin Kitchen helped FSU to the win with 15 points and seven rebounds. But the real star for the ‘Noles in this game was their defense, who held the Aggies to just 31 percent shooting from the field. Nobody should be surprised by that since Florida State is the best defense in the country, allowing the opposition to hit just 36 percent of their shots.

The Seminoles have posted a 4-7 SU and 6-5 ATS record when they’ve been listed as single-digit this season with the ‘under’ going 7-3.

Notre Dame is a fantastic 13-1 SU and 10-4 ATS this year as a single-digit favorite. We’ve watched the ‘over’ go 10-3-1 in those spots.

The winner of the opener will find out who they’ll meet up with in San Antonio immediately after their game. That’s when Virginia Commonwealth (25-11 SU, 15-20 ATS) takes on the Boilermakers at 7:10 p.m. EDT on TBS.

You have to wonder what Shaka Smart would do for an encore in riling up his Rams. Prior to the play-in game with Southern Cal, Smart played his team a video of all of the pundits at ESPN saying how they didn’t belong in the field. All they did was roll over the Trojans.

Smart motivated VCU well on Friday night as worked over the Big East’s Hoyas for a 74-56 win as a 5 ½-point underdog to become the first team to win a game after a play-in victory. Brandon Rozell went 6-of-10 from beyond the arc to score 26 points to pace the Rams. Meanwhile, they held Georgetown to just 19 percent shooting from three-point land and 39 percent from the field. And Virginia Commonwealth forced the Hoyas into turning the ball over 17 times.

Purdue (26-7 SU, 19-11 ATS) showed why they got a second-seed in the big dance by pushing through with a 65-43 win over the 15th-seeded Peacocks, easily covering as a 15-point favorite. JaJuan Johnson started the tourney off right with a double-double, scoring 16 points and 16 rebounds against St. Peter’s. The Boilermakers were stingy on defense as they held their second round foes to just 29 percent from the field. Making matters worse for the huge pups was that Matt Painter’s crew held a 40-26 rebounding advantage.

Most sportsbooks have posted Purdue as a nine-point favorite with a total of 135 ½. VCU can be taken to win this game and reach the Sweet Sixteen at plus-350 (risk $100 to win $350).

Gamblers would do well to pay attention to the ‘under’ in this game. Purdue has seen the scores go ‘under’ the closing total in five of its last six tests. Meanwhile, the Rams are cashing the ‘under’ with a 7-2 mark in their past nine matches.

Virginia Commonwealth has welcomed its role as an underdog at the end of the season, evidenced by a 4-2 SU and ATS record in the last six in this spot. The Boilers aren’t making backers happy at the moment when posted as faves as they’re just 2-2 SU and 1-3 ATS in the last four matches in that role.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2011, 04:25 AM

Sunday's Cleveland Tips

March 20, 2011

The Cleveland pod involves four teams that have made the Final Four in the last eight years as Ohio State and George Mason tip off the action in the early evening. The night wraps up at Quicken Loans Arena with a Big East showdown between Syracuse and Marquette. We'll start things off with the Buckeyes trying to avoid the big upset.

(1) Ohio State vs. (8) George Mason - 5:15 PM EST

The last time the Buckeyes were a top seed, Thad Matta's club played for the National Championship in 2007 against Florida. Ohio State started this tournament on a solid note with a 75-46 blowout of Texas-San Antonio on Friday, easily covering as 24 ½-point favorites. The Buckeyes battle a George Mason squad that rallied late to stun struggling Villanova and move on to the round of 32.

The Patriots knocked off Villanova thanks to Luke Hancock's three-pointer in the final minute, 61-57 as two-point underdogs. George Mason continues to be an ATS stalwart with a 23-8 mark against the number, including a 5-2 ATS record as a 'dog. Jim Larranaga's team is riding a 16-3 ATS spurt, while the two losses came as favorites of at least 9 ½ points.

The Buckeyes haven't been too shabby from a pointspread perspective recently with six covers in the last eight games. In six instances of this stretch, OSU was laying double-digits, as the Buckeyes were 10-13 ATS this season as favorites of at least 10 points. Taking away games in which Ohio State closed as substantial 'chalk,' the Buckeyes owned a 3-6 ATS mark as a favorite between 10 and 13 points.

Since the Final Four run of 2006, GMU is 5-2 ATS in the Big Dance, with four of those wins coming outright as an underdog. Ohio State is 5-8 ATS in the tournament since 2006, including a 2-2 ATS ledger when laying double-digits.

The Buckeyes are listed as 11-point favorites, while the total is set at 135 as this game can be viewed on CBS. The winner of this game moves to the Sweet 16 of the East regional to battle Kentucky in Newark.

(3) Syracuse vs. (11) Marquette - 7:45 PM EST

In the second Big East showdown this weekend, the Orange and Golden Eagles hook up for the second time this season for a trip to the Sweet 16. Syracuse cruised past Indiana State, 77-60 to win their first tournament game for the third straight year. Meanwhile, Marquette moved forward with a wall-to-wall romping of Xavier, 66-55 as short favorites.

The last time these conference rivals met, Marquette held off Syracuse, 76-70 at the Bradley Center on January 29. Buzz Williams' club jumped out to an 11-point halftime lead, as the Orange couldn't complete the comeback despite shooting 57% from the floor. That was the final loss of a four-game skid for Syracuse in Big East play, while the Orange bounced back the following game in a road victory at UConn as short 'dogs.

The Golden Eagles jumped off the tournament bubble with consecutive wins in the Big East tournament over Providence and West Virginia. Even though Marquette was trounced by Louisville in the quarterfinals of the conference tourney, the Golden Eagles eliminated a Xavier squad that had advanced to the Sweet 16 in each of the previous three NCAA Tournaments.

The Orange rebounded nicely after a midseason swoon with wins in seven of the last eight games, while covering five of the previous six. Syracuse has cashed the 'over' in four straight contests, as Jim Boeheim's team saw its second-lowest total (129) of the season in Friday's trouncing of Indiana State. The defense has stepped up by limiting opponents to 64 points or less in five of the last eight games.

Syracuse is a perfect 5-0 SU/ATS the first weekend of the last three tournaments, while winning each game by double-figures. Marquette is seeking its first appearance in the Sweet 16 since the Dwyane Wade-led Final Four run in 2003, as the Golden Eagles have lost each of their last three second round (now third round) games by four points or less.

The Orange is laying 4 ½ points, while the total is set at 140 as this contest can be seen on TruTV. The survivor of this game moves forward in the East regional against the winner of Washington and North Carolina.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2011, 04:26 AM

Sunday's Charlotte Tips

March 20, 2011

The 2011 NCAA Tournament will resume Sunday afternoon at 12:15 p.m. Eastern in Charlotte, where second-seeded North Carolina (27-7 straight up, 15-15-1 against the spread) will collide with Washington for the right to move on to the Sweet 16.

Most sports books are listing UNC as a four-point favorite with a total of 158. Gamblers can back the Huskies to win outright for a plus-160 return (risk $100 to win $160).

Roy Williams’ team failed to cover the number in Friday’s first-round win over Long Island U. The Tar Heels captured a 102-87 win as 18 ½-point favorites. Tyler Zeller exploded for 32 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots. John Henson produced 28 points and 12 rebounds, while Harrison Barnes finished with 24 points and 16 boards.

UNC has now won 10 of its last 11 games with the only defeat coming against Duke in the finals of the ACC Tournament. The Tar Heels own a 9-8-1 ATS record in 18 previous games as single-digit favorites.

Washington (24-10 SU, 15-16-1 ATS) advanced to the second round by capturing a 68-65 win over Georgia as a 5 ½-point favorite. Isaiah Thomas scored 19 points and dished out seven assists for the winners, who went on a 12-4 run to take an eight-point lead at the start of the second half.

Lorenzo Romar’s team has now won four consecutive games, although it is mired in an abysmal 1-6 ATS slump. That stat is basically meaningless in handicapping this game, however, because UW was favored in each of those contests.

The Huskies have only been underdogs twice this season. They covered the spread in an 87-86 loss at Arizona as 2 ½-point ‘dogs on Feb. 19. Also, their backers pushed in a 67-66 loss to Texas A&M as one-point ‘dogs.

The ‘under’ is 17-15 overall for Washington, 6-1 in its last seven games. The ‘under’ is 17-13-1 overall for UNC, 8-4 in its last 12 outings.

CBS will provide television coverage.

The second game from Charlotte will pit top-seeded Duke (31-4 SU, 20-14 ATS) as a double-digit favorite against Michigan. As of early this morning, the Blue Devils were favored by 11 ½ with a total of 136. The Wolverines are available on the money line for a plus-600 payout (risk $100 to win $600).

Duke stroked Hampton by an 87-45 count to take the cash as a 23-point favorite in its first-round game. Kyrie Irving returned to the court for the first time since Dec. 4 and after some early struggles in the first half, exhibited the form he showed early this season.

The freshman point guard, who is expected to go in the top five of this summer’s NBA draft, played 20 minutes and scored 14 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field. Irving made both attempts from 3-point range and all four of his free throws.

"I was nervous when I got out there in the first half," Irving told the Associated Press. "I was pressing and trying too hard. You can't play basketball that way. But then in the second half, I don't know, I just started to feel good."

So did Duke fans, Mike Krzyzewski and bettors who have Duke repeating by cutting the nets down in Houston in 15 days. I wouldn’t be surprised if Irving’s minutes are increased into the 25-30 range today.

Michigan (21-13 SU, 21-8 ATS) continued its incredible ATS run in its blowout first-round win over Tennessee by a 75-45 score. The Wolverines trailed in the early going, but a run late in the first half gave them a four-point lead at intermission. They jumped all over the Volunteers to start the second half and led by as much as 32.

Matt Vogrich provided a huge spark off the bench, scoring 11 points in just 16 minutes of playing time. Vogrich made all five shots he took. Darius Morris had eight points, nine assists, six rebounds and a pair of steals. Zack Novak finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Stu Douglass and Tim Hardaway Jr. chipped in 11 points apiece.

John Beilein’s team has been a double-digit underdog six times, posting a 5-1 spread record. Michigan has taken the cash in 10 straight games as an underdog and is 14-4 ATS on the season in 18 ‘dog spots.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2011, 11:29 AM

Sunday's Trends to Watch

March 20, 2011

Michigan vs. Duke (NCAA at Charlotte)...The Wolverines are red-hot, covering their last 8 and 13 of their last 14 games on the board. Michigan is also 12-4 as an underdog this season, and John Beilein’s various teams are 10-3-1 vs. the number in their last 14 postseason games. Duke not bad lately vs. the line, either, covering last 4 and 8 of last 11. Blue Devils also "under" 11-3 their last 14 games.

Washington vs. North Carolina (NCAA at Charlotte)...After a 10-3 spread run over 13 games, the Tar Heels have failed to cover in their last four. Although U-Dub hasn’t been any better lately, dropping 6 of its last 7 vs. the spread. The Huskies are also "under" a surprising 5 of their last 6 games.

George Mason vs. Ohio State (NCAA at Cleveland)...Remember that GMU had a 14-game spread win streak at one point late in the season, and now stands 16-3 against the number its last 19 on the board.

Marquette at Syracuse (NCAA at Cleveland)...Marquette one of many Big East teams trending "under" lately (Golden Eagles "under" 13-2 last 15). Jim Boeheim, however, is "over" his last 4 and also 5-1 vs. the number his last six outings.

Florida State vs. Notre Dame (NCAA at Chicago)...Seminoles 11-4-1 vs. line last 16 on board, as well as "under" 5 of their last 6.

Virginia Commonwealth vs. Purdue (NCAA at Chicago)...The CAA Rams are "under" in 7 of their last 9 games. Meanwhile, the Big The Boilermakers are "under" in 5 of their last 6 outings.

Arizona vs. Texas (NCAA at Tulsa)...Arizona not covering too much lately, just 2-7 its last nine on the board. Note that Longhorns are "over" their last three after going "under" in 11 of previous 14.

Illinois vs. Kansas (NCAA at Tulsa)..After covering just 4 of 12 games in one late-season stretch, the Fighting Illini have covered 4 of their last 5 games. Meanwhile, the Jayhawks have cooled vs. the number, covering just 1 of their last 7 games.

Wichita State at Virginia Tech (NIT)...The Wheatshockers have covered 8 of 11 as a visitor this season and are also "under" in 5 of their last 6 games. Note that Seth Greenberg’s Hokies have only covered 3 of their last 9 outings.

Kent State at Fairfield (NIT)...The Golden Flashes have covered 5 of their last 6 and are "over" in 9 of their last 13 (despite "unders" 3 of last 4). The host Stags are also 5-1 vs. the line their last six games.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2011, 11:30 AM

Syracuse looks for payback vs. Marquette

#11 seed MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES (21-14)

vs. #3 seed SYRACUSE ORANGE (27-7)

NCAA Tournament – Third Round
Tip-off: Sunday, 7:45 p.m. EDT – Cleveland, OH
Line: Syracuse -4.5

I went to an NCAA Tournament game, and the Big East Tournament broke out (I’ll be here all week). You had to figure that if all of the talk of 11 Big East teams in the big dance ultimately came to fruition, which it did, the selection committee would have more than a little bit of difficulty keeping conference combatants separated from meeting before the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight portion of play. Sure enough, third-round play in the West regional pitted Connecticut and Cincinnati in the second game for both teams, with the Huskies winning to advance to the Sweet 16 where they will play San Diego State next. In the East, Syracuse and Marquette are slated to knock heads on Sunday afternoon in Cleveland with the winner moving on to Newark and the semifinals of the East regional. Connecticut’s victory over the Bearcats replicated a regular-season win the Huskies enjoyed on February 27. The East regional three-seed Syracuse Orange are not looking for a duplication of their only regular season meeting versus Marquette. They met on January 29, and it did not end very well for Jim Boeheim’s crew.

When Marquette and the Orange first met it was probably the low point of the season for Syracuse. After starting the year winners of 18 straight, Syracuse hit a skid in its schedule, losing four straight. Loss number four came in Milwaukee to the Golden Eagles 76-70. The victory was the first time that Marquette defeated the Orange since joining the Big East conference. Syracuse trailed by 11 at the half, but rallied with a 25-14 second half run to even the game at 56 with just over eight minutes to play. However, Marquette and Jae Crowder, who scored 13 of his 25 points in the second half, were too much to overcome down the stretch. Scoop Jardine fueled the comeback with 13 points and 13 assists, but was hindered by five turnovers. The second half of that game did mark a turning point of sorts for Syracuse, as the team’s defensive intensity was much improved in the final 20 minutes of the contest. After the loss, Syracuse traveled to Connecticut and got a huge road victory in Hartford, 66-58, turning around its season. Since the loss to Marquette, the Orange have won nine of 12, and have been playing better defense ever since. Friday the ‘Cuse began tournament play with a 77-60 victory over Indiana State, champions of the Missouri Valley Conference. Rick Jackson led the charge with 23 points and seven rebounds. Kris Joseph added 12 points and 10 boards, while C.J. Fair came off the bench to contribute 14 points. Scoop Jardine was back to his distributing ways with nine points and nine assists. Jackson will look to improve on his earlier performance versus Marquette, when he had 14 points, but could only manage four rebounds. Sunday evening, the Orange will be looking for a 40-minute defensive effort closer to the one against the Sycamores, when they held the opponent to 40% shooting, stark contrast to the 52% Marquette shot against them back in January, including 46.2% from beyond the arc. "Everybody knows it's hard to beat a Big East team twice in a season," guard Scoop Jardine said. "Hopefully, we can come out with the win."

　The Golden Eagles are coming off a 66-55 victory Friday over Xavier of the A-10. While Marquette got big games from its top two scorers, Darius Johnson-Odom and Jimmy Butler, who tallied 19 and 15 points respectively, it was the defensive job that the team did on Xavier’s leading scorer, Tu Holloway, that was the story of the game. Marquette held Holloway (19.7 PPG, 5.4 APG) to just five points on 1-for-8 shooting, as the junior guard suffered through his second-worst scoring night of the season. It was just the third time in 32 games that Holloway failed to reach double figures. The Musketeers could only manage 41% shooting from the floor, as Marquette held them to just 2-of-13 from beyond the arc. The Golden Eagles on the other hand, shot 53.3% from the field, building their lead at one point to as much as 18 points. While the intensity of the game on Sunday may not quite reach Big East Championship status, the reward at the end of the battle will be much greater, a trip to the Sweet 16, something that the Golden Eagles have not accomplished since 2003.

These teams have met five times since Marquette joined the Big East, with the Orange winning the first four games before this season’s defeat. Syracuse is 3-2 ATS in the five meetings with Marquette and 5-1 ATS in their past six games this season. The Eagles are 17-12 ATS (59%) overall, and 7-3 ATS (70%) as an underdog, but just 3-3 ATS in their past six games this season. The pick here is Syracuse to win its eighth game in nine tries SU and also cover the spread.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2011, 11:31 AM

Ohio State heavily favored over George Mason

#8 seed GEORGE MASON PATRIOTS (27-6)

vs. #1 seed OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (33-2)

NCAA Tournament – Third Round
Tip-off: Sunday, 5:15 p.m. EDT – Cleveland, OH
Line: Ohio State -11.5

Before the western hemisphere gets swept up in March Madness memory mania when the topic of George Mason and its Cinderella history comes up, and as we ponder the question of whether the school can make another run to the Final Four, let’s remember a couple of things. Number one, before Friday afternoon, that 2006 run represented the last time that George Mason had even won a tournament game. Secondly, when Mason advanced to the Final Four, they did so by winning a regional final played in an arena just 45 minutes from its campus. Sunday afternoon, those tables will be turned in a big way. Ohio State will be the opponent, the number one seed in the tournament and the number one team in the country. Ohio State will be playing in Cleveland, its home state. The Buckeyes playing in Cleveland is sort of like the Globetrotters playing anywhere in the lower 48: they will always be the favorites, and they will always pack the house with their fans. The home court shoe will be on the other foot this time around for George Mason, as Jim Larranaga’s squad will be anything but the favorite son like it was in 2006. Sunday, the Patriots are simply hoping that this time around Cinderella’s glass slipper does not crack under the decibel level of a pro-Buckeye crowd.

The Buckeyes advanced to Sunday’s third-round game with a 75-46 victory over UT-San Antonio in a game which pretty much amounted to an NCAA sanctioned scrimmage as Ohio State raced to a 16-point halftime lead and kept building from there. William Buford scored 18 points and Jared Sullinger added 11 before taking an early rest for the day once the game was well in hand. UTSA head coach Brooks Thompson had a quote that became an early nominee for understatement of the year when asked to comment about Ohio State after the game: "Wow, they're good." Ohio State shot nearly 56% from the field and made exactly half of its three-point attempts. Sullinger only played 28 minutes, as head coach Thad Matta took the liberty of the blowout to give extra rest to his star freshman and other starters. The Buckeyes played in front of a sellout crowd in Quicken Loans Arena that included an estimated 15,000 Ohio State fans, many of whom made the two-hour trip from Columbus. The performance by the victors was enough to make some observers bring up the “U” word. "Well, I don't know about unbeatable," David Lighty (8 points, 5 assists) said. "But it's awful hard to beat us when the offensive weapons that we have are all clicking at the same time." Ohio State set a tournament record with 26 assists, a stat that underscores the unselfish nature of a well-balanced team that carries itself like a champion.

Mason advanced to Sunday’s matchup with a 61-57 come-from-behind victory against a Villanova team that wrapped up its season losing six straight and eight of its last 10. Luke Hancock led the winners with 18 points, as his three-pointer with 0:21 left put the Patriots back in the lead for good. Mike Morrison added 10 points and 11 rebounds. Constantly being compared to the ‘06 team, and carrying around the Cinderella moniker, seems to have given this year’s Mason team a bit of a chip, and with that chip has come a added motivation. "Lots of people disrespect us, say we're going to lose and stuff," said George Mason guard Andre Cornelius. "I don't care about being the underdog. I just want to make a statement. I just want to come out there and beat them and shut everybody up." The Patriots have won 17 of their past 18 games, and save for a stumble in their conference tournament, might be the hottest team in America. Besides 2006, there is some other history that George Mason can feel good about from an omen standpoint. Four of the past six teams to defeat Villanova in the NCAA Tournament (‘05 and ‘09 North Carolina, ‘06 Florida, and ‘08 Kansas) have gone on to win the National Championship. History is a powerful thing, but Larranaga knows that history cannot out-muscle Jared Sullinger, stop Jon Diebler from nailing a three-pointer, or pull down a rebound in crunch time. "They're going to score some points," Larranaga said "We've got to figure out a way to match them in that category. Our defense needs to be at its very best on first shots. We've got to limit second shots. But the biggest thing is, we really gotta encourage our guys to understand that we're going to have to put the ball in the basket.”

Ohio State is only 17-15 ATS this season, but is 7-4 ATS (64%) in non-conference games, 9-6 ATS (60%) after an ATS win and 7-5 ATS (58%) as a favorite away from home. George Mason is a whopping 23-8 ATS (74%) overall, but only 3-3 ATS in neutral-site games, and 2-5 ATS with less than two days of rest. The pick here is Ohio State to win big.

**shoeman530** · 03-20-2011, 11:42 AM

good luck today sdb

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2011, 11:49 AM

Sunday, March 20

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Wichita St. - 11:00 AM ET Wichita St. +4.5 500
Virginia Tech - Under 130.5 500

Washington - 12:15 PM ET Washington +4.5 500
North Carolina - Under 158.5 500

Kent St. - 12:30 PM ET Fairfield -5 500
Fairfield - Over 129 500

Michigan - 2:45 PM ET Michigan +11.5 500 ( POD )
Duke - Under 136 500

George Mason - 5:15 PM ET George Mason +11 500
Ohio St. - Under 135 500

Arizona - 6:10 PM ET Texas -6.5 500
Texas - Under 139 500 ( Total of the Day )

VCU - 7:10 PM ET VCU +9 500
Purdue - Under 134.5 500

Marquette - 7:45 PM ET Syracuse -4.5 500 ( POD )
Syracuse - Under 140 500

Illinois - 8:40 PM ET Kansas -8.5 500 ( BLOW OUT of the Day )
Kansas - Over 144.5 500

Florida St. - 9:40 PM ET Florida St. +5 500
Notre Dame - Under 133 500

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2011, 12:01 PM

Sunday, March 20

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Baltimore - 1:05 PM ET Baltimore +110 500
Tampa Bay -

Detroit - 1:05 PM ET Detroit +102 500
Washington -

Minnesota - 1:05 PM ET Toronto -116 500
Toronto -

NY Yankees - 1:05 PM ET Philadelphia -126 500
Philadelphia -

NY Mets - 1:05 PM ET NY Mets +115 500
Florida -

St. Louis - 1:05 PM ET Boston -135 500
Boston -

Cincinnati - 4:05 PM ET Cincinnati +111 500
Milwaukee -

LA Dodgers - 4:05 PM ET Chi. White Sox -123 500
Chi. White Sox -

San Diego - 4:05 PM ET Seattle -123 500
Seattle -

Texas - 4:05 PM ET Texas +102 500
Kansas City -

LA Angels - 4:10 PM ET Colorado -120 500
Colorado -

**StarDust Bum** · 03-20-2011, 12:44 PM

NBASunday, March 20

Game Score Status Pick Amount

New Jersey - 1:00 PM ET New Jersey -1.5 500
Washington - Over 194.5 500

Detroit - 2:00 PM ET Detroit +7.5 500
Atlanta - Under 189.5 500

New York - 3:00 PM ET Milwaukee +1.5 500 ( NBA POD )
Milwaukee - Under 197.5 500

Sacramento - 3:30 PM ET Sacramento +4 500
Minnesota - Over 214 500 ( NBA TOTAL of the DAY)

Phoenix - 3:30 PM ET L.A. Clippers -1.5 500
L.A. Clippers - Under 208.5 500

Toronto - 7:00 PM ET Oklahoma City -13 500
Oklahoma City - Under 210 500

Utah - 7:00 PM ET Houston -6.5 500
Houston - Over 209 500

Golden State - 7:30 PM ET Golden State +9.5 500
Dallas - Over 213 500

Portland - 9:30 PM ET Portland +6.5 500
L.A. Lakers - Under 186.5 500

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

NHLSunday, March 20

Game Score Status Pick Amount

NY Rangers - 12:30 PM ET NY Rangers +125 500
Pittsburgh - Over 5 500

Nashville - 5:00 PM ET Buffalo -139 500
Buffalo - Over 5 500

New Jersey - 5:00 PM ET New Jersey -138 500
Columbus - Under 5 500

Montreal - 6:00 PM ET Minnesota -114 500
Minnesota - Under 5 500

Chicago - 8:00 PM ET Chicago -111 500
Phoenix - Over 5.5 500

Calgary - 8:00 PM ET Calgary +104 500
Anaheim - Under 5.5 500

**StarDust Bum** · 03-21-2011, 12:37 AM

HEY ....love the way kansas blew out Ill. the last 6 minutes to get that cover.......

Announcement

The Bum's Sunday's Best Bets MLB-NBA-NHL-NCAAB !

The Bum's Sunday's Best Bets MLB-NBA-NHL-NCAAB !

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment