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NCAA Tournament Odds: Kentucky Wildcats, Ohio State preview

The Buckeyes and Wildcats meet for the first time in 14 seasons.
(4) Kentucky Wildcats vs. (1) Ohio State Buckeyes
East Regional Semifinals - Newark
Time/TV: Friday, March 25, 6:45 p.m. (PT) CBS
Odds: Buckeyes by 5½, total at 140

Jared Sullinger was four the last time the Ohio State Buckeyes squared off against the Kentucky Wildcats, so it's doubtful he recalls much about the game. But if he did, he'd be playing with revenge on his mind after Kentucky thumped third-ranked Ohio State by an 81-65 count at the 1996 Rock-n-Roll Shootout holiday tourney in Cleveland.

It's been over 14 years since the two schools that have 35 Sweet 16 and 15 NCAA Final appearances between them – with less than 200 miles between campuses – last met. That oversight will be corrected Friday evening in New Jersey, oddly enough more than 1,200 miles combined from both campuses and in an arena that holds less than where Kentucky and Ohio State play their own home games.

CBS has the television coverage beginning around 6:50 p.m. (PT), a half-hour or less after the Marquette, North Carolina contest.

The 20th meeting all-time between the Buckeyes and Wildcats is exactly what most expected to see when the brackets came out on March 13. Three of the East's top 4 seeds – (1) Ohio State, (2) North Carolina and (4) Kentucky – made it to Newark with the only real upset in the region 11-seed Marquette knocking off 3-seed Syracuse to advance to the Sweet 16. Given how Big East schools have taken turns beating each other all season, that isn't much of an upset.

Ohio State, the AP's top-ranked team heading into the dance, cruised past Texas-San Antonio and George Mason in the Cleveland pod last week. The Buckeyes (34-2 straight up, 18-15 against the spread) had no trouble finding the net in either win, hitting more than 58 percent of their shots from the field (65-of-111) and sinking 28 of their 52 three-point attempts (53.8 percent).

Seniors Jon Diebler and David Lighty were big parts of the OSU offense in the wins and spread covers, first laying 25½ to the Roadrunners and then 11½ to the Patriots. Diebler, the Big Ten's all-time three-point shooter, made his usual 50 percent from beyond the arc by hitting 4-of-8 in each game. Lighty was unstoppable in the George Mason game, sinking all seven of his long range tries on his way to a game-high 25 points.

If there was one facet of the game the Buckeyes struggled with, it was foul shots. Ohio State continued a recent trend of charity toss trouble by making just 15-of-26 (57.6 percent) in the two contests. Thad Matta's squad sank 25 of the last 43 free throws (58.1 percent) they took in the Big Ten Tournament. Assuming the Wildcats give the Buckeyes a tougher time than UTSA or George Mason, it's something to watch.

Kentucky (27-8 SU, 15-14-1 ATS) also had its statistical downfall at the line in getting past Princeton and West Virginia last week in Tampa. The Wildcats shot well from the field in both games, just under 50 percent combined and nearly 38 percent from three-point range. But missing five of their 11 free throws in the 59-57 victory over Princeton almost cost John Calipari's young bunch who was favored by 13 against the Tigers.

The Wildcats returned closer to season form in the 71-63 triumph versus the Mountaineers by making 17-of-24 (70.8 percent), just below their 71.5 percent season average.

Ohio State and Kentucky shared three common opponents during the regular season, two from the SEC and one from the Big Ten. The Buckeyes and Wildcats each won and covered double-digit spreads in their lone meetings against the South Carolina Gamecocks. Ohio State beat Indiana twice on the floor and at the window while Kentucky won and cashed its matchup with the Hoosiers.

The Buckeyes scored an impressive road win at Florida as three-point underdogs very early in the season. The Wildcats went 2-1 SU versus the Gators that included winning the SEC Championship Game, the two teams splitting the odds 1-1-1.

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Florida State, VCU Rams clash at Alamodome

(11) Virginia Commonwealth Rams vs. (10) Florida State Seminoles
Southwest Regional Semifinals - San Antonio
Time/TV: Friday, March 25, 6:57 p.m. (PT) TBS
Odds: Seminoles by 3½, total at 131

Looking for the top stat of this tournament? Look no further than two mid-majors from the city of Richmond, VA, (VCU and Richmond) making to the Sweet 16, the same number of teams as the Big East pushed into regional action this week.

Virginia Commonwealth (26-11 SU, 16-20 ATS) has been crowned this tourney's official Cinderella...for now, as it's a tiara Richmond could very well wear eventually. The Rams won three games last week as 'dogs to reach this matchup. The 94-76 rout of Purdue while getting 9½ really punctuated the improbable week as VCU hit a season-best 56.9 percent of its shots from the field after netting 33.9 percent and 40.9 percent in the wins over USC and Georgetown.

The Rams started the season covering just one of their first three neutral-court games, but have gone 4-2 ATS in that situation since the regular season ended. VCU's eight neutral-site games to have an official total went 5-3 'over.' The 2010-11 Rams are 9-4 as the underdog.

Florida State matching up with VCU in this one certainly has its share of irony since the Seminoles (23-10 SU, 16-10-2 ATS) fell to Virginia Tech in the ACC Tournament who were one of the schools many thought should have been invited to the dance over VCU.

The Seminoles are off a pick 'em win over Texas A&M and the upset of Notre Dame as five-point underdogs, a most impressive showing by FSU's vaunted defense in holding the Irish to just 57 points.

Florida State has cashed its last five, going 'under' in six of the last seven. The 'Noles will be playing just their sixth neutral-site game, going 4-1 TS and 'under' the previous five, and were 9-4-2 on the season beating the spread as favorites.

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NCAA Odds: Kansas Jayhawks, Richmond tip Southwest

The ’under’ has been a winner in 12 of Kansas’ last 15 tournament games.
No knock on Richmond, but things couldn’t haven fallen any better for Kansas in the Southwest Regional of the NCAA Tournament.

The Jayhawks are 10 ½-point favorites against the Spiders in their Sweet 16 matchup Friday in San Antonio at 4:27 p.m. PT on TBS. It’s the largest spread of any of the games in the round of 16.

The ‘over/under’ is 136.

Gone from the Southwest Regional are second-seeded Notre Dame, third-seeded Purdue, fourth-seeded Louisville, fifth-seeded Vanderbilt and sixth-seeded Georgetown.

All this attrition leaves the top-seeded Jayhawks a clear path to the Final Four. Kansas, winners of 34 of 36 games, captured the Big 12 regular-season and won the conference tournament.

Eliminate 12th-seeded Richmond is the Jayhawks’ latest order of business. The winner of this matchup meets the victor of the Florida State-Virginia Commonwealth game on Sunday.

So far the Jayhawks haven’t shown they are vulnerable to an upset, something that happened to them last year in the NCAA Tournament when Northern Iowa defeated them, 69-67, as 11-point underdogs in the second-round.

That defeat ranks as one of the more disappointing in Kansas’ long-storied history. The Jayhawks have been all business in their first two Big Dance contests this year beating Boston University, 72-53, as 23 ½-point favorites and knocking out Illinois, 73-59, covering as eight-point ‘chalk.’

The combined 125 points in Kansas’ victory against Boston University went ‘under’ the 137 ½-point total. The combined 132 points in the Jayhawks’ defeat of Illinois also went ‘under’ the 143-point total.

The ‘under’ has cashed in 12 of Kansas’ past 15 NCAA Tournament games.

The Morris twins – Marcus and Markieff – have been dominant in the post for the Jayhawks combining for 72 points and 41 rebounds in the two victories. The pair average a combined 31 points and 16 rebounds per game.

The Jayhawks, winners of 10 in a row, are well-rounded with a solid point guard in Tyshawn Taylor and versatile wing players Brady Morningstar, Tyrell Reed and Josh Selby.

They’ve helped Kansas win its last four games by an average of 15.5 points. The Jayhawks averaged 81.8 points per game during the regular season, sixth-best in the nation.

Richmond coach Chris Mooney hopes to slow down Kansas’ high-potent offense with a matchup zone defense and a methodical, slow-down, Princeton style of offense. The Spiders, who start four seniors, held foes to 60.8 points per game, 18th-best in the nation. They are 7-0-1 ATS in their last eight games at neutral sites when taking points.

The Spiders’ strength is in the inside-outside combination of senior guard Kevin Anderson, the Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year for the second straight season, and 6-foot-10 senior Justin Harper, another all-league selection.

Harper leads the Spiders in scoring at 17.8 points per game. Anderson sparked Richmond’s 69-66 opening-round win against Vanderbilt with 25 points. The Spiders were three-point underdogs versus the Commodores with the combined 135 points pushing on the 135-point total.

Richmond then defeated Morehead State, 65-48, as 4 ½-point ‘chalk.’ The combined 113 points went ‘under’ the 123-point total. Morehead State had upset Louisville in an opening round game.

The ‘under’ is 9-1-1 in Richmond’s past 11 contests.

The Spiders are one of the hottest teams in the country having won and covered their last nine games, including capturing the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament. The Spiders are 29-7 overall.

Richmond is 14-4 ATS the past two years when getting points, including 6-2 ATS this season as an underdog.

It’s the first time since 1988 the Spiders have advanced as far as the final 16 teams. Richmond nipped Kansas, 69-68, when the teams last met in January of 2004.

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NCAA Tournament Odds: Marquette, North Carolina collide

Marquette’s only win over UNC came at the 1977 Final Four in Atlanta.
(11) Marquette Golden Eagles vs. (2) North Carolina Tar Heels
East Regional Semifinals - Newark
Time/TV: Friday, March 25, 4:15 p.m. (PT) CBS
Odds: Tar Heels by 4½, total at 149½

Marquette, one of only two Big East schools to reach the Sweet 16, heads into the game against UNC on 4-1 runs straight up and against the spread that included tourney wins and covers last week over Xavier and Syracuse.

The Golden Eagles (22-14 SU, 18-12 ATS) went heavy to the 'under' in the season by nearly a 2:1 rate, and have cashed five in a row to the low side. They are 5-2 ATS and 6-1 'under' at neutral-site games this season, and covered eight of the 11 games in which they were underdogs.

North Carolina hasn't covered a spread since its regular season finale, an 81-67 home win versus Duke as slight 1½-point chalk. The Tar Heels (28-7 SU, 15-16-1 ATS) didn't cash either of last week's games, but they didn't miss by much beating Long Island 102-87 on an 18½-point closing line before topping Washington, 86-83, as 3½-point favorites. Both games went 'over' the total, giving high-side bettors the money for the fifth time in eight contests.

The Heels are 2-7-1 ATS on 10 neutral courts this season, including a 78-76 loss to Texas at the not-so-neutral Greensboro Coliseum in mid-December. UNC is 5-5 'over/under' in those 10 games, and is 12-14-1 ATS in games they were favored.

This is the first meeting between UNC and Marquette in over 10 years, and only the fifth overall. The Tar Heels are 3-1 SU in the previous four, winning the last three. Marquette's only win over North Carolina came in a 1977 Final Four matchup in Atlanta.

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NBA Betting Preview: Clippers and Lakers battle at Staples

The Clippers have covered seven of their last nine versus the Lakers.
It’s a good thing Los Angeles does not have terribly cold weather because the city’s two pro basketball teams are having trouble finding covers. The Clippers and Lakers, both in pointspread funks and coming off overtime games, tangle Friday at Staples Center.

Tip-off for this Pacific Division matchup is set for 7:30 p.m. (PT).

The Clippers are off Wednesday’s 127-119 double overtime victory against the Washington Wizards. But the Clips did not cover as hefty 13 ½-point home favorites, marking their fifth straight pointspread failure. They are now 33-38-1 ATS in their first 72 endeavors.

The combined 246 points soared above the 203-point closing total, but the game would have barely gone ‘over’ during regulation. The contest was tied at 102 at the end of four quarters.

Though the ‘over’ is 36-35-1 in the Clippers’ first 72 overall outings, the ‘under’ is 20-17 in the club’s 37 dates at Staples Center.

Starting center Blake Griffin recorded the first triple-double of his career with 33 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists.

During a game full of near-finishes, the last dagger came from Clippers guard Randy Foye, who knocked down a three-pointer with 46.1 seconds left. That turned a three point lead into a six-point margin.

Earlier, the Clippers' Eric Gordon, who had 32 points, sent it into double overtime by nailing a three-pointer from the left wing with 1.9 seconds remaining in the first overtime.

Vinny Del Negro’s club ranks 18th in the league offensively, averaging 98.9 points per game. The team is shooting 45.7 percent from the field (19th) and 34 percent from beyond the arc (26th).

The Lakers did the Clippers one better in their most recent game on Tuesday, going into triple overtime before outlasting the Phoenix Suns, 139-137.

While the Lakers are a league-best 13-1 SU after the all-star break, they continue to burn money at the betting window.

Phil Jackson’s troops failed to cover Tuesday as seven-point home favorites, marking their third straight spread failure and lowering their pointspread record to 34-36-1 overall and 13-21 at Staples Center.

The Lakers relinquished a 21-point third-quarter lead and a nine-point lead during the closing minutes of the fourth quarter.

Kobe Bryant led the Lakers attack by scoring a season-high 42 points and adding 12 rebounds and nine assists in exactly 48 minutes. Lamar Odom also registered a season-high 29 points.

The Lakers were again playing without starting center Andrew Bynum, who was serving a league-imposed two-game suspension for last week’s flagrant foul. Bynum will be back in the lineup for Friday’s game against the Clippers.

These two residents of Staples Center have met three times this season, with the Lakers winning two straight-up and the Clippers covering the spread twice. In fact, the Clippers are 7-2 ATS in the last nine series meetings.

The initial meeting took place on Dec. 8, with the Lakers sneaking past the Clippers as 7 ½-point favorites, 87-86. The combined 173 points dipped well ‘under’ the 204 ½-point closing total.

The Clippers got revenge during the Jan. 16 rematch by upsetting the Lakers as five-point underdogs, 99-92. The combined 191 points again slipped ‘under’ the 196-point closing total.

The most recent matchup (Feb 25) was the most lopsided result. The Lakers registered a 108-95 victory and also covered the spread as 10 ½-point favorites. This was the lone meeting to go ‘over’ the total, which closed at 193 points.

It is interesting to note that the Lakers are 7-23 ATS in their last 30 games at Staples Center versus teams with a losing record.

This will be the Clippers’ first game of a back-to-back situation, as they will host the Toronto Raptors on Saturday. The Lakers continue their seven-game homestand Sunday against the New Orleans Hornets.

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Bobcats visit Boston Celtics for NBA betting

The Boston Celtics rank first in the NBA allowing less than 91 points per contest.
The Charlotte Bobcats and Boston Celtics are potential postseason partners this year, but both have some work in NBA betting action to do to get where they want to be.

The two will duke it out on the Parquet Court in Beantown on Friday night at 4:30 (PT).

The Bobcats are three back of a postseason slot with just 10 games to play, and they probably need to finish at least 6-4 over the course of the last 10 to have even a remote chance of getting into the playoffs for just the second time in team history. This team has lately been a wreck, as four straight have gone into the loss column and only once in those four games did Charlotte cover the NBA odds.

It's almost like the Bobcats have been searching for an identity since trading away Gerald Wallace at the deadline to the Portland Trail Blazers. Stephen Jackson, the team's leading scorer at 18.8 PPG, has a hamstring injury that leaves him questionable for this one, while the big man that came back from Portland in the Wallace deal, Joel Pryzbilla, has only suited in five games due to a knee injury that will likely once again leave him out of the lineup.

Tyrus Thomas and Boris Diaw are the top rebounding performers, and that just doesn't scare us against the Boston front line, especially since Thomas might not be in the fold for the 31st time this season. Instead, men like DJ Augustin are going to have to step up and shoot the lights out in Beantown to have any chance of pulling off this upset.

We never really like to hear a coach basically admit that he is giving up on the season, but that's what it sounds like head coach Doc Rivers is going to do for these last handful of games on the campaign. He is far more interested in keeping his team healthy and getting the likes of Shaquille O'Neal and Jermaine O'Neal back on the court for the postseason than he is nailing down the No. 1 seed in the conference, and the end result might be some ugly, ugly losses down the stretch.

Case in point: Boston lost to the Memphis Grizzlies at home 90-87 on Wednesday night and has been dropped by the Houston Rockets, New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers over the course of the last two weeks and change.

The one thing that we do know about the C's is that they are going to play some ridiculously hard-nosed defense for the full 48 minutes regardless of who is on the court. Teams are only averaging 90.9 PPG against Boston this year, which ranks No. 1 in the league.

Charlotte already has one win and another cover in the series this year. The 'Cats won 94-89 on Tobacco Road back in February, and challenged in a 99-94 loss here at the TD Garden in January. Of course, in the other meeting this year, the Bobcats were absolutely blown out of the water, 93-62.

Still, Charlotte is 8-2 ATS over the course of its last 10 visits to Beantown, and the underdog in this series is 15-4 ATS over the course of the last 19.

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Pittsburgh Penguins back home to meet Devils

The New Jersey Devils have won 19 of their last 26 games at Pittsburgh.
New Jersey (34-35-3-1) continues a four-game road trip with Friday’s matchup against a Pittsburgh (42-23-5-3) squad playing on back-to-back nights. The Devils are quickly running out of time to make the postseason, sitting nine points behind eighth-place Buffalo in the Eastern Conference standings with just nine games remaining.

The Penguins are still trying to get healthy for another run at the Stanley Cup, with star centers Sidney Crosby (concussion) and Evgeni Malkin (lower body injury) still not available to take the ice. Pittsburgh currently resides in second place in the Atlantic Division, and is fourth in the Eastern Conference.

New Jersey dropped to 1-3 its last four games after Tuesday’s setback to Boston as a 120 road underdog, 4-1. The combined five goals landed directly on the closing total, ending a string of three consecutive ‘under’ outings.

Left wing Ilya lit the lamp at 11:05 of the first period on a power-play goal, but the Devils were unable to score the rest of the game. New Jersey finished the period by outshooting the Bruins, 16-6, before getting outshot in the second period, 17-8.

The Devils rank eighth in the league in penalty-kill percentage (83.6) and ninth in goals against (2.5), but have struggled by ranking 26th in power-play percentage (15.3) and 30th in goals per game (2.1).

Pittsburgh improved to 3-1 its last four games heading into a Thursday-night matchup at Philadelphia. The Penguins upended Detroit Monday in a shootout as a 157 road underdog, 5-4. The combined nine goals soared past the 5 ½-goal closing total, enabling the ‘over’ to cash the fourth straight matchup.

Pittsburgh almost blew a four-goal lead before netting the only goal in the shootout when James Neal scored the game winner. That marked the Penguins first win in Detroit since winning Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals.

Pascal Dupuis had two goals and an assist in the victory, while Tyler Kennedy made the score 4-0 with a second-period tally. Goaltender Brent Johnson stonewalled 37 shots, subbing in for starter Marc-Andre Fleury. Pittsburgh prevailed despite trailing the Red Wings in shots on goal, 41-25, and faceoffs won, 42-24.

The Penguins currently rank second in penalty-kill percentage (85.9), seventh in goals against (2.4), 10th in goals per game (2.8) and 23rd in power-play percentage (15.9).

New Jersey is a surprising 8-2 the past 10 meetings with Pittsburgh, but the teams have split four games this season. The Penguins prevailed Oct. 11 as a 115 road underdog, 3-1, and Dec. 6 as 185 home ‘chalk,’ 2-1.

New Jersey triumphed Jan. 20 as a home ‘pick,’ 2-0, and March 4 in overtime as a 149 home favorite, 2-1. The ‘under’ is a stellar 9-1 the previous 10 games in this series. The Devils are 19-7 its last 26 games in Pittsburgh.

New Jersey left wing Zach Parise is still ‘out’ of action due to a knee injury. The Devils conclude their road trip with Saturday’s matchup at Buffalo. New Jersey has seen the ‘under’ go 13-4-5 the last 22 games against Atlantic Division opponents.

Pittsburgh left wing Matt Cooke (suspension) will miss the rest of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs. Center Mark Letestu is expected to miss this matchup with the Devils due to a shoulder injury. The Penguins continue their three-game homestand versus Florida and Philadelphia. The ‘under’ is 10-2-1 their previous 13 home outings.

NHL Network will provide coverage of Friday’s New Jersey-Pittsburgh game beginning at 4:00 p.m. PT from the Penguins’ CONSOL Energy Center.

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Southwest Region Semifinals

March 24, 2011

The Southwest Regional semifinals will be held at the Alamodome in San Antonio, where No. 1 seed Kansas will take aim at 12th-seeded Richmond at 7:25 p.m. Eastern on Friday night. .

Most betting shops, as of Thursday morning, were listing Kansas (34-2 straight up, 17-16-1 against the spread) as a 10 ½-point favorite with a total of 136. Gamblers can back the Spiders to win outright for a monster plus-550 return (risk $100 to win $550).

Bill Self’s team advanced to the Sweet 16 by beating up on Boston U. and Illinois in Tulsa. The Jayhawks shook off a sloppy first half to capture a 72-53 win over the Terriers, but they were unable to cover the number as 23 ½-point favorites. BU gave an excellent account of itself, fighting tooth and nail with KU in the first half. The Terriers had several different leads in the first 20 minutes and trailed by just four at intermission.

Brady Morningstar provided KU with a spark early in the second half, scoring several buckets en route to a 13-point effort. Marcus Morris had a team-high 16 points and nine rebounds against BU.

The Jayhawks made amends to their backers Sunday night, knocking off Illinois 73-59 as 8 ½-point ‘chalk.’ Markieff Morris made 10-of-13 shots from the field and finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds. His brother Marcus added 17 points and 12 boards.

Richmond (29-7 SU, 21-12 ATS) is on fire with nine consecutive wins both SU and ATS, including Friday’s 69-66 come-from-behind win over Vanderbilt. Kevin Anderson took the game over in the second half, hitting three straight 3-pointers during a 12-0 run. Anderson finished with a game-high 25 points for the Spiders, who held Vandy without a basket for the last 4:52.

Richmond took on Morehead State as a 4 ½-point favorite Sunday. Chris Mooney’s squad took a double-digit lead early in the first half and was in control from there. The Spiders took the cash once again in the 65-48 win.

Justin Harper scored a game-high 19 points, while Anderson had 14 points, four assists and three rebounds. Dan Geriot chipped in with 13 points and seven boards.

Richmond has been an underdog seven times this season, going 5-2 both SU and ATS. The Spiders posted outright wins as ‘dogs in games at Purdue, at Seton Hall, at Dayton and vs. Temple and Vandy on neutral courts.

Kansas has been a single-digit favorite 10 times, compiling a 4-5-1 spread record.

The ‘under’ is 19-12-1 overall for Richmond, cashing at a lucrative 7-0-1 clip in its last eight outings. On the other hand, KU has seen the ‘over’ go 20-14 overall, although we should note a 5-2 run for the ‘under’ in the Jayhawks’ last seven games.

Tip-off on TBS is scheduled for 7:25 p.m. Eastern.

Following KU-Richmond, a pair of double-digits seeds will square off when Florida State (23-10 SU, 16-10-2 ATS) and Virginia Commonwealth collide. FSU won more NCAA Tournament games last weekend than it won in the 13 previous seasons combined.

Leonard Hamilton’s team took out Texas A&M by a 57-50 count as a one-point favorite last Friday afternoon. Derwin Kitchen scored a team-high 15 points and also had seven rebounds and three assists in the school’s first NCAA win since beating Billy Tubbs’ TCU team way back in 1998.

Then on Sunday night, the Seminoles jumped all over Notre Dame early and often and cruised to a 71-57 win as 4 1/2-point underdogs. They hooked up money-line backers with generous payouts in the plus-180 range (risk $100 to win $180).

Bernard James was the catalyst against the Irish, producing 14 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. Michael Snaer added 13 points and four assists, while Kitchen finished with 10 points and six rebounds.

VCU (26-11 SU, 16-20 ATS) became the first team in NCAA Tournament history to win three games in one week. Not only did the Rams win three in a row, but they rolled to blowout wins by double-digits margins against USC, Georgetown and Purdue.

Shaka Smart’s squad started its week in Dayton with a chip on its shoulder. VCU and UAB had both taken a verbal pounding from the media for being included in the 68-team field. The Rams showed they belonged by drilling Southern Cal 59-46 as four-point underdogs.

VCU was even more impressive Friday when it blasted Georgetown 74-56 as a 5 ½-point underdog. Brandon Rozzell erupted for a game-high 26 points by draining 6-of-10 attempts from 3-point range. Joey Rodriguez added 17 points, seven assists, two steals and committed just two turnovers.

VCU was an even healthier underdog Sunday night vs. Purdue, which closed as a 9 ½-point ‘chalk’ at most spots. But it was more of the same for the Rams, who led the Boilermakers by 10 at halftime and coasted to a 94-76 victory.

Bradford Burgess scored a team-high 23 points and pulled down eight rebounds. Rodriguez was outstanding against, scoring 12 points while dishing out 11 assists without committing a turnover. Ed Nixon was another of the six double-figure scorers, finishing with 11 points and six assists.

VCU owns a stellar 9-4 spread record in the 13 games as an underdog. Meanwhile, FSU has a 6-2-2 ATS mark in 10 games as a single-digit favorite.

The ‘under’ has cashed in four straight FSU games and six of its last seven. Totals have been an overall wash for VCU (17-17), but the ‘under’ is on a 7-3 run in its last 10 outings.

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East Region Semifinals

March 24, 2011


The road to the Final Four will get a little clearer on Friday night when the East Regional semifinals get underway at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. It all gets started at 7:15 p.m. EDT when the Golden Eagles take on North Carolina (28-7 straight up, 15-16-1 against the spread).

Most sportsbooks have installed UNC as a 4 ½-point favorite with a total of 149 ½. That’s down form the opening line for the Tar Heels as five-point faves with a total of 147. The Golden Eagles can be taken at plus-180 (risk $100 to win $180) for the upset.

The Tar Heels has had a more difficult road to the Sweet Sixteen than they expected. Long Island gave them all they could handle in a 102-87 win in the second round. And just last Sunday, UNC held on for dear life to get a 86-83 victory over the Huskies. North Carolina got through both games, but failed to cover the spread on either occasion. In fact, the Heels are 6-1 SU and 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games this season.

Tyler Zeller has been the top scorer for Roy Williams’ team so far in the big dance, averaging 27.5 points per game. John Henson is also been a force for the Heels in this tourney with 38 points scored over the second and third rounds. If Zeller and Henson can keep up their solid play, then Harrison Barnes will apply the dagger from the perimeter. The true freshman from Ames, Iowa went 4-of-7 beyond the three-point line against Washington.

Marquette (22-14 SU, 18-12 ATS) is coming into this game as one of the last two Big East schools standing in the regional semifinals. The Golden Eagles have no doubt earned their spot in this contest after rolling over Xavier in the second round and holding off third-seeded Syracuse to reach the Sweet Sixteen.

The Golden Eagles upending the Orange wasn’t all that surprising since they beat Jim Boeheim’s club back in January. What was surprising is Marquette won despite being outshot from the field (55%-41%). Buzz Williams’ crew shot 82 percent from the free throw line and forced the Orange to turn the ball over 18 times in the game.

Jimmy Butler will most likely be tasked with matching up with UNC’s Barnes. That could be a strong advantage for Marquette since Butler was able to steal the ball three times last Sunday against Syracuse. Meanwhile, Darius Johnson-Odom is going to have to perform in the clutch for the Golden Eagles to reach the Elite Eight. Seeing that he put in the go-ahead three-pointer with just under 30 seconds in the game, Johnson-Odom will have no issues putting the team on his back.

There isn’t much recent history between these teams, having just met once back in 2001. The Tar Heels rolled on to an 84-54 win in that contest as 15-point home favorites. The combined 138 points just scraped ‘over’ the closing total of 134.

Marquette has been a single-digit underdog on 11 different occasions this season. In those contests, the Golden Eagles are 4-7 SU and 8-3 ATS with the ‘under’ going 8-3.

North Carolina is 14-3 SU in games as a single-digit “chalk.” However, they are just 8-9-1 ATS in those spots. The ‘under’ is 10-8 during that stretch.

The nightcap in Newark is sure to get a lot of attention as No. 1 overall seed Ohio State (34-2 SU, 18-15 ATS) takes on the Wildcats.

The oddsmakers initially opened the line for this game with the Buckeyes as 5 ½-point favorites with a total of 139. Bettors have pushed that up for OSU as a six-point favorite with the total bumping up to 140. For gamblers looking to take fourth-seeded Kentucky (27-8 SU, 14-15-1 ATS), expect to get a plus-200 (risk $100 to win $200) return on their investment.

Out of all the teams left standing in the NCAA tournament, the Buckeyes have arguably been the most impressive team. OSU outpaced the Roadrunners 75-46 in the second round. And then they dismantled George Mason 98-66 in the third round in Cleveland last Sunday in a game where they could have went well over 100 points for that game if Thad Matta didn’t call off the dogs. Needless to say that the Bucks have helped their backers in the first two games of this tourney and in the Big Ten title game against Penn State, covering the spread on all three occasions. The ‘over’ is the right play with them as well, evidenced by a 7-3 mark in their last 10 games.

Jared Sullinger is the top target of the opposition when playing against Ohio State, but not many are having success in containing him. The true freshman leads the team with 17.1 PPG for the year, and is averaging 14.5 PPG in the big dance. But you also have to contend with deadly three-point accuracy from Jon Diebler (50% this year), Dallas Lauderdale’s presence down low, and David Lighty (25 points vs. Patriots). Add in William Buford (18.0 PPG in the last three games) and freshman Aaron Craft doling out the ball (15 assists vs. Patriots), and you a group that has not been stopped all that often.

The Wildcats aren’t exactly chopped liver as they enter this game. They got all they could handle from Princeton in the second round of the tourney, and only pulled away late against the Mountaineers last Saturday in a rematch of the East Region final of a year ago. John Calipari’s team has been helping bettors a lot recently by going 8-0 SU and 5-2-1 ATS in its last eight matches of the season. Also, the ‘under’ is 5-2-1 in that stretch.

Brandon Knight bounced back from a lackluster performance against Princeton with 30 points, three boards and four helpers. Josh Harrellson has been a force for Kentucky in the NCAA tournament with 15 points in each of the first two games with 18 rebounds to boot. Harrellson and Terrence Jones (12 points, 10 rebounds vs. WVU) will be vital to UK’s chances in this game by matching up with Sullinger and Lauderdale to win the battle down low.

Ohio State hasn’t been a single-digit favorite much this season, but are a solid play when labeled as such. The Buckeyes are 6-1 SU and ATS in the seven times they’ve been single-digit faves this year. The ‘over’ has posted a strong 6-1 mark in those games as well.

It’s awfully hard to gauge anything on Kentucky as an underdog since it’s happened just twice in the 2010-11 campaign. The Wildcats won and covered on both occasions with the ‘under’ going 2-0.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday, March 25

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Baltimore - 1:05 PM ET Baltimore +119 500
Minnesota -

NY Mets - 1:05 PM ET Florida -118 500
Florida -

Pittsburgh - 1:05 PM ET Pittsburgh +137 500
Tampa Bay -

LA Angels - 4:05 PM ET Oakland -124 500
Oakland -

Cleveland - 4:05 PM ET Cleveland +117 500
Milwaukee -

San Diego - 4:05 PM ET San Diego +112 500
Cincinnati -

St. Louis - 6:05 PM ET Washington -110 500
Washington -

Houston - 7:05 PM ET NY Yankees -152 500
NY Yankees -

Toronto - 7:05 PM ET Boston -136 500
Boston -

San Francisco - 9:05 PM ET Kansas City -105 500
Kansas City -

Texas - 9:40 PM ET Colorado -118 500
Colorado -

[StarDust Bum]

UNC goes for 10th straight Sweet 16 win


#11 seed MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES (22-14)

vs. #2 seed NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS (28-7)


NCAA Tournament – Regional Semifinals (Sweet 16)
Tip-off: Friday, 7:15 p.m. EDT – Newark, NJ
Line: North Carolina -4.5, Total: 150.5

North Carolina, which has won 16 of its past 18 games, looks to move into the Elite Eight when it plays Marquette on Friday night in Newark, N.J.

The Tar Heels handled Long Island, 102-87, in their NCAA Tournament opener on March 18. Tyler Zeller scored 32 points (15.2 PPG, 7.1 RPG), John Henson (11.9 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.2 BPG) added 28 points and six blocks and Harrison Barnes (15.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG) finished with 24 points and 16 rebounds against the Blackbirds. North Carolina overcame its 18 turnovers with 50.7% shooting from the field, while holding LIU to 36.5% shooting. The Tar Heels had a closer call against Washington, 86-83, in their second game of the tourney last Sunday. Zeller scored 23 points, while Barnes added 22 versus the Huskies. UNC rallied from an 11-point, first-half deficit and a five-point, second-half deficit to pick up the victory. With that win, North Carolina has won a school-record eight games this season by three points or less, and 11 contests by five or fewer. The Heels rank 24th in the nation in scoring (76.7 PPG), first in rebounding (42.5 RPG) and 30th in assists (15.3 APG).

Marquette reached the Sweet 16 by picking up a 66-55 victory over Xavier in its first NCAA Tournament game and then holding off Syracuse, 66-62, in Round 3 last Sunday. Darius Johnson-Odom (16.0 PPG, 37.0% three-pointers) scored 19 points and Jimmy Butler (15.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG) added 15, as Marquette shot 53.3% from the field against the Musketeers. Two days later, the Golden Eagles stunned the Orange to reach their first Sweet 16 since 2003. Johnson-Odom hit a late three-pointer and finished with 17 points, while Jae Crowder (11.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG) had 16. Marquette didn't shoot as well in this game (41.2%) as it did against Xavier, and it also struggled defensively, allowing Syracuse to hit 55.3% of its field goals. The Eagles won by forcing 18 Syracuse turnovers and outrebounding the Orange 30-24. Like Carolina, the Golden Eagles are familiar with close calls this season, as 11 of their 14 losses were by less than 10 points. Marquette ranks 32nd in the nation in scoring (76.1 PPG), 19th in assists (15.8 APG) and 33rd in field-goal percentage (46.8%).

The Tar Heels own a 23-7 all-time record in NCAA Tournament regional semifinal games, including nine straight wins. The Tar Heels are 4-0 in the Sweet 16 under head coach Roy Williams and their last regional semifinal loss was in 1992 against Ohio State. Carolina leads the all-time series with Marquette, 3-1, and has won straight versus the Golden Eagles. But the two teams haven't met since 2001 in Chapel Hill.

Marquette has been a great play this season at 18-12 ATS (60%) overall, 8-3 ATS (73%) as an underdog and 5-2 ATS (71%) in neutral-site games. UNC is 0-4-1 ATS in its past five contests and 3-7-1 ATS in the past 11 games. However, this spread should be small enough for the Tar Heels to cover. They have superior athletes, especially on the interior, and have much more depth to keep the tempo fast-paced. The pick here is North Carolina to win and cover, and the FoxSheets provide two highly-rated trends to further support this choice.

NORTH CAROLINA is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) after 2 or more consecutive overs this season. The average score was N CAROLINA 85.1, OPPONENT 66.9 - (Rating = 3*).

Roy Williams is 89-59 ATS (60.1%, +24.1 Units) versus good shooting teams - making >=45% of their shots as the coach of NORTH CAROLINA. The average score was N CAROLINA 82.2, OPPONENT 72.4 - (Rating = 2*).

Marquette has played five straight, and nine of 10 games, Under the total, and this four-star FoxSheets trend expects the Under to occur again on Friday.

MARQUETTE is 8-0 UNDER (+8.0 Units) after covering 4 or 5 of its last 6 against the spread this season. The average score was MARQUETTE 68.1, OPPONENT 68.6 - (Rating = 4*).

[StarDust Bum]

Kansas-Richmond try to extend win streaks Friday
B

#12 seed RICHMOND SPIDERS (29-7)

vs. #1 seed KANSAS JAYHAWKS (34-2)


NCAA Tournament – Regional Semifinals (Sweet 16)
Tip-off: Friday, 7:27 p.m. EDT – San Antonio, TX
Line: Kansas -10.5, Total: 135.5

Kansas looks to extend its winning streak to 11 games when it plays Richmond on Friday night in a Sweet 16 matchup in San Antonio.

The Jayhawks reached the regional semifinals by defeating 16th-seed Boston University, 72-53, and ninth-seeded Illinois, 73-59, last weekend. Kansas averages 81.8 PPG, ranking fifth in the nation, and surrenders only 64.7 PPG for a +17.1 scoring margin. It also leads the nation in field-goal percentage (51.4%) and assists (17.9 APG). The Jayhawks have held 13 opponents to 60 points or less this season, including both NCAA Tournament opponents. Marcus Morris (17.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 58% FG) had 17 points and 12 rebounds against the Fighting Illini, and 16 points and nine boards versus the Terriers. Twin brother Markieff Morris (13.9 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 61% FG) had 15 points and eight rebounds against BU, and 24 points and 12 boards versus Illinois.

Richmond has won nine straight and 13 of its past 14 games heading into Friday's contest. The Spiders average 70.0 PPG and allow 60.8 PPG for a +9.2 scoring margin. They defeated Vanderbilt, 69-66, and Morehead State, 65-48, in the opening weekend to reach their first Sweet 16 since 1988. Justin Harper (17.8 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 45% three-pointers, 54% FG) had 19 points versus the Eagles, while Kevin Anderson (16.7 PPG, 42% three-pointers), who had a team-best 25 points against Vandy, finished with 14 points on 4-of-11 shooting. Like Kansas, Richmond has been a stingy defensive unit late in the season. It has held seven of the past eight opponents, and 10 of the past 14, to 60 points or less. The Spiders are also limiting their opponents to 40% shooting, including 30% from long range.

Kansas and Richmond are meeting for the second time. The last time the two teams played was in 2004, when the Spiders defeated the Jayhawks, 69-68, in Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas owns an 18-8 record in Sweet 16 games, but Richmond is 17-4 (15-6 ATS) away from home this season, including 7-1 (SU and ATS) on neutral courts. Kansas is 18-1 in non-home games, including a perfect 9-0 at a neutral site.The pick here is Kansas to win and cover, which is supported by these two FoxSheets trends.

KANSAS is 23-10 ATS (69.7%, +12.0 Units) versus very good teams - outscoring their opponents by 8+ points/game after 15+ games over the last 3 seasons. The average score was KANSAS 79.1, OPPONENT 68.0 - (Rating = 1*).

KANSAS is 20-8 ATS (71.4%, +11.2 Units) after 2 straight games giving up 9 or less offensive rebounds over the last 3 seasons. The average score was KANSAS 81.3, OPPONENT 66.1 - (Rating = 1*).

Richmond has only played one game Over the total in its past 11 games (1-9-1), and this highly-rated FoxSheets trend expects the Under to occur again on Friday.

RICHMOND is 9-1 UNDER (+7.9 Units) after 4 straight games forcing opponent to commit 14 or less turnovers this season. The average score was RICHMOND 64.5, OPPONENT 55.9 - (Rating = 3*).

[StarDust Bum]

Double-digit seeds VCU-FSU square off in Sweet 16


#11 seed VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH RAMS (26-11)

vs. #10 seed FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES (23-10)


NCAA Tournament – Regional Semifinals (Sweet 16)
Tip-off: Friday, 9:57 p.m. EDT – San Antonio, TX
Line: Florida State -4, Total: 131

Two double-digit seeds meet Friday in an improbable Southwest Regional semifinal game, when Virginia Commonwealth takes on Florida State. Both teams are coming off impressive blowout wins over Midwest powers Purdue and Notre Dame, respectively, in Chicago on Sunday to reach this point.

Despite being one of the “First Four” selections for this tournament (a pick that was bashed by pundits throughout the land), VCU has played as well as anybody so far. The Rams beat USC by 13, Georgetown by 18 and Purdue by 18. In the most recent victory, VCU dished out 26 assists and only committed four turnovers. These are remarkable numbers considering the Boilermakers were forced to press on defense after trailing by as many as 20 points. The Rams also made 66 percent of their two-point baskets and had six players score in double figures. Bradford Burgess led VCU with a team-high 23 points (8-12 FG) and eight rebounds. Joey Rodriguez had 12 points, 11 assists and zero turnovers.

Florida State has reached this point because of its defense, which is leading the nation in field-goal percentage (36.0%) for the second straight season. So far in the NCAA Tournament, the Seminoles held Texas A&M to 31.4% FG and Notre Dame to 31.7% shooting. The bad news for VCU is that the ‘Noles defense could be even better, as ACC Defensive Player of the Year Chris Singleton is reportedly closer to 100 percent after breaking his right foot in February. Meanwhile, FSU’s offense has made at least 47% of its shots in the past five games. Bernard James had team highs with 14 points and 10 rebounds versus the Irish in just 21 minutes of action. FSU is also 34th in the nation in rebounding margin (+4.5 RPG) while VCU is 288th at -3.3 RPG.

The Rams have relished the underdog role this year, going 9-4 ATS (69%) when getting points. FSU is a strong 9-5 ATS (64%) when favored, but just 6-5 ATS in non-conference games. In the past seven occurrences when two teams seeded No. 6 or worse met in the Sweet 16, the lesser seed is 6-1. FSU is a great defensive team, but the Rams should prove too difficult to defend on Friday, partly based on their 19-8 ATS (70%) record versus good defensive teams (<=42% FG) in the past two seasons. VCU will not only cover the spread, but will also advance to the Elite Eight with an outright win. My choice is backed up by these two FoxSheets trends.

Play On - Underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (VA COMMONWEALTH) - after having covered 3 of their last 4 against the spread against opponent after having covered 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread. (252-167 over the last 5 seasons.) (60.1%, +68.3 units. Rating = 2*).

Leonard Hamilton is 13-28 ATS (31.7%, -17.8 Units) versus teams who attempt 21 or more 3 point shots/game on the season as the coach of FLORIDA STATE. The average score was FLORIDA STATE 67.9, OPPONENT 67.1 - (Rating = 2*).

This game is expected to be low-scoring with a 131 total, but the FoxSheets foresee this game finishing Over based on this four-star trend.

VCU is 8-0 OVER (+8.0 Units) after a game committing 8 or less turnovers this season. The average score was VCU 78.3, OPPONENT 74.3 - (Rating = 4*).

[StarDust Bum]

Heavyweights collide in OSU-Kentucky matchup


#4 seed KENTUCKY WILDCATS (27-8)

vs. #1 seed OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (34-2)


NCAA Tournament – Regional Semifinals (Sweet 16)
Tip-off: Friday, 9:45 p.m. EDT – Newark, NJ
Line: Ohio State -5, Total: 140

Ohio State looks to continue its NCAA Tournament success against Kentucky on Friday night in Newark, N.J. The Buckeyes own a 5-0 record against the Wildcats in NCAA Tournament games.

OSU reached the Sweet 16 by knocking off Texas-San Antonio, 75-46, and George Mason, 98-66, in the second and third rounds last weekend in Cleveland. In five postseason games (three in the Big Ten Tournament and two in the NCAA Tournament), Ohio State has won by 17.0 PPG, is shooting 49% from the field, and outrebounding its opponents by 8.2 RPG. Jared Sullinger (17.2 PPG, 10.0 RPG) is averaging 15.6 PPG and 11.8 RPG in five postseason games. He had 11 points and nine boards versus the Roadrunners and 18 points and eight rebounds against the Patriots. William Buford (14.4 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 3.0 APG) is averaging 15.4 PPG and 4.6 RPG in the postseason, while Jon Diebler (12.6 PPG, 50% three-pointers) is scoring 14.2 PPG and hitting 44% of his three-pointers (15-of-34). The Buckeyes rank 19th in the nation in scoring (77.1 PPG), third in field-goal percentage (49.4%) and 23rd in assists (15.6 APG).

Kentucky is in its 22nd Sweet 16, which ranks second all-time to North Carolina. The Wildcats defeated Princeton in their first NCAA Tournament game, 59-57, and West Virginia in Round Three a bit more comfortably, 71-63. UK shot 48% from the field against the Mountaineers and were led by Brandon Knight's (17.5 PPG, 4.2 APG, 3.9 RPG, 38.4% three-pointers) 30 points. Terrence Jones (16.1 PPG, 8.7 RPG) added his 12th double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 boards. Kentucky has allowed only one opponent -- Connecticut in the 2010 Maui Invitational -- to shoot better than 50% FG all season. The Wildcats averaged an SEC-low 10.6 turnovers per game, ranking 12th in the nation, and finished with single-digit turnovers in 12 games this season. Kentucky is 26th in the nation in scoring (76.4 PPG), 31st in rebounding (38.1 RPG) and 62nd in field-goal percentage (46.0%).

Ohio State is 9-10 all-time versus Kentucky. The Wildcats have won two in a row in the series, but the teams haven’t met since 1997. UK owns a 16-5 record in the Sweet 16 (since 1975) and a 31-11 record in regional semifinals. The Wildcats are also 94-56 against the Big Ten overall and 14-11 against the league in the NCAA Tournament.

Both teams are riding long win streaks, as Ohio State has nine straight victories and Kentucky has won eight in a row. The Wildcats also have some betting trends in their favor this season, including 6-3 ATS (67%) in neutral-site games, 7-4 ATS (64%) in non-conference games and 2-0 ATS as an underdog. Ohio State is 13-14 ATS with 2+ days of rest and 3-2 ATS on a neutral court. These two FoxSheets trends like Kentucky to at least cover the spread, and possibly even pull off the upset on Friday night.

Play On - Underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (KENTUCKY) - after having covered 3 of their last 4 against the spread against opponent after having covered 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread. (252-167 over the last 5 seasons.) (60.1%, +68.3 units. Rating = 2*).

John Calipari is 23-8 ATS (74.2%, +14.2 Units) versus good passing teams, averaging >=16 assists/game after 15+ games in all games he has coached since 1997. The average score was Calipari 75.4, OPPONENT 68.8 - (Rating = 2*).

And this highly-rated FoxSheets trend expects the Over to occur on Friday.

Thad Matta is 31-12 OVER (72.1%, +17.8 Units) after leading in their previous game by 15 or more points at the half as the coach of OHIO STATE. The average score was OHIO STATE 78.3, OPPONENT 65.4 - (Rating = 3*).

[StarDust Bum]

Celtics favored by 13 over Jackson-less Bobcats


CHARLOTTE BOBCATS (28-42)

at BOSTON CELTICS (50-20)


Tip-off: Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
Line: Boston -13, Total: 178.5

The Boston Celtics now find themselves looking up at the Chicago Bulls for the top spot in the Eastern Conference that they held for most of the season. They hope to gain ground on Friday when they take on the Bobcats for the fourth time this season.

Charlotte is 33-36 ATS this season and enters Friday having lost eight of its past 12 ATS. The Bobcats still have a shot at the final playoff spot out east, as they are tied with Milwaukee and three games behind the Pacers for eighth. They have not done much to prove they belong in the postseason lately, as they enter Boston losers of four straight and 10 of their past 12. Paul Silas will not let his team quit, as he made an example of Boris Diaw in the Bobcats last game on Wednesday. Diaw, Charlotte's third-leading scorer, was yanked in the third quarter after passing up a shot in the lane for a behind-the-head pass that was intercepted and led to a basket on the other end. Diaw never returned after playing 24 minutes without attempting a shot. "I just told him in all my 40 years in the NBA, I've never seen anyone do that - not take one shot in 24 minutes," Silas said. "That's something that I've never, ever seen."

Judging by their stats over their past 12 games it certainly looks like the rest of the Bobcats have quit also, as they are averaging just 85.7 PPG and being outscored by 13.7 PPG over that span. Adding injury to insult, Charlotte’s leading scorer, Stephen Jackson, is doubtful to play this entire weekend because of a left hamstring injury. Jackson was held to 11 points and did not have a field goal after the first quarter in Charlotte’s loss to the Pacers on Wednesday.

Boston is 32-35 ATS this season and just 15-18 ATS at home. The Celtics have struggled a bit to find their balance since trading Kendrick Perkins at the trade deadline. After winning five of their first six games, they are just 4-5 (SU and ATS) in their past nine contests. Boston is still clamping down on teams defensively (holding opponents to just 41.8 percent from the field over these nine games), but has really struggled scoring. After tallying 103 points in a loss to the Clippers at home on March 9 (the last time Boston scored 100 points), the Celtics have averaged just 86.6 PPG in their past eight games, while shooting 44.6 percent from the field. Rajon Rondo is averaging 6.0 PPG while connecting on a horrid 28.9 percent of his shot attempts in his past eight games. Paul Pierce is averaging 14.3 PPG and has made just 6-of-24 three-point attempts over his past eight games.

History is certainly on the Celtics side Friday, as they are 21-0 against Eastern Conference teams at home this season. They were just 16-10 last season. Although Boston is 10-2 SU against the Bobcats at home since 1996, they are just 4-8 ATS. However, I don’t like the energy Charlotte is playing with, and the Celtics need this game to keep pace with Chicago. I’m taking Boston minus the points. The FoxSheets provide two more reasons to take the Celtics:

Doc Rivers is 70-46 ATS (60.3%, +19.4 Units) after a loss by 6 points or less as the coach of BOSTON. The average score was BOSTON 100.1, OPPONENT 95.8 - (Rating = 1*).

BOSTON is 151-108 ATS (58.3%, +32.2 Units) off a home loss since 1996. The average score was BOSTON 97.4, OPPONENT 96.8 - (Rating = 1*).