The Bum's Monday's Best Bets NCAAB - NHL !

[StarDust Bum]

Notre Dame Squares Off Against Georgetown

No. 18 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at No. 8 Georgetown Hoyas
Monday 7:00 p.m. (ET) on ESPN

The Fighting Irish (20-8 SU, 11-9-2 ATS) took a 9-game winning streak (8-1 ATS) into St. John’s on Saturday (result pending). This is now the top defensive team during Big East play (58.5 PPG) along with South Florida. The ‘under’ is 5-2 in conference road tilts and would be a perfect 7-0 if not for two overtime games.

Georgetown (20-6 SU, 12-9 ATS) also has a pending Saturday game, a visit from struggling Villanova. The Hoyas’ last three losses have come away, but they’re 6-1 SU at home in the conference, albeit just 2-5 ATS. They have a strange trend going with the ‘over’ and ‘under’ alternating the last 11 games.

This is the first meeting between the teams this year. Notre Dame has won and covered the last three, once in Georgetown.

No. 5 Kansas Jayhawks at Oklahoma State Cowboys
Monday 9:00 p.m. (ET) on ESPN

Kansas (23-5 SU, 14-12-1 ATS) was involved in the top Saturday game versus No. 3 Missouri. That game hasn’t completed at press time, but a win would clinch at least a share of the Big 12 title and could cause a letdown on Monday. The Jayhawks have won 3-straight away, the one failure to cover at Texas A&M last Wednesday, 66-58 as 10-point favorites.

The Cowboys are 13-15 SU and 13-12-1 ATS pending Saturday’s home result against Texas A&M. They’re 1-7 SU and 4-4 ATS away in the Big 12, but a very dangerous 5-2 SU and 4-2-1 ATS at Gallagher-Iba Arena. That includes a 79-72 upset over then No. 2 Missouri back in late January.

Oklahoma State got a cover at the Jayhawks on February 11, an 81-66 loss as big 17 ½-point ‘dogs. The team is 2-0 SU and ATS at home versus Kansas since 2008.

[StarDust Bum]

Big Monday

February 26, 2012

**Notre Dame at Georgetown**

--BetOnline.com opened Georgetown (21-6 straight up, 13-9 against the spread) as a six-point favorite with a total of 116.

--Georgetown has won 14 of its 15 home games, compiling a 5-5 spread record. The Hoyas cruised to an easy win Saturday over Villanova, taking the cash as 10-point home favorite in a 67-46 triumph. The 113 combined points easily stayed ‘under’ the 135-point total. Jason Clark and Otto Porter both finished with 15 points and six rebounds.

--Notre Dame (20-9 SU, 11-10-2 ATS) saw its nine-game winning streak ended Saturday when it lost a 61-58 decision at St. John’s as a six-point road ‘chalk.’ Jack Cooley and Scott Martin scored 18 points apiece in the losing effort.

--Mike Brey’s squad has been an underdog 12 times this year, going 7-4-1 ATS with six outright wins. However, we should note that the Irish have won outright in its last five games as an underdog.

--The Hoyas own a 3-3 spread record in six games as single-digit home favorites.

--Notre Dame has won three in a row over Georgetown both SU and ATS, and the ‘under’ has also cashed in each of those head-to-head encounters.

--Even though the ‘over’ is 3-2 in its last five games, the ‘under’ is 16-7 overall for Notre Dame.

--Totals have been an overall wash for the Hoyas (11-11) and the ‘under’ is 6-4 in its 10 home games with a total.

--ESPN will have the telecast at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

**Kansas at Oklahoma State**

--Kansas (24-5 SU, 14-13-1 ATS) faces a quick turnaround after playing a 45-minute thriller Saturday afternoon in Lawrence. The Jayhawks rallied from 19 points down to win an 87-86 decision over Missouri in overtime. They got another extraordinary effort out of Thomas Robinson, who finished with 28 points and 12 rebounds and got a three-point play the hard way late in regulation to force the extra session. Tyshawn Taylor scored 24 points and dished out five assists compared to only one turnover.

--Oklahoma State (14-15 SU, 14-12-1 ATS) has had a tough year but has been tough at home, where it has won three straight and is 11-3 SU and 6-5-1 ATS. The Cowboys beat up on Texas A&M by a 60-42 count Saturday as 3 ½-point home favorites. They won convincingly despite playing without their second-leading scorer, Le’Bryan Nash, who averages 13.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Nash is ‘questionable’ vs. KU with an arm injury.

--Brian Williams was the catalyst against the Aggies, scoring a game-high 17 points. Keiton Page, who leads OSU in scoring with a 16.3 points-per-game average, added 15 points.

--Robinson is the leading candidate to win Big 12 Player of the Year honors, averaging 17.8 points and 11.9 rebounds per contests. Taylor averages 16.7 points and 5.0 assists per game.

--Due to Nash’s injury situation, BetOnline.com didn’t have an opening number for this game late Sunday afternoon.

--Totals have been an overall wash for OSU (13-13-1), but the ‘under’ has cashed at an 8-4 clip in its home games.

--The ‘under’ is 16-10-2 overall for KU, but the ‘over’ is 3-1-1 in its last five games.

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

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--If you watched any of Georgia’s win over Florida on Saturday, you had to notice the great work by the camera man in constantly focusing on Al Horford and his wife during breaks in the action. Horford was already one of my favorite Gators of all time and I didn’t even know he had married the 2003 Miss Universe! That would be the lovely Amelia Vega of the Dominican Republic. Big Al!

--Coach of the Year candidates:
1-Mike Brey (Notre Dame)
2-Frank Haith (Missouri)
3-Buzz Williams (Marquette)
4-John Calipari (Kentucky)
5-Bill Self (Kansas)
6-Jim Boeheim (Syracuse)
7-Steve Prohm (Murray St.)
8-Gregg Marshall (Wichita St.)
9-Steve Alford (New Mexico)
10-Tony Bennett (Virginia)

--South Florida bolstered its at-large hopes with Sunday’s 46-45 home win over Cincinnati. The Bearcats, who were also in dire need of a win, took the cash as three-point road underdogs.

--Northwestern caught a huge break in its quest for the school’s first NCAA Tournament bid. John Shurna got a fortunate whistle on what appeared to be a good defensive play with 2.6 seconds remaining and the Wildcats trailing by one. The senior forward calmly sank both free-throw attempts to propel Northwestern into the win column. Bill Carmody’s squad still has work to do, but that was a game it absolutely had to have.

--Biggest Bubble Losers from the weekend:
1-Mississippi St. – blown out at Alabama
2-North Carolina St. – costly loss to Clemson in overtime
3-UConn – gusty second-half effort wasn’t quite enough vs. Syracuse
4-Harvard – probably blew at-large chances with home loss to Penn
5-LSU – blowout loss at Ole Miss puts a fork in the Tigers

--Biggest Bubble Winners
1-Iowa St. – Cyclones are ‘in’ after win at Kansas St.
2-Alabama – Anthony Grant’s stock on the rise
3-Purdue – Boilers handed Michigan its first home loss
4-VCU – Rams dominated George Mason
5-Memphis – Tigers stayed atop C-USA standings

[StarDust Bum]

Games to Watch

February 27, 2012

The rubber meets the road in men’s college basketball as the top teams in the nation head into the final week of the regular season with one last chance to impress the NCAA Tournament Committee before the start of next week’s conference tournaments. On Sunday Mar. 12 the committee will select the 68 teams that will compete for this season’s national title and what happens this last week could have a major impact on shaping each of the four brackets.
The following is a brief look at the top matchups for each day this week along with a few facts and figures to help handicap the games.

Monday, Feb. 27 - No. 5 Kansas Jayhawks vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys (ESPN)

Kansas took one step closer to the Big 12 regular season title with a thrilling 87-86 overtime victory over No.3 Missouri this past Saturday as an eight-point home favorite. The Jayhawks are now 24-5 straight-up and 14-13-1 against the spread. They are 9-4 SU (6-6-1 ATS) on the road the total has stayed ‘under’ in 11 of the 13 games.

Oklahoma State climbed to 14-15 SU (14-12-1 ATS) with a 60-42 victory over Texas A&M as a 3 ½-point home favorite this past Saturday. The Cowboys are 2-7 SU in their last nine games against Kansas, but 5-4 ATS. The total has gone ‘over’ in three of the past four meetings. They are nine-point home underdogs this time around.

Tuesday, Feb. 28 - No. 6 Michigan State Spartans vs. No. 24 Indiana Hoosiers (ESPN)

Michigan State comes in with a 24-5 SU (18-8 ATS) record overall and it can lock-up the Big Ten regular season title with a win over Indiana. It is currently 13-3 SU in conference play and 7-5 both SU and ATS on the road. The total has stayed ‘under’ in seven of 12 games away from home.

Indiana has won five of its last six games SU to move to 22-7 SU (14-9 ATS) overall and it is 9-7 SU in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers are 16-1 SU (8-3 ATS) at home this season but they have lost six straight to the Spartans over the past few seasons including the last two at home. They are just 2-4 ATS over this span.

Wednesday, Feb. 29 - No. 10 Marquette Golden Eagles vs. Cincinnati Bearcats (ESPN2)

Marquette is 13-3 SU in Big East play and 24-5 SU overall. It is 15-10-1 ATS this season and the total has gone ‘over’ in 16 of the 26 games. The Golden Eagles are 10-4-1 ATS on the road and the total has gone ‘over’ in nine of the 15 games.

Cincinnati’s 46-45 loss to South Florida as a two-point road underdog on Sunday dropped it to 20-9 SU on the year, but raised its record ATS to 11-12. The Bearcats are 13-4 SU at home, but just 3-9 ATS. The total has stayed ‘under’ in eight of the 12 games. They were hammered by Marquette 95-78 as six-point road underdogs the first time they played this season.

Thursday, Mar. 1 - Georgia Bulldogs vs. No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats (ESPN)

Georgia’s stunning 76-62 victory over No.11 Florida this past Saturday as a 7 ½-point home underdog was just its third SU victory in its last 10 games. The Bulldogs are 13-15 SU on the year and 11-13 ATS. They are 2-8 SU (5-5 ATS) on the road and the total has stayed ‘under’ in three of their last four games overall.

Kentucky’s current winning streak reached 20 with an 83-74 victory over Vanderbilt this past Saturday as an 11 ½-point home favorite. The Wildcats are now 28-1 SU, but a costly 10-17-1 ATS. They are a perfect 18-0 SU (4-12-1 ATS) at home and already beat the Bulldogs 57-44 as 12-point road favorites on Jan. 24.

Friday, Mar. 2 - Providence Friars vs. No. 18 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (ESPN3.com)

This past Saturday, Providence snapped a five-game losing streak with a 73-71 win over DePaul as a 1 ½-point road underdog. The Friars are now 14-15 SU (11-12 ATS) overall and 13-3 SU in Big East play. They are 4-7 SU on the road but 7-4 ATS with the total going ‘over’ in three of their last five road games.

Notre Dame is third in the Big East standings at 12-4 SU and is 20-9 SU (11-10-2 ATS). Its nine-game winning streak came to an end this past Saturday with a 61-58 loss to St. John’s as a six-point road favorite. The Irish are 15-1 SU at home and 6-2-2 ATS. They total has stayed ‘under’ in seven of the 10 games.

Saturday, Mar. 3 - No. 7 North Carolina Tar Heels vs. No. 4 Duke Blue Devils (ESPN)

North Carolina is 12-2 SU in conference play and has a Wednesday night tilt against Maryland before meeting Duke with the ACC regular-season title most likely still on the line. The Tar Heels are 25-4 SU on the year and 15-13 ATS. They are 6-6 ATS on the road and the total has gone 7-5 in the 12 games.

Duke is also 12-2 SU in the ACC needs to get by Wake Forest on Tuesday night to ensure at least a share of the ACC title in light of an earlier 85-84 victory this season over North Carolina as a six-point road underdog. The Blue Devils are 25-4 SU (13-16 ATS) overall and while they are 13-2 SU at home they are just 5-10 ATS.

[StarDust Bum]

No. 3 Kansas visits Stillwater Monday

KANSAS JAYHAWKS (24-5)

at OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS (14-15)


Tip-Off: Monday, 9:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Kansas -9, Total: 136½

After a thrilling victory over rival Missouri on Saturday, No. 3 Kansas heads to Stillwater on Monday night to try to wrap up the Big 12 regular-season championship against Oklahoma State.

The Jayhawks have not enjoyed much success in Stillwater, going 2-5 ATS (3-4 SU) in seven trips there since 1998. When they last visited in February 2010, OSU shot 60.4% FG and made 10-of-19 threes in an 85-77 win. The Cowboys love being the home underdog, going 5-2 ATS in that position over the past two seasons. And although they have given up way too many points on the road (75.4 PPG), Okie State has been much stingier at home surrendering just 61.7 PPG on 37.7% FG. The Cowboys lost 81-66 in Lawrence two weeks ago, but they have thrived on payback, going 7-0 ATS when avenging a road loss versus an opponent this season. The pick here is OKLAHOMA STATE to keep the final margin tight, and possibly even pull off the SU upset.

This strong FoxSheets trend also backs the Cowboys:

OKLAHOMA STATE is 15-4 ATS (78.9%, +10.6 Units) in home games versus good ball handling teams - committing <=14 turnovers/game over the last 3 seasons. The average score was OKLAHOMA STATE 75.1, OPPONENT 66.8 - (Rating = 2*).

Kansas has won six in a row (3-3 ATS), erasing a 19-point, second-half deficit to topple then-No. 3 Missouri on Saturday, 87-86 in overtime. Thomas Robinson had 28 points and 12 rebounds against the Tigers while Tyshawn Taylor added 24 points and five assists. Senior Conner Teahan made all four of his three-point attempts, and is now shooting 37% from behind the arc this season. When the Jayhawks beat the Cowboys earlier this month, it was due to sheer domination of the paint. KU outrebounded OSU by a whopping 48-19 margin and its two big men each had double-doubles. Robinson had 24 points and 14 rebounds, while seven-footer Jeff Withey had 18 points, seven blocks and a career-high 20 rebounds. But the junior center was limited to just nine minutes of action in Saturday’s win after spraining his left ankle. His status is questionable for Monday night.

Oklahoma State suffered quite a blow in Wednesday’s 77-64 loss at Oklahoma when Le’Bryan Nash (13.3 PPG) fractured his left hand, possibly ending his freshman season. There’s a small chance he could play through the injury and suit up Monday night though. But the Cowboys were able to bounce back without Nash on Saturday, as they blew out the Texas A&M 60-42. Brian Williams had a game-high 17 points (7-of-11 FG), while leading scorer Keiton Page chipped in with 15. Page is averaging an absurd 28.0 PPG in his past three games, connecting on 16-of-34 three-point tries and making 26-of-28 free throws. Page scored 19 against the Jayhawks earlier this month, but shot just 5-of-16 from the floor. Markel Brown was the star against KU, scoring 21 points and playing all 40 minutes. Brown has been slumping since that performance though, averaging just 10.3 PPG on 40.6% FG.

[StarDust Bum]

Notre Dame, Georgetown meet Monday in D.C.

NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (20-9, 12-4 Big East)

at GEORGETOWN HOYAS (21-6, 11-5 Big East)


Tip-Off: Monday, 7:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Georgetown -6½, Total: 118½

No. 20 Notre Dame and No. 9 Georgetown can each take a big step towards securing the coveted double-bye in the Big East Tournament when the two schools meet in Washington, D.C. on Monday night.

Notre Dame had its school-record nine-game conference winning streak snapped in a surprising 61-58 loss at St. John’s on Saturday—shooting just 12.9 percent (4-for-31) from three-point range. The Fighting Irish are no strangers to road upsets this season though, boasting an impressive 4-1 record (SU and ATS) as a road underdog of 6+ points in Big East play. The Hoyas routed Villanova on Saturday 67-46, bouncing back nicely from a blowout 73-55 loss at Seton Hall earlier in the week. Georgetown has dropped three straight (SU and ATS) to Notre Dame dating back to 2009, but the Hoyas have a definitive size advantage in this matchup. Can Georgetown cover this moderate spread here? For the answer, check out the College Basketball Weekday 6-Pack for picks covering all the big games in college basketball each weekday. The 6-Pack was a stellar 9-3 ATS (75%) last week.

The Irish have lived and died by the three all season, and it finally came back to bite them against the Red Storm on Saturday. Notre Dame was led by power forward Jack Cooley (18 points, 11 rebounds) and 6-foot-8 guard Scott Martin (18 points, six rebounds), but received no secondary help from team-leading scorers Jerian Grant (12.7 PPG) and Eric Atkins (12.7 PPG), posting just two and five points, respectively. This game represents the last true test of the regular season for Notre Dame, with conference bottom-feeder Providence scheduled to visit South Bend on Saturday. Like the Hoyas, the Irish enjoy slowing the pace of the game down by taking the shot clock down under 10 seconds and draining timely shots. Georgetown features a more explosive lineup in the frontcourt, but Cooley has scored in double figures in six straight games, including a double-double in five of them. This three-star FoxSheets trend also backs the Irish:

NOTRE DAME is 11-1 ATS (91.7%, +9.9 Units) in a road game where the total is 129.5 or less since 1997. The average score was NOTRE DAME 60.3, OPPONENT 55.8 - (Rating = 3*).

Projected to finish 10th in the conference this season, Georgetown has been one of the Big East’s biggest surprises. Senior guard Jason Clark (14.5 PPG) and junior forward Hollis Thompson (13.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG) lead the way for the Hoyas on offense. The key matchup in this game will be senior center Henry Sims (11.3 PPG, 5.5 RPG) going up against Cooley. Sims has the size and athleticism to severely limit Cooley on both ends of the floor. If Cooley gets into foul trouble, it will force Notre Dame to rely almost exclusively on jump shots, which is a tough task against John Thompson III’s vaunted defense, which has held opponents to 50 points or less in four of its past five home games. This four-star FoxSheets thinks the Hoyas can win and cover:

GEORGETOWN is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) off a home win by 10 points or more this season. The average score was GEORGETOWN 68.9, OPPONENT 55.8 - (Rating = 4*).

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, February 27

Notre Dame had its 9-game win streak broken at St John's Saturday, as Irish went 4-31 behind arc and were outscored 14-4 on foul line by team with six scholarship players. Notre Dame is 7-3 vs spread as a Big East underdog this season, winning last five tries SU. Georgetown won last five home games, covering three of last four- they're 3-5 as home fave in conference play. Big East home favorites of 7 or less points are 18-24 vs spread this season.

Quick turnaround for Kansas after emotional comeback win in its rivalry game with Missouri; Jayhawks are 3-3 as Big X road favorite, winning on road by 11-35-3-14-6-8 points, with losses at Missouri/Iowa State. Oklahoma State (+17) covered spread in 81-66 loss in Lawrence Feb 11, but Kansas led 51-24 at half-- Self called off the dogs on his alma mater. State is 6-2 in Big X home games, losing to K-State by 8, Baylor by 4; they're 2-1 as a home dog. Big X home underdogs are 14-10-1.

Baylor (-13) won 73-60 at Texas Tech Jan 7, making 7-15 from arc with +11 edge on boards (31-20) in game that was just 32-31 at half. Baylor is 2-6 as Big X home favorite, winning home games by 9-41-5-15-10; they are just 5-3 SU in conference home games. Red Raiders lost tough game in OT at home to Texas Saturday; they're 4-4 as Big X road dog, failing to cover last three road games, losses by 19-33-18 points. Big X home favorites of 14+ points are 7-5 against the spread.

Montana State can clinch 6th/final spot in Big Sky tournament with win over Northern Arizona, despite losing last seven games; Bobcats (+1.5) won 74-72 in Flagstaff Jan 14, despite turning ball over 21 times, getting outscored 21-6 from foul line in a game Bobcats led by 14 at half. State is 3-1 as Big Sky home favorite, winning in Bozeman by 13-7-12 points (3-4, favorites 6-1 vs spread). Lumberjacks won their Big Sky opener and haven't won since; they're 2-5 vs spread as Big Sky road dog.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Short Sheet

Monday's Top College Basketball Trends

N ARIZONA 2-15 ATS after playing a game as an underdog (vs Montana St)

GEORGETOWN is 8-0 ATS (+8 Units) off a home win by 10 points or more (vs Notre Dame)

OKLAHOMA ST is 7-0 ATS (+7 Units) revenging a road loss vs opponent (vs Kansas)

BAYLOR is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) off a win against a conference rival (vs Texas Tech)

[StarDust Bum]

Champ Week is best time of year

I don't know anything about cars. Mine started making a funny noise when I was driving home from the airport the other day, so I did the wise thing. I kept driving until I got home and could make my husband listen to it.

It's in keeping with my car history. In high school, I borrowed my brother's Camaro (It was the '80s. It was cool. Trust me), and while driving the four miles from my house to my friend's, the car inexplicably stopped. Inexplicably to me, anyway. I was out of gas.

I do, however, know how to pump my own gas. Those of you not from New Jersey -- as I am originally -- might be thinking, what's the big deal? But in New Jersey, it is illegal to pump your own gas. (I don't know why, although I imagine it has something to do with the copious amounts of hair spray used by north Jersey girls and the inherent flammable dangers that could cause.)

Some Jersey girls have gone so far as to display bumper stickers to celebrate their inability to handle this simple act. And we wonder why the entire state has been portrayed as shallow loudmouths.

As for college basketball, here's what I know, what I think I know and what I don't know.


What I know

The best part of the season begins next week

By this time next week, we will be fully into Champ Week, which is stunning. Some days it feels as though I was on the USS Carl Vinson 60 years ago, but the season really did fly by, as it always does.

And I will say that as much as I love the first four days of the NCAA tournament, I love next week just as much.

The battle for NCAA tournament bids when there is no chance of an at-large is what makes college basketball so exciting and so darned fun.

Kansas State is Missouri's real enemy

Kansas State has Missouri's number this season.
The Border War is Saturday, perhaps the last installment of the great rivalry. But the Tigers need to know thy enemy. He is wearing a Wildcats uniform.

Missouri has three losses this season; two of belong to Kansas State, including Tuesday night's stunner in Columbia.

Just how costly this loss is to Mizzou can't be underestimated -- it likely will cost the Tigers the Big 12 regular-season title, a No. 1 seed and perhaps even a regional in St. Louis. The latter still could happen, but Missouri will have to take the two-hour ride as a No. 2 seed.

Draymond Green is the Big Ten player of the year

Please do not label me a Jared Sullinger hater. The exact opposite is true. I spent time with the Ohio State big man a year ago and liked him immensely as a person. I've always respected him as a player.

This just isn't his year.

It's not the numbers because frankly, they're fairly comparable:

Big Ten scoring: Sullinger third, Green eighth

Big Ten rebounding: Green first, Sullinger second

Big Ten steals per game: Green seventh, Sullinger 10th

Big Ten blocked shots: Green 10th, Sullinger 14th

Big Ten assists: Green eighth, Sullinger 66th

No, the difference is what Green has done for his team, shepherding the Spartans through Tom Izzo's typically masochistic nonconference schedule to become a team vying for a top seed.

When two players are so statistically identical as Green and Sullinger, you have to look at the intangibles. That's where the scales tip in Green's favor.

Karl Hess did not break the chain of command

Since I don't know what former NC State stars Tom Gugliotta and Chris Corchiani said to referee Karl Hess, I can't judge whether the ejection was warranted.

I do know that the ACC's reprimand for failing to follow proper protocol is absolute nonsense. If two regular Joes or Janes were sitting in the stands, Hess would have tossed them, and no one would have said a word about whether he followed the proper procedure.

This is about who these guys are, not what they said, and the ACC has done a nice job of deflecting the real issue by throwing up this chain-of-command smoke screen.

I've seen officials toss fans and male cheerleaders from games, giving them the thumb, not a page-long explanation and chain-of-command order. Curtis Shaw memorably tossed Sammy the Owl, the Rice mascot, in 2009. Shaw didn't ask for permission before removing the pesky nocturnal bird.

Hess might have been overly sensitive and truly have rabbit ears, as Corchiani said in a tweet, but the idea that he should be reprimanded for not following the proper steps is flat-out silly.

Binghamton got the biggest win of the week

Forget upsets and bubble winners; Game of the Week honors go to the Bears. Binghamton not only ended its 26-game losing streak; it also upset Vermont, which had been tied atop the America East standings.

Mark Macon, disciple of the ever-quotable John Chaney, put it perfectly:

"You guys talk about monkeys," the coach said, "we had a whole zoo on our backs."

And now, welcome to the spotlight, you good men of the U.S. Naval Academy. Your 19-game skid ranks as the longest in the nation.

What I think I know

Which is the most underrated team in the country

Darius Johnson-Odom and Marquette have won 11 of 12 but continue to fly under the radar.
I think that honor goes to Marquette.

Whenever people start talking about teams to watch out for, teams that could go deep in the tournament, hardly anyone mentions Marquette.

Why? Who knows? It's not as if the Golden Eagles are NCAA busts. A year ago, Marquette earned a pedestrian 11-seed and promptly rode that to the Sweet 16.

This season, Buzz Williams has a team with a scoring tandem that would rival any other in the nation in Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder. He has terrific support staff in the form of Junior Cadougan, Vander Blue, Jamil Wilson and Davante Gardner and a team that has won 11 of its past 12.

We have come full circle in expansion nonsense

I can't say I know that for sure, because heaven knows, something else wacky could happen. Maybe the Ivy League will expand.

But I've got to think we have hit the nadir of the idiocy. Eight years ago the Big East thumbed its nose at Temple, telling the school its football program was too lousy for its wonderful league.

Now sources are saying the Owls will rejoin the league next season.

Don't get me wrong. At least this move makes sense. Temple has elevated its football program; the basketball league is adding a terrific basketball power and hey, Temple is even on the East Coast!

But if this isn't the be-all, end-all of the lunacy, I'm not sure what is.

Or, more accurately, I'm afraid to ask.

Memphis will get the last laugh

There is still basketball to be played, and Memphis doesn't have an easy walk to the finish line -- against Marshall, Central Florida and Tulsa -- but it looks as though the Tigers will win the league they've dominated for years once more before jetting to the Big East.

Southern Miss looked ready to put a bow on a pretty sweet comeback for Larry Eustachy, but that's fizzling late. The Golden Eagles remain very much alive for the NCAA tournament -- which would be only their third in school history -- but the league crown is slipping through their fingers.

Literally.

USM lost to a lousy Houston team on the road and then blew a 16-point lead to lose in double overtime in UTEP.

Theoretically, the Golden Eagles have a slightly easier road -- with Rice, SMU and Marshall left to face -- but theoretically they shouldn't have lost these last two games, either.

Fran Dunphy is to the A-10 what Tom Izzo is to the Big Ten

Think about it. Dunphy is probably one of the most universally liked and respected guys in college basketball.

Ditto Izzo.

His decency hides a fire-breathing dragon that isn't afraid to lay into his players.

Ditto Izzo.

His teams always look average in November. Nobody wants to play them in March.

Yeah. Izzo.

This year's Temple squad started out 3-2, losing at Bowling Green. Of course the Owls had good reason for their struggles -- two of their best players, Scootie Randall and Micheal Eric, were out with injuries.

Fast-forward to the end of February: Randall never returned and will redshirt, and Eric just recently returned. Yet Dunphy has retooled his lineup and regrouped his team, and Temple hasn't lost since Jan. 14, winning 11 in a row.

VCU is the best pep band

Sometimes email attacks can work against you, and Virginia Commonwealth band fans inundated the inbox this week after I asked for the most unique pep bands.

But when you're good, well, you're good.

How good? The Rams' band has a CD. And it's tremendous.

I saw VCU's band in action during the Rams Final Four run a season ago. The timeouts sometimes were more entertaining than the actual game action.

I will throw in a personal shoutout to George Mason's Doc Nix and the Green Machine, having seen that terrific show in person, as well, which is why this is filed under think I know instead of know. It's a pretty close race between these two Colonial Athletic Association rivals.

Others earning some online love (deservedly):

Xavier: As @johnnyfire817 reports: XU also finishes every win with "Respect,'' has the Blues Brothers lineup and, if we're particularly cheeky, breaks out "Get Low."

Oregon: From @kennyOcker: Oregon's band plays "Sell Out" and "She Has a Girlfriend Now" by Reel Big Fish, and both of those songs are amazing at games.

The one that didn't get a mention that I thought for sure would: Stanford.

What I don't know

Where the selection committee will find 68 teams

I said this before, but now I'm even more flummoxed.

Joe Lunardi revealed his latest bracket. After seeing the last four in -- Texas, Northwestern, Seton Hall and Miami -- and last four out -- North Carolina State, Central Florida, South Florida and Oregon -- all I could think was, "Blech."

In a season like this, I hope the committee errs on the side of the mid-major. Why? Because the high majors in the name-brand conferences are given a conference season's worth of opportunities to pump up their résumés with key wins. If they fail over and over again, they shouldn't be rewarded.

Why you would stop a court storming

There was no joy in Newark as far as security was concerned.
Seton Hall fans, living uncomfortably on the bubble in recent weeks, wanted to celebrate the Pirates' decisive thumping of Georgetown, a win that probably launches Seton Hall onto the bracket.

Instead, security officers decided there would be no joy in Newark and stopped the court stormers at the gate. They even went so far as to tackle one student who managed to squirt his way through.

Did they just wax the floors?

It's a game. It's supposed to be fun.

And truthfully, trying to hold back a wave of rowdy students -- not to mention tackling one for having the gall to be happy -- will cause more injury than just letting them go.

How Florida will survive the postseason

There is no way to tiptoe around the loss of Will Yeguete: It's huge and at exactly the worst time.

Losing the forward, who broke his foot against Auburn on Tuesday, leaves the Gators without their best rebounder and a key part of their press. Worst of all, it leaves them woefully short-handed in the frontcourt.

Patric Young will have to play yeoman's minutes through the toughest part of the season, and Bradley Beal and Casey Prather will have to play more forward than guard.

The situation is not entirely unsalvageable, so long as everyone picks up the slack, but it is a horrific blow at the worst possible time.

Whom to trust in the Mountain West

This league jilts its lovers faster than a Hollywood starlet.

Fall in love with San Diego State, and the Aztecs promptly drop three in a row.

Hop on the UNLV bandwagon, and the Runnin' Rebels abandon you on the side of the road with back-to-back losses, including a head-scratcher to TCU.

Decide to go all-in with New Mexico and the Lobos, and poof! Here comes a loss to Colorado State.

So whom do you commit to without fear that they will leave you in tears at the NCAA tournament altar?

I'm withholding my heart now until what could be a very entertaining Mountain West tournament sorts this out.

Once bitten, twice shy and all that.

The most effective furry critter in hoops

All right, since we're in the support-staff section of basketball, what with pep band voting, let's bring on the mascots.

I will admit I am partial to certain Pennsylvania-residing Lions who wear nothing but scarves, rub their ears a lot and body surf through football stands, but I have an open mind.

Name the best for hoops. Not just because he's cute or he's yours, but because he's perfectly irreverent and entertaining.

My vote goes to Wolfie from Stony Brook.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB Best Bets:

02/27/2012 @ 04:00 PM CBB [502] GEORGETOWN -6 1.91

02/27/2012 @ 04:00 PM CBB [502] TOTAL u120 1.91
(NOTRE DAME vrs GEORGETOWN)

02/27/2012 @ 06:00 PM CBB [504] OKLAHOMA STATE +9 1.91

02/27/2012 @ 06:00 PM CBB [504] TOTAL u134½ 1.91
(KANSAS vrs OKLAHOMA STATE)

02/27/2012 @ 06:00 PM CBB [507] TOTAL o136½ 1.91
(NORTHERN ARIZONA vrs MONTANA STATE)

02/27/2012 @ 06:00 PM CBB [508] MONTANA STATE -9 1.91

02/27/2012 @ 04:00 PM CBB [512] JACKSON STATE +6½ 1.91

02/27/2012 @ 04:00 PM CBB [512] TOTAL u126½ 1.91
(MISS VALLEY ST vrs JACKSON STATE)

[StarDust Bum]

NHL BEST BETS:

02/27/2012 @ 04:35 PM NHL [1] NEW JERSEY 2.55

02/27/2012 @ 05:05 PM NHL [3] LOS ANGELES 2.25

02/27/2012 @ 05:35 PM NHL [6] WINNIPEG -1½ 2.95

02/27/2012 @ 06:05 PM NHL [7] TOTAL o5 2.05
(ST. LOUIS vrs CALGARY)

02/27/2012 @ 06:05 PM NHL [9] ANAHEIM 2.10

[Kaptain]

get em BUM.....as always.....thanks

[Letswinalot]

GL man, Okie State on the moneyline for me. Seriously I had 18 bucks in my online Im just betting crazy stuff. It could happen. Real bets on Gtown lets get em in.