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**StarDust Bum** · 03-08-2012, 08:15 AM

Tournament Watch

March 7, 2012

Although there were few bubble developments of note on Tuesday, it was still a semi-eventful day with Big Dance tickets punched in the Horizon (Detroit), Summit (South Dakota State), and Sun Belt (Western Kentucky). There was also another ticket punched, indirectly so, in the Ivy League, where Penn's loss at Princeton gave Harvard its first NCAA Tourney invite since 1946.

The main storyline on Tuesday, however, was WKU, which completed a wild Sun Belt ride in Hot Springs with four wins in as many nights to become the first sub-.500 team (the Tops are 15-18) to enter the Big Dance since 2008. WKU's trek to the NCAAs was defintitely unorthodox, with the team appeared to be headed nowhere at midseason with a 5-11 mark, and summarily dismissed HC Ken McDonald, promoting assistant Ray Harper on an interim basis. But the Tops played well enough thereafter for Harper to get the job on a full-time basis before the Sun Belt Tourney, and Harper rewarded the faith by his team delivering the most unlikely NCAA berth in several years.

Still, we're just as excited about the qualification of South Dakota State, which overcame WIU's slowdown tactics that would have made Boyd Grant proud before finally subduing the Leathernecks in overtime at nearby Sioux Falls. But what really excites us not just that it's SDSU's first-ever invitation...it's also the first time a team named the Jackrabbits has ever qualified for the Big Dance.

As for the bubble, the only development of note on Tuesday was Seton Hall keeping its at-large pulse beating with a resounding win over Providence at the Big East Tourney in New York City. That puts the Pirates at 20 wins and gives the Hall a chance to make a serious statement on Wednesday if it can beat a Louisville team that has been struggling in recent weeks. The other late game on Wednesday in the Big East Tourney will feature a South Florida side that probably needs a decent showing at the Garden to keep its at-large hopes alive. A loss to Villanova on Wednesday would probably relegate the Bulls to the NIT; but as it has gone all season for USF, we're still not how much a win over Nova helps Stan Heath's squad, which probably needs to advance another round to stay on the at-large radar.

Three more tickets will be punched on Wednesday, with Lehigh visiting CBS head honcho Les Moonves' alma mater Bucknell in the Patriot final, while Long Island hosts the home team of the Pittsburgh Airport, Robert Morris, in the Northeast Tourney finale. Montana and Weber State will also be getting together tonight in Missoula to determine the Big Sky rep to the Dance.

After Tuesday's games, here's how our projected seeds (1 thru 16) for the Big Dance set up as of AM, Wednesday, March 7...

No. 1 seeds...Kentucky, Syracuse, Kansas, North Carolina.

No. 2 seeds...Duke, Missouri, Ohio State, Michigan State.

No. 3 seeds...Marquette, Michigan, Indiana, Baylor.

No. 4 seeds...Wisconsin, Florida State, Georgetown, Wichita State.

No. 5 seeds...San Diego State, Creighton, UNLV, Florida.

No. 6 seeds...Gonzaga, Notre Dame, Virginia, Memphis.

No. 7 seeds...Temple, Saint Mary's, Saint Louis, Louisville.

No. 8 seeds...New Mexico, Vanderbilt, Purdue, Murray State.

No. 9 seeds...Iowa State, Kansas State, Cincinnati, Washington.

No. 10 seeds...BYU, UConn, California, Mississippi State.

No. 11 seeds...Oregon, Long Beach State, Virginia Commonwealth, Northwestern.

No. 12 seeds...Alabama, West Virginia, Colorado State, Miami-Fla., Texas.

No. 13 seeds...Akron, Belmont, Harvard, Southern Miss, Drexel.

No. 14 seeds...Loyola-Md., Davidson, Detroit, Nevada.

No. 15 seeds...Bucknell, UT-Arlington, South Dakota State, Montana.

No. 16 seeds...Long Island, UNC-Asheville, Savannah State, Stony Brook, Mississippi Valley State, Western Kentucky.

Last four in...Miami-Florida, Texas, Southern Miss, Drexel.

First four out...NC State, South Florida, Seton Hall, Tennessee.

Next four out...Arizona, Iona, Middle Tennessee, Oral Roberts.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-08-2012, 08:18 AM

Big 10 Betting Notes

March 7, 2012

Big Ten Conference Tournament Preview

Date: Thursday, March 8 - Sunday, March 11
Venue: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Ind.

The Big Ten tournament kicks off in Indianapolis on Thursday and concludes on Sunday afternoon. It's a unique situation as the general expectation is that the higher seeds will have the easiest time advancing to the finals. However, previous years the Big Ten Tournament has shown us the exact opposite. The higher seeded teams have already locked up an NCAA Tournament berth with no need to win another game while two or three teams remain "on the bubble" and could use a win, or in some cases, absolutely need to win.

Looking back, the top seed has won the tournament in three of the past four seasons, but there's been a handful of notable upsets and there's no reason to expect that there won't be any upsets in Indianapolis this weekend. The underdog is 13-6-1 ATS over the last two seasons and 23-17-1 since 2008.

In 2011, 2nd seed Purdue and 3rd seed Wisconsin were both upset in their first game while 6th seed Penn State advanced to the Championship (where it lost to Ohio State).
In 2010, 6th seeded Minnesota advanced to the Championship, where it also lost to 1st seed Ohio State.
In 2009, it was 3rd seeded Purdue against 5th seeded Ohio State in the Championship game.
In 2008, 10th seeded (!) Illinois advanced to the finals before losing to 1st seed Wisconsin.

Some trends since 2008:

Indiana: 0-5 ATS
Iowa: 0-4 straight up record
Michigan: 4-2 ATS as an underdog
Michigan State: 2-4 ATS as a favorite
Northwestern: 4-1-1 ATS
Ohio State: 2-4 ATS as a favorite, 3-1 as an underdog
Purdue: 2-4-1 as a favorite
Wisconsin: 2-4 ATS as a favorite

THE CONTENDERS

Ohio State Buckeyes

OSU was one of three co-Big Ten Champions, along with Michigan and Michigan State (the Buckeyes won a last-second game at Michigan State to force the three-way tie in the final game of the regular season). The Bucks didn't inspire much confidence over the last month, however, as they lost three of the final seven games - after losing just three in the first 21 games. OSU is still in-play for a 1-seed in the NCAA tournament so we still expect a motivated Buckeyes squad in Indianapolis.

Michigan State Spartans

Sparty lost out on sole-possession of first place by losing its final two games of the season against Indiana and Ohio State. In the loss to Ohio State, MSU freshman Brendan Dawson tore his ACL and will miss the remainder of the season. Dawson was a key contributor with 8.4 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game. Still, MSU has the likely Big Ten player of the year, Draymond Green, who is also one of the top senior leaders in all of College Basketball.

Michigan Wolverines

The Wolverines seem likeliest to get upset here at the Big Ten tournament. They were surprise co-champions of the Big Ten and aren't really playing for much here (no shot at a 1-seed). They found out that they were co-champions on Sunday night watching the Buckeyes beat the Spartans and there was a big celebration in the clubhouse. We wouldn't be all that surprised to see a flat Michigan squad get upset by a highly motivated Northwestern team in the second round.

Wisconsin Badgers

The Badgers ranked 2nd to last in the Big Ten in shooting percentage. But like most Wisconsin teams in the past, the Badgers are absolutely dominant on defense. Wisconsin ranks 1st nationally in points per game allowed, 1st in three point percentage defense, and 3rd in field goal percentage defense. However, the Badgers have been one-and-done the last three years in the Big Ten tournament, including last year's ugly 33-36 loss to Penn State in the 2nd round.

FIRST ROUND MATCHUPS

Illinois (-2.5) vs. Iowa - Thursday, 10:30 AM CST (winner advances to play Michigan State)

Illinois was just 1-8 over its last nine games. Strangely enough, the only win was a 65-54 home victory over Iowa (the only meeting this season between these two. Iowa made 36.7 percent in that game and the 54 points was its second lowest point total of the season. Both squads would likely need to win the tournament in order to advance to the Big Dance.

Indiana (-13) vs. Penn State - Thursday, 12:55 PM CST (winner advances to play Wisconsin)

Indiana might be the darkhorse of this tournament. The Hoosiers just enjoyed their first winning regular season since 2007-2008 and closed the season winning four straight and seven of the last eight overall. And they're playing closest to home so they're sure to have the biggest fan draw. Penn State advanced to the Big Ten final a year ago, but the Nittany Lions have dropped nine of their last 11. PSU is 0-2 against Indiana this season while Indiana lost its only meetings at Wisconsin (covered)

Northwestern (-2) vs. Minnesota - Thursday, 4:30 PM CST (winner advances to play Michigan)

Northwestern is the team that needs a win most in this tournament. Most experts have the Wildcats as either one of the last four in or last four out of the tournament is the selection was today. Northwestern split the season series with Minnesota, winning at home by 11 and losing at Minnesota by 23. The Gophers dropped six of seven games heading into the tournament.Minnesota lost its only game against Michigan this season by five points (ATS win) while Northwestern lost both meetings against the Wolverines, both ending in overtime.

Purdue (-9.5) vs. Nebraska - Thursday, 6:55 PM CST (winner advances to play Ohio State)

The Boilers were on the bubble until a win at Michigan on February 25th solidified their position. Nebraska has lost eight of its last nine heading into its first conference tournament as a member of the Big Ten. Purdue won the only meeting this season by 18 points at home.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-08-2012, 08:20 AM

ACC Opening Round

March 7, 2012

The ACC tournament looks like it will finish with a Duke/North Carolina championship on Sunday in Atlanta. However, the opening round begins at Philips Arena on Thursday with four games to wager on, including several teams trying to get off the NCAA Tournament bubble with victories. We'll begin with the first game of the day as two struggling teams search for a win.

[9] Wake Forest vs. [8] Maryland (-4, 136) - 12:00 PM EST

Both these schools were proud ACC basketball programs at one time, but each has taken a step back recently. Granted, the Terrapins were a top-four team in the conference under Gary Williams, but Mark Turgeon barely forged Maryland above the .500 mark in his first season at 16-14. The Terps finished 6-10 inside ACC play, taking on a Wake Forest squad that scratched out just four victories against conference foes.

Maryland dropped its final three games of the season, but managed a cover in the season finale as 4 ½-point home underdogs against Virginia in overtime. The Terps were listed as favorites three times during ACC play, posting a 2-0-1 ATS record, while beating Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, and Boston College. In the only meeting of the season between Maryland and Wake, the Terps held off the Demon Deacons, 70-64 as six-point favorites. Maryland managed the victory in spite of shooting 35% from the floor and missing 13 free throws.

Since dropping a 34-point decision to N.C. State in early January, Wake ran off an 8-5 ATS stretch, including five covers as double-digit underdogs. However, the Deacons finished the season 2-4-1 ATS when receiving nine points or less, while losing at Georgia Tech in the season finale as 4 ½-point 'dogs.

[12] Boston College vs. [5] N.C. State (-12 ½, 133) - 2:30 PM EST

The Wolfpack followed up a four-game skid by winning their final two regular season contests against Miami and Virginia Tech to reach the 20-victory plateau. N.C. State still needs some help if it wants to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006, as the Wolfpack takes on the team that finished in the cellar of the ACC. Boston College dropped 11 of its final 13 conference games since a 2-1 start in the ACC.

N.C. State didn't help out backers in the favorite role inside ACC play by putting together a 2-7-1 ATS mark. The Wolfpack failed to cash in two victories over the Eagles this season, both as double-digit 'chalk.' In the first meeting in Raleigh, BC scored some late baskets to take the money as 16 ½-point underdogs in a 76-62 loss, as the Wolfpack led by 25 points with less than three minutes to go. N.C. State pulled off the sweep in Chestnut Hill, 56-51 as 10-point favorites on February 1. The Wolfpack limited the Eagles to less than 40% shooting from the floor each time.

[10] Virginia Tech vs. [7] Clemson (-2 ½, 119) - 7:00 PM EST

The Hokies have been a disappointment this season with a 15-16 SU and 9-16-2 ATS record, as Virginia Tech looks to make a tourney run against Clemson. The Tigers stunk against the number also by covering just nine of 25 games, while failing to cash each of their last three contests.

Virginia Tech lost seven of its final 10 games of the season, as the three wins for Seth Greenberg's team came by a combined four points over Georgia Tech, Boston College, and Clemson. Both meetings between the Hokies and Tigers were decided by two points each with the home team winning both times. Virginia Tech pulled out a 67-65 victory as three-point favorites in early February, as Clemson was limited to 38% shooting from the floor. The Tigers picked up revenge at Littlejohn Coliseum a month later in a 58-56 squeaker as 6 ½-point 'chalk,' as Clemson missed all 10 three-point attempts.

Clemson posted a 3-6 ATS record as a favorite inside conference play this season, while winning three of its final four games on the highway. Virginia Tech cashed in its last three road games of the season, while compiling a 7-1 'under' mark in games played away from Blacksburg.

[11] Georgia Tech vs. [6] Miami (-6 ½, 124) - 9:30 PM EST

The Hurricanes likely need two victories in the ACC Tournament to advance to the Big Dance, but the first task is getting by the de facto home team, Georgia Tech. The Jackets finished conference play at 4-12, while being exiled from their home court on campus thanks to renovation this season. UM was inconsistent down the stretch by alternating wins and losses in its final six games, capped off by a victory over lowly Boston College as 14 ½-point favorites.

UM owns an 0-4 ATS record as a favorite of seven or more points following a win, while hitting the 'over' in four consecutive games. The 'Canes knocked off the Jackets at Philips Arena as 1 ½-point favorites, 64-49 on January 24, as UM built a 13-point halftime lead. Kenny Kadji and Malcolm Grant combined for 37 points in the win, while the 'Canes drilled nine three-pointers.

Georgia Tech finished the season with wins in two of its last three games, including home victories over Maryland and Wake Forest. The 'under' is 7-2 the previous nine contests for the Ramblin' Wreck, while getting held to 55 points or less six times in this span.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-08-2012, 08:23 AM

SEC Tournament preview

March 7, 2012

Oddsmakers at Sportsbook.com have made Kentucky an overwhelming minus-500 ‘chalk’ to win this weekend’s SEC Tournament in New Orleans. The Wildcats went 16-0 in league play during the regular season, capping the year with a double-digit win at Florida this past Sunday.

Vanderbilt has the second-shortest odds at 6/1 (risk $100 to win $600), followed by the Gators at 7/1. Vandy and UF finished in a three-way tie for second place with Tennesseee, with all three schools going 10-6 in SEC play. The Vols have garnered the tournament’s No. 2 seed, while Vandy and Florida are seeds three and four, respectively.

Cuonzo Martin’s team has 15/1 odds to cut the nets down Sunday afternoon in the Big Easy. Mississippi State and Alabama both share 20/1 odds, while the rest of the conference’s schools are a part of the 50/1 Field wager.

The league has only three locks for the NCAA Tournament: Kentucky, Vandy and Florida. Alabama appears to be safe, but a first-round loss to South Carolina could change that. Mississippi St. and Tennessee probably need to win their first-round games and not get blown out in the tourney quarterfinals.

Let’s take a closer look at the four games on Thursday before giving out our SEC awards and much more…

**Arkansas vs. Louisiana State**

--As of Wednesday afternoon, most betting shops had LSU (17-13 straight up, 16-11 against the spread) listed as a two-point favorite with a total of 137.

--Arkansas (18-13 SU, 8-14-1 ATS) hasn’t enjoyed much success when it has left Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville this year. The Razorbacks have lost nine of their 10 road games with an abysmal 2-8 spread record.

--Mike Anderson’s team has lost six of its last eight games both SU and ATS, including Saturday’s 79-59 blowout loss at Mississippi St. as a 9 ½-point underdog. Arkansas freshman point guard B.J. Young scored 16 points in defeat.

--Trent Johnson’s team exceeded expectations a little bit this year with a young roster. The Tigers were 17-10 and on the fringe of the bubble conversation before losing three in a row to close the regular season. They dropped a 67-52 decision at Auburn as 1 ½-point underdogs this past Saturday. Ralston Turner was the only LSU player in double figures with a team-high 14 points.

--When these teams met in the regular season, they split a pair of games with the home team prevailing each time. On Jan. 14 at Bud Walton, Arkansas captured a 69-60 win as a five-point home favorite with the 129 combined points falling ‘under’ the 137 ½-point total. Young scored a team-high 19 points, while LSU’s Justin Hamilton had 20 points and eight rebounds in the losing effort.

--In the rematch at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, LSU got revenge in a 71-65 victory as a 4 ½-point home favorite. Turner scored a game-high 16 points and Justin Hamilton added 13 points, 11 boards and four blocked shots. The 136 points stayed ‘under’ the 137-point tally.

--The ‘over’ is 12-10-1 overall for the Razorbacks, 6-2 in their last eight games.

--The ‘under’ is 15-12 overall for LSU, 3-1 its last four times out.

--Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Eastern on The SEC Network. The winner will most likely get an NIT bid and will face top-ranked Kentucky on Friday at 1:00 p.m. ET. The loser is probably on the NIT bubble.

**Alabama vs. South Carolina**

--As of Wednesday, most books were listing Alabama (20-10 SU, 12-14 ATS) as a nine-point ‘chalk’ with a total of 116.

--In his third season at the helm, Anthony Grant appears poised to return Alabama to the NCAA Tournament with a win in this spot. The Tide has been through a turbulent campaign with suspensions galore, but the team has seemingly come together over the last few weeks and Grant has certainly earned the respect of his players. He suspended Tony Mitchell, the team’s second-leading scorer, for the rest of the year and leading scorer JaMychal Green also missed several games due to suspension but is now back with the squad.

--Alabama saw its four-game winning streak snapped in a 60-51 loss Saturday at Ole Miss as a 2 ½-point road favorite. Green had 11 points, 13 rebounds and three blocked shots against the Rebels. Trevor Releford was also in double figures with 12 points, but the sophomore point guard committed three turnovers and didn’t have any assists.

--Alabama owns a 9-7 spread record in 16 games as a single-digit favorite.

--South Carolina (10-20 SU, 10-15 ATS) finished in the cellar of the SEC and barring an astonishing four-day run to an SEC Tournament title this weekend, it will see fourth-year head coach Darrin Horn take his pinkslip by Monday.

--The Gamecocks went 8-9 ATS in 17 games as underdogs this year.

--South Carolina upset Alabama in the lone head-to-head meeting during the regular season, capturing a 56-54 triumph as a five-point home underdog on Jan. 25. Malik Cooke led the way with 18 points, while Levi Randolph had a team-high 12 points for the Tide.

--Totals have been an overall wash for ‘Bama (13-13), but the ‘over’ has hit in its last three games and five of its last six.

--The ‘over’ is 14-10-1 overall for South Carolina, 8-2-1 in its last 11 outings.

--This game will tip on The SEC Network 30 minutes after LSU-Arkansas goes final. The winner will face Florida in the second game of Friday’s afternoon session.

**Auburn vs. Ole Miss**

--As of Wednesday, most spots had Ole Miss (18-12 SU, 14-13-1 ATS) as a four-point favorite with a total of 121.

--Andy Kennedy is on the hot seat in Oxford and his team needs to make something happen in New Orleans for him to be retained. Just when it seemed his squad had quit on him in a blowout loss at home to Vandy that started a three-game losing streak, the Rebels responded by winning three in a row to close the regular season. They destroyed LSU by 24 at home, rallied in the last minute to win at Arkansas and then ended Alabama’s four-game winning streak in a nine-point win at The Tad Pad.

--Reginald Bucker and Murphy Holloway combined for 18 points and 20 rebounds to lead the Rebels past Alabama. Terrance Henry added 10 points and three blocked shots.

--Ole Miss has compiled a 4-5 spread record in nine single-digit ‘chalk’ situations.

--Auburn (15-15 SU, 14-9 ATS) is 10-6 ATS in 16 games as an underdog, but we should note that it is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 such spots. However, the Tigers are dealing with several personnel issues right now. Varez Ward has been suspended for the last three games and his status for this weekend is a question mark. Ward averages 9.0 points, 3.8 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game. Also, Allen Payne (4.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG) is ‘out’ with a torn meniscus suffered on Feb. 29 and Josh Langford is ‘doubtful’ with a concussion that’s had him out since late January.

--These SEC West rivals split a pair of meetings during the regular season, but Auburn took the cash both times. The Rebels won 61-54 at home as 7 ½-point favorites, while AU won by a 69-68 count in overtime as a one-point home hound.

--The ‘under’ is 15-8 overall for Auburn, 10-2 in its last 12 games. Totals have been an overall wash for Ole Miss (14-14).

--Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. Eastern on The SEC Network. The winner will face Tennessee in the first game of Friday’s evening session.

**Georgia vs. Mississippi State**

--As of Wednesday, most books had Mississippi St. (21-10 SU, 13-17 ATS) installed as a five-point favorite with a total of 123 ½.

--Rick Stansbury’s team probably needs to win this game to feel fairly comfortable about garnering an at-large invite to the NCAA Tournament on Sunday. After going through a brutal five-game losing streak, Mississippi St. won back-to-back game to close the regular season. The Bulldogs won a buzzer beater in overtime at South Carolina before blasting Arkansas on Senior Day for four-year starting PG Dee Bost. In his final game at The Hump, Bost finished with 16 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Arnett Moultrie added 20 points and 10 boards.

--Georgia (14-16 SU, 12-14 ATS) has won two of its last three games both SU and ATS, including an upset win over Florida on Feb. 25 as a 7 ½-point underdog. The Dawgs thumped South Carolina 67-55 as six-point home favorites this past Saturday. Gerald Robinson dropped a game-high 23 points on the Gamecocks.

--When these schools met in Starkville on Feb. 11, UGA pulled a stunner with a 70-68 overtime win as a nine-point road underdog. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was the catalyst with 20 points and eight rebounds. Bost had a game-high 21 points in defeat.

--MSU is 4-8 ATS as a single-digit favorite this year, while UGA has posted a 7-11 spread record in 18 ‘dog situations.

--The ‘over’ has hit in four consecutive head-to-head meetings between these schools.

--The ‘over’ is 15-14-1 overall for MSU. Meanwhile, UGA has seen the ‘under’ go 14-11-1 overall.

--This game will tip 30 minutes after the conclusion of Ole Miss-Auburn. The winner will take on Vanderbilt late Friday night.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--All-SEC First Team:
Center: Anthony Davis (Kentucky)
Power Forward: Arnett Moultrie (Mississippi State)
Small Forward: Jeffery Taylor (Vanderbilt)
Shooting Guard: Kenny Boynton (Florida)
Point Guard: Dee Bost (Mississippi St.)

--All-SEC Second Team:
C-Festus Ezeli (Vandy)
F-Bradley Beal (Florida)
G/F-Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Kentucky)
G-John Jenkins (Vandy)
G-Erving Walker (Florida)

--SEC All-Freshman Team
C-Anthony Davis
F-Bradley Beal (Florida)
G/F-Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Kentucky)
G-B.J. Young (Arkansas)
G-Marquis Teague (Kentucky)
Sixth Man: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Georgia)

--SEC Freshman of the Year, Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Davis!

--If I’m South Carolina, I don’t think I can get Butler’s Brad Stevens or VCU’s Shakka Smart, but I’m dropping a call to their respective agents anyway. One candidate that the Gamecocks may have a shot at is Wichita State’s Gregg Marshall, who spent time in the state during his tenure at Winthrop.

--Tennessee certainly had bad losses in November and the committee must consider the entire resume, but there’s no way a sane person can tell me that the Vols don’t look like a squad worthy of an NCAA bid with the way they’ve played down the stretch with a 10-3 record. The three L’s came at Vandy, at Kentucky and at Alabama.

--Three teams UT is rooting for in their respective conference tourneys; Florida, which UT beat twice. UConn, which UT beat in Knoxville. And Memphis, which beat the Vols twice in non-conference play.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-08-2012, 08:25 AM

Big Ten Openers

March 7, 2012

The Big Ten's annual men's basketball conference tournament gets underway this Thursday afternoon from Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis with four first-round matchups on the slate. The following is a brief preview of each contest along with a key few facts and figures to help handicap the games.

No. 9 Illinois Fighting Illini vs. No. 8 Iowa Hawkeyes (Big 10, 11:30 a.m. ET)

Spread: Illinois -2
Total: 136 ½

Crash and burn could be the best way to describe the second-half of the season for Illinois with just two victories in its last 13 games both straight-up and against the spread. The only ray of hope for this matchup is the fact that one of those rare wins was a 65-54 romp over Iowa as a six-point home favorite. The Fighting Illini have actually beaten the Hawkeyes seven straight times and are 6-1 ATS. They finished the regular season 17-14 SU and 10-19 ATS.

Iowa went 3-2 both SU and ATS down the stretch including a 67-66 win over Wisconsin as a 5 ½-point home underdog. It is 16-15 SU overall and 8-10 SU in conference play. The Hawkeyes were 14-12 ATS overall and the total has gone 'over' in 14 of the 26 games. In their last seven games against Illinois, they have lost by an average of 10.3 points a game with six of the losses ending in double-digit spreads.

No. 12 Penn State Nittany Lions vs. No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers (Big 10, 2:00 p.m. ET)

Spread: Indiana -13 ½
Total: 137

Penn State finished last in the Big Ten by virtue of a 4-14 SU record in the conference and an overall SU record of 12-19. It was even worse ATS at 10-15-1 overall and 3-11 ATS on the road. The Nittany Lions are averaging 61.9 points a game while shooting just 39.4 from the floor. They scored less than 60 points in eight of their last 14 games and went just 2-9 SU (4-6-1 ATS) in their last 11 games.

Indiana comes into this tournament riding a late-season surge that produced seven SU wins in its last eight games including a crushing 70-55 victory over Michigan State as a 2 ½-point home underdog. Overall the Hoosiers are 24-7 SU and 16-9 ATS and have a huge advantage playing on their home court where they went 18-1 SU and 10-3 ATS this season. Indiana is just 3-7 SU (3-6-1 ATS) in its last 10 games against Penn State, but it won both meetings this seasons SU including a 73-54 rout on Jan.22 as a 15-point home favorite.

No. 10 Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. No. 7 Northwestern Wildcats (ESPN2, 5:30 p.m. ET)

Spread: Northwestern -2 ½
Total: 130

Minnesota snapped a six-game losing streak with an 81-69 win over Nebraska as a nine-point home favorite in its season finale to finish the regular season 18-13 SU overall and 6-12 SU in the Big Ten. The Golden Gophers were 14-13-1 ATS overall and 3-4 ATS in their last seven games. They averaged 67.1 points a game, but failed to hit that number in six of their last nine games. The total has stayed 'under' in four of their last five games.

Northwestern went 3-4 SU in its last seven games, but was 13-11-1 ATS this season and 4-1-1 ATS in its last six games. It ended the year 18-12 SU overall and 8-10 SU in the Big Ten. The Wildcats have won four of their last six games against Minnesota both SU and ATS. This season they posted a 64-53 victory as 3 ½-point home favorites on Feb. 18, but the Gophers won the first meeting 75-52 as 5 ½-point home favorites. The total has stayed 'under' in three of the last four meetings.

No. 11 Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. No. 6 Purdue Boilermakers (ESPN2, 8:00 p.m. ET)

Spread: Purdue -9 ½
Total: 129

It has been a rough season for Nebraska in its new conference with just four SU wins in Big Ten play. The Cornhuskers went 12-17 SU (9-16 ATS) overall and finished the regular season with just one win in their last nine games both SU and ATS. Nebraska averaged 60.9 points a game while shooting 42.7 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from three-point range. It has been held to 53 points or less in four of its last seven games.

Purdue beat Nebraska 83-65 as a 10 ½-point home favorite in their only meeting this season as part of a 10-8 SU record in conference play. Overall, the Boilermakers were 20-11 SU on the year and 15-13 ATS. They went 5-2 SU down the stretch including a huge 75-61 win over Michigan as five-point road underdogs. Purdue was 6-2 ATS in its last eight games and the total went 'over' in seven of those games. It is averaging 72 points a game, but has scored 74 points or more in six of its final eight games.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-08-2012, 08:34 AM

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, March 8

Big East tournament (New York)
UConn has now won seven Big East tourney games in row, but they're playing third game in three days, while Syracuse last played Saturday. Orange still haven't lost with Melo in middle; they're 3-2 in this round if they had the double-bye, winning by 5-24-6 points. Huskies lost twice to Syracuse this season, 85-67 (+11) Feb 11, 71-69 (+3.5) at home two weeks later. Four of last six UConn games were decided by 3 or less points, or in OT. Syracuse is 3-8 vs spread in its last 11 games.

Over last 6+ seasons, Georgetown is 11-5 in Big East tourney, winning last four games in this round, by 3-5-20-7 points; Hoyas (-6.5) lost at home to Cincinnati 68-64 back on Jan 9, turning ball over 17 times (-8), which offset Hoyas' 59% shooting from floor. Since joining the Big East, Bearcats are 3-5 in this event, losing in this round last two years- they've won five of last six games overall. Hoyas pretty much played six guys yesterday in low-stress win over Pitt.

Marquette (-4.5) beat Louisville 74-63 at home Jan 16, outscoring them 16-4 on foul line; Eagles won/covered six of last seven games, covering last four times they were favored. Over last nine years, Pitino is 4-2 playing his second game of tourney, 4-1 in this round; Cardinals played three starters 36+ minutes in yesterday's win over punchless (32% from floor) Seton Hall. Marquette is 0-3 in this round of tourney, losing by 7-23-25 points. Louisville is 6-1 vs spread as an underdog this season-- their loss at Marquette was only game they didn't cover.

South Florida won seven of last nine games; they play great defense but offense is a problem; Bulls (+6) lost 60-49 at Notre Dame Jan 10- they were 1-13 from arc that night. USF won its first tourney game last two years, then lost next night by 20-26 points. Notre Dame won 10 of last 12 games; they've won first tourney game four of last five years, winning three of four in this round. USF played seven guys last night, with two of them playing more than 28 minutes in a slowish-paced game.

Conference USA tournament (Memphis)
Memphis won/covered seven of last eight games, but lone loss was here to UTEP 60-58 (-14.5) in game where Miners avenged 67-66 home loss in finals of LY's conference tourney. All five UTEP starters played 34+ minutes in OT win over Houston yesterday, game they trailed by 8 in second half-- Cougars were just 6-15 on foul line. Over last six seasons, Memphis is 15-1 in this event, losing in first round two years ago- their wins in first tourney game were by 14-19-21-19-10-3 points.

Pac-12 tournament (Los Angeles)
Oregon State lost twice to Washington this year, 95-80 (+4.5) in Seattle Dec 29, then 75-72 (-3) at home Feb 12; Beavers won last three games overall by 10-14-5 points, avenging pair of losses to Wazzu yesterday, in game where three starters played 31+ minutes. Over last six seasons, OSU is 0-3 in this round of tourney, losing by 32-7-9 points. Huskies are 5-1 in this round when they've had bye, winning last three years by 12-7-2 points- they're 8-6 as a Pac-12 favorite this season.

Arizona guard Turner was suspended for weekend and isn't in LA; this is distraction at best (he started 17 games, averages 24.9 mpg, scores 6.8 ppg, is 3rd on team in assists), debacle at worst. UCLA is 9-4 in its last 13 games, covering seven of last nine when favored- they beat Arizona at home 65-58 (-2) Jan 5, then lost 65-63 (+4) in Tucson Feb 25. Wildcats are 1-4 in this round of tourney last five years. Bruins are 3-2 vs spread as a Pac-12 underdog this season.

Stanford won five of last seven games, beating rival Cal 75-70 (+1) four days ago on Senior Day at Maples; Cardinal (+8.5) lost 69-59 first time teams met this year- they made 10-19 behind arc yesterday, in easy win over ASU, when Randle scored 27 in first half- they're 3-3 as underdog in Pac-12 games. Cal Bears are 12-0 in Pac-12 when they allow less than 70 points, 1-5 when they allow more- they covered once in last five as a favorite. Cal is no cinch for NCAAs; they need this win.

Oregon won its last four games, covered its last nine; they're 3-2 in this event last two years, with wins by 2-17-7 points. Colorado beat awful Utah team by 12 last night in sluggish game that Buffs led by hoop at half; home side won both Colorado-Oregon games this season- Buffs (-6) won 72-71 at home Feb 4, then lost 90-81 (+6) in Eugene last week in game CU led by 5 at half. Buffs got one basket out of bench last night, in 43:00. Oregon is 13-5 in Pac-12, was only favored six times (4-2).

Big X tournament (Kansas City)
Kansas State got bye all four years Martin has been coach, but they've lost first tourney game three of four years; Wildcats (-3.5) lost 75-73 at home to Baylor Jan 10, then won 57-56 (+7.5) in Waco Feb 18. Bears covered two of last eight games when favored; they're 4-4 in this event last four years, winning by 19 in this round only time they had the bye. K-State is 3-4 vs spread as Big X underdog; they've won four of last five games overall. Baylor won three of its last four games.

Iowa State is vastly improved team this year, going from 3-13 to 13-5 in league play, but they're 0-6 in this tourney last six years- last time they had winning league record, they did win game in this event. State split a pair with Texas, winning 77-72 (+2) Jan 4, then losing 62-55 (+8) Jan 24 in Austin. Longhorns won last five games in this round when they had a bye, with four of five wins by 7 or less points. Texas is 2-3 in last five games, with wins over Texas Tech/Oklahoma, Big X doormats.

Big Dozen tournament (Indianapolis)
Northwestern has never been in NCAA tournament; they're squarely on bubble here, facing Minnesota squad that snapped six-game skid in last game, beating Nebraska on Senior Day. Wildcats (+5) lost 75-52 Jan 22 in first meeting with Minnesota, then won rematch 64-53 (-4) at home Feb 18. Northwestern is 16-2 this season vs teams not in top 50; they're 3-2 in last five games, losing in OT to Michigan, by hoop to Ohio State, but winning last two road games. Enormous game for Wildcats.

Mountain West tournament (Las Vegas)
Colorado State won four of last five games, is 5-0-1 vs spread in last six; they beat TCU 95-89 (-8.5) in double OT at home in MWC opener Jan 14, then lost 75-71 (-1) at TCU Feb 11. Horned Frogs covered seven of last nine games, losing tough OT game at home to San Diego State in last game Saturday- they're 2-6 in this event since joining MWC. State is 0-3 in this tourney last three years, losing by 4-1-6 points. Rams finally got a conference road win when they beat Air Force by 10 Saturday.

**myrjimmy3** · 03-08-2012, 11:31 AM

gl sdb

**StarDust Bum** · 03-08-2012, 12:20 PM

Early Games:

03/08/2012 @ 08:40 AM

CBB

[705] ILLINOIS -1 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 10:55 AM

CBB

[708] INDIANA U -13 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 02:30 PM

CBB

[710] NORTHWESTERN -2 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 08:10 AM

CBB

[713] TOTAL o138 1.91
(WAKE FOREST vrs MARYLAND)

03/08/2012 @ 11:25 AM

CBB

[716] NC STATE -13 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 09:40 AM

CBB

[730] BAYLOR -2½ 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 10:00 AM

CBB

[737] ARKANSAS +2½ 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 04:30 PM

CBB

[741] TOTAL o120½ 1.91
(AUBURN vrs MISSISSIPPI)

03/08/2012 @ 07:00 PM

CBB

[743] GEORGIA +5 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 12:00 PM

CBB

[761] TOTAL o130½ 1.91
(BOISE ST vrs SAN DIEGO ST)

03/08/2012 @ 02:30 PM

CBB

[763] TCU +4 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 12:00 PM

CBB

[770] IDAHO U -5½ 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 02:30 PM

CBB

[772] TOTAL u137 1.91
(FRESNO ST vrs NEW MEXICO ST)

**StarDust Bum** · 03-08-2012, 12:40 PM

Texas clashes with Iowa State in Big 12 tourney

TEXAS LONGHORNS (19-12)

vs. IOWA STATE CYCLONES (22-9)

Big 12 Conference Tournament - Quarterfinals
Tip-off: Thursday, 9:30 p.m. EDT - Kansas City, MO
Line: Iowa State -1, Total: 139

Third-seeded Iowa State begins the Big 12 Tournament as slight favorites, facing a challenge from sixth-seeded Texas, which sits right on the bubble for this year’s NCAA Tournament.

Iowa State should make the big dance regardless of this game, while a loss here would all but ruin Texas’ chances to make the NCAAs. Although the two teams split the regular season, the Cyclones took both games ATS. Can Texas bolster its résumé for the NCAA Tournament committee? For the answer, check out the College Basketball Three at Three Pass for picks covering all the big games in college basketball each weekday.

The Longhorns (9-17 ATS) have struggled mightily against the lines, going 0-2 SU and ATS in their neutral court games this season, and sitting at a dismal 6-12 ATS (33%) against conference opponents. Texas (73.3 PPG) has a strong offense and its hopes for victory rest on one player. That man is J’Covan Brown (20.0 PPG) who finished the regular season with a monster 33-point performance in the team’s 73-63 loss at Kansas. The 6-foot-1 guard averages 2.4 threes per game and dishes 3.8 APG to supplement his scoring abilities. Freshman Sheldon McClellan (11.4 PPG) joins him in the backcourt, as does fellow freshman Myck Kabongo (9.8 PPG, 5.3 APG), the team’s leading passer. Those three need to dominate the perimeter in this game because the Longhorns do not have the offensive talent in the post to win on the inside. Six-foot-10 center Clint Chapman (7.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.5 BPG) is a solid body in the paint but nothing more. This strong FoxSheets trend expects the Longhorns to prevail on Thursday.

Play On - Neutral court teams as an underdog (TEXAS) - off a loss by 10 points or more to a conference rival against opponent off a home win. (81-41 since 1997.) (66.4%, +35.9 units. Rating = 2*).

Iowa State is 11-1-1 ATS in its past 13 games, winning five consecutive games ATS. The Cyclones (73.5 PPG) are a similarly talented offensive squad. But they have much more talent in the post, led by their top scorer, sophomore F Royce White (12.9 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 5.2 APG). In the team’s last meeting with Texas, he scored 15 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. He’s also coming off another double-double (11 points, 11 rebounds) in the team’s regular season finale, an 80-72 win over Baylor. If the Iowa State backcourt of Scott Christopherson (12.6 PPG) and Chris Allen (12.0 PPG) can prevent the Texas guards from taking over, this game should be theirs. That is especially true if Christopherson can replicate his end-of-season performance when he registered 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting. He has three 20-point games in his past five times out. This strong FoxSheets trend sides with the Cylcones on Thursday.

IOWA STATE is 10-1 ATS (90.9%, +8.9 Units) after covering 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread this season. The average score was IOWA STATE 70.4, OPPONENT 66.2 - (Rating = 4*).

**StarDust Bum** · 03-08-2012, 12:42 PM

Purdue favored heavily over Nebraska Thursday

NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (12-17)

vs. PURDUE BOILERMAKERS (20-11)

Big Ten Conference Tournament - First Round
Tip-off: Thursday, 7:55 p.m. EDT - Indianapolis, IN
Line: Purdue -9½, Total: 128

Nebraska will look to make the best out of a rough season when it tries to upset sixth-seeded Purdue in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.

Nebraska, the 11th seed in the 12-team conference, has been dreadful recently. The team has lost eight of its past nine (SU and ATS), with its lone win coming against Illinois. One of the losses in that span was an 18-point drubbing at the hands of the Boilermakers, who easily covered the 10½-point margin they were surrendering. In that game, Nebraska shot quite well (52% FG, 42% 3-pt FG) but still could not come close to Purdue. The Boilermakers have been playing well lately, going 5-2 (SU and ATS) in their past seven contests. Robbie Hummel has turned it on in those seven games with 22.6 PPG, including his season-high 29 points against the Cornhuskers. Expect Hummel to repeat that performance and carry PURDUE to the second round with a no-sweat victory

This rare four-star FoxSheets trend also expects the Boilermakers to win big:

NEBRASKA is 1-11 ATS (-11.1 Units) after 3 straight games committing 14 or less turnovers this season. The average score was NEBRASKA 54.1, OPPONENT 66.0 - (Rating = 4*).

Nebraska’s stagnating offense features just one player who reaches double-digit points on a nightly basis. Bo Spencer (15.1 PPG) is that man and has the ball in his hands a lot with 3.3 APG and 3.1 TO PG as well. He shot 8-of-14 against Purdue earlier in the year, a performance he must replicate to keep the Cornhuskers competitive. Where Nebraska needs to improve however, is with its forward play, defending Hummel. The team’s leading rebounder, 6-foot-10 forward Brandon Ubel (6.7 PPG, 5.4 RPG) should spend some time guarding him, while center Jorge Brian Diaz (8.6 PPG, 4.3 RPG) must be alert for help-defense opportunities in the paint. Nebraska’s only chance to win rests with stopping Hummel’s hot streak, a proposition that seems unlikely with this team that won just four games in Big Ten play.

Hummel (16.8 PPG, 7.0 RPG) is the engine of this Purdue offense, but he has a respectable supporting cast. Five-foot-9 senior Lewis Jackson (10.5 PPG, 4.2 APG) has handled the point guard duties admirably, with more than one steal and fewer than two turnovers per game. Although he is not a threat to shoot from deep, he is deft at finding Hummel and creating driving opportunities for himself. Ryne Smith (9.4 PPG) is another beneficiary of his passing as a deadly 3-point shooter (43% 3-pt FG, 2.6 threes per game) who hit four long balls against the Huskers earlier in the year. Over his past five games, he’s averaging 3.0 threes per contests. Play on Purdue here.

**StarDust Bum** · 03-08-2012, 12:44 PM

Northwestern and Minnesota open Big Ten tourney

MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS (18-13)

vs. NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS (18-12)

Big Ten Conference Tournament - First Round
Tip-off: Thursday, 5:30 p.m. EDT - Indianapolis, IN
Line: Northwestern -2½, Total: 129½

Two hungry teams take the floor in the Big Ten tournament when seventh-seeded Northwestern takes on 10th-seeded Minnesota on Thursday afternoon.

This game has far more meaning for the Wildcats who stand on the edge of the bubble for the NCAA Tournament. They have played well lately (7-2-1 ATS) including their 64-53 home victory against Minnesota on Feb. 18. The Golden Gophers, however, won the meeting earlier in the year, setting this up for the perfect rubber match on a neutral court. Can Northwestern keep its NCAA Tournament hopes alive? For the answer, check out the College Basketball Three at Three Pass for picks covering all the big games in college basketball each weekday. The Pass went 2-1 ATS in Wednesday’s action.

Minnesota is in a severe funk right now in which it has lost six of its past seven games (3-4 ATS). These two teams met in last year’s Big Ten tournament, with an easy 10-point victory going to the Wildcats, who are 5-2 ATS in their past seven meetings with the Gophers.

With 10.1 PPG, junior forward Rodney Williams has filled injured Trevor Mbakwe’s shoes well this season. He makes his shots at a 56% clip and turns over the ball just 1.5 times per game. With 5.5 RPG, he is also the team’s leading rebounder. Julian Welch (10.2 PPG, 3.1 APG) runs the offense and is deadly from beyond the arc (43.4% 3-pt FG). He missed the last two games of the regular season with a hip injury, but he is expected to suit up Thursday. In the team’s most recent loss to Northwestern, Welch registered 21 points on 5-of-10 shooting from deep. Make sure to watch out for 6-foot-11 center Ralph Sampson III (7.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG) in the paint, who blocks 1.3 shots per game and is coming off a strong 12-point performance as the beneficiary of increased minutes. This FoxSheets coaching trend also likes the Gophers to hang tough.

Tubby Smith is 11-2 ATS (84.6%, +8.8 Units) after a game being called for 10+ less fouls than opponent in all games he has coached since 1997. The average score was Smith 78.6, OPPONENT 65.9 - (Rating = 1*).

Northwestern is paced by two elite scorers. John Shurna (19.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG) leads the team as a dual inside-outside threat from the forward position. His outside game is superb (42.1% 3-pt FG, 2.7 threes per game), but he can also work the paint on both defense and offense, leading team with 1.7 BPG. Drew Crawford (16.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG) is the other part of that tandem, and can similarly score from anywhere on the court. Over the past three games he’s averaging 3.3 threes per game on 10-of-18 shooting from beyond the three-point line. His 9-of-11 shooting performance from the field kept the Wildcats close when they fell by just two points to Ohio State last week. If those two and freshman point guard Dave Sobolewski (9.1 PPG, 3.5 APG, 1.4 threes per game) can continually work the Golden Gophers from deep, they will be in great shape on Thursday. This rare four-star FoxSheets trend also likes the Wildcats to win comfortably:

MINNESOTA is 1-12 ATS (7.7%, -12.2 Units) when playing against a marginal winning team (Win Pct. 51% to 60%) over the last 2 seasons. The average score was MINNESOTA 62.8, OPPONENT 63.5 - (Rating = 4*).

**StarDust Bum** · 03-08-2012, 12:50 PM

Mavs seek 9th straight series win vs. Suns Thursday

DALLAS MAVERICKS (23-17)

at PHOENIX SUNS (17-21)

Tip-off: Thursday, 10:35 p.m. ET
Line: Dallas -3½, Total: 188½

A once-great rivalry is revived Thursday night when the Mavericks visit Phoenix.

This rivalry has been awfully one-sided over the past three years, with Dallas winning eight in a row (SU and ATS) over Phoenix. They’ve been up-and-down all season, but the Mavs have played very well of late. In their past three games they’ve beaten Utah handily at home (the Jazz squeezed the spread to six in garbage time, making it an ATS loss for Dallas), gave the Thunder all they could handle in Oklahoma City and cruised past the Knicks at home. Phoenix has been solid since the break as well. The Suns have won three in a row and five of six SU and ATS at home. Can the Suns snap their losing skid in this series? For the answer, connect to the NBA Three at Three Pass for ATS picks covering all the marquee NBA games each day. NBA Pass continues its profitable run, going 31-22 ATS (59%) since Feb. 13.

The Mavs have played some of their best basketball of the year over the past three games. PF Dirk Nowitzki (20.2 PPG) seems to be over his back problems and has found his shooting touch, averaging 31.7 PPG on 52.5% FG, 46.7% shooting from three and 96.0% FT over the past three contests. Sixth man Jason Terry (14.6 PPG) has played well of late too, averaging 16.3 PPG during that span.

SG Rodrigue Beaubois (8.6 PPG) is emerging as a weapon of late. He had 25 points in a loss to New Orleans last Friday, and 18 points in just 20 minutes in Tuesday’s win over New York. Head coach Rick Carlisle has been monitoring his minutes closely, but he could be a full go in Phoenix considering the Mavs had Wednesday night off.

C Brendan Haywood (5.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG) is doubtful to play because of a sprained ankle. But C Ian Mahinmi (6.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG) has been a solid contributor over these past three games. He’s foul-prone, picking up 16 fouls during the stretch, but he’s averaged 8.0 PPG on 66.7% FG with 6.3 RPG and an average plus/minus of +10.0. He had 13 points and five rebounds in Oklahoma City, and nine and six against New York. The FoxSheets have a trend working against the Suns:

PHOENIX is 8-25 ATS (24.2%, -19.5 Units) when playing with double revenge - 2 straight losses vs. opponent over the last 2 seasons. The average score was PHOENIX 96.9, OPPONENT 104.0 - (Rating = 3*).

The Suns fell apart late in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, leading by four after three quarters before getting blitzed in the fourth in a 115-104 loss. Even worse, they had to burn PG Steve Nash (13.8 PPG, 10.9 APG) for 39 minutes, 12 seconds, tied for the most he’s played all year. Fatigue is going to be an issue on Thursday.

The good news for Phoenix is that they have won three in a row and five of six SU and ATS at home. The Suns have shortened up their rotation and have gotten some great play out of C Marcin Gortat (16.2 PPG, 10.6 RPG) and Nash since the All-Star break, with Gortat averaging 19.3 PPG on 54.9% FG and 12.0 RPG, and Nash adding 12.5 PPG and 10.8 APG. They’re also getting very good shooting out of SG Jared Dudley (12.2 PPG), who’s averaging 16.3 PPG on 51.0% FG and 41.7% from three since the break, and SF Grant Hill (10.1 PPG), who’s added 13.0 PPG on 60.0% FG. This two-star FoxSheets trend also likes the Suns to cover:

PHOENIX is 9-0 ATS (+9.0 Units) in home games when playing 5 or less games in 14 days over the last 3 seasons. The average score was PHOENIX 101.2, OPPONENT 92.0 - (Rating = 2*).

**StarDust Bum** · 03-08-2012, 01:18 PM

NHL Best Bets:

03/08/2012 @ 04:05 PM

NHL

[2] NEW JERSEY 1.59

03/08/2012 @ 04:05 PM

NHL

[3] TAMPA BAY +1½ 1.45

03/08/2012 @ 04:05 PM

NHL

[6] PHILADELPHIA -1½ 2.75

03/08/2012 @ 04:05 PM

NHL

[7] BUFFALO 2.80

03/08/2012 @ 04:35 PM

NHL

[11] NY RANGERS 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 05:05 PM

NHL

[13] ANAHEIM 2.55

03/08/2012 @ 05:05 PM

NHL

[16] NASHVILLE 1.63

03/08/2012 @ 05:35 PM

NHL

[18] DALLAS 1.95

03/08/2012 @ 06:05 PM

NHL

[20] PHOENIX -1½ 2.45

**StarDust Bum** · 03-08-2012, 01:22 PM

Early and Late Games I Like

03/08/2012 @ 02:30 PM

CBB

[710] NORTHWESTERN -2½ 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 11:25 AM

CBB

[716] NC STATE -12 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 04:00 PM

CBB

[726] MARQUETTE -3 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 04:00 PM

CBB

[734] MISSOURI -11½ 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 06:30 PM

CBB

[736] IOWA ST +1 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 12:30 PM

CBB

[740] TOTAL u115 1.91
(SOUTH CAROLINA vrs ALABAMA)

03/08/2012 @ 02:30 PM

CBB

[755] UCLA -3 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 08:30 PM

CBB

[760] OREGON -3 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 06:00 PM

CBB

[781] UC DAVIS +19½ 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 08:30 PM

CBB

[783] CAL RIVERSIDE +6½ 1.91

03/08/2012 @ 06:30 PM

CBB

[788] OHIO -11 1.91

Announcement

The Bum's Thursday's NCAAB-NBA-NHL Best Bets !

The Bum's Thursday's NCAAB-NBA-NHL Best Bets !

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