Announcement

**Udog** · 03-16-2012, 08:40 AM

Friday’s betting tips: Big support coming in on FSU

Who’s hot

NCAAB: The under is 19-7 in Virginia’s last 26 overall.

NCAAB: NC State is 5-0-1 against the spread in its last six.

NCAAB: Cincinnati has covered in six of its last seven.

NBA: New York is 10-3 against the spread in its last 13 home games.

NBA: The under is 13-4-1 in the last 18 meetings between Orlando and New Jersey.

NHL: Washington has won four in a row.

NHL: Montreal has won five of its last seven meetings with Ottawa.

Who’s not

NCAAB: Xavier is 1-7-1 against the spread in its last nine overall.

NCAAB: The over is 3-14 in Kansas’ last 17 non-conference games.

NCAAB: Creighton is 1-5 against the spread in its last six.

NBA: The under is 0-5 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ last five.

NBA: The 76ers are 1-10 in their last 11 vs. teams with winning straight up records.

NHL: Edmonton is 0-4 in its last four home games against Calgary.

NHL: Chicago is 4-14 in its last 18 road games.

Key stat

8.7 – The Purdue Boilermakers coughed up just 8.7 turnovers per game this season, best in the nation. The No. 10-seed Boilermakers are pegged as 2-point underdogs against St. Mary’s, which ranks 36th in the country averaging 74.9 points per game.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls – Rose is listed as questionable for Friday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers after sitting out Wednesday’s win over Miami with a groin injury. The reigning MVP is averaging 22.8 points and eight assists per game.

Games of the day

Purdue Boilermakers vs. St. Mary's Gaels (-2, 140)

Virginia Cavaliers vs. Florida Gators (-3.5, 122)

NC State Wolfpack vs. San Diego State Aztecs (2, 137)

Notable quotable

“I’m glad for the Friday game in preparing for Georgetown because they do play the Princeton-style offense and it’s not something that anybody on this team has seen. And it’s so different — I mean, the whole idea behind the Princeton offense is ‘this is how people are taught to play defensively, so let’s do everything different; let’s back-cut people who try to get in passing lanes, or in what we call the gaps. So you’ve got to re-learn. You’ve got to almost teach new habits, and it’s hard anytime in a short period of time, but at this time of the year it’s very difficult.” – Belmont coach Rick Byrd on his team’s preparation for the Georgetown Hoyas’ offense. The No. 14-seed Bruins, who average 81.5 points per game themselves, are set as 4-point underdogs against the No. 3-seed Hoyas.

Notes and tips

More than 75 percent of *********** Consensus bettors are currently supporting No. 3-seed Florida State as a 6-point favorite against No. 14-seed St. Bonaventure on Friday. With bettors piling on the Seminoles, a number of books moved them to as high as -7 late Thursday evening.

The Portland Trail Blazers started an overhaul to the team Thursday, firing head coach Nate McMillan and trading away a pair of veteran players. The dismissal of McMillan came one day after the Blazers absorbed a 42-point beating at the hands of the New York Knicks - the team's seventh loss in nine games. Assistant coach Caleb Kanales was elevated to interim head coach on a day when the Blazers also traded center Marcus Camby to Houston and forward Gerald Wallace to New Jersey.

Padraig Harrington (+330) shot a blistering 10-under-par 61 to set a course record and seize the first-round lead Thursday at the Transitions Championship at Palm Harbor, Fla. Harrington birdied the final three holes in his bogey-free round to shoot a career low and take a three-shot lead over Will Claxton. The Irishman is trying to end a slump that has seen him go winless on the PGA Tour since a victory in the 2008 PGA Championship. The previous record at InniXXXook in Palm Harbor, Fla., was 62 - held by Mark Calcavecchia in 2007 and Jeff Sluman in 2004.

The San Antonio Spurs acquired swingman Stephen Jackson from the Golden State Warriors on Thursday. The Spurs sent forward Richard Jefferson and a conditional first-round pick in this year's draft to the Warriors in exchange for Jackson, who was acquired from Milwaukee in a five-player deal Tuesday. Jackson will provide an upgrade to San Antonio's offense. He averaged 10.5 points this season but has a 16.1 career average, including three seasons of at least 20 points.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin left practice on Thursday morning after he was involved in an open-ice collision with veteran Mike Knuble. Ovechkin was seen holding his head on the bench for three minutes before departing to the locker room. Coach Dale Hunter said the Russian superstar is "fine" and expects him to travel with the club to Manitoba for Friday's pivotal game against the Southeast Division rival Winnipeg Jets. Ovechkin has recorded a team-leading 29 goals and 53 points this season.

**Udog** · 03-16-2012, 08:43 AM

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

-- Dwyane Wade Sr got tossed from the Heat-Bulls game Wednesday night for using profanities, and then refusing to stop. Terrific.

-- Drew Carey hosts The Price Is Right? Whose idea was that?

-- Spring training has to be really boring for position players; surprising the players' union never complained about it being too long.

-- Rick Stansbury is out after 14 years at Mississippi State; the one thing that brought him down was recruiting Renardo Sidney, who turned out to be a lot more trouble than he was worth.

-- NC State making the NCAA tournament got Mark Gottfried a 2-year contract extension; they ran Herb Sendek out of Raleigh when he went to the tournament every year. Life is funny sometimes.

-- So if an NBA team fires its coach, then later that night beats your team by 42, then you have to fire your coach? Portland canned Nate McMillan Thursday. Something tells me he'll be working again soon.

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

Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Wrapping up a basketball Thursday.......

-- Not the greatest day of basketball Thursday, but VCU-Wichita State was a fun game; UNLV made a wild comeback in the last game of the day but fell short against Colorado, and gutty NC-Asheville got hosed by those refs in a tight loss to #1 seed Syracuse.
Favorites went 6-1-1 vs spread in afternoon games, then dogs went 5-3 vs spread in the night games, so favorites were 9-6-1 for the day.
-- Murray State held Colorado State to 17 second half points, pulling away late from the Rams 58-41. Murray didn't shoot well, 39% from floor, 13-26 from foul line, but they advanced because of their defense.
-- Southern Miss led 45-40 with 12:20 left, but Kansas State played better from that point on and beat the Golden Eagles, 70-64, and now moves on to face #1 seed Syracuse in an interesting second round game. K-State needs to lose the gray uniforms; they look awful on TV.
-- Louisville beat Davidson by 7, despite going just 1-5 behind the arc, the least made 3's by a winning team in the tournament since Boston College in 2004. Cardinals play New Mexico next, a fascinating game.
-- Montana got a bad matchup when they drew Wisconsin in first round, as Badgers do lot of same things Montana does, but with bigger athletes; Griz had a great year, but it ended rudely with a 73-49 loss to Wisconsin. .
-- BYU got down 15 at the half again Thursday, just like Tuesday's game in Dayton, but this time they were playing a Marquette team that defends, so the Cougars went down meekly, 88-68. Jae Crowder had 17 points and ten rebounds.........at the half. He's a tremendous player.
-- Syracuse sleepwalked thru a 72-65 win over NC-Asheville, thanks to some dubious officiating down the stretch. Bulldogs are 7th #16 seed to lead the #1 seed at halftime, but none of them won. Syracuse-Kansas State will be a test of how much the Orange misses Fab Melo.
-- Kendall Williams hit a trey with 4:43 left to put New Mexico up 62-61, a lead they never relinquished, as the Lobos beat Long Beach State 75-68 in one of the better games of the day. New Mexico blocked seven shots, and that interior defense made the difference.
-- Vanderbilt shot 54%, made 8-18 from arc, and dispatched Harvard 79-70 as Vandy shook off the ghosts of upsets past. Most Ivy League teams hit a lot of 3-pointers, but Harvard isn't like that. Commodores had trouble with the Harvard pressure late in game, but they play slow-paced Wisconsin in the next round, so no worries about a press there.
-- South Dakota State got off to a 19-7 lead on enigmatic Baylor, but their star player Nate Wolters got his second foul with 10:02 left in the half, and the game swung from that point on. Jackrabbits have four starters who hit 40%+ from the arc, but were just 10-30 in this game.
-- Western Kentucky ended the game on a 16-1 run, but that was after the cow was out of the barn, as Kentucky built a 45-26 halftime lead and easily beat the Hilltoppers, 81-66. Only people who enjoyed WKU's late run were the investors who took WKU +26.5.
-- Wichita State has to be bitterly disappointed in losing 62-59 to a young VCU team that beat the Shockers 68-67 LY in a Bracket Busters game. In this game, Wichita State went scoreless for the last 2:09 of the game, after grabbing a 59-58 lead.
-- West Virginia has a very young team that just hit the wall late in the year; they were awful Thursday, falling behind 27-10 in an ugly 77-54 loss. Just wasn't a good season for the Mountaineers- Gonzaga drilled them in front of a pro-Mountaineer crowd in Pittsburgh.
-- Ohio State outrebounded Loyola 45-23 and beat the Greyhounds easily, 78-59. Worst Buckeye news of day was Greg Oden getting cut in the NBA by the Trailblazers. OSU didn't play that well in this game, but then again, they didn't have to.
-- Iowa State raced out to a 34-14 lead over UConn, saw lead shrink to six with 7:00 left, but they pulled away again and beat the defending champs 77-64, outrebounding the Huskies 37-20, holding them to 38% shooting.
-- Indiana's players are just more polished than New Mexico State's, inside moreso than on the perimeter. Hoosiers shot 59%, made 7-13 from the arc and won by 13, even though the Aggies shot 55% from the floor. Could be the best game Saturday will be VCU-Indiana.
-- UNLV was down 20 against Colorado, made a furious rally but fell short, losing 68-64 on a night where they were a hideous 9-36 behind the arc. As soon as Colorado got ahead, Rebels seemed to panic and their shot selection became truly awful. They need a better point guard next year.

**Udog** · 03-16-2012, 08:47 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Belmont vs. Georgetown
The Hoyas look to take advantage of a Belmont team that is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games at a neutral site. Georgetown is the pick (-3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Hoyas favored by 5. Dunkel Pick: Georgetown (-3). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, MARCH 16

Game 823-824: Lehigh vs. Duke (7:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Lehigh 55.942; Duke 71.623
Dunkel Line: Duke by 15 1/2; 145
Vegas Line: Duke by 12; 148
Dunkel Pick: Duke (-12); Under

Game 825-826: Xavier vs. Notre Dame (9:45 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Xavier 63.440; Notre Dame 63.439
Dunkel Line: Even; 129
Vegas Line: Notre Dame by 2 1/2; 123 1/2
Dunkel Pick Xavier (+2 1/2); Over

Game 827-828: Vermont vs. North Carolina (4:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Vermont 56.264; North Carolina 73.585
Dunkel Line: North Carolina by 17 1/2;
Vegas Line: North Carolina by 15 1/2; 145
Dunkel Pick North Carolina (-15 1/2); Under

Game 829-830: Alabama vs. Creighton (1:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Alabama 67.399; Creighton 64.702
Dunkel Line: Alabama by 2 1/2; 128
Vegas Line: Alabama by 1; 132
Dunkel Pick: Alabama (-1); Under

Game 831-832: Long Island vs. Michigan State (9:20 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Long Island 55.092; Michigan State 75.868
Dunkel Line: Michigan State by 21; 159
Vegas Line: Michigan State by 19 1/2; 154 1/2
Dunkel Pick Michigan State (-19 1/2); Over

Game 833-834: St. Louis vs. Memphis (6:50 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 66.477; Memphis 67.360
Dunkel Line: Memphis by 1; 125
Vegas Line: Memphis by 4; 129
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (+4); Under

Game 835-836: Belmont vs. Georgetown (3:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Belmont 64.121; Georgetown 69.477
Dunkel Line: Georgetown by 5 1/2; 128
Vegas Line: Georgetown by 3 1/2; 133 1/2
Dunkel Pick Georgetown (-3 1/2); Under

Game 837-838: NC State vs. San Diego State (12:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NC State 65.261; San Diego State 65.278
Dunkel Line: Even; 141
Vegas Line: NC State by 2; 137
Dunkel Pick San Diego State (+2); Over

Game 839-840: St. Bonaventure vs. Florida State (2:45 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Bonaventure 62.360; Florida State 70.805
Dunkel Line: Florida State by 8 1/2; 134
Vegas Line: Florida State by 6 1/2; 131
Dunkel Pick Florida State (-6 1/2); Over

Game 841-842: Texas vs. Cincinnati (12:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas 67.204; Cincinnati 67.401
Dunkel Line: Even; 125
Vegas Line: Cincinnati by 2; 129 1/2
Dunkel Pick Texas (+2); Under

Game 843-844: South Florida vs. Temple (9:50 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: South Florida 66.783; Temple 63.813
Dunkel Line: South Florida by 3; 125
Vegas Line: Temple by 3; 121
Dunkel Pick South Florida (+3); Over

Game 845-846: Ohio vs. Michigan (7:20 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ohio 61.436; Michigan 69.307
Dunkel Line: Michigan by 8; 122
Vegas Line: Michigan by 6; 125 1/2
Dunkel Pick Michigan (-6); Under

Game 847-848: Norfolk State vs. Missouri (4:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Norfolk State 47.473; Missouri 74.766
Dunkel Line: Missouri by 27 1/2; 142
Vegas Line: Missouri by 21 1/2; 145 1/2
Dunkel Pick Missouri (-21 1/2); Under

Game 849-850: Virginia vs. Florida (2:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Virginia 64.467; Florida 66.131
Dunkel Line: Florida by 1 1/2; 125
Vegas Line: Florida by 3 1/2; 121
Dunkel Pick Virginia (+3 1/2); Over

Game 851-852: Detroit vs. Kansas (9:55 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 58.167; Kansas 74.247
Dunkel Line: Kansas by 16; 146
Vegas Line: Kansas by 14 1/2; 142 1/2
Dunkel Pick Kansas (-14 1/2); Over

Game 853-854: Purdue vs. St. Mary's (7:25 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Purdue 64.389; St. Mary's 64.202
Dunkel Line: Even; 135
Vegas Line: Purdue by 1 1/2; 140
Dunkel Pick St. Mary's (+1 1/2); Under

Game 855-856: Northwestern at Washington (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Northwestern 63.581; Washington 66.514
Dunkel Line: Washington by 3; 144
Vegas Line: Washington by 5 1/2; 148
Dunkel Pick Northwestern (+5 1/2); Under

**Udog** · 03-16-2012, 08:49 AM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Friday, March 16

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LEHIGH (26 - 7) vs. DUKE (27 - 6) - 3/16/2012, 7:15 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LEHIGH is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in all games this season.
LEHIGH is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
LEHIGH is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 over the last 2 seasons.
LEHIGH is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.
LEHIGH is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) after a conference game over the last 3 seasons.
LEHIGH is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
LEHIGH is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.
LEHIGH is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) after scoring 80 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
LEHIGH is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in all tournament games over the last 2 seasons.
LEHIGH is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
DUKE is 42-66 ATS (-30.6 Units) in March games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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XAVIER (21 - 12) vs. NOTRE DAME (22 - 11) - 3/16/2012, 9:45 PM
Top Trends for this game.
XAVIER is 10-18 ATS (-9.8 Units) in all games this season.
XAVIER is 10-18 ATS (-9.8 Units) in all lined games this season.
XAVIER is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
XAVIER is 90-62 ATS (+21.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
NOTRE DAME is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in non-conference games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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ALABAMA (21 - 11) vs. CREIGHTON (28 - 5) - 3/16/2012, 1:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CREIGHTON is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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LONG ISLAND (25 - 8) vs. MICHIGAN ST (27 - 7) - 3/16/2012, 9:20 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MICHIGAN ST is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) in all games this season.
MICHIGAN ST is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) in all lined games this season.
MICHIGAN ST is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) after a conference game this season.
MICHIGAN ST is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) off a win against a conference rival this season.
MICHIGAN ST is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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SAINT LOUIS (25 - 7) vs. MEMPHIS (26 - 8) - 3/16/2012, 6:50 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MEMPHIS is 114-81 ATS (+24.9 Units) off a win against a conference rival since 1997.
MEMPHIS is 187-140 ATS (+33.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
MEMPHIS is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
SAINT LOUIS is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in non-conference games this season.
MEMPHIS is 11-25 ATS (-16.5 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) after scoring 80 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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BELMONT (27 - 7) vs. GEORGETOWN (23 - 8) - 3/16/2012, 3:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GEORGETOWN is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in non-conference games this season.
GEORGETOWN is 14-24 ATS (-12.4 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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NC STATE (22 - 12) vs. SAN DIEGO ST (26 - 7) - 3/16/2012, 12:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NC STATE is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO ST is 28-14 ATS (+12.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
NC STATE is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in all neutral court games over the last 3 seasons.
NC STATE is 17-4 ATS (+12.6 Units) in road games on Friday nights since 1997.
NC STATE is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games after a conference game this season.
NC STATE is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) when playing on a neutral court over the last 3 seasons.
NC STATE is 45-27 ATS (+15.3 Units) in all tournament games since 1997.
NC STATE is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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ST BONAVENTURE (20 - 11) vs. FLORIDA ST (24 - 9) - 3/16/2012, 2:45 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA ST is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA ST is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in road games after a conference game this season.
FLORIDA ST is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
ST BONAVENTURE is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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TEXAS (20 - 13) vs. CINCINNATI (24 - 10) - 3/16/2012, 12:15 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 10-18 ATS (-9.8 Units) in all games this season.
TEXAS is 10-18 ATS (-9.8 Units) in all lined games this season.
TEXAS is 13-27 ATS (-16.7 Units) when playing with 5 or 6 days rest since 1997.
TEXAS is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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OHIO U (27 - 7) vs. MICHIGAN (24 - 9) - 3/16/2012, 7:20 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OHIO U is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in road games after a conference game this season.
OHIO U is 3-10 ATS (-8.0 Units) off a win against a conference rival this season.
MICHIGAN is 39-21 ATS (+15.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 39-21 ATS (+15.9 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) when the total is 120 to 129.5 over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) when playing with 5 or 6 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 25-14 ATS (+9.6 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) after scoring 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 32-17 ATS (+13.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 12-2 ATS (+9.8 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 2 seasons.
OHIO U is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in non-conference games this season.
OHIO U is 9-0 ATS (+9.0 Units) in road games in first round tournament games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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NORFOLK ST (25 - 9) vs. MISSOURI (30 - 4) - 3/16/2012, 4:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MISSOURI is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all games this season.
MISSOURI is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all lined games this season.
MISSOURI is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 this season.
MISSOURI is 16-8 ATS (+7.2 Units) as a favorite this season.
MISSOURI is 13-6 ATS (+6.4 Units) after a conference game this season.
MISSOURI is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) off a win against a conference rival this season.
MISSOURI is 15-4 ATS (+10.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MISSOURI is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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VIRGINIA (22 - 9) vs. FLORIDA (23 - 10) - 3/16/2012, 2:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VIRGINIA is 21-37 ATS (-19.7 Units) in March games since 1997.
VIRGINIA is 49-74 ATS (-32.4 Units) in road games after a conference game since 1997.
VIRGINIA is 27-45 ATS (-22.5 Units) in road games off a loss against a conference rival since 1997.
VIRGINIA is 37-57 ATS (-25.7 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
FLORIDA is 90-65 ATS (+18.5 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
FLORIDA is 56-32 ATS (+20.8 Units) in all tournament games since 1997.
FLORIDA is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA is 31-20 ATS (+9.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA is 31-20 ATS (+9.0 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) when playing with 5 or 6 days rest over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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DETROIT (22 - 13) vs. KANSAS (27 - 6) - 3/16/2012, 9:55 PM
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) after allowing 80 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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PURDUE (21 - 12) vs. ST MARYS-CA (27 - 5) - 3/16/2012, 7:25 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PURDUE is 62-88 ATS (-34.8 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
PURDUE is 46-73 ATS (-34.3 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
PURDUE is 27-44 ATS (-21.4 Units) in road games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games since 1997.
ST MARYS-CA is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
ST MARYS-CA is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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**Udog** · 03-16-2012, 08:51 AM

NCAAB

Short Sheet

NCAA Tournament Trends

Friday, 3/16/2012

LEHIGH vs. DUKE, 7:15 PM - NCAA Tournament - Second Round - Greensboro Col. - Greensboro, NC
LEHIGH: 7-1 ATS this season
DUKE: 42-66 ATS in March

XAVIER vs. NOTRE DAME, 9:45 PM - NCAA Tournament - Second Round - Greensboro Col. - Greensboro, NC
XAVIER: 0-7 ATS off SU loss as favorite
NOTRE DAME: 0-6 ATS vs. non-conference

ALABAMA vs. CREIGHTON, 1:40 PM - NCAA Tournament - Second Round - Greensboro Col. - Greensboro, NC
ALABAMA: 20-10 ATS Off ATS win
CREIGHTON: 0-6 ATS off BB Overs

LONG ISLAND vs. MICHIGAN ST, 9:20 PM - NCAA Tournament - Second Round - Nationwide Arena - Columbus, OH
LONG ISLAND: 3-0 ATS as double digit dog
MICHIGAN ST: 4-9 ATS as neutral court favorite

SAINT LOUIS vs. MEMPHIS, 6:50 PM - NCAA Tournament - Second Round - Nationwide Arena - Columbus, OH
SAINT LOUIS: 8-2 ATS vs. non-conference
MEMPHIS: 11-25 ATS vs. non-conference

BELMONT vs. GEORGETOWN, 3:10 PM - NCAA Tournament - Second Round - Nationwide Arena - Columbus, OH
BELMONT: 1-6 ATS in March
GEORGETOWN: 6-0 ATS vs. non-conference

NC STATE vs. SAN DIEGO ST, 12:40 PM - NCAA Tournament - Second Round - Nationwide Arena - Columbus, OH
NC STATE: 13-4 ATS on neutral court
SAN DIEGO ST: 1-5 ATS off ATS loss

ST BONAVENTURE vs. FLORIDA ST, 2:45 PM - NCAA Tournament - Second Round - Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN
ST BONAVENTURE: 4-13 ATS Away off 3+ ATS wins
FLORIDA ST: 10-1 ATS in March

TEXAS vs. CINCINNATI, 12:15 PM - NCAA Tournament - Second Round - Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN
TEXAS: 10-18 ATS this season
CINCINNATI: 6-12 ATS in NCAA Tournament

OHIO U vs. MICHIGAN, 7:20 PM - NCAA Tournament - Second Round - Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN
OHIO U: 3-10 ATS off conference win
MICHIGAN: 8-0 ATS off a loss

NORFOLK ST vs. MISSOURI, 4:40 PM - NCAA Tournament - Second Round - Centurylink Center - Omaha, NE
NORFOLK ST: n/a
MISSOURI: 16-8 ATS as favorite

VIRGINIA vs. FLORIDA, 2:10 PM - NCAA Tournament - Second Round - Centurylink Center - Omaha, NE
VIRGINIA: 6-0 ATS playing w/ 5 or 6 days rest
FLORIDA: 1-5 ATS playing w/ 5 or 6 days rest

DETROIT vs. KANSAS, 9:55 PM - NCAA Tournament - Second Round - Centurylink Center - Omaha, NE
DETROIT: 5-19 ATS off double digit road win
KANSAS: 6-0 ATS after allowing 80+ points

PURDUE vs. ST MARYS-CA, 7:25 PM - NCAA Tournament - Second Round - Centurylink Center - Omaha, NE
PURDUE: 8-1 ATS off loss by 10 or more
ST MARYS-CA: 6-1 Over off win by 6 pts or less

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

**Udog** · 03-16-2012, 08:53 AM

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, March 16

Friday's games

Day games
Texas is 7-2 in first round games last nine years, with both losses coming as an 8-seed; lowest seed they won as was a 7. Longhorns are 3-4 in last seven games, 4-10 vs top 40 teams- they make only 32.7% behind arc. Cincinnati won seven of its last nine games, losing 50-44 to Louisville in ugly Big East title game. Cincinnati is 6-2 vs top 30 teams, with 56-55 win over Oklahoma in only game vs Big X foe. Four of top seven guys for Texas are freshmen. Big East teams are 12-15-1 against spread when number is less than 4 points; Big X teams are 16-6-1. Over last three years, underdogs are 10-2 vs spread in 6-11 games.

NC State won four of last five games to sneak into field for first time in seven years; they're 5-10 vs top 60 teams.Since '03, ACC teams seeded #6 or worse are still 10-8 SU. San Diego State is back in tourney despite losing four starters from LY's Sweet 16 team; Aztecs started year 18-2, but went 8-5 in last 13 games, with four wins by 3 or less points, or in OT. Over last three years, underdogs are 10-2 vs spread in 6-11 games. ACC favorites of less than 5 points are 7-9 vs spread in non-conference games; MWC underdogs of 4 or less points are 4-8. Since 2003, MWC teams are 8-15 SU in this round, but 4-3 the last two years.

Creighton is a great offensive team; Alabama excels on defense. Bluejays won their last seven games, with four of seven by 2 or less points or in OT. Alabama is 8-8 in its last 16 games after 13-3 start; Mitchell is out for the Tide, which hurts its defense. Tide is 2-6 vs top 40 teams, with both wins way back in November. MVC teams are 12-3 vs spread when number is 3 or less points; SEC teams are 13-9. Bluejays make 42.5% on the arc, 55.5% inside it; they've won 14 road/neutral court games. This game opened at Creighton -2, but now they're +2. Alabama won by 10 over Wichita State, best team in MVC, back in November.

Over last three years, ACC underdogs are 4-3 vs spread in first round; from '03-'08, all 30 ACC entrants were favored in first round. Underdogs are 7-1 SU in 7-10 games last two years, with only fave that won BYU in double OT over Florida two years ago; Gators won 11 games in a row when they allowed less than 70 points, lost last seven in row when they allowed more than 70. Virginia has good defense thats been hurt by Sene being injured; they're 3-5 in last eight games. Florida lost four of its last five games, with two losses to Kentucky. SEC favorites of less than 5 points are 10-4 vs spread; ACC dogs of less than 5 points are 8-12.

Over last six years, #3 seeds are 15-9 vs spread in first round games, as gap has widened between haves/have-nots (11-13 in prior six tourneys). Florida State is first team in 16 years to win four games in same season against UNC/Duke (4-1); they also went 0-2 vs Ivy League teams, as its guards can be erratic. St Bonaventure is in tourney for first time in over decade; they lost to Saint Louis by 24, Temple by 6 in its two games vs top 40 teams- they're 0-2 vs ACC teams, losing to Virginia Tech by 9, NC State by a hoop. ACC favorites of 7 or less points are 10-15 vs spread; Atlantic 14 underdogs of 7 or less points are 20-19-1.

Georgetown lost badly to Ohio U/VCU in first round last two years, so they have monkey to get off back; Hoyas are #5 team in eFG% defense, #1 against 3-pointers (26.6%). Belmont won its last 14 games, against inferior competition; they're 0-4 in NCAAs last six years, losing by 34-25-1-14 points. Atlantic Sun teams are 0-9 in NCAAs last nine seasons, 2-4 vs spread in last six, losing last three years by 10-29-14 points. This game opened at 6.5, was quickly bet down to 3.5. Big East favorites of 5 or less points are 13-14 vs spread. Belmont lost by point at Duke, by 16 at Memphis, their only two games vs top 60 opponents.

Health of Henson's left hand/wrist is primary concern for Tar Heel club that could beat Vermont if they showed up hung over; North Carolina is 2-3-1 vs spread in last six first round games, winning by 28-4-21-39-43-15 points. Vermont held Lamar to 33% in easy win Wednesday, league's first NCAA win since Catamounts upset Syracuse in '05. America East teams are 0-6 in this round last six years, 2-4 vs spread, with last five losses all by 19+ points. ACC favorites of 15+ points are 11-11 against spread this season. Vermont lost to Saint Louis by 19, to Harvard by 7; also lost to South Florida by a hoop and Iona by 1, so they compete.

Norfolk State played Marquette twice at beginning of season, losing by 31 in first meeting, by hoop in rematch; Missouri only plays seven guys and three of them were nursing bumps/bruises at Big 12 tourney last weekend. MEAC teams are 1-9 in NCAA games last nine years (4-6 vs spread), with only win a play-in game; they lost last three years by 38-27-42 points. Mizzou only plays seven guys, but five are seniors; they are #1 in offensive efficiency, making 39.5% behind arc, 56.9% inside it. Norfolk beat Drexel before Dragons got hot, their only win in five games against top 100 teams, with losses by 31-3-13-32 points.

Night games
Interesting contrast with Memphis being much more athletic than much more experienced Saint Louis team led by skilled tactician Majerus, who has stellar record in first round games but hasn't been in tourney in nine years. Since 2003, Atlantic 14 underdogs are 5-7 vs spread in first round of NCAAs; Memphis won five of last six first round games, but is 1-4-1 vs spread as first round favorite. Conference USA favorites of 5 or less points are 11-13 vs spread. Atlantic 14 underdogs of 5 or less points are 12-13-1. Billikens lost to New Mexico by 4 in only game vs top 50 foe; their wins in Anaheim tourney were against teams that had bad years.

Since 2008, double digit favorite from ACC are 5-1 vs spread in opening round; Duke lost two of last three games, getting beat by Florida State in ACC tourney- their last four wins are all by 8 or less points. Lehigh lost both its game vs top 50 teams this season by nine points each. Kelly is a question mark for Blue Devils, who won't need him here, but will in next game. Duke won/covered last three first round games, winning by 42-29-24 points. Patriot League teams are 0-5 in NCAAs since Bucknell won back-back first round games in 2005-06, losing last five years by 10-15-13-16-29 points, but since 2003, they're 6-2 vs spread in this round.

Young Ohio U (no seniors who play) won eight of last nine games, force turnovers on 26.7% of possessions (#2 in country); they lost 77-72 to Louisville back in November, so big stage shouldn't awe them. Michigan won seven of its last nine games- they get 36% of their points on 3's, but Bobcats defend arc well, allowing opponents to make just 30.3% behind arc. MAC teams ars surprisingly bad 1-7 in first round last eight years, but they covered four of last five, losing games by 3-13-13-13 points. Four of Michigan's top six guys are freshmen/sophs; they covered five of last seven games as a favorite.

WCC teams are 10-5 in this round since 2003, despite being underdog in 11 of 15 games; St Mary's was held to 60 or less points in five games it lost this season, scoring 67+ points in 24 of 27 wins. Gaels' defensive ace Holt is expected back here; St Mary's hasn't played in 10 days since OT win over Gonzaga in WCC title game. Boilermakers turn ball over less than any team in country, 13.5% of time. Big Dozen teams are 10-9 vs spread in games where spread is 3 or less points. WCC teams are 7-5-1. Since 2005, Big Dozen teams seeded #8 or lower are 6-10 SU in first round. Purdue is 3-9 vs top 50 teams (Gaels are #44).

NEC teams are 2-9 in NCAAs since 2003; both wins coming in play-in games, but they've covered six of last seven first round games, with five of last seven first round losses by 15 or less points. LIU is 20-2 in last 22 games since starting season 5-6; they're adept at getting to foul line, scoring 25.5% of points from there. Blackbirds make 36.8% behind arc, but Michigan State holds opponents to 29.2% on arc. Since 2004, Izzo is 2-6 vs spread in first round games; Big Dozen double digit favorites are 5-6 in first round. This season, Big Dozen favorites of 15+ points are 14-9-1 vs spread. LIU lost by 16-8 in two games vs top 100 foes.

Xavier was 7-0 when it had big brawl with crosstown rival Cincinnati and had several players suspended; they're 14-12 since then, but did win three of last four games, losing to Bonnies in A-14 semifinals. ESPN's Bob Valvano suggested Monday that Xavier is underachieving team that is finally hitting its stride, while Notre Dame overachieved this season and has finally hit a wall; since 2003, Irish are 3-2 in this round, but 1-4 vs spread, winning by 1-18-13 points. Atlantic 14 underdogs of 5 or less points are 13-14-1 vs spread; Big East favorites of 5 points or less are also 13-14. Irish are 2-3 in last five games, including loss to St John's.

South Florida is a dominant defensive team that crushed Cal Wednesday, leading 36-13 at half; Bulls won 14 of last 20 games after 7-7 start- they held last 11 opponents under 60 points. Temple is 13-2 last 15 games, but first round lost to UMass in A-14 tourney is red flag, especially as Dunphy's postseason history isn't pretty- his long NCAA drought was ended LY, with 66-64 win over Penn State, before double OT loss to a real good San Diego State team in 2nd round. Owls beat Villanova by 11 in only game vs Big East foe- they won all five OT games they played this season. Temple makes 40.2% of its shots behind arc.

Since 2003, Horizon League underdogs are 16-9 vs spread in NCAAs, as Butler covered seven of eight last two years in advancing to Final Fours both years. Detroit is better than average 15-seed; McCallum is an NBA player who is at Detroit because his dad is the coach; Titans are 15-3 in last 18 games after 7-10 start, with Indiana transfer Holman providing beef off bench. Kansas is 3-6 as opening round favorite last nine years, failing to cover last three years in wins by 19-16-10 points. Titans make only 29.5% behind arc; they lost to Notre Dame by 6, Alabama by 8 in only two games they played against top 50 teams.

Other tournament
Northwestern is 4-5 in its last nine true road games, but won last two, at Penn State/Iowa. Washington won 11 of its last 14 games; they've won last six home games, winning by 13-2-28-8-9-10 points.

**Udog** · 03-16-2012, 09:16 AM

NCAAB

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Trend Report
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Friday, March 16

12:15 PM
TEXAS vs. CINCINNATI
No trends available
Cincinnati is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

12:40 PM
NORTH CAROLINA STATE vs. SAN DIEGO STATE
No trends available
San Diego State is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

1:40 PM
ALABAMA vs. CREIGHTON
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Creighton's last 8 games
Creighton is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games

2:10 PM
VIRGINIA vs. FLORIDA
No trends available
Florida is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games
Florida is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games

2:45 PM
ST. BONAVENTURE vs. FLORIDA STATE
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Florida State's last 8 games
Florida State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

3:10 PM
BELMONT vs. GEORGETOWN
No trends available
Georgetown is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games

4:40 PM
NORFOLK STATE vs. MISSOURI
No trends available
Missouri is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Missouri's last 5 games

6:50 PM
SAINT LOUIS vs. MEMPHIS
No trends available
Memphis is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Memphis's last 6 games

7:15 PM
LEHIGH vs. DUKE
No trends available
Duke is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
Duke is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games

7:20 PM
OHIO vs. MICHIGAN
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Michigan's last 5 games
Michigan is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games

7:27 PM
PURDUE vs. ST. MARY'S
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Mary's last 6 games
St. Mary's is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games

9:20 PM
LONG ISLAND vs. MICHIGAN STATE
No trends available
Michigan State is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Michigan State's last 7 games

9:45 PM
XAVIER vs. NOTRE DAME
No trends available
Notre Dame is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Notre Dame is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games

9:57 PM
DETROIT vs. KANSAS
No trends available
Kansas is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Kansas is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games

Saturday, March 16

11:00 AM
MASSACHUSETTS vs. SETON HALL
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Massachusetts's last 9 games on the road
Massachusetts is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Seton Hall is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Seton Hall's last 6 games at home

12:00 PM
ROBERT MORRIS vs. BUFFALO
No trends available
Buffalo is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Buffalo is 15-3 SU in its last 18 games at home

2:00 PM
ROBERT MORRIS vs. TOLEDO
No trends available
Toledo is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Toledo's last 19 games

2:00 PM
BUFFALO vs. OAKLAND
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Buffalo's last 5 games on the road
Buffalo is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games on the road
No trends available

2:00 PM
TOLEDO vs. OAKLAND
Toledo is 6-19 SU in its last 25 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toledo's last 5 games on the road
No trends available

4:00 PM
GEORGIA STATE vs. MERCER
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Georgia State's last 6 games on the road
Georgia State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
No trends available

8:00 PM
DRAKE vs. RICE
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Drake's last 7 games on the road
Drake is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Rice is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Rice is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home

9:00 PM
IDAHO vs. UTAH STATE
Idaho is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Utah State
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Idaho's last 7 games when playing on the road against Utah State
Utah State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Idaho
Utah State is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games

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**Udog** · 03-16-2012, 09:20 AM

NCAAB

Friday, March 16

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NCAA previews & picks: Friday's Midwest Region action
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No. 6 San Diego State Aztecs vs. No. 11 North Carolina State Wolfpack (-2.5, 137)

THE STORY: After sitting on the NCAA tournament bubble for several weeks, the 11th-seeded Wolfpack are riding a wave of momentum heading into their second-round matchup with sixth seeded San Diego State. The Wolfpack have won four of their last five games and gave North Carolina a scare before losing 69-67 in the ACC semifinals. San Diego State, which shared the Mountain West regular-season title, returns to the NCAA tournament for the third straight year. The teams share one common opponent in Elon from the Southern Conference. San Diego State won 81-55, and North Carolina State won 82-67. The winner will play the winner of third-seeded Georgetown and 14th-seeded Belmont on Sunday in a third-round game.

Pick: San Diego State

No. 8 Creighton Bluejays vs. No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide (-1.5, 132)

THE STORY: It might be difficult to find a first-round game with opponents as different as eighth-seeded Creighton and ninth-seeded Alabama. Creighton has built its season around an offense that averages 80 points per game and is among the NCAA leaders in field goal percentage (50.9) and 3-point percentage (42.5). Alabama has constructed its success around its defense. The Crimson Tide allow only 58.1 points and has limited opponents to 38.8 percent shooting from the field. Each teams ability to play to its preferred tempo will determine who advances to the next round.

Pick: Alabama

No. 3 Georgetown Hoyas vs. No. 14 Belmont Bears (+3.5, 133.5)

THE STORY: No. 14 seed Belmont boasts a high-powered offense that averages 81.5 points, but the Bruins figure to be tested by third-seeded Georgetown’s tenacious defense, which allows an average of just 59.2 points. Belmont defeated Florida Gulf Coast to earn the program’s fifth Atlantic Sun Tournament championship in seven years, while Georgetown lost 72-70 in double overtime to Cincinnati in the Big East tournament quarterfinals. The game is a rematch of the first round of the 2007 NCAA tournament, when Georgetown beat the 15th-seeded Bruins 80-55.

Pick: Georgetown

No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels vs. No. 16 Vermont Catamounts (+16.5, 145)

THE STORY: North Carolina, the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Regional, will be the heavy favorite when it plays Vermont in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Tar Heels are coming off a loss to Florida State in the ACC tournament final and may be without a key piece of their team as forward John Henson is listed as questionable with an injured left wrist. North Carolina has a definite home-court advantage with a 5-0 mark in three previous NCAA tournament appearances in Greensboro and is 29-1 in NCAA games played in its home state. Vermont has won 15 of its last 16 games, but has not beaten the Tar Heels in three previous tries.

Preview: North Carolina

No. 5 Michigan Wolverines vs. No. 13 Ohio Bobcats (+5.5, 124)

THE STORY: Michigan has made the NCAA tournament in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1996, coming in as the No. 4 seed in the Midwest Regional after being an eighth seed a year ago. The Wolverines will get a challenge in the Round of 64 from Ohio, which has won eight of its last nine games to reach the NCAAs for the second time in three seasons. Michigan is a balanced offensive team, and allows only 61.4 points per contest. Ohio, which upset Georgetown in the 2010 tournament as a No. 14 seed, has scored more than 80 points nine times. Michigan has beaten the Bobcats in all three meetings, the last in 1971.

Pick: Ohio

No. 7 St. Mary's Gaels vs. No. 10 Purdue Boilermakers (+1, 140.5)

THE STORY: Seventh-seeded Saint Mary’s takes on No. 10 seed Purdue in a Round of 64 matchup between the West Coast Conference regular season and tournament champions and the sixth-place team from the Big Ten. The Gaels — who beat Gonzaga in the WCC final to earn an automatic bid — are making their fourth NCAA tournament appearance in eight years but have never been seeded higher than eighth. The Boilermakers are going dancing for the sixth straight season and have won their first game in the tournament 13 consecutive times. Saint Mary’s advanced to the Sweet 16 as a No. 10 seed when it last appeared in 2010.

Pick: St. Mary's

No. Temple Owls vs. No. 12 South Florida Bulls (+2.5, 121.5)

THE STORY: Fifth-seeded Temple makes its 30th appearance in the NCAA tournament, fully rested after losing in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 tournament. The Owls have been a solid offensive team, averaging 76.2 points, but they will get quite a challenge from athletic, defensive-minded South Florida in the second round of the Midwest Regional. The 12th-seeded Bulls, who dominated California in the first round Wednesday, are allowing less than 57 points per contest. The two teams have never met, but Temple will join South Florida in the Big East next season.

Pick: South Florida

No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks vs. No. 15 Detroit Titans (+14.5, 142.5)

THE STORY: The Big 12 regular season champions were denied a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, but second-seeded Kansas has to like where it’s starting things off if recent history is any indicator. The Jayhawks open play in the Round of 64 against No. 15 seed Detroit in Omaha, Neb., which just happens to be where they played in the opening rounds of their 2008 national championship season. Kansas is led by National Player of the Year candidate Thomas Robinson (17.9 points, 11.8 rebounds). Detroit is in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1999 after making a surprise run to the Horizon League tournament title as the No. 3 seed.

Pick: Kansas

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**Udog** · 03-16-2012, 09:22 AM

NCAAB

Friday, March 16

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NCAA previews & picks: Friday's South Region action
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No. 2 Duke Blue Devils vs. No. 15 Lehigh Mountain Hawks (+12, 148)

THE STORY: Duke earned a No. 2 seed after reaching the semifinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, suffering a narrow defeat against tourney champ Florida State despite the absence of injured forward Ryan Kelly. No. 15 seed Lehigh comes in riding an eight-game winning streak, capped by an 82-77 victory over Bucknell in the finals of the Patriot League tourney. Both teams played games against Michigan State and St. John's this season, with the Mountain Hawks losing to both on the road by single digits and the Blue Devils posting a pair of close victories, one on a neutral court and one at home.

Pick: Duke

No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. No. 10 Xavier Musketeers (+2.5, 124.5)

THE STORY: No. 7 seed Notre Dame rebounded from a rough start to finish third in the Big East during the regular season, following with a trip to the semifinals of the conference tourney. Xavier, though considered one of the country's most disappointing teams, quietly played its way back into the NCAA tournament field with a solid 12-7 finish that included a run to the Atlantic 10 tournament final. The 10th-seeded Musketeers defeated Cincinnati and Georgia by double digits earlier this season, while the Fighting Irish lost to both. Notre Dame leads the all-time series with Xavier, 15-3, including an 83-71 win when the schools last met in the first round of the 2001 NCAA tournament.

Pick: Notre Dame

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**Udog** · 03-16-2012, 09:24 AM

NCAAB

Friday, March 16

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NCAA previews & picks: Friday's East Region action
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No. 6 Cincinnati Bearcats vs. No. 11 Texas Longhorns (+2, 129.5)

THE STORY: Cincinnati is doing its best to be remembered for more than just an early-December brawl with cross-town rival Xavier. Coming off their most successful Big East season, the sixth-seeded Bearcats open the NCAA tournament with a Round of 64 matchup against 11th-seeded Texas in Nashville. The Bearcats, who lost to Louisville in the Big East tournament championship game, have reached the NCAA tournament in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2004-2005. The Longhorns, on the other hand, were one of the last teams to receive an at-large bid, which extended their streak to 14 straight NCAA tournament appearances. The winner will face either No. 3 seed Florida State or 14th-seeded St. Bonaventure on Sunday.

Pick: Cincinnati

No. 3 Florida State Seminoles vs. No. 14 Bonaventure Bonnies (+6, 129.5)

THE STORY: After winning its first-ever ACC tournament title, third-seeded Florida State begins what it hopes is a deep NCAA tournament run in the Round of 64 against 14th-seeded St. Bonaventure in Nashville. This is the school-record fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance for the Seminoles, who advanced to the Sweet 16 last season for the first time since 1993. St. Bonaventure, meanwhile, is making its sixth NCAA tournament appearance and first since 2000 after winning the Atlantic-10 tournament for the first time. The winner faces either sixth-seeded Cincinnati or No. 11 seed Texas on Sunday.

Pick: St. Bonaventure

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**Udog** · 03-16-2012, 09:26 AM

NCAAB

Friday, March 16

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NCAA previews & picks: Friday's West Region action
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No. 7 Florida Gators vs. No. 10 Virginia Cavaliers (+3.5, 121)

THE STORY: Opposing styles will clash when seventh seeded Florida and its dynamic backcourt take on grind-it-out Virginia in a second-round game in the West Regional in Omaha. Both teams have stumbled into the postseason. The Cavaliers are making their first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 2007, when they advanced to the second round. It's Virginia's 17th appearance, and the Cavaliers are looking for their third trip to the Final Four (1981, 1984). The Gators have made three Final Fours and won two national titles under coach Billy Donovan, who is 25-9 in the NCAA tournament. The teams have met once before when Virginia beat Florida in the semifinals of the 1992 NIT.

Pick: Virginia

No. 2 Missouri Tigers vs. No. 15 Norfolk State Spartans (+21, 144.5)

THE STORY: Denied a No. 1 seed despite winning the Big 12 tournament and sent to the West region rather than playing in the Midwest region in nearby St. Louis, second seeded Missouri opens its quest for its first trip to the Final Four against MEAC tournament champion Norfolk State in Omaha, Neb. The Spartans, meanwhile, have already reached a milestone by making the NCAA tournament field for the first time. Missouri is in the tournament for the fourth consecutive year and the 25th overall but has never advanced past the Elite Eight. It will mark the first meeting between the teams.

Pick: Missouri

No. 8 Memphis Tigers vs. No. 9 Saint Louis Billikens (+3, 129.5)

THE STORY: Once considered a bubble team, Memphis worked its way up to a No. 8 seed in the West Regional by rolling through its last seven games by an average of 22.7 points, including an 83-57 rout of Marshall in the Conference USA title game. Ninth-seeded Saint Louis, a former league rival of the Tigers, finished second in the Atlantic 10 during the regular season before suffering a 71-64 loss to Xavier in the semifinals of the A-10 tournament. The Tigers own a 32-25 lead in the all-time series, but the teams have not met since the Billikens left Conference USA after the 2004-05 season.

Pick: Saint Louis

No. 1 Michigan State Spartans vs. LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds (+12, 154.5)

THE STORY: Top-seeded Michigan State split the Big Ten's regular season crown and followed with a run to the conference tournament title, capped by a 68-64 victory over rival Ohio State on Sunday. LIU Brooklyn roars into the Round of 64 game after claiming the Northeast Conference title in the regular season and crushing Robert Morris 90-73 in Wednesday's tournament final. Penn State was the teams' lone common opponent, with the Spartans topping the Nittany Lions at home 77-57 and the Blackbirds suffering a 77-68 defeat on the road in November. Michigan State and Brooklyn will meet for the first time since 1941 in the West Regional.

Pick: LIU Brooklyn

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**Udog** · 03-16-2012, 09:29 AM

NCAAB

Friday, March 16

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NCAA Tournament betting recap: Favorites own Day 1
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March Madness’ reputation is built upon Cinderella stories and upsets, but favorites ruled the first day of the tournament.

If you were tied to a desk all day and missed out on the action, here’s what you need to know to get ready for the second day of the tournament.

Chalk talk

Favorites covered in seven of the tournament’s first eight games and finished 11-5 ATS in Day 1, which is about the worst possible result for the books, who always take a ton of square action on favorites early on.

“Willing to offer sacrifice to the gambling gods if it means one dog for the house comes in the way we need it to,” Todd Fuhrman, senior sports analyst for Caesars Entertainment, tweeted Thursday afternoon.

It didn’t get much better for the books as the chalk was 9-3 against the spread heading into Thursday’s late games. What was really interesting about this was that a couple of the top seeds had a tough time covering big numbers.

No. 1-seed Syracuse narrowly escaped the opening round with a 72-65 victory over UNC-Asheville (more on that game later) and Kentucky drilled Western Kentucky but couldn’t cover the 26.5-point chalk.

Does the slipper still fit?

Last year, the VCU Rams stunned the field with their deep run in the Tournament and they look ready to play the part of Cinderella again. The No. 12-seed Rams jumped out to an early lead over the high-powered No. 5-seed Wichita State with suffocating defense and survived a late push from the Shockers to score a 62-59 upset as 7.5-point underdogs.

VCU opened at +20,000 to win the tournament and will now face Indiana in the South Region.

The Melo effect

Everyone was worried about how Syracuse would respond in the first round without ineligible center Fab Melo and at first glance, it doesn’t look good for Orange supporters.

James Southerland had a team-high 15 points and eight rebounds as top-seeded Syracuse survived a major scare before knocking off UNC-Asheville 72-65, failing to cover as a big 15.5-point favorite. The Orange clearly missed Melo’s presence in the paint and trailed by four at halftime and by as many as six with 17:38 left. They eventually put the game away with an 8-0 run late in the second half thanks in part to a number of very questionable calls by the officiating crew.

Next up for Syracuse is Kansas State.

Called your Buff

The second-biggest seeding upset of the day was the last game on the board. No. 11 Colorado, the Pac-12 champion, knocked off No. 6 UNLV 68-64 as a 5.5-point underdog in the South Region. The Buffaloes have won four straight games against the spread this postseason - all as underdogs.

Colorado faces former Big 12 rival Baylor in the Round of 32. The Buffaloes are 3-1 ATS in their last four meetings with the Bears.

Over/under split

Thursday's opening-round games finished with an over/under count of 7-8-1. Wisconsin, known for its tight defense held Montana to just 49 points, but over bettors still cashed in with the Badgers posting 73 points to top the 117-point over/under. Kansas State won and covered against Southern Miss as the total landed right on the 134-point number for the push.

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**Udog** · 03-16-2012, 09:32 AM

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, March 16

Hot Teams
-- Orlando won/covered six of its last seven home games. Nets covered six of their last eight road games.
-- 76ers won three of their last four games.
-- Wizards are 7-5 vs spread in last dozen road games.
-- Grizzlies won six of their last eight games.
-- Chicago won seven of last eight home games (4-3-1 vs spread).
-- Spurs won/covered three of last four games; this is their first away games in last 24 days. Thunder is 15-2 in last 17 home games (10-7 vs spread).
-- Celtics won eight of last ten games, covering seven of last eight.
-- Detroit won/covered four of its last five games. Suns won/covered seven of their last nine games.
-- Milwaukee won its last four games, covered eight of last nine. Golden State won/covered its last four games.
-- Lakers won last four games, covered four of last five.

Cold Teams
-- Miami lost its last four road games, by 1-10-6-4 points.
-- New York lost six of its last seven games. Pacers lost last three road games by 20-2-13 points.
-- Hawks lost three of their last four games.
-- Toronto lost three of its last four games.
-- Blazers won/covered twice in last nine road games.
-- Sacramento lost its last three games, all home, 7-26-12 points.
-- Timberwolves lost three of their last four games.

Wear-and-Tear
-- Nets: 3rd game/5 nites. Magic: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Heat: 3rd game/4 nites. 76ers: 2nd game/5 nites.
-- Pacers: 5th game/7 nites. Knicks: 4th game/6 nites.
-- Wizards: 5th game/7 nites. Hawks: 7th game/11 nites.
-- Raptors: 5th game/7 nites. Grizzlies: Had last two nites off.
-- Blazers: 3rd game/4 nites. Bulls: 3rd game/5 nites.
-- Spurs: 3rd game/5 nites. Thunder: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Celtics: 4th game/6 nites. Kings: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Pistons: 3rd game/5 nites. Suns: 3rd in row, 4th/5 nites.
-- Bucks: 4th game/6 nites. Warriors: 5th game/7 nites.
-- T'wolves: 5th game/8 days. Lakers: 3rd game/4 nites.

Totals
-- Six of last eight New Jersey road games stayed under.
-- Over is 3-1-1 in last five Miami road games.
-- Four of last five New York games went over total.
-- Over is 8-1-1 in last ten Washington games.
-- Under is 7-3 in Toronto's last ten road games.
-- Last five Chicago games went over the total.
-- Last four San Antonio games went over the total.
-- Under is 8-2 in Boston's last ten road games. Five of Kings' last six games went over the total.
-- Nine of last ten Detroit road games went over total.
-- Last 11 Milwaukee games went over total, but these teams just made big trade, so teams must know each other's plays.
-- Five of last seven Minnesota games went over the total.

Back-to-Back
-- Washington is 4-5 vs spread if it played the night before.
-- Thunder is 3-7 vs spread if it won the night before.
-- Phoenix is 8-4-1 vs spread if it played night before.
-- Minnesota is 2-4 vs spread if it lost the night before.

**Udog** · 03-16-2012, 09:35 AM

NBA

Friday, March 16

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
MIAMI vs. PHILADELPHIA
Miami is 13-1 SU in its last 14 games when playing Philadelphia
Miami is 5-12 ATS in its last 17 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Philadelphia's last 11 games when playing at home against Miami
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Philadelphia's last 13 games

7:00 PM
NEW JERSEY vs. ORLANDO
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of New Jersey's last 18 games when playing Orlando
New Jersey is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Orlando
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Orlando's last 7 games at home
Orlando is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against New Jersey

7:30 PM
WASHINGTON vs. ATLANTA
Washington is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing at home against Washington

7:30 PM
INDIANA vs. NEW YORK
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Indiana's last 7 games when playing on the road against New York
Indiana is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against New York
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 5 games when playing Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New York's last 6 games at home

8:00 PM
PORTLAND vs. CHICAGO
Portland is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games on the road
Chicago is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Portland
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 5 games

8:00 PM
TORONTO vs. MEMPHIS
Toronto is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Memphis
Toronto is 1-6-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Memphis
Memphis is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 20 of Memphis's last 24 games when playing Toronto

9:30 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
San Antonio is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Oklahoma City
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 5 games when playing Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing San Antonio
Oklahoma City is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games

10:00 PM
BOSTON vs. SACRAMENTO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Boston's last 8 games when playing Sacramento
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Sacramento's last 8 games when playing Boston
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Sacramento's last 6 games

10:00 PM
DETROIT vs. PHOENIX
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Detroit's last 6 games when playing Phoenix
Detroit is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Phoenix
Phoenix is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games when playing at home against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games when playing at home against Detroit

10:30 PM
MINNESOTA vs. LA LAKERS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
Minnesota is 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
LA Lakers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 5 of the LA Lakers last 6 games at home

10:30 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. GOLDEN STATE
Milwaukee is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Golden State's last 6 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games at home

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Announcement

Friday's Trends and Indexes - 3/16 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Friday's Trends and Indexes - 3/16 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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