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**Udog** · 03-23-2012, 08:50 AM

Friday's betting tips: Knick-sanity goes for 7th straight cover

Who’s hot

NCAAB: Xavier is 10-2-1 ATS in its last 13 NCAA Tournament games as an underdog.

NCAAB: Ohio is 9-0 ATS in its last nine non-conference games.

NBA: The Knicks have covered the number in six straight games, including all five under new coach Mike Woodson.

NBA: The Pistons are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 home games.

NHL: The under is 5-0-1 in the last six Sabres-Rangers games.

NHL: Columbus has won its last four meetings with Carolina.

Who’s not

NCAAB: Kentucky is 2-6 ATS in its last eight games against winning teams.

NCAAB: Kansas is 1-5 ATS in its last six games as a favorite of 7.0-12.5 points.

NBA: The Celtics are 3-11 ATS in their last 14 road games.

NBA: The Nuggets are 1-5 ATS in their last six games.

NHL: Florida is 1-6 in its last seven meetings with Edmonton.

NHL: The home team is 1-5 in the last six Maple Leafs-Devils games.

Key stat

12.5 – That’s Baylor’s positive rebounding margin in the NCAA tournament. For the season the Bears are plus-5.5, well ahead of Xavier’s plus-2.3 margin. Among Sweet 16 teams, only North Carolina has been better on the offensive glass than Baylor’s 38 percent rate. The Bears led the tournament in second-chance points heading into the Sweet 16.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Freshman swingman Dez Wells, Xavier’s third-leading scorer, practiced Thursday for the first time since spraining his big toe in Sunday’s win over Lehigh. He remains a gametime decision for Friday’s Sweet 16 matchup with Baylor. "I'm hopeful he'll give it a go," Xavier coach Chris Mack said of the 6-5, 215-pounder, who averages 10.0 points and 4.9 rebounds."How effective he'll be is another story."

Game of the day

No. 4 seed Indiana Hoosiers vs. No. 1 seed Kentucky Wildcats (-9, 144.5)

Notable quotable

"Anthony gives us that guy on defense who makes you take jump shots -- which is what Marcus [Camby] did. [On offense], he opens up the middle 'cause you have to put a body on him. If he's near the baseline, you do not step up, you just stay back -- which means we get all that middle all for our ourselves. If they do come up, we're going to throw the lob. What he does with his presence on the floor [has] made us from a Top 25 team to the No. 1 team." -- Kentucky coach John Calipari on freshman F Anthony Davis, the nation's top shot blocker.

Notes and tips

Mavericks forward Shawn Marion (knee) said he plans to return Friday against the Spurs after missing Wednesday’s loss to the Lakers. He’s averaging 11.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists.

T-Wolves center Nikola Pekovic (13.7 ppg, 7.6 rpg) was sent back to Minnesota to get treatment on his ankles and won’t play Friday in Oklahoma City. Pekovic hopes to be ready for Sunday’s home game against Denver. With Pekovic out, Kevin Love is starting at center, with rookie Derrick Williams starting at power forward.

Xavier senior forward Andre Walker (5.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg), who will be needed against Baylor’s big front line, did not practice Thursday due to migraines but is expected to play Friday. "It's smarter for us, especially with a fifth-year player who's been through the rigors of college basketball and knows what the NCAA tournament is all about, to just sort of stay back and continue to get rest so he can be able to go,” Musketeers coach Chris Mack said.

Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson, sidelined since Feb. 22 after he cut his finger in a kitchen accident, is expected to start Friday against the Canadians. Anderson is 29-19 with a 2.88 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage.

**Udog** · 03-23-2012, 08:50 AM

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

-- Louisville beat Michigan State, despite going 1-15 inside the arc in the first half. Rick Pitino is now 10-0 in Sweet 16 games.

-- Syracuse survived Wisconsin 64-63, as Badgers were 14-27 from arc, but missed their last five. First Sweet 16 win for Syracuse since they won the national championship nine years ago.

-- Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan doesn't have a board to diagram plays on. Seriously, he doesn't.

-- ESPN.com reports that Justin Verlander threw 4,301 pitches LY, the most of any pitcher in a season since 2002.

-- Ohio State blew a 12-point halftime lead, then rallied to beat Cincinnati and save the Big Dozen from an 0-3 night.

-- If you're looking ahead to the regional finals Saturday/Sunday, you'll be interested to know that over the last nine seasons, underdogs are 25-11 vs spread in regional finals.

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Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind........

13) While Sean Payton serves his one-year suspension, can he appear on TV? Write for a newspaper/website? He’d be a great get for ESPN or FOX, but not sure what he’s allowed to do. He has to be able to earn a living somehow, though he hopefully doesn’t need the money. I mean if some entity that isn’t involved with the NFL wanted to hire him to do NFL-related commentary, or even analyze college games, would that be OK?

12) Ben Gordon was 9-9 behind arc Wednesday night, scoring 45 points for Detroit; back in 2001, before this website existed, I was an assistant coach for a high school team that was playing in the Final Four of the New York State public high school tournament. We won our semifinal game, and were relieved when Gordon’s Mount Vernon team got beat in the other semifinal. Excellent player. Hard to guard.

11) Buffalo Bills suggested a rule change that would have the replay official upstairs decide on instant replay challenges, much like they do in college ball. Would make for faster replay reviews.

10) Now that Hines Ward has retired from the NFL, he is selling his 12,000 square foot, 8 bedroom, 13 bathroom house, all for a mere $7.5M (hey, it has a pool, too).

9) PGA Tour pretty much scuttled Q School as a way for new players to get on Tour, building up the Nationwide Tour, primarily because they need a sponsor for that tour. Golf will pretty much be year-round now. Not all the details are etched in stone, but Q School will only get guys onto the Nationwide Tour, and guys from that tour will comprise the PGA Tour’s rookie class each year.

8) Denver Nuggets have been a single digit home favorite in 15 games this season, and are 1-12-2 against the spread in those games. That not good.

7) NFL teams that played to the lowest percentage of capacity in their home stadiums last year: Bengals, 75.2%; Dolphins 81%, Redskins, 83.9%, but they have the biggest stadium (in terms of seats. Dallas has more standing room).

6) I know there’s enough basketball on TV in March, but I’d love to see the junior college national tournament, even if someone taped it and showed it during the summer. Lot of future D-I players are playing and it would be enlightening. I know its a high quality of basketball.

5) 25 years ago Providence made the Final Four; Rick Pitino was the coach, Billy Donovan the point guard, Jeff Van Gundy was a graduate assistant. Lot of basketball brains on that bench.

4) This is the first NCAA tournament since 1992 where no 5-seeds made the Sweet 16.

3) Average major league baseball team is worth $605M; only two teams are worth less now than they were LY, the ownership-challenged Mets and the Tampa Bay Rays, whose TV ratings plunged with Carl Crawford off to greener pastures. Rays are another team that needs a new stadium.

2) We talked yesterday about Duquesne losing TJ McConnell, the fine point guard, who is transferring out; apparently the kid isn’t too fond of his teammates, so he left. His dad is tight with Sean Miller’s dad, both being coaches in western PA, so Arizona is a possible destination, and he would help the Wildcats. He'll help no matter where he tranfers to.

1) KL Wheat reports that he bought tickets to the Mets' home opener this week on StubHub and they're cheaper there than they would be at the box office at Citi Field, because of something called a facility charge they put on tickets sold at the ballpark. Terrific.......

**Udog** · 03-23-2012, 08:56 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Indiana vs. Kentucky
The Wildcats look to take advantage of an Indiana team that is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 Friday games. Kentucky is the pick (-9) according to Dunkel, which has the Wildcats favored by 10 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Kentucky (-9). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, MARCH 23

Game 873-874: Indiana vs. Kentucky (9:45 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 69.069; Kentucky 79.551
Dunkel Line: Kentucky by 10 1/2; 150
Vegas Line: Kentucky by 9; 144
Dunkel Pick: Kentucky (-9); Over

Game 875-876: Xavier vs. Baylor (7:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Xavier 64.450; Baylor 72.429
Dunkel Line: Baylor by 8; 147
Vegas Line: Baylor by 5 1/2; 141 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Baylor (-5 1/2); Over

Game 877-878: Ohio vs. North Carolina (10:17 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ohio 62.435; North Carolina 76.435
Dunkel Line: North Carolina by 14; 138
Vegas Line: North Carolina by 10 1/2; 143
Dunkel Pick: North Carolina (-10 1/2); Under

Game 879-880: NC State vs. Kansas (10:17 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NC State 68.303; Kansas 73.662
Dunkel Line: Kansas by 5 1/2; 146
Vegas Line: Kansas by 8 1/2; 142 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NC State (+8 1/2); Over

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Friday, March 23

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INDIANA (27 - 8) vs. KENTUCKY (34 - 2) - 3/23/2012, 9:45 PM
Top Trends for this game.
KENTUCKY is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in a neutral court game where the total is 145 to 149.5 over the last 3 seasons.
KENTUCKY is 36-19 ATS (+15.1 Units) revenging a road loss vs opponent since 1997.
INDIANA is 18-10 ATS (+7.0 Units) in all games this season.
INDIANA is 18-10 ATS (+7.0 Units) in all lined games this season.
INDIANA is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
INDIANA is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in non-conference games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
KENTUCKY is 2-1 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
KENTUCKY is 2-1 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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XAVIER (23 - 12) vs. BAYLOR (29 - 7) - 3/23/2012, 7:15 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BAYLOR is 37-21 ATS (+13.9 Units) in road games after a non-conference game since 1997.
XAVIER is 92-62 ATS (+23.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
BAYLOR is 1-0 against the spread versus XAVIER over the last 3 seasons
BAYLOR is 1-0 straight up against XAVIER over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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OHIO U (29 - 7) vs. N CAROLINA (31 - 5) - 3/23/2012, 7:47 PM
Top Trends for this game.
N CAROLINA is 125-94 ATS (+21.6 Units) after a non-conference game since 1997.
N CAROLINA is 125-93 ATS (+22.7 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
N CAROLINA is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
N CAROLINA is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
OHIO U is 44-26 ATS (+15.4 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 since 1997.
OHIO U is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
OHIO U is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
OHIO U is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 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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NC STATE (24 - 12) vs. KANSAS (29 - 6) - 3/23/2012, 10:17 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NC STATE is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in all neutral court games this season.
NC STATE is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in March games this season.
NC STATE is 18-4 ATS (+13.6 Units) in road games on Friday nights since 1997.
NC STATE is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) when playing on a neutral court this season.
NC STATE is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
NC STATE is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) in all tournament games over the last 3 seasons.
NC STATE is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
NC STATE is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
NC STATE is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in road games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game this season.
KANSAS is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 this season.
KANSAS is 4-11 ATS (-8.1 Units) after allowing 60 points or less this season.

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

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NCAAB
Short Sheet

NCAA Tournament Trends

Friday, 3/23/2012

INDIANA vs. KENTUCKY, 9:45 PM - NCAA Tournament - South Regional Semifinals - Georgia Dome - Atlanta, GA
INDIANA: 8-1 ATS vs. non-conference
KENTUCKY: 14-7 Under off win by 15+

XAVIER vs. BAYLOR, 7:15 PM - NCAA Tournament - South Regional Semifinals - Georgia Dome - Atlanta, GA
XAVIER: 3-0 ATS in Sweet 16 games
BAYLOR: 25-12 Over off ATS win

OHIO U vs. N CAROLINA, 7:47 PM - NCAA Tournament - Midwest Regional Semifinals - E.J. Dome - St. Louis, MO
OHIO U: 6-1 Over off win by 6 pts or less
N CAROLINA: 6-1 ATS in Sweet 16 games

NC STATE vs. KANSAS, 10:17 PM - NCAA Tournament - Midwest Regional Semifinals - E.J. Dome - St. Louis, MO
NC STATE: 6-0 ATS in March
KANSAS: 7-1 Under in Sweet 16 games

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, March 23

Xavier is in Sweet 16 for fourth time in last five years; they're 2-0-1 vs spread in this round, winning by 4 in OT (+1.5), losing by 5 (+7), losing by 5 in double OT (+5). Musketeers were down 15 in first half Sunday vs Lehigh, pulled away from tired team late and won by 12. Baylor was 19-40 from arc in Albuquerque last weekend;this game is in a dome, not a normal basketball venue- will 3-point shooting be an issue (Xavier is less dependent on shooting 3's). Bears have been this far once before, in '10- they beat St Mary's by 23 in similar role as favorite. Musketeers are holding foes to 30.5% behind arc- this is the key stat to this game.

Ohio Bobcats are #2 team in country at forcing turnovers (26.3% of all possessions); now they're facing team whose only healthy PG is White, a 6-0 freshman who hardly got mentioned in preseason magazines. Ohio won 10 of last 11 games- their highest profile game this season was loss at Louisville (59-54) back in December. Henson is playing with injured left wrist, Marshall (broken wrist) is highly doubtful to play here, but since 2001, double digit seeds (Ohio is a 13) are 1-8 vs spread when up against a #1 seed in this round, with all nine losses by 10+ points, seven of nine by 15+. UNC won/covered its last four games in this round.

Kentucky (-5.5) lost 73-72 at Indiana Dec 10, despite shooting 55% for game; Davis played 24 foul-plagued minutes. Indiana made 9-15 on arc, got 34 minutes from PG Jones, who is out now. Wildcat were 42-all in last game vs Iowa State, won by 16 with explosive scoring bursts- they shot 55% from floor, 10-20 from arc. Indiana held VCU to four points in final 11:00 last game, For whatever reason, Southeast has been good for favorites (7-1 vs spread in this round last four years, compared to 13-15 in other three regions). Since 2001, #1 seeds are 23-18 vs spread in this round. Kentucky is eager for revenge; this game is in SEC country.

Since 2003, double digit seeds not playing a #1 seed in this round are 2-5 vs spread, 1-4 as an underdog; NC State won six of its last seven games, beat Texas 77-74 in only game vs Big X opponent this year. Kansas is 11-1 in its last 12 games, with five of those wins vs top 40 teans- they hold teams to 39.8% inside arc (#2 in country). Jayhawks lost to Duke by 7, in its only game vs an ACC opponent. Since '05, #2 seeds are 5-8 in this round; favorites of 8+ points are 0-5 vs spread during that time. Wolfpack lost four games in row in mid-February, looked like dead club, so they're playing with house money here. Pressure is on Kansas.

NCAAB

Friday, March 23

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Trend Report
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7:15 PM
XAVIER vs. BAYLOR
No trends available
Baylor is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Baylor's last 6 games

7:47 PM
OHIO vs. NORTH CAROLINA
No trends available
North Carolina is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games

9:45 PM
INDIANA vs. KENTUCKY
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Kentucky's last 11 games when playing Indiana
Kentucky is 13-4 SU in its last 17 games when playing Indiana

10:17 PM
NORTH CAROLINA STATE vs. KANSAS
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kansas's last 6 games
Kansas is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games

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**Udog** · 03-23-2012, 09:30 AM

NCAAB

Friday, March 23

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NCAA preview & pick: North Carolina State vs. Kansas
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No. 11 North Carolina State Wolfpack vs. No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks (-8.5, 143)

THE STORY: Kansas looked like it might be headed home before a late rally against Purdue, and now the Jayhawks are headed to their backyard, so to speak, to face the Wolfpack in nearby St. Louis. The winner will face either top-seeded North Carolina or No. 13 seed Ohio in the Midwest Regional final. Both teams have plenty of motivation to see the Tar Heels. North Carolina, coached by former Kansas coach Roy Williams, handed the Wolfpack their only loss in their past seven games, a 69-67 defeat in the ACC tournament.

TV: 10:17 p.m. ET, TBS

ABOUT KANSAS (29-6): The Jayhawks led for only 45 seconds of their 63-60 win over No. 10 seed Purdue in the round of 32, but they survived an off night from their stars to reach the Sweet 16 for the fifth time in six seasons. Kansas squeaked by despite national player of the year finalist Thomas Robinson and senior point guard Tyshawn Taylor struggling at the offensive end. Junior guard Elijah Johnson picked up the scoring slack with 18 points. The Jayhawks are unlikely to endure another poor offensive performance from Robinson and Taylor, who combine to average 34.6 points, against an N.C. State team that scores 73.3 points per game.

ABOUT N.C. STATE (24-12): The Wolfpack played their way off the bubble with two wins in the ACC tournament, and they kept rolling into their first Sweet 16 since 2005 with upsets of San Diego State and Georgetown. All five starters average double figures scoring for N.C. State, led by 6-foot-8 junior C.J. Leslie's 14.6 per game. Leslie and 6-8 junior Richard Howell form a tough post duo that will need to have a big game to match Robinson and 7-foot center Jeff Withey.

TRENDS:

* Wolfpack are 5-0 ATS in their last five non-conference games.
* Jayhawks are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games as favorites of 7.0-12.5.
* Under is 6-1 in Wolfpack's last seven NCAA tournament games.
* Under is 13-3 in Jayhawks' last 16 NCAA tournament games as favorites.

TIP-INS:

1. Kansas has won 10 of 11 all-time meetings, including all three at neutral sites, one of which was top-seeded Kansas' 75-67 win in the 1986 Elite Eight. The most recent meeting was in the 1996-97 season.

2. Robinson has scored in double digits in 23 consecutive games and has 25 double-doubles, matching Drew Gooden's school record.

3. N.C. State coach Mark Gottfried is the second coach in ACC history to win his first two NCAA tournament games in his first season at an ACC school, joining North Carolina's Bill Guthridge in 1998. Gottfried is trying to make his second Elite Eight -- he did so with Alabama in 2004.

Pick: Kansas

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NCAAB

Friday, March 23

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NCAA preview & pick: Indiana vs. Kentucky
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No. 4 Indiana Hoosiers vs. No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats (-9, 144)

THE STORY: A buzzer-beating 3-pointer fired more than three months ago provides part of the backdrop for one of the most intriguing matchups of the Sweet 16, as the Wildcats look to avenge the shot that cost them a perfect regular season. Indiana’s Christian Watford drained that 3-pointer on Dec. 10, giving the Hoosiers a thrilling 73-72 victory at Assembly Hall. Kentucky responded by winning its next 24 in a row, before losing in the SEC title game, and has opened the NCAA tournament with two dominant victories. Indiana is in the Sweet 16 for the first time in a decade, has won 10 out of its past 12, and rallied from nine points down in the second round to bounce VCU on Saturday, 63-61.

TV: 9:45 p.m. ET, CBS

ABOUT INDIANA (27-8): Indiana’s victory over Kentucky came in the midst of a 15-1 start, as the Hoosiers have returned to national prominence in head coach Tom Crean’s fourth season. Undoubtedly Indiana will have to be better than the season-high 22 turnovers it committed against VCU. Four Hoosiers average double figures; five scored 10 or more points against Kentucky earlier this season. Cody Zeller scored 16 points with 13 rebounds against VCU, and Watford hit four 3-pointers en route to 16 points. Watford hit four 3-pointers and scored 20 points in the victory over Kentucky.

ABOUT KENTUCKY (34-2): The Wildcats shook off that SEC title game loss with two impressive performances in victories over Western Kentucky and Iowa State. Both games underlined how quickly Kentucky’s athleticism on both ends can turn a close game into a blowout. In one 13-minute stretch of Saturday’s victory over Iowa State, the Wildcats scored 42 points to turn a 42-42 tie into an 84-63 lead. Marquis Teague took control of the scoring Saturday (24 points on 10-for-14 shooting). Anthony Davis (15.5 points, 10.5 rebounds in two games) and Terrence Jones (15.0 points, 10.5 rebounds) continue to excel. Jones in particular will be motivated to play the Hoosiers again; he had just four points, one rebound and six turnovers in 28 minutes.

TRENDS:

* Favorite is 11-2 ATS in the last 13 meetings.
* Under is 8-3 in the last 11 meetings.
* Hoosiers are 3-9 ATS in the last 12 meetings.

TIP-INS:

1. The winner heads to the South Regional final on Sunday against either Baylor or Xavier.

2. Watford hit the big shot, but the Wildcats gave him and the Hoosiers plenty of opportunities. Kentucky shot just 10-for-17 from the free-throw line in the loss.

3. Talk about pedigree: the Wildcats and Hoosiers have combined for 12 national championships.

Pick: Indiana

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NCAAB

Friday, March 23

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NCAA preview & pick: Ohio vs. North Carolina
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No. 13 Ohio Bobcats vs. No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels (-10.5, 143)

THE STORY: The Sweet 16 is where things are supposed to start getting tougher for the top seeds, but simply going by the number next to the name, that won't be the case for the Tar Heels when they face No. 13 seed Ohio in the Midwest Regional semifinal. The Bobcats, however, have proven to be anything but a pushover, upsetting No. 4 seed Michigan and rallying past No. 12 seed South Florida to reach the round of 16 for the first time since 1964. And the Tar Heels could be without star point guard Kendall Marshall, the nation's leader in assists. Marshall had surgery Monday morning to repair a broken scaphoid bone in his right wrist suffered during the second half of the Tar Heels' win over Creighton in the round of 32.

TV: 7:47 p.m. ET, TBS

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (31-5): North Carolina remains on a crash course for a regional final showdown against Kansas, coach Roy Williams' former team. But it looks as though the Tar Heels might have to get there without Marshall (8.1 ppg, 9.8 apg), who has been outstanding in the postseason. He has averaged 14.8 points and 10.3 assists in the past six games. With or without Marshall, the Tar Heels will present serious matchup problems for Ohio with 7-foot center Tyler Zeller and 6-foot-11 forward John Henson.

ABOUT OHIO (29-7): The best season in school history keeps getting better for the Bobcats, whose previous school mark for wins was 25. Ohio is doing it with defense, holding opponents to 62.2 points per game. The Bobcats are 62-19 under coach John Groce when holding opponents under 70 points. The Bobcats also got hot from 3-point range against South Florida, going 9 of 18. Junior Walter Offutt made all four of his 3-pointers en route to a game-high 21 points. The Bobcats will need the outside shots to keep falling to neutralize some of North Carolina's size advantage.

TRENDS:

* Bobcats are 9-0 ATS in their last nine non-conference games.
* Tar Heels are 13-4 ATS in their last 17 NCAA tournament games.
* Over is 6-2 in Bobcats' last eight neutral-site games as underdogs.
* Over is 5-2 in Tar Heels' last seven games as favorites.

TIP-INS:

1. The Tar Heels have won 18 of their last 21 NCAA tournament games, and they've won 10 straight games in the Sweet 16.

2. The Bobcats already have set a school record for wins and are trying to notch their first 30-win season. North Carolina already has clinched its 11th 30-win campaign, and its fifth in nine years under Williams.

3. Marshall's 351 assists in 36 games are the most in ACC history and the fourth most in NCAA history. He had double-doubles in each of North Carolina's first two games in the tournament.

Pick: North Carolina

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NCAAB

Friday, March 23

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NCAA preview & pick: Xavier vs. Baylor
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No. 10 Xavier Musketeers vs. No. 3 Baylor Bears (-6, 142.5)

THE STORY: No. 3 seed Baylor survived an early test and pulled away from 11th-seeded Colorado, 80-63, on Saturday. Sophomore Brady Heslip was the catalyst, scoring a career-high 27 points on 9-of-12 3-point shooting. Meanwhile, 10th-seeded Xavier rode a solid defensive effort to its fourth Sweet 16 in five years, holding Lehigh to 14.7 percent (5 for 34) shooting in the second half of a 70-58 third-round triumph Sunday evening. Baylor won its lone previous meeting with the Musketeers, a 69-64 triumph in the finals of the Old Spice Classic on Nov. 29, 2009.

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, CBS

ABOUT XAVIER (23-12): The Musketeers went into a tailspin after a brawl marred the end of their blowout win over Cincinnati on Dec. 10, losing five of their next six games before regrouping over the season's final weeks. Senior PG Tu Holloway, a preseason All-America pick, has been at his best in the postseason, scoring 17 of his game-high 25 points in the second half of a 67-63 second-round win over Notre Dame and following with 21 points against Lehigh. Senior C Kenny Frease, however, was the big difference-maker on Sunday, finishing with a career-best 25 points (on 11-for-13 shooting) and 12 rebounds.

ABOUT BAYLOR (29-7): The Bears have played with a consistency that belies their erratic reputation — all of their losses have come against NCAA tournament teams, with five against either Kansas or Missouri. Baylor has dominated lesser foes with a long, athletic group of NBA talent that has no problem sharing the wealth. Five different players are scoring in double figures, led by junior PG Pierre Jackson (13.5 ppg, 5.8 apg) and sophomore F Perry Jones III (13.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg). Heslip is shooting 45.6 percent from 3-point range, sixth in the country. The Bears are 7-1 on neutral courts this year.

TRENDS:

* Musketeers are 16-4-2 ATS in their last 22 NCAA tournament games.
* Bears are 4-1 ATS in their last five NCAA tournament games.
* Over is 6-0 in Musketeers' last six games as underdogs.
* Over is 5-1 in Bears' last six overall.

TIP-INS:

1. Baylor has a significant edge at the foul line (74.9 percent vs. 69.2 for Xavier), but Holloway is one of the nation's top free-throw shooters at 86.0 percent.

2. Neither team has been great in the turnover department — Xavier averages 12.7 giveaways with a minus-0.1 margin, while Baylor turns it over 13.8 times per game.

3. No. 10 seeds have won just four of their 12 previous NCAA Tournament games against No. 3 seeds.

Pick: Baylor

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NCAAB

Friday, March 23

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Sweet 16 action report: NC State most popular dog on board
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Bettors are siding with the North Carolina State Wolfpack over Kansas by a 2-to-1 margin, though the money differential is not as significant, Coast Hotels sportsbook director Bob Scucci told ***********.

Scucci, who has kept the line at 8, said the Pack's strong performance in the ACC and NCAA tournaments is building a big bandwagon.

"Going into the first round against San Diego State, they were basically a pick-em, and the line closed at 2.5 on NC State," he said. "They've been real good to the betting public, and people are going to ride them as far as they can. They're playing some of the best teams in the country and beating 'em, and now they're getting eight points. People figure that's a live dog."

NC State is the only underdog in Friday's Sweet 16 games that's drawn more action than the favorite at Club Cal Neva, sportsbook director Chris Andrews said.

Here are the other betting developments on Friday's games.

Xavier Musketeers vs. Baylor Bears Open: 140 Move: 142

Sharp action forced the move on the total, while the spread has stayed at 6. Baylor is bigger, more athletic and healthier, as two key Musketeers are dealing with injuries. Third-leading scorer Dez Wells has a sprained big toe, and senior forward Andre Walker missed Thursday's practice with migraines.

But Xavier's NCAA Tournament pedigree and Baylor's perceived inconsistency are keeping this line where it is.

"Xavier makes the Sweet 16 every year," Andrews said of the Musketeers, who have made it this far in four of the last five years. "That's the most underrated program in the world."

Ohio Bobcats vs. North Carolina Tar Heels Open: -10.5 Move: -11, back to -10.5

"We got a lot of money on North Carolina, then we went to 11, and it's bounced back and forth," Scucci said. "The public money is on North Carolina. The sharp guys will take plus 11 whenever we go there."

Oddsmakers said the line assumes Tar Heels point guard Kendall Marshall won't play, or be ineffective if he does.

The total has stayed steady at 143 at most books, with a few offering 142.5.

Indiana Hoosiers vs. Kentucky Wildcats Open: -8.5 Move: -9

"All the money's on Kentucky, which is kind of expected," said Scucci, who opened this line at 8.5 and moved to 9. "It's not a significant move, but a public move."

Andrews, who also moved a half-point to 9, said he's holding a little more money on the favorite. "Business as usual -- nothing outrageous," he said.

A few offshore books had to move a full point, from 8 to 9.

North Carolina State Wolfpack vs. Kansas Jayhawks Open: 141.5 Move: 143

Again, sharp action prompted the move on the total. These teams are loaded with offensive talent, and a fast pace is expected.

The over is 8-3 in NC State's last 11 games, but 5-16 in Kansas' last 21 NCAA Tournament games.

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**Udog** · 03-23-2012, 09:45 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Buffalo at NY Rangers
The Sabres look to build on their 4-1 record in their last 5 games as an underdog of +110 to +150. Buffalo is the pick (+145) according to Dunkel, which has the Sabres favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Buffalo (+145). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, MARCH 23

Game 51-52: Toronto at New Jersey (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 10.363; New Jersey 11.345
Dunkel Line & Total: New Jersey by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: New Jersey (-180); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: New Jersey (-180); Over

Game 53-54: Winnipeg at Washington (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Winnipeg 11.353; Washington 11.033
Dunkel Line & Total: Winnipeg by 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Washington (-145); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Winnipeg (+125); Under

Game 55-56: Buffalo at NY Rangers (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Buffalo 12.119; NY Rangers 11.306
Dunkel Line & Total: Buffalo by 1; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-165); 5
Dunkel Pick: Buffalo (+145); Under

Game 57-58: Carolina at Columbus (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Carolina 12.145; Columbus 10.902
Dunkel Line & Total: Carolina by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Carolina (-140); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Carolina (-140); Over

Game 59-60: Ottawa at Montreal (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ottawa 11.011; Montreal 11.885
Dunkel Line & Total: Montreal by 1; 4
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 61-62: Edmonton at Florida (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 12.310; Florida 10.661
Dunkel Line & Total: Edmonton by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Florida (-170); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (+150); Over

NHL
Long Sheet

Friday, March 23

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TORONTO (32-34-0-8, 72 pts.) at NEW JERSEY (42-27-0-5, 89 pts.) - 3/23/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 7-21 ATS (+33.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TORONTO is 2-11 ATS (+16.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
TORONTO is 22-40 ATS (-18.9 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 42-31 ATS (+73.0 Units) in all games this season.
NEW JERSEY is 24-8 ATS (+12.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 49-33 ATS (+1.0 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 67-77 ATS (+181.0 Units) in road games revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
TORONTO is 86-88 ATS (+197.6 Units) in road games after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW JERSEY is 6-5-0 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.0 Units)

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WINNIPEG (34-31-0-8, 76 pts.) at WASHINGTON (37-30-0-7, 81 pts.) - 3/23/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 29-7 ATS (+16.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 14-24 ATS (-22.9 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 10-7-0 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
8 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-1.1 Units, Under=-0.1 Units)

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BUFFALO (35-29-0-10, 80 pts.) at NY RANGERS (46-20-0-7, 99 pts.) - 3/23/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BUFFALO is 10-25 ATS (+38.5 Units) in road games after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 46-26 ATS (+15.3 Units) in all games this season.
NY RANGERS are 18-4 ATS (+12.4 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
NY RANGERS are 16-6 ATS (+6.5 Units) after playing 3 consecutive home games over the last 3 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 22-7 ATS (+12.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
BUFFALO is 24-19 ATS (+46.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
BUFFALO is 49-39 ATS (+5.8 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 163-170 ATS (-95.5 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 6-5 (+0.9 Units) against the spread versus BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 6-5-0 straight up against BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
8 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+5.9 Units)

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CAROLINA (30-29-0-15, 75 pts.) at COLUMBUS (23-43-0-7, 53 pts.) - 3/23/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CAROLINA is 10-25 ATS (+40.2 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
CAROLINA is 4-17 ATS (+23.7 Units) after a division game this season.
COLUMBUS is 87-71 ATS (+166.1 Units) in home games after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.
CAROLINA is 65-57 ATS (+125.0 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
CAROLINA is 52-43 ATS (+100.6 Units) in road games in March games since 1996.
COLUMBUS is 23-49 ATS (+80.4 Units) in all games this season.
COLUMBUS is 21-36 ATS (+64.9 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 20-46 ATS (+74.4 Units) after a division game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLUMBUS is 2-0 (+2.4 Units) against the spread versus CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
COLUMBUS is 2-0-0 straight up against CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.0 Units)

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OTTAWA (37-27-0-10, 84 pts.) at MONTREAL (28-33-0-13, 69 pts.) - 3/23/2012, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 9-8-0 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
10 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.8 Units)

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EDMONTON (29-36-0-9, 67 pts.) at FLORIDA (36-24-0-13, 85 pts.) - 3/23/2012, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 53-102 ATS (+197.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 10-23 ATS (+33.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
EDMONTON is 13-36 ATS (+61.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
EDMONTON is 41-34 ATS (+84.4 Units) in road games on Friday nights since 1996.
FLORIDA is 133-152 ATS (+304.4 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 since 1996.
FLORIDA is 260-296 ATS (+599.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
FLORIDA is 129-163 ATS (-66.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1996.
FLORIDA is 153-174 ATS (-61.2 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.
FLORIDA is 52-80 ATS (-46.3 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 2-0 (+2.1 Units) against the spread versus FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
EDMONTON is 2-0-0 straight up against FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.0 Units)

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NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, March 23

Hot teams
-- Devils won four of their last five home games.
-- Rangers won eight of their last ten home games. Buffalo won eight of its last twelve games overall.
-- Carolina won its last four games, allowing seven goals.
-- Panthers won last five games, outscoring foes 20-8.

Cold teams
-- Toronto lost seven of its last nine games.
-- Winnipeg lost four of last five road games, allowing 27 goals. Washington is 1-3 in its last four road games.
-- Blue Jackets lost five of their last six games.
-- Montreal lost its last three games, scoring total of three goals. Senators lost four of their last five games.
-- Oilers lost eight of their last twelve games.

Totals
-- Five of last seven Toronto road games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Washington home games.
-- Five of last seven Ranger home games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Carolina road games went over the total.
-- Last four Ottawa games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last seven Edmonton games stayed under the total.

Series records
-- Devils won four of last five vs Toronto, with three wins in overtime.
-- Jets won six of last eight games against Washington.
-- Rangers won five of last seven games against Buffalo.
-- Blue Jackets won their last four games against Carolina.
-- Senators won six of their last nine visits to Montreal; last three series games overall went to OT/SO.
-- Panthers lost 3-2 in Edmonton in LY's meeting.

Back-to-Back
-- Washington is 1-3 at home if it played the night before.
-- Edmonton is 3-6 on the road if it played the night before.

NHL

Friday, March 23

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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7:00 PM
BUFFALO vs. NY RANGERS
Buffalo is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games
Buffalo is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games on the road
NY Rangers are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing Buffalo
NY Rangers are 8-2 SU in their last 10 games at home

7:00 PM
CAROLINA vs. COLUMBUS
Carolina is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Columbus
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Carolina's last 5 games when playing Columbus
Columbus is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Carolina
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Columbus's last 5 games when playing Carolina

7:00 PM
TORONTO vs. NEW JERSEY
Toronto is 3-13 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing on the road against New Jersey
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New Jersey's last 7 games
New Jersey is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games

7:00 PM
WINNIPEG vs. WASHINGTON
Winnipeg is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Winnipeg's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games at home
Washington is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games at home

7:30 PM
EDMONTON vs. FLORIDA
Edmonton is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Edmonton's last 10 games on the road
Florida is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Edmonton
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Florida's last 5 games when playing Edmonton

7:30 PM
OTTAWA vs. MONTREAL
Ottawa is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Montreal
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Ottawa's last 6 games when playing on the road against Montreal
Montreal is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Montreal's last 6 games at home

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NHL

Friday, March 23

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Ice picks: Friday's best NHL bets
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Carolina Hurricanes at Columbus Blue Jackets (120, 5.5)

The league-worst Blue Jackets host surging Carolina on Friday, as the Hurricanes make a late charge at an unlikely playoff spot. Thanks to a four-game win streak, Carolina is within six points of eighth place in the Eastern Conference with eight games to play.

Carolina will be trying to beat Columbus for the first time in the last five tries.

Captain Eric Staal continued his torrid stretch, scoring twice in Wednesday's 3-1 victory over the Florida Panthers. It was the second consecutive two-goal game for Staal and gave him six points over the last three games. In his last 20 games, Staal has 11 goals and 17 assists. Staal needs four points to reach 70 for the seventh consecutive season. Carolina also got a boost with the return of defenseman Joni Pitkanen, who had a goal and an assist after sitting out 44 games with a concussion and knee problems.

Columbus continues to wobble toward the finish line, absorbing a 5-1 home loss at the hands of Chicago on Wednesday. Columbus has failed on 35 consecutive power-play chances, moving within seven of tying the franchise record.

Pick: Hurricanes

Winnipeg Jets at Washington Capitals (-150, 5.5)

The Jets lead the season series 3-1-1 and are looking to win their third straight over the Capitals.

Washington holds a five-point lead over Winnipeg for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East, but the Jets have a game in hand. The Capitals are playing the second game of a back-to-back after falling 2-1 to Philadelphia on Thursday.

Worrisome for Winnipeg is the team’s troubles on the road. The Jets are 11-20-4 away from home and have dropped their past three road contests. Defenseman Eric Fehr is dealing with an upper-body injury and center Nik Antropov is suffering from a lower-body injury. Both are considered questionable for Friday’s contest.

On the positive side, goaltender Ondrej Pavelec is 3-1-1 with a 1.97 GAA and .935 save percentage against the Capitals this season.

Washington forward Alex Ovechkin has goals in three straight games, and six goals in his last five contests. Goaltender Tomas Vokoun (lower body) and forward Alexander Semin (undisclosed) are both questionable for the game.

The Capitals are 2-6 in their last eight games in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation. And the Jets have won six of the last eight meetings.

Pick: Jets

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**Udog** · 03-23-2012, 09:53 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

Friday, March 23

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NEW YORK (23 - 24) at TORONTO (15 - 32) - 3/23/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 110-143 ATS (-47.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 6-4 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 6-5 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MILWAUKEE (21 - 25) at CHARLOTTE (7 - 37) - 3/23/2012, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 5-3 against the spread versus CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
CHARLOTTE is 4-4 straight up against MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CLEVELAND (17 - 27) at ORLANDO (30 - 18) - 3/23/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ORLANDO is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) after a non-conference game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 5-4 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO is 7-2 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHOENIX (23 - 24) at INDIANA (27 - 18) - 3/23/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) in home games in March games over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 166-115 ATS (+39.5 Units) on Friday nights since 1996.
INDIANA is 54-31 ATS (+19.9 Units) in home games against Pacific division opponents since 1996.
INDIANA is 121-85 ATS (+27.5 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1996.
PHOENIX is 61-38 ATS (+19.2 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 11-25 ATS (-16.5 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 2-2 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 3-1 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MIAMI (34 - 11) at DETROIT (16 - 30) - 3/23/2012, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 4-4 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 7-1 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW JERSEY (15 - 33) at ATLANTA (27 - 20) - 3/23/2012, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW JERSEY is 56-72 ATS (-23.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 79-101 ATS (-32.1 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 21-36 ATS (-18.6 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 37-59 ATS (-27.9 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 6-4 against the spread versus NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 8-2 straight up against NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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BOSTON (25 - 21) at PHILADELPHIA (26 - 21) - 3/23/2012, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 11-24 ATS (-15.4 Units) in road games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 9-23 ATS (-16.3 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 74-59 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 6-3 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 6-3 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MINNESOTA (23 - 25) at OKLAHOMA CITY (35 - 12) - 3/23/2012, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 38-55 ATS (-22.5 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 147-187 ATS (-58.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 128-103 ATS (+14.7 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 27-14 ATS (+11.6 Units) on Friday nights over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) as an underdog this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 6-3 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 9-0 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DALLAS (27 - 21) at SAN ANTONIO (30 - 14) - 3/23/2012, 8:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 9-6 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 9-8 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
11 of 17 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PORTLAND (22 - 25) at LA LAKERS (29 - 18) - 3/23/2012, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PORTLAND is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 62-76 ATS (-21.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 16-30 ATS (-17.0 Units) in home games second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in home games on Friday nights over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 18-31 ATS (-16.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND is 5-4 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 5-4 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DENVER (26 - 21) at UTAH (25 - 22) - 3/23/2012, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 21-9 ATS (+11.1 Units) off an upset win as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
DENVER is 34-19 ATS (+13.1 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in road games this season.
DENVER is 23-7 ATS (+15.3 Units) in road games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 8-6 against the spread versus UTAH over the last 3 seasons
UTAH is 8-8 straight up against DENVER over the last 3 seasons
10 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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**Udog** · 03-23-2012, 09:56 AM

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, March 23

Hot Teams
-- Knicks won/covered first five games under Woodson.
-- Bucks won/covered their last four road games.
-- Orlando won/covered five of its last six home games. Cavaliers covered five of their last six road games.
-- Pacers won seven of last nine home games; they're 5-2 as home fave of 5 or less points.
-- Miami won its last three games, by 6-10-4 points; they're 3-5 as road favorites of 6+ points.
-- Celtics are 5-1-1 vs spread in last seven road games.
-- Thunder is 11-7 as home favorite of more than 7 points.
-- San Antonio won/covered four of its last five home games. Mavericks won four of their last five games.
-- Lakers are 10-6 vs spread as single digit home favorite.
-- Jazz won its last five games, with four wins by 4 or less points, or in OT- they're 10-1 as home favorites of 7 or less points. Denver is 5-0-1 vs spread as road underdog of less than 5 points.

Cold Teams
-- Raptors lost four of their last five games; they're 6-2 as a home dog of 4+ points.
-- Bobcats are 3-8 as a home underdog of 6 or less points.
-- Phoenix is 1-8 vs spread as a road underdog of 8+ points.
-- Pistons are off a 1-4 road trip, but they won/covered their last four games at home- they're 10-5 as home underdogs.
-- Atlanta is 4-9 as a single digit home favorite. Nets lost their last four games (0-4 vs spread).
-- 76ers lost four of their last five games.
-- Minnesota lost six of its last eight games; they're 10-4 as a road dog of 4+ points.
-- Trailblazers covered twice in their last nine road games.

Wear-and-Tear
-- Knicks: 3rd game/4 nites. Raptors: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Bucks: 3rd game/4 nites. Bobcats: Last three nites off.
-- Cavaliers: 4th game/6 nites. Magic: 7th game/11 nites.
-- Suns: 7th game/10 nites. Pacers: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Heat: Had last two nites off. Pistons: 2nd game/5 nites.
-- Nets: 3rd game/5 days. Hawks: 4th game/6 nites.
-- Celtics: 5th game/8 nites. 76ers: 3rd game/5 nites.
-- T'wolves: 6th game/9 nites. Thunder: 6th game/9 nites.
-- Mavericks: 3rd game/5 nites. Spurs: 2nd game/6 nites.
-- Blazers: 3rd game/4 nites. Lakers: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Nuggets: 3rd game/5 nites. Jazz: 7th game/10 nites.

Totals
-- Four of last five New York road games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Charlotte games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Cleveland games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Indiana home games went over the total.
-- Seven of last nine Miami games stayed under the total. Five of last six Detroit games went over.
-- Last three New Jersey road games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last six Boston games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last seven Minnesota road games went over total.
-- Five of last six Dallas home games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Portland games stayed under the total. Eight of last nine Laker games went over.
-- Three of last four Utah games stayed under the total.

Back-to-Back
-- Milwaukee is 2-6 vs spread if it lost the night before.
-- Indiana is 5-3 vs spread if it won the night before.
-- Celtics are 1-6-1 vs spread on road if they played night before.
-- Portland is 3-6 vs spread on road if they played night before.
-- Utah is 5-3 vs spread if it won the night before.

**Udog** · 03-23-2012, 10:03 AM

NBA

Friday, March 23

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7:00 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. CHARLOTTE
Milwaukee is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Charlotte
Milwaukee is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Charlotte is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games when playing Milwaukee
Charlotte is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games when playing Milwaukee

7:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. INDIANA
Phoenix is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games when playing Indiana
Phoenix is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Indiana's last 6 games when playing at home against Phoenix
Indiana is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Phoenix

7:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. TORONTO
The total has gone OVER in 6 of New York's last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New York's last 7 games when playing Toronto
Toronto is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against New York
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 9 games at home

7:00 PM
CLEVELAND vs. ORLANDO
Cleveland is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Orlando
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland's last 7 games when playing on the road against Orlando
Orlando is 14-7 SU in its last 21 games
Orlando is 18-6-1 ATS in its last 25 games when playing Cleveland

7:30 PM
NEW JERSEY vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New Jersey's last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
New Jersey is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing at home against New Jersey
Atlanta is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against New Jersey

7:30 PM
MIAMI vs. DETROIT
Miami is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Detroit
Miami is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games at home

8:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
Minnesota is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Oklahoma City
Minnesota is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games at home

8:00 PM
BOSTON vs. PHILADELPHIA
Boston is 12-5-1 ATS in its last 18 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Boston is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing Boston

8:30 PM
DALLAS vs. SAN ANTONIO
Dallas is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
Dallas is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Antonio's last 6 games when playing at home against Dallas
San Antonio is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Dallas

10:30 PM
DENVER vs. UTAH
Denver is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Denver is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Utah is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Denver
Utah is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

10:30 PM
PORTLAND vs. LA LAKERS
Portland is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland's last 6 games when playing LA Lakers
LA Lakers are 6-16 ATS in their last 22 games when playing Portland
LA Lakers are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing Portland

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**Udog** · 03-23-2012, 10:09 AM

NBA

Friday, March 23

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Pick 'n' roll: Friday's best NBA bets
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Cleveland Cavaliers at Orlando Magic (-9, 193.5)

With eight road wins, the Cavaliers already have surpassed last year's total of seven. Cleveland has scored victories at Boston, Denver and Oklahoma City and pushed Atlanta to overtime on Wednesday before losing by one.

Kyrie Irving is no longer a teenager. He turned 20 on Thursday’s off day as he continues his march toward the Rookie of the Year award. Irving is averaging 19.0 points, tops among rookies, and his 5.7 assists rank second. Irving has three game-winning shots this season, but missed one at the buzzer Wednesday.

The Magic has lost two of three and has the look of a bored team waiting for the postseaon. Turnovers and defensive mistakes continue to hurt Orlando, though the Magic prevailed 103-93 over Phoenix on Wednesday.

The Cavs are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games. The Magic is 2-6 ATS in its last eight games following a SU win.

Pick: Cavaliers

New Jersey Nets at Atlanta Hawks (-8, 188.5)

The Hawks look to complete a four-game season sweep of the visiting Nets on Friday. Atlanta beat New Jersey three times over the first two weeks of the season, including a 37-point road trouncing.

Guard Joe Johnson is on another hot streak, averaging 25.1 points over the last eight contests after a four-game absence due to knee tendinitis. Johnson scored 22 points and hit several key shots in Wednesday's overtime win over the Cavaliers. Forward Josh Smith had 32 points and 17 rebounds.

The Nets have lost four consecutive games, including Wednesday’s loss to the Washington Wizards when guard Deron Williams was ejected. Williams and coach Avery Johnson were both tossed during a run of 14 consecutive points by the Wizards. Guard MarShon Brooks is shooting just 24.3 percent (9 of 37) during the four-game skid.

The Nets have allowed 100 or more points in nine of 12 March games and defense isn’t the only problem. New Jersey has scored under 100 points in five of its last six games.

The home team is 12-4 ATS in the last 16 meetings.

Pick: Hawks

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NBA

Friday, March 23

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Odds to win the NBA title: Contenders and pretenders
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If you think the NBA season came and went in the blink of an eye, you’re right. The shortened year, with game after game compacted into tight travel schedules, has indeed soared by faster than a highlight-reel Blake Griffin dunk.

It seems like just yesterday that the regular-season games began on Christmas Day, and now, here we are, focusing on the postseason already.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that. That only means the real basketball is about to begin, the second season where boys become men, and a title is to be had.

But before we hit crunch time, let’s examine just who we should be focusing on in the playoffs first. A look at the top nine teams and their price to win the NBA crown (odds courtesy of Sportsbook.com):

Contenders:

Miami Heat (6/5)

Surely, LeBron James will be judged on what he does in the postseason, and not the regular season, but the numbers so far are off the charts either way. He's averaging 27.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 37.7 minutes per game. Not bad, and the Heat have gone along for the ride.

The Heat play suffocating defense and score easy a lot of easy buckets in transition off the turnovers they create. That’s a big part of the reason the Heat are near the top of the league in point differential per game.

Miami is almost too good, and the lines reflect that. But that could change in the postseason quickly, as lines shrink a bit because of what’s at stake.

Oklahoma City Thunder (4/1)

They do have some questions inside - please see the loss to Utah on Tuesday, in which the Thunder were outscored, 50-20, inside the paint - but they can score on anyone, and can make up for their inexperience with energy, enthusiasm and drive.

Two records stand out to us as we look ahead to the postseason. Oklahoma City is 26-9 against the Western Conference, and 20-4 at home. Very good to know, especially in the early rounds.

The big question is can the Thunder win a game when the shots are falling from outside. Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and James Harden all get to the free throw line often but there’s no question scoring is limited after those three.

Chicago Bulls (4/1)

A surprisingly great value play -- the Bulls checked in with a 30-19-0 ATS mark through Wednesday night -- Chicago is that “other” team in the league’s top trifecta. They don’t have LeBron. They don’t have Durant. And though they do have Derrick Rose, and all that goes with a top-tier point guard, many people think the Bulls will stumble when it counts.

Joakim Noah and Luol Deng are two of the league’s best defenders and can body down low with anyone. Each player on this team knows his role and fills exceptionally thanks to Tom Thibodeau, who might be the best head coach in the league right now.

It’ll be tough to score against the Bulls in the postseason but will Derrick Rose be healthy and – even if he is – will this team be able to score enough down the stretch?

Los Angeles Lakers (6/1)

Boy, earlier in the year, the Lakers weren't even tops in their town, and so many were predicting a fall from power. Yet, here they are, in first place in the Pacific Division and they have a realistic shot to win it all.

Not just because of Kobe Bryant and his immeasurable experience in the postseason. It's more because the Lakers throw two 7-footers on the floor at the same time: Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. That duo can throw anyone off their gameplan, Eastern or Western Conference.

And don’t sleep on Ramon Sessions. The newly acquired player is a major upgrade at point guard over Derek Fisher and Steve Blake.

Pretenders:

San Antonio Spurs (15/1)

No surprise to see San Antonio running away with the Southwest Division, thanks to a .682 winning percentage. And the numbers look great, make no mistake: 18-4 at home, 20-11 in the West, 6-3 in March, on and on. But does anyone truly believe this team is much better -- much different, even -- than the club that got bounced by the Memphis Grizzlies last year?

San Antonio goes 10 deep but having a good bench doesn’t matter as much in the postseason when teams shorten their rotations.

Dallas Mavericks (20/1)

Repeats are nice to talk about. They create a buzz around a current team as opposed to still talking about the previous title team, and they keep everyone on their toes. But a potential first-round date with the Lakers would make it tough, especially with the Purple and Gold seeking to avenge last year’s sweep at the hands of Dallas.

The Mavericks have talent, of course, and now know how to win. But it’s hard to think they’ll be able to navigate through the West with this aging crew.

Los Angeles Clippers (20/1)

Remember we said the Lakers were on their way to being Team No. 2 in La-La Land? Well, forget it. The Clippers have talent, and they have some buzz because of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, but have not been able to build off early-season success.

On Wednesday, the Thunder made sure the Clippers knew how far they need to catch up. Oklahoma City pounded Los Angeles, 114-91.

Griffin is great for SportsCenter highlights but his outside game isn’t polished and he can’t hit from the charity stripe.

Memphis Grizzlies (25/1)

The Grizzlies are finally healthy and will head into the postseason will plenty of ammunition. The Gasol-Gay-Randolph trio might be the best starting front court in the NBA and point guard Mike Conley Jr. is the perfect, pass-first guard to feed the bigs the ball.

But Memphis has its warts. The Grizz are near the bottom of the league in 3-point field goal percentage (.319) and they bring two guards off the bench who love to dial it up from distance (O.J. Mayo and newly signed Gilbert Arenas).

New York Knicks (25/1)

We include New York simply because they have the same odds as Memphis, and because they have more depth than people think. There’s a new sense of confidence in the locker room now, under new coach Mike Woodson, and though Jeremy Lin has calmed down, the Knicks have still won five in a row.

It might be a bit too much to figure on this team making a lengthy postseason run, though. But however long or short -- with Lin in the fold -- it should be fun.

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**Udog** · 03-23-2012, 11:40 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Portland at LA Lakers
The Lakers look to take advantage of a Portland team that is 5-16 ATS in its last 21 games as a road underdog. LA is the pick (-9) according to Dunkel, which has the Lakers favored by 13. Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (-9). Here are all of today's picks

FRIDAY, MARCH 23

Game 851-852: New York at Toronto (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 122.916; Toronto 116.382
Dunkel Line & Total: New York by 6 1/2; 191
Vegas Line & Total: New York by 5; 194
Dunkel Pick: New York (-5); Under

Game 853-854: Milwaukee at Charlotte (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee 118.227; Charlotte 112.905
Dunkel Line & Total: Milwaukee by 5 1/2; 204
Vegas Line & Total: Milwaukee by 7; 201
Dunkel Pick: Charlotte (+7); Over

Game 855-856: Cleveland at Orlando (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland 113.040; Orlando 123.862
Dunkel Line & Total: Orlando by 11; 197
Vegas Line & Total: Orlando by 9; 193 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Orlando (-9); Over

Game 857-858: Phoenix at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 119.784; Indiana 122.339
Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 2 1/2; 191
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 5; 195 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+5); Under

Game 859-860: Miami at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami 124.874; Detroit 119.617
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 5; 192
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 9; 194
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+9); Under

Game 861-862: New Jersey at Atlanta (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Jersey 108.393; Atlanta 121.346
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 13; 192
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 7 1/2; 188
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-7 1/2); Over

Game 863-864: Boston at Philadelphia (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 117.597; Philadelphia 126.328
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 8 1/2; 175
Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia by 6 1/2; 179 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-6 1/2); Under

Game 865-866: Minnesota at Oklahoma City (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 114.544; Oklahoma City 122.359
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 8; 215
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 10 1/2; 210 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+10 1/2); Over

Game 867-868: Dallas at San Antonio (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 118.273; San Antonio 120.689
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 2 1/2; 197
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 4 1/2; 200
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (+4 1/2); Under

Game 869-870: Portland at LA Lakers (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Portland 112.572; LA Lakers 125.599
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Lakers by 13; 198
Vegas Line & Total: LA Lakers by 9; 194 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (-9); Over

Game 871-872: Denver at Utah (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Denver 115.200; Utah 124.822
Dunkel Line & Total: Utah by 9 1/2; 204
Vegas Line & Total: Utah by 2; 208
Dunkel Pick: Utah (-2); Under

**Udog** · 03-23-2012, 11:47 AM

NBA
Short Sheet

Friday, March 23

NEW YORK at TORONTO, 7:05 PM ET
NEW YORK: 19-8 ATS off a road win
TORONTO: 49-72 ATS off a home loss by 10 points or more

MILWAUKEE at CHARLOTTE, 7:05 PM ET
MILWAUKEE: 3-12 ATS after 1 or more consecutive unders
CHARLOTTE: 2-8 ATS against Central division opponents

CLEVELAND at ORLANDO, 7:05 PM ET
CLEVELAND: 10-1 ATS after scoring 100 points or more 2 straight games
ORLANDO: 46-61 ATS after playing a game as favorite

PHOENIX at INDIANA, 7:05 PM ET
PHOENIX: 61-38 ATS second half of the season
INDIANA: 6-15 ATS when playing 8 or more games in 14 days

MIAMI at DETROIT, 7:35 PM ET
MIAMI: 6-1 UNDER on Friday nights
DETROIT: 6-1 ATS against Southeast division opponents

NEW JERSEY at ATLANTA, 7:35 PM ET
NEW JERSEY: 35-21 UNDER after failing to cover 5 or 6 of their last 7 against the spread
ATLANTA: 26-15 UNDER off a home win

BOSTON at PHILADELPHIA, 8:05 PM ET
BOSTON: 22-37 ATS after a game where they covered the spread
PHILADELPHIA: 21-9 ATS after a loss by 6 points or less

MINNESOTA at OKLAHOMA CITY, 8:05 PM ET
MINNESOTA: 23-37 ATS after one or more consecutive overs
OKLAHOMA CITY: 44-28 ATS when playing 8 or more games in 14 days

DALLAS at SAN ANTONIO, 8:35 PM ET
DALLAS: N/A
SAN ANTONIO: 10-3 OVER after having won 3 of their last 4 games

PORTLAND at LA LAKERS, 10:35 PM ET
PORTLAND: 31-18 ATS when playing their 3rd game in 4 days
LA LAKERS: 6-15 ATS when playing 6 or more games in 10 days

DENVER at UTAH, 10:35 PM ET
DENVER: 30-16 ATS as a road underdog
UTAH: 7-17 ATS in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 200

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

**Udog** · 03-23-2012, 11:52 AM

NHL
Short Sheet

Friday, March 23

TORONTO at NEW JERSEY, 7:05 PM ET
TORONTO: 6-17 SU revenging a same season loss vs opponent
NEW JERSEY: 24-16 SU off a win or tie in their previous game

WINNIPEG at WASHINGTON, 7:05 PM ET
WINNIPEG: 11-6 SU after 2 or more consecutive losses
WASHINGTON: 8-14 SU after playing a game where 4 or fewer total goals were scored

BUFFALO at NY RANGERS, 7:05 PM ET
BUFFALO: 8-2 SU in road games after covering 2 of their last 3 against the spread
NY RANGERS: 64-72 SU in home games after a 2 game unbeaten streak

CAROLINA at COLUMBUS, 7:05 PM ET
CAROLINA: 52-43 SU in road games in March games
COLUMBUS: 16-30 SU in home games after having lost 2 of their last 3 games

OTTAWA at MONTREAL, 7:35 PM ET
OTTAWA: N/A
MONTREAL: N/A

EDMONTON at FLORIDA, 7:35 PM ET
EDMONTON: 39-34 SU in road games on Friday nights
FLORIDA: 3-12 SU after having won 3 of their last 4 games

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

Announcement

Friday's Trends and Indexes - 3/23 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Friday's Trends and Indexes - 3/23 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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