The Bum's NCAA Basketball Picks Thru March Madness & Madness GOY !!

[StarDust Bum]

2ND SET OF GAMES:


Southern Miss - 5:00 PM ET Southern Miss +4 500 *****

Missouri - Over 144.5 500 *****

North Carolina - 5:15 PM ET Iowa St. -1.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Iowa St. - Over 159 500 *****

Mercer - 6:10 PM ET Mercer +8.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Tennessee - Over 130.5 500 *****

[StarDust Bum]

3rd SET OF GAMES:


Stephen F. Austin - 7:10 PM ET UCLA -9 500 DOUBLE PLAY

UCLA - Over 143.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Baylor - 7:40 PM ET Baylor +3.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Creighton - Over 142.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Memphis - 8:40 PM ET Virginia -6 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Virginia - Under 129 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Gonzaga - 9:40 PM ET Gonzaga +7.5 500 *****

Arizona - Over 129 500 DOUBLE PLAY

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

Won-lost records, payrolls of Tampa Bay/Bronx over the last six years.......

Tampa Bay year Bronx

97-65; $43,745,597 '08 89-73; $209,081,577
84-78; $63,313,034 '09 103-59; $201,449,189
96-66; $72,847,133 '10 95-67; $213,359,389
91-71; $42,171,308 '11 97-65, $207,047,964
90-72; $63,627,200 '12 95-67, $209,792,900
92-71; $61,928,975 '13 85-77, $228,106,125

*****

Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up a basketball weekend

Stanford 60, Kansas 57-- On November 11, Cardinal scored 103 points in a home game.....and lost by nine. I've seen them play 5-6 times this year; at no point did I think this was a Sweet 16 team. Maybe the Cardinal playing two games in St Louis this weekend was a good omen.

Andrew Wiggins scored four points for Kansas; someone has to explain to me why he is such a surefire lock to be an NBA star.

Kentucky 78, Wichita State 76-- This game had a different feel to it than all the other games this weekend; it was class warfare, the bluebloods against the tough, working class team. Kentucky's young team played their best game of the year, by far. Sometimes you handicap these games by picking the best player on the court; in this game, that was Kentucky's Julius Randle.

Iowa State 85, North Carolina 83-- Cyclones won without Georges Niang, its best player; their reward is a road game at Madison Square Garden against UConn in the next round. North Carolina gave up 58 points to the two point guards they played against this weekend, Cotton/Kane.

Tennessee 83, Mercer 63-- Only three SEC teams made the tournament, but those teams are a combined 7-0. Vols won three games this week, proving once again that playing in the First Four can be overcome. Great run for the Mercer Bears, who made the tournament for the first time since 1985.

UCLA 77, Stephen F Austin 60-- Bruins-VCU would've been good theater, but Rams gagged away their game Friday, giving UCLA a virtual bye into the second round. Lumberjacks had their 29-game winning streak snapped; what a great year they had. Too bad every team but one has to lose.

Baylor 85, Creighton 55-- ESPNU had a panel show Sunday night, after the field of 68 was announced; coaches on there were down on Creighton's shot at making the Sweet 16. Tough end to a great career for Doug McDermott.

On Feb 15, Baylor needed a last-second trey to tie Kansas State, where they beat the Wildcats- they would've been 15-10 had that shot not gone it, losers of eight of last ten games. Instead, they're now 12-2 in their last 14 games.

Virginia 78, Memphis 60-- This was an awful game; Cavaliers were on top of things, and go to Sweet 16 for first time since 1995, when they lost in the regional final to Arkansas. Memphis finishes the season 5-5 in their last ten games; Josh Pastner is 130-43 in five years there, but he replaced Calipari, who was 137-14 in his last four years with the Tigers.

Arizona 84, Gonzaga 61-- Over last six years, #1 seeds are now 15-8-1 vs spread in second round. WCC was down this year, but Gonzaga won a game in the tournament, which is probably overachieving.

5) John Smoltz was saying on MLB Network how spring training is really important for pitchers, it isn't too long. Position players would disagree, I'm sure. I just know I'll be glad when the season starts in full next Monday.

4) Kansas State got a technical foul Friday night for dunking in warmups, and it was a sub who dunked; that happened once when I was coaching in high school. Can't repeat what the head coach said to the kid at halftime that night; we'll just say the kid was convinced his playing career was over, which it was not, but he didn't know that. Tremendous comedy.

3) Recommendation to people who have food delivery businesses; please, please, please have people on the phone who understand and speak English. That way, I'll get what I ordered and will order from you again. Once you get the food order wrong, I'm not real eager to give you any more business.

2) A's are in their last spring training at Phoenix Municipal Stadium; they move to Mesa next spring. Light poles at Phoenix Muni came from the Polo Grounds in New York City, where the Giants used to play.

1) Wichita State-Kentucky game was a referendum on the "1-and-done" issue in college basketball. Kentucky has new players every year; they're like a junior college program on fast forward, or a D-League franchise. Wichita is a powerful mid-major that took seven years to get to this point.

College basketball would be better off if kids could go straight from high school to the NBA; if kids go to college, they should stay at least two years. You think these "1-and-done" kids are going to class spring semester? Please.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Dunkel

Princeton at Fresno State
The Tigers (9-5 road record) head to Fresno State tonight for the quarterfinals of the CBI Tournament and face a Bulldogs team that is 0-4 ATS in its last 4 home games against teams with a winning road record. Princeton is the pick (+3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Tigers favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Princeton (+3 1/2). Here are all of today's games.

MONDAY, MARCH 24

Game 621-622: Georgetown at Florida State (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Georgetown 62.643; Florida State 68.527
Dunkel Line: Florida State by 6
Vegas Line: Florida State by 4
Dunkel Pick: Florida State (-4)

Game 623-624: LSU at SMU (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LSU 64.240; SMU 65.799
Dunkel Line: SMU by 1 1/2
Vegas Line: SMU by 6
Dunkel Pick: LSU (+6)

Game 625-626: Arkansas at California (11:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arkansas 65.205; California 62.231
Dunkel Line: Arkansas by 3
Vegas Line: California by 3
Dunkel Pick: Arkansas (+3)

Game 627-628: Radford at Old Dominion (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Radford 49.232; Old Dominion 53.466
Dunkel Line: Old Dominion by 4
Vegas Line: Old Dominion by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Radford (+6 1/2)

Game 631-632: Penn State at Siena (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Penn State 62.099; Siena 54.768
Dunkel Line: Penn State by 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Penn State by 4
Dunkel Pick: Penn State (-4)

Game 633-634: Texas A&M at Illinois State (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas A&M 58.493; Illinois State 62.344
Dunkel Line: Illinois State by 4
Vegas Line: Illinois State by 2
Dunkel Pick: Illinois State (-2)

Game 635-636: Princeton at Fresno State (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Princeton 59.363; Fresno State 58.501
Dunkel Line: Princeton by 1
Vegas Line: Fresno State by 3 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Princeton (+3 1/2)

Game 637-638: NE-Omaha at Murray State (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NE-Omaha 52.192; Murray State 54.549
Dunkel Line: Murray State by 2 1/2
Vegas Line: Murray State by 6
Dunkel Pick: NE-Omaha (+6)

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Monday, March 24

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GEORGETOWN (18 - 14) at FLORIDA ST (20 - 13) - 3/24/2014, 3:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GEORGETOWN is 89-54 ATS (+29.6 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
GEORGETOWN is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in a NIT tournament game since 1997.
FLORIDA ST is 11-26 ATS (-17.6 Units) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points since 1997.
FLORIDA ST is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA ST is 7-20 ATS (-15.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games 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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LSU (20 - 13) at SMU (24 - 9) - 3/24/2014, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SMU is 14-7 ATS (+6.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
SMU is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in all home games this season.
SMU is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in home lined games this season.
SMU is 21-40 ATS (-23.0 Units) in home games after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.
SMU is 14-28 ATS (-16.8 Units) in all tournament games since 1997.
SMU is 31-49 ATS (-22.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.

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

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ARKANSAS (22 - 11) at CALIFORNIA (20 - 13) - 3/24/2014, 11:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARKANSAS is 78-108 ATS (-40.8 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
ARKANSAS is 7-20 ATS (-15.0 Units) as a road underdog of 3 points or less or pick since 1997.
ARKANSAS is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
ARKANSAS is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) in road lined games over the last 3 seasons.
ARKANSAS is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in road games in March games over the last 3 seasons.
ARKANSAS is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in road games after scoring 80 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
ARKANSAS is 72-115 ATS (-54.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
ARKANSAS is 48-79 ATS (-38.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.

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

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RADFORD (22 - 12) at OLD DOMINION (17 - 17) - 3/24/2014, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OLD DOMINION is 111-153 ATS (-57.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.

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

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PENN ST (16 - 17) at SIENA (16 - 17) - 3/24/2014, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SIENA is 34-17 ATS (+15.3 Units) in home games after a non-conference game since 1997.
SIENA is 31-14 ATS (+15.6 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1997.
PENN ST is 52-33 ATS (+15.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.

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

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TEXAS A&M (18 - 15) at ILLINOIS ST (17 - 15) - 3/24/2014, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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PRINCETON (21 - 8) at FRESNO ST (18 - 16) - 3/24/2014, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FRESNO ST is 36-23 ATS (+10.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
FRESNO ST is 36-23 ATS (+10.7 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
PRINCETON is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
PRINCETON is 27-14 ATS (+11.6 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
PRINCETON is 27-14 ATS (+11.6 Units) in road lined games over the last 3 seasons.
PRINCETON is 71-47 ATS (+19.3 Units) in road games after a non-conference game since 1997.
PRINCETON is 72-46 ATS (+21.4 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1997.
PRINCETON is 98-72 ATS (+18.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
FRESNO ST is 27-48 ATS (-25.8 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.

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

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NEBRASKA-OMAHA (17 - 14) at MURRAY ST (19 - 11) - 3/24/2014, 3:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MURRAY ST is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
MURRAY ST is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in all home games this season.
MURRAY ST is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in home lined games this season.
NEBRASKA-OMAHA is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in non-conference games this season.

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

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, March 24

Florida State won five of last seven games, losing to Syracuse/Virginia; Seminoles turn ball over 21.2% of timne, #320 in country- they start four sophomores. Georgetown lost five of last eight games, losing last four road games, three by 12+ points.

LSU is 6-7 in its last 13 games, winning first round game at USF; they lost to Memphis by 7, in only game vs AAC opponent. SMU lost three of last four games- they lost by 11 at Arkansas, in only game against an SEC opponent.

Arkansas won seven of last nine games, winning two of last three away games, one of which was at Kentucky; Razorbacks lost 85-77 to Cal in first round of Maui Classic Nov 25, in game where both teams took 30+ FTs. Cal Bears are 6-9 in their last fifteen games.

Old Dominion won four of last five home games, is 7-9 outside C-USA; Monarchs scored 82+ points in eight of their last eleven games. Radford won four of last five games, with three of four wins away from home.

Penn State split its last six true road games, winning at Ohio St/Indiana; they have best player on court in senior G Frazier. Lions won by 32 vs Monmouth, its only game vs MAAC foe. Siena won five of its last six games, losing to Canisius by 6 in MAAC tourney.

Texas A&M lost its last eight true road games; its last road win was Jan 11, at Tennessee. Aggies lost three of last four games overall; they've had three OT games in last nine games. Illinois State is 6-9 in last 15 games but they've won last six games at home in Normal.

Princeton won its last six games, with three of last four on road; Tigers won last game by point at Tulane. Fresno State won 10 of last 13 games, upsetting Miners in El Paso last game. Guerrero snapped out of 4 for 33 skid behind arc by hitting three of six 3's at UTEP.

Murray State won its last 11 home games since losing in November to Middle Tennessee; Racers won 15 of last 19 games overall. Omaha lost five of last seven games overall, six of last eight on road. Omaha scored 88+ points in each of its last three games.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB

Monday, March 24

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Trend Report
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12:00 PM
GEORGETOWN vs. FLORIDA STATE
Georgetown is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Georgetown is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Florida State is 17-6 SU in its last 23 games at home
Florida State is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games

7:00 PM
PENN STATE vs. SIENA
Penn State is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Penn State is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Siena's last 15 games at home
Siena is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:00 PM
RADFORD vs. OLD DOMINION
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Old Dominion's last 7 games
Old Dominion is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:00 PM
GEORGETOWN vs. FLORIDA STATE
Georgetown is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Georgetown is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Florida State is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Florida State's last 5 games at home

8:00 PM
NEBRASKA OMAHA vs. MURRAY STATE
No trends available
Murray State is 8-3-1 ATS in its last 12 games
Murray State is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games at home

9:00 PM
LSU vs. SOUTHERN METHODIST
LSU is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of LSU's last 10 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Southern Methodist's last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Southern Methodist's last 8 games

9:00 PM
TEXAS A&M vs. ILLINOIS STATE
Texas A&M is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Texas A&M is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Illinois State's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Illinois State's last 12 games at home

10:00 PM
PRINCETON vs. FRESNO STATE
Princeton is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Fresno State's last 8 games at home
Fresno State is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games

11:00 PM
ARKANSAS vs. CALIFORNIA
Arkansas is 5-20 SU in its last 25 games on the road
Arkansas is 4-11 ATS in its last 15 games on the road
California is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games
California is 15-5 SU in its last 20 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB

Monday, March 24


Iowa St. win, cover five straight, advance to Sweet 16

With the Iowa State's last second 85-83 win over the North Carolina in the Round of 32, the Cyclones not only advanced to the Sweet 16, but have won and covered five straight games.

The Cyclones closed as 1.5-point favorites against the Tar Heels and thanks to a last second basket by DeAndre Kane they were able to cover the spread once again. They have won and covered every game since the start of the Big 12 Tournament.

Iowa State will take on Connecticut in the Sweet 16 next Friday.


Kentucky halts Wichita State's incredible 35-game win streak

The Kentucky Wildcats halted the Wichita State Shockers incredible 35 game win streak with a 78-76 victory in the Round of 32 of the NCAA tournament Sunday and in doing so eliminated college hoops best bet against the spread this season.

The Midwest region No. 8 seed Wildcats closed as 4.5-point dogs versus the No. 1 Shockers, who end the season with a 25-7-1 record against the spread. The Shockers covered nine straight games before being upset by the Wildcats.

Kentucky will now face Louisville in the Sweet 16 next weekend.

[StarDust Bum]

Weekend Recap

March 23, 2014


Overall Betting Results

Play-In Games (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Favorites and Underdogs went 2-2 SU, 2-2 ATS
Under went 3-1

Second Round Games

Thursday/Friday
Favorites went 25-7 SU
Underdogs went 16-14-2 ATS
Over went 17-15
Biggest upset was Mercer (+13) SU over Duke. The Bears were +850 (Bet $100 to win $850) on the money-line.

Round of 32

Saturday
Favorites went 6-2 SU
Favorites went 5-3 ATS
Over and under was 4-4
Biggest upset was Dayton (+8 ½) over Syracuse. The Flyers were +350 on the money-line.

Sunday
Favorites went 5-3 SU
Favorites went 5-3 ATS
Over went 5-3
Biggest upset was Stanford (+6 ½) over Kansas. The Cardinal were +280 on the money-line.

Conference Results

America East (1-1 SU, 2-0 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

Albany went 1-1 SU, 2-0 ATS, over/under 1-1

Albany won its play-in game, and went toe-to-toe with Florida, handling themselves with aplomb. A nice run came to an end for the Great Danes, and their play was much prettier than their uniforms.

American Athletic (5-2 SU, 4-3 ATS)

Started with four teams, two left

Cincinnati went 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, under 1-0
Connecticut went 2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS, over 2-0
Louisville went 2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS, under 2-0
Memphis went 1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS, over/under 1-1

The AAC has a legitimate national title contender with defending champ Louisville in tow, and UConn has surprised to get back to the Sweet Sixteen.

Atlantic 10 (3-5 SU, 2-5-1 ATS)

Started with six teams, one left

Dayton 2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS, under 2-0
George Washington, 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, under 1-0
Massachusetts, 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, over 1-0
St. Joseph's 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, over 1-0
St. Louis 1-1 SU, 0-1-1 ATS, over/under 1-1
Virginia Commonwealth 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, over 1-0

One of the best mid-major conferences in America, but Dayton has made most of the headlines despite being the lowest seed heading into this tournament. UMass was absolutely brutal, getting dismembered by Tennessee. Saint Louis looked good in their play-in game, and held up well against Louisville before bowing out. Unfortunately, no 'Shaka Magic' for VCU this season.

ACC (5-5 SU, 4-5-1 ATS)

Started with six teams, one left

Duke 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, over 1-0
North Carolina 1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS, over 2-0
NC State 1-1 SU, 1-0-1 ATS, over/under 1-1
Pittsburgh 1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS, under 2-0
Syracuse 1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS, over/under 1-1
Virginia 1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS, over 1-0

The ACC took a lot of punches early on, but still have Virginia breathing as a No. 1 seed. Duke was a huge disappointment. So far, the Atlantic Coast has been only a friend to 'over' bettors.

Atlantic Sun (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

Mercer 1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS, over 2-0

Mercer pleased plenty of people by showing Duke an early exit. But they have a major injury in the middle, and that didn’t bode well in the third-round loss to Tennessee.

Big East (2-4 SU, 2-4 ATS)

Started with four teams, none left

Creighton 1-1 SU, 0-2 ATS, under 2-0
Providence 0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS, over 1-0
Villanova 1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS, over/under 1-1
Xavier 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, under 1-0

The Big East is a shell of its former self, and Creighton was the last team to be eliminated, in embarrassing fashion too. Providence won the conference tournament, but was shown the door by UNC in their first game. Xavier didn't look like they belonged, even in a play-in game, and Villanova was Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde.

Big Sky (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

Weber State 0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS, over 1-0

It was shades of Harold Arceneaux for a little while, but Weber State eventually bowed out to Arizona after a nice fight.

Big Ten (6-3 SU, 4-4-1 ATS)

Started with six teams, three left

Iowa 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, under 1-0
Michigan 2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS, over/under 1-1
Michigan State 2-0 SU, 0-1-1 ATS, over 2-0
Nebraska 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, over 1-0
Ohio State 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, under 1-0
Wisconsin 2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS, over/under 1-1

The Big Ten has Michigan and Wisconsin going strong, but Ohio State gave them a bit of a black eye, and late-season Cinderella Nebraska was unable to make any noise with their unexpected dancing shoes.

Big 12 (6-5 SU, 7-4 ATS)

Started with six teams, two left

Baylor 2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS, over/under 1-1
Iowa State 2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS, over 1-0
Kansas 1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS, under 2-0
Kansas State 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, under 1-0
Oklahoma 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, over 1-0
Oklahoma State 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, over 1-0
Texas 1-1 SU, 0-2 ATS, over 2-0

Who had Baylor and Iowa State representing the Big 12 in the Sweet 16? The Bears and Cyclones were surprises and so was the early exit for Bill Self and the Jayhawks. Oklahoma was embarrassed with a big upset against North Dakota State, but Texas showed well with a buzzer-beater against Arizona State and solid look against Michigan before heading into the sunset.

Big South (0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

Coastal Carolina 0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS, over 1-0

The Chanticleers made Myrtle Beach proud with a stout performance against the top-seed in Raleigh. No one in teal should be hanging their head.

Big West (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

Cal Poly SLO 1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS, over/under 1-1

For a sub-.500 team, the Mustangs handled themselves well, earning its first NCAA Tournament victory in Dayton before being overmatched like so many others against Wichita State.

Colonial Athletic Association (0-1 SU, 0-0-1 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

Delaware 0-1 SU, 0-0-1 ATS, over 1-0

The Blue Hens had an impressive, guard-laden team, but they were not nearly as talented as Michigan State. It's unfortunately, because if Delaware was matched up differently, they could very well have made some noise.

Conference USA (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

Tulsa 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, under 1-0

It's hard to believe this big conference had just one team, and the Golden Hurricane showed why. They were manhandled by UCLA, and didn't carry the conference flag well.

Horizon (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

Milwaukee 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, under 1-0

Milwaukee was not picked by most do be in the upper-echelon of the Horizon in the preseason, let alone go to the big dance. They overachieved, and will be back next season with renewed fervor and experience.

Ivy League (1-1 SU, 2-0 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

Harvard 1-1 SU, 2-0 ATS, over/under 1-1

Harvard handled themselves well, and does not resemble your typical Ivy League team. The biggest question in the offseason is whether Tommy Amaker heads for greener pastures.

Metro Athletic (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

Manhattan went 0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS, under 1-0

The Jaspers gave the defending champ Cardinals of Louisville all they wanted, and then some. The MAAC is a good league, and Manhattan represented its conference well.

Mid-American (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

Western Michigan 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, over 1-0

The MAC has to be disappointed that Western didn't do well against Syracuse, and this loss looks especially worse after Dayton bumped off the Orange in the next game.

MEAC (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

North Carolina Central 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, over 1-0

NC Central was flying high heading into the NCAA Tournament, but went out without a fight against a good Iowa State team.

Missouri Valley (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

Wichita State 1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS, over/under 1-1

This league had one team in, and unfortunately Wichita State’s perfect season came to end in the Round of 32 with a two-point loss (78-76) loss to Kentucky. Shockers still represented the conference well.

Mountain West (2-1 SU, 1-2 ATS)

Started with two teams, one left

New Mexico 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, under 1-0
San Diego State 2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS, over/under 1-1

The Mountain West was a good league all season, and San Diego State is having a nice run. The same cannot be said for New Mexico, who suffers an embarrassing defeat for the second straight season in the first game.

Northeast (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

Mount St. Mary's 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, under 1-0

'The Mount' was feisty in the play-in game, and should have had a better fate on a bigger stage.

Ohio Valley (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

Eastern Kentucky, 0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS, under 1-0

The Colonels handled themselves well and earned a cover against an injured, but still very dangerous Jayhawks team. EKU made the faithful back in Richmond proud.

Pac-12 (7-3 SU, 7-3 ATS)

Started with six teams, three left

Arizona 2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS, over 2-0
Arizona State 0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS, over 1-0
Colorado 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, under 1-0
Oregon 1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS, over/under 1-1
Stanford 2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS, under 2-0
UCLA 2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS, under 1-1

In recent years, there have been down times in the Pac-12. Not this season, as six teams represented the conference. Arizona is flying high, and UCLA is back up where they belong.

Patriot (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

American 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, under 1-0

American looked mismatched from the get-go against Wisconsin, and went out with a whimper.

SEC (7-0 SU, 6-1 ATS)

Started with three teams, three left

Florida 2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS, over/under 1-1
Kentucky 2-0 SU, 1-0 ATS, over/under 1-1
Tennessee 3-0 SU, 3-0 ATS, over 3-0

It was a down year for the SEC, but the Tournament Committee did a good job selecting Kentucky and Tennessee as at-large teams along with top overall seed Florida. It looks like the SEC could be represented well, even if only by a few.

Southern (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

Wofford 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, under 1-0

The SoCon is a quality group, and Wofford fought hard against Michigan before finally falling apart late. The Terriers have been frequently to the big dance, and they'll be back again sooner rather than later.

Southland (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

Stephen F. Austin 1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS, over/under 1-1

The Lumberjacks are the darlings of the West Regional, and busted a lot of brackets by showing previous Cinderella their way back home. They couldn’t muster up any luck in their Round of 32 loss to UCLA.

Southwestern Athletic (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

Texas Southern 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, over 1-0

The SWAC, we barely knew ya. Texas Southern's ride didn't last past Dayton.

Summit (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

North Dakota State 1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS, over/under 1-1

The Bison will be remembered for a couple of things. One, they had a stirring upset in the first game against Oklahoma, and two, their coach with a tearful good-bye presser in the third round.

Sun Belt (0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

Louisiana-Lafayette 0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS, 0-1 under

The Ragin' Cajuns didn't rage long, but they did cover, and for that bettors are very thankful.

West Coast (1-2 SU, 1-2 ATS)

Started with two teams, none left

Brigham Young 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, under 1-0
Gonzaga 1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS, over 2-0

The WCC is not quite a power conference, but one of the most underrated mid-majors (sorry, Gonzaga fans, you still are) in the nation. The Zags continue to dazzle, regardless of seed, but talent showed in their loss to No. 1 Arizona.

Western Athletic (0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS)

Started with one team, none left

New Mexico State 0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS, over 1-0

One of the images, or plays, most will remember from the early action is Indo-Canadian giant Sim Bhullar rambling down the court on a breakaway and dunk against San Diego State, and then a wry smile in the end.

[StarDust Bum]

Sweet 16 Notes

March 24, 2014


With the 2014 NCAA Tournament entering the SWEET 16 round, let’s take a different perspective in analyzing the teams that have arrived. This one pertains specifically to teams that are returning to the SWEET 16 for the 2nd straight year.

Do these experienced teams perform with aplomb and panache, or do they bomb like Ted Kaczynski on a blind date? Let’s take a peek.

ALL HANDS ON DECK

Unlike last year when half of the Sweet 16 field was made up of returnees, we find only five teams returning this season. They include – Arizona, Florida, Louisville, Michigan and Michigan State.

According to our database, since 1992, teams making a right-back appearance in the SWEET 16 are 68-46 SU and 50-62-2 ATS in this round of the tourney.

The cut-line, however, is often times the pointspread.

That’s confirmed by the fact that favorites of more than 6 points are 37-3 SU and 23-17 ATS in these games.

Priced at anything less (dog or favorite of 6 or fewer points), they dip drastically to 31-43 SU and 27-45-2 ATS in competitive contests.

Only Arizona finds itself making the cut (favored by 6 or more points) this year.

NOT QUITE A 10

Looking at it from a varied perspective, SWEET 16 returnees seem to struggle when arriving off a win of less than 10 points, going just 28-25 SU and 19-32-2 ATS.

This year finds Michigan State coming up short in the gene pool.

SEEDY DEVELOPMENT

As expected, #1 and #2 seeds fare the best in Sweet 16 games as returnees, going 50-17 SU combined. To the spread, however, they are money burners going 32-35 ATS.

No. 3 seeds have fared the worst, going 7-8 SU and 4-11 ATS as returnees in this round. Not good news for Iowa State.

Meanwhile, #4 or lower seed returnees are just 11-21 SU and 14-16-2 ATS. When facing a foe off a double-digit win they dip to 3-15 SU and 5-12-1 ATS in Sweet 16 games.

Certainly a not-so-Spartan role for Michigan State.

SAYANORA

Worse, when SWEET 16 returnees arrive and are forced to take on top quality foe with a win percentage of .830 or greater they spring a major leak, going 12-21 SU and 13-19-1 ATS, including 6-18 SU and 6-17-1 ATS in they won fewer than 30 games last season.

If these same teams are facing a foe off a win of 15 or more points they capsize, going 0-9 SU and 1-8 ATS.

The life rafts are ready and standing by for Arizona and Michigan State this Thursday and Friday.

The bottom line is you can draw your own conclusions, if you like. But make no mistake, when it comes to handicapping teams in the SWEET 16, the winners will likely be the better-qualified teams that have ‘been there-and-done that’.

Or those who know how to keep a ship afloat, if you know what I mean.

[StarDust Bum]

March Madness Record:

20- 22.....................*****

18- 14.....................DOUBLE PLAY

11 - 11 - 1 ....................TRIPLE PLAY


Monday, March 24

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Georgetown - 7:00 PM ET Florida St. -3 500 *****
Florida St. - Under 137.5 500

Penn St. - 7:00 PM ET Penn St. -4.5 500 *****
Siena - Under 136.5 500

Radford - 7:00 PM ET Old Dominion -7 500
Old Dominion - Under 140.5 500

Nebraska Omaha - 8:00 PM ET Nebraska Omaha +5.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Murray St. - Over 160 500

Louisiana State - 9:00 PM ET Louisiana State +7 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Southern Methodist - Over 141.5 500

Texas A&M - 9:00 PM ET Texas A&M +3 500 *****
Illinois St. - Under 127 500

Princeton - 10:00 PM ET Princeton +3 500
Fresno St. - Under 138.5 500

Arkansas - 11:00 PM ET Arkansas +2.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY
California - Over 152 500

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

Six puns for your Tuesday morning perusal.........

-- I'm reading a book about anti-gravity; I can't put it down.

-- Broken pencils are pointless.

-- I know a guy who is addicted to brake fluid; he says he can stop anytime he wants.

-- Why were the Indians here first? They had reservations.

-- I stayed up all night to see where the sun went; then it dawned on me.

-- What do you call a dinosaur with an extensive vocabulary? A thesaurus.

*****

Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but.......

13) Buzz Williams’ bolting Marquette for Virginia Tech raises questions about the Big East going forward; he is a successful coach, if he’d rather be at an ACC bottom feeder than a perennial contender for the NCAAs, playing in an NBA city, does he think the Big East is headed in a downward spiral?

12) Lets take a quick run thru the Big East:
-- Creighton/Butler have legit questions about their ability to recruit to keep their program at an elite level. I mean, if Greg McDermott could recruit at this level, he’d still be at Iowa State. Unless he has more sons.
-- DePaul/St John’s/Seton Hall haven’t been good in years, despite being located in areas where there are a ton of players. Every time a St John's player has two good games in a row he declares for the NBA Draft. Hard to develop a program that way.
-- Georgetown has regressed under John Thompson, while Villanova seems to collapse every March now.
-- Marquette had been doing well until this year, but their cupboard is going dry, which leaves Providence, Xavier as the lone two Big East programs on an upswing. League could use an infusion of coaching talent.

11) Hey, the #7 seed in the 10-team Big X (Baylor) is in the Sweet 16, so that’s a powerful league; the ACC and Big Dozen are also better than the Big East. Going to be interesting moving forward how the league either gets better or regresses even more. Its not looking good for them right now.

10) Dayton-Stanford matchup is just the second 10-11 seed matchup in a regional semi; VCU upset Florida State three years ago, in the other one.

9) Over last three NCAA tournaments, underdogs are 17-7 vs spread in regional semi-final round, which is this Thursday/Friday.

8) Why did Cam Newton wait until now to get his ankle operated on? Isn’t this late in the offseason for that? If it has bothered him for so long, why didn’t he get it fixed as soon as the season ended?

7) Former NBA great Walt Frazier was saying on the Knick game Sunday night how he didn’t like jerseys with sleeves, especially after they got wet with sweat; supposedly Lebron James and the NBA commish will meet this summer to talk about the future of sleeved jerseys in the NBA.

6) Someone should ask Jerry Sloan about them; until only a few years ago, Evansville traditionally wore sleeved uniforms, and Sloan played for the Purple Aces.

5) Wichita State lost assistant coach Chris Jans; he goes to Bowling Green, replacing Louis Orr as head coach.

4) Someone has to explain to me this “charter school” thing; how are these charter schools different than public or private schools? I know some people who have dealings with them, so I’ll have to find out, but I’m not sure why all kids don’t just go to public schools, unless their parents pay to send them somewhere else.

3) According to SB Nation, San Jose Sharks will travel 57,612 miles this year, most in the NHL; Phoenix Coyotes are next, at 52,633.

2) Since 2002, these teams have the worst home records in the NFL: Lions 38-58, Browns 38-58, Raiders 39-57.

1) I complained enough about Mike Krzyzewski not giving halftime interviews; need to point out he did give one at halftime of the Mercer game. If he is superstitious, it might be the last one he ever gives.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAA tournament Opening Line Report: Story behind Sweet 16 odds

The NCAA tournament is challenging not only basketball bettors but also basketball oddsmakers, forcing the sportsbooks to come up with spreads on games they never thought they’d see this deep into March Madness.

Who’d a thunk books would be posting odds on No. 10 Dayton versus No. 11 Stanford in the Sweet 16, when those two Cinderellas were surrounded by college hoops powerhouses like Ohio State, Kansas and Syracuse. But, here we are on Monday morning, staring down a 3-point spread that favors the Cardinal over the Flyers in the Round of 16.

“Dayton has showed well against some good competition and will have those playing the favorites a little scared,” Peter Korner, founder of the Nevada-based odds service The Sports Club, tells Covers. “Stanford is in a power conference but not at the top of (the Pac-12). The Flyers have faced a similar level on competition this year (in the Atlantic 10).”

Dayton and Stanford aren’t the only teams busting brackets this March. Tennessee has clawed its way into the Sweet 16, all the way from the First Four play-in round, and is getting a great deal of respect from oddsmakers in its matchup with Michigan, opening as a slight 1.5-point underdog in the Midwest semifinals.

“Tennessee’s not going to catch Michigan by surprise,” says Korner. “They’ve shown really well in the tournament. They’re offense is clicking and they’re peaking at the right time. I definitely think they’re worthy of a spot in the Sweet 16.”

While Tennessee, Dayton and Stanford have the best fit in the glass slipper, some other power-conference members - and recent national title winners – are trying to cram their hoof in the Cinderella's shoe this week. No. 8 Kentucky, No. 7 Connecticut, and No. 6 Baylor are all doing their best Cinderella impersonation in the Sweet 16.

The Wildcats proved talent is worth more than experience in an upset victory over No. 1 Wichita State in the Round of 32, and has drawn a favorable matchup against Blue Grass rivals Louisville – a team they know all too well - as 4.5-point underdogs in the regional semifinals. Kentucky defeated Louisville 73-66 as a 1.5-point home underdog back in late December and is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meeting between these in-state foes.

The Huskies banked on their familiarity with former Big East rival Villanova in Round 3 and sent the No. 2 seed packing, lining up a date with a red-hot Iowa State side that has won and covered in six straight games going back the final game of the Big 12 regular season. Books opened UConn as a 1-point underdog – not exactly the kind of spreads Cinderellas are used to.

The Bears also have a taste for upsets after thumping No. 3 Creighton by 30 points Sunday night, covering as dogs by 33.5 points. Baylor opened as a 4-point pup versus No. 2 Wisconsin in the Round of 16.

“Baylor came up with a big win, but Creighton doesn’t have a great history in the tournament,” Korner says. “I am surprised they’ve gone this far, though.”

Outside of the Cinderellas and would-be “Belles of the Ball”, a few spots in the bracket went somewhat according to plan, with three No. 1-versus-No. 4 matchups on the board.

Top-seeded Florida faces UCLA in the Sweet 16, with books opening the Gators as 5-point favorites over the Bruins, who have yet to truly be tested in the tournament against Tulsa and Stephen F. Austin.

Arizona has a rematch with No. 4 San Diego State Thursday, set as a 6.5-point favorite. These two power programs butted heads in November, with the Wildcats winning and covering as 6-point chalk, 69-60, at Viejas Arena in San Diego.

Korner says oddsmakers do go back and look at any rematches from the regular season – like Arizona-SDSU and Louisville-Kentucky – for any matchup issues that may present themselves in the tournament. However, most of the line is based on current form.

The final No. 1-No. 4 showdown could be the most impactful to the remainder of the tournament. No. 1 Virginia takes on No. 4 Michigan State – one of the co-favorites to win the national title at +350 – and is actually a 2-point underdog in the Sweet 16.

“There’s no real difference between a No. 1 and a No. 4 seed,” says Korner. “In that top four of the bracket, there isn’t much separating these teams. They both play the lower competition on opposite ends of the bracket. Everyone makes a big deal out of the seeding but there’s no difference. A No. 4 is just as good as a No. 1 seed.”

[StarDust Bum]

Virginia just second No. 1 Sweet 16 underdog in 22 years

The No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers are in exclusive company heading into Thursday’s Sweet 16 matchup with No. 4 Michigan State. And that’s not a good thing.

The Cavaliers, the top seed in the East Regional, opened as 2-point underdogs against the Spartans, becoming just the second No. 1 seed to be tagged as a Sweet 16 underdog since 1992.

According to Covers Expert Marc Lawrence and his extensive betting database, Virginia joins the 2005 Washington Huskies, who were 1.5-point underdogs against No. 4 Louisville in the Sweet 16 despite being the top seed in the regional. Washington lost that game 93-79.

Since the 2007 tournament, there have been seven No.1 teams set as an underdog, with those top seeds going 3-4 SU and ATS in those matchups. However, all of those games were against either a fellow No. 1 seed or a No. 2 seed.

Virginia has looked strong in its first two contests of the tournament, taking one-sided wins over Coastal Carolina and Memphis (1-1 ATS). The Cavaliers, who are listed at +1,000 to win the national title, are up against a Michigan State squad (+350) that is finally healthy after a season battling injuries. However, the Spartans nearly got stunned by Harvard in the Round of 32 Saturday night.

According to Peter Korner, founder of the Nevada-based odds service The Sports Club, seeding has very little to do with the oddsmaking process at this point in the tournament – especially when dealing with the Top 4 seeds.

“There’s no real difference between a No. 1 and a No. 4 seed,” Korner tells Covers. “In that top four of the bracket, there isn’t much separating these teams. They both play the lower competition on opposite ends of the bracket. Everyone makes a big deal out of the seeding but there’s no difference. A No. 4 is just as good as a No. 1 seed.”

Korner is very impressed with the Cavaliers and actually suggested a line of Virginia -1 during his late-night meeting with his stable of experienced Las Vegas oddsmakers. However, other linemakers brought MSU -1.5 to the table so he decided to side with the consensus.

As for how No. 1 seeds perform in the Round of 16, according to Lawrence, top-seeded teams are 64-17 SU and 40-38-3 ATS in the Sweet 16 since 1992.

However, if they are not off back-to-back ATS wins in their first two tournament games – like Virginia at 1-1 ATS – they fall to 40-15 SU and 22-30-3 ATS. This includes a 17-10 SU and 10-16-1 ATS record versus a No. 4 seed, going just 1-8 ATS in this situation since 2005.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB
Dunkel

Belmont at Clemson
The NIT continues tonight in Clemson where the Tigers host a Belmont team that is 6-14 ATS in its last 20 tournament games. Clemson is the pick (-7 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Tigers favored by 10. Dunkel Pick: Clemson (-7 1/2). Here are all of today's games.

TUESDAY, MARCH 25

Game 659-660: Belmont at Clemson (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Belmont 56.701; Clemson 66.509
Dunkel Line: Clemson by 10; 140
Vegas Line: Clemson by 7 1/2; 135
Dunkel Pick: Clemson (-7 1/2); Over

Game 661-662: Southern Mississippi at Minnesota (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Southern Mississippi 62.352; Minnesota 63.646
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1 1/2; 139
Vegas Line: Minnesota by 5; 136 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Southern Mississippi (+5); Over




NCAAB
Long Sheet

Tuesday, March 25

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BELMONT (26 - 9) at CLEMSON (22 - 12) - 3/25/2014, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BELMONT is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 over the last 3 seasons.
BELMONT is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in road games in all tournament games over the last 3 seasons.
CLEMSON is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points since 1997.

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

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SOUTHERN MISS (29 - 6) at MINNESOTA (22 - 13) - 3/25/2014, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SOUTHERN MISS is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) in all games this season.
SOUTHERN MISS is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) in all lined games this season.
SOUTHERN MISS is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
SOUTHERN MISS is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 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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NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, March 25

Belmont won 17 of last 20 games; remember, if they hadn't bolted from Atlantic Sun, Fla Gulf Coast/Mercer wouldn't have posted upsets in last two NCAAs, since Belmont was best team in that league. Bruins won in Chapel Hill this year, lost by 13 to both VCU/Kentucky- they're #1 in country, shooting 57.4% inside arc. Clemson won seven of its last ten games; seven of its last eight games were decided by 5 or less points.

Southern Miss won eight of last nine games, losing to Louisiana Tech in C-USA tourney; Golden Eagles won last four true road games, winning in C-USA tourney at UTEP, then Sunday at Missouri, when they used four subs 10+ minutes, only one starter more than 30. Minnesota won its last four home games, beating High Point/St Mary's in this tourney. USM lost by 31 to Louisville (Pitino Sr) back in December; they'll see a similar style here, with less talented players.




NCAAB

Tuesday, March 25

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
BELMONT vs. CLEMSON
Belmont is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Belmont's last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Clemson's last 12 games
Clemson is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home

9:00 PM
SOUTHERN MISS vs. MINNESOTA
No trends available
Minnesota is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Minnesota is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games


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NCAAB

Tuesday, March 25

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NIT quarterfinals betting cheat sheet
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Belmont Bruins vs. Clemson Tigers (-7.5, 135)

The Bruins were upset by Eastern Kentucky in the championship game of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament but have rebounded for solid victories over Green Bay and Robert Morris. J.J. Mann, a guard, leads Belmont with an 18.3 scoring average, followed by guards Craig Bradshaw (15.5) and Reece Chamberlain (11) and forward Drew Windler (10.4).

Tigers' forward K.J. McDaniels (1,008 points) had 12 points against Illinois to become the 37th player in school history to reach 1,000 career points. The 6-6 junior averages 17.3 points and 9.1 rebounds and his 95 blocks this season are eighth-most in school history. Hall averages 9.6 points and 3.9 assists while center Landry Nnoko has blocked 63 shots to go with averages of 6.4 points and 6.2 rebounds for a defensive-minded squad that allows 57.9 points per game.

TRENDS:

* Belmont is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games overall.
* Clemson is 12-5 ATS in its last 17 non-conference games.
* Over is 9-3 in Clemson's last 12 games overall.


Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers (-5, 136.5)

Winning on the road has become a point of pride for Southern Mississippi coach Donnie Tyndall, who believes his team can win anywhere. Tyndall says the positive experience at Missouri could be a factor. “They will be similar to Missouri, long and athletic,” Tyndall said. “It will be a tough place to play. It is going to be another tough challenge but we have won 11 true road games and 14 times away from home. So we're going to try to do it one more time.”

The Golden Gophers certainly could have looked at playing in the NIT as a consolation prize, but instead, they've embraced the challenge of winning the tournament. “I understand the NIT is tough for everybody because the ultimate goal is to make the NCAA tournament,” Pitino told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. “But I just thought these guys, you could tell they really want to keep playing. We're excited for Tuesday night.”

TRENDS:

* Southern Miss is 4-0-1 ATS in its last five non-conference games.
* Minnesota is 7-1 ATS in its last eight games versus C-USA.
* Under is 5-1 in Southern Miss' last six games overall.