Friday's Trends and Indexes - 3/7 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

[Udog]

NBA

Friday, March 7


Joe Johnson, Brooklyn Nets - Ques Fri

Brooklyn Nets guard Joe Johnson is fighting an illness and is questionable to play Friday against the Celtics.


Bucks' Ilyasova suspended one game

The NBA suspended Milwaukee Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova one game without pay for punching Sacramento Kings forward Reggie Evans in the stomach during Wednesday's game, the league announced Friday.

The incident occurred with 5:49 remaining in the fourth quarter of Milwaukee's 116-102 loss to the Kings.

Ilyasova will serve his suspension Friday when the Bucks visit the New Orleans Pelicans.

This season Ilyasova is averaging 10.9 points and 6.1 rebounds in 48 games, including 40 starts.


Report: Knicks asked Jackson to coach team

New York Knicks president and general manager Steve Mills met with Phil Jackson two weeks ago to discuss coaching the team next season, according to ESPN.

Citing sources, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith reported that the 68-year-old Jackson told the Knicks he was not interested.

However, Jackson has said in recent weeks that he might be interested in a front-office position, and that remains a possibility.

The Knicks snapped a seven-game losing streak by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, but are 22-40 and 5 1/2 games out of the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Jackson won a combined 11 NBA titles as coach of the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.

[Udog]

NFL

Friday, March 7


Beason to represent himself in free agency

Jon Beason is taking a unique approach to his first trip through free agency. Beason has emailed all 32 NFL teams informing them that he intends to represent himself in free agency.

Beason, who clearly is not familiar with the process, cannot speak to teams until Mar. 11 or else it would be considered tampering.

This scenario, though odd, is not unheard of. Recently Benard Pollard has represented himself and most famously Eric Dickerson represented himself.


QB Henne agrees to stay with Jaguars

Quarterback Chad Henne agreed to a two-year contract to stay with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday.

Henne, 28, has thrown for 5,325 yards with 24 touchdowns and 25 interceptions since signing a two-year, $6.75 million deal with Jacksonville in 2012.

Henne's 3,241 passing yards last year was the first time a Jaguar has thrown for at least 3,000 since David Garrard in 2009.

In the final five games last season, Henne threw nine touchdowns and five interceptions.

Henne is 5-14 as a starter with the Jaguars after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He was 13-18 as a starter with Miami.


Reports: Saints shopping RBs Thomas, Sproles

The New Orleans Saints are shopping running backs Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles as they look for ways to make salary cap space, according to multiple reports.

The Saints are estimated to be close to even with the cap after designating tight end tight end Jimmy Graham as their franchise player and making a restricted free agent tender to safety Rafael Bush.

The team already released defensive linebackers Will Smith and Jonathan Vilma, and defensive backs Roman Harper and Jabari Greer. They are also expected to part with longtime wide receiver Lance Moore to cut more salary.

Thomas rushed for 549 yards with a pair of touchdowns in 2013. Sproles had just 220 rushing yards and two touchdowns but made 71 catches for 604 yards with two receiving TDs in 15 games last year.

[Udog]

NCAAF

Friday, March 7


Nebraska gives Pelini five-year extension

Nebraska coach Bo Pelini received a five-year contract extension that runs through 2018, according to CBS Sports.

Financial terms were not released.

Pelini is 58-24 in six years as the Cornhuskers' coach. The team has won at least nine games in each of those seasons. The Cornhuskers, 9-4 last season, finished it with a 24-19 victory over Georgia in the Gator Bowl, their first bowl win since 2009.

[Udog]

NASCAR betting booms with Kolbalt 400 in Las Vegas

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ annual stop in Las Vegas always makes for fast and furious action, on the track and inside the sportsbooks.

According to Ed Salmons, sportsbook manager at the LVH Superbook, the Kolbalt 400 is the biggest NASCAR betting event of the season for local markets, even topping the handle on marquee races like the Daytona 500 and Aaron’s 499 at Talladega.

Salmons says the handle on the Las Vegas race with be 50 percent higher than what the books took on last month’s Daytona 500 opening race, and generally is five times bigger than a normal weekly Sprint Cup event.

Sportsbooks meet that demand by offering additional odds to their already existing NASCAR markets, pumping out long lists of driver matchups, Over/Under finishes, race props and group matchups or “speed lanes”.

This Sunday’s favorite to win the Kolbalt 400 is defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson (+500), who has four wins and an average finish of 9.5 in 12 starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Defending race winner Matt Kenseth is set at +700 along with Las Vegas native Kyle Busch.

The one driver garnering the most action heading into the weekend, according the Salmons, is Danica Patrick, who is currently available at +50,000 to win the Kolbalt 400. Patrick finished last year’s Las Vegas race in 33rd after starting 37th.

[Udog]

NCAAB

Saturday, March 8

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Saturday's Top 25 NCAAB cheat sheet: Early games
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Kentucky Wildcats at Florida Gators (-8)

The Wildcats are in no real danger of missing out on the NCAA Tournament but could use a momentum boost before their young team begins March Madness in earnest. Kentucky played back-to-back overtime games - beating LSU and falling to Arkansas at home - before losing to lightly-regarded South Carolina last weekend, a setback that sent the team tumbling down the rankings. The Wildcats shot 26.9 percent against the Gamecocks.

The Gators are the best defensive team in the SEC and are balanced on the offensive end, where several different players are capable of taking over a game. It was Casey Prather (24 points) and Scottie Wilbekin (23) doing the damage in the first meeting with Kentucky, and Frazier II got his chance to shine on Tuesday with a school-record 11 3-pointers en route to a career-high 37 points.

TRENDS

* Wildcats are 3-12-2 ATS in their last 17 road games.
* Gators are 0-5 ATS in their last five games following a win of more than 20 points.
* Under is 7-2 in Kentucky's last nine games.
* Under is 6-1 in the last seven meetings.


Southern Methodist Mustangs at Memphis Tigers (-4)

The Mustangs are coming off an 84-71 setback against the Louisville Cardinals, victimized by 22 second-half points from Russ Smith. Nick Russell led the way with 18 points and five assists for Southern Methodist, which shot 51.1 percent from the field but committed a whopping 23 turnovers - eight by Russell. Nic Moore paces the Mustangs in scoring (13.8) and assists (4.6) while shooting 45.5 percent from beyond the arc.

The Tigers will be looking to end the season on a positive note after dropping a 97-84 decision to Cincinnati for its second loss in three games. Joe Jackson had 21 points, Michael Dixon Jr. added 19 and Austin Nichols chipped in with 17 for Memphis, which allowed the Bearcats to shoot 53.3 percent while forcing just three turnovers all game. Jackson averages a team-best 14.3 points but is hitting just 26 percent of his shots from 3-point range.

TRENDS

* Mustangs are 5-0 ATS in their last five Saturday games.
* Tigers are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games following an ATS loss.
* Under is 4-1 in SMU's last five games.
* Home team is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.


Kansas Jayhawks at West Virginia Mountaineers (+4)

Tarik Black scored a career-high 19 points to go along with six rebounds in place of the injured Joel Embiid against Texas Tech. Naadir Tharpe dished out a game-high five assists versus the Red Raiders and finished without a turnover for the sixth time this season. Andrew Wiggins, who leads the team in scoring (16) and steals (one), netted nine points against Texas Tech in what was likely his final game at Allen Fieldhouse.

Juwan Staten tops the Mountaineers in points (18.2) and assists (5.8), and poured in a game-high 24 points in the loss to Oklahoma. Eron Harris, who scored 28 points versus the Sooners on Feb. 5, was held to a season-low five points on 2-of-9 shooting from the field. West Virginia is averaging 78 points per game, but has been held below its scoring average in four of its last five outings.


TRENDS

* Jayhawks are 20-7-1 ATS in their last 28 games vs. Big 12 opponents.
* Mountaineers are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games.
* Over is 6-1 in Kansas' last seven games following an ATS win.
* Over is 6-1 in West Virginia's last seven home games.


Cincinnati Bearcats at Rutgers Scarlet Knights (+8)

Guard Sean Kilpatrick led the Bearcats' offensive attack Thursday, erupting for a season-high 34 points to keep Cincinnati's hopes of a conference championship intact. The sensational senior shone in the final home game of his collegiate career and will now look to lead the Bearcats to their second win over Rutgers this season. Kilpatrick poured in 16 points in Cincinnati's 71-51 triumph over the Scarlet Knights back on Jan. 11.

The Scarlet Knights have been in a tailspin over the past three weeks, dropping five of their past six games while struggling to score in the process. Rutgers averages better than 72 points per game on the season but has reached that total just once since mid-February, recording fewer than 66 points in the other five contests. Myles Mack (15.3 points per game) and Kadeem Jack (14.4) lead the offensive assault.

TRENDS

* Bearcats are 4-13 ATS in their last 17 road games.
* Scarlet Knights are 6-21 ATS in their last 27 games following an ATS win.
* Under is 40-11 in Cincinnati's last 51 games.
* Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings.


Oklahoma State Cowboys at Iowa State Cyclones (-3.5)

Cowboys guard Marcus Smart is averaging 18 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.8 assists since his return from a three-game suspension, but it's his 4.5 steals over that same stretch that really stand out. The Cowboys have recorded at least nine steals in every game during their four-game winning streak, contributing to their plus-6.5 turnover differential over that span. Oklahoma State is 80-of-98 from the foul line during its winning streak.

The struggles of Georges Niang (2-of-11) and Big 12 leading scorer Melvin Ejim (3-of-14) as well as 14 turnovers ultimately proved to be the Cyclones’ undoing against Baylor’s zone, resulting in a 74-61 loss to Baylor. DeAndre Kane, who hit five of Iowa State’s 12 3-pointers on Tuesday, has been every bit as good as Smart over his last five games, averaging 20.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists.

TRENDS

* Cowboys are 4-0-1 ATS in their last five games.
* Cyclones are 2-5 ATS in their last seven home games.
* Over is 20-5-1 in Iowa State's last 26 home games.
* Over is 13-5-1 in the last 19 meetings.


Georgetown Hoyas at Villanova Wildcats (-11.5)

The Hoyas are coming off their biggest victory in over a month, a 75-69 triumph over Doug McDermott and No. 13 Creighton. D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera was the catalyst for the upset with 18 points and 12 rebounds while Markel Starks added 17 points and 11 assists in his final collegiate home game. Starks (17 points per game) and Rivera (16.9) have guided the offense for most of the season, with Joshua Smith (11.5) contributing, as well.

With the Big East championship secured following Thursday's 77-70 victory over Xavier, the Wildcats can relax a little and revel in the school's first conference title since 1981-82. Darrun Hillard led the way with 19 points in the win, while JayVaughn scored eight of his 15 points over the final 3:20. James Bell paces Villanova with 15 points and six rebounds per game, while Pinkston (14.4, 6.1) has been solid in a supporting role.

TRENDS

* Hoyas are 7-2 in their last nine games vs. Big East opponents.
* Wildcats are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 Saturday games.
* Over is 9-3 in Georgetown's last 12 road games.
* Home team is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.


Connecticut Huskies at Louisville Cardinals (-10)

The Huskies would like to lock up third place in the AAC to avoid opening the conference tournament against ranked foes SMU or Memphis - schools battling for the Nos. 3-5 slots along with Connecticut. Shabazz Napier did his best to keep the Huskies rolling with 26 points in a 69-63 triumph over Rutgers on Wednesday, knocking down a career-high seven 3-pointers while celebrating senior night.

It will be Russ Smith’s turn to celebrate senior day in the Cardinals’ final home game Saturday, and the guard is ending his career with a bang by averaging 23 points in the last three games. Louisville, which can clinch at least a tie for the top spot in the AAC with a win, got 23 points from Smith in a 76-64 triumph at Connecticut on Jan. 18. Louisville forces an average of 17.2 turnovers per game.

TRENDS

* Huskies are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games.
* Cardinals are 1-5 ATS in their last six Saturday games.
* Over is 20-6 in Louisville's last 26 home games.
* Connecticut is 1-7 ATS in the last eight meetings.


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[Udog]

NCAAB

Saturday, March 8

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Saturday's Top 25 NCAAB cheat sheet: Late games
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Oklahoma Sooners at Texas Christian Horned Frogs ()

The Sooners' defense has not been a strength, but they have held Texas and West Virginia to an average of 63.5 points over their last two victories. Cameron Clark took charge offensively Wednesday in his final home game, registering 19 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Ryan Spangler has 10 double-doubles on the season but has averaged only 6.3 points and 7.3 rebounds over the last four games.

The Horned Frogs actually had some decent wins early in the season, defeating Washington State and Mississippi State on the road and beating Tulsa twice. However, the team has not scored 70 points in any game during its 17-game skid, although Kyan Anderson continues to pull his weight offensively. The junior guard is averaging 17 points and fell one point shy of his career high with 28 points in Wednesday's loss to Texas.

TRENDS

* Sooners are 5-0 ATS in their last five games.
* Horned Frogs are 20-45 ATS in their last 65 home games.
* Over is 16-6 in Oklahoma's last 22 games following an ATS win.
* Under is 5-0 in TCU's last five games.


Arizona Wildcats at Oregon Ducks (+3)

The Wildcats have won five straight and appear back on track after losing forward Brandon Ashley to a season-ending foot injury on Feb. 1 against California. They’re averaging 82 points over their last four games, with guard Gabe York shooting 12-of-26 from 3-point range over the last five contests. Freshman forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson posted his first-career double-double in last month’s meeting with Oregon.

Forward Mike Moser, the reigning Pac-12 player of the week, continued his strong play with 22 points and 17 rebounds in Tuesday’s 85-78 win over Arizona State. The Ducks are hoping for a repeat performance from 6-11 center Waverly Austin, who turned in his best performance in two years with a career-high 10 rebounds and five blocks against the Sun Devils. Guard Joseph Young averages a team-high 18.8 points.

TRENDS

* Wildcats are 4-1 ATS in their last five games.
* Ducks are 16-6-4 ATS in their last 26 games following a win.
* Over is 4-0-2 in Arizona's last six games.
* Under is 6-1 in the last seven meetings.


Indiana Hoosiers at Michigan Wolverines (-10.5)

Indiana hopes to have freshman standout Noah Vonleh back on the floor when it attempts to complete a season sweep of No. 12 Michigan. The host Hoosiers have been without Vonleh – who averages 11.6 points and 9.1 rebounds – for the past two games due to foot soreness and would like to build some momentum heading into next week’s Big Ten tournament. Guard Yogi Ferrell averages a team-best 17.4 points.

Nik Stauskas averages 17.3 points and has made a team-high 70 3-pointers and has scored in double digits in eight consecutive games, including a 21.3 average over the last four outings. One of his toughest contests of the season came in the 63-52 loss to Indiana on Feb. 2 when he had just six points on 1-of-6 shooting. Guard Caris LeVert chips in 13.4 points per game while forward Glenn Robinson III averages 13.

TRENDS

* Hoosiers are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games following a loss.
* Wolverines are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 home games.
* Under is 5-1 in Indiana's last six road games.
* Under is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings in Michigan.


Providence Friars at Creighton Bluejays (-12.5)

The Friars got 25 points from Bryce Cotton, including 20 in the second half, to get past Marquette 81-80 in double overtime on Tuesday night. Cotton's average of 21.7 points leads the Friars and is good for 12th in the nation. Providence is 6-4 against Creighton all-time and has won three straight in the series, including an 81-68 triumph at home Jan. 18.

The Bluejays are looking to get their swagger back after suffering consecutive losses for the first time in three months. Creighton is led by the scoring prowess of forward Doug McDermott, who leads the nation at 25.9 points per game and had 22 points and 12 rebounds in Tuesday's 75-63 defeat at the hands of the Georgetown Hoyas. Creighton averages 79.6 points per game to lead the Big East.

TRENDS

* Friars are 6-1 ATS in their last seven Saturday games.
* Bluejays are 6-0 ATS in their last six home games vs. teams with winning road records.
* Over is 6-0 in Providence's last six games.
* Under is 9-2 in Creighton's last 11 games following a loss.


Illinois Fighting Illini at Iowa Hawkeyes (-11.5)

The Fighting Illini saw their three-game winning streak come to an end in jarring fashion, losing 84-53 to the Michigan Wolverines. After limiting four straight opponents below the 50-point mark, Illinois ran into a Michigan buzzsaw that shot 56.9 percent from the field and a stunning 69.6 percent from beyond the arc. Rayvonte Rice paced the Illini with 16 points, right at his team-leading average of 15.8.

The Hawkeyes haven't been the same since seeing their Feb. 18 game against the Indiana Hoosiers postponed after a piece of metal fell from the Assembly Hall ceiling. Iowa has dropped four of its last five games, most recently an 86-76 setback at the hands of the Michigan State Spartans on Thursday night. Roy Devyn Marble averages a team-best 17.3 points, and has scored 20 or more in each of his last five games.

TRENDS

* Fighting Illini are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games following a loss.
* Hawkeyes are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 Saturday games.
* Under is 6-1 in Illinois' last seven games.
* Under is 7-1-1 in the last nine meetings in Iowa.


North Carolina Tar Heels at Duke Blue Devils (-8)

Leslie McDonald had his best game of the season when these teams met last month, scoring 21 points - and Duke likely will key on the 6-5 shooting guard this time around. McDonald also has cooled off the last three games, however, averaging seven points in that stretch to put him at 10.7 for the season. J.P. Tokoto might be the hottest player on the Tar Heels, sinking all five of his field-goal attempts in Monday’s two-point win over Notre Dame.

Jabari Parker never did hit a freshman wall for the Blue Devils. He has reached double figures in scoring each of the last 13 games and double digits in rebounds the last five, putting him in position to be one of seven freshmen since 2000 to average at least 18 points and eight boards for a season. The 6-8 Parker likely will be guarded by forward Kennedy Meeks at the start of the game, but look for Brice Johnson to get some turns as well.

TRENDS

* Tar Heels are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games vs. teams with winning records.
* Blue Devils are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six Saturday games.
* Under is 5-1 in Duke's last six games vs. ACC opponents.
* Under is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings.


New Mexico Lobos at San Diego State Aztecs (-4)

Lobos forward Cameron Bairstow averages 20.3 points and 7.2 rebounds, and has topped 20 points in six of the last eight games. Center Alex Kirk (13.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 79 blocked shots) rejected five San Diego State shots in the first meeting, a 58-44 New Mexico victory. New Mexico has held five straight foes under 60 points, allowing an average of 53.6 during the stretch.

Xavier Thames (16.7 points per game) suffered through a 3-of-15 shooting performance for seven points in the first meeting as part of a three-game slump during which he missed 24-of-30 shots. He rebounded to average 20.5 points over the last two games – including 19 in Wednesday’s road win at UNLV. Aztecs forward Winston Shepard (12.5 points) has reached double digits in seven of the last eight games.

TRENDS

* Lobos are 5-0 ATS in their last five Saturday games.
* Aztecs are 4-1 ATS in their last five games.
* Under is 14-2 in SDSU's last 16 home games.
* Favorite is 6-0 ATS in the last six meetings.


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[Udog]

NCAAB

Saturday, March 8

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Four NCAAB teams fighting for their tournament lives this weekend
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The final weekend of the regular season is upon us and schools have one last chance to impress the tournament selection committee before the major conference tournaments begin.

Here are some teams holding extra betting value, needing to impress with wins to boost their tournament resumes this weekend:

Nebraska Cornhuskers (18-11, 18-10 ATS)

Opponent: Wisconsin

Nebraska has a good tournament case, but could ink its name in the field of 64 with a big Senior Night win over the No. 11 Badgers Sunday. The Cornhuskers could also secure themselves a top-four finish and a buy into the second round of the Big Ten tournament if they can keep up their impressive homecourt form, as Nebraska has lost just once in Lincoln all year.


Oklahoma State Cowboys (20-10, 12-13-1 ATS)

Opponent: Iowa State

After a long collapse during Big 12 play, the Cowboys have gone from title favorites to a potential bubble team depending on how the conference tournament shakes out. Marcus Smart and the Cowboys can remove the uncertainty with a big road win over a Top 25 team on the final day of their regular season that would most certainly change the script of how their season unfolded.


West Virginia Mountaineers (16-14, 13-14 ATS)

Opponent: Kansas

West Virginia's tournament hopes hinge on a big Senior Night opportunity against the Big 12 regular season champions Kansas. Bob Huggins' Mountaineers are 8-9 in the conference but could make a serious claim for bubble status with a big upset over the Jayhawks. If they lose, they will likely be NIT bound.


Georgetown Hoyas (17-12, 15-13 ATS)

Opponent: Villanova

Georgetown also has a game that might be its only shot at punching a ticket to the tournament when the Hoyas travel to Big East rivals Villanova to close out their season. The Hoyas, at 8-9 in a diluted conference, will need to find a way to topple the regular season champions on Senior Night in order to keep their NCAA dreams alive without having to win out in the conference tournament.


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[Udog]

NCAAB

Saturday, March 8

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Game of the Day: Kentucky at Florida
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Kentucky Wildcats at Florida Gators (-9)

Top-ranked Florida is one win away from a perfect SEC regular season, and all that stands in the way is rival Kentucky. The Gators host the 24th-ranked Wildcats in the regular-season finale on Saturday. Florida owns a 22-game winning streak overall and has been lightly challenged in league play while making a bid to become the first non-Kentucky school to go undefeated in the SEC since Alabama in 1956.

The Gators routed South Carolina 72-46 on Tuesday behind a record-setting performance from Michael Frazier II and have a chance to post the first ever 18-0 mark in SEC play. The Wildcats are holding down second place in the SEC, five games behind Florida, and bounced back from back-to-back losses with a 55-48 home win over Alabama on Tuesday. Kentucky allowed the Gators to shoot 60 percent from the field in the second half of a 69-59 setback in the first meeting on Feb. 15.

TV: 12 p.m. ET, CBS

LINE HISTORY: The Gators opened as 9-point home faves.

POWER RANKINGS: Kentucky (-10.4) - Florida (-18.0) + Home Court (-3.0) = Florida -10.6

INJURY WATCH: Gators - Dillon Graham (out for season, hip)

ABOUT KENTUCKY (22-8 SU, 12-14-2 ATS, 10-16-2 O/U): The Wildcats are in no real danger of missing out on the NCAA Tournament but could use a momentum boost before their young team begins March Madness in earnest. Kentucky played back-to-back overtime games - beating LSU and falling to Arkansas at home - before losing to lightly-regarded South Carolina last weekend, a setback that sent the team tumbling down the rankings. The Wildcats shot 26.9 percent against the Gamecocks and weren’t much better on Tuesday, when they shot 32.7 percent and needed a comeback in the second half to squeeze out a 55-48 victory over Alabama.

ABOUT FLORIDA (28-2 SU, 13-12-1 ATS, 8-17-1 O/U): The Gators are the best defensive team in the SEC and are balanced on the offensive end, where several different players are capable of taking over a game. It was Casey Prather (24 points) and Scottie Wilbekin (23) doing the damage in the first meeting with Kentucky, and Frazier II got his chance to shine on Tuesday with a school-record 11 3-pointers en route to a career-high 37 points. “I kind of got in the zone, but I never really felt anything,” Frazier told reporters. “I don’t know. I was just kind of there.”

TRENDS:

* Under is 6-1 in the last seven meetings.
* Wildcats are 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall.
* Gators are 1-5 ATS in their last six games after allowing less than 50 points in their previous game.
* Under is 11-4 in Gators last 15 Saturday games.


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[Udog]

NCAAB

Saturday, March 8

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Game of the Night: North Carolina at Duke
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North Carolina Tar Heels at Duke Blue Devils (-8)

North Carolina has come a long way since its 1-4 start to ACC play, and the No. 14 Tar Heels can climb another rung Saturday as they travel to No. 4 Duke for the regular-season finale. North Carolina has won 12 consecutive games, its longest winning streak since capturing the first 13 in 2008-09, and possibly can climb into second place in the conference standings with a victory and a Syracuse loss to Florida State on Sunday. The Tar Heels topped Duke by eight points on Feb. 20 in a game that was postponed eight days because of inclement weather, and the Blue Devils lost again Wednesday against Wake Forest to drop one game behind both North Carolina and Syracuse and into fourth place.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski experienced dizziness against Wake Forest, was forced to take a knee during a timeout and later underwent precautionary tests at Duke University Medical Center, but the school released a statement Thursday that said Krzyzewski had “improved considerably” and is likely to be back on the bench against North Carolina. The Tar Heels won their first five games on their current streak by double figures and later blew out Wake Forest by 33 points on Feb. 22, but they’ve won their last three contest by four points or fewer, all against teams in the bottom half of the conference standings. Marcus Paige scored a career-high 35 points in an overtime win over North Carolina State last week, but North Carolina’s leading scorer has been held to single digits the last two games, dropping his scoring average to 16.9.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN

LINE HISTORY: The Blue Devils opened as 8-point home favorites.

POWER RANKINGS: North Carolina (-12.6) - Duke (-16.3) + Home Court (-3.0) = Duke -6.7

INJURY WATCH: N/A

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (23-7 SU, 16-14 ATS, 14-15 O/U ): Leslie McDonald had his best game of the season when these teams met last month, scoring 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting, and Duke likely will key on the 6-5 shooting guard this time around. McDonald also has cooled off the last three games, however, averaging seven points in that stretch to put him at 10.7 for the season. J.P. Tokoto might be the hottest player on the Tar Heels, sinking all five of his field-goal attempts in Monday’s two-point win over Notre Dame and converting 20-of-30 in the last four games overall.

ABOUT DUKE (23-7 SU, 17-12-1 ATS, 13-16-1 O/U): Jabari Parker never did hit a freshman wall for the Blue Devils. He has reached double figures in scoring each of the last 13 games and double digits in rebounds the last five, putting him in position to be one of seven freshmen since 2000 to average at least 18 points and eight boards for a season. The 6-8 Parker likely will be guarded by another freshman, 6-9 forward Kennedy Meeks, at the start of the game, but look for 6-9 sophomore Brice Johnson to get some turns against Parker as well.

TRENDS:

* Tar Heels are 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings in Duke.
* Underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Tar Heels are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games overall.
* Blue Devils are 0-3-1 ATS in their last four vs. Atlantic Coast.


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