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**Udog** · 03-21-2014, 09:38 AM

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

-- Wake Forest fired hoop coach Jeff Bzdelik; at some point, Ben Howland will get another job, won't he?

-- Angels traded Mike Scioscia's son to the Cubs for Wayne Gretzky's son. Seriously, they did. Both players play in Class A minor leagues.

-- Bubba Watson shot an 83 and WD from Arnold Palmer's tournament in Orlando; he had an 11 on one hole, then blamed his allergies.

-- NFL signing: Devin Hester to Atlanta, to bolster their return game.

-- If Chip Kelly doesn't want DeSean Jackson around anymore, why would anyone else want him?

-- Get well soon Aroldis Chapman, who had surgery to help fix broken bones in his face after he was sit by a line drive Wednesday night.

*****

Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Wrapping up Day 1 of March Madness

Dayton 60, Ohio State 59-- Buckeyes don't play in-state teams in their non-conference schedule, but they had to play Dayton here and Flyers got a game-winning basket with 0:06 left to win it. Dayton outscored Ohio State in transition, 20-12; that wasn't expected. Good win for Atlantic 13.

Wisconsin 75, American 35-- American was winning 17-10 at one point; really, they were. Badgers are 17-12 in NCAA tourney under Bo Ryan, but 13 of the 17 wins are against teams seeded 10th or worse.

Pittsburgh 77, Colorado 48- Buffaloes overachieved to get into the NCAAs after losing star guard Spencer Dinwiddie early in conference season, but they laid an egg here and got trounced. Panthers were 6.5-point favorites; that was the biggest spread in any 8-9 game since 1987.

Harvard 61, Cincinnati 57-- When you get a technical foul for not having a player in the scorebook, thats on your coaching staff, even moreso since that happened in the Mountain West tourney last week, so EVERYONE should be aware of it. Harvard was the tougher team in this game; Bearcats missed a ton of short shots (17-45, 37.8%) inside the arc. Thats on the players.

Syracuse 77, Western Michigan 53-- When Orange won national title in 2003, they played two games here in Albany, where the arena setting gave them more of a home court edge than they're used to in their dome at home. Same thing here; arena in Buffalo gives them a formidable home court edge.

Florida 67, Albany 55-- Game was 39-all with 14:10 left, but the best team in America isn't losing to the 4-seed from America East. Will Brown is 4-1 vs spread in NCAA tournament games, and he's played some of the big boys-- UConn, Duke, Virginia, Florida.

Oregon 87, BYU 68-- Selection Committee has to be happy with the way Thursday went, but BYU didn't belong in the field with Collinsworth hurt. Ducks have now won nine of their last ten games. They'll have a tough time beating the Badgers in Milwaukee Saturday.

Michigan State 93, Delaware 78-- Adreian Payne scored 41, but Izzo has to be concerned with Delaware going 30-39 on foul line. Only two Spartans played more than 25:00; they get Harvard Saturday. State was 10-19 from arc in this game; that doesn't happen every day.

UConn 89, St Joe's 81 ot-- Hard to win any game when your bench plays total of 9:00, and in OT to boot. UConn hit 11-24 from arc and still needed an extra 5:00 to win, inferring that the better team may have lost. First win in NCAAs for Kevin Ollie, who gets old friend Villanova Saturday.

Michigan 57, Wofford 40-- Southern Conference teams generally cannot compete athletically with big-time schools. That was the case here. After Day 1 of the tournament. only 18,741 out of 11M+ -plus brackets got all 16 games right; Warren Buffett probably isn't too worried.

Saint Louis 83, NC State 80 ot-- With 8:13 to go, Wolfpack was up by 16; they were still up six in last minute. State was 20-37 from foul line, and that will haunt them until practice starts in October.

North Dakota State 80, Oklahoma 75 ot-- Lawrence Alexander tied game with a trey at 0:12 mark, then more experienced Bison won in OT, giving the Summit League a rare postseason win. Had New Mexico State won late last night, we would have had the strangest second round game ever, but Bison are facing San Diego State in their next game.

Villanova 73, Milwaukee 53-- Only thing that kept this game from extreme ugliness was Wildcats starting 1-19 from the arc. Wildcats are a funny team; they've won a lot of games, but are seldom real impressive. Only two of their guys played more than 27:00, which will help Saturday.

Texas 87, Arizona State 85-- Total heartbreak for ASU, as last five Texas points came off of offensive rebounds after horrible airballs. Jahii Carson had 19 points, nine assists in his last college game. Seriously, if Texas hits the rim with either of its last two jumpshots, they probably would've lost.

Louisville 71, Manhattan 64-- Hancock bailed defending champs out of a fierce struggle with couple of 3-pointers late. Mirror image teams fought like hell for two hours; bad news for Manhattan is that coach Masiello won't be coaching the Jaspers very much longer; he is destined for bigger things.

San Diego State 73, New Mexico State 69 ot-- Aztecs held on to win in OT in a far less-publicized teacher/pupil matchup. San Diego State led by 12 at the half, but Aggies fought back as Aztecs damn near gagged game away at end of regulation. San Diego State lost to Florida Gulf Coast LY, now they're playing North Dakota State Saturday. Hello, Cinderella......

**Udog** · 03-21-2014, 09:39 AM

National League West preview: Can Dodgers live up to the hype?

The National League West division is led by the Dodgers who have the highest Over/Under win total in the Majors and is the favorite to win the World Series. Their biggest competition within the division will likely come from the Giants and perhaps the Diamondbacks, while the Padres and Rockies will battle for the basement.

Arizona Diamondbacks (2013: 81-81, -495 units, 71-84-7 over/under)

Division odds: 12/1
Season win total: 81.5

Why bet the Diamondbacks: Mark Trumbo should feast on pitching at Chase Field and is a great hitter to put in the middle of the lineup. The pitching rotation has talent with Trevor Cahill and Wade Miley, while the bullpen is solid with Addison Reed at closer and J.J. Putz setting him up. This is a team that only needs six innings from their starters since the bullpen is so strong.

Why not bet the Diamondbacks: Arizona lost Patrick Corbin and they are hoping that Brandon McCarthy recovers from an awful season last year. The batting order features several inconsistent hitters with health issues. The bench is thin and the Diamondbacks lack depth, so injuries might become a factor.

Season win total pick: Under 81.5

Colorado Rockies (2013: 74-88, -1233 units, 76-77-9 over/under)

Division odds: 25/1
Season win total: 76.5

Why bet the Rockies: As usual, Colorado has a lineup that is built for Coor's Field with Michael Cuddyer and Troy Tulowitzki leading the way. Justin Morneau may be able to find his stroke in the rarified air as well. The pitching rotation is solid with Jorge De La Rosa and Jhoulys Chacin coming off strong seasons, while the bullpen was led by Rex Brothers who had 32 scoreless outings in a row last year.

Why not bet the Rockies: There are still some questions in this bullpen and they need a few more relief pitchers. Injuries are always a concern, plus this lineup often struggles to score runs on the road and away from the thin air and altitude.

Season win total pick: Over 76.5

Los Angeles Dodgers (2013: 92-70, +541 units, 73-82-7 over/under)

Division odds: 5/14
Season win total: 92.5

Why bet the Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw leads the best rotation in the division with Hyun Jin Ryu, Zack Greinke, Dan Haren and Josh Beckett. Haren and Beckett are aging, but they will not have as much pressure on them now at the back of the rotation. The lineup features a lot of depth from Yasiel Puig to Matt Kemp. The bullpen has some power arms in Brian Wilson and Paco Rodriguez.

Why not bet the Dodgers: Greinke presents an uncertainty, both emotionally and physically, especially since he is coming off a broken collarbone. How will the Dodgers handle the outfield issues with Puig, Carl Crawford, Kemp and Andre Ethier all vying for spots? Will Puig have a sophomore slump? Haren and Beckett need to bounce back from past struggles.

Season win total pick: Over 92.5

San Diego Padres (2013: 76-86, +241 units, 75-82-5 over/under)

Division odds: 14/1
Season win total: 79

Why bet the Padres: The fences are changing in Petco Park and it should help this offense that features talented youngsters such as Jedd Gyorko and Yonder Alonso. Relief pitcher Huston Street is in the final year of his contract which should lead to a motivated effort. Joaquin Benoit backs him up in a solid bullpen.

Why not bet the Padres: The starting rotation is up in the air with Andrew Cashner and Josh Johnson leading the way. Johnson needs to show his awful year in Toronto was a fluke. Ian Kennedy is the number three starter, but he had a poor 4.24 ERA with San Diego last season. This batting order lacks consistent punch.

Season win total pick: Under 79

San Francisco Giants (2013: 76-86, -2095 units, 73-80-9 over/under)

Division odds: 9/2
Season win total: 86.5

Why bet the Giants: The rotation gets better with the addition of veteran pitcher Tim Hudson. He will be a solid influence on Madison Bumgarner and Matt Cain. Sergio Romo is a good closer who never threw more then 28 pitches in an outing last year. Buster Posey is one of the best catchers in the game and a solid cleanup hitter in the lineup.

Why not bet the Giants: San Francisco's left fielders hit just five home runs last year. Ryan Vogelsong needs to improve after an awful start last season which led to a poor 5.73 ERA overall. The bench is thin, so injuries could become a factor.

Season win total pick: Over 86.5

**Udog** · 03-21-2014, 09:39 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

FRIDAY, MARCH 21

Game 823-824: Mercer vs. Duke (12:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Mercer 55.402; Duke 70.933
Dunkel Line: Duke by 15 1/2; 133
Vegas Line: Duke by 12 1/2; 140 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Duke (-12 1/2); Under

Game 825-826: Coastal Carolina vs. Virginia (9:25 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Coastal Carolina 53.168; Virginia 71.410
Dunkel Line: Virginia by 18; 117
Vegas Line: Virginia by 21; 121 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Coastal Carolina (+21); Under

Game 827-828: George Washington vs. Memphis (6:55 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: George Washington 62.426; Memphis 67.993
Dunkel Line: Memphis by 5 1/2; 147
Vegas Line: Memphis by 3; 142 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Memphis (-3); Over

Game 829-830: Stanford vs. New Mexico (1:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Stanford 68.385; New Mexico 68.202
Dunkel Line: Even; 130
Vegas Line: New Mexico by 4; 137
Dunkel Pick: Stanford (+4); Under

Game 831-832: Eastern Kentucky vs. Kansas (4:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Eastern Kentucky 57.716; Kansas 70.742
Dunkel Line: Kansas by 13; 152
Vegas Line: Kansas by 15; 146 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Eastern Kentucky (+15); Over

Game 835-836: Kansas State vs. Kentucky (9:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas State 63.668; Kentucky 71.295
Dunkel Line: Kentucky by 7 1/2; 130
Vegas Line: Kentucky by 5; 132 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Kentucky (-5); Under

Game 837-838: Nebraska vs. Baylor (12:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Nebraska 66.260; Baylor 71.837
Dunkel Line: Baylor by 5 1/2; 137
Vegas Line: Baylor by 3; 130 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Baylor (-3); Over

Game 839-840: UL-Lafayette vs. Creighton (3:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UL-Lafayette 55.892; Creighton 72.541
Dunkel Line: Creighton by 17; 158
Vegas Line: Creighton by 13 1/2; 154 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Creighton (-13 1/2); Over

Game 841-842: Providence vs. North Carolina (7:20 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Providence 63.636; North Carolina 70.487
Dunkel Line: North Carolina by 7; 139
Vegas Line: North Carolina by 4; 143
Dunkel Pick: North Carolina (-4); Under

Game 843-844: North Carolina Central vs. Iowa State (9:50 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: North Carolina Central 62.369; Iowa State 67.345
Dunkel Line: Iowa State by 5; 138
Vegas Line: Iowa State by 9; 144
Dunkel Pick: North Carolina Central (+9); Under

Game 845-846: Stephen F. Austin vs. VCU (7:27 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Stephen F. Austin 62.457; VCU 66.241
Dunkel Line: VCU by 4; 129
Vegas Line: VCU by 6 1/2; 137
Dunkel Pick: Stephen F. Austin (+6 1/2);

Game 847-848: Tulsa vs. UCLA (9:57 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tulsa 61.629; UCLA 73.110
Dunkel Line: UCLA by 11 1/2; 154
Vegas Line: UCLA by 9; 146 1/2
Dunkel Pick: UCLA (-9); Over

Game 849-850: Weber State vs. Arizona (2:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Weber State 53.314; Arizona 70.720
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 17 1/2; 119
Vegas Line: Arizona by 20; 127
Dunkel Pick: Weber State (+20); Under

Game 851-852: Oklahoma State vs. Gonzaga (4:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma State 68.094; Gonzaga 69.274
Dunkel Line: Gonzaga by 1; 143
Vegas Line: Oklahoma State by 2 1/2; 139
Dunkel Pick: Gonzaga (+2 1/2); Over

**Udog** · 03-21-2014, 09:40 AM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Friday, March 21

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MERCER (26 - 8) vs. DUKE (26 - 8) - 3/21/2014, 12:15 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MERCER is 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
DUKE is 47-75 ATS (-35.5 Units) in March games since 1997.
DUKE is 11-25 ATS (-16.5 Units) in road games on Friday nights since 1997.

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

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COASTAL CAROLINA (21 - 12) vs. VIRGINIA (28 - 6) - 3/21/2014, 9:25 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VIRGINIA is 19-10 ATS (+8.0 Units) in all games this season.
VIRGINIA is 19-10 ATS (+8.0 Units) in all lined games this season.
VIRGINIA is 30-19 ATS (+9.1 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
VIRGINIA is 15-4 ATS (+10.6 Units) after a conference game this season.
VIRGINIA is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) off a win against a conference rival this season.
VIRGINIA is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
VIRGINIA is 13-2 ATS (+10.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
VIRGINIA is 25-45 ATS (-24.5 Units) in March games since 1997.

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

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GEORGE WASHINGTON (24 - 8) vs. MEMPHIS (23 - 9) - 3/21/2014, 6:55 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GEORGE WASHINGTON is 60-85 ATS (-33.5 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
MEMPHIS is 167-132 ATS (+21.8 Units) after a conference game since 1997.
MEMPHIS is 210-162 ATS (+31.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
MEMPHIS is 139-89 ATS (+41.1 Units) 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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STANFORD (21 - 12) vs. NEW MEXICO (27 - 6) - 3/21/2014, 1:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW MEXICO is 36-25 ATS (+8.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW MEXICO is 36-25 ATS (+8.5 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW MEXICO is 31-14 ATS (+15.6 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 over the last 3 seasons.
NEW MEXICO is 50-27 ATS (+20.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
NEW MEXICO is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW MEXICO is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) after a conference game this season.
NEW MEXICO is 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
NEW MEXICO is 31-13 ATS (+16.7 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
NEW MEXICO is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.

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

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E KENTUCKY (24 - 9) vs. KANSAS (24 - 9) - 3/21/2014, 4:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS is 44-22 ATS (+19.8 Units) after allowing 80 points or more since 1997.
E KENTUCKY is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in road games when playing with 7 or more days rest since 1997.
E KENTUCKY is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in road games after a conference game this season.
E KENTUCKY is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game this season.

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

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KANSAS ST (20 - 12) vs. KENTUCKY (24 - 10) - 3/21/2014, 9:40 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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NEBRASKA (19 - 12) vs. BAYLOR (24 - 11) - 3/21/2014, 12:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEBRASKA is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) in all games this season.
NEBRASKA is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) in all lined games this season.
NEBRASKA is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 this season.
NEBRASKA is 15-4 ATS (+10.6 Units) after a conference game this season.
NEBRASKA is 16-3 ATS (+12.7 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
NEBRASKA is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
NEBRASKA is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.

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

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LA-LAFAYETTE (23 - 11) vs. CREIGHTON (26 - 7) - 3/21/2014, 3:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA-LAFAYETTE is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in road games after scoring 80 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
CREIGHTON is 35-24 ATS (+8.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
CREIGHTON is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
LA-LAFAYETTE is 23-9 ATS (+13.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games since 1997.

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

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PROVIDENCE (23 - 11) vs. N CAROLINA (23 - 9) - 3/21/2014, 7:20 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PROVIDENCE is 37-58 ATS (-26.8 Units) after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.
N CAROLINA is 30-19 ATS (+9.1 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
N CAROLINA is 139-106 ATS (+22.4 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.

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

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NC CENTRAL (28 - 5) vs. IOWA ST (26 - 7) - 3/21/2014, 9:50 PM
Top Trends for this game.
IOWA ST is 42-28 ATS (+11.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

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

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SF AUSTIN ST (31 - 2) vs. VA COMMONWEALTH (26 - 8) - 3/21/2014, 7:25 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VA COMMONWEALTH is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) in road games in first round tournament games since 1997.
VA COMMONWEALTH is 12-2 ATS (+9.8 Units) in a NCAA tournament games since 1997.

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

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TULSA (21 - 12) vs. UCLA (26 - 8) - 3/21/2014, 9:55 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UCLA is 21-12 ATS (+7.8 Units) in all games this season.
UCLA is 21-12 ATS (+7.8 Units) in all lined games this season.
UCLA is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
UCLA is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
TULSA is 22-8 ATS (+13.2 Units) in all games this season.
TULSA is 22-8 ATS (+13.2 Units) in all lined games this season.
TULSA is 15-3 ATS (+11.7 Units) after a conference game this season.
TULSA is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) off a win against a conference rival this season.
TULSA is 91-63 ATS (+21.7 Units) after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.
TULSA is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TULSA is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
TULSA is 43-25 ATS (+15.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games since 1997.
TULSA is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
UCLA is 4-16 ATS (-13.6 Units) as a neutral court 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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WEBER ST (19 - 11) vs. ARIZONA (30 - 4) - 3/21/2014, 2:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WEBER ST is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 19-6 ATS (+12.4 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
WEBER ST is 135-101 ATS (+23.9 Units) after a conference game since 1997.

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

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OKLAHOMA ST (21 - 12) vs. GONZAGA (28 - 6) - 3/21/2014, 4:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA ST is 8-15 ATS (-8.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
OKLAHOMA ST is 7-19 ATS (-13.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
GONZAGA is 54-35 ATS (+15.5 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
OKLAHOMA ST is 97-66 ATS (+24.4 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
OKLAHOMA ST is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) in first round tournament games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
GONZAGA is 1-0 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA ST over the last 3 seasons
GONZAGA is 1-0 straight up against OKLAHOMA ST 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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**Udog** · 03-21-2014, 09:41 AM

NCAAB
Short Sheet

Friday, March 21

Mercer at Duke, 12:15 ET
Mercer: 16-5 ATS as an underdog
Duke: 6-1 UNDER in all tournament games

Coastal Carolina at Virginia, 9:25 ET
C Carolina: 4-1 ATS in all tournament games
Virginia: 13-4 ATS off a win against a conference rival

Geo Washington at Memphis, 6:55 ET
Geo Washington: 0-7 ATS in a post-season tournament game
Memphis: 15-5 UNDER as a favorite

Stanford at New Mexico, 1:40 ET
Stanford: 13-4 OVER in road games after a loss by 15 points or more
New Mexico: 6-0 ATS when the line is +3 to -3

Eastern Kentucky at Kansas, 4:10 ET
E Kentucky: 6-0 ATS after a win by 6 points or less
Kansas: 17-8 OVER as a favorite

Kansas State at Kentucky, 9:40 ET
Kansas St: 11-2 UNDER in all neutral court games
Kentucky: 16-7 UNDER as a favorite

Nebraska at Baylor, 12:40 ET
Nebraska: 20-10 ATS in all games
Baylor: 7-0 OVER in road games after 1 or more consecutive unders

UL - Lafayette at Creighton, 3:10 ET
UL - Lafayette: 2-10 ATS in road games after scoring 80 points or more
Creighton: 16-7 ATS in non-conference games

Providence at North Carolina, 7:20 ET
Providence: 27-48 ATS after 3 or more consecutive wins
N Carolina: 30-19 ATS as a favorite

NC Central at Iowa State, 9:50 ET
NC Central: n/a
Iowa St: 33-18 OVER in all neutral court games

Stephen F. Austin at VA Commonwealth, 7:25 ET
Stephen Austin: 4-0 UNDER as a neutral court underdog
VA Commonwealth: 7-0 ATS in the first round of the NCAA tournament

Tulsa at UCLA, 9:55 ET
Tulsa: 15-5 ATS after 1 or more consecutive wins
Ucla: 3-12 ATS in road games after playing a game as an underdog

Weber State at Arizona, 2:10 ET
Weber State: 1-8 ATS in road games after a win by 15 points or more
Arizona: 14-6 ATS when playing only their 2nd game in a week

Oklahoma State at Gonzaga, 4:40 ET
Oklahoma St: 18-7 ATS in first round tournament games
Gonzaga: 0-7 ATS in road games after 2 consecutive covers as a favorite

**Udog** · 03-21-2014, 09:42 AM

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, March 21

Friday's NCAA games

afternoon games
Duke doesn't play great defense, giving up 82 points to Wake Forest, 90 to Vermont; Blue Devils are 1-8 vs spread in first round games last nine times they weren't a #1 seed. Last time they made Final Four when they were lower than a 1-seed was back in '94. Duke starts three sophs and freshman, more talented guys than Bears have, but Mercer starts five seniors, shoot 38.9% from arc, and they're finally in this spot after falling just short last couple years. Mercer lost at Texas by 3, won at Ole Miss, lost by 14 at Oklahoma. Over last three years, #3 seeds are 8-4 vs spread in this round.

Nebraska is in NCAAs for first time since '98; they've never won a game in NCAAs, but they've broken lot of trends this winter. Huskers won eight of last ten games, losing by 4 to Ohio State in Big Dozen tourney. Baylor won 10 of last 12 games, losing Big 12 final Sunday; Bears are in NCAAs for fourth time in last seven years, winning last two first round games by 9-8 points. Over last decade, favorites are 22-18 vs spread in 6-11 games, 7-1 over last two years. Nebraska starts four sophomores so they're set for a few years, albeit young now; they better keep Baylor off boards. Bears are #3 offensive rebounding team in country.

New Mexico got upset by Harvard in 3-14 game LY, has new coach, lot of same players back; Lobos are 17-3 in last 20 games, with no losses by more than three points. New Mexico is 11-2 in last 13 road/neutral court games. Stanford is in NCAAs for first time in six years, first time under Dawkins; they're 3-4 in last seven games, 5-4 in last nine road/neutral games. Cardinal play all juniors/seniors in their rotation. Lobos start juniors/seniors, with first two subs frosh/soph, including coach's son Neal, who shoots 37.2% on arc. Stanford lost home game in November 112-103; they could struggle vs Lobo big guys. Over last five years, dogs are 15-5 vs spread in 7-10 games.

Weber State won Big Sky tourney as top seed, but 14-6 conference record makes them a 16-seed; over last six years, #1 seeds are 14-10 vs spread in first round games. Wildcats lost by 23 to UCLA in its only game this year vs Pac-12 opponent. Arizona is expected to make Final Four; they're 6-4 vs spread in last ten first round games. Wildcats beat Northern Arizona by 33 in its only game with Big Sky opponent this season. Weber is 8-5 in its last 13 games, with three losses in OT. Big Sky teams got trounced in first round last three years, by 18-24-47 points, with Montana losing 81-34 to Syracuse LY.

Tennessee beat Iowa by 13 in OT Wednesday after trailing most of game; Volunteers have now won six of last seven games, with close loss to Gators in SEC tourney. Three Vols played 39+ minutes vs Iowa, all five starters played 32+, as Martin played seven guys. Tennessee beat Virginia by 35 in December, very impressive game. UMass finished 8-7 in its last 15 games after being 16-1 in mid-January; Minutemen are in NCAAs for first time in 16 years- they beat LSU 92-90 in November, its only game vs SEC foe this season. UMass' best player is 5-9 G Williams; Vols see lot of pressure in their Florida games, am thinking they can handle the UMass defense.

Creighton struggles with athletic, defensive teams, which UL-Lafayette is not; Ragin' Cajuns were down 10 with 4:00 left in Sun Belt final Sunday, rallied to upset Georgia State, is in NCAAs for first time since '05- they've won 11 of last 13 games after being 12-9. Sun Belt teams covered four of last five non-play-in NCAA tourney games, with WKU covering last two years, vs Kentucky/Kansas. Cajuns lost to Arkansas by 13, Baylor by 19, Louisville by 39 in its high profile games this season. Bluejays make 42.2% of their 3-point shots, best in country. Six-hour drive to San Antonio for ULL fans. Cajuns were #3 seed in Sun Belt, are surprised to be here.

Kansas' defense is struggling with big guy Embiid out (back) but that won't matter here; Jayhawks are 1-4 vs spread in last five first round games- they lost three of last five games, giving up 92-94 points to West Virginia/Iowa State in last three games. Eastern Kentucky is in tourney for first time in seven years (lost by 21 to UNC); Colonels won last seven games, beating Murray State/Belmont in OVC tourney- they lost at Wisconsin by 25, at VCU by 3 in OT in their two high profile games this season. Over last nine years, #2 seeds are 16-20 vs spread in this round, but #2 seed in this region lost SU each of last two years (Duke/Georgetown).

Oklahoma State seems like different team since Smart came back from his suspension, going 5-2 with both losses in OT. Cowboys lost center/backup PG during season but went 9-11 in nation's best league despite losing seven games in row, with Smart out for three of the seven. Gonzaga won its last five first round games, despite being underdog three of last four years; Zags lost to K-State by 10, won by 4 at West Virginia in its two games vs Big X opponents. Cowboys are 0-4 in overtime games this season. Over the last seven years, underdogs are 21-7 vs spread in 8-9 games. Normal trends say Gonzaga here, but I've got a feeling on Oklahoma State making a run in this tournament.

**Udog** · 03-21-2014, 09:42 AM

NCAAB

Friday, March 21

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Trend Report
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12:15 PM
MERCER vs. DUKE
No trends available
Duke is 1-6-1 ATS in its last 8 games
Duke is 14-4 SU in its last 18 games

12:40 PM
NEBRASKA vs. BAYLOR
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Baylor's last 7 games when playing Nebraska
Baylor is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Nebraska

1:40 PM
STANFORD vs. NEW MEXICO
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of New Mexico's last 9 games
New Mexico is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games

2:00 PM
IUPU FORT WAYNE vs. OHIO
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ohio's last 6 games
Ohio is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

2:10 PM
WEBER STATE vs. ARIZONA
No trends available
Arizona is 21-4 SU in its last 25 games

2:45 PM
TENNESSEE vs. MASSACHUSETTS
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Massachusetts's last 6 games
Massachusetts is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games

3:10 PM
LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE vs. CREIGHTON
No trends available
Creighton is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games

4:10 PM
EASTERN KENTUCKY vs. KANSAS
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Kansas's last 23 games
Kansas is 15-5 SU in its last 20 games

4:40 PM
OKLAHOMA STATE vs. GONZAGA
No trends available
Gonzaga is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Gonzaga's last 5 games

6:55 PM
GEORGE WASHINGTON vs. MEMPHIS
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Memphis's last 5 games
Memphis is 16-7 SU in its last 23 games

7:00 PM
TOWSON vs. EAST TENNESSEE STATE
Towson is 4-0-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Towson is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
No trends available

7:10 PM
CAL POLY vs. WICHITA STATE
No trends available
Wichita State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

7:20 PM
PROVIDENCE vs. NORTH CAROLINA
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 11 of North Carolina's last 16 games
North Carolina is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games

7:27 PM
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN vs. VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Virginia Commonwealth's last 6 games
Virginia Commonwealth is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

9:25 PM
COASTAL CAROLINA vs. VIRGINIA
No trends available
Virginia is 16-4-1 ATS in its last 21 games
Virginia is 16-1 SU in its last 17 games

9:30 PM
ROBERT MORRIS vs. BELMONT
No trends available
Belmont is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Belmont's last 7 games

9:40 PM
KANSAS STATE vs. KENTUCKY
No trends available
Kentucky is 16-7 SU in its last 23 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Kentucky's last 7 games

9:50 PM
NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL vs. IOWA STATE
No trends available
Iowa State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Iowa State's last 6 games

9:57 PM
TULSA vs. UCLA
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of UCLA's last 6 games
UCLA is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

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**Udog** · 03-21-2014, 09:45 AM

NCAAB

Thursday, March 20

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NCAA Round 2 betting cheat sheet: East region Day 2
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(9) George Washington Colonials vs. (8) Memphis Tigers (-3, 142.5)

The Colonials finished behind only Massachusetts and VCU among the American Athletic Conference's scoring leaders, averaging 73.4 points. George Washington boasts a balanced offensive attack that features four players among the Atlantic 10's top 30 scorers. Maurice Creek's 14.3 points per game are a team best.

Memphis has lost three of its last five games overall and has yielded an average of 82 points in its last three losses. The Tigers' 53 points against Connecticut last time out matched their lowest output of the season and leading scorer Joe Jackson was held to 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting.

TRENDS:

* George Washington is 0-3-1 ATS in its last four NCAA Tournament games.
* Memphis is 4-1 ATS in its last five neutral site games.
* Under is 7-1 in Memphis' last eight non-conference games.

(11) Providence Friars vs. (6) North Carolina Tar Heels (-4, 143.5)

The Friars are making their first NCAA tournament appearance in 10 years and Bryce Cotton seems intent on capping his four-year career at Providence with a tournament victory. The 6-1 point guard is averaging 21.4 points and 5.8 assists and has scored at least 22 in eight of the last 10 games.

There may be some concern that Tar Heels' forward James Michael McAdoo is slipping back into a rough patch after the 6-9 forward went without a rebound in 24 minutes of the regular-season finale against Duke, then shot 4-for-13 in the loss to Pittsburgh. In the last eight games, he’s shooting 37.7 percent while averaging 8.6 points, dropping his season average to 14.2.

TRENDS:

* Providence is 2-6 ATS in its last eight games versus the ACC.
* North Carolina is 0-5 ATS in its last five games overall.
* Under is 9-2 in Providence's last 11 non-conference games.

(16) Coastal Carolina Chanticleers vs. (1) Virginia Cavaliers (-21.5, 122.5)

While Coastal Carolina will be playing 2 1/2 hours from its campus in Conway, S.C., it enters NCAA play knowing that a No. 16 seed has never beaten a No. 1. The Chanticleers earned their first trip to the NCAA tournament since 1993 by rolling over Winthrop 76-61 in the Big South championship game, their fifth consecutive victory.

Malcolm Brogdon scored 23 points and the Cavaliers played their usual stingy defense in Sunday's win over Duke to become the 15th team to win both the ACC regular-season and postseason titles. Joe Harris, who was second to Brogdon in scoring at 11.6 per game, had 15 points against Duke to earn tournament MVP honors for Virginia, which entered Sunday's game leading the nation in points allowed at 55.1 per game.

TRENDS:

* Coastal Carolina is 3-7-1 ATS in its last 11 games versus a team with a winning SU record.
* Virginia is 4-1-1 ATS in its last six games following a SU win.
* Over is 5-2 in Virginia's last seven neutral site games.

(14) North Carolina Central Eagles vs. (3) Iowa State Cyclones (-8, 145)

The 14th-seeded Eagles are making their tournament debut in just their fourth season as a full-fledged Division I program after dominating the MEAC, winning 15 straight conference games and 17 in a row overall to finish the regular season before claiming three conference tourney games by an average of 26 points.

Iowa State owns the nation's sixth-ranked offense - led by Big 12 Player of the Year Melvin Ejim (18.1 points) - and has won 11 of its last 14 overall, including seven victories over tournament teams. With four double-digit scorers and an unselfish style that yielded the most assists per game in the nation, the Cyclones have many ways to hurt you, as evidenced by the Big 12 tournament title game in which Ejim was limited to just three baskets in 32 minutes.

TRENDS:

* North Carolina Central is 2-6-1 ATS in its last nine games overall.
* Iowa State is 4-0 ATS in its last four games overall.
* Over is 8-3 in Iowa State's last 11 games following a SU win.

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**Udog** · 03-21-2014, 09:48 AM

NCAAB

Thursday, March 20

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NCAA East Regional betting news and notes: Virginia destined for deep run
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No. 9 George Washington Colonials vs. No. 8 Memphis Tigers (-3, 142.5)

The Tigers may have a leg up on their first-round opposition. David Pellom, a fifth-year senior was at George Washington for three years, two of which were under current Colonials coach Mike Lonergan, before using his final year of eligibility at Memphis.

The Colonials just can’t seem to get any respect. Not only did tournament organizers mistakenly put the logo of the Georgetown Hoyas, G.W.’s D.C. neighbor, on tourney t-shirts but President Obama picked Memphis to topple the local Colonials (their campus is a half mile from the White House) in the first round. "You picked Memphis over your neighbors in Foggy Bottom? Come on man!" tweeted head coach Mike Lonergan.

No. 11 Providence Friars vs. No. 6 North Carolina Tar Heels (-4, 143.5)

North Carolina head coach Roy Williams said Tuesday that the Tar Heels had one of their best practices of the year and had been focusing on rebounding. North Carolina is already one of the nation’s best rebounding teams - ranking eighth with 39.8 per game - and the ability to control the glass could be instrumental to controlling the pace, which the Heels inevitably want to push against the Friars’ seven-man rotation.

No. 16 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers vs. No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers (-21.5, 122.5)

Since the tournament field expanded to 48 teams in 1980, 14 teams have both won at least a share of the ACC regular season title and claimed the ACC tournament. The first 13 all reached at least the Round of 16, with four claiming national titles and seven getting to the Final Four. Virginia pulled off the double this year and the Cavaliers seem unlikely to break from that trend.

No. 14 N.C. Central Eagles vs. No. 3 Iowa State Cyclones (-8, 145)

N.C. Central comes to the tournament by way of the MEAC - one of the two worst conferences in the nation - which has previously only had one team in the Top 150 in the nation at the end of the year. However, N.C. Central is currently 78th having won 12 of 15 conference games by double digits. The Eagles went 1-2 in three games against tournament teams, beating North Carolina State and losing to Wichita State and Cincinnati by 11 and 14 points respectively.

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**Udog** · 03-21-2014, 09:50 AM

NCAAB

Thursday, March 20

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Round 2 betting cheat sheet: South Region Day 2
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(5) Virginia Commonwealth Rams vs. (12) Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (+6.5, 137)

Virginia Commonwealth will enter the NCAA tournament as the South Region's fifth seed, taking on a 12 seed in Stephen F. Austin on a 28-game winning streak Friday in San Diego. VCU was unable to capture an Atlantic 10 championship Sunday, losing to Saint Joseph's 65-61 to snap a streak of six straight wins. The Rams shot 5-of-19 from behind the arc against the Hawks, and coach Shaka Smart saw that as a key factor, telling reporters, "We didn't put enough of them away and we had good looks."

The Lumberjacks have plenty of momentum as they get set for their second appearance in the Big Dance, having captured the Southland Conference tournament title with a win over Sam Houston State on Saturday to match the single-season school record for wins with their 31st of the season. Coach Brad Underwood led Stephen F. Austin to the Southland's first 30-plus win season and the first-year coach was left beaming with pride after capturing the conference crown. "For us to be on the national stage," Underwood said, "that means the world. We take great, great pride in being able to play for Stephen F. Austin University."

TRENDS:

*Rams are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 NCAA Tournament games
*Lumberjacks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games
*Under is 19-7 in the Rams last 26 non-conference games

(4) UCLA Bruins vs. (13) Tulsa Golden Hurricane (+8.5, 146)

Two playing legends of NCAA tournaments past, Steve Alford and Danny Manning, will look to make more memories when the teams they coach, No. 4 seed UCLA and No. 13 seed Tulsa, respectively, match up in a South Regional second-round contest in San Diego on Friday. Both teams like to put points on the board, with the Bruins averaging 81.8 points and the Golden Hurricane at 73.1. The duo of Jordan Adams (17.2 ppg) and Kyle Anderson (14.9 ppg, 8.8 rpg) powers UCLA, while Tulsa relies on the scoring of James Woodard (15.7 ppg) and Rashad Smith (12.1).

Both teams are coming off conference tournament championships, and both have had to fight back from rough stretches. The Bruins, in their first year under Alford, entered the Pac-12 tournament having lost three of six, including a humiliating 18-point setback to Washington State in the regular-season finale. The Golden Hurricane, meanwhile, started the season 0-4 and 1-6 before righting the ship in Manning's second season at the helm.

TRENDS:

*Golden Hurricane are 21-7 ATS in their last 28 games following a S.U. win
*Bruins are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 NCAA Tournament games
*Under is 12-4 in Golden Hurricane last 16 games

(10) Stanford Cardinal vs. (7) New Mexico Lobos (-3, 137)

Stanford returns to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2008 when the 10th-seeded Cardinal face No. 7 seed New Mexico in Friday's South Regional in St. Louis. The Lobos enter the tournament as one of the hottest teams in the country after capturing their third consecutive Mountain West tournament title with a 64-58 win over San Diego State on Saturday. New Mexico has won nine of its last 10 games while Stanford dropped four of its final seven, including an 84-59 loss to UCLA in the Pac-12 tournament semifinals.

While Stanford is playing in the NCAA tournament for the first time in six years under coach Johnny Dawkins, New Mexico is making its fourth appearance in the last five years. The Lobos are hoping to improve on last year’s showing, when they were upset as a No. 3 seed in the second round 68-62 by No. 14 seed Harvard. The Lobos are known for their strong frontcourt, but forward Cameron Bairstow and 7-foot center Alex Kirk should receive a solid test from Stanford forwards Dwight Powell and Josh Huestis.

TRENDS:

*Cardinal are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall
*Lobos are 38-17-3 ATS in their last 58 games following a ATS win
*Under is 8-1 in Lobos last 9 overall

(15) Eastern Kentucky Colonels vs. (2) Kansas Jayhawks (-14, 150.5)

No. 2 Kansas might not need freshman Joel Embiid during its NCAA tournament second-round game against No. 15 Eastern Kentucky on Friday in St. Louis. The Jayhawks' top rebounder hasn't played since March 1 because of lingering back issues but their first opponent - a Colonels team making its first tournament appearance since 2007 - is ranked at the bottom nationally in rebounding. The winner between these high-scoring teams - both average nearly 80 points - plays No. 7 New Mexico or No. 10 Stanford.

Glenn Cosey leads the Colonels, who beat defending champion Belmont to win the Ohio Valley tournament title, with his 3-point shooting. The Jayhawks, who were knocked out in the semifinals of the Big 12 tournament and have lost three of five, are making their 25th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance - the nation's longest active streak. Andrew Wiggins leads the Jayhawks with 17.4 points and needs 16 to break Ben McLemore's Kansas freshman scoring record.

TRENDS:

*Colonels are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600
*Jayhawks are 20-7-1 ATS in their last 28 games folloing a S.U. loss
*Over is 10-4 in Colonels last 14 games following a ATS win

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**Udog** · 03-21-2014, 09:53 AM

NCAAB

Thursday, March 20

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCAA South Regional betting news and notes: Colonels' not-so-secret receipe
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks vs. No. 15 Eastern Kentucky Colonels (+14, 150.5)

The Colonels have an obvious game plan entering their encounter with the heavily-favored Jayhawks: Make their two-point shots. Eastern Kentucky finished second in the nation in two-point shooting percentage (56.2), which is good because its offensive rebound rate of 23 percent is sixth-worst in all of Division I.

No. 5 Virginia Commonwealth Rams vs. No. 12 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (+6.5, 137)

The Rams' outside shooting takes a serious hit with the absence of Melvin Johnson, who will sit out the tournament opener with a knee sprain. The sophomore made better than 39 percent of his 3-point attempts, pacing a VCU team that led the Atlantic-10 conference with 252 3-pointers. In Johnson's absence, head coach Shaka Smart leaned on backup JeQuan Lewis for 24 minutes in the A-10 title game, getting five points and five assists from the reserve.

No. 4 UCLA Bruins vs. No. 13 Tulsa Golden Hurricane (+8.5, 146)

Tulsa head coach Danny Manning emphasized an uptempo offense last season - his first at the helm - but it didn't bear frui. His freshman-dominated lineup struggled through fatigue and leg injuries to average just 67.9 points. This year, with the same core a season older and in better shape, Tulsa put up 73.1 points per game - good for second in C-USA. Despite that pace, the Golden Hurricane are just 6-10 O/U away from the Donald Reynolds Center this season.

No. 7 New Mexico Lobos vs. No. 10 Stanford Cardinal (+3, 137)

No team in the South Regional is as starter-driven as the Cardinal, whose lineup of Chasson Randle, Anthony Brown, Josh Huestis, Dwight Powell and Stefan Nastic started every game this season. Stanford's bench scored 10 or fewer points 18 times, while the starting five accounted for more than 87 percent of the team's scoring. The Lobos are great at drawing fouls and forced an average of 23.7 whistles in their three MWC tournament games - 14th most in the country in a three-game span. New Mexico could test the Cardinal's depth if they can get Stanford in foul trouble.

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**Udog** · 03-21-2014, 09:55 AM

NCAAB

Thursday, March 20

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCAA Round 2 betting cheat sheet: Midwest region Day 2
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(14) Mercer Bears vs. (3) Duke Blue Devils (-12.5, 140.5)

Mercer, located in Macon, Ga., makes its third tournament appearance and first since 1985 after a 68-60 victory at Florida Gulf Coast - last year's Sweet 16 Cinderella team - in the Atlantic Sun final March 9. The Bears split four games against major conference teams this season, losing to Texas and Oklahoma while defeating Seton Hall and Mississippi.

With a player the caliber of freshman Jabari Parker (19.2 points, 8.8 rebounds), the Blue Devils are capable of outperforming their seed. Sophomore forward Rodney Hood (16.5 points) did not play in last season's tournament after transferring from Mississippi State and sitting out the sesaon, so he is also without NCAA experience.

TRENDS:

* Mercer is 1-5 ATS in its last six non-conference games.
* Duke is 1-6-1 ATS in its last eight games overall.
* Under is 6-1 in Duke's last seven non-conference games.

(11) Tennessee Volunteers vs. (6) Massachusetts Minutemen (+4, 136)

Jarnell Stokes keyed the Volunteers’ victory over Iowa with 18 points and 13 boards, notching his 20th double-double, and scores 14.8 while grabbing 10.4 rebounds per game overall. First team All-SEC pick Jordan McRae leads the team in scoring (18.6) and has recorded at least 20 points 16 times, including Wednesday.

Senior guard Chaz Williams, the team’s all-time assist leader, stirs the drink for a deep Minutemen squad that includes seven players averaging at least 8.8 points. Williams registers 15.8 points and hands out seven assists per contest – third in the nation – while junior Cady Lalanne is second in scoring (11.4) and leads the team in rebounding (eight).

TRENDS:

* Tennessee is 5-1 ATS in its last six games overall.
* Massachusetts is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 vs. the SEC.
* Under is 6-0 in Tennessee's last six games overall.

(16) Cal Poly SLO Mustangs vs. (1) Wichita State Shockers (-16, 125.5)

The Mustangs lost nine of their last 11 games in the regular season, but with a healthier lineup they swept through three games in the conference tournament and scored almost 18 more than their average coming in against Texas Southern. Senior Chris Eversley has recorded 17 points per game the in last three and sophomore Dave Nwaba 14.8 over the previous four contests.

The Shockers are the first team since UNLV in 1991 to enter the tournament unbeaten and look to make their 11th appearance overall a special one, starting in the difficult Midwest Regional. The Shockers showed their balance in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament as their top four scorers each totaled between 40 and 47 points combined in three games.

TRENDS:

* Cal Poly is 5-12 ATS in its last 17 games overall.
* Wichita State is 5-0 AS in its last five NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 7-2 in Wichita State's last nine games overall.

(9) Kansas State Wildcats vs. (8) Kentucky Wildcats (-6, 132.5)

Kansas State, who is 0-8 all-time against Kentucky, are led by freshman guard Marcus Foster, who averages 15.6 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting better than 40 percent from the field and on 3-pointers. He is complemented by junior Thomas Gibson, who is first in rebounding (6.5 per game) and second in points (11.8) and senior Shane Southwell, who averages 9.8 points.

Kentucky, who enter the tournament unranked, opened the season as the No. 1 team in the nation and stayed there for one week before falling down the rankings. Julius Randle leads a group of five freshmen starters with 15.3 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, but after posting six straight double-doubles, he struggled in the SEC final, going 1-of-7 and scoring four points and grabbing seven rebounds.

TRENDS:

* Kansas State is 2-6 ATS in its last eight games overall.
* Kentucky is 4-1-1 ATS in its last six neutral site games.
* Under is 4-1 in Kentucky's last five neutral site games.

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**Udog** · 03-21-2014, 09:58 AM

NCAAB

Thursday, March 20

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCAA Midwest Regional betting news and notes: Duke struggling in crunch time
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No. 1 Wichita State Shockers vs No. 16 Cal Poly Mustangs (-16, 125.5)

Cal Poly coach Joe Callero has hope that his Mustangs can become the first No. 16 seed to upset a No. 1 seed when they take on the undefeated Wichita State Shockers Friday. In fact, Callero says he has been cheering against No. 16 seeds so he can coach the first team to do it.

"I'm so weird that I was cheering the last five years that a 16 (seed) never upsets a 1," Callero said following the Mustang's 12 point win over Texas Southern in the First Four. "Because if we ever got a bid, we'd be a 16 seed and then we'd have a chance to make real history."

No. 8 Kentucky Wildcats vs No. 9 Kansas State Wildcats (-6, 132.5)

Ever since coach John Calipari made a "big tweak" during the SEC Tournament the Kentucky Wildcats have looked like a much better offensive team. Asking Andrew Harrison to pass first and score second, Coach Cal has Harrison's APG number rising from 3.8 in the regular season to 6.3 in the SEC Tournament (19 total). Kentucky looks like a different team with Harrison as a facilitator, something that KU will be hoping continues in the tourney.

No. 3 Duke Blue Devils vs No. 14 Mercer (-12.5, 140.5)

Heading into the tournament, the Blue Devils have been developing a trend of faltering down the stretch late in games. In the final five minutes of their past five contests, the Blue Devils have been outscored 76-47 and have been favored by -9.5 in all of those games excluding the ACC Championship where Duke crumbled late again against Virginia. Going in as massive favorites against Mercer, Coach K (and bettors) will be hoping that Duke's late struggles are a thing of the past as fatigue may be settling in for the Blue Devils.

No. 6 UMass Minutemen vs No. 11 Tennessee Vols (+4, 136)

After watching Tennessee squeeze out an overtime win over Iowa in the First Four, UMass will go into Friday's game feeling confident that, despite the Vols clutch win, it will have the edge should the game go down to the wire. The Minutemen are 13-4 in games decided by six points or fewer. The Vols, however, are known for their fast starts, outscoring teams by an average of 5.3 points in the opening ten minutes of their SEC games.

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**Udog** · 03-21-2014, 10:00 AM

NCAAB

Thursday, March 20

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCAA Round 2 betting cheat sheet: West region Day 2
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(11) Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. (6) Baylor Bears (-3.5, 131)

The Cornhuskers had won eight of their last nine games before falling to Ohio State. Terran Petteway, who led the Big Ten in scoring during the regular season with 18.1 points, tallied double figures in all but two games and will look to continue that run in his first tournament appearance. Before leaving the Big 12, Nebraska suffered three straight losses to the Bears.

The Bears rolled off six straight wins and were in a prime position to win their second straight over the Iowa State with a five-point halftime lead on the Cyclones, who they beat 74-61 on March 4. The second half featured a completely different Iowa State team, however, and Baylor's zone defense was no match for a squad that shot 63.8 percent after the break. Fatigue may have played a part in the loss as Baylor was playing its fourth game in four days.

TRENDS:

*Cornhuskers are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 overall
*Bears are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 non-conference games
*Underdog is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings

(16) Weber State Wildcats vs. (1) Arizona Wildcats (-20, 127.5)

Arizona bobbled a bit after a school-record 21-0 start, going 7-3 down the stretch before losing to UCLA in the Pac-12 tournament final. Those speed bumps coincided with a season-ending foot injury to starting forward and third-leading scorer Brandon Ashley, leaving freshman Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to try and fill his shoes. The Wildcats' last run as a No. 1 seed ended with a loss to second-seeded Kansas in the Elite Eight.

The Weber State Wildcats won their first conference tournament title in seven years with a 21-point victory Saturday night against North Dakota. The player to watch for Weber State is conference tournament MVP Davion Berry, a 6-4 wing who averages 19.1 points with 21 straight games of 12 or more.

TRENDS:

* Weber State Wildcats are 1-6 ATS in their last seven Friday games.
* Arizona Wildcats are 6-0 ATS in their last six NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 4-1 in Arizona's last 5 vs. Big Sky.

(14) Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns vs. (3) Creighton Bluejays (-14, 154.5)

The Ragin' Cajuns like to get up and down the floor, averaging 81.4 points and allowing 75.1 per contest. They don't defend the perimeter especially well (33.2 percent), which could be a disaster against McDermott and the sharp-shooting Bluejays.

The Bluejays are making their third straight NCAA tournament appearance and have gone 1-1 each of the past two years. That run has coincided with what likely will soon become three consecutive All-America campaigns from McDermott, who has reached double-digit points an NCAA-record 133 times and has scored 20 or more points in 13 straight games.

TRENDS:

* Ragin' Cajuns are 1-4 ATS in their last five Friday games.
* Bluejays are 1-6-1 ATS in their last eight NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 19-7-1 in Bluejays last 27 non-conference games.

(9) Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. (8) Gonzaga Bulldogs (+2.5, 139)

The ninth-seeded Cowboys watched star guard Marcus Smart go from potential top-five NBA draftee to perceived head case in a matter of months, and the controversy aided in the team's slide out of contention. The Cowboys haven't won a tournament game since 2009, when it beat Tennessee 77-75 in the opening round.

The Bulldogs will make their 16th consecutive tournament appearance, but under far different circumstances than their previous one. Armed with a 31-2 record and the top seed in the West Region a year ago, Gonzaga saw its title hopes dashed with a stunning loss to No. 9 Wichita State in the third round. The Bulldogs sputtered their way to an unimpressive 2-4 record versus teams in the top 50 of the RPI rankings this season, but they still prevailed in the WCC tournament with dominant victories over Saint Mary's and Brigham Young.

TRENDS:

* Cowboys are 5-2-1 ATS in their last eight games overall.
* Bulldogs are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Under is 21-6 in Cowboys last 27 Friday games.

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Friday's Trends and Indexes - 3/21 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Friday's Trends and Indexes - 3/21 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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