Cnotes NCAA Basketball Picks Thru March Madness & Madness GOY !!

[CNOTES]

NCAAB

Saturday, March 22

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Round 3 betting cheat sheet: Midwest Region Day 3
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(5) Saint Louis Billikens vs. (4)Louisville Cardinals (-9, 133)

The Billikens found themselves in a dire situation as they trailed by 14 with just over five minutes left in regulation before roaring back to force overtime and then registering an 83-80 win over North Carolina State. Rob Loe scored 22 points and grabbed a career-best 15 rebounds and was stunned in the postgame press conference over the seemingly unfathomable comeback. “Yeah, that’s probably the weirdest turn of events that I’ve ever been a part of,” Loe said. Saint Louis was 12-for-26 from the free throw line against North Carolina State.

Defending national champion Louisville came oh-so-close to being one-and-done in the NCAA tournament. The fourth-seeded Cardinals will look to put forth a better performance when they meet fifth-seeded Saint Louis in Saturday’s round of 32 in Orlando. Forward Luke Hancock, one of the stars of the Cardinals’ 2013 title run, scored eight of his 16 points in the final 1:53 to help Louisville overcome a late deficit against Manhattan and post a 71-64 victory in Midwest regional play. Louisville holds a 45-20 series lead but the teams haven’t played since 2005 when both schools were in Conference USA.

TRENDS:

* Billikens are 7-2-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
* Billikens are 1-8-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
* Cardinals are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 NCAA Tournament games.


(7) Texas Longhorns vs. (2) Michigan Wolverines (-5, 139)

Cameron Ridley led the Longhorns' balanced offense and big frontcourt with 17 points, 12 rebounds and Thursday's game-winner. Texas had six players in double figures, went 8-of-8 in transition and outscored Arizona State 42-30 in the paint on the way to the Longhorns' most points (87) in a NCAA tournament game since a 90-72 win against Oregon in 1995.

The Wolverines beat Wofford 57-40 in the second round, the fewest point ever allowed by Michigan at the tournament. Since the start of last season, Michigan is 24-1 when Nik Stauskas makes more than 50 percent of his field-goal attempts, including 12-0 this season. Coach John Beilein (699-411) can become the sixth active coach with 700 career wins with a win Saturday.

TRENDS:

* Longhorns are 0-5 ATS in their last five NCAA Tournament games.
* Wolverines are 6-1 ATS in their last seven vs. Big 12.
* Over is 5-1 in Longhorns last six non-conference games.

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAB

Saturday, March 22

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Round 3 betting cheat sheet: West Region Day 3
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(12) North Dakota State Bison vs. (4) San Diego State Aztecs (-3, 125.5)

Fresh off the first NCAA tournament win in school history, North Dakota State is setting its sights on higher goals. The Summit League champion shot 52.9 percent from the floor against the Sooners and grabbed the 80-75 overtime win despite conference Player of the Year Taylor Braun managing only 11 points on 3-of-11 shooting and fouling out down the stretch. The Bison, who have won 10 straight games, led the nation in field-goal percentage at .509 and will need every bit of offense they can find against the Aztecs, who finished second in the nation in scoring defense.

The Aztecs held New Mexico State to 40 percent shooting from the field in their NCAA tournament opener but connected at only 39 percent themselves while sweating through the 73-69 triumph. San Diego State is strong on the interior defensively with Skylar Spencer, who collected four of the Aztecs’ nine blocked shots Thursday, and Josh Davis. The Aztecs are attempting to advance to the regional semifinals for the second time in four years.

TRENDS:

* Bison are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games overall.
* Aztecs are 5-2 ATS in their last seven neutral site games.
* Over is 9-2 in Bison last 11 non-conference games.


(7) Oregon Ducks vs. (2) Wisconsin Badgers (-5, 142)

Other than 19 points from Joseph Young, the starters for the Ducks weren’t too impressive against BYU. Mike Moser, Damyean Dotson, Johnathan Loyd and Waverly Austin combined for 19 points, forcing the bench to come through with 49. Oregon backup forward Elgin Cook took advantage of the opportunity to play in front of family and friends in the second-round game and the 6-6 sophomore from Milwaukee poured in a season-high 23 points and eight rebounds.

What makes the Badgers so difficult to match up with is their balanced scoring. Kaminsky and fellow starters Ben Brust, Sam Dekker, Traevon Jackson and Josh Gasser averaged between 9.2 and 13.6 points heading into the postseason and 6-7 freshman forward Nigel Hayes has emerged as a key contributor off the bench.

TRENDS:

* Ducks are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 neutral site games.
* Badgers are 4-0 ATS in their last four non-conference games.
* Over is 11-2 in Ducks last 13 non-conference games.

 

[CNOTES]

March Madness Record:

14- 16.....................*****

9- 10.....................DOUBLE PLAY

8 - 4 - 1 ....................TRIPLE PLAY

Saturday, March 22

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Louisiana Tech - 11:00 AM ET Louisiana Tech +1 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Georgia - Under 140.5 500

Pittsburgh - 12:15 PM ET Florida -5.5 500 *****
Florida - Over 124 500

IUPU - Ft. Wayne - 1:00 PM ET IUPU - Ft. Wayne -2 500 DOUBLE PLAY
VMI -

 

[CNOTES]

2nd Set of Games:


Wright St. - 2:00 PM ET Wright St. +3 500 *****
Ohio -

Saint Louis - 2:45 PM ET Saint Louis +9 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Louisville - Over 132 500

Texas - 5:15 PM ET Michigan -4.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Michigan - Under 140 500

North Dakota State - 6:10 PM ET North Dakota State +3 500 *****
San Diego St. - Under 126.5 500

 

[CNOTES]

Saturday's Late Tips

March 22, 2014


**Dayton vs. Syracuse**

-- As of early this afternoon, most books had Syracuse (28-5 straight up, 15-12-2 against the spread) listed as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 130 or 130.5. Gamblers can back the Flyers to win outright for a +330 return (risk $100 to win $330).

-- Dayton (24-10 SU, 18-12 ATS) advanced to the Round of 32 by ousting in-state rival Ohio St. by a 60-59 score. Vee Sanford banked home a runner in the lane with 3.8 seconds remaining for the game-winning points. In an attempt to answer with a game-winning shot, Aaron Craft lost control of the ball and the Buckeyes went down in gut-wrenching fashion. Dyshawn Pierre paced the Flyers with 12 points and eight rebounds.

-- Dayton has won 11 of its last 13 games and hasn't lost to a team not named St. Joseph's since Jan. 25. The Flyers are on a 9-4 ATS run.

-- Jim Boeheim's team has been struggling for more than a month. The 'Cuse has lost five of its last eight games and is mired in a 2-6-1 ATS slump. But it really could be worse. The Orange pulled out miracle wins at Pitt on a deep buzzer beater by Tyler Ennis that was well defended, and they needed a steal and subsequent bucket to nip N.C. St. 56-55 at the Carrier Dome. If not for those last-second comebacks, Syracuse would be 3-7 in its last 10 games. Plus, it was fortunate to pull out a win by two at Maryland.

-- Syracuse advanced to the third round with a 77-53 win over Western Michigan as a 13-point favorite. Trevor Cooney knocked down four 3-pointers and finished with a team-best 18 points. Jerami Grant added 16 points and five rebounds, while Ennis had 16 points, six assists and a pair of steals. C.J. Fair chipped in with 14 points and 11 boards.

-- The 'over' is on a 4-2 run for Dayton to improve to 16-13 overall.

-- The 'over' has hit in five straight Syracuse games, but the 'under' is still 15-11-2 overall for the Orange.

-- Tip-off is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. Eastern on TBS.

**Harvard vs. Michigan State**


-- As of early this morning, most books had Michigan St. (27-8 SU, 20-11-3 ATS) installed as a seven-point favorite with a total of 137. The Crimson were available on the money line for a +300 payout (risk $100 to win $300).

-- Harvard (27-4 SU, 17-8 ATS) advanced to the Round of 32 for a second straight season with a 61-57 win over fifth-seeded Cincinnati as a three-point underdog. The Crimson cashed money-line tickets for a +125 return. Wesley Saunders tallied 12 points, four assists, three rebounds and one steal.

-- Tommy Amaker's squad owns a 7-1 spread record in its last eight games. The Crimson has been an underdog three times, going 1-2 both SU and ATS. It lost 61-56 at UConn as a 4.5-point 'dog when Siyani Chambers was stripped as he was going up for a potential game-tying 3-point attempt with 4-5 seconds remaining. Chambers was then forced to foul and the Huskies made both free throws to cover the spread. In a 70-62 loss at Colorado before CU's star player Spencer (not Peter!) Dinwiddie tore his ACL, Harvard was a six-point underdog. The Crimson led outright for the first 35 minutes before CU went on a 9-0 run with three consecutive 3-pointers. From there, Harvard had to foul in an effort to rally and the Buffaloes made their free throws and pulled away for an improbable cover.

-- Michigan St. is healthy now and that's clear from its recent results. Tom Izzo's team breezed through the Big Ten Tournament and then eliminated Delaware in its opener on Thursday. The Spartans sent the Blue Hens packing with a 93-78 win as 15-point favorites. Adreian Payne had a game for the ages, scoring a career-high 41 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the field and 17-of-17 shooting from the free-throw line. Payne also pulled down eight rebounds and Travis Trice chipped in with 19 points.

-- The 'over' is 18-16 overall for Sparty, going 6-3 in its last nine games.

-- The 'under' is 15-10 overall for Harvard, 9-3 in its games with a total of 134 or more.

-- This game in Spokane will tip 30 minutes after San Diego St. and North Dakota St. decide who advances. The winners will face each other in the Sweet 16.

**Connecticut vs. Villanova**

-- Familiarity won't be an issue tonight when these old-school Big East rivals collide in Buffalo. The winner will advance to the Sweet 16 in New York City at Madison Square Garden to face the survivor of North Carolina vs. Iowa St.

-- As of early this afternoon, most betting shops had Villanova (29-4 SU, 22-9 ATS) favored by 3.5 points with a total of 133.5. The Huskies are +155 on the money line (risk $100 to win $155).

-- UConn (27-8 SU, 18-15 ATS) advanced to the Round of 32 by capturing an 89-81 win over St. Joseph's in overtime. Gamblers taking the Huskies cashed a fortunate winner thanks to the extra session, as they were laying 5.5 points. Shabazz Napier led the way with 24 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals.

-- Jay Wright's team advanced by virtue of Thursday's 73-53 win over No. 15 seed UW-Milwaukee. The Wildcats hooked up their backers as 16.5-point 'chalk.' Darrun Hilliard led five double-figure scorers with 16 points.

-- UConn has been an underdog seven times, compiling a 3-4 spread record with two outright victories.

-- Villanova owns an 8-5 spread record in 13 games as a single-digit favorite.

-- Napier is the catalyst for UConn. He leads the team in scoring (17.6 points per game), rebounding (6.0 RPG), assists (5.0 APG) and steals (1.7 SPG) and buried a buzzer beater to beat the Tournament No. 1 overall seed Florida back in early December.

-- The 'under' is on an incredible 13-2 run in UConn games, cashing in nine straight until the 'over' emerged in Thursday's win over St. Joe's.

-- The 'under' is on a 5-1-1 run in Villanova's last seven games. However, the 'over' still maintains a profitable 18-12-1 record overall.

-- TBS will have the telecast 30 minutes after the conclusion of Dayton vs. Syracuse.

**Oregon vs. Wisconsin**

-- As of early this afternoon, most books had second-seeded Wisconsin (27-7 SU, 18-16 ATS) favored by 5.5 with a total of 145.5. This total has been on the move all day as it was in the 142-143 range last night. Bettors can support the Ducks on the money line for a +220 return (risk $100 to win $220).

-- Bo Ryan's squad destroyed American by a 75-35 count as a 13.5-point favorite Thursday afternoon in Milwaukee. Traevon Jackson was the catalyst with 18 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Ben Brust added 17 points by draining 4-of-7 shots from 3-point range.

-- Oregon (24-9 SU, 18-11-3 ATS) has won nine of its last 10 games, including Thursday's 87-68 blowout win over BYU as a 4.5-point favorite. Elgin Cook provided the Ducks with a huge spark off the bench, producing 23 points and eight rebounds in only 23 minutes of playing time. Joseph Young added 19 points for the winners.

-- Dana Altman's team is 9-2-1 ATS in its last 12 games.

-- Oregon has thrived in the underdog role this year, posting a 6-2 spread record with four outright wins.

-- Wisconsin is 7-11 ATS in 18 games as a single-digit favorite. The Badgers have failed to cover in 10 of its last 13 such spots.

-- Wisconsin has a senior-laded team that's looking to make amends for quick exit from the 2013 NCAA Tournament. The Badgers were sent packing in their opening round by Ole Miss last season. Not because of Marshall Henderson, however, but due to interior defense and rebounding of Murphy Holloway and Reginald Buckner.

-- Although the seniors drive this squad, it has been the development of sophomore center Frank Kaminsky that's been the backbone of the 2014 Badgers. Kaminsky can pull opposing 'bigs' away from the basket with his outstanding 3-point shooting skills, but he can also get it done on the low post with an array of back-to-the basket moves in his repertoire. Kaminsky averages 13.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while making 3's at a 37.5 percent clip. He also had 54 blocked shots. Three of Wisconsin's five starters shoot 3's at a better percentage than Kaminsky, including Josh Gasser, who is making 44.9 of his attempts from deep.

-- The 'over' has cashed in four of Wisconsin's last five games to improve to 18-15 overall.

-- The 'over' is 16-15 overall for Oregon, but the 'under' is on a lucrative 13-4 run in its last 17 outings.

-- The winner advances to the West Region semifinals to take on the survivor of Baylor-Creighton in Anaheim.

-- Remember, this game is in Milwaukee and will therefore have a decided pro-Badger crowd. Tip-off is expected to be around 7:40 p.m. Eastern on CBS.

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAB
Short Sheet

Saturday, March 22

Connecticut at Villanova, 9:40 ET
Connecticut: 3-11 ATS in road games after a non-conference game
Villanova: 20-7 ATS as a favorite

Pittsburgh at Florida, 12:15 ET
Pittsburgh: 7-1 ATS after having won 3 of their last 4 games
Florida: 19-9 UNDER in all games

St Louis at Louisiville, 2:45 ET
St Louis: 10-19 ATS in all games
Louisiville: 20-7 ATS in all neutral court games

Oregon at Wisconsin, 7:45 ET
Oregon: 6-15 ATS after having won 8 or more of their last 10 games
Wisconsin: 119-87 ATS after a non-conference game

Texas at Michigan, 5:15 ET
Texas: 27-10 OVER in a neutral court game where the total is 140 to 149.5
Michigan: 21-10 OVER in road games after 1 or more consecutive wins

Harvard at Michigan State, 8:40 ET
Harvard: 8-2 ATS on Saturday games
Michigan State: 31-50 ATS after covering 5 or 6 of their last 7 against the spread

North Dakota State at San Diego State, 6:10 ET
North Dakota St: 2-8 ATS after scoring 80 points or more
San Diego St: 12-5 ATS in road games after 1 or more consecutive wins

Louisiana Tech at Georgia, 11:00 AM ET
Louisiana Tech: 21-7 UNDER in a road game where the total is 140 to 149.5
Georgia: 21-8 UNDER in all games

IPFW at VMI, 1:00 ET
IPFW: 18-9 ATS in road games
VMI: 4-17 ATS after covering 2 of their last 3 against the spread

Wright State at Ohio, 2:00 ET
Wright St: 77-51 ATS after having won 3 of their last 4 games
Ohio: 0-7 ATS in home games after a game where they covered the spread

Yale at Holy Cross, 7:00 ET
Yale: 30-16 ATS in road games after having lost 4 or 5 of their last 6 games
Holy Cross: n/a

Eastern Michigan at Columbia, 7:00 ET
E Michigan: 15-5 ATS when the line is +3 to -3
Columbia: 10-21 ATS after a game where they covered the spread

San Diego at Sam Houston St, 7:00 ET
San Diego: 1-7 ATS off a home win
Sam Houston St: n/a

Texas A&M Corpus at Pacific, 9:00 ET
Texas A&M: n/a
Pacific: 10-3 ATS on Saturday games

 

[CNOTES]

lAST SET OF GAMES FOR THE EVENING:


Yale - 7:00 PM ET Yale +4 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Holy Cross -

Eastern Michigan - 7:00 PM ET Columbia -3.5 500 *****
Columbia -

San Diego - 7:00 PM ET Sam Houston St. -3 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Sam Houston St. -

Dayton - 7:10 PM ET Dayton +8 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Syracuse - Under 131 500

Oregon - 7:45 PM ET Wisconsin -5.5 500 *****
Wisconsin - Under 145.5 500

Harvard - 8:40 PM ET Harvard +8 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Michigan St - Over 136.5 500

Texas A&M CC - 9:00 PM ET Texas A&M CC +8.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Pacific -

Connecticut - 9:40 PM ET Connecticut +4 500
Villanova - Under 133.5 500 *****

 

[CNOTES]

Creighton seniors driven by past losses

March 22, 2014


SAN ANTONIO (AP) - For Doug McDermott and his Creighton teammates, the last two years at the NCAA tournament left them bitter after third-round losses robbed them of a chance to go farther than any Bluejays team before them.

They also were a major motivating factor in keeping this team together for another try.

With that goal in mind, McDermott skipped a chance to enter the NBA draft, rallying a senior-laden group to another big season. Third-seeded Creighton (27-7) plays No. 6 seed Baylor (25-11) on Sunday in the West Regional for a chance to advance to the round of 16 for the first time in school history.

''We've knocked on the door and come so close the last few years to try to get into that Sweet 16 and see what happens after that,'' Creighton coach Greg McDermott said. ''I couldn't think of a better way for their career to end than to go (farther) and have a chance to go to the Final Four.''

Creighton's four senior starters give the Bluejays a blend of maturity and confidence to support a scorer like Doug McDermott, who leads the nation at 27 points per game.

Greg McDermott noted that the seniors could stay together because early career injuries led to redshirt seasons for Grant Gibbs and Ethan Wragge. Then his son Doug made the surprise decision not to turn pro.

''All of a sudden, you have these pieces in place again for a fourth year together,'' Greg McDermott said. ''There is a confidence about them. ... They believe in each other.''

The group that earned their chops in the Missouri Valley Conference stepped up to the Big East and played for the conference title in their first season.

''This is our last go around,'' Doug McDermott said. ''We've been through so much together to get to this point.''

Baylor is a big and athletic team that all but collapsed in January, only to pick itself back up and turn things around with a frantic finish. Last season's NIT champions started the season ranked No. 25 and rose as high as No. 7 behind a 13-1 start.

But the Bears nearly fell apart in the Big 12 with a 2-8 start in league play and were written off as one of the most disappointing teams in the country. They responded by winning 10 of their next 11 and made it to the Big 12 title game.

Baylor players called that life in the Big 12, arguably the best league in the country this season. Now the Bears are a team brimming with postseason confidence.

''No matter what we've been through this year, we feel like we're a good team and we're as good as any team in the country and can play with anybody,'' Bears forward Royce O'Neale said.

Five things to know about Baylor vs. Creighton:

NO STOPPING MCDERMOTT: Doug McDermott has scored at least 30 points in four of the past five games. He had 30 on Friday against Louisiana-Lafayette. Baylor coach Scott Drew seemed to ready to concede him another 30 on Sunday, but hopes to keep it there.

''If we can just contest as many shots and make it as tough as we can so he can't get into a rhythm,'' Drew said. ''There is a difference between 30 points and 45 points.''

BAYLOR ZONE: With their size and athleticism, Baylor plays a zone defense that can be impenetrable with 7-foot-1 center Isaiah Austin and 6-10 forward Cory Jefferson. Add 6-7, 270 pound bruiser Rico Gathers and the Bears can intimidate anyone trying to get to the basket.

Creighton hardly seemed worried. They'll just shoot over it. ''We have one of the best shooting teams in the country,'' Doug McDermott said. ''We actually like it when we get zone.''

That wasn't the case when Creighton lost the Big East title game to Providence when the Bluejays were 8 of 30 from 3-point range against the Friars' zone.

BRADY BARRAGE: Baylor's Brady Heslip is the Bears' top 3-point shooter at 47 percent on the season. He struggled in Baylor's second-round win over Nebraska missing all six of his attempts, but was 10 of 10 from the free throw line.

Heslip shrugged off the misfires and dared defenders to back off him Sunday.

''If they leave me open, I'm not going 0 for 6 again,'' Heslip said.

BLIND SPOT: Baylor's Austin is one of the top big men in the Big 12 and a top prospect for the NBA draft if he leaves school early. He's also partially blind. Austin wears a prosthetic right eye, the result of a detached retina injury in junior high. Doctors tried four surgeries to correct the problem.

 

[CNOTES]

Shockers ready for Kentucky showdown

March 22, 2014


ST. LOUIS (AP) - Kentucky offered the promise of perfection. Wichita State is in pursuit of it.

The teams will meet Sunday for a spot in the Midwest Regional semifinals.

The eighth-seeded Wildcats are the team stocked with so much NBA talent that some of their brazen fans printed up T-shirts that read, ''40-0.'' Before the season, mind you. And it's also the team that went exactly five days before losing its first game.

Meanwhile, the top-seeded Shockers are a bunch of small-town kids and overlooked prospects desperately trying not to wake up from a dream season. They're the team that can actually attain 40-0, only if they can finish off what they nearly accomplished last season.

Kentucky is the next obstacle standing Wichita State's way.

 

[CNOTES]

Kansas gets Stanford in 3rd round

March 22, 2014



ST. LOUIS (AP) - Kansas freshmen Andrew Wiggins and Wayne Selden Jr. ducked away from the microphones and giggled when asked about the challenge of controlling Stanford's leading scorer, as if they had never heard of Chasson Randle.

Less than a day after beating Eastern Kentucky and less than a day before the second-seeded Jayhawks' game against the No. 10 seed Cardinal, coach Bill Self said he would go over the scouting report with players later on. Although more experienced Stanford players sent to the podium Saturday were more forthcoming about their opponents' stars, it's that time of year when teams must adjust on the fly.

Both schools got to this point, an early Sunday matchup with a berth in the round of 16 at stake, by surging late. Kansas (25-9) powered from three down with 9 minutes left to win 80-69 and Stanford (22-12) surrendered an early 16-point lead and then found its second wind to eliminate No. 7 seed New Mexico 58-53.

 

[CNOTES]

Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Wrapping up Day 3 of March Madness

Madness13) Florida 61, Pitt 45-- You watch Talib Zanna play for Pitt, you wonder how he can go a whole game without taking a foul shot. Panthers look like a team that spends too much time lifting weights, not enough time practicing with basketballs, but thats just me.

12) Louisville 66, Saint Louis 51-- Rick Pitino was encouraging his former assistant Steve Masiello to leave Manhattan for the South Florida job. Bad thing about these Cinderealla teams is that they often lose their coach as soon as their run ends, and have to start all over again. Part of the business.

11) Michigan 79, Texas 65-- Wolverines made 14-28 from arc, ending the fine Texas season that saved Rick Barnes' job. Longhorns are better off not having kids who will jump to the NBA- they can build something now.

10) San Diego State 63, North Dakota State 44-- Aztecs play tremendous defense, were just too athletic for the Bison, who now have to replace three senior starters and maybe their coach, who is rumored to be a candidate to be the new coach at Marquette- he is an old Bo Ryan assistant.

9) Dayton 55, Syracuse 53-- How cool is it that Archie Miller's wife had a "Dayton High Life" t-shirt on, modeled after the old "Miller High Life" logo. How about the Flyers, who beat Buckeyes and Orangemen by total of three points? They're probably playing Kansas in the next round.

8) Wisconsin 85, Oregon 77-- Badgers took advantage of having this game in Milwaukee, 80 miles from home. Ducks led by 12 at half, but Wisconsin hit 11-28 from the arc and pulled away in the last few minutes. Fair question: think they'd rather play Baylor or Creighton in their next game? .

7) Michigan State 80, Harvard 73-- Part of winning a national title is having upsets in your region, just before you were suppoosed to play the team that got upset. In other words, Izzo is really happy Cincinnati got beat Thursday, even though Harvard rallied and scared the Spartans some.

6) UConn 77, Villanova 65-- Rough end to the season for Wildcats, who lost to Seton Hall in Big East tourney, then sleptwalked past Milwaukee Friday, before getting drilled by their old conference rival UConn. Starting in 2010, this is how the Wildcats ended the last five seasons.......

2010: 3-6 in last nine games.
2011: 0-6 in last six games.
2012: 3-9 in last twelve games.
2013: 2-4 in last six games
2014: lost two of last three games.

5) Favorites went 8-7-1 vs spread Thursday, 7-9 Friday, 15-16-1 overall in first round, then 5-3 Saturday in the second round.

4) If you were a college basketball coach and you know they use a Wilson basketball in the NCAA tournament, why wouldn't you use one in the regular season, too? Wouldn't that help some in March?

3) Steve Alford said that there was at least one NBA scout at 88 of his team's 100 practices this season. Hard to keep a program together that way, but that is the reality now at a program like UCLA.

2) 68 teams in NCAA tournament had a total of 27 Canadians on rosters.

1) Iowa State's Georges Niang has a broken foot, is done for the year, big blow for the Cyclones, who play North Carolina Sunday.

 

[CNOTES]

Sunday, March 23

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Illinois 0 0th Illinois +3.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Clemson 0 Under 116.5 500

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Sunday, March 23

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MERCER (27 - 8) vs. TENNESSEE (23 - 12) - 3/23/2014, 6:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TENNESSEE is 55-37 ATS (+14.3 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
TENNESSEE is 55-37 ATS (+14.3 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
TENNESSEE is 14-7 ATS (+6.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
TENNESSEE is 51-32 ATS (+15.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games since 1997.
TENNESSEE is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game this season.
MERCER is 17-5 ATS (+11.5 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
MERCER is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in March games since 1997.
TENNESSEE is 31-52 ATS (-26.2 Units) in all tournament games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
MERCER is 1-0 against the spread versus TENNESSEE over the last 3 seasons
MERCER is 1-0 straight up against TENNESSEE 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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MEMPHIS (24 - 9) vs. VIRGINIA (29 - 6) - 3/23/2014, 8:40 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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STANFORD (22 - 12) vs. KANSAS (25 - 9) - 3/23/2014, 12:15 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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KENTUCKY (25 - 10) vs. WICHITA ST (35 - 0) - 3/23/2014, 2:45 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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BAYLOR (25 - 11) vs. CREIGHTON (27 - 7) - 3/23/2014, 7:45 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CREIGHTON is 18-6 ATS (+11.4 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
CREIGHTON is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) in non-conference games 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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N CAROLINA (24 - 9) vs. IOWA ST (27 - 7) - 3/23/2014, 5:15 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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GONZAGA (29 - 6) vs. ARIZONA (31 - 4) - 3/23/2014, 9:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
ARIZONA is 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
GONZAGA is 55-35 ATS (+16.5 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
GONZAGA is 11-1 ATS (+9.9 Units) when playing with one or less days rest this season.
GONZAGA is 62-41 ATS (+16.9 Units) in road games in all tournament games since 1997.

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SF AUSTIN ST (32 - 2) vs. UCLA (27 - 8) - 3/23/2014, 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.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ST MARYS-CA (23 - 11) at MINNESOTA (21 - 13) - 3/23/2014, 3:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ST MARYS-CA is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 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.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CLEMSON (21 - 12) at ILLINOIS (20 - 14) - 3/23/2014, 11:00 AM
Top Trends for this game.
ILLINOIS is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all tournament games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEMSON is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
CLEMSON is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
ILLINOIS is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) in all home games over the last 2 seasons.
ILLINOIS is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.
ILLINOIS is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in home games 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.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SOUTHERN MISS (28 - 6) at MISSOURI (23 - 11) - 3/23/2014, 5:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SOUTHERN MISS is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) in all games this season.
SOUTHERN MISS is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) in all lined games this season.
SOUTHERN MISS is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
SOUTHERN MISS is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MISSOURI is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 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.

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, March 23

NCAA games

Mercer beat Tennessee 75-67 LY in Knoxville in a first round NIT game, shooting 56% inside arc while turning ball over only eight times. Bears were 23-28 from line vs Duke Friday, shot 56% inside arc- they're 78-31 over last three years, so this isn't a fluke. Mercer won at Ole Miss back in December, lost by 3 at Texas. Tennessee won seven of last eight, with 56-49 loss to Florida in SEC tourney; they beat SC-Upstate 74-65 back in November, its only game vs an A-Sun opponent. Vols are playing for third time in five days, beating Iowa in OT Wednesday, beating UMass by 19 Friday. Favorites covered only three previous second round games with an 11-seed meeting a 14-seed

Over last 5+ years, #1 seeds are 13-7-1 vs spread in this round. Virginia was down 5 at half Friday, only 9th #1 seed to trail a 16-seed at the half, but they won confortably. Cavaliers won 17 of last 18 games since tough loss at Duke in early January; they're #7 in country, allowing opponents to make only 41.7% of its 2-point shots. Memphis is just 3-3 in its last six games; they turn ball over too much, don't make enough foul shots for team with their talent- they're 5-8 vs top 30 teams this year- they've played #49 schedule nationally, are #62 in experience. Virginia won by 3 over SMU in its only game vs an AAC opponent.

Since 1999, #10 seeds who beat 7-seed in first round are 18-7 vs spread in second round. Stanford is #21 in country in experience, #13 in height; they played #20 schedule in country. Both Cardinal guards played 40:00 Friday, third starter played 36 in brickfest win over New Mexico- thery held Williams/Kirk to combined 1-12 from floor. Kansas was 32-all at half with EKU Friday, Over last 5+ years, #2 seeds are 11-7 vs spread in this round. Jayhawks split last six games; their defense isn't as good without Embiid; they lost at Colorado in only games vs Pac-12 squad.

Wichita State is 35-0, they were in Final Four LY, while Kentucky was losing NIT game at Robert Morris. Shockers beat Tennessee by 9, beat Alabama by 5 in its two games vs SEC opponents. Over last 5+ years, #1 seeds are 13-7-1 vs spread in this round. Kentucky is last in country in experience; they're 4-8 this season vs top 50 teams- they turned ball over over 15 times on 61 possessions in Friday's ugly win vs K-State. Last time Wichita won game by less than 10 points was at No Iowa on Feb 8- this is their Super Bowl, the game Dick Vitale says they're going to lose. Game opened at Wichita -2.5, is now -4.5 or -5. .

Baylor won 11 of last 13 games; they dismantled Nebraska Friday 74-60 going 38-48 on foul line, with Nebraska coach getting tossed for carping to refs. Bears are athletic but do not defend 3's well, allowing opponents to hit 36.1% of them, bad news vs Creighton squad that leads country, making 42.1% behind arc. Favorites covered nine of last 11 second round games pitting 3-seed vs 6-seed. Bluejays scored 72+ wins in their last seven wins; they scored 69 or less points in their last six losses. Baylor held five of its last eight opponents under 70 points. Guys on ESPNU during week seemed pessimistic about Creighton's chances in this game.

Iowa State's Niang (foot) is done for year, huge blow for Cyclone squad whose bench is in bottom 25 in country in minutes played. State won its last five games, scoring 85+ points in four of five games. North Carolina snuck by gutty Providence by hoop Friday, its first win in three games; Tar Heels were torched by PG Cotton (36 points, 8 assists). Tar Heels lost by 3 at home to Texas in their only game vs Big X opponent this season. Favorites covered nine of last 11 second round games pitting a #3-seed vs 6-seed, but like we said, Niang's injury just makes Cyclones unplayable in this spot.

Arizona won eight of last ten games but after being up 12 on Weber St. at half Friday, Wildcats struggled to put away a 14-6 Big Sky team, with final score 68-59. Gonzaga was sharp in fairly easy win over Oklahoma State, running out to 9-0 lead and coasting home; they won last six in a row, beat Pac-12 doormat Wazzu by 16 in only game vs Pac-12 squad. Zags won last meeting with Arizona by 11 two years ago; they lost last four second round games and seven of last nine- their last Sweet 16 was in 2009. Since '01, Arizona is 7-1 in this round. Over last 5+ seasons, #1 seeds are 13-7-1 vs spread in this round.

Stephen F Austin pulled rabbit out of hat with amazing comeback in last minute vs VCU, beating Rams in OT; #12 seeds covered six of last seven tries as an underdog in this round. Lumberjacks haven't lost since 66-58 loss at East Tennessee, which is coached by Murray Bartow, whose dad replaced John Wooden at UCLA. Bruins won last four games, three by 17+ points; they're #25 in country, mkaing 38.9% from arc. Over last 12 years, #4 seeds are 11-21 vs spread as favorite in this round. SFA is #4 in country, forcing turnovers 24.1% of time- they lost at Texas by 10, best team they had played until beating VCU Friday.

Other games
St Mary's started season 9-0, but went 0-3 on Diamond Head just before Christmas and is 23-11 now, though they won three of last four on road. Minnesota is 12-2 outside Big Dozen, winning four of last five at home.

Clemson is 10-3 outside the ACC this year; they're #1 in country, with opponents making just 28.4% from arc. If mcDaniels comes back for his senior season, Clemson will have whole team back and be very good. Illinois won six of its last eight games, with both losses to Michigan.

Louisiana Tech's win at Georgia Satrurday should give Southern Miss a boost here in Columbia, where Tigers won last six home games. Mizzou split its last eight games overall. USM won last three road games, with last loss on road Feb 15 at Middle Tennessee.

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAB

Sunday, March 23

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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11:00 AM
ILLINOIS vs. CLEMSON
Illinois is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Illinois's last 10 games on the road
Clemson is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Clemson's last 5 games at home

12:15 PM
STANFORD vs. KANSAS
No trends available
Kansas is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Kansas is 16-5 SU in its last 21 games

2:45 PM
KENTUCKY vs. WICHITA STATE
No trends available
Wichita State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

3:00 PM
ST. MARY'S vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of St. Mary's last 5 games on the road
St. Mary's is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Minnesota is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games

5:00 PM
SOUTHERN MISS vs. MISSOURI
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Missouri's last 9 games at home
Missouri is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games

5:15 PM
NORTH CAROLINA vs. IOWA STATE
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Iowa State's last 5 games
Iowa State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

6:10 PM
MERCER vs. TENNESSEE
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Tennessee's last 7 games
Tennessee is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games

7:10 PM
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN vs. UCLA
No trends available
UCLA is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of UCLA's last 5 games

7:40 PM
BAYLOR vs. CREIGHTON
No trends available
Creighton is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Creighton's last 6 games

8:40 PM
MEMPHIS vs. VIRGINIA
No trends available
Virginia is 16-5-1 ATS in its last 22 games
Virginia is 17-1 SU in its last 18 games

9:40 PM
GONZAGA vs. ARIZONA
No trends available
Arizona is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Arizona is 21-4 SU in its last 25 games

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAB

Sunday, March 23

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Round 3 betting cheat sheet: East Region Day 4
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(6) North Carolina Tar Heels vs. (3) Iowa State Cyclones (-1.5, 159)

Despite a close call against Providence, the Tar Heels were able to survive, thanks in part to an inside presence that saw them grab 21 of their 40 rebounds off the offensive glass. The Tar Heels came into the tournament having been outscored 41-16 on second-chance points in their previous two games, but had 26 second-chance points in the win over Providence. That total tied for the most by any team in the last three NCAA tournaments, as North Carolina showed how dangerous it is even when its not shooting well.

The Cyclones were potent offensively, led by Georges Niang's 24 points, but the sophomore broke his foot in the victory and will miss the rest of the season. Despite being a No. 3 seed, Iowa State's players and coaches talk often of competing for a national championship. Coach Fred Hoiberg has discussed competing for championships since he became the Cyclones' coach four seasons ago, and he expects his players to have the mindset that championships are within reach.

TRENDS:

* Tar Heels are 0-6 ATS in their last six games overall.
* Cyclones are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Over is 8-2 in Tar Heels last 10 neutral site games.


(8) Memphis Tigers vs. (1) Virginia Cavaliers (-5.5, 129)

The Tigers entered the NCAA tournament shooting 47.9 percent from the field and shook off a cold-shooting first half Friday to hit 66.7 percent of their second-half attempts. Leading scorer Joe Jackson (14.3 points) shot 6-for-12 against the Colonials, just the second time in the past eight games he has hit half of his attempts. Memphis finished the season second in the AAC in scoring at 77.4 points.

The Cavaliers have held opponents to 38.4 percent shooting from the field this season - ninth nationally - and 32.4 percent from 3-point range. Anthony Gill came off the bench to score a team-high 17 points Friday as Virginia shook off a slow start in its NCAA opener. Evan Nolte helped spark the Cavaliers in the second half with eight points, helping Virginia shoot 65 percent in the final 20 minutes.

TRENDS:

* Tigers are 5-1 ATS in their last six neutral site games.
* Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS in their last five non-conference games.
* Under is 7-1 in Tigers last eight neutral site games.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




NCAAB

Sunday, March 23

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCAA East Regional betting news and notes: Virginia needs more of an edge
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No.1 Virginia Cavaliers vs. No. 8 Memphis Tigers (+5.5, 129)

The most surprising part of Virginia’s too-close-for-comfort win over Coastal Carolina was just how soft the Cavaliers were to start the game. Virginia allowed the No. 16 Chanticleers 35 first-half points, 10 points above their season average. But the Cavs say they’ve learned their lesson and fans can expect a more aggressive team out of the gate Sunday: “On Sunday we’ll come out with an edge and try to punch people in the mouth – figuratively,” said Cavs forward Erik Nolte after the game.

It seems the Memphis Tigers had some problem dictating the pace Friday, taking 55 percent of its first-half shots from beyond the 3-point arc despite being the nation’s 211th best 3-point shooting team. They reversed that trend in the second scoring 24 of their 40 second-half points in the paint, where they are the nation’s highest scoring team amongst the major conferences. They may not have an easy time reversing such a trend Sunday as the Cavaliers are the nation’s best at defending the inside the arc, allowing opponents to shoot only 41.8 percent on two-pointers.


No. 3 Iowa St. Cyclones vs No. 6 North Carolina Tar Heels (+1.5, 159)

The Cyclones used a balanced attack to upend North Carolina Central in the second round Friday, having five players score 14 points or more. One of those was forward Georges Niang who finished with 24 points before breaking his foot and is now lost for the tourney. This leaves the Cyclones with just two rotational players over 6’6” who will do their best to keep the NCAA’s seventh-best offensive rebounding team in UNC off the glass Sunday.

The extra work the Tar Heels did on rebounding this week paid off Friday. UNC scored 26 second chance points, the most among any team in the last three NCAA tourney’s, and grabbed 55 percent of their missed shots, their second-most prolific game in this regard of the season. Against a now-undermanned Iowa St. team, there’s a chance UNC fans may see a similar performance Sunday

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAB

Sunday, March 23

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Round 3 betting cheat sheet: South Region Day 4
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(10) Stanford Cardinal vs. (2) Kansas Jayhawks (-6, 142.5)

The Cardinal will require a much better effort from forward Dwight Powell (13.9 points, 6.8 rebounds) against the Jayhawks after he missed all eight of his shots while scoring a season-low three points to go with just four rebounds against New Mexico. Stanford jumped out to a quick 16-point lead and hung on for its first NCAA tournament victory since 2008 with a 58-53 win over New Mexico. Chasson Randle scored 23 points and the Cardinal were 8-of-15 from 3-point range while giving Johnny Dawkins his first NCAA tournament victory as a head coach.

Kansas surely didn’t miss injured center Joel Embiid (back) in its NCAA tournament opener. The Jayhawks will hope reinforcements Jamari Traylor and Tarik Black have another productive game when second-seeded Kansas faces No. 10 seed Stanford in Sunday’s round of 32 in St. Louis. Guard Andrew Wiggins scored 19 points but the overwhelming key figure in the victory over Eastern Kentucky was Traylor, who made 7-of-8 shots and collected seven of his rebounds on the offensive glass.

TRENDS:

* Cardinal are 2-5 ATS in their last seven NCAA Tournament games.
* Jayhawks are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 non-conference games.
* Over is 12-4 in Cardinal last 16 NCAA Tournament games.


(12) Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks vs. (4) UCLA Bruins (-8.5, 144.5)

Stephen F. Austin survived VCU’s pressure defense to post the first NCAA tournament in school history, but the Lumberjacks are decidedly undersized compared to the Bruins. Even before the unforgettable win over VCU, many experts were predicting a Cinderella run for the back-to-back Southland Conference champions. First-year coach Brad Underwood’s team ranks among the nation’s best in turnover margin, and the balanced offensive attack is led by guard Thomas Walkup, Parker and Haymon, who scored 17 points against VCU.

UCLA figures to have a large contingent of fans in San Diego for Sunday’s NCAA tournament third-round game. Jordan Adams scored 21 points and San Diego native Norman Powell added 15 as the Bruins snapped Tulsa’s 11-game winning streak on Friday by finishing the game on a 17-5 run. The Bruins are peaking at the right time under first-year coach Steve Alford after winning the Pac-12 tournament title over Arizona, but they can’t afford to underestimate the dangerous Lumberjacks.

TRENDS:

* Lumberjacks are 5-1 ATS in their last six non-conference games.
* Bruins are 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.
* Over is 4-1 in Bruins last five NCAA Tournament games.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




NCAAB

Sunday, March 23

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCAA South Regional betting news and notes: Randle can handle extra minutes
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No. 10 Stanford Cardinal vs. No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks (-6, 142)

With Joel Embiid out with a back injury and Andrew Wiggins expected to be the Cardinal's primary focus, the Jayhawks will need more from Wayne Selden than the two points he scored in the opener against Eastern Kentucky. The good news: Selden finished with just two points twice during the regular season, and bounced back in the next game both times - scoring 14 in a win over UTEP on Nov. 30 and 15 in a rout of TCU on Feb. 15.

The Jayhawks will be keyed in on Cardinal leading scorer Chasson Randle, who played all 40 minutes in the round-of-64 victory over New Mexico but has had no trouble bouncing back from previous full-game assignments. Randle played 40 minutes three times over the course of the regular season, and averaged 19.3 points while shooting 51.6 percent from the floor and 88 percent from the free-throw line in the three games following those contests.


No. 4 UCLA Bruins vs. No. 12 Steven F. Austin Lumberjacks (+8.5, 144)

That the Bruins cruised to victory in their round-of-64 game against Tulsa despite getting just eight points from star swingman Kyle Anderson shouldn't come as much of a surprise to anyone who has followed the team. UCLA went 4-1 during the regular season in games where Anderson finished with a single-digit point total, with its only loss an 83-74 setback to Stanford on Feb. 22.

Lost in the stunning nature of the Lumberjacks' win over VCU - getting a four-point play in the waning moments of regulation before prevailing in overtime - is how they handled the Rams' "havoc" defense with relative ease. Stephen F. Austin had just five turnovers in the first half and had just one in the pivotal OT period. UCLA should provide a similar challenge, having finished the season with a plus-4 turnover differential.

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAB

Sunday, March 23

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Round 3 betting cheat sheet: Midwest Region Day 4
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(8) Kentucky Wildcats vs. (1) Wichita State Shockers (-3.5, 133.5)

Andrew Harrison (seven points, five rebounds, five assists against Kansas State) and twin brother Aaron are key cogs in an all-freshman starting lineup. "See, you guys are looking at his numbers offensively, but he is also guarding the best offensive players every game and still scoring," coach John Calipari told reporters about Aaron Harrison, who registered 18 on Friday. Randle recorded 13 points and nine rebounds in the second half versus Kansas State and provides a challenge for Wichita State's senior-laden frontcourt while 7-0 sophomore Willie Cauley-Stein (four blocks Friday) can be an intimidating force inside.

When the NCAA tournament bracket was revealed, the Midwest stood out as the presumed toughest regional with the Shockers rated as the best team. Wichita State, which has won 10 straight games by double figures and its last 18 by at least seven points, defeated four teams during its non-conference schedule that reached the NCAA tournament by an average of 12.5 points, silencing the critics who say the Shockers "haven't played anybody" a bit.

TRENDS:

* Wildcats are 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.
* Shockers are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 neutral site games.
* Under is 5-1 in Wildcats last six neutral site games.


(14) Mercer Bears vs. (11) Tennessee Volunteers (-8, 128)

The 14th-seeded Bears shocked Duke 78-71 on Friday and must contain a physical Tennessee front line along with talented guard Jordan McRae to advance in the Midwest regional. Five of the top six scorers and all of the Bears’ regular starters are seniors, led by guard Langston Hall (14.6 points) and center Daniel Coursey (10.1). Senior forward Jakob Gollon led the way Friday with 20 points as Mercer shot 55.6 percent from the field and answered every Duke run, forcing 28 percent shooting inside the 3-point line.

The 11th-seeded Volunteers can reach the regional semifinals for the fourth time in eight years with their third win in six days. The Volunteers rallied to beat Iowa in the first round Wednesday and took control early in an 86-67 rout of Massachusetts on Friday, getting 44 points and 27 rebounds combined from 6-8, 260-pound Jarnell Stokes. Tennessee has held opponents to 52.7 points per game over its last seven outings.

TRENDS:

* Bears are 1-4 ATS in their last five neutral site games.
* Volunteers are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall.
* Over is 8-2 in Bears last 10 overall.

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAB

Sunday, March 23

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCAA Midwest Regional betting news and notes: Vols getting quick starts
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No. 11 Tennessee Volunteers vs No. 14 Mercer Bears (+8, 128)

Mercer shocked the world by taking advantage of Duke's woeful trend of faltering late in games (Duke was being outscored 76-47 in the last five minutes of their previous five games) and will now have to play a Volunteers team known for their fast starts. Tennessee outscores their opponents by over five points per game in the opening ten minutes since conference play and used those quick starts to run UMass out of the gym in the second round Friday.


No. 1 Wichita State Shockers vs No. 8 Kentucky Wildcats (-3.5, 133)

Wichita State will get the biggest test of its undefeated season to date when they take on Kentucky in the most highly anticipated game in the Round of 32 Sunday. While Wichita State has the 35-0 record, Kentucky faced the tougher schedule in the SEC, but head coach John Calipari knows his team deserves to be the underdogs in this matchup.

"There haven't been many teams come in undefeated like Wichita State, deserve their ranking, deserve their seeding," Calipari said of the Shockers in his press conference following their win over Kansas State. "They play really hard. They have really good players. You don't go 35-0 without really good players."

The Shockers will be looking to rely on their experience when they play Sunday. Wichita State has nine upperclassmen on its roster from last year's Final Four team, while the Wildcats rely on nine freshmen on their much younger roster.

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAB

Sunday, March 23

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Round 3 betting cheat sheet: West Region Day 4
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(6) Baylor Bears vs. (3) Creighton Bluejays (-2.5, 144)

Baylor relied heavily on its ability from the free-throw line and a strong zone defense to advance to the third round in the NCAA tournament. The Bears went 38-of-48 from the stripe to pick up their 11th win in 13 games Friday and are trying to get to the school’s third regional semifinal in the last five seasons. Baylor dominated on the interior against the Cornhuskers, winning the boards 37-25 and constantly getting into the paint and drawing fouls to help make up for a poor shooting game.

The Bluejays have proven that they are not just McDermott offensively and showed some of their versatility Friday when the three-time All-American went more than 14 minutes without scoring in the second half against the Ragin’ Cajuns. Ethan Wragge and Austin Chapman took turns stretching the defense from beyond the 3-point line and will attempt to do the same against Baylor’s zone. Wragge has recorded all but seven of his field-goal attempts this season from beyond the arc.

TRENDS:

* Bears are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 games overall.
* Bluejays are 1-7-1 ATS in their last nine NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 20-7-1 in Bluejays last 28 non-conference games.


(8) Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. (1) Arizona Wildcats (-6, 127)

Gonzaga has some areas where it can improve, such as free-throw shooting, as the Bulldogs made just 26-of-41 in Friday's win over Oklahoma State. However, coach Mark Few was generally pleased with his team's shooting (50 percent from the field and from behind the arc) and clutch play down the stretch, led by Kevin Pangos' 10-of-10 foul shooting over the final 91 seconds.

Arizona was not at its best in Friday's NCAA tournament opener, but coach Sean Miller hopes that the nerves are a thing of the past come Sunday. The top-seeded Wildcats - a group that Miller admitted seemed nervous at times on Friday - take on eighth-seeded Gonzaga in San Diego in a third-round matchup in the West Regional. "We are fortunate to advance and I know the next game will be a terrific game," Miller said after his team outlasted pesky Weber State, 68-59. "One of my hopes is, (having) one of these under our belts, we will be more ourselves and better on Sunday."

TRENDS:

* Bulldogs are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven vs. Pacific-12.
* Wildcats are 6-1 ATS in their last seven NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 14-5-1 in Wildcats last 20 neutral site games.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




NCAAB

Sunday, March 23

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCAA West Regional betting news and notes: No D in Creighton-Baylor game
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No. 8 Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. No. 1 Arizona Wildcats (-6, 127)

If Arizona expects to live up to its seed reputation and get past the Zags (29-6, 18-14-1 ATS), it will have to get better on the defensive glass. The Arizona Daily Star’s Bruce Pascoe tweeted that the Wildcats allowed 16th-seeded Weber State to score 16 second-chance points on 13 offensive rebounds (nine individual, four team) in Friday’s Round of 64 game. Arizona (31-4 SU, 20-14 ATS) held on for a 68-59 win, falling well short as a 19.5-point favorite.
Gonzaga, meanwhile, went off as a 4-point ‘dog against No. 9 seed Oklahoma State and controlled the game, winning 85-77.

Arizona-Gonzaga is almost a mirror matchup of a thrilling game from the 2003 NCAA Tournament, when the Wildcats were also the West Regional’s No. 1 seed and the Zags were a No. 9 seed. Arizona held on for a 96-95, double-overtime victory, and the Bulldogs cashed as 10-point pups. The Wildcats ultimately advanced to the Elite Eight before falling to No. 2 seed Kansas, 78-75.


No. 6 Baylor Bears vs. No. 3 Creighton Bluejays (-2.5, 144)

Perhaps not seeing another basketball powerhouse from the state of North Carolina will help Creighton (27-7 SU, 18-14 ATS) solve its Round of 32 woes and finally advance to the Sweet 16. Last year, after opening with a win over Cincinnati, the Bluejays got dumped by Duke 66-50 as a 5.5-point underdog. In 2012, Creighton edged Alabama in its opener, only to fall to North Carolina 87-73 catching 8.5 points.

The Omaha World-Herald’s Dirk Chatelain did some digging that would indicate defense won’t be on display when Creighton and Baylor (25-11 SU, 14-14-2 ATS) get together in the Round of 32. For the season, the only top-eight NCAA Tournament seed worse defensively than Baylor is Creighton, based on Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted defensive efficiency rankings.

On the flip side, Creighton averages 10.32 made 3-pointers per game – No. 1 in the nation – and Baylor averages 7.42 (No. 47).