Service Plays Sunday 3/27/11

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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Thank you, wilheim




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[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SOUTHWEST REGION
NO. 1 KANSAS VS. NO. 11 VCU

WHERE: Alamodome, San Antonio

TIME: 2:20 p.m.

TV: CBS

ANNOUNCERS: Marv Albert play-by-play, Steve Kerr analyst

THE SPREAD: Kansas by 11

ENROLLMENTS: Kansas 30,102; VCU 32,000

ELITE EIGHT APPEARANCES: This is Kansas’ 20th appearance; the Jayhawks are 12-7. This is VCU’s first.

RECORDS: Kansas 35-2, VCU 27-11

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Kansas d. No. 16 Boston U. 72-53, d. No. 9 Illinois 73-59, d. No. 12 Richmond 77-57; VCU d. USC 59-46 in play-in game, d. No. 6 Georgetown 74-56, d. No. 3 Purdue 94-76, d. No. 10 Florida State 72-71 (OT).

KEY STAT: Kansas outrebounds opponents by 7.9 per game, while VCU is outrebounded by 3.5 per game.

THE BUZZ: VCU – which finished fourth in the Colonial Athletic Association in the regular season – has been on fire from 3-point range
in this tourney (41-of-96, 42.7 percent, compared to 52 field goals from 2-point range), and that must continue because VCU is going to have all sorts of issues dealing with Kansas’ size on both ends. The Jayhawks have held foes to just 29.1 percent shooting from 3-point range this season; that’s fourth-best in the nation. VCU F Bradford Burgess has become the Rams’ go-to guy in this tourney, and he must remain hot from beyond the arc. Kansas is well-balanced offensively, with the Morris twins and Thomas Robinson working down low and Brady Morningstar, Josh Selby and Tyrel Reed providing some pop from the perimeter. Given VCU’s lack of size, Kansas should have quite a bit of success getting the ball inside and controlling the boards. VCU got pounded on the boards by Florida State, but the Seminoles’ big men missed numerous point-blank putbacks. That’s not going to happen with the Jayhawks. VCU is the fifth No. 11 seed to advance to the Elite Eight; two of them LSU (1986) and George Mason (2006) have won, and both beat No. 1 seeds (LSU over Kentucky and George Mason over Connecticut).

THE KEY INDIVIDUAL: F Jamie Skeen is VCU’s Rams’ leading scorer and the Rams’ only legit low-post threat, but he has almost as many made free throws (14) as made field goals (17) in VCU’s four tourney games. He has to provide some offense in the paint, or the Rams will be far too perimeter-oriented.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

EAST REGION
NO. 2 NORTH CAROLINA VS. NO. 4 KENTUCKY

WHERE: Prudential Center, Newark, N.J.

TIME: 5:05 p.m.

TV: CBS

ANNOUNCERS: Jim Nantz play-by-play, Clark Kellogg analyst

THE SPREAD: Kentucky by 1

ENROLLMENTS: North Carolina 27,700; Kentucky 27,000

ELITE EIGHT APPEARANCES: This is Kentucky’s 33rd appearance; the Wildcats are 13-19. This is UNC’s 25th appearance; the Tar Heels are 18-6.

RECORDS: UNC 29-7, Kentucky 28-8

HOW THEY GOT HERE: North Carolina d. No. 15 Long Island 102-87, d. No. 7 Washington 86-83, d. No. 11 Marquette 81-63; Kentucky d. No. 13 Princeton 59-57, d. No. 5 West Virginia 71-63, d. No. 1 Ohio State 62-60.

KEY STAT: Kentucky shoots 39.5 percent from 3-point range, and UNC hits 33.2 percent from beyond the arc. These teams met Dec. 4 in Chapel Hill, with UNC winning 75-73.

THE BUZZ: You think CBS loves this matchup? These are the two winningest teams in NCAA tourney history, as Kentucky has 106 victories (in 52 appearances) and North Carolina has 105 (in 42 appearances). UNC is all about its “Big Three” up front of C Tyler Zeller and Fs John Henson and Harrison Barnes. Zeller has been dominant in the tourney, with 82 points (on 27-of-47 shooting, 57.4 percent) and 26 rebounds. He has scored at least 23 points in each game after having just five 20-point games in the regular season. Can he continue his offensive explosion against UK C Josh Harrellson? Harrellson basically held his own against Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger. If UNC’s big men struggle to score, the Heels are in big trouble. While UNC is frontcourt-oriented, UK is well-balanced, with three potent 3-point shooters and a solid inside game led by freshman F Terrence Jones. Both are comfortable with an up-tempo game, but a fast pace is probably more important to the Tar Heels: UNC has lost seven times, and the Heels were held below 70 in five of those losses.

THE KEY INDIVIDUAL: The point guards are the guys to watch. Tar Heels PG Kendall Marshall isn’t an offensive threat, but he makes the offense go because he is a pass-first guy who knows how to get the ball inside to the big men. Kentucky PG Brandon Knight, also a freshman, is the Wildcats’ leading scorer, and he has hit the winning basket against Princeton and Ohio State in the tourney. While he had relatively poor outings in those two, he scored a season-high 30 in the win over West Virginia. He’s much more of an offensive threat that Marshall, but he’s an able distributor. Chances are, though, that if he’s not scoring in this one, UK is going to have some trouble.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sunday's betting tips: UNC owns the SEC


Line to watch

The Kentucky-North Carolina game opened as a pick’ em at Pinnacle, then gamblers bet Kentucky up to a 1.5-point favorite. The total has dropped to 146.5.

Who’s hot

NCAAB: The Over is 12-6 in the Elite Eight since 2007.

NCAAB: North Carolina is 12-3-1 ATS in its last 16 games against SEC teams.

NHL: The Under is 13-6 in Vancouver’s last 19 games.

NBA: The Cavaliers are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 games playing on one day’s rest.

NBA: The Spurs are 5-0 ATS in their last five against Western Conference teams.

Who’s not

NCAAB: Kentucky is 0-7-1 ATS in its last eight meetings with North Carolina.

NCAAB: Kentucky is 2-7 ATS in its last nine games following an ATS win.

NHL: The Flyers are 1-5 in their last six home games.

NBA: Oklahoma City is 5-22 ATS in its last 27 Sunday games.

NBA: Washington is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games playing on one day’s rest.

Key stat

39.1 percent – That’s what opponents shoot against Kentucky. The Wildcats rank 10th nationally in that category.

Injury that shouldn't be overlooked

Double-double machine Kevin Love has been upgraded to questionable for tonight’s game against Boston. The All-Star participated in a light practice Saturday after missing two games with a strained left groin. Most of the pain is gone, according to Love, but the muscle still feels tight.

The Timberwolves covered both games in Love’s absence as Anthony Randolph scored 55 points and grabbed 26 rebounds. Minnesota lost 111-103 at Oklahoma City on Friday as a 15.5-point underdog, and 104-96 at Dallas Thursday as a 15-point dog.

Love is averaging 20.3 points, 15.4 rebounds. Oddsmakers hadn’t released a line on Sunday’s game as of late Saturday night.

Game of the day

Kentucky Wildcats vs. North Carolina Tar Heels (1.5, 146.5)

Notable quotable

“Yeah, they create a lot of problems for me. You know, Tyler Zeller, he scored a lot on me. He got me in foul trouble. So hopefully I am going to just try to stay out of foul trouble, play big and play like I did [Friday] night. Just play strong and just try to outwork him.” – Kentucky’s Josh Harrellson, on Sunday’s rematch with North Carolina in the Elite Eight.

Notes and tips

Miami has gone 7-1 SU and 5-3 ATS since center Zydrunas Ilgauskas stepped on a nail in his home and got a foot infection. Big Z is expected to return for Sunday’s game against Houston, with the Heat laying 8.5 points. Ilgauskas (5.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg) has started 47 games but will come off the bench, with Erick Dampier likely remaining the starter. Dampier has filled his role nicely. He had four points and five rebounds in 17 minutes Friday in a 111-99 win over the Sixers.

How shocking would it be if VCU made the Final Four? The Rams, 11-point underdogs against Kansas today, were picked on 5,791 ESPN.com brackets to reach the Final Four. That represents 0.1 percent of the 5.9 million brackets filled out. Readers picked Ohio State to make the Final Four on more than 3.5 million, or 59.5 percent of the brackets. The Buckeyes, of course, were ousted 62-60 on Friday by Kentucky.

Phoenix center Marcin Gortat is questionable for Sunday night’s game against Dallas despite breaking his nose in Friday’s loss to New Orleans. Gortat, who had 18 points and 10 rebounds against the Hornets, was gushing blood from his nose after it got banged by the back of Steve Nash’s head. Doctors “manipulated” the broken nose back into place on Saturday. The Suns, who are three games out of the final playoff spot, are 1-point favorites against the Mavericks.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Lone surviving No. 1 seed, Kansas says it feels no extra pressure

The Kansas Jayhawks, 11-point favorites against VCU on Sunday, insist they aren't feeling extra pressure as the lone No. 1 seed remaining in the NCAA tournament.

They say they don't view themselves as heavy favorites to win the title, despite what the public may feel. And they remain motivated by last year's second-round loss to Northern Iowa. Kansas was the No. 1 overall seed last year, Northern Iowa a No. 9 seed.

"Some of these guys still remember what happened last year and right now we are just hungry," freshman Josh Selby said. "I don't feel like we are just going to run through this with ease. We are just as much underdogs as they are and this is how we play."

Added senior Tyrel Reed: "I don't think there's any more pressure."

After failing to cover the 23.5 spread in their NCAA opener against Bucknell, a 72-53 win, the Jayhawks pounded Illinois 73-59 as 8-point favorites and crushed Richmond on Friday, 77-57, while laying 10. For the season, Kansas is 18-16-1 ATS.

VCU, a No. 11 seed, is 17-20 ATS but has covered four straight and five of six.

Another ominous note for Kansas bettors: Big 12 teams are 0-7 ATS in the Elite Eight since 2007.

Jayhawks senior Brady Morningstar knows there are no guarantees, despite the Jayhawks' striking edge in size and talent.

"Just because we're a high seed, we're supposed to win," he said. "But so were all the other No. 1 seeds."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAA Elite Eight preview and pick: VCU vs. Kansas

(11) VCU Rams vs. (1) Kansas Jayhawks (-11, 145.5)

THE STORY: Playing in a Southwest regional that included three double-digit seeds, anything less than domination would be unacceptable for No. 1 seed Kansas. Consider the first test passed with flying colors. No. 11 seed Virginia Commonwealth has had to prove itself every step of the way this month, starting with a first-round game just to get into the field of 64. But four wins later, the Rams are further than they have ever been before and are still hungry. Kansas and VCU will battle it out for the right to go to Houston and the Final Four when the schools meet on Sunday in the regional final.

TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, CBS. ODDS: Kansas -11. Books opened with the Jayhawks at -10.5 and that was bet up to -11. The total has fallen from 147.5 to 145.5 points.

ABOUT KANSAS (35-2, 18-16-1): The Jayhawks will be playing in their fourth Elite Eight in eight seasons under coach Bill Self and are on the verge of making another trip to the Final Four - their first since winning the 2008 National Championship. Kansas let Boston University and Illinois hang around through the first half before turning in convincing wins in the first two games. But the Jayhawks did not mess around in the Sweet 16 against No. 12 seed Richmond. They ripped off a 27-4 burst in the first half that stretched the lead to as much as 35-11. The Jayhawks never led by less than 15 points the rest of the way in cruising through to the Southwest final. Brady Morningstar led with 18 points and Thomas Robinson collected 12 points and 14 rebounds off the bench in the 77-57 triumph. The game was over so fast that Marcus and Markieff Morris, who combined for 72 points and 41 rebounds in the first two games, only had to play 28 and 17 minutes, respectively. The Morris twins finished combined for 18 points and 13 boards.

ABOUT VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH (27-11, 17-20-0 ATS): The Rams took a lot of flack from analysts as a mid-major that got an at-large bid ahead of teams from large conferences like Colorado and Virginia Tech. No one is questioning them anymore, after taking out a fourth straight major-conference team en route to the Elite Eight. VCU had its toughest battle yet against No. 10 seed Florida State in the semifinal on Friday, but Branford Burgess hit a layup off an inbounds pass with 7.1 seconds left in overtime to lift it to a 72-71 victory. Burgess finished with 26 points and went 6 of 7 from 3-point range in the contest. The Rams had never made it past the second round in nine previous NCAA tournament appearances.

UP NEXT: The winner gets either Butler or Florida at the Final Four next Saturday in Houston.

TRENDS:

- Rams are 8-0 ATS in their last eight NCAA tournament games.
- Jayhawks are 4-1 ATS in their last five NCAA tournament games as favorites of 7.0-12.5.
- Under is 13-3 in Jayhawks' last 16 NCAA tournament games.
- Over is 7-3 in Rams' last 10 neutral-site games.

PREDICTION: Kansas 72, VCU 60 - The Jayhawks have their path to the Final Four nicely laid out in front of them and won’t be turning back now. The Rams will keep it honest but in the end Kansas has too many weapons.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Pick 'n' roll: Sunday's best basketball bets

New Orleans Hornets at Los Angeles Lakers (-8.5, 189)

Hornets guard Chris Paul is desperate to get some help for his team’s suddenly thin frontcourt.

“You know when you lose somebody like David West its devastating because that’s our guy,” He said. “He’s our go-to guy. We’re praying for him and he’s going to be alright.”

Sure, he will be alright. Just not for about eight months. In the meantime it will be up to Carl Landry to fill in for the veteran scorer. Landry is averaging 11.4 points and 4.4 rebounds this season – both well below his career averages. In his first start against the defensive-indifferent Suns, he did net 19 points with six rebounds, but it was just the first time in two weeks he cracked double figures in scoring.

And the Lakers can’t wait to take advantage.

Los Angeles is 3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS this season against the Hornets. In the team’s past 10 games, it is 9-1 SU.

Landry will likely have to defend Ron Artest, and that could be a tough assignment. The mercurial Artest has scored in double digits in three straight and is playing his best ball of the season.

Landry also could get switched down low onto 7-footer Pau Gasol, but that would create a huge disadvantage for the Hornets.

Pick: Los Angeles

Boston Celtics at Minnesota Timberwolves (NA)

Expect this to be one of the least entertaining games on the slate. Well, unless you like turnovers, slow play and lots of missed jumpers.

Minnesota could be without both Michael Beasley and Kevin Love due to injuries, though Love was upgraded to questionable on Saturday. Far and away the team’s top two players, the duo combine to average more than 41 points and 21 rebounds. Beasley has an outside shot to play, but will be nursing a lingering hip injury. Overall, he has failed to meet his scoring average in five of the team’s past six games.

Meantime, Boston continues to be a lock to fade down the stretch. Despite getting solid play from recently acquired Jeff Green, the team has failed to regain its intensity after the trade of center Kendrick Perkins.

The Celtics are 4-6 SU and ATS over their past 10 games and haven’t cracked the century mark in points since a home loss to the lowly Clippers on March 9. Since that defeat, the team has seen nine straight games hit the under.

“You can see it,’’ Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “A guy struggles, he pouts, he moans. Everything is ‘Me, me, me’ on our team right now.’’

Pick: Under

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Ice picks: Sunday's best NHL bets


Vancouver Canucks at Columbus Blue Jackets (139, 5.5)

For the Canucks, success breeds success. Vancouver is a phenomenal 7-1 in its past eight games following a victory.

But winning really hasn’t been hard for Vancouver this year. The team is among the best in the league at home and also has had no trouble staking its claim on opposing ice this year. The Canucks are a stunning 20-6 in their past 26 games in enemy arenas.

Overall, Vancouver has won nine of its past 10 and is licking its chops to add to its current two-game streak. Columbus is a 0-3 against Vancouver this season, including suffering a 7-3 beatdown in Ohio just before Christmas.

But that was just one of several recent humiliations for the Blue Jackets. Columbus was once contending for a solid playoff seed, but now has fallen out of the chase, dropping 12 of its past 14. The team has dropped three straight, including a 5-4 shootout loss to the lowly Avalanche.

“We had good chances but at the end of the day, we have to put the puck in the net,” Blue Jackets forward Derick Brassard said. “That is how you win games… In the past games, we have done those things.”

But don’t expect those things to return any time soon.

Pick: Vancouver

Ottawa Senators at Atlanta Thrashers (-140, 5.5)

The Ottawa Senators are hot.

Since acquiring goaltender Craig Anderson from the Colorado Avalanche last month, the team has enjoyed stability between the pipes and been able to string together multiple one-goal victories. Overall, the team is 7-3 in its past 10, with only two wins coming by more than the slimmest of margins.

The Senators are coming off a 2-0 shutout of the white-hot Washington Capitals that saw Anderson shine again.

"We're getting good effort, with good goaltending, good structure most nights," said Ottawa coach Cory Clouston. "Some young guys are assuming big roles and taking advantage of the opportunity and learning as they go on. When you look at guys like [Eric] Condra and [Colin] Greening, their games today are so much more complete than it was, say, a month and a half ago, and credit to them."

Condra and Greening were both AHL callups and accounted for both scores in the win against Washington.

On the other bench, it has been a struggle for Atlanta to piece together consistent efforts. The Thrashers have dropped four of their past seven games and are giving up more than 3.7 goals per game over that span.

Anderson and the Sens should continue to roll.

Pick: Ottawa

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Last-minute NCAA tournament Elite Eight betting tips

The road to the Final Four has one more stop this weekend before heading to Houston. The East and Southwest Regionals will crown champs with the Elite Eight wrapping up Sunday.

If you’ve slept through most of the tournament and slacked on your handicapping, here are some last-minute trends and statistics to help get you up to speed on Sunday’s NCAA tournament action.

Find more NCAA tournament statistics, odds, game previews and betting trends on the NCAA scoreboard.

VCU Rams vs. Kansas Jayhawks (-11, 146.5)

Oddsmakers opened the Jayhawks as 10.5-point favorites. That number has since climbed to -11. The total opened at 147.5 points and was quickly bet down to its current number.

The Rams continue to defy the odds this March, knocking off Florida State in the Sweet 16 to advance to the Southwest Regional final. Virginia Commonwealth is 8-0 ATS in its last eight NCAA tournament games and 7-3 over/under in its last 10 neutral-site contests.

Kansas stomped No. 12 Richmond Friday night, improving to 4-1 ATS in its last five NCAA games as a favorite of 7-12.5 points. The Jayhawks are also 3-13 over/under in their last 16 tournament outings.

Over the past four seasons, No. 1 seeds are 8-6 ATS and 10-4 over/under in the Elite Eight. The Big 12 is 0-7 ATS and 3-4 over/under in regional finals since 2007.

Kentucky Wildcats vs. North Carolina Tar Heels (+1.5)

This line opened as a pick but early money on the Wildcats has moved UK to a -1.5 favorite. The total has also jumped since post, moving from 150.5 to 151.5, then dropping to 146.5.

North Carolina beat Marquette at its own game Friday night, using tough defense and aggressive rebounding to punch its ticket to the East Regional final. The Tar Heels are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 tournament games and own a 12-3-1 ATS mark in their last 15 contests with SEC opponents.

Kentucky shocked No. 1 Ohio State, using its size, speed and athleticism to edge the top-overall seed in the tournament. The Wildcats are 5-2 ATS in their last seven NCAA outings but have a 1-8-1 ATS mark in their last 10 games versus ACC foes.

The SEC is 1-2 ATS and 3-0 over/under in the Elite Eight since 2007 while the ACC is 3-1 with a 3-1 over/under record in that span. No. 2 seeds carry a 4-4 ATS and over/under mark in the last four Elite Eight rounds.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Pony picks: Sunday's best horse racing bets

When I was approached about making selections for this site, the editors wanted two selections a day. But it bothered me when one of the choices was scratched and I only had one horse running.

So I decided to go through a couple of cards a day and see what I like. Since then, my results have been sizzling.

Out of my last 17 selections, I’ve picked 11 winners and hit the board 16 times. But don’t consider this bragging, I’ve been around the circuit too long for that. Let’s face it, either I’m on a major run or I’m due for a serious drought.

Here’s hoping for the former with today’s picks at Aqueduct and The Parx.

Sunday at Aqueduct:

2nd race: Imperio Entry of Elenis Hope and Maid to Win: The chalks have plenty of questions in this one.

3rd race: Cody Samora: Goes wire-to-wire.

7th race: Banking Holiday: Most consistent of these.

9th race: Prospector’s Girl: Best of poor field.

Sunday at Parx:

2nd race: Singapore Girl: Has trained well in a long layoff.

5th race: Bank’n On Gold: Failed as the favorite last time out and will get a much better price this time.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Auto Club 400: NASCAR betting preview and picks
By GREG ENGLE

NASCAR leaves one of the smaller tracks on the circuit and heads to one of the biggest. Auto Club Speedway, the two-mile venue just outside of Los Angeles, is a far cry from the half-mile Bristol oval in Tennessee.

It’s yet another challenge in the young season, as all five races to date have been on different size tracks.

While California has been a traditional stop early in the season, not only has Auto Club Speedway lost one of its two dates, there’s one very important change for this year. Sunday’s Auto Club 400 race is a full 100 miles shorter than in years past. While 50 less laps may not seem like a lot, it can make a world of difference, giving everyone a sense of urgency.

One driver who has shown he is a master of urgency is this week’s favorite - none other than Mr. Five-Time, Jimmie Johnson. The numbers add up for Johnson this week. The five-time consecutive series champion leads all drivers in wins with five here and he’s the defending winner of this race. After a slow start to the season, Johnson battled to a third-place finish last week at Bristol and seems poised to score his first victory of the season Sunday.

Not only does Johnson have momentum on his side, he also has another reason to do well this weekend. This race marks the 10th anniversary of Johnson’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup win on April 28, 2002 - right here at the track less than two hours from his home in El Cajon.

“If I really think about 10 years ago, where I started and my mindset going into that race, it's just a crazy trip down memory lane just to see where we're at and what's all taken place in these 10 seasons,” Johnson told reporters. “I love winning at that track - it's been very good to me and I only have one chance to strike and get a victory. Hopefully, we can take advantage of that this weekend."

His nearest contender is the surprising Matt Kenseth. Fords have shown their strength everywhere this season and Kenseth quietly finished fourth at Bristol last week. He won here in 2009, his third victory since 2006, and if he continues his upward trend he could easily ruin Johnson’s anniversary party.

Kyle Busch could also play the role of spoiler. Busch has won here (2005), is coming off a win last week, and is starting to show the maturity that can make him a threat anywhere NASCAR races.

Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne make up the prime time matchup this week. Harvick has never won here but has two Top 5 and seven Top-10 finishes. He’s also made no secret of the fact that, as a California native, he wants to do well here. Kahne has won here (2006) and is racing hard to make the statement that his one off year with Red Bull Racing can pay off. In addition to his one win, he has four Top 5 and eight Top-10 finishes along with a pole. Red Bull has been struggling a bit, though, so look for Harvick to come out ahead.

The other matchup pits Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin. Both of the aging veterans have spent the early season trying to prove they can still be competitive. Gordon has three wins, 10 Top 5s and 11 Top-10 finishes along with two poles. Martin has one victory along with six Top 5s and 10 Top-10 finishes. Both finished in the Top 15 last week and are trying hard to score consistent finishes. The biggest difference is Gordon’s return to victory lane at Phoenix two races ago. That could be the difference this weekend, look for Gordon to prevail in this matchup.

Bottom line: Don’t look to qualifying for a favorite. Ten of the 21 races here were won from starting positions outside the Top 10. Only one has been won from the pole (Jimmie Johnson in 2008). The most prolific starting position is third, with three victories. However, in 2006, Kenseth started 31st and won. That’s the deepest any winner has started.

Picks:

Jimmie Johnson +350
Matt Kenseth+2,000
Kyle Busch+800

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

DCI NCAA CBB

Season
Straight Up: 3865-1333 (.744)
ATS: 1808-1838 (.496)
ATS Vary Units: 4998-5117 (.494)
Over/Under: 1784-1816 (.496)
Over/Under Vary Units: 2299-2474 (.482)

NCAA Tournament
East Regional Final at Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
Kentucky 75, North Carolina 72
Southwest Regional Final at Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Kansas 79, Vcu 66

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

DCI NBA

Season
Straight Up: 706-309 (.696)
ATS: 540-520 (.509)
ATS Vary Units: 1279-1274 (.501)
Over/Under: 548-530 (.508)
Over/Under Vary Units: 652-640 (.505)

PHILADELPHIA 107, Sacramento 96
Atlanta 97, CLEVELAND 93
MIAMI 105, Houston 98
MEMPHIS 100, San Antonio 98
Boston 99, MINNESOTA 93
OKLAHOMA CITY 100, Portland 94
GOLDEN STATE 112, Washington 101
L.A. LAKERS 99, New Orleans 88
Dallas 105, PHOENIX 104

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

DCI NHL

Season: 337-265 (.560)

PITTSBURGH 3, Florida 2
Ottawa vs. ATLANTA: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
Vancouver 3, COLUMBUS 2
PHILADELPHIA 3, Boston 2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Stock lemon

Elite Eight Picks:

North Carolina +2 over Kentucky

Kansas -10 1/2 over VCU

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Arlon Sports

2* Kentucky

 

[mojohnny2]

Hitman Sports Blazers/Thunder OVER 192.5

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Today's NHL Picks

Ottawa at Atlanta

The Senators are coming off a 2-0 win over Washington and look to build on their 10-1 record in their last 11 games after scoring 2 goals or less in the previous game. Ottawa is the pick (+125) according to Dunkel, which has the Senators favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Ottawa (+125). Here are all of today's picks.
<table id="table1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4"><tbody><tr> <td style="height: 12.75pt; width: 564px;" height="17">SUNDAY, MARCH 27
Time Posted 7:30 a.m. EST</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 95px;">Game 51-52: Florida at Pittsburgh (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Florida 10.711; Pittsburgh 11.852
Dunkel Line & Total: Pittsburgh by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-260); 5
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-260); Over</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 95px;">Game 53-54: Ottawa at Atlanta (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ottawa 12.264; Atlanta 10.775
Dunkel Line & Total: Ottawa by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta (-145); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Ottawa (+125); Over</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 95px;">Game 55-56: Vancouver at Columbus (5:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Vancouver 12.095; Columbus 10.033
Dunkel Line & Total: Vancouver by 2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Vancouver (-155); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Vancouver (-155); Under</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 95px;">Game 57-58: Boston at Philadelphia (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 12.836; Philadelphia 12.037
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 1; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia (-130); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (+110); Under</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Today's NBA Picks

San Antonio at Memphis

The Spurs look to build on their 9-3 ATS record in their last 12 games as a road underdog from 1 to 4 1/2 points. San Antonio is the pick (+2 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the game Even. Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (+2 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.
<table cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4"><tbody><tr> <td style="height: 12.75pt; width: 564px;" height="17">SUNDAY, MARCH 27
Time Posted: 8:00 a.m. EST</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 12.75pt;" width="564" height="17">Game 701-702: Sacramento at Philadelphia (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Sacramento 109.983; Philadelphia 123.095
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 13; 212
Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia by 9; 208
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-9); Over</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 12.75pt;" width="564" height="17">Game 703-704: San Antonio at Memphis (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 121.379; Memphis 120.908
Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 194
Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 2 1/2; 197
Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (+2 1/2); Under</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 12.75pt;" width="564" height="17">Game 705-706: Houston at Miami (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston 118.946; Miami 130.085
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 11; 202
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 8 1/2; 208
Dunkel Pick: Miami (-8 1/2); Under</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 12.75pt;" width="564" height="17">Game 707-708: Atlanta at Cleveland (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 114.076; Cleveland 113.217
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 1; 198
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 6; 193
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+6); Over</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 12.75pt;" width="564" height="17">Game 709-710: Boston at Minnesota (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 119.671; Minnesota 107.825
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 12; 204
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 12.75pt;" width="564" height="17">Game 711-712: Portland at Oklahoma City (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Portland 123.212; Oklahoma City 126.216
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 3; 187
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 5; 192
Dunkel Pick: Portland (+5); Under</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 12.75pt;" width="564" height="17">Game 713-714: Washington at Golden State (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 106.231; Golden State 114.509
Dunkel Line & Total: Golden State by 8 1/2; 225
Vegas Line & Total: Golden State by 11; 217
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+11); Over</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 12.75pt;" width="564" height="17">Game 715-716: New Orleans at LA Lakers (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 117.617; LA Lakers 128.553
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Lakers by 11; 184
Vegas Line & Total: LA Lakers by 8 1/2; 187 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (-8 1/2); Under</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 12.75pt;" width="564" height="17">Game 717-718: Dallas at Phoenix (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 120.122; Phoenix 121.795
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1 1/2; 201
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas by 1 1/2; 208 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+1 1/2); Under</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAA Basketball Picks

Kentucky vs. North Carolina

The Wildcats look to take advantage of a North Carolina team that is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games as a neutral site underdog. Kentucky is the pick (-1) according to Dunkel, which has the Wildcats favored by 3. Dunkel Pick: Kentucky (-1). Here are all of today's games.
<table id="table3" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4"><tbody><tr> <td style="height: 38px; width: 566px;">SUNDAY, MARCH 27
Time Posted: 7:00 a.m. EST</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="566">Game 721-722: VCU vs. Kansas (2:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: VCU 69.692; Kansas 75.991
Dunkel Line: Kansas by 6 1/2
Vegas Line: Kansas by 11 1/2
Dunkel Pick: VCU (+11 1/2)</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="566">Game 723-724: Kentucky vs. North Carolina (5:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kentucky 74.909; North Carolina 71.703
Dunkel Line: Kentucky by 3
Vegas Line: Kentucky by 1
Dunkel Pick: Kentucky (-1)</td></tr></tbody></table>