Service Plays Thursday 3/17/11

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Dunkel NCAA

THURSDAY, MARCH 17
Time Posted: 8:30 a.m. EST (3/14)

Game 709-710: Princeton vs. Kentucky (2:55 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Princeton 57.301; Kentucky 69.957
Dunkel Line: Kentucky by 12 1/2
Vegas Line: Kentucky by 14
Dunkel Pick: Princeton (+14)

Game 711-712: UC-Santa Barbara vs. Florida (6:50 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UC-Santa Barbara 54.068; Florida 71.572
Dunkel Line: Florida by 17 1/2
Vegas Line: Florida by 13
Dunkel Pick: Florida (-13)

Game 713-714: Michigan State vs. UCLA (9:20 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Michigan State 66.891; UCLA 63.620
Dunkel Line: Michigan State by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: Michigan State by 1 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Michigan State (-1 1/2)

Game 715-716: Bucknell vs. Connecticut (7:20 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Bucknell 60.403; Connecticut 69.309
Dunkel Line: Connecticut by 9
Vegas Line: Connecticut by 11 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Bucknell (+11 1/2)

Game 717-718: Missouri vs. Cincinnati (9:50 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Missouri 69.892; Cincinnati 67.740
Dunkel Line: Missouri by 2
Vegas Line: Pick
Dunkel Pick: Missouri

Game 721-722: Old Dominion vs. Butler (11:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Old Dominion 66.988; Butler 63.115
Dunkel Line: Old Dominion by 4
Vegas Line: Old Dominion by 1 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Old Dominion (-1 1/2)

Game 723-724: Richmond vs. Vanderbilt (4:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Richmond 63.393; Vanderbilt 67.545
Dunkel Line: Vanderbilt by 4
Vegas Line: Vanderbilt by 1 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Vanderbilt (-1 1/2)

Game 725-726: Morehead State vs. Louisville (1:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Morehead State 61.713; Louisville 68.493
Dunkel Line: Louisville by 7
Vegas Line: Louisville by 10
Dunkel Pick: Morehead State (+10)

Game 727-728: Wofford vs. BYU (7:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Wofford 61.647; BYU 67.431
Dunkel Line: BYU by 6
Vegas Line: BYU by 8
Dunkel Pick: Wofford (+8)

Game 729-730: Gonzaga vs. St. John's (9:45 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Gonzaga 65.780; St. John's 70.355
Dunkel Line: St. John's by 4 1/2
Vegas Line: St. John's by 1 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. John's (-1 1/2)

Game 731-732: Northern Colorado vs. San Diego State (4:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Northern Colorado 57.354; San Diego State 71.105
Dunkel Line: San Diego State by 14
Vegas Line: San Diego State by 16 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Northern Colorado (+16 1/2)

Game 733-734: Penn State vs. Temple (2:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Penn State 63.460; Temple 68.890
Dunkel Line: Temple by 5 1/2
Vegas Line: Temple by 2
Dunkel Pick: Temple (-2)

Game 735-736: Utah State vs. Kansas State (9:55 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Utah State 69.092; Kansas State 68.792
Dunkel Line: Even
Vegas Line: Kansas State by 2
Dunkel Pick: Utah State (+2)

Game 737-738: Belmont vs. Wisconsin (7:25 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Belmont 64.606; Wisconsin 72.136
Dunkel Line: Wisconsin by 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Wisconsin by 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Wisconsin (-4 1/2)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

RAS

623 Alabama State +4.5
540 Arkansas-Little Rock +4
724 Vanderbilt -1.5
850 Arizona -5.5
840 Xavier -1.5
729 Gonzaga +2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Trusted Picks

NCAA Tourney
Kentucky OVER 130
Richmond OVER 133
BYU OVER 147
Kansas State OVER 130
North Carolina OVER 157
Oakland OVER 154
Tennessee UNDER 129
Purdue UNDER 120
FSU UNDER 123

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Brandon Lang

50 DIME Wofford

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Football Jesus Text for 3/17 Old Dominion

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Philly Wise Guys

Early Destroyer on OLD DOMINION
MOney Maker on BYU

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Maddux Sports

10 Units Michigan State -1.5
10 Units Vanderbilt -2
10 Units Louisville -9.5
10 Units BYU -8
10 Units Gonzaga +1.5
10 Units Temple -2.5
10 Units Wisconsin -4

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

DR BOB

2* UCLA
2* W Virginia
2* Florida
3* Vanderbilt
3* BYU
3* Wisconsin

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Cram Session: 68 things bettors should know about field of 68

I’ve read all the trends. I know No. 12 seeds have a tendency to knock off No. 5 seeds. I know that only four times since 1985 have all of the top four seeds in each region made it out of opening round. I know all four No. 1 seeds have only reached the Final Four once. But what does all that really mean this year?

Nothing.

The NCAA Tournament is about matchups, pure and simple. So if you’re looking to base your bracket on what happened to a random No. 13 seed in 1985, I’d suggest moving on now (or challenging me to a bracket contest).

For those of you interested in winning, here are 68 things you should know about the field of 68.

Who the sharps bet early

(From Monday interview with MGM Mirage sportsbook)

1. Georgia: “Everyone was talking Washington, but we got sharp action on UGA,” said MGM Mirage sports book manager Jay Rood.

2. UC-Santa Barbara. Florida opened at 13.5 but was dropped quickly to 12.5 after early sharp action.

3. Princeton: Despite Kentucky’s impressive performance in the SEC tournament, wise guys are more impressed by Princeton’s late surge. Kentucky opened as a 14.5-point favorite, before being reduced to -13.5 Monday.

4. Michigan State: UCLA actually opened up as a small 1-point favorite at some offshore books, but the Spartans were the favorites within minutes of the line being posted.

5. Bucknell: Wise guys must believe Kemba Walker and UConn are spent from their Big East Tournament run. This line has dropped from -11.5 down to -10.

6. Old Dominion: “This was the biggest play of them all,” said Rood. “We opened Butler at -1, but are now dealing ODU -2.)

Best, worst, least and most in the field

7. Best ATS performer: George Mason 22-8 ATS. The Patriots were 15-7-2 ATS entering the 2006 NCAA tournament, where they reached the Final Four.

8. Worst ATS performer: Michigan State 11-20-1 ATS.

9. Lowest Power Rating team: Covers rankings have Alabama State at 306 and NC Asheville at 239. Pomeroy has Alabama State at 295. Sagarin Predictor has Alabama State at 308.

10. Toughest non-conference strength of Schedule: Oakland - No. 3 (Pomeroy)

11. Easiest non-conference strength of schedule: Cincinnati - No. 335

12. Toughest overall strength of schedule: Michigan State - 1

13. Easiest overall strength of schedule: Alabama State - 340

14. Team that commits fewest fouls: Ohio State - 14.3 per game

15. Most 3-pointers per game: Belmont - 9.4 per game

16. Fewest 3-pointers per game: Old Dominion - 4.9 per game

17. Most overs: Oakland 20-9-1. The Golden Grizzlies played a difficult non-conference schedule that included six games against tournament teams. Five of those six went over the total.

18. Best tournament bet: Xavier is 10-2-1 ATS in NCAA tournament games over the past five years, the best mark in the nation.

19. Worst tournament bet: Gonzaga is 3-7 ATS in NCAA tournament games over the past five seasons.

20. Most tournament overs: Pittsburgh and Xavier have each produced nine overs compared to only four unders in the last five NCAA Tournaments

21. Most tournament unders: UCLA is 5-10 over/under in the NCAA Tournament over the last five years.

22. Best free-throw shooting team: Wisconsin - 82.4 percent.

23. Worst free-throw shooting team: Alabama State - 59.5 percent.

24. Lowest scoring margin: Penn State plus-0.5

25. Highest scoring team: Oakland - 85.6. Washington is second at 85.6.

26. Lowest scoring team: Alabama State - 60.8

27. Fewest points allowed: Utah State - 58.0. Old Dominion is second at 58.3.

28. Most points allowed: Oakland - 76.6

29. Best rebounding margin: Old Dominion is out-rebounding opponents by 12.2 per game, tops in the nation.

30. Worst rebounding margin: Hampton has been out-rebounded by 4.2 per game.

31. Best turnover margin: Missouri at plus-5.5.

32. Worst turnover margin: UCLA at minus-2.8.

Strength of schedule mismatches

33. Duke No. 22 vs. Hampton No. 342.
34. North Carolina No. 10 vs. Long Island No. 315.
35. Wisconsin No. 14 vs. Belmont No. 290.
36. UConn No. 7 vs. Bucknell No. 251.
37. Penn State No. 2 vs. Temple No. 85.

Teams not at full strength

38. St. John’s – The Red Storm lost guard/forward D.J. Kennedy in the Big East tournament to a torn ACL. Kennedy leads St. John’s in rebounding and is third in scoring.

39. Temple – The Owls are down to seven players after losing center Micheal Eric to a fractured right patella. Forward Scooting Randall missed the last seven games with a foot injury and is questionable to play against Penn State.

40. BYU – Leading rebounder Brandon Davies was booted for the team for violating the school’s honor code on March 2. The Cougars are 2-3 ATS without Davies.

41. Duke – All eyes are on freshman point guard Kyrie Irving. The talented NBA prospect injured a toe on his left foot and only recently got his walking boot off. Coach Mike Krzyzewski has repeatedly said Irving will not play, but signs seem to indicate that he could play at some point during the tournament. The Blue Devils are 13-12 ATS without Irving.

42. Florida State – Best player Chris Singleton broke his right foot on Feb. 12 and was expected to miss the remainder of the season. But Singleton says he can play in the tournament, but an official announcement had not been made by Tuesday morning. The Seminoles are 4-1-1 ATS without Singleton.

43. Georgetown – Senior point guard Chris Wright is expected to return for the Hoyas in Friday’s opener, but he’s only three weeks removed from breaking his hand. How effective will he be? Georgetown can’t be any worse with him at less than 100 percent than it was without him. The Hoyas went 0-3, averaging only 53 points a game.

Odds/Ends

44. Belmont commits the most fouls of any team in the field at 20.8 per game. Wisconsin leads the nation in free-throw percentage at 82.4.

45. I was very impressed with Clemson, even in blowing a lead in the ACC Tournament to North Carolina and costing me money.

46. Clemson went 2-7 against tournament teams this season, 1-5-2 ATS.

47. Old Dominion gets nearly all its scoring from inside the 3-point arc. Butler ranks 325th in blocks with just 1.6 per game.

48. Wofford lost in overtime to Air Force, a team BYU wolloped by 38 points in February.

49. Arkansas-Little Rock is the shortest team to make the field. The Trojans have a handful of regulars that stand 6-foot or shorter.

50. Ohio State is 15-2 against tournament teams this season, but just 9-7 ATS in those wins (No line was archived on win over UNC-Asheville).

51. Marquette is 6-13 against tournament teams, but 10-7 ATS in those wins (No line against Bucknell).

52. Utah State coach Stew Morril hasn’t won a postseason tournament game (NCAA, NIT) since 2001 (0-11). The Aggies are 3-8 ATS during that stretch.

53. There’s been a lot of whining about the winner of Tuesday’s First-Four game between Clemson and UAB having to play late Tuesday night, hop on a plane and fly from Dayton to Tampa to play West Virginia around noon on Thursday. Look for oddsmakers to inflate the Mountaineers as the favorite.

My top second-round bets

54. Villanova +1.5
55. Penn State +2.5
56. Cal-Santa Barbara +13
57. Duke -22.5
58. Over 143.5 Wofford-BYU
59. Vanderbilt -2
60. San Diego State -15.5
61. Marquette +2

My Final Four

62. Louisville
63. Ohio State
64. Duke
65. Florida

My Final 2

66. Ohio State
67. Louisville

My National Champion

68. Buckeyes +350

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Last-minute NCAA Tournament betting tips

Being late to the party may float as fashionable when arriving at your office’s Christmas bash, but showing up late to the dance - the Big Dance that is - will turn your pockets inside out.

Plenty of sports bettors jump head first into the NCAA Tournament with as little handicapping as watching the selection show on Sunday night. If you’re one of these bettors, who doesn’t pay attention to the college ranks until the brackets come out, don’t worry – you still have time.

The second round of the NCAA Tournament is just hours away, kicking off four straight days of non-stop college basketball betting. Here are some tips and pointers to get you up to speed with the NCAAB sharps:

Ignore the trends, except for the No. 5 vs. No. 12

Trends are about as useful as those decorative hand towels hanging in your bathroom. Sure, they’ll get your hands dry once in a while but they’re more for looks than anything.

Heading into the tournament, news sources and statistic nerds have thrown tons of NCAA trends at the wall, and only a few of those stick. We at Covers.com are just as guilty for pumping up some historic numbers, putting them together more for your enjoyment than actual practical use.

But there is one trend that should carry water with bettors. Since 1988, a No. 12 seed has knocked off a No. 5 seed in all but two NCAA Tournaments. Over the past four NCAAs, the No. 12 seed is 9-7 ATS versus the No. 5, so shopping which matchup produces the annual upset is important.

Right now, the Vanderbilt-Richmond (+3) and Kansas State-Utah State (+2.5) games have the tightest pointspreads of the No. 5 vs. No. 12 contests.

Consider bench depth early, less later

How far down the bench a coach can confidently go has a huge impact in the second and third rounds of the NCAA, but carries less importance as a team gets deep in the tournament.

Teams will be going all-out in their opening game, which can sometimes leave them flat in the second-round matchup when you factor in travel and nerves. A team with a deep bench, like Kansas, can absorb a poor performance from one of its starters, while a program like Syracuse, which uses its bench sparingly, may suffer a huge drop off if a star player underperforms or gets into foul trouble.

As the field shrinks and days off become more abundant and team’s with stingy rotations have time to rest and recover, as well as mentally prepare for the upcoming round.

Of course injuries can come into play, so keep an eye out for sprained ankles and pulled hammies.

Consider talent early, coaching later

This strategy has been barked by a lot of the NCAA talking heads heading into Thursday.

Talent can get you through the first two games, especially for higher seeds facing lesser opponents. Matchups are the most important aspect of betting college hoops and filling out your bracket, and one bad matchup involving an uber-talented player can be the ball game.

A program loaded with potential, like Kentucky, can more than likely waltz past Princeton and West Virginia or Clemson in the third round on the backs of studs like Terrence Jones and Brandon Knight. But once that team runs into a group as equally as talented in the later rounds, that’s when coaching takes over.

It’s no coincidence that Tom Izzo has Michigan State in the Final Four almost every other year. He’s one of the few coaches who know when to take the reins and when to let his players play.

A team that will likely undergo this transition during the NCAA are the Florida Gators and Billy Donovan. Florida, a No. 2 seed in the Southeast Regional, has a talent-rich roster and a sleeper star in SEC Player of the Year, Chandler Parsons. But if the Gators are going to dig deep into the tournament this March, it will be Donovan’s two national titles that get them there.

Size kills

A dominant big man can carry a college team far in the NCAA. But not all size mismatches have to do with the big boys under the basket.

Size advantages on the perimeter are just as important. Smaller guards can get beat up by bigger opponents, who can back them down or shoot over them. So be wary of teams with tiny dancers in the backcourt.

Florida is one team that runs this risk with a lack of size in its guard ranks. Starters Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton stand 5-foot-11 and 6-foot-2 (in the program) respectively, leaving them vulnerable to bigger backcourts.

Having a towering frontcourt also has its advantages. Just look at Duke last March, jumping on the back of 7-footer Brian Zoubek. He was nothing more than a bag of meat in the middle for most of his college career. But Zoubek was the difference on the Blue Devils' road to the national title, averaging over seven points and 10 rebounds in the NCAA while limiting small opponents around the hoop.

Illinois is a tall team to watch this March. The Fighting Illini have a tough second-round opener against UNLV (-2.5), but boast one of the biggest squads in the land. Mike Tisdale is a legit 7-footer, starting forwards Mike Davis and Bill Cole both stand at 6-foot-9, and Jereme Richmond (6-foot-7) and Meyers Leonard (7-foot) add more size off the bench.

The Rebels have Carlos Lopez, at 6-foot-11, and Brice Massamba, at 6-foot-10. Both of those guys come off the bench for UNLV, which starters only run as big as forward Quintrell Thomas at 6-foot-8.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Where the action is: Thursday’s March Madness odds

It's going to be a wild wagering day as the NCAA Tournament revs up with a full slate of games. Here are a few matchups that have seen their odds move around a bit already and you can stay on top of all the day's odds and line moves with Covers.com's Live Odds page.

No. 12 Clemson vs. No. 5 West Virginia (-2, 123)

This matchup opened as a pick ‘em and now you’ll find WVU as high as -2.5 at some sportsbooks, while 63 percent of Covers.com's Consensus bettors are backing the Mountaineers. The total is down as low as 122 after opening at 124.5.

No. 9 Old Dominion vs. No. 8 Butler (2, 122)

Bettors may be looking for the mildest of upsets in this mid-major battle. This game opened as a pick ‘em and you can currently find Butler as high as +2.5, while the total has dropped from its opening number of 124.5.

No. 12 Richmond vs. No. 5 Vanderbilt (-3, 135)

Bettors don’t seem to by buying into the No. 12 vs. No. 5 upset strategy here. Vanderbilt opened as just a 1.5-point favorite but action now has the club around -3. The total is also up about 1.5 points from the open.

No. 15 UC Santa Barbara vs. No. 2 Florida (-13, 127.5)

The pointspread here is holding fairly stable, currently down only a half a point from the open, but more than 68 percent of Covers.com's Consensus bettors are siding with the Gators. The total has dropped about three points from its opening number of 130.5.

No. 10 Michigan State vs. No. 7 UCLA (1.5, 125)

Oddsmakers opened with a 128.5 point total, but under bettors jumped on that to drive the total down three points. UCLA was originally slated as a 2-point underdog.

No. 11 Missouri vs. No. 6 Cincinnati (-1, 137)

No love for the Tigers here. Cincinnati opened as a 1.5-point underdog against Mizzou, but is now set at -1 at most books. The total for this matchup sits at 137 after opening at 140.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Ice picks: Thursday's best NHL bets

New Jersey Devils at Ottawa Senators (+150, 5)

New Jersey continued its incredible run with a win over the Atlanta Thrashers on Tuesday night to move above .500 for the first time this season. However, sharp Devils supporters saw another streak end in the process.

New Jersey had not played over a total in 16 games before Tuesday’s 4-2 final cashed in for over bettors – if there were any. The Devils played under 10 times during that stretch, even though the books regularly threw 5-goal totals at them.

You know Jacques Lemaire wasn’t happy his club gave up a pair of first-period goals against Atlanta by the way the Devils clamped down after that. Amazingly, the Devils are now right in the thick of the playoff race and sit just one point back of eighth spot in the Eastern Conference heading into Wednesday’s action.

With Martin Brodeur playing the way he has (seven wins in eight starts since returning from injury) there’s no reason to think they won’t get back on a nice under run that could carry them through to the postseason.

Pick: Under

Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens (-125, 5.5)

Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier always get up for games in their home province of Quebec and this is a contest the Lightning need to stay ahead of the pack battling for the last couple of playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.

Lecavalier scored and St. Louis set up a pair of goals for Tampa Bay in a 6-2 beatdown of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, which was just the team’s second win in eight games. The offensive outburst was just what the team needed after it had failed to bury more than two goals in a game since Feb. 23 and this time, coach Guy Boucher finally got a bit of secondary scoring he has been looking for.

"We were looking for specific things and we got exactly what we were looking for … the message was we can't wait for St. Louis and Stamkos and Lecavalier to score goals while you defend well. That's not the way it goes," Boucher told reporters.

Expect the Lightning to bring it in a big way against the Habs.

Pick: Lightning

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Pony picks: Thursday's best horse racing bets

My rules: 1 horse to show, no favorites.
Results: -69% ROI, Avg Finish: 5, Avg Choice: 4. Avg Odds: 9

It’s starting to warm up here in the Northeast and I’m hoping to do the same

Gulfstream Park Race 5

Six and half furlongs can be a bit of a tricky distance. People tend to discount speed who have won at 6f in favor of a pressing horse who looks like he needs more room. I’m going with Royal Straight. Last out in a 7f Alw 51500n1x he was the 2-1 favorite and just gave way. I’m hoping with the freshening and what appears to be a serious work tab he can get back to his winning ways.

Santa Anita Race 4

Who doesn’t like betting Santa Anita going down the hill? This maiden even looks very interesting with a lot of first time starters - one is the third choice. But I like a horse making his second start. Compulsive Edit has a nice worktab going with a good trainer who is a bit out of favor right now (no wins at this Santa Anita meet), but we don’t need wins - we just need to be in the frame. I think this horse will improve on the turf and will be a square price.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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

Cleveland Cavaliers at Portland Trail Blazers (-14, 195)

Portland looks a whole lot better when Brandon Roy is taking it hard to the cup. His bad knees keep him from playing a ton of minutes every night, but he’s making the most of his time on the floor lately.

Roy put up 21 points against Dallas in less than 28 minutes of work, helping the Blazers to an impressive 104-101 victory over the Mavs as a 1.5-point underdog on Tuesday. He missed Wednesday’s practice with tightness in his lower back, but the team expects him to be fine to play against the Cavs, which has “trap game” written all over it. Just ask Portland coach Nate McMillan.

“Some people would call that a trap game in the NBA where you end up playing a team’s record and not playing the game,” McMillan told reporters. “We know how important this game is, and we need to come out and play a good basketball game and win this game tomorrow.”

Winning is one thing, covering this number is something totally different. We’ll stick with the over, which has cashed in on each of the last five meetings between these clubs.

Pick: Over

Chicago Bulls at New Jersey Nets (N/A)

As the chatter about a possible MVP for Derrick Rose gets louder by the day, his Chicago Bulls have been blowing out every team that joins them on the hardwood.
Rose put up 23 points, seven assists and four rebounds as the Bulls hammered the Wizards 98-79 on Tuesday, covering as fat 15.5-point favorites.

It was the seventh straight game that Rose scored at least 20 points, coinciding with the seven-game winning streak Chicago is on heading into Thursday’s contest. Meanwhile, the Nets are on a bit of a roll themselves with five consecutive wins and look like a totally different team now that Deron Williams is running the show.

"I think we are playing good right now, we are jelling pretty well, having such a short time together. We're having fun," Williams told reporters.

Keep an eye on this line leading up to the tip. Joakim Noah is expected to play for the Bulls after missing a couple with an illness, but Carlos Boozer’s status is still uncertain.

Pick: (N/A)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Thursday's betting tips: Latest NCAA odds, line moves

Lines to watch

We have you covered for all of the latest NCAA Tournament odds and line moves. Among the notable moves, No. 6 seed Cincinnati opened as a 1.5-point underdog, but is now set as a 1-point favorite. Take a read through Where the action is: Thursday's March Madness odds before making your wagers.

Who’s hot

NCAAB: San Diego State has covered in four of its last five.

NCAAB: The under is 7-2 in Michigan State’s last nine games.

NBA: New Jersey has won five consecutive games, covering the number in four of those.

NBA: Each of the last five meetings between Cleveland and Portland have played over the total.

NHL: New Jersey has lost just twice over its last 17 games.

Who’s not

NCAAB: West Virginia is just 3-7 against the spread in its last 10 games.

NCAAB: Missouri is riding an 0-4-1 run against the spread heading into Thursday’s matchup with Cincinnati.

NBA: The over is just 2-9 in Chicago’s last 11 games.

NHL: Edmonton has lost four straight games, scoring just three times over that span.

Key stat

3 – Remember when the Gonzaga Bulldogs paved the road for all of these mid-majors with their deep runs in the Tournament years ago? Well, it’s safe to say that was then, this is now. The No. 11 seed Bulldogs have covered in just three of their last 10 tournament games heading into Thursday’s date with No. 6 seed St. John’s, which is set as a 1.5-point favorite.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls: The streaking Bulls are expected to get another boost to their lineup on Thursday with Noah coming back from an illness that kept him out of Tuesday’s blowout win over Washington. Noah practiced Wednesday and should be good to start at center when the Bulls visit New Jersey.

Game of the day

No. 12 Clemson Tigers vs. No. 5 West Virginia Mountaineers (-2, 123)

Notable quotable

"It's definitely motivation for us, going out in the first round," senior Wanamaker told reporters about going out in the first round of the Big East Tourney. "It's just motivated us to come out and get better as a team and as a unit. We're going to be a dangerous team because we're hungry. It's very exciting, just to go beat up on somebody else instead of somebody in our own conference." – Pitt is the lone No. 1 seed in action on Thursday and is set as an 18-point favorite against No. 16. UNC-Asheville.

Notes and tips

Wisconsin sophomore forward Mike Bruesewitz may be available to play Thursday against Belmont with the Badgers set as 5-point favorites. Bruesewitz suffered a knee injury in the Big Ten Tournament but practiced Tuesday and was scheduled to participate in Wednesday’s workout as well. The Badgers could use a boost after dropping a terrible 36-33 loss to Penn State in the conference tourney. Bruesewitz, at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds, has been a great energy coming off the bench for the Badgers all season.

San Jose Sharks sniper Dany Heatley has been suspended two games for elbowing Dallas’ Steve Ott on Tuesday and he will serve the first game of that ban when the Sharks host the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night. Heatley has 24 goals this season and sits second on the team with 58 points in 71 games this season. San Jose is pegged as a big -210 favorite against the Wild.

 

[LarsonVonFuqua]

Double dragon ncaa tourney day 1

DOUBLE DRAGON NCAA TOURNEY DAY 1

BYU -9 vs wofford
BUCKNELL +10 vs uconn
BELMONT +5 vs wisky
MICHIGAN STATE -1.5 vs ucla
GONZAGA +1.5 vs st. john's
UTAH STATE +2.5 vs kansas state

SoumiSoumiSoumi

 

[diddydirtymoney]

MORRIS21SPORTS 4-1 YESTERDAY.

JAYS +130 1UNIT
INDIANS +110 1UNIT
RANGERS +105 1UNIT


*just got their email...i have been tailling them and winning alot.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Steve Budin

50 dimes
Temple -2.5

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

PureGamble Sports

CBB
Clemson +3
Bucknell +10
Bucknell ML +450
Wisconsin UNDER 126.5