Sunday 3/20/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Game of the Day: Capitals at Penguins

Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins (-120, 5.5)

Less than two weeks ago, the Pittsburgh Penguins were staring at the likelihood of facing the NHL-best Washington Capitals in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. One five-game winning streak later and the surging Penguins have aspirations of a top-three seed in the Metropolitan Division as they prepare to host the Capitals on Sunday.

Pittsburgh continues to bolster its playoff positioning at the expense of its division rivals, improving to 13-3-1 in its last 17 versus Metropolitan foes with a 4-1 victory at Philadelphia on Saturday. The Penguins overtook the New York Islanders for third place in the division and are two points behind the second-place New York Rangers. Washington is on cruise control for the Presidents' Trophy and has won two in a row, including a 4-1 triumph over Nashville on Friday that represented its largest margin of victory since Jan. 19. The Capitals have won two of the three meetings this season, including a 4-1 victory at Pittsburgh on Dec. 14.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TVA

LINE HISTORY: The Penguins opened as slight -120 favorites, while the total opened at 5.5 goals.

INJURY REPORT:

Capitals - C M. Latta (Out Sunday, illness), D J. Carson (Out Sunday, lower body).

Penguins - LW S. Wilson (Out Sunday, upper body), C E. Malkin (Out Sunday, upper body), RW B. Bennett (Out Sunday, upper body).

GOALIE REPORT:

Captials - B. Holtby (43-8-4, 2.20 GAA, 0.923 save percentage).

Penguins - M. Fleury (31-16-6, 2.30 GAA, 0.922 save percentage).

WHAT SHARPS SAY:"Don’t look now but the Pens are playing solid hockey with three straight wins and four in their last five. Sidney Crosby has a 11-game point streak on the go, totaling 14 points in that stretch." - Will Rogers.

ABOUT THE CAPITALS (51-14-5): Coach Barry Trotz admitted there's no need to "reinvent the wheel" for his team, but he shuffled his lines last week and watched the second and third units each come up with a big game. “We’re very interchangeable parts here and our depth is one of our best attributes, and it’s going to carry us a long way in the playoffs,” forward Justin Williams said. “These are good barometer games for us, just to see where we are and ramp our game up for the fun times.” Evgeny Kuznetsov collected three assists Friday to extend his point streak to five games.

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (39-24-8): A slow start to the season is a distant memory for captain Sidney Crosby, who set up a pair of goals Saturday to give him six tallies and 12 assists during his 11-game point streak. Nick Bonino, who inherited the unenviable task of stepping in for the injured Evgeni Malkin, collected a pair of assists against the Flyers after scoring a goal in the previous game versus Carolina. Phil Kessel, who is one assist shy of 300 for his career, has recorded a goal and an assist in three meetings versus Washington this season.

TRENDS:

* Under is 3-0-1 in the last four meetings in Pittsburgh.
* Penguins are 5-0 in their last five games overall.
* Under is 15-5-2 in the last 22 meetings.
* Capitals are 5-2 in the last seven meetings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Devils won three of their last five games.
-- Penguins won six of their last seven games. Washington won four of its last six games.
-- Colorado won four of its last five games. Oilers won last two games, 2-0/6-4.
-- Arizona won three of its last four games. Sharks won four of their last six.

Cold teams
-- Anaheim lost four of its last six games. Jets lost five of their last seven.
-- Columbus lost four of its last six games.
-- Calgary lost three of its last four road games. Montreal lost three of last four overall.
-- Chicago lost four of its last five games. Minnesota lost four of its last six games.

Series records
-- Ducks won their last nine games with Winnipeg.
-- Devils lost their last six games with Columbus.
-- Washington won five of its last seven games with Pittsburgh.
-- Canadiens won three of last four games with Calgary.
-- Blackhawks lost their last three games with Minnesota.
-- Colorado won five of its last seven games with Edmonton.
-- Coyotes won three of last four games with San Jose.

Totals
-- Over is 4-1-1 in last six Anaheim-Winnipeg games.
-- Six of last eight New Jersey games went over.
-- Under is 6-1-2 in last nine Washington-Pittsburgh games.
-- Four of last six Calgary games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four Minnesota-Chicago games stayed under.
-- Four of last five Colorado games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Arizona-San Jose games stayed under.

Back-to-backs
-- Devils are 4-6 if they played night before. Columbus is 5-8 on road if it played night before.
-- Pittsburgh is 5-8 if it played night before, but won last three.
-- Montreal is 3-8 in last 11 games if it played night before.
-- Minnesota is 4-9 this season if it played the night before.
-- Arizona is 2-6 in last eight games if it played the night before.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Trail Blazers (36-34) at Mavericks (34-35)

Date: March 20, 2016 4:00 PM EDT

Though they're in a tight race for one of the final playoff spots, the Portland Trail Blazers and Dallas Mavericks are still trying to shake out of their March blues.

Portland's postseason hopes were nearly dashed when Damian Lillard took a hard fall on Friday, but the star guard insists he's fine as the Blazers attempt to brush aside their lengthy road struggles against the short-handed Mavericks on Sunday.

Portland appeared to be on its way to a playoff berth before dropping six of its first nine games this month. It snapped a two-game slide with Friday's 117-112 win at New Orleans, but received a scare when Lillard was clotheslined by Kendrick Perkins.

Lillard lay on the court for several moments while teammates got into it with New Orleans players. He finally regrouped and finished with 33 points, eight rebounds and six assists before saying "it's going to take a lot more than that to take me out.'

C.J. McCollum added 30 points and Gerald Henderson scored 19 as Portland ended a season-high six-game road skid. McCollum has totaled 56 points while hitting 8 of 13 from 3-point range in his last two after failing to score 20 in his previous four.

'It's easy; (Lillard) does all the work,' McCollum said. 'I just catch and shoot.'

The Blazers (36-34) will try to win back-to-back games for the first time this month in the opener of this home-and-home set with the Mavericks (34-35) that concludes Wednesday. It certainly won't be easy as they've lost 31 of their last 38 trips to Dallas, including the playoffs.

The Mavericks, however, have dropped seven of eight to fall below .500 for the first time since Nov. 11. Now Dallas, Portland, Houston and Utah are separated by only a couple games in the race for the Western Conference's final three playoff spots.

The Mavericks hope to snap a five-game losing streak at American Airlines Center that's their longest at home since a six-game skid in 1999-2000 at the old Reunion Arena. They've been particularly awful defensively, allowing an average of 111.4 points on 48.3 percent shooting.

Dirk Nowitzki had 24 points and David Lee added 16 and 16 rebounds Friday, but Dallas let Golden State shoot 22 for 38 from 3-point range in a 130-112 home defeat.

'If we play like that for the remaining 13 games, we will beat 80 percent of the teams,' said former Blazer Wesley Matthews, who endured a scary fall of his own Friday as his right knee buckled. "Those guys shot the lights out of the ball, but we were never out of it.'

The Mavericks, though, suffered a big loss when Chandler Parsons went down with a strained hamstring that will likely keep him sidelined versus Portland. The veteran, listed as doubtful, has averaged 19 points and made 46.9 percent from 3-point range in his last 26 games.

Parsons did not play in the first meeting Dec. 1 when Deron Williams had a season-high 30 points, Nowitzki scored 28 and Zaza Pachulia pulled down 21 rebounds in a 115-112 overtime victory. Matthews chipped in with 18 points in his return to Portland.

The Mavericks held McCollum to 11 points on 4-of-21 shooting, limited the Blazers to 41 percent shooting and outscored them 32-19 in points off turnovers. Lillard still had 25 points and 10 assists.

Williams, who's listed as questionable with a right calf injury but says he'll play, has averaged 24.3 points and 8.0 assists in his last three meetings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Magic (29-39) at Raptors (47-21)

Date: March 20, 2016 4:30 PM EDT

The Toronto Raptors can continue to press for the top spot in the Eastern Conference while simultaneously letting some more air out of the Orlando Magic's chances to crack the top eight.

The likelihood of each scenario seems to gain steam each day.

The Raptors close a home-heavy stretch looking for their seventh straight win at Air Canada Centre over the reeling Magic on Sunday.

Toronto (47-21) has stayed right behind East-leading Cleveland by winning 12 of its last 15, with 11 of the victories coming at home. The Raptors are 16-2 in their last 18 at Toronto, but follow this contest with eight of their final 13 on the road.

They recorded their third straight win to close a stretch of four games in five days with Friday's 105-91 home victory over Boston.

Luis Scola scored all 17 of his points in the opening 11 minutes and Kyle Lowry had 15 of his 32 in the fourth quarter to extend Toronto's Atlantic Division lead to 8 1/2 games over the Celtics.

After opening their busy week with Monday's 109-107 home loss to Chicago, the Raptors earned road wins of 107-89 over Milwaukee on Tuesday and 101-94 in overtime over Indiana on Thursday before beating Boston.

'It's a good win for us,' Lowry said. 'It was a good test for us, four tough games and four tough teams, but it was fun.'

Toronto has enjoyed a dominating run in this series, though this season's first two games were split in Orlando. The Magic beat the Raptors for the first time since March 2012 with a 92-87 win Nov. 6, but Toronto's 106-103 overtime victory Jan. 14 was its 12th in 13 meetings.

Orlando's Victor Oladipo has averaged 22.5 points and 50 percent shooting in the series, going 6 of 9 from 3-point range. DeMar DeRozan and Lowry, meanwhile, shot a combined 9 of 39 on Jan. 14.

The Magic (29-39) were still considered one of the league's top defensive teams at that point but have dropped off since. They've surrendered 109.6 points per game in their last 27, with four teams reaching at least 120.

Three of Orlando's last four opponents have shot 50 percent or better.

The Magic couldn't help the Raptors on Friday, falling 109-103 to the Cavaliers for their sixth loss in eight games.

Oladipo scored a career-high 45 points and went 6 of 7 from beyond the arc, though he had only six points in the final 12 minutes.

'I'm still upset about the fourth quarter," he said. "I've got to demand the ball much more. That's something I need to learn and get better at."

While Oladipo made 16 of 22 shots, the rest of the team hit 35 percent.

Orlando would need to pass four teams for the final playoff spot with 14 games left on the schedule. The Southeast's last-place team opens a difficult four-game trip that also goes through Boston, Detroit and Miami. The Magic have lost 15 of their last 19 on the road.

Elfrid Payton's status is cloudy for Orlando after missing the last five games with an elbow injury. Toronto's Jonas Valanciunas has missed three in a row with a bruised left hand and is uncertain.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Celtics (39-30) at 76ers (9-60)

Date: March 20, 2016 6:00 PM EDT

One quarter returned a glimpse of the Boston Celtics team that recently made a push for a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference.

If they can't sustain that for more than 12 minutes, their current rough patch might continue.

The Celtics will try to avoid their longest losing streak of the season against a team notorious for extended slumps when they visit the league-worst Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night.

Boston (39-30) is not far removed from a 17-5 stretch that put it in the East's No. 3 position and within 4 1/2 games of Atlantic Division-leading Toronto.

But Friday's 105-91 loss to the Raptors just over a week later was the Celtics' fourth straight, dropping them to sixth in the conference and 8 1/2 back in the division.

Boston's slide is one game shy of its longest since early last season, and the way it has unfolded is particularly surprising.

The Celtics were third in the league in scoring from Jan. 15-March. 9, their 111.7 average ranking behind only Golden State (116.5) and Oklahoma City (112.5). During their skid, they are averaging 99 points on 40.6 percent shooting, including 29.4 from deep.

One of the only positives was Friday's third quarter, which coach Brad Stevens said was the best his team has played in two weeks.

The Celtics cut into what was once a 19-point first-half deficit with a 33-24 advantage in the third, trimming Toronto's lead to 79-74. Still, a 30-14 flop in the first quarter and a 26-17 clunker in the fourth were far too much to avoid a fourth straight road loss.

'We have to change something up,' Isaiah Thomas said. 'We got ourselves back into the game, so we showed signs of playing like we know how, but a good team like the Raptors you can't just play one good quarter.'

Philadelphia (9-60) might be the streak-snapping opponent. The 76ers have dropped four in a row and 17 of 18, and their only two wins since Jan. 27 have come against Brooklyn, the second-worst team in the East.

The Celtics have won seven straight games in this series as they go for their second consecutive sweep. Thomas has shot 50.9 percent while averaging 25.7 points against the 76ers in the three this season.

One more win would help Philadelphia avoid matching its own NBA-low victory total in an 82-game season, set when the 1972-73 team finished 9-73.

The 76ers have struggled mightily on the boards since rookie center Jahlil Okafor was lost for the season with a cartilage tear in his right knee. They have held a rebounding advantage in one of 10 games without him, getting edged on the glass by an average of 13.1 per game.

Philadelphia was outrebounded 63-36 in Friday's 111-97 loss to Oklahoma City, the best rebounding team in the NBA.

'We're small and we're not thick,' coach Brett Brown said after his team fell to 6-29 at Wells Fargo Center. 'We're light right now. ... I wish it was better than that.'

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Clippers (43-25) at Pelicans (25-43)

Date: March 20, 2016 6:00 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Clippers couldn't get past a short-handed team to start this weekend but will get to face another to close it out.

The New Orleans Pelicans might not have star Anthony Davis for the rest of the season, and the Clippers will try to take advantage of his absence Sunday night while earning a fifth consecutive win in the series.

Los Angeles (43-25) fell 113-102 on Saturday night to a Memphis team that was missing several key players and dropped to 1-2 on its five-game trip.

"I'm just disappointed that we got outcompeted tonight, and it was clear," coach Doc Rivers told the team's official website. "It actually started in practice (Friday). It was a waste-of-time practice, it was a waste-of-time game for us today, it was a waste-of-time shootaround.

"We didn't do anything today. That's on me too, though. I've got to get them ready. They weren't ready to play."

The Clippers remain four games in front of the fifth-place Grizzlies for homecourt advantage in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, but they could use some wins to bolster that position.

If recent matchups with New Orleans (25-43) are any indication, they might get one Sunday. Los Angeles has won all three meetings against the Pelicans this season and 11 of 13.

The Clippers have faced Davis in two of those games, holding him to a combined 31 points and well below his average of 24.3. The Pelicans' three-time All-Star is currently dealing with knee and shoulder ailments, and coach Alvin Gentry indicated the option of shutting him down the rest of the way isn't off the table.

"I wouldn't say no to that. I think we have to be smart collectively," he said. "I think that's something we have to consider."

Los Angeles has won four of six in New Orleans, including a 95-89 victory in its only other trip this season Dec. 31.

J.J. Redick had 26 points in that game but was held to 11 on 2-of-10 shooting in a 114-111 overtime win in Los Angeles on Jan. 10. Chris Paul led the way with 25 points but could only manage nine on 3-of-18 shooting in the visit to New Orleans.

The Clippers point guard had 25 points in Saturday's defeat, 10 more than in a 122-106 victory against Houston on Wednesday.

Paul will try to lead Los Angeles to its first sweep of the Pelicans franchise in its 14 seasons of existence.

New Orleans will attempt to fend that off while earning just its third win in 12 games and second in six at home. The Pelicans fell 117-112 to visiting Portland on Friday with Davis missing the second half due to a left knee injury.

He scored 19 points in 14-plus minutes. Ryan Anderson and Jrue Holiday each finished with 30.

Anderson has a combined 59 points in his past two games but is averaging a more pedestrian 16.5 in his last two matchups with the Clippers.

Los Angeles center DeAndre Jordan has connected on 25 of 26 shots in the last four games and his past 19 in a row. His 70.9 shooting percentage is just shy of matching last season's 71.0, and the NBA's second-best in one season behind Wilt Chamberlain's 72.7 in 1972-73.

Jordan has shot 72.2 percent (13 of 18) while scoring 31 points in the three games against New Orleans.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jazz (33-36) at Bucks (30-39)

Date: March 20, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Utah Jazz got their best player back, although their playoff hopes took a hit as a four-game win streak ended.

The Milwaukee Bucks may face them with some unfamiliar players getting some major playing time.

The Jazz seek to even their mark on this five-game trip Sunday night when they meet a dangerous and loose Bucks team that has won four of five.

Utah (33-36) welcomed back Gordon Hayward in Saturday's 92-85 defeat at Chicago in the opener of this trip after he missed the previous two games with plantar fasciitis of the right foot. Hayward, averaging 20.0 points, was held to nine on 4-of-13 shooting.

The Jazz, who shot 40.7 percent, fell one game behind Dallas for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot. They trail Houston by 1 1/2 games and Portland by 2 1/2.

'I felt fine out there,' Hayward said. 'We didn't have a good shooting night and struggled a little bit early defensively.'

Utah likely can't afford to lose to a Bucks club it has defeated in 17 of the last 21 meetings. Milwaukee (30-39) may be poised to post a rare win in this series because of this 4-1 stretch as well as a 12-6 run at home.

Coach Jason Kidd opted for an unusual lineup in the fourth quarter comprised entirely of reserves in Thursday's 96-86 victory over Memphis. None of the starters saw any action in the fourth as the Bucks outscored the Grizzlies 28-13 behind Tyler Ennis' 13 points in the period - a career high.

Milwaukee's bench averages 27.3 points - one of the NBA's worst marks.

'They were like grasshoppers out there,' Kidd said. 'They had a lot of energy and spunk. I guess the coach has been holding them back a little bit. They earned the minutes to finish that game.'

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 15 points and 11 assists and Khris Middleton had 14 points and 10 boards among the starters, and Kidd said he may give his reserves even more minutes if his first five continues to falter.

Ennis could be the beneficiary, totaling 35 points on 55.6 percent shooting in his last four games.

"Not having to rely on guys like Khris and Giannis and those guys that play 45 minutes a game, if we have guys coming off the bench every night, different guys, it will help," Ennis said.

Rashad Vaughn was one of the reserves who played the entire fourth quarter Thursday, but he has since been assigned to the Development League.

There's a chance that guard Greivis Vasquez could see his first action since Nov. 27 after being out following right ankle surgery. Vasquez has been practicing this week.

Milwaukee takes 81.0 percent of its shots from inside the 3-point line for the league's highest mark and averages an NBA-best 50.3 points in the paint.

Derrick Favors led the Jazz with 24 points Saturday as they held a 50-36 scoring edge in the paint.

Utah averages 93.5 possessions per 48 minutes for the league's slowest pace. The Jazz are 9-6 in the second half of back-to-back games.

The Jazz beat the Bucks 84-81 on Feb. 5 behind Rodney Hood's 23 points.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (26-42) at Knicks (28-42)

Date: March 20, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Dysfunction has been the story for the New York Knicks and the Sacramento Kings, who have been dismal since the All-Star break.

Only two teams have worse records than these clubs in that span but one of them will win when they meet Sunday night at Madison Square Garden.

Sacramento (26-42) is 4-11 since the break and New York (28-42) is 5-10. Only the Los Angeles Lakers at 3-11 and Philadelphia at 1-15 have been worse. The Kings will finish with their 10th straight losing season and the Knicks their third in a row.

These teams are similarly built around superstars that many basketball observers believe are flawed in New York's Carmelo Anthony and Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins. Anthony, who said earlier this week he was unsure about his future with the Knicks, was evaluated for migraines after he scored 20 in Saturday's 99-89 loss at Washington.

Cousins has repeatedly clashed with coach George Karl, who is rumored to be fired. The Knicks have already fired Derek Fisher and replaced him with interim coach Kurt Rambis.

Hope for the future is based on 7-foot rookies selected two picks apart in the draft in the Knicks' Kristaps Porzingis and the Kings' Willie Cauley-Stein. Both are showing signs of the drain of the long season.

Porzingis is shooting 39.3 percent overall and 28.0 percent on 3-pointers in his 14 games playing under Rambis. He shot 42.3 percent and 34.9 percent in 53 games under Fisher.

Cauley-Stein sat out Friday's 115-108 loss at Detroit with an illness. He has been disappointing lately, failing to score at least 10 points in nine of his previous 11 games.

Cousins had 31 points and 10 rebounds Friday in Sacramento's 11th loss in 13 games. The Kings trailed 39-25 after one quarter before rallying to get back into the contest only to get outscored 18-12 over the final 6:36.

'Slow start, slow end,' said forward Rudy Gay, who scored 19. 'We've just got to put together a whole game of good basketball.'

Rajon Rondo, averaging an NBA-high 11.9 assists, returned with 10 points and 13 assists after missing a game with a variety of injuries.

The Kings have a major edge with an average of 49.7 points in the paint to rank second in the NBA while the Knicks rank last at 36.5.

Sacramento enjoyed a 62-26 advantage in that category in a 99-97 home win Dec. 10. Cousins had 27 points and 11 boards and Anthony had 23 and 14, although he missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

New York blew an 18-point lead in its 20th loss in 26 games Saturday. Porzingis scored 20 for the Knicks, who shot 39.5 percent.

Point guard Jose Calderon was seen limping during the game. His status was in doubt due to a calf injury that he plans to test out Sunday.

"That it is the plan, that is the plan, going out tomorrow, get treatment in the morning, get treatment before the game," he said. "Hopefully it won't get a big swelling or something, so hopefully everything is good."

The Knicks are 7-8 in the second half of back-to-back sets.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Sunday's hot teams
-- Toronto won six of its last seven games (3-1 last 4HF).
-- Utah won its last four games (4-10 last 14AU). Milwaukee won four of its last five games (6-2 last 8HF).

Cold teams
-- Portland lost six of its last nine games. Mavericks lost seven of their last eight games.
-- Orlando lost six of its last eight games (2-3 last 5AU).
-- Boston lost five of its last six games (6-3 last 9AF). 76ers lost nine of their last ten games (3-1 last 4HU).
-- Clippers lost four of their last six games (9-2 last 11AF). New Orleans lost five of its last six (5-3 last 8HU).
-- Kings lost seven of their last eight games (2-6 last 8AU). New York lost seven of its last ten games (10-6HF).

Series records
-- Mavericks won three of last four games with Dallas.
-- Raptors won nine of last ten games with Orlando.
-- Celtics won their last seven games with Philadelphia.
-- Clippers won their last four games with New Orleans.
-- Jazz won eight of their last ten games with Milwaukee.
-- Knicks lost four of their last five games with Sacramento.

Totals
-- Seven of last eight Portland games went over the total.
-- Five of last seven Toronto games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four Boston games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of last eight Pelican games went over the total.
-- Over is 10-2 in last 12 Utah games if it played night before.
-- Under is 9-2 in New York's last eleven games.

Back/backs
-- Clippers won last six games if they played the night before.
-- Utah is 3-5 in last eight road games if it played night before.
-- Knicks won four of last five if they played the night before.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sunday's Early Tips
By David Schwab

South Regional - Barclays Center, Brooklyn NY (CBS, 12:10 p.m. ET)
No. 7 Iowa Hawkeyes vs. No. 2 Villanova

Opening Odds: Villanova -6 ½, 145 ½

Betting Matchup

The Big Ten’s Iowa Hawkeyes advanced to the second round of this season’s NCAA Tournament with a tight 72-70 overtime victory against the Temple Owls. They failed to cover as seven-point favorites and the total went OVER the 139 ½-point line. Iowa is now a costly 1-8 against the spread in its last nine games and this was just its second straight-up win in its last seven contests.

The Hawkeyes need a last second bucket by 7-foot-1 center Adam Woodbury to get by the Owls in Friday’s opening round game. Senior forward Jarrod Uthoff scored a team-high 23 points in that game, but Iowa was only able to covert on 34.8 percent of its shots from the field and it went 7-for-28 from three-point range. On the year, the Hawkeyes are averaging 78.1 points per game and shooting 44.7 percent from the four.

Villanova was the toast of the Big East this season with a SU conference record of 16-2 as part of its overall record of 30-5. The Wildcats opened their run at a national title with a routine 86-56 victory against UNC Asheville as heavy 17 ½-point favorites. It was just the third time they covered the spread in their last nine games and the total stayed UNDER the closing 142 ½-point line after going OVER in eight of their previous nine outings.

Four of Villanova’s five starters reached double-digits in Thursday’s victory led by senior forward Daniel Ochefu’s 17 points. Junior guard Josh Hart ended the game with nine points, but he remains the team’s leading scorer this season with 15.5 PPG. The Wildcats are averaging 77 PPG while hitting 47.1 percent of their shots from the floor. Defensively, they are ranked 20th in the nation in points allowed; giving-up an average of 63.7 points a game.

Betting Trends

-- The Hawkeyes have failed to cover in four of their last five games against a Big East team and they are a costly 1-6 ATS in their last seven NCCA Tournament games. The total has stayed UNDER in 10 of their last 14 neutral-site games.

-- The Wildcats are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games in the NCAA Tournament and they are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games following a SU win. The total has gone OVER in seven of their last nine games against the Big Ten.

-- These two last met in 2013 with Villanova coming away with an 88-83 overtime victory as a three-point road underdog. The total went OVER the closing 148-point line in that game.

Championship Odds
-- Villanova 18/1
-- Iowa 80/1

South Regional Odds
-- Villanova 7/2
-- Iowa 18/1

West Regional - Barclays Center, Brooklyn NY (CBS, 2:40 p.m. ET)
No. 14 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks vs. No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Opening Odds: Notre Dame -1 ½, 141

Betting Matchup

The Lumberjacks were part of a group a bracket busters in this year Big Dance with their stunning 70-56 upset against No. 3 West Virginia as seven-point underdogs. The win extended their SU winning streak to 21 games and they have covered in their last three outings. This was the first time they covered in their last four games as underdogs and the total stayed UNDER the closing 145-point line after going OVER in six of their last seven games with a posted betting line.

Senior forward Thomas Walkup went off with a game high 33 points to help the Lumberjacks chop down the Mountaineers. He has led the team in scoring all season long with 17.5 PPG and he is hitting an impressive 59.8 percent of his shots from the field. Stephen F. Austin is averaging 80.7 PPG and it is ranked 13th in the nation on defense when it comes to points allowed (63.2).

The Fighting Irish advanced to the next round on this tournament with Friday’s 70-63 victory against No. 11 Michigan while covering as three-point favorites. They are now 4-1 SU in their last five games, but when it comes to betting on the Irish lately it has been a toss-up with an even 4-4 record ATS in their last eight outings. The total stayed UNDER 143 ½-points in Friday’s win and it has now stayed UNDER in seven of their last nine games.

The key to getting past the rival Wolverines was the ability to erase a 12-point halftime deficit behind junior forward VJ Beachem’s game-high 18 points. Junior guard Demetrius Jackson has been Notre Dame’s leading scorer this season with 15.4 PPG and he added 11 points and five rebounds to the winning cause. The Irish are averaging 75.7 PPG while shooting 47.4 percent from the field. With the exception of a 47-point meltdown in a lopsided loss to North Carolina in the recent ACC Tournament, Notre Dame has posted an average of 81 points in its last three wins.

Betting Trends

-- The Lumberjacks are 4-1 ATS in their last five neutral-site games, but they are 1-3 ATS this season in four games as underdogs. The total has stayed UNDER in four of their previous five NCAA Tournament games.

-- The Fighting Irish are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 NCAA Tournament games and they have failed to cover in eight of their last 11 games following an ATS win. The total has stayed UNDER in six of their last eight games played at a neutral site.

Championship Odds
-- Notre Dame 50/1
-- Stephen F. Austin 100/1

East Regional Odds
-- Notre Dame 19/2
-- Stephen F. Austin 15/1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sunday's Late Tips
By Brian Edwards

West Regional - Oklahoma City, OK (truTV, 7:45 p.m. ET)
No. 11 Northern Iowa vs. No. 3 Texas A&M

-- This is a West Region matchup between third-seeded Texas A&M (27-8 straight up, 16-12 against the spread) and 11th-seeded No. Iowa. The winner moves on to Anaheim to face the Oklahoma-VCU winner. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. Eastern on TruTV.

-- The Westgate SuperBook opened Texas A&M as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 127. The tally was adjusted to 127.5 by early Saturday night. The Panthers were +250 on the money line (risk $100 to win $250).

-- No. Iowa (23-12 SU, 20-13 ATS) advanced to the Round of 32 with a victory over Texas in one of the most thrilling finishes in NCAA Tournament history. With 2.7 seconds remaining, the Panthers had the ball in a tie game on the opposite baseline. Matt Bohannon threw the inbound pass to Paul Jesperson, who took the pass at the opposite timeline, took two dribbles to his left and forward a touch and took off. By the time he released the shot, he was at halfcourt. The ball hung in the air, kissed home off the glass just after the horn sounded and the Longhorns were sent home in gut-wrenching fashion.

-- NIU’s Wes Washpun was the catalyst with 17 points, four rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots. Jeremy Morgan added 16 points.

-- NIU has won seven in a row while going 6-0-1 ATS.

-- No. Iowa has been an underdog 12 times this year, going 6-6 both SU and ATS. However, the Panthers have won outright in four consecutive games from the role of underdogs.

-- Washpun averages team-highs in scoring (14.3 PPG) and assists (5.1 APG). Morgan (10.5 PPG) averages team-bests in rebounds (5.1 RPG), field-goal percentage (48.4%), steals (1.9 SPG) and blocked shots (0.9 BPG).

-- Since losing four straight games in early February, Texas A&M has been hot with nine wins in its last 10 games while going 8-2 ATS. The only defeat came in overtime to Kentucky in the finals of the SEC Tournament.

-- Texas A&M advanced to the Round of 32 by spanking Wisconsin-Green Bay by a 92-65 count as a 13-point favorite. Danuel House paced the Aggies with 20 points by draining 8-of-12 from the field and 2-of-3 from downtown. Tonny Trocha-Morelos added 15 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals with zero turnovers.

-- Billy Kennedy’s squad has been a single-digit ‘chalk’ 17 times, posting a 9-7-1 spread record.

-- The ‘under’ is 20-14 overall for the Panthers, 7-2 in their last nine games.

-- The ‘under’ is 17-13 overall for the Aggies, but they have seen the ‘over’ go 4-1 in their last five outings.

East Regional - St. Louis, MO (TNT, 8:40 p.m. ET)
No. 2 Xavier vs. No. 7 Wisconsin

-- This is an East Region 2/7 matchup that’ll be contested Sunday in St. Louis at 8:40 p.m. Eastern on TNT. The winner advances to Philadelphia to meet the winner of

-- The Westgate opened Xavier (28-5 SU, 20-13 ATS) as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 136. That’s where both numbers remained early Saturday night. The Badgers were +180 on the money line (risk $100 to win $180).

-- Chris Mack’s squad advanced to the Round of 32 while simultaneously hooking up its backers in a 71-53 win over Weber State as a 13-point favorite. James Farr stole the show with 18 points, 15 rebounds and three blocked shots. Jalen Reynolds added 12 points and five boards, while Myles Davis contributed six points, eight boards and six assists.

-- Xavier has been a single-digit ‘chalk’ 13 times, cashing tickets at a frenetic 9-4 ATS clip.

-- Xavier is led in scoring by Trevon Bluiett, who averages 15.3 points per game. Farr (11.0 PPG) averages 8.0 RPG and has a team-high 33 rejections.

-Wisconsin (21-12 SU, 17-16 ATS) won a 47-43 decision over Pittsburgh as a one-point underdog Friday night. The 90 combined points easily stayed ‘under’ the 130.5-point tally. Ethan Happ led the way with 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and one blocked shot. Nigel Hayes was an abysmal 3-of-17 from the field but made enough free throws to contribute 12 points and five boards.

-- Wisconsin is 11-4 ATS in its last 15 games.

-- Wisconsin has been an underdog 13 times, compiling a 7-6 spread record with six outright victories.

-- The ‘under’ is on a 9-1 run for the Badgers to improve to 19-14 overall.

-- The ‘over’ is 21-12 overall for the Musketeers, cashing in eight of their last nine contests.

-- These schools haven’t squared off since the 2009 NCAA Tournament when Xavier knocked off the Badgers 60-49 as a 2.5-point favorite.

West Regional - Spokane, WA (TBS, 9:40 p.m. ET)
No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 8 St. Joseph’s

-- This is a West Region showdown in Spokane, WA., between top-seeded Oregon and eighth-seeded St. Joseph’s with the winner advancing to Anaheim to face No. 4 seed Duke. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:40 p.m. Eastern on TBS.

-- The Westgate opened Oregon as a six-point favorite with a total of 157. Since then, the total hasn’t budged but the Ducks are now favored by 6.5 points. They are 3.5-point ‘chalk’ for first-half wagers.

-- Oregon (29-6 SU, 20-12 ATS) advanced to the Round of 32 by beating up on Holy Cross 91-52 as a 22.5-point favorite. The 143 combined points jumped ‘over’ the 133.5-point total. Chris Boucher scored a team-high 20 points in only 17 minutes of playing time, hitting 8-of-12 shots from the field. Elgin Cook finished with 11 points, 13 rebounds and four assists, while Dillon Brook tallied 11 points, six boards and five assists without a turnover.

-- Brooks averages 16.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Boucher (12.3 PPG) averages team-bests in rebounding (7.5 RPG), field-goal percentage (54.8%) and blocks (3.0 BPG).

-- Oregon has won nine in a row while going 6-3 ATS. The Ducks have taken the money in three straight and six of their last seven.

-- Oregon has been a single-digit favorite 17 times, compiling a 10-7 spread record.

-- St. Joseph’s (28-7 SU, 23-10 ATS) hadn’t won an NCAA Tournament game since 2004 until late Friday night, when it slipped past Cincinnati 78-76 win as a 3.5-point underdog. Isaiah Miles buried the go-ahead 3-pointer with nine seconds left to put the Hawks up by two, but Cincy’s Octavius Ellis dunked at the buzzer to tie it. After a video review, however, the dunk was waved off as it came just a fraction of a second late.

-- DeAndre Bembry was the catalyst against the Bearcats, producing 23 points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocked shots. Miles finished with 19 points, seven boards, two blocks and two assists without a turnover. Aaron Brown was also in double figures with 13 points.

-- St. Joseph’s has been an incredible underdog this season, going 9-1-1 ATS with nine outright victories.

-- The ‘under’ is 17-15 overall for the Ducks, but they’ve seen the ‘over’ hit in three consecutive contests.

-- The ‘over’ has hit at a 12-2 clip in the Hawks’ last 14 games, going 20-13-1 overall.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAA Tournament

Sunday games

Villanova hasn't been in Sweet 16 since 2009, despite being either 1 or 2-seed three times since then. Wildcats beat Nebraska by 24 in its only Big 14 game this year- Big East teams are 10-7 this year vs Big 14 teams, 4-4 vs spread when favored. All five starters for Iowa played 32:00 Friday; three played 36+. Villanova had an easy win in first round. Iowa beat Marquette by 28 in its only Big East game- Hawkeyes are still just 2-5 in last seven games. Villanova is 22-3 in its last 25. Since 2003, #2-seeds are 19-26-1 vs spread in second round games.

Since 1998, 14-seeds are 0-9 vs spread in second round; last win by 14-seed in this round was Chattanooga in '97. SF Austin didn't look like a 14-seed Friday- they were +15 (22-7) in turnovers, held West Virginia to 36.1% inside arc while getting to line 39 times themselves. Notre Dame is more of an offensive team; they're 4-4 in last eight games overall- last year was first Sweet 16 for Irish in 12 years. ND will have crowd edge playing in Brooklyn. Austin is #1 in country, forcing turnovers on 26.1% of possessions- they do it more in halfcourt than by pressing like West Va does.

Since 2008, Big X teams are 17-17 in this round. VCU hasn't been in Sweet 16 since making Final Four in '11; Rams are 1-4 vs top 50 teams this year, losing by 8-6-1-14 points- they force turnovers 21.6% of time, but veteran Oklahoma team likes to run- they went 2-1 vs West Virginia's pressure defense. Sooners shoot 42.9% on arc (#3)- they're 2-3 in this round since '05. Since '03, #2-seeds are 19-26-1 vs spread in second round games. VCU is #60 experience team; Oklahoma has four kids who started 100+ games together. This figures to be an up-and-down game. Big X teams are 3-2 vs Atlantic 14 teams this season.

Northern Iowa beat North Carolina in November; Panthers won 13 of last 14 games, after enduring a 5-10 skid that had their season skidding. UNI outscored Texas 25-13 on line Friday, trailed by six in second half- four Panthers played 32:00+. Texas A&M is 9-1 in its last ten games after a 1-5 skid; Aggies had easy win vs Green Bay Friday, playing no one more than 26:00. A&M won nine of its last ten games, with only loss in OT to Kentucky in finals of SEC tourney. SEC teams are 4-0 vs MVC teams this year, winning by 14-3-13-13 points.

Middle Tennessee raced out to 15-2 lead Friday, led all the way in huge upset as 18-point dog. 15-seeds are 1-6 in second round of NCAAs, 2-4-1 vs spread. Blue Raiders shoot 39.4% on arc, +14 in country- they're going against zone defense here, can make shots if they don't turn ball over. Syracuse beat Charlotte by 13 in its only C-USA game; Orange is just 2-5 in its last seven games- they played six guys Friday (7th guy played 9:00 in blowout), so depth is an MTSU edge. ACC teams are 5-0 vs C-USA this year, 2-2-1 against the spread.

Since 2005, #2 seeds are 11-15-1 vs spread vs 7-seeds this round. Wisconsin won dreadful 47-43, slow, 54-possession game Friday; Badgers are 12-3 in last 15 games- they're 0-2 vs Big East, losing to Georgetown by 10, Marquette by 2. Xavier won at Michigan by 16 in its only Big 14 game; they won easily Friday, playing 8 kids 10+ minutes in stress-free game. Slowest game Xavier played this year was 62-possession, 10-point win over Cincinnati, big rivalry game in December. Big East teams are 10-7 this year vs Big 14 teams, 4-4 vs spread when favored.

Maryland is just 4-5 in its last nine games; they damn near blew 18-point lead to South Dakota State Friday. Since 2002, 13-seeds are 4-1 vs spread in this round vs 5-seeds; most of time 13's won in first round, they've played 12-seed this round- overall, 13's are 6-5 vs spread in this round since '05. Hawai'i was lucky in that Cal was missing two starters Friday; Rainbows are 11-1 on mainland, with only loss by hoop at Long Beach State. Maryland is 12-1 in its non-conference games. Hawai'i starts three juniors, couple of seniors; they're #48 in experience, #13 in eFG% defense. .

St Joe's scored 78.3 ppg in winning its last four games; their star Bembry played all 40:00 in tough win vs Cincinnati Friday; Ducks had glorified scrimmage vs Holy Cross. Oregon won its last nine games; they're #3 in blocking shots, don't defend arc well (#256). St Joe's is 26-70 (37.1%) on arc in its last four games. Last seven years, #1 seeds are 18-10-1 in second round games. A-14 teams are 2-1 vs Pac-12 this season. Ducks lost in this round last couple years; they were 8-seed in this game LY. #1 seed in West Region is 1-4 vs spread in this round the last five years.


Other Tournaments
We'll do what we can with these minor tournaments; impossible to determine how interested players on these teams will be........


NIT
Big 14 teams are 8-0 vs SEC teams this year, with Indiana's win against Kentucky yesterday; Florida won three of last four games, winning big at North Florida in first NIT game Tuesday. Gators lost to Purdue by 15 on neutral floor, at Michigan State by 6 in its Big 14 games. Ohio State is 7-3 in last 10 games after beating Akron in OT in first NIT game. Zips made 9 of 42 from the arc in that game.

Long road trip from Athens to Moraga; Georgia hasn't travelled much at all this year; their only non-league road game was at Seton Hall. Dawgs won six of last seven games after pulling away from Belmont 93-84 in NIT opener. St Mary's has to be sick watching rival Gonzaga advance to Sweet 16- they've won nine of their last ten games. Texas A&M beat Gonzaga by point in only WCC-SEC game this year.


CBI
none


CIT
Ball State is 1-3 in its last four games, since beating Eastern Michigan by 36 (115-79) Feb 27; Cardinals needed double OT to beat Tennessee St of OVC in first round- they made 14 of 33 on arc in a game they trailed by 17 in first half. Tenn-Martin won at MAC's Central Michigan in its first round game, making 11-24 on arc in game they trailed by four with 8:54 left. MAC teams are 5-3 vs OVC teams this year.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Madness'

March Madness lived up to its wild expectation Friday. In one of the biggest NCAA Tournament upsets, 15th-ranked Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders upended 2nd-ranked Michigan State Spartans 90-81 as 16.5 point underdogs. That was not the only bracket-buster Friday, 14th-ranked Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks handed Bob Higgins' 3rd-ranked West Virgina Mountaineers a 70-56 thrashing as 6.5 point underdogs.

Up next for the upset-minded Middle Tennessee State and Stephen F. Austin comes Sunday when Blue Raiders take on 10th-ranked Syracuse Orange with Lumberjacks getting a shot at 6th-ranked Notre Dame. Not sure how far the Blue Raiders and/or Lumberjacks will go, but we can tell you the last three #15-Seeds in this round are 1-2 SU/ATS and that the last seven #14 Seeds to make into the round of 32 are a 0-7 SU/ATS.

Oddsmakers have Blue Raiders floating between +6.0 and +6.5 with Lumberjacks getting +1.5 to +2.0 depending on locale.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Previews, Streaks, Tips, Notes

Wisconsin Badgers vs. Xavier Musketeers March 20, 8:40 EST

In their opening tournament game the Xavier Musketeers had little trouble defeating Weber State 71-53 cashing as 13-point chalk. Badgers shooting just 32.1% from the field, 21.1% from outside defeated Pittsburgh 47-43 as a small one-point underdog.

Musketeers no slouches at putting the ball through the hoop averaging 81.0 points/game on 45.3% shooting will be tested vs Badgers stingy defensive play allowing opponents 63.9 per/contest. Musketeers may not put up the big numbers but have enought fire power to outlast offensively challenged Badgers. Consider Musketeers entering 21-4-1 ATS in their last 26 NCAA Tournament games, 13-3 ATS vs a Big Ten opponent, 8-1 ATS last 9 neutral site games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

At the Gate - Sunday
By Mike Dempsey

Bob Baffert did it again.

For the sixth time in the last seven years, the Hall of Fame trainer shipped in to Hot Springs and won the Rebel (G2), a key Kentucky Derby prep race. This year he did it with recent maiden winner Cupid, who was making his stakes debut.

The colt got a perfect ride from jockey Martin Garcia, and the colt even veered out in the stretch a bit before the jockey got him straight again. It looked as if the late charging Whitmore was going to catch him, but there was something left in the tank for the final 100 yards and the colt has stamped himself a ticket to the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Whitmore picked up 20 points giving him 24 points, which puts him ninth in the Road to the Kentucky Derby points standings, likely good enough to make it into the Derby.

The Rebel serves as a prep for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G2) on April 16 which is worth 100 points to the winner.

Cupid was my top pick as I thought Suddenbreakingnews would get over-bet. That late running colt did not run back to his strong effort in the Southwest (G3) in his last outing.

We have a good 12-race betting card on tap at Gulfstream Park today.


Here is today’s opener from Gulfstream Park to get the day off to a good start:

GP Race 1 OClm $25,000N1X (12:35 ET)
#6 Gustnado 4-1
#3 Smokem Kitten 6-1
#5 Street Tail 6-1
#1 Lasso 7-2

Analysis: Gustnado has come up short at this level seven times since running third in the Awad but we will give this Mott trainee one more shot to get it done. The colt finished evenly last out in a fifth place finish in a highly graded race in which the winner and third place finisher came back to win. The colt has handled good and firm turf.

Smokem Kitten makes his second start off the long layoff and he was rank and lugged out going around the first turn and then weakened late to finish seventh but was beaten just 2 1/2 lengths. Maker takes the blinkers off here. The colt broke his maiden over the turf here back in Dec. of 14 in his debut. He figures to move forward second off the layoff.

Wagering
WIN: #6 to win at 3-1 or better.
EX: 3,6 / 1,3,5,6
TRI: 3,6 / 1,3,5,6 / 1,2,3,5,6

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Gulfstream Park:

GP Race 10 Md Sp Wt (5:05 ET)
#1 Privy Council 8-5
#4 Gauche 4-1
#7 My Saving Grace 6-1
#3 Try Your Luck 5-1

Analysis: Privy Council was bumped coming out of the gate, tracked the early pace and could not get to the gate to wire winner in the stretch, settling for the runner up spot. She was sent off at 4-5 in her debut two back at Monmouth Park last June and checked in fourth. She can handle the extra ground and should be fitter second off the bench for Pletcher who is 26% winners with runners making their second start off a +180-day layoff.

Gauche set the early fractions at 32-1 and could not hold off the winner late in a solid runner up finish. She caught a racing strip that was kind to outside stalkers and closers that day. It was her first go around two turns after sprinting in her first four outings. The $220,000 purchase is bred to run long, by Smart Strike out of the stakes winner Bickersons ($257,485).

Wagering
WIN: #1 to win at 8-5 or better.
EX: 1,4 / 1,3,4,7
TRI: 1,4 / 1,3,4,7 / 1,3,4,5,7

Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.

Gulfstream Park
R2: #10 Wild N Waves 15-1
R4: #4 Hugo Light 10-1
R6: #10 Atlantic Sunrise 10-1
R9: #3 El Dude 8-1
R11: #4 Queen’s Princess 15-1
R11: #7 Wild About Jess 8-1
R12: #7 Talitha Koum 8-1

Good luck today!

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Yonkers: Sunday 3/20 Analysis
By Matt Rose

DRF HARNESS

MEET STATS: 77 - 249 / $425.10

BEST BETS: 10 - 21 / $36.30

Best Bet: OH MY MAGIC (6th)

Spot Play: RONNY BUGATTI (10th)


Race 1

(10) CRAZSHANA was aggressively handled and put in a winning position last week by Bartlett but came up a touch short; he has some work to do from this spot but will clearly be the best price of the contenders. (6) LUMINOSITY gets the needed post relief and is the one to beat. (8) MAJOR ATHENS was super last week and looks to repeat for the impossibly good Milici barn.

Race 2

(10) GIANNI has trouble behaving himself but the talent clearly is there; Dube can work out a live outer-tier trip and upset in what promises to be an entertaining affair. (2) HASTY PROFITT gets needed post relief and has leading driver Jason Bartlett in the bike. (7) HEADSAREGONNA TURN was a decent third last week chasing two tough ones who had it their own way on the front end; Team Buter trainee drops a notch in class. (6) CALIPARI also faces softer and can be considered for French driver Pierre Levesque.

Race 3

(1) NOT AFRAID and (3) RED HOT HERBIE both drop from Open company and they seem clearly better than these; nod to the Takter trainee, who is clearly the more proven commodity. (4) ALLERAGE STAR broke last out after dominating the week prior; Bartlett bails however and chooses the Banca-trained (5) MONROE COUNTY.

Race 4

(9) COUSIN EDDIE debuts for new connections while in career form; I think he's sharp enough to handle the class hike. (5) MASSIVE TALENT trotted a nice back half in a needed start up at Saratoga for the Allard barn. (8) RAS SHAKINTHTBACON was aggressively handled last week and gave way on the front end; she's likely to get better rim rating from this spot by French pilot Vercruysse.

Race 5

(1) DEWYCOLORINTHELINE finished with trot in his last two from tough spots; Schnittker trainee looks best here and should be driven accordingly. (10) THEREADEMONINME just missed last week and now gets the services of Bartlett. (3) NO RECESS hails from the live Spagnola barn, picks up Dube.

Race 6

(3) OH MY MAGIC was used early last week and finished just evenly when shuffled but it wasn't too long ago that this Burke trainee dominated this class in back to back starts. (4) MOVEMENT debuts for Allard via claim and the trainer keeps Bartlett in the sulky. (5) STORMONT PARK moves in a couple of spots and could rally for a minor share.

Race 7

(4) CHARLES VII returns from The Meadowlands and it wasn't too long ago that he beat much better than these. (10) AXIOS is another Chris Marino trainee who has the ability but needs to stay trotting; must include. (7) FICO has missed time but he has been good in his last two.

Race 8

(2) LIGHTNING RADIER N raced well last week to protect the pocket and held for a share; this looks like a decent inside spot for the veteran to trip out. (4) DEMOCRACY N finds his softest spot since the $40K claim last month. (5) THEREISAPACEFORUS had some late pace after saving ground in his debut for new connections; they keep him protected in this conditioned class and the well-bred gelding gets leading driver Bartlett today.

Race 9

(1) VILLAGE BEAT hung from the pocket two back but he lands the rail again today and can control the action. (3) SAND BENELLI hails from the Brittany Robertson barn, who had two very live winners this past Thursday night. (7) GALACTIC GALLEON N gets Bartlett in the bike but has much to do from this spot.

Race 10

(5) RONNY BUGATTI had no chance last week from post eight; this is a better spot and the gelding seems way overdue. (1) SOHO JACKMAN A drops and was an off-the-pace winner two back at this level. (4) BRETT MCFAVRELOUS was bottomed out by a Levy contender last week; Bartlett drives today.

Race 11

(1) SKYFUL OF LIGHTERS finished with pace last week but it was a touch too late; in line for a better trip today. (2) KID PK returns locally, now in the Milici barn; routine selecting. (3) HI HO STEVERINO doesn't have a great win record but he's always around the number.

Race 12

(8) GOLD ROCKS tried hard from the eight hole in his Milici debut but never looked settled and was caught up in a fast mile; give him another chance. (4) HALL OF TERROR finds a much better spot today for the leading driver/trainer tandem. (1) SHORTSTACKED lands a cozy post and should pick up a share.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPOT PLAYS

For Sunday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Aqueduct (3rd) Winter Games, 3-1
(9th) Double Mane, 3-1


Fair Grounds (1st) Swamped, 3-1
(11th) Ten to Midnight, 5-1


Golden Gate Fields (2nd) Mon Mousse, 7-2
(7th) Bay Area, 7-2


Gulfstream Park (1st) Lasso, 7-2
(6th) Reimburse, 4-1


Laurel (5th) Purnata, 7-2
(6th) Start Jumping, 7-2


Oaklawn Park (1st) Guska Mon Shoes, 10-1
(7th) Right Now Richie, 6-1


Parx Racing (1st) Best Thing, 7-2
(4th) Alice and Trixie, 9-2


Santa Anita (1st) Bistro Lights, 3-1
(7th) Latest Craze, 7-2


Sunland Park (3rd) Traders Pride, 5-1
(5th) Citizen Geller, 5-1


Tampa Bay Downs (4th) Space Trip, 7-2
(9th) Ridgeofstorm, 7-2


Turf Paradise (6th) Add Some Alcohol, 9-2
(7th) Hy Danger, 5-1


Turfway Park (1st) Galloping Domino, 7-2
(5th) Glory Range, 3-1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Weekend six-pack

Seven #15-seeds who won in first round- how did they do in their second game?

1991-- Richmond beat Syracuse-- Lost 77-64 (+2.5) in next game.

1993-- Santa Clara beat Arizona-- Lost 68-57 (+11) in next game.

1997-- Coppin State beat South Carolina-- Lost 82-81 (+11.5) to Texas.

2001-- Hampton beat Iowa State-- Lost 76-57 (+12.5) to Georgetown

2012-- Norfolk State beat Missouri-- Lost 84-50 (+14) to Florida.

2012-- Lehigh beat Duke-- Lost 70-58 (+4.5) to Xavier.

2013-- Florida Gulf Coast beat Georgetown-- Beat San Diego State 81-71 (+7.5).

2016-- Middle Tennessee State beat Michigan State-- ??????

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sharp Bettor

Sharp Bettor's Free Pick for Sunday, March 20, 2016, CBB.

Northern Iowa is off a thriller, as Paul Jesperson's buzzer-beating heave from beyond half court banked in to lift the No. 11 seed Panthers to a remarkable 75-72 victory over Texas in the first round. But this is a tough matchup as Northern Iowa lacks height in the frontcourt and faces a dominant Texas A&M defense. Texas A&M is on a 6-1 ATS run and 9-4 ATS in NCAA Tournament games.

Play Texas A&M.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Roz Wins

Roz's Sunday, March 20, 2016, Free NBA Pick:

The Clippers can play any style and are outstanding on offense, No. 7 in the NBA in points scored, on a 6-0 run over the total on the road. They face a New Orleans team that has given up on playing defense, allowing over 106 points in 6 of its last 7, part of a 22-7-1 run over the total. And the Over is 13-5 in the last 18 meetings in New Orleans.

Play the Clippers/New Orleans Over the total.