Sunday 3/27/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Syracuse vs. Virginia: Elite Eight betting preview

No. 10 Syracuse Orange vs. No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers (-8, 124)

Game to be played at United Center, Chicago, IL

A much-anticipated night of all-ACC action in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight begins in Chicago on Sunday when top-seeded Virginia meets No. 10 seed Syracuse in the Midwest Region final. The Cavaliers contended for their third straight regular-season crown in the high-powered conference while the Orange finished ninth and squeaked into the NCAA Tournament, but both are a win away from joining a league mate in North Carolina or Notre Dame - who play later in the evening - in the Final Four.

Virginia will be playing for its first Final Four berth since 1984 after shooting 56.1 percent to fend off Iowa State 84-71 on Friday. "I feel like we've just gotten better and better," ACC Player of the Year Malcolm Brogdon told reporters following a 12-point effort versus the Cyclones. "We've battled through our ups and downs, and it's a huge accomplishment." Syracuse is used to long tournament runs, but this one - in a season where coach Jim Boeheim was suspended for nine games by the NCAA and the squad dropped five of six down the stretch - has defied the odds. "These guys have fought all year, and every game we've been behind, we've been in some tough situations, and they've battled through them all year," Boeheim told the media after his team erased a late nine-point lead to tip Gonzaga 63-60 on Friday.

TV: 6:09 p.m. ET, TBS

LINE HISTORY: No. 1 seed Virginia opened as 8-point favorites over No. 10 Syracuse and the line has yet to move off that number. The total saw immediate action however. The Over/Under opened at a low 122 and was very quickly bet up two whole points to the current number of 124. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT SYRACUSE (22-13, 19-15 ATS, 17-17 O/U): The Orange's trademark zone defense has stifled opponents in the tournament, allowing an average of 53.7 points. Leading scorer Michael Gbinije (17.8 points per game) has topped the 20-point mark in his last two games and guard Trevor Cooney has broken free from a late-season slump by averaging 13.3 points and shooting 50 percent from 3-point range in the tournament. Boeheim is in the Elite Eight for the seventh time and is seeking his fifth Final Four berth.

ABOUT VIRGINIA (29-7, 19-14-1 ATS, 14-20 O/U): While Brogdon has been an inconsistent tournament performer, shooting 36.8 percent from the floor in eight career games, fellow senior Anthony Gill has been a steady leader. Gill had 23 points and eight rebounds versus Iowa State, is averaging 20.3 points on 71.9 percent shooting in this year's tournament and has scored in double figures in all but one of those eight career March Madness contests. Another senior, Mike Tobey, has emerged in this year's Big Dance with 36 points on 17-of-23 shooting in 44 minutes off the bench.

TRENDS:

* Syracuse is 4-0 ATS in its last four games overall.
* Virginia is 12-3-1 ATS in its last 16 games overall.
* Under is 4-0 in Syracuse's last four NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 11-2 in Virginia's last 13 versus Atlantic Coast conference opponents.

CONSENSUS: Bettors are all over the dog in this matchup with 65 percent of wagers on Syracuse. As for the total, bettors think while the game may not be a high scoring affair, it will go over the low number with 64 percent on the over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Notre Dame vs. North Carolina: Elight Eight betting preview

No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels (-10, 155)

Game to be played at Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA

Top-seeded North Carolina may be peaking at just the right time and only ACC-rival Notre Dame stands in the way of a trip to the Final Four. The Tar Heels have won eight straight games – the last three in the NCAA Tournament by a combined 50 points – as they prepare to take on sixth seed Notre Dame in the East Regional final on Sunday at Philadelphia.

“One game away,” North Carolina forward Brice Johnson told reporters after his team shot 51.6 percent from the field in a 101-86 win over Indiana on Friday. “We’re not done. We’ve got to go out there and play.” Senior point guard Marcus Paige’s revival is taking the Tar Heels’ offense to a new level after he matched the program record in the NCAA Tournament with six 3-pointers and scored 21 on Friday – his highest output since registering the same against Notre Dame on Feb. 6. The Fighting Irish won that contest 80-76 at home, but were held to 30 percent shooting in a 78-47 loss to North Carolina in the ACC tournament semifinals. Notre Dame has won six games combined in consecutive NCAA Tournaments for the first time in its history and reached the Elite Eight for the second straight year after losing to Kentucky in 2015.

TV: 8:49 p.m. ET, TBS

LINE HISTORY: No. 1 seeded North Carolina opened as big 10.5-point favorites over Notre Dame, but early money was backing the Irish, moving the line to the current number of Tar Heels -10. As for the total, the number opened at 156 and has been bet down one point to the current number of 155. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (24-11, 16-16-1 ATS, 16-17 O/U): Forward V.J. Beachem has been a major factor in the NCAA Tournament while averaging 17.3 points in three games – more than five above his seasonal average – and draining 9-of-17 from 3-point range. Point guard Demetrius Jackson leads the team in scoring (15.5) and assists (4.7) while forward Zach Auguste (14.3 points, team-high 10.9 rebounds) has 22 double-doubles. The Irish have won their three NCAA games by a combined 13 points after a 61-56 triumph against Wisconsin on Friday and go after their first Final Four appearance since 1978.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (31-6, 18-18-1 ATS, 19-18 O/U): Johnson (16.8 points, 10.5 rebounds) has recorded 22 double-doubles to tie Billy Cunningham (1964) for the single-season team record and needs 13 boards to boast the most in program history for one campaign. Paige, who struggled shooting most of this season (39.6 percent), may still be the key to unlock a sixth NCAA title for the Tar Heels after making 11-of-21 from 3-point range in the last three games. Paige told reporters, “I just wanted to stay aggressive, and the rim looked pretty big to me (Friday) so I hope it’s just the arena so I can do it again on Sunday.”

TRENDS:

* Notre Dame is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* North Carolina is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games overall.
* Under is 5-1 in Notre Dame's last six games versus a team with a winning SU record.
* Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings.

CONSENSUS: Bettors think 10-points is too many to be favored by at this point in the tourney and early on 58 percent of wagers are backing Notre Dame. When it comes to the total, 67 percent of wagers are on the over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sunday's Elite 8 Tips
By Kevin Rogers

Midwest Region Final – Chicago – United Center
#10 Syracuse vs. #1 Virginia (-8, 123 ½) – 6:09 PM EST – TBS

The ACC will dominate all the headlines in Sunday’s Elite Eight action with two teams from this conference guaranteed to make the Final Four. Virginia (29-7 SU, 19-14-1 ATS) is seeking its first Final Four appearance since 1984, while playing in its first Elite Eight contest since losing to eventual champion Arkansas in 1995.

The top-seeded Cavaliers avoided a third straight matchup in the tournament with Michigan State when the Spartans were upset in the opening round by Middle Tennessee State. The Spartans eliminated the Cavaliers in the last two tournaments in low-scoring battles, but Tony Bennett’s team has scored plenty of points in its first three victories in this season’s Big Dance.

Virginia crushed in-state rival Hampton in the first round, 81-45 to cash as 23-point favorites, followed up by a 77-69 triumph over a feisty Butler squad in the round of 32. The Cavaliers scored with ease against Iowa State in Friday’s Sweet 16 contest, winning by an 84-71 count as six-point favorites. UVA shot 56% from the floor, led by Anthony Gill’s 23 points, but the Cavaliers allowed the Cyclones to shoot nearly 52% from the field to cash the ‘over’ of 140 ½.

Syracuse (22-13 SU, 19-15 ATS) has seen its ups and downs this season by starting ACC play at 0-4 and closing out the season with three straight losses. However, the Orange also went on a 7-1 run during conference play which included victories over Duke and Notre Dame. Jim Boeheim’s club put together a pair of blowout wins in the first two rounds over Dayton and Middle Tennessee State, but were definitely tested in the Sweet 16 against Gonzaga.

The Orange fell behind early by 11 points, but managed to climb within one point at halftime. Gonzaga built a nine-point advantage at 57-48 with 6:30 minutes remaining in regulation, but the Bulldogs would score just three points the rest of the way as Syracuse rallied for a 63-60 triumph as four-point underdogs. The Orange have quietly put together a solid a 6-1 ATS record in the last seven games, while covering in six of the past eight opportunities in the underdog role.

Syracuse and Virginia are meeting for the second time this season, as the Cavaliers knocked off the Orange in Charlottesville, 73-65 as 10-point favorites on January 24. This game actually got pushed back a day following inclement weather throughout the Northeast, but the Orange drilled a pair of three-pointers in the final minute to sew up the cover. Virginia shot a blistering 57% from the field, but Syracuse stuck around thanks to converting 13 three-pointers in spite of 39% shooting.

Handicapper Joe Nelson breaks down Syracuse’s run to the Elite Eight, “It wouldn’t have been an overly difficult case to leave the Orange out of the NCAA Tournament, but this is a team on a great run and set to make the most of a challenging regular season. It is worth nothing they have faced a 15-seed and an 11-seed in the past two games catching some breaks in the bracket. Almost all of the 13 losses for Syracuse this season have come in rather close games as this is team that keeps finding a way to stay in games and with a few key turnovers and big shots they could steal another win from a Virginia squad that doesn’t always pull away from its opposition.”

Syracuse is three years removed from a Final Four appearance, while playing in its third Elite Eight contest since 2012. Virginia is rolling in the favorite role of late, posting an incredible 11-0 SU and 10-0-1 ATS record in its past 11 games when laying points.


East Region Final – Philadelphia – Wells Fargo Center
#6 Notre Dame vs. #1 North Carolina (-10, 154 ½) – 8:49 PM EST – TBS

Even though Notre Dame has spent only three seasons in the ACC, the Fighting Irish are starting to become a thorn in the side of conference stalwart North Carolina. Last season, Notre Dame shocked North Carolina in the ACC championship, 90-82 to cash outright as 3 ½-point underdogs, as the Fighting Irish eventually lost to top-seed Kentucky in the Elite Eight. Now, the Irish are seeking its first Final Four appearance since 1978, while taking on UNC in the Big Dance for the first time since the 1987 Sweet 16.

Notre Dame (24-11 SU, 16-16-1 ATS) has been tested in all three tournament victories, not winning any of those games by more than seven points. The Irish eliminated Michigan in the opening round, 70-63 as three-point favorites, overcoming a 12-point halftime deficit. Mike Brey’s club needed a tip-in at the buzzer to edge Stephen F. Austin in the second round, 76-75, even though Notre Dame shot 57% from the floor. In Friday’s Sweet 16 contest against Wisconsin, the Irish outscored the Badgers, 8-0 in the final 20 second to pull off the stunner, 61-56 as 1 ½-point favorites.

North Carolina (31-6 SU, 18-18-1 ATS) has rolled in its first three tournament wins with each victory coming by double-digits. Following blowouts of Florida Gulf Coast and Providence in the first two rounds, the Tar Heels busted the 100-point mark for the second time this season in Friday’s 101-86 rout of Indiana as five-point favorites. Five Tar Heels put up double-figures, led by forward Brice Johnson’s 20 points and 10 rebounds to pick up his 22nd double-double on the season.

Notre Dame’s last loss came in the ACC tournament semifinals against North Carolina in a 78-47 drubbing on March 11. The Irish were limited to 30% shooting from the floor, while falling behind by 19 points at halftime. A major key in UNC’s success that night was outrebounding Notre Dame, 46-26 as the Tar Heels eventually captured the ACC championship against Virginia. Roy Williams’ squad picked up revenge against Notre Dame after losing in South Bend in early February, 80-76 as 2 ½-point favorites.

From an ATS standpoint, North Carolina has been money in the bank by posting a 6-1 ATS record since the start of March with the lone ATS loss coming as 22-point favorites against Florida Gulf Coast in the opening round. Notre Dame has compiled a 4-4 ATS record in the underdog role this season, but owns a 1-3 ATS mark as a ‘dog of seven points or higher. In last season’s Elite Eight against Kentucky, Notre Dame cashed as 11-point underdogs in a crushing 68-66 defeat.

Nelson points out that in spite of UNC’s woes from three-point range this season, the Tar Heels cured their ills against Indiana, “After being the worst three-point shooting team in the ACC this season, North Carolina went out and made seven of its first eight three-point shots Friday night vs. Indiana to comfortably pull past the Hoosiers. As expected, rebounding proved to be a big edge for North Carolina in that matchup and the same figures to be true in this Elite Eight matchup with Notre Dame, but the Tar Heels haven’t shot that well from long range since mid-February.”

Notre Dame enters Sunday’s action at 25/1 odds to win the National Championship, while starting the season at 40/1 to capture the title. The Tar Heels began the campaign at 10/1 odds to win its first championship since 2009, as UNC is currently at 13/5 (Bet $1.00 to win $2.60) odds to grab the National Championship in Houston next week.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAA Tournament

Sunday's games

Syracuse lost 73-64 at Virginia Jan 24, despite going 13-30 on arc in that game; Orange allowed only 53.7 ppg in first three tourney wins, albeit vs seeds 7-15-11. In regional finals since 2005, teams seeded #6 or lower are 11-2 vs spread. Much like Iowa St., Syracuse has no depth, so fouls are an issue. Virginia is 16-3 in its last 19 games, with losses to teams in top 25; Cavaliers shoot 40.3% on arc, have #16 eFG%, are #87 in experience. Virginia played only two kids more than 28:00 Friday; Syracuse played four kids 32:00+ Friday. Dogs are 8-5 vs spread in last 13 Midwest Region finals.

Notre Dame beat North Carolina 80-76 at home Feb 6; outscoring UNC 31-16 on foul line (Heels led by 9 at half), then got squashed by 31 in ACC tourney three weeks ago. Irish won five of last six games; in last two, they outscored foes 14-3 in last 1:00 of game. Carolina won its last eight games; they made 11-20 on arc Friday, unusual for them (32% for year). UNC cored 89.7 ppg in three tourney wins; only two kids played more than 29:00 Friday. In regional finals since 2005, teams seeded #6 or lower are 11-2 vs spread. Favorites covered four of last five East Region finals.


Other Tournaments

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

NIT
None

CBI
None

CIT
NJIT lost 65-56 at Columbia Dec 12, going 5-25 on arc, while getting outscored 19-7 on foul line (NJIT was 7-16). Highlanders are 9-3 in last 12 games; this is their first true road game since Feb 25- they're 4-2 last six true road games. Columbia won four of its last five games; they start four seniors (#50 in experience). Lions last played Wednesday, NJIT on Thursday, but this is bus trip game, so travel not an issue.

Cal-Irvine won first two CIT games by total of 4 points, both on foreign soil; they ran out to 21-5 lead at ULL, hung on to win despite 7-foot-6 Ndiaye not playing. Anteaters are 17-4 in last 21 games, 19-0 vs teams ranked below #150. #162 Coastal Carolina lost by 11 at Hawai'i in its one game vs top 100 team this year- they allowed 59 ppg in winning first three CIT games. Chanticleers are #28 team in experience- they won last five home games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'ACC Showcase'

It has been quite a show for the Atlantic Coast Conference in this years NCAA Tournament. Sweeping all four Sweet-Sixteen games Friday the league has now compiled an impressive 16-3 straight-up record this Tourney with a profitable 11-7-1 ATS mark againt the betting line. With that, it's an all ACC showdown in the Elite Eight Sunday. Virginia takes on Syracuse in the first game followed by North Carolina and Notre Dame meeting in the second matchup. A few betting nuggets for Sunday's ACC showcase:

Tourney Top Seeds in Elite-8 since 2013 are 3-8-1 ATS, 5-14-1 ATS dating back to 2010

#1 Virginia vs #10 Syracuse
#1 are 0-1 ATS vs #10 in Elite Eight since 2003
Virginia 3-0 (2-1 ATS) vs Syracuse
Virginia 11-2-1 ATS L14 overall
Virginia 4-3-1 ATS L3 Tourney's including 4-1-1 ATS as #1 Seed

Syracuse 6-1 ATS L7 overall
Syracuse 7-3 ATS L10 in NCAA Tournament
Syrace 2-1 ATS L3 in Elite Eight

#1 North Carolina vs #6 Notre Dame
#1 are 0-1 ATS vs #6 in Elite Eight since 2003
North Carolina 3-3 (2-4 ATS) vs Notre Dame
North Carolina 6-1 ATS L7 on the hardwood
North Carolina 2-4 ATS L6 Elite Eight including 2-3 ATS as #1 Seed

Notre Dame 5-5 ATS L10 overall
Notre Dame 4-5 ATS L9 Tourney games
Notre Dame 1-0 ATS Elite Eight

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

At the Gate - Sunday
By Mike Dempsey

It was a long, exhausting and frustrating day on Saturday, with my personal bankroll taking a swift kick to the groin.

It started early in the Dubai World Cup (G1) where I got my top pick California Chrome home fist, but failed to use the longshot runner up Mubtaahij, the $2 exacta returning $67.00.

I made a modest investment in the Rainbow 6. A wager I disdain but with a mandatory payout I had to take a small stab, but was knocked out early.

Then came the Louisiana Derby (G2) where my top pick ran a solid race, but Tom’s Ready had to settle for second at odds of 30-1. The winner Gun Runner was my fifth choice, and I came up empty on the race.

A simple back-wheel on the exacta with my other four choices would have produced a payoff of $187.00. I usually do not make across the board wagers on my top picks, but I could not help but stare at the $24.00 place and $12.40 show payoffs and wonder why I did not have a few bucks on the runner up.

The rainbow 6 paid $89,456, and no betting favorites won. Trainer Bill Mott won three of the six races of the sequence.


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

GP Race 1 Clm $16,000 (12:35 ET)
#3 Rocksie Lucie 4-1
#7 Poor Etiquette 9-2
#1 Lovely Elle 3-1
#5 Gracious Humor 10-1

Analysis: Rocksie Lucie stalked the early pace and faded to finish eighth last out for this tag off a three-month break. This guy beat $10,000 claimers two back at Gulfstream Park West with his other two wins coming over the turf here. He catches a suspect group but his connections could not be any chillier. Ward is just 1 for 27 here and Edgar is 1 for 75.

Poor Etiquette made a good late rally to finish in the runner up spot at 18-1 behind another long shot in Lovely Elle who was 13-1. The mare looks to be heading in the right direction form wise for the Farro barn although she tends to land for minor shares.

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

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

GP Race 9 OClm $25,000SAL (4:35 ET)
#3 Bold Thunder 7-2
#4 East Rock 12-1
#8 Delta Bluesman 9-2
#9 Starship Wildcat 10-1

Analysis: Bold Thunder was bumped hard coming out of the gate and was not much of a threat in a seventh place finish last out in the Silks Run here. Two back he battled for the early led before weakening late to finish seventh in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint. This guy earned three straight triple digit Beyers last year and while it looks as if he may have lost a step or two from coming back off the bench he drops into a good spot here facing starter foes.

East Rock cut back to a turf sprint last out in his second start off the claim by Klesaris and after being outrun early he had to check nearing the 5/176's and finished up with interest late. He broke his maiden at five furlongs on turf and should be closer to the pace here with a better trip. He is in good hands with the Klesaris barn that does good work with recent claims and looks well spotted exiting a Alw-1 optional claimer.

Wagering
WIN: #3 to win at 3-1 or better.
EX: 3,4 / 3,4,8,9
TRI: 3,4 / 3,4,8,9 / 2,3,4,8,9

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
R1: #5 Gracious Humor 10-1
R4: #6 Wild Good 12-1
R4: #5 Exclusive Lake 15-1
R5: #4 Gran Chama 10-1
R6: #5 Moon River 8-1
R7: #11 Sweetbaby 10-1
R8: #3 Golden Canyon 8-1
R9: #4 East Rock 12-1
R9: #9 Starship Wildcat 10-1
R10: #11 Citizens by Day 8-1

Good luck today!

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPOT PLAYS

For Sunday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Fair Grounds (1st) Street Rhythm, 4-1
(6th) Tiger Paw, 7-2


Golden Gate Fields (5th) Krsto Skye, 5-1
(8th) Native Treasure, 4-1


Gulfstream Park (5th) Written in Stars, 7-2
(7th) Island Reward, 6-1


Santa Anita (6th) Brother Soldier, 7-2
(9th) Kiss at Midnight, 3-1


Sunland Park (7th) Lady Regina, 7-2
(9th) Final Thunder, 4-1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sunday's six-pack

The following is based on Baseball America's top 30 prospects for each team:

-- Twins, Blue Jays, Giants are only three big league teams whose top 30 minor league prospects are all home-grown.

-- Braves (14), Padres/Phillies (19 each) have least home-grown top prospects.

-- Twins/Rangers (14 each), Royals (12) have most international top prospects.

-- Blue Jays (17), Rays (15), Reds/Pirates (13) have most high school prospects.

-- Braves have acquired 15 of their top 30 prospects via trade.

-- Giants (19), Angels (15), Astros (14) have most college top prospects.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Dave Cokin

Bonus Play Sunday

969 ORIOLES @ 970 PIRATES 6:05 PM

Take: PIRATES -130

The whole idea for me as far as pre-season baseball goes is pretty much the same philosophy as I’ll utilize come NFL exhibition season. The info is generally a little more reliable in football, but I actually believe the advantage might be greater in baseball because it’s often not in the betting line.

Today’s Orioles-Pirates game is a good example. If I’m wrong on my assessments, I can always buy out as the lineups will get posted before the game gets played. If I’m right about my lineup projections, I suspect this line jumps to -145 or -150. So I went ahead and played it early at -130.

The Orioles are a good bet to sit several regulars today, as the Baltimore stars have logged a bunch of innings and at bats the last couple days. Makes perfect sense for Buck Showalter to leave those guys home with this being a road game on a Sunday. That’s not always the pattern in pre-season, but it is more often than it isn’t.

Ubaldo Jimenez will start for Baltimore, and I know this will come as a real shock to all, but he’s having command issues this spring. So I’ve got the eternally erratic Ubaldo pitching with what could be a somewhat patchwork lineup behind him. The Orioles will also likely try to get Brian Matusz an inning here, and he’s off an injury. That’s fade material.

The Pirates could also sit some stars on Sunday, and in fact I’ll be mildly surprised if any of their three regular outfielders play here. Polanco and Marte each have minor injuries, and McCutchen has a sore quad, although he played on Saturday.

But I like them on the pitching side in this game. Trevor Williams will start for the Pirates. The Bucs like this former Marlins second-rounder and reports on his his spring efforts are encouraging, even though he won’t be making the jump to the majors just yet.

I’m also anticipating that the Pirates will have Tony Watson and Mark Melancon in action today. Neither has worked since Wednesday, and unless there’s something wrong that I’m sure not aware of, I’d definitely anticipate an inning from each of the two bullpen studs today.

My thinking is that in game where it would logically make sense for several regulars to be sitting for both teams, the pitching decides this one. Going against Ubaldo is sure no problem, and figuring on two innings at some point from Watson and Melancon, particularly against what could be backups and/or minor leaguers, is a nice little edge. It’s all about gaining an advantage at a fair price, and I think I’ve got that here with the Pirates.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Jim Feist

Jim Feist's Comp NBA Pick, Sunday, March 27, 2016 8:05 PM EST

(707) PHILADELPHIA 76ERS VS (708) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

Take: (707) PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Reason: Your Bonus Play for Sunday, March 27, 2016 is in the NBA scheduled contest between Philadelphia 76ers and the Golden State Warriors. Philadelphia is no threat to topple Golden State here, but the Warriors won't be worried, either. Golden State is 1-5 ATS against a team with a winning percentage below .400. This is a game the home team will have fun on offense, running it up and padding their offensive stats. The 76ers are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 vs. the Western Conference. When these teams met in January Golden State was a 17-point favorite and went through the motions, winning 108-105. Play Philadelphia.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Arthur Ralph Sports

Bonus Play: Easter Sunday UNDER 135 1./2 Cal Irv/Cosatal Carolina

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Red Dog Sports

Mallorca vs UD Almeria

Bonus Play Draw +222

I like the draw in this match being played in Spain on Sunday. The total is set at 2 so they are expecting a low score.

Mallorca 1

Almeria 1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

John Ryan

NJIT vs Columbia

10* FREE graded play on Columbia as they take on NJ Institute of technology in the semifinals of the College Insiders Tournament set to start at 6:00 PM ET. SIM algorithm shows a high probability that Columbia will win this game by more than 14 points. For a semifinal gamer in any level of Tournament action, this is a significant mismatch. Columbia has match edges in all of the major aspects of a basketball game. They shoot better, move the ball better, execute at a much higher efficiency rate and shoot far better from then free throw line.

Technical Discussion PointsThe following game situations match the SIM projections and my compiled research for the outcome of this game.

Fundamental Discussion Points Columbia ranks 35th in the nation with a 1.137 shooting efficiency quotient and will executing against a NJIT defense that ranks 193rd with a 1.079 opponent shooting efficiency quotient. Further, Columbia ranks 35th with a 54% effective shooting percentage and NJIT ranks 235th with a 51.2% opponent effective shooting percentage. Perhaps, most important in this matchup is the fact that Columbia ranks 19th in the nation averaging just 10.9 turnovers per game. By comparison, NJIT ranks 193rd in the same category.

Take Columbia.