Cnotes Best Bets March 12 Thursday NCAABB-NBA_NHL !!

[CNOTES]

Championship Week Results


March 11, 2015


ACC
Venue: Greensboro Coliseum
Location: Greensboro, North Carolina
ACC TOURNAMENT BETTING RESULTS
First round – Tuesday, March 10 ATS Results
Georgia Tech 65 Boston College (-3) 66 Underdog-Over (125)
Virginia Tech (+4.5) 81 Wake Forest 80 Underdog-Over (137.5)
Second round – Wednesday, March 11 ATS Results
Florida State (+1.5) 76 Clemson 73 Underdog-Over (120)
North Carolina (-12.5) 81 Boston College 63 Favorite-Under (146.5)
Pittsburgh 70 vs. N.C. State (-3) 81 Favorite-Over (131.5)
Miami, FL (-11) 59 vs. Virginia Tech 49 Underdog-Under (134)
Quarterfinals – Thursday, March 12 ATS Results
Virginia vs. Florida State -
Louisville vs. North Carolina -
Duke vs. N.C. State -
Notre Dame vs. Miami, FL -
Semifinals – Friday, March 13 ATS Results
TBD vs. TBD -
TBD vs. TBD -
Championship – Saturday, March 14 ATS Results
TBD vs. TBD -
Pac-12
Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena
Location: Paradise, Nevada


PAC-12 TOURNAMENT BETTING RESULTS
First round – Wednesday, March 11 ATS Results
Washington State 59 California (-3.5) 84 Favorite-Under (146)
USC (+6.5) 67 vs. Arizona State 64 Underdog-Under (137.5)
Colorado (-4.5) 78 vs. Oregon State 71 Favorite-Over (117.5)
Washington vs. Stanford -
Quarterfinals – Thursday, March 12 ATS Results
Arizona vs. California -
UCLA vs. USC -
Oregon vs. Colorado -
Utah vs. TBD -
Semifinals – Friday, March 13 ATS Results
TBD vs. TBD -
TBD vs. TBD -
Championship – Saturday, March 14 ATS Results
TBD vs. TBD -
Big 12
Venue: Sprint Center
Location: Kansas City, Missouri


BIG 12 TOURNAMENT BETTING RESULTS
First round – Wednesday, March 11 ATS Results
TCU (+2) 67 vs. Kansas State 65 Underdog-Over (121)
Texas (-10.5) 65 vs. Texas Tech 53 Favorite-Under (122)
Quarterfinals – Thursday, March 12 ATS Results
West Virginia vs. Baylor -
Kansas vs. TCU -
Iowa State vs. Texas -
Oklahoma State vs. Oklahoma -
Semifinals – Friday, March 13 ATS Results
TBD vs. TBD -
TBD vs. TBD -
Championship – Saturday, March 14 ATS Results
TBD vs. TBD -
Big East
Venue: Madison Square Garden
Location: New York City, New York


BIG EAST TOURNAMENT BETTING RESULTS
First round – Wednesday, March 11 ATS Results
Marquette (-1.5) 78 vs. Seton Hall 56 Favorite-Over (131.5)
Creighton (-3.5) 78 vs. DePaul 63 Favorite-Over (135)
Quarterfinals – Thursday, March 12 ATS Results
Villanova vs. Marquette -
Providence vs. St. John's -
Georgetown vs. Creighton -
Xavier vs. Butler -
Semifinals – Friday, March 13 ATS Results
TBD vs. TBD -
TBD vs. TBD -
Championship – Saturday, March 14 ATS Results
TBD vs. TBD -
Big Ten
Venue: United Center
Location: Chicago, Illinois


BIG TEN TOURNAMENT BETTING RESULTS
First round – Wednesday, March 11 ATS Results
Penn State (-2) 68 vs. Nebraska 65 Favorite-Over (118.5)
Rutgers 68 vs. Minnesota (-10.5) 80 Favorite-Over (136.5)
Second round – Thursday, March 12 ATS Results
Michigan vs. Illinois -
Penn State vs. Iowa -
Northwestern vs. Indiana -
Minnesota vs. Ohio State -
Quarterfinals – Friday, March 13 ATS Results
TBD vs. Wisconsin -
TBD vs. Purdue -
TBD vs. Maryland -
TBD vs. Michigan State -
Semifinals – Saturday, March 14 ATS Results
TBD vs. TBD -
TBD vs. TBD -
Championship – Sunday, March 15 ATS Results
TBD vs. TBD -
SEC
Venue: Bridgestone Arena
Location: Nashville, Tennessee


SEC TOURNAMENT BETTING RESULTS
First round – Wednesday, March 11 ATS Results
Auburn (+2) 74 vs. Mississippi State 68 Underdog-Over (133)
Missouri 54 vs. South Carolina (-8.5) 63 Favorite-Under (120.5)
Second round – Thursday, March 12 ATS Results
Alabama vs. Florida -
Texas A&M vs. Auburn -
Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt -
Mississippi vs. South Carolina -
Quarterfinals – Friday, March 13 ATS Results
TBD vs. TBD -
TBD vs. TBD -
TBD vs. TBD -
TBD vs. TBD -
Semifinals – Saturday, March 14 ATS Results
TBD vs. TBD -
TBD vs. TBD -
Championship – Sunday, March 15 ATS Results
TBD vs. TBD -

 

[CNOTES]

Thursday's Early Action


March 11, 2015




Big 12 Tournament Betting Preview
WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS (23-8) vs. BAYLOR BEARS (23-8)
Phillips 66 Big 12 Tournament - Quarterfinals
Sportsbook.ag Line: Baylor -3

No. 16 Baylor looks for a three-game season sweep over No. 18 West Virginia as the Big 12’s number four and five seeds clash in Kansas City.

Baylor has dominated the series with the Mountaineers this season, winning in Morgantown (87-69) on Feb. 7 and defending their home floor in Waco (78-66) on Feb 28th. The Bears covered both contests as well. That said, all eyes will be on West Virginia star senior G Juwan Staten (14.5 PPG, 4.6 APG), who has missed the Mountaineers last three contests with a knee injury and is questionable for this contest. Updated status on Staten’s injury could have the initial Baylor (-3) line moving before tip-off.

Without Staten, West Virginia has gone 1-2 SU (2-1 ATS) losing at Kansas before getting their first non-Staten win at home against Oklahoma State on Saturday. Baylor has won five of its past six contests and the Bears’ only loss in that stretch came at Texas (61-59) in a fight-marred overtime game on March 2nd. The last four times Baylor has been favored, the team is 2-2 ATS.


Historically, Baylor is 6-1 SU (5-2 ATS) since West Virginia joined the Big 12 in 2011. These two squads have never met in the Big 12 Tournament and West Virginia’s only win in this series was on the road last January. The total has gone Over five of the past seven times Baylor and West Virginia have met, including the past three contests. In addition to Staten’s injury status, Mountaineer G Gary Browne (leg – 7.0 PPG) is also questionable for this contest.

The Oklahoma State win on Saturday should prove big for Coach Bob Huggins’ troops should Staten and Browne be declared out for this conference tournament contest. The Mountaineers are extremely young and inexperienced without those two seniors combining for major minutes (Huggins started two freshman and two sophomores versus the Cowboys). With Staten gone, the onus is on what the Mountaineers do best: Force steals (11.1 SPG, 1st in NCAA) and crash the offensive glass (17.0 ORPG, 1st in NCAA) in order to create easy baskets. Staten is their best player at bailing the Mountaineers out of a stalled half-court possession, hence the need for second shot opportunities and turning defense into offense.

G Daxter Miles Jr. (7.2 PPG) has been a bright spot filling in for Staten, as he’s averaging 16.3 points, on 50% from the field, 45% from 3PT in the three games Staten has missed. G Jevon Carter (8.5 PPG, 1.8 SPG) is also extremely capable of exploding and can do so at a moment’s notice: to wit, his 25-point performance on Feb. 28th in the Mountaineers’ last loss to Baylor.

F Devin Williams (11.1 PPG, 8.2 RPG) can be a monster when he wants to be or he can foul out in less than 20 minutes. Often the x-factor in Mountaineer wins, Williams collected a huge double-double in the win over Oklahoma State on Saturday (22 points and 13 rebounds) while dishing out the foul trouble instead of being knee-deep in it (14-for-15 FT). Williams had only four points and six rebounds while collecting four fouls in West Virginia’s most recent loss to Baylor. Baylor’s patient half-court offense and perimeter weapons are a bad matchup for West Virginia, who struggles to prevent great looks from long range when they can’t force turnovers (36.8% 3PT defense, 296th in NCAA).

The common theme in both of Baylor’s wins over the Mountaineers has been successfully navigating around West Virginia’s pressure defense. In the first meeting, they had a few hiccups, committing 19 turnovers, but they broke the press early and often to shoot just under 55% for the game in Morgantown. West Virginia fouls often, but is also equally as good at drawing fouls, so Baylor had to be pleased with the fact that the nation’s third leading rebounder, F Rico Gathers (11.6 PPG, 11.6 RPG) was able to stay on the floor for 29 minutes in the win and contribute 17 points and 16 rebounds. Baylor was able to get to the line 35 times, going +10 in free throw margin over West Virginia.

In Baylor’s most recent victory, the Bears protected the ball beautifully while handing out 18 assists to only eight turnovers. Gathers had another double-double (17 points, 10 rebounds) while getting his bruising counterpart, West Virginia’s Williams, in foul trouble. Meanwhile, versatile F’s Taurean Prince (14.0 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 48% FG) and Royce O’Neale (10.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 3.5 APG) both enjoyed success against the Mountaineers, especially O’Neale who was a nightmare for West Virginia to contain.

Often being the focal point breaking the press, O’Neale’s averages (16.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 5.5 APG, 10-for-16 FG, 5-for-8 3PT) show just how much he influenced the game in Baylor’s two victories. Prince was no slouch, averaging 17.5 points over the two games on 13-for-27 from the field (6-for-11 from three).

G Kenny Chery (11.3 PPG, 4.0 APG, 1.8 3PT/game) is another weapon that Baylor can hopefully rely on, although his scoring has taken a dip lately (four single-digit scoring efforts in his past seven games).

In G Lester Medford (7.7 PPG, 1.5 3PT/game) the Bears boast a fourth rotation player that hits at least 1.5 threes a game, as the deep ball is a big part of Baylor’s arsenal (38.7% 3PT, 39th in NCAA) and playing against West Virginia’s league-worst three-point defense provides a great opportunity for Prince, O’Neale, Chery and Medford to get open looks and create space for Gathers on the interior.


Big East Tournament Betting Preview
ST. JOHN’S RED STORM (21-10) vs. PROVIDENCE FRIARS (21-10)
Big East Tournament - Quarterfinals
Sportsbook.ag Line: Providence -2

Providence looks to stave off a third loss to St. John’s as both teams look to boost their NCAA tournament resumes Thursday.

Prior to St. John’s taking both regular season games off of Providence this season (83-77 in Rhode Island on Jan. 14 and 75-66 in Madison Square Garden on Jan. 31) the last time the Friars beat the Red Storm was a year ago - to the day - in the Big East Tournament. The Friars’ victory would propel them to a magical Big East title run and an automatic bid to the 2014 NCAA tournament.

St. John’s is still licking its wounds from an absolute thrashing (105-68) at the hands of conference leader, Villanova, on Saturday. The Red Storm were without the nation’s fifth leading shot-blocker, C Chris Obekpa (5.9 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.2 BPG) in that game, and the floodgates opened once Villanova knew that St. John’s had no rim protection. Obekpa is officially questionable for this contest with a gimpy ankle. Given how integral he is to the Red Storm’s chances of winning, all eyes will be on his injury situation leading up to the opening tip. Before the debacle in Philadelphia, St. John’s had won six of its previous seven games, positioning itself to be in the discussion for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.

Providence has bobbed in and out of the top-25 lately, but a home 68-64 loss to Butler on Saturday has to be very damaging in the eyes of the NCAA committee. Just as St. John’s does, Providence desperately needs a solid win to put itself back in good favor, as the loser of this game will most likely find themselves squarely on the bubble. Providence ended its regular season in mediocre fashion (5-4 SU, 4-5 ATS) including two losses against Villanova (the Friars’ best chances for a statement win).

Historically, Providence is 13-7 SU (10-10 ATS) in the past 20 meetings between these two schools, however St. John’s holds a 5-3 SU (6-2 ATS) edge over the past eight contests in this series. The total has gone Over each of the past five times that the Red Storm and Friars have played. In addition to Obekpa’s cloudy status for the Red Storm, G Jamal Branch (4.7 PPG, 2.5 APG) is also questionable (groin).

A St. John’s win, will largely hinge on the health status of Obekpa. That said, they have an outstanding core group of perimeter players. Like Providence’s Bryce Cotton from a year ago, senior G D’Angelo Harrison (17.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.1 3PT/game) has the talent and lack of a conscience to put the Red Storm on his back and carry them to a conference title. He fouls a ton for a guard (3.4 FPG) and these issues can easily take himself off his game, or get him planted on the bench by Coach Steve Lavin.

St. John’s best player this season has arguably been the human swiss army knife otherwise known as F Sir’Dominic Pointer (13.7 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 3.1 APG, 53% FG, 2.5 BPG, 2.0 SPG). Pointer has played well against Providence this season, averaging 19 PPG over those two contests. As unique a player as there is in the whole nation, Pointer is amongst the Big East’s top-10 leaders in every category listed above except assists (where he’s 13th). Pointer is the only player in the nation averaging two steals and two blocks per game, as he and Obekpa are the main reasons why the Red Storm are 4th in the nation in blocks (6.6 BPG).

Balancing out Coach Lavin’s short rotation are G Rysheed Jordan (14.1 PPG, 3.2 APG, 1.7 SPG) and G Phil Greene IV (13.3 PPG, 40% 3PT). Greene IV is an iron man, leading the team with 34.8 minutes per game and averaged 16 PPG versus the Friars this season on 50% (13-for-26) from the field. Jordan has come into his own this season as he and Pointer help St. John’s rack up 7.6 steals per game (44th NCAA). A new development for Jordan has been his marksmanship from three point range, as he’s exploded to go 10-for-23 in his past three games, en route to leading the Red Storm in scoring during that stretch to end the season at 19.7 points per game.

St. John’s knows it can score efficiently against the Friars (50.9% and 47.4% FG, respectively), and will have to continue to do so, as the Red Storm are at a distinct size disadvantage. It’s not likely that the Red Storm will hit just shy of 60% from three, as they did in the road victory over Providence, but as long as Obekpa is healthy, the Red Storm has proven that they can subdue the Providence offense, holding the Friars to 39.7% and 41.3% FG respectively.

Providence knows the keys to beating St. John’s: 1) Get St. John’s in foul trouble (which the Friars did in the first game). 2) Outrebound the Red Storm mercilessly (which the Friars did, 44-29 in the second game). 3) Shoot better than 9-for-31 from three point range. Unfortunately, the Friars lack the perimeter defensive fortitude to match up well with St. John’s aforementioned four key offensive players. The Friars aren’t bad statistically on defense (65.8 PPG allowed, 4th in Big East) and while not at St. John’s level, they do protect the rim well (4.7 BPG, 3rd in Big East, 42nd in NCAA).

That said, Providence plays five players over 20 minutes a game and only one of them, star G Kris Dunn (15.5 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 7.4 APG) is similar in size, stature, and quickness to the Red Storm quartet of Harrison, Jordan, Greene and Pointer. Dunn has been arguably the Big East’s best player, as the oft-injured guard finally put together a full season displaying breathtaking athleticism and playmaking ability, albeit with a penchant for trying to do too much (4.1 TO/G). When arguing whether Dunn is the league’s best player, one could offer up the efforts of fellow teammate,

F LaDontae Henton (20.1 PPG, 6.3 RPG), the Big East’s leading scorer and one of only 15 players in the nation to average 20+ points per game this season. Henton has been a four-year starter since day one as a freshman for Coach Ed Cooley. Henton struggled to go 2-for-14 from the field in his last effort versus the Red Storm. A big issue for Providence in this matchup is that the Friars just really struggle from the three point arc (30.4 % 3PT, 315th in NCAA). Scoring inside against the length of Obekpa and Pointer is tough enough, but if their three point woes continue as they have against the Red Storm, Providence will find itself forcing the action towards St. John’s rim protectors hoping that the referees will show them mercy with fouls.

 

[CNOTES]

Thursday, March 12


Game Score Status Pick Amount


La Salle - 12:00 PM ET La Salle -1 500 *****
Massachusetts -

Michigan - 12:00 PM ET Illinois -3.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Illinois -

Florida St. - 12:00 PM ET Florida St. +12.5 500
Virginia -

West Virginia - 12:30 PM ET West Virginia +3 500 *****
Baylor -

Alabama - 1:00 PM ET Alabama +4 500
Florida -

Idaho - 1:00 PM ET Eastern Washington -7 500 *****
Eastern Washington -

Florida International - 1:00 PM ET Texas-El Paso -11 500
Texas-El Paso -

North Carolina - 2:00 PM ET North Carolina -2 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Louisville -

Penn St. - 2:25 PM ET Iowa -7 500
Iowa -

Providence - 2:30 PM ET Providence +2 500 SLAM DUNK
St. John's -

CSU Northridge - 3:00 PM ET UC Davis -9.5 500
UC Davis -

California - 3:00 PM ET Arizona -17 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Arizona -

Air Force - 3:00 PM ET Boise St. -10 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Boise St. -







Portland St. - 3:30 PM ET Sacramento State -2.5 500 *****
Sacramento State -

Central Florida - 3:30 PM ET Central Florida +3 500
East Carolina -

Middle Tennessee St. - 3:30 PM ET Middle Tennessee St. +6.5 500 *****
Old Dominion -

Utah St. - 5:30 PM ET Wyoming -1.5 500
Wyoming -

Hawaii - 5:30 PM ET Hawaii +1 500 SLAM DUNK
Long Beach St. -

Southern California - 5:30 PM ET UCLA -8.5 500
UCLA -

Texas State - 6:00 PM ET Texas State +2 500 SLAM DUNK
Texas-Arlington -

Houston - 6:00 PM ET Tulane -1 500
Tulane -

St. Joseph's - 6:30 PM ET St. Bonaventure -3 500
St. Bonaventure -

Northwestern - 6:30 PM ET Indiana -3.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Indiana -



BE BACK LATER WITH NBA AND LATE NIGHT NCAABB, NHL !!


GOOD LUCK !!

 

[CNOTES]

NBA


Thursday, March 12


Game Score Status Pick Amount


Milwaukee - 7:00 PM ET Milwaukee +7 500 *****
Indiana - Over 187.5 500


Memphis - 7:00 PM ET Washington -9 500
Washington - Under 178.5 500


Houston - 9:00 PM ET Houston -2 500 SLAM DUNK
Utah - Over 190 500


Cleveland - 9:30 PM ET Cleveland -1.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
San Antonio - Under 206 500


New York - 10:30 PM ET L.A. Lakers -6.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY
L.A. Lakers - Under 190.5 500

 

[CNOTES]

NHL


Thursday, March 12


Game Score Status Pick Amount


Tampa Bay - 7:00 PM ET Tampa Bay +107 500
Boston - Under 5.5 500 *****


Edmonton - 7:00 PM ET Pittsburgh -365 500
Pittsburgh - Under 5.5 500


Dallas - 7:00 PM ET Carolina -111 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Carolina - Under 5.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY


Ottawa - 7:30 PM ET Montreal -159 500
Montreal - Over 5 500 DOUBLE PLAY


Columbus - 7:30 PM ET Columbus +188 500 HAT TRICK
Detroit - Under 5.5 500


Winnipeg - 7:30 PM ET Winnipeg -121 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Florida - Over 5 500


Philadelphia - 8:00 PM ET Philadelphia +171 500 HAT TRICK
St. Louis - Under 5.5 500


New Jersey - 9:00 PM ET Colorado -135 500
Colorado - Under 5 500


Los Angeles - 10:00 PM ET Los Angeles -117 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Vancouver - Under 5.5 500


Chicago - 10:00 PM ET Chicago -210 500 HAT TRICK
Arizona - Over 5 500


Nashville - 10:30 PM ET San Jose -105 500 *****
San Jose - Under 5 500

 

[CNOTES]

Thursday's SEC Night Tips


March 12, 2015


**Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt**


-- As of early this afternoon, most books had Vanderbilt (19-12 SU, 16-12 ATS) installed as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 128. Gamblers can back the Volunteers on the money line for a +150 return (risk $100 to win $150).


-- Kevin Stallings' team is on fire right now, winning five consecutive games. The Commodores, who are 8-2 both SU and ATS in their last 10 outings, won an 86-77 decision at Ole Miss this past Saturday night in the regular-season finale. They notched the outright victory as five-point road underdogs, hooking up money-line backers with a nice payout in the +170 range. Riley LaChance led five double-figure scorers with 19 points, draining 5-of-9 attempts from 3-point range. LaChance also dished out eight assists without committing a turnover. Wade Baldwin IV added 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while James Siakam finished with 14 points and nine boards.


-- Tennessee (15-15 SU, 10-18-2 ATS) faded down the stretch by losing 10 of its last 13 games, going 5-8 ATS. The Vols dropped their regular-season finale to South Carolina by a 60-49 count as 4.5-point home 'chalk.' Josh Richardson scored 14 points to go with six rebounds, six assists and four steals. Robert Hubbs III also had 14 points


-- Richardson, the lone returning starter from UT's Sweet 16 team last season, averages 15.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.1 steals per game.


-- In 14 games as an underdog this year, Tennessee has compiled a 9-5 spread recored with six outright victories.


-- These bitter rivals split a pair of regular-season meetings with both teams winning on the road. In the first encounter at Memorial Gymnasium, UT captured a 76-73 triumph in overtime as a six-point underdog. Richardson stole the show with 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals. Derek Reese added 12 points and eight boards for the winners. Damian Jones had 16 points and nine rebounds in defeat.


-- In the rematch at Thompson Boling-Arena in Knoxville, UT raced out to a 30-19 lead at intermission and appeared to be en route to victory. However, Vandy came alive in the second half, burying 9-of-11 shots from long distance. A 27-5 run did in the Vols as the 'Dores rallied for a 73-65 win as 1.5-point underdogs. Luke Kornet was the catalyst with 21 points on 5-of-6 accuracy from beyond the arc. Baldwin tallied 13 points, six boards and six assists. Richardson paced the Vols by producing 20 points, six rebounds and five assists without a turnover.


-- The 'under' is 18-12 overall for UT.


-- The 'over' is 15-9-2 overall for Vandy, cashing in three of its last four games.


-- The SEC Network will have the broadcast from Music City at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.


**South Carolina vs. Ole Miss**


-- As of early this afternoon, most spots had Ole Miss (20-11 SU, 16-13-1 ATS) listed as a three-point favorite with a total of 134.5 points. The Gamecocks are +135 on the money line.


-- Andy Kennedy's team is looking for its second NCAA Tournament appearance during his tenure. In order to garner that invite, a win tonight is absolutely mandatory. Even with a victory, an at-large bid won't be a given, but the Rebels will feel fairly confident about their chances.


-- Ole Miss played poorly down the stretch, losing four of its last seven games while going 2-5 versus the number.


-- South Carolina (16-15 SU, 12-17 ATS) advanced to play another day thanks to a 63-54 win over Missouri as an eight-point favorite last night. Sindarius Thornwell was the catalyst with 18 points and six assists. Michael Carrera added 12 points and six boards despite playing only 22 minutes due to foul trouble.


-- Frank Martin's team has played much better in recent weeks, winning three of its last four both SU and ATS.


-- South Carolina has been an underdog 12 times, going 4-8 both SU and ATS.


-- When these teams met in Oxford on Jan. 10, Ole Miss cruised to a 65-49 victory as a three-point home 'chalk.' Jarvis Summers had a game-high 20 points and Stefan Moody had 16. Tyrone Johnson was South Carolina's only player in double figures with 13 points.


-- Ole Miss has won outright in five of the last six head-to-head meetings between these schools.


-- Moody, a transfer from FAU, has enjoyed a stellar season. He averages a team-high 16.6 PPG. Jarvis Summers hasn't been as effective as last year, but he's still an excellent player who's averaging 12.3 points and 4.7 assists per contest.


-- The 'over' is 15-11 overall for the Rebels.


-- The 'under' has been a serious money maker for the Gamecocks, cashing at an 18-9 overall clip.


-- This game will tip 30 minutes after the conclusion of UT-Vandy.

 

[CNOTES]

Eastern Michigan - 6:30 PM ET Eastern Michigan +3.5 500 SLAM DUNK
Toledo -

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAB

Thursday, March 12

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AAC tournament Round 1: NCAAB betting cheat sheet
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UCF Knights vs. East Carolina Pirates (-3)

The league's top freshmen scorers will meet when UCF battles East Carolina in the opening round of the American Athletic Conference tournament at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn., on Thursday. Pirates freshman B.J. Tyson and Knights freshman B.J. Taylor lead their teams - and all AAC freshmen - in scoring at 12.5 points each while UCF's Adonys Henriquez adds 10.6 points. The ninth-seeded Knights, who enter the postseason on a four-game skid, lost both meetings to the eighth-seeded Pirates.

The teams rank near the top of the league in 3-point shooting - UCF at 34.8 percent and East Carolina at 34.7 - but the Pirates were third in defending the arc, holding teams to 30.9 percent. The Knights struggled to slow opponents, allowing a league-worst 71.4 points and giving up at least 75 points 10 times. The winner advances to play top-seeded SMU, who beat both teams during the regular season.

TRENDS:

*Knights are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
*Over is 5-1-1 in Pirates last 7 overall.
*Favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
*Under is 5-1 in Knights last 6 neutral site games.



Houston Cougars vs. Tulane Green Wave (-1)

First-year coach Kelvin Sampson knows his Houston team is playing its best basketball as it enters Thursday's first round of the American Athletic Conference tournament at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn., against seventh-seeded Tulane. A three-game win streak - including a 68-63 overtime victory at Tulane - has given the 10th-seeded Cougars encouragement for the future. "I wish we could start the season now," Sampson said after Saturday's regular-season finale. "I promise you our record wouldn't be 12-18. It's not like we felt we were going to make the (NCAA) Tournament. My goal as a head coach coming into a new program ... was to establish a culture and establish an identity."

That new identity includes playing tough despite injuries and departures that have left the Cougars with seven scholarship players for the tournament. Tulane won the first meeting in Houston 68-65 in mid-January but averaged 54.1 points during a 2-10 stretch that followed. The winner plays second-seeded Tulsa, which swept both during the regular season.

TRENDS:

*Cougars are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
*Green Wave are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 neutral site games.
*Over is 12-3-1 in Cougars last 16 games following a ATS win.
*Under is 36-16 in Green Wave last 52 overall.



USF Bulls vs. UConn Huskies (-14)

Defending national champion Connecticut has the American Athletic Conference's top scorer and a home-court advantage as it opens the league tournament against USF on Thursday at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn. The Huskies went 6-1 at the XC Center - including a 4-1 record against the AAC - on the way to a sixth-place finish. Senior Ryan Boatright leads the league with 17.8 points while the 11th-seeded Bulls have the nation's youngest roster.

The Bulls finished the regular season losing 14 of 16, including a pair of losses to the Huskies by a combined 27 points. They've been without leading scorer Corey Allen Jr. (NCAA suspension) for the past three games but freshman Troy Holston Jr. has stepped in to fill the void. UConn leads the series 14-2 and the winner faces third-seeded Cincinnati.

TRENDS:

*Huskies are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games following a ATS loss.
*Over is 5-0 in Bulls last 5 road games.
*Bulls are 9-2 ATS in the last 11 meetings.
*Under is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings.

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAB

Thursday, March 12

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Pac-12 tournament quarterfinals: NCAAB betting cheat sheet
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California Golden Bears vs. Arizona Wildcats (-17)

California stunned Arizona when the Wildcats were the top-ranked team in the nation last season and the Golden Bears will try to pull a similar upset Thursday when they meet the top-seeded Wildcats in the second round of the Pac-12 tournament in Las Vegas. California won 60-58 on a last-second shot Feb. 1, 2014, ending Arizona's school-record 21-game winning streak. The Wildcats haven't shown any signs of a relapse this season, beating the eighth-seeded Golden Bears by 23 and 39 points.

Arizona enters this game riding an eight-game winning streak with its only conference losses coming against Oregon State and Arizona State, and a nonconference defeat to UNLV in Las Vegas. California had lost five of six coming into the tournament but shot 58.5 percent from the floor in an 84-59 win Wednesday against Washington State. David Kravish, who had 14 points and 11 rebounds in the upset against Arizona last season, scored a career-high 25 points with eight rebounds and three blocks in the first-round win.

TRENDS:

*Wildcats are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 games overall.
*Over is 4-1 in Golden Bears last 5 overall.
*Under is 17-8-1 in Wildcats last 26 neutral site games.
*Over is 20-7 in the last 27 meetings.



USC Trojans vs. UCLA Bruins (-9, OFF)

After opening the Pac-12 tournament with its biggest win in two seasons under coach Andy Enfield, 12th-seeded USC looks to pull another surprise in Thursday’s quarterfinals against No. 4 UCLA at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The teams are meeting for the second time in nine days after the Bruins closed the regular season with an 85-74 victory at Pauley Pavilion on March 4. The Trojans are riding high after rallying from a 15-point second-half deficit to upset No. 5 seed Arizona State 67-64 in Wednesday’s first round.

Guard Norman Powell is averaging a team-high 16.3 points for the Bruins, who likely need to win two games in Las Vegas in order to secure an NCAA Tournament berth. UCLA closed the regular season with three straight wins and has won nine of its last 10 against the rival Trojans, who lost 13 of their final 15 regular-season games. “Being last in the Pac-12, teams can’t really afford to lose to us,” Trojans guard Julian Jacobs told the Orange County Register. “We’re aware (UCLA) is on the bubble. We’d love to stop them from the tournament.”

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
* Favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* USC is 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Under is 7-1 in UCLA's last eight games following a SU win.



Oregon Ducks vs. Colorado Buffaloes (OFF)

Colorado closed the regular season with four losses in its final six games, but the Buffaloes are back in their comfort zone at the Pac-12 tournament. The 10th-seeded Buffaloes are 8-2 all-time in the league tournament heading into Thursday’s quarterfinal against No. 2 seed Oregon at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Ducks guard Joseph Young, who was named Pac-12 Player of the Year after averaging a league-high 19.8 points, scored 23 points in a 73-60 victory over Colorado in Eugene on Feb. 18.

The Buffaloes showed why they could be a tournament darkhorse with a strong performance Wednesday, when Askia Booker scored 20 points in a 78-71 victory over No. 7 seed Oregon State. Forward Josh Scott was slowed by back pain early in league play, but the 6-10 junior is averaging 23 points and 11.7 rebounds over his last three games. Scott grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds in last month’s loss to the Ducks and will need another strong effort Thursday against an Oregon team that ended the regular season with 11 wins in its final 13 games.

TRENDS:

* Colorado is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Oregon is 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Over is 5-1 in Colorado's last six games overall.



Stanford Cardinal vs. Utah Utes (OFF)

Utah has much loftier expectations than it had in previous Pac-12 tournament appearances and the third-seeded Utes will take their first step toward a much-coveted title when they meet No. 6 Stanford in the second round Thursday in Las Vegas. Utah received a bye into the quarterfinals thanks to their 13-5 mark during Pac-12 play. The Utes missed a chance at a No. 2 seed when they lost their regular-season finale to Washington, a team Stanford beat by two points in Wednesday’s opening round.

Stanford lost 75-59 to Utah during their only regular-season meeting, but the Cardinal should be fired up after Chasson Randle buried a 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left to cap the comeback win against Washington. Randle will need to be even better if Stanford hopes to toppled the Utes as he had an otherwise sub-par game, shooting 3-for-11 with 10 points. He’ll be matched against the other top point guard in the Pac-12, Delon Wright, who comes in averaging 14.7 points, 5.3 assists and 4.7 rebounds.

TRENDS:

* Stanford is 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall.
* Utah is 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a SU win.
* Over is 5-1-1 in Stanford's last seven games following a SU win.
* Under is 5-1 in Utah's last six games overall.

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAB

Thursday, March 12

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACC tournament quarterfinals: NCAAB betting cheat sheet sheet
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Florida State Seminoles vs. Virginia Cavaliers (-11)

Fourth-ranked Virginia begins its quest for a second straight ACC tournament title when it takes on ninth-seeded Florida State in the quarterfinals Thursday at Greensboro, N.C. The top-seeded Cavaliers saw their nine-game winning streak come to an end with a 59-57 loss at Louisville in the finale of the regular season for only its second defeat in league play. Florida State, which lost 51-41 at Virginia last month, held off a late rally to edge Clemson 76-73 in Wednesday's second round.

Virginia, the top team in the nation in scoring defense (50.3), must find a way to contain freshman guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes after his 30-point performance for the Seminoles on Wednesday. The Cavaliers will likely be without second-leading scorer Justin Anderson, who is recovering from an appendectomy after suffering a fractured finger on Feb. 7. Virginia is 7-1 since Anderson went down, led by first team All-ACC pick Malcolm Brogdon.

TRENDS:

*Seminoles are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 vs. Atlantic Coast.
*Under is 13-3 in Cavaliers last 16 vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
*Underdog is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
*Under is 15-3 in the last 18 meetings.


North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Louisville Cardinals (+2.5)

No. 13 Louisville begins its maiden voyage in the ACC tournament when it takes on 19th-ranked North Carolina on Thursday in the quarterfinals at Greensboro, N.C. The fourth-seeded Cardinals have won four of their last five games, including a 59-57 victory over conference regular-season champion Virginia last Saturday at home. Fifth seed North Carolina has struggled down the stretch with six losses in its last 10 games, but dispatched Boston College 81-63 in the second round Wednesday.

The Tar Heels may not have 6-9, 280-pound forward Kennedy Meeks, who missed Wednesday's game with an illness, to go against Louisville’s Montrezl Harrell inside. Harrell, who is 6-8 and 240 pounds, has 12 doubles-doubles and scored 22 to go along with 15 rebounds as Louisville beat the Tar Heels 78-68 in overtime on Jan. 31 to gain a split of two meetings. Forward Brice Johnson and point guard Marcus Paige led the way with 17 points apiece for North Carolina on Wednesday.

TRENDS:

* Tar Heels are 2-9-1 ATS in their last 12 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
* Under is 7-1 in Cardinals last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Cardinals are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 vs. Atlantic Coast.
* Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.


N.C. State Wolfpack vs. Duke Blue Devils (OFF)

March is the time when elite teams cement their legacy by winning close games in pressure-packed situations. Second-ranked Duke begins its quest for spring greatness in Thursday’s ACC tournament quarterfinals against North Carolina State, aiming for its 12th victory in a row. Freshman Jahlil Okafor comes into his first postseason contest after posting 11 20-point efforts and 11 double-doubles, and the Blue Devils have won seven games during their streak by 10 points or fewer.

The Wolfpack are one of three teams (Miami and Notre Dame) to knock off the Blue Devils this season, ending Duke’s season-opening 14-game winning streak with an 87-75 home victory Jan. 11. Anthony Barber started N.C. State’s postseason with a bang in Wednesday’s 81-70 victory over Pittsburgh, scoring 21 of his career-best 34 points in the first half. N.C. State shot 63.6 percent from the field in the second half against Pittsburgh, and hit 55 percent of its shots in the upset of Duke.

TRENDS:

* Over is 16-4-1 in the last 21 games.
* N.C. State is 7-1 ATS in the last eight games overall.
* Duke is 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Under is 9-3 in Duke's last 12 neutral site games.



Miami Hurricanes vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (OFF)

Notre Dame finished the regular season with 26 victories, the program’s highest total in more than a century, but the Fighting Irish know what they accomplish starting in Thursday’s ACC quarterfinals against Miami (Fla.) will determine the success of their campaign. A victory for the third-seeded and ninth-ranked Fighting Irish would match the 2010-11 team for second-most in program history (33 in 1908-09). Senior guard Jerian Grant leads the ACC in assists (6.7) while averaging 16.8 points per game.

The sixth-seed Hurricanes have won three in a row and four of their past five, and nearly knocked off the Fighting Irish before blowing a 12-point second-half lead in losing 75-70 at Notre Dame on Jan. 17. Sheldon McClellan scored 16 points in Wednesday’s 59-49 victory over Virginia Tech, and has reached double figures in nine of his past 10 games. Miami has lost five games to ranked teams by a combined total of 33 points.

TRENDS:

* Underdog is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Notre Dame is 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Under is 4-1 in Miami's last five games following a SU win.
* Over is 8-2 in Notre Dame's last 10 neutral site games.

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAB

Thursday, March 12

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEC tournament Round 2: NCAAB betting cheat sheet sheet
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Florida Gators (-3.5)

A season ago, Florida didn’t lose an SEC game in cruising through the regular season and conference tournament en route to the Final Four. Now, though, the eighth-seeded Gators are staring at the prospect of the program’s first losing season since 1997-98 – back in coach Billy Donovan’s second year in Gainesville – as they prepare to for Thursday’s second-round SEC Tournament contest against ninth-seeded Alabama in Nashville. The winner receives a quarterfinal date with top-ranked and unbeaten Kentucky on Friday.

“I don’t think there is a different agenda from last year’s team,” Donovan said at his weekly news conference Monday. “We are going in there to play against Alabama and try to see if we can move on and advance and play again on Friday. In order for us to do that, we will have to grow and get better as a group.” Florida won two of three to close out the regular season – falling only to Kentucky last Saturday in Lexington – while Alabama avoided a three-game skid by squeaking out a 61-60 victory at Texas A&M on Saturday.

TRENDS:

*Gators are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
*Under is 8-3 in Crimson Tide last 11 neutral site games.
*Over is 13-3 in Gators last 16 games following a ATS loss.
*Underdog is 10-4 ATS in the last 14 meetings.



Tennessee Volunteers vs. Vanderbilt Commodores (-4.5)

Barring an unlikely four-day title run, Vanderbilt and Tennessee essentially will be looking to pad their NIT resumes Thursday when they square off for the third time this season in a second-round SEC tournament contest in Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The seventh-seeded Commodores, who closed the regular season with five straight wins and eight victories in their last 10 outings, appear to be in decent shape for an NIT bid at 19-12, but coach Kevin Stallings isn’t taking anything for granted given the unpredictable nature of March. “I feel like we've made a pretty good case with what we've done lately, but it's just relative to what else is out there,” Stallings told the Nashville Tennessean earlier this week. “(An NIT bid) would be extremely valuable, especially going forward for what this young group will experience.”

At 15-15, meanwhile, the 10th-seeded Volunteers need a win to remain a part of the NIT discussion, but they staggered to the finish in the regular season, losing six of their last seven games. Tennessee, though, split the regular-season series with its in-state rival, with the Volunteers and Commodores each winning on the other’s home floor. “I think our team would be excited to play, regardless of who the opponent was,” Tennessee coach Donnie Tyndall said at his weekly Monday media luncheon. “I think certainly we all understand that's a huge game to both fan bases and both teams, so it will add a little bit to it. I don't think you hide from that or try to sugar coat that in any way.”

TRENDS:

*Commodores are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
*Under is 16-5 in Volunteers last 21 games following a ATS loss.
*Under is 16-5 in the last 21 meetings.
*Underdog is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings.



Texas A&M Aggies vs. Auburn Tigers (OFF)

Texas A&M may need to make some noise in the SEC tournament in order to impress the selection committee and reach the NCAAs. That quest begins Thursday in Nashville, Tenn., where the fifth-seeded Aggies take on 13th-seeded Auburn in the second round. Texas A&M did not help its cause with a lackluster finish to the regular season, dropping its last two games and three of its final four to lose the coveted double-bye.

The Tigers lost their final six games of the regular season before knocking off Mississippi State 74-68 in Wednesday's first round. K.C. Ross-Miller scored 21 points, KT Harrell had 19 and Alex Thompson registered a career-high 16 to give Auburn its first win in the tournament since 2009. The winner advances to take on No. 4 seed LSU on Friday in a game that likely leads to a semifinal matchup with top-ranked and unbeaten Kentucky.

TRENDS:

* Over is 6-1 in the last seven meetings.
* Favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Tigers are 1-5 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Over is 7-1 in Auburn's last eight games following an ATS win.



Ole Miss Rebels vs. South Carolina Gamecocks (OFF)

The last time Ole Miss played in the SEC tournament in Nashville in 2013, it put together a magical run that continued into the NCAA Tournament. The sixth-seeded Rebels hit the floor at Bridgestone Arena once again Thursday, taking on No. 11 seed South Carolina in a second-round matchup, this time with its status for the Big Dance up in the air. Andy Kennedy's team is on the tournament bubble after dropping three of its last four games, including an 86-77 home loss to Vanderbilt on Saturday.

"We've got a veteran group that's been in these conversations several times," Kennedy told reporters Wednesday. "My hope is that their focus is on what they can control, and that's playing well on Thursday night." While the Rebels had a lackluster finish to their regular season, the Gamecocks seemed to right their ship down the stretch and posted a 63-54 victory over Missouri in Wednesday's first round. The winner advances to take on No. 3 seed Georgia on Friday in the quarterfinals.

TRENDS:

* South Carolina is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* The underdog 12-3 ATS in the last 15 meetings.
* Under is 8-1 in South Carolina's last nine neutral site games.
* Over is 4-1 in Mississippi's last five neutral site games.

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAB

Thursday, March 12

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Big Ten tournament Round 2: NCAAB betting cheat sheett sheet
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Michigan Wolverines vs. Illinois Fighting Illini (-3.5)

Few rivalries have produced the dramatic finishes that Michigan and Illinois have since the end of last season. The ninth-seeded Wolverines and eighth-seeded Illini renew acquaintances for the fourth time in less than a year on Thursday when they square off in a second-round Big Ten tournament game in Chicago. Michigan blew a 13-point second-half lead in last season’s second-round matchup with the Illini, but recovered just in time to pull out a 64-63 win en route to runner-up finish.

Each of the teams’ meetings this season went into overtime, with the Wolverines rallying from a 13-point deficit for a 73-65 victory on Dec. 30 and the Illini digging out of a seven-point hole with less than three minutes left to secure a 64-52 win on Feb. 12. Michigan won for only the second time in nine games last weekend, riding a season-high 31 points from freshman Aubrey Dawkins to a 79-69 home victory over last-place Rutgers. The Illini saw their tenuous NCAA Tournament hopes take a hit following Saturday’s 63-58 setback at Purdue and likely need to make a deep run at this event after going 5-11 against the RPI Top 100.

TRENDS:

*Fighting Illini are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 vs. Big Ten.
*Under is 8-3 in Wolverines last 11 games following a ATS win.
*Under is 7-3 in Fighting Illini last 10 vs. Big Ten.
*Wolverines are 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings.



Northwestern Wildcats vs. Indiana Hoosiers (-3.5)

Indiana finds itself squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble thanks to a three-game skid to end the regular season. The No. 7 seed Hoosiers look to avenge the first of those defeats Thursday when they face 10th-seeded Northwestern in second-round action at the Big Ten tournament in Chicago. Although Indiana hasn’t won two in a row since a four-game run in January, eight of its nine conference losses have come against opponents that finished above them in the standings.

The one outlier of that bunch came when Indiana fell 72-65 in Evanston, Ill. on Feb. 25, which coincidentally was the final victory of the Wildcats’ four-game conference winning streak – the school’s longest since the 1966-67 season. Northwestern dropped two of its last regular-season contests following that meeting with the Hoosiers, but its 5-2 finish was enough to give the school its highest seeding in this tournament since 2012. The Wildcats were unable to end the regular season strong, however, losing 69-52 at Iowa on Saturday

TRENDS:

*Hoosiers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. Big Ten.
*Over is 4-1 in Wildcats last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
*Under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
*Wildcats are 18-4 ATS in the last 22 meetings.



Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Iowa Hawkeyes (-7, OFF)

Few teams played worse than Iowa at the end of last year, but only one conference rival carries more momentum into the postseason this time around. The fifth-seeded Hawkeyes look to build upon their longest league winning streak in 28 years Thursday when they meet No. 13 seed Penn State in the second round of the Big Ten tournament in Chicago. Iowa finished the 2013-14 season by losing seven of its final eight games, including first-round losses in the conference tournament and NCAA Tournament.

The Hawkeyes enter this postseason with six straight victories – one shy of Maryland’s seven-game run – with the only close call over that stretch coming in an 81-77 overtime road victory against the Nittany Lions on Feb. 28. Penn State on Wednesday ended a three-year winless drought in conference tournament action, nearly giving up a 16-point second-half advantage before recovering for a 68-65 victory over Nebraska. The Nittany Lions, who improved to 10-17 at this event, recorded a tournament- and school-record 16 blocked shots in the victory.

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
* Favorite is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Iowa is 5-0-1 ATS in their last six games versus the Big Ten.
* Over is 4-0 in Penn State's last four games overall.



Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes (OFF)

Ohio State’s D'Angelo Russell was the most impressive freshman among a loaded class of Big Ten rookies, although Minnesota likely saw the best and worst of him in their only meeting. The league’s second-leading scorer will get his first taste of conference tournament action Thursday when his sixth-seeded Buckeyes meet the Golden Gophers in a second-round game in Chicago. Russell was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, edging out Maryland’s Melo Trimble and Indiana’s James Blackmon Jr.

The first-team all-conference performer ran Minnesota ragged in the first half of the Buckeyes’ 74-72 overtime win on Jan. 6, going 10-of-12 from the floor – including 5-of-5 beyond the arc – en route to a 25-point first half before the Golden Gophers held him to two points on 0-of-7 shooting after the break. Minnesota, the 11th seed, earned the right to avenge that setback with Wednesday’s 80-68 first-round victory over Rutgers. The win was only the Gophers’ second in the last seven games and marked the second time the Big Ten’s third-highest scoring team reached 80 points in regulation against a conference foe, with both instances coming against the Scarlet Knights.

TRENDS:

* Under is 3-0-1 in the last four meetings.
* Favorites is 13-3 ATS in the last 16 meetings.
* Minnesota is 1-5 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Over is 4-1 in Ohio State's last five neutral site games.

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAB

Thursday, March 12

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Big 12 tournament quarterfinals: NCAAB betting cheat sheet sheet
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Baylor Bears (-3)

West Virginia leading scorer Juwan Staten could be missing his fourth straight game on Thursday when the fifth-seeded Mountaineers face fourth-seeded Baylor in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City. The standout guard is dealing with knee and groin injuries and No. 18 West Virginia badly needs his services to make a run at the tournament title. No. 16 Baylor won both regular-season meetings with the Mountaineers by an average of 15 points and has won five of its last six contests.

The Bears are one of two teams nationally to lead by at least six points in every game this season with the other being top-ranked Kentucky and that stat is one of many reasons why Baylor coach Scott Drew feels his team – or another Big 12 squad – can make a deep run in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. “Top to bottom, RPI-wise, we’re the best conference in the country,” Drew told reporters, “and with that, I think we have several teams that could make Final Four runs.” The Mountaineers have won four of their last six games with one of the two losses coming against Baylor.

TRENDS:

*Bears are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
*Under is 4-0 in Bears last 4 neutral site games.
*Over is 4-1 in Mountaineers last 5 vs. Big 12.
*Mountaineers are 1-5 ATS in the last 6 meetings.



Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Oklahoma Sooners (-4)

Oklahoma is aiming to defeat its biggest rival for the third straight time this season when it faces sixth-seeded Oklahoma State in Thursday’s quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City. The No. 14 Sooners – who are seeded third – won the two meetings by an average of 12.5 points and are solidly assured of an NCAA Tournament bid no matter what happens in the tournament. That is not the case for the Cowboys, who have lost five of their last six games.

Oklahoma State’s only victory down the stretch came against lowly TCU after the Cowboys were in good shape prior to their sharp decline. The Sooners have won four of their last five games and enter with momentum after beating Kansas on a buzzer-beating basket last Saturday. “I’m just really looking forward to going to Kansas City and competing as hard as we can for a Big 12 championship,” Big 12 Player of the Year Buddy Hield told reporters. “It’s going to be tough because every team is good in the league. We just have to grind.”

TRENDS:

*Sooners are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
*Over is 4-0 in Cowboys last 4 vs. Big 12.
*Under is 4-0 in Sooners last 4 neutral site games.
*Cowboys are 0-7 ATS in the last 7 meetings.



Kansas Jayhawks vs. TCU Horned Frogs (OFF)

Top-seeded Kansas is hopeful of having leading scorer Perry Ellis on the floor when it opens Big 12 tournament play by facing ninth-seeded TCU in Thursday’s quarterfinals in Kansas City. Ellis missed the No. 10 Jayhawks’ regular-season finale because of a sprained right knee and coach Bill Self told reporters that Ellis will be a game-time decision. “He’ll wear a brace the rest of the season regardless for precautionary measures,” Self said.

The Horned Frogs posted their first Big 12 tournament win in three seasons in the league by producing a 67-65 victory over Kansas State on Wednesday. Now TCU gets a chance to record a huge upset with Kansas City serving as another home port for the Jayhawks. “We match up well with Kansas and we feel like they play the same style of basketball we do,” Horned Frogs guard Trey Zeigler said in the postgame press conference. “They’re a tough, physical, defensive team and we’re looking forward to that matchup.”

TRENDS:

* TCU is 4-1 ATS in their last five games following an ATS win.
* Kansas is 1-5 ATS in their last six games against the Big 12.
* Over is 7-1 in TCU's last eight games overall.
* Over is 4-1 Kansas' last five games overall.



Iowa State Cyclones vs. Texas Longhorns (+6, OFF)

Second-seeded Iowa State looks to win the Big 12 tournament for the second straight season and opens play against Texas in Thursday’s quarterfinals at Kansas City. The No. 15 Cyclones were the No. 4 seed when they won last season’s crown but won’t be sneaking up on anybody this time around. The seventh-seeded Longhorns cruised past Texas Tech on Wednesday but badly need a victory over Iowa State to spruce up their NCAA Tournament resume.

Texas coach Rick Barnes has a 20-victory squad but remains nervous about how many more wins his team needs to make the NCAA Tournament. “They don’t wait until two weeks out, three weeks out, they work it all year,” Barnes said of the committee in the postgame press conference. “They’re going to know why we struggled in the middle of the year, they’re going to know we dealt with injuries and different things, they’re going to know it all because they do want to put together the best tournament they can and I have confidence in that.” The Longhorns led comfortably for the final 17 minutes against Texas Tech after leading by just four at halftime in the 65-53 victory.

TRENDS:

* Over is 16-4 in the last 20 meetings.
* Iowa State is 5-1 ATS in their last five games versus a team with a winning SU record.
* Texas is 4-1 ATS in their last five games following a SU win.
* Over is 5-0 in Iowa State's last five games versus a team with a winning SU record.

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAB

Thursday, March 12

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Big East tournament quarterfinals: NCAAB betting cheat sheet sheet sheet
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Providence Friars vs. St. John's Red Storm (-2)

Providence finished fourth in the Big East this season, but it appears that the Friars have earned a tough draw in the conference tournament. The Friars open play at Madison Square Garden against St. John's on Thursday and, if they win, they'll advance to face either Marquette, Seton Hall or, most likely, Villanova. As its luck would have it, Providence has lost to two teams multiple times this season - St. John's and Villanova.

The fifth-seeded Red Storm had won seven of eight before absorbing a thunderous 105-68 defeat at the hands of Villanova in their regular-season finale. St. John's rested two key contributors - forward Chris Obekpa (ankle) and guard Jamal Branch (groin) - against the Wildcats but still suffered their worst loss since 2002. The Friars had a chance to wrap up their regular season with five wins in six games but came up just short against Butler, 68-64, their last time out.

TRENDS:

*Friars are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 neutral site games.
*Over is 5-0 in Red Storm last 5 vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
*Over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings.
*Underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.



Xavier Musketeers vs. Butler Bulldogs (-1.5)

Xavier appears to be in good shape as Selection Sunday nears, but a win over No. 22 Butler in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament on Thursday would certainly clinch a berth in the field of 68. The sixth-seeded Musketeers have been up and down over the last month - and for much of the season, for that matter - but they posted a resounding 73-56 win over the Bulldogs last month. "We definitely played up to our potential," Xavier guard Myles Davis told reporters that night. "I think there's still more to come."

The Musketeers followed that win by losing two straight games, although they bounced back to defeat Creighton, 74-73, to finish the regular season 9-9 in conference play. Third-seeded Butler, meanwhile, closed its regular season with a 68-64 triumph at Providence as the team has allowed 57.3 points per game since the loss to Xavier. "Sometimes you say it just to say it, but this is a really good team," coach Chris Holtmann said after his squad wrapped up the Big East season with a 12-6 mark.

TRENDS:

*Bulldogs are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a S.U. win.
*Under is 4-0 in Musketeers last 4 games following a S.U. win.
*Under is 6-0-1 in Bulldogs last 7 overall.
*Musketeers are 7-1-1 ATS in the last 9 meetings.



Seton Hall/Marquette vs. Villanova Wildcats (OFF)

Third-ranked Villanova is the top seed in the Big East tournament and has its sights set on a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. However, a loss Thursday against ninth-seeded Marquette could potentially push the Wildcats down to a No. 2 seed in the field of 68, which would be a big disappointment for a team that has not lost since Jan. 19. The Wildcats carry a 12-game winning streak into their quarterfinal matchup with the Golden Eagles and are coming off perhaps their most dominant performance of the season.

Villanova wrapped up the regular season with a 105-68 rout of St. John's on Saturday as Daniel Ochefu recorded 21 points, nine rebounds and five blocks. "I think we're playing as well as anybody in the country," coach Jay Wright told reporters after his team racked 22 assists against three turnovers. "I think we can beat anybody in the country." The Wildcats handled Marquette twice by double digits this season, although the Golden Eagles scored 76 in the last meeting - the most Villanova has allowed during its winning streak.

TRENDS:

* Favorite is 6-0 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Over is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings.
* Marquette is 0-5 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Over is 5-0 in Villanova's last five games overall.



Creighton vs. Georgetown Hoyas (OFF)

Georgetown handled Creighton easily on two occasions during the regular season and seeks a third victory against the Bluejays when the teams square off in Madison Square Garden on Thursday in the Big East tournament quarterfinals. The No. 23 Hoyas led comfortably throughout most of the second half on Jan. 3 en route to a 76-61 triumph against Creighton. The rematch on Jan. 31 proved to be a mismatch as Georgetown won 67-40 while holding the Bluejays without a field goal for more than 17 minutes spanning the two halves.

"Simply put, that's embarrassing," Creighton coach Greg McDermott told reporters after the second loss to Georgetown. "It was a battle of toughness, and we certainly weren't up to the challenge." The 10th-seeded Bluejays will get another crack at the second-seeded Hoyas after disposing of No. 7 seed DePaul by 15 points on Wednesday. James Milliken scored 22 points to lead Creighton, although he must play better than he did in the first two matchups with Georgetown if the Bluejays have any chance of advancing.

TRENDS:

* Creighton is 6-0-1 ATS in their last seven games overall.
* Georgetown is 1-5 ATS in their last six games following a SU win.
* Under is 10-2 in Creighton's last 12 games following a SU win.
* Over is 15-7-1 in Georgetown's last 23 games following a SU win.

 

[CNOTES]

NBA

Thursday, March 12


Nets' Karasev out for season

Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Sergey Karasev was diagnosed with a dislocated patella and a torn MCL in his right knee and will undergo season-ending surgery Friday.

Karasev also has multiple loose bodies in the knee joint from the injury suffered in the fourth quarter Wednesday night, Nets general manager Billy King announced.

Karasev started 16 games earlier this season, but had seen his minutes in the rotation diminish. The 19th overall pick in 2013, Karasev was acquired in an offseason trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers and has averaged 4.6 points and 2.0 rebounds in 33 games.


Grizzlies sitting almost entire starting lineup

The Memphis Grizzlies were excited to play their only nationally televised game all season according to coach Dave Joerger. The coach then promptly took a page from Gregg Popovich's book and is sitting four of his players Thursday.

Tony Allen, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol will all get a rest Thursday with Mike Conely nursing a right ankle injury.

Memphis was +1.5 at most books before the announcement, but the spread has started to climb and is currently +2.5.

It will be the Grizzlies seventh game in ten days when they travel to Washington Thursday.


Pacers continue to be red-hot under play

The Indiana Pacers have gone under in seven of their past eight contests, thanks to some stellar defense. Through those eight games, the Pacers have allowed an average of 87.6 points and have not allowed a team to hit 90 points in seven games.

Currently, the Pacers host Milwaukee Thursday with a total of 187.5.

 

[CNOTES]

EVENING COLLEGE CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS:

Texas-Pan American - 7:30 PM ET Texas-Pan American +6.5 500
UMKC -

Delaware State - 8:00 PM ET Howard +1.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Howard -

New Orleans - 8:30 PM ET Texas A&M CC -5.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Texas A&M CC -

Minnesota - 8:55 PM ET Ohio St. -5 500
Ohio St. -

UC Riverside - 9:00 PM ET UC Riverside +7.5 500 *****
UC Irvine -

UNLV - 9:00 PM ET UNLV +5.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY
San Diego St. -

Colorado - 9:00 PM ET Colorado +3 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Oregon -

Akron - 9:00 PM ET Kent St. +2 500 SLAM DUNK
Kent St. -

Duquesne - 9:00 PM ET Duquesne +9 500
George Washington -

Xavier - 9:30 PM ET Xavier +1.5 500 *****
Butler -

Jackson State - 9:30 PM ET Jackson State -1 500
Prairie View A&M -

South Carolina - 9:30 PM ET Mississippi -3.5 500 *****
Mississippi -

Rice - 9:30 PM ET Louisiana Tech -10 500
Louisiana Tech -

Weber St. - 10:00 PM ET Weber St. +7 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Montana -

Chicago St. - 10:00 PM ET Chicago St. +5.5 500
Seattle -

Fresno St. - 11:30 PM ET Fresno St. +8 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Colorado St. -

Cal Poly SLO - 11:30 PM ET UC Santa Barbara -5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
UC Santa Barbara -

Stanford - 11:30 PM ET Stanford +6.5 500
Utah -

 

[CNOTES]

I BELIEVE THIS WAS MY TOTALS BEFORE I LEFT FOR VACATION:


March totals


nba


*****....................................... 3 - 5
double play................................ 2 - 4
triple play.................................. 2 - 1 - 1
slam dunk..................................2 - 2
gom...........................................0 - 1


ncaabb


*****........................................13 - 5
double play.................................8 - 6
triple play...................................6 - 1
slam dunk..................................0 - 1
gom...........................................0 - 4


nhl


*****....................................2 - 4.........................- 3.22
double play.............................4 - 3.........................+ 0.32
triple play...............................3 - 0.........................+ 9.00
hat trick.................................3 - 1.........................+ 7.92