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Most Outstanding Player Props:
Johnson, Hield lead MOP Odds

The NCAA Tournament field is down to the Final Four with North Carolina, Syracuse, Villanova and Oklahoma headed to Houston, Texas on Saturday Apr. 2, 2016.

Listed below are the updated odds

Odds to win 2016 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player

Brice Johnson (North Carolina) 9/4
Buddy Hield (Oklahoma) 7/2
Josh Hart (Villanova) 4/1
Joel Berry II (North Carolina) 11/2
Marcus Paige (North Carolina) 8/1
Kris Jenkins (Villanova) 12/1
Ryan Arcidiacono (Villanova) 15/1
Michael Gbinije (Syracuse) 20/1
Ryan Spangler (Oklahoma) 30/1
Isaiah Cousins (Oklahoma) 40/1
Malachi Richardson (Syracuse) 40/1
Tyler Roberson (Syracuse) 40/1

Odds Subject to Change

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Final Four Opening Line Report: Books weigh in on NCAA Tournament semifinals
By COLIN KELLY

Since the NCAA Tournament’s round of 64 began March 17, we’ve seen a flurry of 60 games in 11 days while watching the field whittled down to the Final Four. Now, there’s only one No. 1 seed standing, along with a pair of No. 2s and a stunning No. 10.

No. 10 Syracuse vs. No. 1 North Carolina (-9.5)

Syracuse is the odd man in and will face No. 1 North Carolina on one side of the bracket in next Saturday’s Final Four in Houston.

The Orange rallied from a 15-point second-half deficit against No. 1 Virginia to post a shocking 68-62 victory as an 8-point underdog in Sunday’s Midwest Region final. Trailing 54-39, the Orange (23-13 SU, 20-15 ATS) outscored the Cavaliers 29-8 over the final 9½ minutes.

Syracuse is the first No. 10 seed to reach the Final Four, and the Orange will be prohibitive underdogs to the Tar Heels, who opened as 9.5-point favorites.

North Carolina pulled away from No. 6 Notre Dame 88-74 as a 9.5-point chalk in Sunday’s East Region final. It was the ninth consecutive SU win for the Tar Heels (32-6 SU, 19-18-1 ATS), who are also on a 7-1 spread-covering streak.

Jay Kornegay, executive vice president for race and sports at the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook, said that there wasn’t much debate on the opening line.

“We had a 9, a 10, a 9.5, so we were all really close. It wasn’t a long discussion,” Kornegay said. “I’m sure the public will be on the favorite. The guessing game is where the big money will come in at. The numbers are so good that you don’t see the big money sometimes.”

It’s a rare instance that an NCAA semifinal has a spread approaching double digits.

“It’s a pretty big number for a Final Four game, so I’d suspect we’ll see a little Syracuse money,” Kornegay said. “We think 9.5 is a good number for the sharps. If the public drives it up to double digits, it wouldn’t surprise me to see a bigger play on the underdog.”

The Golden Nugget didn’t post a number on Sunday night, but oddsmaker Aaron Kessler was a little surprised the early line wasn’t a little higher.

“Notre Dame is no worse than Syracuse, and North Carolina has been nothing but impressive at every stop,” Kessler said. “We’ll probably be on the high side of that number. I’ve got to anticipate a lot of public money on Carolina in this one.”

Kessler said he sees a lot of similarities between Notre Dame and Syracuse – which bodes well for the Tar Heels.

“It’s a good matchup for them, kind of like the Notre Dame game,” he said. “North Carolina is the bigger, stronger team, by a lot. Carolina’s just got great athletes at every position.”

John Lester, senior lines manager, shared concerns about the hefty underdog.

“I'm not sure how we're going to attract Syracuse money on this game,” Lester said. “The line will be inflated, and we'll still be heavily one-sided on North Carolina. The Tar Heels are as complete a team as we've seen in a while, and they can simply turn it on when needed, which you can't say about many NCAA teams in history. However, the Orange have been defying odds since the outset of the tourney. So why not one more time?”

No. 2 Villanova (-2) vs. No. 2 Oklahoma

Villanova advanced with a 64-59 victory as a 2-point underdog against overall No. 1 seed Kansas in the South Region final Saturday. Oklahoma was a 1-point pup in Saturday’s West Region final against Oregon, but rolled to an 80-68 victory.

The ‘Cats (33-5 SU) are barely above water against the oddsmakers, at 19-17 ATS this season, though the Sooners (29-7 SU) are just 14-20 ATS, which rates 317th in the nation. However, this game is a rematch of a Dec. 7 regular-season meeting on a neutral floor in Hawaii, where the Sooners, catching 5 points, boat raced the Wildcats 78-55.

Kessler was a bit surprised with where the line sits at this point.

“Oklahoma has been a very public team this year, so I think Villanova’s upset of Kansas has already come into play,” Kessler said. “I tend to think the line might come down a little bit. I’m not sure we’ll see a flip, but I think it will go lower before it goes higher. If it goes up to 3, I’ll probably be in line!”

To Kessler’s point, the line actually did drop – but then it rebounded all the way to 2.5.

“Most of the action in the first half hour was on Oklahoma, but when we dropped Villanova from -1.5 to -1, we saw an influx of money on the favorite,” Lester said. “Some of the sharps were just waiting to see where the opener went, and once it was basically a pick 'em, they pounced on the Wildcats. We quickly moved to -2 and then -2.5.”

The matchup of No. 2 seeds is the more interesting one, according to Kornegay, who said the Superbook opened at Villanova -1.5 but has since moved to 2.

“I expect this one to be pretty solid, and the more popular game to wager on,” he said. “This is a more intriguing matchup. There’ll be support for both teams here.”

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Final Four Betting Trends
By Marc Lawrence

NCAA Final Four Out

It’s onward to Houston for the Final Four games. To put the wraps on the 2016 NCAA Tournament, listed below are some interesting trends and angles to as our Fab Four heads off to H-Town this weekend.

All results listed below are ATS (Against The Spread) and are since 1991 unless noted otherwise.

Enjoy…

NCAA FINAL 4 ROUND NOTES

-- #1 Seed favorites 4 or more pts are 1-4 ATS since 2012 (North Carolina)

-- #2 Seed favorites are 3-7 ATS (Villanova)

-- #8 or lower Seeds are 2-4-1 ATS (Syracuse)

-- Favorites off a win of 14 or more points are 3-7 ATS (North Carolina)

-- Favorites 4 or more pts who scored 80 > pts in Elite 8 round are 7-14 ATS (North Carolina)

-- Teams who are 4-0 ATS last 4 games are 11-15-2 ATS (Syracuse, Villanova)

-- Teams with revenge are 4-11 ATS (Villanova)

-- Teams off BB DD wins are 8-15 ATS (North Carolina, Oklahoma)

-- ACC favorites of more than 5 points are 1-4 ATS (North Carolina)

-- Big East favorites are 1-3 ATS (Villanova)

-- The dog in Big 12 games is 6-1 SUATS (Oklahoma)

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME NOTES

-- #1 Seed favorites are 14-4 SU and 11-7 ATS

-- #2 Seeds are 3-7 SU and 4-6 ATS (0-5 SU & 1-4 ATS vs. #1 Seeds)

-- #5 or worse Seeds are 1-6 SU & 2-5 ATS

-- Favorites of 5 or less pts are 12-3 SUATS

-- Teams with a win percentage of .850 or greater are 12-6 SUATS since 1998

-- Teams with a win percentage of .810 or less are 3-7 SUATS since 2000

-- Favorites who scored 80 or more pts in the Final 4 round are 5-1 ATS

-- Favorites who score 80 or more in Final Four game are 5-1 SUATS since 1998

-- Dogs who allowed 60 or more pts in the Final 4 round are 2-13 SU & 4-11 ATS

-- Dogs of 3 > pts off a SU dog win are 1-6 ATS since 1998

-- ACC teams are 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS versus #2 or lower seeds

-- Big East teams are 6-1 SUATS

-- Big 12 teams are 1-3 SUATS

COACH ME UP

North Carolina’s Roy Williams is:
68-22 SU and 50-39-1 ATS in NCAA tournament
191-79 SU and 132-131-7 ATS vs. ACC
21-5 SU and 16-10 ATS vs. Big East
112-32 SU and 72-71-1 ATS vs. Big 12
4-4 SU and 3-5 ATS vs. Boeheim
3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS vs. Kruger
3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS vs. Wright

Oklahoma’s Lon Kruger is:
16-12 SU and 13-15 ATS in NCAA tournament
9-10 SU and 12-7 ATS vs. ACC
14-7 SU and 12-7 ATS vs. Big East
0-0 SU and 0-0 ATS vs. Boeheim
1-3 SU and 2-2 ATS vs. Williams
1-0 SU and 1-0 ATS vs. Wright

Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim is:
39-18 SU and 32-23-2 ATS in NCAA tournament
47-29 SU and 34-39-3 ATS vs. ACC
12-6 SU and 12-6 ATS vs. Big 12
294-164 SU and 221-231-5 ATS vs. Big East
0-0 SU and 0-0 ATS vs. Kruger
4-4 SU and 5-3 ATS vs. Williams
9-12 SU and 9-12 ATS vs. Wright

Villanova’s Jay Wright is:
18-10 SU and 14-14 ATS in NCAA tournament
4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS vs. ACC
2-3 SU and 3-2 ATS vs. Big East
3-1 SU and 4-0 ATS vs. Big 12
12-9 SU and 12-9 ATS vs. Boeheim
0-1 SU and 0-1 ATS vs. Kruger
0-3 SU and 1-2 ATS vs. Williams

There you have it, trends and notes of teams and coaches for the NCAA Final Four and out games played over the last 25 years.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the tournament as much as I have. I’ll return during the NBA playoffs with an overview of some Good, Bad, and downright Ugly stats and trends at that time.

Until then enjoy the rest of the ‘Dance’.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Final Four Betting Props

The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook has posted both Player and Team Props for Saturday’s Final Four semifinal matchups.

Villanova and Oklahoma meet in the opener at 6:06 p.m. ET at NRG Stadium from Houston, Texas before Syracuse and North Carolina conclude the night with an 8:45 p.m. ET tip.

Listed below are all of the props per the SuperBook.

Villanova vs. Oklahoma

Player Props - Total Points Scored

Josh Hart* (Villanova)
Over 15 -110
Under 15 -110

Kris Jenkins* (Villanova)
Over 13½ -110
Under 13½ -110

Ryan Arcidiacono* (Villanova)
Over 12½ -110
Under 12½ -110

Daniel Ochefu* (Villanova)
Over 9½ -110
Under 9½ -110

Buddy Hield* (Oklahoma)
Over 25½ -110
Under 25½ -110

Jordan Woodward* (Oklahoma)
Over 13 -110
Under 13 -110

Isaiah Cousins* (Oklahoma)
Over 12 -110
Under 12 -110

Ryan Spangler* (Oklahoma)
Over 10 -110
Under 10 -110

Team Props

Total 3 Point Field Goals Made By Both Teams
Over 17½ -110
Under 17½ -110

Largest Lead of The Game By Either Team
Over 13½ -110
Under 13½ -110

Team To Score 10+ Points First
Villanova -115
Oklahoma -105

Team To Score 20+ Points First
Villanova -125
Oklahoma +105

Oklahoma Total Points
Over 71½ -110
Under 71½ -110

Villanova Total Points
Over 73½ -110
Under 73½ -110

North Carolina vs. Syracuse

Player Props - Total Points Scored

Michael Gbinije* (Syracuse)
Over 17 -110
Under 17 -110

Malachi Richardson* (Syracuse)
Over 13½ -110
Under 13½ -110

Trevor Cooney* (Syracuse)
Over 12½ -110
Under 12½ -110

Tyler Lydon* (Syracuse)
Over 10½ -110
Under 10½ -110

Brice Johnson* (North Carolina)
Over 18½ -110
Under 18½ -110

Joel Berry II* (North Carolina)
Over 13 -110
Under 13 -110

Marcus Paige* (North Carolina)
Over 12½ -110
Under 12½ -110

Justin Jackson* (North Carolina)
Over 11½ -110
Under 11½ -110

Team Props
Syracuse Total Points
Over 68 -110
Under 68 -110

North Carolina Total Points
Over 77 -110
Under 77 -110

Total 3 Point Field Goals Made By Both Teams
Over 13½ -110
Under 13½ -110

Largest Lead of The Game By Either Team
Over 17 -110
Under 17 -110

Team To Score 10+ Points First
Syracuse +160
North Carolina -180

Team To Score 20+ Points First
Syracuse +220
North Carolina -260

No Parlays on Props
*All Players Listed in Any Propositions Must Play For Action

Odds Subject to Change

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Essential betting stats and trends for the Final Four and NCAA Championship
By MARC LAWRENCE

It’s onward to Houston for the Final Four games. To put the wraps on the 2016 NCAA Tournament, listed below are some interesting trends and angles to consider as our Fab Four heads off to H-Town this weekend.

*Note: all stats are ATS (Against The Spread) unless noted otherwise.

NCAA Final Four Round notes

• No. 1 Seed favorites of 4-points or greater are 1-4 ATS since 2012. North Carolina is the lone team remaining that fit this situation.
• No. 2 Seed favorites are 3-7 ATS. Villanova is favored in the no. 2 vs. no. 2 matchup against Oklahoma.
• No. 8 or lower seeds are 2-4-1 ATS. Syracuse, obviously, fits into this trend.
• Favorites off a win of 14 or more points are 3-7 ATS. North Carolina draws this scenario after beating Notre Dame by 14 points in the Elite 8.
• Favorites of four points or greater who scored 80 or more points in the Elite 8 round are 7-14 ATS. North Carolina fits this trend.
• Teams who are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games are 11-15-2 ATS. Both Syracuse and Villanova have covered their last four games.
• Teams with revenge are 4-11 ATS. Both Syracuse and Villanova are in revenge spots after losing to their Final Four opponents earlier in the season.
• Teams off back-to-back double-digit wins are 8-15 ATS. North Carolina and Oklahoma both fit this spot.
• ACC favorites of more than 5 points are 1-4 ATS. Oklahoma is the lone Final Four team to fit this scenario.
• Big East favorites are 1-3 ATS. Villanova fits this trend very nicely.

NCAA Championship Game notes

• No. 1 Seed favorites are 14-4 SU and 11-7 ATS.
• No. 2 Seeds are 3-7 SU and 4-6 ATS (0-5 SU & 1-4 ATS vs. no. 1 seeds).
• No. 5 or worse seeds are 1-6 SU & 2-5 ATS.
• Favorites of five points or less are 12-3 SU and ATS.
• Teams with a win percentage of .850 or greater are 12-6 SU and ATS since 1998.
• Teams with a win percentage of .810 or less are 3-7 SU and ATS since 2000.
• Favorites who scored 80 or more points in the Final Four round are 5-1 ATS.
• Dogs who allow 60 or more points in the Final Four round are 2-13 SU and 4-11 ATS.
• Dogs of three points or more off a SU dog win are 1-6 ATS since 1998.
• ACC teams are 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS versus no. 2 or lower seeds.
• Big East teams are 6-1 SU and ATS.
• Big 12 teams are 1-3 SU and ATS.

Coach Me Up

North Carolina’s Roy Williams is:

68-22 SU and 50-39-1 ATS in NCAA tournament.
191-79 SU and 132-131-7 ATS vs. ACC.
21-5 SU and 16-10 ATS vs. Big East.
112-32 SU and 72-71-1 ATS vs. Big 12.
4-4 SU and 3-5 ATS vs. Boeheim.
3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS vs. Kruger.
3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS vs. Wright.

Oklahoma’s Lon Kruger is:

16-12 SU and 13-15 ATS in NCAA tournament.
9-10 SU and 12-7 ATS vs. ACC.
14-7 SU and 12-7 ATS vs. Big East.
0-0 SU and 0-0 ATS vs. Boeheim.
1-3 SU and 2-2 ATS vs. Williams.
1-0 SU and 1-0 ATS vs. Wright.

Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim is:

39-18 SU and 32-23-2 ATS in NCAA tournament.
47-29 SU and 34-39-3 ATS vs. ACC.
12-6 SU and 12-6 ATS vs. Big 12.
294-164 SU and 221-231-5 ATS vs. Big East.
0-0 SU and 0-0 ATS vs. Kruger.
4-4 SU and 5-3 ATS vs. Williams.
9-12 SU and 9-12 ATS vs. Wright.

Villanova’s Jay Wright is:

18-10 SU and 14-14 ATS in NCAA tournament.
4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS vs. ACC.
2-3 SU and 3-2 ATS vs. Big East.
3-1 SU and 4-0 ATS vs. Big 12.
12-9 SU and 12-9 ATS vs. Boeheim.
0-1 SU and 0-1 ATS vs. Kruger.
0-3 SU and 1-2 ATS vs. Williams.

There you have it, trends and notes for teams and coaches involved in the NCAA Tournament Final Four in games played over the last 25 years.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the tournament as much as I have. I’ll return during the NBA playoffs with an overview of some Good, Bad, and downright Ugly stats and trends at that time. Until then enjoy the rest of the ‘Dance’.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NRG Stadium producing insane totals trend heading into Final Four betting
By JASON LOGAN

The NCAA tournament Final Four and National Championship Game will call Houston’s NRG Stadium home for Saturday and Monday’s contests, pitting the surviving semifinalists in a hardwood battle in the middle of a football stadium.

That shift in venue should pique the interest of anyone betting the Over/Under during the Final Four, with games inside NRG Stadium producing a 2-8 Over/Under record since 2010 – an 80 percent winning rate for the Under.

Every year, the Final Four gets bigger and with that increased popularity comes an increase in venue size, leaving college basketball teams to struggle with strange sight lines and depth perception. The 71,500-seat stadium in Houston is a huge change from the smaller arenas and fieldhouses college programs are used to playing in, and that can make life rough on teams that rely on perimeter scoring.

Shooters have a tough time gauging the distance to the rim with a distant backdrop toying with their depth perception, and it’s something that has shown up in past games held at NRG Stadium – formerly Reliant Stadium.

According to KenPom, teams have shot just 32.2 percent from beyond the 3-point arc in games inside NRG/Reliant Stadium since it opened in 2002, which is four percent lower than their average shooting clip from distance. And in those past 10 games since 2010, teams shot a collective 33.9 percent, making 59 of a total 174 3-point attempts. Those 20 teams combined for an average total score of 123.6 points per game versus an average closing total of 136.2. That’s a difference of nearly 13 points, staying well below the number.

The Final Four was last at NRG Stadium in 2011, with the three games (two Final Four, one championship) going 1-2 Over/Under. That included a historically bad shooting performance from the Butler Bulldogs – a team used to playing in small gyms – who shot just 18.8 percent in a loss to the Connecticut Huskies in the championship final, which played Under 131.5-point total.

Since that game, there have been four college basketball contests hosted inside NRG Stadium and all four have gone Under. Those games averaged 125.5 total points against an average closing total of 138.5.

The stadiums effect on outside shooting could be the driving force behind early action on the Under in both Final Four matchups Saturday. Oklahoma-Villanova opened with a total as high as 150.5 and that has been trimmed to 144.5 points. The Syracuse-North Carolina matchup has watched its total fall from 147 points to 144.5 since opening last weekend.

And speaking of the Tar Heels, many media outlets expect the change in venue size to benefit the No. 1 seed due to their reliance on inside shooting rather than perimeter scoring. North Carolina attempts just 17 3-pointers per game, which ranks 302nd in the country. The other three contenders – Villanova (24.4/T-35th), Oklahoma (24.4/T-35th), and Syracuse (23.6/T-52nd) – all pend on taking and making a lot of outside shots.

North Carolina is a 9-point favorite over No. 10 Syracuse at NRG Stadium, which has also been kind to favorites since 2010. In that 10-game span, teams giving the points are 9-1 SU and 8-2 ATS. Villanova is currently a 2-point favorite versus Oklahoma in the early semifinal showdown.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sharp Final Four money on Sooners, books brace for big UNC action
By JASON LOGAN

The NCAA tournament is down to a pair of matchups, with Oklahoma taking on Villanova and North Carolina facing upstart Syracuse in the Final Four in Houston this Saturday. We talk to sportsbooks in Las Vegas and online about the action on both national semifinal showdowns.

No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners vs. No. 2 Villanova Wildcats – Open: -1, Move: -2.5, Move: -2

A pair of No. 2 seeds butt heads in Houston, with the high-powered offense of Oklahoma colliding with the lockdown defense of Villanova. Oddsmakers opened this pointspread as low as Villanova -1 and action on the Wildcats tacked on an extra point and a half at some books, which has now settled at two.

According to John Lester, lines manager, the early money on the chalk dictated the adjustment to the spread but there is push back from the public as tipoff on Saturday draws closer.

“Still somewhat of a divide here as the sharper players are on Villanova while the public loves Buddy Hield's Sooners,” says Lester. “The public has brought the line back to -2 and we have around 60 percent of the wagers on that side, but the total handle is slightly favoring the Wildcats.”

In Las Vegas, MGM sportsbooks opened Villanova -1.5 and watched that line grow to -2.5 before sharp money bought back the Sooners with the half-point hook. That settled the line to -2, where they expect it to stay until game time.

“They’ve sort of established the parameters that this number is going to bounce within,” Jay Rood, vice president of race and sports for MGM Resorts, says. “I think the public is going to be on Nova quite a bit.”

At fellow Las Vegas sportsbook operator CG Technology, the Wildcats opened as 2-point favorites and have stayed there throughout the week. “We’ve taken mainly Nova bets but have not moved the number,” Jason Simbal, vice president of risk management for CG Technology, said.

The total for the early Final Four game opened around 150 points and got as high as 150.5 at some online markets before money on the Under dropped the number to as low as 144.5 as of Thursday. In Las Vegas, the Over/Under opened around 146 and has also been bet down.

No. 10 Syracuse Orange vs. No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels – Open: -10, Move: -9

Syracuse’s improbable run to the Final Four has garnered a bulky spread for the national semifinals, opening as big as 10-point underdogs against No. 1 North Carolina. However, despite the oddsmakers opinion the early money has grabbed the Orange and trimmed as much as a point off the line.

“It’s hard to call Syracuse a Cinderella,” says Rood, “but at this point we’re getting a lot of support for them from a parlay and public perspective. But that’s going to change. We’re going to see UNC get their normal backing and we’re going to need (Syracuse coach Jim) Boeheim to stay within the number if not win the game outright.”

The moneyline for this game – odds to win the game outright – have been an interesting dynamic. MGM sportsbooks are predicting plenty of moneyline wagers on North Carolina, which is priced around -550, but over at CG Technology shops (which include The M, Cosmopolitan, and Venetian) the Orange have been the popular play to win outright, with their outright odds paying plus money.

“We’ve taken Cuse moneyline bets but not enough to move the number off +380,” says Simbal.

A similar lean toward the underdog Orange is happening online, where just about all early action is scooping up the pile of points with Syracuse. However, much like in their Nevada counterparts, offshore sites are bracing for big Tar Heel support come Saturday.

“As the weekend rolls around, we anticipate booking a ton of action on North Carolina,” says Lester. “The spread percentage is fairly split, with 55 percent of money on the underdog.”

The total for this No. 1 versus No. 1 matchup has also seem interesting action, with the number opening at 147 points and dropping to 144.5 as of Thursday. According to Lester, it’s been all Under money banking on the Syracuse zone to slow up the talent Tar Heels.

“The total has been lopsided with the under garnering almost 70 percent of the action,” he says.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Final Four Betting Outlook
By Jim Feist

The Final Fo-Fo-Fo!

It is a great week for sports fans with the start of baseball, the NBA stretch run, the Final Four and the culmination of the college basketball season next Monday at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas for the national championship. It's clear that it's not the teams the start the season hot, but the ones that get hot when it really matters -- March and April!

Many things happen over the course of a long season. Some teams play great basketball in December and January, only to break down from injuries or run out of steam down the stretch. Iowa started 20-5 until the offense and defense started to struggle in late game situations, dropping six of eight down the stretch (1-7 against the spread run).

A year ago North Carolina started 17-4 but as February started the Tar Heels showed vulnerability, losing 6 of 10. It works the other way, too. A team can have a tough non-conference schedule or need time to work in new pieces, then get hot down the stretch. Two years ago Michigan State overcame injuries in mid-season before getting healthy - - and hot, ripping through the Big 10 tourney, 3-0 both SU and ATS.

It’s important to examine how a team played with overall stats, but also in three different sections: early non-conference play, conference play, then tournament time. Three years ago Miami started 22-3 before the national spotlight and a key injury took a toll, losing in the tourney to Marquette, 71-61.

Kansas and Duke always have the spotlight on them. This season the Jayhawks excellent down the stretch, with a sizzling 10-2 spread run, but Duke has had its troubles with youth and a key injury to its starting center, Amile Jefferson. A year ago Kansas started great, then had some erratic play down the stretch, including losses at Oklahoma, Kansas State, West Virginia, Oklahoma State and Iowa State.

The previous season the Jayhawks had a late season injury to 7-footer Joel Imbiid (11 ppg, 8 rpg), the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, a huge blow. The Jayhawks may have won the title eight years ago, but a decade ago it was a very different story: The Jayhawks started 20-1, only to go 3-6 straight up and 1-8 against the spread the last nine games. They never made it to the Final Four because of a 64-63 loss to Bucknell as a 13½-point favorite.

Other times an easy early season schedule, youth, bad coaching, untimely injuries, bad luck, poor team chemistry or a combination of these can cut down a potentially great team. Youth and a loss of its best players toppled Florida after winning back-to-back titles and prevented a North Carolina repeat in 2010. It is very easy for sports bettors to look into trends to try and predict the future. Trends can be helpful if there are reasons to support it. For example, from a betting perspective, what stands out about the last 11 Finals Fours?

2015
Michigan State 61
Duke 81 (-5, 139)

Wisconsin 71
Kentucky 64 (-5, 131)

2014
Florida 53 (-6.5, 126)
UConn 63

Wisconsin 73
Kentucky 74 (-2, 139)

2013
Wichita State 68
Louisville 72 (-11, 131)

Syracuse 56
Michigan 61 (-2, 131)

2012
Ohio State 62 (- 3, 136)
Kansas 64

Louisville 61
Kentucky 69 (-8, 136.5)

2011
Butler 70 (-3.5, 133)
VCU 62

Kentucky 55 (-2.5, 131)
UConn 56

2010
Butler 52 (-1.5, 125)
Michigan State 50

West Virginia 57
Duke 78 (-2.5, 130)

2009
Michigan State 82
UConn 73 (-4, 135)

North Carolina 83 (- 7.5, 160)
Villanova 69

2008
Kansas 84
North Carolina 66 (- 3, 158)

UCLA 63
Memphis 78 (-3, 135)

2007
Georgetown 60 (-1, 130)
Ohio State 67

UCLA 66
Florida 76 (- 3, 131)

2006
George Mason 58
Florida 73 (-6, 132)

LSU 45 (-2, 123)
UCLA 59

2005
Louisville 57
Illiniois 72 (-3, 144)

Michigan State 71
North Carolina 87 (-2, 153)

2004
Georgia Tech 67
Oklahoma State 65 (-4, 139)

UConn 79 (-2, 144)
Duke 78

2003
Marquette 61 (-4.5, 153.5)
Kansas 94

Syracuse 95
Texas 84 (-3, 153)

2002
Indiana 73
Oklahoma 64 (-6.5, 134)

Maryland 97
Kansas 88 (-1.5, 168)

What stands out is that it has been the day of the 'dog. The underdog is 16-10-1 against the number, with 13 'dogs winning straight up, including Wisconsin last year taking down mighty Kentucky and UConn two years ago. In addition, the games have gone 12-8 under the last 10 years. You can even make an argument that this would be the right time of the college hoops' season to take a shot with the dog on the money-line. However, this is where one needs patience, because trends can also be a fool's paradise.

If you go back to the previous fourthree Final Fours before that content analysis, 1999-01, we find Duke topping Maryland 95-84, Arizona blowing out Michigan State 80-61, Michigan State beating Wisconsin 53-41, Florida topping North Carolina 71-59, UConn beating Ohio State 64-58 and Duke surviving Michigan State 68-62. What stands out is that the favorite won and covered in five of six, for a hefty 5-1 spread record.

Even looking at totals, a similar pattern emerges. The last 14 years the "over/under" has been equal, 14-14 over/under in the Final Four. The three years before that the "under" prevailed at a 5-1 clip. All of a sudden, those who look solely at trends as the key to the sports betting kingdom are stuck at close to a .500 winning percentage ATS.

For the record, going back the last 20 years, there have been 24 "unders" and 16 "overs" in the Final Four, with 21 'dogs covering while 18 favorites have gotten the money with one push. Again, trends are worth examining, but there needs to be reasons behind them if you're serious about putting down hard earned money on a side. Perhaps the most significant stat that stands out is that 16 of the 21 'dogs that covered ended up winning the game outright, which shows how competitive and relatively evenly matched the games become when teams get this far in the season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAA Tournament

Final Four, Houston

Since 1987, #8 or lower seeds are 1-3-1 vs spread in national semis when not facing each other. North Carolina swept Syracuse this season, 84-73 in Carrier Dome Jan 9 (trailed by 6 with 8:28 left, UNC made 64.4% of 2-pointers, 3-16 on arc), 75-70 at home Feb 29 (UNC was up 4 at half, made 6 of 25 on arc). Tar Heels made 11-20 on arc vs Indiana, but in last four games other than that one, were at 33.3% or less. Syracuse allowed 55.8 ppg in four tourney wins; their last three losses were by 5 or less points. Carolina won its last nine games overall. Since '87, when teams from same conference play in national semis, the favorite is 3-1

Last five years, underdogs are 6-4 vs spread in national semifinal games. Villanova's worst game of year was 78-55 loss to Oklahoma Dec 7th on Pearl Harbor- game was 32-26 at half. Sooners made 14-26 on arc while Wildcats were 4-32 in game they never led. Villanova won nine of its last ten games, losing by hoop to Seton Hall in Big East final- they've got the #13 eFG% in country. Oklahoma has four kids who've started together for 100+ games; Sooners won seven of last eight games, losing by hoop to West Virginia in Big X semis. Big East teams are 2-2 vs Big X teams this season- Oklahoma had both Big X wins, also beating Creighton.


Other Tournaments

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

CBI
Best-of-3 series is 1-1; game 3 is Friday night in Reno
This is decisive game of best-of-3 series. Nevada won eight of last nine home games, 12 of its 17 non-league games; they were 27-42 on the line in Game 2, after being outscored 20-18 on line in Game 1. Morehead St won 10 of last 12 D-I games, are more experienced, deeper team, are 4-1 in last five true road games-- they went 1-16 on arc in Game 2 in a rough game with couple of near-scuffles. Eagles are 5-32 from arc in first two series games- they'll need to foul less in order to win this game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Previews, Streaks, Tips, Notes

Final Four

The 2016 NCAA College Basketball 'Big Dance' is down to the 'Final Four' with #2 seed Villanova Wildcats, #2 Oklahoma Sooners, #1 North Carolina Tar Heels and #10 Syracuse Orange still standing.

Contrasting styles are the order of the day for this years 'Final Four'. In the first matchup it's Oklahoma no slouches on offense lead by Buddy Hield (25.4) and three others in double digits netting 80.5 points/game taking on Villanova great at protecting their own basket allowing a stingy 63.6 points/game. Sooners took care of Wildcats 78-55 as 5 point underdogs in this years Pearl Harbor Invitational but have opened 2.0 point underdogs. Last eight underdogs of 3.5 or less in this round have been poor bets going 2-6 against the betting line.

In the Saturday night finale it's much the same as North Carolina one of nation's top offenses dropping 84.9 points/game get a shot at solving Syracuse's famed 2-3 zone defence allowing 64.6 per/contest. UNC won both meetings this season cashing as 7.5 point faves in the first encounter but dropped the loot as 12.5 point home chalk in the second meeting. UNC given the nod opened 9.0 point favorites. Last four teams laying 7.0 or more points in a 'Final Four' game are a money-burning 1-3 ATS. Well to note, the lone cover came in 2009 when North Carolina defeating Villanova 83-69 as 7 point chalk.

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 12:45

Aston Villa

v

Chelsea

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT1		6	10/3	8/15	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ASTON VILLA	RECENT FORM
HLALHLALHLAL​ Most recent​	1 - 2 1 - 0 1 - 2 2 - 4	AWAWHDHLALHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Chelsea have won seven of their last ten league matches against Aston Villa

EXPERT VERDICT: Aston Villa are surely going down – the Villans have lost six league games in a row, conceding ten goals combined against Liverpool and Manchester City. But Chelsea haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last six outings so this game could be closer than expected.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
2


REFEREE: Neil Swarbrick STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

West Ham

v

C Palace

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		19/20	13/5	16/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT WEST HAM	RECENT FORM
AWHWHWAWADAD​ Most recent​	1 - 3 0 - 1 0 - 0 3 - 0	AWALADHLAWHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: West Ham are unbeaten in their last eight matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Two London sides with very different ambitions go head-to-head at Upton Park and it looks wise to side with in-form West Ham. Crystal Palace’s fine early season form is a thing of the past and a sequence of 13 league games without a win has seen them plummet into the relegation picture.

RECOMMENDATION: West Ham
2


REFEREE: Mark Clattenburg STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Bournemouth

v

Man City

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		11/4	27/10	21/20	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT BOURNEMOUTH	RECENT FORM
HLADHWAWHWAL​ Most recent​	0 - 0 0 - 1 0 - 2	ND*ALHWADHDHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Bournemouth have lost just two of their last 12 at home

EXPERT VERDICT: Manchester City remain far from certain of making the Champions League next season and they could be set for further misery on the south coast. The Cherries have an excellent record at Dean Court and City, who are beset by injuries to key men, may struggle to break down their opponents.

RECOMMENDATION: Bournemouth
1


REFEREE: Robert Madley STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

STADIUM:

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Sunderland

v

West Brom

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		11/10	23/10	3	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT SUNDERLAND	RECENT FORM
ADHWALHDADAD​ Most recent​	0 - 0 2 - 0 2 - 4 2 - 2	AWALHWADHWHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: West Brom have scored just 11 goals in 14 away games this season

EXPERT VERDICT: Sunderland are becoming increasingly resilient and have lost only three of 11 Premier League fixtures since the turn of the year, drawing each of their last three outings. The Baggies look safe and have not scored on their last two league visits to the Stadium of Light.

RECOMMENDATION: Sunderland
3


REFEREE: Roger East STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Stoke

v

Swansea

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		6/5	12/5	13/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT STOKE	RECENT FORM
AWHWHWADHLAW​ Most recent​	2 - 1 1 - 1 2 - 0 2 - 0	HLALAWHWALHW​ Most recent​

EXPERT VERDICT: Three wins from four matches have helped Swansea pull clear of relegation but they would probably settle for a point on this trip to the Potteries. Stoke are on a fine run, but the loss of goalkeeper Jack Butland is a blow and captain Ryan Shawcross may be short of full fitness following his injury.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1


REFEREE: Martin Atkinson STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Norwich

v

Newcastle

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		6/5	12/5	13/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT NORWICH	RECENT FORM
HDALHLALHDAW​ Most recent​	0 - 0 0 - 0 4 - 2 2 - 1	HWALALHLALHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Newcastle have scored just seven goals in 15 away fixtures this season

EXPERT VERDICT: Both these sides are in big trouble, but Norwich have avoided defeat against Manchester City and West Brom in recent weeks. Newcastle have yet to win or keep a clean sheet under new manager Rafa Benitez, and have lost four of their last five Premier League matches.

RECOMMENDATION: Norwich
3


REFEREE: Mike Dean STADIUM:

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Soccer: EPL Best Bets - Week 32
By Chris David

Week 31 Recap

The 31st week of the season watched the underdogs produce a 5-4 record with one draw and the biggest upset occurred in Manchester. The Red Devils (+315) scored a first-half goal and managed to capture a 1-0 victory over the Citizens from Etihad Stadium. Including this low-scoring outcome, the ‘under’ went 6-4 over the two days. Through 31 weeks of the season, favorites are 139-83 with 81 draws. The ‘under’ is 149-147-6.

Two-Horse Race

The English Premier League title will come down to seven weeks and most believe that Leicester City or Tottenham will win the championship. Back in August, Sportsbooks had Leicester listed as a 2000/1 betting choice while the Spurs were 80/1.

Heading into this weekend, the first-place Foxes are now 8/15 (Bet $187 to win $100) favorites to win the EPL while Tottenham is a 5/2 betting choice.

Tottenham at Liverpool (Saturday, NBC, 12:30 p.m. ET)

Despite sitting in second place of the Premier League table, Tottenham (+190) is listed as a road underdog to Liverpool (+145) as it travels to Anfield. Most pundits believe the Spurs have to win all of their remaining seven games to catch Leicester and that won’t be an easy task this weekend. Tottenham has won just one of its last 21 league games (1-6-14) at Anfield plus the Reds have been a tough out at home (5-5-3) this season, allowing only 17 goals. Keep in mind that Tottenham has shown the best defensive effort (12 goals) as visitors this season and that’s resulted in an 8-5-2 record with both of the two losses coming in 1-0 fashion. The teams played to a 0-0 draw in mid-October at White Hart Lane but Liverpool had won the five previous encounters and notched 17 goals while doing so.

Southampton at Leicester City (Sunday, NBCSN, 8:30 a.m. ET)

A win by Tottenham on Saturday would certainly put the pressure on Leicester City (+120) when it meets Southmapton (+250) from King Power Stadium. The Foxes have only dropped one game (9-5-1) at home this season and that setback came in late September. The defense has stepped up recently, especially at home. The club has posted clean sheets in six of their last seven in front of their fans and they’ll be facing a Southampton that isn’t exactly a juggernaut. The Saints have only mustered up 13 goals as visitors, which has produced a 5-5-5 road mark in league play. These clubs played to a 2-2 draw from St. Mary’s Stadium in their first encounter this season but the books aren’t expecting goals in the rematch, listing the total at 2 goals (Over -140). The Saints have been a great ‘under’ bet on the road (10-5) and Leicester has only seen one combined goal scored in four of its last five league tilts.

Weekend Notes

A short-handed Chelsea (-180) squad is listed as the largest road favorite this weekend as it meets Aston Villa (+525), who has dropped six straight games. The Blues are unbeaten (4-2-0) in their last six road games, conceding just two goals over this span.

Arsenal (-300) will be looking for revenge against Watford (+875) on Saturday with the Hornets knocking them out of the FA Cup a couple weeks ago. The Gunners have an outside shot to win the EPL but it needs to win all of their final eight games. Arsenal has only allowed 10 goals at home this season and Watford has dropped four of five as visitors, while getting blanked in all of the losses.

Possible trap for Manchester City (+100) on tap as it visits Bournemouth (+275) just before a huge Champions League match against PSG. The Citizens blasted the Cherries 5-1 earlier this season but the hosts have gone 3-1-1 in their last five and that includes a pair of wins at Vitality Stadium.

Stoke City and Swansea are staring at the lowest total on the board (2) this week and both clubs have identical goal averages (2.29) posted this season. However, Swansea has seen at least three goals scored in five of its last six games as visitors.

New Castle United (+250) hammered Norwich City (+120) by a 6-2 decision at home in their first decision. The odds tell you that Canaries should be competitive in this key relegation matchup but backing a team that is winless (0-2-3) in its last five at home seems risky. Then again, New Castle has the worst goal differential (-25) on the road and has earned points in three games (2-1-12) as a visitor.

Sunderland (+110) has seen the draw connect in three straight games as it welcomes West Bromwich Albion to the Stadium of Light on Saturday. The Baggies haven’t played since Mar. 1 and could be very rusty against a Black Cats squad trying to stay above the relegation zone. Plus, the sense of urgency should be high at home knowing the upcoming slate doesn’t get easy.

Crystal Place (+300) is winless in its last 13 games (0-4-9) and isn’t expected to win at West Ham United (-105) in this spot. The visitor has won the last three meetings in this series by the same exact score, 3-1. The Eagles will look to keep the trend going at Boleyn Ground and the total (2 ½) makes you believe that goals will be posted.

Manchester United (+100) has a great shot to earn a Top 4 spot and a home win over Everton (+290) will only help the cause. The Red Devils should be confident, coming off a 1-0 win over rivals City prior to the International break and they dropped Everton 3-0 on the road this season. At home, United is the best defensive team in the league (7 goals) but the Toffees have been surprisingly better on the road this season. The club has only lost one game (5-7-1) while allowing just 13 goals over this span. The draw (+245) provides a generous return in this spot.

Fearless Predictions

Unfortunately Manchester City’s offense or lack thereof against Manchester United cost us not once but twice and trying to double up got the best of us. The deficit ($185) wasn’t too bad but it was helped with Arsenal’s road win over Everton. The overall number is still in the four-digit range ($1,375) on the season and this week we’re focusing on total wagers.

Straight – Over Chelsea-Aston Villa 2 ½ (+100) – 3 Units

Straight – Over Arsenal-Watford 2 ½ (-140) – 2 Units

Straight – Under New Castle-Norwich 2 ½ (-140) – 2 Units

Straight – Over Crystal Palace-West Ham 2 ½ (-115) – 3 Units

Straight – Over Southampton-Leicester City 2 (-140) – 2 Units

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL notebook: Ducks sign F Wagner to two-year deal
By The Sports Xchange

The Anaheim Ducks signed forward Chris Wagner to a two-year contract extension Friday through the 2017-18 season.
Wagner, 24, has scored four goals with 28 penalty minutes in 46 career games with the Ducks and Colorado Avalanche. The 6-foot, 195-pounder scored his first four career NHL goals with the Avalanche this season.
Wagner was recalled on Friday from the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League.
The Ducks also recalled goaltender Anton Khudobin from their AHL affiliate. Khudobin, 29, has a 3-3-0 record with one shutout, a 2.70 goals-against average and .908 save percentage in eight games with Anaheim this season.

---Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri, Edmonton Oilers forward Nail Yakupov and Arizona Coyotes forward Martin Hanzal have been fined for diving/embellishment, the NHL announced.
Kadri was fined $5,000 as supplementary discipline under NHL Rule 64, while Yakupov and Hanzal were each fined $2,000.
The rule is designed to penalize players (and teams) who repeatedly dive and embellish in an attempt to draw penalties. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

---The New York Rangers agreed to terms with free agent forward Adam Chapie, the team announced.
Chapie, 24, played in 39 games with University of Massachusetts-Lowell this season, collecting 16 goals and 19 assists for 35 points. He also had a plus-11 rating and 57 penalty minutes.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Chapie skated in 148 collegiate games over four seasons with UMass-Lowell, registering 46 goals and 49 assists for 95 points, along with a plus-16 rating and 105 penalty minutes.

---The Tampa Bay Lightning signed forward Jonne Tammela to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Tammela, 18, has skated in 37 games with Kalpa of the SM-Liiga league in Finland, posting five goals, eight assists and 16 penalty minutes. The 5-foot-10, 180-pounder also appeared in three playoff games with Kalpa, registering two penalty minutes. Tammela has played in 69 games with Kalpa over the past two seasons, notching 17 points (nine goals, eight assists).
The Espoo, Finland, native is currently playing for the Finnish U-20 team, skating in seven games with a goal and four points.

---The Boston Bruins signed Boston University defenseman Matt Grzelcyk to a two-year entry-level contract, beginning with the 2016-17 season, the Bruins announced.
Grzelcyk will join the Providence Bruins on an Amateur Tryout Agreement (ATO) for the remainder of the 2015-16 season.
Grzelcyk was captain of Boston University for the second straight season in 2015-16. He finished the year with 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points with 36 penalty minutes and a plus-17 rating in 27 games.

---The Calgary Flames assigned defenseman Brett Kulak to the Stockton Heat of the American Hockey League.
Kulak, 22, has played in eight games for the Flames this season, with no points. He has skated in 53 games for Stockton, recording 12 points (three goals, nine assists) and 30 penalty minutes.
Kulak was Calgary' s fourth-round pick in the 2012 NHL draft.

---The Arizona Coyotes recalled forward Laurent Dauphin from Springfield of the American Hockey League, the team announced.
Dauphin, 21, has played in three games for Arizona this season and scored one goal.
Dauphin has 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 63 games with Springfield.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Senators (36-33) at Flyers (38-25)

Date: April 02, 2016 1:00 PM EDT

The Philadelphia Flyers close the regular season with four of six games against teams hovering around them in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

First, they'll look to win the season series against one that they had a hand in eliminating earlier this week.

With key dates on the schedule looming, the Flyers try to hold onto the second wild-card spot when they host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

Sam Gagner's shootout goal secured Wednesday's 2-1 victory over league-leading Washington, and the scene that followed resembled a playoff victory celebration.

Philadelphia (38-25-13) won after regulation for the second straight game, picking up two extra points and giving them a 14-4-3 mark in their last 21 as they've surged into playoff position.

But there's still plenty of work left. Philadelphia plays twice against Pittsburgh, which holds the second automatic playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division, and once against the New York Islanders - the first wild-card holder - and Detroit, the first team outside the East playoff picture.

The Flyers' remaining six games come in three back-to-back sets over nine days. Half of them are at home, where Philadelphia has gone 9-2-1 in its last 12.

'This is the time of year you want to be playing hockey that means something,' center Brayden Schenn said. 'We've been scratching and clawing for a while now. We've been playing playoff hockey. As a team, we're jelling.'

Schenn scored the late tying goal Wednesday in what might have been a preview of a first-round playoff series.

It was the sixth straight game Steve Mason has allowed two or fewer goals, a run in which he's posted a 1.61 goals-against average. He has started seven in a row since backup Michal Neuvirth tore the meniscus in his left knee.

With Neuvirth out for the remainder of the regular season and rookie Anthony Stolarz yet to make his NHL debut, the Flyers announced they're signing veteran Ray Emery. He won't be eligible for the playoffs because he signed after the trade deadline, but presumably will give the team an experienced option to handle at least a game or two amid the back-to-backs.

The 33-year-old went 10-11-7 with a 3.06 GAA as Philadelphia's backup last season.

Mason has two career shutouts against the Senators (36-33-9), but he surrendered six total goals as the teams split the opening two meetings this season.

The Flyers' 4-2 win at Ottawa on Dec. 1 snapped a three-game skid in the series. They're 6-2-1 at home against the Senators over the last six seasons.

The Senators are among seven Canadian teams that will be absent from the playoffs, the first time Canada will be without a postseason team since 1970. They were eliminated despite Wednesday's 2-1 win at Winnipeg when Philadelphia beat the Capitals.

Erik Karlsson, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Cody Ceci scored and Craig Anderson made 23 saves in Thursday's 3-2 victory at Minnesota, Ottawa's second straight.

Pageau also had two assists while Karlsson added one. Karlsson's 78 points match his career high set in 2011-12 and are the most by a defenseman since Nicklas Lidstrom's 80 in 2005-06.

Ceci's winning tally with 3:57 left was shot from behind the Wild net and deflected off two Minnesota players and in.

'It's funny that we start getting (bounces) now when we're eliminated, but we'll take them,' Ceci said. 'It's nice to finish strong in the season.'

Mark Stone sat with a chest injury and won't play in the season-ending three-game road trip. His 61 points are second-most on the team.

One of Anderson's four shutouts came in November against the Flyers, but they beat him three times in December.