Cnotes College Hoops Picks,Trends News 2018-2918 !

[Cnotes53]

CBB FEB. RECORD OPINIONS AND BEST BETS !

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

02/21/2019 40-24-2 62.50% +68.00
02/20/2019 30-30-1 50.00% -15.00
02/19/2019 20-21-0 48.78% -15.50
02/18/2019 4-6-0 40.00% -13.00
02/17/2019 13-15-1 46.43% -17.50
02/16/2019 53-70-1 43.08% -120.00
02/15/2019 17-8-2 68.00% +41.00
02/14/2019 33-28-2 54.10% +11.00
02/13/2019 23-27-0 46.00% -33.50
02/12/2019 18-11-0 62.07% +29.50
02/11/2019 4-3-0 57.14% +3.50
02/10/2019 7-8-0 46.67% -9.00
02/09/2019 53-66-0 44.54% -98.00
02/08/2019 12-12-0 50.00% -6.00
02/07/2019 32-37-0 46.38% -43.50
02/06/2019 15-26-0 36.59% -68.00
02/05/2019 18-18-0 50.00% -9.00
02/04/2019 13-5-0 72.22% +37.50
02/03/2019 9-7-0 56.25% +6.50
02/02/2019 49-58-4 45.79% -74.00
02/01/2019 11-6-1 64.71% +22.00

Totals.........474 -486-1......49.37%.....-303.00


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BEST BETS:

DATE........................ATS................... ..UNITS..................O/U..................UNITS.............TOTALS

02/21/2019..............5 - 9.................-24.50...................4 - 5.................-7.50..................-32.00
02/20/2019..............9 - 8.................+1.00....................0 - 8.................-43.00................-42.00
02/19/2019..............4 - 10...............-35.00....................9 - 2................+34.00................-1.00
02/18/2019..............2 - 2.................-1.00......................2 - 2................-1.00..................-2.00
02/17/2019..............3 - 5.................-12.50....................6 - 6.................-3.00..................-15.50
02/16/2019.............22 - 23...............-16.50..................11 - 5.................+27.50...............+11.00
02/15/2019...............3 - 2.................+4.00....................7 - 5..................+7.50................+11.50
02/14/2019.............17 - 12...............+19.00...................9 - 6.................+12.00...............+31.00
02/13/2019.............10 - 10...............-5.00......................3 - 7..................-23.50...............-28.50
02/12/2019.............10 - 2.................+39.00...................1 - 2..................-6.00.................+33.00
02/11/2019...............1 - 2.................-6.00......................3 - 1..................+9.50................+3.50
02/10/2019...............4 - 4.................-2.00......................2 - 1..................+4.50................+2.50
02/09/2019..............25 - 24...............-2.00......................6 - 5.................+2.50................+0.50
02/08/2019...............3 - 6.................-18.00.....................5 - 5.................-2.50.................-20.50
02/07/2019...............9 - 11................-15.50....................5 - 9..................-24.50...............-40.00
02/06/2019...............5 - 11................-35.50....................0 - 4..................-22.00...............-57.00
02/05/2019...............6 - 9..................-19.50....................3 - 7..................-23.50...............-43.00
02/04/2019...............4 - 2..................+9.00.....................5 - 2.................+14.00..............+23.00
02/03/2019...............6 - 4..................+8.00.....................3 - 1.................+9.50................+17.50
02/02/2019..............19 - 21................-20.50....................7 - 9.................-14.50................-35.00
02/01/2019...............4 - 3...................+3.50....................4 - 1.................+14.50..............+18.00

Totals....................171 -180................-131.00.................96 - 93...............-21.20...............- 152.20

 

[Cnotes53]

Friday?s 6-pack

Hitters who knocked in highest %age of runners in from 3rd base LY (min, 200 PA)

1) Lourdes Gurriel, Tor 14-21 (66.7%)

2) Jake Lamb, 14-23 (60.9%)

3) Yuli Gurriel, Hst 34-61 (55.7%)

4) Andrelton Simmons, LAA 35-63 (55.6%)

5) Matt Wieters, Wsh 15-27 (55.6%)

6) Jedd Gyorko 21-39 (53.8%)

Quote of the Day
?Players don?t care how much you know until they know how much you care.?
Old coaching axiom

Friday?s quiz
Who replaced John Wooden as the basketball coach at UCLA?
(Hint: his son is coaching a D-I team this season)

Thursday?s quiz
Whit Merrifield led the major leagues in stolen bases last year, with 45.

Wednesday?s quiz
Purdue (23) has won the most Big 14 basketball championships.


*****************************

Friday?s List of 13: Random stuff with the weekend here??.

13) Zion Williamson supposedly has a Grade 1 sprained knee; no one is saying how long he is out for. ?Day-to-day? is the official word; seemed to me Wednesday that his injury wasn?t a minor thing. Hope the young man does what is best for him; he has a lot of money sitting on the table, waiting for him to grab it this spring/summer.

Then there is the other side of the coin??.

Kenyon Martin played college ball at Cincinnati; he was the #1 pick in the 2000 NBA draft. Martin broke his leg in the C-USA tournament his senior season, a situation not unlike Williamson?s Wednesday.

Martin went on to earn $113,035,975 in his NBA career, so most injuries do heal.

12) Bucks 98, Celtics 97? Is Milwaukee the quietest 44-14 team ever?

11) Cavaliers 111, Suns 98? Phoenix and the Knicks both have 11 wins; they play each other March 6. Will either team win a game before then?

10) Pittsburgh Steelers let star RB Le?Veon Bell walk; he will be a free agent when the new NFL year starts next month. Looks like Steelers will be without Bell and Antonio Brown, which means a much different offensive look for them next fall.

9) Western Kentucky is getting coach Rick Stansbury back this weekend; he had back surgery last weekend and has missed the last four games.

8) Steve Stricker will be the captain of the American team the next time they hold the Ryder Cup; he will be the first American captain ever who hasn?t won a major tournament.

7) Upsets of the night in college hoop:
? SIU-Edwardsville (+6.5) 85, Tennessee State 84
? UL-Monroe (+5.5) 63, Texas State 60
? San Francisco (+4) 77, BYU 71

6) Saw an old film clip today of the great QB Sonny Jurgensen back when he was playing for the Eagles in the early 60?s; while being rushed, he throws a pass behind his back, and completes it to a running back in the left flat.

Apparently it was an exhibition game in 1961 against the college all-stars; back then, the NFL champs played the college all-stars in the first exhibition game the next summer. Jurgensen was a really good QB and also a bit of a character.

5) Statistic I never would?ve guessed; who has scored the most runs this decade? How about Ian Kinsler, with 851. I would?ve sat here for an hour and not come up with that one.

4) Arena Football League has expanded to six teams for this season, adding Atlantic City and Columbus, OH to the league, joining Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore and Albany.

3) AA Eastern League is moving to a split-season format, meaning the first/second half champs will meet in the playoffs. You wonder if the major leagues will consider something like that down the road someday, to re-boot interest in losing teams during the summer.

2) In case you were wondering, before the All-Star break, James Harden dribbled the ball 29,055 times, more than anyone else in the NBA.

1) Every time it snows here in beautiful upstate New York, I price condos in Las Vegas, but this week, it has snowed twice in Las Vegas, with the snow Wednesday night enough that there was a chance schools would be closed on Thursday. Their last school closing for snow was in 2008.

In case you were wondering, the city of Las Vegas owns two snow plows. Two.

 

[Cnotes53]

Friday's Tip Sheet
February 21, 2019
By Kevin Rogers

Indiana at Iowa ? 9:00 PM EST

Both the Hawkeyes and Hoosiers are coming off tough losses in the final seconds at home on Tuesday. Iowa (20-6 SU, 12-14 ATS) had its four-game winning streak snapped in a 66-65 defeat to Maryland as 2 ?-point favorites. The Hawkeyes erased an 11-point deficit with six minutes remaining to grab a 65-64 advantage with 19 seconds left. Bruno Fernando?s tip-in gave the Terrapins the lead as a desperation three-pointer by Iowa fell short to prevent the Hawkeyes from a third straight win on a game-winning three.

Indiana (13-13 SU, 9-16 ATS) dropped their 11th game in 12 tries after suffering a 48-46 setback to rival Purdue. The Hoosiers managed a cover as six-point home underdogs, but IU fell to 0-6 SU in its last six games at Assembly Hall, while picking up their first ATS home win in conference play this season. Indiana limited Purdue to 31% shooting from the floor, but the Hoosiers shot 15-of-55 from the field, while hitting only 5-of-25 attempts from long range.

The Hoosiers beat Penn State to start their Big 10 road slate, but Archie Miller?s team has lost six of their last seven games away from Bloomington. For the exception of stunning Michigan State as 13 ?-point underdogs on February 2, the Hoosiers have lost by double-digits at Michigan, Purdue, and Minnesota, as the Gophers blasted Indiana, 84-63 last Saturday.

In two instances this season in which Iowa lost at home, the Hawkeyes fell short in their next contest in defeats at Michigan State and Minnesota. Iowa seeks the season sweep of Indiana after holding off the Hoosiers at Assembly Hall, 77-72 on February 7 as 2 ?-point underdogs. The victory was only the second in the last seven meetings for Iowa, while six of these matchups have sailed OVER the total.

Davidson at Rhode Island ? 9:00 PM EST

Five games remain on the schedule for each of the 14 teams in the Atlantic 10 conference. Davidson (19-7 SU, 13-12 ATS) sits in second place in the A-10, one game behind VCU at 10-3 as the Wildcats are coming off only their third league defeat. Dayton led Davidson by 19 points with 9:30 minutes remaining in regulation, but the Wildcats stormed back to tie the game with 11 seconds left. The Flyers hit a late free throw to avoid a monumental meltdown and edge the Wildcats, 74-73 as 3 ?-point underdogs.

Davidson seeks the season sweep of Rhode Island (12-13 SU, 9-16 ATS) after dominating the Rams in the first matchup, 68-53 as four-point favorites. The Wildcats opening things up after owning a three-point halftime lead as Jon Axel Gudmundsson led Davidson with 20 points and 12 rebounds. When these teams met last season, Davidson beat URI by a combined three points in two wins, but the Rams were limited to fewer than 55 points for the sixth time this season.

URI looks to end a four-game losing streak after getting routed at VCU, 76-42 as seven-point underdogs. The Rams were ice-cold from the start by shooting 30% from the floor, including a 2-for-11 effort from three-point range. URI cashed its fifth consecutive UNDER ticket, while falling to 0-4 SU/ATS in its last four road contests. The Rams dropped their previous two home games to Dayton and Fordham, while being listed as a home underdog for the first time this season.

Ivy League Nuggets

Harvard (13-8 SU, 10-10 ATS) travels to Brown (15-9 SU, 9-10-3 ATS) as the Crimson are coming off a pair of road victories at Princeton and Penn last weekend. Following a shocking blowout loss at Dartmouth to tip off Ivy League play, Harvard has won six of its past seven conference contests, while posting a 4-0 ATS mark as long as it isn?t laying double-digits. The Bears are seeking consecutive Ivy wins for the first time this season after edging Columbia last Saturday. Harvard dominated Brown in its first matchup, 68-47 to easily cash as six-point favorites in early February 2.

The leader of the Ivy League heading into this weekend?s action is Yale (17-4 SU, 12-8 ATS), who owns a 7-1 record after outlasting Cornell, 98-92 last Saturday as 5 ?-point road favorites. The Bulldogs welcome in Dartmouth (11-13 SU, 11-8-3 ATS), who hung in a pair of close road losses at Penn and Princeton. The Big Green cashed in both those defeats as substantial underdogs, while improving to 4-1-1 ATS when receiving points in Ivy action. Yale crushed Dartmouth earlier this month, 89-68 as five-point road favorites to pick up its seventh consecutive victory in the series since 2016.

Both Cornell (13-11 SU, 11-11 ATS) and Princeton (13-8 SU, 9-10 ATS) sit in the middle of the Ivy League standings owning identical 5-3 conference marks. The Tigers outlasted the Big Red in overtime, 70-61 in early February as 1 ?-point road favorites, but Cornell has won four of five games since that setback. Cornell rode a four-game hot streak prior to a six-point home loss to Yale, while Princeton snapped a three-game skid in a 69-68 triumph over Dartmouth. In spite of the win, the Tigers are 0-4 ATS the last four games, including three non-covers in the favorite role.

Columbia (6-16 SU, 9-10-1 ATS) resides in last-place of the Ivy with a dreadful 1-7 record. The Lions lost for the fourth time in Ivy action by two points or less in last Saturday?s 65-63 home setback to Brown as one-point favorites. Columbia has managed covers the last two Friday nights as 10 ?-point underdogs at Harvard and a 9 ?-point ?dog to Yale in close defeats. Columbia heads to Penn (15-9 SU, 12-11 ATS), who has alternated wins and losses in its past four games. The Quakers followed up an overtime win over Dartmouth with an overtime defeat to Harvard to fall to 1-2 in home league play. Penn slipped past Columbia in its first meeting, 72-70 earlier this month, but the Lions cashed as 5 ?-point underdogs.

 

[Cnotes53]

College Basketball Trend Report

WI-MILWAUKEE (9 - 18) at IUPUI (14 - 13) - 2/22/2019, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WI-MILWAUKEE is 174-138 ATS (+22.2 Units) as an underdog since 1997.
WI-MILWAUKEE is 164-127 ATS (+24.3 Units) in road games since 1997.
WI-MILWAUKEE is 164-127 ATS (+24.3 Units) in road lined games since 1997.
WI-MILWAUKEE is 215-170 ATS (+28.0 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.
WI-MILWAUKEE is 53-34 ATS (+15.6 Units) in road games in February games since 1997.
WI-MILWAUKEE is 209-166 ATS (+26.4 Units) after a conference game since 1997.
WI-MILWAUKEE is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) in road games after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997.
IUPUI is 10-22 ATS (-14.2 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
IUPUI is 8-20 ATS (-14.0 Units) in home games after allowing 80 points or more since 1997.
IUPUI is 22-38 ATS (-19.8 Units) after scoring 80 points or more since 1997.
IUPUI is 12-23 ATS (-13.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
IUPUI is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
IUPUI is 2-1 against the spread versus WI-MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
IUPUI is 2-1 straight up against WI-MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


HARVARD (13 - 8) at BROWN (15 - 9) - 2/22/2019, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HARVARD is 41-24 ATS (+14.6 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
HARVARD is 41-24 ATS (+14.6 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
HARVARD is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
HARVARD is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) in road lined games over the last 3 seasons.
HARVARD is 25-11 ATS (+12.9 Units) against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
HARVARD is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in February games over the last 3 seasons.
HARVARD is 17-5 ATS (+11.5 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
HARVARD is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
HARVARD is 23-9 ATS (+13.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
HARVARD is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HARVARD is 4-1 against the spread versus BROWN over the last 3 seasons
HARVARD is 5-0 straight up against BROWN over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


DARTMOUTH (11 - 13) at YALE (17 - 4) - 2/22/2019, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
YALE is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) as a favorite this season.
YALE is 94-64 ATS (+23.6 Units) on Friday nights since 1997.
YALE is 95-64 ATS (+24.6 Units) when playing with 5 or 6 days rest since 1997.
YALE is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in home games off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
YALE is 51-30 ATS (+18.0 Units) after scoring 80 points or more since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
YALE is 4-1 against the spread versus DARTMOUTH over the last 3 seasons
YALE is 5-0 straight up against DARTMOUTH over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


CORNELL (13 - 11) at PRINCETON (13 - 8) - 2/22/2019, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CORNELL is 137-98 ATS (+29.2 Units) in road games since 1997.
CORNELL is 137-98 ATS (+29.2 Units) in road lined games since 1997.
CORNELL is 48-30 ATS (+15.0 Units) in road games off a loss against a conference rival since 1997.
CORNELL is 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) after allowing 80 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
PRINCETON is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in February games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PRINCETON is 3-2 against the spread versus CORNELL over the last 3 seasons
PRINCETON is 4-1 straight up against CORNELL over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


COLUMBIA (6 - 16) at PENNSYLVANIA (15 - 9) - 2/22/2019, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLUMBIA is 22-8 ATS (+13.2 Units) as a road underdog of 6.5 to 9 points since 1997.
COLUMBIA is 119-89 ATS (+21.1 Units) in road games since 1997.
COLUMBIA is 119-89 ATS (+21.1 Units) in road lined games since 1997.
COLUMBIA is 59-38 ATS (+17.2 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
COLUMBIA is 29-14 ATS (+13.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
PENNSYLVANIA is 103-140 ATS (-51.0 Units) in all home games since 1997.
PENNSYLVANIA is 103-140 ATS (-51.0 Units) in home lined games since 1997.
PENNSYLVANIA is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) against conference opponents this season.
PENNSYLVANIA is 37-57 ATS (-25.7 Units) in home games in February games since 1997.
PENNSYLVANIA is 57-83 ATS (-34.3 Units) in home games after a conference game since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLUMBIA is 3-2 against the spread versus PENNSYLVANIA over the last 3 seasons
PENNSYLVANIA is 4-1 straight up against COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


WI-GREEN BAY (14 - 13) at IL-CHICAGO (14 - 13) - 2/22/2019, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
IL-CHICAGO is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) when the total is 150 to 159.5 over the last 3 seasons.
IL-CHICAGO is 124-94 ATS (+20.6 Units) as a favorite since 1997.
IL-CHICAGO is 28-13 ATS (+13.7 Units) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points since 1997.
IL-CHICAGO is 36-20 ATS (+14.0 Units) on Friday nights since 1997.
IL-CHICAGO is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) when playing with 5 or 6 days rest over the last 2 seasons.
IL-CHICAGO is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
IL-CHICAGO is 4-2 against the spread versus WI-GREEN BAY over the last 3 seasons
IL-CHICAGO is 3-3 straight up against WI-GREEN BAY over the last 3 seasons
5 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


DAVIDSON (19 - 7) at RHODE ISLAND (12 - 13) - 2/22/2019, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DAVIDSON is 26-16 ATS (+8.4 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
DAVIDSON is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
DAVIDSON is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
DAVIDSON is 51-26 ATS (+22.4 Units) off a loss against a conference rival since 1997.
RHODE ISLAND is 70-103 ATS (-43.3 Units) in home games against conference opponents since 1997.
RHODE ISLAND is 13-28 ATS (-17.8 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
DAVIDSON is 4-3 against the spread versus RHODE ISLAND over the last 3 seasons
RHODE ISLAND is 4-3 straight up against DAVIDSON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


INDIANA (13 - 13) at IOWA (20 - 6) - 2/22/2019, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 4-11 ATS (-8.1 Units) against conference opponents this season.
INDIANA is 35-58 ATS (-28.8 Units) in road games after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.
INDIANA is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 72-101 ATS (-39.1 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 3-2 against the spread versus IOWA over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 3-2 straight up against IOWA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


IONA (11 - 15) at MANHATTAN (9 - 17) - 2/22/2019, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
IONA is 8-16 ATS (-9.6 Units) in all games this season.
IONA is 8-16 ATS (-9.6 Units) in all lined games this season.
IONA is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
IONA is 5-0 against the spread versus MANHATTAN over the last 3 seasons
IONA is 5-0 straight up against MANHATTAN over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


ST PETERS (6 - 20) at MARIST (12 - 14) - 2/22/2019, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ST PETERS is 33-15 ATS (+16.5 Units) in a road game where the total is 120 to 129.5 since 1997.
ST PETERS is 47-28 ATS (+16.2 Units) in road games in February games since 1997.
ST PETERS is 45-27 ATS (+15.3 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST PETERS is 3-2 against the spread versus MARIST over the last 3 seasons
ST PETERS is 4-1 straight up against MARIST over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


CANISIUS (12 - 14) at MONMOUTH (10 - 18) - 2/22/2019, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CANISIUS is 28-15 ATS (+11.5 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
CANISIUS is 28-15 ATS (+11.5 Units) in road lined games over the last 3 seasons.
CANISIUS is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CANISIUS is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road games after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CANISIUS is 4-1 against the spread versus MONMOUTH over the last 3 seasons
CANISIUS is 3-2 straight up against MONMOUTH over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


NIAGARA (12 - 15) at RIDER (14 - 13) - 2/22/2019, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NIAGARA is 25-12 ATS (+11.8 Units) as a road underdog of 6.5 to 9 points since 1997.
RIDER is 7-19 ATS (-13.9 Units) in all games this season.
RIDER is 7-19 ATS (-13.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
RIDER is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) as a favorite this season.
RIDER is 87-119 ATS (-43.9 Units) in all home games since 1997.
RIDER is 87-119 ATS (-43.9 Units) in home lined games since 1997.
RIDER is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) against conference opponents this season.
RIDER is 14-28 ATS (-16.8 Units) in home games on Friday nights since 1997.
RIDER is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) after a conference game this season.
RIDER is 4-11 ATS (-8.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
RIDER is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
RIDER is 3-1 against the spread versus NIAGARA over the last 3 seasons
RIDER is 3-1 straight up against NIAGARA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


BOWLING GREEN (19 - 7) at OHIO U (11 - 14) - 2/22/2019, 6:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OHIO U is 152-118 ATS (+22.2 Units) in all home games since 1997.
OHIO U is 152-118 ATS (+22.2 Units) in home lined games since 1997.
OHIO U is 88-59 ATS (+23.1 Units) revenging a road loss vs opponent since 1997.
OHIO U is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) after allowing 80 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
BOWLING GREEN is 15-8 ATS (+6.2 Units) in all games this season.
BOWLING GREEN is 15-8 ATS (+6.2 Units) in all lined games this season.
BOWLING GREEN is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BOWLING GREEN is 21-9 ATS (+11.1 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
BOWLING GREEN is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
OHIO U is 4-18 ATS (-15.8 Units) in all games this season.
OHIO U is 4-18 ATS (-15.8 Units) in all lined games this season.
OHIO U is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 this season.
OHIO U is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) against conference opponents this season.
OHIO U is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) after a conference game this season.
OHIO U is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) off a loss against a conference rival this season.
OHIO U is 3-14 ATS (-12.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
OHIO U is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
OHIO U is 12-25 ATS (-15.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OHIO U is 3-2 against the spread versus BOWLING GREEN over the last 3 seasons
OHIO U is 3-2 straight up against BOWLING GREEN over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


KENT ST (19 - 7) at BUFFALO (23 - 3) - 2/22/2019, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BUFFALO is 15-8 ATS (+6.2 Units) in all games this season.
BUFFALO is 15-8 ATS (+6.2 Units) in all lined games this season.
BUFFALO is 32-18 ATS (+12.2 Units) after scoring 80 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
BUFFALO is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in home games on Friday nights since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
KENT ST is 4-3 against the spread versus BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
BUFFALO is 4-3 straight up against KENT ST over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

 

[Cnotes53]

Weekend Watch
February 21, 2019
By YouWager.eu

NCAA Weekend Watch (2/23/19)

Regular Season Conference Title Races Heat Up

Conference tournaments are rapidly approaching, and that means that post-season basketball and all the excitement it brings in the lose and your out atmosphere of the collegiate game is something bettors are gearing up for.

But players are gearing up for it as well, and with the first goal each season for nearly every team in the country being ?win the conference title,? we are now approaching games where every win or loss matters that much more in terms of how attainable that goal ultimately is.

For the top teams in three respective ?Big? conferences ? Big 12, Big East, and Big 10 ? this weekend's slate of games will go a long way in deciding who will be left standing come the final week. It's these games that should get extra attention from a betting perspective this weekend, as it may serve you well to take a more analytical approach to these contests with motivation levels likely not going to be an issue.

So let's take a look at what a few of the teams in the hunt in those respective conferences have ahead of them this weekend.

Can Marquette maintain control atop the Big East?

Thanks to two straight losses, the Villanova Wildcats now find themselves looking up at Marquette in the Big East standings in a race that's only been between the two of them for a few weeks now. Marquette currently holds the edge in both the loss column (2) and the head-to-head matchup with Villanova, but the return match is coming up in Villanova on Wednesday. Before that, the Golden Eagles have to make sure they take care of business on the road in Providence on Saturday.

Marquette has been rolling of late (9-3 ATS with two of those three ATS losses coming by the 'hook') and their comeback effort over Butler on Wednesday night was impressive. They now make a trip to Providence on Saturday ? a team they've already beaten by 11 this year ? and it's not hard to argue that on the surface it has the look and feel of a possible ?trap? or ?sandwich? spot for Marquette. They know that a win in Villanova next week will all but lock up the Big East crown for them, and it's hard not to have one eye on that matchup as it is.

So depending on the point spread that comes out, it may be worth a look at taking points with the likely home dog in Providence. The Friars have not played up to expectations this season, but they just blasted a good St John's team for the second time this year, and can be a tough out on their own floor against anyone.

Finally, it's not like Villanova has an easy test ahead of them either this weekend, as they've got a road game @ Xavier on Sunday before that big showdown with Marquette, and it's a game the Wildcats should go into it with the feeling that they've got to have it. Obviously that may change should Marquette fall the day before, and that too, is something to consider should it happen as you make your way through handicapping the Big East action this weekend.

Will anyone seize control in the Big 12?

Kansas State enters the weekend with a one-game lead over Texas Tech and Kansas in the Big 12 standings, but Iowa State and Baylor are still lurking as well, just two games back themselves. All 10 teams in the conference are in action on Saturday, with the biggest matchup being Kansas @ Texas Tech where the loser can likely kiss their regular season title hopes goodbye.

Kansas won the first meeting in dominant fashion (79-63), but the Jayhawks have consistently been a much worse team away from home this year (2-4 SU in conference road games), and it will be interesting to see if that trend holds up. After all, the Jayhawks have at least held a share of the Big 12 regular season crown for 14 straight years and it would be quite the blow to see that streak end this year.

Among the leaders, Kansas State has a more favorable matchup on Saturday as they host Oklahoma State, beating the Cowboys by 17 in Stillwater earlier this year. But like Marquette's game on Saturday, this K-State/OK State game has quite the feel of a potential bad spot for the Wildcats, as they've got their final showdown against hated Kansas on deck.

That's not particularly a great spot to be in as the likely decisive home favorites Kansas State projects to be against the Cowboys, and I'd likely only look to take the points with Oklahoma State here, depending on the spread. It's not like Kansas State's offense can blow people out of the water as it is, and a lapse in mental focus for good teams in games they are expected to win easy, always tends to show itself on the defensive end first.

Control of the Big 10 up for grabs as well

There is essentially a three-way tie atop the Big 10 entering the weekend between Michigan State, Michigan, and Purdue, with the latter being the only one in action on Saturday. Sunday's the big day for the other two as we get our first Michigan State/Michigan matchup of the year, and the winner there will definitely have a leg up in obtaining the regular season title.

Both of those Michigan schools will know whether or not Purdue was able to keep pace, and with the Boilermakers on the road in Nebraska on Saturday, I wouldn't pencil it in that Purdue will be able to stay tied in the race with Sunday's eventual winner.

Nebraska's really fallen on some hard times for the past month as they made their way through the meat of their conference schedule. A 1-9 ATS record over their past 10 games doesn't inspire much confidence in backing them in a spot like this, but what it should do is give them a bit of line value on the number that may be worthy of consideration.

Having been blown out by 19 points in Purdue earlier this year, Nebraska will be catching a few points in this spot, and depending on how many points that number ends up being, it may be the right side to take. Purdue has looked very beatable on the road lately, as their last three road games have seen the Boilermakers ? need a buzzer-beater to beat Indiana this week, lose by 14 at Maryland prior to that, and need OT to get by Penn State. That's a sign to me that this team still has some travelling concerns to iron out, Nebraska would love nothing more to try and get their issues corrected by knocking off a top team in the conference at the same time.

 

[Cnotes53]

MORE LATER

 

[Cnotes53]

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, February 22

Bowling Green won 15 of last 17 games; they?re 11-2 in MAC, 5-1 on road, with only loss at Miami- they?re shooting 41% on arc in MAC. Ohio U lost its last six games; they?re 3-10 in MAC, 2-4 at home; Bobcats they?re shooting 29.7% on arc, 54.7% on line in MAC. Falcons made 11-23 on arc in its 82-63 win over Ohio Jan 8, in game that was tied at half; Falcons won six of last nine series games, but lost last two visits to Athens, by 20-16 points. BG is 13-9-2 vs spread in its last 24 MAC road games; Bobcats are 9-11 in last 20 games as a home favorite, 0-4 this year.

Kent State won seven of last 10 games, is 8-5 in MAC, splitting their six road games. Golden Flashes are forcing turnovers 20.6% of time in MAC games. Buffalo won its last four games; they?re 11-2 in MAC, 6-0 at home, with all six by 12+ points. Buffalo shot 64% inside arc in its 88-79 win at Kent Jan 25; they trailed by 12 in first half. Bulls won last three series games, by 12-17-9 points. Flashes lost four of last five trips here. Kent is 5-7 in its last 12 games as a road underdog, 2-3 this year; Buffalo is 19-11 in last 30 games as a home favorite, 4-2 this year.

Milwaukee lost its last seven games; they?re 4-10 in Horizon, 1-5 on road, with only win at Oakland. IUPUI lost its last four games; they?re 6-8 in Horizon, 4-3 at home, losing last two home games, to Wright St/UIC. Home side won all three Milwaukee-IUPUI Horizon games; Jaguars lost 64-57 at Milwaukee in first meeting Jan 19- both teams shot under 40% inside arc. Panthers lost 72-71 here LY. Milwaukee is 12-7 in its last 19 games as a road underdog, 3-3 this year; last four years, IUPUI is 5-14 as a home favorite, 1-4 this year.

Harvard won seven of its last eight games; they?re 6-2 in Ivy, 2-1 on road, losing at Dartmouth by 18. Brown is 3-5 in Ivy, 1-2 at home- they beat Princeton by 8. Brown is shooting only 29% on arc in Ivy League games, 47% inside arc. Brown shot 28.8% from floor in its 68-47 loss at Harvard Feb 2, their 20th consecutive loss to the Crimson. Harvard won their last nine visits here, last thee by 9-13-9 points. Bears are 9-13 in last 22 games as a home underdog, 1-1 this year; Harvard is 11-7 in last 18 games as a home favorite, 2-3 this year.

Yale made 11-21 on arc in its 89-68 win at Dartmouth Feb 2; Bulldogs won last seven series games. Big Green lost last four visits to New Haven, by 15-5-9-10 points. Dartmouth lost six of its last seven games; their last three losses were by total of 7 points- they?re shooting 56.2% inside arc in league. Yale won five in row, 12 of last 13 games; they?re 7-1 in Ivy League, 3-0 at home, winning by 8-14-13 points. Dartmouth is 13-9-1 in its last 23 games as a road underdog, 3-0 this year; Yale is 8-7 in its last 15 games as a home favorite, 3-0 this year.

Cornell won three of its last four games, is 5-3 in Ivy, 2-1 on road, with loss at Columbia by 3. Princeton lost three of last four games, is also 5-3 in Ivy, 2-1 at home, with only loss to Harvard. Princeton won 70-61 in OT at Cornell Feb 2, after blowing 11-point second half lead. Tigers won seven of last eight series games. Big Red lost their last ten games in Jadwin Gym, losing by 37 here LY. Cornell is 15-8 in its last 23 games as a road underdog, 3-0 this year; Princeton is 9-13 vs spread in its last 22 games as a home favorite, 0-2 this year.

Penn outscored Columbia 21-3 on foul line in its 72-70 road win Feb 2; Quakers won four of last five series games. Lions lost eight of last nine games in the Palestra, losing last two years, by 8-6 points. Columbia lost its last six games (three by 2 points); they?re 1-7 in Ivy, losing their three road games, by 1-2-16 points. Penn is 3-5 in Ivy, 1-2 at home; they split couple of OT games at home last weekend. Lions are 8-4 in last dozen games as a road underdog, 2-1 this year; Penn is 3-5 in its last eight games as a home favorite, 0-1 this year.

Green Bay won four of its last five games, is 8-6 in Horizon, 2-5 on road, winning at Milwaukee, Cleveland State. Ill-Chicago won four of its last five games; they?re 8-6 in Horizon, 5-2 at home. Flames? 46.5% defensive eFG% is best in Horizon. UIC lost 90-85 at Green Bay Jan 19, despite making 12-33 on arc; they were outscored 20-11 on foul line. Flames three of last four series games. Green Bay won four of last five trips to UIC. Phoenix is 0-4 vs spread as a Horizon road favorite this year; UIC is 8-4 in its last dozen games as a home favorite, 3-2 this year.

Davidson split its last four games after starting out 8-1 in A-14; they?re 4-2 on A-14 road, losing at UMass, St Joe?s by total of 4 points. Rhode Island lost six of its last seven games; they?re 5-8 in A-14, losing last two home games, to Dayton/Fordham. Davidson beat URI 68-53 at home 16 days ago; Rams were 3-24 on arc that night. Wildcats won last three series games, by 2-1-15 points, but they?ve lost last two visits here, by 3-13 points. Wildcats are 7-4 in last 11 games as a road favorite, 2-2 this year; URI is 8-12-1 in last 21 games as a home underdog, 1-0 this year.

Indiana lost four in row, 11 of last 12 games; they?re 4-11 in Big 14, 2-5 on road; three of their last four losses were by 5 or fewer points. Hoosiers are shooting 26.7% on arc in league. Iowa won four of its last five games; they?re 9-6 in Big 14; their last five games were all decided by 5 or fewer points. Iowa made 10-25 on arc, won 77-72 at Indiana Feb 7, just their 2nd win in last seven series games. Hoosiers won three of last four visits here. Under Miller, Hoosiers are 4-8-1 as a Big 14 road dog, 3-3 this year; Iowa is 19-11-1 in last 31 games as a home favorite.

Iona won its last four games after starting 5-6 in MAAC; Gaels are 9-6 in MAAC, 3-4 on road, winning last two road games, at Siena by 5, at Quinnipiac by 4. Manhattan won five of its last six games; they?re 7-7 in MAAC, winning three of last four home games. Jaspers are turning ball over 25.1% of time in league games. Iona won its last seven games with Manhattan; they won last four games in Draddy Gym, by 3-13-15-13 points. Gaels are 15-9 in last 24 games as a road favorite, 0-1 this year; Manhattan is 7-9-2 in last 18 games as a home underdog, 2-1-2 this year.

Saint Peter?s outscored Marist 30-14 on foul line in its 72-63 home win over the Red Foxes Jan 14; Peacocks won six of last seven games with Marist, winning last three visits here, by 8-16-18 points. St Peter?s lost its last eight games, is 3-11 in MAAC, losing last five road games, scoring 53.4 ppg in those games. Marist is 7-7 in MAAC; they haven?t finished .500 in league in 11 years. Red Foxes are 3-4 in MAAC home games this season. SPC is 6-9 in last 15 games as a road underdog, 3-5 this year; Red Foxes are 4-9 in last 13 games as a home favorite, 2-3 this year.

Canisius won seven of last ten games, is 9-5 in MAAC, winning four of last five road games, with loss at Niagara. Monmouth lost its last two games, is 9-6 in MAAC, 6-1 at home- they lost their last home game, to Marist. Canisius made 11-21 on arc in its 80-68 home win over Monmouth Jan 24; Griffins won last three series games, by 15-18-12 points- they lost four of last five visits here, winning 78-60 LY. Under Witherspoon, Canisius is 12-1 as a MAAC road underdog, 5-0 this year; Hawks are 9-3 in last dozen games as a home favorite, 5-1 this year.

Rider shot 74.4% inside arc in its 104-84 win at Niagara Jan 13; Broncs won 10 of last 12 series games. Purple Eagles lost four of last five visits here, losing last two, by 18-11 points. Niagara lost four of its last five games; they?re 5-9 in MAAC, 1-5 on road, with only win at Quinnipiac. Rider won its last two games after a 5-game skid; Broncs are 9-6 in MAAC, 5-2 at home, losing to Canisius, Siena. Niagara is 16-14-1 in last 31 games as a road underdog, 2-3 this year; Rider is 11-10 vs spread in last 21 games as a home favorite, 1-5 this year.

 

[Cnotes53]

NCAAB

Friday, February 22

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bowling Green @ Ohio
Bowling Green
Bowling Green is 15-2 SU in its last 17 games
Bowling Green is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Ohio
Ohio is 13-4 SU in its last 17 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Ohio's last 8 games when playing Bowling Green

Dartmouth @ Yale
Dartmouth
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Dartmouth's last 5 games
Dartmouth is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Yale
Yale
Yale is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Yale is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

Saint Peter's @ Marist
Saint Peter's
Saint Peter's is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Marist
The total has gone UNDER in 18 of Saint Peter's's last 25 games on the road
Marist
Marist is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Marist is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

Canisius @ Monmouth
Canisius
Canisius is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
Canisius is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Monmouth
Monmouth is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games at home
Monmouth is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home

Niagara @ Rider
Niagara
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Niagara's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Niagara's last 5 games when playing Rider
Rider
Rider is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Niagara
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Rider's last 7 games

Wisconsin-Milwaukee @ IUPUI
Wisconsin-Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's last 5 games
Wisconsin-Milwaukee is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
IUPUI
The total has gone OVER in 4 of IUPUI's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of IUPUI's last 8 games at home

Harvard @ Brown
Harvard
Harvard is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Brown
Harvard is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Brown
Brown
Brown is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Brown's last 5 games when playing at home against Harvard

Iona @ Manhattan
Iona
Iona is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Manhattan
Iona is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Manhattan is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home

Kent State @ Buffalo
Kent State
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kent State's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kent State's last 5 games when playing on the road against Buffalo
Buffalo
Buffalo is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Buffalo is 22-3 SU in its last 25 games

Columbia @ Pennsylvania
Columbia
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Columbia's last 8 games when playing on the road against Pennsylvania
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Columbia's last 5 games when playing Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Pennsylvania's last 8 games
Pennsylvania is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Columbia

Cornell @ Princeton
Cornell
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cornell's last 5 games when playing on the road against Princeton
Cornell is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Princeton
Princeton is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Cornell
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Princeton's last 5 games when playing at home against Cornell

Davidson @ Rhode Island
Davidson
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Davidson's last 5 games when playing Rhode Island
Davidson is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
Rhode Island
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Rhode Island's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Rhode Island's last 5 games when playing Davidson

Wisconsin-Green Bay @ UIC
Wisconsin-Green Bay
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Wisconsin-Green Bay's last 6 games when playing UIC
Wisconsin-Green Bay is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
UIC
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of UIC's last 5 games at home
UIC is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Wisconsin-Green Bay

Indiana @ Iowa
Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Indiana's last 7 games when playing Iowa
Indiana is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is 18-3 SU in its last 21 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Iowa's last 7 games when playing Indiana

 

[Cnotes53]

NCAAB
Dunkel

Friday, February 22


Green Bay @ Illinois-Chicago

Game 861-862
February 22, 2019 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Green Bay
49.920
Illinois-Chicago
51.297
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Illinois-Chicago
by 1 1/2
144
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Illinois-Chicago
by 4 1/2
158 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Green Bay
(+4 1/2); Under

Columbia @ Pennsylvania

Game 859-860
February 22, 2019 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Columbia
48.538
Pennsylvania
52.505
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Pennsylvania
by 4
135
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Pennsylvania
by 7 1/2
141
Dunkel Pick:
Columbia
(+7 1/2); Under

Indiana @ Iowa

Game 865-866
February 22, 2019 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Indiana
61.189
Iowa
70.658
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Iowa
by 9 1/2
147
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Iowa
by 6 1/2
145 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Iowa
(-6 1/2); Over

Davidson @ Rhode Island

Game 863-864
February 22, 2019 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Davidson
59,756
Rhode Island
50,637
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Davidson
by 9
134
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Davidson
by 1 1/2
131
Dunkel Pick:
Davidson
(-1 1/2); Over

Cornell @ Princeton

Game 857-858
February 22, 2019 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cornell
53.721
Princeton
52.558
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cornell
by 1
133
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Princeton
by 6 1/2
137
Dunkel Pick:
Cornell
(+6 1/2); Under

Niagara @ Rider

Game 873-874
February 22, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Niagara
44.288
Rider
47.662
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Rider
by 3 1/2
143
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Rider
by 9
156 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Niagara
(+9); Under

Canisius @ Monmouth

Game 871-872
February 22, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Canisius
46.566
Monmouth
45.657
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Canisius
by 1
135
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Monmouth
by 3 1/2
136 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Canisius
(+3 1/2); Over

St Peter's @ Marist

Game 869-870
February 22, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St Peter's
40.047
Marist
50.685
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Marist
by 10 1/2
123
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Marist
by 6 1/2
125
Dunkel Pick:
Marist
(-6 1/2); Under

Iona @ Manhattan

Game 867-868
February 22, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Iona
52.661
Manhattan
45.302
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Iona
by 7 1/2
126
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Iona
by 3
132 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Iona
(-3); Under

Dartmouth @ Yale

Game 855-856
February 22, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Dartmouth
51.812
Yale
59.216
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Yale
by 7 1/2
147
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Yale
by 10 1/2
149
Dunkel Pick:
Dartmouth
(+10 1/2); Under

Harvard @ Brown

Game 853-854
February 22, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Harvard
56.557
Brown
52.806
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Harvard
by 4
144
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Harvard
by 1
133 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Harvard
(-1); Over

WI-Milwaukee @ IUPUI

Game 851-852
February 22, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
WI-Milwaukee
40.479
IUPUI
52.661
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
IUPUI
by 12
156
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
IUPUI
by 9
146
Dunkel Pick:
IUPUI
(-9); Over

Kent State @ Buffalo

Game 877-878
February 22, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Kent State
54.144
Buffalo
72.749
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Buffalo
by 18 1/2
164
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Buffalo
by 15
158 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Buffalo
(-15); Over

Bowling Green @ Ohio

Game 875-876
February 22, 2019 @ 6:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Bowling Green
60.912
Ohio
46.531
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Bowling Green
by 14 1/2
150
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Bowling Green
by 4
143 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Bowling Green
(-4); Over

 

[Udog]

By: Monty Andrews



Buffalo Smoulders

Say what you will about the Buffalo Bulls, but those guys can score. The Bulls (-15.5) enter Friday night's MAC encounter with the Kent State Golden Flashes fresh off a 114-67 evisceration of the Ohio Bobcats on Tuesday. It's the third time the Bulls have scored at least 110 points in a game this season, a major reason why they're ranked fourth in the nation in scoring average at 85.9 points per game. And Buffalo has responded well following a triple-digit outburst in recent history, having gone 5-1 ATS in their past six games in that situation. The Bulls also rank second in average home scoring margin at +24.0.

Duke Undermanned at the Dome

It was the Sneaker Tear Heard 'Round the World ? and it could result in the consensus No. 1 prospect in the country out of the Duke Blue Devils' lineup for a while. Zion Williamson suffered a mild knee sprain after ripping his shoe just 33 seconds into Duke's 88-72 home loss to rival North Carolina on Wednesday night, and will miss for the Blue Devils' Saturday encounter with Syracuse at the daunting Carrier Dome. The Under might be the superior play in this one; Duke is 7-17-2 O/U for the season and could struggle to replace Williamson's 21.6 points per game, while Syracuse is 5-12-0 O/U at home.

Another Big Win?

North Carolina's 16-point road win over the rival Blue Devils puts the Tar Heels on the fast track to a major rankings boost ? but they can ill afford to take it easy Saturday as they host the nationally-ranked Florida State Seminoles. North Carolina saw its national title odds jump to +1,300 with the victory in Duke and are in good shape to keep the good times rolling: The eighth-ranked Tar Heels have covered seven of their past nine games and are 9-3 ATS in their previous 12 following a victory. But the 16th-ranked Seminoles are no slouch, as they come in on a five-game cover streak of their own.

Points A-Plenty in Ann Arbor

Oddsmakers often tab games between Michigan and Michigan State as low-scoring affairs ? but the Wolverine State rivals have filled the bucket in their recent encounters and will look to do the same as they face off Sunday in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines and Spartans have converted the over in eight of their previous 10 meetings dating back to the start of 2014, including the past three encounters ? each won and covered by Michigan. The winning team produced 75 or more points in each of those eight overs, with the final score exceeding the total by double digits six times in that stretch.

Mid-Major to Watch: Yale Bulldogs (17-4 SU, 12-8 ATS, 9-11 O/U)

You won't see many Ivy League teams in this space but given that the conference will produce at least one NCAA Tournament entrant this year, it's only fair to look at which team might make it to March Madness. And the Bulldogs enter the weekend with the best shot at representing the Ivy League in the final 68, leading Harvard by one game ? with its only conference loss coming to the Crimson earlier this month. There's a decent chance Yale will be able to exact its revenge in Saturday's rematch.

The Bulldogs have boasted a surprisingly potent offense, ranking 30th in Division I in field goal percentage (49.3) and 30th in scoring average (81.0 points per game). Throw in a top-15 rebounding attack (40.5 per game) and it's easy to see why Yale has positioned itself to make just its second March Madness appearance in 57 years. The Bulldogs have a busy weekend ahead, facing off against Dartmouth on Friday before their hotly anticipated rematch with Harvard on Saturday.

National Title Odds

Duke still has plenty of real estate between itself and the rest of the pack in terms of national championship odds, but the gap has shrunk a little. The Blue Devils are down to +225 to win the NCAA title, and could slip further depending on how they play with Williamson sidelined. Gonzaga remains second in the odds race but has moved up to +850.

Betting Trends

Home underdogs are strong ATS options heading into one of the final weekends of the regular season, having converted at better than a 57-percent clip over the previous seven days worth of games. Home teams in general have been the superior cover option over the past week, making good nearly 53 percent of the time.

Overs were the play earlier in the week, but the under has quickly regained its superiority with a 50.7-percent conversion rate over the previous week; non-overtime games went under 53.6 percent of the time. The under is at 52.2 percent on all games over the past 30 days and sits at a healthy 51.9 percent for the season.

Ole Miss is turning heads as a sensational double threat. The Rebels own the second-best overall ATS record among Division I teams, having covered 19 of their 26 games so far this season to go along with an 18-8 SU record. But times have been a bit tougher of late, with Ole Miss having won outright and covered in just three of its past nine games.

 

[Cnotes53]

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

BGSU at OHIO 06:30 PM
BGSU -4.5
O 147.0

SPC at MRST 07:00 PM
SPC +6.5
O 124.0

NIAG at RID 07:00 PM
RID -8.0
O 156.5

CAN at MONM 07:00 PM
CAN +2.5
O 136.0

DART at YALE 07:00 PM
YALE -9.5
U 149.0

IONA at MAN 07:00 PM
IONA -3.5
U 130.0

HARV at BRWN 07:00 PM
HARV -3.0
U 133.5

KENT at BUFF 07:00 PM
KENT +15.5
U 161.5

MILW at INDPU 07:00 PM
MILW +9.5
O 146.5

CLMB at PENN 08:00 PM
PENN -7.5
U 141.0

COR at PRIN 08:00 PM
PRIN -6.5
U 137.5

DAV at URI 09:00 PM
DAV -1.5
U 131.0

GB at UIC 09:00 PM
O 159.0

IND at IOWA 09:15 PM
IOWA -8.0
O 144.0

 

[Cnotes53]

Bohannon, No. 21 Iowa hold off Indiana 76-70
February 22, 2019

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) Jordan Bohannon hit three 3s in overtime, including one with 20.2 seconds left, and 21st-ranked Iowa rallied to beat Indiana 76-70 in overtime on Friday night for its fifth win in six games.

Tyler Cook had 18 points and Bohannon added 17 for the Hawkeyes (21-6, 10-6 Big Ten) - all of them in the second half and overtime.

Bohannon, whose 3 with 28 seconds left in regulation forced overtime, buried another one to put Iowa ahead 68-65 with 2:47 to go. De'Ron Davis answered with a 3-point play, but Bohannon hit a 3 off a loose ball with 2 minutes left to give the Hawkeyes a 71-68 lead. Cook's free throw with 1:10 left made it a two-possession game, but Morgan responded with a putback.

Indiana's defense forced Bohannon to jack up a 3 at the shot clock buzzer, but the junior calmly knocked it through to complete one of the spectacular stretches of his career.

Morgan had 15 and Langford scored 14 points for Indiana (13-14, 4-12), who've dropped 12 of 13.

THE BIG PICTURE

Iowa: Iowa needed 3s in the final seconds to beat Northwestern and Rutgers, and the Hawkeyes lost to Maryland 66-65 at home on Tuesday. Iowa looked lost at times against a team it beat by five on the road two weeks ago - but Bohannon was there to bail them out yet again. Still, winning is all that counts at this time of year.

Indiana: The Hoosiers hung with No. 10 Purdue until the very end, losing 48-46 on the road on Tuesday, and they hung with the Hawkeyes as well. It's been a trying Big Ten season in Bloomington, but could a strong finish be on the table? Indiana hosts 22nd-ranked Wisconsin and No. 10 Michigan State next week

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Even with the win, Iowa could find itself on the outside looking in when Monday's poll comes out.

UP NEXT

Iowa plays at Ohio State on Tuesday.

Indiana hosts the Badgers on Tuesday

 

[Cnotes53]

CBB FEB. RECORD OPINIONS AND BEST BETS !

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

02/22/2019 15-11-1 57.69% +14.50
02/21/2019 40-24-2 62.50% +68.00
02/20/2019 30-30-1 50.00% -15.00
02/19/2019 20-21-0 48.78% -15.50
02/18/2019 4-6-0 40.00% -13.00
02/17/2019 13-15-1 46.43% -17.50
02/16/2019 53-70-1 43.08% -120.00
02/15/2019 17-8-2 68.00% +41.00
02/14/2019 33-28-2 54.10% +11.00
02/13/2019 23-27-0 46.00% -33.50
02/12/2019 18-11-0 62.07% +29.50
02/11/2019 4-3-0 57.14% +3.50
02/10/2019 7-8-0 46.67% -9.00
02/09/2019 53-66-0 44.54% -98.00
02/08/2019 12-12-0 50.00% -6.00
02/07/2019 32-37-0 46.38% -43.50
02/06/2019 15-26-0 36.59% -68.00
02/05/2019 18-18-0 50.00% -9.00
02/04/2019 13-5-0 72.22% +37.50
02/03/2019 9-7-0 56.25% +6.50
02/02/2019 49-58-4 45.79% -74.00
02/01/2019 11-6-1 64.71% +22.00

Totals.........489 -497-1......49.59%.....-288.50


******************************


BEST BETS:

DATE........................ATS................... ..UNITS..................O/U..................UNITS.............TOTALS

02/22/2019..............3 - 3.................-1.50.....................6 - 4.................+8.00.................+6.50
02/21/2019..............5 - 9.................-24.50...................4 - 5.................-7.50..................-32.00
02/20/2019..............9 - 8.................+1.00....................0 - 8.................-43.00................-42.00
02/19/2019..............4 - 10...............-35.00....................9 - 2................+34.00................-1.00
02/18/2019..............2 - 2.................-1.00......................2 - 2................-1.00..................-2.00
02/17/2019..............3 - 5.................-12.50....................6 - 6.................-3.00..................-15.50
02/16/2019.............22 - 23...............-16.50..................11 - 5.................+27.50...............+11.00
02/15/2019...............3 - 2.................+4.00....................7 - 5..................+7.50................+11.50
02/14/2019.............17 - 12...............+19.00...................9 - 6.................+12.00...............+31.00
02/13/2019.............10 - 10...............-5.00......................3 - 7..................-23.50...............-28.50
02/12/2019.............10 - 2.................+39.00...................1 - 2..................-6.00.................+33.00
02/11/2019...............1 - 2.................-6.00......................3 - 1..................+9.50................+3.50
02/10/2019...............4 - 4.................-2.00......................2 - 1..................+4.50................+2.50
02/09/2019..............25 - 24...............-2.00......................6 - 5.................+2.50................+0.50
02/08/2019...............3 - 6.................-18.00.....................5 - 5.................-2.50.................-20.50
02/07/2019...............9 - 11................-15.50....................5 - 9..................-24.50...............-40.00
02/06/2019...............5 - 11................-35.50....................0 - 4..................-22.00...............-57.00
02/05/2019...............6 - 9..................-19.50....................3 - 7..................-23.50...............-43.00
02/04/2019...............4 - 2..................+9.00.....................5 - 2.................+14.00..............+23.00
02/03/2019...............6 - 4..................+8.00.....................3 - 1.................+9.50................+17.50
02/02/2019..............19 - 21................-20.50....................7 - 9.................-14.50................-35.00
02/01/2019...............4 - 3...................+3.50....................4 - 1.................+14.50..............+18.00

Totals....................174 -183................-132.50................102 - 97...............-13.20.............- 147.70

 

[Cnotes53]

Saturday?s 6-pack

Hitters who knocked in highest %age of runners in from 2nd base LY (min, 200 PA)

1) Escobar, Min 26-94 (26.7%)

2) L. Garcia, CWS 14-51 (27.5%)

3) Peralta, Az 24-92 (26.1%)

4) Cave, Minn 15-58 (25.9%)

5) Prado, Mia 8-31 (25.8%)

6) White, Hous 13-51 (25.5%)

Quote of the Day
?Nothing?s certainly changed on our end. We?ve moved on. As I said back then and we had to. There was no way we could wait around. Bryce, I?m sure he will make his decision hopefully in the next few days, but we?ve filled out our roster and like I said, we wish him nothing but the best.?
Washington Nationals? owner Mark Lerner

Saturday?s quiz
If you?re watching a college basketball game in the Galen Center, which college campus are you on?

Friday?s quiz
Gene Bartow replaced John Wooden as the basketball coach at UCLA; his son Murry is the interim coach at UCLA this season.

Thursday?s quiz
Whit Merrifield led the major leagues in stolen bases last year, with 45.


********************************

Saturday?s List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind??

13) Wrestling icon Ric Flair had a surprise 70th birthday thrown for him in Atlanta last night; guests included Charles Barkley, Todd Gurley, Evander Holyfield, Dennis Rodman and Brad Nessler, as well as the expected stars from the world of pro wrestling. Flair has overcome some physical issues in the last year. Great to see that he is doing well now.

12) UCLA 68, Oregon State 67? I had no dog in this fight Thursday night, but the boxscore made me laugh. I?m guessing Beavers? coach Wayne Tinkle wasn?t amused:

Foul shots: Oregon State 1-3, UCLA 16-28. In a one-point game.

11) Texas Longhorns have suspended their leading scorer, Kerwin Roach, indefinitely. The senior guard is averaging 15 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.

10) Congrats to Belmont coach Rick Byrd, who won his 800th career game Thursday night when his Bruins spanked Eastern Illinois 99-58.

9) North Carolina?s win over Duke Wednesday had a Nielsen-reported audience of 4,343,000 viewers, making it the most-viewed weeknight college hoop game in ESPN?s history.

8) Zion Williamson isn?t expected to play Saturday night in Syracuse.

7) XFL starts play next spring; they?re trying to create interest by dragging out their announcements of who will be coaching in which cities.

Bob Stoops is going to coach the Dallas team; Pep Hamilton the Washington DC team, and now comes word that former Seahawks QB Jim Zorn will coach the Seattle team. Zorn coached the Redskins for two years, in 2008-09.

6) Utility guy Marwin Gonzalez signed with the Minnesota Twins on a two-year, $21M deal.

5) Big week in San Diego; Manny Machado, the Aztecs beat Nevada and now this. Santa Clara grad transfer KJ Feagin cancelled all his other visits and has committed to San Diego State. Good get for Jim Dutcher.

4) Over the length of his 10-year contract, Manny Machado will pay around $39.9M in income taxes to the state of California, $158M total in federal, state and payroll taxes.

3) Iowa men?s basketball play-by-play announcer Gary Dolphin was suspended for the rest of the Hawkeyes? season after referring to Maryland?s Bruno Fernando as ?King Kong? during Tuesday?s game.

Fernando, who had 11 points and 11 rebounds in the game, was born in Angola, a Southern African nation bordering the Atlantic Ocean.

2) Remember when the Bears missed the field goal at end of their playoff loss to the Eagles? When the new league year starts next month, Chicago will cut that kicker, Cody Parkey.

1) Friday would?ve been my father?s 93rd birthday; he passed away in May of 2015, leaving behind the perfect example of how to be a good person.

Happy birthday, dad. We miss you.

 

[Cnotes53]

Clarke defending the rim for Gonzaga
February 22, 2019
By The Associated Press

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) Gonzaga forward Brandon Clarke saw Tennessee's Yves Pons driving toward the basket and both rose from the floor at the same time.

Clarke's tomahawk block on Pons sent the ball cannonballing toward the floor, and the moment would be replayed on highlight shows for days.

''We watched film on that team and I knew Pons was a bouncy player,'' Clarke said this week. ''Seeing him come down the lane, I knew I had to be ready for him. I jumped super high on that block. It ended up being a really cool highlight.''

Second-ranked Gonzaga (26-2, 13-0 West Coast) lost that game in early December but the block helped establish Clarke as a force to be reckoned with.

Clarke is Gonzaga's second-leading scorer at 16.7 points per game and has already set a program record with 87 blocked shots this season. He spent his first two seasons at San Jose State.

Clarke was overshadowed early on by all the national and international focus on teammate Rui Hachimura, who is a star in both the United States and Japan and is trailed by a bevy of Japanese reporters at every game.

But Clarke's stock has risen so much that last week he and Hachimura were both listed among the 30 finalists for Naismith Player of the Year. Both have scored in double figures in all their games this season.

''Rui is the best player I have ever played with,'' Clarke said. ''Playing with him is super fun, really.''

Clarke doesn't have an entourage like his teammate. But he is raising eyebrows because of performances like his line against San Francisco in early February. He finished with 20 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks in a Gonzaga win.

''He was phenomenal,'' coach Mark Few said after the game. ''He's athletic. He's quick. He's strong, skilled.''

Clarke was raised in Phoenix and the only offer he received out of high school was from San Jose State. After averaging 17 points and 8.7 rebounds per game as a sophomore, he decided to transfer.

''Schools called me and I got a call from (Gonzaga) and it was pretty fast,'' Clarke said. ''I realized that was the perfect fit for me.''

He sat out last season per NCAA rules, and has started all 28 games this year. He leads the team with eight rebounds per game.

He has always been a good shooter, but is quick to praise his teammates, guards Josh Perkins and Zach Norvell Jr. and forward Hachimura, for his performance this year.

''They are doing a good job of getting me shots in places I am really, really good at,'' Clarke said. ''I don't have to force up any bad shots.''

As for blocks, Clarke quickly blew past the Gonzaga single-season record of 70 set a decade ago by Austin Daye. Clarke is in 10th place on the Gonzaga career list after part of one season.

''It's mainly about timing, really,'' Clarke said. ''It's something I've always been good at. As I got taller and my legs got stronger, I was able to take it to the next level.''

Clarke doesn't know if he will test the NBA waters after the season.

''I live in the moment right now,'' he said. ''I'm focused on getting to the Final Four and then winning that. I'm not sure about next year.''

''I love Gonzaga though, the coaches and people here,'' Clarke added. ''It would be really hard to say bye.''

 

[Cnotes53]

Florida regroups to improve hopes for bid
February 22, 2019
By The Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Florida coach Mike White spent the first three months of the season watching his Gators burn through just about any cushion they had in building a viable NCAA Tournament resume.

Now, with roughly three weeks until Selection Sunday, his team is coming off a big win positioned to secure a bid with a strong finish - even if White is trying not to say much about it.

''We've made a big offensive jump,'' White said after Wednesday's overtime win at No. 13 LSU. ''We've gotten more connected. I think our locker room has gotten a little healthier. ... Everything else will take care of itself. I guess I'm just focused on the process rather than the results.''

Things haven't come easily all season for Florida (15-11, 7-6 Southeastern Conference), starting with a 21-point loss to Florida State in a sign of the confounding issues ahead in White's fourth year.

In the following weeks, White publicly fretted about his team's confidence during a two-loss stay in the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas. He benched last year's leading scorer Jalen Hudson and sounded uncertain of what to expect from his players each time out to start the league schedule.

Picked to finish fifth in the SEC, the Gators sat at just 12-11 after losing at then-No. 1 Tennessee on Feb. 9. But they've won three straight games - the past two coming on the road - to build some momentum with Hudson playing better of late and the Gators starting three freshmen for the first time since 1999.

As of Friday, Florida sits at No. 31 in the new NET rankings - a more analytical formula replacing the RPI this year - and has the 29th-ranked strength of schedule. But Florida owns just a 3-10 record against resume-topping Quadrant 1 opponents.

That's where this week's win at LSU, Florida's first against a ranked opponent after six losses, was so critical. And the Gators have two more shots at quality wins with the rematch against LSU (March 6) and a trip to No. 4 Kentucky (March 9).

In the meantime, they have three games with more ability to hurt a resume with losses than help it with wins: Saturday against Missouri (No. 92 in NET), Wednesday at Vanderbilt (No. 132) and March 2 against Georgia (No. 118).

As of Friday morning, Florida appeared as a No. 11 seed in BracketMatrix.com's average of more than 100 tournament projections.

''If our guys are looking at that stuff,'' White said before the LSU win of the postseason pursuit, ''they're worried about the wrong stuff.''

ON THE RISE

Mississippi State: The Bulldogs (19-7, 7-6 SEC) were 4-6 in the league but are looking good with eight Quadrant 1 wins while riding a three-game winning streak.

New Mexico State: The Aggies (23-4, 11-1 Western Athletic Conference) lack a noteworthy win and sit at No. 58 in the NET, but they haven't lost since Jan. 3, either.

San Francisco: The Dons (21-6, 9-4 West Coast Conference) have won four straight since a blowout loss to No. 2 Gonzaga. Ranked 48th in NET, they need to keep winning with an 0-4 record against Quadrant 1 opponents.

Temple: The Owls (19-7, 9-4 American Athletic Conference) have won four of five in coach Fran Dunphy's final season, though they're just 1-5 against Quadrant 1 teams.

FADING HOPES

Minnesota: The Gophers (17-10, 7-9 Big Ten) have stumbled through February with five losses in six games.

Oregon State: Amid the Pac-12's miserable season, the Beavers (16-9, 8-5) had won four of five only to stumble Thursday against UCLA. Oregon State is No. 85 in the NET with more Quadrant 3 losses (three) than Quadrant 1 wins (two).

TCU: The Horned Frogs (17-9, 5-8 Big 12) have lost three straight. At 1-6 against Quadrant 1 opponents, their chances to turn things around could hinge on games ahead with No. 14 Texas Tech, No. 19 Iowa State and No. 23 Kansas State.

UCF: The Knights (19-6, 9-4 American) are in good position to earn their first NCAA bid since 2005, but they missed a chance to help themselves with Thursday's loss at Cincinnati (No. 25 in NET). Lacking a noteworthy win, UCF is 39th in NET but still has games with No. 9 Houston and Cincinnati in March to help its cause.

 

[Cnotes53]

Alabama needs strong finish for bid
February 22, 2019
By The Associated Press

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Alabama has beaten one top 5 team and pushed another to the brink on the road. The Crimson Tide has also suffered some humbling defeats.

That inconsistency has left the Tide (15-11, 6-7 Southeastern Conference) in a precarious position in the team's bid to make a second straight NCAA Tournament.

''We've been one of the more inconsistent teams in the SEC,'' Tide coach Avery Johnson said this week.

The latest results have been three straight losses by a collective 46 points. Alabama has hardly looked like the team that upset No. 4 Kentucky in the SEC opener, lost only 71-68 at No. 5 Tennessee and routed then-No. 20 Mississippi .

As Johnson said, the Tide has at times looked like one of the SEC's better teams. Other games, ''we just didn't look like we've ever had a practice before.''

Johnson led Alabama to its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2012 last season, behind freshman Collin Sexton, an NBA lottery pick. Now, he's trying to make a repeat trip while led by another five-star freshman in 17-year-old guard Kira Lewis Jr.

Lewis is the team's leading scorer and is the second-youngest player in Division I this season. Only Pepperdine's Everett Perrot is younger and he hasn't appeared in a game yet.

The Tide opens its five-game closing stretch for the regular season Saturday against Vanderbilt (9-17, 0-13), which has dropped 14 straight games.

A loss would be a big blow to Alabama's NCAA Tournament hopes and ratchet up fan criticism of Johnson. The Tide is 51st in the NCAA's NET rankings, meaning the team almost certainly needs a strong finish to make the tournament.

''They're a hungry team,'' Alabama senior Riley Norris said of Vandy. ''They're desperately looking for an SEC win. At the same time, we're a desperate team.

''Coming off three losses, we are looking to turn that around. And that starts (Saturday) night.''

Alabama made the field last season by advancing to the SEC tournament semifinals after ending the regular-season on a five-game skid.

Johnson is hoping that experience gives the veterans an idea of what it takes to rebound.

It gets tougher after Vandy with road trips to South Carolina and Arkansas and home games against No. 13 LSU and Auburn.

A Tide team that beat the Wildcats has already lost twice to Texas A&M, accounting for half of the Aggies' four league wins.

The current losing streak includes a lackluster 71-53 loss to Florida when Johnson was unhappy with his team's effort. The Tide blew a 12-point second-half lead in their latest loss to Texas A&M Tuesday night, falling 65-56 after going more than five minutes without scoring.

''I feel like our minds are in the right position moving forward,'' Norris said.

Johnson said the players ''were really dejected' after this week's loss and he took that response as a good sign.

''We've just got to stay in the right mindset, make sure we're ready to play, and I think we can get this turned around,'' the coach said.

 

[Cnotes53]

Sampson's feel has Houston soaring
February 22, 2019
By The Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) When Kelvin Sampson coached at Washington State in the late 1980s his son Kellen and daughter Lauren loved for him to read to them before bed each night.

The only time dad would miss story time was the night before games when he'd meet with his team late to go over film. It was then he decided that instead of spending the evening before games at the gym, he'd bring the team home. The compromise allowed him to get film work done and not miss that precious ritual with his children.

More than 30 years later, it is a practice that's still alive at Houston. The entire team piles into the Sampson house to prepare for the next opponent, eat his wife Karen's delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies and bond like a family.

The routine is something Sampson and his players agree has created an environment of trust, an integral ingredient in the ninth-ranked Cougars' success this season.

''They've got to know you care,'' Sampson said. ''They've got to know you're genuine and once you build that you can get them to run through a wall for you.''

Sampson has turned Houston into a power and revived a career that was derailed by NCAA violations regarding impermissible calls to recruits at both Oklahoma and Indiana. Those violations resulted in a five-year show cause order from the NCAA that kept Sampson, who took Oklahoma to the Final Four in 2002, out of college coaching until he was hired at Houston in 2014.

The Cougars are ranked in the top 10 for the first time since the 1983-84 squad ended the regular season at No. 5, and they have won a nation-best 32 straight home games. Houston has won 10 in a row since its only loss at Temple on Jan. 9.

Sampson knows 18- to 21-year-old college students have a lot going on outside of basketball, but for him every day is a chance to show players their importance to him.

''You work at it,'' he said. ''This team is my life. I don't have to be their life but they are my life.''

The players beam when the visits to Sampson's house are brought up and wouldn't stop talking about Karen's cookies, which one player said he ''loves dearly.''

''That's tradition,'' leading scorer Corey Davis Jr. said. ''We go there before every home game, eat those amazing cookies, spend some time with each other, just sit down and talk. It really feels good. It feels like a family.''

It also feels like the program is back, and it's not out of line to talk about returning to the hallowed days of the Phi Slama Jama teams led by Hakeem Olajuwon, Elvin Hayes and Clyde Drexler in the 1980s that reached the Final Four in three straight seasons.

Galen Robinson Jr. knows Houston's rich history well even though it came more than a decade before he was born. And having grown up in Houston, he takes special pride in helping bring the Cougars back into the national spotlight after years of struggles.

''I knew it was a drought and I knew that coach Sampson was going to be the coach to get us over the hump,'' Robinson said. ''And when the rankings were released and it said we were the highest-ranked Houston team since Phi Slama Jama, to even be in the same sentence with Phi Slama Jama, that's basketball royalty. And to be able to bring life back to Houston basketball, it's priceless.''

Sampson last year guided Houston to its first NCAA appearance since 2010 and the Cougars fell one win short of the Sweet Sixteen on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Michigan. So it was back to the drawing board. He said he loves the sense of responsibility each member of his team has in representing the school on and off the court.

''We work at chemistry,'' he said. ''We weed out egos and prima donnas and entitlement. That's the first thing that's got to go ... you're walking into an environment where the most important thing I could teach these kids is that they're playing for something bigger than you.''

Armoni Brooks, who is second to Davis on the team in scoring, has bought into Sampson's philosophy because he believes his coach is always ''looking out for your best interest.''

''He'll always do what he feels like is right for the team,'' Brooks said. ''And we all have that in our hearts in the first place and we just want to help the team succeed in any way possible.''

Davis recalled Sampson's honesty during a recruiting trip and said he found it refreshing.

''On my visit we were sitting in the practice facility and he said: `I'm just going to let you know right now that you're walking into a guard-heavy situation so you're going to have to earn every minute you play,''' Davis said. ''And I looked at him and it took me aback, but that's the moment where I was like: `OK this is where I need to be.'''

Just as Sampson has seen Kellen and Lauren grow into adults working on his staff, he has seen his basketball family grow and mature throughout the season.

''They went from hoping they could win, to thinking they could win, to knowing they could win,'' Sampson said.

The Cougars say they are far from done. They have their eyes on not only matching Phi Slama Jama's success, but exceeding those teams by finally bringing a national championship to their sparkling new facilities in the shadow of downtown Houston.

''We're not satisfied with where we are,'' Brooks said. ''We're still hungry. We've still got a lot more to prove and we're going to keep playing with that chip on our shoulder.''

 

[Cnotes53]

Kansas, T-Tech meet in crucial tilt
February 22, 2019
By The Associated Press

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) Kansas has spent the better part of the past 15 years presiding over the Big 12.

Whether that streak continues could come down to 48 hours.

The No. 12 Jayhawks and No. 14 Texas Tech are each a game behind Kansas State heading into a showdown Saturday in Lubbock, Texas. Should they win what essentially amounts to an elimination game in the conference race, Kansas welcomes the No. 23 Wildcats to Allen Fieldhouse on Monday night.

''The key to having success is you worry about Saturday,'' Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. ''You don't even think about Monday. You worry about Saturday and after Saturday is complete, regardless of the outcome, then you've got to totally retool them. We won't get back here until probably 2 in the morning, and then you have a 30-minute prep day for K-State the next day. We'll start worrying about that whenever the horn sounds in Lubbock but not until then.''

For good reason: Winning in Lubbock is anything but a sure thing.

The Jayhawks (20-6, 9-4) trounced the Red Raiders (21-5, 9-4) a couple weeks ago, building a 20-point halftime cushion before cruising to a 79-63 victory.

But that game was played in the Phog, where Kansas has yet to lose this season, and both teams are looking and playing much differently these days.

The Red Raiders have bludgeoned four straight opponents while the Jayhawks are without Lagerald Vick, who remains on a leave of absence - the senior guard had 13 points in that first meeting.

''I just remember we didn't come out ready to play,'' Texas Tech guard Matt Mooney said, ''and it was kind of embarrassing. We definitely have that in the back of our minds going into this game.''

There are other high-profile games Saturday, including an ACC showdown between Florida State and North Carolina and a crucial SEC game between Tennessee and LSU. But none of those four teams is trying to continue the longest conference championship streak in NCAA history, which ups the ante not only on the Jayhawks but the other teams still in Big 12 title contention.

Oklahoma State was the last team to win the league in 2004, though Kansas has shared the title a few times. But even that hasn't occurred since 2013, when Kansas State matched the Jayhawks and the four freshmen currently in Self's starting lineup were in middle school.

That wasn't supposed to be the case, of course. The Jayhawks were supposed to have Vick in the starting lineup along with 7-footer Udoka Azubuike. But Vick's absence combined with a season-ending injury to Azubuike has forced Self to adjust his entire team on the fly.

Gone are the twin-big sets and inside-outside actions.

In their place? Four guards, an up-and-down pace and a whole lot of 3-pointers.

''I sound like his agent,'' Texas Tech coach Chris Beard said, ''but Coach Self has done a great job of coaching this team. He's basically changed the way they play. They've had roster changes with injury and a leave of absence and he's, like, turned them into almost a different team.''

Some believe this may be Self's greatest coaching performance, even though the ceiling for a rejiggered team that was the nation's preseason No. 1 might be merely be another conference title.

''They're really good,'' Beard countered. ''They have seven or eight players that are really good, and they have a Hall of Fame coach that has set them up.''

As effusive as Beard was in praising Self, his counterpart lavished the Texas Tech boss with just as much acclaim. Self marveled at the development of the Red Raiders' Jarrett Culver, one of the league's best players, and the way Beard has gotten Texas Tech to play defense.

Since losing at Kansas, the Red Raiders have beaten West Virginia, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Baylor by an average of 24 points. None of those opponents scored more than 61 points.

''It's a huge game for both teams,'' Self said. ''It doesn't necessarily put an exclamation point on where your season will finish based on the outcome, but it would certainly benefit the one greatly and put them in position to maybe play for something. It is certainly a huge game. ... It's going to be fun.''

 

[Cnotes53]

Boeheim to coach Syracuse vs Duke
February 22, 2019
By The Associated Press

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) Jim Boeheim has faced his share of obstacles in his long career at Syracuse, none like the one the Hall of Fame coach faces now.

When top-ranked Duke comes to town on Saturday evening for a much-anticipated rematch against the Orange, Boeheim will be dealing with many emotions. It's the team's first game since he struck and killed a pedestrian on a dark highway after guiding the Orange to a victory over No. 18 Louisville on Wednesday night.

Doubts about whether Boeheim might miss the game were dispelled Friday when Syracuse athletic director John Wildhack announced that the 74-year-old Boeheim would be on the sideline.

''Our community is shaken. The Boeheim family is heartbroken over what happened, as we all are. This is a very difficult time,'' Wildhack said in a news release. ''I know that Coach Boeheim's players gain strength from him, just as he gains strength from his players. Our entire community gains strength from each other.''

The accident happened on a dark stretch of Interstate 690 in Syracuse . Police say 51-year-old Jorge Jimenez was a passenger in a car that apparently skidded out of control on a patch of ice and hit a guardrail. Police say Jimenez was trying to get to safety when he was struck by Boeheim's SUV. Boeheim had swerved to avoid the disabled car, which was resting perpendicular across two lanes.

Jimenez was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Another man in the car suffered minor injuries.

Police said Boeheim has been cooperating and used the light on his cellphone to warn other drivers of the disabled car after the accident.

Sobriety tests administered to Boeheim and the unidentified driver of the other vehicle were negative for any signs of impairment, according to authorities.

No tickets have been issued and the investigation is continuing. Police Chief Kenton T. Buckner said Thursday evening at a news conference there was ''no reason to believe that there are criminal charges that will be coming for anyone.''

Boeheim addressed the team on Thursday but did not take part in practice.

''He's just very down,'' family friend Adam Weitsman said Friday. ''He's taking it really hard.''

Boeheim has been head coach at Syracuse, his alma mater, since 1976 and is one of the most accomplished coaches in the country. He ranks second all-time in wins in Division I with 944, behind only Duke's Mike Krzyzewski.

In the past three decades, Boeheim has dealt with prostate cancer, the death of his best friend to esophageal cancer, two NCAA investigations and a scandal involving former assistant coach Bernie Fine, who was accused of molesting two ball boys but never charged.

As for Saturday's game, Syracuse (18-8, 9-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) will likely break the all-time attendance record for an on-campus men's basketball game - the Orange attracted 34,446 twice against Duke in the Carrier Dome.

Because of the accident, ESPN decided not to bring its ''College GameDay'' show to the Carrier Dome as planned, and freshman forward Zion Williamson of Duke (23-3, 11-2) is listed as day to day as he recovers from a knee sprain that occurred when his shoe ripped apart earlier in the week.

Williamson, a top contender for national player of the year, was hurt on the first possession of the Blue Devils' loss at home on Wednesday night to No. 8 North Carolina. Williamson grabbed the knee in pain after slipping awkwardly and falling when his left Nike shoe tore apart as he planted hard while dribbling near the free throw line.

According to the school, Williamson is progressing as expected. If he doesn't play, Duke will miss his average totals of 21.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, as well as his imposing presence on defense. The Blue Devils, who lost at home to Syracuse in overtime last month without stars Cameron Reddish and Tre Jones, are getting ready for any scenario.

''Obviously, he's a big part of our team, but we can't let his absence kind of deflate us,'' junior forward Jack White said. ''Guys have to step up and guys have to know that each one of us has confidence in one another.

''It's nothing you can really prepare for. It's just one of those things and how the game goes. I just hope that we can get him back out on the court as soon as possible and get him healthy.''