Sunday Service Plays 3/2
- Thread starter Dr. Maddog
- Start date
Deano's Free B
Deano's Free B
Josh Dean
3/2/08
HUGE WINNING WEEK- Hitting 4 in row Golden Pick puts us at 4-0 for my Golden Pick Nights! Congrats thus far hitting 5 out of last 6 days of top plays. Lets try to finish this week out on top.
Record: 88-67 OA-- -- >40-34-2 NBA<
Top Picks: 35-19-2
10* Clemson +1.5
I'm telling you hurry and jump on this before it goes in Maryland?s favor..... Clemson will win this game tonight after their embarrassment last time these two met. Clemson is just too good for this line fellas take them comfortably
---------------------------
5* Pacers -5
FREE B: UCLA/ARIZONA- OVER
Deano's Free B
Josh Dean
3/2/08
HUGE WINNING WEEK- Hitting 4 in row Golden Pick puts us at 4-0 for my Golden Pick Nights! Congrats thus far hitting 5 out of last 6 days of top plays. Lets try to finish this week out on top.
Record: 88-67 OA-- -- >40-34-2 NBA<
Top Picks: 35-19-2
10* Clemson +1.5
I'm telling you hurry and jump on this before it goes in Maryland?s favor..... Clemson will win this game tonight after their embarrassment last time these two met. Clemson is just too good for this line fellas take them comfortably
---------------------------
5* Pacers -5
FREE B: UCLA/ARIZONA- OVER
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THE SPORTS REPORTER
NBA
SUNDAY, MARCH 2
BEST BET
*CLEVELAND over CHICAGO by 12
The first game of today?s ABC doubleheader features recent trading partners, and the
awkwardness of former teammates facing each other for the first time. Chicago has suffered a tremendous fall from grace ? making the playoffs the previous three seasons and
demonstrating much potential with their youth-laden roster ? but the bungling of GM
John Paxson over the years has left the team in shambles. In contrast, the Cavaliers have
suddenly become a force to be reckoned with, acquiring most of the best players in their
11-player three-team trade, and suddenly sporting a roster that looks ready to make an
impact in the playoffs. Additionally, LeBron James? development into the best basketball
player in the NBA cannot be ignored. James and his team will be looking to today?s
national audience to throw down the gauntlet to the rest of the Association, and the
results will reflect that determination.
CLEVELAND 96-84
RECOMMENDED
*L.A. LAKERS over DALLAS by 8
Nominally, the addition of Jason Kidd was to help the Mavericks compete with the big
dogs in the West ? teams like the Lakers and Spurs. Unfortunately for the Mavs, the
Lakers made a giant trade of their own ? and one that makes much more sense for their
existing team structure than the one that Dallas made. Pau Gasol fits the triangle offense
like a glove, while his deferring personality makes him a great complement to Kobe
Bryant. Just who exactly is Jason Kidd going to run with on this slow Dallas team
L.A. LAKERS 96-88
*BOSTON over ATLANTA by 7
MILWAUKEE over *INDIANA by 9
SAN ANTONIO over *NEW JERSEY by 11
What would have happened had the Spurs signed Jason Kidd after the 2003 season? Would
the Spurs have been able to win the championship in 2005 and 2007 without Tony Parker?
It?s something we?ll never know, but the Spurs certainly don?t regret passing on Kidd in hindsight.
Now they get the chance to take apart a former foe in their rebuilding phase.
SAN ANTONIO 95-84
NEW ORLEANS over *WASHINGTON by 8
The relevant facts: New Orleans is 11-4 against the East, including a 3-1 mark against
Atlantic Division foes, while the Wizards are 9-12 against the West, including a 3-4 mark
against the Southwest. Also, with Caron Butler?s lingering hip injury dragging on and Gilbert
Arenas no lock to return ? it?s a strong possibility that the Wizards will have zero relevance
by the end of the season.
NEW ORLEANS 96-88
TORONTO over *CHARLOTTE by 5
*MINNESOTA over SEATTLE by 7
Al Jefferson should have his way against Seattle?s soft interior defense as Kevin Durant?s less
dependable lower-percentage playmaking gives the distinct advantage to Minnesota.
MINNESOTA 91-84
*HOUSTON over DENVER by 6
One of the benefits to Rick Adelman?s offensive system has been Houston?s ability to keep up
with the fastest teams in the league ? a trait that was sorely lacking during Jeff Van Gundy?s
tenure in Houston. Houston had one of the best months a team can have in February, and will
look to keep that momentum going into March by taking down a Nuggets team they lost to
by one point in their last dance.
HOUSTON 114-108
*GOLDEN STATE over PORTLAND by 9
*SACRAMENTO over MIAMI by 8
THE SPORTS REPORTER
SUNDAY, MARCH 2
*CINCINNATI over PROVIDENCE by 7
Sand is running out of the hourglass for Tim Welsh as Providence. With a bad finger, F Randall
Hanke was largely ineffective against West Virginia, while G Dwain Williams was inactive for the
second straight game. G Jeff Xavier gutted it out with a bad foot and netted 15 points, or it would
have been worse.
CINCINNATI 68-61
*TENNESSEE over KENTUCKY by 15
Impossible call, until we see what happened to Vols in their hangover game against sizzling
Vandy in Nashville, Tuesday night.
TENNESSEE 91-76
NOTRE DAME over *DEPAUL by 6
*MICHIGAN STATE over INDIANA by 7
Meet Hoosiers? interim HC, Dan Dakich. A Bob Knight guy, his history at West Virginia (got out in
time, before Beilein went in to clean it up) and Bowling Green (fired, alas) was instructive. Any
number of plausible name candidates exist, though picture remains murky, and will, for a while.
Meanwhile,
MICHIGAN STATE 74-67
*LSU over GEORGIA by 5
Post-Brady era progress continues, in Baton Rouge.
LSU 74-69
*NC CHARLOTTE over DUQUESNE by 1
Dukes have come a long way, but they?ve clearly plateaued, and next forward steps won?t be so
easy, as they?ve earned a measure of respect.
NC CHARLOTTE 72-71
*ARIZONA over UCLA by 1
Cats owe Bruins plenty for humiliating loss in Pauley.Waiting to see just how much Zona might
need this.
ARIZONA 72-71
*LOUISVILLE over VILLANOVA by 12
Unless Scottie Reynolds manages to break down Ricky?s zone, good night.
LOUISVILLE 82-70
*ST. JOSEPHS over TEMPLE by 6
BEST BET
*MARYLAND over CLEMSON by 11
Not that Terps are bereft of quality wins, but if they pick this one up in impressive fashion ?
even it home ? it essentially retires any tangible chance Gary Williams will be given any tangible
trouble by The Committee. Even without a Top 25 win, hard to believe Clem faces any
scent of difficulty, either. Critical ACC mass in Dance is thus assured.
MARYLAND 84-73
OREGON over *OREGON STATE by 9
Only because their winless conference status makes it an especial blood game for The Beavs.
Ernie Kent vulnerable in spots, such as this.
OREGON 82-73
NBA
SUNDAY, MARCH 2
BEST BET
*CLEVELAND over CHICAGO by 12
The first game of today?s ABC doubleheader features recent trading partners, and the
awkwardness of former teammates facing each other for the first time. Chicago has suffered a tremendous fall from grace ? making the playoffs the previous three seasons and
demonstrating much potential with their youth-laden roster ? but the bungling of GM
John Paxson over the years has left the team in shambles. In contrast, the Cavaliers have
suddenly become a force to be reckoned with, acquiring most of the best players in their
11-player three-team trade, and suddenly sporting a roster that looks ready to make an
impact in the playoffs. Additionally, LeBron James? development into the best basketball
player in the NBA cannot be ignored. James and his team will be looking to today?s
national audience to throw down the gauntlet to the rest of the Association, and the
results will reflect that determination.
CLEVELAND 96-84
RECOMMENDED
*L.A. LAKERS over DALLAS by 8
Nominally, the addition of Jason Kidd was to help the Mavericks compete with the big
dogs in the West ? teams like the Lakers and Spurs. Unfortunately for the Mavs, the
Lakers made a giant trade of their own ? and one that makes much more sense for their
existing team structure than the one that Dallas made. Pau Gasol fits the triangle offense
like a glove, while his deferring personality makes him a great complement to Kobe
Bryant. Just who exactly is Jason Kidd going to run with on this slow Dallas team
L.A. LAKERS 96-88
*BOSTON over ATLANTA by 7
MILWAUKEE over *INDIANA by 9
SAN ANTONIO over *NEW JERSEY by 11
What would have happened had the Spurs signed Jason Kidd after the 2003 season? Would
the Spurs have been able to win the championship in 2005 and 2007 without Tony Parker?
It?s something we?ll never know, but the Spurs certainly don?t regret passing on Kidd in hindsight.
Now they get the chance to take apart a former foe in their rebuilding phase.
SAN ANTONIO 95-84
NEW ORLEANS over *WASHINGTON by 8
The relevant facts: New Orleans is 11-4 against the East, including a 3-1 mark against
Atlantic Division foes, while the Wizards are 9-12 against the West, including a 3-4 mark
against the Southwest. Also, with Caron Butler?s lingering hip injury dragging on and Gilbert
Arenas no lock to return ? it?s a strong possibility that the Wizards will have zero relevance
by the end of the season.
NEW ORLEANS 96-88
TORONTO over *CHARLOTTE by 5
*MINNESOTA over SEATTLE by 7
Al Jefferson should have his way against Seattle?s soft interior defense as Kevin Durant?s less
dependable lower-percentage playmaking gives the distinct advantage to Minnesota.
MINNESOTA 91-84
*HOUSTON over DENVER by 6
One of the benefits to Rick Adelman?s offensive system has been Houston?s ability to keep up
with the fastest teams in the league ? a trait that was sorely lacking during Jeff Van Gundy?s
tenure in Houston. Houston had one of the best months a team can have in February, and will
look to keep that momentum going into March by taking down a Nuggets team they lost to
by one point in their last dance.
HOUSTON 114-108
*GOLDEN STATE over PORTLAND by 9
*SACRAMENTO over MIAMI by 8
THE SPORTS REPORTER
SUNDAY, MARCH 2
*CINCINNATI over PROVIDENCE by 7
Sand is running out of the hourglass for Tim Welsh as Providence. With a bad finger, F Randall
Hanke was largely ineffective against West Virginia, while G Dwain Williams was inactive for the
second straight game. G Jeff Xavier gutted it out with a bad foot and netted 15 points, or it would
have been worse.
CINCINNATI 68-61
*TENNESSEE over KENTUCKY by 15
Impossible call, until we see what happened to Vols in their hangover game against sizzling
Vandy in Nashville, Tuesday night.
TENNESSEE 91-76
NOTRE DAME over *DEPAUL by 6
*MICHIGAN STATE over INDIANA by 7
Meet Hoosiers? interim HC, Dan Dakich. A Bob Knight guy, his history at West Virginia (got out in
time, before Beilein went in to clean it up) and Bowling Green (fired, alas) was instructive. Any
number of plausible name candidates exist, though picture remains murky, and will, for a while.
Meanwhile,
MICHIGAN STATE 74-67
*LSU over GEORGIA by 5
Post-Brady era progress continues, in Baton Rouge.
LSU 74-69
*NC CHARLOTTE over DUQUESNE by 1
Dukes have come a long way, but they?ve clearly plateaued, and next forward steps won?t be so
easy, as they?ve earned a measure of respect.
NC CHARLOTTE 72-71
*ARIZONA over UCLA by 1
Cats owe Bruins plenty for humiliating loss in Pauley.Waiting to see just how much Zona might
need this.
ARIZONA 72-71
*LOUISVILLE over VILLANOVA by 12
Unless Scottie Reynolds manages to break down Ricky?s zone, good night.
LOUISVILLE 82-70
*ST. JOSEPHS over TEMPLE by 6
BEST BET
*MARYLAND over CLEMSON by 11
Not that Terps are bereft of quality wins, but if they pick this one up in impressive fashion ?
even it home ? it essentially retires any tangible chance Gary Williams will be given any tangible
trouble by The Committee. Even without a Top 25 win, hard to believe Clem faces any
scent of difficulty, either. Critical ACC mass in Dance is thus assured.
MARYLAND 84-73
OREGON over *OREGON STATE by 9
Only because their winless conference status makes it an especial blood game for The Beavs.
Ernie Kent vulnerable in spots, such as this.
OREGON 82-73
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WINNING POINTS
SUNDAY
***BEST BET
*Los Angeles Lakers over Dallas 13
The Mavericks haven?t shown they can consistently win on the road this season. They
have dropped 16 of their first 28 away contests. Jason Kidd is shooting a career-low 36
percent from the field. Pau Gasol has made the Lakers a viable contender for the NBA
championship and Kobe Bryant continues to put up remarkable numbers. The Lakers
were on a 12-1 ATS run through Feb. 23 getting a number of contributions from
unlikely sources.
LA LAKERS 107-94
***BEST BET
*New Jersey over San Antonio by 3
The Nets have better chemistry without Jason Kidd. Vince Carter and Richard
Jefferson have vowed to play better since Kidd left and so far have demonstrated it.
New Jersey?s youngsters have picked up their play, too. Devin Harris should be contributing
by now also. The Spurs are playing for the third time in four nights. This is
their second game in 48 hours.
SUNDAY
***BEST BET
*Los Angeles Lakers over Dallas 13
The Mavericks haven?t shown they can consistently win on the road this season. They
have dropped 16 of their first 28 away contests. Jason Kidd is shooting a career-low 36
percent from the field. Pau Gasol has made the Lakers a viable contender for the NBA
championship and Kobe Bryant continues to put up remarkable numbers. The Lakers
were on a 12-1 ATS run through Feb. 23 getting a number of contributions from
unlikely sources.
LA LAKERS 107-94
***BEST BET
*New Jersey over San Antonio by 3
The Nets have better chemistry without Jason Kidd. Vince Carter and Richard
Jefferson have vowed to play better since Kidd left and so far have demonstrated it.
New Jersey?s youngsters have picked up their play, too. Devin Harris should be contributing
by now also. The Spurs are playing for the third time in four nights. This is
their second game in 48 hours.
THE SPORTS ADVISORS
NBA
Dallas (39-20, 24-31-4 ATS) at L.A. Lakers (41-18, 37-20-1 ATS)
The Mavericks get their first crack at the Lakers since L.A. acquired Pau Gasol as these clubs battle in a key Western Conference showdown at Staples Center.
Dallas comes in having won four of its last five (3-1-1 ATS), including Saturday?s 115-106 home victory over the Kings, pushing as a nine-point chalk. However, Avery Johnson?s squad is just 3-7 in its last 10 road games (4-6 ATS).
The Lakers had their 10-game winning streak halted in stunning fashion Friday night, losing 119-111 in Portland as a six-point road chalk. Despite the defeat, Los Angeles is still 14-3 SU and ATS in its last 17 contests, including 4-0 at home (3-1 ATS).
In the first meeting between these teams this season, the Mavericks prevailed 112-105, pushing as a seven-point home chalk. Dallas has taken the last three meetings, going 2-0-1 ATS, which comes on the heels of L.A.?s 7-1 ATS roll in the rivalry. The Lakers have been underdogs in each of the last 11 head-to-head clashes, and they?re 4-1 ATS in the last five battles on their own floor.
For the season, the Lakers are 20-7 on their home floor (16-10 ATS), while the Mavs are a sub-.500 road team at 14-17 (13-18 ATS).
Dallas is stuck in ATS ruts of 3-8 on Sunday, 5-14-3 against the Pacific Division and 3-10-1 after a SU win. Conversely, Los Angeles is on pointspread streaks of 8-1 after an outright loss, 4-0-1 after a non-cover and 8-1 when playing on one day of rest.
Los Angeles topped the total in Friday?s shootout at Portland, ending a 4-0 ?under? streak. Still the under is 7-2 in its last nine home game. Also, the under is on streaks of 15-7 for Dallas on the road, 16-5-1 for Dallas on Sunday, 6-0 for the Lakers on Sunday and 2-0 in the last two Mavs-Lakers battles at Staples Center.
ATS ADVANTAGE: L.A. LAKERS and UNDER
Denver (35-23, 29-29 ATS) at Houston (38-20, 33-24-1 ATS)
The Rockets put the NBA?s longest winning streak of the season on the line tonight at the Toyota Center, as they host Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony and the Nuggets in a critical game for two teams looking to climb up the Western Conference playoff standings.
Houston has hardly missed a beat since learning the terrible news in the middle of last week that All-Star center Yao Ming (injury) was lost for the season, as the Rockets came out and crushed the Wizards and Grizzlies by 25 and 21 points, respectively. Houston is riding a 14-game winning streak, going 12-2 ATS along the way, including 6-0 ATS in the last six.
The Rockets have registered five straight double-digit blowout wins, four of which have come at home. During this five-game stretch, they?ve averaged 106.2 points per game (50.5 percent shooting) and given up 88.2 ppg (40.6 percent).
The Nuggets have rebounded from a three-game losing skid with back-to-back wins over the Sonics (138-96 on the road) and Clippers (110-104 at home). However, in Friday?s win over Los Angeles, Denver never came close to covering as a 14-point chalk, falling to 2-6 ATS in its last eight, though it was favored in seven of those contests.
Each team has protected its home floor in the first two meetings this season, with Houston winning 109-81 on Nov. 24 and the Nuggets eking out a 112-111 overtime win on Dec. 20. However, the Rockets cashed in both games, and they?re 6-1 ATS in the last seven matchups (5-2 SU). Finally, prior to this year, the visitor had won four straight in this series both SU and ATS.
During its winning streak, Houston has won nine straight home games, going 8-1 ATS. That?s boosted the Rockets? season home record to 20-9 SU and 16-12-1 ATS. Tonight, they face a Nuggets squad that?s just 12-16 SU and ATS away from the Mile High City. George Karl?s club has followed up a four-game road winning streak (3-1 ATS) by going 1-3 SU and ATS in its last four on the highway.
This game pits one of the NBA?s highest-scoring teams (Denver averages 107.6 points per game) against one of the league?s top defensive squads (Houston gives up just 92.2 ppg). That said, the winner has scored at least 108 points in each of the last four meetings between these squads.
For Houston, the under is on streaks of 8-4 overall, 5-1 on Sunday, 4-0 against the Northwest Division and 3-1 when battling the Nuggets inside the Toyota Center. However, the over is 3-1 in the Rockets? last four at home overall, while Denver has topped the total in two straight games, five of the last six and 10 of the last 13, going 5-2 ?over? in its last seven on the road.
ATS ADVANTAGE: HOUSTON
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Kentucky (16-10, 11-11-1 ATS) at (1) Tennessee (25-3, 14-10 ATS)
The top-ranked Volunteers, certain to be knocked from their throne when the latest polls are unveiled on Monday, look to rebound from a tough loss at Vanderbilt when they host Kentucky, which handed Tennessee its first SEC loss of the season.
Two days after upsetting then-No. 1 and previously undefeated Memphis 66-62 as a 6?-point road underdog to achieve its first No. 1 ranking in school history, Tennessee faced another instate rival in Vanderbilt, but fell short 72-69 as a two-point road chalk. The defeat snapped the Vols? nine-game winning streak (7-2 ATS) and dropped them to 11-2 in the SEC (8-5 ATS), still the best record in the conference.
Kentucky comes into this game having won four in a row and nine of its last 10, all in league action. The 9-1 SU run started with a 72-66 upset of Tennessee as a 5?-point underdog on Jan. 22, with the Wildcats most recently beating Ole Miss 58-54 on Tuesday. In that contest, Kentucky nearly blew a 22-point second-half lead and came up just short as a 4?-point home chalk.
The Wildcats have alternated spread-covers in their last six games, but are still 9-4 ATS in league play (10-3 SU). They?ve also cashed in six straight games after a non-cover.
Kentucky snapped Tennessee?s 11-game overall winning streak back in late January, improving to 8-2 SU in the last 10 series meetings (6-4 ATS).
The Wildcats are just 3-6 on the highway (4-5 ATS), though they have won and covered three of their last four SEC road contests. Meanwhile, Tennessee is 14-0 SU and 8-2 ATS on its home floor, cashing in five straight conference contests in Knoxville. Also, Bruce Pearl?s squad is 6-2-1 ATS in its last nine Sunday affairs.
The under is on current streaks of 9-4 for Tennessee and 7-1 for Kentucky (4-0 last four). However, the over is 4-0 in the Vols? last four home games (all against the SEC). Also, even though the total has alternated in the last eight series meetings ? with this year?s battle in Kentucky staying under the posted price ? the over is 3-0 in the last three clashes in Knoxville.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE
(12) Indiana (24-4, 12-12-1 ATS) at (19) Michigan State (22-6, 9-13-2 ATS)
The day?s only matchup of Top 25 teams comes from East Lansing, Mich., where the struggling Spartans look to get it going with a win over streaking Indiana.
Michigan State is coming off Thursday?s 57-42 loss at Wisconsin as a six-point underdog. The Spartans (10-5, 4-11 ATS in the Big Ten) have followed up a five-game winning streak by losing four of their last seven. Also, Tom Izzo?s squad has been burning money for more than two months, going 4-12 ATS in its last 12.
The Hoosiers have won seven of their last eight, including the last four in row following Tuesday?s 72-69 home win over Ohio State. Indiana (13-2, 7-8-1 ATS in the Big Ten) has posted consecutive three-point wins since former coach Kelvin Sampson was dismissed, but failed to cover in both games, falling to 3-6 ATS in its last nine.
This rivalry has belonged to the home team in recent years, as the host is 10-1 SU and ATS in the last 11 meetings. That includes Indiana?s 80-61 blowout victory as a four-point home chalk on Feb. 16. However, MSU is 5-0 ATS in the past five battles in East Lansing, and the SU winner has covered the pointspread in each of the last 11 head-to-head clashes.
The Hoosiers have been road warriors all season, going 8-2 in road/neutral-site venues (6-4 ATS). Today they face a Michigan State squad that?s 17-0 at home, but only 5-8 ATS. In fact, the Spartans have failed to cash in seven of their last nine in East Lansing. On the bright side for Michigan State, it is 3-0 ATS as a favorite of seven points or less this season
The over is 6-1-1 in the last eight Indiana-Michigan State tussles, with last month?s meeting hurdling the posted price. Furthermore, the over is on runs of 7-1 for Indiana (5-0 last five), 7-4 for Michigan State overall and 9-4 for Michigan State at home.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
(4) UCLA (25-3, 17-8-2 ATS) at Arizona (17-11, 13-12-1 ATS)
UCLA can move a step closer to wrapping up its third straight Pac-10 regular-season title with a victory over struggling Arizona, a team the Bruins have dominated recently.
UCLA heads south to Tucson, Ariz., after Thursday?s 70-49 destruction of Arizona State as a 6?-point road favorite. The Bruins, who have won four in a row (3-1 ATS) and nine of 10 (8-2 ATS), sit atop the conference standings at 13-2 (11-4 ATS).
Arizona got dumped 70-58 by USC on Thursday, failing as a 5?-point home chalk. The Wildcats (7-8 SU and ATS in the Pac-10) have followed up a four-game winning streak by losing five of their last seven both SU and ATS to put themselves squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble. The winner has cashed in each of Arizona?s last 11 contests, including each of the last six at home.
The Bruins destroyed Arizona 82-60 as a nine-point home favorite on Feb. 2, their sixth straight win in this series (5-1 ATS). Two of those wins and covers have come in Tucson, including last year?s 81-66 rout as a one-point road underdog. Going back further, UCLA has cashed in six of its last seven visits to Tucson.
UCLA has been virtually unstoppable on the road the last two years, going 25-7 SU (including NCAA Tournament games). This year, Ben Howland?s squad is 11-1 SU and 9-2-1 ATS as a visitor, and going back several years, the Bruins are on a 35-16-1 ATS tear on the road.
Conversely, Arizona is 11-5 SU at home this year, but 8-17 ATS in its last 25 at the McKale Center.
The over is 6-1 in the last seven head-to-head meetings in Arizona and 6-2 in the ?Cats last eight at home. However, the under is 4-1 in UCLA?s last five overall.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UCLA
Villanova (17-10, 9-15 ATS) at (13) Louisville (23-6, 15-11-1 ATS)
In need of a signature win to enhance its NCAA Tournament resume, Villanova invades Freedom Hall looking to become the first team to defeat Louisville in more than a month.
The Wildcats had three-game SU and four-game ATS winning streaks snapped in their most recent game Monday, falling 85-75 to Marquette as a 1?-point home underdog. A Top 25 team not long ago, Villanova is just 7-8 in the Big East (5-10 ATS).
Louisville has soared up the Big East standings, courtesy of an eight-game winning streak, all in league play. That includes Thursday?s 90-85 home win over Notre Dame. However, the Cardinals misfired as a 7?-point home favorite against the Irish, ending a seven-game ATS tear.
These teams have met three times in the last two years, with Villanova coming away victorious every time. However, the Cardinals got the cash in the last two, including barely covering as a five-point road underdog in ?Nova?s 57-53 victory last year.
Louisville opened Big East play with a one-point home loss to Cincinnati on Jan. 5. Since then, the Cardinals have won seven straight home games (all in conference), going 5-2 ATS. Also, the team is on ATS streaks of 4-0 on Sundays and 22-6-2 against Big East foes.
?Nova has lost six of its last eight road games (3-5 ATS), all in conference action. Also, the Wildcats are mired in ATS funks of 1-5 on Sunday, 2-10 following a non-cover and 0-7 off a double-digit home loss.
Villanova had a six-game ?under? streak end when Monday?s contest against Marquette easily hurdled the posted total. Still, the under is 15-6 in the Wildcats? last 17 overall, as well as 10-4 in Louisville?s last 14 at home. Conversely, the over is 4-1 in Louisville?s last five overall.
ATS ADVANTAGE: LOUISVILLE
NBA
Dallas (39-20, 24-31-4 ATS) at L.A. Lakers (41-18, 37-20-1 ATS)
The Mavericks get their first crack at the Lakers since L.A. acquired Pau Gasol as these clubs battle in a key Western Conference showdown at Staples Center.
Dallas comes in having won four of its last five (3-1-1 ATS), including Saturday?s 115-106 home victory over the Kings, pushing as a nine-point chalk. However, Avery Johnson?s squad is just 3-7 in its last 10 road games (4-6 ATS).
The Lakers had their 10-game winning streak halted in stunning fashion Friday night, losing 119-111 in Portland as a six-point road chalk. Despite the defeat, Los Angeles is still 14-3 SU and ATS in its last 17 contests, including 4-0 at home (3-1 ATS).
In the first meeting between these teams this season, the Mavericks prevailed 112-105, pushing as a seven-point home chalk. Dallas has taken the last three meetings, going 2-0-1 ATS, which comes on the heels of L.A.?s 7-1 ATS roll in the rivalry. The Lakers have been underdogs in each of the last 11 head-to-head clashes, and they?re 4-1 ATS in the last five battles on their own floor.
For the season, the Lakers are 20-7 on their home floor (16-10 ATS), while the Mavs are a sub-.500 road team at 14-17 (13-18 ATS).
Dallas is stuck in ATS ruts of 3-8 on Sunday, 5-14-3 against the Pacific Division and 3-10-1 after a SU win. Conversely, Los Angeles is on pointspread streaks of 8-1 after an outright loss, 4-0-1 after a non-cover and 8-1 when playing on one day of rest.
Los Angeles topped the total in Friday?s shootout at Portland, ending a 4-0 ?under? streak. Still the under is 7-2 in its last nine home game. Also, the under is on streaks of 15-7 for Dallas on the road, 16-5-1 for Dallas on Sunday, 6-0 for the Lakers on Sunday and 2-0 in the last two Mavs-Lakers battles at Staples Center.
ATS ADVANTAGE: L.A. LAKERS and UNDER
Denver (35-23, 29-29 ATS) at Houston (38-20, 33-24-1 ATS)
The Rockets put the NBA?s longest winning streak of the season on the line tonight at the Toyota Center, as they host Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony and the Nuggets in a critical game for two teams looking to climb up the Western Conference playoff standings.
Houston has hardly missed a beat since learning the terrible news in the middle of last week that All-Star center Yao Ming (injury) was lost for the season, as the Rockets came out and crushed the Wizards and Grizzlies by 25 and 21 points, respectively. Houston is riding a 14-game winning streak, going 12-2 ATS along the way, including 6-0 ATS in the last six.
The Rockets have registered five straight double-digit blowout wins, four of which have come at home. During this five-game stretch, they?ve averaged 106.2 points per game (50.5 percent shooting) and given up 88.2 ppg (40.6 percent).
The Nuggets have rebounded from a three-game losing skid with back-to-back wins over the Sonics (138-96 on the road) and Clippers (110-104 at home). However, in Friday?s win over Los Angeles, Denver never came close to covering as a 14-point chalk, falling to 2-6 ATS in its last eight, though it was favored in seven of those contests.
Each team has protected its home floor in the first two meetings this season, with Houston winning 109-81 on Nov. 24 and the Nuggets eking out a 112-111 overtime win on Dec. 20. However, the Rockets cashed in both games, and they?re 6-1 ATS in the last seven matchups (5-2 SU). Finally, prior to this year, the visitor had won four straight in this series both SU and ATS.
During its winning streak, Houston has won nine straight home games, going 8-1 ATS. That?s boosted the Rockets? season home record to 20-9 SU and 16-12-1 ATS. Tonight, they face a Nuggets squad that?s just 12-16 SU and ATS away from the Mile High City. George Karl?s club has followed up a four-game road winning streak (3-1 ATS) by going 1-3 SU and ATS in its last four on the highway.
This game pits one of the NBA?s highest-scoring teams (Denver averages 107.6 points per game) against one of the league?s top defensive squads (Houston gives up just 92.2 ppg). That said, the winner has scored at least 108 points in each of the last four meetings between these squads.
For Houston, the under is on streaks of 8-4 overall, 5-1 on Sunday, 4-0 against the Northwest Division and 3-1 when battling the Nuggets inside the Toyota Center. However, the over is 3-1 in the Rockets? last four at home overall, while Denver has topped the total in two straight games, five of the last six and 10 of the last 13, going 5-2 ?over? in its last seven on the road.
ATS ADVANTAGE: HOUSTON
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Kentucky (16-10, 11-11-1 ATS) at (1) Tennessee (25-3, 14-10 ATS)
The top-ranked Volunteers, certain to be knocked from their throne when the latest polls are unveiled on Monday, look to rebound from a tough loss at Vanderbilt when they host Kentucky, which handed Tennessee its first SEC loss of the season.
Two days after upsetting then-No. 1 and previously undefeated Memphis 66-62 as a 6?-point road underdog to achieve its first No. 1 ranking in school history, Tennessee faced another instate rival in Vanderbilt, but fell short 72-69 as a two-point road chalk. The defeat snapped the Vols? nine-game winning streak (7-2 ATS) and dropped them to 11-2 in the SEC (8-5 ATS), still the best record in the conference.
Kentucky comes into this game having won four in a row and nine of its last 10, all in league action. The 9-1 SU run started with a 72-66 upset of Tennessee as a 5?-point underdog on Jan. 22, with the Wildcats most recently beating Ole Miss 58-54 on Tuesday. In that contest, Kentucky nearly blew a 22-point second-half lead and came up just short as a 4?-point home chalk.
The Wildcats have alternated spread-covers in their last six games, but are still 9-4 ATS in league play (10-3 SU). They?ve also cashed in six straight games after a non-cover.
Kentucky snapped Tennessee?s 11-game overall winning streak back in late January, improving to 8-2 SU in the last 10 series meetings (6-4 ATS).
The Wildcats are just 3-6 on the highway (4-5 ATS), though they have won and covered three of their last four SEC road contests. Meanwhile, Tennessee is 14-0 SU and 8-2 ATS on its home floor, cashing in five straight conference contests in Knoxville. Also, Bruce Pearl?s squad is 6-2-1 ATS in its last nine Sunday affairs.
The under is on current streaks of 9-4 for Tennessee and 7-1 for Kentucky (4-0 last four). However, the over is 4-0 in the Vols? last four home games (all against the SEC). Also, even though the total has alternated in the last eight series meetings ? with this year?s battle in Kentucky staying under the posted price ? the over is 3-0 in the last three clashes in Knoxville.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE
(12) Indiana (24-4, 12-12-1 ATS) at (19) Michigan State (22-6, 9-13-2 ATS)
The day?s only matchup of Top 25 teams comes from East Lansing, Mich., where the struggling Spartans look to get it going with a win over streaking Indiana.
Michigan State is coming off Thursday?s 57-42 loss at Wisconsin as a six-point underdog. The Spartans (10-5, 4-11 ATS in the Big Ten) have followed up a five-game winning streak by losing four of their last seven. Also, Tom Izzo?s squad has been burning money for more than two months, going 4-12 ATS in its last 12.
The Hoosiers have won seven of their last eight, including the last four in row following Tuesday?s 72-69 home win over Ohio State. Indiana (13-2, 7-8-1 ATS in the Big Ten) has posted consecutive three-point wins since former coach Kelvin Sampson was dismissed, but failed to cover in both games, falling to 3-6 ATS in its last nine.
This rivalry has belonged to the home team in recent years, as the host is 10-1 SU and ATS in the last 11 meetings. That includes Indiana?s 80-61 blowout victory as a four-point home chalk on Feb. 16. However, MSU is 5-0 ATS in the past five battles in East Lansing, and the SU winner has covered the pointspread in each of the last 11 head-to-head clashes.
The Hoosiers have been road warriors all season, going 8-2 in road/neutral-site venues (6-4 ATS). Today they face a Michigan State squad that?s 17-0 at home, but only 5-8 ATS. In fact, the Spartans have failed to cash in seven of their last nine in East Lansing. On the bright side for Michigan State, it is 3-0 ATS as a favorite of seven points or less this season
The over is 6-1-1 in the last eight Indiana-Michigan State tussles, with last month?s meeting hurdling the posted price. Furthermore, the over is on runs of 7-1 for Indiana (5-0 last five), 7-4 for Michigan State overall and 9-4 for Michigan State at home.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
(4) UCLA (25-3, 17-8-2 ATS) at Arizona (17-11, 13-12-1 ATS)
UCLA can move a step closer to wrapping up its third straight Pac-10 regular-season title with a victory over struggling Arizona, a team the Bruins have dominated recently.
UCLA heads south to Tucson, Ariz., after Thursday?s 70-49 destruction of Arizona State as a 6?-point road favorite. The Bruins, who have won four in a row (3-1 ATS) and nine of 10 (8-2 ATS), sit atop the conference standings at 13-2 (11-4 ATS).
Arizona got dumped 70-58 by USC on Thursday, failing as a 5?-point home chalk. The Wildcats (7-8 SU and ATS in the Pac-10) have followed up a four-game winning streak by losing five of their last seven both SU and ATS to put themselves squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble. The winner has cashed in each of Arizona?s last 11 contests, including each of the last six at home.
The Bruins destroyed Arizona 82-60 as a nine-point home favorite on Feb. 2, their sixth straight win in this series (5-1 ATS). Two of those wins and covers have come in Tucson, including last year?s 81-66 rout as a one-point road underdog. Going back further, UCLA has cashed in six of its last seven visits to Tucson.
UCLA has been virtually unstoppable on the road the last two years, going 25-7 SU (including NCAA Tournament games). This year, Ben Howland?s squad is 11-1 SU and 9-2-1 ATS as a visitor, and going back several years, the Bruins are on a 35-16-1 ATS tear on the road.
Conversely, Arizona is 11-5 SU at home this year, but 8-17 ATS in its last 25 at the McKale Center.
The over is 6-1 in the last seven head-to-head meetings in Arizona and 6-2 in the ?Cats last eight at home. However, the under is 4-1 in UCLA?s last five overall.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UCLA
Villanova (17-10, 9-15 ATS) at (13) Louisville (23-6, 15-11-1 ATS)
In need of a signature win to enhance its NCAA Tournament resume, Villanova invades Freedom Hall looking to become the first team to defeat Louisville in more than a month.
The Wildcats had three-game SU and four-game ATS winning streaks snapped in their most recent game Monday, falling 85-75 to Marquette as a 1?-point home underdog. A Top 25 team not long ago, Villanova is just 7-8 in the Big East (5-10 ATS).
Louisville has soared up the Big East standings, courtesy of an eight-game winning streak, all in league play. That includes Thursday?s 90-85 home win over Notre Dame. However, the Cardinals misfired as a 7?-point home favorite against the Irish, ending a seven-game ATS tear.
These teams have met three times in the last two years, with Villanova coming away victorious every time. However, the Cardinals got the cash in the last two, including barely covering as a five-point road underdog in ?Nova?s 57-53 victory last year.
Louisville opened Big East play with a one-point home loss to Cincinnati on Jan. 5. Since then, the Cardinals have won seven straight home games (all in conference), going 5-2 ATS. Also, the team is on ATS streaks of 4-0 on Sundays and 22-6-2 against Big East foes.
?Nova has lost six of its last eight road games (3-5 ATS), all in conference action. Also, the Wildcats are mired in ATS funks of 1-5 on Sunday, 2-10 following a non-cover and 0-7 off a double-digit home loss.
Villanova had a six-game ?under? streak end when Monday?s contest against Marquette easily hurdled the posted total. Still, the under is 15-6 in the Wildcats? last 17 overall, as well as 10-4 in Louisville?s last 14 at home. Conversely, the over is 4-1 in Louisville?s last five overall.
ATS ADVANTAGE: LOUISVILLE
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Comps
Dallas (+5') at LAKERS Karl Garrett
The G-Man on a 55-39-2 comp play run.
Take the points today at the Staples Center, as Dallas is just not getting the resepct they deserve.
The Mavs have won 4 of their last 5 games straight up, and are on a 3-1-1 spread run along the way. Dallas has bested Los Angeles in 3 in a row, and 5 of their last 6. This will be the first time the Lakers have to face a Dallas team with Jason Kidd running the point, and the G-Man thinks Kidd will make the difference in this one.
The Lakers just had their 10-game winning streak snapped in a loss at Portland, and this price seems a little steep to me, especially when you consider that the underdog is on a nice 7-3-1 spread run the last 11 times these teams have faced each other.
I will take the points and expect a close one all the way in this battle of Western Conference heavyweights.
5♦ DALLAS
Dallas at L.A. LAKERS (-5') Bobby Maxwell
We've gone 10-5 with our last 15 FREE selections and today we've got a complimentary play coming on the Lakers as they host the Mavericks in a nationally-televised contest.
The Lakers had their 10-game winning streak snapped on Friday in Portland, but that might have been a blessing for this squad. Now they will refocus and be ready to go when the Mavericks arrive in Hollywood today.
We're going to lay the chalk with the Lakers in this one as the Mavericks have been absolutely horrible on the highway. Dallas is just 3-7 SU and 4-6 ATS in its last 10 on the highway and they are just 13-18 ATS on the highway thsi season.
Los Angeles is 20-7 inside the Staples Center and 16-10 ATS. The Lakers are also on ATS streaks of 8-1 after an outright loss, 4-0-1 after an ATS loss and 8-1 when they get a day off. In the last 17, Los Angeles is 14-3 SU and ATS and 4-0 SU (3-1 ATS) at home.
Yes, the Mavs have a new point guard in Jason Kidd, but this isn't the type of game he makes a huge difference. The Lakers are stacked at guard and have the horses to keep him in check. But Pau Gasol is a difference-maker for Los Angeles and he's been proving it as this team surges down the stretch.
No worries laying the chalk with the Lakers in this one. They will win this one by 12 to 15 points.
4♦ L.A. LAKERS
Atlanta at BOSTON (-11') Sports Gambling Hotline
For Sunday just call us the "lumberjacks", as we put on our plaid shirts, and lay the wood with the Celtics at home over the Hawks.
Atlanta did beat New York at home on Friday for their second straight win, but we hold no illusions that the Hawks are going to stay close in this contest.
On the road, Atlanta has lost 9 of their last 10 straight up, and the points haven't helped much either, as they are just 3-7 against the spread in those 10 games.
Boston has won their last 4, and although they are just 2-2 against the spread in those 4, the C's do sport a 16-12-1 spread mark on the parquet floor this year.
The Celtics dominated the Hawks in the first meeting this year, 106-83, and we see a similar final in this one.
Play on Boston big!
3♦ BOSTON
Oregon at OREGON STATE (+11) Bobby Maxwell
Improved to 10-5 with our last 15 FREE plays after Stanford delivered us a winning on the college hardwood Saturday. Today we're right back in the Pac-10 with a complimentary play on Oregon State as the Beavers host the rival Ducks.
In know it looks like we're crazy, giving out a team that has lost 17-straight games, but look deeper into this rivalry and you'll see the home team has dominated, winning eight of the last nine the Beavers have gone 6-2-1 ATS in those nine.
Oregon State has won three of the last four in Corvallis (4-0 ATS) and the one game they lost was a close one last year, 76-73 as 9 1/2-point underdogs.
The Beavers know they aren't headed anywhere in the post season and they also know they can go a long way toward ruining the Ducks chances of making the Big Dance with an upset in this one. Oregon has lost three straight and seven of its last 10 (4-5-1 ATS) and have looked real bad in the last three.
The problem with Oregon State has been its lack of offense, averaging just 60.2 points a game this season. Look for the Beavers to come out focused and the crowd to be fired up for this one.
ng close and while they likely won't win, look for it to come down to the final minute, easily getting us a winning ticket. Grab the points with Oregon State.
2♦ OREGON STATE
Atlanta at BOSTON (-11) Joel Tyson
Lay the doubles here today when the Celtics welcome the Atlanta Hawks into the Garden.
The Hawks have managed to win ATS only twice in their last nine highway games, and things don't look to good for them today as the Celts pounded them 106-83 earlier in the year.
The Hawks come in today with losses in seven of their last 10 overall, while Boston after dropping three straight has responded with four straight wins, showing they may be getting back to playing the way they were at years start when they seemed unbeatable.
Tonight though I feel they will be unbeatable as I think they will win this on easily by double-digits.
2♦ BOSTON
Chicago at CLEVELAND (-6) Joel Tyson
Lay the points and back the Cavaliers here today on their home floor as they are set to take on the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls have had very little success as of late ATS when facing this Cavs team, as they have managed to cover just twice in the last eight meetings.
The Cavs find themselves in a good spot today however, as the home team has cashed in 10 times in the last 14 meetings between these two.
Cleveland defeated Minnesota last time out, and have victories in four of their last six overall, while the Bulls lost their last time out, and have dropped three of their last four, and four of their last six.
The play is the Cavs to get the win and cover.
3♦ CLEVELAND
Dallas (+5') at LAKERS Karl Garrett
The G-Man on a 55-39-2 comp play run.
Take the points today at the Staples Center, as Dallas is just not getting the resepct they deserve.
The Mavs have won 4 of their last 5 games straight up, and are on a 3-1-1 spread run along the way. Dallas has bested Los Angeles in 3 in a row, and 5 of their last 6. This will be the first time the Lakers have to face a Dallas team with Jason Kidd running the point, and the G-Man thinks Kidd will make the difference in this one.
The Lakers just had their 10-game winning streak snapped in a loss at Portland, and this price seems a little steep to me, especially when you consider that the underdog is on a nice 7-3-1 spread run the last 11 times these teams have faced each other.
I will take the points and expect a close one all the way in this battle of Western Conference heavyweights.
5♦ DALLAS
Dallas at L.A. LAKERS (-5') Bobby Maxwell
We've gone 10-5 with our last 15 FREE selections and today we've got a complimentary play coming on the Lakers as they host the Mavericks in a nationally-televised contest.
The Lakers had their 10-game winning streak snapped on Friday in Portland, but that might have been a blessing for this squad. Now they will refocus and be ready to go when the Mavericks arrive in Hollywood today.
We're going to lay the chalk with the Lakers in this one as the Mavericks have been absolutely horrible on the highway. Dallas is just 3-7 SU and 4-6 ATS in its last 10 on the highway and they are just 13-18 ATS on the highway thsi season.
Los Angeles is 20-7 inside the Staples Center and 16-10 ATS. The Lakers are also on ATS streaks of 8-1 after an outright loss, 4-0-1 after an ATS loss and 8-1 when they get a day off. In the last 17, Los Angeles is 14-3 SU and ATS and 4-0 SU (3-1 ATS) at home.
Yes, the Mavs have a new point guard in Jason Kidd, but this isn't the type of game he makes a huge difference. The Lakers are stacked at guard and have the horses to keep him in check. But Pau Gasol is a difference-maker for Los Angeles and he's been proving it as this team surges down the stretch.
No worries laying the chalk with the Lakers in this one. They will win this one by 12 to 15 points.
4♦ L.A. LAKERS
Atlanta at BOSTON (-11') Sports Gambling Hotline
For Sunday just call us the "lumberjacks", as we put on our plaid shirts, and lay the wood with the Celtics at home over the Hawks.
Atlanta did beat New York at home on Friday for their second straight win, but we hold no illusions that the Hawks are going to stay close in this contest.
On the road, Atlanta has lost 9 of their last 10 straight up, and the points haven't helped much either, as they are just 3-7 against the spread in those 10 games.
Boston has won their last 4, and although they are just 2-2 against the spread in those 4, the C's do sport a 16-12-1 spread mark on the parquet floor this year.
The Celtics dominated the Hawks in the first meeting this year, 106-83, and we see a similar final in this one.
Play on Boston big!
3♦ BOSTON
Oregon at OREGON STATE (+11) Bobby Maxwell
Improved to 10-5 with our last 15 FREE plays after Stanford delivered us a winning on the college hardwood Saturday. Today we're right back in the Pac-10 with a complimentary play on Oregon State as the Beavers host the rival Ducks.
In know it looks like we're crazy, giving out a team that has lost 17-straight games, but look deeper into this rivalry and you'll see the home team has dominated, winning eight of the last nine the Beavers have gone 6-2-1 ATS in those nine.
Oregon State has won three of the last four in Corvallis (4-0 ATS) and the one game they lost was a close one last year, 76-73 as 9 1/2-point underdogs.
The Beavers know they aren't headed anywhere in the post season and they also know they can go a long way toward ruining the Ducks chances of making the Big Dance with an upset in this one. Oregon has lost three straight and seven of its last 10 (4-5-1 ATS) and have looked real bad in the last three.
The problem with Oregon State has been its lack of offense, averaging just 60.2 points a game this season. Look for the Beavers to come out focused and the crowd to be fired up for this one.
ng close and while they likely won't win, look for it to come down to the final minute, easily getting us a winning ticket. Grab the points with Oregon State.
2♦ OREGON STATE
Atlanta at BOSTON (-11) Joel Tyson
Lay the doubles here today when the Celtics welcome the Atlanta Hawks into the Garden.
The Hawks have managed to win ATS only twice in their last nine highway games, and things don't look to good for them today as the Celts pounded them 106-83 earlier in the year.
The Hawks come in today with losses in seven of their last 10 overall, while Boston after dropping three straight has responded with four straight wins, showing they may be getting back to playing the way they were at years start when they seemed unbeatable.
Tonight though I feel they will be unbeatable as I think they will win this on easily by double-digits.
2♦ BOSTON
Chicago at CLEVELAND (-6) Joel Tyson
Lay the points and back the Cavaliers here today on their home floor as they are set to take on the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls have had very little success as of late ATS when facing this Cavs team, as they have managed to cover just twice in the last eight meetings.
The Cavs find themselves in a good spot today however, as the home team has cashed in 10 times in the last 14 meetings between these two.
Cleveland defeated Minnesota last time out, and have victories in four of their last six overall, while the Bulls lost their last time out, and have dropped three of their last four, and four of their last six.
The play is the Cavs to get the win and cover.
3♦ CLEVELAND
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Comps
Great Lakes
NBA
Atlanta at Boston 6:05PM EST Play on: Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a respectable 34-22 ATS this year, and 6-3 ATS when playing on Sunday's this year. The Celtics are also 14-9 ATS when playing a team with a losing record this year, and are 16-12 ATS at home this year. We look for the Boston Celtics to grab the home ATS Win & cover tonight.
James Patrick
Indiana vs. Michigan State 1:00 p.m. est. CBS
The Spartans are undefeated at home with their final home game broadcast on CBS Sports Sunday afternoon. MSU is 11-5 ATS in their home finales and they have revenge from an earlier defeat at Indiana this season for some added motivation. Hoosiers have bad luck in East Lansing as they are just 4-10 ATS when hosted by Spartie and Co. Our Sunday complimentary selection in Big Ten action is #530 Michigan State Spartans
NELLY
Minnesota ? over Seattle
This is more of a battle for ping polls in the lottery but the Timberwolves have been putting together strong efforts in recent games. Minnesota is 13-5-1 ATS in the last 19 games including 9-3-1 in the last 13 home games. Seattle has not won a road game S/U in almost a month and only five times all season. Seattle has won both meetings this season but Minnesota didn't get things going in the right direction until January and February and both losses came early in the season. Look for Minnesota to put together a solid effort for the win on Sunday.
Marc Lawrence
Play On: Duquesne
Note: The Dukes (16-10 / 6-7) travel to Charlotte to take on the 49ers (15-12 / 6-7) in an important Atlantic 10 clash with both teams deadlocked in the conference standings. Duquesne will look to snap an 0-3 SU and ATS losing slide knowing that road dogs off a SU loss as a favorite of 10 or more points are 20-7 ATS if they lost SU and ATS as a dog in the game prior to the upset. These teams improve to 11-2 ATS if they own a win percentage of .600 or greater on the season. With the underdog 17-6 ATS in Charlotte's games this season, look for the Dukes to start a new win streak here today.
1-unit Duquesne
Dave Cokin
My free pick of the day is the game between (551) Fairfield and (552) Rider. Take "(551) Fairfield". Dave had another cinch Game of the Month winner Saturday night as SD State trampled Colorado State. On Sunday, it's a FREE PARLAY on the Indiana-Michigan State game at 1-888-389-7223!..."I went with Fairfield for my free play on Friday, and I'll give the Stags another go here. Fairfield has gotten red hot down the MAAC stretch, and they'll want to maintain that positive momentum heading into the tourney. Rider has revenge as a motive, but that's been factored into the number, which is now pretty big considering how hot the visitor is. I'm back on Fairfield getting the points."
Lou Diamond
My free pick of the day is the game between (511) SAN Spurs and (512) NJ Nets. Take "Under". San Antonio Under is 4-0 in Spurs last 4 games playing on 0 days rest. Under is 9-4 in Spurs last 13 vs. Eastern Conference. New Jersey Under is 7-0 in Nets last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. Under is 5-0 in Nets last 5 games as a home underdog of 5.0-10.5. Under is 6-1 in Nets last 7 games as a home underdog. Under is 4-1 in Nets last 5 games playing on 2 days rest. Under is 4-1 in Nets last 5 vs. Western Conference. Under is 9-3 in Nets last 12 home games. Under is 11-5 in Nets last 16 vs. a team with a winning S.U. record. Under is 15-7 in Nets last 22 games as an underdog of 5.0-10.5. Under is 37-18 in Nets last 55 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. Under is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings in New Jersey. Under is 12-5 in the last 17 meetings
Jim Feist
My free pick of the day is the game between (521) MIA Heat and (522) SAC Kings. Take "Over". Without Shaq, Miami has gone to a more small-ball uptempo lineup with newcomer Shawn Marion. They were 2-1 over the total last week. Of course, that doesn.5?t help their defense, which was already bad, allowing 101 ppg. These teams are in the bottom 8 in points allowed. Sacramento has been about running the court under first-year coach Reggie Theus and they are 16-10 over the total at home where they average 104 ppg. Play the Heat/Kings over the total!
Robert Ross
UCLA Bruins at Arizona Wildcats
Sunday, March 2nd, 4:00 PM ET
Arizona with an extra day to prepare for this one. It hosts USC Thursday then the Bruins here while UCLA plays at Arizona State Thursday then either hangs around for an extra day or goes home and comes back. Either way the Bruins would probably prefer to play Saturday so that should work in the Wildcats favor. They have enough incentive to beat the Bruins with their 82-60 February 2 loss at UCLA being their sixth in the series. They also lost here to the Bruins last year 81-66 but find themselves on the NCAA Tournament bubble as this week begins. A home upset win over a ranked opponent would catch the eye of the Tournament committee.
Play on: Arizona
Computer Sports
UCLA at Arizona
Two annual Pac-10 west coast superpowers of college hoops tangle once again in the desert on Sunday. UCLA (24-4 su) (12-2 conf) is on a tear, winning eight of nine, the extremely talented Bruins are poised on the brink of a deep tourney run. Led by super-frosh big man Kevin Love (17.1 ppg), the Bruins feature a line-up with four players over 12 ppg. On top of that, their bench is very talented and runs deep.
Arizona (17-7 su) (7-7 conf) is tetering on the tourney bubble. A monster home win this Sunday, coupled with a huge road at Wash St. last week and a March conference tourney run, should get the Cats into the dance. Led by monster Freshman guard Jerryd Bayless (21 ppg) and Chris Budinger's long range bombs, the Cats can play with anybody.
Arizona is a tough place to play, and the young Cats are certainly a fiesty group, but UCLA is far superior athlete-wise. In January's meeting the Wildcats were declawed in LA, 82-60. We look for more of the same here.
Free winner from Computer Sports: Take UCLA laying any number of 6 points or less on the road!
Great Lakes
NBA
Atlanta at Boston 6:05PM EST Play on: Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a respectable 34-22 ATS this year, and 6-3 ATS when playing on Sunday's this year. The Celtics are also 14-9 ATS when playing a team with a losing record this year, and are 16-12 ATS at home this year. We look for the Boston Celtics to grab the home ATS Win & cover tonight.
James Patrick
Indiana vs. Michigan State 1:00 p.m. est. CBS
The Spartans are undefeated at home with their final home game broadcast on CBS Sports Sunday afternoon. MSU is 11-5 ATS in their home finales and they have revenge from an earlier defeat at Indiana this season for some added motivation. Hoosiers have bad luck in East Lansing as they are just 4-10 ATS when hosted by Spartie and Co. Our Sunday complimentary selection in Big Ten action is #530 Michigan State Spartans
NELLY
Minnesota ? over Seattle
This is more of a battle for ping polls in the lottery but the Timberwolves have been putting together strong efforts in recent games. Minnesota is 13-5-1 ATS in the last 19 games including 9-3-1 in the last 13 home games. Seattle has not won a road game S/U in almost a month and only five times all season. Seattle has won both meetings this season but Minnesota didn't get things going in the right direction until January and February and both losses came early in the season. Look for Minnesota to put together a solid effort for the win on Sunday.
Marc Lawrence
Play On: Duquesne
Note: The Dukes (16-10 / 6-7) travel to Charlotte to take on the 49ers (15-12 / 6-7) in an important Atlantic 10 clash with both teams deadlocked in the conference standings. Duquesne will look to snap an 0-3 SU and ATS losing slide knowing that road dogs off a SU loss as a favorite of 10 or more points are 20-7 ATS if they lost SU and ATS as a dog in the game prior to the upset. These teams improve to 11-2 ATS if they own a win percentage of .600 or greater on the season. With the underdog 17-6 ATS in Charlotte's games this season, look for the Dukes to start a new win streak here today.
1-unit Duquesne
Dave Cokin
My free pick of the day is the game between (551) Fairfield and (552) Rider. Take "(551) Fairfield". Dave had another cinch Game of the Month winner Saturday night as SD State trampled Colorado State. On Sunday, it's a FREE PARLAY on the Indiana-Michigan State game at 1-888-389-7223!..."I went with Fairfield for my free play on Friday, and I'll give the Stags another go here. Fairfield has gotten red hot down the MAAC stretch, and they'll want to maintain that positive momentum heading into the tourney. Rider has revenge as a motive, but that's been factored into the number, which is now pretty big considering how hot the visitor is. I'm back on Fairfield getting the points."
Lou Diamond
My free pick of the day is the game between (511) SAN Spurs and (512) NJ Nets. Take "Under". San Antonio Under is 4-0 in Spurs last 4 games playing on 0 days rest. Under is 9-4 in Spurs last 13 vs. Eastern Conference. New Jersey Under is 7-0 in Nets last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. Under is 5-0 in Nets last 5 games as a home underdog of 5.0-10.5. Under is 6-1 in Nets last 7 games as a home underdog. Under is 4-1 in Nets last 5 games playing on 2 days rest. Under is 4-1 in Nets last 5 vs. Western Conference. Under is 9-3 in Nets last 12 home games. Under is 11-5 in Nets last 16 vs. a team with a winning S.U. record. Under is 15-7 in Nets last 22 games as an underdog of 5.0-10.5. Under is 37-18 in Nets last 55 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. Under is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings in New Jersey. Under is 12-5 in the last 17 meetings
Jim Feist
My free pick of the day is the game between (521) MIA Heat and (522) SAC Kings. Take "Over". Without Shaq, Miami has gone to a more small-ball uptempo lineup with newcomer Shawn Marion. They were 2-1 over the total last week. Of course, that doesn.5?t help their defense, which was already bad, allowing 101 ppg. These teams are in the bottom 8 in points allowed. Sacramento has been about running the court under first-year coach Reggie Theus and they are 16-10 over the total at home where they average 104 ppg. Play the Heat/Kings over the total!
Robert Ross
UCLA Bruins at Arizona Wildcats
Sunday, March 2nd, 4:00 PM ET
Arizona with an extra day to prepare for this one. It hosts USC Thursday then the Bruins here while UCLA plays at Arizona State Thursday then either hangs around for an extra day or goes home and comes back. Either way the Bruins would probably prefer to play Saturday so that should work in the Wildcats favor. They have enough incentive to beat the Bruins with their 82-60 February 2 loss at UCLA being their sixth in the series. They also lost here to the Bruins last year 81-66 but find themselves on the NCAA Tournament bubble as this week begins. A home upset win over a ranked opponent would catch the eye of the Tournament committee.
Play on: Arizona
Computer Sports
UCLA at Arizona
Two annual Pac-10 west coast superpowers of college hoops tangle once again in the desert on Sunday. UCLA (24-4 su) (12-2 conf) is on a tear, winning eight of nine, the extremely talented Bruins are poised on the brink of a deep tourney run. Led by super-frosh big man Kevin Love (17.1 ppg), the Bruins feature a line-up with four players over 12 ppg. On top of that, their bench is very talented and runs deep.
Arizona (17-7 su) (7-7 conf) is tetering on the tourney bubble. A monster home win this Sunday, coupled with a huge road at Wash St. last week and a March conference tourney run, should get the Cats into the dance. Led by monster Freshman guard Jerryd Bayless (21 ppg) and Chris Budinger's long range bombs, the Cats can play with anybody.
Arizona is a tough place to play, and the young Cats are certainly a fiesty group, but UCLA is far superior athlete-wise. In January's meeting the Wildcats were declawed in LA, 82-60. We look for more of the same here.
Free winner from Computer Sports: Take UCLA laying any number of 6 points or less on the road!
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Totals 4 U
Indiana at Michigan State
Indiana (23-4, 13-2 Big 10) cut ties last Friday with former Head Coach Kelvin Sampson, whose recruiting violations at Oklahoma - that left him scurrying from Norman - followed him to Bloomington and earned him a $750,000 parting gift from the university and private donors. Taking over on the bench on an interim basis is alumnus and former Indiana Director of Basketball Operations Dan Dakich (2-0 in first season), who is most famous for shutting down Michael Jordan in the Hoosiers' upset of the Tar Heels in the 1984 NCAA Tournament. In Dakich's second game on the sidelines, his crew banked an emotional 72-69 home win over Ohio State at Assembly Hall on Tuesday night, edging the Buckeyes 19-6 from the charity stripe, to remain deadlocked with Purdue and Wisconsin at the top of the Big 10 Conference standings.
Most of the Indiana roster supported Sampson, including former Alabama Player of the Year 6'9" 251 senior F D. J. White (17.1p, 10.4r, 3.1a) and reigning Indiana "Mr. Basketball" 6'4" freshman G Eric Gordon (21.4p, 3.3r, 2.5a, 36 steals, 65 of 171 from 3-point), each of whom protested by missing practice the day after Sampson was fired, and considered sitting out Dakich's first game, an 85-82 squeaker over Northwestern. While the Indiana glitterati sulked, it was 6'1" sophomore G Armon Bassett (11.3p, 2.4r, 3.1a, 55 of 117 from 3-point) who shined, piling up 45 points over the last two games, leading the Hoosiers in scoring each contest. Along with Gordon, the deadly shooter Bassett is joined in the back court by 6'5" versatile junior Jamarcus Ellis (7.1p, 7.1r, 3.7a, 40 steals, 20 blocks) and 6'4" freshman backup Jordan Crawford (10.3p, 3.2r, 2.4a,) to run an offense that has scored 76.4 points per game in 2007-2008 and commits a very respectable 14.0 turnovers per game. Rounding out Indiana's starting five is former soccer player 6'8" 210 F Lance Stemler (4.7p, 3.1r, 26 of 78 from 3-point), who is more of a perimeter player, but has fallen off from his junior season in which he nailed 45 of 110 attempts from downtown. Defensively, the Hoosiers are extremely sound, allowing just 63.8 points per game on .406 shooting from the field and .333 behind the arc, and hold a sizeable 38.2-30.5 rebounding edge with Ellis and White both being serious scrappers on the glass. Bench players 6'9" 295 junior DeAndre Thomas (3.8p, 1.7r) and 6'7" 226 junior F Kyle Taber (1.1p, 2.3r) have been superb on the offensive glass in relief, earning 35 second chances for their team in limited minutes.
Sending Sampson packing was the right thing to do, but it puts in jeopardy Indiana's hidden strength - chemistry. Thomas and Ellis played together at both Chipola Junior College and Westinghouse High School in Chicago, while Bassett and Crawford played prep ball together at Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia. Coach Dakich's biggest task may be to remind his players why they came to play together in Bloomington, reasons that trump their allegiance to Sampson, who got what he deserved... plus $750,000.
Michigan State (22-5, 10-4 Big 10) opened up with a 20-1 run, won the game's turnover battle 5-16, and crushed Iowa 66-52 Saturday in East Lansing to improve their mark to a flawless 16-0 at the Breslin Center this season. Leading the way for the Spartans was the 6'7" 220 sophomore F Raymar Morgan (15.2p, 6.3r, 1.9a), who posted a perfect shooting mark at 6 of 6 from the field and 4 of 4 from the stripe. Morgan is an extraordinary slasher through the paint and is joined on the blocks by the twin centers, 6'10" 245 junior Goran Sutton and 6'10" 245 senior Drew Naymick, who have been the key to State's 37.9-30.0 rebounding advantage this season. Sutton (8.3p, 7.8r, 1.9a, 27 blocks), who started playing on the Bosnian National Team at the age of 14, is equally adept posting up, facing the rim, or stepping out, where he is proficient from 18-20 feet. While Naymick (4.1p, 4.1r, 49 blocks) is more of a stationary player and Head Coach Tom Izzo's (300-126 in 13th season at East Lansing, 180-22 at home) top post defender.
The Spartans love to push the ball and have the guards to do so efficiently (18.3 assists per game). 6'0" freshman G Kalin Lucas (10.0p, 1.4r, 3.8a) gives opponents fits with his penetration through the lane, while co-captain 6'0" senior G Drew Neitzel (13.8p, 2.7r, 4.3a, 30 steals) presents a flat-out nightmare. Former Michigan "Mr. Basketball" and 2007 USA Pan Am Games Team member, Neitzel pushes the pace with remarkable court vision and is a deadly shooter from behind the arc, nailing 244 triples in his career including 68 this season in 171 tries. In the interests of full disclosure, we must remind you that we are Wisconsin Badger fans, and this kid has absolutely eviscerated us over the years. We will not be sad to see him go. With so much size in the starting lineup, Coach Izzo calls on his bench early and often. Nine-deep is the regular rotation, with guards 6'3" freshman Chris Allen (6.0p, 1.1r, 25 of 71 from 3-point), 6'2" junior co-captain Travis Walton (3.7p, 2.0r, 4.5a), 6'5" freshman Durrell Summers (5.7p, 2.9r), and 6'8" 235 junior F Marquise Gray (5.3p, 4.2r) each getting as much playing time as starters on some teams.
By the numbers, Michigan State has averaged 72.8 points per game on .487 shooting from the field, .360 from behind the arc, and .725 from the line while holding opponents to just 62.1 points per game on .396 shooting from the field and .321 from downtown. The pundits have conceded the Big 10 Conference Championship to either the Boilermakers, Hoosiers, or Badgers, but the teams that have faced Michigan States' impenetrable Slavic Slabs in the paint and the relentless bombing from Neitzel at the perimeter will tell you that the Spartans are one of the most underrated squads in all of college basketball, and a force to deal with in March.
Free winner from Totals 4 U: The highway is brutal in the Big 10, and the Hoosiers just aren't 100% focused right now, as they were when they thumped the Spartans 80-61 in Bloomington back on February 16th. Take Michigan State to improve their home mark to 17-0 at the Breslin on Sunday.
Michigan State
Indiana at Michigan State
Indiana (23-4, 13-2 Big 10) cut ties last Friday with former Head Coach Kelvin Sampson, whose recruiting violations at Oklahoma - that left him scurrying from Norman - followed him to Bloomington and earned him a $750,000 parting gift from the university and private donors. Taking over on the bench on an interim basis is alumnus and former Indiana Director of Basketball Operations Dan Dakich (2-0 in first season), who is most famous for shutting down Michael Jordan in the Hoosiers' upset of the Tar Heels in the 1984 NCAA Tournament. In Dakich's second game on the sidelines, his crew banked an emotional 72-69 home win over Ohio State at Assembly Hall on Tuesday night, edging the Buckeyes 19-6 from the charity stripe, to remain deadlocked with Purdue and Wisconsin at the top of the Big 10 Conference standings.
Most of the Indiana roster supported Sampson, including former Alabama Player of the Year 6'9" 251 senior F D. J. White (17.1p, 10.4r, 3.1a) and reigning Indiana "Mr. Basketball" 6'4" freshman G Eric Gordon (21.4p, 3.3r, 2.5a, 36 steals, 65 of 171 from 3-point), each of whom protested by missing practice the day after Sampson was fired, and considered sitting out Dakich's first game, an 85-82 squeaker over Northwestern. While the Indiana glitterati sulked, it was 6'1" sophomore G Armon Bassett (11.3p, 2.4r, 3.1a, 55 of 117 from 3-point) who shined, piling up 45 points over the last two games, leading the Hoosiers in scoring each contest. Along with Gordon, the deadly shooter Bassett is joined in the back court by 6'5" versatile junior Jamarcus Ellis (7.1p, 7.1r, 3.7a, 40 steals, 20 blocks) and 6'4" freshman backup Jordan Crawford (10.3p, 3.2r, 2.4a,) to run an offense that has scored 76.4 points per game in 2007-2008 and commits a very respectable 14.0 turnovers per game. Rounding out Indiana's starting five is former soccer player 6'8" 210 F Lance Stemler (4.7p, 3.1r, 26 of 78 from 3-point), who is more of a perimeter player, but has fallen off from his junior season in which he nailed 45 of 110 attempts from downtown. Defensively, the Hoosiers are extremely sound, allowing just 63.8 points per game on .406 shooting from the field and .333 behind the arc, and hold a sizeable 38.2-30.5 rebounding edge with Ellis and White both being serious scrappers on the glass. Bench players 6'9" 295 junior DeAndre Thomas (3.8p, 1.7r) and 6'7" 226 junior F Kyle Taber (1.1p, 2.3r) have been superb on the offensive glass in relief, earning 35 second chances for their team in limited minutes.
Sending Sampson packing was the right thing to do, but it puts in jeopardy Indiana's hidden strength - chemistry. Thomas and Ellis played together at both Chipola Junior College and Westinghouse High School in Chicago, while Bassett and Crawford played prep ball together at Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia. Coach Dakich's biggest task may be to remind his players why they came to play together in Bloomington, reasons that trump their allegiance to Sampson, who got what he deserved... plus $750,000.
Michigan State (22-5, 10-4 Big 10) opened up with a 20-1 run, won the game's turnover battle 5-16, and crushed Iowa 66-52 Saturday in East Lansing to improve their mark to a flawless 16-0 at the Breslin Center this season. Leading the way for the Spartans was the 6'7" 220 sophomore F Raymar Morgan (15.2p, 6.3r, 1.9a), who posted a perfect shooting mark at 6 of 6 from the field and 4 of 4 from the stripe. Morgan is an extraordinary slasher through the paint and is joined on the blocks by the twin centers, 6'10" 245 junior Goran Sutton and 6'10" 245 senior Drew Naymick, who have been the key to State's 37.9-30.0 rebounding advantage this season. Sutton (8.3p, 7.8r, 1.9a, 27 blocks), who started playing on the Bosnian National Team at the age of 14, is equally adept posting up, facing the rim, or stepping out, where he is proficient from 18-20 feet. While Naymick (4.1p, 4.1r, 49 blocks) is more of a stationary player and Head Coach Tom Izzo's (300-126 in 13th season at East Lansing, 180-22 at home) top post defender.
The Spartans love to push the ball and have the guards to do so efficiently (18.3 assists per game). 6'0" freshman G Kalin Lucas (10.0p, 1.4r, 3.8a) gives opponents fits with his penetration through the lane, while co-captain 6'0" senior G Drew Neitzel (13.8p, 2.7r, 4.3a, 30 steals) presents a flat-out nightmare. Former Michigan "Mr. Basketball" and 2007 USA Pan Am Games Team member, Neitzel pushes the pace with remarkable court vision and is a deadly shooter from behind the arc, nailing 244 triples in his career including 68 this season in 171 tries. In the interests of full disclosure, we must remind you that we are Wisconsin Badger fans, and this kid has absolutely eviscerated us over the years. We will not be sad to see him go. With so much size in the starting lineup, Coach Izzo calls on his bench early and often. Nine-deep is the regular rotation, with guards 6'3" freshman Chris Allen (6.0p, 1.1r, 25 of 71 from 3-point), 6'2" junior co-captain Travis Walton (3.7p, 2.0r, 4.5a), 6'5" freshman Durrell Summers (5.7p, 2.9r), and 6'8" 235 junior F Marquise Gray (5.3p, 4.2r) each getting as much playing time as starters on some teams.
By the numbers, Michigan State has averaged 72.8 points per game on .487 shooting from the field, .360 from behind the arc, and .725 from the line while holding opponents to just 62.1 points per game on .396 shooting from the field and .321 from downtown. The pundits have conceded the Big 10 Conference Championship to either the Boilermakers, Hoosiers, or Badgers, but the teams that have faced Michigan States' impenetrable Slavic Slabs in the paint and the relentless bombing from Neitzel at the perimeter will tell you that the Spartans are one of the most underrated squads in all of college basketball, and a force to deal with in March.
Free winner from Totals 4 U: The highway is brutal in the Big 10, and the Hoosiers just aren't 100% focused right now, as they were when they thumped the Spartans 80-61 in Bloomington back on February 16th. Take Michigan State to improve their home mark to 17-0 at the Breslin on Sunday.
Michigan State
Platinum Plays
Villanova at Louisville
Jay Wright's Villanova Wildcats are going to have a hard time making the NCAA tournament, and the task doesn't get any easier this Sunday when they make the trip to the "Bluegrass State" to take on Rick Pitino's Louisville Cardinals. Because the Big East has a plethora of quality basketball teams, Villanova's best chance to make the NCAA Tournament may rest upon a strong showing in the Big East Postseason Tournament, although, a victory over #13 ranked Cardinals would make a strong statement to the selection committee. Louisville is a lock to make the tournament and will be fine tuning their play for the postseason. They would like to finish strong to earn the highest seed possible in the tournament.
The Villanova Wildcats' (7-8/17-10) season has been one best termed as inconsistent. We can attribute some of the Wildcats' problems to inexperience, as four freshmen have received significant playing time. However, in this day and age, few college basketball teams have the luxury of their players fulfilling their entire scholarship committment. The fact of the matter is Villanova has a hard time recruting top notch talent, and Coach Jay Wright probably steals a couple of wins during the season that other coaches wouldn't.
The Wildcats are led in scoring by Soph. G Scottie Reynolds (16.3 ppg) and Jr F Dante Cunningham (10.4 ppg), who also leads the team in rebounding, gathering in 6.7 rebounds per contest. The Wildcats' lack of size is apparent, as they rank in the bottom half of the league in rebounds and aren't quite talented enough to make up for it in other areas of the game.
The Louisville Cardinals (12-3/22-6) are currently tied for first in the Big East, and are a team that could make a very deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Coach Pitino's Cardinals play all 40 minutes of each game with very high intensity at both ends of the court. In order to play high this hard, Pitino has eleven players seeing significant playing time. The Cardinals have four players averaging double digits scoring offensively, and are led in scoring by Jr F Terrence Williams (11.3 ppg), closely followed by Sr F/C David Padgett (11.2 ppg), Soph G Jerry Smith (10.9 ppg) and Soph G/F Earl Clark (10.4 ppg).
Louisville finishes the season with home games against Notre Dame and Villanova, and the final game of the season will be against Georgetown, the team they are currently tied with at the top of the Big East. I think Pitino and his Cardinals are primed for a big run in the NCAA Tournament, and right now have the luxury of flying under the radar as a team to be reckoned with come tournament time.
Free winner from Platinum Plays: The advanced line for this game is Louisville favored by 11, which is probably too high for this game. Platinum's prediction for this game is take Villanova +11 over Louisville.
Villanova at Louisville
Jay Wright's Villanova Wildcats are going to have a hard time making the NCAA tournament, and the task doesn't get any easier this Sunday when they make the trip to the "Bluegrass State" to take on Rick Pitino's Louisville Cardinals. Because the Big East has a plethora of quality basketball teams, Villanova's best chance to make the NCAA Tournament may rest upon a strong showing in the Big East Postseason Tournament, although, a victory over #13 ranked Cardinals would make a strong statement to the selection committee. Louisville is a lock to make the tournament and will be fine tuning their play for the postseason. They would like to finish strong to earn the highest seed possible in the tournament.
The Villanova Wildcats' (7-8/17-10) season has been one best termed as inconsistent. We can attribute some of the Wildcats' problems to inexperience, as four freshmen have received significant playing time. However, in this day and age, few college basketball teams have the luxury of their players fulfilling their entire scholarship committment. The fact of the matter is Villanova has a hard time recruting top notch talent, and Coach Jay Wright probably steals a couple of wins during the season that other coaches wouldn't.
The Wildcats are led in scoring by Soph. G Scottie Reynolds (16.3 ppg) and Jr F Dante Cunningham (10.4 ppg), who also leads the team in rebounding, gathering in 6.7 rebounds per contest. The Wildcats' lack of size is apparent, as they rank in the bottom half of the league in rebounds and aren't quite talented enough to make up for it in other areas of the game.
The Louisville Cardinals (12-3/22-6) are currently tied for first in the Big East, and are a team that could make a very deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Coach Pitino's Cardinals play all 40 minutes of each game with very high intensity at both ends of the court. In order to play high this hard, Pitino has eleven players seeing significant playing time. The Cardinals have four players averaging double digits scoring offensively, and are led in scoring by Jr F Terrence Williams (11.3 ppg), closely followed by Sr F/C David Padgett (11.2 ppg), Soph G Jerry Smith (10.9 ppg) and Soph G/F Earl Clark (10.4 ppg).
Louisville finishes the season with home games against Notre Dame and Villanova, and the final game of the season will be against Georgetown, the team they are currently tied with at the top of the Big East. I think Pitino and his Cardinals are primed for a big run in the NCAA Tournament, and right now have the luxury of flying under the radar as a team to be reckoned with come tournament time.
Free winner from Platinum Plays: The advanced line for this game is Louisville favored by 11, which is probably too high for this game. Platinum's prediction for this game is take Villanova +11 over Louisville.
Comps
TV HOTLINE
LSU 3-
VEGAS STEAMLINE
Louisville over Villanova
MIKE WYNN
Cincinnati -4? Over Providence
#1 SPORTS
MINNESOTA - 5 1/2
THE SHARPSHOOTER
ARIZONA +5 OVER UCLA
HUDDLE UP SPORTS
Indiana -5 (NBA)
RAZOR SHARP SPORTS
PORTLAND +5? over Golden St
DARK HORSE SPORTS
San Antonio -5 over New Jersey
EASY MONEY SPORTS
GEORGIA +3?
Dr. VEGAS
St. Joe's -6.5 over Temple
HAWKEYE SPORTS
SIENA -7 OVER ST. PETERS
THE SCOUT
LSU -3? over Georgia
COMPUTER SPORTS
INDIANA HOOSIERS+5
LT'S LOCK
Clemson +1'
Scott Spreitzer
Notre Dame
Joe Wiz
Nuggets
Bucks
Redzone Sports
UCLA
Glen Mcgrew
Tennessee
TV HOTLINE
LSU 3-
VEGAS STEAMLINE
Louisville over Villanova
MIKE WYNN
Cincinnati -4? Over Providence
#1 SPORTS
MINNESOTA - 5 1/2
THE SHARPSHOOTER
ARIZONA +5 OVER UCLA
HUDDLE UP SPORTS
Indiana -5 (NBA)
RAZOR SHARP SPORTS
PORTLAND +5? over Golden St
DARK HORSE SPORTS
San Antonio -5 over New Jersey
EASY MONEY SPORTS
GEORGIA +3?
Dr. VEGAS
St. Joe's -6.5 over Temple
HAWKEYE SPORTS
SIENA -7 OVER ST. PETERS
THE SCOUT
LSU -3? over Georgia
COMPUTER SPORTS
INDIANA HOOSIERS+5
LT'S LOCK
Clemson +1'
Scott Spreitzer
Notre Dame
Joe Wiz
Nuggets
Bucks
Redzone Sports
UCLA
Glen Mcgrew
Tennessee
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Cappersaccess
Sun (CBB) Cincinnati
Sun (CBB) Notre Dame
Mighty Quinn
Mighty hit with Oklahoma State (-5-1/2) Saturday.
Today it's Michigan State. The surplus is 420 sirignanos.
Gamblers Data
Temple +6.5
Sun (CBB) Cincinnati
Sun (CBB) Notre Dame
Mighty Quinn
Mighty hit with Oklahoma State (-5-1/2) Saturday.
Today it's Michigan State. The surplus is 420 sirignanos.
Gamblers Data
Temple +6.5
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ERIN RYNNING
DALLAS-LA LAKERS
Recommendation: Mavericks
Just another Western Conference showdown as the Dallas Mavericks will pay a visit to the Staples Center and take on the Lakers Sunday afternoon. No question, the Lakers are on a roll. This team has quickly gelled after they pulled off a steal and obtained Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies. Not only did it help the Lakers from a pure talent perspective, but they seemed to gain an extra spring in their step as well. However, they?ve played downhill basketball of late, meaning they?re catching teams in positive situations or with injuries, while catching plenty of breaks from the referees as they consistently
outshoot their opponent at the free throw line. It?s no wonder the market can?t set the price high enough against this team. In this ?spot? on Sunday they?ll expect to catch a focused Mavericks team and the price will be expected too much. Meanwhile, the Mavericks made their own splash with their blockbuster deal landing point guard Jason Kidd. In their first few games with Kidd, there?s an expected transition period, as they?ll have a chance to catch their stride by this game. Many question the acquisition of Kidd by the Mavericks and while potentially the deal is harmful down the line, I still expect the move to pay dividends this season. Kidd is simply a one of a kind player that improves his teammates on the court. Look to take the Mavericks catching too many points.
DALLAS-LA LAKERS
Recommendation: Mavericks
Just another Western Conference showdown as the Dallas Mavericks will pay a visit to the Staples Center and take on the Lakers Sunday afternoon. No question, the Lakers are on a roll. This team has quickly gelled after they pulled off a steal and obtained Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies. Not only did it help the Lakers from a pure talent perspective, but they seemed to gain an extra spring in their step as well. However, they?ve played downhill basketball of late, meaning they?re catching teams in positive situations or with injuries, while catching plenty of breaks from the referees as they consistently
outshoot their opponent at the free throw line. It?s no wonder the market can?t set the price high enough against this team. In this ?spot? on Sunday they?ll expect to catch a focused Mavericks team and the price will be expected too much. Meanwhile, the Mavericks made their own splash with their blockbuster deal landing point guard Jason Kidd. In their first few games with Kidd, there?s an expected transition period, as they?ll have a chance to catch their stride by this game. Many question the acquisition of Kidd by the Mavericks and while potentially the deal is harmful down the line, I still expect the move to pay dividends this season. Kidd is simply a one of a kind player that improves his teammates on the court. Look to take the Mavericks catching too many points.
Brian Gabrielle
Providence Friars vs Cincinnati Bearcats
The Bearcats never fail to surprise their critics. In their last 10 games played they have gone 5-5 with three of those wins at home. In total they have covered the spread 7 times since January 19th. In sharp contrast the Friars have won 1 game in their last 10 played and that was at home to Depaul. In total they have covered the spread twice since January 24th-1 on the road and 1 at home. With three more games in regular season Cincinnati needs these wins more than the Friars, A post-season tournament run is not out of the question for the Bearcats.
Cincinnati Bearcats
Providence Friars vs Cincinnati Bearcats
The Bearcats never fail to surprise their critics. In their last 10 games played they have gone 5-5 with three of those wins at home. In total they have covered the spread 7 times since January 19th. In sharp contrast the Friars have won 1 game in their last 10 played and that was at home to Depaul. In total they have covered the spread twice since January 24th-1 on the road and 1 at home. With three more games in regular season Cincinnati needs these wins more than the Friars, A post-season tournament run is not out of the question for the Bearcats.
Cincinnati Bearcats
Vegas Sports Pics
Cincinnati Bearcats - 4.5 over Providence Friars
Providence (13-14, 4-11) has been on a downward slide going 1-9 last ten games. Cincinnati (13-14, 8-7) has compiled its record vs. a schedule rated tenth toughest in the nation which includes a 58-57 win at No.13 Louisville and a 84-83 home loss to No.15 UConn.
Villanova Wildcats + 12 over (at) Louisville Cardinals
No.13 Louisville (23-6, 13-3) vs. Villanova (17-10, 7-8) is 4-2 last six games including a 67-65 home win over No.15 UConn and a 55-53 loss at No.11 Georgetown. The Wildcats are 3-0 (SU & ATS) vs. the Cardinals dating back to January '06.
Maryland Terrapins - 1.5 over Clemson Tigers
Clemson (20-7, 8-5) at Maryland (18-11, 8-6) in ACC games leads the league in both field goal percentage and field goal percentage defense while ranking third in rebounding margin. The Terps swept the Tigers last season winning at home 92-87 and at Clemson 82-66.
Cincinnati Bearcats - 4.5 over Providence Friars
Providence (13-14, 4-11) has been on a downward slide going 1-9 last ten games. Cincinnati (13-14, 8-7) has compiled its record vs. a schedule rated tenth toughest in the nation which includes a 58-57 win at No.13 Louisville and a 84-83 home loss to No.15 UConn.
Villanova Wildcats + 12 over (at) Louisville Cardinals
No.13 Louisville (23-6, 13-3) vs. Villanova (17-10, 7-8) is 4-2 last six games including a 67-65 home win over No.15 UConn and a 55-53 loss at No.11 Georgetown. The Wildcats are 3-0 (SU & ATS) vs. the Cardinals dating back to January '06.
Maryland Terrapins - 1.5 over Clemson Tigers
Clemson (20-7, 8-5) at Maryland (18-11, 8-6) in ACC games leads the league in both field goal percentage and field goal percentage defense while ranking third in rebounding margin. The Terps swept the Tigers last season winning at home 92-87 and at Clemson 82-66.
POINTWISE
NBA
SUNDAY, MARCH 2
(1:00) CLEVELAND CAVS 115 - Chicago Bulls 90 (ABC)
(3:30) LOS ANGELES LAKERS 117 - Dallas 115 (ABC)
(6:05) BOSTON CELTICS 108 - Atlanta Hawks 100
(6:05) CHARLOTTE BOBCATS 94 - Toronto Raptors 93
(6:05) INDIANA PACERS 104 - Milwaukee Bucks 100
(6:05) San Antonio Spurs 96 - NEW JERSEY NETS 90
(6:05) New Orleans Hornets 109 - WASHINGTON 97
(6:35) Seattle Supersonics 98 - MINNESOTA 'WOLVES 91
(8:05) HOUSTON ROCKETS 101 - Denver 98 (ESPN)
(9:05) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 101 - Portland 92
(9:05) SACRAMENTO KINGS 100 - Miami Heat 95
BEST BETS: CLEVELAND (2), NEW ORLEANS (1)
COLLEGE HOOPS
(12:00) CINCINNATI 64 - Providence 57 (ESPNU)
(12:00) TENNESSEE 85 - Kentucky 60
(1:00) DEPAUL 78 - Notre Dame 77
(1:00) MICHIGAN STATE 71 - Indiana 66 (CBS)
(2:00) LSU 65 - Georgia 59
(2:00) NC-CHARLOTTE 74 - Duquesne 70
(4:00) Ucla 77 - ARIZONA 65 (FSN)
(4:00) LOUISVILLE 80 - Villanova 72 (CBS)
(7:00) ST JOSEPHS 69 - Temple 67
(7:30) MARYLAND 86 - Clemson 83 (FSN)
(10:00) Oregon 74 - OREGON STATE 57 (FSN)
BEST BETS: TENNESSEE, LSU, UCLA, VILLANOVA, TEMPLE
NBA
SUNDAY, MARCH 2
(1:00) CLEVELAND CAVS 115 - Chicago Bulls 90 (ABC)
(3:30) LOS ANGELES LAKERS 117 - Dallas 115 (ABC)
(6:05) BOSTON CELTICS 108 - Atlanta Hawks 100
(6:05) CHARLOTTE BOBCATS 94 - Toronto Raptors 93
(6:05) INDIANA PACERS 104 - Milwaukee Bucks 100
(6:05) San Antonio Spurs 96 - NEW JERSEY NETS 90
(6:05) New Orleans Hornets 109 - WASHINGTON 97
(6:35) Seattle Supersonics 98 - MINNESOTA 'WOLVES 91
(8:05) HOUSTON ROCKETS 101 - Denver 98 (ESPN)
(9:05) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 101 - Portland 92
(9:05) SACRAMENTO KINGS 100 - Miami Heat 95
BEST BETS: CLEVELAND (2), NEW ORLEANS (1)
COLLEGE HOOPS
(12:00) CINCINNATI 64 - Providence 57 (ESPNU)
(12:00) TENNESSEE 85 - Kentucky 60
(1:00) DEPAUL 78 - Notre Dame 77
(1:00) MICHIGAN STATE 71 - Indiana 66 (CBS)
(2:00) LSU 65 - Georgia 59
(2:00) NC-CHARLOTTE 74 - Duquesne 70
(4:00) Ucla 77 - ARIZONA 65 (FSN)
(4:00) LOUISVILLE 80 - Villanova 72 (CBS)
(7:00) ST JOSEPHS 69 - Temple 67
(7:30) MARYLAND 86 - Clemson 83 (FSN)
(10:00) Oregon 74 - OREGON STATE 57 (FSN)
BEST BETS: TENNESSEE, LSU, UCLA, VILLANOVA, TEMPLE
GOLD SHEET LATE TELEPHONE SERVICE
CBB
LSU Home over GEORGIA-Home 11:00 AM PDT (team #532)
MARYLAND Home over CLEMSON-4:30 PM PDT (team #542)
NBA
LA LAKERS Home over DALLAS -12:30 PM PDT (team #504)
HOUSTON Home over DENVER -5:05 PM PDT (team #518)
CBB
LSU Home over GEORGIA-Home 11:00 AM PDT (team #532)
MARYLAND Home over CLEMSON-4:30 PM PDT (team #542)
NBA
LA LAKERS Home over DALLAS -12:30 PM PDT (team #504)
HOUSTON Home over DENVER -5:05 PM PDT (team #518)
