Thursday's Tip Sheet
By Josh Jacobs
NBA on TNT continues to roll on but with less then two dozen games left on tap, time is running out on the 2007-08 season.
Beginning at 8:00 p.m. EDT, Cleveland (37-27 straight up, 31-33 against the spread) and Washington (31-32 SU, 37-26 ATS) will square off for the fourth and final time this season.
It was back on Feb. 22 that witnessed a slim 90-89 win by the Cavaliers. The Wizards where able to cover the 3½-point spread, but with the total installed at 187½, a 4-1 run on the ‘over’ run was snapped.
In their last 10 head-to-head meetings, Cleveland has gone 8-2 SU and 4-5-1 ATS.
The big question for Washington remains; when will Gilbert Arenas be prepared to take on some minutes since leaving the hardwood in mid-November with a torn meniscus in his left knee? Reports indicate that Arenas has been cleared for light practices but a set date to return has been changing like the weather.
And with Caron Butler going through the healing motions of a tear of the left hip joint, scoring production for Washington has definitely taken a turn for the worst. Averaging 96.5 PPG in the last 10, the Wizards have been hard pressed in recent games (especially when giving up 101.8 PPG in the last five).
When playing at home versus teams with a winning record, Washington has gone 5-7 ATS for a total of a 14-13 ATS record versus teams playing with a record above .500.
Cleveland is certainly no stranger to the injury bug. Ben Wallace, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Eric Snow have all missed an extended period of time, suffering from a list of various ailments.
Going 4-1 ATS without Ilgauskas and 6-4 ATS with Gibson on the bench, the Cavaliers’ LeBron James has stepped up to the podium, averaging 33.7 PPG with 7.4 APG in the last 10.
In this Eastern Conference clash, pay attention to Cleveland’s 55-percent rate of exceeding 190 points and 42-percent chance of tipping the score over 195 points. Going against the grain, the Cavs have only rallied the troops to score ‘over’ the total for a total of four times in the last 10.
When installed as an underdog this season, Cleveland has gone an average 15-16 ATS in a total of 31 games this season.
Holding squads to 94.6 PPG in the last five, the Cavaliers have been able to wrangle in a 7-3 SU and 6-4 ATS record in their last 10.
The ‘over’ is 13-3 in Washington’s last 16 games versus Eastern Conference opponents.
**Golden State at Phoenix**
Taking three straight head-to-head games in a row and covering two of three games, the Warriors (39-23 SU, 27-35 ATS) have outscored the Suns (42-22 SU, 29-33-2 ATS) 373-351 in their last three meetings.
With game time beginning at 10:30 p.m. EDT, Phoenix will be looking to grab its third straight win. Going 4-4 SU and ATS in their last eight home games, the Suns have been plagued by inadequate defense. At home, Phoenix has surrendered 105 PPG this season, while 108.4 PPG have been allowed in the last five.
Entering Thursday with a 7-3 SU and 5-5 ATS run in its last 10, Golden State has tagged the ‘over’ seven times in the same stretch. Coming off zero days of rest, the Warriors have gone 8-7 ATS this season, while the Suns are financially in the black with a 21-15-1 ATS record coming off one-day of rest.
Something to take a look at is the 4-0 ‘over’ record in the last four head-to-head meetings. In all four contests, the total hasn’t been set to a score lower then 224 ½-points. And don’t forget that the underdog is 2-1 ATS in the last three clashes.
The only injury worth mentioning is Golden State’s Chris Webber’s knee injury. He’s missed action since Mar. 4, with the team going 3-1 ATS since the injury forced Webber to the sidelines.
While the Suns are 6-9 ATS at home when squaring off against teams playing above .500, the Warriors are 5-7 ATS on the road versus teams with a winning record.
Since Shaquille O’Neal joined Phoenix in early February, the squad has gone 8-8 SU and 7-9 ATS. Twelve of the 16 games have gone ‘over’ the given total and O’Neal himself is averaging 10.5 PPG with 11 RPG in his new jersey.
On the other side of the coin, Phoenix has gone 7-2 SU and ATS when Barron Davis has exceeded 30 points or more and is 12-6 SU when Davis has dished the ball 10 times or more.
Most books have installed the Suns as 4½-point favorites, with a total set at 238½. When Phoenix has played at home this season, 30-percent of their games have gone ‘over’ 230 points. For Golden State on the road, only 23-percent of their games have gone ‘over’ the same 230 points.
The ‘over’ is 9-1 in the Warriors last 10 road contests, while the ‘over’ is 8-2 in the Suns last 10 versus Western Conference opponents.
**Overtime**
-- Opening as a three-point favorite, Sacramento will tip-off against Portland at 10:00 p.m. EDT. A total of 205 1/2 has been set for this contest.
-- While the Trail Blazers are 7-2 ATS in its last nine games, the Kings have turned bettors off with a 2-7-1 ATS record in their last 10, is 1-5 ATS in their last six playing on three or more days of rest and is 2-5 ATS in their last seven following a SU win.
-- The Kings have been impressive in nailing high scoring totals at home, going 57-percent at exceeding 205 points, 50-percent at topping 210 points and 30-percent at shooting for ‘over’ 220 points.
-- Sacramento has gone ‘over’ the total seven times in its last seven, is hitting the ‘over’ with a 6-0 frequency in its last six after scoring 100 points or more in its previous game and is 5-1-1 on the ‘over’ in its last seven Thursday contests.
-- In their last nine head-to-head matches in Sacramento, the ‘over’ is 8-1. The underdog has been dominant in recent history, going 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings.
vegasinsider.com
Big Ten - First Round
By Judd Hall
This year’s Big Ten Tournament marks the start of a five-year run it will have to be played in Indianapolis’s Conseco Fieldhouse. The Buckeyes captured their second conference tourney title last season in Chicago. However, the 13/2 odds they’re getting to repeat isn’t exactly making the betting public drink the Kool-Aid.
It’s not a big surprise to see Wisconsin listed as a 7/4 “chalk” to cut down the nets on Sunday afternoon, with the Boilermakers is a close second choice at 2/1 on Bodog.
There are just three games on Thursday, starting at 12:00 EDT. And the winners of these opening round contests will get the privilege of facing one of the Top 3 seeds in the league.
Here we go…
No. 8 Iowa vs. No.9 Michigan
We’ll call this one the battle of the brand new coaches.
John Beilein is in his first year as the head coach at Michigan (9-21 straight up, 10-18 ATS) and Todd Lickliter is making Iowa City his home after spending six seasons at Butler. Neither coach had a solid showing in their debuts in the Big Ten as evidenced by their odds to win the conference championship: Iowa (13-18 SU, 13-15 ATS) is 22/1 to win it all and the Wolverines are 28/1 to accomplish the stunner.
If you’re looking to find an edge in the head-to-head battles between these programs this year, then good luck to you. The visiting team won both tilts SU and ATS this season, while the ‘over/under’ went 1-1.
Michigan is limping into the playoffs on a three-game losing skid, failing to cover the closing number in any of the contests. I guess you’d have to expect that considering the Maize and Blue are ninth in scoring offense (63.9 points per game) and dead last in defense (68.9 PPG). The result is a side that’s watched the ‘under’ go on a 7-1 run.
The Hawkeyes may have stropped their losing streak at three matches, but they’ve got to learn how to hold onto the ball. Iowa gave the ball away 16 times to Northwestern in the regular season finale, which is right on pace with its 15.8 turnovers per game for the year. That number, by the way, is the worst amongst all Big Ten squads.
Most sportsbooks have opened up with Iowa as an one-point favorite, with the total coming in at 114.
Michigan has gone 3-12 SU and 6-9 ATS when playing on the road or on a neutral court. Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes are 3-10 SU and 7-6 ATS when away from Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa has covered the spread in its last three road tests.
The winner of this matchup gets the unenviable task of squaring up with Wisconsin in the second round.
This contest will get underway at 12:00 pm EDT on the Big Ten Network.
No. 7 Penn State vs. No. 10 Illinois
Illinois (13-18 SU, 12-18-1 ATS) finished the season on a positive note, winning two of their last three regular season contests, covering the spread in both victories. Before we get all giddy over the Illini’s victories, they came against two of the more lowly clubs in the Big Ten: Iowa and Minnesota.
The Nittany Lions had their best conference record in two years, ringing up seven wins in the Big Ten. Two of those victories for Penn State (15-15 SU, 11-14-2 ATS) came against the Spartans and Hoosiers.
The visiting club won each matchup this season, with Penn State going 2-0 ATS. The Lions have been a good bet in the past five head-to-head fights, going 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS.
Illinois has failed to gather any sort of momentum all season long, winning three in a row just once. The Fighting Illini did close out the year by going 2-1 SU and ATS in their final three matches.
The Illini have been installed as eight-point favorites for this first-round matchup, with the total sitting at 120.
Illinois is 5-10 SU and 8-7 ATS when playing away from home. The Nittany Lions are horrid on the road, going 2-11 SU and 3-9-1 ATS.
No. 2 seed Purdue awaits the victor of this scuffle in the second round. Seeing as PSU is 18/1 and the Fighting Illini are 20/1 to win the Big Ten, that is as far as they’ll get.
ESPN2 will televise this game, starting at 2:30 pm EDT.
No. 6 Minnesota vs. No. 11 Northwestern
Tubby Smith and the Golden Gophers are going to get the gift that keeps on giving, a date with Northwestern (8-21 SU, 10-14 ATS) in the first round of the Big Ten playoffs. Minnesota (18-12 SU, 13-12 ATS) closed out the season on a down note, dropping three of its final four tilts heading into the postseason.
Minnesota’s offense has done well under Smith this year, scoring 70.0 PPG on offense. They’ve benefited from seniors forward Dan Coleman (12.2 PPG) and guard Lawrence McKenzie (12.0 PPG) leadership on the court, while true freshman guard Blake Hoffarber (8.8 PPG) gives hope for the future.
The Wildcats are doing what they do best leading up to the league tourney, lose. Northwestern is 1-10 SU and 5-6 ATS to close out the regular season. Perhaps that’s the reason the ‘Cats are the longshot to win the conference 100/1. They’ve seen the ‘under’ go 7-2 in their last nine games this season, giving bettors something to hang their hats on.
Most sportsbooks have listed the Gophers as 9½-point favorites for this fixture, with a total of 128.
Minnesota hasn’t been a great team on the road this year as shown by its 6-8 SU and 6-6 ATS record. Northwestern is just 3-10 SU away from Evanston this season, but an impressive 8-4 ATS.
The Golden Gophers have won the last three head-to-head matches against Northwestern, both SU and ATS. Before that, the Wildcats had gone on a 6-0 SU and ATS run versus Minnesota.
The winner of this tilt will get the chance to upend No. 3 Indiana in the next round.
Opening tip-off for this game is set for 5:00 pm EDT, with ESPN2 providing national coverage.
vegasinsider.com
Big XII - First Round
By Judd Hall
The latest NCAA bracket projections have six teams playing for the national championship out of the Big XII. Now some of the lower seeded conference programs will make a run at disrupting the natural order by scoring an upset in one of the four first-round tourney matches.
No. 8 Texas Tech vs. No. 9 Oklahoma State
Texas Tech (16-14 straight up, 14-9-1 against the spread) needs a miracle to make this year’s tournament after finishing eighth in its league this season. The Red Raiders have dropped their last two road tilts SU and ATS, including a 109-51 smackdown at the hands of Kansas as 19½-point road ‘dogs on March 3. Of course, you better lose by that margin if you shoot just 29 percent (18 of 62) from the field.
The Cowboys are looking for a prayer to bring them into postseason play this year after dropping their last two games against Oklahoma and at Texas. Oklahoma State (16-14 SU, 11-11 ATS) only has itself to blame right now, ranking next to last in the Big XII in field goal percentage at 43.1. Making matters worse is the ‘Boys made 35 percent of their shots in their final two matches of the regular season.
Las Vegas Sports Consultants have listed Oklahoma State as a 3½-point “chalk” with the total coming in at 134.
Being listed as favorites has done the Cowboys well the past two seasons as they’ve gone 18-4 SU. However, they’ve made bettors sweat it out by posting a 11-10-1 record ATS.
One thing going for Okla. State is a great neutral site record this year as evidenced by its 7-2 SU and ATS record.
There’s not a lot of good things we can write about the Red Raiders facing off with Oklahoma State recently. Texas Tech is 5-9 SU and 8-6 ATS in its last 14 head-to-head meetings with the Cowboys.
No. 5 Baylor vs. No. 12 Colorado
Things look good for Baylor (21-9 SU, 13-10 ATS) to make this year’s tournament regardless of whatever happens in the Big XII playoffs. Something we’ll be assured of seeing is a high scoring affair. The Bears are second in the Big XII in scoring offense, averaging 81.3 points per game. They’re also can’t stop anyone from getting to the basket, ranking dead last in the league by giving up 73.8 PPG.
Those stats mean the Bears haven’t been a strong bet this year, particularly when tabbed as favorites. Baylor went 8-3 SU when listed as the “chalk,” but are just 5-6 ATS in that spot.
The Buffaloes are just waiting for the sweet release that the death of this season will bring right now. Colorado (11-19 SU, 14-12 ATS) has lost six of its last seven regular season contests SU, yet 4-3 ATS.
LVSC has set the Bears as nine-point favorites with the total opening at 139.
That line might not be too bad for those of you out there looking to back the Buffs. Colorado won’t shock the world as an underdog, going 5-16 SU for the season. What the Buffaloes will do is hang close enough to cover, which is proven by their 12-9 ATS mark.
Baylor has been a solid bet for in the head-to-head scuffles of these conference foes. The Bears may only be 5-5 SU versus the Buffs, but they’re 8-2 ATS in that time frame.
No. 7 Nebraska vs. No. 10 Missouri
If Nebraska (18-11 SU, 9-12 ATS) can make a strong run in the conference tourney, it’ll have a chance at making the big dance. The Cornhuskers have won four of their last six matches SU and ATS, including victories over Kansas State and Oklahoma…they also lost a tough 70-66 decision to Texas during this run.
One thing the ‘Huskers must do if they want to have a chance to win here is keep the score low. And given they lead the league in scoring defense, allowing just 60.3 PPG this season, chances are pretty good. Of course, that is easier said than done when facing Mizzou.
Missouri (16-15 SU, 8-17 ATS) isn’t even going to get a sniff of the postseason after the league playoffs are over. Despite that fact, the Tigers won their last matchup against Nebraska as four-point road ‘dogs, 86-78, on Feb. 13. Mizzou possesses the fourth best scoring offense, racking up 77.8 PPG for the year…the result is a program that’s seen the ‘over’ go 16-9 and 8-2 in their last 10 games.
The oddsmakers at LVSC made the Cornhuskers 1 ½-point favorites with the total coming in at 137…which is better than a coin flip, but not by much.
The slight edge appears to benefit Nebraska regardless. The ‘Huskers are 7-4 SU and ATS when favored by 2½-points or less since 2003. Meanwhile, the ‘over’ is 6-4-1 during that stretch.
No. 6 Texas A&M vs. No. 11 Iowa State
The Aggies don’t really need to win this match in order to make the field of 65, but it certainly can’t hurt to maybe get them a better seed come Selection Sunday. Texas A&M (22-9 SU, 12-13 ATS) would like to at least get one more win under its belt considering it lost four of its past six fixtures SU and ATS leading into the playoffs. A&M has watched the ‘under’ go 5-1 in that time frame.
Iowa State (14-17 SU, 13-11 ATS) is just as bad as advertised. The Cyclones are next to last in the league standings, thanks in part to dropping nine of their last 10 games SU of the season. At least they went 5-5 ATS in that time, otherwise it would be a complete failure to gamblers.
Texas A&M is listed as an 11½-point favorite with the total opening up at 127 with LVSC.
History is leaning towards the Aggies for this showdown as they’re 6-2 SU and 7-1 ATS the last eight head-to-head meetings.
vegasinsider.com
Pavlovic returns from foot injury
March 12, 2008
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -Cleveland guard Sasha Pavlovic returned from a 23-game absence because of a sprained left foot and was in the Cavaliers' starting lineup Wednesday night against the Nets.
Pavlovic was hurt Jan. 23 in a victory over Washington. Despite that long layoff, coach Mike Brown said he went with his ``gut'' in deciding to put Pavlovic right back in the lineup.
``Sometimes I'd start a guy if he was out a couple of games or something like that,'' Brown said. ``Obviously Sasha's been out longer, but you know it's just a feel and we don't have that many games to kind of sit back and ease anybody in, so it's best to throw him in the mix and let him get his feet wet as quickly as possible and see what happens.''
Brown said he wasn't told he needed to monitor Pavlovic's minutes, and he had no expectations beyond just wanting Pavlovic, averaging 7.3 points in 38 games, to play hard.
The Cavs are still without Zydrunas Ilgauskas (back) and Daniel Gibson (sprained left ankle), and Ben Wallace joined them on the sidelines with back spasms. Joe Smith started alongside LeBron James and Anderson Varejao in the frontcourt.
``You have one guy come back and you have another guy go out,'' James said before the game. ``It's been like that for us the last two, three months.''
Caron Butler expected to return
March 12, 2008
WASHINGTON (AP) -All-Star forward Caron Butler appears set to celebrate his birthday with a return to the lineup Thursday for the Washington Wizards.
``Caron is going to be probable, so we add a little 'Tough Juice' to the lineup,'' said coach Eddie Jordan, referring to Butler's nickname. ``And we'll see how it goes.''
Butler has missed 16 straight games and 19 of the last 21 because of a hip injury. He was originally diagnosed with a strained hip flexor, but an MRI discovered a small labral tear of the left hip joint. The injury also caused Butler to miss the All-Star game.
The Wizards host LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, which happens to be the day Butler turns 28. Jordan said Butler will start if able to play.
``I've got a nice rhythm. I've got a couple of practices under my belt. I'm not feeling any symptoms,'' Butler said after Wednesday's practice. ``It's a big day with my birthday. Things seem to be really flowing right now, so tomorrow would be a great game to come back.''
Butler returned to practice Monday. Other than some tightness in the groin after Tuesday's shootaround, he said he's been fine.
``If I wake up tomorrow and feel the same way, I'll definitely be on the court,'' he said.
Butler's return would come none too soon for the banged-up Wizards. Gilbert Arenas (knee) and Etan Thomas (recovering from heart surgery) are practicing but still aren't ready to play.
Antawn Jamison (back strain) and Antonio Daniels (sprained left thumb) were sore after Tuesday's win over Milwaukee, but both are listed as probable for Thursday. Oleksiy Pecherov is expected to return after missing one game with a sore right foot.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Washington Wizards
- The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Washington Wizards will both be trying to pick up a win on Thursday when they battle at Verizon Center.
Odds aren't yet posted for this game, so check back later for the opening line and total.
The Cavaliers were upended 104-99 by the Nets last time out, as 4.5-point favorites on the road. The 203 points made it OVER the posted total of 190.5.
LeBron James tossed in a game-high 42 points and finished with 11 rebounds for a double-double in the loss.
The Wizards took control back in the fourth quarter and came away with a 105-97 victory over the Bucks on Tuesday. The Wizards covered the 6.5-point spread, and the 202 points made it OVER the game's posted total of 200.
Nick Young shot 9-for-15 from the field with 22 points and five rebounds for the Wizards, and Antawn Jamison added 23 points with eight boards in the win.
Team records:
Cleveland: 37-28 SU, 31-34 ATS
Washington: 31-32 SU, 37-25-1 ATS
Cleveland most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 8-2
Before playing Charlotte are 6-4
After playing New Jersey are 5-5
After a loss are 8-2
Washington most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 7-3
Before playing LA Clippers are 5-5
After playing Milwaukee are 7-3
After a win are 3-7
A few trends to consider:
Cleveland is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Washington
Cleveland is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland's last 7 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games
Washington is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 7 games when playing at home against Cleveland
Next up:
Cleveland home to Charlotte, Sunday, March 16
Washington home to LA Clippers, Saturday, March 15
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Sacramento Kings
- The Portland Trail Blazers and the Sacramento Kings will both be gunning for a victory on Thursday when they meet at ARCO Arena.
Oddsmakers currently have the Kings listed as 3½-point favorites versus the Trail Blazers, while the game's total has not yet been posted.
Brandon Roy tossed in a game-high 27 points in leading the Trail Blazers to a 103-96 win over the Timberwolves last time out. The Trail Blazers covered the 2-point spread, while the 199 points made it OVER the posted total of 185.
Roy shot 9-for-20 from the field with five rebounds and nine assists for the Trail Blazers. LaMarcus Aldridge chipped in with 20 points in the win.
The Kings upset the Lakers 114-113 as a 14-point underdog last time out. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (221.5).
Beno Udrih scored 25 points and handed out 10 assists for Sacramento, while Kevin Martin added 21 points in the win.
Team records:
Portland: 34-31 SU, 34-31 ATS
Sacramento: 28-35 SU, 32-30-1 ATS
Portland most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 4-6
Before playing Minnesota are 3-7
After playing Minnesota are 4-6
After a win are 2-8
Sacramento most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 2-8
Before playing Phoenix are 5-5
After playing LA Lakers are 4-6
After a win are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Portland's last 9 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
Portland is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games on the road
Portland is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Sacramento's last 9 games when playing at home against Portland
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Sacramento's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Sacramento's last 5 games at home
Sacramento is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Portland
Next up:
Portland home to Minnesota, Saturday, March 15
Sacramento at Phoenix, Saturday, March 15
Golden State Warriors vs. Phoenix Suns
- The Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns will both be trying to pick up a win on Thursday when they battle at US Airways Center.
Odds aren't yet posted for this game, so check back later for the opening line and total.
The Warriors jumped out to an early lead Wednesday, as they cut down the Raptors 117-106. The Warriors covered the 10-point spread at home, while the 223 points were a PUSH against the posted total of 223.
Monta Ellis led the way with 33 points and Baron Davis added 23 points and 15 assists for the Warriors.
The Suns got out to an early lead and went on to crush the Grizzlies 132-111 on Tuesday. The Suns covered the 14-point spread, and the combined score made it OVER the posted total of 223.
Amare Stoudemire scored a game-high 29 points and hauled down 13 rebounds to complete the double-double performance.
Current streak:
Golden State has won 3 straight games.
Phoenix has won 2 straight games.
Team records:
Golden State: 40-23 SU, 28-35 ATS
Phoenix: 42-22 SU, 29-33-2 ATS
Golden State most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 5-5
Before playing Memphis are 6-4
After playing Toronto are 4-6
After a win are 7-3
Phoenix most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 9-1
Before playing Sacramento are 9-1
After playing Memphis are 7-3
After a win are 3-7
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Golden State's last 10 games on the road
Golden State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Golden State's last 6 games when playing Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Phoenix is 21-3 SU in its last 24 games when playing at home against Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Phoenix's last 6 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games when playing at home against Golden State
Next up:
Golden State home to Memphis, Saturday, March 15
Phoenix home to Sacramento, Saturday, March 15
NBA Today
Golden State at Phoenix (10:30 p.m. EDT). The Suns are 5-6 with Shaquille O'Neal.
STARS
-Monta Ellis, Warriors, scored 33 points to lead Golden State to a 117-106 win over Toronto.
-Tracy McGrady, Rockets, scored 21 of his 28 points in the second half to lead Houston to a 83-75 win at Atlanta.
-Chris Paul, and David West, Hornets. Paul had 26 points and 17 assists and West added 29 points to help New Orleans take a convincing 100-75 victory over San Antonio.
-Deron Williams, Jazz, had 26 points and 13 assists in Utah's 114-110 win against Milwaukee.
-Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks, scored 26 points in Dallas' 118-93 win over Charlotte.
STRATOSPHERIC
The Houston Rockets became the third team in NBA history to win 20 straight games and tied for the second-longest winning streak with an 83-75 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night. The Rockets joined the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers (33 straight) and 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks (20) as the only teams to win 20 or more in a row.
BOS-TEN
Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen each scored 18 points to lift Boston to its 10th straight victory, 111-82 over Seattle on Wednesday night. The Celtics have their longest win streak since a 14-game run from March 11-April 4, 1986 and improved to 12-0 at home against the Western Conference.
HEAT EXHAUSTION
New York beat Miami 91-88 on Wednesday night to snap a seven-game losing streak. The Heat lost for the 33rd time in 36 games and extended the NBA's worst record to 11-52.
ROAD WOES
Memphis dropped its 16th straight road game and 17th of 19 overall Wednesday night, 108-86 to Denver.
SNAPPED
Dallas beat Charlotte 118-93 on Wednesday night, snapping the Bobcats' franchise-record five-game winning streak.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
LeBron James scored 42 points in Cleveland's 104-99 loss to New Jersey on Wednesday night.
SPEAKING
It may be the ugliest thing we've done, but it might have been the best one. the way we fought through it.'' - Houston coach Rick Adelman after the Rockets' 83-75 win over Atlanta on Wednesday night. The Rockets became the third team in NBA history to win 20 consecutive games
ACC Tourney preview
By Brian Edwards
By virtue of its win at Duke in the regular-season finale this past Saturday night, North Carolina (29-2 straight up, 20-9 against the spread) garnered the top seed in this week’s ACC Tournament in Charlotte and a likely No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament regardless of what happens this weekend.
Sportsbook.com has installed UNC as the 5/7 ‘chalk’ to cut the nets down Sunday at Bobcat Arena.
Duke (26-4 SU, 15-12 ATS) finished second in the ACC with a 13-3 ledger in league play. The Blue Devils await the winner of the Virginia-Georgia Tech matchup tonight. They have 2/1 odds (risk $100 to win $200) to win the league tourney.
Clemson, the third seed that will face the Maryland-BC winner Friday night, has 5/1 odds. Virginia Tech, which is the No. 4 seed but not even close to a lock to hear its name called Sunday, will face the Miami-N.C. St. survivor on Friday. The Hokies have 8/1 odds.
The ‘Canes and Yellow Jackets are both marked at 12/1, while Maryland is listed at 15/1. Wake Forest (20/1), Virginia (25/1), FSU (30/1), BC (50/1) and N.C. St. (50/1) round out the field.
Now let’s take a look at today’s quadruple-header in Charlotte.
**Wake Forest vs. Florida State**
--Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Florida State (18-13 SU, 10-17 ATS) as a one-point favorite with a total of 139. Most spots had FSU at one with a total of 138½ as of early this morning.
--Wake Forest (17-12 SU, 14-9 ATS) swept the season series from the Seminoles and has taken the cash in four straight head-to-head meetings. The Demon Deacons won 78-70 in Tallahassee as 5½-point underdogs. In Winston Salem at Lawrence Joel Coliseum, Wake captured a 74-57 triumph as a one-point ‘chalk.’
--FSU has played well down the stretch, winning four of its last five games while going 3-1-1 ATS. The ‘Noles closed the regular season with a 75-72 overtime win over Miami as three-point home favorites. Ralph Mims paced the winners with 25 points, while Jason Rich and Toney Douglas finished with 16 apiece.
--Since shocking Duke several weeks ago, Wake Forest has gone cold with four losses both SU and ATS in its last five games. Therefore, barring a run to at least the ACC semifinals and most likely the finals, the Demon Deacons are headed for the NIT.
--Wake snapped a four-game slide by spanking N.C. St. 78-67 in the regular-season finale for both squads. The Deacs cashed tickets as eight-point home favorites. Jeff Teague scored 25 points to pace the winners.
--These teams have met in the ACC Tourney three times with Wake prevailing on each occasion. The Deacs won 68-65 in 1997, 69-61 in 2003 and 78-66 in ’06.
--The ‘under’ is 15-13 overall for the ‘Noles, but the ‘over’ has hit in their last three games.
--The ‘over’ is on a 6-1 run for the Deacs and is 13-11 overall.
--Raycom’s ACC affiliates will provide television coverage at noon Eastern.
**North Carolina State vs. Miami**
--LVSC opened Miami (21-9 SU, 14-6 ATS) as a five-point ‘chalk’ with a total of 135. As of this morning, most spots had UM at 5 ½ with the total adjusted to around 139.
--In my opinion, the Hurricanes are destined to go dancing for the first time since 2002 regardless of this game’s result. But with bids getting stolen left to right – think San Diego, George Mason and to a lesser extent, Western Kentucky – UM would just assume get this ‘W’ rather than spend all of Sunday on pins and needles.
--North Carolina State (15-15 SU, 6-20 ATS) has been a money burner all year long, one of the nation’s biggest disappointments for sure. The Wolfpack haven’t tasted a victory since Feb. 5, losing eight in a row while posting an atrocious 1-7 spread record.
--When these schools met in Raleigh on Jan. 18, Sidney Lowe’s team captured a 79-77 win in overtime as a two-point ‘chalk.’ The 156 combined points obliterated the 131-point tally.
--The ‘over’ is on an incredible 18-5 run in N.C. St.’s last 23 games with a total. Also, the ‘over’ has hit in four consecutive head-to-head meetings between these teams.
**Virginia vs. Georgia Tech**
--Most spots have installed Georgia Tech (14-16 SU, 14-14 ATS) as a one-point favorite with the total in the 151-153 range.
--Virginia (15-14 SU, 13-11 ATS) has won four of its last six games, but the Cavs are even hotter for our purposes. To be exact, UVA has cashed tickets at a 6-1 ATS clip in its last seven outings.
--Paul Hewitt’s club won three of its last four games with the lone loss coming to UVA by just a two-point margin. The Yellow Jackets are 4-1 ATS in their last five assignments.
--Georgia Tech owns an 11-3-1 spread record in the last 15 head-to-head meetings against the Wahoos.
--The ‘over’ is 18-10 overall for G-Tech. On the other hand, UVA has watched the ‘under’ go 13-11 overall, 7-3 in its last 10 games.
--Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET. on ESPN2.
**Boston College vs. Maryland**
--Most sports books are listing Maryland (18-13 SU, 11-14 ATS) as a 5½-point favorite with the total in the 141-143 range. The Eagles are plus 210 on the money line.
--Boston College (13-16 SU, 10-14 ATS) has lost six straight games, but the Eagles did manage a pair of spread covers during that slide. They are clearly in a transition year with program stalwarts like Craig Smith and Jared Dudley departing in the last two seasons. With that said, BC still has one of the country's premier players (just ask UNC fans) in Tyrese Rice, who has lightning quickness off the dribble and a smooth southpaw jumper. He reminds me of Kenny Anderson at Georgia Tech in the early 1990s. Rice averages 21.3 points and 5.3 assists per game.
--Maryland is most likely on the outside of the bubble heading into Charlotte, needing a win over BC without question. More than likely, Gary Williams' team needs two wins due to four losses in its last five games. Most damaging was an unfathomable home loss to Clemson when the Terrapins blew a 20-point lead midway through the second half and ended up losing by three. Then in the regular-season finale, Maryland was clearly hung over from the previous defeat and lost 91-76 at Virginia.
--Al Skinner's team is 5-8 versus the number in 13 underdog situations.
--These teams split a pair of meetings this season with both teams winning on the others’ home floor. BC won in College Park by an 81-78 count as a six-point ‘dog way back on Dec. 9. In the rematch, the Terrapins captured a 70-65 triumph as one-point road underdogs.
--The ‘over’ is 15-9 overall for BC, while the ‘under’ has hit in four of Maryland’s last five games.
vegasinsider.com
Pac-10 Quarterfinals
By Brad Young
A quick look at various bracket forecasts have six Pac-10 teams advancing to the NCAA Tournament barring unexpected outcomes. However, this is March Madness and the tournament has earned that moniker for many reasons. There have already been some notable upsets across the country in conference tournaments, making the bubble even tighter for teams such as Arizona, Arizona State and Oregon. The Wildcats figure on being a 10th seed in the NCAA Tournament after throttling Oregon State Wednesday night by 31 points, scoring more points at halftime than the Beavers did all game.
UCLA is only concerned about NCAA Tournament seeding right now, and could garner the West’s top seed in the West with a victory in the Pac-10 Tournament. The Bruins also boast conference and freshman Player of the Year Kevin Love. The sensational center recorded 19 double doubles this season in what is probably his lone season in Westwood.
Stanford finished second in the Pac-10 Conference, and is currently projected as a fourth seed in the Big Dance heading into this week’s action. The Cardinal finished the regular season by dropping back-to-back games against UCLA and USC, the former on a controversial call that cost them a chance for the league title. Stanford’s Trent Johnson was named league Coach of the Year after leading the school to its best record since 2003-04.
Washington State finished third in the conference, and is projected as a sixth seed for the NCAA Tournament. Southern Cal is looking at a seventh seed in the same projections, while Oregon figures on being one of the last at-large teams selected with a 12th seed. Arizona State figures to be on the outside looking in with its unsightly RPI ranking of 75. However, that’s subject to change should the Sun Devils topple Southern Cal at Staples Center.
Now let’s take a look at Thursday’s quarterfinal action in Los Angles.
**Arizona State (5) versus Southern Cal (4)**
-Caesars Palace installed USC as a five-point ‘chalk’ over Arizona State, with the total set at 125. This Pac-10 quarterfinals contest at Staples Center is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. ET, with FOX Sports Net providing coverage.
-Arizona State (19-11 straight up, 14-12 against the spread) has alternated SU and ATS wins and losses its last five games after upending Oregon State Saturday as a 10-point road favorite, 77-64.
-The Sun Devils are 6-7 SU and ATS away from home, dropping those affairs by an average score of 68-63.
-Southern Cal (20-10 SU, 17-10 ATS) improved to 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS its past five games after beating Stanford Saturday as a home ‘pick,’ 77-64. The Trojans had failed to cover their previous two outings.
-USC is 9-5 SU and 10-4 ATS away from home, winning those matchups by an average score of 69-63. The Trojans campus is the closest to Staples Center of any team playing.
-The home team won and covered both meetings in the Arizona State-USC series, while the Sun Devils are 4-1 ATS the previous five outings with the Trojans. Arizona State triumphed March 1 as a one-point home ‘chalk,’ 80-66, while USC prevailed Feb. 2 as a seven-point home favorite, 67-53.
**California (9) versus UCLA (1)**
-There is no overnight line or total on this contest due to Wednesday’s late finish concerning the Cal-Washington game. FOX Sports Net will provide coverage of this contest beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET.
-California (16-14 SU, 14-12 ATS) got back on the winning track after a late regular-season slide by slipping past Washington Wednesday as a 2 ½-point favorite, 84-81. That marked the third game in a row that the Golden Bears covered.
-Cal sports a 6-6 SU and 9-3 ATS road record, with the average score of those games being 76-76.
-UCLA (28-3 SU, 18-10 ATS) hasn’t played since escaping with a one-point victory over Cal Saturday as a 15-point home ‘chalk,’ 81-80. The Bruins have alternated ATS wins and losses their last five games.
-UCLA is 12-1 SU and 9-3 ATS away from home, winning those affairs by an average score of 70-61.
-The Bruins are 5-1 SU and 3-3 ATS the previous six meetings with Cal. UCLA prevailed in the Bay Area Jan. 5 as a four-point road favorite, 70-58.
**Oregon (6) versus Washington State (3)**
-Caesars Palace lists Washington State as a 3 ½-point ‘chalk’ over Oregon, with the total set at 127. This contest is slated to start at 9:00 p.m. ET, with FOX Sports Net providing coverage.
-Oregon (18-12 SU, 14-13 ATS) has won its last three games SU and four consecutive ATS after disposing of Arizona Saturday as a 1 ½-point home favorite, 78-69.
-The Ducks maintain a 5-9 SU and 7-6 ATS road record, dropping those games by an average score of 74-73.
-Washington State (23-7 SU, 13-14 ATS) has alternated SU wins and losses its last five games after slipping past Washington Saturday in overtime as a 9 ½-point home ‘chalk,’ 76-73. The Cougars are just 1-3 ATS their last four games.
-Wazzu is 13-3 SU and 8-6 ATS on the road, winning those contests by an average score of 67-57.
**Arizona (7) versus Stanford (2)**
-There is no overnight line or total on this contest due to the late finish of the Arizona-Oregon State contest.
-Arizona (19-13 SU, 16-13 ATS) throttled Oregon State Wednesday night as an 18-point ‘chalk,’ 87-56. The Wildcats are now 3-1 ATS their last four games.
-Arizona is 8-7 SU and 9-5 ATS away from home, winning those contests by an average score of 70-67.
-Stanford (24-6 SU, 14-15 ATS) is currently mired in a two-game SU and ATS losing skid after falling to USC Saturday as a road ‘pick,’ 77-64. The Cardinal are just 1-4 ATS their last five games.
-Stanford is 8-5 SU and 7-6 ATS on the road, winning those affairs by an average score of 68-65.
-The Cardinal swept Arizona this year, winning both games by a combined five points. Stanford prevailed Jan. 17 as a five-point home favorite, 56-52, and Feb. 16 as a two-point road underdog, 67-66.
vegasinsider.com
Big East - Quarterfinals
By Chris David
The first round of the Big East Tournament is in the books, with four schools advancing to Thursday’s quarterfinal round. Gamblers backing underdogs yesterday turned a profit with a 3-1 ledger against the spread, which is a little eye opening considering they were just 1-3 straight up.
The lone puppy to cash the outright money-line ticket was Villanova (+130). After trailing 28-27 at the break, the Wildcats outscored Syracuse by 20 points (55-35) in the final 20 minutes for the lopsided 83-62 victory.
Sophomore Scottie Reynolds paced the school with 22 points and led a barrage from the outside that drilled 11 3-pointers against Syracuse, including 8-of-10 in the second half.
A lot of cash came in on in Syracuse early, most likely because it was the first game on Wednesday’s board, plus the betting public usually sides with up-tempo teams. Unfortunately, the Orange were burned as three-point favorites and the combined 147 points barely slid ‘under’ the closing number of 148. Blame that one on Syracuse freshman Jonny Flynn, who dribbled the ball out with under 20 ticks on the clock remaining. Probably the right thing to do but when you’re chucking shots (7-of-15) the entire game, you can be assured bettors who took the ‘over’ were cursing the erratic frosh.
This matchup was tabbed as a play-in game, with the loser going home and winner moving closer to a NCAA Tournament bid. Based on the latest reports, ‘Nova is still sitting out and probably needs another victory to lock up an at-large bid, which brings us to today’s card.
**Villanova vs. No. 9 Georgetown**
Its déjà vu all over again as Villanova and Georgetown meet for the second consecutive year in the Big East quarterfinals. The Hoyas captured a 62-57 decision over the Wildcats and eventually went on to win the entire tournament.
Most books don’t believe the Wildcats have a chance against the conference’s regular season champion, opening the Hoyas as eight-point favorites. The line has dipped to seven, while the ‘over/under’ is hovering between 121 and 122.
It should be noted that the ‘under’ has gone 4-0 in the last four meetings between the two schools. Plus, the Wildcats have watched the ‘under’ go 10-1 in their last 11 games.
Villanova can reflect on a 55-53 loss on Feb. 11 to Georgetown for self confidence, especially the way the game unfolded. With the score tied, ‘Nova missed a potential game-winning hoop but the Hoyas’ Jonathan Wallace raced down the sidelines and was fouled almost 70 feet from the basket. He was given two foul shots and made both for the victory. Even if the foul wasn’t called, the game would’ve seen at least another five minutes of action in overtime. Tough to gauge who would’ve earned the win, considering both Villanova (24.6%) and Georgetown (40%) couldn’t buy a bucket from the field.
Including yesterday’s win, Villanova owns a consistent 8-8 both SU and ATS mark on the road. Georgetown is a tab better, producing a 9-4 SU and 7-6 ATS record outside the nation’s capital.
The Hoyas aren’t your prototypical bully school, often having trouble putting teams away. A large part of the close games comes from their inconsistent offense, which is averaging 69.4 points per game. Despite the troublesome attack, the defense (57.3 PPG) is outstanding in both the front and backcourt.
Georgetown is only 11-15 ATS this year, which includes a 7-11 ATS ledger in conference games. The ‘under’ has gone 17-9 in lined games with a total for the Hoyas.
Tip-off is set for 12:00 p.m. EDT, with ESPN providing national coverage.
**West Virginia vs. No. 15 Connecticut**
For the second straight game, West Virginia went through the motions and almost got caught for the second time as well. The Mountaineers earned a lackluster 58-53 victory over Providence in the first round of the Big East tournament on Wednesday. On Saturday, WVU needed overtime to notch an 83-74 win against St. John’s, who was one of the four schools in the conference that didn’t make the 12-team tournament.
If WVU brings the same effort against Connecticut this afternoon, then the Mountaineers are headed back to Morgantown and await an expected at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament.
UConn closed the regular season strong by destroying Cincinnati 96-51 as a 12-point favorite on Sunday, which was a nice rebound win after falling to the aforementioned Providence earlier in the week.
These two schools recently met on Mar. 1, with the Huskies taking a 79-71 win over the Mountaineers as 3½-point home favorites. The combined 150 points easily surpassed the closing total of 138. Jim Calhoun’s team connected on 9-of-15 (60%) treys from downtown, plus an impressive 22-of-29 (75.9%) from the charity stripe.
UConn has won 12 of the 15 head-to-head battles against West Virginia.
The Huskies (77.9 PPG) and Mountaineers (76 PPG) both have the ability to light up the scoreboard, yet the ‘over/under’ for this matchup is listed at 141. The ‘over’ has gone 4-1 in each of the schools last five games.
vegasinsider.com
ACC tournament picks & previews: Round 1
Covers.com
Florida State vs. Wake Forest
Tip-off: 12 p.m. ET
Odds: (+1, 112)
It’s been a strange season for the Florida State Seminoles. They got off to a good start, going 11-4 straight up in non-conference play (5-7 ATS) and then things quickly went south when the ACC schedule started. They only won three league games (and went through an eight-game skid without covering) before Isiah Swann was lost for the season with a torn ACL. Strangely, after they lost the senior guard, things turned around and the Seminoles won four of their final five games. That explains why they come into this game favored against Wake Forest even though they lost both meetings this season, including a 74-57 beating in January at Winston-Salem. Florida State is a team that is finally reaching the potential it didn’t meet during most of the season and Wake is a team that played above its head all year. Tournament time is when these things even out.
Pick: Florida State
NC State vs. Miami
Tip-off: 2:30 p.m. ET
Odds: -5½, 139
Miami head coach Frank Haith had it right when he said: ''I know (NC State’s) record doesn't speak to this, but they were picked third in our conference for a reason. They're very capable of winning three games and getting to the championship.”
After closing the season with seven straight losses, it’s hard to view the Wolfpack as a threat, but you could have said the same thing about them last year when they entered the ACC tournament ranked 10th and made it to the final, covering in all four games. They have the talent to do it again, especially with J.J. Hickson on the roster this year, a freshman averaging 14 points and eight rebounds a game.
But beware: Miami is doubly motivated in this game. Not only are they out for revenge for an overtime loss to the Wolfpack in January, but they’re also on the bubble for an NCAA Tournament berth. Still, this game will probably be closer than most people would think.
Pick: NC State
Virginia vs. Georgia Tech
Tip-off: 7 p.m. ET
Odds: -1, 153
Georgia Tech is a team that really came on at the end of the season. The only thing that spoiled a strong regular-season finish was a loss to Virginia, but don’t let that loss sway you too much. The Yellow Jackets played that game without senior point guard Matt Causey, who suffered a concussion in the previous game. Causey isn't big on in the box scores but he's the engine that makes the Jackets go. It also didn’t help that that game was played with only one day of rest after tough overtime win over Wake Forest.
The Cavaliers also finished strong, covering six of their last seven games, but outside of Sean Singletary, this team can’t match up with Georgia Tech. Singletary has taken over games this year (like the regular-season finale in which he had 26 points and eight assists) but Tech showed they can slow him down when they held him to 17 points in their previous meeting.
Pick: Georgia Tech
Boston College vs. Maryland
Tip-off: 9 p.m. ET
Odds: -5½, 143
Neither of these teams did much in their respective conference schedules, but at least Maryland put up a fight. BC got absolutely steamrolled by the rest of their ACC opponents, finishing with a 4-12 record (7-9 ATS). If Maryland was playing anyone else in this game, you’d probably have to go against them because, despite some flashes of brilliance, they’ve been inconsistent at best and horrendous at worst. But the Eagles have been consistently horrendous. Head coach Al Skinner has resorted to desperation tactics like giving the starting guard spot to freshman Corey Raji in the final four games of the season and using only eight players in their final game regular-season game. That doesn’t look good coming into the tourney.
Pick: Maryland
Why Nova could upset Georgetown
Covers.com
If you feel the Villanova Wildcats can’t upset the Georgetown Hoyas on Thursday at the Big East tournament, you may not have seen Nova play this year.
If you have seen the Cats play, you at least have to admit you love the way they play. They are young and undersized, but they make you beat them all over the court by attacking the hoop and playing tight defense.
They line up man-to-man on defense and force you to outwork them if you want your points and points have been tough to come by against this squad lately. Ten of the last 11 Nova games have gone under the total.
Nova continually outworked bigger Syracuse in the paint in the opening round on offense, often getting Wildcat hands on offensive rebounds first. The Cats ended up hammering the Orange, 82-63, but that score is a little misleading because Cuse gave up during the last five minutes and allowed a pile of easy Villanova baskets.
Georgetown knows all about this scrappy team too. Nova nearly pulled off the upset in their only meeting of the season when the Wildcats were robbed by a joke of a foul call with almost no time left on the clock. The foul was called in Georgetown’s end on a harmless play that sent the Hoyas to the line for an easy 55-53 win.
In any event, the Wildcats earned the cover against the Hoyas and a near victory despite shooting just 24 percent from the field and a pathetic 3-for-23 from downtown. The Cats just find ways to keep it close
Nova started the tourney at MSG looking nervous on Wednesday, but that’s expected because no player on the roster had ever started a Big East tourney game before. They settled down after about 10 minutes, backed by the play of all conference second teamer Scottie Reynolds.
Reynolds drove the hoop fearlessly and started opening things up for his team. After that, Nova was able to penetrate Cuse’s 2-3 zone and three-pointers started to drop. The play of Reynolds will likely determine how far Nova goes and he’ll need to stay both aggressive and hot from downtown.
This Nova team is more grit than flash with only two players averaging double digits per game, but it can’t be taken lightly. The Cats are smaller than most teams but they can hit the trey and they’ll force you to earn everything you get. They outrebounded much bigger Georgetown 36-30 in the earlier meeting.
Georgetown has a similar look to Syracuse, with size all over the floor and the ability to beat you inside or outside. The Hoyas are more polished and experienced, however, which is why they finished first in the conference.
If the Hoyas come ready to play, they should be able to win and cash in this time. That’s a big “if” though. Center Roy Hibbert and forward DaJuan Summers make a tandem down low that is just so tough for a smaller team like Nova to beat.
I don’t think fatigue will be a factor for the Wildcats because their Wednesday game was at noon and they were able to work in subs against Syracuse to stay fresh. They’ll likely need to stay hot from beyond the arc though, in order to give Georgetown a scare again.
Nova shot 11-for-20 from three-point range on Wednesday.
Pick: Nova +7
Today's Pac-10 tournament games
* USC (20-10) vs. Arizona State (19-11), noon -- Arizona State freshman guard James Harden announced Wednesday that he intended to return for a second college season, ensuring him another shot at the NCAA tournament if the Sun Devils fall short this year. Arizona State probably needs to defeat the Trojans to have a chance to advance to the field of 65.
* UCLA (28-3) vs. California (16-14), 2:30 p.m. -- Top-seeded UCLA has beaten California twice this season -- 70-58 at Haas Pavilion and 81-80 on Saturday at Pauley Pavilion. The ninth-seeded Bears, who beat No. 8 seeded Washington, 84-81, on Wednesday night, played Saturday's game without center DeVon Hardin, who missed the game with a hip injury. Hardin did play against the Huskies. UCLA's freshman center Kevin Love had 41 points and 20 rebounds against the Bears this season. California upset UCLA in the quarterfinals last year.
* Washington State (23-7) vs. Oregon (18-12),
6 p.m. -- The Ducks solidified their NCAA tournament bid by winning the final three games of the regular season but probably need at least an upset victory over the Cougars to advance to the field of 65. Washington State defeated Oregon by nine points in both meetings during the regular season. Both have dangerous three-point shooters; Washington State's Derrick Low averages 2.6 three-pointers a game and Oregon's Tajuan Porter 2.5.
* Stanford (24-6) vs. Arizona (19-13), 8:30 p.m. -- The Cardinal swept the regular-season games, winning 56-52 in Palo Alto and 67-66 in Tucson. The Wildcats could feel much better about their chance to make a 24th consecutive NCAA appearance with an upset over 11th-ranked and second-seeded Stanford. Cardinal forward Brook Lopez has averaged 20 points and 8.2 rebounds a game against Arizona in four games over two years.
latimes.com