NCAA Previews & Picks: Sunday's East Region Action
By Covers.com
No. 6 Cincinnati Bearcats vs. No. 3 Florida State Seminoles (-2, 127)
THE STORY: Florida State barely avoided an early exit and is now on the verge of returning to the Sweet 16 for a second straight season. Standing in the Seminoles' way is former Metro Conference rival Cincinnati, one of the toughest teams the Big East has to offer. Florida State was a trendy Final Four pick heading into the tournament after winning the ACC tournament for the first time, but struggled with tiny St. Bonaventure in its first game.
This contest may to come down to the wire as well, with defense expected to dominate this game. The Seminoles are fifth in the nation in field goal defense (38.1) and the Bearcats allow a mere 61.1 points per game (fourth in Big East). Florida State leads the all-time series 22-15, but hasn’t faced Cincinnati since 2008. The winner will play either No. 2 seed Ohio State or seventh-seeded Gonzaga in the Sweet 16. It would be Cincinnati's first Sweet 16 appearance since 2001.
ABOUT FLORIDA STATE (25-9, 12-4 ACC): The Seminoles' depth is their strength (eight players average at least six points), but they also have something that most tournament teams don’t in 27-year-old senior center Bernard James. James is a former Air Force sergeant and is unfazed by the pressures of the NCAA tournament. He helped the Seminoles overcome an 0-for-7 performance from leading scorer Michael Snaer by recording 19 points and nine rebounds in the 66-63 win over 14th-seeded St. Bonaventure. The Seminoles trailed for all but five minutes with Snaer, the ACC tournament MVP, battling foul trouble. James and senior point guard Luke Loucks (13 points, seven rebounds, six assists) were the only players in double figures.
ABOUT CINCINNATI (25-10, 12-6 Big East): The Bearcats, true to their regular-season form, had four players in double figures in a 65-59 win over Texas in the Round of 64 Friday. Cincinnati held Texas to 16 percent shooting (4 of 25) in the first half and then survived a furious rally. Senior center Yancy Gates scored 15 points, including a pair of baskets late that helped the Bearcats hold off the young Longhorns, who erased a 19-point deficit. Cincinnati is the worst free-throw shooting team in the Big East (63.7), which is something that could come back to haunt it in close games.
Pick: Cincinnati +2
NCAA Previews & Picks: Sunday's Midwest Region Action
By Covers.com
No. 1 North Carolina State Wolfpack vs. No. 3 Georgetown Hoyas (-4, 132)
THE STORY: Two teams that dominated inside against undersized opponents in Friday’s opening round meet when third-seeded Georgetown faces No. 11 seed North Carolina State in the Round of 32. Coming off back-to-back opening-round upsets in the NCAA tournament, Georgetown rolled past 14th-seeded Belmont, 74-59. North Carolina State, playing its first NCAA game since 2006, outscored sixth-seeded San Diego State by 20 points in the paint and pulled away in the second half to win 79-65. The winner will advance to the Sweet 16 to face either 10th-seeded Purdue or second-seeded Kansas.
Pick: Georgetown
No. 8 Creighton Bluejays vs. No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels (-8.5, 159)
THE STORY: Creighton must relocate its missing offense if it hopes to knock off North Carolina and reach the Sweet 16. The Bluejays, among the NCAA leaders in field goal percent and 3-point percentage, managed only 58 points in the opening round but still notched their school-record-tying 29th victory. North Carolina, the top-seeded team in the Midwest Regional, has won 30 games five times during coach Roy Williams’ nine-year stay. The Tar Heels are no offensive slouches, averaging nearly 82 points.
Pick: North Carolina
No. 13 Ohio Bobcats vs. No. 12 South Florida Bulls (-2.5, 114)
THE STORY: South Florida had to sweat out receiving a bid to the NCAA tournament. A week later, the Bulls will be wearing the home white jerseys needing one victory to reach the Sweet 16. South Florida, the No. 12 seed, will play 13th-seeded Ohio in the Midwest quarterfinals after knocking out Temple and Michigan, respectively. Both teams play outstanding defense and have stellar point guards. South Florida allows 56.4 points, while Ohio forces 17.6 turnovers and makes 9.3 steals per contest. Freshman Anthony Collins runs the show for USF and junior D.J. Cooper leads the Bobcats in scoring and assists.
Pick: South Florida
No. 10 Purdue Boilermakers vs. No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks (-7.5, 141.5)
THE STORY: After surviving a tumultuous day for top seeds Friday, the No. 2 seed Jayhawks will try to avoid the upset bug when they face No. 10 seed Purdue in the round of 32. The Boilermakers held off a late rally from St. Mary's to win 72-69 in the round of 64. Kansas avoided becoming the third No. 2 seed to lose Friday, pulling away late in the first half and early in the second to beat Detroit 65-50. Kansas has a dominant post duo in Thomas Robinson and 7-foot center Jeff Withey, and they should cause matchup problems for the undersized Boilermakers.
Pick: Kansas
NCAA Previews & Picks: Sunday's West Region Action
By Covers.com
No. 8 Saint Louis Billikens vs. No. 1 Michigan State Spartans (-6.5, 123)
THE STORY: Top-seeded Michigan State led by just four early in the second half before pulling away for an 89-67 victory over No. 16 LIU-Brooklyn Friday night. The Spartans were led by Draymond Green, who collected 24 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his second career tournament triple-double. Ninth-seeded Saint Louis, meanwhile, used a late 14-2 run to surge past No. 8 Memphis, 61-54. Kwamain Mitchell scored eight of his team-high 22 points during the decisive spurt for the Billikens, who had not won an NCAA tournament game in 14 years.
ABOUT SAINT LOUIS (26-7): The Billikens cracked the national rankings early in the season, and they also closed well, winning 12 of their final 15 games. Saint Louis' defense has been one of the best in the country all year, allowing just 57.5 points and forcing just under 15 turnovers per contest. Memphis was held to 2-of-15 3-point shooting Friday, finishing 21 points below its season average. Mitchell and senior F Brian Conklin (13.9 ppg, 53.3 percent FG) and lead a deliberate offense that prevailed Friday despite an uncharacteristic 17 turnovers.
ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE (28-7): The Spartans have been extremely tough defensively, ranking among the national leaders in opponent field-goal percentage (37.7) and 12th in scoring defense (59.0) during the regular season. Green, though, has been the driving force, earning Big Ten Player of the Year honors after ranking near the top of the conference in scoring (16.1), rebounding (10.4), assists (3.6) and steals (1.5). Sophomore PG Keith Appling (11.5 ppg, 3.9 apg) is the only other Michigan State player scoring in double figures. The Spartans finished among the nation's top teams in rebounding margin (plus-8.0) and finished Friday's game with a 43-20 edge on the glass against LIU-Brooklyn.
Pick: Saint Louis
No. 15 Norfolk State Spartans vs. No. 7 Florida Gators (-14, 143)
THE STORY: Just two days after becoming the fifth No. 15 seed ever to upset a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament’s Round of 64, Norfolk State will try to make it two in a row against seventh-seeded Florida. The Spartans’ 86-84 stunner against Missouri was the first No. 15 over No. 2 upset since 2001. What made it even more surprising was it was the first time Norfolk State — champions of the MEAC — had ever appeared in the Big Dance. The Gators, meanwhile, cruised to an easy 71-45 victory over 10th-seeded Virginia despite a 4-for-23 shooting effort from 3-point range.
ABOUT FLORIDA (24-10, 10-6 SEC): The Gators entered the tournament leading the nation with 9.9 made 3-pointers per game, but they didn’t look the part in their opening win against Virginia. The scariest part for future opponents, though, is that it didn’t matter. Florida overwhelmed the Cavaliers athletically, getting out on a number of fast breaks and shooting 24 of 30 on shots inside the arc. Casey Prather was the main benefactor of the Gators’ run-and-gun game plan, scoring a career-high 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting in 22 minutes off the bench.
ABOUT NORFOLK STATE (26-9, 13-3 MEAC): Before this tournament began, only four No. 15 seeds had ever reached the Round of 32. In the past, the magic has always run out for these Cinderellas, who never once went on to the Sweet 16. Can the Spartans be any different? If they stay red-hot from beyond the arc, and if Kyle O’Quinn keeps patrolling the paint, anything can happen. A 31-percent 3-point shooting team this season, Norfolk State shot a blazing 10 for 19 from deep in the upset of Missouri, with Chris McEachin and Pendarvis Williams draining four 3’s apiece. O’Quinn — a 6-foot-10 senior from Jamaica — netted 26 points and 14 rebounds for his 20th double-double of the season.
Pick: Norfolk State
Sunday's Early Tips
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com
These games will be played at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH.
North Carolina State vs. Georgetown
As of late Saturday afternoon, most betting shops were listing third-seeded Georgetown (24-8 straight up, 16-11 against the spread) as a four-point favorite with a total of 132. The Wolfpack were on the money line for a plus-170 payout (risk $100 to win $170).
John Thompson III’s team knocked off Belmont 74-59 as a three-point favorite in Thursday’s showdown. Jason Clark scored a game-high 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field. He drained 3-of-5 attempts from 3-point range. Otto Porter and Henry Sims added 16 and 15 points, respectively.
North Carolina St. (23-12 SU, 16-14-1 ATS) got hot at the right time, winning four of its last five games in the regular season and ACC Tourney to get an at-large bid to the NCAAs. The Wolfpack carried that momentum into its opener, pulling away from sixth-seeded San Diego St. for a 79-65 win as a 2½-point ‘chalk.’ Richard Howell scored a team-high 22 points, while Lorenzo Brown flirted with a triple-double by producing 17 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
Georgetown owns a 9-6 spread record in 15 previous single-digit favorite situations. Meanwhile, N.C. St. has a 9-4 spread record with five outright victories.
The ‘over’ is 19-12 overall for N.C. St., 8-2 in its last 10 games.
The ‘under’ is 14-13 overall for the Hoyas, 4-2 in their last six outings.
Tip-off is slated for 12:15 p.m. Eastern on CBS.
Saint Louis vs. Michigan State
Most books are listing top-seeded Michigan State (28-7 SU, 22-10 ATS) as a six-point favorite with a total of 123. Gamblers can take the Billikens to win outright for a plus-240 return (risk $100 to win $140).
Tom Izzo’s squad advanced by pounding LIU Brooklyn by an 89-67 count as a 19-point favorite. As usual, Draymond Green was the catalyst for the Spartans. The senior power forward had a triple-double with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. Derrick Nix added 18 points and eight boards.
Saint Louis (26-7 SU, 17-10-2 ATS) won its first NCAA Tournament game since 1998 by beating Memphis 61-54 as a 2½-point underdog Thursday night. Kwamain Mitchell led the way with a game-high 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Mitchell buried 4-of-7 from beyond the arc.
Rick Majerus’s team has been an underdog only three times this season, compiling a 3-0 ATS record with a pair of outright wins.
Michigan St. has posted a 9-6 spread record as a single-digit ‘chalk.’
The ‘under’ is 16-15-1 overall for the Spartans, 5-3 in their last eight games.
The ‘over’ is 15-13-1 overall for Saint Louis, 4-1 in its last five games.
This is easily the best head-coaching matchup of Sunday’s set of games.
This game will come off the board approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of Georgetown-N.C. St. CBS will have the telecast.
The following games will be played in Greensboro, NC.
North Carolina vs. Creighton
Most books are listing North Carolina (30-5 SU, 19-15 ATS) as an 8½-point favorite with the total in the 159-160 range. The Bluejays are plus-350 on the money line (risk $100 to win $350).
Creighton (29-5 SU, 15-14-1 ATS) won its eighth consecutive game and advanced with a 58-57 victory over Alabama as a one-point favorite. Bettors who got on the Bluejays early in the week were winners, as they were short underdogs Monday through Thursday.
Doug McDermott led the way against the Crimson Tide with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Grant Gibbs added 10 points, six boards and four assists, while Ethan Wragge came off the bench to knock down three critical treys.
UNC won a 77-58 decision over Vermont on Friday night to hook up its backers as 16-point ‘chalk.’ Tyler Zeller was the catalyst with 17 points, 15 rebounds and four blocked shots. James Michael McAdoo also scored 17 points.
UNC junior center John Henson missed his second straight game against Vermont due to a wrist injury sustained in the ACC Tournament semifinals. Henson averages 14.2 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.0 blocked shots per game. His status for Sunday remains a question mark.
Creighton has won outright in all four underdog spots – at Wichita St., at San Diego St., vs. Iowa (on a neutral court) and at UAB.
The ‘over’ is 15-13-2 overall for Creighton, 6-3 in its last nine games.
Totals have been an overall wash for UNC (17-17), but we should note a 4-2 run for the ‘over’ in its last six games.
CBS will provide television coverage at 5:15 p.m. Eastern.
Lehigh vs. Xavier
Most books are listing Xavier (22-12 SU, 12-18-2 ATS) as a 3½-point favorite with a total of 139½. The Mountain Hawks are plus-145 on the money line.
Lehigh (27-7 SU, 8-1 ATS) won its ninth straight game Friday night when it stunned second-seeded Duke 75-70 as an 11-point underdog. C.J. McCollum torched the Blue Devils with a spectacular performance, finishing with 30 points, six rebounds and six assists. Gabe Knutson added 17 points and eight boards, making all five of his shots from the field.
After playing like one of the nation’s most disappointing teams for most of January and February, Xavier played just good enough to get in the tourney as a No. 10 seed. Then on Friday night, the Musketeers won for the fourth time in five games, clipping Notre Dame, 67-63. They hooked up their backers as two-point underdogs, paying money-line players a plus-115 payout.
Tu Holloway made up for his abysmal performance in last year’s loss to Marquette by exploding against the Irish. Holloway was sensational, scoring 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the floor. Dezmine Wells added 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Mark Lyons dished out six assists and had three steals.
In non-conference play, Lehigh faced three teams from power conferences. The Mountain Hawks lost 90-81 at Michigan St. but took the cash as 15-point hounds. They lost 86-77 at Iowa St. and 78-73 at St. John’s.
Lehigh owns a 4-0 spread record in four ‘dog situations.
This game will be on TruTV 30 minutes after UNC and Creighton conclude.
B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets
Not that it means much at this point because the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the NBA Draft is April 29, but Florida sophomore center Patric Young told reporters in Omaha on Thursday that he’s be returning to the Gators for his junior year. Young has the size and strength to compete in The Association right now, but his back-to-the-basket moves in the post need improving. Young also needs to improve his mid-range jumper, free-throw shooting and dribbling skills. All that said, he’s going to be a beast on the glass in the NBA.
As for UF’s Bradley Beal, he’s currently listed as the No. 8 pick in this year’s draft at NBADraft.net. There’s no word on his future plans. If Beal and Young come back, the Gators would only lose Erving Walker and would easily be a preseason top-10 team, maybe a top-five squad.
Even though Gonzaga failed to get to the Sweet 16 again this year, at least the Bulldogs went down fighting. They dropped a 73-66 decision to Ohio St. on Saturday but took the money as 7½-point underdogs. Too many times in recent years, Gonzaga has been completely blown away without showing much fight in its exit game of the Tournament.
After sneaking past UNC-Asheville, Syracuse looked more like itself in handling Kansas St. rather easily in Saturday’s 75-59 victory as a 5½-point ‘chalk.’ The Wildcats played without senior forward Jamar Samuels, who was suspended because his former AAU coach for the DC Assault sent him money before the tournament. The scenario brought Frank Martin to tears when asked about it at the post-game presser.
NCAAB Preview
Since 2005, second round favorites of 8+ points are 16-10-1 against the spread. Creighton's McDermott/UNC's Barnes were teammates in high school in Ames, IA. Bluejays won last eight games, with five of eight by 2 or less points or in OT. Bluejays make 42.5% on the arc, 55.5% inside it; they've won 15 road/neutral court games. North Carolina won by 49 when they played Evansville of MVC in December; Purple Aces gave Creighton fits in two of their three meetings, beating them once. Doesn't sound like North Carolina's Henson will play here, which makes Tar Heels very thin up front. #1 seeds are 18-11-1 in this round since '05.
#15 seeds who won a first round game are 1-2-1 vs spread in next round, with only one of the four losses by less than 11 points. In addition to Lehigh's win over Duke Friday, their other top 60 games were a 9-point loss to Iowa State, a 9-point loss to Michigan State. Mountain Hawks held Duke to 6-26 on arc in huge upset Friday. Xavier outscored Notre Dame 18-4 in foul line in a game they trailed by 10 in second half. Since '07, 2nd round favorites of less than 5 points are 19-12-1 vs spread. Lehigh won its last nine games; they're #7 foul shooting team, #14 at protecting ball. Xavier started season 8-0, then went 10-11 in their next 21 games, but have now won four of their last five contests.
#3 seeds are 11-7 vs spread in their last 18 second round games against #6 seeds. NC State won five of its last six games; they lost to Syracuse at home by 16 in only game vs Big East opponent this year. Wolfpack is 1-7 vs top 30 teams, with only win vs #30 Texas- they shot 58.5% on night as they pulled away from San Diego State at end of 79-65 win that was lot closer than score indicates. Lot of experts picked Georgetown to get upset by Belmont, but they dispatched the A-Sun champs 74-59, as Hoyas shot 61% from floor. ACC teams are 6-3 in second round games the last three years; Big East teams are 20-14 in 2nd round since 2006.
Michigan State won/covered five of its last six second round games; they shot 58.8% from floor in glorified workout Friday, 89-67 win over LIU. Spartans will get lot more resistance from Saint Louis squad that is 10-2 in its last 12 games; Billikens are a top 50 defensive rebounding team, so if Majerus can take away State's #1 option on offense, Spartans could struggle to score. SLU held Memphis to 38.9% from floor, 2-15 on arc in Friday's upset win. Spartans hold opponents to 29.7% from behind the arc. Big Dozen road favorites of 7 or less points are 12-6 vs spread. #1 seeds are 18-11-1 in this round since '05. Atlantic 14 road favorites of 7 or less points are 18-12 vs spread this season.
Cincinnati/Florida State were once rivals in old Metro Conference, but Seminoles bolted for ACC. FSU had its hands full with St Bonaventure Friday in game that was tied with 5:45 left- they lost to UConn in OT in its only game vs Big East opponent this season. Seminoles are nation's #6 team in blocked shots, but turn ball over 23.5% of time, awful lot of turnovers. Cincinnati was up 19 in first half vs Texas Friday, blew the lead, then won anyway; they're #314 team in country from the foul line, making only 63.7%. In what figures to be a tight game, thats not good. ACC road favorites of less than 5 points are 6-3 vs spread; Big East road underdogs of less than 5 points are 5-7.
South Florida-Ohio is 11th matchup between 12-13 seeds; the favorite was 9-1 vs spread in the first ten, with only non-cover Valparaiso's OT win over Florida State in '98. USF missed 22 straight shots, didn't score for 10:48 Friday and still won by 14 points; amazing. USF is a terrific defensive team and a horrific one on offense; they beat Miami 56-47 in its only game vs MAC opponent this season. Ohio lost at Louisville by 5 in November, its highest profile non-league game. MAC road dogs of 5 or less points are just 4-9 vs spread this season. ACC road favorites of 5 or less points are 6-3. Ohio forces turnovers on 26.5% of possessions, #2 in country.
Only once before has a 15-seed played a 7-seed (they've played 10-seed three times); back in '93, Temple (-11) beat Santa Clara 68-57. Broncos had a guard named Nash on that team. #15 seeds are 1-2-1 vs spread in 2nd round games. Norfolk State has eight kids from NYC area- they got beat twice by Marquette, by 31-2 points, and also lost to Va Tech by 12 and beat TCU by 13. Spartans are shooting just 32.7% fron arc for year, but they were 10-19 Friday, outrebounding Mizzou by 12. SEC faves of 15+ points are 7-19-2 against the spread this season. Florida is 7-0 this season against teams ranked lower than #180, with only one of the wins by less than 20 points.
Kansas has had its struggles in first round of NCAAs, but since '03, they won/covered six of seven second round games, with none of the wins by less than 12 points. Jayhawks beat Ohio State by 11 in their only game vs Big Dozen opponent. Purdue was -11 on boards in its 72-69 win over St Mary's. Boilermakers turns ball over less than any team in country; they're 7-5 vs spread as an underdog this year. Over last 7+ seasons, #2 seeds are 12-16-1 vs spread in this round, 5-5 when facing a #10 seed. Nine of last 11 Purdue games went over the total. Since '03, underdogs from Big Dozen are 9-8 against the spread in the second round.
Other Tournaments
Drexel won 26 of its last 28 games, crushing UCF by 26 in its first game in this tournament; Dragons beat MVC doormat Bradley 73-68 back in December. Northern Iowa plays a slower pace, is very good (#26) with protecting the ball; they beat Old Dominion by 17, lost to VCU by 9 in its games this season against CAA teams.
Armadillosports.com
CREIGHTON (29 - 5) vs. N CAROLINA (30 - 5) - 3/18/2012, 5:15 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
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LEHIGH (27 - 7) vs. XAVIER (22 - 12) - 3/18/2012, 7:45 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
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NC STATE (23 - 12) vs. GEORGETOWN (24 - 8) - 3/18/2012, 12:15 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GEORGETOWN is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in all neutral court games over the last 3 seasons.
GEORGETOWN is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
GEORGETOWN is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) when playing on a neutral court over the last 3 seasons.
GEORGETOWN is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in non-conference games this season.
NC STATE is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) in all neutral court games over the last 3 seasons.
NC STATE is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) when playing on a neutral court over the last 3 seasons.
NC STATE is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
NC STATE is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in all tournament games over the last 3 seasons.
NC STATE is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
NC STATE is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
NC STATE is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in road games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
GEORGETOWN is 1-0 against the spread versus NC STATE over the last 3 seasons
GEORGETOWN is 1-0 straight up against NC STATE over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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SAINT LOUIS (26 - 7) vs. MICHIGAN ST (28 - 7) - 3/18/2012, 2:45 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
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CINCINNATI (25 - 10) vs. FLORIDA ST (25 - 9) - 3/18/2012, 9:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 31-53 ATS (-27.3 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games since 1997.
FLORIDA ST is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA ST is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
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OHIO U (28 - 7) vs. S FLORIDA (22 - 13) - 3/18/2012, 7:10 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
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NORFOLK ST (26 - 9) vs. FLORIDA (24 - 10) - 3/18/2012, 6:10 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
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PURDUE (22 - 12) vs. KANSAS (28 - 6) - 3/18/2012, 8:40 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
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N IOWA (20 - 13) at DREXEL (28 - 6) - 3/18/2012, 11:00 AM
Top Trends for this game.
DREXEL is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all games this season.
DREXEL is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
DREXEL is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) as a favorite this season.
DREXEL is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points over the last 3 seasons.
DREXEL is 17-5 ATS (+11.5 Units) after allowing 60 points or less this season.
DREXEL is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DREXEL is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
DREXEL is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games this season.
N IOWA is 47-29 ATS (+15.1 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
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BUCKNELL (25 - 9) at NEVADA (27 - 6) - 3/18/2012, 3:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEVADA is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in all games this season.
NEVADA is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in all lined games this season.
NEVADA is 12-1 ATS (+10.9 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
NEVADA is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in non-conference games this season.
NEVADA is 119-88 ATS (+22.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
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IOWA (18 - 16) at OREGON (23 - 9) - 3/18/2012, 5:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
IOWA is 68-96 ATS (-37.6 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
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USC UPSTATE (21 - 12) at OLD DOMINION (21 - 13) - 3/18/2012, 3:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OLD DOMINION is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
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MANHATTAN (21 - 12) at FAIRFIELD (20 - 14) - 3/18/2012, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MANHATTAN is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all games this season.
MANHATTAN is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
MANHATTAN is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road games this season.
MANHATTAN is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road lined games this season.
MANHATTAN is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
FAIRFIELD is 14-30 ATS (-19.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
MANHATTAN is 4-2 against the spread versus FAIRFIELD over the last 3 seasons
FAIRFIELD is 5-1 straight up against MANHATTAN over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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WEBER ST (25 - 6) at LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT (20 - 12) - 3/18/2012, 6:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WEBER ST is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.
WEBER ST is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT is 67-96 ATS (-38.6 Units) after a non-conference game since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
CREIGHTON vs. N CAROLINA
CREIGHTON: 1-5 ATS off BB wins by 6 pts or less
N CAROLINA: 0-8 ATS playing 2nd road game in 3 days
LEHIGH vs. XAVIER
LEHIGH: 8-1 ATS in lined games
XAVIER: 1-5 ATS if underdog last game
NC STATE vs. GEORGETOWN
NC STATE: 14-4 ATS on neutral court
GEORGETOWN: 7-0 ATS in non-conference games
SAINT LOUIS vs. MICHIGAN ST
SAINT LOUIS: 9-2 ATS vs. non-conference
MICHIGAN ST: 17-7 ATS when seeded 4 or higher
CINCINNATI vs. FLORIDA ST
CINCINNATI: 11-3 ATS when the line is +3 to -3
FLORIDA ST: 5-1 Under in NCAA Tournament games
OHIO U vs. S FLORIDA
OHIO U: 8-1 ATS vs. non-conference
S FLORIDA: 23-9 Under in all games
NORFOLK ST vs. FLORIDA
NORFOLK ST: 6-1 ATS this year
FLORIDA: 0-4 ATS off BB ATS wins
PURDUE vs. KANSAS
PURDUE: N/A
KANSAS: 1-5 ATS off cover as double digit favorite
NCAA Previews & Picks: Sunday's South Region Action
By Covers.com
No. 15 Lehigh Mountain Hawks vs. No. 10 Xavier Musketeers (-2.5, 139.5)
THE STORY: No. 10 seed Xavier rallied from a 10-point deficit over the final 12:20 Friday night, riding a 25-point effort from senior guard Tu Holloway to a 67-63 victory over seventh-seeded Notre Dame. Holloway scored 17 of his points in the second half, including the go-ahead basket with 21.3 seconds left. Lehigh became just the sixth No. 15 seed to ever take down a No. 2, shocking Duke, 75-70. C.J. McCollum led the way for the Mountain Hawks, pouring in a game-high 30 points. The Musketeers have faced Lehigh just once before, pulling out a tight 69-63 home win during the 2004-05 season.
ABOUT LEHIGH (27-7): The Mountain Hawks have won 13 of their last 14 games thanks largely to a dynamic offense that averaged 76.2 points during the regular season. McCollum was among the nation's leaders in scoring (21.9) and steals (2.6), and he put up big numbers against the Blue Devils despite a subpar shooting effort (9 for 24). The junior guard has had plenty of help this year from junior forwards Gabe Knutson (12.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and Holden Greiner (10.0 ppg). Knutson contributed 17 points and eight rebounds against Duke. Lehigh sported a turnover margin of plus-3.1 coming into the tournament, forcing 14.5 takeaways per game and averaging 7.8 steals.
ABOUT XAVIER (22-12): Ranked as highly as eighth in the nation during the first month of the season, the Musketeers went into a tailspin after a brawl marred the end of their blowout win over Cincinnati on Dec. 10, losing five of their next six games before regrouping over the season's final weeks. Xavier, which attempted more free throws than any team in the Atlantic 10 during the regular season, is led by the explosive backcourt of Holloway (17.0 ppg, 5.1 apg, 1.5 spg) and junior Mark Lyons (15.5 ppg). Freshman Dezmine Wells had 14 points and 11 rebounds against Notre Dame.
Pick: Lehigh