College Knowledge
Play-in games (Dayton, Wed)
James Madison's leading scorer Goins is suspended for first half after he was arrested over weekend; Dukes finished 4th in #20 league, are 9-7 in non-league games. LIU won five in row, 15 of last 18 games after 6-game losing skid early in January; Blackbirds beat Hofstra by 4 in only game vs CAA foe- they finished T2 in #24 league, make 38.5% behind the arc (#16 in country). Seven of last eight JMU games were decided by 5 or less points. NEC squads are 2-0 in play-in games, winning by 22-9 in a pair of games vs MEAC teams- they haven't won any other tournament games in last 28 years.
Boise State won at Creighton, lost by 4 at Michigan State, they went 9-8 in MWC, 14-2 outside it; Broncos make 38.7% of 3's (#15 in country), but they're a young team (one senior in rotation) and depend on Marks to be explosive scorer (5-6-38-4-27-14 points last six games). LaSalle is also guard-oriented, making 37.1% behind arc. Unsure if 6-11 Zack will play here (missed last three games); Explorers are 3-2 vs top 60 teams, beating Villanova/VCU/Butler, losing to Miami/Saint Louis. MWC was #3 league this year, A-16 #8. Boise State is 4-7 vs top 60 teams. You'd think this would be a high scoring teams, with teams that can shoot.
Other tournaments
There is nothing as futile as trying to handicap these consolation events that run opposite the NCAAs, especially in the first round, because the most important issue is this: Who still wants to be playing? I have no idea who still wants to play; once they play a game or two, then maybe we can come up with something, but for this week, I'd stay away. That said, some very brief notes on these games........
-- Indiana State lost six of its last eight games; its last three wins were all by a point. Iowa split pair of neutral court tilts with MVC teams, with 75-63 loss to Wichita State, 80-73 win over Northern Iowa.
-- Charlotte is 6-9 in last 15 games after starting season 15-2; they make 26.7% behind arc, 4th-worst in country. Providence lost last two games, scoring 59-44 points; they split pair vs A-16 teams this year.
-- UMass is 10-3 outside A-16; they're 5-2 in last seven games, got beat by VCU in A-16 tourney. Stony Brook is 0-2 vs top 100 teams, losing by 11 at UConn, 7 at Maryland, both before Christmas.
-- Mercer is 5-5 outside A-Sun, winning at Alabama, losing at Georgia by 9; they lost other two top 100 games, by 29-18 points. Tennessee is 9-2 in last 11 games, disappointed to be left out of NCAAs.
-- Long Beach State played #1 non-league schedule in country, going 4-8 with six losses by 15+ points. Baylor beat Kansas by 23 here, but lost nine of last 13 overall.
-- Southern Miss was 0-3 vs Memphis this year, losing conference final in double OT to Tigers; they're 7-5 in last 12 games, after starting 18-4. Charleston Southern is 0-3 vs top 100 teams, losing by 9-12-13 points.
-- Detroit went 8-6 vs #14 non-league schedule; they're 2-5 vs teams in top 100, beating Akron/Valpo. Arizona State played 6th-easiest slate in country pre-conference; they've lost five of last six games overall.
-- Western Illinois plays the slowest-paced games in America; their best player Parks was hurt during Summit tourney, status ?? here. Purdue is 5-9 in its last 14 games- they're only 7-6 in non-league games.
-- Richmond lost three of last four games; they make 38% from arc, #27 in US. Bryant's bench plays 2nd-least minutes in America; they're 6th-shortest- this is just their 5th year in D-I, so they're happy to be here.
-- Young Tulsa (#304 in experience/rookie coach) is 5-7 in last 12 games, but 3-2 in last five road games. Wright State won three of last four tilts, losing at Valparaiso in Horizon final.
-- North Dakota State won four of last five games; they lost at Akron by 15 in only game vs MAC opponent. Western Michigan is 2-3 in its last five games; they beat Oakland by 4, in only game vs Summit foe.
-- Inexperienced Texas (youngest team in country) is 6-4 since Kabongo got eligible; they're 10-0 this year vs teams ranked outside the top 150. Houston was 8-10 in C-USA; they played worst non-league schedule in entire country, going 11-2.
-- Elon hasn't played in 10 days; they won five of last seven road games. Canisius hasn't played in 11 days; they're 3-5 in last eight games overall. Griffs are 8-1 vs teams ranked outside top 200.
-- South Alabama gets 26.8% of points from foul line, #2 in nation; they lost by 14 at UAB, in only game vs C-USA opponent. Tulane lost five of last six games after starting season 18-9.
-- Green Bay is 0-2 vs MVC teams, losing by 2 to Southern Illinois at home, by 17 at Drake. Bradley lost 12 of last 18 games, after starting the season 10-4- they beat UIC by a point, only game vs Horizon team.
-- Ill-Chicago lost seven of last ten games; they're only 4-3 vs teams not in top 250. Chicago State is 0-3 vs Horizon teams, losing to Green Bay by 5, Valparaiso by 21, Loyola by 3 in OT.
-- Oral Roberts replaced UT-Arlington in Southland; they've lost four of last five games, went 5-8 vs #23 non-conference schedule. Arlington lost WAC final in Vegas Saturday; they're 9-4 in their last 13 games.
-- Cal Poly is 9-2 in its last 11 games; they play 3rd-slowest tempo in country- four of their last seven losses are by 2 points. Weber State lost Big Sky final at Montana, ending its 13-game winning streak.
-- Cal-Irvine lost Big West final in Anaheim Saturday; they're 8-2 in last ten games. High Point is 5-8 out of conference; they lost three of last four games, after 7-game win streak.
-- Northern Iowa (-16.5) beat North Dakota 72-47 Nov 17; UND made iust 5-22 behind arc, but won four of last five overall, blowing 12-point lead over Weber in Big Sky semis. UNI lost three of last four games.
-- Fairfield lost four of last six games, scoring 46.7 ppg; Stags are 2-4 vs teams in top 125, losing by 9-15-19-11 points. Kent State won six of its last seven games, then lost by 3 to Akron in MAC semis.
-- Air Force star Lyons (knee) is out; Falcons lost seven of last 10 games but beat Riverside by 8 in only game vs Big West opponent. Hawaii is 2-5 in last seven games, but won four of last five at home.
Amarillosports.com
NCAA Play-in Games: JMU vs. LIU Brooklyn, La Salle vs. BSU
By Covers.com
James Madison Dukes vs. LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds (-1.5, 144.5)
LIU Brooklyn is no stranger to the rigors of March as it begins its third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. While the Blackbirds have been turned away the previous two times by a pair of the nation’s elite programs, they should have a better opportunity to nail down their first NCAA tournament victory in school history Wednesday in a first-round matchup against James Madison in Dayton, Ohio. In its first two tournament appearances, LIU Brooklyn has exited quickly thanks to second-round games against North Carolina in 2011 and Michigan State in 2012.
The Blackbirds, who clinched an automatic berth by virtue of their victory over Mount Saint Mary’s in the Northeast Conference tournament title game, enter this round of 68 with the No. 5 scoring offense in the country at 79.5 points and tied for eighth in shooting (48.3 percent). The Dukes are on a four-game winning streak after capturing their second Colonial Athletic Association tournament championship. James Madison is seeking its first tournament win since bowing out in the second round three straight years from 1981-83.
ABOUT JAMES MADISON (20-14, 21-10-0 ATS): The Dukes are in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1994 and fifth time in school history. James Madison received the bulk of its offense from A.J. Davis and Devon Moore – the team’s second- and third-leading scorers – during the conference tournament as they combined for 105 of the team’s 200 points. Leading scorer Rayshawn Goins enjoyed his best performance in the title game since missing a game Feb. 6 with a foot injury, shooting 6-for-10 with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Over his previous eight games, Goins averaged 9.1 points and 5 rebounds, but converted only 30.1 percent of his field-goal attempts.
ABOUT LIU BROOKLYN (20-13, 4-0-0 ATS): The Blackbirds overcame a number of obstacles to claim their third consecutive NEC crown as four players were suspended for their role in a fight this fall and reigning league player of the year Julian Boyd tore his anterior cruciate ligament in December. "Everything went right the last two years and this year they had to show their true colors," first-year coach Jack Perri said following the team’s 91-70 victory over Mount Saint Mary’s. Northeast Conference Player of the Year Jamal Olasewere is the Blackbirds’ all-time career scoring leader with 1,851 points and ranks fourth in school history with 953 rebounds.
TRENDS:
* Dukes are 4-0 ATS in their last four non-conference games.
* Blackbirds are 5-1 ATS in their last six neutral-site games.
* Dukes are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 games overall.
* Under is 15-6-2 in Dukes' last 23 overall.
TIP-INS:
1. Northeast Conference tournament MVP C.J. Garner (16.1 points) averaged 28 during LIU Brooklyn’s three-game run in the conference tournament.
2. Coach Matt Brady has directed James Madison to three 20-win seasons in his five years, two more than the school posted since its last CAA title.
3. Perri became the third first-year coach to guide his team to the NEC tournament title.
La Salle Explorers vs. Boise State Broncos (-1.5, 139)
Guard play has taken on added significance in recent NCAA Tournament play, a trend that Boise State and La Salle have taken to an extreme. Two similar teams will take the court Wednesday when the Broncos and Explorers meet in a first-round game in Dayton, Ohio. Boise State relies heavily on its four-guard lineup and the nation’s 13th-best 3-point shooting team while La Salle can sometimes employ five guards and finished second in the Atlantic-10 averaging 8.1 steals.
The Broncos, who were the first team in the country to post multiple victories over ranked opponents, received an at-large bid following their fifth-place finish in the Mountain West. Boise State won five of six entering its conference tournament, but lost in the quarterfinals to San Diego State after defeating the Aztecs five days earlier. Similarly, La Salle won seven of eight before losing at Saint Louis to close out the regular season and against Butler in the Atlantic-10 tournament quarterfinals.
ABOUT LA SALLE (21-9, 12-12-2 ATS): The Explorers received their first NCAA Tournament invite since 1992 and regularly start four guards, although five average at least 23.8 minutes. Ramon Galloway, a South Carolina transfer, leads La Salle in scoring, assists and steals. Sam Mills is 17-of-33 beyond the arc over his last nine games and often draws the opponent’s best perimeter player. However, the Explorers could be without 6-11 sophomore center Steve Zack, who is listed as day-to-day with a foot injury. Zack’s potential absence looms large against a Boise State team that lacks any significant size in its frontcourt.
ABOUT BOISE STATE (21-10, 16-11-0 ATS): The Broncos are in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008 and sixth time in program history. Anthony Drmic (17.3 points) and Derrick Marks (16.3) make up one of the top-scoring guard duos in the country. While Drmic is the team’s leading scorer, Marks is the team’s best playmaker and leads the team in assists (3.9) as well as steals (1.8). Boise State is unlikely to be intimidated by the stage after winning at Creighton – behind a career-high 35 points from Marks – and losing by four at Michigan State during its non-conference schedule.
TRENDS:
* Explorers are 3-1-1 ATS in their last five neutral-site games.
* Broncos are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 neutral-site games.
* Over is 8-2 in Explorers' last 10 neutral-site games.
* Over is 6-1 in Broncos' last seven neutral-site games.
TIP-INS:
1. Marks leads Boise State with 13 blocked shots.
2. La Salle is 5-1 in games decided by three points or less.
3. The Broncos went 13-4 when they hit at least eight 3-pointers.
Wednesday's First Four
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com
The First Four concludes on Wednesday night in Dayton, Ohio as a pair of 16's and a pair of 13's look to advance to Friday's action. We'll also take a quick glance at some of the intriguing games in the NIT, but things tip off between two 16 seeds trying to get a date with Indiana in the second round.
LIU-Brooklyn vs. James Madison
These two teams aren't household names by any stretch, but both squads finished the season with 20 wins apiece. LIU-Brooklyn won the Northeast Conference championship by ousting Mount St. Mary's, 91-70 as 3½-point favorites, the fifth consecutive victory for the Blackbirds. There isn't much to go off of from a pointspread angle on LIU, who played just four lined games this season, but the Blackbirds covered all four times.
James Madison put together one of the top ATS records in the country this season with a 21-10 mark, while covering in eight of its final nine games. The Dukes captured all three games of the Colonial tournament, including a 70-57 triumph over regular-season conference champion Northeastern as two-point underdogs. JMU leading scorer and rebounder Rayshawn Goins (12.9 ppg) is expected to sit out the first half on Wednesday night after getting arrested for disorderly conduct over the weekend.
The Dukes become the first Colonial team to participate in the Play-In game of the tournament, while the Blackbirds are the third-ever squad from the Northeast Conference to play in Dayton. Monmouth (2006) and Mount St. Mary's (2009) each advanced past the Play-In contest with victories, as LIU is participating in the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season (losses to North Carolina in '11 and Michigan State in '12).
Boise State vs. LaSalle
The Broncos were a part of the best conference RPI-wise this season as one of five teams to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Granted, Boise State still has to win on Wednesday night to be part of the 64-team field, but the Broncos compiled a 21-10 SU and 16-11 ATS record this season. LaSalle put together a solid start in Atlantic-10 play, while the Explorers split their final six games of the season for a 21-9 SU and 12-12-1 ATS ledger.
The Explorers closed the season with consecutive losses to St. Louis and Butler (both tournament teams), but LaSalle won seven of eight games prior to those defeats. In those seven victories, LaSalle failed to beat a team that qualified for the NCAA Tournament, while the Explorers compiled a dreadful 1-6 ATS record in the underdog role. In non-conference play earlier this season, LaSalle beat tournament teams Iona and Villanova, but were routed at Miami as 6 ½-point 'dogs.
Boise State did most of its damage at home this season (14-1), while its signature win came at Creighton in November as 13-point 'dogs, 83-70. After starting Mountain West play at 0-4 ATS in the favorite role, the Broncos cashed their last four games when laying points, but none of those victories came against current tournament teams. Boise State is playing in its first Big Dance since 2008 when the Broncos lost to Louisville as 14-point 'dogs, 79-61.
What to watch for in NIT Action:
Iowa battles Indiana State for the first time ever as the two teams hook up in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes (-12½) covered their final six games of the season, while winning seven straight contests at Carver-Hawkeye Arena (6-1 ATS). The Sycamores went the opposite direction down the stretch by cashing just one of its last nine games in a 51-50 victory over Evansville in the Missouri Valley tournament.
Providence hosts Charlotte in a Big East/Atlantic 10 matchup, as the Friars won their last four games at the Dunkin Donuts Center. PC (-9½) won seven of eight contests down the stretch, but losses to Connecticut and Cincinnati burst its bubble for a potential NCAA Tournament bid. The 49ers captured the craziest victory in any of the conference tournaments by scoring eight points in the final five seconds of a 68-63 upset of Richmond. Charlotte did knock off Butler and Davidson as heavy road underdogs, proving this team isn't afraid of the highway.
Arizona State spent most of the conference season on the tournament bubble, but fell short after blowing a late lead in a defeat to UCLA in the Pac-12 tournament quarterfinals. The Sun Devils (-4) return home to host a tough Detroit squad, who closed the season with wins in eight of their final 12 games. The Titans covered four of their last five times in the underdog role, including an upset of eventual Horizon champ Valparaiso, 84-74. ASU dropped five of six down the stretch, but put together a 6-3 SU and 5-4 ATS record at home inside conference play.
Winning Betting Angles in the NCAA Tournament: First Round
Atssportsline.com
College basketball betting has had a major bump in notoriety over the last decade. Try going to Nevada during March Madness and you'll notice the place is quadruple the energy. The sports books are in business, almost like the Super Bowl for the next three and half weeks in March-to-early April
March Madness is here and while many people need help with their bracket, ATS Sportsline is here do deliver sports resources for NCAAB. In other words, angles and trends can be helpful to the handicapper. You all need injuries and logs to keep you ahead of the linesmakers.
Let's take a look at some of the angles and trends for the first round games of the NCAA Tournament. If you need for March Madness assistance, click here.
NCAA Tournament, First Round, Wednesday
Long Island Blackbirds vs. James Madison Dukes, 6:40
Long Island is:
8-1 ATS after winning 5 or 6 of their last 7 games
4-0 ATS last 4 overall.
6-1 ATS last 7 following an ATS win.
6-0 last 6 matchups on the over bet overall.
James Madison is:
12-23 ATS off BB Unders
5-0 ATS last 5 Wednesday games.
19-7 ATS last 26 overall.
5-0 ATS last 5 neutral site games.
6-15-2 last 23 matchups on the under bet overall.
La Salle vs. Boise State, 9:10
La Salle is:
6-0 ATS off BB Unders
1-6 ATS last 7 Wednesday games.
2-9 last 11 matchups on the under bet following a SU loss.
Boise State is:
4-18 ATS after losing 2 of their last 3 games
18-41 ATS last 59 games following an ATS loss.
2-8 ATS last 10 neutral site games.