Great Lakes
Mississippi State vs Memphis
Play on: Memphis Tigers
The Tigers are 11-7 ATS in neutral court games the last three years, and 4-1 ATS as a neutral court favorite of 6.5 to 9 points the last three years. The Tigers are also 27-19 ATS after a non-conference game the last three years, and 16-12 ATS in all tournament games the last three years. We look for the Memphis Tigers to roll over Mississippi State Bulldogs fot the ATS Win & cover today.
Mississippi State vs Memphis
Play on: Memphis Tigers
The Tigers are 11-7 ATS in neutral court games the last three years, and 4-1 ATS as a neutral court favorite of 6.5 to 9 points the last three years. The Tigers are also 27-19 ATS after a non-conference game the last three years, and 16-12 ATS in all tournament games the last three years. We look for the Memphis Tigers to roll over Mississippi State Bulldogs fot the ATS Win & cover today.
Alex Smart
Detroit Pistons vs. Washington Wizards
Prediction: Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are currently hitting on all cylinders , despite of rare loss to Cleveland last time out, and now in a nasty mood, will look to take down the Washington Wizards for the second time this season, under this venue , after delivering a 106-93 beating in the first matchup back on Jan 2. Washington beat Miami last time out scoring a 103-86 win, which sets up well betting against them here this evening as they are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game The Wizards have also failed to cover 12 straight times as a dog when they won their last two games and both were on the road. Play on Detroit to bring home the dough
Sammy Jankus, The Reverse Barometer!
Always play the OTHER SIDE of my game writeup.
(6) Oklahoma vs. (3) Louisville
Play LOUISVILLE -7
Too many points! Both teams coming off wins and covers in opening round action but Oklahoma’s 72-64 throttling of a solid St. Joseph’s squad raised considerably more eyebrows than Louisville’s expected rout of totally outclassed Boise State. Yes, the Cardinals do own a big coaching edge in Pitino over Capel; however, Oklahoma can match up athletically and the Sooners know how to take care of the basketball (committed just 9 turnovers against St. Joe’s) – a definite plus should Louie pressure full-court. With the Big 12 playing lights out in this tournament, I’ll think the Sooners can turn this into a ‘last team with the ball wins’ slugfest – so your play (and I feel bad doing this to you) is on LOUISVILLE.
ER Sports
Playmaker Villanova UNDER
Moneylockoftheday
Digger's pick
Siena/Villanova Under 145
John Ryan
Siena vs. Villanova
Play: Siena
Ai Simulator 3* graded play on Sienna. AiS shows a 71% probability that Sienna will lose this game by 5 or fewer points. Supporting this graded play is a system that has produced a record of 28-6 ATS for 82% since 1997. Play on neutral court dogs after 2 straight games making 50% of their shots or better and is facing an opponent after a game where a team made 50% of their 3 point shots or better. Sienna’s style of play is not aggressive generally and they take very good care of the ball on offense. Both of these traits do not bode well against Villanova. Note that Villanova is just 6-16 ATS versus teams who are called for 17 or less fouls/game over the last 2 seasons; 4-12 ATS versus good ball handling teams that are committing <=14 turnovers/game this season. Take Sienna.
Big Al Mcmordie
Game: San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks
Prediction: Dallas Mavericks
Reason: At 1 pm, our member selection is on the Dallas Mavericks minus the points over San Antonio. A lot is being made in the media about the fact Dallas has yet to beat a club with a winning record since the acquisition of Jason Kidd. Dallas has blown away foes with a losing record, but is 0-7 straight-up vs. winning teams. But that trend should come to a screeching halt today in this Texas-sized rivalry. Dallas has won the last two meetings vs. San Antone at American Airlines Center, and the Spurs have been lousy on the road this season, with barely a winning record. Gregg Popovich's crew is also 1-9 ATS this year as underdogs of +6 or less points, and they'll be without Robert Horry, who injured himself earlier this week. Look for a rabid Dallas crowd to carry the Mavs to victory. Lay the points.
Larry Ness
Davidson @ Georgetown
PICK: Georgetown
REASON FOR PICK: I said before its game with Gonzaga that Davidson was "this year's Winthrop." Winthrop had been "knocking on the door" of a first round NCAA tourney win for years and finally got it against Notre Dame last year. I felt it is was Davidson's turn this year and behind a 40-point game from Curry (30 in the second half), I was right. Davidson beat Gonzaga, 82-76. Curry (25.5-4.7) and PG Richards (12.7-8.1 APG) are a super backcourt duo but frontcourt starters, the 6-8 Sander (7.6-4.9) and the 6-8 Lovedale (7.5-5.7), are up for big matchup problems against Georgetown. The 6-8 Meno (7.5-5.7) and the 6-7 Rossiter (3.2-3.4) contribute as reserves but the Wildcats' frontline is no match for the Hoyas. The 7-2 Hibbert (13.6-6.5) and the 6-8 Summers (11.2-5.4) were a big part of LY's Final 4 team, as was 6-8 sixth-man, Ewing (6.3-4.3). While Curry is clearly the most outstanding guard on the floor, Wallace (10.7), Sapp (9.6-4.1-3.3) and freshman Freeman (9.1) will be just fine. Wright (5.5), another freshman, adds depth on the perimeter. Much has been made regarding Davidson's close home losses this year vs North Carolina and Duke, plus its respectable 12-point loss at UCLA. However, a look at the Wildcats' schedule also reveals losses at Western Michigan, UNC-Charlotte and NC State. Go back to LY's first round NCAA game, an 82-70 loss to Maryland, and that makes seven straight losses vs major or mid-major competition prior to Gonzaga. Now this year's Gonzaga team was flawed, unlike Georgetown, which entered the tourney allowing opponents to score just 57.3 PPG and to shoot only 36.4 percent. Against UMBC, the Hoyas held the Retrievers to 47 points on 32.0 percent shooting, IMPROVING on their regular season averages! The Hoyas are not only a great defensive team but run Thompson's "Princeton-like" offense pretty darn well, having shot 48.7 percent from the floor this year, after last year's Final 4 team shot 50.5 percent over its 37-game season. Bye-bye Davidson. Lay the reasonable number with Georgetown.
David Malinsky 4*
San Diego @ Western Kentucky
PICK: San Diego
Both of these teams staged overtime upsets on this court on Friday, in exhilarating games that went to the final shot. But they did it in much different fashion, and we are not sure that the right team is favored here, much less by the amount that is being called for.
Western Kentucky showed a lot of athleticism and heart, but not a lot of polish. It was as much an “escape” as a “win”, with Drake getting one more field goal attempt, and 19 more free throw attempts, but missing enough shots for the Hilltoppers to survive. Meanwhile Western was knocking down 14-28 triples, which was just barely enough to get by in a game in which the offense turned the ball over 22 times. And it was not as though any one or two players were careless with the ball - five different Hilltoppers gave it away at least three times. As for late-game poise, not only did a huge lead get away through their sloppiness, but a terrible foul (see yesterday’s edition of ”THE TOURNEY JOURNEY” in the overtime period nearly gave the game away.
Of course some of those turnovers came from the Drake pressure, but the reality is that it was not something all that new for a team that now has 489 for the season, vs. only 435 assists. And that was hardly against a difficult schedule - the only non-conference game against an NCAA tourney opponent was a loss to Gonzaga in Alaska back in November, and they were swept by South Alabama during the regular season. This is the type of team that has the raw athleticism to ge to this stage, but not the polish to go any further.
?Contrast those rough edges with the way that San Diego is playing under Bill Grier. The Torreros only turned the ball over 11 times in those 45 minutes vs. Connecticut, and with a savvy veteran floor leader in Brandon Johnson they are not going to be bothered all that much by the Western presses. They will methodically settle into their flow, and the Hilltoppers are not anywhere near their best when it is half-court basketball. And while the favorite in this one did not face a lot of challenges this season, note that the same difficult schedule that cost San Diego in terms of wins and losses early in the campaign (and subsequently in terms of the power ratings that establish this line), now means a great deal in terms of developing toughness - they played six games away from home against teams that made it to one of the post-season tournaments, and then road games at St. Mary’s and Gonzaga in WCC play. It would not be a surprise in our book if they turned this into a grinder of a game that they won outright, which makes the points being offered a significant edge.
Fat Jack
Western Kentucky -5.5
Siena +5
YOUWINNOW
ROUND TWO NCAA TOURNAMENT GAME OF THE YEAR
Villanova -5
LT Profits Sports Group
The Oklahoma offense has been throwing up bricks on the road lately, so do not expect much improvement vs. a good Louisville defense. Look for a rather safe Under.
The Louisville Cardinals have held opponents to just 38.6 percent shooting this season, while the Under is also 7-1 in the last eight Oklahoma Sooners games, so look for a low-scoring contest today.
In fact, given that the Sooners are averaging 61.1 points on 40.8 percent shooting on the road, they may have trouble scoring much more than 50 points here. Their average has plummeted further to an anemic 51.8 points over their last four road games, thanks to back-to-back games where they scored 45 points at Texas and Nebraska.
The Cardinals have gone Under in three of the last four games, holding their opponents to 61 points or less in each of the three Unders. Their defense has been just as stifling on the road as it has at home, as Louisville is holing opponents to 39.0 percent shooting away from home. Now granted, they are averaging 72.2 points offensively overall, but given that we don’t expect Oklahoma to top 50, we still feel this game stays Under.
Do not expect to see more than 120 total points scored here.
Pick: Oklahoma, Louisville Under 126
Brandon Lang
15 Dime - Siena
15 Dime - Lousiville
15 Dime - Georgetown
15 Dime - Mississippi St
5 Dime - Miami/Florida
5 Dime - San Diego
FREE - North Carolina
Kelso 50*
Villanova
Bob Balfe
NBA Basketball
Wizards +3 over Pistons
College Basketball
Western Kentucky -5.5 over San Diego
Both teams had great last second wins, but Western Kentucky put together one of the best games I have ever seen. The refs seemed like they were doing all they could to have Drake win that game and still no dice. Western Kentucky can shoot lights out from 3 point land and should advance to the Sweet Sixteen
Villanova -5 over Siena
Again, people still want to see upsets. Siena did a great job at stopping Vandy, but Nova has played tough competition all year and really will have the experience to advance to the next round. The public is betting Siena heavily hoping to see another upset.
Tennessee -4.5 over Butler
The Vols were the hottest team in the country a month ago and could have been a number one seed. Butler is a good team, but when you talk pound for pound talent the Vols have way more. Once again, everyone is all over Butler. We have seen our fair share of upsets and now I think the better teams will start taking care of business.
Savannah Sports
4 Units Butler +4.5
PPP / GAVAZZI
5 Vill Over
5 NC
4 GTown
4 Tx
3 Louis
3 Memp
3 Pistons