Jefferson Sports
Michigan St
Dave Cokin
Cornell
Huddle Up Sports
Georgia/Xavier Over
Joe Wiz
Fullerton St
Kent St
Jim Feist
Spurs/Bulls Over
The Sportsmen
5* Baylor+ 1 unit
5* USC- 1 unit
10*George Mason+ 2 units
The Fat Jack
BAYLOR + 2 1/2
KANSAS STATE +3
GEORGIA +8 1/2
STANFORD -14
NOTRE DAME -6 1/2
THE KENTUCKY GAME TO GO UNDER THE TOTAL OF 130
THE UNLV GAME TO GO UNDER THE TOTAL OF 125
LARRY NESS
REASON FOR PICK: I've been a big fan of Dennis Felton at Georgia, who took over in Athens after the mess left by Harrick and Sons. Before this season even began, he dismissed last year's leading scorer and rebounder in Brown (14.2-5.6) plus did the same with the Bulldogs best athlete, guard Mercer (13.6). Georgia's improbable championship run in the SEC last week, was "just desserts." However, the Bulldogs have the shortest possible turnaround time, having played late Sunday afternoon (after a Saturday double-header) and now the earliest starting time of any of the Thursday games (12:20 PM).
Worse yet, the Bulldogs face Xavier, a team with six double digit scorers, coming off a loss to St Joe's in the A-10 semifinals. Xavier head coach Sean Miller has led this program to three consecutive 20-win seasons and three straight NCAA appearances. The Musketeers had Ohio St on the ropes in LY's second round and seem well-equipped this year to make a Sweet 16 run (or deeper) into the tourney. Georgia has excellent guards (always important come tourney time) with the 6-1 Gaines (14.8-6.1-4.2), who leads the team in rebounding, paired with Humphrey (12.2-3.6) and swingman Woodbury (10.8-4.0). A pair of 6-10 guys start in the frontcourt, in Bliss (7.6-5.6) and Jackson (3.7-4.2). Two freshman, guard Swansey (4.1) and the 6-8 Price (8.1-4.3), are the top players off the bench. Despite losing three excellent forwards from LY's 25-win team in Doellman (13.7-5.5), Cage (10.5-5.4) and Cole (5.8-4.7), this year's Xavier team has been better. The 6-9 Duncan (11.6-4.6) comes off the bench but leads the team in scoring. Swingman Raymond (10.3) is a second double digit scorer coming off the pines. runs the team to perfection and fellow guard Burrell (10.0-3.8 APG) is an excellent defensive player. The 6-9 Love (6.2-5.5) starts in the middle, playing alongside the 6-8 Brown (10.7-6.6) and the 6-6 Anderson
(10.6-6.0). The Musketeers shoot 47.8 percent as a team (just under 40 percent from three), while holding opponents to 40.4 percent and just 62.3 PPG. Georgia had won just four SEC games all season (in a year in which the league was down) and had lost 11 of 13 games heading into the SEC tourney. Then came an OT win over Ole Miss, a doubleheader sweep on Saturday (including an OT win vs Kentucky)
and then a 66-57 win on Sunday vs a hot Arkansas team. I just have to believe ENOUGH is ENOUGH. Xavier won nine games this year vs top-50 RPI teams and is as balanced as any team in the nation.The Musketeers shoot well and defend well. What's NOT to like. Georgia is in for a long day! First Round GOY Xavier -8.5 - (9*).
REASON FOR PICK: Billy Gillispie fashioned on of the great all-time turnarounds in two years at UTEP (from 6-24 to 24-8) and then took over an A&M team which was 0-16 in the Big 12 the year before he arrived, leading the school to 21, 22 and 27 wins in his three seasons, which featured NCAA appearances in his last two years. I doubt he realized he was taking on yet another reclamationproject this year, taking over for Tubby at Kentucky, one of CBB's most-hallowed programs. despite the loss of 6-8 freshman Patterson (16.4-7.7) at the end of February. Early home losses to Gardner-Webb and San Diego were the season low-lights but the Wildcats finished a strong 12-4 in the SEC regular season. If not for the Patterson injury, who knows? As is, the Wildcats just don't have the 'horses' to match up with Marquette (guard Jodie Meeks is also out). Two vets, the 6-5 Crawford (17.3-3.6) and guard Bradley (15.8-4.2-3.3), plus 6-9 sophomore Stevenson (5.8-5.1) will not be able to get the job done vs Marquette. The Golden Eagles were a memberof the AP's top-25 for all but one week this year and the team's trio of perimeter players, are primed for an NCAA tourney run. So is head coach Tom Crean, who is 0-2 in the Big Dance,
since taking Marquette to the 2003 Final 4. McNeal (14.3-4.8-3.3.6), James (13.0-2.7-4.3) and Matthews (11.2-4.4) are tough matchups for any team, especially a depth-shy one like Kentucky. Marquette even has solid depth in the backcourt with Cubillan (5.4) and Acker (4.6). The 6-10 Barro (5.5-5.5) never really improved this year (averaged 8.1-6.9 LY) but the 6-6 Hayward sure has, going from averages of 6.6-3.6 to 13.0-6.5. The 6-9 Fitzgerald (4.1-2.) is no star but plays hard. Marquette is eager to get back on the court after losing in the Big East semis to Pitt and Kentucky will play the perfect foil. STP on Marquette (5*).
REASON FOR PICK: UNLV was lucky that the MWC tourney was on its homecourt for the second straight year (Rebels have won each time). I'm not sure an NCAA at-large invite would have been forthcoming, so the auto bid was huge. UNLV made a Sweet 16 run LY and almost came back vs Oregon, just missing a regional final appearance. No such run is expected this year. In fact, I see the Rebels falling here.
PG Wink Adams (16.4-4.0-3.1) is the lone returning starter from LY's team. The 6-5 Terry (10.9-3.3-4.9) and the 6-6 Rogeau (9.1-5.9) played well in the MWC tourney (as did Adams) but things will be much tougher here in Omaha, Ne. The 6-7 Darger (11.2-4.2) is the team's lone frontcourt player of note. In Kent State, the Rebels will face a program which has won 20 games or more in each of the last 10 seasons (rare company!) and this year's team is poised to makes some 'noise' in the tourney. Head coach Jim Christian has been around for the last six 20-win seasons and he's looking for his first NCAA win(lost to Pitt by 15 points in '06). The team's two senior forwards are terrific players. The 6-7 Scott (13.1-6.1) is the better scorer but the all-around play of the 6-8 Quaintance (10.0-7.5) makes him just
as valuable. The "X-factor" of this year's team has been guard Al Fisher (14.0-3.8-4.1), who led the team in scoring. Fisher was a juco transfer and wound up being voted this year's MAC player-of-the-year(not a bad seven-month run!) . Singletary (10.2-3.2) is his backcourt partner, while McKee (5.6) and Sherman (5.4) add depth. Two 6-5 players, Wood (5.1) and Sullinger (3.7), help out in the frontcourt. KSU's size is suspect but UNLV has none of its own. While UNLV's Lon Kruger has proven to be an excellentcoach and the Rebels do own some gifted athletes, this Kent team has something to prove. Akron, likelya better team that UNLV, was primed for its "double-revenge" game vs Kent in the MAC title game last Saturday, after two close regular season losses. However, Kent easily dispatched of the Zips 74-55, as Fisher,Quaintance, Scott and Singletary all scored in double digits. Expect Kent to roll in this one. STP on Kent State. -2 (5*)
REASON FOR PICK: Arizona has something to prove, as many felt the Wildcats were undeserving of an NCAA bid to injuries at different times. All players are on deck for this one, facing a West Va team, coming off asolid season in Bob Huggins first year at his alma mater. West Va won the NIT last year (27 wins) and while the 6-5 Young (15.3) was expected to be missed, the 6-8 Alexander improved his scoring from 10.3 PPG to 16.8PPG this year, as well as getting 6.1 RPG. Butler (12.8-6.1), the team's other starting forward, had a verysolid year as well. The disappointment of the frontcourt was the 7-0 Smalligan, who came on at the end of LY but averaged just 2.4-1.9 this year. The guard duo of the 6-6 Ruoff (13.5-3.3-3.0) and PG Nichols (10.9-3.4-3.2) is pretty solid. While Arizona lost three talented players from LY in the 6-7 Williams (16.6-6.7), the 6-10 Radenovic (15.1-7.6) and four-year PG Shakur (11.9-6.9 APG), this year's team has plenty of talent,if not depth. Bayless (20.0-2.7-4.1) is one of the nation's top freshman and is joined in the backcourt by senior McClellan (8.6-3.7-2.7) and 5-9 sparkplug Wise (9.1-2.7-4.1). The 6-7 Budinger (17.0-5.4) is just a "basketball player," while the 6-9 Hill (13.2-7.8) shoots 62 percent and can block shots. I'm not convinced that Arizona can go too far in this tourney but West Va is a good first-round matchup for them. STP on Arizona +2 (5*).
FOR PICK: The Big 12 is an overrated conference, which like the ACC, is top-heavy with little quality aftewhich features the fabulous 6-10 Beasley (26.5-12.5) and another excellent frontcourt player in the 6-6 Walker(15.8-6.4), but little else. Stewart (7.0-3.1-3.2) and Young (6.1-3.5) are the starting guards, with Pullen
(9.8) adding depth but in order for Beasley and Walker to make a big impact, they'll have to get the ball in good position. Expect USC to disrupt KSU's offensive flow, as Tom Floyd vs first-year head coach Frank Martin, is a coaching mismatch. Floyd out-coached Calipari back in early December (at Madison Square Garden), as USC almost beat Memphis, losing 62-58 in OT. His team has also been talented enough to win at Pauley vs UCLA and press Stanford into submission on the final day of the regular season, beating the Cardinal by 13 points. Last year's freshman have turned in excellent sophomore seasons for USC. The 6-9 Gibson (10.8-7.8) is a tough inside defender while the team's pair of 6-5 guards, Lewis (10.9) and Hackett (8.5-3.7-3.3) are terrific all-around players. This year's freshman, the highly-touted OJ Mayo (20.8-4.6-3.3) and the 6-8 Jefferson (12.0-6.3), give USC a starting five which can match most teams in the nation. KSU was 11th in three-point percentage in the Big 12 and was dead-last in the league defending it, a terrible combo. While Walker had a good season, he was 0-for-14 with one point in a late-Feb game at home vs Texas and then in the team's next game, at Kansas, scored just nine points. If he's the team's only other real threat, then KSU is one-and-done! Beasley's great but his coach and the rest of his team are in over their heads against Floyd and the very talented Trojans. Laying this cheap of a price is a bargain. Oddsmaker's Error on USC -3.5 (8*).
Winners Edge
West Virginia -2 , 2 Units
Kent St. -2, 2 Units
Keithmartinsports Hammer Play
My NCAA Tourney HAMMER is on Washington St Over
Winthrop 25 of their 33 games have gone over 113
Wash St. 26 of their 32 games have gone over 113
Winthrop game ave's 123
Wash St game ave's 124
Combine both their defenses and the ave would be 115
Winthrop is 3-0-1 over 113 in March
Wash St is 3-0-1 over 113 in March
Winthrop Road games ave 129
Winthrop last 5 games ave 114
Wash St Road games ave 126
Wash St last 5 games ave 133
Winthrop vs NCAA tourney teams 6-1 over 113
Wash St vs NCAA tourney teams 18-4-1 over 113
Tony Matthews
15* Duke
15* USC
15* Syracuse
Ryan
10* Kansas St +3.5
Erin Rynning
Playmaker Kansas st +3.5
2-Minute Warning
Xavier
Jimmy Kruger
Temple + 7.5
USC -3.5
Philly-Connection Premium Plays.
3* CS Fullerton+11.5
3* BYU+2
3* Oral Roberts+8.5
Seabass
10 Kent St
10 Oral Roberts
20 Baylor
20 Temple
50 Xavier
LAS VEGAS TECH REPORT (LVTR)
KANSAS OVER 145
NOTRE DAME OVER 141.5
DUKE -19.5
Doc's
4 Unit Play. Take Xavier -8 ½ over Georgia
The pressure is off the Dawgs, as they have made a remarkable run to save Coach Felton’s job by winning four straight games. That did come in their home state, but that will not be the case on Thursday, as the Verizon Center will be their last game of the year. Xavier is a solid team and do not be put off by their two losses to St. Joes, as the Hawks are a conference team that plays them regularly. Getting out of conference will do this team good and they have great balance to blowout Georgia. When handicapping the entire body of work, there is only one side to consider and that lies with the No. 3 seed.
4 Unit Play. Take Kent State -2 over UNLV
The Rebels are not the same squad from last year’s sweet 16 run and have not had much success when playing away from the Thomas & Mack Center. Vegas has lost three of their last four road games and will get all that they want from the Golden Flashes on Thursday. State has four players averaging in double figures led by Al Fisher and this squad dominated the MAC, winning both the regular season and tournament title. This squad is no fluke and will advance on to the second round against a team that struggle to make shots from the outside.
5 Unit Play.Take Temple +7 ½ over Michigan State
The Owls continue to fly well under the radar despite being one of the hottest squads in the A-10 when the conference tournament last week in Atlantic City. They have won seven straight games and this is not your typical John Chaney squad, as they have good players led by Dionte Christmas. He will be the best player on the floor averaging over 20 points per game. Michigan State like much of the big ten has trouble scoring points and do not have many explosive players on the floor. They have trouble winning close games and thus I would not be surprised if they lost this game straight-up.
4 Unit Play.Take Pittsburgh -8 ½ over Oral Roberts
The Panthers are playing some of the best basketball around and are coming off a dominating performance against Georgetown on Saturday night. They are now healthy and should be able to reach the sweet 16. They have won seven out of their last eight games and have great balance with four players averaging double figures. The Golden Eagles play in one of the weakest conferences around and had their conference tournament held in their home state. They will get blown out by double-digits, as we collect big in the process.
4 Unit Play.Take Notre Dame -6 ½ over George Mason
Many experts believe that this squad is similar to the George Mason team that made a run to the final four two years ago, but that is certainly not the case. The Patriots went just 12-6 in a mediocre CAA Conference this season and were fortunate that they did not have to play VCU in the conference tournament. This Irish have the best player in the Big East Conference in Luke Harangody and he is averaging over a double-double on the season. The Irish had a better conference record then the Patriots and that came from playing in the Big East, a conference that sent eight teams to the tournament this season. Cinderella dies here as the Irish advance.
4 Unit Play.Take BYU +1 ½ over Texas A & M
The Aggies went through a coaching change and lost much of their talent from last season. This team went just 8-8 in the Big XII and had some very questionable losses to teams like Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, and Nebraska. The Cougars dominated the Mountain West going 14-2 and just suffered a finals loss to UNLV on their home floor. The squad does not really have a bad loss on the season and should be able to make short work of an overrated Aggies squad.
1 Unit Play. Take North Carolina (+400) to win 2008 NCAA Championship. Carolina is a favorable schedule to reach the Final Four in San Antonio and this is the year that Roy Williams will cut down the nets for a second time in his career. They have the depth, experience, balance, and coaching to get it done in 2008!