Moneylockoftheday
Digger's Pick
Louisville/Tennessee Under 146
Hawker's Pick
Ucla -12
DOC'S
4 Unit Play.Take North Carolina -8½ over Washington State
My feeling all week long was that a 10-0 run by Carolina will put this game away, as the Cougars simply cannot score enough points to stay in this game. This game reminds me a lot of Texas/Oklahoma from the Big XII Tournament, as the Sooners are a very similar team to WSU. Carolina has been on fire of late and if they make jump shot they cannot be beaten, as this opens up the lane for Tyler Hansbrough. This is very unfamiliar territory for the Cougars and Carolina expects to be here each and every year. Then bring in the fact that this game takes place in Charlotte, a place Carolina won three games at two weeks ago and will have a very favorable edge with the crowd, since WSU does not travel well anyway. Carolina marches on with another double-digit victory.
4 Unit Play.Take Xavier +1 over West Virginia
The Sweet 16 opens up with an intriguing match-up between Xavier and West Virginia. Believe it or not, it is the third seed that is flying under the radar, as they enter this affair as a slight underdog. West Virginia beat two big names teams to get here, but those squads had down years, with Arizona losing their coach and Duke not having an inside presence. Xavier has better guards then the Mountaineers and that is usually what gets it done in the tournament. Making a jump shot or two will propel the Musketeers to victory, something Duke could not do whatsoever.
4 Unit Play.Take Under 133½ in Western Kentucky vs. UCLA
The Bruins have been living well lately with help from the officials, but all season they have been plagued by one problem. They are not a good shooting team and have had trouble scoring points all season long. That being said, they play tremendous defense and should be able to frustrate this mid-major opponent on Thursday. All this leads me to believe that the best bet in this contest lies with the under. Neither team will reach 70 points and the Hilltoppers will be lucky to see 60.
FERRINGO
3-Unit Play. Take Washington State +9 over North Carolina
Note: I recommend buying the half-point from 8.5. However, if you wait until we get closer to tip-off you won't have to. This line is going to move and it's going to move at least half a point. I do endorse the play at 8.5 as a 3-Unit pick.
Let’s try to fade the public here. There are a lot of reasons not to like Wazzou in this spot, but time and time again I’ve run into this situation in sports: flashy, offensive-oriented, public favorite plays rough-around-the-edges, gutsy, defensive team. More times than not the defensive team (and underdog) cashes, with the Super Bowl being the most recent example. I think we have a similar situation here. I really don’t see any way that UNC can play as well as it did last weekend again tonight against Washington State. I mean, they shot 70 percent for the game for crying out loud. That doesn’t happen twice in a row against quality competition late in the year. Washington State is a funky team, and their style is difficult to adjust to the first time you see them. The Cougars have played the best of the best over the past two years and performed impressively. I think they will come to play and keep this one close. The keys will be how Wazzou’s perimeter trio of Rochestie-Low-Weaver shoot from deep. They hit some shots, they can win this game. If they don’t it will be Arkansas all over again.
1.5-Unit Play. Take Tennessee +3 over Louisville
I’m going with the And-1 Mix Team. Chris Lofton will play, and if he doesn’t it’s even better. I can’t tell you how many times over the last month a team lost its top scorer and went on an ATS spree. The Cardinals play an aggressive zone but I think that will lead to plenty of open looks for UT. I think that the Vols will play their best game of the tourney because they can come into this game as an underdog. They have more talent, and they look like the best team in the country when they are motivated (which rarely happens). Like UNC, I think that Louisville peaked in the opening weekend. They shoot 35 percent from 3-point land on the season, but shot 51.2 percent last weekend. Tennessee doesn’t defend the basket, but they defend the perimeter. I think they can dig in and get enough buckets to handle the Cardinals, whose lack of a go-to scorer is going to be their undoing.
STRIKE POINT SPORT'S
6-Unit Play (Game of the Month).Take Xavier +1 over West Virginia
There's just something about this X-Men team that I really like in their match-up with the Mountaineers. Xavier has a very healthy offensive balance, but what's even better is that they boast it both inside and out. Six players average double figures, and anyone of them can lead the team in scoring. Point guard Drew Lavender and Stanley Burrell form a nice starting backcourt, while the foursome of Josh Duncan, Derrick Brown, B.J. Raymond and C.J. Anderson call all attack from the perimeter and down low. Basically, you can't leave any one area uncovered against this talented team. We saw what happened to West Virginia when some of its starters got into foul trouble: they become purely a perimeter team. I think Xavier will give them trouble all over the court, and this A-10 team will find itself in the Elite Eight with a strong win in Phoenix.
Jimmy Thompson
Louisville -3
If your were asking us right now who the best team in the country is it would be tough to say between UNC and Louisville. The unfortunate thing here is that if they meet it will be 2 rounds before they should. Just by the line you can see that Louisville is more respected by the oddsmakers than Tennessee. There are a couple of reason for this, one is that Louisville has been rolling the past for more than a month and as 2 weeks ago they were a very possible number 1 seed, but losses to Georgetown and Pitt stalled those hopes. Meanwhile Tennessee, although with a signature win over Memphis they have been less than dominant in conference and during this tournament so they appear ripe to get beat. Louisville's defense has been awesome in their first 2 games and that defense will be the difference in what will be a fast paced game. The Cardinals have better interior players and if Smith shoots the ball well they could win this game big. We like Louisville to advance with a 80-?6 win!
Bob Balfe
NBA
Pistons -22 over Heat
College Basketball
Louisville -3 over Tennessee
There are always those teams with talent such as Tennessee. However, they seem to get sloppy at times and they don't seem to have the makeup to advance any further. There is no doubt they have talent, but you must play as a team late in the tourney. Louisville deserves to be the favorite even though they are seeded 3rd and Tennessee is seeded 2nd. Look for Louisville to actually win pretty easy tonight.
Xavier +1 over West Virginia
WVU always puts together a team with heart, but they will be going against a great Xavier Defense and a team that is hungry to advance after many let downs in the tourney in the past few years. These teams basically are mirror images of each other. I like that fact that Xavier has gotten down by double digits in both tourney games and clawed their way back. The Xavier defense should take over down the stretch.
UCLA -12 over Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky is the fan favorite Cinderella this season, but UCLA is among the best teams in the nation. If this was a regular season game back in January the Bruins would be favored by 25. UCLA has the edge in every category and after last weeks near loss to Texas A&M this team will not allow a smaller and less talented opponent to hang around. Western Kentucky did numbers to their program by playing so well in the tournament, but the tour ends here!
Analyst: Stu Feiner
15,000 Dime Lock #2
15,000 DIME BANKROLL BUILDER
LOCK OF THE TOURNAMENT
#2 IN A ROW
Tennessee +3 over Louisville
5000 DIME BONUS LOCK
Xavier +1 over West Virginia
Analyst: Eddie Roman
7500 Unit Sweet 16 System Stat Game of my Career #18
7500 Unit Sweet 16 System Stat Game of my Career #16
West Virginia Mountaineers -1 over Xavier
Back by 2:30 pm est with analysis
Analyst: Damon Roberts
Personal Game of the Tournament
10,000 Dime Personal Game
UCLA -12 over Western Kentucky
also
3000 Dime - Tennessee +3 over Louisville
3000 Dime - Xavier +1 over West Virginia
3000 Dime - North Carolina -8 over Washington State
I'll be back with analysis by 3pm EST
Analyst: Bobby Esposito
10,000 Dime Parlay Lock
10,000 DIME PARLAY
Xavier +1.5 over West Va.
Over 134 (W.Virginia - Xavier)
3000 DIME BONUS LOCKS
N. Carolina -8.5 over Wash. St.
Denver -8 over Dallas Mav's
I'll be back with analysis by 3pm EST
Analyst: Jack Burnet
15,000 Dime Sweet Sixteen Lock
ONE AND ONLY 15,000 DIME
WEET SIXTEEN LOCK
Tennessee +3 over Louisville
also
Xavier +1 over West Virginia
UCLA -12 over Western Kentucky
Wunderdog
Washington State at North Carolina
Pick: North Carolina -8.5
The Tar Heels haven't just won this year, they have won big. They have an amazing 26 double-digit wins on the season and are absolutely clicking on offense right now. Washington State is capable of slowing the pace, but what happens if they fall behind? They are not a good team playing from behind especially against a Carolina team that can hang 10 points on them in a matter of a minute and a half. The Heels have gone over 80 points in 29 games this season. Washington State is out-manned at all five positions and equally as much on the bench. It's going to take one big Carolina run to get Washington St. out of their comfort zone,and when it does happen this could easily turn into a 20+ point game,and we will back the high-scoring Heels to win big here.
Insider Sports Report
CBB
W. Virginia -1
NBA
Denver -7 over Dallas
Frank Rosenthal
NBA Hoops
Pistons-21 Sb
Over 178.5 Sb+
Warriors-10 Sb+
Under 209.5 Sb+
Nuggets-8.5 Sb
Under 217.5 Sb+
College Hoops
Unc-8 Sb
Over 140 Sb+
Louisville-2 Sb+
Over 145 Sb
Xavier+1.5 Sb
Western Ky+12.5 Sb
LAS VEGAS TECH REPORT (LVTR)
WASHINGTON STATE vs NORTH CAROLINA
Play: WASHINGTON STATE vs NORTH CAROLINA OVER 142
WEST VIRGINIA vs XAVIER
Play: WEST VIRGINIA vs XAVIER OVER 134
LAS VEGAS TECH REPORT (LVTR): NEW JERSEY vs NY RANGERS
Play: NEW JERSEY vs NY RANGERS UNDER 5
This is an alternative selection but by no means a weak one as these scoring trends are too hard to pass up in this matchup. Under is 9-3-1 in last thirteen Devil games. 17 of 21 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL. We don't care what sport we dip in as long as it's a strong play and can make our clients money.
Fairway 20* NCAA Tourney GOY: XAVIER
Regular plays
Xavier/WVU UNDER
Western KY
Vegas Runner 2* Play of day
DAL 9.0 vs DEN
I would also suggest holding off on making your wager until closer to Tip-Off because with Dirk out and this being a TNT Game, I don't see this line moving in any other direction but up, and we will adjust as it calls for, NOW UP to +9 and may even keep going...and like I said, we will wait it out because it really shouldn't come back down
Now at first glance you may think that Dallas is a team that you don't want to be backing, especially with their main man out...but these situations have provided a lot of value in the past and I believe that this match-up is no different....and always remember that when you back a Dog, especially when you are receiving this many points, although it would be nice to see them come through and win the game....that really isn't what you need to take place to CASH a ticket, instead you only need your team to go out there and give you a strong effort for 48min...and if they can do that, more times than not you will get the money...just like when you are able to get your money in when you believe that you are getting the best of it...and Tonight, I think that side is Dallas....
As stated above, with a dog of this magnitude you need effort and with Dirk out, I think that Avery Johnson will be able to get that effort from his team, and make his players step it up a notch and make up for the loss...the other thing that we can't forget is that this will definately be a game that has a Play-Off atmosphere because there is just so much on the line for both clubs and believe me, after reading the Dallas Paper this morning, the Mavs definately are aware of just how important this game will be...
Here are a few of the things said...Johnson said, "We talk about how its just another game, well we're not saying that anymore. We're playing single elimination, thats the way we have to look at it"...Jason Kidd mentioned how even though they just went 1-3 on their homestand, these next few games will be the most important of the season and they can easily make this a good week by going out on the road and getting it done....Dampier talked about how Denver is trying to get to the Play-Offs and how they need to do everything in their power not to let that happen...the team even went on to say that they talked about this one way back in January and knew it would have huge implications...
For Dallas, a win here would give the Mavs a 3 game lead and the tie-breaker against Denver since they7 split their first 2 games this season...and even though winning tonight in Denver isn't going to be easy, the stage is definately set for us to see a war and to get the best that both teams have to offer and I really do feel that if we get that, Denver is not 8+ points better than the Mavs, even on their home-court...
On the road Dallas allows just as many points as they do overall so even though they aren't at .500, we do know that its not the defense that suffers when they play at other arenas...and that is very important because right now Dallas is playing excellent defense, allowing only 38.7% FG's...they also don't turn the ball over on the road, averaging only 12 TO per game, the same as they do overall...and finally although its been the offense that hasn't been able to score enough to win lately, tonight they face a defense which has allowed 52.7% FG their L/5 Games and in 2 of those they allowed OVER 60%...and when we look at what the Mavs were doing when they WON 5 Straight, prior to the 1-3 homestand...they had shot 50%+ from the field in all but one of those wins...
Overall, I really feel that this is just way too many points to be giving a team in a game that is so important to both clubs and if Denver feels some pressure, it is not an easy number to cover and asking them to win by double digits, which is more or less what you are asking, is just to much...and as we touched upon above, we may be able to get even more points because the public money will definately pour in heavily on the home team and with this being the last TNT game of the night, it should receive the majority of the volume in the NBA Tonight....
Lets go ahead and take Dallas and the Points as the Thursday Night, NBA on TNT 2* PLAY of the DAY and look for the Mavs to keep it extremely close and possibly give themselves an opportunity to get the WIN in the end, which wouldn't suprise me at all...and I'm sure the books would also love it, killing all parlay and teaser wagers that will depend on Denver covering the number.
ER Sports Playmaker: Tenn Vols