No line available at this time.
Marquette
Cincinnati
Scheduled Start Time: 8:45am (Pacific Time)
The irreplaceable point guard Cordell Henry played through an ankle injury and scored 27 points Friday night, running a balanced offense that beat Houston 85-73 in the Conference USA tournament semifinals. "Cordell belongs in any kind of game," coach Tom Crean said. His next one will be a championship game against Cincinnati tomorrow. Marquette (26-5) returns to the final for the first time since 1997, when it beat Charlotte for its only conference tournament title. With Henry directing a highly efficient offense, the Golden Eagles built a 20-point lead and held on against the most surprising team in the tournament. Dwyane Wade scored 18 points, and Oluoma Nnamaka added 11. Houston, playing its third game in three days, wore down at the start of the second half while Marquette went on a 16-4 run. Henry's jumper made it 61-41 with 14:37 to go. A sluggish Steve Logan managed only seven points, but No. 5 Cincinnati used its brawny defense to beat Charlotte 71-55 Friday night in the Conference USA semifinals. Cincinnati (29-3) matched the school record for wins and made it to the tournament title game for the second straight year despite a subpar game from its best player. Logan, the two-time conference player of the year, moved lethargically and repeatedly grimaced. Coach Bob Huggins shuttled him in and out of the lineup, talking to him whenever he came off the court. Donald Little led Cincinnati with 16 points, and Leonard Stokes added 15. Charlotte missed its first six shots and 11 of its first 13 as its shooters got shoved around as they tried to maneuver through the Bearcats' defense. The big question heading into the C-USA Championship game is what’s wrong with POY Steve Logan. Both teams come off impressive wins but Cincinnati won the two previous meetings this year. The game in Milwaukee was an almost for the Eagles. Cincinnati is headed to a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and there is no way they don’t get that job done. But, it will not be easy as Marquette goes 0-3 against the Bearcats.
Projected Score: Cincinnati 89, Marquette 80
Injury Report
No line available at this time.
LSU
Miss St
Scheduled Start Time: 10:00am (Pacific Time)
While Mississippi State’s win over Florida was an upset as far as bettors are concerned, it is important to remember that the Bulldogs were, maybe, the hottest team in the SEC heading into this tournament, and had a bye in the first round, while Florida faced Auburn. Mississippi State a 76-48 loss at Florida during the regular season with a 62-52 win on Friday. State held the Florida forwards, Udonis Haslem and Matt Bonner to just 14 points combined and held the Gators as a team to just 31% from the floor. In the conference semifinal, the Bulldogs face an LSU team that opened Friday’s SEC action with a opened the day with a 78-76 upset victory over Georgia, as freshman Antonio Hudson once again led the way for the Tigers with 23 points. Forward Ronald Dupree also contributed with 18 points and nine rebounds. All five starters played 35 minutes for LSU, as they won for the second straight day. These teams split their two regular season meetings, with each squad winning at home, so both teams have a measure of confidence against each other. But Mississippi State is playing as well as any team in the country right now, and they should be able to beat this tough, but weary LSU squad.
Projected Score: Miss St 77, LSU 63
Injury Report
No line available at this time.
So Carolina
Alabama
Scheduled Start Time: 12:15am (Pacific Time)
The SEC is the deepest college basketball conference in America. There are no bad teams in the league, and on any given night, any team can beat any other team. This has certainly been proven in the conference’s tournament this season, as each of the three teams that finished the regular season atop the Eastern Division, Florida, Kentucky and Georgia, were each ousted from competition on Friday. South Carolina was one team to pull off a major upset, knocking off Kentucky in the final game of the night. The Game@#$%s barely knocked off Ole Miss on Thursday, but played one of their best games of the season in defeating Kentucky on Friday night, 70-57, as big man Tony Kitchings once again gave a stellar performance. The Game@#$%s are playing with purpose right now, but they may not have the stamina to hang with Alabama today. Alabama is the one heavyweight left standing in this tournament and they had little trouble with their first opponent, waxing Tennessee, 91-72. Rod Grizzard made just six three-point shots on the season, but had eight on Friday afternoon, as Alabama improved their overall record to 25-6 on the season. Look for the Tide to get another big win here, as their superior depth and play up front wins out.
Projected Score: Alabama 74, So Carolina 62
Injury Report
NC State
Maryland -10
Scheduled Start Time: 10:30am (Pacific Time)
North Carolina State may have ended Virginia’s NCAA hopes by beating the Cavaliers for the third straight time. The Wolfpack got a career-high 32 points from senior guard Anthony Grundy and connected on 13 of 18 three-pointers as a team. They move on to face Maryland in Saturday semifinal. The Terrapins didn’t play very well against Florida State on Friday, at least through the game’s first 30 minutes. But the Terps’ bench contributed greatly to a 21-0 run in the second half that blew the contest open once and for all. Maryland has now won 13 straight games. They beat North Carolina State twice this season, covering in both games comfortably. Still, it’s hard to blow out a team three times in one season. Look for State to keep this one close and get the cover.
Projected Score: Maryland 81, NC State 75
Injury Report
No line available at this time.
Wake Forest
Duke
Scheduled Start Time: 12:45am (Pacific Time)
Wake Forest hasn’t had much time to rest after escaping with a 92-83 win over Georgia Tech late on Friday night. The Demon Deacons avenged their February 27th loss to Tech and got their second win in a row in moving on to face Duke. The Blue Devils beat North Carolina on Friday, 60-48, as the Tarheels used slow-down tactics to keep the game close. Duke took just 46 shots in the game and North Carolina attempted just 29 field goals. The pace of the game killed Duke’s rhythm and they connected on just 39% of their shots. North Carolina seemed to present a blueprint of how to beat Duke, if you can remain patient. Wake Forest is notorious for liking a fast pace and that has caused them problems against Duke this season. They’ve allowed the Blue Devils to score 103 and 90 points respectively in their two previous meetings, and of course, Duke won both games. With such little rest, Wake Forest probably won’t be able to institute a new style of play for this game. Look for the pace to be fast, and Duke to get another blowout win, as they prepare for their big matchup with Maryland.
Projected Score: Duke 89, Wake Forest 79
Injury Report
Iowa
Indiana -6
Scheduled Start Time: 10:45am (Pacific Time)
Can they do it again? That is the question on every Big 10 fan’s mind, as Iowa can’t seem to lose a conference tournament game. The Hawkeyes have won six straight tournament games dating back to their championship last season. They got a shocking 58-56 win over the league’s number one seed, Wisconsin, on Friday, as Luke Recker continued to shine. Recker made nine of 14 shots to score 28 points, including the runner in the lane that gave the Hawkeyes their winning margin in the games waning seconds. They face one of Recker’s old schools, Indiana in this game. The Hoosiers opened Friday’s activities with a strong performance against Indiana, scoring a 67-56 win. Jared Jeffries led the balanced Indiana attack with 14 points and five rebounds as he continues to make his way back from an ankle injury. This team’s matched up in the Big 10 Championship Game last year and Iowa got a 63-61 win. The Hoosiers won both of the regular season meetings rather comfortably, though, and they’ve shown themselves to be the clearly better team all season. Take Indiana to end the Hawkeyes’ run.
Projected Score: Indiana 72, Iowa 64
Injury Report
No line available at this time.
Illinois
Ohio St
Scheduled Start Time: 1:05pm (Pacific Time)
Illinois jumped out early and never looked back as they destroyed Minnesota, 92-76, to earn an easy cover, on Friday night. The Illini had a 17- point lead less than 10 minutes into the game, as Cory Bradford went wild, scoring 18 of his 25 points in the opening stanza. They advance to the league semifinal to face an Ohio State team that toyed with Michigan on their way to a 75-68 win, in which they failed to cover the spread. The Buckeyes led throughout the contest, but could never put the Wolverines away until the final minutes. Ohio State has won two in a row and three of their last four. They beat Illinois in the only regular season meeting between the teams this season, 78-67 on January 29th. But Illinois is playing much better right now than they were then. They have hit their stride and they look virtually unbeatable. Take Illinois to continue their hot play with another win.
Projected Score: Illinois 78, Ohio St 66
Injury Report
Texas Tech
Kansas -13
Scheduled Start Time: 11:00am (Pacific Time)
Exhibiting Bobby Knight's stifling man-to-man defense to perfection, Texas Tech held 13th-ranked Oklahoma State to its lowest point total of the season and rolled to a 73-51 rout in the Big 12 Conference tournament quarterfinals. Andre Emmett scored 23 points to lead Texas Tech (23-7), which will meet top-ranked Kansas in the tournament semifinals on Saturday. It also helped that the Red Raiders played perhaps their best game of the season, suffocating Oklahoma State, which shot 25 percent from the field in the first half and 34 percent for the game. "I really think playing yesterday was a real advantage for us because we knew what to expect in terms of playing in this atmosphere," Knight said. Andy Ellis scored 11 of his 13 points in the first half when Texas Tech built a 30-17 lead. Oklahoma State's starting five converted just 3-of-20 shots in the half. The Red Raiders shot a sizzling 64 percent in the second half and led by as many as 25 points. Kansas destroyed an undermanned Colorado 102-73 in the Big 12 quarterfinals on Friday. Kirk Hinrich and Jeff Boschee helped get Kansas off to a 15-2 lead, and Williams raised his career record against Colorado to 32-1. His team's current streak against the Buffaloes dates to 1991. Drew Gooden -- the Big 12's leading scorer, rebounder and its player of the year -- had just seven points at halftime but wound up with 18 for the Jayhawks (28-2), who have won 15 straight games since losing to then-No. 11 UCLA on Jan. 12. Boschee, the Big 12's career 3-point leader, was 5-of-8 from behind the arc and finished with 21 points. Hinrich had 18. The Jayhawks went 11-for-12 at the foul line. Not much can be said about Knight’ Raiders who are peaking at exactly the right moment. Life will not be getting any easier for Texas Tech as they face off against the very talented Jayhawks on Saturday in the conference semi’s. Kansas isn’t going to be an NCAA #1 seed for nothing as Colorado can tell you. The Jayhawks march continues but the Red Raiders will make it tough for at least a half.
Projected Score: Kansas 85, Texas Tech 76
Injury Report
No line available at this time.
Texas
Oklahoma
Scheduled Start Time: 1:20pm (Pacific Time)
Texas (20-10; Big 12: 10-6) held off the stubborn Missouri Tigers 89-85 on Friday to advance to the semi-final round of the Big 12. Missouri shot only (12-24) 50% from the charity stripe vs Texas (19-30) 63% for the game. Kareem Rush the Missouri All-America led all scorers with 33 points but it wasn’t enough to carry the Tigers. The well balanced Texas attack was led by point guard T.J. Ford who had 10 assists to go with 6 points. For the second time in a month, Texas had the Tigers by the tail. The Longhorns edged MU 72-70 in Columbia back on Feb. 17. MU, down as many as 16 points in the first half, got as closes as two at 49-47. Texas' Brian Boddicker sidetracked the Tigers' hopes down the stretch when he pumped in a trey to give Texas a 78-67 lead with 3 minutes, 30 seconds left. A key juncture in the game occurred with 8:33 remaining. Texas, leading 64-60, was the beneficiary of MU star Kareem Rush's fourth foul. Tigers coach Quin Snyder obviously didn't agree. He was whistled for a technical foul, and Texas' Brandon Mouton sank one of the two free throws. The foul also sent Jason Klotz to the line, and he also made one of two. The sequence stifled MU's momentum after it had tried to rally from that 16-point first half deficit. Ebi Ere scored 20 points as the fourth-ranked Sooners overcame a sluggish first half before pulling away for a 63-52 victory over Kansas State in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Conference tournament. Still harboring thoughts of securing a top seed in the NCAA Tournament, the heavily favored Sooners (25-4) squandered an early 10-point lead and found themselves trailing, 25-24, at the half. But sparked by Ere, who scored 15 points in the second half, the defending Big 12 tournament champions won their sixth straight gam. For the Sooners to get that top seed in the NCAA Tournament, it likely will have to win this tournament but powerhouses Texas and Kansas lay before them. Texas held down a very strong Missouri squad and they are battle toughened for Saturday’s game which will be a dandy. The Sooners won both games this year so once again, they mess with Texas.
Projected Score: Oklahoma 75, Texas 70
Injury Report
No line available at this time. No line available at this time. No line available at this time. No line available at this time. No line available at this time. No line available at this time. No line available at this time. No line available at this time. No line available at this time.
Richmond
Xavier
Scheduled Start Time: 3:00pm (Pacific Time)
Richmond defeated LaSalle 68-60 in the semi-final matchup of the A-10 on Friday. Reggie Brown scored 20 and Jeff Myers added 18. Richmond (19-12) becomes only the second team in Atlantic 10 history to win a berth in the final in its first year in the league. The Spiders will play Xavier, winners over Dayton, on Saturday. Richmond led by as much as 11 before La Salle scored eight straight points in a 9-3 run in the closing moments. Richmond led 29-24 at the half. Richmond extended its lead to 15 to open the second half. But La Salle came back, getting the hometown crowd behind them on a 16-5 run in which Rasual Butler scored 10 points. David West scored 21 points and pulled down nine rebounds as 23rd-ranked Xavier advanced to the championship game of the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament with a 66-59 triumph over the Dayton Flyers. With 11:27 remaining, Sean Finn grabbed an offensive rebound and dunked to lift Dayton (20-10) into a 44-44 tie. But the slam dislodged the shot c* above the basket, causing a delay of some 10 minutes. When play resumed, the Flyers graBbed the lead, but Xavier (24-5) responded with a 7-0 run and never trailed after a basket by Lionel Chalmers made it 48-46 with 9:11 to play. Romain Sato chipped in 16 points, six rebounds and three assists for the Musketeers, who shot a torrid 74 percent (14-of-19) in the second half and swept all three meetings with Dayton this season. The Xavier combination of West and Sato has done the job all year long but they will be teeing off with a Richmond Spiders squad which has overachieved all season. Xavier will need to tee it up a little higher against the Spiders but in a barnburner they get the nod.
Projected Score: Xavier 75, Richmond 68
Injury Report
USC
Arizona
Scheduled Start Time: 3:00pm (Pacific Time)
The Arizona Wildcats took control early in the second half and coasted into the PAC-10 semi-final round by downing the California Golden Eagles 90-78. Jason Gardner with 23 points and Luke Walton with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists led the Wildcats. Against the best defense in the league the Wildcats shot 60% from the field. In what really wasn’t an upset, USC downed the regular season champion Oregon Ducks 89-78 on Friday. Brandon Granville and reserve Desmon Farmer scored 17 points each to lead six Trojan players in double figures in the semifinals of the Pacific-10 Conference tournament. USC's full-court pressure forced the Ducks into 21 turnovers, including nine by Luke Ridnour. The Trojans put the game away by outscoring Oregon 26-10 over the final 11½ minutes. Sam Clancy added 16 points, Errick Craven had 16, David Bluthenthal 13 and reserve Jerry Dupree 12 for USC. In the second half, with the Trojans trailing by seven points with 12:54 remaining. USC went on a 20-3 run while the Ducks went 5½ minutes without scoring. Clancy, Dupree and Craven each had six points, including several baskets off Oregon's miscues during the run. The Trojans might be at the top of their game right now and they will need all their weapons to work on Saturday when they meet Arizona. The Wildcats controlled the Cal Golden Eagles last night and will be ready as well. In a game definitely worth the price of admission the combination of Sam Clancy and David Bluthenthal and company once again rise to the occasion.
Projected Score: USC 84, Arizona 80
Injury Report
Bowling Green
Kent
Scheduled Start Time: 4:00pm (Pacific Time)
The battle for the MAC championship from Cleveland, Ohio. The Kent State Golden Flashes are the class of the MAC, winning 22 games last season and they are 26-5 SU/20-7 ATS this season. Kent has a strong backcourt and is led by All-MAC 6’-1” senior Trevor Huffman (15 ppg, 4.4 asp). Kent is a strong defensive team holding opponents to 40% shooting (#1 in the MAC), led by MAC Defensive Player of the Year Demetric Shaw, a 6’-3” senior guard who averages 5 boards per game. 5’-11” senior Andrew Mitchell averages 15 ppg and is strong from the line. In fact, the whole team is solid from free throw line (73%, #1 in the MAC). 6’-3” junior Antonio Gates is having a great season averaging 15 points and 8 rebounds per game. Kent is a solid 11-3 SU/9-4 ATS on the road this season and on a remarkable 13-0 SU/11-1-1 ATS run! Kent attacks the glass at both ends of the floor with tremndous intensity and last night whipped Toledo 86-61. The 24-7 Bowling Green Falcons have a great one-two punch in 6’-9” senior center Len Matela and guard Keith McLeod. Matela averages 15 points and 8 rebounds per game, while 6’-2” senior Keith McLeod led the team with 22 points and 4 rebounds and 3 assists per game. Coach Dan Makich also has one of the top point guards in 6’-1” senior Brandon Pardon (11 points, 6.4 assists per game, 45% from three-point land). This team shoots 49% from the field and 41% from 3-point land. They are a good team on the road, as well, at 9-5 SU, 6-7 ATS. They are the second best free throw shooting team in the MAC (74%). Bowling Green pulled off an upset of Ball State last night, but they had trouble with Kent during the season (0-2 SU/ATS). Kent won 70-67 at Bowling Green as a +2 dog, then won at home 76-64. This should be a defensive duel, but Kent has been so tough, they get the edge in a close game.
Projected Score: Kent 66, Bowling Green 59
Injury Report
Connecticut
Pittsburgh
Scheduled Start Time: 5:00pm (Pacific Time)
Caron Butler scored 20 points and freshman Ben Gordon provided a spark off the bench as the 24th-ranked Huskies advanced to the Big East Conference title game with an 82-77 victory over Notre Dame. After a one-year absence, the Huskies (23-6) returned to the conference championship game for the sixth time in the last eight years, where they will meet No. 7 Pittsburgh. Butler carried the Huskies in the opening half, when he scored 13 points to help open a 41-36 lead. Gordon, a Mount Vernon native, netted 11 of his 19 points after the break. He also handed out six assists. Brandin Knight scored 20 points and matched a Big East tournament record with 14 assists as seventh-ranked Pittsburgh moved into the title game of theBig east for the second straight year with a 76-71 victory over No. 16 Miami. Knight fed Julius Page for an alley-oop dunk with 2:22 left for a 75-65 cushion before Miami (24-7) rallied. John Salmons drilled a 3-pointer with 61 seconds left to cut the deficit to 74-71 and the Hurricanes got back the ball. Salmons drove to the basket but threw the ball out of bounds with 15 seconds left. Page sealed the win with two foul shots five seconds later. The Panthers showed how serious a Final Four contender they are on Friday with an impressive win over the Hurricanes. Brandin Knight might not be a household name quite yet but in the next several weeks basketball fans will get an appreciation for this future NBAer. The Panther face off with the Connecticut Huskies who have retooled and aim to overthrow the Pitt applecart. The Pitt defense is the best in the conference and they will push it up a notch defensively and hold on in a close battle.
Projected Score: Pittsburgh 69, Connecticut 61
Injury Report
Hawaii
Tulsa
Scheduled Start Time: 6:00pm (Pacific Time)
WAC championship game from Tulsa, Oklahoma and it looks like a shootout. Hawaii is 26-5 SU, 18-8 ATS. 6’-6” senior Predrag Savovic leads the way averaging 19 points per game while 6’-5” sophomore Carl English chips in 16 points per game. 6’-10” sophomore Haim Shimonovic leads the club in rebounding (6.7 rpg), 6’-7” senior Mindaugas Burneika is chipping in 9 ppg and 6’-4” Mark Campbell leads the team in assists (4.8 apg). Hawaii is talented and for real, as they are 20-2 SU/17-5 ATS the last 22 games and can even win away from the Big Island (8-3 SU/9-2 ATS on the road). Tulsa (26-5 SU) has a group of talented guards, led by 6’-2” senior Greg Harrington (13 ppg) and 5’-10” junior Dante Swanson (12 ppg, 4 rpg, 55% shooter). The frontcourt is also solid with 6’-7” junior forward Kevin Johnson (14 ppg, 5 rpg) and 6’-7” junior Charlie Davis (7 rebounds per game). The Golden Hurricanes are well coached, run a disciplined offense, average 82 points per game and are on a 14-4 SU run. Tulsa is now 13-2 SU/8-4 ATS at home this season after whipping rival Fresno State last night, 81-65. Note that this tourney is being played in Tulsa, so there is a home court edge here. Tulsa shoots 48% from the field and 75% from the line! Hawaii is off an easy rout of Nevada last night, 90-68. Both these clubs can score and during the season, Hawaii won both games (1-1 ATS) winning 90-82 at Tulsa as a +10 road dog, and then winning 86-85 in OT at home as a -2 favorite. Tough one to call, especially with Tulsa having the home court, but Hawaii has been getting it done all season, even away from home, and they have the talent to win (again) at Tulsa in what should be a memorable shootout.
Projected Score: Hawaii 84, Tulsa 82
Injury Report
San Diego St
UNLV
Scheduled Start Time: 7:00pm (Pacific Time)
Mountain West conference championship game from Las Vegas. San Diego State is a strong 21-11 SU, 16-9 ATS. 6’-4” senior guard Tony Bland is averaging 16.4 points and 3.6 assists per game. The rebounding is handled by 6’-9” senior Randy Holcomb (17 points, over 9 rebounds per game) and 6’-9” Mike Mackell (close to 5 boards per game). 6’-2” senior guard Al Faux is averaging 16.7 points per game and is shooting 45% from the field and 36% from long range. This team is solid in the low post (averaging 75 points per game while shooting 48%). SDSU is 7-8 SU/7-5 ATS on the road and gave Duke a tough time before losing 92-79 (and covering). SDSU will have to battle two things: UNLV's home court and a team that has been on a magic-carpet ride of late. #3 seeded-UNLV and first-year coach Charlie Spoonhour have had an impressive season at 20-9 SU/15-11 ATS. 6’-9” junior Dalron Johnson leads the way with 17 points, 7 rebounds per game. Junior college transfer Marcus Banks (a 6’-1” guard) averages 15 points per game while 6’-6” senior forward Chris Richardson pulls down 5.5 rebounds per contest. UNLV is 16-2 SU/9-7 ATS at home and has gone 10-1 ATS/8-3 SU the last eleven games. UNLV pulled out an incredible 120-117 double-OT win over New Mexico on Thursday, then bounced back with an upset of Utah last night. Lou Kelly had a career-high 35 points and Banks added 26 points in the double-OT win. Just as remarkable, these two teams played two overtime games this season, with UNLV winning both games by 80-79 and 83-76 scores. UNLV has the home court, but SDSU matches up well and should be able to squeeze out a home win on the visitors court.
Projected Score: San Diego St 73, UNLV 71
Injury Report
Santa Barbara
Utah St
Scheduled Start Time: 9:00pm (Pacific Time)
Big West championship game from Anaheim, CA. 23-6 Utah State is the #1 seed in the Big West and led by 6’-3” shooting guard Troy Brown (averaging 15 points, 5 assists per game) and 6’-7” JC transfer Desmond Penigar (17 points, 7 rebounds per contest). This team shoots 48% from the field and 72% from the line! They average 68 ppg and are #1 in the Big West in rebounds (35 per game). Utah State is 9-5 SU/ATS on the road and off a 69-65 win over Pacific last night as a 2-point favorite. The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (19-10 SU, 13-13 ATS) are led by 6’-9” junior Mark Hull (15 points, 5 rebounds per game), who is a good shooter (77% from the line and 40% from 3-point land). 6’-9” senior Mike Vukovich crashes the boards along with redshirt freshman 6’-9” Adama Ndiaye (11 points, 7.7 rebounds per game). Two sophomore guards command the backcourt in 6’-4” Branduinn Fullove (14 ppg) and 6’-4” Nick Jones. The Gauchos are the best free throw shooting team in the Big West (76%) and #1 defensively allowing teams to shoot 37%! They are weak on the road at 7-8 SU/6-7 ATS, but did get a nice upset of Cal Irvine last night. Utah State went 2-0 SU/ATS this season against Santa Barbara, winning 60-56 as a +4 road dog and 72-64 at home. These teams play good 'D' and have plenty of beef to crash the boards, so look for a bruising game, which favors Utah State.
Projected Score: Utah St 58, Santa Barbara 53
Injury Report
Montana
E Washington
Scheduled Start Time: 11:00am (Pacific Time)
The Big Sky championship game will be played at Eastern Michigan. 17-12 Eastern Washington earned the #2 seed in the Big Sky conference and pulled off a 62-57 upset of Weber State last night to get here. Eastern Washington has a nice one-two punch in 6’-3” junior Chris Hester (13 ppg, 4.3 rpg) and 6’-9, 245-lb senior Jason Humbert (7.6 ppg, 4 rpg). 6’-2” sophomore Alvin Snow runs the backcourt and averages 11 points per game. Eastern Washington is 12-11 ATS and is a better offensive team than defensive, averaging 74 points per game while shooting 47% from the field and 70% from the line. EW is 10-3 SU/4-3 ATS at home and they play their best defense at home, outscoring foes by a 74-64 average. 15-14 Montana showed last night why the games are played: Montana was an 8-point dog at rival Montana State (having been pummeled by 20 points twice against to them this season), yet came from eight-down at the half going on a 35-25 second-half run to stun Montana State, 70-68. 6’-6” Dan Trammell crashes the boards and averages 10 points, 7 rebounds per game, while 6'-1" junior David Bell leads the team with 14 points per game. 6-7” junior Brent Cummings chips in 10 ppg. Montana was a poor 5-9 SU/5-7 ATS on the road this season, though they were the second-best defensive team in the Big Sky, allowing 43% shooting. Eastern Washington has the home court edge here and went 2-0 SU/ATS against Montana, winning 79-46 and winning 80-78 at Montana as a +3 road dog. Look for the home court to be the difference.
Projected Score: E Washington 71, Montana 62
Injury Report
PHI 76ers -2½
ATL Hawks 183
Scheduled Start Time: 4:05pm (Pacific Time)
Philadelphia (R: 14-17 SU, 16-15 ATS) beat the Pacers on Friday, 109-100, as Allen Iverson once again topped the 40-point plateau. The Sixers are in fifth place in the East, one half-game ahead of Orlando and 2 1/2 games ahead of Indiana after the win. The Pacers are just one half-game ahead of Charlotte and Washington, which are tied for eighth place. The Sixers have won four of five, including an 85-76 triumph over Cleveland on Wednesday. Allen Iverson had his third 40-point game in his last four contests, dropping 46 points on the Cavs. Philadelphia played without the injured Derrick Coleman and Aaron McKie, and its bench tallied just nine points in the victory. The Atlanta Hawks lost to the Cavaliers 103-96 Tuesday night. The Hawks' only lead was 2-0. From that point, the Cavs used penetration and worked the ball inside, drawing fouls. Cleveland went 20-for-26 from the free throw line. The Hawks (H: 14-13 SU, 15-12 ATS) helped the Cavs with poor shooting in the first half, hitting just 33 percent from the field. But they rallied in the third quarter and, with 3:42 remaining, cut their deficit to one on a transition dunk by DerMarr Johnson. Early in the fourth quarter, Shareef Abdur-Rahim scored Atlanta's first eight points -- he finished with 19 -- but it was too late. The Sixers need a solid run as the Pacers are hot on their heels, a win on Friday has a two game swing in the standings. The Hawks continue to stumble and should be an easy target.
Projected Score: PHI 76ers 105, ATL Hawks 95
Matchup Report
Injury Report
MIA Heat
MEM Grizzlies
Scheduled Start Time: 5:05pm (Pacific Time)
The Miami Heat (R: 15-17 SU, 16-14 ATS) met the Toronto Raptors on Friday, and lost, 83-74. Going into that game, the Heat had won four straight, including a 92-87 victory over Chicago on Wednesday. Rod Strickland had a season-high 23 points in the win. Miami is 22-10 since losing a December 30 loss to Indiana, the best record in the conference during that span. Jason Williams, who spent the last eight games nursing his feet after ingrown toenail surgery, scored 33 points and handed out 11 assists Thursday night as the Memphis Grizzlies (R: 10-19 SU, ATS) had a rare offensive outburst in defeating the Indiana Pacers 122-111. Pau Gasol added 23 points, 15 rebounds and seven b
Projected Score: MIA Heat 111, MEM Grizzlies 102
Matchup Report
Injury Report
SAN Spurs -8½
CHI Bulls 185
Scheduled Start Time: 5:35pm (Pacific Time)
Tony Parker, the 19-year-old, scored 16 points and added a career-high 10 rebounds for his first career double-double to help lead the San Antonio Spurs (R: 18-12 SU, 15-13 ATS) to a 99-97 victory over the Houston Rockets on Thursday night. "Tony Parker really stepped up tonight," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "We saw him mature before our eyes." Parker also hit a key shot late in the game, a 20-footer from the left baseline with 55 seconds left to give San Antonio a 94-87 lead. "You don't see that kind of poise too often in a player that young," Houston head coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "He was aggressive tonight and led his team well." Tim Duncan recorded a double-double by halftime and finished with 30 points and 16 rebounds, while Malik Rose scored 14 and David Robinson grabbed 12 rebounds. The Spurs had a 52-26 advantage on points in the paint. San Antonio jumped out to a 24-11 lead in the first quarter, aided by two 3-pointers from Steve Smith, another from Bruce Bowen and a three-point play by Duncan en route to building a 32-17 advantage after one period. The Los Angeles Clippers visited the Chicago Bulls on Friday and once again sent Chicago to defeat, 94-90, the Bulls' fourth loss in a row and sixth in their last seven contests. The Bulls opened a four-game homestand with a 92-87 loss to Miami on Wednesday. The Bulls whittled a 16-point third-quarter deficit to 84-82 on a layup by Jalen Rose with 72 seconds left, but Alonzo Mourning made a hook shot, b****ed Marcus Fizer and hit a pair of free throws to give the Heat a six-point cushion with 22 seconds to go. New Bulls Rose and Travis Best paced the team with 23 and a season-high-tying 18 points, respectively. The Bulls opened a four-game homestand with a 92-87 loss to Miami on Wednesday. The Bulls are back in a funk and the Spurs stepped it up a notch with teenager Tony Parker spreading his wings. Spurs are the play.
Projected Score: SAN Spurs 109, CHI Bulls 100
Matchup Report
Injury Report
GST Warriors 212
DAL Mavericks -13
Scheduled Start Time: 5:35pm (Pacific Time)
Which one of these teams is more hungry for the playoffs? Golden State has little to play for these days, trading several key players recently while going 3-15 SU the last 18 games. The Warriors have also gone OVER the total in 8 of the last 10 games and this isn't surprising as teams that give up on the season begin by not playing defense. They're also 3-4 ATS the last 7 games, after beating Houston, 108-95 on Friday. And speaking of OVERs, Dallas is the best OVER team in the NBA at 40-20 for the season. Dallas is playing great ball at 17-6 SU, 11-12 ATS the last 23 games. Look for a hot shooting night by everybody because of Golden State's poor defense and Dallas' talented 'O'. Take the OVER.
Projected Score: DAL Mavericks 123, GST Warriors 103
Matchup Report
Injury Report
POR Trail Blazers -6
DEN Nuggets 189
Scheduled Start Time: 7:05pm (Pacific Time)
Portland is on a tear, going 10-2 ATS while winning 12 straight games! The Blazers latest victory came on Friday night, as they beat Eastern-leading New Jersey, 82-73. In the game before that one, Scottie Pippen scored seven points in a span of 37 seconds late in the game as the Blazers extended their winning streak to 11 with an 85-78 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night. Portland shot just 37 percent, its lowest figure of any game during the streak. Portland has been playing great defense of late, too, going 7-2-1 UNDER the total the last 10 games. So could they possible faulter against a terrible Denver team? Denver is on a 1-8 SU/3-5 ATS run including a 100-82 no-show loss in Utah. Denver has star Antonio McDyess back and in such a lousy season, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Nuggets get up for this game. Portland should still win, but it looks like a high scoring game. Projected
Projected Score: POR Trail Blazers 109, DEN Nuggets 100
Matchup Report
Injury Report
NJ Nets 186
SEA Sonics -4
Scheduled Start Time: 7:05pm (Pacific Time)
New Jersey is on a long road trip and is 0-7 ATS the last seven games while losing 5 of 6 games. They fell to Portland on Friday, 82-73, but the loss that took the wind out of their sails came in Phoenix. Jason Kidd shot just 4-for-18 as the Suns rallied to hand the Nets their fourth consecutive road defeat, 89-87 Wednesday night. Keith Van Horn, a 79 percent free throw shooter, had a chance to tie the game from the foul line for the Nets, but missed the first of two attempts with 0.4 seconds to go. Kidd, booed loudly each time he touched the ball, had 10 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Seattle is home and has been on a tear, going 9-2 SU/8-3 ATS the last 11 games. The Seattle SuperSonics knocked off the Minnesota Timberwolves 97-83 Tuesday night. Vladimir Radmanovic scored a career-high 21 points and Rashard Lewis hit a pair of key 3-pointers as the Sonics wore down the Wolves. Gary Payton had 18 points, 12 assists and six rebounds and Lewis had 16 points. Seattle is 17-12 SU, 15-14 ATS at home, which not outstanding. We'll take a shot with the visitors.
Projected Score: NJ Nets 89, SEA Sonics 87
Matchup Report
Injury Report
NSS BASKETBALL WRITE-UP
