3-22-13

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Gamblers Data

Free Plays Friday

Ducks -160

Penguins -155

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Maddux Sports Picks

20 unit Wisconsin -5
10 unit Kansas State -5.5
10 unit Kansas -20
10 unit Duke -17.5
10 unit Georgetown -13.5

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CHRIS JORDAN 1000*

Creighton -3.5

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xpertpicks 3/22

ncaab:
Pacific +12 over Miami
Florida Gulf Coast +12 over Georgetown
Iona +13.5 over Ohio State
Northwestern State +19.5 over Florida
Temple +4.5 over NC State
Mississippi +5 over Wisconsin

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Guaranteed Plays Today

Ole Miss
NC State
Miami
Colorado
K St
Cincy
Gtown
UNC
OK
Iowa St
Raptors
Thunder
Celtics
Suns

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Dave Cokin


Ohio State

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JACK JONES

-= TOP PLAY =-NCAA-B Mar 22 '13 (3:10p) LASALLE vs KANSAS STATE 20* Friday Round of 64 Afternoon ANNIHILATOR on Kansas State -5

This line is an absolute gift from oddsmakers. First and foremost, this game will be played at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO so the Kansas State Wildcats (27-7) will have a huge home-court advantage over La Salle. The reason this line is so small is because the betting public saw La Salle beat Boise State 80-71 in the "first four" by shooting lights out from the field. Folks, that's not going to happen again against a much better defensive team in Kansas State. In fact, La Salle went 31-of-49 from the field including 11-of-21 from 3-point range against Boise State. That 63% shooting percentage was the Explorers' best mark in any game this season. And they STILL couldn't put Boise State away completely. Kansas State only gives up 60.4 points/game on 41.8% shooting on the season. That's impressive when you consider their opponents combined to average 69.0 points/game and 43.8% shooting in all games this year. That's getting it done defensively folks. The Wildcats are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a S.U. loss. The Explorers are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 vs. Big 12 opponents. La Salle is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. The Wildcats are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. Atlantic 10 foes. Take Kansas State Friday.

-= TOP PLAY =-NCAA-B Mar 22 '13 (2:10p) Pacific vs MIAMI FLORIDA 20* Friday Round of 64 No-Doubt Rout on Miami -12

The Miami Hurricanes have been one of the most underrated teams in the country all season. That's evident by the fact that they are 27-6 and an incredible 20-7 ATS in all games this year. Even after winning the ACC regular season and tournament titles, the Hurricanes still aren't getting the respect they deserve from oddsmakers. They should be a 20-plus point favorite over Pacific in the Round of 64. One look at Pacific's performance in non-conference play, and it's easy to see that this team will not be able to compete with Miami. The Tigers have losses to Fresno State, Oral Robers, California (58-78), Gonzaga (67-85), Santa Clara and St. Mary's (46-74). The Tigers are 9-19-1 ATS in their last 29 neutral site games. The Hurricanes are 42-17-1 ATS in their last 60 non-conference games. Miami is 7-0 ATS off a win by 10 points or more over a conference rival this season. The Hurricanes are 13-1 ATS after a win by 10 points or more this season. These last two trends combine for a 20-1 system backing the Hurricanes. Bet Miami Friday.

NCAA-B Mar 22 '13 (2:45p) CINCINNATI vs CREIGHTON 15* Friday Round of 64 Line Mistake on Cincinnati +3.5

The Cincinnati Bearcats should not be an underdog to the Creighton Blue Jays in this Round of 64 match-up Friday. While the Bearcats are the higher seed at No. 10, they are the better team in this one. The Missouri Valley Conference was way down this year, which is why I really believe that Creighton is overrated. The Blue Jays had losses to Drake, Indiana State, Illinois State Wichita State and Northern Iowa within the conference. They also lost to St Mary's and Boise State in two of their toughest non-conference games. Meanwhile, Cincinnati played in the much tougher Big East Conference, which has it more battle-tested heading into this one. It also beat the likes of IOwa State, Oregon, Alabama and Xavier out of conference. Cincinnati will have the home-court edge as well as it is much closer to Philadelphia, PA than Creighton. The Bearcats are 12-1 ATS in road games versus poor pressure defensive teams - forcing <=14 turnovers/game over the last 2 seasons. Cincinnati is 12-2 ATS in road games in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons. The Bluejays are 0-5-1 ATS in their last 6 NCAA Tournament games. The Bearcats are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 neutral site games. Take Cincinnati Friday.

NCAA-B Mar 22 '13 (9:20p) Oklahoma vs SAN DIEGO STATE 15* Oklahoma/SDSU Friday Night BAILOUT on Oklahoma +3

The Mountain West Conference is extremely overrated this season. That is certainly reflected in this line as San Diego State is favored over Oklahoma when it really shouldn't be despite being the lower seed. San Diego State went just 9-7 in the MWC during the regular season before falling to New Mexico 60-50 in the conference tournament. It lost to Syracuse and Arizona on a neutral court in non-conference play in by far its two toughest games outside the MWC. I just love this veteran Oklahoma team that returned five starters under second-year head coach Lon Kruger, who is a proven winner. The Sooners played in a much tougher conference in the Big 12 while going 11-7 in league play. They beat the likes of Oklahoma State, Kansas and Iowa State this year. Oklahoma has been underrated all season, going a super 17-10 ATS in all games this year. The Sooners are 7-1 ATS after 4 straight games committing 14 or less turnovers this season. Oklahoma is 4-0 ATS in its last 4 vs. Mountain West opponents. The Sooners are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. The Aztecs are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall. SDSU is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 vs. a team with a winning record. Roll with Oklahoma Friday.

NCAA-B Mar 22 '13 (9:55p) MINNESOTA U vs UCLA 15* Minnesota/UCLA Friday Night BAILOUT on UCLA +3

The No. 6 UCLA Bruins should not be an underdog to the No. 11 Minnesota Golden Gophers. This is another case where the Big Ten is being overvalued simply because almost everyone is proclaiming it as the best conference in the country. Minnesota went just 8-11 in all Big Ten games this season and still made the NCAA Tournament. They also lost badly to Duke 89-71 on a neutral court in non-conference action. This team was so inconsistent all year with losses to the likes of Northwestern, Iowa, Nebraska and Purdue within the conference. A big reason UCLA is undervalued here is the fact that they'll be without second-leading scorer Jordan Adams (foot) for the rest of the season. However, this team has plenty of talent to make up for his absence, and they have been preparing to play without him, so it won't be a shock to them. The Bruins went 25-9 this season, including 13-5 in the improved Pac-12 to capture the regular season title. This is a team that beat Missouri out of conference, and fellow NCAA Tournament contenders Cal, Colorado, and Arizona (three times) within the Pac-12. Minnesota is 1-14 ATS in road games after game - where they allowed a shooting pct. of 33% or less since 1997. The Gophers are 0-6 ATS in road games after 5 straight games forcing opponent to commit 14 or less turnovers this season. The Bruins are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS loss. These three trends combine for a 24-1 system backing the B

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Hockey Crusher
Anaheim Ducks -155 over Detroit
(System Record: 36-1, lost last 3 games)
Overall Record: 36-22-1

Basketball Crusher
Cincinnati +3.5 over Creighton
(System Record: 76-4, lost last game)
Overall Record: 76-56-4

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Today's NBA Picks

Cleveland at Houston

The Rockets look to take advantage of a Cleveland team that is 0-7 ATS in its last 7 games in Houston. Houston is the pick (-12) according to Dunkel, which has the Rockets favored by 14 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Houston (-12). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22 Time Posted: 7:00 a.m. EST

Game 801-802: New York at Toronto (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: New York 117.184; Toronto 115.273 Dunkel Line & Total: New York by 2; 198 Vegas Line & Total: New York by 1; 193 Dunkel Pick: New York (-1); Over

Game 803-804: Milwaukee at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee 115.714; Indiana 126.746 Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 11; 187 Vegas Line & Total: No Line Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 805-806: Oklahoma City at Orlando (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 126.559; Orlando 112.340 Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 14; 202 Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 12 1/2; 208 Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (-12 1/2); Under

Game 807-808: Detroit at Miami (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 112.627; Miami 125.671 Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 13; 204 Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 15 1/2; 199 Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+15 1/2); Over

Game 809-810: Portland at Atlanta (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Portland 116.123; Atlanta 126.203 Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 10; 194 Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 8; 200 Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-8); Under

Game 811-812: Memphis at New Orleans (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Memphis 123.226; New Orleans 115.829 Dunkel Line & Total: Memphis by 7 1/2; 182 Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 6; 178 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Memphis (-6); Over

Game 813-814: Cleveland at Houston (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland 111.856; Houston 126.388 Dunkel Line & Total: Houston by 14 1/2; 208 Vegas Line & Total: Houston by 12; 211 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Houston (-12); Under

Game 815-816: Boston at Dallas (8:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Boston 120.073; Dallas 122.468 Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 2 1/2; 202 Vegas Line & Total: Dallas by 5; 196 Dunkel Pick: Boston (+5); Over

Game 817-818: Utah at San Antonio (8:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Utah 114.598; San Antonio 126.426 Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 12; 207 Vegas Line & Total: No Line Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 819-820: Minnesota at Phoenix (10:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 110.882; Phoenix 115.183 Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 4 1/2; 188 Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 3; 192 Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-3); Under

Game 821-822: Washington at LA Lakers (10:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Washington 115.605; LA Lakers 124.871 Dunkel Line & Total: LA Lakers by 9 1/2; 197 Vegas Line & Total: No Line Dunkel Pick: N/A

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Dr Bob NCAA Tourney Mar 22

Georgetown

Kansas St
Ohio St
San Diego St
Kansas

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Cappers Access

Mississippi +6
Illinois -1
Notre Dame -1

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South Regional: Day 2 NCAAB Betting Preview

No. 2 Georgetown Hoyas vs. Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (+13.5, 123.5)

After losing out on a No. 1 seed, second-seeded Georgetown faces a dangerous Florida Gulf Coast team in the NCAA Tournament’s South Region in Philadelphia. The Hoyas have won 13 of their last 15 games, but they dropped out of consideration for a top seed after losing to Syracuse in overtime in the semifinals of the Big East tournament. No. 15 seed Florida Gulf Coast earned its first NCAA Tournament bid after beating Mercer in the Atlantic Sun Conference title game.

The Hoyas have been eliminated by a double-digit seed in four of the last five NCAA Tournaments, and they won’t want to underestimate the Eagles. Florida Gulf Coast defeated ACC champion Miami by 12 and were competitive in games against St. John’s and Iowa State. Georgetown features Big East Player of the Year Otto Porter Jr., but his supporting cast might be the key to a lengthy postseason run.

TRENDS:

* Eagles are 7-0 ATS in their last seven neutral site games.
* Hoyas are 1-4 ATS in their last five NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 13-4 in Hoyas last 17 NCAA Tournament games.

No. 8 North Carolina Tar Heels vs. No. 9 Villanova Wildcats (+4, 143.5)

North Carolina and Villanova saved their best play for the season’s final six weeks and hope to continue their recent winning ways in the second round of the NCAA Tournament South Regional on Friday in Kansas City, Mo. Eighth-seeded North Carolina found itself 3-3 in the ACC on Jan. 27, but winning 11-of-14 games vaulted the Tar Heels into the ACC championship. Ninth-seeded Villanova had won seven of 10 before falling to eventual Big East champion Louisville in the conference quarterfinals.

North Carolina’s success is predicated by a balanced offensive attack, with three scorers averaging in double figures. The Tar Heels are third in the nation in assists and tied for 14th in scoring and rebounding. The Wildcats were 13-9 and 4-5 in conference play in early February, but posted victories over Marquette and Georgetown to bolster their case for an at-large bid. The Wildcats are back in the tournament after a seven-year streak of NCAA berths ended last season.

TRENDS:

* Wildcats are 0-4 ATS in their last four NCAA Tournament games.
* Tar Heels are 13-6 ATS in their last 19 NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 4-0 in Wildcats last four NCAA Tournament games.

No. 3 Florida Gators vs. No. 14 Northwestern State Demons (+20, 141)

The last time Northwestern State reached the NCAA Tournament, the 14th-seeded Demons eliminated No. 3 seed Iowa on a 3-pointer right before the buzzer. It's one of the 16 times a 14 seed has beaten a No. 3 in the NCAA Tournament, and Florida is hoping lightning does not strike twice. The third-seeded Gators face the No. 14 Demons Friday in a second-round South Regional NCAA Tournament game in Austin, Texas.

Northwestern State, which last played in the NCAA tournament in 2006, wields an up-tempo assault that averages an NCAA-leading 81 points on 72.9 possessions. Florida hasn't allowed more than 80 points while ranking third nationally in scoring defense (53.7 ppg). The season-high 80 points the Gators yielded in a Feb. 5 loss at Arkansas marked the only time a Florida opponent has scored 70 or more.

TRENDS:

* Gators are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 NCAA Tournament games.
* Demons are 1-5 ATS in their last six non-conference games.
* Over is 12-4 in Gators last 16 NCAA Tournament games.

No. 7 San Diego State Aztecs vs. No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners (+3, 133.5)

Lon Kruger is the first coach to guide five different schools into the NCAA Tournament and he will see a familiar face on the other sideline when 10th-seeded Oklahoma faces seventh-seeded San Diego State on Friday in a South Regional second-round game Philadelphia. Kruger and San Diego State coach Steve Fisher matched wits for seven seasons when Kruger was coaching Nevada-Las Vegas of the Mountain West Conference. Fisher had the edge in the matchups, going 13-5 against Kruger’s UNLV squads.

The Aztecs are part of the tournament field for the fourth straight season, the best such streak in program history. San Diego State struggled down the stretch, losing five of its last nine games and dropping a 10-point decision to powerful New Mexico in the semifinals of the Mountain West tourney. Oklahoma was one-and-done in the Big 12 tourney, falling to Iowa State for its third loss in five games. The Sooners are ahead of schedule with Kruger guiding the school back into the tournament in his second year on the job, ending a four-year drought for Oklahoma.

TRENDS:

* Sooners are 4-1 ATS in their last five non-conference games.
* Aztecs are 6-2 ATS in their last eight non-conference games.
* Over is 5-2 in Aztecs' last seven NCAA Tournament games.

No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks vs. No. 16 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (+20.5, 133)

An impressive run through the Big 12 tournament lifted Kansas to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where it will take on Sun Belt champion Western Kentucky in the second round on Friday in Kansas City, Mo. The Jayhawks find themselves on the top line for the third time in the last four years and will be trying to reach a second straight Final Four after falling in the championship game to Kentucky last April.

The 16th-seeded Hilltoppers are making their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance and fourth in the last six seasons. Western Kentucky has won at least its first game in its last three appearances, but will be challenged attempting to become the first No. 16 seed to knock off a top seed in the men’s tournament. Kansas has won 10 of its last 11 games since a slump at the beginning of February, and will attempt to push the tempo against a Western Kentucky club that got comfortable playing tight, low-scoring games in the Sun Belt tournament.

TRENDS:

* Hilltoppers are 7-1 ATS in their last eight NCAA Tournament games.
* Jayhawks are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games overall.
* Under is 19-7 in Jayhawks' last 26 NCAA Tournament games.

No. 6 UCLA Bruins vs. No. 11 Minnesota Golden Gophers (-2.5, 134.5)

UCLA and Minnesota will meet for the seventh time Friday, going head-to-head in the opening round of the South Regional in Austin, Texas. The sixth-seeded Bruins won the Pac-12 regular-season title before losing to Oregon in Saturday’s conference championship game. The 11th-seeded Golden Gophers tied for seventh in the Big Ten before they were ousted in the first round of the tournament by Illinois. Minnesota posted some impressive wins along the way, however, knocking off then-No. 1 Indiana last month and also beating Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan State when those teams were ranked.

Minnesota also beat Pac-12 schools Stanford (66-63) and USC (71-57) during the non-conference portion of its schedule. The Bruins won both meetings against Stanford and split with USC this season. The Golden Gophers last played UCLA in the Elite Eight at the 1997 NCAA Tournament. Minnesota won that game but later had to return the profits from its run to the Final Four after an investigation found massive academic fraud within the program. UCLA won the other five meetings, most recently in 1969.

TRENDS:

* Golden Gophers are 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 games overall.
* Bruins are 1-4 ATS in their last five NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 6-1 in Bruins last seven NCAA Tournament games.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NCAAB

Friday, March 22

East Regional: Day 2 NCAAB betting preview

No. 8 North Carolina State Wolfpack vs. No. 9 Temple Owls (+4.5, 150)

Eighth-seeded North Carolina State, which reached the Sweet Sixteen last year, will take on ninth-seeded Temple on Friday in Dayton, Ohio in an East Region second-round matchup. The Wolfpack reached the semifinals of last week's ACC tournament before falling to eventual champion Miami. The Owls fell in their Atlantic 10 tournament opener to Massachusetts.

Temple is making its sixth straight NCAA appearance, but the Owls haven't advanced to the Sweet Sixteen since 2001. Last year, Temple earned the fifth seed in the East but lost to 12th-seeded South Florida in its opener. The winner of this game will take on the winner of No. 1 seed Indiana's game against the winner of a play-in game between LIU-Brooklyn and James Madison.

TRENDS;

* Owls are 0-6-1 ATS in their last seven NCAA Tournament games.
* Wolfpack are 4-1 ATS in their last five NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 7-1 in Wolfpack last eight NCAA Tournament games.

No. 2 Miami Hurricanes vs. No. 15 Pacific Tigers (+12, 125)

The best season in school history wasn't enough to land Atlantic Coast Conference champion Miami a No. 1 seed. The second-seeded Hurricanes will face Big West champion Pacific in the East Region on Friday in Austin, Texas. The winner will play either seventh-seed Illinois or 10th-seeded Colorado. Both teams come in sizzling as Miami posted its fourth straight win with an 87-77 triumph over North Carolina in the ACC championship game and Pacific has won seven in a row. It's only the seventh NCAA Tournament appearance for Miami and the first since 2008, but coach Jim Larranaga is making his sixth trip to the tourney and took George Mason to the Final Four in 2006.

It's an emotional occasion for Pacific as coach Bob Thomason announced that this season - his 25th at his alma mater - will be his last. Thomason orchestrated a major turnaround after going 11-19 a year ago and has the Tigers in the tournament for the fifth time in his tenure - and the first since 2006. The Tigers' Big West tournament title didn't come easily, as they won their three games by a combined 14 points.

TRENDS:

* Tigers are 9-19-1 ATS in their last 29 neutral site games.
* Hurricanes are 42-17-1 ATS in their last 60 non-conference games.
* Over is 6-0 in Hurricanes last six NCAA Tournament games.

No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers vs. No. 16 James Madison Dukes (+21.5, 136.5)

Indiana lost its hold on the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament thanks to a bit of a late-season fade, but will look to set the stage for a strong finish Friday when it meets James Madison in the second round of the East Regional in Dayton, Ohio. The Hoosiers began the year as the No. 1 team in the country and held the honor at two other points during the course of the season, justifying their lofty status with a 24-3 start.

However, Indiana split its last six games, including its 12th straight loss to Wisconsin in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament. The finish was enough for the selection committee to send the Big Ten’s regular-season champion away from Indianapolis, but not enough to remove it from consideration as one of the four No.1 seeds. The Hoosiers' reward will be the Dukes, who recorded their first NCAA Tournament victory since 1983 with Wednesday’s 68-55 first-round victory over fellow No. 16 seed LIU Brooklyn.

TRENDS:

* Dukes are 20-6 ATS in their last 26 games overall.
* Hoosiers are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 non-conference games.
* Under is 16-6-2 in Dukes' last 24 overall.

No. 7 Illinois Fighting Illini vs. No. 10 Colorado Buffaloes (+1, 126.5)

Momentum will be hard to find when Illinois meets Colorado in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday in Austin, Texas. The Fighting Illini, the No. 7 seed in the East Regional, have lost three of their last four games while the No. 10 Buffaloes have dropped three of five. It is a much different scenario from a year ago for Colorado, which roared into the Big Dance after winning four games in four days to claim the 2012 Pac-12 tournament title as the sixth seed.

Illinois defeated two No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament during the regular season - Gonzaga and Indiana - but lost to the Hoosiers 80-64 in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament on Friday. The Fighting Illini, who received a bid despite finishing 8-10 in the competitive Big Ten, sport a strong backcourt led by seniors Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson. They will face Colorado's talented sophomore tandem of Spencer Dinwiddie and Askia Booker.

TRENDS:

* Buffaloes are 7-2 ATS in their last nine non-conference games.
* Fighting Illini are 8-18 ATS in their last 26 neutral site games.
* Under is 14-4-1 in Fighting Illini last 19 NCAA Tournament games.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NCAAB

Friday, March 22

West Regional: Day 2 NCAAB betting preview

No. 5 Wisconsin Badgers vs. Mississippi Rebels (+5.5, 129.5)

Mississippi is fresh off its first SEC tournament title since 1981 and has the type of fearless scorer in Marshall Henderson that can key a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Fifth-seeded Wisconsin, which opens its tournament run against the Rebels on Friday in Kansas City, Mo., is one of the best teams in the country at controlling the tempo with its defense and will force Henderson to take tough shots. No. 12 seed Mississippi is making its first Tournament appearance since 2002.

The Badgers beat a pair of top-10 teams in Michigan and Indiana on back-to-back days before falling to Ohio State in the Big Ten title game Sunday. Wisconsin is making its 15th straight NCAA Tournament appearance and has won its opening game in each of the last seven seasons. Ole Miss had to fight through one of the best defensive teams in the country in its SEC tournament final against Florida and proved it could win without reaching 80 points by taking three tight games in the conference tournament.

TRENDS:

* Rebels are 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.
* Badgers are 5-1 ATS in their last six NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 5-2 in Badgers' last 7 NCAA Tournament games.

No. 4 Kansas State Wildcats vs. No. 13 La Salle Explorers (+5.5, 131.5)

Despite a loss in the finals of the Big 12 tournament championship game at the Sprint Center, Kansas State’s top hope was to return to the nearby venue for the NCAA Tournament. The selection committee granted the Wildcats their wish and they’ll try to take advantage of it starting Friday when they meet La Salle. While Kansas State suffered its first loss in four games in Kansas City after its conference title-game setback against Kansas, the Wildcats managed to beat Florida there Dec. 22, 2012.

Kansas State, which shared the regular-season conference title with the Jayhawks, reached the regional final round in its only previous appearance as a fourth seed in the NCAA Tournament and will try to make another deep run against the explosive Explorers. La Salle notched its first NCAA Tournament win since 1990 in Wednesday’s 80-71 first-round victory over Boise State – the 59th anniversary of their national championship win.

TRENDS:

* Explorers are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six neutral site games.
* Wildcats are 1-6 ATS in their last seven non-conference games.
* Under is 6-1-1 in Wildcats' last eight non-conference games.

No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. No. 15 Iona Gaels (+14, 145)

Ohio State took kindly to a No. 2 seed in last year's NCAA Tournament and raced to its third Final Four appearance in 14 seasons. The streaking Buckeyes were granted the No. 2 seed once again and will open the tournament against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champion Iona in the second round Friday in nearby Dayton. Ohio State has won eight straight and seized the Big Ten tournament crown for the third time in four years with a 50-43 win over Wisconsin on Sunday.

The Buckeyes have been doing it with defense, giving up an average of 52.8 points during the winning streak. That style will be tested by the offensive-minded Gaels, who earned an at-large bid last season before squandering a 25-point lead to Brigham Young in a brutal first-round loss - also at Dayton. Iona enters as one of only three teams in the country averaging at least 80 points. It finished tied for fourth in the MAAC before emerging from the tournament with three consecutive close wins. Conference Player of the Year Lamont Jones battled through flu-like symptoms to win tournament MVP honors. The winner of Friday's tilt plays either Notre Dame or Iowa State in the third round.

TRENDS:

* Gaels are 4-1 ATS in their last five non-conference games.
* Buckeyes are 4-0 ATS in their last four neutral site games.
* Over is 4-1 in Buckeyes last five NCAA Tournament games.

No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. No. 10 Iowa State Cyclones (+1.5, 141)

Seventh-seeded Notre Dame looks to slow down high-octane Iowa State in the opening round of the West Regional at Dayton, Ohio, on Friday. The talented Fighting Irish are the last team to beat Louisville, the tournament's overall No. 1 seed, in one of the most memorable games of the season. Notre Dame clipped the Cardinals' wings 104-101 in a five-overtime thriller in February.

Iowa State, the 10th seed, got off the NCAA bubble with a win over Oklahoma in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament. The Cyclones are a whirlwind on offense, ranking fourth in the nation in scoring at just under 80 points a game. Iowa State had its season derailed by Big 12 champions Kansas. The Jayhawks beat the Cyclones in overtime twice in the regular season before knocking them out of the conference tournament.

TRENDS:

* Cyclones are 1-4 ATS in their last five non-conference games.
* Fighting Irish are 0-5 ATS in their last five NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 8-1-1 in Fighting Irish's last 10 NCAA Tournament games.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NCAAB

Friday, March 22

Midwest Regional: Day 2 NCAAB betting preview

No. 2 Duke Blue Devils vs. No. 15 Albany Great Danes (+18, 132.5)

Duke lost a chance at a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament by falling to Maryland in its opening game of the ACC tournament. Still, the Blue Devils are well-positioned for a run at a national title, earning a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Midwest Regional. Duke will open against America East champion Albany on Friday in Philadelphia. The Blue Devils have not lost to a non-conference opponent, but they have the memory of last season's stunning first-round ouster by Lehigh - when they were also a No. 2 seed.

Albany was a middling 9-7 in conference play but squeezed out three straight narrow victories in the America East tournament, including a 53-49 win over Vermont in the title game, to secure its third NCAA berth and first since 2007. The Great Danes, who set a school record for victories, appear hopelessly overmatched against Duke, but they have a favorable slice of history. As a No. 16 seed in Philadelphia in 2006, Albany led top-seeded Connecticut by 12 points in the second half before succumbing.

TRENDS:

* Great Danes are 7-1 ATS in their last eight neutral-site games.
* Blue Devils are 1-4 ATS in their last five NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 5-0 in Great Danes last five neutral site games.

No. 7 Creighton Bluejays vs. No. 10 Cincinnati Bearcats (+3, 128)

All eyes will be on All-American Doug McDermott as seventh-seed Creighton battles No. 10 Cincinnati in the first round of the NCAA Midwest Regional at Philadelphia on Friday. McDermott, second in the nation in scoring with an average of 23.1 points, has carried the Blue Jays from the obscurity of the mid-major ranks to No. 24 in the final regular-season poll.

The Bearcats, hailing from the powerful Big East, had a strong start to the season but needed a win in the postseason tournament to feel safe about its NCAA bid. Cincinnati won its first dozen games of the season to climb into the Top 10 in the national rankings. But Cincinnati struggled at times in conference play finishing 9-9 in the regular season before dispatching Providence in what appeared to be an important game in the first round of the Big East tournament.

TRENDS:

* Bearcats are 5-1 ATS in their last six neutral-site games.
* Bluejays are 19-7-1 ATS in their last 27 non-conference games.
* Over is 9-4 in Bearcats last 13 NCAA Tournament games.