Tweet
Re: 3-26-10
WUNDERDOG NHL
Game: Ottawa at Buffalo (7:30 PM Eastern)
Pick: 4 units on Game Total OVER 5 -130
WUNDERDOG NHL
Game: Ottawa at Buffalo (7:30 PM Eastern)
Pick: 4 units on Game Total OVER 5 -130
-
Re: 3-26-10
DOC SPORTS NBA
3-Unit Play #854 Take Indiana +5 Over Utah (7 p.m. EST, Friday)
5-Unit Play #861 Take Sacramento/Boston UNDER 197 (7:30 p.m. EST, Friday)
ADDED PLAYS
4 Unit Play. #873 Take Northern Iowa +1 over Michigan State (Friday 9:37 pm CBS
5 Unit Play. #876 Take Ohio State -4 ½ over Tennessee (Friday 7:07 pm CBS)
6 Unit Play. #877 Take St. Mary’s +4 ½ over Baylor (Friday 7:27 pm CBS)
4 Unit Play. #880 Take Duke -8 ½ over Purdue (Friday 9:57 pm CBSComment
-
Re: 3-26-10
JEFF BENTON
Baylor
The NCAA Tournament is all about matchups – particularly as the field shrinks. And while St. Mary’s had tremendous matchup advantages last weekend against Richmond (first round) and Villanova (second round), those advantages have disappeared in this Sweet 16 game against Baylor.
See, neither Richmond nor Villanova had any kind of size down low to deal with 6-foot-10 St. Mary’s big man Omar Samhan, and Samhan and the Gaels exploited it. Playing a total of 60 out of 80 possible minutes, Samhan produced 61 points and 19 rebounds while making 24 of 32 high-percentage shots/dunks. Samhan’s presence was also big on the defensive end, as he provided a road block to the basket that forced both Richmond and Villanova to score from the perimeter. Both struggled to do so, going 50-for-122 (41 percent).
This time around, the Gaels will face an opponent in Baylor that has multiple answers for Samhan. For starters, both Ekpe Udoh and Anthony Jones match Samhan’s 6-foot-10 frame, while center Josh Lomers goes 7-foot, 280 points. The three big Bears average a combined 27.4 points and 18.3 rebounds per game, and the trio has a combined 179 blocked shots (128 of which belong to Udoh). So unlike last weekend, Samhan is going to have his hands full tonight. In fact, I fully expect Baylor to go right at Samhan early and often in an attempt to get the Gaels big man in foul trouble (keep in mind that Samhan had three quick first-half fouls against Richmond and finished with four, and he came back and committed three fouls vs. Villanova).
If Baylor can neutralize Samhan like I think they will – and quite possibly even dominate the low post if Samhan racks up early fouls – then the Bears should have little trouble winning this game comfortably. That’s because as solid and fundamentally sound as St. Mary’s guards Mickey McConnell and Mathew Dellavedova are, they’re not as good (and are FAR less athletic) than Baylor’s backcourt duo of Tweety Carter (15.1 points, 6 assists per game) and LaceDarius Dunn (19.4 points, 4.8 rebounds per game).
Not only are Carter and Dunn outstanding scorers and distributors, but they’re disruptors on defense, too, combining for 84 steals on the season. Throw in guard A.J. Walton, who averages 17½ minutes per game and has registered 39 steals, and you can see how ball security is going to be paramount for St. Mary’s (FYI: McConnell, Dellavedova and Samhan have 72, 66 and 72 turnovers, respectively).
Simply put, Baylor’s length and athleticism are superior to the Gaels’, and since the Bears have the bodies to bang with Samhan, this is just a bad matchup for St. Mary’s. Because St. Mary’s is a fundamentally sound team, I doubt they’ll get blown out of the gym tonight (unless Samhan fouls out). At the same time, Baylor showed in its first two Tournament wins it knows how to break open close games and put teams away.
Baylor comes into this game having cashed in seven of its last eight non-conference games, 19 of its last 26 at neutral sites, five of six as a favorite and five straight when laying a short price (less than seven points). In the end, I see a 9- to 13-point win for the Bears, so lay the chalk with confidence.Comment
-
Re: 3-26-10
dwayne bryant
NBA - Miami Heat at Milwaukee Bucks - 8:35 p.m. ET
Bet #868 Milwaukee Bucks -4.5
Perfect situation to back the Bucks at home. The Bucks had yesterday off to think about their unexplainable (if not embarrassing) 15-point home loss to the lowly 76ers. The Bucks shot just 40.5% from the field, as opposed to 52.6% by the Sixers. Milwaukee was coming off a home win over the higher-seeded Hawks (if playoffs started today), making the 76ers game a letdown spot. But that embarrassing loss to the Sixers makes this the perfect bounce-back spot; a spot that should see the Bucks come out with plenty of intensity and determination.
On the flip side, Miami played last night in Chicago and now must make the short trip to Milwaukee. The Heat hammered the Bulls by 29 points last night. The margin had a little do with Miami shooting 52% from the field, and A LOT to do with the Bulls shooting a dismal 33% on their home floor. After a beating like that, it's time for a Miami letdown. And why not have that letdown against a team that has flat out owned them this season.
Milwaukee has won all three meetings with the Heat this season. It started with an 11-point home win on 1/30 and they've since won twice in Miami; by 16 and 23 points. With the Heat off a huge win and the Bucks off an embarrassing loss, the situation calls for a big Bucks win. They already own three big wins over Miami this season, so why not a fourth? Lay it with Milwaukee.
CBB - Northern Iowa vs. Michigan State - 9:35 p.m. ET on CBS
Bet #873 Northern Iowa +1
Cinderella is a Panther this year. Northern Iowa is proving that they are for real. Any time you can beat Kansas while getting outrebounded AND shooting just 40% from the field, you must be a pretty solid team. The win over the Jayhawks only adds to UNI's confidence and they now expect to beat everyone put in their path. Tonight, it's the Spartans minus Kalin Lucas. Lucas ruptured an Achilles tendon in the first of Michigan State's win over Maryland. They were lucky to win that game and they will sorely miss Lucas' 14.8 points and leadership tonight.
Northern Iowa ranks 54th in offensive turnover percentage and 162nd in defensive turnover percentage; The Spartans rank 221st and 254th, respectively. The Panthers are also 7th in the nation in free throw percentage at 76.1% (Spartans hit 68.4%). Those extra possessions and points from the charity stripe are especially huge in a very slow paced game like this one figures to be. In what should be a close game, I see the Panthers winning by a bucket. Take Northern IowaComment
-
Re: 3-26-10
charlie
cbb. ohio st vs tennessee over 134 & baylor vs St Mary's over 142. NBA. Phoenix-11 & denver @ toronto over 217. (3 of 4, 500*'s must win or next day is free.)
cbb. st mary's+4' (30*)
cbb. duke-8' (20*)
cbb. northern iowa+1 (20*)
nba. denver-5 (10*)
nba. orlando-14' (10* free play)Comment
-
Re: 3-26-10
Joyce Sterling
NCAA Friday
10 STAR Game
Michigan St -1
Despite the loss of Lucas, Michigan State is faster, more athletic and still has more talent than Northern Iowa.
Spartans will cut down on their turnovers because Northern Iowa won't press and the Spartans will take care of the ball because they will feel a sense of urgency.
Michigan State has historically handled adversity well and it survived a 2009-10 season full of injuries, suspensions and benchings to reach the round of 16 for the third consecutive year and ninth time in 13 seasons.
The Michigan St Spartans are ranked 22 for offensive field goal percentage shooting 47.3% while attempting 56.8 shots per game.
The Northern Iowa Panthers are ranked 182 for offensive field goal percentage shooting 43.0% while attempting 49.9 shots per game.Comment
-
Comment
Comment