NBA Monday’s NBA Tip Sheet
By Tony Mejia
Wizards at Hornets – 7:10 PM EST
It’s disconcerting that the Wizards haven’t beaten a team with a winning record since Jan. 14 or picked up a road win since Jan. 27. A lot of those issues were tied to missing Bradley Beal, who is back from a tibia injury but wisely sat on the second night of a back-to-back in Saturday night’s loss in Milwaukee. He’s going to be in the mix tonight, averaging 13 pts and four rebounds in helping Washington to a 2-1 mark since his return. The Wizards have won twice in the last 10 games he’s been out of the lineup. John Wall shot 3-for-14 against the Bucks and has now shot under 50 percent from the field in seven of his last eight. He’s 43-for-125 (34 percent) in that stretch. Milwaukee pulled to within 1.5 games of Washington for the Eastern Conference’s No. 5 seed. The Wizards have lost eight of nine against the number, with the lone exception coming in as a push. They haven’t covered since before the All-Star break.
Charlotte has tied its longest winning streak of the season after winning its fifth straight against Detroit on Sunday night, coming back from an eight-point fourth-quarter deficit. Al Jefferson finished with 24 points and eight rebounds and has been ridiculous in March, averaging 20.6 points and 10.6 rebounds over the first five games. Mo Williams has been exactly what the Hornets hoped for when they traded for him to come in and help replace Kemba Walker, averaging 21.7 points and 8.7 assists in his nine game since arriving from Minnesota. Walker practiced over the weekend for the first time and is scheduled to return this week, though the expectation is he’ll miss perhaps his last game tonight. Charlotte’s last four games have all gone over the posted total, which has been set in the mid-to-low 190s. The Hornets have won and covered both meetings against Washington this season.
Kings at Hawks – 7:40 PM EST
Sacramento is playing the fifth of its eight-game East coast swing and seemingly keeps inventing ways to lose. After a 119-114 loss in Orlando where it allowed the Magic to shoot 56.5 percent and 13 3-pointers, the Kings traveled down to Miami and blew a 14-point halftime lead in a 114-109 OT loss to the Heat. They let a third consecutive opponent shoot above 50 percent and it should be noted that Miami was missing starters Luol Deng, Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside. DeMarcus Cousins averaged 28 points and 14.5 rebounds in the Sunshine state and looks like his normal self after dealing with a nasty ankle sprain. Rudy Gay averaged 33 points in the two losses, shooting 28-for-50 (56 percent). Eight of the Kings last 10 games have gone over the posted total.
Paul Millsap, Kyle Korver and DeMarre Carroll rested in Atlanta’s improbable 92-84 in Philadelphia on Satruday night. All-Stars Al Horford and Jeff Teague should’ve been enough to beat the hapless 76ers, who shot 36.8 percent from the field, but the Hawks shot 39 percent themselves and committed 18 turnovers. The Hawks have failed to cover in four of five. Eight of Atlanta’s last nine games have gone under the posted total. This is its first meeting of the season against Sacramento.
Grizzlies at Bulls – 8:10 PM EST
The Grizzlies have had a few uncharacteristic performances of late, arriving in Chicago losers of four of the last seven. The Clippers and Jazz handcuffed their offense at home, while this current four-game road trip got off to an awful start when they blew a 12-point halftime lead by getting outscored 33-17 out of halftime in New Orleans Saturday night. Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph combined for 5-for-17 shooting and just 15 points and nine rebounds against the Pelicans. Jeff Green scored 20 points, his second-highest scoring output with Memphis. The Grizzlies have been involved in games that have gone under in 12 of their last 14. They lost to the Bulls 103-97 at home on Dec. 19.
The Bulls may have been better off letting yesterday’s result go early after going into the halftime break down 18 in San Antonio, but came up with a 38-point quarter and had no choice but to chase the result. Head coach Tom Thibodeau did substitute liberally enough that no one other than Pau Gasol played over 28 minutes. This will be Chicago’s fourth game in five nights, which is why maintenance takes on added importance. Taj Gibson may be close to returning from an ankle injury, but rookie Nikola Mirotic is likely to continue playing a larger role, averaging 20.8 points and 9.4 rebounds since the All-Star break in games where he plays at least 30 minutes. Aaron Brooks and Tony Snell remain the backcourt starters, a far cry from Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler. The under has come in on 11 of Chicago’s last 13 games.
Warriors at Suns – 10:10 PM EST
Outside of that highlight-reel special where he dribbled through traffic and buried that step-back 3-pointer, Stephen Curry didn’t do much in yesterday’s 106-98 win over the Clippers. His nine shot attempts were the fewest he’s had in a game since Dec. 30, while his four assists was the lowest output since the All-Star break. Much to the frustration of Warriors-backers, head coach Steve Kerr emptied his bench a little early and a lead that was 19 with less than 4:00 left wound up being cut to eight by game’s end, failing to cover the number. This is GSW’s third back-to-back since the All-Star break, sporting a 1-1 record. Golden State will be looking to become the first NBA team to reach the 50-win mark. The Warriors have played games that have gone under the posted total in 11 of their last 13. The Warriors have split the first two meetings with their Pacific Division neighbor and see them a final time at home on April 2.
The Suns had their two-game winning streak snapped in Cleveland on Saturday, shooting 35.7 percent in an 89-79 loss that was nowhere near that close. Riding a 27-9 edge in the fourth quarter, Phoenix managed to cover as an 11.5-point favorite despite trailing 80-52 through three quarters. Only rookie T.J. Warren shot better than 50 percent against the Cavs in a flat, brutal effort. This is the first game of a 10-game stretch where the Suns are home nine times. Considering PHX is 2.5 games behind OKC, it’s time to move. Center Alex Len is questionable with a sprained ankle that forced him to sit against the Cavs. Earl Barron, who wasn’t on the roster until after trade deadline passed, got the start. Since Jan. 31, Phoenix is on a 1-7 run against teams with winning records.
POINTWISE
NBA BASKETBALL
MONDAY, MARCH 9 SCORE
(7:05) Washington Wizards 99 – CHARLOTTE 98 _____ _____
(7:35) Boston Celtics 97 – MIAMI HEAT 95 _____ _____
(7:35) ATLANTA HAWKS 114 – Sacramento Kings 104 _____ _____
(8:05) Memphis Grizzlies 108 – CHICAGO 95 (NBA) _____ _____
(8:05) MILWAUKEE BUCKS 103 – New Orleans 93 _____ _____
(9:05) DENVER NUGGETS 112 – New York Knicks 90 _____ _____
(10:05) Golden State Warriors 108 – PHOENIX SUNS 105 _____ _____
(10:35) LA CLIPPERS 111 – Minnesota Timberwolves 101 _____ _____
BEST BETS: MEMPHIS, DENVER (3)
NBA
Hot Teams
— Charlotte won its last five games (3-6 last nine HF).
— Miami won three of its last four games (4-7 last 11 HF).
— Hawks won six of last seven games (2-7 last nine HF).
— Pelicans won seven of their last nine games (7-2 last nine AU).
— Warriors won five of their last six games (12-4-1 last 17 HF).
Cold Teams
— Washington lost eight of its last ten games (1-5 last six AU).
— Celtics lost three of their last five games (12-3 last 15 AU).
— Sacramento lost five of its last six games (3-7 last ten AU).
— Memphis is 3-4 in its last seven games (0-4 last four AF). Bulls also lost four of their last seven (4-0 last four HU).
— Milwaukee lost six of its last eight games (3-6 last nine HF).
— Knicks lost 11 of last 13 games (1-3-1 last five AU). Denver lost 14 of its last 17 games (0-4 last four HF).
— Suns lost 11 of their last 16 games (4-2 HU).
— Minnesota lost four of its last five games (5-1 last six HU). Clippers are 3-4 in their last seven games (3-1 last four HF).
Series Records
— Hornets won their last five games with Washington.
— Celtics lost eight of last eleven games with Miami.
— Hawks won their last eleven games with Sacramento.
— Grizzlies won four of last six games with Chicago.
— Bucks lost six of last seven games with New Orleans.
— Home side won ten of last eleven New York-Denver games.
— Warriors are 9-3 in last 12 games with Phoenix; home side won eight of last nine series games.
— Clippers won their last eleven games with Minnesota.
Totals
— Six of last seven Washington road games stayed under.
— Five of last seven Miami home games went over.
— Five of last six Sacramento road games went over.
— Six of last eight Memphis road games stayed under.
— Eight of last ten New Orleans road games stayed under.
— Five of last six Denver home games stayed under.
— Seven of last nine Golden State road games stayed under.
—
Back-to-Backs
— Charlotte is 3-4 at home if it played night before.
— Celtics are 8-3 if they played the night before.
— Chicago is 1-3 at home if it played night before.
— Warriors are 3-5 vs spread if they won night before.
— Clippers are 5-8 if they played the day before.
Today’s NBA Picks
Minnesota at LA Clippers
The Timberwolves head to Los Angeles tonight to face a Clippers team that is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 Monday games. Minnesota is the pick (+8) according to Dunkel, which has the Clippers favored by only 5 1/2.
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+8)
MONDAY, MARCH 9
Game 701-702: Washington at Charlotte (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 113.323; Charlotte 125/570
Dunkel Line & Total: Charlotte by 12; 183
Vegas Line & Total: Charlotte by 1 1/2; 187 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Charlotte (-1 1/2); Under
Game 703-704: Boston at Miami (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 115.997; Miami 120.808
Dunkel Line & Total; Miami by 5; 195
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 2 1/2; 200
Dunkel Pick: Miami (-2 1/2); Under
Game 705-706: Sacramento at Atlanta (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Sacramento 114.801; Atlanta 122.116
Dunkel Line & Total; Atlanta by 7 1/2; 211
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 11; 207
Dunkel Pick: Sacramento (+11); Over
Game 707-708: Memphis at Chicago (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Memphis 117.645; Chicago 122.216
Dunkel Line & Total; Chicago by 4 1/2; 189
Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 4 1/2; 184 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+4 1/2); Over
Game 709-710: New Orleans at Milwaukee (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 116.553; Milwaukee 118.922
Dunkel Line & Total; Milwaukee by 2 1/2; 181
Vegas Line & Total: Milwaukee by 1 1/2; 186
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (-1 1/2); Under
Game 711-712: New York at Denver (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 108.440; Denver 116.510
Dunkel Line & Total; Denver by 11; 197
Vegas Line & Total: Denver by 9; 204
Dunkel Pick: Denver (-9); Under
Game 713-714: Golden State at Phoenix (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Golden State 122.354; Phoenix 119.191
Dunkel Line & Total; Golden State by 3; 222
Vegas Line & Total: Golden State by 5; 215
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+5); Over
Game 715-716: Minnesota at LA Clippers (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 117.230; LA Clippers 122.855
Dunkel Line & Total; LA Clippers by 5 1/2; 212
Vegas Line & Total: LA Clippers by 8; 208
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+8); Over
StatFox Super Situations™ – FoxSheets
NBA | BOSTON at MIAMI
Play Under - Any team revenging 2 straight losses where team scored < 85 points, extremely tired team – playing their 3rd road game in 4 days
46-18 since 1997. ( 71.9% | 26.2 units )
0-1 this year. ( 0.0% | -1.1 units )
NBA | GOLDEN STATE at PHOENIX
Play Against – Any team vs the money line (PHOENIX) revenging a loss vs opponent of 10 points or more, off a cover where the team lost the game straight up as an underdog
716-298 since 1997. ( 70.6% | 182.0 units )
20-15 this year. ( 57.1% | -15.6 units )
NBA | MEMPHIS at CHICAGO
Play On – Favorites of 2 to 5.5 points vs. the first half line (MEMPHIS) after failing to cover 5 or 6 of their last 7 against the spread, a good team (60% to 75%) playing a team with a winning record
66-31 over the last 5 seasons. ( 68.0% | 31.9 units )
6-6 this year. ( 50.0% | -0.6 units )
Game of the Day: Memphis at Chicago
Memphis Grizzlies at Chicago Bulls (+4, 184.5)
Both Memphis and Chicago will be looking for a bounce-back win when they meet Monday night in the Windy City. The Grizzlies opened a four-game road trip Saturday with a 95-89 loss at New Orleans, blowing an 18-point lead in the process. The setback has Memphis – which has split its last eight road games – clinging to a 1 1/2-game lead over Houston in the race for the second seed in the Western Conference with 20 games to go.
The Bulls were holding the second spot in the East before an 0-2 road trip – capped by Sunday’s 116-105 loss in San Antonio – helped Cleveland take over that spot with the stretch run looming. Pau Gasol continued to be the one steady presence for Chicago with his league-leading 42nd double-double (23 points, 15 rebounds), but his team committed 22 turnovers, two shy of a season high. Memphis opened the season 21-4 before a 103-97 loss to Chicago at home on Dec. 19 started a four-game losing streak.
LINE HISTORY: Most shops opened the Griz as 4-point road faves, which is where it currently sits.
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (44-18): The loss to New Orleans featured a rare off night for both Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, as the two big men combined for 15 points on 5-of-17 shooting and nine rebounds. The pair had a collective three points on 1-of-8 from the floor after halftime, part of a swoon that resulted in the largest lost lead of the season for Memphis. “If we want to be a good team, a championship team, we can’t play like that,” Randolph told reporters.
ABOUT THE BULLS (39-25): Chicago’s 22 giveaways Sunday led to 32 points for San Antonio, which posted the third-highest scoring total against the Bulls this season in a regulation game. One bright spot was the continued surge of power forward Nikola Mirotic, who hit all nine of his free throws en route to 19 points off the bench. Mirotic, who has attempted 49 free throws in five games this month, hit a personal-best six 3-pointers in as many tries to help Chicago top Memphis in the previous encounter.
TRENDS:
*Under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings in Chicago.
*Underdog is 9-3 ATS in the last 12 meetings.
*Under is 11-4 in Bulls’ last 15 overall.
*Under is 21-8-1 in Grizzlies last 30 overall.
NCAAB Monday’s WCC Semifinals
By David Schwab
This season’s West Coast Conference Tournament is down to its final four teams heading into Monday night’s semifinal round. The Gonzaga Bulldogs cruised to the WCC regular season title with a straight-up record of 17-1 and they will now face Pepperdine in a 9 p.m. (ET) tip in their quest for the tournament crown. The only team in the WCC that beat the Bulldogs this season was the BYU Cougars and they will headline the second semifinal when the square-off against Portland in an 11:30 p.m. tip.
Pepperdine Waves vs. No. 7 Gonzaga Bulldogs (ESPN, 9 p.m. ET)
Opening Odds: Gonzaga -14
Pepperdine finished the regular season with a SU record of 18-12 while going 10-8 in conference play. It opened this tournament with a 50-47 victory against San Diego while covering against the spread as a two-point underdog. The Waves are now 3-1 (SU and ATS) in their last four outings and the total has stayed UNDER in their last six games. Junior forward Stacy Davis came up huge against San Diego this past Saturday with a game-high 19 points while adding eight rebounds and three assists. Overall, the Waves are averaging 63.8 points per game while shooting 42.7 percent from the field.
The Bulldogs bounced back from that 73-70 season-ending loss to BYU as 13 ½-point home favorites with a tighter than expected 81-72 victory over San Francisco this past Saturday as 16 ½-point favorites. They have now failed to cover in six of their last nine games and the total has stayed UNDER five of their last seven contests. Gonzaga has been one of the highest scoring teams in the nation all season long with 78.8 PPG and it is ranked first in the nation shooting the ball with a field goal percentage of 52.4. Against San Francisco, the Bulldogs matched that mark by hitting 52.7 percent of their 55 shots from the floor. One injury note; Gonzaga’s leading scorer junior forward Kyle Wiltjer (16.6 PPG) left the game late in the second half with an apparent hip injury.
Betting Trends
— The Waves are 6-1 ATS in their last seven neutral-site games and they are 14-5 ATS in their last 19 games following a SU win. The total has gone OVER in five of their last seven games against a team with a SU winning record.
— The Bulldogs are 0-5-1 ATS in their last six games played at a neutral site, but they have covered in 24 of their last 36 games following an ATS loss. The total has gone OVER in five of their last six neutral-site games.
— The favorite in this series has gone 19-6-3 ATS in the last 28 meetings and the total has gone OVER in five of the last seven games. Gonzaga has won the last 10 meetings SU, but Pepperdine covered ATS in both losses this season.
Portland Pilots vs. BYU Cougars (ESPN2, 11:30 p.m. ET)
Opening Odds: BYU -8.5
Portland stunned St. Mary’s in its tournament opener with a 69-52 win as a 6 ½-point underdog. This snapped a four-game losing streak (SU and ATS) to close-out the regular season. The total has stayed UNDER in seven of its last 10 games. Three of five starters scored in double figures in Saturday’s upset led by senior guard Kevin Bailey. He has led the way all season long with an average of 14.5 PPG. The Pilots are averaging 70.3 PPG, but this number has dropped a bit over their last seven games to 66.7. They hit an impressive 50 percent of their 46 shots against St. Mary’s as opposed to a field goal percentage of 44.4 percent on the year.
The Cougars stayed hot with a 78-76 victory against Santa Clara on Saturday, but they came nowhere close to covering as 12 ½-point favorites. BYU is now 7-0 SU in its last seven games and that was the first time during this run that it failed to cover the spread. The total went OVER the 148-point closing line after staying UNDER in its previous five games. Senior guard Tyler Haws has been a force all season long with a team-high 22.2 PPG and he led the way in Saturday’s win with 30 points while going 9-for-19 from the field. The Cougars are ranked second in the nation in scoring with 83.8 PPG and they are shooting 46.6 percent from the field. However, when it comes to playing defense BYU is ranked near the bottom of Division I in points allowed (72.1).
Betting Trends
— The Pilots have covered ATS in five of their last seven games played at a neutral site and they are 6-2-1 ATS in their last nine games following an ATS win. The total has stayed UNDER in 11 of their last 16 games following a SU win.
— The Cougars are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a SU win, but they have failed to cover in their last five games played on a Monday. The total has stayed UNDER in nine of their last 12 neutral-site games.
— BYU holds a 9-1 SU edge in the last 10 meetings including a two-game sweep this season, but Portland has a slight 3-2 edge ATS in the last five games. The total stayed UNDER a closing 155 ½-point line the last time they met on Feb. 26 after going OVER in the previous five meetings.
NCAA Basketball Picks
Northeastern vs. William & Mary
The Tribe play for the Colonial Athletic Association championship tonight against a Northeastern team that is coming off a 78-71 win over NC-Wilmington on Sunday and is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games following a SU victory. William & Mary is the pick (-1 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Tribe favored by 3 1/2.
Dunkel Pick: William & Mary (-1 1/2)
MONDAY, MARCH 9
Game 865-866: Ball State at Bowling Green (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ball State 48.720; Bowling Green 57.338
Dunkel Line: Bowling Green by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Bowling Green by 11
Dunkel Pick: Ball State (+11)
Game 867-868: Northern Illinois at Akron (7:00 a.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Northern Illinois 56.799; Akron 59.131
Dunkel Line: Akron by 2 1/2
Vegas Line: Akron by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Northern Illinois (+6 1/2)
Game 869-870: Miami (OH) at Eastern Michigan (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami (OH) 50.871; Eastern Michigan 61.361
Dunkel Line: Eastern Michigan by 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Eastern Michigan by 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Eastern Michigan (-7 1/2)
Game 871-872: Ohio at Western Michigan (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ohio 50.575; Western Michigan 62.066
Dunkel Line: Western Michigan by 11 1/2
Vegas Line: Western Michigan by 9
Dunkel Pick: Western Michigan (-9)
Game 873-874: Northeastern vs. William & Mary (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Northeastern 51.360; William & Mary 54.780
Dunkel Line: William & Mary by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: William & Mary by 1 1/2
Dunkel Pick: William & Mary (-1 1/2)
Game 875-876: Pepperdine vs. Gonzaga (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pepperdine 58.358; Gonzaga 74/910
Dunkel Line: Gonzaga by 16 1/2
Vegas Line: Gonzaga by 14
Dunkel Pick: Gonzaga (-14)
Game 877-878: Portland vs. BYU (11:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Portland 59.089; BYU 65.117
Dunkel Line: BYU by 6
Vegas Line: BYU by 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Portland (+8 1/2)
Game 879-880: South Dakota vs. South Dakota State (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: South Dakota 53.453; South Dakota State 58.583
Dunkel Line: South Dakota State by 5
Vegas Line: South Dakota State by 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: South Dakota (+8 1/2)
Game 881-882: Oral Roberts vs. North Dakota State (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oral Roberts 51.945; North Dakota State 52.821
Dunkel Line: North Dakota State by 1
Vegas Line: North Dakota State by 3
Dunkel Pick: Oral Roberts (+3)
Game 883-884: Furman vs. Wofford (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Furman 45.422; Wofford 55.579
Dunkel Line: Wofford by 10
Vegas Line: Wofford by 12
Dunkel Pick: Furman (+12)
Game 885-886: Manhattan vs. Iona (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Manhattan 53.437; Iona 58.983
Dunkel Line: Iona by 5 1/2
Vegas Line: Iona by 3 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Iona (-3 1/2)
Game 887-888: Savannah State vs. Delaware State (6:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Savannah State 37.470; Delaware State 47.894
Dunkel Line: Delaware State by 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Delaware State by 7
Dunkel Pick: Delaware State (-7)
Game 889-890: Morgan State vs. Hampton (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Morgan State 37.054; Hampton 44.569
Dunkel Line: Hampton by 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Hampton by 5
Dunkel Pick: Hampton (-5)
College Basketball
MAC tournament, campus sites
Bowling Green is much-improved this season under first-year coach Jans; Falcons beat Ball State twice this year, 58-46 (-9) at home Jan 17, then 79-65 (-6) in Muncie Feb 14. Cardinals won first two MAC games but haven’t won since, losing 16 games in row, going 4-5 as road underdogs in MAC play. Falcons lost four of last six games after starting season 17-6; they lost last two games by total of three points. Ball is 2-8 in its last ten tourney openers; Bowling Green is 2-7 in last nine.
Over last six years, Akron is 17-6 in this event, winning it twice in last four years; Zips won their first tourney game last nine years, but Akron lost 64-61 (-3.5) at Northern Illinois this year in its only meeting with the Huskies Jan 21- Zips were 9-28 from arc. Akron is banged-up, lost six of last seven games, all by 7 or less points. NIU is 2-11 in MAC tourney last 11 years, with only two wins by three points each; four of their last six losses in this event were by six or less points.
Eastern Michigan started MAC play 11-2, but lost five of first six games in league and stumbled to 8-10 mark, winning last two; home teams won both EMU-Miami games this year. Redhawks won 82-81 (+4.5) in OT Jan 10, after being down 25 in first half. Eastern (-9) won rematch 83-69 at home Feb 10, making 10-19 from arc. Eagles are 4-4-1 as a home fave. Miami won five of last seven games after starting MAC play 3-8, but in last game, they lost by 30 at Ohio U.
Western Michigan won five of last seven games, one of which was 80-69 (-8) home win over Bobcats Feb 18, when WMU outscored Ohio 15-2 in last 6:01. Broncos outscored Bobcats 15-5 on foul line. Broncos won first tourney game 10 of last 11 years; Ohio eight of last ten. Western is 3-4 as home favorite this year, winning five of last six at home. Ohio snapped a 7-game skid with 30-point win in season finale; Bobcats are 2-7 as a road underdog, failing to cover last four games on foreign soil.
CAA tournament, Baltimore
Wm&Mary is one of five original NCAA teams that has never been in NCAA tourney; they lost this game by point to Delaware LY. Tribe is here after winning in double OT Sunday after being down 5 with 0:50 to play- they made 12-28 from arc. Northeastern hasn’t been in NCAAs in last 24 years; Huskies won five of last six games, winning couple close games last two days, by 3-7 points. Home side won both series games this year by double digits.
WCC tournament, Las Vegas– These teams all had Sunday off……….
Gonzaga is playing for NCAA seed, thought they seemed locked in to a 2-seed; Bulldogs beat Pepperdine twice this season, 78-76 (-19) Jan 15 in Malibu, then 56-48 (-18) at home Feb 19. Zags are 20-3 in WCC tourney last 11 years, winning it eight times- they won last 12 semifinal games. Pepperdine is 6-12 in WCC tourney since 2003; the five years they won a game, they lost next game every time, last three by 18-24-17. Waves are 3-1 in last four games- they were down 8 in 2nd half vs USD Saturday.
Southern Conference, Asheville, NC
Wofford won seven games in row, 14 of last 15 games; they won SoCon tourney three of last five years. Still, Terriers need win here or they’ll be like Murray State, on outside looking in on Selection Sunday. Furman has beaten Chattanooga/Mercer last two days, both huge upsets; this is 4th day in row they’re playing- they were 1-8 in last nine games before this tourney. Wofford beat Furman by 25 at home Jan 22, but only by hoop in Greenville nine days ago, hanging on after being up 13 with 11:30 left.
MAAC tournament, Albany
Iona-Manhattan meet in MAAC final for third year in row- they’ve split last two, both by 3 points. Top-seed Iona beat Jaspers twice this season by total of 7 points, with games in February two weeks apart- thin Iona bench has played total of 56:00 in two games of this tourney, but game yesterday wasn’t stressful. Gaels made 19-35 from arc yesterday- they were up 57-45 at half. Manhattan won six of last seven games, with 79-75 loss to Iona only setback. Iona shot 32% or less on arc in its MAAC losses. Jaspers are in middle of MAAC pack defending the arc.
Summit League, Sioux Falls, SD
South Dakota State/North Dakota State had yesterday off……..
South Dakota is #21 in experience in country; they won six of last seven games, were up 22 at half over favored Fort Wayne yesterday, held off Mastodon charge in second half. South Dakota State won 11 of its last 13 game after starting 0-2 in Summit. Jackrabbits won this tournament two of last three years; they beat South Dakota 71-57 at home Jan 17, then lost 80-64 to Coyotes in regular season finale 9 days ago. South Dakota played seven guys Sunday, three for 32+ minutes.
Oral Roberts won eight of last eleven games, four of last six on road- they lost 72-66 at North Dakota State in Summit opener Jan 2, then whacked Bison 74-58 in Tulsa eleven nights ago. Eagles played two guys for 39-40 minutes in tense 58-56 win over IUPUI last nght- they allowed Jaguars 16 offensive boards, were -7 (14-7) in turnovers. North Dakota State won seven of its last nine games; three of its last eight wins came in overtime. Bison has rookie head coach, only one senior in rotation.
StatFox Super Situations™ – FoxSheets
CBB | BALL ST at BOWLING GREEN
Play On – Road underdogs of 10 to 19.5 points (BALL ST) after a loss by 6 points or less against opponent after 2 straight games where both teams score 75 points or more
52-22 since 1997. ( 70.3% | 27.8 units )
1-0 this year. ( 100.0% | 1.0 units )
CBB | MIAMI OHIO at E MICHIGAN
Play Against – A favorite vs. the money line (E MICHIGAN) off an upset win as a home underdog, a good team (60% to 80%) playing a team with a losing record
29-27 over the last 5 seasons. ( 51.8% | 29.7 units )
2-7 this year. ( 22.2% | -2.2 units )
CBB | MANHATTAN at IONA
Play Against – Neutral Court favorites vs. the 1rst half line (IONA) after failing to cover 4 of their last 5 against the spread, playing with one or less days rest
214-129 since 1997. ( 62.4% | 72.1 units )
4-1 this year. ( 80.0% | 2.9 units )
CRUSHER
Hockey Crusher
Pittsburgh Penguins + San Jose Sharks – UNDER 5.5
(System Record: 79-3, won last 4 games and a push)
Overall Record: 79-56-3
Basketball Crusher
Northern Illinois +6.5 over Akron
(System Record: 65-0, won last game)
Overall Record: 65-59-3
Soccer Crusher
Estudiantes LP + San Lorenzo – OVER 2
This match is happening in Argentina
(System Record: 718-25, won last 6 games)
Overall Record: 718-598-108
Here are the rest of his hockey and basketball plays for today…
Hockey
Nashville Predators + Arizona Coyotes – UNDER 5.5
New York Islanders + Toronto Maple Leafs – OVER 5.5
Anaheim Ducks -110 over Vancouver
Basketball
Hampton -5 over Morgan State
New York Knicks +9 over Denver Nuggets
Memphis Grizzlies + Chicago Bulls – UNDER 184.5
PAUL LEINER
100* NBA – Bulls/Grizzlies – Over 185.5
100* CBB – Ohio +9
50* CBB – Akron -6.5
Totals 4 You NBA Selections
March’s Pro Basketball Scoreboard-Scorcher of the Month!!!!!
New Orleans/Milwaukee – Over 186 1/2
NBA Best Bets
Washington/Charlotte – Over 187 1/2
Sacramento/Atlanta – Under 205
New York/Denver – Under 202
Golden State/Phoenix – Over 216 1/2
STEPHEN NOVER
Triple-Dime bet – New Orleans Pelicans+2
DAVE SCANDALIATO
3* NEW ORLEANS PELICANS +2 versus the milwaukee bucks.
Today’s NHL Picks
Pittsburgh at San Jose
The Penguins head to San Jose tonight to face a Sharks team that is 1-9 in its last 10 home games. Pittsburgh is the pick (-115) according to Dunkel, which has the Penguins favored by 1 1/2.
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-115)
MONDAY, MARCH 9
Game 1-2: NY Islanders at Toronto (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Islanders 9.546; Toronto 10.674
Dunkel Line & Total: Toronto by 1; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: NY Islanders (-180: 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+160); Over
Game 3-4: Edmonton at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 11.227; Detroit 9.868
Dunkel Line & Total: Edmonton by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit (-340): 5
Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (+270); Over
Game 5-6: Nashville at Arizona (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Nashville 11.204; Arizona 9.795
Dunkel Line & Total: Nashville by 1 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Nashville (-220); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Nashville (-220); Under
Game 7-8: Pittsburgh at San Jose (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 13.445; San Jose 11.827
Dunkel Line & Total: Pittsburgh by 1 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-115); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-115); Under
Game 9-10: Anaheim at Vancouver (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Anaheim 12.182; Vancouver 10.485
Dunkel Line & Total: Anaheim by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Vancouver (-110); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Anaheim (=110); Over
2014-15 NHL
Hot teams
— Penguins won six of their last seven games.
— Anaheim won four of its last five games.
Cold teams
— Islanders lost three of their last four games. Toronto lost four of last five.
— Edmonton lost six of its last seven games. Detroit lost last two games, 5-2/5-3.
— Nashville lost its last six games, scoring 11 goals. Arizona lost 11 of last 12 games.
— Sharks lost 11 of their last 16 games.
— Canucks lost four of their last five games.
Series records
— Islanders won six of last nine games with Toronto.
— Red Wings won 14 of last 15 games with Edmonton.
— Predators won their last four games with Arizona.
— Sharks won eight of last ten games with Pittsburgh.
— Ducks won nine of last ten games with Vancouver.
Totals
— Four of last five Toronto home games went over.
— Six of last nine Detroit home games went over total.
— Six of last seven Nashville road games stayed under.
— Under is 9-4 in last thirteen Pittsburgh road games.
— Four of last five Anaheim road games stayed under.
Back-to-back
— Edmonton is 1-7 if it played night before; Detroit is 4-3.
Ethan Alexander
Sacramento Kings +11
Bob Greenfield
Sacramento Kings +11
Cameron Owens
Sacramento Kings +11
Bryan Power picks NBA
Milwaukee Bucks – -1.5
Sacramento Kings – +11
LARRY NESS
Game: Washington Wizards at Charlotte Hornets Mar 9 2015 7:00PM
Prediction: OVER
Reason: My 10* Conf Goin’ Over Total G.O.M. (East) is on Was/Cha Over at 7:05 ET.
SPORTS HANDICAPPER KING / Ross Raposo
NHL – San Jose Sharks ML
BRANDON LANG
20 Dime selection is Pepperdine over Gonzaga. The current line on this game is +14 1/2 in Vegas and offshore.
ROBERT FERRINGO (CBB)
1* Delaware St.
BOB BALFE
CAA Finals
Northeastern +1.5 over William & Mary
Northeaster better on the boards. Offensive rebounds/2nd chance points will be key 2nite
BEN BURNS
10* *Big TV Winner* CBB MAIN EVENT! —- Portland +8.5
POWER PLAY WINS
One Play Per Day System Power Play Of The Day – NCAAB: Hampton -5
Action Report: Bettors liking Man United to cover
By STEPHEN CAMPBELL
Manchester United and Arsenal’s FA Cup quarterfinal is receiving no shortage of action at Pinnacle Sports.
Sixty-eight percent of spread bettors at the sportsbook are backing Man U (-0.25), while 50 percent of the public is jumping on a draw in 1X2 markets.
“Manchester United has not only been the popular bet overall, they’ve gotten more expensive on Monday,” said a source from the book. “As of 12 p.m. EST, Man U -0.25 was priced at +116, but that’s sitting at +105 as of 3 p.m. EST.”
The majority of players at Pinnacle are banking on witnessing a high-scoring affair, as 64 percent of the action on totals is on the game going above the 2.5 goal number.
“The Over has gotten more expensive after opening at even money, as it’s now -112,” said the source. “Those bets have some weight to them, that’s for sure.”
INDIAN COWBOY (Soccer)
7-Unit Play. #26716. Take Under 2.5 Goals Manchester United vs. Arsenal (March 9th @ 3:45pm est) (English Premiere League) The last time these two teams met the final score was 2-1 and Manchester United got the better end of this team. In most power rankings, you will find that that indeed Arsenal is the better team by a couple of slots. Arsenal gets a chance to get some revenge here and note that they face a United team that comes having won back to back games in shutout fashion by a score of 2-0 and 1-0 against Sunderland and New Castle United. The renewed focus is probably due to losing to Swansea on the road 1-2 which was unaccpetable to this team. Note that Man-U will look to continue their defensive focus against a team who they have already beaten but a team who is undoubtedly seeking revenge here. Arsenal did not particularly play well against Queens Park winning 2-1 but that has to set off a nerve to this team who recently lost to Monaco 1-3 and since then quickly bounced-back against Everton winning 2-0 and most recently beating Queens Park in a lackluster performance. Let’s roll with the Under here as both teams will have a renewed sense of focus coming into this game as this contest likely goes under the posted total on Monday afternoon.
Phillip Pyle (NCAAB)
Ball St. +11
Gonzaga -14
JASON SHARPE (NBA)
3-Unit Play Take #710 New Orleans +1.5 over Milwaukee (8:05pm est):
GOODFELLA
3* NBA GOW – Charlotte Hornets ML
Frank Patron
20,000 Unit Lock #8 – William and Mary Tribe -1.5 over Northeastern